Equivalent Exchange

Chapter 32: Old Friends and Old Enemies

Early the next morning, the group of seven rose, enjoyed the baths one more time and ate a filling meal before packing up their belongings and preparing to leave. The village, along with Mount Makapu was calm now, and the villagers all went about their usual business as if nothing extraordinary had happened the previous day.

"Do you think that they'll still rely on Aunt Wu?" Sokka asked everyone as they slung on satchels and tightened saddle bags. "I mean, we proved that she was full of it, didn't we?"

Judging by the amount of people going in and out of her establishment, Aunt Wu and her predictions were still in business.

"Look," Mai pointed out the obvious. "No one learned anything."

"Who is going to save their butts next time the volcano erupts, and hopefully it won't?" Katara asked.

She surveyed the picturesque village and its kind people, concerned for their safety etched on her face.

"They know what to do; if they don't check the volcano themselves, then they're just stupid," Sokka, ever pragmatic, reminded his sister.

"I suppose," the waterbender agreed. "But I can't help but worry."

"We come. We help. We leave. We shouldn't worry."

"Is that your motto, Sokka?" Mai asked with a sly smile. "I approve."

"Why yes, Mai; I believe I will adopt that as the official Sokka motto." He threw back his shoulders and stood as tall as he could, like a soldier on duty. Katara swatted Sokka and he deflated instantly. "Hey! Why do you keep doing that?"

"When you don't need it, I'll stop doing it."

Katara was using her disapproving mother glare, hands on hips and eyes narrowed. Sokka was surprised not to see a sealwhisker switch in her hand.

"Hey, where's my uncle?" Zuko asked out of nowhere. "He was just here."

Everyone glanced at the fortuneteller's place and sure enough the retired general wandered out with a grin and a spring in his step.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he apologized. "But a man must say a proper goodbye to a lady. It's good manners and leaves the door open for next time."

"What next time?" Zuko inquired. "We're never going to see this place again, are we?"

"Nephew, nephew, one must always prepare for possibilities, no matter how slender the chances of them happening."

"Keep that in mind," Mai whispered to him.

With everyone ready, they left, Appa walking ahead with Aang and Katara. Sokka stayed behind with Mai and Zuko, initiating ridiculously personal small talk that made Mai giggle and Zuko fume. He asked about their future wedding, what exactly the Fire Lord did, why Zuko was afraid of his little sister, whether they loved spicy food or not and what they were taught in school.

"Enough already," the prince finally shouted. "Go walk with your sister."

"Geez, I was only trying to be friendly. You Fire Nation folk are hot tempered just like the rumors suggest." Zuko shot a weak burst of flame in Sokka's direction, careful to not hit him. The warrior picked up his pace immediately and looked back at Zuko with wary eyes. "Yep, rumor equals true."

"You haven't seen hot tempered," Zuko retorted.

"Nephew, for Agni's sake, would you calm down and why are you firebending out in the open? We're close to Jeong-Jeong's and that means we're close to that Fire Nation colony too. Use your head!"

Chastised and red faced, Zuko apologized to his uncle and to Sokka.

"Yeah, fine, I forgive you; just don't shoot fire at me again. Now who is this Jeong-Jeong guy? He sounds cool."

Iroh told the story of their year with the Fire Nation deserter, what the man was like and what he stood for.

"Wow, he sounds tough," Aang declared.

They were all walking together now, curious about the crazy firebender.

"Do you think we could pay him a visit?" Zuko turned hopeful gold eyes on his uncle. "I'd like to see how he's doing."

"Yeah, could we?" both Aang and Sokka joined in.

"What do you think, Jee," Iroh asked the lieutenant. "Can we spare the time?"

"Well, looks like we'll be going right by his hideout so I think so. And perhaps the master can give Aang a bit of information about firebending."

Zuko snorted loudly at that comment, instantly recalling the first few days of his training with the grumpy and talented old man.

"Yeah, Aang's in for a treat."

"Really? I love treats," Aang stated joyfully. This Jeong-Jeong guy sounds like lots of fun, tough fun."

"Fun is the last word I would use to describe him, but he is an excellent teacher," Mai informed the boy.

"So it's decided then. We'll stop at Jeong-Jeong's briefly before moving on up the coast." Iroh's voice was authoritative and everyone suddenly grew serious. There was an invasion to stop after all.

They met Chey on the way down the forested hill to the hideout. His homely face broke out into a huge grin when Mai and Zuko pushed off their hoods and showed their faces.

"Master Jeong-Jeong will be so pleased to see you. And is that the Avatar you've brought with you? And look at the bison. It's magnificent. Oh, this is wonderful, wonderful."

"Hello, Chey; it's good to see you again. And yes, we've brought company, but I think it's best if we continue below into the valley where we're less conspicuous."

Iroh climbed down from his ostrich horse and gave the kind man a hug.

"Yes, yes, of course. I'm taking a trip to the village for some supplies. We're out of almost everything. Jeong-Jeong is having some tea by the fire. We've kept up the habit, Iroh."

"All right; hurry back and we'll talk," the former general urged the man.

Chey smiled widely again and broke into a run.

"Oh," he said, skidding to a stop and yelling over his shoulder as if just remembering something. "You should see your wanted posters. You guys are worth a lot and you look funny too."

"Oh, I can imagine," Mai drawled. "We'll have to sneak a look when we leave."

"Happy guy," Sokka noted.

"It's self-protection," Mai muttered. "He needs to counteract Jeong-Jeong's gloom."

The deserter looked up as they approached, Aang's bellow making it impossible for him to ignore the group. He smiled too, a little more slowly than Chey had, but it was a smile nonetheless. A year had done nothing to change the man. He stood up from his seat on the ground quickly and with grace, years of training and meditation obvious in his movements. Mai and Zuko stayed put for a moment and looked around the valley, a place so full of memories. It was here that their love really bloomed. It was here that their training took an intense and different turn. It was here that they became the Blue Spirit and the White Spirit. They shared a meaningful look and reached out, linking their hands together.

"So, my two favorite pupils have returned. Come here and let me look at you."

The young couple dismounted and approached the man cautiously. They liked him, loved him even, but were still wary of his contrary disposition and tendency to blow up at the slightest provocation. Jeong-Jeong played with his moustache and observed the two young people carefully. He watched their postures and their strides, the way their arms hung and the way they held their heads. As soon as they were close enough, he wrapped his arms around them brusquely.

"It is good to see you, Mai and Zuko. Now, twenty hot squats, prince and Mai, I want you to throw ten blades, each one hitting that tree over there."

They obeyed without question, Zuko bending down into a crouch then moving upward again, letting a small blast of fire leave his one fist each time, Mai reaching for blade after blade and tossing them with grace and accuracy.

"Not bad, but a bit sloppy. Have you been neglecting your training lately?" He looked at them sternly but surprisingly enough, a glimmer of amusement shone in his eyes.

"Um, I suppose we haven't been completely vigilant. But we'll do better as long as circumstances allow us to train." Zuko cleared his throat and looked at Jeong-Jeong through his bangs.

"Fine then; now who have you brought to meet me?"

"The Avatar, Aang, and his friends from the Southern Water Tribe, Sokka and Katara; they're brother and sister," Zuko replied immediately. "Oh, and Appa is the huge air bison and the lemur's name is Momo."

"Well, introduce me properly, then. Sometimes I wonder if you were really raised in a palace."

Introductions were made all around and then Iroh made fresh tea, tossing Jeong-Jeong's out without the deserter noticing. Everyone sat on the ground, sipping casually, while the Fire Nation natives caught up on any important news. Finally, Zuko and Mai told the story of Aang's rescue and Zhao's terrible plan to kill the Moon Spirit and destroy the Northern Water Tribe.

The crusty older firebender shook his head in disbelief. "I am so ashamed of my former student. It was horrible enough to do what he did at the beginning of your banishment, blowing up your ship and threatening Mai, but a plan to destroy a culture, a people, that's truly evil."

"We'll stop him," Aang said positively. "We've got three firebenders on our side now and Mai's awesome too."

"Zhao has one hundred ships, Aang, and countless firebenders at his disposal. It's not going to be easy, you know," Zuko said a bit more gloomily. "Maybe I should have killed him during the Agni Kai. I had the chance to stop him then, permanently."

"You couldn't know what he was planning, Zuko, and you wanted to fight honourably, unlike him."

Mai's voice was hard and full of hate. She was fairly certain that should it come down to that, as of now, killing Zhao herself would not pose a problem or bother her conscience one bit.

"Avatar," the deserter shouted brusquely. "How is your training coming? Surely, you can't be ready for firebending yet. Judging from your posture, I say 'no'."

"I, well I, I'm getting pretty good at waterbending and I'd love to try firebending, even though I'm supposed to concentrate on one element at a time."

"Since when?" Zuko asked incredulously. "You've never mentioned that before."

"I didn't want to bother you guys, but maybe Jeong-Jeong can teach me something. Can you?"

He turned big grey eyes on the master and gave him his most charming smile.

"Hmmph," the older man grunted. "I don't think it's a good idea. You seem flighty and firebending takes great control. Do you understand the damage that fire can do? One wrong step and something disastrous could happen."

"I'll be careful. I promise. I don't want anything to happen to anybody."

Jeong-Jeong looked pensive. He cradled his chin in his hand and narrowed his eyes in thought. Eventually, he peered at Iroh who smiled and shrugged, unsure what the best response would be. With a brief nod of his head, the deserter agreed to give Aang a lesson.

"Yes, yes," the Avatar shrieked excitedly. "So when can I make fire?"

"Not yet, boy. First you must learn to breathe properly. Come over here, away from everyone."

Master and pupil left, Aang giving them a beaming smile over his shoulder.

"He won't be smiling in a few minutes," Mai remarked poitnedly and then smirked.

Within a few minutes, Jeong-Jeong was shouting at the boy and Aang was red faced.

"Legs further apart; I know what you're doing. I don't need to be looking at you."

Aang spread his legs open even more and breathed deeply in an out, trying to maintain his concentration.

"Can I make fire now?" he pestered the man again.

"Keep breathing! I'll tell you when you can use fire."

Frustrated and growling, Jeong-Jeong rejoined the group, keeping a keen eye on the boy.

"He's worse than you were." The master stared piercingly at Zuko with those astute eyes but then smiled. "But look at you now."

"So are you going to let him play with fire?" Mai inquired. "He's almost bursting over there."

"I'll let him, but I don't have to tell him that right away."

"Hey, Master Jeong-Jeong, are there any fish in that river?" Sokka inquired. "Maybe I can catch us some dinner."

"Do you know of any river without fish?" the man replied grumpily. "Go, go; see that rock down there. It's the perfect spot to fish from."

"I was just asking," Sokka whined. "Geez, what's with you fiery types?"

"Maybe I'll get in some training." Katara stood up from her spot on the winter brown grass and stretched. "It was very nice to meet you, Jeong-Jeong."

"Yes, yes, nice to meet you too." The deserter turned back to Zuko, Mai, Iroh and Jee, a frown on his face. "I'm worried. Stopping an invasion the size of Zhao's will be very difficult. Thank Agni that you are forewarned, at least. Iroh, you'll make contact with Pakku, of course."

"Yes, if we can get there. Our transportation hasn't been figured out yet."

"That is troubling," the man stated. "Now, excuse me; I must show that carefree boy the leaf exercise. Remember that, Zuko?"

"I remember," the prince groaned. "It involved lots of shouting."

They watched as Jeong-Jeong pulled a large leaf from a tree and approached the Avatar almost menacingly. Sokka was busily trying to catch a fish and Katara was making water whip after water whip, curling them into interesting shapes and then letting them drop back into the river. Appa lounged nearby and Momo sat with Sokka, occasionally climbing down off the rock and into the water, attempting to lure the fish in himself.

"See this leaf," the master yelled. He inhaled then and with the tiniest movement, created a bit of flame in the leaf's centre. It licked at the green, trying to burn it away. But Jeong- Jeong was master over the fire and kept it in check. "Now see this fire in the leaf?"

"Yes," Aang acknowledged. "Ooh, it's pretty; can I make my own?"

"No! I want you to hold this leaf and see how long you can keep the fire from reaching the edges. Concentrate. If you can manage that, perhaps I will allow you to create fire. Look at your friends. They know how to apply themselves to a task. Follow their lead."

Jeong-Jeong walked away, hands behind his back and muttering to himself. He plunked himself down beside Iroh and glanced back at Aang irritably.

"You must remember, my friend, that Aang is still a child. I realize that he can be a bit flighty and careless but his power is considerable and his heart is true. It's a shame that he has so little time until the comet appears and my brother makes the final move that I know is coming."

"Child or not, Aang must step up. Without him, the world is doomed."

Engrossed in their conversation, no one noticed Aang allow the fire to consume the leaf completely. No one watched as he daringly made his own fire. No one but Katara noticed the boy's flame grow bigger and wilder as he juggled it, moving it from one hand to the next. Boldly then, he created a fire whip, much as he made them from water countless times now and moved it in and out. Katara cautioned him to be careful, warned him about losing control, but Aang was only annoyed by her comments. He formed a huge ball of flame and made it dance around his body, creating a circle of fire. The Avatar pushed outward then and the flames reached Katara, engulfing her and burning her hand severely.

A piercing scream caught everyone's attention.

All of them jerked and then ran toward the river. Sokka was on top of Aang, holding the boy down, his hands pressed painfully hard into the boy's shoulders. His eyes held a rage and protectiveness that none of them had witnessed previously. Spittle flew from his mouth as he shrieked at the Avatar. "You burned my sister. You burned my sister," he cried over and over.

Katara cradled her injured hand and tears poured from her eyes. Zuko, who knew the pain she was feeling better than anyone else ever could, reached out instinctively to offer some comfort, but she ran away, off down the river to be alone, away from anyone who could produce fire.

"I'll follow her," Jeong-Jeong declared and walked briskly after the retreating blue tunic.

"It's your fault," the Water Tribe warrior called after the deserter. "You shouldn't have let him use fire. What is wrong with you?"

"I know," Jeong-Jeong acknowledged sorrowfully. "I know."

"Sokka," Iroh said gently. "Let Aang go."

"He hurt my sister!" the young man screamed. "You can't trust fire; look what it does."

Iroh put a hand firmly on the boy's shoulder and said with hard, cold steel in his voice, "Let the boy go!"

Sokka loosened his grip, gave Aang one last hateful look and then bolted after Katara.

The Avatar's eyes were filled with tears. He had hurt the person in the world that he cared most about and all because he was careless and stupid. If her hand scarred, or if there were any permanent damage, Aang didn't think he could live with that. He made to follow Katara but Zuko stopped him.

"Don't; let Jeong-Jeong and Sokka take care of her. She'll be okay, Aang."

Aang's lower lip quivered and when he spoke it was with a tremulous voice. "How do you know? What if I really hurt her hand? She'll hate me just like Sokka does. I'll never firebend again, ever!"

"Yes, you will, Aang, but only when you're ready. I had some trouble with training when I started out too. I was impatient and pushed things and almost had some accidents. Firebending requires a lot of control and you just don't have it yet. But I promise that you will. You're the Avatar after all."

"Yeah, but I still hurt my friend." Aang sniffed and wiped at his eyes.

"Very inspirational," Mai whispered into Zuko's ear.

"I'm trying," Zuko hissed back. "I'm not good at this sort of thing. Iroh is."

"Hey, look, Katara's coming back and she's smiling." Aang turned away from them, all his attention focused on his favorite girl now.

"It's okay, Aang," the waterbender shouted happily. "Look, the burn's gone."

Mai and Zuko looked at each other with raised eyebrows. How could her burn just vanish? Jeong-Jeong and Sokka jogged along behind Katara, both looking relieved.

"Katara just discovered that she has healing abilities. It happens with some waterbenders. You're very lucky. Her skill will surely come in handy."

Everyone crowded around her, looking at unblemished caramel colored skin. There was not even the slightest hint of the angry red mark that had covered her hand just a few minutes before.

"Remarkable," Iroh said reverently. "I've heard of waterbending healers. You, Katara, will be one very powerful young lady."

"She just put her hand in the river and poof, the burn was gone." Sokka was shaking his head back and forth disbelievingly. "Aang, I'm sorry for jumping on you like I did."

"I deserved it, Sokka. It will never happen again. I won't hurt my friends because I won't firebend. I'll beat the Fire Lord without it."

Zuko groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "Fat lot of good my talk did."

Mai pulled her lover aside and put her hands up to his cheeks, caressing rough scar tissue on one side and slightly stubbly skin on the other. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You did fine. He'll get over his fear eventually."

"He'd better," the prince stated emphatically.

The relief and wonder that everyone felt was quickly forgotten when a panicked Chey tore down the hill and into the valley. His eyes were huge and his breath came in ragged gasps.

"Zhao," he finally spat out. Hunched over and trying to get his breath, he couldn't say anything else.

Mai froze instantly and reached for Zuko's hand. "He's here?"

"In the Fire Nation town….he, he's asking about all of you. And he's hired a woman, a, a bounty hunter. She's got this animal that follows scents. Mai, Zhao has something of yours, a piece of cloth."

Everyone turned to look at her. Mai couldn't think of what this piece of cloth could be. And then it hit her. When she took off her mask at Pohuai, Zhao must have grabbed the tie that held it in place. And now he was tracking her like some runaway animal from a zoo or a circus.

"Oh,Zuko, my mask. He took the tie; bastard."

"You need to leave." Jeong-Jeong was shoving them along toward their ostrich horses. "Take the hidden path. I'll stall Zhao."

"Where are we supposed to go? They've got Mai's scent. They'll find us no matter what." Zuko tugged on Mai's arm and practically dragged her over to their mounts. He made sure that she was safely on her ostrich horse before jumping onto his.

"We'll do what we can from Appa, alright. Head toward the coast," Sokka suggested. "Maybe this thing loses the scent in water. Or maybe there will be a convenient boat for you to hop aboard."

"Yeah, sure, like that's going to happen." Mai was already heading toward a narrow wooded path. She turned her head and gave Jeong-Jeong a nod. He nodded back and hoped silently for their safety.

Zuko followed close behind, then Iroh and Jee. The Avatar and his friends climbed on Appa and took to the sky, heading westward and to the sea.

"Goodbye," they all called. "Thank you."

"For what, teaching you too soon?" The deserter waved dismissively and then began to mutter to himself about bad pupils and good pupils and just plain dumb pupils.

Mai was silent. She felt guilty and stupid and she was tired of running away from Admiral Zhao. Why couldn't the man just die already? She felt Zuko's eyes on her back, ever watchful, ever concerned. A swift surge of love for her betrothed heated her blood and then coursed through her veins, warming every inch of her body. Mai wondered what she would do if anything ever happened to Zuko. Then she wondered why she was contemplating something so heartbreakingly sad. It was funny how thoughts worked; they seemed to come and go sometimes without any logical sequence or appeared at the most ridiculously inopportune times. It would be convenient if there were a switch on the side of her head, allowing her to cut off the flow of thoughts and just rest.

Zuko's voice called to her. "Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not," she tossed back over her shoulder. "Zhao chasing after us is one of my favorite things."

She dug her knees into the ostrich horse, driving the beast to run faster and harder. From somewhere off to their right they heard shouts and the sounds of firebending. Zhao must be at the hideout already, battling his former master. Mai was confident that the deserter could handle the admiral. Zhao always made mistakes, careless ones that either got him in trouble or got him resoundingly defeated. And Jeong-Jeong's bending was something to behold.

They made it out of the valley and blazed by the notice board that sat in the clearing near the Fire Nation colony. Both Mai and Zuko looked at the wanted posters, their curiosity overcoming their urgency. The likenesses were not perfect, in fact Mai and Zuko both still looked like thirteen year olds, but it was indeed her face and the prince's and Iroh's. The Blue and White Spirits and Aang stared back at them too.

"We are worth a lot," Mai remarked. "I'm surprised we haven't run into more bounty hunters."

"We'll be dead if we don't keep moving," Zuko answered bitingly. "Come on."

With the colony behind them now, and the ocean closer, the smell of salt air filled their nostrils. What they would do when they got there was still a mystery, but the ostrich horses sped forward anyway, still making good time though growing tired. The sound of another animal reached their ears then, its thunderous pounding and the constant cracks of its rider's whip impossible to ignore.

"That must be the bounty hunter Chey mentioned," Iroh shouted. "My, she's quite lovely from what I can see."

"Are you always on the lookout for women?" Zuko snarled. "Who cares what she looks like; she's gaining on us."

Desperate now, Mai steered her ostrich horse right and took a narrower path, to what she had no clue. Appa followed, moving along at the same speed, his passengers little specks of blue and orange and yellow. After a few minutes of struggling against thorny bushes and low hanging trees, they entered an abbey, the huge square busy with activity, nuns everywhere, and huge vats of something or other stored all around the square's perimeter. Mai sniffed the air; perfume. Given the first twelve years of her life, and her mother's obsession with various fashionable scents, Mai could recognize many of them very quickly.

The woman riding the strange looking beast suddenly charged around in front of them and then blocked their way. She was dark haired and wore heavy makeup. Her wardrobe was dark too; black pants with a charcoal coloured buckled tunic and long gloves reaching past her elbow. A red circular tattoo graced her left upper arm. Her whip was as vicious looking as the animal she rode, with a tiny skull sitting atop its handle.

"You've got nowhere to go," she said. "Nyla here can track anyone anywhere once she has the scent."

"And what might your name be?" Iroh inquired seductively. "You're certainly beautiful, too beautiful perhaps for such a trying job."

"My names June and don't try to sweet talk me, Grandpa. There's a price on all your heads and I intend to collect."

"We won't go willingly," Mai reminded the woman and gave her a bored glare.

"I wouldn't expect you to. That's why I have my shirshu. I'll give you a demonstration."

June gave the animal a flick with her whip. Its long tongue darted out and touched Zuko's neck. The prince dropped dramatically down to the paving stones, giving a grunt when his body made contact.

"Zuko!" Mai cried.

Seconds later, June was pinned to the ground, Mai's blades fitting neatly into the cracks between the paving stones and through the woman's clothing. She had acted without thought, her only desire to protect the one she loved. The beast would be next and it seemed to sense that, backing away from Mai and the rest of the group. Behind her both Iroh and Jee had assumed firebending stances and were ready to fight. Appa landed and began to snort at the shirshu. He pawed angrily at the ground while his riders slid off and got ready to help if they were needed.

"What did you do to him?" Mai asked icily.

She stood over the woman now, another blade at the ready. A thin trickle of blood ran down June's arm and her hard but still pretty face held both anger and respect.

"Your boyfriend will be fine; Nyla's tongue contains a paralyzing enzyme, that's all. He'll be walking in less than an hour. Do you always protect him like this? How romantic!"

"What we do is none of your business. Leave," Mai hissed. "Climb back up on that creature and go before I finish you off. I'm going to pull these blades out now, but just remember, I can cut your throat before you even reach out to touch me."

June believed every word that Mai said, and when the girl removed the blades, she scuttled backward along the stones like a crab, hopped up on the shirshu and left. Mai released the breath that she had been holding and knelt down next to Zuko. She grazed his cheeks with her fingers and then placed a kiss on his lips.

"Are you okay?" she whispered softly.

He nodded and gave her a wry smile, unable to speak quite yet. One of the nuns approached and waved some perfume under Zuko's nose.

"That will help him get his movement back faster," she informed them.

"Thanks," Mai replied.

Mai turned back to Zuko, taking her place on the ground beside him. She heard Katara and Sokka shouting happily about something, but didn't pay much attention. When she finally bothered to look she saw a strange Water Tribe man, obviously inured, with bandages wrapped around his chest, hugging the siblings. Sokka came running to tell them the news shortly after.

"Hey, that's Bato. He's from the Southern Water Tribe. He left with our dad to go fight. But he got hurt and the nuns have been looking after him. My father carried him here. They're best friends, see." Sokka positively glowed with happiness and he moved his arms about animatedly. "And even better, his boat is here, down on the beach and he's expecting a letter from our father anytime now. Then he's going to meet him."

"So you told him about the North Pole." Mai wanted him to get to the point.

"Yes, and about you. He's willing to take you on his boat and then you'll join up with the others from our tribe. My dad's the chief and I know he'll decide to take you north and he'll want to fight himself. He has to."

"I'm sure that he will," Mai agreed. "Hmm, what were the chances of actually meeting someone from your tribe here and with a boat?"

"I dunno, pretty slim I guess. But who cares? Come meet him, Mai. Iroh and Jee are over there now. He's a great guy."

"Um, sure, I suppose I should meet the man we're going to be traveling with." She got up from the ground, gave Zuko a pitying sort of look, followed by a shrug, and left.

"See you later, buddy." Sokka grinned down at the prince and then trotted after Mai.

A/N: So, as you can see, I switched the episode order to suit my needs and our friends will be heading north shortly. I won't bother with the Northern Air Temple (except perhaps in passing Sokka conversation at the pole) since I'll be concentrating on Mai and Zuko. That's not to say I'll neglect Aang, Sokka and Katara, because I won't.

I have to say that this chapter was painful to write. I thought I would never finish. I guess I just wasn't in the writing mood (which is very rare). I hope it doesn't show.

Alabaster