Hey all! Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I got hit with writer's block the size of a frickin wall and then i had to get a new motherboard.

Anyways, some people have been debating with me about Mari being an airbender. Mainly the fact that she's born in the fire nation and the air nomads have been wiped out.

1.Airbenders are masters of evasion. I'm sure many escaped and probably are in hiding. Who's to say one didn't hide in the Fire Nation. This is going off the assumption that bending has something to do with genetics as some people are arguing.

2.In the episode 'The Guru' it is pointed out that everyone is connected. Pathik basically says that everyone is one people just that we've divided up via ways of living. Based on the principal, benders can more then likely are born in other nations instead of just a specific one. They simply have to go to whatever nation in order to actually learn from the masters. This ties in with my 3rd point.

3.Balance is a HUGE theme in the show. It's been 100 years since the genocide against the air benders. Logically nature would've started correcting the situation of there being no airbenders in some way. Namely by having them born to other nations is my guess. Can't have another Avatar if there aren't anymore air benders around to teach them airbending:P

Chapter 6: Born of Fire, Dances on the Air

"I see I'm not perfect, but that's all I see.

Lost in a portrait, in a picture of me."

From the song "Lost in a portrait" by Trapt

"I don't get how this is possible!" Sokka shouted. "She's from the Fire Nation, she said so herself! How can she be an airbender when she's from the Fire Nation!?"

"I can think of a number of different how's and whys." Iroh stated.

Mari simply kept her head down. The last thing she wanted was to talk about this.

"Why didn't you say you were an airbender?" Toph asked.

"I…well…" Mari was at a complete loss for words. How could she explain that while to them their bending abilities were a joy, she'd always seen her bending as a thing to be hated?

The gang was sitting in a cave. Appa hadn't been able to fly any further to the extent of his injuries. Toph had been ready to block off the entrance to hide them but Katara had pointed out that Appa did not react well to enclosed spaces and might worsen his injuries in a panick. They were forced to leave the cave open and be on the look out for Azula.

The group had quickly came back to the topic of Mari being an airbender. Mari however did not wish to discuss it.

"It doesn't matter!" She snapped when they started bombarding her with questions and speculations yet again when she'd refused to speak. The grey eyed girl glared at them all and stomped to her backpack and bedroll which she'd left bundled together. "I'm leaving anyways. Nice knowing you all."

"What? You can't leave!" Aang said in a panicked tone. If she left she'd get caught and probably killed. He didn't want to be alone again in the world.

"I said I would leave once we freed Iroh. He's free. I'm leaving." Mari said over her shoulder as she continued to march out of the cave.

"Running away will not help you settle your past Mari." Iroh stated in his wise tone that had always gotten on Zuko's nerves.

Mari's temper was better then Zuko's normally. With everything that had happened though her fuse had been cut to a hair trigger. "What do you know!?" She snarled at Iroh. "What would you know about anything!?"

"Just because you hid them doesn't mean we didn't see the bruises. Just because we weren't right there doesn't mean we didn't hear the taunts." He told her.

The other stared at her with looks of confusion.

"Mari?" Katara said.

Mari simply stood there with her back to everyone. She was in such pain and internal turmoil that is radiated off her in waves. She didn't hear Iroh get up and walk over to her.

Iroh had recognized Mari on the ship. He'd been seriously surprised to see her. While he hadn't believed reports that she'd killed her own mother, he had figured she was better off on the run then with her father. He'd been just as surprised as the others about her bending. Iroh had heard the rumors about her of course but no one had ever been able to pin them as anything but rumors. He wondered if Zuko had known the truth since the two had been almost inseparable as children. Lu Ten might even have known from the time he had spent with Zuko and Mari. Azula had always despised Mari so Iroh doubted she had any clue.

Iroh simply placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I will do my best to explain to them if you'd like Mari." He offered.

Mari seem to weigh this option before nodding and allowing Iroh to lead her back to the small fire and settle her down with some tea in a blanket. Her exhaustion coming from the day and years of running from a past that would always haunt her. Still she could not bring herself to lie down and sleep.

"Please understand that it is difficult for Mari to talk about her bending." Iroh started. "I myself can only imagine everything she's had to endure for being born with airbending instead of firebending."

"Beatings…" Katara said in a disgusted tone.

Iroh simply nodded. "I have seen her and her mother hide bruises for years. Having such a secret would tear a family apart in the Fire Nation. I'm sure you can imagine what would happen considering the genocide of the Air Nomads."

"Why didn't her mother just leave and take Mari with?" Toph asked.

"It is not that simple." Iroh told her. "Rumors surfaced about Mari being an airbender a long time ago. No one could prove or disprove the rumor but it made it so no one would help Mari or her mother. Doing so would have put the person in the position to be accused of treason."

"But she and Zuko are friends." Aang stated.

Iroh raised an eyebrow at the Avatar. "I don't know if Zuko knows. His mother would have kept the rumors away for nothing more then to protect her son and the daughter of her best friend. I have little doubt that she at the very least would've known the truth."

"Zuko didn't know." Mari piped up. "Not till recently." It helped a great deal to have them talk like she wasn't herself.

Katara looked over at Mari. "Zuko was your only friend in the world. No wonder you got so angry when Sokka bad mouthed him."

"The Fire Nation would've seen Mari as an enemy." Iroh stated.

"And the world sees me as Fire Nation." Mari said in a bitter tone.

Sokka simply stared at Mari. "You learned to hate yourself." He said quietly. "Everyone else hated because of who you are. So you started hating yourself."

Mari simply stared back at Sokka a moment before looking at the ground again. He'd nailed the entire situation rather well.

Sokka at that moment was feeling physically ill. He'd never imagined anyone from the Fire Nation being anything but a horrible murdering warmonger. He'd used that prejudice to justify things for years. Used the fact that firebenders destroyed everything to fuel his own hate and excuse any crime he'd done, like in the Spirit Library.

He was suddenly seeing that he was no better then those people he hated.

He didn't know if he'd ever be able to get along with fire benders or look at a Fire Nation soldier without anger. He refused to ever see them as mere trash ever again though. Refused to turn into that which he hated.

With that thought Sokka got up and walked over to stand in front of Mari. She looked up with exhausted eyes, looking world wary and defeated. He got to his knees and bowed his head like he had the last time he had gravely insulted someone. The thought of Suki made him worry about the warrior.

"I'm sorry." He said. "You can't tell how grateful I am now to meet you." Mari had in essence held up a mirror to him.

Mari blinked at Sokka as he stood up again. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I can't say the Fire Nation hasn't done some horrible things. It's just no one is any better then anyone else."

Sokka nodded and gave a grin. "So peace?"

Mari grinned back and the fire nation girl shook the water tribe boy's hand as he helped her up. "Peace."

Zuko was thankful the bison escaped.

He was even more thankful the bison escaped without him having lead the crew astray.

It didn't help him worry less though.

He'd seen the bison take the shot to the face. He swore his heart had been in his throat when he watched the bison plummet like a stone. He would always remember seeing the Avatar desperately trying to airbend them all to safety.

He'd seen another shape standing. Process of elimination declared it Mari.

Even though he was sure he knew about her bending then, it still shocked him to watch it.

He'd never forget Azula's curses as the bison flew off.

Still, he wondered what shape they would all be in. Surely the bison couldn't fly much farther with it's injuries. Some of them were probably injured from the fight and flight themselves.

He wondered if they needed supplies or if they had enough. Was his uncle doing ok after all the time he'd spent in a cell? Was Mari ok from her sudden crash course in airbending a bison?

Is Katara ok? Did she make it out alright? She only has water to defend herself with and firebenders would evaporate that in no time at all.

Zuko mentally cringed at his own thoughts. He'd been trying not to think about Katara.

The thoughts circled though soon becoming depressing.

The next time I see any of them, I'll be shooting fireballs at them.

Zuko couldn't imagine himself doing that to his uncle, or Mari. He wasn't sure he could even shot fire at that waterbender. Not if she was taking care of Mari and Iroh.

He would have to though, or he'd be jailed for treason.

I'll go say good bye. I'll just say that then I'll never see them again.

Any of them...

For just a second before Zuko started drilling his basic firebending he could have swore he heard someone whisper.

I'm not going to hurt you...

Azula was angry.

Actually she was beyond angry but was refusing to show any of it.

Not only had the Avatar slipped through the fingers of the moronic crew, he'd manage to pluck her stupid uncle out of his cell. He had a firebending master to teach him, and that master was one of the greatest firebenders anyone had ever seen. He had moves even she did not know, much to her dislike.

The picture was too neat. She smelled a traitor somewhere in her crew. Her first thought was her dear brother.

She did not however have the proof to have him jailed and executed yet. Not that she needed it but she wanted the pleasure of pointing out that he had yet again failed at something.

Azula loved tormenting her brother, spineless wimp that he was. She rather hoped her father would let her break him before executing him for this.

As soon as she found where he failed…