HELLO MY FELLOW FANS! Wow! I've received some amazing comments and great reviews these past couple of days. Thank you all so much. I'm sorry that I didn't get to this sooner. But summer vacation and family problems had me tied up for a bit. But now I'm back. Also, for those who tried to guess the Monty Python reference…..you got it…..but you also didn't get it. Apparently, people thought the reference was "You've got your BOULDERS! And your CARMINES! Your BOBS ANDOES!" It wasn't the reference I was going for, but it sure did show up. It's kind of weird how that happened. The reference I was shooting for was from the killer bunny scene in the holy grail.

Sokka: "We can't risk placing ourselves near Azula, that lady's dynamite."

King Arthur from the Holy Grail: "We better not risk another frontal assault, that rabbit's dynamite."

I know, stupid way of putting in a reference. Not that best one at all. But whatever,

Now that I'm back, let's get on with the show.

Zuko was tired; dog tired. As he piloted the ship across the sea, his eyes became droopy and heavy with slumber. Sleep began attacking him like a vicious rabid mouse-lion. But no matter how tempting it seemed at the time for the Fire lord to rest his head on the dash of the ship, Zuko could not fall asleep. He shouldn't fall asleep. And by Agni-Ki, he wouldn't fall asleep. For the sake of his people, for the sake of his family, for the sake of his friend's and for the sake of his sister, he would not circum to slumber.

He tried everything at the moment to keep him from sleeping; tea, pushups, fire bending breathing techniques, and so far, everything was working. But for some reason, Zuko felt that maybe even after doing all these procedures, his body and mind was really trying to convince him to fall asleep. Case in point, about a few minutes ago, when Zuko was really close to hitting the sack, he heard a giant, death-piercing, scream. Zuko immediately snapped to attention. He darted his eyes around the ship's cabin to see what caused the disturbance. After a few good minutes of searching, Zuko couldn't find what caused the large scream earlier. So he marked it off as his body becoming sleep deprived. He heard stories of people hallucinating due to lack of sleep.

Then, something happened that cause Zuko to believe in that theory of hallucinations more than ever. Out of nowhere, Zuko heard a giant clank. He noticed that something fell from the ceiling and landed right on the dash. In the moonlight, he could clearly make out the object with his eyes, and it caused his heart to beat really fast. It was ankle shackles; leg braces. And then suddenly, another pair of chains fell from the sky. But these chains weren't just any chains…

Instead of being distraught with fear, Zuko's immediate reaction was that of annoyance. The idea that she already escaped irritated Zuko. His brow's furrowed. Damn-it and I thought it would at least take her another two hours.

"Nice going with escaping the shackles." Zuko stated in a mono-tone that would've impressed his wife. "And I thought that you would've clearly been stooped by the security I've installed."

Suddenly, Zuko felt something cold and metallic brush the skin of his neck. A small cut, adequate to a paper cut, showed itself on Zuko's throat. If it had gone any deeper, he would've been dead. Azula hung upside down from the ceiling, holding herself by her feet which were wrapped around a metal beam, and she held a shuriken up to her brother's throat.

"You've seemed to have forgotten who you're messing with." Azula quietly proclaimed. Then, she forced the blade to push against Zuko a little harder, just so he knew that she was not to be trifled with. "Now, turn this ship around. We're heading back to the fire nation."

As Zuko turned the ship, his fear lowered and his exasperation became high. "You know, I can call all the guards to come in here and stop this."

It seemed as if though the Fire-Lord had opened Pandora's Box. For, at that moment, Azula began screaming and shouting like some mythical banshee. After her amazing tirade, she laughed a malicious chuckle right next to Zuko's ear. "They're all dead." She proclaimed with a crazed smile. "Every signal last one of them. Don't worry though, they all died peacefully in their sleep."

Zuko should've known better. This wasn't some run of the mill cabbage thief, or some small time revolutionary he was messing with. This was Azula. If she was going to escape, she was going to plan everything out and carry it out to the extreme. Now that the coordinates had repositioned themselves, Zuko was now on a fast track back to his homeland. As to what Azula was planning, or why she would want to head back, no one could say.

She dropped from the ceiling, and positioned herself right next to Zuko. Zuko also heard a small slicing sound when she dropped. Apparently, she cut something, but due to the lack of light, and the tense situation that was at hand, Zuko couldn't tell what she had done. Azula began to casually speak to her brother, which sent shiver's up the Fire-Lord's spine.

"This is nice ship you got here." She spoke with a delighted tone. "Yep, the world is you're oyster as they say. In fact, this ship reminds me of an oyster. You know why? Because inside of every oyster-"

BAM!

Something large and heavy had hit the floor. Zuko looked behind him, and to his utter horror, he recognized the alive but bloody figure in the burlap sack. Sokka struggled against his restraints and wiggled along the ground like some kind of worm. The gag on his mouth began to choke him.

"-is a pearl." Azula finished. Then she ran towards Sokka and punched him in the face with amazing strength, knocking him out instantly. "Shut up you pearl!" she proclaimed.

"Is that Sokka!" Zuko shouted with disbelief at what was happening before him.

"Yes it is." She viciously proclaimed as she placed the shuriken right back to Zuko's throat. "You two are going to be my slaves tonight. You're going to do what I say, when I say it, and do it how it pleases me. Now, stay on track. There's no place like home, isn't there Zuko?"

*approximately 1 hour later*

Usually, when a member of high royalty came home from a mission, a large massive crowd would gather at the docks and celebrate the return of the noblest of people. The audience would usually be shouting and screaming high praises and cheering vast "hoorays." It would usually be very bright out, very early in the morning, and very hot and humid weather.

Sadly, this wasn't the case for Zuko, with the exception of the weather. The weather was hotter than a firecracker, and wetter than a swamp. Zuko could actually feel the water content in the air. It almost felt like he had to swim in order to move. It was dark outside; really dark. It was the kind of dark that almost seemed surreal. It was that dead time of night where everyone had finally settled down for the day, and there was not one lone soul awake. Except, of course, for Zuko, Sokka, and Azula, and of course the fire nation guards that made their usual rounds docking incoming ships and assisting the crew onboard. It would put quite a kink to Azula's plan. How was the fire nation princess going to fight her way out of this one? How was she simply not going to be seen by the guards?

It seemed as if Azula was prepared. For as soon as Zuko turned to arge his point, he noticed his sister cutting off two more burlap sacks from the ceiling. Two dead guards fell to the floor with a tremendous thump. Azula then began to take off their armor. She placed some of it on, and tossed the rest to Sokka; who she currently had unbounded earlier.

"Put this on." She directed to Sokka. "Neither of us is going to speak. If you so much as hint to what is going on, I will kill you." She made her threat valid by brushing the end of her shuriken against Zuko's spine she stood to the side of him. "Feel that?" she sardonically proclaimed. Then, with a snap, the helmet popped itself on and Azula was completely ambiguous and indistinguishable from any other guard in history.

And it came just at the perfect time. For at that moment, the guards from the dock had opened the cabin door, and peaked inside. To say that they were astonished would be an understatement.

"My lord," One of the guards proclaimed as they bowed to his honor. "We were not expecting you so soon. Did everything go according to plan? Is your sister banished?"

Now the Fire lord was caught in a bind. What exactly was he suppose to say? He couldn't possibly make the argument that everything went under protocol. He had arrived home way too early for anyone of sound mind to assume that. So that meant that he had to come up with an excuse. He had to tell them that something went wrong. But what could be said, and what needed to be said were two totally different things. It all came down to what Azula would agree with the most. Suddenly, a shot of excellence entered his brain and he came up with possibly, one of the greatest pleas ever.

"Yes and No," Zuko declared with a solemn voice. His acting in-front of his parents as a child really paid off well. "I regret to tell you that things did not go as planned. Something horrible happened…"

"Well, what is it Sire?" The guards asked. The tension was becoming unbearable.

"She…..she decided to banish herself." He stated with a regrettable tone. "She….killed herself just a few hours ago."

"Oh sir, I'm so sorry to hear that." the guard to the left said. "You must feel horrible."

"I do men." Zuko affirmed. "I do. But I can't dwell on it too long. I must get back to the people. More importantly, my wife." He confirmed.

Azula quietly leaned over to Zuko's ear, and whispered ever so gently, "Nice job Zu-Zu."

"Are you going to be okay?" they asked sincerely.

"I'll be fine." Zuko stated. Then, trying to get out a call for help, he lightly added, in a soft tone that made it almost unnoticeable, "Let's just hope the worst is behind us."

Azula immediately caught the distress signal that Zuko gave off. In reply, she pushed the shuriken against his spine. She didn't do it to the point where it would puncture skin, but just enough to make her presence known. Zuko would not be taking advantage of her today like he did many times in the past.

"Okay sir." The guards said as they moved out of the way, so that their leader could make his way through. "Hopefully you have a nicer day."

"You too." Zuko unconscientiously stated as he made his way past the dock guards. Sokka and Azula casually made their way directly behind him. Once they got out the door, and were walking out on the wooden plank, towards the carriage that was there to transport Zuko, Azula whispered a few words in such a menacing and intimidating tone, that it haunted Zuko for the rest of his days.

"That was some nice adlibbing back there." She commented. Then, sternly, "But you're wrong. The worst isn't behind us. For the best, is yet to come." And then she chuckled a deep dark chuckle that made shivers crept up and down both Zuko and Sokka's spine. They only dimly hopped that Aang wouldn't get involved.

*a few more minutes later*

Aang could call himself the happiest man alive. He was off in blissful slumber that soothed his body and relaxed his sometimes troubled mind. He would admit that sometimes, even as the Avatar, he doubted his abilities. But why should he doubt himself? He was living the life. He had millions of homes to choose from across the nations if he and his wife had to travel. And speaking of his loving, caring, beautiful wife, he could feel himself being awoken by her, as she gently tapped his shoulder, and sweetly whispered, "Wake up. Wake up my love."

The Avatar smiled a big self-righteous grin. He knew her games. He knew how she loved just teasing him. So he decided, to do what he always used to do. He teased her back. He closed his eyes and pretended to snore, hoping that she would try harder to wake him; and she did. But as time passed, Aang realized she would have to try harder if she wanted his attention. He was actually about to fall back into slumber.

"Wake up," she gently called out.

And then, out of nowhere, Aang heard a noise that he was not expecting to hear. There was a tone of voice, more importantly, just someone's voice that didn't belong in Aang's room at this moment at all. The voice was distressed, and overall, worried. And as to why this particular person was worried, or ever why this person was in Aang's bedroom at all, Aang couldn't tell. But he was defiantly about to find out the hard way.

"Please, don't hurt him." A anxious Zuko whispered lightly, hoping Aang wouldn't hear.

Aang was confused. He turned over in his bed to try and find the foundation of the voice. He immediately recognized it, and what it said. And when he added those two factors together, it made his blood curdle. As he looked at the doorway, he noticed the shadowy silhouettes of two fire-nation guards standing and facing him. What in the hell was going on? Why was there a fire-nation guard, who sounded exactly like Zuko, in his room.

"Zuko, is that you?" Aang asked in a sort of mumble.

All of a Sudden, Azula rose from the bed, with a vicious smile and screamed, "WAKE UP!" As Aang screamed in reply and horror, Azula quickly pronounced, "GO TO SLEEP!" and then struck him in the temple with his own staff. The avatar was knocked out instantly.

Zuko and Sokka groaned in both remorse for their best friend, and irritation in Azula's behavior.

As Sokka and Zuko dragged the unconscious body of their fellow alley and best friend across the palace floor, Sokka briefly forgot about his love an affection for Aang, along with Azula's insane presence, and the master plan for which he had no clue what the first action to be carried out was, and wondered how a monk who usually only ate vegetables and trained on a daily bases, could be so heavy.

"Good grief, what does this guy eat?" Sokka proclaimed aloud. "300 mouse-lion steaks?"

At first, Zuko temporarily grumbled in displeasure at Sokka's almost child-like innocence's in handling he situation. But as Zuko kept pulling Aang along the ancient rugs given to Zuko as a wedding gift, he briefly wondered as well how Aang had become so heavy. Then, his mind immediately transported itself back to the state of affairs that Azula was putting them through. Then he wondered why exactly he was dragging Aang in the first place. More importantly….

"Was it really necessary to knock Aang out?" Zuko asked his sister. "I mean, wouldn't have been easier if you'd just tie him up or something?"

"Of course it was necessary." Azula exclaimed as they reached her destination. She immediately ordered Sokka and Zuko to stop at the foot of the stairs which lead towards the main dining room. "I mean, duh. Otherwised, he'd feel this."

With the small push of her foot, Aang's body went tumbling down the cold hard metal staircase. Zuko and Sokka winced in pain as they watched their cataleptic airbending friend flop down the stairs limply like a dead fish. At one point, the body did a somersault and Zuko swore he heard Aang's skull crack. And even if Aang wasn't severally injured in the fall, Zuko was positive that the red gooy liquid spilling itself across the staircase was defiantly not wine.

When the body finally collapsed at the finally stair, Zuko stated with solemn guilt and concern, "Shit."

"Sokka, go check on him and see if he's okay," Azula commanded with disgust in her voice. If it wasn't for her master plan, she wouldn't have given any care in the world to Aang's medical condition.

Sokka ran down the stairs in a quick and hushed pace to Aang's side. He checked his vitals, and was relieved that his buddy, even though he took quite a stumble, was going to be okay.

"He's got some cuts and some bruises," Sokka reported to the slave and the overlord upon the top of the stairs, "But he's still breathing. I only hope he doesn't wake up with brain damage. But I think He'll be okay."

"Sounds good," Azula proclaimed. And then, the next words that flew from her lips were so dumbfounding and amazingly crazy, that Sokka was reconsidering an anyalizing his own sanity. He was completely flabbergasted when Azula ordered him to, "Take off Aang's clothes. All of them."

"….I'm sorry, what did you say?" Sokka asked politely, even though he fully heard what she said.

"Me and Zuko are going to grab the last dinner guest, and I want Aang undressed for the occasion," Azula explained as if it was a normal thing to do for a casual dinner. "So, get Aang buck ass naked, because we don't want to be late for dinner, now do we?"

And with that, Azula took Zuko away from the scene as both her and her brother embarked on the final preparation for dinner, as they left Sokka in the dust. But, she heard Sokka exclaim, as she went out of sight, "Wait…so, you want Aang at the dinner table…..naked?"

As Azula and Zuko took hurried paced strides down the long and extensive hallways, Zuko was beginning to recognize his surroundings, and this didn't amuse him one bit. In fact, it left him dreadfully fearful for his wife's safety. He immediately realized that the last dinner guest was going to be Mai. Now his heart raced and the fear that should've been racing in his system much, much earlier was now pumping through his veins erratically. Once they stopped at the door to Zuko's master bedroom, the Fire-Lord was beginning to gain the courage to stand up to this madwoman.

"I can't do this." Zuko told his sister. "This is insane."

"And so am I," Azula replied with an evil smile.

"I can't hurt my wife. I won't let you hurt her. And I won't obey you anymore," Zuko proclaimed with power.

Instead of reacting violently, as Zuko was prepared for his sister to do, instead, she exasperated a sigh of disappointment, and muttered, "Spoiled sport." Then, she gave off her commands; just so he knew who was really in charge here. "Now listen, I'm not going to hurt your precious little wife." She said with disgust. " all you have to do, is knock on the door, and when she answers it, just say 'dinner's ready.' Then, I'll gag her and tie her up. I promise that she won't be harmed."

"How can I take your word." Zuko declared angrily.

"Okay, let me put it like this. If you disobey the command in any way, I will make sure she's hurt." She avowed with a death piercingly low tone.

Zuko stood there for a moment, as he stared into the black holes of her eyes. He realized immediately at that moment, she wasn't selling any alibis. There was no way he could make a deal for him to give up his position as her slave right now. For the benefit and safety of his wife, the best thing for him to do was just to follow orders.

He turned casually to his left, and much to his regret, he knocked on the door. Azula moved off to the side so Mai wouldn't be able to see her once she opened the door. As the seconds passed by, Zuko menatally prepared himself to carry out the task that was awfully bestowed upon him.

But all of his mental gymnastics went out the door when Mai answered the door, rubbing her eyes as she tried to wake up, and yawning as her body adjusted to its new position. Zuko just didn't have the heart to do it. Any other moment, Zuko would have saw some of Mai's innocents which he knew and fully aware of, but in this state, all of her innocents was shining brightly like a spirit manifested itself in human flesh. She was the very essence of Innocents. He just couldn't do it. Fuck Azula, he pronounced in his head. This is ending right now.

Mai was utterly confused once her eyes adjusted to the light. "Zuko….baby, you're back already? What's going on?"

"Mai, go back inside. It's unsafe." He softly, yet sternly proclaimed.

Azula lost her shit. She told him to obey her, or else. Now he was about to witness the wrath that she could bestow. If it wasn't for that plan of hers, she would've given Zuko a full spectacle, but since part of the plan meant having Mai alive, she could only give her brother a taste.

Jumping out from behind the corner, Azula grabbed Mai's hair, and quickly, without warning, she slammed Mai's forehead against the wood grain door, exclaiming, "DINNER'S READY!"

As soon as her head collided with the door, Mai's world went black. And as soon as that Happened, Zuko tackled his sister, exclaiming with the most powerful of voices, "STOP IT! ENOUGH!" but before he could even put her down to the ground, Azula preformed an amazing rotating scissor kick. And when her heel collided with his cheekbone, his world went black as well.

Wow. The tension and action in this chapter is so thick you can't even cut it with a knife. But whatever. I'm glad that even though it's been so long since I've been in the saddle with this story, I can still keep Azula dangerous, and more importantly, amazingly crazy. BTW, I added another reference in this chapter. NO, IT'S NOT A MONTY PYTHON REFRENCE. IT'S A BOB DYLAN REFRENCE. If you can spot it, I'll give you another cookie. Cookies can be substituted for virtual hugs. Lol.

Anyways, thank you for reading. PLEASE REVIEW!

God Bless,

Welcometofightclub.