Responses to Reviews:

RonaldM40196867: Avatar is getting another film, next year, and another two series of the Netflix Live Action, and more films after that (apparently the films are meant to be a trilogy.) They've even announced the casting for them.

Zigzagdoublezee: The Fire Nation stands at the cutting edge of military technology, and these tanks are the ultimate symbol of that (at least until they get their heads around powered flight.)

As Always, Please Review!

Mai stood on the side of the ship and watched the ocean as it cruised towards the Earth Kingdom. She had been at sea for a day, watched her homeland recede into the distance and slowly vanish over the horizon already, and now there was nothing but the sea and her mission ahead.

Her parents had come to the docks to see her off, and as she had hugged Tom-Tom goodbye they had thanked her.

"Just think!" Her father had said. "The Fire Lord has truly honoured us!"

Mai had not said anything.

"I can't imagine how it must feel," he carried on enthusiastically. "To be sent on a secret mission by Ozai himself! Think of the rewards when you succeed!"

If I succeed, Mai thought.

"You could marry Zuko! After you save him!" Her father continued. "They would be grateful enough to allow that, and then in however many years..."

He trailed off for a moment, not wishing to go near the idea of Ozai dying and potentially court treason charges. "My daughter, the Firelady! We'd be the most influential nobles in all the land!"

Mai had to admit that didn't sound unappealing, but considering what she knew about the true nature of Zuko's disappearance she didn't know how likely it was. She also suspected her father's reasons for liking the idea were rather different than her own.

"Just be careful," her mother said, worry etched across her face. "Trust in your training."

Mai ran a finger across the spring-loaded mechanism strapped to her wrist, and was suddenly very aware of the clank of metal whenever she moved. She did trust in her training, but would it be enough?

Her parents had left after that, but Mai had barely turned around to board the ship before Azula was there.

"I'm sorry," she had said. Mai had been surprised at that, Azula never apologised for anything.

"For what?"

"I suspected he might make a move against you, I didn't know he would act that soon."

"He has honoured me," Mai replied.

"Has he?" Azula gave her a funny look. "You know what my brother has done, what do you think father will do to him when you bring him home?"

Mai hadn't said anything. Azula pressed on.

"And that's assuming you find him," she said. "The Earth Kingdom is big, there is a lot of space for Zuko to simply vanish."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"To let you know what you're in for," Azula replied. "Father knows you're close to Zuko. So he's getting you out of the picture. You can bring him back and affirm your loyalty, but until that point, you're as good as exiled."

Mai's hands balled into fists under her sleeves, safe where Azula could not see them; that was the only visible emotion she showed.

"He had to dress it up of course," Azula said. "To just do it openly would cause your parents, maybe others, to oppose him, while this way he has them in the palm of his hand. But exile by any other name is still exile."

"But why?" Mai finally lost her control over her emotions and the question came out in a shaky voice. She cursed herself.

"Like I said, you were close with Zuko." Azula shrugged. "He must have judged that made you dangerous to keep around, I don't know why. It's a shame, I needed your help."

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"With Zuko gone, he's not the heir any more, but we don't know whether the new one is cousin Lu Ten or whether it's me. I was thinking you could help me, but..."

She paused.

"Like I say, it's a shame."

The Princess looked at her, and Mai could almost have sworn she saw sadness in her eyes. Whether it was genuine, though, was a whole other question.

"I hope you find him," she said. "But then you'll have a choice to make. Please make the correct one."

With that Azula had turned and walked away.

Mai had spent the next 24 hours pondering those words. What choice was that? The Firelord commanded her to bring back his son, and so she must obey. The entire nation moved at Ozai's command, it was his word that had launched his armies into the Earth Kingdom, why should she be any different? Wasn't that what she had always been taught, to do as she was told?

No matter her feelings. No matter the cost.

She sighed, and checked the pocket inside her robe. There, neatly folded and printed with the Firelord's personal seal, was a letter, explaining who Mai was, what her mission was and instructing anyone who read it to assist her in any way that did not interfere with their conquests.

The letter did lie, repeating Ozai's claims that Zuko had been kidnapped, but there was no reason for any generals or admirals who read it to know that.

The first thing she would need would be transport. Zuko had had a lot of time to get inland by now, and the most likely way for Mai to follow him would be an Ostrich-horse. She was sure she could get one when she landed, the Fire Nation military preferring Komodo-rhinos. There must have been some of the beasts of burden captured in the initial surprise attacks. Then, she would go... where?

Azula was right, she reflected. The Earth Kingdom was gigantic, its land area dwarfed the other nations, and Zuko really did have near infinite space to vanish. Her pursuit seemed hopeless.

"If I were Zuko," she mused to nobody in particular, where would I go?"

Inland, that seemed fairly obvious. Zuko might not do well in an active warzone. Beyond that, who knew? Ba Sing Se seemed the most obvious choice, but the safety of its thick walls was far away. He could go south, but that might be bringing him closer to any fire nation activity in that region.

She was once again confronted with the hopelessness of her situation. If this was indeed meant to be exile, Ozai had designed it very well. She had the largest nation in the world in front of her, and she felt trapped.

But Mai was not in the habit of giving up. She would find Zuko, no matter how long it took. The Firelord commanded, and she obeyed. Thus it had always been.

The only question was what she would do once she found him.