"Oi! Messenger hawk!" Someone called as Zuko was speaking to Mai by the steering wheel. A red hawk dropped on the railing looking at Zuko, he walked over and knew the symbol on the letter was from his sister.

"Were you expecting something from the fire nation?" Mai asked calmly as Zuko took the letter out to read.

"No not that I can remember," he frowned confused.

He read the letter slowly seeing it was more detailed, he knitted his brows confused before looking up at Mai.

"What?" She asked.

"Get ty Lee, meet me in my quarters," he told her with a nod. Passing Katara on the way down as she was startled when he moved around her on a mission.

"Everything okay?" Katara asked the captain.

"No not really," he tsked. Mai whistled for ty Lee to come down from the crows nest and followed Zuko with ty Lee close behind.

"What?" Ty Lee closed the door.

"Xan you up?" Zuko asked as he opened the door to reveal the old man reading in bed.

"Yea why?" The original captain asked as the younger pirates joined in the room.

"As you all know my connections with Azula, she sent a letter giving us a warning," Zuko crossed his arms as Mai stood in the door and ty Lee sat on the chair near the bed.

"The water tribe is out for Katara, they've sent the northern tribe for seas since they have water benders, southern tribe is on earth kingdom land, there's a prize for anyone to find her and bring her back to them alive," he had a glare on his face.

"So what does that mean for us?" Ty Lee asked concerned.

"Azula is on her way to Ida bay, we meet her there to make a plan, I'm sending the messenger hawk to June as well, we need everyone," Zuko told them and glanced at xan.

"I'm having you all come with as well, Xan if you can I'd like you to join as well," he nodded as well.

"What about the crew? Katara? Should we let them know?" Mai asked calmly.

"We can't do that without revealing who we all are, you two are from a nobleman and a governor, it won't go well from people who came from nothing," he shook his head at the idea.

"You're going to need more people Zuko," Xan admitted.

"We could let jet and smeller bee in on it? They're trustworthy," ty Lee offered.

"Jets got a loud mouth, one wrong move and he'll tell them all, Smellerbee can't hide something like that from jet," Zuko pursed his lips.

"But they might be the most trustworthy ones on this ship, we could start and tell them about Mai," he raised his brow looking at her.

"Why me?" Mai frowned.

"Your father being a governor would make sense for why we have connections with Azula, see if jet can keep his mouth shut over something like that, Katara as well," Zuko explained.

"Alright, fine with me, if it tests them then it's nothing awful if the whole crew finds out," she shrugged agreeing.

"June said she'll stay close to shores so I'll see if we all can meet in two moons at Ida bay," Zuko went to write the letter for her to get her there ASAP.

"What's going to happen if Katara is taken back by the water tribes?" Ty Lee asked softly.

"Azula trusts that this is the safest place for Katara, and if word is out that she's taken back, everyone is good as dead, including us, Ozai will come for us and kill everyone here for lying," Zuko told her a little to calmly.

"But it's not like he's the king of pirates, why does it matter that we lied?" She scoffed rolling her eyes.

"It doesn't but the fucker has so much pride he'll take it personal," Zuko gulped a little.

"I'm telling everyone now though, I already told Katara, if you see Ozai himself, you take that chance and kill him, and make sure he's dead, for the worlds sake,"

——

"Ida bay is in view, get ready," Zuko told the girls as he headed up to get xan.

"Jet, I need you to keep watch on land while we're gone, Katara I need you to be at the crows nest on watch for waters," he looked at them. Katara was confused as she saw ty Lee jump down.

"Eh-like alone?" She asked surprised.

"I gave you an order didn't I?" He raised a brow walking off to his quarters.

"Xan you up for a walk?" Zuko walked in.

"I can manage I think," Xan pushed himself up enough as Zuko helped him out of bed.

"Hey we're here, let's get going," Mai told the men as Zuko let Xan hold onto his arm to sturdy himself while he walked.

Katara watched from the crows nest seeing June at the beach as well as another figure that wore a cloak over their body. The board was dropped for the four pirates to join the land as Nyla was excited to see old friends.

"Oh Nyla I miss you!" Ty Lee ran ahead excitedly.

"Good to see you lass," Xan grinned at his daughter.

"Let's get out of sight first," Zuko told them looking at the ship behind them and went into the cabin that was on the shore, broken and abandoned .

"I'm glad you all could join," Azula took her cloak off as Mai closed the door. Zuko helped Xan sit on a chair as the two fire benders held up a flame in their hands to see inside.

"Update on the water tribe?" Zuko asked holding his hand out with the flame.

"They left yesterday to hunt down the princess, the princesses brother, Sokka, Hes joined the northern tribe on seas," Azula brought out a map and laid it on the table.

"As well as the avatar,"

Everyone was silent.

"That's not- the avatar isn't one for search parties I thought," Zuko inhaled a sharp breath wide eyes.

"He is when it's a close friend of his, from how he is at the palace and what prince Sokka says... the princess was the avatars first friend, and that he may have feelings for her as well..." Azula pursed her lips.

"Shit, motive to get her back like that, he won't take it easy," Zuko groaned annoyed.

"The water tribes are one thing but the avatar? I'm going to be pissed if he damages my ship," Xan scoffed shaking his head.

"That's not all, Ozai has spies in the palace," Azula looked down shaking her head.

"What?" Her brothers head snapped up sharply.

"I've seen multiple servants with his branding mark, he's getting ready for something," she gulped a little.

"Well fucking kill them then," Zuko told her like it was obvious.

"How do I tell that to uncle? Lu ten?" Azula snapped back. "You know they're even against executions for most,"

"It's Ozai, make them make an exception," Zuko bit out.

"And when Ozai catches on to that? And starts finding new recruits that don't have brandings? Then what? Just execute all servants?" Azula glared.

"Enough, keep your damn cool," June stepped in.

"Is that all?" She asked looking at Azula. She nodded.

"Zuko, is there any updates from you on any of those topics?" June asked looking at him next. He shook his head.

"We have the water tribes on the look out, the avatars part of it, and Ozai is starting to corner us in, what's the plan from there?" She crossed her arms.

They were silent.

"Our number one task is to keep Katara out of hands of fire nation, earth kingdom, water tribe, she stays on the ship, it's the safest option," Azula nodded.

"And of water tribe gets her back? I'm not risking our lives from water tribe and I'm guessing we can't really do damage to them back," Zuko raised a brow at her.

"Make her not Wanna go back or something," June waved it off.

"What?" They all looked at her unamused.

"Oh yea let's just get the girl I kidnapped to want to stay with us over her family, easy, not like she's tried escaping or anything already," Zuko gasped sarcastically with a hand on his face.

"It's an option!" June defended.

"Use me," Xan raised his hand.

"Say some shit like if she's gone I'll die, I need a healer, she happens to make progress to saving me," Xan shrugged crossing his arms.

"I hate to use Kataras kindness against her but that might be the only way she'll stay, she's a good person unfortunately," he sighed shaking his head.

"Is it making any progress?" Zuko asked.

"She relieves the pain but I'm still weak, she said it might not help my illness but put me in a more comfortable position, not until we get that spirit water who knows," Xan gulped a little.

"Who knows if that'll even work," Mai looked at them.

"What if we told the tribes that Ozai is keeping Katara?" Ty Lee tilted her head to the side.

"That's a whole other ear that'll sprawl out, we don't want ozai killing the water tribes," Zuko pursed his lips.

"But they'll kill him for us maybe," she smiled.

"I could say there's a rumor but sending people after Ozai without knowing what he's capable of is no better than us just killing them," Azula agreed.

"Then why are we even bothering? If Ozai is so unkillable what makes us special to kill him?" Mai scoffed.

"Zuko is the only one that matched his strength, fire bending and as a swordsman, we send non benders that don't know him they're dead," June nodded touching her arm where a new scar was from her last encounter.

"And water benders?" Mai asked.

"Ozai has other benders with him, again if you don't know him or met him before you might as well kill yourself," Azula nodded with a sigh.

"That man is a monster, we're not even safe," she whispered.

"For now, keep low, keep your colors down, if your stopped by a fire nation or water tribe ship give them this, a personal letter from me," Azula handed Zuko a scroll with her stamp.

"An undercover ship searching for princess Kataras search," Zuko opened it raising a brow at her.

"All fire nation knows it's me and impossible to forge," Azula nodded.

"I'll try, stay close in contact, you too June," Zuko set the scroll in his pocket as he looked at them all.

"I'll keep Ozai off your trail, I'm good at big talk gossip," June winked with a smirk.

"Let's head back before the crew is suspicious," Zuko looked at the girls and old man.

"Zuko I wanna talk to you alone," Azula looked at her brother seriously.

Everyone left as the siblings stayed behind waiting patiently as Azula watched ty Lee leave as well.

"It's about the avatar," she started.