It was a sunset perfect for portraits, exactly how Prince Zuko planned it. He hadn't spent time with Mai, the girl of his dreams, in three whole years. He wanted to have the perfect day with her, even if she didn't seem to care.
"Orange is such an awful color," Mai said.
Zuko laughed. Looking at a beautiful sunset with a handsome prince courting her, she still managed to see the glass half empty. Zuko loved that about her. Since she was never pleased, he didn't have to try so hard to be the perfect prince.
"You're so beautiful when you hate the world," he told her.
Mai blushed and a rare smile lightened her face. A rare smile that didn't have to do with keeping Azula happy. With Zuko back everything was so much less bleak and depressing, she even found herself laughing every now and then.
"I don't hate you." Mai leaned in closer to Zuko.
"I don't hate you to." Zuko replied and leaned in closer.
Their lips met and they kissed. Even after three years it was like they never left each others company.
"Ahem."
They broke apart to see Azula, Zuko's sister, standing patiently for there attention.
"Zuko, could I have a word with you?" The princess asked in a weirdly polite tone.
"Can't you see we're busy?" The irritated prince replied. He could never get a moment alone without Azula subtly hinting she was the one in authority.
Trying to ignore Azula he leaned in closer to Mai. Again they began kissing as if Azula disappeared.
Sighing the princess changed tactics, "Mai, Ty Lee needs your help untangling her braid."
Trying to control her emotions Mai parted with Zuko. He probably thought Azula was joking, but Mai knew the princess was serious, she wanted Zuko alone. Standing, she acted as if it was funny what Azula was doing, when really she wanted to throw a knife at her throat.
"Sounds pretty serious," she laughed.
Walking past Azula she let her face turn to a serious glare against the princess. She wanted to yell and attack the Princess, but instead of acting on instinct she walked down the path to the Princess's Sedan Chair, where Ty lee was likely to be.
She saw what she was looking for. There were four guards ready to take the princess where ever she needed to go, and a fifth girl, all in pink, standing defeated with her long hair tying her arms to a peace of wood coming from the Sedan.
Ty Lee looked up to see Mai walking down the path.
With a grin plastered over her face she called, "Mai! I'm so glad to see you!"
She squirmed trying to free herself to give Mai a hug, but her hair wouldn't let her arms budge.
Mai took a deep breath and looked at the unhelpful guards. "Leave us."
The guards looked at her without moving.
"And come back in ten minuets," she added rolling her eyes at them.
The guards nodded and moved out of hearing range. Waiting till the guards were gone Mai looked at Ty Lee with a disapproving look.
"Why don't you just cut your hair?" she asked.
"My hair is so pretty," she reminded Mai. "Why would I ever cut it?"
"Because it doesn't look good when your arms are tangled in it."
Mai stepped closer to Ty Lee and studied the knot, every time Azula tied her up it got harder and harder to free her. One day Mai was sure Ty Lee would be to tied up and her hair would have to be cut.
Mai started to work on the knot silently, concentrating on the different hairs.
Ty Lee, feeling uncomfortable spoke out, "Sorry."
Mai stayed silent.
Ty Lee continued anyways, "Ever since Zuko came back your aura's been so much brighter!" She exclaimed. "I didn't mean to ruin your date by telling Azula where you were."
"Ty Lee," she said irritated, "I am trying to concentrate."
"Sorry."
Ty Lee sighed and looked down at her feet, she knew Mai wasn't angry so much at her as she was with Azula. Mai hated Azula, but it wasn't like she could take it out on the princess of the Fire Nation. So instead Mai would take out her anger against Ty Lee, and Ty Lee would let her every time. It was worth it to keep Mai from doing something she would regret.
After a few quite moments of untying Mai was enveloped in a hug from Ty Lee's free arms. The hug didn't have the same cheer as usual.
Mai returned the hug with a single arm compassionitly, "It's my fault, I should have never told you were we were going till after we went."
Ty Lee pulled my at arms length with a sudden change of mood.
"It's not your fault!" Ty Lee said in a consoling voice, "But you could give me lessons on lying!"
Mai knocked Ty Lee's hands off her shoulders and looked away.
"Like you would try and lie to Azula," she scoffed, "You're friends with her."
"Sure we're friends," she admitted, "but you and I are best friends! If you teach me how to lie to her like you can, then maybe next time I try she wont tie me up!"
Mai raised an eyebrow to Ty Lee, "You tried lying to her?"
"Yep. But I couldn't convince her that I didn't know what you were doing, so she tied me up."
Mai was truly dumbstruck. Ty Lee never disobeyed a request from Azula. She was completely loyal, and always seemed to buy into every scheme the Princess would shove down her throat, without hesitation. Ty Lee was the last person on the planet Mai would have expected to try and lie to Azula.
A stunned Mai kept a surprised stare at Ty Lee. Ty Lee quickly became confused by Mai's lack of response.
"Mai?" she asked as she waved her hand in front of the stunned girl.
"Mai!" A more demanding voice ordered, moving their attention to the path. Azula stood crossing her arms with a grin across her face, "You can go back to your date now."
Walking to the sedan, the guards also began to come back to their respective poles for the chair. Mai went back to an unemotional and uncompromising posture, and without a second look at Ty Lee, she made her way back up the path.
Once Mai walked past Azula, Azula spoke up like she forgot something.
"And Mai," the two froze, but neither looked back. "Do please keep me informed on your where abouts. It would be a shame for Ty Lee's hair to get tangled again, and you know how awful I am at untying."
The condescending nature of Azula caused Mai to twitch her hand in a fist.
Mai turned to meet Ty Lee's eyes, "Sorry," she said.
Then she took off down the path back towards the sunset and Zuko.