Ah, a second chapter. Already. How benevolent of me, no? BTW I had no idea I would write Mai in a likeable way. I actually think she is going to have an interesting story in this. I hated her in the series. Go figure.

Thanks for the reviews so far!

Chapter 2

As the airship sailed across the darkening sky, Zuko allowed himself to finally feel the satisfaction that had been gnawing at the back of his mind from the moment he saw his father's outraged face and clenched hands, devoid of firebending, condemned to a life behind bars for his near-genocide of the Earth Kingdom. Wu would be a complicit subject, and a good leader to boot. Zuko wouldn't have to worry about any trouble from that quarter. He let out a long sigh, like a breath he had been holding in for five years.

"What do we do now, oh almighty Fire Lord?" Sokka appeared beside him. He was munching on a chunk of bread he had probably filched from the storage room. Zuko suppressed a laugh. His build might be bigger than before, but Sokka never changed.

"I suppose we could always visit my crazy sister at the Institution." Zuko suggested, not really meaning it.

"Ugh, the creepy black building in Roth? Noooo thank you." Zuko barked a laugh at that.

"You're afraid of the building and not Azula?" he asked. Sokka grimaced.

"It smells weird in there! Ugh, so CLEAN. And all the doctors with their creepy white coats. It freaks me out." Sokka said. Zuko smirked.

"Right. And when have you ever been to the Institution?"

"I haven't exactly been there, but I visited the area and Suki dared me to go in and give the orderly a wedg-SUKI!" Sokka looked alarmed.

"Sokka? What is it?"

"Oh, man, I completely forgot! What day is it?"

"Uh, the 26th of-"

"The TWENTY-SIXTH? Oh, CRAP I'm getting MARRIED in TWO DAYS!"

"Huh." That was all Zuko could say.

"That's all you have to say? I have to be in Ba Sing Se in two freaking days to get freaking married and all you have to say is HUH? It's like what you said when I told you about Yue!"

"Well, it was rough! That was a proper descriptor!"

"Yeah, if I had just lost my favorite boomerang, not if my first love turned into the MOON!"

"I was a teenager, what other kind of response do you expect?" Zuko glared at Sokka.

Sokka sighed and took hold of his frustration. "Fine, whatever. But you're gonna have to get me to Ba Sing Se."

"Who gave you the right to order me to come to your wedding?" Zuko demanded. Sokka smiled.

"You're gonna be my best man."

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"Who is that guy, Ty Lee?" Mai lifted her head from where it had been resting against her hand. The man she was referring to was standing outside in the courtyard, rocking back and forth on his heels and staring up at the sky.

"That, my friend, is your blind date for tonight!" Ty Lee looked ecstatic and sat on Mai's desk. Mai glared up at her.

"Do you really expect me to date some random commoner you've found wandering around in the streets of Ba Sing Se?" She asked. Ty Lee grinned.

"Of course not, sister-friend. This guy is no commoner. He actually runs a small independent nation up near the Northern Water Tribe. His name is-"

"I don't need to know his name! There is no way I am going on a blind date with him!"

"Using the blind jokes when I'm not around, Mainess?" Toph wandered into the room. Mai glared even harder even though she knew Toph couldn't see it. Toph had been serving as an adjunct earth-bending instructor ever since the first teacher Mai had employed, Hatsume, had run off with the annoying, glasses-wearing handyman. He had been a jerk, and she had been a doormat, so really, Mai didn't miss them.

"Don't tell me you're actually helping Ty Lee with this ridiculous matchmaking plot?"

Ty Lee pouted. "Well when you say it like that, it doesn't sound nearly as romantic."

Toph grinned and leaned against Mai's desk. "Listen, I don't really go in for romance, but you've been shifting more and more into the realm of Frigid Female ever since Zuko broke up with you-"

"I broke up with HIM!"

"-and you need to learn that there are other fishes in the sea. Come on, this won't hurt a bit. Plus it will give Katara the chance to run the school for the day. You know she loves running things."

Ty Lee, who had been attempting a handstand on the corner of the desk, noticed that the conversation had stopped, and lifted her head to note that Mai was glaring at her. "Hehe. Just…getting some practice in." She let her legs fall gracefully to the floor and beamed at Mai. "Hey, who knows? This could be your soul mate! Why not give it the old one two?"

Mai could see that she wouldn't extricate herself from this predicament easily. She sighed. "Fine. Tell Katara she has directorial power for the day. Just make sure she doesn't schedule any sing-alongs or anything stupid like that." Toph smirked, Ty Lee giggled, and both of them dragged Mai out to the courtyard, working whatever makeover magic they could on the way. As a result, Mai's hair was down completely, her cheeks were pinched into a healthy-looking glow, and her collar was undone to show a hint of cleavage. Mai would have been scandalized had not the sky-watching rocker-man turned and smiled at her. He had a nice smile. If Mai had been capable of it, she would have blushed.

"I'm Georg. Nice to meet you, Mai." Mai crushed a sliver of indignation at the lack of a title. She was still a Lady, even if she and her family weren't on speaking terms. But she would let him off this time. He was new. She forced a smile, which was much easier when his dark eyes twinkled in amusement. What was so funny? She was so bemused she almost didn't respond until Ty Lee elbowed her. Hard.

"Oh! Ah, oh. Very nice to meet you, too." She reached out her hand, and he took it. Warm, calloused. He wasn't a dainty ruler, at least. Perhaps this might not be so bad after all.

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She took it back. Oh, yes, it COULD be so bad. It could be so very, very bad. The man sitting across the café table from her was moronic at best. Granted, he was attractive. But aside from that, Mai couldn't stand to converse with him for one hour, let alone consider dating him! Ugh, the instant they entered the bustling restaurant, he had transformed from a confident-seeming, attentive chaperone to a simpering, giddy, bumbling idiot. He burst out with another laugh.

"Oh, la!" La? Really? "That outfit our friend the waiter has on is so droll! I thought red suits went out of style the moment Ozah began the war – what was it – twenty-five years ago? Hahahaha!" Mai glowered at him, but her ire glanced off him as if he were made of porcelain.

"You mean, I assume, Ozai?" Georg rested his brown eyes on her for a moment before bursting into another short laugh.

"Oh, OZAI! Hahaha! I completely botched his name, didn't I? Well that was a bit ridiculous of me, I MUST say." Mai just looked at him in disbelief. The man was insane. Why in the name of everything that is right did Ty Lee think this man would be a good match for her? Mai grabbed her purse and started pulling out a few coins, but Georg's hand shot out and grabbed hers, stopping her progress. Confused, she looked up, catching his eyes. He looked serious, for once.

"Mai. If you're going to leave, at least allow me to pay the bill." Disconcerted, Mai leaned back in her seat.

"Oh, no. I wasn't…" She felt in her purse with her other hand and fished out a mirror, frantically thinking of an excuse. "I was just looking for this." She held the small circular mirror up and smiled. He smiled back, comprehending her explanation. He didn't look like he bought it, though. He leaned forward, looking as if he was about to say something. She smelled the mintiness of his breath. But then something clattered in the kitchen and he sat straight, letting go of her hand.

"Hahaha! Well, I'm glad! Because this meal is just going to take your very BREATH out of your LUNGS, it is so exquisite! I recommend the seared clams. I think they're shipped in all the way from Yarminth!" Mai closed her gaping mouth.

"You mean Yarmouth?"

"Oh, haha! You caught me again! How silly of me! Hahahahaha." Mai let him laugh and cursed herself for not just dropping the money and leaving. There was something seriously wrong with this man.

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"Dude, whatever happened to Mai?" Zuko choked on his soup and raised a napkin to his mouth, coughing furiously. Sokka whacked him on the back. "Get it out, man. Can't let you lose to a spoonful of liquid, can we?" After a few seconds of hacking, Zuko sat up, composed, if a little red from the effort.

"Why exactly are you suddenly asking me about Mai?" Zuko and Sokka were eating a late dinner in the mess hall of the airship, now about a half a day outside of Ba Sing Se. A few other straggling soldiers chatted noisily around the hall, and Zuko really didn't want to talk about his failed love life in front of them. Sokka had no such reservations.

"Well you two just seemed made for each other. Like two peas in a pod. She was bored, you were boring, it was perfect!" Zuko gritted his teeth.

"Can we not talk about this now?"

"Why not, buddy? Best man?" Zuko sighed. He had to admit it was pretty flattering to be Sokka's best man. Sokka was using that flattery to his full advantage.

"Fine. Mai and I, we just never had any real…chemistry. I don't know if that makes any sense."

"But you loved her."

"I thought I did, at first. But I found out what real love felt like. And I couldn't have it, and it sucked. But I couldn't stay with her once I'd discovered that."

"U-huh."

"Is this getting too complicated for you to be interested anymore?"

"Yes it is." Zuko laughed at Sokka's response, but Sokka hit the table with his fist.

"WAIT a minute. HOLD on, there, Sparky. What do you mean, you felt real love? Wha ha ha? For WHO?" Sokka was grinning in anticipation. Zuko had forgotten he was so smart…

"Gah, no-one, it doesn't matter. That happened a long time ago. And nothing happened! Just forget I said anything!" Sokka crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"Too late. Sokka's investigation has now begun."

"Sokka!"

"Nope, nothing doing. I will discover this woman if it is the last thing I do."

"Wait, please-"

"And you shall become her husband, and she your wife-" he had slipped into an impression of Uncle Iroh – "and you shall be wedded for allllll everafter." He nodded his head to emphasize the declaration. Zuko smirked.

"Not sure you want to matchmake this one, buddy."

"Oh-ho-ho! You know not the true ways of Sokka of the water tribe!" Sokka started laughing maniacally, drawing the attention of nearby soldiers, who started pelting him with insults and leftovers. He perked up. "Sweet! Free food!"

And you don't know that you would never let me have the woman I love in a million years, Zuko thought, remembering the feel of her hands on his chest…

Who could this mystery woman possibly be? Hehe. Feel free to weigh in your opinion. I'd love to hear what you think of the story so far!