Mai was twelve years old when she heard about the Agni Kai between Zuko and his father. Azula had taken it upon herself to tell Mai and Ty lee every detail. Even if they didn't want to hear them. It turns out that Zuko had to go and be honorable like always. A general had suggested sacrificing some troops to carry out some plan and Zuko had found it not to his liking. In speaking out against the general he had disrespected his father an unforgivable act of disobedience that would not be tolerated.
The young Prince had been burned and exiled sent to chase after the avatar that hadn't been sighted for the last one hundred years. See where honor got you Zuko. Azula was taking a small amount of satisfaction at her brothers downfall. Apparently an exiled Prince can't rule a nation leaving Azula heir to the throne.
Mai found it to be a pity that such a thing had to happen to the teenage Prince. They had gotten even closer then they already were over the last few month's but then again all good thing's must come to an end. He had it coming though maybe not so harsh a punishment , but he does need to learn his place and respect his elders. At least in Mai's opinion. Azula had been watching her closely searching for any sign of weakness and Mai was determined that she wouldn't find any.
Azula had become one of the worlds best fire benders and was more then willing to tell any who would listen. Her father had just banished ZuZu and life was great. Mai looked slightly more down then usual but you could tell that she would be fine in a short while. Sure she may have had a crush on Zuko but Mai wasn't the type to sit around waiting for a guy. She would survive.
Plus without Zuko there distracting Mai when Azula invited Mai and Ty lee over for training sessions her aim was at it's best and her skills in working with her teammates had increased tenfold. Azula was pleased to say the least. Ty lee had also been improving. With Mai at her best and Azula also at hers the other girl had been reaching up towards her full potential it was really awe inspiring to watch the three working so well together it was almost as if they could read each other's mind's.
Azula was always seen with her two loyal companions. Looking as proud and regal as ever. Well until everything changed. when Ty lee ran away to join the circus and Mai was sent to a boarding school across the nation. Apparently her parent's found that she was too old to keep playing with those knives of hers it was time for their daughter to become a young and proper woman.
Azula had tried to talk her father into ordering Mai's parents into letting her stay , but it turns out that it had been her fathers idea to have Mai sent away. The reasons that Mai's parents had stated were hardly the motive for what he had done. The real reason that the older girl had been sent away was the fact that Ozai had noticed that Azula was becoming to dependent on the other girls skills.
Her plans were putting to much trust into the other girls abilities. Ozai was positive that by the time Azula was sent out to do anything real in the war Mai would already be married and would have put her knives away in the back of her closet never to be thought of again. By that time though Azula would already be so dependent on the older girls skills that she might not work to her absolute best , and Ozai needed Azula at her best if she was to be of any use to him.
Azula knew all this ,but there was nothing she could do except throw her self into her work and training. She and her two friends exchanged letters weekly. Azula thought hers would probably bore her two friends not that she was a boring person it was simply the fact that her life revolved around training and schoolwork now that her two best friends were gone , but they genuinely seemed interested in everything that was going on with her. It was a nice feeling not that she would ever let either of them know that. Mai's were always filled with how bored she was but always brought a smile to her friend's faces. She had always had the best sense of humor. Sure it was dark and cynical but in a way that made you want to smile. Ty lee's was always full of happiness and her adventures in the circus it was nice.
Ty lee had recently gotten a letter from Mai and Azula. It had been about four months since Ty lee had run away to join the circus and about six since Zuko's banishment. Mai had been more saddened then anyone else about this unfortunate event she had been moping (more then usual) for about a month and a half. Azula on the other hand had delivered the news with a smile. A smile that both Ty lee and Mai knew very well. It was the one that said that everything was perfectly for her. The universe just seemed to love Azula.
Ty lee often wondered how in the world she had ended up best friends with two people that were so different from herself. Of course she loved Azula and Mai more then anything , but it sometimes surprised her how cold and uncaring they could be. Sure she herself could be as mean as a lizard snake when she wanted to be, but Mai was often dark and depressed while Ty lee was smiles and sunshine and Azula was all about making people fear her and crushing all enemies while Ty lee just wanted to make friends.
People were often shocked and surprised when they saw the three friends together during training at Azula's. It always made Ty lee want to giggle. They were three completely opposite girls with very different talents all working together in complete harmony without the slightest mistake.
It had made Ty lee want to cry when she had heard that Mai was being sent to a boarding school. She was sure that Mai would be fine , but at the school Mai wasn't allowed to practice with her knives and that hadn't boded well with Mai. Not that that would stop Mai it just worried her to think about what would happen to any other young girls that found out and told on Mai.
Ty lee sighed as she ran these things through her head she wasn't used to taking things so seriously , but Azula and Mai were her dearest friends and they mattered quite a bit to her. She missed them dearly ,but as she looked down at the audience laughing and cheering her on she realized she loved it here too. It was where she belonged then again there was always that nagging voice that reminded her that she belonged next to Mai and Azula as well. If they ever asked her to come back she would have a very large dilemma , but who said that she had to think about this stuff right now so instead of thinking things over closed her act with a smile and a wave as she walked out of the large tent and made her way back to her own smaller tent. She fell asleep with a smile on her face still able to hear the audience's applause.
Sorry that Mai's is a little shorter then the two others but I was trying to go in chronological order. Mai is talking of right after the Agni Kai, Azula is about two months latter , and Ty lee is as it stated is six months after. Look I do realize that I skipped a year but I didn't see that one year as overly important and will be skipping several years in the next chapter also I don't think Mai will play a large role in that one but fear not she will make a come back.