(A/N) It is three o'clock in the morning.
Mai appears! Finally! I have slight issues with her character (on which I blame the fact that she hasn't been in this story until now) so tell me if I did okay!
I hope the length of this chap makes up for the lateness of this chap.
Thanks to my ever-loyal reviewers: Kimjuni2 and NKSCF! You guys really make my day!
I do not own Avatar!
When Zuko came to the cliff-face, he wrenched up the first grate he came to. Leaping down into the corridor, he was immediately spotted. In an instant, through, the three guards who had closed in one him were down, and he was racing down the hall toward Mai's cell. The adrenalin, the liquid fire that ran in his veins made his whole body dance and roll with the hat. He was in control.
A shrill alarm split the air. There were suddenly dozens of guards filling the hall, pressing in, each of them eager for the glory of bringing down the hated Fire Lord Zuko. Zuko drew his blades, clashing with sometimes three of them at a time. They were decent Firebenders, but untrained in the ways of blades. Soon they were scrambling back, calling desperately for reinforcements.
The young Fire Lord pressed steadily on down the hallway. After what seemed like an eternity, he reached what he knew was the right hallway. There were two swordsmen there, and Zuko found himself looking forward to the fight. One charged, swinging a thin, deadly katana. Zuko parried the sword with his right blade, jabbing the man in side with his left. With a slash of his left sword, he unleashed a web of fire, burning the second man as he tried to sneak around behind him. Zuko slashed out again with the right blade, wrenching the sword out of the man's hand and ramming his stomach with the left sword's hilt. With the last two guards gone, Zuko rushed down the corridor. He skidded to a halt in front of a large gate.
Mai was currently engaged in picking the last of the locks on her restraints. She barely glanced up at Zuko.
"Took you long enough," she said dully, but Zuko picked up what no other person would: the hints of both a smile and tears in her voice.
Zuko used a powerful flame to melt the iron bars. He stepped through, helping with the last lock. Then, he hugged her. He hugged Mai tightly, holding her as though she were the most important thing in the entire world. And, at that moment, and forever to him, she was. He felt the definition of her bones and the wounds from countless whippings, and absolutely hated himself for making her wait, and hated the people who had done this to her.
The last thought reminded Zuko of his other duty: Clarisse and the children. And Ginn, he thought. I'm going to skin him alive.
"Mai," he murmured, still reveling in her presence, "there are a few people I need to free."
"The I have to come with you," she replied simply.
"No, I'll take you back to Uncle, first."
Mai looked at him, the serine expression on her face contrasting sharply with the fiery one on his. She reached up, one finger trailing along the edge of his face. a shiver ran up Zuko's spine.
"My place is with you, Fire Lord Zuko, no matter how long you make me wait.
Zuko felt a sharp ache in the back of his throat. He crushed Mai to his chest once more, whispering, "How did I get so lucky?" Then, he released all but her hand, leading her out of the cell.
"Did you see," he paused, sending a guard flying, "a group of children?"
Mai looked at him a bit queerly. "Brats…? No…"
Zuko bit back a defense of the White Flame; he could think of no braver Firebenders than the small children he was now racing to save. Releasing Mai's hand for a moment, he pinned a guard against the wall, one sword pressed to the man's throat.
"Where are they?" he growled, making the man cringe. "A man, a pregnant woman, three children, and two babies. Where are they?"
"D-down the hall, take a-a right, third r-room on the l-left! You can't miss it!"
Zuko let the man slump to the ground, rubbing his neck; Zuko grabbed Mai's hand once more.
"Zuko… kids?" Mai asked, confused. "You hate the annoying brats." Once again, Zuko's finely trained ears, used to picking out the minor tones in her steady voice, caught the emotion behind the words: hope? He shook his head. How strange…
He had no more time to contemplate Mai's tone. He twisted down the hall, sliding to a halt in front of the third cell on the left.
"Fire Lord Zuko!" Jeth's voice was full of relief.
"Zuko! Fire Lord Zuko!" three voices cheered in unison, all three children running up to the bars.
"Stand back!" Zuko ordered. The children, knowing what was coming, backed up to the opposite end of the cell. Zuko preceded to, very carefully, melt the bars.
As soon as he stopped, the children rushed him, and he was forced to let go of Mai's hand, lest she be dragged down into the dust, too. The kids looked, for all the world, like puppies greeting their master, all demanding his attention. He felt a spark of annoyance, but not at the children. It was just the fact that Mai was watching this. Feeling the need to maintain some semblance of dignity, he stood, brushing the little ones off.
"Zuko…?" Mai began, sounding confused.
"Who's this lady?" Lee-Song asked bluntly, in the way of children, looking up and pointing at Mai.
Zuko, though night was still clinging to his back like a little monkey, walked over and gave Mai a side-hug; Night moved obligingly, now hanging off his side.
"This is Lady Mai, she's my girlfriend."
Ting pulled at Mai's tattered skirt. "Miss, were you captured by the Black Flame, too?"
Zuko felt the need to further explain. "Mai, these children are the White Flame. Jeth and Clarisse…"
That was when it finally hit him.
Clarisse wasn't here.
"Jeth, where's Clarisse?" he demanded, his heart plummeting.
Jeth shambled to the front of the cell, holding baby Sanlo. "They took her. They took her, and baby Zuko."
Mai's face grew more confused, while Zuko's darkened. He turned to Mai.
"Can you get Jeth and the kids out?"
"Yes, but Zuko…"
"Good, I'll catch up in a minute."
"Zuko… Zuko!"
But he was already gone, calling over his shoulder, "Jeth, explain everything to her! Uncle and Shana are in the same clearing!"
Zuko 'convinced' another guard to tell him where Ginn's chamber was. The young Fire Lord wasted no time. Sprinting around a corner, he kicked in the grand doors that marked Ginn's door.
"Ginn!" Zuko twirled his swords, summoning a whip of fire.
What he saw was shocking. A grand bed, as nice as his own, stood in the center; a banner of the Fire Nation hung above it. Around, though, was a section of carpet. And lining that carpet was a row of grinning, human skulls. Ginn stepped on, and shattered, one of these skulls now. He wore royal robes, royal-looking especially in comparison to the Fire Lords own, torn, filthy, long tattered robes. On his head, he wore a golden flame, the tips bright red with fresh, wet blood. His face had three, long, open gashes, showing where that blood had come from. He wrenched Clarisse up by her arm.
"Ah, Fire Lord Zuko…" he paused, thinking. "You should have enjoyed that, as you won't hold that title for much longer. Look at you!" He laughed. "You look like some… banished prince!"
Zuko felt the fire build deep inside him. Tongues of flame danced in the air, and he crossed his blades in an 'x.'
"Maybe," he spoke in a low growl, little flames coming from his mouth with every word, "that's because that's what I am!"
"Oh-ho!" Ginn's eyebrows shot up. "Then you renounce your throne?"
"Not. On. Your. Life. Scum!" Zuko growled darkly. "But I'll never stop being who I am, no matter what my title is!"
"Well, then, Fire Lord," Ginn let out a dark laugh, "if you won't renounce your title, I'll just have to take it!"
Zuko, prepared for a fight, was taken aback when jin pulled Clarisse in front of him, pressing a cold blade to her neck.
"Make your choice, Fire Lord!" Ginn cackled. "Renounce your title, or the woman, the baby, and the child in her belly all die! Make your choice!"
Zuko stood, unsure. This brave mother and two tiny babes should no die. But… then, the young Fire Lord did something incredibly hard- he bowed.
"Jin," Zuko spoke, his fiery breath leaving soot-marks on the floor, "you are the lowest of the low. Spawn of underworld. But I cannot allow you to kill them. You're a craven coward for not fighting me, but…" his whole body tensed, and his spirit bucked and roiled, fighting these last words, even if it was only an act. "You have me chained. With your horrendous crimes, you've shackled me. I don't hae a single move left. You win."
Zuko sheathed his blades as Ginn began to laugh.
(A/N) Zuko IS NOT GIVING UP! Just wait for the next chappy, which will be up in a couple of days. As it is now three in the morning, I will only say please review! I'd really like to hear what you think!