1Three cheers for this fanfic being my longest (in word length) and most popular!
HIPHIP...HOORAY!
HIPHIP...HOORAY!
HIPHIP...HOORAY! XD
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Chapter 11: Talking
Mai shrugged and sighed. "As you live and breathe."
Zuko smiled and stood up. "I missed your dry humor." He walked over and hugged his girlfriend. Mai let Zuko embrace her. Zuko's usual smell returned to her like a breath of fresh air.
"Did you miss me?" Mai asked as Zuko pulled away.
"Yeah. I did. A lot." Zuko told her.
"Then why did you leave?" Asked Mai again.
Zuko was confused slightly. "Didn't...didn't you get my letter?"
"Of course I got your letter." Mai walked over to the wall and leaned against it. "That wasn't enough for me to understand what is going on I n that head of yours."
"Simple: I realized that this war and my father aren't all that was cracked up to be." Zuko answered. "I don't want this war to continue, or my father to continue his tyranny."
Mai's eyes widened. "How...I mean,...when did you realize this?"
"Over the past few months, actually." Zuko began. "I came home having betrayed the one person who stood by me ever since I was banished...I came home, my father under the impression that I killed the Avatar...I guess...I guess I was mad at myself because I actually enjoyed life as a peasant. It felt weird to be waited on hand and foot, and I found myself helping commoners when I went to town, cleaning up after myself."
Zuko sat down on the chair and rested his head in none hand. Mai sighed again, folded her arms and looked away.
"How weren't you you?" Asked Mai.
"What?"
"During that war meeting, you said you were the perfect prince. The son your father wanted. But you weren't you." Mai explained. "How was that?"
The generals and my father were talking about having peasants pay high taxes for the war effort. I thought that was a little unfair. I wanted to say something, but something else stopped me."
"What?"
"The fact that the last time I spoke out of turn, my father burned and banished me." Zuko answered Mai.
"So, the real you is someone who talks out of turn?" Mai raised an eyebrow.
"No, the real me is someone who stands up for what's right." Corrected Zuko. "Someone who actually cares about the welfare of others. Someone who doesn't agree to sending out new recruits as decoys."
Mai stared at Zuko for a minute. She was a .little surprised to hear this. Zuko anticipated her response.
"Mai?"
"Two seconds, Zuko. Give me two seconds to digest this!" Mai said, frustrated. She turned away again. After a few moments, she turned back to Zuko. "Don't you miss the royal treatment at all? The palanquin rides, ordering servants around?"
Zuko stared at Mai, suspiciously. "What are you saying?"
"I'm sorry. I misworded." Mai said sincerely. "What I meant was, you're not Fire Lord yet. You shouldn't worry about this crap right now!"
"So just because I'm not the Fire Lord means I can't do anything?!" Zuko exclaimed, angrily. "Mai, there are two evils in this world: one is doing it, and the other is not doing anything about it!"
"Okay, so what are you doing abo7ut this, then?" Mai asked.
"If I tell you, will you keep it a secret?"
"Of course."
"Okay...I'm leading a rebellion against my father." Zuko confessed. "I've already turned half the nation against him with the avatar's help."
Mai stared. "When?"
"When what?"
"When is the rebellion?"
"In a few days." Zuko answered. "Mai...I could use your help."
"My help?" Mai repeated. She sighed. "I guess I might as well. Azula already thinks I betrayed her."
Zuko smiled. "Great! Thank you."
"No problem. Whatever makes you happy."
"But will it make you happy?" Zuko asked with searching eyes. "I don't want you to think you have to choose me over Azula or...or Ozai."
Mai thought for a moment. "I don't want to sound like one of those damsels in distress type girls, but...what if Azula threatens me again?"
Zuko's heart went out for Mai. He's never heard her express concern about stuff like Azula threatening her before. Since he couldn't think of anything to say, Zuko just walked over to Mai and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I promise...I won't let anything happen to you." Zuko whispered.
Shivers went up and down Mai's spine. "My hero." She said, giggling. "I better go. Those guards outside your door are probably getting suspicious."
"Yeah." Zuko agreed. "I'm glad you came, Mai."
"So am I." Mai smiled back. "I love you."
Zuko started. He hadn't heard that for so long. He smiled. "I love you too."
Mai gave Zuko one last kiss before heading to the door. She knocked three times and yelled. "Coming out!" One of the guards opened the door and let Mai out. Zuko sighed and sat back down on his chair.
Mai walked towards Azula's room with a determined look on her face. She was not going to ruin hers and Zuko's relationship, nor was she going to put either of them in danger. Azula was found near the kitchen.
"Have fun?" Azula asked, coolly.
Mai folded her arms. "You and me- we're done." She shot another glare at Azula and walked off.
Azula glared back at Mai. "Oh, we were done long before this, my friend."
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Mai walked once again to Ty Lee's apartment. She knocked, and Ty Lee answered.
"Hi, Mai!" Ty Lee greeted, eagerly. "Come in!"
Mai stepped into the foyer. "Zuko was captured."
"What?"
"Yep. I just visited him in the palace dungeon."
"Wow. How is he?" Ty Lee asked in curiosity.
"He's fine." Mai replied. "He's leading a rebellion with the Avatar."
Ty Lee gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "He's what?!"
Main nodded. "And I'm helping him."
"Okay...this is too much for me!" Ty Lee sat down and fanned herself with her hand.
Mai rolled her eyes. "Ty, quit being so dramatic! Look...Zuko made some good points about Ozai. He's a tyrant. He's making other people suffer for his own benefit. Suffice to say: this war sucks!"
Ty Lee was quiet for a minute. Then she swallowed. "Um...well...I guess you're...you're..."
"Come on, Ty Lee. You can say it."
"I guess you're right!" Ty Lee blurted. "Did I just say that?"
Mai nodded and smiled. "I'm helping Zu,ko with the rebellion. Will you help us?"
Ty Lee hesitated. "Well..." She sighed. "Count me in!"
"Great." Mai said, relieved. "Oh, and another thing...please keep this from Azula."
"I will." Ty Lee told her. "I still haven't told Azula Zuko left you a note."
Mai smiled. "Remind me again why we're friends with Azula?"
"You know, I'm beginning to wonder that myself!" Ty Lee chuckled.
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Azula couldn't trust anyone anymore. Too many people were disappointing her. If they weren't going to be nice...she was gonna have force the answers out of them!
Azula called Ty Lee over to her house the next day. Ty Lee couldn't refuse as she didn't want Azula to be suspicious. So, Ty Lee entered the palace sitting room where Azula was seated at a table with some of Ty Lee's favorite snacks.
'Oh dear Agni, is she trying to bribe me?' Ty lee wondered.
"Hey, Azula! Thanks for inviting me." Ty Lee smiled brightly and waved. She took a seat across from Azula.
"My pleasure." Azula smiled back. "How have you been?"
"I've been good! How about you?"
"Considering my father no longer trusts me, and Mai and Zuko betrayed me, I'd say I'm doing fair." Azula answered.
"Oh." Ty Lee said. "I'm sorry."
"Mm, I'll survive. So, you've been hanging out with Mai a lot." Azula observed.
"I have."
"Did you know my brother was captured/" Azula asked, casually.
Ty Lee did her best to looked surprised. "No, I didn't. Wow."
"Mai told you." Azula guessed.
Ty Lee choked on her drink. "She might have."
Azula growled angrily. "Oh, I'm going to destroy her!"
"Whoa, Azula, calm down! It's not like Mai's helping Zuko lead a rebellion or anythi-" Ty Lee's eyes widened in horror and she slapped her hand to her mouth.
Azula smirked evilly. "So he's leading a rebellion."
"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, that's not what I said!" Ty Lee waved her hands frantically.
"I just remembered. I have a meeting to attend to." Azula lied. "I'll leave you to your snack."
"Huh? But-no! Azula, wait!" Ty Lee jumped up and grabbed Alula's arm. "I-I was just -"
"Save it, To Lee. I know when I'm being lied to." Alula wrenched free of Ty Lee's grasp and walked out the door. Ty Lee groaned in frustration, grabbed her hair and fell to her knees.
'Damn it...Mai's gonna kill me.'
XXX
Azula walked briskly to Zuko's bedroom. She let herself in. Zuko was sharpening his swords.
"Don't you ever knock?" Zuko asked, irritated.
"I don't recall you knocking on my door when you barged in on me while I was sleeping." Azula shot back.
Zuko sighed. "What do you want, Alula?"
"A favor." Azula sat on Zuko's bed. "The invasion is tomorrow. If the Avatar is alive, he's going to seize his chance to kill dad."
"He'll have bodyguards. What do you need me for?"
"Just in case the avatar makes out all those bodyguards." Azula explained. "I need you to kill him."
Zuko sighed. "And what makes you think I'll do that?"
"Because if the Avatar is alive and he confronts Dad, how do you think that will make you look?" Azula asked. "He'll punish you harder this time."
Azula frowned at the memory. Sending Zuko to the bunker was a mistake. Good thing she doesn't make the same mistake twice.
Zuko's cell door opened and in walked Azula. Zuko glared up at his sister.
"Hello, Zuzu!" Azula greeted. She sent a flame at him. Zuko ducked. "How dare you? I asked you to help Father. NOT betray him and join the Avatar!"
"Well, that goes to show you that I'm not following your or Ozai;'s orders anymore!:" Zuko shot back.
"Is that why you're leading a rebellion?" Azula asked casually.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Zuko asked. 'Crap, Mai didn't tell her, did she?'
"Mai told me you were leading a rebellion." Azula said simply. Zuko's eyes widened.
"No...she wouldn't..."
"Takes one to know one." Azula shrugged. "Don't take it personally." She left.
Zuko stood there for a while. 'Azula always lies.' He reminded himself. So, Mai couldn't have told her. Unless...she set him up like that.
"DAMMIT!" Zuko shot a massive fireball at the door.
Azula smirked as she heard her brother yell. 'Why am I so good at being bad?' She thought to herself.
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...Okay, I had to include Azula's last line! I couldn't help it!