Published August 27, 2011
Sneers took the first watch, and he announced each arrival at the barricade. "It's Fire Sage Iroh!" he called down to the others from his post in the watchtower.
Lu Ten looked up in surprise. "Dad?"
"Uncle?" Zuko stood up beside his cousin.
The old man came sliding down the wooden structure. Jet bowed respectfully to the old man. Lu Ten spoke with his father in hushed tones, nodded, and then turned to address the assembled warriors. "My father has come to join us in prayer before the battle."
Everyone stood and bowed their heads.
Iroh raised his hands in a blessing. "May the Spirits guide you today," he said. "May they protect you in battle and grant you victory."
Everyone bowed their heads. The Water Tribe warriors murmured prayers to the Moon and Ocean Spirits. Lu Ten and Zuko entreated the spirit of the sun, their source of power; and the dragons, the first firebenders. Aang called upon his past lives to grant him the wisdom to win this battle. Toph hoped that they would all be safe, and their goals would be accomplished.
Finally Iroh let his arms fall to his sides. "Go in peace," he said, looking out at the warriors and Freedom Fighters. His eyes fell on his son and nephew. Iroh opened his arms, and Zuko and Lu Ten went forward to hug him. "Be safe," he implored them.
"I will, Dad," Lu Ten promised.
"We'll do our best," Zuko said truthfully.
Iroh let go of them, and Toph bended a pedestal underneath him so he wouldn't have to climb up the barricade. He stepped on top of the wooden structure, turning back one last time to wave to Lu Ten and Zuko. Then he jumped down into the street, and was gone.
A short while later Sneers called down to them from the watchtower. "The scout is back."
Long Feng came climbing over the barricade. "Good, you're back," Hakoda said. "What news do you have?"
Long Feng dusted off his robes, panting a little. When he'd caught his breath he said, "I counted each man, and I overheard their plans. Be warned: the danger is real. We will need all our cunning to bring them down."
"Well said," Jet prompted.
Toph frowned. The man was telling the truth. But something was nagging her. She knew she had heard that voice before, and recently … She gasped as it came back to her. The day Azula's gang attacked Katara and her father, he had come to the town square.
Lu Ten looked resolute. "We have to keep faith. If you know what their movements are, we'll have an advantage. We can overcome them!"
"They aren't going to attack us tonight," Long Feng said; and now Toph could feel his heart rate increase. "They intend to starve us out a few days, then hit us from the right."
"Liar!" Toph cried, sounding strangely triumphant as she emerged from the throng and pointed a finger at Long Feng. "I recognize your voice. I never forget a voice. You were in the market square when Azula's gang attacked Katara and her father." Toph turned to Jet. "I know this man – his name's Long Feng, and he's the Head of the Dai Li. So don't believe a word he says."
Long Feng made a break for it, but Pipsqueak tackled him, pinning his arms behind his back. "Good going, Toph," the giant said to her.
Long Feng looked murderously at the earthbender who had just altered his fate. "You little …"
"Bet you didn't think a little girl would stop you from bringing down the revolution!" Toph said smugly. "This only goes to show what little people can do." She put an arm around Aang and The Duke.
Smellerbee laughed a little. "I'm glad you're on our side," she told the younger kids.
"So what're we going to do with this traitor?" Jet said, glaring at Long Feng.
"Pipsqueak, tie him up; we'll keep him here for now," Lu Ten said. "After the battle, we can have a trial for him. The people will decide his fate."
Long Feng roared. "Kill me now or kill me later; it makes no difference to me. I renounce your people's court." Even in the face of death, he felt he was superior to these schoolboys and rabble-rousers.
Jet grit his teeth. "Be sure to gag him, too. Come on, guys, we have work to do."
Pipsqueak held Long Feng down while Longshot bound and gagged him. Then Pipsqueak tossed the spy unceremoniously next to the pile of weapons.
"There's a boy climbing the barricade!" Sneers shouted from the watchtower.
Zuko turned to see the new arrival swinging her legs over the top of the barricade.
It was Mai.
She jumped down and landed on her feet in a crouch. Zuko strode over to her, grabbed her arm and pulled her up, swearing.
"Are you insane?" Zuko asked furiously. "Did you see Katara? Why did you come back here?"
"I took the letter, like you said," Mai answered. "I met her father at the door. He said that he would give it …"
"Someone's coming!" Sneers shouted. Then he gasped and ducked; an arrow quivered on the wooden flagpole in the watchtower, right where Sneers' head had been.
"The Yu Yan!" Lu Ten exclaimed.
"No way – they never miss," Smellerbee said.
"That wasn't a miss," Jet said with grim certainty. He drew his twin hook swords from his back. "That was a warning."
An archer with a metal helmet and red facial tattoos appeared at the top of the barricade wall.
"We're being infiltrated!" Hakoda cried.
Zuko instinctively shot a fireball at the Yu Yan archer, who ducked but held on to the top of the wall. When he reappeared, he had fitted an arrow to his bow, and was aiming at Zuko's heart.
Zuko closed his eyes. This was it, then. It was over. Good-bye, Katara …
Just as he heard the snap of the bowstring, he felt someone's body in front of his. Zuko opened his eyes as he fell to the ground. Mai fell on top of him, the arrow protruding from her torso.
Longshot aimed his crossbow at the Yu Yan archer, who was busy fitting another arrow to his bow. The Freedom Fighter's arrow ran true, striking the Fire Nation warrior in the heart; he fell backwards, tumbling down the barricade into the street below.
"What just happened?" Toph asked, her voice much higher than usual.
Aang was shaking, watching Zuko and Mai. "The archer aimed for Zuko, but Mai stepped in front of him – she's hurt, badly. Longshot just killed the archer."
Zuko lay on the ground for a moment, breathing heavily, trying to process what he had just seen. Everything had happened in less than a minute. He felt Mai's weight on top of him, and now he could feel something warm and wet seeping into his clothes.
He tried to move slowly to get out from under Mai without hurting her more. Aang came over and helped to move her off of Zuko. Mai shuddered, clutching her side.
Zuko sat up, shaking, and took Mai's head in his lap. "Mai – what – you just –" He looked up and saw the other Freedom Fighters standing all around, watching him. "What are you all standing around for?" he demanded. "She needs help – someone do something!"
"Don't fret, Zuko." Zuko looked down and was amazed to see Mai smile faintly at him. "I don't feel any pain. If I have to die, at least … I'm not alone." Truthfully, there was no one else Mai would rather have been with – at any given time, or at the hour of her death.
"But you'll live, Mai," Zuko said, and she could hear the panic and anguish in his voice. "I'll get a healer – maybe Katara can save you –"
"Don't leave me!" Mai cried, clutching his arm. "Leave it alone – just stay with me, please."
Zuko wavered for one agonizing moment, wondering what was the right thing to do – leave Mai to get help, knowing that she might die before he returned, yet doing something that could save her; or guaranteeing her death, and making her comfortable? But Mai was looking at him with such an expression of worry and pleading and something that might be fear – all emotions that he had never seen in Mai before. He couldn't desert her now, when she needed him most.
Zuko held Mai closer in his arms. "All right, I won't go anywhere. I'll stay with you – until –" His voice faltered. "Until you're sleeping."
Mai smiled again, but it was a bit like a grimace. "Don't let The Duke see me … he'll tell Ozai and Azula on me."
"Why did you come back here?" Zuko wanted to keep talking, so he would have something to think about. And if Mai was about to die, he didn't want to simply sit in silence while he waited for the life to slip out of her.
Mai was silent for a moment, thinking about her answer. When she responded, her voice was very soft. "I didn't have anywhere else to go … I just wanted to be with you. And I … I was worried that you were going to die. I didn't want to live if you died. I hoped … that if I came … we would both die … and we could be together in the Spirit World."
Zuko stared at Mai. She cared about him far more than he had realized. He had greatly underestimated his friend's loyalty.
Mai turned her head so she was facing the sky, and felt drops of water fall on her face. "Zuko, it's raining."
"Yeah." In the back of his mind, Zuko thought it odd that Mai should comment on the weather when she was moments away from death.
"I always liked the rain. Azula could never understand that. It made the flowers grow in our garden, before we lost the inn. The rain will wash away my suffering. I don't feel any pain now – not when you're with me. You'll stay with me – that's all I need to know. And rain will make the flowers grow."
Zuko wondered if Mai was delirious. But her words made sense, symbolically – she was wise beyond her years. There was so much about her that Zuko did not know – and now he would never be able to know more about her.
Mai spoke up softly. "You know, Zuko, I believe I was a little in love with you."
Zuko stared at Mai, his mouth agape. "Oh, Mai, I …" He had had no idea … but now it seemed fairly obvious, as he thought about her behavior toward him. He remembered fleetingly when she had asked for something in payment, but refused his money. Zuko groaned. "I feel so stupid … I never realized …"
"You don't have to say anything," Mai said. "I just had to tell you –" She gasped, and Zuko felt her body tense.
"Can I ask you to do something for me?" Mai whispered.
Zuko bent her head over hers. "Anything," he promised.
"Kiss me."
Zuko leaned down and his lips came crashing onto Mai's. Wordlessly he tried to apologize, to make up for his ignorance and self-centeredness. Mai felt herself drowning in Zuko; he was the only thing holding her to life now.
Zuko pulled away slowly. Mai smiled up at him. "Thank you. Katara's a lucky girl …" She opened her mouth to say more, but then she exhaled, almost sighing. Zuko felt Mai's body slacken, and saw that she wasn't breathing. The last thing she saw was Zuko's face.
Zuko bowed his head sorrowfully, hugging Mai to his chest. "She's gone."
The Freedom Fighters bowed their heads; Longshot, Toph, and The Duke took off their hats or helmets, acknowledging the first casualty of the revolution.
"She is the first to fall," Jet said solemnly. "The first of us to fall upon this barricade."
Zuko shuddered slightly, fighting back a sob. "Her name was Mai," he said in a choked voice. "Her life was cold and dark … but she was never afraid. She was loyal and selfless. She sac –" Zuko's voice broke; he couldn't say the word "sacrifice" in reference to himself and Mai.
Smellerbee wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "We fight here in her name," she said, her voice sad but determined.
"Her death won't be in vain," Aang added, trying to offer Zuko some comfort.
Toph stepped forward and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "She will not be betrayed," she promised him.
Author's Note: This chapter turned out longer than I'd anticipated (it's one of my favorite scenes from the musical); so the battle will have to wait until the next chapter. Also, I wanted to get something posted before school starts next week, and I haven't finished the next few scenes. Sorry to prolong the suspense!
A little bit about the origins of this chapter: Most of the dialogue in this story is based on lyrics from the musical Les Miserables. The metaphor about the rain is from the musical; but the thing about Eponine wanting to die with Marius, and the line "I do believe I was a little bit in love with you" are from Victor Hugo's novel.
One other thing, I have a new poll about which story I should work on next; I have descriptions of my future projects on my profile page. Good luck to everyone going back to school. And for those of you who live on the East Coast, good luck weathering the storm that is Hurricane Irene. (As I post this, at least three people have died.) Be safe; God bless you.