For Toza's Gym: Earth Disks (Exasperation)
Word Count: 481
"What is wrong with her?" Yugoda received the mumbling Fire Nation woman into the healing tent with outstretched arms.
"I don't know. She just—"
Yugoda raised an eyebrow at the young Fire Lord. "She just… what?"
He ran a hand through unkempt hair. He truly looked worse for wear. "I don't… I can't…"
Exasperated, the healer waved at him as if to shoo him away since he was no help to her whatsoever.
He returned her sentiment of frustration. "But I want to… arrrrrrggggghhhhh!"
"Leave this to me, Fire Lord Zuko. I know just what she needs." The tone of reassurance did not entirely conceal the edge to the old woman's voice, however.
It wasn't what, but who she needed, actually. Once the bumbling Fire Lord finally left the scene, the young lady calmed considerably. Then, Yugoda escorted her to Melody's tent.
Mai sipped her medicinal tea reluctantly. "You're poisoning me, aren't you?"
"If peace of mind is a poison, then yes." When her patient tilted her head at this response, Melody continued, "Some people cannot quiet their thoughts, so the absence of… shall we say, exasperation can feel very abrupt to them."
"So the tea will make me hollow? Void of emotion?" Mai laughed because this was how she was normally.
"No, actually. It offers clarity of thought which will be helpful as we talk."
"I have nothing to say to you. You drug me and then expect me to tell you my life problems? Why don't you go ask Zuko? Because he is the problem."
Melody nodded slowly. "Ah, I see. Did you break up with him, or did he break up with you?"
"Who says we broke up!?" Mai screeched.
"He did, actually, but I am not at liberty to discuss other patients."
"Zuko came to see you, too?"
"I referred him to someone else, so I don't know anything beyond his lament over a bad breakup."
"Sounds just like him to go whining to someone else about it," Mai grumbled.
"Did he complain a lot about your relationship?"
"Not to me, no."
"What about you? Do you have any complaints?"
Mai rolled her eyes. "Are we done, yet?"
"We're done whenever you say we're done." Melody's smile was warm and genuine, and this annoyed Mai to no end.
"OK, fine. Bye."
But as Mai stood to leave, Melody caught her off guard. "Same time tomorrow then?"
"What? No… I—"
"You can either stay now and tell me all your life problems or come back tomorrow. The choice is yours. Trust me, after you've had that tea in your system, you'll start to see things more clearly, I'm sure."
Mai was quite flustered by this. "Doubt it… see ya… like never!"
Melody watched her patient push past the tent flap in a frenzy, but she needn't worry. She would see Mai tomorrow, of that, she was certain.