A SHORT REUNION

"MY LADY."

"Your Highness."

"Heh…please. Lieutenant will do just fine these days."

"I suppose…though, if you don't mind, perhaps I'll stick with Zuko."

"I feel I should take offense to that, my lady, considering that I spent two years trying to get you call me that."

"What can I say? I'm a slow learner."

"We both know that's not true, my lady."

"Maybe not anymore, but it was very much true when you knew me. And, while we're on the subject of names, since I can't address you by your proper title – no matter what anyone might say – then maybe it's time you called me Mai."

"As my lady commands."

"I see that the Army has done nothing to dull your wit."

"And I see that the years have taught you a sense of humor."

"Indeed…well…how are you, Zuko?"

"I'm…I'm pretty good, actually. A military life suits me, it seems."

"I always knew it would. You look just as dashing as you did four years ago."

"The scar helps, I've been told. Gives me that bad boy flair."

"Ha! You, a bad boy? Please."

"I know, right? And yet…heh…how are you doing, Mai?"

"I'm…heh…you know what I just remembered?"

"What?"

"How, when we were first betrothed, you used to ask me that, and I never knew how to answer. No one had ever asked me that before."

"Well…I was never very good at being a properly aloof nobleman."

"True…and as for how I am…I'm well. Enjoying a little vacation."

"I noticed! How did you swing that?"

"I agreed to not cause any trouble while my parents opened negotiations with Lord Kawabata for a marriage between myself and his eldest son."

"Wait…Yasunari?"

"You seem surprised."

"Well…I mean…he's a good guy, from what I remember, and I've heard that he was a good soldier, but…well…isn't he…well…"

"Exactly. It was your sister's idea. Brilliant, really. Even if the negotiations actually go anywhere…"

"Neither of you will be in a rush. It's…quite devious. I didn't know you had it in you."

"Neither did I. But then again, a lot of things have changed."

"Yes, they have."

"But…some have not…"

"No…some have…remained the same…"

"I know…I just…I just wanted to see you. Azula would kill me if she knew I had passed up such an opportunity to see how you were."

"Yeah…how is my sister?"

"She's well. Causing endless trouble. The last betrothal she broke up caused quite a scandal, though I doubt it made it all the way out here. Your parents decided to let her go traipsing off just to get her out of the Palace for a while."

"Yeah, I actually heard a little about that."

"You did?"

"We get papers out here, you know. Most of it seems to have been hushed up, but a royal education, if it does nothing else, teaches you to read between the lines. Plus, Azula writes to me when she can."

"I know. She reads me all of your letters, whenever she sees me. How you two send them without your parents knowing, I've never quite figured out."

"What can I say? She's clever."

"Yes, she is…and so are you, by the way."

"I may be, but all my best ideas come from Azula."

"Shut up and take a compliment, Zuko."

"Yes, my lady."

"Oh, stop it…heh…I take it that that man's one of yours?"

"Who, Sergeant Toshio? Nah, it's more like I'm one of his. But it does appear that I need to get back to my boys."

"Duty calls, I suppose."

"Yes…only, now, it's a duty I chose, and that makes all the difference."

"You know what? It really does, doesn't it…"

"Did…did you ever find your own destiny?"

"I did, actually, and I'm enjoying every moment of it."

"I'm glad."

"Me, too…it was…it was nice to see you, Zuko."

"And it was nice to see you, too, Mai. Be safe."

"You, too. Good day, Zuko. See you in Gaoling."

"Not if I see you first. Good day, Mai."

They exchanged bows, and then they went their separate ways. The Lady Arinori clambered back into the carriage, slamming the door and shutting the drapes. There she sat in darkness, struggling with her emotions, while her two best friends dabbed their eyes and did the same. Finally, one of them whispered, "That was…probably not wise…"

"Do we care?" Mai asked.

"No," said the third girl, in a voice like that of royalty, "we don't. Not one fucking bit."

And to that, the three best friends, all twenty years of age, agreed wholeheartedly, without having to say a word.

One of the best things about not locking oneself into one viewpoint or story-telling method, is that it clears things up to experiment and get crazy. Thus, the occasional dialogue-only chapter, which is always fun to write, because I think I do dialogue rather well. I may be wrong (and feel free to correct me), but the wife likes how I do it (heh), so nyah.

That's all for today, Faithful Readers. Tomorrow, I'll probably be out and about again, but, if all goes well, you get a few treats. Until then, enjoy your evening, and I hope you liked today's updates!

As for the next chapter, Team Avatar arrives in Gaoling, and Katara hears a name we all know and love for the very first time. Stay tuned!