Thanks, papyrus! :D Gosh, it's great to see you. It's been a while!

I wish I'd put more time into Tale of the Knives . When Mai's uncle told Zuko "you broke my niece's heart", I don't think he was kidding around. I think Mai's uncle really cares, and if I'd spent the time, I think I could have added a bit more to their history. But there it is. I think I always feel that way about my stories; they're never really done, it's just a matter of how much time and mental "fuel" I have. :D

This next one was a first for me when I posted it on KF; it was the first multi-part story I put in ATLA Wanderings, so to continue the month of Mai, here we are again. :D Hope you like it. Thanks again for reading, everybody, and most especially for commenting.

Party of the First Part

Part 1

Zuko liked to practice his Firebending first thing in the morning. He did it to keep in shape, to keep his abilities in form, because... well, you never know. Mai knew about that, and one morning she decided to watch—discreetly, of course.

She didn't do something as gauche as hide in the bushes—but she did hide in the shadow of a doorway. There Zuko was, working his way through standard forms: short, sharp Fire punches, overarm hurls, leg kick-snaps. He aimed at targets that were carved into the walls, sometimes aiming at more than one in the course of a sequence. More than once he stopped, grumbled, reset, and tried again.

He did that a lot, Mai noticed. Zuko wasn't satisfied with near-misses or almost complete patterns. He would try it again and again until he got it—or he would back off, try a similar, simpler pattern, master that, and then come back to the more complicated sequence.

Zuko was something to watch, Mai thought to herself. He didn't have his shirt off, but she could see his muscles working through his sleeveless shirt, and his sweat gave a nice sheen to his skin.

Zuko picked up the pace. He added down-drop roundhouse kicks to his patterns and stayed in motion, not stopping to repair a missed target. He kept moving, like he was fighting off a horde of attackers. Sometimes he would aim several bolts of fire at one target, concentrating on it, other times he would aim on the fly, spinning, a whirling dervish of fire. More than once Mai had to duck behind the wall when the fire came too close.

Mai smiled. I'm going to have to reward him for all that practice.

Then Zuko stopped. He stood still, concentrating. Mai looked on intently.

Zuko scooped one hand down and gathered charge. His other hand went on high in response, then came down and gathered more. He brought his hands together in front him, fingertip to fingertip, then pointed.

The air exploded. Zuko was blown off his feet.

Mai's eyes went wide.

Zuko scrambled back to his feet grumbling. He tried again. He brought one arm down again and gathered charge, then did the same with the other, brought his fingertips together, and pointed.

Again the air blew up and sent him sprawling.

This went on for a while. Zuko kept trying, but each time something blew him off his feet. Mai shook his head. I think I need to tell him when to stop pursuing perfection.

Zuko kept on trying. And trying. And trying. Then at some point, ash-covered, dirty, grungy Zuko, still not getting it right, struck Mai as funny. She chuckled.

Zuko stopped in mid-move.

He whirled around and saw Mai with a half-smile on her face.

His blood was up. He was hot from exercise, and he didn't think his failure at something he should be able to do was funny.

Especially when it came from someone who should know him better than all others.

His fury built like a thunderstorm. His face contorted in rage. That mixed with his failure, his frustration, the fact that it was his girlfriend that laughed at him.

All that ran headlong into the fact that Mai would be the one on the receiving end of whatever he did. If he said one thing to her... if he did one thing...

Tormentor—supporter—tormentor—supporter—tormentor—supporter—

He felt like he would explode.

"Gaaaaaaaaaahhh!"

He stomped off in angry frustration and left Mai standing there. She felt bewildered... and hurt.

o o o

The afternoon wasn't any better.

"So in conclusion, Fire Lord Zuko," said one of his regional governors, "I regret to say that it is impossible for me to comply with your request."

Zuko glowered. "Governor Tulon, this is not a request—it is an order. You will carry out these reforms."

"Yes... well, I do appreciate the difference between the two, Fire Lord, but I'm afraid I am more in touch with the... particularities of the local situation."

Zuko's emotional temperature went up a notch. "And those are?"

"Well, it's a... bit complicated to explain in a single sitting, Fire Lord, but fortunately, one of my talents is to be able to comprehend the vast difficulties in correctly assessing and—"

"—And sitting around talking in circles until sundown! We've been over this already! If you gave me one solid answer as to why, I would listen—but all you've given me are excuses!"

Strangely, the governor fell silent. He looked at Zuko impassively.

Zuko rubbed a hand over his face; he decided to ratchet back and try a different tack. "Governor: the war is over. Our problems are different. We need to try new solutions in these new times, and this is part of that."

"I understand that, Fire Lord, but I'm afraid you don't understand the realities of the situation as I do—"

"Then fine! Tell me what the realities of the situation are, and why it is you won't do this!"

"As I said, Fire Lord, it is a complicated matter which I cannot fully relay to you in a single audience. If you would give me time to prepare a report that will completely explain—"

"—That will completely explain why you've done nothing for two months?!" Zuko was livid. "You have had two months to do something and you've done nothing. And now you want more time for a report?!"

A new speaker from the side. "My lord—"

Zuko whipped around in the speaker's direction. "What?!"

The speaker was the chamberlain, and he gestured to his side. "My lord, the Lady Mai—"

Sure enough, there was Mai, standing there looking shocked at Zuko's response and expression. Granted, the chamberlain should have known better and his timing was lousy... but the damage was done.

Mai's face hardened into a mask of anger; she turned and walked away.

Zuko was sitting there shocked, his hand reaching out the way Mai had gone. All the morning's frustration came back with a roar.

This time, however, he had a target.

Slowly he turned back to the governor and gave him a magma-laden look.

"I am the Fire Lord. You are the governor. You will go back to your province and carry out my orders, or I will come down there and remove you personally!"

The governor was shocked—and scared. He bowed from his seat on the floor, touching his head to the floor tiles, then got up and retreated as quietly and as quickly as he could.

Zuko remained where he was on the dais, seething. A good way to motivate and influence recalcitrant bureaucrats this might be, but it was lousy for personal relations.

To put it mildly.

(To be continued...)