Hey There,

Hello there readers, hope you're having a great day. This chapter will be split between two perspectives, Ty-Lee's and Zuko's. I hope that you enjoy it.

I want to give a special thanks to my friend Rose-Aki for her review. I really appreciate you!

Standard disclaimers apply - I don't own any of the trademarked items mentioned and I'm merely borrowing everything for my own plots and schemes. Most will remain unharmed.

Dedicated to that special person who's ALL excited about putting lights up all around their place. You know who you are, wink-wink! And me too! This one's for you!

"They Forgot!"

Chapter 5 - All About the Glow!

(Ty-Lee's Perspective)

I know that I'm biased and totally "Team Mai" in this statement. But nobody is MORE Team Mai than this girl. And today! This day happening right now, she's got this whole new glow about her. And it's stunning! I'm saying that and I'm not even the one planning to ask her to marry me. No wonder Zuko needs a minute to collect himself. He looked like he was gonna burst the whole ride here. He was so happy sitting beside her. It was all so cute, you couldn't take your eyes off of them.

As someone who's gotten to share so much of my experiences with both of them. It was an absolute thrill to just see them having so much fun up there. Just sitting together, on the ride here. So I was doing the best thing I could do to help Zuko out...

Distracting the heck outta Mai in the meantime while he finalizes all of the things he needs to. And probably plans for a proposal from scratch… because his plans seemed sketchy at best back at the Governor's house.

I showed her to her room in one of the only buildings on the island. I helped her unpack, then walked her all around the best and nearest beach of black sand and crystal clear shorelines. Mai was on and on about loving the color even though it was hotter on our feet than normal sand and we couldn't stand walking barefoot. Before getting her to what has been lovingly named "Distraction Phases A-Z." An Obstacle course that had been earth-bent into existence to train students for Toph's school. Had been altered to accommodate any kind of combat. Including any of the differing benders and non-benders alike on the island. (Toph, Aang and Katara had been having a blast getting it ready before we arrived, and testing it out). So Mai and our flock of Kiyoshi buddies had an absolute blast getting lost in that maze for a while.

We spared and played for ages, but when I completed the course. I was tired. So I treated myself to sunbathing, just to the side of the exit. It wasn't long before Mai too had finished.

It hadn't been hard for her to find me, camped at the shoreline that outlined the exit. Asking me, "So how long do you plan to keep me misled from what my boyfriend's planning?"

I answered her just as smartly, "As long as he needs. And you can thank me later, when he pulls this off, cause of me." I said laying out in the sun and soaking up the sunlight. Arms neatly folded behind my head.

Then Mai stood in my light, and said, "Hey. Why did you let them go to all of this trouble."

I let her know, "Mai it wasn't any trouble at all. That resort was put here by a friend of Aang's, so Toph and her students would have a nice place to sleep when they train here. So it was already here and it's far from roughing it. Toph had the obstacle course built to train her students in combat. She's been wanting to convert all of them to accommodate everyone's abilities. This party just gave her the reason to do it that much sooner. We all know you don't want a fuss. But you're only turning twenty once and we're not letting it sail by without a little bang!"

"But I don't need bang or distracting. I just want to be with… everyone-" Mai tried to make this about everyone.

But I knew better and asked. "Really, 'everyone?' Are you sure one doesn't stand out from the pack? Besides me, of course."

She sat down next to me and hugged her knees, "Okay, I'll admit it… I miss him, but I miss everyone else too and I don't want to be split up like this all day."

"And you won't be, trust me, they're just finishing up some things only Zuko himself could." That wasn't untrue. I told her, "I know you miss him, but just relax and try to have a little fun, okay?"

She smiled and said, "Okay, fine." Then she lie down beside me and let the vitamin D soak in for a moment.

Then she told me, "But that was my workout for the day. The next thing had better be something where I get to sit still and I don't have to run… How are you laying here with nothing between you and this sand, it's too hot."

Leaned up on one elbow, I said, "I told you you needed to work more color into your skin."

"And I told you that color could be deadly." Mai shot right back.

"Beauty is pain," I smiled, before agreeing, "Okay, no more running and sparring but didn't you have fun?"

"Yeah, I did." Mai admitted before saying, "Thank you, Ty-Lee."

"No sweat, but when my birthday comes around, I don't want to come here." I made clear to my best friend.

"Why not?" Mai wondered.

"Because there's all of this beautiful beach but no boys to look at me, or flirt with." I told her with a pout.

"Yes, I can see where that would be a deal breaker for you." Mai smirked, sardonically. "Excuse me but I'm calling it a perk."

"Of course, you would. You're guy's here, and you don't have to worry about anyone making him jealous." I'd noticed, and Mai did have the grace to smirk.

"He wouldn't have that worry even if the place was crawling in guys." Mai smirk became more of a smile.

"And I'm happy for you… And Zuko. But for the rest of us still in search for 'mister perfect'. It's a buzz-kill!"

"I think some of the Kiyoshi warrior's are interested. Does that help at all?" Mai just had to point out to me. And it wasn't new news, some of the girls were into me, and had let it be known.

But I told Mai truthfully, "And I'm flattered but I like boys. I want a popular beach with lots of men for my birthday. And pink cake with the little white and yellow flowers on it."

"I'll write that down when we get back to my room," She said, but I know she was just saying it.

After that, we both went quiet for a little bit… and then just as all of the other girls had settled down to sunbath not far from us. I heard Mai saying quietly, "...y-Lee?... Ty-Lee?"

"What?" I matched her volume.

"Has Zuko been acting funny lately? Have you noticed?" She asked me so softly, I know I was the only one to hear her.

And honestly, YES! I noticed it too, Suki and I had both been glad that we'd gotten to accompany him this morning. Because we were both hoping for answers to our own questions. Boy did we get more than we'd bargained for… But now that I knew what I knew about her boyfriend's ultimate plans… this was very hard to not to tell her. What was I gonna say, that wouldn't tip her off. She was so intuitive and she knew me too well.

In the end, I decided to tell the truth, because it could buy me more time to think. I told her, "Hey yeah? He has been a little different lately, hasn't he? Do you have any idea why?"

"I don't know," I didn't see her shrug but I just know she did. "I thought it was because he didn't want to miss my birthday and he had to. Then I thought he'd forgotten what I asked him, because he was so busy-"

"What did you ask him for?" I asked curiously.

"A letter." She said simply.

"A letter?" I repeated, "Why would you ask for something so puny? He's one of the most powerful rulers in our world. I would think he could have gotten you anything. Some crowned jewels at the very least and if I had a man that gone on me. I would have done it too-"

"-But the letter was all I needed." She made it plain. Then she told me about how she'd kept a letter for every single birthday since he was sent away. All those years ago, and I remembered the one she'd received in prison and how many creative ways she'd almost destroyed that note. But she never could do it. She'd even kept that missive in a box like a cherished treasure. Because to Mai, that's exactly what it was.

"When Zuko went away, we'd just been getting to know one another. I thought I had been born without a heart. Like Azula had always said, my heart was missing. That's why I was so pail and different but it was when he was really gone that I learned I definitely had a heart. Because it was broken, and I didn't even realize that's what had been wrong with me. Till I got the first letter from him. And all the pain, misery, and ache went away. Like it had never even been there. He never missed a holiday or birthday either. Not in all of that time. I have a note for each time we were apart. And memories of all the times we got to be together."

I put together myself, "Since you thought you were gonna be apart again, you asked for another letter for this birthday?"

"I did," Mai confirmed, "Either he was too busy and forgot… or…"

I added, "Or he knew that he wasn't gonna actually miss this year. He just needed you to think he would. So he promised to write you, but then he didn't need to anymore. Because he's here."

"Hopefully it's something like that…" Mai agreed rather gloomy sounding, even for her. Then she said, "But really, I've been thinking about it so much lately. What he would say, how he would word it. I was really looking forward to it. I wish I could have known what he would have written. You know?"

"Honestly, I would be too." I had to admit. Then I backpedaled, "I mean, I wouldn't want to know what lovey-dovey things you two are writing back and forth to each other. I just mean if I were you, I could see where you would want to know what he would have said too. It makes perfect sense to me."

"Nice to know one lunatic gets me." Mai chided.

And I corrected, "I think you mean one fellow lunatic gets you."

"Yeah well, nobody's perfect." She said, but I could see the slight unturning of both corners of her mouth. She was teasing and having fun. This was so good for her, she really did need more of this. But she hated sunbathing, always had, so she got up and went to play in the water with soem of the other girls. But just as I was thinking my job was so easy… Mai vanished and even the other warriors were aghast. We looked everywhere but there was no sign of her. So we raced back to where the rest of our friends were gathered and getting ready for tonight. Thankfully Mai wasn't there either, but you should have heard Sokka.

"Ty-Lee! You had ONE job! ONE! And you can't even keep an eye on your own best friend for one lousy afternoon?"

I shouted right back in his asinine face, "You say that like I did this on purpose. I didn't mean for it to happen it was a freak thing. All of the other warriors are saying it too."

That was when Suki came into sight as well as the rest of Team Avatar… Zuko included. But Zuko wasn't the least bit shocked. He just looked like he'd been expecting this. He told everyone, "Stay calm. Look, we'll all split up, find her and whoever finds her tells her to head back to her room so she can get ready. When we're sure she's been found, Aang or I'll shoot a flair in the air and we can all go get ready too. Okay?"

It was a good plan. But this was a very small island in the middle of nowhere. Where was she possibly hiding so well?

((Zuko's Perspective))

I knew things had been going too smoothly, and I just knew Mai would pull this. It had been nice while it lasted and I had gotten a lot done. I had managed to practice proposing on all of my friends and at first all I had done was embarrass myself. But by the end there, I had finally figured out in all of the humiliation. I'd somehow pieced together exactly what I think Mai would want me to say. All of my friends had given me different insights into different sides of my Mai too. Katara had been so serious like her, Sokka had been more teasing than her, but reminded me that she can be just as fun. Aang had been all about finding the brightside through all the tough times. Toph had been to the bone honest like Mai, Suki had helped me be precise and decisive. The last time I had tried had even made nearly everyone cry, I hoped that wouldn't be Mai's reaction.

But then Mai just had run off and now we needed to find her. It wasn't till I had checked the fifth place and came up empty. That I finally stopped myself took a deep breath and realized I had been going about this all wrong. I had been thinking like me when I was searching and Mai wasn't me. I needed to think like her if I was ever gonna find her. So I closed my eyes and chanted to myself for a minute. "Think like Mai… Think like Mai…"

I knew she'd been laying out, something my sister and Ty-Lee could do for days. But Mai would look for somewhere shaded and cool. So I started to look around the shaded areas and still nothing. Then I happened to notice a teeny little enclosed part of the garden beside the resort that was shaded. With a decorative black iron-wright gate, I walked through the gate and down a short path that led to an outdoor library with a teeny little tea stand attached. It had towering bookshelves, tables, and chairs…

… and Mai sat at a table all the way in the very back. I almost missed her… As I walked towards her, I couldn't help but notice. Even here in the dim lighting and shadows. She had this new glow today... it looked good on her... too good to not be affecting my heart rate. I had to really fight to keep my focus.

She had a cup of tea next to her, steaming so it was fresh. She appeared to be writing something on some parchment. I tried to catch a glimpse of what she was writing when she turned in a flash and had a blade at my throat in a blink.

When she realized it was me the blade lowered and she said, "Don't you know it's rude to look over someone's shoulder."

"Don't change the subject," I commanded before I could catch myself and correct my tone to a more neutral ground. "Where've you been? Everyone's looking for you?"

"Here." She stated obviously.

"Why did you run off on Ty-Lee? And the rest of your friends?" I asked needing a little more explanation.

"How long did you expect me to stay with her?" She dished right back. "And what could possibly be taking you so long?"

It wasn't till that very moment, that I realized just how much trouble I was in. While I had been practicing and talking to everybody else about my plans. I had missed Mai every single minute of time that had passed. Even though I was still fighting the temptation to go track her down and ask her on the spot. It was manageable and easier to reason with myself. That's when there had been half a mile of island standing between us maybe even a full mile.

But now, she was here, she was pissed and she had a knife still clutched in her other hand. She'd never been more beautiful. More tempting or more oblivious to what was happening in my head.

I somehow managed to answer her on cue and say, "You'll see." But by then I couldn't even remember why I'd even said that.

Mai cut her eyes at me all unimpressed. Then she went right back to writing and still didn't make any move to quit what she had been working on, so I sat down next to her and said, "Really? What's up?"

When she ignored me, I looked around to make sure we were alone and I gave into my temptation. And kissed the bare shoulder that had been closest to me. She stopped and looked me in the eye. So I asked again, "Come on, what's up?"

"Can we please get to the part where everyone's in one place? And where Ty-Lee's not making me sit in direct sunlight? The sand on this whole island is black Zuko." She felt the need to throw in.

"Yes, I noticed the black sand, Toph said it has something to do... with how the island was made." I heard myself explaining. Even though I doubted that was the answer she wanted. I started to kiss my way up that shoulder to her neck.

"It's way hotter than normal sand…" She explained but was having some difficulty. "Ty-lee was laying in it and so were the others… I co-couldn't stand it."

"You don't have to stand anything anymore," I told her, directly in her ear. "We're finished, we're ready, and now you can head back to get ready."

"To get ready?" She asked, "You mean that whole thing at the palace wasn't getting ready for tonight? That was just getting ready for what? Travel?"

"Yeah, and now you need to head back inside and take a look at what's waiting for you in your room," I told her, but she didn't play fair.

She planted a kiss on my lips that made me forget my name. Then she broke it off and said, "Good, then I'll just be a minute."

Then she was gone again, soundlessly, like I'd imagined the whole thing. It wasn't till I snapped out of it that I remembered to send up the flare, I had completed this mission. But as I walked back to the meeting place. I tried to plan how to get Katara to attack me with some ice water. I needed some badly if I was ever gonna make it through this night.

That's all folks!

Hope that some of you are having as much fun reading this one as I am writing it. Write in and review if you can, and hope you're having a great day.

~DarcyBeDippy85