Disclaimer: The following chapter is entirely fictitious. Any similarity to the history of any person living or dead is entirely coincidental and unintentional, except when specifically noted otherwise in the cast and crew credits. All celebrity voices are impersonated and no celebrities have endorsed any aspect of this fic.

Chapter Six: The Art of Persuasion

'-'

Zuko's assistant sat hunched over one of the chairs, his clipboard on the floor along with his ink pen and papers. "Sit up!" Zuko barked at him. "You look ridiculous!"

"I am SO sorry, Fire Lord Zuko," he coughed. "I just think it's hilarious you let Marukai talk you into going to that witch! I mean seriously! Of all people I would have never thought you would go to a witch! It's freaking hilarious!"

"You said hilarious twice!" Zuko snarled. "For god sakes, get some new words in your lexicon!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, master," the assistant breathed, wiping a tear from his eyes. "I apologize for not having a capacious lexicon in which to converse with you with. I shall not speak another word until I have appropriate diction for the Fire Lord."

"You… you're ridiculous," Zuko grunted. "And what you just said didn't make any sense."

"You, sir, just do not know how to laugh at yourself," the assistant laughed. He sat up in the chair and straightened out his clothes. "I have to apologize, I just think that you going to a psychic is… well, how you say, 'out of character' for you? I-I don't see it happening."

"You don't understand!" Zuko sighed, throwing himself in the chair across from his assistant. "When I went to go see her she said things that were too specific. I didn't understand it."

"Of course she did," the assistant scoffed. "It's called cold reading, anyone can do it. For example, I see you have faced some hardship in your past. Did someone hurt you?"

"That's not what I'm talking about!" Zuko snapped. "I thought the same thing, but what she said was too specific. She knew exactly how I felt about her, she knew too much about Hiashi. She even knew how she took her tea in the morning. And, she knew Marukai was cheating on me, and she knew who she was cheating with. And she told me if I let the guy be with her then I'd be absolved of her. I'm just not sure what to think about the whole thing."

"Well, I can tell you what I think," the assistant said. "I think… that this woman played you like a lute. You said Marukai has gone to her before, well maybe she fed the witch some information prior. All I'm saying is that you can't be too reliant on the information the witch gave you."

"That's the thing," Zuko muttered. "I've never told Marukai about Hiashi, so even if she did give her all the information, how would she know about that? Better question, I've never told Marukai about anything from my life before I had to marry her, so how would she know I was looking for her or what happened between the two of us? I don't know what to believe."

"Sir, I'm telling you, you can't believe everything a witch says, even if it's true," the assistant replied. "They're just B. you, that's how they get their money."

"I didn't pay her anything," Zuko said to him. "Marukai says that she doesn't charge so that way people take what she says more seriously. And she told me Hiashi's favorite tea. She told me exactly how she took it every morning. And she was right. Hiashi had the same thing every day. I saw her stand outside with a cup every morning, out on the front of the ship or somewhere in the corridors, sipping her Chai tea. The times I did see her she would put milk and just enough sugar in it for flavor. I would hear her glass clank sometimes as if there were ice in it, and there was. She'd eat the ice afterwards, saying it was a waste of water if she didn't. And every time we went back to the ship after we looked for the Avatar she would go to her room and make herself something to drink. And it was that Lo Han Kuo drink, the same drink that woman said. I don't know what to say."

"Sir, maybe she was just lucky," his assistant said more seriously. "I'm telling you, it was probably a fluke."

"I don't know," Zuko said under his breath. "Maybe it is, maybe it's not, but now I'll never know. Marukai said if I upset her then she'll never tell me anything I wanted to know. She said that I'm going to get hurt if I continue my journey, but she wasn't specific on what. I'm just wondering if I should be concerned."

"Don't even worry, sir," his assistant tried to convince him. "You'll be gone by tomorrow, so you don't need to concern yourself with what she said." Zuko thought to himself for a moment. The witch told him about Mai, how he should invite her along, but what if that was a joke? The woman was right about many things, so why would this be any different?

"You said something about a girl named Mai, didn't you?" Zuko said suddenly to his assistant.

"Pardon?" the assistant asked.

"You said something about a woman named Mai who—"

"Oh her," the assistant exclaimed as he suddenly remembered. "Yeah, she works in the I forget department, but I know where she is. What about her?"

"Go get her for me, will you? I need to ask her something." At first the assistant did not react to his boss's request, but he suddenly showed shock upon his face.

"Wait, I'm sorry, I think I have something ridiculous in my ear," the assistant said sarcastically. "What was that you asked me?"

"I said go get her for me," Zuko said roughly again through his teeth. "You heard me."

"Sir, that doesn't look good," his assistant said somberly. "Okay, I and everyone else in the palace is all for you tossing that whore of a woman you're married to out on the street and getting someone you actually like, but not everyone is going to see it that way. Why do you want to see her anyways?"

"That is none of your business," Zuko replied curtly "Just go get her for me, please."

"Fine," the assistant finally said reluctantly. "I will like it, but I won't be a part of it."

"You know that's a lie," Zuko scoffed.

"True, but I won't appreciate it," the assistant frowned.

"You know that is a lie, too!" Zuko shouted.

"Also, true," the assistant raised his eyebrow. "It's a conspiracy, it's an affair, it's insanity, but you need this." The assistant quickly bowed to Zuko and shot out the door. He looked to the door and back to the chair and decided to sit down. There was not much else he could do. The chambermaids were almost done packing for him and they were not to leave until tomorrow. He had not set foot on Engoku since the last time he was there with Hiashi. He remembered how the girls had tricked him off his ship so they could kill her and how foolish he felt when he discovered their infiltration. She told him countless times she did not want to return to the island, but he did not listen to her. He never listened to anything she said unless it had something to do with the Avatar. Still, Zuko could not help but think she had it coming.

She should have known. She should have known her place.

"Knock, knock," a bored voice sounded from the door. Zuko shot his head up, unaware of how long it had been since he sent his assistant to fetch Mai. But sure enough there she was, leaning on the door frame with one eyebrow raised. Not much had changed about her since he had last seen her except that she had gotten taller and much more mature in appearance, but Zuko dared not to think of her in that way.

"Mai," he forced out with as much poise as he could muster, "it's nice to see you again."

"Okay, what gives?" she asked, finally walking into the room. "Your shrimpy assistant came running into my office with the stupidest of looks on his face saying you wanted to see me."

"Yes, I did," Zuko said stiffly. "I needed to ask you something."

"Well, what is it?" she said in a rush. "I have things I need to do." Zuko took a deep breath, but could not get himself to ask the question. He felt ridiculous, especially because he was asking her based off the prediction of a crazed woman who lived on the base of the mountain. It was ridiculous. "Look," Mai finally grunted, "if you're not going to say anything, can I—"

"I'm currently looking for someone and I need you to come," Zuko spat out. He wanted to slap himself. Nothing he said made any sense, only to those who knew exactly what he was talking about. Mai's face fell.

"Okay, I don't see you for almost ten years and all of a sudden you ask me to go on some trip with you to find someone? Does your wife even know about this?"

"Yes, she does," he lied. "And she is okay with it." Mai eyed him suspiciously, finally shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, but I have to say no," she answered.

"Wait, why?" Zuko snapped.

"Because that's kind of rude, don't you think?" she snapped back. "You don't talk to me for a decade and you expect me to just drop everything I have to go look for some person? I'm sorry, but I don't do that way with married men."

"Mai, wait!" Zuko called after her before she could leave the room. "Why won't you go?"

"Because," she growled viciously, "I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not a concubine." She slammed the door violently and left Zuko baffled.

"What are you staring at!" he barked at the maids who had stopped working to watch the whole ordeal. "I never told you to stop working!"

'-'

"Lady Mai, do you mind me speaking to you for a moment?" the assistant asked several minutes down the hall. Mai was storming down the hall, obviously frustrated with Zuko's request, and the assistant could see it.

"What do you want?" Mai snarled at him. "You already embarrassed me today as it is, can you just leave me alone?"

"Not exactly, no," the assistant frowned, taking a spot next to her and jogging to keep up. "You seem upset. Is something wrong?"

"I don't know who Zuko thinks he is, but he has some nerve. He thinks just because he's Fire Lord that that means he can do whatever he wants. I don't know why he would think I would be that kind of girl to—"

"Whoa, slow down there, Lady Mai," the assistant interrupted her. He grabbed her arm to stop her, but she did not approve. Out from her sleeve popped several red-tinted daggers in her free hand.

"Let go of me or see what happens," she snapped curtly. The assistant quickly let go of her arm as if it was fire but continued to talk to her.

"Look, I can tell you're pissed, but can you hear me out for a few seconds?" he asked nicely.

"You have two minutes before I lose interest," she replied harshly.

"Zuko doesn't want you as just a concubine—"

"You're losing your argument, shrimp—"

"It's You, and don't interrupt me," he said roughly. "Anyways, like I was saying, he doesn't want you as just a concubine, he was hoping for something better. Okay, not very many people know this, but Fire Lady Whore Marukai has been cheating on Zuko for years now. Everyone in the main sector knows it. She is a super bitch, you know? And the kid, what's-his-face Li, he's not Zuko's kid either. It's the other guy's. Now Zuko's been wanting to break it off with her, but he really can't do that unless he has another woman at the ready. See, the higher council's frown on single Fire Lords. No wife, no offspring, no deal, right? So you have to understand where he's coming from. And he's going to Engoku right now, and seriously, that's a really bad area and he's going to need all the protection he can get, so can you just come?"

"What even makes you think I care about Zuko?" she muttered under her breath.

"Ma'am, with all due respect, everyone knows about you and your feelings for Zuko," the assistant scoffed. "Oh, don't look surprised," he added when Mai's face glowed with embarrassment. "For future references, never tell anyone anything about your personal life, especially here because no one can keep secrets. And if it makes you feel any better, Zuko feels the same way."

"Look, I don't feel comfortable discussing this with you," Mai said bluntly. "I don't even know you."

"Of course you don't," the assistant shrugged, "but you know Zuko. And Zuko likes you; in fact, he has liked you for a while. But don't tell him I told you that because then he'll kill me. He doesn't know that many women, and he likes you. And let's face it, the Fire Nation's in the shit hole. It's been like that since the end of the war and he's doing the best he can but there's only so much he can do without asshole kings getting in the way. Please, just go with him. You want him, he wants you, the wife goes if you two hit it off, and you can be a made woman. And if you don't care about the money, then at least you get Zuko. Face it, you both want each other, so why fight it? And even if you don't want to get with him, you're going to get a five to six day paid vacation on the Fire Lord's exclusive yacht. Just go, see what happens, alright?" The two held a death stare that seemed to last an eternity. Mai bit the inside of her lip in thought as did the assistant, unsure of whether she would agree to go or not.

"Alright, fine," Mai finally sighed. "But no one better see me get on that ship with you guys. I don't want anyone thinking less of me."

"Believe me," the assistant grinned, "everyone's been waiting for Zuko to get a new wife. And it should be you. I'm surprised it couldn't happen sooner. I blame arranged marriages." Mai's expression did not change. She simply rolled her eyes and turned to leave.

"You better not be bullshitting me," she threatened as she walked away. "Or I'll make sure you're sorry."

'-'

Kurogane pace back and forth next to the ledge that overlooked the bottom floor. The firebending class currently in session next to her was beginning to dwindle down for the day as more and more were getting ready for the infirmary. It was almost midnight and it was the last class of the day, the advanced class for those who were old enough to have been permanently initiated into the Resistance. She did not want to say anything, not just yet, for she was unsure of which one was Ihsan. She knew it would be an older man, as are all the instructors except for the waterbending teacher, but what normally identifies older people such as grey hair was useless. There were ten people in the class of twenty-five who had grey or silver hair, even though they were no older than twenty. She ran her fingers through her black hair, thankful she did not respond negatively to the chemicals given to each member.

"That is it for today, class!" exclaimed a man from the back of the ring. Kurogane shot her head in the direction of the voice, sure it was Ihsan. "I expect you here tomorrow, and I expect that form to look much crisper!"

"Yes, Sifu Ihsan," the class said in unison. Those remaining all bowed together and exited the ring towards the showers.

"Ihsan!" Kurogane called out from the crowd. She went around the crowd of students leaving the ring and hopped the fence enclosing it.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" the older man asked, adjusting his glasses.

"I don't think you do," she breathed uneasily. "I'm Marks Kurogane of the Earth Element."

"Oh, you're an assassin?" he asked in almost amazement. "I think I remember you, yes, you killed the Fire Lord as your admittance to the Marks Program, did you not?"

"Yes, that was me," she nodded sheepishly.

"I remember, I was on the board to review you for entry. They gave you a tough one."

"That they did," she said almost sarcastically.

"But I am sure you have done well for yourself, have you not?" he asked her nicely. "I heard you killed the illusive Hiashi, is that correct?"

"Yes, that is true, and that's actually why I am here to see you," she said slowly. "I've been wondering about the timeline and how it works, and I was told you could help me—"

"Nope, sorry, can't help you," he interrupted nicely.

"Wait, excuse me?" Kurogane almost shouted. "Why not?"

"I'm sorry but I can't help," Ihsan said with so much politeness it was terrifying. "That is something you would have to bring up with High Master Keme. I cannot say much."

"But—"

"Good day to you," the man smiled, shoving her out of the ring. "Maybe you can—"

"Marks Kurogane," a voice boomed over the intercom, "please report to the scheduling office. Marks Kurogane, please report to the scheduling office."

"Well, look at that," Ihsan smiled, "maybe High Master Keme would like to speak with you. You can ask him." He finally shoved her out of the firebending ring and before she could stop him he was already walking away.

"Damn it," Kurogane growled.

I could ask him about the wall, but that means letting him have what he wants…

Do I really want to know?

'-'

I'm not getting any reviews and it kind of makes me sad. I don't know what you people want or if this story is any good. So like, what? I would love some feedback. And also, don't forget about my Deviant Art page. I just added a picture of Ty Lee I drew. Not sure if it's good or not, so go take a look. I'm still looking for watchers if that's possible. And again, I do request for drawings. It gives me something to do. Well, like I said, some feedback would be really nice. So please review! Until next time, Signing Off!