Zuko takes a deep breath of night air as he steps out of the prison tower. He needs to calm down.
I guess that went about as well as could be expected. He thinks. I knew she was crazy, but...He pulls his hood up over his head, so that it hides his face in shadow. I guess I just didn't expect it to be that bad. I'll have to see if I can get her to a hospital.
He'd been momentarily angry when she'd told him Mother died with such finality, but when she'd mentioned seeing Mother's ghost, Zuko understood that she truly believed that their mother was talking to her. He'd seen her eyes flick to the back corner of her cell briefly while they'd spoken. He wants to be angry. He wants to hate her. But all he can feel is sorrow. He knows what it's like to lose everything and to be dishonorably ousted from the royal family.
But I had Uncle. She has nobody. No! I can't take her with me! She may be crazy, but I just confirmed that Father is alive. She will try to contact him and gain support for another coup.
He's angry at himself for giving that away. He really is. He could've helped his sister, or brought her along, or done something to get her better living quarters! But now he can't, because every person that comes into contact with her becomes a potential risk.
"Zuko!" Mai's voice snaps him out of his thoughts. "I didn't believe my cousin when he said it, but I came up here to prove him wrong anyway."
"Mai, what are you doing here? It's the middle of the night!" He reaches for her and she pulls away. He feels like someone just stabbed him.
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here, Zuko?! Why are you talking to them? Do you know what people will say if they find out? Do you realize the danger you're putting your country in?!" Her eyes could shoot lightning. Zuko is sure of it. He'd never heard of any firebender who could shoot lightning with just their eyes (except for maybe Combustion Man? Maybe?), but he is certain of it in this moment that Mai can.
"Mai! Please, try to understand! I had to go to my Father for information on my mother's whereabouts. He might have known something."
"Oh," She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "And I suppose that explains why you went to see that crazy sister of yours, who tried to kill you! My friend who tried to kill me because I got in her way?"
"Father didn't know anything. Right before the Agni Kai, she asked me how Mother got to us, how did she convince us to kill her? I thought maybe she knew something that Father didn't." He turns away from her, looking out across the buildings below them.
"Did she?" Mai's tone is still challenging.
"No. She thinks Mother is dead. Because she swears that she can see and hear Mother's ghost." He doesn't want to believe her. But while Azula may be crazy, he knows there is a good chance after all those years alone out there in a world that hated Fire Nation people, that Azula could still be right. Maybe she isn't completely crazy.
"She's crazy, Zuko. She's talking to herself. My cousin's heard it, the other guards have, it's been that way since it happened. She doesn't know anything." Her voice is quiet now, but still hard and cold as ice. Every word hurts.
"I'm sorry, Mai. I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I just wanted to narrow down the search." His shoulders drop as he turns to face her.
"And what about me? Why didn't you tell me you were going to do this, Zuko? How can I trust you if you keep secrets from me? How can I believe anything you say?" Her voice softens, and Zuko knows by the pain he hears in her voice what's coming next. But he tries anyway.
"Mai, I'm sorry. No more secrets. I promise. I'll tell you everything. You can go with me if you want." He reaches for her, tries to pull her into a hug.
"No, Zuko. If it's so important to you do this on your own, then fine. Do it. Alone. I don't need you. You clearly don't need me."
"That's not true!" His voice strains, but doesn't break.
"We're done, Zuko. I'm sorry." She turns away and starts walking down the path.
"What about just taking a break? What if we just need time to think things over? I love you, Mai!" He calls after her.
"Then you should have told me the truth." She says resolutely. "Goodbye, Zuko."
His heart shatters. He lets out an angry yell and throws a few fireballs into the sky. But he notices that the sun is about to come up and continues quickly on his way back to the palace. His Uncle will be here in a few hours.
"Nephew! It is good to see you again!" Iroh throws his arms wide as Zuko hurries to hug him.
"It's only been a few weeks, Uncle." He laughs. "Let me help you with that." He takes one of Uncle's bags. "How is your tea shop?"
"Fine, fine. It's always nice to see people enjoying their day. And you do hear the most interesting news from the city, and occasionally from a few more distant places. Trade has been opening up, so I've had quite a few traveling merchants through. Their wives often stop by in the afternoon while the children nap. There is a lot changing in the world right now." They walk to Uncle's old room. Iroh sits on the bed as Zuko carefully places his bag on the table across from him.
"Hear anything about the Avatar?" Zuko is already starting to miss his former student and his friends.
"No, the last that I heard, they were still planning to go back to the Southern Air Temple. I haven't heard anything yet of your mother, but I'll be keeping my ears open." He places a hand on Zuko's shoulder.
"How have things been here? How is your lady friend?" He asks. Zuko feels his heart squeeze at the thought. He already misses Mai.
"She, uh... She broke up with me. For keeping secrets from her. I tried to apologize, to suggest maybe we take a break and think things over, but she wasn't having it." Zuko sits beside his Uncle and runs his hands over his face and through his hair, messing up the tidy top knot in the process. "I really messed up."
"What sort of secrets? Is there more than one girl?" He puts a finger on his chin thoughtfully.
"Uncle!" Zuko exclaims, horrified.
"What? I just thought I'd ask." He shrugs.
"No, Uncle. I would never do that to Mai. Ever! But I should have told her what I was up to. I made her think I just wanted to be alone with the search for Mother for a while, when really, I knew she wouldn't like the idea of me going to speak with Father and Azula. I was worried she'd tell me not to go. And I know if she had, I still would have gone. And then she would have broken up with me for that." Zuko lets himself fall onto his back. "What do I do, Uncle?"
"Well, you certainly did make a mistake. Never lie to a woman and expect it to go well, Nephew. As for what you should do... Do nothing. If you keep going back to her, it will only cause problems for you both. Let her come to you, if she changes her mind. Until then, assume that you have to move on." He gets up and begins to unpack.
"But I love her, Uncle." Zuko hears his voice strain again, although he doesn't feel tears coming. His throat is tight, but his eyes are dry. What's wrong with me? What was I thinking?
"Love is a funny thing, Zuko. It appears up where you least expect it, and it shows itself in the strangest ways. You're still young. Keep an open mind. You never know what lies around the next bend in the road. Now," He holds up a kettle and two cups. "How about some tea?"
Zuko can't help the small smile that spreads across his face. He'd missed Uncle Iroh.