soldixrqin​:

     “No need to bite. I come in peace. Wouldn’t be the same story if your father was around.“ Qin snarled, coming closer and looking at the available pastries. A peach-filled tart caught his eyes but he only pretended to look at it. It was disappointing that Mai didn’t see him as the person who dealt with that stupid cook. She probably saw him as the soldier who guarded Ozai’s Palace or Azula’s personal beating rack. He’d imagine the faces of soldiers were mixed together for Mai at this point. He was thankul he was never forced to spar with Azula nonetheless. Standing here would only be a wild dream.

      “I’m not here for you at all, to begin with. I didn’t anticipate an encounter like that.“ It felt powerful, the way he was talking to her. Now that he had all the freedom in the world to voice his opinions on anyone who even barely touched the royal life, Qin felt free. Should she harm him, the people would riot and the Fire Lord would supposedly have to do something about her. Under Ozai’s reign, he probably would have already lost his head. Her father had done many terrible things to his village and thus, to Qin’s family as well. Even though the ex-soldier has now distanced himself from his parents, he still couldn’t forget. “I guess we can both agree your father is terrible, though, judging by the way you pronounced the word by itself. He truly has done some gruesome things to some of us.“ Qin offered her a friendly look filled with only a drop of venom. He felt like the girl wasn’t exactly on friendly terms with her old man. “Do you agree?“

And with that, it was confirmed. Whoever this familiar yet unknown person was, it was clear that they disliked her father. Mai considered simply walking away--was there any point of entertaining this conversation? Just a year ago, if Mai had been a visitor of Zuko or Azula at the palace and he a mere soldier, she would not have thought twice about walking away without another word. Maybe she even would have complained about his insolence to the royal siblings, leading to him being punished by his superiors. And somehow, this was the thing that kept Mai’s feet grounded, unmoving, despite her initial instinct to walk away. Because what did this fire nation citizen and former soldier have to say, now that he could? She had seen and heard the muffled shouts of the protests from her balcony, but what were they saying? 

“My father is a complicated man,” she said slowly. She straightened her back to draw herself at her full height. “I will admit that he has done some shameful deeds in the past, but that was the price of serving under Ozai and staying alive.” She knew that her father was responsible for the pain and suffering of many. But she also believed that this came out of his need to protect their family. Coming from a long line of politicians who served under the respective Fire Lords of the time, her father was expected to serve Ozai. From the moment he was born into this family, he never had a choice. Just like she never had a choice but to become a proper Fire Nation lady. Being born into a family of this history, prestige, and privilege came with certain expectations. And breaking those expectations would have come with a great price. “I would think that you of all people would understand, as a former soldier,” she added, pointedly revealing that she recognized him. She wasn’t sure if he knew that she did. It wasn’t like they had ever spoken before, after all. They had no reason to.

spaceswcrd​:

“I swear, I have had more full-body collisions with random people in the, what, four days we’ve been here than in three entire years of running for my life and hiding from the Fire Nation.” Sokka brushed himself off, too, muttering the way Sokka often muttered—to the room more than anything else, expecting neither an audience or a response, and forgetting that there was another person there who could hear him. And then for the reason he’d been running around in the first place: “Oh, crap.”

Gracelessly, he shoved Mai out of the trajectory of his beloved boomerang as it came soaring back, leaping into the air to catch it. “Listen, if you’re gonna be just walking around the palace grounds all willy-nilly, you should know it can be dangerous around here.” 

Only as he holstered the boomerang once more did he realize who, exactly, he’d just run into and then shoved. ‘Oh, crap,’ indeed. For a long time, Sokka had only thought of Mai as the gloomy member of Azula’s death squad, equal parts mercenary and huge buzzkill. There was no denying her skill with projectiles; as the sole non-bender (for a while, anyway) of their own group for a while, he’d felt a certain satisfaction that, yes, while Azula’s blue fire and lightning were nothing to scoff at, her two fearsome allies were both nonbenders. Until the balloon ride to the Boiling Rock, anyway, when Zuko’d brought her up with that sad, wistful smile, and gloomy-sighing-girl-with-knives had suddenly become human. “…Sorry,” he said, lamely. “Just, y’know, keeping my throwing arm strong—just because it’s peacetime now doesn’t mean we should all get soft—”

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck as he awkwardly avoided eye contact, and then, with no real warning, said, “Uh… thanks, by the way. You know. For before.” 

He pushed her over again. Did he even get these many hits in when they were actually fighting? With a scowl, she straightened her robes a second time and suggested in response to his muttered complaints, “Perhaps you should invest in a pair of glasses to improve your walking and your aim before you start worrying about your strength.”

She scoffed at his warning of danger. This was the literal entrance to her home, and right across the fire nation palace. There was no other place in the world that was safer than where they stood now. She was just about to retort that the only danger around here was his apparent affinity for ramming into people, when his sudden expression of gratitude caught her off guard. 

At first, she was offended. She had spent months in prison so he could get out safely (for the moment, she chose to ignore the fact that her actions had purely been for Zuko’s benefit, and his freedom had been an accidental addition) and all she got was uh... thanks? But then she considered whether she would have preferred a full-blown heartfelt apology, and shuddered. No, she would much rather prefer this. “Whatever,” she said, glaring down at the floor. “You’re welcome, I guess." And for good measure, she added, “It’s not like I did it for you. You don’t owe me anything.” It was Zuko who owed her-- or so she had thought. Based on their last conversation however, the new Fire Lord was clearly not on the same page as her. Her actions had simply been the right thing to do, and were what was expected of her, if she was a good person. 

kwxsuki​:

Feeling triumphant that she’d succeeded, Suki couldn’t help but lift up her chin and puff out her chest a bit. Of course she hadn’t expected any praise or reward from doing what she did, but she was happy at the mere fact that she was able to help. In the past few days she’d been there, Suki noticed a trend in children atoning for the sins of their parents. Knowing of what Mai had done and how she’d spent some time in jail due to those actions, it felt wrong to see her mistreated over her name alone. 

“It was no problem.” Just as she’d done on coronation day, Suki offered Mai a genuine smile in response. But when offered her money, she was quick to go on the defensive, waving her hands to reject the bundle gently. “It’s fine, really. If you just enjoy the bread, that’d be payment enough for me. Besides, any friend of Ty Lee’s is a friend of mine.” She let out a small laugh. 

“And don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul.” Suki closed her lips tightly against themselves, moving her hand across her face to pantomime zipping them closed. She understood where Mai was coming from. Had she been the one in her shoes, Suki wouldn’t have wanted anyone close to her to know of what happened. She was too prideful for that. Part of her felt guilty for stepping in, knowing that if it had been her, she would’ve wanted to fight the battle herself. Just the thought of it made Suki feel a bit sheepish.

“Were you out running any other errands? I could help you, if you’d like.”

She pocketed her money again, but felt uneasy while doing so. Already, she was thinking of ways she could repay Suki for this favor if she wouldn’t take her money. And did the Kyoshi Warriors even get paid for what their work? She almost asked Suki, but decided to save her question for when she saw Ty Lee later. “Right. Thanks,” she repeated. 

Mai, in fact, did have other errands to run. Despite its proximity to her home, her visits to Harbor City were relatively infrequent. It simply wasn’t worth sitting through her mother’s unnecessary fretting when she ventured out past the clean-cut streets immediately surrounding the palace and their home. “No, this was my last stop actually,” she lied smoothly. Nothing she needed to get was worth walking around with Suki on an impromptu shopping trip. And although the idea of other residents of Harbor City mistreating her due to her infamous family did not bother her, what did bother her was the idea of Suki swooping in every time that happened. 

“Are you here by yourself?” Mai asked, suddenly thinking that it would be likely for Suki to be here by her friends--either the companions of the Avatar or other Kyoshi warriors. She wasn’t sure which she would prefer. She realized that Suki’s involvement in her disagreement with the pastry shop owner could’ve been much, much worse. At least no one had been there to witness her embarrassment. “Don’t let me keep you from your friends,” she added, partially to be polite, but also so that she could make her escape before she had to interact with her other friends, whoever they may be.

a-ming-a-ling​:

At the mention of Ty Lee, Ming absentmindedly replied, “Friends? Oh, we’re something of the sort.” She was still star struck at the beautiful child, and listened as Mai said his name. “Well, Tom-Tom is going to grow up to break hearts, I know it.” At that comment, Ming tried to pull her finger from his grasp but was unable to. She tried again, with a bit more force, and broke free from his grip. Shaking the hand to the side, she was both amazed and concerned by the iron grip of the small child. What are they feeding this kid? She wondered to herself as she knitted her eyebrows together.

At the mention of the protest, however, Ming tried to wipe her face clean of any expression. She straightened up, and looked into Mai’s eyes. “I was there, yes. I said a few things, and helped disperse the crowd.” She hadn’t lied necessarily, more so… watered down the truth. She already felt bad about the events that transpired, and she had come to Harbor City to flee her regrets.

Of course, what had she told herself earlier? She had made her bed and needed to lie in it? Well, now was the time to come through. “I want what everyone wants: a better Fire Nation.” She paused, swallowing her pride. “I don’t know how much you heard, but before you get the wrong idea, I would like to apologize if anything I did offended you.” She wanted to leave it there, and go back to enjoying her day, but she added, “Sometimes the best lesson is learned out of regret.”

Mai frowned, confused. Who was this this woman? Ty Lee’s friend? Ming’s answer to this question hadn’t been all too affirmative earlier, something that hadn’t escaped her notice. She had spoken to the pastry shop owner in a way that suggested she held some power among the protestors who hated her father. But now she was claiming that she had dispersed the crowd. And now she was apologizing... for what? Mai had barely dug up her memory of Ming offering her some tea during the day of Zuko’s coronation. Were there other memories she was missing? Glimpses of Ming that she had attributed to other empty faces she mistakenly considered to be unimportant? 

“And what exactly did you do or say that could’ve offended me?” Mai asked, deciding the best solution was to be straight-forward. Her fingers wrapped around Tom-Tom’s tiny arm to pull him back closer to her and away from the other woman. She ignored his small hands reaching for the stranger. Stupid boy. They had no idea who Ming was. “Who are you?” Her right hand, the one not holding onto Tom-Tom, retracted into her sleeve to feel the comfort of her knives hidden there. 

a-ming-a-ling​:

Ming’s face flushed red at the thought that she had needlessly intervened. She was trying to be helpful, and yet all she could seem to do was make everything worse. “Well, then I apologize for trying to help. I didn’t mean to offend you.” She was vulnerable right now, and she had willingly put herself into a situation she should have known would agitate others and herself.

It was stupid and thoughtless and- the child in the others arms was looking at her with beautiful wide eyes. She would have turned around without another word, had she not noticed how tentatively the child watched her every move. His eyes were hypnotizing and made her worry melt away. Half listening to Mai introduce herself, Ming caught her name and that was about it. Ripping her eyes away from the adorable baby, Ming looked up to Mai and replied.

“That’s a beautiful name. And I only know your face from a brief meeting backstage at the Fire Lord’s Coronation. I… offered you tea.” She tried to stay unyielding underneath the gaze of Mai, but instead she felt the power the other exuded and wavered near the end. “If I might ask, what’s his name? He’s quite possibly the most adorable child I’ve ever seen.” Forgetting herself for a moment, Ming bent down to his eye level and waved a finger at the child to see if he would try to grasp it. When he did, he squeezed hard and she giggled. “He’s also very strong.”

“You offered me tea?” she repeated skeptically. She had a glare reserved just for servers who tried to approach her unprompted. But a closer look at Ming’s face jolted a sudden memory of when she was hiding out in Ty Lee’s dressing room back stage, and a woman had come looking for the other girl. “Oh yes, you found me in Ty Lee’s dressing room. Are you a friend of hers?” Mai asked, relaxing slightly. Not that this meant much, considering everyone and their mother seemed to be friends with Ty Lee. Mai assumed that this girl was someone Ty Lee knew from her circus days, seeing as most people backstage during the day of Zuko’s coronation had been part of the circus crew.

“His name is Tom-Tom. And yes, he is. Don’t let him grab your hair,” she warned. Mai had little to no experience with other children around her brother’s age, but swore to anyone who would listen that he had an abnormally strong grip for a five-year-old. 

Mai glanced at Ming warily, just now fully registering what she had told the pastry shop owner--something about losing support from the movement. Like she had that kind of power, like she was some sort of a leader of the protestors she had seen yesterday. “Were you involved in the protests yesterday?” Mai asked, hoping she sounded casual.

prncezukos​:

somehow, mai asked the one question zuko hadn’t known he was dreading to hear. somehow he didn’t know what to say and how to answer it. at his  there was only one answer he could give, only one that would be fair and right. still, when he saw her face, when he heard how she was speaking, he wanted to tell her yes, that he would. for a second, he considered it. but then it occurred to him that if he made an exception now, people would remember it. they would see him as the fire lord who made concessions when it was convenient for him and his friends, they would see him as someone who could be manipulated if the right buttons were pushed. “ i can’t. ” he said it in a breath. “ if i could, i would, in a heart, you know that. ” he hoped that she did. he hoped she saw how much he cared for her. “ but i can’t — it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. not when i am starting a new era for us, for the entire fire nation. i need to do what is right and just even if it does up hurting. ” he reached a hand out, gentle fingers resting on her arm. he hoped it was consoling.

his golden eyes flashed — with anger ? with hurt ? perhaps it was a mixture of both. his clenched jaw shook from the tension and finally he spat out, “ i didn’t ask you to do that, mai ! ” he turned away from her, his face angling up towards the bright sun. “ i was expecting to die. “ there was a long pause before he added, “ if i had known your favor would come with such a condition, maybe i would have said you should let us die. ” he didn’t mean it. had it only been himself, perhaps then, and only then. but since there were others with him ? surely not. he pressed his face into his hands before pulling them back, fingers pressing against slicked back hair. his voice softened. he couldn’t bring herself to look at her. “ sometimes doing what’s right comes at a price, and you know what that price is ? not getting anything in return, not a favor or prize or an acknowledgment — not anything, mai. nothing. ”

She had been expecting his answer, his rejection of her plea. And when he put a hand on her arm, she had to resist the strong urge to shake it off. Why do you always have to do the right thing? she wanted to say. For once, why can’t you just do something for me? But she kept those words to herself. 

She balked at his declaration that he would have preferred dying to owing her this favor. But then she remembered how dramatic he got when under distress and her eyes narrowed. Usually she would simply roll her eyes at his antics. Sometimes she’d be more sympathetic and try to reassure him with her attempts of light-hearted jokes.Today was not one of those days. “Well gee Zuko, if only I knew you felt that way before I spent months in prison. I could’ve saved both of us a whole lot of trouble,” she snapped. His hand left her arm on his own accord. And as upset as she had been at his touch earlier, it upset her even more to see him take his hand away now.

And even if she had disagreed with her father about using their history as leverage and even if she had fully expected Zuko to say no, it still hurt hearing him actually say it. And she was angry. It was one thing for him to turn down her admittedly tall order of a favor. But to say she wasn’t owed anything at all? That the knowledge that she had done the right thing should be enough? “I didn’t do it because it was the right thing to do. I did it for you. Excuse me if I thought you’d be a bit more grateful.” In the moment, she had done it to save him. Of course, in the back of her mind was the thought that if Zuko was willing to go this far to put his life on the line, surely he couldn’t be wrong. And later, upon reflecting on her decision while sitting in her prison cell, she was able to tell herself that she should not--could not regret her decision because she had done the right thing. But in the moment? She hadn’t been weighing existential questions about morals. She had acted on impulse, for him. And she had paid a hefty price for it.

“I know this is a lot for me to ask of you,” Mai said through gritted teeth. “I know, but I asked anyways and you of all people should know it wasn’t easy for me to do that. I know you think that I’m cold and unfeeling. But I would do anything for the people I love. Just because you feel perfectly fine about your own father sitting in a prison cell doesn’t mean that I am.” She knew she certainly wasn’t doing a good job at making her case. These words were meant to hurt, not convince. She even thought about going further, throwing in Azula’s name as well, but stopped herself; she knew that she had already crossed a line. 

pinkeraura​:

for the first time, in a very long time, ty lee was quiet. she knew, of course, what would happen as soon as she blocked azula’s chi––but it hadn’t occurred to her in the moment. there hadn’t been time to think because while she knew mai’s betrayal wouldn’t go unpunished, she never thought that azula would hurt her. so, she had acted on instinct and instinct alone, and now that she had time to think about what she had done…she was afraid. she hadn’t been afraid in so long; azula had made sure of that. 

when you were with azula, she made it very clear that there was nothing to fear––nothing to fear except for azula. ty lee hadn’t realized it at the time, but it was the ultimate method of control. she was willing to fight the avatar, and she hadn’t been scared once because…because, well, azula was at her side and so ty lee knew everything was going to be okay. once, when they were young, after one of ty lee’s sisters told her the legend of the jiangshi to get back at her for using her ivory hairbrush, it was only azula who convinced there was nothing lurking in the dark, waiting to suck up her energy. azula had teased her mercilessly, of course, for believing in such a silly myth, but then as she was examining her nails she said, ‘besides, even if they were real, i could destroy them with one hand behind my back and my feet tied together,’ like it was nothing. it was everything. ty lee believed in azula more than she believed in anything, so what was she supposed to do without her?

once ty lee was in her cell, surrounded by darkness and her own thoughts, she turned to her  only comfort: incessant chatter. mai’s question, however, stopped her mid-sentence. “because i care about you,” ty lee replied instantly, blinking with her brow furrowed, like it was the most obvious thing in the world––and, truthfully, it was to her. “azula was going to hurt you, or you were going to hurt her. i couldn’t just let that happen.” she paused and pulled her legs to her chest, nosing at her kneecaps as she stared into darkness. she had never felt smaller in her entire life. “it all felt like a game until today, didn’t it? just another one of azula’s games.” ty lee guessed she should’ve known better; after all, azula always won.

Ty Lee’s words shouldn’t have been surprising. Of course she cared about her. But as Mai sat there feeling like her entire world had crashed and burned leaving behind nothing but what she saw in her prison cell, hearing those words spoken out loud made her emotional. Mai wasn’t a crier. But still, she felt her throat closing up and the rare feeling of tears welling up in her eyes. She could have cried--no one was around to see her. But out of habit, Mai cleared her throat and willed away the stinging in her eyes. 

“It was very brave of you. And so foolish,” Mai said quietly. She wasn’t sure if her low voice traveled all the way to her friend. She said in a louder voice, “I care about you too.” She knew she didn’t tell Ty Lee this fact frequently enough. She always figured she didn’t have to say the literal words for her friend to know that she loved her. But after the effect Ty Lee’s words had on her, Mai felt the need to reciprocate. 

“Yeah, a game,” Mai parroted Ty Lee’s words. But then, a moment later, she shook her head resolutely. She had forgotten that Ty Lee couldn’t see her. “No. I think I’ve known for a while, deep down,” she said out loud. “I knew she was dangerous. I think we both did.” She wasn’t exactly sure when her respect for her friend turned into fear, or when her admiration for Azula’s ambition turned into uneasy doubt. Probably around the same time when Mai realized Azula wasn’t speaking figuratively when she threatened to bring Zuko down.

She slumped to the ground, her back resting on the wall standing between her and Ty Lee. “Do you think we’re going to be stuck in here forever?” Her mind flashed to how Zuko had broken into a maximum security prison for his new... allies? friends? She didn’t even know. It was just like him to do something so impulsive, thoughtless, and so noble. Granted, he would have failed without her intervention. Mai couldn’t decide if she wanted Zuko to stay safe and far away from this prison, or she wanted him to risk his life again to attempt to whisk her away. 

soldixrqin​:

     It was a relief when he woke up today, finally having slept under a roof he could call home, not because of the building itself but for the person who had taken him in. He accepted Ming’s help and thanked her from all his heart for the gesture. But, if he wanted to stay close to the action, he had to find a job that would help him serve both as a money generator for a home in Calder City and as a decoy and disguise. He wanted to forget his past, even if that meant selling fruits at a merchant market. 

     Qin had a weakness for sweets though. Entering the first pastry shop he saw, the first thing he was a witness to was the angry pastry chef screaming at somebody. Upon further inspection, Qin realized this wasn’t just anybody. It was Mai. He didn’t even know if she knew his name, but every soldier who participated in the more important events of the Fire Nation’s raids saw Azula, and the former princess usually was accompanied by her two friends. He didn’t even remember who the other girl was, he never saw her much in particular, but Mai he knew. Her father he remembered vividly as well. The governor who deserved to be thrown in jail. He was still probably sitting in that council trying to ruin the little redemption Zuko had promised if he was going to execute his promises at all.

     “No need to be a rude bastard,” he cut off the chef, his angry presence venturing off to the kitchen, his voice scolding a poor cook who had messed something up. “But it is surprising to see you here.” 

“And why is that?” she asked, immediately taking offense to the stranger’s tone despite the fact that he had spoken up in her defense. “I happen to be a frequent patron of this store.” She glared pointedly at the shop owner’s hastily retreating back. He had been happy to take her family’s money before. Once he was completely out of her sight, Mai turned her attention to the person in front of her. 

It took her a second, but she eventually recognized him as a Fire Nation soldier who she had seen him in passing around the palace. He could have been one of the guards who stood by the palace front gates the many times she had visited Azula or Zuko. Or maybe she remembered his face from the many times Azula brought her along to watch soldiers train, pointing out their every mistake and weakness--her idea of hanging out. Either way, he clearly knew her better than she knew him. She looked at him warily. What exactly did he knew about her--that she had been Azula’s friend? Zuko’s friend? Her father’s daughter? All of the above? None of those things painted her in the best light at the moment.

“If you’re about to yell at me about how terrible my family is, do yourself a favor and save your breath,” she said brusquely. “I’m here for dessert, not a lecture.” She felt a flash of regret when she reminded herself that he had stepped in to defend her, and that her overreaction was overly defensive. But she couldn’t help it after the whispers and cold looks she had noticed following her since the protests yesterday. She almost regretted not listening to her mother’s panicked pleas to stay home. 

kwxsuki​:

Yesterday was rough. Suki had hardly gotten any sleep, tossing and turning over words exchanged between herself and another. She didn’t know if it was guilt or exhaustion (maybe both), but upon waking up she knew for certain that she was hungry. In hopes of fresh air and a change of pace, Suki decided to pass on the lavish spread of food provided by the palace. Alternatively, the girl decided to stroll around the nearby vicinity in search of some local delicacies that the Fire Nation had to offer. 

As she walked, Suki attempted to ignore the growling of her stomach as it begged her to stop somewhere— anywhere. Desperately, the young warrior decided to rely on animalistic instincts, sniffing out whatever aroma was strong enough to reel her in. Going down the path led by her nose, Suki then stumbled upon an upsetting sight. 

“Excuse me! If you don’t mind, I’d gladly pay for the bread.” She stepped in without a second thought, stepping between Mai and the owner. Suki was stern in both her stance and speech, her eyes telling the shop owner that she wouldn’t accept no for an answer. “Please, let’s avoid making a scene out of this.”

Mai watched as Suki swooped in out of nowhere to come to her rescue. The shop owner glanced over Suki from head to toe, and apparently deemed her aggressive stance and pointed look threatening enough to take her money, albeit with a reluctant huff. Mai scowled at the prospect of someone finding Suki to be more intimidating than her. 

“Thanks,” she told the other girl, remembering her manners a second too late. Already hating the fact that she owed Suki for stepping in to stop what could have been a public spectacle, Mai held out the money she had been holding in her own hands. The same money the shop owner had refused to take. “Here. For the bread.” She refused to owe any favors to Suki of all people. Their tally of who owed each other what for causing each other’s imprisonment and/or freedom for imprisonment was already murky. She didn’t want to add any more debts to the mess. 

"I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to anyone,” Mai said stiffly. She was, of course, talking about Ty Lee. Who else did they have in common with each other? Mai wasn’t even sure if Suki knew why the shop owner had tried to refuse to serve her. But the last thing she needed was Suki running off to tell Ty Lee how she across poor little Mai getting bullied by a big bad pastry shop owner. She didn’t her friend fretting over such senseless things. Or worse, telling her that the shop owner would definitely like her if he just got to know her. 

a-ming-a-ling​:

Ming had spent most of the morning sick to her stomach with guilt. The day before, she had been a mess. She felt, well, appalled at herself. She said things about and to people who didn’t deserve it, and on top of that she had done it so publicly. She was usually a least a bit cautious about how she presented herself, but now that was all thrown out the window. She wanted to do damage control immediately, but she heeded her new roommates’ advice, and went to Harbor City to take her mind off her troubles.

As she tried to leave her apartment, neighbors passing by would congratulate her, tell her she was amazing. It made her skin crawl to think that they didn’t realize that yesterday, she had been the bad guy. Trying to put it behind her, she hadn’t expected to get recognized by anyone in Harbor City, and especially not by the owner of the pastry shop she was currently sitting in, but she made her bed and now she needed to lay in it. He seemed like a nice enough guy, and really liked that she wanted to make sure change was going to happen. However he was, shall we say… a bit on the extreme side. And that became apparent quickly.

Ming was minding her business, sitting at a table and trying to read a bit of poetry, when she overheard the shop owner reject a customer’s money. Thinking that it wasn’t a good business model, she looked up to see a young woman holding a young child in her arms. Feeling as though she might need to intervene, Ming walked up to the counter, but stopped for a moment when she saw the woman’s face. She was the girl she had met backstage at the Coronation. Their encounter had been brief, but Ming had gotten the impression that she would like the woman, so she took the chance to help her out. 

“Hey, Jung, what’s going on here? You’re not going to take her money because of her father? Can’t you see she has a kid with her! Neither of them had any say in what family they were born into, or what occupation their father would have.” She scoffed at him, and felt a bit red in the face as her anger intensified. “We talked earlier about this, if you want change this isn’t the way to go.” 

She was direct and a bit harsh with the man, but she didn’t like the way he was portraying the movement. He stuttered, trying to talk back, but instead Ming took out what she thought was enough money and shoved it in his hand. “Take the money and leave them alone. Keep acting like this, and you’ll be out of both business and support from the movement. No one wants someone who acts like this.” she spat the words out, then turned to the woman. 

She felt her cheeks, trying to cool them down, then spoke to her. “I’m sorry about him.” She threw daggers at him with her eyes, then returned to the stranger once more. “I’m Ming, and would like to apologize on his behalf. Others share similar, less radical views than he does, like myself, and I wouldn’t want you to think poorly of us because of him.” She then bowed to the other in the traditional Fire Nation way, and waited to see if the woman had anything to say in reply.

Mai’s face began to flush as a random woman approached them and started yelling at the pastry shop owner. If people weren’t looking at them before, they definitely were now. “You didn’t have to do that,” she snapped. “I had everything under control.” She would have offered double, maybe even triple the price of the stupid pastries and everything would have been resolved. Without the entire Harbor city population hearing about it.

But then she figured she wasn’t doing herself any favors by coming across as some stuck-up nobleman’s daughter who was too ungrateful to accept a helping hand. And she usually wouldn’t have cared, if not for the fact that people were on the streets just twenty-four hours ago calling for her father’s imprisonment. On top of that, she could feel Tom-Tom’s wide eyes looking between her and the well-meaning but loud woman who had defended them. With a sigh, Mai reluctantly muttered a quick thanks and tilted her head slightly forward in response to Ming’s full bow. Not quite fully reciprocated, but not rejected entirely either. 

“I’m Mai. But I guess you already know that.” 

prncezukos:

angry was an understatement. zuko hated his father and all of his forefathers. they were monsters — were things different, he would have turned out just the same — and now he was left to fix their mess. it wasn’t that he didn’t want to, no, he very much wanted to make reparations, but the weight of that task had settled heavily upon him. “ they were tyrants, ” he spat out. “ and i have to fix their mistakes. how am i supposed to make up for their pain and loss ? ” he didn’t think he could.

zuko looked up, surprised when he heard the shift of her voice. for a second, she sounded like a stranger. “ i know he is. ”he looked at mai, unable to hide the pain on his face. “ but i don’t know yet. “ that was partially true. he knew he had to strip the older man of his position and power, but would that be enough ? he thought of his own father in prison. how many would join him there ? could he enforce fines and taxes ? sure. but he was certain that many would expect him to suffer. allowed to sit at his own home, his luxurious well-stocked home — it didn’t seem that much like a punishment.

“ but i can’t leave him unpunished, mai. not him — not any of the worst offenders. giving only a slap on the wrist would be spitting in the face of those who suffered. ” zuko fell silent again. he wondered how she’d respond if he asked her what decision she would make. he didn’t ask. “ i know they have families, but so did all of the fire nation’s victims. ”

“I know,” she admitted. Everything he said just now was right. She knew that. Mai felt her chin jut out, a gesture she recognized as one that she had inherited from her father, who did the same thing whenever he was being stubborn or getting defensive. “But maybe you could make an exception. For me.” 

But even as the words left her mouth, Mai already knew that Zuko would say no. She could see how angry he was now as he paced in front of her, and she’d seen how angry the people had been outside the palace doors as they yelled about corruption and accountability. And Zuko had already made it clear in the past that if it came down to choosing between her and doing what he thought to be right, he’d choose the latter. This time would be no different. 

She thought back to what her father had said to her the night before. How she had saved his life by helping him escape from Azula. At the time, she had felt a wave of disgust that he’d even suggest using that as leverage. And yet... what other leverage did she have? “I saved your life once,” she said quietly. “One could say that you owe me a favor.” And again, she already knew what his answer would be. Still, she waited for him to speak, unable to control the feeling of hope that still lingered.

setting: fire nation prison, after the boiling rock closed to @pinkeraura

She could hear Ty Lee saying something in the background, her voice slightly muffled by the wall separating their prison cells. But Mai couldn’t focus on the actual words she was saying. She was too busy taking in the cramped, dark room that was barely furnished outside of the sad excuse of a bed sitting in the corner. This was her life now. She never thought she would feel this way, but she missed her home and her family. She missed being bored in the comfort of her home, ordering around servants just for the sake of having something to do. She missed her overbearing mother, annoying younger brother, and even her strict father who definitely would not be happy when he found out what she had done. 

“Why did you do it?” Mai interrupted whatever Ty Lee was saying.

Mai knew her own reasons for betraying Azula. The feeling of doubt that had been creeping into her thoughts since her old friend had invited her on this quest. The shock that she felt when she first realized that Azula was prepared to kill Zuko. And finally, the way her heart dropped when she saw Zuko in a gondola about to fall into a boiling lake. She had acted without thinking. And by the time her brain caught up with her fingers already flicking out knives from her sleeves on the prison guards, she was far too sure that she was doing the right thing to stop herself. Even if it meant facing Azula and her wrath. In all honesty, Mai could admit to herself that she knew this moment had been coming. In retrospect, she had been subconsciously thinking about it, preparing herself for the moment she’d have to choose between Azula and Zuko. She had never considered the possibility that Ty Lee would be by her side. Because who in their right mind would cross Azula?

prncezukos​:

when he called the second council meeting to an abrupt end, it should have been expected that the councilmen would object. zuko had hoped they would take the time to process his declaration and consider the weight of their actions and errors. instead, they clamored for his attention, shouting objections and pleas. he heard none of them. they were poised with their own manipulations, ready where he was not. the time would come for them to share their entreaties and he would wield his decisions.

it was not going to be easy, he knew that, but this fact was cemented when he was given notice of mai’s message. her father was one of the men not too pleased with him. it wasn’t a stretch to think she had already heard what had happened. he finished his business quickly before heading to join her down in the gardens.

there was no time for greetings once he arrived. hearing her words, he took a deep breath before exhaling a sigh. “ i had a nice talk with all of the councilmen. ” he presumed that the focus of this conversation would be her father. he was quiet before saying, “ the family resemblance is startling. ” he was only-half joking. zuko could bring himself to look at her. instead, he began pacing, long strides alongside the pond.

“ they ambushed me. i didn’t have the chance to talk before we were called away to address the mob. ” his anger was written across the face. “ i suppose i could have dealt them the news of the coming changes a little nicer, “ zuko’s mouth twisted in a sneer, “ but why sugarcoat it ? ” 

She watched as Zuko paced, clearly agitated. As usual, she waited for him to finish letting off steam before saying anything. 

“You’re right to be angry. My father and the others allowed horrible things to happen under Ozai’s rule.” She paused, having to take a deep breath before admitting, “My father did horrible things under Ozai’s rule.” Accepting the governor position at New Ozai, terrorizing the Omashu citizens of the Earth Kingdom in the process. Turning a blind eye to the war crimes of the Fire Nation, as it almost always meant that his own pockets grew heavier with gold looted from the Earth Kingdom colonies. And fully supporting the inhumane treatment of war prisoners, even sending his own brother to contribute to the brutal process. 

Mai felt her throat beginning to close as she said in a small voice so unlike her usual snarky quips, “But he’s still my father.” Having a terrible dad was a great burden to bear. Zuko of all people understood that, didn’t he? But his father now sat in a prison cell. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for her own father to face the same fate.  “What will happen to him?”

I’m distant but it’s not cute or mysterious; I really want to be closer to people but it’s hard

Location: Pastry shop in Caldera City Open to anyone

If anyone accused her of spoiling her younger brother, Mai would deny it immediately. Tom-Tom was annoying. He tugged on her hair incessantly, spoke too much while simultaneously saying absolutely nothing at all, and was all in all a useless member of society. He wasn’t even that cute, no matter how often their mother exclaimed that his chubby cheeks and goofy smile made him the cutest Fire Nation child in the world. Every child had chubby cheeks and a goofy smile. But still, Mai often found herself going all the way to the outskirts of the city, close to the border of Harbor City, to stop by Tom-Tom’s favorite pastry shop. Today was one of those days.

When she got ready to pay for the buns and fruit tarts she had picked out however, the pastry shop owner scowled and tried to turn her away by saying, “We don’t want your money here! I know who your father is, girl.” 

Mai scowled at the shop owner’s words. Apparently yesterday’s protests had not been an isolated incident; people were not a fan of her father. “It’s not even for him. It’s for my kid brother, so just take the money,” she growled, frustrated. She hadn’t come all the way here just to get turned away empty-handed.

location: fire nation royal palace gardens closed to @prncezukos

After witnessing the mob of angry protestors from her balcony that morning, Mai knew that she had to move fast to fulfill her promise she had made to her father. She had to talk to Zuko, and she had to do it soon. She waited for the commotion outside to subside and for the crowd to disperse before making her way to the palace. She flagged down one of the palace servants to let the Fire Lord know that she’d be waiting for him by the garden, and hesitated before adding an additional message that she’d wait as long as he needed. Based on the way her father had stormed back home, angrily ranting about the new Fire Lord, she could only assume that the council meeting hadn’t gone well. As if the angry protestors hadn’t been an indication enough. Mai wasn’t sure what the protocol for dealing with angry citizens were in this new era of love and peace-- no one would have dared to shout to angrily protest like that in front of Ozai’s palace doors, out of fear of being dragged away by the palace guards never to be seen again, if not worse. 

Whatever Zuko was doing, Mai was sure that he’d be busy trying to deal with everything that had happened this morning. But surprisingly, she didn’t have to wait too long before she heard his familiar steps approach her by the pond, where they had just talked to each other just the day before. That felt so long ago now. 

“I heard you had a nice talk with my father,” she said in lieu of a greeting. She turned to face him. “Charming, isn’t he? You can see where I get it from.” 

location: in front of Mai’s house closed to @spaceswcrd

After the angry crowd that had gathered in front of the palace courtyard so close to their home, Mai’s mother was adamant about not letting either of her children out of the house. “It’s too dangerous!” her mother had shrieked, her voice going shrill in panic and fear. Mai had simply scoffed and rolled her eyes, knowing it was futile to respond with actual words. She knew that no matter how many times she tried to tell her family that she could take care of herself, her parents would always see her as their helpless little daughter. It was easier to wait for Tom-Tom to cause a distraction and sneaking out while her mother was preoccupied. 

And that was exactly what Mai did. As soon as her mother took her eyes off of her and went running to scold Tom-Tom for trying to stuff an entire wooden toy into his mouth, Mai quietly slipped out of the room and out of her house. It wasn’t like she actually had anywhere to be--she simply could not stand one more second of her mother hovering over her and Tom-Tom tugging at her hair while babbling nonsense at her. 

When her front door swung close behind her, Mai barely had a moment to congratulate herself on her escape before she felt someone colliding into her side. And not just any person--she recognized him, as they detangled from each other. It was that Water Tribe boy who used to travel with the Avatar, the one Ty Lee always giggled about. Katara had introduced herself at Zuko’s coronation. But even before that, Mai had picked up her name from their past encounters, when the Avatar and others had shouted it during their fights. She was sure that she had similar memories of this boy’s name, but found her brain blanking on it at the moment. Probably because she had been practically ran over seconds ago.

She took a step back and brushed offer her robes before saying stiffly, “Hello. You shouldn’t be running around like that so close to the palace.” The palace guards could get the wrong idea and think he was running from something. Or someone. And the boy just had that look on his face that suggested he was always up to something-- kind of like Tom-Tom.