7 - Beginning

Somehow, Mai couldn't stop spending time with Zuko.

But she had to admit, if it had to happen after last night's painful breakup (re-breakup? breakup epilogue? breakup post-commentary? Whatever it was when the awful explanations came sometime after the initial righteous storming out), it was better to do it in the midst of a gigantic brawl with a flower show was burning down around them. It let them focus on things other than each other or any lingering feelings they might still have, such as assembling their scattered allies, picking up some improvised weapons, establishing the background for how they had come to be here, and also dealing with the assassin who was currently leaping for Zuko with a bright yellow watering-can in her hands like a club.

Except, for an assassin, Mai couldn't help but note the very poor leaping-death-attack technique, and poor choice of a hollow and very light bludgeon. This was a pretty bottom-of-the-barrel hired killer, if a professional at all. Zuko's regime had really done a number on the blood-for-money industry- or, rather, the Kyoshi Warriors guarding him had.

So, amidst the fire and the smoke and the panicking people and the rioting thugs, Mai sighed, threw a handful of the trimmed rose thorns she'd picked up during their earlier scramblings, and pinned the attacker to a nearby shelving unit that had, not fifteen minutes ago, been displaying a very tasteful selection of potted daisies.

The assassin struggled to free herself, but Mai could throw even rose thorns really hard, and leather clothes did not rip easily, even ones this dirty and ragged. Giving up, the assassin chose instead to glare at Mai and snarl, "Let me outa here, ya bloodybonegripper! I'll shove these thorns oop ya nose and kick 'em back out again!"

The accent of the northern rural provinces of Capital Island horrified Mai almost as much as the short, cheaply-dyed green hair. Even so, she made yet another sacrifice for her 'beloved' homeland and leaned nonchalantly on the shelf next to the assassin. "So. You're Zongying, I presume. How do you know our cute little Pangfua?"

Seizing on the name that Pangfua had blurted out, when the attack first started, had a definite effect. The assassin made a brave attempt to cultivate some saliva in her mouth in this dry, smoky, actually-on-fire atmosphere, and failed to successfully spit it on Mai. "Oop ya nose, you bloodybonegripper!"

"Don't talk to Mai that way." Zuko handed the glass peony he'd been holding, the symbol of Pangfua's offer of marriage, to Ty Lee and clenched his fists. "Address your greviences to me, if you must, but I-"

"You put one finger on Pangfua and I'll grievance you, ya southern nob!" Zongying attempted a series of hand-gestures that Mai recognized as ancient Sun Warrior hexes, but messed up three of them.

Ah.

Mai got it, now.

She put on her sharpest grin, the one that scared people even more than her best knife. "Right. Because Pangfua is your valuable lead pipa-player, right?"

Zongying immediately calmed. Her eyes swiveled back to Mai, an evaluating stare between equals. "Band's gotta have the right sound, ya? Pangfua's a knocker as a singer, too. We do these scream-blast duets, and she-" Her cheeks went rosy, which was impressive in this atmosphere because there was already enough fire around to give everyone sunburns. "What's it to you, ya bloodybonegripper?! If this Fire Lord nob thinks he's gonna wife her up - or even worse, wife her down - I'll set this island on fire all by mehself, don't see if I won't!"

Mai looked back to the rest of the crew. Suki was nodding, Ty Lee was grinning with the glass peony sculpture clutched to her chest, and Zuko was blinking in confusion as he said, "I have no idea what's going on."

Mai rolled her eyes. "This is apparently Pangfua's- um, very, very, very good friend. And I think this isn't so much about assassinating you as it is about protecting your second-cousin's- ah, 'availability,' as it was."

Zuko blinked one last time. He looked to Mai, letting his gaze linger just long enough to make both her heart flutter and her stomach churn, and then he looked back to Zongying. "I don't suppose it makes any difference that I'm not going to marry Pangfua?"

Zongying's eyes narrowed. "Wot now?"

Suki shook her head. "This is all very- very something, but what about the other thirty people trashing this place and attacking the nobles?"

"Eh, you mean me bandmates and roadies and hop-stomper fans?" Zongying licked her lips. "Iff'n you, Mister Nob Lord, keep away from my girlfr- Pangfua, I just gotta give 'em a whistle and they'll settle right down. They're the nastiest bunch o' ash-farters t' ever pop the roof offa cringe-house, but they're good lads."

Suki put her hands to her face. "This is the stupidest security incident I've ever seen."

"Yeah!" Ty Lee sniffed at the glass peony like it was a real flower. "I don't even know what this girl is saying but I am completely enthralled."

Mai shrugged. "That's because you don't follow the Colonial Influence musical scene. I gave it a try when it was first making its way here- you know, to annoy my parents. That was back when 'The Dirt-Kissers' made that attempt to get public dancing legalized here in the homeland. I would have been arrested with the rest of the observers if Azula hadn't dragged me away."

Zongying's eyes lit up with newfound respect. "Eh, you're a zero-gen hop-stomper? Maybe you're all right, moon-skin."

"It was the hop-stomping that I didn't like so much. Also the fact that none of you people seem to ever bathe." Mai straightened and stepped back over to Zuko. "There were more agreeable ways to annoy my parents, like leaving my baby brother in the hands of kind-hearted Water Tribe terrorists while I went off to chase boys."

"Right on, moon-skin! 'at's the spirit o' hop-stomping right there!"

Zuko clutched at his head. "I am so confused, but if I've heard right, all I need to do is officially decline the offer to marry Pangfua, so that she's free to play in your band or whatever, and your people will stop this attack?"

"Attack?! This ain't even the worst roof-popper I've knockered this week!"

"Congratulations. Let's go find my great-aunt." He looked over at Ty Lee. "And in case the 'spirit of hop-stomping' says breaking agreements is okay, please disable her limbs."

"Ha! The bloodybonegripper of a monarchist gets it, now!"

"Please be quiet." He took the glass flower sculpture back from Ty Lee, and led the way into the flames and smoke and (apparently) roof-popping music fans.

Once they knew what they were dealing with, and had Zongying as their helpless (cussing) prisoner, dealing with the chaos was much simpler. Mai only needed to pin the more berserk rioters (including the drummer) to the ground with her rose thorns, and Suki rallied the Kyoshi Warriors to secure the nobility and let the various Firebenders get control of the conflagration.

Still, the damage was done. The flowers were all destroyed, the big tent was in tatters and open to the sky, and the remains of everyone's soot-stained clothes smelled like a hundred-year war.

But Aunt Mura turned out to be okay, if a little bewildered, and Ladies Zuzka, Yuying, and Pangfua were unharmed. Pangfua had lost her outfit's Dragon's Breath halo and the lily-leaf wings and most of her rose-stem skirt, but she didn't seem to care as she laid eyes on the limp Zongying in Ty Lee and Chijin's arms.

She raced over, tackled Zongying in a hug, and made sounds that were somewhere between sobs and laughs as she gasped, "I can't believe you did this!"

Zongying couldn't hug back, but she leaned her head against Pangfua's, touching their noses together and staring deeply into each other's eyes, and her voice went soft. "I couldn't just let you marry this bloodybonegripper and not make him work for it. You're my g-" She tilted her head, looking behind Pangfua, to see Lady Zuzka staring down at them both. "My very, very, very good friend. And lead pipa-player."

"Pangfua." Lady Zuzka's voice had no trace of flowers in it. "Who is this?"

"Ahaha! (Ha.) Grandmother. (Er.) I'd like you to meet my- um, very, very, very good friend. This is Zongying. She- uh, she meant well?"

Zuzka's face didn't move so much as a twitch, and Mai had respect the restraint. "Granddaughter, is this why you've been sneaking out? To play in a band?"

Zongying's accent was barely perceptible as she said, "It's very nice to meet you, ma'am, and can I note how lovely your flower show was? It was truly an enriching display of the softer elements of Fire Nation culture, and I value the work you've put into promoting the arts. Also, I have only the utmost respect your granddaughter's booty- I mean musical expertise"

"Hn. We were better at hiding it in my day."

Pangfua's jaw dropped. "Grandmother?!"

"I mean, of course, hidden hobbies. Not- exceptionally close gal pals." She winked.

Lady Yuying came over with a disdainful sniff, apparently not having noticed the subtextual exchange. "Yes, we all knew about your silly little concert-going. You'd smell like sweat and bog-smoke afterward, and you'd have sizzle rolls on your breath. Bringing some order into your life was one of our purposes in finding you a husband."

"Speaking of which," Zuko put in, holding the big glass peony up, "I am going to have to decline your offer."

Mai felt lighter at the words, but she reminded herself that this was what Zuko had agreed in order to save everyone from the riot. She had seen his hand twitch towards the glass peony up on the stage.

Lady Zuzka's eyebrows rose. "You would insult us after everything we have done for you?"

"No!" Zuko took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. "I appreciate everything you've done, and it is my great hope that I continue to enjoy an alliance with the family who haven't yet tried to kill me. But- but I don't love Pangfua. Not like that."

Lady Zuzka frowned. "So?"

Zuko shook his head. "So I have had too little love in my life. I- I am learning it is not my fault. And- and I expect that I'll be learning all my life. As part of that lesson, I am choosing to allow myself to marry for love. In doing so, I think I will make myself into a better Fire Lord for my people, and for the world."

Mai's heart was hammering. She couldn't believe the words coming out of Zuko's mouth. Did he really mean them? Or was he just trying to appease an ally he didn't want to make into an enemy?

His eyes shifted to meet hers. He nodded.

It was a good thing that Aunt Mura was right behind Mai, because she was starting to feel a little shaky on her feet. Even if they couldn't be together, hearing this from him- she wanted him to be happy, and to have the love he deserved. It was all she ever really wanted for him.

Lady Yuying snorted. "Ridiculous! Look at my daughter! She's adorable! Spend enough time with her and you'll fall in love with her. Or something close enough."

But Zuzka was giving Zuko a solid stare. "Is that your final decision?"

"It is." Zuko held the glass sculpture out to be taken back. "I'm sorry."

Lady Zuzka drew herself up and took a deep breath-

-and sighed. "You're just like my little nephew Iroh. You seem soft until someone pushes up against something you truly care about. Then the dragon strength makes itself known." She nodded. "Very well. I accept your refusal with regret. I don't know how much influence I'll still have after this disaster of a flower show and the nobles who have been terrorized-" She threw a look at Zongying. "-but I will still do what I can to support you as Fire Lord and my family."

"WHAT?!" Yuying stepped back from her old mother. "You're going to throw in with this usurper despite him casting aside our Pangfua like a wilted blossom?!"

Mai could see where this was going. She pulled free of Auntie's grip and moved towards Zuko-

"Silence, daughter." Zuzka waved a dismissal. "The time for the old ways is over. We can choose increasing isolation, and watch as our allies and fortune disappear, or ally ourselves with victors."

-and to ash with this stupid orange dress that didn't have any sleeves or leggings to hide any weapons in because the last of the rose thorns had been used up on Zongying's rioters-

"Well, then," Yuying murmured, "perhaps some new ways are needed."

-and Suki and Ty Lee were also moving but they didn't have their fans-

Yuying became a blur of arms and sleeves and shining silver metal that sparked against the chest-armor of the Kyoshi Warriors and sent them flying. Zuzka stumbled backwards in horror and Pangfua screamed and Zuko held up the glass sculpture as if it would protect him against a warrior of the Silver Dance but he wasn't in a position for any worthwhile Firebending-

-and his eyes met Mai's-

-and he gave her a flower.

He threw - or, more accurately, shot with a small burst of Firebending - the glass peony out of his hands so that it landed and smashed to pieces right in Mai's path.

Big, sharp pieces.

Mai smiled as she dipped down to pick up a bunch of them without slowing her dash, turned her momentum into a spin that sent some of the shards flying in a spread toward Yuying-

-and the Silver Dancer twisted to face the attack and sliced every single one of the shards out of the air with a single motion even as she was kicking backward to plant a foot covered in a heavy wooden sandal into Zuko's stomach.

Mai skidded to a stop. She didn't have enough shards of glass to waste them with bad throws. She had to make them count.

And Yuying faced her down with a confident grin and a pair short butterfly swords in her hands. "Caldera Yu Mai, Lady of Ten Thousand Hidden Blades. Or so you were before you ran away and your worthless father lost everything by giving service to a lunatic of a princess."

Mai kept her face blank and her eyes on her opponent. "So, you know who I am."

"Of course. Your aunt really did earn her place at the show, but I did my research on you. And I made sure to check everything you two brought into the show for hidden weapons. I had my spies watching you each day to make sure you weren't sneaking a few blades in your clothes. My mother might be weak, but I never intended the Fire Lord to refuse my daughter. And I know, for a fact, that you can't beat me."

Mai snorted and brandished the glass shards between the fingers of her fists. "If it was a fact, you'd have taken me down already. I agree, you're probably a little better than me. I never bothered with the Silver Dance, after all. But we're both artists and professionals. We know that sometimes the lesser fighter gets lucky."

Their gazes were locked together, waging a war of the mind as they ran through every possible move that a duel between them could encompass. Mai's thoughts whirled with calculations for the trajectories of irregular pieces of colored glass, while she could see the same thing happening with a pair of thick silver blades in Yuying's mental vision through the slight fluttering of her irises. Ten thousand wars were fought in the single second of the two staring at each other.

Yuying grinned. "So, do you feel lucky, punk?"

Mai gave a shrug that was nothing more than the twitch of a single shoulder. "Zongying's the punk. I'm just an apprentice florist with a thing for dorky boys. And I just have one thing to say to you."

"What's that?"

"Dogpile."

"Wh-"

And then five Kyoshi Warriors jumped on Yuying, smashed her to the ground, and yanked the blades from her hands.

Mai let her glass shards fall from her grip. "I lied. You're not a professional. You're an artist who never even realized the need for battlefield awareness." She looked around at everyone. "So, are we done here?"

Sometime later, the area was properly secured, the shards of glass were carefully swept up so that no one got an ouchie. Lady Yuying was hauled away for treason and a list of other crimes. The foul-smelling rioters in leather were happily shouting obscenities as they were booked by local law enforcement for a night in jail for excessive rowdiness (things were a little more lax during a Love Festival).

The whole while, Pangfua and Zongying were further traumatizing the scorched nobles by holding an impromptu concert that seemed to consist of screaming, smashing pipa lutes on the ground, and pressing their faces together a lot. Zuzka was sitting at the edge of the crowd, attempting to clap her hands to the beat but often losing the thread of it. But then, so were Pangfua and Zongying.

Mai supposed she'd had worse days at work.

"And with that," Suki announced, "I'm done. I only needed to provide security for the flower show. That's burned down, everyone in need of justice has been brought to it, and I'm going to sleep for a week now."

("HAAAAAACHPLOOOOOOOOOO," added Chijin. "Aggh. I still hab pollen ub by nobe.")

Ty Lee skipped over and wrapped Mai in a hug. "Thanks for all your help! I think maybe you've earned the Kyoshi makeup after all!"

"Pass." Mai hugged back, and it really did feel good. "But don't hesitate to bring me back in for another job. It gets boring, playing with flowers every day."

Zuko held up his hands. "I think my protectors deserve a reward for their good work. A feast will be waiting for you back at the palace, and luxury treatments in the Royal Spa. And, uh, maybe we can find some medicine for Chijin?"

"Thanbs."

As the Kyoshi Warriors applauded and hugged each other and did all that team-nonsense that Mai had always despised, Zuko came over to her and said in a low voice, "And I'm especially grateful to you. Not just for protecting me, but for the truths you shared with me."

Aunt Mura nudged her in the side. Mai resisted the urge to throw a glare at her and took a step to close the distance with Zuko. "Well, thank you for listening. I really hope you do find happiness, and soon."

Zuko took a deep breath. "I- I also wanted to tell you- I was going to accept Pangfua's proposal. I was ready to marry her."

Mai never, ever lost control of her expressions-

-she had suspected-

-to tell her like this-

Her jaw dropped. "What?"

He shut his eyes and bowed his head. "I really thought, after what you said last night, that we'd never be together. I know I vowed to still win you back, but- with Pangfua kneeling there, and Aunt Zuzka offering all her family resources to me- I had intended to keep trying to bring you and me back together, but not because I really thought I could, so- well, for a moment, I really was about to give up."

Mai forced her jaw shut. "Oh."

"I just wanted you to know. I- I'm ashamed of it, and I wish I'd never even thought about it, but- but I did. And you deserve the truth. Even if it means you never want to see me again." He opened his eyes again, and despite the scar on his face, he had never looked so innocent and hopeful to her. "But you saved me from my mistake, and I think that's a sign that maybe we can still come together again. Someday."

Mai had told him, last night, that they'd only hurt each other as long as he couldn't stop hating himself. He'd even admitted, in his little speech to Zuzka, that he'd likely spend a lifetime trying to get over that.

Trying.

Maybe she could try, too.

"Well, I'd expect nothing less of you, Zuko."

He tilted his head. "Is that a compliment?"

"I really couldn't tell you." She smiled, letting him know that her words were just things being thrown out to fill the space between them.

He smiled back. "So, what do you think?"

She thought about teasing him some more, or pretending not to know what he was talking about. Or she could fall back into the explanations she'd given last night of why it would never work out between them. But, because he was Zuko, he'd already found a way to counter them. She'd either have to find a new way to fight, or-

-as Zuzka had, perhaps it was time to recognize a new age.

She held out her hand. "I think..."

"Yes?" He put his hand in hers.

She closed her own around his. "It's a beginning."

END