I told you I was in a Rent faze. Ha ha. So, the song I'm using this time is Without You.
She watched as a droplet of rain from the previous night fell from the tree branch that hung over the pond. It dropped with a soft plop, creating circles like a target in the water. They faded away to edge as new ringlets appeared in the middle, fallowing in their tracks.
"Mai, are you . . . okay?" Ty Lee asked timidly, walking up to the girl sitting by the pond.
"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Mai replied, looking up thoughtfully.
"Well, I mean, with Zuko leaving and all. . ."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mai snapped. "My boyfriend leaves so I should be crying about? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not crying."
"Er, no. I g-guess not." Ty Lee murmured, backing off.
Sighing, Mai turned her head back towards the pond. She could hear Ty Lee's footsteps fade away as the contortionist walked back off to the palace- most likely to consult the ordeal with the princess. Zuko left, but that doesn't mean the entire world has to fuss over it- over Mai.
Without you, the ground thaws, the rain falls, the grass grows
With out you, the seeds root, the flowers bloom, the children play
The stars gleam, the poet dreams, the eagles fly, without you
The earth turns, the sun burns, but I die, with out you
The sun was now hanging low on the horizon, turning from a bright yellow to a deep orange.
What was Zuko doing, anyway? Well, obviously he was attempting to help the Avatar- She already knew that. But that couldn't be all. No, he had to be doing something else. Probably hitting on that watering bending girl. Mai curled her lip in disgust at the thought. Unfortunately for Mai, though, the clueless prince didn't say how long he would be off with the Avatar for.
She didn't long to see him, really. She just wanted to know long she would be without him.
"Mai, you should come inside, it's getting dark out," Ty Lee said, walking back outside to the courtyard. "Besides, Azula said she had something to talk to us about- you specifically."
Mai unfocused her eyes from the water, the ripples long gone, and got up from the pond ledge. Rolling her eyes at the thought of what Azula had to say, she fallowed Ty Lee inside the palace.
Without you, the breeze warms, the girls smile, the cloud moves
Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash
The crowds roar, the days soar, the babies cry, without you
The moon glows, the river flows, but I die, without you
"What am I doing here?" Zuko murmured, staring down at his feet.
"What was that?" Toph asked, the light from the fire dancing around her face.
"Oh, er, n-nothing." He replied, staring back down at his feet.
"You're lying," The blind girl said, hiding her comment behind a fake cough.
Zuko glared at her for a few moments, until he realized that she was blind.
"He's glaring at me, isn't he?" Toph asked. laughing.
". . . Maybe," Zuko said sheepishly.
Aang and Haru laughed at him while both Toph and Katara smirked.
"So what's eating you?" Sokka asked.
"And apparently- or at least Toph says- it isn't 'nothing'." Teo reminded him.
Zuko looked around at the group sitting by the fire. A paralyzed boy, a blind girl, a boy who's town was taken over by the Fire Nation, two siblings who lost both parents to the war- one of the which hated him- and the last Airbender. All awaiting him to spill out his regrets about leaving Mai.
"I'm going to bed." Zuko grunted, standing up.
Everybody- except Toph- stared at him as he stalked off to his sleeping quarters. No matter how many people were surrounding him, Zuko was still alone and away.
The world revives-
Colors renew-
But I know blue, only blue, lonely blue, with me blue
Without you
"Mai, are you even listening to me?" Azula questioned, crossing her arms.
"Of course I am," Mai replied monotonically.
"Good. Then I will expect you to be ready to leave tomorrow at dusk."
"Yes, Princess Azula." Mai nodded blankly.
They sat in a slightly awkward silence for a few moments, until Mai stifled out a yawn and blanked heavily.
"Yes, well, I'm off to bed. To get, er, ready for tomorrow." Mai said, gauchely standing up and walking towards the door in order to leave for her own house.
Ty Lee stared at her, shaking her head and giggling at the same time- which Mai thought hard for someone like Ty Lee to do two things at once. However, the contortionist obviously knew that Mai had no earthly idea of Azula was having her do- and she knew what it was that was to be done too.
But that didn't matter. Mai would do what the princess asked of her, regardless of what, exactly, it was. Live her life, that's all Mai had to do.
Without you, the hand gropes, the ear hears, the pulse beats
Without you, the eyes gaze, the legs walk, the lungs breathe
The mind churns!
The heart yearns!
Turning over on his side underneath the blanket, Zuko pushed all thoughts of Mai to the back if his swarming mind. He had been thinking about teaching the Avatar how to create a fire ball the next day.
Zuko took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. He had lived life without her before- he could do it once more.
"Forget regret."
The tears dry, without you
Life goes on, but I'm gone
Cause I die, without you
Sighing, Mai stood in front of her bathroom mirror, unclasping the holds of her stilettos. The lit candle by the sink burned brightly, the wax dripping off the side, creating a small pool around its holder.
Removing the last of the knives from her body, Mai- for the first time in years- actually looked curiously at one that had fallen. Sure, she sees her daggers every day, but rarely does she look at them inquisitively. The stiletto gleamed in the candlelight as she held it up, the steel looking sharper than ever.
Its dull end was square and small, and widened as it got to the tip. The slanted point looked ready- almost eager- to pierce something- somone.
Mai grasped the dagger tightly in her shaking hand, attempting to steady herself.
"Forget regret."
Cause I die, without you
Hmm, I'm not sure of how much I like this one. "Forget regret" is from a different Rent song, by the way.