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Wait

It never failed: disasters, even the life-threatening kind, stopped being fun the very moment that parents found out about them.

Zuko and The Other One had been making their great (...all right, maybe it was just 'moderately accomplished') escape, crawling along through the cramped ash/oil/exhaust ventilation tunnel with their foreheads pressed together. The Other One's breath had splashed against his skin with her every exhalation, and he was trying to identity the sweet scent (fruit of some kind, maybe a sugar tart?) when she suddenly dropped out sight.

And then he had heard Father's voice. She was out there with Father.

All of the things that had happened throughout the day came crushing down on Zuko with the weight of the Fire Nation's glorious destiny to rule the world. He and The Other One had cut a line along the whole bottom third of the palace's tower! They had broken a hole in the roof of the Throne Room! They had somehow (Zuko wasn't sure he could replicate it if he tried) tricked Grandfather into attacking his own guards! They had terrorized the servants and gotten hit with a shovel! And now they had disturbed Father!

He knew it didn't matter that this had all been completely accidental. Purposeful or not, it was the kind of thing you 'forgot' to tell your parents about at dinner.

(Especially when it was all done with the surprisingly clever, reliable, and humorous The Other One at his side, because she was a girl, and people tended to get the wrong idea when the opposite gender was involved. Zuko merely admired her, experienced funny feelings in his stomach when she looked at him with pleading eyes and flushed cheeks, got a thrill out of touching her hair, and found physical contact with her to be pleasant- nothing lovey-dovey.)

And now Father had found out about it all!

Well, he found out about The Other One. He still hadn't seen Zuko, yet.

Somehow, that thought echoed through Zuko's head in Azula's voice.

'It would be simple,' the Azula Voice elaborated slowly, as if afraid he wouldn't understand. 'Just wait in the tunnel, and let that girl take the blame. And the punishment. You just need to wait for the fires to cool down. Metaphorically and maybe literally.'

'But why,' Zuko asked himself, 'wouldn't she just tell them about me?'

The Azula Voice laughed. 'Have you been paying any attention to her? That girl couldn't cough up a spoken explanation if someone wrote it for her and then tattooed it on her tongue. Wait and see.'

Zuko frowned. 'That sounds painful. I wouldn't be able to talk after that either.'

'The point, dum-dum, is that she's too scared and pathetic to talk. She'll just stand there blinking and staring while Father draws his own conclusions, and then she'll accept her punishment with silent tears. She'll probably be confused why she's being punished, but never ask. She might have been born in the Capital of the Fire Nation, but she's pure Servant Material. She serves capably, even almost being clever at times, but she'll always need someone with a brain to direct her. All you have to do is wait, and you'll be fine.'

Zuko winced. He didn't know how an Azula Voice had gotten in his head, or where such Azula-like thoughts could have come from. Especially if this was like in the storybooks, when the hero considers the right and wrong choices with little Dragon Spirits that pop up on his shoulders to set up a temporary debate club. If so, then the Azula-thoughts were coming from him. And he couldn't possibly think such things about The Other One, could he?

He liked The Other One.

They were maybe almost friends.

In a fair and just world, Zuko and The Other One would share in any punishments they had earned today, and he would get the greater portion because he was older and also royalty. It was part of his princely responsibility. The punishments would, of course, also be fair and just, because Father was a fair and just man who was admired by the whole Fire Nation. There was a lot of fairness and justice going around in this matter, but that made sense, because the Fire Nation was always right. All of his Lessons were very clear on that point. So, as much as Zuko didn't like it, there was only one fair and just action to take.

And he would do it.

'Dum-dum,' the Azula Voice said.

'Go soak your head,' he mentally retorted, because a mental Azula Voice couldn't light his hair on fire. Again.

He squirmed his way to the end of the tunnel and climbed out of the dragon-mouth shrine he found on the other side. "I'm here, too!"

Father, kneeling in the center of the room, and The Other One, collapsed in a little heap below the shrine, both whipped their heads to look at him.

Father's eyes narrowed. "So I see. Well, Zuko, what is going on?"

"A lot. And I'll tell you. But, uh-" He gave a little tug- "I think I'm stuck on these dragon teeth.

Father rolled his eyes.

Of course, he was very strong and powerful, so after he came over, a single yank was all it took for him to free Zuko. Zuko himself must have been very heavy, though, because Father immediately let him drop to the floor.

He kneeled into a full kowtow. "I apologize for the disruptions we've caused. You see, we went out of the window of my bedroom and kind of fell through the roof of the Throne Room and there was lots of fire and guards and fighting so we crawled out an exhaust vent to the basement where a servant thought we were too dirty to be human and locked us up to get exercise or something so we tried crawling back out through another vent and we wound up here but didn't know this was your meditation room and we're very, very, very sorry."

He needed a moment to catch his breath after all that.

Eventually, Father said, "I have to give you credit for one thing: fitting all of that into a single sentence was an impressive feat. Well done, my son."

Wow! Father had complimented him! This might turn out to be a really good day after all!

"But," Father continued, "your attempt to hide the truth from me was pathetic. Your sister is much better at lying, and you should, as ever, try to learn from her."

Zuko raised his head. "But I was telling the truth! We really did all those things!"

"Oh, I have no doubt. You're not creative enough to fabricate such things. But you are hiding something from me. Why were you trying to escape your bedroom with this moppet in tow?"

Oh.

Zuko should have known that Father was too smart to miss that.

"We, uh, were trying to escape Azula. She wanted to hurt-" He couldn't call her 'The Other One' out loud, and now would be a profoundly stupid moment to admit he didn't know her name. "-us. I was protecting someone of great value to the Royal Family."

Behind him, The Other One gasped. Had she figured out that he didn't know her name?

Father made a face. "I see. Well, perhaps this can be a teaching opportunity. You've risked so much for this girl of 'great value,' but do you even know what she did to earn Azula's wrath?"

Zuko blinked. He'd never really thought about it. It had been enough to know that The Other One was really scared and Azula was really mad. "Uh-"

Father snorted. "I thought not. You decided that the best solution to the problem was to simply run from it. Yes, I can believe that. And as a father, it is my duty to see that you learn from this."

Zuko wasn't quite sure what that meant. "Um?"

Father went over to the far side of the room and opened the door. "Out you go. Both of you. Quickly, now. You don't want to get caught looking so filthy."

Zuko wasn't sure what to do. He hadn't expected this, but not obeying Father's commands simply wasn't an option. As a compromise, he slowly got to his feet. "You're not going to punish us?"

Father's lip quirked so fast that Zuko wasn't even sure he saw it. "If you want my advice, go to the North Park. You can wash up in the ponds there, and then maybe no one will connect you with the day's troubles. Go out through the supply-entrance under the western wing; it's been left open during the search for the assassins."

Wow!

Father was so nice!

But that made complete sense. Uncle Iroh had once said that mercy was the mark of a great leader, and Father had to be one of the best leaders who ever lived. If Uncle didn't want to be Fire Lord when Grandfather eventually died, Father would be a perfect choice, and maybe become the best Fire Lord since Sozin. Not that Zuko wanted Uncle Iroh to forsake his birthright; it was just speculation. Father could still be a wise and supportive advisor.

Smiling, Zuko grabbed The Other One's hand and led her out the door.

As they passed, Father patted the top of her head and said, "I'm glad you're such a good friend to both of my children. What's your name?"

Zuko's heart nearly leaped up through his throat. This was his chance! He stopped to give The Other One an opportunity to answer. But she just stared at Father, biting her lip. He could feel her hand trembling, and held on tighter so that she'd know she had his support.

But no answer came.

Zuko sighed. "She doesn't talk much."

Father let out a single, sharp laugh. "Truly? A valuable ally to the Royal Family, indeed. Well, both of you better get going." And then he shut the door in their faces.

But that was probably Zuko's fault for lingering. "Come on, let's get to the park."

But before he could move, The Other One pressed herself against his chest and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. She made some kind of sound, but with her face buried in Zuko's tunic, he wasn't sure what it was.

"It's okay." He tried hugging her back, hoping it would make it feel better. "It's okay. We're safe now."

She let go of him and met his gaze with wide eyes, almost like she was surprised. Or maybe confused? She didn't seem like she was expecting what Zuko had said, but neither was she really disagreeing. It was weird.

Eventually, she sighed, looked down, and held out her hand again.

Zuko took it. It was time to get going.

Their final escape from the palace was easier than he expected. They didn't encounter any parents, Fire Lords, servants, guards, assassins, ash-demons, or even an Azula. Maybe the search that Father mentioned, for the assassins that everyone thought Zuko and The Other One had been, had taken everyone elsewhere. Regardless, Zuko led them through the halls, down into the basement where the Royal Food was stored, and up the stairs through the double-doored supply entrance.

And then they were once again out in the bright sun.

There was a cluster of people near the front gate, so Zuko pulled The Other One over to the rear gate, where there was just a pair of guards overseeing things.

Zuko took a moment to switch to his most authoritative gait. "We're on a special mission. This is a Royal affair."

The first guard looked at the second. "Kind of young - and filthy - for affairs, aren't they?"

The second shrugged. "It's better not to ask questions. You may pass, your highness."

And so Zuko had at last gotten The Other One to safety. He had actually succeeded in countering his sister! He had kept a girl safe, and even though she had helped a lot, he was going to count it as a win at life. Maybe this was the start of a streak, and he'd get a second win sometime soon.

He looked to The Other One. "We've escaped Azula! We did it!"

She almost managed a smile.

The walk to the North Park was fairly short; Father had made a good choice. Only a few people passed by and gave Zuko odd looks, which was no real problem as far as this day was going. At least they weren't trying to kill and/or throw shovels at him. The Other One let herself be pulled along, her gaze firmly on her feet (which Zuko realized were covered only in stockings, as she had left her boots back in the palace. He'd have to make sure those got back to her.) as they found the park and then a fairly isolated little pond within it.

With relief, Zuko splashed his head right down into the water. It was wet and cool, and when he emerged, he felt light and clean. This must be what a volcano felt like after erupting. Shaking the droplets away, he turned back to The Other One.

She was standing there staring at him. Her face was red again.

Zuko supposed she didn't like using pond-water as a bath. "It's okay! Nice and clean now."

She tilted her head to the left. Then to the right. Finally, she came over to the edge of the pond and kneeled down to dip a hand into the water.

With that settled, Zuko returned his attention back to himself. His face and hair were fine, now, but his clothes were still a mess. Should he just jump into the pond with them? Or take them off and try to clean them? Or could he just wet his hands and try to rub away the-

SPLAT.

Zuko could only sit there, numb, as the mud dripped down from his face.

It was The Other One's giggles that finally gave him the strength to turn and look at her.

She was still kneeling by the pond, pretending very hard to be minding her own business. But her lips kept twisting into a brief smiles, and giggles escaped from her attempt at seriousness. Zuko had to fight back against his own laughter. He shook the mud off his face, and then reached into the shallowest part of the pond in front of him to collect his own ammunition.

He didn't get three steps towards The Other One before she broke out into full laughter.

Zuko grinned and raised the mudballs in his hands.

She managed a, "No!" between cackles as she tried to scramble away, and her smile was as bright as the sun.

He chased after her. "You threw mud at me! Now I get to throw it at you!"

"No!" She ran around the pond, still chortling.

"Then why did you throw it?" He used one of his mudballs as a warning shot across her path. "People who throw messes get messes back!"

"Dirty looks good on you! Not me!" She tried to change direction and slipped on the grass, her laughter never stopping. She rolled on the grass and held up a hand in a very paltry attempt at defense.

It was the first coherent sentence he'd ever heard her speak. He decided he liked her voice.

But that wasn't going to stop him from beaning her with a mudball. "Dirty looks good on you, too." He raised his arm to throw-

"Mud looks good on no one," Azula said.

Zuko dropped the mudball and whipped around to see his sister coming up the path towards the pond. The Other One's laughter cut off with a squeak. He wanted to run, but the pond was behind him, and his sister was in front of him. There was nowhere to go.

Azula nodded as she approached. "Father said there would be presents waiting for me at the end of the ashy footprints. And it isn't even my Name Day."

Intimate

Mai couldn't move as Princess Azula, Namesake of the Fire Lord and the last living Royal Blood Daughter, stalked up the park's path. As always, Azula's clothes were crisp and immaculate, and now she wore a red silk veil hanging from her topknot-crown as a blazing backdrop for her visage. The only thing ruining the regality was the pure Murder in her golden eyes. Bloodthirst just wasn't something that could be displayed gracefully.

Mai was suddenly no longer enjoying her own filthy state. It was fun with Zuko, but it made her feel like garbage compared to Azula, although thankfully not the smelly kind made up of half-eaten fruit. Even with a knife, she couldn't stand up to the Princess of Fire. For one, fire was a bit more versatile than knives.

Mai had to get out of here.

She had to run. She had to get away. But there was a pond behind her. Jump into the pond? Pretend to drown, fake her death, and run away to a Water Tribe? Or go around the pond and hope Azula wasn't in the mood to run? Perhaps attack Azula? (No, bad idea. Stupid, stupid, stupid.) Maybe throw herself on the ground and beg for mercy?

In the end, she did the only thing she could do.

She jumped behind Prince Zuko.

Azula laughed. "OooOOOOooooooOOOOOooooooh, you're so friendly with each other. Did you have a lot of fun running away from me?"

Mai felt herself blushing despite her fear. She had gotten dirty and lost her boots and nearly died a few times, but yes, she had actually had lots of fun. Was that wrong?

"Go away, Azula!" Prince Zuko clenched his fists and took a step towards his sister. "We don't want you here!"

But she rolled her eyes at him. "I can go wherever I want, Zuzu. And she's my friend, not yours. Mine! It's time to give her back."

Mai put her arms around Prince Zuko's waist to make it clear which sibling she preferred to be with, right now. (It was the one who wasn't probably about to set Mai on Fire, for reference.)

Prince Zuko seemed to get the message. "You're just going to hurt her. That's wrong. And mean. You shouldn't do it. I won't let you. Mom says it's wrong to set people on fire unless they attacked you first or were born in another nation."

Mai nodded her agreement, but first ducked a little behind Prince Zuko so that no one would see it. Public statements were easier to make when no one was paying attention to you.

And she hated being the center of attention. Only bad things happened when people looked at her. They'd tell her to shut up, to not be a bother, to go somewhere else, to cut it out with the singing, to get rid of the spider, to stop being weird. It was much easier to deal with people one at a time (especially when you only had one knife), easier to be quietly polite and then reach out only when the person really seemed safe. Like Ty Lee. Or Prince Zuko.

Azula wasn't one of the safe ones.

She was more like the knives Mai was collecting- sharp and dangerous. And also like the knives, the princess made Mai feel strong. That was why Mai had-

"You think I'm wrong? You think I'm being bad?" Azula snorted as a breeze teased the veil that hung over the back of her head. "You don't even know what she did. You just took her and hid her and you don't even know her."

Prince Zuko glanced back at Mai. She tightened her grip on his waist but couldn't meet his gaze.

He looked back at his sister. "I know she's brave and smart and really funny. I like her."

Azula broke out into a grin. "Ooh, you like her!"

Mai's heart went thumpidity-bump. Prince Zuko liked her?! Like, boy/girl?! Kissy? Getting married?

WOW.

Zuko, though, pulled himself right out of Mai's grip and said, "I hate lovey-dovey stuff! She's my friend and I know her. That's what I meant."

Oh.

But still: WOW.

Azula shook her head. "You think she's nice. I thought that, too, when I saw her in school. That's why I didn't care about her at first. But then I learned that she's not nice. She's mean. She just hides it really good."

Prince Zuko was scowling.

Mai could see where this was going. It was going to come out, now. Zuko would know what had happened. He'd let Azula have her. There was nothing Mai could do to stop it, now. She sat down on the grass and hugged her legs to herself.

Azula glanced at her, and then back to Zuko. "She didn't want to play with me and Ty Lee. She said we were boring. So we left her alone and played by ourselves. And then-"

Azula reached up and pulled her crown out of her topknot. The veil fell away, revealing-

-Mai couldn't help looking up-

-that Azula's long hair had been shorn away, leaving just enough for the knopnot and the twin spears that framed her face.

Zuko made a sound deep in his throat. "You cut your hair off?!" No doubt he was shocked by the missing locks that had once spilled down like a waterfall to her shoulders.

Mai looked down again, unable to stand the sight of either sibling.

Azula said, "No, I didn't. And neither did Ty Lee, but her braid is cut in half now. Someone decided that sneaking up behind her friends and slicing their hair off with her stupid new knife wouldn't be boring."

Mai squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that were starting to well up. That wasn't why she did it. She just- she was looking at the knife- she was wondering how sharp it was- sometimes they laughed at her even though they were her friends- the girls weren't paying attention to her- she just grabbed and slashed- Azula had shrieked- Ty Lee had cried-

It was stupid. Mai was stupid. She hated herself. And now Prince Zuko would hate her, too.

He knew who she really was, now.

She could hear him sitting beside her in the grass. "Is Azula telling the truth?"

Mai couldn't find her voice, so she nodded.

"Why?"

Mai shook her head. It was the only answer she could give.

Zuko stood up again. "I think she's sorry. And you still shouldn't hurt her."

What?! He didn't-

"Oh, I don't want to hurt her anymore." Azula shrugged.

What was going on? Mai was safe? And both siblings liked her again? She opened her eyes and looked over at her princess.

Azula smiled. "You're going to make it up to me. Show me how sorry you really are. Or I will hurt you. Zuzu can't protect you forever. Do what I say, or I'll get you back someday."

Zuko stalked towards his sister. "Azula-"

But Azula continued, "I want you to cut off Zuko's hair, too. Cut it so that he can't make a topknot or Phoenix Tail or anything. Make him ugly."

"What?!" Zuko started to back away, but Azula was already in motion, rushing up behind him and grabbing his arms. He twisted and pulled and growled, but Azula kept a hold of him, and at the first chance used her leverage to force him down to his knees.

Azula looked back to Mai. "Do it. Do it now."

Mai stood up and took the knife out.

She hated this. She hated this but she had to do it. Azula was right. There was no running from her.

Mai felt bad that she made Zuko work so hard to protect her. It was all for nothing. And now he'd hate her.

Because she had to it.

Mai approached him.

Zuko shook his head.

Mai reached out and ran her free hand through his hair. It was so clean and smooth now, and it was ever more fun to touch now than when he had been covered in ash. She tried to smile, to remind him how much fun they had today.

Zuko's lip trembled.

"I'm sorry," Mai whispered to him. At least it wasn't the first thing she'd ever said to him. What had it been? 'Dirty looks good on you.' And it was true.

She brought the knife up-

-slice-

-and now his hair was hers.

Not sure what else she could do to show how much she hated this, she leaned down and dropped a kiss on his forehead. The feel of his skin on her lips jolted her like lightning.

Zuko sniffled.

And Azula laughed. "Good. Now go home and don't show yourself again until I call for you."

Mai dropped the knife on the grass and turned to go. She didn't want this one anymore. But she kept Zuko's cut hair tight in her fist.

It was probably all she'd have left of him.

Stars

"Honestly," Mom said, "where did you and Azula get the idea to cut each other's hair?" She made another couple of snips and then stepped back. "There. That looks fine."

Zuko accepted a mirror from her and examined the terrible aftermath of the tragic epic that had turned out to be his day. His hair was short. Not that short, but still- he'd only had long hair before. His head felt strangely light. He imagined that this was what it was like to look at a battlefield after one's side had gotten thoroughly trounced by the other, only without the blood or the screams of agony.

(Well, less screams of agony. Zuko had never liked haircuts.)

Zuko put the mirror down on his dresser, catching the reflection of the stars in the night sky through his bedroom window. That was the same window he had fallen out of earlier today, with his hand intertwined with a little girl who needed his help and had kissed him and sliced his hair off on the orders of his sister.

Really, the sagas of Xiangyu the Swordsman had nothing on what Zuko had gone through, today. (For one thing, there were less girls in Xiangyu's stories, which Zuko used to consider a selling point.) "I can grow it long again, right? Do a Phoenix Tail again?"

"Of course you can, sweetie. Only haircuts done with Firebending tend to be permanent." Mom smiled. Then she frowned. "Don't tell your sister that."

Zuko nodded his agreement, not that he expected Azula to be keen on matters of hair for quite some time. Unlike Zuko, she had been clear that she had no intention of growing her hair long again. Both of them, though, had covered for The Other One, which surprised Zuko coming and going because Azula was a vindictive little gremlin and he was still kind of mad at The Girl Who He Thought Was His Friend. Neither of them had a reason to keep The Other One out of trouble.

But apparently Azula was capable of keeping her end of a bargain, because she had taken the heat for her minion. And Zuko-

Well, he liked to imagine that he wouldn't have done the same thing her shoes - or, rather, her filthy stockings that had holes in them by the time the day's activities were done - but defiance of Azula was always easier in theory than in practice. For one thing, she still tended to bite.

Still, as nice as being with The Other One had been, she obviously was Azula's property and Zuko couldn't trust her. That was that.

Perhaps it had been some kind of sign that he never learned her name. He wasn't meant to be friends with her. The kiss she had laid on his forehead - the first kiss he had gotten from outside his family - was a goodbye kiss.

Zuko sighed.

Mom ran a hand through his newly trimmed hair. "You sound tired. Come on, it's time for bed. It's been a busy day. And I still don't know what was going on with most of it. Everyone knows ash-demons aren't real. And assassins? Here?" She guided him over to bed, and he was more than ready to climb in and get some sleep.

Before he could tug the sheets up, though, a servant appeared at the door and bowed. "Apologies for the interruption, Princess, but a gift has arrived for Prince Zuko."

"A gift?" Zuko remembered how Azula had said that Father told her where to find him and The Other One as a gift. Father had been trying to teach him a lesson, Zuko knew now, but it still felt- "Mom, can you look at it first? Please?"

"Okay, honey." She gave him a look, but went over to take the little bundle from the servant. She unwrapped the outer paper, and then let out a small laugh. "Oh, my. It seems you impressed someone today."

Zuko frowned. He had? He wasn't used to impressing people. He wasn't even sure how to actually do it. From what he'd observed, it usually had something to do with an achievement in Firebending.

Mom brought over the package and held it out to him.

Within the unwrapped paper was a pair of intertwined locks of beautiful glossy hair, so smooth and silky that they reflected even the dim light of the stars. One strand of hair was lighter than the other, and he realized it was his hair, cleaned and combed and braided around the darker hair.

At the middle of the braid, a red ribbon was tied in a bow, holding all the hair together.

Zuko knew that ribbon. The Other One wore them, when she wasn't all messy from having fallen into an ash heap.

There was a little note next to the hair: "I hope you still like me. I like you. Love, Mai."

Mai?

Mai!

Mai.

Mai.

Her name-

Her name was Mai.

Well, so much for signs.

Unless-

Maybe-

Was this a sign, too?

Mom chuckled. "I'm glad you're getting along with your sister's friends. And you must have been very nice to her. She's a shy girl and gets spooked easily."

Zuko picked up the braided hair. She'd cut some of her own? And sent it to him?

And she'd told him her name.

Granted, she probably didn't realize that it had been a mystery to him, but-

"Well, I'm not afraid," Zuko declared. "I'm a Prince. I have to be brave for the people who aren't."

Mom leaned over and gave him a kiss at the top of his head. "Especially pretty little girls ribbons in their hair."

She was halfway to the door before Zuko realized what she was implying.

"Mom!"

He slept with the hair, and the note, under his pillow.

END

Description
Wait

It never failed: disasters, even the life-threatening kind, stopped being fun the very moment that parents found out about them.

Zuko and The Other One had been making their great (...all right, maybe it was just 'moderately accomplished') escape, crawling along through the cramped ash/oil/exhaust ventilation tunnel with their foreheads pressed together. The Other One's breath had splashed against his skin with her every exhalation, and he was trying to identity the sweet scent (fruit of some kind, maybe a sugar tart?) when she suddenly dropped out sight.

And then he had heard Father's voice. She was out there with Father.

All of the things that had happened throughout the day came crushing down on Zuko with the weight of the Fire Nation's glorious destiny to rule the world. He and The Other One had cut a line along the whole bottom third of the palace's tower! They had broken a hole in the roof of the Throne Room! They had somehow (Zuko wasn't sure he could replicate it if he tried) tricked Grandfather into attacking his own guards! They had terrorized the servants and gotten hit with a shovel! And now they had disturbed Father!

He knew it didn't matter that this had all been completely accidental. Purposeful or not, it was the kind of thing you 'forgot' to tell your parents about at dinner.

(Especially when it was all done with the surprisingly clever, reliable, and humorous The Other One at his side, because she was a girl, and people tended to get the wrong idea when the opposite gender was involved. Zuko merely admired her, experienced funny feelings in his stomach when she looked at him with pleading eyes and flushed cheeks, got a thrill out of touching her hair, and found physical contact with her to be pleasant- nothing lovey-dovey.)

And now Father had found out about it all!

Well, he found out about The Other One. He still hadn't seen Zuko, yet.

Somehow, that thought echoed through Zuko's head in Azula's voice.

'It would be simple,' the Azula Voice elaborated slowly, as if afraid he wouldn't understand. 'Just wait in the tunnel, and let that girl take the blame. And the punishment. You just need to wait for the fires to cool down. Metaphorically and maybe literally.'

'But why,' Zuko asked himself, 'wouldn't she just tell them about me?'

The Azula Voice laughed. 'Have you been paying any attention to her? That girl couldn't cough up a spoken explanation if someone wrote it for her and then tattooed it on her tongue. Wait and see.'

Zuko frowned. 'That sounds painful. I wouldn't be able to talk after that either.'

'The point, dum-dum, is that she's too scared and pathetic to talk. She'll just stand there blinking and staring while Father draws his own conclusions, and then she'll accept her punishment with silent tears. She'll probably be confused why she's being punished, but never ask. She might have been born in the Capital of the Fire Nation, but she's pure Servant Material. She serves capably, even almost being clever at times, but she'll always need someone with a brain to direct her. All you have to do is wait, and you'll be fine.'

Zuko winced. He didn't know how an Azula Voice had gotten in his head, or where such Azula-like thoughts could have come from. Especially if this was like in the storybooks, when the hero considers the right and wrong choices with little Dragon Spirits that pop up on his shoulders to set up a temporary debate club. If so, then the Azula-thoughts were coming from him. And he couldn't possibly think such things about The Other One, could he?

He liked The Other One.

They were maybe almost friends.

In a fair and just world, Zuko and The Other One would share in any punishments they had earned today, and he would get the greater portion because he was older and also royalty. It was part of his princely responsibility. The punishments would, of course, also be fair and just, because Father was a fair and just man who was admired by the whole Fire Nation. There was a lot of fairness and justice going around in this matter, but that made sense, because the Fire Nation was always right. All of his Lessons were very clear on that point. So, as much as Zuko didn't like it, there was only one fair and just action to take.

And he would do it.

'Dum-dum,' the Azula Voice said.

'Go soak your head,' he mentally retorted, because a mental Azula Voice couldn't light his hair on fire. Again.

He squirmed his way to the end of the tunnel and climbed out of the dragon-mouth shrine he found on the other side. "I'm here, too!"

Father, kneeling in the center of the room, and The Other One, collapsed in a little heap below the shrine, both whipped their heads to look at him.

Father's eyes narrowed. "So I see. Well, Zuko, what is going on?"

"A lot. And I'll tell you. But, uh-" He gave a little tug- "I think I'm stuck on these dragon teeth.

Father rolled his eyes.

Of course, he was very strong and powerful, so after he came over, a single yank was all it took for him to free Zuko. Zuko himself must have been very heavy, though, because Father immediately let him drop to the floor.

He kneeled into a full kowtow. "I apologize for the disruptions we've caused. You see, we went out of the window of my bedroom and kind of fell through the roof of the Throne Room and there was lots of fire and guards and fighting so we crawled out an exhaust vent to the basement where a servant thought we were too dirty to be human and locked us up to get exercise or something so we tried crawling back out through another vent and we wound up here but didn't know this was your meditation room and we're very, very, very sorry."

He needed a moment to catch his breath after all that.

Eventually, Father said, "I have to give you credit for one thing: fitting all of that into a single sentence was an impressive feat. Well done, my son."

Wow! Father had complimented him! This might turn out to be a really good day after all!

"But," Father continued, "your attempt to hide the truth from me was pathetic. Your sister is much better at lying, and you should, as ever, try to learn from her."

Zuko raised his head. "But I was telling the truth! We really did all those things!"

"Oh, I have no doubt. You're not creative enough to fabricate such things. But you are hiding something from me. Why were you trying to escape your bedroom with this moppet in tow?"

Oh.

Zuko should have known that Father was too smart to miss that.

"We, uh, were trying to escape Azula. She wanted to hurt-" He couldn't call her 'The Other One' out loud, and now would be a profoundly stupid moment to admit he didn't know her name. "-us. I was protecting someone of great value to the Royal Family."

Behind him, The Other One gasped. Had she figured out that he didn't know her name?

Father made a face. "I see. Well, perhaps this can be a teaching opportunity. You've risked so much for this girl of 'great value,' but do you even know what she did to earn Azula's wrath?"

Zuko blinked. He'd never really thought about it. It had been enough to know that The Other One was really scared and Azula was really mad. "Uh-"

Father snorted. "I thought not. You decided that the best solution to the problem was to simply run from it. Yes, I can believe that. And as a father, it is my duty to see that you learn from this."

Zuko wasn't quite sure what that meant. "Um?"

Father went over to the far side of the room and opened the door. "Out you go. Both of you. Quickly, now. You don't want to get caught looking so filthy."

Zuko wasn't sure what to do. He hadn't expected this, but not obeying Father's commands simply wasn't an option. As a compromise, he slowly got to his feet. "You're not going to punish us?"

Father's lip quirked so fast that Zuko wasn't even sure he saw it. "If you want my advice, go to the North Park. You can wash up in the ponds there, and then maybe no one will connect you with the day's troubles. Go out through the supply-entrance under the western wing; it's been left open during the search for the assassins."

Wow!

Father was so nice!

But that made complete sense. Uncle Iroh had once said that mercy was the mark of a great leader, and Father had to be one of the best leaders who ever lived. If Uncle didn't want to be Fire Lord when Grandfather eventually died, Father would be a perfect choice, and maybe become the best Fire Lord since Sozin. Not that Zuko wanted Uncle Iroh to forsake his birthright; it was just speculation. Father could still be a wise and supportive advisor.

Smiling, Zuko grabbed The Other One's hand and led her out the door.

As they passed, Father patted the top of her head and said, "I'm glad you're such a good friend to both of my children. What's your name?"

Zuko's heart nearly leaped up through his throat. This was his chance! He stopped to give The Other One an opportunity to answer. But she just stared at Father, biting her lip. He could feel her hand trembling, and held on tighter so that she'd know she had his support.

But no answer came.

Zuko sighed. "She doesn't talk much."

Father let out a single, sharp laugh. "Truly? A valuable ally to the Royal Family, indeed. Well, both of you better get going." And then he shut the door in their faces.

But that was probably Zuko's fault for lingering. "Come on, let's get to the park."

But before he could move, The Other One pressed herself against his chest and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. She made some kind of sound, but with her face buried in Zuko's tunic, he wasn't sure what it was.

"It's okay." He tried hugging her back, hoping it would make it feel better. "It's okay. We're safe now."

She let go of him and met his gaze with wide eyes, almost like she was surprised. Or maybe confused? She didn't seem like she was expecting what Zuko had said, but neither was she really disagreeing. It was weird.

Eventually, she sighed, looked down, and held out her hand again.

Zuko took it. It was time to get going.

Their final escape from the palace was easier than he expected. They didn't encounter any parents, Fire Lords, servants, guards, assassins, ash-demons, or even an Azula. Maybe the search that Father mentioned, for the assassins that everyone thought Zuko and The Other One had been, had taken everyone elsewhere. Regardless, Zuko led them through the halls, down into the basement where the Royal Food was stored, and up the stairs through the double-doored supply entrance.

And then they were once again out in the bright sun.

There was a cluster of people near the front gate, so Zuko pulled The Other One over to the rear gate, where there was just a pair of guards overseeing things.

Zuko took a moment to switch to his most authoritative gait. "We're on a special mission. This is a Royal affair."

The first guard looked at the second. "Kind of young - and filthy - for affairs, aren't they?"

The second shrugged. "It's better not to ask questions. You may pass, your highness."

And so Zuko had at last gotten The Other One to safety. He had actually succeeded in countering his sister! He had kept a girl safe, and even though she had helped a lot, he was going to count it as a win at life. Maybe this was the start of a streak, and he'd get a second win sometime soon.

He looked to The Other One. "We've escaped Azula! We did it!"

She almost managed a smile.

The walk to the North Park was fairly short; Father had made a good choice. Only a few people passed by and gave Zuko odd looks, which was no real problem as far as this day was going. At least they weren't trying to kill and/or throw shovels at him. The Other One let herself be pulled along, her gaze firmly on her feet (which Zuko realized were covered only in stockings, as she had left her boots back in the palace. He'd have to make sure those got back to her.) as they found the park and then a fairly isolated little pond within it.

With relief, Zuko splashed his head right down into the water. It was wet and cool, and when he emerged, he felt light and clean. This must be what a volcano felt like after erupting. Shaking the droplets away, he turned back to The Other One.

She was standing there staring at him. Her face was red again.

Zuko supposed she didn't like using pond-water as a bath. "It's okay! Nice and clean now."

She tilted her head to the left. Then to the right. Finally, she came over to the edge of the pond and kneeled down to dip a hand into the water.

With that settled, Zuko returned his attention back to himself. His face and hair were fine, now, but his clothes were still a mess. Should he just jump into the pond with them? Or take them off and try to clean them? Or could he just wet his hands and try to rub away the-

SPLAT.

Zuko could only sit there, numb, as the mud dripped down from his face.

It was The Other One's giggles that finally gave him the strength to turn and look at her.

She was still kneeling by the pond, pretending very hard to be minding her own business. But her lips kept twisting into a brief smiles, and giggles escaped from her attempt at seriousness. Zuko had to fight back against his own laughter. He shook the mud off his face, and then reached into the shallowest part of the pond in front of him to collect his own ammunition.

He didn't get three steps towards The Other One before she broke out into full laughter.

Zuko grinned and raised the mudballs in his hands.

She managed a, "No!" between cackles as she tried to scramble away, and her smile was as bright as the sun.

He chased after her. "You threw mud at me! Now I get to throw it at you!"

"No!" She ran around the pond, still chortling.

"Then why did you throw it?" He used one of his mudballs as a warning shot across her path. "People who throw messes get messes back!"

"Dirty looks good on you! Not me!" She tried to change direction and slipped on the grass, her laughter never stopping. She rolled on the grass and held up a hand in a very paltry attempt at defense.

It was the first coherent sentence he'd ever heard her speak. He decided he liked her voice.

But that wasn't going to stop him from beaning her with a mudball. "Dirty looks good on you, too." He raised his arm to throw-

"Mud looks good on no one," Azula said.

Zuko dropped the mudball and whipped around to see his sister coming up the path towards the pond. The Other One's laughter cut off with a squeak. He wanted to run, but the pond was behind him, and his sister was in front of him. There was nowhere to go.

Azula nodded as she approached. "Father said there would be presents waiting for me at the end of the ashy footprints. And it isn't even my Name Day."

Intimate

Mai couldn't move as Princess Azula, Namesake of the Fire Lord and the last living Royal Blood Daughter, stalked up the park's path. As always, Azula's clothes were crisp and immaculate, and now she wore a red silk veil hanging from her topknot-crown as a blazing backdrop for her visage. The only thing ruining the regality was the pure Murder in her golden eyes. Bloodthirst just wasn't something that could be displayed gracefully.

Mai was suddenly no longer enjoying her own filthy state. It was fun with Zuko, but it made her feel like garbage compared to Azula, although thankfully not the smelly kind made up of half-eaten fruit. Even with a knife, she couldn't stand up to the Princess of Fire. For one, fire was a bit more versatile than knives.

Mai had to get out of here.

She had to run. She had to get away. But there was a pond behind her. Jump into the pond? Pretend to drown, fake her death, and run away to a Water Tribe? Or go around the pond and hope Azula wasn't in the mood to run? Perhaps attack Azula? (No, bad idea. Stupid, stupid, stupid.) Maybe throw herself on the ground and beg for mercy?

In the end, she did the only thing she could do.

She jumped behind Prince Zuko.

Azula laughed. "OooOOOOooooooOOOOOooooooh, you're so friendly with each other. Did you have a lot of fun running away from me?"

Mai felt herself blushing despite her fear. She had gotten dirty and lost her boots and nearly died a few times, but yes, she had actually had lots of fun. Was that wrong?

"Go away, Azula!" Prince Zuko clenched his fists and took a step towards his sister. "We don't want you here!"

But she rolled her eyes at him. "I can go wherever I want, Zuzu. And she's my friend, not yours. Mine! It's time to give her back."

Mai put her arms around Prince Zuko's waist to make it clear which sibling she preferred to be with, right now. (It was the one who wasn't probably about to set Mai on Fire, for reference.)

Prince Zuko seemed to get the message. "You're just going to hurt her. That's wrong. And mean. You shouldn't do it. I won't let you. Mom says it's wrong to set people on fire unless they attacked you first or were born in another nation."

Mai nodded her agreement, but first ducked a little behind Prince Zuko so that no one would see it. Public statements were easier to make when no one was paying attention to you.

And she hated being the center of attention. Only bad things happened when people looked at her. They'd tell her to shut up, to not be a bother, to go somewhere else, to cut it out with the singing, to get rid of the spider, to stop being weird. It was much easier to deal with people one at a time (especially when you only had one knife), easier to be quietly polite and then reach out only when the person really seemed safe. Like Ty Lee. Or Prince Zuko.

Azula wasn't one of the safe ones.

She was more like the knives Mai was collecting- sharp and dangerous. And also like the knives, the princess made Mai feel strong. That was why Mai had-

"You think I'm wrong? You think I'm being bad?" Azula snorted as a breeze teased the veil that hung over the back of her head. "You don't even know what she did. You just took her and hid her and you don't even know her."

Prince Zuko glanced back at Mai. She tightened her grip on his waist but couldn't meet his gaze.

He looked back at his sister. "I know she's brave and smart and really funny. I like her."

Azula broke out into a grin. "Ooh, you like her!"

Mai's heart went thumpidity-bump. Prince Zuko liked her?! Like, boy/girl?! Kissy? Getting married?

WOW.

Zuko, though, pulled himself right out of Mai's grip and said, "I hate lovey-dovey stuff! She's my friend and I know her. That's what I meant."

Oh.

But still: WOW.

Azula shook her head. "You think she's nice. I thought that, too, when I saw her in school. That's why I didn't care about her at first. But then I learned that she's not nice. She's mean. She just hides it really good."

Prince Zuko was scowling.

Mai could see where this was going. It was going to come out, now. Zuko would know what had happened. He'd let Azula have her. There was nothing Mai could do to stop it, now. She sat down on the grass and hugged her legs to herself.

Azula glanced at her, and then back to Zuko. "She didn't want to play with me and Ty Lee. She said we were boring. So we left her alone and played by ourselves. And then-"

Azula reached up and pulled her crown out of her topknot. The veil fell away, revealing-

-Mai couldn't help looking up-

-that Azula's long hair had been shorn away, leaving just enough for the knopnot and the twin spears that framed her face.

Zuko made a sound deep in his throat. "You cut your hair off?!" No doubt he was shocked by the missing locks that had once spilled down like a waterfall to her shoulders.

Mai looked down again, unable to stand the sight of either sibling.

Azula said, "No, I didn't. And neither did Ty Lee, but her braid is cut in half now. Someone decided that sneaking up behind her friends and slicing their hair off with her stupid new knife wouldn't be boring."

Mai squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that were starting to well up. That wasn't why she did it. She just- she was looking at the knife- she was wondering how sharp it was- sometimes they laughed at her even though they were her friends- the girls weren't paying attention to her- she just grabbed and slashed- Azula had shrieked- Ty Lee had cried-

It was stupid. Mai was stupid. She hated herself. And now Prince Zuko would hate her, too.

He knew who she really was, now.

She could hear him sitting beside her in the grass. "Is Azula telling the truth?"

Mai couldn't find her voice, so she nodded.

"Why?"

Mai shook her head. It was the only answer she could give.

Zuko stood up again. "I think she's sorry. And you still shouldn't hurt her."

What?! He didn't-

"Oh, I don't want to hurt her anymore." Azula shrugged.

What was going on? Mai was safe? And both siblings liked her again? She opened her eyes and looked over at her princess.

Azula smiled. "You're going to make it up to me. Show me how sorry you really are. Or I will hurt you. Zuzu can't protect you forever. Do what I say, or I'll get you back someday."

Zuko stalked towards his sister. "Azula-"

But Azula continued, "I want you to cut off Zuko's hair, too. Cut it so that he can't make a topknot or Phoenix Tail or anything. Make him ugly."

"What?!" Zuko started to back away, but Azula was already in motion, rushing up behind him and grabbing his arms. He twisted and pulled and growled, but Azula kept a hold of him, and at the first chance used her leverage to force him down to his knees.

Azula looked back to Mai. "Do it. Do it now."

Mai stood up and took the knife out.

She hated this. She hated this but she had to do it. Azula was right. There was no running from her.

Mai felt bad that she made Zuko work so hard to protect her. It was all for nothing. And now he'd hate her.

Because she had to it.

Mai approached him.

Zuko shook his head.

Mai reached out and ran her free hand through his hair. It was so clean and smooth now, and it was ever more fun to touch now than when he had been covered in ash. She tried to smile, to remind him how much fun they had today.

Zuko's lip trembled.

"I'm sorry," Mai whispered to him. At least it wasn't the first thing she'd ever said to him. What had it been? 'Dirty looks good on you.' And it was true.

She brought the knife up-

-slice-

-and now his hair was hers.

Not sure what else she could do to show how much she hated this, she leaned down and dropped a kiss on his forehead. The feel of his skin on her lips jolted her like lightning.

Zuko sniffled.

And Azula laughed. "Good. Now go home and don't show yourself again until I call for you."

Mai dropped the knife on the grass and turned to go. She didn't want this one anymore. But she kept Zuko's cut hair tight in her fist.

It was probably all she'd have left of him.

Stars

"Honestly," Mom said, "where did you and Azula get the idea to cut each other's hair?" She made another couple of snips and then stepped back. "There. That looks fine."

Zuko accepted a mirror from her and examined the terrible aftermath of the tragic epic that had turned out to be his day. His hair was short. Not that short, but still- he'd only had long hair before. His head felt strangely light. He imagined that this was what it was like to look at a battlefield after one's side had gotten thoroughly trounced by the other, only without the blood or the screams of agony.

(Well, less screams of agony. Zuko had never liked haircuts.)

Zuko put the mirror down on his dresser, catching the reflection of the stars in the night sky through his bedroom window. That was the same window he had fallen out of earlier today, with his hand intertwined with a little girl who needed his help and had kissed him and sliced his hair off on the orders of his sister.

Really, the sagas of Xiangyu the Swordsman had nothing on what Zuko had gone through, today. (For one thing, there were less girls in Xiangyu's stories, which Zuko used to consider a selling point.) "I can grow it long again, right? Do a Phoenix Tail again?"

"Of course you can, sweetie. Only haircuts done with Firebending tend to be permanent." Mom smiled. Then she frowned. "Don't tell your sister that."

Zuko nodded his agreement, not that he expected Azula to be keen on matters of hair for quite some time. Unlike Zuko, she had been clear that she had no intention of growing her hair long again. Both of them, though, had covered for The Other One, which surprised Zuko coming and going because Azula was a vindictive little gremlin and he was still kind of mad at The Girl Who He Thought Was His Friend. Neither of them had a reason to keep The Other One out of trouble.

But apparently Azula was capable of keeping her end of a bargain, because she had taken the heat for her minion. And Zuko-

Well, he liked to imagine that he wouldn't have done the same thing her shoes - or, rather, her filthy stockings that had holes in them by the time the day's activities were done - but defiance of Azula was always easier in theory than in practice. For one thing, she still tended to bite.

Still, as nice as being with The Other One had been, she obviously was Azula's property and Zuko couldn't trust her. That was that.

Perhaps it had been some kind of sign that he never learned her name. He wasn't meant to be friends with her. The kiss she had laid on his forehead - the first kiss he had gotten from outside his family - was a goodbye kiss.

Zuko sighed.

Mom ran a hand through his newly trimmed hair. "You sound tired. Come on, it's time for bed. It's been a busy day. And I still don't know what was going on with most of it. Everyone knows ash-demons aren't real. And assassins? Here?" She guided him over to bed, and he was more than ready to climb in and get some sleep.

Before he could tug the sheets up, though, a servant appeared at the door and bowed. "Apologies for the interruption, Princess, but a gift has arrived for Prince Zuko."

"A gift?" Zuko remembered how Azula had said that Father told her where to find him and The Other One as a gift. Father had been trying to teach him a lesson, Zuko knew now, but it still felt- "Mom, can you look at it first? Please?"

"Okay, honey." She gave him a look, but went over to take the little bundle from the servant. She unwrapped the outer paper, and then let out a small laugh. "Oh, my. It seems you impressed someone today."

Zuko frowned. He had? He wasn't used to impressing people. He wasn't even sure how to actually do it. From what he'd observed, it usually had something to do with an achievement in Firebending.

Mom brought over the package and held it out to him.

Within the unwrapped paper was a pair of intertwined locks of beautiful glossy hair, so smooth and silky that they reflected even the dim light of the stars. One strand of hair was lighter than the other, and he realized it was his hair, cleaned and combed and braided around the darker hair.

At the middle of the braid, a red ribbon was tied in a bow, holding all the hair together.

Zuko knew that ribbon. The Other One wore them, when she wasn't all messy from having fallen into an ash heap.

There was a little note next to the hair: "I hope you still like me. I like you. Love, Mai."

Mai?

Mai!

Mai.

Mai.

Her name-

Her name was Mai.

Well, so much for signs.

Unless-

Maybe-

Was this a sign, too?

Mom chuckled. "I'm glad you're getting along with your sister's friends. And you must have been very nice to her. She's a shy girl and gets spooked easily."

Zuko picked up the braided hair. She'd cut some of her own? And sent it to him?

And she'd told him her name.

Granted, she probably didn't realize that it had been a mystery to him, but-

"Well, I'm not afraid," Zuko declared. "I'm a Prince. I have to be brave for the people who aren't."

Mom leaned over and gave him a kiss at the top of his head. "Especially pretty little girls ribbons in their hair."

She was halfway to the door before Zuko realized what she was implying.

"Mom!"

He slept with the hair, and the note, under his pillow.

END