Zuko wants to grow up already (myowndestiny) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-06-11 17:09:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, azula, mai, ty lee, zuko |
"I hear that they're considering a version of Polo with snakes, Mai."
Who: Azula, Ty Lee, Zuko, and Mai.
What: Impromptu trip to Japan to rescue Mai from Dying of Boredom(tm)
When: Sunday
Where: Tokyo
Status: Complete
Rating: PG-13 for language
Azula hadn't bothered sleeping. Or rather, she didn't get to have much. She liked to encourage Ty Lee's role reversals - she'd been waiting to find out of the woman had a backbone, after all. There were certain kinds of being stood up to she could respect - and wanted. And certain kinds that would piss her off.
She didn't know where it was going, or if it would last before she couldn't take it any more and broke it off. Thinking about it too much made for weird feelings inside of her, so she didn't.
There hadn't been a fire incident since that last time, though while she was in the shower she'd had to turn it up even higher than usual. It turned her private bathroom into a sauna.
She paid the driver to carry their luggage down to the car. Just enough for about 3 nights though she had no intention of staying that long. Pick up Mai, force Zuko to take her out, and then hit a place with Ty Lee. It might feel good to dress up again, especially if it helped her get into a mood about what Rarity was making for her. Which she wouldn't breath a word of to Ty Lee.
Azula smirked to herself for the entire ride to the tea-shop.
Zuko slept. He slept like the dead. He knew he wouldn't get much with Zula and Ty Lee around and he wanted to stock up on it. The thought of actually spending time with his sister sent his stomach into a tailspin. He'd have to anyway, if they were going to bring the Fire Nation more honor - but it was still Azula. The little brat had grown up into a gigantic bitch.
The thought of seeing Mai filled his chest with different fluttering. Anger, sadness, loss. Butterflies. Maybe he should have let his Uncle set something up with that girl on the net. It wasn't like he wasn't popular with the women who came into the teashop.
Granted, only about 25% of them fell into a desirable age range for him, but that was besides the point. At the sound of the honking, he waved to Uncle and then ran out the door.
"You're running late, Zu Zu."
Zuko glared at his sister, "I told you I hate it when you call me that!"
Azula just smiled at him.
Of course. Shaking his head, Zuko climbed into the car, sitting next to Ty Lee. Girls were crazy.
Iroh waved at the car as it pulled away, and Ty Lee waved back at him. She thought he was a sweet old man, and generally not as crazy as either Azula or Zuko kept saying. Then she bounced in her chair and greeted Zuko with a huge hug.
"Zuuuko! Isn't it great? We're going to rescue Mai!"
"So I hear." Zuko hugged her back, and Azula gave him an indecipherable look. He shrugged it off, and sat back, folding his arms, "I go under duress."
"That's fine, Zu Zu. I've already arranged a dinner reservation for you two and there's a nice outfit packed and ready to go in the trunk." Azula gave him a knowing smirk, "We would need to impress Mai, after all."
Zuko leveled a dry gaze at his sister. Mai's last whatever the last time they'd spoken still stung to think about.
Ty Lee kept trying to explain that you had to understand how to read Mai's whatevers, but no one ever listened to her. She was so excited about this trip to Japan that she didn't really want to think about the possibility that Mai might not want to see them.
"We're going to have so much fun! Everything will be fine."
"Everything will be perfect, and is set up." Azula glanced at Ty Lee, a possessive smirk on her face, before she returned to a predatory look at Zuko.
Her brother tried to ignore it. Azula always had a plan of some sort. Whatever her ultimate goal was she wasn't trying to set him up out of the goodness of her heart.
At least Iroh had that much.
"See? Don't worry, everything is going to be perfect." Ty Lee grinned at Zuko, and then pulled out her phone. "Words with friends?"
Zuko stared at her. Azula rolled her eyes, "At least it's not Bejeweled."
Bejeweled was on Ty Lee's phone, and she probably would resort to it on the flight. For now though, she decided to catch up on the social networks. She should probably let Jubes know she'd be out of town.
The car eventually arrived at the airport, and they made their way to the private jet. It was almost done being fueled, and would take them to Hawai'i to refuel and from there straight to Tokyo. Azula sat in a comfy chair, looking around. She'd have to make Zuko go talk to the pilot before they landed. She had a gleam in her eyes.
Ty Lee was completely oblivious as to why Azula would want to make Zuko get lost for a while.
So was Zuko.
The Gulfstream taxied onto the runway, and got clearance to take off. Azula hadn't been in the new company jet yet, and it was even more luxurious than the last one.
It was technically business use. If she was going to do syndicate work, she wanted her team. Her, Mai and Ty Lee, just like the old days. And Zuko, if she can twist him to her own use. Otherwise she'd rather he twisted on a noose.
But having him on board would help with Mai, and vice versa!
Once they were in the air, she unbuckled and reclined in the seat.
Zuko felt momentarily queasy during take-off, but said nothing. He wouldn't live it down if he went for the air sickness bag. Azula wouldn't let him forget it.
Once they were in the air his stomach calmed down. He turned to Ty Lee, "How is gymnastics going?"
The jet was amazing, and as soon as they were free to walk around the cabin Ty Lee jumped out of her chair. She bounced around the place, checking out the features. "Did you know this couch folds OUT? And the chairs recline! This is so cool!"
She hopped onto the back of one of the chairs and did a little flip, landing next to Zuko. "It's going alright. I've gotten a lot better with the new coach. Hopefully my parents will be watching and maybe they can see that it's not just circus freak stuff."
"You know they won't be watching, Ty Lee." Azula's voice came from a reclined chair, like cold water splashing all over the mood.
Zuko shot the chair a dirty look, "Don't listen to her. She's lying. Of course they'll watch."At first Ty Lee was like: =[ but then Ty Lee was like: =D
Azula shrugged a shoulder. Ty Lee's parents would be there. Ty Lee just didn't know that yet.
Zuko looked out the window, "Mai doesn't want to see me."
"You don't know that!" Ty Lee jumped to her defense. Or maybe it was she just wanted to see him happy, "She's been really distant with all of us, but that's probably because of Japan and her new little brother."
Zuko grimaced, "You weren't there the ...nevermind. She won't be happy to see me, but at least she'll be happy to see you. Sort of."
"She'll be happy to see ALL of us," Ty Lee insisted, stubbornly.
These two were impossible, especially when they were both in the same room. She sighed, and hunkered down on her chair, pulled out her phone, and started playing Bejewelled.
One of Azula's eyes started to twitch, right around the 30th SPECTACULAR that Ty Lee got. She slid out of her chair, "Zu Zu, why don't you go up to the cockpit and get a lesson. You might need to fly some day."
Zuko tilted his head, "Are you kidding me?"
She looked at him dangerously, "Up front. Now."
"What's going on? If he doesn't want to go learn to fly, that's okay, isn't it?" Ty Lee frowned. She'd just gotten another EXTRAORDINARY and Azula was killing her buzz.
Azula grabbed Zuko's arm, dragged him up to the cockpit, and then came back. She plucked Ty Lee's phone out of her hand and kissed her.
"What are you--" OH!
Zuko didn't end up getting much of a lesson, but by the time he made his way back to the main cabin, Azula was casually reading. Not a hair was out of place and her clothing was wrinkle free.
Ty Lee, on the other hand, looked completely mussed up, and extremely happy with herself.
Zuko blinked, then shrugged, figuring Ty Lee must have had one hell of a bejeweled session, "We're due to land in Honolulu soon. He said there would be a three hour layover while they refueled."
"Ooo, a 3 hour layover! That's enough time to shop! Or go to the beach! Or eat delicious hawaiian food." No one else was excited about this trip, but that was okay, because Ty Lee was excited enough for all 3 of them.
"The beach sounds wonderful. Did you pack water waders, Zu Zu?" Azula glanced at her brother, barely covering a snicker. She wanted to hug Ty Lee for the suggestion.
Zuko flipped her off, "I'm not going to the beach. It's vastly uncool."
"It's TOTALLY cool!" Ty Lee hopped off the chair and checked to see if there was a bathing suit in her carry on. Of course there wasn't, so she pouted a bit, "But I don't have a swim suit."
"See? We don't have swimsuits." Zuko nodded at Ty Lee.
Azula shrugged, "Nude beach."
There was an almost audible sound as the brakes went down in Ty Lee's head, and she started blushing, "Nude... beach?"
"Hell no!" Zuko wasn't going to be going to ANY beaches. Let alone a nude one, "You go one without us, and see how well you can pick up guys."
Azula narrowed her eyes, "I can pick up men, easily."
"You're terrible at it."
"Zu Zu don't make me throw you off this plane!"
"LOVE EACHOTHER!" Ty Lee shouted, with big squinty eyes of frustration.
Both looked at her, "NO!"
Looking between the two of them, Ty Lee's eyes started to water up. She sniffled a bit, and backed away from the two of them, "I'm going to... something."
Disembarking the plane right now, that's what she was doing. No nude beach, but maybe a delicious smoothie and some nice, peaceful hawaiian sun. Without those two and their yelling.
Azula watched her go, then turned around and slugged her brother. Zuko blocked it, and the two nearly got into it before the pilot kicked them off. Then they were in public again, and a false peace settled between them. Azula disappeared, and Zuko went to Starbucks. Where he got a machiatto. Because damn it he needed one.
It was a nice vacation and they were ruining it with stupid sibling stuff! Ty Lee just wanted them all to get along, it was so much better when everyone was together and happy.
Zuko was the first back on the plane, and he kept his arms folded, and was staring straight ahead. Because SISTERS SUCK AND NEED TO DIAF!If only you knew, Zuko. If only you knew.
After a nice relaxing few hours out and about, Ty Lee returned to the jet with a few bags of things. One of them seemed to be a bag of treats. She pulled out a peace offering of a big old cinnamon bun, and handed it to him.
"I'm sorry."
Zuko glanced at her, then took the bun, "Thanks. I'm not mad at you though."
Azula always had to have things her way. It grew old, very quickly.
"I yelled at you both, it's... my fault." Ty Lee wouldn't take any other response.
"Yes, it's your fault," Azula said coldly, walking onto the plane. She brush past both of them, and into the cockpit. The pilot came over the radio a few moments later, "Everyone seated please, we're cleared for takeoff."
Ty Lee's face sunk as she watched Azula walk by, "Oh... she's still mad at me I guess." She went ahead and pulled out the treat she'd gotten for Azula, though, and set it down where Azula had been sitting. Then she curled up somewhere that was nowhere near any of them.
Zuko glanced at her, "She'll get over it. She always does with you."
"She was starting to get ... warmer, but now she's all cold again," Ty Lee sighed, and pulled her phone out. She was careful to turn the sound off this time so as not to disturb the people in the cabin with how awesome she was at bejeweling.
Zuko tossed her some headphones, then looked out the window. It was going to be an awkward flight, but at least he didn't have to worry about his sister.
The worst part was that the flight back wasn't really promising to be any better.
Ty Lee gratefully took the headphones though, with a smile of approval at him and a wave.
As they approached Tokyo, the pilot came out of the cockpit, looking a little disturbed, "Miss Azula will be taking us in for the landing." Then he sat down and buckled up.
Zuko paled.
Ty Lee tucked her phone away, buckled up, and tried not to worry.
The plane came in low over the water, approaching the landing strip at speeds that should be called 'oh shit.'
There was a moment where Ty Lee swore her life was flashing before her eyes. It wasn't a very long story, and she really hoped she'd have more time.
Azula landed the plane, and it jostled just a little bit, but don't tell her she wasn't perfect. After they taxied in, she came out of the cockpit, looking smug. She brushed past Zuko, and debarked.
After a long moment of thanking the heavens and her ancestors that they landed safely, Ty Lee got up out of the chair she'd been buckled into, and started grabbing her stuff. Yay, they were in Japan! Yay, they were in one piece!
She'd never tell Azula this, but that landing was not perfect.
Zuko would tell Azula. Or he was going to until he saw Ty Lee bounce off the plane. Azula's friends were one of the few things that kept his sister from going completely off the deep end and he wasn't about to contribute to issues there. He picked up the pastry that Ty Lee had left for Azula and gave it to her, "Here. Make sure she actually gets that."
"Oh, thank you!" she sounded completely bubbly and upbeat, though there was a half second where her face sunk, because Azula hadn't seen it or picked it up, herself. She tucked it back into her little shopping bag. Hopefully Azula would be in a better mood later and would enjoy it then.
There was a car waiting for them. Azula was already inside, staring straight ahead. Zuko nudged Ty Lee ahead of him, not wanting to sit next to his sister. Ever.
Ty Lee looked at Azula and then back at Zuko, not sure that she wanted to sit next to his sister, either. But she shrugged and climbed in a second later.
Zuko got in, also staring straight forward, arms folded. As the car started to drive off, Azula's hand brushed Ty Lee's knee, almost imperceptively.
Ty Lee wasn't good at staring straight ahead and pretending that nothing was wrong, here. She glanced at Azula and then glanced at Zuko, then looked down at her lap for a while. How long was this car drive going to take? She was smushed into the middle and couldn't really take in the sights.
Azula brushed Ty Lee's knee again, this time a little harder, glancing at her out of the corner of her eye.
At the second brushing, Ty Lee glanced back at Azula again, wondering what it was she wanted.
Between their legs, Azula took Ty Lee's hand, for just a few minutes, before letting go and shifting towards the window. She pulled Ty Lee with her and pointed out the Tokyo Tower.
Oblivious, Zuko was looking out the other window. His stomach was twisting around in knots the closer they got to Mai.
Taking the momentary hand-hold to mean that Azula was forgiving her for shouting, Ty Lee snuggled in as subtley as she could. Azula was pointing out sights to her, and her spirits lifted again after their momentary plunge. "OOo. It's too bad we won't have time to really look around at everything."
"Maybe later this year," Azula promised. "When we have more time."
Zuko rolled his eyes. Azula always broke her promises.
"That would be great!" Ty Lee sounded like she beleived her. Her back was turned to Zuko, so she couldn't really see him rolling his eyes like that. If she had, she'd probably have ignored it anyway. She wanted to be in a good mood.
"You can't just randomly fly to Japan all the time, Azula."
Azula shot her brother a look, "I'll plan ahead. I wouldn't mind having some fun. You do remember how to have fun, Zu zu?"
Zuko bit back a response and looked out the window again.
"You can come with us, Zuko!" Ty Lee offered, then she glanced at Azula and frowned, "Though it'd be fun to just have the girls go on a trip together, too."
A wave of cold swept through the car at the mention of Zuko going with them, but it lifted just as quickly, "Girls only, I'm afraid. Maybe even just us."
Zuko glanced at them, "Fine by me."
"That would be fun, too!" Ty Lee clapped her hands together. It would be the best fun, but she was supposed to be keeping all of this stuff a secret, so she didn't say that.
The car pulled into a long driveway. Azula ordered the driver to go around the back. This was supposed to be a surprise, and she didn't want Mai knowing they were coming!
There was a function going on at the house they'd pulled into, and lots of cars were parked around the front. All the lights on the main floor were on, and music could be heard. Stuffy, boring, politician music.
Ty Lee tilted her head as the car parked, wondering what kind of party was going on in there, "I don't think we're dressed for this kind of thing."
"We'll go in the back." Azula stroked Ty Lee's knee again, and then she slipped out of the car. Her brother got out the other side. He pointed at a door, "Serving entrance. We can go in that way, and then head upstairs. Do you know where her room is?"
"Of course I do, Zu Zu. Ty Lee, lets go."
"We're going to crash a fancy party!"
The enthusiasm in her voice couldn't even be faked, and she bounced out of the limo a bit, not even questioning how it was that Azula knew which room was Mai's.
Mai wasn't in that room just at the moment, however. She was currently stuck in a wide room, fanning herself a bit and nodding repeatedly at a man who was rambling on and on about polo. Seriously. He rode a horse and hit a ball with a stick. She couldn't even be bothered with caring.
Azula held up a hand, "I've thought of that." Out of the car's trunk came a suitcase. In the suitcase where two little black dresses and a suit, "Zuko, find us a place to change, and no peeking when we do."
Zuko looked at her like she was still nuts, "Ew?"
"You're so great at thinking ahead, Azula," Ty Lee said, admiringly.
"Yeah, I'm not peaking." Zuko took his suit, and opened the door. He peered inside, and then gestured for them to follow. It didn't take long before they'd found a closet they could change in.
It wasn't a very roomy closet, which meant that Ty Lee got to take advantage of the fact that her body kept on rubbing up against Azula's while they changed. The dress felt great against her skin, whatever the fabric was, and she couldn't wait to see what Azula was wearing! It was hard to see anything in the closet.
If it wasn't for the makeup they needed to put on, Azula would have..okay so she knelt, pushing up Ty Lee's dress and biting then kissing where Ty Lee's leg met her rear end. She left a lipstick mark there, then dropped the dress back down. Ty Lee would have to walk around knowing that mark and that lipstick was there. Then she opened the closet and stepped out into the light, just in a way for Ty Lee to be able to stare with out Zuko noticing.
That was absolutely evil by most anyone's standards, but Ty Lee seemed pretty okay with it! It was this neat little love bite that was just for her and her alone! No one else would know about it, it was their little secret. She was beginning to understand why Azula wanted to keep it that way.
She stared at Azula a bit as she walked out of the closet, because... wow. She wished she'd gotten the chance to do the same thing to Azula, but Zuko was standing there, so she just crawled out of the closet instead.
"Let's go!"
Azula stood behind Zuko so she could look,then nodded approvingly, "I'm ready. Not bad Zu Zu, you look almost handsome."
Zuko adjusted his bowtie, and started to lead the way down the hallway, towards the room where the function was going on. He actually cut a rather dashing figure, like a dressed up Japanese gangster with two attractive women on either side of him.
Azula let him play the part. It would allow for keeping herself more anonymous, which she wanted for this. It was easy to underestimate the women floozies walking beside and slightly behind him.
Her brother was aware of that fact, and he had been counting on her to consider it. When dealing with Azula, sometimes the best way to handle it was let her manipulate things how she wanted, and use that to your advantage. He pushed open the door, and walked in.
Ty Lee was pretty much the perfect person to go to for this. Not because she was a floozy, necessarily, but because she was great at being bright, bubbly, and coming off like she WAS. She smiled and nodded to anyone who paid any attention to her, but mainly had her eyes out for Mai.
Mai was sitting on a bench, staring into the crowd and pondering what would happen if she really did have the power to burn people's clothing off with her eyeballs. Why? Because that was completely random, and also hysterically funny. Imagine this whole party going up in flames!
Most of the politicians ignored them, but one or two came over to talk to Zuko. While he kept them busy, Azula took Ty Lee's hand and dragged her over towards Mai, to sneak up behind her.
"I hear that they're considering a version of Polo with snakes, Mai."
Mai might have been surprised by being snuck up on, or may even have been happy to see them. Instead she turned around on the bench and looked at Azula, bowing a bit in greeting the way she'd done every day for the last 2 years of being here. Then she said, completely monotone, "Tell me you're here to kill me."
Ty Lee frowned. Why would they be here to kill her?
"We're here to rescue you," Azula replied, smiling broadly. "I need you in Orange County. I need people I trust. I already have a room set aside for you." There would be no killing today, she was too useful and needed to be alive, after all! Azula was genuinely happy to see Mai, and it was reflected in that smile, one usually reserved for the three of them and then still generally rare.
Polo with snakes would be amusing, though, now that she thought about it more. But only if the snakes were let out onto the open field to spook the horses. Mai pictured the snakes winding their way up the polo clubs and biting people. It almost made her smile. The idea of rescue was even better, "Azula actually needs me. I'm overwhelmed with happiness."
Ty Lee hugged Mai from her side, and squeezed her, "It's so great we're all back together again! You're going to help us be Fire people. You can live with us and eat with us and we'll be best friends forever. ... again."
Mai glanced at Ty Lee like she was not sure if she wanted, but Ty Lee was going to hug her anyway, so she might as well live with it. She patted Ty Lee on the arm and looked back at Azula, "Fire people. Now that's more like it."
"Dreams, Mai. The things I see in my dreams." Azula had Ty Lee sandwhiched between her and Mai, which was fine, "Lets get Zu Zu and get out of here before anyone notices you're gone. Anything you want from your room? I can buy you most everything though."
"If we're leaving I'm getting my stuff," Mai said, with a tone that was more icy than the previous tone had been. The mention of Zu Zu being here was not at all welcome. Azula was, in fact, killing her buzz. She wished that they actually HAD been there to kill her. That would be better than having to get in a car with Zuko.
Even facing Zuko was better than staying here, though. She got up, dragging Ty Lee with her, "Come on. It'll look like I'm showing you around."
Ty Lee let her go so that she could move, and bounced out ahead of her a bit. There was a lipstick smear on her leg, visible when she moved via the slit in her dress. Mai noticed that with her sharp eyes and glanced at Azula before making her way out of the room.
Azula hadn't noticed. She was already making her way to where her brother was engaged deeply in a converastion with another guy about the merits of something called a "diablo". She saunted up to the other boy and gave him her sexiest look, "I like your jacket. It looks sharp on you. Sharp like the teeth of a barracuda as it bites into the tender flesh of it's prey and shreds into tiny strips."
The man stared at her, then looked around, clearly distressed, before walking away at a hurried pace.
Azula frowned, "What? It was a good compliment!"
"You're hopeless, sister." Zuko held out his arm, and Azula reluctantly took it.
When they were safely out of the room, Ty Lee clapped her hands together and turned around to face Mai, "I'll help you pack! It'll be a lot of fun and I've gotten really good at getting lots of things into--"
She was cut off as Mai reached out a hand and put it over Ty Lee's mouth. She put a finger to her lips with her other hand, and though her face was almost expressionless, her eyes were scolding. She lowered her voice a bit, "It will be harder to leave if everyone knows about it."
Ty Lee's eyes widened a bit, but she nodded her head. Mai pointed in the direction of the stairwell, and they both took it up. When they got to the top, she gestured down the hallway and then quietly led Ty Lee to her room.
Where packing happened, quickly. There was no way in hell Mai was leaving all of her knives behind.
Zuko and Azula made their way back to the hallway, then immediately separated. Azula elbowed him in the ribs, "You need to talk to her. Did you see the way she was looking at you?"
"Yeah, like staring two daggers right into my throat."
"No.. No Zu Zu." Azula's tone was soothing, "She still cares."
"She never cared," He replied sourly. "Great compliment, by the way. Sharp as a barracuda's teeth? No wonder you don't have a boyfriend."
"I can get any man I want!"
"Prove it."
Azula snarled.
Oh no. Staring daggers at his throat? That was an understatement. Zuko, Mai is disappointed in you, because you aught to know her so much more than that. The daggers weren't in any way directed at your throat. Buried underneath the layer of apathy and the layer of ice queen and the other layer of apathy.... okay buried somewhere deep inside Mai under several layers of 'appropriate daughter' were feelings for Zuko. Those feelings weren't all hatred, but saying that she didn't know how to deal was an understatement.
Back in her room, Ty Lee was amazed by the amount of weaponry Mai was carefully packing up, "You have so many ways to stab someone with!"
Zuko had tried to know her much more than that, but it would require a bunker buster bomb just to get passed all the layers that Mai's emotions were surrounded in. And Zuko just hadn't been the man to get through to them. So he'd moved on, or tried to.
Mai would argue that Zuko was too lazy to try. She'd probably argue, as well, that neither of them had had the time, or could be bothered. She grabbed her two suitcases, and snuck them down the servant's staircase with Ty Lee in tow.
The ego could only take so many post-sex 'whatevers' before cracking. It had been three, to be precise. And they'd just been a casual thing. The whatevers had cinched it.
Zuko had the trunk up, and quickly took the suitcases from Mai, and threw them in the back. Then he crawled into the front seat, leaving the back of the car for the three girls.
Azula frowned. She'd intended to take the front seat, in order to force Zuko to sit with Mai. He'd preempted her. No matter. She grabbed him by the ear, and yanked him out of the car, "I called shotgun."
"Sure you did," Mai retorted, while settling her things more into place in the trunk. She took a third bag from Ty Lee and put that into the trunk, too, then shut it. Azula's manipulating wasn't even subtle sometimes. And she didn't want to have to bother with sitting anywhere near Zuko. In fact, it would have been funny to sit behind him the entire ride and kick his seat. Like she was 12.
Zuko got into the car, sitting behind his sister so that he could kick at her seat. Like he was twelve. Azula meanwhile tried to catch Ty Lee's eye to get her to NOT SIT BETWEEN THOSE TWO.
Ty Lee was waaaay ahead of her. She grinned at Mai and pushed her into the car, "You can sit next to me and we can talk about what you've been doing and how your brother is and things!"
Mai gave her a look that could be actually read this time as wanting to stab Ty Lee in the throat, as her butt got smushed against Zuko's and she had nowhere else to be but there. Between Zuko and Ty Lee. Why couldn't they just have killed her? It's not like it would have been that hard. She could have provided them with any number of implements to use, even.
Zuko kicked the back of the carseat as the car started to drive. Hard. Then he folded his arms and pointedly looked out the window, like he just wasn't going to talk to Mai. For the whole trip.
Up front, Azula rolled her eyes and pulled out a book.
That pleased Mai just fine, because she just wasn't going to talk to him. In fact, she didn't do any of the talking for a long while.
Ty Lee chatted at her about the Olympics, and how she had a ticket for her, and about the house they were flying back to - Mai was pretty impressed with Azula's taste on that note, but said nothing - and about her friend Jubilee.
Mai grunted every so often to let Ty Lee know she was still listening, while whirling a throwing blade around her finger.
The whirling blade annoyed Zuko. Finally, he snapped and grabbed Mai's wrist, "Will you stop that?!"
"Oh I'm sorry, are we keeping you awake over here?" Mai's usual monotone dripped with a bit of sarcasm, and she moved her arm out of his grasp.
"No." Zuko managed to make that one word filled with malice and venom and a lot of old hurt. He folded his arms again and glared out the window, like he was going to light the world on fire.
Up front, Azula casually turned a page.
"Then leave me alone," she shot back, with a tone so frigid that it might actually have frozen him if he'd been closer. A second later, she started flipping the knife back around her finger, like the entire exchange had never happened.
Ty Lee decided now was a great time to get out her phone and play some Bejeweled.
"SPECTACULAR!"
Both Zuko and Azula turned and snapped, "Put on headphones!"
"Or stab me in the ears," Mai added.
Ty Lee made big sad eyes at all three of them, then plugged in headphones.
Azula almost felt bad, but she went back to her book. By the time they got to the plane, she was rolling her eyes at the character. Clearly Katniss was a little twat and Azula could think of a half-dozen ways to eliminate the competition.
Mai had found that book incredibly idiotic. Who willingly sends their kids to die every year when it was obvious that the general population was both extremely unhappy with the idea and overpowered the amount of soldiers any one area had to enforce it?
Just read the rest of the books, it gets less idiotic. Azula put it down, and got out of the car, "Ty Lee, join me in the lounge? Zu Zu and Mai can play catch up up front."
It was going to be a short flight, but Azula didn't want to be near a) Mai's father or b) Anyone who might recognize her and Ty Lee out.
"I've been dying to play catch up with Zuko," Mai said, while getting out of the car from Ty Lee's side. She grabbed her things from the trunk and walked up into the Jet without waiting to hear a reply. The Jet was pretty nice, though. She was almost impressed.
Ty Lee bounced up up the stairs of the Jet. In the lounge with Azula was the best thing ever, and it let Mai and Zuko be ~alone together~.
Zuko followed, a dark expression on his face, "We could have driven to Osaka."
Azula shrugged, "We could have, but then we'd all be in a tiny car together, did you really want that?" She headed into the back with Ty Lee. The lounge wasn't huge, it wasn't even that large, but it did have coffee - and privacy.
Azual had plans. That involved Ty Lee getting naked while she picked out a place for her tattoo.
Zuko picked a seat, as far away from Mai as possible.
Mai stowed all of her luggage, then took a seat by the window, at the opposite side of the Jet. She turned and looked outside, completely content to ignore the fact that he was there at all.
This was going to take drastic measures. Fortunately Azula already had reservations made for two, at two separate restaurants.
The plane took off, for the short flight to Osaka, and at least one very awkward dinner date.