Mai is bored out of her mind (justtakethebear) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-07-31 01:19:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, iroh, kitty pryde (shadowcat), mai |
Mai is a very capable young lady
Who: Iroh, Kitty, Mai
What: Kitty and Mai get tea, Iroh is Iroh.
When: Sunday, after Kitty deals with 'Sunday at the Wisdom Residence'.
Where: The Jasmine Dragon Tea House
Ratings/Warnings: PG-13 for ... stuff. Triggers: Foreshadowing of possible cutting. Also talk about Miscarriage, so sorry for not adding that warning earlier!
Status: Complete
Kitty looked around for Iroh after she got to the tea shop. She hoped to get a moment to chat with him before she sat down with Mai. Because he was a nice man and because she felt like he might have some advice of his own to offer her.
The old man's tea shop had held up surprisingly well during the earthquakes and ensuing alien invasion. There was little in the shop that the critters enjoyed eating, and they'd simply taken the tea cakes off the menu for a few days while trying to keep the fuzzballs contained in the zen garden.
It seemed the appropriate place to keep little fuzzy trilling creatures. Quite relaxing, really.
Iroh was almost sad that they were gone, now. He was serving tea to a table as Kitty walked in, but as soon as he'd finished, he waved at her and smiled, "Ah, my young ninja friend!"
She bowed to him, "Sensei." It seemed appropriate, given the circumstances and the kind of man he was. As soon as she'd said the word she'd realized how much she missed having someone like that in her life. A sensei, a teacher. A wiser older friend.
"I'm glad this place is still standing!"
The bow he gave her in return was a reverant one. He felt honored that she'd call him such a thing, and even more honored by the bow. When he'd finished the bow he was smiling so much that his eyes had almost disappeared in happy smiling wrinkles.
"There is nothing that can knock down a Dragon when it wants to stay standing, and we would be fools to test that theory," came his reply. He motioned her over to a back table, "It is good to see you here."
Wrinkle smile was adorable! Kitty followed him, "I invited Mai out to tea since I thought it might do her some good. I want to keep in touch with her after our little adventure. Doesn't seem right just ...never talking again, you know?"
"Often times of crisis bind the people who experience them together," Iroh nodded. He didn't think she was at all fine, especially the way she was referring to it so casually, like it had been a walk to the park or a vacation somewhere.
It was probably better than Mai was handling it, though. His potential neice couldn't even mention it. He was greatly concerned for both girls.
He motioned to a table, "Tonight, I think you should allow me to buy you whatever tea you wish. As a thank you, for all you have done for Mai. And as a celebration that you are here at all."
It had been a splendid cruise, totally! Kitty shook her head, "Oh no, I couldn't! Your business has probably already taken a major hit."
She had no idea that Iroh and Mystique of all people were major linchpins that had saved her life. She'd probably never believe the latter one at all. She took a seat at the table.
"There is no shame in accepting a courtesy when it is offered you," Iroh rumbled. He wasn't backing down from this. Mai was family as it was, and it seemed wrong to charge family for tea.
"What kind of tea would you like?"
"Green tea would be fine, thank you." Kitty took a seat, once again taking in the tea shop. She really did want to spend more time here. It was peaceful, quiet and friendly. A part of herself felt at home, aided by Iroh's kind words. Mai was lucky to have family like him.
Iroh smiled, and nodded his head, then shuffled off to get the tea prepared.
Meanwhile, Mai made her way into the tea shop. She was pale, and thin, and felt about as fragile as she still looked. But she was stubborn enough to keep right on walking like everything was fine. She'd only been let out that morning.
Kitty waved her over. Smartly, she didn't get up to help her, or pull her chair out. She thought Mai would want to do that on her own right now. Stubborn people can get like that.
The wave caught Mai's eye and she slowly made her way over, with all the grace and air of someone who was still a very important diplomatic asset. She wasn't, of course, but that was beside the point. She honestly didn't know how else to be.
When she got to the table, she slid her chair out and settled into it, with that same grace, "Did Uncle Iroh come over already? That man never misses a thing."
Mai was a graceful woman. She shouldn't change that just because she was no longer an asset. Kitty hoped her father lost his position. It would serve him right.
"He sat me down here himself," Kitty replied, smiling. "I've actually been here before."
"I know, we've been here together that one time," Mai nodded. Even then she thought she remembered Iroh being quite friendly with her. She must have been by on her own a few times.
Iroh came by with a tray of tea, and set it down for them, "My best, most delicate green tea. We have cakes again if you young ladies get hungry. Please, do not hesitate to let me know."
Kitty meant another time, but she nodded, "Yeah! That's right. That seemed to be ...a long time ago. Longer than it should be."
She looked up when Iroh came by, "Thank you, Sensei."
Iroh smiled another of his gigantic, eye-wrinkle smiles, bowed again, and shuffled off to take care of some other customers. Mainly so that the two girls could feel free to talk in peace.
After he was gone, Mai let her usually porcelaine guard crumble a bit, and poured herself some tea. Her hand was shaky on the pot, but she did it, anyway, "I can tell he was pleased by that. I don't think even Zuko ever gave him such an honorific."
"He deserves it. He's a smart old man, not just a wise one." She poured her own tea, then reached over to take Mai's hand, "You're safe here. I'd be scared to take him on." She winked.
She'd hoped to disarm and relax Mai.
"Has he actually taught you anything, though?" Mai was sincerely curious. But she didn't really feel safe there. She didn't feel safe anywhere, not even in Zuko's bedroom.
"A few things. Mostly on healthier ways to work through issues than a fight club, among some other things." He'd probably tell her something like Illyana had, only less blunt. When it came to commitment, come to think about it.
It was true, Iroh was excellent at dispensing advice, especially in ways that weren't blunt. Sometimes though, that was what made him hard to take seriously. People often took his stories to just be stories, without reading into them.
"Heh, that's funny. I had that same talk with a friend a long time ago," Mai mumbled.
"Yeah?" Kitty picked up her tea and took a long sip, "I wonder what he'd tell us about what we've been through."
It would probably be a little cryptic unless they were willing to listen better. Kitty thought she would. Or hoped she would, at any rate.
"Probably stuff that we mostly already know," Mai remarked, while sipping at her tea, "Things about how we're closer because of it, and that we needed to be the light of hope for ourselves when all is dark, and to live your life so that you have no regrets."
"The latter part I'm willing to give a try," Kitty replied, thinking of Illyana and Pete's more blunt way to say that. "And the closer thing, though I think a trip to Disneyland would have been more fun."
"Don't mistake 'close' for 'happy'."
Mai sighed. She wasn't sure why she'd even come here today. She felt out of sorts, and was never at her best in public situations like this. At least where being open was concerned.
"I mean..less traumatic." Kitty said, a little lamely. She ran a hand through her hair, "..Did you tell Zuko? How did he take it?"
Mai looked down at her hands, "I told him, yes. After you left. He didn't... take it well at all. I think we're a little confused about the whole thing. I'm not sure we would have ... wanted it, if we'd known. Now we don't know how to feel about it."
"It's confusing, I know. Don't let yourself thing that it's not. That there's a good answer for wanting it or for not wanting it. You'll never know how you would have reacted. You can only react now."
Kitty's perspective was colored by her day so far.
"See, you have been here listening to Uncle. That's exactly something that I think he'd say," Mai managed a bit of a smile, and nodded, "I'm too young to be a mother. Not the kind of mother I'd want to be. We would have managed, I think, but I think I would have ... it would have been kept out of duty, not out of love. If that makes sense. I think Zuko would have always wondered about that, with me."
"He'd say it more wiser," Kitty retorted, smirking. "You're probably right. In a few years your perspective will be completely different, I bet."
It sounded almost like personal experience, though she'd only ever had one 'scare'. It hadn't lasted long enough for her to even tell him that she'd thought she was pregnant before her period had come. It was both heartening and saddening to see his reaction with Neena. Oddly enough, that hadn't sent her running.
"Probably. It's so hard to break out of old habits. I find myself questioning everything I do."
But Mai knew she wouldn't have done this right. In a way, she was relieved, now that she'd had a few days of space from the actual event of it happening. She'd been mad that the choice had been taken out of her hands, now she was glad that she hadn't had to make it herself. She felt like kind of a monster for thinking like that.
"... is it bad that I'm kind of relieved now?" She might as well talk it out.
"No." Kitty shook her head, "It's a lot of pressure taken away from you. You've had time to grieve and look at it objectively. You can try again when you're ready. Or it'll happen again before you're ready and you'll have to deal. I don't really know what I'd do. At this point in my life the only way I'm getting pregnant is if I go out and do something about it, so I can't have any accidents."
She thought about Pete and Neena, "But sometimes things happen for a reason, and you have to reach out and grab the opportunity when it happens because you don't know if it'll come again."
"I guess that's something you and I are learning. I mean, I kind of feel like there's a lot about life I sleep-walked through, and now that I've got this second chance..." she trailed off, and looked down into her teacup.
Mainly because mentally, she knew that's how she was supposed to feel. Sometimes she even managed that. Other times she didn't feel at all. She'd caught herself eyeing her knife collection after she'd gotten home.
She switched subjects, "I guess that's one benefit of being gay. No worries about unexpected children."
"Take it." Kitty touched Mai's hand again, as if to emphasize her words, "You wear a mask even now. It's okay to let it slip every now and again, and let people see the woman behind it. Even if you don't know who she is yet."
Pulling her hand away, Kitty nodded, "Yep. A whole other set of worries but not that one."
"What kind of worries?" Mai sounded honestly curious, and wasn't just deflecting the other things for the sake of deflecting them. She simply didn't know how to deal with any of that yet. Laying in the hospital wasn't as conducive to that sort of thing as some people might believe.
"People hating you. Not being able to get married, visitation rights and the like. I've only run into it a bit myself, fortunately. Nothing outright hateful. But I know it's out there and I know a lot of people aren't as lucky."
"Heh. I didn't even think about all of that," Mai frowned, "I should have, though. I was the one that told Azula to make her relationship with Ty Lee more profitable than damnable."
"Seems to have worked out. It's like she's actually trying." Kitty sounded genuinely surprised. And relieved, "Not to excuse how much of a bitch she can be. She really seems to love her though. I mean you probably got your usual hater reaction but from what I've read it's mostly positive. Because Ty Lee is adorable I think."
"She's bad for her, and doesn't deserve her, and every single one of us is waiting for Ty Lee to admit that the relationship isn't healthy. Hopefully before she gets hurt," Mai admitted. But she leaned back in her chair a bit, and added, "But she does seem to be making an effort. I've heard some disturbing things about ... how she might turn out later. I worry."
"As for how Ozai reacted, well ... He reacted better than I thought, or Azula thought. I think Zuko is both relieved for the two of them and annoyed that he's still out of favor."
And that was coming from Ty Lee's best friend. Kitty immediately grew worried, "Is she really that bad? I mean she's kind of bitchy and a little kinky, but I'll admit I haven't had the level of exposure that you or even Jubilee has had to her."
She wondered what Azula could become in Mai's dream world, that seemed to bring a sort of...was that fear? Or sadness in Mai's eyes?
Mai dipped her head off to one side, "It isn't her fault, I think. But how she was raised. Like how I was raised. We've been those people so long, it's hard to be anyone else. But with her... There's a history of instability in the family. This is something I won't talk about more in public."
"Don't, I don't want to bring any problems. I just don't want anyone to get hurt because we didn't do anything, you know?"
"There's nothing we can do but watch, at this point," Mai shook her head, "Ty Lee seems to think she can tame her I think. She makes fire come out of her hands. They both do, but with Azula it's more dangerous."
Mai didn't sound afraid of her at all, not for her own safety. Her only worry was for her friend.
"I remember. I hadn't even been all that shocked." Kitty laughed, but it was a hollow sort of laugh, "I'm not sure taming someone is the best way to have a relationship."
"It certainly doesn't work with Zuko," Mai remarked, with a bit of a snort. If he was his younger self, she wondered if they'd ever work. She hadn't had any dream yet that indicated they ever got back together after that note.
Who DOES that?
Kitty grinned, "You tamed him enough to come after you. I'd say that's a victory." She finished her tea and shifted in her chair, before resting her chin on her hands and studying Mai, "You get this wonderful curve to your lips when you talk about him without your mask."
The response Kitty got from that was an actual blush, and Mai ducked her head a bit, "It's stupid. In the other world, he dumps me by writing it on a note while we're evacuated because of some solar eclipse or something. That was my breakup. A note. We've been off again more and for longer periods than we've been on again. But even when I hated him, he was all I thought about."
"Men can be really dumb. Women too. Just relationships in general. It sounds like you just need to get over some commitment issues. He could be a little flightly..but mostly he's probably just scared."
"He's got a lot of reasons for that. Everyone in the Nation holds everyone else at arm's length. Except for Ty Lee. And Uncle Iroh." But Uncle Iroh wasn't really in the nation anymore, and Ty Lee hadn't joined yet.
Mai wondered if she could head that off at the pass.
Kitty nodded, "You need to keep them out of it."
"Uncle Iroh keeps himself out of it. He's pretty much done with that life, and smarter than the rest of us for it. Ty Lee though... she'd join just because of Azula and never be able to get out after that. She's too loyal."
"I really don't like that idea..." Ty Lee was really innocent in Kitty's eyes. Not entirely - she was pretty perceptive and smart. Maybe the correct word was idealistic. Kitty saw a bit of herself in the gymnast.
"I'd hate to see her crushed."
"I don't like the idea at all," Mai agreed, "It's the entirely wrong thing for her to be involved with. None of us should be, but especially not her."
The woman was extremely protective of her more idealistic friend. It was obvious in the tone she used. Nothing would happen to her as long as Mai could prevent it. She owed her that much.
"I trust you to do the right thing," Kitty said, after several moments in silence. She thought it would be what Iroh would say.
"... did you just Uncle Iroh me?" Mai squinted at her.
"Maaaaaybe."
"I've already got one Uncle Iroh, I don't need two," Mai scolded her, a bit teasingly. She reached out for the tea kettle, carefully, and pulled it toward her. There was a slight twitch of her wrist as she poured, like she was trying to keep the sleeve from riding up.
"But you're both right, I guess. Only there's lots of ways to do the right thing."
"I don't think I could pull off the wizened look," Kitty replied. She wondered if she'd look that good at that age, though. If she kept up her work outs she would. She had a sudden, sobering thought. In that other world she'd never believed she'd live to be that old. She always believed that something would cut her life short while she was young, and she'd even had doubts about making it to thirty.
This was the first time she could recall where she'd thought she'd make it to even Iroh's age.
"You okay?" Kitty had caught the twitch, but assumed that Mai was still shakey.
Mai blinked at her a bit, before lifting her teacup up and taking a sip. Her expression was clouded for a second, before it went back to the sort of more open smile she'd been wearing before, "The kettle is heavier than I'm used to."
She sequed from there back to the idea of Kitty pulling off a wizened look, "I think you could manage looking like a dignified older lady, though. You'll have crow's feet, you smile a lot."
"The dreaded wrinkles," She said, laughing. "If I keep up with the ninjitsu I'll probably have a twenty year old butt on a sixty year old body."
Kitty was totally milf material.
"You'll pull it off too, you know."
"I'll use all of those ancient asian secrets to look 20 years old when I'm 54," Mai agreed, with a grin that didn't quite seem to reach her eyes.
"You mean you're not already sixty?"
"Nope, not yet," Mai chuckled.
"You're already gorgeous," Kitty assured her. She poured herself some more tea and took a sip. She didn't know what Iroh DID but it was the best green tea she could remember having.
If he was asked, he'd have to tell her it was some old and well guarded family secret.
"Well you're pretty, too. This conversation is getting kind of wierd now, though." Randomly, Mai thought of that cheek peck back on the ship, "... and that wasn't even enough of a kiss to cross off my bucket list. What kind of recruiter are you?"
It probably wasn't but she could appreciate the mystery.
"One madly in love with her woman," Kitty replied with an easy grin. "Or there would have been tongue."
Mai pondered that. Her feelings were more open than she'd originally thought. That got filed away to reflect upon later, though.
"You're going to London too, aren't you? I wonder if we're on the same flight."
"We might be. We're leaving tomorrow. I think we'll barely have enough time to get into the hotel before we have to get to the gymnastics building." Kitty leaned forward. She was excited to visit London again. They'd have a lot of time to catch the sights and maybe even some other events.
"We're leaving tomorrow morning... but I guess I'll see you there. We should sit near eachother." Mai thought back to the time they'd met, "Because of you I know exactly what hair products I'll need."
Kitty grinned. She'd almost forgotten about that, "Hey. That's right. Your hair will be safe. You're welcome."
"I'll manage to look painfully thin and glamorous, just like the newly-exiled porcelaine doll I am," Mai quipped, then snerked. She drained her teacup, and glanced over at the time.
She still needed to buy things for the flight, and pack. She wasn't even sure she wanted to go. She couldn't say she was looking forward to it, but she knew Ty Lee needed her. Right now Iroh and Azula's kindness were the only things keeping her from being out on the streets.
"...Hey, I'm glad that we're doing this." she said randomly. She wanted Kitty to know that.
"If the story doesn't break," Kitty said, softly her eye sblazing a little. "I'll leak something to the press so he's forced to resign. He cost you everything, he needs to lose things too."
She squeezed Mai's hand, "I'm glad, too."
"No, don't do that," Mai's eyes widened and she shook her head violently, "Please. Please don't do that."
"Mai, we can't let him get away with this!" Kitty was insistant, "Why not?"
"Because I have a brother, alright?" Mai snapped, and pulled her hand away, "And he deserves to be raised better, sure, but he also doesn't deserve to have a horrible life now, or a harder one, just because of me."
"Shit.." Kitty sat back, "I'm sorry, I didn't think about that." Still, it grated on her that he'd get away with this. That he might even have more of a part in that trade, for all they knew.
Mai shut her eyes, "You, you're straight as an arrow about that stuff. The world I come from, you can't just do that. It's worse than a chess game. You have to think your actions through, 60 steps ahead. It's complicated, and annoying, but at least he can be their sole focus now."
Mai had lost a baby, and her safety and her parents all at once, "You're being taken care of, right?" Kitty just couldn't fathom this.
She nodded her head, "Between Azula and Uncle Iroh, I'm in good hands. She found me a job of sorts that I'll pick up when I get back. We were already making plans, just in case. It's just a matter of acting on them earlier than we wanted."
"What about Zuko?" Kitty look ruffled. He was her man he should be helping too! She wondered if Azula was going to be in trouble, between the on air kiss and the latest incident.
"Zuko is part of Uncle Iroh, honestly," Mai shrugged a shoulder, "But financially it's all a mess. You can imagine how displeased his father was that he came to my rescue."
"And I thought my mom was a witch," Kitty mused. "If you guys ever need anything, let me know, okay?"
"I will, thank you. But I think we'll all be stubborn over here and only use your help as a last resort," Mai's tone was the kind where it was hard to tell if she was joking, or not.
She got up from her chair at that point, and twitched some hair back into place, "I've got a lot of stuff to do before tomorrow, so I hope you don't mind if I cut this short."
Kitty nodded her head, and then got up as well. She gave Mai a hug, and kissed her on the lips. It was a light, friendly kiss, and she smiled cheekily, "Now you can cross it off your bucket list."
The other woman reacted to that kiss with a bit of a blush, "My my, what will people think of that, Ms. Pryde?"
She hugged Kitty lightly, though, and waved at her, "I'll see you in London. Have a good flight."
"You too." Kitty waved at her, then went to locate Iroh. She wanted to make sure there wasn't any way she could help, anonymously.
Iroh was in the back, sipping some Ginseng tea and watching Mai leave. He'd been watching the entire conversation from his little perch, in fact, and smiled at Kitty as she walked over.
Kitty bowed to him, "I hadn't realized how bad it was with her parents. She won't let me help, but is there anything that I can do to help?"
The old man squinted a bit at her, like he was trying to decide how much further to get his young ninja friend involved in this, "At the moment, I can say with certainty that she needs you to keep an eye on her, more than anything else."
"Well, we'll all be in London so that'll help." Kitty threaded her fingers in her hair, "I know she doesn't need it but I feel like I wanna protect her."
"Mai is a very capable young lady," Iroh agreed, but he was frowning, "It is often the capable ones that are the most unwilling to admit they need help when they do."
Kitty eyedarted, "I believe that."
Iroh eyed her, and smirked a bit, "I am sure that you do. Perhaps you are already well acquainted with that sort of situation."
He paused a bit, and the smile faded, "I am concerned, for her and Zuko both. I am not as young as I used to be, and my eyes cannot be everywhere at once. I think, more than anything, she needs a friend like you."
"She has one," Kitty replied, confidently.