i got in a fight

[brandedloyalty]

[ He isn't a fugitive anymore, but chasing down the source of another rebellion means dodging the Fire Kingdom's officials... again. They move too slow! Flying the small craft by himself after the people who broke into the ceremony and nearly set the whole hall on fire is just more efficient.

Still, he has to dock and refuel at some point. On Zhe'Hou 89, an out of the way stop in the backwaters of the Fire Kingdom's system, he's disembarked and started looking for the cheapest place to buy supplies when he sees a familiar other craft nearby.

...well. That's not very good. Zuko pulls his hood up and backs up a few steps, tucking himself behind a pillar to see if he can confirm his suspicions that Mai is here, without getting caught. ]

Comments

[maipokerface]

[He doesn't have to wait long for confirmation. Naturally the first out of the craft are the higher-ranked individuals who want to disembark at this little hole-in-the-wall stop and Mai is one of them. At first a man trails by her side, yammering on about something. The dark haired woman to his side wears an expression of stern apathy that could be misconstrued as seriousness to one without a sharp eye. To those with it? She's looks achingly bored.

The man continues until they're near an almost dangerously close distance to the pillar Zuko has tucked himself behind and now the man's words are clearer. He's mentioning other backwater locations that may sound pretty familiar to the hidden former fugitive.

Mai herself sighs after a moment before she rounds on the man. The way she stands blocks whatever look she's giving him but apparently it's pretty effective by the way he straightens up at her glance.]

We'll talk about this after the ship is restocked. I'm pretty sure babbling on about all of this out in public isn't really helping us, is it.

[The man himself looks a little flustered. Whether it's from being put in his place, being chided on a mistake or something else is uncertain. He doesn't get the chance to make an excuse before Mai waves a hand in a shooing motion.]

Why don't you go supervise the crew or something.

[The unspoken intent is clear. Make yourself useful for once.]

[brandedloyalty]

[ Dammit, it is Mai. Not that he doesn't want to see her—but here? Really? Zuko casts his eyes upward in exasperation and tucks himself further behind the pillar, hunching his shoulders.

But since it is Mai, maybe he can convince her to leave? On second thought, Zuko sneaks another peek to see if Mai is alone, or if there are other people following her around after she dismissed the captain. ]

[maipokerface]

[Thankfully once the captain is shooed away, Mai is left alone. She seems to be chiefly engaged in rubbing at the bridge of her nose and sighing out in exasperation.]

What an idiot.

[At least she has a bit of peace for now. She checks the time, finds it's later than expected and mutters to herself.]

Figures. This is going to take forever.

[And if she goes back on the ship, that moron will just want to start babbling again.]

[brandedloyalty]

[ The corner of Zuko's mouth pulls up in a half-smile before he can help it, at that familiar phrase. Now seeing that she's alone, he pokes around the corner just enough for her to see him, and gestures quickly. ]

Psst. Hey. Hey.

[maipokerface]

[Once Mai notes the noise and more importantly the person making it, she sort of has to let her brain reboot a moment because... well.

Once she does whole expression tightens up before she makes her way over.]

What the hell are you doing here.

[Her voice is a harsh whisper in return.]

[brandedloyalty]

Looking for the Youru-kai, obviously. What are you doing here?

[ He's pretty sure she's chasing him, but he can hope, maybe. ]