a day late, a dollar short

[nogan]

But let's not dwell on that. Instead, here's a fic!

Warning: Fedoras do not necessarily exist in the avatarverse. Nevertheless, one might appear here.


Film Noir

"The night is dark out here. It seems even the moon doesn't want to come down to the harbor after dusk. The only people milling about are an assorted bunch of lowlifes, thugs and pushers. There's a couple of workers around, moving cargo - enforcers, on the payroll of local mob bosses. Normally, I wouldn't come out here, no matter what they paid me. But this case is special..."

"Ty Lee..."

"Yeah?"

"Stop monologuing." Mai said, looking around her. "I don't want attention."

"But we're being detectives!" Ty Lee whined. "Monologuing is essential."

"We're not being detectives, Ty Lee", Mai sighed as they rounded the corner of a tavern.

"Then explain the hat!" Ty Lee demanded with an air of triumph, pointing at her grey fedora.

"The hat is there because you decided to bring it along", Mai said, digging her knives into the wall. With a grunt, she started climbing up. "I had nothing to do with it."

After reaching the top, Mai took a moment to catch her breath. Life as the Fire Lady obviously isn't doing me good, she thought wryly.

"Your letter specified a hat", Ty Lee said, effortlessly hauling herself on the roof next to her.

"I said 'hat or other head covering'", Mai breathed out, still trying to catch her breath. "To avoid people recognizing us. It'd be a scandal if we were to be seen here."

"Oh, you're no fun!" Ty Lee pouted, as Mai picked herself up and the two started making their way across the rooftops. "We're here to rescue a dangerous lady in red, I've got the hat, and it's night. We're being detectives!"

"We're not here to rescue her, Ty Lee", Mai said, seriously, but with an air of exhaustion. They'd had this conversation on the way in. "We're here to see if she even needs rescuing - and I don't believe she does - and if she does, then we'll alert Zuko, and he'll arrange for her to have better treatment."

"Mai, if they're... mistreating... her, we're not leaving her there for one second", Ty Lee replied hotly, turning suddenly serious herself. "And I didn't think it was a good idea in the first place, to lock her up."

"You know how she was... before", Mai said as they reached the last rooftop, and jumped down. "She needs this, Ty Lee. She needs to be treated."

Ty Lee glared. Mai looked back, impassive. Eventually, Ty Lee sighed.

"Okay, fine. If they're treating her well, and if she doesn't look tortured, then... then she can stay here", Ty Lee said. "But if there's even one bruise on her... Mai, I won't leave her. I won't."

"Ty, she had us imprisoned", Mai said as they stepped on a dirt road, leading in to a forest. "And you... you know what else. She doesn't deserve your care."

"She had it rough, Mai", the acrobat whispered as they dived into the underbrush to avoid a patrol. "It wasn't her fault. And you know that she wasn't all bad."

"Not all", Mai whispered back. "But I've got the scars. What kind of a friend does that?"

Ty Lee didn't reply. The last of the patrol went past, and they continued on the road.

"She wasn't all bad", Ty Lee repeated, sounding unusually subdued. "She... she wasn't."

Mai glanced at her friend's profile, barely visible in the darkness. "Okay, Ty Lee. I'll give her that much - she... had her moments."

Ty Lee seemed more satisfied. They came across the wall separating the facility from the rest of the island.

"But Ty Lee, whatever she said... it... Whatever she said, it wasn't true." Mai said. Ty Lee turned around, denial ready on her lips. Mai cut her off: "Ty Lee, listen to me. She didn't... love... you. She didn't. I don't think she was really capable of it, and you can't live believing that she was some kind of a misunderstood loner or something, she wasn't. You have to stop hanging on to her."

Ty Lee's eyes were sharp.

"Mai, I'm not an idiot", she said. "So stop treating me like I'm some dumb girl with a crush. Mai, I care about her. For better or for worse, I do, and I'm not going to stop. It's not good for me, no - I know that. Really, I do. But I think she can be better. And I think she needs me."

"I didn't mean to..." Mai trailed off. "Listen, Ty. I care about you. And I even care a little about her - if for nothing else than because she means something to you. I just don't want to see you hurting yourself because you think she's a hurt puppy."

"Mai, I want to help her", Ty Lee pleaded. "I want her to be better. And she can't be better, if nobody's there for her."

They fell silent. Without looking at eachother, they scaled the wall, and made their way toward the east wing.

The facility had once been a manor. It had belonged to some nobleman or other, until he had died, and his descendants had died, and in the end, the island itself had been deserted apart from a small town, consisting of a little harbor, an inn, and a couple of rundown buildings. Then Zuko had discovered it, and turned it in to a mental hospital. Most of the manor now housed medical staff and an extensive security detail. Out of the east wing, a large and imposing tower rose to the sky. It had been used as a watchtower, back when the manor had still belonged to the nobleman, and now, it was used to house... her.

They made their way to the root of the tower, and still silent, they started climbing up - Ty Lee effortlessly at the front, and Mai at the back, hauling herself up by her knives. There was a solitary window on top of the tower. Bars ran across the expensive glass window, preventing entry or exit.

Inside, there was a spartan room. A desk, a bookshelf with a modest collection of books, an entrance to the top of the tower, which had been barred, and another trapdoor, leading downwards, decorated with a heavy lock.

And in the opposite wall from the window, a bed with a figure lying on top of it.

Ty Lee reached the window first, being faster. Mai followed behind, panting heavily.

"Azula", Ty Lee whispered, reaching out to touch the glass.

Azula laid on the bed, with a book in hand. Mai took in her general appearance; no bruises, no cuts, not even any shackles. She did appear to have lost some of her muscle mass, but otherwise... she seemed healthy.

After a while, she nudged Ty Lee.

"She seems healthy", Mai observed. Ty Lee nodded.

More time passed. Ty Lee appeared fixated.

"Ty, we need to go", Mai said softly. "We can't stay."

With some reluctance, Ty Lee nodded again, and they started the climb back down. When they reached the bottom, Mai felt the need to say something.

"Ty... if", she started and then corrected herself to avoid saddening the acrobat. "When she gets out, and if she's really changed, I'm... I'm willing to try being friends with her again."

Ty Lee grinned and tried to hug her. Mai stopped her.

"But", Mai said and watched as Ty Lee's face fell and her arms drooped. "I won't let you hurt yourself over and over again. If she's really changed... if she's really changed, then, hell, I'll be your best... woman, or whatever. But I can't - I won't watch you hurting yourself. I... you're my best friend, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee looked at her for a moment, and then launched herself at Mai. Mai, uncharacteristically, returned the hug.

"Thank you", she said, slightly muffled against Mai's shoulder. "Mai, you're my best friend too."

And with that, they headed back toward the harbor.