the palace [ignis]

[Mai]

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"Here's the way it goes." Azula said, reaching up on her tiptoes to pluck a ruby red apple off the tree. Azula was standing in front of Mai, talking to Ty Lee and Zuko. "Now what you do is try to knock the apple off the other persons head." Azula placed the ruby red apple on the top of Mais head. "Like this." Azula scampered off towards Zuko and Ty Lee, then turning to face Mai again.

Mai looked up at the apple on the top of her head, her face then falling into a glare that said 'I don't like you' perfectly. Azula swept her left hand to her right side, dropping down slightly into a crouch, concentrating. She drew to fingers out of her closed palm, and swept her hand away again, fire coming from it directed at Mais head.

Mai squeezed her eyes shut, the opened them slight when it caught the apple on fire, that was still on top of her head. Azula looked at Zuko from the corner of her eye expectantly, a corner of her mouth pulled up in a evil smile. Ty Lee stood there looking pretty. Zuko looked horrified, panicked almost. he sprinted up to Mai, who had just realized the apple that was on fire on her head and was now screaming.

Zuko ran up to try to knock the blazing apple off of her head, but ended up knocking them both in the fountain, both now soaking wet. They blinked a few times and Azulas laugh came from above. "See, I told you it would work!" Azula said, very amused to Ty Lee. Ty Lee grinned. "Awh, they're so cute together."

Zuko stood up and walked away angrily, marching off. Mai stood slowly, her expression twisted in rage. "You two are such... UGH!"

Ursa came walking down the pathway, Zuko coming up to her. "I was just coming to get you. Uncle Iroh sent us a letter from the war front." Ursa showed him a rolled up piece of parchment. Zuko marched past her, still dripping. "You're soaking wet." Ursa noted to Zuko, who marched past her angrily. "Girls are crazy!" Zuko said angrily, walking up the steps to the doors of the palace."[/i]

Mai woke again, opening her eyes. Mai lifted her head from the tree trunk. The sun was lower in the sky, almost sunset now. The leaves were dead and a dead color of brown or orange, some fallen to the ground, some still on the branches. The cold wind still blew through the little open area, and it was somehow now even colder. Mai pulled her heavy kimono closer to her, and looked around. She couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Then it came to her. The guards.

Mai sighed. She stood up slowly, brushing herself off. Mai dragged her feet to go up the steps, then heading down the corridors for a few minutes. She rounded another corner, and saw a few guards struggle. Mai quickened her pace to reach the little knot of people and pressed her lips in a thin line.

"Who is it this time?" Mai asked, emotionless as ever when she spoke to the guards, who were closely knit around another person. [/size][/ul]

[Ignis]

Ignis had been desperatly trying to reach Mai and find her for the past week scince they met each other. Ignis had also noticed that several guards had been stalking him for the past few days. Ignis had been searching all over the capital far and wide for Mai but everywhere he went at least two men dressed in Imperial guard uniforms were there.

Ignis after asking some high class citizens (and tipping them off with a bag of silver pieces from his winnings) they told him where Mai's palace was. Ignis power walked the entire journey there eager to speak to Mai and talk about stuff. Ignis snuck in through a back entrance, which was suprisingly not being guarded in the palace.

Mai's mother though could see him through the window and eyed him with her beedy eyes. Then Ignis was suddenly stopped by five large guards. "Halt! State your intent for being here!" The captain said. "I am a friend of Mai's." Ignis simply said. "I've never seen you around you riff-raff." The captain said. "You had best leave..NOW." He added. Ignis walked straight past him. The captain grabbed him and pushed him to the ground. Ignis shot a fire ball in retaltiation which knocked the captain back. The other guards punched Ignis and tried to grab a hold of him.

Ignis then noticed Mai and shouted her name through the crowds of guards. The guards immediatly stopped assaulting Ignis. "Miss, this riff-raff claims to know you? Is it true?" The captain said. "Yes it is you idiot." Ignis said to the captain. "Mai! I've been trying to find you all week!" He said.

[Mai]

Ignis! Mais eyes widened slightly as she heard his voice. The guards moved to let her see him. She smiled slightly, then it fell away as the guard asked her if she knew him. "Of course I know him. Go back to your positions. Aren't you aware that a assassin could come to try to kill Azula in a millisecond. He could already be in the palace - and by the way, his name is Ignis. If you give him anymore trouble, you'll be fired. He's a friend of mine." Mai snapped at the guards, and they nodded and moved away at her order and filtered out into the castle again immediately.

"Guards." Mai muttered, her gaze glaring after them until it was silent in the hallways except for her and Ignis' breathing. Mai turned back to him, smiling slightly again. She walked a few steps closer and smiled wider. "I do owe you for my hands. You were right - no scars." Mai shook her sleeves away to show off her pale white hands, mark less, smooth and perfect again.

[Ignis]

"That's right you better run!" Ignis said to the guards as the captain went past him giving him a look and eyeing Ignis. Ignis then turned to Mai. "Yup, your hands look fully healed!" Ignis said. Mai's mother continued to watch not looking very pleased. Everything then went quiet. "Mai I need to ask you something.." Ignis said.

Ignis then blushed a bit and went a bit timid. "Do you uh..Want to go out some time?" Ignis asked looking at the ground and then at Mai. Mai's mother gasped and walked away.

[Mai]

Mais mother didn't approve in the slightest. She had walked quickly through the corridors, her footsteps echoing loudly throughout the hall. She pressed her lips into a tight line, rounding another corner and disappearing quickly into a room on the right side of the corridor.

The room she had walked into was large, a few candles through the room burning, filling the room with the burning wax smell. A few guards, their helmets off, looked up from a complicated map that was stretched out on the elegant table before them. "Miss." The guard bowed in greeting to Mais mother, who just gave him a curt nod.

"Listen. We have a problem, and I need you to solve it..." Mais mother told them, then turning and closing the door with a swift slam.

- - -

"That's right you better run!" Ignis said to the guards as the captain went past him giving him a look and eyeing Ignis. Ignis then turned to Mai. "Yup, your hands look fully healed!"

"I know! I can finally use my blades again. My life was so dull when I couldn't." Mai smiled excitedly. She'd started her practice sessions up again yesterday, learning new techniques and forming new techniques. She'd almost forgotten just how much she loved the things.

"Mai I need to ask you something.. do you uh..Want to go out some time?"

Mai froze and blushed scarlet. Mai looked at her feet and blushed even redder, the smile of her face growing. Mai bit her lower lip and looked up at Ignis again. "Yeah... yeah, I do." Mai answered, biting her lip again and looking down shyly.

[Ignis]

Ignis tremored to give her a hug. But then he finally gave Mai a hug and kept blushing. The hug was warm and tight. Ignis then let go of the embrace. He gave her a warm smile before holding her hand for a moment. Ignis then let go of her hand and started walking with Mai down the corridors with her. Guards were stationed around Mai and Ty Lee ready to move.

The guards were waiting to advance and take Ignis. Ignis looked at Mai and smiled again, still lightly blushing.

[Mai]

"What's the problem, Miss?" The tallest guard in the middle asked. His long gray hair fell in his eyes as he looked up to the black haired woman with the thin lips in front of him. The other two guards shifted nervously where they stood.

"A boy. With Mai. Do you know what would happen if word of this would get out?" Mai mother said urgently, starting to pace within the room. Her pacing made all of the guards squirm where they were, and the middle guards eyes followed her. "What do you want us to do?"

Mais mother stopped and span around, leaning over the table. "What do I want you to do? I want you to find him and bring him to me. He will stay away from my daughter or else." Mais mother took a knife from her pocket and slid it witch accuracy through the table swiftly at the end of her statement, standing back up again. The guards filtered out of the room.

- - -

Mai returned the embrace, smiling happily. When his hand held hers, Mai noticed how cold her pale skin really was compared to his. She must have felt like ice to him. Mai and Ignis walked down the corridors, the guards invisible to her. She was just so used to them - it was like they weren't there.

That was until Mai rounded the corner.

Suddenly, the Guards closed it, a few surrounding Mai and a few Ignis. They started to take Ignis away from her. Mai tugged against the Guards' grasp. "What are you doing!? Don't you who I am, what you're doing? I can arrest you for this!" Mai shouted, forcing herself forward. The Guards struggled to keep her back, but they did so.

[Ignis]

Mai's hands didn't affect Ignis really against his warm hands. Suddenly Ignis felt himself pulled away from Mai by some large strong guards. Ignis was violently pulled away and held down. "Let go of me you dirtbag!" Ignis shouted being pushed against the wall aggresively. Ignis screamed in anger. Ignis' hands were then pulled behind his back and bound tightly with rope.

The guards pushed Ignis through the corridors away from Mai as he screamed and shouted and struggled aggresively. Ignis was then taken down a large plane of stairs and thrown in a dungeon. Mai's mother eyed him and watched him. She then walked to him and towered over him.

[Mai]

The guards holding Mai tightly finally let her go. She spun around to face the guards. "Leave my sight." Mai spat at them. They obeyed, walking down the corridor. Mai held herself back from throwing every blade she had after them. Then Mai walked down the corridors to search for Ignis desperately.

- - -

Mais mother saw Ignis being thrown down in the dungeon. She eyed him in distaste, then walked over to tower over the boy. Guards stood at the walls of the dungeon. Mais mother glared down at him. "How dare you! My own daughter. Listen to me boy, stay away from my daughter. And until you promise - you'll remain here." Mais mother sneered from above him.

The guards shifted where they stood again, as if uncomfortable. Mais mother glared up at them, and they stopped immediately. They knew if they betrayed the mistress, then their punishment would be fatal.

[Ignis]

Ignis frowned at first and then smriked. "What makes you think I'm going to stay here?" Ignis said standing up as his bonds began to become crisp and snap. The bonds then snapped and Ignis flipped back wards and shot some fire at the guards. Most of the guards fell back but there were at least three left standing.

One of them shot a fireball at Ignis' back and he fell to the ground. They quickly wrapped several chains around Ignis and took him back to Mai's mother. "Now what?" He asked her.

[Mai]

"Agree to stay away from my daughter or else." Mais mother told Ignis simply, brandishing her much loved red jeweled blade from her kimono, holding it out slightly with a loose grip. Mais mother walked forward a few paces, the guards shifting uncomfortably again. A little silver object cut through the air so quickly it was a blur, knocking the blade out of the womans hand and returning into the darkness again. Mais mother turned her head toward the darkness. Another shadow dropped down behind Mais mother, and after a few skilled punches to the back, she fell down. She wasn't dead, but she'd stay paralyzed for a few hours.

"I can see my mother isn't exactly happy about this." Mai frowned, standing behind her mothers paralyzed body. Mai looked from her mother to guards, who were frozen in shock. "Tell anyone of this and I can assure you you won't only be fired." Mai told them, her eyes resting on each of them for a few seconds. Mai walked quickly to Ignis and freed him of his chains quickly and gently, then standing up, expecting him to say 'your whole family is insane!' or 'I gotta go...' or just run away after that. She wouldn't and couldn't blame him.

[Ignis]

Ignis thanked Mai for taking his bonds away. "No offence, but is everyone in your family like this?" Ignis joked. Mai's mother struggled to get up from her paralyzed and unconciouss state. Ignis grabbed Mai's hand pulled her along, while he was running. "I've found a place you can stay for the night!" Ignis said as they ran. Soon they both arrived at Ignis' apartement.

Serenity was out shopping for the while. Ignis locked the door just in case. "Your welcome to stay here Mai, until everything dies down a bit." Ignis said.

[Mai]

"Pretty much. You can imagine the family reunions." Mai sighed, surprised that he didn't just run away. Her mother was usually just so insane, that people ran away at her first sight. Yeah, Mai was pretty sure this guy was chock full of firsts.

"Thanks. I don't think mom will be too happy about the whole me paralyzing her thing." Mai sighed again quietly, walking a few paces into the front room and leaning against the wall. Mai looked around the room, her golden eyes briefly resting on everything pleasantly. Mai sunk down to the floor, sighing again quietly.

[Ignis]

"My sister shouldn't be back for an hour or two from shopping so hopefully no one will come barging in yet." Ignis said looking out the window and then turning to Mai. It was nearing sunset. Ignis was tired after the searching and running etc. Ignis sat down on the couch and lay back. "I don't know about you but I'm bushed..." Ignis said.

Ignis closed his eyes. "I'm going to sleep for a bit, feel free to make yourself at home." Ignis said before smiling. Ignis then began to drift off to sleep smiling.

[Mai]

Mai smiled back at him, then letting her head roll back on the wall, and before she knew it, she was asleep too.

- - -

Mai awoke with a start as she heard heavy banging on the door. It continued still as Mai jumped up from the place she was sitting, fully awake. Mai walked over to where Ignis was sleeping in two short steps, shaking him awake. "We have company." Mai told him.

"OPEN THE DOOR!" A male voice yelled. "If you give us Mai, Serenity will not be hurt."