shatterverse | (no subject)

Entry tags:

iroh fray,
mai

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Mai is down to four knives now. If she were fully armed she would simply turn and kill the things chasing her, but there are three of them, and the on that she took down before she started running was way too tough.

And she was pretty sure that if just one of the things got close enough to her she'd be dead.

But they were much better built for the lightly wooded terrain she was crashing through, and they were gaining. There weren't a lot of options open, and she didn't like any of them.

The eerie howling sounds were getting closer. Time to make a decision.

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"There are towns. But no people I would trust."

Of course, considering how trusting Mai is, that's not saying much.

"Then we pay and find an inn."

This from the young man who has no knowledge of how many empty houses there are.

"Even on the street, a town has safety from beasts, usually."

That she should trust him is a given. and not just becuase he saved her life.

She almost laughs at him, but her snort of derisive amusement says plenty. "You have no idea what you've gotten into."

Nowhere is safe. At least not as far as she's been able to determine.

"Then tell me as we walk," he says. He stands again, and offers her a hand to help her up. And to use as a crutch.

"I know we're not safe here."

Mai shoots him a look and doesn't take his hand.

"I don't even know you," she says, voice cold.

Immediately the hand shoots back and forms a fist to the heel of his other hand. Iroh bows, respectfully.

"My name is Zheng," he says, picking out the name of his brother in law as one he hopes she won't recognise. ('Iroh' would raise too many questions)

"And I mean you no harm, I just want to see you safe."

Well, he wants more than that, but her safety is the most important.

Mai eyes him doubtfully.

"And that is supposed to make me trust you?"

Because it is not helping.

"No," he says. "What's supposed to make you trust me is your common sense telling you you have no choice."

Because honestly, she doesn't. Though saying something callous like that makes him feel like one of his sisters.

It also gets her hackles up. She hates being told she needs help. Especially when it's true.

She still refuses his hand, but she does push herself to her feet. It's a slow and clearly painful process, but it's better (marginally) than acceptinng that she can't do this on her own.

"Don't put weight on it," Iroh tells her with the mild arrogance of someone not used to being wrong. "I'll make you a crutch, but I'd rather you took my arm."

Those are sucky options. She either accepts his help or accepts his help.

A slight sneer twisting across her lip, she reaches out and grasps his arm.

Hard.

He inhales, but smiles just to have her on his arm. A smile that fades as he realises how much pain she's in.

This blows.

But he rests his other hand on her hand, and nods.

"Do you know the nearest town?"

"A couple of miles," she manages to make her voice sound almost-normal despite the pain. "That way," she jerks her head.

"OK," says the Fire Lord, who suddenly lets go of her hand - "Wait here."
Hes quick to retrieve his hair piece and hide it in his robes, gambling her noticing with the idea of losing something so important.

Then he's back, ready to lead.

"We'll go at your pace."

She see's him pick up something, but the angle's wrong for her to see what, and the pain is suppressing her normal curiosity.

There's a grimace on her face, she doesn't like being the one slowing them down, but she tightens her grip on his arm and starts hobbling slowly toward the nearest town.

If he thought, he'd also stop for her knives, but Iroh is actually not that thoughtful sometimes.

He carefully keeps a pace to match hers, a hand always on hers. And because she doesn't expect her to talk, he doesn't either.

When she realizes that the pain caused her to leave two perfectly good blades behind, cutting her arsenal in half, Mai is going to be more than a little pissed. And even though it's not even remotely his fault, she'll probably blame Iroh.

Even if she were in a talkative mood (like that ever happens), she's too busy suppressing little grunts of pain to say anything. In fact, she's paying less and less attention to where they're going. It's not long before she's not really leading anywhere, and is simply putting one foot in front of the other because if she stops she probably won't start again.

That's OK, Iroh can find the way. He's supporting her more and more with each step, happy that it's her on his arm and grateful to whichever god or spirit might be listening that he found her so quickly.

The path opens out anyway after a while and there's a more level road heading down to houses.

Mai doesn't really notice the change in surroundings, and for someone who is usually incredibly paranoid about knowing what is going on around her, that says a lot. If you know her, at least.

Her head is drooping and her eyes sort of glassy by the time they get within easy yelling distance of the run-down neighborhood.

Eventually Iroh brings them to a stop. They can't go on.

He's not a big man by many people's standards, but he's strong from intense training, and in the absence of a Slayer around...

He wraps an arm around Mai's waist and bodily lifts her off the ground.

That turns out to be enough of a shift in situation for her to swim up out of her fog. "What are you doing?" she asks dangerously, hand sliding a blade out of her sleeve even as the intense pain in her leg lessens as her weight comes off of it.

She most certainly did not ask for his help.

"I'm getting you to the buildings," he replies.

"Please don't stab me until you're safe?"

Her teeth are gritted in a combination of pain and frustration. "Buildings do not mean safe." The 'you idiot' part goes unsaid, but not unheard.

Anyone else would be insulted, not smile fondly.

"So you'll have to keep the stabbing for a little longer. I want you out of the woods."

"The woods are safer," she counters, eyes flicking around the houses. Almost as if she is worried.

There are shadows moving behind some of the windows.