I'm slightly worried about publishing a new story. But this one is just a collection of oneshots that are not really oneshots because they are connected chronologically but there is really no plot other than Zuko and Mai's life together and the way their relationship changes the way the Fire Nation is run after the war is over. I started this after I began working on another fanfiction that was supposed to be a little branch/spin-off of Zuko and Mai for my other fanfiction 'Southern Air Temple'(for those of you who know that). And then I realized I could expand to a whole bunch of oneshots with all the explaining I was doing about everything that Zuko had changed since he had been Fire Lord. So for now all this is, is a bunch of fluffy one shots that have somewhat of a meaning to them. And I still don't know if I'll publish the spin-off of 'Southern Air Temple', but here's something for you to chew on for a while.
When I started planning this I thought it would be a lot more humorous than it turned out to be. A couple chapters are a little darker and a couple chapters are a little funny and a couple chapters are fluff filled. If you haven't guessed this will include ten chapters each with things that Zuko has changed along the way. Some may be a little vague...but we'll get there when we get there! For now enjoy!
0o0o0o0
Changed Item 1: Meetings
"This is awful, I can't do this. They're all used to strategy war meetings! Most of them are corrupt; I'm going to have to get rid of half of them." Zuko mumbled. He and Mai were consulting each other before the first large conference after the war, which was made up of all the ministers and advisors that lived within the capital.
"Zuko, you're the Fire Lord they can't question you." Mai sighed, picking at her best robes. She had been staying at the Fire Nation Palace more and more often after Zuko was crowned Fire Lord. After Iroh had officially moved back to Ba Sing Se to reclaim his teashop and Zuko had officially taken over Fire Lord duties, Zuko was under incredulous amounts of stress. Mai was constantly there to try and calm him down and try to help as often as she could.
"I wish Uncle were here, he'd know what to do." Zuko growled. This had seemed to be his mantra the past week or two.
"Let your old Uncle live peacefully in retirement with his tea shop!" Mai sighed. "Now get in there and run that meeting!"
"Can you please come with me…?" Zuko asked.
"Well…technically, I'm not allowed in there unless I'm directly involved with the politics." Mai sighed with a shrug.
"I need you! Does that count?" Zuko asked frantically.
"I suppose if I were your wife, they couldn't say anything." Mai shrugged nonchalantly. Zuko stared blankly.
"I-I-I can't do anything about that now." Zuko stuttered as he wrung his hands together.
"I know." Mai shrugged coolly. The door of the conference room opened and both Mai and Zuko snapped their heads to see who it was.
"Fire Lord, everyone is expecting you," a high-ranking advisor entered the hall outside of the meeting room.
"Uh, yes. I'll be there in a moment." Zuko nodded in acknowledgement, as he began to sweat. The heavy Fire Lord robes did not help.
"Everyone is getting impatient, sir."
"Come on, Zuko." Mai irritably pulled Zuko past the advisor who was dumbfounded by her assertiveness.
"Miss…" the advisor started to address Mai.
"I'm going in!" Mai snapped. Zuko was shoved in front of the large group of ministers and advisors.
"Uh…hi." Zuko started. He nervously pulled his collar. "Well, you might have noticed we aren't in the throne room…well…that's because…well you may have noticed that there isn't a war anymore and…well the throne room has often been connected to war…and well…uhh…I want peace…well peaceful thoughts…and that's not going to happen in a throne-war room…" Zuko started slowly.
"What he's trying to say is that we want change. We want to start now." Mai stepped forward. There were some murmurs that rippled through the room.
"Mai!" Zuko hissed.
"Isn't that the daughter of that governor? What happened to him?"
"I haven't seen him in a while. Not since New Ozai fell."
"Why is she here, taking charge in the Fire Lord's place?"
"She was Prince Zuko's girlfriend. Well, I mean before he was Fire Lord. Since he's been Fire Lord I haven't seen the two separate."
"So I guess we know who wear's the pants in this relationship."
The murmurs turned to chuckles.
"I don't know, but the last time someone spoke out of turn it was an Agni Kai as punishment. And if she's not a bender, that'd be awful sad."
"Everyone please, settle down!" Zuko called for order. "Mai! Not helping!" Zuko hissed to Mai.
"You aren't doing much better." Mai growled. "If you don't want my help then, I'm leaving. Unless you want to challenge me to an Agni Kai, which I'd be happy to oblige." Mai motioned to the minister who was sour about her outburst. She whipped around and hurried back through the door they came through.
"No, wait!" Zuko called. He wanted to chase her but he was chained to the room full of ministers.
"Uh, well. We want to move towards a nation that works efficiently under peace and not war. I'll be meeting with everyone on a smaller scale. Thank you." Zuko bowed to the room. He ran out of the room as it erupted in angry shouts. "MAI!" Zuko shouted.
"What are you doing, you idiot?" Mai asked, standing right outside the door.
"I didn't want you to get upset after what some of those guys said in there!" Zuko told her.
"You didn't want me to get upset? I think you don't have to worry about me. You have an entire room of advisors who are upset." Mai rolled her eyes.
"Who cares about them?" Zuko shrugged. Mai sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Some Fire Lord you are." Mai growled. "Choosing me over your ministers."
"Mai, I'll tell them you are allowed in to all meetings from here out." Zuko told her.
"Will you be okay with that?" Mai asked. "After all, you pretty much just made a fool out of yourself."
"I don't care about that." Zuko shook his head. "If it'll make it any better, we could get married soon? That way it's the Fire Lady attending meetings and not just the Fire Lord's girlfriend who hangs around all the time for no apparent reason?" Zuko asked. Mai smirked.
"Yeah, I'd like that. That is, if you're ready for that?" Mai asked.
"I'm not saying we have to do it tomorrow, that's for sure." Zuko smiled. Mai kissed his cheek.
"Talk to your advisors about it tomorrow." Mai stood up and walked away.
"No! I don't want to talk to them about something like that! It's embarrassing! Especially after that! You talk to them about it!" Zuko called after her.
"Oh, Zuko…" Mai sighed.
0o0o0o0
Well, there's that. This certainly wasn't my favorite one to start with, but it was the only one that fit chronologically. Thanks for reading, and I hope to have more for you soon! (I actually have this one all written out! So it's ready to go!)