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Description
Sleepless Nights
Chapter 5: Escape

"Let's talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"We're miles above the ground. It'd be a shame if we crashed." Mai studied her nails.

"Were you always this manipulative or did you learn from Azula?"

"Oh I admit your sister helped some. We can take a few days to get to Ba Sing Se. Or you can make this last a week. All depends on when you decide to tell me her name."

He set his mouth in a thin line.

"We'll play your way. I can wait."

---

Swathed in black. Slip from shadow to shadow. The comfort of familiarity in the actions. Some are missing. No one there to stop her. A nearly empty saddle. Climb up on Appa. Take the reins. Is this a rescue or her escape? She likes to think she's saving someone and not running away. No. She's running to something. Someone. Somewhere.

---

He watched them take off, wondering how he couldn't have seen it sooner. He kicked a rock up and punched it. Watch it fly. Break apart just before it reaches the window. Drop to the ground. See a puddle. Make a sliver of ice. Hold it to wrist. Watch it melt. Flop onto back. Send the resulting dust cloud away with a heavy sigh. Footsteps. One person.

"Quit moping."

Description
Sleepless Nights
Chapter 5: Escape

"Let's talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"We're miles above the ground. It'd be a shame if we crashed." Mai studied her nails.

"Were you always this manipulative or did you learn from Azula?"

"Oh I admit your sister helped some. We can take a few days to get to Ba Sing Se. Or you can make this last a week. All depends on when you decide to tell me her name."

He set his mouth in a thin line.

"We'll play your way. I can wait."

---

Swathed in black. Slip from shadow to shadow. The comfort of familiarity in the actions. Some are missing. No one there to stop her. A nearly empty saddle. Climb up on Appa. Take the reins. Is this a rescue or her escape? She likes to think she's saving someone and not running away. No. She's running to something. Someone. Somewhere.

---

He watched them take off, wondering how he couldn't have seen it sooner. He kicked a rock up and punched it. Watch it fly. Break apart just before it reaches the window. Drop to the ground. See a puddle. Make a sliver of ice. Hold it to wrist. Watch it melt. Flop onto back. Send the resulting dust cloud away with a heavy sigh. Footsteps. One person.

"Quit moping."