Zaya

Zaya is the het ship between Prince Zatz and Princess Maya from the Maya and The Three fandom.

Quinceañera
Maya meets Zatz when he arrives to her coronation, bringing the news that Maya's real mother Lady Micte seeks to have Maya brought back to the underworld and be sacrificed by Lord Mictlan, the god of war. When her father and brothers resist this proposition, they attack the prince but he dodges their attacks and makes it clear he doesn't want to fight. Maya steps in when her father injuring his hand, Zatz leaves and lets Maya know he will see her soon.

The Prophecy
They meet again under more tragic circumstances, with her father coming back wounded. Maya gets defensive and picks up two arrows, Zatz remarks that courage runs through her veins. King Teca picks up his weapon as well, Zatz says he means no harm and that fighting him while injured would be dishonorable. He gently places the remains of her brother's weapons on the ground, saying they belong to their family now and to honor them. Maya drops to her knees in despair and Zatz gives his condolences, saying he will see her soon before riding away.

Later on, it cuts to Zatz talking to his father about the princess. He references her as courageous, loyal and beautiful. His father warns him to not say those things in front of Lord Mictlan and to not get attached to Maya, not wanting him to take Zatz's other eye. Lord Mictlan calls him forth, wanting Maya to be brought to him. Zatz ends up going to find her with the aid of his cunning girlfriend, Acat, the goddess of tattoos.

Maya then gets into a fight with Acat, struggling in the first half as Zatz watches. He shows concern for Maya and interrupts when Acat tries to kill Maya out of jealousy, reminding her that she needs to be brought alive. Maya then gets up and knocks Acat out. Zatz gives a genuine applause to Maya which she tells him to shut up. She then tries to kill Acat while unconscious but backs down, seeing it isn't right which makes Zatz softly react with surprise and interest.

Acat awakes when Maya tries to make it to Luna Island, attacking her in a fit of rage until Zatz steps in. He says she has no honor for trying to kill Maya and using dirty tricks to attack her. Acat tries to attack him but he deflects it and says they were a mistake, making her leave frustrated and heartbroken. As Maya is trying to climb back up, Zatz calls out and asks if she is alright. Maya angrily shouts that she doesn't need help from a demon who's god killed her brothers, to which Zatz tells her he isn't a demon but in-fact half human like her.

He tells her to climb the rope that is dangling out for her, which she refuses but impulsively grabs onto to not fall. This makes Zatz laugh, telling her it was a good thing it was there, which she repeats in a mocking manner. Maya tells him she doesn't owe him anything, saying she should punch him in the face for everything that has happened and calling him a "misbegotten son of a leprous dog". She then calmly asks why would he help her, before rejoicing to see her lost weapons returned to her (most likely from Zatz flying down to grab them for her.)

Zatz tells her he will see her soon once again, Maya remarking with "Whatever, principito." before continuing on her way. He looks down at her from above, chuckling and wishing her luck.

The Skull
Maya goes off to find firewood to set up camp for herself and her new friends. She then hears an eerie sound, pulling out her weapon and looking around. Zatz greets her, floating above her and brings her the sticks she had left behind. She asks what he wants and he admits he wasn't going to bring her to Lord Mictlan but he wanted her to meet his father. Maya asks why, which he nonchalantly replies with so he could sacrifice her and overthrow the god of war. Maya reacts negatively, asking why everyone is so brutally honest with her where Zatz says he doesn't want to sacrifice her anymore, thinking she is right about the prophecy and that she can defeat Lord Mictlan with his help.

Maya asks on how he knew, Zatz tells her he knows she actually wants to kill that monster and insists they join forces together. She refuses his offer, bringing up he wanted to kill her and he had his girlfriend attack her, with Zatz correcting Acat as his "ex-girlfriend" and they broke up. Maya responds kinda happy to that before saying she won't join him. Zatz angrily asks why not, Maya barking back she can't trust him.. before she realizes how close their faces are and the two back off. He says that she is right and that trust has to be earned, warning her to stay vigilant as two more gods have been sent after her.

Maya tells him she doesn't need his help, calling him names to keep a tough face before he smugly bids her farewell and saying he will see her soon. Maya chuckles, calling him a show-off before walking back.

The Puma
Maya walks off after having a personal conversation with all her travel companions. She speaks to the moon, hoping her deceased brothers can hear her. She has found good friends and she had lied to them about their plan, her true plan to kill the god of war. Maya asks what to do, seeing movement in the rocks which she thinks is her brothers but it is Zatz.

Maya climbs up the rocks and remarks on him sneaking up on her with her weapon pointed at him, to which he counters with his own and says he was in front of her, Maya coming back with "Yeah, well, we can't all see in the dark, bat eye." The two engage in a energetic duel, exchanging flirty banter and laughing together underneath the moonlight. Maya then gets the upper hand, holding her weapon towards his neck but he smirks, revealing he held a dagger towards her much to her displeasure.

Zatz then tells Maya he is half-gold as well, that his mother was human which surprises Maya. He believes the two of them can bridge the two worlds, asking again if she will help him and his father take down Lord Mictlan. She tells him she is the Teca prophecy and she can do it without him, Zatz tells her she needs them. Maya says she has what she needs, her three warriors from the prophecy, but Zatz tells her she's been lying to them and it will cost them their lives, which she angrily brushes off and is set on them going through the Divine Gate to kill Mictlan to get her revenge. Her friends overhear and are upset she lied. Zatz introduces himself to the group, but they don't return his polite greeting.

Zatz decides to leave for them to talk alone, asking Maya to consider his offer. He acknowledges what she thinks of the gods but they aren't all monsters before flying away in a swarm of bats but Maya doesn't believe him. He shouts out to her that he will see her soon.

Maya and The Three
While fighting Bone and Skull, the goddesses of thievery, Maya is offered to join them to overthrow the god of war. They say she isn't needed by her family anyway, they add Zatz will be there while making mocking kissing sounds at her.

The Divine Gate
In a flashback to Maya's birth and Lady Micte giving her away under the guise it be better to sacrifice her as a teenager, a toddler Zatz can be seen looking over baby Maya.

When Maya and her group arrive through the gate into the underworld, they are greeted by Zatz who arrives in a swarm of bats. He is glad to see Maya had made it through, she interrupts saying if he was gonna ask about joining his quest again but Zatz gets on his knee and he asks to join hers instead. Maya gently lifts his face up, telling him he isn't a part of the prophecy but he could keep Lady Micte occupied while they finish off her husband. Despite her friends not up for him joining, Maya lets him come along since she doesn't know where she's going. He chuckles and tells her he knows the way. Zatz climbs on his skeleton steed, Rico asks if they can trust him which Maya brings up they are already going to fight a god to the death so most likely Zatz won't make it worse. Zatz invites her to ride with him and she smiles, saying she thought he'd never ask.

Zatz brings up his plan, being they bypass the main entrance through Mictlan's temple then go through the fire tunnels. She appreciates his idea and then brings up hers which is to pretend to be prisoners and then surprise attack him. Zatz responds with concern but Maya pridefully brings up she killed a god so she could do it again. He tells her she doesn't know who she's up against but she tells him he asked to join her quest and it will be done her way. Zatz lets her know he just doesn't want to take such a risk, Maya smiles in return. Rico then teases them, singing "Zatz and Maya sittin-" before being punched by Chimi.

They start their plan when they arrive, Zatz kicks down the door and walks inside with Maya and the 3 pretending to be captured prisoners. Lord Mictlan is impressed that he brought the half-breed to him, Maya states he didn't bring her but stands with her. Zatz joins in, saying he has joined her quest against him. Lord Mictlan decides to demonstrate how foolish her efforts are by attacking and biting Zatz with a three headed snake demon, Maya attacks Lord Mictlan and demands he be released. Zatz's father, General Camazotz, attacks but is caught and brutally killed by having his heart removed and eaten by Mictlan as Zatz watches in horror.

Maya fiercely fights against Mictlan's attacks, Zatz warning and cheering her on as he's caught by Mictlan's snakes. Mictlan then drags Maya and straps her down to a table to be sacrificed, which Zatz begs to be sacrificed instead of Maya.

Lord Mictlan was given a painful stab to the back (planned by Lady Micte to save Maya) and Maya insists they finish him off, but Zatz tells her they have to go now and the two are carried away by Picchu. They try to escape the Gods, a mystical owl coming to their rescue. Maya helps a weaken Zatz onto it, they fly out of the underworld after Picchu sacrifices himself.

The Bat and The Owl
The group falls quiet, saddened by the death of Picchu. Zatz looks over a bead bracelet given to him by his mother, asking that his mother take care of them. Maya asks if the snake poison has passed, which Zatz says yes before the magic owl begins to fall from the sky. Zatz grabs Maya when she almost falls off as they fall to a ground.

Maya discovers the owl was Lady Micte all along, who is weakened after their escape. Maya is unsure to trust her but Zatz brings up she saved their lives. Later, Zatz finds Maya sitting by herself on a rock underneath the moonlight. She is overwhelmed with grief and guilt over Picchu's death, Zatz tries to comfort her and says Picchu was a great warrior. He apologizes for her loss, and she apologizes for the loss of his father and his companion Colmillo.

Zatz says they are in a better place now, which Maya says she hates when people say that because they don't know that. He then tells her his father would tell him stories to keep her memory alive but he asked to not hear them since they made him sad. His father then told him since his mother had died selflessly, she is a star in the sky looking after him. He points to where his mom and father are, Maya is an awe at their beauty. Zatz contently says they are together forever now before Maya tearfully hugs him. Zatz wipes her tears away before they share a tender kiss.

Maya changes their plan to evacuate the kingdoms, she then asks Zatz to track down the Barbarian clan which he agrees to. She asks him to tell them about Picchu's sacrifice as well, the two hugging each other and he tells her to be well before flying off.

Maya is reunited with Zatz on the battlefield against Lord Mictlan. Zatz quotes his father, telling him to meet a nice human girl which leads to Maya kissing him and tells him it's in case she never gets to do that again.

The Sun and The Moon
Maya and Zatz jump into battle against Mictlan's allies. They use a combination of their fighting skills together, even Maya using both of their swords to attack the god brothers. Maya tells Zatz he did a good job convincing the Barbarians to join them, he mentions Barbarians are stubborn and that the princess almost bit him. Maya realizes what he says but is reassured when Zatz dips her in his arms and mentioning to the princess he was taken, with Rico calling them "adorbs".

Zatz and Maya tease Chimi for her admitting her feelings for Rico while holding each other, much to Chimi's chagrin. Lord Mictlan consumes more hearts from the gods to increase his power which causes him to explode. Maya asks if he's dead and if it's good, but Zatz tells her it is not good at all and Lord Mictlan rises in his final form. Maya asks what now, Zatz responds with a smile and squeezes her hand.

Maya talks to both her mothers and father along with her friends, thanking them for an amazing adventure. Zatz walks over, saying "If it's to be.." and Maya replies with "..Then it's up to me." Maya then tells Zatz and Lady Micte to fight Mictlan in the air to lure him down. Zatz isn't sure but Maya smiles and asks him to trust her before the two share another kiss. Zatz gives her his usual line before transforming into a large bat, attacking Mictlan.

However, Zatz can't hold off Mictlan much longer and is caught in his mouth. Maya thinks he's dead but he reemerges in his human form and contently tells her he loves her before he is crushed by Mictlan's jaws. Maya yells in horror and the only thing left of him is his bracelet, she weeps as she clutches it and says she loves him too.

Maya screams to Mictlan that he has taken away her friends, her family and her love until her voice cracks and charges into attack. She travels into the mouth of Mictlan's dragon form, killing him from the inside which kills her in the process. Suddenly, Maya and Zatz return in ghost form hand-in-hand. Zatz remarks he is impressed by his princess. They come to give their farewell to their friends and family. Maya getting to see her brothers, as well as her newborn siblings one last time and Zatz sees his mother and father again.

Because of Maya's sacrifice, the celestial spirits grant Maya the greatest honor and she becomes the sun. While Zatz, her true love, becomes the moon. She says they get to dance together, forever and ever as her family watch the sky happily ever day and night.

Fanon
Zaya doesn't have a huge fanbase but it has gained fans rather quickly. Fans adore their witty banter and their personalities working together. Most fans have theorized based on the director's past work The Book of Life being referenced in the Netflix show, and well as the voice actors for Manolo and Maria also voice Zatz and Maya, they theorize they are reincarnated into Manolo and Maria. Even some theorize that Zatz was the missing piece of the prophecy all along, due to him being included as a Puma warrior and his companion Comillo revealed as a puma.

It is the top ship in the fandom.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

TUMBLR