The inxocating music were the first thing you would notice when steeping into the bar. The lightening was low and the colors were typical red orange and dark brown as the fire nation loved.
Tenzin moved in further earning a few looks from people who knew who he were. He surly wasn't one they expected a place like this. Slipping down on an empty chair at the front table he shot the other man one of his many disapproving looks.
"You couldn't have picked a more discrete table?" The man let out a low laugh and took a sip of his firewiskey.
"And miss the view, you must be crazy!" Tenzin grumbled and pulled on his long robes.
"When you said it was important I had expected something other than an exotic dance show." He grumbled. "You were supposed to look for the new avatar!"
"I am." General Iroh simply stated.
"Is that so then please enlighten me where is he?"
"I am looking at her." Iroh said still not looking at Tenzin. Tenzin however finally paid attention to the beautiful girl dancing around the room to men and occasional women's enjoyment. She was pretty and dressed in a nicely decorated top and a flowering skirt leaving her stomach bare. But her appearance wasn't what interested Tenzin. What interested him was that she was fire bending, using the fire to swirl it around and make an even more seducing look.
"I am sorry to break it to you but we are looking for an earth bender around 2 years old." Iroh lazily stuck his hand in his inner jacket pocket and threw a couple of pictures on the table. Tenzin took them skimming trough them. They all showed the same girl dancing but using different elements in each as well as different clothing.
"I saw her the first time during a trip to the northern water tripe I didn't think much of her until a few weeks later I caught sight of her here in the fire nation. She was using air to blow her hair away from her face. I wasn't sure it was the same girl but I had a feeling so I asked my men to watch out and send me pictures of bending dancers. It is her, she has mastered all four elements Tenzin." Iroh's tone got more fascinated the more he talked.
"I won't say she has mastered them until I have seen her fight with them. And it doesn't change that she doesn't fit the description at all!" Tenzin said frustrated rowing the pictures back on the table. Iroh shrugged troweling his glass on the table not taking his eyes of the beautiful dancer.
"We don't know how the next avatar will look, for all we know it could be an old man. The spirits was are to complicated for us to understand."
"So where so you think she is from, you said you spotted her in the northern water tribe?" Iroh nodded.
"Yes but I doubt she is from there. Judging by her blue eyes I would say she is from the old earth kingdom."
"That makes sense, but how are going to talk to her I don't see anyone other that you and I?"
"I have called for Lynn and Mako they are on their way."
"Since when was Mako in charge of avatar matters?"
"Since he became head of the police."
"I keep forgetting that." Tenzin grumbled. He still remembered Mako as an unruly kid not the responsible young man he had become.
"So what is the plan general?" Tenzin asked still not able to figure out how they were supposed to get in contact whit the girl."
"We wait till the show is over and then find her in the back."
"And if she doesn't want to talk?" Iroh laughed mildly.
"Everyone wants to talk they just need a little convincing." Tenzin looked at the general warily. It was no secret the young general took after his grandfather the great fire lord Zuko but ever since Azula the world had been quiet wary of the royal family fearing they would go crazy. The show ended, the girl put out the fire bowed as the audience clapped then left the scene. Most of the audience left trough the bar was open till past midnight. With few people left the owner started cleaning up a bit while the last costumers finished. Iroh was already up and stalking towards the bar with Tenzin stumbling after.
"Excuse me." He addressed the owner.
"How can I help you sir?" the owner asked with a sleazy smirk.
"That girl, the dancer, I wish to speak with her." The owners smirk dropped.
"She doesn't want visitors." He started cleaning up again.
"I promise our intentions are pure." Iroh tried understanding the girl wouldn't want horny men running around her chambers.
"Doesn't matter I am not supposed to let anyone trough." Iroh smirked and reached into his pocket.
"What if you didn't let us trough, what if we simply found her on our own?" He threw a small bag with a handful gold coins on the counter. The owner looked at them out of the corner of his eye then quickly grabbed them.
"It is the door on the left, don't take too long I'll like to close early.
"Thank you sir." Iroh made a polite nod then hurried to the instructed door.
"Should we wait for the others." Tenzin asked before they reached it. Iroh shook his head.
"No I think it is better we start alone." Then he reached for the handle.
The room was beautiful, clearly a dressing room with a make up mirror and a rack of clothes. There where a couch and two chairs along with a low table. The girl was in front of the mirror, her back to them with her long brown almost black hair cascading down. She had changed into a red and more decent robe.
"I told him I don't want any visitors." She grumbled her back still to them but then turned around to send them an annoyed glare.
"I beg parson miss but we let ourselves in." Iroh said bowing to the young lady. She had now removed her makeup and both men noticed how truly beautiful she was. High cheekbones, heart shaped lips, small straight nose and green eyes. Tenzin wondered hadn't they been golden while she had preformed or was that his imagination?
"Sure you did. I don't do photos, autographs, you aren't allowed to touch and I don't do private shows." Her lips twitched up. "Without extra payment at least." She flipped her hair flirtingly and Iroh took this as a safe sign to move closer.
"Oh we aren't looking for any of those miss, actually we would simply like to ask you a few questions." He said flirtingly.
"I don't do questions." She replied smirking. Iroh crocked his head liking the challenge.
"Could I make you do an exception?" He asked and Tenzin could almost feel the tension between them.
"Perhaps, depends on the question." She leaned back against the edge of the table and raised an eyebrow.
"What is your name?" Iroh tried starting with something neutral.
"What is yours?" She replied tauntingly.
"Iroh and this is my friend Tenzin." Iroh replied honestly. She looked a bit surprised by his honesty but smiled.
"Nice to meet you Iroh and Tenzin I am sparkle." Iroh smirked trough Tenzin felt annoyed.
"Is that your real name?" Her eyes narrowed but she was still smiling.
"As real as any other." Iroh like her, she had something to her that he hadn't meet in any other girl. She was a challenge and he liked that.
"Where are you from?" She crooked her head.
"I am from everywhere, I like to think of the world as one and that I am home everywhere I go." Tenzin was starting to feel impatient, tired of watching their game. He decided to step forward.
"What is your element?" Her smile dropped.
"Fire. Obviously." Tenzin didn't realize he had just fucked up Iroh however looked panicking.
"Anything other?" Tenzin continued.
"That is impossible, I am sorry gentlemen but I am going to have to ask you to leave."
"NO!" Iroh yelp. "Please? Just a few more questions?"
"I have already been more than generous with information now if you would please LEAVE." She put a lot of force behind her words. Her eyes where burning and she had moved away from the table looking way more intimidating. Iroh reached inside his pocket to get another small bag of gold holding it out to her.
"A few more questions please?" She looked down at the money in his hand then up at him and scoffed.
"I don't do money." She sneered her cheek raising to make a disgusted angry face. Iroh quickly put the money back.
"Than what do you do? Please whatever you ask, just a few more questions." His pleading was interrupted but Tenzin.
"If you don't do money then how does the bar owner pay you?" She looked at Tenzin quick then focused back on Iroh.
"He lets me stay three nights for a show including food. That is how I get by, I trade favors. And I am leaving tonight so don't think of any funny business." Iroh saw his opening.
"Where are you staying tonight then?"
"Non of your business." She sneered. Iroh started moving forward but stopped when she moved back and glared.
"I'll give you a place to sleep, for tonight if you please answer a few questions?" She looked at him warily then at Tenzin and then back at Iroh.
"Fine but you ask I don't want to hear a word from him." Tenzin was about to object when Iroh said.
"Deal. Where are you from really?"
"Somewhere in the earth kingdom."
"Who are your parents?"
"I don't know I was raised by an orphanage."
"How old are you?"
"I don't know. As I said I was raised by an orphanage."
"If you are from the earth kingdom then why are your element fire?"
"I don't know ask my parents. Oh wait!"
"Are you the avatar?"
"NO!"
"I think you are."
"That isn't a question."
"I don't need to ask I got prof."
"Have you been stalking me?"
"No I have been researching you."
"Well you have been doing a bad job." Iroh smirked.
"Come on sparkle we all know I am right." She was about to sneer back at him when Mako and Lynn busted through the door.
"Iroh we got you message where is he?" Lynn said oblivious to the drama in the room.
"SHE is right here." Lynn and the girl 'Sparkle' locked gazes and the room froze. Those eyes… no it couldn't be.
"Who are you?" Lynn breathed. The girl glared.
"As I already told Iroh I am sparkle." Lynn looked at the girl warily and reached out but grabbed herself in the motion.
"How old are you?"
"I don't see how that is relevant. I think that is more than enough questions, Iroh you promised me a place to sleep?" Iroh also trying to place the pieces together was shock out of his haze.
"Yes… Mako could you and Lynn please escort me and this lovely young lady back, I promised her she could stay over." Mako nodded warily and stepped aside so they could walk trough the door.
"I need to pack I'll meet you out in the front." Lynn and Tenzin were the first to leave Iroh stood a moment holding sparkel's gaze.
"I promise you nothing will harm you while you are with me and I am a man of my word." She took a moment then nodded and he left. 15 minutes later she walked out with a duffel bag dressed in a red dress and a brown leather jacket.
"So?" she asked Iroh eyebrow lifted and he motioned to a car holding near. If she was impressed, she didn't show. She didn't say anything the entire ride and it wasn't before she stood in front of the royal palace she showed any emotion.
"You didn't mention you worked in the palace." She said dryly.
"Who said I work here." Iroh smirked and she looked at him from the corner of her eye. He led her in telling Tenzin, Mako and Lynn to go meet him in his office after he had shown her to her chamber.
"So who are you really Iroh?" She asked as he lead her trough the front gates.
"I tell you if you tell me." He stated smugly. She scoffed.
"I already told you everything. I am an orphan, about 21 years old but I am not sure, I don't know my name or who my parents were."
"And you are the avatar."
"The avatar is supposed to be a kid."
"Supposed to." She glared.
"I am Iroh, general of the united army, grandson of fire lord Zuko and crown prince of the fire nation. Now please admit you are the avatar." She looked away.
"I am the avatar, but I don't want to be." He looked at her in wonder.
"Why not? I thought it would be every orphans dream to secretly be the avatar?"
"Yeah well that is the thing, I am an orphan and no one cared who I was before I became the avatar so why should they get to care now." Her bitter tone stopped Iroh from asking further questions instead he opened a door leading to an empty bedroom.
"Your room Avatar. I hope you'll enjoy it."
"Thank you." She muttered duping her bag on the bed.
"I'll see you in the morning?" Trough he hoped so he wasn't sure she would stay to the morning but she nodded and he swept from the room closing the door behind him.
Iroh was humming when he walked down the hallways of the palace to his office. He liked her, the new avatar, she was something else. He had never meet Aang but from what he had heard he was a balanced and peaceful man. Korra sure had a fury to her but even she was something that could be tamed simply by conscience. This girl, sparkle as she called herself trough he knew that wasn't her name, she couldn't be tamed. She didn't seem to have much of a conscience never mind something she was loyal to. She was going to be interesting he knew, she sure was something. With that in mind he entered to room to answer to the three skeptical officials.
"So is she the avatar?" Mako was the first to ask before Iroh had even entered. He nodded and closed the door.
"Korra is gone then." He noted sadly.
"Not gone, but she went off into the spirit world and meanwhile left the human world out of balance. I think Rava decided to leave her and trough a new body continue the Avatar line to bring order to the world." Mako nodded and feel down on a chair. Lynn was pacing but remained very quiet. Tenzin picked up on this.
"What do you think Lynn, you have seen as much as any of us, the only prof are those photos."
"And she admitted it to me." Iroh shot in carelessly.
"WHAT?" Tenzin's and Lynn's heads both whipped to him.
"When where you going to tell?"
"I was planning on now. She said she was the avatar but that she didn't want to be. No matter I think we should ask her to demonstrate her powers tomorrow to whip out any doubts."
"And why would she do that when she wont even answer questions?" Tenzin demanded tired of the trouble this young girl was causing. Korra had been irresponsible but she had at least been willing to listen.
"Because we are going to ask her nicely… over breakfast." Tenzin looked sceptic.
"You think breakfast is going to make her talk? Did you see that death glare when I asked about her element?"
"Because you were being pushy. I am sure if we ask her kindly while eating she will be cooperative."
"Fine but if it doesn't work it is your responsibility!"
"Ofcourse, now go home and tomorrow please join us for breakfast." Iroh opened the door and the they left his office rather quickly. Exhausted he decided to go to bed himself. On his way back however he stumbled across his mother.
"Iroh what are you doing up at this late hour?"
"I could ask you the same mom but if you must know I think we may have found something on the avatar subject." Her eyebrows rose.
"Oh really?"
"Yes. Mother we will be having a lovely young lady to breakfast tomorrow I would love for you, father and grandfather Zuko to be there too." His mother nodded. "Of course I am afraid your grandfather won't be there tough, he is out of town." Iroh nodded and wished his mother goodnight. His dreams were filled with images of a beautiful young bender.