Wah! Me confused!

This story is COMPLICATED! I have no idea how I'll put it on paper/screen and have it make sense!

It's friggin awesome, though. Don't worry. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA.

Xxx

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER

The Unknown Elements; The Spirit in Azula

Chapter Two: The Girl in Rags

They had found me.

I grudgingly wipe a smear of dirt from my face, and glare out of the prison cell at the mangy, nearly-drunken guards.

"They found 'er, ya?" One asked, his words slightly slurred. He took a huge gulp out of his canteen, and amber liquid drizzled down his chin and into his beard. I didn't think it was apple juice.

Another guard laughed, his guffaws full of snorts and gags and other sounds that made me want to puke. "Y-hic- ya. The warden had sen' out search p-hic-parties even b'fore gettin' a letter back furm tha Avatar."

I wanted to snicker. The warden had sent a note to the most powerful person in the whole world just to find a fifteen-year-old girl, and went ahead and did it anyways?

"She's a purty one, she is." The bearded one peered through the bars at me, sitting on my sad excuse for a pallet.

"Ya. Nice eyes. A real purty gold."

I resisted the urge to slap them silly. I really wish they hadn't taken my bow. The Dai Li agent's leg won't be the only thing that has to be cut off. "Will you scumbags please quit ogling me?"

The bearded one looked offended. "We ain't scumbags!"

"Ya, you tha scumbag!"

I cocked an eyebrow. "I thought I was purty, as you two blockheads so callously put it."

One guard opened his mouth as if to say something, and then closed it, pondering this. "You're a…" his face lit up into a goony smile. "… A purty scumbag!"

The bearded man, nudged his friend. "She can't be purty an' a scumbag at the same time, you 'diot."

"Oh. Oh, yeah." He laughed loudly, and took another drink from his canteen. The he gasped, his wide eyes fixed on a metal bar. "Guess. What."

"What? What?"

"Listen!" He guffawed, and stood up and threw his arms out wide. He began to sing, "I LOOOVE YOOOU, MIIISSIIING YOOOU, I LOOOVE YOOU LIKE A MOOOUSE LOOVES RIIICE…"

Oh, boy. This was going to be a long one.

Xxx

Katara traced her finger a few inches over the rim of the pot, the soup within swirling at her command. The boiling liquid sent hot steam into the air, stinging her face.

"Is it done yet?" Sokka asked, putting down his map and leaning over her shoulder.

"It would get done a lot faster if you would kindly quit breathing down my neck."

Her brother just stuck his tongue out at the waterbender, and plopped back down on his pallet.

Aang bit into an apple, and sat down beside Sokka. "How far is it until we get to Zuko's?"

Sokka looked down at his map, his eyes skimming over the many points and pit stops they would make. "Um… about twenty miles." He looked up at his friend. "A day's journey, counting food and potty breaks."

Toph, who was busy playing with her meteor bracelet, scrunched her nose. "Can you please quit saying 'potty,' Mr. Manly?"

Sokka's face turned red. "Potty is a perfectly manly word!"

Katara chuckled as she scooped a bowl into her pot of cabbage soup. "Ah-huh." She put a spoon into the bowl, and handed it over to her brother. "Eat up."

Sokka looked down at the food in his hands, and grimaced. "What? No sausage bits?"

Katara glared at the tribesman. "Sokka, we aren't in Ba Sing Se anymore. You forget we have a vegetarian in the group."

Aang grinned, and poked Sokka in the shoulder. "Hi!"

The water tribe boy made a rude face at the airbender. "Darn you monks." He shoveled a chunk of cabbage into his mouth.

Katara handed a bowl to Aang, who gratefully sipped its contents. "So why do you think Zuko spontaneously wants us to visit him? He's not exactly that kind of person."

Toph shrugged as her meteor bracelet melted from a diamond to a puffy cloud. "I dunno. Maybe it was Mai's idea."

"Maybe." Katara shrugged, and passed some soup to the earthbender. Toph immediately put her bracelt back on her arm, and grabbed for the bowl.

Katara tucked a strand of hair behind one ear. "But Mai doesn't seem like that either."

"Mmph," Toph managed through a mouthful of cabbage.

Katara filled a bowl of her own and sat down on her own sleeping pallet, stirring the soup with her spoon thoughtfully. "What if…"

Aang looked up from Sokka's map, eyeing her curiously. "What if what?"

She licked her lips. All attention was on her now. "Well…" then she laughed, and brushed it off with a wave. "Never mind. It's a crazy idea." She grinned, and grabbed the ladle, which was still resting in the boiling pot. "Anyone for more soup?"

Xxx

Iroh sipped ginseng tea from his cup, humming. "Da, da dum, da de dum, da dum…"

He watched the storm from his window, the rain pounding against the roof of the tea shop. Lightning flashed, making fake daylight echo throughout the room, and thunder roared like a provoked, gigantic mooselion.

Strangely, Iroh felt happy. He quietly sang his tune while he drank his beloved tea, watching the raindrops fall against the stone balcony outside his window. Storm clouds rolled furiously across the sky, black and grey tendrils curling violently.

There was a knock on his door. "Iroh, sir?" A muffled voice came through.

He took another sip of his beverage. "Yes?"

The door squeaked open. A waitress's worried face popped from behind the paneled wood. "Sir, there is someone in need of your help… I didn't let her in, in fear of your opinion…"

Iroh hesitantly set down his cup, and stood. "Show me."

The girl nodded, and led him to the front entrance of the shop. They weaved through the tables, and arrived at the large door leading to the raging storm outside, lightning still flickering with determination.

The waitress hurriedly rushed to grab the door handle, and opened it with haste.

A pang of sympathy charged through Iroh's chest as he saw who exactly this unexpected visitor was.

A girl stood, no more than fourteen, her arms wrapped around her chest, her rags soaked to the skin. Her hair was pasted to her face, and she was pale, so extremely pale. Through her ragged clothing, her skinny torso was shown, her ribs visible. Her bare feet were bloodied and worn, and her eyes lanced up at the old man in front of her.

Her cracked lips opened. "Please." Her voice was raspy and weak. "Help me."

Xxx

Katara jumped up from the dining table, her face beaming with a huge smile.

"I knew it!"

Zuko smiled sheepishly, and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. We wanted it to be a surprise."

Aang licked his lips, still recovering from astonishment. "What… what about Iroh?" He leaned forward a bit. "Don't you want him to come to the wedding, too?"

Mai tucked a piece of black hair behind one ear. "He was going to come the day before. He wanted to help with decorations, but you know Iroh." She shrugged, acting extremely nonchalant. "He just settled with making tea for the refreshments."

Toph piped up, unusually silent ever since Zuko had spilled the beans. "Is it formal?"

Mai rolled her eyes. "Duh. It's a wedding."

The earthbender made a face, scrunching up her nose as if something smelt rancid. "So… I'm going to have to wear a dress?" She gagged. "With… makeup?"

"Yep."

Toph sunk down in her chair, arms folded with an extremely grumpy look practically radiating off of her face. "Fabulous."

Sokka pointed at the blind girl beside him. "Ha, ha! Toph as to wear war paint!"

Toph reached over and punched him hard on the arm. "Shut up, Meathead! Makeup isn't war paint, anyways." She puffed on a strand of hair, just to have it fall back in her face. "I'd rather wear war paint any day."

Katara, absolutely delighted, clasped her hands together in joy. "Oh my gosh! I'm so happy to hear this! It's going to be so fun!"

Aang swallowed. "So… you're actually getting married, huh, Zuko?" He grinned, and clapped Zuko on the back. "Congratulations!"

Katara turned to Mai with a slight smirk dancing across her face. "When did he pop the question?"

"About two weeks ago." This time, Mai actually smiled. "Ty Lee's going to be my maid of honor."

Sokka's eyes widened, and he leaned forward in complete interest. "So… if Ty Lee's going to be there… will Suki come, too?"

Mai snickered. "You betcha."

The teenager's face broke out in a huge grin, and he pumped his fists in triumph. "Yessssss!"

Xxx

They had strapped me into a metal chair. Leather straps were fastened tight around my wrists and ankles, and I couldn't move if my life depended on it.

Which it might. So I prepared myself for the worst.

The metal door opened, and a big burly man stepped in, his face worn with frown lines and wrinkled. Two guards followed him in, looking extremely overprotective.

I cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Lemme guess. You're the warden."

His jaw tightened. "Yes. That I am."

"So what have you got me in here for, huh? I didn't do anything. That man attacked me… I didn't want to break his arm."

He looked at me skeptically for a minute.

I puffed at a strand of super-dark-brown-but-not-quite-black hair in my face. "Okay. Maybe I did. But, still! He was asking for it."

He put his hands behind his back in a superior manner. "I have not sent you in here for that. You know plenty well why you are strapped to a chair."

"If you're trying to get me to confess to something, it won't work. I'm not a sissy tattletale like the rest of the wusses in this sorry excuse for a prison."

The door behind him swung closed, and shut with a horrifying clang. "We'll see about that."

xxx

This chapter was kinda short. Oh, well. I hope you enjoyed it!

I only got ONE review on the last chappy. I was extremely disappointed. Thanks, pandalily! Oh, and to sleepyreader, thanks for sending me that IM about my writing! It was really nice of you.