Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. Just all the kids mentioned in this part. Which is finally long. Huzzah. :P
Suddenly I was covered in stinking, oozing, disgusting mud. COVERED! I slowly looked up, hands and hair dripping, glaring murderously at my cousin, as Inari jumped out of the way.
"Oops…" said Mamoru. He turned to run into the sunroom, but I grabbed him by the arm.
"Where do you think you're going you little squirt?" I screamed.
"I'm sorry Aniek!" he wailed. "It was an accident!"
His cries brought the two spies and two of my uncles running.
"What in Agni's name is going on here?" Uncle Zuko roared. He pulled me away from Mamoru, which was a good thing for my cousin because I had been just about to set fire to his hair. I pulled and tugged, finally stomping on Uncle's foot, not caring whether or not he was the Fire Lord. I had unfinished business with my cousin, and nothing was going to stand in my way.
"You moron!" I screamed again, rushing at the boy. He tried to get out of the way, but he was slow and I punched him hard in the nose. He fell to the ground. "What the hell where you thinking?" I proceeded to spew a stream of curses that left the spies and both of my uncles stunned. Mamoru was trembling uncontrollably on the ground, his nose trickling blood from where I had hit him. Uncle Sokka grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away.
"Aneko," he said very calmly, considering I was yelling death threats at his only son, "You need to calm down."
I broke away but didn't go back to Mamoru. Instead, I walked slowly and deliberately across the courtyard.
"Young lady!" Uncle Zuko yelled. "Get back here right now!"
"Or what?" I yelled back. "You'll tell mom? I don't give a damn."
His next words were lost to me, though I could tell he was furious. I walked down the corridor that led towards my quarters, dripping all the way. I finally reached my rooms, entered, slammed the door shut, and stomped my way into my bathroom. There I stripped off my outer garments, until I was standing in my shorts and tunic, then filled up the pool that served as my bath. As I lowered myself into the steaming water, my memory flashed back to that morning…
"Neko! Neko where are you?"
I sighed and looked up from my book. "I'm right here Yuri!" Why did she always have to interrupt the moment I was finally enjoying myself?
My three-year-old cousin came tumbling into the room, dragging her stuffed turtle duck behind her.
"Auntie Zula said you gotta play with me Neko!" she whined. "I wanna play!"
"All right, all right," I said, giving in. Yuri might whine a lot, but she was still a good kid, and besides, she was my baby cousin. What was I supposed to do? "What do you want to do honey?"
"Wanna go feed the tuckies!" came the reply. Tuckies was Yuri's name for turtle ducks that lived in the pond by the children's quarters.
I got up off the bed and grabbed her pudgy hand. "We'll go to the kitchens and get some bread okay? And then we'll go feed the ducks."
She nodded solemnly.
I smiled. Little Yuri took after her mother in every way, showing even at this early age, the calm, cool mentality that all water benders had.
We were just leaving the kitchens when Sentou came rushing in.
"Aneko!" he gasped. He looked like he had been running. "The spies are here!"
I grinned and hugged him. When Sentou and I had returned home from our… adventure, I had asked him and my cousin Mamoru to keep an eye out for the spies I knew my mother would send out to find my father's location. Though most of the rebels had been locked away, I knew some had escaped the troops at the camp, and that others had suddenly disappeared on the way to the prison. I knew they would rejoin my father, and I waited for news, any news, of their actions.
"Here, Sentou." I said hurriedly. "Take Yuri bake to her nurse." He nodded and took her hand.
I turned to Yuri, who was pouting. "I'll be right back sweetie, but there's something important that I have to do."
She looked upset, but nodded. "Okay Neko. Tuckies later."
I hugged her. She was such a good kid.
"They're up by the iris courtyard," Sentou said as I straightened up. "But be careful. I don't think Dad'll be too happy if he catches you."
I nodded and ran as fast as I could toward the courtyard. There were some pillars there I could hide behind, and a sunroom with some couches in it. That should be enough. The sound of male voices carried to my ears as I approached. I dashed behind a pillar and caught my breath, listening to the conversation.
"We found them outside Anzensei, my lord," one was saying. "Naru infiltrated their group, as you requested, but we didn't find out much."
"And why not?" It was Uncle Sokka.
"The rebels themselves don't know much sir," replied a new voice. I assumed this was Naru. "From what I could get out of them, after the raid, their leader refused to see anyone. His generals escaped from the guard on the way to the prison, but even they can't speak to him. I'm not even sure he's alive anymore."
A chill ran down my spine. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be…
"I doubt it," said Uncle Zuko. "Jet's not one to be give up so easily. No, it's more likely he's laying a trap for us. I want at least two guards on Aneko, Sentou, and Azula at all times."
A new voice sounded. "Yes my lord. I'll see to it."
I was cursing in my head when I saw a shadow down by my feet. I turned to see a noblemen's son, I think his name was Inari, standing behind me. He raised a finger to his lips and I copied his action, showing I would stay quiet. He moved over next to me and whispered in my ear. "Mamoru and I are playing a game, Princess. Whoever finds the other first and marks him in some way wins. It might not be a good idea to hang around. Mamoru likes mud."
I nodded, and was about to move away when I realized just how much my cousin truly loved stinking, oozing, disgusting mud.
Grimacing at the memory, I stepped out of the pool. Wrapping a towel around myself, I reflected on my behavior. Sure, I was mad, and scared, but that was no excuse. I had gone too far. I would have to find Mamoru and apologize. The others? I didn't know.
It was like this, wrapped in my thoughts, that I entered my bedroom. As such, I didn't notice the pale figure lying on my bed for a long time. When I did, I screamed. The boy (and it was a boy and not some scary assassin type figure) jumped and covered his eyes. It took me a while, but I recognized him as the boy from the camp. He was lying propped up on the pillows and his clothes were in tatters, showing dried blood and bruises. I couldn't even begin to fathom how he had gotten in here in such a state.
"Princess!" yelled one of the guards outside my door. "What's wrong?"
The boy panicked, struggling to sit up, but I held a finger to my lips, signaling for him to keep quiet.
"I'm fine!" I yelled out to the guard. "I just tripped coming out of the bath!"
"Are you sure Princess?" he asked.
"Very! Thank you though!"
I turned back to the boy. "Keep your eyes closed." I whispered. "I'll be right back."
He nodded, eyes already shut tight.
I quickly grabbed my clothes, an ensemble much like Aunt Katara's, though in reds, oranges, and blacks, and ran into my dressing room. What was he doing here? I thought as I braided my hair. And why was he hurt so badly? I finished dressing and went back into the bedroom. His eyes were still closed, but he was now moaning softly, no doubt from the pain of his wounds. I sat down next to him and he cracked open his eyes.
"What happened to you?" I asked softly.
He shook his head, not wanting to answer.
I tried another tactic. "Where are you hurt?"
He put a hand on his chest, and then on his left arm. I could see the gash there. It was deep and looked infected. I reached out to find out how deep it was but he grabbed my wrist with surprising strength. He was well muscled, anyone could see that, but he was practically unconscious!
"Please…" he said faintly. "Don't…"
"It's all right," I said. "I'm not going to hurt you. Can you sit up for me?"
He struggled, but managed to pull himself upright on his own. I eased his shirt over his head and gasped in spite of myself. His entire torso was covered in bruises, cuts, and burns.
"What happened to you?" I asked again, but the boy still refused to answer. Why did he have to be so difficult?
"All right," I said. "I'm going to get some medicine to put on these, but you have to hide somewhere. Can you move at all?"
He shook his head. "My leg…"
I looked down and saw a similar gash on his right leg.
"Okay," I said, getting up. "I'll help you. Do you want me on your right or left?"
"Left…"
I helped him off the bed and he lifted one arm over my head. We started to walk and I could tell he was holding back cries of pain.
"Boys…" I muttered.
He smiled. "Not just boys Aneko. I've heard stories about you."
That puzzled me, but I didn't push him. I'd find out later.
We finally made it to the old nursery, which no one went in anymore. Uncle Zuko had a new one made when I was little, for a reason unknown to me. They hadn't gotten around to changing it to something else, so it had become my secret hideaway.
"Are you going to be okay if I leave you for a while?" I asked, after I had arranged him on a couch.
He nodded, grimacing at the pain. "Just hurry. Please."
A/N: Bum bum bum! What could possibly happen next? Tune in next time:P Oh, and by the way, it's going to be written from the as yet unamed boy's part. Yeah. Have fun!
