Each character has their own accents and mannerisms, and it's very hard to write that in, so when you read the dialogue just try to imagine that. I own nothing, Nick and creators do. Rated for violence, language, and fluff.

Omashu-

"Good Aang, very good! You've finally managed to move the pebble across the table. And it's only been what, three weeks?"

"Shut UP!" Aang yelled. "I'm trying my hardest! Just give me a break, ok?"

"Aang!" Katara exclaimed, stunned. "What is wrong with you?"

"Well, let's see. I have only about two months left to master two more elements, then I have to go defeat the strongest man alive. Hmm, well, no. Nothing's wrong!" Aang yelled, venting his anger on his friends.

"Aang, water bending and fire bending came so easy to you. Why should earth bending be any different?"

"AGH! You just don't understand!" Aang took off down the hallway.

"Aang! Wait!" Katara called, and started to go after him.

"Wait." Bumi bid her. "Let him be alone for awhile. It doesn't seem you were helping much anyway."

"Gosh, I'm sorry." Katara sat on the ground unhappily. "But why can't he learn earth bending? Everything came so naturally to him..."

"Katara, you wouldn't understand this because you only know water bending. Think about it. Water and air are so similar. Flowing, calming, peaceful. They are used more for defense and non-lethal fighting. Earth and fire, on the other hand, are more powerful, strong elements. It is hard for Aang to grasp this concept. He is such a kind and gentle soul." Bumi said wisely.

"But, he could do fire bending just fine, even if it did get a bit out of control."

"This may have something to do with Avatar Roku. He was a firebender. Perhaps since Roku was Aang's most recent life, besides this one, he knows it more instinctively. You told me what happened at the crescent island. Roku's spirit took over Aang to defeat the Zhao and his guards with fire. Perhaps that left some better understanding of fire with him."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense..." Katara glanced at Sokka. "What are you staring at?"

"Dude! Bumi just said something... Intelligent!" Sokka gaped at the century old man.

"Ehehe!" Bumi giggled insanely.

"Sokka, be nice." Katara berated him. She turned back to Bumi. "Thank you."

Still in the Woods-

"Zuko, I see a fire!"

"Good! Maybe they have information on the Avatar!"

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of food..."

"Uncle, this is serious!" Zuko docked his ship and quietly made his way towards the fire.

As they crept closer, Zuko could make out the figure of a girl, cooking a rabbit over the fire. She looked to be about17-19 years old, with boyishly short red hair. Even though they were concealed, Zuko could see the lines of several daggers beneath her clothes. The camp looked to be nonpermanent, with a few necessary items sprawled about. The girl looked up and grinned.

"There's plenty of food here if you would like to share. I'm not dangerous." Zuko defiantly stepped out from behind the tree.

"I'm not interested in food. Have you seen a bald monk, or perhaps any flying bison?"

"Wow, what is with you people today? You're the second one looking for the Avatar."

"Who was the first?" Zuko asked, stunned.

"A bitchy woman. Kinda looked like you, come to think of it. Nearly burned my head off when I said I didn't know."

"Zula." Zuko muttered.

"Come again?"

"Nothing. This is a waste of time. Thanks for nothing."

"Wait!" The girl called, and scrambled to her feet. "How did you get here?"

"By boat. Why?"

"Good! Please, could you take me somewhere? I need to get to Omashu. I've been walking for ages!"

"Absolutely not!" Zuko look indignant. "I have my own places to go."

"Oh come on." She stared at him. "The main river way goes all the way to Omashu. Unless you're planning on stopping anywhere before that, you could just drop me off there. I can get my own food, I just want to get there faster. Please? I can pay."

"No." Zuko said firmly. "I don't even know who you are. You could be a warrior earth bender for all I know, just waiting to kill me as I sleep."

"I most certainly am not!"

"Then what nation are you from?" He demanded.

"That's not important! Why can't you just give me a quick lift?"

"Then what is your name?"

"Why does it matter?"

"What do you want in Omashu? What profession are you in?"

The girl glared at him. "Fine. I was part of an earth kingdom village, but I sure as hell ain't any sort of bender, my name is Mat, I want to go to Omashu to stay with a friend."

"Isn't Mat a boys name?" Zuko grinned.

"It's pronounced MAWT, you moron."

"And your profession?" Zuko enjoyed irking this girl. She got upset so easily!

"Ugh, fine! I have no way of making money so I waylay random travelers. If that's not pathetic enough for you, I only steal from the ones who can spare it, and I don't even take it all. Good enough for you?" She glared at him. "You know what, this is ridiculous. I can make my own way. I've got two strong legs. Good night." She sat back down in front of her now burnt rabbit.

"Good riddance." Zuko's humor from ticking off this girl rapidly evaporated, and he started back for the ship.

"Zuko." Iroh stopped him.

"What, uncle?"

"You know, she answered all your questions."

"You can't possibly be thinking of taking her with us."

"She said she could pay."

"Yeah, with stolen money. You heard her, she's a thief!"

"I don't think it would do any harm in helping her out. Besides, we were going to Omashu too, remember? That tip from that cabbage merchant..."

Zuko glared at his uncle, but he was too tired from nonstop traveling to argue. "Fine. MAT! We leave now. Let's go." Zuko stalked back to his ship. With joy in her eyes, Mat wordlessly packed her few belongings and took after the prince and his uncle.

Omashu-

"Aang?" Katara asked gently.

"What?"

"How are you doing?"

"Fine. I- I'm sorry I yelled." Aang looked Katara in the eyes. "It's just, I'm so frustrated with this whole Avatar business! Especially with the earth bending. Why can't I just do it?"

"Bumi explained it to me." Katara said kindly. "It's not your fault. From what I've heard, earth bending will be the hardest for you. Fire bending should be a piece of cake, and with us to help you I'm sure you can defeat Ozai no problem. You are the Avatar, after all."

"I'm only a kid. Ozai is a master fire bender. How can I defeat him?"

"He may be a master fire bender, but you are a master air, water, earth, and fire bender. I have complete confidence in you."

"Is that confidence well placed?" Aang asked.

Before their conversation could go any further, Bumi burst into the room. "Aang, there is a young lady here for you. She is very beautiful, looks to be a warrior. Should I tell her you are here?"

"NO!" Katara and Aang yelled. "She could be an enemy..." Katara murmured. "Aang, who else knows we're here?"

"I don't know!" Aang started to panic. "I thought we were safe here!"

"Aha! There you are!"

Aang and Katara's mouths dropped. "Suki?"

Random Town Along River-

"Uncle! We need supplies. Come help me get some things." Zuko called down the hatch.

"I'm a bit busy!" Iroh called up.

"With what?" Zuko called down heatedly. "What on earth could you be doing?"

Iroh looked down at his carving of the Lotus Tile and Pari-Sho board, opened his mouth, thought better of it, then called up, "Finishing my cup of tea! You can go alone!"

"Finishing your tea my a-"

"I could come." Mat stepped out of her room.

"I can do it alone." Zuko replied moodily.

"Aww, come on, don't be such a bully! I need to stretch my legs." Mat joyfully skipped alongside Zuko as they made their way to the town.

Several hours later:

"Ok, we got the provisions, ropes, whetstone, fishing supplies, and medicine. Is that it?"

"You know, you could help me with some of this." Mat groaned, and nearly toppled as she tried to catch a falling bag of nuts.

"Shut up. You're the one who wanted to come." Zuko abruptly stopped, making Mat crash into him and sending all their supplies sprawling.

"Hey!" Mat shouted indignantly. "You did that on purpose!" She looked at Zuko's blank face. "Zuko? Hey, Zuko, buddy? You ok?" She looked in the direction of his slack-eyed stare. "Oh, gimme a friggin break..."

"OMG like hi! My name is like, Hillary!" Hillary was beautiful. She had blond hair that fell in cascading waves down her back. It had the most perfect curls, the kind that remind you of the ocean. Her eyes were peculiar, one was blue and the other was orange. Around her neck was a necklace, that had the entwining symbols of both fire and water. Her outfit was modest, but still tight enough to reveal every single curve of her perfect body. Daggers and spears and arrows were hidden all over her body. From the looks of her muscular body, she was a powerful warrior. She wore black capris that emphasized her perfect calves. Her boots were also black, the long kind that went up to her knees that look sexy on anybody, but for some reason made Hillary look like a Goddess.

"I don't want to reveal too much about my war-torn past, but I can bend fire and water. I am the only surviving member of my clan, we were wiped out by the Fire Nation. For some reason I was spared, and I know it is my solemn duty to avenge my clan. I'm perfectly capable of wiping out an entire Fire Nation legion because I'm an extremely powerful warrior who can cut the butt off a fly at 100 paces with a spear. If that's not enough, now the fire nation is after me because I can see into the future. All I want is to be accepted for who I am!" She looked at Zuko with baby eyes.

"Of course. You must be so strong..." Zuko murmured. "And so beautiful..." Hillary giggled. Mat calmly walked up and slit her throat. It was as if a spell had been lifted from Zuko. "What the, what the HELL?" Zuko gasped. "What, what is that, thing?" He gestured to the girl now lying dead on the ground.

"That," Mat replied calmly, "Is a Mary-Sue. Be careful, they're everywhere." Still deadly calm, she picked up their scattered supplies and shooed off the growing crowd. Zuko looked frightened, and jumped at the slightest sound all the way back to the ship.

A/N-

Well, I thought and I thought, and I decided I really needed to introduce an O/C. I really didn't want to, but it's needed for the plot! The Mary-Sue bit was just a funny idea I had, and just HAD to include it. I don't know if all of you found it as hilarious as I do!