Ty Lee has seen better days.

My way to work was uneventful. On the way back, around four pm, I noticed something on the way home. There was someone staggering on the side of the road. Now, this wasn't TOO unusual. You had your winoes and what not. Drunks even at this hour.

As I got closer, however, I noticed that this "wino" was very familiar. VERY familiar. It was Ty Lee. Her clothes were dirty, slightly torn...she had some scrapes and bruises (hope those heal on robo-sluts...) and such. Said clothes were that of a...oh, what was there name...that Suki chick was one of them. They work make up and used fans in battle. Ty Lee became one at the end of the series... Unlike Mai, her skin was very well tanned...no, wait...also sunburned. Her hair, usually tied up in a long braid, was undone and frayed.

To sum up: Ty Lee looked like shit. I pulled up along side her and she froze. Apparently she hadn't seen a car before. Made me wonder how long she had been along this stretch of rode. I opened the door and climbed out. "Hey! Hey, are you okay?" I asked. Ty Lee coughed, wiping dirt from her face. I think she tried to respond, but her voice was hoarse. I couldn't understand a word.

Opening the passenger door, I gesture for her to get in. "C'mon, you can't just keep walking. Let me give you a ride," I insisted. Ty Lee looked at the car, then to me, then to the car before nodding and getting inside. She was tense for the entire drive. Every strange noise made her jump.

When we got to my house, I let her out and led her inside. "Mai! Mai, we got a bit of a problem here!" I called. At the name, Ty Lee's eyes lit up with hope. Mai came in wearing a robe...I had a feeling she was hoping to surprise me. However, once she saw Ty Lee, the annoyed expression was gone. "Ty Lee...?" she whispered, astounded.

"I think she needs some water," I interrupted before things could get any more...distressing. Ty Lee didn't look good, as I said before. Her lips were chapped as hell, as if she had been wandering the desert or something. I headed off to get her a bottle as Mai helped her friend to the couch.

Opening the bottle, I handed it to the acrobat who began to chug it. I had to grab her hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa...slow down," I warned. "You'll make yourself sick if you drink too fast." Mai shook her head, wiping Ty Lee's dirt smeared cheek. "Where did you find her?" she asked me. I could swear her eyes were filling with tears.

"On the road, just staggering along. I don't know how long she's been wandering, but from the looks of her, it's been a while since she's had anything to eat or drink," I explained. "...wait, you know her?"

Nodding, Mai sighed. "This is Ty Lee, John. I told you about her a couple of days ago...but I never thought I'd see her again..." she whispered. "Ty Lee...yeah, you mentioned her. She was **** to help Azula or something, right?" I mumbled, trying to remember what she had told me and what she hadn't.

"Last I heard from her, she had joined the Koyshi Warriors," Mai said. "Ty Lee, what happened?" Swallowing, Ty Lee wiped her mouth. "Azula...had some sympathizers," she rasped. "They broke Azula out of that special hospital they locked her in. Doubt she was any help though. They just started attacking seemingly random targets." Ty Lee shook her head. "She really is broken..."

Snapping her fingers, Mai shook her head. "Focus, Ty Lee. What does this have to do with you?" Mai asked, regaining a bit of her monotone. "...a group of us Koyshi warriors got attacked. Apparently I was recognized 'cause they captured me instead of just trashing me with the rest of them. I had a feeling they weren't going to be...nice to me."

Ty Lee sighed. "...so, I got away...but...I just...I don't know...I got lost. There was nothing to eat or drink...I thought I was going to die...then...I was suddenly somewhere else. There were these wooden poles with wires all along them and this black flat surface with white and yellow lines on it...then this...THING came up and this guy..." Ty Lee pointed to me. "...came out and helped me...Mai, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to get married to Zuko or something."

Mai crossed her arms. "That's what my parents would have liked...but I had other ideas. Someone important to look for...and I found him," she said. Ty Lee's eyes lit up. "Oh! So this is THE John? Hmm? Hmm?" Apparently my reputation proceeded me...

Rubbing the back of my head, I grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I am..." I replied. Ty Lee squealed...then coughed hard and drank more water. "Mai told me all about you two! It was sooo sweet!" she wheezed, despite the coughing.

Groaning, Mai shook her head. "Ty Lee, please stop talking. This time for your own health, rather then mine," she said dryly.