Greetings, you who hath decided to read my story. I hope you enjoy this

I do not own ALTA.

For those out on the streets, life isn't very easy. It never has been, and never will until they get off or it, which frankly isn't very likely. Everyday it's the same old thing in a new set of circumstances. Steal food, steal some water or something to drink, more food, maybe some bronze coins if you're lucky enough to get that, something that rarely ever happens for us, and pretty much just steal.

All we do is try to delay the inevitable. Every single day of my rotten life I ask myself, Well, Hisa, is this going to be the day that you finally starve? Will this be the day you finally freeze?

It's kind of hard for a Nonbender to stay warm out here if you haven't noticed, even in the temperamental climate of the Fire Nation.

Who am I? Well, I guess that if you're going to be peeking in on my life, you should at least know my name. I'm Hisa, and this is my story.

It was a cold day, which was really saying something. Not exactly snowing cold, I actually don't think that it has snowed a single time in the history of the Fire Nation, but dreary, rainy, numbing cold. I was curled under my dumpster, trying to deny the fact that it actually was morning. I only had one blanket, a pretty ratty, ragged one. I kept my eyes pressed shut tightly, struggling to get back to sleep.

Unfortunately, like all things, the cold got to me. I opened my brown eyes with a frustrated groan and stretched, wincing at the stiffness in my limbs, and attempted to run a hand through my hair. I managed to get my fingers a few inches before the knots got too much and kept them from going through it any further. I remained sprawled out on the hard, gravelly stone for a few minutes, trying to get the rest of me to actually wake up. My right arm twitched as a spasm of pins and needles seized it. Apparently I'd slept on it funny and by doing so, all the blood had left it, so now it was simply rushing back in with its very painful way. I gritted my teeth and simply waited for it to return to normal.

As the smart in my arm started to die down, I planned what I would do. There was an amazing place not all that far away that sold komodo chicken and rice. The only problem was their security system, and they knew me well, but surely they couldn't get mad at me if I only took what was from the garbage can, right? No one else wanted it anymore.

I rolled out from under my home, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. My pale skin was streaked with dirt and absolutely filthy, but underneath that was a nice tan. I had jet black hair that was always in a tangled mess, considering I didn't have any of the normal tools to keep it straight. For a twelve year old, I was pretty tall, able to touch the top of a window without really even trying. My clothes were really just rags that were starting to fall apart; I'd have to steal some new ones soon.

To say the least, I stood out like a sore thumb.

Stuffing my hands into the things that didn't really even deserve to be called pockets anymore, I trudged through the rain toward my target food joint, the water washing off the dirt from my skin. I knew it was only a matter of time before it settled back on again. It was just the way things went. There weren't too many people out, and those who were hurried right on by me without paying me a second glance. The conditions were perfect for me.

It was really easy to just sneak around the back of the restaurant, considering the fact that no one really went around there except to throw things away. I carefully opened one of the cans. The first thing that greeted me was a box, slightly crumpled with some sauce on it, but mostly intact. Naturally, I wanted to see what was inside it. After taking it out slowly, I opened the top easily. Inside it was simply a heap of komodo chicken smothered in the sauce. Granted it was half eaten, but I had never been so lucky in he entire time I've been out here. I immediately dug into it, shoving it into my mouth as if I was trying to fit as much as physically possible in at it at one time. Manners weren't that of a concern to me.

I was almost finished when I couldn't help but look over the crest of the hill that the restaurant was located on. There were buildings before it just abruptly stopped, going into rolling hills of its own. Most of them were hidden by clouds and raindrops, but there was a looming figure just visible. Everyone knew it, even me. It was Piandao's castle.

Who was Piandao? Only the most renowned swordmaster in all four nations! He was amazing, as well as rich.

Rich. . . . Hmmm. . . . I had never actually thought of trying to rob him, or really anyone, but now I felt as if it was really my only choice. Immediately all sorts of plans started filling my head. Without another word, I finished up the komodo chicken and walked away.