Title: Restoration
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the last airbender but I do own any characters I create.
Large ominous dark clouds drifted across the night sky as a cool breeze blew through the tall evergreen trees. As a cloud blotted out the moon's gaze, a dark figure in a mask dashed towards a large covered cart heading for a Fire nation fortress. Before the cloud passed, the mysterious figure had vanished as quickly as it had appeared from the woods.
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Near the rear of a large holding cell, was a raised platform with two pillars parallel to each other. Between these two pillars was chained a girl who had dark auburn red hair that fell about her shoulders in messy clumps. As the sound of a sharp crack of the whip was heard, the girl would breathe in sharply. Standing next to the Fire nation soldier, who was administering the torture, was the great Commander Zhang.
"I will ask one last time," Zhang began sternly, "what do you know about the Avatar's plans to attack the Fire nation capital?" Another crack of the whip echoed off the walls.
"Your better off talking to a deaf mute," replied the girl mockingly.
"It seems that you have not grasped the situation which you are in," said Zhang. Zhang turned to the soldier next to him saying, "Kanji, give this arrogant waterbender another 15 lashings for good measure." Zhang walked around the platform and faced the girl. Looking at her square in the eye, Zhang smugly said, "Since you think of us as…," Zhang averted his gaze upward while placing his index finger on his chin, "how did you put it so eloquently…ahhh yes…'fire nation pigs', I am sure you won't mind me saving you from eating fire nation food for another day." Zhang stood, turned, and proceeded towards the door at the other end of the room. When Zhang reached the door and started to open it, he turned slightly smirking. "Until tomorrow." He added with a wave of his hand.
As Kanji finished with the prisoner's daily "treatment", he rolled up the whip and walked around the platform so that he now stood before the girl.
"You don't scream or whimper like the other prisoners." Kanji said matter-of-factly.
The girl raised her head so that her long auburn hair fell away revealing a glaring pair of hazel eyes looking straight at Kanji. Kanji jumped slightly, but he quickly returned the glare showing that he was not afraid of her.
The girl said mockingly, "Yah. Think you're a real tough guy. You're probably one of those guys who flexes in the mirror at yourself. If my arms and legs weren't chained, I would..."
But before she could finish, Kanji butted in replying, "You'd do what! Throw some girly punches."
"No, I would give you an unforgettable flight back to your maker." The girl replied in a dark tone.
Kanji just let out a chuckle as he turned to leave knowing that this pathetic girl could do nothing since she did not have any access to her element. The sound of Kanji's laughter eerily bounced off the walls. When Kanji was about a few meters from the door, the girl smirked asking, "Want some help getting out of here faster?" Kanji let out another laugh, but before he knew what hit him, a gust of wind came up behind him propelling him towards the door. Kanji collided into the wall landing beside the door. As Kanji was slowly getting up, it was the girl's turn to laugh. In between her laughter, Kanji heard the girl saying, "And that's…for the…extra 15…lashings!"
The soldier hastily exited the room. A dull click of the key resounded off the walls signaling that, once again, she was alone.
"I wonder how long I can keep my strength up. I've got to find a way to get out of here. But no matter what happens, I won't betray a friend. I won't betray Aang." The girl murmured to herself as she sorrowfully gazed down at the floor, which was speckled with her blood.
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Commander Zhang busied himself with the menial affairs involving his station at the fortress. One of which was paperwork, which was never really his favorite.
"I swear whoever thought that writing every detail down was important, must have had nothing else better to do." Zhang grumpily spoke to himself as he looked over the reports from the surrounding Fire nation colonies in the Earth kingdom. A soft rapping came from the door across from Zhang's desk. Zhang's eyebrows furrowed even more in irritation at this sudden disturbance. Zhang whispered to himself, "What could be so important at this late hour?" The person knocked a bit louder the second time.
"Yes! Come in!" Zhang angrily shouted. The door opened hesitantly as Zhang's manservant peaked his head in. In seeing that his master was not going to throw a fireball at him, the manservant ventured further into the room, opening the door wider.
"Commander Zhang, Kanji has an urgent report to make. Would you like to see him now?", the manservant said.
"Unless the girl has escaped or is willing to talk, then I don't want to be disturbed until morning. Have Kanji write up a report about it and give it to me in the morning. Do I make myself clear?" Zhang sternly replied.
The manservant bowed low, saying, "As you wish, commander." The door closed with a soft latching sound. Waiting a few moments, Zhang let out a sigh saying, "Finally, I have some peace and quite." Zhang raised a hot cup of jasmine tea to his lips and breathed in the calming aroma.