A/N: Hey guys, Siri Avaruus here, I've had this saved on the computer for a long time now so I figured since its summer why not post it here. The flashbacks take place after The Firebending Masters but everything after that is AU. Sorry the first chapter is short, they'll get longer though. Well, I hope you guys enjoy it and thanks for reading. Constructive criticism is welcome. Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
Of all the places in the world this was the last place she would have expected to end up in and as she sat miles underground in the dark she could hardly believe it herself. She had had the perfect life only years ago, great friends, fun adventures… but those were only fading memories now. They had been replaced by the haunting nightmare that had become her new life.
She sighed as she leaned against the cold metal cell wall. She had no idea how long she had been in this place. Was it years or only a few months? She sometimes got letters from her brother, telling her he had forgiven her and she would be home soon. She looked forward to the letters, they told her of the events going on in the outside world. But she knew she was never going home, they would never let her be free. In their eyes and the eyes of many others she was a monster. Sometimes in the lonely, soundless prison she could almost hear his voice, his sad accusing voice echo through the halls, "What happened to you Katara? How did you become such a monster?"
"I am not a monster." She whispered firmly to herself.
"But you are Katara," Replies the voice in her head, the source of her misery, "even the Avatar knows it and so do you..."
"No!" Katara looked up at the ceiling and imagined she could see the night sky and the silver moon, "Yue please end my suffering, I know I made a mistake and I'm so sorry. But please let me rest…"
Katara crawled over to the corner farthest from the door and curled up against the wall. She looked back up, "I'm so sorry Mom."
~*~
Katara was awoken by a growl emanating from her hungry stomach, today was the eighth day she had refused food. She licked her parched lips and slowly lifted her weary body to a sitting position. Today was the beginning of another long unwanted day. Footsteps and the clang of metal told her a guard was at her cell door. She looked up and watched the man slide a tray of grayish brown mush in.
"Are you going to eat it or are you still refusing food?" He asked.
Katara remained silent and glared at him.
The guard shrugged, "If you want to starve yourself go ahead, you'll just be one less criminal in the world." He walked off.
Katara's stomach roared agian and she looked longingly at the tray near the door, she inched forward slightly before shaking her head and crawling back to her corner. Sighing she curled up into a fetal position and fell back asleep.
7 years earlier…
Katara lay on her bed in the abandoned Airbender Temple. Usually at this time of the day she would be waterbending with Aang but recently he had been busy with other things.
"Sugar Queen?"
Katara glanced at the open doorway where Toph stood arms crossed leaning against the door frame. "Yes?" she asked.
"I have something to tell you." The earthbender replied.
Katara got up and motioned for her friend to come sit on the bed. Toph moved from the door way and hopped on the bed next to Katara.
"So, what is it you want to tell me?" Katara inquired.
"I noticed that Twinkle Toes had been making excuses every afternoon to get out of waterbending and then disappearing until sundown. Yesterday I followed him and I discovered he's been going to this huge hidden underground city a few miles from here and-"
"-Is he there now?" Katara interrupted.
"Yeah," Toph responded, " but he goes there to mee-"
Katara quickly stood, "-Lets go surprise him, we can explore the city together!" She dragged Toph out of her room and to the front of the Temple. "Will we need to take Appa?"
"No, I got there using earthbending but Katara maybe you should wait for him to come back."
Katara walked over to the sleeping bison clearly not listening, "We'll just take Appa, that way he won't hear us coming."
The whole ride Katara talked constantly about how they were going to sneak up on Aang and explore the city. Toph was grateful that the trip only took a few seconds because the waterbender's consistent chatter was beginning to get on her nerves. Katara's mouth was so loud she wouldn't be surprised if Aang had heard them already, Katara was being the farthest thing from quiet.
"So which way Toph?" Katara asked once they had found the stone entrance to the underground city.
"Just follow me." The earthbender responded, "But seriously have you even thought about why he hasn't told you about it yet?"
"Not really," the older girl replied, "He probably just forgot."
"Yeah, I'd definitely forget to tell someone about a secret city I go everyday to." Toph stopped in front of a gigantic wooden door etched with swirly and circular cravings. "I still haven't told you the reason Twinkle Toes comes out here. He comes to meet a-"
But Katara wasn't listening any more. She stepped forward and opened the door.