A/N: wow, thanks for the awesome feedback guys! It was really shocking and encouraging when I came on and saw the reviews! I really enjoyed reading and responding to them. C: Not to mention is gave me a boost and compelled me to finish this chapter faster! Hopefully you guys will enjoy this chapter as much as the preface! :D

We are Broken But not Shattered

Chapter - 001

And in death, everything you wish you knew was revealed. There are no more secrets or beautiful lies, just the ugly, painful truth. Though I had no heart, I felt it tightening, going into spasms as I watched my breed slowly whither away in Camp Arun. The people walked like other people but at a slower pace. There was no rush to get to work on Monday mornings or any real reason to get up out of bed, especially on humid mornings. The air was heavy with water, making breathing a hard task in the sultry, simmering sun. The sweat was thick, on their skins, acting like a second, unnecessary skin. To cope with the weather, the inmates had ripped off the sleeves of their ugly, mustard yellow shirts; the exposed skin on their arms would have burned had it not already been charred from the years in the sun. Even the palest people within the camp appeared to be unnaturally dark.

There were no clouds in the sky to block out the sun. The places where there was shade were occupied by groups of people eating their slop—a greenish white, oatmeal consistent soup with a few small chunks of vegetables and, if you were lucky, a dissolved piece of meat. As such was the luck of Pagoda. She twisted her metal soup around in the soup before dumping the piece of the meat into her dry mouth. She swashed the meat around in her mouth before swallowing. She appropriately stuck her tongue out at Tane through the clear wall that divided the waterbenders from the earthbenders. The young man folded his arms across his chest like a two year-old about to throw a fit. Pagoda only laughed silently. Then he gave in and grinned.

This was how the days began for them for as long as either could remember. During summer when they could not draw on the glass, the two made silly faces at each other. Their meetings were brief, about fifteen minutes each day, but spending fifteen minutes in silence with another person three times a day was better than being alone. Over the years of being together, they both had memorized each other's appearance. He was a tall man of seventeen years, though appearing to be in his early twenties. His naturally dark skin appeared to be a shade of truffle because of the sun. Like most born within the camp, his eyes didn't match his skin. They weren't dark brown like his mother's but a pale shade of green. Pagoda was dark too for a nineteen year-old but a shade of cherry wood. In the sunlight, her honey-suckle eyes glimmered. Like the rest of the people in the camp, they were kept hairless—no hair, no eyebrows, no beards.

Tane placed his hand up on glass, his smile fading. Pagoda placed her hand over his. This was how they said goodbye to each other without speaking. He pulled his leather muzzle over his face as she did. Just as silently as they held their conversations, the duo parted. Pagoda stopped, holding her bowl with both hands, and glanced over her shoulder. She watched him as he walked along the metal floors, zigzagging through the people till he melted in with the rest of the crowd. Pagoda looked down at the white, sand (composed of salts) that made the air dry of the waterbenders' section of the camp. She squeezed her toes and buried them into the burning sand. The woman could only imagine what it felt like to walk on solid ground.

On days like this, the guards were too concerned about melting in their ACEO armor to enforce the work schedule. These sweltering days were the days that pleasant memories were made. Small children kicked around a ball with their calloused feet and used the building doors as goals. The adults fanned each other with their hands or took naps in the limited shade outside the buildings. Even some of the guards would abandon their posts to sit next to the inmates. It was interesting how the heat could make people more placid and willingly to share the precious necessities of life.

Maybe the guards knew better than most people, that the benders weren't demons but people all the same. There was always that hope that they knew.

But hope doesn't save people. It's why people didn't have much hope. They simply accepted their fates and lived the best they could. At least they had roofs over their heads all year, and that was more than some people had outside the camp. That's what the guards said and what they said had to be true. The guards were their only source of knowledge, so what they said was the truth. If it had not been for the guards, then none of them would even know how to speak.

Yet in the waterbenders' microcosm of the world, life went on. In the white buildings made of salt and metal, makeshift families huddled together at night on their cots. During the winter when it was too cold to visit Tane, there was comfort when she would eat together with her "family." The insides of the buildings, the walls were covered with the art of those who could not express themselves through their vocals. There were scenes of what the outside world was to be like. Apparently there were huge puddles of water that separated landmasses so big that Pagoda could not even begin to imagine how huge the landmasses were in the world. There were fantastic creatures out there that swam in her dreams at night.

Pagoda rested against the wall, staring at the scenery on the world again. She stretched out her legs on the cool sand as she enjoyed the shade. She could recite from memory every detail about the picture. There was a lake in the back with the clouds reflected in its deep pools. A sandy beach with a sand castle and footprints lined the lake like trimming. Then there was the grass and wildflowers. They were so soft and fluttery in the wind that she had wondered many times if she imagined hard enough, that maybe she would be able to touch 'em.

"Pagoda."

She lifted her head calmly at the sound of her voice. This was her way of saying. "Yes?"

Atid entered the room. He was below the average height, being only 5'4"; he made up for it with his impressive muscles, but those were concealed underneath the military uniform. She could see his uniform had recently been washed because of the lack of dust covering the silver-green tinted armor along his limbs. Jutting out from the seams of the armor was his green camouflage. The uniform was smooth and compact in order to provide the most protection without hindering the soldier's ability to move. It was honestly a miracle that the guards could stand to wear the heavy uniform during the summer. Strapped to one of their thighs (the right in Atid's case) were their military-issued knife and gun.

He took a heavy sigh and didn't remove his helm like he usually did. The smile on her face faded when she saw the somber look in his fiery, brown eyes. He tightly held his jaw. The man held out his hand. Atid helped her to her feet. "I need you to come with me, Pagoda," he spoke softly. "You're being transported to a different facility. Apparently, you match what the scientists are looking for." Atid pulled her close. It was the closest thing to an apology he could muster. "You're to leave immediately. They are eager to have their way with you." He turned awkwardly away, facing the door. "Follow me," he added in a whisper.

She had never been outside the confines of the camp. Pagoda had assumed she'd be like most of the inmates there: you were born in a different camp, shipped to the camp you lived in, and when you either became sick or old they put you on stage to be executed. It would be the only time you got to see the outside world. But when you did, it was enough to make you cry. There were so many colors. They were beautifully melted together. The brown against the green leaves was subtle, while the white flowers or red fruit against the green leaves was bold. The sky seemed a different shade of blue on the outside, maybe deeper, maybe brighter; she couldn't tell.

"Come here," Atid ushered. Pagoda pried herself away from the window. She turned around in the cramp bathroom. The woman curiously looked to Atid. He turned on the shower; quickly testing to make sure the water wouldn't scorch her skin. "Get cleaned up and dressed; then come on out. They'll be waiting." Atid began to walk away.

She grabbed his arm, her tiny figures digging into the metal. The twenty-eight year old took a deep breath. "Will you becoming?" she inquired without speaking.

It still amazed him out much they could express on their faces without opening their mouths. It was a relief too, because they could never lie through their facial expressions. He shook his head from side-to-side. "I'm still stationed here, Pagoda. But these men, they should be good. I have a friend among them—a good friend. He's promised to look over you," he assured. "Just treat him with respect because he's a captain. Treat them all with respect. It'll keep you alive."

For the first time, he brushed her hand away and left her alone. Pagoda took off her muzzle and placed it on the counter next to the blinding white clothes. She quickly shed her prison clothes, feeling a relief from the sweatiness of them. The woman stepped lightly into the shower. She flinched as the water hit her skin over and over and over again. It stung like hot needles burying themselves into her skin, causing her to make a low hiss; but then, after a few minutes, her back muscles relaxed. The pounding of the water felt good on her skin. The waterbender stared down at feet, watching as the water and dirt mixed together to make a murky substance. In the corner of the shower was a purple bar. Pagoda grabbed the coarse bar and felt over its slick surface. She brought it to her nose and sniffed it. The soap too was pleasant like the water and smelled clean. Pagoda ran it over her arm, smiling.

She washed herself until the hot water began to turn cold. Pagoda grabbed the towel and dried herself off. Following that, she pulled on her new uniform. The white pant legs were baggy like the one's Atid wore; the shirt had long sleeves but was air-light. Over her feet she slid on the white boots. She pulled on the ebon' strings to tighten them. Then she knotted the strings together in a double knot. Lastly, she grabbed a light blue armband with a white insignia on the side. Pagoda strapped it onto her left arm, not knowing the symbol was the insignia of the old Water Tribe.

On the counter was a small brush with a strange, colorful tube next to it. She curiously twisted off the top of the tube and sniffed the minty substance inside. She squeezed lightly on the tube; however, Pagoda jumped backwards as the teal substance shot into the air, splattering on the ceiling. She grabbed the towel before jumping onto the marble-design countertop. Stretching on her tiptoes, Pagoda reached for the toothpaste on the ceiling. She was able to wipe most of it away, save for the tad bit just out of reach. The woman stretched farther out to—THUMP!

It took the waterbender a moment to gather her wits, but in that moment an unknown soldier entered the room. He was about the same age as Atid, but looked more worn than he. There were severe burns down his left jaw line, extending onto his neck. A chip of his thin lips was missing. She assumed it to be from some animal. This man was much taller than Atid or even Tane; she felt like ant compared to the man. His gray eyes glared at the mess. Toothpaste had been sprayed over the curtain, on the walls, and even the ceiling. Half of the blue shower curtain was on the floor. The plaster wall had a new crack.

"Atid wasn't being sarcastic when he said you didn't know anything," the man spoke in a raspy voice, most likely due to his neck injury. He grabbed her gently by her elbows. In his grip, Pagoda trembled. "Shh, it's okay, Pagoda. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say this was an accident." He wrapped an arm around her neck while using the other hand to pick up the pink toothbrush. He scrapped some of the toothpaste off the counter onto the brush. "Open," he spoke before thrusting the brush inside her mouth. Pagoda squirmed as the rough bristles scratched her gums and teeth. Just as quickly, he pulled the brush out of her mouth. The man brought a paper cup filled with water. "Put this in your mouth."

The crisp water was soothing in her mouth, so cool and smooth. She swashed it around before swallowing.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You aren't suppose to swallow, bender. You spit it out," he commented. The soldier looked down at the bender, but her quizzical look at his logic reminded him that she was like an infant to the world, just a bit bigger and more dangerous. "Let's go. The media and prince are waiting, which is never good."

"For who?" she whispered. Her words stopped him in his tracks. She bit down hard on her lip, shrinking backwards. His dropped from her neck; she took the opportunity to put herself in a corner. The sound of skittering feet made her forget about the soldier in front of her. Around from a corner, someone far more intimidating appeared.

He wore a maroon cape that draped around his body like a robe; his arms folded neatly across his broad chest. Underneath the cape, she caught glimpses of his dark, out-dated armor, yet the armor was more appealing to the eye. The chest pieces were reds so dark they appeared black with lively gold trimming that seem suited for life two centuries ago. The collar of his armor reached just below his sharply defined jaw line. His forearms and upper thighs were protected by the same armor. Coming just below his knees were heavy, metal boots to match. Underneath the sweltering armor was a heavy, maroon wool cloth. Hanging from his right side was a long, two-handed sword.

He was no doubt royalty from his unusually pale skin. The prince's ebon' hair was pulled into a bun atop his head with the royal insignia of a flame in front. The twenty-six year old had sharp, golden pools surrounding his black pupil. The man smelled differently; though, she could not pin point the exact, pleasant smell. When he walked, there was an air of supremacy in each step. Prince's head never fell but stayed tall and confident, even arrogant.

"Do not go scaring the waterbender," Rajan chided in a smooth, silky, stern voice. "The last thing the Earth senators need is to receive a paper with my image next to a frightened girl, Captain Rayshaun" His eyes narrowed on the bowing soldier. To her horror, the golden eyes settled on her lithe frame. "As a note for future reference, it is appropriate to kneel before any of your royal family. When you stand in their presence without permission, you are disrespecting my family and your nation." As he stepped closer, Pagoda sunk lower and lower towards the metal floor. "You are wasting my time, waterbender. Get up. My time is precious."

She raised herself up and took a few timid steps towards him. He reached out with his left hand, lifting up her head. "Keep your head high and smile," he ordered in a calm voice. With his soft thumb he gently scrapped off the excess toothpaste. "You are to act happy and content, waterbender. This is suppose to be a grand day for you—an opportunity that perhaps someday you will be able to become a contributing member of society; once you are purged of your primitive traits, of course." Using the same hand, he put a firm grip on her shoulder as he lead her down the hall and out onto the front steps of the facility.

Gathered around the steps were reporters and curious onlookers. They were dressed in clothes that hung closer to their skin, giving them a more define shape. The colors were dulled down and mixed together so that you couldn't tell their nationality. Women's hair danced below their shoulders, while men retained much shorter hair. The men and women acted as one glob as they bowed to the prince and became even more tightly packed as the Prince stood with a strange woman at his side. She stood half a head shorter than he, but appeared to be even smaller as she held her head low.

Rajan's grip tightened on her shoulder and sent sharp pain through her muscles. Pagoda stood straighter. Her eyes drifted to his face, where she could see a genuine, pleasant smile on his face. She pulled her lips back into a congruently smaller smile. "Calm yourselves," he spoke, raising a hand; they responded instantly. "We are civilized people and should act as such; for if we do not, then we are no better than our primitive ancestors.

"I come here before you today with a waterbender named Pagoda." She watched as their faces became tightened, their eyes full of fear and hate. A few of the men clenched their fists, while others backed wearily away. Pagoda held onto her chest to protect her heart from their searing gazes. "She was born and raised within our camps—She is of no harm to us." As if to prove his point, he lowered himself 'till his head was even with hers. Carefully he wrapped his arms around her like they were old friends. "Smile bigger," Rajan whispered sternly into her ear; his mouth did not move, much like a ventriloquist. "If you act like one of them, then they won't fear you." Gracefully he returned to his height, keeping both hands on her shoulders.

Pagoda reached across her chest to hold onto his hand, while her other arm dropped to her side. Her fingers weaved around his wrist for dear life. The young waterbender had no doubt he could feel her fingers trembling as she struggled to keep up with the situation. Pagoda stared out towards the crowd before finally fixating her eyes on a hummingbird just above a man's head. The bird's tiny wings fluttered so fast they appeared to be everywhere at once. The rosy red color on his chest stood out amidst the teal and grey body. To her, he seemed to be wearing his heart on his chest.

"You should welcome her. Very soon she will walk among us as one of the first to be cleansed of this inherited defect," Prince Rajan continued. "Our leading bio-engineers believe there is way to stop their chi without suffering from permanent paralysis. If this is true, and I believe it to be so, then all the benders across the world will no longer have to be separated from us. They will be able to be humans with normal lives." He shifted his weight, pointing with one hand towards the building behind them. "Very soon places like Camp Arun will be demolished. Our efforts to elevate our sick brothers and sisters will be accomplished. Ladies and gentlemen, the Bender's Era is coming to a close, and with it injustice shall be figment of the past. A new age is upon us! Finally, after centuries of inequality, all humans will be equal."

Prince Rajan walked forward, weaving his fingers into Pagoda's. The waterbender followed by his side. She pressed her body towards his chest. His cape wrapped around her and helped to hide her jell-o legs. They descended down the cement stairs; each step bringing her farther into a world she didn't understand. Pagoda could hear her heart's thrumming beat in her ears with such strong clarity that she doubted whether a person's heart didn't exist inside their skull instead of their chest. She parted her mouth to get more oxygen to her lungs faster. The prince stumbled as Pagoda leaned more onto him for support. As intimidating as the Prince was, a mob of a hundred pairs of eyes staring at her was worse, far worse.

"Back away," the Prince commanded in a harsher voice; the tone seemed to match him much better than the sweet, calm voice he had spoken in earlier. "Can't you see you're scaring her?" They backed away a few feet, but whether it was because of his command or the fear of being close a bender was unclear. Rajan pulled her closer so that she stood in front of him. "She has led a difficult life already, do not further hinder it."

"So whom will she stay with after being cured?" asked a bold voice. Pagoda's eyes narrowed on a small, pudgy man with black buttons for eyes. "I would not take in one of those filthy heathens even if they were cured! Just because you have stripped them of their bending does not mean they conform to society. They are still primitive and violent. You cannot erase a childhood filled with lies, Prince Rajan. Those kind of memories are engraved forever."

There was pause of silence. The crowd had turned their head to the man but now refocused their attention to the prince. He was quiet. Pagoda noticed how his eyes looked over the crowd instead of addressing them directly. Licking her lips, she opened her mouth. "I-I'm not bad," she whispered to the ground. The reporters inched closer to hear her speak. "I don't want to be here." She looked up to the Prince with tears swelling around the rim of her eyes. "I want my family." She turned into his chest, crying. His hand snaked up to cradle her head, while the other one rested on her back.

"This meeting is over," the prince murmured to someone, but Pagoda never caught a glance at the man. She was being ushered by Rajan back inside the building. Behind the crowd erupted into a mess of dissatisfied groans and angry sounding questions. The door muffled the crowd's noise. That's when she noticed the Prince was yelling at his advisors and the guards in the building. They scrambled around, some heading off the left, some out the door to the reporters, and others to the right hallway. "And get her out of here," he barked. "She's caused a big enough mess as it is. Who's damn idea was it anyway to use her? Whoever they are, I want them fired!"

She pulled her head away at the sound of the glass screaming as it shattered on the floor. The pieces skidded around, bumping into his and her shoes. She clung tighter to his body as he flinched away. The sounds of confused soldiers commanding orders reverberated loudly in her ears. The sight of charging soldiers towards them froze her. The prince moved out of her grasp as he was ruthlessly herded into a secure room. The guards were like water moving around a rock (Pagoda). They were all too concerned about the prince to notice her red eyes widening to become perfect, little circles. Well, all but one.

Atid entered from the right hallway with his gun drawn. On instinct he pointed it towards the waterbender, but she was too concentrated on staring at something else. The man turned his head as a man dressed in red and black gypsy clothes walked forward like a pouncing dragon. From his hands sprouted fire as bright as the sun. A black bandana covered his face from the nose down, but his ebon' hair was pulled into a high ponytail. The teenager's eyes, a deep shade of amber, border lining a copper color, seemed to smolder like a dying ember.

In a blink of an eye, Atid went from standing tall to crumbling to the floor like a sack of flour. His bloodied, raw-red hands cupped his neck as he struggled to gather enough air to scream. The other guards brought forth their weapons, but with a sudden gust of wind, all occupants fell to the floor. Pagoda could hear the thunk of her head hitting the floor. With blurred vision, she watched as an ebon' ring from the prince clattered to the floor; the painite gem in the center of white diamonds fell out of its nest. The prince didn't even seem to notice one of his most valuable items lied broken on the floor.

Her eyelids came down again but would not open. A black world enveloped her mind, coaxing her to a sleep-like state. But before she slipped away, she felt a cold hand touch the sore spot on her head. Another hand was pressed to her abdomen. "Don't move," he said flatly. "Or I'll—"