The last chapter was kind of…rocky, I guess. Didn't go as well as I planned, but I hope this one is better.

~~~~Zutara~~~~

I've been in this wretched cell for about three days now. The full moon comes tomorrow. Every night I'm getting stronger. I can't wait.

What's wrong with me?

Maybe it's the prison. Hama seemed sane before she was captured. Yes, it must be being locked up like this. Waterbenders aren't used to this lack of freedom and water to this degree. Dry air, yet cool enough for no sweat. No regular water, except when my hands are bound and tied. And all these precautions are for me, as most of the prisoners (from what I assume) aren't benders at all. This is torture.

On a more positive note (if you want to call it that), I got a new cell neighbor this morning. It's a young man, who keeps trying to talk to me. I'm in such a bad mood I just turn away. Not to flatter myself, but I keep thinking he's hitting on me. I really hope not; from the way he talks I'm getting the feeling he's really creepy. He's quiet right now. I think he fell asleep actually.

The prison floor is quiet except for the sound of the guards' feet shuffling as the do their daily rounds to make sure we're behaving. It's dark down here. Poorly lit. I've seen some fire nation ships; they can be pretty nice. I guess we just got stuck in the bum level of the ship. Being stuck here has really put a pessimistic twist in my attitude. I haven't even bothered talking to anyone.

It's midday, judging from the position of the sun (I'm fortunate enough to get the cell with the window above it), but I'm exhausted. That's one of my main problems. I haven't told Aang this, or Toph, or even Sokka for that matter, but I'm a night person. I'm dead on the inside during the day because I don't have as much energy as I do at night. I only pretend to because that's when everyone else is most awake. Sometimes if I really can't force myself to sleep, I practice my waterbending. It's best at night, which is good. Right now I'm fighting to keep my eyes open. That guy next to me is still asleep, and I'd rather fall asleep when he's awake so I don't have to ignore him. But it's so quiet…

"Morning, Sunshine. Or should I say, evening?"

I blink my eyes open and look up at the ceiling window. It is about early evening; the sky's all pink and yellow. It's that time of day when firebenders and earthbenders and airbenders and waterbenders are all on equal ground. The sun and the moon are about even, and the air and the earth are the same as always, putting us on fair playing fields. But as soon as the moon rises, the scales are tipped in my favor.

The guy next to me was who greeted me. I grunted back an incoherent response. I wasn't in the mood for talking, as was now my custom.

He wasn't taking no for an answer. "Are you really ignoring me again? Care to tell me why?"

I didn't give him an answer. Hopefully, he'll use his brains and get the message. I don't want to talk.

"Come on, Katara. What's your deal?"

Katara. Katara. He knows my name. I whip my head around to demand to know how they got my name, but my words caught in my throat. I recognized this man. "Haru!" I yelled.

The earthbender smiled at me. He had grown a moustache; it looked pretty decent, but I couldn't help but giggle at it. He looked older. It was probably the first time I've smiled since before my capture. "You didn't know I was here? I guess that explains why you weren't talking to me. How've ya been?"

"Fine. Or, as fine as a person can be in a fire nation ship prison." I responded, making sure to drip my words with resentment.

"I know. You've been here longer than me, I'm guessing. Am I right?" he asked.

"Yeah, but only by a couple days."

"Know where we're headed?"

I bit my lip. "No, I don't. The guards haven't said anything to me. Well, except when they tie my hands together so I can get water."

Haru nodded seriously. "I know. I saw that. They must consider you a pretty big threat. But I was hoping that maybe you'd heard them say something…"

I grabbed the bars of my cell. "Not a single word. But tell me, how did you end up here?" I was curious. Haru usually played it pretty safe, or at least he did when he was nearly persecuted in his home town.

Haru grimaced. "It's kind of a long story."

"I've got time."

"Of course you do. Well, it started when my dad and I were leaving this one earth kingdom town which was on the brink of becoming a fire nation colony. We knew of some earthbenders there, and we were trying to start up a rally against the soldiers. We got a pretty good outcome, and the rally was set for two days later. As we were leaving our little 'conspiracy group', as the guards called it, we were ambushed. One guy – the leader, I guess – commanded us to stop where we were and no one would get hurt. He said he knew what we were, and he said the word 'earthbenders' with such disgust and distaste that I lost my temper and shot one guy off his rhino thing with a chunk of rock. Needless to say, they attacked us. My dad got away, thanks to some of the guys from the group we were trying to get together. They heard the noise. Unfortunately, they forgot me. I surrendered to save my life and got stuck here."

My hand was to my mouth when he finished. "I'm so sorry. You're really brave for trying to stop a town from being colonized. It's a shame you're stuck here now."

Haru shrugged. "Yeah, well…thanks. Now how did you get stuck in here? I would imagine, if you were attacked, Appa or Aang would have helped you…"

"They weren't exactly there…" I told him. I launched into how they had forgotten me in a town, how I had made myself a little cave home, how the soldiers kindly paid me a visit, and how I blew my cover when they tried to take me to the doctors and send me to school. "…and then I tripped and fell and they caught up to me and now here I am." I finished. "Not exactly as heroic as your story."

Haru laughed. "Wow, Katara. You have a problem with doctors or something?"

"No!" I snapped. "I just…didn't feel like going with them. I can heal myself; I don't need any help from a 'professional'."

Haru just kept chuckling.

-3 hours later-

It was around nine o'clock, when the guards came down the aisle. They were unlocking everyone's cells. I could hear yelling from the top deck; we must have gotten to port. The guards were shouting orders at everyone as their cells unlocked.

"Everyone in a single-file line!"

"No funny business or you'll stay here until your bones rot and are fed to the rats!"

"You two –", one guy said to me and Haru, "-better follow orders. Any bending, any whim you act on to escape, and you'll be locked up for so long you'll die of old age. Or of lack of food." He said, laughing. We looked at each other and followed him out of the prison level, onto the deck, and out the ship. Our hands were once again chained up. In a straight line, we were led away from the port, where three female soldiers addressed us.

"Welcome," said the one in the middle, "To the homeland. I am Ai Jing, captain of the Phoenix brigade in the fire nation army. As of right now, you are all slaves of the fire nation, its army, and its government. Every one of you will be the personal servant of someone of high ranking in society, or a helper in fields during this time of planting, or a cleaner or housemaid. Do not argue with me. I will not hesitate to send you prison for the rest of your life, nor will I hesitate to kill you on the spot or have you sent to your death. Now, tomorrow morning, you will all report to the prison courtyard to find out where you will be assigned. You will spend the night in the jail. Sleep well; you've got a long day ahead of you." And with that, she left.

The guards turned back to us. "All right, you heard her! Everyone – this way!"

We followed the guards to the jail. Great. Back in a cell. And this time, I wouldn't get the chance to break free. I tossed and turned all night on my wall cot, trying not to believe that I was a slave now.

Oh, Aang, where are you?

~~~~Zutara~~~~

I hope you liked it. I wanted to put Haru in there. I like his moustache. But- *gasp* Katara's a slave! Nooooo! Actually, this could be fun…slaves are already under the power of their master, but who's her master…?

Thanks for reading!