I promise this chapter will be longer or at least it looks longer in my head, but you get it.

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

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Katara clutched her burnt hand to her as she walled down the deserted halls. She had no idea where she was going, but she figured she'd find the bathroom and the kitchen her way. She also didn't want anyone to see how bad she was crying.

She had no one to trust in the Fire Nation and since she had gotten here, she never let anyone see her in a weak state. If they were going to be evil and rough she had to act the part or she wouldn't survive here; They'd walk all over her.

Because she was all alone in the hallway, she let the tears fall. She cried because her hand hurt. She cried because she'd never see her family again. She cried because everyone around her treated her like dirt. She cried because her old life was essentially over. She even cried because she knew she'd get tired of the ugly red and black color on everything.

She looked around as she cried, looking more and more like a frightened child by the minute. There many rooms, but none of the doors looked like they led to what she was looking for.

She was looking for a kitchen. She could go to the kitchen to see if the lunch was ready and then she could ask where the bathroom was. In reality, all she wanted was too run. She wanted to run to the big doors that led outside, but she knew it was pointless. There were guards all over the palace and especially at the front doors.

Just two more reasons to cry, she thought, depressingly.

As she was nearing a corner, someone came around before she did and accidentally bumped into her.

The girl quickly got up and offered her hand to Katara. "Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized.

She reached for Katara's right hand and when Katara didn't give it to her she grabbed it anyway, trying to be helpful.

"OW!"

"What's wrong," the girl asked.

Liana looked at the hand in her grasp. It was blistered, swollen and a sickening red. "Oh my spirits! We have to get you some water and some bandages."

Katara didn't want her to see that she'd been crying, so she suddenly became very interested in her shoes. "It's okay."

"No, it'll get infected if you don't treat it. This looks really bad."

Katara got up and nodded at the girl. She took in her appearance and noticed that she was dressed almost exactly like her. She was a servant. She had long black hair in a high ponytail. Her golden eyes were kind.

"I'm Liana," she introduced herself.

"I'm Katara."

Liana dropped her right hand and took the left. She guided her down the corridor Katara had just come through and went straight to a door on the left side. She knocked and a lady with large glasses and grey hair answered.

"Yes?"

"We need you to treat this burn," Liana told her, grabbing Katara's hand and holding it up.

Katara hissed in pain and Liana dropped it.

"Come in, sweetheart," The lady said.

She wiped her eyes with her left hand and her right hand hung, numbly at her side.

The lady moved aside and Liana rushed her into the room. Katara looked around and saw that it looked like a nurse's office.

"Katara, this is Ms. Qin. Ms. Qin this is Katara," Liana said.

"Come on, dear." Ms. Qin set a bowl of cool water in front of Katara on a table. "Put your hand in this."

Katara complied and was met with Liana's questioning glance. "What?"

"You never told us what happened to your hand," Liana answered. Ms. Qin looked at Katara.

"The Avatar burnt me," she said in a small voice.

"He burnt you!"

Ms. Qin put her hand over Liana's mouth. "Hush," she told the younger girl.

Liana pried the hand from her mouth. "I always thought Avatar Aang and General Iroh were the kindest here. Avatar Aang was never an angel, but he never hurt anyone! This changes everything! He's just as bad as those Royal Assholes!"

"Liana!" Ms. Qin reprimanded. "What if someone hears you?"

"I don't care! He had no right-"

Katara noticed Liana had suddenly stopped shouting. She looked up and noticed that Liana and Ms. Qin were staring at something. She followed their gazes and looked down at her hands, which were glowing bright blue in the water.

She gasped and raised her hand from the water. It was almost completely healed. The blisters and the red was gone, but it was still a bit swollen.

"You're from the Water Tribe," Ms. Qin said. "You have healing abilities."

"Wow," Katara muttered. She continued to stare at her hand, turning it over and examining every detail.

Soon Liana spoke up. "Well, heal abilities or no healing abilities, Avatar Aang still had no right. Ugh! Why do they all have to be born so evil!"

"Oh no, Liana. Avatar Aang was definitely not born evil and he didn't come here evil. I have been working in this palace for 25 years. Avatar Aang was brought here by Prince Zuko 5 years ago. Zuko had brought Aang back as a prize for his father and to gain back his honor, but when Ozai saw how confused Aang was, he believed he could use him for more.

The only things Avatar Aang remembered when he came here were his Airbending and his identity. He doesn't really remember his life in the Air Temple. When he first came here he was the sweetest little thing. I remember the day I met him like it was yesterday."

Ms. Qin went to answer a knock at her door. When she opened it she found a young, bald, 12 year old monk.

His grey eyes shined innocently and his orange and yellow clothing stood out against all of the red in the Fire Nation Palace.

"Excuse me, Miss. Can you help me," he asked.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt, sweetie," Ms. Qin questioned with honest concern.

"No ma'am. I'm lost," he told her. "I can't find my room. I ventured out to visit my Sky Bison, Appa, but after I left the stables I couldn't find my way back."

Ms. Qin smiled and grabbed his hand. "What's your name?"

"Aang."

"Call me Ms. Qin. I'll help you," she promised. "After so many years, you grow familiar with these hallways. Now, was your room in the left wing or the right?"

"Uh, left. NO! Right or maybe….I don't know."

Ms. Qin chuckled. "Don't worry, we'll find it."

"Thank you," Aang said.

"For what, dear?"

"For helping me," he answered. Ms. Qin patted his head and lead him down the hallway.

"Well, he's not like that anymore. He hurt this girl for no good reason," Liana pointed out after listening to Ms. Qin's story.

"Actually, he hurt me because I didn't do what he said," Katara scoffed. "It may sound stupid, but apparently I belong to him now. I'm not a person anymore because I was his birthday present."

Ms. Qin frowned. "Ozai has influenced him as he did Azula and Zuko. He's been around this palace too long. He stopped visiting his bison 3 years ago."

A Sky Bison? Katara thought. That sounds like an interesting creature. Maybe if Avatar Aang saw things from his old life, he'd remember and stop being such a jerk.

"I better go check on his lunch before I get burnt, again," Katara said. She turned for the door, but then turned back and spoke to Ms. Qin and Liana. "Thank you."

Liana ran up and hugged her. Katara stiffened in surprised, but then smiled and hugged back. Maybe there was at least one person she could trust in the Fire Nation.

"Liana, can you show me to the kitchen?"

"Of course," Liana smiled.

She opened the door and grabbed Katara's right hand, racing down the hallway with her. Katara was glad that this time it didn't hurt.

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I'll update again this afternoon. I have to go.

XOXO

Kataang-girl14(P.S I want to change my penname. Any suggestions?)