A/N: Okay, so maybe I lied a little. It is beginning to seem that all of the chapters for this story will be, for the most part, very short. I wish that I could make them longer and more similar to the chapters I've written for other stories, but so far, it just seems like that's going to be impossible. For the time being, these chapters will be short, but hopefully, still pretty good. I'm so happy for the response this is getting and I hope that it keeps getting better. I may have a few more updates in store for you today alone. I'm really on a roll and if I stop updating for a few days, I may never start up again, so I hope no one minds the rapid rate that I'm uploading new chapters.

Don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. Seriously, stop asking.

Katara walked Appa back into the stable, looking around sadly. Hakoda came out of the house and smiled at her warmly. She just looked away and kept walking until she came to a cherry tree that sat in her vast backyard. She sat down on the bench beneath it and wiped off her makeup, crying to herself.

Look at me

I will never pass for a perfect bride

Or a perfect daughter

Can it be I'm not meant to play this part?

Now I see

That if I were truly to be myself

I would break my family's heart

Reaching up to untie the leash of the small creature on her shoulder, Katara let Momo free. He flew away, chirping happily. She watched him fly high into the air and disappear from sight.

Katara left her spot under the cherry tree and walked over to the pond where she practiced her waterbending. Katara danced and spun and screamed out all of her frustration and anger. Why was she so different? Why couldn't she just fit in with everyone else? Every other waterbending girl was to be a healer. From birth they were conditioned for it. You will heal soldiers, be a housewife, and bear many sons. No girl is to ever fight for herself.

She knelt to the ground and looked into the pond. Her face was still heavily made up and unfamiliar to her. Katara could barely even recognize herself. What had she turned into?

Who is that girl I see

Staring straight back at me

Why is my reflection someone

I don't know?

She sighed and let her hair fall down out of its braid, only keeping in her loopies. The brown curls cascaded softly to her waist. Katara got up off the ground and went back to the bench under her cherry tree. She would never measure up to the honor that her family wanted her to. Katara didn't even know if she could measure up to what she wanted for herself.

Somehow I cannot hide

Who I am

Though I've tried

When will my reflection show

Who I am inside?

Hakoda limped out to the tree and sat down next to her, still giving his daughter that warm smile.

"What wrong Katara?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She wiped her tears away quickly. "Just look at me father. What man would ever want me as a bride? A simple waterbending girl that just wants to help her country."

"Now Katara- ." Hakoda tried to comfort her.

"I've tried dad!" she cut in, shouting. "I really tried to be normal and proper like you want, but I just can't. I know that if I was myself, you would be disgraced. It's just that I don't even feel like myself anymore."

Katara felt the necklace that sat on her neck, fitting perfectly into the curves of her collarbone. She took it off and placed it on her lap. She felt like her mother wouldn't even be proud of her.

Hakoda looked sadly at his daughter and tried to make her happy. "There are over a thousand blossoms on this cherry tree," he said. "But that one just won't bloom." He pointed to a dainty little pink flower that stayed closed while all of the others were open and flowering. Katara glanced up at the bud and smiled slightly, realizing what her father was saying.

"But when it blooms," he continued, taking his wife's necklace from Katara's hands and putting it back around her neck. "It will be the most beautiful of all."

Katara smiled and hugged her father. The tears that fell down her face now were happy ones. Her father was proud of her! And she never wanted him to let her go.

Suddenly, the loudest of drums began to beat far off in the distance. What sounded like a Tsungi horn was being blown and commotion erupted outside of their garden's tall fence. The father and daughter broke apart, looking around in confusion. Meng ran out towards them, waving her arms and panting.

"Mister Hakoda!" she shouted. "There are soldiers here!"

Both Katara and Hakoda leapt to their feet and followed Meng to the front gate. Three men on ostrich horses were surrounded by the large crowd. One of the men sat holding a scroll with Emperor Gyatso's crest on it. He looked out over the crowd.

"I am Zhao, right hand to the Emperor," he said. "I have come to gather troops for our war effort. Every one of these men must serve in his majesty's army." The man called Zhao opened his scroll and read.

"Hahn!" he shouted.

Katara watched in horror as her neighbor Hahn went forward and took his own scroll, informing him on the war. Katara's friend Yue was engaged to marry Hahn. She would be heartbroken.

"Bato!" Zhao yelled. Bato was the best friend of Katara's father. He couldn't go into the war.

Bato began to step forward when another man took his place. He was younger and stronger looking. Katara recognized him as Lee, Bato's nephew. He bravely turned to Zhao and the soldiers.

"I will take my uncle's place and fight in the wars," he said. Everyone in the square looked shocked at the announcement, but Zhao didn't seem to mind. He handed a scroll to Lee and continued reading.

"Hakoda!"

Her father began to limp forward and took the scroll from the soldiers. "No!" she shouted, quickly rushing over to a puddle and throwing a water whip towards Zhao and the soldiers. She rushed forward. "My father has already fought in the wars. He was at the siege of the South Pole. He cannot fight!" she shouted.

Everyone was looking at her and Zhao scowled. With a flick of his hand, he sent a fireball at her and Katara fell to the ground.

"You should teach your waterbender here some respect," he said to Hakoda. Both of them glared. "She will never get a husband, no matter how pretty she may be."

Zhao looked over at Katara who hurriedly got off the ground and whipped the dust off her dress. The look in his eye was lustful and she made a face. "Why you disgusting- ." She began, stomping toward him, but her father held her back.

"Katara," he said, looking at the ground in shame. "You dishonor me."

She gaped at him and then the soldiers. Zhao was still staring at her with interest. Katara's blue eyes met her fathers' and she ran back into the house, crying.

I hope you all enjoyed. Another chapter may be uploaded today, we'll see. Hopefully the next chapter will clear up any confusion as to why there are still airbenders around and why there are only some firebenders who are bad guys that can't be trusted. I know I made that a little confusing in these first few chapters, but it should all be cleared up very soon.

Read, review, and enjoy! Loves, Tori ;D