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I Do Not Own the image~ Bea-Gonzalez from DeviantArt owns this beautiful image!

(Revised 4.9.20)

The first thing Clara perceived when she came to was that she ached everywhere. In her legs, arms, neck, head and oh god!

My back is definitely bruised...

Clara didn't want to open her eyes. If she did that, she'd be met with a massive headache and from how her head was feeling now while she was in between sleep and being fully awake... She almost tried to go back to sleep before everything came back to her.

Gasping, her eyes shot open and she was greeted with dimly lit surroundings. Eyes scanning around quickly, Clara noticed that she was on a cot in a room with guards all around her. The guards looked to be Fire Nation and there were some other people not outfitted in armor closer to her. They seemed to be attending to her as doctors would to their patients.

"She's awake!" Immediately, hands were on her, as if to hold her down. Clara could sense panic rising in her chest as she looked everywhere for a way out. Spying a door in between two of the guard's silhouettes she tried to move, only for the hands to tighten.

Before anyone could restrain her further, she made a break for it. Mentally forcing the invisible energy away from herself, it knocked everyone else away, flinging them to the ground as she flew to the doors. Physically pushing them open, her eyes looked for a window or some way to get out! Clara recognized the hallway from the Earth King's palace. Not wanting to just keep floating there she decided to try her luck and pick a path, hoping she'd find a way out.

"Stop her!" One of the guards from the room shouted loudly as she bolted.

Find a way out! Find a way out!

Clara kept repeating that to herself as she flew headlong down the hallway. She passed by many doors and behind her heavy footfalls came.

I need to go faster!

Her breathing, she noticed was getting heavier as she flew briskly down the halls. Clara realized she was getting winded as she continued, as she might have if she was actually running.

The halls were beginning to blur a little as her velocity increased. She did her best to not hit any walls or people as she continued to search for a window. Giant doors appeared and letting out a relieved gasp of air Clara went to them. She recognized the doors she and the GAang had gone through before going outside!

Slowing down so she didn't crash into them, Clara heard a familiar whooshing sound before whipping her head around. Fire was coming at her that she narrowly managed to block with her shield. Guards were behind Zuko as he glared at her before sending more attacks her way. Clara kept her shield up as she tried to back her way towards the doors.

"I can't let you leave," Zuko's voice was hard as he advanced. Clara continued to block them but she could feel her body's energy-draining.

Why do they want me!?

Backing away as quickly as she could, she hissed in pain as her back hit the door. More guards and agents were showing up. The Dai Li sent what looked like fifty rock bullets at her. Her shield held up strong, the rocks crumbling as they made contact with it, but Clara noticed her breathing was laboring the more she kept it out and away from herself. She couldn't stand this! Anger and terror consumed her and she screamed!

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Blue fire ballooned out from herself, covering her shield and was sent racing towards everyone. Turning, Clara pushed at the giant doors but they wouldn't budge!

Breathing frantically, she tried to gather her last bit of energy to mentally open it!

A familiar sounding blast filled the air before Clara felt excruciating pain zing everywhere in her body before she fell into darkness.

Zuko

Zuko watched as the girl collapsed to the ground.

"Is she dead?" Azula's voice was curious as she took a couple of steps forward from where she had shot her lightning. An agent went over to the fallen girl, putting a hand by her mouth, waiting. He looked up at them and shook his head no.

"Keep her in metal chains from now on!" Azula barked to the soldiers, her eyes narrowing, "We can't risk her attempting to escape again." The soldiers and Dai Li all bowed their heads and departed. Azula watched as the girl was surrounded by doctors before turning to Zuko.

"We'll need to keep a closer eye on her," Azula's eyes met his and Zuko gave a nod but remained indifferent. He looked to the unconscious girl as she was taken away.

"Zuko," he looked to Azula again and saw slight annoyance and determination written all over her face, "We need to take her back home so Father can see if he wants to use her. Her... abilities may benefit the remainder of the war."

"She doesn't know how to fight." It was true. From what he had witnessed, if she were normal, she would be dead right now after going against them. The girl was like a scared yellow spider. Small and harmless looking like any bug but if afraid, could surprise its opponents by using its poison to defend itself. It was sickening how terrified that girl had looked.

"That may be," Azula smiled without showing her teeth, "but anyone can be taught the proper ways, given the right kind of manipulation." Her eyes were alight with fascination. "It's very interesting... I've never seen any firebender with blue eyes like hers... And her ability to cheat death and block attacks! It makes me wonder if she is able to be harmed at all."

Zuko looked away from his sister's gaze. He didn't like it when she was like this. It reminded him of the times when they were kids and Azula would burn firewasps mid-air for fun. She had always smiled while doing it and she wore a similar expression now. This was different though. Her twisted fascination was geared toward a person. A very strange one but it made his body grow weirdly tense.

Zuko couldn't deny that this girl, her name was... Clara... It had been what Katara had called her, she could be valuable to their father. He tried to ignore the guilt he felt in his chest. Breathing deeply, Zuko tried to forget about her along with Azula's expression and focus on getting ready for the long departure.

As he walked away, he could feel his lips curve up at the edges at the thought of home.

I'm finally going home…