Ojos Así

This is where the entire rest of the story begins, and where I stop for a little while. I have several other chapters already written (100 pages worth on MS Word, actually) but I have two ways in mind to make it happen. I'm currently working on one of them now and I'll see how it turns out. I uploaded these first 6 because they'll remain the same during either version. Enjoy, reviews are greatly appreciated.

"So what happened with you?" Toph asked, once the guard had re-deposited Katara into her cell.

"Nothing," Katara said quickly, curling up against the opposite wall.

"It couldn't have been nothing," Sokka said from his cell across from her.

Katara remained quiet.

"C'mon, Sugar Queen," Toph goaded. "It doesn't matter if yours isn't funny like ours were,"

"What did he offer you?" Sokka added.

"Nothing," Katara snapped. "I already told you,"

Sokka's look was dubious and Toph mirrored the expression.

"Katara I'm blind and even I can see through that lie,"

"She's lying?" Sokka questioned.

Toph paused, listening as Katara tried in vain to slow her heartbeat by holding her breath.

"Yes," the earthbender affirmed. "Katara breathe before you pass out,"

The waterbender sighed heavily.

"Just tell us what happened, Katara," Sokka was beginning to get worried. Since when did Katara keep secrets from him? Well, there was that one time, but that barely even counted. He shook his head, growing anxious. If that guard touched her, I swear I'll –

"It was nothing, you guys," Katara couldn't hide the exasperation in her voice. "The guards brought me into the Throne Room but no one was there,"

Toph concentrated discern the truth.

"Stop lying!" she shouted finally. "I can feel your pulse, Katara. Stop it,"

"Why would I lie about something so stupid as this?" Katara began to get defensive. "Maybe my pulse is quick because I'm the only one who seems to care that we're imprisoned in the Fire Lord's dungeon, Toph!"

It fell quiet, as everyone knew that was plausible and most likely true.

"Your friend is stubborn, and your brother is a fool," were Ozai's first words to Katara when the guards finally let her go as they blended in with the background. "But I feel a certain promise with you,"

The room was ridiculously hot and stuffy, due to the wall of flames the Fire Lord sat behind. Katara tried not to let it bother her, but it was futile effort.

"I won't agree to anything," she said, her voice strong despite the intense fear that pooled in her belly. "You have nothing,"

Ozai laughed and the sound chilled Katara to her core. She wasn't even sure if the Fire Lord was capable of laughter.

"While your comrades are stubborn and foolish, they are strong," Ozai paused, and the pit in Katara's stomach only grew with it. "But you…you are not. You are too compassionate and concerned with others to worry about yourself. And today, your selflessness will be your downfall,"

Katara wanted to collapse. Physically and emotionally, she was teetering over the edge of a breakdown.

"My offer to you, young waterbender, is this," he sat forward and looked directly into Katara's eyes. "Tell me where the Avatar is, and I'll let your friends go,"

Katara met his gaze, chewing her lip in deliberation.

"And if I refuse?"

"You will all die at sunrise tomorrow morning," he didn't even skip a beat.

"You're bluffing," neither did Katara.

He raised his eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. The gesture sent Katara's mind whirling. Why did she insist on poking the platypus-bear?

"Oh? And what makes you so sure I'm incapable of disposing of three mere children after controlling 35 years of this war?"

Katara didn't understand what her problem was today. If she had just kept her mouth shut in the cave, they wouldn't even be in this mess. And if she'd just kept her mouth shut now, she wouldn't be in this mess.

"Because," she shocked herself with how sharp and unwavering her voice was. "You have no way of finding the Avatar, and you know it. You're only hope at this point is keeping us hostage until he comes to rescue us,"

"Who says I have to keep you all alive?"

Her stomach dropped into the very bottom of her soles.

"…No one knows where he is," she finally whispered. "He just took off on Appa because I told him to,"

"You expect me to believe that?" Ozai's voice was caustic. "How can I be sure you aren't lying?"

"Because it's the truth!" Katara shouted, her voice echoing off the walls and disturbing the tense quiet. But she didn't stop there. She couldn't. It was like someone had snipped the cord connecting her spine with her brain, and her mouth was the only thing functioning."I'm willing to bet that Sokka and Toph just didn't say 'no' when you told them to give away where Aang was. I'll bet they said 'I don't know'!" she paused for him to answer, but he remained silent. Listening. Katara was shocked, and knew she should've ended it right there, but she just couldn't. She was too riled up and if she didn't say something she'd spontaneously combust later. "And I know this may come as a shock to you, but I love and would die for my family. When it comes to them, I don't play around. I. Am. Not. Lying," she growled, pausing before adding, "Fire Lord Ozai," just to spite him.

The Fire Lord sat pensive, his fingers crossed over his mouth in thought. For a moment Katara was under the impression that he was done with her, but then he spoke and she died even more on the inside.

"Very well," he nodded his head once. "I have a proposition for you, girl,"

Katara didn't say anything.

"I will let your brother and friend go…but you will remain here in the Palace,"

"Why?"

"I don't have to explain my motives to the likes of you," he snapped and Katara flinched. "You are stronger than I previously believed and I may have use for you eventually. Do you agree to our terms?"

Katara narrowed her azure eyes.

"I'm to stay here at the Palace for how long?"

"For an indefinite span of time,"

"And my brother and my friend will be released – with total amnesty of any wrong doing?"

"Yes,"

"Fine," Katara conceded. "I agree,"

"Wonderful," Ozai snapped his fingers and the two guards were escorting Katara out when he spoke again. "And if you defy me in any way during your stay, I will have everyone you love killed. I will annihilate your entire people and your homeland. You will be begging for oblivion by the time I am through with you. Am I clear?"

The guards turned her around and she leveled her gaze with the Fire Lord.

"Transparent,"

Anyone who has seen Memoirs of a Geisha knows that there's definitely much more to be done with Hatsumomo's story...which is what I intend to do here with my original character you'll meet later on. She's the main character in the very short-lived MisTaken, Jia Liu. I intend to finish that one later, as well, now that I know how it will turn out with her. I'm just stuck with the decision of making Jia (Hatsumomo) and Katara (Sayuri/Chiyo) rivals, like in the movie. Or if I should do my own thing and make them almost sister-like. Either way, they compete over Zuko and things take off from there. There's plenty of drama and fighting in both versions, too. The only difference is with the mood (sister=lighter, rivals=darker) and what happens to Jia (sister=happy ending for the characters, rival=Zuko/Jia get screwed over by Katara) Tell me in a review which one you'd like to read more -- rivals or sisters? The sooner I hear back, the sooner I get back to you. In the mean time, I think I'll get a move on with MisTaken.