Chapter seven! Yay I've been thinking of ideas for this one for a while and I think I finally got it right!:)

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Also in case any of you were wondering; one of the reviews has my name on it, I did not post that. One of my friends came over and was reading it and reviewed but I was still logged in so ya:/

You guys are terrific! Enjoy!:)

It took Zuko's eyes a few seconds to adjust to the sudden sunlight that blinded him. The water bender had led him through a series of tunnels before they reached the other side of the wall. When he was able to take in his surroundings his mouth opened and eyes widened in awe.

It's amazing.

It wasn't a rag-tag town with a few small mud and stick buildings like he'd thought. It was a city.

There were building made of stone and wood in all sizes with a huge stone building in the center of the city that he reasoned must have been the main hall. And there were so many people bustling around. Some gave him glares as they passed, others spit in the dirt at his feet, and still others wore looks of fear when they saw him.

However, Zuko didn't return their angry stares; he simply watched them pass with his expression clear of emotion. He could see the complete hollowness of their being in their eyes. They were sad and empty, their anger eating away at their very souls.

He turned to see his captor studying him with suspicious eyes. A frown took residence on his face.

"The war made them this way didn't it?" It wasn't a question that needed answering, Zuko saw the look of slight surprise on her face before turning back to watch the people,"They're so... gone." He said with sadness in his voice.

He wasn't just acting so Kya would have a good story to give to the chief, inside he did feel a twinge of sadness that people who were probably once happy and joyful could be turned into hard, vengeful, monsters.

Just like me. These people didn't need training to make them cruel.

"I'm sure you know of the Ignis Furiis," the girl next to him stated quietly and he gave a small nod. "Well these people remind me of them; hateful, cold, cruel." She paused with sadness in her voice, "But they didn't train to become what they are, they simply watched their loved ones fall victim to the destructive fire that the Fire Nation fuels." Zuko turned to look at her, the girls face was angry but he could see the loneliness in her eyes.

"The other nations aren't the only ones who have suffered at the hand of Ozai." He stated solemnly, she turned her eyes to his and gave a small nod of understanding. Then she placed a hand on his shoulder and began leading him toward the heart of the city.

As Katara led her captive through the streets she felt the empty gazes of the women who stood on their porches, and the fearful glances of their children. She felt the pain of the broken families; the children who would never see their father again, and the mothers who have lost their children. She too had lost someone she loved.

It was quite often that she thought of the friends and family that she'd lost to the war. Her mother, Aang, Yue, Haru, the list was nearly endless. Katara felt the weight of the dead settle on her chest, she blamed herself for the death of her friends. But even more then herself she blamed the Fire Nation; if they hadn't started the war then they would all be alive and happy right now instead of in their graves.

As they continued walking Katara thought of what the young man next to her had said when she defined the anger of her people,

"The other nations aren't the only ones who have suffered at the hand of Ozai."

She didn't understand what they meant, Katara always thought that the Fire Nation must be prosperous and happy; yet here was a man from there that said they were suffering.

They turned the final corner and came to the town square. Katara paused a moment to gaze at the large statue in the center of the square; it was a large statue of Aang. She and Toph had designed it to honor their fallen friend. She turned to see the man next to her admiring the statue as well.

"That's him isn't it?" He asked quietly, "The Avatar."

"It was him, yes." She replied spitefully. Then she put her hand on his shoulder and led him around the statue, up the stairs, and into the council building.

Walking into the building, Zuko saw that it was even more grand on the interior then it was on the outside. Marble pillars lined the round lobby, and magnificent painting lined the walls. Behind the large reception desk there was a huge Water Tribe insignia made of tiny tiles and crystals giving the impression that it was really water.

Zuko directed his attention to the girl behind the desk. She had soft features on her gentle face it was easy to detect that she was not Water Tribe based on her pale skin. Her brown hair hung in side bangs on her face while the rest of it hung in a single braid down her back and she wore a simple dress with a white long sleeved top and a light pink skirt.

The Water Tribe girl swiftly began guiding him to a door that lied behind the desk while she spoke to the rather surprised secretary.

"Song, send someone to get Toph. I want an immediate trial and I need her for this one." She demanded. The girl nodded and ran out from behind her desk and out the main entrance.

"Why did she seem so surprised to see me?" Have you never had Fire Nation prisoners?" Zuko asked curiously.

"No, but most of them don't make it this far alive." She said solemnly, leading him through the door.

That's not good.

Zuko became somewhat discouraged. If the chief hated him on sight as much as the rest of his people, he was a dead man. He silently hoped that he was more like the girl next to him. It seemed that she hadn't made up her mind about him, and he saw that that was better then everyone else, who would want to kill him themselves.

On the other side of the door Zuko was surprised at the simplicity of the room in front him. There were several men sitting on small mats around a low tablem they were brooding over a map the spread over the table. Behind them was both a Water tribe insignia and an Earth kingdom insignia painted into the stone.

"Sir," the girl next to him said to get their attention. The man at the head of the table looked up and instantly his eyes zeroed in on Zuko.

"Well," he said coldly, "what do we have here?"

Yup I love cliff hangers:) I will be updating soon!

You guys are awesome!

Kmsitterley