The Lost Waterbender (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction)

Red Waters

My outburst caused my first three nights at Black Forest to be spent in solitary confinement. It was small room with no windows and no bedding. I spent three restless nights on the hard metal floor, missing my family, both the Outcasts and my biological one.

I regretted not one word. I was not going to give in to this warden, even if I had to spend the rest of my days in this prison in solitary confinement. He would not break my spirit. I refused. I'd been through too much in my life to let a a jerk with a too-big ego be the one who broke me for good.

"Bring it on, Zei," I said to myself the first night in confinement. "I'm more than ready."

I could keep track of the days by my meals. Twice a day, never any good. On the evening of my third day, I was given the honor of being freed by Zei himself.

I looked up when the entire door opened, not just the small flap they shoved my meals through. When I saw it was Zei, I didn't try to hide my disgust.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" I said mockingly.

"I wouldn't test me, fool."

I put my hands up in mock surrender. "My b, my b. So what's up?"

Zei narrowed his eyes. "I came to personally escort you to your cell."

"Oh gee, am I really that special?"

"You could say that." The guards with him came at me. They yanked me to my feet via my hair, making me cry out. Then they cuffed my hands behind my back and shoved me forward. I lost my balance and fell right on my face, right at Zei's feet.

Ignoring my cursing, Zei crouched down next to my face. "I suggest you behave, prisoner. Otherwise there's a lot more where that came from."

I spit blood out of my mouth in response.

Zei tut-tutted. "Take her to her cell."

I was led through the prison. Outside of the solitary confinement hall was where the prisoners were kept. On the bottom floor you could look up and see straight to the top of the prison. Balconies ringed each floor and created walkways. I expected to see someone looking down over the rails at us, but no one appeared. I wondered where my room would be in this vast collection of them.

Not room, I thought. Cell.

It turned out I was near the top floor. The guards led me up several flights of stairs. Roughly. These guards seemed to have one setting: rough.

They unlocked the heavy deadbolt and shoved me inside, slamming the metal door behind me.

After they left, I collapsed to the ground. My leg hurt so bad after those stairs, but I didn't want them to see my weakness. I had to stay strong in front of them.

I inspected my room from where I sat. There wasn't much to see. Metal walls and a small bedroll. The bleakness of the room made me sad just to look at it. Or maybe it was the fact that I was imprisoned making me sad. Either way, I had to get out of here.

There was a loud grinding sound behind me. I turned around and saw my door was opening. I stood up and stuck my head out. Prisoners were all coming out of their open doors and making their way down the stairs. I followed, unsure of what was going on.

Going down the stairs was terrible. There were so many flights, and the strain on my leg made me wince with every step after just a few. By the time I got to the bottom, I could barely walk. Trying to find some support from the smooth wall, I followed the prisoners out a door opposite to the one we had come in through.