Push and pull. That was all that consumed Katara's thoughts. She sat by the water's edge, in the full moons light. This was the first time in Six months that all Katara's focus was on just the push and pull created by the water spirits La and Tui as they swam in a circle at the middle of the pond. Katara was at the heart of the North Pole in the spiritual oasis. Why was she there you ask, well Katara asked herself that all the time. Six months ago she was traveling around the world. She had helped sort out the fire nation and earth kingdom struggle over the colonies, helped find Zuko's mother, and even took some time to themselves, but something was wrong. Two months ago she could feel her spirit being dragged to somewhere else. It all started with sleepwalking every night and splitting headaches. Every night Aang would find her by the water or even in the water when she was sleepwalking. The headaches were so painful that all she wanted to do was submerge herself in the water, surrounded by the only thing that would quell the pain. Aang kept taking her from place to place and wasn't putting Katara's pain into consideration. He kept saying that his mission to find the other air benders was important. Katara then had enough. She left, writing only a simple note as she headed on her way home. The trip south lasted only a day as the pain of her headaches intensified. So she turned North. The headaches got better and better the father north she went. After a week of traveling on her ice raft she reached the North Pole capital. They greeted her with open arms as the great warrior who helped end the war. She spoke with the healers about the pain, which was now a very dull pain. After examination the head healer said, "Physically there is nothing we can see that is causing this pain, but I do sense an imbalance in your chi. I suggest that you go to commune with the water spirits." So every day for the last month she spent most of the day by the pool. The headaches had gone and she was finally feeling better. Though her body was healed her thoughts still were going a mile a minute. Would she have to stay here permanently, never being able to leave, forever stuck in the spiritual oasis? This one thought plagued her day after day. She let out a sigh as she cracked her neck. She then cleared her mind and stared at Tui and La as they swam in a circle. Round and around they went. Katara zoned out when all of a sudden she heard.

"Wow that took long enough for you to just let go."

Katara looked up to see the spirit of Yue floating in the middle of the pond.

"All I needed was you to clear your thoughts so I could speak to you, but NOOO you just had to keep thinking about everything, like you always do."

"Yue!" Katara exclaimed.

"I do apologize about the headaches though. I kept trying to get through to you but you wouldn't let me in."

"That was you! Why did you need to get through to me?"

"You are needed for a special mission. The water and moon spirits have asked me to give you a special mission."

"Why not just ask Aang. He is the spiritual bridge for the humans and spirits."

"The spirits have decided that this is only a water tribe problem."

"What is the mission?"

"There is a scroll from the Water Nation that contains some of the greatest bending of our nation."

Katara turned as she heard a rustling in the bushes. Out trotted a koalaotter with a scroll in its mouth. It scampered over to Katara and dropped it into her lap before scampering away. Katara opened the scroll. There were many pieces missing from the text and the words were very foreign to her.

Yue continued, "Though most people can't read the writings on them, they are of great significance to our tribe. In the ancient days of the Water Tribe a great many of master water benders communed greatly with the spirits and were taught many things. The author of this scroll has written something terrifying and fearing it would fall into the wrong hands he dispersed it among many other writings. This needs to be returned to the North before something bad happened. The spirits are a buzz about something evil in the Fire Nation, but this spirit is not of the Fire Nation."

"But why me? There are so many others that could do this task." Katara asked.

Yue's expression softened. She floated over to Katara and sat (as well as a spirit could while floating over the water) before her. She reached her hand out and placed it on her cheek.

"Katara, You are the most powerful water bender currently walking this world, you are the teacher of the Avatar, and the one the spirits believe is right for this mission."

Yue closed her eyes and moved her hand in front of Katara.

"Put your hand above mine."

Katara moved her right hand above Yue's and Yue then put her other hand above Katara's. A spiritual energy flowed from Yue into Katara. Katara felt light as a feather. When Katara looked down at her hand a series of white, light and dark blue swirls and markings made their way from Katara's fingertips across her hand and up into her forearm. The markings faded right below her elbow.

"This will help us communicate until you find what is needed."

Katara was shocked and confused. Yue got up and gave a chuckle.

"There is so much ahead of you. Don't look back at the past. Ahead of you there is someone waiting. Go to your future and the future of this world."

Yue Faded into the Moonlight. Katara uncrossed her legs and looked at the markings on her hand and arm. She knew what she has to do and there was no time to wait. She made her way to the hawk tower with a letter that she quickly had penned. On the letter, above her wax seal, was the name Fire Lord Zuko. She watched as the falcon took to the sky and was ready for this adventure that awaited her across the sea.

In the Fire Nation

Zuko sat on his throne, behind a wall of fire. He was bored out of his mind. His councilors went on and on about their favorite topic as of late… His marriage… or lack of one. Zuko just wanted to leave this damn meeting and get onto the mounds of paperwork that awaited him. It was just before noon and they had been in this meeting since the sun rose. The door of the throne room was suddenly thrown open and a messenger ran in and bowed before the wall of fire.

"A message for you from the Northern Water Tribe."

Zuko was happily surprised for once. Finally a relief from the current topic. A soldier at the bottom of the steps took the letter form the messenger and brought it up the steps to where Fire Lord Zuko had parted the wall of fire. He grabbed the letter and immediately recognized the handwriting. For the last two months he had worried almost daily about her whereabouts. Aang had some abruptly and in a mass panic about two months ago. He looked terrible and was ranting on how Katara had vanished. He tried to find her in the South Pole but her family refused to tell him anything. After a week of consoling, he finally came to the conclusion she just needed space. Zuko thought otherwise but it seemed the young avatars mind was made up. Zuko and Katara had bonded since they found his mother and she had written him very often for the last 4 months till she had disappeared. Her handwriting gave him a sigh of relief.

"Give me a moment"

Zuko broke the seal and began to read.

Dear Zuko,

I am sending you this as I am about to board a boat to the fire nation, with your permission of course. I have left here on the night of the full moon and hope to arrive by the morning of the new moon. I have important things to discuss with you and wish for an audience as soon as I arrive. I will see you soon, You Highness.

With Affection – Katara

The new moon was two days away. He had to prepare. Frantically he raced down the steps of the throne room and rushed to the door. His council called for his return and to finish the matter at hand. He halted at the door and turned.

"I have listened to you for the last two months about my current position and the need of marriage. When you come up with a solution for this, only then will I listen again to your proposals.

Not thinking of the repercussions of his current statement, he turned and went to the palace estate manager to have the royal guest chambers prepared in the royal family wing. He then made his way to pry his uncle from his current Pai Sho game. They had much to discuss.