AN: This story is for my dear friend's birthday. Happy belated Birthday, Kusachi-chan! I'm sorry if it sucks, I lost inspiration somewhere near the end. Haha… Mwah! I hope you (and everyone else) finds it worth reading.
The Spirit Oasis has always been a sacred place, even long before the war. It is a revered place not only for the Water Tribes but also for the other Nations. It is the only place in the world that is directly connected to the Spirit World, the only place where you can come as close as possible to the spirits of those gone before us. To some, it was a place that brought fear, for others, it was a place that resonated with peace and tranquillity.
Katara was one of those who thought the later, it was one reason why she had chosen to stay in the Northern Water tribe after the war. For a while, she had stayed in the Southern Water Tribe in order to help the rebuilding of her tribe and heal the injured. But her dreams haunted her, the Spirit Oasis called to her. She left saying that she wanted to help heal the injured, she was a healer after all, but that was not the only reason.
It was selfish of her, she knew, to run away to the Northern Water tribe – where no one would dare hurt her, somewhere she wouldn't have to hear insults and jeers – not when Sokka was busy helping with the constructions to their tribe, not when Toph was running around the world with Aang to peace-keep, not when Zuko was single-handedly running a war-torn nation.
But wasn't she allowed some repose, to heal her own scars? It was only after 3 long years did she took a well-needed break and hurried off to the Northern Water Tribe. Truth be told, rest wasn't the only reason why she wanted to be in the North Pole. Her instincts called to her, urging her closer to the Spirit Oasis. She never understood why until she arrived, she felt peace fill her. It was like coming home. Every other night, she'd disappear into the Spirit Oasis not to be seen until sunrise. It was so that she could be near the masked man who appeared before her in her dreams. She was drawn to him, in a way she couldn't explain.
Every full moon's night, ever since the end of the war 5 years ago, a masked man would appear in her dreams. They'd meet in what she called the 'Pavilion of Four Elements'; it was shaped like a cross with Four Wings representing one of the four elements each, decorated in their respective colors. There were also gardens between the wings, The Gardens of the Seasons. One in eternal springtime, another in eternal summer, one in eternal fall and yet another in eternal snowfall.
Katara and her visitor would sit in the middle of the four pavilions, the place where the four wings intersected. He'd sit in front of her, a table between them, face covered by an eerie full-face blue dragon's mask. He never spoke; he never took his mask off.
Katara knew that she had to be dreaming, there was no place in the world she knew that was as beautiful as the one she was in or could be as beautiful. She was in the midst of a meadow of moon roses, exotic beautiful flowers that glowed and glittered silver and gold but bloomed only every full moon.
She could hear the trickle of a nearby stream but she could hear no sounds of wildlife. Where was she anyway? What kind of dream is this, she asked herself as she looked around.
"Welcome, dear Katara, to the Garden of Spring" Katara turned swiftly, automatically going into a fighting stance, towards the lilting voice.
Katara's blue eyes widened in shock as they landed on the figure clothed in ethereal white before her,"P-princess Yue?"
The Water Tribe Princess turned Moon Spirit laughed gaily, "Call me Yue, Katara. Technically, you are my daughter now that I'm the Moon Spirit."
"Umm.. Where exactly am I?" she asked almost timidly. This was turning out to be one weird dream.
"Silly Katara… We are in The Garden of Spring in the Spirit World, didn't I tell you that?" Yue smiled at her. "Come, he has been waiting for you." The Moon Spirit walked ahead, her white dress trailing behind, leading the way to a pavilion. Katara hurried after her, too shocked to speak.
"This is the Pavilion of the Four Elements representing all four elements." Yue told her without looking around.
Katara was busy taking in everything around her; she never knew the Spirit World could be so beautiful. Aang told her that all he saw was endless mist when she asked him about it. Wait…
"Why am I here, Yue?" she asked her. She pretended not to see the slight falter in the other girl's step.
"Because you are meant to be here... Come, he has been waiting for you…" Yue told her. "Stay with him, please…" her silent plea went unheard.
A man sat cross-legged on a cushion, arms resting on a low table. His face was covered by a blue dragon mask, and yet, somehow, Katara knew he was smiling behind that mask.
Katara was frozen in place, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Come, sit. I apologize that I cannot offer you something to eat. In the Spirit World, there is no need for us to eat or drink." Yue smiled at her, gesturing towards the other cushion.
Katara was reluctant though she relented and sat down in front of the masked man. It was only then that she noticed pieces of parchment lying in front of the man. She tried to inconspicuously glance at the parchment, her eyes widening as she saw the elaborate drawings. She never noticed Yue smile as she disappeared.
"That's beautiful… Did you draw that?" she asked him, she didn't know that his lips curved into a tender smile under his mask.
He nodded. "Why aren't you speaking?" Katara frowned thoughtfully, reaching out to touch his masked face. He jerked back immediately, as if her touch burned him.
"I-I'm sorry..." came Katara's timid apology, looking hurt. Almost immediately, his hand covered hers. His hand was warm, but pale. Katara smiled at him, choosing not to pry.
"Teach me to draw? I never tried before." She told him, smiling beautifully. He grabbed an ink brush from somewhere and placed in her hand…
That was their first meeting, on the first full moon after Ozai's defeat. They continued to meet every full moon, when she was at her strongest, and every other new moon, when she was at her weakest, of each month for 3 years. He never spoke, not once. Yet his touches spoke of fond affection. Maybe more, but she didn't dare read too much into it. Sometimes, he'd teach her how to draw. Sometimes, her taught her how to dance. Sometimes, they simply sat beside each other in comfortable silence. She called him Blue Spirit or Blue or Spirit, whichever suited her that night. When she left for the Northern Water tribe, the dreams came more often but sometimes, they were visions. Visions of a life once lived. By who? She did not know...
Blood-stained hands caressed a handsome face that hovered above her face. The man's eyes were filled with unshed tears. "Don't leave me... Please..." came his almost desperate plea.
"Never. I'll be ...in your... heart. Forever... Take care of... yourself, my love." Her voice was nothing more than breathy whispers. The physical pain ached badly, but the gnawing pain in her heart was worse. A pale hands clutched her hand to his chest, as sobs wracked his body.
"i love you... i love you..." he vowed but she didn't hear. The light had left her azure eyes.
'Before the Spirits became Spirits, they were once human. They once had their own lives, their own loves. Once upon a time, before the romance of Oma and Shu, was the story of the Moon Goddess' Beloved Childe and Agni's Prince. Even long ago, there was already a rift between the Fire people and the Water Tribes. But though Fire and Water are opposites, they complete each other. Where would we be without fire? Where would be without water?
Their romance was completely unlike Oma and Shu's case of love at first sight; it had started out with heated arguments and biting remarks. They fell in love, slowly but surely. And yet, everything beautiful has its end. A tragic accident killed the Moon's Childe and the Prince was alone, again. Lady Moon felt the young man's grief and vowed that one day, the Prince and his Beloved would be together once more. This time for keeps. The Prince felt new hope stir in his heart, for years he would wait. Even as he takes his rightful place beside the Lord Agni in the Spirit World, he vowed he would wait for his love to reappear.'
Katara smiled softly at the sleeping children that surrounded her, it was yet again her turn to tell a bedtime story to all the rowdy children of the Northern Water Tribe. Innocent souls that were not yet stained by the harsh realities. To them, the War was but a bad dream.
"That was a beautiful story, Katara. I've never heard of it before." Katara looked around to face the esteemed Healer, _, and her grandmother's old friend. Katara smiled at her, "It's something an old friend told me."
"Well, tell that friend of yours to tell you more. I've never seen these children fall so fast asleep before.", came the half-joking, half-serious reply.
"i will." Katara told her as she stood up and left the room. Silently, she crept the hallways that were devoid of people. The glass windows filtered the silvery light of the moon. It would be a full moon tomorrow night, Katara could'nt contain her grin of excitement. She knew she was falling fast, falling deep, in love with a man whose face she had never seen before. Was it right? To top it off, he was a Spirit.
But now was not the time to dwell on such things, she had other things to do. Like packing for her trip to the Fire Nation the next morning. Katara walked the short distance to her room and closed the door behind her
They sat on a stone bench that overlooked the lake in the Garden of Summer, it was raining and yet, they paid it no mind. Katara face was content as she watched the translucent swans skim the calm lake. Even as she did so, she was aware of the masked man that sat beside her. Only inches between them.
"it's beautiful, isn't it?" she commented, breaking the silence that enveloped them. But it was a good kind of silence, the one you get when you are with someone you trust fully and whole-heartedly. She didn't know when, she didn't know how, but somehow, the man had made himself a place in her heart.
A hand tugging hers and then linking them together, made her face her companion. He was stubbornly looking straight ahead, and yet, their hands were locked together. A smile was on her face as she damned all consequences and inched closer to lay her head on his shoulder. He froze for a brief moment, as if not expecting her sudden action.
'Katara...' She didn't hear him say her name as he pulled her closer. They were in that almost embrace when the Moon Spirit found them. Yue only smiled softly at the sight.
The sun was bright, almost blinding in its brilliance, Katara stood at the deck of the Water Tribe ship that was headed for the Fire Nation capital. She was looking at the sea but not really seeing. Her thoughts were filled of last night's encounter.
'Blue Spirit? Are you here?' Katara called out, it was unusual for him not to be waiting at 'their' table when she arrived. Where was he?
'I'm afraid he won't be here, tonight.' Katara faced the person, immediately taking on a stance. Blue eyes narrowed at the man in front of her, flashing in confusion. He looked familiar, but she couldn't put a name to his face. The man made a non-threatening gesture.
'Why not?' she demanded, feeling just the tiniest bit disappointed. The man shrugged his shoulders, "Just because. You can't bend here, and I'm not going to hurt you" Katara barely held in her annoyed huff but she relaxed her stance.
'Who are you?' katara asked, her eyes sweeping over his form. The man had black hair, a pale face and yellow eyes. He was Fire Nation, she was sure of it.
'My name is Lu Ten. Maybe you've heard of me, maybe not. Anyway, I'm here to tell you that my dearest cousin will be waiting for you in the Fire Nation. He's been waiting a long time.', said Lu Ten with a mischievous smirk on his face. Katara's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
'What are you talking about?' she asked.
'How 'bout I tie you to a tree? Maybe you'll get it then. See you!' There was a grin on his face as he disappeared but before he did, he pressed something into her palm.
Katara had awoken soon after that, in her bed in the Northern Water Tribe Palace, a firelily in her hand. Her future lay in the Fire Nation, she was sure of it. Maybe she should talk to Iroh, or Zuko, they had always been good listeners. . .
She never heard Yue's amused laughter echo from the heavens.