Chapter 21: Only Hope
Sokka, Aang, and OnJi sat silently eating ther breakfast in main room of the house. Katara stayed far away from everyone while keeping herself occupied by doing household chores. Katara hadn't spoken one word to Aang since their discussion the night before, and it was really bothering the young Avatar. Not to mention he had received a letter from Zuko earlier that morning informing him that Azula is at Kyoshi. He was torn. "I can't just leave Katara here.. She needs me, but Zuko needs me to go help this General Shino guy capture Azula..And if I tell Sokka that Azula's at Kyoshi, he will become even more stressed and that is the last thing he needs right now. Ugh! What do I do?" Aang silently asked himself while trying to make the right decision. Just then a knock sounded on the door.
"I'll get it." Katara said as she walked over to the door. Sonyi was standing there her eyes filled with fear and worry.
"Oh hello, Sonyi. Is everything okay?" Katara greeted her friend. When tears began to form in her eyes Katara ushered her inside. "What's wrong?" She asked her close friend.
"It's Arial.. She's dying." Sonyi blurted out to Katara's horror. Katara immediately ran out the door leaving the girl in the entrance of the door. Aang and OnJi ran up to the young crying girl.
"What is it? What is going on?" Aang asked while kneeling down and pick the girl up of her feet.
"My sister.. She's dying." Sonyi managed to choke out. Aang and OnJi gave eachother concerned glances before returning their attention back to the girl.
"Take me to your home." Aang ordered as they left the house.
...
Katara dashed into the small house and ran into little Arial's room. "Maine! What happened?" Katara asked as she ran to the sobbing mother.
"Arial just started breathing strange and screaming like she was in pain...then she just..just passed out. I..don't know what's wrong with her." The mother said as she held her child close. Katara slowly took the child from Maine's arms and started examining the unconscious baby with her healing ability.
"What's wrong with my baby?" Maine asked as Katara worked diligently on the child. The young healer's eyes furrowed in confusion as she rubbed her hands across the baby's abdomen.
"I..I don't know. Arial's condition makes no sense. She has all this energy built up in her stomach and heart." As soon as Katara finished her sentence the baby started gasping for breath.
"What's going on?" Maine asked in horror as her baby's body started shivering. Katara's eye widened at the horrible realization of what was going on; Arial was having a heart attack.
"No.. No Arial stay with me baby. Stay with me. No no Arial don't do this." Katara begged the little child. "Ugh! nothing's working! Arial don't give up on me sweetheart. Come on..Arial.." Katara pleaded as the baby's shivering became more intense.
"What's going on?" Sonyi asked as the rest of the gang ran into the room. Before Katara could answer, the child's shivering began to die down, and her breathing became soft and rigid. Everyone stood motionless as they watched Katara beg the child to stay alive.
"Arial.. No. No Arial! Don't give up..Ar-" She stopped dead in her sentence as the baby's body fell limp in the young healer's arms. The room was deathly silent as Katara sat in utter shock at feeling the life of this new soul leave in her arms. Maine's heart wrenching scream filled the room as reality set into the Mother's broken heart. "I failed Arial..I failed everyone..again" Katara whispered to herself as she held the lifeless body in her arms. Suddenly the sound of Maine screaming drowned out, everything became quiet as a white light flashed around her. She was suddenly in a room with a young woman holding a little newborn child in her arms. As she walked closer, she noticed who the new mother was. It was someone she loved with all her heart; someone she would always run to for comfort. It was Kaya. She was holding a new born baby girl.
"What will you name her?" A familiar female voice sounded from behind her. Katara turned around to see her Gran-Gran standing proudly at the edge of the bed. She looked nearly the same as she did now. The only difference was she had streaks of black running through her grey hair.
"I will name her.. Katara." The new Mother answered while cuddling the crying child in her arms. Katara gasped at realizing the baby was her. She was so young, so vulnerable.
"Mommy!" A high pitched voice yelled as a little toddler ran into the tent. Katara watched as the tiny 2 year old boy with short black hair and deep blue eyes ran up to his Mother. He looked curiously at Katara and a big bright smile formed on his adorable face. "Sissy?" He asked as he pointed to the baby. Kaya giggled a little and knodded.
"Yes, Sokka. This is your sister, Katara." Kaya stated while leaning over to allow the fascinated new brother look at his sister's face.
"KARA!" He yelled in excitement while jumping up and down.
"Not Kara, Sokka. Ka-T-Ar-a." Hakoda corrected his young son.
"It's okay, Koda. He will get her name in time. I actually think that's an adorable nickname..Little Kara." The new mother said as she gently rocked the child to sleep.
"So that's how I got my nickname." Katara said to herself with a gentle smile. "But why am I here?" She asked now looking around. Right as the words excited her mouth a large wind blew causing smoke to rise and erasing the scene she was observing. The next thing she knew, she was standing in a dim lit room. Kaya was leaning over a cradle crying as Hakoda hugged her comfortingly.
"What's going on?" Katara wondered as she walked closer.
"What are we going to tell Sokka?" Kaya asked her husband as tears streamed down her face.
"I'm not sure." Hakoda answered in a grave voice. Kaya then touched the lifeless body of the newborn baby laying in the cradle. Katara's eyes widened when realizing who the baby was.
"It's me.." She gasped taking a few steps back.. "I..I'm dead, but how.." She immediately stopped when a bright flashing light brightened the room. The two young parents and observing daughter all gasped. A spirit that Katara had so often seen in her dreams stood before them. She was dressed all in white with beautiful pink and white flowers hanging in her long flowing black hair.
"I am Rui Zi, The spirit of life. I am here to return your Child's life. You're daughter has been chosen by the 5 Council Spirit's to play a very important role in the destiny of the world. She will be the mother of a nation, the wife of the last of his kind, the healer of the world." The glowing female spirit said while moving closer to the child. Katara's eyes widened at hearing her words. "Give me your necklace." The spirit continued while focusing on Kaya. The young woman immediately obeyed and took off the beautiful blue necklace. Rui Zi grabbed the necklace and placed it on Katara's lifeless body. Katara watched in fascination as her young body began glowing and rising out of the crib. "Katara of the Southern Watertribe. I return to you.. your life. Along with a special ability that you shall learn about in time." Rui Zi told the baby as she gently laid her down. "You are destined for great things." The spirit whispered as she disappeared. As she left a cry sounded from the crib, and the overjoyed parents picked the baby up, crying tears of joy. Katara watched this scene with complete fascination.
"Why didn't they tell me about this?" Katara asked herself.
"Because they didn't understand and didn't want to worry you." A voice answered. Katara spun around to see Rui Zi standing there. "Hello, Katara." The spirit greeted with a smile.
"What's going on? Why am I seeing these visions from the past?" Katara asked as she felt her heart growing warmer from the spirit's presence.
...
In the Spirit world...
Kaya stood frowning at the door that continued turning even darker purple, black dots now started forming at the base of it.
"The darkness is overtaking her." A voice sounded from behind the woman. Kaya turned to see a serious Worryn sitting on a cloud. "If her heart becomes any colder.. The frostbitten stage will begin." He continued while observing the door. Suddenly a loud cracking sound came from the door. The beautiful woman spun around and watched as another sheet of ice formed on the door, now making the ice a foot thick.
"Katara! Open your heart! Katara!" She screamed pressing herself against the door.
"It's hopeless, Kaya.. Her heart is too cold. She can't hear you." The great spirit stated while moving closer the distraught Mother.
"No! I won't give up hope. She needs me!" She screamed as she started pounding on the door to her daughter's heart. "Katara snap out of it! PLEASE!" Her Mother begged while slamming her whole body against the frozen ice. "You can do this, Katara! Please!" She encouraged. Her tears now streaming down her face. After a few minutes of encouraging and pleading, she felt hopeless. "Maybe Worryn is right..it's hopeless." Just as soon as she said that a drop of water fell on her face. Kaya looked up, and a huge smile flashed across her face. The ice on the door to her daughter's heart was melting.
"Yes! Yes Katara! Continue opening your heart." The middle aged mother said as she continued banging against the door.
...
"I have brought you here to tell you about your ability." Rui Zi started as she took Katara's hand and led her away from the house and into a shining light. Once through the shining light she saw a beautiful woman who looked almost exactly like herself. The only difference was this young woman had green eyes. She wore a light blue Watertribe Parka, and her dark hair fell flawlessly down her back. She was waterbending near the ocean of the Southern Watertribe. Only the Watertribe was huge; it was even bigger than the Northern Watertribe. Katara marveled at her home.
"Do you know who that woman is?" Rui Zi asked the young Watertribe girl.
"No, I don't." Katara answered while observing the graceful waterbender.
"This is one of your great ancestors. Her name was Ummi, Chief Korwa's daughter and future wife of the former Avatar Kuruk." The wise spirit informed as she looked at the curious waterbender. "She too had a special ability that I gave her.. The same as yours." Rui Zi continued. Katara's eyebrows furrowed at this statement.
"What ability is that?" She asked the spirit turning her head sideways a little.
"The ability to return people she loved back to life." Rui Zi answered with a smile before continuing. "You two are the only people who the spirit's have deemed worthy of such a gift. Both of your hearts are full of love and compassion for the needy." Katara's eyes widened at the spirit's answer.
"You mean I can bring people I love back to life?" Katara asked trying to maintain her excitement.
"Yes, and you already have. You brought the Avatar back to life; therefore, saving the Avatar cycle and the world." Rui Zi informed to Katara's amazement.
"It was your love that brought him back, and your love that healed him." Rui Zi stated with a smile.
"I always thought it was the Spirit water from the North Pole. I never knew I brought him back to life." The young waterbender said almost rhetorically. The wise spirit nodded. "And you can do it again to save the Child's life." Rui Zi added as she began to fade away.
"But wait! How do I access that ability? Rui Zi!" Katara yelled running toward the disappearing spirit.
"All your answers will come to you..but you have to open your heart." The Spirit answered as she disappeared.
...
"KATARA!" Aang yelled for the fifteen millionth time. She had been sitting there with her eyes closed clutching the baby for over an hour. No one could release the deceased child from her arms or get her to open her eyes.
"Katara, please open your eyes." Aang begged as he gently shook his girlfriend. To his relief, her eyes started twitching, and she slowly opened them.
"I know what to do." The young waterbender smiled while jumping up and running out the door. Aang sat there dumbfounded, along with OnJi, Sonyi, Sokka, and Maine.
"She's officially lost it." Sokka stated as they all stood up and raced after her. They followed her all the way into the newly erected Watertribe spirit oasis.
"Katara, what are you doing?" Aang asked once they reached her. Something about the air felt full of energy..cosmic energy. Aang knew without a doubt this oasis was a border between the spirit world and mortal world. "Katara?" Aang dismissed his observation and focused on his lover who was holding the young lifeless body.
"I'm bringing her back to life." Katara said simply and waterbended an ice bed to place the child on. Aang took a few steps back at her confident statement. He was about to ask more questions before a gentle hand grabbed his shoulder. He turned to see Kanna standing beside him.
"She will explain later. Right now she needs to concentrate on the task at hand." Kanna told the young Avatar. Aang took the hint and silently walked to the entrance where the rest of the group was standing.
Katara silently waterbended some water into the palm of her hand and began attempting to heal the child, but nothing happened.
"Ugh! What am I doing wrong?" She asked in frustration. Suddenly she heard the voice of Rui Zi.
"Open your heart; listen to it's wisdom." The wise spirit said. Katara closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She knew in order to save Arial's life, she would have to become vulnerable and open her heart. She felt her chi flow through her body as she faced the reality of her Mother and Father dying. Tears fell down her face as she painfully dealt with the loss that she had been grieving over for so long. It felt like an eternity before she finally felt her chi unblock and flow completely through her body. A wave of unexplainable power swept over the waterbender's body. She instinctively waterbended to separate bodies of water around in a circle. Aang and the others watched in awe as they saw the two bodies come together forming the Yen and Yang sign, the sign of equality and harmony. Suddenly the sign began to glow a bright white color as Katara placed the water on the child.
"Love brings harmony, balance, and life. It brings restoration and new beginnings. It's the only thing that gives us hope, joy, and happiness. It's our only hope.. Return Arial.. You still have much to do in this world. Come back alive." Katara said as the bright light flashed nearly blinding everyone around them.
"Katara!" Aang yelled in worry. Once the light disappeared he gasped in shock at the sight he saw.
...
"Yes! Worryn, come quick! Katara's door is changing! She has opened her heart! Come quick!" Kaya called in excitement as she ran to go find the dream spirit. Worryn immediately floated up to the excited woman.
"Impossible! How did that happen?" The spirit asked in amazement as he examined the now shining golden door. "I'm not sure; it just did. Now can I go in and see her? I have to reach her before nightfall." Kaya said remembering her mission and time limit.
"I'm afraid you can't unless she is asleep." He told her with a frown.
"There has to be some way that I can reach her." Kaya stated as she looked at the spirit. He was silent a moment before pulling out a device that looked like a thermometer.
"The only other way you can reach her is if she is in a spiritual place and is surrounded by a certain amount of cosmic energy. I highly doubt that she will be, but I will check and see. If she has enough energy than you can appear to her in person." The spirit stated while floating up to the door.
...
"Arial!" Maine cried pushing past the young Avatar and running up to Katara. The young waterbender stood there holding a cooing little baby in her arms. "You brought her back to life! Oh thank you Katara. You brought my precious Arial back to life!" The older woman thanked as she took the child in her arms. Tears of joy fell down the Mother's face as she hugged and kissed her little baby. Katara smiled at the mother and baby. It was so wonderful to be able to bring back happiness to this family.
"Your welcome, Maine." The young healer responded. She then looked over to her side to see Aang standing there smiling at her.
"How did you do that?" He asked her clearly fascinated by his love's ability to return life.
"It's an ability the spirit's gave me when I was only a baby. While I was holding Arial, the spirit of life took me and showed me many things that happened when I was a baby. She told me I am one of the only two people in all of time to be granted with this ability." Katara responded while turning to look into her boyfriend's shining grey eyes.
"That's amazing! How does it work?" Aang asked eager to know all about Katara's new ability. The young waterbender smiled while taking Aang's hands in hers.
"Well, I have to trust my heart and open my heart. It's my love that brings people back.. I can only bring people I love back to life or for people I love.. People like you." Katara answered moving a little closer to her boyfriend.
"Wait? Your love brought me back to life?" Aang asked surprised that Katara had loved him for so long. The young healer nodded.
"I fell in love with you almost as soon as I met you, but I was too scared to open my heart up. Whenever you died, I did open my heart to you and only you. I couldn't think of my life without you, and since I opened my heart.. I brought you back to life. After that my love for you only grew, and it's still growing." As soon as those words exited her mouth, Aang pulled her into his arms while kissing her with such passion that she was nearly overwhelmed. She wrapped her arms around his neck deepening the kiss. All she could think about was the freedom she felt in his kiss, and the security she felt while in his strong embrace. After a few minutes, they reluctantly broke their kiss in order to catch their breath.
"Aang, I'm sorry for pulling away from you. I'm sorry for how I've been acting. I just-Mmm." The waterbender was cut off by Aang pressing his lips tenderly on hers. It was a short sweet kiss, but it spoke numbers. Katara looked into his hazy eyes. She could see his love and affection pouring out of his soul.
"You don't have to apologize, Katara. I completely understand." He said as he pushed a lose stand of her hair out of her face. Katara pulled him into an embrace and leaned her head against his chest.
"I promise I will never do that to you again.. I love you Aang... With all of my heart" Katara's words caused tears to form in the young Avatar's eyes. He pulled her even closer and nuzzled his face in her hair.
"I love you too, my beautiful little Kara." He whispered while giving her a soft kiss on the head.
...
Well, I hope you liked the ending of this chapter! Yay KATAANG! XD Hope you guys are liking the story so far. Please review! You guys are what give me the initiative to keep writing this fan fiction! :D