Katara and Zuko don't return to camp that night. Instead, the dawn rises on the pair sitting side by side, leaning against boulders. Red rimmed eyes watch the sun rise. Zuko remembers the crunch of bones under his feet when Chang lay pleading in front of him. He glances at Katara. What must it have felt like to feel that from inside of someone else's body, knowing their muscles are screaming and bones are cracking because of you, not just knowing but feeling it while it happens. She won't let him put his arm around her, but their fingers lay intertwined at their sides.
Katara watches the sky lighten, very few yet far too many thoughts meandering through her mind. She blood bent in anger without knowing what it was. She blood bent on purpose to save a town, to save Zuko. The delicate bones in Hama's hands, frail with age, had snapped like twigs under her power. She can add that to her list of 'never again's. No, to end the war, to keep Zuko and the rest of her little family safe…Katara doesn't let herself finish that thought. Healing, she has to heal to atone for what she did, what she can do.
She turns suddenly to the prince. "I didn't ask last night, are you hurt?"
He rubs his chest for a moment, dispelling the sudden wave of pressure there. That witch had been inside of him, her bending wrapped around his heart. Zuko shudders, glad it's over. "No, once she stopped I was fine."
"Let me check anyway?" Katara asks, her voice and fragile. Zuko nods so she bends the nearby ocean water around her hands, running it over his skin. Zuko groans, letting his head hang. She freezes. Muscles, she can feel his muscles underneath his skin through her bending. She can feel the knots, the different textures, the same as if she was blood bending. It's not the same! This helps people, she reminds herself. It's not the same. Forcefully she continues to heal the already healthy man until she can't find an excuse to continue. The water flows away and finally she's exhausted. Finally, she can sleep.
. . . . .
Most of the day is passed sleeping. The past few days have been long and the nights short. Toph finds a nearby town and she grabs Sokka so they can go buy dinner. "The town's nervous. It's poorer than the other towns we've seen and there are curfews in place. We'd do best to steer Appa clear of there, there's a lot of army there," Sokka notes while chomping away at his kabob.
Katara looks up from her meal. "Why are there curfews, that's seems strange."
Toph shrugs. "We could get a straight answer out of anybody but it seems there was some kind of riot earlier in the year. Something about all of their children being shipped off to the military and there not being enough people to keep the town going."
"Yeah," Sokka adds, "The army came in and ended things quickly."
Zuko grits his teeth, glowering. It will all be over soon. Things will be different once his father and his cronies are gone.
After dinner the fire dies down and once again they're on Appa, carefully avoiding the town. They continue the pattern for days, sleeping in, Aang and Zuko fire bending, then flying to the next island at night. It won't be long before they're at Ember Island. Katara, to everyone's surprise, isn't withdrawn but the set of her jaw and the cold fury in her eyes is still enough to give pause. Zuko's the one who sees what it really is though, fear, desperation. "Come on," he says abruptly to her one afternoon.
"Where are we going?" She asks, already getting up.
"I don't know, let's just go for a walk." Zuko still carries the necklace with him but still, it isn't the right time. They walk, mostly in silence, through the sparse foliage. "Look at the ground. This island used to be a coral reef. You see the island over there," He points at the one right across the sluggish river. "That's the same."
"Coral?"
"Uh, small bright underwater growths. No one's sure if they're plants or animals or what but every now and then they make up groups of islands like the one we're on now," he explains.
Katara looks at the ashy gray rocks around her. "I thought you said they were bright?"
"When they're underwater they are." He smiles, "I can show you some once we win. There's an island near the capitol that's surrounded by coral reefs. You'd love it."
Katara smiles right back for a split second before her face falls. "Once we win." Her fingers find his and she squeezes. "We're going to win."
He squeezes back with all of the courage he can muster. "Yeah, we are."
The walk continues, each happier now that their hands are touching. The coral islands grew closely together, some only separated by streams while others rim lakes. There's no one about so Katara bends the water nearby, raising small pillars that splash back into the river on their own. It seems heavier, harder to bend as their walk continues. The water drops with a plop as they round a curve, a large lake with a town floating in the middle of it in front of them. She frowns, the water here is a dirty, unnatural brown. A cloud of smoke belches into the air behind the town.
"Oh hey, we don't get many strangers 'round these parts!" An old man with sun spots and a gut that speaks of malnutrition calls to them, beckoning them over towards his skiff. "My name's Dock! Who are you?"
"My name's Katara, and this is Lee. We're from the colonies." Zuko doesn't have his cloak to cover his face but out here in the middle of nowhere, where he didn't even know there were settlements, he isn't too concerned.
"Wow," the old man is obviously impressed. "Never met a colonial before. Hop on, I'll give you a ride to town," he decides, reeling in his fishing line.
Katara looks at the small village they're approaching. Even from a distance she can see the rotting wood and smell the nearly overpowering stench of spoilt fish. "Why do you live on the river?" She asks, forcing herself to not cover her nose.
"We're a fishing town, or at least we were. That was before the factory moved in." Dock gives the black cloud still dissipating in the air a scornful glance. "Army moved in when I was little, started making metal there and nothing's been the same since."
"Why are you still here then?" Zuko questions. "Why not move to where the fish are?"
"This is our home, boy. We have every right to be here and no one can make us leave, not even the Fire Lord himself. Not that he cares about the little villages like ours." Dock's eyes widen as he realizes what he's said to strangers. His mouth clamps resolutely shut. Katara tries to draw him out into conversation to no avail.
Zuko looks out across the lake, taking in what must have once been a scenic view. Now, a factory can be seen behind the town, spewing slug into the water. The fisherman is right, his father doesn't care about towns like this. His fist tightens, these people are Fire Nation citizens! They deserve so much better than this!
The boat bumps up to the pier. The pair leave with a bow, ready to look around. "It reminds me of the Lower Ring," Katara mutters, taking in the hopeless, gaunt eyes. Her hand finds Zuko's.
"It won't be like this for long. I'll make sure of that."
Katara shoots him a glance. "You mean once you're on the throne?"
"Yes. I won't allow factories to keep polluting the areas around them. This place must have been beautiful once."
"Yeah, it must have been," the water bender agrees. They don't stay in the village long. The stench combined with the oppressive hopelessness drives them back onto Dock's boat and far away from the despair.
. . . . .
Everyone is asleep. Everyone except Katara who stares at the moon hanging high above her. It's not right. She has this power to heal and for what, to let people suffer? No, she won't do that. She won't walk away from this town when she can do so much. She has to.
Ever so slowly the water bender rolls away from her prince. She can't wait for him to be on the throne, she has to do this now. She could wake him. Her hand hovers over him, ready to nudge him awake but no, she withdraws. This is her mission. She needs to do this. Zuko doesn't stir when she rises to her feet. His eyes snap open the second her back is turned. He frowns.
Slowly Katara retraces her steps from earlier in the day. A sound, a whisper of cloth comes from behind her. She whirls around but nothing's there. It must have been her imagination, she convinces herself. Goosebumps rise on her skin but still she continues, finding her way quickly towards the village. The moonlight dances on the water.
"You can't even tell how dirty the water is in the dark." A voice behind her states. Katara spins, not bothering to raise defensive water around her. She'd know that voice anywhere.
"Zuko, I thought you were asleep."
"Obviously," he states. Katara gulps. She'd never noticed just how piercing his eyes were. "What are you going to do?"
"I need to help these people. They don't deserve to live like this!"
"Okay, why didn't you tell me? Did you think I would disagree, think I would try to stop you?" He snaps in frustration before rubbing his forehead with his hand. "Why not tell me instead of slinking off in the middle of the night?"
"I-" Katara bites her lip, looking down at her feet. "I can't explain it to you."
"Try," he retorts.
"I can hurt people, Zuko," she says, hardly above a whisper before continuing, "I can turn their own bodies against them. Given the chance, if I have to do that to win the war, to stop the Fire Lord, I will. I'll do anything to end the war, anything to protect the people I care about and what does that make me other than a monster?" Her voice rises as she speaks, her tongue thick with emotion.
"It makes you human." He responds simply. "I talked to Uncle after," the prince swallows, "after Ba Sing Se. I did a terrible thing, letting those men die to protect me but Uncle said it, you said it, I had to so we could win the war. That's what it all boils down to isn't it? We do what we have to, to win the war no matter the cost."
"That's different."
"No! No it's not! Katara, listen to me!" Zuko almost shouts. "So what if you can blood bend? I'm sure air benders could pull air out of people's lungs. Some fire benders can electrocute enemies. Earth benders can trap people inside of the ground. We can all do horrible things! It's what you choose to do with your power that matters, what cause you throw your skills behind. You're a good person, Katara. You always will be." He pulls her close without a second thought, without giving her the chance to rebuke his argument. For a moment she stands stiff before breathing out a sigh and drooping. Slowly she returns the embrace.
"Thank you," she says simply. She doesn't believe him, not entirely, but it's a start.
"Anytime," he mutters. "Now, let's go help them. Together." There are no masks, no disguises this time. Katara bends the water around them, propelling them both towards the small fishing village in front of them. Quietly, sticking to the shadows as much as possible, they sneak into houses. It's not hard to find someone injured or malnourished. Katara's healing strengthens bones, mends fractures, and soothes swelling. Zuko stands watch, making sure no one follows them or can see their faces. When Katara starts to sway he grabs her, supporting her. He can smell ocean spray in her hair and for a moment he's taken back to Ba Sing Se. He'd supported her then, encouraged her, given her the safety she needed to heal people. He smiles softly, no matter how much changes, he hopes some things never do.
They step towards the docks and once again they cross the water. As their feet touch solid ground, the factory belches, spewing more silt and smoke into the world around it. The stench of rotting eggs fills the air. Katara scowls.
. . . . .
"Well, you two got to go off on an adventure and meet the townsfolk. I don't see why we shouldn't!" Aang argues when Katara and Zuko try to leave the following afternoon. No one knows they snuck off in the middle of the night.
"Because you're the Avatar, you don't want to get caught."
"My hair's grown in and look, I can wear a headband!" Aang ties his belt around his head, effectively masking his arrow tattoo.
Zuko sighs, "Fine. Just don't expect much. There's not much to see."
"That's okay."
"Yeah," Sokka adds. "We can do some snooping anyway. It wouldn't hurt to find out more about this factory."
"That's all well and good but I'm staying here," Toph declares. "You said it's all wood and I don't particularly want to go somewhere where I'll really be blind thank you very much."
"That makes sense. Anyway, if we're going let's get a move on." Katara motions everyone forward, anxious to see if her and Zuko's activities the previous night made any kind of difference.
To her surprise, they've made more of a difference than she expected. A child, one she may have healed, she's not sure in the daylight, sits in the boat with Dock who hums a cheery tune to himself.
"Ho, strangers! Thought you would have left by now." His earlier unease is forgotten, his words about the Fire Lord a distant memory he hopes.
"No, we brought a few more of our friends as well." Katara replies as they all climb aboard. "And who are you?" She asks the little boy.
"I'm Ling! The Painted Lady healed me last night so I'm out here helping Uncle Dock today."
"The Painted Lady?" Aang asks.
"Yeah," Dock answers. "She's the spirit who watches over us. She came to us last night and healed a bunch of people."
"Oh! Maybe if we stick around we can meet her tonight!" Aang grins.
"I doubt it, young man. No one is allowed to get near our lady. Her protector won't allow it."
"Her protector?"
"Hmpf, not surprised you don't know it. The Blue Spirit and The Painted Lady have a long history together and sometimes when she appears he's there to watch over her."
Zuko chokes, coughing, "The Blue Spirit?"
"Yes." Dock's oars splash against the water as he tells his tale. "Legend has it that when the town was first founded The Painted Lady lived here. She was human, a great healer. One day a man wandered through badly hurt, dying of his wounds and she healed him. She accepted no payment so he, being not so honorable, left without another word. Her kindness haunted him though and soon he could think of nothing more than how to repay her.
"That man came back and swore an oath to protect the healer and the town until he'd paid off his debt. When storms came to wash away the town he was the first to shore up the foundations. When the fishing was slow he went to the ocean to catch bigger game. No matter what he did though, he always presented himself to the healer afterwards, asking if he had paid off his debt. Each time she would laugh and say there was nothing to repay. She continued to heal those who came and the town flourished under her care.
"They did this for years as friendship and then more formed. One day bandits attacked and as always, the man was the first to defend. He fought well with his swords but by the end it was too much. When the healer found out she called out to Agni and a storm came that washed the bandits away. Once the clouds cleared both the healer and the man were gone and two new spirits could be seen watching over the town from time to time." Dock sighs. "It's been a long time since we've seen either of them. We thought they were gone but last night they returned."
"Yeah!" Ling pipes up as he scrambled out of the boat to tie it down to the pier. "They're going to help clean the river so we can fish again!"
"Now who told you that?" Dock shoos the boy off, checking his knots. "The Painted Lady said no such thing."
Ling pouts, "Yeah, but why'd they come if they won't fix things?"
Katara looks at Zuko then at the factory beyond the village. His eyes widen, realizing what she has planned for that evening. He almost shakes his head but stops. These are his people and he can't allow them to continue living like this. He can't wait for the war to be over to help them. He nods. Katara smiles, expression not quite melting the ice in her eyes.
"So, why'd you pick the Blue Spirit?" Aang asks as soon as they're out of Dock and Ling's hearing.
"It what was available at the time. It kind of grew on me after that. Besides, a lot of spirit masks look like mine did."
"Hmm, I guess that makes sense." Aang frowns, obviously annoyed at the lack of an exciting explanation. As they pass by a statue of The Painted Lady being repainted, Aang continues, "Anyway, let's see if we can find them tonight. It'll be good to get to know a local spirit, especially if we can help."
"No," Sokka interrupts. "Let's leave the spirits alone and just focus on getting to Ember Island. That's where Master Piandao is telling everyone we are so we need to be on our way."
"One night won't hurt," Katara comments. "We'll get to Ember Island soon enough."
Sokka looks to Zuko for backup, disheartened when the prince only agrees, "Yeah, we might as well stay one more night."
"Ugh, fine." Sokka throws his hands up in annoyance. "Let's just forget the whole plan while we're at it. If anyone needs me I'm going to be trying to find out what they make in that factory."
"Metal for the army," Zuko replies.
"Yes, but are they just leaving it as ingots or turning it into something. I want to know." With that Sokka begins to wander off, striking up conversations with anyone who'll talk to him. Aang does the same, trying to find out more about the spirits.
Katara looks around herself. The statue of The Painted Lady rises over the houses. Swirls adorn her cheeks and a wide brimmed hat rests on her head. The statue looks determined yet peaceful. Children are smiling. There's a sparkle to their eyes that strikes a chord deep inside of the water bender. Hope. These people are hopeful again. "It's amazing to see what one night can do," she murmurs to Zuko who can only agree.
"Tomorrow it'll be even better."
"What if the soldiers from the factory come here?"
Zuko shakes his head. "They won't. We'll make it look like an accident, a pipe here and there, a messed up gauge or two."
"That's only a temporary fix."
"It'll have to work for now. Once the war is over we can dismantle the factory but for now if we want to keep the village safe we can't do too much."
Katara purses her lips before sighing, "Fine, I suppose you're right. So, how do we keep everyone out of this? I don't want them caught up in this too."
"They don't seem to question what we do anymore. We could just go off in the evening and not come back until we're done."
"What about Aang wanting to talk to the spirits?"
"We'll be at the factory when he's looking in the town. We'll be fine."
"Yeah, that could work." Katara grins, "Let's do it!"
They all eat dinner back at camp, no one wanting to risk their health by taking a chance on the two headed fish that Xu, Dock's brother, sold at his dilapidated stand. "Find out anything interesting?" Toph asks between bites.
"No," Sokka pouts. "No one knows anything about the factory since the soldiers and engineers there never come down to the village."
"Yeah, and beyond that story I told you about The Painted Lady and The Blue Spirit that Dock told us, no one had anything else to add. I'm going to try to talk to them tonight!"
"Well, have fun with that Twinkle Toes, sounds right up your alley."
"Thanks!" Aang responds cheerfully.
Soon, everyone's finished eating, the dishes are cleaned and put away, and Zuko's inviting Katara out for an evening stroll that Sokka rolls his eyes at then pretends not to notice. "You're right, that was easy," Katara laughs once it's safe. Her hand finds Zuko's and she squeezes. "We're really going to make a difference!"
. . . . .
Aang frowns, his eyebrows forming a frustrated line across his forehead. "Where are you? I just wanted to talk." He glides across the rooftops, hoping for some glimpse of the spirit duo. A loud bang shakes the wooden house underneath him, causing him to lose his footing. He almost tumbles to the ground, catching himself at the last moment. Fire's visible in the distance. It's from the factory!
. . . . .
Zuko shields Katara from the blast that throws them against the far wall. "Are you okay? What happened?" he coughs. Zuko winces, he's sure a bruise is going to form.
An alarm blares from deep withing the factory.
"I don't know! I burst a pipe and," Katara begins coughing, covering her mouth, trying desperately to filter out some of the toxins in the air.
"We need to get out of here!" Zuko grabs her under the arms, hauling her to her feet just as another pipe comes crashing down beside them. "Can you walk?"
Katara nods anxiously, trying not to cough even more. The air's thick with smoke. Soon coughs rack both their lungs. Their path is clouded.
They can't continue like this.
"Get down, under the smoke," Zuko decides, pulling Katara down with him. "We're almost out."
They struggle to the door they came in then cross the next room. It's not as bad but the black billowing smoke still makes it difficult to breathe. Large cauldrons of melted ore stand at the ready, waiting to be used. The pair crawl between them, avoiding the flames crawling too high.
There! The side door they'd jammed open!
Fresh air fills their lungs.
They collapse onto the ground. The alarm clangs in the background, drowned out by their panting and the coughs that rake their chests. "Are you okay?" Zuko chokes, his hands skimming over her, checking just in case.
"Yeah, just winded," Katara wheezes. "You?"
"I'm fine, we need to get out of here though. Who knows how long it'll be before the guards come."
Katara nods, rolling over to get up. Her arms are weak from pulling liquid out of pipes, bursting the metal carefully to try and avoid suspicion. Zuko begins to stand, holding his side. "Let me heal you," the water bender insists.
"Wait until we're away from here. It's not safe."
Grimly she nods. "I don't know what happened, I think it was an oil pipe." She looks at the prince, eyes gleaming. "They're going to head for the village aren't they?"
Zuko frowns. "Maybe. We'll be there if they do." They can run in just a moment. For now, his lips press gently against her forehead. He relaxes, feeling her in his arms. She's safe. Katara tilts her head up, her lips brushing his, grateful he's okay.
"What are you two doing here?" Aang hovers in front of them, landing softly. "Did you see the spirits, did they do this?"
"Uh, no."
Aang squints, looking at the ash smudged on their faces and the side door not too far away. "Wait, did you do this?"
"Well," Katara starts to explain, "The village needed our help."
"No, The Painted Lady and The Blue Spirit were helping. You didn't need to…" Aang's eyes widen. "You two did it! Last night, it wasn't spirits at all. It was the two of you, wasn't it?"
"Yes," Zuko replies gruffly, "But right now, we need to leave. It's only a matter of time until the guards manage the worst of the fire and start looking around for who did this. Let's go!"
With that they bolt like rocks out of a catapult. Not until they're well away from the factory, past even the village, do they stop. Aang rounds on them. "So you weren't going to bother telling me that I was on a wild goosechicken chase? I could have helped with the factory instead of looking for The Painted Lady."
"We had it under control."
"Oh, obviously!" Aang gestures at the factory. "You two could have gotten seriously hurt! What even happened, why go after the factory? We have bigger things at stake and I can't risk something happening to you."
"Don't you see what it's done to the people here? They're malnourished, they're hurt, the fish are all gone, because of that factory. I'm not going to walk away." Katara all but shouts, "I will never, ever turn by back on people who need me!" Katara turns away abruptly, her jaw clenched.
Silence stretches between the three of them until Zuko finally breaks it. "We still have to get ready for the soldiers to come. The village is defenseless and if the troops decide the villagers did it then it'll be a slaughter. I'm not going to let that happen."
Aang sighs. "I guess you're right. I wish we didn't have to fight them though. We could have resolved this peacefully after the war."
Katara whips around. "No," she spits, "No. These people were dying, Aang! Now they have hope and we're not going to let anyone take that away from them." She pauses, looking at the village sitting quietly in the lake. They have no idea the danger that lurks on the horizon. "They're expecting The Painted Lady and The Blue Spirit. Let's give that to them." She turns to Zuko. "Think you're up for it?"
He nods. "Let's do it."
. . . . .
Sokka goes through several cycles of dismay, frustration, and exasperation before finally agreeing to help. Toph's completely for it, always ready to frighten people. Aang's a little miffed at the idea of copying the local spirits without their agreement, mostly concerned about them finding out, but he helps as well. Before the sun is up, he steals into town, nicking supplies for the pair's disguises.
Katara sits at the water's edge, her hands running over Zuko's back. The prince winces as she heals his side. "Sorry," she whispers. "I didn't have the chance to thank you for, well, everything. You protected me in the factory and you didn't have to agree to him with any of this."
"These are my people, Katara. They're my responsibility more than they are yours." He catches her hand in his, pulling her closer to him. "What kind of Fire Lord will I be if I turn my back on people now?"
Katara looks at him, losing herself in those deep gold eyes. "You're going to be amazing, Zuko. I know you will." She leans forward, his wounds healed, her lips pressing against his. Like so many times before he steals her breath away. Not so long ago this was unattainable, she would have hardly dreamed of feeling his mouth moving against hers. Her hands find their way across his shoulders, a sudden overwhelming need building inside of her until it freezes in its tracks.
He's going to be the Fire Lord. She's a water bender, a blood bender.
It can't last.
Katara kisses him even harder, pushing the thoughts away.
. . . . .
The team is just finishing lunch, thankfully Katara and Zuko had found time to grab a quick nap already, when the first sounds of a disturbance reach them on the nearby secluded shore. Powerful skiffs cut through the water and shouts can easily be heard. Katara and Zuko rise, their face paint made from berries already applied. Red swirls around the water bender's cheeks and a crescent moon adorns her forehead. Her blue eyes are rimmed red and a wide crimson line extends from her lips down her neck. She's dressed in a flowing purple robe with a wide brimmed hat and veil to complete the look.
Zuko's face is painted to closely resemble the mask he once wore. A too big, deathly white grin splits his face and though he has no horns without his mask, the swirls that decorate his face and the terrifying expression are enough to give anyone pause. Dressed in all black with his dao swords once again strapped to his back, he's completely unrecognizable. They both are. Sokka suppresses a shudder. For a moment both set of eyes belong to strangers. He blinks and when his eyes open again Katara and Zuko stand in front of him with matching looks of determination.
Katara creates a fog, shielding them all even more from view. A boulder begins to slowly, rhythmically beat against the ground thanks to Toph as Appa roars. Sokka picks up a flute, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Katara grins, propelling herself forward, straight towards the village. Aang wraps air around himself and Zuko, travelling towards the town out of sight, under the water.
A Fire Nation soldier paces the pier, shouting at the villagers, gesturing wildly to other soldiers. Katara's close enough to see him turn, to see the flicker of fear cross his face. She lands silently on the pier, her feet not even seeming to touch the wood beneath her.
"Who are you? What do you want?" The gruff, loud captain shouts.
A little girl with a look of awe on her face marvels aloud. "The Painted Lady!" She coos.
The nearby soldiers exchange nervous glances. A few draw swords, the others drop into fire bending stances. One fire bender attacks, shooting a pillar of flame at The Painted Lady. Dao swords block the fire, slashing it easily away. The Blue Spirit stands in front of his lady, swords at the ready. His head swivels back and forth, waiting for the next opponent.
With a flick of her wrist, water engulfs one of the Fire Nation skiffs. The soldiers who were unlucky enough to be aboard now adrift in the middle of the lake. "Do something!" The captain yells.
Two soldiers advance with drawn weapons only to be thrown into the air by a glance from The Painted Lady. A fire bender throws a fireball that's easily blocked by The Blue Spirit. The bender's knocked backwards by another gust of wind. The soldiers' wills crack and all hell breaks loose. Soldiers scramble for the boats, quickly peeling away from the village while others run to the other side of town, trying to get away from the spirits. Water swallows each of them, setting them adrift in the lake.
Only the captain remains, glaring at The Painted Lady and The Blue Spirit in front of her. "Fine, I'll take care of you two myself," he growls. His arms bulge as he drops into a fire bending stance. Katara's seen enough men like him and for once she isn't afraid. She doesn't ever need to be afraid again. Fire heads straight at her which Zuko's dao swords block easily. More fire comes and time after time it's blocked. Zuko gives no quarter. His paint doesn't run and in the flash of fire it's almost possible to believe horns twist out of his forehead. Finally, from under the dock, Aang bends air at the Fire Nation captain, knocking him back into the muddy lake.
Katara dives, reappearing with the grace of a spirit in front of the shaken man. She stands on the water, her feet just barely touching the surface as she raises her arms. "Leave this village and never come back," she threatens, her voice taking on a deep, dissonant timbre. The man's eyes widen. Her hands barely move and he's washed away, his frightened gaze not leaving the woman covered in red as deep as blood and a bright crescent moon until he's out of sight.
She returns to the pier where Zuko stands, the villagers careful not to get too close. "Thank you," Ling calls out to The Blue Spirit who only nods in response. Katara touches Zuko's elbow gently. Fog fills the town, spilling out into the lake where they both quickly make their escape to the shore where no one can see them, Aang not far behind.
"So, that seemed to go well," Sokka greets them as soon as they get on dry land. "It was the flute, that's really what made the difference."
Zuko chuckles, "Sure, Sokka, sure."
"Good job guys, you kicked some serious Fire Nation Army butt today!" Toph congratulates.
"I'm just glad it's over," Aang responds, "Maybe you two should get out of the paint now?"
"Oh," Katara looks at Zuko, seeing the blue that's beginning to run. She's sure hers is as well. "Yeah, we probably should." The rest of the team leaves, going back to Appa and Momo. They'll be island hopping again soon. Together the water bender and the prince look out at the village. The water's still muddy but soon that will pass. Soon there will be healthy fish again. Katara squints, "Does it seem a little foggy to you?"
"A bit," Zuko replies. The village that only a few minutes ago had been crystal clear if far away is now hazy.
"And look, the water looks different."
Zuko furrows his eyebrows before leaning down to dip a hand in the lake. Instead of coming up muddy, clear, clean water flows between his fingers. Fog swirls around them, suddenly so thick it could be cut with a knife. Zuko pulls Katara to him, both of them watching, waiting for whatever's created the clouds to show itself.
With no warning the fog splits, grey clouds parting to reveal a woman with long, flowing black hair and a porcelain face. A wide brimmed hat rests on her crown and red swirls pattern her skin. In the center of her forehead a crescent moon glows. "Thank you," she calls with a voice so delicate it could break like glass yet so powerful that the earth seems to reverberate with it. "You've saved our people, there will be peace once again." The Painted Lady smiles at them both and for a moment behind her a shadow flickers. Zuko catches only a glimpse of blue and white before its gone. The beautiful spirit woman continues, "As our thanks, know this: Daughter of the Moon, the bloody weight you carry is a most precious gift. With it you may save your world. You, Son of the Dragons, do not let your world be consumed by the throne of fire. Your journeys have made you strong enough to weather the storms."
The future Fire Lord and the master water bender, the last water bender of the Southern Water Tribe, bow respectfully to the spirits. When they look, the fog is gone, along with the ethereal visitors. They don't tell anyone what they saw but that night when the moon is high and the wind is whipping through their hair, Katara and Zuko rest peacefully.
. . . . .
Whew, that was a longer chapter! Hopefully it'll tide you over until I can post agin. I'm moving, starting a new job, and a bunch of other stuff so it's going to be a hectic few months. As always though, I'll be back! Please let me know what you think, you know how much I love reviews 3