It's about time for a Sokka-centric oneshot, don't you think? Well, here you go. The moon: an over-used topic that wouldn't let me go. So here's Kumori Doragon's take on the moon. You can tell me that the moon has always been a woman in Chinese legend until you're blue in the face. That's what I told myself, but, hey... we'll all survive, right?
Many thanks, as always, go to Liselle129 for putting up with me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The night is slightly chilly, and Sokka burrows deeper into his sleeping sack. Insomnia has kept him awake the past few nights, and he expects that this night won't be any different.
The moon is full tonight. It hangs lightly in the heavy clouds surrounding it, its light illuminating Katara and Aang's sleeping forms. Toph's earth tent sits nearby. Alone in the darkness, Sokka can't help but reflect on the bright orb above him.
He's never really been one to put much stock in the supernatural. Things have always been straightforward in his mind. Stories of benevolent spirits and malevolent ghosts don't mean much to his logical brain. He has always preferred tales of heroic warriors defeating evil firebenders and continuing on to save the entire world.
Only later in life has he found it cruelly ironic that he'd once rejected the legends of La.
Sokka couldn't have been much older than six when he'd first heard of the moon spirit. An ever-present entity that watched over the Water Tribe – even when it wasn't visible, the moon was there to protect its people – that's what he'd been told.
"Are you sure it's a spirit?" Sokka asked.
His father laughed. "Of course I'm sure! Would I lie to you?" When his skeptical son gave him a look, Hakoda pointed to the night sky above them. "Tell me, what do you see in the moon?"
Sokka squinted upwards and studied the heavens for a full minute before answering. "A face?" He glanced at his father for reassurance.
"That's the spirit of La. The Man in the Moon." Hakoda caught the boy's eyes and spoke seriously. "He will protect you from danger – protect all of us – because we are his people."
Sokka scrunched up his nose. "Even when you're gone?" His father understood his meaning. The boy knew Hakoda could simply claim to be the moon's chosen protector.
"You're becoming more intuitive every day." He smiled and tickled his son. "Yes, even when I'm gone.
Sokka squealed with laughter.
He had remembered that night when Yue became the moon. After her earthly body had vanished, and she'd planted a kiss on his lips, he'd looked up at her new home in the sky. Sokka had wondered if she remembered him, if she retained any knowledge from her brief life as a mortal at all. Of course, he knows that she is connected to the Water Tribe and is consequently tied to its people, but does she harbor any special feelings for those she knew? Does she still love her parents? Does she still love him? There are too many unanswered questions. But he does know a few things after that night.
The moon is no longer some emotionless spirit to him. It's no longer the Man in the Moon at all. Sokka's in love with the Woman in the Moon.
He once heard that the moon is in a precarious position. It balances on the boundary between this world and the next, between the elements and the imperishable stars of aether. He hopes with all of his heart that this is true. Yue would still be semi-earthly. She'd still be part of the world she'd grown up in and, above all, she'd still know his face.
Looking up at the subject of his thoughts, Sokka notices that the Woman in the Moon is unusually bright tonight.
Well, it seems that no one had a thing to say about that last piece. I only got three reviews out of ninety-one hits. Perhaps We can go for four reviews this time? Well, I'll update soon no matter what. But I do love comments and critiques. I'll even take critisicm if it's constructive. So tell me what you think!
