Again, thanks for all the reviews! I know everyone is waiting for the Blue Spirit to be unmasked, and I want to let you know that I'm going to get to it sooner rather than later. I'm expecting this to be a very long story, so bear with me.

I got some complaints about the dream in the last chapter, how it was sort of unclear when she began to dream. I made it that way on purpose; when you think about it, you never consciously begin to dream. It just happens, which is exactly how I wrote it. Sorry for any confusion.

That being said, please enjoy! Remember to review!

Chapter Fourteen
Masquerade

She was awakened by a sharp tap on her head, and groaned, rolling over. She could still feel the moon on her skin, though the power was faint, masked by the sun rising over the opposite horizon. She felt Chihiro poke her side again and winced. "Let me sleep," she mumbled, "We don't need to get up yet."

"That's where you're wrong, On Ji," Chihiro said, then yawned, collapsing over the back of Katara's legs.

"I can't get up if you're laying on me," she responded hopefully, but Chihiro righted herself with a groan and pulled Katara's covers off. She smirked- growing up in the South Pole tended to make one less sensitive to cold. She was just shoving her hands back under her pillow when the mattress tilted, and she let out a shriek as she tumbled off the bed.

"Come on, I've been trying to get you up for the past half-hour," Chihiro begged, and Katara quirked her eyebrow as the dancer set her mattress back on the frame. She stood up slowly, stretching and feeling the blood sing in her arms and back. Her friend held out a cup of lukewarm tea, and she took a sip- mint, with mangosteen and a hint of honey.

"Why do we have to get up so early? Tonight's performance doesn't start until seven." That night was the final public show, the day after being the private viewing at what she hoped was Lady Ursa's home. The first performance had been disastrous, though no worse than usual, apparently. The second one had gone well until the third act, during which the man playing the Fire Lord forgot his important monologue and just repeated the Fire Nation Anthem over and over again until someone covered for him. She'd made two missteps, but for the most part, her dances were alright.

The part that made her nervous was that she couldn't see the audience very well- the lights on stage were brightly shining in the actor's faces, shielding the viewers with shadows. Anyone could be watching her. Her hair was still black, but her skin was beginning to turn tan again- she didn't think about that when she'd gone to the spa, she' only been looking for a way to get into the play without being discovered.

Chihiro shook her head. "Actually, that's where you're wrong. Mystery Lady changed her mind, and wants to leave the island tomorrow, so we have to perform for her today. Tonight's performance will be at eight instead, and we're supposed to be at her house by ten and set up by three."

Katara felt her stomach drop, and excitement took its place, bubbly and tingling. "What time is it?" she asked breathlessly, and stood up, rushing to the mirror and combing out her hair.

"Around six. Why so excited?" Chihiro's casual question reminded her of her disguise, and she reined it in, pasting a vapid smile on her face.

"Because I want to know who the mysterious benefactor is!" she exclaimed, and her friend rolled her dusky grey eyes, flicking her hair off her forehead and turning to leave the room.

"Takani wants us to start loading up the caravans and everything. As far as I know, we're loading up all the props and everything, costumes are taken care of, and we're required to bring fire extinguishers this time. I'll meet you down in the theater, okay?" Katara nodded and waited for her to leave the room, then sat on her crooked bed and looked down at her shaking hands.

"You're going to get the answers this time," she promised herself, "you're going to get to Ursa, find out what she knows and then live your life." The vow didn't affect her all at once. It spread over her gradually like night-flowers opening themselves to the light of the moon. She felt a tight knot in her chest loosen, and she stared in wonder at her hands. They had saved lives, they had held loved ones. These hands had hurt before, and healed. With the ten fingers, the sinewy knuckles and the soft palms, she was going to build her life again, burying what needed to be left behind.

She looked up and into the mirror, catching a glimpse of a wistful smile before she straightened up and left the room, making sure that all her clothes and things were in her pack, mentally noting that her mother's necklace was nestled between the fabrics to keep it safe.

She bounded downstairs and out of the hotel, blinking in the early morning darkness. There was a tinge of light over one of the hills, but for the most part, the world around her was cast in royal blue. She went around to the back of the theater, the entrance used by the actors and set members, and found Su Li and Yuki struggling to lift a huge cage which was painted to look like gold.

"Honestly, the girl playing the slave didn't need all this space to move in! She could have just shimmied her hips and been done with it!" Yuki complained, and Katara smiled lightly, moving out of their way so that they could load the prop onto a cart. She found Takani and got a list from him of items to grab, finding it easy to ignore his lingering stares.

It took the company hours to get everything loaded, especially when they took a break for breakfast and wound up reading the reviews of previous performances. She was the only one, other than maybe Chihiro, who didn't seem all that surprised that their play was only given one out of five stars. Some lamented the criticism and went off to buy liquor, while others swore loudly to do better the next time around.

Finally, everything was loaded up, and they were on their way. She jumped into a carriage with Chihiro, Su Li and Yuki, who spent the entire time quizzing each other on lines and blocking. She checked the sun in the sky, trying to discover the time, but gave it up as a bad job. Instead, she checked to make sure her pack wasn't falling into plain sight.

She'd gone back to the hotel during one of the breaks to grab her things, and had stowed them above their heads in a luggage holder. Katara doubted she'd be going back tonight, especially if she got what she needed.

For a moment, she wondered what it would be like to admit to her friends that she was Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, not a dancer at all but a lover on a mission. Chihiro would probably be mad, as well as Su Li- or maybe he would just pout and pretend to be upset that she hadn't told him. She was sure Yuki would find it incredibly exciting, and beg to be part of her plan. The thought made her smile, and she wished she would get the chance to say good-bye to them. It seemed like that chance was slowly fading into nothing as she was dragged deeper and deeper into the mystery.

"There's the Royal Summer Home," someone murmured, and she pulled the curtain aside to look outside the window. Her breath caught in her throat then- she remembered long, hot days practicing with Zuko and arguing with her brother, teaching Aang and laughing with Toph and Suki. The pleasure was almost painful, almost too bright, but she endured it, shuddering under the weight of the memories. She saw Zuko- young, smiling, cynical Zuko, so different than the proud Fire Lord she'd come to love just as equally.

"And that means we'll be here soon, right?" she asked, knowing they weren't familiar enough to catch the throaty sob beneath her breath, and Su Li nodded. Only moments later, he pointed out the window to a huge, ornate house with red pillars and a sloping, brick-shingled roof. "It's beautiful," she remarked, and heard assent from all sides. You're almost there, she thought silently, and let a wry smile grace her lips before squashing it down and hopping from the carriage while it was still in motion.

She looked around her as the vehicle stopped behind her. There were guards at every angle, some of them checking Takani's papers, others inspecting the cast members and the massive carts full of props and set pieces. She was led with the other cast members into a secluded courtyard, one which had a stone platform only slightly smaller than the stage in the theater. Takani began shouting for people to set up, and Katara ran to a sundial to check the time- it was already one, and the performance started at three. Maybe she'd be able to slip away…

She turned, running right into a guard's armored chest. "What are you doing here?" he said, and Katara drew herself up proudly, bluffing.

"I was checking the time for Director Takani. We run a very tight schedule in the theater, and every moment counts. Now, if you'll excuse me," she said haughtily, and pushed past him, her chest contracting in time to her heartbeat. She let out a sigh, and chanced a glance behind her- the guard was still watching her steadily, and she knew she wouldn't be able to get away before the performance.

She helped everyone set up, only getting into her costume at the last minute, then got into position as the small band struck up the lackluster opening to the play. A girl wriggled onstage in a green skimpy outfit, shaking a tambourine and giggling loudly. A group of men went after her, Su Li among them, and watched her dancing. He called out to the other men, his voice deep, commanding and nothing like his real tone, and proclaimed that she was his, and only his. They staged a lame battle with wooden swords, the others pulling red scarves out of their chest pockets to signify blood and rolling around in death throes, clutching the 'wounds'. Su Li cackled triumphantly, and then was stabbed from behind by Yuki. The dancing girl shrieked.

"Fire Nation! Oh no!" she cried, and Yuki grinned menacingly.

"Ho, savage! I have come to bring you to my master, the Fire Lord! He will be very pleased by your dances!" She screamed theatrically as he charged forward and hauled her over his shoulder, carting her offstage as Su Li staggered to his feet.

"My love… ugh… will keep me… oh, the pain!- going!" he gasped, and dragged himself off after them. Katara tried and failed to control her snorts of laughter, and was given dirty looks by the other girls standing next to her. She heard a quiet 'ow!' and looked back- Chihiro was glaring daggers at the girl next to her, who was rubbing the back of her head as if someone had just reached up and smacked her. Chihiro scanned the group, found Katara and gave her a silent thumbs up.

In no time at all, it was their turn to prance onto the stage. She ran out, spun and jumped, grasped a girl's hand and twirled with her for a moment. She felt sweat pooling on her forehead, but it was almost immediately dried by the cool wind. Every time she was spun to face the audience, she caught sight of a black mass in the shadows directly in front of the stage, and she tried desperately to see under the hood.

She kneeled for the Fire Lord's entrance into the play, ignoring his roaring commands and peering out into the darkness. Try as she might, she couldn't distinguish any features. She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the picture Zuko had showed her of his mother- the delicate nose and chin, the golden eyes and the aristocratic arch of her cheekbones defined her as a proud, regal woman. She would know Ursa when she saw her clearer.

She held her curiosity together for the rest of the play, and when the time came for the curtain call, she walked out with a smile as she'd been taught, and bowed low. There was no clapping, just the woman standing and being escorted back into the house by the guards. She felt the smile slide from her face, and ignored the insistent tugging on her hand to make her go backstage. Chihiro finally pinched her and led her back, immediately slumping over and massaging her feet.

"Ugh, I'm so sore already," she moaned, then looked Katara over. "Are you okay?" she asked, and Katara nodded.

"I'm fine. I've got to get some water though, I'll be right back." She turned, then revolved and gave Chihiro a quick hug. "Thanks for everything- tell Su Li and Yuki thanks too, just in case I don't see them until later tonight." She was babbling, she knew, but Chihiro just nodded and gave her a strange look. She left again for the carriage, pulled her things out from the luggage hold and swung the pack over her shoulder. She then looked around her, and froze when she saw a guard to her right, watching the other actors taking down the stage.

She acted fast, without thinking, and pulled a bit of water from her pouch. It froze into ice, and she clenched her teeth and grasped the sharp ice with her hand, squeezing and ignoring her instincts, and- "Ah," she gasped in pain, watching the blood flow from the cut across her palm. The water was splashed onto a plant, and she staggered to the guard, not needing to fake the tears of agony in her eyes.

"Please, can you help me? I fell down and-"

"No," the man snapped, and she stopped talking, weighing her options before pleading again.

"I just need to bandage this cut, the cast doesn't have sanitary materials for this. It won't take long, I pro-"

"No," he said again, his eyes boring down into hers. "Go back to your own kind, we're busy." She bit her lip and nodded, then saw over his shoulder another guard coming their way. She grasped at the tail end of a plan in her mind, then followed it to the current moment and began to sway.

'I don't feel so… uh," she said, closing her eyes and swooning. She felt her body hit the ground and remained limp, hearing the panicked voice of the guards. They were debating whether or not to leave her there when a third came up and picked her up, snarling under his breath. She kept her eyes closed and let her head loll sickeningly as they brought her inside, and she smelled lilacs and oranges on the air. The man holding her put her down on something soft.

"Let's go alert her, maybe she'll know what to do." She listened closely as his voice got quieter and as the three sets of footsteps moved away. She heard a door slide shut and lock, and opened her eyes. The room was huge and beautiful, but she didn't have time to admire it- she was inside, now she had to find Ursa. Katara got up and healed her wound until it was nothing but a scab, then unlocked the door using the same jiggling motion she'd used on the theater door. It took her longer, but eventually she heard the click, and pushed open the door.

The hallway was empty save for a table and a painting of a cherry tree and a pond. She crept down it, glad that her costume's slippers were made to be noiseless, and heard low voices emanating from a room on her left. She leaned in to hear what they were saying, and crouched low, her body tense and waiting.

"Fine, we'll make sure that she's comfortable, but you realize we cannot allow you to see her, milady." She waited for a response, but instead felt the door in front of her move- she didn't have time to react properly as the panel was shoved open, and suddenly she was staring at three very surprised guards.

One let out a bellow, and she sprung into action, pulling a water whip from her pouch and striking him with it, hard. It felt amazing to let her power free, and she vaulted into the spacious room, kicking another guard's feet out from under him and knocking him out with a ball of ice to his face. The third one grabbed her, she snarled and let his momentum drive them onto the ground. She rolled on top of him, punched once, twice, and-

"That's quite enough, Katara." The quiet, measured voice stopped her, and she twisted her body, gazing up at a woman who looked so familiar that she could hardly believe she'd never seen her before. Then, Katara stood up numbly and bowed.

"Hello, Lady Ursa," she murmured, and Zuko's mother smiled kindly at her, stepping forward and laying a weathered hand on her cheek.

Cliffhanger, haha! I'm evil. Sort of. But don't fear, everybody, the next chapter is on its way! I'm going to go pass out now. Leave me a review, tell me what you think! Were you expecting it to actually be Ursa, or were you thinking I was going to pull a fast one on you? Thanks for reading!