AN: Another one that needed the dictionary. Once again I was completely ready to go with The Blue Spirit and The Painted Lady. But nooo. So I had to try and do something else. The end result is a bit of a fail. Scratch that, it's a fail, point blank. It has no sustenance, it's ridiculously short, most of it is almost directly copied from the show itself and the fluff isn't even that fluffy. This just proves that my stuff is really not up to scratch this year. I actually feel kind of ashamed.

Even so I do have an excuse for this one, at least. On one's birthday one gets to sloth around, negate chores, accept a ridiculous amount of hugs, accept all gifts given no matter how outrageous, eat lots of junk and write horrible, pathetic excuses for fanfiction. I can only use this one once a year so… There it is =P

Maybe somebody will find this okay. Or they'll just pretend because they feel sorry for me. =P

Disclaimer: Got lots of lovely gifts but Avatar wasn't one of them. Drat.

Day Six: Legendary

Legendary:Of, described in, or based on legends.

Once upon a time, before Ba Sing Se's first great stone had been laid, the might of the Earth Kingdom lay divided between two villages. These two villages were separated not only by earth and nature but by hatred as well. The war between them had been going on for too many years for anyone to remember why it had started in the first place. Their power was equally matched – even though they battled fiercely there was never a winner.

The great Badgermoles of the Earth Kingdom did not like the fighting and they devised a plan for peace. A plan that centred around two young people – one person from each village. Every night the Badgermoles added to the splendour of the mountain that divided the two villages, trying desperately to attract their chosen people.

Finally, the day came; a beautiful woman named Oma and a handsome young man named Shu both decided to visit the mountain on the same day. They met at the very top of the mountain and did not recognise the sign of the enemy on each other's faces. By the time they realized where the other called home it was too late; they had already fallen in love. It was not the Badgermole's original intent for love to bloom but true love cannot be planned or chartered; it runs wild and free.

Because of the war between their people they could not be together. But their love was strong and they found a way. The two lovers learned Earthbending from the willing, wise Badgermoles and they became the first Earthbenders of the world. They built elaborate tunnels in the dividing mountain so that they could meet frequently in secret. Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth.

But one day the man didn't come. That day was the one he had been given the honour of fighting for his own village. He was killed in the war, leaving his lover to mourn him. Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her Earthbending power. She could easily have destroyed them all.

But instead she declared the war over. Both villages helped her build a new city where they would all live together in peace. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love. Oma never married and – when the time came – she took moved her lover's grave to the heart of their cave in the mountain. There she created a tomb for both of them and finally allowed herself to be reunited with her love in the spirit world.

Love is brightest in the dark.

A little finger stroked the last inscription on the scroll lovingly. That particular legend was her favourite; it held a revered place on her table with all her most prized possessions. She couldn't remember a time when she hadn't known the story of the Two Lovers and she was glad – she didn't want to know a time when she did not know the story.

Suddenly two warm arms circled her and she giggled in delight, snuggling into her mother's arms. Her mother kissed her hair and then smoothed the wild bits out of her face. The little girl made room for her mother on the bed with her, snuggling more into the arms she loved best in the world and further under the warm blankets.

"What are you reading?"

"The tale of Oma and Shu."

Her mother laughed lightly, tapping her on the nose. "Haven't you gotten sick of that one yet?"

Vehemently she shook her head, alarmed that her mother would even think that way. "Never," she promised in an imitation of the strong, commanding voice her father sometimes used.

Her mother knew who she was copying and she laughed, the action causing her bed to shake in a way that made her feel entirely happy. Only one thing was missing, and he was in a meeting. She fingered the scroll for a moment and then looked up at her mother.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

She loved the fact that she had her mother's wonderful eyes. When she was really scared she would find a mirror and pretend it was her mother looking out at her.

"Why didn't the villages let them be together? They weren't at war with each other. Why couldn't the village just overlook the bad feelings just once?" It was a pressing question that had been bothering her for a long while.

"Sweetheart…" Her mother hesitated. "War is a very complicated thing. And when you don't like some people sometimes you convince yourself that all people like them or coming from the same place as them are evil and bad too."

There was a sadness on her mother's face that she somehow knew – instinctively – had nothing to do with the story. She snuggled closer and frowned, her young mind trying to comprehend why what was so simple to her was not simple to grown-ups. And then a truly terrifying thought occurred.

"Mommy? You said when you first read me the scroll that the legend reminded you of you and Daddy." Frightened eyes looked up. "Did Daddy almost die too? Because of the war? Did you nearly not love each other because you came from different places that didn't like each other?"

For the longest time her mother hesitated. Then she added very, very quietly, "Yes, sweetheart. People were against me and your Daddy getting together. And…" She winced like she'd gotten slapped "Yes, your Dad nearly died because of the war."

Huge eyes turned huger in utter horror. "But you saved him," she insisted shrilly.

Even though she knew her father was only a few rooms away she had to hear it from her mother. She had to hear that everything was still alright. Her mother's hands stroked her face soothingly.

"I saved him." A big smile lit up her mother's face. "And we changed the minds of everybody who thought we shouldn't be together."

"Did you two have a secret cave, too?"

Her mother laughed. "Actually, we did, in a sense. But not in the same way as Oma and Shu." She was quiet for a while and then she smiled in slight wonder. "And it was in the Earth Kingdom too… Huh…"

"It's sad, though. It's sad that their legend ended like that."

"Who's legend?"

She sat up at once, face transforming into one big smile as her father came in. Eagerly she held out her arms and he swooped down and hugged her. The second pair of arms she loved most in the world enveloped her and she curled into the warmth her father always radiated. He smelled like his nation and she utterly adored that about him.

"Oma and Shu," her mother answered his question as he let her go and sat on the bed beside the both of them.

Her father sighed. "Wow, we haven't heard that one in a while. It's been nearly two days."

"Da-ddy," she whined while her mother slapped him playfully on the arm.

"You really like that story, don't you?"

"Yes! It's like yours and Mommy's story. Except sadder." Her face fell for a while and then an idea so brilliant it nearly made her jump out of bed right then and there hit her. "I know! I'm going to write your story! Then there will be a legend just as great but with a happy ending!"

She beamed at her smiling parents proudly, delighted by her idea.

"That sounds wonderful, Princess." Her father stroked her hair gently. "But you can't put our first kiss in it."

Her face turned scandalised. "Why not?" she demanded.

"Because it was not legendary. Your mother tasted of fish and smelled of sewer."

Her mother grabbed her pillow and hit her father with it as hard as she could, scowling and blushing. Smirking her father grabbed her mother's wrists and pulled her in for a kiss.

Then he leaned towards her and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "But every moment since that kiss has been legendary."

This seemed to pacify her mother, who smirked and called her father an 'under-cover cheese ball'. Both her parents then tucked her in, kissing her goodnight and placing the scroll back on its place. She clung to her father for longer, telling him how much she missed him. He cradled and kissed her and she suddenly knew that both her and her mother were very, very lucky girls to have him.

Then he was putting out her light and grabbing her mother's hand as they walked out. She watched their silhouettes exiting her room and she smiled sleepily to herself. She dreamed of dragons and wars and of a love strong enough to transcend wars, traditions, borders and the damage of time.