Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender. That's my story and I am sticking to it. Like glue. Cause I can. So there! Yeah!

--

Rated M: Mature Content. Blood. Guts. Sex. Drugs. All the good stuff.

--

Author: Today is the day folks. Sokka will get to see Yue again… maybe.

Sokka: Maybe?! If it's maybe than how is today different than any other day?

Author: Because on other days, you have no chance in hell. Today, you have a shot.

Katara: You're not going to win this argument, bro.

Toph: One point for the writer.

Suki: /hangs head shamefully.

Bato: So, Sokka… this Yue, she as pretty as everyone says?

Sokka: Absolutely. She's the prettiest girl in the whole world!

Suki: /walks away

Sokka: What's her problem?

Katara: Sokka, you have the sensitivity of a rock! /follows Suki.

Toph: Wrong Katara, rocks are smarter than mush for brains over there. /leaves

Bato: Wow…

Hakoda: You have a lot to learn still about women son. When I was your age…

Kita: Oh really? Do go on, Hakoda. I am all ears.

Hakoda: Um… maybe another time, Sokka. You're on your own for this one.

Sokka: What did I do!?

--

Chapter 19: The Spirit Oasis

The group grabbed an early dinner together, talking about everything except what was on their minds, the spirit oasis. It was evening by the time they trooped to the oasis. Chief Arnook led the way, Kenji and Mina right behind him. Zuko and Mai walked together hand in hand, and Ty-Lee seemed to refuse to leave Jet's side. Jet didn't appear to mind, but did have a trapped look in his eyes. Toph and Suki trailed along behind Sokka, who was busy chatting with Bato. Aang and Katara walked side by side behind them. Aang wanted Katara to say something, but she just kept glancing back to her father and Kita. Hakoda and Kita were last in line and they were dragging on purpose. Pretty soon, Katara and Aang were lost to the crowd as they marched as a unit through town.

Finally, Kita held Hakoda back and caused him to halt altogether. "Hakoda, we need to talk." Kita told him.

"Can't it wait?" Hakoda asked, anxious to catch up.

"No, I don't think it can." Kita stated matter-of-factly, hands on her hips. They hadn't been hurting her as much because she had been finding little ways to touch Hakoda. She had even un-bandaged them that morning.

Hakoda sighed. "Very well; what's on your mind?" he asked, crossing his arms against the chill.

He was obviously teasing her and normally Kita would enjoy it, but she had put it off too long already. "Hakoda, there are some things you need to know; things that I have to tell you."

"I already know how you feel Kita, and I feel the same way. What more could there be?" Hakoda asked her.

"I have a secret; one that will change the way you look at me, I am sure. I know it will sound hard to believe, but you have to listen to me." Kita begged.

"Alright, Kita; what's this big secret?" Hakoda asked.

Kita told Hakoda about Kenji's accident and about how she had jumped in to save him. She told him about her hands and how they worked, and how she had been in constant pain for months. She told him about the spirits they were now headed to see, and how they had shown Hakoda to her twice. She told him that she had fallen in love with him from the moment she saw him. Lastly, she told him about her final vision; the vision where Hakoda was lying dead in her arms.

Hakoda had stopped smiling; he had stopped moving all together. He was listening with inhuman concentration. He watched Kita like a hawk, her every move a possible tell tale sign that this may be a lie. In the end, he had no idea what to believe. "We'd better catch up to the others." Hakoda said quietly, and turned to march off to the oasis, a tearful Kita left in his wake.

--

Lu-Ten awoke and found himself on the floor of what appeared to be a jail cell. Standing above him was his uncle Ozai, firebending in a standard training drill.

"Uncle Ozai, what's going on?" Lu-Ten asked, totally confused.

"Why, nothing at all dear nephew. I am simply getting the feel of my bending back. You and I have much to discuss though. What do you remember?" Ozai asked him.

"Well, I was with the army at Ba Sing Se and we had just breeched the walls, and then… nothing." Lu-Ten replied.

"I see…" Ozai trailed. "Well, my boy. We have much to catch up on, you and I. I will try and explain things in a way you can follow. I only hope what I have to tell you won't drive you to do anything rash." Ozai continued.

"Of course, uncle Ozai." Lu-Ten responded dutifully. He picked himself up and Ozai helped him to his feet. A lot of time has passed since you were at the walls of Ba Sing Se, dear boy. Let me tell you what happened. Let's get you into something more suiting for a true son of the Fire Nation and relax a bit first, though." Ozai told him, letting him out of the cell.

--

The spirit oasis was blocked off from the main city by a small ornately carved circular door. Kenji held it open and let everyone file through. Just as he was about to close the door, he saw Hakoda coming up. His arms were crossed and his look was one of severe disappointment. Behind him trailed his sister; Kita had been crying and was trying hard to cover the fact. Something was seriously wrong here. Since when was Kita interested in Chief Hakoda? He held the door for them both; Hakoda just nodded to him and stepped through. Kita stopped at the door and Kenji closed it, them both on the outside.

"Kita, are you alright?" Kenji asked her, his face mirroring his concern.

"Oh, Kenji!" Kita cried, throwing herself into her brother's arms and crying for all she was worth.

Kenji spent a few minutes calming her down before he was able to get anything out of her. "What's going on, sis?" he asked her.

"Do you remember the man in my vision? The man I am supposed to heal?" Kita asked him.

"Of course; its Chief Hakoda isn't it?" Kenji asked her.

"Yes. I just told him about my visions, and he doesn't believe me. He must think I have been getting close to him for his position and that I made it up!" Kita bawled.

"But I thought you couldn't heal him until the proper time. Aren't you staying close to him to keep the pain from your hands?" Kenji inquired, trying to stop her crying.

"But that's just it. I fell in love with him, Kenji. I loved him the moment I saw him. I think he loves me too, but now…" she started crying again.

Kenji did his best to sooth her and his mind went into overdrive. There had to be some way to prove to Hakoda that Kita was telling the truth. Maybe Hakoda would believe him? Or perhaps if Chief Arnook told him…

"Don't worry sis. We'll figure something out."

--

Lu-Ten, once again dressed in his Fire Nation military uniform, sat on his uncle's comfortable couch staring at him incredulously. "My father abandoned the siege because he thought I was dead!?" he asked loudly.

"Yes, Lu-Ten. He withdrew his forces and returned home in defeat. It was the beginning of a downward spiral for your father. Your grandfather deemed him unfit to become Fire Lord, and when your grandfather passed away in his sleep, his last wish was to make me Fire Lord in his stead." Ozai told him.

"You're Fire Lord, Uncle? Congratulations!" Lu-Ten told him. He had never been all that interested in taking the crown, preferring to command troops in the field. He was very disappointed in his father though.

"You remember my son, Zuko?" Ozai asked him.

"Of course." Lu-Ten replied.

"Well, we had a bit of a quarrel. I invited him to sit with me on a war council and he spoke out against my generals' plan. My son has a severe stubborn streak in him and needed to know his place. I challenged him to an Agni Kai to try to scare some sense into him." Ozai told Lu-Ten.

"It sounds like a good plan. Did you manage to scare him into being more dutiful?" Lu-Ten asked Ozai.

"Yes, or at least I thought I had. Zuko fought me tooth and nail, doing his best; but he was only a boy of thirteen and did not stand a chance against me. I had to defend myself in the end, and I wound up burning his face a bit." Ozai said sadly. Lu-Ten bit it hook line and sinker.

"He's alright though?" he asked, referring to Zuko.

"Oh yes, he survived and is relatively unharmed." Ozai assured him. "I did however banish him and gave him an impossible task, to seek out and capture the Avatar, as a way to teach him responsibility and to grow up."

"An honorable mission; but isn't the Avatar no longer being reincarnated?" Lu-Ten asked.

"Actually, he is very much alive. He is a boy that somehow survived a hundred years and was somehow brought back to the world. He is the last airbender." Ozai told him. Lu-Ten was taking all of this in fairly well. Before he had been given his bending back, Lu-Ten had told Ozai that there was a chance this could happen. Ozai had been preparing what to tell Lu-Ten in case he returned to normal. The plan he was given was full proof and he was relishing it. Iroh had stolen Zuko from him; so in turn Ozai would steal Lu-Ten for his own!

"Zuko chased the Avatar all over the world, your father his guardian. Iroh had decided that he couldn't bare the shame of his losses and set out with my son. Sadly, he took my son from me, trying to raise him as the son he thought he'd lost." Ozai continued.

Lu-Ten appeared shocked. "He wouldn't! My father loves me. He would never try to replace me!" he shouted.

"Calm down, Lu-Ten. He thinks you are dead, remember? He filled Zuko's head with all sorts of traitorous thoughts in an attempt to take him from me. Sadly, it seems to have worked. Zuko is now travelling with the Avatar. My own son has betrayed me!" Ozai stood and slammed his fist through the table, shattering the fragile wood to splinters. "Your father and my son are now both traitors to the Fire Nation. My daughter, Azula, almost managed to capture Zuko, but with the Avatar's help he has managed to elude us. Your father is currently our prisoner, however." Ozai said.

"I can't believe that Zuko and my father would do that. My father's loyalty was unquestioned." Lu-Ten said sadly, shaking his head. "I wish to see my father."

"In due time my boy. There is more to the story. Our nation was on the brink of victory. Azula had conquered Ba Sing Se and the Earth Kingdom had fallen. The Water Tribes were small and decimated. We were just on the edge of victory when Sozin's Comet appeared in the sky. We set out to secure our hold on the Earth Kingdom when the Avatar and his flunkies attacked us. Azula faced her brother in an Agni Kai, but some traitorous waterbending friend of Zuko's interfered and cost her the match. She was captured, but I have since freed her. As for myself, the Avatar brought his awesome bending to bear and though I was a scant inch from victory, somehow the boy managed to trick me at the last minute and defeated me."

"No, Uncle! Don't tell me we lost the war!" Lu-Ten exclaimed.

"No, Lu-Ten, we did not lose the war, though we were delayed. Azula and I managed to escape and take the throne back from my traitorous son, Zuko. He escaped with his friends, but we managed to capture your father. They have taken back Ba Sing Se, but we will be able to reclaim it." Ozai finished.

Lu-Ten was obviously at a loss for everything Ozai was telling him. "Just how long have I been asleep, Uncle?"

"You have not been asleep, nephew. You really were dead and gone. I have brought you back to succeed me and be my son, as your father has stolen mine from me. You are a true son of the Fire Nation and deserving of this honor." Ozai told him casually. "I know this is a lot to take in, Lu-Ten. You're back after many long years, and you are free to live our life once more. Join me, and take your rightful place by my side."

--

As soon as she got through the door, Toph literally flew over to the grassy ground surrounding the central pool. She threw herself into it and started rolling around, laughing. "I guess she was serious." Suki mumbled to herself. Aang and Sokka laughed at her antics, and Katara seemed to be glancing at her father a lot. Jet was standing off to the side; Ty-Lee still at his side and making him uncomfortable. He looked like he didn't know what to do; poor guy didn't stand a chance. Bato and Hakoda were over by the door whispering to each other, and Zuko and Mai were strolling over to where Zuko had kidnapped Aang after battling Katara and telling her all about it.

"Hey Katara, want to have a one on one for old time's sake?" Zuko challenged her.

"Katara turned away from her father and faced Zuko. "What? You want to intentionally fight for no reason in a sacred grove?" Katara retorted. "You must be out of your mind." And she turned back to her fathers' whispered conversation with Bato.

Kita and Kenji came in and closed the door behind them. Kenji had his arm around Kita and she appeared to have been crying. Suki couldn't help but notice Hakoda walk away from them as they entered; something was going on between those two. Suki shrugged; she liked Kita and Hakoda. Whatever would happen would happen. Suki went over to the edge of the pool and looked into the cool, clear water. Easily visible were two koi fish circling each other, one with a black spot on its while form and the reverse for the other. The fish didn't seem to be paying them any attention.

"Okay everyone; I need complete silence to contact the spirits. Try and keep quiet." Aang cautioned them.

"Go for it twinkle toes. I am perfectly fine just lying here." Toph assured him. Everyone else did the same.

Aang sat down at the crux of the pool where he had sat more than six months before. He closed his eyes and meditated, and his eyes and tattoos began to glow. Time passed and everyone whispered to each other or enjoyed the warmer climate.

Suki wandered around the pool enjoying the scenery. She came closer to the fish and bent over the pool, watching their eternal dance and timely grace. Suddenly, the white fish swam away from her partner and came over to her. Suki bent down to the water, looking at the fish curiously. The fish poked its head out of the water and touched Suki's forehead. There was a huge white flash…

--

Iroh was still chained to the wall and had been unsuccessful in freeing himself. He had spent hours trying to use his new muscle mass to break free, and had been unable to firebend in a way that would allow him to extricate himself. He was awoken suddenly by his prison door swinging open. Ozai walked into the cell with a huge smile on his face.

"Good morning, brother; so good of you to hang around." Ozai joked.

"This won't go unpunished, Ozai. I can wait for my friends to come and free me. I believe you will have trouble watching the time come closer when Zuko takes back his throne." Iroh replied.

"My pathetic traitor of a son is more than welcome to come back, Iroh. He will find a full capable Fire Lord on the throne waiting for him. But I digress." He said throwing a fireball at Iroh's feet.

Iroh's eyes widened in fear, "Ozai! Your bending was taken from you. What have you done!?"

"Nothing more than any other Fire Lord before me, dear brother. I simply took it back. I also have another little surprise for you. Do you remember how you stole my son away from me, filling his impressionable young mind with all your talk and traitorous thoughts? Well, I have decided that since you took my son away from me, I would return the favor. I have someone here that I am sure is just dying to meet you." Ozai drawled.

Stepping through the door was a hooded and robed man. Iroh tried to see under the hood, but didn't need to as he quickly lifted the hood away himself. It was… "LU-TEN!!" Iroh exploded. He began to sputter as he struggled with his chains. "But you're dead! I buried you myself! How can this be!?" Then he noticed the milky white eyes. "No… you're from the spirit world…"

"Yes, father. I have returned thanked to Uncle Ozai and he has told me everything. How could you betray the Fire Nation?" Lu-Ten demanded.

"I am no traitor. Ozai has filled your head with lies to discredit me in your eyes! Please, Lu-Ten, you have to believe me!" Iroh began to sob.

"Pathetic. Fare thee well brother. I hope you enjoy the accommodations." Ozai mocked as he held the door open for Lu-Ten.

As Lu-Ten turned to leave the cell, Iroh said, "The white lotus blooms in the weakest of light."

Lu-Ten stopped for a split second, and then continued out of the cell.

--

Aang found himself once more in that place between the spirit world and the mortal world. Standing before him were two figures, one white and quite familiar; the other dark and mysterious.

"Hello, Yue." Aang addressed the girl in white. Aang had seen her a few months before after awaking on the Fire Nation ship his friends had stolen before the day of black sun. She looked just the same.

"Aang, so good to see you." Yue told him. "I believe you've already met my counterpart, La?"

Aang bowed to La. "It is an honor to see you again under better circumstances, La."

La, the ocean spirit, speared in the form of a tall man with a dark complexion. He appeared to be a waterbender by his look, stance and dress.

"So, where are we? This doesn't appear to be the spirit world." Aang observed.

"No, it isn't." Yue told him. "As you know, Tui and La descended to the mortal world ages past, so they are not of the spirit world at the moment. This is the veil; the barrier between worlds where we can speak freely in our human forms."

"So Kita was right. The barrier between worlds is the realm of thought." Aang said.

"Yes." La said. His voice was very deep and masculine.

"Why have you come to us Aang?" Yue asked him.

"Actually, there are a few reasons. We were originally going to come here because Sokka really wants to speak to you, Yue; but now we were hoping for some information as well." Aang told them.

"What information do you seek?" La asked.

Aang told them about what he knew of the goings on in the spirit world and how Ozai had been freed. At the mention of the name Zhao, La exploded in outrage. "How dare he attempt to further his cause in the mortal realm!? I pulled him into the abyss for his crimes, and now you tell me he lives in the Kings palace and he is still spreading his strife even here? Outrageous!"

"Yes, sir." Aang responded, cringing back a little.

"This cannot be. We will help you, won't we Tui?" La addressed Yue.

"Of course, La." A deeper female voice spoke through Yue's lips. "However, we are bound to this world and this pool in our mortal forms. For us to leave would be of no use; instead it would harm the balance we have created here. We may, however, be able to guide you in the right direction." Tui said.

Yue's form seemed to shift a little, reflecting an older woman in her twenties in place of the sixteen year old Yue; the more mature spirit form of Tui.

"Anything you can do for us would be greatly appreciated." Aang told the spirits, bowing again.

"First of all, let me congratulate you on your victory over the Fire Lord. You have done your past lives proud." La said. Aang bowed again. "Now, from what you described, the boy Jet was sent from the spirit world back to the realm of the living. It is true that the Spirit King has that power. He can provide a living form for a spirit to infuse and come through the gateway to swell here. Usually a person in this form is marked somehow, such as our mortal forms having spots on our heads. I assume that the white eyes are how his has come to pass on the human form." La explained.

"I see." Aang replied. "You mentioned a gateway. What is that all about?"

"To travel between the worlds, one must be a spirit tied to both worlds to keep the balance. The Avatar is the only exception to this rule, being tied to both worlds as a medium. Only one other method exists to travel between the worlds; the Star Fire Gate." La continued.

"We have heard some mention of a Star Fire Island. Where is this place? Why have we never heard of it?" Aang asked curiously.

"Star Fire Island exists outside of the normal order of things. It is an actual land mass tied to neither world and to both. It is constantly moving and impossible to find from this side of the barrier without spiritual guidance. Spirits can sense the island easily; mortals cannot." Tui explained.

"So the island is impossible to find without help. That must be why none of us have ever heard of it" Aang concluded.

"Upon the island lies a mystic gateway that acts as a door between worlds. It will allow both the living and the spirit to pass through so long as proper precautions are made." La told him.

"What kind of precautions?" Aang asked.

"Should a living being passing through this side of the gate without protection do so, they will find themselves trapped in the spirit world as a spirit themselves." Tui answered.

Aang shuddered. "What kind of protection will protect a living person from passing through the gate?"

Tui and La exchanged a look. "To pass through the gate, a living being must be in possession of a medallion crafted by the spirit world and with the Spirit Kings seal. Only a handful of such medallions exist." They said in unison.

"That's great!" Aang exclaimed. "Where can we find these medallions so that we may go to the spirit world and stop Zhao?"

"They are scattered across the mortal world." Tui told him.

Aang felt the weight of her words come crashing down on him. "So, we need to search the whole world for these medallions?" he asked sadly.

"No." La replied. "There is one who can guide you to the general areas you need to search. She shares our knowledge and can act as your guide."

"Really? That's not so bad then. We can find the medallions!" Aang said happily.

"There is more, young Avatar." Tui told him. "There is a gap in your training that needs to be filled. Only one spirit is capable of teaching you what you need to know. You must seek out the ancient one in the spirit world. Until you do, you must not use the Star Fire Gate."

"I have to speak to someone in the spirit world? I think I can do that." Aang said.

"Once you have spoken to the ancient one, then you must journey to the spirit world and put right the balance once more. That is your destiny." La said.

--

Suki found herself in a strange place. There was nothing but a white landscape as far as the eye could see and a clear blue sky overhead off into the horizon with not even a sun to mark her way. She stood there, looking around and trying to make sense of it all.

"Hello!?" Suki shouted at the top of her voice. She was getting a little scared.

"Do not worry, young lady." A woman spoke from behind her. Suki turned quickly to find a beautiful woman dressed in white standing behind her. She had no idea how the woman had snuck up on her; it was if she had appeared out of nowhere.

"Who are you? And where am I?" Suki asked the woman cautiously.

"I am Tui, the Moon Spirit; I have just been speaking to your friend, the Avatar. La and I have decided on a few things to help Aang succeed in his mission, and we felt that you would be the best candidate for this part of what we require." Tui told her.

"I don't understand." Suki admitted. "What could I possibly do for you?"

"For starters, let us talk and get to know one another. We have one subject in mind that is of great interest." Tui said.

"Really; what would that be?" Suki asked.

"Sokka." Tui replied.

--

Aang: I met the spirits! I have the answers! WOOHOO!!

Hakoda: Calm down and tell us what happened, Aang.

Aang: I can't. It's a part of the story.

Sokka: I still haven't talked to Yue! What the heck, man!?

Author: Next chapter, Sokka; I promise.

Toph: Hey can I get another cookie? Those things are awesome!

Author: /flips Toph a cookie.

Sokka: Promises, Promises… I doubt I will ever see her again.

Katara: Stop being such a baby and be patient.

Sokka: Yeah… you're the one spying on dad and Kita and I'm the baby…

Katara: Glad you realized that.

Sokka: Grrrrr…

Suki: So what's happening to me now?

Author: Trade secret. To be continued, next chapter… which I will start writing when I post this one.

--

Author's Corner:

Okay, so I stretched things a bit. Sue me. Lu-Ten is in the same boat as Jet but doesn't have a clue about anything. Poor Uncle Iroh…

I used the barrier ideal to handle the fact that Tui and La crossed over to the mortal plane and when Aang went looking in the spirit world they weren't there. To speak to them required a bit of delicate effort. Obviously there's got to be some sort of barrier to keep the worlds from overlapping. A few people have said they really like the idea, and a couple of folks are confused. Just imagine it as being the spirit world, but its empty and isn't the spirit world. When you dream; think things without realizing your thinking things, those thoughts cross this line. Not sure how better to explain it.

And now you have a better idea of how the Star Fire scenario I invented plays in. I hope that answers a few questions I couldn't answer before. Now we have the basis of a goal, right? The "quest" every story needs. Sorry it took so long. This is going to be a long story it seems. I do not plan on having a sequel as they never do quite as well. One shot, one story baby! Stay tuned!

Feel free to review folks. Can't rely on the same four or five people all the time! Not that I am complaining… you guys rock! Oh, and 50 reviews hit! And over 2300 hits! WOOHOO!

Let me know about any concerns about what I wrote; someone said I may get grief about the Ozai scene a couple chapters back. Haven't heard a word on it, but if anything is considered offensive, I would just like to point out that I have disclaimers, its rated M, and I double disclaim chapters with adult content. So, get over it or skip that part. I am not a babysitter. Ratings and disclaimers mean that if you're reading it, you're at fault.

Oh, and as to the Yue/Tui thing, here's my thought process. Tui gave Yue life. Two beings, one life force. Even when one was slain, she lived on in the other, ergo Yue returning to the alternate and previously dead form. Both persona's should survive if it's the same life force, no? So, there you have it. Yue is the moon spirit, but so is Tui still. They share one form.