"I can't believe I lost him." Katara kneels at the pool as Yue helps Asha prepare, the latter anxiously trying to keep her nerves from frying. This was too much and she hated it. Hated it all. 

"You did everything you could and now we need to do everything we can to get him back." Sokka walks to Appa, Katara watching with tears in her eyes. 

"Zuko couldn't have gotten far. We'll find him. Between me in the spirit world and you guys in this one, we'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine." Asha smiles, even if it's forced, wincing as Yue ties her waist to Appa's saddle.

Katara nods to the girl, standing up and walking over to Appa. Gumi, Zulu and Momo all watching her,

"You three stay here, in case Aang comes back." Katara tells the pets, who all sit, obedient.  

As Appa takes off, Asha assumes a meditative pose. 

"When I enter the spirit world, I'm going to become completely unresponsive. I'm counting on you guys to make sure I don't, you know, die." Asha gestures to the rope around her waist. "Aang is already there, so in theory it should make it easier for me to not only enter, but find him as well." The other girls nod, Sokka driving, as Asha takes a breath. She turns the arrows on  her hands toward each other and closes her eyes. Then, she focuses on the only person she can. Aang. 

Like that, it's almost as if a flip is switched. Katara and Yue gasp as Asha's eyes snap open, glowing a bright white, her arrows firing up like blazing lightning. 

___

Asha's body falls with a thump as she opens her eyes again. She's surrounded by a swamp, vines hanging everywhere and trees towering over her. It makes her skin crawl as she sits up, rubbing her head while looking behind her. There a temple sits, looking much like the one in the sanctuary. 

"Asha?" She looks around again, this time Aang in front of her. His eyes are wide and he holds a hand out for her. 

"Is the landing always that rough?" She groans as she stands, using Aang's help. He chuckles at the girl. 

"Normally, you arrive the same way you entered, yet by your landing I can assume you were moving when you entered. How did you get here anyway?" He looks to her, the two starting to walk forward. 

"I'm not sure. It was Yue's ideas. I guess it's a perk of being the Onsra. " She shrugs, Aang rolling his eyes with a laugh. 

The two looks up as they hear soft humming though. Aang running to the sound, Asha following. Eventually reaching a white haired monkey, clothed in a brown monk's shawl, meditating.  Aang looks to the girl beside him, who shrugs, and walks up to the monkey.

"Hello? I'm sorry to disturb you, but I just really need to find the Moon and Ocean spirits."

"Go...Away." The monkey doesn't even open an eye. Waiting a couple of seconds, the monkey finally opens a single eye, looking to Asha and Aang. 

"You're still here?"  He snaps.

"Yes! I need-" He's cut off by the monkey shutting his eyes tightly, still obnoxiously humming only to sigh and open his eyes, the monkey watching as a blue wisp flies near it. 

"Perhaps that thing will help you? Chase it!"  Aang obliges, happily running after the wisp. 

"You're one cruel monkey." Asha rolls her eyes, turning to run after Aang, hearing a 'finally' leave from the monkey's mouth.

As she catches up, she just stands in awe as Aang falls from a branch, the wisp leaving his hands. 

"Come back!" He whines as he gets up.  With a heavy sigh, Aang looks to his reflection, eyes widening at what he sees.

"Roku!" He exclaims, Asha raising a brow. 

"I swear to the goddesses, men can be such idiots."  Asha snaps her head behind her, water morphing into Onsra Tanna, the one before Asha.  With a small gasp, Asha quickly turns and bows, only for the Onsra to laugh, wrapping the teen in a rib crushing lung. It was safe and comforting, Asha almost never wanting to leave her past self.  Separating, Tanna leads Asha to Aang and Roku, the two teens standing together while Roku gets into his own solid form.

"Roku, the Water tribe is under attack. We need to find the Ocean and moon spirits." Aang reaches for Asha's hand as he speaks, Asha giving it to him. Tanna smiles at the two as Roku pulls at his beard.

"The Ocean and the Moon are ancient spirits. The crossed over from the spirit world to the Mortal World very near the beginning. There is only one spirit I know who is old enough to remember."  

"Who?" Asha speaks before Aang does. 

"The spirit's name is Koh. But-" Roku begins before his Onsra grabs Asha by her shoulders, starting to shake her.

"He's incredibly dangerous. Many call him the Face stealer. He's stolen the Face of an Onsra before!" Tanna speaks shaking Asha, only stopping to pinch her cheeks. "Don't let him steal this cute face!"

Asha huffs as her cheeks begin to sting, making no move to shake the other Onsra off however.

"There is a way to avoid it. When you two speak with him, you must show no emotion at all- not the slightest expression or he will steal your face!" 

Aang tightens his grip on Asha, forcing the fear from his face. He looks back to her and she nods, her face solemn. He then nods to Roku, his face clear from any emotion.  

"So, are you gonna pay now or-?" Tanna looks to Roku as the two walk away. 

"They aren't together just yet." He snorts, pulling her in by her hips. 

"Just you wait." 

___

The two hop across the top line of wooden pylons, a huge gnarled tree stand proudly in front of them. They only stopping as a large, dog like creature passes behind the tree before quickly moving on. As they land on a small platform, they hear a screech. Aang jumping onto Asha who struggles to catch him. As she stabilizes, Aang looks to the source. There sat a small monkey.

"Oh! Whew! You're just a curly tailed blue nose." He looks to Asha who glares at him as he offers a dorky smile. She drops him with a thud. The monkey looking to them, the skull not having a face. Asha steps back in shock as Aang grabs her leg. 

As the monkey scurries away, Aang stands taking a deep breath; grabbing Asha's hand. 

"Show no fear. No emotion at all."  He looks to Asha one last time, Asha looking ahead at the entrance.

"Hello? I'm looking for the spirit named Koh?" Aang calls as they enter. Asha looks up as some 'roots' start moving, ultimately forcing herself to not focus on it. Just focus on Aang.  Focus on the boy right next to you. The two don't look behind them however as a white face appears, grey patches decorating its edges and luscious, blood red lips.  Almost clown like.  

The two benders stay stone faced as a large cockroach like body arcs around them, attempting a jump scare. The clown face bending down over them, turning right side up; inches away from them. Eight legs attached to a centipede like body wrap wound them. The two refusing to flinch.

"Welcome!"  The spirit lets out a sinister smile.  The two benders separating their hands, bowing. 

"Thank you." Aang speaks for them, abiding to the stereotypical patriarchy that is to be expected.  Standing straight, Aang almost immediately goes for Asha's hand again. 

"My old friend, the Avatar. It's been a long time." Koh wheels himself around the two. His voice low, melodic and dripping danger. 

"You know me?" 

"How could I forget..." The clown mask changes from its current to a middle-aged mustached man. 

"...You! One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me!" Koh shoots himself closer to Aang's face. Asha feels his grip tighten, which was to be expected from a normally expressive guy like Aang.  "It was eight or nine hundred years ago." 

"I didn't know that. Why did he-or I-Try to kill you?" Aang looked up at the spirit. Asha almost wincing as a leg wrapped around her, keeping her in place. 

"Oh..." His face changes once more. This time to that of a beautiful woman, long brown hair (a lot longer than Asha's) flowing around her face. 

"Something about stealing the face of someone you loved...His Onsra." Koh switches again to one of a curly tailed blue nose, more than likely the one from outside, laughing cruelly at the two. 

"Of course, that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now. Both you and your Onsra." He pushes his face right next to Aang's.  "You've come to me... With two new faces."

Both look to each other and take a breath. In the mortal world, Zuko watches Aang as he does it. Sokka, Katara and Yue all glancing to Asha as she does it.  The girls smiling. 

"It's been a long time since I've added a child's face to my collection; let alone two." His face changes to that of an owl.  "So... how may I help you?" Koh continues to wrap around the two.

"We need to find the Moon and the Ocean."  

"Their spirit names are Tui and La. Push...and Pull...And that has been the nature of their relationship for all time." 

"Please, help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help." 

Koh changes his face again, this time to an old man.

"Oh, you think you need their help? Actually, it's quite the other way around." It an instant, Koh turns and bolts to the two. Both standing still. "Someone's going to kill them!" 

"What do you mean? How can I find them and protect them?" Aang pushes. His face still solemn.

"You've already met them, actually. Tui and La, your moon and Ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other...Push and Pull...Life and death...Good and evil....Yin...and Yang." 

Asha feels her eyes widen, a small flashback from the sanctuary. While she was holding Katara, she could vaguely see two koi fish, circling each other.  Each one having a spot of the opposing ones color.

"The koi fish!" The two benders look to each other.  quickly regaining posture before Koh, who snaps towards them, can snatch their face. 

"We must be going now."  Aang bows, Asha following suit before he pulls her out of the lion's den. 

"We'll meet again."  Koh sneers, watching them leave.

As the two exit, Avatar Roku and Onsra Tanna appear before them. 

"The spirits are in trouble. We need to get back to the physical world." 

"A friend is here to guide you back." The two fade as the air benders look behind, a large panda bear behind them.

"Wow!" Asha stumbles back as a large panda spirit approaches them, Aang quickly catching her with a small smile.

"This is Hei-Bai." He introduces, the bear falling to all fours and as Aang jumps to his back, holding a hand to Asha. 

"I promise it's safe." He smiles, Asha looking at the hand skeptically before taking it, the spirit taking off once she's on. Asha quickly wrapping her arms around Aang as it does. 

"This is where we stop. But how do we get back?" Aang hops off, helping Asha down. Standing there, they watch as the spirit rears up and breathes a pulse of blue at them, the two disappearing. 

___

Groaning, Asha rapidly tries blinking as her her surroundings slowly come back to her. It was all groggy and a buzz but at least she was safe, right? 

She rocks back and fourth as Appa lands, the girl groaning as she feels her insides churn. Yue is in front of her though, a soft palm holding her cheek. 

"A-" Asha's sight blurs and her hearing is a buzz. 

"Ash-" It takes a second. Asha shaking her head, trying to bring back her senses, fighting off the nausea. 

"Asha!" Finally, all her senses hit her at once. The whip of the cold air hitting her in the face, the smell of the saltwater invading her nostrils, the ropes rubbing against her hips. 

"Yea- yea. It's me. I'm back."  Yue sits beside her, untying her from the saddle.  

"Did you find Aang?" The princess asks, watching as the Onsra slowly nods. 

"Yea, and we found out how to save the North pole."  The crackling of fire and ice making Asha glance over to where Katara is battling Zuko. She prayed Katara would spare him a bit of dignity, but if not, she probably wouldn't mind. He needed someone to humble him every now and again, and she doubted Iroh had done it since her and Zuko went their seperate ways.

"Here for a rematch?" She could hear Zuko taunt.

"Trust me, Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match." Katara retorts. A loud thump is heard, but she can't focus on it before Aang is jumping onto the saddle, quickly bringing her to his shoulder in a warm hug. 

"We can't just leave him here." She mutters, looking to her ex-partner-in-crime.

"Sure we can. Let's go." Sokka snaps back, pocketing the rope from Aang. 

"If we leave him, he'll die." She looks to Aang, who looks down. Groaning, (Because the things he would do for this girl) he jumps off and walks to the prince, grabbing him and dragging him to Appa, leaning him up against Sokka. 

"Yea! This makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us!" Sokka yells shoving off the prince while Asha and Aang take place at the helm, quickly taking off. 

It's as their riding Asha can tell why it took so long for her to come back to her sense, the sky around them turning a blood red as she feels her head pound and her gut wrench. She gags, leaning against Aang who takes a hand off of Appa's reigns to hold her to his side-- eyes wide as she tries to figure out what's wrong. 

"We're too late." She huffs, groaning as a shockwave of pain wreaks havoc along her spine. 

Aang continues to hold Asha, now moving her to his lap with her head against his chest as he prays to every heavenly being they make it in time, despite the ever paling face of his Onsra. "The Moon Spirit is in trouble." Asha speaks, her eyes closing as her hand rubs her temple. 

"I owe my life to the Moon Spirit." Yue begins, trying to take the attention off of the ever ailing Onsra; which  Asha appreciates, smiling as Yue has told her this story all the way back when she first awoke.

"What do you mean?" Sokka looks to her.

"When I was born, I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born...But I was born as if I were asleep. My eyes closed.  Our healers did everything the could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the Spirits to save me and that night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry- and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue, for the moon. Ironically, my parents thought I was the next Onsra."  Everyone but Asha turn to her. Bamboozled. 

"The myth goes that every Onsra will be born on the earliest blue moon, not crying, calm. Not necessarily the strongest, but the most hopeful. Hence their name. The Onsra is said to be the Moon to the Avatar's Ocean; Yin to their yang." Yue looks to Asha who's breathing was growing more labored by the second, her forehead sweaty as she leaned against Aang-- the boy looking ready to snap into the Avatar stat any minute.

___

When Appa lands, Yue is quick to bring Asha to her dragon, who was quickly unmuzzled and released as Asha hugged her dragon close, Zulu popping in to nuzzle between her and Gumi before running off to fight alongside Aang.  She felt so many emotions running through her, mostly fear and overwhelming anxiety that made her feel like she was dancing the edges of an anxiety attack one too many times. 

"Don't bother!"  Zhao snaps, holding the bag with the moon spirit up high, a knife gleaming as it's pressed to the bags side.

Dropping his staff immediately and raising his hands, Aang looks the admiral in urgency. If the moon spirit is connected to Asha, what will happen to her if it's killed? Even in the bag, relatively unharmed the moon is connected to Asha in such a way it affected so, so heavily. 

"Zhao! Don't!"  

"It's my destiny...to destroy the Moon...and the Water Tribe." He stands still, no one daring to move.

"But destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone- including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance."  Aang tries, hands up as he tries to ignore the dread pooling in his stomach, eyes glancing to Asha every now and again. Her eyes were still open, but he couldn't imagine that'd be the case for much longer. "You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world." 

"They are right, Zhao!" Asha recognizes the man as Iroh, an old, old friend of hers.

"Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" Zhao sounds bored as he speak. 

"I'm no traitor, Zhao, the fire nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance." 

Admiral Zhao continues holding the weapon to the bag. Iroh speaks again, this time firmer. "Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on  you ten-fold! Let it go, NOW!" He yells, turning to a fire bending stance.  The two lock eyes, then Zhao falters, lowering the bag. 

Kneeling, Zhao releasing the fish back into the water, the red in the sky fading away. However, the moment is short lived as Zhao's face turns to one of madness and desperation. With a cry, he stands and smites the water with a blast of fire, Iroh recoiling in horror at the sight, Aang looking just the same as Asha lets out a cry in pain, body succumbing to the fate of the moon spirit.   Looking up, she barely remains conscious enough to watch the moon wink out of existence. Without a second though, Aang is by her side, pulling her to his chest as he burrows into her shoulder.

The only thing she registers is how cold she feels.

Iroh immediately springs to attack firing fire quickly, blast after blast towards Zhao. The admiral blocks each one, backing away as the guards run up to Iroh; though he quickly dispatches them. The admiral looking on in horror at the aging general, only to then flee.  Iroh then runs to the pond, where the black fish swims frantic, and the white fish floats with a large gash on it's side. The general, if he were being honest, didn't want to look over. Didn't want to watch the heartbreak over the Avatar's loss. How devastating the heartbreak would inevitably be. 

But he does so anyway, tears, dripping down the young boy's cheeks as he sobs over his Onsra's body. She wasn't dead, but was too close to be considered alive. Not with her sunken eyes, the life ripped away from the bright iris'. Not with her labored and slow breathing barely moving her chest. Not with her pale skin and cool clouds of small breaths leaving her blue lips. 

"There's no hope now. It's over!" Yue cries, running over to the Onsra with Sokka right behind her.  Aang, very carefully, presses a soft kiss to Asha's forehead before handing her to Yue, stalking to the pond as his arrows and eyes glow a dangerous blue. Tears stream down his cheeks before he sinks into the middle of the pond.

The water in the pool around the oasis itself begins to glow a deep blue veined with white. As the effect spread, the glow spreads from behind the citadel to encompass the entire citadel area of the city. A huge, incandescent wave rushing under the footbridge.

Then a giant creature stands from the pool, dwarfing everything. In the center, Aang floats, his arms wide, tears still flowing from his now glowing eyes.  The creature duplicates every move Aang does.  As it walks across, water benders of all sizes bowing to it, in honor of their god. The fire nation who don't are swept away, never to be seen again.

___

Iroh places the fish back into the pond, only watching as it floats up.  As of right now, no one could tell if Asha was still alive. She had become unresponsive minutes ago and just recently did her shoulder movement drastically slow down. They had fully untied Gumi (Not just unmuzzled him) and allowed the dragon to 'hold' Asha. In reality, Gumi laid her on his side and laid his head on her lap. Zulu laid next to her. Both whining, Zulu even trying to nudge her hand every now and then.

"It's too late. It's dead." Katara struggles as she tries not to cry. 

Iroh then perks up, looking to Yue. "You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you!"  The princess looks back, then glances to Asha. Watching her animals hope for any movement. 

"Yes, you're right. It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back." Yue stands and walks to the pond's edge. 

"No! You don't have to do that!" Sokka reaches for her, trying to stop the princess. 

"It's my duty, Sokka. " She holds his hand behind her, but keeps her sight on the pond before her.

"I won't let you! Your father told me to protect you!" Sokka tries, ignoring the tears the threaten to spill.

"I have to do this." Yue finally looks up. Dropping his hand, she walks to the old general who holds the dead fish. She gently pulls off her glove, putting her palms over the fish, which glows upon the action. Closing her eyes, she breathes out her final breath and falls into Sokka's awaiting arms.

"No!" Sokka yells, the tears finally springing free as he holds her body tightly. 

"She's gone. She's gone." He hugs the body tightly. 

Sokka's face shifts to one of surprise as Yue's body glows before disappearing. The fish in Iroh's hand glowing as he places it back into the water. The fish quickly beginning to swim, the pond glowing white as it does. A ghostly form of Yue appears, yet she's in an elegant dress and her hair floats around her. She goes over to Sokka, grabbing his face.

"Goodbye, Sokka. I will always be with you." She kisses him, the moon reappearing after, shining brightly.  Katara quickly looks up and over to Asha who remains still. Running over to her, Katara watches in awe as her eyes open ever so slightly, color coming back to her skin. 

Zulu lets out a happy squeak and jumps onto her chest, licking Asha's cheek as the girl lets out a groan, Katara pulling the girl in for a hug.  As they pull away, Asha looks up to Sokka and opens her arms for him. He smiles and falls into them,  Asha letting him cry his grief into her shoulder as she rubs his back.  The pull away as the Ocean spirit returns to the pond, Aang being released with a small whirlpool.

Looking over, expecting to see a lifeless Asha, he looks gobsmacked as her eyes are open, looking at him with a shy smile. Wasting no more time he runs to her, arms wrapped tightly around her as he burrows into her shoulder, crying dry sobs as relief fills his body.  When her arms wrap around him just as tightly, with her own tears springing free, he cries even harder.

"Thank you for coming back." He whispers, not pulling away.

"Always." 

___

The four stand in front of the water tribe citadel. Master Pakku in front of Katara.

"I've decided to go to the South Pole. Some other benders and healers want to join. It's time we helped rebuild our sister tribe." He looks to Aang, whose helping Asha onto Gumi's saddle. The girl still not 100% since the incident. Aang barely letting her out of his sight because of it.

"What about Aang, or Asha? They still need to learn water bending." Katara looks to Master Pakku as she speaks. 

"Well, then they better get used to calling you 'Master Katara'." Pakku smiles.

 Asha pauses before she jumps to Gumi's saddle. Looking behind her she sees Aang, looking at the ground before her. She opens her arms for him, which he gladly jumps into. 

The two laugh, just holding each other until they here a chittering and small growl. Looking down, they see the smallest members glaring at the two. Rolling her eyes, Asha bends down to pick up Zulu. 

"Come here." Aang holds out an arm for Momo, who jumps.  Finally, the water tribe siblings join. Their band of misfits just laughing at the past. Glad to be there with one another. All of them. Together.