▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃ CHAPTER FOUR ( the girl in the moon ) ▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
AKUMA HAD thought a lot about the conversation with Koya earlier. Somewhere she was scared to be a spirit. She could recall becoming one but not staying one. After she became a spirit it's just a vague happening.
Koya, however, left after their conversation. He thought it was better to leave Akuma for a while since she had a lot to process and therefore needed the time. Also, he was tired and went to sleep.
The thoughts kept Akuma up late into the night. Luckily, she found comfort in the magnificence of the moon. Since she was a little child she loved watching the moon at night. Therefore watching it now, in a time of fear, she felt as if she was safe at home.
The metal floor beside her creaked. Turning her head, Akuma found a pair of feet coming her way. With her gaze, she followed the feet up and connected her gaze with the individual coming her way. A little smile rising on her lips as she recognized the features of Koya.
He slides with his back down the wall, sitting down next to Akuma. "You're still awake, I see," he remarks, pulling his knees close to his chest for warmth since it was midnight.
Tilting her head back, she attaches her gaze to the moon again. "Yes, I was watching the moon." she smiles, remembering the countless times she'd said that sentence to her younger sister.
The moon was the main source of power for the water benders. It was one of the reasons why Koya liked the moon so much. However, he only saw it as beautiful because of its stories. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" he beheld, almost hearing the stories about Tui and La again.
Akuma sighed happily as she now knew that Koya liked the moon as much her. "It certainly is." she was happy that he thought it was beautiful. Her sister never saw it way. Just one who shines because of one another light, her sister would say.
"There is a myth from the North Pole about the moon. Do you wanna hear it?" he asked since he had heard the story a dozen times. He loved it and assumed she would too.
Nodding in agreement, Akuma smiled. "Yeah, of course, tell me." she turned her head towards Koya, wanting to focus entirely on the story he was about to tell.
Therefore he started. "There was a girl with beautiful white hair, as white as the moon itself. However, one day the moon was stolen, and the only way to get it back was to replace it. The girl took the moon's place and left everything behind including the boy she fell in love with." he was lucky he traveled a lot, because of it he knew the story.
Akuma pulled her knees up, resting her head on top of it. "That's beautiful but so sad." she sighed. She loved it, just like Koya expected. A children tale, she thought, the most beautiful.
"I know right." he established his gaze back on Akuma again. "She's a little like you," Koya noted since it was one of the main reasons why he told that story.
Tilting her head, she shot him a questioning gaze. "Hmm?" she hummed, not quite understanding why it reminded him of her.
"Both humans who turned to spirits." he compared the two.
Akuma knitted her brows together, turning back to the moon. "But she's still the moon. And I'm here on a boat being human again." she pouted, somewhat angry as she had still no idea why she was human at this point.
Koya scoffed. "You make it sound like a bad thing," he commented because of the tone in her voice. He only saw it as a good thing; she got to be human again and live her life.
"Maybe it is." she waved her hands around, the volume in her voice rising. "Maybe I had responsibilities in that forest just like the moon has responsibilities." she sighed, not remembering anything she she became a spirit.
He shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe you've completed your responsibilities." He suggested in the hope it would calm her down a little.
"Maybe. But I don't remember doing any."
Then something clicked in Koya's mind, he realized something. "You don't remember how long ago you became a spirit?" he questioned, narrowing his eyes.
She shook her head. "No idea, no."
Koya's jaw dropped. "Do you remember your family?" she may not remember how long it was ago but he already took a guess based on the memories she did have.
"Yes." her mood instantly lightened up and smile appeared on her lips. "I have a sister and a father. And my mom, she travels a lot. A little like you actually." she compared. She loved her family.
"I'm sorry."
Akuma was confused by his answer. "What? Why are you apologizing?" her brows knitted together. She couldn't understand what reason there could be for him to apologize.
He took a deep breath. "You told me earlier how you 'lend' the fire." He hesitated if he should continue since he didn't want to crush her heart. But he did go on, she had to know after all. "The last time people lend an element from a lion turtle was over ten thousand years ago," he explained, hoping Akuma would figure out what that meant for her family.
Akuma's eyes widened, getting red as the tears began welling up. "Wait, that means that-" She realized what it meant. Her family, they could never have survived this long. They had to be dead.
As the tears fell, Koya pulled her closer to him. He embraced her, hoping to comfort her as much as possible. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. He couldn't imagine how hard it for her was to found out she'd lost her entire family.
Akuma her heart broke and the tears kept rolling down her cheek. Where was she supposed to go now?
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