Part 6: Of Ghosts and Fairies

Katara lay on the stone ground and shivered violently. The coldness slowly crept over her, consuming her and over coming the small figure.

"Where am I?" Katara found her very thoughts became audible.

"You are in the deepest recesses of your mind," the demon Katara loomed over her gently. The hard, vicious features softened to concern and compassion, "Do you know who I am?"

"How could I not know?" Katara lifted her head slightly to view the woman, and to except the outstretched hand.

She was clothed in a long blue dress that seemed to be composed of sparkling shimmers. The fabric was indecipherable, but was evidently there as it shone with a luminance capable of only the suns themselves. But strangely, the light was warming, and did not hurt Katara's eyes to look at. She looked around the ''room' that she was present in and found it to be endless and empty. There was only the cold stone below her. The only light was radiating from the double of Katara. Her teeth had grown back to their normal appearance, and the forked tongue had melded back into one. Her eyes no longer blood thirsty but loving and caring.

"I'm glad Katara," she laughed a little.

"This brings new meaning to the term talking to yourself," the freezing Katara instinctively drew closer to the radiating Katara.

"We need to talk," the blue-clad Katara walked across the plane.

"Strange how we are the same yet we can not even talk to each other," Katara shook her head, this was hard for her to comprehend what was happening.

"I feel the same way, but then again, how could I not?" the glowing Katara leaned back and a chair appeared just as she began to fall.

"How did you do that?" Katara asked amazed at the fluidness and gracefulness of the action.

"Don't ask questions that you don't know the answer to Katara," the double spoke harshly.

"Please, call me Emily. Luke always calls me Katara, I hate it, but I never had the courage to tell him," Emily smiled at her own confession.

"I know," Katara, laughed a little herself, "I know everything you think and hear and see. I experience all you experience, but it's like watching a movie, I can't do anything about what I see."

Emily sat back and merely willed a chair into existence, "I'm sorry, but…… you know what I think."

"And your wrong," Katara reached for a tea cup that magically appeared beside her lush velvet chair, on a beautiful mahogany side table.

"You always liked that chair, well, I always did too. You know…… this is getting really difficult in a grammatical sense," Emily sighed and rubbed her head.

"I find myself in the same position," Katara laughed and sipped at her tea.

"Why am I here?" Emily shifted herself against the velvet, it felt so luxurious to the touch.

"I miss you," Katara leaned back and a flood of tears came uncontrolled, but no sound came forth.

"I miss you too," Emily let a single, unbidden tear slide down her soft face.

"I want to be one again," Katara looked Emily in the face and they stared each other down.

"We can't, the spell is cast and the damage done!" Emily finally spoke harshly.

"You just don't want to be one again! You're afraid!" Katara shouted at Emily.

"How do you expect me not to be, remember all those people that died at the castle?" Emily argued.

"I didn't understand what had happened at first, and then I thought you had figured it out when you said that I was evil, and you were good, but how can that be? Good and evil coincide with each other; you can't separate them because they are interdependent! Something else happened and I didn't see it until what Luke said. A long time ago he said that you had become weaker and it hit me. I am not evil, I just am always angry when I come out. Why do you always have control over me when you are so weak? I finally figured it out. The purity spell didn't separate the evil and good; it separated the power and the control!

"I am the power and you are the control. Its simple. You had the control so you were dominant, but when I got angry enough, the rage fueled my power and I was able to overcome you, but I was always so angry and I didn't have the control to stop myself, so I did what I did.

"You are the control. You can control me, and you can control the power, but you have barely any power. You can harness a little, but you need me to get any significant amount. That's why you fainted after the dragon,
that's why you are always fainting after the transformations!

"Listen, I don't want this though. I don't want to be a murderer. What I want is to be back with you. You can't love Luke back because you are only one half of a soul! You need the whole soul to love, and I know you want to love him, but you need me to do that.

"And I want to be out there, I want to be in control again too, I don't want it to be like watching a movie. I miss you, you are my other half, you are the part of me that I need and miss so much! Please! Let's become one again!" Katara finished with a broken sob.

"I knew it all along, but I was afraid," Emily sighed.

"Will you do it?" Katara asked worriedly, for once she didn't know how Emily would react.

"What do I need to do?" Emily smiled placing her cup back on the table.

"What do you think came through?" Trowa asked a worried and edgy Luke.

"I'm hoping for the best and expecting the worse," was all Luke said.

"Is that the forest?" Quatre asked Luke as a giant rain forest appeared before them. The collage of brilliant colours overwhelmed them as the exotic plants shone with life and animals swarmed around their next meals.

"That is it," Luke braced himself, "Don't touch anything, and stay away from everything. You don't want to become someone else's meal anytime soon."

"That means you Maxwell," Wufei have special warning to Duo as he entered the sweltering forest.

"What now?" Duo asked as he rode along the carved out path. Luke shrugged his hefty shoulders.

"Great, just great!" Wufei rolled his eyes.

"You are quite the pessimist aren't you?" Luke snarled and tried to keep focus.

"Hey fairies! Here fairy people, here fairies!" Duo called out into the canopy.

"They won't be up there," Luke informed.

"Why not?" Duo looked dumbfounded.

"Although their size decreases, their weight stays the same, and they end up not liking to fly too high. They end up braking branches, and getting tired," Luke informed while examining the area around him.

"How can they fly if their weight doesn't change?" Heero asked the most obvious question.

"Some laws of physics don't apply here. Basically, when you have enough energy flowing through you, you can levitate. That's why every time Katara casts spells, she either levitates or someone else does. Fairies are the most powerful mystical creatures in Castalia, and on this planet, I guess. That's why they are able to fly, ''cause they have so much energy flowing through them," Luke explained briefly.

They kept the walk along the trail for another ten minutes in silence until suddenly Luke stopped.

"What's wrong?" Heero asked immediately without the slightest hint of concern, but more of an alert defensiveness.

"There's a ghost nearby," Heero was caught off guard and he stiffened. From what he had heard, he did not want to mess with these creatures.

"What do we do?" Trowa needed to stay focused if he was going to fight this thing. He felt the same way as Heero.

"Shit……" Luke looked down at Katara and saw her stiffen as well. She knew that it was there too, even if she wasn't conscious to realize it.

"What?" Duo looked worriedly down at Katara, her facial expression scrunched up to show one of pain and panic.

"I'm worried about Katara…… and the fairies," Luke added heavily.

"The fairies are in trouble?" Quatre's eyes found Katara once again. He knew that the fairies were her only hope, without them she was doomed.

"Yes, the ghosts are drawn to energy, and the fairies are full of it," Luke swallowed hard. This just got a whole lot more complicated in a matter of minutes.

"Then lets go kill that son of a bitch," Duo roared and readied his horse to charge into battle.

"We need Katara awake," Luke rubbed his forehead, "She's the only one that can do a purity spell."

"But you said that last time it screwed her up," Duo pointed out.

"And the mental resistance to the situation will complicate things even more," Trowa pointed out wisely.

"Most definitely, but we have no choice, we need to find the fairies and get them to awaken her, NOW!" Luke shouted and kicked his horse's side. He needed to hurry before it was too late. He had already wasted enough
time talking.

"Come on! Shinigami rides again!" Duo cackled and was quickly on Luke's tail.

Heero, Quatre, Wufei, and Trowa were soon to follow as the searched frantically for the fairies. In a matter of minutes, they found their prize.

"What the hell is that?" Duo stopped his horse and watched as a 12 story high black creature reached down and picked up a squirming creature and bite of her head, ending a horrific scream.

It was pure black, but almost translucent. It had no defining features, but an awful stench arose from its position, and a terrible fear welled up inside all spectators as another fairy lost her life. The demon had
large red eyes though, that pierced your very soul. They seemed to such the very life out of you. Two longs arms caught everything their owner willed them to, there was no escape from the three prying fingers. Strong and powerful legs that seemed to burst with power and might, held up the large torso. It must have had limitless speed.

"Someone do something! It's killing all the fairies!" Quatre shouted as the ghost picked another fairy from the smorgasbord of delightful treats.

"We need to get one over here without drawing attention to ourselves," Luke instructed.

"What do we do?" Quatre was willing to do anything to save the fairies that may be their only hope, more specifically, Katara's only hope.

"Quatre, do you have any control over the power that you can sense?" Luke asked nervously.

"I don't think so, and even if I did, I wouldn't know what to do," Quatre shook his head regretfully.

"It's okay, it just makes things a little harder, not impossible," Luke sighed and grabbed his staff.

"What are you going to do?" Quatre looked at Luke worriedly.

"I don't know," Luke admitted and closed his eyes. The wind began to stir around him with great power and speed.

A tornado slowly began to form in the distance, closer to the ghost, and with a sudden gust of power, it ripped a tree from the ground with all its roots exposed. Luke's muscles were bulging out of his chest, and a vein in his forehead appeared as if it were to pop any second.

"Luke!" Quatre didn't know what to do. Luke was pushing himself too far.

"You can't do anything now," Trowa spoke softly, barely audible against the raging tornado. Trowa brought his horse close to Quatre's and Quatre leaned his head onto Trowa's strong chest.

Luke suddenly let out a scream or rage and power as the tornado tore towards the demon. It was knocked off its feet, but it got right back up and let out a cry of might, as it but up a barrier around itself.

"Damn it!" Luke swore as he lost control of the tornado, and it spun out of control.

"Its okay, you tried," Quatre tried to console him, but he just went right back to work trying new tactics.

Luke raised his staff, slightly out of breath, but knowing that this was his only hope…… if only he could provide a safe escape for at least one of the fairies, he could save Katara.

Luke sent another wave of energy out and a wall of vines suddenly sprouted from the ground and grew thick and wide, providing a shield for the fairies, from the evil spirit.

The fairies began to flee, as the vines encircled the ghost and intruded through his barrier and wrapped themselves around it. It cried out in rage as it was held down by the vines. Luke was beginning to lose it, and the vine's growth started to slow down, their strength diminishing.

"No buctuk vat gravitt!" the ghost shouted out at the top of its lungs in a deafening roar.

"What did he just say?" Wufei demanded.

"The lords will be avenged," Quatre spoke with a startling calmness.

"How did you know that?" Duo asked surprised, and shocked at Quatre's knowledge.

"I don't know," Quatre confessed meekly.

"Weird……" Duo commented and shook his head. He was beginning to expect weird from everything else, but the Gundam Pilots stayed along the lines of normal, but Quatre had lately been going over the edge.

"I know Duo, but I can't help it," Quatre sighed and lead his horse next to Luke's beautiful stallion.

"Quatre, can you help me?" Luke looked at the small boy and Quatre nodded.

Quatre placed his hand on Luke's shoulder and let the pain that Luke was feeling fill his very soul.

The pain was excruciating, but Luke would need this to continue, and if it meant saving lives, then Quatre would do it. His heart could feel the stress of the enormous pain, and Quatre teetered on the edge of consciousness.

Trowa wisely guided his horse to Quatre's side and steadied the rocking boy. He could feel the pain that the boy was in, and wished that he could help.

Suddenly the ghost ripped one of the vines off his hands and lunged at the wall protecting the fairies. The vines immediately died at his touch and crumbled to the ground.

"Fuck this all!" Luke cursed and ran his fingers through his long hair.

"Shh," Quatre comforted, relieved that the pain had finally stopped. He wished he could take the guilt away, but he knew that that was impossible.

"The fairies……" Luke looked up and saw the demon send out a black cloud of smoke from his mouth that killed every living thing in its path. Luke resorted to profanity again and held up his staff. Quatre could feel the same energy swirling around him as he did when he was at the castle. Luke was putting up another barrier to protect them.

Quatre watched helplessly as all the fairies feel victim to the smoke, as each one died with screams of agony and sorrow. Quatre nearly fell over with the overwhelming sadness and death. His heart of the universe was aching more than he could stand.

"Quatre," Trowa held Quatre's arms tightly and steadied the young boy as he sobbed in defeat.

One young fairy came running towards them hurriedly.

Her blonde hair was past her waist, flowing free and flowing behind her in a soft river of silk. She had two pieces of hair that served as bangs that fell as low as her breasts. She was adorned in glimmering jewelry.
She had a long, coiling, metal snake wrapped around her upper right arm. She bore a gold colour necklace, from where what looked like a quartz diamond hung luxuriously. Her forehead was the most amazing part of all,
it seemed that there was a blue diamond engraved in her head. It was circular, and above it was what seemed like a tattoo of a simple triangle, and below the diamond there were two similar and slightly smaller triangles, one to the right, and one to the right.

She was wearing loose cloth tied in place by thick string. She was dressed all in blue, and her chest mostly exposed. She was a slight thing that seemed so fragile. Her skirt was inappropriately short, and her shirt barely covered what she had to offer. Her back was fully exposed, and the only decently clothed area of her was her feet.

Her blue eyes were screaming with tear and fear, but she kept running, never taking her eyes off of her destination.

"Help me please! Help me! The ghost…… it…… it killed my mother, please! You have to help me!" She sobbed as she tripped and fell onto a rock, blood pouring forth from her stomach. Her small, but tall figure amazingly frail.

Luke let down his barrier for a moment and then rushed the fairy inside its protective walls.

"Can you help me?" Luke spoke, as he looked dead into her eyes, fearful, and yet so needy.

"Luke? Is that really you?" the woman let another tear slide down her cheek.

"Yes, now can you help us?" Luke pleaded.

"Will you kill the ghost?" She swallowed mournfully, tears staining her cheeks.

"Yes, but you need to awaken Katara, she is unconscious right now, please help her!" Luke presented her with Katara.

"I don't know…… she's pretty far gone……" the woman stroked Katara's hair gently, "I'll try."

The woman stood back for a moment, and then took a praying position, with palms together and eyes closed. Her head slowly looked down as a light was formed from beneath her. The luminescent circle encompassed
her and she was slowly raised from the ground. Her hair swirled around her in a surreal fashion…… defying the laws of gravity and spreading far out around her. Her brown hair moved to reveal large pointed ears and
Luke gasped. The pilots looked on unknowing and unseeing. The girl's head suddenly shot up and a short blast of energy radiating from her and Katara inhaled sharply.

"Katara!" Luke rushed to Katara's side and laid her on the forest ground carefully as the woman lowered herself to the ground softly.

"Did it work?" she asked worriedly.

"Luke……" Katara fluttered her eyes open and Luke smiled.

"I'm right here," he assured, and Katara smiled back. Suddenly Katara's eyes shot open and looked around.

"No, no nonononononono," Katara shook her head and crawled backwards away from the ghost that was stepping nearer to her.

"We need you to cast a purity spell," Luke sighed and knew what must have been going through Katara's mind. The fairy looked at her, begging her earnestly with her eyes.

"I can't do it!" Katara yelled and got up and started running away. A wall of stones came up in front of her and she fell over backwards trying to stop herself from running into the wall.

"Please Katara, I wouldn't ask you if I had any other choice!" Luke begged, "I love you Katara."

"I know you do, but I can't do it! You know what happened last time……" Katara looked down at her dirties hands, covered in dirt and blood, shed by hundreds of already slaughtered fairies.

"You need to, please Katara!" the fairy begged. Katara looked up at her and gasped.

"Sage?" Katara left her mouth gaping in astonishment.

"Please Katara, I need your help," Sage swallowed and looked at the approaching ghost.

"You don't understand……" Katara shook her head.

"Please?" Sage beseeched.

Katara got up slowly and took a deep breath, "Put down the barrier."

Luke complied and Sage looked on hopefully, and yet fearfully. Katara closed her eyes and she seemed to change, from being fearful to completely confident. Luke looked on worriedly. He didn't know what just happened, but her energy increased more than ten fold and it was still rising. He hadn't felt that power since the castle.

Katara spread out her arms to form a cross. A bolt of lightening came down and stuck her with amazing force and energy. She was levitated and her face showed great pain. The lightening stayed, holding her in place as she cried freely. A single beam of light shot from her chest and went right through the approaching ghost. He seemed to evaporate into the air and then explode. The dome of energy hit with an enormous shockwave and
a crackling sound boom.

"That was a purity spell?" Duo had always envisioned it to be a whole less violent, but he shrugged it off and watched as Katara was suddenly dropped to the ground.

"KATARA!" Luke ran after her and joined Sage as her side.

"Is she okay?" Quatre rushed next to Luke and Sage.

"She's probably in a coma right now," Luke sighed and shook his head.

"What you talkin' ''bout? I'm just a little tired, I'll be fine Gramps," Katara rubbed her head as Luke gave her an astonished look.

"What the fuck happened?" Luke shot at her angrily, and grabbed her arms, preparing to throw her, "The only person that called me Gramps is dead……"

"I'm not dead, I'm not a demon and next time you touch me like that I will rip off your head, and trust me, I do not make empty threats," Katara snapped and got up.

"Were you the one that killed all those people at the castle, and stole the cloaks?" Luke had to ask.

"Yes, and if you don't stop bothering me I will pull another stunt like that, now shut up!" Katara snarled.

//Control your temper or I'll take control again Katara. //

//I know, I know. But hey, remember, no control. I say what I feel like saying and do what I feel like doing. //

//Then you better change the way you feel or I'll do it for you. //

//Just let me be in control for a few more hours, I miss this so much.//

//I know. Okay, but as soon as you do something stupid I'm taking over, understood? //

//Fine! //

Katara smiled lightly and looked at Sage, "I missed you."

"I missed you too. I haven't seen you since you convinced King Odin to take the throne back. How is the old bud?" Sage smiled while reminiscing.

"He's dead, his son killed him," Katara went serious.

"Ouch, sorry."

"No problem, you didn't know," Katara might not have been very good at controlling her temper, but she tried to be rational in her actions.

"Your ear is bleeding," Sage observed.

"So it is," Katara brought her hand to her ear and saw that it came back soaked in blood.

"I should take a look at that," Sage commented calmly.

"You probably should," Katara dismounted and tried to hide the absolute fear that was taking over.

Sage placed her hand on Katara's head and took a deep breath. Suddenly her eyes shot open and she cried out in anguish. She clutched her own head and started crying.

"I'm sorry," Katara spoke softly in monotone.

"Why didn't you come earlier?" Sage looked at her with tear stained eyes.

"I didn't know till yesterday, and I was out most of the time," Katara answered meekly.

"I can help you," Sage confirmed and gathered herself up.

"I was worried," Katara told Sage honestly.

"Don't worry," Sage placed her hand on Katara's forehead and took a deep breath. Small blue lights rose from the ground and swirled around the two. Katara started laughing, and Sage joined in with a chuckled or two,
the reason untold to the pilots and Luke. Katara's laugh was consuming and addictive in its beauty. Duo watched in fascination as the blood that had been dripping from Katara's ear slowly reversed and was drawn
back into its place. Sage laughed, but her facial expression showed so much pain. "Done."

"Thank you," Katara hugged Sage quietly.

"It isn't permanent, and it can still happen again," Sage informed Katara with a small whisper.

"I know, but I need to do this," Katara whispered back, smiling with her words.

"I'll be here to help you, but every time it happens tell me so I can help you before it gets bad," Sage kissed Katara's forehead.

"I know," Katara nodded her head.

"You should be dead," Sage told her softly and seriously.

"I know," Katara answered gravely.

"No one else would have survived that. You worry me so much sometimes," Sage laughed a little, "Of course I shouldn't worry, you have Luke to do that for you."

"Isn't it the truth?" Katara rolled her eyes.

"Don't go doing that a lot though, okay? I don't want to lose you just as I finally found you."

"Heero and Duo need some medical attention," Katara announced in her normal voice again. Trying to change the subject.

"They look fine to me," Sage stated glancing over them.

"I know, I tried to cast a heal spell, but it didn't do the full job," Katara sighed.

Heero wondered how the injury had managed to slip his mind. He was used to doing missions with such injuries, but he didn't understand how he could completely forget. Duo merely smiled. He was glad that she had
done that, even if she hadn't told them, he liked to talk without the fear of fainting from agony.

"I cast a forget spell," Katara whispered to Heero. Heero remained silent.

Sage walked over to the two and placed her hand on their foreheads and after a moment she walked away.

"That was all? No blue lights? No laughing? Not ANYTHING?" Duo seemed disappointed.

"Only for the bigger ones sugah," Sage laughed and joined Katara once again.

"Go see your mother," Katara instructed.

"She's dead," Sage, informed Katara was a silent sob. Sage's expression suddenly changed from joy to sorrow. The pain aching her chest started to compel her to cry and she could feel the grief consuming her and
controlling her. She fought desperately not to think about it, to delay the pain, but it kept coming.

"Not yet," Katara put an arm around Sage's waist and led her across the field of dead fairies. Sage ignored them impassively. She wouldn't let this hurt her, she couldn't. She needed to be there for the fairies now,
she needed to be strong.

"Mother," Sage left Katara and rushed to a blue clad fairy that looked almost exactly like her, only with a few more wrinkles on her dirtied face.

"Sage……" the mother spoke so softly she could barely be heard.

"Don't die, please don't die, I still need you," Sage could feel the grief beginning to take hold, the sorrow eating at her while she watched her mother's life drain away. Hope causing irrational thoughts as she refused to face her logical side, dictating that she was as good as dead.

"Take my stone, and take my spirit. You are the Queen now, you must protect the others," her mother coughed.

"No, I can heal you, I can help you, don't give up, please! Mother!" Sage cried as the tears dripped steadily onto her mother's face.

"You can't…… Sage, listen to me, I'm dying……" the mother choked out.

"No, no you're not, you've survived worse! You're fine, you just need a little rest," Sage interrupted.

"I have accepted this, you should……"

"NO! Stop it! You're NOT dying! I don't want to hear it!" Sage screamed and put her hands over her ears.

"Sage! Listen to me! I don't have much time…… left," her mother gasped and coughed again.

"Mother!" Sage immediately propped her up against her chest.

"Shh my child. I know that you are saddened, but you must listen. You are now the Queen. Now go and start the fairy kingdom over again. You are out only hope for survival. Be a good and wise Queen. Be fair and
just, and rule with a sovereign peace that I strived for. I love you my daughter," she took a deep breath and held it for a moment.

"Don't talk like that. Please don't. It's scaring me. I can't be Queen, I don't know how, I need you, don't leave me!" Sage managed to proclaim through broken sobs.

"Remember, you will never be alone. I'm in so much pain Sage. You must take my spirit, my stone, and my life," she instructed calmly. Pain. She couldn't bear to see her in pain.

"I love you Mother," Sage whispered as her mother smiled back.

"I love you Sage."

Sage took a deep breath and pulled out a small pocket knife-like object. She swallowed, closed her eyes in protest and dug her knife into the forehead of her mother. The boys watch from afar and Luke winced,
knowing how painful it was to have their lifeline dug out of them. Heero and Trowa watched serenely, but Duo and Quatre were having a harder time digesting what Sage was doing. Wufei watched with honour and respect,
recognizing the sacred ritual.

Sage held the bloodied stone her hand and exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. Sage let another tear slide down her cheek and then she proceeded to lean over her mother. She opened her mother's mouth slightly and then inhaled deeply. Katara watched in awe as she saw Sage's mother's life force being sucked out of her in the form of a cloud of blue mist coming forth from her mouth.

When Sage was done, she leaned over and hugged her mother fiercely.

"I'm sorry Sage," Katara wrapped her arms around Sage from behind. They must have stayed like that for an eternity. Sage held fast to her mother and Katara was content in merely comforting Sage with a silent hold,
hoping that the mere touch would serve its purpose.

"Time to go," Luke instructed and led the boys away from Katara and Sage.

"We're just going to leave them here?" Duo asked surprised at Luke's actions.

"They're going to take a long time, best if we set up camp outside the forest and then wait for them there," Luke replied and led his horse down the path.

"Is there anything we can do?" Quatre asked meekly.

"Not talk about it. Sage will talk to you if she wants to," Luke informed Quatre quietly and watched as Katara and Sage disappeared from sight.

Night had fallen and Katara and Sage had just come to the camp. Heero was surprised at the length of time it had taken to return, but he supposed that everyone mourned in his or her own separate ways. He was at least thankful that she was dealing with it healthily.

"Hey Katara, hey Sage," Duo welcomed them and handed them both some local bird-like creature, cooked to perfection by Luke.

"Thank you, uh…… what's your name?" Sage laughed a little.

"Duo, Duo Maxwell, Shinigami," she added which earned another chuckle that appeared so foreign on her forlorn face. Tear stained eyes sagged and cried out to rest. Sage looked like she had been through hell and back, and Duo could respect that, of all people, he could respect that.

"Hey Duo," Sage nodded with a kind smile, that only Duo could tell was forced.

"Rest," Duo's words only fell on her ears.

//I will…… later. //

Duo was surprised at her use of telepathy and wondered why she had not just used that to find out his name, but excused the thought.

Quatre smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her. Luke glared at him, but eased a little when she graciously accepted. They stayed in the position for a minute or two, in complete silence, both understanding
that they were joined in come incomprehensible way by their experiences. Quatre didn't know how she knew about his father, but he knew that she understood.

When Sage finally released him, Quatre felt a peace inside of him. Quatre quickly prepared a bed for her. He knew how the nightmares would haunt her for months after, as the nightmares still often haunted him, but as long as she had friends and support, it would make the grieving easier. He just hoped she didn't do anything rash as he had done. Blowing up colonies was one way to grieve that he hoped she did not resort to.

Sage gratefully laid down in the bed prepared by Quatre, "Thanks. What's your name?"

"Oh," Katara laughed a little, "You don't know their names do you. You know Duo and Luke, and the blonde is Quatre, the painfully tight ponytail guy is Wufei, the green tank top is Heero, and the one-eyed one is Trowa."

"Interesting names," Sage looked them over and cocked an eyebrow.

"They come from Earth," Katara spoke softly.

"Did you know them?" Sage asked curiously.

"No, but I did meet the one that they are trying to save, her name is Relena," Katara informed and took a bite of the meat sitting in her hands.

"Relena…… I've heard of her, isn't she like really rich and a major pacifist?" Sage asked trying to ignore the flood of memories of her mother teaching her not to fight. Sage wasn't like that anymore. Memories. That's all they were now. Memories.

"Yeah, now rest, you've had a long day," Katara stroked a lock of hair out of Sage's face. Sage didn't look good though.

"I'll sleep with you tonight," Katara assured and as Sage lay down, she pulled the blanket over them. Then slowly, but surely, Sage fell asleep by the firelight. Katara smiled. All of them where now tucked into their
blankets, snug and warm. Katara stared at Heero.

Heero could feel her gaze on him and it was eerily disturbing. He didn't know what was wrong, but he didn't like her. He clutched at his side, it was burning him. The dragon had grown bigger, and Heero was starting to
become concerned. He was hoping that Sage had gotten rid of it when she had healed his arm properly. What was going on?

Katara continued to stare at him. He was in pain. Perfect. He was like meat to her, just like the meat that she had been eating earlier. Just a piece of meat for the picking. She glared at him hungrily. She wanted him. She needed him. She was going to have him.

~End Part 6 -- Of Ghosts and Fairies~

Author's Tidbits: That's it, no more 16 pagers. I sure write a lot……Okay, well that was weird. I really screwed that one up, but maybe I'll make up for it with Heero torture! Muhahahaha! Hee hee, sorry to all you
Heero fans, I'll try not to mess him up that bad, (yeah right). Anyways…… Luv always to Tiff, my faithful friend and bud, and to Steph, the most awesome and amazing web mistress! Thanx for all the hard work putting up
my stories so fast! You guys rock! And to Torin who suggested the Heero torture, sorry it took so long to get to! Anyways, g2g work on part 7 and piss off all the web hosts, c ya!

Back to Index