trans_9 | there were nightblooms in the east

Arha found herself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling for far too long with the rush of her Mothers-Within all but quiet in the dead of night. As much as she commanded herself to sleep, it would not come, and she rose, slipping from her bed and pulling on the pale blue nightgown and robe she had purchased not five hours prior. Half way down the steps of the tiny beach hut she had found for sleeping, she paused, weaved and sat down. In her mind, she saw the face of Sana, the Fremen child she had watched die during the Ohm invasion. She let out a breath and stood, letting her robe puddle behind her as she strode across the sand.

Her bare feet, long used to sand fell into the Fremen style, slip-sliding, random but sure in the moonlight with the alien sound of water crashing to shore ringing in her ears. The moon was full-bellied in the sky and cast pale, silvery light that touched seafoam and washed out the world. She should have been resting, but she walked. There were no true footprints to follow, but she did not go too far before she found herself flowing into the hybrid fighting style that was Jed-Eye and Bene Gesserit both. Sana's face welled up in her mind's eye, fiercely Fremen, and in response, her movements jerked.

Her crysknives were out and she moved quickly as the wave of enemies swarmed. She blurred and cut down many, kept moving, always moving to protect the child who fought as well. Little Sana was fierce with her blade. Arha didn't pause even when she felt the stab of something sharp rip into her.

She sliced its stabbing arm off and in her detached state, she realized she had been stabbed clean through her midsection. The small cry that came from her left jerked her head around. Sana's fingers and torso were bloodied, her crysknife still gripped in her hand. Arha pushed herself up, fighting the dizzying waves of pain and nausea to slash at another creature and found herself unable. She watched the dust motes swirl and felt the heat of the rock beneath her cheek.

And she stared, bearing witness to Sana's death.

This was what came of telling Kyle that she was fine. She was not. No one could be fine after such a thing. No one could be.

[OOC: Open, new tags mean new threads.]

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"Thank you," she said, giving her teacher a short bow. They may have been in a different world and it may have been a vacation, but that didn't mean Arha wasn't her teacher still.

"For one thing, it has been almost a year since I've been able to see the moon," Katara says, her eyes almost shining. "It may seem like a little thing to most people, but we waterbenders are the strongest when its full. It was during a full moon I utilized my powers against a foe for the first time...and it was also when I first learned I could bend the water in others. Not the best memeory, but the moon has always had a special significance for me."

Not that it was her only reason for being out here.

"But I also found myself having vivid nightmares about the Ohm in the past few weeks. I thought a night stroll might help me a little."

Arha was silent for a time, letting Katara's words settle and she nodded, her expression both serious but soft at the same time. Too, for her, it had been a long time since she had seen a moon, but hers was a double moon and decidedly different. Memory was a strong thing and pulled deeply when woken.

"The moon is a good thing for you as it is your strength, no matter what water you bend. I suppose bending the water in others, that is akin to the route one of the Jed-Eye Dark Side may take. It is good to know what one is able to do, though, even if such a thing is harmful. So, too, do I have my own facets. My healing ability has another side, one used for killing or hurting. I have only used it once, by request. Such a thing was used upon Shai-Hulud, who was dying. I hastened his death and lie half-dead for a week before I recovered." Arha looked contemplative for awhile then her expression shifted into something more than a little haunted before she controlled it.

"I, too, dream of Ohm. I dream of them and have waking visions of the child who fought beside me when the Ohm came to Arrakis and murdered each and every one of my Fremen. It was Sana's face that drove me from my bed this night."

She knew that there were few people she would have shared this with. She'd met a many people she could share a good time with, and that was all well and good, but the apprehension she'd been feeling with the things she'd seen the last few days she would share with only a precious few. With the moon out like this though, she did wish Sokka was here to see it.

"When I talked to Darth Vader, I could see that he was once a Jedi: no one could talk that badly about them without having his own experience there, and if he were always only the Dark Side, I doubt he would have bothered even discussing things like that with me. I could see that, but I could also see that he was imbalanced too. Part of me is still a little like that...it was that part that used blood bending to get revenge once upon a time. I'm glad you didn't succumb to your ability though, just like I didn't to mine."

Because the temptation to misuse the gifts she'd been given had come on her before she knew it, and at times she was always scared that there might be a time she would slip, and would fall to her crueler side.

And here, Katara lowered her head. Occasionally, she wondered sometimes if she were empathic though she didn't know that word: it was likely her exposure to Renne.

"I know what you mean. After that happened, I wondered if the people on my world made it. The only one with me in that memory was...Aang. And since we haven't seen him on the ship yet, I got really scared."

That was something she hadn't told anyone, and at the same time, something tore at her, a feeling that she couldn't understand.

"He survived, you must have faith in this. It is difficult, but it must be true. The ones you love most are surely in the pods. It is a frightening thing to think that they are not. But with such as the man you clearly love, one cannot lose hope." Arha brushed her fingers against Katara's hair.

"He is sleeping yet for a time. Perhaps it will be another pod-pop in which you shall see him. Cling to that, Katara. Do not let your fear control you."

Katara smiled, and linked her hand with her teacher a moment. "Thank you...I really do miss him. He was the kind of person that would jump at the chance to learn and do something different. It wasn't just him being an Avatar: he was also wise and innocent in his own way, caring so much about everything around him. When you meet someone like that, you don't let him go."

She sighed. "Maybe...I just feel lonely sometimes, I guess. There are days I wish he could be here, laughing with me, holding me. Its like some kind of quiet wish in my heart that has to keep burning, remembering. I know better than to let fear or cowardice take me now...my only real fear is going overboard one day."

"You must know yourself down to the smallest detail," Arha said. "Only then will you be able to master all parts of yourself. By becoming Bene Gesserit, you have already begun this process. Once you have mastered yourself in this manner, your fear at exceeding the limits you have placed upon yourself will vanish. I have faith in you that you know what is best for yourself. I cannot tell you where your path lies, but only give you the tools to walk it. You will master yourself, Katara. You have the strength to do so."

Katara let those words sink in for the moment and smiled to herself. "In these times, when I hear things like that, I usually think of Zuko's uncle Iroh, or one of the other members of the White Lotus clan in my world. They had been working together, older people of different nations, to help try and restore the exchanged peace and understanding between all of us. Truthfully, I joined the Bene Gesserit because I could see that in you, and I know you would help me get there. I know with your help, I will achieve the balance and strength to help others. I'm grateful for your help, Arha."

"I am pleased to be of aid," Arha said quietly. "It is not a difficult thing to give such when it is needed. Some of my kind would control you, but I am not them. I would have you set yourself free to be your best. It pleases me greatly to know that I will have a part in supporting your growth."

Katara nodded. "I know they would have tried. Before I joined, I read an awful lot in the media library. I ran through texts, muddied through what the Bene Gesserit were and what that involved. I knew that in the hands f one that wasn't out to make me a weapon, I would find a true teacher. I'm glad I was right."

She looked out into the ocean. "I know that you and I will both fight through what we saw. But I am glad to share my anxieties with you, and you back teacher. It gives me hope."

there were nightblooms in the east

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