The story of a father, a son, and a couple spirits
Many of the water tribe men had died during their encounter with the Fire Nation scouts. Enough so that they had to split up the supplies from the most damaged ship - the Tempest - amongst the remaining six because there weren't enough men left to sail her.
Instead, they piled the Fire Nation corpses on her and set her alight. Even in war, the dead must be respected. Returning Agni's subjects to him was the only way to do it.
The Water Tribesmen, however, were granted water burials - allowing La to take their spirits.
Hakoda felt terrible, though. He sent the men that died for him off without a thought of them in his mind. He knew it'd be fair to treat Tobirama as if he were just another soldier, but he couldn't bring himself to.
His men were to kind to him. They told him that they understood and set the ships as fast as they could go towards Kyoshi.
Hakoda prayed to La to make their journey a swift one, and she seemed to listen.
In the spirit world, La observed with her lover, a sea of tears in her fathomless eyes.
The silvery, glowing form of Tui took La's hands in her own, "You've done all you could, love. The rest is up to him now."
The ocean threw herself into the moon's gentle embrace, "Tui, oh Tui. He's still so young. He doesn't even know why he's here yet. He can't even remember."
Tui combed a hand through the white capped waves that fell from her lover's head, "If he survives, he will remember. Vayu owes me a favor, he can have the wind aid them."
La smiled at her wife, "Thank you."
As the Sedna pulled into the Kyoshi port, she carried a somber air with her. A group of impressive-looking women Hakoda identified as the Kyoshi Warriors surrounded who appeared to be the village elder as they greeted the warriors.
Hakoda found comfort in Bato's presence to his left, and used that to anchor himself as he all but begged for their help.
Oyaji, the elder, sent one of the young warriors to fetch a healer to have a look a Tobirama. Hakoda almost cried in relief, Bato had to grab his arm to keep him upright.
Hakoda wasted no time guiding Kyoshi Island's best healer to the infirmary below deck, trying to fight back the maelstrom that was his thoughts. The healer gasped, horrified upon seeing the young man.
Not that the burns were particularly terrible - anyone that's been around war would've seen worse. But the sheer number of blistering lines scored across the boy's pale skin was what warranted attention.
Hakoda had been wrong before. It was a mistake to bring Tobirama.
But he believed that his son would live. Tobirama's will was that of permafrost.
The healer robed in green looked at the chief from where he knelt by the injured youth, "My dear sir, I know how you must feel - this is a horrible thing for any parent to endure. But to treat him, I will need time and space. I would like to request that you allow him to be moved to my cabin."
Hakoda inhaled. To have his son taken from the Sedna, where he knew he'd be safe......
Bato's hand on his shoulder pulled him to reason, "Alright. I'll carry him."
The healer smiled with a particular tightness around his weathered eyes, "I have faith your son will live, my dear sir. He seems to have much life in him that is not eager to let go. You brought him to us quite quickly as well - the spirits must be in your favor."
The spirits, Hakoda thought, were funny things. They must be fond of Tobirama, for this is the second time that they've saved his life. But he didn't say any of this, for he had a feeling that the healer already knew, given the way he looked at the boy's moonbeam hair.
Instead, Hakoda simply gathered his son in his arms and followed the old healer up a well-traveled path.
It was a cruel irony, the way the people around them parted like they were water the unconscious youth had bent out of the way.
Hakoda placed his son in a soft bed draped in white linen, and watched from the wooden doorway as the healer fussed over Tobirama - Bato's presence the only thing anchoring him.
"He'll be alright, Koda. He's a strong young man - arguably the best we've got."
Hakoda sighed, "I know, Bato, I know."
They drifted into silence, only broken by the old healer's occasional muttering.
It was morbidity peaceful, in a way.
Or it was, until Katjuk, Hakoda's third, came running up the path - a piece of papar in hand.
"Chief! It's from General Fong! We're expected in Senlin in five days!"
Hakoda felt the floor drop out from under him and Bato's hand tighten on his arm. Hell, even the healer looked up. In the best weather, it took four days to get to Senlin from Kyoshi.
The old healer finished applying ointment to Tobirama's burns and walked to where the three Water Tribe men stood, "My dear sir, as I'm sure you know, this young man should not be in a ship whilst he heals. And if you are to .ale and ally of General Fong, you cannot be late. I should recommend that you leave your son with me for the time - I will care for him and ensure he heals as best he can. You, in turn, should leave a letter or something of the sort."
Hakoda didn't like it. He really didn't like it.
The wind picked up - it seemed oddly warm for this time of year. And gentle, too. It seemed to carry a whispered, melodic voice that said that 'they' would care for 'him.'
Hakoda had never been one to doubt the spirits, and he wouldn't start now.
With heavy heart, he wrote.
Tui observed the fae-like form that was her brother-in-law with a small smile, "Thank you, Vayu."
Vayu inclined his head in return, "It's truly not a problem. I would have helped either way - if not for my sake, then Agni's."
Tui laughed, "Right, the one Agni brought, he comes from the same place as Tobirama, no?"
Vayu nodded, one pair of arms crossed over his chest while the other moved to rest on his hips, "Yes, I believe they do. According to their spirits, however - they're called gods there - the two never got along."
The moon laughed with the wind, "Oh dear. La's going to have far too much fun with this."
Tobirama had always had strange dreams. Ever since he was young, he'd dreamt of a village he couldn't remember the name of at the bottom of a cliff, surrounded by trees so large they seemed unreal. He'd dreamt of people he couldn't quite place and a feeling he couldn't quite name.
He never told anyone of these dreams, it just wasn't in his nature. But he did wonder where they came from. For most of his life, his world was all ice and snow and water and fur. For all his life, he'd felt like something was missing.
Now, as Tobirama dreamt, he could put a name to that village - Konoha, home, the place he'd helped build - he could finally place those faces - his brothers, his clan, his students, and that kami-damned Uchiha bastard - and he understood what that feeling was. Chakra. Or the hollowness it left behind now that it was gone.
As he dreamt, he remembered dying. And then bring brought back to fight again. And then......
He remembered a voice - soft and gentle. It told him to help - that he was needed here, and not just because he could fight. It told him that someone else would be here, too. But the voice never got to finish.
It was odd, Tobirama thought as he continued to dream, how similar his new life is to his old one, yet how immeasurably different.
Distantly, he wondered if this 'chi' he now had could be used the same way as the 'chakra' he used to.
When Tobirama woke, he had things he needed to test.