Chapter 26

The next day, after finding out Appa is sick, we head into the town.

"Is it me or are the people happier?" I ask looking at all the smiles. A small boy runs by with a bouncy ball and smiles to Katara, who smiles back.

"Hey, Xu, what's going on with everyone today?" Sokka asks the man who looks WAY too much like Dock.

"Ah, something amazing happened last night. Food was delivered to our village by a mysterious and wonderful person ... the Painted Lady." he blushes. "The Painted..who? Katara asks confused. 

"The Painted Lady. She's part of our town's lore. They say she's a river spirit who watches over our town in times of need. I always thought she was just a legend. Until now." Xu smiles as he places a statue onto the counter.

"See, we don't need to help these people, they already have someone to help them. All we need is medicine for our sick friend."

Xu's face falls "I'm sorry, we don't have any medicine, it goes to the factory. That's why we have so many sick people."

"Looks like we need to stay another night so Appa can rest." Katara responses looking towards her brother.

"I guess you're right. You got any more food to sell?" Sokka asks. Xu holds up two fish "Would you like the one-headed fish, or the two-headed fish?"

Sokka grabs the two headed fish, with a grin. "Sokka! That's disgusting!" I gag, as do the rest of us.

"What?! You get more for your money!"

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The next morning, all of us walk back towards the city.

"Hi, Dock. Is Xu around?" Sokka asks, which causes Dock to go under the counter and pop up with another hat. "Here I am!"

"We need more food. Our friend is still sick and we can't leave until he's better" Toph explains before slamming money down onto the counter. "Oh, well, that's too bad. Maybe if you guys are lucky, the Painted Lady will visit you in the night, and heal your friend." Xu smiles handing us some clams.

"And maybe she'll cook us a midnight snack, and we'll all have a sing-along." Sokka grins sarcastically. Rolling my eyes, I pinch Sokka's side, causing him to screech. "Stop being so rude Sokka, you can do that later" I warn.

"Yeah, may be! You know, last night she visited us again. Healed most of our sick folks." Xu smiled.

"Is that why this place seems so festive?" Aang asks looking around. 

Suddenly a large statue of the small one Xu had is risen into the air.

"Yep, it's all because of the Painted Lady." Xu sighs looking at the statue. "Can you believe how much an entire village can be affected by one lady I mean ... spirit?" Katara smiles looking around at the happy people.

"Well, I hope she returns every night. Otherwise this place would go right back to the way it was." Sokka scoffs, causing me to glare at him. Ever since we got here, he's been nothing but rude.

"Why would you say that? Look how much better off these people are." Katara answers annoyed. "Yeah, now, but without her they wouldn't be able to fend for themselves. If she really wanted to help, she would use her spirit magic to blow up that factory." Sokka points out causing Katara to get even more angry.

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Later that night, I was awoken by the sounds of voices and footsteps.

"Sokka..Sokka!" I whisper pushing Sokka's body. "Mmm Meat" he grumbled before wrapping his arm around me and pulling me next to him.

"Oh you are NOT thinking of meat right now" I grumble squirming against his hold. His eyes suddenly open before landing onto me. "Mika? Where'd my steak go?" he questioned.

"Aang and Katara are gone" I whisper, ignoring his comment. 

His eyes leave mine before looking over camp, spotting two empty sleeping bags and one rock tent where Toph is. Soon enough, his eyes land onto mine again "They're probably doing some waterbending." he says calmly. "In the middle of the night?" I scoff.

"Maybe" he mumbled before pressing his lips to mine. 

I let out a sigh before kissing him back, warmth spreads throughout my body, making me feel like I'm a million feet in the air, even though I'm just next to Sokka. 

"Sokka.." I question pulling my lips from his "What are we?" I ask.

"Well definitely not friends" he smirks. I roll my eyes "So are we dating?" I question.

"You could say we are" he smiled before pressing another quick kiss to my lips. My face flushes "So, when should we tell the others?" I ask.

"When the time is right, but since only 1/3 of them are here, we can do it later." he smiles.

"Will you two lovebird PIPE DOWN!" Toph screeches causing Sokka and I to jump away from each other. Her tent shoots back into the ground as she stands up. "When are we LEAVING" she groans "I'm sick of this place."

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After discovering berries that turned Appa's tongue purple (thanks to Toph), we waited for Aang and the 'Painted Lady'.

Sokka was fuming but I felt proud. Katara was helping those in need. "Hi, Sokka, we were just out on a morning walk!" Katara smiles as her and Aang round the corner.

  "Oh, really? A morning walk?" Sokka questions before dumping hay from Katara's sleeping bag. "I know you're the Painted Lady, I know you've been sneaking out at night, and I know you've been lying about Appa and been feeding him purpleising tongue berries!" he shouts before poiting to Toph who holds out her purple tongue. "Katara, what you did put our whole mission in jeopardy. We're leaving right now!" Sokka shouts.

"And how long did you know about this?" Sokka questions Aang who looks shocked. "Hey! I just found out this morning!" 

Suddenly a humming noise stops all of us. We gaze down towards the water as jet skis glide towards the village. "What's going on?" Toph asks.

"Fire Nation soldiers are heading toward the village!" Aang shouts. " What did you do?" Sokka asks Katara. "I kind of destroyed their factory" she laughs nervously.

"You did WHAT?!' Sokka asks loudly.

"Hey! It was YOUR IDEA" she grumbles.

"I was joking! I also said to use spirit magic and made funny noises! Did you even think this through? The army is gonna blame the villagers! They're headed there right now to get revenge!"Sokka accuses.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" she asked, anger starting to boil out from her. "Leave! That's what!" Sokka says.

"No, I will never, ever turn my back on people who need me!" Katara shouts, her anger consuming her.

"I'm going down to that village, and I am gonna do whatever I can." She says before turning, but Sokka stops her. "Wait! I'm coming, too."

"I thought you didn't want to help." Katara says. "You need me, and I will never turn my back on you." Sokka smiles before hugging his sister. 

"Sokka, you really do have a heart." Katara smiles.

Aang wipes a tear before looking at me "He really does have a heart, doesn't he?". I nod, before looking at him.

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I sit in a small rowboat with Sokka and Toph as Aang and Katara stop the men.

"So, when did you two become a thing because I made a bet with Aang and Katara" Toph asks bluntly. 

Sokka and I look at each other before blushing. "How'd you know?" Sokka asks, trying to stay calm.

"Please, even a blind person could see you two like each other and OH LOOK, here's a blind person" Toph snickers. 

Suddenly, Katara shoots into the air as a burst of fire appears from the fog. 

"It happened at the dance party" Sokka says, causing me to slap his chest playfully. "Sokka!"

"What! It was a very memorable moment" he snickers. "Ew! You kissed him with that fake hair on!?' Toph screeches before laughing. "Oh wow, that's real funny!"

Suddenly, I hear Jet skis zoom away. "That's our cue" Sokka smiles as he picks up the oars.

Before he can row, I stand in the boat and raise my arms, causing the sand at the bottom of the river to rise and push us towards the town where the people look angry at Katara.

"She's a waterbender!" someone shouts. "Oh no" I whisper but Sokka jumps from the boat. 

"Maybe she is a waterbender, but she was just trying to help you. Because of her, that factory won't be polluting your river, and the army is gone. You should be down on your knees thanking her!"

Katara steps in front of Sokka "Sokka, it's okay.  I shouldn't have acted like someone I wasn't, and I shouldn't have tricked you. But I felt like I had to do something. It doesn't matter if the Painted Lady is real or not. Because your problems are real, and this river is real. You can't wait around for someone to help you. You have to help yourself."

"What should we do?" Xu asks.

"We can clean the river."