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The Painted Lady

Katara crinkled her nose as Sang swam through the river of brown sludge. "I think this is polluted."

"Well, that explains why I can't get any fish," Sokka said. "Normally, my fishing skills are off the hook! Get it? Off the hook?"

Toph snorted. "If only your skills were on the hook."

"It looks like we'll need to stop somewhere else for food," Katara said. "Assuming it fits into Sokka's master schedule."

Sokka studied the schedule. "Hm, it does fit. But that means only two potty breaks a day."

"Hey, maybe we could get food there!" Rina pointed to the village of Jang Hui.

---

They covered Sang in moss. "There," Rina said. "You look just like a hill with horns." Tikaani crawled up to Sang and camouflaged himself.

---

"I don't feel anything," Toph said, shifting her foot. "Where's the village?"

"It's in the middle of the river," Zuko answered.

"Sure it is!" A man in a raft rowed up to them. "My name's Dock. Mind if I ask who you are?"

Katara thought of an answer. "We're Earth Kingdom colonials."

"Wow, colonials! Hop on, I'll give you a ride to town."

The five got onto the raft. "Why do you live in the river?" Katara asked.

"Because we're a fishing town. At least, that's how it was before the factory moved in." He nodded to the massive Fire Nation factory at the mouth of the river. "The army makes their metal there. They moved in a few years ago and started gunking up our river. Now we struggle to survive."

Zuko frowned. "This isn't right. Why aren't there more regulations to stop the environment from being ruined?"

Dock shrugged as he pulled up to the town. "Thanks for the ride," Rina called as they got off.

"Look at this place," Katara said. "It's so sad. We have to do something to help."

Sokka shook his head. "No, we can't waste our time here. We have a bigger mission that we need to stay focused on. These people are on their own."

Zuko scowled. "Sokka, these are my people. I won't turn my back on them."

"I'm not turning my back, I'm being realistic. We can't go around helping every rinky-dink town we run into. We'll be helping them all by taking out the Fire Lord!"

"Hey!" Toph hissed. "Maybe be a little more quiet when talking about taking out the Fire Lord?"

"Come on, Zuko, Katara. Be reasonable. You know that our mission has to come first."

"I guess so," Katara said reluctantly.

Rina nodded. "Let's just get what we need to and go."

They approached a market stall, run by Dock. "Hey, Dock," Sokka said. "You work here too?"

"I'm not Dock. I'm Shop, Dock's brother."

Rina frowned. "But we just saw you. You're even wearing the same clothes. All that's changed is your hat."

"Dock works on the docks. That's why they call him 'Dock.' I work in the shop, and that's why they call me 'Shop.'"

"I don't get it."

"Me neither." He pulled out a crate of rancid seafood. "What can I getcha? Here, I'll give you a special deal. If you buy three fish, I'll throw in a clam for free."