The Burning Truth-Harmony

Part 8~The Painted Lady

Xu ducked down, pulling out two fish. "Would you like the one-headed fish or the two-headed fish?"

Sokka pondered the choices before he grinned. "Two-headed. What? You get more for your money that way."

The group just looked at him in disbelief as Hachi pulled a face. "I've never understood Isu's vegetarian diet as much as I do now."

~~~

Isu hummed softly, playing with Corno's fur as Iroh set up a fire, boiling some of the water they had collected. "We should take care to not upset the careful biology of your friends."

Isu nodded, gently trying to get Corno to eat, which she did with no problem. "I don't get it."

Iroh gave Isu a look as she continued to run her fingers through the fur.

"Other than her tongue, everything seems normal. She's eating, drinking, correct temperature. She seemed to have a bit of a stomach ache earlier, but she's fine now."

Iroh hummed. "Maybe it's a biennial allergic reaction. I've heard stories of people's tongues swelling when they eat certain foods. We should check her breathing and her skin for a rash."

"Yeah, I'm just worried."

"It's a good thing. If you weren't, you would be a terrible friend."

~~~

A day passed as the group headed back to the village. This time, Sokka, Katara, Isu and Toph were present, while Iroh, Hachi and Zuko stayed in camp.

"Hi, Dock. Is Xu around?" Sokka waved at Dock as he hummed.

"Let me check," he rushed around the back of the shop, reappearing with Xu's hat. "Hey there! Back again, are ya?"

"We need more food. Our friend is still sick, and we can't leave until she's better."

Xu nodded, presenting them with a plat of polluted clams. "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."

Sokka rolled his eyes, picking up the clams. "And maybe she'll cook us a midnight snack, and we'll all have a sing-along."

"Yeah, maybe! You know, last night she visited us again. Healed most of our sick folks."

"So that's why this place seems so festive," Toph muttered as Xu nodded.

"Yep, it's all because of the Painted Lady."

Katara smiled softly, looking at the large statue of the Painted Lady. "Can you believe how much an entire village can be affected by one lady, I mean, spirit?"

"Well, I hope she returns every night. Otherwise, this place would go right back to the way it was," Sokka commented as Katara glared at him.

"Why would you say that? Look how much better off these people are."

"Yeah, now, but without her, they couldn't fend for themselves. If she really wanted to help, she would use her spirit magic to blow up that factory." He vaguely waved to the statue as Isu snorted.

"Spirit magic doesn't work that way, Sokka. Though, it is odd."

"What makes you say that?" Toph questioned as Isu shrugged.

"Don't know. Normally I can sense spirits, but this place doesn't feel like it's had any spirits near it in centuries."

~~~

Katara snuck around the camp, waterbending the water to reflect herself as she painted on the markings. She dropped the water, gliding away as Isu's eyes fluttered open.

"Holy- it's her!" She jumped up, charging away her. "Hello, Painted Lady Spirit!"

Katara gasped, trying to flee as Isu used her air bending to move faster.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to bother you, but my friend's sick, and we're on kind of a tight schedule." Isu continued her chase across the river. "Wait! I'm pretty good at spiritual stuff, and I'm friends with the healing spirit Tai-vu."

Katara did not stop as she ran onto the docks. She paused, looking in the water, when she spotted Isu, who grinned.

"My name's Isu. Spiritual guide to the Avatar."

Katara stood, disguising her voice as Isu raised her eyebrow. "Well, hello, Isu. I wish I could talk, but I am very busy."

Isu looked at her hands, leaning against a building. "Yeah, I hate when that happens. You know what else I hate?"

"No?"

"When my friend poisons my bison and conspires behind my back."

Katara stepped back. "Sounds like you have a lot going on."

"Katara. Next time you want to hide your identity, wear more clothes, not less."

Katara sighed, finally giving up. "I'm sorry."

"I guessed. Why do it, though?"

Katara shrugged, sitting down. "I just wanted to help."

"Not that. Why hide it from me? I could have got Corno to do her whole 'I'm too sick to move' act."

"You're not mad?"

"What? I think it's brilliant, but next time, involve me. You'll find I'm super sneaky."

Katara chuckled. "Well, if you wanna help, there's one more thing I have to do."

Isu grinned. "Wanna blow up a factory?"

"Sokka was just kidding, but he was right. Removing this factory is the only way to permanently help these people."

"Hell yeah!"