Redeemed (Sokka x O.C.) ‐ Finished- Trigger Warning In Discription

35: The Little Girl

The group stood on a cliffs that overlooked the river, surveying the once beautiful town. It had a rustic look to it now rather than the sense of beauty that once came from the shinny-ness of the village. Despite being on the water it looked to be covered in dirt and grime.

Toph was confused. "I don't feel anything. Where is this village?"

Sokka looked at the township, once a pinical of fire nation engineering, now a hidden marvel. "It's in the middle of the river!"

"Sure is!" called a man's voice from his boat. "My name's Dock. Mind if I ask who you are?"

Katara smiled kindly. "We're, um, from the Earth Kingdom colonies."

Dock smiled in amazement. "Wow... colonials! Hop on; I'll give you a ride into town." They climbed into the boat and Dock proceeded towards the village.

Katara asked, "Why do you guys live on the river? "

"Because we're a fishing town. At least that's how it was before the factory moved in." He gestured to an ominous-looking Fire Army munitions factory, visible through a gap in the cliffs. "Army makes their metal there. Moved in a few years ago and started gunking up our river. Now our little village is struggling to survive." They arrived in the town.

"Thanks for the ride," Aang called as they set out to explore.

Tu Cho was looking very uncomfortable as she looked around the little town. The life was sparce and what could be seen was stricken with poverty and illness. Tu Cho shook the thoughts of the once beautiful village from her mind. This was their harsh reality. And worse, the reality was hauntingly similar to the outer ring.

"Look at this place, Katara said sadly. "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!"

Katara glared at her brother. "These people are starving, but you turn your back on them? How can you be so cold and heartless?"

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

Toph slapped her hand over Sokka's mouth. "Hey, loudmouth! Maybe we should be a little quieter when we talk about taking out the Fire Lord in the Fire Nation."

While Tu Cho knew what she meant, she didn't think it would make a difference here. There was too much grief for anyone to care if a tyrannical ruler was over thrown. That wouldn't change anything here.

Sokka was only a little quieter. "Come on, Katara, be reasonable about this. You know our mission has to come first."

Katara was relunctant. "I guess so." Tu Cho didn't have to ask to know what Katara was going to do.

"Let's just get what we need and go." Aang said. He led the way to a counter of an outdoor market stall, staffed, to all appearances, by the same aged fisherman who gave them a lift into town.

"Hey, Dock," Sokka greeted. "You work here too?"

Dock answered with, "I'm not Dock, I'm Xu. Dock's my brother."

This, of course, confused the group. Aang said, "But we just saw you. You're even wearing the same clothes. The only difference is your hat."

Dock shook his head. "Dock works on the docks, that's why they call him Dock, and I work in the shop, that's why they call me Xu."

Aang tilted his head, "I don't get it."

Dock shrugged. "Me neither.

"The Xu was a currency used in the fire nation about three thousand years ago," Tu Cho said but no one listened. "What ever. I'ma wander now." No one said anything so Tu Cho wandered off to investigate the town.

She walked slowly along the walk ways looking at everyone. She was sad that she couldn't do anything to help the children. They were so sad and none of them had enough energy to run and play.

A little girl in a shabby dress walked up to Tu Cho. She carried a small brown, home made, woven basket full of purple berries and her hair was pulled back in old and messy braids. "Care to buy some purple berries?" The little girls tounge was a deep purple color as though she had been eating a lot of the berries herself. "Seven for a copper."

Tu Cho looked sadly at the girl. See fumbled in the pockets of her robe for some coins and managed to find three small gold coins. She took two from her pocket and handed them to the girl. "I'll take all of them. You get your family some real food." She gave the girl a loving smile as she traded the basket of purple berries for the coins.

The girl stared at the two shiny coins as though she'd never seen so much money in her life. "Thank you, miss! I can use this to buy my little brother some medicine in the next town over tomorrow!" The girl smiled widely. "Thank you so much! You can keep the basket. I have another one. I have to go tell Momma! She'll never believe it!" The little girl ran off with sudden energy as Tu Cho smiled and waived.

"A true Painted Lady there, aren't ya?" An old woman's voice sounded from a porch beside Tu Cho.

Tu Cho turned to see the old woman sitting by her door way in an old blue dress. Her gray hair was pulled back into a bun and her hands sat in her lap without the energy to do anything. "Who is the Painted Lady?" Tu Cho asked.

"The Painted Lady is a beautiful river spirit who helps the village by providing food," the woman said. "She's like the mother of the village. She provides for us."

"Looks like she hasn't been here for a while..." Tu Cho said sadly.

"Things have been slow since the factory moved in." The old woman glared towards the factory. "Even a spirit as strong as the painted lady can't get through all the pollution."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Tu Cho looked at the basket of berries in her hand, remembering how happy the little girl was. She tried one of the sweet berries and as soon as she swallowed, her baby kicked. "Like those?" She chuckled. She set one hand on her baby bump. "You are far stronger than I am, little one," Tu Cho said to herself. "I only hope I can see you grow."