The sun rose as the group packed up, ready to leave, when Isu glanced back. "What's the matter, Katara?"
"I think Corno's sick." She petted Corno's fur as Isu shot forward.
"What?!"
"Corno's sick? That's awful," Sokka complained as Toph raised an eyebrow.
"Wow, Sokka, I didn't realise you cared so much."
"Of course, I care. I might as well throw our schedule away now." Sokka pulled out the scroll as the rest glared at him. He cleared his throat, rushing to Corno's side. "And I'm concerned because my big, furry friend doesn't feel well."
Isu kicked him to the side, muttering sweet nothings to her bison as she petted Corno's head.
"She must have gotten sick from being in the polluted water," Toph commented as Isu frowned.
"No, no. I know my bison. She doesn't look sick. You okay, girl?" Corno groaned, opening her mouth and showing off the purple tongue. "Well, that's new. Katara, can you heal her?"
"It looks like she needs some medicine. Maybe we can find the right herbs in town."
Isu frowned, petting Corno's head softly. "I'll stay with the bison. Keep an eye on her and make sure Pickle doesn't catch whatever Corno has."
Iroh nodded, offering to stay as well as the rest left. Hachi watched the bison in concern as Zuko pulled him back to town. "Let's get those herbs and make her feel better," Zuko soothed as Hachi sighed.
"Yeah."
"What's wrong?"
Hachi hugged his arms, keeping his head down. "This may be silly, but I don't know. I've studied bison care; it's the only textbook I willingly read, but I've never heard or seen or read about a bison's tongue turning purple. Red, yes. Green sure. Yellow, a few times, but never purple."
"Maybe the textbooks are outdated, or this disease hasn't affected bison before?"
"But that would be more concerning as if this is the first time it's hopped from river to bison," he drifted off as Zuko connected the dots.
"The bison might not be the only ones infected."
~~~
"Is it just me, or does this place seem different?" Toph frowned as they walked through the town. People were cheering and running about as Hachi gave them a suspicious look.
"Yeah, are the people happier?"
Sokka led the charge, going up to Xu's market. "Hey, Xu, what's going on with everyone today?"
"Ah, something amazing happened last night," Xu cheered, drinking from a ladle. "Food was delivered to our village by a mysterious and wonderful person, the Painted Lady."
"The Painted who now?" Katara gave Xu a weird look as he smiled.
"The Painted Lady." He placed a miniature statute of the spirit on the counter. "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."
"See, we don't need to help these people. They already have someone to help them," Sokka exclaimed. "All we need is medicine for our sick friend."
"Medicine? Sorry, all the medicine we have goes to the factory. That's why there are so many sick people in our village."
"Looks like we need to stay another night so Corno can rest," Katara stated as Sokka sighed.
"I guess you're right. You got any more food to sell?"
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!"