The Fire Prodigy {ATLA}

{28}: The Factory

"Psst. Hey, Hana, wake up," I was startled when I saw Katara shaking me to wake me up in the middle of the night. She was wearing a long gown and a large hat, and her face had been painted in a strange way.

I frowned. "Katara? Are you going to a costume party or something?"

She shook her head. "Do you still want to help the people of this village?"

"Of course. But Sokka said--"

"Forget about Sokka. Come with me," she said, as she gestured for me to follow her to the shore.

I did as she asked, still a bit confused. It was probably because I was still half asleep, but it took me a few minutes to realize what was happening. I suddenly recalled Xu's talk about a Painted Lady helping the village, and it clicked for me.

"Katara... You're the Painted Lady!" I said in awe.

"I guess so. Look I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least try to help these people. Please don't tell Sokka or the others--"

"Of course not. What you are doing for them is commendable. Your secret is safe with me," I said with a smile. "But why are you telling me?"

"I need your help. I will waterbend us both to cross the river, but I need you to help while I deliver the food and heal the people. Could you do that?"

"Sure! You can count on me."

She smiled gratefully and took us both across the river with ease. I helped her using my energy bending to let her know exactly how to help each of the patients, as well as deliver the fish I helped her get from the river with her waterbending. With my knowledge and her waterbending skills, we got quite enough to feed all these people.

We returned to camp as quickly as possible, making sure we hadn't been caught by anyone. After that we called it a night and finally got some rest, more than I had gotten the night before, with a clear conscience.

The next day, we visited Xu once again. I was feeling very satisfied to see the improvement of the townspeople, as they all looked a lot better than when we came.

"Hey there! Back again, are ya?" Xu asked us once he saw us.

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

"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 said, giving us some more food.

"And maybe she'll cook us a midnight snack, and we'll all have a sing-along," Sokka replied sarcastically.

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

"Oh, did she?" I said, unable to hide my smile. "How awfully kind of them--err, of her."

"Is that why this place seems so festive?" Aang asked Xu.

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

"Can you believe how much an entire village can be affected by one lady I mean... spirit?" Katara asked, unable to hide her happiness as I was.

"Well, I hope she returns every night. Otherwise this place would go right back to the way it was," Sokka said, as usual, being his pessimist self.

"Oh, come on. Don't say that," I frowned back at him. "The people are so much happier now that she's come to help them."

"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."