Accidental Avatar 3: Totally Lit

Got 'em

A/N: So SashaL previously said only one upload per week, but I got bored, so here's another one.  I wouldn't think of this as a regular occurrence, though.  Just a random lucky break? Shh! Don't tell him! (He probably already knows...)

A/N: Your Glorious leader, Sasha L, knows... and I approve. Carry on.

That night, Katara was busily donning her Painted Lady outfit while Mangetsu quietly stuffed their sleeping bags. When done, Mangetsu pulled a hood over his head and disappeared into the grass while Katara plopped a conical hat with a veil onto her head. She checked herself in her makeshift mirror, then made to follow the smaller waterbender, gliding as quietly as possible.

Momo chirruped, startling from sleep and jumping onto Aang's face.

"What's the matter, buddy?" Aang asked, rubbing his eyes.

"If you can't say anything nice..." Mogui mumbled in his sleep.

"It's just Mogui sleep talking, Momo," he chided the lemur.

"Punch him in the nose," Muteki flopped a hand onto Mogui's face. 

Both lads kept sleeping.

The lemur chirruped again, and Aang looked up just in time to see a shadow float away.

"It's Her!" Aang whisper-shouted. "Hello, Painted Lady Spirit," he sprinted after her.

The pair split up, Mangetsu shrouding himself in fog while Katara dashed across the water.

"Excuse me," Aang ran just behind the cloaked figure. "I don't mean to bother you, but my friend's sick, and we're on kind of a tight schedule."

She continued to ignore him while Mangetsu tailed the duo from a safe distance.

"Wait, but I'm the great bridge between your world and mine," the Avatar called as she continued to run away into the village. "I know Hei Bai. We're close personal friends. Heeey!!"

 The kid ran across a rooftop...but, distracted by the vocalization, he ran into a roof pole. Katara continued through the village, across the river, and onto the opposite riverbank. She stopped to catch her breath, turned around...and there's Aang. Mangetsu kept himself hidden in the mists, allowing them to wrap him like a blanket.

"My name's Aang," the boy grinned. "I'm the Avatar."

"Well, hello, Avatar," Katara replied with a redonkulous fake voice. "I wish I could talk, but I am very busy." 

She pulled her hat down as Aang tried to peek under.

"Yeah, me too," he sighed. "I hate that."

"You know, you're really pretty for a spirit," Aang commented. "I don't get to meet too many spirits, but the ones I do meet...not very attractive."

"Thank you," Katara fumbled. "But..."

"You seem familiar, too," Aang narrowed his eyes.

"A lot of people say that," the girl panicked.

"No," Aang seemed resolute. "You really seem familiar."

Katara dropped the accent. "Look, I really should get going..."

She turned to leave, but Aang sent her hat flying with a blast of airbending. She frantically pulled it back onto her head, but...

"Katara!" Aang seemed surprised.

"Hi, Aang," Katara sounded defeated.

"You're the Painted Lady!" he gasped. "But how?"

"I wasn't at first," the girl sighed. "I was just trying to help the village. But since everyone thought that's who I was anyway...I guess I just kind of became her."

"So you've been sneaking out at night?" Aang asked. "Wait...is Appa even sick?!"

"He might be sick," she started. "Of the purple berries Mangetsu and I have been feeding him, but, other than that, he's fine."

"Mangetsu is in on it too?!" Aang gasped. "I can't believe you lied to everyone so you could help these people."

"I'm sorry," Katara hung her head. "I know I shouldn't have."

"No, I think it's great!" Aang exclaimed. "You're like a secret hero."

"Well, if you want to help," Katara smiled. "There's one more thing I have to do."

"Wait, where is Mangetsu?" Aang questioned, looking around for the blonde bender.

"He might already be there," Katara shrugged. "He's surprisingly good at this sneaking around and secretive stuff. We've been using mist as cover. Adds to the whole mysterious spirit thing. Mangetsu thinks it's silly, though."

"That's so cool..." Aang said with shining eyes.