The Blue and The Painted

Chapter 1: The Lady

*Katara's POV*

As the gang and I flew over the fire nation on appa; we stopped at this little fishing village next to a fire nation factory. These people... living in polluted water in poverty. I saw as many kids were playing with burn scars on their body's. While their moms and many other people of the village laid helplessly sick on the floor.

"Hey can we get two fish" Sokka asked the polite man working the shop

"Hello! My name's Shu!" The gang muttered together realizing it was the same man working on the docks "What can I get for you folks?" Shu still asked politely

"Hey but you're Dock... the man who works on the docks?" Aang questioned

"Oh no! That's my brother Dock. He's Dock because he works on the dock, and I'm Shu because I work in the shop!"

"Oh alright..." Aang stepped back

"We will take 2 fish!" Sokka said "Well... not the 2 headed one..."

"If you buy 3 fish, I'll throw in a clam for free!"

"Oh no it's alright." I insisted

Shu was handing me the fish we had just purchased; and this little boy I had seen stray further away from the other kids politely asked me if I could spare a fish. I examined his body quickly. The little boy had burn scars on his stomach and arms, his stomach was bloated from the malnutrition.

"Of course." I said "I wish I could help more."

He thanked me and ran off back to his sick mother who looked dreadfully ill. I scanned the area around me looking for the gang. It appears they left me at Shu's shop. I supposed they're strolling around? I took a glance at the shelf behind Shu to see a beautiful glass figure of a woman; she wore white veil, a grass hat, she was particularly pale, but with red stripes going all around her body.

"Who is that?" I asked Shu

"Oh that's the painted lady. She's a spirit who watches over our village and heals the sick."

That's when it popped into my mind. I could definitely find some red paint and a white veil. I found a solution to help the sick. To help this village. I was becoming the painted lady... the gang of course could not know about this. They'd think I've gone mad, and Sokka would only care about his schedule. But, I can't just leave this people knowing I can help.

"Katara come on! We're going!" Sokka hollered

"I'm coming!"

I ran back to appa and we went back to camp. I waited til night to proceed with my plan. I had all the supplies I needed to get my spirt disguise on, I had my water satchel to my left, and some spare food on my right. I was ready.

I ran down to the village. I used my waterbending to create some fog so no one could see me too clearly. First I cleaned the first Shu was selling down at the shop. It was late; no one in sight was awake at this hour. Then I went down to where the sick people stayed at night. I used my satchel with non-polluted water to heal these people. The last person I healed was that sweet little boys mom.

Out of all the mothers and fisherman I healed in this room. She was probably the sickest. The little boy woke up as soon as I walked away

"Thank you painted lady."

I smiled from ear to ear with the thought in my mind that this young child wouldn't have to keep taking care of his mother instead of enjoying his time with his friends as he should. I walked away without being aware of my surrounding until I saw a man dressed in black running around the corner of the shops. His face couldn't be seen, as he was wearing a blue and white mask with horns coming out of the mouth.

I scurried off hoping he wouldn't see me. I had to make sure my cover wouldn't be blown. Yet, I was so interested in why he was in the village. It was a bad idea but, I followed this man. I stayed low and behind so I wouldn't be seen. What could he be doing? I don't even think he lives in the village.

I saw him stocking up Shu's shop with clean, non-mutated fish. The man also put cooked food in front of every villagers home. This man has the same purpose as me. To help... I zoned out for too long thinking about the amazing glimpse I had of him. I forgot about my other tasks I needed to complete.

I went to the villages water supply and used my bedding to separate the pollution from the clean water. This is what was making the villagers so sick! The water. Yet, even though they're so sick. There's no medicine around. It was the firenation factory that had been taking this villages medicine as their "deal" to be allies with one another.

It was sick! Those factory workers knew there were children who lived down in this village yet, they could still take from the people who barley had anything to begin with? Damn, and I know I can't keep helping them since it's just going to keep happening because of the factory. I have to do something about that.