As promised, there shall be some action in this chapter, but there also shall be some amazing fluff in it too! This chapter is based a lot off of the episode ‘The Painted Lady’, but I changed some stuff around to make it more interesting for you guys. Or at least I hope.

Anyways, on to the disclaimer then the story!

Disclaimer: Again? This is the second time today!

Me: Yes again. Now just do it! If you do I’ll give you a cookie!

Disclaimer: Really?

Me: Yep so do it and hurry up!

Disclaimer: kataang1234 does not own Avatar! Now give me my cookie!

Me: Here you go. *throws cookie* Now on to the story!

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Katara’s POV

A few days later we were finally leaving On ji’s house. We shared our goodbyes then left for the cave where Appa and Momo stayed. I walked beside Aang with our hands clasped together as we walked in front of the others. The others joke around behind us and I could tell that even Zuko was probably smiling. It was really good to see everyone happy. I have this strange feeling that it’s going to end soon. I shook off the thoughts and looked towards Aang. I still had something to discuss with him.

“So, why didn’t you tell me about On ji before?” I asked with a smirk. I’m over it, but I still want to know. Plus it’s fun to see him squirm.

“Because she wasn’t important,” he replied nonchalantly.

“So you danced with her and she wasn’t important?” I asked curiously.

“Well, back then I thought I had a thing for her, but there wasn’t really a connection. Not like the one I have with you,” he said with a blush.

“Good answer,” I said with a smirk and he rolled his eyes.

We walked up to the cave, but before we could go inside Toph stopped us.

“Wait, there are three girls in there. I recognize one as Azula and I’m not sure who the other two are, but they seem familiar,” she said as she put her hand on the ground.

“What should we do?” Sokka asked.

“We need Appa so we have to face them,” Aang replied.

“I think I have an idea of who the two girls are,” Zuko said and then looked at me. I knew exactly who they were.

The others looked at us curiously and Aang seemed a little frustrated like he knew too. Before they could say anything, Zuko walked right into the cave. We all stood there for a moment before following him in. Inside the cave I could hear Appa growling and the three figures that I knew would end up finding us.

Zuko’s POV

My heart sped up as I looked into the eyes of the girl I love. I know she is probably mad at me and isn’t on my side, but I still can’t help, but smile just a little from the sight of her. I saw her slip up and smile a bit too before turning back to stone. Yeah she is so pissed. I looked towards Azula with a frown. She smirked at me and the spoke up.

“Hello, brother,” she greeted.

“How did you find us?” I asked bitterly.

“I know you all to well brother. Your strategy hasn’t changed since you traveled with Uncle,” She stated then looked at the others behind me.

“Which reminds me, where is Uncle? I thought he was a part of your little escape plan,” she said. She really knows how to hit a nerve.

“No, he wasn’t. He escaped on his own and is on his own now,” I replied through clenched teeth.

“Well, that’s too bad. I was hoping to round you all up at once,” she replied.

“Ok Azula, enough small talk. If your going to try to capture us then think again. You’re clearly outnumbered,” Sokka said.

“Oh, your wrong about that peasant. It’s you who is outnumbered,” she said.

Dai Lee agents came from all edges of the cave. It seemed as though we were outnumbered, but I knew the others could take the Dai Lee agents while I tried to talk to Mai. I know this is going to turn into a fight, but I am ready. We all got into fighting stances and soon it was an all out battle field. Katara used water from a pouch that she had hidden away to fend for herself while Aang used all of the elements including a little bit of fire bending to fight Azula. Toph and Sokka dodged Ty Lee’s attacks while trying to fight her off. The only one left was Mai and she seemed to be headed my way. Yeah, she is more than pissed, she’s furious.

She threw a few knifes my way which I easily dodged. I could tell that she wasn’t using all her strength. She knew I didn’t want to hurt her and I knew she didn’t want to hurt me. Even if she was holding back I knew she wasn’t very happy with me.

“A letter,” she stated as she threw another knife my way. “All you left me with was a stupid letter!”

“It was the best way for you,” I replied as I jumped to the left to dodge the blade.

“For me, oh what a relief. You betrayed your country for me,” she said.

“That’s not how I see it,” I said with a grim expression.

“Really, then how do you-” she started, but was cut off by a blood curling scream.

I gasped as I saw Katara laying on the ground, clutching her arm. I saw Azula’s smirk and Aang’s shocked yet angry face. I didn’t know what to do at first. It all sunk in when Mai started screaming at me.

“Save Katara! I will hold them off, just get her out of here!” She yelled.

I looked into her eyes and she looked into mine then I nodded and took off. She pinned the remaining Dai Lee agents to the ground and walls. Aang picked up Katara and we ran outside to get on Appa. I gave one last look to the cave where Mai and Ty Lee were holding back Azula then jumped on Appa and took the reins. As we took of into the skies I couldn’t help, but think of Mai.

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Katara’s POV

I was barely aware of what was going on until we landed. They was panic on everyone’s faces and in their voices as the got me off of Appa. I came to when I saw the polluted water. I stopped Aang and told him to take me to the water. The best thing for me right now to me would have to be the cold water on this stinging pain in my leg. He took me to the water and sat beside me. I leaned towards him and whispered in his ear.

“I have the worst luck,” I said with a light chuckle. He chuckled a little for my sake, I guess.

I bending the water into the air while Aang bending the pollution out. I placed it on my charred skin with my hands and the water started to glow. My eyes widened in shock and I heard a few gasps around me.

“Katara, you have healing abilities,” Aang said in wonder.

“Wow,” I said as the burn disappeared.

“It’s an amazing ability,” he said and then smiled at me.

“Well, thank you. Now tell me where we are,” I said this a smile.

“Um, I have no idea, but we’re going to have to get supplies and leave soon,” Sokka said from behind me.

“Where is the next town?” Toph asked.

“It’s in the middle of the river,” Zuko said as he pointed to the town over the cliff.

“Sure is!” A voice yelled from down below. “I can take you there if you like.”

“Okay, thanks,” Sokka replied as he walked over to the edge of the cliff.

I got up with Aang’s help even though I didn’t need it I thought I would humor him. We climbed down to the shore where a raft like boat was waiting for us. A man with a crazed expression on his face waits on the boat and smiles as we walk up.

“Hello travelers, I’m Dock. Who might you all be?” He asked with a smile.

“I’m Kuzon and these are my friends. Were from the colonies,” Aang replied.

“Colonials eh? Well, hop on,” he replied cheerfully.

We all got onto the boat and he pushed off. I looked around at the polluted water and wondered why anyone would every want to live on this lake. There definitely can’t be many fish around here. I looked around and saw the town positioned as Sokka had said, in the middle of the lake.

“Why did you put your town in the middle of a river?” Sokka asked.

“Because we’re a fishing town or we were before the factory moved in. The Fire Nation makes their metal there. They moved in a few years back and have been polluting our river ever since,” he stated as he docked the boat.

I glance at Aang warily as we got off the boat. Dock waved goodbye to us then took off in another direction. We walked together on the small pathway towards what look like a shop. I looked around and what I saw was horrible. These people were sick, hungry, and poor because of the Fire Nation. I looked towards the others and spoke.

“We have to do something to help these people,” I told them.

“No, no, no. We don’t have time to save some little town. We already have Azula after us, we don’t need anything else to attract attention to ourselves,” Sokka said as he stopped and turned to me.

“How could you say that? How can you turn your back on these people?” I questioned angrily.

“I’m just being realistic. We’ll be helping all these towns out by wiping out the Fire Lord,” Sokka exclaimed a little to loudly.

“Hey loudmouths! Maybe we should be a little quieter when talking about wiping out the Fire Lord,” Toph said as she covered Sokka’s mouth.

“Why don’t we just get the supplies when need then get out of here,” Aang suggested.

“Fine,” I grumbled.

We walked over to a hut and Sokka leaned over the counter. Just as he did Dock popped up from behind the counter. He looked exactly the same except he had a different hat on.

“Hello, what can I help you with?” He asked with a crooked smile.

“Hey, Dock w-” Sokka started.

“Dock is my brother, I’m Xu,” he stated.

“But, we just saw you. Your wearing the same close and everything, the only difference is your hat,” Aang said as he gestured to the hat.

“Dock works at the Docks so they call him Dock and I work in the shop so they call me Xu,” he replied.

“Okay, Xu,” Sokka said as he eyed him suspiciously. “We just need some food, what do you have?”

“Take your pick,” he said as he put out a plate of disgusting fish and clams that were polluted by the river.

“Thanks Xu. Do you mind asking your brother to give us a ride back to shore?” Sokka asked.

“Sure,” Xu said then disappeared behind the counter the reappeared with Dock’s hat.

“Hey colonials, my brother says you need a ride. Let’s go,” He replied as he walked away from the shack and towards the docks.

The others walked away with Dock while I grabbed the fish. A young boy walked up to me and tugged on my skirt. I looked down at him, he had dirt on his face and his pants were tattered.

“Can you spare some food miss?” He asked with sad eyes.

“Sure,” I said as I handed him the food.

“I wish I could do more,” I said to him.

“Thank you,” he replied and then walked off to give his mother the fish.

I stood up and caught up to the others. I grabbed Aang’s hand as we walked along the walkway together. I began concocting the perfect plan for how I could help these people. I smiled mischievously at my plan and I thought Aang saw, but I think he just ignored it. After that we got on the boat and rode back to the shore. We soon cooked dinner, discussed plans, and then the others went to bed as I started the first part of my plan.

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For the past two days my plan has gone great. Everyone thinks that Appa is sick and the towns people think that I’m the Painted Lady. They even put a huge statue of her in the middle of their town. Sokka is stressing about how Azula might catch up to us, but I have a idea of how to help this town permanently so we can leave before Azula can get even close to us. I’m going to destroy the factory at the edge of the river.

Sokka technically gave me the idea earlier today when he made a comment about if the Painted Lady really wanted to help these people then she would destroy that factory. So that’s my plan, but it isn’t turning out as well as I thought it would. I got ready like normal, but Momo saw me and woke up Aang who is now chasing me through the town.

“Wait up!” He shouted as he raced me on the roofs above as I ran on the water.

I winced slightly as he ran into a pole on the roof, but used it to my advantage and ran across the water, onto the shores on the other side of the town. I hid behind a rock and looked around a rock to see if he followed. I breathed out in relief as I didn’t see him until I turned around and he appeared in front of me. I gasped and tried to cover my face with my hat.

“Hi, I’m Aang. I’m the Avatar,” he said as he lifted up his headband to show his arrow.

“Yes, Avatar, I would love to talk, but I’m very busy,” I said as I failed miserably at trying to disguise my voice.

“Yeah, I hate that. You know your really pretty for a spirit. I have met a lot of spirits and I gotta say, they weren’t very attractive,” he said as he tried to peak under my hat.

“Thank you. I get that a lot,” I said as I pulled my hat down more.

“No, I mean you look really familiar,” he said as he tried to look at me closer.

“Well, I must be going now,” I said as I turned around and walked away. A gust of wind flew my hat into the air. I tried to catch it and put it back on before he realized who I was, but it was to late.

“Katara?” He questioned.

“Hi Aang,” I said with a defeated sigh as I turned around to face him.

“You’re the Painted Lady?” He asked confused.

“Yeah, and I know it was stupid and I understand if your mad at me,” I said as I walked up to him.

“Why would I be mad at you?” He asked as he looked down at me.

“Because I endangered all of our safety.”

“Okay, but you helped this people. You’re like a secret hero,” he said with a smile.

“You really think so?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“Well, would you like to help?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Sokka may have been joking about the factory, but he was right. We need to destroy this factory to help these people,” I said.

“I’m in,” he said with a smile.

We stalked towards the factory and snuck in through a side door. I water bended as much water as possible into the factory to destroy as much as possible. I saw Aang earth bend a platform that destroyed a bunch of metal pipes. We spent the rest of the night destroying the factory from the inside, out.

As we walked back to camp in the wee hours of the morning Aang made comments about the whole event. I smiled at him and shared my thoughts until we got closer to camp.

“Shh, we don’t want to wake the others,” I whispered to him. Then I heard a cough behind me and whirled around as fast as I could.

“Oh, hi Sokka!” I said as I saw my brother staring at us furiously with Toph at his side.

“Don’t hi Sokka me! I know about everything. You have been sneaking out at night as the painted lady and feeding Appa purple berries to make him look sick!” He shouted.

“Okay Sokka, you found out. So we can leave now!” I said as I stormed past him.

“And how long have you known about this?” I heard Sokka ask Aang as he followed behind me.

“Hey, don’t look at me I found out this morning,” he replied as walked faster towards me.

“Um guys you might want to come see this,” Zuko said nervously as he looked over the side of the cliff.

“What is it?” I asked as the others and I joined Zuko at the edge of the cliff.

“It’s the Fire Nation workers from the factory, their headed for the town,” Zuko replied.

“What did you two do?!” Sokka shouted.

“Well, we kind of destroyed the factory,” I said.

“You what!” He shouted back at me.

“Guys relax! I have a plan,” Aang said as he began explaining to us his plan. As he told us everything I thought this could really work out.

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Well, I was right, but wrong at the same time. The whole plan worked out until after the Fire Nation had left. The towns people thanked me and were so happy that I showed up. I felt proud of myself, that was all until they realized I wasn’t their Painted Lady.

“Your not the Painted Lady!” Xu yelled at me as he took a step closer. “You’re a waterbender!”

“Hey, even if she is a waterbender she just saved your lives. You should be down on your knees thanking her!” Sokka said sternly to the old man.

“You’re right. Thank you miss, but what do we do now?” Xu asked.

“Maybe we could clean the river,” Toph mumbled from inside the crowd.

“Yeah, let’s clean the river.

The next few days we all spent our time helping them clean the river. Soon it was crystal clear. We were leaving today and as everyone else got ready to leave I walked down to the shore. I put my hands in the water and saw how clean it was. It made me proud to know that I had helped do this. I felt like a hero and it feels so right. Like this is where I’m supposed to be. I almost didn’t hear Aang’s footsteps as he walked up and stood beside me.

“Hey Katara, are you ready to go?” He asked. I didn’t reply I just flew into his arms and hugged him tight.

“Thank you,” I whispered into his ear.

“What for?” He asked, confused.

“For finding me,” I said then pulled back a little and kissed him on the lips. Which sent that same odd, but amazing feeling through me. That’s when I realized it, I’m in love with Aang.

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That’s it! I hope you like it! Review Please!