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Water...

Earth...

Fire...

Air.

Long ago...

The four nations lived together in Harmony.

Then everything changed when the fire nation attacked.

Only the avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them.

But when the world needed him most

he vanished.

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new avatar...

An airbender named aang.

And although his airbending skills are great

he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone.

But I believe aang can save the world.

Previously on "avatar"...

What about the invasion?

We'll join up with my dad and the invasion force on the day of the eclipse.

Keep quiet.

We're in enemy territory.

What we need is some new clothes.

Yeah, blending in is better than hiding out.

If we get fire nation disguises

we'll be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave.

Ta-da, normal kid.

How do I look?

Momo?

Momo?

You found me, buddy.

Hey, guys, I think this river's polluted.

Well, that explains why I can't catch a fish around here.

Because normally my fishing skills are... off the hook.

Get it, like a fishing hook?

Too bad your skills aren't on the hook.

It looks like we'll need to go somewhere else to get food.

Assuming that'll fit into sokka's master schedule.

It's doable.

But that means only two potty breaks today.

Hey, maybe we can get food there.

Now you look just like a little hill with horns.

Bye, buddy.

I don't feel anything.

Where's this village?

It's in the middle of the river.

Sure is.

My name's dock.

Mind if I ask who you are?

We're, um, from the earth kingdom colonies.

Wow, colonials.

Hop on, I'll give you a ride into town.

Why do you guys live on the river?

Because we're a fishing town.

At least that's how it was before the factory moved in.

Army makes their metal there.

Moved in a few years ago and started gunking up our river.

Now our little village is struggling to survive.

Thanks for the ride.

Look at this place.

It's so sad.

We have to do something to help.

No, we can't waste our time here.

We have a bigger mission that we need to stay focused on.

These people are on their own.

These people are starving, but you turn your back on them?

How can you be so cold and heartless?

I'm not turning my back, I'm just being realistic.

We can't go around helping every rinky-dink town we wander into.

We'll be helping them all by taking out the fire lord.

Hey, loudmouth...

Maybe we should be a little quieter

when we talk about taking out the fire lord.

Come on, katara, be reasonable about this.

You know our mission has to come first.

I guess so.

Let's just get what we need and go.

Hey, dock, you work here too?

I'm not dock, I'm shoe.

Dock's my brother.

But we just saw you.

You're even wearing the same clothes.

The only difference is your hat.

Dock works on the docks, that's why they call him "dock."

And I work in the shop, that's why they call me "shoe."

I don't get it.

Me neither.

What can I get you?

Hey, I'll give you a special deal.

If you buy three fish, I'll throw in a clam for free.

We'll just take the fish.

Mind telling your brother we need a ride back to shore?

Hey, colonials.

My brother says you need a lift.

Can you spare some food?

I wish I could help more.

Our detour into town today has completely thrown off our schedule.

It's gonna take some serious finagling to get us back on track.

Finagle away, o schedule master.

Well, for starters, it looks like we'll need to wake up 43 minutes earlier every day.

43 minutes?

Look, we only have a few weeks to get to the fire lord in time for the invasion and the eclipse

which, by the way, only lasts for eight minutes.

And we just lost a whole day.

So if we want to make up the time and stay on schedule

we have to wake up early.

Well, I'm not waking up early.

Or we could just cut out all of our eating breaks.

What? No way. Forget it.

I got it, how's this?

From now on, we'll take food breaks and potty breaks

at the same time.

Ew.

Hey, it might be gross, but it's efficient.

Either way, we have to leave here first thing tomorrow morning.

What's the matter, katara?

I think appa's sick.

What, appa's sick? That's awful.

Wow, sokka, I didn't realize you cared so much.

Of course I care.

I might as well just throw our schedule away now.

And I'm concerned because my big, furry friend doesn't feel well.

He must've gotten sick

from being in the polluted water.

He doesn't look sick.

Are you ok, buddy?

His tongue is purple.

That can't be good.

Katara, can you heal him?

It looks like he needs some medicine.

Maybe we can find the right herbs in town.

Is it just me, or does this place seem different?

Yeah, are the people happier?

Hey, shoe, what's going on with everyone today?

Something amazing happened last night.

Food was delivered to our village by a mysterious and wonderful person.

The painted lady.

The painted who now?

The painted lady.

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.

All we need is medicine for our sick friend.

Medicine?

Sorry, all the medicine we have goes to the factory.

That's why there's so many sick people in our village.

Looks like we need to stay another night so appa can rest.

I guess you're right.

You got any more food to sell?

Would you like the one-headed fish or the two-headed fish?

Two-headed.

What, you get more for your money that way.

Thank you, painted lady.

Hi, dock, is shoe around?

Let me check...

...Hey there, back again, are you?

We need more food.

Our friend is still sick and we can't leave until he's better.

Well, that's too bad.

Maybe if you guys are lucky

the painted lady will visit you in the night

and heal your friend.

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.

Is that why this place seems so festive?

Yep, it's all because 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.

Why would you say that?

Look how much better off these people are.

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.

Ooh...

Spirit magic doesn't work that way, sokka.

- It's more like... - Whoo...

Whoo...

What's the matter, buddy?

It's her.

Hello, painted lady spirit.

Excuse me, I don't mean to bother you

but my friend's sick and we're on kind of a tight schedule.

Wait, but I'm the great bridge between your world and mine.

I know hei bai, we're close personal friends.

Hey.

My name's aang.

I'm the avatar.

Well, hello, avatar.

I wish I could talk, but I am very busy.

Yeah, me too.

I hate that.

You know, you're really pretty for a spirit.

I don't get to meet too many spirits, but the ones I do meet... not very attractive.

Thank you, but...

You seem familiar, too.

A lot of people say that.

No, you really seem familiar.

Look, I really should get going.

Katara?

Hi, aang.

You're the painted lady? But how?

I wasn't at first, 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?

Wait, is appa even sick?

He might be sick of the purple berries I've been feeding him

but other than that, he's fine.

I can't believe you lied to everyone so you could help these people.

I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have.

No, I think it's great.

You're like a secret hero.

Well, if you want to help...

There's one more thing I have to do.

You want to destroy this factory?

Yes, sokka was just kidding, but he was right.

Getting rid of this factory is the only way to help these people permanently.

Ha-ha...

Shh, we don't want to wake sokka.

Hi... sokka.

We were just out on a morning walk.

Really?

A morning walk?

I know you're the painted lady.

I know you've been sneaking out at night.

And I know you've been lying about appa and feeding him purple-izing-tongue berries.

Katara, what you did put our whole mission in jeopardy.

We're leaving right now.

And how long did you know about this?

Hey, I just found out this morning.

What's going on?

Fire nation soldiers are heading to the village.

What did you do?

I kind of destroyed their factory.

You what?

It was your idea. I was joking.

I also said to use spirit magic and made funny noises.

Did you even think this through?

The army's gonna blame the villagers.

They're headed there right now to get revenge.

Well, what was I supposed to do?

Leave, do nothing.

No.

I will never, ever turn my back on people who need me.

I'm going down to the village

and I am gonna do whatever I can.

Wait.

I'm coming too.

I thought you didn't want to help.

You need me, and I will never turn my back on you.

Sokka, you really do have a heart.

He really does have a heart, doesn't he?

I thought we could live as neighbors in peace

but I guess I was wrong.

You steal our food, our medicine...

And then you destroy our factory.

We didn't do any of that.

Yeah, the painted lady brought us food.

She's the one that healed our sick, not your medicine.

Right, the mysterious painted lady did it.

And I suppose she drew the army emblem on your containers, too.

This is a town of thieves and liars.

Where's your painted lady now?

We're going to cure the world of this wretched village.

Light it again.

Look at that, where's it coming from?

I don't know.

Something strange is going on.

It's the painted lady.

She's coming.

There is no painted lady.

What is that sound? Maybe it is her.

Do something.

Stand your ground.

I'll take care of you myself.

Leave this village and never come back.

I knew you'd come.

Thank you.

Painted lady, you're the best.

Me and my brothers really owe you a lot.

Hey, wait a minute, I know you.

You're not the painted lady.

You're that colonial girl.

Yeah, you're the lady that gave me a fish.

You've been tricking us.

You're a waterbender.

She's a waterbender.

How dare you act like our painted lady?

Maybe she is a waterbender, but she was just trying to help you.

Because of her, that factory won't be polluting your river

and the army is gone.

You should be down on your knees thanking her.

Sokka, it's ok.

I shouldn't have acted like someone I wasn't

and I shouldn't have tricked you.

But I felt like I had to do something.

It doesn't matter if the painted lady is real or not.

Because your problems are real, and this river is real.

You can't wait around for someone to help you.

You have to help yourself.

She's right, but what should we do?

Maybe we can clean the river.

Yeah, we can clean the river.

Thank you.

You know, you're not so bad for a waterbender.

You wouldn't mind keeping that a secret, by the way, would you?

No problem.

Keeping my mouth shut is a personal specialty.

My brother shoe, on the other hand, ho, he's a blabbermouth.

So, dock, are you gonna help us clean?

No, ma'am, I'm going to get my other brother, bushi.

He loves cleaning rivers.

All right, I'm bushi.

Let's get some river cleaning done.

Aha, I knew it.

I knew you were the same guy.

You're the shop owner and the boat guy.

You must be talking about my brothers, dock and shoe.

No, I just saw you.

You switched hats and called yourself a different name.

You know who does that?

My brother dock.

He's crazy.

Thank you.