The painted lady and the blue spirit

Katara alone

I walked along the fire nation town as the painted lady spirit, a trail of fog following me.

I had traveled back to the fire nation in order to help them as their "spirit" although it felt like I was just trying to occupy myself. 

Sozins comet was arriving soon and I heard azula had escaped the institution. I just hoped the gaang was doing okay.

I looked up at the village I was in. Factories everywhere, creating polluted air, messenger birds everywhere, and quiet a lot of people. Well, that was during the day. At night, the factories didn't smoke as much as they would in the day, the messenger birds asleep along with the people.

I walked around, helping anyone in need. As I was walking through the streets, I heard people land behind me. I stopped.

'So, your the painted lady? Your looking easy on the eye.' One of them said. It was a boy. Couldn't be too old by the sounds of it.

'Yeah sure. I mean, for you, your a boy but for me, it's just another girl.' Another one said. She had a squeaky and rough voice.

I turned to see a tall boy in black with his shaggy brown hair exposed, another boy, slightly shorter, wearing a hat and was holding a bow. The girl also had shaggy brown hair but kept it out of her eyes using a headband.

I turned around. 'May I help you?' I tried sounding like a spirit.

'Oh, no. Nothing. We just wanted to see if you were real. And you are. I'm jet and these are my freedom fighters.' I froze.

I met jet when I was walking in the forest and he ambushed me because I looked fire nation (my clothes) but once I showed him I could waterbend, he let me in and we sorta.....hit off. I stayed there for a few weeks and we kinda dated each other. Until he became a jerk and tried blowing up a dam. I stopped them before they could flood the village.

'Jet?'

'What?' He asked because I stopped my spirit voice act.

'I..I mean...I really must be going.' I said in my spirit voice and ran into the fog.

'Guys, I don't think she's a spirit.' I heard jet say as he ran after me. And he was fast. Eventually, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me to an ally and pegged me to the wall.

'Who are you? I know your not a spirit. I know what they look like. But you, no. You look very.....familiar.' Jet said. I looked away, hoping he wouldn't notice that it was me. When he became a jerk, I.....attacked him. Since he was being a jerk again though, he needed another lesson.

My survival instincts took over and I kneed him in between his legs and he fell over in pain.

But he pulled my hat down with him. I gasped because the moonlight shone down on my face and he had a clear view of me.

'I'd know that face from anywhere. Katara? Is that you? What are you doing here? And dressed as a spirit?' He asked as longshot, his quiet friend, helped him up. Once jet found his balance, he walked toward me and took my hands.

'Katara? What are you doing here and as a spirit?' He repeated. I pushed him away.

'Go talk to some other girl, jet.' I spat as I snatched my hat off the floor and walked away. But he ran in front of me.

'Out of my way jet. I'm not going to ask again.'

He cupped my face with his hands and looked into my eyes. 'Katara. I know that I was really stupid back then and I know that I may never get you to trust me again but please don't leave me.' He pleaded.

I took a deep breath. 'Jet. Yes, you were a jerk but I forgive you for what you did. Because I care for you.' He gave me a small smile and leaned in to kiss me but I put my finger on his lips. 'But I can't stay.' He stopped and looked at me.

'What? Why?'

'Sozins comet. It's coming. And I have friends that need my help. It's time I came back to them.' I replied. It was true. Sozins comet was tomorrow and I knew my brother would need my help. But there was another reason.

Zuko.

If he and I didn't care about each other, then I would've stayed with jet. But I care about zuko and cared about me.

'Is that the truth? The honest one?' He questioned.

'Yes. Goodbye jet.'