"Look at that." Mari pointed out the window of The Rampage as it approached an old wooden structure. It resembled a small house set atop four pillars with a large stone bowl beneath it. Weeds and vines suffocated the abandoned structure.

Mako pulled his eyes from the road to spare a glance.

"Looks like an old shrine," he said. "We'll probably see more of them as we get closer to the Northern Air Temple."

"It looks so sad…" Mari added as they drove past it.

Ryu also took notice of the shrine and something else. As they passed, he swore he saw a large, bee-like creature floating next to it.

"What's that?" he asked as it faded from view.

"What's what?" Mari replied.

"I thought I saw something floating next to the shrine," Ryu responded. "It looked like a really big bee."

"A big bee? I didn't see anything like that," Mari said.

"Maybe it was a spirit," Koji added. "In this one mover I saw, there was a sacred shrine that got destroyed by an invading army. It angered the spirit that lived there and it wiped-out the entire army in a huge tsunami. But in it's anger, it also destroyed the people that had built the shrine. It realized too late what it had done and afterwards, it was all alone."

"It's always movers with you, Koji," Ryu snarked at the other boy.

Koji responded with a casual shrug. "I like movers, so what."

"If it was a spirit, you would have sensed it, right Papa?" Mari interjected.

Mako had to take a moment to think. She was right. If it had been a spirit, he should have felt something. Maybe his inability to sense Raava wasn't just a fluke. Maybe he was simply losing his ability to sense spirits. It wouldn't be the worst thing to happen, but he hoped that wasn't the case.

"I don't know, sweetie," he finally said. "We may have passed by too fast, or it may not have been a spirit at all."

"I know what I saw," Ryu grumped.

"No one's doubting you, Kid. No one else saw it is all," Mako said.

"Whatever…" Ryu mumbled and returned to staring out the window.

"Whatever," Juji echoed.

That was just what Mako needed. Ryu's attitude in stereo.

It was some time later when they arrived at a small town nestled against a lake. As soon as The Rampage rolled near the lake, Mako felt the fur on his spine stand on end. That seemed to prove his spirit-sense still worked. It wasn't just him either. In the passenger seat, he could see Ryu's face had gone pale. It was similar to when he'd been in the spirit oasis. Whatever was here, had to be powerful.

"There's a spirit somewhere nearby," Mako said as they rolled down the main boulevard.

"Oh, sure, now there's a spirit," Ryu huffed from the passenger seat.

"I'm going to check it out," Mako said as he pulled the vehicle to the curb.

"What? Why? It's not our job. We should keep moving." Ryu might have been irritated about everyone doubting him earlier, but now it was obvious he was trying hard to hide his discomfort.

After "the incident" Mako had made it part of his job to keep the peace between humans and spirits in Republic City. It had lead to the creation of the Bureau of Spirit Investigations which he had been the first head. As the years passed, he expanded that role to anyone that needed help no matter where they were. Most of the time Airbenders handled problematic spirits outside of the city but, they occasionally called on him when necessary. As Shizu had put it once, he was just "better equipped" to handle such things.

"Spirits shouldn't be where they're not wanted." Mako looked Ryu square in the eye. The teen returned his gaze with a frustrated scowl. "And normally, it's the Avatar's job to be the bridge between humans and spirits. Since you weren't exactly around, and I'm half-spirit, I've taken it upon myself to help those who are having conflicts."

Ryu continued his effort to deter him. "What if word gets to Toadman that we were here. I thought you didn't want to leave 'breadcrumbs.'"

"I'll keep myself hidden until we know for sure. If it turns out I need to reveal myself, we'll make sure we're long gone before Toadman has a chance to get here. As long as someone doesn't get himself arrested," Mako replied.

The teenager slouched in his seat and rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Chief. I don't do that anymore," he huffed. "Let it go already."

It was true that Ryu hadn't stolen a car since that last time. That didn't mean he still didn't get himself into trouble. Mako decided to let the matter drop and prepared to enter the village proper. A short while later, his Fetchling features were safely hidden under his coat. Mari followed his lead and made sure she was properly covered as well.

"You can stay in the truck if you want, Kid," Mako added. It wasn't just Ryu's reaction to the spirit he was concerned about. The teenager wasn't fond of large bodies of water either.

"Don't worry about me," Ryu stubbornly replied. "I'll be fine."

"All right." Mako wasn't going to argue. The kid knew his own limits.

With that settled, everyone hopped out of The Rampage and he let his spirit-sense lead the way to the lake.

Rows of fishing trawlers were tied to the docks that spread along the lakeshore. Dry nets and beached hulls showed none of them had been used for weeks. Several locals were also on the docks. Their raised voices carried the reason for the neglected boats.

"We can't leave! This is our home. Our lake! We were here first!" A young man was arguing with his companions, many of whom shook their heads at his conviction.

"What else can we do?" A bearded man responded. "If we can't catch fish, we can't sell fish, and I have a family to think about. I can't wait for the spirit to leave."

There it was. That was all the explanation Mako needed.

"Excuse me. I didn't mean to eavesdrop," he began as he approached.

Looks of surprise greeted him.

"I heard you say something about a spirit? If you want, I can try to negotiate with it," he offered and removed his hood. The surprised looks turned to shock. The group all stared skeptically at him until the young man finally spoke.

"You. You're that…Whatcha call it?" He snapped his fingers several times as he tried to find the name. "Fet…Fee. I know it starts with an 'F.'"

"Fetchling," Mako finished for him. "But you can call me Mako."

"Yeah. From Republic City. We called the Airbenders but, our small town clearly isn't a priority. Can you really help us?" the man explained.

All eyes turned expectantly to him.

"Like I said, I can try." It was all the hope he could give them. Not all spirits were cooperative, even with him.

"It's worth a shot," the bearded man shrugged while the rest of the group nodded and murmured in agreement.

"My name is Katsuya," the young man introduced himself with an exuberant handshake. "A couple months ago, a giant snake spirit appeared in the lake. It lays on the bottom and gets upset if we try to fish or do anything that causes the slightest ripple in the water. We've had no choice but to moor our boats but, fishing is the lifeblood of our town. If you can't convince the spirit to leave, we'll be the ones moving. We've all made our lives here. Nobody wants that."

"I understand. In the meantime, everyone should stay inside until I'm finished negotiating with it," Mako said. "Things could get nasty."

The group nodded and quickly left the docks.

He then turned his attention to Mari and Koji who had been quietly listening to the conversation.

"And I want you two to stay by the kid." He nodded to Ryu who had firmly parked himself far off-shore with Juji. "I have no idea what this spirit might do. I don't want any of you getting hurt."

Both teens gave him an affirmative nod and went to join their friend. Once everyone was a safe distance away, Mako stepped into the lake. If the spirit didn't like the water disturbed, that was going to be the fastest way to get its attention.

The spirit was on him in an instant. It burst through the surface and he had to cover his face from the sudden spray. As described by the locals, it was a giant snake spirit. Algae clung to large lily-pads that grew from the smooth green scales on its back, and a pair of long fangs protruded from its upper jaw.

"Who disturbs my lake!" the spirit roared before directing its yellow eyes at him. It then bent down close, its nose almost as large as his entire body. "A Fetchling? How interesting." It's tongue rattled from its mouth as it spoke.

"I've come to ask you to either let these people fish here, or leave. They rely on this lake and they can't use it if you insist on attacking them. I'm sure I can help you find another, quieter, lake if that's what you want," he firmly stated.

The serpent gave him an arrogant snort. "I won't bow to the whims of humans. This is my home now. If they don't like it, they can move along," the spirit smugly hissed as they turned their back on him.

"That's not how it works," Mako replied. He wasn't about to be ignored by the spirit. "Spirits have an entire world to themselves. It's your choice if you want to stay in the human world but, that means you obey human laws. If you can't agree to a compromise, then you can go back to the Spirit World."

An angry glare covered the spirit's face and, even though it didn't have a rattle, their tail rapidly slapped against the water's surface.

"You presume to order me around little Fetch! I'll devour you for your insolence!" The snake raced toward him, their mouth opened wide to swallow him.

Mako didn't budge.

"Papa!" Mari yelled from where she and the boys were watching; positive she was about to witness her grandfather's demise. Her expression soon changed to shock.

Mako braced his feet into the sand and grabbed the snake's jaws. Waves lashed the shore as the giant spirit thrashed in his grasp. One of the abilities he had gained from being cursed was that he could touch spirits, and hold them if necessary, even if they tried to phase their bodies. That also included his flames. With the thrashing serpent's jaws still in his hands, he inhaled and bent a stream of fire down the spirit's throat. The snake wailed in pain and tore free of his grasp.

"I'm going to politely ask you again. Either work with these people, or leave this lake," Mako said with a deep bow. Even though he had just burned the spirit, it was only to prove he had the power to challenge it. He still had to show it proper respect.

Smoke seeped out the corner of the spirit's jaws and its once smooth voice came out in a raspy hiss. "Very well, Fetchling," it said as it slowly vanished. "I will leave but, make no mistake that this deed does not go unpunished."

Out of the corner of his eye, Mako spotted a tiny serpent speeding up the shore directly at his granddaughter.

"Mari!" he shouted. Whatever that thing was, couldn't be good. He threw several fire balls at it, which the little creature easily dodged. Dammit! I won't be able to catch it.

"Look out!" Koji shoved Mari aside as the snake raced towards them. Pain shot up his leg when it dug its fangs into his calf and dissolved through his pants leg.

"Koji!"

Ryu and Mari both rushed to his side as he fell to the ground, the wound firm in his hands.

"Koji! Are you okay?" Mari asked while she knelt over him.

He grit his teeth as he fought against the pain. "It burns…" he managed as he clutched his leg. Then, he started to shake.

By this point, Mako had arrived and was looking down at the quaking teen.

"Mako. What's happening to him?" Ryu frantically asked.

He didn't have time to answer as he scooped Koji into his arms.

"We need to find a healer," he replied as he rushed back to the town proper.

Local residents peered out of doorways as he searched for help along the streets. Eventually, they found exactly what they needed: a Waterbender healer.

"Quick. Get him in the water," the middle-aged woman said as she guided them to a filled tub. Water splashed everywhere as Mako placed the thrashing boy in the basin. The doctor immediately began weaving her arms over the water and it wasn't long before a blue glow consumed the liquid, but it didn't seem to be doing anything as Koji continued to convulse.

She paused for a moment and fought through Koji's thrashing to examine the wound under his pants. A purple snake shape tattooed the area with the poison streaked up his veins.

"I've never seen a wound like this before," she stated.

Mako had however. Years earlier, a similar thing had happened to Shizuku.

Ryu turned to him. "Let me try, Mako. I did it before. I can help him!"

Mako had never heard the kid sound so desperate.

"This isn't a normal wound, Kid," he replied. Even if Ryu went into the Avatar state, he didn't believe the boy could heal it. He only knew of one way to deal with spirit poison…and he didn't like it.

"Doctor, can you freeze his body? Enough to slow his circulation?"

The doctor seemed stunned by the request. "I...can…" she cautiously answered. The woman weaved her arms and Koji's body went still as the water slowly froze around him.

"Koji! He's not…?" Ryu hollered.

"His heart is still beating but, whatever your plan is, I recommend being quick about it. If he stays like this too long, hypothermia will set-in," she explained.

"Thank you," Mako stated. Hopefully, that would buy them enough time. "Mari, I want you to stay here with Koji. Kid, you're coming with me."

Mari silently nodded but Ryu wasn't about to leave.

"What?! Where are we going? We can't just leave Koji!" the boy snapped.

"Only a spirit is going to be able to remove the toxin from Koji's body, and I guarantee the snake that poisoned him, isn't going to help," Mako replied.

"Well, if you hadn't gone and pissed it off!" Ryu yelled. Juji concurred with a loud hiss.

"Priorities, Kid!" Mako shouted in response. "Do you want to argue about my actions or help me save Koji?!"

That shut the boy up.

"All right. Whatever. Let's go then," Ryu hastily grumped as he marched out the door.

Soon, they were back in The Rampage and on the road. There were two reasons Mako had wanted Ryu along. The first was that he hoped the boy would learn a thing or two about how to negotiate with spirits. As the Avatar, he was going to have to do it eventually. The second was he didn't trust Ryu to not try and heal Koji. More than once the kid had gotten himself in trouble when he tried to tap into his abilities without Mako's supervision.

"Where are we going anyway?" Ryu grumbled as he stared out his window.

"There." Mako pointed to the rundown shrine they had passed on their way to the small town. "You said you saw a large bee. There's a good chance it was actually a spirit."

"What? I don't know what I saw!" Ryu snapped. As adamant as he was before, his frustration was giving him doubts. "Besides, it disappeared afterwards."

"That might be the case, but that shrine is the closest thing we have to finding another spirit," Mako remarked.

He pulled The Rampage to the side of the road and went straight to the neglected structure.

"Help me clean off these vines." His thinking was that the spirit would return if someone cared for the shrine.

"This better work," Ryu growled. He took his frustration out on the weeds choking the stone basin by burning them to ash. The vines were nearly gone when a spirit did appear. It resembled a buzzard wasp. It had six spindly legs and a black and yellow striped body under its white furred collar. Only its face was different as it resembled a human with a cat-like nose under its antennae. Its pointed ears twitched as it approached them.

"It's been a long time since anyone has cared for my shrine," the spirit said.

Ryu was momentarily surprised at the spirit's sudden appearance but, he quickly brushed it aside. Juji ruffled on his shoulder as he accosted the spirit.

"We need your help!" he blurted. "My best friend is hurt!"

The spirit was taken aback by Ryu's outburst.

"Take it easy, Kid. I know you're worried but, that's no way to talk to a spirit," Mako said as he put a cautious arm in front of the boy to restrain him. Then, he calmly addressed the bee spirit. "Let me apologize for the kid. His experience with spirits is limited."

The spirit scrutinized Ryu with narrowed eyes.

"The Avatar should know better," the spirit replied, immediately recognizing Raava inside the teenager. "But, he is young. I can forgive his slight."

"Thank you," Mako graciously bowed which Ryu quickly imitated. So, the kid can learn. "We do have a favor to ask. Another boy in my care was poisoned by the snake spirit that lived here. If we restore your shrine, will you help him?" One thing he'd learned when dealing with spirits was never let them dictate the terms. Like the snake spirit, they tended to take more than their fair share. Usually spirits were just as accommodating if he offered something they wanted first.

The spirit fluttered up to him on a set of gossamer wings. "You do understand what you're asking of me, Fetchling."

"I do," Mako replied. Fortunately, Ryu had the good sense to remain quiet while he negotiated with the spirit.

"Very well. I will help you, but I want my shrine repaired and flowers planted around it. Purple ones—that hang on vines," she finished.

Mako would have to ask Mari about the species later, but it should be an easy request to fulfill.

"It's a deal," he agreed. "Please come with us."

The spirit followed them back to The Rampage and, once everyone was inside, he stepped on the gas to get back to Koji as fast as possible.

Both Mari and the doctor turned away from Koji as soon Mako and Ryu entered with the bee spirit.

"Papa?" Mari had a worried look on her face as she gazed at the spirit.

"What's the plan, Chief?" Ryu anxiously asked.

Mako ignored the question for the moment to focus on Koji. The two women stepped aside as he scooped the teenager out of the water and placed him on a nearby bed. Then, he silently nodded to the spirit, a cue for what was about to happen next.

"Remember when I said only a spirit could remove the toxin?" Mako finally answered. "That wasn't exactly accurate. What I really meant was only a spirit can resist the toxin."

"Wait-a-minute." The realization hit Ryu.

All eyes turned to Koji as the spirit leapt into his body. The boy's back suddenly arched as the possession began to take hold. Black fuzz crept up his arms to his neck where it collided with a scarf of thick white fur that suddenly appeared. That was just the beginning. Suddenly, a pair of spindly arms erupted from the teenager's sides and twin antennae sprouted out his forehead. It even caused Mako to wince. Any longer, and Koji wouldn't be human anymore.

"Spirit. That's enough!" Mako hollered. A second later, it emerged from Koji's body and hovered nearby while the teenager recovered. He wasn't convulsing anymore so that was a good sign. It meant the toxin had been nullified at least.

Koji groaned as he sat-up on the bed. The last thing he remembered was that snake thing biting him. What happened? Why do my sides feel so weird? He looked around the room. Everyone was staring at him.

"Why are you all staring at me?" As he was reaching to check his sides, he noticed something else moving in tandem with his arms. He looked down, and the first thing he saw was black fuzz sticking to his hands, but that wasn't even the worst part. Below his hands was a second set of "hands." They had three fingers and looked more like insect feet. It took him a moment to realize he was the one controlling them. Panic consumed him.

"What the flameio?! Are those my arms?! Why do I have extra arms?!" He twisted his torso to see what else was wrong.

"Koji. You need to calm down." Mako interrupted his tantrum.

"Calm down! I have fur all over the place! And…" His hands clambered up his face, past the yellow fuzz on his cheeks, to his head. There he found the antennae. "What are these?!" he hollered as he pulled them down to look. "I'm a freak!" He regretted the word the instant it left his mouth and his head immediately snapped to the two Fetchlings. Mako looked more frustrated than offended, but Mari was clearly hurt. Her tail twitched behind her as a sad scowl covered her face.

"Mari…wait..." He reached for her and automatically paused when his lower arm mimicked the motion. It was unnerving.

Silence followed Mari as she left the room; her tail the last thing he saw disappear out the door.

"Freak! That's my thanks for saving your life?"

Apparently Mari wasn't the only one he'd offended. During his outburst, he hadn't noticed the bee spirit. It was glaring at him from where it was standing by the others. It must have been the one that had cursed him.

"Clearly both your charges need to learn proper respect, Fetchling," the spirit huffed at Mako. "Perhaps he needs some time to reflect on his words."

"Spirit. Wait!" Mako called after it, but it ignored him as it faded from the room.

"Way to go, Koji. Why do you always have to be such an idiot," Ryu scowled at him.

"C'mon, man…" Koji frowned. "I didn't mean…"

They were interrupted by the doctor.

"I'm glad you're doing better, but I must ask you all to leave. I can't have…" She paused as she stared at Koji, obviously frightened of what she'd just witnessed. Monsters? Freaks? Whatever she was about to say, went lost. "Please, just leave."

Koji dejectedly stared down at his hands—all four of them. Now he understood how Mako and Mari must feel all the time.

"Let's go you two." Mako motioned to him and Ryu.

He slid off the bed and shamefully hung his head as he followed the others out of the building.

A somber silence hung in The Rampage as they drove from the town. Koji felt miserable for what had slipped from his mouth during his panic. He certainly hadn't meant to insult the two Fetchlings, or the spirit that had apparently saved his life. It made him wish that he would have died from that poison instead. He anxiously rubbed a thumb in his opposite furred palm as he wondered what to say.

"I…I'm sorry for what happened back there," he eventually began. Really, it was the only thing he could say. "I know I overreacted. I probably deserve to stay this way after what I said."

"Maybe," Mako replied as he drove. "But I'll be honest, I was pretty freaked-out after I was cursed too. The horns, the tail…I didn't want anyone seeing me like this. Then, when I found out I was going to be stuck like this..." His chest heaved momentarily. "… it took a long time to come to terms with how I am now."

"Papa's right," Mari added with a flick of her tail. "I was born like this, so I don't have the same experience as someone who's suddenly cursed. You had every right to be scared, Koji. I shouldn't have gotten so upset."

"I still shouldn't have said it," he frowned. "I'm really sorry."

"Well, I forgive you," Mari said with her sweetest smile.

"It's water under the bridge for me too, Koji," Mako added. "The real trick is going to be getting the bee spirit to forgive you."

"If not, I bet having four arms will be pretty useful," Koji smiled, his mood already lifting. "But man, I never knew fur could be so itchy," he added as he scratched at the fluff on his neck.

"I can help you with that if you want," Mari replied.

While Koji chatted with Mari, Ryu peeked at him through the rearview mirror.

"Can the bee spirit really turn Koji back to normal?" he whispered to the Chief while Juji sat on his lap.

"Only the spirit that cursed a human can undo it," Mako said. "It did save Koji's life, so we need to keep up our end of the bargain and repair the shrine. Once that's done, hopefully it will return and we can convince it to undo the transformation."

"Hopefully…" Ryu echoed as he continued to watch Koji. He wasn't sure how he felt seeing his longtime friend as a Fetchling.

The sun had already dipped below the horizon by the time they returned to the shrine. Mako carefully pulled The Rampage off the road and parked it in a nearby field.

"We can camp here while we work on the shrine," Mako said.

"Can we get dinner first, sir?" Koji asked. "I'm like, really hungry." A loud rumble from his stomach confirmed the statement.

"Sure. Since it's already dark, we're not going to be able to do much more tonight anyway," he replied.

It wasn't long before the tents were set-up and the group was sitting around the glow of a campfire. Tonight's dinner was leftover pork stew. While everyone else was enjoying their bowlfuls, Koji sneered in disgust at his.

"What's the matter, Koji?" Ryu asked. "The Chief's cooking isn't that bad."

"Never miss a shot do ya, Kid?" Mako huffed.

Ryu gave him a smug smile in response.

"I don't know, man," Koji answered. "It just doesn't taste right." He put a spoonful in his mouth and sloshed it over his tongue. It was as if it didn't have any flavor. It dribbled from his lips as he spit it back into the bowl. His unintentional rudeness caused a sneer to cross Mari's face. "Is it okay if I get something else, sir?"

Normally, Mako had everyone share the same meal. The man didn't like to waste food, or make multiple meals, and rarely made exceptions. Apparently, being a Fetchling now, counted as one of those exceptions.

"Yeah, go ahead." Mako nodded to The Rampage.

Koji left his bowl, climbed into the vehicle, and went straight to the small fridge. There wasn't much inside: milk, a few vegetables, several containers of assorted condiments, some leftovers…eggs. There were always eggs. The Chief was practically an addict. Those, and coffee, were never in short supply.

He scanned the items, but none of them looked appealing. Then, his eyes fell on some fruit. Juji's fruit. Now that looked appetizing. He grabbed an orange from the counter and bit into it, rind and all. A pleased grin spread across his face as the ambrosia dribbled down his chin into his furred collar. That's what he wanted. Using all four hands, he piled every last piece of fruit he could find into his arms. Last, he grabbed a jar of jam from the fridge for good measure.

"Extra hands do come in…well handy," he chuckled to himself as he took another bite of his orange.

Ryu and Mari both watched wide-eyed as he returned to his camp chair with his loot.

"Is that Juji's fruit?" Ryu asked with an annoyed scowl. Juji was also glaring at him, his nightly meal firm in his claws. The bird wasn't about to share what he had left.

"Sorry, man. It's the only thing that tastes good," Koji replied. All four hands alternated fruits between bites while he stuffed his mouth.

"We'll have to get more from the local market, that's all," Mako said, quelling Ryu's concerns.

"Is this because he's a Fetchling now, Papa?" Mari asked as she watched Koji stuff his face. He'd never behaved like this before.

"Possibly," Mako replied. "Every Fetchling is different. I got the ability to run faster and Koji apparently got a sweet-tooth."

Koji paused from his gorging long enough to shrug at the explanation, then went back to eating. His appetite was insatiable. Once the fruit was gone, the jar of jam was decimated next. He poured the contents into his mouth until only the dregs remained on the bottom. That didn't deter him however, and he began licking the remains from the jar with his tongue.

"Okay. I don't know if that's awesome or gross," Ryu suddenly said.

It took Koji a moment to realize what his friend was talking about. In the bottom of the glass jar was a long, slender tongue. His tongue. Jam spattered his face as he quickly recoiled it. Out of everything else that had happened to him from being cursed, that was probably the most unnerving.

"Sorry," he said as he wiped the remains from his face. "I didn't know I could do…that."

"Welcome to being a Fetchling, Koji," Mako remarked. "There's bound to be a few more surprises before we get you back to normal."

An annoyed hum, almost a buzz, came from him. He didn't want anymore surprises.

While he was getting ready for bed, Koji fought to remove his shirt. As easy at it had been to coordinate his new arms while he was eating, now it was if they were actively working against him. After several minutes he gave-up and simply ripped it off. It was already ruined after his transformation anyway. With his shirt finally removed, he took a moment to examine himself. The black fuzz on his hands went all the way up his arms and to his chest. There it made a "V" shape down to his bellybutton that alternated with yellow fuzz. His extra arms also had fuzz on them, but it was coarse, almost like spines. Then, there was the white fur collar. It really did itch and, after his meal, it was sticky with fruit juice. Without thinking, he reached out with his long tongue and began to lick off the sweet substances. He immediately stopped when he realized what he was doing. Even if it was his fur, he was grossing himself out. He dropped his face into his hands to mope and groaned when the felt the fuzz on his cheeks.

"Can I came in?"

The Chief's voice came through the tent.

"Umm…Yeah…Sure," he stammered.

Mako entered and took a seat on the floor in the small space.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," the man said as he wrapped his tail over his lap. Koji took it as a sign that the Chief understood exactly what he was going through.

"I'm all right. I mean…as all right as I can be. It's weird, but I don't need to tell you that," he said as he crossed both pairs of arms over his chest in an attempt to hide his new fuzz. Even if the Chief understood, it was embarrassing to him.

"If there was any other way, I would have done it," Mako replied with a flip of his tail. "I wouldn't wish this existence on my worst enemy."

"It's that hard, huh?"

"You've seen what I can do. There are definitely advantages to being a Fetchling," Mako casually shrugged. "But spirits use it as a punishment for a reason."

"I suppose…"

Silence sat between them.

"What happens if I'm stuck like this," he eventually asked.

"Don't worry. If the spirit won't lift your curse, then Mari and I will be here to help you out," Mako said. "Speaking of which." Koji watched the Chief slip outside. He returned a moment later dragging a large cushion behind him.

"Isn't that the cushion you sleep on?" he asked. He knew the Chief had a hard time sleeping because of his horns and tail. The cushion was his option over the cots or bedrolls.

"I imagine your extra arms are going to make sleeping difficult. You can use this until we get you back to normal," Mako finished.

Koji's antennae popped up as he stared at the man in amazement. The Chief offering his cushion was no small gesture.

"Think of it as a thank you for saving Mari. It's the least I can do," Mako said.

"It was no big deal," he replied with a shrug. "When I saw that snake thing rushing toward her, I just reacted. I couldn't let her get hurt."

"Well, whatever your reason, I hope you understand how much I appreciate it," Mako said. It was no secret that Mari was the man's pride-and-joy.

"I do, sir. Thank you," he said as he carefully climbed onto the cushion. It was extremely squishy. His extra arms would easily sink into it no matter which side he laid on. "But…Are you going to be all right?"

"I'll be fine for one night. Hopefully, you won't need it longer than that," Mako replied.

"Hopefully…Thanks again."

With Koji taken care of, Mako stepped out of the tent—and came face-to-face with Ryu. He'd thought the teen was already settled for the night.

"Oh, hey Kid. Were you looking to talk to Koji?" he asked. For some reason, the teen looked embarrassed. Per usual, Juji glared at him from Ryu's shoulder.

"Sort of. I just wanted to see if he's doing okay," Ryu stammered. "I mean, that whole dinner thing was kind of weird."

"It was." He had to agree. "But he seems to be adjusting."

"That's good I guess," Ryu said, but he didn't sound sure. His tone changed to his normal snarky self a moment later. "If you talked to him, then I don't need to. I can't always be worrying about him."

"Sure, Kid. Definitely can't let your best friend know you're worried," Mako said, insinuating that Ryu didn't always need to be the "tough" guy. That certainly rubbed the teen the wrong way. A scowl came over his face as did the usual response.

"Whatever!" he said as he turned heel and marched back to his tent.

Mako shrugged it off. That was just how things were between them.

When Mako had given Koji his cushion, what he'd neglected to tell the teen was, even with it, he didn't sleep well. His extra features were only the tip of the iceberg for his inability to get a decent night's rest. He was still half-awake when he felt the fur on his spine stripe. Did the bee spirit return? He climbed from his bedroll into the early morning to follow his sense. It lead him to The Rampage where a figure was digging in the cupboards.

"Koji?"

The teen had torn apart the food storage with cans and boxes scattered everywhere. Not only was the mess a surprise, but Koji was never up so early in the morning without some prompting.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," Koji said guiltily from where he cowered in the center of the mess. "I was still hungry so I came looking for something to eat."

Mako just sighed. He couldn't be upset with the teen who was apparently suffering some side-effects from his possession.

"None of this strike you?" he casually asked as he began to collect the discarded cans and boxes.

"No. Seems I only want sweet stuff." Koji's stomach growled, proof of his hunger.

"Unfortunately, the market won't be open for several hours yet. You'll have to hold out until then," Mako said. The teen's antennae sank at the news. After his feeding frenzy last night, there wasn't fruit or anything else to sate his appetite. "In the meantime, since we're awake, you can help me assess what we need to repair the shrine. Maybe that will take your mind off your stomach."

"Sure," Koji replied as he clutched his belly with his spare arms.

Mako watched the teen hop from the truck. Koji's unusual behavior last night was a little worrisome, but now it was downright concerning. Hopefully, the bee spirit would return and help, or he was going to have to strip himself clean of scales just to afford feeding the teenager.

With dawn slowly approaching, they walked to the shrine where Mako gave it a thorough examination. First was the little house. The shingles on the roof all needed to be replaced, one of the wooden doors on the front was missing, and the entire thing needed a fresh coat of paint, but at least the framework was solid.

He peered through the front entrance next. The interior was a single room. Debris, from an abandoned rodent's nest, littered the floor. Carefully, he reached inside and pulled everything out. It would still need a good cleaning, but it was a start.

Last, he checked the stone pillars and basin. These were in better shape, but one pillar was cracked to the point where it was a surprise the whole thing hadn't tipped.

"Can you earthbend a new pillar, Koji?"

"Hmmm?" Koji clearly hadn't been paying attention as his second set of arms were squeezed tight to his belly. What was meant as a distraction to his appetite, apparently wasn't working.

"I asked if you can earthbend a new pillar?" Mako patiently repeated.

"Oh…Sure," Koji finally said. He properly shifted himself and thrust his arms forward. Instead of one pillar, an entire forest of them erupted from the ground surprising both of them. Several of the pillars hit the house and Mako had to dash to catch it before it could tip off entirely.

Koji's face went pale. "I…I didn't mean to do that," he nervously gasped as he stared at the mess.

"It's all right. I remember my bending went out-of-control after I was cursed too." Mako grunted as he held up the house. It was heavier than it looked and he wasn't sure he could get it back up on the pillars. Koji soon came to help and together they managed to get it safely on the ground. "I'll have the kid fix it later. Right now, I have a pretty good idea what we'll need to fix the house."

Koji just hung his head. He was a good Earthbender and seeing it turn so erratic, was probably as scary as being cursed.

Once Mari and Ryu were out of bed, it was time to head to town. There, they should be able find everything they needed to fix the shrine. While they were getting ready for the trip, Koji came to Mako with his head held low, as if his very presence was offensive.

"Chief? Sir? Can I borrow a coat?" Koji asked. "Mine's a little snug and I don't want to walk through town looking like this." All four arms were wrapped tight around his chest as he made himself as small as possible to hide his fuzz.

"Sure." Mako tossed the long coat that he normally used to hide himself, at the teenager. Hopefully, after helping the town, they wouldn't make a fuss about his appearance.

Koji quickly slipped it on and buttoned it all the way up to his neck. With the hood over his head, only the fuzz on his cheeks, and a tuft of fur from his collar, were still visible. Almost normal. With everyone set, they piled into The Rampage and drove to town.

Businesses were just starting to open when Mako parked along the main street.

He turned in his seat to address the teens. "Here's what I want—Mari, find a library and see if they have any information on that shrine. There has to be some reason why it's so close."

"Yes, Papa," Mari firmly nodded and hopped out of the truck.

"Kid. You're grocery shopping. Get whatever you need for Juji and a two…" He paused and took a moment to examine Koji. "Five—The largest bag of sugar you can find."

"Got it."

He handed a wad of yuans to the teen who snatched them and was quickly out the door.

"And don't get yourself into trouble. And come right back to the truck!" he shouted after the teen who responded with a dismissive wave. He simply shook his head and sighed. The kid had gotten more responsible over time, but he still worried about him.

"What about me?" Koji asked.

"You and me are going to the hardware store," he replied. With Koji's current state, he wanted to keep an eye on him.

As expected, he did get some odd glances as they walked along the sidewalk to the store, but nobody sounded an alarm. In fact, several locals even stopped to thank him for removing the snake spirit. He graciously accepted their gratitude, but for him it was simply "part of the job."

They eventually found a hardware store and, while they were shopping, a familiar voice drew Mako's attention.

"You. Spirit guy," Katsuya shouted to him. He paused with his load so the young man could catch them. "I didn't get the chance to thank you yesterday for getting rid of that spirit. The fishermen are grateful, and every one of them are out on the lake. This will revitalize the town for sure," he said with a grateful smile.

"I'm just glad I could help," Mako humbly replied. He never did it for the adoration or gratitude.

"I see you have quite the load there. Let me cover it as payment for helping us," Katsuya continued.

"That's nice, but you don't have to." He had a lot of supplies and it wasn't going to be cheap.

"I absolutely insist," Katsuya stated, unwilling to take no for an answer.

"All right. Thank you," he eventually conceded. While he was talking to the young man, he noticed Koji out of the corner of his eye. The teen had wandered into the gardening section and was dipping his long tongue into the flowers. He knew what was happening, but it was clear the other patrons of the small store didn't. They stared in disbelief as they avoided him and, the oddest thing was, Koji seemed absolutely oblivious to his own behavior.

"Can I meet you at the register? I need to check on my uhh…nephew," he said. The little white lie was the only way he could think to quickly explain his relationship with the teen. Katsuya strained his neck to see for himself and Mako nervously shuffled to block his view.

"I guess I can do that," Katsuya replied with a shrug as he gave-up. "I'll wait for you there."

"Thanks." Then, he hurried to grab the inexperienced Fetchling.

"Koji," Mako hissed at the boy as he grabbed him by the shoulder. "Take it easy on the flowers."

"Huh?" Koji did a double-take between him and the flower he had been licking. Then he jumped away as if the bloom had bitten him instead. "Was I…? I'm just so hungry. I couldn't help myself." A loud grumble escaped his stomach.

"I understand, but try to control yourself until we get back to the truck," Mako replied. "We don't want to give people another reason to be afraid of us."

The few shoppers in the area were still staring uncertainly at them.

"Sorry, sir…" Koji replied as his head drooped.

"You don't need to apologize. I know it's not easy."

With Koji wrangled, he took their cart to the check-out where Katsuya was waiting.

"You must have quite the project going. Do you have everything you need?" the young man asked once they arrived.

"I hope so," Mako answered.

"Great. Hal, put everything on my tab," Katsuya told the clerk at the counter.

"Sure thing, mayor," the clerk replied as they checked and bagged the items.

Mako was surprised. "Mayor? You're the mayor here?" The man seemed awfully young to be the mayor. Twenty-five at most.

"Of course. Why do you think I was so adamant about people staying," Katsuya replied.

It made sense. Couldn't be mayor if you had no town. The chance encounter did present another opportunity however. His arrangement with the bee spirit meant he had to do most of the work himself but, if he really wanted to appease it, he was going to need some help.

"Since you're the mayor, I'm guessing you know all the craftspeople in town, right?" he asked.

"Of course. I'll get you whatever you need," Katsuya happily offered.

It was several hours later when they were all back in the truck. Before leaving town, the first thing Mako did was take the sugar from Ryu and pour some in a pot of water. The teens curiously watched as he heated the concoction with his firebending until it thickened into a light syrup. Normally, he wouldn't use his bending so frivolously, but it was faster than trying to heat it with The Rampage's small stove. Once it was finished, he poured it into a large jug with a spigot in the lid.

"Here. This should help curb your appetite, but try not to drink it all in one sitting," he told Koji as he handed the jug to the teen.

Koji immediately sucked on the spout. He stopped long enough to say three words. "Man, that's good." Then went straight back to his drink. He really had been hungry.

With that settled, Mako started the drive back to the shrine.

"Did you learn anything about the shrine, Mari?" he asked once they were on their way.

"Yes, Papa. The librarian directed me to the town's historical archives. According to the old records, the town used to have honey as its main export. They had large flower fields filled with humming bee hives. That changed about one-hundred and thirty years ago. That's when the town experienced an unprecedented amount of rainfall. The resulting mudslides changed the landscape which created the large lake that exists now.

"It also changed the markets. The town started to rely more on fishing than honey. Eventually, they stopped producing it all together," she explained.

"We don't need…" Ryu was about to scold Mari about the unnecessary history lesson, but quickly bit his tongue. "Was there anything about the shrine, Mari?" He corrected, with as much patience as he could muster.

"I'm getting to that," she stated. "I found an illustration in one of the books and the librarian made a copy for me." She pulled the paper from her purse.

Mako gave it a quick glance through the rearview. It showed the shrine in its heyday with flowers hanging off it; what Mari called clematis.

"An old folk tale said the shrine belonged to a spirit named Harama." Her tone turned melancholy as she recounted the story. "She was the guardian spirit of flowers and bees. Humans would share their honey with her as a sign of friendship, even if it was a poor harvest season. They even used to have a festival in her honor."

Koji paused from his meal again. "Are you sad, Mari? It sounds like that was a good thing."

She hugged the picture to her chest. "It's sad because, when they stopped making honey, the people eventually forgot about her. They forgot about her and left her behind."

"I met the mayor today," Mako interjected. "After we fix the shrine, we can tell him about it. Maybe that will help Harama."

"That's a great idea, Papa. I hope so," Mari replied as her smile slowly returned. A loud, vacuous, sucking noise interrupted the conversation. All eyes turned to Koji who was polishing off his jug of syrup.

"You drank that whole thing?" Ryu commented in disbelief. The jug had to hold a gallon at least.

"I said I was hungry," Koji replied.

"You did buy the largest bag of sugar you could find, right Kid?" Mako added.

It was early afternoon by the time they returned to their camp. The sun beat down on them as they worked on the shrine. Mako wasn't exactly a handyman, but he could handle simple fixes. Nailing on the new shingles and replacing the door wasn't too difficult. The craftsperson that Katsuya had lead him too, had done an excellent job carving the pieces for him.

While he worked on the house, he had Ryu fix the pillars. After his training with Bolin, the kid had gotten significantly better at earthbending. He was able to replace all four of the stone pillars, and the slab beneath them, without too much trouble.

The last thing was the basin which really didn't need a lot of attention. The large, marble bowl was still in decent condition and, after a good polish, was like new.

Since Koji didn't dare earthbend again, he found other ways to assist. Once Mako was done with the house repairs, he came over to help paint. His mother was an artist after all. His extra hands came in useful at this point because, while one pair painted, the other pair held his syrup. The jug was rarely out of his mouth. He was on his third one by the time everything was finished. It left Mako to wonder where the teenager was putting it all.

Mari's job was to plant the flowers. It was a little late in the season, but hopefully the seeds would sprout the following spring. She used everything she'd learned from her grandmother to give them their best chance.

Mako wiped the sweat from his brow as they reviewed their hard work. The house was back on its pillars, completely restored. Well—mostly restored. The shingles weren't perfectly aligned, and their were still some dents in the wood frame, but otherwise it was multitudes better than how they'd found it. The paint was an especially nice touch. Koji had chosen the colors. The main structure was bright yellow, with a light-brown roof, and white for the doors and trim. It suited the quaint structure.

"It looks great," Mari said as she peeked through the front doors. "You guys did a wonderful job. I have one final touch." She stuffed a small cushion inside that filled the floor of the empty structure. "There. Now it looks like a home."

"That's very thoughtful of you, sweetie," Mako said as he hugged her to his shoulder. He hadn't even thought of decorating the inside.

"It is very thoughtful." The bee spirit concurred as it appeared from behind the structure.

They all politely bowed at her appearance except Koji, who shrank back. He looked frightened, and cowered from her as he fidgeted his many fingers.

"You have done well in your promise, Fetchling," she told Mako.

"Thank you. Now if you would—"

"Stop, sir," Koji interrupted. "Let me." The teen kept his head low as he crept to the spirit. "I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. You saved my life and, I'm thankful but, I was scared and, like spirits, sometimes we humans let our emotions overwhelm us. I didn't mean to offend you." He turned to Mako and Mari. "Or anyone else for that matter."

Mako was impressed. He hadn't even coached the teen. Koji had simply handled it on his own. Hopefully, it would be enough.

Everyone anxiously waited for the bee spirit to respond. Eventually, she took Koji's chin into her hand and gazed into his eyes.

"My precious little Fetchling. Your apology is well received," she stated with a proud smile. "I would be honored if you would remain my Fetch."

"I would rather be a normal human again…if you would…please," Koji politely responded.

"Understandable. The path between human and spirit is difficult to walk and not for everyone." She turned to Mako acknowledging his ability to walk that "path." Then, she returned her attention to Koji. "Hold still." She leapt into his body and the teen grunted as the spirit removed her curse. A short while later, it was as if he hadn't been cursed at all. A relieved expression covered his face as he patted his fuzz-less chest and neck, making sure he was back to normal.

"Thank you," he said with a deep bow.

"Yes. Thank you, Harama," Mari added. The bee spirit stood stunned.

"My name has been gone for ages. Where did you learn it?"

"It was in an old book I found in the local library. It said you used to be the guardian here," Mari answered.

Harama's gaze stretched far past them.

"Long ago, I found this land. It was filled with the most beautiful flowers, and humming bees. I used to frolic among them…

"Then, the humans arrived. They built their wooden structures here, but were always respectful of the land. I became quite enamored with them. I taught them the secrets of the humming bees and they built homes for them, and me. We worked together and we thrived. Then Jovis came." A frown covered the spirit's face. "The water spirit was jealous of what I had. They relentlessly soaked the fields for days until the land wept. The flowers were swept away giving way to the deep lake. Without the flowers, there were no humming bees, and without the humming bees the honey stopped flowing. The people left. I was alone." She held her sadness to her chest with all four of her arms. Koji imitated the motion with his own arms. Apparently, he was still residually attached to the spirit.

"That's what the story said," Mari sadly added. "Except Jovis. It didn't mention anything about another spirit."

Harama snorted. "It was my happiness that Jovis envied, not the humans. He hid himself from them while he tore them away from me."

"Well, we're going to bring the humans back," Mari confidently stated.

"We're going to try and bring the humans back," Mako quickly corrected. Couldn't have Mari making promises they couldn't keep, especially not to a spirit. "We're going to tell the mayor about you and your shrine. Maybe he can bring the people back."

"I would like that," Harama smiled at him. "I'm sure the spirit that holds you will be honored to hear what you have done for me, Fetchling."

"Your words are kind," he simply replied. He didn't want to bring up the fact that the spirit that held him, was long gone.

The day consumed, they decided to call it a night. Now that he was back to normal, Koji confidently strut around the campsite with his jug still in hand. Even though he was no longer a Fetchling, he wasn't quite over his sweet tooth. There was a good chance he might never be. At least his appetite had leveled out as he was full after about half-a-jug.

"You did a good job with Harama earlier, Koji," Mako told the teenager. "It isn't easy to get the respect of a spirit."

"Thank you sir, but I have a bit of a confession," Koji responded. "Remember that mover I talked about earlier? It was the same lesson the spirit learned in the end. When it lost control of its emotions, it lost everything. It could only regain the trust of humans after apologizing to them. I might have borrowed a few lines."

Mako chuckled to himself. He was never really fond of movers, but if that's what had helped Koji, he wasn't about to fault it.

"I'm glad it worked out for you, Koji," Mari said with a sweet smile.

"Me too," Koji replied. While he walked around the camp, Ryu suddenly stepped chest-to-chest with him.

"Did you get taller?" Ryu asked.

"Huh? I don't know. Maybe?" the other teen replied with a shrug as he looked down at Ryu.

The two boys were always similar in height, with Koji being only slightly taller. Now the teen was a good six centimeters above his friend.

"What the flameio?!" Ryu grumped now that he had proof.

"I can't help it you're short," Koji smirked.

"Could it be a growth spurt?" Mari interrupted.

Mako had a different theory.

"I think you may have aged, Koji," he posited.

All three teens looked curiously at him while they waited for an explanation.

"Since I was cursed by a dragon sprit, I age slower than normal people. But Koji was cursed by a bee spirit—"

"—And bees have very short lives," Mari finished as she grasped his train of thought.

"That's right. I can't be certain, but it would explain your sudden growth spurt. I would say you gained a year," Mako finished. It would also explain Koji's insatiable appetite. His metabolism was probably going through the roof.

"Hear that, Ryu. I'm older than you now so that means you have to do whatever I tell you," Koji stated with a smug smile.

"Never in a million years," Ryu huffed. He stomped the ground and Koji tripped over the set of stone spikes that suddenly appeared beneath his feet.

"Hey!" Koji yelped.

"That's no way to treat your elders, Kid," Mako joked, breaking up the pending scuffle. The other teens shared a laugh, Koji soon joining them. Like many things, the jest rolled off his shoulders.

"Oh, and I've got scars like you now too, sir." Koji lifted his shirt to show off the round, red marks on his sides from where his extra arms had been.

"Uh…Maybe you want to wait until after we get back home to tell your parents about that," Mako suggested.

The next day, they returned to town to meet with the mayor. Katsuya was thrilled to see them. Apparently the fishing boats had all returned with full nets thanks to Mako's help. Because of that, he agreed to grant him anything he wanted. Katsuya had already done a lot by paying for the supplies, but Mako did have one more request. What he wanted was a bunch of honey, and for the mayor to join his little group on a short trip.

They poured the honey into the basin, and soon Harama appeared to enjoy her offering. She scooped it up with her hand and the golden goo caught the sunlight as she licked it off her fingers.

"Katsuya, this is Harama." He introduced the man to the bee spirit. "She used to have a close relationship with the people that once lived here."

"He-hello, Harama," Katsuya stammered with a polite bow. He had a right to be nervous considering what had happened with the snake spirit.

"Harama would like to re-establish that relationship again if you're willing. All it would cost is some honey and someone willing to care for her shrine," Mako explained.

"I remember hearing stories from my grandmother about the bees," Katsuya said. "But I always thought they were just that…stories. I would be more than happy to honor your shrine. I'm sure our town can have fish and honey."

That afternoon, all the town's people gathered to get acquainted with Harama. It was successes like this that made Mako appreciate his ability to walk the path between humans and spirits.

"All right. I think we've done enough here. Let's move-on," Mako told the teens.

They all agreed and were headed to The Rampage when Koji paused at Harama's shrine.

"One moment, sir," he said.

The others watched as he shifted his foot toward the stone pillars. A cloud of dust emerged from them and, when it cleared, intricate flowers were carved along the surface of each one.

Mari crouched down to examine the craftsmanship. "Wow, Koji. They look so real. You really are a talented Earthbender."

Koji blushed as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Ummm…Thanks Mari. I just wanted to add my own touch to thank Harama."

Despite what had happened, Koji was still grateful to the spirit for saving his life.

With Koji's tribute finished, they resumed their walk to The Rampage. Mari hastened her pace to fall in-step with Koji, her tail wagging happily behind her as they walked side-by-side. Once they were all inside, the pair continued to happily chat together.

Similar frowns covered both Mako and Ryu's faces as they watched the pair through the rearview mirror. Neither of them were sure what they were seeing, but they didn't like it.