ATLA- Faith's Story

Chapter 6: Imprisoned

Haru: Uh, you must have me confused with some other kid.

Katara: (Katara, Aang and Sokka enter the shop.) No, she doesn't. We saw you earthbending.

Haru and his mother gasps in horror at his secret being revealed and both the door and window to the small shop are promptly slammed shut.

Haru's mother: (Standing by the window.) They saw you doing what?!

Haru: They're crazy, Mom! I mean, look at how they're dressed.

Faith looks down at her dress and frowns as Aang just approaches Faith and gently grabs her hand. He then proceeds to gaze to his conical hat, shifting it about in confusion. Katara awkwardly grasps at her dress, looking with astonishment at herself. Sokka quirks an eyebrow and smooths out his sleeve.

Haru's mother: You know how dangerous that is! You know what would happen if they caught you earthbending!

Tax collector: (Heavy knocks on the door.) Open up!

Sokka: (Sokka peeks through the window's blinds.) Fire Nation! Act natural!

Haru's mother opens the door, allowing the Fire Nation tax collector to walk inside. He stares awkwardly at the four children in front of him. Faith quickly turns away in an attempt to hide her arrow by pretending to look around. Haru grasps his chin and stares toward Katara, cross-eyed. Sokka eyeballs an apple. Katara hunches forward with her eyes wide open, having stuffed her mouth with berries. Aang has his hand atop a barrel, beaming an immense toothy smile. His pose is short-lived as the barrel's lid spins, dunking Aang's hand into the barrel of water and causes him to fall down.

Haru's mother: (The tax collector stares sourly toward the four children; aggressively.) What do you want? I've already paid you this week!

Tax collector: The tax just doubled.
(Arrogantly.) And we wouldn't want an accident now would we? (Creates a ball of fire between his hands, making everyone slightly back away.) Fire is sometimes so hard to control.

Haru's mother and the tax collector approach the store's counter, where she opens a small chest and passes a meager handful of Earth Kingdom currency to the tax collector. Haru leans against the counter, staring with contempt toward the Fire Nation man.

Tax collector: You can keep the copper ones.
(Walks away, dropping four copper pieces to the floor, exits.)

Sokka: (Door slams.) Nice guy. How long has the Fire Nation been here?

Haru's mother: Five years. Fire Lord Ozai uses our town's coal mines to fuel his ships.

Haru: They're thugs. They steal from us. And everyone here's too much of a coward to do anything about it.

Haru's mother: (Angered.) Quiet, Haru! Don't talk like that.

Katara: (Curiously.) But, Haru's an earthbender? He can help!

Haru's mother: Earthbending is forbidden. It's caused nothing but misery for this village! (Casts a meaningful glance toward her son.) He must never use his abilities.

Faith: How can you say that? Haru has a gift! Asking him not to earthbend is like asking me not to AirBend, It's a part of who we are.

Haru's mother: (Shakes head in dismay.) You don't understand.

Katara: I understand that Haru can help you fight back.

Faith: What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?

Haru's mother: They could take Haru away! Like they took his father.

Haru: My mom said you can sleep here tonight. But you should leave in the morning.