ATLA- Faith's Story

Chapter 14: The FortuneTeller

Aang: (Urgently.) Someone's being attacked by a platypus bear!

Theres a large, ferocious creature having dark brown fur, the body and head of a bear, the tail and bill of a platypus and bearing a white "V" across its chest. The creature stands upright on its hind legs and swings at a man clad in blue, who smiles merrily, his hands behind his back. The man manages to avoid the bear's swing by calmly stepping backward. The creature continues its attacks as Aang leaps onto a rock directly behind it. The old man continues to smile as though nothing is occurring.

Calm man: Well, hello there! (Dodges another swift swing of the bear's claws.) Nice day, isn't it?

Aang: Make noise! He'll run off!

Faith, Sokka and Katara approach the scene.

Sokka: No, play dead! He'll lose interest!

The bear swings its claws only to miss striking the man once again.

Calm man: (Happily.) Whoa, close one! (Laughs bemusedly.)

Katara: (Cups a hand to her mouth and makes gestures with her other hand.) Run downhill, then climb a tree!

Sokka: No, punch him in the bill! (Swings a fist upward.)

Aang: And then run in zig-zags!

Calm man: No need, it's going to be fine!

Faith: (Smiling; Walking over to the man.) Watch this. (She winks at Aang as he just blushes slightly.)

Faith approaches the Platypus bear and stands in between the old man and the creature. The creature goes onto its back legs ready to swing. As he goes in for the swing Faith places her hand forward sending a small gush of wind causing The platypus bear to stop and land on all fours. It licks her side and then walks off into the distance.

Faith: (Laughing as she dries herself off.) What a nice platypus bear.

Aang: (Runs next to Faith and grabs her arms looking her up and down.) Are you okay?

Faith: (Rolls her eyes.) I'm fine Aang. (He lets go off her.) I just have a way with animals.

Sokka: (Joyfully picks up a random egg.) Mmm, lunch! (He sniffs it.) Lucky for you, we came along.

Calm man: Thanks, but everything was already under control. Not to worry. Aunt Wu predicted I'd have a safe journey. (Folds hands together and bows slightly.)

Aang: Aunt who?

Calm man: No, Aunt Wu. She's the fortuneteller from my village. Awful nice knowing your future.

Katara: (Looks off to the side as she ponders this.) Wow, it must be. (Faces the man with a bright expression on her face.) That explains why you were so calm!

Sokka: But the fortuneteller was wrong! You didn't have a safe journey; you were almost killed!

Calm man: (Cheerfully.) But I wasn't! All right, have a good one! (He bids them a farewell and begins to walk away only to turn back again.) Oh, and Aunt Wu said if I met any travelers to give them this.

He hands Aang a wrapped parcel seemingly containing a long, thin object and leaves mysteriously. Sokka eyes the man suspiciously.

Katara: (Excitedly.) Maybe we should go see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It could be fun.

Sokka: Oh, come on. Fortune telling is nonsense!

Faith: (Smiling.) I agree with Kat! We should go it sounds like so much fun!

Aang quickly unwraps the mysterious parcel, which turns out to be a red umbrella. He opens it and holds it over his head.

Aang: What do you know? An umbrella!