The Fortuneteller:
"Look!" Katara exclaimed, pointing at a fish flopping in the water.
"It's a fish!" Ember said.
"He is taunting us." Sokka said. "You are so gonna be dinner!" he grabbed the fishing rod but stopped. "Hey! Where's the fishing line?"
"Oh, I didn't think you were need it, Sokka." Aang said, holding it up.
"Oh, cute." Aqua squealed.
"It's all tangled." Sokka said.
"It is not." Aqua said. "It's a hand-made necklace."
"I made it for you, Katara." Aang said, kind of embarrassed. "Since you lost your other one." Ember and Aqua smirked at the other, knowing love was in the air.
"Thank, Aang. I love it." Katara smiled, taking it.
"Come on; let's go see how it looks on you." Ember smiled, helping her tie it on.
"Maybe instead of saving the world, you can go into the jewelry making business." Sokka said.
"I don't see why I can't do both." Aang shrugged.
"Stop taunting me!" Sokka yelled at the flapping fish dodging Sokka's attempts at capture.
"Sokka! Just calm down!" Aqua laughed at the waters end.
"So, how do I look?" Katara asked.
"Simple marvelous. Don't you think so, Aang?" Ember smirked as Aang turned to the two girls and his eyes almost popped from his head.
"You mean all of you or just your neck?" Aang asked, rubbing his head. "I mean, uh, both look great."
"Someone's in love!" Sokka teased, holding the fish. It smacked him, sending him under the water.
"Sokka! Stop teasing them!" Aqua laughed. Sokka climbed out of the water pouting and soaking wet.
"Hey, Sokka. Want to get dry?" Ember smirked, raising her hand.
"Sur…wait, no Ember!" Sokka screamed and hid behind Aqua.
"Oh, Sokka. She's not going to burn you." Aqua sighed.
"You don't know that." Sokka pouted.
A scream was heard and Momo pointed to where it came from.
"Someone's being attacked by a platypusbear!" Aang yelled. They ran and noticed a calm man dodging the creature.
"Well, hello there." He smiled. "Nice day, isn't it."
"Run away!" Ember yelled.
"Scream for it!" Aqua shouted.
"Make noise, it'll run off!" Aang suggested.
"No, play dead, he'll lost interest!" Sokka yelled.
"Whoa! Close one." The man laughed, dodging fist.
"Run down hill, then climb a tree!" Katara yelled.
"No, punch him in the bill!" Sokka suggested.
"And then run in zigzags!" Aang yelled.
"No need. It's going to be fine." The calm man said. The bear roared angrily but Appa roared louder behind him. One look at Appa sent the platypus bear running.
"Mmm! Lunch." Sokka licked his lips, picking up an egg the bear left behind. "Lucky for you, we came along."
"Thanks, but everything was already under control." The man told them. "Not to worry, Aunt Wu predicted I'd have a safe journey."
"Aunt Who?" Aang asked.
"Aunt Mu?" Ember shrugged.
"No, Aunt Wu." The man corrected. "She's the fortuneteller from my village. Awful nice knowing your future."
"Sometimes, it might not be." Aqua said.
"But it must be." Katara insisted. "That explains why you were so calm."
"But the fortuneteller was wrong!" Sokka exclaimed. "You didn't have a safe journey, you were almost killed!"
"But I wasn't." the man said. "Alright, have a good one! Oh, and Aunt Wu said if I met any travelers, to give them this." He handed Aang a long object and walked away.
"Maybe we should go see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It could be fun." Katara said.
"Oh come on, fortunetelling is nonsense." Sokka said.
"But it could be fun." Aqua said and Aang opened the package to reveal an umbrella and he opened it above his head.
"What do you know, an umbrella!" Aang exclaimed and the sky darkened. Ember climbed under the umbrella with Katara and Aqua as the rain poured.
"That proves it." Katara said. Sokka held the egg above his head as if that would protect him from the rain.
"No it doesn't." Sokka insisted. "You can't really tell the future."
"I guess you're not really getting wet then." Katara smirked as Sokka dropped the egg.
A few minutes later, Sokka was still getting soaked as they walked.
"Of course she predicted it was gonna rain. The sky's been gray all day." Sokka said.
"No it hasn't." Ember said.
"Sokka, you're going to get sick again." Aqua groaned.
"Look, I'm going to predict the future now." Sokka said and waved his arms. "It's going to keep drizzling. See!" To his surprise, the rain stopped.
"Not everyone has the gift, Sokka." Aang smiled, closing the umbrella. Appa, Sapphire, and Ruby shook the water from their bodies, soaking Sokka.
"Funny how this always happens to Sokka, right?" Ember smiled.
"Right." Aqua laughed.
They finally made it to a small village and to a small building.
"Aunt Wu is expecting you." A man greeted them at the door.
"Really?" Katara asked, giddy with excitement.
When they walked in, there was a young girl about Aang's age wearing a pink dress and her large brown braided hair stuck up on either side of her head.
"My name is Meng and I'm Aunt Wu's assistant." Meng bowed.
"Hello, I'm Aqua, and this is my sister, Ember." Aqua smiled kindly but Meng was…distracted.
"Well, hello there." Meng smiled to Aang.
"Hello." He said, unimpressive as he wiped his nose and the group sat on pillows stationed around the room on the floor.
"Can I get you some tea, or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?" Meng asked.
"I'll take some tea." Aqua and Ember said.
"I'll try a curd puff." Sokka said.
"Just a second." Meng said uninterested and turned to Aang. "So, what's your name?"
"Aang."
"Impressive Aang." Ember coughed into her fist. Aqua nudged her.
"That rhymes with Meng! And you've got some pretty big ears, don't you?" Meng asked.
"I…guess…" Aang said confused.
"Oh, don't be modest. They're huge!" Sokka said, spreading out his arms and was rewarded with Aqua hitting his arm. "OW!"
"Well Aang, it is very nice to meet you. Very nice." Meng smiled.
"Likewise." Aang said. Meng walked from the room, just looking over her shoulder before disappearing.
Immediately after she disappeared around the corner, Aqua and Ember turned to the other, gushing at Meng's obvious crush. It seems, only the two girls had noticed.
"I can't believe we're here in the house of nonsense." Sokka said.
"Try to keep an open mind, Sokka. There are things in this world that just can't be explained." Katara said. "Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight into your future."
"It would be nice to know a little more about the future of the war." Ember said.
"It would be better without knowing. No one can tell you you're future is what they see, you have to make it yourself. Even if what they say is right, you have to be the one to decide how to get there." Aqua said.
"Wow, deep." Ember said.
"It would be nice to have some bean curd puffs." Sokka said. Meng came back and there seemed to be a connection between her and Aang as she nearly tripped and he caught her. She shoved the tray of food she had in her arms into his.
"Enjoy your snack." She said embarrassed.
"Welcome, young travelers." Aunt Wu said. She was an old woman who were a golden kimono. "Now, who's next? Don't be shy."
Aang and Sokka looked away, Ember and Aqua looked to Katara.
"I guess that's me." She stood.
"Well, I've gotta find a bathroom." Aang said and ran from the room.
Aqua and Ember looked at the other. "Small bladder."
It was a few more minutes passed when Aang hopped back into the room, clearly happy.
"Looks like someone had a pretty good bathroom break." Sokka said.
"Yeah, when I was back there…" Aang started, pointing over his shoulder.
"I don't even want to know!" Sokka said, holding out his hands as Aunt Wu and Katara walked back in.
"Who's next?" Aunt Wu asked.
"Oh, she is!" Ember smirked and pushed Aqua up.
"Wait, no, but…" Aqua stuttered.
"Come on child, you have nothing to fear but fear itself." Aunt Wu said and they walked to the back.
Aqua sat in front of the fire, looking into its flames, her natural enemy.
"Please pick a bone and toss it into a fire." Aunt Wu said and gestured to the bone of bones beside her.
"Um, where exactly did you get those bones?" Aqua gulped.
"…Do you really want to know?"
…"No, not really." Aqua drifted her fingers over the bone before picking up a smaller one and tossed it into the fire. To their shock, the water turned a raging blue.
"You're not just a water bender, are you?" Aunt Wu asked. "You're…a guardian."
"Um, yes." Aqua coughed embarrassed.
"Please, Guardian Aqua, there are no secrets back here." Aunt Wu said.
"Well, what do you see?" Aqua asked.
"You will partake in a terrible war that could destroy the world if you lose!" she yelled.
"I know, anything else?" Aqua asked.
"Oh, well, I see a boy." Aunt Wu said.
"A boy?" Aqua asked.
"Yes, I see it now. He won't be a bender but he'll be powerful in his own way, willing to do anything for you." Aunt We said.
"Wow…" Aqua blushed.
"I see trouble happening with love, but in the end, you will be with the one you love." Aunt Wu said.
"Thank you." Aqua said as they stood up and walked to the bus.
"Next, please." Aunt Wu said.
"That'll be her." Aqua smiled and pulled Ember up.
"Wait, no." Ember said.
"Come along, we shall talk." Aunt Wu said. Ember groaned and followed her into the back room.
"So, what' d she say?" Katara asked and Aqua fell to her knees.
"It was amazing." Aqua squealed. "She told me that the world will be destroyed if we lost the war, but we already knew that. It was after that she told me about my future love life."
"No way, what'll he be like?" Katara said.
"Aunt Wu said he wouldn't be a bender but he'll be just as powerful with his own skills. We'll have problems but in the end, it'll work out." Aqua smiled.
"You don't really believe that, do you?" Sokka asked. They hadn't realized he was listening in on their conversation.
"Of course I do. I have to admit, I was a little skeptic at first, but then I was back there. Oh, I hope he's cute." Aqua smiled, closing her eyes dreamily and placing her cold hands against her burning cheek.
Sokka grumbled and crossed his arms unhappily.
In the back, "So, how does this work?" Ember asked, sitting in front of the fire, her element.
"You just draw a bone from the basket and toss it in the fire. I can then read your future from the cracks it makes." Aunt Wu explained.
"Wonderful." Ember said sarcastic and pulled out a random bone, tossing it into the fire. A large crack formed and the fire turned a darker red and growing.
"I see you are also a guardian." Aunt Wu smiled. "A fire guardian perhaps." Ember smiled nervously, lifting her shoulders. "Don't worry. I assume like you're friend, you already know about the war, so I can tell you something else. You have been in love."
"Love? Now I know that's a lie." Ember rolled her eyes.
"No, I have seen you have been in love with a young man before." Aunt Wu said. Ember suddenly had a flash of a young freedom fighter. "Things are not as they seem. He might be angry with you, but given the chance, you can find love."
"That's it. I'm out of here." Ember stood. Aunt Wu smiled and followed.
"Who is next?" Aunt Wu asked.
"Okay, let's get this over with." Sokka stood.
Aunt Wu looked at him and frowned. "Your future is full of struggle and anguish, most of it self-inflicted."
"But, you didn't read my palms or anything!" Sokka gasped.
"I don't need to." Aunt Wu commented. "It's written all over your face." Ember started to laugh and Aunt Wu turned to Aang. "You then, come with me." As they left, Aqua and Ember glanced at the other before following to listen at the door.
In the back room, Aang and Aunt Wu sat on the pillows in front of a low fire. "This is the most reliable method of telling your fortune. The bones never lie. Go on, pick one." She said and Aang grabbed a bone. "Now throw it on the fire. She spoke and Aang complied. The heat makes cracks in the bones and I read the bone cracks to tell your destiny." The bone started to crack.
"I've never seen this before!" Aunt Wu gasped surprised as the bone shattered and the flame blew to the ceiling. "Oh my! This is incredible! You will be involved in a great battle; an awesome conflict between the forces of good and evil, a battle whose outcome will determine the fate of the entire world!"
"Awesome conflict?" Ember asked.
"Now, she's nuts again." Aqua sighed.
"Yeah, yeah, I know that already, but did it say anything about a girl?" Aang asked hopefully.
A girl?" Aunt Wu asked confused. "You want to know about love?"
"Yes!" Aang exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't see anything." Aunt Wu confessed. Aang looked down sadly and Aunt Wu slapped her head and picked up a bone piece from a shattered bone. "Oh, look! I must have missed something. It says, trust your heart and you will be with the one you love."
"Really!" Aang gasped and stood up. "Thank you, Aunt Wu!"
Outside, Ember nudged Aqua and she nodded. The two girls quietly slipped back into the waiting room and sat down just as Aang came running out.
It was a few minutes later that they walked through the town square.
"Well, now you got to see for yourselves that fortune is just a big, stupid hoax." Sokka said.
"You're just mad." Aqua smiled.
"Because you're going to make yourself unhappy your whole life." Katara teased.
"That woman is crazy!" Sokka exploded. "My life will be calm, and happy and joyful."
"Yeah, you're a ray of sunshine." Ember said.
"Oh yeah. I can by happy!" Sokka glared.
"Oh yeah, prove it." Ember smirked. What no one expected was for Sokka to grab Aqua and kiss her, square on the mouth. "Okay, enough molesting my sister!"
Sokka let go of Aqua, both their faces a bright red, Aqua's hair slightly mussed. "Ow!" Sokka yelled as he ran into a sign and fell. "That doesn't prove anything!"
"Well, I liked my predictions." Katara smiled. "Certain things are going to turn out very well.
"They sure are." Aang smiled knowingly. Aqua and Ember looked at the other worried. Just because Aunt Wu said what she said, didn't necessary mean that he was going to end up with Katara. It could be Meng for all they knew.
"Why, what did she tell you?" Katara asked.
Some stuff." Aang smiled. "You'll find out."
"What's with the crowd?" Ember asked as a crowd gather, everyone looking up at the sky.
"What's with the sky?" Katara asked, wondering why they were all looking up.
"We are waiting for Aunt Wu to come and read the clouds to predict the fate of the whole village." The calm man from earlier explained.
"I never knew someone could do that by looking at eh clouds." Aqua said.
That cloud looks like a fluffy bunny." Aang pointed.
"You better hope that's not a bunny." The man said. "The fluffy bunny cloud forecasts doom and destruction."
"That's just messed up." Ember said.
"Do you even hear yourself?" Sokka asked.
"The cloud reading will tell us if Mount Makapu will remain dormant for another year or if it will erupt." A woman said.
Ember looked to the volcano and narrowed her eyes as she felt the lava pulsing inside it.
"Hey, you alright?" Aqua asked, placing a hand on Ember's shoulder.
"Oh, yeah." Ember nodded.
"We used to have a tradition once a year of going up the mountain to check the volcano ourselves." The man said. "But ever since Aunt Wu moved to the village twenty year ago, we have a tradition of not doing that."
"I can't believe you would trust your lives to that crazy old woman's superstition!" Sokka exclaimed.
"She's coming!" Katara gasped.
"She might here you, Sokka." Aqua said. Sokka huffed and crossed his arms as Aunt Wu walked onto a little stage they stood in front of. In her hands were a small book.
"Aang, doesn't that cloud look like a flower?" Meng asked.
"Sure, I guess." Aang said. He suddenly pushed her away and turned to Katara eagerly. "Hey Katara, don't you think that cloud looks like a flower?" Katara shushed him.
On the stand, Aunt Wu opened the book in her hand and examined the clouds.
"Bending arrow cloud. Good crops this year, nice big harvest!" Aunt Wu announced. "Wavy moon shape cloud. Let's see. Gonna be a great year for twins!"
"Yes!" a pair of green clad wearing twins exclaimed.
"And a cumulus cloud with a twisted nob coming off the end of it." Aunt Wu observed. "The village will not be destroyed by the volcano this year!"
"I'm not so sure." Ember said but the cheering of the village drowned out her voice.
"Please, come with me!" Katara smiled and grabbed Aqua and Ember's wrists, pulling them to Aunt Wu. "Hi, Aunt Wu. Sorry to bother you." Katara said, her hands tightening on Aqua and Ember so hard, they both winched.
"Anytime." Aunt Wu said.
"About this man I'm supposed to marry." Katara blushed. "Is he gonna be handsome? Oh, I hope he's tall!"
"How is she suppose too know what he looks like. They don't give images." Ember interrupted.
"Ah, you want another reading." Aunt Wu realized.
"Yes, please!" Katara nodded eagerly. She let go and followed Aunt Wu.
"You go with them, I'll find the boys." Aqua sighed and the two girls split ways.
"I can't believe all those saps." Sokka grumbled. "Someone really needs to scream some sense at them." Sokka declared.
"They seem happy, Sokka." Aang commented.
"Not for long. I'm going to prove Aunt Wu's predictions are nonsense." Sokka glared.
"Sokka, don't bug the villagers." Aqua sighed.
"Hey, you." Sokka grabbed a nearby man. "I bet Aunt Wu told you to wear those red shoes, didn't she?"
"Yeah," the man agreed. "She said I'd be wearing red shoes when I meet my true love."
"Uh huh, and how many time have you worn those shoes since you got that fortune?" Sokka asked.
"Every day." The man said.
"Then of course it's going to come true!" Sokka exclaimed angrily.
"Really?" he asked hopefully. "You think so? I'm so excited!"
"Please, excuse my friend. I'm sorry. Continue on your way." Aqua waved him on.
At Aunt Wu's, Ember had been allowed in the back and was slumped against the wall, falling to sleep.
"Then you'll have your third great grandchild before quietly passing away in your sleep. Is that enough for you?" Aunt Wu asked annoyed and Katara stood.
"Wow, thanks Aunt Wu." Katara said. "Oh, wait, one more thing. How warmly should I dress tomorrow?"
Ember groaned.
"You want me to do a reading for that?" Aunt Wu asked. Katara nodded quickly, a huge and scary smile on her face.
"We're going to be here for a while." Ember groaned, falling onto her back.
Outside, "I don't care what Aunt Wu told you, you have to take a bath sometime!" Sokka growled.
A filthy man smiled at him.
"Please, ignore him." Aqua sighed. This was the tenth one already. The man nodded to her and left.
"Sokka, you know some stuff about ladies, right?" Aang asked.
"Some stuff?" Sokka asked and wrapped an arm around Aang's shoulder. "You've come to the right place. What can I do for you?"
"Well, there's this girl…" Aang said, trying to hide that it was Sokka's sister he was interested in. Aqua looked and saw Meng watching him from afar, Sokka also noticing the young girl.
"I think I know who you mean." Sokka said. Aqua tried to muffle her laughter at Sokka's mistake but it wasn't working out.
"You do?" Aang asked surprised. "And you're ok with it?"
"Of course I am." Sokka said. And to tell you the truth, I've been picking up the subtle vibe that she likes you too."
"She does?" Aang asked hopefully.
"Oh yeah, she's crazy about you. All you have to do now is not mess it up." Sokka said.
"Well, how do I do that?" Aang asked.
"The number one mistake nice guys like you make; being too nice." Sokka said.
"You can be too nice?" Aang asked.
"Yup." Sokka nodded. "If you want to keep her interested, you have to act aloof, Like you don't really care one way or the other."
"Well, ok." Aang said.
"Hey, Aang." Meng said, walking on up. "I was just wondering…."
"See ya later." Aang walked away. Meng sighed disappointed.
"Wow, that kid is good." Sokka observed.
Aqua said, "You know, Sokka, some girls actually like nice guys." Aqua said. Sokka smiled at her nervously, trying to keep the blush from going to his face.
At Aunt Wu's, "And you'll be fine as long as you've got a scarf." Aunt Wu said from the door.
"Come on, Katara, she's a very busy woman. " Ember said, pulling on her arm.
"Okay, okay, but one more thing." Katara said.
"Alright, what is it?" Aunt Wu groaned.
"Should I eat a mango or a papaya for breakfast tomorrow?" Katara asked. Ember slapped herself.
"Papaya!" Aunt Wu snapped and slammed the door shut.
"Oh, I hate papaya." Katara groaned, kicking at the dirt lightly.
"Then why was that one of your choices." Ember groaned.
"Oh, hey girls, I didn't see you there." Aang said, leaning against the house.
"Hey Aang." Katara and Ember walked away.
"That's ok!" Aang shouted. "I'm busy with my own stuff!"
"I wonder what's up with him." Ember shrugged.
"Papaya please." Katara groaned at the stand.
"So, papaya." Aang said, leaning against the stand.
"Uh huh." Katara said. "Would you like some?" She was eager to get rid of it.
"No, I hate the stuff." Ember said.
"You know me." Aang said, picking up an apple. "I don't really care what I eat."
"Since when, Mr. Vegetarian? Ember teased.
"Okay then. See you later." Katara walked away. Ember sighed and followed the retreating water bender.
"Oh, A panda lily!" a woman gasped nearby at the flower her boyfriend was presenting her and she hugged him happily.
"Excuse me." Aang said. "Where can a guy find one of those things?"
On the volcano, "I can' t believe you're dragging me all the way up here for a stupid flower." Sokka climbed.
"Oh, Sokka. I think it's romantic what Aang's going through to get this flower." Aqua smiled from her spot on the mountain a few feet above him.
"Besides, it's a panda lily. I've seen it in action and boy, does it work." Aang said.
"I want a boy to give me a rare flower." Aqua gushed. Sokka raised in eyebrow in thought.
"Flowers are fine once you're married, but at this early stage, it's critical that you maximum aloofness." Sokka said.
"But my heart is telling me to get this flower." Aang said. "Aunt Wu said if I trusted my heart, I would be with the one I love."
"What?" Sokka asked. "Don't tell me you believe in that stuff too."
"Just face it Sokka, you're outnumber by you against everyone else." Aqua said.
"Aunt Wu hasn't been wrong yet." Aang said. "Why should she be wrong about love? There, on the rim!" On the edge of the volcano, panda lily's decorated it.
Aang picked one and unnoticed by all, Sokka picked him own and placed it in a back pocket.
"Guys," Aqua gasped. The volcano was quickly filling with lava and rock. "Why don't I like the look of that?"
"Oh no! Aunt Wu was wrong." Aang gasped, dropping the flower and watching it burn within the cavern.
"Let's get back to the village." Aqua said.
"Grab on." Aang said, letting out his glider. Finally, they landed outside Aunt Wu's door where Katara and a very exhausted Ember, waited.
"Hey, Katara, Ember." Aang said.
"Why are you just standing out here?" Aqua asked.
"Can you believe she won't let us in?" Katara asked. "And after all the business I've given her?"
"What business?" Ember groaned.
"Besides, she's old. She'll get tired sometimes." Aqua said.
"And she doesn't even charge." Aang said.
"I know, but still." Katara said.
"Well, we have other things to worry about." Sokka said, reminding them why they were there. "Aunt Wu was wrong about the volcano."
"I knew it!" Ember exclaimed.
"You knew?" Aqua asked.
"Well, I had my suspicions." Ember explained.
"Sokka, you tried to convince me she was wrong before." Katara said. "It's going to take an awful lot to change my mind." Katara insisted.
"How about that being a lot." Aqua said as the volcano exploded.
"Oh no!" Katara gasped.
"Everyone!" Sokka yelled, grabbing the crowded villager's attention. "That volcano is going to blow any second! Aunt Wu was wrong!"
"Yeah, yeah, we know you don't believe in Aunt Wu, Mr. Science and Reason Lover." A boy from the crowd said.
"If you won't listen to him, maybe you'll listen to me." Katara said. "I want to believe Aunt Wu and her predictions as much as you do, but my brother, Aang, and Aqua saw the lava with their own eyes.
"Well, I heard Aunt Wu's prediction with my own ears." The calm man said.
"I rather believe my sight than someone just telling me what I saw was wrong." Aqua said.
"Please, listen to us!" Aang shouted, jumping onto Aunt Wu's roof. How she didn't hear all this was a shock of its own. "You are all in danger! We have to get out of here! You can't rely on Aunt Wu's prediction. You have to take fate into your own hands!"
"Look!" Sokka yelled, pointing to the volcano. "Can your fortunetelling explain that?"
"Can your science explain why it rains?" a man asked.
"Yes! Yes it can!" Sokka growled annoyed.
"They just won't listen to reason." Katara said unhappily as the villagers returned to their homes and Aang jumped back down.
"But they will listen to Aunt Wu." Aang said.
"How is that suppose too help us here?" Aqua asked.
"Aunt Wu isn't going to just change her mind and tell everyone it was a mistake and the village will explode." Ember commented.
"That's the problem." Sokka said.
"Well, it's about to become the solution." Aang said. "We're taking our fate into our own hands. First, I need to borrow Aunt Wu's cloud reading book."
"And how are you going to get it?" Ember asked.
Upstairs, "Shh, we don't want anyone to hear us." Aang hissed at Momo as they wondered through Aunt Wu's home. He jumped when he looked in a mirror to see Meng behind him. "Oh, I didn't see you."
"You don't like me, do you?" Meng asked, dropping her head while her braids fall a little lower.
"Of course I like you." Aang said.
"But not the way I like you." Meng said.
"Oh, I guess not." Aang said.
"It's okay." Meng said. "It's just really hard when you like someone, but they don't think of you that way."
"I know what you mean." Aang said sadly.
"She's beautiful, by the way." Meng commented.
"Huh?" Aang blushed.
"The water tribe girl." Meng said. "I can see why you like her so much. She's sweet, she's a bender, and her hair seemed so manageable." She finished, trying to smooth down her own dark brown locks.
"Don't worry. You're going to meet a great guy who's going to completely fall for you. I know it." Aang placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Thanks." Meng said. Aang turned to leave but was stopped. "Wait! Don't you want this?" Meng asked, reaching into her robe and handing Aang the cloud reading book.
"How did you know?" Aang asked.
"I've kind of been staking you." Meng confessed, playing with her fingers and smiling nervously.
On Appa and Sapphire were Aang, Katara, and Aqua.
"Clouds are made of water and air so between the three of us, we ought to be able to bend them into any shape we want." Aang said.
"Let's do this." Aqua stood on Sapphire like she would be surfing.
"I found it." Katara flipped through the small book. "The symbol for volcanic doom."
At the village, "Aunt Wu, come quick!" Ember said, Ruby following her behind.
"Something is happening in the clouds!" Sokka pointed.
"That's very strange." Aunt Wu commented. "It shouldn't…oh my!"
In the sky, a skull was starting to take shape.
Aqua, Katara, Aang, Appa, and Sapphire ran to the village.
"You can't give up just yet." Aqua said.
"We can still save the village if we act fast." Aang said. "Sokka has a plan."
"Surprisingly." Ember said.
"Lava is going to flow downhill to this spot. If we dig a deep enough trench, we can channel all the lava away from the village to the river." Sokka explained.
"If any of you are earthbenders, come with me." Aang said.
"I'm an earthbender!" a twin from earlier announced.
"I'm not!" his twin declared.
"Al…right." Aqua said.
"Everybody else grab a shovel." Sokka said as the volcano exploded again. "We've got to hurry!"
"Don't just stand around like a bunch of hog monkeys. Move it!" Ember yelled, sending everyone in a rush.
It was some time later that they were still digging the trength.
"Dig faster! Dig faster!" Sokka yelled and the earthbending twin finally blew the trench to open up into the river.
"Come on! We've got it!" Aqua yelled.
"Everyone needs to evacuate!" Aang yelled. "We'll come for you when it's safe!" Everyone made a run for it to get out of the trench.
The volcano exploded one last time and the trench started to fill but trouble was starting again.
"Oh no!" Aqua gasped.
"It's too much!" Katara exclaimed. "It's going to overflow!" Aang snapped and rushed forward.
"Aang!" Ember yelled but Aang wasn't listening. As the trench overfilled, Aang sent the lava flowing up and blew on it, cooling the lava to stone.
"Man, sometimes I forget what a powerful bender that kid is." Sokka said.
"Sometimes, so do we." Aqua sighed as Aang stood breathing hard.
"Wait, what did you say?" Katara asked Sokka.
"Nothing, just that Aang is one powerful bender." Sokka shrugged.
"I suppose he is." Katara said.
A few minutes' later, they stood in front of Aunt Wu.
"By the way, we kind of borrowed your book." Aang said.
"So, you messed with the clouds, did you?" Aunt Wu snapped and snatched the book from the air bender.
"At least we thought to tell you instead of just leaving." Ember huffed.
"Very clever!" Aunt Wu laughed.
"No offense, but I hope we taught everyone a lesson about not relying too much on fortunetelling." Sokka said.
"But Aunt Wu predicted the village would be destroyed, and it wasn't. She was right, after all." The calm man said.
"He's got you there." Aqua smiled.
Sokka got in front of the calm man. "I hate you."
"Hey, Sokka." Ember said. "We're you going to give this to Aqua?" She smirked and pulled the panda lily from his pocket, the petals slightly messed up.
"What?" Sokka gasped and Ember tossed it to Aqua who caught the small flower surprised. Sokka started to stutter.
"Sokka, it was sweet." Aqua smiled and kissed his cheek softly. She placed the flower behind her ear and Sokka put on a goofy smile.
"Can I ask you something?" Aang asked.
"Of course, honey." Aunt Wu said.
"You didn't really see love in my fortune, did you?" Aang asked. "You just told me what I wanted to hear."
"I'll tell you a secret, young air bender." Aunt Wu said. "Just as you reshaped those clouds, you have the power to reshape your own destiny."
It was just a few minutes later when they were ready to leave, already boarded.
"Bye!" Ember said.
"We'll come visit!" Aqua waved.
"It was so nice to meet you. Take care, Meng!" Katara yelled.
"Take care!" Meng smiled. They flew into the air and Meng frowned. "Floozy."