Sam: I'm impressed.
Danny: With my strength?
Sam: That you knew what "reversed polarity" was.
Call of the WIld, Season 3 Episode 10

Chapter 5

Aang and Zuko sat in the cockpit of the vehicle called the Specter Speeder, according to their new friends. Between admiring all the metal contraptions in front of them and the green atmosphere through the window, there was plenty to look at. After being yelled at Sam twice to "Not touch anything!" in regards to the buttons, Aang had reserved himself to looking at all the different blobs and ghosts that floating nearby. Zuko leaned comfortably in the chair. He was seriously thinking about taking this chair design to redo the Fire Throne. Maybe then he would be more inclined to sit in it and listen to his advisors babble more.

Danny, Sam, and Tucker were in the back, their different maps either displayed on screens or thrown on the floor if they were written on paper. They kept debating which lair or door the two new arrivals could have arrived from. Or who might know where their home world was. Each suggestion from one of them was turned down by the other two. And then it would repeat. This process was going past an hour and Tucker was getting hungry.

Aang had his head propped up on his arm, sitting on the armrest. Just as his eyes were slowly closing, he spotted a familiar figure. With one hand he reached for Zuko's arm. Zuko turned, "What?" he asked quietly. He followed Aang's hand pointing towards the atmosphere.

"Platypus bear," they said in unison. The airbender jumped out of his seat and poked his head into the standing area. "Guys," he started excitedly, "We need to follow that platypus bear!"

The ghost boy cocked his head. "Platypus bear?" he asked.

Aang still held onto the frame of the cockpit area and nodded vigorously. "Yeah, there's one outside the window. Let's follow it! Maybe it will take us home!"

Tucker shrugged next to him. Sam started walking towards the pilot seat. "It's as good of a plan as any," she said, buckling herself into the seat. She spotted the green otherworldly animal in front of them, casually floating away. Aang and Zuko made space for Sam to steer the Speeder and Danny and Tucker stood behind them. They were following the animal at a distance, hoping not to scare it off. It didn't appear to be going anywhere fast, but would occasionally lift its nose in the air as if trying to catch a scent.

The platypus bear paused and Sam stopped the Speeder behind it. It began pawing at nothing in the air, scratching the swirling green flecks. Danny edged forward, trying to get a better look at the animal. Maybe he had reality ripping claws like Wulf did, he thought to himself.

Suddenly, a portal opened up in front of the ghostly animal and it casually wandered through. Aang jumped out of his seat. "Quick, follow it!" he said. Sam hit the gas a little harder than intended and the two standing boys were thrown on their butts. The Speeder got through the natural portal just in time before it closed behind them.

They couldn't see the animal anymore, but Sam realized they were back in the real world. She lowered the Speeder in a clearing and opened the back hatch. She walked away from the cockpit, Aang and Zuko deciding very quickly to follow. Her two friends were still on the floor, so she helped them up at the same time and headed outside. The air was mountain fresh and they were surrounded by trees.

Aang and Zuko were in awe. Gazing around at the beautiful forest made their eyes go wide in amazement. Sam was stretching her arms above her head and Tucker went straight to his mechanical device in his hands. "Where are we?" Zuko quietly asked.

He didn't think anyone heard them, but Danny answered with a more serious tone, "Colorado."

Tucker's fingers stopped typing and Sam groaned. "Are you sure?" she asked Danny.

Aang made no noise but popped up in the conversation. "What's Colorado?" he asked and was immediately ignored. Zuko shook his head in embarrassment behind them.

Danny nodded at Sam, turning around to face the forest. "I can feel him nearby." Taking a long dramatic pause he continued, "We should get moving," without looking back at the group. His fists were flexing at his side, obviously in distress. The aura around them seemed to darken, but the two strangers didn't appear as worried as the trio.

Tucker pocketed his device and went back into the Speeder. "I'll grab the Specter Deflectors," he said. Rustling could be heard in the storage boxes before Tucker returned with four silver belts. He passed them out to Zuko, Aang, and Sam, purposefully not giving one to Danny. Sam immediately latched it around her waist, making a mental reminder to herself to get one in black. The gaudy silver color was a little much for her taste.

Aang held his new belt a full arm's length away from his body. "Should we put this on?" he asked Zuko hesitantly. Zuko shrugged, watching Sam put hers on so quick. If she thought it immediately necessary, Zuko planned to follow her lead. He snapped the buckle and slowly lifted his hands. Thankfully, nothing happened so he locked eyes with Aang, reassuring, and nodded. His bald friend did the same thing and let out a breath. He hadn't realized he was holding his breath this whole time. The two also hadn't realized Tucker was watching them as well for curiosity's sake.

"Well, we know they're definitely not ghosts," Tucker said to Sam, handing her a wrist ray. She glanced back at the other two, still admiring their new accessories.

"We still don't know what they really are," she replied to Tucker alone. Checking the wrist ray and giving Tucker another glance, she yelled to the others, "Let's get going!" She was planning to stay a little suspicious of the two until she could determine they weren't a threat.

The fire prince and air nomad jogged to catch up. By the time Sam and Tucker were at length with Danny, he floated into the air, fists still braced for a fight. Animals in the forest didn't seem to be bothered by their presence, but Danny's attitude change started infecting the other four.