ATLA Little Bender

Foretold

Elaria eagerly walked ahead of the boys with Katara as the two approached a small village. Her eyes danced across the horizon where a large mountain lied, its peak filled with snow. The village at its base.

Turkey ducks quacked as they passed them by, She'd been staring at them warily until the greetings of another man captured her attention.

The stranger is standing at a doorway, garnished in black robes, "Aunt Wu has been expecting you," He told them.

Katara spoke from beside her, "Really?" The girls shared an excited glance. This could be it, the answers she needs, a way to cheat, to just find her destiny rather than trying to guess and wander uncertainly. She wouldn't have to feel as though she were being divided into two constantly.

Elaria would be able to glimpse at the painting rather than the brush strokes.

The trio walked through the doorway, "This is it," Elaria told them, hope harmonizing in her words. Sokka expressed his disgust, the whole town, even his friends had been too gullible to simply believe a few coincidences.

The room had four pillows situated at the right, behind them the strange man closed the door. The girls took it upon themselves to sit first upon a few pillows laid for their comfort. Nearly humming in anticipation. Elaria hadn't noticed Aang peeking at her every few moments, wanting to see the thrilled expression on her face.

She glowed with hope.

Her grey eyes twinkling and the illusion of a smile appearing on her face. Elaria's hair had been tied in a loose braid, but the consistent braiding left her strands curling messily more than ever. A few strands framed her face that way, the dark colors contrasting against her porcelain skin. Her lips had turned red from repeatedly biting them. They looked like darkened petals to Aang- deep cherry blossoms.

Upon seeing Elaria's eyes focus on something did he look.  He watched as a young girl dressed in pink, with high braids that stuck out of the sides of her head appeared. "My name is Meng and I'm Aunt Wu's assistant." The girl said. Her eyes zero in on Aang, who didn't give her another glance.

Elaria gazed in confusion as the girl darted over to her friend. Aang had slumped over, he rubbed his nose as pinky spoke to him, "Well hello there," Elaria narrowed her eyes at the flirtatious tone. Something crawled over her skin, sending shivers down her spine as the girl had hearts emerging from her eyes.

"Hello," Aang replied, not even feigning interest.

"Can I get you some tea or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?" Pinky seemingly asked them but her gaze never strayed from Aang. What was this feeling Elaria had? It was the same way she felt when she met Jet. After the horrible interaction, she became more guarded. Pinky could be another threat to them, or to her...

Yet the way she stared at Aang felt oddly more personal to Elaria.

Sokka brightened on the other side of Aang. Chronologically the group had sat with Katara at the left, Elaria to her right, followed by Aang and Sokka. " I'll try a curd puff," Sokka told her.

Pinky ignored Sokka. She rose a finger and blew him off with an impatient and falsely sweet wait a second please, "So what's your name?" Her question is directed at Aang.

Elaria clenched her fingers, she mimicked Pinky's gesture at Sokka and in an acidic sweet tone spoke, "Well a second has passed and my friends are waiting for curd puffs," Elaria hadn't noticed the passive aggressiveness or the possessive tone in her voice. Yet Aang had, he uncoiled from his slump, glancing at Elaria who looked annoyed rather than happy.