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Post by sunil on Jul 25, 2007 17:09:53 GMT -5
Sunil rose from his seat as Gobei gave orders and whatnot to his children and stood patiently. He considered grabbing his coat and saying goodbye, but his portly host apparently thought differently. When Sunil was asked to stay, he obliged. "Thank you.", taking that moment to perform a short, abrupt bow. "I would be delighted." Grabbed his coat from the peg just as Gobei's older daughter interrupted her own chores and led Sunil to the guest room.
"Just a second...", she said politely, sure to catch Sunil's attention. Almost like she knew that her father would tell her what to do. She walked off into some other room, leaving Sunil to linger beside his chair for a minute or two. When My emerged from the room, she held a hand toward its doorway.
"Here you go, sir. Your room for tonight." Sunil smiled and walked ahead, stopping at the doorway to offer a short nod to the girl.
"Thank you." He walked right ahead to see a futon laying on the floor of a tiny room. My had walked away to resume cleaning up after dinner with one of her younger brothers, and after closing the wooden door, Sunil simply fell on the bed, between the blanket folded at its foot and the pillow on the opposing edge. He was rather tired, but he took the time to position the pillow just right, shed his clothing down to his breechcloth, and crawl under the plain, light blanket. Within a matter of minutes, he fell asleep, thankful he had a comfortable place to lay his head that night.
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Post by gobei on Aug 2, 2007 17:09:48 GMT -5
Gobei stayed in the kitchen for a short while after the kids had departed, and he helped himself to a final cup of water and few bites of bread from the cupboard. Baek had gone outside to ensure that the barn was secured and My was taking care of their guests sleeping arrangements. Gobei could here the chatter of his younger boys upstairs, and a squel from Myuri as she demanded the return of her hairbrush.
Sighing contently and finishing his snack, Gobei started up the stairs and toward his room. He heard Baek re-entering the house and called down a good night before starting down the hallway. He passed by the boys' and didn't even bother glancing through the doorway as he said loudly, "Time for sleep." The twins and Guan quickly halted their horseplay, and dove for their bedspreads where they pretended to be asleep for the time being. Next he passed My's and Myuri's room, where he also didn't bother to open the door for the sake of privacy, and said more gently, "Good night." He recieved two similar responses from the girls, and then entered the final room at the end of the hall.
Gobei stepped into his room and shut the door behind him. The old farmer let out a long, deep yawn as he stretched out his spine, and then continued forward. As he approached his bedroll and rolled backward into a sitting position, he used his good hand to unbuckle the straps that held his arm brace in position. After a few moments of fumbling, the clasps loosened up and he pulled the whole thing free. A rush of fresh, cool air breezed over his elbow and the remaining stump of his forearm as he gently placed the brace beside his bed. Gobei also tossed off his vest, but managed to fall asleep before he could muster the energy to disrrobe any further.
The next thing he knew, birds were chirping and sunlight was creeping into sight through his window. Gobei snored loudly as he sat up and took measure of his surroundings. A yawn contorted his features for a few moments as he looked around and listened, but heard only a few faint footsteps. The old farmer grunted slightly as he stood up from his bed, hearing a few joints crack and pop, and thenstretched his arms over his head.
Gobei spent a minute or two putting his arm brace back on, along with a fresh vest, and then took a moment to reshape a bit of the stone hand that had cracked a bit. When he finally deemed himself presentable, he started downstairs, knocking on the boys' room as he went to try and wake them. My was already in the kitchen, standing over a pot of oatmeal, and he greeted her warmly.
"You really are the heart of this family," he said with much appreciation. My smiled, almost a little embarassed by such a remark, and gave her father a slight bow.
"I thought that was you?" she replied.
"Oh no," Gobei was quick to continue. "Can't you see? I'm the Stomach!" He patted his large gut for emphasis, and My shook her head and chuckled. Gobei laughed more loudly, amused at his own joke, and took a seat at the table. He was in no real hurry, so he figured he could just wait for everyone else to wake on their own.
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Post by sunil on Aug 4, 2007 0:21:39 GMT -5
Sunil lay in bed, his eyes barely open as he basked in the peace and calm of the morning. He began to ponder what the day might bring, but realized it would be best to leave such matters as a pleasant surprise, as he always did. Rising from the sheets, he stretched his long arms upward like he was reaching for the ceiling, and his wide mouth opened into a larger gaping yawn.
He slid off of the bed, his dark-skinned, lanky body clad in a mere loincloth, and quickly stumbled to find his clothing. It would likely not be a kind sight if one of the children inadvertantly walked in his small guest room, but he hoped the young ones were raised better than to do something so inconsiderate.
After putting on his shirt and pants, tying the latter with a wide sash, and procuring his rope, teapot, and tea pouches in their proper places. His pants were left untied around the shins, leaving his gauze-wrappings in his traveling sack with his overcoat and other items. His hair was a mess, but he didn't care. Due to its lack of volume, it would fall into place at some point in the day, like it always did.
With thin, wispy black strands of hair drifting over his eyes, his satchel hanging from his hand, Sunil swung open the door gently and made his way into the kitchen. He saw Gobei standing near his oldest daughter, and after another large yawn, he followed by making his presence known with a slightly groggy, "Good morning. Where can I wash up?"
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Post by gobei on Aug 8, 2007 16:33:20 GMT -5
"There's our guest of honor," Gobei remarked as Sunil came down the stairs. His laughter had just subsided as the traveling salesman entered the kitchen, and a smile was still etched across hs face. After Sunil greeted him and asked for a place to wash, he replied, "There's always the river, but we're not passing by it on the way to town." The old farmer let his words sit for a moment, figuring they'd be a bit of a shock for him, before he laughed slightly and added, "I'm just kidding... There's an outhouse out back. There should be some water in the tub, but if not there's a pump nearby where you can get some more."
Gobei was still smiling as he pointed toward the back wall in order to give Sunil a general heading. From where he sat, the edge of the earthen structure was visible. It was fairly small and had a thatched roof, and it contained simply a latrine and a large tub. Both were also made of stone, though the tub was also caked with dried mud on its exterior (a side effect of having earthbending sons who turned every bath into a mud pit. It was also why Yun-Su and Guan were always the last to take their baths.
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Post by sunil on Aug 9, 2007 12:41:12 GMT -5
Sunil nodded in thanks, then made his way out the door, clutching the strap of his traveling sack. He found the outhouse rather quickly, and upon walking inside, he found there was still water in the bathtub. Rather than taking an actual bath, he splashed his face, hands, arms, feet, and the like with water, and left his clothes on. He would take an actual bath later, and maybe not even here at Gobei's farm.
And after all was said and done, he stepped out of the privy. A few steps away from the small building, he took a deep breath of fresh air, admiring the bright sun in blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds. He walked around a bit, looking in all directions. Civilization was barely visible in any direction other than the nearby farmhouse. But such a simple living must be so peaceful, much like Sunil's wandering lifestyle.
Probably forty-five minutes after he stepped out, he returned to Gobei's house and saw the whole family within as he stepped over the threshold. Half of the time he was absent was not spent bathing, but walking around admiring the sights and slacking off. Procrastinating as always. Taking his sweet time to do anything at all, and for no reason. But one could expect this from Sunil.
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Post by gobei on Aug 13, 2007 17:17:05 GMT -5
By the time Sunil had returned from his tour of the farm, Gobei and his sons were ready for the day ahead. Their ostrich horse had been fed and hitched to their wagon and Baek was already heading out to the fields with Guan and Yun-Su to begin laying down the irrigation pathways. Yun-Min was sitting in the driver's seat of the wagon while the girls had taken out a basket full of laundry to scrub out back.
Gobei waved Sunil over toward them when he saw the tea salesman approach . "Over here," he called, brandishing a clotch that had been tied up into a little bundle. "I've got some breakfast you can eat on the way." The old farmer walked around behind the wagon and gave the ground a hard stop. At once, the earth beneath his feet rose in a narrow pillar to lift him up level with the floor of the wagon. Gobei casually stepped off the column of dirt onto the wooden surface, and gently pushed his hand down in front of his body. The earthen step sank seemlessly back into the ground as he took a seat on the ledge along the inside of the wagon's sides.
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Post by sunil on Aug 13, 2007 21:49:12 GMT -5
Sunil changed course as soon as Gobei directed him toward the wagon. "Sure thing...", he said when Gobei spoke up, soon after offering breakfast to eat during the trip. They would probably be headed to town, but Sunil had no qualms about it. He would gladly go wherever they told him to go. Of course, while in the town to which they may be headed, he could potentially make a sale, which was an added benefit.
He walked toward the wooden wagon and, with a firm stomp, launched himself upward from the earth. He landed feet-first on the wagon, shaking it on impact, but not causing major damage to its structure. He was inspired to carry out such a move not only because he saw Gobei's technique, but because this happened to also be a way in which he would frequently enter vehicles of that sort. Sunil accepted the folded cloth with his breakfast inside, nodding in thanks at Gobei. "Thank you kindly!", he said with a wide grin at the portly fellow, and soon they would be off.
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Post by gobei on Aug 17, 2007 22:16:11 GMT -5
Within moments, the cart was being pulled by the ostrich-horse and the three were off down the trail that led into town. The sun was climbing quickly into the sky, and the air was getting warmer. The trip took them a little over an hour, and in that time they passed the miles with light and friendly conversation.
When they finally reached the edge of town's earthen wall, they were greeted with the sight of a dirt-paved street lined with stalls and stands for people peddling their wares and goods. Gobei waved at a few people as they passed, offering greetings and good mornings to some familiar faces. Yun-Min directed the ostrich-horse leading their wagon toward a plaza at the center of town where there was a well and a few places to tie up their transportation. After a few minutes, Jyo was secured to a wooden post and had some food and water , while Gobei disembarked from the wagon and stretched his stiff muscles.
"Welcome to town," he said to Sunil as he rotated his arm around in a wide circle.
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Post by sunil on Aug 19, 2007 14:07:56 GMT -5
"And a charming town it is!" said Sunil, lowering himself off the cart but leaving his traveling pack on board. Looking around, he saw few things. But he knew - judging by Gobei's previous statement about his fondness for tea - that there was at least one tea peddler in the village. His feet hit the dusty road as he began to walk around. The sun was bright and warm as midday neared, and the soft noises of a small village were in the air.
As Gobei went off elsewhere, Sunil decided to walk alongside a few of the carts lining the street. As his sight drifted across a few of the wares, he knew the people took pride in their work. The items presented were by no means ornate, due to the country setting of course, but they were finely-crafted overall. Produce was fresh from local farms, and the people looked happy in the simple village.
He soon happened by a small cart with jars full of different tea leaves. He smiled as he looked up at the man selling such things, but tried to withhold an even greater grin. "So, you sell tea?", he said, pointing out the obvious as his hand drifted to his belt, and he soon procured one of his leather pouches filled with tea leaves without looking.
"I happen to be a seller of fine, rare teas myself." he said with the pouch in his hand, ready to make a sale.
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Post by gobei on Aug 28, 2007 17:36:46 GMT -5
"Can you get the ostrich-horse some water while I go get us some fresh fruit?" Gobei asked Yun-Min as the boy hopped down from the cart.
"Sure," his son replied, to which the old farmer grinned.
"Be right back, then." Gobei reached up with his stone hand and prodded the front brim of his hat up a little bit before starting down a nearby street that was lined with wooden stalls. He could see Sunil not too far ahead, apparently bartering with the local tea vendor. The sight brought a smile to his face when he considered the rivalry that might spring up from the competing salesmen.
However, when he passed by a stall and he heard the vendor call out his name, Gobei turned his head and realized he'd almost passed one of his good friends. "Bonsu!" he exclaimed, stopping on a dime and turning to greet the equally old fruit vendor. "Almost walked right by!" Gobei remarked as he strode up the the front of the stand.
"Good thing I caught you then," Bonsu replied. "Otherwise you'd have gotten your apples somewhere else where you don't get an old friend's discout. From behind the table laden with piles of fruit, he extended a hand in welcome. Gobei returned the gesture and clasped the entended limb with his stone fist, which he closed carefully into a good grip. "You still have the steadiest handshake I know!"
Gobei laughed and released his hold on Bonsu's hand. "I try, I try!" The two exchanged a few more pieces of small talk, catching up on recent events and new rumors circulating around the town before Gobei eventually got down to business. After a few minutes of selecting some produce and haggling a little over price, the farmer parted ways from the vendor and started back toward his wagon to check on Yun-Min.
When he arrived, Gobei was only slightly surprised to see a small crowd of children gathered nearby the cart. His son was sitting on the back edge, chatting with a few of the kids his age, while the rest started speaking in excited whispers as he approached. "What's this then?" he asked, his tone slightly accusing but full of good humor. "Do I have an audience?" he asked as he passed near the edge of the cart and deposited the sack of produce he'd just bought. Then, looking over the faces of the yong boys and girls around him, he smiled and then kicked the ground with his heel.
The earth beneath his feet rumbled for a moment and then jutted upward, lifting him several feet into the air where he could tower over the assembled crowd. Yun-Min looked up at his father with mild amusement, and Gobei announced to the children, "Then allow me to perform!" The ekder farmer lifted up his stone hand and with a moment of concentration, isolated the index finger from the usual relaxed grip. He then pointed at a handful of boys and girls among the crowd, and with each successive point he lifted them up on a narrow pillar of earth until they were about as high as him.
"You four," he said to them, "will be my helpers for this week's lesson." The four boys he'd picked out were the oldest of the bunch, though still not much older than his own son. "Each of you take two others and run them threw some warm-ups and stretches. I'll be with you in a minute to show you some new moves." The four young earthbenders he'd lifted up lowered themselves back down to ground level with their own bending, and then quickly set about the task of rounding up the younger students.
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Post by sunil on Aug 28, 2007 18:52:44 GMT -5
"And it was a pleasure doing business with you!", Sunil said with a friendly wave as he walked away, moments earlier pouring oolong tea leaves into an empty jar belonging to the businessman. The man now posessed rare Shui Jin Gui tea at his shop, and Sunil's satchel that once held tea now was jingling with coins. He sold it at a fair price, and couldn't be happier with his transaction. Now the citizens around the small village would be able to enjoy this fine, rare tea. He just had to smile as he strode away.
At that point, he saw Gobei surrounded by a crowd of children. He stopped, raising his hand to his chin and looking onward at the fellow. Four of the children were each on their own pillars, and Sunil heard the elderly fellow mention something about "helpers", or something like that. As the children, apparently earthbenders, lowered their pillars to earth-level and scurried off, Sunil walked forward to Gobei.
"What was that about, my friend?", he said with a wide smile and chuckle, his pearly white teeth exposed and greatly contrasting his deep, earthy-toned skin.
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Post by gobei on Aug 28, 2007 19:57:03 GMT -5
Gobei had just lowered himself back to the ground and was dusting off the shoulder of his vest when he heard Sunil's question. The tea salesman had apparently finished his business, and the sound of jingling coins was indicative that it had been a profitable exchange. "This? Gobei asked, glancing back at the children for a moment, "Oh, nothing too special. I just offer a few earthbending lessons once a week to the town's children. I'm the only one nearby with a few years of military experience, so I like to pass down some of the knowledge that these kids won't get from learning to til their fields or raise walls."
The elderly farmer smiled at Sunil and took a moment to stroke his protruding beard with his good hand. "Perhaps you'd like to act as a guest teacher for this lesson?" Gobei suggested, "From what I saw the day we met, you have some skill of your own. Maybe you could dazzle these young ones with a demonstration."
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Post by sunil on Aug 28, 2007 21:28:28 GMT -5
Sunil arched his eyebrow. It was an intriguing thought indeed. A chance to demonstrate his earthbending skill to a class. His eclectic style of bending was likely a bit different than what the children probably expected, but he thought his demonstration could add a splash of diversity to their training for the day. It would be good for them to see another style for once. He crossed one arm over his chest as he rested the other upon it, bent so he could tap his chin with his fingers. But Sunil complied in mere seconds.
"Sure!"
He walked in a random direction, hoping it would be the correct way to get to the training grounds. Though Gobei would correct him if he were veering off course. He stopped after walking for a few seconds, though, after realizing it would be best to let Gobei lead him to the destination. He turned back and grinned sheepishly before walking back. Then, moving his arm upward, his spread palm upward and facing toward Gobei, he said. "Lead the way!"
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Post by gobei on Sept 3, 2007 13:28:40 GMT -5
Gobei offereda slight chuckle as Sunil attempted to lead the way, only to realize he had no idea where to go. The elderly farmer clapped the much taller tea salesman on the shoulder as he passed him by and gestured for Sunil to follow. "Our training ground, if you can call it that, is just a clearing out past the North wall," Gobei informed his fellow bender. "Nice open area with plenty of rocks ad no one around to get hurt. The kids are proaly there all ready, but we'll walk slow and give them a minute to warm up."
The two continued at an easy pace, and Gobei prolonged their trip by pointing out a few locations and town shops along the way. By the time they had both arrived outside the town's northen gate they could see the young earthbenders arranged in rows and mimicking the stretches that the older students were leading them through.
"Good work!" Gobei called out from a distance, offering a wave with his stone hand. He then added more quietly to Sunil, "You feel like giving these kids a show on the way over?" The old man had a bit of a sparkle in his eye as a grin tugged at his lips.
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Post by sunil on Sept 5, 2007 0:48:03 GMT -5
"You feel like giving these kids a show on the way over?"
Sunil arched his eyebrow and looked down toward Gobei, a small, quirky grin widening on his face. The earthbender hoped that would be enough of a response to let Gobei know he meant yes, since he offered no other reply. Sunil began to look across the field, seeing a few boulders lying around and small rocks scattered about. Suitable for training, he supposed, but now came the matter of what to do to show off.
After setting his sights on a boulder at the far end of the field, he came up with a brilliantly absurd plan involving his bending skills.
"Heads up!" he yelled, grabbing the attention of all the children about the field. He had to be sure not to harm any of them, so he plotted his moves carefully. He settled into a horse stance, then rose his leg and turned his foot at an odd angle, where his toes were upward and seemingly pointed at his shoulder.
Slamming his heel into the ground, he simultaneously motioned his arms oddly, almost flailing them. Doing so, he raised a fifteen-foot high earthen wall that jutted outward at an angle of about sixty-five degrees, away from the children, and formed a wide arc that trailed almost to the other end of the field.
He dashed forward and up the wall immediately after, his long awkward strides accompanied by dust clouds as he used his bending to stay on and create small tremors that propelled him forward. Running as fast as his lengthy legs could take him, he did a small sprung toward the boulder spied earlier as he reached the very end. Soaring through the air like a bird, arms and legs outstretched, Sunil landed on the side of the boulder. He slid off instantly afterward, shook his own hands to alleviate pain from the impact, and dusted off his front. A dashing, somewhat cheesy grin was on his face as he leaned on the boulder and turned to the children.
"Do not try that at home, kids!"
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