On Top of the World <Northern Air Temple>

[sunil]

"Almost...there..."

Sweat drenching his brow, his bony hand dug into the rocky face of the mountain. A pained expression on his face, he pulled his body up the sheer cliff. Bending enhancing the detour on his excursion, using it to hold him to the earth for short whiles, Sunil had to see this place for himself. For days, he had traveled the mountain range, and wanted to see for himself what was at the peak. He heard of "air walkers" from a nearby storyteller, and, camping alone in the darkness on clear nights, saw the faint glow of lights coming from the tip of the mountain. A map he carried told of the Northern Air Temple's ruins in that locale, and nothing could have intrigued the earthbender more.

Taking what was one of the last of his small breaks before reaching the peak, he sat cross-legged on a ledge. Catching his breath, he looked straight upward, gazing with his dark eyes through the thin air, and again seeing what he had had been seeing for hours beforehand. People flying around on gliders, some of whom were perhaps aware of his presence. Though unsure of such, he waved. Before heading upward yet again, he looked off in the distance. He whistled in amazement, in awe of how high above the earth he had climbed. It was a good thing Sunil wasn't afraid of heights.

**************************************************************************************************************

Through much effort, almost passing out several times, his feet starting to bleed on the snow, Sunil stood at the edge of the temple's lofty wall. People on gliders flew by curiously and a small number of people looked at him over the wall, but at a glance they could most likely tell he was no Fire Nation enemy. As a fellow Earth Kingdom inhabitant, he meant no harm whatsoever. But the temple dwellers were probably cautious. After all, it looked as though part of the mountain had been blown up or something...

His feet were bound in the bandages that once tied around his shins, now tying up only the cuffs of his pants instead of the entire lower halves. He wore his coat and hat, but was still quite chilly. He had been that way for nearly the entire ascent of the mountain. Still, he tried to stay optimistic. Waving enthusiastically, Sunil shouted to the people watching. "Hello up there! Could I get a lift?"

He assumed a wide grin through all the uncertainty.

[teo]

Teo dove suddenly, spiraling under Lee's clumsy circle, and happened to notice an irregularity in the cliff face. Catching himself on the lofty thermal, he turned and slowly spiraled upward, eyes straining to make out the figure that sat on a snowy ledge pretty far below. Though this piqued his curiosity, the handicapped lad did not move closer, because the hot air currents didn't start that low.

A shout from across the air reminded him that he was in the middle of something. He waved his arm to Lee and soared toward him.

*********************************************************************

The crisp mountain air was a pleasant difference from the stifling workshop-forge. For a second the light blinded Teo, until his eyes adjusted, focusing on a small group of children clustering around the stone banister that protected them from a considerable fall into the smoldering ditch that separated the temple from the mountain proper.

Rolling over, Teo looked over the edge, and noticed the same figure he had spotted earlier sitting on the summit of the mountain, looking in their general direction expectantly. The newcomer's hair shone brown in the bright sunlight, identifying his nationality blatantly. Words, windswept and weak, reached the Teo's ears.

Hello up there! Could I get a lift?

Wondering why no one had thought to help this person when it was obviously too cold out to sit in the snow, the chair-bound boy rolled over to where his glider wings sat in the shelter of what had once been a statue's alcove, and dexterously snapped the wings onto his glider-chair. Then, turning and rolling forward as fast as his arms could roll his chair, he soared off the edge of the launching pad, and steered himself to land near the unknown person. To late, Teo realized he didn't have any other way to help him up to the temple. Oh well, his glider could stand the weight of two.

He shouted a short greeting and laboriously rolled his chair through the crunching snow toward the young man.

[sunil]

Sunil's request prompted an indecipherable statement yelled from over the wall succeded by a glider soaring off the wall. Soon, the boy landed nearby, apparently confined to a wheelchair cleverly outfitted with wings to soar. The lad rolled up and Sunil waved, forcing a smile to appear on his chapped, wind-burned skin the color of dark chocolate. He waved, large hands and feet bound in bandages to keep warm, his black hair covered by a warm, olive-toned kufi.

The tall, skinny man known as Sunil strode to the side of the apparatus. It was clearly made by an ingenious craftsman, and to a degree mimicked the Air Nomad gliders he had seen illustrated in ancient texts and paintings. Though this one was adapted to fit the chair where the amiable-looking boy sat.

"Interesting craft you have here...", Sunil said in his fatigued voice. Looking back at the boy and making his way to the front of the object, he roused a nervous grin and said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Allow me to introduce myself." Interrupting himself with a bow, he continued, "I'm Sunil, wandering earthbender and tea merchant."

Sunil's hand was soon perched on his narrow hips, his fuzzy ebony eyebrow arched. His comment was meant to be humorous, so he hoped the boy had a sense of humor. "So are you one of these "Air Walkers" I've heard about?"

[teo]

Teo blinked once slowly as his chair was complimented, but before he could reply, he was interrupted by an introduction, followed by a strange question.

"Air-walkers? Maybe, I wouldn't call myself one, but I guess... My name's Teo, and I'm an apprentice machinist. My dad made my glider-chair. Nice to meet you, Sunil." Noticing from a slight shivering that this "Sunil"--he'd have to remember that name, it was a bit unusual--was cold, he added, "This used to be the Northern Air Temple, and don't worry, it's warmer inside--why don't we go there?" He smiled companionably, the smile of someone who didn't quite realize exactly what was going on but had a general idea anyways.

Rolling closer, he tilted his head slightly to the side to look closer. Sunil's expression was remarkably awkward and rather fake looking. Like he was trying to put on a brave face or something. Teo shrugged inwardly, and outwardly moved slightly further away.

He convieniently missed the fact that the way he was suggesting they both getting to the temple involved the newcommer sitting on Teo's lap. Ah well--no one's perfect.

[sunil]

Sunil nodded after Teo stopped speaking, heavy eyelids shading his dark, coffee-colored pupils. He stopped to look over the glider, looking to see where he could latch on. Logically, he couldn't hang onto the back of the chair, since that would surely upset the balance of the glider and make it difficult to fly. And the alternative of earthbending his way up was not to be done easily, due to tiring out from his ascent of the cliff. His only option, awkward though it may have been, was to sit on Teo's lap. Sunil thought it would be uncomfortable for the boy, but he had no other choice.

Quietly, he said, "Do I...?" and gestured his hands in no distinct fashion. Sighing, he shrugged and seated himself on the boy's lower thigh region, placing his spindly legs on either side of Teo's bandaged legs. He looked back and gave an odd smirk to the boy, wondering if the teenager would go through with it, and said, "All set for takeoff?".

It would be an interesting feat to glide back up to the temple, and Sunil looked forward to the adrenaline rush of knowing he was soaring so high through the air. But he couldn't help but wonder if the boy was comfortable with it all...

[teo]

Unfortunately, Teo underestimated how heavy Sunil was. He had never actually ridden with someone before, and therefore was also not prepared for the lack of visibility and the unaccustomed warmth. It was actually rather hard to breath.

Still, Teo, had said he'd take him to the temple, so he'd do so, whether or not he was comfortable. Crunching forward slowly, he focused on the ground to see where it began to slope off, and when it did he accelarated and launched into space, falling for an instant before his spirit caught then and they began to soar upward. He felt the familiar adrenaline surge, the lurch in his stomach, and laughed in pure rushing glee before catching a hotair current that sent them soaring back up to the landing place of the temple.

Once or twice, however, Sunil would start to slip forward. Teo was forced to hold him steady from his more anchored position, impeding his flight and keeping them almost constantly lopsided. Might not be to comfortable for a first time flier.

[sunil]

It was the rush of a lifetime for the earthbender. His former lethargy from climbing all day was overridden by a surge of adrenaline, soaring thousands of feet above the ground. It was what Sunil lived for.

Despite the lack of safety, they landed in a safe place on the overlook of the temple. Sunil stepped off immediately after their arrival, smiling at the small people who couldn't help but stare. They probably hadn't had a visitor since their settlement in the temple, so his unexpected appearence was probably met with a bit of suspiscion. Sunil slid his backpack off his back and put his hand inside, rummaging around to feel for one of the tea pouches he carried.

After his encounter with Gobei, he had, at every locale he stopped by, picked up tea pouches of linen, cotton cloth, or leather - whatever he could find so he could broaden his inventory and make much more of a profit with his business. He pulled out a pack holding some kind of tea leaves and held it at eye level, shaking it gently and exclaiming to the settlers with levity in his voice, "I come with tea!"

[teo]

They landed without much fanfare, and Teo even removed his own gliding wings--a bit unusual for him. The guest drew inquisitive and suspicious looks, and his pronouncement of tea drew quizzical and confused looks. Feeling rather responsible, the flying boy returned from the alcove and amended the earthbender's hasty greeting.

"Um, this is Sunil. I think he's a tea merchant," added the young teen. This did not help, so he sighed, and motioned for the man to follow him into the confines of the temple.

The stone arched corridor they entered was dusky despite the noonday sun, and was not yet lit by the torches. Teo paused just within the confines of the shadow and waited for his eyes to adjust, momentarily forgetting that someone was behind him and would likely run into him.

After a short way the tunnel opened into a courtyard, full of steam pipes and nearly destroyed paintings. He paused to make sure the merchant was following.

[sunil]

His statement about tea earlier caught him by no surprise whatsoever. After all, it was just tea, and they were settlers whose greatest concern was probably the newly-arrived earthbender's identity. When the young teenager rolled off in his wheelchair, the earthbender followed, still taking in all the sights engagedly. Time had clearly taken its toll on the place, but the settlement of the Earth Kingdom refugees in the place was probably also to blame, at least in part.

The pipes filling the corridor were obviously new additions, while the ancient paintings were carried over from times passed. Stone statues along the aged walls likely held great significance that was unfortunately lost in time, with no one to share their enticing tale.

He rubbed his bandaged hands together in the chilly, crisp air, following the halting boy who looked back at him. Sunil offered a wide grin and said, "I'm still here. Don't worry."

It was a little odd for Sunil to be so quiet, especially with a stranger. It may have been because he was rather tired, or perhaps due to his enthrallment with the ancient temple. In any case, he said very little as they walked down the corridor.

[teo]

Teo then turned down one hallway and began the slow descent to his father's workshop. The corridor now was lit by small candles, and as they passed, one short pop told them that it was one hour past mid-day. Such brilliance made the boy smile to himself. His father was a genius to make all these nifty things. Spark powder in candles to tell the time, gliders to be able to soar with the wind...

Tanks for the Fire Nation.

This one rogue thought robbed the apprentice of his happiness quite effectively. He reminded himself that he had only built the tanks to keep their village safe. But still they could have fought! But they did... It was sometimes hard to see a clear line between right and wrong, even though the line should be thick.

Lost in such musings, he nearly ran into the massive closed door. Teo noticed that the corridor had indeed opened up and was now lit by natural light. Downward from where he now sat, a small, midmountain valley contained the airball field, though the bamboo poles had been harvested to make gliders. Turning, the handicapped lad knocked upon the door. It swung open.

[sunil]

The corridors and hallways in the massive structure seemed endless to the tea merchant. He was amazed by all the winding staircases, mosaics, statues, and murals adorning the place, standing the test of time. The palatial temple served its purpose well for the refugees in their time of need, and didn't look bad to boot. Sunil's interest in the historical place was unwaivering at that moment, but he still paid attention to where the chair-bound boy was leading him. Distracted, he almost walked down hallways other than those where he was being lead, but it was likely that Teo never noticed his missteps.

The corridor, devoid of most natural sunlight, now carried the haunting glow of candlelight, the smell of dust and gunpowder lacing the air about him. A large, wooden door stood at the wall before them, which the young teenager knocked upon. Sunil let out a tiny, almost inaudible cough, but soon jumped at a small popping sound.

Curious at what it was, and adding to the growing confusion he felt at seeing the pipes in the wall, the door before them swung open to reveal a gaunt, middle-aged man with wildly bushy black hair, whose brows appeared to be singed at one point. Meekly, and not wanting to be rude, Sunil waved his hand and simply said, "Hello."

[teo]

"This is Sunil. He climbed the mountain this morning and is a Tea Merchant," he carefully avoided saying "probably".

"Good, good. I was just thinking we could use some good tea instead of the goop we've been drinking. Come now, I know there's a better place to talk..." Teo's father walked in strange, bouncing strides that seemed rather forced, but slow.

As the door closed, there was a series of clicks as three small pipes clicked to the side and three large air-symboled gourds flipped around. There was a thunk, and the room was locked, not even giving Teo a chance to glance inside.

The boy followed his father, expecting Sunil to follow, up slanted corridors to a small office, in which there were remains of several interesting experiments. A busted balloon, a broken pot... And the smell of something vaguely resembling mustered paper permeated. From here the sounds of the people in the courtyard could not be heard, and only after the absence did Teo realize he had heard them walking about, talking, laughing.

[sunil]

He was introduced to the man, though not informed of whether or not the man was Teo's father. It could be assumed, but still it wasn't explicitly stated. Sunil's dark brown eyes inadvertantly drifted toward the man's hand, three of its fingers evidently made of wood. He forced himself not to wear his emotions out on his sleeve by instinctually raising his eyebrows or pursing his lips. This man may not have been willing to discuss his hand, possibly not as good-natured as Gobei, the last man he saw with a substitute for missing body parts. As they turned to walk up the hallways, Sunil stayed behind for a second and removed his kufi, slicking back his ink-black hair before donning the short, rounded cap again.

Before he got left behind, he picked up his pace and strode after the two fellows. They wound up in an office full of some interesting innovations, the likes of which Sunil had never seen. As he looked over the place for a second, he turned to look at who was presumably Teo's father. A wide grin coming to his already wide mouth, Sunil said, "So...you like tea?"

[teo]

"I do indeed like tea!" exclaimed the man.

Teo smiled despite himself. His father would have embarassed a mango, but at least everyone knew he meant well. And they both did like tea...

"I even made an automatic tea maker. But I haven't been able to test it because of the lack of tea!" The Machinist smiled his "haha" smile, which normally attracted skeptical looks.

Feeling as though he wasn't needed for business transaction, Teo excused himself and headed back out into the empty hallway. The soft sound of his wheels scraping the ground echoed profoundly, like a whisper, about the hall. The floor was slanted, and he slowly rolled down it without much push. Careful control kept him within the confines of the congruently walled corridor as he crossed bisecting byway after byway.

He rolled to a halt as the ground leveled out, and Teo found himself once more next to the air-locked door to the work room. The teen remembered the first time he had seen it opened. The Avatar himself had opened it, and they had both thought the room would be untouched. Instead, it opened to reveal Fire Nation--No. He wouldn't go down that painful path again. That made him feel horrible every time. Just... No.

[sunil]

His interest piqued even more at what the inventor said. As Teo rolled out of the room on his wheelchair, Sunil couldn't hold back from echoing the man. His face with a vague expression of both delight and confusion, he exclaimed, "An automatic tea maker?! Now I've heard everything..."

Distracted by the strange thought, he placed his hand on his forehead and slid off his olive-colored cap. His overstuffed backpack was slid off his back and lowered to the floor, and he crouched over it to pull out its various contents. Sunil would bring out one pouch, untie the string around it, and smell its contents, then immediately say the type of tea he smelled. His nose, while large and hooked, was keen on that sort of thing. Years in his business had taught him to identify plenty of smells, good or bad.

The pouches each held their own tea - peach blossom, cherry-rose sencha, orchid oolong, lapsang souchong, rou gui, silver needle, tieluohan, orange pekoe, lychee bud, ying de hong, shui hsien...before he finally ran out of pouches to take from his backpack. After running down this lengthy list, he looked back up at the man and raised his eyebrows. "I'll be willing to give you a discount if you need it. And of course, I do allow for free samples."