Façades [A Zuko x OC Story]

11 - Disrespect to Ancient Cultures

Team Avatar and I sit listening among other travellers to an older man sitting in front of a campfire, "So, travellers. The next time you think you hear a strange, large bird talking, take a closer look. It might not be a giant parrot, but a flying man. A member of a secret group of air walkers, who laugh at gravity, and laugh at those bound to the earth by it!" The man finishes his story. He walks around to the travellers with his hat to collect money.

"Aren't airbender stories the best?" Aang asks the group.

"Is it realistic? Is that how it was back then?" Katara asks the airbender.

"I laugh at gravity all the time," Aang chuckles, "Gravity."

The old man approaches the four of us with his hat in hand, "Jingle, Jingle!" He says while shaking the hat. Sokka reaches into his coat trying to find any money but all he finds is a bug, some crumbs, and a worm.

"Sorry," He says before tucking the creatures back into his coat.

"Aww, cheapskates!" The man says as he walks away from us. Aang gets up from his seat to go talk to the storyteller.

"Airbenders, huh?" I question alone.

-

Riding Appa towards the Northern Air Temple, Aang gets excited, "Hey, we're almost at the Northern Air Temple. This is where they had the championships for Sky Bison polo,"

Katara pushes me out of the way to sit next to Sokka, "Do you think we'll really find airbenders?" She asks her brother. I hang my arms over the edge of the saddle with thoughts running through my head.

"You want me to be like you, or totally honest?" Sokka responds to his sister as he continues his whittling of a small piece of wood.

"Are you saying I'm a liar?" Katara asks and without even looking at her I can tell she has crossed her arms.

"I'm saying you're an optimist. Same thing, basically," Sokka corrects.

"Hey, guys, look at this!" Aang says as the Northern Air Temple pulls into view. I move from my spot at the side of the saddle to the front of it to admire the view of the buildings placed upon the mountaintops.

"I've never been to an Air Temple before," I gasp at the sight.

A few objects glide around the temple and once we get closer they can be identified as people. "They really are airbenders!" Katara exclaims watching the people gliding.

"No, they're not," Aang opposes.

"What do you mean 'they're not'? Those guys are flying!" Sokka points out exuberantly.

"Gliding maybe, but not flying. You can tell by the way they move, they're not airbending. Those people have no spirit." Aang says, disappointed.

"Well, I wouldn't say no spirit," I say as a boy in a strange chair flies over us, "Just not airbender spirit." I correct.

"That kid does seem pretty spirited," Katara agrees with me. The boy shoots Aang one more look before taking off. Aang jumps off of Appa's head, snapping open his glider and taking after the boy.

Appa lurches his head back sending me and Katara flying into the back of the saddle, "Ow!"

"We better find some solid ground before it finds us." Sokka decides.

We steer Appa down onto the Air Temple courtyard. I stare up at the two boys gliding competitively.

"Go Teo! Show that bald kid how it's done!" A few of the young kids around us encourage the boy in the chair whose name appears to be Teo.