A/N: Ok to make up for Pakku's sad, sad story, I'm posting this complete nonsense.
"When something's not working right, the best thing to do is tear it apart to make it better."-Drop Dead Fred
"Morning, Li," A pottery vendor nodded to the man setting up next to him.
"Morning, Sovann," Li nodded back as he started arranging his cabbages.
"What's new?" Sovann asked.
"Nothing," Li shook his head. "The city hasn't changed since the king died."
"Well, Queen Kiri still runs stuff," Sovann put his hand, motioning to the streets. "Everything still works just fine."
"You ever see her out and about?" Li asked, "I caught a glimpse of her, must've been ten years ago. I remember her being very beautiful."
"I've heard she left the king speechless," Sovann said, shaking his head, "I've never seen her."
"Well it was the king who did most of the face work," Li rearranged a few cabbages on his cart, "But, as long as everything still-"
Before the man could finish his sentence a lanky, shirtless body crashed into his cart, sending greens and wood everywhere. An angular, boney teen with hair escaping his head in every direction got to his feet in the middle of the mess.
"Sorry Li!" He said as he brushed debris from his shoulders.
"Bumi!" Li huffed, "My…my cabbages!"
As Li stormed around, trying to pick up shards, Bumi called after him, "Send me a bill!"
"Give him time," Sovann smiled at the boy, grateful it wasn't his cart in shambles. "Is it just me or did that crash lack its usual oomph?"
"It's that day…" Bumi said, solemnity crossing his usually cheery face.
"Seems like it comes faster every year," Sovann sighed. He noticed Bumi staring down the street, "Oh, come on. We go through this every year; you'll be back to your old self in no time."
Bumi pointed down the street, and Sovann followed, then gasped. A beautiful woman was making her way down the street; she was tall, with long black hair, and an oval face with full lips.
"She…" Bumi trailed.
"…Is probably not looking for a 17-year-old." Sovann chuckled. They watched the beautiful woman wander past them, and Sovann waited until she was well out of earshot to continue, "She has to be twice your age. I've seen her here every day for the past week."
"Have you seen her before that?" Bumi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'd remember a woman that beautiful," Sovann shook his head and held out his hands.
"A woman like that is out of reach for a punk like you," Li said while holding an armful of cabbages, "Now, are you going to help clean this mess you made?"
"Punks don't clean," Bumi said, thumbing his nose.
"Punks don't have jobs either," Sovann said, "Better get on it or that'll be the case for you."
"We'll see who doesn't have a job!" Bumi said as he ran off.
"He has a job?" Li asked, and Sovann shrugged.
"If he does he's out of your hair, if he doesn't he'll be shamed into leaving us alone."
They both watched as Bumi grabbed an apple off another cart before jumping onto the mail system, moving up using his earth bending. Bumi maneuvered through several of the slides, sticking the apple in his pocket, gaining ground until he reached his destination.
He jumped off and strode into a large stone building. Inside there were several half-finished wooden trinkets, toys, and houswear. When he made his way inside, a woman behind the counter greeted him.
"My apprentice is on time today?" The tall, stately woman raised her arms to the ceiling, "The spirits smile upon me!"
"Sorry, Master Yoshi," Bumi gave a big grin, "I can nap on my bench until I'm late."
"Woodmakers aren't in demand here," She rolled her eyes, "Have you finished that table and chair set for Fong yet?"
"I finished last night."
"And that's why I put up with you," Yoshi said, shaking her head, "Put your shirt on; he's coming for it after lunch."
Bumi slid onto his bench and took a shirt off a nearby hook. In the moment it took him to struggle into it, the door to the shop opened and closed. When he was done he saw Yoshi bow to greet the beautiful woman from the market.
"Welcome." Yoshi smiled, "What are you looking for today?"
"I need a jewelry box," She said, handing Yoshi a blueprint, "How quickly can you make one?"
"For you," Bumi smiled, "I will work until my fingers bleed."
"You're lucky," Yoshi said, handing him the paper, "It's a simple box."
Bumi glanced at the plans, then looked back at the woman and smiled, "I can have this done in no time."
The woman gave a dry smile as she looked him up and down, "Do you deliver?"
"Yes," Bumi kept smiling back, "As long as I know where I'm delivering to."
"The upper tier," She said, "Meet me at the front gates of the palace."
"You work there or something?" Bumi asked, and he got a sharp look from Yoshi.
"You could say that," She said as she was paying, "When can I expect you?"
"After noon today," Yoshi said, looking at the gold piece in her hand, "After we secure another client he can swing by."
"Thank you," The woman said. She turned to Bumi and winked, "If I'm not there ask for Ming."
Bumi nodded. He quickly went to work, and spent most of the morning on the design, a grin on his face the whole time. The box had a small rectangular design with a rounded lid, intricate geometric designs carved into the walls. But the one design that drew the eye was the white lotus resting on top of the curved lid.
Just as he finished, Yoshi greeted Fong as he came in for his table, and Bumi slipped out the back to deliver his prize. As he walked up to the palace, she was there waiting.
"That was fast," Ming said.
"I hope it was satisfactory," He said, producing the jewelry box. She smiled as she took it from him.
"You must be hungry after working all morning," She motioned towards the door, "Why don't you come inside?"
"Wild sabretoothed moose lions couldnt keep me away," He said as he strode towards the door.
She led him down a illuminated corridor and made a sharp right. Bumi could tell they were in a servants corridor; in the narrow hallway she sped up and the teen struggled to keep pace. When they made it to the end of the corridor she opened a door and slipped inside. Bumi didn't hesitate to follow.
He looked around at a sparce, small bedroom. "The bed holds two," She gave a coy smile.
They strayed together, and soon they mingled hair, body, soul. Their breath came and went, low and deep, together in the dim room.
As they lay by each other, Ming let out a sigh, "Not bad for your first time."
"I could say the same for you," He let out a laugh that ended with a snort.
She rolled her eyes and sat up in bed to get dressed.
"Where are you going?" Bumi asked.
"I led you in here with the decoy of food." She looked back at him, a lazy smile on her face, "You still hungry?"
He sat up and quickly found his pants. Once they were dressed she led him to the kitchen, where the cook was preparing stir fry.
The cook looked back as they entered, and as he turned around in surprise. He quickly bowed, "Your Majesty! I wasn't expecting you to bring a guest."
"My reputation preceeds me," Bumi said in a mock-contemplative manner.
"Is that a proposal?" She said coyly, "My bed has been cold."
"If it'll get me out of the carpentry business," Bumi said, "but I need to talk to my friend before giving you my final answer, Your Majesty."
She let him leave with a free pass to return when he see fit.
He slipped through the front doors of the palace and made his way to a park on the outskirts of town. A large tree stood at the center of the park, and as Bumi strolled over he pulled from his pocket the apple he snatched earlier from the market. He sat at the tree and let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped. He bent earth a small alter, and as he broke the apple in half he spoke.
"Sorry it took so long, old friend," He said, placing half the apple on the alter, "It's been an interesting year."
He paused for a moment, taking a bite of his half of the apple. "But enough about me, how's the spirit world?"
There was a gust of wind, and Bumi grinned. "Agreed. It's been five years. No one's found you, but there's no sign that you have been reborn."
Things went still. Bumi sat in thought for a long moment. He then said quietly, "I need to save you, but when my mind finally goes who will save me?"
There was another gust of wind, this time towards the city. Bumi looked and saw the sun setting on the palace at the top of the hill. With a sudden jolt of energy, Bumi bent half the apple into the earth.
"Guess this town needs a mad genius to protect it."
With a steeled determination, Bumi earth bent his way back to town and towards town, a beautiful woman, and a bright future.