I don't own atla only my OC Raiden.
It is the night. Aang, Katara, Raiden, and Sokka sit on the first bench to the left. Some children kneel on the ground in front of the benches. They are all listening to a man sitting in front of the fire that burns in the center of the gathering.
So travelers, 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! said the storyteller.
Aren't Airbender stories the best? asks Aang.
Was it realistic? Was that how it was back then? asks Katara.
I laugh at gravity all the time. Haha! Gravity said Aang.
Jingle, jingle! said the storyteller.
Sorry! said Sokka.
Aww. Cheapskates! said the storyteller.
Hey thanks for the story! said Aang
Tell it to the cap, boy! said the storyteller.
Aw, much obliged little bat thing! said the storyteller.
It means a lot to hear Airbender stories. It must have been hundred years ago your great grandpa met them said Aang.
What are you prattling about child? Great grand-pappy saw the air walkers last week! said the storyteller.
Heya! said Great Grand-Pappy
Hey, we're almost at the Northern Air Temple! This is where they had the championships for sky bison polo said Aang.
Do you think we'll really find airbenders? asks Katara.
You want me to be like you, or totally honest? asks Sokka.
Are you saying I'm a liar? said Katara.
I'm saying you're an optimist. Same thing basically said Sokka.
Hey guys, look at this! said Aang.
Huh! They really are airbenders! said Katara.
No, they're not said Aang.
What do you mean they're not? Those guys are flying! said Sokka.
Gliding maybe, but not flying. You can tell by the way they move. They're not airbending. Those people have no spirit said Aang.
I don't know, Aang. That kid seems pretty spirited! said Katara.
We better find some solid ground before it finds us! said Raiden.
Go, Teo! Show that bald kid how it's done! said Audience Member.
Hey there! You're pretty good said, Teo.
Yeh, I know. But I can do more than fancy gliding! said Aang.
Wow! I don't think I can do that! But here's a good one... said, Teo.
What do you think? asks Teo,
It's great said Aang
Hey! You're a REAL Airbender! You must be the Avatar! That's amazing! I, I, I've heard stories about you said, Teo.
Thanks said Aang.
Wow! This glider chair is incredible! said Sokka.
If you think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my Dad designed said, Teo.
Wow! said Sokka.
Yeh, my Dad is the mastermind behind this whole place! Everything's powered by hot air. It even pumps hot air currents outside to give us a lift when we're gliding. said, Teo.
This place is unbelievable said Aang.
Yeh, it's great, isn't it? asks Teo.
No, just unbelievable said Aang.
I have to say I'm inclined to agree with Aang on this one said Raiden.
Aang used to come here a long time ago. I think he's a little shocked it's so... different said Katara.
So better! said Sokka.
You wouldn't be saying that if this was the south pole said Raiden.
Yes, I would said Sokka.
I don't why I bother said Raiden.
This is supposed to be the history of my people said Aang.
Ugh! said Aang.
I'm sure some parts of the temple are still the same said Aang.
It's nice to see even one part of the temple that isn't ruined said Aang.
Look out! said a voice.
What the doodle! Don't you know enough to stay away from construction sites? We have to make room for the bathhouse said The Mechanist
Do you know what you did? You just destroyed something sacred! For a stupid bathhouse! said Aang.
Well, people around here are starting to stink said The Mechanist
This whole place stinks said Aang.
This is a sacred temple! You can't treat it this way. I've seen it when the monks were here. I know what it's supposed to be like said Aang.
The monks? But you're 12! said the Mechanist.
Dad, he's the Avatar. He used to come here a hundred years ago said, Teo.
What are you doing? Who said you could be here? said Aang.
Hmmm... doing here... A long time ago, but not a hundred years, my people became refugees after a terrible flood. My infant son, Teo, was badly hurt and lost his mother. I needed somewhere to rebuild and I stumbled across this place. Couldn't believe it! Everywhere pictures of flying people. But empty! Nobody home! Then I came across these fan like contraptions! said the Mechanist.
Our gliders said Aang.
Yes, little light flying machines. They gave me an idea. Build a new life for my son, in the air! Then everyone would be on equal ground, so to speak! We're just in the process of improving upon what's already here and after all, isn't that what nature does? said the Mechanist.
Nature knows where to stop said Aang.
I suppose that's true. Unfortunately, progress has a way of getting away from us. Look at the time! said the Mechanist.
Come the pulley system must be oiled before dark said the Mechanist.
Wait, how can you tell the time from that thing? The notches all look the same said Sokka.
The candle will tell us. Watch said the Mechanist.
You put spark powder in the candle said Raiden.
Four flashes, so it's exactly four hours past midday, or, as I call it, four o'candle! said the Mechanist.
If you like that, wait till you see my finger safe knife sharpener! Only took me three tries to get it right! said the Mechanist
Aaahhh! said Sokka.
Follow me! said the Mechanist.
Hey Aang, I want to show you something said, Teo.
I just can't get over it. There's not a single thing that's the same said Aang.
I don't know about that. The Temple might be different, but the creatures that live here are probably direct descendants of the ones that lived here a long time ago said, Teo.
You're right. They're kind of keepers of the temples origins said Katara.
Besides, there's one part of the temple that hasn't changed at all said Teo.
Hey! It's just like the one in the other Air Temple said Katara.
Only an Airbender can open it – so inside it's completely untouched, just the way the monks left it. I've always wondered what it was like in there said, Teo.
Aang? said Raiden.
I'm sorry, this is the last part of the temple that the same as it was. I want it to stay that way said Aang.
I completely understand. I just wanted you to know it was here said Teo.
Thanks said Aang.
These lanterns are terrible! I can't see said Sokka.
Why would you want to use fireflies for light? asks Sokka.
Hey! Close that up! They'll get loose. Fireflies are a non-flammable light source. said The Mechanist
Cover your nose and hold your breath said The Mechanist
Okay, so you brought me all the way down here to see an empty room said Sokka.
Wrong said The Mechanist.
It's filled to the brim with natural gas. Came across it my first time here. Unfortunately, I was carrying a torch at the time. Nearly blew myself and the whole place, even more, sky high. Thought my eyebrows would never grow back! Anyway, there's a vital problem that needs solving. From time to time we have gas leaks and they're nearly impossible to find said The Mechanist
So this place is an explosion waiting to happen? asks Sokka.
Yes, until I figure out how to locate something I can't see, hear, smell or touch said The Mechanist
The wind will carry you. It supports something inside you – something even lighter than air, and that something takes over when you fly said, Teo.
I've changed my mind. I think I was born without that something said Katara.
Impossible! Everybody has it said, Teo.
Spirit said Aang.
What? said, Teo.
That's the something you're talking about said Aang.
Yeh, I suppose it is said, Teo.
Are you ready? asks Teo.
No! said Katara.
I can't believe I'm flying! said Katara.
Just make sure to keep your mouth closed so you don't swallow a bug! said Aang.
Teo was right about the air! All I had to do was trust it. Let it carry me said Katara.
Even though Teo's not an Airbender, he really does have the spirit of one said Aang.
I've been thinking. If you wanna see what's in that room, I'd be happy to open the door for you said Aang.
Great! said Teo.
Wait! How do I land this thing? What if I land (swallows bug) – eh! Blech! Yech! Bug! Bug! That was a bug! said Katara.
I said don't touch anything! Oh, don't worry, that experiments old and that egg was just part of last week's lunch said The Mechanist
Ugh! Week old egg smell! said Sokka.
Quick! Find that egg! said The Mechanist
Aang, Katara, Raiden, and Teo are the Temple door once again
I can't believe I'm finally going to see what's inside said, Teo.
Me too I wasn't with Aang and the others when they were at the Southern Air Temple, said Raiden.
How could something that's so small you can't even see it make such a big stink! said Sokka.
That's the solution to our problem! said The Mechanist.
Yeh! said Sokka.
If we put a whole mess of rotten eggs in the cellar where the gas seeps up... said Sokka.
The gas will mix with the smell of rotten eggs... said The Mechanist
Then, if there's a leak... said Sokka.
You smell rotten eggs! Then you just follow your nose to the place where the smell is coming from... said The Mechanist
And plug up the hole where the gas is escaping! said Sokka.
You're a genius! said both.
Suddenly a large bell starts ringing.
Something's wrong I've got to go said The Mechanist
Oh, no said Raiden.
This is a nightmare said Aang.
You don't understand said The Mechanist
You're making weapons for the Fire Nation! said Aang.
You make weapons for the Fire Nation!? said Sokka.
Explain all this! Now! said, Teo.
It was about a year after we moved here. Fire Nation soldiers found our settlement. You were too young to remember this tale. They were going to destroy everything, burn it to the ground. I pleaded with them, I begged them to spare us. They asked what I had to offer. I offered... my services. You must understand, I did this for you! said The Mechanist
When are they coming? asks Raiden.
Very soon said The Mechanist
You can't give them more weapons said Aang.
If I don't give them what they want they will destroy this place said The Mechanist.
How can I be proud of you when your inventions are being used for murder? said The Mechanist
I need some time to think. You need to leave! Go! said The Mechanist
We're not leaving! said Teo.
Then hide, quickly! said The Mechanist
Raiden do you know that is? asks Aang.
No, but I recognize that outfit it's one my father Ozai's emissaries said Raiden.
You're the son of the Fire Lord that's so cool said Teo.
\You know better than to keep me waiting. Give me what you owe us so I can be on my way. Well? Is there a problem? said the Emissary.
No, right this way said The Mechanist.
The deal's off! said Aang.
So why don't you go tell my father to find another person to do his dirty work said Raiden
The Avatar! Prince Raiden! said the Emissary.
Aang, Raiden. don't get involved! said The Mechanist
If I don't get what I came for the Fire Nation will burn this place to rubble! said the emissary.
Get out of here! said Aang.
You're leaving empty handed! said Raiden.
Then the destruction of this temple will be on your head and Raiden I'll make sure your father hears about this said the Emissary.
Like I care what my father thinks said Raiden.
This is bad! Very bad! said Sokka.
Aang, what are we gonna do? How can we possibly keep them all away? said Katara.
I'll tell ya how. We have something they don't. Air power! We control the sky. That' something the Fire Nation can't do. We can win! said Aang.
I want to help said The Mechanist.
Good, we'll need it said Aang.
We finally got the war balloon working, thanks to Sokka said The Mechanist
This boy's a genius! said The Mechanist
Thank you. You're a genius! said Sokka.
Thank you! said The Mechanist
Aang, Raiden, and Katara who look at other strangely over this self-congratulatory exchange.
See, the problem with the old war balloon was you could get it airborne, but once you did, it just kept going. You could put a hole in the top, but then all the hot air would escape. So the question became, how do you keep a lid on hot air? said Sokka.
Ugh, if only we knew. said Katara.
A lid is actually the answer. If you control the hot air, you control the war balloon said Sokka.
Hmm. That's actually pretty smart said Katara.
Okay, we've got four kinds of bombs. Smoke, slime, fire and... said Sokka.
...stink. Never underestimate the power of stink! said The Mechanist
They're coming! said a little girl.
Are we ready? asks Teo.
Yes, but where's Sokka with the war balloon? said Katara.
We'll have to start without him said Aang.
It is choked with Fire Nation soldiers climbing up it. Up above, Aang and Teo dive, the other gliders in tow. They break through the cloud deck and start dropping various bombs on the surprised soldiers. Many fall off the path into the crevices below.
Take them out of the sky, now! and Officer.
The entire line, visible on two different switchbacks, of Fire Nation soldiers lowers their spears. They are bombed by gliders. Aang jumps off his glider onto a switchback just above the most advanced part of the Fire Nation infantry column. As he jumps he creates an air scooter. He rides along the length of the switchback, dumping huge amounts of snow and ice on the soldiers below. When he reaches the end of the switchback, he kills the air scooter and jumps back onto his glider which is gliding by. The avalanche he created continues to drop downward, engulfing row after row of soldiers. Those left begin to run back down the switchback path.
We've got'em on the run! We need more slime! said Aang.
Cut to Appa floating motionless above the cloud deck. Katara hands bombs to gliders who pop up over Appa and then disappear back into the combat zone. Suddenly, several huge spikes shoot up through the clouds, narrowly missing Appa. The spikes are attached to chains that disappear, taught, into the clouds. The spikes embed themselves deep into the rock near the Temple. Appa flying hard to avoid the grappling hooks being thrown up all over the place.
the squeaky wheels of tracked vehicles can be heard. Then, Fire Nation tanks roar onto the screen. With two, huge spiked wheels at each end, these heavily armored vehicles are using the grappling hooks to allow them to scale the cliff face. The gliders drop bombs on them, but they have little effect.
Aang flies up to the cliff face, sticks his glider staff into the naked rock, and pulls out one of the grappling hooks. The tank it was attached to begins to drop like a rock, but it fires another grappling hook straight up, narrowly missing Aang. It catches on the rock above, yanks taught, and the tank slams back into the mountain face and begins its climb once again.
The tanks climb the cliff face and gain the small plateau area at the base of the Temple. The firebenders in the turrets begin to fire blasts of flame, which the gliders avoid. They drop more bombs, but they are ineffective against the Fire Nation armor. One firebender gets slimed right as Aang drops into the center of an advancing platoon of tanks. Aang literally blows them away with blasts of air, but their central cabins of the tanks just flip over and they begin advancing again. The shoot more fire blasts at Aang, who avoids them Katara and Raiden. on Appa flying next to Teo, all surveying the battlefield.
Those things are unstoppable! said Katara.
And if I know the Fire nation as well I do they've got something even worse in the works said Raiden.
Think the things were your dad's idea said Katara.
Probably not but who knows if one thing my dad good at its war being a good husband and father not so much. said Raiden.
I think I know how they work. I remember my Dad tinkering with the counterbalancing system. Something to do with water. Works great, huh? said, Teo.
Water? Can you get me close to one? said Katara.
No problem! said, Teo.
Aang is facing off alone against five tanks. They shoot fireball after fireball at him, but he bats them away. They advance on him steadily. Teo swoops into the picture and deposits Katara next to Aang. She assumes a bending stance, concentrates, and stops the forward momentum of one of the tanks with ice. the tanks big wheels fall off. Aang and Katara, where a grappling hook has grabbed Aang's staff. Katara lifts the tank up with a wall of ice and it falls over, broken. They have disposed of two tanks, but a full dozen now bear down on them. Raiden and Aang jump in front of Katara. and starts batting away fire blasts. The tanks close in. Aang and Katara are suddenly blocked by the massive bulk of Appa who lands in front of them, roars, and tosses aside the two-point tanks. Aang, Raiden, and Katara jump on Appa and he takes off. They survey the battlefield and it is clear that the situation is not good. Broken down tanks dot the battlefield, but most are still advancing, now closely supported by infantry formations.
We're out of bombs! said Teo.
Come on, Sokka, where's that war balloon? said Katara.
the war balloon rises behind her in the background. The balloon is red and decked out with a Fire Nation symbol. It's removable top and tail fin give it a vague blimp like shape. The Mechanist and Sokka ride in the basket below the balloon. The basket also contains the coal-burning plant that provides the heat for the balloon's air. Attached to the basket are four huge sacks of material used for ballast. The balloon moves out over the battlefield as the enemy armor advances below. Sokka and the Mechanist in the basket.
Hey, why aren't they shooting at us? said Sokka.
The insignia! They think we're on their side! said The Mechanist
Then I guess they won't see this coming said Sokka.
Bomb away! said The Mechanist.
Cut to a long shot of the balloon and the enemy troops and tanks underneath. One of the ballast sacks drops and blows in a huge explosion of slime on the ground. Sokka drops the other three bombs. The slime washes most of the infantry away, but the tanks continue. They reach the next cliff to scale and begin to use their grappling hooks.
Oh no! That was the last one! said Sokka.
Wait a second, (he sniffs the air) you smell that? said The Mechanist
Rotten eggs! said Sokka.
There! That's where the gas is escaping! said Sokka.
What are you doing!? That's our fuel source! said The Mechanist
It's the only bomb we've got! said Sokka.
Look! They're retreating! said Aang.
Yeh! said All.
Let's see how my dad likes this said Raiden.
We're going down! said Sokka.
No! Sokka! Hold on! said Raiden.
Get ready! said Sokka.
You know what? I'm really glad you guys all live here now. It's like the hermit crab maybe you weren't born here, but you found this empty shell and made it your home. And now you protect each other said Aang.
That means a lot coming from you said, Teo.
Aang, you were right about air power. (Pointing to the sky) As long as we've got the skies we'll have my dad on the run! said Raiden.
This defeat is the gateway to many victories said a Commander.