Soooooo, this chapter won't exactly be following the actual episode because all that would happen is Eira going crazy due to the fact that she already knows the answers to Aang's challenges and she'd be slowly encased in that rock, ring, thing… Not really fun to read and/or write so I'm going to create something else for her to do instead. Aang will still be doing Bumi's challenges but Eira won't be there as well.


Chapter 12: An Artist's Dream


Eira watched the earthbenders as they moved the chutes to direct the packages around onto different chutes and in different directions. They looked so in control of their element and moved the chutes with such ease Eira was starting to get jealous. Her own bending was practically useless. All she could do with it was punch people without making contact and she failed to actually manipulate air. She needed to talk to Aang about it later.

"Earthbending brings the packages up, and gravity brings them down." Aang explained as they all watched in awe.

Eira turned to look back at Sokka, who was unimpressed.

"Great, so they get their mail on time." Eira scowled at him. Maybe it was just her being from a world without bending but she thought it was incredible. Aang looked back at Sokka, not recognising his sarcasm and smiled.

"They do get their mail on time, but my friend Bumi found," He squinted his eyes mischievously. "A better use for these chutes." He eyes glazed over as he drifted off into memory lane, his smile stretching even further across his face, and Eira didn't like where it was going. His eyes lit up and he ran down the city.

"Come on guys, I've got an idea!" He yelled as he ran past a woman and her child. Having no real other option they all ran after him. They all dodged all of the alarmed people as they tried to follow the excited airbender with Eira stammering "I'm sorry" all the way. Aang needed to learn to calm down sometimes, these people were giving her too many strange looks and she could already feel her face burning bright red from embarrassment.

"Aang! Slow down!" She yelled as they ran after him.

They followed him up some huge stairs and to the top of the chute's system. Aang looked cheerful as he placed a mail cart near the chute.

He looked excited, Sokka and Katara looked unsure and maybe, slightly frightened but Eira was downright terrified. She knew what Aang wanted to happen and she absolutely hated it. She just, can't go on roller coasters and this was pretty much exactly the same, just even less safe.

Aang looked expectantly at them.

"One ride." He said, raising one finger to emphasize his point. "Then we're off to the North Pole. Airbender's honour." He promised. Katara and Sokka looked at each other, both unsure but they complied and got in with Aang. Eira stayed rooted to the spot.

"I'm sorry Aang, but I uh, have a problem with things like this. You guys go on without me… I'll go buy some supplies!" They looked disappointed but understanding as well and they also seemed to realise the cart was also full and she wouldn't fit anyway.

"Ok, we'll meet up at the end of the chute afterwards then." Katara said.

"Sorry, but I'll make sure to get us some more supplies, might as well make myself useful." They nodded and Eira reached in to take the bag from Sokka. "Sorry again, but have fun." The nodded excitedly and Eira waved them good-bye and ran down to the market.

She walked down the city until she heard Katara scream and the cart barrelled down the chute. It shot down the slope and the wind created by its speed ripped things out of people's hands and buffeted the people next to them.

"Oh crud." Eira sighed. She hitched the bag up on her shoulder and began to run after them. She ran as fast as she could but Aang reached for his staff and twirled it around propelling them forwards even faster. "Why, Aang, why?" She groaned as she ran faster after them, twisting around to avoid slamming into people.

They all gave her weird looks and Eira appreciated how strange it must've looked to them. A strange, pale-haired girl running after a mail cart that was filled with three kids that was shooting down the delivery system.

She ran faster after them and silently wished that she knew how Aang did his "running like the wind" thing, it would've helped so many times by now.

Distracted by her thoughts she slammed straight into someone and was knocked forcefully backwards. She landed hard on the ground and the person she knocked into was sent backwards as well. Eira groaned in pain and she got up.

"I-I'm sorry, sir." She stuttered as she helped him up. He looked sourly at her and brushed himself off angrily and gave her a strange look. "Uh, I have to, uh, go now." She said hesitantly as she ran off, and cursed her clumsiness. She had no idea where they were. But she did know where they will be.

She pivoted on the spot and looked for Bumi's palace but the city was so vast and cluttered she couldn't see it. To be honest, she didn't know what it really looked like.

Eira felt her face turn red again from embarrassment as she realised how strange and confused she looked. She looked around to see a market stall selling clothes and saw a beautiful light blue scarf. Maybe that could help her.

She walked up to the stall and picked up the scarf. She looked up to see an overweight, dark skinned woman with long brown hair that was pinned up loosely with a green clip. She looked motherly, kind but stern and she wore a dark green and brown robe with a tight, fabric belt tied around her waist. Just like the others she did a slight double take at Eira's appearance but she quickly masked it.

"Excuse me, but how much is this?" Eira asked politely.

"It's three copper pieces." She answered. Eira checked her bag for the money pouch and pulled out three blue, thick coins. Water Tribe coins.

"Would you accept Water tribe money?" The woman took the coins and examined them. Apparently satisfied she nodded and added them to her satchel.

"Are you new here in Omashu?" She asked hospitably. Eira nodded.

"I just came from the Water Tribe." Eira answered, hopefully clearing that up for the woman. "Do you know where Bumi's palace is?" The woman pointed her in the right direction and Eira thanked the woman for the scarf and left.

She walked up some stairs and followed the path of destruction. A sobbing Cabbage man, a broken stall, etc. She walked around for a while and she finally found it. It was a tall, grand building located at the peak of the mountain the city was placed on and it had cream-ish walls and a red tiled roof.

As she approached it the sentries in front of it they crossed their spears threateningly.

"State your business!" They yelled, and Eira resisted the urge to roll her eyes. They were obsessed with all of the formalities here. An odd contrast with their odd king.

"Um, my friends have been taken to see King Bumi and I would like to see them." Eira cringed internally. She wasn't very good with these formalities. "The Avatar and Sokka and Katara." The guards looked at each other questioningly and then one turned to face her.

"King Bumi isn't allowed to be disturbed at the moment. Come back later." He stated bluntly. GAHHHH! But I need to see them. I will not be separated again. She thought, upset at not being allowed to enter.

"Do you know when they will be free?"

"No."

"Fine. I'll come back later." Eira conceded and walked back down to the market. She might as well get the food.

Her fists were clenched as she walked back down the stairs. She wasn't exactly nonconformist when she was a home but when an authority figure got in her way she would get angry very quickly. Usually the only way for her to calm down was with a good book but she wasn't sure she'd be able to find a book here let alone read one.

Eira sighed as she walked to a vegetable stall and inspected the food. It wasn't the food she was used to but it did look at least a little familiar.

She picked up some green vegetables that looked like they could be cut up into a salad or something and paid the man with the Water Tribe money. Luckily there was still quite a bit left.

Eira continued to flick between stalls, getting a variety of vegetables, fruit, meat, etc. until she was satisfied she had enough for another week or so. All this time she was thinking over how to spend the time she'd be waiting for Aang, Katara and Sokka to get out. AT home she would read (which was a sad no here) or draw… Wait maybe that was a good idea.

She looked around for any stationary and was rewarded with some paper, ink and brush. They were just like the set she had packed in that satchel before Zuko took it. Eira frowned at the memory. That satchel would've been really useful but noooo she had to get it taken away.

She looked in the money pouch and thankfully still had quite a lot left and ran over to the stall. She purchased some paper, a brush and a small ink pot. As she thanked the man for the items she walked back up the stairs to an area near the palace and sat down.

She opened her bag and brought out her purchased items. The food that she could make into a stew or something later (it'd be better than Sokka's cooking), her new scarf, the writing kit and some other miscellaneous items that had needed replacing.

Eira nodded, satisfied and brought out the paper and started to draw. She wasn't the best artist, but she was good enough to enjoy it.

She drew Appa and Momo, she drew her family, she drew her new friends, she drew and drew until the light began the dim and the paper was soon coated in sketches, doodles, portraits and little paragraphs of writing. All that she had experienced over the time she'd been in this world spilled out onto the page and she was impressed with them.

She'd managed to get Aang's carefree, innocent smile. Sokka's corny, yet funny personality, Katara's friendly demeanour. They were the best she had ever done and she was happy.

The doors opened behind her and she jolted with shock, quickly turning towards them and a huge smile etched itself on her face.

"Katara! Sokka! Aang!" Eira shouted as she ran over to them, embracing the trio in a huge hug. "I bought some food." She announced happily.

She stepped back from the hug and saw an incredibly old man with a crazy grin on his face and large tufts of white hair on the side of his dark face. He wore a green robe and a weird green and gold, feathered crown. It was King Bumi.

Eira stepped back in shock. "So I guess this is King Bumi." She guessed.

Aang nodded and jumped up to hug his hundred-and-twelve year old friend.

"Eeup!" He said. "We're gonna go mail cart riding again, wanna' come Eira?" Eira shook her head but with a smile on her face.

"Sorry Aang, but no. Have fun with Bumi." He turned and ran with his friend and soon after their yells of childish joy rang out through the entire city, and the cries of a poor cabbage man.

"MY CABBAGES!"


So this was basically a fun, kind-of filler chapter but I managed to fix a problem. Now Eira can just wear her scarf to hide her hair and that won't be such a big factor against her.

Anyway, please review and thanks for reading!