Clouds slowly swallowed up the spaces to the outside the windows provided. Jinora plucked food up delicately with her chopsticks holding it over a small bowl. A small gust of turbulence jostled the ship and she tipped her bowl to compensate though, Ren coughed on his juice. Tetsu sat at the table plate bare and pale faced.
"It used to be worse," Jinora said.
"Worse?" Tetsu asked while Ren cleared his throat.
"Turbulence in the old airships was more violent."
"How were the older ships different?"
"They were still powered by steam but they were much less efficient. Many are moving to be lightning power now. But they are more costly since you need to hire at least one bender per ship."
A second gust rattled the ship as Jinora continued eating. The plates on the table began to slide to one side and Tetsu put his hands out to grab them.
Then everything began to tip forward and both brothers braced themselves.
"Is this normal?" they asked together.
Jinora stood and when she did she slid forward a little bit. "No."
She made for the control room the brothers stumbling behind her. She knocked and a moment later opened the door. Jun Lin was in the control area trying to correct something.
"What happened?"
"I'm not sure," he said calmly. "It appears that the power in the right engine has decreased and is now fading," he said over the building sounds of the ship swaying and things hitting each other.
Tetsu cringed at what sounded like porcelain breaking.
"I'll try to make a landing," he said, "ahead in that farmland," he said pointing out the front of the ship.
The ship dove down asymmetrically and descended quickly towards a field that came closer and closer into re-leaf. People milled about several fields away. Jinora closed her eyes and held her hands together. A few moments later she threw her arms out and the descent became slightly smoother. The ship hit the ground sending a wave through the structure as it rocked for a few moments. Everything settled and the ship sat like a breached whale. They stayed braced for a few moments.
Jun Lin turned a switch and then stood up wiping his brow. "I'll need to check the ship."
The three followed him as they slid down the exit hatch which had been opened trampling into a field of green stalks. Jun Lin made for the back of the ship on the right-hand-side. The polished metal gleamed in the sunlight.
Jinora took a pin out of her pocket. "Our arrival may be delayed as we have had some mechanical problems."
Jun Lin had pulled gloves on and was inspecting the ship. He quickly noted something and crouched down. Jinora came over as well standing to the side.
"What happened?"
"I think the engine malfunctioned." He took off his outer coat folding it and placing a few tools on it. "I need to look at it for a little longer and maybe run some diagnostics."
Jinora nodded.
The ship's landing had been smooth but the position of it was skewed to the left so the ship was cocked at an angle. Ren and Tetsu looked out across the field rippled by lush green stands of crops. Crops peeked out from under the belly of the ship crushed by its weight. Ren jogged forward and hooded his eyes from the sun.
"I see a few people heading toward us," he said.
Jinora turned her head and squinted into the sun. "Speak with them. See if they want compensation for the damage."
Ren nodded.
Jun Lin continued examining the engine area disassembling several several parts. After a few minutes, Ren looked out the field. "They're close enough."
Tetsu trailed like a shadow. The stalks of the plants created fragmented images of the two people walking toward them. Once they got around fifteen feet away one of them waved. Ren raised his hand back. A woman stood hands on her hips with a cloth tied to her head. To her left stood a wiry man with tan skin wearing a wide, flat hat.
"Oi!" the woman said.
Ren came closer, his brother right behind.
"Is that your ship?" she asked pointing.
"A—yes."
"You didn't land here on purpose did you?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Something happened to the ship."
"Anyone injured?" she asked.
"No, everyone is fine."
"Good," she said smiling. "I'm Dalai and this is my brother Chatan. We have a barn if you need to stay there. For a few yuan."
"How much for the field?" Tetsu said.
She tapped her cheek. "I'd have to look at it."
She followed them to the ship and moved her head back and forth.
"That's...a good amount of crops. One hundred ten. But I'll give you a discount on the barn."
Ren and Tetsu looked for Jinora but she was absent.
"I'll need to ask about the barn."
"Of course." She tipped her head. "Your ship took a beating," she said staring at a large dent in the front.
Jun Lin stood up and wiped his brow.
Dalai looked around at the three of them sweating. "Looks like you could use some tea."
Dalai and her brother departed. "Do you know where Jinora went?"
Jun Lin looked up and shook his head. "I don't."
Ren walked over to Tetsu who was sitting in the field weaving something out of grass.
"Did you see her?" Ren asked.
"Not since you talked to her," Tetsu said continuing to weave.
Ren snatched it out of his hand. "Help me find her then."
Tetsu frowned. "I am melting."
The two walked through the other side of the field craning their necks to see above the stalks. They returned hot and sweaty to the ship.
"I think I may have found the problem," Jun Lin said as the sun crest over the hills.
Tetsu and Ren leaned in.
"What is it?"
Jun Lin frowned. "An additional piece not in this model of ship is included here." He stood up and dusted his knees off.
"I'm going to look for something to remove the piece," he said as he lugged himself into the off-kilter ship.
Tetsu and Ren looked at each other. "Let's go cool off."
They headed to the edge of the field near the tail of the ship. They crossed into another field. It was laden with small shrubs producing white flowers. They trekked through the field and in the distance rose a small line of bamboo. Once there they pushed past the tall stands and basked in the irregular shade. A large tree towered in the center of the bamboo grove.
"Race," Ren said abruptly running towards it.
Tetsu hesitated for a moment then began sprinting after bumped into each other as they came shoulder to shoulder.
They skidded to a halt once they reached a clearing.
"It feels good to run," Ren said.
Tetsu relaxed standing in the sun for a moment and holding his arms out and breathed deeply. A bird call broke the lull and they continued passing into a dense bought of bamboo. Ground foliage covered the earth in the spaces between the stalks. They pushed back stands to pass. The cloud-like foliage of a large tree drew closed until it was like shadowy gauze above them. Light enhanced the green painted in the shoots. After swimming through the green ocean they reached the tree. Porous roots dug into a grotto of still water, like ancient bridges. A large bird perched on one of the airborne roots and watched them with beady eyes. As they approached it fluttered away. They smiled at each other and climbed the roots. Tetsu settled in one of the crooks of the large tree, but Ren continued climbing.
"What are you doing?" Tetsu said.
"I might be able to see Jinora from up here," Ren said.
"Wait hold on!" Tetsu followed after him.
"It's amazing! You can see the whole valley."
Tetsu pulled himself up a branch and was halfway up. A strong gust of wind blew between the branches and Tetsu gripped the solid branch to avoid being knocked down into the water below. Above a startled cry rose followed by a crack and leaves slapping skin.
"Ren?!"
His brother slid down hanging from a broken branch above.
"Ren!"
His brother held on but when another violent gust of air hit the tree Ren slammed into the branch his hands slipping.
"REN!"
Tetsu let go falling harshly into the water below the tree. He began wading frantically. He looked up. Ren was floating in the air. A few paces away someone stood holding out their hand. The wind shifted the boughs out of the way of the figure. Jinora lowered Ren slowly to the earth beside the tree. Then she opened her eyes.