Another Water Bender! (Arawn, pm him for permission.)

Umi was riding on top of the large shirshu, Amor. She wore a smile as she looked around. This seemed to be the park in which Amor had washed his face when Anwar had painted eyes onto him. He was such a weird man. The fact that he had no eyes had been such a big deal. She had been amazed at how obsessed he was over it. The memory brought a smile to her lips. Umi was wearing a black dress-like suit. It was fairly form fitting, and at the bottom it was like a dress, but with a slit that allowed a leg or two through if she needed a large range of motion. The dress fell to her upper ankle. She wore a pair of pants under her dress, also black. It was perhaps odd that she wear so much black being from the northern water tribe. Her boots and gloves were black, though both with white and blue accents. She had a white-blue mask she often wore, but had not bothered since arriving at the air city. Her hair was dark blue and it reached her waistline. It was braided all together, into a rather whip-looking braid. Her belt was blue, and to it attached her 3 galled white-blue water-skin.

Amor was very large, probably 8 feet or more standing. Umi, being only 5 feet 4 inches, had to use much finesse and skill when it came to mounting him. He was a very light brown, with a black or very dark brown stripe up the middle. It was hard to tell which it was. He had no eyes, but a very large nose, and had tenticle like protrusions. He might not be able to see, but her shirshu could easily smell it's way anywhere. The part was particularly nice today, though she had been here only a few days. A breeze stirred the leaves in the tree, and cause ripples in Amor's fur. Umi stood up, standing directly on the saddle as he walked. But she had been trained in gymnastics since about the age of 8. Umi sat down rather quickly, but the feel of the wind from the height had been great. "Over by the pond if you don't mind." She asked Amor rather politely. He simply changed directions only slightly, and went next to a large park pond. Umi hopped down and stroked his face, from where eyes should be all the way down to his nose several times. "Thanks" Umi walked over to the pond, and began bending in the pond, creating a ice surf board. Umi jumped on, freezing her boots to it for stability, and began surfing on the pond, bending the water for movement.

The shade under the tree was glorious for the male. It wasnt hot, but he didnt like direct sunlight. One would guess the opposite, if they took into account his clothing; the male dressed strangely for one of his heritage; a plain green t-shirt over loose fitting shorts that was supported by only friction. Bare feet dug into the soft grass under the tree by the small pond. His head was tipped forward, white locks of hair covering his face as elbows rested on knees, eyes closed to the rest of the world as he sat there.

He was tired; he'd been traveling for several weeks to reach this place. While he still a ways to go, fatigue had overcome him some hours in the early pre-dawn light, he'd finally sat down to rest. It hadn't taken long-- eyelids had become heavier and heavier until they closed, his mind and body shutting down to rest. And yet.. while it had been nowhere near enough rest for a normal person, the young male stirred and lifted his head at the sounds of water splashing. Black eyes opened, looking about slowly through the white locks before he'd began to stretch.

Umi kept surfing around the large pond, gaining speed and momentum, the water splashing and causing some noise. But on another surfing lap later and she realized she was disturbing someone. There was a man in a green shirt and shorts. And oddly bare feet. Umi surfed towards his way, then unfroze her feet before hitting the end of the pond, and jumping off. However a patch of tall grass concealed a rock of good size, and as she landed her foot snagged it. She waved her arms, not in a chaotic fashion, but in fluid motions. She had fallen nearly over, leaning vastly too far to not fall, but then some whips lashed out from the pond, and wrapped around her arms, pulling her back onto a normal standing position. Umi smiled and bend the whips around her, playing with the water. Amor came over, curious as to why she had stopped. The big shirshu opened his mouth and Umi deposited a large blob of the water into it. She laughed and stroked his muzzle. "I am sorry, did I wake you? I guess I didn't notice you. I hope I wasn't annoying you.." Umi had to admit, from his strange clothing she wasn't sure where he could be from, or if he was an airbender. His clothing didn't speak of any nation, well perhaps the earth kingdom in a way. The simpleness, and the green shirt would probably fit in there. Oh...yeah...I'm Umi. And this is Amor." Umi said in a friendly voice, gesturing to her shirshu at the latter part of her comment. She resumed her affectionate stroking of the shirshu's muzzle.

Not speaking just yet, the male tipped his head to the left, then right. With each movement, loud cracking sounds would ring out into air, signifying an array of stiff joints. Looking at the woman, there were several things obvious; she was a waterbender, for one... and she had control of that creature. "...."

No reply just yet, save for more movements: arms stretching out and rolling, followed by the loud cracking again. Then came the legs. Deeper popping sounds as his hips popped with his movements. Finally, he reached into his pocket and produced a white ribbon. Gathering the white dreadlocks, he pulled the back, and tied them together. "Good.. er-- morning?" What time was it anyway? He'd been asleep for some time, he figured. A quick glance upwards at the sun-- nothing. He had no idea which way was east or west. "I think...?" Damn it, think. His brain was refusing to process-- the joys of post sleep amnesia. "Do you know what time it is?"

Umi stretched a little herself. as he moved, but then all the cracks began. As if he had fallen into a deep sleep and not moved his joints for hours. More and more popping and cracks. It would almost sound like he was breaking his limbs and not stretching them. It put her in mind of an old man with painful joints. But he didn't look old, at least not to her, not that she had gotten any real time to make such a guess. His voice came not long after he seemed mostly finished with his odd stretching. The sound disconcerted her slightly. "It's just an hour before noon." Umi said, still stroking Amor, pondering this oddly dressed man with very odd joints. What was it to do? She looked up, gauging the position of the sun and looking at the sky for a moment. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" Umi spoke partly out of concern, it sounded like his joints must be painful after making such a large amount of groaning and complaining. If he kept making such noises she might wonder if she would need to give him transportation to look at those joints. "I can use waterbending to heal you a bit if your joints hurt. I don't claim to be a great healer by any means, but I could manage sore joints, probably easily." It was half of concern half out of curiosity. Umi took off her water-skin and offered it to him with one hand. "cleaner than the pond water I imagine." She said with a slight smile.

Hour before noon? Wonderful. If he was correct with his distances, he'd reach his destination shortly before sundown. Hell, he might even be in time for supper! Mmm.. he could almost taste Gram's chicken and dumplings-- wait, what? This lady was still talking?

"Is there anything I can do to help you? --- "I can use waterbending to heal you a bit if your joints hurt. I don't claim to be a great healer by any means, but I could manage sore joints, probably easily."

Oh. So she was a healer as well? He didnt need one per se.. it was just a bit of soreness. Besides, he could have done it himself, but didnt feel like broadcasting the fact that he was a waterbender to the world. "No thank you. My joints are fine; I'm used to this." To emphasise his point, he rolled his neck once more, producing a louder crack than before. He offered the woman a small smile. Those eyes looked around again, attempting to make sense of the landscape. He'd arrived by night, and couldn't immagine how open this place was then. Seeing it now was a bit.. intense. So much space..

"Hey, would you happen to know which direction the air temple is in?"

He seemed to be in his own little world for a moment, before finally seeming to hear her. "No thank you. My joints are fine; I'm used to this." Umi watched as he continued to pop his joints, making sometimes odd sounds. These though were particularly loud and painful sounding. She simply smiled at this, ignoring it. She had known people like that, but still it was a bit odd to get used to the sound. He seemed to have ignored her offer of water. She had figured he might have been thirsty, which is why she had held out her waterskin, she could easily refill it soon enough, and should she need to bend a good source was right at hand. Either he had glazed over and not noticed her offering him some water, or he just wasn't thirsty. She had held it outthus far but now would take it and re attach it if it wasn't needed. Umi didn't really know how talk to someone so...distracted or unfocused. Then again, it seemed he was possibly still waking up mentally. "Hey, would you happen to know which direction the air temple is in?" Umi had to consider that for a minute. After thinkign about it, she merely pointed towards some mountains near the city. All she knew was that it was nestled somewhere in the mountains. That was it. She knew the vague direction and "in the mountains." "I have only been here for a little while, I have not been there yet. All I know is that it is roughly that way and in the mountains. I wish I could be of much use beyond that. Amor could probably sniff it out for you if you would like.I see no reason he couldn't find it."