@unchartedcircus II Under the Big Top
unchartedcircus:
somethinglighterthanair:
“Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” The Duke urged his two friends.
Teo laughed, his hands flew away from the wheels on his chair. The Duke ran between him and Haru, pushing on the back of his chair and sending him a few feet ahead of them. Haru shook his head, walking leisurely and popping peanuts into his mouth.
“It’s just a circus, Duke.”
“The Duke, and we’re gonna miss it if you guys don’t HURRY!”
The handicapped teenager lifted the Duke up and placed him on his lap as he wheeled himself along the stands. Haru sat down on the seat closest to the edge.
It had been about two years since the war ended and the boys had found their comradeship too good to part from one another. They spent their time shuffling around the Earth Kingdom, discovering new places and visiting old friends. The group had been on their way to Omashu when news of the circus had caught the Duke’s attention.
As the ring leader introduced the opening act, Teo chuckled at the fact that the kid had his two older friends wrapped around his finger.
“This is going to be boring,” Haru whispered.
Teo ignored him and pushed his goggles down, focusing his eyes on the spotlight that landed on the tightrope. “Don’t knock it yet, pal.”
Ty Lee smiled brightly she began the routine that she had known so well she could perform it in her sleep. Up and over, pirouette, duck so another acrobat could fly over her. It was effortless and graceful, she didn’t even have to think about what came next. Her acrobatics had always come as second nature to her.
With a cheery smile, she finished the act with her fellow acrobats and her gray eyes scanned through the audience, searching for any familiar faces. Not seeing any, she sighed. Hopefully she could meet some new people after the show.
After the show ended, Ty Lee was wandering around the circus grounds, looking for people to talk to, when she spotted a group of three boys, one in a wheelchair and two standing near him with smiles. Ty Lee flipped her bangs and strided pridefully towards them.
“Hi there!” She said happily to the three boys. “I’m Ty Lee! Did you enjoy the show?”
Teo had watched the show closely. Maybe once when he was young, young and his mother was around, young and could walk, he had seen an acrobat act. However, he couldn’t remember it all that well. It must not have been very good. Or at least, it wasn’t as memorable as this one.
The performers were good, their routine was effortless. He felt himself leaning forward in his chair watching them. He could fly with his glider, but he could never move as gracefully as they did.
Teo’s arms were starting to ache after the show as he trailed behind the Duke and Haru. The boys paused from booth to booth, trying their hands at the games that were there. As Haru took up an apple to throw at a few targets set up, Teo noticed a girl walking their way. He smiled when he recognized her.
“Well hello there,” Haru winked at the girl.
Teo shoved his friend on the shoulder.
“Hi,” he replied brightly, “it was great! You really know what you’re doing, I thought you were an airbender for a second.”
The Duke nudged him, “I thought only Aang was an airbender,” he loudly whispered.
