Book One: Rain

Chapter Five - Janju

The Great Mt., May 20, 302 AG

"If I hear you recite the capitals of the world one more time, I will snap your neck," Evine told Kenny. He reiterated the Capitals a few more times, only because Evine told him to stop. All three of them were tired and hungry and had slept on rocks for the past three days.

"You know, one time in Omashu the entire city went dark, all the lights and electricity went out. We made this campfire, and each night for the four nights the lights were off we would dance around it and sing the cities of the world. It helps keep your mind active, maybe you should try it, Evine. Sometimes it feels like your brain is constantly shutting down." Marzie clucked as she helped herself up a stump in the trail up the mountain.

Evine's ire had this distinguished odor in which Marzie and Kenny became well acquainted with. It wasn't as much foul as it was relieving, actually. Kenny would've compared it to perhaps the smell of money coated in very faint lemon. But now, the smell had changed. It was like it had rained body odor on him, and the smell was not as satisfying as it was before. "Jeez!" Kenny pinched closed his nose and walked a few feet in front of him. "Evine, don't take this to heart or anything but, you smell like what someone's poo would after he only ate other people's poo for weeks. Right about now I wish I was an air bender so I could bend that smell right off you, that smell makes me wish I never had a nose."

"Is it really that bad?" Marzie asked from a few feet away and Kenny nodded.

"If you hate my so called 'stench' so bad why don't you file a lawsuit against it." He snapped, as he always does. Kenny and Marzie don't even take it personally or to heart anymore, they've moved on. "All you two do is complain! Why don't you thank me?"

Marzie snickered. "For what?" But Evine didn't respond, he didn't have a response, he just walked a bit faster.

"I think he's gonna get back to you on that one," Kenny said glancing at Marzie trying to withhold a laugh. As Evine walked by him, he felt like his nose was having a stroke. "Oh my gosh! When's the next rest stop? Some of us could use a ... thorough shower."

"At the top of the mountain. If we hurry we could make it there before noon, and have a nice, warm lunch." That was all the motivation they needed, to have a warm lunch for the first time in days.

They reached the top about half an hour after and immediately rented a room at the motel for an hour. Evine took a sniff at himself and grunted in repulsion. "I'm using the bathroom first," and no one argued against it because anytime Kenny or Marzie got close to him, they felt the small little hairs in their nostrils wither one by one.

"Do you want to go get lunch? My stomach is so empty I could eat a boar." Marzie said and Kenny agreed. Kenny grabbed his wallet from inside his backpack and followed Marzie out the door. They made their way to the small tea shop that sat a few feet away from the motel they were freshening up at.

"I'll order," Marzie said, "What do you want?"

"Two chamomile teas, mister grumpy pants could use some relaxation from all the gassy fumes he's been letting out." She giggled and went inside to order while Kenny stayed outside and took in the nice scenery. He could see the mountain ranges from up there, all the trees and animals that inhabited the area with it. The birds flew in the air, dancing with one another. It was surely a significant sight.

"Here, I got us some dumplings too. Three for each of us." She took a bite into her dumpling, "Too bad we ate all the cornbread. I'm kind of craving it now," she said with her mouth full of food.