Name: Explosive Meetings
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I am nothing. I am one with the gestalt. Sue him
Archives: Sure, just let me know where
Summary: The Blind Bandit comes face to face with Mad King Bumi after Team Avatar has ended the war.
Note: Not part of my 'Suki' series of one shots as such, though I'll try and keep it in roughly the same continuity. I was inspired by something someone said over on Television Without Pity.
Note2: I want to thank everyone who reviewed "Breaking Point' and 'Sunrise'. More will follow.
Note3: I'm reuploading this as I made numerous references to Sozin which my reviewer AvatarKiba correctly pointed out should have been Ozai. Apologies to everyone, and thanks to AvatarKiba for pointing it out.
--
"Bumi," Aang shouted with glee as the gang filed into the tower at the very top of Omashu. He raced across the room and literally threw himself at his old friend, and who in response grabbed him into a big hug.
"Aang, welcome back to Omashu," Bumi said with a cracked grin as he rubbed his knuckles on the younger boy's head.
"You did it, you broke free and liberated the city," Aang said with a matching grin on his face, only slightly marred by the diagonal scar running across his head. The battle against Sozin had been one of the hardest in his life, and he hadn't come out of it unscathed, physically or emotionally. In fact, for a few days after the battle he knew the others had been really worried about his mental state.
However he had healed up, mainly thanks to Katara, and Sokka had reminded them all that just because Ozai had gone down didn't mean that the Earth Kingdom was suddenly freed. Many garrisons had refused to lay down arms, and Ba Sing Se had to be retaken by force, mostly by the Avatar and his close allies, supported by the new Firelord Iroh and his chosen general, Prince Zuko.
They'd even had help within the city. Jet's death had galvanised Smellerbee and Longshot to stay in Ba Sing Se and set up a resistance. They'd eventually been approached by the local White Lotus society, and had got everything ready for a serious insurgence. And while they had freed Ba Sing Se, word had come via the White Lotus that Bumi had lead a similar uprising in New Ozai, which he had promptly returned to it's original name of Omashu, so naturally Aang decided to visit as soon as they could.
The gang was smaller now than during the final battle. In fact, the gang was now back to the core four of them. Zuko was still quelling various insurgencies in the Firenation and Earth Kingdom at Iroh's request, and the various extra members had drifted back to their own lives following Ozai's defeat, and of the five of them only three of them had been able to come to Omashu. Katara was still in Ba Sing Se, her healing talents desperately needed and Suki had stayed with her as a body-guard. They'd already been attacked twice by dissident Dai Li agents and Firenation sympathisers, and the Kyoshi Warrior had refused to let any of them stay by themselves.
"Hee," Bumi grinned. "I told you that I'd wait for the right time. When word came back of Ozai's defeat, the guards were utterly demoralised. We took back the entire city with just one strike against the garrison."
Aang was about to open his mouth when Bumi's eyes suddenly went from warm and inviting to as cold as he'd ever seen them, and Aang found himself unceremoniously pushed to one side as Bumi's eyes met Tophs.
"How dare you come into my presence you freak?" he demanded, and took a step forward and sank into a battle-stance. Aang's eyes widened as Toph did the same, a sneer of disgust on her face.
"You surprised to see me old man," she snarled. "Or are you just scared, you big Chicken-Ostrich."
"Wench!"
"Jerk!" Toph shouted in response, and faster than even Aang could follow she shot a pillar of earth under her feet and used it to launch herself directly at Bumi. Aang started to move to intercept, but knew he wasn't going to be fast enough. He got a very brief look at the shocked expressions on Sokka, Suki and Katara's faces before Toph hit Bumi in a flying tackle.
But Bumi was ready for her, and as her arms closed around his neck, his closed around her back, and he spun her around even as he cackled with glee and Toph gave a very un-Toph like giggle.
"Uhm, can someone tell me why the crazy king is hugging Toph? Did he get into cactus juice?" Sokka asked, a confused look on his face that Aang knew was mirrored on his own.
Bumi finally put Toph down and the two of them faced the gang with matching grins.
"Oh don't worry Aang," Bumi said. "I met Toph a few years ago in Gaoling."
"Yeah, the old man came to see Earth Rumble 4, which was my first win."
"You've been to Earth rumble?" Sokka asked in confusion, although their insults to each other suddenly made a lot of sense. One of the things the young Water-triber had loved about the Earth rumble was the unabashed way the contestants tore into each other verbally before they went at it physically. The Boulder was still one of his favorite participants, and he deeply regretted that he hadn't had a chance to spend much time with the Lei Tai participant since the war ended.
"Sure, in fact I was one of the original sponsors. In Omashu the Kingship is decided by a Lei Tai tournament just like the champion is picked at the Earth rumble." Aang knew that the Lei Tai, or the platform competition that the Earth rumble was done on was a common format in the Earth kingdom for over a century as Bumi had taken him to see a match when they were both kids.
"Heh," Toph grinned and punched Bumi on the arm. "Does that mean I become king when I kick your ass?"
"Nope," he said with a grin. "Gotta live in the city for at least a year before you can, and then I'd have to die first. I mean we don't want anyone to," he paused for effect. "Rock the boat."
There was a moment of total silence as everyone politely looked away before Toph cleared her throat.
"Anyway, the old man said after my first win that one day I'd be the greatest Earthbender alive, that I had potential," she turned to him with a grin. "Now I'm here to collect my title."
"Sorry Toph," Bumi said with a shake of his hairy head. "You can't be the best ever until you've done something most Earthbenders consider impossible."
Toph laughed loudly and long at that, before pointing an imperious finger at the King of Omashu. "Then get ready to hand over the crown Bumi, because I can do this."
Without waiting she marched back to the other side of the room, grabbed Bumi's throne and concentrated before ripping the metal chair in two. Bumi started applauding almost immediately.
"Fantastic, I knew you could do it."
He then walked over to the chair, picked up the pieces and slammed them together again, then put his hands on it and concentrated and to Aang and Sokka's disbelieving eyes the metal seemed to mold back together again.
"Wait, Bumi you can Metalbend?" Aang asked.
"Sure can. Took me only ninety-eight years to learn how, and little Toph here did it in less than thirteen." He grinned as Toph bristled at being called little."But you're not the greatest yet."
"Oh I think I am. Want me to prove it?" she demanded.
"What'd you have in mind?" he asked with a cackle as he walked back to the far side of the room and leaned back against the wall.
"We could duel?" She suggested almost diffidently, but Aang could see the smile lurking on her face, and so could Bumi.
"Interesting idea, but I think not. To be the best, you've got to beat the best and I don't think you're quite ready." he teased her. But there was a smile lurking on his face too.
"Come on Bumi," Toph said with the air of someone giving a challenge that just couldn't be refused. "You and me, the Blind Bandit against Crazy King Bumi in a one on one match for all the bragging rights. It'd be the highlight of the season."
Bumi cracked a grin. "You're on!"
Even as the words left his mouth, Toph used the same stone pillar trick she had before to launch herself at Bumi, and this time he defended himself summoning a wall of stone in between them. Toph powered straight through it, slamming into Bumi and sending them both smashing through the wall and tumbling into the city below.
Even as Sokka and Aang raced to the gap to see what was going on they could hear explosive sounds of rock smashing against rock, and the sounds of shattering glass and crockery and one mournful wail lamenting cabbages. Far below them there was dust and debris scattered everywhere, even as Toph came flying down and alley bits of rock scattering past her, with Bumi in hot pursuit.
"I can't believe this," Sokka said with dismay.
"What, that they're fighting?" Aang asked as Bumi and Toph disappeared through a wall and then out the other side.
"No," Sokka said as he turned to Aang with a manic grin on his face. "That they didn't give me a chance to sell tickets. Go Toph! Blind Bandit for the win!"
-finis-