I'm really starting to wonder if I'll get these done in time… Yeah, I've had Gundam and Ace Combat on the brain, so I've had a hard time focusing on this in spite of my affinity for it. I'll do my best.

Two and a half days till arrival at Omashu. That clinches it. If things are happening in real time and not skipping around like in a well edited TV show or movie, it's not a dream. Also, Tom could read the Prince. He had heard somewhere that you can't read in your dreams. That's a step forward, Tom decided, he supposed… But that didn't really tell him what was really going on, only what wasn't. What is this place? What am I supposed to do? He refused to just be an observer.

Though even that seemed to be difficult in its own way. He had to survive. Tom had to keep moving forward. So what was he going to tell these people before him? Tom already knew Aang, Sokka, and Katara. But they weren't people to him. They weren't real to him. And what about who he was to them? He couldn't tell them about his home, or even who he really was. They'd think he was a madman. In several tense conversations (well, tense for him), Tom did his best to dodge questions about himself. No one seemed to notice. Even in spite of Sokka's apparent suspicion, he seemed perfectly content with the non-answers Tom gave when he was in any way the topic of conversation.

Finally, late one day, Appa landed on a showy hilltop. Aang hopped off and beckoned his companions follow. At the top of the hill he presented, "The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu!"

Omashu was a work of art in animation, but breathtaking in person. A magnificent stone bastion atop a cliff, and a mist shroud path to the city gate. It looked like the whole structure was made of fine white limestone, and it had an otherworldly feel about it. The highest of its three peeks were at least as high as the natural peeks of the surrounding mountain range.

"I used to always come here to visit my friend Bumi," Aang explained cheerfully.

"Wow," Katara gasped at the sight, "We don't have cities like this at the South Pole…"

If Katara was surprised, Sokka was awestruck. "They have buildings here that don't melt," he said, his jaw looking like it was about to hit the ground.

"Pictures don't do it justice," Tom said absently. He collected himself and smiled dejectedly. "Maybe I should take a photograph…" he said under his breath.

"You've heard of Omashu before?" Katara asked.

"I've seen drawings." That wasn't a lie, though the drawings were animated. Tom elected to omit that part.

"Well, let's go slowpokes," Aang said with a huge grin on his face, "The real fun is inside the city!" Aang leapt down the hill like he was floating through water. It was the first time Tom saw anything like it (outside of maybe some moon landing stock footage), yet it looked so natural.

"Wait, Aang," Katara called. Aang stopped halfway down the hill and turned back to listen, sliding a little on the snow. "It could be dangerous if people find out you're the Avatar."

"You need a disguise," Sokka agreed.

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Aang asked, unconvinced, "Grow a mustache?"

Turns out the idea to use Appa's fur for the disguise was Sokka's. Tom wasn't really surprised. Aang now had a silly looking ploom of white hair and the kind of mustache you'd see on those novelty glasses. If it looked silly on TV, it looked idiotic in person. Tom hoped that not everything was going to be in extremes like this or this was going to be a loooong hallucination.

"This is so itchy," Aang complained, scratching his head. "How do you live in this stuff?" he asked Appa, who just snorted at him.

"It's amazing what'll fool people anymore…" Tom said, shaking his head.

"You don't think it will work?" Katara asked.

"No, it'll work. Sadly," Tom sighed, "To hell with Newtypes, humans are evolving in reverse." Tom turned on his heel to head toward Omashu, but slipped on a patch of ice and landed hard on his back.

"Why are you falling down, Tom?" Sokka asked after he stopped laughing, "Aang's the one who looks like my grandpa!"

"Well, technically, Aang is 112 years old," Katara said as she helped Tom up.

"Cryogenics doesn't work that way," Tom mumbled to himself.

Aang lifted his staff with his foot and spun it like a circus performer, only to rest on it like a cane. "Now let's get to skippin' young whippersnappers," he said in a forced "old man" voice, "The big city awaits!"

It was a long but easy trek to the city. Though the path was wide and solid, the sheer decent on either side was unnerving at best. Unsurprisingly, the city was even more grand up close.

"You guys are going to love Omashu," Aang said happily, "The people here are the friendliest in the world."

"Rotten cabbages?" an angry voice declared, "What kind of slum do you think this is?" The four children focused on the Earth Kingdom soldier who was at that point destroying a meek-looking man's cart, full of cabbages with Earthbending.

"No, my cabbages!"

"Spectacular…"

"Just keep smiling," Aang advised quietly. The four walked cautiously forward toward the three guards blocking the gate, including the one who apparently hated vegetables.

The Earthbender guard produced a bolder from the ground and hung it over Aang's head, demanding him to state his business. Aang quickly started ranting at the guard and poking him in the chest, which alarmed Sokka and Katara. Fortunately, the guard relented and let them pass after Aang introduced himself as "Bonzoo Pipenpeddlopsokopolis III".

Omashu was arguably even more beautiful within her walls. Ascending houses and shops with green tile rooftops rose among various chutes, and the bustle of a late afternoon city day.

"This is the Omashu delivery system," Aang explained, "Miles and miles of tubes and chutes. Earthbending brings the packages up, and gravity brings them down."

"Great," Sokka scoffed, "So they get their mail on time."

"They do get their mail on time," Aang said mischievously, "but my friend Bumi found a better use for these chutes!"

"I'll meet up with you guys later," Tom said, already starting to turn away.

"You're leaving?" Katara asked.

"I said I'll meet up with you later," Tom said as he started to dash down a flight of stairs.

"But wait!" Aang called, "Don't you wanna hear about…?" Too late, he was already lost to them in the crowds.

Tom had no use for a white-knuckled ride down some silly package delivery system. He had spotted the "Cabbage Merchant" when they entered the city and decided to skip that whole sequence on the delivery system. Tom followed the downtrodden salesman as he made his way to his stand where he knew Aang and his friends would reappear. Now that he knew where he needed to be, he looked around in the surrounding area. Quickly, he found what he was looking for: a tailor. Tom walked up to the man minding the store and produced a quarter that he had fished out of his pocket.

"I-is that a silver piece?" the store clerk asked.

"Only if it buys me a new set of clothes," Tom replied.

"But of course, but of course," the man said quickly. He ran around the desk and started measuring Tom's arm.

"That won't be necessary," Tom told the man, "Just give me something that fits and lets me move around freely."

"B-b-but for a-"

"I need to be somewhere."

That seemed to be enough for the tailor, who ran back behind the desk and produced a simple green shirt, a matching pair of pants and brown shoes. The only thing distinguishing about the outfit was the large Earth Kingdom insignia on the front of the shirt.

"Will this do?" the still stunned merchant asked.

"That's perfect."

"There's a changing room in the back," the merchant said, pointing.

Tom changed, put his normal clothes in his backpack, and tossed the quarter to the tailor on his way out. That was easier than expected, Tom thought. Tom had decided it would be better not to stand out. Now he blended in just fine. He returned to the cabbage stand and, hearing approaching crashing, pulled the Cabbage Merchant aside. "You're going to want to step back."

"Why?" the unfortunate man asked. His stand was then crushed by one of the delivery carts.

Aang looked up at the guards from atop the pile of wreckage. "Two cabbages, please?"

Aang, Sokka, and Katara wear lead in by the guards toward the throne. Tom followed on his own just behind them. The elderly king eyed Aang and Tom, neither of whom seemed to notice. The guards sat Aang, Sokka, and Katara down, leaving Tom to stand off to the side near them. The guard that arrested them spoke to the king.

"Your majesty, these juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses, and malicious destruction of cabbages." The guard turned to Tom, "This young man claims to be their companion and asked to be brought along."

"Off with their heads!" the frantic merchant flailed, "One for each head of cabbage!"

"Silence!" the guard ordered, "Only the king can pass down judgment. What is your judgment, sire?"

The king though hard as he looked at the three accused. "Throw them…" the king started, drawing everyone but Tom's attention, "…a feast." Again, everyone reacted but Tom. A lavish meal was prepared on a long dinner table. The four children sat at the far end from the king's seat, who was at the time standing behind them. The king chuckled. "The people in my city have grown fat from too many feasts," he said, "So I hope you like your chicken with no skin."

"Thanks, but I don't eat meat," Aang said politely.

"How about you?" the king asked, turning to Sokka, "I bet you like meat." The king shoved a chicken leg into Sokka's mouth, which he didn't mind when he started chewing on it.

"Is it just me," Katara asked quietly, "or is this king's crown a little crooked?" She gestured teasingly.

"You sure are a strange bunch," the king said as he took his seat at the other end of the table. "Especially you," the old man said, pointing a bony finger at Tom. "You're different. Almost as if you're from a whole other world…"

Tom flinched, but only for a minute. The two eyed each other wearily. Tom already knew not to underestimate this man. But… What is it that you know…?

The king changed the subject. "So tell me young bald one, where are you from?"

"I'm from…" Aang thought, "Kangaroo Island!"

"Oh, Kangaroo Island, eh?" the king asked, "I hear that place is really hopping!"

…

Sokka's laughter broke the deafening silence. When he noticed the looks he was getting he shrugged. "What? It was pretty funny…"

The king yawned. "All these good jokes are making me tired. Guess it's time to hit the hay." As he started to get up, the king reached into the sleeve of his green robe. He then tossed a chicken leg at Aang, who caught it in a pocket of wind he produced. "There's an Airbender in our presence. And not just any Airbender, the Avatar!" Aang let the chicken leg drop onto his plate, but this was obviously a useless gesture. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Pipenpeddlopsokopolis?"

"Okay, you caught me," Aang said, standing up, "I'm the Avatar… Doing my Avatar thing, keeping the world safe." He lifted the tablecloth, "Everything checks out. No Firebenders here." He put his hands on Sokka and Katara's shoulders to get them up, "Good work everyone! (Let's go, Tom.) Love each other, respect all life, and don't run with your spears!" Aang, Sokka, and Katara backed toward the exit, "We'll see you next time! (Come on, Tom!)" Unfortunately, the guards stopped them. Tom, knowing that would happen, never left his seat.

"You can't keep us here," Katara asserted, "Let us leave!"

"Lettuce leaf?" the king asked as he munched on one.

"We're in serious trouble," Sokka whispered, "This guy is nuts!"

"Tomorrow the Avatar will face three deadly challenges," the king said ominously. "But for now, the guards will show you to your chamber."

"My liege," the guard next to the king asked, "do you mean the good chamber or the bad chamber?"

"The newly refurbished chamber," the king answered.

"Wait, which one are we talking about?"

"The one that used to be the bad chamber… until the recent refurbishing, that is. Of… course, we've been calling it 'the new chamber' but we really should number them. Um… Take them to the refurbished chamber that was once bad!" The king then turned to Tom. "Will you be going with them?"

"I don't see why not…" Tom started on his way out.

"You look after those kids now," the king said.

"They don't need help form the likes of me…"

The king snickered, "We'll see about that, won't we? The world can be full of surprises!"

Tom flinched again, but he kept walking.

Gundam influence? What Gun- Yeah, I like Gundam, get over it!

I'm thinking I'll have to split this chapter into two. This is really fun for me, but really hard and it's really late (or rather, early). Will I get this out in time? No one cares but me, but I'm gonna try!