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BOOK ONE:

LIFE

CHAPTER TEN:

THE MAD KING

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Zuko had heard about how Aang and the others got to Omashu. It was one of the many stories they told him around campfires when they finally accepted him into their group. Many of which he was still in disbelief actually happened - as it turned out, they got into just as many ridiculous situations not involving him as ones that did.

The first time around, they simply flew over the Kolau mountains on the back of Appa. Simple enough. But when they returned the second time, well… the "Secret Tunnel'' song still got stuck in his head sometimes, much to his chagrin.

Unfortunately for him, despite having heard about the shortcut from his friends in a past life, he has no idea where it is exactly. The mountain range is vast, and he wasn't about to waste precious time scouring for a mythical love cave. So, the long way around it is. And with no flying bison, it was quite the trek.

They travelled light - 'they' being just the prince and his uncle - leaving Lieutenant Jee in charge of their operations in the southwest of the continent. The letter of invitation from King Bumi only extended to Zuko and Iroh in the first place, and in any case they'd no doubt cause a stir in Omashu at best if they rocked up with their full retinue. Not to mention the logistical nightmare it would have been to move that many men through the range.

Jee's reaction was odd as Zuko relayed the directive, but understandable. He exhaled in relief. Zuko knew what the past few weeks must've felt like, especially for some of the older soldiers under his command. From the Fire Nation's perspective, their actions could be written off as a temper tantrum thrown by the prince - the small settlements they've liberated doing little to actually hinder the war machine. Being actually acknowledged by an Earth Kingdom authority was reassurance that this rebellion had a future.

With those expectations in mind, the royal duo finally emerged from a mountain pass to the other side, and now they found themselves here: at the head of the narrow, zig-zagging, elevated path that led to Omashu's main gates, at the end of a long line of merchant caravans and travellers seeking entrance into the city.

"This is going to take all day!" Zuko exclaimed, coming down from tip-toeing after getting a look at how many people were in front of them. "Couldn't you have arranged something for us in your letters to King Bumi?"

They weren't dressed in their Fire Nation military garb, so as to not draw negative attention to themselves. Thankfully, Song's mother gifted them with some inconspicuous clothing tailored to them. Zuko was wearing a tightly fitted light green tangzhuang with long brown pants, while Iroh wore a changshan of a darker green that comfortably flowed over his healthy gut. With this, they looked like regular Earth Kingdom citizens, barring their golden eyes.

Iroh smiled calmly at his frustrated ward, putting his hands together so that they were covered by the sleeves of his robe. "Patience is a virtue, Prince Zuko."

"...So you forgot." Zuko deadpanned at his uncle.

"This is a valuable teaching moment for you."

"..."

"Okay, so maybe I forgot." Iroh admitted sheepishly, before turning it back on Zuko. "But I was very busy looking after a time-travelling nephew of mine! Do you have any idea how much that-"

"Hail!"

A shout from in front of them interrupted their exchange, as what they could only assume to be the Omashu city guard marched toward them, gathering the attention of the people in line they were briskly passing. The one who called out was a well-built man with a stern expression, clearly the superior, trailed by two scrawnier guards whose faces betrayed more nervousness than their practiced movements would imply. They came to a stop right before Zuko and Iroh, as the people in line ahead and behind them started to murmur. Zuko tensed.

"Yes, gentlemen? May we help you?" Iroh asked with an easy smile.

The man in the lead did not return his amicability, as he scanned the two before him up and down with an imperious sneer.

"The king is expecting you, follow me." he said with barely disguised disdain, before nodding at his two subordinates.

""MAKE WAY! MAKE WAY FOR THE PRINCE OF THE FIRE NATION!""

The two guards announced it loudly enough for everyone to hear, before moving to clear a path for all five of them to proceed through the line. The royals followed their escort, while the murmurs that surrounded them flared up. Looks of curiosity quickly became stares of fear and anger from the travelers and merchants that flanked them.

"So much for keeping a low profile." Zuko groaned. "I thought we could avoid this kind of reception, this time."

Iroh sighed. "Bumi is being difficult as usual, it seems."

The prince turned to his uncle at that. "You think the king did this on purpose?"

"Everything that man does is on purpose," Iroh said like it was an immutable fact. "Even if it does not seem like it."

Ignoring the appal of the people who were queuing as the guards shouldered past them, the finally made it to the city interior. Unfortunately, it seemed like the fact that they were Fire Nation had spread to the city at large, as all the citizens gave the two a wide berth while they made their journey to the palace at the upper levels.

King Bumi definitely did this on purpose.

After an uncomfortable walk up through the city's districts feeling like total pariahs, they made it to their destination, the Omashu Royal Palace. But there was a problem.

"The king has requested to only see the prince," the guard stated in a tone that brooked no disagreement as they reached the doors to the throne room. "Alone."

Iroh looked to his nephew with a serious countenance, and nodded in reassurance. Zuko would have to handle Bumi on his own, and Iroh had to trust him with that.

Once Zuko agreed to the terms, the guards opened the way in, and unceremoniously closed it behind him. The chamber was bare, save for the stone throne itself and the emerald green carpet that led to it. The sheer walls were tinged in a green light, which Zuko noted was not entirely dissimilar to how the Fire Lord's flames would reflect off the walls in his throne room. Resting lazily on the seat of power was King Bumi himself, dressed in his usual regalia of finely tailored green robes and his signature double pheasant headdress. The tail feathers cut an imposing silhouette, as they reached for the ceiling of the chamber, despite the ruler's lax posture.

"Finally! I thought you'd never show up." Bumi said while lounging like this was all just a chore to him. His wrinkled face was dotted with liver spots, as it looked like it was suppressing a yawn.

Zuko approached the throne, stopping a few meters away from the foreign king, and nodded curtly. "King Bumi, thank you for having an audience with me."

The prince wasn't fooled. He knew from his past life what Bumi was capable of, plus the fact that he hung out with his uncle all the time. The doddering old man trick wouldn't work on him twice. It didn't escape Zuko's attention that in this room it was just him and Bumi - no guards whatsoever.

The king pouted for a second, before suddenly his entire posture changed. Far from lounging, he was now sat up straight in his throne looking every way like the sovereign he was.

"No kneeling before the king?" He asked with the edge of an unspoken threat.

Still, Zuko did not waver, and remained standing just as he was. "I am a royal prince myself, King Bumi. Though this land is not my demesne, I seek an audience with you as equals."

The old man smirked cruelly. "Even though you're just an exile? A child no less?"

Zuko tensed. Fist clenched. Then unclenched. Breathed in. Then breathed out. "Even so."

A moment passed in tense silence, before all traces of malicious intent were gone from the king, and he resumed a lounging posture once more.

"I heard about you, you know. The prince with a short fuse, gallivanting around all over the world, looking for the Avatar so he can make it up to daddy dearest." Bumi said while twirling his fingers playfully. He scanned the prince up and down with his eyes. "You don't fit the bill."

Seeing the change in demeanour, Zuko relaxed his posture as well. He passed, or so it seemed. "I take it my uncle has told you about my… unique circumstances."

Bumi steepled his fingers. "He has."

"And you believe it?"

"Weirder things have happened. I should know, I've lived through them all!"

Bumi busted out into a loud guffaw, laughing at a joke only he knew about. Zuko stood completely motionless watching the mad king.

'Spirits, why do I have to deal with crazy old people all the time?'

Ending his laughter with a cough, Bumi looked to the prince once again. "Still, it is a tall tale."

"It's all true." Zuko replied. "And we need your help."

"I'm no fan of the current Fire Lord either," Bumi shrugged. "But I'm going to need more proof than just Iroh's word."

"What do you have in mind?" Zuko asked, body language becoming defensive.

"Hmm…" Bumi seemed to ponder it for a moment, before snapping his fingers. "Oh I know! Reach the entrance to the city in, let's say three minutes."

"What?" Zuko blanched.

"If you succeed, I'll help your cause. If you don't, I won't! Simple!"

"It took almost an hour to walk up here! The entrance is hundreds of meters down!"

"And your time starts… now!"

Zuko bolted out the throne room, to the surprise of the people on the other side.

"Zuko! What happened?!"

He ignored his uncle's calls, as he sprinted toward the exit of the palace. Echoing through the hallways, the cackling of the mad king.

Busting out into the open air of the city, Zuko reviewed his options. From what he knew of the city, there was no possible route that would get him to the gates in time-

"Mail's here! Looks like the King's package arrived."

"He's always ordering the weirdest things. Who needs ten cases of jennamite?"

"Eh, don't question it. You get used to it."

The grumbling of two guards caught Zuko's attention, and so did the cart and steep slide the aforementioned package arrived through.

'Dammit, Aang.'

Zuko rushed past the two guards, vaulted into the stone cart, and with a twin blast of flames from both his hands behind him, launched the cart down the slide.


"Was this really necessary?"

Iroh questioned his friend as they walked side by side through the palace.

"Well he figured it out, so I'd say I believe your story now." The king replied.

The two old men meandered their way to an open balcony jutting out of the palace, overlooking Omashu from a great vantage point. In the middle of it sat a large telescope on an iron tripod.

"Wanna take a look?" Bumi offered, and Iroh brought the spyglass to his eye.

Zuko's cart crashed through chutes, slides, and buildings alike, before launching off the delivery system and driving straight through a vegetable cart at the base of the city. Iroh could see the merchant's mouth scream "MY CABBAGES!", before the cart finally skidded to a halt - right before the gates of Omashu.

Iroh winced, backing away from the monocular, while Bumi whistled impressed.

"Two minutes and ten seconds. Not bad for a first timer. I can make it in one and a half though!"

The king looked through the telescope himself to see Zuko slumped over in the cart, catching his breath. People were gathered around the cart in curiosity, but all the prince did was look back to the palace, as if right into Bumi's eyes, and flipped him off.

"Hah!" Bumi chortled. "Oh I like him."

"Again, was this really necessary?" Iroh repeated.

"Take a look for yourself." The king just smiled smugly.

Tentatively, the general brought the spyglass to his eye again, and what he saw left him surprised, in a good way.

The people around Zuko were giggling at the antics he just displayed, other than a dismayed cabbage vendor, and some were even helping him out of the cart and patting him on the back in understanding.

In the end, there are two things that could be said for certain about the people of Omashu: they respected their king, and they commiserated with each other about his antics.

"The glares are gone now, aren't they?" Bumi grinned in satisfaction. "This'll make our jobs a lot easier."

Everything the mad king did, he did on purpose.