Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA or any of it's characters. The only thing I own is my OC.

The Six Rules:

Rule Number One: Alec won't warn the Gaang about things in advance or solve their problems for them, with a few rare exceptions.

Rule Number Two: Only Alec has the right to tell people his true origins, and he will mostly limit this to group members. He will tell new group members his secret as soon as they join the Gaang.

Rule Number Three: There are some changes Alec wants to make, and he will use his knowledge of the future to make those changes.

Rule Number Four: Sometimes, to make a change, Alec will act in a way that doesn't make sense. If that's necessary, he'll tell the Gaang "I need you to absolutely trust me." After he says that, the Gaang has to either do whatever he asks or leave him to do what he needs to do.

Rule Number Five: After a change happens, Alec will tell the Gaang what happened in the original story, in the interest of transparency.

Rule Number Six: If a major change happens that Alec doesn't expect, the Gaang will have a meeting ASAP. In this meeting, Alec will break Rule One and tell them all relevant information that will help them figure out how to respond to the change.

Chapter 5:

The King of Omashu

Alec POV

Our group spent the next few days moving north after leaving Kyoshi Island. We ended up somewhere in the southern half of the mainland Earth Kingdom. After we got to the mainland, we walked for a while to give Appa a break from flying. Aang walked over to the edge of a hill.

"The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu!" He announced. "I used to always come here to visit my friend Bumi."

Omashu was amazing. Four large cones of rock surrounded by a massive wall that seemed to be carved directly on top of a gigantic mountain. I had never seen anything like it in my world.

"Wow!" Katara said, amazed. "We don't have cities like this in the South Pole."

"They have buildings here that don't melt." Sokka said with wide eyes.

"Well, let's go, slowpokes." Aang turned to face us. "The real fun is inside the city!" Aang jumped and got ready to slide down the hill.

"Wait, Aang!" Katara yelled, reaching out to stop him. The airbender stopped and turned around. "It could be dangerous if people find out you're the Avatar." She pointed out.

"You need a disguise." Sokka agreed.

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


We ended up making Aang a wig and a fake mustache from Appa's fur. Honestly, it was the worst disguise I'd ever seen. It looked even faker than a pair of Groucho Marx glasses. If I didn't know that the disguise would actually work, I would've stopped them from using it.

Aang didn't like the disguise. "This is so itchy!" He complained, then he turned towards the bison. "How do you live in this stuff?" Appa turned his head and snorted at him.

Sokka seemed pleased with our work. "Great! Now you look just like my grandfather." He said.

"Technically, Aang is 112 years old." Katara pointed out.

Aang picked up his staff and assumed a hunched over position like an old man. "Now let's get to skipping, young whippersnappers! The big city awaits!" If his disguise was bad, his old man voice was even less convincing.

My siblings and I shared a look, and then followed our 'grandpa'.


We spent an hour walking up the narrow road to the city's entrance. Momo was perched on my shoulder. We were almost at the entrance when Aang spoke up.

"You guys are gonna love Omashu." He stated. "The people here are the friendliest in the world."

"Rotten cabbages?! What kind of slum do you think this is?!" I looked at the gate and saw three guards and a smaller man standing in front of a cart full of cabbages.

"Ah yes." I thought. "The Cabbage Merchant. The man, the meme, the legend."

The lead guard crushed the cabbage he was holding and earthbended the cart into the ravine below.

"My cabbages!" The Cabbage Merchant yelled in despair.

"And there it is." I thought with a smirk. "The birth of a running gag." Aang and my siblings looked worried. "Just keep smiling." The airbender said.

Aang walked up to the guards. The lead guard earthbended a boulder and levitated it above the Avatar's head.

"Halt! State your business!"

I had to admire how seriously they took their jobs, even if they were being completely over-the-top here.

Aang dashed out from under the boulder and poked his finger in the guard's chest. "My business is my business, young man, and none of yours!" He shouted at the guard in his old man voice. The guard dropped the boulder and looked at the disguised airbender in shock. Aang continued. "I've got half a mind to bend you over my knee and paddle your backside!"

Katara shook her head slowly with wide eyes. Sokka looked completely gobsmacked. I facepalmed. Luckily for us, Aang's gambit paid off. The guard calmed down.

"Settle down, old timer." The guard said placatingly. "Just tell me who you are."

"Name's Bonzu Pippinpaddleopsicopolis the Third! And these are my grandkids." Aang replied. I was lucky I knew it was coming. I would've laughed and blown our cover otherwise. Katara stepped forward.

"Hi. June Pippinpaddleopsicopolis. Nice to meet you." She introduced herself with a friendly wave.

I was impressed that she could remember the made-up name that easily. The guard looked at her.

"You seem like a responsible young lady." He pointed at her. "See that your grandfather stays out of trouble." He motioned with his hand for us to pass. "Enjoy Omashu."

"We will." Katara said. The four of us walked forward before the guard grabbed Sokka's shoulder.

"Wait a minute." The guard said. "You're a strong young boy. Show some respect for the elderly and carry your grandfather's bag." He ordered.

"Good idea!" Aang said. He tossed Sokka his bag. We walked to the entrance, which looked like every other part of the wall except for the green Earth Kingdom insignia in the center. The guards on top of the wall earthbended and three consecutive walls split and slid open, letting us into the city.


Omashu was bustling and full of people. The buildings were made of sandstone with green tiled roofs. I had never seen anything like it in my world. The four of us took in our surroundings in awe. The city was more than just buildings. Massive chutes covered the entire city like a spiderweb.

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

Sokka wasn't impressed. "Great. So they get their mail on time." He said with slight sarcasm.

"They do get their mail on time." Aang admitted. "But my friend Bumi found a better use for these chutes." He said mischievously.

"What?" Katara asked.

Aang turned around with a bright smile. "The world's greatest super slide!"

I grinned. "That sounds like fun. Let's do it!"

Sokka, Katara, and Aang looked at me. "You didn't want to ride the hog monkeys, the hopping llamas, or the koi fish. Why do you want to do this?" Katara asked.

"We had something similar to this in my world." I explained. "I'm feeling nostalgic."

"Really?" Aang asked.

I nodded. "We had entire parks filled with rides like these." I said wistfully. "Massive, winding tracks made of twisting metal. They would put you in a cart, strap you down, and launch you along the track. Some of them were even faster than Appa's top speed. My Dad took me to those parks a lot when I was younger. Mom usually stayed home. She didn't like things like that."

Aang's eyes were wide. "That sounds like so much fun!"

"It was. You'd love it." I said. "It's one of the things I miss about my world. I didn't have much after my parents died, but I do miss amusement parks." I smiled and teared up a little at the memories of all the fun Dad and I had.

Sokka shook his head. "Your world is weird." He said with his usual level of sensitivity.

Katara smacked him upside the head. "Sokka! Can't you see he's having a moment?!" She chastised.

I shook it off. "It's fine." I said with a smile. "Let's go have some fun!"


The four of us (five, if you count Momo) barely managed to fit in one of the carts. Aang was in front, with Momo on his head. Behind him was Katara, then Sokka. I was in the back of the cart.

"One ride." Aang said. "Then we're off to the North Pole. Airbender's honor."

"This sounded like fun at first," Katara said, looking down at how high up we were. "But, now that I'm here, I'm starting to have second THOUGHTS!"

Aang had ignored her and pushed the cart before she could finish her sentence. We shot off down the chute at remarkable speed. All of us had a white-knuckle grip on the edge of the cart. Aang and I cackled like hyenas, enjoying every minute of it. My siblings, on the other hand, screamed their heads off in sheer terror.

At one point, another cart containing a shipment of spears got uncomfortably close to skewering me from behind. Aang saw this and knocked our cart off the track. We landed on a roof, but our momentum kept carrying us forward. We barely missed crashing into a group of soldiers, and eventually ended up on another track.

By this point, Katara was done with this. "Aang, do something!" She yelled. "Use your airbending!"

She wanted him to slow us down, but Aang didn't get her meaning. "Yeah! Good idea! That'll make us go even faster!" He exclaimed. He thrust his arms forward and a current of air greatly increased our speed. Our cart crashed into another cart, and all of us got launched into the air. Luckily, Aang's quick reflexes and airbending put us back in the cart before we fell to our deaths.

We crashed through several buildings. Finally, our cart fell off a roof and crashed into something below. All of us landed in a heap.

"My cabbages!" I heard a voice yell. "You're gonna pay for this!"

"Ah, there it is." I thought to myself.

The four of us got surrounded by guards. They didn't look happy.

"Two cabbages, please." Aang said sheepishly.


We got hauled into a very nice throne room. There was green everywhere, along with the Earth Kingdom's symbol. I focused on the king himself. He looked very old, but pretty good for 112 years old. He wore a very strange headdress with two aquamarine appendages extending out the top. He wore elaborate, loose-fitting green robes that I knew hid his true physique. Eight jeweled rings, one on each finger, completed his ensemble.

The guards forced the four of us into a kneeling position. "Your Majesty," The head guard began, "These juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses, and malicious destruction of cabbages."

I was surprised that 'malicious destruction of cabbages' was an actual criminal charge. Then again, considering who the king was, maybe I shouldn't have been surprised.

"Off with their heads! One for each head of cabbage!" The cabbage merchant yelled.

"Silence!" The guard rebuked him. "Only the king can pass down judgment." The guard turned to his liege. "What is your judgment, Sire?"

The king scrutinized each of us individually. Sokka tried to look contrite. Katara put on her best charming smile. Aang looked away after meeting the king's eyes. I tried to keep my face as neutral as possible.

"Throw them…a feast!" The king said.


We ended up at an elaborate table with platters of meat, fish, and pastries in front of us. Momo stuffed his face immediately. The rest of us waited on the king to begin eating. The king hadn't sat down yet. Instead, he was walking behind us.

"The people in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts." The king said to Aang. "So I hope you like your chicken with no skin."

"Thanks, but I don't eat meat." The airbender replied.

"How about you?" The king asked my brother. "I bet you like meat." He shoved a drumstick into Sokka's mouth. He went to take his seat at the other end of the table. As soon as he sat down, I started eating.

"Is it just me, or is this guy's crown a little crooked?" My sister asked.

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

"I'm from…Kangaroo Island." Aang said. Thank the spirits he didn't make a habit of lying, because he sucked at it.

"Oh, Kangaroo Island, eh?" The king said. "I hear that place is really hopping."

I have a system for measuring how funny jokes are. There are four levels, from funniest to least funny. The levels are as follows: Good, Dad, Sokka, and Sub-Sokka. Good jokes are funny. Dad jokes get an eye roll. Sokka jokes get a groan. Sub-Sokka jokes make you cringe so hard your spine cracks. They're the kind of jokes that are so bad that Sokka wouldn't even think of them. Tragically, Sokka will still think Sub-Sokka jokes are funny. "Kangaroo Island is really hopping" is a Sub-Sokka joke.

Right on cue, Sokka laughed. "What?" He said. "It was pretty funny."

If Bumi wasn't an unpredictable king with absolute power in the city, I would've pointed out how bad that joke was.

The king yawned and stretched. "All these good jokes are making me tired. Guess it's time to hit the hay."

Suddenly, he reached into his sleeve and threw a drumstick at Aang like a shuriken. Without thinking, Aang stopped it with airbending. The guards were shocked by this, but the king wasn't surprised.

"There's an airbender in our presence." He said. "And not just any airbender. The Avatar."

A smug smirk formed on the king's face. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Pippinpaddleopsicopolis?"

Aang decided to come clean. "Okay, you caught me." He stood up and put up his hands in surrender. "I'm the Avatar. Doing my Avatar thing. Keeping the world safe." He made a show of looking under the table. "Everything checks out. No firebenders here."

The king looked at me. "Oh, I don't think that part is true." He smirked.

Shit.

For the second time in a week, I had a blade against my throat. "Yes, I'm a firebender." I said hurriedly. "But I didn't even know I was one until recently. I'm traveling with the Avatar to try to bring balance back to the world."

The king looked thoughtful. "Interesting. What's your name?"

"Alec." I replied. The king was silent for several seconds before speaking again.

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

The guard to the king's left leaned over. "My liege, do you mean the good chamber or the bad chamber?" He asked.

The king looked at his guard. "The newly-refurbished chamber."

The guard was still confused. "Wait. Which one are we talking about? There are two of those."

"The one that used to be the bad chamber…until the recent refurbishing, that is." The king replied. "Of course, we've been calling it the new chamber, but we really should number them. It's the one with four beds."

"Oh." The guard realized. "That chamber."

"Yes. Take them to the refurbished chamber that was once bad!" The king ordered. "Except for the firebender. I wish to speak with him alone, and without any guards."

My friends were escorted out, and the remaining guards left the room. I was now alone with the most unpredictable person in the entire story.

Lovely.


I tried to keep my face blank, but I was worried. I knew most of the characters in this world, so I could reasonably predict how they would react to different scenarios. That wasn't the case for King Bumi. I knew he wasn't an enemy, but I had no idea how his mind worked. I was completely out of my depth.

Both of us looked the other in the eyes for a long time. Finally, Bumi spoke. "Tell me, Alec. How are you finding this place?"

I was surprised by the question. "It's a nice city." I said. "I have to admit the mail chutes are pretty fun."

Bumi laughed with his signature snorting laugh. "I wasn't talking about my city. I was asking what you think of this world?"

I was floored. How the fuck did he know?!

"How?" I whispered.

"I've been around a long time. I've met people from all four nations, and you look nothing like them." He said. "Mixed Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation ancestry would explain your appearance, but it would not explain your name."

"Only someone who thinks outside the box like you do would guess the truth, King Bumi." I said, shaking my head with a smile.

He raised an eyebrow. "So, you know my name. Do you know other things as well?"

I cursed myself and my big mouth. I had to come clean now. "Yes. I know the past and future of this world, or at least the potential future." I admitted. "I'm trying to use this knowledge to keep the world on the right path." I looked at him seriously. "I can't tell you what I know. If I do, it could change the future. Also, please don't tell anyone else."

"It's fine. Keep your secrets." The king said with a wave of his jewelry-covered hand. "I like surprises, and there aren't many left for me at my age."

I bowed respectfully. "Thank you, King Bumi."

"So, I suppose you know what's happening tomorrow. You aren't going to spoil things, are you?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No. Aang needs to do the trials on his own. But I do have a request."

"And that is?" He prompted.

"Could you please not cover me in Jennamite tomorrow?" I asked.

"Claustrophobic?" He asked.

"No." I said, rubbing the back of my head in embarrassment. "It's just that I have a massive sweet tooth. If you cover me in rock candy, I won't be able to resist eating it. Aang will only succeed if he thinks his friends are in danger."

He laughed. "It is delicious." He admitted. "Very well. I will grant your request. Guards!"

Several guards entered the room. "Escort this young man to the chamber with the rest of his friends." He ordered.

I bowed, and then the guards led me out of the room.


The 'newly-refurbished chamber that was once bad' was the most luxurious room I'd ever been in. Rich curtains, silk sheets on comfy mattresses, and instead of torches, glowing crystals provided light.

As soon as I entered the room, Aang and my siblings ran up and hugged me. "We were so worried!" Katara said.

"I'm fine." I said, separating myself from the hug. "He just wanted to talk."

"What did he want to talk about?" Aang asked.

"Well, that's the thing." I admitted sheepishly. "He knows."

"Knows what?" Sokka asked.

"My secret." I said.

"WHAT?!" Sokka yelled and grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me. "How? Did you tell him?"

"Take it easy!" I exclaimed, wrenching myself our of Sokka's grip. "He figured it out."

"How?!" Aang asked with wide eyes.

"My looks, along with my name." I said. "He's extremely old, and has met a lot of people over the years. People from all four nations. My looks don't match up with any one nation. I can explain that away by saying I'm mixed Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. My name, however, doesn't match up with any nation. Because of that, he guessed that I wasn't from this world. He also guessed that I knew the future, but that was because I said something I shouldn't have."

Katara looked thoughtful and worried. "I guess that makes sense. Are you worried that he'll tell someone?"

I shook my head. "He won't talk. Even if he did, he's so strange that people will just dismiss it as the ramblings of an old man."

Aang and Katara relaxed after hearing that. Sokka still looked worried. "Are you worried someone else will figure it out? He managed to."

I thought about it. "No." I said after a few moments. "The king was probably the only person who had the right mindset to figure it out. Most people would guess I'm mixed and just have a unique name. The king is the only person I know who would guess the truth."

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.

"Well, let me put it this way: Some people think inside the box. Others think outside the box. The king thinks so far outside the box that the box might as well be on another planet." I said.

They all looked at me with confusion for a few seconds, even Momo. Then Sokka got it. "You mean he's the only one crazy enough to figure it out?"

"Yep." I said.

"And Aang has to do three challenges for this guy tomorrow?" Sokka asked with fear in his voice.

"Yep." I said with a smirk.

"And you're not going to tell us about them." He deadpanned.

"Nope." I said cheekily.

"I really don't care for you sometimes." He said with a glare.

I put my hand to my heart in mock hurt. "Brother, you wound me. Everything I do, I do to help you." He just rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," Katara said. "We should probably get some sleep. Especially Aang. He has those trials tomorrow."

We all went to our beds. "Alec?" Aang said. I turned to face the last airbender.

"What is it, Aang?" I asked.

"You said people either think inside or outside the box. Which are you?" He asked.

I thought about it before I answered. "I'm the guy who snuck in the box, memorized the contents and abused that knowledge as much as I possibly could." I said with a grin. I turned away from the thoroughly confused Avatar and went to sleep.


The next morning, Sokka, Katara and I were woken up and escorted out of the room by guards. We ended up in a hallway, staring at a wall. Suddenly, the wall opened and we saw Aang and the king. The king wore a completely over-the-top purple ensemble that stood out amongst all the green in the throne room. It was both impressive and incredibly tacky.

"I thought you might refuse." The king said to Aang. "So I will give your friends some special souvenirs." One guard grabbed Katara's right hand and put a ring made of pale green crystal on her index finger. Sokka got the same, except his ring was royal blue in color. The king kept his word from last night and my fingers were left bare.

"Those delightful rings are made of pure Jennamite." The king explained. "Also known as creeping crystal. It's crystal that grows remarkably fast. By nightfall, your friends will be completely covered in it. Terrible fate, really." He turned to face Aang. "I can stop it, but only if you cooperate."

The crystal on Sokka's finger grew an inch. "Aah! It's already creeping!" He yelped in panic.

Aang looked at us and turned back to the king. "I'll do what you want."

The king smirked.


We were escorted to a massive cavern full of stalagmites and stalactites. A waterfall poured down the cavern's center. There was a ladder leading up the waterfall, and a chain hanging from the ceiling with a key attached to the end of the chain. My siblings and I were standing on a viewing platform with the king. Aang stood on a flat rock on the other side of the cavern.

"It seems I've lost my lunchbox key, and I'm hungry." The king said loudly so Aang could hear him. He pointed at the key. "Oh, there it is! Would you mind fetching it for me?"

The Jennamite on my siblings arms was already halfway up their right forearms. Sokka looked at me. "Wait a minute. Why don't you have one of these?!" He asked indignantly.

I didn't even take my eyes off Aang. "I asked nicely." I replied simply.

"WHAT?!" Sokka yelled. Katara rounded on me.

"Didn't you think to, I don't know, ask nicely for the rest of us?!" She asked angrily, stomping up to me with a glare. It was amazing how my sister, who was a few inches shorter than me, could be so intimidating. Then again, I knew that by the end of the story she'd be able to pull water out of thin air and drown me in a desert if she wanted to.

"I swear to you both that I have a good reason for this." I said reassuringly. "I'll explain later."

"You'd better." She growled.

I focused on Aang again. He wall-jumped off several stalagmites and dove into the water. He tried the direct approach and attempted to grab onto the ladder.

"Ooh! Climbing the ladder. No one's thought of that before!" The king mocked. I shook my head. Climbing that ladder might have been possible if Aang were a master waterbender, but he had no chance of success with his current skills. Aang got swept away by the water and thrown back into the cavern. He barely managed to catch himself between two stalagmites and save himself from being impaled in a sensitive spot on a third. My siblings and I sighed in relief. A few more inches and he really would be the last airbender. He might not die from it, but he would definitely be the last.

Aang tried a different approach. He jumped to the ceiling and balanced himself between two stalactites. He tried to jump and get the key from above. His aim was good, but the waterfall was too strong. As soon as he hit the water, he was swept away again.

"That's right. Keep diving head in. I'm sure it will work eventually." The king mocked.

Aang ripped a stalagmite off the ground, and threw it at the key like a javelin. He bent a blade of air as soon as he threw the spiky rock. The blade of wind severed the waterfall and the chain. The stalagmite kept going and impaled the chain to the wall just above our heads. By this point, the crystal had covered most of my siblings' right arms.

"There! Enjoy your lunch!" Aang yelled angrily. "I want my friends back, now!"

"Not yet, I need help with another matter." The king replied. "It seems I've lost my pet Flopsie.


We went to another cavern. The cavern was a massive circle, with a dirt floor. Rocks, shrubs, and even a fallen tree were strewn all over the floor. A long-eared white rabbit was seated on a small rock in the middle of the floor. The king, my siblings and I stood on a pathway above the main floor.

Aang jumped down to the lower level and walked over to the rabbit. "Okay, found him." He said to the king.

"Bring him to me. Daddy wants a kiss from Flopsie."

I covered my mouth and tried to suppress my laughter. Sokka noticed this and looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "What's so funny?" He asked.

"You'll see." I replied cryptically.

"I hate it when you do that." He said with a glare.

"That's half the reason why I do it." I said with a smirk.

"Come here, Flopsie." Aang said to the rabbit. Suddenly, a massive goat gorilla dropped down behind him. It had a gorilla's face and body, along with a goat's eyes, horns, hind legs and tail. Have I mentioned that animals in the Avatar world are weird? The rabbit darted off. Aang noticed the huge creature behind him and chuckled nervously.

The goat gorilla attempted to grab Aang, who managed to dodge. The goat gorilla ended up crushing the rock the rabbit had been perched on. I winced and imagined my ribcage in place of those rocks. The rabbit made a break for it. Aang shot after it. The goat gorilla ran after him.

"Flopsie, wait!" He yelled. Sokka and Katara looked worried. I was trying not to laugh. The king was cackling like a loon.

Eventually, the rabbit ran into a small hole in the wall. Aang reached for it for a few seconds, until something occurred to him.

"Wait a minute." He turned around and faced the goat gorilla. "Flopsie?" He asked.

The goat gorilla stopped right in front of him and started wagging its tail like a dog. Then it picked Aang up and gave him an affectionate lick. "Flopsie!" Aang gave the creature a pat on the head. The king whistled, and Flopsie ran to us and climbed over the wall, then got on his back so the king could give him a scratch.

"Oh, that's a good boy. Yes! Who has a soft belly?!" The king said affectionately while scratching Flopsie's belly. Flopsie kicked his leg like a dog all the while. I kept my distance. I knew Flopsie was sweet and affectionate, but he could also crush you entirely by accident. In my world, the king would probably be one of those people that kept a chimp or a tiger in their house. Then again, unlike the people in my world, he was a master earthbender. He could definitely keep his exotic pets in check.

Aang climbed up the wall and landed in front of me and my siblings. "Guys, are you okay?" He asked.

By this point, the crystals had covered everything except their heads and feet. "Other than the crystals slowly encasing my entire body? Doing great!" Katara said sarcastically. A sudden growth of crystal threw Sokka off balance and made him fall over.

Aang walked over to the king and his pet. "Come on. I'm ready for the next challenge."


We were taken to a massive arena. "Your final test is a duel." The king said to the Avatar. "And, as a special treat, you may choose your opponent."

Two warriors stepped forward. The first wore spiked armguards and boots, had two blades strapped to his back, another blade in his belt, and a scythe in his hand. The second was a massive man carrying a gigantic axe that was taller than me, and I had an inch on Sokka.

"Point and choose." The king said.

"So you're saying whoever I point to…that's the person I get to fight?" Aang asked.

"Choose wisely." The king replied.

"I…choose…you." Aang pointed at the king.

He smirked. "Wrong choice."

The king stood up to his full height, and removed his robes, leaving him wearing nothing but a green kilt. He had a physique men a quarter his age would be jealous of. His muscles weren't huge like the axe-wielder's, but they were well-defined. He also had a six-pack. I found myself comparing my shape to his. He was in better shape, because his muscles had more definition. I didn't have a six-pack either.

The king stomped on the ground and launched Aang into the arena with earthbending. He jumped off the platform and landed in front of the Avatar.

"You thought I was a frail old man." The king said to Aang. "But I'm the most powerful earthbender you'll ever see."

"Second." I said under my breath. I had engaged in the "Toph vs Bumi" debate many times in my world. I was firmly Team Toph. Bumi had the edge in experience, but Toph was literally a century younger than he was. She would win a war of attrition hands-down. Plus, she could bend metal, and he couldn't.

"Can I fight the guy with the axe instead?" Aang asked.

"There are no take-backsies in my kingdom." The king replied. "You might need this." A guard threw Aang his staff. Then the fight began.

Bumi threw several large rocks at Aang, who managed to dodge all of them.

"Typical airbender tactic: avoid and evade." The king noted. "I'd hoped the Avatar would be less predictable." He launched another rock. Aang jumped into the air and levitated by spinning his staff.

"Don't you have any surprises for me?" The king inquired. "Sooner or later, you'll have to strike back." He launched a rock into the air that hit the ceiling just above Aang's position. The shockwave threw off Aang's balance and he fell to the ground, his staff flew across the arena floor. Aang charged the king, who began pacing. Every time the king's foot hit the ground, a large spike of earth shot up right next to Aang. A large cone of rock caught Aang in the gut.

"Oh, you'll have to be a little more creative than that." The king taunted. Aang created an air scooter and rode it towards the king. He shot a blade of air at his opponent. The monarch bent a massive slab of earth in front of himself at the last second. The air blade didn't even dent the rock.

"Did someone leave the windows open? It feels a little drafty in here. Are you hoping I'll catch a cold?" The old man taunted. He was good, but Toph also beat him in the trash-talking department.

The king decided to stop playing around. He threw the entire platform at Aang. I was getting Palpatine and Yoda vibes from that move. Aang saw this and ran in a circle as fast as he could, creating a massive tornado. When the king threw the platform, the tornado threw it right back at him. The king managed to stop the massive rock, but Aang used the opening to jump right in front of him and hold his staff to the monarch's throat. The King was levitating a massive boulder over them both. A stalemate.

"Well done, Avatar. You fight with much fire in your heart." The king earthbended himself back to the platform where my siblings and I stood. Aang helicoptered himself to us.

"You've passed all my tests. Now, you must answer one question."

"That's not fair!" Aang objected. "You said you would release my friends if I finish your tests."

"Oh, but what's the point of tests if you don't learn anything?" The king asked rhetorically.

"Oh, come on!" Sokka objected. The king ignored him.

The king smiled. "Answer this one question and I will set your friends free. What is my name?"

Aang looked worried. "From the looks of your friends, I'd say you only have a few minutes." The king said, and then he left the room.

"How am I supposed to know his name?" Aang asked.

"Think about the challenges. Maybe it's some kind of riddle." My sister offered. All three of them turned to look at me. I shook my head.

"Come on!" Aang pleaded. "This is life and death!" I decided to throw him a bone without breaking the rules.

"Why would I tell you something you already know?" I asked cryptically.

Aang's eyes widened. "You mean…"

I smiled. He was getting it.

"I had to think different than I usually would to pass each test." He said. "I know his name!"


"I solved the question the same way I solved the challenges." Aang said to the king. "As you said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to the possibilities." The king laughed and snorted.

"Bumi, you're a mad genius." Aang said fondly. He ran forward and gave his oldest living friend a hug.

"Oh, Aang, it's good to see you. You haven't changed a bit…literally." Bumi replied. The giant crystal formations that were my siblings walked forward.

"Uh, over here!" Katara announced.

"Little help?" Sokka begged.

Bumi made a pulling motion with his hand, and all the crystal shattered and my siblings were free again. "Jennamite is made of rock candy." He explained before taking a big bite of crystal. "Delicious!" I grabbed a piece and ate some too. He was right, it was pretty tasty.

"So, this crazy king is your old friend Bumi?" Katara asked.

"Who are you calling old?!" Bumi asked indignantly, before admitting to it. "Okay, I'm old."

"Why did you do all this instead of telling Aang who you were?" Sokka asked.

"First of all, it's pretty fun messing with people." Bumi replied.

"I can confirm that." I piped up.

"But I do have a reason." Bumi continued, turning to the last airbender. "Aang, you have a difficult task ahead. The world has changed in the hundred years you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai. You have much to learn. You must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord. And when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius."

Aang smiled and gave Bumi a respectful bow.

"And it looks like you're in good hands." Bumi said, looking at us. "You'll need your friends to help you defeat the Fire Nation." Momo climbed up on Aang's shoulder. "And you'll need Momo, too."

Katara turned to me. "So, why didn't you get covered in crystal?" She asked.

"If I got covered in rock candy, I wouldn't be able to resist taking a bite." I admitted. "Aang needed to think you were actually in danger to succeed."

Her mouth dropped open. "You've gotta be kidding me."

I gave her an apologetic smile. "Unfortunately, I'm not." I said. She didn't say anything. She just stared at me with her mouth open.

"Thank you for your wisdom, Bumi." Aang said. "But before we leave, I have a challenge for you."


Aang and Bumi took a fun ride on the mail carts. They lost control and ended up crashing into a certain cart.

"My cabbages!"

"Ah, there it is."

AN: Just a heads up: I will NOT be doing a chapter for "Imprisoned". I couldn't think of anything to add to the original story, or any change to make. I will have a brief summary of it at the beginning of the next chapter, which will begin the Winter Solstice arc.

I'll also do the same thing for "The Great Divide", because there are only so many different ways I can write "I wanted to bang my head against the canyon wall because these tribes were so fucking stupid." Also, I really don't want to watch that episode again.

Once again. Please read and review.