An Alchemic Reaction
Ed woke up first colliding with whoever was trying to grab him as he slept and felt the person's nose breaking accompanied by a grunt as whoever grabbed him let go. Flinging himself out of the bed he took a fighting stance as he tried to get a better look at his new surroundings.
Ed found himself in a dark room with the only light coming from a crystal set in the ceiling letting him see several pillars dotted the area and the person who grabbed him earlier along with Sokka and Katara tied up and herded out of the room by some large hole only for it to close behind them.
"Ooww damn kid you sure have a left hook." Ed looked over and clapped his hands and encased the guy in an iron casing covering all but his head. The guard let out a cry of surprise when he couldn't move his body.
"Right stay there for now I'll be back later first I've some people to save." And with that Ed ran to where he saw them take Sokka and Katara earlier. Meeting a blank wall he clapped his hands and made a giant door and entered the tunnel behind it running to catch up with everyone.
Aang was looking at his two choices when he remembered the Kings comment about he had to fight whoever he chose but didn't specify who he had to pick. Looking right at the King Aang pointed at him thinking he had finally beaten the man at his own game.
"Wrong choice." The King discarded his robes revealing a giant well-muscled body towering over him before Aang found himself thrown into the arena with the King right behind him.
"I'm one of the most powerful Earthbenders in the world." Aang didn't argue with the old King he could see the evidence in front of him.
"Can if fight the guy with the swords instead?" the King snorted and sent a boulder half the size of himself at him as answer while he dodged it with a bit of Airbending. This pattern continued for a good part of the fight both sides making comments from time to time till what sounded like lightning crackled through the air. Both of them turning in time to see a fist of rock slamming into the King sending him flying.
"Hay you old fart how bout you fight someone who knows how to fight." Everyone's jaw dropped when they saw just who had spoken.
Ed stood at the other side of the arena spear in hand inside the crater formed when he sent the fist at the old King the fire burning brightly in his eyes. He had watched as the old King had set Aang through all the other challenges but knew he had to wait for the right time to strike even though he wanted to jump in and save them but he had learned better. When the king started fighting he had waited some more so he could get a feel for how he fought and the best way to counter him.
"So you have finally decided to come out have you I was wondering when you would." Ed narrowed his eyes at that, it seemed he was able to detect his presence somehow but didn't do anything only confirming his theory about the King.
"I was waiting for the right time to deal with you and observe your actions. After all information is power." The Kings eyes narrowed at that as both waited for the other side to attack. Aang unsure what to do moved out of the way as the two Earthbenders (As he sees it) stared each other down.
Ed finally struck first running along the arm he made as he ran at the King at a speed many had never seen before. The King calmly sent a rock the size of his fist at the arm shattering it in one blow and sending Ed flying. This didn't stop Ed as he rolled on the ground and continued to charge the King and dodge the rocks and boulders that were thrown at him.
"What happened to your bending from earlier or was that a onetime use." Ed grinned at the King as he dodged another boulder using the momentum as he threw his spear at the King who raised a wall to block it as it sank the entire blade's length into the wall. Ed though had planned that as he jumped using the spear as a spring board to launch himself over the wall and at the King.
Seeing this the King encased he arms in rock and brought them up it block Ed's foot but to his great surprise the rock shattered along with both his arms as he was sent flying back a few feet. Shortly afterward the King heard a clap coming from where Ed had landed and the sound of lightning in the air and felt his feet encased in something. Looking down the Kings eyes widened when he saw his feet covered in metal along with a good chunk of the ground leading to where Ed was standing hands pressed against the ground.
"Your control is on loose dirt and normal rock but you can't control any of the heavy metals so I turned the ground under you into iron and had it bind your feet in place so you couldn't move and broke your arms so you couldn't call more rock from the walls or ceiling to use." Ed explained as he walked over to the King standing just out of reach as he studied the King a cocky grin on his face.
"Who are you?" all humor or mock anger vanished from the Kings voice replaced by curiosity and a hint of fear making Ed frown slightly before sighing.
"I'll make you a deal for every question I answer you answer one of mine, Equivalent Exchange alright." The King nodded it was a fair deal and one many wouldn't make or live up to but the look in the boy's eyes showed the sincerity of his deal.
"Alright then as to your question on who I am my names Edward Elric. Now my turn what's your name?"
"My name is Bumi but don't tell anyone yet I'm trying to have Aang figure it out." The smile on Bumi's face and the wink he sent at Ed made him recall when Aang was talking about his old friend from Omashu who was named…
"Wait you're the same one from the story he told us when we first got here aren't you the old friend he had before he was frozen." A nod was all he got as all the pieces fell into place for him, the trial, the dinner, the challenges, everything fit together perfectly.
"Damn old man you live up to the title of mad genius I'll give you that." Ed laughed before Bumi started laughing as well. The laughter faded away and Bumi grew serious again.
"How did you turn the ground into iron?" at this Ed's face went neutral revealing nothing about the thoughts going through his mind before shrugging.
"Simple Alchemy it's not hard to turn rock into iron when theirs a ton of it all around us." Bumi frowned at Ed's answer, he had never heard of Alchemy before and it made him curious and a little fearful on what it could do if this boy could deprive an Earthbender of his power so easily. He could already think if such a thing fell into the Fire Nation's hands and all the damage they would inflict with it.
"So I get you wanting to get Aang to guess who you are but what was the other reason you did this?" Bumi blinked at Ed startled someone had figured that there was a second reason as to why he had Aang go through his trials. This Edward is more observant then most and more dangerous as well I need to tread carefully with him.
"It's Aang's destiny to fight the Fire Lord and I wanted him to think outside beyond what he normally thinks and give him a little combat experience at the same time." Ed nodded it made sense but something felt missing from the explanation but then again he wasn't telling Bumi everything either so he couldn't fault the man for not telling him everything.
Bumi made to open his mouth again when Aang showed up eyes wide at as he looked at the ground and then at Ed shock that he was able to something like this. He had never seen an Earthbender control metal before but Ed had turned the ground around him into solid metal and capturing the King at the same time.
"Well then Ed seeing as you won would you mind letting me go after all its not very sporting to leave an old man stuck in the ground when you can help them out." Ed rolled his eyes at Bumi before clapping his hands than touching the ground. Blue lightning extended over all the iron and it vanished leaving the ground like it was before only if one looked closely you could see perfect rectangles covering the ground where the iron was earlier.
"Much better and now for you Avatar you need a new challenge seeing as Edward here interrupted are little fight." Aang only nodded not really looking at the King; he was staring at Ed trying to understand what he just did. He never heard about Earthbending that produced blue lightning or allowed them to bend metal before remembering Ed said his home wasn't connected to the rest of the world so maybe they figured out how to do it while the greatest Earthbenders failed time and time again. Not even the Avatar was able to control metal but Ed made it look easy.
"Avatar Aang can you hear me?" Aang turned back to the King a sheepish grin on his face as he looked at the King who had a knowing smirk on his face.
"I will give you one question to answer and you and your friends will go free. My question is this, what is my name?" Aang stared at the King in surprise at the strange question but before he could protest the King turned back to Ed.
"I don't suppose you can help me with these as well?" Bumi gestured with his head to his hands. Ed rolled his shoulders and walked over to Bumi concentrating on Bumi's arms as he focused for the Purification Arts. Bumi and Aang watched as Ed's hands started to glow while he put them on Bumi's arms. As the glow faded Bumi stretched his arms a smile spreading across his face as the pain vanished and he regained full function of his arms.
"There that should do." Ed said before turning around to head over to where Sokka and Katara were standing when he stopped and turned back to face Bumi.
"Hay old man you got a spare room I can crash in for a few hours?" Bumi nodded and both left Aang to walk over to his friends as they tried to figure out the Kings name.
"So Aang have you figured out the answer to my question yet?" Aang stood in front of the King with Sokka and Katara behind him while Ed was leaning against a pillar watching them.
"I have and I've got to say Bumi your still a mad genius." Bumi and Aang had big smiles as they embraced like the two old friends they were before Bumi freed Sokka and Katara from the crystal growing around them and started to talk about things Ed either knew already or thing that didn't concern him.
Ed smiled slightly but he felt a pain in his heart as he knew he wouldn't ever see any of his old friends again but he wasn't about to ruin Aang's reunion with his own sadness and stayed out of their way. But when Aang proposed his own challenge to Bumi Ed couldn't help the face palm he did as Aang and Bumi went out to ride the mailing system.
"Alright everyone lets go get Appa and come back for Aang he should be done by then." Sokka said as he Katara and Ed walked out of the Palace ready to continue their journey.
And another chapter done time for them to move on from Omashu and continue the story. like to see so much attention this story has hope you all like the fight with Bumi even though it was a little short. before anyone starts saying Bumi could still fight as his head wasn't covered I know that but Ed didn't and Bumi saw a chance to gather more information without revealing to much of his own.