The King of Omashu

At a partially snow covered ground, Leo, Donnie, Raph, Mikey, Cara, Katara, Aang, Sokka and Appa mounted the crest of a small hill. Aang smiles and spreads his arms wide. "The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu!"

Cara said, "Second best from Ba Sing Se at least in my opinion."

Everyone saw the valley in front of them. A walled city rests atop a huge rock promontory and is accessible only by a narrow, switchback road. The city looks both impressive and impregnable. Aang said, "We used to always come here to visit our friend, Bumi."

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

Sokka said in amazement. "They have buildings here that don't melt!"

Leo said, "This is the most advance place I've seen."

Donnie said, "Looks like a pyramid of houses."

Raph said, "Hope this trip won't be a bust."

Mikey said, "Who knows. It might be fun."

Aang yelled, "Well, let's go slow pokes! The real fun is inside the city!" Aang launches himself into the air and lands farther down the hill.

Katara yelled, "Wait, Aang! It could be dangerous if people find out you and your sister are the Avatar and the Guardian."

Sokka said "You need a disguise.'

Cara asked, "So, what we supposed to do? Grow a mustache?"

Soon Aang wearing a huge fake head of hair and mustache made out of some of Appa's hair. He is scratching underneath the wig. Cara was hunched over with a ball full of fur and was covered with a blanket to look like a hump and Appa's fur as a wig. "Ohh, this is so itchy! How do you live in this stuff?" Appa grunts at him in response.

Sokka said, "Great! Now you look just like my grandfather."

Leo said, "More like the Ancient One from our world."

Donnie said, "A Skinner version."

Cara said, "I can get the wig but why do I have a hump?"

Raph said, "Your clothes are a dead giveaway."

Mikey activated his watch. "Good thing we have watches so it's easy picking for us."

Katara said, "Also, technically, Aang and Cara are in their 100s."

Aang picked up his staff and used a fake, old man voice. "Now let's get to skippin', young whippersnappers! The big city awaits." Aang begins to walk hunched over, using his staff as a walking stick. Sometime later of the three walking up the access road. Aang said, "You guys are gonna love Omashu. The people here are the friendliest in the world."

A rough voice is heard. The eight stopped short at the sound, and the shot cuts a moment later to a view of the city gate just up ahead. A merchant is trying to get into the city, but the three guards are giving him trouble. "Rotten cabbages! What kind of slum do you think this is?"

The guard is holding one of the offending cabbages. He crushes the cabbage in his hand, knocks those in the merchant's arms over the side of the access road. The guard then earthbends a lump of the ground, knocking the merchant's cabbage cart high into the air and over the side of the access road. The cart and all the merchant's cabbages plunge hundreds of feet to the valley floor below. "Noo! My cabbages!" The merchant looks over the side of the road as he laments.

Cara said, "Seems their kindness went out the window long ago."

They look over as well. The eight looked ahead to the gate with some trepidation. Aang said, "Just keep smiling..."

Aang walks forward with a big smile. Katara titters uneasily, but she and Sokka follow as well as Cara and the turtles. The guard who has just obliterated the cart walks forward to meet Aang. He earthbends a huge boulder out of the ground and holds it over Aang's head. "State your business!"

Aang rushes forward out from under the rock in a move much too sprightly for his supposed age. He points an accusing finger at the guard and using his old man voice begins to speak. "My business is my business, young man, and none of yours! I've got half a mind to bend you over my knee and paddle your backside!"

The guard drops the stone behind Aang in surprise. The gang was terrified at what Aang is doing. Gate Guard said, "Settle down, old timer. Just tell me who you are."

Aang said, "Name's Bonzu Pipinpadaloxicopolis, the Third, and these are my sister and grandkids."

Katara started the act the part and was now smiling serenely. "Hi, June Pipinpadaloxicopolis. Nice to meet you."

Gate Guard pointed to Katara. "You seem like a responsible young lady. See that your grandfather stays out of trouble. Enjoy Omashu!"

Leo said, "We will."

The guard motions them to pass. The group walk forward into the city with Sokka trailing. Gate Guard yelled, "Wait a minute!" He grabs Sokka and Donnie by the shoulder just after he passes and the 2 started to freak out. "You two are strong young men. Show some respect for the elderly and carry your grandfather's and aunt's bag."

Aang and Cara said, "Good idea!" Aang and Cara throws bag to Sokka and Donnie.

At the gate, which is stone and consists of three movable, interlocking stone walls the group were shocked by the size and power of this fortification. The gates begin to close again as the group move to pass through it. Just as his vision of Aang is obscured, the guard sees Momo's ears emerge from Aang's wig.

Inside the gate, the gang looking over a railing at the interior of the city. There were many houses with roofs painted in Earth Kingdom green. There are chutes all over the city with crates and packages sliding along them.

The earthbenders were working the delivery system as Aang and Cara explains the mechanics of the system to the group. Cara said, "This is the Omashu delivery system. Miles and miles of tubes and chutes. Earthbending brings the packages up and gravity brings them down."

Sokka said, "Great, so they get their mail on time."

Raph said, "It's like one of the sucking tubes for mail and stuff."

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

Aang smiles mischievously, as he remembers a funny memory. A young boy with spiky orange hair tied with a headband looks out over the city. The boy, Bumi, has a missing tooth and a slightly insane facial expression. "Look around you, what do you see?"

Aang asked, "Umm... the mail system?"

Bumi said, conspiratorially, "Instead of seeing what they want you to see, you gotta open your brain to the possibilities."

Cara asked, "A package sending system?"

Bumi said, "The world's greatest super slide!"

Aang said, "Bumi, you're a mad genius!" Bumi, who smiles widely, laughs and snorts. Soon Aang, Cara and Bumi in one of the transport bins rocketing down the slide.

When the flashback was over, Cara said, "You 3 go on ahead. I was to show the 4 something here."

Mikey said, "Aww. I wanted to go on the slide."

Cara said, "Think about it. What else goes on the slide besides us that solders' need?"

Leo said, "Plus the bin can't fit all of us."

Aang said, "Alright. We'll meet at the doors in an hour." Aang too Katara and Sokka away.

Donnie asked, "So why stay behind? There's not much of a tour here."

Cara said, "There's one person I want to see. Come with me."

Cara took them all the way up to the palace doors. The guard said, "State your business."

Cara in an old lady voice said, "We request to see you king please."

The guard asked, "Why should you 4 see the king?"

Cara showed him her necklace she got from the temple. "I'm here for a rematch on a Pai-Sho game he promised."

The guard saw the necklace and said, "I'll open the gate and see if the King will grant your request. Come with me." He earthbend the doors opened as everyone walked inside. Soon they made it to the throne room where the King would be but it was empty. The guard said, "I'll go fetch him. Wait here." Then he left.

Leo asked, "Why do we need to see the Earth King?"

Mikey said, "I rather be down the slide then have a stupid meeting."

Cara said, "I might not be smart like Donnie but after I heard I've been frozen for a hundred years, I just have a simple hunch. Plus, he can be a good teacher for Mikey."

Donnie asked, "What do you mean?"

Raph realized what she meant smiled and said, "I think we're gonna get our minds blown soon." Soon the doors opened as the Earth King came in.

Meanwhile, Aang, Katara and Sokka are now at the same place in the city where the flashback occurred. On the top of the slide where the three are now sitting one of the transport bins, teetering. Aang is excited, the other two are leery. "One ride, then we're off to the North Pole, Airbender's honor."

Katara got scared. "This sounded like fun at first, but now that I'm here, I'm starting to have second thoughts!" As Katara finishes her sentence, the bin drops into the chute and they rocket away. As the accelerate down the chute, a neighboring chute becomes visible in the background. It is clearly going to merge with the chute the group is in. A rack of spears is dropping down this other chute and after the two paths merge, Sokka is soon ducking to avoid getting killed. Katara and Sokka start making distressed noises as they try and avoid the spears.

Aang yelled, "I'm on it! I'm on it!" Aang starts rocking the bin back and forth in the chute. He soon derails them out of the chute and their bin freefalls onto a rooftop below.

Down there, a group of Earth Kingdom soldier being addressed by an officer. "Men, you'll be going off to combat soon. It's important that you be prepared for anything." At this moment, the bin with our group falls into view, shocking the audience. Aang airbends to propel the bin back into the air and out of the way.

Within a shot or two they have managed to drop back into a chute and are rocketing down once again. Katara said, "Aang, do something! Use your airbending!

Aang yelled, "Yeah! Good idea! That'll make us go even faster Aang blasts air behind them, making them speed up. Cut to city dwellers looking at them in alarm as they whiz by down the chute. As they approach the drop down of the last major chute, they all scream as they see the off-load point just in front of them. The off-load has a package on it that they will hit. An earthbender next to it moves the package. The kids breathe a sigh of relief. Back to the earthbender, who raises another package into the off-load point. The kids, who scream again. Rather than hit the package, they hit the side of the trench and run off the track again. They all fall out of the bin and are falling, but Aang airbends them each back into the bin. They bounce off a roof and into a man's work room, destroying his pottery. They bounce of his floor and out the window opposite the one they came in. "Sorry!"

They drop into someone's living room and fly through their house. Outside they crash through the wall of the balcony and drop again, screaming. Back to the merchant from the earlier, fondly shaking one of his cabbages. The sound of a bomb falling is heard. He looks up and jumps back as the bin and the kids fall onto the cabbage cart, totally destroying it, blowing cabbages all over the place. The kids land in a heap and Aang's disguise is now gone. "My cabbages! You're gonna pay for this!"

Then the three are quickly surrounded by soldiers. Aang said, "Two cabbages please."

Inside King Bumi's throne chamber, it is decorated in shades of Earth Kingdom green. The aged King sits on his throne in the distance, for it is a large room. The King, who wears the same crazy expression as in Aang's flashback, though he is now clearly ancient, looks upon the three, and the guards behind them force them to kneel. "Mmm?"

The Guard, "Your majesty, these juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses and malicious destruction of cabbages."

The irate cabbage dealer yelled, "Off with their heads! One for each head of cabbage!"

The Guard yelled, Silence! Only the King can pass down judgment. What is your judgment, Sire?"

King Bumi looks at each in turn. Sokka is nervous, Katara hopeful, and Aang tries to act like he's invisible. "Throw them... a feast!"

The Guards make noises of surprise, the merchant of chagrin. Aang was confused. "Huh?"

At the dining hall, the table loaded with food. Momo eats goodies as the three seated, with Aang in the middle. Behind them King Bumi stands. "Heheh! The people in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts, so I hope you like your chicken with no skin."

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

King Bumi turned to Sokka. "How about you? I bet you like meat." He sticks the drumstick in Sokka's mouth.

Sokka started chewing. "Mmm!"

Katara said to Aang, "Is it just me, or is this guy's crown a little crooked?" She makes cukoo motions at the side of her head as she says the latter."

Then King Bumi moved to take his seat at the opposite end of the table. "So, tell me young bald one. Where are you from?"

Aang thought of an excuse. "I'm from... Kangaroo Island."

King Bumi asked, "Oh, Kangaroo Island, eh? I hear that place is really hoppin!"

Silence was broken by Sokka's laughter, the other two looked at him like he has grown a third head. "What? It was pretty funny."

King Bumi then yawns. "Well, all these good jokes are making me tired. Guess it's time to the hay." As he ends his sentence, he suddenly throws another drumstick at Aang, who airbends it to a standstill, though he is very surprised. It spins in the air in front of him. The guards draw breath in surprise. "There's an airbender in our presence and not just any airbender, the Avatar!" He stands. Aang drops the drumstick, trying to act like he did not just reveal himself. "Now what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Pipinpadaloxicopolis?"

Aang stands and spreads his arms wide in a gesture of defeat. "Okay! You caught me. I'm the Avatar, doing my Avatar thing, keeping the world safe. Everything checks out." He looks under the table. "no firebenders here. So, good work everybody." Puts his arms around his companions and together they stand. "Love each other, respect all life and don't run with your spears. We'll see you next time!"

The three have been walking backwards to the door, but the guards stop them. Katara said, "You can't keep us here. Let us leave.

King Bumi asked, "Lettuce leaf?" He picks up a lettuce leaf from the plate in front of him and takes a bite.

Sokka leans over to speak in a low voice to the others. "We're in serious trouble. This guy is nuts."

Then King Bumi became very serious. "Tomorrow the Avatar and another member of his group will face three deadly challenges. But for now, the guards will show you to your chamber."

Guard asked, "My liege, do you mean the good chamber, or the bad chamber?"

King Bumi answered, "The newly refurbished chamber."

Guard asked, "Wait, which one are we talking about?"

King Bumi answered, "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. You know what? Screw it! Take them to where the other 3 turtles and the girl are"

Aang asked, "Wait 3 turtles?! What have you done to them?!"

King Bumi said, "Nothing. But if you and the other turtle fail, then I'll have a nice feast of turtle soup." The three were being led out by guards as King Bumi looking mad and chomping on lettuce.

Soon they arrived at the chamber as a wall that is torn open by earthbending. The three are thrust in and the "door" is closed by earthbending. The chamber is beautiful, spacious and furnished with comfortable beds and inside was Leo, Donnie, Raph, in their human form, and Cara. Aang ran to Cara. "Cara!" He hugged her. "Thank goodness. What happened?"

Cara said in a mad voice, "One of these jackasses blew my cover so now we're stuck here."

Katara asked, "This is a prison cell? But it's so nice."

Aang said, "He did say it was newly refurbished."

Sokka said, "Nice or not, we're still prisoners."

Aang said, "I wonder what these challenges are gonna be."

Leo asked, "Challenges?"

Aang said, "Yeah. In order to save all of us, me and I'm guessing Mikey, has to do three challenges.

Donnie said, "We're not sticking around to find out. There's gotta be some way outta here."

Raph asked, "Can't you earthbend us out of here Donnie?"

Donnie asked, "And leaving behind Mikey? No plus I haven't been practicing lately. If all goes wrong I might end up leveling the city by accident."

Cara said, "Either way we're stuck here and there's no way out."

Aang then smiled and pointed at something. "The air vents!" The only problem is, it was very small.

Sokka said, "If you think we're gonna fit through there then you're crazier than that king."

Aang said, "We can't, but Momo can." Momo was sprawled on the bed, gorged on an apple, his tongue still licking the fruit. "Momo, I need you to find Appa and bust us outta here!" Aang stuffs Momo face first into the vent. Aang stuffed the little animal into the vent and having some trouble. "Go on, boy, get Appa!" He stops, only to have Momo's behind dangle from the vent. He is stuck.

Sokka asked, "Eh, how was Appa supposed to save us anyway?"

Aang said as Momo tries to free himself, but fails, "Appa is a ten ton flying bison, I think he could figure something out."

Katara said, "Well, no point in arguing about it now." She gets in a bed.

Cara said, "Get some rest, Aang. Looks like you'll need it for tomorrow. Just hope Mikey's ok."

Leo said, "Don't worry, we've suffered worst so Mikey should be alright."

Aang walks dejectedly over to the last unoccupied bed. The next morning, Aang was asleep, snoring loudly. The room shakes as an earthbender opens the "door." Aang opens his eyes to see the other beds empty.

Aang yelled, "Sokka! Katara! Sissy! Leo! Donnie! Raph!" He turns to guards. "Where are my friends?"

The Guard said, "The King will free them if you complete your challenges."

Aang asked, "And if I fail?"

The Guard said, "He didn't say. Your staff please?"

Aang gives the staff to the guard. Soon Aang entered the throne room flanked by two guards and he saw Mikey in his true form. "Mikey! You're OK!"

Mikey said, "Yeah dude! It's gonna take more than a few guards to take me out. Heck I battle Tricaritons for almost a living."

Aang asked, "How were you captured."

Mikey rubbed the back of his head. "Me and my big mouth."

Soon King Bumi appeared wearing a horrible, blue, purple and light green robe. "First, Avatar and Michelangelo, what do you think of my new outfit? I want your honest opinion." Aang and Mikey had no reaction. "I'm waiting."

Aang said, "I... guess it's fine."

Mikey said, "I've seen weirder."

King Bumi was happy. "Excellent! You passed the first test."

Aang and Mikey asked, "Really?"

King Bumi said, "Well, not one of the deadly tests. The real challenges are much more... challenging."

Aang's expression becomes angry. He and Mikey airbends their feet to run in an instant up to King Bumi. "We don't have time for your crazy games!"

Mikey yelled, "Gimme our friends back! We're leaving!"

King Bumi said, "Ohh, I thought you might refuse..." At that moment, a "door' is opened by guards holding Cara, Leo, Donnie, Raph Katara and Sokka in the corridor beyond. The guards place small rings on one of their fingers which contract to fit snugly as soon as they are worn. They struggle to take off the rings but can't. "...so, I will give your friends some special souvenirs. Those delightful rings are made of pure genemite, 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. I can stop it, but only if you cooperate."

Already they're starting to grow and it was freaking Sokka out. "Ah! It's already creeping!"

Aang said to King Bumi, "I'll do as you want."

Mikey said, "Only if you agree to let them go when we pass."

King Bumi grinned evilly. "Mmm! I promise."

In a cavern, Aang and Mikey were standing on a small stone parapet with a waterfall in the background. The cavern floor is covered in stalagmites. King Bumi, the guards and the prisoners were standing on a balcony. Crystal already covers the forearms of both. King Bumi laughs. "It seems I've lost my lunch box key and I'm hungry." The key was hanging by a long chain in the middle of the waterfall. A ladder reaches up from the ground of the cavern to about where the key dangles. "Ooo, there it is. Would you mind fetching it for me?" Aang jumps into action. Using his airbending skills he bounces from stalagmite to stalagmite. He charges into the waterfall, holding his breath, and begins to climb the ladder. The force of the water stops him from making progress, though. "Ooo, climbing the ladder. No one's thought of that before." Aang loses his grip and is shot out of the waterfall. He is about to get impaled when he recovers and slides between two stalagmites, one foot on the side of each. He breathes a sigh of relief.

Mikey said, "Let me try something Aang." Mikey flies up to the stalactites on the ceiling and is soon looking down at the key. He concentrates, jumps into the waterfall, and is shot right back out, managing to grab onto a stalagmite.

King Bumi started to taunt them. "That's right. Keep diving head in, I'm sure it'll work eventually."

This gives Aang an idea. "Mikey! Break me a spike!" Mikey used his nunchakus breaks off the top of the stalagmite and tossed it to Aang. He is holding and throws it at the chain holding the key. Using his airbending skills he makes sure it breaks the chain and carries the bottom part of it along with the key up to the balcony. The tip of the stalagmite embeds itself like a spearhead into the top of the doorway. The key now dangles just over the surprised King's head. "There, enjoy your lunch! We want our friends back, now!"

King Bumi was impressed, "Uh, not yet. I need help with another matter. It seems I've lost my pet Flopsy."

In a shallow arena a fluffy bunny was sitting on a rock. Aang said, "Okay, found him!"

King Bumi and the prisoners are at the railing around the top of the arena. "Bring him to me! Daddy wants a kiss from Flopsy!"

Behind Aang and Mikey a huge monster is landing. Aang said, "Come here, Flopsy!"

Aang and Mikey turns around to face the monster while the bunny squeaks and runs off. The monster crushes a huge boulder in front of them. They flip backwards and lands as the bunny runs by him, squealing in terror. "This is worst then the demons!"

Aang yelled, "Flopsy, wait! Flopsy! Flopsy!"

Aang and Mikey chases the bunny while the monster chases them. King Bumi, was cackling maniacally. The bunny runs into a rabbit hole in the wall of the arena. Aang and Mikey slides up next to it and sticks his hand in the hole. They rummaged around but finds nothing. Meanwhile, the monster closes in. Mikey then has an idea. He stands up and faces the monster just as it arrives. "Flopsy?"

The monster stops instantly and wags its tail. Flopsy picks the 2 up tenderly, making gentle noises. They were surprised and starts screaming then stops when Flopsy gives him a huge lick. Aang smiled. "Flopsy!" He rubs Flopsy's head.

Flopsy's drops them and scales the arena wall in response to King Bumi's whistling and kissing noises. He flops on back in front of King Bumi. "Awww, that's a good boy! Yes, who has a soft belly?" He begins to rub Flopsy's belly. Flopsy's left leg paws the ground in pleasure.

Then Aang and Mikey jumping up onto the railing of the arena. Already the crystal was growing nearly covering them. For the girls the crystal was growing down while the dudes were growing up.

Aang asked, "Guys, are you ok?"

Katara said, "Other than the crystal slowly encasing my entire body, doing great."

Cara said, "Least it finally hit the itch I can't scratch."

For Sokka ength of crystal grows on the left side of Sokka's head. He loses his balance and keels over. King Bumi was still rubbing Flopsy's belly. "Awww, yes."

Mikey said, "Come on. We're ready for the next challenge."

King Bumi smiled. "Ahh! Hahaha!"

The next area was an earthbending arena. It is ill-lit and largely featureless except the dirt floor. On the two balconies, Aang, Mikey and King Bumi on one, the prisoners, now encased in crystal except for their faces and feet, on the other. "Your final test is a duel and as a special treat you may choose your opponent. Point and choose."

Two enormous gladiator type characters show up to flank King Bumi. The champion on the left is a muscular man with a nasty smile and a huge axe. The champion on the right is a mammoth fighter who looks like he relies upon brute strength. Aang and Mikey were terrified. Aang said, "So, you're saying whoever we point to, that's the person I get to fight?"

King Bumi said, "Choose wisely."

The 2 looked at eachother and thought the same thought. They said together, "We... choose... you!" They pointed at King Bumi.

King Bumi smiled. "Haha! Wrong choice!" King Bumi, with some effort, corrects his lumped posture. He dumps his robes to reveal a surprisingly muscular physique for such an old man. He is clearly formidable and Aang and Mikey recoils, realizing their mistake. The King is also apparently a master earthbender, for he immediately stamps the ground, blowing the 2 far out into the arena. They land in the dust. King Bumi launches himself off the balcony and lands close to Aang and Mikey. He laughs as he said, "You thought I was a frail old man, but I'm the most powerful earthbender you'll ever see."

Aang said, "Can I fight the guy with the axe instead?"

King Bumi said, "There are no 'take-back-sees' in my kingdom and you should know Mikey to never judge a book by its cover. You might need this! But Mikey surrenders his weapons. King Bumi motions to a guard who throws Aang his staff. Mikey growls and he threw his weapons at the guards on the side who caught them. King Bumi immediately launches several boulders at them which they dodge. "Typical airbender tactic: avoid and evade. I'd hoped the Avatar would be less predictable and I thought Mikey would be more fun." He launches another boulder at the 2, who dodges and launches themselves into the air. "Don't you have any surprises for me? Sooner or later, you'll have to strike back." The King launches another stone at them which misses but explodes upon impacting the ceiling of the arena. The debris knocks them to the ground and Aang loses his staff as he falls. They get back up as King Bumi begins walking around. With each turn he makes a huge pillar of rock block their path. One of them catches Aang in the gut as it rises into the air. "Oh, you'll have to be a little more creative than that!" Aang and Mikey jumps off the pillar, riding one of them famous airballs. They ride the wall of the arena and approaches the King from his right. He launches a huge gale at his opponent, who blocks it with a sheet of stone raised from the floor of the arena. The King emerging from behind the stone shield, a smile on his face. "Did someone leave the windows open? It feels a little drafty in here! Are you hoping I'll catch a cold?" Aang and Mikey dropped off their airballs and the King, who kicks over the stone sheet and begins to raise it on earth dug out of the arena's surface. He shoots the earth underneath the stone sheet at them which knocks them over. The King strikes the ground with his fist, sending a shock wave through the arena surface right at Aang and Mikey. The 2 flips backwards and avoids the shock wave, but now is close to the rear wall of the arena. "How are you going to going to get me from way over there?"

Mikey said, "This is getting nowhere. We need to stop thinking and just go by gut."

Aang yelled, "That's what I've been doing!"

Mikey yelled, "Then try something else!"

Aang looks determined and begins to run to his opponent fallowed by Mikey. King Bumi uses the side of his foot to dash the earth. The ground around the 2 becomes quicksand and he falls in. The King raises two boulders and sends them to smash the struggling Aang and Mikey. He escapes just in time as the rocks smash together. They jump straight at their opponent, unleashing a blast of wind that knocks him and the stone sheet he stands upon back against the wall of the arena. The King raises one of the boulders from where he had just failed to crush Aang and Mikey and pulled it back towards him at frightening speed. The 2 sees it just in time and does a backflip that barely allows him to get up and over the flying boulder. The boulder of course moves on to almost crush the King, but he breaks it into many pieces as it reaches him. With tremendous effort, King Bumi tears the entire gate area of the arena out of the ground and holds it over his head. Aang and Mikey screams in terror and begins to run in circles, creating a tornado. The King throws the massive earth mound, but the tornado grabs it and throws it back at him. As it reaches King Bumi he bisects it neatly in two. Aang and Mikey appears between the rock pieces and pins the King with his staff. The King smiles and looks up. Aang and Mikey who also looks up as a little piece of rock bounces off his head. Overhead hovers one of the two halves of rock, ready to crush them both. "Hehe! Well done, you 2. You fight with much fire in your heart." The King throws the rock to the side of the arena. He then falls backwards into the floor, disappearing and leaving a Bumi shaped hole.

Aang is flabbergasted. "Huh?"

Mikey was impressed. "Cool!"

A hole opens up in the floor of the balcony and the King emerges, the hole closing instantly beneath him. Aang and Mikey, used their airbending to land on the balcony. "You've passed all my tests. Now, this one is for the Avatar only, you must answer one question."

Aang yelled, "That's not fair! You said you would release my friends if we finished your tests."

King Bumi asked, "Oh, but what's the point of tests if you don't learn anything?"

Sokka yelled, "Oh, come on!"

King Bumi said, "Answer this one question and I will set your friends free. What... is my name? From the looks of your friends, I'd say you only have a few minutes." Then he leaves.

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

Katara said, "Think about the challenges, maybe it's some kind of riddle."

Sokka yelled, "I got it!"

Leo asked, "Yeah?"

Sokka said, "He's an earthbender, right? Rocky! You know, because of all the rocks?"

Donnie said, "That's a name for a boxer."

Katara said, "We're gonna keep trying, but that is a good backup."

Aang said, "Okay, so back to the challenges. We got a key from the waterfall. We saved his pet and we had a duel."

Raph asked, "And what did you learn?"

Aang said, "Well, everything was different than I expected. Mikey?"

Mikey said, "I just did a gut feeling. I'm not as smart as my brothers."

Cara asked, "And...?"

Aang said, "Well, they weren't straightforward. To solve each test, I had to think differently than I usually would." Then he realizes. "I know his name!"

Back in the King's throne room, Aang and the King stand opposite each other. King Bumi is once again hunched over and in his regular green robes. "I solved the question the same way I solved the challenges. As you said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to the possibilities." That's when King Bumi, who begins to laugh and snort, just as the younger version had in the flashback was finally happy. "Bumi, you're a mad genius!" He runs and hugs the old King.

King Bumi hugged him back. "Oh, Aang. It's good to see you. You haven't changed a bit. Literally." Aang's old friend rubs Aang's head.

The other appeared nearly covered in crystal. Cara said, "Not to be mean and all but, GET US OUT OF HERE!"

The King and Aang, the former of which makes a pulling back gesture with a fist, shattering the crystal from around the other members. Crystal flies all over and King Bumi catches a piece. "Genemite is made of rock candy." He takes a bite. "Delicious!"

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

King Bumi was annoyed. "Who you calling old?" Then he paused. "Okay. I'm old."

Sokka asked, "Why did you do all this instead of just telling Aang who you were? Also, did you knew the whole time this was Bumi, Cara?"

Cara said, "Before Bumi answers, yes I did I just didn't know that it would happen sooner or later." She stomps on Mikey's foot. "Thanks for that by the way."

Mikey holds his foot as he jumps on the other. "Ow, ow, ow."

King Bumi said, "Also it's pretty fun messing with people, hehe." He snorts a bit. "but I do have a reason." He turns to Aang, Cara, and the teenage mutant ninja turtles. "Aang, Carabelle, ninja turtles, you have a difficult task ahead. The world has changed in the hundred years you've been gone and this world is completely different than the one you're used to. It's the duty of the Avatar, the Guardian, and the Warriors 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!" The six smiles as they clasp their hands together in thanks, and bows. "And it looks like you're in good hands. You'll need your friends to help defeat the Fire Nation." Momo jumps onto Aang's shoulder. "And you'll need Momo too."

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

A moment later a delivery bin flies by, King Bumi at the front, Aang in the back were going down the world's largest super-slide. Both are having a blast as the air rushes by them. But then there was a plume of dust and smoke rises after an impact sound is heard. "My cabbages!"

Cara yelled, "I'M NOT CLEANING THAT UP!"