AUTHOR'S NOTES— apologies for the hiatus. Also note that Toph is still in her Kyoshi getup.

Word of the elusive "Last Firebender" gets out. Yes, it is a woman, and yes, it MIGHT be an OC. However, that brings with it a HUGE risk of Mary-Suedom, (which is bad, and which I MIGHT poke fun at) and so I will not give any pointers regarding the firebender's identity except in the story itself.

On an unrelated note, 116 is a lucky number.

AVATAR: THE LAST FIREBENDER

BOOK 1: WATER

CHAPTER 5-4: THE KING OF OMASHU, PART 2

Omashu, morning

The feast that the king threw them was enjoyable indeed, and after a good night's sleep, they were brought forward again on the king's request. Aang recognized the crazy, lopsided grin as the same grin that his old friend Bumi had had, and so he recognized his old friend, and the two struck up conversation.

"Aang, you should know better," Bumi fake-chastised him, "freezing yourself in an iceberg is not a very good way to learn your world history."

"That's why I came to you, Bumi," Aang laughed, "tell me about the Four Nations. How is Omashu? What are the Air Warriors doing? Do you know of any good waterbending or earthbending teachers?"

"I can tell you a lot of things about The Four Nations," Bumi laughed, "but you have to ask correctly."

"Please?"

"Ah yes, The Four Nations. As you probably already know, there is very little left of the Fire Nation indeed. It continues to be the source of the metalwork the Air Warriors use, but there are no benders, and so any rebellions that may be planned are still under wraps."

Toph noticed that Bumi was casually playing with a tile of some sort as he spoke. She glanced at Aang and Zuko, but neither one seemed to notice.

"So do you know any firebenders?" Aang asked Bumi.

"Hold on, Aang. Let me finish talking about the Four Nations."

"Oh. Right."

"The Water Tribes are definitely the most confusing of the four," Bumi continued, "both tribes seem to hold an air of dislike towards the Air Warriors, but the Northern Water Tribe has taken some of my advice and kept their mind open to possibilities."

"Is it safe to travel there?" Aang and Zuko both asked, "I need a waterbending teacher."

"I believe you could get away with it," Bumi cackled, "but that would also depend on Chief Zhao's current mood of the week."

There was a slight pause before Bumi continued.

"The Air Nomads, as you probably already know, are mostly concentrated in the Northern Air Temple, and are staying out of the war. Those at the Southern Air Temple are gone, and the Eastern and Western Air Temples form an axis that cuts through the world and strengthens their grip upon it. It was that force from the sky that allowed them to run wild through Omashu."

"Are you going to do something about them?"

"I might just do that Aang, I might. But you keep changing the subject! How am I supposed to answer your questions when you keep going off the subject?"

"Oh right. Sorry."

"The Earth Kingdom, as you can see, is under attack in several different places they are winning in some, and losing in others. Here in Omashu they are about neutral. That should answer your question about the Four Nations. Now, what else did you wish to ask me?"

"About firebenders"

"Ah yes—firebenders. I might know of one, though I have not met them personally yet. You're very unlikely to have a firebender come walking up to you and identifying themselves though. I am almost certain that you will discover her in a place where you would least expect it."

"So you know who she is?" Aang asked, "And that it's a girl?"

"I said I might, Aang. For the sake of said firebender, however, I will have to leave it up to her to reveal herself should you cross paths with her."

"But there are thousands of people in the world! How in the world will I be able to pick one firebender out from all of them?"

"Oh, don't worry," Bumi smirked, "I'm pretty sure you'll hear of her soon enough. After all, it's hard for a bender of any sort to hide their abilities. That was what happened to Katara."

"Who's Katara?"

"She was a powerful earthbending master," Bumi grinned, "I even taught her a few things, and then she taught me some things! I thought she was crazy for a moment!"

"Bumi, I hate to say it, but I think you're the only crazy one in the situation."

"That was the same thought that came to my mind, Aang. Nevertheless, apparently the Air Warriors took interest in her, because I haven't seen her in two years. And now her brother's gone missing too, and people are disappearing left and right Aang. I think this place is craaaaazy!"

Aang smelled the burnt mushroom smell he remembered smelling around Bumi when they were children. "Bumi," he asked, "who was her brother?"

"Called himself Sokka, he did," Bumi grinned, "but now he ran off too. So sad…"

"So why are you telling me this?" Aang asked, "why do I need to care about Sokka or Katara?"

"Because Aang, sometimes the help you will need is not the help you seek. You need to understand that looking outside of the box and thinking instead like a mad genius, will benefit you greatly."

"So," Zuko commented, "would you care to explain that remark?"

"of course, young waterbender," Bumi cackled, "what I am saying is, is that sometimes the people you thought would be your allies turn out not to be, and people you think are insignificant and unimportant will become your best friends."

"So does that mean you're an enemy?" Aang asked, as Toph grabbed a ring from the table they were sitting at and slid it on.

"It depends on what you think I am an enemy to," Bumi answered, "it does mean that I obviously am not coming on your little Northern Water Tribe adventure, but as long as you don't turn on me, I don't think I'll be able to find a good reason to turn on you."

"so I take it you want us to find this Sokka and Katara?"

"Oh, that might be difficult," Bumi explained, "after all, finding one person in a world full of thousands can be difficult!"

"That's what I told you!" Aang argued,

"And it didn't bother me, because I was thinking like a mad genius," Bumi grinned, his smirk widening as Toph was fighting with a crystal that was covering her right arm. "while I am no Aunt Wu, I can let you know that you will find what you seek—it will not be the way you seek it, but you will find it if you listen to my advice, as crazy as it might be."

"Thanks," Aang smiled, and then his and Zuko's attention was diverted to Toph, who had a blue-green crystal covering her right arm from hand to shoulder."

"I see she found one of my Jemmonite Rings," Bumi cackled, "and that she's learned that it is tasty."

Toph was gnawing on the crystal on her arm, but there was too much of it for her to break it off. Bumi clenched his fist and the crystal shattered. Toph looked back up, her face turning pink beneath her Kyoshi Warrior makeup.

"Yeah, uhh…" Toph stammered, "I… uh… put it on and then… you saw the rest."

"I've got plenty more where that came from," Bumi laughed, "So don't you worry your little painted head over it. What you, the waterbender and the Kyoshi Warrior need to do now is get a good night's sleep tonight and then move on tomorrow. There is no reason to linger around here when there are Air Warriors everywhere."

"On one condition," Aang offered, "tomorrow morning we ride the mail chutes again just like old times."

"Thanks, I'll pass." Toph held up her hand. "I refuse to turn as green as my gear again."

"Suit yourself," Bumi shrugged, "you in for it, Ike?"

"Toph spoke to you last night, didn't she?"

"Is that a yes?"

Zuko found that this excursion was much like the other one. It ended in a near-death experience, which also involved another bet with Aang, which ended again with Zuko shelling out two silvers to Aang.