Book 5 Thunder: Chapter 14 Happy Unbirthday

"I don't think I'm hearing this right," a teenage boy with his hair tied back and a boomerang slinged into his belt heard Raiden's story with skeptic view.

"I'm telling you the truth," Raiden stood up. He was sitting on a rock before hand. "We come from another realm through-"

"The power of the Apple of Discord," the boy finished off. "That's the part I don't get."

"Oh Sokka lighten up," A teenage girl spoke up. She appeared to be the boy's sister. "I'm just happy we found a water bender out here."

"For the last time I am not a water bender," Raiden remained calm.

"Well you have to be some kind of bender," the girl replied. "Or else you're as useless as my brother."

"Thanks a lot, Katara," Sokka crossed his arms and pouted while leaning on a tree.

"Maybe he's an air bender," a hundred and twelve year old monk with a blue arrow on his head was sitting as still as one can on an air scooter.

"No I'm not any kind of bender!" Raiden protested.

"He's got the temper of a fire bender," Sokka pointed out.

"Then what is this one," a girl in Earth Kingdom attire kicked Kurama, who was still unconscious at the time.

"We are not benders," Raiden explained. "We are normal."

"What about that thing?" Sokka glanced wearily at Grim, who was also unconscious at the time.

"His skin got melted off," Raiden came up with a quick excuse.

"By the Fire Nation?" The youngish monk inquired.

"Sure."

"Those fiends," Sokka shook his fist.

"I almost forgot," the monk jumped off the air scooter. "I'm Aang and over there is Toph."

Toph gave Kurama another kick. "I think this one's dead." She had her foot on his chest as if to see if he was still breathing.

"I'm very much alive," he grunted under the weight. "Just sore."

Toph lifted her foot off of him. He sat up quickly to take in the surroundings.

"Where are we?" he clutched the side Toph had recently kicked.

"Right outside of Omashu," Aang explained. "We were on our way to Bumi's birthday party when we found you four."

"Wait a minute," Raiden was holding the bridge of his nose in thought. "Four?"

"Yup," Aang replied cheerfully.

"Oh-no."

"What's wrong?" Katara placed a hand on his shoulder.

"My dear girl, do you not know of the terror that has just been unleashed?"

"It'll be alright," she reassured him. "Aang's the Avatar. I'm sure what ever it is he can handle it."

Raiden looked over to Aang who was examining Mandy with the utmost care. Then suddenly a fist shot upward sending the Avatar flying a few feet back.

"Aang!" Katara rushed over to him.

"That's reassuring," Raiden sighed.

"Isn't it though?" Sokka nodded.

"I'm alright," Aang sat up rubbing his chin. "Good hit...um."

"Mandy," she hastly replied as she stood up.

"That was a nice impact," Toph faced Mandy.

"Thanks," Mandy had saw it in Toph's eyes that the Earth bender was blind.

"Yeah," Aang cut in. "But I've had worse from Toph."

"I suppose I could try to top that," Mandy clenched her fist. Aang his behind the now laughing Toph.

"Get away from me you furry fiend," Grim swatted, with his lower leg bone, at the lemur who had found interest with his bony structure.

"Come here, Momo," Aang called to the lemur. Momo jumped up and glided to him. "Sorry about that. he's just a curious little guy."

"Humph," Grim stood up and shook the dirt off his cloak.

Momo watched the newcomers carefully before gliding over and landing on Kurama's shoulder.

"What is this little-" Kurama was taken by surprise by Momo's little raid of his inside jacket pocket.

"Momo's a lemur," Aang explained trying to suppress his laughter. "And apparently you have some seeds in your pockets.

Momo quickly darted out of the jacket letting Kurama recover from the attack eating, as Aang guessed it, seeds.

"If that's a lemur," Mandy pointed at the thing behind Kurama. "Then what is that?"

"What is-" Kurama was about to turn around right when a he was attacked by a slimy tongue of a giant flying bison.

"That's Appa," Aang explained in the same cheerful tone.

"Charming," Kurama was now dripping with saliva.

"Hey why don't we all go to Bumi's palace together?" Aang suggested.

"That's a great idea," Katara added.

"We need to find Eclipse and the others," Raiden began to mutter to himself and pace in a circle. How much trouble could they possible get into?

"Maybe Bumi can help us find them," Aang advised.

"What's King Bumi going to do?" Sokka's comment made Raiden stop pacing. "He's a crazy old man."

Oh very funny," Katara crossed her arms.

"C'mon Katara, he tried to turn us into those crystal things."

"But he got us out."

"Only after Aang went through those challenges."

"King Bumi?" Raiden cut into the argument.

"Yup," Aang literally cut in between the siblings to settle the flames down.

"He might have armies, navies to search the lands," Raiden plotted aloud. "Take us to this king."

"Sure thing, hop on Appa and we'll take you there" Aang boosted himself onto Appa's head.

"On that thing?" Kurama seemed uneasy for some unknown reason.

"Don't worry he won't bite," Katara climbed upon the carrier saddle thing and helped Grim get up.

"The sooner we get out of dis place the better," Grim griped.

Bumi's palace

"Welcome," an elderly man in a purple outfit jumped off the throne as Aang and the rest walked into the throne room. "Aang, it's been too long."

"I'll say," Aang rushed to him for a hug.

"How can he be so causal around the king?" Kurama asked Katara.

"They used to be childhood friends," she explained.

"I see-" Kurama gave a puzzled look at the preteen and the senior citizen.

"Last time you were here there were only three of you," Bumi walked towards the group. "But I see now you've nearly more that doubled."

"Well we've had an adventure to get here," Aang explained.

"Tell me all about it," Bumi appeared to be giving a command in a child like manner.

"Another time," Aang waved it aside. "But right now happy birthday!"

"Birthday?" Bumi raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah you sent a messenger to give us the invitation," Sokka tried to jog Bumi's memory.

"Oh that," Bumi remembered. "Did you get it in time?"

"In time for what?" Katara was curious now on what he was going on about.

"For the 2,000 anniversary of our shipping system in Omashu!" Bumi replied cheerfully.

"So it's not your birthday?" Aang seemed disappointed.

"Nope, that's next week."

"Then we can stay here, yes?" Sokka implied.

"Sure thing," Bumi answered. "But there is only one problem."

"No food?" Sokka fretted.

"There is a cabbage shortage, Bumi appeared gloomy over it.

"Well that's okay," Sokka gave a sigh of relief. "Ass long as there's food."

Bumi had finally noticed Kurama. "Are you an Earth bender?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," Kurama was backing out of whatever the king had in store. Backing out in vain.

"How about a fight then?"

"Eh?" went the entire group.

"Find a series of challenges to see what kind of benders these four are," Bumi explained. "I'm thinking a week should do."

"You majesty," Raiden spoke with an official tone. "These tests are not necessary, I assure you. What we need now is to find our companions and get out of this-"

"Universe," Bumi filled in.

"Thank you- how did you know I was going to use that word?"

"Your clothing is different than from any of the four nations I've seen and your auras have a different feeling to them as well. These tests are neccesary to see where you fit in. Without bending powers you won't last long here."

"Doesn't that make you feel special," Toph patted Sokka on the back.

"Oh thanks," Sokka pouted.

"But sir-" Raiden was cut off by that lecture.

"One week," Bumi smiled and dragged Aang away for him to tell of the adventures.

Book 5 Thunder: Chapter 14 Happy Unbirthday: Fin

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar nor any of their Avatarness ways...and same goes for the others as well...