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The doors to the magnificent royal palace, adorned in gold and decorated with the huge seal of the monarchy of Omashu, swung open as they approached. Guards stepped smartly back, moving spears out of the way, and Yue, Sokka, Katara and Rinzen shuffled into huge throne room decorated in green. The path to the throne was flanked by pillars, and the walls were decorated with tapestries and statues.
The throne, though, was empty. Instead a swivel chair stood at the bottom of the steps, facing away from them.
The officer who had arrested them coughed.
"Well, well, well," a voice came from the chair. "What have we here?"
The chair swivelled around to reveal a wizened old man in flowing robes and a hat with a pair of long white feathers sticking up into the air.
"We arrested these people for sneaking into the city!" The officer said.
"No you didn't," the King leaned back in his chair. "They flew here on a sky-bison, they didn't sneak. Even I saw them arrive, and my eyesight isn't what it used to be."
"But-"
"And what's with the cuffs?" The King demanded. "Is that how we welcome guests?"
The officer scowled.
"They could be assassins."
"Maybe," the King shrugged. "There's only one way to find out, isn't there? Take those things off."
The officer's scowl deepened as he had his men remove the rock-cuffs. Yue rubbed her wrists and looked around.
"I must apologise for him," King Bumi told her. "He has a flair for the dramatic."
He stood up and began hobbling towards them.
"So who are you, and what are you doing in my throne room?"
"This is the Avatar!" Katara told him.
"Is it?" Bumi looked her up and down and shook his head. "I'm afraid you must be mistaken. The Avatar, as everyone knows, is an Air Nomad. And a man. This girl has entirely too much hair."
He came up next to her and began comparing his own hair, made white by the passage of time, to hers.
"It's good hair though," he said approvingly. "Same!"
"What do you want?" Rinzen asked.
"Many things," Bumi shrugged. "Right now I find I'm particularly keen on some rock-candy, as it happens. But that's not why you're here. I have people for that."
He pointed at them.
"No, there's only one thing I want from you."
He pointed at Yue.
"Why are you pretending to be my friend?"
"I've just met you!" Yue replied, offended at the suggestion.
"No, not like that. Why are you pretending to be Aang?"
"Do I look like I'm pretending?" Yue asked.
"I didn't say you were pretending well," Bumi jabbed a finger at her. "You may have fooled them, but you can't fool me."
"I'm not trying to fool you," Yue folded her arms.
"Yes you are," Bumi shook his head obstinately. "I'm sure Aang will have things to say about this."
"But sir," the officer who had arrested them protested, "Aang's been dead for sixteen years!"
"So people keep telling me," Bumi frowned. "But it's nonsense! I only talked to him this morning."
"You did?" Rinzen looked confused.
"He didn't," Sokka whispered to him.
"Are you sure you weren't dreaming?" Katara asked him.
"How dare you?" Bumi scowled. "You think because I'm old I must be senile? Well, I'm not senile! I'm as sharp as ever! And I know that Avatar Aang is still alive!"
Yue exchanged a confused look with her friends. They all looked as baffled as she felt.
"And you, my dear, are not Avatar Aang," Bumi advanced towards her.
"Well, no," Yue shook her head. "But I am Avatar Yue."
The King stared at her for a few seconds. Then he burst out laughing.
"No you're not!" He laughed. Yue felt her patience begin to grow thin. "The Fire Nation has attacked us, I have refugees flocking to my city, that's mouths I have to feed and lives I have to protect and Ozai's men could be outside the walls any day now. I don't have time for some false avatar."
Something snapped in Yue, and she took a step forwards.
"You know what, believe what you want," she told him angrily. "I don't have time to deal with you. I won't babysit someone who is so obviously detached from reality! Just let us get out of here, and you can be left alone with your delusions while we get out and actually save the world!"
The others stared at her in shock for a few moments, and then Bumi just started laughing even harder.
"You've got spirit, I'll give you that," he nodded approvingly. "Alright. You want to be the Avatar so bad? Prove it."
"Alright," Yue stared him down. "What do you want me to do?"
She hoped he wouldn't say airbending or firebending.
Bumi laughed.
"It's very simple. I want you to win a trial by combat."
"You mean a fight?"
"Of course I mean a fight!" Bumi giggled. "I want you to fight my champion!"
"Who is your champion?" Rinzen asked.
"Oh, you'll see!" Bumi said mysteriously. "No clues!"
"Do I have to?" Yue asked.
"Why would you not want to?" Bumi asked curiously. "Unless you don't want to be caught out."
"I have nothing to be caught out for!" Yue told him angrily. "I just... haven't been in many fights before."
"Sure," Bumi raised a wizened eyebrow. "Don't worry, you'll have access to plenty of water in your fight, I'm not an unreasonable man."
Aren't you?
"And if I refuse?" Yue crossed her arms again.
"Well, if you don't, you can leave," Bumi told her smugly, "but your friends, and your sky-bison, stay here."
"You can't do that!" Rinzen spat furiously.
"Wrong!" Bumi told him. "I am the King of this city and so what I say goes! So what's it going to be?"
Yue didn't much fancy going south on foot by herself, and she didn't think they would be able to fight their way back to Gembul. Which left only one alternative.
She sighed, reluctant to give her agreement to this stupid idea from this ridiculous man.
"I'll fight your stupid fight," she said. "Just get it over with."