Avatar: The Last Airbender; Book One: Water

Chapter 5: The King of Omashu

“Instead of seeing what they want you to see…you’ve got to open your brain to the possibilities,” Bumi said.

“Um…a package sending system?”

“The world’s greatest super slide!” Bumi called. Anya grinned.

“Bumi…you’re a mad genius.” Bumi looked at her, laughing and snorting with his left eye twitching madly. Soon the two friends were racing down the slide in a clay packaging container.

()()()

“One ride,” Anya said. “Then we’re off to the North Pole. Airbender’s honor. Hold on tight.” Sokka wrapped his arms around Anya. “Sokka--” she croaked. “Can’t--breathe…” He loosened his grip. “Okay, let’s go!”

“You know,” Sokka began. “This sounded like fun at first…but now that I’m here I’m having second thoughts----” He was cut off as they zoomed down the clay slide, leaving two long dust trails in their wake.

They passed a container filled with spears. They switched slides, and the spears were suddenly behind them. Katara ducked. “Ah! Ah!”

“I’m on it!” Anya cried, tilting the container left and pushing them off. They slid off a roof, raced past a group of soldiers, and somehow ended up back on the track.

“Anya! Do something!” Katara yelled. “Use your Airbending!”

“Yeah! Good idea! That’ll make us go even faster!” Finally, they raced to the bottom, and skidded right off the edge. Anya twisted them all in midair and they landed back in the cart, skidding off a roof. They raced through an artist’s hutch, off several more roofs, and down onto the poor peddler’s cart again.

“My cabbages! You’re gonna pay for this!” They were instantly surrounded my guards, and Anya’s hat was gone. Her hair floated down around her.

“Two cabbages, please.”

They were soon brought into a green hall by several guards. They knelt on the floor. “Your highness,” one guard said. “These juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses, and malicious destruction of cabbages.”

“Off with their heads!” the cabbage peddler cried. “One for each head of cabbage!”

“Silence!” the guard yelled. “Only the king can pass judgment.” He looked up. “What is your judgment, sire?”

The king gave the three children a long look. Anya looked at her lap, and clenched Sokka’s hand even tighter. As the king stared harder, they all looked up. Sokka cocked an eyebrow, Katara smiled innocently, and Anya whistled boldly.

“Throw them--” the king began. A gasp arose. “A feast.” The cabbage peddler cried out in anguish.

“Huh?” Anya said.

The feast was interesting. The king stood behind Anya, speaking to them. “The people in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts,” he said. “So I hope you enjoy your chicken with no skin.”

“Thanks, but I don’t eat meat,” Anya said. The king put a hand on Sokka’s shoulder.

“How about you? I bet you like meat.” He stuffed a chicken leg in Sokka’s mouth. Sokka tugged it out, coughing. He licked his lips.

“Is it just me, or is this guy’s crown a little crooked?” Katara asked.

“So tell me, young white-haired one,” the king said. “Where are you from?”

“I’m from…Kangaroo Island!” Anya said enthusiastically.

“Oh,” the king said, sitting. “Kangaroo Island, eh? I hear that place is really hopping!” Silence. Then Sokka began to laugh.