The Mother Of Fire(AANGXOC)

Omashu

"Aaahh! Aahhh! They won't let go! Help! Aaaak!"

Aang pounces on Sokka, pinning him to the nearby wall, then releasing him. Sokka now sits on a crate, a sour and resigned look on his face.

"Stop making so much noise. It's just a purple pentapus."

Aang grips the nearest pentapus. He rubs its head with his finger. It raises its tentacles from Sokka's cheek and pops off his face without further fuss. The other pentapus squeaks a bit and releases Sokka's right check with another little popping sound. The suckers on the tentacles have left little round red dots all over Sokka's cheeks. Sokka rubs his cheek for a second and Aang's removes a third pentapus from behind Sokka's neck before they are interrupted.

"Hey!"

A patrol of Fire Nation guards enter the street, Aang for a moment, who disappears and reappears a second later with a red, flat top hat on to hide his airbender tattoo.

"What are you kids doing out past curfew?" One of the patrols ask

"Sorry. We were just on our way home." Katzumi explains and they turn and walk away The guard notices the red welts on the back of Sokka's neck.

"Wait! What's the matter with him?" The guards asks

The kids stop and turn around. Katara puts her hands on her brother's shoulders.

"Uh...he has pentapox, sir."

The guard walks up to Sokka, and moves to touch him.

" Um...it's highly contagious!" She yells

The guard hesitates, then pulls his hand back. Sokka realizes the ploy and begins to act ill. He raises his hands in front of him in a zombie-like fashion and begins to moan.

"Uuuuuu....It's so awful...I'm dyiiiing..."

"..and deadly..." Katzumi adds in to play in the role

Sokka continues to moan and lurch forward, the guards begin to lurch backward to avoid contact.

"Wait, I think I've heard of pentapox. Didn't your cousin Chang die of it?" One of the other guards ask. Stepping a few steps back

Sokka advances, coughing and spitting up gunk at them

"We'd better go wash our hands...and burn our clothes!"

Guards Make a run for it leaving the kids alone. Sokka stops his act and straighten up.

"Let's find Bumi and get out of here." Katara purposes. The group nodes

"Where would they be keeping him?" Katzumi asks

"Somewhere he can't earthbend. Somewhere made of metal."

☁

"There really is no fathoming the depths of my hatred for this place."

Mai walks next to an older woman carrying a baby. They are being escorted by Fire Nation guards down a tunnel or passage.

" Mai, your father was appointed governor. We're like royalty here. Be happy, and enjoy it." her mother pleads

As Mai's party exits the fortress passage and emerges out into the open. It is still night and the torches of Mai's party can clearly be seen below. In the background is the beginning of one of Omashu famous chutes which ends near where the party is walking below. An Earth Kingdom resistance fighter who looks down at the torches, then back to someone next to them. In front of him are some rocks or other objects ready to be dropped down the chute.