"Detain the assailants," Long Feng ordered haughtily.
Part of me wanted to start spitting fire, but like... Jin was already in a terrible mood, and I wasn't sure if I'd be burned or frozen if she got the opportunity.
"But we dropped our weapons," Sokka was confused. Not sure why, though. "We're your allies..."
"Dude, you don't break someone's stuff then get mad when they don't want to be your friend," I said.
Jin was right. This... was not the brightest of ideas.
"Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see daylight again," Long Feng ordered.
I winced, ready for the inevitable kick and angry rant Jin promised me. It didn't come, though, when the Earth King stepped forward looking mighty confused.
"The Avatar?" he said, before pointing right at me, seeing as how I had been the one to speak just before Long Feng spoke. "You're the Avatar?"
"Dude, I wish," I laughed, jutting my chin at Aang. "Shorty over there is the Avatar."
"Over here!" Aang said, waving his hands up and then allowing them to be bound behind him again.
"Now, if ever there was a sign of respect," Muteki chuckled. "It would be the fact that Aang has had every chance to get out, and he hasn't."
"Does it really matter, Your Highness?" Long Feng said smoothly. "They're enemies of the state."
"Perhaps you're right..." the Earth King said uncertainly, before slowly returning to his throne, then looking back at us as his bear walked right up to Aang, sniffed him, then licked his face.
Of course, Aang thought it was hilarious.
"Though Bosco seems to like him," the Earth King said, a small smile on his face.
I'm gonna call him Simon. Just... I might not do that to his face. Simon became serious again. "I'll hear what he has to say."
"Well, sir, there is a war going on right now," Aang said, approaching the throne. "For the past 100 years, in fact. The Dai Li's kept it secret from you. It's a conspiracy to control the city and to control you."
"A secret war?" Simon said, clearly dismayed. "That's crazy."
"It does sound pretty crazy if you include the fact that he and his predecessor would have had to know nothing about this," I commented to the group.
Jin nodded in agreement next to me.
"Long Feng didn't want us to tell you, so he stole our Sky Bison to blackmail us," Aang said, throwing an accusing glance at Long Feng. "And blackmail is the least of his crimes. He brainwashed our friend!"
"All lies. I've never even seen a Sky Bison, Your Majesty," Long Feng said before looking aside. Classic liar maneuver. Amaya did it every time she tried to lie. "Frankly, I thought they were extinct."
"Your claim is difficult to believe, even from an Avatar," Simon said, sitting back with a sceptical expression.
Long Feng leaned forward and whispered something to Simon before he seemed to give in and sigh again.
"I have to listen to my advisor," he said, resigned.
"I might recommend a change in staff," I commented as the Dai Li started to guide us away.
"Wait!" Sokka cried, breaking away from the Dai Li briefly. "I can prove he's lying. Long Feng said he's never seen a Sky Bison. Ask him to lift his robe."
"What!?" Long Feng said, appalled. "I am not disrobing!"
"No one is asking you to," Jin said, pulling a face. "Trust me; we just want you to show the king your left leg."
Simon looked like he was thinking it over, glancing at the leg Jin mentioned. Aang took a deep breath, then blew a gust of air that threw up the minister's robes and revealed a tooth mark bruise on his left leg.
"How'd you remember it was the left leg?" I questioned Jin, loud enough for the others to hear.
"I remember details like that," she sniffed. "Amaya, on the other hand..."
"Only remembers obscure things," I laughed.
"Anyway," Aang said, drawing us back on track. "Appa bit him right there!"
"Never met a Sky Bison, huh?" Sokka said smugly.
"That happens to be a large birthmark," Long Feng said, feigning embarrassment. "Thanks for showing everyone."
"Well, I suppose there's no way to prove where those marks came from," Simon said.
But he's doubting. Doubt was our friend in this situation.
"Well, we could have Appa bite his other leg," I suggested.
Jin threw me a look that very clearly said, "shut up."
"Better yet, he could bite you!" she said with fake enthusiasm.
"Ouch," I said. "You know, that hurt. Cuts deep, you know."
She rolled her eyes at me.
Appa was brought in, and his mouth held open to reveal his teeth. Aang pointed out the teeth, then the matching bruise.
"Yup, that pretty much proves it," Simon said, sounding pretty convinced.
"Yeah!" we all cheered.
Except Muteki and Jin, who were apparently too mature for this, instead just grinned at each other.
"But it doesn't prove this crazy conspiracy theory," Simon continued.
"Aww..."
"Though, I suppose this matter is worth looking into," he finished.
Uncertain looks passed between us as we muttered amongst ourselves about how it would have to do.
"Now that that is settled," Jin said. "Let's try and be a little more civilized. No more smashing up people's homes, ok guys?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Muteki and I said cheerfully as we filed out behind Aang, the Earth King following.
I swear to you right now; he turned pink when Jin threw him a smile and an apology before continuing.
Do the girls in our group have a thing for royalty?