63 Chapter 61 & 62

In the following days, the four of us plus 2 earthbending escorts traveled to Omashu. The first few days were spent flying on Appa and the last day of the trip was spent following the guides. They showed us a path through the mountain range that led to Omashu. Normally travelers follow a long land path. Occasionally travelers will go through the Cave of Two Lovers, but most people avoid that because of all the people who never come out. If you have an earth bender traveling with you the traveling options open up much more. With our escorts help, we were able to avoid any fire nation interference and quickly found ourselves in front of the city of Omashu.

"Oh no," Sokka was the first one to see the city. He had seen how the once-proud earth kingdom city is now being controlled by the fire nation. The stone walls now decorated by fire nation banners, and even from outside the city the beginnings industrial factories can be seen.

"I can't believe it. I know the war has spread far, but Omashu always seemed...untouchable. After what happened at the north pole, I thought for sure that it would be safe here. " Aang says mournfully

"Ba Sing Se is one of the last great Earth Kingdom cities. We have to figure out what happened here and let General Fong know" I think Hann says. I'll be honest I didn't bother to learn which guard is which.

"Then we'll need to get inside, I'm not sure how though"

"This is horrible, but we need to move on. Finding Aang an earthbending master is a priority. If Hann and Laulan want to stay to investigate they can find out what happened without starting any trouble." Katara and Sokka argued.

"No, I'm going to find Bumi!"

"Aang! I agree we should go in there, but we don't even know if Bumi is..."

"What!? If he's still what?!"

"Bumi is alive Sokka" I interject. There's no reason to string Aang along like that.

"I'm as hopeful about him as anybody, but why are you so certain?" Katara asked me.

"Katara, Sokka you see King Bumi as a wacky old man and Aang you see him as your old friend. Nobody is seeing him for the one in a billion bender, strategist, and king that he is. He is older than the 100-year war and for the entirety of the war, he has held the title of world's strongest earth bender. In his prime, he would be a match for a fully trained avatar. During the war, he rose from no-name street rat to King and has held that title during decades of war. He has survived so many assassination attempts assassins don't accept bounties for him anymore."

"Everybody gets old" Sokka countered

"What does the city look like?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this city was supposedly invaded and taken over do you notice any damage?"

"No actually. Your right the city is almost entirely intact." Sokka said confused.

"Which means the city surrendered, or more appropriately King Bumi surrendered."

"What, but that doesn't make any sense."

"Not to you it doesn't, but to Bumi, he saved a lot of civilian lives and now a small garrison of fire nation soldiers have to hold his city from an attack that can come at any time. Or maybe he had something else in mind he is still crazy."

"Arguing isn't solving anything. Since we're staying to investigate we need to find a way in" Katara points out.

"I know a way in!" Aang shouts

I knew it was coming and I still hate it. Aang brought us to the side of the city where a sewage grate was. The grate would open up to the sewage tunnels which would lead us into the city. Ughh going through the tunnel is definitely a low point in my life. The only saving grace was my water bending keeping me dry. Sokka, Hann, and Laulan were not so lucky having been drenched in waste. Just thinking about it made me gag a bit. I had forgotten to tell the soldiers to change out of uniform, but now I don't think it will matter given how stained the uniforms are. The six of us eventually made our way to the end of the tunnel, up, and out through a manhole cover.

"Well that wasn't so bad" geez Katara is ever the optimist

"Speak for yourself"One of the guards spoke back. I'm not a fan of these guards being so sassy.

" Ahhhhh what are these!" Sokka screams after seeing the pentapus on him. He tries to grab and pull them off "Aang they're not coming off!"

"Stop making so much noise. It's just a purple pentapus." Aang tells him before walking over and tickling the five-legged octopus off. The guards are watching this happen and snickering to themselves. This prompts me to notice that both guards are covered with them as well.

"You know both you guys have them too right?"

Apparently, they didn't, based on the expletive they started mumbling. Just as the guards were finished removing their attached parasites and we were going to discuss what to do next we heard something.

"HEY, YOU THERE! What are y'all doing out after curfew?!"

Whoops. I knew it was coming and still got caught. I pull Aang and myself and push the Hann, Laulan, and Sokka forward as Katara talks to the guards.

"Sorry, sir we were just on our way home," Katara tells the guards as we try to subtlety start walking away.

"Stop! What's the matter with them?" One of the fire nation guards asks while pointing at Sokka, Hann, and Laulan. All three of them are covered in five-pointed crosses made up of small red dots.

"Uh... They have Pentapox."

"Pentapox?" The guard asks walking up to the trio to investigate further.

"I wouldn't do that sir. It's highly contagious. Just this morning only one of them had it."

I notice Sokka elbow Hann and Laulan before hamming up his 'disease.'

"Ughhhhhhhh"

"It's so awful I'm dying"

"Please help me. The pain the pain."

"It's also deadly"

The guard recoils his hand and backs up away from them.

"Wait, I think I've heard of pentapox.  Didn't your cousin Chang die of it?" One of the fire nation guards who hadn't approached asks.

The trio of 'sick' people then shamble forward toward the guards

"We had better go wash our hands and burn our clothes. The five of you hurry up and go home and stay there" A guard says before the group of them quickly leaves.

Aang reaches down, picks up, and pets a purple pentapus. "Thank you, sewer friend."

"Come on let's find Bumi and get out of here"

"But we don't even know where he'll be."

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

"Probably near the top of the tower or in the scaffolding." Sokka, Katara, Aang, and I say all combing our thoughts.

"The four of you should find the king and continue on your way. Hann and I need to stay here. We'll reach out to any troops or resistance still here. The city has fallen it's more important for you guys to continue on with your journey." Huh? I guess that one is Laulan. I had it reversed.

"Good luck stay safe" We all exchange before going our separate ways.

The four of us move through the city as quickly as we can while remaining hidden. The city streets are deserted besides the occasional patrol. Although the guards had mentioned curfew, so I guess it might not be that bad during the day. Without the earthbenders running the mail shutes, it is much harder to get around. We make our way toward the center and top of the city eventually making it to the steel scaffolding outlining where new buildings will be. I'm not much help once we've made it here. Not exactly known for my observation skills at the moment.

"Hey what's that up there hanging by a chain?" Sokka points out. Aang sees where he's pointing and immediately flies up there on his glider.

"It's him can you guys see if you can lower this chain?" Its easier said than done. The scaffolding has a lot of chains connected to pully systems. It is a construction site after all. We can't just lower every chain else we start dropping steel beams everywhere. We do eventually find a way to lower Bumi. We lower him then return to Aang and him. As we return Aang has already finished talking to Bumi and approaches us.

"It's time to go, guys," He says sullenly

"What about Bumi?"

"That's it?" Katara and Sokka ask.

"Bumi is staying here. This is what he wants and we need to keep moving."

Our return walk through and out of the city is done in almost complete silence. The uncomfortable silence holds well after we leave the city. Aang left depressed and the rest of us left with a bitter taste in our mouth. The feelings we picked up in Omashu lingered with us as we rode away on Appa to places unknown.