"-isn't a feasible option! Not after this! The Avatar may have convinced us once, but some of us died here! The Fire Nation will hunt us, force us to scatter if we back off now!", the General whispers heatedly at his King.
...
King Bumi looks, for all anyone could tell, as though he is in a serene environment, with lots of trees and gently rustling leaves accompanied by the occasional trill of a bird. "Hmm", is all he says in answer to the enraged man's rant. I don't remember him being so dismissive.
Of course, he overruled any attempts at fighting the Fire Nation when they invaded; he proceeded to put his own, shall we say spiritual development, above the task of teaching the Avatar earthbending (and here I disregard my own scepticism as to whether Aang should have to be the one to resolve this conflict at all); he took the city back all on his own without any need to coordinate forces.
All in all, he appears to have the mentality of someone with power, who has never not had power, and doesn't seem to understand the dangers that come with dismissing angry individuals.
Not ideal. The fact that Bumi doesn't think he'll be taken elsewhere and everyone will wait for his moment is worrying. I've taken canon as a set of rules once too often and lost two friends for it. I figure I can at least get Bumi to come with his people and use his moment when they come back. Or something.
"'Scuse me, Sire, General", I butt in casually – or not so casually, taking the staring all around into account.
"You've free passage out of the canyons for the return of the governor's son. You've also got the prison warden of the Boiling Rock tied to a boulder back there. I suggest you do something with him that involves gathering information.
The palace itself appears to be very loosely guarded, they're more concerned with the front entrance and searching for any other entry-points into the city that you might've left behind upon your exit. I imagine they'll start blasting their way into your tunnel-system soon enough. It appears, if you want to have any chance at all at retaking Omashu, it has to be before they destroy your biggest advantage."
I say all this in a low voice that doesn't carry, but some of the ones standing closer with good hearing will be spreading my words like wildfires. Bumi finally looks more like he's mentally present.
"It appears we no longer have time to wait for the perfect moment to strike", he croaks and turns towards the openly staring men all around, "Who knows the ancient tunnels that connect the hot springs to the city?"
Silence. Only the cracking of twigs in the fires and occasional whispers can be heard.
"Those have always been a royal secret, your highness", the general supplies, trying not to let his irritation bleed into his tone.
"Ohahhaha!", Bumi finds this exceptionally funny and adds a few snorts for emphasis. "Well then, we'll have to rely on me to lead the way."
It isn't reassuring that my first thought upon hearing that is to make Sokka draw another map, like he did earlier in the Lover's Cave. I should hope King Bumi wouldn't screw his people over by leading them to dubious temporary safety. But, I can't forget, when it came to a direct confrontation with his friend on the line, Bumi fought.
Looking at him more closely, I can't detect any malice, or stubbornness, but you never know with mad people. Taking that into account, I don't think I'll be of much more help here and head over to Aang for a quick chat.
He looks like someone who has looked into the abyss and is seriously contemplating the consequences of a jump. That makes me reluctantly glad for his misplaced feelings of responsibility towards the world and his gigantic crush on Katara to keep him from seeking out the spirit world in a permanent sense.
The girl in question sits opposite him, her brother's arm around her shoulders. Her face is hidden by her hair. Sokka himself is staring at me like I'm a particularly tricky math problem and even if he felt he could solve it, he's not sure he wants the reward for that. In the end, none of them do. What I have to offer is far worse than ignorance.
I settle down next to Aang, closer than I usually would. His eyes flicker up from the fire, to the huddled figures of the siblings opposite us, to me, then back to the flames. He looks pained and vulnerable. I don't think he feels entitled to any comfort I might offer with some prompting.
And usually, I would need lots of that before I did anything remotely nice for everyone to see. But the siblings across the fire don't know how to include Aang into their embrace, much less talk to him any more than I do, which obviously leaves me to do the job. Although Aang is not a job or even a chore. Never that.
Carefully, I lay an arm across his shoulders and draw him close. He slumps and buries his face in the crook of his arms that he gathers around his drawn-up knees. The baby coos gently and lightly smacks the back of his neck. Comfortingly sticky, I'm sure.
We sit like that for as long as it takes for Aang to finally turn his head and look at me from the corner of his eyes. "She asked me what I was doing for a hundred years", Aang's whisper is muffled by the fabric of his tunic, "Said that no-one needs an Avatar who can't save the people who need him and that's when Katara-"
He squeezes his eyes shut and I squeeze his shoulder in response, "You are far from useless, Aang. But it shouldn't be your responsibility to save anyone in the first place."
He stiffens, "What-"
"Just remember that you're allowed to make mistakes."
"But Katara-"
"Is fine. We all got away."
"I guess."
"You know."
He makes a face, "Fine."
"Aang", I say more softly, "You're not alone."
He looks up and oh Spirits, his face… so heartbroken.
I tuck his face into the crook of my neck and let him cling as I carefully set down the baby. I'll trust Sokka not to let him near the flames.
I wish I hadn't agreed with him to come to Omashu for Bumi now. This was a mess all around, no clean surface left. There is some cleaning up to do, but Aang is far more important at the moment. What he needs is some rest and constant reassurance that he is good, he is not at fault and that some people are just arseholes. He will get none of those things here. Maybe it's time for them to move on.
I meet Sokka's eyes over the campfire and what he sees makes his shoulders drop. They are all so tense, too young for this by far.
There will be protests, of course. But it's time they got a bit of a break and gained a new friend. It will be odd, no longer looking after them. Some time without a relative adult might do them some good, too.
"Where is Appa – and Momo?"
"Somewhere behind those boulders. Aang managed to get him to sleep. He's pretty worn out", Sokka answers and he sounds so tired himself, I'm amazed he didn't take a nap on one of Appa's soft and fluffy appendages.
"That's good. He'll need to be well-rested to take you out of the canyons", I know, a more delicate phrasing could do wonders for their cooperation, but I'm rather tired myself and diplomacy I have had enough of for the month.
"What do you mean? I thought we were going to retake Omashu."
"We are", I nod, and soothe a hand down Aang's stiffening back, "You three, on the other hand, are moving on South to find Aang an earthbending teacher."
"But – what – no!", Aang busts out, leaning backwards to protest more effectively. He looks hurt.
I stop the grimace from appearing on my face. "Bumi won't have the time. And his quest after that third Jin of his still stands."
Before Aang has a chance to address that, Katara speaks, "What about you?", she asks the question softly, like she's afraid of the answer. And she isn't wrong to be. They will be more vulnerable without me as part of their troupe. She will also be more or less the only one caring for provisions for a while. But she grows with responsibility. They all do.
"I will help liberate the city. Retaking Omashu could buy both Ba Sing Se, as well as all other surrounding towns and villages some more time to build up fortifications or get to relative safety of the city walls. I'm needed here just a bit longer."
"But… we need you, too", Aang says and his age is really working against me here. The fondness I've developed for him doesn't help either. I grimace before smiling painfully.
"No, not anymore. You know how to handle yourselves now. Staying with you as I am now won't help anyone. And-", I make sure to have my face cast in shadows as I continue, "There is someone I need to find in Ba Sing Se."
"Then we'll go with you", Aang says determinedly.
...
Don't forget to throw some power stones :)
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