When the aircraft landed in the area of Omashu designated for this type of vehicle, which is likely to become more popular in the future, a group of people dressed in green robes with gold trim bearing the emblem of the Earth Kingdom was waiting for them.
One could tell what kind of people they were from the subtle details in how they were grouped, equipped, and adorned: those who were more elaborately dressed and appeared more polished seemed to be nobles, many with haughty expressions on their faces.
Another group, wearing protective clothing and metal pieces serving as makeshift armor and carrying sheathed or unsheathed weapons, was clearly part of the Omashu army. A peculiar figure stood out among them.
A tall, robust, middle-aged man with a long black beard stood watching as the airship descended, accompanied by an extremely rare flying bison. Though his face was serious, there was a hint of peace in his eyes.
'At least the war is on hold, and my men haven't suffered in years. But those noble bastards...' The man glanced sideways at the group of nobles, focusing on a certain elderly figure among them. He soon turned his gaze forward, where two key figures stood.
One was a young man with black hair tied back in a ponytail. His tanned skin outlined his muscles, but he wasn't as burly as the old man beside him. An elderly man stood tall with his back perfectly straight, towering over everyone present. With a golden crown adorning his graying hair and green robes that barely contained his muscular frame, he looked down on everyone.
Just looking at him, you could feel immense pressure, as if a mountain were crashing down to crush you completely. Everyone present, whether out of respect for his appearance or from the depths of their hearts, looked upon this man with reverence, all because of who he was.
The King of Omashu is Bumi. Despite being over a hundred years old, he looked just as strong and virile as he had fifty years ago, a testament to his excellent health. He usually wore a serious expression, but when he saw Appa, a broad smile spread across his face.
'Ah! Appa is so big! I want to ride him!' Bumi thought wildly to himself, maintaining his serious, regal façade on the outside. Though he was known for his eccentricities, he knew when to remain serious at key moments like this.
"Grandfather, is that the legendary flying bison you told me about?" asked the young man standing beside the king. The king nodded before looking at him, pride evident in his eyes.
"Of course I did, Yun! Even though I was much younger back then, I managed to climb aboard and fly through the skies. That experience led me to research and invest heavily in aircraft to recreate the thrill I remember," the king replied, smiling broadly. He broke his previous facade, but the young man didn't find it strange. In fact, he was grateful for it since he preferred his grandfather to be more lively.
"Do you think I can get on it? It looks really cool!" Yun asked. Bumi narrowed his eyes as he looked at Yun, but soon shook his head. The king noticed that his grandson was still as innocent and pleasant as ever, untainted by the nobles of Omashu.
Bumi couldn't help but think of his son, which made him sigh. How could he have failed to notice the state of mind of his own flesh and blood? But he didn't deserve the throne! His son had only inherited his talent for earthbending, not his political acumen or the aptitude a king should possess.
As for Yun, whom he trusted and cherished deeply, he barely measured up in his eyes. To Bumi, the next king of Omashu must be neither overly cheerful nor petty. He must be flexible yet firm when necessary.
His son? He could see that he would destroy Omashu once he came to power. He socialized too much with the nobles, which was problematic in and of itself, especially since he allowed them to influence him.
His vices weren't initially a big deal; after all, what person in power didn't have their quirks? Bumi loved sweets! A significant portion of Omashu's GDP was likely spent on them, given that the city was a major global exporter of sugar and related products. In a way, this benefited the kingdom.
However, his son seemed to be drowning in alcohol, women, and addictive herbs, which Bumi disapproved of. With his spiteful, petty, and easily influenced personality, not to mention his tendency to lose control, what would happen to Omashu under his rule?
Bumi could imagine it, and for that reason alone, he clung to power, something he deep down detested, since he preferred having fun to doing serious stuff. However, he knew it had been his responsibility since childhood, so he did his best.
As a child, he could have escaped, run away, and left Omashu behind, hiding in a remote place or a rural village. Perhaps he would have become a farmer, gotten married, and had many children while living in peace.
He could have owned a circus or been a traveling performer, bringing joy in times of war and making children and adults laugh. But no, he stayed. He rose to power, fought to free himself from the nobles' control, and improved Omashu.
Perhaps that was the difference between him and Aang when they were children. The monk was willing to run away, shirk his responsibilities, and avoid bearing the burden, but Bumi was not. But as he watched Appa softly roar while approaching a pool of water prepared for him to drink from, Bumi gently shook his head.
'In the end, you had to take on your responsibilities, Aang. It was late, but you did it. I hope that century-long rest has given you the strength you need, because you will soon feel the weight of those responsibilities, just as I have.' The king thought this as he watched the aircraft's hatch open and Fire Nation soldiers emerge.
The sight of the classic red, black, and gold uniforms and helmets designed to strike fear made some of those present tremble. After all, the war was merely on hold. Although the conflict had moved away from Omashu, decades of constant war had left an indelible mark on the city, on its walls, and in the minds and bodies of its veterans.
The soldiers did not attack, nor did they make a move to draw their weapons or assume Earthbending stances. This perfectly demonstrated their discipline and obedience.
Soon, several figures emerged from the aircraft, some familiar and some not. Inevitably, eyes turned to the Fire Nation royal family. Some stared at Shisui a little longer than usual before shifting their gaze to the figure who mattered most to everyone:
The Avatar: The last known living human Airbender. Meanwhile, even though the Flying Bison was an Airbender too, he held no value for many of them.
The monks' classic shaved heads and blue arrows on their limbs, symbols of their mastery of the air element, indicated their identity. However, some of the nobles present grimaced when they saw that this Avatar had a partner.
They saw him arm-in-arm with a woman whose clothing indicated her affiliation with one of the Water Tribes located at the poles. They didn't think she would be from the Third Tribe since that tribe had a distinct style of dress.
For these nobles, this meant that they had arrived too late, as another group of nobles had beaten them to it. Connecting with the Avatar in any way possible was something they sought. What better way to do so than to make the most powerful being part of your family?
Many came with their most beautiful daughters, hoping the Avatar might take an interest in them. Though disappointed, they thought of something else: wouldn't the Avatar want to revive his culture? For that, he would need other airbenders. But he was the only one, so the solution was clear.
He needed to have many descendants! As many as possible! Even if the Avatar were a normal person or an extremely spiritual Airbender, he would undoubtedly want to revive his culture. As a man, the Avatar should seek out many women to reproduce.
These people got excited. Perhaps they couldn't be close relatives of the Avatar, but if one of his daughters gave birth to several children, and even one of them was an Airbender, they would have a political tool.
But before they could approach the Avatar, Bumi moved. He walked slowly toward the group that had finally disembarked from the airship. Everyone looked at him as the king took action.
Aang looked at the old man approaching him, feeling conflicted, but when he saw the wild smile he remembered from his memories, he felt much calmer. Bumi hadn't changed!
"Aang, you're finally here," said Bumi, raising his arms as if to embrace his childhood friend. Instead, his right hand clenched into a fist, and he delivered a powerful punch to the Avatar's face.
Aang didn't see that coming! He was knocked backward, but his Earthbending training wasn't in vain; he only moved back a few centimeters, leaving two deep marks in the ground.
People were alarmed, but two people on both the Fire Nation and Omashu sides made a gesture that stopped the soldiers from acting on impulse since they knew nothing serious had happened.
"Bastard! One hundred years! I've been without friends for 100 years!" Bumi wasn't lying when he shouted those words at the Avatar because, although he had joined a group, its members were merely companions with shared ideals, not friends.
The only friend he had was the boy he met when the Air Nomads visited Omashu for a season. Because of his privileged status, he was approached by few people, and this boy was one of the few who approached him for reasons unrelated to his being a prince.
"But I'm here now, aren't I? Even if I'm late, I'm here." Aang didn't flinch at the blow but replied seriously, causing Bumi to hesitate for a moment before bursting into laughter.
With an agility one wouldn't associate with such a burly, elderly earthbender, the old king approached Aang and wrapped his arm around the airbender's neck. Aang was much shorter than him, so if you squinted, you'd think he was a grandfather being affectionate with his grandson.
"HAHAHAHA! My friend Aang is back!" Bumi shouted. He made no mention of the Avatar, a sign that he valued his friendship with Aang more than his transcendent identity as the strongest being in the Earth Kingdom.
The nobles felt uncomfortable because they understood the message, but, as always, there were stubborn people among them, such as an old man desperate to claim the throne.
"Aang, introduce me to your friend because it seems you haven't wasted any time since you woke up," whispered Bumi to Aang, using a suggestive tone after glancing at Katara. This caused the Avatar to blush a little.
"Bumi, this is Katara, the daughter of Chief Hakoda. She could be considered a princess of the Southern Water Tribe." Though embarrassed, Aang took the matter seriously and revealed Katara's identity. The king narrowed his eyes for a moment in response.
"Oh? I didn't think you liked brunettes! But you have good taste, my bald friend. Come on, tell me how you met." Bumi clearly wanted to hear the gossip. After all, even a king was fascinated by it.
Just a few meters away, Zuko watched the scene with a hint of confusion. He understood the joy of seeing a familiar face again, but as king, shouldn't Bumi take a moment to receive the delegation from another country?
The gossip could wait! You should practice some basic diplomacy first! But Zuko didn't complain. He simply shook his head before looking at the group of Omashu representatives gathered in the distance. He didn't walk over to greet them, even when he spotted the prince among the nobles.
To Zuko, only King Bumi deserved respect, well, maybe Yun, but he wasn't as brazen as the King of Omashu to greet someone casually. Perhaps Zuko should learn a thing or two from this foreign ruler.