An Echo of Legends: An ATLA Mystery Story (on hiatus)

Chapter 6: Bumi

Bumi never woke up early unless it was absolutely necessary. Today, however, he was awoken by footsteps on the creaky old floorboards of the house on Ember Island. Bumi sat up and slipped on his sandals, before softly opening the door and peering out. Izumi's silhouette, framed by the rising sun, slowly faded into the distance as she walked out of the house and into the courtyard. Bumi quietly followed her a few steps behind. Something about Izumi's demeanor gave off the impression that she was trying not to be seen. 

From the courtyard, Izumi made a sharp right turn and headed uphill, towards the town. Bumi was about to follow when he heard someone calling his name.

"Bumi!" It was Ty Lee, walking up from the beach,"Do you want some breakfast?"

"I'm not hungry yet," Bumi said, "I'm going to go to the town."

"Alright, is Izumi awake yet?"

"I don't think so," he fibbed, before hurrying up the hill and across the grassy fields. The town in Ember Island was just starting to wake up, Shopkeepers were peddling their wares, and it wasn't hard for Bumi to find Izumi talking to a woman in a dark purple cloak. The two looked very similar. Bumi hid just out of sight, next to a fruit stand, and listened. 

"My parents say I'm just a late bloomer," Izumi was saying, "That my firebending will strengthen eventually."

"Well, don't believe everything my brother says," the woman said. Bumi stiffened. That was Zuko's sister? His parents hadn't told him much about her except that she fought for the Fire Nation during the hundred year war, "There are many things that could cause a firebending weakness. There could be a problem with your chi paths, or perhaps you haven't found the proper source."

"Really?" Izumi breathed, "So the problem isn't... me?"

"I highly doubt it. You're part of the royal family after all, which reminds me, you're going to be the Fire Lord someday, aren't you?" Even from a few feet away, Bumi saw Izumi frown.

"I guess so-"

"Move it!" A tourist pushed passed Bumi to get to the fruit. Azula's gaze spun towards him.

"We're being watched," she said coolly. Izumi stared at him.

"Bumi," she said, "What are you doing here?"

"Uh..." Bumi thought of an excuse, "this fruit stand sounds amazing!" He handed a fire nation coin to the merchant and grabbed a mango, "You know who that is, right?"

"She's my aunt. Azula, this is Bumi."

"Like the king?" Bumi's eyes widened. 

"Did you know him?"

"The King of Omashu?" Azula said with a flippant wave of her hand, "I may have imprisoned him once or twice. He was quite the character, and..." her eyes narrowed, "you're the Avatar's son."

"Right," Bumi sighed, "the Avatar's son."

"Bumi," Izumi said, "You can't tell Ty Lee, she'll freak out, and Azula knows a way to help me!"    

"I- what do you mean?"

"The fire sages at Bhanti island," Azula said, "They can help Izumi."

"And why do you want to help her?" Bumi interrogated. He may have been a little reckless, but he wasn't stupid. 

"Family bonding isn't enough for you?" Azula said with an expression of mock disappointment. She turned to Izumi, "I want a full pardon as soon as you become fire lord."

"But that's going to be decades from now!" Izumi sputtered, "Unless my dad abdicates the throne."

"I have no idea how fire nation politics work," Bumi added, "But can you just pardon someone for war crimes?!"

"I'm willing to wait," Azula said, "Those are my terms."

"Izumi-"

"Quiet!" she snapped, before looking at her aunt, "I agree." Azula's lips curled into a smile.

"Wonderful," she said. 

"Wait," Bumi interrupted, "I'm coming with you."

"Bumi-" Izumi started.

"I will tell Ty Lee if you don't let me." Her gaze hardened.

"Fine," she sighed, "Do whatever you want."

"Are you a bender?" Azula asked with narrowed eyes.

"No..."

"So you're useless," she said flippantly, "Buy food for the trip and meet me at the docks at sundown. We leave tonight." 

~~~

"I still don't understand why you want to come," Izumi said as the walked down the shoreline, a basket of papayas in Bumi's arms. 

"Well, if I tell Ty Lee,  she'll probably hide us away in some super secret bunker somewhere, because apparently nowhere is safe for us."

"But you could've just covered for me instead." Bumi stopped walking abruptly.

"I guess... I hear about all the amazing adventures that my parents, and your parents went on, and I just feel," he sighed, "This probably sounds really stupid, but I feel like I should be carrying on their legacy, I should be proving myself to them."

"I don't think that's stupid at all," Izumi said, "I understand wanting to prove myself, but... look, it's almost sundown. It's not too late to back out if you want." Bumi shook his head determinedly. 

"My mind's made up." Izumi shrugged, and they began walking towards the docks. But they didn't see Azula with a boat, as Bumi had expected, but a flying bison. Oogie.

"We're stealing Tenzin's bison?!" Bumi said incredulously, "I'm all for playing pranks on my brother, but this is going a little bit too far."

"It's the fastest way we'll get to the island," Azula said, "So no complaining. Did you get food?" Bumi held up the basket of papayas. Azula climbed onto Oogie's saddle, and Bumi was about to follow suit when he saw a figure running towards him. Ty Lee. Behind her were 3 firebenders who looked like security guards."

"Azula!" she shouted, "Step away from the bison!"

"Get on," Azula said to Bumi. He hesitated. Azula glared at him. Then she picked him up and threw him onto Oogie.

"What's going on?!" Izumi said frantically.

"I don't know-" A blast of fire from one of the guards shot towards Azula as Ty Lee raced towards her. Bumi could just barely see Azula smirk as the beach was suddenly divided into blue and orange light. Because Azula had just deflected the fire. Her firebending was blue, just a shade off of the blue of the explosion. And Bumi and Izumi stared at the fire in awe and horror, realizing that they had made a terrible mistake. 

~~~

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