𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋 ᵃᵗˡᵃ

Chapter Four: Let's Create a Deadly Disease!

   Aang stared sadly at the once great city. "I just can't believe it ... I never thought Omashu would be taken by the Fire Nation."

Sokka crossed his arms. "I guess only Ba Sing Se stands free." I swatted his arm and gave him a "You're only making him feel worse" look before sitting down at the cliff's edge.

Katara stood beside Aang. "I know this is bad, but we need to keep moving."

He shrugged her off. "No. I need to find Bumi." I sighed and stood up.

"Aang, I know you have your heart set on seeing him again, but this isn't going to end well."

Sokka nodded, "Plus, he might not even be, well ..." Aang whipped around.

"What? He might not what?" I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, dude. He's alive, just captured." Then I blinked, realizing my slip up.

My three friends stared at me. "How are you so sure?" Katara asked.

I sat down. "You guys might want to sit, too. This might blow your minds." Once everyone was seated, I began, "Look, in my world, we have this thing called TV. It's where you have this box that plays a show. Kind of like watching a play, but from a screen, far away from the actual play. Anyways, this world, well ..." I looked at my hands. "This world isn't real."

Aang frowned, "Of course we're real. I mean, if I weren't real, could I do this?" He smacked Sokka's arm, causing me to laugh.

"Well, now I know you're real, but for most of my sixteen years, I thought you guys were just animated characters created for children's amusement. That's how I know how things are, or what's gonna happen." They nodded, but I could tell that they still didn't understand.

Sokka raised his hand, like a student asking their teacher a question. "If you know what's going to happen, why didn't you warn us about the cave in?" I rubbed my temples.

"See, that's the thing; it's like I can't remember things about the show until they happen. That, and random little memories. Like, I should know how we plan on getting into Omashu-"

Katara interrupted, "We never said that we were."

"-but I just don't remember. And when it happens, I'll mentally face-palm because then it seems so obvious." I glanced at my ring. "It's almost as if whoever brought me here doesn't want me to know. Maybe so I won't totally mess up the plot and send the show into chaos."

Sokka frowned, "Plot?"

"Don't worry about it. Okay, so, Aang wants to go to Omashu, but Katara doesn't." She nodded and turned to Aang.

"We can find another earthbending teacher-"

"This isn't about earthbending," Aang said. "This is about helping my friend."

I rubbed my hands together. "Omashu, here we come!"

Aang popped open the sewer grate. "That is how we're getting in?" Sokka scrunched up his face in disgust. 

I raised an eyebrow. "You have a better plan?" Although I didn't much like the prospect of jumping into a sewer either.

"I'm sure I could think of something," he muttered. "Hey, wait a minute. How can we be sure you won't have another panic attack?" Katara and Aang gave to strange looks.

I narrowed my eyes. "Sewers are actually pretty big. It'll be like walking down a hallway. The tunnels were very narrow, making them feel smaller than they actually were. Also, I won't feel trapped in there, because sewers have exits at regular intervals." They gaped at me. "What? Haven't you guys ever explored the sewers with your friends?"