Balance | Old Version

Chapter 12

Elua's POV.

"This sounded like fun at first, but now that I'm here, I'm starting to have second thoughts!" Katara says as the mail bin starts to slide down. As we slide down the chute a bin full of spears starts to gain on us. Sokka and I duck to avoid getting killed. Sokka, Katara and I shout in fear.
"I'm on it! I'm on it!" Aang shouts over the wind. Aang starts rocking the bin back and forth in the chute, he soon derails us out of the chute and our bin freefalls onto a rooftop below.

We land in front of several soldiers training, Aang and I Airbend us up into the air. We land back on the chute.
"Aang, do something! Use your airbending!" Katara shouts.
"Yeah! Good idea! That'll make us go even faster!" Aang says as he uses his bending and we start to go faster.
"That's not what she meant!" I shout as I wrap my arms around Sokka and hold on for dear life.
We fall off the chute and into someone's house, they look at us shocked.

"Sorry!" Aang says as we fly out of their window. We fall out into a market place and land onto a cart full of cabbages.
"My cabbages!" The merchant shouts as he puts his hands on his head in shock. "You're gonna pay for this!" He shouts at us as if we had harmed his child. We are soon surrounded by soldiers.
"Uh, two cabbages, please," Aang says sheepishly.
"That was a bad idea," I state as the soldiers force us to our feet and begin to drag us somewhere.

A Little Later.

We stand in a green throne room in front of the King, who looks down at us with a frown.
"Your majesty, these juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses and malicious destruction of cabbages." The guard informs the King.
"Off with their heads! One for each head of cabbage!" The merchant shouts angrily.
"Silence! Only the King can pass down judgment. What is your judgment, Sire?" The guard asks.

"Throw them..." The King begins to say, we all hold our breath. "...a feast!" The King says laughing, we look at him shocked and confused.
"What?" We all ask in confusion as we are lead into a room with a big table, we sit down.
"Hehe! The people in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts, so I hope you like your chicken with no skin." The King says handing Aang a piece of meat.

"Thanks, but I don't eat meat," Aang says looking at the meat in disgust.
"How about you? I bet you like meat." He says as he sticks the drumstick in Sokka's mouth.
"Mmm!" Sokka says chewing, I look at him revolted. "What?" He asks me as he eats, I shake my head and look away from him.
"Is it just me, or is this guy's crown a little crooked?" Katara asks Aang and I as she makes a 'crazy' motion with her finger.
"So, tell me young bald one. Where are you from?" The King asks Aang smiling like a mad man.

"I'm from...Kangaroo Island." Aang lies.
"Oh, Kangaroo Island, eh? I hear that place is really hoppin!" The King says laughing. Sokka starts to laugh too. We look at him like he's demented.
"What? It was pretty funny." Sokka tells us shrugging. The King yawns as he stands up and stretches his arms.
"Well, all these good jokes are making me tired. Guess it's time to the hay." He says. Suddenly he throws a drumstick at Aang. Aang Airbends it to a standstill, making the guards gasp.

"There's an Airbender in our presence and not just any Airbender, the Avatar!" The King states. Aang drops the drumstick, trying to act like he did not just reveal himself. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Pipinpadaloxicopolis?" The King asks Aang.
"Okay! You caught me. I'm the Avatar, doing my Avatar thing, keeping the world safe," Aang says as he laughs nervously. "Everything checks out," He says as he looks under the table.

"No firebenders here. So, good work everybody." Aang says as he grabs Sokka and Katara's hands. "Love each other, respect all life and don't run with your spears. We'll see you next time!" He says as we walk toward the door, but the guards stop us.
"You can't keep us here. Let us leave!" Katara says as she turns around.
"Lettuce leaf?" The King asks as he picks up a lettuce leaf from the plate in front of him and takes a bite.

"We're in serious trouble. This guy is nuts." Sokka whispers to us.
"Tomorrow the Avatar will face three deadly challenges. But for now, the guards will show you to your chamber." The King orders the guards
"My liege, do you mean the good chamber or the bad chamber?" A guard asks.
"The newly refurbished chamber." The King tells him.
"Wait, which one are we talking about?" The guard questions.

"The one that used to be the bad chamber, until the recent refurbishing that is. Of course, we've been calling it the new chamber, but we really should number them," The King states.
"Uh, take them to the refurbished chamber that was once bad!" A guard says a little confused. The guards take us to a room and throw us in, closing the door behind us. I look around and see the room is very nice and nothing like a prison. There are three green beds, a rug, and the walls were painted white.

"This is a prison cell? But it's so nice." Katara says as she looks around.
"He did say it was newly refurbished." Aang states.
"Nice or not, we're still prisoners." I remind them.
"I wonder what these challenges are gonna be." Aang wonders.
"We're not sticking around to find out. There's gotta be some way outta here." Katara says.
"The air vents!" Aang shouts as he walks over to a very small hole in the wall.

"If you think we're gonna fit through there then you're crazier then that king," Sokka says.
"We can't, but Momo can," Aang says as he walks over and grabs Momo.
"Go on, boy, get Appa!" Aang tells Momo as he shoves him into the small vent, but half of Momo still sticks out.
"Eh, how was Appa supposed to save us anyway?" Sokka asks in confusion.
"Appa is a ten-ton flying bison, I think he could figure something out," Aang tells him, Sokka shrugs seeming to say 'probably'.

"Well, no point in arguing about it now," Katara says. "Get some rest, Aang. Looks like you'll need it for tomorrow." She tells as she gets in one of the beds. Aang walks dejectedly over to the last unoccupied bed. I look between the three beds, I sigh and walk over to the bed Sokka is in.
"Sokka, move over," I tell him. He looks up at me confused. "There are only three beds, so move over," I tell him again, he moves over, I climb in, lay down beside him and try to get some sleep.