"I'm telling you seriously, Rak: if you let those kids get that close to your daughter, the next thing you'll know is they're sneaking out at night."
"I don't know, Sokka, my wife says maybe I'm overreacting," replied the guard escorting them to the cell.
"Come on, we've known each other for… what? Ten minutes. We're best friends, I'd never lie to you about this. Who are you going to listen to, your wife or me?"
"Well, maybe you're right."
"Come on, Rak, you know I'm always right," Sokka replied smugly.
Katara and Aang were stunned by the whole strange situation. At first, the guards and Sokka were walking in complete silence and seriousness; however, as soon as Katara's brother started talking, the mood relaxed instantly.
In just a few minutes, Sokka became the "best friend" of the lead guard, as if they'd known each other their whole lives.
Aang, for his part, was genuinely surprised. He wished he could gain people's trust that quickly.
"Well, we're here," Rak said seriously, opening a heavy stone door.
The room was nothing like the trio had imagined, though Sokka already knew it wouldn't be a normal cell.
It was a room furnished with comfortable beds and a table overflowing with food.
"Wow, they really set this room up nicely," Sokka commented calmly.
"That's right. Hey, Sokka, we're going for some drinks, you coming?"
Sokka gave a grin so wide it covered his whole face. "Of course."
Katara, hearing that, couldn't help but worry about her brother and grabbed his hand, nervous.
"Come on, Katara, we're just going to have some fun," Sokka told her, amused.
"Sokka, maybe you should—"
"Silence, prisoner!" Rak shouted in fake annoyance.
"Yes, prisoner, keep quiet!" echoed another guard.
Aang flinched at the shouting, bewildered to see Sokka acting like he wasn't just another prisoner.
"See that, Sokka? Prisoners don't even respect me anymore," Rak complained, hurt.
Sokka put a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him, as they walked out of the room.
"I'll be back in a couple of hours, little sister."
Katara glared at him, though she managed to hide the worry eating at her chest. She feared those men might hurt her brother or worse.
"So you're coming too, Sokka," said another guard mockingly.
"Sure, I'm hungry."
On the way out, Rak told his story. He was a guard for a noble family who ended up falling in love with the family's daughter. Over time, she fell for him too, and when their relationship was forbidden, they decided to run away and live out their love story.
However, a noblewoman living with an ordinary laborer who worked as a guard wouldn't last forever, especially if the wife was used to a life of luxury.
Once outside the palace, one of the men said with a laugh,
"Sokka, do you know what a brothel is?"
The question made Sokka raise an eyebrow, surprised. He knew perfectly well what it was but had to pretend. "Not really… In the Southern Water Tribe we don't have many of the things you have here," he answered with fake innocence.
The guards burst out laughing, excited to show something "exciting" to their new friend.
Inside the elegant building, Sokka looked around curiously at the beautiful women and the crowd of clients.
"Hey Rak, you're already married! You shouldn't be doing this stuff."
"Oh, come on, Sokka… she's so annoying, always complaining about this and that."
Sokka looked at him for a few seconds, then shook his head, smiling.
His new friends insisted he pick a woman. They'd pay.
Sokka scanned the place until his eyes landed on a woman in her thirties, with delicate curves and pearly skin.
He approached her with more confidence than anyone would expect from a new face.
"Hi, little one. Want to have some fun?" she asked, amused by how young he looked.
Sokka let out a short laugh.
"If it's with you, even a simple chat will be pleasant."
His confident tone convinced the woman to stay with him.
The guards cheered when they saw him go straight for an older woman, and between jokes, they paid for the food and services.
While they ate, the woman sat on Sokka's lap, comfortable and giggling. Gently, she placed a piece of roasted chicken in his mouth. Sokka accepted it playfully, while his "friends" drank and laughed loudly. The smell of alcohol clung to his clothes, though he didn't drink a single drop.
The woman's flirty touches on his chest, shoulders, and face, along with the way Sokka stroked her waist and thighs, kept the scene warm and distracting.
Sokka told her where he was from, joked about how the king locked him up for saying he'd look better in green than in purple. His stories made her laugh genuinely.
"So you're from a cold place…" she said in a seductive voice.
"That's right, but you know… there are many ways to stay… warm," he replied, leaning closer.
The woman's heart fluttered for a second at his deep voice and the way his hands moved over her skin. Unlike other clients, something about Sokka made her feel comfortable, almost hypnotized.
"And… is there something you want to… get to know… deeply?" she hinted, almost bluntly.
"Well…" Sokka whispered, his deep voice, his eyes roaming over her lips and eyes. "There are a couple of things I'd like to know… in depth."
She took his hand, guiding him to a secluded table, while the guards cheered them on with shouts and laughter.
When she sat, she settled back onto his lap, their faces dangerously close. Sokka pressed his forehead to hers and in a low growl whispered in her ear:
"Tell me in depth… about Omashu."
Anyone else would have broken the mood with those words, but she shivered, trapped by the touch of his hands that kept caressing her softly. Without realizing it, she began to tell him everything about the city, while Sokka listened to every detail. She was wrapped in whispers that erased any rational thought from her mind.
"Are there tunnels or caves?" Sokka asked in a whisper, his voice rough and loaded with intention. "You know… I've always been interested in going down… several places."
His words, full of double meaning, were reinforced by his hand, which slowly slid up under her skirt, brushing her thighs gently. Her breathing quickened immediately, trapped between curiosity and the electric tension Sokka stirred.
Every detail she revealed was listened to with almost devoted attention. The secret smiles, the lingering eye contact… every gesture from Sokka kept her locked in a game she didn't fully understand but made her feel desired.
When Sokka ran out of useful questions, he gently moved her off his lap with a tenderness that contrasted with the previous tension. She felt an immediate emptiness, almost childlike, at losing that intense contact.
But before she could react, the young man gently took her chin. His lips were just a couple of centimeters from hers, igniting an electric tingle that froze her in place.
"Please… keep them entertained a while longer, darling," he murmured, his voice as calm as it was calculated. "I'm going to take care of a couple of things."
While she processed his words, Sokka naturally pulled out a small bag of Earth Kingdom coins and placed it in her hand.
"This is for the trouble… and for your excellent company."
The woman held the pouch with both hands, lightly biting her lower lip. In her eyes shone something between hope and sadness.
"Will I see you again?" she asked, almost in a whisper.
Sokka stopped and looked her straight in the eyes. He leaned in, bringing his lips so close to hers that the air seemed to freeze.
"I hope so," he replied, without giving a real promise.
Then, with a gesture both cruel and sweet at once, he pressed a brief, warm kiss to her cheek, so close to her lips it left her frozen.
The woman watched him walk away, feeling the weight of the coin pouch in one hand and the echo of her quickened breath in her chest.
Sokka walked through the brothel without concern while his new friends didn't even notice him leaving.
Sokka grabbed a glass of some alcoholic drink and downed it in one go without a care.
"Well, that went well," he said as he left the brothel.
Looking around, he began to walk with no apparent destination, observing what seemed to be shops, houses, and large buildings.
In his mind, he drew a mental map using the woman's words and his current exploration.
In an area with several benches outside the brothel, he found a man lying on one of the benches, shivering from the cold.
Sokka recognized him immediately. It was the infamous cabbage man. His scenes and misfortunes always made him laugh, though deep down he felt a bit sorry for him, but he knew there was potential in him.
He was a wandering merchant who could enter the Fire Nation to sell his signature vegetable without any real problems.
Not only that, Sokka remembered from the Korra series that this man would be the founder of a major company in the future, rivaling Sato Industries in the automotive field.
Sokka didn't usually help people without gaining something, but this man had long-term benefits.
If he could take him with him, it would be perfect—his future help and financial support could greatly improve the Water Tribe.
He couldn't help but show a sinister smile as he remembered this information, and unfortunately for the poor man, that same man had just woken up, feeling an intimidating presence behind him.
"P-please don't hurt me, sir, I have nothing," the man pleaded.
Sokka looked at him for a few seconds, amused by his words and reflecting on them because they were lies—though he had no money, he still had clothes and organs someone might take.
Sokka moved his hand behind him slowly, the man watching with eyes full of fear.
However, relief washed over him when a pouch of coins fell onto his lap.
"Don't worry, you know, your cabbages look like they're really good quality, I'd be interested in sponsoring you."
"Me?"
"Of course, in that bag is a very good amount of money—buy what you need to improve your land, your transport, and get yourself a better cabbage cart."
The man listened attentively and with growing excitement. He'd spent years improving his cabbage cultivation and harvest, ensuring the best taste possible, and finally, someone recognized him.
"If you can produce enough cabbages and other vegetables, I'd like you to bring them to the Southern Water Tribe in the near future."
"To the Water Tribe?"
"Yes, I'm the chief of the entire Southern Tribe, so I want to make sure to get the best… and your cabbages, my friend, are the best."
The merchant swallowed, staring at the bag of coins as if it were burning him. "But… I can't just accept all this," he said, real worry drawn in his wrinkles.
Sokka gave him a grin as wide as it was confident, a live spark shining in his eyes. "How about this? Sixty-forty," he said, lowering his voice as if sharing a state secret. "In exchange for all the money in that bag… and a bit more when we see each other again… you'll give me forty percent of your company."
The merchant frowned, confused. "But… I don't have a company… I just sell cabbages…" he said, almost apologizing.
Sokka let out a short laugh and patted his shoulder gently, like talking to an old friend who was too humble. "Let's say your cabbage stand, and everything related to it, is your company. And trust me, my friend, when I say this—" Sokka shook the coin bag in front of his face "—is the seed for you to stop losing carts… and start buying wagons, caravans, ships… and who knows, maybe whole fleets."
The man opened his mouth to protest, but Sokka lifted a finger. "Listen," he said calmly. "I'm not here to hand out coins out of pity. This is an investment. I bet on you. You bet on me. We both win. Because someday, when your cabbages cross entire kingdoms, you'll need safe routes, ports, ships… And I'll give you all that, in exchange for my fair share, of course."
The merchant was speechless. No one had ever talked to him about his cabbages like that. No one had ever placed such strange, almost ridiculous faith in him.
Sokka leaned forward a bit, making sure the man heard him clearly. "So tell me, deal?"
The silence lasted just a few seconds. Then, trembling, with a thread of voice and a mix of fear and hope… the man nodded.
Sokka smiled, satisfied. "Good." He held out his hand. "And don't worry, if you lose another cart… well, I'll help you find it."
The merchant shook his hand awkwardly, not realizing he had just sold Sokka forty percent of Cabbage Corp. before it even existed.
And as they walked off to find somewhere to spend the night, Sokka was already mentally calculating how much more he'd have to invest… and how much he'd collect later.
As Sokka and his new improvised partner walked down the street, disappearing into Omashu's night mist, a hunched figure watched them from atop one of the city's tallest rooftops.
Bumi, with his arms crossed over his bony knees, couldn't help but let out a restrained laugh. "Hehehe… So he's even buying cabbage merchants now?" he whispered, his voice reverberating among the cold stones.
His eyes sparkled behind messy strands of hair, fixed on the figure walking away, laughing with the poor man at his side.
"A cabbage merchant today, a trade fleet tomorrow… and the day after that, who knows," he whispered to himself, amused.
He straightened up slowly, letting the cold dawn breeze mess up his hair even more. "You're an interesting boy, Sokka," he said softly, almost like a promise. "Very interesting."
And as Bumi jumped with impossible agility from building to building, his mind buzzed with twisted ideas. Tests. Challenges. An Avatar was a symbol… but a cunning strategist was a danger, a weapon, an invaluable ally.
A deep, almost childish chuckle echoed as he vanished into the shadows. "This is getting fun… kekekeke."
The night continued its course over Omashu, unaware that among rooftops, alleys, and cabbage carts… the game board was already shifting.
In the room called a cell, Katara was anxious about her brother's whereabouts; he'd left hours ago and there was no sign he'd return.
When she considered smashing the stone door any way possible, her brother stumbled back in.
"Good night…" The words dragged out of Sokka's mouth as Katara immediately detected the smell of alcohol soaking his clothes.
"I'll rest here." He murmured playfully just before collapsing face-first on the floor.
Katara went over to him, annoyed, ready to wake him up and demand an explanation, but seeing him sleeping so peacefully softened her heart. With a resigned sigh, she grabbed a blanket and began to cover him to protect him from the cold.
While Sokka slept, a burp escaped his mouth, sending a blast of alcohol smell right at Katara's nose, who just backed away with a groan of annoyance before heading to her own bed.
Thirty minutes later, Momo planted himself in front of Sokka's face, watching him curiously.
Sokka calmly opened his eyes and gave the flying lemur a smile. Then he
sat up in silence, grabbed his spear, and for a couple of hours practiced without making a sound. When he finished, he settled back down on the floor and closed his eyes to meditate, breathing calmly as the night drifted toward dawn.
When morning came and Katara woke up, she saw Sokka washing his face at the washbasin in the corner of the room.
She raised her hand, ready to bend water and try to freeze his face for a moment to teach him a lesson. But just then, Sokka suddenly stumbled and brought a hand to his forehead.
"Ugh," he groaned. "My head is killing me."
She frowned and, in the end, dropped her plan and sighed, unable to hurt her brother even as a joke. What she didn't notice was Sokka's smile—he had seen her through the mirror and could guess exactly what she was about to do. So he played with her feelings and pretended to be sick.
By the time they went to meet King Bumi again, Sokka was still holding his head and groaning to avoid Katara's judgment. But as soon as they stepped into the throne room, he straightened his back and looked completely normal.
Katara noticed this and stared at him, puzzled. Sokka flashed her a peace sign.
"Sleep and you lose, sister."
It was childish, completely childish. But Katara couldn't help it when she finally realized what was going on. It was already too late—now they were in front of a King and she couldn't do anything about it.
"Avatar!" Bumi suddenly shouted, making Aang flinch.
"Y-yes…" Aang stammered, nervous.
"I have a challenge for you and your clever friend here." Bumi's smile was so wide it looked like it might split his face.
Sokka was surprised. He remembered that only Aang had been tested and challenged by Bumi in the series. He couldn't help but wonder what obstacles Bumi was going to throw at him this time.
---
Bumi watched Sokka closely and smiled when he saw that the young man showed no sign of surprise. Though Bumi was already used to him never showing what he truly felt. That left the old king certain that if anyone ever tried to plot against Aang, at least there was someone who could get him out of it.
Bumi led Sokka to a special platform, similar to a coliseum, and grinned when he saw the boy looking around curiously, not showing any concern at all. The old king had to admit it: he was a bit impressed by his fearless behavior.
"But at the same time, such carelessness could lead to incompetence," Bumi thought, clenching his fist and making the ground beneath Sokka crack, causing him to stumble. In an instant, a rock pillar shot from the wall toward his head.
With just a slight motion, Bumi had manipulated the earth to teach him that being careless was never a good idea, even when the enemy seemed friendly.
Unexpectedly, Sokka moved like water. Although the ground trembled beneath his feet, his balance didn't falter and he ducked, dodging the rock pillar.
"Rocks these days seem to fall in strange ways," Sokka said indifferently, smiling at Bumi as he passed the still-standing pillar. "Don't you think?"
"Kakakakaka!" Bumi laughed like a madman, delighted. No—more than delighted, he was fascinated.
Aang was lucky to have such a comrade. Even before he attacked, Sokka had already sensed the danger. What monstrous instincts.
What Bumi didn't know was that Sokka was determined not to let himself be read. Although it was never stated directly in the series, he believed Bumi was like Toph and could sense earth vibrations with his feet. That ability gave the one who mastered it the power to detect lies.
That's why Sokka had only told half-truths and technical truths whenever he spoke with Bumi. But he still wasn't sure, and he'd have to see if it worked with Toph too.
"What are you waiting for? Jump down," Bumi ordered, pointing to the center of the structure below them.
Sokka sighed and jumped. Although it seemed they were alone, he suspected there were guards hidden in the walls.
Sokka landed gracefully and, with his agility, he looked like an airbender to the untrained eye.
"If you're going to make me fight, could you give me a weapon?"
"No," Bumi denied. "Sometimes you're stranded in enemy territory without a weapon. Let's see how you handle it."
Sokka let out another sigh and shrugged. He wasn't about to show off just to defy the old king.
"Well, who's my challenger then?"
"Challenger? You mean challengers, right?" Bumi said before walking away. The ground around the coliseum opened and men dressed in rags entered.
They were armed, and some even looked like earthbenders. Bumi wanted to teach Sokka that he needed to be more charismatic.
The young man was kind and likable, like a favorite waiter. But Bumi didn't want a waiter—he wanted to see if he could forge a General.
He was sure Sokka couldn't beat so many men—almost a hundred—so he would have to talk and negotiate, or fail and learn humility.
Unknown to Bumi, Sokka had a completely different plan. Instead of being intimidated, he was delighted. He showed a malicious expression and his sharp eyes seemed to intimidate the prisoners.
"Hey, I just came here for better food, but this guy's scary," one murmured.
"Yeah, look at that crazy look on his face. You don't fight someone like that. He drags you to his level and beats you there."
"Shut up!" barked a muscular man, twice the size of a normal man. His head was shaved and he had no weapon, which meant he was an earthbender.
They'd been given the choice to use weapons, but most earthbenders didn't need them.
"You're acting like cowards. We're a hundred men! Let's smash this brat and get back to the feast they promised us if we beat him."
"Oh, I remember that guy. Wasn't he a terrible general who committed too many war crimes?"
"Yeah, his name was Kun, I think."
"With a guy like that, there's no way we lose."
Sokka, for his part, watched them in silence, wondering why none of them had charged yet. Then he realized these prisoners weren't fools: the first one to rush in would take the worst beating, but after that everyone would attack without fear.
He looked at the most dangerous man: Kun. He decided he had to take him out first before the fight got more complicated.
Sokka charged forward without leaving a trace, so fast he seemed to fly.
Kun, hardened by wars, took his stance.
"Ha, pretty quick for a brat," he scoffed, stomping the ground. A pillar of earth rose beneath Sokka and launched him into the air. "I know how to deal with quick cats—put them in the air where they can't move."
Then he hurled rocks at Sokka, who was still suspended. Anyone else would have panicked, but Sokka stayed calm.
He shifted his body, pushed off a rock, and dodged attacks that barely grazed him.
Hammers, spears, swords, and other weapons swung at him, but Sokka evaded them all. Even when rocks began to rain from the ceiling.
Seeing this, Sokka grabbed one of the spearmen, used him as a shield, took his weapon, and leapt to the wall, where he stuck the spear and hung, out of reach of the melee weapons.
With the spear in hand, the whole atmosphere changed. The danger he radiated multiplied.
Kun wasn't intimidated and launched a barrage of rocks at him. Sokka used them as moving platforms, advancing until he was face to face with the ex-general.
Then he threw the spear upward, as if abandoning it. He struck Kun in key points; the giant's body seized up and collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
"H-how…?" Kun managed to mumble before losing consciousness.
Sokka knew he still had to deal with the rest. He retrieved the spear just as it came down.
---
Hours passed and Aang completed his challenges: getting the lunchbox key, finding the king's pet, fighting Bumi, and guessing his name.
Bumi had hinted that something bad would happen to Sokka if Aang didn't hurry.
As they walked through the corridors, Aang couldn't help but ask,
"Did Sokka have a challenge too?"
"Yes," Bumi nodded, squinting at Momo. "His is related to sutra 87: The heart and soul see through the eyes."
"There's an 87?" Aang wondered aloud, confused.
"Oh! We're here!" Bumi exclaimed excitedly. Even he couldn't wait to see how it all turned out.
Katara, behind them, walked with a deep frown. Unlike Aang, she hadn't forgotten how worried she'd been about her brother. No sister should ever have to wonder if her brother is alive or dead.
Suddenly, an earthbender stepped out of the wall, sweaty and looking shaken.
"My king… something unexpected has happened."
Bumi smiled, thrilled, and didn't wait for the soldier's report. Aang and Katara followed after him.
The soldier sighed, muttering to himself,
"He never listens to what I say… Why do I work here? My dream was to be a nude artist…"
He looked around, relieved no one had heard him. But Momo stared at him like he understood.
"Please don't tell anyone," he begged the little lemur.
---
When Bumi arrived at the coliseum arena, he was met with a surprise:
Sokka was standing tall, and a hundred men, with Kun at the front, were kneeling and bowing before him.
"LONG LIVE THE GREAT CHIEF!!!" they all shouted in unison. Their hands and knees trembled from staying in that position for so long, but no one dared complain—they already knew how Sokka had "convinced" them.
"I didn't hear you!" Sokka barked, dominating the scene with a cold stare.
"LONG LIVE GREAT CHIEF SOKKA!!!"
"Kekekekekeke!" Bumi's laughter cut through everything. No one moved; now they feared Sokka more than their king.
"How did you make those guys so docile?"
"First I used a firm hand to discipline, then a calming palm to soothe them," Sokka answered, smiling kindly.
The same thought ran through every man's mind: Calming palm!? When did you use that!?
Bumi laughed even louder and Sokka smiled along with him.
They were finally allowed to leave, but not before Bumi promised to grant them an army and troops whenever they needed them.
"You know, King Bumi, I'm not just a simple warrior or general. I'm the chief of the Southern Water Tribe."
Bumi let out an amused laugh at his words.
"I didn't expect to meet another important leader, but remember—your duty now is to be a competent general."
Sokka smiled, knowing Bumi didn't care about the true meaning behind his words.
"Wouldn't you happen to have something dangerous in your city if it's invaded?"
Bumi kept smiling with an expression Sokka couldn't read.
"Yes. There's explosive jelly in the warehouses. You can take it… if you can."
Sokka grinned at this and quickly made his way to the warehouse, having the little spirit eat several barrels at once over a few hours.
Aang was sad to part ways with his best friend again, but this time he said goodbye with one last ride through the delivery chutes.
At the end of the day, Team Avatar once again set off on Appa's back, soaring through the sky.