[ WP ] The Avatar is taken to court by an angry cabbage merchant [ ATLA ]

The murmurs were loud and numerous as the Avatar walked in, this little boy was the hero who had defeated the mad king of the fire nation and brought peace to the world? The plaintiff looked at him with mild disgust as the airbender strolled up to his assigned desk, shouldered by his 2 legal councilors, a woman dressed in a long green dress with a stern look of determination on her face and a boy with a bubbling pipe and a weird looking hat. 
 
 The cabbage merchants eyes narrowed as he watched the Avatar perform airbending tricks to the amusement of the gathered crowd, no doubt all part of the avatars ruse to get out of yet another trial untouched. 
 
 ” Order in the courtroom! ” The judge called from up on his raised bench and the avatar quickly snatched the little stone pearl he had been showing off with out of the air and hid it away in his pocket. “ Avatar Aang, you stand accused of 3 separate accounts of will full destruction of property, how do you plead? ” 
 
 “ Is this about those cabbages? ” The avatar asked as he recognized the plaintiff. “ I already said I was so- “ 
 
 “ The defendant wishes to declare himself not guilty. ” The woman quickly cut him off. 
 
 “ That ’ s a lie! He admitted it himself! HE DESTROYED MY CA- “ The raging outburst from the merchant was cut short when the judge struck the rock onto the bench to bring order back to the courtroom. 
 
 “ The plaintiff will speak when he is addressed. ” The judge made clear. 
 
 “ Now… Ms. Suki is it? You will be representing the Avatar today? ” 
 
 “ Yes, today we will prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the so called will full destruction of property accounts were little more than unfortunate incidents that were however necessary. Necessary for my client, Avatar Aang, to defeat the fire nation and bring peace to the world. ” Suki explained and got cheers from the crowd till the judge started hammering again to bring order. 
 
 “ I see. ” The judge nodded as the crowd calmed down. “ Plaintiff you may give your opening statement. ” 
 
 “ Thank you, your honor. ” The cabbage merchant said with poorly concealed annoyance, another judge blinded by the avatars glory, well he would soon change that. “ My great grandfather started the cabbage selling business that I still run to this day. He bought and sold cabbages all over the earth kingdom, and my grandfather followed in his footsteps, and my father in his. ” The cabbage merchant explained proudly. “ When I first held my father ’ s cabbages in my hands… I knew why, why we had been selling cabbages for so long, and why it was important. ” He said thoughtfully. “ We are here in the great city of Omashu, one of the finest earth kingdom cities ever built… do you know where the nearest farm is? ” He asked overlooking the crowd. 
 
 “ Objection, relevance. ” Suki spoke up. 
 
 “ Denied, but this better be going somewhere. ” The judge warned him. 
 
 “ 67 miles, it ’ s a wheat farm, 71 to the nearest cabbage farm. ” The merchant explained. “ This great city is entirely sustained on imported food from such farms. That is what my great grandfather did, he brought the first cabbages to Omashu, made sure it had access to the green life giving vegetables. By destroying my cabbages the avatar made me lose clients who had long been dependent on me and my reliable deliveries, effectively bankrupting me, but not only did he destroy my business, but he endangered the lives of everyone living in Omashu! ” The merchant finished and got a satisfying gasp from the crowd. 
 
 “ That ’ s ridiculous! ” The boy with the bubbly pipe claimed. “ They are just cabbages! They don ’ t even taste well, who is really gon na miss cabbages, am I right? ” He got a few laughs from the crowd and the Avatar himself. 
 
 “ Cabbages are an important vitamin source! ” The merchant quickly interjected. “ And their absence might have contributed to the much feared pentapox outbreak that hit the city during the occupation! ” 
 
 “ Whaaat? But that was just someth- “ The pipe bubbler began again but was cut off by Suki. 
 
 “ Sokka, not now. ” She said sternly. “ The matter of the pentapox is not relevant to the current case. ” She said and the judge nodded acceptingly. 
 
 “ Slippery little… ” The merchant mumbled under his breath as the Avatar had managed to slip out of another misdeed without even saying a word. He was just sitting there smiling and showing off that airbending trick to the children sitting in the front. 
 
 “ Plaintiff do you have any evidence to support your claim that the avatar destruction of your property was not necessary to restoring peace to the world? ” The judge asked. 
 
 “ I do your honor. ” The cabbage merchant claimed. “ The first time the avatar destroyed my cabbages was right here in Omashu! While misusing the cities fine mailing service! ” 
 
 “ Objection. ” Suki chimed in. “ The incident in question has already been resolved, the former king of Omashu King bumi gave the avatar a full pardon and even held a feast for him. According to earth kingdom law he can ’ t be tried on the same charge twice. ” 
 
 “ O-objection! ” The cabbage merchant tried. 
 
 “ Overruled. ” The judge shut him down. “ That is one charge removed, now I hope the 2 other charges are legitimate. ” 
 
 “ Yes sir… your honor. ” The Cabbage merchant said disheartened. “ In the western Earth Kingdom I was trading cabbages on a legitimate trading post, when the Avatar and his accomplishes destroyed my cabbage wagon with no remorse and not even a word of apology! ” 
 
 “ The event which he is referring to took place during a time where the Avatar was hunted. ” Suki explained. 
 
 “ By pirates! They had a reptile bird and everything. ” The Avatar explained excitedly. 
 
 “ That doesn ’ t matter! ” The cabbage merchant claimed flustered. “ He still destroyed my ca- “ 
 
 “ Any and all destruction of property in order to preserve the Avatars life by the hand of the Avatar or the Avatars allies during the Fire nation war is considered to be lawful under the preservation of the world peace treaty signed by all 4 nations. ” Suki explained forcefully. “ This means that when the cabbages were destroyed during the escape from the pirates it was unfortunate, but it is not a crime he can be held accountable for. ” 
 
 “ What? Th-that can ’ t be true! ” The merchant said taken aback. 
 
 “ It is. ” The judge noted. “ That means 2 of the 3 charges you have brought against the Avatar are considered null and void. ” The judge concluded. “ I hope you have not been wasting the courts time. ” 
 
 “ I would never do that! ” The merchant claimed. “ The last incident happened here in Omashu as well, shortly after the first time my cabbages were destroyed by the Avatar. The Avatar once again rode the mail system and destroyed my cabbages, this time riding along with King Bumi. He was perfectly safe in Omashu under King Bumi ’ s control and so the treaty thing doesn ’ t cover it! ” He said triumphantly. 
 
 “ Does the defendant have an explanation? ” The judge asked harshly. 
 
 “ Of course, King Bumi was teaching the Avatar of Earth Bending and so the responsibility falls to him. ” Suki claimed. 
 
 “ And as he was the king at the time he is not accounta- “ 
 
 “ Objection! ” The Cabbage merchant called out triumphantly. “ The Avatar didn ’ t learn anything from Bumi! ” 
 
 “ I assume you have proof of that. ” The Judge grumbled. 
 
 “ Yes I do! ” The merchant almost yelled and got a gasp out of crowd. “ The ember island play is a well researched and well respected biography of the Avatar ’ s journey and they quite clearly state that the Avatar did not learn about earth bending till after he had learnt water bending! That means King Bumi was not in charge of training the Avatar and the Avatar should be held responsible for his actions, for destroying my cabbages! ” 
 
 “ Your honor there is a perfect- “ Suki began but the judge lifted his hand and silence her. 
 
 “ I want to hear from the Avatar. ” The judge said leaning over the bench and looking down at the Avatar who suddenly looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “ What do you say to the charge of destroying cabbages while illegally riding this great city ’ s mailing system? ” 
 
 The Avatar looked around a bit sheepishly as he put on a big innocent smile. “ I am sorry? ” 
 
 “ Admission of guilt! ” The cabbage merchant cheered. “ That apology was clearly and admission of guilt, off with his head! ” 
 
 “ I agree. ” The judge said dramatically and drew a huge gasp from the crowd as a baby started crying. “ I sentence the Avatar to pay for the damages done and furthermore to use his influences to get the struggling cabbage company back on its feet. “ 
 
 “ I guess that ’ s fine. ” The avatar shrugged with a smile as Suki sighed defeated. “ I am really sorry I broke your cabbages cabbage man. ” Aang smiled as he walked over to the plaintiff as the crowd erupted into talks about scandals and hopeful journalists sprinted out to get the scoop. 
 
 “ You are? ” The cabbage merchant asked surprised. 
 
 “ Yeah, I never meant to break all your cabbages, it just kind of happened when I was having fun with my old friend. ” He admitted. “ But hey I am sure that together we can make your cabbage company bigger than ever! ”
