Carved In Rock || ATLA

Face Your Demons

The Earth King

"I'll make sure, the whole world knows your name, but for all the wrong reasons. I'll watch your body rest in flames, it's time to face your demons." - I Prevail

🌊🏔🔥🌪

Appa landed a short distance away from the Prince of the Earth Kingdom and his apprehensive guard. Flanked by her friends Aelita climbed down to face him at eye level, Kyojuro dismounting his ostrich horse.

"Wait a minute," Toph said as soon as her feet hit the ground. "We know you! You're that kid Katara and I ran into yesterday, you're a lavabender!"

"Guilty as charged." Kyojuro smiled at both the waterbender and blind earthbender he had met the day before.

"Oh yeah, shouldn't you be in class then Mr. University Student?" Katara asked with her arms folded across her chest, not at all happy to have been lied to.

"I think my professor might count this an excused absence. I do apologize for not being honest in our first meeting." He bowed to the two girls. "I assure you I had my reasons."

"I see you're already acquainted with some of my friends. That's good, I was starting to wonder when you'd show up." The Akira said casually.

"I've been here for quite some time now," Kyojuro admitted, taking in the rest of the team Aelita had described to him prior. It didn't take a genius to figure out which one was the Avatar. "Watching, waiting. You all seemed to make relatively quick work of my Dai Li agents and my Grand Secretariat. I suspect some of them may be spending quite some time with a healer after this."

"Yeah well -" Katara started to defend their actions but the Prince held up a hand to silence her.

"It was merely an observation."

"Your power of perception is uncanny," Aelita remarked back, still trying to figure out where they all stood with one another. "I'd like to formally introduce you to my friends. You've already met Toph and Katara." She motioned to the boy on her left. "This is Sokka, Katara's older brother and son of the Southern Water Tribe's Chief." Aelita motioned to the monk on her right. "And this is Avatar Aang, the last airbender." She knew her friend didn't enjoy hearing anyone point out the latter fact, but he seemed to understand a need to show solidarity in the fact this war had affected them all. "Aang, Sokka this is Kyojuro Hashibra, Prince of the Earth Kingdom."

Aang dipped down into a bow first and Sokka decided to follow suit, unsure of the newcomer but knowing he very well may be the key to the Earth Kingdom's response. Kyojuro returned the gesture.

"We're honored," Aang said for both himself and Sokka.

"As am I, Avatar. I apologize it took this long, I would've liked to invite you all to the palace before this."

"We won't count it against you." Aelita cut right to the chase, glancing at the lone agent that hung just a few steps back. "It was a long night, have you made up your mind about us?"

"You mean after my conversation with the Grand Secretariat?" He asked, the other teens seeming to tense in apprehension.

"Yes." She responded honestly. "I'm sure he had quite the lot to say on us." She debated on telling him why her night had been so long, but Ikuku deserved to be more than just fuel to a raging fire and even if Aelita did tell him the horrible details now, there would be no telling if Kyojuro would believe her.

"Well, Akira Aelita you'll be pleased to know Long Feng only made you his scapegoat and not your friends. Just you and your father."

"That's interesting." Aelita glanced back at her friends.