THE AIR MASTER {LOK/ATLA}

(II)

I would like to say I was surprised that Korra hadn't come, but I really wasn't. I had known something was up with her for a very long time now. About six months ago, I started seeing all the news clippings from around the Earth Kingdom claiming to have spotted the Avatar. At first I assumed they were fake, but now, I realized some of them might've been very, very real.

"So then the crowds are gathered, all excited to see my coronation, when all of a sudden, these boulders come rolling through. And guess what pops out of them? Earthbender dames! These gals start banging the boulders like drums, and sing the song of my royal lineage," Prince Wu explained to Mako and me excitedly, although I really hadn't been listening to whatever he was babbling about at all. "It's the most dynamite six-hour show you'll ever see in your life."

"Yes, your Highness, that sounds cool and everything but shouldn't you focus on... You know..."

"Ruling a Nation?" Mako finished for me with the same annoyance.

"Now, now, now, don't get yourself in a tizzy. I'll have ministers for all that!" Prince Wu assured us, putting his arm around an uncomfortable Mako. "No, sir, Mako, when we get to Ba Sing Se, it'll just be two kooky pals, living the life!"

"Oh, that sounds fun," I said with a smirk. Mako shot me a glare.

"Yay."

"Getting excited for your big day?" President Raiko asked the Prince, as he and Uncle Tenzin joined us.

"Does a platypus-bear poop in—Hey!" the Prince trailed off as he turned to scold some metalbenders who were preparing the bleachers for the coronation. "You can't put bleachers there! There won't be enough room for the Dance of the Badgermoles! Look, it's going to go like this."

"You sure that's the guy you want running the Earth Kingdom?" Mako asked out loud with a frown.

"Well, monarchies are weird. From what I heard, this doofus was the only option," I told him with a sigh.

"Don't worry, we'll be sending a delegation of experienced advisers to handle day-to-day governing," President Raiko assured us.

"Let's hope that's enough," Uncle Tenzin

"You know royals. They love a ceremony. Have you received any word on the Avatar's location?" the President asked.

"Not yet, but I have airbenders all over the world on the lookout for her," Uncle Tenzin reported back. "I'm concerned about reports I've heard regarding Kuvira's growing military. They say she's throwing some of her dissenters into prison camps."

"Well, she'll be stepping down tomorrow. We can worry about correcting any of her mistakes after that," the President said, but I wasn't really sure he fully grasped the gravity of the situation.

"And you're not worried about her handing power over to Prince Wu?" Mako asked.

"When Kuvira started cleaning up the Earth Kingdom, she knew her position wasn't permanent. She gave me her word that she'd step down."

"Let's hope she does good on her word, then," I sighed tiredly. "I just wished Korra was here, too."

***

Later that day, I joined Mako to pick up Bolin from the train station. He would be arriving along with Kuvira and her army, who according to some news outlets, had been traveling through the Earth Kingdom and conquering some small villages. I could only hope those were only rumors and it wasn't true, but the only way to know for certain was to actually go there myself.