Hot Sands and Hard Rocks

Perseverance

"Look, we escaped from the Dai Li. We got Appa back. I'm telling you, we should go to the Earth King now and tell him our plan. We're on a roll." Sokka proposes.

"One good hour after weeks of trouble isn't much of a roll." Katara tells him.

"We can build on it. If we want to invade the Fire Nation when the eclipse happens, we'll need the Earth King's support." The warrior contests.

"I agree. The king has a lot of people on his side, it should even the playing field a bit." I say.

"What makes you think we'll get it? I don't know if you've noticed, but things don't usually go that smoothly for our little gang." Toph states.

She does kinda have a point.

"I know, but I've got a good feeling about this. This time will be different."

"Sokka, Long Feng is in control of the city. His conspiracy with the Dai Li is too powerful. I think we should just keep flying and leave this horrible place behind us."

"I'm with Sweetness. I've seen enough of Ba Sing Se. And I can't even see!" Toph yells, opening her eyes wide and raising her arms.

"But now that we have Appa back, there's nothing stopping us from telling the Earth King the truth. About the conspiracy and the War." Aang interjects.

"See? Aang's with me. It's the whole reason we came here in the first place. We have to try." Sokka wraps an arm around Aangs shoulders.

"Well, I guess if the Earth King knew the truth, things could change." Katara admits.

"I don't trust the new positive Sokka. Long Feng brainwashed you didn't he!?" Toph accuses.

We notice some passing ships below us.

"That's probably the Dai Li searching for us." Sokka says.

"Then let's go." Katara tells us.

Appa picks up speed and we head back to Ba Sing Se to visit the King. Riding at this speed is a challenge for us all as we hold desperately onto Appa's fur, especially Toph.

Can't say I'm happy to go back, but this could be a huge step for us.

"Can we please buy a new saddle? Riding bareback is terrifying!" Toph exclaims.

I wrap an arm around her small torso.

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall. Well, as long as I don't first that is." I tell her.

After just a few seconds, the palace is in sight.

"There it is! That whole thing is the palace! The Earth King's chamber should be in the center!" Sokka exclaims.

"We have to be careful, Long Feng's probably already warned the Earth King that we're coming." Katara tells us.

"Why would you assume that?" Sokka asks. "If you ask me, I think we'll sail right in an-"

Before he can finish, a large boulder is hurled towards us, Appa narrowly avoiding it.

"What was that!?" Toph screams questioningly.

"They're trying to shoot us down!" I tell her.

Another rock is thrown causing Appa to swerve around as not to be hit.

More follow this one, making it difficult to fly straight or land anywhere.

One of these projectiles just about hits us, but Aang destroys it with one hand.

We start descending towards the ground, and Aang takes out another boulder using his staff, slicing it clean in half. The Avatar then leaps off of Appa and slams into the ground sending an Earthbent shockwave around him, knocking guards to the ground.

Appa lands and growls at a horse-ostrich, causing it too run away and buck it's rider off.

The rest of our group dismounts Appa and lead the assault along with Aang. 

Agents start closing in from both sides of us, making us slow down slightly.

Sokka and I are leading Appa, meanwhile Toph and Aang hold the frontline. Katara is doing great with a sort of water whip.

"Sorry!" She apologizes to a group of guards she smacks.

"I'm sure they're fine. Great job though!" I tell her.

Toph raises the ground ahead of us and flips it to trap the guards. Katara once again apologizes to them, saying that we just need to see the King.

We almost are at the bridge now. Getting close..

Two large statues are thrown at us, and I assist Toph and Aang in protecting ourselves with a sort of earth igloo.

Katara rushes out from the back, and by the time I can see her, she's on the other side of the bridge slapping the guards into the river below with a spin.

"Damn.." I say.

Other than her apologizing, she's actually doing amazing.

The rest of us pass the bridge as she pulls more guards down with her water.

Aang freezes the water to hold the guards still, and we continue our advance.

A horde of guards show up at the top of the steep staircase staring us in the face.

Toph bends the stairs into a slope, and catching on, I loosen the top layer into sand, causing all of the guards to slide down towards us.

Aang begins Airbending too, and he and Toph propel us to the top of the stairs.

"Seriously, we're actually on your guys' side!" Sokka yells to the soldiers as we pass them.

A small squad of more guards runs towards us, but are pushed away due to Earthbending.

We finally reach the top.

"In there!" Sokka shouts.

We enter the grand doors of the palace, finally about to achieve our goal.