Three years and 6 months prior:
Looking out at the devastated village in front of him, Kahchi sighed: "We're going to do this for years aren't we?" turning to the nearest other Rough Rhino, Vachir, who just nodded sadly, back at him.
It was a grim truth that all the Rhinos knew: they would claim villages in the name of the firelord until the end of time or when the war ended.
With almost 20 years until the comet returns, it wouldn't happen anytime soon. No surprise the moral was low as always, and the captain was in a foul mood. Nothing new, as always.
Claim a village one day, only to burn a new down the next, because the villagers just had to resist.
It wasn't that they liked to destroy the home of a single mother or harm a man or 10. They had their orders; claim all villages they pass by or destroy them. A cruel order given by a cruel man, the man that had banished them all to the earth Kingdom until their task was complete.
All because they questioned him…… and laughed a bit at him when he fell off his Rhino. The memory still brought laughter and a tear to their eyes, only for it to be replaced by one of sadness remembering their situation, current and future.
Keeping the thoughts of the past at bay was of course essential to the Rhinos survival when they came to business.
Captain Mongke therefore supported pastime activities, of which singing was a favourite. They had often entertained their higher ups at a victory celebration with their talent, when they occasionally had joined up with a battalion or army.
The rest of the time they ensured their weapons was in top shape, sharpening a halberd, repairing a chain, making dynamite or arrows. And improving ones firebending moves.
Suffice to say their everyday lives were boring to the point of beyond tears, yawning and frustrated screams.
They craved adventure, so they often disguised themselves as earth kingdom. When caught by their countrymen they said that it was for "research".
When in a village it often happened that they just had fun for their last booty raid.
The coins were the same so they didn't run a risk at getting caught.
One such night out in enemy territory was this night.
Breathing in, Mongke could smell the warm scent of curry noodles, boiling jook and deep fried dough.
It was an evening of celebration for this little town apparently.
Mongke was sure of that, he could already smell the excitement, the air was so thick with it, he could barely walk forward.
He grinned a bit to himself when he saw the mayor, a man of obviously weak character. Standing tall as if he had something to be proud at, but then again he had reason to be so.
His town was having a festival of sorts and were decorated grandiosely, glory and joy were the keywords to describe the mood and feeling of the crowd.
Mongke envied them, they hadn't a care in the world, had he had less sense he would have warned them to remember the war going on. But it didn't matter to them really, their home weren't important.
The tip facing the ocean might prove a useful lookout to the island a few miles of the coast but that was it. It wasn't as if it was a great fortress or contributor of troops.
His smile turned to a facial expression mostly related to surprise and disbelief when his eyes gazed on the….. structures being driven onto the main plaza.
Two they were. Two statues made of wood and paper, easily burnable materials the soldier side of Mongke noted, but still awe inspiring to the spectators.
But it wasn't the size the statues that snapped him out of it, it was who they were made to resemble, avatars. Roku and his predecessor Kyoshi. Or at least Mongke assumed the other was Kyoshi, he had never seen a live woman wear that much make-up. He believed she looked a bit strange.
But Mongke was further startled with the next turn of events. A man running with a torch, jumping through the Kyoshi statue, setting it ablaze in the process. Then throwing the torch into the face of the Roku statue, hitting it right in the forehead, smashing through the thin wood and paper frame.
Mongke shivered a bit at that, considering Roku had tried to prevent the war, these people should be praising him like the god he were back then, and just what had Kyoshi done to them?
Mongke didn't know and frankly it didn't really matter to him, but Roku was a Fire avatar first and foremost. Burning him or even an effigy of him was demeaning to the entire nation.
Feeling a hand on his shoulder he turned around rather violently to face Kahchi who silenced the: "what" that was hastily brewing in Mongke's throat, with a stare that almost screamed "cool your temper".
Which Mongke fortunately did, but he still felt annoyed by the constant chanting: down with the avatar, down with the avatar. Mongke wasn't the only one thinking that the whole town of Chin was crazy. Wasn't they supposed to love the avatar or even worship him/her?
Speeding to get out of the town of nutcases the Rhinos knocked over a small group of cloaked women.
Muttering a "sorry" Mongke went to help one of them up.
When his hand began to grip around her arm however, she quickly knocked him over putting his arm in a vicious lock, threatening to break his hand, arm and shoulder.
"Shang Xiao? What are you doing? We don't need that kind of attention right now" another woman hissed while the rest of the women got up and began to screen the situation from the general populace of Chin.
"Just being friendly to the locals, Jun-jang" was the annoyed reply from the woman apparently named Shang Xiao.
"Wouldn't it be an idea to go for a local then?" Yeh-lu said while stroking his already foot long beard
"Just release my arm or I release you of yours, permanently" Mongke was in no mood for this, his evening started out so well, only to get sour with a desecration and now by having his arm twisted. Not a time to be near him for anyone.
"1. Don't threaten me buddy, ever and 2. You're not locals?"
"Not even from the province" Yeh-lu stepped forward waving his hand to dismiss the subject
"Drop the chit chat, release Mongke and let's part ways, then no one gets noticed and everyone's happy okay?" Ogodei weren't in a good mood either but at least he thought clearly, more so than Mongke at least.
"Just release him Shang Xiao, these guys wont give us anymore trouble, I hope" Jun-jang, the supposed leader, said nodding to Shang Xiao to ease her grip.
With a bit of reluctance and an annoyed growl Shang Xiao submitted, letting go of Mongke's arm after starring him in the eye for what felt like an eternity fore both of them.
As the women scattered into the crowd Mongke sat calmly looking at them go.
"Something wrong sir?" Kahchi piped in. "normally you don't react to a near brawl like this, with ummmm, bewilderment"
"Its not the little lock that is puzzling me, Kahchi. That woman…." Mongke was cut off before he could finish
"had eyes you could drown in and not care" Ogodei snickered like a little naughty school boy
"not that You near-bald nut, its was the make-up around them, the same as the giant Kyoshi statue"
