Damascus

[drakensis]

The first time that Mai saw Toph Bei Fong, the younger girl was standing in the throneroom of Omashu. Modifications were still underway, converting the chamber from the relatively simple arrangement favoured under Mad King Bumi towards the Fire Nation's traditional elevated throne and fire pits. For now, however, the workmen had been banished and soldiers lined the walls while Mai's father sat on an elaborately carved wooden chair that she had seen in his study at home.

Toph herself had four guards accompanying her: two had preceded her into the room and then stood aside, flanking the doors - and to Mai's eyes, nervously aware that each had a Fire Nation soldier stood discreetly behind them, ready to strike them down. The other two followed Toph as she walked down the centre of the room towards the Mai's family. One cleared his throat and as if signalled, Toph halted at the appropriate distance from the Governor for a noble petitioner.

Mai's eyes narrowed. No, that was a signal. The tiny girl - barely waist-high to her towering guards had a film of milky-white over the more expected green that was common in the Earth Kingdom, and they diconcertingly failed to focus upon those in front of her. She was blind.

"So cute," Mai's mother whispered and Mai's lips twitched. Indeed. Ty Lee would have had a pink ribbon around the Earth Kingdom girl's throat in an instant, and probably romped with her like a puppy after no more than a minute. Toph's raven dark hair was elaborately bound up behind her head and contrasted with her porcelain-like complexion and the pale yellow gown and creamy girdle that she wore. Weak colours, Mai calculated. Making her look vulnerable and unthreatening. Her choices? Unlikely if she's blind, but who then?

"Lady Toph Bei Fong," the Governor greeted her formally, inclining his head slightly. "I am curious to hear what brings a daughter of your clan into the newest stronghold of the Fire Nation."

Toph dropped to one knee and lowered her head. By Agni, Mai thought, boredly. Eyelashes too? Her mother squealed again at the cuteness, causing Mai's brother Tom-Tom to squirm excitedly in their mother's arms.

"Lord Governor, with the triumph of the Fire Nation in securing Omashu, my father has concluded that the time has come for the Bei Fong to seek closer ties with the conquerors," Toph recited sweetly. "I have been sent here in token of his hopes for a new relationship."

"Hmm." Mai's father leant back in his chair. Although she could not see it, Mai knew that his face had stilled to mask his calculations. Pointless, particularly since the girl in front of him couldn't see his face. "You father offers an alliance?"

"Lord Governor, an alliance would be between equals," Toph replied, evading the trap neatly. "What my father offers is his allegiance." She reached delicately into her girdle and produced a small scroll.

That wasn't a recitation, Mai noted. She might have been briefed, but she's no talking doll. At her father's nod she stepped forwards and reached out for the scroll but as her hand reached it, Toph's hand moved slightly - clearly questing for the hand to receive the scroll, moving it outside of Mai's closing fingers. "Hold still," the older girl instructed flatly and pulled the document away from Toph, not bothering to wait for her father's instructions before cracking the seal.

It only took her a moment to decipher to contents before handing it over to to her father to peruse. Rats deserting a sinking ship. And sacrificing their daughter for their own prosperity. How tedious.

Mai's mother leant over and read the scroll over her husband's shoulder. Usually it would be a shocking breach of protocol, but then, how would Toph know. "Ooh!" she squealed. "Of course you can stay here, Lady Bei Fong! I'm sure Mai would love a new friend." Ah. That was how.

Her father hmmed. "Yes, that would be best I think." He looked up. "Mai, Lord Bei Fong has sent his daughter here to ask for my assistance in arranging a suitable marriage for her within the Fire Nation's nobility when she is old enough. In the meantime," he smiled triumphantly, "he hopes that we will educate her in how to become a suitable young lady of the Fire Nation. Do you know what this means?"

"Mother has a new doll," Mai drawled under her breath and out of the corner of her eye saw Toph twitch. Good hearing.

"It means that the Bei Fong Clan, one of the leading names of the southern Kingdom want to assimilate," the Governor declared proudly. "Tell me, Lady Bei Fong, do you have a brother?"

Oh Great Agni, no! Mai thought. Bad enough to be trapped her in Omashu. Marriage to some Earth Kingdom bumpkin? Unthinkable.

"No, Lord Governor. I am an only child," Toph replied evenly. Thank you, Agni.

"Hmm. A shame. Still, that would make you the her to your family, wouldn't it? Whoever marries you is going to be very lucky young man." Colour appeared on Toph's face, high on her cheeks.

Mai's mother giggled. "Oh, she's just a little girl, dear." She turned her attention to Toph. "Tell me child, are you a bender?"

Mai could read regret in Toph's posture. "No, my lady. I have been taught some of the exercises, for health reasons, but I cannot bend."

"Ah, well that would have made matters a little awkward. It would be best if you didn't practise the earthbending exercises any more, Lady Bei Fong. Perhaps Mai can teach you some of the firebending equivalents."

"I would like that," Toph agreed, smiling - a little nervously - but even so, the first smile to cross her face since she had entered the throne room.

.oOo.

"Now Mai, Toph and I want your honest opinion on this," her mother called from behind the changing screen.

"Mm-hmm," Mai agreed from the couch and scooped a handful of fire flakes out of the bowl she held, bracing herself. Her mother had insisted on bringing chest after chest of clothes with them, even those long packed away as far too small for Mai and decidedly the wrong garments to dress Tom-Tom in once he was old enough. Still, the arrival of Toph made it somewhat convenient to have all the spare clothes around - perhaps an act of genuine foresight by her mother. Ha ha. So funny that Mai forgot to laugh.

It wasn't as bad as it could have been. Toph stumbled a little coming out from behind the screen, probably due to the elaborate ankle boots that had replaced the simple sandals that she had worn earlier under her gown. Red breeches and a heavy looking tunic that Mai thought had started out as part of her uniform at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls.

"Well?" demanded her mother.

Mai paused. "Adorable," she drawled. "But you'll have to do something with her hair." She could have sworn that a panicked look crossed Toph's face but it was quickly replaced by the solemn expression that Mai was beginning to suspect was a mask.

"Well of course," her mother fluttered. "Do you remember how Azula had her hair?" She touched Toph familiarly on the shoulder. "That's Princess Azula, the Fire Lord's daughter. She and Mai were great friends when they were younger. Come and help me, Mai."

She took another mouthful of fire flakes before obeying, brushing Toph's hair back and allowing her mother to pull free the bangs that framed the younger girl's face before pulling the hair into a topknot. The hairpiece that her mother handed her to use was one she'd been given by Prince Zuko - probably picked out by his mother but still - and she cursed herself for hesitating before fastening it.

"Now, what do you think?" Mai's mother caroled and pulled Toph in front of - oh surely not! - the room's single, tall mirror.

She saw Toph blink, and just as Mai was about to say something cutting, the younger girl tilted her head and asked: "Is that me?" in wonderstruck tones.

"Of course it is, Toph," the woman declared proudly. "You're the very image of a fine young fire maiden. You'll have young men beating their way to your door in no time." She swept off towards the door. "I'll leave the two of you to get to know each other."

Mai waited until her mother was out of earshot before commenting. "'Is that me'?"

"That's what I'd say if I looked any different." Toph giggled and waved one hand in front of her face. "I don't look like a clown do I?"

"She's right. Except for your eyes, you could walk down any street in the Fire Nation and no one would look twice at you." She shrugged and held out her bowl. "Fire flake?"

Mai watched Toph cross the room cautiously and after seeing her reach uncertainly for the bowl, positioned it in front of Toph's questing fingers. Fingers that seemed if anything more calloused than her own. She hadn't thought that Earth Kingdom girls were trained to fight, but perhaps the earthbending styles were harder on the fingers.

A little blind girl was the most interesting thing in all Omashu, and wasn't that pathetic?

.oOo.

"You're too balanced," Mai advised from her seat on the steps outside the palace. This was Toph's third lesson in the firebending style and the first where she'd tried more than breathing exercises. Thus far it wasn't actually going too badly. Having walked Toph through the moves, physically guiding her through each step, Mai had been impressed at how closely the young girl had managed to repeat them without that guidance.

"How can I be too balanced?" Toph asked, sounding surprised. "My teachers always said balance was everything."

"Yeah. Earthbender teachers. You're not doing that any more." Mai stood and walked over towards her student. "Firebending is all about power and the greatest power comes from creating an imbalance and directing it to your advantage. Like my brother walking."

Toph frowned. "Your brother?"

"Tom-Tom's just learning to toddle. When he walks he throws himself forward creating an imbalance that should have him fall on his face. Then he pushes his legs forward and rides the imbalance. It's the same for firebenders: they use their imbalance to power their attacks."

"But what about defense?"

Mai shook her head. "The best defense is to destroy your enemies before they can strike you down. Firebending is aggressive." She looked around and the building work and nodded. "Come this way."

Toph frowned and then followed Mai as she walked towards one of the stone pillars that were being replaced by steel buttresses for the new palace. This one was still standing. "Look at... uh, touch this pillar. This is balanced, right."

The younger girl ran her hands over the carfully shaped stones. "It had better be, or it would topple over."

"What if it did?" Mai asked. "What if it was off balance and it fell? You can imagine the destructive force that would be unleashed on whatever was underneath it. Stone hammering against stone, crushing everything between them and the ground."

Toph grinned. "Yes, I can."

"Well, if it was balanced, it wouldn't fall. Firebenders create and use imbalance. Our arts are the same way. Don't cling to balance, release it... and unleash power." Mai took Toph by the shoulders and pushed her into place. "Now try again, and stop being so dynamic."

Toph nodded and began to move through the kata. Still slow, still somewhat stiffly, but now with just the beginnings of the energy that Mai had been looking for. "Again, faster!" Toph obediently repeated the moves, but she wasn't showing any more energy - her control was impressive, Mai admitted: every move was exactly placed the same way as the first time. Which was the problem. "Too rooted, let go of the ground."

"I thought you wanted to teach me the firebending arts, not the airbending ones?" called Toph, still repeating the moves flawlessly. She had stamina at least.

"Exagerate, think about fire dancing?"

"Fire dances?"

Mai shrugged. She'd heard the term from Zuko. Actual dancing wasn't something she could claim any experience of. And it wasn't as if Toph would have ever seen a flame flicker the way that most people had. "Try putting some passion into it."

Toph frowned but obeyed. The whirling moves grew sloppier, but more energetic. "I suppose that that's better. Are you tired?"

"Shouldn't I ask that?" Toph asked. "I mean, sitting down watching me do this must be very tiring."

"Hmm. Keep going then." It wasn't like there was anything else for her to do.

Round and round the Earth girl went. Hmm. Earth girl. She didn't really look or act like any of the demure, dainty little girls Mai had seen among the Earth Kingdom families that remained in Omashu. The Earth Kingdom nobility apparently considered porcelain dolls the feminine ideal: pretty to look at but otherwise quiet and useless. Toph might act like that around Mai's parents, but it was becoming clear that she was a passionate girl underneath that mask... almost as fiery as the sparks...

Sparks?

Mai sat up sharply, eyes locked on the firefly sparks flying around Toph's fingers as she danced through the kata, topknot bouncing. There was a spreading grin on the blind girl's face but she seemed - no, probably was - oblivious to what was happening around her hands. Panting, exuberant. "Remember your breathing," Mai instructed, keeping her voice flat and even. This was unexpected. And interesting. "Your chi depends upon your breath."

Toph took an even breath and moved on, turning, hands wheeling and...

Whoosh.

It wasn't a lot of flame - Azula, firebending prodigy that she was, would have heaped scorn upon the brief trickle of fire. But it was completely unexpected and Toph fell out of the form, barely staying on her feet as she blew hastily on her fingers. "What was that?" she exclaimed nervously. "Why didn't you warn me there was a candle there?"

"There isn't a candle there," Mai told her.

"But I burned my fingers," Toph protested, holding up the reddened tips of her fingers in proof. "I felt it."

"I'm sure you did," the fire maiden agreed. "But there isn't a candle there."

Toph frowned and then moved her hand gently through the air where she had just been burned. "Well what is it? There's some sort of fire - or there was. Did I knock it over?"

Mai pursed her lip. "Tell me, Toph. How long have you been a firebender?"

"How long I've been a what?"

.oOo.

"Why this is magnificent," Mai's father said in delight. "A firebender? This will do wonders for your marriage prospects, Lady Bei Fong."

"Dear," his wife suggested. "Perhaps we should call her Toph. After all, she's practically part of the family." She planted Tom-Tom in a surprised Toph's lap and the toddler cooed, patting at the girl. Somewhat hesitantly, Toph held Mai's brother securely. "You see, Tom-Tom loves her."

"Hmm," the Governor said, and nodded. "That's true. Of course, it does raise another point. Firebenders are required to serve in the imperial army, from the age of fourteen. How old are you, Toph?"

"I'm ten," Toph said and Mai frowned slightly. She had guessed that Toph was a little older than that. Of course, firebenders usually first displayed signs of their abilities even younger than that. She wished for a moment that she had worked out Toph's tells but thus far she hadn't quite worked out how to identify when the younger girl was lying. Usually the eyes were the easiest cue, but Toph's blind eyes were almost as uninformative to others as they were to her.

"Well that gives you some time to prepare," he told her. "And I suppose that no one will expect a great deal of you, because of your blindness."

Toph blushed and ducked her head. Well, Mai thought she was blushing. She was beginning to suspect that Toph used that reaction to hide a number of emotions

"How remarkable though," he continued. "A firebender from such a highly placed Earth Kingdom family. Do you know if any of your ancestors are from the Fire Nation, Toph?"

"I don't think so," she admitted. "I always got bored when they started talking about genny, genaloggies..."

"Genealogies?" Mai's father prompted.

"Yes, those. I don't think any of my grandparents or great-grandparents were from the Fire Nation, they were all from Gaoling," Toph said. "I'm not sure about longer ago."

"Hmm. And Gaoling hasn't really had all that much fighting near it," the Governor said thoughtfully. "How very strange. I suppose that your spirit must be simply so attuned to fire that you only needed the slightest hint to begin bending."

Or maybe several days teaching the basics, Mai noted dispassionately.

"Anyway, now we'll have to find a teacher for you. Mai can teach you the forms but you'll need a real firebender to teach you how to bend. There are some good benders in the garrison. And Prince Zuko is touring the new territories. He will want to meet you."

Mai turned her back and walked out of the room.

.oOo.

"So what's the deal with this Prince Zuko?"

Mai blinked and looked up. It was a mark of her distraction that she hadn't noticed Toph returning to the rooms that they were sharing. Her parents had been more than glad to volunteer her to see that the blind girl didn't hurt herself. Or worse, make a noise and a nuisiance of herself. They couldn't have that.

"You know him? Your mother mentioned a Princess Azula..." Toph was sitting on her own bed, wearing a nightdress - another of Mai's cast offs. She wasn't looking at Mai, the older girl had noticed that Toph often didn't bother to look and someone she was speaking to. She would have thought that that made it hard to hear but apparently not.

"Yes." Mai got out of bed and picked up her own night clothes. She must have missed dinner. "He's my age, the son of the Fire Lord Ozai. Azula is his little sister, she attended the Royal Fire Academy when I did. Their mother brought him to visit sometimes."

Toph nodded. "You didn't like him?"

Mai said nothing as she stripped off her robes.

"You did like him." She could see Toph's face moving as she thought. "But you don't like him any more?"

"It isn't your business."

Toph frowned. "So you aren't mad he's going to visit, you're mad because... ohhh."

"Which part of 'none of your business' didn't you understand?" Mai grumbled as she pulled on her own nightgown.

"The part where it isn't," Toph told her matter-of-factly. "You're pretty much the first friend I ever made - well the first that wasn't an animal, if they count."

"We've known each other for less than a week. That's -" Okay, so Azula had pretty much picked Ty Lee and herself as henchwomen within days of meeting them, but that wasn't the same, right? "- not all that long."

"I know. I never knew making friends was so easy." Toph hung her head a little. "Mom and dad didn't let me leave the house much, and that was just in the garden. With guards around. Anytime they had guests, I had to stay in my rooms so I almost never met anyone."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "I knew the Earth Kingdom were backwards, but I didn't realise they were that bad. Did they let you wear shoes?"

"Yes. Except I generally didn't." Toph wiggled her toes. "It makes it easier for me to find my way around."

"That was a joke. At school they taught me that the ideal Earth Kingdom woman was barefoot and pregnant."

"...if I wasn't supposed to be a fire maiden now, I think I'd be supposed to slap you for saying that."

Mai shrugged. "I don't think any of the teachers ever actually met anyone from the Earth Kingdom. The women I've met seem like they're supposed to be dolls - looking pretty, but always kept somewhere safe."

Toph hid her face. "That's sort of how they treated me. Dad said that I was delicate."

"You miss them, don't you."

"No."

Ah. So that was how Toph sounded when she was lying. Half-choked as if... Mai winced. Crying. Great. I made a little girl cry for her mother and father. Toph was lying down, facing away, shoulders shaking. Well this is going to do wonders for helping her to appreciate the Fire Nation. What would Azula do?

...okay, no. Bad plan. What would Ty Lee do in this situation? Ty is good with people, she'd know how to help her. She could... well, she'd... ugh.

Rather than going to her own bed, Mai walked over to Toph's and sat on it, resting one hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "If anyone asks about this, deny everything," she instructed, and then hugged her from behind.

.oOo.

Before the Omashu had surrendered to the Fire Nation, a great stone bridge had connected the surrounding mountains to the city's pinnacle of rock. It hadn't surprised many people when the bridge collapsed very shortly afterwards - Omashu was home to many Earthbenders after all. The new bridge, prepared in advance was made of metal, secured strongly at both ends. Its great mass did not even shake under the weight of the many komodo rhinos of Prince Zuko's entourage.

Mai frowned as Toph's fingers unerringly reached for the fire flakes. "I'm surprised you're more interested in food than in seeing your new sifu arrive." She thought a moment about what she'd just said and then sighed, holding the bowl out. "Never mind."

Toph smiled demurely and munched on the fire flakes. "I think I'm developing a liking for Fire Nation cuisine," she admitted. "So, is Prince Zuko hot and spicy too?"

Mai didn't bother glaring at her and skipped straight to pinching the other girl's cheek, causing several fire flakes to spill out of her mouth.

"What?" Toph mumbled, brushing the food delicately off her red and black robes. "We've already established that you have an unrequited crush on him and - okay, okay, let go of my cheek already."

"He's probably the most important person you're ever going to meet," Mai warned. "When he reaches the Governor's palace, expect him take father's chair while we kneel before him. He's very proud."

"Thanks."

Mai froze and then turned to look along the wall. Standing at the top of the stairs in military uniform, his helmet under one arm, Prince Zuko gave her a quirky smile. She looked back at the bridge, which the komodo-rhinos were still only halfway across. "Your highness." She dropped to her knees. "You're early."

"You can save that for the formal reception," Zuko told her, reaching down to - unnecessarily - help her back to her feet. "I couldn't sleep last night so I came on ahead and told my escort to catch up." He turned to Toph who was standing, half-frozen in surprise, face crimson. "Excuse me, could I have a moment with Mai please."

"Uh... sure, I'll just... wander along the wall a way..." Toph muttered.

Mai stared after the girl as she trotted along the top of the wall, resting one hand upon the crenellations to guide her. "Don't go too far, we have to return to the palace soon."

"I didn't know you had a little sister," Zuko noted. "I guess I don't know you as well as I thought I did."

Mai nodded slowly. "Apparently not."

He smiled. "It's good to see you, Mai. Two years seems like a long time. I was pleased when your father was appointed Governor here and I found out I would be visiting you."

"'We aren't children any more'," Mai said, causing him to flinch. "You were right."

"Yes," he agreed. "But I was also wrong. Just because we're adults doesn't mean that we have to change who we are. I know it can never be the same, but I'd like it if we can still be friends."

"So would I," Mai admitted. "How are your family?"

Zuko shrugged. "Same as ever. Azula and Lu Ten are feuding again."

"How predictable. What is it this time?"

"Your friend, Ty Lee. It seems that Lu Ten swept her off her feet last time he visited. She went back to the northern fleet with him."

Mai sighed. "She always did love a pretty face. I hope your cousin will be good to her."

"He's a good man, Mai," Zuko told her. "As as far as I can tell he's as smitten by her as she is by him."

"The great romantic," she said sarcastically. It's not really about Ty Lee, she thought. It's the same as ever: power. Lu Ten stole Ty Lee away from Azula to score a point and now she wants revenge. "Your father would never approve of them marrying, you know. Lu Ten could be the next Fire Lord, so he has to marry a strong firebender. If his father hadn't killed the last of the Dragons, young fire maidens would be hunting them down to win renown and earn his hand in marriage."

"Oh?" Zuko laughed. "Would you slay a dragon for my cousin if you were a firebender? I'm sure that Ty Lee would be happy to share him with you."

"He's not my type."

"He isn't hot and spicy enough for you?"

Mai's cheeks reddened. "How long were you standing there, your highness?"

"Long enough to hear you avoid her question," Zuko admitted. "Was there something else I shouldn't have heard?"

"You're impossible."

.oOo.

"I must say, I don't understand why you're doing this, Prince Zuko," Mai's father admitted as he led the way up one of the rearmost towers of the palace. This particular tower was among the furthest along in conversion to modern standards, metal covering almost every surface. That was necessary, given its purpose. "He's a prestigous prisoner, I admit, but he's also a crazy old man."

"He's also one of the strongest, cleverest Earthbenders ever. If he was ruler of the entire Earth Kingdom instead of that fool in Ba Sing Sei, the war could be going very differently. Imagine if the Avatar had had his support when she fought the Three Dragons. My father himself admits it was a very close fight." Zuko shook his head. "I need to take his measure. Besides, don't you want to share the good news with him?" He gestured back towards where Mai and Toph were following the two men.

"Oh?" the Governor said. "Oh, I see," he claimed sagely and nodded.

Toph and Mai looked at each other and rolled their eyes. It was blatantly clear that he didn't. Zuko smiled. "You're a fine administrator," he assured the older man. "My father couldn't have picked a better man to organise the rebuilding of Omashu. Mostly I want to discuss spiritual matters with the former King. If you feel your time is better spent elsewhere, I wouldn't presume to second-guess you."

Mai's father beamed. "Well, I wouldn't want to slight you, your highness, but perhaps I should return to my other duties."

Zuko nodded encouragingly. "I'm sure that the guards can guide us. It has been very kind of you to make so much time for me, your excellency. Perhaps you and your family could dine with me this evening. The quarters you made available are very spacious," he leant in confidingly, "But perhaps a little quiet after spending two years in the military."

"I quite understand." Mai's father stepped aside and let the girls catch up. "Mai, please attend upon his Highness in my absence."

"...of course, dad."

.oOo.

Bumi, one time King of Omashu, was kept in a room with metal walls, ceiling and floor. On top of that, he had been locked inside an iron casket, with only a small window left to expose his face. His wrinkled face lit up in a gap toothed smile when he saw the door open to reveal Zuko, Mai and Toph. "Welcome, welcome. It's not often I get visitors up here, much less pretty girls!"

Zuko bowed. "King Bumi," he greeted the deposed ruler with aplomb. "I am Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. My companions are Lady Mai, whose father I believe you have met, and Lady Toph Bei Fong, who is from Gaoling."

"Picking the fairest flowers of two peoples, your highness? I can't say I blame you. Were I twenty years younger..."

"You would be old enough to be our great grandfather?" Mai asked sardonically.

Bumi cackled insanely. "Oh I like you. Sharp as those knives you don't think I can see up your sleeves. So, Prince Zuko, what brings you here to see an old man?"

Zuko reached into his belt and pulled a small token out from a cunningly concealed fold. "I was thinking that we might have a little conversation about the White Lotus," he said.

"Oh, do you play Pai Sho?" the old man asked in apparent delight but Mai could see - knew Zuko had seen - that the gambit had scored a mark somewhere.

"A little," Zuko admitted. "It's expected in a courtly upbringing. But we both know that the White Lotus isn't just a gambit in that game, your majesty. My uncle Iroh was a very good player, as it happens. This particular token was his. Which suggests to me that around twelve years ago, someone decided to sacrifice a piece. Or am I wrong?"

"Twelve years ago? I don't recall any special tournaments for Pai Sho that year," Bumi dissembled.

Zuko leant forwards, face very calm. "Let me speak plainly, Bumi. You don't mind if I call you Bumi, do you?"

"You go right ahead, Zuko," . We're all friends here."

"For a hundred years, the Fire Nation has held the advantage in the War. Oh, we've had our defeats. But generally? We've been winning. And for most of that time, the Avatars have done nothing. The Air Avatar was a coward and the Avatar Kanna was almost as much of one, fighting only when she was cornered. And all that time the people of the Earth Kingdom were crying out for an Avatar to lead them to victory over the Fire Nation. To punish us."

"Did you and the rest of your society manuver my uncle, my father and my grandfather to face the Avatar in order to arrange a new Avatar? Someone younger, more biddable, someone whose birth loyalties would be to the Earth Kingdom?"

 

[Pandaman03]

That was an amazing post. :yay: Never seen this done before.

 

[lask]

Toph's the avatar? Cool - she, along with Iroh, are my top rated characters.

 

[biigoh]

I like where this is going... Althou, Katara is unlikely to receive the training that she needs to become a damn good bender and would likely remain at the skill level she was at in the start of the show, unless something is changed about her tribe and the capture of the benders...

 

[zerohour]

This could be really good, and given who the writer is, the odds of it staying good are pretty high.

It's nice to see that Toph has some political savvy, and is keeping a few cards hidden for later.

Depending on if the Water Avatar was born in the North or the South, the water tribes could have a significantly different outlook on the war, and might even be effectively, or at least psychologically, beaten.

I'm interested to see how Iroh is doing, since Lu Ten is still alive, he could have a significantly different outlook on life. Same with Zuko, because the impression I get s that he didn't have that clash with his father, and as such, is unscarred and relatively happy.

Heck, I'm interested to see ho the Fire Nation in general has turned out, since Ozai probably isn't in charge, and Azulong is probably still kicking.

Damn you first post, there are just so many unanswered questions...

 

[Nendilion]

Wasn't it implied that Iroh and Azulon were killed in battle with Kanna ? (And was she that Kanna ? If she, being the Avatar, never went to the South Pole, then there would be no Katara and Sokka in the first place... )

 

[drakensis]

Mai's eyes tightened. Bumi remained calm however. "If we were to do such a vile thing, Prince Zuko, I would have done so much earlier. In time for a young Avatar to grow to adulthood, to fully realise their potential by mastering all four elements. Not a mere twelve years before Sozin's Comet returns. In politics, as in bending, timing is all important."

Zuko considered this and then nodded, a smile crossing his face. "I see. That makes sense," he said, relaxing. "But I'm forgetting myself: locked up here, you can't have heard the good news."

"Good news?" Bumi asked curiously.

"Come forward Toph," Zuko said, looking welcomingly back at her. "Have you ever met King Bumi before?"

"No," Toph said as she approached fearlessly. "I never left Gaoling before I came here."

Zuko smiled. "Toph's a very high born girl," he told the captive king. "I'm sure you know what it means about her ancestry and her upbringing. Very traditional, very pure, totally of the Earth Kingdom. And yet, she's a firebender. What does that mean, do you think?"

"I have never heard the like," admitted Bumi. "Are you sure?"

"Why don't you show him, Toph," Zuko suggested. "I'd like to see what you can do myself. Just step back a little. I wouldn't want you to scorch him at all."

Toph obediently backed up and began to work through the kata. "Ha!" she shouted at the completion, as a trickle of flame flowed from her fingers.

"Not bad for a beginner," cackled Bumi but there was something hollow about his expression. "How old are you, Toph?"

"I'm ten," she told him. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason." The old man turned to Zuko. "Obviously you have a theory, sonny-boy. Why don't you run it past me?"

"It means that you've lost," Zuko said confidently. "The people of the Earth Kingdom are adapting to our ways. Toph is only the first. Someday firebenders will replace the earthbenders entirely. Your society, your ways, they will all be destroyed and the Fire Nation will have replaced them."

"That will never happen," Bumi declared. "The balance between the elements is shaken, yes. Your grandfather's massacre of the Airbenders has done that. But every action has a reaction, Prince Zuko. The Air Nomads were burned away, and in return, for a hundred years, the Fire Nation have been eroded away by this war, as though by a great and steady wind."

"Are you so sure?"

Bumi did not reply and Zuko laughed lightly. "That's what I thought."

"I don't begrudge you your bending, Lady Toph Bei Fong," Bumi told her, leaning forwards as much as he could. "I just don't think it means what sonny-boy here believes. Take joy in it."

"I will," Toph agreed quietly.

.oOo.

"How much did you teach her?" Zuko asked Mai after his first lesson with Toph.

"Two of the basic forms," she told him, leaning on the balustrade overlooking the courtyard where Toph was still drilling patiently under the sun. "She's lucky firebenders don't get sunstroke, training in this heat."

Zuko nodded and accepted a towel, rubbing vigorously at his hair, sweatsoaked after his own exercise. "I've made it clear it's important she bathes after training sessions," he promised.

"Did you mention washing her hair?"

He blinked. "Wha- uh, no. I should have?"

Mai's lips quirked. "It would be wise."

"Right. She's learning quickly," Zuko admitted. "In some ways she's picking this up as fast as Azula." Which was remarkable. Azula was a prodigy - she'd been bending since she was four and these days she studied only with the ancient and learned, since only they had techniques that she had not yet mastered to offer. "But she's also frustratingly weak."

"Weak?"

"Well, she's still very early in her training," conceded the young Prince. "But usually power isn't something that young firebenders have to worry about: up to a certain point they're far more likely to wind up bending more fire than they can manage. It's one of the reasons that it can be dangerous to be around a novice. But take a look at how much fire she's using right now: no more than what she demonstrated when we were meeting King Bumi." He leant his elbows on the balustrade. "If someone challenges her to Agni Kai before she manages to release her strength, she'd be easy prey. It's worrying."

"I hadn't considered Agni Kai," Mai said thoughtfully, her mind racing. Toph was blind. She'd be almost entirely helpless if challenged to a duel.

"I know what you're thinking," he told her with a proud smile. "Actually I was concerned about that myself, but I don't think it would be a problem in an Agni Kai. We benders can feel our element, and I've been working with Toph on that. If anything, that's what impresses me most about her. She can almost read the fire - a few times she's even deduced my own position just from my fire. If she can master that then the only way anyone would beat her in an Agni Kai would be to refrain from using fire at all - and how many benders would that occur to?"

Mai nodded. "You like her," she observed lightly.

Zuko turned his head slightly, brow furrowed. "I suppose?"

"Not like that." Mai shuffled a little closer to him. "If it was someone else you would say it was 'unusual' or 'disappointing'. Instead you're worried for her."

"Oh." The prince nodded slowly. "I suppose I am. It's kind of nice, having someone look up to me. Call me sifu. Back home I was always the weakest. Looked down on a little. It wasn't until I joined the army that I realised I'm still better at bending than most. And I can't exactly hold classes in the army."

Mai nodded. "She will miss you when you leave," she told him noncommitally.

"I'll miss both of you," he admitted. "But I can't stay more than another day or so. Still, I'll be looping back through the area so maybe I can stop here on the way back. If..." he hesitated. "If you'd like me to."

Mai parted her lips... and the great gong in front of the palace began to sound, the booming noise rattling windows across the city.

"What's that?" Zuko asked in surprise. "An alarm?"

"Yes," Mai agreed. "Toph, come here!" she called down and then turned to the prince, bowing her head. "We should report to my father immediately. Whatever has happened, he will want to know where we are."

.oOo.

Mai's father looked as if he'd aged a decade in the hours since she had last seen him. In his hand a crude scroll - cheap parchment that had been tied with cord - was crumpled. "The resistance have grown too bold," he growled.

"What has happened?" Mai asked warily.

Her mother was upon her immediately. "You're alright. Oh, thank Agni at least one of my babies is safe."

Mai looked down at her sobbing mother, perplexed. Toph, less distracted, tilted her head to one side. "Where is Tom-Tom?" she asked, pointing at the wall to the nursery. "I can't hear him."

"The resistance has him," the governor growled, straightening the parchment and offering it to Zuko. "Your highness, the signature is that of Jet, one of their known leaders. He's young - and ruthless. He's threatened to kill my son unless we hand over a prisoner he deems to be of equal value."

Zuko frowned. "I suppose he makes some suggestions?" he asked and turned the parchment over. "Oh."

"Who?" Mai asked.

"Neither of these are acceptable," Zuko declared bleakly. "I'll do everything I can to recover your son, but you know that we can't accept those terms."

Mai patted her mother distractedly as the woman wept into her chest. "Who is this 'Jet' asking for?" she demanded.

Her father slumped into his chair. "He suggests either King Bumi... or Lady Toph."

"I'll go."

Eyes turned towards the speaker and Toph cleared her throat. "What? I like Tom-Tom. I'm not going to let anyone hurt him for my sake."

"I don't think you understand, Toph," Zuko said gently. "We can't hand you over to the resistance. Even aside from what they'd do to you - and Jet has killed Earth Kingdom peasents just because they were in his way, what he'd do to someone he sees as a traitor would be horrible - if we trade you for Tom-Tom, we'd destroy all hope of peacefully bringing your people into the Fire Nation. Everyone would say that we valued you less than Tom-Tom. It's very brave of you, but it's not an option."

Toph lowered her face slightly, looking for a moment as if she was going to stomp one foot against the floor. "Do you have any better ideas?"

Zuko frowned. "Well... no. Too dangerous."

"What?" Mai's mother asked hopefully. "Please, Prince Zuko. Please save my little boy!"

"Well... we could pretend to give in and then snatch him back during the exchange," Zuko said reluctantly. "The thing is, we'd have to at least make it look as if we're serious, which means they'd have to see either King Bumi or Toph in the group or they'll smell a rat." He looke dat the ransom note again. "He's proposing the exchange be carried out in the mountains outside Omashu. His earthbenders will have an advantage there. He might say that he'd have only one companion when he brings Tom-Tom but he could have an entire platoon hiding under the surface."

Mai frowned. "They would need some time to get into position though. If you agreed to meet outside the city but only told him exactly where a short while before, then he'd have to rush to meet you and wouldn't have time to move in earthbenders."

"That would work," Zuko agreed thoughtfully. "It's a shame I don't have one of Lu Ten's skyships - that would be perfect for this."

"Skyships?" the governor asked.

"Just an idea he had. I guess he was sick of looking at Bao Sing Se's wall and wanted to just go over it instead of attacking it directly. Doesn't matter anyway, he's yet to make one that hasn't crashed horribly." Zuko shrugged. "Still, no use wishing for wings. Do you have anything in your stables faster than my Komodo Rhinos?"

"Well, there are the Mongoose Dragons that our scouts use..." the Governor suggested hesitantly.

"I don't think they could carry the casket that King Bumi is imprisoned in," objected Mai warily.

"You're right," Zuko agreed. "And I don't think we can count on him co-operating when we're basically doublecrossing his own people." He and Mai started to glare at each other, daring each other to voice the obvious conclusion.

Mai's mother burst into tears again.

.oOo.

Toph had never ridden on any kind of animal before, so she rode behind Mai as they left Omashu late that afternoon. At first it had been suggested that she ride with Zuko, but he had pointed out that he would most likely be fighting Jet and his accomplice, leaving Mai responsible for retreiving Tom-Tom and getting he and Toph clear. Above their heads, a messenger hawk flapped his way back towards wherever it was that the rebels had their base, carrying a description of where Zuko had decided to carry out the exchange.

"Are you scared?" Mai asked as she felt Toph's arms tighten around her waist.

"Not a bit," Toph mumbled into her back. "Feels funny being this far off the ground."

"How did you manage getting to Omashu then?" Mai asked.

"Palanquin. I hated it."

"It is tedious being carried around," Mai admitted. "Although when I mentioned being afraid, I was meaning more about Jet."

"What's to be afraid of? You're here. Sifu is here. I'm a firebender now. We're good."

Mai rolled her eyes. Had she ever been that naive? "I admire your confidence."

The meeting place was an open plateau no more than a mile from the end of the bridge. Zuko had selected it as being hard to sneak upon, and hopefully the tough rock would be slow down any earthbenders trying to sneak up on them. Despite the short warning, it was only a few minutes before two ostrich horses padded up the ridge towards them. Mai eyed them warily.

The handsome boy in the lead was chewing on a straw and his back up wore red warpaint on his - no, Mai noticed, seeing the lack of an adam's apple - on her face. Both wore shabby armour, the leader carrying hookswords. From the descriptions that Zuko had provided of the more prominent members of Jet's Freedom Fighters, that would make him the man himself.

"You have my brother," Mai called.

"Right down to business, eh?" Jet asked sardonically. "Alright, that works for me. Smellerbee, show her the brat." His compatriot moved forward, close enough to reveal the kicking and irritable shape of the toddler. "Cute kid. Reminds me a little of all the ones your Fire Nation barbecued over the years. So, you have our merchandise?"

"I'm right here," Toph grumbled, sticking her head out from behind Mai.

"Oh right." He shrugged. "Kind of shrimpy, but who am I to complain? Alright, here's how it goes, Smellerbee will sort of circle around to the left with our old prisoner. The fire wench over there circles other way with our new prisoner. Then you and I, Prince Zuko will move forward to collect."

"Alright. Your left or my left?" Zuko asked.

Jet sneered around the straw. "Who cares? And no tricks, your high and mightiness - I know how much your father wants to see me inside the Boiling Rock Prison and he's never caught me yet."

Zuko chuckled drily as Mai and Smellerbee both walked their respective steeds to their left. "Don't overestimate yourself. I doubt my father's even heard of you. Outfits like your Freedom Fighters are a dime a dozen."

The rebel spat out his straw. "Seems like I've got you where I want you though," he said and Zuko twisted in his saddle as he heard arrows whistle... not for him, but for...

"Mai! Duck!" he shouted angrily and the girl rolled out of her saddle, taking Toph with her a moment before two arrows caught her mongoose dragon in the throat. The spindley lizard slumped almost silently to the floor.

"I'm changing the deal," Jet declared, spurring his ostrich horse towards Zuko and drawing his hook swords. "If the governor is willing to give up a prize like Bei Fong for his son, then what will he surrender for the prize of his daughter and the son of the Fire Lord?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes and leapt from his own mount, kicking at the shoulder of the mongoose dragon to send it scuttling towards Mai. "You know what to do, Mai." He sent a massive, inefficient gout of flame hurtling across the plateau towards Jet, forcing the treacherous Freedom Fighter to turn away as the ostrich horse, clearly not wartrained, balked.

Behind the fallen mongoose dragon, Mai pushed Toph against the ground. "Stay here, out of sight," she whispered. "I'll come back for you." Overhead she heard more arrows whistling down and flicked her wrist, bringing a throwing dagger to her hand. Now all she had to do was catch Smellerbee - difficult as the second Freedom Fighter was mounted and on the other side of the plateau. With a squall, Zuko's mount bounded over the corpse of its former stable mate and Mai jumped for the reins. That solved half of the problem, courtesy of Zuko. Now it was up to her to finish the job.

Zuko was still hurling fire, almost wildly, around the plateau, preventing Jet from closing in with his hook swords. Mai charged the mongoose dragon behind him, around the destruction and towards her brother's captor.

"Yipe!" Smellerbee reversed her attempt to keep circling and get behind Zuko as she saw Mai bearing down on her and instead tried to regroup with her leader. "Don't throw that thing," she threw back over her shoulder in warning. "I'm still holding your brother."

Mai kicked out and one leg launcher discharged two arrows, piercing the ostrich horses's thigh. "I'm a better shot than that," she retorted, closing in as the beast slowed, lamed but not felled.

"I thought you'd be better than this, Prince Zuko," taunted Jet, scrambling free of his own mount to spare himself more of its fearful attempts to avoid the fire. "Everyone talks about the strength of the fire of the royal family, but you're just throwing around a flashy light show with barely any heat at all."

"Yes. Well, there's a reason for that," Zuko advised and then jumped backwards, towards the centre of the plateau, extinguishing his own fires. "Heads up!"

Jet's eyes flickered to the sky and then widened in fire at the rain of fiery boulders descending upon them. "No!" he shouted. "How...?"

With a cataclysmic crash, the boulders smashed into the rear of the plateau, cutting off the Freedom Fighter retreat and setting fire to the sparse vegetation. "You cheated with archers," Zuko told him, burning two arrows out of the sky with a casual gesture. "I cheated with catapults. We spent all afternoon zeroing in every catapult in the city on this hill."

Jet's face twisted. "This isn't over!" he roared and broke into a sprint - not towards Zuko but towards Mai's fallen mongoose dragon. Zuko paled and gave chase, but he was further away than the fleet-footed outlaw.

"Hello, Lady Bei Fong," he heard Jet shout as he leapt over the dead beast. The freedom fighter raised both hookswords to strike down upon the tiny girl.

"Toph! No!"

"Count this as the day you almost escaped the justice of Jet the Freedom Fighter!" Jet cried out as he brought the weapons down upon the traitor. Then he yelped in surprise as the pint-sized firebender stepped forwards into the attack and in a move that was pure earthbending swept her hands and outwards, chopping at his wrists and blocking his sword strokes before either could reach her.

Toph worked her jaw for a moment, inhaled through her nose... and exhaled a tongue of fire into Jet's face.

Two screams cut through the air as Jet recoiled from the attack. One of pain as his face was scorched, the other of warning from behind him.

"Toph, get down!" Zuko snapped in his 'sifu voice' and the instant he saw her obey, he thrust out with two fingers towards the bandit - not with anger, not with fury at the cowardly attempt to strike down his student... just a calm determination that Jet was never going to threaten any one he cared about... ever... again...

Lightning slashed across the plateau from his fingers. An instant later, it was followed by thunder as more fiery rocks pummelled the earth.

In the aftermath the silence was shocking.

Then a child's wail cut through it. "Mai? Toph?"

"Here." Mai emerged from the evening shadows, red blood and black soot almost invisible on her robes. In her arms was her brother. Judging by the noise the toddler was making, he seemed to be intact.

"I'm okay," Toph reported. She paused. "I don't think you got him though."

There was a bitter laugh from behind her. "You've got sharp ears, traitor." Jet staggered to his feet. His face wasn't as handsome as it had once been - Toph's fire had seared the flesh around his left eye and back into the hair line. While it looked superficial to Zuko - clearly Toph still hadn't managed to bend significant heat into her flames - he had no doubt that it must be painful. "You shouldn't have warned her, Prince Zuko. You gave me time to dodge as well. That's why I'm going to win: because I'll make any sacrifice to destroy the Fire Nation."

"I've seen your 'sacrifices'," Zuko said softly. "My soldiers call them atrocities, and they're commited against your own people. I think this is the first time you've ever paid the price personally, instead of leaving innocents to suffer for your 'victories'."

Jet shook his head. "This isn't over, your highness. Because we both might have cheated, but I cheated twice." He stamped his feet and the ground began to rumble menacingly.

"Earthbenders!" Zuko shouted as the ground shook, and then split beneath them.

"Meet my good friend, the Boulder," Jet called as the stone between them rose up to protect him from the fireball Zuko hurled at him. "What kept you?" he added in a low voice.

Mai jumped from boulder to boulder as the plateau crumbled, ignoring the two rebels as she carried her brother towards where she'd last seen Toph.

"Sorry," she heard a new voice report from somewhere near Jet. "It's mostly sandstone near Gaoling. The Boulder finds granite harder to work with."

Zeroing on a disgusted - and very unladylike - snort from behind what was left of her mongoose dragon, Mai found Toph taking cover. "You stayed where I left you? Are you feeling alright?"

"It's the last place anyone would expect to find me," Toph said reasonably.

"The earthbender said he was from Gaoling, like you - I don't suppose you know of him?"

Toph shrugged, apparently not concerned. Then again, Mai realised, she probably couldn see the way that the stones around them were breaking up. "The only earthbender I know in Gaoling is Master Yu. And the badgermoles. This one sounds like what my mother would call a 'lowlife gladiator'." She paused. "That was a no."

"Did you have to teach her sarcasm as well?" Zuko asked, leaping off a pillar of rock that was trying to hurl him into the sky.

"She learned it all by herself," Mai said defensively. "I'm so proud," she deadpanned. Tom-Tom squealed and waved his hands excitedly at the moving rocks.

Zuko nodded. "Okay. I think everyone we care about is here, so let's leave. I don't know about you, but I don't really care about what they do to the hill. Any objections?"

"I've got one," said a voice from behind him.

Zuko reached back and fired a long stream at Jet, forcing him back behind cover. "Any important objections? No? Great. Let's go."

He whirled his arms and hurled a mass of fire up and over the barrier shielding Jet and the Boulder. Mai grabbed hold of Toph with her free hand and sprinted down the hill towards the end of the bridge.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Jet called after them. "Boulder, slow them down!"

"That's 'the' Boulder," the musclebound Earthbender declared and grunted dramatically as he pushed forward with one foot, a fissure of stone chasing after the fleeing group, snaking left and right as it pursued them. Missing Mai's foot by inches, it instead connected with Zuko before he could react to her warning cry, pushing his foot awkwardly to one side. Stumbling, he caught himself on a boulder.

"Are you hurt?"

"I just sprained my ankle, I can keep going," Zuko told her as he resumed running, slower and clearly with some pain.

Mai masked her relief he could keep moving. "I didn't ask for a diagnosis," she retorted. They were nearing the bottom of the plateau and even slowed by Toph's short legs they were keeping ahead of their pursuers. She felt Toph's hand slip away and heard a startled cry from behind her. Turning her head she saw the younger girl sprawled on the ground, clutching at the side of a pitfall that had opened behind them. "Zuko!"

The prince turned and saw the same thing. "I'll get her."

"No." Mai handed over her brother. "Your ankle will slow you down. Just get Tom-Tom home for me. I'll take care of Toph." Turning, she ran back up the hill, seeing Toph slip out of sight into the widening chasm. Without hesitating, Mai dropped over the edge herself clutching at the stone surface to control her descent.

As he reached the road, Zuko was staggering, teeth gritted against the pain from his ankle. Ahead of him, he could see a troop of komodo dragon riders charging along the bridge to the rescue. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Jet and the Boulder finally slow and stop chasing. Pausing for a moment to catch his breath, he looked for Mai and Toph.

Nothing.

They'll be okay, they must just be in a fold in the ground. They'll come into view any moment now, he concluded, picking out the chasm where Toph had fallen. Maybe they're using it to cover their escape.

The blood ran from his face as he watched the Boulder extend his arms and then draw both back both hands, knuckles out. In obedience to the large man's earthbending, the chasm slowly closed up, the two rebels diving into its last vestige.

"No!" he shouted, scanning the hill again for any sign of his student and his... Mai. "Noooo!"

.oOo.

"See if you can find the girls down here," Jet ordered. "I didn't see them come out."

The Boulder grunted. "No chance. All the stones jumbling around down here - must be a thousand caves and fissures. I closed it all up - no one but an Earthbender could get out of here, not even the greatest Earthbender alive would be able to track someone else down here. Even if they did survive the fall, they'll just die down here."

Jet frowned. "I suppose you're right," he conceded. "Just lead me out of here then. I can't see a thing."

"Oh no," said a small, sarcastic voice from below him. "What a nightmare."

 

[biigoh]

The Boulder! Yay! :lol:

 

[Christopher Robin]

All that talk of the Avatar, and of a firebender born into the Earth Kingdom, and THAT'S the conclusion he comes to? So close and yet so far, Zuko you idiot!

 

[lask]

Then he yelped in surprise as the pint-sized firebender stepped forwards into the attack and in a move that was pure earthbending swept her hands and outwards, chopping at his wrists and blocking his sword strokes before either could reach her.

Toph's Earthbending is supposed to be very non-traditional. In the show, her moves are always based off Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis, where all other earth benders use Hung Gar. Other then that, awesome short. I pity poor Jet (exept that I don't! :lol

 

[Ike]

Good stuff.

Very very good stuff.

 

[drakensis]

Then he yelped in surprise as the pint-sized firebender stepped forwards into the attack and in a move that was pure earthbending swept her hands and outwards, chopping at his wrists and blocking his sword strokes before either could reach her.

Toph's Earthbending is supposed to be very non-traditional. In the show, her moves are always based off Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis, where all other earth benders use Hung Gar. Other then that, awesome short. I pity poor Jet (exept that I don't! :lol

The explanation, that I'm not entirely pulling out of my arse, is that although Toph actually learned Earthbending from the Badgermoles, and her personal style is unconventional, she also had several years formal training in the conventional style. So while she prefers her own style, she is quite capable of using the traditional methods when they're more immediately useful; just as she actually has a full working knowledge of proper etiquette and rarely bothers to use it.

Alternatively, possibly the move is simply distinctive of Earthbending in general and none of the observers are familiar enough with the style to know the difference.

As regards Zuko's conclusion... well, yes, he is wrong. But in fairness, there is one important point of data that has been mentioned, that would disqualify Toph from being Avatar. I will expand on that point soon, but suffice to say that Toph has a fond relationship with dishonesty.

 

[lask]

Suffice to say that Toph has a fond relationship with dishonesty.

Well, yes. She is Toph, after all! h43r:

 

[biigoh]

Well... they did say that the avatar died 12 years ago, but Toph is allegedly 10 years old. Thus she can't be the avatar due to the age issue. B)

 

[drakensis]

Mai woke up in darkness that for a moment she wondered if she had actually opened her eyes. It took a moment for her to realise that she must be underground and a moment longer to realise that her head was cushioned on a heap of sand.

"Welcome back from the spirit world," Toph said from the darkness. There was a slight swish, as if sand was being brushed away from something. "For a while there I was afraid you'd be taking up permanent residence there."

"What happened?" asked Mai and then winced as she felt pain from her head. Touching her face she found a trail of blood leading up to - "Ouch." - a swollen bruise the size of a goose-egg just above her hair line.

There was another swish of sand. "A rock hit you on the head when you were coming down after me." She paused. "Thank you for that, by the way."

"I promised I'd look after you," Mai waved off the gratitude.

"No, really. I had a perfect getaway, and you messed it up. Thanks for caring, but you have lousy timing in deciding to come out of your shell."

Mai blinked. "Wha- you were in on it? You were one of the kidnappers?" She reached for her favorite throwing dagger and found it absent.

She could hear Toph's bangs whip back and forth as she shook her head. "No. That messed me up as much as it did anyone. It's not Tom-Tom's fault he was born in the Fire Nation and I don't really give a damn about the war. I came here to hide, nothing more. If I hadn't turned out to be a firebender I'd have been safe for months. Instead..." she sighed. "My parents will probably find out I came here any day now. Saving Tom-Tom was my excuse to get out of the city before they find me. Thanks for playing hero, Spiky," she added, her voice dropping into uncertaintly.

"Well, clearly, I shouldn't have bothered."

Toph hesitated. "I deserve that." The swishing sound stopped. "I'm sorry Mai. I meant what I said about you being the best friend I ever had. I didn't plan on that either. I'm going to get you out of this."

Mai rolled to her feet, then paused before straightening and waved her hands cautiously above her head to check she wasn't about to butt her already bloody head against the ceiling. I wonder if this is how Toph feels all the time. "How are you going to do that? You're a firebender, not an earthbender. Speaking of which, if you're feeling guilty, a little light here wouldn't hurt."

There was a long pause. "Uh. Well, you're wrong about pretty much all of that."

"Is this really the time for riddles?"

"You're right. I guess I must sound like that old man, Bumi," Toph admitted. "Okay, first thing is, we're buried pretty solidly. I haven't found any air holes so far, so we've only got so much air. Talking is using a bit, but fire would use it a lot faster. And I don't know how long it will take to get out of here. I broke through into this gallery only a few minutes after we fell, or we'd probably have suffocated by now. So I don't really want to use more fire unless I really have to."

Mai grimaced, but nodded. "I understand. Who are you really."

"I really am Toph Bei Fong. But... my parents don't know I'm here. I ran away from them about a month back. They... found out I was a bender. They've always thought I was delicate because I can't see - but my bending terrified them. They... I don't want to talk about this, okay? They tried to take it away from me. At first I thought I was just ill. I thought it would come back. Then I overheard the real reason. They'd found, somehow, a chi specialist who did something to my chakra. They tried to sealed my bending away forever."

"Agni..." Mai murmered. She remembered what Zuko had been like the one time Azula had managed to convince Ty Lee to block his bending. He'd not noticed the gentle nudges that the young girl had used... and the betrayal on his face when fire failed to respond to him had been fearful. Of course, that had worn off after an hour or so.

"Anyway, I figured the safest place to hide would be somewhere that the Fire Nation had occupied: it would be really difficult for my parents to send anyone after me here. And if anyone went looking for a blind girl, I didn't think that they would suspect a fire maiden of being a missing Earth Kingdom heiress."

Mai nodded. "And then your bending came back and you were a seven day wonder, your name on everyone's lips." She rubbed at her head again. "I suppose the block must be why you couldn't bend any great amount of fire. That's really been puzzling Zuko."

Toph chuckled. "So I heard." There was a rustle of cloth. "I'm blind, not deaf." The swishing sound resumed. "Do you want your knife back? I had to borrow it."

"No, if you're using it to dig, then you're probably making good use of it," Mai offered, walking hesitantly across the - what had Toph said? - gallery. She pulled out a larger blade from inside her robe. "I'll help."

She could almost feel Toph looking at her, which was ridiculous, since Toph really couldn't be. "Okay, paranoid now. I tell you that I lied a lot to you and now you're walking towards me with a big knife. Not helping."

"You're the one who's been living a lie," Mai pointed out. "Wouldn't that make you the untrustworthy one?"

"I am disarmed by your logic," Toph said and Mai heard something metal clatter onto the rocky surface that served as the floor of the gallery. "Have your knife back." The sound of the sand continued, apparently disproving Mai's assumption that it was the sound of Toph digging.

"I'd rather you didn't stick me with it accidentally," Mai told her, kneeling to recover the weapon. "Throwing it around like that is a little careless."

"I know exactly where you are," Toph told her. "And I don't need it to dig." There was a scrambling sound and when she next spoke, her voice echoed, as though she was speaking through a tube. "I'm through the wall, I think there's a vertical fissure here that we can use to get closer to the surface."

Mai reached forwards and found a circular hole in the stone wall. Perfectly circular, and even smooth except where sand had accumulated in the bottom. "This isn't firebending. The only way you could be doing this was if..." No, that was impossible. There was no possible way that she could have been sharing her bedroom with the greatest imaginable threat to the Fire Nation. And Toph was too young... or so she claimed. "How old are you, really?"

"I was born just after the winter solstice. Twelve years ago..."

Twelve years ago. Mai had only been four years old when the Three Dragons faced the Avatar, barely old enough to understand the reports being sent back from the colonies. Three great armies, commanded by the Fire Lord Azulon and his two sons had hounded the Avatar Kanna across the southern half of the Earth Kingdom, never allowing her to find refuge. At last, exhausted, the Avatar had tried to break through Azulon's army to reach the Serpent's Pass and flee into Ba Sing Se.

Accounts of the battle were as much legend as history, but all accounts agreed that Kanna had killed many of Azulon's soldiers and perhaps mortally wounded him before his sons could reach him. When she fled onto the narrow spine of land that was the only connection between the two halves of the continent, the indomitable Azulon insisted on continuing the chase and Prince Iroh, the Dragon of the West, had counselled that the three royal Firebenders should follow alone so that that they could move swiftly after their prey on the confined path.

Of the three, only Prince Ozai, the younger of the Firelord's sons. The Serpent's Pass had been shattered into a thousand pieces and both Azulon and Iroh's bodies were lost beneath the waves. Ozai had brought back Kanna's body as a trophy however, proving the great victory, henceforth the Victory of the Three Dragons, over the Avatar. Mai could just barely remember the day of Ozai's return and certainly none of his famous speech that day.

Of course, she had been required to study it later on, by teachers who claimed disappointment that a small girl had not remembered a long speech she had heard only in part. These days, every educated citizen could quote the speech almost letter perfect. Ozai had declared that as his brother Iroh had been the chosen heir, all histories were to record Iroh as the Fire Lord succeeding their father Azulon, his reign covering the days between Azulon's death and Ozai's own investiture as Fire Lord. A reign that had therefore begun on the day of the winter solstice.

"You were born within days of the Victory of the Three Dragons," she said slowly. "You are an earthbender, and a firebender." She looked irritably off into the darkness. "Would you like to confess now, before I reach the mindboggling obvious conclusion?"

Toph muttered something that sounded obscene. Her little sister had all sorts of entertaining bad habits that she'd apparently been hiding. For a moment she idly considered what Azula or Ty Lee would make of her and then reality set in.

"What if I said it was none of your business, Spiky?" the younger girl asked.

Mai's lips curved. Revenge was sweet. "I think I'd remember what you said to me when I said my relationship with Prince Zuko was none of yours, little sister."

"'Little sister'?" Toph responded, suddenly much closer. "Are you going soft on me, Spiky?"

"I wouldn't dream of it. Would you prefer I refer to you by your other name, Avat-"

Toph growled deep in her throat. "No, I'm good," she assured Mai hastily. "I'm... just going to dig for a while, let's be quiet and conserve the air."

.oOo.

The sun was just beginning to creep up over the horizon when Toph finally managed to break a hole through to the surface. Admittedly this little victory was still over a hundred yards below the top of the canyon surrounding Omashu, but at least it guarenteed a light and air, both of which Mai had been growing somewhat concerned about for the last hour or so. If she wasn't so rational she might have been claustrophobic, but clearly that was impossible. There was no doubt that the air in the caves had been running out, even if Toph had laughed at the notion. Unfortunately, Toph's crippled chi made it impossible for her to tunnel quickly, she had to effectively brush aside the stone, one thin layer at a time, dissolving it into sand.

"Okay, you're clear." Toph said, pulling back to let Mai past. "I guess I'll see you some time."

Mai blinked as the sudden light irritated her eyes. "And what makes you think I'm letting you out of my sight?"

"Um, Mai. I already told you, I'm leaving Omashu. Even if you hadn't figured out I... about my bending, I wasn't going to stay. I'll just go burrow through the other side of the mountain and you can go home."

"And I already told you, you're my little sister. And you need a bath, the nearest of which is in Omashu." Mai felt a smile crawling across her face and was glad Toph couldn't see her. What would it do to her reputation. "And as for the other stuff... well, technically it's my patriotic duty to report the Avatar's identity to my father. But there's something about being a Fire Maiden that I think you've forgotten."

Toph frowned in thought. "One of those boring lessons?"

"The first duty of a woman of the Fire Nation is always to her family," Mai reminded her. "Always. It doesn't matter what politics the men play around with. Our job is to make sure our families survive. And I don't think letting the Fire Lord Ozai that the Avatar he's so worried about is -" blind, chi-crippled, effectively orphaned "- learning firebending from his own son, would be in my family's best interests."

"Oh." Toph thought about that and then shrugged. "Sorry. Still not staying. Not going to be here when my parents turn up. If you want to do me a favour, tell everyone that Toph Bei Fong died last night."

"Not letting you out of my sight. Is your memory failing you, little sister?"

"Not staying in Omashu! Are you going senile already?" Toph half-shouted and stamped one foot, creating a small crater under it.

Mai nodded. "Then I will go with you." Uh, wait, what?

"I can look after myself," Toph said, huffing in frustration. "I'm... I was the greatest earthbender in the world. The undefeated champion of the Earth Rumble. I made it here without any help at all and I don't need help now."

"Who said I thought you needed help?" Mai asked innocently. "Omashu is unbelieveable tedious. You were the only person who made it evenly remotely bearable. The way I see it, following you around should be far more exciting." She smiled faintly. "You aren't the only person whose parents don't let her get out much."

Toph looked at her and then shook her head. "You're crazy. I'm glad you're my sister, no one else would be able to cope. Keeping you away from Tom-Tom is practically a public service." She threw up her hands in defeat. "Okay, you can come with me. But first there's something I need to do in Omashu."

.oOo.

"You know, when you said you wanted to do one last thing in Omashu, I thought you had something discreet in mind, not releasing King Bumi," Mai hissed as the two girls crept up the palace tower. The palace was very quiet today, with only a minimum of guards. She had the uneasy suspicion that every ablebodied man was busy excavating a certain hill.

"Nah, no one will ever know we were here," Toph assured her. "Can't release a man who doesn't want to be liberated."

Mai frowned. "He's a prisoner, Toph."

"Suuure he is, Spiky. You just keep telling yourself that. Most powerful Earthbender you've ever seen - except for me of course - and you think a couple of layers of metal has him confined?" Toph shook her head. "He's in there because he choses to be."

"Why would he chose to be locked away while we take over his kingdom?" Mai asked curiously.

Toph shrugged. "You've got me there. No idea. I didn't say he wasn't crazy." She pulled a stone of of a pocket and it started shifting in her hand into a facsimile of a key. "Presumably it makes sense to him."

"That doesn't look very much like the key," Mai advised.

Toph grinned cockily and slid it any way, wiggling it back and forth for a moment. Mai had the feeling that if Toph could see she would have closed her eyes to concentrate. After a moment Mai's little sister turned the key fully and the lock snapped open. "Easy as an easy thing," she bragged and pushed the door open.

"Ooh, pretty girls here again," Bumi chuckled from his casket. "Can't stay away from my manly charms, can you?"

"Oh please," Mai sighed, leaning against the door frame. "Yes, congratulations, you have a twelve year old admirer."

"Twelve years old?" Bumi asked. "Funny, it seems more like four days than two years since you last come to visit me."

Toph advanced closer towards him. "Yeah, I lied. I'm a bad person, I know."

"No," Bumi shook his head. "I think you are wise beyond your years. I take it from your method of entrance that you're not just a firebender, young Toph."

"I'm an Earthbender," Toph told him flatly. "I am - I was - the best Earthbender I've ever heard of. Better than you. And yes, you saw yourself. I can bend fire too. Not well, but a bit. That doesn't have to mean... what you're thinking."

"Only the Avatar can bend the four elements," Bumi said patiently. "It is not fair, I know. You're too young to have to deal with that burden but there is no other explanation. Everyone in the Earth Kingdom has been waiting for you. And," he smiled at Mai, "At least you do not need to bear the burden alone."

"Me?" she said, pointing a finger at her face. "I'm not a bender."

"No, but you love Toph and will protect her," Bumi told her. "When the Avatar's heart is sure then there is nothing that can stand against her... but when they are in doubt..." He shook his head. "Love has always been mankind's greatest strength and weakness. It is no different for the Avatar."

Toph made a disgusted noise. "Whatever. Not what I'm here for. On top of this, I have another problem."

Bumi frowned. "You're having to beat the boys off with a stick?"

"What? No," Toph said irritably.

"Oh, they won't look at you? That's strange."

"Who cares about boys?" snapped Toph. "Get with it, grandpa, someone's messed with my chi. I can't bend worth a damn any more. I figure being messed up like that is a lot more likely to be causing my sudden firebending than being some reborn hero that everyone expects to save their butts."

Bumi frowned. "I've heard of some techniques to block chi, but those are only temporary," he admitted. "Typically, one's chakras will quickly return the flows to normal. The only exceptions I have heard of that have permanent effects are those so disruptive that they kill the target."

"That's my experience as well," Mai confirmed. "I have a... friend who knows some of those techniques," she added when Bumi looked at her enquiringly.

"Hmm. And if someone could learn other forms of bending though a little chi manipulation," Bumi added. "Then everyone would be doing it."

"There's always a first time," Toph protested. "Anyway. Fine, you don't know anything useful, so I'm done here. Enjoy your vacation up here," she threw back over her shoulder as she headed back out the door.

"I will," Bumi promised cheerily. "But would you mind doing an old man a favour?"

"Well that depends," Toph told him. "What's in it for me?"

He cackled in amusement. "I know the fastest way out of the city. Interested?"

"Alright, I'm listening."

"Tell Aang that I miss all the fun we had," Bumi asked.

"Aang?" Toph looked at Mai in perplexion. "Look, I'm not trekking around the world looking for some old codger."

Bumi laughed. "Old codger? Don't you worry your head about that, Lady Toph. Aang will find you."

"Well. Alright. If you say so," she agreed. "So, what's this secret way out of the city?"

There was a sparkle in Bumi's eye. "You've seen Omashu's mail system?"

"I'm blind," Toph deadpanned.

"Oh. Right. But you know how it works, right?"

Toph frowned. "Well... yeah. I..." A grin spread across her face. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

Mai's eyes narrowed. "What is he suggesting?"

"Trust me, it's very interesting," Toph promised a little smugly. "Well, thanks for that King Bumi. I'd tell you to write and let me know how you're getting on, but I get the feeling that I'm going to be moving around a bit and..."

"Yes, yes, you can't read," Mai said. "You've done that to death already."

.oOo.

"No."

Toph pouted. "It's perfectly safe. I had someone read me a scroll about Omashu once and they used to use them for hundreds of packages a day."

"That was when there were Earthbenders all over the place to keep it working," Mai said, eyeing the slide warily.

"You'll have an Earthbender right in the car with you, couldn't be safer," Toph pointed out. She hopped into the sled and ran her hands over it. "No problem."

Mai shook her head. "No problem now, or no problem before your chi was shut down?"

Toph stabbed one finger towards the older girl. "Listen, I know exactly what my limits are, Spiky. I may not like them, but I know them. This, I can do."

"And walking out of Omashu quietly is so hard?" Mai asked somewhat plainatively.

"There's too much chance of someone spotting us. If we huddle down inside this, then no one will be able to see us. They'll just assume that one of the builders knocked it onto the slide and ignore it. I can get us right the way to the outer wall in less time than it takes for us to argue about it."

Mai sighed and and jumped into the back of the sled, slouching down against the stone until she was entirely below the lip. "I'm going to regret this," she predicted gloomily as Toph tipped the sled onto the ramp.

.oOo.

Locks of hair fell away from Zuko's scalp as he ran the razor across his scalp. The garrison had worked through the night and then the following day to dig out the hill, but all they had found was the broken body of Jet's accomplice, Smellerbee, crushed amost beyond recognition by the rocks.

The candles that lit Zuko's quarters flared in time with his breathing. Normally his control was better than that but he couldn't bring himself to care. His eyes watered for a moment and his face blurred in the metal mirror to impassive golden eyes and long, raven black bangs framing a pale face. "I failed you," he apologised, but when he wiped his eyes the only face present was that his own, his topknot pulled into an old fashioned high ponytail. Turning his head, he began to cut away the hair at the back of his head.

And Toph... he'd led his student to her death. He'd let her courage and his pride in her blind him to the fact that she was only ten years old. Not even old enough for military service and she'd ridden into the ambush with him as faithfully as any soldier, faced down Jet himself fearlessly... none of which he should have allowed. Zuko's jaw clenched. "Agni, let her have died cleanly," he prayed, loathing himself for the words. "Let her not have fallen into Jet's hands."

His shaving done, Zuko folded away the kit and began to don his armour. Normally his aide would have helped him but he had sent the man away. He felt the need to do this himself. Slowly, deliberately, he buckled on his greaves and breastplate, then lifted the heavy yoke over his shoulders, lacing it into place. He didn't bother with the helmet - he wanted the widest possible field of vision.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," Zuko called. He didn't turn around when the door opened. but a glance at the mirror showed him the governor entering.

"Prince Zuko?" the man asked and then gasped as he saw Zuko. "Your highness?"

"Yes governor. What can I do for you?" he asked bluntly and saw an angry retort die on the father's face as a politician's instincts restrained him. "I should never have let Mai and Toph come with me," Zuko admitted, before the older man could say anything.

Mai's father sighed wearily. "I doubt you could have stopped them, your highness. The first duty of a woman of the Fire Nation is always to her family. Mai would never have agreed to simply wait while someone else rescued Tom-Tom. And little Toph..." he sighed heavily. "She was a natural fire maiden. Why would that not come as instinctively to her as all else."

"We were so close. So damn close to all being safe," Zuko growled, feeling candles around the room blaze, melting prodigously through the wax.

"So I saw," the governor agreed. "I should not blame you for my daughters' deaths."

Should not. Meaning of course, that he did. "Why not? I do. I should have been the one to go back for Toph. I'm the bender. I would have stood a better chance."

"You were injured. And you had sworn to bring my son back, for which I thank you." The old man was fighting to control his breathing. And his temper. "I... am grateful for what you were able to do, Prince Zuko. I... my wife's temper is uncertain however. I would not insult a son of the Firelord by demanding his departure..."

"But somethings are hard to unsay," Zuko agreed. "Do not concern yourself, Lord Governor. I will not hold anything your wife says against her or against you. And I will leave Omashu at dawn. The so-called Freedom Fighters cannot be camped far from here and I intend to put a stop to them once and for all. It is long since time that someone purged the bandits in this part of the world."

The old man smiled. It was not a pleasent expression. "You will bring them to justice?" He paused. "But what about the rest of your tour."

"This isn't about justice," Zuko growled. "It's vengeance. And to hell with the tour."

 

[ryugabriev]

*slumps defeated*

I put everything I got into what I do and don't get a reply at all...you do your usual flair and people can't stop talking.

What the HELL are you doing that I'm not Drakensis?!

***

Embittered rants aside, excellent work. The Avatar has returned and fate's wheel has begun to move once more.

Keep this up.

 

[lask]

Cool, an update. So what DID they do to mess up Toph's bending? I guess they had to do something, because with how direct Toph is, she would try and fight her way through all her problems without something forcing her to think.

 

[biigoh]

I suspect a variant of what Aang did to Ozai in the show. Aka a more sticking version of Ty Lee. <_<

 

[lask]

*slumps defeated*

I put everything I got into what I do and don't get a reply at all...you do your usual flair and people can't stop talking.

What the HELL are you doing that I'm not Drakensis?!

For me... I just don't care about Sonic. If you had done DP, or one of the other cartoons I watch, sure. But I've never been able to really get into Sonic.

 

[ryugabriev]

*slumps defeated*

I put everything I got into what I do and don't get a reply at all...you do your usual flair and people can't stop talking.

What the HELL are you doing that I'm not Drakensis?!

For me... I just don't care about Sonic. If you had done DP, or one of the other cartoons I watch, sure. But I've never been able to really get into Sonic.

DP??

I forget what that is...

 

[jaredstar]

danny phantom most likely

 

[drakensis]

"Why did I ever say I wanted to travel with you?" Mai asked, emptying her boot of swamp water for the seventh time that morning.

"I think it was something about wanting to have an adventure," Toph replied with a grin. She was a lot more expressive without adult supervision, Mai had noticed. Of course, she was mostly indulging this at Mai's expense, but who else was there? "This is just one of those bits that don't generally get a lot of attention in the ballads."

"The ballads. Right."

"I could sing one for you, if you want," the younger girl offered.

"Please don't." For someone who depended on her hearing more than sight, Toph could be astonishingly tone deaf. Her reportoire was also split more or less evenly between very traditional Earth Kingdom ballads and some very raunchy tavern songs that Mai would be fascinated to learn where the young girl had heard them. Certainly, from what Toph said about her family life, she wouldn't have heard them at her home. "Are you certain you know where we're going?"

"Well," Toph paused, turning her face back and forth and then pointed a few degrees off what Mai judged to be their direction of travel. "That's south."

"I was hoping for some landmarks."

Toph grinned. "Well, sure, I can see dozens of those. Once you've seen nothing, it's totally unmistakeable."

Mai counted to ten. "So we're just going to keep following your bearings until we get out the other side of the swamp?"

"Or we hit the sea," Toph conceded. "We might have to follow the coast if that happens. I'm not really sure where that is - kind of hard for me read a map." She shrugged her shoulders. "Trust me, I don't like this any more than you do. The mud here is terrible for earthbending and it's too damp for fire to be any use."

"It must have been difficult to get through the swamps last time."

"Are you nuts, Spiky? I've never been here before. When I came to Omashu I travelled through the mountains - much easier for fast movement. I wouldn't be in this mudpit at all if I could think of anywhere that it would be harder for someone to track us through."

Mai groaned. "You don't know the swamps at all?"

Toph splashed her way down off the hillock that they'd been resting on. "I know that we're going south. More or less. Sooner or later, we'll reach dry land."

Her companion sighed morosely and waded into the muck. Almost immediately, some of it ran into her boots.

.oOo.

Mai had brought down a small animal with one of her throwing knives and took charge of cooking it that evening after Toph broke up some of the tree roots and and managed to start a rather smokey fire.

"This isn't bad," Toph admitted, chewing on the rather gamey meat.

"Don't overwhelm me with your praise," Mai mumbled around her own mouthful.

Toph leant back, propping her feet up on a root. "Okay, done embarassing you for the moment. She gnawed on a bone. "Seriously I probably ought to learn how to cook now that I'm a firebender. It was a bit dangerous before."

"I can imagine," Mai said drily. "How did you manage to forage for food when you were on your own?"

"Mostly I just didn't bother cooking."

Mai groaned. "So this is an adventure. Just great."

"Hey, you could have stayed in Omashu," Toph said and shrugged. "I didn't drag you here. You could probably go back, even now. Feel tempted?"

"Hmm. Wading through this swamp or dying of boredom in Omashu... not really a difficult decision, little sister." Mai threw one of the bones away. "Just promise me that you're not planning to stay in this swamp and learn waterbending now that you know you're the Avatar."

"I'm still not convinced of that."

"You said yourself, you were a powerful earthbender before your pa-" Mai reconsidered her words as she saw Toph's face twist. "Before your chi was injured. Zuko said you were still one of the most talented benders he'd ever met. He couldn't believe how quickly you picked it up. And believe me, he knows what he's talking about."

The blind girl spat into the water. "If I was the reincarnation of some sort of mythical hero, don't you think I'd know about it?"

"Possibly not." Mai shrugged. "After the Avatar Kanna was killed, the everyone started searching for her successor. I was just a child at the time, but I had to do a report about the last fire nation Avatar: Rokku. The histories say that the Fire Lord was heartbroken when he learned that his closest friend was the Avatar. They were supposed to have been like brothers before Rokku betrayed him. If Rokku had known when he was a child, wouldn't Sozin have known as well?"

"I don't know? Do children talk about that sort of thing?"

"I think so," said Mai uncertainly. "My parents always told me to be quiet so I suppose children are normally talkative."

"Great. We both had weird childhoods. Maybe you're the Avatar."

"Hmm. No thank you."

"Then you know how I feel," Toph told her. "I don't want to bring balance to the world. Or to destroy the Fire Nation. You said everyone was looking for the Avatar - they weren't doing it to give me tea and fire flakes. They all wanted the Avatar's power, to control. I guess it doesn't matter if I'm the Avatar or not. If anyone finds out I can bend more than one element, they'll try to control me. Just like my parents. Just like your parents. That isn't exactly what I had in mind for my life."

Mai nodded. "So. What do you want?"

Toph sat up and hugged her knees. "I don't know. I don't really have a plan."

"Then maybe we need somewhere to go, somewhere we can live while you try to make a plan." Mai grimaced. "I wish I had a map."

"Sorry, I didn't see any maps when I was packing," Toph shrugged. The familiar joke seemed to steady her. "What do you want to know?"

"There's supposed to be an island where one of the Avatars lived," Mai told her. "I don't remember the name, but it's some way off the south coast. They don't play any part in the war other than some refugees making their way there. No one would look twice at a couple of young girls there - particularly since apparently they traditionally cover their faces in paint."

Toph shrugged. "One place is as good as another. But if an Avatar once lived there, wouldn't they be more likely to suspect me?"

"Not if you're discreet about bending," suggested Mai.

"But I love bending!"

Was I this annoying when I was twelve? I don't think so. I think Ty Lee was though... "Get some sleep. I want to get through the swamp as fast as possible, which means an early start."

.oOo.

This wasn't what I had in mind for an early start, Mai mused as the vines continued to drag on her ankles. It was still dark, although some moonlight was filtering through the treetops of the swamp. Of course, since she was face down and using her throwing knives to keep herself from being dragged off by suddenly hostile vegetation. Toph, not carrying any weapons - something I really need to teach her about, she decided - had already been dragged off.

Risking her grip by only holding on one-handed, Mai used her other hand to throw kunai at the vines, severing two of them and loosening the grip to the point she could break loose and run in the direction Toph had vanished.

"For the record," she advised the trees as she jumped through them, "If you hurt my little sister I'm going to go get Zuko and make him raise an army of firebenders to reduce this whole maggoty mess to ashes. So you might want to keep that in mind." The trees didn't seem very intimidated. Clearly she was losing her edge.

There was a ground mist, but she could hear splashing ahead, so probably Toph was putting up some resistance. Mai sped up her pace and started jumping from branch to branch, avoiding the water below her. The branches didn't drop her into the water, which she took to mean that her intimidation tactics had worked, which was more than they ever had on Ty Lee.

Ahead of her, a black and red shape was moving through the branches in the same direction. "Toph?" No, too large, she decided. And hopefully Toph wasn't faking her death to get away from her. They were getting along quite well, all things considered. But the clothes were certainly the right colours to be from the Fire Nation.

She pushed herself harder, trying to get closer and get a better look, but all she could make out was that whoever it was had shaved most of their head and had what was left of their hair in a high ponytail that looked like something out of a historical play. Mai hadn't seen anything that ridiculous since the last time her mother insisted she accompany her to the Ember Island Players.

Mai blinked as the shape vanished behind a tree trunk and didn't reappear. And the sound of struggling was also gone. "Toph!" she called. "Toph! Make some noise so I can find you!"

.oOo.

Is the entire universe intent on giving me baths? Toph wondered the vines dragged her into the water. Flailing around she dug one hand into the muddy bottom and bent a ridge up out of it, pushing her up above the water again. Waterbending really would come in handy right now, she admitted. Of course, I don't know anything about waterbending, so that's a wash.

Toph dug her heels into the muddy ridgeand pushed her hands upwards, trying to lift up enough of a barricade to stop herself from being dragged any further. The mud wasn't sturdy enough to stop her progress however and she cried out in pain as she was smashed bodily through though her own wall.

Suddenly the vines released her. "Why, you're just a little girl," drawled a surprised voice.

"Who's a little girl?" Toph snapped back, scrambling to her feet, bruised but intact. She was uneasily aware that she was hip deep in the mud, which was too soft to betray where the attacker was.

He chuckled. "Easy now, I ain't gonna hurt ya."

"You've got that right!" The swamp-mud might not have the consistency to protect her, but it worked just fine as a projectile Toph discovered as she dragged a handful of it up and lobbed a hihg velocity mudpie towards the enemy bender.

"Now hold on there!" the voice yelped, more in surprise than pain, to Toph's regret. She felt the silt begin to harden around her feet, trying to immobilise her.

"That isn't going to work!" Toph declared, forcing the mud away. Water ran down her breeches. He isn't bending the mud, he's bending the water in it. This guy's a waterbender. I thought it was just water and ice they could shape: he's good. Her determination crystalised: he may be all that and a bag of fire flakes, but there's no way he's a better bender than Toph Bei Fong! She sank into a horse stance, forcing the mud up into a wall around her, pushing the water away and forming a shield between her and the enemy.

I need to move more fluidly, Toph deduced. The water in the mud is making it difficult. I need to adjust my stances to allow for this. Vines slapped into her cover and she threw up one hand, bending the mud that clung to the plant, battling for control of the plant.

"You don't need to do this!" protested her opponent.

Toph spat into the water. "Easy for you to say. What would a guy be doing dragging a girl away into the swamp like this be up to? I can think of some pretty nasty reasons."

The vine collapsed suddenly. "I suppose I can't blame you for being frightened," the speaker said. "You're an earth bender - you'll probably be happier out of the water. I'll leave you alone until the sun's up and you calm down a bit." There was a splashing sound as the other bender backed off.

Great. So I've got until dawn, which can't be all that far off, to figure out how to mudbend better than a waterbender. Toph spread out her hands, then splayed her fingers, reaching out. Around her, the mud began to build itself into blocks, which promptly collapsed under their own weight. She grunted unhappily and moved her hands slowly around, stirring the viscous mud as if it was water. Sweat began form on her brow. "Harder to make it behave like water when I'm bending it like Earth," she noted out loud.

Slowly she softened her stance, letting the mud break into chunks as they moved. Somewhere in between then. Earth was balanced, Fire was unbalanced. Water was... what? The opposite of fire? What would that be again.

.oOo.

It was the laconic, drawling voices that caught Mai's attention. She had returned to the campsite and resorted to her limited tracking skills in order to try to follow the path by which Toph had been dragged away. That... hadn't worked. Water was not known for retaining marks of passage after all, and the vines had moved fast.

Still, there were marks. Banks where something shaped by human hands had touched. Which meant? Most probably boats. Recently enough, by her guess. People were almost always source to less reliable information than observation, but rather easier to elicit it from. Of course, part of their unreliablity came from disparate motivations. Which simply meant that it was necessary to motivate them properly.

Sometimes even Azula could be a useful rolemodel.

Mai tumbled out of the branches overhanging the landing site as the skiff touched the shore. The distraction of handling the boat in that moment was enough to give her a crucial moment in which to act. The man at the bow was a bender, and therefore the main target. One booted foot caught his bulkier partner across the jaw, disorientating him and then she was behind the waterbender, one hand pinning his thin wrists and the other holding sharp steel to his throat.

"Be very very careful about what you say next," she advised coldly. "Best of all, say nothing until I am done."

"Tho," the waterbender asked nervously. "You okay?"

"Shut up, Due," the pudgy man - wearing nothing but a pair of leaves, Mai noted distastefully - ordered. "You ain't being real friendly, Missie."

Mai didn't break her attention. "I don't find this swamp very friendly," she retorted. "My little sister was stolen away from my side last night. She is twelve years old and blind. And so far as I can tell, you are the only others in the area. I'm sure that you understand my reasoning."

"Hey!" Due said indignantly - and sincerely, judging by the way his breath and heartrate were changing. Uncoincidentally, one of Mai's fingers was set precisely over one of his radial arteries to check that.

"Shut up, Due," Tho repeated, his eyes narrowing. "Anyone around here who tried what you're suggestin' would be face down in the swamp someplace even nastier than your attitude, Missie. Maybe two or three different places," he added thoughtfully. "Which doesn't mean that there aren't those who wouldn't want to put a scare in folks who don't have any proper business being here and might - might, I say - make a mistake."

"That is a mistake that they will regret," Mai observed, calculating her options. Due might be the bender of the pair, but he wasn't the brains between these two... and then she pushed him forwards on top of Tho, withdrawing her blade and twisting herself between two whips of muddy water that were reaching to constrain him. Alright, he wasn't even the only bender. Unfortunate, although Tho seemed more level-headed.

Due rolled out of the boat entirely to clear the way for Tho and water began to rise behind him. "Don't you threaten us, girlie!"

His partner shook his head sharply. "Leave it," he said, eyeing Mai carefully. "If Desai Lai was missin' you'd be 'bout as worried." He shuffled back a bit in the boat. "It you're willin' to quit making threats, missie, we'll take you to Huu. He'll find your sister for you, sure as sure."

"Who?"

"No, Huu... aw, I'm not getting into this. It's his name!" The waterbender smiled, although it didn't reach his eyes. "Don't you worry your head, I''m sure we'll find her safe and sound."

"You mistake my meaning," Mai warned, putting her knife ostensibly away inside her sleeve and sitting down in the boat. "My sister is unlikely to respond passively to fear. Whoever has her may be the one who needs to be rescued."

.oOo.

"You know, I was sort of expecting you to get out of the water," the voice observed. It didn't much surprise Toph: she'd felt the first bits of sunlight on her face a few moments before. "Aren't you cold?"

"I am warmed by the fires of righteous fury," Toph deadpanned. Wow, Fire Nation Man's nonsense sounds even stupider when I'm saying it. Actually, she's been firebending the water around her to warm her up, but she didn't feel like letting this guy know that. She sank into horse stance, building up a mound of mud under her feet, lifting herself out of the water.

The voice sounded exasperated. It was annoying not being able to tell whether he was truthful or not. "I'm not going to fight you. I just wanted to scare you and your companion away. This swamp is a sacred place and you were disturbing it with your fire."

Toph spat into the water. "And us throwing down here hasn't caused about a hundred times as much of a disturbance? Oh yeah, that makes sense." The blind girl gestured and a fist-sized gob of mud rose up in front of her face. "You're going to have to do better than that."

"I'm n-" There was a crunch as the mud, and the pebble that Toph had hidden in the middle of it, struck something solid. An obstruction probably since it didn't sound like broken bone. "Now that's just dirty," the man said, sounding slightly shocked.

Mud squelched mockingly between Toph's toes as she flexed the ground beneath her. She couldn't get anything like the force she was used to, but by jumping as she did so, she could at least get some distance.

Toph was unpleasently surprised to crash into a spongy mass of vines that absorbed her impact and began to twist around her. With a startled cry, she tucked herself into a ball, trying not to give the vines anything to hold onto and tried to reach for the mud she'd felt on them before. It wasn't there. Obviously whoever the other bender was, he'd made a point of scraping it away before confronting her.

"Stop that," the man ordered and she felt a warm, human hand on her shoulder. "Just relax and I'll take you back to your parents."

Toph screamed.

Mud exploded up from the bed of the swamp, smacking the man aside with what would have been lethal force had the water not softened the blow. The vines relaxed abruptly as he was distracted from bending them and Toph dove against the little hillock. It was formed over a mass of roots, not stone, but it was the closest thing the Earthbender had come across to solid ground in hours and she burrowed into it like a mole carving a hole into the damp soil, compressing the sides to hold them together and reduce the water seepage. Roots in the way were driven aside by the earth, groaning in protest.

"Stop!" the man's voice begged. "Please stop, you don't know what you're doing."

Toph gasped for breath, not sure she could speak. She could barely feel anything over the beating of her own heart. Despite her efforts, water was beginning to pool around her hands and feet. Stuffling around she hollowed out a burrow large enough for her to turn around in. The entrance was too small for the man to come in after her.

Huddling against one of the branches, she tried to breath the way Zuko had taught her. In through the nose, holding the air deep inside her chest, then slowly out past her lips. In... hold... out...

Slowly her heart began to beat more steadily, less like a brutal hammer in her chest. Slowly her eyes began to close.

"I'm sorry," she heard the man say, the sound carried as much by the tree roots as by the air.

"If you come down here... I'll kill you..." Toph murmured, unsure if he would hear her.

.oOo.

Mai wasn't the most experienced person in the world when it came to trees, but she was fairly sure that the massive tree trunk - almost as far around as her father's palace in Omashu - must belong to the largest tree in the world. The trunk didn't even begin until the roots were heaped at least twice as high as her head.

"Quite a sight, isn't it," Tho said solemnly. "Biggest tree in the swamp. Huu's usually around here."

Duw nudged the skiff up against one of the lower roots. "He's probably napping up at the top again."

"He calls it meditatin'," Tho corrected and then shrugged. "'Course, does look like nappin' to me, come to that. Says he found enlightenment up there. Don't rightly know what's so important about that but the man surely loves to talk about it. He'll bend your ear about it all day if you let him."

"I'll be firm," Mai told him drily and hopped out of the boat and onto the root. The soggy wood was treacherous footing and she needed to use a hand on occasion to help her climb. She could feel the eyes of the two waterbenders still eyeing her suspiciously every now and then as the followed her and smiled privately. The further up the tree they went, the further the pair were from water that they could use to attack her, since neither appeared to be carrying any water. Her weapons, on the other hand...

"Uh, Tho, I don't like the way she's smilin'," Duw muttered, having caught Mai's face in profile as she turned around one obstacle.

Tho shrugged irritably. "She's just a skinny girl," he said dismissively, running one finger along a root, droplets of water rising from the wood and along his finger in illustration of the source of his confidence. "Let Huu deal with her temper."

"There's no one up here," Mai observed, looking around the base of the tree. Her eyes locked onto Tho and her lips tightened in accusation.

The pudgy waterbender shrugged. "He'll not be far," he assured her and turned outwards, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Huu! Hey, Huu! You got visitors!" Beside him, Duw started slapping his hands against the bark of the tree, the beat echoing around them.

Mai stared at them and then shrugged. It saved her the bother of shouting, and if nothing else, Toph might hear them. She considered that, and Toph, for a moment and then discreetly moved away a few steps away from the two of them.

A moment later, Duw pulled his hands off the trunk. "Huu's round the other side," he said confidently. "I can hear him beating the tree too."

The fire maiden bit her lip lightly. There were too many possible jokes to choose from and she was not going to treat the lanky waterbender like some of the less bright boys she'd met over the years, even if the man did act like them. Instead she gestured in that direction. "Lead the way."

Duw did so gladly, but Tho waited for Mai to follow, making it clear he intended to bring up the rear. Mai let him have the position. If the two of them were together then one of them might block her from bringing down the other. Seperated, they would be easier to deal with if necessary.

The little group circled the tree and began to descend towards the water again. Ahead of them, Mai could see movement, which resolved into another pudgy looking man wearing the same sort of leaf loincloth as the two natives with her. Of course, since the man was on his knees, apparently grubbing around on top of a mound of earth, it wasn't covering as much as Mai would have liked. "I'm suddenly glad I skipped breakfast," she muttered under her breath.

"Hey Huu," called Tho. "Got a visitor for you."

Much to her relief, the man straightened up. "Seems to be my morning for them," he said in a resigned voice. "Hey Tho, hey Duw." His eyes set on Mai and he blinked. "Don't see many folks from the Fire Nation here. Too wet for most of them. What can I do for you?"

"My little sister was dragged off by some vines," Mai told him bluntly. "These two thought you might know something about that."

Huu frowned. "Well, I did find a little girl last night -" he said, pointing at a hole in the ground. "But she's an earthbender -"

Mai shoved Duw aside and jumped down from the root onto the hillock. "What did you do to her!?" she demanded, reaching for a throwing knife.

"Oh yeah, you're sisters alright," Huu concluded wearily. "She holed up down there. I tried to coax her out, promised to take her home... just seemed to make her mad." He spread his hands. "Can't get down that dugout of hers, bit to narrow for a fellow my size, and I'm not sure I can widen it without collapsin' it."

Duw scrambled down after Mai. "Aw, don't you worry, little lady. Ol' Duw can get in there, I ain't as full in the gut as these two. I'll get your sister out of there."

"What are the funeral rites around here?" Mai asked him mildly. "Do they take a lot of preparation?"

"Huh?"

Huu shook his head. "Duw, the girl's meaner than a catgator with a toothache when she's riled. Stick your head in there and you're gonna get it bitten clean off. Stubborn too - she stayed plumb in the water all night rather than get up on shore like I told her too."

"Aw shoot, how bad can a little girl be?"

Mai cleared her throat.

"On second thoughts, she's your sister, you deal with her," Duw decided wisely.

 

[lask]

I'm half suprised Toph didn't manage to get that annoying plant manipulator. She's more vicous then anyone else on the 'good' side after all.

 

[Hawk]

Just read this, and it is very good. I don't have time for a longer critique right now. It is a pleasure to read and I hope for more soon though.

 

[drakensis]

Toph woke at the sound of someone snaking their way into her burrow. She swept her hands around, ready to close the tunnel in on whoever dared to intrude her, but there was a familiarity to the heartbeat, to the way that the person was touching the wet earth. "Mai?" she asked, hating how weak she sounded.

"Do you know anyone else crazy enough to come down here after you?" Mai asked wryly. "Did he hurt you?"

"...yeah, like some old guy could hurt me?" Toph asked and hugged Mai's shoulders before letting go and punching her on the shoulders.

Mai rubbed at the impact site. "What was that for?"

"I don't do hugs."

"Of course not. Nice place you have here," Mai said, looking around. "Very homey. Are you planning to put down roots?"

Toph shook her head, then realised that for once it was Mai who wouldn't be able to see the gesture. "When I was little, I used to hide in caves near my parents' estate. It's where I met the badgermoles, where I learned to earthbend. I guess I just instinctively feel happier down here."

Mai put one hand in the water pooling on the floor and made a small noise of surprise when she found that it was warm. "I didn't know that there was a tribe of waterbenders in the swamp," she said. "I suppose they must hide here so that the Fire Nation doesn't find them, to wipe them out the way they did the Air Nomads. Even if the fleets do conquer the poles, waterbenders could survive in the depths of the swamp for a long time without anyone knowing that they existed."

"Is that what your people want?" asked Toph hesitantly. "To wipe out the waterbenders... and the earthbenders?"

Mai closed her eyes. "'The will of the Fire Lord is the will of the Fire Nation'," she recited tonelessly. "It is the will of every Fire Lord since Sozin the Great that all the world be united under the rule of their lineage. And the benders of the other nations have always opposed that will." She opened her eyes again. "I think that this is another of those things that it would be better for the Fire Lord to never find out about."

"I think you're right," Toph agreed, her voice solemn. "But what do we do about them. The... the one who brought me here said he would take me to my parents."

Mai reached out and took Toph's shoulder, running her hand down the arm until she was sure where her little sister's hand was. "Well first we'll try to reason with them," she decided. Then she pressed the hilt of one of her smaller daggers into Toph's hand. "Remind me to teach you how to use this at the earliest opportunity," she instructed. "Bending is all very well, but no one ever died from having too many weapons to hand."

"I know how to use a knife, Mai," Toph said, tucking the weapon and the sheath away.

"You do?"

"Of course. Sharp end goes in the other person's soft bits," the earthbender said.

Mai frowned. "It's a little more complicated than that," she said. "Or would you say that earthbending was just playing with mudpies?"

"Earthbending is a thousand times more awesome that that!" Toph replied hotly and then broke off. "Oh. Sorry."

"That's alright, little sister. I'm sure that you'll understand after you've spent hours and hours learning how to use them properly," Mai said graciously.

"I get it already, Spiky."

"And I do mean hours," insisted Mai. "From now on you're going to practise every day with me. You've been letting your skills get rusty while we're travelling and that just won't do."

"Oh yeah?" Toph said, and then smiled slowly. "Okay. I'll do it. But if you're teaching me to use a knife, then I'm going to teach you earthbending." She rubbed her hands together. "Oh yes. And learning that is going to be painful... for the student."

"Are you alright down there, missie?" a voice drawled from the mouth of the den. Toph gestured sharply and a mudpie rocketed out of the tunnel towards the speaker.

"...let's give them a little longer, Tho," advised Huu.

.oOo.

"So what brings the two of you to our little corner of the world?" Huu asked some time later. The five of them had regrouped on the highest roots, well above most of the trees in the swamp. Between the efforts of the three waterbenders and Toph, the two girls's clothes were even reasonably dry and clean, although the warming sunlight remained welcome.

"The Fire Nation captured Omashu recently," Mai told him. True, if not the answer to the question. "It wasn't safe for us to stay in the area and we thought no one would be likely to follow us into the swamp."

Duw wrinkled his nose. "Why wouldn't it be safe for you there. I mean, you're Fire Nation? Aren't you?"

"Idiot," Tho rumbled. "Look at their eyes. You think the little one'd have eyes like that if she was pure Fire Nation. She'd have eyes like her sister." He looked over. "You two are mixed blood, ain'tcha?"

Mai lowered her face, hiding her eyes with her bangs. It wasn't until later that she realised that the gesture was one Toph might have used. "Both sides consider that to be treason."

Huu sighed and shook his head. "Just another way that the both of them are more alike than they realise."

Firmly, Mai drew Toph against her to disguise the way that the young earthbender was shaking with laughter. "There are supposed to be islands in the south that are neutral in the war. We plan to make our way there. Leave it all behind." Until Sozin's Comet returns, when no one will be safe, she thought. But there was time enough to worry about that later.

"I don't know about that," Huu said thoughtfully. "Then again, I've never left the swamp. I'd suggest you stay, but I think your little sister might be a bit on the noisy side for the tree." He glowered at Toph for a moment before letting his face relax into a smile that seemed easier for him. "No offense, young lady, but it really didn't like you twisting its roots around like that."

"That's it fault for letting you use it drag me around like that," Toph said forthrightly. "If it can't take a pounding then it shouldn't get in a fight." The tree branch that the girls were sitting on flexed menacingly and Toph stamped one foot against it firmly. "Yeah, you heard me."

"Are you sure you're going to avoid the war with your sister acting like that?" Tho asked, apparently amused that the branch stopped moving.

Mai shrugged. "I figure on an island I can set her to beating the ocean into submission," she said sardonically. "By that time, hopefully she'll have started noticing boys and channel all that energy into something constructive."

"Ick." There was a disgusted noise from Toph and rather disquieted looks from the three men. Then again, from the way Toph had been acting, they were probably concerned that Toph's idea of flirting would be rather like Azula's. The Princess' occasional romantic inclinations leant more towards conquest than ongoing relationships. And wasn't that a horrible thought. The last thing that the world needed was another Azula, much less one who could bend all four elements.

"Well, I think we can at least get you across the swamp safely," Tho offered just a little too quickly. Perhaps he had sons that he wanted to protect. Mai couldn't blame him if he did. "I can get you to the other side in a day or two if Duw doesn't mind spelling me on the skiff. There's a port there, I'm sure you can find a ship there to wherever you want."

Mai nodded to him. "That would be very kind of you," she said with a smile as if she didn't have a fair idea that he had an ulterior motive. She didn't care if his reasoning was less about altruism and more about removing Toph from their little paradise. The results were the same either way.

.oOo.

The ship to Kiyoshi Island wasn't crammed with refugees, but there was a definite sense that this leg of the voyage was less about moving trade goods from the mainland than it delivering people who thought that the isolated island would be safer for them than the alternatives.

"So do the women really paint their faces?" Toph asked curiously.

"Not all of them," answered the ship's cook. Mai had kindly volunteered Toph to help with peeling the various tubers and slicing meats for the broth passengers received. It was partly because it justified putting them in the room nearest the kitchen and partly some of the promised knife training for Toph. "Just the Kiyoshi Warriors. They're named for one of the Avatars, so they always paint their faces the way she did to intimidate their enemies."

Toph shrugged her shoulders and picked up another vegetable. Peeling by touch wasn't as hard as she'd expected and at least it didn't mean moving around as much. She was beginning to get a feel for the vibrations in the wood of the ship, but it being made of so many different pieces made it tricky and deceptive - all the planks were different and they didn't always fit together the same way. "Does that work."

The man chuckled. "Oh yes. They'll scare the alcohol right out of a drunken sailor, with those scary faces. And anyone who doesn't do what they say, right sharpish, they'll clobber them. More than one damn fool thought he could ignore a girl telling him what to do and wound up wondering what hit him."

"Sounds like they're really strong," Toph said admiringly.

"Heh. There's a reason no Fire Nation ships ever harass them, like they do some other islands. Those girls would put up quite a fight," the cook promised her. "Safest place in the world, Kiyoshi Island. They say Kyoshi was an Avatar. She was born there, back when it was part of the Earth Kingdom, and moved it away from the mainland when some warlord threatened it. Ever since, her Warriors have protected it." He grinned. "You thinking of joining them?"

"Good idea," Toph said brightly. "Of course, I might have trouble putting the make up on."

The cook laughed. "Oh well, perhaps your sister will want to." he picked up the pot of vegetables that Toph had been preparing. "Looks good enough," he complimented and then brushed them into the pot. "That's the food done. You can go play now. Thanks for the help."

"Play?" Toph muttered in disbelief as made her way to the doorway, probing each step to make sure she was still walking between the wooden crates and barrels that took up most of the kitchen. The glorified rabbit hutch that she and Mai were occupying was immediately to her left when she reached the gangway, a small, oddly angular compartment that Toph had had trouble reconciling with the shape of the ship until she realised that one wall was the hull and that the cabin was only barely above the waterline. Now that was a nightmarish prospect.

"Hi," she said as she pushed aside the curtain that covered the front of the cubby hole. "The food'll probably be ready in a little while."

Mai looked up from the scroll she was reading. "Let me guess. Tepid water with shredded rotten vegetables again?"

"How did you guess?"

She tapped the scroll. "I've been reading up on the Kiyoshi Warriors. They seem to be the main military force on the island..."

"And the only ones who actually paint their faces," Toph finished. "I asked the cook."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Naturally. I shouldn't have wasted my money on this scroll, I should have just let you ask around."

"Naturally," Toph agreed with relative cheer. She patted the inside of the hull gently and then sat down as far from it as she could get in the small space. "I told you that the scroll about Oma and Shu would be more interesting."

"I lived in Omashu for over a month, Toph, in which time I heard that stupid story at least a thousand times. I could quote it from memory, if I wasn't sure that listening to it, even when I'm the one telling it, would cause me to gouge out my own ears. Given how central it is to Earth Kingdom mythology, I'm sure you're just as aware of it."

"I like the story," Toph admitted. "Oma beating up two villages with her earthbending is a great story. It's a shame that most of the versions have to mention Shu at all."

Well at least her hormones haven't kicked in yet. "They were both idiots. If Oma could defeat both villages singlehandedly and force peace between them, then certainly they could have done so tog..." Mai shook her head. "No. I am not getting into this. Change the subject. Now."

Toph pouted and then asked: "Are you going to try to join the Kyoshi Warriors? They're supposed to be fierce warriors, so we'd fit right in."

"It'll depend on whether or not they get paid," Mai pointed out. "We don't have all that much money - if they're a volunteer force then I'll need to find some way of earning money. We don't have all that much of it and it would look suspicious if we don't have some means of support. As far as I can tell, there aren't any large towns on the island, just a number of small villages. And in a small village, everyone knows everyone else's business, so we have to get our stories straight."

"Do we have to change our names?" asked Toph.

"No - we might forget ourselves, and its probably not necessary since no one should be looking for us on the island. However, we need to agree on where we came from. The story we told the swamp tribe is a good start: one of our parents is from the Fire Nation and the other from the Earth Kingdom. After Omashu was captured, they were killed -"

"- by Jet," suggested Toph.

"Yes, that would work," Mai agreed. "No one will believe we were peasents, so our father was a Fire Nation soldier who retired after an injury and married the daughter of an Earth Kingdom merchant. His name was... Lee. What should our mother's name be?"

Toph shrugged. "Jin perhaps? It's a fairly common name in the Earth Kingdom. What if someone else knows Omashu though? A merchant would be fairly well known."

"That's fairly unlikely, actually. Most of the refugees here are from coastal towns. Those from places inland and further north are more likely to retreat east and north towards Ba Sing Se." Mai smiled slightly. "I asked around. However, even unlikely things happen, so if we're challenged, we shall admit that our father was actually Zeng the Smuggler. He was in Omashu's cells when the city fell and my father had him executed. No one would be surprised that he had a secret marriage or that we didn't want to admit to being his daughters."

"I guess that makes sense." Toph stretched out her legs. "Well, since we've settled that, and I've had my knife practise today, it's your turn."

"My turn?" Mai asked. "What... you mean teaching me the earthbending forms?"

"Of course. No time like the present. If we work hard, then your stances should be ready for some beginning kata once we reach Kyoshi Island," Toph confirmed. "Now, take a horse stance."

The older girl stared at her. "In here? I can't even stand upright!"

Toph smirked. "The stances I'll be teaching you are from earthbending. If you do them right, your head won't ever be high enough to be at risk. If - sorry, when - you make a mistake, you'll bash yourself on the deck. Consider it an incentive."

"So you want me to stand in the cabin and adopt various earthbending stances on your command?"

"I want you to bash your head repeatedly against the deck while trying to adopt earthbending stances," Toph admitted unashamedly. "But you're annoyingly competent at everything I've ever seen you try so I'll settle for you learning the stances."

.oOo.

Kyoshi Island was very picturesque. Mai hated it instantly. Toph started kissing the ground the moment she was off the jetty, which was fairly predictable since she'd done exactly the same thing when she got off Tho's skiff at the edge of the swamp.

Mai stopped Toph's enthusiastic make-out session with the island by picking her up by the belt and carrying her clear off the jetty. Then she set her down and let the earthbender get on with it. Benders were freaks about that sort of thing in her experience, (She was continually surprised that Azula didn't try to bathe in molten lava and had the idea in reserve should she ever encounter the Princess and a volcano simultaneously at any point.) but the fire maiden didn't want to deal with the complaints from everyone else getting off the boat.

"She's an earthbender?" asked someone and Mai turned to a young woman wearing long, concealing green dress and black armour. Given that the girl's face was covered in white make up (except for the bits that were black or crimson) this was clearly one of the famous Kyoshi Warriors.

"What gave you that idea?"

The Kyoshi Warrior chuckled. Amazing, even a smile looked horrifying in that face paint. "It's not an uncommon reaction. Where are you from?"

"Oma's Hearth." Which was a tiny hamlet near Omashu, that was allegedly Oma's birthplace. Or possibly where she sulked off to die after her boyfriend died. It depended who you talked to. "It's near Omashu," Mai added when it was clear the name didn't mean anything to the other girl. She resisted them temptation to reel off the whole sob story she and Toph had rehearsed. Nothing could possibly be more suspicious than that.

"Ah? I'd have thought if you were trying to get away from the war, you'd have headed for Ba Sing Se," the Kyoshi Warrior asked.

Mai looked her in the eyes. "I wasn't sure if the Dai Li would decide to arrest me for having the wrong colour eyes," she explained simply.

The Kyoshi Warrior blinked. "How..."

"Astonishingly, it seems that Fire Nation boy parts work with Earth Kingdom girl parts. Who knew?"

That make up wasn't thick enough to disguise the fact that the warrior was now blushing furiously. "I'm sorry."

Mai shrugged. "I get that a lot. Is there any paperwork I need to do or can I start looking for somewhere to sleep?" She looked up at the sky, where the sun was descending in the approximate direction of the Fire Nation. "It's a little late in the day to go looking for work."

"No paperwork and you can stay in the community hall at the top of the street for a few nights if you want," the other young woman said promptly. "That's open to all refugees. If you'll help me spread the word through everyone else arriving then I'll even buy you and your sister some supper."

Okay, now she was definitely up to something. Mai nudged Toph with the tip of one boot. "Come on, little sister. You can snog your element again after supper if you want."

Toph scrambled obediently to her feet, confirming that she had also picked up on something. Lack of even token resistance on Toph's part was always an indication she was concerned, if not outright nervous. "Do you have fire flakes?" she asked ingeniously.

The Kyoshi Warrior looked blank. "I've never heard of them."

"They're bad for you anyway," Mai advised, hiding her own disappointment and turned around to start telling the other refugees the good news.

.oOo.

"So, why'd you want to talk to us?" Toph asked the Kyoshi Warrior as soon as food had been served.

Mai seriously considered slapping the girl. Had she never heard of subtlety? Oh, right. Toph. "...I suppose that the question does cut through a lot of tedious verbal fencing," she conceded.

The Kyoshi Warrior threw her head back and laughed merrily. "Serves me right for being sneaky," she admitted. "The meal is exactly what I said it was: repayment for helping me. If you hadn't then they would have scattered and I would have had to chase them all down and let them know that they don't have to beg for shelter. Which would take all night. Seriously." She paused. "I'm Suki, by the way."

"Mai." "Toph." The two sisters introduced themselves and returned to the rice, which had roast duck in it. Delicious.

"A pleasure," Suki said with apparent sincerity. "The conversation, on the other hand, has an ulterior motive. Mai, how would you like to be a Kyoshi Warrior?"

"You're recruiting random arrivals?" she asked in surprise.

"Only the ones that are female, of a suitable age and have previous martial training," Suki smiled. "The dart-launchers are clever, but they must be very difficult to maintain." Silently, Mai conceded that point to Suki. "I'll be blunt. Sooner or later, the war is coming to Kiyoshi Island. My girls are good, but there aren't really all that many of us. If the Fire Nation does invade then I'll call up all those who resigned to get married, but we'll still be significantly outnumbered."

"So if we want sancturary here, I have to be willing to fight for it?" Mai asked. "It seems like a desperate way to make up the numbers."

Suki shook her head. "Not just numbers. Warrior to warrior, I believe that my girls are better than the Fire Nation's soldiers. But we haven't faced a serious threat in years. I need to shake them up if we're going to be ready. Bringing in outsiders, with different skills, will force them to push themselves. It will motivate them to improve their skills rather than be shown up."

Mai sipped at her water. As far as she could tell, Suki was completely sincere and open about what she was saying. Which made absolutely no sense. "And you think that this revitalised force can beat off a Fire Nation invasion force?"

"Once, perhaps even twice," she agreed confidently and then her shoulders slumped. "At which point, we'll have to cut a deal. Probably we'll be drafted into the Fire Army and have to fight for them to spare the rest of the population."

"I'd like to join the Kyoshi Warriors!" Toph offered brightly.

Hmm. That was a good idea. "No," declared Mai flatly, applying reverse psychology.

Toph's fists hit the table, causing the dishes to bounce upwards. "I'm not asking you," she told Mai angrily. It spoiled the effect slightly that she didn't then turn to Suki with big pleading eyes, but then it was difficult for Toph to realise the impact of puppy-dog eyes in negotiations.

Suki, bless her little heart, made mistake number one when dealing with Toph. "The Kyoshi Warriors are the traditional defenders of this island. There is no room amongst us for a mascot." Mai prudently picked up her bowl before the earth started moving.

In fairness to Suki, despite being ambushed, point blank, with her footing vanishing more or less instantly into mud, she managed to parry Toph's chopstick with one of her fans. It didn't really count as impressive in Mai's opinion - Toph might be the deadliest blind twelve year old in the world (and the Avatar, if that helped), but she was a blind twelve year old - however at least the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors wasn't a total pushover.

The next round had Suki on the offensive, fans moving in all sorts of interesting patterns that were presumably intended to guide and control attacks launched at her. Toph let her thrusts with the chopsticks get redirected and neutralized while she quietly a raised a ten inch tall wall behind Suki's knees and then threw a bowl at her. Suki stepped backwards, Suki landed on her rear. Point to the earthbender, even if Suki had kipped up almost without breaking stride.

The finale was a flurry of blows that Mai couldn't be bothered to track as she tilted her bowl to pick out the last bits of rice. Outcome: Toph on the ground, Suki with a fan pointed at the small girl's throat and a surprised expression on her face. The surprised expression was probably because of the narrow spike that rose out of the ground and vanished inside her skirts.

"I don't think that Toph's applying for the role of mascot," suggested Mai, casually switching her bowl for Suki's half-finished one.

Suki nodded slowly. "I thought you were blind," she told Toph, very carefully withdrawing the fan from its threatening position.

Toph shrugged smugly. "I am." The spike vanished.

Suki's eyes widened noticeably. "Fuck me."

Mai sighed. Too easy. Far too easy.