Disclaimer: I don't know Avatar or any of the character unless I specify so. Although I do wish owned them… oh well you can't have everything you want.
Toph sat quietly on top of Appa, picking her toes and flicking the dirt as a tree nearby. The entire Gaang had disbursed a few moments earlier, leaving Toph alone with Appa.
"Where do you think you're going, Sparky?" she asked, feeling him climb on Appa's broad back.
"I think I'm going to take Appa for a bath but knowing you, I can't be to sure," he said, snapping the rope tied around his horns. Toph smirked, drooping her feet off her knees.
"Fine. But I'm coming too. It's too hot!" she complained, gesturing to the dense, clingy heat around them. Even the Fire Nation Prince who'd grown up around fire would agree it was abnormally hot for this time of year. Something about the weather had put the entire Gaang, except for apparently Toph, on edge.
"Come one Appa." The giant bison groaned, leaping into the air. The rest of the Gaang stayed behind, scoping out the area before they continued their journey to Zuko's old beach home.
The air was oddly stagnant as the trio rose higher and higher into the sky. The sun's blazing force grew hotter and hotter and there was not a cloud in the sky that would off the tiniest bit of shade or relief from the incessant heat.
"It's too hot!" Toph whined again, pulling at her clothes as they clung to her sweaty body. Zuko sighed, steering Appa down towards a pool, half hidden by a rocky over hang.
"Here we are!" He called out as Appa roared, crashing violently into the pool. Toph screamed as she was thrown off, landing on the other side of the pool. She thrashed violently; squeezing her eyes shut and started to sink farther into the water. Even though the cold water was a welcome relief from the heat, her muscles started to tire and she stopped fighting.
"Toph!" A muffled voice came from above her. Toph opened her mouth, letting all her precious air bubbles float away. She felt rough hands grab her arms and drag her back to the surface.
"Are you okay?" Zuko asked, watching her cough violently.
"Ack!" she spat and hacked, shivering.
"Toph?"
"What!" she snarled, slamming her arms on the water surface, sending it into chaos again.
"Are you okay?"
"Well Fire Princess, I was thrown from a fluffy monster and almost drowned. How do you think I feel?" she snapped, suddenly realizing he was still holding her.
"Um—" he frowned, looking down at Toph's blank stare.
"That was a rhetorical question, Sparky," she growled, trying to pull away. As soon as his fingers released her thin wrist, Toph plunged into the water again, swallowing water as she went.
"How about we get you to dry land?" Zuko said as he pulled her from the water again, "Before you kick my ass." She sighed, nodding and let him lead her towards the shore. Appa roared happily off in the distance, rolling in the water and causing tsunami sized waves that sent Toph and Zuko underwater multiple times.
"Dry land. Finally!" Toph gasped, falling to her knees and crawling farther away from the water's edge. Zuko chuckled, turning away to make a fire.
As night began to fall, Toph found her way back to the fire after having spent her entire afternoon in a dirt canyon nearby.
"Welcome. Hungry?" Zuko gestured to the giant bowl of stew steaming over the fire. She looked in his general direction, waving her hand sarcastically in front of her face. He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"You know," she said nonchalantly, feeling Zuko press a bowl into her hand, "I still haven't kicked your ass for almost letting me drown earlier." Zuko choked on his food, nearly spilling it into the fire.
"I saved you! You were going to die!" he argued.
"You could've come a little earlier…I was sinking to the bottom by the time your sorry ass came by to snatch me up!" she muttered. Zuko sighed; knowing that arguing with Toph was like arguing with a rock…literally.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled.
"As you should be you little— wait what?" she paused, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry?" he tried again.
"Sorry? You don't apologize! You're supposed to argue and then…argh!" she shouted in frustration, stomping away. Zuko smirked, remaining by the fire and hoped she wouldn't wander to far or he would have to go find her and face her fury.
Toph fumed silently, stalking away from the fire. Sparky had pushed her buttons and she hated it when someone found out how to irritate her.
"Who goes there?" she called out into the woods, feeling strange vibrations reach her feet slowly. A group of people were stalking through the woods, heading quickly in her direction. Her readied herself for battle, poising herself in a battle position, grinding her heels into the ground. A group of men emerged from the trees, twirling Dao swords. Toph took a deep breath, reading their vibrations.
"Really men, taking on a poor blind girl all by herself. Now that's just unfair!" she lied, pouting her lips.
"You are no helpless girl, earthbender," one of the men replied. Toph smirked before shooting two rocks out at the nearest men.
"You got that right."
Note: First chapter is over and now you shall wait for the second chapter to come hopefully before next week. Remember to Read & Review!
