Here we go, I suppose. It's an idea I've had for a long time, and, well, let's see what you guys think.
Prologue
"So… What's the chance you'll tell the truth this time, when I ask why we're here?" the blind earthbender asked.
"Slim to none," Mai muttered under her breath.
"Why, you don't believe me?" Azula asked. "You've been coming for years and even then, you've never seen the harbor. Isn't that a problem?"
"Well, maybe," Toph agreed, "but not one that can't wait 'till I've, you know, packed out! Unless there's happening something else today? Something you're not telling?"
"Not that you'd be the one unpacking anyway." Not furthering the conversation wasn't going to keep Mai from coming with comments.
"Mai has an excellent point," Azula said, avoiding the question yet again. "But, really, can't you just enjoy spending some time with us?"
"I am," Toph defended, "I'd just also like to meet some of the people I know in the slum. And as a matter of fact, I do unpack at least part of my baggage myself."
"I don't touch the wardrobe," she added after a moment.
"Well, I managed to get you all the way down here. It'd be rather stupid if we were to turn around now," Azula concluded.
"Point," Mai said.
"Good point," Toph agreed.
Azula started to show her company some of the warships. The thirteen year old princess was pleased with her ability to convince them.
Mai didn't seem very interested in the ships, but Azula hadn't expected her to be anyway.
Toph seemed more in to it, but as she had to actually do something to understand what Azula was talking about, her not caring equal as Mai, would come of as more interested.
After the lectures on firenation navyships, the girls decided it was time to take a break. Azula arranged for a table to be sat up outside, apparently because it would be too warm inside.
Toph once heard Azula mutter something like "He's taking his time…" but didn't pay much attention to it.
The topics the girls talked about weren't that important; "How was the trip to the capital?" "Have you heard of the new play on Ember Island?" "The weather's nice, huh?"
Mai noticed that Azula kept looking out at the horizon, but didn't pay much attention to it.
By the time they had run out of incredibly boring subjects, Azula was visibly running out of patience.
Then she saw something.
"Finally!" she exclaimed.
"What?" Toph asked, bored.
"Well… I think there's a small ship on the horizon," Mai commented.
"Ladies, get up," Azula said smirking, suddenly interested.
As the ship neared the harbor, the girls got up and placed themselves as a welcome committee.
The closer the ship got the more details Mai could see. It was rather old, and it had been some time since it had last been repaired. There was no crew on deck, and Mai found no clue to who owned the ship.
It was Toph, who found out first. As the ship touched the ground before anyone got out, she got the first view.
"Zuko!" she gasped.