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A New Beginning
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The sun shone down onto the wooded area as the group finished setting up camp. The war had been over for nearly a month now, and the group had already celebrated their defeat of the fire lord. Newly acclaimed Fire Lord Zuko had banished his sister, rather than kill her, for treason and attempting to murder him and his uncle, and offered his new friends rooms in his palace until they has recuperated and felt well enough to move on once more. There of course was a large celebration for the acclaimed heroes, and now all that was left to do was tie up any loose knots between the nations. They left early one afternoon, after a large farewell breakfast and the loud cheers of the town bidding them farewell. Zuko turned from watching the large bison fly off and turned, seeing a tall girl dressed in black and reds and made his way over to her. He gripped her hand lightly,
"So, what d'ya say to some lunch?"
"Whatever." He smiled at her bored tone of voice and chuckled, as she was unable to hide a small smirk.
It was early evening when the group landed in a clearing in the woods. They were fortunate enough that there was a large mountain with a large cavern cut into it. After they had finished setting up camp Sokka sat back, leaning back on his rolled up sleeping bag, sitting by the fire. He turned his gaze, seeing Toph stand and walk out of the cavern. He sat up, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Where ya going?"
"For a walk. What's it to you?"
"Well be careful. There's that ledge over there ya know. And its nothing but a straight drop down to more rocks and a river." Toph sighed,
"I'll be fine Snoozles." She tapped her heel on the ground and walked off. Sokka watched her a moment more before turning back to look at the fire. He had become protective over Toph ever since she had fallen into the water at Serpent's Pass, and became even more so as their fight with the late Fire Lord approached. Something inside of him snapped whenever he saw her hurt or in danger, and he couldn't bear the thought of anything tragic happening to her. He couldn't quite figure out just what it was that made him like that. Perhaps it was that she was such a good friend to him; they could always talk and just laugh, they worked well together, and they had both wanted to take out the fire nation just as much as the other had. Sure, he admitted they had had a few squabbles, but most of the time they were just harmless teasings.
He looked back out of the cave, seeing Toph sitting back against Appa's stomach and turned his gaze to Aang and Katara playing a game of fetch with Momo and an apple. He stood up and walked over to Toph, leaning against Appa.
"Hey."
"What's up?" she didn't turn to look at him, she didn't need to, as she could feel the vibrations of where he was. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could a large blue flame shot out of nowhere and down in front of Aang. He jumped and dove out of the way, looking around. From the trees above they saw her, the pale ex-fire nation princess. She jumped down and landed gracefully in front of them. Toph stood up slowly.
"What are you doing here?" Katara stepped forward and was stopped by Aang's arm shooting out in front of her.
"I've come for the avatar." She smirked, her amber eyes even more demonic than before.
"The war is over. You have no reason to bother us anymore."
"Oh…that's where you're horrible mistaken. You see, my mission is different than before. It has nothing to do with capturing the avatar and turning him into my father. Since I've been banished from home by that snake of a brother of mine, capturing the avatar just doesn't seem important anymore. This is just pure revenge." She raised her arms and shot them out, sending a wave of blue flames at Aang and Katara.
"Katara! Watch out!" Aang grabbed her around the waist and airlifted the two of them up and back a few feet, landing back on the ground just as Azula's flames dissipated. He spun and threw out a large air attack, watching Azula fly back. She landed on the ground with a thud and Toph couldn't help but laugh. Azula's eyes flashed to her.
"Well well, if it isn't the little earth bending brat who nearly defeated me."
"Nearly defeated you?! How about you say that to my face?!" Sokka stepped in front of Toph, murmuring warningly to her.
"Toph…"
"Oh, how sweet. Protecting your girlfriend are you? Well-" Azula was cut off as Toph threw her foot forward and a large rock jutted from the ground, sending Azula flying back once more. She stood up and growled.
"You'll pay for that you little brat!" she sent forward a blast of flames.
"Toph move!" Sokka shoved her aside, and in turn was hit by Azula's attack in his shoulder. He let out a yowl of pain.
"Sokka! Are you okay?!" he looked up to his sister who was currently trying to extinguish the trees Azula had set on fire.
"Yea, just fine." He grunted and looked to Azula. She advanced on Aang and sent flames his way. He caught them and sent them back towards her. She dodged the attack and sent yet again another attack at him. He missed this one, the flames just grazing his arm. He grabbed it and took a large breath and blew out, sending a tunnel of wind crashing into her. While this had been happening Toph and Sokka stood by Appa, Sokka clenching his shoulder.
"Hey Snoozles, you okay?" Sokka nodded,
"Yea, just fine." He grunted lightly,
"Hey, Snoozles?"
"Yea?"
"Thanks." Sokka nodded even though she probably couldn't feel it.
"No problem." They heard Katara scream and Sokka looked over to see Aang flying backwards in the air. In the process of holding his arm and warning Katara to watch out Azula had sent more flames in his direction. He shot up a large pillar of rock under his feet and was sent backwards as he did so. Azula had sent a column of flames and a weak attempt at lightning at him. It hit the rocks just right and sent Aang backwards, tumbling to the ground. Katara screamed and rushed over to him, pulling his head onto her lap, yelling his name in an attempt to wake him up. She felt his scalp for cuts, sighing a large sigh of relief when she found no blood. Azula advanced on them, a dangerous look in her eyes.
"Hey Princess." Toph threw a small rock in Azula's direction, hitting her in the head. Azula whipped around and looked at her.
"You…" her voice was low.
"Yeah, me." Azula jumped up in the air and landed, sending a wave of flames at Toph. Feeling her land Toph shot up her arms, sending a large wall of rock that blocked the attack.
"You almost ruined it all for me."
"Hey, it's not my fault you get so angry that you can't focus. At least I'm not the one who's losing their talents." This was the button that pressed Azula too far and she screamed, sending a round of flames at Toph again. Again rocks sent up by Toph blocked the attacks, and she just barely dodged an attack by Toph, a few rocks hitting her arms and legs. Toph jumped up onto a pillar, putting a finger into the air,
"Rule number one; when fighting with a blind earth bender, try not to jump around so much. It just gives you away much easier." She listened, hearing the flames Azula shot forward with a grunt and leapt to the side, landing on another pillar she shot up. She put a second finger in the air,
"Rule number two; try not to get so angry, it just makes your heart beat faster and again, I find you." Toph punched forwards her hands, the first pillar breaking up and flying at Azula. She felt Azula jump and roll to the side, sending a barrage of flames at the pillar she stood on. Aang slowly woke up, rubbing his head.
"What's going on?" Katara helped him to his feet, hugging him and motioned to Toph.
"She's kinda goading Azula on." They watched as Toph jumped to the side again, landing on another pillar that she motioned from the ground and put a third finger in the air,
"And rule number three; don't you ever hurt my friends." Toph leapt back, landing on the ground behind the pillars and sent them hurling towards Azula. She both heard and felt it as rock met body and smirked lightly. She turned and started back towards Appa. "Well, that takes care of that." She smirked, her blank eyes in Sokka's direction. The next few moments happened all too fast. From behind she both heard and felt a large blast as Azula sent up a large attack of lightning through the rocks that covered her and leapt up. She shot another bolt of lightning at Toph,
"Toph! Watch out!" Sokka screamed out to her. She turned, sending up a wall of rock but to no avail. The wall was hit and flew into Toph. She grunted loudly as rock and body made contact and the wall shattered and sent her backwards.
He watched in horror as she flew back, hitting the ground hard and slid back, rolling over a couple times.
"Toph!" he rushed forward, all pain in his shoulder disappearing, and knelt at her side. He gently turned her over, resting her against his lap, his arms wrapped around her thin yet muscular frame. He brushed her hair back from her face, and ran his fingers back through her hair, feeling the bump already forming on her head. "Toph?" his voice was softer, hopeful. She moaned as her eyes opened up slowly, wincing at the pain in her ribs. He smiled lightly to her, relieved to see her eyes open.
"Sokka…I-I have to tell you something."
"Toph, is this really the time for it?" He both did and didn't notice the fact she had called him Sokka rather than Snoozles. He glanced over his shoulder seeing Katara and Aang in battle with Azula. As soon as the rock made contact with Toph's body, Katara leapt forward, shooting a large rope of water at Azula, slapping her in the side of the head with an echoing smack. Aang joined her side, and gathered a large orb of air, sending it at Azula.
"Yea…I need to say it before…before anything happens."
"Toph, you're going to be fine, just…" she slowly reached a hand up, placing a finger over his mouth.
"No Sokka, you need to know." Her hand slipped to his cheek and he took it gently, looking to her.
"What is it?" His voice was softer now.
"Sokka I…I lov-"
Her eyes fluttered as she passed out in his arms, her head against his chest. It wasn't even a full sentence. She didn't get to finish, and she didn't need to. It was then he knew, it was then that he noticed that he had known all along. Something inside of him burst and he spun around, glaring at the ex-fire nation princess. Her back was to him, locked in a fight with his sister and his friend. She raised her arms to send out another flame and just barely dodged the attack by Sokka's boomerang as she dove, rolling onto the ground and stood back up, just to dodge another attack with his club. She was already growing tired from overexerting herself. She was no longer the same fighter she once was, but she refused to let them see that.
"Sit down little boy. You have no power here."
"No you sit down! Everyone, everyone I've ever loved you've taken away from me! I'm not going to let you get away with that again!" He swung again and again, and the moved back towards the ledge, both dodging one another's attacks. Finally he had managed to corner the pale fire bender against a tree, close to the ledge. She was panting lightly. He glared at her and was ready to attack again, as was she.
"Sokka! Sokka stop! If you kill her, it wont make you any better than her!" Aang had begun to run forward but was stopped as Katara grabbed his shoulders both in fear and protection. They watched as Sokka stood stock still, unmoving. After a moment, his face softened, his shoulders drooping. He dropped his arms to his sides and looked to Azula before stepping back and turning, walking towards Toph. He knelt at her side, dropping his club to the ground.
"Toph?" from off to the side he heard Katara's frightened scream.
"Sokka behind you!" He gasped and looked behind him, seeing Azula in fighting stance, ready to attack. Just as she began to swing her arms a soft voice spoke out
"You dare to attack someone from behind when they've given you your life?" the earth came up from under Azula, sending her flying backwards and skidding towards the ledge. She whimpered lightly and gripped the crumbling edge in an attempt to gain footing before slipping away. Aang ran over, for reasons unknown, and looked over the edge. As soon as she had fallen Sokka turned his gaze down the earthbending girl.
"Toph?" She opened her eyes slightly and looked up to him, smiling lightly.
"Hey Snoozles."
"Toph! You're okay." Sokka scooped her up into a hug, pulling her close to him.
"Well of course I am. The greatest earth bender in the world isn't about to be brought down by a little fire." Sokka chuckled and shifted to sit down, gently shifting her close to him and looked down at her with a smile. Same old Toph. She felt him staring at her and raised an eyebrow,
"What…?" Once more, Sokka wrapped her up in a hug.
"I'm just so glad you're okay. I thought I lost you."
"Well, ya don't need to worry about that Snoozles. I'm not going anywhere."
"No, I do Toph. I do need to worry.." He paused a moment, his voice softer as he gently shifted her to a sitting position, holding her closely against his chest, he spoke softer, his voice had a tinge of nervousness in it. "I…I love you, Toph." He heard Toph's sharp inhale and looked down to her,
"Sokka…I…"She blushed brightly and he smiled, nodding.
"I know. I already did." He placed a gentle hand on the side of her face and bent down, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. He felt her return the kiss and pulled back after a moment, smiling to her and placed another kiss on her forehead, hugging her close. She rested against him, unable to hide her bright blushing smile. From behind them they heard Katara and Aang run up.
"Hey! You guys okay?" Sokka nodded, not looking to Aang to answer his question.
"Yea…we're great." He smiled, resting his head on top of Toph's. Katara and Aang exchanged knowing smiles.
"Well…we're just going to go…and, wash up in that lake…over there." Katara turned to walk and stopped, turning to Aang to bring him along. "Come on Aang…lets go and clean up that arm of yours." grabbed Aang's good wrist and lead him away. After a moment Sokka shifted Toph in his arms, pulling back slightly to look at her.
"You sure you're okay?" She shifted in his lap, sitting up more with the strength that was growing back.
"I'm fine, it's just…"
"What?" she turned her foggy gaze up to him, placing a hand on his cheek,
"What took you so long Snoozles?" she laughed, as did Sokka in return, and together the two leaned in for another kiss.
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hmm…so I think ill keep this one as a one shot. I might make a prequel to it. Lol.
I actually really like this one as well.
I'm also thinking of writing a TophXZuko story from random inspiration I got from "The Chase" episode. I dunno where all this sudden inspiration is coming from, but I like it!
And yes, I am still working on my other stories as well.