Prologue: Fate

Every individual has a different take on why things occur in the world - why events take place there and then, why people do what they do…

Now to some people there is no reasoning behind this. What happens, happens. They don't question it. Nothing in particular causes it; just one individual human being makes a move, whether it may be stealthy and wise or abrupt and just plain stupid. But eventually it leads to a whole lot of other circumstances, opportunities and scenarios. Have you ever played chess? Well if so, that's how half the population see life.

And then to some people it all comes down to fate. That one little, four-letter word. It comes down to 'everything happens for a reason'. What does this mean exactly? Well my definition would have to be that it's that the consequences from an event that takes place or actions that ensue that in result lead to something else which happens for a reason to lead to something else…. But as I mentioned before, not everyone necessarily thinks this way. But one teenaged boy does; he thinks that there's a reason behind everything in everyday life. And he tries to rat it out. He believes that…

Everything happens for a reason. Everything happens for a reason. He repeats the mantra in his head a million times over until his head hurts…and until the words sink in. He laughs aloud at the irony of his predicament despite himself. 'Sinks in'.

He wonders, so what's the reason for me to be sinking in quick sand? Will this be my slow and hopefully not painful death? I always had it etched in my mind for as long as I can remember that I was going to be burnt to a crisp by my lunatic - not fit enough to be called a - sister…or to be finally finished off by my father. To even be killed in a fire nation raid or for Aang to lose control of his Avatar State! Any of them would be more likely. But no, not even close, I am going to sink to my death in little grains.

Maybe it's a little ironic…maybe it's the way my life is meant to end. I wonder if my life will really flash before my eyes in those last seconds? Because honestly, I don't want it to. Especially if it involves my childhood – not many good memories come from there. This death is kind of…embarrassing.

"Help!" he yells in desperation into the nothingness. His voice travels so far through the terrain and eventually echoes against the scrub but no one is around to answer his call. He looks around frantically, his eyes darting back and forth in an attempt to find anything, a branch, a stick, a root to grab hold onto…but nothing.

So he does the only thing he can do, hope to Yue that this is happening for a very good reason. After all, Zuko is always the optimistic.

"Hey, what are you doing?" a voice asks casually as if she has suddenly struck up a conversation about the weather.

"Toph?" he breathes disbelievingly but also apprehensively. "Toph!" he confirms to himself more than anything.

"That's me." She grins widely.

"Get me out of here," he pleads.

Fire Lord Zuko pleading? Who would've thought?

With an eyebrow raised to surely its highest altitude she seems to ponder what she will do momentarily, as if he has stated some very complicated and highly intellectual sentence and is trying to take it all in. Her milky eyes linger somewhere near Zuko's sinking figure and finally she laughs. Out of every possible thing she could do, she laughs, to Zuko's complete and utter annoyance.

"Well, actually, I find it much more amusing when you're sinking in quicksand. That is what's happening right?"

"Yes," he replies through gritted teeth. "Now Toph, for the love of Yue get me out of here! It's up to my neck!"

"Wow, that's even more amusing. What's in it for me?"

Everything happens for a reason. Everything happens for a reason.

The sinking teen closes his eyes and when he opens them again he begs. "Toph, I don't know. Anything, anything you want. Just please get me out of here."

"That's what I like to hear. But still, you're going to survive; quicksand isn't a man eating badger mole. Now you've just dug yourself a bigger hole with the whole 'anything, anything you want' line." She snickers after mimicking his gruff voice.

Anger rises inside of him and he starts struggling and panicking.

"You'll just make it worse," she tells him knowingly in a sing-song tone. "You'll float if you stay still, and plus, it's only a few feet deep so you're not going to sink any lower."

She flashes him a smirk and muses loudly. Then finally after having her fun, Toph pushes one foot forward along the ground, her back leg bent inward, and moves her hands in an outward motion, focusing on the rock that is amongst the other substances. As she pulls it together she uses it to thrust Zuko upward and to land 'safely' on the ground that he now cherishes beneath him.

"Thanks," Zuko mumbles irritably standing up. "It would've made life much easier if you had just gotten me out straight away and not toyed with me!"

She shrugs nonchalantly. "Yeah, for you maybe, but not for me. Let's just say it's payback for burning my feet."

She begins to walk away and he calls after her pointing his finger at her turned back, "Hey, I repaid you for that. That was ages ago! How can you even use that against me now? You're so infuriating!"

She shrugs and continues walking. "Where are you going?" He finally notices she has walked off and runs after her, stopping in front of her panting. "Do you-" He is interrupted as he is slid smoothly to his right by the blind girl's earthbending and he growls. "Fine! You go, and I'll…I'll go this way." With a huff Zuko turns on his heel and walks in the opposite direction to Toph who snorts loudly.

I hate this forest already! Zuko thinks irritably. There's a tree, and another tree, oh and for a change there's another tree! Greens and browns aren't my thing…well actually that depends. He sneaks a look back at Toph until continuing to meander absentmindedly.


A/N: I've had this idea for ages and I've been writing it for a fair while so I do hope you enjoyed the prologue! But, any sort of constructive criticism will most definitely be taken into consideration, and please alert me of any mistakes. It helps me grow as a writer :D Thanks! xx