Do Not Push
Walking around the hull of the ship, Sokka was more bored now, than ever. The Gaang was on their way to visit Fire Lord Zuko at his palace at the Fire Nation. Sometimes it was so random why Zuko wanted them to visit. This time it was because he was bored. Go figure. You become Fire Lord and already you're bored out of your mind. Just for the occasion, Zuko had provided a Fire Nation ship to transport them to and from the Fire Nation.
Wandering away from the kitchen, where he spent a good portion of the trip, Sokka started to walk the passages. While absently walking, he came across a door that he hadn't noticed before. It was overly large and thoroughl y reinforced. The door, to his surprise, was made entirely out of metal. He understood that the door was probably this way because the ship was metal, but all the ones he'd come across were made of wood.
Reaching out to touch the strange door, Sokka noticed a button placed next to it.
A button? Now, why would a button be here? Sokka thought to himself. Before touching the button, he realized a sign was placed directly under it.
'Do Not Push' it read. That caught his attention. Still, Sokka had more curiosity than he did common sense, so he did the natural thing anyone would do. Any kid that is. He reached out and was inches away from touching the button when...
"Don't touch Sokka," someone said from behind him. Startling the warrior, Sokka jumped and turned around. He was face to face with his younger sister, Katara. The blue-eyed master waterbender gave him a stern look.
"What?" he promptly demanded. The waterbender shook her head.
"When will you learn Sokka? Don't touch the button. Please," she instructed. Sokka turned around and inspected both the door and button, and turned around to face his sister.
"How long has this been here?" he asked her.
"A while. You would have noticed it sooner if you weren't in the kitchen for more than half of the trip," Katara says. Sokka glares at her then turns back around.
"Well, sor-ry. My stomach comes before my curiosity. I can't help that," Sokka says.
"Uh huh. Well, just don't do anything else stupid, okay, Sokka?" She shook her head after he lacked a response and w alked away. Disregarding his sister's warning, Sokka reaches out yet again, to press the button.
"What are you doing, Sokka?" yet another person asks, interrupting him. Sokka whirls around and finds himself staring at the Avatar.
"Nothing! What are you doing?" Sokka asks, deliberately.
"Standing here talking to you," replied Aang with a smile. Sokka glares at him, not amused in the least by the young Avatar's flashy comeback.
"Ha ha ha. Very funny," Sokka mocks. Aang leans around Sokka and notices what he's hiding.
"Sokka, if I were you, I wouldn't press that button."
"Why? What do you know that I don't?"
"Well, let's just say, if you press it, you're going to be sorry."
"By pressing a button? I doubt it," Sokka says and turns back around.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Aang says in a sing-song voice and continues walking back down the corridor the way Katara did. Before attempting to press the button, Sokka quickly glanced over both shoulders. Then, he looks around, making sure no one else is coming by. Satisfied that he's finally alone, Sokka reaches out to press the button. He pushes his finger down cautiously, expecting anything, but gives up the attempt and slammed it down. Thinking that nothing will happen, Sokka turns around and prepares to leave. Only then, is he sandwiched between the door and the wall.
A few seconds after, the pressure is lifted from him, and he slumped slowly to the floor.
"Ooowww..." Sokka moans. He rubs his head gingerly.
"You pressed the button, didn't you?" asks a third someone. Sokka looks up and sees Toph staring down at him. Her sightless green eyes bore into him before he casually responds.
"Yes. How did you know?" he asks her. Toph sighs and rolls her eyes.
"Well, because this particular button happens to open the door to my room. That's how," Toph says matter-of-factly.
"Oh... wait. Why is your door made of metal?"
"I don't like the run-of-the-mill wooden doors. Metal doors are more fun," she says. "Here. Allow me to demonstrate." Toph then starts to swing her door back and forth, occasionally bending it.
"You got it so you could metalbend it?" Sokka asks, dumbfounded.
"Yep." she replies bluntly, still swinging the door. Sokka groans of pain and his head slumps back down. Toph stops swinging the door and returns her sightless gaze to Sokka. She stomps the ground and sends Sokka flying. He avoids hitting the floor and somehow landed on his feet. Satisfied, Toph smiles. "Next time, take signs seriously," she says and returns into her room, closing the door behind her.
Sokka shakes his head and stares back at the door and button.
"Typical Toph," he mutters under his breath. Sokka immediately goes flying again, this time, landing on his face. "Owww..." he moans.
"I heard that!!" Toph yells from inside her room.
"Note to self. Don't comment on master earthbenders that can metalbend from where she can hear me..." Sokka mumbles, then slumps to the ground haplessly. He remains there for the rest of the ride.