If this is really necesary. No! I dont own Avatar.
Toph stood at a point where a single road ended and a forked road began. A forked road where the paths became farther and farther apart with each passing mile. Two paths that would never meet again. She had been aware of these two roads for about a couple of months now. Which continued to feed her feeling of dissatisfaction. As many times as she told herself that time would pass by faster than she'd realize, or that she really didn't care, the blunt part of her conscious told her that because she cared time would surely pass by slowly. She sighed with irritation at the thought that these people could actually have this effect on her. That she would miss these foolish people she came to call friends.
"Toph." The voice came out soothingly as if its fluidness could quench all angers.
Toph's head jerked towards the voice that brought her out her trance. Her vibrations immediately told her it was Katara and noticed that she was on the verge of tears. Toph's face had almost immediately expressed annoyance. "Katara, please. It's only eight months and look," She pointed at Sokka who was currently fighting a lemur off of himself. "You have Sokka and you're going to spend time with your father!"
Katara smiled as she wiped that tears that brimmed her eye. "Toph how can you be so indifferent about this?" Toph rolled her eyes as she spoke, "Actually, I'm so excited about traveling with a flying bison, lemur, and him." She flicked her thumb towards Aang who was currently trying to pry off the lemur, named Momo, off Sokka.
Katara laughed at the scene, "It's not so bad, at least you're flying and not walking."
"Yea well, speaking of which," Toph kicked the heel of her foot on the ground and instantly sent Sokka, Aang, and Momo flying away from each other in different directions, "We better get going so that you and Sokka can make it to the next village before sundown."
Katara smiled wryly before giving Toph a quick hug, "See you later, eight months later."
Toph smirked, "If you don't forget about us first."
"I don't think that's going to happen." Katara turned around to face the unconscious body on the floor, "Sokka! You better wake up before I freeze your sorry limbs!"
Toph smirked at the fact that Sokka's limbs indeed became frozen when he continued to stay in his unconscious state. So much for the quencher of anger.
"Come on Aang, say your farewells." Toph lifted herself on the flying bison named Appa with the little effort of earth bending. She laid on the big saddle of the furry animal and spread her legs enjoying the amount of room that was now free.
Moments later Aang arrived on the flying bison and quickly got it rising into the air. Toph closed her eyes knowing that he was pretty depressed at the moment.
"Stop acting like someone died its pissing me off."
Aang looked back over his shoulder to see Toph with her eyes closed and her eye brows furrowed. "I wouldn't be spending my moment of sorrow with you if somebody died."
Toph opened her eyes and sat up to glare at him, "Don't be sarcastic with me, I'm only stating the obvious and that it's annoying me. You should know by now that I can see facial expressions just as good as a regular person." Though honestly she couldn't see anything on this living, breathing animal whom she swore had two hearts.
She laid back down, "Besides your depression keeps sending its fumes over here and I might get lung sickness if I don't tell you."
Aang eyes glared as he turned back around, "Maybe it's your attitude. The reason Katara, Sokka and I haven't died from it is because we're immune." His eyes lingered on the blind bender, this conversation wasn't being lead on a good path.
Toph eyes closed, tightening to push away unwanted emotions. Feeling them withdraw to the recesses of her mind she opened them once again, "Really? I'm actually surprised you even took time to notice, in fact I'm surprised you're mind was even with the group half the time."
Aang let loose of the reins and turned to face Toph, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Toph groaned with aggravation, "What I'm saying is that you'd rather be with your lovely Katara, but no you were obligated to travel with me. Everyone knows your head over heals for Katara. It's either Katara, let's save the village, Katara, lets fight the war, Katara, Katara, Katara!" She flicked him in the head, "Get a life."
Aang's surprised eyes glared back at the blind earth bender with a scowl, "Don't talk like you know everything, vibrations don't let you see everything. Since you'll never see let me tell you this Toph! Why don't you get a heart, because everyone else does."
Aang's eyes widened as the stinging on his cheek grew into a burning sensation. He looked at Toph as she stared down at him, she roughly grabbed his hand and brought it to her chest. "I have a heart." Aang eyes widened when she dropped his hand and guilt pierced him without mercy. He watched her eyes become stoic, "You're hopeless."
She began to move away when Aang grabbed her hand and everything around him came to a slow stop and his surroundings changed.
It was as if he warped somewhere, another dimension, a place he never been too. His heart leaped at the sudden change and quickly began to wonder where Toph was. His eyes scanned the environment, but that was all he could do. He couldn't feel or smell anything as if his other senses where delayed. He began to wonder where he was, and how'd he even got at this dark, gloomy dungeon in the first place. He touched the stone walls of the dungeon and still failed to feel it. His endless steps down the dungeons hall even failed to make an echo. He wondered when this hall would end, even wondered if he was gong in circles.
It was then though that he heard a piercing scream as if someone, a young women to be precise, was being torture. It was then that all of Aang's senses rushed back at him; the impact was so unexpected that he vomited on the ground. The smell was revolting and he removed his hand from the wall in a brusque motion; the walls were clammy and cold. The hall went dark and his eyes widen looking for some sort of escape. It was then that a light flickered in his peripheral vision and he turned his head; his mind stopped unable to react to this dreadful, horrid scene.
"P-Please, don't kill her," Toph managed to choke out. She lay helplessly on the floor wet, with blue lips. Dirty and bloodied by the evident torture she received. "Please don't kill my baby."
Aang's mind swirled quickly with thoughts; his mind pained as many emotions fought its way to be expressed. He noticed slight movement and enraged eyes looked to see two dark figures and he knew their identities were to be concealed.
"What makes you think I would do something like that? You blind whench!" The voice was deep and cynical, provoking to say the least. The unknown body held the baby by the head.
Toph's eyes widened, "No! Don't!-" she cried out loudly and desperately. All the while Aang was beating the invisible force field that kept him from ripping those people to shreds. He watched helplessly as Toph struggled to stand up in the wooden cell they were witty enough to keep her in.
"No use, really." The other body walked up to her and squatted, "Now tell me where Aang is."
Toph had her head hung low she raised it and looked him in the eyes, "You bastard! I don't know where he is! Why don't you just give me my baby!?" And swift hand grabbed her throat and threw against the wall, "You whench! Do you not care for your baby's life!?" He stood pulling at whip out and walking toward her slowly, deliberately as if telling her there was no escape to the inevitable pain.
Aang glowed with enormous power as he used his shoulder to smash through the force field. He cursed Toph for her rebellious nature as he managed to stop the whip the precise moment it swung out. Silenced ensued almost instantly, Toph smiled ruefully and looked down, "Aang." He looked backed and sighed with relief.
"Shut it whench, there's no reason to mention his name unless you know where he is." The dark figure walked towards her all the while the baby's cry being heard in the background. He walked through Aang's translucent yet invisible form and kicked her stomach, forcing vile to come out her mouth. She fell limp to the ground. Aang looked with horror, "Toph!"
It was then that his surroundings changed and he still had a grasp at Toph's hand. She looked at him vexation on her face, "What?" He was silent with inner turmoil.
She looked him now irritated, "Why is your heart beating so fast, like your scared? I'm not going to eat you."
He looked up at her eyes that were scared and concerned for her safety. "Toph, be careful, okay?"
Toph pulled her hand away, "Don't be stupid nothing will happen to me, stop acting weird. I slap you and you tell me to be careful, geez." Toph crawled to the end of the saddle and laid down.
"And Toph."
"What?" Toph was wondering if he realized that she wasn't in the mood for him yet.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't feel obligated to go with you. I really did want to. I didn't-- I'd worry about you being by yourself." Aang frowned, 'Now I'm horrified.' He turned around and took his place navigating on top of Appa. He was used to this Noh reaction thing of hers, it usually meant a good thing.
Toph laid on her side, how was she supposed to stay angry at him if he said thing like that. '"Be careful." 'Geez who does the think he is?'
"Don't think our friendship has been repaired with your little words!" Toph closed her eyes, furrowing her eyes brows.
"It was never broken." Aang's smile was heard through his voice.
"Then considerate the begining of the end." Toph mentally slapped herself for her lack of better words.
Aang rose an eyebrow, "It's fine with me."
Toph stood silent, "Fine."
Aang grinned, "Fine."
Toph angrily closed her eyes arguing with herself about the events that just took place. Her thoughts soon became a blur as she fell deep into an unconscious state.
Everything around her was black; not that it mattered, her world had always been like that. Toph stood in the midst of the darkness and walked around. She wandered around feeling literally blind. She felt no vibrations other than herself, no life, no substance. Nothing.
"Where am I? I can't feel anything." Toph brought her hands to her arms noticing the drop in temperature. Toph suddenly felt small vibrations coming towards her, and heard small footsteps.
"Mommy!"
Toph grew curious as to who the new presence in her lonely vast world was. The footsteps became quicker and louder coming towards her. She heard the laughing and giggling of a little girl. It was then that the vibrations were so clear and the little girl finally ran into Toph and hugged her legs tightly.
"Mommy!"
Toph eyes widened as she realized the excitement in the girl's voice, "I-I'm not your mommy." Who's child was this anyway? Toph placed tentative hands on her shoulders and moved her away.
The small girl began to tear up, "But daddy said I look like you."
"W-wait. Daddy? Who are you- and I'm not your mommy." Toph stepped away from the girl. "Who is your daddy?"
The girl smiled happily, "He's tall and strong, and very nice." She said this while moving her hand up high and flexing arms, "We love him very much. And sometimes you argue with him then you smile and he smile then we are all happy!" She squealed with happiness and jumped around, "I found you mommy!"
She stopped as if remembering something then became serious, "Daddy was looking all over for you. Why did you leave?"
Toph looked at the girl unable to accept the information given to her, "Look girl, I'm not your mother so why don't you go find your mother, and tell this daddy of yours that I have no kid. Okay? I do not love him. "
The small girl began to tear up, "W-Why are you so mean to me mommy? Daddy loves you a-and I love you."
Toph frowned and kneel before the small girl, "I'm sorry but-"
The girl's tears stopped and place her hand on Toph's face, "Mommy you should be careful, because you might die." Toph eyes widened this girl just kept spilling out words that continued to feed Toph's confusion. And to be honest it was starting to make her nervous.
"W-Wait, calm down. What are you talking about?" Toph carefully removed the small hands off her face.
"Please don't be sad no more, I love you." The little girl put her hands on her face.
Tears began to fill the brim of Toph's eyes. It was as if the small girl strung a cord and wrapped an string around her heart. She was uncharacteristically attached to this girl. Toph embraced the little girl, "Don't talk like that!" All the things this girl was say was starting to scare Toph. Should she listen to this girl? Was she really going to die?
"Someone's going to try to kill me, you have to help me." This girl all the things she kept saying didn't makes sense, all of this seemed so random.
Toph looked at the girl seriously, "I won't let that happen." She couldn't, wouldn't! Let that happen, she, this girl already made this connection to her in such a short amount of time. Was she really her daughter?
"But, mommy please don't be sad. Don't push your feelings away-" The girls eyes widened, "Look mommy, they're coming after us!"
A scream escaped the girl's mouth, as fire began to surround them. Toph placed her body over the girl who was crying hysterically now, "Don't worry I'll protect you." The heat of the fire was on her now and Toph was having a hard time breathing. Toph screamed as the fire engulfed her body.
Toph sat up drenched in sweat, gasping for breaths.
"Toph? Are you okay?"
Toph turned to Aang who was kneeling in next to her. She noticed it was night because of the cooler temperatures, "Yea." Toph paused taking a deep breath, "I'm fine."
Aang looked at Toph cautiously, carefully trying to serch for truth in her words. Toph felt that lingering gaze and turned her head to face him. "I'm fine." He looked at her doubtfully but went back to watching the fish in the fire burning in front of them.
"Aang."
"Yes?"
"Did you put me here."
Aang then eyed her confused, wondering where she was getting at. "Well," he paused, "Yea."
"That means you touched me without permission." Aang blush lightly under the light of the fired. He honestly didn't do anything but move her.
"W-well Toph you were cold and shivering and s-stuff." He looked back at the fish beginning to burn and quickly stood up to take them out. It was then that a rock hit him in the head, a big rock.
"Toph!" He ignored the pain until he took the fish out and placed them on two dishes. It was then that he crouched down and began to rub his head.
"I'd rather freeze, next time wake me up." Aang looked up and glared.
"I'll make sure to make it extra cold, seems to me like its your perfect temperature."
Toph sat already eating her dinner, silently appreciating his gesture of kindness.
Please criticize!
:P peanik
Just to let u know something about me...I luv Taang! Squee!