Ah, my first Avatar: The Last Airbender fic. JunToph paring with some TyZula.

This is based entirely off one quote, seen below. I think somehow these two would make a cute pairing, and there certainly hasn't been any of it that I've seen. The usual drill, this story will depict a romantic and possibly intimate relationship between two consenting women, so if that offends you, you'd best bail now. I don't own any of the character or places referred to in this fic, please don't sue my arse, or any other part of me.

"I don't know who this Jun lady is, but I like her."

Toph had never spoken truer words. Later she learned that the young woman was a bounty hunter. She had felt, in the soft assured steps that seemed to barely touch the earth, the presence of a strong, dark mind. Then of course there was the undeniable sounds of fully grown men splintering tables with their heavy, muscled bodies after being throw by a woman a third of their size. That alone was enough to earn Toph's respect. She had heard the apparent apathy in the woman's voice, and never once picked up on surprise or any joy whatsoever. There was a sultry cadence to it, and though Toph was still quite young she understood enough about the world to know this woman probably commanded the attention of many admirers.

It wasn't until years later, when she, Aang and Katara were reminiscing in her home in Ba Sing Se that Toph remembered Jun again.

"And there was that time at the nunnery, remember?"

Aang laughed appreciatively.

"Zuko certainly was determined, wasn't he?"

"Sure was. And that mole creature sure was something, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, and uncle Iroh thought that Jun was, too." Katara giggled, and looked to Toph expecting a sharp, derisive comment about the Fire Lord. What she found though was a rather blank expression on the earth bender's face, Toph's misty green eyes making it all the more disconcerting.

"Toph? Are you ok?" she asked, reaching out to take her friends hand. With a grunt and a shake Toph recoiled,

"I'm fine, Sugar Queen. Just remembering the good old days."

With a deep sigh Toph ran a hand through her unruly mop of hair, free from its usual headband. Unbidden the memory of that soft, seductive voice resounded in her head. The companions talked for another hour or so, before Aang rose,

"It was good to see you, Toph." He said, walking to where his old friend was sitting and clapping a hand on her shoulder affectionately. "We should get back to the embassy though." Glancing at Katara who nodded and also stood Aang smiled, his grey eyes dancing.

"I'll be sure to write Twinkle-toes, but you know where I am if you ever need me." Toph's crooked grin quirked the corners of her lips upward as she stood and placed her hand on Aang's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Katara made her approach, pulling her often gruff friend into a tight hug.

"Don't be a stranger."

"'Course not Katara. I'll see you soon enough." With a final punch to Aang's upper arm the friends parted ways, Toph waving them off from her front porch. She heaved another sigh when she could no longer feel the vibrations of the wheels of their ostrich-horse drawn carriage rumbling down the road. It had been too long since she had seen them, and they had only stayed for a few hours but she was almost glad to be rid of them now her mind had lucked on to a topic it seemed reluctant to let go. Jun.

Toph could only imagine what the other woman was like now. She remembered the strong impression the older girl had left on her when she was young, but truthfully she knew nothing about the bounty hunter.

'There must have been some deep hurt in her past that led her to live the way she does.' Toph reasoned. 'But does she still?' Curiosity consumed Toph, and an unreasonably strong desire to go in search of the older woman rose within her.

It was beginning to get dark outside and the roach-crickets were already chirping. She shook her head, rubbing a rough calloused hand over her face and into her hair, trying to work the tension that seized her muscles out.

'This sucks.' She thought firmly. Making her way out to the back garden she sat down on a large slab of sandstone that had been set in the yard. Crossing her legs Toph took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before allowing her fists to meet in front of her, mimicking a pose Aang used often. They had meditated together before, and she had found the position both comfortable, stabilizing (an important thing for an earth bender) and effective. So much so that she adopted it herself.

Soon all her focus was centered on her breathing. Then it shifted downward, sinking into the earth. It didn't take long before she could feel for miles around, each shift and shudder. The mantle sighed, ever so slowly pressing toward the core under the weight of gravity. Toph's concentration was deep and she moved with the earth, slow and steady, finding the centre of herself. For an indeterminate amount of time she sat almost perfectly still, only her shoulders rising and falling in time with her breathing. When she came to, she eased her consciousness from the earth, allowing it to slip slowly back to her. Quite suddenly her eyes were open and she was back in her garden, seeing nothing.

There was a feeling of residual calm that stayed with her as she walked back to the house and changed into her soft cotton sleeping pants and shirt. As she lay down on the firm slab that was her bed sleep came immediately and Jun was once again forgotten, remembered only for a day.

-

In that same seedy tavern, in the backwoods of the Earth Kingdom a particular bounty hunter lay in wait. Sipping slowly on a clear rice-based spirit was Jun, scanning the room with dark, wary eyes. With her legs on the table in front of her and an arm propped on the back of the chair she was sitting on her demeanor was anything but proper. Soft footfalls sounded behind her and she tensed for a moment, until she heard a voice.

"I need you to find someone for me." Her long legs slipped off the table and she planted her feet on the floor, turning slowly. A young woman stood behind her, shrouded in a long traveling cloak. Deep, wide grey eyes met her own searchingly.

"Oh? And the payment?" Immediately the client plunged a hand into her cloak, producing a bag that chinked a lot like coin as she placed it on the table. With one hand Jun deftly loosened the string tied around the mouth of the bag and ran an eye over the contents.

"Very nice. Got anything that belongs to this person?" Again, no words were spoken as an ornate hair pin was produced from the folds of the cloak. Jun took it with her free hand, turning it over before cinching the string on the bag and pocketing it. Downing her drink she sighed in satisfaction before heading outside. The cloaked figure followed closely, whispering across the tavern floor like a ghost. At least until a meaty paw clapped onto her shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going, lovely?" A large bearded man swayed in place behind the young woman, a lecherous expression on his flushed face. Jun spun, ready to take the guy out, finding that she didn't have to do anything. The guy toppled like a felled tree, hitting the ground with a bewildered expression on his features.

"Hands off." The young woman said, quietly but with a bit of attitude before turning and walking past Jun into the night. The older woman stared after her, slack-jawed for a moment before gathering her wits and following. Nyla was tethered outside, head on its paws in a position of repose. The Shirshu looked up as its owner approached, sniffing the air cautiously before nuzzling Jun's outstretched hand. Jun produced the hair pin and pressed it toward the beasts' nose. The folds of skin around its snout trembled as it sniffed deeply. Muscles rippled under its dark fur as it arrowed in one direction, barely restraining itself from taking off without its master.

"Come on, we'll go get your friend." Jun was already in the saddle, offering a hand to the young woman. The gesture proved to be unnecessary however as the young woman leapt upward, bounding off the edge of the saddle and landing behind Jun without any great pomp. "Go Nyla." Jun said softly, one hand on the reigns and the other on the horn of the saddle. "You'd better hold on." She said, just as Nyla reared onto its hind legs before taking off at full gallop. She felt the small hands of the younger woman around her waist after a few seconds and smiled smugly to herself as the Shirshu bore them towards their target.

They traveled fast, but dawn broke before they reached their destination. Jun pulled Nyla to a standstill, leaping off the beast and watching as her companion did the same. The beast darted off, in search of water and food no doubt. The forest around them blotted out most of the sunlight, save for a few dappled patches that had forced their way through the thick canopy and were dancing on the forest floor.

With a sigh Jun slid her back down a tree trunk, landing on the ground with a pronounced 'thump'. A giggle forced its way out of the younger woman, and Jun looked up at her, half smiling.

"So what's your name, girl?" Small hands reached for the hood of the heavy traveling cloak, pulling it back to reveal a youthful face.

"Ty Lee." She said, smiling brightly.

And there you have it. Of course this isn't the entire story, but it's all I've written so far. I'd love to hear what you think, good or bad.

Read and review because I'm vain? ^_^

Omni 3