Hello everyone! Just the first drabble in my drabble series! :D
Read and enjoy! Don't forget to review too! :]
Summary: After the war the gAang have alot of downtime in between meetings, peace conventions, fancy parties, and all the things that come with a new era of peace and kindness. So where else but the Fire Palace would they hang out?
Chapter Summary: Aang and Toph get bored while Zuko's in a meeting and staring at the ceiling just won't cut it, but trashing his room will.
Main Characters: Toph, Aang, and Zuko.
One of Aang's favorite parts about the Fire Palace was the ceiling. To him, the ceiling was like the sky with its clouds. It had what was supposed to be fire motifs, but it looked more like swirly patterns that one could interpret like with clouds. Aang stared at the ceiling, trying to make something out of the intricate swirls. He was lying in the middle of a corridor, looking up at the ceiling with his feet rested on the wall. Toph lay next to him, also resting her feet on the wall. She could feel what was going on in the next room, which just happened to be the ex-war room where a "Domestic Affairs Meeting" as Zuko called it was taking place.
"That swirl looks like part of Katara's necklace." Aang said, pointing to a point on the ceiling.
Toph rolled her eyes. "That's nice Twinkle Toes, but I'm blind." She said while waving her hand in front of her face. "Also, why are we just lying here?"
"That meeting thing might be done soon." Aang responded. He waved at the two guards standing by the entrance of the room, which was about ten feet to the right.
"That meeting started ten minutes ago, Aang." She wiggled her toes, hoping to get a better "look" into the room. "Plus, they're just sitting there. Nothing interesting. Not even walking." She gave out a bored sigh.
"I know. I'm just really bored. You suggest tapestry sledding once, and your friend freaks out." Aang sighed.
"Yeah, and Suki, Sokka, and Katara aren't here, so I have no one to pick a fight with." Toph said. She stuck her pinky in her hear and dug out a small amount of ear wax.
Aang stared at her with a blank expression on his face. "You're not going to wipe that on your clothes are you?"
"Nope." Toph said with a smile. She sniffed it once and wiped it on the floor next to her. She gave an innocent smile to the guard that happened to look in their direction at that time.
They sat staring at nothing for what seemed like a good while. Suddenly Toph got up and walked towards the guards. Aang looked towards Toph. He quickly decided to follow in case of the chance that she might interrupt the meeting, or worse.
Toph stopped in front of the entrance to the ex-war room. She looked at the guards and in turn, they looked at her. She kept staring. They looked at her, confused. She sighed. "You guys are more boring than Sugar Queen."
'Uh Toph, they're supposed to stand there like that." Aang said.
"Well they don't have to be so boring about it. Let's go." She began to walk off in an unknown direction. Reluctantly, Aang followed.
"I know what to do!" Toph said enthusiastically.
"What?" Aang asked in reply.
She grabbed Aang's arm and started to run. "Go through Zuko's stuff of course! This is the only time we'll be able too!"
"What!" Aang shrieked in surprise. "That's his stuff! We can't just go through his room!"
Toph dragged Aang to the door that lead into Zuko's room. She skidded to a halt and caused Aang to run into her. She roughly pushed him off and faced the door. She walked towards it, opened the door, and shoved Aang into the room while closing the door behind them. "Sure we can." She said with a grin.
Aang looked around the foyer that leads into the sleeping quarters. He walked around the good sized room while Toph was making her way to the actual bedroom door.
"Get over here, Twinkle Toes! Nothing good is going to be in this part." She ordered. She pushed the door open and walked into the bedroom itself. Aang followed cautiously behind.
The next room was the same size as the foyer. On one end was a closet and on the other, a good sized bed surrounded by fabric from the canopy. Directly ahead were a vanity table and a nightstand to the left of that. On the other side of the bed was a balcony that overlooked the main garden.
"Man does Princess Sparkles know how live or what? This bed is huge!" Toph ran over to Zuko's bed and plopped down into it. Aang followed behind to make sure Toph didn't decide to pull down the canopy.
Toph stood up on the bed and started to jump and roll around. She slipped on a pillow and fell backwards on the other end of the bed. She grabbed a pillow and threw it at Aang who ducked out of the way. The pillow landed harmlessly behind Aang.
"Toph, I don't think that this is a good idea. We're guests and we should respect that we are the first foreigners to be in the palace in a hundred years! The monks used to say that-" Aang was interrupted.
"Blah, blah, blah, we're bored stiff. I'm sure that Zuko wouldn't mind if we entertained ourselves." Toph hopped off the bed and walked to the closet.
Aang stared wide eyed as Toph started pulling things out of Zuko's closet. The pile behind her grew as she pulled out familiar clothes that Zuko wore while he was with them at the Air Temple and shortly after he became Fire Lord. She decided on a robe and tossed it over to Aang who reluctantly caught it. He coughed at how dusty it was.
"Help me get up to the top shelf, or get the stuff down." Toph ordered.
"Toph, this isn't right." Aang said nervously. He picked up what he thought went with the dusty robe, which landed in some form of a line that led to where he was previously standing. "Toph, this stuff isn't ours, and this robe," Aang held up the old robe for emphasis. "Is probably older than we are. Maybe even Zuko!"
"Well then Zuko will be happy that we broke it in for him." Toph said confidently.
"It's an antique! It's probably hand crafted." Aang retorted.
"It's not like I'm gonna use it to crack nuts or anything." Toph replied.
Aang's face fell as he remembered Toph hitting nuts with his old staff. He sighed. "This is the stuff that goes with it, we should-" Toph grabbed the stuff before he could finish.
She put on the shirt and pants, both of which were far too big for her, and put the robe on over it. She tied the sash, and put the other necessities on. She gave an evil laugh and shot her arms upwards. "Fear me, for I am Fire Lord Toph!"
"No offence, but that's a frightening thought…" Aang said shyly.
"Yes, these mortals should fear Fire Lord Toph, the greatest Fire Lord in Fire Lord History!" She said with an evil laugh. Aang couldn't help but laugh himself.
Toph grabbed a chair and dragged it to the closet. Aang grimaced as she carelessly placed it over Zuko's clothes. She got on the chair and started reaching for the container on the top shelf. She got hold of it and pulled. The container came crashing down. Aang rushed over and used airbending to soften the fall.
She jumped off the chair and began rummaging through the container and its scattered contents. In the container was a bunch of ceremonial items that Aang couldn't what was for what and what went where. Toph grabbed a hair pick and shoved it into her bun. She pulled it out when she stabbed herself in the head with it and tossed it aside. Aang was picking through the contents himself to see if there was anything interesting. He sighed in relief when he decided that nothing was broken.
"Toph, this is enough. We already messed up Zuko's room enough." Aang said nervously.
"We still have the drawers." Toph smiled as she pointed to a nightstand by Zuko's bed, and a mirror next to it. She pulled out the drawers dumped the contents on the floor. She shifted through each drawer and what it used to hold. Aang stood helplessly, going through everything to make sure it wasn't broken.
Toph stood up and eyed the large bed and grinned mischievously. "Just one more thing." She said before she started ripping the blankets and sheets off and scattering them across the once clean room. All that was left on the bed was a stray pillow and part of a sheet.
Suddenly Toph stood up in alarm. "Zuko's coming!" She whispered to Aang. "Hurry under the bed, behind the sheet!" Aang and Toph dashed under the bed, while trying to hide behind the sheet, robes and all.
"Now I just have to grab that scroll before the meeting starts up again…" Zuko said while opening the door. He stood, frozen in the entrance of his room, shocked at its current condition. He was quiet for the longest time. "What happened to my room?" He yelled in surprise.
Zuko walked into the trashed room with a look of surprise and terror. He walked over to the closet, sidestepping clothes and other odds and ends. He grumbled when he moved the chair off of his clothes without breaking anything on the floor. The Fire Lord stumbled towards the vanity and tripped on a stray brush. As he fell back he grabbed the only drawer that wasn't pulled out for support, only to yank it out and have powder and make up land on him. He gasped in surprise as his mother's old make up made impact. Aang and Toph quickly covered their mouths so they wouldn't blow their cover with laughter. Zuko stood up gasping for air and trying to get the powder out of his mouth. He looked at himself in the mirror only to see that from his crown down to his sash was covered in a fine powder. He looked down and saw that the scroll he came to get was covered in a fine powder and perfume. He opened it up, only to discover that it was illegible and now useless.
He sighed in defeat and began making his way to the bed. He stumbled over a hidden pillow and fell forward. He grabbed the sheet on the bed to try and stop his fall. Zuko pulled the sheet off the bed as he fell. Aang and Toph's faces froze in horror as the sheet gently fell to the floor, and they were nose to nose with their friend. Zuko's face went from surprise, to horror, and finally to anger.
"H-Hey, Zuko. What brings you here?" Aang said feebly. He began to back up away from the angry Fire Lord. "I like your make up."
"I tried to tell him." Toph said nervously, while taking off the ancient robes.
Zuko heaved a heavy sigh. "What are you doing here?" He asked in a deadpan voice.
Aang and Toph were silent.
"You have ten seconds to get as far away from me as possible, or else it'll feel like old times again. You remember, don't you, Aang." Zuko said, while anger was slowly making its way into his voice.
Toph and Aang backed up from under the bed. The earthbender kicked off the pants to the old robe. Zuko stood up strait and glared at the two from the other side of the bed.
"Ten." Zuko started counting.
Aang and Toph inched their way to the first door.
"Nine." Zuko continued while turning towards them.
The Avatar and the earthbender were at the second door.
"Eight." He continued.
The second door slammed shut with the sudden force of wind pushing against it.
Zuko heaved an annoyed sigh. He looked around again at the mess. He looked at himself in the mirror, covered in make up. He undid his hair and wiped off his crown. Zuko removed the chest plate and placed it on his already messy bed. He wiped his face and hair off as much as he could with his robes that were already dirty. He sighed as he looked at all of his clothes that were now dirty all over the floor. He looked into his closet, hoping to find something that was clean. He saw only one thing and groaned in agony.
oOoOo
Sokka, Suki, and Katara were walking leisurely down the halls of the Fire Palace. Following them was Hakoda and Bato. The two senior Water Tribe warriors looked and marveled at the architecture and design of the building. The three teens lead their guests on an unofficial tour of the palace.
"I wonder where Aang and Toph are. I know that Zuko has this meeting thing today." Katara wondered out loud.
"Don't worry Katara, they're just probably hanging out, and living the high life." Sokka said in a suave voice. Suki rolled her eyes.
All of a sudden Aang under his glider, with Toph holding tightly on top, flew past the unsuspecting group. "Hi! Bye!" Aang said as he flew by.
"What just?" Hakoda asked as he recovered from nearly being mowed down by a runaway glider. Bato shrugged. "Does this always happen?"
"No…" Suki replied while recovering from the shock.
A few moments later, Zuko rounded a corner and came face to face with the large group. His face was beet red from anger and embarrassment.
Sokka started to laugh into his hand. "What? What are you wearing?" He burst into a laughing fit.
Zuko's face fell and he sighed. He looked down to the lightly colored, embroidered, flowing, and extravagant robes that he resorted to wearing. The robes had a dragon motif on the back with fire designs and motifs all around. The robes were light shades of orange and red with a little white. Towards the bottom and the edges of the sleeves there was an intricate pattern that was delicately sewn in.
"Well?" Sokka said in between bouts of laughter. "And, what's with girly perfume smell?"
Zuko sighed again. He took a deep breath, knowing this won't be the last time he'll have to explain. "The perfume smell is my moms… The robes are my father's wedding robes…"
The entire group began to giggle, or in Sokka's case, laugh loudly.
"Hey! You guys think I wanted to wear this? There was nothing else that was clean! Perfume was spilt all over me! It's not my fault!" Zuko said, defending himself.
"Ok, but how did all that happen?" Katara asked while giggling. "And, those robes don't exactly fit with Ozai's… Personality."
"It's a traditional robe…" Zuko stated. Everyone nodded. "Also next time you see Aang and Toph, tell them that the next time I see them, I'm going to kill them." With that Zuko stomped off to the remainder of the meeting, his robes swishing delicately behind him.