It was a balmy summer night like so many others. The moon was full in the sky but the stars over Ba Sing Se were obscured by the multitude of lights that lit the city at night. In the lower ring, Sergeant Chou stood at ease near the gate to a warehouse marked with the coin emblem of the Earth Kingdom Army. Chou had been on this assignment for six boring weeks, ever since the war had ended contingents of the army had been brought into the city to oversee the transfer of control from the Fire Nation Army back to the interim government of the Earth Kingdom.
"Sergeant?" one of the new additions to Second Squad, Private Ling, asked and broke the silence. Sergeant Chou turned to see what the young woman was pointing at. Three figures were approaching up the narrow alley that contained the gate into the warehouse compound. They wore civilian clothes but Chou could tell by their long purposeful strides and the way they carried themselves that they must be military.
"At ease, Private…" Chou waved her down. She looked at him with a quizzical expression. Under the light of the hanging lamps she was cute, Chou admitted. She had these sharp eyes, full of mischief, and a thin upturned nose which Chou found very attractive. Of course he couldn't ever tell her that. That's just not how things were done.
The other members of Second Squad, First Unit, gathered around him. There were four of them besides Sergeant Chou and Private Ling. Since the Fifth Earth Army had first fought in urban warfare nearly thirteen years ago, they had taken up the practice of informally dividing their squads into two smaller units. These units, six soldiers in size, were more effective than the cumbersome twelve soldier squads that made up the individual fighting forces of the Earth Nation Army. These units could maneuver down the narrow streets and through buildings.
"Who goes there?" Sergeant Chou called out to the trio. The three mysterious men were still coming and were now only a dozen paces away. None of them answered. Were these the men the ones he had been waiting for, not just this night but every night since he had been put at this post? Sergeant Chou rubbed his sweating hands against his pant legs in as casual a motion as possible. He hoped that it seemed casual anyways.
"What should we do Sergeant?" asked Corporal Fong. His voice was even but Chou knew him well enough to hear the undercurrent of unease the younger man felt. Sergeant Chou's eyes never left the approaching men but he could feel the wide stance that Corporal Fong took up. Fong was an earthbender, the only one in First Unit. Second Unit had one Earthbender as well, as per army regulation. An earthbender could save many lives in a battle. They could erect barriers and provided suppression for the non-bending troops to advance. Corporal Fong had saved all their lives many times and the others trusted him immensely. He took up his stance, preparing to control the situation if it came to a fight. Private Chen and Private Bai relaxed a little, knowing their safety was in capable hands. None of them expected a fight but these strangers made them all feel uneasy.
"Halt! In the name of the Earth Kingdom, identify yourselves," Sergeant Chou called out with practiced forcefulness. His sergeant voice was often enough to control civilians and turn recruits' knees to jelly. He prided himself on the way in which he could command soldiers, better than any cherry second lieutenant right out of the training yard. Chou smirked to himself but it did nothing to quell the nervous feeling in his belly. The trio of strangers halted only a few steps away from Sergeant Chou and his unit.
"Four bells chime. The rain falls upon all our heads," a crackling, low voice like thunder came from the leader of the mysterious men. Sergeant Chou's breath caught, it was the signal he had been awaiting for all these weeks, all his life perhaps.
Something was wrong here, Private Ling thought. Who were these mysterious men and what did that mean? Ling tensed, she had grown up on the mean streets of the lower ring and she had learned to trust her instincts and her instincts were screaming at her that something was wrong. The other soldiers eased a fraction at the words of this strange man. Maybe it was an old Fifth Army saying? She had only joined this unit in the last few weeks and she had yet to integrate herself into the close knit group. It had seemed to her that these men had known each other for years but she had never gotten a backstory out of any of them. Not even from their handsome sergeant. She blushed at that. Stupid brain, she thought to herself, acting like some schoolgirl on her first crush! Sergeant Chou was handsome though, and his big strong shoulders...well they were also very nice.
"The rain does not fall on those who are prepared for it," Sergeant Chou said with a small bow. The other soldiers shifted uneasily. Private Ling didn't understand. The leader of the strangers nodded his head slightly.
"Ones such as we are always prepared for the storm," the crackling, low voice said tipping his wide rain hat. The soldiers all bowed except for Private Ling. What was going on? What were they talking about? Storms and rain were not part of the Earth Kingdom Army mantra. And these men were not dressed as soldiers. "A new member?" the leader asked, waving his hand in a wide gesture towards Private Ling. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
"A replacement," Sergeant Chou said with deep regret tinging his voice.
"Sergeant?" Private Ling asked, her voice barely a whisper. She was afraid. Her instincts told her she needed to get out of here.
"I'm sorry Private," Sergeant Chou didn't even look at her. The leader watched Sergeant Chou intently. "Long live the Dai Li," it was barely a whisper. Then Private Ling heard the quiet scrap of steel on leather and the whistle of a blade cutting through the air. The stroke was purposeful and clean, it was the least Sergeant Chou owed the young woman under his command. Her body slumped to the ground with a wet thud. Sergeant Chou bowed his head to the leader of these men, these Dai Li agents. His eyes misted over and he blinked as hot tears rolled down his face. She had trusted him but he had been loyal to the Dai Li since he had been inducted at the age of thirteen. Nearly fifteen years of living a double life, a sleeper agent, within the Earth Kingdom Army had come to fruition on this night.
"Long live the Dai Li," the other soldiers intoned and bowed to the leader. Sergeant Chou swallowed a hot breath and stymied his tears before looking up. "This warehouse stores…" he began.
"We know what it stores, Agent Chou. Are there any more guards inside?" Agent Chou nodded. "Are they initiates?" Agent Chou shook his head. They were soldiers from First Squad, not members of the Dai Li. They would need to be dealt with. He wiped his sword clean on a cleaning rag he fished out from his pocket. This would be a long night and his blade would be needed again before long.
"Do you think this will be enough?" Sokka asked, "I mean, what's an appropriate gift? We don't really do big birthdays in the Southern Water Tribe, you know." He was jingling a small bag of coins in his hand in front of the face of his small companion.
"Will you relax? Shesh! Plus, we are gonna turn this money into a lot more real soon," Toph said with a mischievous grin. She quickly snatched the bag of coins from Sokka's hand.
"Is that why we're out here at night?" Sokka said looking around suspiciously. They had come down to the lower ring to a disreputable looking street lined with taverns and inns.
"Will you just trust me," she answered him vaguely. "When have my scams ever gone wrong, hm?" she poked a finger at his chest.
"Well there was this one time I can recall," Sokka answered with a frown. "I recall it ended with you and my sister in jail!"
"That was just a fluke! It was all what's his name's fault," Toph tried her best casual voice.
"His name was Combustion Man!" Sokka was getting worked up and Toph smiled to herself. Once he was in a tizzy he would forget whatever it was they were arguing about. She had him now.
"I thought Zuko said his name was…" she began but was interrupted.
"Whatever! Combustion Man is a cooler name anyways," he crossed his arms and gave her a hurt look. Then realizing she couldn't see his face he simply sighed and slumped his shoulders. "Okay, so I'll admit that was a special case but still."
"But nothing! Now come on, we don't have all night," Toph said with triumph. With that she turned and strode off purposefully towards nearby tavern. Sokka had no choice but to chase after her. For someone with such short legs she sure can move fast, he thought as he had to speed up to keep up with her. They had been back in the city six weeks now and with Katara's healing his injured leg was finally fully healthy again. Just before they entered she stopped and he nearly bumped into her, stopping just short and pinwheeling his arms to keep himself from falling over.
"Don't you think we should choose a nicer looking inn?" Sokka asked looking through a nearby window. "What kind of name is 'The Black Lotus and the Blind Queen' anyways? Sheesh!" The place was certainly...lively. The large common room was lit by a large fireplace and people of all kinds were milling about, drinking and carousing. Two young men, probably soldiers on leave were, singing off key soldiers' songs to the cheers of some and boos of others. Someone caught Sokka's eye when she rose to her feet. Whoa, Sokka thought, she was tall and well toned, with short brown hair and blue eyes but he didn't notice any of those things. His eyes were drawn to her low neckline and his jaw dropped open. Maybe this was a nice inn afterall. Someone across from her rose to his feet as well and suddenly there was a flash of movement and before Sokka knew it the man was on the floor. The pretty woman had punched his lights out. Sokka gulped, he would have to make sure to keep his eyes away from her chest otherwise he might end up like that poor shlub.
"Sokka!" Toph said yet again, tapping her foot impatiently. Sokka turned back to look at the diminutive earthbender. He closed his mouth with embarrassment, thanking his lucky stars that she couldn't see him embarrass himself like that.
"What? Huh?"
"Did you hear ANYTHING I just said?" she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a scowl that said she already knew the answer. Sokka couldn't help but smirk, she reminded him of Katara when they were kids, well younger kids anyways. He would always do immature things to annoy her and she would take on that exact stance and expression. Maybe it's a girl thing? Like maybe they can all just do it? Sokka made a mental note to ask someone back at the house. Someone who wasn't mad at him right now.
"Well, I...uh…" Sokka lied unconvincingly. "Well, whatever it was I know it was a good plan! You are the best scammer there is afterall." Sokka tensed up for the hit but it never came.
"Darn right!" Toph said with a hint of pride. Sokka's words had mollified her somewhat. Sokka breathed a sigh of relief just before Toph's arm shot out and punched him in the arm.
"Hey!" he said more out of habit than anything. It wasn't a hard punch just surprising. He had thought he had diffused the situation just fine. Whether it was Toph, Katara, or Suki he had no idea how girls thought. Just when you think everything is fine, suddenly everything flips around on you!
"Are you listening now?" Toph asked and Sokka nodded. Realising she couldn't see that either, he replied.
"Yeah, you've got my full attention," he had to fight the urge to turn back to the well endowed woman with the low cut blouse. "What's the plan? What do you need me to do?"
"Well, this inn has an earth floor like most of the establishments in Ba Sing Se, right?" Toph enjoyed their scams. Normally it was Sokka would planned out what the Gaang did but here she was in her element, she was in charge, and it was a thrill. Without waiting for a reply, she went on, "But this place also uses earth tables. You see where I'm going with this?" Sokka nodded thoughtfully. After a moment Toph asked impatiently, "Well?"
"Oh right!" Sokka slapped himself on the forehead, she can't see your nods you idiot! He was always forgetting that about her. She just always seemed so capable it was easy to forget she was blind. "You can bend through the earth tables and change the results!" Sokka announced a little too loudly. Toph punched his arm harder this time.
"Great! Why don't you just call out to the whole world!" She admonished him. For such a smart guy, Meathead could be such an idiot sometimes.
"Sorry," he said. "So what do you need me to do? I can't exactly help you with the earthbending."
"Same as usual. You handle the side bets," she said. After the Runaway incident they had been careful to only play a few rounds to avoid arousing suspicion. Instead Sokka would take side bets to increase the amount they won on each round. That way they could still turn a large profit without outstaying their welcome and running into trouble with the law.
"Right. You ready?" Sokka asked and Toph nodded. They turned to go inside but Sokka stopped. "Wait a second, won't there be other earthbenders in there? Won't they be able to tell if you're bending to win?"
"Sokka!" she said, feigning hurt in her voice, "did you forget?"
"Forget what?" he was puzzled.
"I'm the greatest earthbender in the world!" she gave him a wide cheesy smile.
"Right. Remind me, who said that again?" He smiled back and she punched him in the arm. "Ow," he said as an afterthought. Then they went inside.
The first thing that hit Sokka when they entered was the smell. The sour stench of bad beer and vomit mixed into the sawdust on the floor was overwhelming. The cold back home kept the smells of things muted and he was still unused to the stink of so many people in such a hot space. The stench of sweat alone was enough to make him nauseous. His eyes scanned the common room and the long bar counter. The barkeep, a short fat man with a jovial look about him waved to the duo. Sokka put on his best winning grin and returned the wave. Toph felt Sokka's movement through the earth floor and waved in the same general direction, not sure what she was waving at but she trusted Sokka so she continued to wave until he stopped.
The din of people talking and singing was overwhelming to Toph. She had grown up in such quiet surroundings on the Bei Fong Estate. She was glad she didn't rely on her ears to navigate like she had heard other blind people did. She would have been totally lost in the cacophony around her. She heard two men's voices shouting over the din, they were singing a song that she didn't recognize but liked it.
When Lee comes marching home,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll know the fire nation's done,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The girls will all turn out,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
And welcome Lee home!
The song brought on cheers from some of the patrons and boos from some others. The jeers were good natured and Toph thought it was all in fun. The occupation had ended six weeks ago and the interim Earth Army Government along with the New Fire Nation Army had done all they could to ensure any wrongs committed during the occupation were punished and any reparations paid. Tensions were still high but they were dissolving faster than any could have predicted. Twinkletoes and Zuko had been instrumental and people truly believed that the war that had lasted a hundred years was finally over. People felt like celebrating.
One of the other patrons, a woman, called out that she would give Lee something to hurrah about and what she said next caused Toph to blush and the other patrons all to laugh.
"Here's to the women of the Earth Kingdom!" one of the singers called out, his voice uneven and slurry, "Giving our boys something worth fighting for!" That received another chorus of laughs.
"Don't listen to this sweet talker!" the woman called back, "if his fighting is anything to go by…" she let the sentence trail off meaningfully and the crowd exploded with laughter.
"Hey! She's just jealous Hong!" the other singer called over the crowd. "That she ain't got a nice Earth Kingdom girl to go back to!" The crowd cat-called and there was more laughing.
"Just because my standards are higher than either of you, Ji," she said offhandedly, "doesn't mean I've given up looking for a fine Earth Nation man!" The jeers at Ji and Hong were overwhelming and the two gave up. There was laughter and offers to buy the woman a drink from all around. Toph liked her.
"So, where to?" Sokka leaned in so Toph could hear him over the crowd. She pointed to a table in the back corner where some patrons were shooting dice. She led the way to the table through the crowd and Sokka hung back a few paces so it wouldn't look like they were together.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked the leader of the gamblers.
"Now what's a kid know about dice? Get out of here," the gruff man told her.
"Oh? Well, I just thought you could teach me," Toph gave a sigh for effect before taking out her bag of coins, "but if my money is no good here…" She began to turn before the man replied.
"Now…uh…" he said, his voice dripping with greed, "let's not be hasty." He waved her back and she took a seat on a chair at the table. She took a moment to rest her feet on the earth floor and clear away any sawdust that might muddle her vision. She could see the table top clearly and the tiny metal dice. Too easy.
"It's Liar's Dice," the man said while pushing a stone cup across the table to Toph and kept one in his hand. It contained six metal dice. "We all roll our dice under the cups so nobody else can see. Then one of us bids, that means they say how many of what number they think is on the table. That's how much everyone together has. Then somebody has to call his bluff, or increase the bid by saying they think there is more of one number dice on the table. We keep going until somebody calls a bluff and if they were bluffing they lose one of their dice and if they were telling the truth the other player loses a dice. We bet each bid until someone wins at the end. Got it, kid?" Toph just sat there for a second, of course she already knew the rules but it would be better if she feigned ignorance.
"Well, I mean...I guess so," she said without conviction. The man gave a leering smile that she didn't see.
"Well then let's get started," he said and the gamblers around the table began to shake their cups. Then all slammed down on the tabletop and peeked at their own. Toph mimed looking at her own, though she could see them with her bending. She could see every die on the table. This was going to be easy. The gambling man was smiling to himself, he knew all the probabilities, this poor kid didn't have a chance. Then she won the first round.
"Hey buddy," Sokka inched over to one of the observers, "want to make this interesting?" It had begun.
"What? How?" the gambling man stood up pointing an accusing finger at Toph who gave him her meekest kid smile.
"Did I win? Wow!" Toph said with false amazement, "This is my first time playing too! It must be beginner's luck!" She said as she shoveled her winnings into the coin bag which was straining at the bulk of all her ill gotten gains. Sokka was collecting side bets from a few grumpy patrons.
"You...you cheated!" he accused. It was impossible! He knew every hand, every probability! No amateur could be so good. Then a thought struck him. "You hussled me! You've played this game before!" The other gamblers boos the sore loser.
"There a problem here, Shen?" the woman from earlier had joined the audience that had grown around the dice game. Shen, the gambling man, looked up at her. His eyes lingered for a moment on her ample chest.
"Uh...no. I…" Shen said embarrassed.
"My eyes are up here," she shouted, "Or do you think you can disrespect an officer of the Fifth Earth Kingdom Army?" The common room quickly became silent. Almost a dozen hard looking men stood up, waiting. Shen was sweating profusely now.
"I...no...I mean no disrespect, Captain Ya," Shen bowed.
"None taken," the busty woman waved dismissively and the patrons settled back down. "Now, I think you had best take your leave."
"Oh, there's no need…" Toph began, "We were just leaving!" She made to stand but Captain Ya rested a firm hand on her shoulder. Her hands were calloused and hard, Toph noted. Maybe she was an earthbender. I couldn't have been caught, Toph thought with a hint of apprehension growing in the pit of her stomach, could I?
"Captain, was it?" Sokka stepped up beside the two. Captain Ya gave Sokka a withering look and it he kept his eyes locked onto hers. Do not stare at her boobs! Eyes up! Oma and Shu, keep those eyes up! "My friend and I were just going home. It's late…" he moved towards Toph but the Captain stepped between them.
"Why do you have a seat right there?" Captain Ya insisted. She was maybe a foot in front of Sokka and she was taller than him so he had to keep his neck craned up to avoid staring at her low cut neckline. This is so unfair! Being a teenaged boy was so often a disadvantage.
"Well, we were just going," Sokka stammered out, keeping his eyes locked on hers. Her blue eyes were hard as only a soldier's are but underneath they were deep pools that could see right through him. Sokka swallowed reflexively.
"Why do you just have a seat, right over there?" Captain Ya said with more insistence. "Just have a seat." She reached out to guide Sokka towards the recently vacated seat of Shen the gambler. Her arm reached around his shoulders and she rested her firm hand on his back gently nudging him towards to chair. Sokka tensed at the touch. Pins and needles ran up his back. His stupid body was always doing stupid things like that at the worse time! He was sweating more than the heat of the common room would account for and he inched himself forward. Captain Ya was so close that for a moment her chest brushed against his upper arm as he moved towards the chair. He gulped and sat down, glad that there was a table between her and him.
"So what are two kids doing in a place like this?" Captain Ya sat down between Toph and Sokka.
"Who are you calling kids?!" Sokka said defensively, "Back home, I'm considered a man!" His voice cracked, undermining his statement.
"Back home?" Captain Ya raised an eyebrow, her hard eyes studying the dark skinned youth. His clothes were an odd combination of leather, cloth and furs. He must be hot in this weather. Ba Sing Se wasn't exactly known for its mild summers and this one was one of the hottest on record. That was why she was wearing this low cut top. Oh please, she thought to herself, you wear it because you love to make the men uneasy! Well that too, naturally. This youth was obviously uneasy with her choice of clothing. Good, men say stupid things when they are distracted.
"Oh," Sokka said, catching himself too late. Way to go! Why don't you just tell her you're here with the Avatar! Hm, would that impress her? He wondered. "Well, I mean…"
"We're from Gaoling," Toph said, "country life necessitates growing up fast." Smart girl, Captain Ya thought appreciatively. Unfortunately, Captain Ya was well informed.
"Is that where you met the Avatar?" she swept her captain's glare over the young...girl?...it was hard to tell with her baggy clothing and dirty, round face. The stare didn't have any visible effect. This girl was tougher than most of the soldiers she knew.
"How did you know?" Sokka said with disbelief. Well, at least one of them had cracked. The truth was she hadn't been sure.
"We don't get many water tribesmen in Ba Sing Se," she said, resting her glare on the youth. "Gaoling? I've been there. Not as country as you might like me to think." Sokka swallowed at this, Toph sighed.
"I'm the Avatar's earthbending teacher," Toph admitted to the older woman. "That's…" Toph paused for a moment, "He's...well...he's Sokka." What was that all about? Captain Ya wondered. The pause was so short she wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't been for her decade of service as a human lie detector for her troops.
"Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, ma'am," Sokka held out his hand and Captain Ya looked down at it for a moment. This Sokka was obviously unused to talking with pretty women. Well, women that show off so much cleavage, she chided herself. Whatever, she was a grown woman and she could show off whatever she damn well pleased! She took the young man's hand and shook it firmly. He looked down at their hands for a moment, his eyes seeing past as her chest heaved slightly from the shaking motion. He immediately looked away, resting his eyes on his companion. Cute, Captain Ya thought, I wonder how old he is? Good grief, she chided herself, get a grip! She shouldn't have drank so much.
"And this is Toph," the young man said. Captain Ya noted there was no hesitation in his voice, no little pause while he decided what to introduce her as. Odd. She had thought maybe they were a couple but she wasn't getting that feeling anymore. "And we really should get going, we're shopping for my sister's birthday present," Sokka explained. Captain Ya nodded thoughtfully.
"Well I won't keep the two of you any longer," Captain Ya stood. "If you ever need anything from the army you come to Eel-Hound Company, Second Regiment, First Division of the Fifth Earth Kingdom Army and ask for Captain Ya," she nodded to the duo.
"Thanks ma'am," Sokka said, standing, trying to be as officious as possible.
"Yeah, thanks," Toph stood too and turned towards Captain Ya. Ya noticed the girl's eyes, deep green but washed over with grey. Was she blind? The Avatar's blind earthbending teacher? Captain Ya gave them a short bow and turned and walked away.
"You are such a spaz," Toph told him, turning to walk out.
"What are you talking about?" Sokka followed ungraciously after her as they made their way out of the tavern.
"I could feel your heartbeat and breathing, through the earth. Remember?" Toph could tell when someone was lying through the earth, well not Azula she remember, but that wasn't what she felt from the young man just then. It was the same kind of pattern of breath and heartbeat that she had often felt when Sokka was around Suki or Ty Lee. She had wondered what it was and she hoped that he was so off put by their encounter with the Earth Army Captain that she could coax it out of him. She never sensed him like that when he was talking to Katara or herself.
"So what? I wasn't...what?" Sokka was flabbergasted. "You felt nothing 'cause there was nothing to feel!"
"Weird, it's the same thing I feel when you are talking to Suki or Ty Lee…hm," Toph said as if she was just making the connection.
"What?!" Sokka said with outrage, "Toph! Don't...don't spy on me like that!"
"Huh?" they were out the door and on the street now. Spying? She wasn't spying, she just noticed it when she used her earthbending to see and Sokka couldn't blame her for that! "I wasn't spying!"
"Well still, just forget it alright," Sokka said sullenly. Toph sighed, she wasn't going to get anything out of him now. Then she felt something odd. Earthbending. She could feel it coming from nearby. It seemed like a fight.
"Sokka, I think someone needs our help," without waiting for a reply she took off with a run down the street and Sokka could only chase after her.
Half an hour had passed since the operation had begun. It was a tense half hour for Private Bai and Private Chen. They had been left to guard the warehouse gate while the other Dai Li agents infiltrated the compound and secured the supplies inside. The body of poor Private Ling had been stowed inside and Corporal Fong had churned the packed earth of the alley to bury the bloodstain she had left. Now there was no trace that she had ever been there, had ever been...Private Bai paused there. He was having second thoughts. It had been different before. Back when the Dai Li had been in control of Ba Sing Se and the King. Then it had been political abductions and reconditioning. Then when the Fire Nation had conquered the city their operations had moved to cracking down on revolts and dissenters. Now that the city was back in the hands of the Earth Kingdom Army and the Dai Li was in hiding, their methods had become even worse. When Bai had first joined the Dai Li he had thought that what they did was necessary. Sure, a few people had to be sacrificed but it was for the good of the Earth Kingdom. They were secret police but they were the secret saviours and protectors of the realm. Now what were they? Fugitives clinging onto power.
"Chen?" Agent Bai's voice was quiet and uneasy.
"What is it?" Agent Chen answered. They had been friends since the first day they had come to Lake Laogai to begin their training. Chen could tell that his friend was conflicted by the tone of his voice and it made his heart sink.
"What are we doing?" Bai asked.
"We are guarding this boring alley," Chen tried to make a joke but it died in his throat. Instead he let out a long, low sigh. "Please, don't make this harder than it has to be."
The two stood in silence.
"The Dai Li is finished," Bai said breaking the silent, "what are we still doing? The war is over, the people don't need us anymore."
"Hey! Shut up!" Agent Chen rounded on him. "Do you want the whole city to know we're Dai Li!"
"I'm sorry," Agent Bai said quietly, "I don't know what I'm doing anymore."
Before either could say anything else they heard someone coming down from the end of the alley leading to the warehouse gate. They stood ready, hands on sword hilts. Then they saw the small silhouette of a child walking down the alley. Then they heard the tap tap tap of a cane on the packed dirt floor.
"Hello?" a soft voice called out, "is someone there?" Bai and Chen shared a look of concern.
"Who goes there?" Bai said in his soldier's voice. The child was slowly meandering down the alley towards them.
"My name is Ya," Toph lied, "I'm lost. You see I'm blind!" She waves her cane in front of her. She had made it out of a metal railing on some poor sap's front porch.
"Little girl," Chen said with a soothing voice, "this is no place for children. You see, we are soldiers of the Earth Kingdom and this place is off limits to kids." This did not dissuade the girl, he could tell it was a girl from her voice, but instead caused her to come on faster.
"Oh wow!" Toph said with feigned amazement. She was really good at lying if she did say so herself. All these scams had made her an expert at gaining the confidence of dupes like these two. Dai Li agents! She couldn't believe what she had heard. She had thought they were finished after the end of the Fire Nation occupation. She and Sokka had listened from the mouth of the alley, Toph using her earthbending to hear from farther away. They had decided that if these were really Dai Li then they would need to be caught.
Toph was close now. This was the critical part of the plan.
"Are you really Earth Kingdom soldiers?" Toph asked again in amazement, "You guys are my heroes!" Then she tripped and fell toward, hitting the ground hard, or so that's how it looked. She bent the earth to soften it at the last moment. She was only half a dozen paces from them now. Then she gave her most convincing, pathetic cry.
Chen looked at Bai nervously. They were not to leave their posts for any reason but Bai was already moving towards the hurt little girl. He bent down beside her, concern in his voice.
"Are you alright little girl?" Bai asked Toph, "let me see." She sat up and held her face in her hands, sobbing quietly. "What are you just standing there for?" Bai asked Chen harshly.
"We aren't supposed to leave our posts…" Chen began but a withering glare from Bai stopped him.
"Hey, shh shh, sweetie," Bai was saying in a soothing voice, all the guilt over what they had done to poor Private Ling entering his voice. "It's going to be alright."
"I…" Toph began in a whisper. Her right hand touched the ground and felt for her cane. That was the signal. "I know," she looked up at the dumbfounded soldier, her blind eyes looking through him. There was a flash of movement, she sprung up to her feet and her arms hooked into a metal bending form that caused her metal cane to loosen into a long whip and then wrap itself around a terrified and surprised Agent Bai. It coiled around his legs, binding them together, then his arms, pinning them to his chest, and finally around his jaw and to the top of his head, holding his mouth closed.
What the hell was going on?! Agent Chen made to draw his sword from his scabbard but suddenly something hit him on the back of the head and the world fell away into darkness.
Chen collapsed to the ground roughly as Sokka landed behind him. He had used the distraction to climb across the rooftops and leap down onto the unsuspecting Dai Li agent. "Sokka style! Learn it!" he said, louder than he should have. The other agent tried to hop away but he sunk up to his waist into the ground, fixing him in place.
"I love it when a plan comes together," Toph said with triumph.
"Toph, that rocked!" Sokka ran over to her and scooped her up into a hug, laughing at his lame rock joke. Toph's cheeks flushed red and she hoped her bangs hide the blush from Sokka. The big idiot had no idea what he was doing to her!
"Put me down, meathead!" she squeaked out. Sokka put her down gently. He was strong, stronger than his small frame would imply. Toph turned back towards the trapped Dai Li agent, turning her face away from Sokka so he couldn't see her blush.
"Oh, sorry Toph," he said and she punched him hard in the arm. That was going to bruise, he told himself. No hugs, I get it.
"It was a pretty sweet plan though," Toph smiled and he heard the warmth in her voice. That was a relief. He didn't want to upset her, especially since she could crush him like an ant if she had wanted. No, that wasn't it really, he thought. He didn't want to upset her because he like her. She was like the sister he never had. Well he did have a sister but Katara was different. Katara had always been like a mother to him, she never needed her big brother to look out for her. Toph was more like a little sister than Katara was and it was a big brother's job to make sure nothing upset her.
Toph turned her attention to the terrified Dai Li agent now and he squirmed as much as he could under such confines.
"You! You stay right here!" Toph said waging an aggressive finger at him and he nodded.
"Toph, what are you doing?" Sokka asked, puzzled. They had captured the agents. Oh! He understood now.
"There are more inside," Toph said, cracking her knuckles in anticipation.
"These must have been the sentries," Sokka reasoned.
"Jee, you think?" Toph made a silly face at him. Sokka sighed in response.
"Lead on," he gestured at the gate. He grabbed a hold of it and took a low stance. Then her hands shot out and her fingers sunk into the metal of the gate and she peeled it open. "Wow." Sokka was dumbfounded by the display of metalbending.
"Who's the best?" Toph said with a grin, her hands on her hips.
"I am not worthy, oh great one!" Sokka said with sarcasm but Toph blushed again. Erg! Stupid Sokka, saying stupid things like that!
"And don't you forget it," she said as she led them into the warehouse compound.
The compound was really only a small empty lot that was used to keep wagons waiting to be loaded and the warehouse itself. It was a massive building like every military structure in the Earth Kingdom. On its front it bore the unmistakable emblem of the Earth Kingdom Army. Sokka wondered what the Dai Li wanted here. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good if it was important enough to bring them out of hiding.
"How many are there?" Sokka asked in a whisper. Toph sent out a wave of earthbending to explore the compound. The yard was clear but there were three people inside the warehouse itself. They were all together around something, a big crate.
"There are three of them in the middle. The warehouse is just a big open room with shelving in isles. It's full of crates and the three are gathered around one. If we go in that door," she gestured off at a side door, "then they won't see us enter."
"What would I do without you?" Sokka said and reached out to give Toph another hug. Remembering the last hug he had given her he stopped and instead settled with tousling her hair. She froze on the touch. Oh great, here I go again bothering her!
"Sokka," she started, thinking of what to say. It seemed as though Toph's brain had been scrambled, she couldn't think of anything clever which was a first for her. She couldn't think of anything at all.
"I know," Sokka said, "I'm sorry. I messed up your hair, didn't I?" She leapt onto the lifeline he had thrown her.
"Yeah! Never come between a lady and her hair," Toph said with what she hoped was enough casual distain. Sokka laughed. "What's so funny? Huh?" She turned and poked him in the chest hard.
"Oh, nothing. It's nothing," Sokka said, stifling his laughter.
"No, what?" Toph said, doing her best impersonation of Captain Ya's stern voice.
"Oh. Well, you have to promise not to hit me," he said, "but I just don't think of you as very ladylike." He winced and flinched back but the punch never came. He opened his eyes and saw Toph looking away.
"You're a real jerk, meathead." What was she talking about? Toph was about as unladylike as Zuko! Why was she being all weird about it? Girls. He would never understand.
"No wait! I mean, you're the most ladylike girl in Ba Sing Se. You're the daintiest, most delicate...lady...ever," Sokka said, hoping to turn the conversation around.
"Dainty?" Toph blurted out her voice rising, "Delicate?!" She raised a fist at Sokka. "I'll show you dainty!" She pushed him hard, using her earthbending, knocking him onto his butt.
"See, my point exactly!" Sokka said, not bothering to get up. He would probably just end up back on the ground anyways. "Do you really want me to consider you as some kind of lady?" Toph didn't say anything for a moment and a weird expression played across her face. What was wrong with her tonight?
"Nevermind!" she sighed with exasperation and turned towards the warehouse's side door. "We've got Dai Li agents to catch."
"Now there's something we can agree on," Sokka smiled. At least that was over with, though it left him with questions.
Sergeant Chou had just pried open this latest crate. The item they were looking for wasn't marked on the supply manifest and it had been in a crate marked Helmets. It was inside a small ornate wooden box in the crate. It had taken them half an hour to find the right crate and the three mysterious agents had left with instructions for Chou to deliver the item to their new temporary headquarters.
"Finally," Corporal Fong said lifting out the tiny box and handing it to Private Xing. "Private Xing, go and get Bai and Chen. Then we can get out of here." Xing made to move off but Sergeant Chou stopped him with a hand.
"No. I'll do it. You two watch the crate," Chou walked off without waiting for a reply. He thought he had heard the side door to the warehouse open and close just then. He drew his long straight sword and held it at the ready. He walked down an aisle flanked on each side with stacks of crates. He walked slowly but purposefully, not wanting to give away his suspicion. Then suddenly, he rounded the corner. Nobody there.
"Looking for me?" a young man's voice came from behind him. Chou turned on the interloper, raising his sword in an aggressive stance. He was angry. Angry at how life had turned out for him and angry at himself for what he had done, what he had had to do. No, he had a choice and the blood of sweet Private Ling was on his hands alone. He attacked the stranger without pause. He would assuage his fury by running his opponent through.
Sokka saw the aggressive stance and stepped back, his sword already in his hands. He feigned back and then stepped forward quickly into the kill zone. The Dai Li agent had overstepped in his charge and now Sokka was too close for his stance to be effective. Sokka smashed the hilt of his sword into the Chou's face causing his head to snap back and scream out in hurt. His nose was bloody and the pain was blinding. Chou swung at Sokka and his years of combat experience took over where his blind fury had failed.
Before Corporal Fong or Private Xing could move to help their Sergeant, Toph attacked. She used a pillar of earth to launch herself into the air and came down almost on top of Fong who shot out a pillar of earth to deflect the younger bender. Toph landed a few paces from where she had intended and she came up swinging. Fong had to raise barrier after barrier to protect himself and Xing from the constant barrage Toph was sustaining. Incredible, Fong thought, such power and such endurance! She kept up her perfect form even as a normal bender would be losing focus from exhaustion. Fong was faltering. He was used to fighting firebenders who could not penetrate his barriers, giving him a chance to counterattack, this was different. If he stopped for any reason, she would smash him to pieces.
"Run!" Fong shouted through gritted teeth. "Xing! Get the item out of here! I'll hold her off!" Xing looked back and forth from his sergeant and the bender by his side. "I'm not asking private! That's an order!" Xing's soldier training kicked in and he took off at a run with the small box in his arms.
Toph saw him go but she couldn't stop him. If she relented in her barrage then this other bender could attack her or worse Sokka. Instead she shifted her attack, forming a huge wave of earth that rolled towards Chen. He was launched into the air but he kept his footing, embedding his feet into the earth itself. Now was his chance! He turned the rolling wave of earth with all his might and sent it back at his young opponent.
Toph smirked, she was used to fighting earthbenders ever since her first Earth Rumble. Typical mistake. She struck out under the rolling wave of earth and with a sweeping, striking kata she sank the ground before the wave so that it churned over on itself. The Dai Li bender was pitched forward and his balance faltered. His form collapsed and the wave fell apart. Toph struck the falling man with a stone, knocking him out. He fell to the floor hard.
Sokka was still fighting the Dai Li swordsman. This man was good but he was angry and his ferocity was making him sloppy. Sokka had fought Master Piandao, and this guy had nothing on him! Well to be fair, Piandao had won but still! Sokka swept back and forth, using the uneven terrain of the crates to his advantage. The Dai Li swordsman was faltering on the uneven ground because he was too focused on his sword forms. It all begins with footwork, Sokka thought. Sokka feigned one last time and this time he slashed back at the agent's sword arm. The blade bit into the leather vambrace of the soldier's armor but the blow caused a bone to snap in the forearm and the sword to fly harmlessly out of reach. Sokka moved in and held his sword at the man's throat.
"Don't move! You've lost," Sokka told the man, looking into his sad eyes.
"In more ways than one so young could understand," Sergeant Chou said wistfully.
"Try me!" Sokka said, challengingly. Toph came running up beside him, panting from the exertion of her bending.
"One of them got away," Toph told Sokka, "he took something with him."
"Long live the Dai Li!" Chou shouted with all his might and he bit down onto a false tooth.
"What are you doing!?" Sokka tried to grab the man but he fell to the floor like a sack of wet rice. His eyes rolled back in his head and his arms fell limp at his side. He was dead. "You coward," Sokka said, tears filling his eyes.
"Sokka, what's going on?" Toph asked unsure of what was happening at first. The Dai Li agent had collapsed and she felt no breath and no heartbeat giving his form life through her earthbending vision. Instead she felt something in Sokka, something she felt in him once before during the battle with the Fire Nation airships. When she had thought it was all over, hanging helpless over the abyss. While they had hung there, waiting for the final blow, her only connection to the world was his hand. She had hung onto him for dear life and she heard something in his voice and felt it in his hand in hers. It was a feeling that was so unlike him, it was despair or shame or resignation. It was all of these things and they threatened to consume her friend. She didn't want him to ever feel that way again. "Sokka?" she took a step towards him.
"No Toph, don't come any closer," Sokka stood up but his legs were like jelly. He took an unsure step towards her but he pitched forward. Toph shoot out and caught him before he could hit the ground.
Sokka's legs failed him and he hung onto Toph, his arms wrapped around her shoulders. She lowered him to the ground a few feet away from the Dai Li agent. The dead agent, she corrected herself. What had happened? Sokka didn't, couldn't have done that.
"Sokka?" Toph said, sitting beside him with her arms wrapped around his chest under his arms. She felt his lean muscles through his Water Tribe shirt. He rested his head against her shoulder. She could hear him sobbing softly. She was afraid then. She didn't know what to say, she wasn't good at comforting people just making them feel bad, especially Sokka.
"Toph, I…" Sokka choked out. He sniffed and turned his face up to look at Toph. Her cheek was now resting against his brow. "He's…" Sokka couldn't understand how someone could choose to die. Life was so precious, how could that man just throw it away? He should have fought harder, he should have stayed! She should have survived. Yue. He buried his head in Toph's black hair and started to sob again.
Toph just held onto him. They had never seen someone die like that before but she guessed that there had to be more to it than that. Whatever had happened had brought up something in the young water tribesman that she didn't understand. That didn't matter, right now he needed her help so she would help him.
"Hey, Sokka," Toph said after a time. Sokka looked up and Toph rubbed her cheek against his. His skin was smooth and it felt hot on Toph's. She felt her cheek heat up. Grr! she was blushing again. Why did he have this effect on her? She was the Blind Bandit, nothing phased her! Nothing but this young water tribesman. She sighed.
"I'm sorry, Toph," Sokka managed to croak out. He began to pull away from her but she held onto him. Her arms were stronger than he would have guessed by her size and she held him fast.
"It's okay. We're going to be okay," Toph said softly, barely a whisper. He was always the brave one. Despite not being a bender he always stood his ground no matter what. It scared her to see him like this, well fell him anyways. She felt him nod his head. It was a weird feeling, something she had never experienced before and she nearly squeaked. Sokka felt her apprehension. Gah! He was practically nuzzling her! He stopped and Toph repressed a sigh.
"Thank you, Toph," Sokka said, turning himself to pull her into a hug. He needed to be strong. After all, she was like a little sister and big brothers needed to be strong for their little sisters. "I'm okay."
Toph was now blushing furiously at the contact with the young, very fit, tribesman. She was glad he couldn't feel her heartbeat. It felt like her heart was trying to bend its way out of her throat. Ah! he can feel it because his chest is up against yours! In response to this revelation, her heart redoubled its efforts, and her throat responded by threatening to close up completely. He had he in a deep hug now and his lean, muscled chest was pressed up against her small breasts, squishing them into her ribs. She felt like her face was going to combust right there and then.
Sokka felt Toph tense up in his arms and her arms tightened into a death grip around his broad back. "Is everything okay?" he tried to pull back but ended up only shifting his face towards hers. He looked at her, their noses an inch apart. He looked into her deep green eyes and she stared at nothing. The green of her eyes, washed over with grey was uniquely hers. He had never seen eyes like hers anywhere else and he suspected he never would. Her eyes were pretty. Well, I mean, from an objective standpoint anyways, he amended. "Toph? Everything okay?"
"Eh…" it was a sound more than a word. She couldn't say a thing. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath on her face. It smelled like fire flakes.
"Uh, Toph…" Sokka said, apparently oblivious to her awkwardness at being so close to him. "You are crushing me," he wheezed. Her hands were now firmly planted on his back, her arms squeezing with all her might. She noticed with embarrassment and loosened her grip but she didn't let him go. His face drifted a few more inches away and she found her voice again.
"Well it's not my fault if you aren't as tough as me," she tried to say it casually but it came out as a croak.
"We can't all be powerful earthbenders, now can we?" he said with sarcasm. His looked at her green-grey eyes and noticed she was staring right through him. Suddenly uncomfortable he looked down instead at her small, broad nose. Cute, Sokka thought to himself. Ah! What are you thinking that for? She's a kid! Suddenly Sokka was very uncomfortable. "We should go get those Dai Li agents outside…" he said at last.
"Oh, right," Toph said. She let go of his back and he let go of her. She could breath again and her heart sank back into its quiet rhythm, its escape attempt having been foiled.
The two stood up on uneasy legs. Sokka's head was fuzzy. He thought about a pair of pretty green-grey eyes and a nose that looked just so nuzzlable then about his friend and he felt like a creep. What was he thinking? Toph was a lot of things but she was certainly NOT pretty! Well she was pretty but not to him, not like that! And what about Suki? She had given so much to be with him, to make their relationship work. It wasn't her fault that she had to go back to Kyoshi Island to help with the rebuilding effort. They were still very much together even if they had been apart for over a month.
Toph was thinking too. She had like liked Sokka for a long time. He was one of the only three boys she really knew and two of them were taken, so she had thought that maybe that was it. Afterall he was immature, oblivious, absent-minded, and scatter-brained. He was also brilliant and brave and funny and he never gave up on anything, especially on me, she thought. She would be dead now if it hadn't been for him. No, her crush was something different. She knew it then, while he held her and she held him. She knew what she had been feeling these last months was something more than a silly crush, she was in love. And she hated it.
The Dai Li agents outside were gone. Someone must have come and taken them. When Sokka and Toph went back inside the Dai Li bender had disappeared as well.
"Well this is just great!" Toph announced to the air. "What now? The Dai Li all escaped," she stopped herself remembering Sokka's reaction earlier. She had felt it in through her earthbending, they had all escaped except one. He was dead.
"We should tell the others," Sokka said with resolve. "Come on." With that the two left the compound heading back for their home on the upper ring.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author's Notes:
Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Mike and Bryan and Nickelodeon and whoever else. This is a work of fan fiction that I wrote because I love the world they created.
Sorry if my story comes off a bit stale, I'm not the best with writing dialogue or intimacy. Maybe it's because I'm so awkward? Well anyways, I hope the pace was good and you enjoyed it.
Shout out to Justthisguyyouknow because I love his work and I respect the heck out of him! See if you can spot the reference I made to his wonderful story I'll Walk You Home. Guy, if you want me to take it out then just let me know, of course.
Edit: Hey again. I hate to ask but any feedback is really appreciated! What did you like/not like? What do you want to see more of? Do the characters seem believable and/or true to their original selves?
Next chapter coming soon!