AN: Yup, another two-shot. Um, idek how this one happened. But it was finals week and I didn't sleep much so...
The door was wide open and Aang was leaning against her desk, waiting. It was the first Friday of the month, which meant dinner at Sokka and Suki's. It had become a tradition ever since the married couple moved to Republic City after Sokka was named the Council Representative from the Southern Water Tribe. And rain or shine, snow or sleet, none of them ever missed dinner. Sometimes even Zuko and Katara joined them. When the Fire Lord and Chief of the Southern Water Tribe could find time for it, of course. On certain occasions some of their other friends showed up as well.
They were all so busy nowadays, if they didn't set up a day to just hang out, it probably wouldn't happen on its own. In any case, the Avatar and Chief of Police were a constant. Which was why Aang was waiting for Toph in her office.
When Toph walked in through the doorway, Aang's entire expression changed. Smiling brightly, he pushed off the desk to stand. His grey eyes were brilliant as he drank in the sight of her. Most of the week she and her metalbenders had been busy with police business. No one outside their department knew what was going on. Not even Aang. But none of that mattered; seeing her again just put him in an even better mood.
"Ready to go?" he asked, watching as she shut the door to her office. Something flashed across her features and his smile wavered.
The refusal was on the tip of her tongue, but knowing Twinkletoes he'd only ask more questions. "How 'bout I meet you there?" she offered instead.
His face fell.
"Why?"
"Gotta take care of something first," she replied, grabbing a small box from the corner cabinet.
"Oh, uh, okay." She rushed past him and headed out the door again. "I'll see you there...I guess," he said to the empty office.
...
All Toph wanted was to learn where this new gang was going to meet. She needed to find out where their next meeting was going to take place and if they were working for Yakone. That's all.
The problem was none of the thugs she and her metalbenders had captured were talking. Not even when she did the interrogating herself. The most frustrating part was she could usually get anyone to 'fess up. Criminals, her friends, anyone. For some reason, though, no one was giving up any details about this stinkin' meeting.
It had to be something big...
...
"Where's Toph?"
Trying to hide his disappointment, Aang looked at Sokka and shrugged. "She said she'd meet me here."
"Late again? She did this last month!"
"Cut her some slack, she's probably just running a little late. She is Republic City's Chief of Police, you know? Besides, she's never not shown up before, right?" Suki replied, making the Avatar feel a whole lot better since leaving Toph's office without her for a second month in a row.
"Right," Aang agreed, with a smile. She was just running late. As much as it had surprised him initially, Toph took her position as Chief very seriously. For the girl who had once sought to break every rule, she now enforced them with as much relish. It was nothing short of inspiring.
...
When every lead turned out to be a dead end, Toph had no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She was well aware that what she was about to do could end up costing her job, but too many people had lost everything because of Yakone. She wasn't going to let him get away with anything else.
Once she got home, she headed straight to her room. Katara and Suki had rearranged it all, color coding her wardrobe so she would have an easier time picking out her own outfits on those rare days off.
One armoire contained her dresses. Most were pale greens, ivorys, and soft yellows. On the far left there was a fancy blue one, a gift from Sweetness, and an elegant red and gold one all the way to the right. Sparky gave her that one for her birthday.
The other armoire, a larger one, held her pants on the bottom rung, and tunics and vests hanging on the top. There was a divider in the middle. Light colors were on the left, dark ones on the right.
...
"Did she say it was work or something else?" Sokka asked as he chewed his food, sending tiny bits flying off his plate.
Suki handed her husband a napkin.
"It's work," Aang nodded assuredly, but when no one would meet his eye, he wasn't so sure anymore. As he glanced at those seated around the table, he somehow felt like he was letting them down. Since he saw Toph on a near daily basis - or rather he used to - he felt he should know what she was up to. But, he was as clueless as they were. "She just said she had something to do."
It hurt that she wouldn't tell him what exactly. They had grown even closer living and working in the same city. They were the best of friends, sharing just about everything with the other. And yet for some reason she had chosen not to confide in him with whatever was going on at the moment. Not in her department. Or, her life.
...
The idea had hit her like lightning, the stories she heard recently about Sparky and Sugar Queen fueling her imagination.
Having considered talking to her friends about her plans she soon dismissed the notion. And it had nothing to do with the fact someone had been leaking information, letting the wrong people know what they had planned. Of course it wasn't Twinkletoes, or any of their friends, but Toph had avoided telling them anyway. Aang, especially.
Because then they would know just how badly she was failing as Chief of Police.
...
"Aw, don't look so sad," Ty Lee leaned over to whisper in Aang's direction. "Your aura is getting all...grey and dingy."
"Sorry," the Avatar muttered, smiling somewhat awkwardly. For a brief moment he rejoined the conversation, but eventual grew quiet again.
Honestly, he couldn't help wonder what was so important that Toph was missing their monthly dinner at Sokka and Suki's for a third time in a row. The first month she showed up late, when dessert had been served and nearly finished. Last month she said she would show, but didn't. This month, he hadn't even seen her at any point throughout the day to ask if she was going to make it. Ty Lee and another Kyoshi Warrior were present and while the conversation was lively and the food delicious, Aang found himself missing Toph tremendously.
By now she would have been fighting Sokka over who got the last piece of cake. Or she would have been arguing with Ty Lee over the many ways her metalbenders could defeat the Kyoshi Warriors all without breaking a sweat. And best of all, once they thanked Suki for another wonderful evening, Aang would have the privilege of walking Toph home. That might have been his favorite part about the whole thing.
...
Grabbing what Toph hoped was a very dark brown, long sleeve tunic and pants, she dressed quickly. The clothes she picked were not as dark a shade as she would have liked, but there was no way for her to know. Not unless she wanted someone else involved, which she didn't. Next, she tied a belt around her waist. Though she thought it to be a matching brown, it was in fact a grass green color. Still, the clothes she wore were comfortable, if not necessarily the colors she would have preferred.
After undoing her trademark bun, she ran her fingers through her hair a few times, then braided it up. The thick, long braid reached past her waist and in passing, she considered it was time for a haircut.
Toph was nearly to the back exit of her house when she remembered the most important part. Returning to her bedroom, where she had left the box she took from her office when Twinkletoes had been waiting for her that night so many months ago, Toph sat on the edge of her bed and placed it on her lap.
...
"We interrupt the Flame-o music hour to bring you this breaking news: The Cat Owl has struck again!"
"Eee! Put it up, put it up!" Ty Lee cried, excitedly. She was ready to spring over the table and do it herself if those closest to the radio didn't do it fast enough.
"Who's the Cat Owl?" Aang asked with a small chuckle, but he was quickly shushed by those hanging on to every word the reporter spoke. All his friends were listening more intently than he had seen before; they were literally on the edge of their seats.
"...spotted on the outskirts of the financial district near Cabbage Corp. As has become the Cat Owl's signature, the criminals were apprehended in the act and left tied up at the scene with enough incriminating evidence to put them away for a long time."
...
They had been too busy loading the truck to see her approach. Perfect. She could take them all out without their ever knowing.
Hidden in a narrow alley only a few feet away, she almost laughed to herself. She shoulda done this sooner, she thought with a grin. When she raised her foot to begin her attack, someone inside the truck yelled.
"What's that?!"
All eyes were suddenly turned in her direction. Behind the mask, Toph's grin grew to a smile. There was no point in staying in the alley if she had been spotted, now was there? If she was lucky, they might even put up a fight.
As Toph took one step forward out of the cover the alley provided, the men were able to make out the shape of her body and foolishly relaxed.
"Oh, it's just a girl," one of them said.
She took another step forward, revealing the mask she wore.
"That's not a girl. What is it?"
"Looks like a...cat owl?"
"Could be a spirit?"
"Don't be stupid. Everyone knows spirits ain't real."
Toph smirked.
"How do you explain the Avatar then?" another asked.
"The Avatar? Please, don't get me started on that loser."
That's all she needed to hear. In the blink of an eye Toph disappeared below ground.
"How did she do that?"
"Idiot, she's an earthbender!"
"I'm telling you, she's a spirit! And I ain't messing with no spirits," the man added, backing away from where Toph disappeared.
When she reappeared directly behind him, he nearly peed his pants.
"Miss Cat Owl Spirit, ma'am, we didn't mean to offend you. Please, p-please don't hurt me," he begged backing away slowly.
"Since you asked so nice," Toph replied and with a wave of her arm, the ground opened up and swallowed him up. The others stared dumbfounded. When another thug was seemingly buried alive, the rest started to run, but none were fast enough. One after the other, they suffered the same fate.
Waiting just long enough to keep them below ground without any air, Toph stomped on the ground and released the unconscious men.
"That was too easy," she smirked and quickly found a phone. Her plan was to pretend to be a concerned citizen who heard strange noises outside her apartment. Then, her metalbenders would show up and catch the criminals at the scene with the stolen equipment. Yakone wouldn't get the stolen merchandise and his minions would be put away.
Pleased with how everything went down, Toph left as quickly as she appeared.
But, she wasn't done for the night.
.
"Hey man, hurry it up."
"Don't tell me you're scared?"
"I just..." he cleared his throat. "I just don't wanna run into the Cat Owl Spirit."
"Ah, not you too?"
"She's real, man. My cousin saw her. Just last week."
"Your cousin's full of shit."
"Most of the time, yeah, but he swears- Did you hear that?"
"Would you relax?"
"Yeah, yeah, you're right. Sorry, I just- oh, no..."
"What now?"
"It's...it's her."
"Ha ha, real funny."
When the guy looked up, it was too late.
...
"You're kidding, right?" Sokka asked, hardly believing his friend.
Aang shook his head. He had never heard of any cat owl. Well, he had seen many in Ba Sing Se over the years. Ever since that first visit during the war, but that was about it. He never heard of any attacking people.
"At first, some believed she-"
"She?"
Suki nodded. "Yes, it appears she is female."
"Haven't you seen her picture in the paper?"
Wondering if spirits could be captured on film, Aang shook his head causing Sokka to run out of the dining room in a hurry only to return with a stack of week old newspapers.
"She's been all over the place!" Sokka pointed at various photographs. Blurry images of something...someone.
It was indeed the face of a cat owl. The eyes, the ears. In one image there was what looked like a tail trailing behind her as she disappeared into the shadows. The most obvious thing he found in every image was that it was most definitely a she. Mounds and curves belonging to a female where covered in dark clothing. It was difficult to tell what color exactly seeing as the pictures were all black and white.
"Everyone thinks she's an earth spirit," Suki explained.
The Avatar's ears perked up. All traces of humor left his countenance. "An earth spirit?"
Ty Lee nodded furiously. "Yeah, because she's helping people all over Republic City! Only in the city. She doesn't go after anyone not on dry land. At least that's what people are saying since those two guys escaped on a boat that one time. Plus, she can earthbend!"
The comment took him by surprise. Spirits could not bend, could they? No one could bend in the Spirit World, but could spirits bend in the physical world? He didn't think it was possible and told them so. Despite that, Aang was assured most adamantly that the Cat Owl was real.
"But I've never heard of The Cat Owl spirit," he insisted.
"Oh and you know all the spirits?" Sokka asked, his tone sarcastic.
The Avatar frowned at his friend. Of course he didn't. There were too many to know personally. In all his visits to the Spirit World, he had only come across two dozen or so. Though some liked to help or hinder human lives, most chose to keep to themselves and remain hidden in the Spirit World.
Talking with one of his past lives seemed inevitable. Not that Aang minded. Besides, it had been a while since he had. Since Roku was usually the one most willing to assist him, Aang could ask his previous incarnation about this Cat Owl earth spirit.
...
"Is-is she wearing a mask?"
"Yeah, looks like she is. Maybe she's going to one of those costume parties," another snickered. "Hey, baby, you lost? Want me to show you around?"
He laughed, she growled.
"I don't think you should tease her," the first man said. He was just about to say maybe she was that spirit everyone had been talking about, when suddenly she moved. In the blink of an eye they were both unconscious.
...
"Well, maybe Aang's right. Maybe it's not a spirit," Suki amended. "No one knows who or what she is."
"Come on, she has to be a spirit. What person could do all she's done?" Sokka argued, speaking just as animatedly as Ty Lee had done before. "She's been stopping bad guys left and right! Seriously, Aang, how could you not have heard of her!?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Aang had no idea. Lately, he had been far too preoccupied with whatever had Toph working at all hours of the day (and night) to pay attention to much of anything that didn't come directly from his office. He hadn't been ignoring his duties as Avatar...not on purpose, anyway. But Toph had become such a big part of his life, when something affected her, it had a way of affecting him as well.
And that's when the thought hit him.
"What does the police say about this spirit...person?"
Aang didn't think Sokka's smile could get any wider, but he was wrong.
"That's the best part! They have no clue!"
No clue? There was no way Toph was happy about that.
"You think that's why Toph's been so busy lately?" Aang asked his friends. Sokka's smile vanished. Suki and Ty Lee wore matching frowns.
"I hadn't thought about that," Suki admitted. She exchanged a glance with Ty Lee, whose near imperceptible shake of her head wasn't what her captain wanted to see judging by the way Suki sighed deeply and looked away for a second. When her gaze found Aang's again, she addressed him. "We thought the reason she hadn't been coming around was because of... The Duke."
Suddenly, Aang looked very confused.
"The Duke?"
What did he have anything to do with it? The pitying look Ty Lee sent his way only made Aang more confused.
"Yes, The Duke. He and Toph get along rather well," Suki explained, her tone of voice soothing, almost gentle. It was the tone used to comfort a child who just learned the thing she most believed in wasn't real.
"Very, very well," the chi blocker emphasized, eyes wide.
"And?" Sokka prodded, returning to his dessert. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Waiting anxiously, Aang looked from one Kyoshi Warrior to the other.
"We thought that maybe they were...dating."
Sokka rolled his eyes dismissively. "Oh, that again," he said and finished his cake.
"You think Toph and The Duke are dating?" Aang asked, the mocking laughter clear in his tone. Forgetting all about the Cat Owl, he tried his best not to laugh at the women glaring at him. It was a look usually reserved for Sokka.
Ty Lee got defensive. "Well, why not? They like each other. They have fun together. And I know for a fact he's been into her since forever!"
"...Has he?" That part he hadn't known and suddenly Aang didn't feel so confident. Grey eyes searched the inanimate objects in the room for answers. "Sokka?" he asked when he couldn't find any in the decorations lining the walls.
The Water Tribe warrior shrugged. "I don't know," he cried, throwing his arms up in the air. "They do go out a lot. Drinking, mostly." Then he shook his head. "Can we just drop all this speculation about Toph's love life and get back to more interesting things! Like, the Cat Owl maybe?"
Aang's reaction was just what Suki expected it would be. Hurt, confusion, even a hint of betrayal crossed his young face. That was the reason why she never brought up the subject when the monk was present.
Honestly, Suki didn't know what, if anything, was going on between the Chief of Police and the Avatar. She didn't know what, if anything, had happened in the past. But, she could see something brewing between the two. Had witnessed it for some time. The way they were with each other was vastly different with how they acted around other people. It was something she noticed early on. Katara had noticed it, too. Together, they watched the pair many nights, in one of their homes, in a gala, or at court. Sometimes, even during a stakeout when they needed an extra pair of eyes and the Captain of the Kyoshi Warriors or the Master Waterbender offered their assistance. Suki had known them since they were all children who grew up too fast and for years, most noticeably in the recent months, she noticed an expression on Toph and Aang's face she couldn't quite identify at first.
It became obvious soon enough.
The way they huddled close, discussing whatever it was in hushed tones, keeping everyone else out. The slight touches, brief but telling. His hand on the small of her back, her fingers curled possessively around his arm. And his reaction just then...learning about the possibility of Toph and The Duke.
"But it's all speculation on our part," Suki admitted. "You wouldn't happen to know if she's seeing anyone else, would you?"
"Well," Aang rubbed the back of his bald head. "Toph would say she's not seeing anyone, heh."
Sokka let out an appreciative laugh. Suki didn't look amused but Ty Lee giggled.
"The Flame-o Music Hour has been brought to you by Flame-o Instant Noodles. The Noodliest Noodles in the United Republic!"
Suki narrowed her eyes. There was something he wasn't telling her.
"Aang, do you know something?" she asked him, but the radio
"It is 10 o'clock and this is Republic City News. Only minutes ago, conflicting reports started pouring into the station, claiming that the infamous Cat Owl has been injured. Apparently a showdown between the city's elite team of metalbenders and a few of Yakone's known business associates escalated near the docks. The business man of dubious repute was not on site, however.
"Witnesses claim that when the Cat Owl attempted to intervene, Yakone's associates - all benders - attacked. The small fire that began with an exploding crate was quickly put out. No other injuries have been reported. We will keep you updated as we learn more.
"In other news..."
Everyone at the table was silent.
"They did just say the Cat Owl was injured, right?"
"Who cares!?" Aang glared at Sokka. "They said metalbenders were there. That means Toph's there!"
He was up and out the door before they could stop him.