Title: A Night Out

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar...sigh, if only!

Warnings: None.

Summary: slight MengLee/Sukka/Taang, Postwar-Gaang Wins, response to Masako MoonShade's The Three Bachelors Challenge A Fortune Teller. A Crush. A Warrior.A Blind Master. A Rumble and a Contract. A night out, all together...What could possibly go wrong?

Notes: Well, here it is. My first attempt at a comedy/parody type thing.I actually enjoyed righting this. It really helped cure my writer's block. I may continue this depending on the type of feedback I get (really if I get feedback) It's about six pages long without notes and almost 2,800 words. My longest thing yet!

Toph groaned as her wrist was roughly pulled forward. The younger girl giggled as she tugged at her arm. Toph rolled her eyes falling into step behind Meng. She could absolutely not believe that she had been talked into something as…demeaning as this. Sure, she'd get to rough up a few butts in the Rumble tryouts, but was this actually worth it?

Suki giggled, her hand lightly covering her mouth. She still couldn't believe that Toph had been desperate enough for some action she would (even reluctantly) agree to something like this. She also couldn't believe the prodigy bender hadn't throttled the overly excited apprentice fortuneteller…yet! Suki delicately tucked her short hair behind her ear. She looked behind at the blind girl. She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud at Toph. The fourteen year old did look like she was about to turn the rough dirt under Meng's feet into quicksand. We'd really have to look out for that, Suki thought bemused.

Meng was so excited. This was the first time she'd been allowed to leave the presence of Aunt Wu since they entered the city, and the orphan couldn't help being overwhelmed with anxiousness as she and her two companions made their way past the palace gates. Sure, she'd seen the beautiful city from the room she shared with Aunt Wu but to be able to experience the whole thing (the smells, the colors, the sounds, the people!) was so much more! And, she had great company! Suki had always been nice to her, and Meng absolutely loved when Suki would patiently try to explain her use of fans to her.

Toph…well, she was another story. She wasn't up and ready for a 'girl's night out' and it had taken some convincing for her to come. The truth was that if Katara hadn't been so exhausted from her work as ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe, Meng would've asked her to join them. (Even with Sokka there to help, the Water Tribes still had trouble accepting the Fire Nation's new work for peace. No one could blame them; the two Nations had never gotten along, even without war.) Meng couldn't help her grudging admiration for the Water Tribe girl, even if she still was a floozy, in Meng's opinion. Katara, even if Aang's crush on her was long over, still annoyed Meng with her…perfectness. This was one of the only things Toph and Meng could agree on, even if Toph considered Katara her closest, girl, friend.

The rules of this arrangement were clear (as well as their submitters). They were also clearly written…in form of a contract.

1) No fancy clothesor in Suki's case makeup (submitted by Toph)

2) No complaining 'This is not something I agreed to!' (Submitted by Meng, directed to Toph)

3) 'Don't pound the guts out of the auditioning Earthbenders too hard, after all they're just starting out and deserve a chance, even if there is absolutely no chance of them winning.' (Submitted by Suki, directed to Toph)

4) Try not to use too much of the language learned while living/training with the soldiers. At least try to stick to nicknames such as Twinkle Toes and The Fancy Dancer. Exceptions towards big, burly, know it all, macho; sexists who think a girl could never beat them. You may then promptly Kick. Their. Ass. (Submitted by Suki, directed to Toph)

5) Absolutely no lectures, especially if includes 'You're too young to drink!' (Submitted by Toph, directed to Suki)

6) Too much over-excitedness/perkiness is punishable. Addedverbal bashings only. (Submitted by Toph, directed to Meng, Add In made by Suki)

7) At least try to have fun! (Submitted by Meng, directed to, mostly, Toph)

8) Absolutely no ditching us after the auditions! (…Directed to Toph)

Signed by,

Meng: apprentice of Aunt Wu: Fortuneteller and visiting guest of Avatar Aang

Suki: Ambassador of Kyoshi Island (At this point Toph had whispered in Meng's ear, 'They only asked for an Ambassador 'cause Sokka wanted to see his girlfriend!' Meng giggled.) and Leader of the Kyoshi Warriors

Toph Beifong: Beifong heiress, Master to Avatar Aang, champion of The Earth Rumble tournaments, and (a) lead advisor to Fire Lord Zuko

So, it was settled; Toph was allowed to 'try-out' to regain her title as Earth Rumble Champion without being surrounded by guards, nobody who didn't actually know Toph was truly sure whether the guards would be more for the protection of the powerful heiress or the protection of anyone who got on her very easy to get on nerves…it would, of course, have been the latter. The contract had been Suki's idea while the idea of having the night out had been Meng's. The idea was that they could all have a fun night without a bunch of guards eavesdropping on their gossiping.

All three girls were in simple, casual tunics and in light make-up that was crucial in court-life. Okay, really Meng just wanted everyone to look pretty in case they decided to start flirting or something. Suki had smiled at this and helped her in fixing her hair and allowing her to wear some subtle make up. Meng now wore her hair with her bangs pulled away from her eyes, some hanging in front of her face, the make up she wore complimenting the hazel in her eyes; she still had her toothy smile, though. Toph scowled into the mirror as Suki did her hair. Toph had insisted on her old style, and Suki decided to let her have her way with it, after all she was being forced into wearing some make up. It had taken a whole fifteen minutes for Suki to perfect the eyeliner and lip paint for Toph, who at the time was being reread their contract…for she had indeed agreed to this.

And, even after all those agreements and work, Toph found herself being dragged into the brightly lit city outside of the Fire Palace.

"Okay, okay, Meng. I'm coming. Let go…now." Toph said, a glare gracing her soft, porcelain features her parents had fashioned…that had been as destroyed as possible from her days as an Earthbending Master. Toph was proud of her work. Meng looked over her shoulder and sighed, reluctantly letting go of her hand. Toph shook her head and walked fast enough so that she stood between the others. The guards opened the gates for the girls and they headed into the heart of the city. Toph still couldn't believe how lucky, yet unlucky she was; lucky being that there were enough Earthbenders visiting the Fire Nation for the Earth Rumble judges to give the place a try, unlucky being she'd have to deal with those two for the night. Vaguely Toph remembered the bonding experience she and Katara had shared at 'The Fancy Ladies' Day Spa'; that had indeed been…an experience.

Meng's eyes darted back and fourth over the courtyard just outside the palace. Just a few steps outside of its doors and everything was different from the stuffiness of the Fire Palace. Meng clasped her hands together, rushing to the fountain in the center of the yard. The area around the fountain was kept in such a wondrous condition one could only wonder how old it truly was…and how it survived the wrath of the Great War. But the beauty of the fountain was a constant reminder of what was and what will soon be. In truth many cities planned to develop a fountain such as this one. The fountain was made of stone, shards of smelted glass shining inside of it. It was a fountain of unity made by the elements. They said that if you drop a copper coin into the water and make a wish, that wish would come true. Every month the coins would disappear, going to support villages for war relief. The wishes really made a difference.

"Guys! Come here, we just have to make a wish!" She exclaimed looking for her coin purse. Toph groaned, "Everyone knows those wishes never come true. And aren't we doing enough to with the war?"

Suki rolled her eyes pulling out the coin purse they were sharing for the night. None of them were too worried about money. And the way they just planned on walking around spending it reminded Toph of her time with Iroh. That man sure knew how to shop. Suki passed out the coppers to the other two, pressing her own into her palm.

"What are you going to wish for Suki?" Meng asked. Toph just rolled her eyes, but still listened, wanting to know what the young warrior was hoping for. "It'll only come true if you say it out loud, Suki!"

Toph smiled, she could almost feel Suki blushing.

"Why don't you go first, Meng?" Meng blinked and shrugged. She closed her eyes, "I wish…that what Aunt Wu predicted for me would come true soon!" Meng tossed the coin into the water, the small waves catching the glass. She smiled, "You're turn!"

"Well, I…I wish Sokka will, ask me…to marry him." She blushed tossing the coin into the water. Toph smiled, Suki was really excited about that possibility. She blindly looked at the coin in her palm and sighed; there were so many things she could wish for, but…

"I wish, that when I see my parents in Gaoling again, they'll except me as…me." She tossed it into the fountain with a sigh; something like that could never happen. Actually, she really wouldn't care all too much; she'd always been a good actress! Well, now her companions were happy…right?

"…To Earth Rumble 7!" She exclaimed bending the other girls forward. Toph would have left them, but she had a contract to keep, right? And even though she left her overprotective parents, she was a Beifong, and heiresses can't back out on something they signed…even if those were the only brush strokes she ever memorized.

"Oh, spirits above, are you signing up or not!?" Toph growled impatiently at the boys in front of her. One turned around, " What's your problem?" he asked. He was looking at Suki. The man next to him rolled his eyes and finished signing his name. He winked at the girl in front of him, who giggled looking down at his name on the slip of paper. She dropped it into a drawing box to be pulled from later. He turned around and burst out laughing.

"You've got to be kidding! You'll get killed out there girlie…" He smirked at Suki. She put her hands on her hips looking about ready to strangle them.

"Actually I'm not signing up. I'll take you both on anyways, though." Her hand drifted to one of the fans hidden under her sash.

"Oh just move, Suki! Go have a stare off in that corner over there or something!" Toph said in exasperation pushing her way past the three an up to the table.

"Paper." She was handed paper, "Brush." She was handed a brush. She quickly scrawled her stage name on the paper. She turned around.

"Okay, I signed in. Now you guys can just go get something to eat an-"

"You signed up?!" The smaller boy laughed, pointing. "You aren't even like twelve!" Toph face scrounged up in what looked to be quite a painful and strained expression. One could laugh, but the girls knew better.

"I'm Fourteen." She snarled. "And I could beat you faster then any old guy you've ever met. I dare you to try me. I've been cooped up for the past month and I've been dieing to throttle something."

The larger boy raised his eyebrow. "I wouldn't feel comfortable fighting a little girl. Would you Fonzu?"

Suki and Meng stepped back a couple of feet. This guy was heading into a very bad place at the moment, and they most definitely wouldn't want to be in the way.

"Could you move, we want to sign up!" The group looked back and saw the short line that had formed during the argument. Toph groaned, "We're getting something to eat. I'll enjoy killing you later this evening." The two laughed as the girls walked away…Toph bended a rock at the big one's head.

"Please, tell me I'm allowed to kick their asses."

"Oh, most definitely, Toph. Just be patient."

"Ooh! Look! Fireflakes! Aang said those are really great!" Meng said rushing over to the stall.

"I've never been good with patience."

"Yes, you have."

"But that when fighting, not waiting to fight. Ya know I wonder what they're using as a belt these days. I think mine got stolen by Sandbenders"

"That was really random."

"No it wasn't, I want to know how everyone knows who the champion is, now. Tell me, is The Pebble wearing a belt or something?" Toph asked pointing over to the large crowd. Sure enough, in the middle was The Boulder flexing his muscles to a group of girls. Suki narrowed her eyes…yes, there it was. A large belt was strapped across his waist. Meng had come back to them, now.

"What's with the buff guy?"

Toph grinned; oh, this would be great fun. She strutted up to the group of girls. Meng and Suki exchanged glances at each other. Meng shrugged and followed after Toph. Suki sighed.

"Hey PEBBLE!"

The Boulder blinks then turns to the where Toph was while saying, "Who dares call The Boulder by such a name?"

"What, you don't remember me Pebble?"

"The Boulder does not see where you are."

"Look down, stupid." The Boulder looked down at Toph, his eyes narrowing. "The Boulder is not stupid."

"'Least I don't talk in third-person. I'm surprised. They actually let people reenter after such a miserable defeat?" The girls around them exchanged confused glances. Most rolled their eyes and went off in search of someone hotter.

"Listen Pebble. I want my belt, back. Give it, or prepare to be pounded, again, by The Blind Bandit."

"The Boulder underestimated The Bandit, but has gotten better. The Boulder is not intimidated by a small, blind girl."

The railing The Boulder was leaning on trembled and was wrenched out of the wall. The Boulder screeched in surprise as he banged his head on the wall. Toph smiled, walking away from him with a triumphant smirk on her face.

"Did you know him, Toph?" Meng asked, popping the fireflakes in her mouth. "Yup, I beat him in like ten secondsincluding bad mouthing like two years ago. He hasn't changed much, it's incredibly easy to make fun of him."

"Seems like he had the brain of a boulder." Suki rolls her eyes. "I mean, what a pig! But, the railing was a nice touch…"

"It was a warning, Suki. He'd best know what he's getting into. He's fought me before and I was only twelve. I've traveled the world; you'd think he'd know I'd pick up some new tricks." Toph grabbed a handful of fireflakes from Meng's sack, stuffing them in her mouth. "He was the last person I fought in a Rumble…besides Aang. But that wasn't really a fight. Sokka was booing the whole time because Aang just wanted to convince me to be his Earthbending Master. Sokka sure is annoying sometimes…after the tournament, when they snuck into the grounds, I called Aang Twinkle Toes and Sokka yelled at him for answering to it…'It's not manly!' Gods, I still can hear his whiny little voice." Meng giggled at this, she'd always been amused at Sokka antics 'You have to take a bath sometime!'

"I'm just glad he didn't have Aang's voice! Twinkle Toes used to have that measly high voice! That was horrible. If it hadn't broken when it did I'd have clobbered him."

"Oh, you could never clobber Aang, Toph!!!" Suki giggled, Toph diddn't seem to notice the sarcasm in her voice as she continued, "You have know idea how annoying that'd be if you travel on a bison for hours at a time…Wait! What do you mean I can't clobber 'im?"

Meng and Suki burst out laughing at the girl. Toph narrowed her eyes, finnaly understanding the meaning behind her words…she didn't love Twinkle Toes! People can't fall in love with monks! Air Monks! Nope, never…unless he's your only traveling companion who didn't groom himself with his mouth.

"Oh, shove it up you're a-"

A buzzer sounded and the Rumble Auditions…begun!