Thank you for reading, and for the reviews please keep reviewing. I really love to know what people think of the story. As promised this chapter will explain what is going on. What Aang's mission is. It won't explain everything though, were would the fun be if it was all spelled out so soon.


The hot summer sun made the short journey to Ba Sing Sa very uncomfortable. Toph was oddly quite for most of the trip. Aang would glance round at her ever now and again, she always seemed to be looking off into the distance. She clearly had something on her mind. He guessed it was to do with the way they had left things the last time they saw each other. He had been mad at her at first, but after a while he got over it. He realised that she was right. That they were probably not, meant to spend long periods of time together, they were just to different. If they had kept travelling together they would have ended up killing each other by now. Well she would have killed him that was for sure.

Once the landed in the grounds of the palace, Appa was taken away to rest in the staples. Aang and Toph made their way to see the earth king in his throne room. As they neared the throne room, Aang noticed Toph tying her long hair into a lose braid that feel over her right shoulder. She then ran her hands over her robe, getting rid of the dirt from the journey. A faint laugh escaped his mouth at this. It was so unlike her to care what she looked like. She was also not a big fan of the earth king, so why would she want to look nice for him. At his laugh her head shout up to face him. He quickly moved to the door so she could say anything.

The huge decorated doors opened in-front of them. At the far end of the room was the earth king on his throne. On his left he had his advisor, who was now moving to stand from his set, folding up the scroll he had opened in-front of him and bowing to the new arrivals, all at the same time. Aang gave him a gentle nod of acknowledgement, before turning back to the earth king. "Your majesty." This time he bowed to the person he was addressing.

"Avatar Aang." The earth kings eyes now drifted over to Toph. Who stood by Aang's side. "General."

"Your majesty." Like Aang Toph bowed to the king. Aang had never seen her really bow to anyone before. Aunt Wu was right it didn't suite her at all.

"I'm glad you have both come. There is a matter of great importance we have to discuss."

Aang had kept his eyes on Toph while the earth king spoke. He saw her let out a sigh, like she knew this was coming and had planned what she was about to say. "I have done my best. I don't have the time to devote to catching the jade bandit." The King moved to stand ready for a comeback, he didn't get the chance. "That doesn't mean I won't catch them, I will. This time you have my word."

"Your word, general..." His face feel to the ground, as he fell back into the throne. "Is still good, to a number of people...myself included. I can only give you this one last chance though."

"Yes your majesty." Toph turned to walk away. She made it a few steps away before she was stopped.

Aang had been trying to take in what was going on, but was having no luck making any sense of it at all. He like most people had heard of the jade bandit. They where a thief for heir. They would steal from the wealthy on behalf of the poor, or for the wealthy against the wealthy to settle disputes. This had started just before Aang returned and he had tried to keep informed of any developments. He would like to met this person. While he could see the reasoning of some of their actions, he couldn't forget that it was theft. It made sense that the earth king would have Toph deal with a situation like this. While she was a general, from what he has seen and knew of the work she did for the earth king most of it was covert, secret work.

"Wait. Are you going to tell me what is going on." His eyes darted back and forth between Toph and the earth king, waiting for either of them to say something.

The earth king leaned forward on his throne, as Toph slowly turned round to face the two men again. "The general has been tracking the jade bandit for the past three years or so. She has failed to so thus far. Lord Heng passed away four days ago. In his possession was a rare emerald. That was to be passed down to his heir after his death."

"He didn't have an heir though." Toph's voice was still a little unsure of its self. "So he put in his will that it was to be broken into pieces and a piece was to given to every person that lived in the village he lived next to. The village was taken over by the fire nation during the war, they suffered more than any one else in the earth kingdom during the war." She took a pause as she felt Aang's heart as she talked about the war. No matter that he had won, he would always feel guilt for not stopping it sooner.

The earth king took her pause as a chance to finish the rest. "A great niece had been found. She clams the emerald is hers by right. However before she could retrieve it, it was stolen."

"By the jade bandit."

"We don't know that for sure. It seems the most likely though." Toph seemed to find her voice again. Aang knew she wouldn't agree with any of this. She knew that is was lord Heng's choice to do what he wanted with his property, this great niece had no right to the emerald. He saw her clenching her hand while the earth king spoke. He knew she was about to speck her mind, stand up to him. The more he thought about it all, the more he found it odd that she was so willing to catch the jade bandit. They seemed like the kind of person she would like. This whole thing was making less sense than it had at the start.

"Whoever it is, they have to be found and the stolen emerald returned to its rightful owner." Aang looked at Toph as the king spoke, she was clearly trying to stop herself from saying or doing anything. Once he stopped talking she gave a nod and fasted this time turned to leave. He quickly followed after her. Not nodding or bowing to the earth king. Once out of the throne room Toph speed up even more, probably making her way to her room here. Before he lost sight of her as she turned a corner, he ran after her, pulling her back to him with a hold on her wrist. As she was pulled back, she almost lost her foot, but caught it in time.

"What it going on. You were so...subservient. That's not like you. It was like he had you under his thump."

"He's the king, my king."

"When has that ever mattered to you. You don't give a damn about status, titles."

Toph ripped her wrist from Aang's lose hold, and moved a little closer so he could here what she said. As she now whispered. "You have to pick your battles. This isn't a battle I can win."

before he could think of a comeback she was walking away again. He let her go, as he fell to lean onto the wall at his side. There was more to this than she was telling him. Toph would never admit that she had lost, or couldn't do something. She would go ahead anyway, even if she knew she didn't have a chance of winning, she went on anyway. That was one of the things he admired about her the most, it was also the thing that scared him the most about her. He knew there would be one time, when she would be unable to bluff her way out of trouble.

Like Toph Aang then went to his room in the palace. He wasn't sure what their next move would be in finding the emerald and catching the jade bandit, if the two were linked that was. He assumed they would talk about it more after breakfast the next morning. They had arrived late and missed dinner. The king had a small meal brought to their rooms a little before sunset. Aang was now lying on his bed, Momo was curled up on his stomach sleeping. His head was tilted to look out the window at the night sky. The night was not yet completely dark, but some stars had started to shine out. The city had a glow at this time of evening, epically in the summer. The air was warm, with a cool breeze. He didn't have to get up and look out of the window to now that there would be people still walking the streets. Enjoying the warm summers evening. At times like this he would let his mind wonder to the life's of the people he was watching, or knew where they. Close by. Where they couples out on a romantic walk. Children enjoying the freedom of staying out late. Old couples sitting and on their porch and watching the world going by. Friends walking and talking. All with hopes and dreams, yet to be achieved or already achieved. Pasts and futures, varying in lengths.

Hie eyes slowly closed as his mind continued to wonder in their thoughts. Just before he drifted off to sleep, he heard a faint knocking at his door. However it was they didn't give him the chance to say they could come in. the door opened, as he jumped off the bed, almost knocking Momo to the ground if he hadn't been awake already. When he was on his feet, his eyes travelled from the floor at his feet to the person now standing before him.

"We should get to work now. I know where we can get some information on the jade bandit." Toph had changed from the travelling clothes she had worn earlier and was now wearing a long thing tunic with no sleeves, and trousers underneath. Her hair had also been pinned up into a lose bun slightly to the right side of her face. When he looked closer he noticed the bun was made of the braid she had done earlier, just wound round into the bun. He also noticed she had on a little make up. He had never known her to ware make up very often. He was now more confused by what was going on then he had been before. Why was Toph all dresses up. "Are you coming or not."

It was at this point that he realised he had gotten caught up in his own thought again trying to make sense of all of this. "Yeah." he moved to follow her as she turned to leave the room. Momo ran over the bed to climb onto her shoulder. Toph felt this and turned to him, knelled down to pat him then got up and walked away. Aang was also a little surprised by this, Momo was like her, he never took orders well. When he caught up with her, he became very aware of the difference between the way they were dresses. He was still in the same robe he had worn all day. "Should I change too...where is it we've going anyway."

"Your fine as you are. We've going to the best place to get information in Ba Sing Sa. No one or thing can go in or out of the city, without it being known at this place."

They were now on the lower floor of the place, walking towards one of the side doors. "Isn't it somewhere in the palace. I thought the central..."

"The palace only sees what it wants to see of the city. We are going to the real centre of information, power in Ba Sing Sa." Aang was getting a little worried. A crazy idea came to him. Maybe Toph was the jade bandit, that would explain why she let the earth king order her around, she had a bigger plan at hand. That was stupid of course, she couldn't be the jade bandit. She had been at her academy at the time the emerald was stolen, and she would have at least told him.

"So where's that."

A sly grin sped across her face. Aang didn't see it, as they had now passed through the side door and stepped out into the dark night, her face now only lit by the moon. "The broken sward inn, in the outer circle of the city."

She now walked a little faster. Hoping to get there as soon as possible, so he didn't have the chance to ask her any more questions. Her hand went to her right side, making sure her silver dagger was still there, attached to her belt. She hoped Aang hadn't noticed that, that would just lead to more questions.


Again, thank you for reading. I hope the story is more interesting now, and makes more sense. When I'm writing a part of the story there are a few parts that I am writing towards. The next part is one, so you have a picture in your head about the way it will look. I love clothes so I have always have a idea about what the characters are wearing. While maybe just Toph. As I am sure you have realised by now that she is kind of the main character in the story. I am trying to make sure that all the other characters not get left out, but it hard. I hope that that don't ruin the story for any of you, if so please say and I'll work on it. Back to the point, I have an idea of what the next chapter will look like, part of the is the outfit that Toph is now wearing. I would take time to describe it, but I am not very good at that and I worry it would ruin the story to do that. So I have a like to what the outfit is like, if you like please have a look.

I would like to ask now if this idea of posting links to pictures of outfits that I imaging the characters wearing, or is it a wast of time. Please let me now. There are a few outfits in this part I would like to describe, but I would worry I would do that well/ so I would like to know if it worth it to post links to pictures of them. Thanks.

Here is the link. Imagine it a little more green then blue.

/2009/aya-ueto-aodai/

Toph's dagger is something that has been used a lot. So I thought since I maybe starting to post links to what the cloths look like I should do the same with an object that is used so much so here is a little to what the dagger looks like.

.com/Engraved%20Silver%20boot%20Knife%

and this is the toph's mothers necklace

/images/Jewelry/JFB850%20Round%20Lotus%

hope the links work. what do you think, are the dagger and necklace like you though they would be.

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