Apparently, Toph getting home safely was a huge friggin' issue. And really, Toph didn't know what she was more annoyed about; the fact that everyone felt that she needed help getting across the Earth Kingdom, or that no one could decide who could go with her.
Aang and Katara were going to be headed to the south pole; Aang had forgotten this little detail when he volunteered to be Toph's chauffer between her home and Kiyoshi island. And, there was some big issue happening in the south pole that required Katara to be back as soon as possible, which meant that she needed Appa.
Zuko and Mai were going to the Fire Nation, which was the exact opposite direction; not to mention, it wasn't really fitting for a Fire Lord to act as a chauffer. Teo was only going back to the Southern Air Temple, and Haru's village was far from Toph's, and Pipsqueak was apparently staying in a village not far from Haru's.
Currently, Katara, Aang, Teo, Haru and Sokka were all discussing it. Toph was sitting just outside the group, getting surlier and surlier. The last thing she wanted was for Sokka to get involved, but he'd heard everyone else discussing it, and had butted in.
"Can't you and Katara take Toph home, and then go home?" Sokka asked Aang.
Katara answered rather hotly. "Sokka, you know I'm supposed to be helping Gran-Gran with the pregnant buffalo-yaks! If we take Toph home, it'll take us a week and a half to get home- that's twice as long as it'd take if I just took a ship home! Gran-Gran needs me to get home as soon as possible. I promised I'd be back by tomorrow."
"Well, what if you take a ship," Sokka started, "and Aang takes Toph home?"
"That might work," Aang said, but Katara shook her head.
"I'd be getting home in four days then, at the very earliest," Katara said. "I can't do that to Gran-Gran."
"Okay, what if Aang takes you home, then comes back and takes Toph home?"
"No way," Toph said. "I'm not staying here any longer by myself." This was mostly because Sokka was sticking around on Kiyoshi Island, and he'd be constantly with Suki. Toph wouldn't be able to handle that, not right now. "Seriously guys. I can get home on my own; I'm not helpless."
"Absolutely not," Sokka said, shaking his head. "You can't read a map, or road signs, or even know which direction you're going in. You could end up in Ba Sing Se, or Omashu instead of getting home!"
"I'll be fine!" Toph said beyond annoyed now. They'd been arguing and debating and going back and forth for twenty minutes now, and the ships were all waiting to depart. She just wanted to get going, and forget that Sokka was married. "I'll just ask around, to make sure I'll get back to Gaoling. I'll know if someone lies and gives me wrong directions anyway."
Sokka stared at Toph, but that meant little to her. She couldn't read his stubborn expression. "I really don't like this, but I guess it would work. But I'd really feel better if someone went with-"
"What are you guys talking about?"
The Duke had walked up, a rucksack slung across his back. "You know the ships are ready to go, right?" he said. "I don't think they're going to wait much longer."
"We were just trying to figure out who would accompany Toph back to Gaoling," Katara explained. "She's certainly capable of going by herself-" That was clearly said just so Toph wouldn't snap at her…which she was getting ready to do. "-but we'd all feel better if she had someone to just make sure she was going the right direction."
"Oh," the Duke said with a shrug. "I could do that. I'm heading in that direction anyway."
Toph's eyes widened in surprise. She thought for sure he'd be going with.
"What about Pipsqueak?" Katara asked, clearly curious.
"Oh, he has a girlfriend now," The Duke said nonchalantly. "I've been doing my own thing for a while. We still keep in touch though. But yeah, I don't mind helping out."
"Excellent!" Sokka said happily, clapping his hands together. "This works out perfectly. Toph gets home, Katara gets to deliver gross baby animals, and everyone is happy!"
They said their goodbyes shortly after. Toph had originally only slugged Sokka in the shoulder, but didn't really put up a fight when he hugged her. Sokka hugs were nice, and she was sure she'd see even less of him now that he'd be tied down more often. Of course, Aang and Katara were very huggy, which she was used to, even if it was a bit smothery. But, soon enough, they'd all said goodbye, and Toph was on a boat with The Duke.
"So where are you heading?" Toph asked, not long after she felt the ship start to move. She felt very uncertain about things right now; the ship she was on wasn't even metal. It was wooden, which meant that if anything happened, she'd be practically defenseless.
Not that anything was likely to happen; it wasn't like the Fire Nation was going to attack anytime soon.
"Huh?" The Duke looked at her. They were leaning against the railing of the ship; Toph assumed that the Duke was looking out at something; she was just feeling the fresh air. "Oh, I don't know. I said that just so they'd stop arguing."
"What?" Toph was confused now. The Duke hadn't been lying earlier, when he said he was going in that direction. "But you weren't lying!"
"I know. I changed plans as soon as I realized that was holding us up. I was going to be going up and exploring the northern part of the Earth Kingdom, maybe up near the Freedom Fighter's old base, but hey, I can explore southern Earth Kingdom too." The Duke shrugged again. "I've never seen Gaoling before, so that should be fun."
Toph was quiet, facing the Duke. "You seriously changed all your plans just to make sure I don't travel alone?" She might have to punch him. Really, really hard. She wasn't fragile; hell, she was the best earth bender in the world- and most of the Earth Kingdom knew it (though, she'd heard that King Bumi of Omashu thought he was the greatest; one day, she'd challenge him to a match to prove him wrong).
"No, I changed all my plans so we could leave on time," the Duke said with a slight chuckle.
He was only partially lying, so Toph only half heartedly slugged him in the shoulder.
In the end, Toph was rather glad that the Duke ended up coming with her. It gave her someone to talk to, to play with and just generally pass the time with. He was rather cool for a thirteen year old, and was still as adventurous as he'd been as a child.
Late at night, when they couldn't sleep, they'd talk about the different things they'd done during the war. The Duke filled her in on the Freedom Fighters (who she'd heard bits and pieces about in Ba Sing Se, when Jet and Smellerbee and Longshot showed up), but wouldn't talk about before that. Which was fine with Toph; if he didn't want to talk about the family he'd probably once had, she wouldn't be the one to break the news to him that Jet had died.
It had been something Sokka, Aang, and Katara had all decided on, before the Day of Black Sun. Sokka knew any Freedom Fighters left would be gathered for the invasion, and it would only bring them down, to know their former leader was dead. And then the invasion had failed, and everyone's spirits were down, and there was no way they could let them in on the news. By the time everything was going smoothly again, it was too late and awkward to tell them.
Toph knew sometime on the way to Gaoling, she'd let the Duke know. Or maybe later, if she ever saw him again. But she had the feeling that deep down, he already knew.
Instead, she talked about being taught how to earth bend by badger-moles, and how she was still the champion of the Earth Rumble tournaments. And she filled him in on all of the travels with the Aang Gang that the Duke was a little fuzzy on.
It was just nice, to talk like this with someone. She hadn't gotten to just talk in ages. Her parents couldn't converse with her about the things that interested her, and she lived far from everyone else. Goodness knows she didn't have any friends in Gaoling.
She was going to be a little sad to part with him, if she was honest with herself.
"The Duke?" Toph asked, as they walked through the Earth Kingdom. She had no idea where they were in relation to Gaoling, but the Duke said they could be there in a day or two.
"Yeah?"
"What's your real name?" she asked, and noticed how his whole body seemed to hesitate for a split second.
He was quiet for some time, and Toph began to wonder if that was the absolute wrong question to ask, or if he even knew.
"Sheng Li," the Duke finally said.
"Sheng Li?"
He was quiet, but she felt him nod.
"The Duke fits you better," Toph finally said.
"Why else do you think I chose to be called that?" the Duke said, with a grin to his voice.
Toph knew the second they reached Gaoling. She was so familiar with the land of this area, the feel of it all and all the familiar vibrations; she couldn't help but heave a heavy sigh.
"Not excited to be back?" The Duke asked.
"Not especially," Toph admitted, as they trudged down the road into town.
"Why's that?"
"My parents." Neither had brought up the subject of parents during the weeks they were together. The Duke's were surely dead, and Toph didn't really want to whine and grumble about her own.
"You aren't excited to see them?" She could tell the Duke was frowning, and she sighed again.
"My parents…don't really understand me," she said slowly. "They're trying to- my mom especially, but we really don't see eye to eye on much." She paused, leading the way through the town to her home. "They don't really like that I compete in the Earth Rumble competitions. They think that because I'm blind, I'm helpless, even though I'm not."
"That kind of sucks," the Duke said sympathetically.
"Tell me about it," Toph grumbled.
But, she and her parents were trying hard to come to some sort of happy medium. It was exhausting, for all of them. They wanted an obedient, ladylike daughter, which was who they'd thought they'd had the first twelve years of her life. But that was only because Toph hid herself- her real self- from them. And she couldn't do that anymore; she literally couldn't. She'd go crazy if she had to sit and be still and quiet all the time anymore.
Especially now that she was known as one of the people who helped save the world, and it was well known that she was the only metal bender the world had.
She was badass, and she knew it, and her parents hated it.
It was just an all around struggle for everyone.
"Well," Toph said, as they reached the gate to her house, "we're here."
The Duke Froze completely, and gawked at the land in front of him. "This is your house?"
"Yeah."
"This is almost as big as the palace in the Fire Nation!"
Toph laughed; it was an exaggeration, of course. Her home was nowhere near the size of Zuko's. She pushed open the doors, ignoring the guards on either side. She realized that the Duke wasn't walking behind her and stopped, turning around. "Aren't you coming?"
For some reason, Toph had just assumed that he'd come in, and spend the night; that they'd stay up late talking while he star gazed. She now realized that was kind of dumb; he'd come with her to make sure she got home, and he'd done that.
"Nah," the Duke said, though he seemed a little uncomfortable. "I've got to keep moving. You know, places to explore, new things to see."
"Right."
The Duke was very uncomfortable now, and Toph could not for the life of her figure out what it was. She took a few steps closer to him, and he a few towards her.
"I'll see you around though," he said. "I'll be sure to swing by the next time I come through."
"You'd better," Toph said flatly, and the Duke nodded.
"See you later," he said, and as she returned the notion, he started off, walking away from the Bei Fong home.
Hooray! Another chapter!
Please leave constructive criticisms.
