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Chapter 2

Going Back

School had only been in session for the last three days, and Toph was already thoroughly bored. It just was not the same without Twinkle Toes, Hot Head, and Sugar Queen. Breakfast was way too quiet for one. Another thing was that without her friends, Toph was finding it difficult to even stay awake in class.

"Does history bore you?" a voice boomed next to her as a ruler slammed on her desk. Toph did not flinch. She lifted her head lazily and yawned.

"Yeah," she replied. "And it doesn't help that your voice is boring too."

"Are we going to have more problems today, Miss Bei Fong?" the instructor asked.

"Only if you keep bugging me."

"You can either pay some attention and respect, or you can go to the office. Your choice."

Better than staying here," Toph grumbled as she rose from her seat. After slinging her bag over her shoulder, she walked out of the room without another word.

There was really no reason to give the teacher a particularly hard time, but he made the mistake of addressing Toph on a bad day. It had not started out that way though. Since Twinkle Toes was now going to be attending Ty Lee's school, Kuzon had arranged to begin leaving earlier so that they could all carpool together. Spending her morning with her boyfriend and Bubble Brain had been a great start. Unfortunately, it just did not stay that way.

There were so many other things that were on Toph's mind. The first being how Twinkle Toes was at his new school. Of course with Ty Lee there he was already better off than her. Then there was Sugar Queen off at med school. She only vaguely wondered about that as that girl always managed to make friends quickly. Toph smirked to herself when she pictured all of the doctors in training that would surely be losing focus in Sugar Queen's presence. Hot Head was not going to like that at all. He was the other thing on Toph's mind.

Since the day Sugar Queen left, Toph had not heard from Hot Head at all. She had spent that afternoon sparring with him, but since then he just seemed to have disappeared. She had Kuzon call Iroh about it, but all they found out was that Zuko had stayed closed up in his room the majority of the time.

"Toph?" a voice asked. "That is you! It's me! Teo!"

"Who?" she asked, coming out of her thoughts.

"Teo!" he repeated. "Aang's friend?"

"Oh, yeah. The soccer kid."

"That's me!" she heard him smile. "What're you doing?"

"I was going to the office," she replied. "Now I'm ditching to follow you."

"Bad day?" he asked.

"You're the first person I've recognized at school in the last three days. What do you think?"

"Ouch. What about Aang? Isn't he around?"

"Lost his scholarship. Didn't he tell you?"

"Probably," Teo grinned. "After a summer of soccer camp, I don't remember much else."

"When are tryouts this year?" Toph asked half interested.

"Second week!" he replied excitedly. "Not only am I a shoe in for first string this year, but coach liked my plays so much last season that there's a chance I could make captain!"

"Speaking of captains, I'm gonna be one."

"Team or club?"

"I took over the Martial Arts Club," Toph answered. "Can't wait for that to start."

"I feel bad for your club members," Teo laughed. "From what I hear, drill instructors are nicer than you."

"Of course!" Toph declared proudly. "You could stand to come see me work if you wanna be a captain."

"I might take you up on that," Teo smiled. "This is my stop. Later, Toph!"

Toph waved unenthusiastically as she felt Teo pull open a door and walk inside. She was alone again, but at least there was one person she could talk to in this school. With that in mind she resumed her school wanderings while only vaguely remembering she was supposed to be heading for the main office. Having just spoken about it, Toph realized she had not even began to plan out how the club was going to work this year. She would have to get notices out, arrange exhibitions, tourney enrollments. Her head started to throb at the thought of so much work.

"Me and my big mouth," she muttered as she walked into the office.

"How can I help you?" one of the secretaries asked. Toph heard him typing away at his keyboard as he addressed her.

"Who's in right now?" Toph replied. "I gotta see a dean."

"I'm afraid they are all busy with meetings at the moment," the man replied without stopping his typing. "I can schedule you in, or if you prefer to wait you can sit--"

"That will not be necessary," Toph heard the familiar voice of the headmaster say. "Miss Bei Fong, come with me please."

Toph followed the elderly man around the desk and down an extended hallway. The hall came to an abrupt end after passing a pair of doors on the left and a mirroring set on the right. No doubt they were the offices of the four deans. Not that Toph had ever been in them before, but she had been to Headmaster Boqin's office. The second day of school last year if she remembered correctly.

"I would like to thank you for waiting before paying me a visit this year," the old man chuckled as Toph sat in front of his desk. Apparently she had remembered correctly. She could smell the fresh coffee and creamy pastries lying there taunting her. "Help yourself."

"Thanks," she replied quickly as she snatched up two pastries and began to scarf one.

"I know that this has been a difficult start for you," the headmaster said.

"Not really," Toph shrugged, masking her loneliness.

"Certainly it's been lonely," the old man continued. "Your closest friends have left for other schools." Toph's jaw slacked a little, surprised that Boqin had known. "I make it my business to know my students," he said as though reading her mind.

"Gotta hand it to ya, old man," Toph grinned weakly. "You're almost as good at reading people as me."

"Almost," Boqin smiled. "Your attitude and lack of respect have been raising quite the fuss among the faculty here."

"Yeah, well I can't help that," Toph said flatly.

"Miss Bei Fong, we are not here to make things difficult for you. I understand that you are going through a rough patch at the moment, but we can not have you disrupting the classrooms for the other students."

"So what are you gonna do about it?" Toph asked as she crossed her arms.

"I'm not entirely sure," Boqin answered. "Perhaps you need something else to focus on rather than your absent friends. Does that sound like it might work?"

"Meh," Toph grunted through her second pastry.

"Why don't we get your club started this afternoon?"

Now he had Toph's attention. She stopped in mid reach for her next pastry and gave Boqin a blind look. Was he being serious? No one was going to show up today. No one would even know.

"Not that I don't like the idea, but how?"

"Allow me to take care of that," Boqin said. "If you will be sure to be at the gymnasium, I will make sure that the students know you are going to be there."

- - - -

As she was asked to do, Toph stood waiting patiently inside the gym shortly before the end of classes. Granted she was supposed to go after classes ended, but considering how much she had skipped already she did not see much difference in missing more. The after school announcements were just made and the school chimes that signaled the end of the day were going to go off in just a minute or so. What was Boqin planning?

"Attention students," the loud speaker announced. "We have just been handed another announcement. The Martial Arts Club will be holding its first meeting this afternoon in the gymnasium. Sign up will continue through next week for any and all who wish to attend. That is all."

"That jerk," Toph smirked. "He could have just had the announcement made with the rest of them."

Before Toph knew it, she had a gym full of students all talking way too much for her liking. They were chattering about all sorts of stupid, idiotic things that had no business being talked about in her gym during her time. She even thought she heard some girl talking about makeup. Make up!

"And I'm pretty sure he was totally into my look today."

"I know! He was so checking you out!"

"You think?"

"Oh, definitely!"

"What should I do? Should I ask him out? Or would that seem to desperate?"

Just as Toph was about to give these girls a piece of her mind, a third girl's voice broke in.

"The fact that you're wearing the make up just to get his attention sounds desperate to me. Here's what I think you should do: Put the make up kits away, stop fawning over whatever varsity jock that has your panties in a bunch, and get it in your head that this room is for martial artists and not boy hunting!"

"You!" Toph yelled, pointing at the source of the voice. "Front and center. What's your name?"

"Leila," she said bluntly. "You?"

"Toph," she replied. "What kinda experience you got with martial arts?"

"Just what I've seen other people do. Looked like something I could get into."

"I like your attitude," Toph grinned. "Up front. And anybody that was here last year needs to get their butts up here too!" she yelled. "Everyone else line up!"

Aside from Leila, three sets of footsteps coming to the front, no one seemed to be moving from their spots. She observed everyone in room as one of the boys she called up began talking to her. Before he even finished his first sentence, Toph grabbed his collar and arm and then threw him over her shoulder onto the ground. Anyone who was not paying attention to her before certainly was now.

"Listen up, newbies and wannabes!" Toph growled. "While you're in this gym, I am in charge. Are we clear, or am I going too fast for you?"

"Hey I know you," someone near the front said. "You're that blind, little rich girl. Who named you captain? Why should you be in charge?"

Toph smiled inwardly, though the scowl stayed on her face. Last year she had earned her respect the old fashioned way: by kicking the captain's sorry butt. Would things be different this year? Yes.

Toph very purposefully strode towards the one who spoke. She shoved her way between the first two rows of wannabes and stood in front of the voice. He was a full head taller than her, but she did not bother raising her eyes. Her blind stare burned into his chest.

"Do you know what makes a great martial artist?" Toph asked him. The guy started to answer and Toph placed her hand directly in his face. "What makes a great martial artist," Toph explained loud enough for everyone to hear, "is strength. And I don't mean your physical strength. Strength of mind and spirit makes a great martial artist. You have to be indomitable."

Not once did Toph's focus move from the boy in front of her. She waited for a response. Not necessarily from him, but from anyone in the room. She was reveling in the fact that no one was daring to say anything.

"Tell you what; if someone, anyone proves themselves stronger than me, then I'll let them call the shots. Until then . . ." Toph thrust two open palms directly into the young man's torso, knocking him off balance and onto his back. "What I say goes."

A/N: Forgot to mention this, but Ria is actually another finalist entry from the contest held a few months ago, so is Leila. Look forward to seeing them more, and thank you XmiSsxCrAZyX and Leila Dinthalion for your entries!