AN: I was trying to write something else for this, but Toph just kept talking and talking and talking and budging in where she didn't belong. It didn't fit under 300 words, it was more like 3,000. I cut it down, added an AN of over 100 words, and voila! I might post the full version after I write all the Tokka prompts. The general idea of this is that Toph and Sokka are engaged (so a few steps back from last chapter) and are passing the coming-of-age ceremonies of each other's nations. Toph has already become a Water Tribe member, and now it's Sokka's turn...


"Okay, so do I have to do to become an honorary Earth Kingdom citizen?"

"Why so perky?"

"I figure Earth rituals can't be as bad as Water ones. You experienced what ice dodging was like. When my dad went the first time, he crashed at top speed! He and his crew were stuck on a huge iceberg-"

"Hey."

"What?"

"Shut up."

"...Okay."

"First, an explanation. Every nation is different and has different coming-of-age ceremonies. The Water Tribes revolve around change. You focus on adapting, with a strong side of family. You use your abilities to defend and rarely attack. That's why you go running from icebergs."

"Ice dodging."

"Whatever. The Earth Kingdom is a different nation, with a different focus. Earth is substance. We're diverse and stubborn. We use our abilities for defense but also to make stuff. That's why our rite of passage is the TriRock. There are three stages: the Chucker, the Maker, and the Stand."

"Sounds fun. Continue."

"The Chucker is named for the rocks an earthbender chucks at you. You chuck them back if you can while dodging and trying not to upchuck."

"Sounding a little less fun. What's the Maker?"

"You have to make something with lava without the lava making a crisp out of you."

"I'm afraid to ask about the Stand..."

"You stand still and push away rocks, but take the rocks you can't destroy. Any questions?"

"Can you cut a non-bender some slack?"

"You made a blind girl go ice (actually, rock) dodging."

"It went fine."

"Even though Katara, Zuko, and Aang almost had heart attacks? I doubt Zuko was ever on a Water Tribe ship before, much less helped command one."

"Everybody survived!"

"No slack."

"Why did you just pick up a boulder?"

"It's chucking time."

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"