As soon as Appa touched the ground, Toph was off the cuddly creature with the speed of a Tigerdillo. With feet firmly planted on gracious ground, the world slowly stopped spinning on a runaway axis inside her head. To revel in the feeling of solidness would have to wait. After all, Field Marshals could hardly be seen kissing the ground beneath their feet (amongst company anyways). So she stood tall and firm beside the Avatar as he greeted those who came to receive them.
The people of the palace implored Avatar Aang to disclose any sort of discomfort they (he) felt, like hunger or thirst. They were eager to bring the Avatar everything he so desired and a few that he probably hadn't even thought to ask. Who needs a foot scrubbing so soon after getting off their flying bison? Across the courtyard they'd landed in, stood a few people on the edges keen on watching, but not daring to approach.
Toph leaned over and asked one of the many servants for the time.
"A few minutes after seven in the afternoon, Field Marshal Bei Fong," they supplied before going back to harassing the Avatar who merely sweat dropped at so many people wanting to attend him.
"Has the Fire Lord been informed of my arrival?" He asked above their voices.
"Of course, of course, he's just finished up a meeting with Lady Katara and the Generals so he'll be along shortly."
One of the attending servants, more high ranking than the rest of them, clapped his hands together and ordered them all away to prepare for dinner. As they hurried off, after bowing respectfully to the Avatar, the high ranking servant stood in front of the Avatar.
"I apologize for their enthusiasm."
Aang waved off his concerns, though he did feel slightly claustrophobic from all their questions about his trip, his health, whether or not he wanted his nails clipped, and his preferences in meals.
"I should be used to such a welcoming by now. Would you mind having someone tend to Appa?"
Appa gave a small roar, alarming the man a bit.
"I will…get someone right on that Avatar Aang." He walked with dignity, but quickly, in order to put some distance between him and the large animal.
Finally left alone, he turned to the side to address Toph but two soldiers stood in front of her.
Their terrified, yet stony, demeanor seemed his cue to walk off toward Zuko and Katara who stood at the top of the stair leading down to the courtyard. He gave a friendly wave and walked up to greet them as Appa was lead into stables for food and water.
"Permission to speak," asked a soldier as they both saluted their Field Marshal.
"Not granted," Toph coldly informed them. "Do you know what time it is soldiers?"
They gave brisk nods, not daring to speak lest she rip out their vocal chords for disobeying an order. Actually, even that punishment could be considered lenient.
"If you smart, loyal, responsible soldiers know the time…why is it I find you in the courtyard?" she added a tsk, knowing this would set them off edge, "This unfortunately leads me to conclude that in my absence the company must not have obeyed the specific requests that I entrusted with the Lieutenant. Should I blame the Lieutenant for neglecting his watch duties over my company or you two for blatantly disregarding a standing order?"
At the slight curve of her fingers, beckoning a response, they shared a quiet argument with their eyes, waiting to see which one of them would give in and bear the brunt of the Field Marshal's caustic wrath.
Finally, one of them broke, "Our sincerest apologies Field Marshal Bei Fong. When we heard you were arriving we wanted to make sure you arrived well."
I really beat the lies out them, didn't I? Toph mused with a proud heart. She felt humbled by the fact that the soldiers of her platoon couldn't wait to greet her to the point they disregarded direct orders. Though, she couldn't display happiness with their spout of rebellion. After all, her duty lay in refining these soldiers like earth into metal. She was the shovel that dug up the dirt and the furnace that burned impurities.
"Of course you would. Who could blame you for caring?–" just as they sucked in air to expel in relief, their fantasy hit bottom like the end of a rock-alanche–"But that desire hardly excuses your behavior. Back to the quarters, with you. Be sure you tell all my soldiers that I'll be sure to give them warm greeting as well." The sickly sweet tone scared them more than if she had screamed in their face. "Dismissed."
The soldiers bowed deeply, hoping to assuage her deranged thoughts by showing utmost respect. Though a fist of fire in their bellies told them that they could have cut off one of their hands at her request and their chances still sucked.
Every soldier undoubtedly harbored enough aching, terrifying, and exhaustive experiences with Field Marshal Bei Fong to last them through many nightmares until old age, but her last parting words would have made them pee their pants if they were not trained to hold in such unseemly behavior.
"Oh, soldiers," she called out, still as sweet as a poisonous berry right before the juices attacked the nervous system, leading the way to cardiac arrest. "I do hope you have the sweetest of dreams tonight…because tomorrow will mark hell on earth for all of you." She sneered and cackled at their sudden, fearful gulps as they hastily bowed again and all but sprinted for safety away from their deranged Field Marshal. With the setting sun outlining her body, arms shaking at her sides, it appeared as though fire literally poured from her skin, and the wind blowing hard made her hair take a life of its own. She looked like a witch bent on cursing anyone who crossed her path.
These remarks were some of the few they used to describe their returning Field Marshal to the rest of the company who held little doubt that she may actually be an evil spirit bent on reaping destruction for personal amusement. Long story short: there were no sweet dreams that night…or the next couple of nights as a cackling, wild-haired Field Marshal skipped from dream to dream spewing flames at their feet and throwing pointy rocks at their heads.
Cackling turned to soft laughter as she wiped tears from her blind eyes.
"Oh yeah," she said in a breathy tone to herself as she headed up the steps to catch up to Twinkle Toes, Princess and Hot Stuff, "I missed them."
She made her way towards the war room feeling reluctant to so quickly start talk of rebel tactics. Where were the good days when Sokka was mauled by random insects and could always be counted on for a laugh? Though she missed the lighthearted moments they all shared the hundred-year war left quite a mess for them to clean up.
She felt them stand around the war table with the little figurines as Zuko briefed Aang on the situation. She caught the explanation early as she let herself in the room, so nothing was missed.
"Toph, it's so good to see you again," Sweetness rushed over to engulf the teenager in a hug. Toph patted her back awkwardly.
"Wish I could say the same," she joked. "But you feel like you're doing much better." She was referring to the little munchkin inside the water tribe girl, but couldn't say much in the presence of the Avatar. Katara couldn't thank her enough for the discretion.
"I am. After this you and I are getting together and talking about your trip."
"No can do. I'm hitting the mattress. I have to be…refreshed for when I face my troop tomorrow." A small, sly smirk lit her face before Zuko directed their attention to the upcoming plans.
"Glad you're both safe and sound. I am sorry to spring this up on you guys just as you arrived but we need to put these plans into motion as soon as possible to quell the uprising."
Toph mock saluted, "Speak on Lord Sparky Pants."
Katara hid her laugh behind a bad cough and Aang simply giggled at how serious she sounded.
Zuko gave a small huff, but smiled nonetheless. He had missed her personality these past few weeks.
"We were just talking about sending your company in first. Sort of a flash attack before we give orders to send in more men."
Toph gave a cheeky grin. "Give us fifteen minutes and we'll have wiped out practically half of the rebels."
"Your troop is certainly strong, which is why I want you guys on the front line."
"No problem. My guys'll be more than happy to kick butt."
"Now we have men who will be positioned–"
"Whoa, wait."
Everyone looked up at the Avatar.
Toph crossed her arms, preparing to defend herself if needed. Zuko asked for his input, since he respected Aang's judgment.
"I just think that maybe it'd be strategically beneficial for us to have Toph command the earthbenders first, capture as many as they can, and then have the waterbenders block off the channel of escape once the rebels get wind of what's going on. Then when they're cornered we incorporate the firebenders to further reduce the threat."
Relaxing a bit, Toph loosed her arms. "That's a good plan. Although, Twinkle Toes you're gonna have to come in with me to knock their scouts out of the trees before they get the word out. It'll buy us some time."
"No problem. Someone's gotta be there to look after you."
"What?" she asked in confusion. Aang had never been one to imply she couldn't handle herself in the field. The word was in her freaking title! Field Marshal.
"You know, to make sure you don't play with the rebels too much. You're liable to build a labyrinth around the entire campsite before we even get to do anything."
Toph stroked her nonexistent beard in contemplation. Offhandedly she said, "That would be fun…" then she waved her hand, "next time," she assured them with a wicked grin. Getting back to the business at hand she put the little block representing her company back on the frontline. "It's a good plan, but we don't have that many earthbenders at our disposal. We're lucky to have the ones we got. So, along with the earthbenders will be my platoon. I've trained them in stealth and I gotta say, until you see them in action you won't believe what they can do now."
Zuko nodded in respect to her training skills. "You have proved effective in training the special corps. I have to say that having you as my Field Marshal was a stellar decision on the part of whoever hired you. Oh, right, me."
Katara scoffed at her husband. "Should we all prepare to make this attack the day after tomorrow?" Zuko looked up sharply from the war table to his wife who looked innocently around the table.
"We'll start preparing the troops accompanying us as early as dawn," Aang agreed.
Toph groaned at that. She planned on sleeping in and letting her company stew in anticipation for her arrival. However, she grudgingly admitted that the earlier she punished them, the faster they could all get into deploy mode. "Now that that's settled, what do you say about getting some grub around here Twinkle Toes?"
"Yeah, I could go for some food. Are you guys going to come?"
Toph spoke up before anyone thought of answering, "Sweetness and Hot Zone already ate. Hurry up Twinkle Toes, I have to feed the monster before bedtime or it's liable to take its rage out on you."
"Is that what we're calling your stomach now? I thought it was the Bottomless Pit of No Return?" he joked as Toph led him out of the conference room, eager to leave the couple to discuss something that went entirely over the Avatar's head.
Katara waved at them, "Feel free to ask for whatever you want. Have a good night's sleep and we'll see you tomorrow."
" 'Night Katara, Zuko," Aang managed to say before Toph tugged him harder towards the kitchen. "You act as if I didn't even feed you!"
"I have dietary needs Airhead."
"The only dietary need you have is to go on a diet. You stuff your face like the world is going to run out of food…"
Their banter soon disappeared down the hallways and Katara was left to face her blunder and her husband. Wanting to avoid a night of yelling so soon after their friends finally made it back from whatever they had to do safely, she turned on her foot announcing that she was heading to bed as she powerwalked out of the war room. Zuko said nothing but simply heaved a sigh. He walked back at his own pace, knowing that Katara probably lay in bed feigning sleep to avoid talking. Honestly, he didn't want to fight, but his position required voicing before any troops headed out. If Katara thought he would let her on the field in her condition she was sadly mistaken.
When he finally made it back to their room, he lit the torch on his left to better see her. Shadows of their furniture danced along the wall as the flames licked the oxygen, almost looking eager to witness a showdown between the Fire Lord and a Master Waterbender.
"Katara, I know you're awake."
"Zuko, can we talk about this tomorrow? I know you revel in the meetings you have in the war room, but they make me so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open." She hid herself underneath layers and layers of blankets, somehow freezing in the warm night. Later on, Zuko knew, she'd dump all the blankets on him and leave him sweating like cattle facing their end at the hands of a butcher while she lied comfortably in her sleep garb.
He discarded his formal robe, dictating status, on the hook near the closet. Slowly he undressed, knowing that Katara was squirming in their bed, waiting for him to say something. She readied herself to argue any point he could possibly bring up as she heard a knot untying behind her. Most days, she delighted in the fact that he slept without a shirt on. Other days she felt he was purposely trying to distract her with his hard muscles that lead to a tapered waist built up over years of training and discipline. Now, she felt thankful for the covers over her face. After the torch was put out, he slowly slid into bed with only the sheerest of bed sheets covering his lower body leaving his upper half exposed.
He reached around and pulled down the covers just under her chin. With the lightest of touches he kissed her lips before pulling the covers back up and settling in for sleep after the long day of worrying and planning.
"Tomorrow," he intoned resolutely. He knew this probably meant chasing Katara down and forcing her to talk to him about what she planned. But if he could track the Avatar all around the world, surely finding his wife in his own house would be much less of a challenge.
Katara snuggled in, not getting to sleep until much later into the night as she prepared rebuttals in her mind to call up at the appropriate time. If he thought she was getting left behind, he was sorely mistaken.
