4. Partners
Toph awoke at dawn the next morning, she figured she'd better get started on her journey since she already wasted a whole day. Once she bended her earth tent back into the ground she was on her way to the next town. She smiled, with her Beifong family document the earthbender was sure she'd be able to find someone to direct her to the nearest ferry to Ba Sing Se.
During the walk Toph couldn't help but feel bad for leaving the way she did, especially without giving Hakoda a proper goodbye. He understands, she assured herself, besides, every minute I waste out here my parents are somewhere suffering. Which brought Toph to her next thought, even if she does manage to get aid from the Earth King and his army, how will she know where to find her parents? And will she make it in time to save them? What am I thinking? They're Beifongs, they'll survive whatever Azula throws at em'. With that confidently in mind, Toph continued on.
As soon as she entered the next town, thirsty, Toph walked into a small tea shop and was greeted by a middle aged woman with graying hair and a friendly smile on her face.
"Good morning young lady, how may I help you?"
"I'll just have a cup of green tea," she replied.
"Coming right up."
Toph gave the woman a small smile before finding herself a seat in the dining area. While waiting for her order, Toph brought her focus back to planning her trip, however, it was cut short when two local police officers entered the shop and interrupted her thoughts with their loud chatter.
"So," one of the officers said," I heard the Rough Rhinos caught someone last night, is it that blind earthbender they've been looking for?"
Blind earthbender? Toph's eyes immediately widened. They're looking for me. A feeling of dread and panic began to build up inside the earthbender's stomach. This town has already been conquered by Azula, and already she's been declared an enemy of the Fire Nation. She sighed to herself. Saving my parents is going to be even more difficult now. One thing was certain, she had to get out of there, but what the other officer said next stopped her.
"No, but they believe he's been hiding her, apparantly he's some kid from the watertribe."
Wait, didn't Sokka say he was from the watertribe? Sokka! Toph froze in her seat at this information, Sokka was captured, but how? Why? Surely he didn't come after her and got caught. Azula did say she had spies in the Earth Kingdom, Toph remembered. In an instant she was out of her seat and out the door, leaving her awaited tea behind. Sokka was in trouble, sure he was an asshole but Toph wasn't about to let him suffer. Toph figured her best option was to snoop around and find where ever they're keeping Sokka, which brought her to her next issue. Azula had eyes everywhere looking for her, and if she were to just bust in and break Sokka out they'd both get imprisoned or worse, if she was going to play this she'd have to play it smart.
Toph's mind was made up, she took a few minutes to force some tears out her eyes, then walked over to the owner of a shoe shop, pulling on his sleeve. "Excuse me sir, but could you help me?" She said in a distressed voice, "My brother has been missing for days now, and I've been searching all over for him." All those years of pretending to be helpless to her parents had definitely paid off, Toph was a master at acting, and she knew the fake crying was more than enough to con this guy into helping her.
The shoe shop owner placed his hand on her shoulder. "Shh, now, now don't cry Miss, I'll be more than happy to help you."
She sniffed. "R...really?"
"Sure, I'll take you to the police station, and they'll do all they can to find your missing brother."
"Th- thank you so much," she said inbetween her fake crying. As the man escorted her to the small police station, she began to focus on pointing out Sokka's location, where ever he was, he wasn't alone, she felt someone with him.
(***)
Sokka was sitting in a holding cell, with his wrists and feet shackled. He had been interrogated all night, however, because he couldn't give the officers what they wanted, he's been put in a holding cell with a guy who won't stop going on about cabbages.
He sighed. This is all my fault, If only I hadn't been a jerk to Toph. I just hope she's okay at least.
He was quickly ripped from his thoughts when he heard two people enter the police station, apparantly someone's brother had been missing.
"There he is!"
Recognizing the voice, Sokka looked up to see it was none other than Toph! She was actually here, to save him. He opened his mouth to say something, but was immediately cut off by the girl.
"I've been looking all over for you," said Toph, "just wait until we get home."
A police officer walked up to the cell, his eyebrow raised. "You know this guy?"
Toph turned in the direction of the officer's voice. "Sadly yes, he's my brother. He's half-crazy." She whispered her last words.
"Hey," Sokka blurted.
"I'm sorry Miss," said the officer, "but I can't allow you to take your brother home, he's under arrest."
"Oh really, and what was his crime?"
"We believe he's been harboring a fugitive, an earthbender by the name of Toph Beifong."
She laughed at this. "Are you kidding me? The guy's half-crazy, he probably thinks the man sitting next to him is Toph Beifong." She turned to face Sokka, hoping she was giving him a look to persuade him to go along with her.
Seeing this, Sokka quickly shook the cabbage guy by the collar with one hand while pointing at him with his other hand. "She's innocent, innocent I tell ya!" He shouted as he continued to babble more nonsense.
Toph turned back to face the officer. "See what I mean? Now release him."
The officer shrugged his shoulders before taking his keys and freeing Sokka from his shackles.
Pleased he was freed, Sokka first rubbed his sore wrists as he made his way out of his cell, but came to a hault and blushed when Toph rushed over and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.
"Wha-"
"Oh big brother, I'm so glad you're okay," Toph interrupted before letting go and grabbing him by his ear.
"Ow!-"
"Now let's go," she said in more authoritive voice, "when we get home you're going to be in big trouble." She turned around in the direction of the officer and shoe shop owner. "Thank you so much for your help." With that she and Sokka were out of the police station, and the two ran out of the town.
When they stopped to catch their breath, Sokka rubbed his sore ear, then turned to the girl. "I don't get it Toph, how did you know I was captured?"
She turned in the direction of his voice. "I was in a nearby tea shop and I heard two officers go on about a watertribe kid who got arrested for hiding me."
Sokka just stared at her, doubfounded. "I can't believe you saved me, after what I said to you."
Toph shrugged. "Hey, they were after me, I couldn't let you take the fall."
Sokka was touched, he truly was. After their hostile first meeting, along with the awkward resentment that followed, and after the way they left things he never would have imagined Toph would come back and help him. I should apologize. "Toph,...I want to-"
"Shh, Shut up!" She interrupted, placing her palm on the ground. "We're being ambushed."
"Wait- what? How do you know?"
"Just shut up and start running," she said as she grabbed his wrist and ran. Unfortunately before they could get any further, five guys on rhinos surrounded them.
"Oh great, not these guys again," Sokka sighed.
Toph raised an eyebrow while moving closer to his side. "You know them?" She whispered.
"They're the ones who arrested me last night."
"Well, well, well," said Colonel Mongke as he jumped off his rhino, "when the local police said you were wrongly arrested and left with your sister, I knew something was up." His eyes shifted to Toph. "I knew capturing you would lead us right to the girl." He stood in a fighting stance. "Now save yourselves the trouble and surren- oof!"
Before he could finish his sentence, Toph bended a pillar of earth in his direction, knocking him flat on his butt, then bent rocks out of the earth and sent them flying and knocking the rest of the Rough Rhinos to the ground as well.
Colonel Mongke rubbed the soreness on his rear end while rising back to his feet. "Okay then, you want the hard way, you've got the hard way." With that he shot flames at Toph, who blocked it by bending up a wall to protect herself and Sokka."
"I'll hold them off," said Toph, her head turning in Sokka's direction, "just get out of here."
"Me? But they're after you."
Toph let out an annoyed sigh as she continued to bend rocks out of the earth and fire them at their attackers. "I know, but I'm the only bender, so you need to find someplace safe."
Infuriated at what she just said, Sokka approached her. "Just because I'm not a bender doesn't mean I can't fight, Toph."
"Oh yeah, well what else can you do besides piss me off and getting captured?" She asked sarcastically. Toph at this point was beyond being pissed off, not only were they surrounded and being attacked by fire nation mercenaries, but she was trying to save herself and the guy she just rescued, and all he wants to do right now is pick a fight with her.
The Rough Rhinos ceased their attacks for a moment, and watched in amusement as the two teenagers argued back and fourth to each other. With Colonel Mongke's signal, Kahchi quickly swung his guan dao in Toph's direction.
"Get out of the way stupid," Sokka shouted while pushing the girl out the way, "can't you watch where you're- wha!" He was cut off by the flaming arrows aiming for his head.
"You're one to talk," Toph fired back, "next time keep your eyes front, idiot." At this point the two were standing back to back to each other, and Sokka was officially out of breath, and fed up with the situation.
"Listen Toph," He panted a little, "we're going to have to work together to get out of this mess." He took her hand in his. "Truce?"
Toph nodded, shaking his hand to assure him. "Truce." With that they sprung into action. Toph bent another pillar of earth Mongke's way, and used her bending to make Yeh- Lu and Kahchi lose their connection to the ground, causing them to fall flat on their faces.
Sokka was fighting Ogodei and Utor, and was kind of at a disadvantage since he didn't have a weapon. Once he dodged another flaming arrow something caught his eye, and in seconds he was at the side of one of the rhino's saddle, digging through a bag of weapons. As soon as he found what he was looking for, he ran to Toph's side and grabbed her hand.
"Hey what are you doing?" She asked.
"Just trust me okay, I have a plan,- but we need to get as far away from here as we can." After they fought their way through the rough rhinos, and were at a good distance, Sokka threw the grenade and ducked to the ground, pushing Toph down and protecting her while the explosive went off. In a blink of an eye the forest had lit up like a firecracker, smoke and flames everywhere in sight, luckily though, Toph had created some cover to keep them out of the crossfire. When everything had finally gone quiet, Sokka stood up.
"Come on," Sokka said, taking Toph's hand, "we don't have to worry about those guys, at least for a while anyway."
Toph slowly rose to her feet. "What was that?"
"A grenade," he replied simply, "I took it from them."
Toph couldn't help the smirk that quickly appeared on her face. "I'm impressed, that was some quick thinking."
Sokka shrugged. "Well like I always say, if you can't beat em', out think em'." He smiled. "What you did was pretty impressive too, I can't believe how easily you knocked those guys down, they were like ten times your size."
"What can I say, I'm awesome."
Sokka chuckled before a moment of silence stretched between them. "Listen Toph, I want to apologize for yesterday." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I was being a jerk to you and you didn't derserve it, I guess..." he sighed. "Look, what happened to Suki changed me. I...I loved her, and she trusted me, and I couldn't protect her when she needed me the most."
Toph's face fell. "Your Dad told me what happened Sokka, about how you and Suki were separated, how you were knocked out during the fight, you need to stop blaming yourself. It wasn't your fault."
"Yes it was, she was my fiance, I shoud've-"
"No," Toph cut off, rather harshly, "it wasn't your fault. Now repeat after me; it wasn't my fault."
"It wasn't my fault," he mumbled.
"Like you mean it Sokka, say it like you mean it. It wasn't my fault."
"It wasn't my fault."
"Good, now again."
"It wasn't my fault."
"Again."
"It wasn't my fault."
"Louder!"
"It wasn't my fault!" He shouted so loud it echoed throughout the forest.
Toph clapped her hands. "Good. Now, how do you feel?"
"Better," he replied, "I feel like a weight's been lifted."
"I'm glad, now this is the last time we're going to have this conversation," she said sternly before her face softened, "what happened to you was horrible, but you're not going to honor Suki's death by giving up."
Sokka gazed in the direction of the explosion before turning to face Toph. "You're right, Dad, everyone was right. I've spent all this time cut off from the rest of the world, I wasn't even aware of what's been going on..." he trailed off. "Toph, I want to go with you. I wasn't able to save Suki, but I want to make a difference this time around."
A warm smile spread across Toph's face. "Thank you Sokka, that means a lot." She shot her fist out and punched Sokka's arm.
"Ow! Jeez Toph, what the hell was that for?" He asked, rubbing his sore arm.
"That's how I show affection."
"Well warn me next time will you? Spirits, you already broke my nose yesterday."
Toph's face fell with guilt. "Sorry about that. You gotta understand, what you said yesterday really upset me,...it hurt. I guess I wanted to physically make you feel the same way."
Sokka's face softened as he let out an exhausted sigh. "Forget about it, I deserved it."
"Yes, you did." She laughed.
Much to Sokka's surprise he laughed too, happy he and Toph finally worked out their issues. "Let's head back to my cabin, I'm sure my Dad's worried."
Toph nodded in agreement and remained quiet as she and Sokka walked side by side to his cabin.
Hakoda was standing outside waiting. When Sokka didn't return that night or early that morning he began to worry. His son did have a broken nose, and he was well aware how fire nation soldiers scowered the Earth Kingdom. When the sun started to set Hakoda finally decided to go out and look for him. He went inside the cabin to retrieve his weapons, however, once he walked back outside, he noticed two familiar figures walking in the distance, it was Sokka and Toph! He quickly ran down the porch steps and rushed to their sides.
"Sokka, Toph! I'm so glad you two are alright," he said as he pulled his son into a hug. "What happened?"
Sokka pulled away. "I was captured by some Fire Nation mercenaries." He turned to look at Toph. "Toph found out and saved me, but then those same guys attacked us in the forest on the way here, they were after Toph the whole time and knew she was staying with us."
Hakoda's face quickly turned serious. "Then we have no choice, Toph, you need to head to Ba Sing Se as soon as possible. Spirits knows how many more of Firelord Azula's spies are lurking around out here, the sooner you get to the Earth Kingdom capital the better." He turned to face his son. "Sokka, I know you don't want to do this but please, Toph needs you to-"
"It's okay Dad," Sokka interrupted, "I already told Toph I'd help rescue her family." He lowered his head. "I saw a lot when I was captured last night, and you were right, things have changed since Zuko's death."
A warm smile spread across Hakoda's face. "Well, we better get moving, you two got a long trip ahead of you and you need to leave tonight before we get anymore unwanted visitors. In the mean time I better start packing too, I need to head back to the South Pole."
During the next hour Sokka packed some clothes, as well as extra food to bring with him. He strapped on his sword, packed his maps, and any other weapon he could use for future altercations with fire nation soldiers, and once he was sure he was all packed, he and his dad shared one last goodbye before they parted ways.
"You two be safe out there," said Hakoda, "and Sokka."
"Yeah Dad."
Hakoda gazed in his son's eyes for a while before they glanced over at Toph. "Be nice to Toph," he smiled.
Sokka couldn't help but smile back. "Sure Dad, whatever you say."
With that they parted ways, Hakoda heading South, and Sokka and Toph heading east. As the sun continued to set, Sokka and Toph walked side by side silently, marking the start of their brand new journey together.
A/N: I am so, so sorry this took so long, really. Aside from being crazy busy I had horrible writer's block with this chapter. I just hope this chapter is well worth the wait for everyone who was waiting for it, and I do apologize if this chapter was a little sucky. This is my first time writing anything with action, so bear with me if my action scenes are a little blah. That's one reason why I'm writing this story, to help me practice with writing fight scenes, so as always I'm open to any criticism. The next chapter won't take as long, hopefully, I'm not making any promises, but I will at least try not to take as long as I did with this chapter. For the next chapter, with Sokka and Toph officially on the road they're going to have their share of hiccups, most of it being them at each other's throats, but that's all I'm going to let slip. Yeah, and as far as the Tokka fluffiness goes, I'll get there, but it is going to be a little while, like a few more chapters away, but anyway, to all the reviewers, followers, and those who favorited this story, thank you. I've been busting my hiney trying to get this chapter done for you. Until next time...
Free- Spirited Dreamer
