Azula was able to plot a course for them, avoiding the military routes with the information she got from the Dai Li.

"This will take longer, but it will be safer. No sandbenders or military should be around."

It was going to be a seven-day hike since they were on foot. Once they got to Chameleon bay, they'd have to get a boat into the EK Ferry Port so they could get into Ba Sing Se.

On the second day, Azula called Toph over. "Time for your bath!"

"But we'll just get dirty hiking tomorrow."

"I'd rather have only two days of dirt on us than seven days worth when we get to Ba Sing Se. Do you really want the first time you see your friends in almost three years to be you smelling like an ostrich horse's butt? They'll be glad they didn't look for you sooner."

Toph launched a boulder at her.

Azula split it in two with her flames. "You know I'm right."

"You don't have to be such a bitch about it."

"But everyone hates me."

"I think people just don't know you. I like you, and I don't like most people."

"I like you too. Now get your stinky butt in the bath."

Azula did heat the water, which was nice and she had some flowery bath stuff.

"What are these?"

"Moon peach blossoms and bath salts."

Toph hated baths, but this one smelled really nice. "Can you help me wash my hair?"

Warm hands lathered Toph's hair and long nails scratched her scalp.

"Head scratches are the best!"

Azula had a way of helping people without making it seem like she pitied them, or she was their mother. Katara could take some notes.


That night, they stayed in an abandoned mining town.

"They have some interesting stuff here," Toph explored the metal carts and other abandoned items.

There was a dilapidated house where presumably the miners slept when they did work here. It was better than camping outside.

"What are you going to do afterwards?" Toph said.

"I don't know. Zuko might demand that you answer his questions as to where I was living. It's probably smarter to find a new house."

"I'm not going to just sell you out."

"I wasn't saying that you would, but when your friends aren't all on the same side, eventually you have to pick."

"I won't lie to him," Toph said, "but I won't throw you under the ostrich-horse cart if I can avoid it."

"Thanks."


After the third day, they decided to take a day off, which of course meant sparring.

"Princess Zappy, you're going down!"

"Like hell Badgermole!"

Boulders met cerulean flames. Metalbending found lightening as they found new ways of thwarting the other.

Azula was more strategic whereas Toph relied on instincts. She just had very good instincts.

Toph collapsed the ground beneath Azula, but the firebender flipped away.

Azula responded with fire whips, but Toph was able to dodge them.

"Why did I train you to be more athletic?" Azula questioned.

"Cause you're dumb!"

They had a good morning beating each other up, and now they needed to rest.

After an hour of lying around, both girls were famished.

"I see some fruit trees," Azula said in the distance. At their rate, they'd be out of jerky by the time they got to the bay, so they had to forage more.

Azula climbed and picked some apples. She roasted them over an open fire, which made them more appealing than just eating raw apples for lunch.

"We should have brought some cow pig belly."

"How would we store it?"

"If Sugar Queen were here, she could have kept it cold."

"If she were here, I'd probably be in jail."

"Then who would cook the cow pig?"

"Stupid," Azula told her.

"Double stupid!"

They slept under a dirt tent via Toph's earthbending.

"Do you get lonely, since you've spent so much time without anyone who actually knows who you are?"

"Before my paranoia kept me from worrying about that. I was sure that someone was going to find me, but now that I'm used to having someone to talk to, it will be weird being on my own again."

"You don't have anyone else that you trust?"

"I do, but I couldn't risk their safety. They're still in the Fire Nation, and if they got caught with me, they're looking at treason charges."

"What about me?"

"You're not Zuko's citizen. He can't do anything do you for what happened here. Kuei could if he had been looking for me, but he wasn't."

"So it's going to be you and those books."

"Yeah, me and a lot of books, until I figure something out."

"I wish I knew how to read. I never say anything about it, since I don't want the pity, but it would be nice to actually know what's going on instead of having people paraphrase everything to me."

"Maybe you could learn, if they had raised print or an ink with metal in it."

"Those are both valid ideas. Maybe the Mechanist could help me figure it out."


Azula woke up with Toph's head resting on her chest. Azula could feel the blush on her face and was glad Toph couldn't see it.

The earthbender had grown to be a beautiful woman, not that she knew it. She was so small and frail when Azula got her, but she was strong now, and her body actually had enough fat to give her curves. She'd have no trouble finding a boyfriend if she wanted one.

Azula wished they didn't have to part. It was nice not having to share Toph, but it's not like the earthbender reciprocated her feelings. How could she?

Azula pretended to be asleep when Toph woke up.

"Her boobs made nice pillows," Toph commented as she got up. Azula found it funny, but kept quiet.

Thirty minutes later, they were hiking again. Toph was appreciative that Azula had been such a hard ass before when it came to her training. She couldn't imagine this trip in the state she had been in months ago. The earthbender wondered what it would have been like to have her on their side during the war. With her fighting prowess and training methods, she could have likely made better fighters out of everyone.

If things could have been different, then Azula wouldn't have to leave her.

Was it wrong that Toph was looking forward to her bath because Azula would wash her hair? She knows how to keep the soap out of her eyes and not pull too hard.

It was also nice to feel her warm hands.

Stop this Toph, she doesn't like you like that, and she's going to be gone in a few days.

That evening, Toph made bathtub out of rock. They filled it with a rock bucket and Azula heated the water.

Toph took off her clothes and got in. Azula shouldn't stare but it was too easy. Azula took her clothes off and climbed into the tub.

"How did you get so many moon peach blossoms?" Toph questioned.

"I bought a pack of dried ones at the market. They're pretty compressed before you add them to the water."

Azula started to wash Toph's hair. The earthbender moaned happily which made Azula giggle.

"Shut up!"

"Sorry, you're enjoying my handwork too much!"

She was getting ready to wash her hair, when Toph turned around suddenly. Azula's hand slipped from her hair to her shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Have you ever liked someone, but known it wouldn't work because there was just too much in the way?"

"Yes."

"Did you go for it anyway?"

"No."

"Do you think that was wise?"

"It was probably wise, but I don't know if it was smart."

"What?"

"Given what I knew at the time, it was probably wise not to do anything, but if I had been smarter, I would have tried to find a way to make it work anyway."

"So if you had a second chance, you'd just try it anyway."

"I guess I would."

That's all Toph needed to hear. She crashed her lips to Azula's, almost missing since she couldn't see that well in the bathtub.

This kiss was the opposite of their first, needy and rushed. Toph needed some kind of confirmation. Once the shock wore off, Azula kissed her back, quickly taking control of the smaller girl as she pulled Toph into her lap. Their bodies were pressed together, as they battled each other in the tub.

Toph broke the kiss with a moan as Azula cupped her face.

"Are you sure?"

Toph nodded. They kissed again, this one slower more restrained. Azula felt like her chi was going to explode. She broke the kiss and started to move down Toph's body, kissing her neck and shoulders as the younger girl hummed happily.

Azula cupped a breast in her hand. The nipple hardened at her touch and Azula pinched it.

"OOH!"

Azula grinned, pinching and caressing as Toph's breathing slowed down.

She flicked a hardened nub with her tongue. She tried to pull away, but Toph pushed her head forward. She wanted more. Azula chewed on the nipple gently.

"FUCK!"

It was still amazing to her how perfect the earthbender in her arms was. She was thin, but strong, curvy, but only in the right places. Eventually Azula made it down the girl's flat stomach and started teasing her belly button with her tongue. It's a good thing she's an innie. Azula discriminates against outies, like her brother, gross! It's like a penis in your belly.

"LOWER!"

"Patience," Azula said. They only had a short time left together. Azula was going to savor every second.

She went down to her hips and then her thighs. Toph opened her legs on a reflex. Litlte hot pokers teased her thighs as Azula roamed her with her fingertips.

She smelled good and Azula bet she tasted even better. She made her way down her legs to her feet. Daringly, the firebender licked one of them with a heated tongue.

"OH FUCK!"

Toph usually hated it when people touched her feet, but her movements were so gentle, so wonderful.

Azula gently massaged each foot, doing things to her toes she had never even thought about before. It felt like nothing was out of bounds.

She slowly made her way back up to Toph's hips. She leaned in and licked her between her legs.

"OH SPIRITS!"

Azula continued to lick and suck away at her, exploring every inch of her wetness. She used her fingertips to add to the excitement. Toph was tight, so tight that Azula could only get a finger into her.

"FUCK!"

"Is that too much?"

"No!"

But another finger would have been, so Azula stayed with one.

A swollen nub made itself known. Azula licked around it, eliciting hisses, moans and gasps from the earthbender until she finally licked it directly.

Toph grabbed her head, pushing the princess into her and threw her head back. It's a good thing no one was around or else he would have heard Toph's shrieks and discovered their coupling.

Azula licked her clean; the earthbender was trembling. "Let's get out of the water. We're all wrinkly now."


Toph was dried, dressed and dinner was about to be served. She wasn't sure if Azula would kiss her back or slap her. There were so many reasons why this couldn't work, but none of them registered when they were in that tub. All Toph could think about was the warmth of Azula as she roamed her body freely. She completely gave in, and it felt so good. Toph would remember this night for a long time.

Dinner was simple: toasted bread, jerky and fruit, but food was food at this point. They were half way to Ba Sing Se. Three more days, and this would all be over.

They lied outside and Azula tried to explain the starry night to the blind earthbender.

"Stars are big balls of fire. From here, they all look like dots, white dots in a black sky, but they are different colors. The colors represent different fire temperatures. The hottest fire is white; it's all of the colors put together."

"But I thought the moon was white. It's just a big rock."

"It's not white," Azula said. "It's reflecting light from the sun which makes it look white. The moon is grey, which is like a mix of white and black."

"I still don't get what white is."

"Let's compare colors to sounds. You hear my voice and you can tell that it's me, but in a bar, you might hear 20 voices at once and although you hear sound, you can't make sense of any of it. It all blends together. White is like that. It's the mix of every color so that even though all of the colors are there, you don't see any of them. It's the opposite of black, just like a noisy bar is the opposite of silence. The sky is like bits of white interrupting the black sky. You can see each star in isolation just like you can hear different voices if they're not too close together."

"Are stars pretty?"

"Yes."

"Are you just saying that because they're made of fire?"

"I like that about them, but I think they're generally seen as pretty."

"Does nature have any features that are just plain ugly?"

"Swamps?"

"Have you ever been to one?"

"No, but they sound ugly. Catgators and beetles ew!"

Azula woke up before Toph. She didn't think the earthbender would return her feelings that made this all even harder. She didn't want to keep everything from her, but who knows how she would react? The Fire Nation needed its princess to come home. Azula had to save it. Even if Toph understood, how could she ask Toph to keep this a secret? What if Azula failed? Toph could be jailed if people thought she was involved.

Azula had to keep her mouth shut. It's better she hate me and be safe than love me just to risk everything. She pecked Toph's lips lightly, not expecting the girl to react, but then a small hand grabbed her. "If you start our mornings with that, we'll never to Ba Sing Se."

Azula grinned. Toph had the perfect smile. "Let's get ready. We have a bay to find."

They got up and started walking. It was easier to start the hike before breakfast. They would break for breakfast in the first hour and then keep going until lunchtime.

When they settled on a place to rest for the night, Toph asked her, "how is this going to work?"

"You mean us?"

"Yeah Zappy, us."

"I don't know. I want you to be happy Toph, preferably with me, but I can't ask you to wait forever."

"What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that someday, I'll have a place where we can live together, happily, but if you find someone else who makes you happy before then, I'll understand. My past is my problem, not yours. Someday, somehow, I'm going to have to answer for it, and I can't ask you to put your life on hold until that day comes."

Toph took her hand. "You don't have to ask me anything. I want us, and if that means waiting until your brother gets his head out of the sand, then I'll wait. I doubt I'd just magically find someone else who will make me as happy as you have in the past four months."

"You have no idea how gorgeous you are," Azula told her. "You'll get lots of offers."

"Like I said, I don't like most people. The thing about seismic sense is, I can tell when they're full of shit, and that's more often than I can put up with."

"Yet you kissed someone who's reputed to be a pathological liar."

"I never thought that," Toph said. "Sure you're not a 400ft platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings, but I knew you lied for the job, not just because you couldn't handle the truth. You're more like a secret agent than a habitual liar, and that's kind of hot."

Azula grinned. "Do you keep secrets from your friends?"

"What do you mean?"

"Let's say that Kuei and Chief Hakoda are in some type of territorial dispute, a fight over fishing posts, and you are meeting with your water tribe friends who of course, support their father.

If you had information that would be of interest to them, but you thought your King would want you to keep it to yourself, would you keep it a secret, even if they got angry at you later?"

Toph thought for a moment. "I'd do what I thought was right. If I thought Kuei was wrong, I'd go against him, but if he wasn't or if there was no truly right person in the dispute, then I'd have to side with my king, just like my friends would side with their father. They might be mad, but I hope they'd respect that my loyalty to the Earth Kingdom is just as valid as their loyalty to their tribes."

"And if they didn't?"

"Then they aren't being very good friends to me. Friends aren't people who agree with you all the time or follow you blindly. They're supposed to care about you, but even though they are important, they aren't your whole life."

"Coming from the girl who said her friends were everything."

"They are, I mean if I was in a position where I had to give my life to save my friends, then I would, for any of them, but a life or death situation isn't the same as just giving them everything they want. Sometimes, friends come down on different sides. If they're true friends, they'll make it."

"I see."

"Is this theoretical or real?"

"A little of both."

"Do you think you'll ever be friends with Mai and Ty Lee again?"

"I'm not sure if we were every really friends in the first place. If we were, it was before my father militarized me, and I might have burned that bridge too severely." If I haven't yet, I will soon.

"If they ever were your friends, then they could at least appreciate what a terrible guy he was and the affect that he had on you, even if they are wary of you now. If not, then move on. No reason to get hung up on what you can't change."

The next day was their last full day of hiking. It wouldn't be very long to get from their resting spot to the Chameleon Bay, but they would have to do their makeup and get forged papers to get into Ba Sing Se.

"Are you sure we can just buy them on the spot?" Toph questioned.

"It's what I did at Full Moon Bay. They aren't waiting in public obviously. You just have to look for the people who seem to be hiding. With your seismic sense, that should be easy."

"Good point."

They made it to their campsite. Azula could see the bay in the distance, but they were a bit a ways from it.

They built one last bath together and had a fun time washing each other.

"I love your hands," Toph told her.

"Most firebenders have rough hands from all of the callouses and burns, but I had the best skin care money can buy."

"You would."

"I am a princess after all, even if I'm in an exile of sorts."

"Are girls allowed to learn to firebend?"

"There are no rules against it, but it is rare. There's a reason I'm probably the only female firebender you've ever met."

"You are."

"Firebending used to be about life and celebration. There's fire art, fire healing, advanced heatbending and cold firebending. Men and women used to learn them all at their leisure, but when the war started, Sozin put all the focus on fighting, so all of the instruction went to men. It was seen as a war tool, and only men traditionally went to war, so women stopped learning."

Azula learned a lot about the pre-Sozin Fire Nation from books she read during her time hiding in Ba Sing Se. She found it shocking.

"Does anyone know the other arts?"

"The sages might. They probably know some of it at least. It would be nice for my country to learn it once more."

"How come you got trained as a man?"

"When my father discovered I had a blue flame, he realized I was a prodigy. He had me trained to be a fighter and started to ignore my brother. It's one of the many reasons he can't stand me."

Toph didn't ask the other reasons, but she had some idea.

After their bath, they went to their bedrolls, naked of course. Toph had been at Azula's mercy last time. This time, she wanted to be in charge. She straddled the firebender, kissing her before saying, "I believe I still owe you from the other night."

Azula grunted happily as small, strong hands made their way all over Azula's body. Toph roamed everywhere. She had to feel her way since she couldn't see on the bed. Azula's skin was so warm and soft. She also made delicious moans, low and throaty as Toph explored her body. He breasts had a nice heft to them, and Azula squirmed as she squeezed them.

The firebender tried to resist, but she was bad at suppressing her excitement.

"There's no reason to fight it," Toph said. "I can feel your heart pounding out of your chest."

Eager lips lavished Azula's delicate skin and as Toph went lower and lower, the woman beneath her struggled to breathe as she anticipated what was to come.

She started off slowly, exploring her way with her hands and tongue. She wanted to know Azula's favorite spots, and she had to try them all to tell.

The only hands that had ever been down there before were Azula's and this was better, much better.

The firebender breathed a flame as Toph made her way inside.

"You really are a dragon," Toph teased as she curved her fingers inside and rubbed this spot that seemed to drive Azula crazy.

"OH SPIRITS!"

She was a mess, breathing irregular and body shaking, as Toph toyed with her. The earthbender didn't want this moment to end.

The Princess let out a strangled cry as she came. Toph kissed her way back up to her lips, and pecked them. "You're too much fun."