Toza's Gym Challenge: Nets Four
Word count: 1547
Animals: catgator, lion vulture, eelhound, rabaroo
The earthbending master did not need to be told where she was, nor did she need to feel the intense, dry heat sweeping grains across her face. The fact that she was at the complete mercy of her new captor was enough to send the blind girl into a silent panic. Without her feet to guide her through the sandy terrain, she was at a lost and felt humiliated at her current circumstances. The alpha's chi recoiled in panic and anger. She was foolish for challenging Bumi or even believing the mad man would treat the game fairly. She had put Ty Lee at risk, inciting the omega's estranged wife to hunt her down like some deranged eelhound.
Speaking of eelhounds…Toph turned at the growls from several of the weird looking animals directly behind her. She could not see them, of course, with the sand ensnaring her at the ankles, but the creatures were louder than her bubbly assistant as they quickly advanced. A part of her sensed they were there with a purpose that reeked of King Bumi.
"They caught up to us," she heard June hiss along with other curses under her breath.
Toph thought on a strategy, wishing Suyin's father was at her side at the very moment. She was sure the councilman was wondering on her whereabouts, as well, since she had been gone longer than they had arranged, leaving him with both her daughters to care for until she returned. Knowing Sokka as well as did, he was super agitated by now about missing numerous opportunities to mingle with every beautiful and willing woman Republic City had to offer.
Maybe he'll keep his pants up longer. Thought the alpha, vindictively.
Her opportunity was presented when she heard the unmistakable sound of a rock whizzing by her ear. The earthbending soldiers were callous to load their eelhounds with hefty portions of the sweet Mother Earth, she realized as they encircled the escapees.
"Well?" Asked June when they were back to back. "Let's see what the greatest earthbender in the world can do".
Toph snickered deviously. Stretching her arms wide, she lifted every single rock loaded on the four eelhounds surrounding them, making their riders gasp as she molded the rocks into vertical columns before moving her arms downward, the earth columns following suit to create a red mess that painted the golden sands a sea of red.
"Spirits".
The chief did not miss the slight tremble in the bounty hunters voice, making her realize what she had actually done in her fury. As if to further guilt trip her, the shrill sound of lion vultures embraced the hot skies, overhead.
I…killed them. She thought in panic.
Of course, being an active member of the past war, Toph had witnessed bloodshed and unintentionally played a part in it before, at the tender age of ten, but things were different now. These were peaceful times and despite Bumi's little mind games, she highly doubted Aang's best friend from childhood would actually kill Ty Lee in cold blood as she had just done to four of his men.
Feeling sick, as the earthbender heard the wide wings of the lion vultures flap towards the ground, the alpha thought on her daughters. She had set out to make a selfish point, to make people respect the Bei Fong name even more than did after the war's outcome. Yet, after what she just did, the alpha wondered if even in the success of finding the innocent omega, she had failed herself and Aang along the way.
"Hey," Toph's head tilted in June's direction. A comforting hand on the shoulder from her new captor did little to ease her mind. "Don't think about it," suggested the alpha. "Besides, one of these guys is still breathing".
This made Toph feel some relief, at least.
"Please, Mercy!" Squealed the man trapped beneath his fallen eelhound, with a lion vulture taking careful pecks at the dead creature. "I-I was only following orders. Please, I have pups and a wife at home". Toph wondered how many of the other casualties around them shared his story.
The bounty hunter was unfazed by the dramatics, however. Shooing the lion vulture away, she grasped his collar firmly, snarling inches from his face. "If she doesn't kill you, I will finish the job," she threatened. "My shirshu was taken from me. You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?"
"I-I…" The man stuttered, helplessly.
"Lie all you want. There are plenty of hungry birds around us," she noted at which the man paled.
"A-A cave underground!" He piped. "There is…there's an, uh, oasis not far from here. Your animal is there".
Toph's keen hearing caught the sound of a brandished blade. Before she could calculate how close she was to the alpha to reach out and stop her, she heard the devastating sound of impaled flesh, followed by the choking cough of a dying man.
"Can't have your king following us, hmm?" Spoke the woman afterwards.
"You didn't have to kill him," insisted the earthbender in disgust.
June huffed loudly. "I could say the same for you, besides Queen's orders. Spare no one," she answered. "Don't look like that, Cutie," she added at Toph's frown. "She wants you alive after all this".
"Oh, Goodie," grumbled Toph, feeling slight fear rise from June's words.
She knew she could go toe to toe with the princess for a while at least, given her honed bending skills in adulthood, yet she would rather avoid such a confrontation with her somewhat friend…
#
King Bumi arose early that morning, sure he would open his eyes to see Toph's unseeing ones. When he instead saw those of his pet rabaroo begging for a carrot, he gave a wholesome laugh.
"Well, seems Toph is enjoying her stay here along with that bounty hunter," he concluded, giving the animal the snack. The rabaroo eagerly took it before hoping off his chest on the bed.
The king stretched his limbs wide and rolled out of bed, to prepare for another day. When he reached his throne room, he was greeted with an urgent message from the night's watch. Bumi had a green candy midway to his lips when he gaped at the words on the page.
Four husbands, four sires, all dead at the hands of his two former prisoners. Bumi blinked thrice times. The four men had been loyal to him even after the Fire Nation had conquered his city. The night's watch was considered the easiest position in Omashu, mainly given for long-standing loyalty. All these men he knew, personally, along with their alpha, omegas or betas and pups.
To say the old king was shaken was an understatement. Part of him wanted to blame the arrogant chief of Republic City's police, but in reality, the blood was on his hands.
"Your Highness?"
Bumi managed to tear his thoughts away from how to give the men's families the terrible news at the general's call followed by the snapping of an animal foreign to earth kingdom's lands inside his throne room, unannounced. He raised his head from the message to meet the golden gaze of someone he had not seen in some time.
"My, My, My…" Crooned the easy voice of the mad princess, her hand rubbing the giant catgator at her side, absently with perfectly manicured nails. "I feel right at home, here".
The Mad King signaled for the general to leave with a wave of his ring adorned hand, his signature smile returning despite the tragic turn of events.
"Ah, Dear Princess, I should have expected a visit from you. Here, have a candy," he offered, waving the green rock hard delicacy from his place on the throne.
An answering snap came from the princess's catgator, its sharp teeth brandished as if personally offended. The princess shushed the creature with a motherly touch that surprised the king.
"No thanks. I prefer to keep my Cheshire cat smile," she cooed back.
Bumi gave a cackle. "Yes, I'm sure it is just to die for," he said, choosing his next words, strategically. "Speaking of…" He taunted with a furrowed brow and pat of his lips with an index finger as if in deep thought. "I wonder if Ty Lee knew her abusive ex was after her too?" He said an octave lower. "Well, before, you know…"
The reaction spurred was well worth it when the princess was suddenly at his throat with her animal snapping by his ear. Grasping his beard, she showed rare vulnerability as she growled, "She gave as good as she got! And if I were you, I would pray to your gods that your head does not take long to sever from your neck if she's dead".
Bumi's grin widened despite the threat, as Azula's fingers emitted smoke.
"There, there, Princess, our interests are aligned here," he explained. "I want Toph's head for what she did to my soldiers and you want her away from your omega in heat. We can both get what we want in this case".
He felt the catgator's steaming breath, but did not dare turn away from the alpha's eyes as he awaited the answer.
"I'm listening," said Azula with an arched, curious eyebrow.
Oh forgot to add there are references to Injustice 2 because though Tyzula is my OTP forever, I am pretty sure their relationship could potentially replicate Harley Quinn and The Joker GASP!
Anyway, hope you liked! QTZ