Chapter 7
"Guys, when I grow up, I'm going to be a truck driver."
"Great ambitions, Sokka."
"Better than yours, I bet. Whatcha gonna be, a miner?"
"Haha, you're hilarious. I want to be an explorer." Both boys couldn't help a snort of laughter. "Oh yeah, Aang, what do you want to be?"
"A zookeeper." He replied promptly. Toph giggled and slumped deeper into her seat.
"Sokka, estimated arrival time?"
"Hey, I dunno. This is my first time driving, how am I supposed to even predict anything?"
"If this is your first time driving, how come we are still alive?" Toph poked the general vicinity of the driver's seat and found Sokka's forearm.
"It's close enough to driving a boat."
"You have me convinced. We're all going to die by car crash."
Aang piped up from the backseat, "That would be rather ironic."
"Yeah. Imagine the Fire mutants getting the news weeks later. 'That Avatar kid you've been trying to kill for years? Yeah, he died a while ago in a terrible car crash.'"
Toph laughed, but it was laced with sadness. She couldn't help commenting: "That would be a waste."
Sokka instantly got her inflection and sobered up. "Don't worry, Toph. Once we reach the others, we'll make her proud."
Toph curled up in her seat and slept.
"England."
"Description, please."
"Combat-wise, very good for hiding from air strikes. Plenty of rather sturdy looking structures and small hiding places. Beauty-wise, I can't say I've seen a more depressing-looking place in my life." Sokka replied.
"Same here." Aang agreed. "Even the Americas were a little brighter than this drab grey."
"Grey." Toph muttered under her breath. Grey was rain. Katara had loved the rain.
Sokka's shout startled her as he braked. "Look, that is definitely a sign!"
Toph felt Aang lean forward between the two front seats. "Looks like an indication of some Water mutants. We might be in luck."
"So should we try to get in? Building looks boarded up."
"Sure. Let's just not get shot this time."
"Glad you clarified that, Toph." Aang lightly punched her in the shoulder. Toph retaliated with a swipe that caused him to fall back with a laugh.
"Okay, guys. Let's go. Grab all of the gear."
To say that something was wrong was an understatement. The weird tension when they entered the room was enough, but added to that was a suspicion of them. No one trusted anyone anymore.
"Dad!"
Toph felt Sokka rush into his father's arms. She couldn't help a frown, and she muttered "How'd he get here so fast?"
People began to mill about, and Toph stumbled slightly, thrown off balance by their many vibrations. Normally Sokka or Aang-Katara-would've steadied her, but they were both pre-occupied with others. Toph rudely shoved her way over to a wall. Best she wait this one out.
"Aang, Sokka, the Water mutants welcome you and hope your arrival will be the beginning of the end for the Fire mutants. Through our combined efforts . . ." Toph tuned out of the boring speech. She recognized the voice as that of Arnook, who had claimed age as a reason for sitting out of the battle. He was standing on dirt. All she had to do . . .
"Thank you, father. But now is not the time for talk of war. Everyone here is tired, and we could all do well with a small break. Hahn, break out the best of our supplies, as we mourn those we have lost and celebrate those we have saved!"
Toph sat up. A new voice. Female, young. Talking to Sokka. Toph had tried to ignore the feelings that had been present ever since she met the boy, but this time they came forward in a rush of jealousy. No longer distracted by the many vibrations because of her focus, she strode through the remnants of their army towards the center of the room. As soon as she was close enough, she delved further into her abilities, pulling dust from the ground and surrounding the new girl. With any luck it wouldn't be too visible. Biting her lip, she let the dust settle.
"Hey, Toph! Have you met Yue yet?" Aang said brightly.
"No."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Toph. I've heard so many stories of your bravery."
"Thank you." Toph said shortly. She moved away before she did something stupid, and Aang followed her.
"Sokka's scored this time for sure, that girl has looks." He said in a happy manner that made Toph grind her teeth.
"Aang, tell me something."
"Sure."
"What color is her hair?"
"Why on earth would you want to know that?" She could almost feel Aang's gaze.
"Helps me complete the picture." Toph calmly replied.
"White. I hear she went through some sort of chemical torture at some point by Fire mutants. She's a war hero."
"Oh." She was really pretty, unfortunately, as far as Toph could tell from her dust sight. She couldn't even have the satisfaction of hating the girl. If Katara were with her, she could vent all of her frustration; she had seen through Toph's crush on Sokka in a day-"How did you ever get into my brother? We're talking about the same person, right, the one who has the smelliest socks ever?"-But Katara couldn't be with her, because of her. Her failure. Toph spent the rest of the day in a haze of feelings she couldn't analyze, or maybe just refused to.
"Sokka?"
"What is it, Toph?"
She let herself inhale and exhale. "Did you have a good day?"
"Of course, why, didn't you?"
Toph paused and let herself easily slip into the lies again. "Of course."
When the sharp scissors caused the last of her hair to fall to the ground, Katara couldn't repress the groan. While she was thankful that her captor hadn't actually shaved her head, she could tell that whatever was left on her head was not pretty.
"Care to see the results? I fancy myself quite the hairstylist now."
Katara didn't respond, and from somewhere Azula pulled out a mirror and held it in front of her, forcing her to see herself in the mirror. While Katara didn't think too much of appearance, she was still female, and as soon as she saw herself, looked away.
"No tip? So rude." The scissors, open, whispered along her scalp and down her neck. "This was fun, are you in a more talkative mood now?"
"Sure, let's talk about what the Fire mutants are up to right now." The scissors slashed a clean line across her left shoulder.
"As much fun as I've had, I'll leave you for now. See you tomorrow."
"I look forward to it." As the assassin left, Katara slumped down in her chains. She let her mind wander, trying to leave the prison behind her.
"Hi there, Katara. Um, I brought you this."
Katara took the bundle from Zuko, arching an eyebrow at him. He was actually dressed up, making her keenly aware of her tattered shirt and cargo pants. Opening it, she found a dagger.
"Romantic." The blush on Zuko's face was worth it.
"Well, I figured you'd like something practical, you know? What would you do with flowers?"
"Are you saying I'm not feminine?"
He was really blushing now. "Katara, please, let's just go."
"Go where?"
"Well, where would you like to go?"
"It's not like I can explore Beijing in the daylight. Thus us meeting at night. I don't know the city."
"I know. Follow me."
Katara saluted. "To the death."
He shot her his half scowl-half grin. "Enough sass from you for one night."
"Wait, what building is this?"
"Just be quiet and follow me."
Katara couldn't help the excitement in the pit of her stomach as Zuko picked the lock to the stairs and they began their ascent.
"Okay, Katara, now close your eyes." Zuko whispered into her ear. Katara shivered.
"I'll trip." She hissed.
"No you won't." Katara reluctantly closed her eyes. She felt a hand at her elbow and at her waist.
"Open your eyes."
Sparkling lights met her eyes. They were on the roof, overlooking the night lights of Beijing. Katara automatically looked up, even though she knew that she would only see the fog of pollution. She couldn't help a sigh.
"What's wrong?"
"In Antarctica, we could see so many stars." Katara murmured wistfully.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm pretty sure you are not the cause of the pollution."
Zuko laughed. "I am powerful and influential, you know. I could have ordered the pollution."
"For shame. For that, take this!" Katara splashed him with the water in the air, giggling.
"I hope you are well-rested, my dear!" Katara lifted her head off the ground unwillingly. "You have a visitor today, who is going to help me." Whoever the visitor was, they refused to step out of the shadows of the room.
"Shy?" Katara smirked as the chains lifted her up, though she was resting on her knees.
"You shouldn't worry about him. I'd worry about you." Too late Katara saw the whip in the Azula's hands, and it slashed across her torso. She hung from the chains on her wrists, gasping. Katara slowly looked up.
"Ow."
"I looked up your information. Would you like to hear what we know?"
"I'd love to."
"Katara, last name unknown, age around 17. Brother Sokka, age around 18. Mother, Kya, dispatched at her age of 4, by one of our best agents. Very nice."
"Are you trying to make me cry? Not working."
"What if I offered you the name of your mother's killer for the location of the Avatar."
Katara couldn't help a pause, but came back with a quick retort: "That won't tempt me."
"Very well. Let's go back to my more violent methods." She caressed her whip. "Zuko, would you like a try?"
Katara's gasp turned into a choked sound. "Zuko?"
"Oh, so you have met my brother. I thought you had. Zuko, you shouldn't lie so much." Azula's smile was gratingly sweet. Katara couldn't breathe-I thought you had changed-until she let it go. Or pretended to.
"Well, Azula, I'm assuming that today will be filled with even more fun?" Katara turned from Zuko to Azula. She caught the hint of disappointment in Azula's face-I'm not that weak-and the guilt in Zuko's.
"Yes indeed. Today, what I want to know, is how you stopped my army from moving for those key seconds."
"Like I'd tell you."
"Well then, maybe Zuko can make you talk."
"Oh Zuko can't do anything right. Don't you know that?"
"Let's find out." She held out her whip to Zuko. Katara kept her eyes locked on his face, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. "Come on, Zuko, we don't have all day."
Zuko took the whip. Even as he struck her, he kept his eyes focused on a point over Katara's shoulder. Coward.
A/N: Doesn't seem very Zutara-ish, does it? At least you have the flashback dating scene :3