VII. Peaches


Toph's lips were tingling.

The moment she felt the vibrations of Aang and her students slip past the tree line she planted her feet firmly and let her whole being meld with the stone. She took a deep cleansing breath and felt the earth welcome her back like a lover. Toph stretched her awareness out as far as she could, feeling every pebble and pothole, noting every bird, beast and insect; before drawing herself back to the circle of land she knew like the lines on her fingers. Her home.

She raised her arms up and tilted her hands slowly, as though she might be able to cup all that territory between her palms. Moving the earth wasn't like moving water or air. Rock was stubborn, she'd always told her students, air was adaptable, water was patient but earth demanded. If you wanted results you had to pit your will against it and never back down. Obey. She commanded the stone beneath her feet. I am the greatest earthbender in the world and you will obey! Toph brought her hands down and out, twisting her wrists and pushing against an untouchable force.

In a perfect circle all around the crest of the hill the ground exploded outwards. The shockwave sent a massive blast of debris raining down across the open space and dust rose thick in the air. An almost lazy gesture settled it back to the ground revealing the Bei Fong School and the top of the hill it sat on resting atop a stout pillar in the center of a massive crater.

The hollowed out space reached almost to the edge of the forest, leaving the training house well out of range of archers or spear throwers. Any attackers would have to cross the newly formed canyon and scale a now sheer cliff face to reach the building. Surveying her fortress Toph swung her arms out again, forming two tight fists and pulling them in against her body. A narrow strip raised itself from the crater's floor, reconstructing that path that had once led up the hill.

It would be better, she decided, to have one controllable way in where she could pick them off, rather than forcing her attackers to bring out weaponry she might have a harder time defending against. No need to compel them to destroy anything. Settling the path into place she shook her body out to keep herself limber.

For a few minutes everything was quiet. She bounced slightly on the balls of her feet, irritated by the anticipation and unable to calm herself. Toph wasn't much of one for meditating especially when she could taste Twinkletoes on her lips with every deep breath in.

Spirits damn affectionate people; she would never understand them.

Forcing her mind to tactics she moved slowly through her earthbending katas, listening carefully. There! Thrumming at the edge of her awareness came the sound of marching feet; closer and closer. Dropping to her knees, she spread her fingers across the flagstones. There were thirty, no forty men. Big and heavily armoured. Which meant they would be slow. Good. She could feel them carrying something, rolling it along on big metal wheels. It sounded like a catapult. Regaining her feet, she closed the main gate. Considering idly that they might think the school was deserted.

Toph resettled herself in the center of the courtyard. Outside, the Black Fist raiding party had stopped at the edge of her crater. They appeared to be milling around waiting for direction. She grinned a little. Apparently a giant chasm hadn't been part of their briefing.

For the most part they were still. Only one man seemed to be moving, walking back and forth along the lip of the crater, pausing to examine the thin line of the path. Hello there, commander. Toph contemplated crushing him with a boulder or opening the earth to swallow him whole, but the distance made her 'sight' less clear than she would need for a precision strike and she didn't want to lose the element of surprise.

The catapult was being rolled forward, partially up the path to put it in range of the courtyard. Spitting on her hands, she rubbed them together in anticipation, spoiling for a fight. Toph had wondered what these Black Fist warriors possessed that would let them neutralize a whole town's worth of benders. She didn't hear the catapult being released, it had been muffled somehow, but she could feel the shifting of the air currents. The canister that came whipping towards her was metal and light. She halted its flight in midair and let it drop gently into her hands. There was liquid inside, she could hear it sloshing around, but not one fluid, two. The capsule had two wax seals interrupting its smooth surface and there was a pane of glass inside that must be keeping them separated. Sokka had been experimenting with things like this, he'd talked her ear off about them.

Gas.

That explained how they'd gotten around the earthbenders. Tearing air jerked her back to what was happening. Toph rolled the caught canister carefully away and held up a hand just in time to halt a second gas bomb. Arcing her arm out she tossed it over the far side of the roof. There were more in the air now, multiple catapults on the same rolling platform. The vibrations of the small army on the far side of the crater created too much interference to pick out the capsules at a distance. Instead Toph kicked up a spar of stone, closing her hand around one end she brought it back to her shoulder like a bat and struck the gas bomb hard enough to send it careening over the wall.

The first bomb went wide to the left, far from the warriors gathered at the end of the path. The second and third she managed to lob neatly into the crowd, sending them scattering away from the contaminated air. The fourth one burst when she struck it, leaving her coughing and sputtering which caused her to miss the fifth. It exploded on the ground next to her and Toph hauled the flagstones that covered the courtyard up into the air, forming a protective roof over the open area. She tugged the band of fabric out of her hair and fastened it over her mouth and nose, cursing her own stupidity.

It was long past time she took the offensive.

Splaying her fingers out she sent the flagstones that shielded her flying over the walls, smashing the wooden catapult to splinters. Her aim might not have been precise at such a distance but the sheets of rock were heavy enough to crush more than a few of the Black Fist. She took a ragged breath. The gas was staying close to the ground; it was like soup to move though, much heavier than the air. Toph's head felt leaden, it was difficult to focus her bending and her 'vision' began to blur. The sound of laughter on the wind made her blood boil. Whoever was leading this raid thought he had the Bei Fong School's earthbenders down, he was sorely mistaken. Thundering feet raced up the path. The thugs were trying to make a push for the school while anyone inside was incapacitated by the gas. A growl made its way out from low in her throat. Not a chance!

A rippling shockwave of thin pillars exploded from the ground along the makeshift roadway, the villains howled as they were tossed high only to fall into the deep open pit of the crater. Wasting no time, Toph switched to rougher, firmer motions and sent the metal studs that adorned the training house door flying like boleros at the men who had managed to keep their feet. They were close enough now for precision strikes and she took pleasure in aiming for as many foreheads as she could, feeling the earth laugh with her as her enemies collapsed. The rivets that missed their mark rained down like hailstones, causing the men to duck and yell and providing an excellent distraction from the enormous boulder she bent from the top of the path. She slid first one foot forward and then the other, setting back into her horse stance as she felt firm ridges rise on either side of the roadway. The leader below was bellowing something to his troops that sounded like a warning. With a strong shove that struck nothing at all, she sent the giant sphere of rock tumbling down the incline, nodding in satisfaction as the edges she'd formed kept the boulder firmly on track despite any … obstacles. Almost as an afterthought Toph raised a hand and formed a high, solid wall at the base of the hill, preventing escape. The sickening crunch of snapped limbs and panicked screaming made her lips twitch in a smile.

The makeshift road empty again, she dropped the walls and left it open as both mockery and trap. On the wind she could hear the commander yelling at his remaining troops. Less than a dozen now, and afraid to get closer.

Wait!

Now that she noticed Toph could scarcely believe she had missed the sound of extra heartbeats far too near her own. Her head swam and she dropped her guard for a moment to press her fingers to her temples. They had come up the sheer face of the spire while she was distracted with the Black Fist thugs at the gate. She hadn't heard them because they'd been climbing ropes but they moved with the steps of a discipline she had only encountered once before.

Chi Blockers.

Six of them were scaling the outer wall. Toph reached out and twisted her hand sharply ninety degrees and the first of the blockers to reach for the terracotta tiles of the roof had them turn to dust under his fingers. One managed to make it over the wall only to find the ground turned to liquid beneath him as he landed. She let the mud solidify once he had sunk in as far as his neck. By that time the other four were on her.

Dropping into a low fighting stance Toph turned the solid ground of the courtyard into shifting, sucking sand, sacrificing some of her rapidly blurring vision to knock her attackers off balance. Everywhere she stepped the earth became solid again under her toes. As the Blind Bandit, Toph had rarely fought more than one person at a time, but traveling with the avatar and years of training with firebenders and waterbenders had honed her strange patient approach to combat well. The first flurry of jabs to her shoulder she simply flowed around, letting the tallest one's strikes connect with the attacker that had been edging close behind her. She twisted her foot to one side and the striker was incased to the shins in stone. One arcing rock to the back of his head and he went down like a ton of bricks. It was so hard to hear their movements over the roaring of blood in her ears that Toph was forced resolidify the ground. Turning just in time to narrowly avoid a crippling throat strike, she dropped to a crouch and kicked out with both legs to connect with the boulder she'd pulled up. The stone connected smoothly with an unprepared chi blocker, sending him flying. Her eyes opened wide as she caught the vibrations of attacker number three and she rolled to one side just as he slammed his knee down hard enough to crack the stones beneath. Toph sent the shards of tile flying at him and staggered to her feet. Her movements were clumsy, fighting the cloying gas with every step.

She blocked a body blow with her elbows and kneed the attacker sharply in the kidneys, stepping around his falling body just far enough to readjust her stance and kick him hard in the side with her opposite leg before he landed. Spinning she turned her attention to the final chi blocker. Summoning up three spinning disks of stone she sent two to his left and one flying at the right side of his skull, providing just enough of a distraction for her to slip under his guard and seize him by the collar, slamming their foreheads together with punishing force.

Oh. Her head erupted in throbbing pain. That was a poor choice.

But he went down and she remained, however unsteadily, on her feet. The man she had kicked was struggling to rise. Shakily Toph leaned down and ripped the mask from his face, exposing him to the gas that was slowly dragging her downwards, and punched him hard in the temple.

There was more work to be done.

Outside the gate the Black Fist was moving, cautiously, towards the training house. They were attempting stealth. Any other time she would have crowed with laughter and smashed them all into the ground but the gas was making things fuzzier every second. Toph tried but couldn't hold herself upright. She winced as she hit the ground much too hard; earthbending from her knees wasn't easy but she had done it before. Vibrations echoed in her brain without resolving into any coherent picture. Scraping together the last of her strength Toph heaved a wave of broken earth towards the invaders. Someone was roaring for a retreat but she was too fast, they were buried beneath the swell of dirt and rock.

Toph fell forward onto her hands, listening hard for any movement. Everything was still. The ground settled back to its natural state and she let herself collapse onto the cool dirt; fighting unconsciousness. Slumped and exhausted she turned towards one of the insensible chi blockers.

"That's what you get for messing with Toph Bei Fong!"

She couldn't even muster up the energy to spit at him. Time slipped away from her as she lay in the courtyard of the training house; her next clear point of awareness was a wave of fresh clean air that blew over her like the breath of life. Rolling onto her back Toph pulled the scarf away from her face and gasped weakly.

"Wow."

"D'I gettum?" She slurred, her tongue a dead weight.

Cool hands touched her forehead. "You got them."

"Wha'took ya so long T'inks?"

"Awe," the voice was full of laughter. "I thought you could use the practice."

She narrowed her eyes. "You gonna pay f'that."

"Sounds good Toph." Strong arms wrapped around her and she found herself pressed against a muscular chest.

"Twkles? Somfin funny in s'stuff. Makes m'lips all tingly."

She couldn't stay awake long enough to hear if he replied.


Katara had run an appraising eye over the firebender who had supposedly been sent along with her and immediately began to crack jokes. It was obviously Zuko in the plate armour. Same height, same build and he was wearing the full face mask that had fallen out of use since the end of Sozin's War. The waterbending master knew she wasn't the funny one in her family, or her group of friends, but she had a scathing wit from time to time and after so many years as companions she knew just how to push the young Fire Lord's buttons.

Leaning back she stretched her arms above her head, working imaginary kinks out of her back and neck. "Phew am I glad to get out of there. I mean I know he's the fire lord but he's a bit of a blowhard isn't he?"

She gave him an appraising glance. "Not all that attractive either, he's like a long streak of nothing, all toothpick. Not like you… hmm you've got some muscle. Got to love firebenders, they're all heat."

There was a tiny sound of metal rattling as Zuko's plated hands clenched into fists. Katara had to turn away so he couldn't see her roll her eyes. Inside she was cackling her head off. How could he be buying this?

She decided to try a different tact. "And he's always going on about restoring the honour of Agni's line and blah blah blah. You know he used to go on and on about the Avatar like that?" She couldn't help smirking now. "Frankly I don't believe that story about punching a komodo-rhino in the face at all!"

"You were there for that!" Zuko fairly exploded with ire, tearing off his helmet and glaring as though he'd really like it if she would spontaneously burst into flames and save him the trouble of torching her. Katara dissolved into helpless laughter.

"Oh you are too easy!"

"I punched that rhino to stop it from goring you if you recall!" He insisted, petulantly.

She held up her hands in a defensive posture. "I know, I know."

"And then you told everyone I was lying!" He began to shuck off the pieces of his plate armour. "I told them I hit that beast to protect you and you laughed and said you didn't know what I was talking about!"

"It was two years ago Zuko!"

"And yet it's still funny to you. Hmm?" She reached over to unbuckle the breastplate and as he slid it off she move on to the shoulder guards with the ease of long familiarity.

" Oh Zuko It'll always be funny." She jerked the last piece of plate free with more force than necessary, making him stumble into the wall of the war balloon's basket. "But only because I wasn't horribly injured."

"Yeah well you're brother does enjoy threatening my life. I wouldn't want to give him the opportunity to actually make good."

"Wise." She smirked, recapturing her seat.

"Speaking of wise decisions; I took your advice, on authorizing incentives for Earth Kingdom people living in Fire Nation colonies if they relocate here when the last ones are dismantled."

"How did that go over with your advisors?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Oh half of them are still angry we have to give up the colonies at all. Nevermind that we're damned lucky that the Earth and Water rulers didn't insist on reparations."

"The council would have stepped in before that." She assured him

"It helped that you put your official seal on the letter."

Katara couldn't resist a dreamy smile. Ever since she'd watched Toph get four people and an unauthorized pet into Ba Sing Se with nothing more than a flash of documentation, she had wanted something to make bureaucrats soil their britches in fear. The seal of the 'Watertribe Representative to the Council of the Four Nations' was all she'd ever dreamed and more. "I love that thing. Sometimes I want to keep it on my bedside table to drive away administrative nightmares."

"A few years ago I would have called you a strange and terrifying person."

"And now?"

"Well I still find you strange and terrifying but I can totally appreciate anything that keeps those horrible nightmares of paperwork at bay."

Katara laughed at him as she dug into her pack, tossing the fire lord one of the moon peaches she'd wheedled out of the palace kitchen that morning.

"No more ruler talk." She insisted. "Technically we're both still on vacation." Zuko saluted her with the piece of fruit and she watched as he bit into the soft pale flesh, licking the juice from his lips with gusto.

Moon peaches were his favorite.

She knew that without even thinking about it because it was Zuko and after nine years she knew him inside and out.

Katara knew everything about the people in her life. While at the South Pole she had known because she had grown up around the same twenty faces day in and day out in a community that spanned less than a square mile. Once she'd made her way out into the world with Aang, Katara had discovered that she liked to learn about people and because of that people seemed to enjoy talking to her. New acquaintances would spill their whole life story within hours of a first introduction.

She found it comforting to know exactly here every person around her could be filed into her mental catalogue; untrustworthy or loyal, help or harm, good or evil. Very rarely did her opinions change once set. Though she had always been determined to retain her optimism and belief in people, Katara learned early on to guard her heart well.

But not from Zuko.

She had studied him first as an enemy; a clever and relentless foe. But under the ruins of Ba Sing Se she had found not a personification of evil, but a hurt, scared boy. Fear and hope, hatred and redemption, the fire prince had tread up and down the corridors of her heart so many times she wouldn't really know it without him there.

Katara had always expected that love would rage through her like a tsunami. That when she met the eyes of the person she was destined to be with a whole new universe would open up. She had loved Aang because she'd always thought she was meant to love him, because that was the fairytale; a boy and a grand adventure and the girl who would follow him to the ends of the earth. Instead, love had slipped through and tugged at her with the slow implacability of the tides. She found that love was deep and still.

Katara knows down in the hidden spaces of her heart that Zuko would face a thousand men for her armed only with his broadswords and his wits, though she would never in a hundred years expect it or ask him to. There are secret moments of passion in their history together; Stolen kisses, desperate caresses, like a current rushing under a calm surface. But for the most part love was overshadowed by duty and adventure. This thing between them remained a never uttered promise, a truth that neither one would speak.

Though no one would ever think to ask her, Katara would say that it kept her life interesting.

"Saving the world on your vacation? You know one day you're going to have to learn to relax."

"This from the man who had the idea to spend our one month's vacation each year doing hard physical labour?" She shot back. Zuko just shrugged and went back to his snack.

There was still something unsettlingly arousing about watching him devour that poor defenseless fruit.


Two days out from the Fire Nation Katara awoke in the circle of Zuko's arm as he lazily spat fire into the boiler. Kicking the metal door shut with his foot he peered down at her with a gentle smile.

"I thought you might sleep all day. We're almost there."

Loath to leave the warmth of the firebender's body, she allowed herself to curl in closer for just a moment longer. "Are you going to change?"

"I'll probably need help with my armour again if you don't mind."

Katara's eyes shot open, the temptations of warmth and sleep forgotten. "You want to wear your Fire Nation plate into a small, repeatedly conquered Earth Kingdom village?"

"Well I am the Fire Lord."

"Not today you're not," She shoved at him till she had enough room to haul her pack up onto her lap. "I am not walking into hostile territory and frightened civilians with the ruler of the Fire Nation." Katara tossed a pile of fabric in varying shades of blue onto Zuko's lap. "Strip." She commanded.

He held up the tunic with a look of distaste. "It's blue."

"It's Sokka's stuff. The pants might be a bit short, but they'll be tucked into your boots so no one should notice."

"I look terrible in blue."

"The topknot is going to have to go."

Zuko looked panicked for a moment, covering his hair with a protective hand. Katara just laughed and reached forward to snap the tie at the base free. "Come on, I bet you'd look so fun and perky with a ponytail."

"Are you going to turn around while I change?"

Katara arched an eyebrow at him, a look she had watched Sokka use for years before she'd master it herself, and said nothing. Zuko heaved a sigh of deep and endless exasperation and turned his back towards her.


"I look stupid."

He grumbled for the millionth time since they're landed. Katara refused to look him over again. "It looks fine."

It was a little more than fine actually. Blue might not have been Zuko's favorite colour but it was an easy one to wear and the warrior's garb suited him. The dark blue shoulder and chest covering emphasized his broadness and warrior's half tail softened the fierce lines of his face. There was no hiding the large red scar, even if she had brought one of the water tribe wolf helmets but it wasn't likely to be as noticeable on a tribesman. Seeing Zuko like this gave her a giddy little thrill of ownership, he could almost be someone she had known since childhood. Sokka and her father would have had simultaneous heart attacks if they'd seen him.

"You should actually be behind me a few steps." She reminded, not even bothering to hide her smugness. "After all I am the daughter of your chief. And no firebending, you are the pai sho tile up our sleeves here."

"Anything else Lady Katara?" He grumbled.

She didn't have time to answer. As they entered the village they were immediately surrounded by a group of angry looking men and women, all of whom were carrying weapons.

"State your business." The speaker was an old man with a face that looked as though he'd spent the majority of his life deeply displeased with everything around him.

She held up her hands placatingly. "I am Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. The Council of Four Nations has heard that your village was attacked and I came to see if you need help."

The group surveyed them for a moment. Katara struggled to keep the smile on her face and felt Zuko step closer behind her, knowing without looking that he had both hands on his broadswords.

"You are trespassing Water Witch." There was a series of gasps from the watching crowd at the assertion. "You will be held for questioning."

The circle of warriors unsheathed their weapons and move towards her. She fought the instinct to uncork her waterskin and lay them out. "There's no need for that. I'm happy to answer any of your questions right now."

The leader seemed unimpressed. "Surrender or die where you stand."

Katara knew with no false pride that she was a master of her craft, the fire army, the dai lee, a hundred lesser warriors had fallen to her bending skill; and with Zuko at her back – even if he decided to forgo firebending – she was in no danger. But the level of immediate hostility from the villagers was absolutely unprecedented. She needed to know why.

"Zuko," She whispered, trying to talk without moving her lips. "Please don't do anything." Placing her wrists together Katara put her arms out towards the nearest warrior.

"Very well I surrender; on the condition that my guard will not be harmed."

The old man spat at her feet. "We accept no conditions from demons like you." He looked Zuko up and down, making careful note of his swords before addressing him. "Since you are not tainted you may remain, but any attempt to subvert our justice will not be tolerated."

Zuko's golden eyes flicked to her before he answered. Please trust me. She tried to beg him with her eyes. I know what I'm doing. Reluctantly the disguised Lord bowed his head in supplication.

She couldn't suppress a frisson of fear when heavy metal cuffs were clamped around her wrists.

Spirits I hope I know what I'm doing.


Zuko sat on the throne of the Fire Lord, the orange glow of the flames dancing around him created an otherworldly aura of power and ferocity that was completely ruined by the fact that he was moping.

Not that Toph could see the power and ferocity, all she could feel was mopey vibrations. That needed to stop right now. It would be completely ridiculous for the all powerful ruler of the feared Fire Nation to be caught sighing and pouting like a teenage girl. As a teenage girl herself, she found it offensive.

A rolling slab of rock put out the flames foot by foot and Zuko made no move to relight them. Toph sauntered right up to the throne, shoved a cup of tea into his hands and ensconced herself comfortably across one elaborately carved, gilt-covered arm.

"Hey Princess."

"You know I'm not technically a prince after my coronation. You'll have to start calling me queen or something."

Toph felt her brain freeze mid thought, then turned to face Zuko with a grin wide enough to split her face. He smacked his forhead with the palm of his hand and frantically tried to backpedal. "- no! I mean Lord! I should be …'cause I'm ….Fire Lord." The last words came out with the defeated sigh of someone who has resigned themselves to never ever living something down.

"Sparky my Queen, I'm afraid there's no getting out of it now." She cracked her knuckles loudly. "So who do I have to give the beat down too?" As though I didn't already know. "It's not a komodo-rhino is it? You did tell us you were capable of punching those yourself."

Toph snickered and Zuko glared at her. "Shouldn't you have been able to tell I wasn't lying when I told that story."

"Wasn't paying attention. Too busy thinking up jokes." She jostled him a little with her shoulder. "Drink the tea, Uncle made it especially for you."

"Why?"

"Because he loves you even though you are completely pathetic and ridiculous."

Zuko laughed into his cup. "I swear it is frightening how much you are like Azula sometimes."

"So you going to tell me what's got your topknot in a bunch or am I going to have to beat it out of you?"

"Oh like you could, Pipsqueak."

"How about I bend that fancy crown around your neck and we'll see how good your insults are then, eh Sparky?" He shoved her hard enough that she fell off the arm of the throne with an undignified squeak.

"Yep," She could hear him smirking. "I think its Pipsqueak forever now."

'I'll drop Fire Queen if you drop Pipsqueak."

"Done." He answered without a second's hesitation. "I kissed Katara."

"Spark you dog!"

"Then we got interrupted and she never said anything about it. Now she's gone."

"Ouch."

Zuko looked at her sharply. Toph cursed herself for not remembering to sound surprised. "You know this already. She talked to you about it." She had just enough time to shove herself backwards as he jumped to his feet to grab her.

"Confidences between females are privileged information!" She yelled back at him, dodging between pillars to avoid his grasp."Sharing them can lead to social ostracization. I can't be a good informant if she doesn't trust me!"

"You're not a good informant now!" feigning left, Zuko seized the back of her braid and tugged her back far enough that he could haul her up over one shoulder.

"Tell me what she said or I throw you in the dungeon."

"You've got nothing on me Sparky butt! I know where your baby pictures are!" Toph managed to land a kick to his stomach and they both toppled to the ground in a heap.

"Hey Sparky?"

"Yeah Toph?

"She didn't want to leave either."

"Thanks."

She propped herself up on an elbow just long enough to reach over and wallop him hard on the arm.

"Love you too Toph."


Toph was supposed to lose that battle but apparently she's too badass to be taken down by gas grenades. The characters seem to be hijacking my story, call for help!

This chapter absolutely kicked my ass. Zutara is so much easier when it's a nonstop snark/passion fest. Hopefully it's working well like this.