I want to thank AvatarCat12 and Kelev (in an anonymous review) for reviewing last chapter. Things are about to pick up some more, with the group now realizing Toph is missing, and the hostile takeover of Gaoling about to take place. Katara will be caught in the middle of all the action, and how she handles it will dictate the outcome of this story. Enjoy this wild ride!

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

Iroh was the last person to step into the Bei Fong mansion, nodding to the housekeeper in gratitude. Even though the older fire bender had seen his fair share of traumatizing events, something about this meeting truly threw him off. Right now, the usually unflappable Iroh had butterflies in his stomach, churning so hard that not even a good cup of strong tea could settle him down. Stepping into the living room, he took a good look at the surroundings.

"Iroh, I'm glad you can make it," Lao Bei Fong's voice called. The older man could see Lao standing near the fireplace, his right fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. Beside him, on the single-seated sofa, Poppy was clutching and wringing a handkerchief nervously. Everybody else was scattered through the living room, some seated on the long couch while others stood about. "I called you all here to discuss a very serious matter with you," Lao continued, his piercing glance hitting each target, "Toph has disappeared."

Iroh pursed his lips, trying to gauge the room's reaction. He could see Zuko seated at the left edge of the sofa with his jaw dropped to the ground. Sokka was seated between Katara and Zuko, and he was just as shocked. The only people who didn't seem as shocked were Katara and Aang, with the young air bender standing next to the seated water bender on the right side of the couch. But still, seeing them constantly steal glances at each other showed they were concerned as well. "Since you are Toph's closest friends, I hope to get some info from you," Lao stated.

"Mr. Bei Fong, I know this is bad and all, but Katara and I really didn't know anything about this," Aang began, rubbing the back of his bald head. From behind Aang, Iroh could see beads of sweat form, making light reflect off his arrow tattoo. "We didn't see her with us when we left, so we thought you guys picked her up while…"

Lao raised a hand to silence the air bender, causing Aang to shiver from head to toe. "I know you're not in charge of Toph, and personally I will never leave you in charge of my frail daughter," Lao admonished the boy, "But since you and Katara are the only sources close to Toph, you two are the ones most responsible for this. How can you let her out of your sight?"

"Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but we're not Toph's babysitters," Katara replied, her tone a little harsher than Iroh expected, "We're not in any of Toph's classes, and other than at lunch, we aren't with her anywhere in the school. How do you expect us to monitor her?"

"Don't use that tone on us, young lady!" Poppy snapped, shooting out of her seat and glaring daggers at Katara, "We're the ones with the daughter missing, and we deserve to have some answers. Toph could have been kidnapped, or being held ransom, or who knows what will happen to her. But then again, you'll never understand because you're not…"

"Mrs. Bei Fong, that's uncalled for!" Sokka retorted, shooting out of his seat as well, "I know you're upset, but to claim Katara is responsible for this is ridiculous! Who do you think you are to talk to my sister like that?" By now, the temperature in the room chilled everyone to the core, with a stare-down between the older Kuruk sibling and the matriarch of the Bei Fong family. It felt like a time bomb had been activated and was ticking its way to disaster.

Sokka got a pat on the shoulder from Hakoda, gesturing the junior to stand down. Taking a deep breath, Sokka plopped back onto the couch, but crossed his arms and kept his murderous stare at Poppy. "Mr. Bei Fong, Mrs. Bei Fong, I assure you that neither of my children have done anything to harm Toph," Hakoda explained, struggling to maintain calm with his wavering tone, "I was with Mr. Bei Fong at the office when he called my desk, insisting I come with him here. So if anything, my children and I are all in the dark as well."

"In the dark, yes," Lao replied, his eyes narrowing at his employee, "But claiming Sokka did nothing to harm Toph is a stretch. After all, your son is the closest one to Toph when she was drenched at the pool party. Did he try to throw my poor defenseless daughter into the pool?"

Now it was Hakoda's turn to sputter. "Sir, I assure you, if Sokka did anything that risky, he will be punished at home. But the pool party has absolutely nothing to do with why Toph can't be found right now," Hakoda answered, his body shaking in frustration, "And we have no evidence to show Toph has been kidnapped, so let's not jump to conclusions here!"

"Your children don't have a millionaire father, so you won't understand why I feel this way," Lao shot back, the dark look and the condescending comment making Hakoda fume, "Do any of you realize how easily Toph can get hurt if the wrong people approached her?"

"What is with all the personal attacks?" an older gentleman with a white beard chimed in. Iroh turned to his right, and leaning against the wall was Oyaji, who shot the businessman a dark look of his own. "You make it sound like we're all out to hurt Toph. I can assure you that none of that happened, with today's events and at the pool party. My granddaughter was at the party as well, and she personally took care of Toph after she got drenched. Tell them about it, Suki."

Suki exhaled deeply, clearly unimpressed at how the Bei Fong family was treating them all like suspects. "I dealt with Toph after the pool incident, and I personally made sure she was okay," Suki described, hands on her hips and eyes narrowing to darts, "I saw no injuries, and she was breathing normally. There's nothing you can say to claim that Toph was hurt in the party."

"Of course you'll say that, just so you can make Toph do more dangerous things, right?" Poppy snarled, turning the stare-down she had with Sokka at Suki, "And I was wondering why Toph got more rebellious recently. It's because you people are being a bad influence on her! If only Lao and I kept her in a private school, she wouldn't be affected by you people!"

"Excuse me?" Oyaji cried, leaping in front of Suki to confront Poppy, "Your daughter and my granddaughter have known each other for years, and I can tell you they're great friends. If you're so concerned about bad influences and choices, why don't you and Lao look in the mirror? If you're so worried about Toph getting hurt after the pool incident, to the point where you don't trust Suki, why didn't you take Toph to the doctor instead of sending her to school today? Some fine parents you two are!" he roared, slapping his hand on the wall.

Zuko took this chance to interject before Lao or Poppy could say anything. "Worrying about Toph missing is one thing, but accusing us of causing her to be kidnapped is another," he growled, "If you suspect something weird has happened, why not call the police?"

That got a huge reaction out of everyone, which only served to make the chaotic scene even messier. Iroh could only watch as adults and teens alike shouted at each other, with some making incredulous accusations and personal attacks. Seeing things continue to spiral out of control, Iroh figured that if he didn't do something, there might be an all-out brawl.

Luckily, someone beat Iroh to the punch. "Everyone, be quiet!" a voice yelled, louder than anything they had heard before. The whole room was in silence as an elderly air bender spoke. "Now that I got your attention with sound bending, maybe we can truly discuss our next steps," Gyatso suggested, his voice now back at its normal volume and tone. Iroh couldn't help but grin at Gyatso's mention of the advanced air bending skill. "I do believe that the police should be called if there is indeed suspicious activity, but what proof do any of us have? Did any of us search areas that Toph may frequent, and see if she just went there, by chance?"

Murmurs filled the room, with each person consulting those adjacent to them on where Toph might have gone. It went on for a minute or so before Lao rapped his knuckles on the mantle. Silencing the crowd, he turned his eyes to the one person who hadn't contributed to the discussion so far. "Iroh, out of everyone here, I trust your judgment the most," he stated, making all eyes turn to the older fire bender, "What do you think we should do?" he asked.

Iroh took a deep breath, the butterflies returning once more with all the attention now on him. Taking a gander at the pleading eyes in the room, he took a deep breath and carefully spelled out his position. "I think Gyatso has the right idea when he said we should try looking around ourselves before we call the police," he declared, clasping and unclasping his hands, "If we don't find Toph within the next few days, then we'll call the police. I promise I'll do all that I can to watch for her at the Jasmine Dragon, and I ask you all to do the same."

"Then it's settled," Lao decided, gingerly rubbing his chin, "We'll go with Iroh's plan, and if things don't work out we'll call the police. I can only hope that Toph is safe and sound, especially with what I have to deal with at work right now." That got several unimpressed looks from the crowd, who were flabbergasted at how quickly Lao forgot about his daughter's safety and returned back to worrying about his company. "You can all go home now. My wife and I will call everyone we know to see if they've seen Toph around."

The group shuffled out, with the younger members muttering unflattering things about Lao and Poppy, while the older generation tried fruitlessly to warn the younger ones to not be rude. Iroh trudged along with the group, not even looking up until Zuko caught up with him. "Uncle, are you sure your idea will work?" he demanded, a surprised look on his face, "I thought you'd tell them to call the police immediately. Why did you tell them to wait a few days?"

Iroh said nothing, opting to tell Zuko to wait for him in the van. Watching his nephew slip out the door, Iroh stepped into a side room and pulled out his cellphone. Clicking a number on his call log, Iroh pressed the phone to his ear and waited for it to connect. The housekeepers were still in the living room with Lao and Poppy, and most of the visitors were out the door by now. There was no way anyone could hear Iroh, as long as he kept his voice down.

After a couple of rings, the other side finally picked up. "You realize this is very serious, right?" Iroh stated before the call receiver could even greet him, "They're threatening to call the police, and I barely held them off for a few days. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I can't believe they'll do that, after what happened yesterday," the receiver responded, the tone harsh and unforgiving, "Until they realize how messed up their heads are, I don't want to see them. Besides, I can always stick around the Jasmine Dragon until closing time."

Iroh sighed. "I can only hope you know what you're doing," he replied, quickly cutting the call. Just before he closed the phone, he could see the words "Toph Bei Fong" listed on the caller display. "I hate lying to Lao and Poppy like this, so hopefully this gets resolved soon."

"Ugh, what a day," Zuko sighed, plopping down on his living room couch and throwing an arm over his eyes. Things became crazier than usual when Lao and Poppy demanded all the people who knew Toph gathered at their house for an emergency meeting. That was when Zuko found out that Toph somehow went missing, and that Lao and Poppy were planning to call the police. It took some convincing from Iroh before they calmed down a bit, with Iroh promising that he would take a look around in the next few days. "Wonder what Uncle's up to?"

At the same time, things were not looking good on his side either. Ozai seemed to have a strange obsession with company dealings, even more so than before. Whereas in the past Ozai would make a snarky remark or two at Zuko, now it was like Zuko didn't exist at all. While Zuko didn't mind the lack of insults, he did find the intentional isolation a bit disturbing. It was never good when his father was hiding things from him, especially if he got Azula involved. "Whatever those two are up to, it's probably no good," Zuko murmured to himself.

"And why are you lying on that couch like that? Is this your attempt to be dramatic?" an arrogant voice called. Zuko lifted his arm from his face and saw his sister standing there, both hands on her hips and pursing her lips at him. Seeing Azula's cold and condescending glance, Zuko could do nothing more but wince. The last thing he wanted right now was Azula coming to give him more stress, especially after the ordeal at the Bei Fong mansion. Couldn't his sister just do the decent thing and left him alone right now?

Unfortunately, things never went the way Zuko wanted. Sensing Zuko's discomfort, Azula took the chance to needle him some more. "Or maybe that's your attempt to pose as a model," she suggested, hand tapping her chin in a thoughtful pose, "But then again, with that ugly scar on your face, I doubt any magazine will want to hire you."

Zuko growled. Slowly sitting back straight, he shot his own dragon-like eyes into Azula. "I really don't have time for this, alright?" Zuko snapped, arms involuntarily tensing up, "I just got back from a meeting with some friends, and some unexpected things happened. Unless you miraculously have some solution to my problems, I suggest you butt out."

Azula nonchalantly lifted a hand and glanced at her fingernails, letting her silence do a number on Zuko's nerves. The scarred fire bender tried staying calm, biting his tongue and not letting Azula have the advantage against him. "I'm sure it's just some stuff you're doing with that crazy group you call your friends," Azula commented, not even bothering to look at Zuko, "What do you see in that inferior group of people anyway?"

Zuko nearly choked on his breath, trying to contain his anger. While he was incensed at Azula making rude remarks about his friends, Zuko decided to take a page from his girlfriend's book. Mai managed to withstand Azula for nearly ten years all because she just let things go, so Zuko was adamant that he could do the same. "Well Azula, if you see them as inferior, then maybe that's the reason you should just stay out of this," Zuko hissed through clenched teeth, straining to keep a smile on his face, "You do your stuff, and I'll do mine. Does that seem fair?"

Azula gave Zuko a funny look, almost like she didn't expect Zuko to react that calmly to her words. Nonetheless, she straightened out her pose and continued her badgering of Zuko. "Of course I'll just worry about my stuff, because I couldn't care less about your idiot friends," she continued, "Just one question, did your unexpected things relate to your dorks getting into trouble? They better not be messing around with Dad's plans, got that?"

Zuko's mouth dropped to the floor, wondering how that topic came to be. While he knew that the Bei Fong family managed Gaoling, which was his family company's rival, this topic was out of the question the whole time. "Why would they mess with Dad's plans? It's not like they know people who work in Sozin!" Zuko exclaimed, his emotions seeping through his supposedly cool exterior, "I know you don't like them, Azula, but seriously?"

"And why am I not surprised that you're defending this pathetic lot?" Azula retorted, marching straight up to Zuko and towering over him before the couch, "How many times do I have to say this before you get it through your thick head, Zuzu? Toph Bei Fong is the enemy, and anyone who is her friend is also an enemy. The longer you're with them, the more likely they'll jeopardize Dad's plans to make Sozin great. Do I have myself clear?"

"And what gives you the right to lecture me, Azula?" Zuko shouted, the lid containing his anger teetering precariously, "You don't even know anything about these people, so what gives you the right to judge them? If you know half the issues that Toph and her parents go through, then maybe you'd develop some sympathy for her, and actually reach out to help her!"

Just then, Zuko slapped his hands over his mouth, realizing he probably said too much. It only became more evident when Azula turned to rub it in his face. "So the blind one doesn't get along with her parents, huh?" she taunted, crossing her arms and leaning sideways into Zuko, "So would this unexpected event be something along the lines of a family feud, to the point where the spoiled brat decided to run away from home or something?"

Zuko sighed. Originally he wanted to keep this a secret, mainly because Lao and Poppy insisted that their meeting was confidential, but also because Zuko wanted to find Toph himself. Taking another deep breath, Zuko composed himself before addressing Azula again. "Yes, there is speculation that Toph somehow went missing, but until I get more information, I won't say more," Zuko stated, glaring emotionlessly at Azula, "The sooner I get to the bottom of this, the better it is for everyone, especially Toph's parents."

"Or, you can do the right thing for Dad, and just let the Bei Fongs handle this alone," Azula interrupted, her lips a cross between a smirk and a leer, "I'm sure Mr. Bei Fong is worried about Toph, which means his mind will not be on his work. That makes life so much easier for Dad when he engineers a hostile takeover of Gaoling."

If Zuko's mouth didn't hit the floor the last time, that comment sent his jaw straight into the basement. How insensitive could his sister be, taking advantage of a family going through that much pain, by destroying their business? "Azula, you are cold-blooded, you know that?" Zuko roared, shooting out of his seat, "Toph's missing, everyone's worried, and you're trying to take advantage of them? How low can you get, Azula?"

"What's going on here?" a low, menacing voice called from the hallway. Both siblings turned to see a tall man leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowing to darts. "Zuko, are you creating a fuss while I'm busy working?" Ozai demanded.

"Oh, it's nothing," Azula stated, cutting off Zuko before her brother could even get a word out, "I was just telling my brother over there to take advantage of this great opportunity to successfully take over Gaoling. The Bei Fong family is currently occupied with some family issues, and while they're distracted we can swoop in to make the perfect move."

"Azula, there is nothing ethical about what you're proposing," Zuko replied, pulling his shirt straight and keeping his back tall. While he didn't usually like to confront his father this way, Zuko felt he had to stand his ground this time. "We shouldn't use the Bei Fong family's personal problems as a way to attack their company. How would you or Dad feel if they took over Sozin while something is happening to me? If you don't want it happening to you, then we shouldn't be doing this to them. It's only the right thing to do."

To everyone's surprise, Ozai let loose a series of chuckles. It even shocked Zuko, who could only cock an eyebrow at his father. When the laughter subsided, Ozai stared at Zuko with the most serious look ever. "Do you really think Bei Fong will, as you stated, show me that same kind of courtesy?" he challenged with a sneer, "Lao Bei Fong is not the innocent man you think he is. The fact that his daughter supposedly ran away from home is an example of his nastiness."

Azula could only smirk as Ozai now sized up Zuko. "Lao Bei Fong wouldn't even let his own daughter learn bending, whereas I let you explore your bending skills, even when you were living with your mother," Ozai continued, the tone darkening and more sinister by the second, "I put you on the path to become strong, while they suppress their daughter's strength and just put on a false face of modesty. Despicable, if you ask me."

"First of all, we have no evidence that Toph ran away. Until we know more, I won't jump to conclusions," Zuko retorted, an annoyed look on his face, "Second, if being totally dictatorial and militaristic is your definition of being strong, then I'd rather pass. Your teaching methods are cruel and wrong, and nothing you say can justify them."

"I was teaching you respect and discipline," Ozai snapped, stomping right up against Zuko. Even though Zuko was tall for a teenager, he was still a few inches shorter than his father. With Azula's sneer in the background, Zuko was sweating buckets within. "You always insist on doing things your way, soiling fire bending techniques with your overactive imagination and making things a mess. If I didn't draw the line and forced you to conform, you would fail!"

"I hardly call lighting my face on fire a good lesson!" Zuko roared, jabbing at the scar around his left eye, "All because I wanted to try things differently, you decided to do that to me. Do you even call yourself a human being? Mom and Uncle Iroh are ten times better than you!"

For all his troubles, Zuko earned a hard slap across the face, the force sending him back into the couch. Rubbing his cheek, the younger fire bender could only try to weather his father's murderous glare. "Don't you dare talk to me that way," Ozai spat, his low tone filled with hate, "I'm all you have left, so either you get used to it, or move out."

Zuko could only sit there in silence, watching Ozai stalk away. "I'll be in my study all night, busy with the next step of my operation," he snarled, not even turning to look at his son, "You better not bother me for the rest of the night, or the consequences will be far more severe."

If Zuko's heart wasn't broken already by the decision to take Gaoling over while Toph was missing, it sure was now with his father's actions. Furthermore, Azula added salt to the wound by giving you the "I'll keep an eye on you" gesture with her fingers. When she trotted off as well, Zuko could only let out a frustrated cry. As if things weren't complicated enough with Toph missing, they sure were now with his father's new plan.

"Katara, Sokka, come on in," Kanna greeted his grandchildren, pulling the doors to the community hall wide open. Unfortunately, due to issues occurring at the Gaoling Company, Hakoda was asked to stay late. Lao insisted that his staff made up for lost time after the incident with Toph's disappearance the day before, hence Kanna had to take care of Katara and Sokka until things were settled. Oddly enough, Kanna asked Katara and Sokka to go to the community centre located a few blocks from her house, making the kids wonder what was going on.

"So Gran Gran, why are we meeting here?" Sokka asked, soaking in the surroundings. There was a set of stairs going down to his left, while a lounge of sorts was located to the right. Kanna stepped up to reception to check them in, and both Kuruk children could see this was fancier than the usual community hall. "Are you hosting a party?"

"Oh, this isn't a party, Sokka," Kanna answered. She beckoned them to follow her down the stairs, which led to a patio outside. "I'm waiting for Pakku. He gives water bending lessons in the community centre pool twice a week, and today is one of the practice days."

That comment got Katara to raise an eyebrow. Last time they talked, Pakku was adamant that Katara should not learn water bending because she didn't appreciate the culture and heritage behind the skills. Sokka even made the comment that if Pakku went too far into the past, it would prohibit females from learning water bending, something that would most likely be illegal due to gender equality laws. So was Pakku trying to brainwash more kids with his twisted rhetoric here?

Unfortunately for Katara, one glance at the pool said it all. While there were a few female students, they were mainly placed to the side, taught by a female instructor on what Katara made out to be healing techniques. The ones in or near the pool were all male, and they were doing all battle techniques. Pakku stood near the lifeguard's chair, crossing his arms and observing with no emotion whatsoever. While Pakku would hardly be accused of breaking equality laws, Katara would also say Pakku did a really good job of stretching and bending the law.

After a few seconds of navigating around the students, Pakku finally glanced over. "Hello Kanna, I see you brought your grandchildren," he stated, his eyes growing ice-cold as he focused in on Katara and Sokka, "I'm more than willing to let Sokka in on some moves, if he wants to shed his non-bender status. But for Katara, maybe you should start with healing first."

"Hold on, when did I say I wanted to bend for healing?" Katara retorted, marching right up to Pakku. That caught Sokka and Kanna off guard, with Katara now staring down the taller man. "Much as I want to add a new skill to my repertoire, I like to think I'm ready to use battle techniques. So if you don't mind, I'd like to be here with the guys in your class."

Pakku snorted at Katara's claim. "Don't be ridiculous," he dismissed her comments with a wave of the hand, "Traditions of water bending call for men to use it for battle, while women used it for healing. Every man injured in battle would be healed by a woman, and in turn the man used the skill to protect the women. That's the way it's been for centuries, and that's the way I will approach it." Pakku crossed his arms again and turned his icy glaze towards Katara, chilling the temperature of the community centre instantaneously.

"Look, I didn't come all the way out here just to be told that I can't learn water bending for my goals, so you got some nerve saying that to me," Katara spat, jabbing a sword-like finger into Pakku's face. From the back, Kanna and Sokka could only look at each other nervously. It was a shocking sight to see their relative go face-to-face against a master water bender with steel will. "I'd accept your refusal if you think I'm not good enough, but not if you justify it with your sexist beliefs. Say that again, and I'll make you the most hated man in Republic City."

"But that's the thing," Pakku replied, not even flinching at Katara's confrontation, "You aren't good enough for my lessons. Recall in our last conversation that water bending requires one to appreciate the culture and history behind each technique. Part of that involves knowing the role of men and women in a water-based society. The fact that you're making this ridiculous request shows you don't appreciate the history, therefore I have no need to teach you."

Pakku marched his way to a nearby lounge chair and plopped himself down, refusing to even look at Katara. The lone female water bender was about to go on the offensive again when an older voice spoke. "Maybe we've all had a bit too much excitement right now," Kanna stated, placing a hand on her granddaughter's right shoulder, "Why don't we take a break and we'll come back to this topic later? What would you like for dinner tonight?"

Sokka decided to intervene as well, placing his hand on Katara's left shoulder. "Didn't you say you want to be a doctor? If that's the case, then maybe it's not a bad thing to focus on healing techniques first. Once you're done learning healing, then come back to Pakku and make another request," he suggested, gesturing at the healing group.

Much to their surprise, Katara grabbed both their hands and eased them off her shoulders. "No, you guys," she responded, turning her head back and forth at Sokka and Kanna, "This isn't just about learning a skill I've always wanted to learn. It's a matter of principle, where someone can't refuse to do teach a student all because the student is female. That sexist attitude has no place in our society, and for Pakku to have that belief means he's stuck in the past."

Turning away from her family, Katara stepped right up to the seated Pakku. By now, most of the students at the pool, including the healing group, halted their actions and gaped at Katara's bold move. "I don't know who you think you are, but this type of thing has got to stop," Katara ranted, waving her sword-like finger in front of Pakku again, "Where I come from, both males and females have equal rights and opportunities, and both contribute to society equally. Both my dad and my mom contributed to my family, and they both did lots to raise me to who I am today. At no time did they, or Gran Gran, favour Sokka because he's a boy and I'm a girl. If you think you can use this sexist attitude at this time, then you're sadly mistaken. If you don't want me in your world, then I don't want you in mine. Is that clear?"

Kanna's mouth dropped to the floor, while Sokka bit his lower lip anxiously. Pakku, while showing no outward emotions, shook slightly as he took every word in. "Very well then," he replied after an agonizing few seconds, "If that's what you choose, then that's what we'll go with." He got up and strode right past her, barking orders at his students to return to practice. Not another word was spoken between the two adversaries from less than a minute ago.

Kanna slowly went up to Pakku, trying to talk him out of this. While the elderly woman worked on the instructor, Sokka did the same with his sister. "That was a risky move, you know that?" Sokka stated, grabbing Katara by the elbow and hauling her to the side, "If things don't work out, what do you think will happen? Confronting him was a bad idea, Katara!"

"Right, and since when were you afraid of swimming against the stream?" Katara challenged, hands planted firmly on her hips, "You're the one who challenged Toph to go against her parents by teaching her to float. Why are you being the turncoat now?"

Sokka's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "Look, this has nothing to do with that, okay?" he blurted out, voice becoming squeaky, "Toph's gone missing, and everyone's worried. The last thing we want is more drama, so why don't we all just cool our heels, and…"

"Oh, so now it's all about the so-called kidnapping then, right?" Katara roared, whipping her arms in the air, "Toph goes missing, you suddenly become docile, and refuse to stand up for what's right. Are you that afraid of the Bei Fongs that you have to change your whole outlook at life? Some success story you'll be, Sokka!" With that, Katara whipped around and trotted back into the community centre, leaving Sokka alone in his wake.

"Look, I'm just trying to get you to see the big picture, Katara!" Sokka shouted, hurrying after his sister, "Gran Gran is in a tough spot because of this feud, knowing her granddaughter and her friend are at odds with each other. Why can't you see that?" When there was no reply from Katara, Sokka could only punch the wall, releasing the pent-up frustration from the last few days. Things were on the upswing for a while, but now they were starting to crash down.

"Come on, Katara! Pick up the pace!" Aang called from his position a few metres ahead of the water bender. The dinner last night didn't go well for Katara, who stormed out of the water bending lessons before. While Sokka and Kanna managed to coax her back, the atmosphere at the table was tense, with barely a word spoken between Katara and Pakku. Katara was still quite insulted by Pakku's attitude, and no doubt Pakku was not impressed by Katara's outburst either.

Unfortunately, the bad feelings from the previous night lingered with Katara, who could barely keep up the pace with Aang at their practice run. While Katara usually felt freedom and liberation throughout her runs, today it felt like she was dragging two large boulders. One of them was, of course, her confrontation with Pakku, but the other was related to her father, and how he stayed late just to finish work at Gaoling. Somehow, with Toph's disappearance and the strange call from Bato, things were not looking good for Katara's family.

"Hey, are you okay?" Katara lifted her head just in time to see the air bender jogging on the spot, with a concerned look on his face. "Your pace is kind of off today. You usually match me stride-for-stride. If you don't feel so well, I can tell Gyatso to end practice early."

Katara forced a quick smile before succumbing to her zombie-like state again. She didn't really know how to explain this to Aang, especially with the race only about two weeks away. She didn't want to disappoint Aang by telling him that her mind wasn't up to it, but she also knew that this would weigh down on her more along the way. Confused about her choices, Katara merely gestured at the route ahead. "Why don't we try and finish this lap first?"

Katara jogged on, trying to say as little about the issues as possible. However, that didn't stop Aang from airing out his observations. "I know something's up, Katara. Just seeing you totally out of it, I know something must be bothering you," he stated, intentionally slowing his pace to match Katara's, "Is this about Toph's disappearance?"

Katara winced. While she was aware that Toph had been missing for two days now, it was still quite uncomfortable to speak of this issue, given how Lao and Poppy treated them. "It did cross my mind, I guess," Katara replied apprehensively, her footsteps weakening with every word, "I'm still worried about where Toph may be right now, since she's not even answering my calls. I can only imagine what Dad feels like having to deal with Mr. Bei Fong at work."

"Is Mr. Bei Fong still mad at your dad for what Sokka did at the party?" Aang asked, alluding to the impromptu swimming lesson, "Or is Mr. Bei Fong upset your dad couldn't help find Toph? If that's what happened, then just remember that it's not your fault…"

"I'd call Mr. Bei Fong normal if he was upset at Dad over those two things," Katara responded, her steps suddenly getting harsher, "Last night, Mr. Bei Fong kept Dad at the office for longer because he wanted him to do assignments that didn't get done as a result of having to search for Toph. What kind of a father is that, worried more about his work than his daughter?"

Aang pursed his lips, quickening his pace to catch up with Katara, who seemed to be taking out her stress by her hard steps on the grass. "I don't agree with Mr. Bei Fong's methods, but you can imagine how stressed out he probably is," Aang suggested timidly.

"Oh, the stress he has can't be compared to the stress Sokka and I are subject to if he keeps forcing Dad to stay late all the time," Katara retorted, craning her head to shoot Aang a dark look. Aang nearly flinched at the death-glare, almost messing up his footing and rhythm. The bald boy made a mental note to go easy on Katara whenever she was under pressure.

Pressing on, Aang tried to get more out of Katara, in hopes of helping her out. Aang saw Katara as his best friend, and didn't want to see her go through this madness. "Sokka and you have your grandmother, right? I'm sure she doesn't mind spending more time with you two," he added, trotting right beside Katara, "It's a good thing if you're spending time with her, right?"

Katara snorted. "Spending time with Gran Gran, yes," she answered, making a sharp left turn to go back onto the final runway, "Spending time with the people Gran Gran hangs out with, not a chance. This is especially if you're a certain water bending teacher with a sexist streak!"

Aang sharply sucked in his breath, recalling Katara tell him that Pakku and Katara didn't get along. Pakku's traditions of water bending classes separated by gender touched a nerve with Katara, who wanted to learn both healing and battle skills. "Did something happen between you and him again?" Aang queried, leaning his head to glance at the taller girl, "You can tell me, Katara. You know I won't judge you."

Katara bit her lower lip, her eyes fixed on the route ahead. Even though it was a straight section right to the finish, she was afraid of being at a loss to explain to Gyatso her terrible time. Turning to Aang, she hesitantly filled him in on the latest argument with Pakku, opting not to give every detail. "We have Mr. Bei Fong who doesn't care about Toph, and Pakku who is stuck centuries back in time," she spat, charging to the finish line, "How do I stand these people?"

Aang and Katara crossed the finish line at the same time, slowing down their speed before turning around for the slow walk back to Gyatso. "Your times are a bit slower today," Gyatso announced, showing the two youngsters his stopwatch, "I noticed you two were a bit distracted out there. Remember you have to stay focused during the actual race, okay?"

Luckily, Aang came to Katara's rescue before the situation got more awkward. "We were just a bit tired, that's all," he assured his guardian, "Is our water with us in the bags?"

That got Gyatso trotting off to the nearby tree where the bags were placed. It also gave Aang and Katara some time to themselves, as Gyatso had to look through the bag for their water. "We can't really control what they do, Katara," Aang reminded his friend, feeling the buckets of sweat pouring down his bald head. "I know you're upset by what's going on with Mr. Bei Fong and Pakku, but the only thing you can do is give your best at whatever life throws at you. Just do what you can, and let everything else fall into place."

"Let everything fall into place. If only things were this simple, Aang," Katara whispered. She silenced herself just when Gyatso returned, thanking him for the towel and the water. She threw the towel over her head, scrubbing it through her face and hair. Then, hanging it from her shoulder, she turned to her bottle and made quick work of the lid. She kept her eyes on Gyatso, only continuing her topic when he stepped away from them. Taking a long sip, she turned back to Aang and asked, "What would you do if you found out that Gyatso may lose his job?"

Aang cocked an eyebrow at Katara. "Is this about the takeover thing again?" he asked, recalling well what happened the last time they discussed this issue, "Look, I already told you that we shouldn't jump to conclusions, and that we shouldn't judge Zuko just because his father runs the company making the takeover. I really don't think this should…"

"I don't know, Aang. It's just that everything that's happening is making my life that much more confusing!" Katara declared, waving her arms in the air, "I thought everything is on the right path now, but it seems like I'm stuck with some totally unexpected problems. I'm enjoying life here at Republic City, meeting you and the others. But now a bunch of things are telling me maybe I'm not welcome here, and that I will have to move again."

"Katara, don't say that! I'm sure it won't happen!" Aang cried, reaching out to grab the water bender's shoulder. In reality, Aang was horrified at that prospect. He bonded especially well with Katara, and he knew the feeling was mutual. She was his absolute best friend, and maybe more, so the thought of losing her was unbearable. How would life for him go on if she had to move again? "I'll help you through anything you run across, you know I will…"

"Thanks for the offer, Aang, but this may just be something I have to do alone," Katara replied, gently clutching the tattooed hand. Bringing Aang's hand back down, Katara could only show a sad smile. "If you don't mind, I just want a couple of days to calm down and think. Once I figure out what to do, I'll make sure to tell you what my plans are."

Aang could only watch as Katara waved her hands in front of her belly button, peeling her sweat off from her toned stomach. Letting the liquids drop to the grass, Katara trudged back to Gyatso, who handed Katara back her belongings. Somehow, Aang felt the doors between him and Katara edged shut by a few inches, making him feel queasy all over. He could only wish that Katara made the right choice, and would still do whatever possible to keep their friendship alive.

"You realize this is not a long-term solution, right?" Iroh stated, handing another plate of food to a waiter. While Iroh did promise the Bei Fongs that he would be on the lookout for Toph at the Jasmine Dragon, what he didn't reveal was that Toph was already at his café. In fact, the blind girl had been hiding at the Jasmine Dragon since the day Lao and Poppy called the meeting at their home. Iroh ended up having to stall for time while Toph figured out what she should do.

"You ran away from the school Tuesday afternoon, spent Tuesday and Wednesday night at my house, and now it's Thursday," Iroh listed off, leaning across the counter to get a better view at the petite earth bender squatting in a corner of the kitchen, "It's been two days since your parents realized you're missing. I think if no one finds you and you don't voluntarily go back home, your parents will most likely call the police. Do you want that to happen?"

"No I don't, but I just don't want to go back right now," Toph responded, her harsh tone deceived by its underlying shakiness, "I'm glad you let me stay with you and all, but do you think you can wait just a little bit longer before telling them?"

Iroh sighed. Stepping around the counter, he moved to the other side and kneeled down before Toph. Even though they were about eye-level, Iroh could see Toph was void of energy and emotion. The usual brashness and defiance were now replaced by apathy and resignation. "I know what your parents said didn't really make you comfortable, but I don't think you can solve it by just sitting here," Iroh suggested, "Let's try to work something out, shall we?"

"What's there for me to work out with them?" Toph challenged, swinging her head violently away from Iroh, "They insisted that the only way I'll travel is with the driver. They said they will hire an extra housekeeper to monitor me in the house, and the housekeepers will also alternate when they check on me during school lunch hour. Outside of school-related things, I am to stay at home, and preferably in my room, where I can't get hurt. And it's because I decided to try something new by letting Sokka teach me how to float. What is this, a jail sentence?"

"But if you're staying at the Jasmine Dragon in the day and at my home at night, refusing to go to school or see friends, and cutting off all ties with the rest of the world, isn't that another jail sentence?" Iroh countered, crossing his arms. Even though his tone was serene and his eyes were warm, there was definitely a harder edge to his comment, "There's no escaping the reality, Toph. You've pretty much put yourself in a corner, literally and figuratively."

"Hey, unless you can miraculously get my parents to tone down their treatment of me, and stop acting like I'm this delicate rag doll being thrown around a tornado, I have nothing to say to them," Toph snapped, throwing up her hands in frustration, "They're the ones who are making a mistake here, and I'm just reacting to their mistake my way, okay?"

"Well, two wrongs don't make a right," Iroh replied, his voice softening. The cooking staff was now all at the other side of the kitchen, leaving the two by their lonesome. "I think it's more honourable to admit to a mistake, rather than let one's pride get in the way. Despite what some people think, pride is not the opposite of shame. In fact, it may be because someone has too much pride that they end up being in more shame than expected." Stretching out his arms and legs, Iroh stepped away from the corner. "Why don't you let me talk to your parents again, and hear their side of the story? I'm sure I'll have a clearer picture of the whole event that way."

Toph pursed her lips and blew at the hairs dangling from her forehead. While she often respected Iroh's opinions and had faith in his methods, right now she was wondering if the older fire bender bit off more than he could chew. The argument between Toph and her parents ended in chaos, which only led to this event. Toph doubted her parents were about to back down, not with her father focused on his company and her mother acting all fussy. If Iroh could pull this one off, which Toph highly doubted, then he would be a miracle worker. "I'm going to get some air," she announced, lifting herself off the ground, "I'll be back in a bit."

Toph navigated around the kitchen equipment to reach the back door of the café, which led into the alley in the back. Because this was a strip mall, it wasn't a far walk to reach the front again, where it was brighter and had better air. Toph didn't want too many people to spot her, especially those that knew her well. "Once this is all sorted out, I'll tell them what happened. But until then, it's best to keep my presence a secret," she muttered to herself.

Toph got barely two steps away front the back door of the Jasmine Dragon before a very arrogant voice called to her. "So that's where the Blind Bandit has been hiding all this time," the male voice declared. It didn't take a genius to recognize the person speaking, and it was someone who sent shivers up Toph's spine, "I heard you went missing somehow, and your parents are all bent out of shape. Will they give me a reward if I bring you back to them?"

Toph gritted her teeth. "Jet, I don't have time for this," she shouted, whipping her body around and jabbing a finger to the direction of the voice, "I'm stressed out enough right now, and I don't want some snarky dude coming up to needle me more. If you value your teeth…"

"Then I'd best back down, blah blah blah…" Jet concluded for Toph, the nonchalant tone enough to make Toph tremble in anger, "But since we know each other so well, I thought you should at least hear me out. What if I say there's something I can do to help you?"

That sent Toph over the edge, as the blind earth bender created an earthen cone to encase Jet in. Figuring he was trapped, Toph stomped over to him and lifted two blocks of cement off the ground. "If you don't want me to turn you into a pancake with these two rocks, you'll leave me alone this instant," she roared, pushing the blocks dangerously close to Jet's two sides.

"Toph, is that you?" a female voice interjected. The speaker alone was enough to make Toph wince, causing her to lose concentration and dropping the cement blocks harmlessly onto the ground. "Where have you been the past couple of days? We were all worried that something might have happened to you!" Katara stated, her quick footsteps bringing her closer.

Toph exhaled hard while palming her face. "Sugar Queen, I'm happy and not happy to see you," she hissed, trying to contain her anxiety, "It's great you guys are worried about me, but I don't want people to know where I am. Can we talk after I deal with the troublemaker first?"

Katara turned to her right, and immediately her face darkened. Even though he was trapped, it didn't stop Jet from eyeing her and making inappropriate remarks. "I didn't know the pretty girl was the type to be that revealing," Jet remarked, wiggling an eyebrow suggestively, "Now why can't you dress like this more often when you're around me?"

Katara's mouth opened and closed quickly. "What I wear for my running clothes is none of your business!" she snarled, protectively placing her hands over her exposed midsection. She took a subtle look around, but couldn't find any source of water nearby. She couldn't find the sewers, and none of the pipes were accessible. And to add salt to the wound, there was little to no sweat on her body, thanks to the sweat bending she did at the end of practice with Aang. Can I even produce sweat from my belly button, Katara thought to herself as she dipped a finger into the deep depression in the middle of her body and swirled around in it.

But Jet got his words in before either Toph or Katara could react. "My proposal for Toph is this," he stated, turned only his head to look at the blind earth bender, "I know whatever went down between you and your parents can't be good, so that's why I'm offering my help. If you can do this favour for me, I guarantee your parents will pay attention to you like never before."

That got Toph to perk her head up. Leaning closer to Jet, she slowly edged down the earth cone, letting his torso free. "What's your idea?" she demanded in a low tone.

"Well, I heard that your father's company is dealing with a big corporate move, one that can change everything," Jet explained, the toothpick in his mouth wiggled with his words in an almost taunting way to Katara, "Right now, some dedicated staff want help to ensure the company's survival. The only way that will work is if you get certain information out from your father, and that means going back home. I know you're not particularly pleased to do that right now, but think of what it'll be like when your actions can save the company."

Before Toph could even show her scepticism, Katara beat her to the punch. "Toph, like you said, Jet's trouble in the neighbourhood. Now he has some crazy plan involving something that we don't even know about, and he wants you to get involved? Don't listen to that garbage!" Katara declared, placing a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder.

Jet decided to elaborate, claiming that Lao would love his daughter that much more, and would even listen to her opinions more often. Katara could see the gears in Toph's head turning, her suspicion now changing into a hesitant acceptance. Whatever story Jet was spinning, it was aimed right at Toph's greatest insecurities. Given how angry and confused Toph was, and how much she wanted Lao's love and respect, Jet's idea was bound to push some buttons. "Please, Toph," Katara pleaded, "We simply can't trust someone like Jet."

Suddenly, Toph gripped the sides of her head and unleashed a loud cry. It got the entire alley in silence, with two sets of concerned eyes on the hyperventilating earth bender. Shaking her head several times, Toph reached out and grabbed Katara's hand. "You're right, Katara," she panted, her palms clammy and caked with sweat, "There's no telling if this story is true, and I think there are better ways to reach out to my parents. I'm going to reject the offer with you."

Turning to Jet, Toph warned the vigilante to never come by again unless he wanted the police called on him. Katara shot Jet one last dark stare before leading Toph back to the main plaza, where the sun was brighter and warmer. "Let's think about what we can do to help you bond with your parents again, okay?" Katara advised Toph.

Then, out of all their expectations, Jet called out to Katara. "There's something in it for you too. Since your father works in Gaoling, anything happening there will threaten his job as well," he yelled. That caused Katara to freeze up, her entire body turning around robotically to face Jet. "It's possible that your father may get cut if this deal fails, and you'll have to move again. If you don't want that to happen, then maybe you and Toph should both hear me out."

For the record, Katara will have her hair in the style of Seasons 1 and 2 in regular times, but she'll let her hair down in Season 3 style when she's running. I just can't really imagine someone running a race with the hair loops dangling in front of their eyes, so that's why I want to make the clarification right there. Other than that, Toph has been found by Katara, and Jet is about to pull them into deeper trouble. Who wants to guess what will happen next? Join us next time!