"Are you done yet?"
"Toph just sit there and be quiet and then I'll be done in no time."
"You said that the last time!"
"And you keep talking!"
The master earthbender scowled.
"And stop frowning."
Toph groaned again in frustration. She had been sitting on the stool for nearly an hour allowing Katara to finish up her make up. With the celebration only two hours away, Toph was beginning to get irritated. She always hated crowds. Katara was clever enough to get ready before helping Toph. She was wearing a traditional water tribe dress, blue and lined with white fur. Her hair was styled up in elegance yet her hair loopies remained dangling next to her face. The dress reached all the way to the floor covering her feet. Her make up was light, highlighting the waterbender's natural beauty
Toph was of course dressed in her garb that she had tried on yesterday. On her feet were thin furred flats much to her annoyance. Her hair was styled up for the first time in days. Her black locks were tight in a bun and she wore a traditional earth kingdom head piece. The last thing Katara was taking care of was her make up. Some eye shadow, blush, and lipstick were the only things that the earthbender could tolerate and just waiting for it to get applied was testing Toph's patience.
Katara placed her brush on her vanity. "There. All done."
"Finally!" Toph stood up and stretched. Being a girl was hard work. The moment she relaxed again, she couldn't help the grunt that escaped her lips. Her abdomen was still a little sore. Katara noticed.
"Are you going to be fine tonight?" The waterbender looked on with concern. "You look beautiful by the way, Toph."
The master earthbeder rolled her eyes. "I just need a drink. It will numb the pain. And…thanks."
"Oh no you don't. You are definitely not drinking tonight."
"Says you."
"There is no alcohol on the premises."
Katara smirked as her young friend whined. She stopped Toph before she began rambling.
"Come on. We've kept the boys waiting long enough. Ooooooh! Sokka's eyes are going to fall right out of his head when he sees you!" The waterbender clasped her hands together in excitement.
Toph responded with a groan. "Whatever. Let's just go."
The earthbender latched on to Katara's arm and the two made their way out of the room. They carefully walked down the hallway and entered the room where everyone was gathered.
Toph heard movement in the air. "Hey! You two look great!"
"Thank you, Aang." Katara responded.
"I'll take your word for it, Twinkletoes." Was Toph's reply.
Hakoda and Gran-Gran approached the two and gave them their compliments. Sokka, surprisingly, stayed silent on one side of the room. His blue eyes remained transfixed on his best friend. There were a lot of rare things that Sokka had the privilege to be a part of. Finding the avatar, riding the only sky bison in the world, fighting in a war, defeating the firelord. Those were all great. But Sokka would honestly say that seeing Toph dressed up and looking absolutely stunning was one of the things he appreciated the most. Sure, he liked it when she was her normal self too. But being reminded that Toph was in fact a very beautiful woman was a heartwarming surprise every time it did happen.
Katara and Aang had noticed Sokka's reaction and the couple was smiling widely.
"Hey, where is big mouth? Don't we have a celebration to get to?" Toph asked annoyed.
The water tribe warrior approached his best friend carefully. He was dressed in traditional water tribe formal attire, hues of blue decorating his appearance. Just like his sister, his clothes were lined with white fur. His ponytail was tamed and perfect. He was smiling gently.
Toph was beyond surprised when Sokka grabbed her hand and kissed the top of her fingers.
"You look beautiful."
She didn't have the strength to stop her blush. Toph was suddenly thankful for the make up on her face. "Uh, thanks, Sokka."
He laughed. "I guess with the formal wear you also use my actual name."
"Don't push your luck, Snoozles."
"And she's back." The two laughed together this time.
"You guys look amazing together." Katara commented. Both Sokka and Toph blushed.
"Enough of this gushy stuff." Sokka shook his head to remove his embarrassment. "Let's get some food!"
"You are such a meathead."
"It's what you love about me." Sokka grinned at Toph.
The master earthbender only scowled when Aang and Katara walked passed her giggling.
Before they stepped into the celebration hall, Sokka stopped all of them at the door.
"What's the hold up?" Toph asked.
The warrior held her arm tighter. "Just getting the crowd ready for our arrival."
After five minutes, the front double doors to the hall opened and the crowd roared in delight. Aang and Katara stepped in first and the crowd rallied for Avatar Aang. Next, Sokka guided Toph to enter and the audience applauded once more for the war heroes. The four of them walked slowly to marvel in their appraisal. It took them another five minutes to reach their seats in the front. Katara and Sokka made the announcement to commence the celebration.
"We are proud to announce…"
"That the southern water tribe…"
"Is now complete!"
The crowds whooped and hollered.
"Let the celebration begin!"
After one more round of applause, food was brought out and everyone began to eat and dance. Traditional water tribe music was played and the atmosphere was beyond wonderful. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph made their rounds to meet and greet the guests.
"I wish I could have trained with Master Piando. He was one of the greatest swordsmen in the world!"
Sokka smiled. "It was truly an honor to both make my very own sword under his tutelage and train under him."
On his right, Toph was conversing with a guest as well.
"I was trapped in a metal box when I discovered metalbending. It was my only way out."
"How very brave of you!"
Toph and Sokka bowed to their guests and walked towards their next one.
"It is an honor to be greeted by both of you." The fire nation politician bowed to the war heroes.
The two bowed back. Sokka replied. "It is an honor to meet you as well, Mr….?"
"Jun. My name is Xi Jun. You have made quite a name for yourself, Master Sokka."
The warrior waved his hands in disapproval. "Please, I am no master. Not yet anyways."
Xi bowed again. "My apologies." He turned to Toph and took her hand just as Sokka had earlier and kissed it. "It is a pleasure to be in the presence of a Bei Fong."
Toph didn't pull her hand away surprisingly. She smiled lightly. "Thank you. I will let my father know we have been acquainted."
"You have grown into a fine young woman. Any suitors to your liking?"
Toph fought her urge to grimace. "Not yet. I have other duties to fulfill before settling down of course."
"Anyone in mind?" His smile was creepy enough to earn Sokka's disapproval.
Toph answered with little emotion in her voice. "Not at the moment."
"Of course. My apologies for asking. I shall leave you both. Enjoy the rest of a celebration. I'm sure it will be quite the night."
With one more kiss on Toph's hand, Xi left them. The scowl on Sokka's face became stronger after the politicians left.
"Sometimes I wonder about you."
The master earthbender quirked an eyebrow. "Why is that?"
"You change personalities like night and day. First you're rude sarcastic Toph." She punched him stealthily. "Then you're 'the pleasure is all mine' Toph."
"It's a default action. I didn't ask to have manners. They were forced upon me." Toph leaned against him.
Sokka remembered her wounds. "Are you good? Still sore?"
"Just a little. Nothing the greatest earthbender in the world can't handle."
"Don't worry. I gotcha."
It took half an hour before Toph, Sokka, Aang, and Katara could get a moment to themselves.
"Have any of you guys eaten yet?" Sokka was rubbing his stomach.
Aang brought his hand to his abdomen as well. "I've been too busy socializing I haven't been able to sit down and eat."
"I can definitely go for some kabobs right now." Toph groaned.
"Me too." Katara followed.
"Before you can eat, you have to greet every guest, correct?"
The four forgot their empty stomachs at the sight of their favorite scar-faced firelord.
"Zuko!"
The four ran over and hugged both Zuko and Mai. The married couple could only scowl.
"Are we really still hugging?"
"Buddy," Sokka squeezed his friends harder. "You should have known what you signed up for the moment you joined team avatar."
The embrace ended and the friends got into conversation quickly.
Zuko had Mai on his arm as he spoke. "So what's with the metal mat on the floor?"
"What!?" Toph exclaimed as quietly as she could. She kicked her shoes under one of the nearby tables. The grin that came to her face made her friends laugh. "I don't even care if the metal is freezing."
"Oops. I forgot to tell you that the floor was metal." Sokka rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
Toph pinched his arm making him squeak. "I could have been able to see the whole time?"
"Sokka persuaded a couple people to weld some metal together and make it the flooring in the hall for you. I'm surprised he forgot. He must have been distracted by other things." Aang explained.
Mai chipped her two cents in to the conversation. "Or someone."
Sokka pretended that she didn't hear the fire lady. "Sorry, Toph."
"I'll forgive you." Her impish grin returned. "If you dance with me!"
The earthbender grabbed his best friend's hand and dragged him into the middle of the celebration hall.
"Wait! I haven't eaten yet! I need energy!"
"Get it later!"
It wasn't long until Aang grabbed Katara and pulled her towards the dance floor. The fire lord awkwardly asked his wife to dance and to his surprise she complied with a grunt and a smirk.
The war heroes danced for another hour until they finally got to eat. Once seated at their table, Sokka pigged out making everyone sitting roll their eyes. The water tribe warrior could care less.
After finishing his third plate of food, Sokka took a moment to look over at Toph, making sure she was situated okay. His eyes stared with concern as the earthbender had the same look on her face when she was suspecting something. She continued to eat though.
"What's wrong?"
Toph was taken out of her daze at the sound of Sokka's voice. "Huh? Oh nothing. How is your food?"
Sokka wasn't convinced. "It's fine. But really, what's wrong?"
She seemed to hesitate before answering. "Thanks for putting in the metal mats. I think you just saved my life."
"No problem. Is that-"
He couldn't finish what he was about to say as something zipped through the air and stopped right in front of Toph's face. Sokka, and now everyone else at the table, were staring wide eyed at a sleek metal knife inches away from Toph's face. The blind bender had only but a finger lifted from her chopsticks. This gesture was the only thing that indicated she was metalbending the nearly fatal weapon. Casually, Toph took her chopsticks and grabbed the knife with them. She set it down on the table and continued eating.
"Toph!" Katara exclaimed.
The earthbender swallowed her food. "Is anybody going to get Xi Jun?"
Sokka was already up. Quickly, just like the time on the airship, he drew his boomerang and threw it with precision at the fire nation politician. A hit in the head knocked Xi right out. Toph pushed her chair out and she took a stance. She bent part of the metal floor to cuff the man's hands and feet.
The water tribe warrior walked angrily towards their captive. Toph stayed at the table and looked back at her friends.
"Who's ready for some interrogation?"