Authors note: Thank you all for being so patient. I've been very busy these past few...months... and i havn't had the time to get this done. So here it is...enjoy! ;)
Chapter 11: Reliving experiences
Sokka heard a soft crunch as he stepped onto the cracked mud. His mind was racing.
No more tracks, where are her tracks?!?
Once again he had lost Azula's trail and once again Toph and he was searching frantically for them, well at least he was. Toph had been nothing but an annoyance for the past day, ever since he threw that tantrum.
"Sokka I'm telling you! You earth bended that rock!!!" she had said with her arms flailing wildly in the air.
"Sure I did." Sokka replied coldly.
It was a trick, nothing but a stupid gag she was pulling. It was complete insanity to even suggest that he was an earth bender. But Toph, being Toph, wouldn't stop nagging until he accepted her crazy assertion. Sokka wasn't going to give in though. He knew that as soon as he believed her, Toph would tell him to repeat the action. Then when he couldn't she would laugh in his face. Well that wasn't going to happen.
"Did you find anything?" Toph said through a yawn.
A pang of annoyance stabbed at Sokka's chest.
"You know," he said through gritted teeth, "maybe I would find something faster if you would stop interrupting me!!!" Sokka heard Toph's snort from behind.
"Temper, temper." She admonished sarcastically as she rocked her head side to side.
Sokka felt frustration build up inside him. "I don't have temper." He growled.
"It's okay, Snoozles." Toph said as though she was talking to a baby. "Everyone gets a widdle angwee sometimes. Poor widdle Sokka.
Sokka whirled around. "Will you cut it out?! Why do you insist on acting like a child!? We're not kids anymore Toph! We're adults, so try to be a little more mature will ya?!" The sight of Toph's smirking face was like lemon juice on a paper cut.
"You really are an earth bender." She said, hands resting casually on her hips.
Sokka groaned and ran his hands down his face. Her smirk faded at Sokka's silence.
"Tell me when you're ready to admit that you're wrong." Waving her hand dismissively, Toph walked away from him.
Sokka groaned long and loud before going after her. "Toph, how many times am I going to have to tell you, I –am-not-" he broke off as he crunched back onto the dried mud.
"What?" Toph asked turning around abruptly as she felt Sokka freeze. "What is it?"
"This mud…"
"What about it?"
"Well, it's not mud."
"I thought you just said was!"
Sokka gestured towards the dirt with both arms fervently. "Well it was mud but now it's not!"
Toph shook her head, annoyed. "Why am I caring?"
Sokka's arms were now thrown up towards the sky. "Because everywhere else is muddy!"
"Toph shrugged. "So."
Sokka's arms went back to gesturing at the ground. "Well this isn't mud now is it?"
Toph's face wrinkled with confusion. "Sokka, unless it's sprouting limbs or breathing I really don't think it's worth our time.
Sokka bit his lip in frustration at her ignorance. "Well, it rained the other day didn't it?"
Toph's glassy eyes widened in realization. "So…you're saying this isn't natural."
"I'm saying someone tampered with it."
"So someone dried it up on purpose. Someone like…"
"Azula. She was here."
Toph's face lit up with excitement. "We found her! We found her track!" She punched the air enthusiastically. "Let's get a move on, then!"
But before she could take a step Sokka grabbed her arm. He stared back at the ground.
"What?" she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Why?"
"Here we go again." She muttered. "Why, what?"
"Why would Azula do this?" His gaze turned to meet Toph's foggy eyes.
Her mouth struggled to for words. Toph shrugged. "I dunno, maybe she didn't want to step in it and mess up her pretty shoes."
Sokka shook his head. "No, she could have easily jumped this." Sokka thought, hard. What else had Azula done that was like this? He ran the past five years through his mind. Something like this had to have happened in all the time he had chased Azula. But what? Then, the vision of ostrich horse feathers strewn on the dirt road appeared in his mind. He remembered how obvious they were, and where they lead to.
"This is a trap." He said, looking up at Toph.
Her eyelids fluttered. "What do you mean?"
Sokka stood up and began to pace. "Do you remember when we first left Ba Sing Se and Azula's trail was really obvious? I mean, she practically put up signs saying: Azula was here."
"Yea, but," Toph let her voice trail off. Her blank eyes widened as her confusion left her. "she's trying to lure us into a trap again. She's trying to kill us; she wants us to follow her so she can get rid of us once and for all"
Sokka nodded, a satisfying smile on his lips. "That's the way I see it." A thoughtful frown replaced Sokka's smile. "But, she must know that we know that it's a trap.
"And she also probably knows that we know that she knows that we know."
Sokka struggled to decipher what Toph just said. Scratching his chin thoughtfully, he pieced it together. "So she's always going to be one step ahead of us."
"So we're walking right into her trap?"
"Well, we have two options; we can either follow this trail and try to out smart her along the way, or we can give up and go to the Jasmine Dragon for a nice cup of tea."
"Well, I have nothing against tea," Toph said, "but I'm not one to quit either. So I'm going with "A"."
Sokka smiled fondly. "I was hoping you'd say that."
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Toph sat cross legged on the ground waiting for Sokka to return with the fire wood. Becoming impatient, Toph pulled out a smooth ivory whistle and began to caress it absentmindedly. Her fingers traced along the long tail and up the curved back of the small bison. A wistful smile broke out on her pale lips. She missed them so much. She had received letters from Katara and Aang while teaching earth bending, but letters were useless to her; she needed to hear their voices. Asking someone to read the letters out loud to her was humiliating. But how else could Katara contact her? Katara lived in a very isolated area and Toph didn't have all the time in the world to travel all the way down to the Southern Air Temple every weekend to pop in for tea.
Toph wished she could hear Katara's voice again. Even though Toph hated to admit it, she felt a sisterly love towards Katara. She had always tried her best to keep her temper and she always standing up for Toph. Toph chuckled softly as she remembered the "girls day outing" she shared with Katara when they were in Ba Sing Se. After she and Katara had dealt with the bunch of girls they had met, Katara told Toph something that meant the world to Toph; Katara had told her she was pretty. Toph's parents had always told her that she was pretty, but coming from some one other than family……a pair of tears trickled down Toph's smiling face. She wiped it away quickly but felt more coming as guilt grabbed hold of her. Toph had missed Aang and Katara's wedding. She had been halfway across the world when she got the invitation, but unfortunately by the time it got to her the wedding day had already passed. She wished she could have gone though. She hadn't seen Katara, Aang, MoMo, or Appa since the night Sokka found Suki.
What a night. Tears in her eyes, Toph had sat alone in her earth tent, the heated argument she had with Sokka replaying itself over and over in her mind. Sokka said he never wanted to see her again. What was the point in staying with the gang any longer then if she was not wanted? Taking up her few belongings Toph fled, leaving behind nothing but a simple goodbye letter in her earth tent. But not too long after she had left, she picked up an unwanted visitor. Light, fast footsteps were coming towards her; Twinkletoes. She had stopped, waiting for the footsteps to follow suit. They did, behind a tree not to far from her.
"I know you're there Twinkletoes." She said. "No matter how hard you try you will never be able to sneak up on me."
Aang emerged from the trees and walked over to her. He laughed nervously. "I never expected to." He paused. "Toph, why are you leaving?"
Toph's whole body grew tense. "I think I'd rather keep that information to myself, Aang."
"Yea, okay." He said, sadly. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
Toph snorted. "Come on Aang. I know you're lying."
Aang's heartbeat jumped as he laughed. "I can't get anything past you can I?" Toph heard a small shuffle as Aang kicked the dirt. "I wanted to give you something."
Toph felt suddenly hot. He wanted to give her something? She turned around. "What?"
Aang grabbed Toph's hand and shoved something smooth into it. After he closed her hand over the object, Toph's heart performed violent back flip when Aang's arms wrapped around her in a brotherly hug. Aang's heartbeat was strong and steady against her chest. Slowly, Toph returned the embrace feeling hot tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
"I'm, not leaving because of you or Katara." Unable to hold back her tears, Toph confessed. "I'm leaving because…because…." Aang shushed her and let her slide out of her arms.
"It's okay. I know."
Toph's pale eyes grew wide. He knew? How could he know?! Was she being that obvious? But Toph was never able to ask these questions, for with a small whisper of "use this if you ever need me" Aang was gone. She felt the smooth item Aang had left in her hand. I was shaped like an otter, no, a buffalo. A bison. It was Aang's bison whistle. So many times Toph had heard the small shrill, airy, screech of the whistle followed by the thunderous boom of Appa's roar. A leather thong held the whistle around her neck now. She carried it always, waiting for the moment when she needed it.
A loud cluck from behind made Toph jump. Sokka was back from collecting firewood and was now making a scratching sound with two rocks in an attempt to start a fire. With a small whoosh, the night's cold air was swept away by the heart of a crackling fire. Toph moved closer and warmed her hands against the flame.
"Aaah. That's much better." She sighed. She took her hands away from the flame and continued to stroke her whistle.
"What's that?" Sokka asked as he plopped down next to her.
"Oh, it's Aang's whistle."
"Why do you have it?"
Toph sighed. She hated to bring up such a mutually painful memory. "Remember the night I left?"
Sokka said nothing.
"Well, Aang caught up with me to say goodbye and he gave me this in case I ever needed him." She felt the whistle slide from her fingers as Sokka took it.
"How is Appa supposed to hear that when you're across the world?" he asked.
Toph shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe he's got really good hearing or something."
Sokka's soft chuckle made her smile. Gently, she took the whistle back and continued to stroke it. The fire popped loudly.
"Toph." Sokka blurted out after several minutes of silence.
She turned her head to face him. "What?"
He hesitated for a moment before saying, "I owe you…an apology. You know, for this morning. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."
Toph's mouth dangled in utter disbelief. Sokka was apologizing? Her brain struggled to comprehend this new and unusual behavior.
"I understand if you're mad at me."
Sokka said hastily. Toph sensed his heart beat quicken.
"I just wanted to let you know…that I'm sorry."
Toph recovered and quickly replied. "Sokka, haven't you known me long enough to realize that you never have to apologize to me?"
"Oh," Sokka said, sounding crestfallen, "yea." He let out a small chuckle.
A sly grin slid into place on Toph's lips. Maybe she could get more out of this.
"Well, you know," Toph started, picking the dirt out of her fingernails, "the reason I didn't mind so much is because that behavior is solid proof, you know."
"Of what?"
"Oh, you know," her grin widened, "the behavior of a fellow earth bender is quite welcoming."
Sokka groaned. "Toph…"
Toph's temper flared. "Oh come on!!!" She yelled. "Why, Sokka? Why wouldn't I lie to you about something like this? Even I would do something that low! You're an earth bender, plain and simple! And if you won't accept it you'll be loosing something more powerful and valuable than that stupid boomerang of yours!" Toph stood up right and ruthlessly poked Sokka in the chest with her finger. Sokka said nothing. Letting out an exasperated cry, Toph rolled her eyes and plopped back down on the ground.
Idiot! Why wouldn't he accept it? She felt it with own two feet. He was an earth bender. If only he would open up his eyes; then Toph could teach him. But, then again, a common and evident trait of a true earth bender was stubbornness. She now knew what it must have be like for the people that tried to get her to do something.
"Do you really think I'm an earth bender?"
Toph's heart leapt. "Sokka, I don't think you're an earth bender, I know you're an earth bender!" Toph was trying hard not to smile. Finally he was getting it through his thick head!
"This is crazy." Sokka said through a small nervous laugh.
"You're telling me." Toph said settling her head in her cupped hands.
"I mean…an earth bender! Me, an earth bender! Think of what I could learn. Think of the power I could wield."
"I could never imagine." Toph said with a small smile.
"He he, yea." Sokka picked at the dirt beneath him. "But…how is it possible?"
"How is what possible?"
"How can I be an earth bender? I was born in the water tribe, all my ancestors were water benders, my sister is a water bender, how am I an earth bender?!"
Toph took this in. It was very odd. Someone born and raised in the water tribe turning out to be an earth bender wasn't exactly common. She thought hard for a reason for this strange happening. Something came to mind.
"Do you remember when I was the blind bandit?"
"How could I forget."
"Well do you remember that one earth bender who was from the fire nation?"
"Oh, yea."
"Well, he was from the fire nation and he could earth bend. So who says someone from the water tribe can't?"
"Well, I guess-"
"And there was also something Aang told me. When he was studying how to master the Avatar State with the Guru, he told Aang that separation is an illusion. The nations, the elements are all connected. You are no different from me. Just because you were born in the water tribe doesn't mean you have to be a water bender."
"I guess that makes sense. Maybe this isn't as crazy as I thought it was."
"Well it's about time!" Toph exclaimed, throwing herself backward to lie on the earth. With a muffled thump, Sokka joined her.
"Sorry it took me so long to come around."
Toph felt herself break out in a satisfied smile. Nothing but the soft chirp of crickets made any sound. Then, after what seemed an eternity, Sokka broke the silence.
The dirt crunched as Sokka turned on his side to face Toph. "Why do you think I can earth bend now, and not 5 years ago when I really needed it?"
Toph turned on her side as well, trying her best to fix her misty eyes on him. After what she thought was a pretty good guess, she answered. "Chi is a very spiritual thing. A lot of bending requires peace of mind. You, unfortunately, have not been able to sustain such a state for a long time. Even before the war ended you were troubled. You lost your mother, your father had to leave to go to war, you left your tribe to help Aang, you met someone you loved, and lost her. You have had a very disturbing life."
"Yea but what about Katara? She went through all of that too."
"So maybe you could bend all that time. Usually one first bends when they are taught to, or have some sort of emotional outburst."
"But I've had plenty of those."
"But when did you have some earth available to bend? You never got that angry during those few months and most of it was spent in the air anyway."
"But believe me, when I was small I had more than a few "emotional outbursts"."
"For crying out loud Sokka! You lived on a hunk of ice all your life!"
"Oh, yea."
Toph rolled her eyes.
"But these past few years-"
"Like I said; bending requires peace of mind." She said, emphasizing every word.
A long paused stretched between them. After a while, Sokka shattered the silence by scratching dirt as he scooted closer to her. Toph's heart started to pound against her chest. She felt Sokka take her hand in his.
"I wonder what put my mind to peace." He said sneakily.
Toph felt her cheeks grow hot. She knew the answer, she just didn't want to say it. "Well," she stared hesitantly, "I guess that might be…."
"You?" Sokka was now so close to her she could feel his warm breath on her face. Toph found that she was smiling. Could she actually want him to be this close? Well, of course she did. You love him remember? Reminded a voice in the back of her head.
"Gee, what about me could possibly cause you to come to peace?" she asked cynically.
"I haven't the slightest clue." Sokka wrapped his free arm around Toph's waist pulling her in even closer.
"I see you're eager to relive the experience." Toph said as she wrapped her arms around Sokka's neck.
"If you don't mind."
"Believe me you're killing me by hesitating." Sokka's heart suddenly grew wild against her chest as his lips met hers.