Appa and she have no love for one another. That much the giant beast has made apparent. Even now its large eyes stare her down. It must be the same look in her eye because the Avatar tries to encourage her to climb onboard.
"Appa doesn't mind. He won't hurt you." The Avatar's warm voice says in her ear.
The sky bison lets out a contrary snort.
"Come on, Princess, I can't see a thing up here but you don't see me wussing out." The Metal Bender taunts from her position in the saddle.
She has only flown on the creature one time and that was quite unpleasant. How they managed to do this through the war she isn't sure? The smell alone would be overwhelming.
The Avatar is patient but only so much. He easily picks her up and bends them into the saddle. He sets her down before jumping to the front to take the reins.
With a quick 'Yip Yip' they are airborne.
When they touch down for the night to rest, she quickly leaps from the saddle, grateful to feel solid ground under her feet.
The sun is setting so they make camp.
It has been on the rare occasion that she has slept outside but she can see the peacefulness in it.
"Hey, Twinkletoes, Keep in mind I can see everything that goes on over there!" Toph yells from her earth tent.
"Good night to you too, Toph!" He calls back from their own earth tent before she slams the door on hers.
The day of traveling wears on her and sleep finds her quickly for once.
When she awakes later, it is to a near empty tent and to the soft sound of voices.
"I don't get it." The Metal Bender says.
"What is there to get?" The Avatar asks back.
"You have, like, the worst taste in women."
"That's hardly fair."
Toph snorts. "First, Sugar Queen and, now, Princess. At least, Sugar Queen didn't try to kill you, unless you count mothering you to death."
The Avatar is quiet. "She wasn't trying to kill me."
"Sorry did I miss something? Since when is shooting someone with lightening a good thing?" Her words drip with sarcasm.
He sighs. "I should have handled it differently." He is doing what he always does and takes the blame himself.
"Yeah, like taking Zuko up on his offer to keep her in the Fire Nation prison."
"I don't mean that. She wanted to see her father. I told her no." His voice is soft, sad even.
"Sounds like a good plan to me. Getting Ozai and her together didn't turn out too well anyway."
The bruises had taken weeks to fade because she refused to let him heal her.
The two fall silent for a bit.
"What exactly is up with you and her anyway?" Toph asks carefully.
"What do you mean?"
Toph sighs this time. "Don't do that. Don't try to avoid this. You know what I mean. She lives with you, sleeps with you, you took her as your date to Zuko's wedding for spirit's sake! Then you and she argue about her father and she shoots you with lightening so you take her to see him anyway. Now you're taking her to the Northern Air Temple while you check up on things."
The Avatar doesn't respond right away."She's important to me." He said the same vague words to Katara.
"Do you love her?" Toph is not one to take the delicate approach.
The sounds of the night fill the silence.
"I don't know." He says slowly. "I didn't plan for things to go like they did at the trial but I couldn't let them execute her."
"So of course the right thing to do is to take her back to your place." Toph deadpans.
He laughs but doesn't say anything more.
"Wait a moment, things between the two of you didn't pick up until afterward, right?" The Metal Bender has a knack for picking up on unspoken thoughts, except with Azula that is.
"Ah, well…" She can only imagine how much he is blushing at this.
"Seriously? You and Azula were…before?" Toph sounds a bit amazed. "You know, sometimes I feel like I don't really know you at all."
"I'm sorry." He sounds genuinely contrite about it. "It's not like I could just strike up a conversation about this. It's complicated."
"With all the strange stuff you and I have been through together you could have said, 'Hey Toph, I met this crazy, hot girl and did I mention that at some point she's tried to kill every one of us.'"
He laughs again. "I didn't know how you or anyone else would take it."
"Yeah, well, we still aren't sure which one of you is crazier."
"You know, sometimes I'm not either."
"Home, sweet, home." The Metal Bender's tone indicates anything but.
"Are you sure you want us to leave you?" The Avatar offers. "You could stay for a few nights then come with us to the Air Temple."
She holds up a hand. "No, I need to spend some time with my parents and if that fails, then I can easily find something to amuse myself with. I'll catch up with you back at Sparky's sometime."
She disappears inside the doors of the Bei Fong estate and the sky bison soon takes off into the sky.
The Northern Air Temple is nothing like what she thinks it will be.
As soon as Appa lands they are surrounded by people.
Time and time again she is amazed at how people respond to him. These are Earth Kingdom refugees that have opted to follow the Air nomad way of life. They are trying to revive a dead nation all because of their devotion to one man.
The Avatar could rule the world with his power and the nations would eagerly follow because of his charm, instead he chooses to serve. If she weren't so bored with the crying thing, she would be moved to shed a tear for his wasted potential.
They all compete for his attention, calling out greetings and well wishes.
One man with wild hair and a beard approaches. He and the Avatar bow to one another.
"Avatar Aang, we have been expecting you!"
"It is good to be back." The Avatar responds warmly.
When Azula's feet touch the ground, guarded eyes turn to her. They take in her Fire Nation clothes and look back to the Avatar expectantly.
"This is Princess Azula. She's a guest of the Air Nation." He places a hand on her lower back drawing her forward.
Their eyes dart from her to him clearly trying to decide.
The man's eyes hesitantly meet hers and something clicks about him.
Azula gives a small smile. This is the man, the Mechanist, that was responsible for so many wonderful innovations in the Fire Nation armada, including the drill that nearly brought down the walls of Ba Sing Se.
She holds out her hand waiting for him to take it.
The man looks at it as if it is a snake that will bite him but a quick glance at the Avatar assures him enough that he takes it carefully all the same.
"It is a pleasure to have the sister of the Fire Lord as a guest." His says the words but the tone of his voice disagrees.
"The Air Nation has already shown me such hospitality. I am delighted to be here." She smiles but the Avatar sees how it does not reach her eyes.
"Excellent." He puts on a sense of false cheer but his gray eyes hold a warning for her.
The Mechanist eyes her again before turning to lead them into the temple.
"We have prepared your room, Avatar Aang, and dinner will be ready soon." He chatters as they walk. Behind them a small group of people follow just eager to bask in the Avatar's presence a bit more. "I didn't know you would be bringing a guest but I can have another room ready shortly."
"That won't be necessary. Princess Azula will be staying with me." The Avatar answers easily, ignoring the man's surprised look.
"Of course," The man tries to not stammer.
They stop at a simple door and he opens it to show a rather plain room.
The Avatar smiles, clearly pleased with the simplicity of Air nomad life.
Azula looks at the small bed and sparse furniture cautiously.
"Perfect!" He was always too excited about the simplest things.
The Mechanist looks at her again, clearly troubled by her presence. "I will let you settle in and when you are ready, then please join us for dinner."
He exits shutting the door behind him, hiding them from the curious glances of the others.
She watches him leave with shrewd eyes. This trip may turn out more interesting than what she thought it would.