There were nine villages overall on Kyoshi Island. The fifth, the center point, had a shrine dedicated to the Avatar of their namesake. Every village had its own group of Kyoshi Warriors much like a small clan, and the number that Toph sensed felt higher than what it would usually have been. That meant the villages had combined forces with the survivors of the other battles in an attempt to drive away the invaders.

The village they touched down at was the fifth one, the one where Suki lived. It was in shambles, in the process of being rebuilt, except rain had hindered the progress and loosened the soil. There were far more people in the one village than it could support and the strain was showing.

Oyaji was the leader of Suki's village. He was an old, round man with a large beard, a bow-shaped moustache and long hair. He wore a thick, brown, hooded fur coat, thinner trousers and hard heeled boots. "Welcome, Avatar Aang. I'm afraid you come at a bad time, for we have nothing to spare to celebrate your arrival."

"It's okay. We've come to help," said Aang politely with a bow. Motioning to Toph, he added, "this is my Earthbending teacher."

"Blind Bandit," said Toph informally. "Nice to meet you."

Oyaji nodded to the both of them, his eyes lingering for a moment on her. "This is the second to last village standing," he informed them sadly. "Firebenders have destroyed the rest of them. We have lost many villagers and warriors, we cannot afford to lose any more."

"Do you have any idea where the Firebenders are?" Aang asked as they began to walk to the largest building standing since the first attack on the village. A large bunker which was made of wooden poles tied together. It did little to hold out the draft and even less against the rain.

Oyaji shook his head. "I'm afraid not. They hide in shadows and strike when we are most vulnerable. So far they have forced us to evacuate several times—what you see here are the inhabitants of those which were destroyed. Those who survived, anyway."

Seven out of nine, she thought, resting a hand against the handle of her bag. Rather than accompany Aang into the hut where the village leaders stayed, she sought out Suki and found her training with other warriors on the ledge above the area the left row of houses had once been. Suki broke away from her friends and threw herself at her smaller friend, hugging her happily. "What're you doing here? Where're Aang and Sokka?"

"Aang's talking with that old guy and Sokka couldn't come," she replied. "I'm here to deal with Azula, and from the looks of it, you guys could use the help."

Suki sighed as she glanced back at her comrades, motioning for them to keep sparring. Toph was only half listening when she started talking about the situation. Nearly half of the warriors present were injured in some way or another—some, while hiding it successfully from their friends, were leaning in favour of one leg or not hitting as hard with one arm. Aang could most likely use his Waterbending to heal the serious wounds.

"We never know when or where they're going to strike," Suki murmured, "and there are too many for one division to handle on their own. They've attacked our medicine stores and burned down our crops … we've put guards and watchers out, our strongest, but there just isn't enough to go around."

"Why not send for food from other places? Can't you import some?"

"Kyoshi Island has long kept to itself, Toph. What money we have is little. Traders don't often come here—we catch our own food. And anyway, we daren't risk shipping anything in case Azula targets them as well- get her inside!" One of the warriors collapsed as the strain on her body became too much. Two warriors, one on each side, lifted her up. Toph Earthbent them up on a small platform and lowered them down the ledge.

Suki shook her head. "Sorry about that."

"Aang can heal," she said dismissively. "Take everyone injured to him as soon as you're done here. I'll keep watch so you can all sleep tonight."

Suki gave a thankful sigh and rested both hands on her shoulders. "Thank you so much, Toph."

Toph patted Suki's arm and sat down to watch the training. You shouldn't thank me yet, Sweetness. Tomorrow is when the real training begins.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ x ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Aang stayed with her for a while as everyone else slept. Toph's seismic sense allowed her to see anything that came near the camp, it didn't matter if it was human, animal or insect. "You know I don't like the plan, right?" he mentioned again, resting his head on her shoulder. "I understand why, but I'm still not keen on letting Kyoshi run around in my body."

"Then why are you agreeing to do it?"

"Because you asked me to."

Toph lifted her chin and leaned back until their cheeks brushed. "You kept mentioning your dislike of my plan like you wanted to add something. When you do, it's the most corny mush I've ever heard in my life. I am never asking you anything again."

Aang rolled his eyes and kissed her neck. Before him, there was only stars and silver clouds. Appa lay on his side behind them, and he was sandwiched between (as Sokka had once called him) the 'ten ton magical beast' and his girlfriend. "It's only the truth," he said. "And anyway, I managed to speak with her on our way here. I asked her to be more considerate of your welfare."

"And she said?"

Aang looked slightly unnerved. "If I told her to do anything ever again, I'd end up in the same position as Kuruk." He paused. "I can't find Kuruk."

Toph grinned and nodded knowingly. "That's my giant monster lady."

Vibrations came back from about a mile out in the forest, humanoid. Toph narrowed her eyes as she studied the gait, unsure of what it was. It was human but didn't walk as a Firebender did. Someone injured? She kept watching. "Are you looking forward to going back home?"

Aang brightened up at this. "I can't wait," he said. "I've got a whole load of history books to help show everyone how things have changed, and I've got some picture books for the kids, some plants to put around the Temple and a whole bunch of other things. I've even got some blankets from the Earth Kingdom to hand out."

"Anything from the Water Tribes?"

Aang looked slightly concerned. "Well, I've got some ideas, but most of the things revolve around dead animals there. Fur coats, hunting weapons, things like that … maybe a trip to the Northern Water Tribe? I'm sure Master Pakku and Sokka can give me some ideas!"

He hasn't mentioned Katara in a while. Aang wouldn't have forgotten the young woman, especially since she was his second Waterbending teacher (Pakku had been his first, but the methods hadn't worked as effectively). Was he trying to cut her out of his life, though, or was he growing used to a life without her? Toph couldn't figure it out. Maybe her advice about not dwelling on what he couldn't fix was working, or maybe it was something else. Maybe he had given up hope of her ever waking up again. After all, it had been weeks since she'd been struck, and in those weeks his mind had worried.

But who am I kidding? Maybe she'll never wake up.

Toph stretched her arms and legs and sat up, shifting back against Aang. His breath was warm against her ear, the chill of the winter night biting at her short sleeves and exposed calves, but not as bothersome as it would once have been. Sure it was cold, uncomfortable, but she appreciated the wind's presence, because although she was an Earthbender at heart, it brought back a sense of home.

Home was where the earth and sky was. The sea could take a hike, she wasn't a Waterbender.

"Before I was trapped in the iceberg, Monk Gyatso took me on trips around the world. I saw the Water Tribes filled with people, every day living a struggle for survival. Back then it wasn't much different than it is now; the Southern Water Tribe was larger, as grand as its sister tribe, beautiful..."

"The Earth Kingdom had so much land, more than it had now, and it was green all summer, the best during the spring. I remember walking through fields of gold, the only thing around as far as the eye could see were flowers and animals. I'd play my flute back then and they'd all gather around, and I'd feed them seeds and grass and other things."

"And the Fire Nation was so active and exciting, it's where everything new happened, where everything was made and improved. They strived to become the greatest, to outshine all the rest and set an example. They had so much potential and motivation" -too much motivation, more like it- "and passion. I used to think of words to try and describe my experiences when I visited them. It became almost like a game."

"What were the words?"

Aang smiled. "For the Air Nomads, I chose nature. Nature, joy, freedom. Because everything was free, everyone was happy, and everything we had came from nature. We didn't kill for food, we shared it with what was around us. Money that we got we gave to charity, and that gave joy to other people."

"For the Water Tribes, they were... savage, strong, creative. Savage because they killed animals for food, clothes and weapons. But they were strong because they did so not for enjoyment, but because they had to if they were to survive. And they needed to be creative to make new things out of what they had, because in those times very few traders went to the poles. The waters were cold and treacherous."

"The Earth Kingdom … independent, beautiful and protected. Everyone did things for themselves. The forests and fields held such beauty and the cities were great and well protected. I remember going to Omashu and riding the mail chutes with Bumi, because he taught me to see things that other people missed." Aang suddenly brightened, his eyes beaming with brilliance. "Oh! I have to take you there some time. We can get together with Bumi and ride the chutes, it'll be amazing."

Toph nodded thoughtfully. "And what about the Fire Nation?"

"Passionate, motivated, alive."

Toph lifted her head in understanding and asked, "and what about now? Have the words changed?"

Aang was silent for a few long moments as he thought over his list. Undoubtedly some of them will have changed, because the Nations had changed. "The Air Nomads … survivors, protected, unbreakable. Water Tribes … they haven't changed. The Earth Kingdom, I'd say independent, survivors, nature … and the Fire Nation, savage, passionate, powerful."

"Does that make us different, then?" she wondered.

Aang brushed the back of his fingers against the side of her fringe. "Hm?"

"You used some of the same words for the Earth Kingdom as you have for the Air Nomads. Survivor, nature, protected. Does that make us opposite, or are we really just the same? Are we actually similar?" She brushed her hand over the ground, grabbed a fistful of dust and let it fall from the gap of her little finger like an hour glass. "And you've swapped a word for the Water Tribe and Fire Nation. Savage. Strong. Granted you used powerful in place, but they mean the same thing in effect."

Aang reached out and caught some of the earth as it scattered in the wind. "I don't think we're different," he said. "I told you about that swamp I visited that showed me the vision of you. You were running across trees, and I was trying to catch you, but no matter how fast I ran, you always got away. You were free, Toph, free like an Air Nomad. Anyway, there was a swamp man, the one who could Bend the water in plants … he lived in that swamp and learned from the largest tree in the swamp that we're all connected. Firebenders, Waterbenders, Airbenders, Earthbenders, we're all the same. We're all part of the same planet, even if we're divided by nationality or beliefs."

The swamp. Toph wrinkled her nose in disgust. "That swamp tried to kill me," she growled. "It's stupid."

"I wouldn't have met you if it weren't for that swamp," Aang purred.

"Still stupid."

Aang laughed. "Well I can't argue with you there really. I didn't like it much either, especially since I couldn't catch you."

"You couldn't catch me anyway." Toph smirked slightly, and then moaned. Aang began kissing her throat, her jaw, her lips...

"I've already caught you, haven't I?" he whispered.

Toph rolled her eyes and, pushing herself against him dominantly, broke away and turned back around. "Don't try to distract me, Twinkletoes. I have to keep watch, not play tonsil hockey with a weird bald guy."

"Insert blind joke here." Aang choked and laughed as Toph elbowed him in the stomach. She was smiling though, so she knew it was in good spirits. After all, they were the most dysfunctional couple Suki had ever seen.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ x ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Toph fell asleep in Aang's arms before the night was through and stirred when her mind registered the vibrations of villagers as they rose with the sun. She got up and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, waking him from his rest, and together they walked to Kyoshi's shrine. It was the only place that the dark fires had not reached, and for some reason it felt as though the very wood that it was made of were protected by something ethereal.

Was this the place Kyoshi lived when she was alive? She wondered. It's quiet, peaceful, just as she would have liked.

"I'll see you tonight, Badgermole," said Aang, twining their hands together.

Toph winked at him. "Twinkletoes."

Kyoshi's presence wreathed around them both like a light mist descending, and they both took one step back, Aang lifting his head and closing his eyes. Once the pearl vortex had ceased and the heavy vibrations confirmed the exchange of bodies, Toph gave a respectful bow to her mentor and walked until she touched the wall, so that she could guard the door.

Kyoshi's earthly possessions remained on earth. What clothing she seemed to wear while she was in the Spirit World, or in Toph's mind, were conjured by her mind's desire, because everything was left behind upon death, and because the Spirit World decided to be bloody complicated. That meant, as Aang's body turned and made way for her own, she was disrobed and unarmed. And that was why they had walked to the shrine, where Kyoshi could dress without being disturbed and ready herself for teaching.

Pulling out an old box from a shelf, Kyoshi accepted the bowl of water that Toph brought to her and washed her face before applying her war paint. She knew well enough that Toph couldn't see her so didn't dismiss her as she would have done another, instead allowing her to explore the room with her fingers, completely and utterly blind. But as she reached to put the paints away, she paused, sensing something in the air.

"Sifu Kyoshi?" Toph hated feeling as frail as she did then, as blind and helpless. She couldn't even tell where the Avatar was; she knew she was somewhere in the room, but she dare not Airbend and disturb her hair or her make-up, or anything else in the room. It felt like the Air Temples, it felt heavy. She shouldn't Airbend or Earthbend here. "I was wondering if … if I could, well..."

"You wish to become a Kyoshi Warrior for the day, to find out what it is like," Kyoshi supplied for her.

Toph scratched the back of her neck and nodded, flustered.

Kyoshi rose, putting down the box, and wiped her fingers on a piece of old cloth. Crossing the room, she studied her student thoughtfully, and then conceded. "Alright. The training would do you good. I won't have my student becoming rusty," she said. "But since you can't see, I'll have to dress you in uniform and put on your paint. There should be an old one in here somewhere..."

Toph heard the sound of Kyoshi's heavy footfalls, then a draw being opened. It closed, and another opened, and then something was pulled out. Kyoshi Airbended something—dust—from the uniform and turned, holding it against her frame. "This one might be a bit big for you, but it's the smallest I can find on such short notice. Take off your clothes, and we can leave the shoes out. I know you can't see as well with your feet covered and if your hands are as sensitive as I think they are, I'll tie them tighter so they don't rub against your skin as much."

Toph disrobed, folded and put her clothes aside, but not before removing the Diamond Lotus from her wrist guard and tucking it into her chest wrap. Kyoshi pulled a green vest over her head, then a loose silk tunic that had a green stripe running down the outside of the arms.

"The silk thread is a symbol of the brave blood that runs through your veins," said Kyoshi as she clamped an arm guard around her lower arm, just before the wrist. Taking one of her hands, she rested it upon a golden badge sown into the fabric of the shirt, and went on, "this insignia represents the honour of the warrior's heart."

Then came the armour; a padded vest as tough as rhino skin with horizontal stripes running down it. The front and back were connected with leather straps and Toph had to hold it together as Kyoshi slotted in the shoulder guards. Then she pulled it down, fitting it to her petite body, and tied it together with a dark green obi, tied into a tight bow at the front.

"This uniform belonged to me, and was passed down to my daughter when she started her training as a Kyoshi Warrior."

Toph froze. "Are you sure I should wear it, then?"

Kyoshi pulled her slightly as she finished hooking through the laces on the arm guards and tying them tight. It hurt a bit but the blind Earthbender didn't complain. "I don't mind you wearing it as long as you are careful and respectful, and don't do anything to intentionally damage it. Now, take my hand and I will apply your war paint. You'll have to undo your bun so I can style your hair as well. I'll put your clothes and headband somewhere for safe keeping."

Toph's hand was tiny compared to Kyoshi's, and rougher. Kyoshi's hand was surprisingly soft, so she hadn't put on her gloves (although she really would end up looking like a clown if she tried applying paint with those leather gauntlets). Kyoshi settled her down in a lotus position and began to wash her face. Toph just closed her eyes and waited.

"The purpose of the paint is both a defensive and offensive one," Kyoshi explained. "Because everyone looks the same, the girls cannot be singled out in a fight or identified. The fact that an enemy cannot see who it is they are fighting gives a sense of intimidation and mystery, and that gives way for fear. It is extremely difficult, bordering on impossible, to prepare against an enemy that you cannot find out, because each Warrior has a strength and weakness of their own."

Toph blinked her eyes open a few times at the sensation of white paint being expertly spread across her face. She had the urge to reach up and wipe it off, so she reached up and helped Kyoshi by holding her fringe out of the way. "When I was in Makapu village, there was this girl I really wanted to punch the face off. Her name was Meng, and she said that Suki looked like a clown with her paint on."

Kyoshi noticeably bristled. For a heartbeat her grip became tighter, her fingers pushing deeper into Toph's skin, but then she relaxed. "Then she is a fool. Had it come to a fight, I doubt this Meng would have lasted even a tenth of a second against one of my Warriors. I hope you did punch her."

Toph snorted. "I tried but Sweetness held me back. She didn't hear it. I think you should put Meng through training. She wouldn't last a minute. Well I can't really tell you what I think of the war paint, except that it sounds pretty bad-ass and I'll take your word that it scares people. After all, I love scaring people."

Kyoshi hummed and wiped her fingers off of the cloth. Putting a lid on the white paint, she put it carefully back in the box and reached around for her brush. "I'll do your hair now while that dries, and then I'll add the other two colours."

"Okay. So what are the colours used for? Do they represent anything important?"

"White, red and black. White for purity, red for blood and black for emphasis and shadow."

Toph snorted. "I can tell you're lying, Bigfoot."

Kyoshi grunted. "Fine. I liked the colours. I came up with the meaning afterwards to make myself sound bad-ass."

Feeling the paint was dry, she let her fringe fall back over her face. Kyoshi knelt behind her and pulled out her headband, and then jumped slightly as her hair pretty much exploded all over the place.

Kyoshi was still for a moment. "Does anything live in this mess?"

Toph grinned and laughed. "Lots of things. If you reach in, you might find a couple of ratsnakes." Ratsnakes were snake-like creatures with tiny, vestigial paws and a tail that rattled. Their mouths were more like beaks.

Kyoshi huffed and started trying to comb the hair-bush down. It took a few minutes but she managed it, and the bristling hair relaxed and turned silky and thin. Toph swore she heard her mutter something like, so I'm not the only one. Did her hair do this too? It would be funny if it did. Toph frowned. I have no idea what she looks like. I have no idea what I look like either. Do I look fierce like Sokka said Suki does? She reached back and felt her new hairstyle to see what Kyoshi had done. Basically she had brushed it and tied it loose at the bottom so that her hair flared dangerously when the wind caught it.

"Stand up," Kyoshi ordered, finishing the preparations. Toph twisted her leg underneath her and got back to her feet, hopping a few times to test the weight of her new outfit. Well, it wasn't hers, but she was lending it.

Before she could stop herself, Toph blurted, "how do I look?"

There was a momentary silence. Toph bit her red-painted lip anxiously and tried to hide her face beneath her bangs. Kyoshi sounded slightly constrained, but completely honest and even a little bit proud when she murmured, "like a Kyoshi Warrior."

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ x ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

A sense of estranged familiarity came to Toph as she privately went through the drills with Kyoshi. The moves were sort of like a mixture of Airbending and Earthbending, the point where they met in the middle. Kyoshi Island's fighting style revolved around using the opponent's strength against them, which sounded very Waterbender-esque. To be ready to move quickly, an Airbender's trait, but also to know when to dig her feet in and redirect the path of an oncoming attack.

"Is Waterbending like a mixture of Air- and Earthbending?" she asked Kyoshi as she combated an imaginary enemy. "These feel like the hybrid steps you made me learn during our lessons."

"Yes, and the forms are similar," said Kyoshi, scrutinising her stances. "But not the same. The fact that you have trained with both gives you a pre-existing experience, of sorts. You are moving with an elegance far beyond your current level. These steps could be a sort of … revision for your Airbending."

"It feels like it," Toph smiled, fanning herself with her weapon as she reached the end of the drill. "I think I'm ready to move onto the next set."

"Hang on now, let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Kyoshi. "If you feel so confident, try them out on me. I'll decide when you move on."

Toph turned on her mentor and began performing the steps. Once she had finished, Kyoshi nudged her back into stance and corrected it. Kyoshi brushed off her robes and extended her hand to guide Toph out of the shrine. "Come. It's time we went somewhere a little more obvious."

Toph allowed Kyoshi to help her, tipping her head attentively. It's that thing again. Someone's walking through the forest, but I can't identify what it is. It's so light, but it walks like it's limping. Is it a villager wandering around or it is something else? Toph was so distracted that she didn't realise that she still held onto Kyoshi's hand as they walked out of the forest and approached the ledge where the warriors trained. Ugh, it's so frustrating. I'll go out later and take a closer look.

"Toph, you can let go of my hand now."

Toph blushed at Kyoshi's deadpan tone and released her grip. "Sorry."

"Do you see something out there?"

"...I don't know. Maybe. I'll keep an foot on it. The girls are all in that bunker. You want me to get them?"

"Yes."