HI everyone!! I'm back, whether you like it or not, and here's chapter 37!! I'm thinking of writing a fanfiction for Nanoha... Should I? Anyways, enjoy...

Disclaimer: I don't own the Firenation, or Avatar. Nor Nanoha, for that matter.

Book 5: Water

Chapter 37: Reinstating

Toph paced around her room. She was getting that unusual feeling in her again, same as about a year ago. Do I like him? She could not get this out her head. The way he spoke, the similarities between them, and the way he held her.

Stop it, Toph, you're independent! She wanted to scold herself, to just fall asleep and not think of anything. Not being in control was making her mad, as she lay on the bed, in the room she shared with Suki, on her stomach. Sighing, Toph got out of bed and got her fans, heading out to her plain again.

Here, the earth calmed her, and the metal reassured her. She inspected her piece of work. Someday, I'll be able to live here, a strong, free earthbender establishing her place in the whole firenation. She crawled into her 'house' and began to work on the minor details.

When the earth heated up beneath her, Toph knew it was morning, and hurried back home, coating her masterpiece with metal again. She kept a lookout for Yanre, for if he found out, she could be in trouble. For safety's sake, she traveled underground, and only emerged at the front of the palace. She flashed her firenation emblem, that Zuko gave to all of them, at the guards without stopping, and entered the palace to a load of people in the courtyard.

"Oh no! I completely forgot!" Toph immediately wove her way underground to the back of the stage, where Zuko and his uncle were standing in front, to stand beside Team Avatar.

"Where were you?" Suki whispered, or rather, said, as the crowd cheered again.

She shrugged, and pointed to the front of the stage, signaling to watch the re-coronation of Firelord Zuko. "...Firelord Zuko!" The gathering of people erupted in cheers, and Team Avatar looked on in delight.

After the courtyard cleared, and the sages went back, the ten of them sat down on the edge of the stage, and just spent the rest of the talking. It seemed in the one or so year they spent together, they never spent anytime together as just friends. Even less so in the case of the firenation natives, and especially Poppy, whose first time meeting team Avatar ended up with her daughter running away.

*Awkward silence*

Suki: So... What is everyone going to do now that we have nothing to do?

Toph: I think we should stay here a bit. The last time we did, we were wanted. Maybe this time we can go around and actually enjoy the place without worrying about bad Firelords; no offence, Zuko.

Zuko: None taken. I hate my father anyways.

Katara: I actually agree with Toph! Any objections?

Poppy: Still, don't you think we should get disguises?

Ty Lee: Mai, let's dress up as Earth Kingdom people...

Mai: My sentiments exactly.

Poppy: I meant for those who need it!

Ty Lee and Mai: We know!

Everyone laughed.

Zuko: No problem! The guys can just borrow from me...If he fits...(Looks at Aang) And Mai or Ty Lee. He she fits.

Toph: Don't worry! I still have my old set.

Aang: I have mine too! I would very much like to go back to school! Especially since I can firebend now! Oh but what about the head-band? I have no hair!

Sokka jabbed him, "Remember Appa?" Aang and Katara burst out laughing, to the confusion of the others. "And Momo!" They laughed even harder.

Poppy: What about me?

Zuko: You can borrow from my mother, I can ask her for you.

Poppy: Thanks!

Katara: Do I have to borrow from Mai? All her clothes are black! Or dark red! I think I shall just go shop for my own while wearing my old one.

Sokka: Now Aang. House rules. Number one, NO MORE DANCE PARTIES! Ok?

Aang: Ok. That's all?

Sokka nods.

Aang: Ok. That means that I can hold music parties! Which would eventually lead to a dance party.

Sokka is fuming, but is also ignored by everyone else.

The next morning, Suki and Yue borrowed some of Mai's clothes and Katara wore her old set, and got the guys out to go shopping with them (a need! Not some girl-thingy!). With a little persuading, they managed to get Aang and Sokka to come (Aang can't possibly wear his school uniform everywhere, right?).

Toph went to inspect her work again, for the fourth time in 3 days. She brought Ty Lee and Mai along, for a visual commentary. Since the arrival of Katara, Mai had healed faster than when the royal physicians were put in charge of her. Even if she wasn't totally relieved of the pain, she could now move her hand without screaming at even the slightest movement.

Zuko stayed behind to take care of some administrative stuff, which would bore you to death if I described it. Poppy helped, being the only other person in the group who knew even the slightest politics. Both of them actually wanted Mai to stay behind with them, Zuko because he wanted some sort of stress-relieving method, Poppy because she felt the firelady should be able to help with the work...and relieve stress.

As the 5 of them walked down the market in their disguises, so-called, and Aang having wrapped his whole head in a tunic, and wore gloves, they received some weirded-out looks, some more blatant than others.

Suki felt a little left out at first, for the other four of them were occupied with looking at the sights-namely, each other. Finally, she spotted a clothing shop.

"Look!" She pointed at the direction, and everyone's eyes redirected, and they changed course, headed for the shop instead of having absolutely none. And the shopping began.

First, the three girls worked on the guys. For Sokka, they found a black robe not unlike the one he wore during his sword training. To match that, he got dark red pants, and a nice-enough headpiece which, according to the shop-keeper, represented swordsmen.

"Quite dangerous, having a headpiece. You could be challenged to a duel in the middle of the streets, if you wore one. You would be executed if you didn't display the qualities or met the requirements. It's best to redeem your headpiece." They dropped the headpiece and went to search for Aang's clothes instead.

"Then do you happen to have a headpiece for a master firebender?"

Katara nearly shoved him to the floor, if not for the years of trained self-control she got when she had to deal with Sokka all alone. Anyway, Aang ducked.

The shop-keeper nodded, "But as I said, it is very dangerous to..."

"We know. But if he isn't a master, we don't know who is."

"But he looks 14! It isn't possible!"

"Are you a shop-keeper or the firelord? Just trust us!"

"Actually, I was just kidding..." Aang said. Katara really shoved him, but not to the ground, only gave him a soft yet powerful push, causing him to stumble.

"Come on, we're here to get dis...clothes! Don't fight!"

"Oh we're not fighting. If we were you'd run and hide." Katara said in a sweet voice, and Aang nodded profusely, pointing to her with his hands behind his back. Reaching behind too, Katara grabbed his hand and twisted, causing him to cry out in surprise.

"We shall now move on to Yue..."

After about half a day of shopping, the five of them finally left the shop, thanking the spirits that the visit had been rather uneventful. They went back home to drop their stuff, before proceeding to their rooms, very tired. Aang was to start school in 2 weeks, and got instructed not to cut his hair for that duration.

Back to that morning:

Mai and Ty Lee exchanged glances as Toph led them to who knew where. Through the forest, and when they emerged, there was a whole greenery spread before them. The only seemingly synthetic thing which was rather out of place, was a lump of metal resembling a perfect cubic rock, just smack in the middle of the field.

Stomping once, Toph revealed her masterpiece to the two judges, who watched in amazement as the metal peeled itself off what seemed to be a house.

Suddenly Toph inhaled, and stomped once more, and the house was concealed again. She dropped to her knees, and whispered to Mai, "Pretend you're my mum, and I'm a blind non-earthbending noble!"

"What?"

"What?"

Mai, followed by Ty Lee, asked.

"Just do it! Earthbenders are not welcome in the firenation!"

Right after she spoke, a figure of about 14 years old emerged into the plain, and Mai immediately frowned, and scolded Toph, "Get up, er... What's your name?"

"Ki!" Toph whispered back fiercely.

"Get up, Ki! You're getting your clothes dirty! You know nobles like us must be proper all the time! What would they think of us if someone saw us?!"

Toph pouted, and got up slowly, with some 'help' from Ty Lee.

Having heard the commotion, the figure turned around in the middle of firebending practice, and spotted them.

"Hey! It's you, Ki! Nice to see you again. And these are...?"

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Toph had practiced being 'normally' blind over the last two days, thinking she'd need it if they were going to stay for a while.

"I'm Yanre! Don't you... Oh you're blind."

Immediately he received a slap.

"Don't you dare talk about my daughter that way! Don't you know who we are? Now, run along, peasant!" Mai shouted.

"I'm sorry, but I happen to be a noble too, even if you, madam, are of a higher rank." He sounded a little hurt, otherwise very formal.

"I'm very sorry..." Mai began to apologise, but was cut off by Toph. "Ok, mum, Yanre gets the point. Why don't you go back home first. I'll have him send me home like last time."

Ty Lee was going to protest, but a jab from the ground beneath her shut her up, and she followed Mai back home.

"Soooo... Firebending again? Plotting to kill me again?" Toph pretended to be feeling for him, turning in all the different directions and walking towards nowhere, until he grabbed her wrist and turned her around to 'face' him.

"Look, what made you think I wanted to kill you?"

"I was kidding! Geez, firebenders... My dad was a firebender, and he is seriously one who cannot take jokes." She said, thinking of Zuko, who was Mai's husband.

Toph sat down. Yanre sat beside her. Toph laid on the grass. Yanre laid on the grass beside her. They both looked at the sky.

"The sky is really beautiful..."

"Yeah it is. Can you describe it?" Yanre face-palmed himself.

He sent her to the beginning of Azulon Street. And she headed home. Where Mai and Ty Lee demanded she show them the house again. "Tomorrow." She replied with a yawn.

__________________________________________

Zuko was never happier when he saw Mai step through the door of the palace, and ran up to her to give her a big kiss. Which she returned, more than happy to.

Ty Lee slinked away from the love show, into her room, which used to be her dressing room before performances for Ozai. Now it was less messy. She sat down, and looked through her drawers.

Soon, just looking through became clearing out the drawers of anything that reminded her of Azula, and the circus. Clearing it out of the drawer, out of her mind. She had friends now, not some stupid mobile home full of people just like her; having run away from home, seeking attention.

As the day came to a close, for some, it ended happy, some, less, others, in anticipation for tomorrow.

Ok the offer is still up, and I'm going away next two weeks, so if you really want to read the next two chapters, review please!! 3 for the next one.

BTW, there is a poll on my profile regarding the Nanoha fanfic. Onegai, help me decide!!