"There it is! That's Roku's home!" Aang informed, landing Appa on the little island and dissipating the cloud he was bending.
"But, there's nothing here." Katara noted.
Toph jumped off Appa, landing on the charred land. "Yes there is. An entire village. Hundreds of houses. All completely buried in ash."
You looked down, eyes raking over the ground. It felt strange to be above the village. Invasive… almost.
"I'm going to go meditate." Aang informed, pointing to a ledge. "I don't know when I'll be back."
It was the next morning when Aang had finished.
He told you all what he had learned about Roku and Sozin.
"You mean after all Roku and Sozin went through together, even after Roku showed him mercy, Sozin betrayed him like that?"
"What can you expect from Ozai's grandfather?" You mumbled, crossing your arms.
"It's like these people are born bad." Toph noted.
"No, that's wrong. I don't think that was the point of what Roku showed me at all." Aang denied.
"Then what was the point?" Sokka asked.
"Roku was just as much firenation as Sozin was, right?" Aang questioned. "If anything, their story proves that anyone is capable of great good and great evil."
You frowned, gaze falling to your shoes.
"Everyone, even the Firelord and the firenation, have to be treated like they're worth giving a chance." He said, stepping off of his perch and looking out over the sea. "And I also think it was about friendships."
"Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?" Toph asked softly.
Aang took her hand, smiling. "I don't see why not."
Katara smiled, taking Toph's other hand.
"Well, scientifically, there's no way to prove that-"
"Oh, Sokka, just hold hands!" Katara demanded.
Sokka waited a beat before taking her hand, causing a smile to appear on her face. Sokka took your hand as well.
You all looked out over the sea.
"Okay. I'm ready for some training." Aang informed, tying his headband over his eyes.
You watched as he stepped forward, dodging chunks of the ground coming out.
He bent backwards, avoiding a blow from Katara before sending it back at her. He turned around, sending a rock at Toph.
She caught it. "Good job, twinkle toes. Visualize, then attack." She shot the rock forward.
Aang created a hole under him, avoiding the rock.
Instead, it went over him, hitting Katara in the stomach. She let out a small grunt, standing. "Maybe you should take your own advice, Toph." She snapped, hands on her hips.
"What's the matter? Can't handle some dirt, madam fussy-britches?" Toph teased as Aang reemerged from the hole.
Katara brought up a wave, moving it around herself and Aang, bringing it down on Toph. "Oh, sorry. Did I splash you, mud slug?"
Toph brought up some rocks, moving towards Katara.
Katara formed ice underneath herself, moving towards Toph.
They collided.
"Are we taking a break?" Aang asked.
"Ahh! Sneak attack!" Sokka yelled, rushing towards Aang with his arm lifted.
You face-palmed.
Aang brought up a chunk of earth, Sokka smacking into it and falling over. Aang turned, pulling the headband off of his eyes. "Sokka, sneak attacks don't work if you yell it out loud."
You walked over, helping your friend up.
"Uh, guys, I thought we were supposed to be training me." Aang voiced.
You turned, seeing Toph and Katara fighting in the mud.
They froze.
"Very well, pupil. I think we've had enough training for today." Katara spoke, walking away.
"While Katara cleans up, let's go have some fun." Toph exclaimed, using earthbending to get the mud off her as she approached the rest of you.
"Yes!" They cheered.
You raised an eyebrow, but followed them into town anyway.
"Look at all of those messenger hawks!" Sokka called, pointing at them. "You know, I've been thinking about getting one for myself."
"What would you do with one?" You asked, looking over at him.
"Well, think about it. I'd never have to talk to anyone ever again."
"I thought you liked talking."
"Well, I wouldn't talk if I could just send them messages!"
"I gotta say, I like the idea of not talking to you." Toph muttered.
"So, guys. What are we going to get with our last silver piece?" Aang asked, holding it up.
"We can get more money."
You all stopped, turning to look at her, seeing her pointing below.
"Right there."
Sokka and Aang rushed over to see where she was pointing, while you simply walked over.
You watched as a man behind a table put something under a bowl, mixing the three around.
"This is where you seeing people are at a disadvantage." Toph insisted. "Everyone guesses wrong because the dealer moves the rock at the last minute. But I can feel it with my earthbending."
You all ventured down, where you did your best to look casual.
"You, there! You wanna play a friendly game?" The man behind the table asked, gaze on Toph.
"How could I possibly play? I'm blind."
"You don't have to see to be lucky!" He reasoned.
Toph made a show of feeling the table and bowls as she sat down. She placed the last silver coin on the table.
The man lifted all of the bowls, showing where the rock was. He put all three down, mixing them around. When he was done, Toph pointed at the one on the left. He lifted it, revealing the rock.
"Flameo, Toph!" Aang exclaimed happily.
"Wow. Fancy guessing." The man said, tossing two silver coins on the table. "You're amazing at this. Would you like to make the game… a little more interesting?" He asked, flipping a few more silver coins through his fingers.
"More interesting? How?" Toph questioned.
"Well, let's say you toss in your friend's fine sword there-"
You blanched.
"Then I'll put up twenty silver pieces against it, and that's more interesting." He finished, holding up a bag of what you assumed to be the twenty silver pieces.
Toph grabbed Sokka's sword.
He let out a noise of distress.
You grabbed his hand to comfort him.
"I'll do it for forty silver pieces." Toph declared.
"Forty silver pieces it is." The man said, putting more coins into the bag. He mixed the three bowls again. When he stopped them, he looked confident as Toph pointed to the middle one. "Sorry little lady-" He froze, seeing the rock as he lifted the bowl. "Huh?" He asked, leaning down closer to inspect it.
"I won!" Toph shouted, grabbing the bags of money.
Sokka grabbed his sword and you all ran away.
"Where did you guys get the money to buy all this stuff?" Katara questioned, spotting the baskets full of food.
"Toph got us money." Aang informed, biting into an apple and sitting down. "She scammed one of those guys in town who moves the shells around all sneaky-like."
"She used earthbending to win the game. Classic." Sokka added, sitting as well.
"Ah. So, she cheated."
"Hey! I only cheated because he was cheating." Toph defended. "I cheated a cheater. What's wrong with that?"
"I'm just saying, this isn't something we should make a habit of doing."
"Why? Because it's fun and you hate fun?"
"I don't hate fun!" Katara denied. She picked up Momo, placing him on her head. "See? Fun!"
Momo slid off, chattering as he rushed away.
Aang stood. "Katara, I make an Avatar promise that we won't make a habit of doing these scams." He assured, lifting his headband so that his arrow was visible as he bowed.
But they did become habit. Every time you turned around, Sokka, Toph and Aang were coming back with more money and food.
"Guys, I think these scams have gone far enough." Katara informed one day.
"I hate to agree with Katara, but she's right." You spoke up, ignoring the glare she sent your way. "If you keep doing this, something bad is going to happen."
"Could you for once stop being such a sourpuss and lighten up?" Toph asked, tossing Katara a silver coin.
"Oh, I'm sorry. You think I should be more like you? Like some wild child?"
"Yeah! Maybe! Then you can see how great we have it!"
Sokka bent down, picking up the silver piece that Katara dropped.
You eyed him, shaking your head in disappointment.
"I mean, look at us! We're traveling around the world, making easy money, having fun, and no parents to tell us what to do!" Toph informed, leaning back on a rock.
"Ah. I see. You're acting like this because of your parents." Katara deduced.
"Whatever."
"They were controlling over you, so you ran away, and now you're acting like your parents don't exist. You act like you hate them, but you don't. You just feel guilty."
"I do hate them." Toph insisted.
"I don't think so." Katara admitted softly. "I think you miss them. But you just don't want to deal with that, so instead you act like this crazy person."
Toph stood. "Look, I ran away to help Aang."
"You know what? It doesn't matter. These scams put us all at risk, and we don't need that. We've already got some third-eyed freak after us."
Sokka lifted his finger to draw everyone's attention. "Speaking of that third-eyed freak, I think I've come up with a name for him. What do you think… sparky-sparky-boom-man!"
You held in a laugh.
"Just think about it."
"We have enough money! You need to stop this!" Katara yelled at Toph, ignoring her brother.
"I'll stop when I want to stop, and not when you tell me!" Toph shouted, shooting a bag of money into her hand. She marched away, crouching and creating an earth tent around her, closing herself off from everyone.
"Speaking of money, I'm off to spend some." Sokka declared, standing with his own bag of money. "See you guys later."
You shook your head, sighing.
Sokka came back, a messenger hawk on his shoulder. "Toph, when I was in town, I found something that you're not gonna like." He pulled out a paper, unrolling it and showing the girl, who was currently stacking money.
You gasped.
"Well it sounds like a sheet of paper." Toph said. "But I'm guessing you're referring to what's on the paper."
"It's a wanted poster. Of you." Sokka explained, shaking the parchment. "They've nicknamed you 'the runaway'."
Toph's face lit up. "A wanted poster! That's so great! The Runaway. I love my new nickname! Is there a picture of me!? Is it good?"
Sokka looked down at the poster, looking to Toph, then back to the poster. "Yeah, actually; it is pretty good." He scrunched the paper. "But, Toph, you're missing the point. Maybe Katara was right. These scams are drawing too much attention to us."
"Don't be such a worrywart like your sister." She stood, walking towards him with a bag of money. "Think of it this way: now you have plenty of money to help with the invasion plan." She said, waving the bag of money in front of his face.
You shook your head in disapproval, turning and walking towards the edge of the cliff. You looked down at the water, seeing Aang and Katara practicing together on the other side. You grinned, jumping. Before you hit the water, you bended it up around you and sucked yourself in to avoid hurting yourself. Your head bobbed out, resurfacing. You began to practice, moving the waves and turning them into ice and steam.
"Y/n! It's time to eat!" Katara yelled down to you.
You summoned a large wave, pushing yourself back onto the cliff. You walked over, bending the water off of you as Katara bended some soup into Appa's open mouth.
"Well, look who decided to join us." Katara said, a sharp tone to her voice.
You turned, seeing Sokka and Toph enter camp, both carrying large bags.
"Where have you two been? Off scamming again?"
"Yes. We were." Toph replied, setting the bag down.
"And I don't suppose you think what you're doing is dangerous at all?"
"No, I don't."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really."
"Really, then? What's this?" Katara questioned, pulling out the wanted poster.
"I don't know! I mean, seriously!? What's with you people!? I'm blind!"
"It's a wanted poster of you. The runaway. Is that what you're called, now? Are you proud of this?"
"Where did you get that!?"
"It doesn't matter where I got it. The fact is-"
"You went through my stuff!" Toph accused. "You had no right!"
"Your stuff was messy, and I was just straightening up, and I just happened to stumble upon it."
"That's a lie! You're lying Katara!" Toph determined, pointing at her.
"Fine! It's a lie!" Katara yelled as she pushed Toph's hand out of her face. "But you've been so out of control lately, I knew something was up. I knew you were hiding something, and you were!"
Toph ripped the poster out of Katara's hand, dropping it, before walking away.
"Don't you walk away when I'm talking to you!" Katara shouted after her.
"Oh, really, Mom? What are you going to do? Send me to my room?" Toph asked, stopping to turn to her.
"I wish I could!"
"Well, you can't! Because you're not my mom, and you're not their mom!" She retorted, gesturing to Aang and Sokka.
They looked at each other.
"I never said I was!"
"No, but you certainly act like it! You think it's your job to boss everyone around, but it's not! You're just a regular kid like the rest of us, so stop acting like you can tell me what to do! I can do whatever I want!"
Katara was silent for a moment. "I don't act that way." She turned to her brother. "Sokka, do I act motherly?"
Sokka jumped slightly at the call of his name. "Hey, I'm staying out of this one."
"What do you think, Aang? Do I act like a mom?"
Aang rubbed at his eye. "Well, I-"
"Stop rubbing your eye and speak clearly when you talk!"
Aang sat up straight in alarm, his hand quickly dropping. "Yes, ma'am!"
You pinched the bridge of your nose.
"I can't be around you right now!" Toph insisted, walking away.
"Well, I can't be around you!" Katara yelled back, walking in the opposite direction.
Sokka's hawk let out a small squawk.
Sokka frowned, resting his elbows on his knees. "I know, Hawky. Why can't they just get along?"
You sighed, moving to sit next to them.
It quickly became sundown, and Toph and Katara showed no signs of moving.
"Hey, guys, you wanna test out my messenger hawk with me?" Sokka asked, turning. "I've got an idea."
"Oh, boy." You muttered.
Sokka leaned towards Aang, whispering something in his ear.
"I gotta say, Sokka, you continue to impress me with your ideas."
"Eh, it's a gift." He reached down, picking up a brush and a paper, beginning to write on it. He spoke out loud as he wrote. "Dear Katara, sorry for everything. Your friend, Toph." He rolled it up, putting it in Hawky's carrier and pointing at Katara.
Hawky flew over to the waterbender, where she took it out and read it.
Katara stood, holding up the paper. "I know this is you, Sokka! Toph can't write!" She ripped it up. "Ugh! You're all driving me crazy!" She yelled, walking farther away.
"I can't believe we forgot Toph can't write." Aang grumbled.
"Yep. We're idiots." Sokka said, extending his arm as Hawky perched on it.
"I guess plan b is sending a note to Toph, saying it's from Katara."
"Yeah, let's not do that." You piped up. "Katara knows that Toph can't read, either."
Sokka's bird let out another squawk.
"Sorry, Hawky. Looks like I'm gonna have to do this without your help." He told him. Sokka stood, walking over to Toph as Hawky sat where Sokka was just sitting.
Sokka and Toph walked over to the edge of the cliff by the water, sitting down.
You looked over at Aang, swinging your feet lightly. "It's a lovely day." You said after a few moments of silence.
Aang looked over at you. "Yeah. It is." He replied with a small smile.
Katara returned, sitting down and stroking Momo's head.
A few minutes later, Toph and Sokka came into view, and Katara stood, walking over to them.
"Hi, Toph." Katara greeted softly. "Um, I wanna-"
"Katara, stop." Toph insisted as Sokka walked towards you and Aang. "You don't need to apologize. I was the one being stupid. These scams are out of control, and I'm done with them."
"Actually, I wasn't going to apologize. I was gonna say 'I wanna pull a scam with you'." She corrected with a smile.
You, Sokka and Aang's jaws dropped.
"What? You wanna pull a scam?" Toph questioned, her hands on her hips.
"Not just any scam. The ultimate scam."
Sokka and Aang passed out.
"What do you say, Toph?" Katara asked, wrapping her arm around the girl. "Just you and me. One last go. You in?"
"You know I'm in! What's your plan?"
Katara dragged Toph away, telling her about the scheme she'd concocted.
You stared after them in shock. What on earth happened?
Aang paced back and forth. "Do you think this scam of theirs should be taking this long?"
"I was just thinking the same thing. We'd better go check it out." Sokka replied, standing. He turned to Hawky and Momo. "Now, you two behave. Appa's in charge." He informed, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at the bison.
You all walked away.
"Where do you think they might be?" Sokka questioned as you all entered town.
"Where do you think anyone is?" Aang countered.
You looked around, seeing that he was right. No one was here. "That's odd." You muttered, placing your fists on your hips.
You all ventured further in, passing a statue of Ozai.
"Sokka, Y/n, watch out!" Aang yelled, grabbing Sokka and dragging him behind the statue.
You turned, seeing sparky-sparky-boom-man on a roof. You quickly summoned your water, shielding yourself a little from the attack. You were sent backwards, skidding on the ground.
"Y/n!" Sokka hollered, rushing over and pulling you behind the statue with him and Aang. "Are you okay!?"
"I'm fine." You dismissed, gathering your water that had splashed on the ground and returning it to your pouch.
"It's sparky-sparky-boom-man!" Aang yelled.
"You know, I'm starting to think that name doesn't fit!" Sokka shouted back.
Sparky jumped down, creating small craters where his metal leg and metal arm landed. He shot at the statue.
You all yelled, rushing away from it.
"Move, move!" You shouted, pushing them into a street.
An explosion landed behind you, sending you all flying.
Aang hit a wagon, standing it upright.
You all filed in behind it.
"This guy is too good!" Sokka exclaimed. "He can shoot fire from his brain!"
"We should split up!" Aang suggested. "He can't chase us all!"
"But we're stronger together!" You denied, shaking your head. "And you'd be alone. If he managed to get to you-"
"There's no time to argue! Go!"
You and Sokka ran one way, while Aang ran the other.
"Katara! Toph!" You exclaimed, seeing them.
"Where's Aang?" Katara asked hurriedly.
"He went that way." Sokka told her, pointing.
"Let's go!"
You all rushed over, seeing sparky standing above him, Aang on the ground.
Katara shot water at the back of sparky's head, freezing it. "Aang, get up!" She ran over, helping the Avatar stand.
You all sped down a street as Toph shot a rock at him.
"Wait! I got it!" Sokka exclaimed suddenly as you all continued to run.
"Got what?" You questioned.
"The perfect name for that guy. Combustion Man!"
"Good job, Sokka." Toph told him, continuing to run. "Now let's get out of here before Combustion Man catches us!"
"See? It fits so well!"
You grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him along faster.
"Well, I'm exhausted." Sokka muttered as Appa landed in a new ravine. "Hawky, how about you, buddy?"
Hawky squawked.
"Yeah, you're such a lazy bird." Sokka told him, stroking his feathers and climbing off Appa.
You climbed off as well, shaking your head as you set up your sleeping bag.
"Hey, where'd Hawky go?" Sokka asked.