Toph could feel the bursts of flame, hurtling rocks, and whipping water in the crystal cave below. Utilizing her earthsense, she deduced that her friends were outnumbered by more than ten to one.
Let's hope I'm not late for the party.
Widening her stance on the sandy shore of Lake Laogai, Toph stomped, sending her rumbling down into the ground. A few moments later, the earthbender shot from a hole in the ceiling of the cave and crouched to a fighting stance. Toph was surrounded by glowing green crystals, a ring of glowering green thugs, and Katara being overwhelmed by Zuko and Azula, their limbs lashing out to kill. She could sense Aang cocooned in stone near a waterfall hissing in the foreground.
Not late. Almost.
A microsecond later, half a dozen head-sized crystals were booking for her head. With a "chunk", Toph raised a circular wall, the boulders crashing against her defenses.
Amateurs.
Punching out her fists, she smashed her wall, sending a ring of stones at her foes. Five Dai Li flew backward and landed with a crunch. Stomping the ground, she wrenched pillars up under the feet of seven more. Their helmets crumpled against the ceiling.
When she was about to take vengeance on three more, Toph could feel energy pulsing from Aang's cocoon. Could feel friend and foe alike relax and turn toward the Avatar, awestruck. The rock crumbled around Aang and Toph felt him ascend from the ground. The Avatar, tattoos bathing the cave in an unearthly light, stopped, hovering a touch more than halfway up the cave wall.
Toph's pupils dilated and pulse quickened when she felt Azula crackle with energy. She lashed out, arms surging forward violently. Toph felt… bone? The firebender froze, gasped, and the lightening shot from her hand, grazing Aang's foot. He slammed into the ground with a groan. Katara retreated to his side and formed an ice wall from the waterfall.
Having discovered a useful ability, the earthbender experimented. Arms still out and palms down, she concentrated on her foe's legs. She moved her hands clockwise, and Azula's body turned toward her, sheer panic on her face. Reversing the motion, the body obliged again. A wicked grin formed on Toph's face.
It's playtime!
She stomped her feet to locate her enemies. Concentrating on the earth in their bones, she arced clawed hands up in front of her and inched them down in front of her chest. Zuko, Azula, and the Dai Li stiffened, gasping in horror; and she forced them to march to the center of the cave, arms up in the air.
Melting the ice wall, Katara gaped at the spectacle, eyes the size of moonpeaches. Iroh charged in from a side tunnel, prepared to die for the Avatar. His jaw hit the floor.
"Gonna give me a hand or am I gonna do it all myself?"
Summoning a wave from the waterfall, Katara encased their enemies in ice. When Toph's burden was lifted, Katara removed the ice from Zuko and Azula; and Toph shot rocks up to their necks.
Waltzing before her prisoners, Toph let out a gleeful cackle.
Toph: 1. Bad guys: 0.