Sokka read over Aang's letter again as he entered Toph's metalbending academy. He wanted to be sure he got all his facts right before he enlisted Toph's help. The academy was loud with activity and he had to dodge more than one flying piece of metal. The warrior safely navigated to Toph's office and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" came the gruff reply from within.
Sokka smiled and poked his head into the office. He saw Toph leaning back in her chair, her feet on the desk. "Don't tell me that you're not happy to see me!"
"Snoozles!" The earthbender set her chair down on all four legs and set her feet on the ground. "About time you came to visit!"
"Yeah well, been busy building a city. But good news, you and I have been specifically requested for a mission," he stepped into the office and sat down in the chair opposite of Toph.
"Yeah? A mission? From who?" she leaned forward, curious by the prospect of adventure.
"Aang sent me this letter two days ago that you and I need to pick up the Mechanist and bring him back to the Northern Air Temple. There's something going on there, but Aang didn't mention it in the letter." Sokka was sure Toph would agree, even if she had her hands full here.
"It doesn't sound like much fun, but I suppose if Twinkletoes needs help, I can be there." She stood up from her desk and stretched. She had grown over the past five years, though she was still shorter than him.
"Great. We can pick up the Mechanist and take an airship to the temple. It'll be a lot faster." He stood up and put his arm around his old friend. "It'll be just like old times!"
"Yeah, great, flying, woo." Came her unenthusiastic response, but she was still happy with the chance to spend time with her friends. "Seriously though Snoozles, give me the details, where is this Mechanist guy?"
"He's in a hospital near the outskirts of Yu Dao."
"Hospital? Is he sick?" She tilted her head at him quizzically.
"I have no idea. The only thing I know is that Aang said we should hurry," he stuffed the letter back in his pocket.
"Alright, give me one minute." Toph opened the door to a closet and removed a well-worn pack, already loaded with supplies. "Okay, ready."
"You keep a bag already prepared?" He couldn't help the smile. It was a good idea.
"Of course, don't you? Always be prepared. It's a metalbending philosophy," she nodded and grabbed his arm, dragging him out of her office. "Listen up gang! I'll be out of town for a while. You new guys listen to The Dark One. He's in charge."
The ruckus of the main classroom stilled and then the chaos resumed. No one seemed to mind at the new arrangement at all.
"Well that was easy."
"I'm just such a good teacher, that I don't have to stay here to be effective." She grinned again. "So I guess we're taking some kind of transport to this hospital?"
"Yes, I got myself a truck now. It's an old ore transport, but it's reliable and it'll get us from the hospital to the airship station much faster than ostrich-horses." He proudly slapped the side of the metal truck, where it was once green; he'd haphazardly painted it a dark blue, though it faded into a dark gray in the sun.
"I guess it's better than nothing." Toph climbed into the truck and soon they were off.
Along the way to the hospital, the two old friends chatted about what they've been up to. Her metalbenders were doing very well, though she was still the best. He told her all about what he was doing in Republic City and the changes they were making to keep things as balanced and fair as possible.
Sokka pulled his truck up to the large stone and metal gate that surrounded the hospital. "Well, we're here. The Serenity Stone Hospital."
"Huh, that's an odd name for a hospital," Toph jumped out of the truck and followed him. "This place is huge."
"Yeah, and imposing." Sokka led Toph though the massive gates and into the lobby of the massive building. He was relieved to see a woman sitting at the desk.
"Good morning, what can I help you with today?" The overly cheerful woman asked.
"Yes, I'm here to see uh… the Mechanist," Sokka started, then remembered that he didn't know the Mechanist's real name. He felt rather silly as the cheerful woman gave him a blank look.
"I'm sorry sir, but we don't have anyone under that name here."
"He's called the Mechanist, he's bald on top with bushy hair on the sides, wears a monocle, patchy eyebrows, and only two fingers on his left hand." Sokka glanced at Toph, wondering if the woman was lying or not.
"Oh, you mean Mister Teo. He's expecting his son to visit," she looked from Toph to Sokka, "Are you his son?"
"Yes, I am. And this is my girlfriend, Toph," Sokka lied and placed his hand on Toph's shoulder. "I need to see my father right away."
The woman nodded and stood up, "Right this way, sir."
Sokka and Toph followed the woman down a twisting hallway and past many lavishly furnished rooms. Whatever kind of hospital this place was, it was designed for the rich. "Um excuse me, I'm sorry but… who is paying for my father to stay here?" Sokka asked as they passed an ornate marble statue of some man that was important enough to be made into a marble statue.
"We were informed of your financial situation, Mr. Teo, all of your father's fees are paid for by King Kuei. Rest assured, he is being well taken care of."
"Of course. I'm sure you are doing all you can for him." Sokka filed that information away and glanced at Toph again. The metalbender didn't seem to like the feel of this place either.
Their guide led them to a nondescript door. "Here you are. Your father is right through here." The woman hastily left before they could get another word in.
"What the stone is that about?" Toph asked, looking as confused as Sokka felt.
"I'm not sure. Something isn't quite right here." He turned from Toph to the door and knocked.
"Somebody is in there, I can feel him moving around." Toph whispered as Sokka knocked again.
"What the doodle? Who is it?!"
"Mechanist? It's me, Sokka. From the Southern Water Tribe, remember?" Sokka called out.
"Sokka? Oh yes! Rotten eggs and putting a lid on it!" There was shuffling going on in the room as the man on the other side made his way to the door.
Once the door was open, Sokka wished it would shut again. There was a smell coming from the room that made his toes curl. He smiled, breathing through his mouth as he came face to face with the Mechanist, whose bushy hair was longer and greasier. His face was pale and waxy, but his eyes still had a strange brightness to them. "Sokka!" The older man flung his arms around the warrior and hugged him before noticing they weren't alone.
"And who is this?" the Mechanist asked, looking down at Toph.
"Toph, so you're Teo's dad? I kind of pictured you to be… I don't know… shorter," Toph said, looking in the Mechanist's direction.
"Oh! Teo is quite tall, if he stands up, that is. But that's not what you came here for, is it? Come Sokka, let me show you Republic City!" The old man ushered the pair inside the musty room and Sokka could see the drawings, sketches, writings and equations written all over the walls. Everywhere there could be paper, there was paper covered in ink. Even the floor was covered with a thick layer of designs, blueprints and schematics.
Toph carefully shuffled into the room, unable to see the creativity and imagination of the whole scene. "So… republic city smells like three day old dim sum?"
The Mechanist picked his way over to the corner of the room and started drawing on a large section of empty wall. It was some sort of machine that looked like a man standing. It looked insane. "Isn't it magnificent, Sokka? The sheet possibilities that technology and equality can bring?"
"It is," Sokka started and stepped over a dubious looking jug, "But that's not the reason I came. I was sent here because there's a problem at the Northern Air Temple."
"Nonsense, Teo is taking care of the temple. He is perfectly capable," he said, his face pressed close to the paper as he applies another brush stroke.
"I'm sure it's nothing serious, otherwise you'd have heard about it sooner, but there is an issue there that needs immediate assistance. Aang went there to visit, then sent me this letter," Sokka continued through the room, careful not to step on anything that the man deemed important.
"Teo is a grown man, he knows how to take care of himself and our people. We're all quite self-sufficient."
"You aren't listening, something happened and Teo isn't in charge anymore. I don't have the details, but you need to pull yourself together and come back with us!" Toph shouted, obviously tired of standing in the filthy room.
That must have shaken the old man, since he dropped the ink brush and turned to look at his visitors again. "What happened?"
Sokka sighed, "I don't know. We only got word to come get you and bring you back to the temple. I have my truck waiting outside. We'll drive to the airship station and take a ship to the temple. We'll get there in two days, tops."
The man still looked lost, then nodded slowly, as if he was suddenly realizing how insane he must look and what must have happened to make the Avatar's friend fetch him like this.
Either way, it gave him and Toph time to leave the room. "Pack a bag, I don't know how long we'll be. Wash up too."
"This is the genius you all told me about?" Toph whispered once they were back in the hallway.
"Yeah, I guess he was a little more mad than genius. This is just making it so much more surreal," Sokka waited.
Almost an hour later, the Mechanist stepped out of the room, seeming to be more the man he was when Sokka first met him. "I'm ready to go now."
"Good. Let's check you out and we'll be on our way." Sokka put his hand on the Mechanist's shoulder and started down the hallways.
"Excuse me," an authoritative voice sounded behind Sokka. The three turned to see an older man dressed in a white coat. "Mister Teo, are you checking out?"
"Yes doctor, my son needs me at home. I think I've spent quite enough time here." The Mechanist stated, drawing himself up to his full height.
"Ah, of course. Since you are no longer under my care, and I no longer have orders from King Kuei, I can give you this." The doctor reached into his pocket and withdrew a small bottle. The doctor looked right at Sokka and handed him the dark glass. "The King ordered that he was not to have medication to calm his moods until he was finished with those designs."
The Mechanist sneered, "I'm finished working for him. He's kept me away from my son for too long."
"Are we just going to stand here or are we getting this show on the road?" Toph shifted her bare feet on the carpet and sighed.
"Thank you Doctor. We'll be on our way now," Sokka lead the way out of the hospital and to is truck, glad to get away from the Mechanist's room. "Here it is, Trucky the Truck!" he claimed proudly, opening the door of the vehicle for his companions.
"You named it Trucky? I guess this is from the guy that owns a hawk named Hawky." Toph climbed up into the cab.
"It's a fine name, my boy," the Mechanist smiled thinly, squinting in the bright sun.
"Here," Sokka shook out one of the pills into the Mechanist's hand and then passed him a water skin. "Are you going to be okay?"
The Mechanist dutifully swallowed the medication and took a sip of water. "I will be fine, Sokka. I would like to go home now."
Sokka nodded and helped the Mechanist into the truck and went around the other side to get to the driver's seat. It wasn't long before both Toph and the Mechanist fell asleep and Sokka was left alone with his thoughts.
Something was going on. Something big. And the Northern Air Temple was in the middle of it.