Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar...sigh, if only!
Warnings: None.
Date: Monday, May 28
Summary: slight MengLee/Sukka/Taang, Postwar-Gaang Wins, response to Masako MoonShade's The Three Bachelors Challenge A Fortune Teller. A Crush. A Warrior.A Blind Master. A Rumble and a Contract. A night out, all together...What could possibly go wrong?
Notes: Heh, sorry about taking so long! I had a bit of a block while writing the chapter. Not one of those large-scale-hiatus blocks(like the one I'm having for my Longerbee fic...) Just one of those mini blocks where you can stare at the computer screen for hours going over anything and looking like a zombie. I typed most of this up on a labtop while trying to ignore my dad on the way down to Rhode Island for the weekend. It's an hour long ride so I got the chapter finished. Once again sorry!
PS: Oh, I'm going to start adding the dates I've posted the chapters on. I don't why, but a lot of times when I read a story I want to know when it was posted, (maybe to know what the author had to work with. Like right now, none of us are really sure if Suki is dead, or if she's running around naked somewhere.)
PPS(or is it PSS?): I'm not going to tell you how many reviews I want for the chapter this time! Just know that it's more then three(3).
PPPS(or is it PSSS?): Heh, oh yeah. I'm scatterbrained! LOL, Thanks again to Kimbalynn616 for betaing for me. Without her, this story would pretty much be as confusing as the happenings within my mind; cause this pretty much happens in my mind...you should all praise Kimba for her work, you people have no idea how--I'm rambling again aren't I? Anywhos, Thanks again so much Kimba!
Toph leaned back against a bench as she watched her friends run around with bubble wands.
"Miss, wouldn't you like one?" A kind old man asked her, a smile permanent on his face. Toph couldn't stand to be rude to him.
"No, it's not my thing." She replied.
"Grandpa, grandpa!" The man turned and quickly spun the child who jumped into his arms. Bright amber eyes could be seen from under the oversized hat the boy was wearing. He hugged the man's neck. Toph smiled as she heard the boy blabbering on and on to his grandfather.
"Hey, Gramps." A boy, apparently another grandson, walked over to the pair.
"So, did you boys have fun?"
"Sure did! It was like bam-boomboom-bam!" The boy gestured wildly, and Toph smiled, turning back to her companions.
Suki laughed as she swirled her wand in the air. She remembered when she did things like playing with bubbles when she was a child. She heard a delighted shriek and turned to see a young boy being spun in the air by the man that had been passing out the wands. She smiled imagining having her own one day. Would Sokka want children?
Meng twirled around giddily, bubbles following her. So far, her first impression of the Fire nation had been incredible! First she got to see the fountain (and her wish came true!), second she met the first boy she'd ever really liked, (Aang was a crush, not a like like.) third she found out he liked her back, fourth he kissed her, fifth…
While listening to the family's conversation, Toph picked up three facts about them: the boys had been at the tournament (and apparently the little one was totally freaked by her performance) all three were Fire benders, and…they loved each other: a happy family. She groaned when she noticed her friends walking over to where she sat.
"You're no fun, Toph!" Meng laughed as she sat down next to her. Suki took Meng's wand.
"Here sir. That was kind of you, really. Thank you!" She bowed her head slightly. Toph rolled her eyes and shouted to the man,
"Hey, do you happen to have a parchment and brush handy?" she asked with a smile. The man looked surprised, but his grandson had already grabbed the utensils eagerly.
"Here you go, lady!"
Awww!
"Thank you." She sent the girls a look that said 'see I can be polite!' She leaned down, the paper on the bench. She quickly, but elegantly scribbled on the paper. The boy leaned over, trying to see what she was writing. Toph straightened and tossed the brush to his brother. The boy only caught it due to quick reflexes. She handed the paper to the little boy calmly.
"Here ya go kid." Was all she said before patting him on the head, turning on her heel, and walking back over to the girls.
She walked past them as they blinked at her. It wasn't until they saw the boy jumping and shouting did they realize what she had written.
"Grandpa, grandpa! Looklooklooklooklook!"
"Give it! What? Whaditsay?!…Holy Shit!"
"That's a bad word!"
"Who cares?!"
"Now, what's all this ruckus about? And watch your language, Shang!"
"Sorry, Gramps."
"Now, what is it you two are so excited abou…Is this that girl you said won against the champion!?"
"Yup! That's The Blind Bandit's autograph, right there!"
The old man looked up at the girls with a slight twinkle in his eye. He nodded to them, a bright smile lighting his features.
"Grandpa, that was her! That was her! Thank you, Lady!" the boy shouted at Toph; she simply turned and nodded at the boy.
"That was really sweet of you, Toph." Suki told the girl next to her. She shrugged.
"You really are great with kids. Ya know that?" Suki smiled. Meng giggled,
"That kid sure was cute, wasn't he?"
"Yeah, but seriously, Toph, who knew you'd have a sweet side. Besides Aang, obviously…!"
"Shut. Up. Suki."
"Oh come on, Toph."
"You know, I know something you don't know!" Toph countered quickly, and immaturely.
"Like I'd fall for that one?" Suki crossed her arms as their small group stopped walking.
"Nope, that's what I thought!"
"Tell me."
"Nope! I made a promise!" Toph teased skipping ahead mockingly.
"Toph? Toph, tell me!" She shouted running to keep up with the other girls.
"SO, what do you know?" Toph smirked; she had only promised to not tell one person. Toph quickly leaned over and whispered into Meng's ear.
"WHAT!" She gasped, her eyes wide, "How do you know?"
"Katara told me!"
"…How'd she know?"
"Sokka asked her for advice. Figures, huh?"
"Ooh this is so exciting! I've never been to a w-" Toph slapped her hand over Meng's mouth as Suki came into hearing range.
"It's a secret, Meng. Suki can't know!" Meng sighed and pulled Toph's hand off her mouth.
"Guys, just tell me!" Suki groaned. Meng was biting her lip to keep from blurting the secret out. Toph was smirking.
"No!"
"SOKKA'S GONN-" Toph slapped her hand on Meng's mouth again, almost too late.
"Gonna what? Sokka's gonna what!?" She had her hands on Meng's shoulders, but since her mouth was still covered all that could be heard was muffled. Meng sighed and slouched down, giving up. Toph hesitantly took her hand off.
"Sokkasgonnaaskyoutomarryhim!" Toph's hand was too late this time.
"…"
"…"
"…"
SQUEEE!
SMACK! Great, now Toph would be walking around with a big red mark on her forehead; stupid reflex type-thingies!
"Toph are you sure?!" Suki squealed as the girls walked. They didn't know where they were going, but it didn't matter all that much to any of them.
"Snoozles asked Sugar Queen for advice. She told me and I told Meng. And Meng--very idiotically--told you." Toph replied as Meng supplied a cheesy smile,
"Sorry..."
"Oh, this is so exciting! When do you think he'll do it?"
"I am not telling you that one."
"You know?!" Both Meng and Suki turned to Toph. She rolled her eyes and kept walking.
"Of course I know! I'm just not telling you."
"Please Toph, you have to tell me! I need to be ready for it."
"You're going to say yes, aren't you?"
"…Yes!" Suki blushed, her eyes down cast. Meng vaguely wondered if she looked like that when she had been talking to Lee. Now, she was blushing.
"Well, then, Su Su, it won't make a difference."
"Su Su?!"
"Su Su." Toph replied and began walking again.
"Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm lost."
"We could ask for directions?" Suki suggested.
"Oh yeah, that'll work. 'Oh hi sir! I was wondering, could you please direct me and my companions to the palace. Don't worry or anything we aren't assassins trying to get into the Fire Lord's home under the cover of the nightfall. The metal fan hidden in her waistband? That's for her protection." Toph replied," Oh, you like my belt? Thank you; I just got it beating up the Earth Rumble champion of the last two years.' " The girl continued.
"That's stupid. We all know that won't happen!" Meng laughed.
Toph rolled her eyes at her.
"…but we aren't assassins." Toph turned to look at Meng, then she sighed, shaking her head. Toph looked around blindly, thinking.
"Besides, who would we ask? A guard? Hello! I haven't seen one of them since we left the nice part of the city. Besides, I really wouldn't trust a signal one of these guys not to try and mug us."
"Is the almighty Toph scared?!" Toph whirled around to face the older girl, a sneer curling on her lip. Then, she smiled sweetly at her. Suki knew she was in for it now.
"Suki, I assure you that I'm not frightened of any of these men. I simply don't want to unnecessarily hurt people. I can't believe you would even sug…" Toph stopped grinning evilly, and turned around.
"Toph?" Suki questioned, slightly worried if she would get slammed with a boulder by surprise later in the evening.
"Marbles! It's great to see you again. And you too, Elgo!" Toph walked over to the two men nearest them. When they turned around, Meng cringed, seeing Fonzu's bruised face. The boy looked like a caged animal as Toph approached.
"What, what are you doing here?" he stuttered, his eyes narrowed slightly. Elgo openly glared at the small girl. Suki couldn't suppress her laughter at the sight the three made. Two grown men acting as if the girl in front of them was a demon…She probably was in a past life.
The men looked up, finally noticing the other two girls.
"What do you want?" Fonzu sneered. Toph simply smiled sweetly and put on the perfect innocent voice. Too bad everyone present had already met her and knew extremely well that her sugarcoated voice could contain a deadly poison…at least that's what Sokka used to say.
"Could you please give us some directions? My friends and I are a bit lost."
"No."
"Please?"
"…no" Toph's eyes brightened at his obvious discomfort.
"I'd really hate to have to beat you up again, Marbles. Okay, maybe not really."
"You just got lucky!" He shouted at her, "I went easy on you."
"Yeah, yeah, sure ya did. Now, which way is the Fire Palace place."
"What are you, some rebel assassin?! I am a loyal subject to the Fire Lord!" He replied pompously.
"But, you're not from the Fire Nation." Meng cut in.
"You are assassins!"
"Oh yeah, I called it." Everybody turned to look at Toph, "Just point in the right direction, and you can go scamper off and tell on us."
"Fine, it's that way" He said, confidently pointing to the right.
"Thank you!"
"Hey, hey where are you going?"
"Left."
"But I said right."
"And you were lying."
"No, I wasn't!"
"Liar!" Toph laughed, "But I'll be sure to tell Fire Lord Zuko that you gave me directions when I pay him a visit!" she gave him a mock bow.
"Guards! Assassins! Assassins!" Fonzu shouted stubbornly. It was amazing how fast guards could appear out of nowhere right when you didn't need, nor want, them.
"You are hereby under arrest under the name of Lord Zuko." Suki blinked at the speed of the men as they pulled her hands behind her back, "If you struggle force will be used."
"Why you little bastard, Fonny!" Toph sneered as her wrists were twisted behind her.
"Well, at least we'll find the palace!" Toph glared at the younger girl.
"Unhand me immediately or you'll regret it, I assure you of this. You've absolutely no proof that we would ever mean the Fire Lord any harm. If you don't release us, though, we may press charges." Toph stuck her chin in the air. Suki realized that she was mocking the nobles at Zuko's court.
"Can you do that?" Meng whispered next to her. Toph shrugged.
"Sir, we'll have to ask you to escort us to the Palace." The chief guard turned to Fonzu, pointedly ignoring Elgo who snorted at them.
"Of course, anything for our Lord." Fonzu swept into a graceful bow, but stumbled forward and landed on the ground.
Toph rolled her eyes at his act. A sudden idea popped into her head and she kicked her heel into the ground. There was a look of shock on Fonzu's face before it crumpled into a look of pain; he rolled to the side holding himself.
"Bitch!" he squeaked, his voiced pitched higher. Toph smirked as she watched him roll on the ground for a bit. The guards tightened their hold on the girl.
"Release me immediately, sirs. And escort us back to the palace for the night." The guards looked a bit surprised at the girl's bluntness and superior attitude. Toph was pretty much going with the flow of things.
To any passersby the sight of the group would be inexplicably comical. A man was rolling on the ground, clutching himself while another tried to get him to calm down. Five guards were present and holding three young girls. One happened to be close to tears from laughing hysterically at the man on the ground. The eldest girl seemed to be multitasking in watching the man on the ground, loosening her guard's grip, and listening in on the conversation going on around her. The other girl seemed to be the leader or at least gave the impression of such. Two guards were trying to restrain her from the chief guard, and she was cussing at the entire group with the authority only a noble would have.
Such was the case, when Lao Bei Fong passed by the group and saw his only daughter swearing like a sailor. His blind little runaway, acting nothing like his sweet little china doll. Lao Bei Fong promptly fainted and it took three of his surrounding escorts to catch his expensive ass.
Toph Bei Fong stared blankly at the prone form of her father. There was an awkward pause in the commotion as the escorts crowded around their master.
"Well, aren't you gonna t' help him?" Toph giggled. Yes, Toph giggled. Meng could hardly breathe from her laughter. Suki was gaping like a fish.
Lao's servants were holding the following conversations:
"We've killed him! He's going to die!"
"We have to hide the body! Yes, yes that's it! Hurry, you grab his feet!"
"I can't be a criminal! I've got a wife and a kid, and I've got a girlfriend, too!"
"You're cheating on Dora? Shame!"
"Yes, well I care about my wife, and she'll kill me if I go to jail!"
"Uh, guys, he's not dead. He just passed out."
"…Oh."
Toph burst out laughing, and if it weren't for her guards holding her she would've fallen to the ground.
"Toph? Toph, do you know that guy?!" Meng managed.
'Know him? He's my old man!" Then, Toph paused, her eyes widening,
"Hurry, you tortoises! Hurry, hurry, hurry! Before he wakes up! Get us out of here!" The girl shouted.
If she didn't get out of there before her father woke up…well, she ran away! People don't run away just to get caught two years later. She'd rather go to jail than explain to her father all that had happened...And tell him that she planned on still traveling (even though the war was over) to help her…boyfriend, with his Avatar duties. Then, she'd probably have to convince her dad that she was old enough to have a boyfriend, and that the kid was a monk for darn sakes and he wouldn't have any grandkids for quite awhile.
Yeah. That was so not going to happen if Toph had her way.
The soldiers blinked at her, turning to their commander. The man in charge looked quite confused with the entire ordeal. And he thought this was going to be a monotonous night (you know, one when you can just walk around eating those new doughnuts that people were starting to sell: with all the frosting and fried doughy goodness, and sometimes, if you get lucky, with jimmies!).
And so, the strange group was escorted to the jailhouse, where they would be housed until morning. The soldiers were deftly afraid of waking their Lord before he received his proper beauty sleep. Nobody wanted to get on the Fire Lord's bad side.