ATLA – New Beginnings
Ch. 2: Paths of Parting
Author Note: Okay, well, here's the second chapter... obviously, even though my proofreader hasn't proofread it. He hasn't been online in a couple of days, and, well... I'm kind of in the need for some encouragement.
I've proofread it 5 or 6 times now, using the "things to watch out for" list that my proofreader gave me... so, I really hope that it turned out okay...
I'm going to have to do a little research for the next chapter. That research includes figuring out why my DVD player isn't working, so that I can watch Book 1 again... I actually really need to watch the whole series again, but I don't have books 2 or 3 yet. I was thinking of waiting for the collectors editions to come out, since I bought the collectors edition of book 1, but after that poor excuse for a movie, I wonder if they will do a collectors edition for books 2 and 3.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I claim no rights to these characters. Only the idea for this fic are my own.
Just outside of the inner gates of the city that led to the palace, Toph earthbended herself to the surface. A carriage waited a few feet away. "Lady Toph," the coachman bowed and held the door open for her. "King Bumi is waiting for you." Toph smirked at the idea of being called a lady but climbed into the coach anyway.
The coach jerked into motion and the young earthbender was left to her thoughts. Her unseeing eyes stared blankly at the wall opposite of her.
She wondered how long it had been since she had met him; seven or eight months? In that time she had developed a childish crush. With him, she had found a partner in crime, so to speak. They both loved to joke around, and they understood each other. He respected her need for independence while somehow always being by her side; but, he had Suki. Suki was older, more mature, and a lot more feminine. Toph knew that she couldn't compete with that, and she didn't want to.
Aang had mastered earthbending, he no longer needed an earthbending master. Toph didn't have anything holding her to the group anymore; it was time to find her own destiny.
When King Bumi asked her to return with him to Omashu to help rebuild his city and to teach metalbending, Toph saw her opportunity to continue living independently. She would miss her companions and, most of all, she would miss Sokka, but her feelings were unrequited and needed to be buried in the past.
Lost in her train of thought, she didn't notice when the coach came to a stop. "Lady Toph," the coachman's voice drifted into her mind. "We have arrived."
Toph wasted no time at getting her feet back onto the ground where she could see again. The elder King was approaching her, and behind him, an airship stood ready for departure. "Have you said your goodbyes?" King Bumi asked after coming to a stop in front of her.
She suddenly realized that she hadn't told anyone that she was leaving, but if she went back now she imagined that they would try to talk her out of going, or offer to go with. "Yes," she replied; it wasn't a lie, she had told Sokka goodbye. He was the one who mattered the most – not that the others weren't important. She would ask someone to write a letter to the others when she made it to her new home.
"Then let's get this show on the road, or rather, in the air. We have a city to restore," the old King said, offering his arm to lead his young companion to the awaiting airship.
Toph fought against her pride not to take offense at the gesture; it was customary in noble society for a young woman to have an escort, after all. She supposed that she might as well get used to high society life, again.
Sokka scanned the smaller dining hall, his plate of food left untouched. Most of the guests had left the palace. The few who remained were now having dinner with the new Fire Lord.
"What's wrong, Sokka? Did you eat too much at lunch?" Suki teased from where she sat beside him.
"Humm?" Sokka asked, pulling his eyes away from the door. He hadn't seen Toph since their earlier encounter. As far as he knew, she didn't eat lunch. It wasn't like her to skip meals; she was just as much of a carnivore as he was.
"You're not eating," Suki pointed out.
Sokka looked down at his plate as if he had forgotten that it was there. He picked up a piece of meat, stuffed it into his mouth, and turned to smile at her. "See, I'm eating," he said with his mouth full. It sounded more like, "ee, eym eetng."
Suki shook her head with a smirk and rolled her eyes before wiping the side of his mouth with a napkin. "Don't talk with your mouth full," she reprimanded.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly after forcing the half chewed substance down his throat.
"So, what did Zuko want?" Suki asked, referring to his meeting with the Fire Lord earlier that afternoon.
Sokka pushed his concern for Toph's whereabouts to the back of his mind – after all, she could take care of herself. "Oh, right. He asked that I become his representative in the Southern Water Tribe when I return home with my father…" he trailed off. They had been avoiding this subject since Chief Hakoda announced to his children that he would be returning home in the morning and he wished that Sokka and Katara would go with him. He had been away from them for more than 2 years and it was time to reunite the family.
Suki stared down at her plate and absentmindedly pushed her food around with her utensil. "Yeah… about that," she started to say after a moment of awkward silence. "I have to return to Kyoshi."
Sokka nodded his understanding, but couldn't find his voice to speak.
"I have responsibilities there," Suki continued to explain, "to my warriors."
"I understand," Sokka's throat felt dry and he took a quick drink before continuing. "This won't be goodbye. We'll see each other again, soon. It's not like Kyoshi is on the other side of the world from the South Pole," he said with optimism, bringing a small smile to her face. The conversation died as quickly as it was started when they both went back to eating.
Later that evening, Sokka was in search of his sister. Suki had already retired for the night, claiming the need for sleep. He didn't argue the point and excused himself to search for Aang and Katara.
He had checked Toph's room after dinner to find that it was empty. "Well, she did say goodbye," the thought crossed his mind. "But I didn't expect her to mean it." He wondered if she had told anyone else where she was going? The idea that she would leave without any further explanation disturbed him; the rest of the team had been open about where each individual would be going next.
Sokka touched the door knob of Katara's guest room door. He was about to enter unannounced when their voices reached his ears.
"I have to stay in the Fire Nation for now, but with Appa, I can visit whenever you want," Aang explained in an almost pleading voice.
"I know, Aang…" Katara replied. There was a short pause where Sokka could imagine her sighing. "But it won't be the same..."
Not wanting to eavesdrop, Sokka knocked on the door before pushing it open. He eyed the couple suspiciously as they scrambled away from one another; Aang leaping off of the edge of the bed and Katara turning away from him with a blush. Sokka almost chuckled at the sight. "Relax, it's just me," he announced. "I just had one question."
Aang scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to expect. Katara studied her hands, which were folded in her lap.
"Have either one of you seen Toph?"
Katara looked up in surprise and exchanged a quick glance with Aang. "No, not since this afternoon," she replied.
"So, she didn't tell either one of you where she was going?"
"No, why, is there something wrong?" Aang shifted his weight and asked.
"I can't find her anywhere."
"Maybe she just went into the city," Katara suggested with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Sokka considered the possibilities; maybe she was just avoiding him for the night. He slowly nodded and turned to leave the room, but not before looking back over his shoulder at them when he reached the door. "Aang, you may be the Avatar, but if you do anything to hurt my sister I'll find a way to bring you down," he warned before leaving the couple to resume their conversation.
Sokka returned to his room, removed and threw his tunic over the plush red chair in the corner and fell back onto the bed. He stared up at the ceiling, his mind to active to sleep. In the morning Team Avatar would be splitting up. He was certain that he would see the Avatar often, and he would visit Suki as much as he could, but his concern remained about Toph's destination. Would she return to her parent's home? Somehow he doubted it. Wherever she planned to go he hoped that by morning she would be her usual self again.