Chapter 3 - Raid

A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for subscribing and many thanks to xXh3aDpHoN3zXx, tomboy 26, Beautifully Misshapen, XxheartsyouxX and Alewar Warinot for your reviews! I really really appreciate them a lot. I've done my best to follow the advice all of you have given. Please do continue reviewing! Thank you so much again!
As a reminder, italics in the story imply thoughts and is thus in first-person. A straight solid line indicates a change in perspective, or sometimes a timeskip.
Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA, although I wish I did.

-EDIT-
I made some edits here and there to explain some stuff. Such as Iroh and Mai's absence.

He gripped the satin covers, yanking them over his head in an attempt to block out the infuriating noise. He needed his sleep badly. He had felt awfully tired after that dinner. At least, he considered it a meal. Mai called it a morsel. Not that he could help it, he was busy preparing for decolonization plans he wanted to implement after his coronation.

"Zuko!"

He murmured something unintelligible in response and threatened to tear the bed sheets. He felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake. He ignored it for as long as it could. Then, he felt the hand shift onto his face, giving it a forceful shake before lobbing painful projectiles at him.

"What do you want?" He roared, abruptly getting up.

The dark figure gave an annoyed huff. "Finally. I thought you'd never wake up. What are you? Sleeping Beauty?"

Zuko lit up the candle on his side table. The flame illuminated Toph's face. He studied her in disbelief. Yep, it was Toph, in pajamas and all, tapping the floor impatiently. He had not seen her all day, of course not at work, but not at mealtimes either.

"What's the matter?" He asked groggily.

"They're coming. Get prepared now."

She felt Zuko grab her sleeve.

"I hadn't heard any alarms."

"Sure. Trust your flimsy security and not me, the world's greatest earthbender. Don't come crying when you are caught off-guard."

Zuko got up from his bed after a pause. "Fine. I'll alert the guards."

Toph nodded before following him out of the bedroom. It took them a while before they reached the entrance. Everything was still, as silent as it could be in the night. She frowned, widening her range of scanning. The earth still gave the same feedback. There were people coming, probably with ill intent. Focusing now towards the gate, she felt a few figures slumped against the walls. Good, they were still breathing.

"What happened? Were they taken out?"

Zuko knelt over one of them and examined the guard. He shook his head. "They're asleep. Drugged."

"Could all the guards be...?"

"We'll have to go check. I need to go check on Mai and Uncle as well..."

"Wait. I feel the intruders. They are coming in from the West wing," Toph reported.

"Alright. Now what do we do?" Zuko folded his arms, contemplating.

"Wait. No, there are some from the South," Toph furrowed her eyebrows. "And some from…"

This wasn't right. There were too many irregular vibrations in the palace. She had spent the past few days studying the patterns of the guards and staff just to be able to differentiate. Now, the guards are missing. There are too many heading for the same spot.

Zuko's bedroom.

"How many people know the exact location of your bedroom?" Toph gestured for Zuko to follow her. We'll meet them head-on.

"You, Mai, Uncle, the staff," He listed, keeping up with her pace.

"Anyone else? Like the commoners?"

"…. Nope."

"Well, then you have a mole in the palace. The intruders are heading towards your bedroom," She declared.

He lighted up the hallways and saw people coming in from all directions. They have lured the intruders into the yard. He felt Toph lean against his back before glancing at the turtle ducks gliding serenely across the water surface. He apologized silently to them, for wrecking their peaceful night. But, this would be the ideal place for Toph to fight.

"The numbers…" He breathed, glancing at the horde. Comparatively, these people would make up a very small percentage of the Fire Nation. However…

"Don't worry. We'll handle them," Toph assured him, pushing back a crowd with a slab of stone.

"Don't… Don't kill them," Zuko took his stance.

"Nah, I won't."

Then he got into action. He dodged the incoming thrust of the spear and countered with his own. He disarmed the man, taking the spear and breaking it into two before flinging it aside.

He gave the shocked man a satisfied smirk before turning back to face the crowd. His eyes widened in shock as he registered that another person was lunging straight for him. Before he managed to react, the attacker was already downed by a boulder.

"Thanks!" Zuko called to Toph as he took on the next person.

"You owe me," Toph grinned.

Zuko grabbed the opponent's arm and twisted it such that Zuko was now behind him. The man yelped in pain.

"How did you get in?" He demanded. "Who's your leader? I order you to tell me now!"

The man breathed heavily and smiled coldly. "You won't be getting anything from me, you traitor."

Zuko grimaced before he slammed his hand against the man's neck, causing him to lose consciousness. He watched as the man fall to the ground with a thud. Who was the mole? The way they entered so openly... The watchmen all seemed to be drugged... No one in the palace seemed to notice the commotion...

His clenched fists burned with flames as he took the people down with greater speed.

"Tell me! Who sent you here? Who spiked meals? What I plan to do will only help the Fire Nation reach greater heights!" Zuko questioned one of the people now locked up behind bars.

Speaking of which, Toph supposed it was sheer luck that she skipped dinner to go for another quick tournament. As for Zuko... Skipping dinner for work was almost becoming his favorite pastime. She wondered what would have happened if she stayed for the meal. Everyone drugged... Unknowing of the mob...

"I will not divulge what I know! You, Prince Zuko, should very well know that we were at greater heights! It is because of you... You and that blasted Avatar! It is true. You are an unworthy heir. A disgrace to the Fire Nation!" The man spat on the floor.

Toph felt a vein bulge as she took in what the man said. She stormed straight up in front of the man.

"Hey, mister! How long would it take for you to realize that restoring peace is the only way to go?" She shouted in his face.

"Hah! What would two ignorant youngsters like you know? We were perfectly happy as we were. Such a foolish prince is not deserv-"

Odd. The man suddenly fell silent. Must have something to do with the sharp pointy rock Toph jabbed into his abdomen. She gave a triumphant grin as she heard the man groan.

"Come on, Zuko. You need your beauty sleep. Let's go back," Toph frowned a little as she noticed that Zuko's back was hunched.

Zuko didn't reply, he seemed to be in a daze of some sort. The drug may be finally acting up.

"I'll discuss this with Mai first thing in the morning, then question the guards…" Zuko mumbled to himself as he was led out of the temporary prison Toph had set up.

"Take it easy," Toph giving a little stretch. "Tomorrow's your coronation. You don't want to appear too haggard in front of your nation."

" What? … It's tomorrow? I was too cooped up in my office to notice…!" He jolted.

He seemed back to normal. Almost, anyway.

"… Reasons why I call you a workaholic," Toph muttered as he hurried off to his chambers.

A/N: Alright, it's still quite a short chapter but I promise the next one would be longer...! Please R&R! Thank you! As usual, if the characters end up OOC or anything, please do advise me. Thanks lots! :D

-EDIT-

Erm... Yep. I didn't explain it clearly and everything, so my sincerest apologies! Hopefully it's better now... )x