The other one seemed long, I said. The next and last one would be short, I said. Now look at this- twice the size of my biggest chapter. Well, sorry I guess. It didn't really turn out that great, and the actual fighting scene is actually very short, which is why I assumed the entire chapter would be short- shows what I know. Enjoy?

The Delayed, but Fulfilled

A little while later, they were heading back to the tents with four gophers tied in Sokka's shirt that were to be cleaned and cooked by dinner.

As they entered the camp, Aang came up to them with a worried expression. "Where have you all been?" he asked.

"Getting meat." Katara answered.

"But you already made lunch."

"For dinner."

"Oh.. it took everyone to hunt for your guys' food?"

"Apparently."

Aang stared at them as they started to pass him. "What's wrong?"

Katara sighed. "I really don't know." She turned to the counter and started picking up bowls as the others sat around the fireplace and the pot hanging above it.

Aang turned to Zuko. "I don't know either." he grumbled, accepting a bowl and spoon from Katara.

Aang then looked at Suki, who just shrugged, leaning toward the pot with a ladle.

Finally, Aang turned to Sokka, who was in the process of eating the stew as if he was starving. "There was a misunderstanding," Sokka said through a mouthful of food. He swallowed and cleared his throat. "And now everyone's in a bad mood."

"It was your misunderstanding." Zuko said irritably.

"Okay.." Aang said hesitantly. "And why are you both not wearing shirts?"

"Huh," Sokka looked down; he had forgotten about it. "Right, we used our shirts as nets in hunting," he explained. "Unfortunately, that means we're each a shirt less than we were, and I don't know about Zuko, but I don't own too many of them."

Zuko was about to say something, but Sokka just remembered. "Oh!" he said, turning to Aang. "We're going to have another.." he cleared his throat dramatically. "SWORDBEN-"

"We're going to have a quick sparring match after lunch," Zuko interrupted. Sokka glared at him, and started to say, 'Hey! Don't you have manners, being a prince, I'd have thought so!' But Zuko continued. "Afterward," he gave Sokka a stern look. "Sokka will get back to normal."

"Oh, okay," Aang said, after a mouthful of stew. "Then can I watch?" he asked.

"Sure Aang!" Sokka said. "I want everyone to watch how I beat him," He beamed. "Well, maybe not Katara, sense she needs to wash the dishes, but I wish Suki-" From his left, Katara slapped him. Sokka rubbed his cheek absently as he continued, "But I wish Suki could." He looked at Suki, sitting on his right, and asked in what he hoped was a convincing tone, "Please?"

"Sorry Sokka, I'm going to help Katara clean up after lunch, and then I'm taking a bath," she said, smiling apologetically.

Sokka sighed. "So there you have it; it'll just be you and Toph watching us." He paused. "Wait a minute," He looked around. "Hey, Aang, where's Toph?"

Aang blinked. "She didn't come back with you?"

Sokka was about to give a sarcastic, 'Oh, of course she did- that's why I'm asking you. Silly me.' when Katara sighed irritably. "Toph's mad," she said, setting down her finished bowl. "I was asking what she wanted for lunch earlier, and she listed off ten or so different meat dishes; so I just agreed to add meat to the stew, and roast what Zuko came back with, but.. the koala-sheep chunks I had been keeping frozen had spoiled, and then Zuko was still gone after the food had already made was finished. I told her it would have to wait until tonight. She went and shut herself in her tent."

Sokka looked into his near empty second bowl of stew. Aang was about to reply to Katara, but Sokka interrupted. "Wait, you're telling me there's no meat in this?!" he exclaimed, starring at her in horror. There was no betrayal as great as this.

She just rose an eyebrow at him. "You only just now noticed, oh 'meat and sarcasm guy'?"

Sokka blinked, his horror replaced with confusion. "How did you know about that?"

"Toph told me."

"How did Toph know about that?!" He thought; Toph hadn't shown up until after Aang had blown away the- "Wait, so she was there even before Aang showed up?"

"Guys," Aang said, drawing their attention. "About Toph.."

"You're right," Sokka said, setting down the deceitful food in disgust. "I'll go find her and make sure she's-"

"Checking if she's okay while she's still mad?" Zuko asked warily.

"-still coming to watch the SwordBending match."

They stared at each other. "Seriously, Sokka?"

Sokka blinked in response. He walked over to Toph's stone tent. He knew nothing would cheer Toph up more than entertainment- other than, of course, meat. She'd be fine as soon as she had some delicious meat- and revenge on those who kept it from her. Entertainment would sooth her until dinner at least. Hopefully.

He stopped in front of her tent and waited. And waited. After nearly a minute of this, he started stomping around the tent. "Toph! I know you heard or felt me, or whatever, so open up!" He glared at the stone as he circled it, irritated with Toph for ignoring him. There was no response, and when he made it to the other side, he saw why. It was empty. "Huh," he said mildly. "Where'd she go?" He scratched the side of him head and looked around.

Suddenly there was a boom and dust cloud from behind a hill in the distance- just where he and Toph had created the sparring field. Sokka ran over to it, and got there just as Toph dropped a huge rock on the ground for seemingly no reason. "Um, Toph?" Sokka asked, coming up next to her cautiously. "Uh.. what are you doing?"

Toph rounded on him with a scowl. "I'm getting rid of pent up energy," she said. "You got a problem with that or something?"

"Um, no, not really."

"Okay then!" She turned back around and started to lift the gigantic rock again, trembling under the weight.

Sokka just stood there and watched Toph pick up the rock, drop the rock, pick up the rock, drop the rock, and so on until her arms were shaking violently. He stepped in between her and her abused rock after the fifth time. "Toph, you should-" Suddenly, her legs gave out, and she collapsed, the rock falling directly behind him, close enough to scrape his back. He froze, then quickly turned around only to have his face touching the boulder. He stumbled backwards, tripped over Toph who was on her hands and knees, and stared uncomprehendingly at her. "Toph, what were you doing?! I was almost crushed- in fact , you nearly crushed yourself!" He stood up, and placed his hands on his hips, glaring down at her panting figure. "That's it- no more playing with dirt for the rest of today."

"What?" Pant. "Are you-" Panting. "Yammering abou-" Deep breaths. "-t, Meathead."

"Toph, look up."

"I'm blind.. already." she said, still catching her breath.

"You don't have to be able to see, just do it." Lacking the energy to fight him apparently, she obliged. "Alright, now stick your arm out in front of you." She did, and her palm connected fully with the rock. "Okay, now did you know that I was exactly where your arm is now when you dropped that thing?"

"Huh," she said, retracting her arm, and standing shakily to her feet. "How are you not crushed?"

That wasn't the reply he was looking for. "Apologize!" he yelled indignantly, stomping a foot to the ground.

"You're right," she agreed. "I should really apologize to the rock- imagine if it was stained with your blood? It would be shamed among it's kind." she said sadly, shaking her head in pity. Apparently she was forgetting that she'd almost crushed herself too.

Sokka sighed. "Whatever," he said. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Not-So-Snoozles." she replied.

"That again? Anyways-"

"Sokka!" Aang called. Sokka turned to see him and Zuko walking towards them. "Whoa, what's that?" he asked, staring wide eyed at the stone sparring field Toph had made.

"That, dear Avatar, is where our SwordBending-Kai will take place." Sokka said proudly. "Toph helped me set up the perfect arena for us." He gestured at it, allowing Aang and Zuko to appreciate it. The ground of loose gravel, filled with tall stone pillars, some of which were so close, they were almost touching, whereas others were nearly solitary.

Zuko stared at it. "You want to fight in that.. thing?"

"Yep," Sokka answered, with a firm nod.

Zuko just kept looking at it.

"So then the booming sound was Toph?" Aang asked, turning to her.

"Well.. yeah, but not for this; considering it was Earthbendning, she did all of it pretty quietly." He pointed to the abused rock from earlier. "The noise was from her almost crushing me, while about to pass ou- ow!" He rubbed his arm where she just slammed her fist.

"More important things are needed to be.. talked about." she said, ignoring Sokka's glare and stepping threateningly toward Zuko.

"Yes?" he asked, his attention taken from the stone structure to look almost straight down as Toph got into his personal space.

"You and SugerQueen are the ones responsible for my lack of lunch," she stated, poking a finger into the Firebender's chest.

Sokka stifled a laugh, and Zuko glared at him. "But wait," he said, pointing at Sokka. "Isn't it because he hasn't been hunting that I had to do it in the first place?"

"Yes," Toph said. "But he's working hard to do something that I like the idea of, so I can forgive him; plus, he suffers just as much as I do with the lack of steaks, ribs, meat buns, stews, and all other sort of amazing foods."

Sokka's mouth watered.

He forced himself to stop thinking of delicious meats, and help Zuko out instead. "Hey, come on Toph, leave him alone; he's part of your entertainment too, isn't he?"

Zuko blinked in surprise as Toph turned away from him and toward Sokka. "Yeah, but only because you forced him to be."

"I also forced him to be the hunter." Zuko gave a slight smile in silent thanks, and Sokka sent a small nod over Toph's head in return.

She pondered this for a moment, then tilted her head to the side, and asked, "So you want me to get back at both of you then?"

"Forget I said anything." Sokka stated firmly.

Eyes widened, Zuko stepped toward Sokka. "I thought you were-"

"Sure." Toph answered Sokka. "On one condition.. I'm bored, so hurry up and fight Sparky already. You already challenged him and all that, right?"

Sokka grinned down at her. "Yep!"

"Then why have you gotten started?"

"Right," Sokka said, turning to Zuko. "Lets do it now that everyone's here." He gestured to Zuko, Toph, Aang, and himself.

"Alright!" Aang cheered.

"Lets get this over with." Zuko muttered. He drew his own twin blades.

"Whoa, wait, not right here," Sokka said. He pointed very clearly at the rocks. "Over there, remember? Over there." He jutted his finger at it.

Zuko looked at him, and sighed. "Lets go 'over there' then." The four of them walked over to it, Sokka and Zuko continuing into the gravel as Toph and Aang stopped just outside of it. As they got to what seemed to be the middle, he stopped, and Zuko did the same. Zuko readied his swords. "Ready?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something," Sokka said.

"Really? Right now?" Zuko asked in apparent exasperation.

"Yes, really. Can I use Boomerang since-"

"No."

"But why not?! You have two swords, and I only have one!"

"These are twin blades" Zuko said. "Two halves of a whole; you use them together at all times, and so they are only one weapon."

Sokka stared at him. "What type of nonsense excuse is that?" he asked. "No matter how you look at it, you're holding two swords!"

"It's not nonsense, it's the meaning behind this weapon!"

"It is nonsense; you're holding two swords. Yeah, maybe they each only have half a hilt, but that's what we call bad sword design."

Zuko stared at Sokka as if in shock. Then he started taking deep breaths. He didn't seem to notice the smoke coming from his nose and mouth. Sokka did. "No boomerangs, Sokka." was all Zuko said. Sokka didn't argue further.

"Moving on.." Sokka said. "Hey Toph!" he called. "Give us a signal for when to start!"

Suddenly, a huge rock soared through the sky, broke the tops off of a few pillars, and landed right beside both Zuko and Sokka. They stared. "Start!" Toph called after it.

They each dropped into a stance and raised their swords. Zuko waited a second testing if Sokka would attack first, which he didn't, and then quickly became the aggressor.

Sokka retreated as he hurriedly parried the attacks. Knowing he couldn't keep it up, he swung at Zuko's head to distract him. One sword blocked his attack, the other hit the blade nearly taking it from Sokka's hand. The first sword came down at his exposed head, and Sokka quickly sidestepped it.

A few similar exchanges happened until he felt a pillar behind him. As Zuko attacked again, Sokka quickly spun around the pillar, causing the swords to hit stone in a stream of sparks, and he attacked from the other side.

He gained the momentum of the fight, as he pushed Zuko back. But it didn't last long, as Zuko, parrying an attack, spun with the momentum, and side kicked Sokka in the back, knocking him to the ground.

Zuko started to swing downward, but Sokka turned and threw the gravel at Zuko's face as he scrambled back up. Then he ducked behind another pillar. Zuko didn't attack. He had been right about Zuko not wanting to risk damage to his swords, and so mostly avoided the pillars like he did the fountain at the air temple. Sokka smiled into the black, meteorite metal of his blade, as he used it's reflection to watch Zuko slowly come around toward the right side of the pillar.

Sokka spun around the left side, striking down at Zuko's back, but Zuko, with some stupidly amazing reflexes, spun around quickly enough to catch his sword, deflect it to the side, and thrust at his chest all at once. Sokka evaded the attack, and rushed behind another pillar.

After a quick second's breath, he started to his right, and stopped as a sword sweep came down directly in front of him. He jumped out after it passed, and stabbed at Zuko's chest, which Zuko parried easily to the side. Knowing that would happen, Sokka kicked forward directly afterward, knocking Zuko down. But Zuko just rolled backward back onto his feet, advancing on Sokka instantly.

Sokka jump to his left, back behind the pillar again. He bent and picked of a handful of gravel, but as has stood up, Zuko's sword came around either side of the pillar like pincers, and Sokka dived forward to escape them, getting to slight scratches on the sides of his ribs.

Rolling to a kneeling position, facing his attacker, he threw the gravel into Zuko's face, and Zuko swung his head to avoid them just as Sokka attacked his leg. Just before it landed, Sokka twisted the sword, and Zuko only got slapped to the shin by the flat of the blade.

Knowing that wouldn't count for much, Sokka quickly tried to back out of reach, but Zuko's right hand sword came at his neck too fast, and Sokka could only block it with his own blade. Then, out of some instinct, as Zuko's sword made contact with his, he leveled the point, and and slid the length of his blade along Zuko's in a thrust to the throat. He stopped just before it reached.

They both paused, just breathing. Sokka's breath was coming out a little faster and more ragged, but that was fine. Then he felt a prickling sensation and looked down at the tip of Zuko's left hand sword, had stabbed into his upper leg.

"Ow!" Sokka exclaimed, jumping backward. "Ow, ow, ouch!" He glared at Zuko, who just stared dully at him, his swords loose in grip. "Zuko!" he yelled, getting the Firebender's attention. "Apologize!" he demanded, gesturing from his leg, to the three inches of blood on his sword.

"What?" Zuko blinked, then looked at Sokka's leg. "Oh, I'm so sorry Sokka," he said quickly, and then looked around as if expecting Katara to just appear and be all 'healy-hands' instantly.

Sokka gave him a pointedly unimpressed look.

"Sokka, I really am-"

Sokka waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, save it for later, Zuko." He smiled at the distraught Firebender. Then Sokka started limping away toward where they had left Aang and Toph.

When he made it back to them, Aang said, "Guys, listen to this; Toph blindfolded me and insisted that I 'listen to the earth' and all, but-"

"Actually Aang, could I get a ride back into camp?" Sokka interrupted, grimacing.

Aang looked down, gaped, and hurriedly unfolded his glider, telling Sokka to get on. He did, and then apologized for bleeding on him. When they got back to the tent, Katara quickly healed him, and told him to get lots of rest.

Instead, he had everyone sit around the fire as he retold his heroic fight. At parts, Toph would interrupt saying that some parts were lies for some reason. But by the end, she was on his side.

"He won because I let him in order to get him back to his chores." Zuko said, crossing his arms with an annoyed expression.

"You're lying," Toph said in a pleased singing voice.

After an irritated look in her direction, Zuko faced Sokka. "What I don't understand is that you had planned to start a sword fight with me, but-"

"SwordBending-Kai." Sokka corrected. "Or just a SwordBending match to be less formal."

Zuko gave him the same look he did Toph. "My point is that despite planning ahead of time, you spent the duel rushing around. It didn't seem very carefully planned as I'd expect from you if you were actually serious."

"Yeah.." Sokka admitted hesitantly, remembering earlier in the day when he had been with Toph giving specific placements for the pillars, while coming up with plans. That was, until his sister showed up. "Katara," he said, pointing at her. "Said that she had sent Suki after you; so I took off and left Toph to finish with just basic instructions. When I found you, I challenged you instantly, and.. yeah. I only used the most basic ideas that I had, and was planning for my strategy, such as hiding behind the pillars, throwing gravel, using the reflection of my sword, and predicting your responses based on our last match. I wish I had more time to coordinate how and when everything would've happened; I originally wanted parts of the field to be vastly different from each other, lead you into them, and then.." He stopped. "Oh, sorry, I'm rambling."

Zuko stared at him. "Next time," he said. "I'm choosing where we spar."

Sokka sighed in response, which just turned into a yawn. Then he said, "You know what I think is most impressive about this?" he asked the group in general. "That I did it without sleeping for two days." With that, he fell backwards, passed out before touching the ground. He wouldn't wake up for three days.

What Begins with Sokka, Ends with Sokka.

On that note, THE END.

Notes: This series didn't turn out as nice as I had hoped, but I'm new, so hopefully my writing will get better. I hope you enjoyed it, and that I didn't have many out of character moments.

Please review; I want to know if you like it or not.

PLEASE REVIEW.