Helicopter- Oh Land

'What do you mean, I'm on probation?'

Her chair scraped back with a screechy protest as her palms came slamming down onto the round table, causing the marble below to crack at the impact, her metal cuffs clinking in dissent. Toph was standing, barely taller than she was while sitting placidly on the ornate chair just a moment ago, but the divergence in demeanor couldn't have been more obvious. Like a riled eagle-lion, a snarl balanced precariously on the curve of her gaping lips, the fingers of her hands splayed across the expensive conference table. Her eyebrows were drawn together in anger, vacant eyes blissfully ignorant beneath.

She felt the slightest trembling of her element beneath her hands and toes, the displacement of Sokka's weight away from her. Four members of the Council flinched away from her as well, besides her other two male friends. They all knew too well the consequences of riling a Bei Fong up, and were disinclined to stand in her way. Only General Yeo remained motionless, his steely eyes narrowed, marking their annoyance on Toph's unrefined posture.

'What I mean,' he spoke slowly, teeth bared in their effort to remain patient and mask seething rage, 'Is that your services as Commander of the Dai Li will be suspended until further notice.'

Her jaw dropped; she blinked. Her brain whirred, processing the ultimatum the head of the Council had given her, thinking back to what she might have done to receive such outrageous punishment as she bit back the expletives longing to spew forth. Struggling to maintain discipline, she blurted out, 'What? Why?'

'Because of this,' General Yeo leant his vast frame across the table, his arm outstretched as he dangled something in front of Toph's face. Sokka noted the gradual coloring of his tan complexion into a deep purple, whether from the anger boiling inside of him or the weight of his entire body upon his diaphragm, he didn't know. 'Do you have any idea what this is?'

Sokka peeked sideways at Toph. Her confused expression had quickly fallen away to one of exasperation. Toph closed her eyes, silently willing herself not to snap back out of irritation. She straightened out of her offensive bearing, deadpanning, 'Well, since I'm blind, I'd have to say that, judging by that crinkling sound, it's a piece of paper.'

He couldn't help himself; Sokka let himself chortle noisily at the obvious distaste in his best friend's voice, almost congratulating her on that well-played humor when he caught Aang's eye. Who knew the usually mellow Avatar could look so dangerous, especially beside that puce-colored block of a General? Glancing around, Sokka winced at the widened gaze of the Fire Lord, his face frozen in warning; even Toph had shown a flicker of annoyance at his slip, frowning as she gazed blankly at the grubby parchment General Yeo was brandishing.

Accordingly, Sokka swallowed his laugh, turning it into a phony cough that became even more awkward as he choked on his own saliva.

General Yeo remained unfazed, sneering through Sokka's hacking. 'Your powers of perception never fail to amaze me. In fact, you'd be interested to note that what I'm currently holding is the bill that you and your compatriot here have racked up while spending the evening at the infamous pub, The Clucking Chicken.'

General Yeo turned to glare at Sokka, who immediately ceased his coughing fit and had the decency to look abashed and more than a little uncomfortable as he fidgeted with his Water Tribe uniform. Conversely, Toph was a born fighter, and was just opening her mouth to deliver an angry retort about where else the General could stick his nose when she felt Zuko shift.

The change in his position was so minute that she might have even imagined it, yet she noticed that it was accompanied by an increase in his already high temperature, with the feeblest tension as he curled his toes in his shoes. She was intelligent enough to interpret the caution within the unseen gesture, slowly lowering herself back into her seat and attempting to keep her glowering in check as General Yeo's head snapped around to face her.

'Now, shall I read the list of what you owe?'

As the General flicked his gaze to and fro their stricken expressions and the lengthy catalog of destruction they had caused, as well as drinks consumed, she felt the beginnings of frostbite creeping across her skin, the intensity of ice flakes growing as the list progressed. Only his deep baritone rang through the tense atmosphere as everyone else sat in an uncomfortable silence, echoing around the sudden hollowness of her head, leaving her with the painful awareness of how irresponsibility and destruction was still rampant within her.

Had they really caused so much trouble and harm? Toph tried to dredge up the drunken memories, but they were flimsy, ghostly things, slipping through her cupped fingers like water. What she could grasp was the exhilaration; laughter ringing through her ears, the smell of earth and sweat mingling, tipping back bottle after bottle as the acridity of alcohol burned in the back of her throat. Her heart sank, heavy as a stone in the violent sea that stormed within her, the waves crashing in turmoil against the compact flexibility of her body as she surreptitiously measured the solemn heartbeats of her friends.

After all Aang and Zuko had done for her- helped her back on her feet, been the best of companions anyone could ask for, acted like the brothers she had never had, with their wise words and playful jibes. Sokka had merely hinted at the prospect of reliving their teenage drinking; judging by the contents of that inventory, with walls crumbled and furniture broken, it definitely wasn't him who had been the root of all that devastation.

And Iroh- the weight of her metal military helmet seemed to increase upon her head, buckling under the status it bore as her body was wracked with guilt. He had secured this coveted position for her, persuading King Kuei and several other prominent members of the court, convincing them that she was worthy of the job. Now, with her hands accountable and bloodied with ruin, Toph felt like she had failed him, his belief in her, internally withering away from disappointment with herself.

Never had she felt so embarrassed- here, in front of her friends, General Yeo was making a mockery of her, painting her as a reckless woman whose downfall was the demon drink. Worse still, Toph acknowledged that the incident was her fault- no way could Sokka, with his boomerang as his only weapon, cleave a bar into two, and continue ripping it apart till the total damage stood at more than a thousand gold pieces. Sure, he might have had engaged her in a drinking contest, and yes, she had pushed herself beyond her usual tolerance, just to show off and best him, and maybe it was Sokka who, in his inebriated state, had taunted those burly men a smidgen too much…

Despite the hazy memories of fighting off a dozen men to prevent them from crushing her best friend, using the earthen foundation of The Clucking Chicken as ammunition, Toph grimly decided that perhaps Sokka did have something to do with all that had happened.

General Yeo finished his recital, rolling up the parchment with a flourish, a nasty expression crossed his face as he stared directly at Toph. 'So you see, Miss Bei Fong,' he practically purred, 'Why we have no choice but to terminate your contract as the head of the Dai Li for the time being.'

She half-rose out of her seat in protest as the Council made to do so in theirs. 'But- how long will this take?' She couldn't help but let a frantic note enter her voice.

'You will receive news of whether you have been taken off suspension in time to come,' General Yeo answered, making as if to exit via the large doors at the end of the room. 'We hope that this punishment will allow you ample time for self-reflection, and to understand the importance of maintaining discipline and image while serving the Earth King.'

Aang stood up. 'Wait.'

His voice was commanding and powerful, enough to stop the Council in their tracks; in contrast, his next words were full of naivety and optimism. The Avatar took a deep breath, then made his case. 'Toph is completely trustworthy; she's the most skilled earthbender the world has ever seen, and having her instruct the Dai Li will greatly benefit Ba Sing Se, and even the entire Earth Kingdom, as her methods spread. She's brave, driven and the best teacher anyone could have. She's also one of my greatest friends, and I'm willing to vouch for her character. I'm sure she regrets what damage she and Sokka have caused, and is willing to apologize to the bar owner. Surely you could afford her some leniency, General?'

Toph's heart swelled with gratefulness at Aang's plea; regardless of her actions, he was still attempting to help her retain what she didn't deserve. Sokka reached over to clasp her hand, squeezing it to physically articulate his comfort, bolstering her courage. Even Zuko cracked a small smile in her direction, conveying unseen encouragement.

She felt the General stop abruptly in his movement to exit the room as Aang spoke; his footsteps were malicious as he strode back to the table, his weight shifting as he leaned on the table to look down on her.

'Avatar Aang.' Though he was addressing the airbender, General Yeo's gaze was locked onto the pale face of his subordinate. 'I have no doubt in my mind that your judgment is impartial, and to be trusted.'

Hearing this, Sokka turned to his left, signaling a small thumbs-up to Zuko, who was seated on Toph's other side. He saw the Fire Lord's tight face giving way to reprieve for a moment, the tension in his shoulders relaxing the tiniest bit as he leaned back into his chair, surveying the scene. He turned to Toph, hoping the swiveling motion of his behind on his seat to would signal he was facing her, conveying his relief by flashing a large grin.

Taking in her expression, however, Sokka's smile lost some of its luster, stationary in its upward journey towards his ocean eyes. Her eyebrows were scrunched in a glare, twin streaks of jagged black disappearing into the bangs concealing her forehead, her mouth twisted in an angry dash as she tilted her chin upwards defiantly. When Sokka looked back at General Yeo, he understood why.

'However, after much discussion, both the Earth King and the Council of Five have unanimously agreed that suspending Commander Bei Fong is her most befitting punishment. She has disappointed the court many times, causing embarrassment when other nations were present.'

Each word was lethal to her ego, without mercy; Toph wanted to attack the imposing figure towering over her. She fought her impulse, simply holding her tongue, biting on it as she dug her fingernails into her fists to prevent herself from snapping.

'Unfortunately,' the General admitted grudgingly, 'Due to her astonishing skills in earthbending, we are inclined to keep her in our employment. Nevertheless, we feel she is a menace to society, and needs to be taught a lesson.'

'What?' It was too much; she sprang from her seat, furious and yelling. 'It's thanks to me that the crime rate in this city has fallen, and you're calling me a menace?'

'Toph, no,' Zuko hissed as the General's face shone in smug triumph.

Toph gritted her teeth, realizing how her outburst had confirmed General Yeo's argument, yet her rage was no less quelled. How she longed to teach the Council a lesson instead- she doubted whether they, frail and complacent in their old age and comfort, could take her on. Through the blood boiling in her ears, she felt Sokka reach over again, tugging at her hand for her to calm down. Quirking a questioning eyebrow at him, she was shocked when her best friend stood up as well, taking advantage of her surprise to place a hand on her shoulder, then pushing her unceremoniously back down onto her seat.

'Please,' Sokka said, appealing to the General. 'It was my idea to sneak out, and my fault that we got into a scuffle at that bar. If there's anyone who needs to be punished, it's me. You're making a mistake suspending Toph; Ba Sing Se needs her for its protection and vigilance against crime.'

Toph felt an older Council member shuffle towards General Yeo, the rasp in his voice making the words directed to the latter inaudible. When she felt the approving nod of the General, however, along with the quickening pace of his heart, she shifted into an unconscious mental alertness, physically tensing in anticipation.

As the Council member returned to his original position, the General fixed the Water Tribe Ambassador with a piercing stare. 'An interesting proposition, Master Sokka,' he mused, stroking his beard in pretended thoughtfulness. 'What say you to this: we will restore Commander Bei Fong's services, provided the Southern Water Tribe give up their appeal to further expand their trading routes to Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation waters.'

A growl began in the back of her throat as she bared her teeth; of all the things the Council could demand, this was low. She recalled a heated debate concerning this very subject taking place during the economic talk Sokka had missed. Though the Fire Nation would have suffered a loss, Zuko was more than willing to allow increasingly diverse trading to occur; Hakoda, however, had met resistance from the Council, who were unwilling to relinquish their monopoly on their territories.

Before she could do anything, Aang had stepped in. 'No way!' he argued, making a sweeping motion with his tattooed arm. 'The Harmony Restoration Movement cannot be completed if the four nations are unwilling to maintain peaceful, fair ties. What you're doing here is blackmail!'

Toph noticed the Fire Lord had also risen, shaking his head angrily as his eyes burned into the Council. 'General Yeo,' he said quietly, his voice full of disgust, 'What you have suggested is dishonorable to your country, to your people. The Southern Water Tribe doesn't have much to offer, but what little they have are valuable commodities. Iron, for instance. Once the Dai Li grasp Toph's metalbending technique, I'm sure the iron ore can be extracted easily for distribution amongst the nations for use in construction, or technological advancements.'

The General huffed. 'And when will that be, Fire Lord Zuko? The Dai Li are nowhere near to metalbending than they were a year ago, despite the Commander's rigorous drills. Earth is good enough for us. Unless Master Sokka agrees to our proposal, we will be keeping Commander Bei Fong on prohibition.'

'I…' Sokka hesitated, wetting his lips. She could feel the defeat weighing in on his shoulders, the kick in his heart as his famous brain hummed, attempting to generate a plan that could save them both. Aang and Zuko were shaking their heads as they tried to dissuade Sokka from agreeing; she heard the low murmur of congratulations between the Council members. The room was full of stubborn, high-ranking men, whose heartbeats thumped in an orchestra of different beats and pitches, reverberating through her helmet to echo incessantly in her head.

Suddenly, Toph realized why Sokka was even toying with the possibility of sacrificing the interests of his tribe for her- it was that stupid promise, and after failing to keep it previously, he was determined to do so now. She was moved, touched that Sokka would try to rebuild their relationship in this manner. He would have gladly taken the blame and penalty, just to let her walk away unscathed.

Up till now, she had been seated, mutely observing the political mechanics happening. She stood up unexpectedly, the jerky motion surprising even herself, toppling her chair backwards and causing it to land with a crash. As eight heads spun around to look at her, she felt her heart leap into her throat, throbbing wildly in the ensuing silence as panic seized her. What was she doing? What would Iroh say?

Inexplicably, Toph knew exactly what advice he would give her. Something enigmatic like, 'sometimes life is like a maze, but to find true happiness, you must walk along all paths available to you'. She groaned internally; maybe she wasn't very good at making up idioms, but she knew the gist of what he'd say: as long as she was happy, Iroh would be behind her all the way.

And right now? She wasn't happy. She'd never been happy in Ba Sing Se, ever since she had set foot in it as a child of eight. It had been nice living with Iroh, waiting on tables at The Jasmine Dragon, but it never gave her the fulfillment she wanted. The job at the palace afforded her luxury, she had made a friend in Jin (her gut twisted at the thought of him), but the walls were suffocating as always, rigid in their rules and lifestyle. Each morning she would wake up, drag herself through the same routine, and fall asleep at night, exhausted, with a pounding in her head brought on by the relentless workings of the masses.

In contrast, this week had been a breath of fresh air with Sokka, sparring sessions and illegal jaunts to town, in search of improvement and meat with their friendship on the mend, stitch by stitch. She had loved every minute of it, the dreariness of her duty unfathomable in the wake of their laughs harmonizing, floating towards the eaves.

He was happiness to Toph, not embodying it fully, but giving her enough so that any other input paled in comparison. She tucked away the rations he handed out to her, secrets in her pockets, smiles radiating faintly from her face. He meant more to her than anyone else- and though he was a complete imbecile, Toph decided that if anyone had to be saved, no way would she be on the receiving end again.

'Know what, General? You can stop your pathetic bargaining. Because-'

Toph had stopped trembling; her steady hands deftly unfastened the strap of her military helmet. Her bun became undone, tumbling down to reveal a green headband fighting a losing battle with tangled ebony. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the helmet onto the table, leaving a dent and a resounding clang that resonated around the room as she turned on her heel.

'I quit.'

Before they had time to register her words, Toph was gone, slamming the door behind her as she left; she walked calmly, but quickly, her heart dancing a tango in solitary confinement, slamming against her ribcage. She had done it; her lungs savored the first few breaths of freedom, bittersweet inhaled through her nose. Toph was free from the regulations that had chained her down, triumphant in saving Sokka's butt, but where was she to go now? The aftermath of her announcement gripped her uneasily, anxiety taking over; admittedly, she hadn't thought this out as thoroughly as she would've liked.

Though her head was clouded with exhilaration and apprehension, her feet were decisive in their route, taking her to the place where she could clear her head and decide what course to pursue next. The ground beneath transformed from marble to pavement, then to blades of grass tickling her calluses as she tramped along, lost in her thoughts. When she came to, Toph smirked a little, then conceded to lying down on her back. She sprawled herself over the dry earth beneath the boughs, her hair flung out to catch petals and stray beams of light. She inhaled the scent of frangipanis whirling around, her eyes wide open and listless as she gazed into the eternal heat of the sun.

It took some hours to find her; Toph had passed the time contemplating the warmth on her face, unable to stop herself from living in the moment. The activity had lulled her to sleep, hazy memories flitting through her dreams, the approaching footsteps jerking her out of her doze. As she patted the ground groggily, she noted the receding heat, the presence of twilight all around her as horse crickets stirred restlessly from their slumber in the grass. Toph stretched, her joints cracking; running her fingers through the thicket of her hair, she sat up, greeting her identified quarry.

'Took you long enough,' she yawned.

Sokka lowered himself down next to her, taking care not to dirty his clothes. He tilted his head skywards to survey the dusky horizon, the evening sun coloring them lavender and rose. Ba Sing Se had a magnificent skyline, he reflected, the different hues complementary and melding into each other, creating a beautiful palette that masked the ugliness of the city itself.

He pulled himself out of his reverie, turning to Toph, whose face was pointed in the same direction and demanded, 'Toph. What. The hell.'

The peaceful look on her face fell away, a scowl taking its place. 'Nice, Meathead,' she growled, pulling at clumps of grass. 'I save your ass, and all you can say is that?'

'My- you- you did not save my ass,' he spluttered, flushing with embarrassment. 'I had the whole situation under control!'

Toph shook her head, leveling him with a pitying glance. 'Snoozles, you were seriously considering what that ignoramus proposed. Believe me, you were one second away from succumbing. Your heart was beating like a stampede of rhino elephants, and I could almost feel the sweat dripping off your face.' She stabbed him in the chest with a dirt-encrusted finger, satisfied at the wince it elicited.

'Well,' he gasped. 'Thank you. For, uh, saving my ass.' He paused, massaging his chest. 'I'm sorry. For making you lose your job. If I had kept my mouth shut, maybe Aang could have coaxed them into lifting your probation earlier-'

Toph shrugged, flopping down. 'I wasn't happy,' she stated simply, closing her eyes. 'Sure, I got to kick ass on the job, but- it wasn't right. It wasn't for me- they were so image-conscious and rigid. Plus, General Yeo? Yeah, the last person I'd ever want to work with, after what he pulled with you.'

Sokka observed his friend, his gaze concerned. 'Maybe it is for the best, Toph, but what're you going to do now?'

Her eyes snapped open as she pushed herself upright again, facing Sokka. Toph tilted her head, her fingers splaying across the ground to pull up small mounds of earth absentmindedly. Sokka watched her bite her lip, the rush of blood adding color.

'I don't know yet.' She shot Sokka a jaunty smile, laughing as she dragged her fingers through the split ends of her hair. 'Visit my parents?' She made a face, wrinkling her nose in what he presumed was disgust. 'I guess I have to break the news that I lost my prestigious appointment some time.'

Toph shrugged again, nonchalant, bending a pillar of earth behind her so that she could lean on it. For a few minutes, she basked in the dying rays, letting her head loll until her best friend broke the silence.

'I've been thinking-'

'Always a first, Snoozles.'

'I've been thinking,' he continued doggedly, 'That you should come to Republic City. With us.'

Toph sat up, interested, dissolving her temporary backrest. 'Republic City?'

Sokka nodded. 'It's just the old Fire Nation colonies repackaged into a place for people who need a fresh start. We could use your assistance- remember your metalbending students?'

'Those lily livers would still be making mud pies in their backyard if it weren't for me,' she scoffed, huffing at the thought of her first class of pupils.

'Exactly. You could re-open your school in the City. The Mechanist and I have designed lots of stuff that could be assembled so much faster with your skills.'

She hesitated. 'It won't be like Ba Sing Se, will it?'

He shook his head decisively. 'Nothing like it. Aang and Zuko want to make it a haven for everyone, regardless of nation or bending. The government will be fair- not corrupt like those guys. And if you get bored,' he glanced at her sideways slyly, 'You could come with me when I visit the other nations for ambassador duties.'

Seeing her raised eyebrows, he added suggestively, 'I hear Fire Nation drinks are reeeeeally something.'

What was there to lose but the doubtful imprint of her reckless, apathetic self? Toph lay down, resting her head on her arms crossed behind her. A fresh start, leaving for a foreign place; this time, she could make a difference in the world. Imparting her own devised skill to more students (and maybe even having fun doing so), building Republic City with her friends, and Sokka- clutching his arm as they rode on Appa, soaring high above to faraway lands, the warmth of his skin incomparable to that of the sun's…

'You know,' she hid her smile from him, her voice soft in the rays cast by the setting sun. 'I think that's a pretty good idea.'

A/N: Hello everybody! For all of you who actually made it to this author's note without cheating and skipping some of the chapter, congratulations! This chapter is heavy on dialogue and description, which made it really lengthy in my opinion. Despite my style being descriptive-inclined and wordy, I feel that to cut back on details, the quality of the story would be disrupted. I mean, sure, you can say, 'she stood up angrily' instead of what I wrote in my 2nd paragraph, but where's the beauty in that? Language is my strong point, and I feel this story can be suitable for it.

Thank you to those who have stuck with the story: TiaBolt, Invaderk, Itachi'spein, Blanc Expression, limegreenwordmachine, tomboy_26, Ignorant Sparrow, The Joker's Eyes and Ears, 13designershoes, Sokka's Fan-Lawyer and fukaimoriMidori, my beta-reader! And hello and much thanks to new readers virginger, guyw1tn0nam3, Spry, NumberEighteen, Inali Grimalkin, Written Parody and especially D3stiny-Smasher :)

So a lot of people thought that NII was over- but no! The adventure continues! I've had a specific storyline in mind, where we see Toph heading to Republic City, and as tempted as I was to end it on the last chapter (after re-reading it, I realised that it would be a nice ending), I think there's still more to be explored.

For this chapter, I focused on what Toph wants to do with her life, and the sense of mundanity she experiences in her job and its resulting lack of meaning. Here, I wanted to open up all the possibilities of finding her happiness by starting over, juxtaposing it with how Sokka is the one who makes her feel most content. (Listen to the song above, and I hope you get what I mean.) I also tried to link this story with the canon series (The Promise & LoK) so that it's believable and accountable. Moreover, I looked into the basis of the Earth Kingdom government, the Manchu period in China, and decided to throw in some politics and a hint of corruption into the mix. I wanted to show how they've all grown up so much in these years, aged and shaped by their efforts into building a better world.

As always, R&R! Comments, ideas and critiques are all welcome. Until next time. x