Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. :)
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Chapter 10: Lectures
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"You ate -consumed- something, didn't you?"
Aang shook his head.
Toph put her hands on her hips. "You're such a liar. Katara, give him a lecture."
Toph was sure the waterbender had thrown her an annoyed glance before turning to Aang. "We told you not to eat or drink anything! AT ALL! WHATSOEVER! It could have been poisoned, spoiled, anything. You could have ingested anything! You could have been killed!"
"I was hungry," he murmured. Toph could just feel the heat of raw embarrassment radiating from his face. "My stomach was growling, and I... well, it looked edible, okay?"
"No, not okay! You could've gotten us all killed!"
Aang looked down. "I'm sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry."
Katara's face softened. She had accepted Aang's apology and wasn't going to batter him anymore... so Toph took on that responsibility. "We were caught! Do you realize what that's going to cause us? You could have just blown the mission! And all because you were a little hungry!"
"I said I was sorry!"
"That man didn't accept your apology and I won't either. What you did was a perfect example of lack of self-discipline and utter stupidity. I cannot believe you! You're the Avatar for Spirits' sakes! It's your job to be responsible, and we all know what happens when you don't do your job! The world hinges on your judgment, and that was some seriously crappy judgment!" Toph stomped her foot for emphasis and a muffled thud sounded from somewhere behind them.
Aang's bottom lip quivered and Katara scooped him up in her arms. "How can you stand there and say that? How could you be so mean?"
Toph rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air. "People are mean! Life goes on! You can't keep sticking up for him, Katara. You'd think the war might've hardened him like it did the rest of us, but he's just as soft as ever." Toph shook her head. "You're the Avatar, Aang. You can't get upset just 'cause you did something wrong and someone's drilling you for it. You need to stand up for yourself! Be a man, for crying out loud!"
He was horribly, extremely ashamed for his stupid actions. Toph imagined Katara - whatever she looked like - gaping at her, about to begin a drawn out and detailed lecture about how she shouldn't undermine Aang for his mistakes.
She didn't.
It was quiet. There was Toph, hands on hips and threatening glare seeping into Aang's conscience; Sokka, who was probably just calmly witnessing the scene before him. Then there was Katara, still rocking Aang back and forth (if I ever get married it surely won't be to someone I have to hold and physically comfort just because of a good talking-to); Aang, of course, was stroking her arm and nodding into the crook of her neck. They were the perfect couple. Even Toph could see that.
Aang was a talented bender, Toph knew. The only problem she had was how could someone really love him that way? She had to give Katara her props. She's the only person the earthbender knew who could really care for him like he needed, and he's the only one who could handle her and her... girliness. Toph, on the other hand, could never hold such a high rate of affection for someone who got upset just because of a good lecture. No, Toph was more for someone who was a fighter, someone who kept on going even when he can't win and would never admit defeat. Someone who liked protecting people, but in his own way, someone where she could be herself when she's around him. Someone who knew good and well that she can take care of herself, but who wanted to keep a check on the little things...
Toph's sightless eyes drifted to Sokka. She had never understood her feelings for him, never understood exactly why she thought of him like she did. Now, after analyzing her "type", she kind of figured why.
Sokka glanced at her and said, "Well, we'd better get going."
"Yeah," Toph agreed. She felt his eyes on her and wondered if he'd been able to read her thoughts.
Aang broke away from Katara. "I guess we'd better get our stuff from our inn and pay Iroh a visit."
Katara, Sokka and Toph all nodded and began walking toward the inn where they'd planned to stay. It humored the earthbender to think that they'd wasted a week's worth of money on living accommodations and hadn't even stayed one night. She wondered if they'd reach the Dragon's Den before Ami could warn Ty Lee of their coming. She thought of Iroh and how he'd react to all this, and then her thoughts drifted to Ru, where he was, what he might say...
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Momo sat on Toph's shoulder as Sokka relayed the tale of the pub to Iroh. He just stood there, sipping his tea and silently contemplating Sokka's words. Toph couldn't tell if he was angry or not; he was hard to read.
"Well," he said after Sokka had finished, "I think that, after all you've told me and with what I know now, you'd better act fast. Leave. Now."
Katara cocked her head. "Why? Is something wrong? We'll be quick, but I was kind of hoping-"
"You need to go," Iroh cut in. "Now. Ami isn't going to the Dragon's Den- she's following you."
"Following us?" Toph asked, slightly offended. "I would have sensed-"
"No you wouldn't have," Iroh interrupted. "She's probably using the rooftops. I can't be sure."
"How do you figure she's following us?" Katara demanded.
"She's a proud girl. People with pride do not like to admit mistakes, and it doesn't make sense for Ty Lee to leave without reason. She'll want an explanation to leave a place where Azula instructed her to stay. Ami would have to lie or simply take you out of the picture, and I presume she holds a grudge against you since Toph unwisely divulged her nationality."
"That guy was way out of line," she defended. "Superior? I think not."
"Even so, you should have held more control over your actions. You were the reason that Ami found out you weren't from the Fire Nation."
"If Aang-"
"Aang did not display his earthbending talents to the rest of the building. The only thing Aang is guilty of is being hungry. While he is at fault for attracting the man's attention, he was not the one that revealed your identities, was he?"
Toph blew on a bang that had fallen in front of her face but said nothing. Sokka put a consoling hand on the shoulder that Momo didn't occupy, and she fought the urge to shrug it off. She knew Iroh was right, but she didn't say anything. She didn't like being reprimanded.
"Now, then. You need to go. I'll be behind you with some Fire Nation soldiers, but you'll have to stall. It might take a little while to assemble them." Iroh ushered us toward the door. "And be careful, Ami is sure to be close behind."
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They'd traveled about two miles when Sokka began to complain. "How far does this stupid city run? I figured we'd be through by now."
"I don't think it's far," Toph said, trying to zero in on a familiar pair of feet. She didn't know what time of day it was, all she could deduce was that it was night because she was incredibly tired. She heard Aang yawn, and she followed suit, covering her mouth and trying to keep it from the others.
"Are you sure this girl gave us the right directions?" Katara mumbled.
"Positive," Toph replied. She wiped her eyes and suddenly wished she had some water to splash on her face to keep herself awake. She considered asking Katara, but she didn't want them to know she was tired.
"What was that?" Aang stopped and turned around, looking up somewhere in the darkness.
Toph heard it too. A slight clicking, a tiny crackling... like... like...
"There it is!" Katara exclaimed, trying to keep her voice quiet. "On the roof. That flame!"
Toph felt extremely annoyed that she could see it, but she heard it again and suddenly she didn't yearn to see it so much... "Guys, c'mon!"
She grabbed a hand - it turned out to be Sokka's - and dashed down the road. Katara and Aang followed. So did the sound. "Slow down! Toph, what's got you-"
A swish of wind. A click of heels against cobblestone. A sinister voice. "Going somewhere?"
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