Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. :)
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Chapter 13: Attitudes
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"Help me, Toph!"
"Sokka?" Nothing. "Sokka!"
Dead silence.
"Sokka, where are you?"
"...Toph?"
"Sokka?"
"No... it's Ru."
"RU?! Oh, you're gonna..." I tried to steady myself, but there was nothing to stand on. I was on air, on nothing, weightless. I felt nothing. It was the scariest thing in the world...
Toph sat up abruptly, banging her forehead against Aang's as she did so. "Ow! What the heck was that, Twinkletoes? Ever hear of a little thing called personal space?" Toph wiped beads of sweat from her brow as she gave Aang a look that clearly said she was not a morning person.
Aang stood up and rubbed his head tenderly where he'd undoubtedly have a nasty knot from their collision. "You looked like you were having a nightmare, so I figured I'd do you a favor and wake you up. Besides... we're here."
Toph stood up and memories from the night before flooded back. "How's Sokka?"
"Much better," Katara said brightly. "I don't know if it was the rest he got last night or what, but whatever it was, it worked wonders."
Toph blushed, just a little. She tried to hide it by drooping her head, but Katara had seen it. She wasn't surprised- she'd always had her suspicions. "So," the waterbender murmured, "you think you can help Sokka get into the palace?"
"I can help myself."
The three directed their faces in the direction of the weak, defiant voice. "Sokka!" Katara exclaimed. "You're okay!"
"Of course I'm okay," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. Suddenly a low moan emitted from his vocal cords as he tried to sit himself up. "Didn't think... a little fire would... hurt me, did you?" He tried to chuckle and grin, but he winced instead. "Aah..."
"Here," Toph said before Katara could try to takeover, "let me help you."
"I don't need your help," he managed to say, gritting his teeth as he lifted himself into something of a sitting position.
"Fine," Toph sputtered, taken aback at his defiant independence. "If you don't want my help, I won't give it."
"Don't."
"I'm not."
"Good."
Toph turned away, crossing her arms irritably. Sokka tried to stand up and whimpered. "Sokka, you're being ridiculous," Katara remarked.
Sokka scowled. Toph turned toward him again, but said nothing. She wouldn't exert her efforts where they obviously weren't wanted.
Why'd I have to go and do that? Great, now she's mad. I should have just accepted her help when she offered it.
Why does he have to be so impossible? Toph did not avert her steady gaze from the warrior. Does he honestly have to be so proud? Can't he just admit that he needs my help?
"Ugh," Sokka mumbled, putting too much strength into one activity- standing up.
"Do you need my help now?"
Sokka nodded idly and murmured a low, barely audible, "Yes."
Toph approached the struggling figure that was Sokka and helped him into a standing position. "Here... just... er... careful, watch it!" She finally got him standing and leaning on her shoulder. "There, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
Sokka didn't move. Yes, he thought, trying to shift his weight onto his own two feet. He nearly fell, and would have if Toph hadn't caught him. "Careful, Ponytail! Sheesh..."
The four made their way off of the air bison and walked the short distance to Zuko's grand abode, Sokka grumbling the entire time.
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"Kuh. Tar. Uh. Waterbending Master, wife of the Avatar, sister of the warrior, best friend of the Greatest Earthbender in the world..." Katara's hands were on her hips, and she was giving the guard before her a daring glare.
"I don't care if you're the queen of the Earth Kingdom. No one gets in unless admitted by the Fire Lord himself. He's dealing with a very complicated matter at the moment and can't be bothered with... trivial issues." Utter disdain oozed from the soldier's voice as he said the last two words, meaning that whatever Katara and her friends had to say was obviously unimportant.
"The rebellion that's rising? Yeah, we're in on it. Now if you'll excuse me-"
"Apparently you don't understand the concept of NO ONE. I have been given strict orders not to allow anyone passage into the Fire Lord's chambers."
"We're on a first name basis, for crying out loud!"
Aang shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Toph was getting quite sick of watching his nervousness and Katara's "we know the Fire Lord" charade, so she decided to take charge. "Look, pal," she began, shouldering Sokka toward Aang for the time being, "I am Toph Bei Fong, heir to the infamous Bei Fong fortune, and I demand that you-"
"Like I said, you could be the queen of the Earth Kingdom and I still couldn't let you in," the man told her, becoming thoroughly annoyed.
"Perhaps you would prefer to be pummeled into the ground instead, then?"
"Is that a threat?"
"Could be."
"I could have you arrested for that, Miss 'Bei Fong,'" the soldier told her, emphasizing "Bei Fong" as if she had lied when she'd told him of her identity.
"Arrest me. I dare you, you lousy-"
"Toph! Katara! Aang, Sokka!" The greeting came from the Fire Lord himself. He was coming out of the palace to personally greet them, beaming. "Akai, I'm sure you've been properly entertaining my honored guests...?"
"Oh, er, yes, Your Highness," Akai stuttered, his face of pure shock. Toph could feel his heart skip a beat and grinned earnestly. Katara walked forward elegantly, as if she were royalty and belonged in that palace. Aang's arms were crossed, hinting that he wasn't in a very positive mood.
"Well, then," Zuko said as he led them to the chamber in which he normally entertained honored guests, "tell me all the details of your ambush."
"Why don't you tell us who's drugged your tea with happy pills, first," Toph suggested, taking Sokka back from Aang and putting the married couple between herself and the uncharacteristically happy Fire Lord.
"Ah, Toph, what a sense of humor," Zuko chuckled good-naturedly. He earned strange looks from Katara, Sokka and Aang.
"Okay, what've you heard?" Katara demanded.
"Patience, Katara, patience."
Katara pouted. Aang grinned, just slightly.
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Aang and friends had gathered in the room designated for when the Fire Lord needed to entertain important company. Tea had been poured. Awkward compliments had been said. The gang now awaited Zuko's explanation as to why he was in such a good mood, and they hoped he wouldn't put it off much longer.
Tension radiated in the room. Toph felt stiff, hardened, and horribly irritated... "Will you just get to it, already? Why the heck are you so happy?"
"I suppose it's safe to tell you now," Zuko said, his tone slightly hushed. He glanced around the room to make certain that they were indeed alone; then he continued. "I've discovered where Azula's been staging her operation."
Aang leaned backward to avoid the spray as Katara spat hot tea all over the table. "What? How?"
The corners of Zuko's smile twitched downward. "Azula," he began, ignoring her question, "is located in a city very close to here- only a few miles. The only problem is, she'll be expecting you to show up on foot, and if that's the case, she'll have lookouts posted around the area, especially after that last stunt you pulled."
"How do you know about it?" Toph demanded.
"I know about everything that goes on in my realm," he stated regally.
"Then how come it took you so long to find out where Azula was stationed?"
Zuko was silent.
"So, did Iroh give you the message?" Katara asked knowingly.
Zuko nodded.
"ANYWAY... what do you propose we do about it?" Aang asked. "What approach should we take?"
"Actually, Avatar," Zuko grinned, "I've got it all under control..."
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