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XXIII. Second Task, Bravery
Toph was dreaming. She was back in the Spirit World and could smell an acrid odor. Fate was blowing smoke on her face. "You're welcome." The Goddess said grinning and Toph woke up. He was holding her, wrapped around her. She could feel his naked body against hers, the warmth of his inner firebender, the muscles of his legs, the pressure of his stomach against her back, the promise of his desire, again.
"What do you think they are having for breakfast?" He asked softly, and she wondered how long had he been awake, waiting for her to wake up.
"No idea, why?"
"Because we will be missing it."
0o0o0o0o0o00o0
She was sitting on her bed. He was behind her, untangling her hair. He removed the hair from her back, and pushed it over her shoulder. He kissed her back, in the middle, just below her neck.
"I should probably take a bath." She said aloud. That was a bold statement, coming from someone who had never been too keen on baths that did not involve soil. "You can help me, you're a firebender and a waterbender."
"No."
"You won't help me?" She asked surprised.
"No. I want the smell of us together in you."
She blushed.
"I can't believe you said that."
"I don't plan to take a bath today either."
"Today is the second task. Who knows what are they going to come up with. You may want to be clean."
"No. The smell will remind me of us and that I'm not supposed to do a best effort."
"This is so twisted and … sexy. In a twisted way. I don't remember this on the scrolls."
"Those scrolls are not about the senses, but only about one sense. We smell different, you know, us together. I like it." He breathed deeply on her back, just below the nape of her neck. "It reminds me of how you say my name like I'm going away and you're stopping me." She didn't know how could he read so much on her way of calling his name, she had been too busy letting go at the moment to remember anything clearly. And then she remembered something. She called him Aang, no Twinkle Toes or T.T. She turned her head, offering him her profile. "It's part of the poetry we're writing together." He said while kissing her back. "You want tea? I can get you better tea than the one from yesterday."
She coughed.
"Darn! Tea!" She jumped from the bed, trying to find her clothes scattered around the place.
"What? You cannot possible be serious at trying Suki's tea again! It's the worst tea in the four nations!"
"You silly monk, is not about the taste but the properties! Where are my bindings?"
"What properties?" She stopped and decided to blurt it.
"To stop little flying earthbenders from knocking on our door several seasons from now."
Realization made its way through his brain. And then he jumped too.
"You should have told me!" He stopped. "Hey, you made me drink that thing! Does it work on me?"
"I've no idea. Can't hurt, though."
"How does it work? I mean, what are the instructions? How many times do you have to drink it?"
"No idea either. It's not like I want to have this conversation publicly, and highlight our clean big secret. Gran-Gran suggested it."
He sounded shocked.
"Gran-Gran?"
"Shut up. All I know is that Suki is dealing with this dreadful thing called the Kyoshi Code and that there are specific instructions, among them that she needs to give her enthusiastic warriors tea to stop doubling the population of the island. Anyway, it makes sense. She has been with Sokka for years now and she has managed to avoid Kyoshi-Sokkas from terrorizing this planet."
"Well, Suki is probably done with her ceremony by now. No point in rushing over there. We probably should go to her room and just get some of the tea for you. I can look at the Code for the instructions or something."
"Good idea." He stopped her by grabbing her shoulders and kissing her.
"So, you were thinking about this yesterday morning?" He asked, amused.
"Help me with the bindings, you shameless unprepared monk. You didn't even think about it last night! I can't believe we are trusting the balance of the world to you."
"Give me a break! I've been all worried because I'm supposed to repopulate my race. Precaution tea is not high in the to-do list of repopulating plans!" He stopped, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I should have asked. The monks really had reproduction in mind when dealing with this subject, it's hard to remember about precautions. I never heard of it before coming here."
"Well, this is one of reasons you like me. Because I'm sharp. Help me here and let's go."
They sneaked to the corridors, Aang making sure no one saw them. He then rushed them to Suki's room. The door was not locked and they sneaked in. Being blind she couldn't find anything, so she was the impromptu lookout. Or sound-out. Or whatever was called to listen to sounds because you couldn't look. She heard him rummaging and then gasping, holding his breath. He had found something interesting, because his breathing kept changing. 'So,' the hag said casually, 'he's stealing for you.' She ignored the hag but felt weirdly proud. A moment after she felt his fingers on her elbow.
"Let's go." He said, rushing her out of the room.
"What happened, did you find the tea?"
"We don't need the tea."
"What are you talking about?"
"I found the Kyoshi Code. I don't want to talk about it, remember it or discuss it. And I don't know how am I going to look at Kyoshi in the face next trip I do to the Spirit World. Living 230 years is obviously too long. You get too many ideas living so long."
"You're rambling. What about the tea? I mean, I may still be alive at the end of this Contest, and those baby flyingbenders are really going to be hard to explain."
He stopped, turned and grabbed her shoulders.
"I'm a waterbender." He explained simply. "Kyoshi was a waterbender too, so she explains what to do. Not that she needed the skills that often, with her preferences. Enough said, I will need a couple of hours of serious meditation to clean up my brain."
"Poor Suki."
"I'm learning more here at the South Pole that I've ever learned anywhere else." He kissed her again, and she noticed that he did not move like looking around first to make sure no one was watching.
They made it to the Hall. It was already full. Suki and Sokka came over.
"We were about to go looking for you. Did you oversleep again? We can't start if you're not in the room, you know? Hello Aang. Kuei had been asking for you, but it seems like you forbade everyone from looking for you or something."
"I did. So, are we starting now?"
"Well, Toph is here, so I guess yes. Thank you for making sure she shows up. We were expecting her to run away in Appa any day now."
"Can't. La would go Azula on your tribe, Sokka. I wouldn't do that."
They walked her to where the rest were. She heard Katara and Zuko the Cat getting closer.
"Good to see you guys. I was getting concerned that maybe Toph decided to ran away and Aang had to go chasing for her." Katara said.
"Nope. Not running." Toph said. Aang just shrugged.
"Not likely. Not with the Covenant I just reviewed with Chin." He turned politely to them. "Good morning Katara. Your hair looks good today." He was calm, collected, a little distant. "What's up Sifu Hotman? I'll make sure I lose today." He slapped Zuko on the back and added, before walking away. "I'm going to say hi to the Elders."
"Aang looks different." Suki commented, and Toph could feel from the way the warrior's body was leaning that she was looking at him walking away.
"Yes." Katara assented, also leaning her body the same way. "Like more … assured."
"Has he grown lately? He looks tall."
"Orange is not that bad a color once you get used to it." Sokka added, like pondering something for the first time.
"He didn't shave today." Katara commented. "I think is the first time I see his stubble."
"Stubble can look good." Suki agreed. "Who would have said that stubble and blue tattoos could be interesting?"
Zuko leaned towards Toph and whispered in her ear, casually.
"He's wearing the same clothes than yesterday."
"So are you." She said and he gasped, surprised, taking a fraction to remember that she couldn't see what he was wearing. "Champ one, Sparky zero." She added.
"Give me time. The day is young."
When the audience was assembling to hear the announcement of the second task, Toph who was standing on one side, her mind wondering immersed in deeply felt memories, heard a little cough. She didn't bother turning.
"You look different today, Master Bei Fong." Kuei, King of Misery, said. She didn't answer. "You glow." He insisted. She turned her head towards his voice.
"Not thanks to you. You have brought me nothing but wretchedness."
"It wasn't like this before. We used to be friends. You used to laugh with me." He sounded sad.
"More like 'at' you, but you could never tell the difference."
"Why can't you give me a chance, Master? I will treat you right." She could have believed him a couple of weeks ago. But this was the same man that was building a wooden cell for her and painting it gold. And she wondered about the bottomless capacity for deceit that people, and some men in particular, seemed to have. And she just wanted to deal with people who would tell her the truth, regardless of how painful.
"Because I have some taste." She answered, and then a voice behind them cut the conversation short.
"Earth King, you gave your word that you would not seek my friend out. She gets upset." Aang's voice was calm, but there was a latent warning underneath.
"I'm doing nothing that betrays our agreement, Avatar. This hall is full of people, and we are just having a social interaction."
Toph turned her face away from the Earth King, and walked past Aang without taking her leave. She heard Aang bowing to the king.
"Earth King." He said before turning and following her.
Bato was reading again.
"Chief Hakoda of the Now Unified Southern Water Tribes opens the Eight Session of the General Assembly of the First Official Peace Summit since the End of the One Hundred Year Old War Started by the Fire Nation. The First Order of Things is the Announcement of the Second Task of the Contest of the Frosts. Being the First Task declared a draw between suitors Kuei, the 52nd Earth King, and Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. The remainder suitors are Master Firebender Jeong-Jeong and Colonel Mongke and his Rough Rhinos. Suitor June the Bounty Hunter retired from the contest after not finishing the first task."
Hakoda addressed the hall.
"The Second Task is Bravery. After careful consideration, the Elders of the Water Tribes, with the help of the White Lotus Order have decided to test bravery in a different way than the usual one. The Second Task is a Talent Contest. As the philosopher once said, the brave are tested by performing brave actions. Each suitor and his team will perform a talent. It's our belief that well rounded people are not limited to one single way of expressing themselves. Therefore, the talent will have to be oriented to the arts and entertainment. Not only the Elders but the audience gets to vote on this occasion. Suitors will have the rest of the day to prepare for the task and we will reconvene before sunset in this hall for the performances. May the most brave, and talented, win."
Toph heard the commotion in the room, and the Rough Rhinos high fiving each other, convinced that this one would be an easy win. Someone touched her shoulder. Sokka.
"Come on, we need to talk about this. Zuko is freaking out."
They ended up finding refuge in the chambers of the Lady Ursa. These were ample rooms, with more furniture that was usual in Water Tribe abodes, composed of an ante-chamber that included a table, chairs, and a warming stove, and which connected to a separate bedroom. Ursa's lady-in-waiting was brewing tea and offering dumplings. Suki commented that she could tell with how much care these chambers have been planned out.
"This is uncle's doing." Zuko was saying, darkly. "It has his hand all over it. No one else can come up with a way of making the entire Contest an exercise in ridicule and then call it art."
"Dear, your uncle always believed in the concept of a well rounded personality. It may do you some good to participate." Lady Ursa, in reality, sounded amused at her son's predicament.
"Don't sweat it Zuko. I'll come up with a plan." Sokka was all purpose. "Anyway, you do owe Iroh. After everything he did for you, you betrayed him, dumped him in a Fire Nation cell and then sent an assassin after us. You went monster on him. So if I were you I would welcome the ridicule. You're getting away cheaply. So, back on topic, what can you do?"
"I can firebend and I can do very good exercises with my dao swords. I can climb on walls, and I'm not even an airbender."
"It has to do with the arts. Are martial exercises considered art?" Suki asked innocently.
"Maybe. Don't know. What about a sparring match between Katara and Zuko?" Sokka jumped with excitement at the idea. "They can do a martial arts type ballet, and go at each other as they used to do at the temple and fill the place with tension until everyone have to borrow Suki's fans!"
Toph heard the embarrassment in Zuko's and Katara's faces. She knew perfectly well what those sparring matches were all about, why the tension had people taking cold showers and why almost four years later they were still dealing with the aftermaths.
"I don't do ballet." Zuko said surly.
"And I don't have Suki's pink tutu." Katara added, crossing her arms.
"The only thing we are all good at are martial arts. I say we do a ballet-meets-martial presentation and deal with it." Sokka said finally. He turned to Aang. "What's your talent, Aang?"
Against all probability, Aang had come up with them to Lady Ursa's chambers. He was standing on one side of the room, leaning against a wall, and Toph could feel his presence behind her, the prick on her neck that meant his eyes on her, the notion that there were invisible threads covering the distance between them. It was like the Kuku-Tara thing. When she moved, he quivered slightly in response, all senses in overdrive to pick up the body signals of each other.
"I can dance." He said from his corner.
"No, you can't." Toph shot a finger at him. "You're actually a good dancer. So don't choose dancing. Choose something else."
He seemed affronted.
"I want to dance! I'm the only good dancer in this group!"
Sokka stepped in.
"Aang, you were picked by the other team, get it? We are competing against you."
"You said this was Team Avatar."
"Minus the Avatar! You're championing Kuei! And you need to remember that we want you to lose!"
Toph bit a dumpling.
"Told you Twinkle Toes, you don't have the right attitude to lose this Contest. It's because you are cursed with talent. I'm telling you because it's annoying: you get your hands on something and you're either a natural at the thing, or you stumble upon crazy luck and get away with the thing. No dancing. "
"So, if I am so good at everything," yep, there was some smugness in the voice, bothersome monk. "What do you suggest so I lose?"
"Poetry. Ninety nine percent of all poetry in the world is terrible. Hideous. Boring and Evil. I know. My tutors used to read classic poetry to me all the time, and got me on my knees crying. Besides, if written poetry is bad, people orating poems is the closest to hell on earth you can get. Only one person in one hundred thousand can do it right, and I doubt you're one of them."
"I don't know any poems by memory. Only the Song of Tan, which is a long saga of an airbender monk that loses his staff in a vat full of cheese. The entire saga is about how he looks for his staff in the cheese, and his despair at having lost it. It is universally accepted that the descriptions of the cheese are the best descriptions ever of a lactic product."
"That sounds like a winner. Settled, you do the Song of Tan. We will take care of Zuko."
"I'm not a performer!" The Fire Prince insisted. "Last time uncle tried to get me to perform was when we were exiled on the Earth Kingdom and I went Blue Spirit on the guy who tried to force us to perform. I'm not doing it." With that remark Zuko got up, his dignity intact, and went to the door.
"Where are you going?" Katara called.
"To feed Appa!" The Fire Prince finished slamming the door. Toph heard Aang going to the door.
"I'll talk to him." He announced to the world and left the room.
Sokka was still considering possibilities.
"Maybe we can get some music as a background for the martial arts."
"Zuko used to have a beautiful voice when he was a boy." Ursa commented casually.
Katara was interested.
"Really, he sang?"
"All the time. In private, of course. Ozai was not a big patron of the arts. But he was instructed in music, and some of the Fire Nation choral compositions from before the war are among the most beautiful in the four nations. He used to sing to me all the time. Zuko was a soprano as a boy. He now strikes me more in a baritone range."
Toph could hear Sokka's brain turning wheels. Spinning the wheels more likely.
"Toph, you know the fireguys well, are there any musicians among Yin's men?"
"They all play some sort of musical instrument. They are very into Music Nights."
"Great, I need to check something out. Suki, come with me, I need to talk to your warriors."
Sokka and Suki left the room. Toph kept eating her dumpling.
"So, does Zuko ever sing to you now?" Katara asked the Lady Ursa.
"I think his father did everything he could to squash any music in him. However, yes, the other night he sang me a song we used to favor when he was a kid. Tell me dear nu-er, does he ever sing to you?"
Katara gasped on her tea for a second, and then made a decision because Toph heard her putting her cup down and saying firmly.
"No, he does not." Without denying anything.
"Ask him. He used to like it a lot. Tell him that you cannot sleep and that it will help you fall asleep." With that final phrase it was established, and in the open, the Ursa-Kuku-Tara relationship. Toph thought that it was nice. Katara did too, because her voice was smiling when she said:
"I will."
The door to the room opened and she heard Zuko and Aang coming in.
"Guys, have you seen Momo?" Aang sounded concerned. "He's not in the stables."
"No, we haven't."
"I'll be back." Aang left the room. Zuko came over and sat next to his mother. Like repeating a lesson he said, teeth gritting.
"I'll perform. I promised you Champ that I would help you with this and I will. Katara, we can do a sparring ballet match but I refuse to wear any make-up or any frills. Also, no tights. I don't do tights."
The room's door opened again and this time she heard Sokka and Suki.
"We have the talent! Here!"
"What's this?" Katara asked. Toph leaned forward.
"Blind girl here, descriptions are required!"
"It's a poster of a very good looking guy dressed in black with a couple of very small … drums? on his hips. It looks like he's banging them with his hands."
"Those are called bongos." Sokka informed his sister with pride. "And you are looking at a poster of Tha King, courtesy of Ty Lee. He is the biggest musical sensation to hit the Earth Kingdom and the four Nations since before the war. You don't know about him, sis, because you sequestered yourself here at the South Pole, where there is not much going on in the ways of the arts. But anyone hip and trendy out there knows Tha King"
"I know Tha King." Toph said, drinking tea.
"Everyone does."
"No, I mean, I really know him. Like personally. We are friends and everything."
Sokka was in the middle of a fangasm.
"You? You have touched Tha King? Suki and I saw him in concert four months ago and the entire coliseum was going down."
"What type of music is it?" Katara asked. Toph heard Zuko dropping his head between his arms and mumbling 'Oh no, Sokka, no'.
"It's this new type of music called Roll the Rocks that it's all the rage now. He performs with earthbenders that roll rocks with bending while he sings. He was actually at the center of a controversy, because the Dai Li totally forbade his concerts in the Earth Kingdom and the youth made a big stink about it and there were demonstrations and everything."
Toph intervened.
"I'm telling you, those Dai Li are horrible. Five of them decided without consulting me to forbid Tha King's concerts and music in the Kingdom because at that time he was calling himself The King and the Dai Li argued that it would generate confusion with Kuei. So to protect Kuei's dignity and divinity, whatever, this is the same guy that makes out in public with a stinking bear, they went ahead with the prohibition. When I found out, I slapped those Dai Li for a couple of weeks, I even buried them alive to teach them some respect and inoculate them against acting without consulting me, their boss, first. Anyway, I had to explain to them that as Dai Li they have to protect the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se and if Roll the Rocks is not the embodiment of cultural heritage, I don't know anything about high art."
"You don't." Zuko said. "Seriously, you don't. I can't imagine what happened to Ba Sing Se's cultural landscape with you in charge."
"Hey, listen, I have the upbringing OK? I know all about classic music and art. And I'm telling you, it's freaking boring. Roll the Rocks is the music of the future, that's what Ba Sing Se needs. Anyway, you can't fight progress, get it through your head for when you become Fire Lord and start sponsoring the arts."
"So, you made Tha King change his name?"
"Well, I had to explain to Kuei that Tha King had been saddled with a really unfortunate name at birth, so it was either the nickname or his given name. And given the choice, Kuei agreed with me. We made him change The King for Tha King to avoid confusions (yeah, like anyone is going to confuse a hot real earthbender with Kuei) and problem solved."
"What's his given name?" Suki asked.
"thepElvis."
"You mean 'the Pelvis'?"
"No, I mean thepElvis. It was written like that in the birth certificate. You know Ba Sing Se, they keep records of everything. Kuei found it too suggestive for the masses. Anyway, he allowed the guy to keep his artistic name and we did a great concert in the middle ring to celebrate. You would never think that I did important things while in Ba Sing Se, but I did great things for the cultural heritage and the morals of the teenagers there. They now have Roll the Rocks and Tha King."
"Toph, you as cultural attaché is a scarier proposition than Ozai ever was." Zuko mumbled from somewhere in the room.
"You know, that's the problem with you Fire Nation people, you're highly educated but not cultured. No offense Lady Ursa."
"None taken. So, Sokka, why are you showing us Tha King's poster?" Lady Ursa asked, all politeness.
"Because Zuko kinda looks like this guy, and I think we should do an impersonation!"
"No, no, NO WAY! I'm the Crown Fire Prince, I am not doing impersonations of guys with bongos. And anyway, look at his pants! Those are waaaay too tight! He must have some damage from wearing those pants!"
"You don't have to wear the pants, but it will help with the impersonation. Anyway, you need to look at the positive side. At least you're not Fire Lord yet. You can still get away with this."
"Sokka, don't even get there! Let me keep my dignity!"
"Actually Sparky you left that one awhile ago, the day you decided to disembark in the South Pole. I should know, I left mine too." Toph informed him, making another mental note. Champ two, Sparky zero.
"But how is Zuko going to do an impersonation of a guy he hasn't even seen in concert?" Katara asked, a feeble attempt at siding with Zuko.
"Oh, that's nothing!" Sokka said. "I can show him. This is how he dances. Tha King moves the hips like this." Toph couldn't figure out really how was Sokka moving because the ice distorted the vibrations, but she remembered Tha King's dancing style and knew for a fact that it was not for the faint hearted.
Someone knocked on the door. Finally, someone coming into a room and knocking on the door.
"The door!" Zuko sounded thankful and ran to the door.
She heard the polite voice of Chin.
"Good day your highness, I'm looking for the Avatar. I think I have something of his."
Toph turned her head.
"Come in Chin, is Momo with you?"
She heard the soldier stepping inside, smelled El Tuerto and heard Momo's chattering noises. She also heard Sokka's holding his breath.
"What's that?" Sokka asked, sounding scared.
"This is my messenger bird." Chin explained, a bit uncomfortable.
"I thought it was a scientific experiment." Sokka tried to apologize.
"Don't get confused by the looks, Sokka." Toph clarified. "This bird is the only bird in the entire Fire Nation army that carries an official License to Kill. He's also on a secret mission for the sake of your family."
"Ah." Sokka sounded unconvinced. "And why is Momo hugging its leg that way?"
"This bird is also Momo's significant other. Get used to the idea. It's family now." She heard Suki gasp in horror and Katara actually trying to come up with something nice to say.
"Momo, I'm so … content for you." She said lamely. Chin seemed a bit affronted by the lack of enthusiasm shown by El Tuerto's new in-laws.
"I'm looking for the Avatar." He repeated a bit defensively. "His lemur won't let go of my bird, and El Tuerto has a mission to perform. He cannot fly with a lemur attached to his leg."
Zuko called in another soldier and sent him to fetch Aang.
"Wait here for the Avatar, Corporal." He told Chin. "He will be able to pry Momo from his … significant other."
Chin got closer to Toph and deposited El Tuerto, with Momo on tow, on the table next to her. She noticed that El Tuerto was leaning towards her, getting closer and closer and it took her a moment to realize that the impious, brazen animal was smelling her. She cursed Aang mentally and stood up, walking as far away as possible from the bird. She felt dishonored.
Sokka, meanwhile, decided to go back to the talent contest.
"So Zuko, look here, this is the way is done."
Toph heard Chin moving to get a closer look at Sokka.
"Master Sokka." He asked concerned "Did you hurt your hip? My grandpa had the same problem after falling from a tree, we had to get an acupuncturist and three healers to help him with the hip therapy."
"No, no, man, I'm dancing. I'm doing Tha King's movements!!"
"Oh." Chin scratched something. "I really like Tha King. Best thing about the war ending was that we could openly dance and sing Roll the Rocks music. It was forbidden in the Fire Nation before Regent Fire Lord Iroh assumed power. Maybe I can help. We practice Roll the Rocks all the time during music nights. Let me try."
"I'm lost." Toph covered her face with her hands. "Twinkle Toes is winning this thing with both hands tied at his back."
She left the room. She knew, by personal experience, the dancing talents of the Fireguys. And anyway, El Tuerto kept trying to get close to her to smell her. She had to leave the room. She leaned against the door. She could still hear them inside. Chin was doing his best. Sokka tried to follow. Both of them were acting bravely. Suki ran outside the room.
"Explain to me again why is it that I'm still dating Sokka?" She asked, pain in her voice.
"Big feet." Toph answered helpfully.
"Thanks. I needed that."
They heard Zuko's voice.
"I don't get this. Is someone attacking you?"
"We're dancing!"
"As soon as I'm Fire Lord, I'm banning dancing again!"
Toph and Suki came back in the room. Meanwhile, Katara sounded interested.
"You can do those movements, Zuko." She said
Toph sensed his surprise and scandal.
"Whatever gives you that idea?" He asked, stupidly. Toph knew enough about Tha King's dancing to understand where Katara was getting the idea. The waterbender insisted.
"You can do that, I just know it. Try it."
"You're joking. The Fire Nation Crowned Prince dancing like Tha King? Never."
Toph sat down in a chair, a painful expression in her face. She extended her hand towards Katara.
"Sweetness, do you promise to write when I'm sitting blindly in my wooden cell, with no bending and no friends? Maybe I can get a Dai Li to have mercy and read your letters to me."
"OK, I'm doing it!" Zuko said, his voice full of anger.
Suki tapped Toph's shoulder with a fan.
"You're better at emotional blackmail than me."
"I'm learning from experts."
"How am I supposed to this?" He asked, full of disapproval. Katara grabbed his hand and took him aside to explain. Toph could still hear pieces of the conversation, but that was because she was blind and had an amazing hearing.
"You must be joking, I can't do those movements in public. Those are private. Between you and me."
"Just think that you're with me and follow the surge. Like when I'm bending the flow inside you."
"It's different. It's you bending me from the inside. I cannot do this by myself."
"Oh yes, you can. No one can move like you do."
Zuko stepped forward, fuming.
"OK, Chin, Sokka, show me." He sounded austere. Toph heard Chin and Sokka moving. Zuko must have done a gesture to stop them, like raising his hand or something. "Enough. I'm going to attempt this."
Toph heard him moving. A hip twist, to the left, to try. Suki gasped. He then gave a another one, to the right, testing. Suki gasped again. Zuko then did two twists, to the left and right, quickly. Suki fainted. His fate was sealed.
"Zuko" Katara was adamant. "You're the guy. You have the moves, the looks, the brains. You have to do this."
Zuko had to throw up.
0o0o0o0o0o
Aang finally showed up to pry Momo from El Tuerto. He had to promise the lemur that El Tuerto would be back after completing the mission, and then had to pet Momo, who was really sad. The fact that El Tuerto kept trying to get close to Aang to smell him did not help the situation with Momo's dejection. Chin had to pry El Tuerto away from Aang, and gave it orders to fly away from the room and to the Fire Nation. Sokka was impressed when he saw it fly.
"That's a fast ugly chicken" He whistled in appreciation.
"Fast evil ugly chicken." Toph underlined. "Never underestimate the power of being a total bastard."
She then walked casually to where Aang was and whispered, while patting Momo's head.
"While Momo here is dating that animal from hell, we will be having daily baths. Your sexy idea almost got me violated by a chicken. I'm so not feeling sexy right now."
He patted Momo's head too and whispered back.
"I hear you. You're blessed with blindness. You did not get to see the lustful eye of that animal all over you. I will face Ozai, Sozin and Azulon together before dealing with that roving eye again." He then whispered even lower. "Can I bathe you?"
She smiled and walked away without answering. She went to where Katara was, who was now talking to Chin in a motherly way. Katara may have had an alternative vision of her inner sorrows in that cave, but she was back to basics. Toph understood wanting to be many things in Chin's life. Probation officer came to mind. But wanting to be his mother? That was too much. Even for Katara. Toph concluded that old habits die hard.
"So Chin." Katara was saying sweetly. "You're a nice guy. How is it that you don't have a steady girlfriend? I'm sure there are several Kyoshi warriors that would like to spend time with you."
Chin scratched his head for the sound of it.
"I'm sorry Master Katara, but I only date harlots." His honest answer took the audience aback.
"I beg you pardon?" Lady Ursa asked, amusement in her voice.
"I only date harlots, Your Highness."
"How come?"
"Less complicated. Once I dated this girl with whom I was crazy in love. She broke my heart. She not only got a guy in our house, she gave the guy my food, let him use my weapons, wear my best boots, everything. I had this big vat of tofu that my mom made for me, and he ate it all. At the end it was not only that he ate my tofu and got my woman, my weapons, my shoes, and my dog, but that he looked better on everything and that both, the woman and the dog, seemed happier. Since then I only deal with harlots. That way I know what I'm getting into from the start."
"Hey Chin," Toph intervened. "Have you met a Kyoshi warrior named Ty Lee? She's very peppy. I think you may like her."
"I know Ty Lee pretty well, Great Master." He volunteered noncommittally.
Suki who had approached the group tapped Toph on the shoulder with her fan.
"Chin here is a favorite of the Kyoshis. All of them. He's teaching them the Agni Code."
Toph didn't have to ask what Code were the Kyoshi's teaching him in return or which Code was losing the face off. If she could see, she could imagined Yin looking as haggard as Suki, and his topknot hanging on one side.
At that moment, Sokka came over with the second stage of the task preparation. Choosing the song.
"We need to find something catchy. Tha King has so many good songs."
"The one that I really like," Chin ventured, all innocence, "is called Suspicious Minds."
Toph thought about everything that was going on at the South Pole.
"Naahh." She dismissed it. "Too slow. We need to get Zuko in a mean beat with those bongos."
"I'm not doing the bongos."
"Aang is doing the cheese. You should do the bongos." Katara intervened.
Zuko groaned. His mother handed him something.
"Here dear, have a cup of tea."
Toph brain was still working.
"Hey Sparky, I have the song for you to sing." She said gravely. "It's called 'I'm not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance with you'." Sparky sputtered the drink. Suki giggled and Sokka completely missed the implication. Aang was still consoling Momo on the other side of the room, not paying attention. Katara was offended. "You're going to hell." She told Toph under her breath. "I know." Toph shrugged. Champ three. Sparky zero.
"No, no." Sokka intervened. "We need to do a classic. You know, one of Tha King's classics. No way to go wrong with the classics. He has Hound Dog. That's like the best song ever for dancing. And then we can tweak the lyrics a bit to make it original and we have a winner."
Chin stood up.
"You're right Master Sokka. I'm going to fetch the rest of my unit and their musical instruments so we can start practicing with Your Highness. The Rough Rhinos have been practicing for an hour now."
"Those guys can't beat us. They do real classic music. Fire Nation opera classic. We on the other hand are going to rock the South Pole."
"You need earthbenders for that." Toph mentioned casually.
"This is the thing about diversity, Toph. You can do earthbending music with firebenders and waterbenders and get an improved result. We fought a war for diversity. Music is the next battlefield." Sokka unsheathed his sword. "Let's call to arms! Suki, go get the Kyoshis! We are in the path of winning this thing and this chick!"
Toph stood up.
"On that note, this chick is going to take a hot bath. I'm not needed at rehearsals, and let's put it this way, I rather be surprised that going through the growing pains of this with you all. I'll meet you later this afternoon." She turned to Chin. "Can you get one of the fireguys to come over and help me heat my bath?"
"Of course Great Master."
Toph left Ursa's room, tracing the walls to guide herself to her own room to get clean clothes. After El Tuerto, she needed to change. She was disoriented for a bit, but then recognized the patterns on the walls. Sokka had his waterbenders put water tribes designs all over the walls, and Suki said that they were beautiful, and that walking through aisles surrounded by bas-reliefs was a pleasure for her. They now helped Toph find her way. She reached her room and was busy kneeling sorting out her clothes, thanking Gran-Gran in her head for being so thoughtful with her waterbending cleaning services, when a voice said.
"Do you need help with that?" She did not turn.
"What happened with the fireguy that Chin was supposed to get?"
"I volunteered."
"You're not watching the rehearsals?"
"Not ethical. After all, I'm the competition."
She was touching two different outfits, wondering which one would be best.
"The one in your left hand." He said. Suki's outfit. Figures.
"You don't need to practice your poem?" She felt his fingers in her neck.
"Better if I don't. We don't want me winning this by mistake. Besides, I can practice my poetry right here." He was smelling her again. Better than El Tuerto, though.
"You will fix my bath later, OK? That's not negotiable."
"I'll personally heat the water for you."
0o0o0o0o0o0o
He liked undressing her as much as dressing her, that was a fact. She wondered why. She wondered if it had to do with the fact that these were some of the few occasions that she came across as vulnerable. She wondered if he liked playing with dolls when he was a kid. That thing with his feminine side, that was not a joke. But in his case, he made the feminine thing truly sensual, so she was not complaining. He also liked getting lost in her. The thing with being blind is that everything becomes a feast of the senses. There is no other way. Sound, touch, smell, taste, everything overcompensates for what you cannot see, so he said that he wanted to understand how was it for her, and made her blindfold him. And then everything went on overdrive. Really. His hands, always curious, went through all her mounds, curves, crevices, and sensitive spots. He would follow with his face, nuzzling, licking, kissing, paying attention to every little sound coming from her, enthusiastic if it was sigh, keen if it was a whimper, fervent if it was a moan. He then said that he wanted to taste all of her. And even though she was guarded at the beginning, he quickly chased her wariness away, making her feel like a cherished, delectable doll, her body so pliant that soon her own senses took over completely, in shakes and moans. When she recovered her breath, she tried to do the same to him, but he shortly said something about having to see her, threw the blindfold away and she found herself with her knees on his shoulders so he could kiss her feet too, his passion rocking in her. She saw the enjoyment on his face with her feet and she smiled in return, while stretching her body and arching her back. That brought another one of those unexpected reactions. He wrapped her legs firmly around his waist, blanketed her body with his, cupping her face with his hands and changed the rhythm to long, deep, movements going hand in hand with his deep, languorous kisses. He was literally making her pant, and all she could do was respond to him, and respond and respond.
He had to wake her up later. There's just so much a body can take, so she was truly ready for a bath. Which he drew and heated for her. After making sure that there was no one around, he got in the tub with her and lathered both, him and her with soap until they were clean of everything but memories, warm flesh and contentment. He then dried and dressed her and she let him do it. Why not? Is not like warriors are on call 24/7. You don't have to be fearsome all the time. You can be open to other things, like your lover's tenderness, and let some pampering seal the affection in the kisses.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
Zuko was having a performance anxiety attack, locked on his mother bedroom. He was refusing to talk to anyone, throwing up in a bucket. Aang, then, said something interesting.
"Katara, go talk to him." It was not a command, but it sounded like one.
"Why me?" She asked, more surprised at the fact that Aang was making the request than anything else.
"Because he trusts you, and you are one of the few people he respects and listens to. You're great at calming people too, you used to bring me down from the Avatar State before I learned how to control it."
Toph heard Katara saying a very low OK, and then knocking softly on the door. Suki handed Katara a cup of tea. "Give him this, it may help."
"Zuko, it's me, open up." The prince opened the door and let her in.
Lady Ursa gave Aang a cup of tea too.
"That was a good call, Avatar." She said simply. He thank her in a low voice.
Sokka was pacing the room, sword in hand.
"We have the musicians, the chorus girls, the choreography, the lyrics. The only two things missing are Zuko's outfit and the bongos. He refuses to do the tight black pants or the bongos. We got a pair of maracas. Do you think he would do maracas instead? But Tha King without the pants is not Tha King."
"Shouldn't we change Zuzu's name to Tha Prince?" Ty Lee, who apparently was the main chorus girl, suggested.
"That's a good idea, Ty Lee." Sokka stopped at the door. "How is it going in there? Is my sister making any progress?" Toph heard Aang moving, she assumed he was nodding.
"Most likely. You know how stubborn they both are, but your sister is the best at convincing people about doing the right thing. And she's particularly good at getting Zuko to behave."
"You know, you're right." Sokka tapped the floor with his sword. "They make a good team those two. A very balanced pair." And after leaving that hanging in the air, Sokka went back to worrying about the performance.
Eventually, Katara managed to coax Zuko out of the room. The prince sounded unhappy but determined. He even accepted that the act required the tight black pants, but on the condition that he didn't have to play the bongos or the maracas. Sokka accepted the trade off. Crisis adverted, they all headed to the Hall, were the talent contest was about to start.
The hall had been turned into an impromptu concert hall. The way it was described to her, the dais where the heads of state usually sat was turned into a stage. The judges were sitting front row, and Toph had to sit in the equivalent of the seat of honor, in the middle of the row, with Hakoda on one side and Iroh on the other. Iroh grabbed her hand when she sat, patting it and offering comfort.
"How are you holding on?" He asked her sweetly. She shrugged.
"Fine. Could be worse. This is turning into a fun exercise in an unexpected way." She felt Iroh studying her closely.
"You look very pretty." He said finally. "You glow. I hope that he, whomever he is, appreciates the love of someone like you."
She thought about denying, lying, changing the topic, running, but this was Pops after all. She missed Pops.
"Who said anything about love?" She let it drop, just to see how noticeable it was.
"Certain flowers are not good for tea unless you pluck them at the right moment and pour the water at the right time and the right temperature. But their tea is glorious if done right. You need someone who can appreciate the sweet pulp under the prickly peel."
"Iroh, your metaphors are always the same. How can June be with you still?"
"Oh, she gets entertained, believe me. Anyway, she's actually happy today. I gave her full access to all the scrolls I brought with me and promised her that she can read as much as she wants when we're back in the Fire Nation. Since she doesn't have to support herself now, as that's the core of our arrangement, she will have the time to read."
"You don't mind that she likes to be … with other people?"
"Not really. She's young and beautiful, she shouldn't limit herself to an old guy like me. And anyway, our arrangement is not about love but about companionship and … other things. She likes that I can provide and she makes me tingle. In your case, though, it will always be about love." Iroh lowered his voice. "But the right kind of love. Kuei's love is not the right kind for you. Most of the time we stumble upon the right kind, and it seldom is the one that we expected or planned. Most people don't end up with their first love, but with their deepest."
Someone on the other side of Iroh called his attention and he turned. She then heard some voices.
"The arts, Black Dragon, we are here to appreciate the arts."
"Long Dragon this is not the best place for me to be right now."
"By Us, Black Dragon! Eat some fireflakes and shut up. I'll have a word with your Humans Anonymous Sponsor if you keep looking at the mortals like that. I swear this is the last time I invite you guys to anything fun."
"Don't get upset with him, Fate. He's not used to society anymore."
Iroh turned to Toph.
"My friend, I believe we have company." He told her in a whisper. She nodded.
They were interrupted by Bato the Herald turned Announcer.
"Chief Hakoda of the Now Unified Southern Water Tribes opens the Ninth Session of the General Assembly of the First Official Peace Summit since the End of the One Hundred Year Old War Started by the Fire Nation. The First Order of Things is the Second Task of the Contest of the Frosts. The Contestants will participate in reverse order as per the points achieved yesterday. First will be Colonel Mongke and his Rough Rhinos. Second will be Master Firebender Jeong-Jeong. Third will be Avatar Aang, Champion of Kuei, the 52nd Earth King, and finally, Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and his Team Avatar."
Polite applause filled the room.
The Rough Rhinos and Mongke were as terrible as she remembered. She realized after a minute that this was because they were performing classical Fire Nation Opera. There was just so much culture a person like Toph could handle. She did appreciate the nuances of certain type of opera, but Fire Nation's was not one of them. The excess of screeches and the lame plot of the guy who goes rampant doing stupid things quoting his honor, seemed like a bad rerun of the last five years with Sparky. The Fire Nation nationals obviously enjoyed the show. Iroh was crying at the end. The Immortals Dragons were enthusiastic, clapping. She stifled a yawn, and noticed that Chief Hakoda had been snoring quietly for the last 15 minutes. She pushed his elbow, making him lose the balance of his head and waking him up. Charity.
Jeong-Jeong did the equivalent of a circus act, which she was not able to appreciate because of the ice. He swallowed a burning sword or something like that and got fave reviews from the Fire Nation citizens in the audience. Some of the waterbenders were disgusted with the huge fire arcs melting the walls and the fire dragons eating the ice ceiling. The rest of the audience seemed to like it a lot, though. The Spirits were full of praise too.
Then it was Aang's turn. Toph was mentally prepared for the vat of cheese. If something sounded like the best way to cure an entire audience from poetry for the rest of their lives was an airbender up to his elbows in cheez-wheez. Some fan girls screamed when he came into the stage, and the foam guy cried like a baby. After some minutes, silence filled the hall, and she heard his clear voice projecting. His voice had broken a couple of years ago. The limpid soprano that he had when she met him had developed into a polished tenor. A beautiful tenor, great for whispering furtive sweet nothings in the dark.
I was waiting for you.
Inside and out,
Your words full of winter,
Your hands full of sun.
High noon in my body,
hungry for you.
Like earth boiling
under the call of the wind.
I was longing for you,
a sliver of skin.
And you came under cover
with a midnight song,
leaving me aching
with my broken love.
OK, that was definitively not cheese. And the sentiment in the voice, the passion, was not cheesy. She fought between appreciation and the instinct to kick his butt all the way up to the nearest air temple. Iroh was impressed.
"That was beautiful, Avatar." He said clapping. "But short. Too short." He leaned over to talk to Hakoda. "Should we remove points for shortness?"
"Compared to the entire play that the Rough Rhinos presented, and the three different feats that Master Jeong-Jeong did, I would say yes."
Toph nodded.
"Knock points down, gentlemen, knock as many points down as possible. That monk deserves it. He's not taking you or your contest seriously, he's trying to get away with a meager stanza. Not an ode or a saga. A Contest of this caliber deserves a saga."
Hakoda seemed to take her words at face value.
"A saga, yes. If he's doing poetry, at least a saga." She heard him writing something down.
Then, it was Zuko's turn.
"I wonder how my nephew is going to fare" Iroh said in a low voice. "Master Suki came earlier asking for fire whiskey, Azula's medication and calming tea. I'm not sure but I think she was thinking about giving him all three at the same time. I gave her something different. My own Special Blend. It's called Nervocalm. It makes the most recalcitrant firebender get in touch with his inner fire and peace."
She heard the gasps in the audience. Some girls were screaming. Iroh was explaining things to her.
"The musicians are coming to the stage, now the girls, all of them looking quite cute with very short skirts on top of their leggings. Oh, look at that! Master Sokka just came in, he has a couple of maracas in his hands, very tight pants, yes. Where did he got that shirt with all the ruffles? Those are very colorful ruffles, yes, yes. Oh my, Corporal Chin with maracas too? Haven't seen him doing that, he always struck me more like a trombone kind of guy." A shrill scream pierced the hall, and she heard people fainting. "Oh my, my nephew just came in. How can he walk with those pants? Looks like those were painted on him. Doesn't that causes permanent damage or something? AH!!" Iroh gasped, deeply. Toph was curious.
"What happened?"
"The pants! Is that kid doing the turnip trick I taught him? I mean, do you think …? By Agni, that's not a turnip, that's him!! All him!!" Iroh sounded so impressed that Toph made a mental note to talk to Katara about it. "His mother must be so proud." She heard him wiping a tear. That was Iroh all right.
"Did you bring the Ambrosia?"
"I have a full bottle."
"Look at Agni's kid, pure sugar I'm telling you."
"Look at those pants! Just like his granpa. How I miss Agni and his seven tongues of fire. That Yue, she doesn't share the love. A celestial disgrace."
"I have a forked tongue, I'm a Dragon."
"Eeewww, Black Dragon! I'm a Goddess. I know where that tongue has been. Don't even think about it."
Well, at least the immortals seemed to be enjoying the arts. After the screams of the fans subsided, and the fainted women were removed from the hall, she heard Zuko's raspy, husky, deep voice. Obviously the Nervocalm was working.
"This song is dedicated to the Earth King, from Team Avatar. It's called Sad Dog."
In the back, she heard the maracas and the voices of Sokka and Chin sort of singing at their beat: "Oh, no, no, it's too sexy, too sexy!"
And the music started. The horns, the trumpets, the guitars and the maracas, and then Zuko's voice singing. Darn, the guy was good. The music was good too, a very catchy beat. The impersonation was fantastic, and she wished she could see because the screams of the fans told her that Zuko was shaking that turnip really well.
You ain't nothin' but a sad dog
cryin' all the time.
You ain't nothin' but a sad dog
cryin' all the time.
Well, you ain't never caught a girl
and you ain't catching no friend of mine.
When they said you was high classed,
well, that was just a lie.
When they said you was high classed,
well, that was just a lie.
You ain't never caught a girl
and you ain't catching no friend of mine.
She could hear Sokka and Chin doing the choruses with some girls. Iroh was clapping.
"Look at Ty Lee! Wow, those movements! And my nephew, he's defying laws of physics right now! Look, look! He's throwing fire with his feet!! What's that? Some girls are throwing things at the stage! Are those ...? Oh my, I've never seen flowery underwear before, those were not around in my time!"
The immortals were excited too.
"OOOHHHH!! I'm on Fire!!"
"Stop drooling on me, girl, you're putting out my cigar!!"
Zuko was doing so well, that there was probably some fire whiskey laced right there with the Nervocalm.
As soon as the song was finished, the hall came down in applause and she could hear people yelling "Bravo, bravo" and "Encore!"
Zuko had to sing another song for the masses to quiet them down. This time he sang Suspicious Minds, and that was all that was needed for the Elders to stood up clapping and declaring him and his team the instant winner. Toph was happy. Champ three. Sparky one hundred.
The Rough Rhinos lost the day because of their attempt at bringing culture to the South Pole. Twinkle Toes got third place and Jeong-Jeong second.
0o0o0o0o0o
After dinner Toph said goodnight to everyone and started walking towards her room, tracing the walls with her fingers. She stumbled upon someone half way through an aisle.
"How did you like your poem?" He asked. She crossed her arms.
"You're cute, but cut it with the stalking. I'm not sure I'm into it."
"It's not stalking, it's stealth. You only resent it because you're on ice."
"My poem? That was for me?"
"You inspired it."
"What about the broken heart?"
"Cover. For the world out there."
She thought for a moment.
"It was a good poem. Very passionate. You took a risk, you could have won."
"No, I knew I wouldn't. Too short. The White Lotus Elders like long, long poems. The cheese had a bigger possibility of winning, because they also love cheese."
They stayed there, silent for a moment.
"So?" She said, wondering if it would be too crude to say 'Your room or mine?'
He sighed.
"My world seems to have shrunken to the width of your hips. You and me together is all I can think about." He was doing poetry again. She decided to set the ground rules for poetry.
"Don't say anything about taking me, I'm warning you."
"I hope that you take me."
"What's with you? Have you been eating the same food than El Tuerto? It makes sense, he's also a vegetarian."
"Well, maybe that's what I need. Food."
"I'm running away."
"I can fly, I will catch you."
She ran, laughing. He gave her a head-start, and then she heard him running behind her, laughing, trying to catch her.
Fanart!!
Gabzillaz strikes again!
http : / / gabzillaz dot deviantart dot com / art / Cuban-Pete-Sokka-99298220 or click in my profile for 'Cuban Sokka'.
Luna-wannabe was FAST this time!!
http : / / luna-wannabe dot deviantart dot com / art / Zuko-as-Elvis-99481230 or click in my profile for 'Zuko-thepElvis-Tha-Prince'.
Also by Luna37:
http : / / luna37 dot deviantart dot com / art / AMoH-Fate-99085475 or click in my profile for 'Spirit Fate' under Luna37.
http : / / luna37 dot deviantart dot com / art / Not-thanks-to-you-99357654 or click in my profile for 'Kuei, King of Misery' under Luna37.
By the way, Luna-wannabe and Luna37 are two different Lunas, two different artists, two different styles. I love them both.
Someone asked me why I put spaces in the URLs: because fanfiction deletes the URLs. Seriously. Try it and you'll see. It's the only way I can post the complete URL.
Messages
Bill, Will, William, Guillermo, TV2000: The intense bits, those are for you.
Thank you Destiny's Charm for suggesting the song "I'm not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance with you" by the Black kids. It's great. Check out the video in Youtube.
Tha King: Obviously Elvis. If you want to see Zuko dancing, go to YouTube and type 'Hound Dog' and 'Jailhouse Rock', the black and white videos from the 50s, and check Elvis in his glory. Then type 'Suspicious Minds 1970'. Classics are classics for a reason.
Rough Rhinos Opera: A matter of taste. But here is how I imagine they sound: Go to youtube and type Beijing Opera 'The Huarong Path'. You may like it or not. Toph doesn't.
TT's poetry: Rough translation of a poem I wrote in Foreign when I got my heart broken once. Here is the original if you read Foreign.
Te estaba esperando,
por dentro y por fuera:
tu mirada de fuego,
tus palabras de abril.
Como tierra caliente,
bajo el soplo del viento,
te estaba esperando
temblando de miedo.
Y llegaste, mi cielo,
con rumores de invierno
medianoche en mi cuerpo
que gritaba calor.
Y te fuiste muy lejos
y no sé si aún te espero
si te sigo queriendo
o si esto fue amor.