Chapter 5: Holy Momo

Sokka pulled his parka tighter against his throat and sighed. Although he had been to the palace, he had yet to find Toph. Going to the palace had dampened his spirits, but he was determined to find Toph and try to set things straight.

He walked the icy paths until he came to the abandoned tavern Arnook had mentioned. When he pushed open the door, the scent of blood filled his nostrils. He looked around and realized why.

Two large men were fighting; the smaller one had the upper hand, and once was bleeding profusely from a head wound. Sokka glanced around the room, searching for Toph, and wondered why so many people were watching. He liked a good fight as much as the next guy, but this was brutal. Sokka moved around the edge of the crowd, determined to find whoever was in charge to ask if they had seen Toph. As cheering erupted, someone grabbed him from behind.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The large man demanded. Sokka noticed that his face and arms were heavily tattooed. Sokka straightened and looked him straight in the eye.

"I am a Water Tribe warrior." The words caused all in hearing range to laugh, and Sokka stared the man down again. The large man grinned.

"Then you must be here to compete. Throw him in the ring!" Sokka's eyes darted around as he tried to protest. His pleas fell on deaf ears.

Sokka stumbled into the ring and he glanced at the small man that had just came out victorious. The man grinned.

"Do you want to know the rules warrior?" Sokka nodded.

"That would be nice." The man spit in his face and laughed.

"Don't lose, and you may get a chance to accompany the master to the prison." Sokka looked around, hoping it was Toph the man was referring to. He didn't see her, but didn't have a chance to keep looking; the man sent a throwing knife towards Sokka's head.

Sokka dodged and slipped the boomerang he had bought many years ago from the strap on his shoulder. He flicked it deftly, and it nicked the man's cheek on the way back around.

"That was a warning. Don't make me hit you again." He smiled, adrenaline beginning to work its way through his veins. His opponent snickered and sent a column of rock at Sokka, who barely had time to roll away and fling his boomerang again. With surprising dexterity, he pulled the sword from his shoulder strap and rolled towards the man, dodged another column, knocked his opponent down, and aimed his sword at the man's throat. Mere centimeters from his throat, Sokka smiled. "Give up?" he asked. The smaller man nodded.

"Yeah, but only because the master just walked in." Sokka looked towards the door, and the man kicked him, sending him flying into the column of rock. Sokka rubbed the back of his left shoulder and swore. He glanced up and his eyes settled on a pair of sealskin boots and moved up to a long, green kimono with a dragon embroidered in gold thread onto it. Two slits ran up the sides, revealing sculpted legs, and a dagger strapped to the upper right thigh. A thick white band ended the slits settled above the woman's shapely hips. She had a thin waist, and he could see her hands, coiled into fists; long black hair that nearly reached her wrists. She had a large bust-not that Sokka was looking-and the place where the two sides of her kimono met were low enough to reveal cleavage. When his eyes roved over her shoulders-concealed by a short, dark green jacket-he moved on to her face and gasped. Sokka ignored her facial structure that gave her a natural beauty, and stared at her milky green eyes.

"Kai, if you cannot gracefully admit defeat, you risk the lives of those around you. You can get out. I have no use for you." She spoke, her voice strong, but melodic. "And you, all of you pricks get the hell out of my training arena. This is for my team only. There's nothing to see here." She yelled to the observers. Sokka slowly pushed himself to his feet, still staring at the woman who didn't seem to recognize him. Maybe it wasn't Toph. She rounded on him, her small fist raised. "I don't know who the hell you think you are coming in here and starting shit with my warriors, but you have five seconds-" The man, Kai, turned to her and glared at Sokka, apparently blaming him for the fight.

"He says he's a warrior from the Water Tribe." The woman's eyes widened fractionally, and her expression went from annoyed to livid.

"I thought I smelled meat." Kai raised an eyebrow and she motioned for everyone to clear out. After the room was empty, she sat down in a chair that someone had left near the arena. "What the hell are you doing here?" she questioned, undoubtedly Toph at this point. Sokka struggled to form a smile and a coherent sentence.

"Spirits Toph, you look so different." Toph rolled her eyes.

"I don't know how you found me, but if I had wanted you to, don't you think I would have let you know by now?" she replied, her eyes already moving onto other things she could not see. Sokka knew that he had hurt her, but he didn't think it had cut that deep.

"Toph, I came here for a reason." Toph rolled her eyes again and held out a manicured hand and pretended to examine it.

"Wow, let me guess. You're sorry you were such an ass, and you want me to forgive you?" Sokka stared at her skeptically and then nodded.

"Something along those lines…look, I am sorry Toph. I never meant to hurt you. The timing of it all…" Toph stood.

"Well, I'm not going to forgive you, so you might as well leave. I have a team to assemble. You can leave the same way you came in." Toph turned and Sokka grabbed at her thin jacket. Toph spun around and slapped him. "Don't touch me! I don't want anything to do with you!" she yelled. Sokka stepped back, his hand falling to his side. Toph stared at him, the pain evident in her sightless eyes, and he realized just how many times he had seen the look; too many times to count. Sokka stared at his booted feet.

"I'm sorry Toph, for grabbing you. It's just that…" he trailed off, knowing that he had spent the last two years waiting for a chance to make things right. "Zuko sent me to infiltrate the Boiling Rock prison with you." Toph's eyes widened and he waited for her to catch him in his lie. After a moment she slammed her fist into the wall closest to her.

"That bastard, I warned him not to. He said that you were such an amazing warrior now and la de day. Like I give a flying…"

"If you don't want me to go, I can talk to Zuko." He interrupted, hoping that she wouldn't call his bluff. Toph's eyebrows arched.

"No…I hadn't wanted to risk one of my men really. You're perfect for this mission." She rounded on him and jabbed a finger into his chest. "Let me tell you right now Sokka. I hate you. I don't want you to say anything that isn't crucial to this mission. And when it's over, I never, want to see you again." Sokka opened his mouth to make a remark, but shut it quickly. He was really pushing his luck as it was. He bowed deeply to Toph.

"I understand, thank you." Toph glared at him and turned abruptly, giving him a view of the back of her jacket. Embroidered in gold was the moon.

Sokka handed the scroll to Hawky and gave him a piece of fruit.

"Take that to Zuko." The hawk trilled and flew off, Sokka pulling his arm back just in time to miss the droppings he left. Sokka had spent all day trying to sort out what had happened. He had written Zuko a letter informing him of his intentions of accompanying Toph to Boiling Rock and asked him not to inform Toph of his lie. He hoped that Zuko would do as asked, but Zuko was nothing if not unpredictable. He could tell Toph just for a laugh.

Sokka pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He had no idea how he was going to be able to travel with Toph while she was being so hostile. And holy Momo, Toph was beautiful. How was he supposed to just ignore that? Sokka laid his head on the small table in the room he had rented in the palace inn. It was going to be a long trip. That much was certain. If he could just manage to get Toph to warm up to him again, he could apologize and they could go back to being friends. Sokka tilted his head to the side as he realized that he may not want to go back to being friends. In the end, maybe Toph was right.

A/N: I know this chapter wasn't too much longer than the others, and I am sorry. I also realize that this chapter was a little similar to another story, but I didn't mean for it to be and tried to change it as much as possible without losing the point and necessity of this. If the person of said story reads this and feels that I was too close, please let me know and I will gladly do what I can to further modify it. No offense or harm was intended. Thank you all for reading. Please review. OH! BIG THANKS TO MY TWO REVIEWERS: Rinnie Tuesday and Alanabanani. Thank you again for the support. Please keep on reading guys. Maybe another chapter tonight, if not, one first thing tomorrow! ~Kirsten