Chapter 7

Party Crashers

Toph froze in her place. The only noises in the room were those of boys scream and of adults clapping. Jin and Lin were pushing Toph onto the stage. Music began to play, on cue, Jin and Lin began to sing. Toph had no choose but to sing as well.

Teardrop on a fragile eyelash

She's looking like a dream

Hoping for some understanding

And answer or at least

Cunning word a single sentence

To restore her heart

Aching since the day I left her

Crossing lonely seas

Silent tears of a women

Make her warrior cry

Heaven, I beg you

Please release hopes from fear

Toph felt a hard yet soft footstep coming from above the ceiling, Strange, Toph thought, Why would anyone be up there? Familiar footsteps too. AZULA!

This is my elegy

Do you know what I feel?

This is my elegy

Do you believe it's real?

Will I hold you in my arms again

CRASH!

The room was covered in smoke, no one could see except Toph. Toph felt the firebenders jumping from the roof down to the stage. Toph got into her battle stance and got readying to attack. She started to bend the earth around three groups of soldiers and made the ground swallow them to their heads. Jin and Lin started to see throught the smoke too so, with there combined power, they send two giant earth waves towards Azula and her friends who, sadly, got out of it's way.

"Missed me, freaks!" said Azula.

"DON'T CALL US FREAKS!" screamed the twins, hating when people called them freaks. It pissed them off.

In rage, the twins levitated larges boulders from the ground and began to throw them at Azula multiply times but the rage only clouded her mind. Azula blasted all the rocks with her firebending and came charging at them, sending them flying to the wall behind them. Cries of pain and agry echoed all over the smoke-filled room.

"JIN! LIN!" yelled Toph.

In rage, Toph moved her hands in a circular motion facing the floor under Azula and bended the floor which shot up, sending Azula hurling across the room. Toph was so busy trying to destroy Azula that she didn't focus on Ty-Lee and Mai. Ty-Lee attacked Toph from behind and hit her pressure points. Hard. Toph tried to fell the vibration, but she couldn't! For the first time in her life, she felt helpless. Mai then send five knives at her which ripped her skin.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Toph!" said Lin, Jin, Aang, Katara, and Sokka.

Aang cleared the smoke using airbending. Aang eyes wided. Toph was laying on the floor, motionless, with knives around her. She had large, sharp wounds on her arm and legs with blood spilling out like a river. Anger built up.

"Sokka, you and Katara get everyone out of here! Me, Iroh, and Zuko will handle Azula."

"Aang, I can help," stated Katara.

"But you didn't bring your waterbending pack and theres no water in here," said Aang.

Aang was right, there was no water inside, not even the spilled drinks were enough to do a simple waterbending move. Katara and her brother started to get everyone to safety while Aang, Iroh, and Zuko fight the firebender warriors. Toph got up as well, ignoring the pain.

Toph finally got her senses back and bended huge slabs of earth, covered the exits of the room, stopping the firebenders from going after the villagers. Toph slamed her fist onto the floor thus cause the chandilers to fall on half of the firebenders.

Aang was fighting Azula. Azula hands were blazing with flames, trying to punch the Avatar unconscious but Aang dodged every move Aang send a giant burst of fire from his hands and Azula's face. Her scream was deafen.

"When did you learn firebending," asked Azula; her hands covered her face so no one could see her burned skin.

"Iroh a good teacher," answered Aang.

"OUT OF MY WAY!"

Everyone turn to see Toph, in bloddy rage, making a giant earthquake around the palace. Screams were heard outside the palace ways; the villagers were watching in horror as the manor shook up and down, making it look as if it was about to fall. As for everyone in the palace, they tried to hang on to something.

"Toph! Calm down!" yelled Aang.

"NO! THE FIRENATION WILL PAY! THEY TRIED TO KILL MY FRIENDS!"

Toph continue to make the earth rumble. Large cracks appeared on the floors almost making people fall inside. Aang airbended to Toph and tryed to hold her down. Toph, along with the floor were rumbling as well. Out of nowhere, four slabs of earth sealed Toph into a ground chamber,thus stopping the earthquake. The earth chamber belong to the twin sister, Jin and Lin.

"Wow! Toph sure knows how to break up a party!" said Jin.

"Not funny! Oh, forget that! The fire nation soldiers got away," scolded Lin.

Lin was right, the firebenders somehow disappeared from the room. Lin and Jin sighed in disapointment and release Toh from the earth chamber they created. Toph laid on the ground, panting. Her eyes were closed, her clothing was covered in burn marks and dirt. Jin and Lin heaved her into there arms and carried her outside. Aang, Zuko and Iroh followed behind them. Once outside, all the guests circled Toph, Lin and Jin and shot them with question.

"What happen?"

"Is Toph alright?"

"Where are the firebenders?"

"Are we still under attack?"

"Did anyone get hurt?"

"Was anything stolen?"

"Will we be able to repair the palace?"

"How did you survive?"

"Why did they came?"

"Will they come back?"

Lin and Jin tried to answered the villagers question, calmly. The twins give Zuko and Aang Toph's limp body and told them to take her to her home. When they ask where her home was they were shock when the twins said that she lives with Aunt Wu.

Aang and Zuko carried Toph through the crowd with Iroh trying to shoo away the nosy villagers that tried to follow them. They arrived at Aunt Wu house and saw Sokka, Appa, Katara, Meng, Momo, and Aunt Wu. Aunt Wu came running out to them.

"Avatar, Toph, Zuko, are you all okay," asked Aunt Wu.

"Where fine, but Toph isn't," replied Aang.

"Quick, bring her inside."

A Few Hours Later

"Yes, Toph has been living with us for sometime. We took her in and allow her to work since she wanted to repay us. She became a wonderful worker and lovely lady as well as a champ. She won thounsands of prizes and never lost one match," said Aunt Wu.

"Toph seems happy here," replied Katara.

"Yeah, uh huh, whatever," said Sokka, stuffing large amounts of food.

Katara slapped Sokka's hand away from the table half fulled of food. Sokka rubbed his hand which stung with pain; he glared at his sister while Katara just smiled and ignore him. Zuko kept looking around the room in boredom while his uncle poured everyone a cup of jasmine tea.

"So...Toph is pretty popular here," spoke Aang, Aunt Wu nodded.

"Oh, yes. She has won many trophies and metals in battle; she never lost her cool and alway came out #1. Many people worship her as her their angel or warrior of protection."

"Toph? An angel? Are their eyes okay?" asked Sokka.

This time, Katara smashed a platter on his head which knock him unconscious, so he just fell on the floor. Katara smile and asked them to forgive her idiot brother. Aunt Wu continued with Toph's story.

"As I was saying, Toph has become more lady-like then she ever has before in her life while she teaches earthbending to local benders like the twin sister, Lin and Jin."

"She's a teachers, too?" asked Aang.

"Well I get bored just bending by myself, Twinkle Toes. I need targets to pratice on now and again."

Everyone turned around to see Toph in beautiful silk robe with a butterfly pattern. She had bandages on her forehead, arms, and legs. She was very angry at the moment because of two reasons. One, Aang, Katara, Sokka and now Iroh and Zuko found her. And second, she got her butt kick by Little-Miss-Bitchy-Firebender.

"TOPH!" Aang flew out of his see and hugged Toph as tight as he could.

"Twinkle Toes! Let go of me! Are you trying to kill me? I can't breathe!" shouted Toph.

Aang losen his grip on Toph but did not let go. Katara followed suit and hugged Toph. Toph tried to push them awy but between the two bender's strength and Toph's burned skin plus weaken state, Aang and Katara won.

"Oh, Toph! We were so worried! How could you leave us like that? We were afriad you gotten hurt or kidnapped by the fire nation!"

"Okay, Okay! I get it! You were worried about me! Now le me go!" screamed Toph.

Aunt Wu came up and gentle pulled them apart while helping Toph to her seat. Jin and Lin jumped out of a window behind Toph; their clothing were burned and ripped from the battle but they both had smiles on their cut faces.

"Hey Toph, what up?" asked Jin.

"Are you ok?" asked Lin.

"No, I just got beat by that fire-spitting-lightning throwing-dragon-winged witch!"

"Calm down," replied Lin, "Nobody won."

"That doesn't make me happy," grumped Toph.

"Alright, alright," began Aunt Wu, "Let's all go to bed, its passed midnight and you all need your sleep. Aang, you and your friends can stay in the guest rooms, Lin and Jin will stay in Toph's room."

Everyone stared to get up and walked towards their rooms. Toph, however, had to be carried by Aang because she kept falling and tripping her bandages that were becoming loose. No one notice Toph blushing as she was being carried by Twinkle Toes. Once in Toph's room, Aang placed her on her bed while Katara, Sokka and Zuko went through her stuff.

"You have such beautiful stuff, Toph," stated Katara, "But it looks like you've never wore them. Why?"

"Those are gift from the villagers, mostly boys and there not my taste," answered Toph, "It's too frilly or too girly. I only wear it for party or going to the palace. You can have some of those dresses and cosmetics for yourself, I hardly every use them."

After the boys and Katara, with her arms filled with clothing, left her room, Toph quickly changed into her sleeping gown before the twins got in.  Toph picked the plainest sleeping gown that was green and had only reached her knees, her favorite. After jumping into her bed, Jin and Lin came in wearing matching white pjs. Rolling out their futons, the twins snuggled into their blankets and wished Toph good-night.

Morning

"WAKE UP, TWINKLE TOES!"

Aang fell out of bed in shock. He looked up to see Toph in, suprisingly, her old earthbending outfit; the only differance was that her hair was in braids. She was smirking like she felt proud for screaming in Aang's ear.

"Come on, Twinkle Toes," replied Toph, "You never did master earthbending and since you still haven't defeated the fire lord, I guess I still have to train you. Earthbending training starts now! Get on your feet, Twinkle toes."