Chapter 8 – Forging the Future
"Good to see you, too, Hothead," Toph snarked.
"I was talking to Sokka, but I am glad to see you Toph." Zuko gave Toph's shoulder a quick squeeze.
"Why did you say that, and what's with the cloak and dagger routine?" Sokka asked.
"Sokka, I'm your friend," Zuko began, "because of that, I felt like I owed it to you to tell you what I'm about to say in person. Thanks to your bounty hunting activities in the Earth Kingdom, you're not very popular here. Politically, it's dangerous for me to be seen with you."
"What are you talking about, Zuko?" Sokka was incredulous.
"Those men you've killed. I know the Earth Kingdom declared them war criminals, and they probably deserved what they got. But Sokka, you have to understand, those men had families. Some, powerful families that still have ties to my court. If my sources are correct, there's been more than one blood oath sworn against you. I can't protect you, not openly," Zuko concluded.
Sokka nodded in understanding. Zuko was still in a dangerous position. While ending the war had endeared him to commoners in the Fire Nation, there were still many in the noble class that saw him as a usurper and worked clandestinely to undermine him.
"Zuko, you have my word. I'll lay low while I'm here. I won't leave Master Piandao's estate. I'll be safe enough there," Sokka promised while glancing at Piandao.
Piandao nodded in agreement.
The road from the port followed the coast for a while before turning west into the hills that held Piandao's estate. Fat stopped the carriage at in inlet near the road. A small motor launch was tied to the shore.
"This is where I get off," Zuko said as he pulled the hood back over his head. "I have to get back to the palace before I'm missed."
The Fire Lord sped away in the launch as the carriage rolled up the hills to the Master's estate.
…
Toph let out a low whistle as she crossed the threshold into to the manor. She had been here briefly before, when she'd witnessed Sokka's duel with the Master. The place was impressive, nearly as large as her parent's estate in Gaoling. The polished stone floor of the ground level gave her an excellent view of the layout. An object in the corner of the sitting room immediately caught her attention: a stone pai-sho table.
"Fat will show you to your rooms, I have correspondence to attend," Piandao stated, as he went to his study.
Toph smiled as she entered her room. It was on the ground floor and everything was made of stone. It was as if she'd designed it herself. A clean outfit was laid out for her on the bed. The room had its own bathroom and a warm bath was already drawn.
"I thought the lady might want to freshen up before supper," Fat said, as he backed out of the room and slid the door shut.
…
Sokka smiled as he saw Toph waiting at the pai-sho table. "You clean up nicely," he joked as he took a seat across from her.
"Can it, Snoozles. You gonna show me how to play this game or not?" she shot back.
"OK, give me those stone tiles," Sokka began as he explained the basic set-up, moves, and relative strength of each tile. Then they began to play. Toph was a quick study, and although Sokka easily won the first game, she gave him a much harder time on the second game. By the third game, they had played to impasse.
"Wow Toph, you're really good," Sokka complimented.
"Told you I'd be beating you in no time," Toph grinned.
Fat interrupted, "Dinner is served."
Piandao was seated at the head of the table. Toph and Sokka took places at either side of the Master facing each other. Piandao began, "I have some interesting news. It seems a merchant in the eastern Earth Kingdom has dumped a rather large cache of leechee nuts on the market."
Toph giggled. Sokka looked confused, "Pardon me, Master, but why is that interesting?"
"Economics, Sokka," Piandao explained, "It means the price of leechee nuts will be depressed by about half until this cache is consumed and supplies return to normal."
"It means," Toph exclaimed, "That my loser fiancée just lost his shirt!"
….
Yue's full glow illuminated the courtyard enough for Sokka to practice his sword katas. Angry golden eyes watched from the shadow as the Water Tribe warrior moved through his evolutions with the grace of a seasoned master.
….
Toph awoke with a start. She placed both feet and a hand on the floor. She felt Fat, light heartbeat, asleep in the servant's quarters. Piandao's steady heartbeat was in his study. She felt Sokka's graceful footwork (Sokka? Graceful? Maybe that's what's wrong) in the courtyard. Not far from Sokka she felt a fourth heartbeat. Ragged, adrenaline charge building. She ran out of her room toward the courtyard.
"Sokka! Watch out!" She screamed.
The black clad assailant leapt from his hiding place and charged Sokka with a spear. Toph moved one foot, and sank him shoulder deep into the ground.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Sokka demanded.
"I'm the man who is going to kill you. I want my honor. I want my father's sword," the man said.
Piandao had come out to witness the proceedings.
Sokka calmly asked, "Are you a firebender?"
"If I were you'd be a burning corpse already."
Sokka looked to Toph for acknowledgement. "He's telling the truth," she confirmed.
Piandao came down with his own sword drawn.
Sokka said, "Then we settle this like gentlemen. Toph, let him out."
"I'm not gonna let this jerk kill you," she protested.
"That's the way it has to be," Piandao said as he handed Sokka his sword.
"Your funeral," she said as she grudgingly released the assailant.
"So, this was your fathers," Sokka said and handed the blade over to the younger Chan.
Toph and Piandao retreated to the balcony as Sokka and Chan took their stances. Chan took the offensive and charged with his blade straight out. Sokka sidestepped the attack and resumed his guard as Chan spun around to continue his attack. Chan continued his rage fueled attack as Sokka parried and countered with skill and grace. Frustration mounting, Chan swung his blade in a two handed blow aimed for Sokka's neck. Sokka countered the strike, shattering Chan's blade in the process.
Chan dropped to his knees in defeat. Sokka tipped his head up with the tip of his blade. "If I spare your life, will you forswear your blood oath against me?"
"Never," Chan spat defiantly. "I'd rather die than live without honor."
"Too bad," Sokka said. "I don't feel like killing you right now." Sokka turned and walked back toward the manor.
Chan cried out in disbelief. He then took a dagger from his boot, and sliced open his own neck.
Sokka looked at his opponent in disbelief. He returned the sword to Piandao. As if reading Sokka's mind, he said, "He'd already forsaken his life when he swore vengeance upon yours. Get some rest. Tomorrow you'll need to forge yourself a new blade."
….
Sokka walked into Piandao's smithy and was pleased to see that there was still a good portion of the meteorite ore still left. More than enough to forge a new blade. He fired up the forge and went to work. After two days of heating, hammering, folding, forging and shaping, he had a new blade. On the hilt he fitted to the blade, he inlaid for symbols, for each of the nations. A white lotus decorated the pommel.
Piandao proudly inspected the finished sword. "This is much better than your blade. This is the finest work I've ever seen. Including my own. Sokka, son of Hakoda, of the Southern Water Tribe, this work proves you are indeed a master!" Piandao announced formally.
….
In the midnight darkness, Toph and Sokka stood in the center of the white lotus mosaic in Piandao's courtyard. Torches around the courtyard spontaneously ignited, revealing the five old masters. Grand Lotus Iroh intoned, "We have gathered here upon this New Moon to welcome two new members into our honorable order. You have each proven yourselves masters of your art and worthy of this honor. Sokka, son of Hakoda of the Southern Water tribe, do you swear to walk the path of the White Lotus, to seek balance in your life, promote balance in the world, and keep our secrets sacred?"
"I do," Sokka said.
"The Lotus opens wide to those who know its secrets," Iroh continued. "Lady Toph, daughter of Lao, heiress of the Noble House Bei Fong, do you swear to walk the path of the White Lotus, to seek balance in your life, promote balance in the world, and keep our secrets sacred?"
"I do," She whispered.
"The Lotus opens wide to those who know its secrets." Iroh concluded the initiation, and the old masters welcomed their newest peers.