boy did i have fun writing this. i actually laughed. i hoe you enjoy this as much as i did next one will be about tattoos. because i've been toying with the idea for a while and i now know how to write it.

"Come on Lin, it's just a small prick."

"I don't know Kya."

The two young girls sat under a tree, sheltering themselves from the hot summers sun. Kya held out a needle to Lin, urging her to take it. "It's easy, I'll numb my ears with ice and then you just prick it with the needle, it'll be quick."

"Why don't you ask your mum to take you to get them pierced?"

"Because she won't let me. And you have to be sixteen to get it professionally done without an adult."

"Kya, you turn sixteen in two months, can't you just wait?"

"No! There's this really cute guy at school and he only likes girls with their ears pierced. Now do it."

Lin let out a sigh. "Fine. I don't understand why you just don't ask Tenzin or Bumi."

"Because Tenzin is a wuss, who has to tell mum and dad everything and knowing Bumi, he would probably give me three piercings in one ear. You're the only one I can actually trust. Besides, who better to pierce an ear than a metalbender?"

"Hurry up and numb your ear."

Gathering water from a few plants around them, Kya turned it into ice and began numbing her ear. "How long do you think I should ice it for?"

"How should I know?"

After a few minutes, Kya melted the left over ice in her hand, and gave Lin an encouraging smile. "Alright, I think that's enough time. Have at it."

Lin took in a deep breath as she held Kya's right ear lobe in one ear and a needle in the other. She levelled the needle, closed her eyes and hoped for the best. "Did I do it?"

"No. Wait, do you have your eyes closed?!" There was a moment of silence between them, confirming Kya's suspicions. "Damnit Lin!"

"Sorry, I'm just nervous."

"Alright, one more try and don't close your eyes."

"You aren't going to numb your ear first?"

"No, I can handle a little prick."

Again Lin picked up the needle and held Kya's ear lobe in her other hand come on Lin, don't wimp out. You've seen a lot worse. She put the needle to the lobe and pushed it through, making Kya flinch. "Sorry! Did I hurt you?"

"Duh, you just pushed a needle into my ear. Use your metalbending to make I into a loop." With the flick of a wrist, the needle formed a circle, allowing it to now become a piercing. "Good job Beifong, now do the other."

"How many needles do you have?"

"A few. We can do yours next if you want to."

"Thanks but I'd rather not."

Just as she was about to pierce the other ear, something tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to jump back away from Kya. "What are you two doing?"

"Hey Su. Lin's piercing my ears for me."

"Why?"

"Because it looks pretty." Kya could have told her the truth about wanting to impress a boy but knew that the seven year old wouldn't understand.

"Then I want mine pierced too, that way I can look pretty like you."

"Well Lin, looks like you have another client."

The twelve year old shot her friend a glare. "No. Mum would kill me."

"Great, then we can die together. Now hurry up, my left ear feels lonely." Lin pierced the ear, not having any inner conflict this time. "Alright Su, your turn."

"Is it going to hurt?"

"Only a little, you're tough so you can handle it."

Su knelt on her knees next to Lin, a happy smile on her face. But everything changed when the needle attacked.

"What do you think Toph?"

With her feet propped up on the table, the Police Chief gave Katara her trademark smirk. "Yeah, they look great."

"Oh, uh sorry. You can't blame us for forgetting every once in a while."

"Uh-huh, so what are they?"

"Traditional Water Tribe earrings for Kya's birthday in two months."

"So you're finally giving in."

"Well, she will be sixteen and this is the only thing she wants. I figured she's deserved it. Do you think you will get Lin and Su's ears pierced?"

Toph let out a bout of laughter. "Spirits no. I allow them to do a lot of things but tattoos and piercings are a big no no on my list." The one thing she didn't think she'd ever have to do, was eat her own words, as Su came running into the kitchen, crying and screaming, Lin and Kya right behind it.

"Mum! Mum! It hurts!"

"Calm down Su. Did you fall over?"

Su was too busy with the stabbing pain in her ear to listen to her mother, instead deciding to continue with crying.

"Lin, tell me what happened."

"Well, uh-"

"Spirits! There's a needle in her ear!" Katara was kneeling next to Su, a firm hand on the young girl's shoulder as the other turned her head to the side.

"What do you mean there is a needle in her ear?!" Toph was now on her feet, brows furrowed in anger. "Don't even try it!" She pointed her finger at the door, where her daughter and Kya were trying to make a sneaky escape.

"Kya?! You pierced your ears!"

"Well, uh-" rubbing the back of her neck, Kya averted her mother's gaze, "I technically didn't pierce it, Lin did."

"You asked me too!"

"Hey, if I'm getting in trouble, I'm taking you with me."

"I really hate you sometimes." She turned her attention back to her mother. "Mum, I know you are probably angry."

"Probably? Do I not have the wrong emotion on my face?"

"Okay, you're furious, but I just want to say, in my defence, that Su asked me to."

"She's seven! Would you steal for her because she asked you to?"

"We-"

"Rhetorical! Come here."

"What?! Why?!"

"I'm going to give you a piercing."

Lin swallowed hard at seeing one of her mother's blades extend. "Uh, you're kidding, right?"

"Nope." Toph grabbed one of Lin's arms before she could run away and forced her to sit in between her legs as it gave Toph more control.

"Wait! Come on, you can't do this!"

"I'm the Chief of Police! I do what I want!"

"Hey mu-" Tenzin walked into the kitchen and was met with a wailing Su with a needle in her ear that his mother was currently trying to get out, his aunt Toph with a blade to Lin's face, trying to do who knows what and his sister leaning against the wall with her hands folded behind her head. "Uh, aunt Toph, what are you doing?"

Toph shrugged nonchalantly as though she weren't doing anything out of the ordinary. "Piercing Lin's ears for her. Why?"

"Oh, cool. I think piercings are really neat."

Lin stopped squirming at his words, an incredulous look on her face. "Really?"

"Yeah. They are really pretty. I wish I could pierce my ears."

Lin calmed down and gave her mother a smile. "What are you waiting for Chief?"