"Watch it!" Zuko said angrily as a boulder whizzed by his head. "You almost took my head off!" He sent a spiral of flame at the nearest waterbender.
"But I didn't!" Toph could feel the heat from the fan of flame, but she couldn't see it. She huffed and sent a rock plowing through the line of benders. Trees loomed around her, their massive forces hummed at the peripheral of her vision. Grass swayed and she could feel some stupid crickets moving in the grass. It was like sensory overload.
"Toph! Focus!" Zuko said in frustration. He had never had problems with the young earthbender before. She was so much easier to deal with as a kid. He took his eyes off the enemy for just a second and glanced at her. It had been almost seven years since Sozin's comet and the defeat of Ozai. Now they were in the restoration part. There was still deep prejudice against the fire nation and the hurt it had inflicted, but with Zuko at the lead and Aang promoting peace as the Avatar things were slowly readjusting.
A waterbender almost got a hit on Zuko, but Toph managed to deflect it with a solid slab of rock shooting up in front of Zuko. "Eyes open, Sparky!" she shouted shrilly.
Suddenly there was a whoosh of air above them. The ground shook and Toph could feel the tree roots straining under her feet. She had no idea what it was or which direction to move, not being able to sense things in the air.
"Stay there, Toph!" Someone yelled.
The ground shook, and Toph smiled. She would know that voice, and that vibration anywhere.
A rush of air swished her skirt around her knees, and pushed the fringe of her hair to the side. "It's about time!" She said loudly.
"I was coming!" The now young man argued back as he turned to Zuko. "Always good to see you!"
"Less talking, more fighting, Twinkletoes!" Toph said as she caught a stray bender between two slabs of rock.
Zuko smirked. "I thought you were in Omashu, rebuilding." He sent a wall of flames at a nearby group of benders, who turned to flee.
"Well, I was, but I couldn't let my favorite teachers get to do all the fighting," Aang answered joking. Everyone knew that fighting wasn't his way. He would fight, but he didn't relish it in the same way that Toph for example, may have enjoyed it.
"Katara sent you. Didn't she?" Zuko questioned rolling his eyes as he, Toph, and Aang were pressed back to back.
Aang scoffed. "You just assume that I wouldn't come on my own?"
There was a pause between and Toph and Zuko, as they both tried to hold back guilty smirks. "Nah that's not what we meant." Toph laughed trying to focus as she stomped and pushed a rock at the last few retreating rebel warriors.
Zuko shrugged. "Speak for yourself," but the mischievous smile in his eyes seemed to agree with Toph.
Aang breathed a slow breath as they took a few steps back and glanced at each other. He took in Zuko and Toph's appearance. "You guys look rough." He teased as he glanced between them. They had all matured so much in the past. Seven years had done quite a bit for them. Zuko's hair was much longer, and he had fully adapted to the role of Fire Lord. He and Aang had done a lot with the Harmony Restoration Movement, healing the hurt in the colonies. His eyes drifted to Toph. She was taller now, much taller. They all were. She had come into womanhood with a solid grace. Her classic hairstyle had morphed a bit, into a looser more natural look than before.
"We look rough?" Zuko raised an eyebrow. "You're the one with the stubble."
Aang slapped his hand over his chin. "It's not stubble! It's the beginning of a beard!"
Zuko frowned and gave it another look. "A chin strap, maybe, at best."
"Besides, Katara likes it." Aang smirked. "So that's all that matters."
Toph rolled her eyes. "Guys. Is this necessary… As fun as this all sounds, I'm literally dying of boredom."
Aang chuckled. "Wanna feel it?"
Toph just gave him a glare. "I'm going home."
"Home to your old hut?" Zuko teased as they all walked down the path.
"I don't want to hear this." Toph said shortly. "I know where this is going, but I like my hut and my solitude."
"You're always welcome to stay with us." Aang reminded her, his cheeks glowing slightly as he said it.
"I'm not staying with you two." Toph said as she made her way certainly down the path.
"I wouldn't either." Zuko said. "Especially not after you two get married in a month." He shook his head and chuckled.
Aang blushed and it was obvious he was beyond excited. "You'll be there?" he asked for about the one hundredth time.
Toph sighed. "Yes, but only for Katara, twinkletoes." Zuko seemed to nod in agreement as he glanced at Aang. "Plus you made me a groomsman, so I have to be there." He gave Aang a look. "And I haven't forgotten the fact that you made Sokka best man over me."
Toph glanced up as she heard Sokka's name. He was one she hadn't thought about in a while. She supposed he was doing well; he and Sukki would probably have settled down by now, figuring out their relationship. She paused walking as she fell into thought.
Zuko glanced back. "C'mon, grumps." He said and took her arm gently tugging her down the road. "We gotta get home."