CHAPTER 48: Surviving Team Avatar
"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart."
"I can't believe that Aang convinced me to go with you to this place. It's so busy here!" Toph complained loudly as yet another person excused himself for bumping into her as she, Katara, Suki and Nii made their way down a bustling street somewhere in the Fire Nation capital.
To Toph, it was a complete sensory overload unlike anything that she had ever experienced before.
She felt a constant hum of activity - a cacophony of footsteps, voices and the occasional rumble of carts and carriages.
The ground beneath her vibrated with the chaotic rhythm of life in the city, each sensation painting a vivid picture in her mind.
She tried to focus on isolating familiar vibrations - the steady heartbeat of her friends and the subtle nuances of earth and stone that shifted ever so slightly beneath her feet.
Yet, the vibrations of so many people moving around her created a symphony of patterns, each individual leaving behind a unique imprint on the earth, and her senses allowed her to discern not only the bustling marketplace and the laughter of children playing nearby, but also the distant clang of metalworkers in the Fire Nation forges near the edge of the city.
She did not want to admit it, but she already felt a fatigue crawling over her, as her senses worked overtime to process the constant influx of information.
"Oh cut it out, drama queen!" Katara sounded to her right in a teasing voice. "Admit it, you looove hanging out with us girls."
Toph huffed audibly and rolled her eyes at her, while Suki and Nii giggled.
The only reason that she had agreed to come was because Aang had practically begged her to, because he did not feel safe with Nii running around the capital.
As if Suki could not protect her.
Toph silently cursed at Aang.
He had tricked her into a girl's day out.
She just knew it.
Toph scowled at Nii.
"Since when did Twinkle Toes get so protective of you, jungle girl?" she asked her bluntly, pointing an accusing finger in Nii's direction.
She could immediately sense Nii's heartbeat quicken quite rapidly, while her shoulders tensed, and she started fidgeting her hands. She also noticed that her breath caught in her throat, while she clenched her jaw.
Toph was surprised by her reaction.
Katara and Suki exchanged amused glances next to her, oblivious to the subtle signs of Nii's sudden discomfort.
"Uh…" Nii stuttered nervously, scratching the back of her head as if trying to come up with something to say.
Toph furrowed her brows and searched her mind for something to lighten the tension.
She suddenly had a bad taste in her mouth.
As if she felt… bad for Nii?
That was new.
"You know," Toph started hesitantly, trying to sound as smooth and nonchalant as usual. "Aang's level of protectiveness is kinda like his bending style - sometimes it's hella impressive, but other times it just makes you wanna throw a rock at him."
Suki and Katara burst into laughter, and Nii chuckled a little too.
"Yeah!" Suki chimed in. "Maybe we should start a 'Surviving Team Avatar' support group?"
"Count me in, please," Nii giggled, and this caused another round of laughter from the girls.
Toph was glad to sense that Nii relaxed a little after they changed the subject.
She could not help but to wonder what was going on inside of her, but for now, she decided to let it go. Despite her curious nature, Toph did understand the importance of respecting her friends' privacy and feelings.
"Urgh," Katara groaned. "I can't believe that it's our last day with all of us together."
She pouted at Suki.
"I know," Suki agreed in a similar groan. "But we'll see each other just as soon as you and Zuko make it to the temple."
Toph growled under her breath.
She hated that Sokka was leaving with Suki and Hakoda for the South Pole tomorrow.
While outwardly supportive, Toph also felt a little disappointed and slightly envious that they were not going to travel together.
Deep down inside, she felt like Sokka was the only one who actually kind of got her.
She valued the connection they shared, their inside jokes and trading witty banter that only they seemed to fully appreciate. Really, she actually considered him her best friend.
She would miss him.
Toph wondered what the boys were doing at this moment, while she and the girls were out here roaming the streets of the capital.
Maybe they were playing kauai ball? Or having a friendly sparring match?
She would much rather have spent the day with them.
"See!" Katara's voice sounded teasingly. "Even Toph is sad that you're leaving!"
Toph crossed her arms over her chest and furrowed her brows.
"I'm not sad!" she wailed in a voice that might have been a bit too high-pitched. "I just think…"
She cleared her throat, trying her best to steady herself and maintain her usual bravado.
If there was one thing in the world she did not want anyone to know, it was her feeling a bit envious of Suki.
"I mean, good for you…" she remarked with a roll of her eyes, and she brushed her emotions aside by forcing a nonchalant smirk over her lips. "Leaving me here with the most lovey-dovey couple in the entire world…"
Suki snickered as Toph tilted her head in Nii's direction, and luckily nobody seemed to have noticed the slight tinge of envy that had colored her face before.
As the four girls wandered through the lively streets, they soon stumbled upon a street performance featuring a troupe of Fire Nation actors putting on a comedic play.
Intrigued, they decided to watch the show.
They soon figured that the show was a lighthearted and satirical approach to the old reign of Ozai in which the actors skillfully weaved humor into the narrative, portraying Ozai as a pompous and foul dictator.
One actor, dressed in elaborate robes and a towering crown, had adopted an exaggerated voice and haughty demeanor to portray Ozai's overt arrogance and thirst for power.
"Behold, my subjects!" the actor declared, embodying Ozai's authoritative persona. "It is I, Fire Lord Ozai, blessed by the divine flames with the sacred duty to conquer the world, ahem, I mean… To save the world!"
The audience erupted in laughter at the actor's bombastic delivery, fully embracing the satire of Ozai's once self-proclaimed divine mandate.
The actor continued, his tone dripping with mock reverence and arrogance.
"The Fire Nation is destined for greatness under my enlightened rule!" he proclaimed, striking an exaggerated pose. "It is my birthright, bestowed upon me by the spirits themselves, to usher a new era of dominati- uh, NO! Of prosperity!"
Toph laughed loudly with the rest of the audience.
"I don't like this," Katara suddenly sounded with a sour look on her face. "This isn't funny."
Toph rolled her eyes at her.
"Come on, Katara, it IS!" she chuckled. "Just wait till they bring out Zuko!"
Toph could only imagine how funny it would be to see Zuko impersonated by one of these actors. It reminded her a little of the show the team had watched together on Ember Island years ago.
"I'm not staying around for that," Katara sulked, before she took Nii's hand. "Come on, girls, let's get out of here."
Toph groaned loudly but followed the others, disappointment heavy on her shoulders.
It was so typical of Katara to ruin the fun for everybody else.
Just because she had chosen to date the 'banished prince.'
Toph rolled her eyes again.
And just as she had imagined, the rest of the afternoon was spent with them doing boring stuff like going into some oozy tea shop which allegedly was famous for its unique Fire Nation blends.
They also visited a bakery renowned for its delectable pastries.
The only funny thing about that was when Nii bit into a hotcake that apparently had been stuffed with spicy smoked sea slug, and she almost vomited everywhere.
Finally, when the others had enough, they made their way back to the palace.
As they rejoined with the boys, Toph tried to ignore Sokka and Suki greeting each other with a kiss, while she plumped herself down on a couch next to Aang, and she let out a gruff sigh of relief mixed with exasperation.
"Hey Twinkles," she greeted with exhaustion in her voice as she nodded her head in his direction, before turning her head towards the others. "Sparky, Water Tribe."
Aang chuckled.
"Sounds rough, Toph," he smiled at her.
She sighed out heavily.
"You won't believe the day I've had," she chimed. "Those girls and their fancy shops and gossip - they might as well have tried to bend me into a fancy dress!"
"Did they ask you to create a rock-themed fashion line?" Sokka quiped in.
She smirked, glad to be back with her friends who understood her better than anyone.
"We didn't even go into any clothes shops!" Katara sulked next to Zuko.
Toph ignored her.
"So, did you have a more exciting day than I did?" she asked, her tone playful as she nudged Aang with her elbow.
Sokka grinned, a carefree sound that lifted Toph's spirits even more.
"Oh, you know, just the usual," Sokka smiled with a casual shrug of his shoulders. "A council with Zuko's advisors, trying to save the world, some friendly sparring in the garden… Oh, and we tried to convince Aang to eat the spiciest Fire Nation snack in the world!"
"And were you successful?" Nii asked as she sat down next to Aang.
"Are you kidding?!" Aang chuckled at her. "My mouth's still on fire!"
Zuko snickered from the other couch.
"Told you sizzle-crisps were too much for a soft monk like you," he teased, causing Toph and Nii to laugh.
"Hey, you can't blame me for being curious!" Aang exclaimed with an innocent shrug of his shoulders and a wide grin plastered across his face.
"Just don't come crying when you've got a stomach ache later," Toph mused.
In the midst of their banter, Toph could not help but to savor the moment even more than usual, knowing that tomorrow marked the beginning of a new chapter - one that would lead them all down separate paths across the world.
Even if it was just for a while, and they had agreed to eventually meet up at the Southern Air Temple, no one knew exactly when.
So, for now, as the evening wore on and the moon rose high above, Toph allowed herself to simply be present, soaking in the warmth of their friendship, finding comfort in the familiarity of their company.
As the night drew to a close and they prepared to part ways, Toph held onto the memory of that moment - their laughter, their banter, and the unspoken understanding that they would always be connected somehow, no matter how far apart their paths diverged.