Book Four: Air, Part Two

"So, who do we talk to?" Sokka asked awkwardly, looking from one hurried officer to the next. He couldn't really tell who was in charge. They all looked about the same.

"I don't know," said Toph. "Is there anybody sitting behind a desk?" It was hard for her to make out anything in this station. Too many people...

"I think I see one guy," Sokka said with a shrug before approaching a desk with a large line in front of it. After what felt like forever, it was his and Toph's turn. He spoke, "Um, I'd like to report a crime..."

The burly officer glanced up at Sokka. He lifted a brow. "Ye do, do ye?" he asked, his voice gruff. He rolled his shoulders and pulled out another piece of parchment. "Well, go on ahead, why don't ye. Don't have all day... What's yer problem, son?"

"Well, this guy that just came into town tried to kill me and force my girlfriend to marry him. I'm Sokka of the Water Tribe and she's Toph Bei Fong," Soka blurted out. He inwardly groaned. He could have said it less awkwardly.

"Bei Fong, eh?" The officer leaned forward in his seat to look at Toph. He snorted. "Ye don't look like no Bei Fong to me."

Toph shrugged. "Yeah, I get that." She pulled out her Bei Fong card and slid it across the desk. "That help?"

"Oh! It does!" The man looked at the card quickly before nodding. "Yer a Bei Fong alright." He bowed his head. "How might I be of service to ye, Lady Bei Fong?"

"Just Toph, please. And I want a guy arrested." She nudged Sokka. "Go ahead and tell him everything again."

Sokka nodded before sighing and beginning their story, leaving out the more private bits, of course. Basically, he told lthe officer about Hahn's attempt attempt at framing him and his attacks on both himself and Toph. Finally, he finished, "And he's staying at Lord Pao Pang's house!"

"Pao Pang, eh?" The officer scowled. "That man's no good, I tell ye. He's suspected in a lot of bad dealings. Smuggling. Kidnapping. Murders! No good, I tell ye, no good. No wonder yer Water Tribe bloke is jacked up with him."

"Can you arrest him?" said Toph.

The officer shrugged. "We can try."

"Don't tell me he's above the law because he's rich," Sokka said with a frown. He really hated it when people acted above the law. It was as if money and power mad them untouchable.

IC: Jerrel

Jerrel used his Earthbending and bound the hands of the drunks and had brought them along with them to the police station and sat them against the wall. He noticed some of the younger offers behind their desks staring at him, a few of them were concerned with the shiner he had.

"Here ye go, this should help wit' yer eye." Came a soft voice from one of the female officers.

***

IC: Suki

Suki made a face mocking the young female officer as she watched from next to sooka and Toph. She then tapped Toph nd whispered in her ear. "Is he always this attractive when he's not following you around like a lost puppy? 'Casue apparently he's been approached by women here and there."

The officer glared at Sokka. "Unfotunately, it works that way sometimes, son," he said. "We don't have much on Pao Pang, see, and he might not even let us into his big house. We'll have to know, for sure, if this Hahn character is in there."

Toph, meantime, shrugged at Suki. "Who, Jerrel? How should I know. I don't know what he looks like. He's just Jerrel to me."

IC: Jerrel

Jerrel came over to the others holding a cold wet rag against his eye. "I'm sure we can be of assistance." Jerrel said standing next to Suki. "We'd be happy to get inside to see if this Pao Pang is as clean as he makes himself seem." Jerrel was only recognizable to those who've seen him outside of his usual uniform.

"Whatever we do, we just need to make sure that Hahn's found," Sokka said with a sigh, "He won't stop until he gets his stupid revenge."

Toph gave Sokka a light, friendly punch. "Don't even think that," she said. "He's not gonna get at you again." She would personally make sure of it, if she had to. She would not let Hahn hurt Sokka.

The officer blinked at Suki and Jerrel. He shrugged. "Ye find evidence ol' Pao Pang's got this Hahn at his house? We'll bust in, right away."

"Well, one of his crew said he was. They're hanging out at the bar near the river. They should be still passed out," Sokka told the officer immediately.

"Bring 'em here, then." The officer stood. "We'll ask some questions, and see what's what."

"Okay," Sokka said before turing to the others, "Okay, we need to bring a couple of drunks in here. Who's going to help?"

IC: Suki & Jerrel

"You're too late, seems Jerrel was already one step ahead of you." Suki gigled pointing at the wal where the drunks sat covered in bruises. "Well, we'll catch you guys later, Jerrel and I have some evidence to gather, why don't you and Toph enjoy yourselves a bit." Suki turned to see Jerrel talking with the same female officer from before.

"Yeah, I handled them by myself wasn't too hard." Jerrel said making himself look cool. He then felt someone grab the back of shirt, then he felt himself getting dragged away.

"C'mon lover boy, we've got work to do." Suki said dragging Jerrel away with a displeased look on her face.

"Wow... Who knew that Jerrel was such a ladies' man?" Sokka asked his girlfriend rhetorically with a grin.

Zuko nodded and continued to walk towards the caverns. He smiles as their new companion explained her story. He chuckled lightly, which was rather amazing because he had not dont anything close since Mai was kidnapped.
"Yes, our Nation is quiet big. Not even I have seen it all, and I have traveled a lot."

"I sure didn't. It's kind of weird, to be honest," said Toph. She smiled up at Sokka, or at least in his general direction. "We've got some time to kill. We might as well rest. Anything you feel like doing?"

Sokka smiled back, "I don't know. Maybe I just feel like spending some time with my girlfriend, no matter what we do."

He grimaced as he thought about what he just said.

"I really am the girl in this relationship, aren't I?"

Toph shrugged. "Somebody has to be. I've been told I'm more of a guy than a girl, anyway." She punched his arm and smiled. "Don't beat yourself up about it. I want to spend time with you too."

He smiled back, "That's good to know."

His stomach growled and he blushed a little in embarrassment.

"How about we go somewhere nice to eat. With lots of meat?" he asked her.

Akemi stopped for a second. Did she really just make the Fire Lord laugh? The thought almost made her laugh as well. This was becoming very strange. Akemi could only guess at what might happen next.

"I will," she told Katara. Though she wouldn't have to worry. The bird she sent with the ribbon was a sign that danger was coming. By time they reached the place, the rebels and Mai would be gone.

(Should I do the scene with the rebels fleeing? Should they flee? I just don't want to do something that I shouldn't.)