Peace or Not (Avatar Roleplay)

"At least it's going to be a Fire Nation ship," Sokka pointed out, "They move smoothly."

"Not smoothly enough..." she muttered. "Trust me. It'll be bad. I'll probably just hole up in some corner, out of the way and everything."

"Yeah, I remember last time," Sokka muttered. He scratched the back of his head, "Anyway I can help?"

"Hold a bucket," she said. "That's about all you can do, I guess."

Well, being there for her would mean a lot to her, but Toph had the feeling she did not even have to ask him to do that. Sokka would be there for her, no matter what. It went without saying.

It was nice, thinking like that.

Once they were on the ship, Toph did just as she said she would. She went below deck and found one of the cabins. She lay on the bed there, on her side, already feeling a bit queasy.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Sokka asked as he entered the cabin Toph was in. He always made sure to stay with her when they were on ships. He really couldn't have her being miserable and alone, could he? Besides, they were going out now.

*

Mai sighed as she laid on the bed in the royal quarters, thinking. How much had Azula changed? When they were younger, there was a method to her madness. She could almost always predict what she wanted to do. That's how she survived. Was there a method now, though? Or was she completely mad?

Zuko was on deck. He was restless. He knew that he was way too tense about this, but Zuko was afraid. He was young and he hadn't been Fire Lord for too long. He feared that he might screw up.

"I've been better..." she said. Now that the ship had gotten underway, she could feel the increasingly stronger waves and undulations as it passed along the sea. Her head pounded and her stomach rolled. "Still, I haven't lost my breakfast yet, so that's a good thing. I guess..."

"Yeah, that's always good," Sokka told her with a shrug. He patted her hand, "The sea's pretty calm right now."

*

Mai stepped out on deck, knowing where to find Zuko. She sighed. She wished she could help him, but he was a worrier by nature, at least when it came to these things.

"Is it? Well, that explains a lot." Toph sighed, moaning somewhat, and curled into a tight ball. "I still can't wait until we're off this thing and on dry, solid earth."

"We will soon," Sokka told her, squeezing her hand gently, "You can last until then, right? You're the toughest earthbender in the world. You're tough enough to handle a bit of water."

He smiled, trying to cheer her up.

She loosed up somewhat from her little ball. She sighed, and a shaky smile passed over her face.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so." She squeezed his hand back, grateful he was there with her.

Sokka grinned at her, deciding to kiss her on the cheek on a whim.

"Good. Now we just need to worry about introducing me to your parents as your boyfriend," Sokka mused, attempting to lighten up the mood.

"That will be interesting..." she said. Her blush was obvious against her pale face. "Not that anything they say will change my mind about you."

***

Before leaving the Fire Nation, Toph had had a letter sent to her parents by messenger-hawk. The idea was to gode Hahn into staying at the Bei Fong estates with the promise that she would be arriving soon.

Lao received this letter, and read it to his wife and guest at the supper table.

"This is good news," he said, smiling. "It would seem Toph has decided to leave the festivities at the Fire Nation early, and is returning home."

"Yeah. You're stubborn like that, but in a good way," Sokka told her with a laugh. He paused for a moment, "I am a little nervous, though."

(So, who controls Hahn and Ms. Bei Fong?)

OOC: You are Hahn. At least, you said you would be, since he is part of the plot you have in mind. I can be Poppy too, if you want.

***

IC: Toph

"Why? About my parents?" Toph sat up and leaned against the wall. "Just don't listen to 'em, Snoozles, if they say anything bad. It doesn't matter, not in the long run. Besides, I'll be there with you."

(Okay. I'll be Hahn. And I don't care either way about Poppy.)

"Well, that's good. I don't think I'd want to be there if I didn't know you'd be there to keep my morale up," he told her.

She chuckled. "I don't know if I'd want to be there without you, or one of the others. Me and my parents are getting along, sure, but they're still pretty exhausting."

And now that there was the possibility they had been working on an arranged marriage for her, Toph was sure she would like this visit less than usual.

***

Poppy smiled at the news. "That is wonderful!" she said, pleased. "And so soon, too, thank goodness. I was afraid she would wander for a few weeks before returning." She beamed at their guest, the young man from the North. "You will finally have a chance to meet her, Master Hahn."

"Well, I guess that means I'll have to accompany you every time you have to visit them. You owe me, though," Sokka teased her.

*

"Yes. I'd love to meet her," Hahn told her with a polite smile. Inwardly, though, he was troubled. With his connections with Azula, he planned on using the information about what would happen at the party for his own gain. He planned on convincing the two Bei Fongs to announce a betrothal between him and Toph and make himself an heir to the biggest fortune in the Earth Kingdom, save for the Earth King's. Still, he could always marry the girl. He'd just have to pay the assassin and make sure that Toph didn't see him.

"Don't push it, buddy," she said, poking him in the side. She grinned. "You have as much fun as I do, running around the estate hiding from everybody."

***

"Good, good," said Poppy, still smiling. "Our little Toph is headstrong, but a good girl. Perhaps you and she shall become friends?"

"Possibly more than that," said Lao Bei Fong.

He was no stranger to politics and diplomacy, and he knew a good match when he saw one. The marriage of his daughter and this young man would benefit both sides, Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe alike, and Toph would be taken care of by a dependable husband.

"Fine, I do. But being glared at by your parent during dinner makes me lose my appetite sometimes," Sokka told her with a shrug.

*

"I'd be honored," Hahn told the two smoothly, "For the good of both our families. Did... she say how she enjoyed the festivities at the Fire Nation?"

"And thus the advantage of being blind. It does come in handy sometimes," she laughed. She gave him a clumsy kiss on the cheek. As dizzy as she was, thanks to the rolling ship, it was all she could manage. "Seriously, don't worry. You'll be fine."

***

"Toph says she left quite early, before the reception," said Lao. He sighed. "How like our daughter. She can be quite rude, and even to her friend the Fire Lord. This does nothing for her reputation."

Poppy patted his arm. "Let's not complain too much. She is coming home. That is a blessing."

Sokka grinned at her and wrapped an arm around her so that she would have a better idea about where he was and to help make her feel better.

"I know," he told her.

*

"Well, there must be something about her that allows her to attract such friends in high places," Hahn told them smoothly with a small smile.

"He knows now, huh?" she teased. She was glad to have his arm around her. It helped orient her like nothing else. She could almost forget how sick she felt when he was around. "Well, good."

***

"Oh, yes," said Poppy, smiling. "Toph is a very bright, affectionate girl. In her own way, of course."

"She could do with being a bit more lady-like, befitting her noble standing," said Lao. He waved a hand. "But no matter. Our daughter is who she is. You will meet her soon enough, Master Hahn. I will arrange it so that you and she will have time alone, to get to know one another."

Sokka grinned at her and kissed her on the cheek, "Well, it's good that she thinks it's good."

*

"That would be wonderful," Hahn told Lao with a charming smile, "I shall be looking forward to it."

She smiled and leaned back against the wall, though she did scoot over a little so that he could sit down next to her if he wanted to.

***

"Good," said Lao. He nodded. "It shall be done then. We should prepare for her arrival, then."

He quickly ordered a few servants to start preparations.