Book Four: Air

"I don't know," she said, not about to let the stranger get in the last word. "How 'bout girl kicking wounded warrior's butt for being such an idiot?"

For all her tough words, Toph was smiling. The last time she had been that frightened, she and Sokka had almost died on that air-ship. Now, as then, someone had come just in the nick of time.

She decided she might actually thank him later.

Her cries of alarm had not gone unnoticed. Guards pushed into the small room.

"What's going on?" demanded one.

"And why aren't you at your post, Toph?" said another.

Toph just glared in the voice's direction. That would be Sai. She didn't like him, and he didn't like her.

"Because my friend needed me. And you're one to talk. You were probably out screwing some girl just a few minutes ago."

"Why, you--!" growled Sai.

"Enough, soldier." The officer took in the scene. "Rat-vipers... How did they get in here?" he said, surprised. He looked at Sokka. "You are very lucky, young man. Rat-viper poison is very potent. It can kill a man if it is not treated soon enough."

"Yeah. I think I guessed that," Sokka told the officer, doing his best not to sound sarcastic. After all, he had experienced the poison firsthand. He smiled at Toph, "Thanks. I owe you my life... Again. That's three times. The little incident with Katara doesn't count. She wouldn't have killed me."

IC: Azon

Azon walked right past the guards and back into the hall without so much as a glance from them. He walked over towards the wall and rested his back against it. Giving Toph and the fool some privacy was needed he supposed. He looked down at the piece of Rat-Viper he had stolen before placing it away in his cloak.

"I suppose I'll simply wait until she is done."

"That's just what she wants you to think!" said Toph, with a silly grin. She hoped she wasn't blushing as much as she thought she was. "And, seriously, Snoozles, don't thank me. I didn't do--"

"Sokka!"

Suki pushed past the guards, and shoved those back who tried to stop her, into the room. She immediately hugged Sokka close.

"Thank goodness you are okay..." she whispered. "I heard the alarm, and someone said you had been attacked... Oh, I'm just glad you are okay."

Toph felt something inside her shrivel up and die. Grumbling, she stood and dusted herself off.

"I'm back to work, then," she muttered, in no mood to be around the two lovebirds.

Sokka was safe now, anyway. That's all that mattered.

Toph left, just as the healers arrived.

Sokka grinned at his girlfriend and hugged her back, though he still felt a little weak. He frowned as he watched Toph leave, however. He didn't know why, but he felt a little disappointed. Something in him wished that Toph was hugging him like Suki was at the moment. He inwardly sighed and turned to Suki, "I'm fine. Just need to go back to sleep. Not used to being worken up so early."

IC: Azon

Azon was waiting for her outside the room.

"A prized jewel is always more desirable when more than one person is attempting to sieze it."

A smiled formed on his visible lips.

"Even if the jewel is a fool. But I digress; well done on saving your friend, Toph."

He turned and started to walk down the hallway.

"I wonder what else is on this floor...the mass of energy perhaps? I can't tell; much too bright."

Mai's eyes widened in surprise as she realized that the powerful firebender was her father-in-law of all people. She was currently gripping a kunai as she glanced at Ozai's throat, prepared to try and kill him if she had to. Of course she knew that even if she did kill Ozai, he would certainly return the favor as he died and so she simply continued to stare at him. "Well I guess this means the Avatar isn't as strong as everyone keeps telling me. That's certainly unfortunate." She commented as though she was simply bored.

"So....will I be executed or used as some sort of playing card?"

Wuong

"Thank you Fire Lord. I want what's best for my people. While I would like for them to get the chance to succeed, form a new nation, I know that may not happen. If what's best for them is not this, then I can accept that. At the very least, we need to calm the tensions in the colonies. Perhaps we can further continue this discussion with the Avatar, milord." Wuong suggested. He was glad that they seemed to have reached an agreement. Hopefully with Avatar Aang's help, they could resolve this situation.

Jing

"Yes, we have. It seems Toph is in love with Sokka of the Water Tribe." Jing reported.

Zuko

"Yes, that sounds best," Zuko said. "I think we'll have to disband the event tomorrow, unless we tell them the colonists have become violent. My countrymen and the Earth Kingdom would most likely become even more aggressive because of it." If Aang went to the colonies, Zuko would likely return home to the Fire Nation to check up on Mai. He had been worried about her ever since hearing of his father's escape, though he knew that she was capable of defending herself, especially since he could not bend anymore.

IC: General Narrative

Suki could only laugh. "I should think not! Usually you're down until noon or later!"

"That might be in his best interest this time around," said one of the healers. She looked over Sokka carefully. "He was very lucky not to have been bitten badly. Even a small amount of the venom can kill a man."

She looked Sokka in the eye. "You'll be tired for a while, and need some rest. Don't overdo it, understand?"

"I'll make sure of that," said Suki.

"Think you are up to telling us what happened?" asked one of the guards. He looked uneasy. "Pardon my saying so, but rat-vipers, and two of them, don't just pop up in a room at night in a mansion."

***

IC: Toph

She did not stop the strange man with force this time around. She did not even snap back with a sarcastic remark after his own "too close to the truth" statements. Toph did, however, chase after him. She walked beside him, and only then did she stop him.

"Who are you?" she said. "What are you? Are you some kind of spirit?"

***

IC: Mercenaries

Maku burst out laughing. "Is she now?" he said. "Well, ain't that rich? I guess she's at that age! Bless her... I bet we could use that."

Chan merely blinked. "How?"

"Use your imagination, man! A girl infatuated with a boy is more bound to make mistakes than one who just doesn't care."

***

IC: Soldiers

They followed the trail left behind by the old man, and used their own gut too, in the search for Iroh. So far they had not turned up anything, save for one sighting at an old fishing hut. They had no idea where he was headed.

"The General ain't gonna like this..." said the leader.

***

IC: NPC

A rap came at the door to Aang and Katara's rooms. A servant poked his head inside.

"Pardon me, Avatar Aang, Lady Katara," he said, slowly. "But I thought you should know... Your brother, Lady Katara. There was an attack of some sort..."

IC: Ozai

"Well thought, my daughter," smiled Ozai.

"But not before you watch as my traitorous son recieves his punishment. Now, come along Mai, it's time for us to leave before the guards return."

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IC: Azon

Azon stopped, a little taken aback. He reached up and pushed his hood down, revealing his messy brown hair and blindfolded eyes once more. It also revealed a forming blue bruise upon his cheek.

"That punch did hurt, Toph," he said.

"I am no spirit. I am Azon; people of the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and even the Water Tribes, refer to me as The Sage. People may think me to be a spirit, but I am flesh and blood just like you."

He flicked Toph quickly upon the forehead.

Sokka turned to the healer and frowned a little. He spoke, "I don't know how they got in my room. I was asleep at the time. I guess it was an assassination attempt."

Mai scanned the area around here and decided that there was no point in waiting for the guards ir trying to fight Ozai if she wanted to live a bit longer. The Fire Lady put her arms down as she came out of her fighting stance, quietly rehooking her Kunai back to the knife holder she had placed in her sleeve. She had always heard that Ozai was more powerful then he was intelligent, so she figured that saving the blades could be useful in case an opening was revealed later.

She silently looked up at her Father-in-law and sighed as she studied his face. He certainly wasn't insane like Azula had been, but there was still something....not right with him it felt like. "So where are you going now?"
-----------------------------
"Is he ok!?" Aang quickly asked the guard as he jumped off of his bed, still fully dressed in his traveling clothes.

IC: NPC Servant

The servant quailed. "I... I'm not sure. I think he is. The healers are now with him. Lady Toph raised the alarm just in time, I think. But it would perhaps be best for you to see for yourselves."

***

IC: General Narrative

"Hm. I was thinking the same thing," said the guard. "My only question is how the would-be assassins got those creatures past our defenses."

Sai snorted. "I'm wondering why they tried to kill him, and not someone more important."

Suki glared at the soldier. "Sokka is a friend of the Avatar, and the prince of the Southern Water Tribe. He is important."

***

IC: Toph

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," said Toph. She rubbed her forehead. "You can still do some weird stuff. Stuff I never thought anyone could do, except maybe Aang." She frowned at Azon's chest. "You're... different somehow."

Toph was quiet for a moment or two. And then she sighed.

"Thanks. For, you know... Saving Sokka's life. He's my best friend. I don't want to lose him."

Sokka flushed, both in anger at Sai for calling him unimportant and in pride at being called a prince. They didn't use the term prince in the Southern Water Tribe. He was just the son of the Chief who was democratically elected, something unusual, he came to realize.

Sai did not seem the least bit contrite at having insulted Sokka. If anything, he took some pride in having bothered the young warrior so badly. He did not say another word, but he did look very smug.

"Rest assured, Master Sokka," said the officer, "we will get to the bottom of this."

"Until then, you need to rest," said the healer, not for the first time.

"I can stay with him, in case he needs anything," said Suki. She smiled at Sokka. "If you want me to, that is."

Sokka turned to Suki and smiled a little. He was grateful that she wanted to stay by him, but he wished for some reason that Toph would offer that. He probably just wanted to thank her for saving his life. He didn't get why she left so quickly. He shook his head, "Nah. I think I'll be sleeping most of the time, anyway. I don't want to keep you awake for no reason."

Suki only chuckled. "If that's what you want. I didn't want to listen to you snore, anyway."

She leaned forward and kissed him.

"Call if you need anything, Sokka," she said, kissing his forehead before walking away. "Good-night."

The soldiers and healers present nodded.

"Well, we'll leave you to some rest," said the officer. "I'm posting a few guards outside your door, Master Sokka, if it is all the same to you."

IC: Azon

"Your thanks are not neccessary," replied Azon.

"It was your energy that saved him; I simply acted as its humble guide. You saved his life, not I."

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IC: Ozai

"We are leaving this city," replied Ozai.

He raised his fist, smiling from his hood at Mai.

"Unfortunately, you won't be awake to know where."

IC: Toph

Toph grunted, shrugging. "If you say so. I feel like I did something, but I still think you did all the real work." Crossing her arms, she felt free to add, "And I still wish you'd tell me why you keep following me around but won't let anyone else know you're there."

IC: Azon

"At the moment, only the guards and the citizens are unaware that I am here," replied Azon.

"The reason I don't want to be see is quite simple. You just saw how I helped you save your friend from the brink of death. Now imagine that everyone in the world knows this. What do you think they'd do?"

He smiled, turning to stare out the a nearby window and into the night air.

"They'd hound you, they'd search for you, always attempting to sieze miracles from you; healing their land, saving their dead. I am not the Avatar; my responsibility is not to humanity. What I do is not the manipulation of the four elements, I can not act rashly, or the consequences could be far worse than the original problem."

Sokka nodded mutely at the healers as they brought him to his room. Something was bothering him, he realized as he was laid on his bed. That kiss with Suki, though great in his opinion, reminded him of his dreamgirl. His frown deepened further, however, when he realized something. He liked kissing the girl in his dream better. That bothered him.

Thus, with a heavy heart, he fell asleep, which was a little more difficult than it should have been, given the circumstances.
(3 guesses who his dream girl is.)

OOC: I don't think it would be fair for me to guess. XD

Though would anyone like to guess who wants Sokka dead?

***

IC: Toph

She chewed the inside of her cheek. "Okay, I get that. But that's not what I was talking about. If you don't want anyone knowing what you can do, then why'd you do it for me?" Toph gestured with an arm. "Or do all that other seeing stuff for me? Why are you so interested in me, period. That's what I can't figure out."

She scowled. "You're probably just going to tell me I can't know any of that yet."

***

IC: General Narrative

A guard was set up outside Sokka's door. More than that, though, the defenses of the entire mansion were strengthened. The men and women in charge of protecting the visitors did not want to take any more chances.

***

IC: ?

They were in the city, safe and sound, by now. They shared a pint of ale.

One of the men swore. "I can't believe it! That stupid kid survived!"

"Our guy's not gonna like that," said his companion.

"We'll still have to inform him." He swigged a gulp of drink. "This one... I don't think he's gonna let up on this job. He wants Sokka dead. Must be a personal thing."

IC: Azon

"That really bothers you doesn't it?" smiled Azon.

"The reason I'm interested in you is obvious. Tell me Toph, how many people do you know, besides you and I, that can see without seeing?"

He flicked her on the forehead.

"Believe it or not, Toph, you ability is not common. In fact, I've never found someone who could see with their element to the extent you can. I'm curious about it; curious about you. I think you and I will have a fine relationship. I can bear witness to your Earthbending sight simply by staying with you, and I will allow you to see whatever you like through my eyes in return."

He turned and continued his walk.

"Yin and Yang, Milady, everything stays in balance."

IC: Toph

"Hey! You're not my Yin or my Yang, buddy!" shouted Toph after him. "So get that through your thick skull already!"

She shivered and, with a sigh, let him go. His saving Sokka had given him some leeway when it came to her, but not by much. Toph was also just glad to be without him for a while. His curiousity and comments, like "I think you and I will have a fine relationship," irritated her.

It was kind of creepy.

***

OOC: I'll be moving on to the next day in my next post.