Book Four: Air

"Shut up," said Toph. She was not in the mood for Azon and his words. "I hate it when you talk like Twinkle Toes. It's like you can read my mind." She glowered in his general direction. "Do you have to keep following me around? I thought I got rid of you this morning."

***

Suki packed her things and, as she said she would, she waited on Sokka in the main courtyard outside the mansion.

She did not not know how long it would take him to join her, but Suki did not much mind. She practiced some forms and enjoyed the view from the high place the mansion enjoyed in the city.

IC: Azon

"How does one loose that which can not be found?" replied Azon, walking around the bed towards Toph.

"I do not follow you because I have to; I follow you because I want to. Besides, you speak of it as if it is a problem. You follow Avatar Aang do you not? You follow your friend, the fool. Following your energy is as easy as following a shining light; you can't get rid of me, so we might as well get along."

He leapt onto the bed and sat cross legged.

"So, where could you be going that you are unhappy about traveling to? You'll be with the fool, I presume."

OOC: Did you get my PM, Fire Lord? My internet went out as I sent it, and I want to make sure.

***

IC: Toph

Her scowl darkened. "Don't call him that," she said. "Sokka's silly, but he's not a fool. He's a hero. Start talking about him like he is."

After that little spill, Toph sighed.

"We're going to the Earth Kingdom. I haven't been there in almost a year."

Sokka yawned as he left his room, heading for the courtyard. He hoped he hadn't slept too late. He'd feel bad if he kept her waiting for too long. He grinned when he saw Suki practicing. He spoke, "Your ready for our date?"

IC: Suki

She beamed when she heard him. "What do you think?" she asked, teasing him a little. Cocking her head some, Suki added with a laugh, "You took a nap, didn't you? You have a bed-head, Sokka."

She did not seem to mind, though, because she slipped her arm through his and walked with him down the path towards the city proper.

"So, what do you want to do first? Eat a good, hearty meal? Or go out and dance, or something else?"

"Hmm... I think dancing should work up my appetite. Are you sure about treating me?" he asked teasingly. He smoothed down with his free hand as he led her out of the courtyard.

"Of course I'm sure," she said. "You treated me last time, remember? We might as well take turns. Besides..."

Suki grinned at him.

"You are taking me dancing. I want to show my appreciation!"

They came on the festival she had heard about only that morning. It was a part of the tournament that had just finished that afternoon. Stalls selling a great variety of merchandise, from food to masks, lined the main street. Music played from a smaller square not far away.

(No I didn't)

IC: Azon

Azon watched her for a moment.

"And you worry about what you will face there...or...who you will face there."

Azon reached up and put down his hood, revealing his messy brown hair and blindfolded eyes.

"The future is an ever changing force Milady, even with my sight I can not always read it. But what I do know is that it is our future. You trust the path you choose and create it. You do not know what they will say; what they will do; how they will react. But as long as you stay your path, everything will turn out as it should."

He reached behind him and picked up a small sack.

"I have something for you."

He dropped the bag onto the bed and a pile of gold pieces fell out.

"Five thousand gold pieces. I have no use for money; but I thought you might enjoy it."

Sokka grinned, "Just warning you. You know how much I eat." With that said, he offered Suki his hand for a dance.

IC: Suki

She gladly took his offered hand. "I do at that. But I think we'll be okay," said Suki, still smiling. "You can buy us snacks at one of the stalls, though."

***

IC: Toph

"Enjoy money?" Toph smiled crookedly. "You really don't know me, do you? Back home, I'd be swimming in money. I scam it off other people, but only 'cause that's fun. I don't enjoy the actual deal much."

It was the truth, for the most part. She enjoyed earning money more than she did having it all to herself. She guessed it came from a past of having more money than she could stand. Money meant...

Home. Mom and Dad. Trapped...

Toph frowned a little. "You're not trying to court me or something, are you?"

IC: Azon

"Do not think me so trivial, Milady Toph," replied Azon.

"Besides, you're much too young for me. Truth be told, I'm buying my passage with you. In compensation for following you, I offer you money and my eyes. I thought actually offering you a choice would build trust between us."

Toph snorted, amused. She had gotten something of a rise out of him. It was what she had been aiming for with the question. That pleased her, and helped smooth some of the jagged edge off her foul mood.

"You don't have to offer me anything. Money I've got. The eye thing, maybe. You're going to follow me around, anyway, so I guess I should get used to it."

Katara

"What do you think about all this," Katara asked Aang after finding him after the council. She drew him into a hug, thinking he might need one. Being the Avatar was a heavy burden, especially since Aang was still young, and shouldn't be dealing with all these politics yet. Then again, none of her friends should have, but they were caught up in it.

Sokka grinned as he led her to the snack stalls, "Well, I could use the energy for dancing."

IC: Suki

She laughed. "Of course you do," she said. Suki fondly patted his stomach. "You're always thinking with this, aren't you? I don't mind. I think I'll need some energy too."

There was a great variety of snacks to be bought amongst the stalls. Suki settled on a type of chocolate-covered apple-pear. It helped satisfy her sweet-tooth.

IC: Azon

"That's the spirit, Milady Toph," replied Azon.

"When life sends a tildewave after you; you grab hold and use it to move forward."

He folded his hands behind his head and grinned at her.

"I can see your energy travel, and your future looks bright...and...interesting."

Sokka grinned as he brough a couple of chocolate apple-pears, Fire gummies, and a couple of other snacks he'd never seen before.
He spoke, "And your point is?"

IC: Suki

"What point?" she asked. "I am only making an observation."

Suki poked him in the gut.

"At least I'll always know how to please you, right?"

***

IC: Toph

"So I'm a neat little side-show for you, huh?"

Her good mood vanished almost immediately. She shrugged, and tossed her pack into a corner. She'd pick it up, later, when they left in the morning.

"I do like entertaining," she said, at last, with a small grin that did not reach anywhere else. "Now do you mind? I want to take a nap, and I really don't want you watching me when I'm sleeping."

IC: Azon

"No, not a slideshow, Milady Toph," replied Azon.

"I can see the possible roads your future will take, but in the end, only you can decide which path to choose. Your future does not provide me entertainment, Milady Toph..."

He stepped off the bed, reaching up to recover his head with his hood.

"Your future gives me hope."

He vanished from her sight.

"Ow..." Sokka whined before grinning at his girlfriend, "I suppose."

IC: Suki

"No supposing about it!" she laughed. "I can make you happy just by giving you a meat platter for dinner. Which I'm going to do, by the way, once we have a bit of fun." Suki suddenly hugged him close. "I like making you happy."

***

IC: Toph

She wondered if he was really gone or not. Toph knew he could appear and reappear, and not be seen by anybody, including her, if he wanted it that way. But it was silence all around her. She only sensed a small throb in the background.

At least it felt like she was alone.

Toph released a long, slow breath.

"He's a walking, talking fortune cookie," she mumbled to herself.

She crawled into the bed and tried to rest.

***

IC: Fire Nation soldier

"Fire Lord Zuko!"

A soldier raced up to Zuko. Out of breath and pale, he looked frightened and very much upset.

"My Lord, I must speak with you! It concerns... It concerns matters you must know about immediately!"

Sokka smiled and hugged his girlfriend back, "I like making me happy too." He grinned at her to let her know he was teasing, "I like making you happy, also."

Zuko

Whatever Zuko was going to do, it was now put on hold, as a soldier ran up to him. "Go ahead, tell me," Zuko said. If this had anything to do with his father or the colonies... well, he hoped it was good news, even if it seemed good news was scarce recently.

IC: Soldier

The soldier nodded, but he still looked urgent and uneasy.

"My Lord, there has been word from the capital. Back home! My Lord, I'm sorry, but..." He gulped, and added, "No one has seen your wife, sir. Fire Lady Mai has gone missing!"

***

IC: Suki

"I guess you can be sweet sometimes," said Suki, chuckling. She kissed him. "Now finish up your snacks, lover boy. We have some dancing to do!"

***

IC: Kara

Kara glanced over the room with some pride. She and Chan had ransacked it well. It looked as if there had been a fight, and a violent one at that, in the room. It would add credence to the little lie they had worked up, both for the girl and for the other children.

"I shall rejoin Maku and Lady Jing, then," said Chan.

She nodded. "I have a bit of work to do myself, before then. Do not wait for me. I can always catch up with you and the others."

"Very good."

The former soldier darted out of the window. Kara watched his figure vanish into the night. She smiled, briefly, and sat in a corner.

And, with a deep breath, she knocked her head against the wall. The thud resonated, but she had done it in such a way that it would not hurt her too badly.

It was the sound she wanted.

***

IC: Toph

She started awake. Her feet had been shoved against the wall--her favorite sleeping position, when she was on an actual bed--and she had easily felt the thud coming through the support. It had traveled some, and weakened, but it was as clear to her as daylight was to others.

Something had happened in Sokka's room.

Toph could only think about what had happened the night before. She jumped out of bed and ran for Sokka's room. The hallways were quiet and silent, now that it was late. Most people were either in bed or at that festival she had heard about.

But Sokka was the only one on her mind.

She burst into the room. She did not need the ability to see to realize that it was trashed. It felt as if there had been a scuffle.

Her breath caught in her throat. Sokka was not here. She could not hear him...

No! Sokka!

"Lady Toph...?"

She did not recognize the voice. At all. It came from someone laying on the ground. It was a woman, and she sounded very dazed. She tried to sit up and shuddered.

"What happened?" asked Toph, coming towards her. She helped the woman into a chair. "Where's Sokka?" Her voice came in urgent gasps.

"I... I don't know..." said the servant. "He... He was taken. I came in, to see if he would like something to eat... They... they took him..."

"Who? Who took him?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry. I tried..." The woman bit back a sob. "I tried to stop them, but they were too strong."

Toph's head was spinning. Her heart was in her throat, but she still found a firm voice. "That's okay. Did you see anything? Hear anything? Anything that might tell us where they're headed with him?"

"I... They mentioned a cove, and they went north, I think..."

"Deadman's Cove."

Toph knew it. The cove was north of the city, and on the opposite side of the Island from the main wharfs of the town. It was used by smugglers, or just by folks who wanted to escape unseen from the guard posting at the docks.

That had to be where these jerks were dragging Sokka off to. Well, not if she could help it!

She gripped the woman's shoulders. "Listen. I need you to go find someone. Zuko, Aang, Katara, Suki, or anyone else. Got it? Tell them what's happened. Don't dawdle! Tell them to head to Deadman's Cove, okay? I'll try and slow them down until then. Now get going!"

Toph was out the window and pushing up the street before the servant could stop her. She left the city far behind and took to the jungles.

She headed north.

I'm coming, Sokka...

***

IC: Kara

Well, that had been easy. The girl was so eager to save her crush that she had leaped right into danger, and alone at that, without really looking.

She was blind, though. It only made sense. The woman was only glad that the girl, who was famed for being able to pick up on lies, had been unable to see past her own.

But Kara was a very good liar.

Kara stood, and left the room. She made for Toph's room, and another act she would have to play.

***

OOC: I have planned on letting Toph get caught, so that Magus and I can play around with a plot we've cooked up that involves Long Feng.

OOC: Sorry again. I feel bad for holding Ozai up on you, Fire Lord.

--------

IC: Drakon & The Voice

Catching the girl in his monstrous arms, an air of confusion seemed to rise from the cracks in the armour. "Gursh?" He was careful not to drop her, or bang her head, but one could tell that he was still a Tiger-Bull handling fine china.

A few minutes later, a small wagon approached, driven by the Voice. Pulling to a stop, she motioned for the two to climb aboard, before taking Mai from Drakon and placin her gently in the back. Drakon clambered aboard as quietly as possible.

--------

IC: Samanya

Walking the halls quietly, Samanya's eyes flicked lazily about as he searched for something, or someone, to entertain him until he could find someting more...productive to do with it. The small one had vanished since he had last seen her, and no one else in the building really seemed to tolerate his overwhelming curiosity for longe than a few minutes.

Plus, he had been told to 'retire early' by the guards from his protection career. Which begged the question...what on earth did retire mean?