Book Four: Air

Sokka nodded and began to search for a button or something. After a few minutes of searching, he found a rope, which he was able to pull, opening the compartment and revealing Toph. He grinned at her, "Good to see you."

"Wish I could say the same," she said, in a very bland voice. Deep down, though, she was relieved to hear him so close. Toph moved around in her restraints, but still failed to do anything on her own. "Mind helping me out one last time? I can't bend these metal chains."

Jerrel watched the two for a moment before a smug look appeared on his face. "Soooo....besides being friends and accompanying the Avatar during the war, anything I should be filled in about?" Jerrel asked mainly looking at Sokka, but the smugness could be heard in Jerrel's voice.

"Oh, shut-up, Jerrel!" snapped Toph. She turned her face back towards Sokka. "Just ignore him and help me out of here, Sokka. Believe it or not, I really don't like small spaces."

"I can imagine," Sokka muttered as he took out a lockpick he had brought on their travels. He grinned as he picked at the locks, eventually freeing the blind girl within a couple minutes, "And Katara said I shouldn't have brought these..."

"But am I sure glad you did!"

Toph scrambled out of the cupboard. She only found wood, since the sloop was made of wood, but she was so glad for it that she almost hugged the floor. It just felt nice to be out in the open and in fresh air again.

She hated tight spaces....

And then she was not hugging the floor, but Sokka.

"Thank you for coming after me..." she said.

And, more on impulse than on common sense, she kissed him on the cheek.

Sokka felt his cheeks redden at her touch. He knew that it shouldn't have. Nor should his heart have skipped a beat. He was in love with Suki, right? Toph was his best friend. She probably was just happy to be out of her the cupboard.
He grinned at her and murmured the first thing that came to mind, "Always will."

Toph could only beam. She thought she had sensed heat coming off him, but that was just silly. She had just kissed him, hadn't she? Toph knew she was blushing too. And, strangely enough, she really did not mind.

"I'm glad to hear that," she said.

"Aw... Ain't that sweet..."

Toph flinched, and suddenly realized they were no longer alone.

The mercenaries stood at the end of the room. Maku was surrounded on either side by Chan and Kara.

Jerrel had left the two alone, somewhat, he had hidden himself in the shadows as he was trained to do. Wait for the right moment to strike, basic teachings of Earth Bending are always the most useful.

Sokka rolled his eyes. Why did the Spirits hate him so? He stood up and faced the mercenaries.
"What are you doing here?"

"It's our ship," said Maku, smiling. "We have a right to be walk around, don't you think? And, besides, with all the noise, we just had to come check on our guests. Kara?"

"Yes?" said the Water Tribe woman.

"There is still some of the full moon's influence, I think."

Kara sneered. "You are right." She held out her arms and clenched one fist. "Come here..."

Toph suddenly stole up. In a unsteady, wobbling gait--as if she were a puppet--she began walking towards the mercenaries.

"Hey. There's going to be none of that freaky blood-bending," Sokka told the Water Tribe woman angrily, steppping in front of Toph.

Kara only smirked at Sokka. "Is that so? What are you going to do to stop me, kid? It worked so well the last time."

She reached out with her free hand and clenched a fist. This time, she captured Sokka. She jerked him around, back and forth, and not for so to restrain him as it was to service her own amusement.

Sokka grimaced as he tried his best to move, bit was as thought his very insides were controlling his movements. He glared at the waterbender, "Is that all you got?"

Kara glared at him. "I could always destroy a blood vessel in your little brain," she said. "But we don't want anyone dying, now do we? We could always play around with your heart again, too. Or..."

Her blue eyes glimmered nastily.

"There's always that."

She bloodbent Sokka forward. The next thing anyone knew, she forced him to knee Toph in the gut. Toph, who still couldn't move, wasn't prepared for the blow, and gasped painfully. She didn't topple over, but that was only because Kara was keeping her standing.

Sokka's eyes widened when he saw what Kara made him do. He spoke, "Toph! I'm sorry! She's making me do this!"

IC: Azon

Azon was watching from the sideline. By the fact that Maku and his thugs did not react to him made it apparent that Toph was still the only one who could "see" him. He bent down slightly so his blindfolded eyes were level with her blind ones.

He sighed, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Move away from one's path, and the future will only be more painful," he whispered.

"What the heck are you talkin' about?" said Toph, in a single breath. It was all she could manage.

Kara, who could not see Azon, only laughed. "One little hit makes her delirious? Maybe she's not as tough as we've heard."

Maku held her by the arm. "Enough, Kara. We don't--"

"I know, I know," she muttered. "But we can do this, right?"

And then Toph kicked Sokka in the side of the knee.

Sokka grunted as he felt Toph hit his knee. Great, he thought, They're going to have us fight for their own amusement.

Katara

Katara saw Samanya was tossed into the same cell, and he was out cold. She couldn't help him because she was tied up and her bending water was lost, and she couldn't talk to him, though to be fair she hadn't really talked to him at all. She started hearing what was happening outside, and it was driving her crazy. That bloodbending witch was torturing Sokka and Toph, from what she could tell, which wasn't a whole lot.

Kara cursed. "It didn't bust his knee..." she said. She glanced at Toph, and noted the beads of sweat on her forehead. The woman smiled. "You're fighting me, aren't you?"

Toph really did not answer that question. She only said, "Don't hurt Sokka."

"Just keep them stationary, Kara," said Maku. "Your influence will not last for much longer, if she's fighting you." His attention turned towards Toph. "We can give you what you want, you know. We'll leave him alone if you agree to help us out."

"What do you want me to do?" said Toph.

"Does it really matter?" said Kara. "Wouldn't you do anything to protect your little boyfriend?"

Toph flushed. "He's not my boyfriend!"

"But you want him to be, don't you?" pressed on the waterbender, ruthless.

Toph looked terribly mortified by the question. It was true, after all, but she couldn't admit to it without telling Sokka the truth of her feelings.

Sokka looked up, caught off guard by the waterbender's words. Toph didn't want him to be her boyfriend, did she? He remembered back when Suki joined the group when they were traveling to Ba Sing Se. When she saved Toph from drowning, Toph kissed her on the cheek, thinking she was Sokka. But that was out of thankfulness, right? He did remember her being a little distant afterwards, though, when it was obvious Suki was his girlfriend.
"Whatever you want can't be good," Sokka said defiantly.

"Again, does it really matter?" said Kara. She was still speaking to Toph, and ignoring Sokka completely. "You do want to protect your friends, don't you? Protect him, don't you?"

Toph scowled and spat at her.

Kara, angry now, almost returned the rebuke with one of her own. Maku held her back from anything violent.

"Do not mind my lady," he said. "She could be much more polite. As it is, though, she is right. We need your help, Toph. Do that, and we will not harm your friends. It's that simple."

Toph's brow furrowed. "I already told Sokka I would do whatever you wanted me to, if you let my friends go," she said.

Maku grinned. "That's very nice to hear."

Sokka struggled against Kara's grip. He spoke to Toph, "And I already told you that I'm not leaving without you!"

"Which is a good thing, because you are not going anywhere," said Maku.

Toph jolted. Kara's hold over her still held, but it was weakening. She did not notice it, however. She was more concerned with what Maku just said.

"What? But I just told you I'd help you!"

"And we are very grateful for that," said the mercenary. "But I find that I really do not trust you."

"Wise," said Chan, for the first time. "Reports say she likes to con others, and is good at such."

Maku nodded. "Exactly, and that is why I want some insurance."

"So we're taking your little crush with us on our mission," said Kara. "So if you try anything funny, he's the one that'll pay for it."