Tokka South Pole Visit: Ch 9

Ch 9

Aang and Toph were both taken aback by this, shouting in harmonious disbelief "WHAT!?!?"

Katara held up a scroll. "They're out at Whale Tail Island. Aang, if we hurry we might catch them."

"I'm coming too." Toph chimed in.

"No," commanded Katara, "You're on vacation and you're no good out over the water."

"I can still-"

"No," Katara was being insistent, but trying to stay calm. She went over and placed a hand on Toph's shoulder. "Aang and I will go and handle the pirates."

Toph's head shook in disbelief about to become stubborn. But then her eyes narrowed. She snatched Katara by her wrist. "Say that again."

Katara's eyes widened. "What?" She tried to pull her hand away, but Toph's grip was solid. "Aang and I have handled pirates before. Ow." Katara's new statement tried to remedy her mistake, but the damage had been done.

"That's not what you said, Katara," her grip tightening on Katara's wrist.

Katara twisted and pulled at her arm uselessly, still trying to get away "Owww. That hurts, Toph."

"Say it."

Aang started to get involved now. "Toph, let g- oooff" Toph stiff-armed him causing the Air-bender to fall on his bum.

"Where are the pirates, Katara?"

Katara winced as she realized there was no way out of it. "They're …. They're …" She glanced quickly left, right, all around her line of sight, trying to find something to help her be 'truthful' but she came up empty. Katara sighed and looked down at her feet, mumbling, "They're not real."

"KATARA!"

"Look, Toph. It's just to convince Sokka that we have a legitimate reason to leave you two behind, nothing more."

"I don't care," Toph shouted. "You two are NOT going to leave me here alone with him."

Aang hopped back up and re-engaged himself in the conversation, "Why not?" He hadn't been involved but he thought it was a great idea.

Toph wheeled on him, no longer worried about taking on the both of them in this argument. "Because, I'm not ready, and I'm not going to put myself in the position to where all I have to do is spend an entire week in one giant awkward moment."

Katara's instinct was to stand with Aang to back him up, but instead decided to move to the other side of Toph. The earth-bender was used to fighting a unified front, not harassment from all sides. It was a dirty trick, but they were trying to help her."Toph, it isn't going to be an awkward moment unless you let it become that. Just tell him you like him and if he doesn't, life goes on."

"She's right, Toph. If any of us let our feelings get in the way like this you'd hit us with a rock and tell us to stop being such a pansy."

Toph was getting beyond frustrated now. "I don't CARE. You're not me, and I'm not you. I think I'm entitled to let my feelings run my life for once."

Now it was Katara's turn. "But Toph, you're not letting your feelings run things. Your feelings are telling you to love him. You're just being a pansy and letting a bunch of little fuzzy feelings scare you into nightmares, panic-attacks, and throwing up in the middle of the street like a possessed child."

Toph grit her teeth together in anger. This was infuriating. Why did Katara have to meddle? Why did she want this to move forward so badly? "Katara, for the last time, STOP trying to set me up. Stay away from Sokka and just let me handle it when I want to."

Katara set her jaw and glared still arguing with Toph in her mind. Toph set herself facing Katara like an opponent. If there had been any earth around Aang wouldn't have been surprised if the two women had started hurling their native elements at each other. It wouldn't have been the first time.

But then Katara did something unexpected. "Fine," she said, still glaring, "do what you want. But if you don't ever tell him then you're going to regret not knowing for the rest of your life." She knew she was getting dangerously close to telling Toph about her brother's own secrets. Much as she wanted to give the blind woman proof that her feelings would be reciprocated, she'd already sworn a silent oath of secrecy to her brother. Fortunately though, she'd already initiated plan-b. Or was it C? It didn't matter.

Toph wasn't quite ready to back down. She wanted to make another fight out of that last statement. But she wanted to end the argument before Sokka came back more than anything else. "Can I just eat some fruit?"

Katara's voice softened at this and managed a smile "Yeah," she handed the scroll to Aang, "Aang, take care of this before Sokka gets home, I'll cut up some peaches for Toph." Much as Toph was going to hate her for it, Katara was going to help her friend no matter what. She wasn't going to break any promises if she didn't have to, at least, not any major ones.

Aang was a little baffled by the sudden shift in mood. He almost thought he'd blacked out for part of the fight. But he did as he was told; taking the scroll he nodded and left, intending to burn the scroll in the living room fireplace. He was a little curious to see what exactly Katara had written. Whatever it was it probably wouldn't pass for an official document. Which wouldn't have mattered considering that Toph couldn't read and thus wouldn't know about how an official document would look.

But then it would be interesting to see how good Katara was at forging official documents. They'd seen plenty of them after the war had finished.

Curiosity got the better of him and he opened to scroll. It read, 'Get Appa ready, we don't have much time.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Katara pulled out a knife to cut up the borrowed moon-peaches she prayed Aang would read the scroll. She hadn't counted on Toph figuring out her lie, but she knew better than to let her entire plan hang by a single thread. Of course, a plan of two threads wasn't all that great either, but it was better than just the one. Aang's adherent curiosity was almost just as reliable as Toph's lie detection, so things were pretty well set to go smoothly from now on.
Assuming she could get away from the stubborn truth reader before Aang was missed.

Toph found her way to the table and into a chair, listening to the sound of Katara cutting peaches. That sound wasn't enough to keep Toph's sensory deprived mind busy so she extended herself, trying to hear sounds further out; the wind's gentle moan out on the frost covered buildings, the pat and crunch of boots in the streets. It was odd sensing things in this way again, but it had a calming effect. It proved to her body that she wasn't alone. On the earth that wasn't a problem, those unspoken assurances came naturally. Now on the ice she had to work to find them. She couldn't feel them anymore, now she needed to listen. If she didn't she'd probably go mad.

Katara put the sliced peaches into a saucer and transferred it to the table in front of Toph.

Toph didn't know why Katara felt the need to slice the peaches. It was time consuming and Toph preferred holding the fruit in her hand anyways. She could tell where the peach was and wasn't, and keep the sticky juice off her hands. Now she'd have to chase the slices around whatever dish Katara had put them in and probably end up getting peach excrement all over herself. But it was whatever. So long as it kept Katara from running off and joining the pirate circus Toph supposed she shouldn't complain.

Hakoda entered the home just then, bee-lining for the kitchen. He'd just finished a fishing expedition early due to a quick catch. "Good afternoon ladies. How was your shopping trip?" The new smell accompanied with his sounds bewildered Toph but she welcomed the change.

Katara glanced at Toph, who resisted the urge to grouse, before speaking up. "Toph wasn't feeling well so we had to stop before we found what we wanted."

The Chief scratched his beard sympathetically. "That's too bad. Hope it's nothing serious," he said looking to Toph.

Toph felt their gazes falling on her and she waved them off. "I'll live," she said. "I'm just stressed from getting used to the ground, or lack thereof."

He nodded, remembering Toph's difference in perception. "Well, if there's anything I can do to help. Let me know," he said reassuringly. He then saw the peaches on the counter "I didn't know we had moon-peaches," he exclaimed, moving towards the counter. "I'd have taken some out with me."

"Aang got them for Toph, dad," Katara said trying to intercede before he began scarfing down all of Toph's fruit. "She's not feeling well, remember?"

"Oh, button it, nursemaid, I'm not dying." Toph swung her boot towards the water-bender, thunking it against the chair.

Katara conceded, lifting her hands in surrender. Hakoda didn't wait for any more confirmation and plucked up 2 peaches. As he turned to the table Toph picked up the saucer and handed it in the man's general direction. "Trade ya."

The chief smiled and accepted the saucer. It didn't matter to him whether peaches were sliced, diced, minced, chopped, or whole. They all ended up in the same place. He placed the two whole peaches in Toph's waiting hand and sat down as she took a rather large, and unladylike, bite out of one peach.

Katara couldn't help but feel a slight bit jaded by the exchange, but she didn't let it get to her. Instead she snagged two slices from her dad's dish and stood, heading out the door.

"Where're you off to?" Toph asked.

Katara shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "Well, uhhh-"

Toph held up a hand to stop her. "Okay."

Hakoda was mildly baffled by this and couldn't hold in his, "Huh?"

Without missing a beat Toph answered his question with a smirk, "Bathroom."

"! TOPH!"

Hakoda couldn't hold down a quick snort. "Sorry hunnie."

Katara glared and huffed. "Grrah, you..." Angered and embarrassed, Katara stormed off in an almost false temper to go find Aang.

Toph held in her laughter as long as she could stand, trying to wait for Katara to get out of earshot. Then let out a loud belly laugh. Hakoda, though embarrassed for his daughter's sake, couldn't help but chuckle along with young girl. After they had quieted themselves Hakoda spoke, "You two just can't seem to keep from quarreling."

Toph sighed out a, "Yeah I know," half way plotting out the speech about 'getting along', or 'respecting others.'

Instead the man responded with a, "That's good."

Puzzled Toph couldn't help but blurt out, "What?"

Hakoda smiled at this, "It's nice to see Katara acting childish every now and again." His expression grew somber and down up into nothingness but still held a loving smile. "She's always been more mature than her age, but ever since her mother died she just grew up way too fast."

Toph thought about that and knew he was right. She'd always known. She'd just never questioned why because to her that's just the way Katara was, "Yeah."

"Sokka did too," he added. "But he's had more chance to experience childhood than his sister." He grinned now, "Still does from time to time."

Toph smiled knowingly and felt her tummy want to giggle.

After a moment without Toph responding the father decided to add, "but you already knew that didn't you?" and took a big bite of his peach.