a romantic walk through a maze of dark tunnels with a couple of badgernoles
Title: Roar of the Earth
Pairing: Tokka
Rating: T
Summary: "What?" she snapped, glad that it was dark in the tunnel they were using, else he might see the faint blush creeping across her face.
"I was just thinking," he began, "You're going to be sixteen next year. If you don't ease up on the tough you're never going to get a husband."
Word Count: 846
Disclaimer: I live with my parents. Seriously now. Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who, for some reason, have agreed to let their amazing series be made into a live action movie.
To be directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
And wait, what? I don’t own rights?
It had been almost three years. Not since he'd last seen her, of course. That would be too long. No. It had been nearly three years since Zuko ascended the throne, since they slowly started to put things back in balance. It hadn't been immediate, of course. In the Fire Nation alone a number of rebellions sprouted up. Fortunately with the dual force of the Avatar and the new Fie Lord they were quelled before they could spread their wildfire. Elsewhere in Ba Sing Se walls finally came down. In peace. The inhabitants of the city let themselves be aware of the rest of the world, and with the Earth King joining the cause, everything fell neatly into place.
Toph had been by his side for most of that time, but when the Council of the Four had finally adjourned - the two leaders of the Water Tribes, Zuko, The Earth King, King Bumi and Aang - she looked down at the ground and sighed, voicing that even though she wasn't thrilled about it, her parents would want to see her again.
And so she had gone.
For almost a year they heard nothing of her. In a panic he had traveled to Gao Ling himself. Apparently, the letters she was dictating to them had been confiscated by her parents. Sokka and Aang assured the Bei Fongs that Toph was in no danger of getting mixed up with international war affairs again and were allowed to take her to Omashu for a while and then to the Western Air Temple before she decided to return again.
Earth Rumble Nine was bigger than Earth Rumble Six had been, but The Blind Bandit remained undefeated since her grand return to the ring. Sokka often asked her why she did it.
"Don't you get bored?" he asked. "You're so much stronger than those other guys. It's like pushing rocks."
She shrugged. "Sometimes it gets boring. But since the world doesn't need a hero right now, it's all I can do." A grin. "Besides, as long as I'm Earthbending, I'm happy."
She'd grown, of course. Not much taller. Maybe two inches. But there was a new sort of rough beauty to her features that suggested maturity and new curves like rolling earthen hills. The sight of her made him feel the the earth was shifting under his feet, an earthquake from his heart to the soles of his feet.
The arena shook as The Avalanche hit the ground and the air roared with the earth as the crowd jumped up from their seats, screaming themselves hoarse at another victory. Banners that The Blind Bandit couldn't see waved from every corner declaring her name and bearing her image - a grinning caricature like the one pasted all over wanted posters nearly three years ago. She wiped the sweat from her brow and bowed to her loyal fans.
In the front row - she didn't need her feet to tell her - sitting as close to the ring as he could risk it, sat her best friend, trash talking anyone in the vicinity, weather they supported her or not.
"You were amazing!" he cried later when the stands had mostly cleared and he'd been allowed to set foot in the ring. He went on to describe his favorite move of hers, the Dust Trap, where she slid easily into the ground under cover of a dust cloud and struck from underground.
As they walked down the steps and exited the arena, she felt a smug sort of smile grace his features.
"What?" she snapped, glad that it was dark in the tunnel they were using, else he might see the faint blush creeping across her face.
"I was just thinking," he began, "You're going to be sixteen next year. If you don't ease up on the tough you're never going to get a husband."
She scoffed. Marriage was like legal slavery to her. While the idea of being with someone she loved - again, thankful for the dim light - was appealing, particularly if that someone knew not to treat her like a doll, she wasn't cheerful about big ceremonies and vows and a big dress. And she told him so, in few words.
He laughed.
"Well," he said, when they had reached the end of the tunnel and had stepped into the busy streets of Gao Ling, "What about a simple dress, a romantic walk through a maze of tunnels with a couple of badgermoles, and a few well-intended promises?"
She was glad he couldn't see with his feet.
"That... that might not be so bad," she confessed grudgingly.
He took her hand and pressed something into it, a round piece of metal - probably gold - attached to a silk ribbon.
"So... a year from now?"
Never one for words, she simply let the vibrations in both their hearts fill the earth they stood on and kissed him breifly, the pendant in her hand taking on a new shape.
Pairing: Tokka
Rating: T
Summary: "What?" she snapped, glad that it was dark in the tunnel they were using, else he might see the faint blush creeping across her face.
"I was just thinking," he began, "You're going to be sixteen next year. If you don't ease up on the tough you're never going to get a husband."
Word Count: 846
Disclaimer: I live with my parents. Seriously now. Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who, for some reason, have agreed to let their amazing series be made into a live action movie.
To be directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
And wait, what? I don’t own rights?
It had been almost three years. Not since he'd last seen her, of course. That would be too long. No. It had been nearly three years since Zuko ascended the throne, since they slowly started to put things back in balance. It hadn't been immediate, of course. In the Fire Nation alone a number of rebellions sprouted up. Fortunately with the dual force of the Avatar and the new Fie Lord they were quelled before they could spread their wildfire. Elsewhere in Ba Sing Se walls finally came down. In peace. The inhabitants of the city let themselves be aware of the rest of the world, and with the Earth King joining the cause, everything fell neatly into place.
Toph had been by his side for most of that time, but when the Council of the Four had finally adjourned - the two leaders of the Water Tribes, Zuko, The Earth King, King Bumi and Aang - she looked down at the ground and sighed, voicing that even though she wasn't thrilled about it, her parents would want to see her again.
And so she had gone.
For almost a year they heard nothing of her. In a panic he had traveled to Gao Ling himself. Apparently, the letters she was dictating to them had been confiscated by her parents. Sokka and Aang assured the Bei Fongs that Toph was in no danger of getting mixed up with international war affairs again and were allowed to take her to Omashu for a while and then to the Western Air Temple before she decided to return again.
Earth Rumble Nine was bigger than Earth Rumble Six had been, but The Blind Bandit remained undefeated since her grand return to the ring. Sokka often asked her why she did it.
"Don't you get bored?" he asked. "You're so much stronger than those other guys. It's like pushing rocks."
She shrugged. "Sometimes it gets boring. But since the world doesn't need a hero right now, it's all I can do." A grin. "Besides, as long as I'm Earthbending, I'm happy."
She'd grown, of course. Not much taller. Maybe two inches. But there was a new sort of rough beauty to her features that suggested maturity and new curves like rolling earthen hills. The sight of her made him feel the the earth was shifting under his feet, an earthquake from his heart to the soles of his feet.
The arena shook as The Avalanche hit the ground and the air roared with the earth as the crowd jumped up from their seats, screaming themselves hoarse at another victory. Banners that The Blind Bandit couldn't see waved from every corner declaring her name and bearing her image - a grinning caricature like the one pasted all over wanted posters nearly three years ago. She wiped the sweat from her brow and bowed to her loyal fans.
In the front row - she didn't need her feet to tell her - sitting as close to the ring as he could risk it, sat her best friend, trash talking anyone in the vicinity, weather they supported her or not.
"You were amazing!" he cried later when the stands had mostly cleared and he'd been allowed to set foot in the ring. He went on to describe his favorite move of hers, the Dust Trap, where she slid easily into the ground under cover of a dust cloud and struck from underground.
As they walked down the steps and exited the arena, she felt a smug sort of smile grace his features.
"What?" she snapped, glad that it was dark in the tunnel they were using, else he might see the faint blush creeping across her face.
"I was just thinking," he began, "You're going to be sixteen next year. If you don't ease up on the tough you're never going to get a husband."
She scoffed. Marriage was like legal slavery to her. While the idea of being with someone she loved - again, thankful for the dim light - was appealing, particularly if that someone knew not to treat her like a doll, she wasn't cheerful about big ceremonies and vows and a big dress. And she told him so, in few words.
He laughed.
"Well," he said, when they had reached the end of the tunnel and had stepped into the busy streets of Gao Ling, "What about a simple dress, a romantic walk through a maze of tunnels with a couple of badgermoles, and a few well-intended promises?"
She was glad he couldn't see with his feet.
"That... that might not be so bad," she confessed grudgingly.
He took her hand and pressed something into it, a round piece of metal - probably gold - attached to a silk ribbon.
"So... a year from now?"
Never one for words, she simply let the vibrations in both their hearts fill the earth they stood on and kissed him breifly, the pendant in her hand taking on a new shape.