After the war

Life is short and I love you

"Long day Suki?" Toph asked as Suki walked through the door of their home.

"I still can't find anyone that's right for the Earth Kingdom representative job" the Kyoshi warrior stomped through the door and flopped onto the sofa next to Toph. The small earthbender immediately threw her arm over Suki's shoulder.

"You've been trying on and off for five years, what's been going so wrong?"

"Everyone we interview for it is either anti Fire Nation, against Zuko and Sokka's relationship or they have horrible reparation policies in mind for the Fire Nation, I don't know what I can do at this point, I've been through general after general and I come up empty handed each time! What am I gonna do Toph?" Suki lay her head on Toph's shoulder and let out a defeated sigh.

"Are reparations such a bad policy?"

"Usually no, but they're designed with the intention of crippling the Fire Nation"

"Ah, that doesn't sound good"

"It's not... I couldn't put that on Zuko's shoulders of my own volition"

"How old are the people you're interviewing?"

"I'd say the youngest one was about forty" Suki smiled softly as she felt Toph combing her fingers through her hair.

"Have you thought about interviewing someone younger, maybe steer away from generals and admirals and all the other higher ups and look at foot soldiers, or the children of various important Lords" Toph suggested.

"How did I not think of that?"

"I've got two people in mind, one from Ba Sing Se and one from the plains village, they're two people that have risen up the ranks in the Earth Kingdom army, I'll contact them and send them your way"

Suki was thinking back on the talk she'd had with Toph a few days ago. Foot soldiers, or children from highborn Lords. When she had suggested this to General How he had laughed and told her that children would not be suited for the job.

That was until King Kuei pointed out that Sokka and Hahn had been the two water tribe representatives since they were seventeen, a group of six teenagers had taken down Firelord Ozai, and the man who ran the western third of the world had been doing it since he was sixteen years old. This shut the General up pretty quickly.

 Suki, General How and King Kuei were sitting at a long desk in the palace's war room, waiting for the two people Toph had nominated to be the Earth Kingdom representatives to arrive.

Suki looked up as the door opened and two people entered, a boy and a girl.

"Your names are General Lee and Captain Jin, yes?" General How asked as the two people nodded.

"You've been called upon to discuss travelling to the Fire Nation and assuming the position of the Earth Kingdom representative, Toph Beifong recommended the two of you to me herself, she suggested I send the Firelord a member of the army and the navy to take up the position" Suki explained, smiling kindly at the two officials.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors" Captain Jin spoke, giving the signature Earth Kingdom bow.

"And a pleasure to meet you Your Majesty, and General How" General Lee also bowed to the King and the old General.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both" the King said with a smile and Suki and How gave a nod of agreement.

The meeting began with the opinion the two officials had on the Fire Nation and no problems arose there. They didn't have any crippling reparations policies on their minds either. All that was left was did they have a preexisting disposition to the Firelord, and what opinion they had on his relationship.