Avatar the Last Airbender - Book 4: Air (The Master of the Lion Turtles)

Chapter Nine: High Tensions inside High Walls

TOPH'S POV

Even though Toph couldn't see the three other people riding Appa with her, she could feel the tension as if it was a physical rock pushed up against her face. She tapped her foot lightly against the saddle underneath her to ensure she could keep her eyes on the action. Katara was sitting on Appa's head, gripping the reigns so hard Toph thought she might slice through her hand with her nails. Aang was running his hands all over his robes, floating different objects in the air and moving his head from looking at Katara to looking at Nalo. Nalo herself sat leaning over the edge of the saddle, watching what Toph imagined was a beautiful view. 

Toph had never really cared about views. Not that they would be any use to her anyway, but she just never understood how people could spend so long looking at a dumb field or the 'pretty' sky. They see the sky everyday! They see grass everyday! They see everyday! How much could there really be to see? Spirits. 

Toph couldn't take the tension much longer.

"So, you've been living here for over a hundred years?" she asked Nalo. "Seems pretty dull to me, and I can't even see it." Nalo fiddled with the cloth around her neck. Toph found herself wondering what it felt like, that would give her a better idea about what it looked like. 

"No," she answered simply. "I traveled around a lot. I was looking for Aang originally - going to the other Temple's and surrounding land and such - but I never found him -"

"Obviously," mumbled Katara. Toph felt Nalo's back tense up slightly. 

"Yeah. I started simply moving around for educational reasons. I wanted to learn more about the culture and bending styles across the nations. I learnt many different styles in my travels and met many interesting people! Since I don't have the master tattoos it was easy to hide in plain sight." Aang let the pillow he was levitating fall to the ground. 

"I knew something was different! Why did you never get your tattoos?" he asked, the excitement and genuine confusion clear in his voice. Just imaging the looks on the other two girls faces was enough to make Toph laugh. 

"Twinkletoes, she got her bending after the whole...you know?" Toph wished she could have seen his blush as he mumbled a recognition. 

"I thought that Guru that taught you about the Avatar State lived here Aang?" asked Katara, not turning to face them. Aang nodded violently but gave no answer. God the boy was like a love-sick puppy when it came to Katara. Gross.

"Guru Pathik? Yes, he had been here since before the war began. He, like me, was waiting for Aang to come and train at the Eastern Temple. When you didn't come, and the Fire Nation did, he went into hiding. I spoke to him briefly when I arrived a few years ago. He's a very spiritual man - it was an honor to listen to him," Nalo's voice was wistful, Toph's face was not. 

"He sounds boringggggggggggg." Nalo chuckled lightly and agreed that to Toph, yes, he probably was. Katara sighed heavily.

"We're just going over the Serpents Pass. Ba Sing Se isn't that far. You better have an explanation for the Earth King on our arrival," she directed the last part to Nalo, but Toph couldn't help feeling it was also directed at Aang. She let her mind wander: what were Sokka and Zuko up to right now? Whatever it was, it's definitely better than this. She lent back against the saddle and let her ears tune out of Aang's chatter and listen to the wind rushing by.

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Toph jumped off Appa first. She had become more confident with traveling by air but still, nothing could beat the security the land gave her. It was her eyes, her backbone, part of her soul. She was constantly listening to the Earth and all those around her, waiting for the right moment to strike or the right moment to step aside - though she preferred the first one.