Katara and I were waiting for the rest of the team to come back.
They returned, holding a bunch of stuff they definitely wouldn't be able to afford without me being there.
"Where did you guys get the money to buy all this stuff?" Katara looked at them and then back at me.
I shrugged, "They don't have my card."
"Toph got us money. She scammed one of those guys in town who moves the shells around all sneaky-like," Aang said.
"She used earthbending to win the game. Classic!" Sokka exclaimed.
I laughed and went to highfive Toph, "Nice."
Katara glared at me.
"Uh... not nice?" I glanced at her.
She looked at Toph, "So, she cheated."
Toph put her hands up, "Hey, I only cheated because he was cheating. I cheated a cheater. What's wrong with that?"
It seemed pretty rational to me.
"I'm just saying, this isn't something we should make a habit of doing," Katara said.
"Why? Because its fun, and you hate fun," Toph rolled her eyes.
I tried not to laugh.
Katara looked offended.
I put a hand on her shoulder, "Just because your not fun, doesn't mean I don't love you, Kat."
"I'm fun!" Katara said.
"Sure," I shrugged.
"Katara, I'll personally make you an Avatar promise that we won't make a habit of doing these scams," Aang bowed to her.
***
Aang was a liar.
Toph sat down on a chair she made of rock and counted her cash.
I sighed, "You guys have all the money you need. I don't see the point of this."
"It's fun," Toph replied.
"Fair enough," I shrugged.
"Guys, I think these scams have gone far enough. If you keep doing them, something bad is gonna happen," Katara said.
"Kat, just let them have their fun. God knows we need some of that."
"(Y/N)'s just trying to be nice. What she meant was, could you for once stop being such a sourpuss and just lighten up?" Toph asked Katara.
I sighed. Here we go.
"Oh, I'm sorry. You think I should be more like you? Like some wild child?" Katara replied.
"Yeah, maybe. Maybe then, you'd see how great we have it. I mean, look at us. We're traveling around the world, making easy money, having fun, with no parents to tell us what to do," Toph rolled her eyes.
"I don't have parents," I said.
No one replied.
Katara looked at Toph, "Ah, I see. You're acting like this because of your parents."
"Whatever," Toph said dismissively.
"They were controlling over you, so you ran away, and now you act like your parents don't exist. You act like you hate them, but you don't. You just feel guilty," Katara said.
Way to psychoanalyze her.
"I do hate them!" Toph yelled at her.
"Why?" I cut in.
Toph looked at me, "It doesn't matter. They were controlling and treated me like I was helpless."
"So, you hated them? I-" I sighed.
I wish my parents loved me enough to be controlling and overprotective.
"You know what? It doesn't matter. These scams put us all at risk, and we don't need that. We've already got some third-eyed freak after us," Katara yelled.
Ahh yes, the man who blows things up with his mind.
"Speaking of that third-eyed freak... I think I've come up with a name for him. What do you think of..."Sparky-Sparky Boom Man"!" Sokka exclaimed.
Everyone just stared at him and blinked.
Sokka sighed, "Just think about it."
"We have enough money. You need to stop this!" Katara yelled at Toph.
"I'll stop when I want to stop, and not when you tell me!" Toph screamed, walking away.
"Speaking of money, I'm off to spend some. See you guys later," Sokka waved and walked away.
Geez.
***
Sokka returned and held up his phone in Toph's face, clearly alarmed, "Toph, when I was in town, I found something that you're not gonna like."
"Well, it sounds like your holding up your phone, but I can't tell you what's on it," Toph rolled her eyes.
Sometimes I forget she's blind.
"Oh," Sokka looked embarrassed, "It's a picture of a TV screen. You were on the local news. You're a wanted criminal. They're calling you the Runaway."
"That's so great. "The Runaway". I love my new nickname. Is there a picture of me? Does it look good?"
"Well, yeah, actually, it does look pretty good. But Toph, you're missing the point. Maybe Katara was right. These scams are drawing too much attention to us," Sokka replied.
I got up and stretched, "Don't let Katara see that, or she's going to kill you guys."
"Don't be such a worrywart, I'm starting to think it runs in the family. Katara, you guys," she gestured towards Sokka and I, "Think of it this way. Now you have plenty of money to help with the invasion plan! "
"For the last time," I said, "I am a multimillionaire! We've had enough money since the beginning!"
Toph started bargaining with Sokka and I just rolled my eyes and walked away.
I wonder what Zuko was doing...
[Zuko's POV]
An idiot. I'm a fucking idiot.
Did I really talk about (Y/N) on live television?
An idiot! I swear, I wish (Y/N) were here to slap me across the face.
I had locked myself in a bathroom. I had 43 new messages from Mai and 6 missed calls.
I really messed up, huh?
I sat down on the floor of the bathroom. I took off (Y/N)'s locket and opened it to see the picture of us.
"Why are you all I think about, (Y/N)?"
I sighed and closed the locket.
[(Y/N)'s POV]
"I'm going to kill her," I heard Katara mumble.
I was sitting with Aang but I got up and walked up to her, "Now, that's a bit harsh. Who are we talking about?"
She groaned, "Toph!" She held up the phone I got her. She was on the internet, particularly she had pulled up an article on the "Runaway".
I sighed, "Ah, so you found out."
"You knew?" I thought the vein on her forehead was going to pop.
"Uh..."
Sokka and Toph walked up to us, their hands filled with cash.
"Oh look!" I said pointing to Sokka and Toph, "It's Sokka and Toph!"
Katara stayed calm, "Well, look who decided to join us. Where have you two been? Off scamming again?"
I tried to give Sokka a "She knows" look. Unfortunately not everyone could understand my looks as well as Zuko could.
Sokka stared at me blankly.
Katara and Toph started yelling at each other again.
Then they both stormed away, clearly angry.
I sighed and took out my phone, glancing sideways at Aang and Sokka, "You guys better fix that."
The next day wasn't much better. Toph and Katara refused to speak to eachother.
Sokka gathered Aang and me, "Okay guys, I have a plan," he held up Toph's phone, "Let's text Katara saying that Toph wants to apologize. Then everyone will be friends again."
"I gotta say, Sokka, you continue to impress me with your ideas," Aang smiled.
Should I tell Sokka and Aang that Toph's blind, and there is no way that she would be able to text Katara in the first place?
Nah.
Sokka composed a text and sent it to Katara.
I heard Katara groan, "I know this is from you, Sokka. Toph can't write. Ugh, you're all driving me crazy!"
Sokka sighed and grabbed my hand, "Come on, cousin. We're going to go talk to Toph."
"Ah, if we must. And don't call me cousin like that, it sounds so weird."
Sokka looked embarassed, "I was just trying something out!"
"Don't."
Sokka and I walked to Toph and we all went to the edge of a cliff, sitting down, letting our legs hang over the ledge.
"So let me guess. You brought me out here to tell me your sister's not as annoying as I make her out to be," Toph said.
"Nah, she's pretty much a pain," Sokka said, "She's always got to be right about everything, and she gets all bossy and involved, and in your business."
I really hope he has a point.
"Yeah, I don't know how you can deal with it," Toph said.
"Actually, I rely on it. When our mom died, that was the hardest time in my life. Our family was a mess, but Katara, she had so much strength. She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helped fill the void that was left by our mom."
"I guess I never thought about that," Toph said.
"I'm gonna tell you something crazy. I never told anyone this before, but honestly, I'm not sure I can remember what my mother looked like. It really seems like, my whole life, Katara's been the one looking out for me. She's always been the one that's there, and now, when I try to remember my mom, Katara's is the only face I can picture."
"Sokka..." I said.
I'd been so wrapped up in my own issues, I never realized how hard Sokka and Katara's childhood must have been. They lost their mother too.
Sokka smiled at me, "Hey, don't worry about it."
"The truth is, sometimes Katara does act motherly, but that's not always a bad thing. She's compassionate and kind, and she actually cares about me. You know, the real me. That's more than my own mom," Toph said.
I sighed, "I-uh, well you guys know that I was raised in the Fire Nation, with Zuko... I guess, Katara was the first person I opened up to about Zuko, she was the first person who listened," I laughed dryly, "She... she knows how much it hurts to think about him, she knows how much I try to hate him. And she's been protective about it, you know? With the TV fiasco the other day, I know that she doesn't want me to get hurt, and I know she doesn't want you to get hurt either Toph."
Toph nodded.
***
Later we all gathered at our campsite and Katara approached Toph, "Hi, Toph. Um, I want to..."
Toph cut her off, "Katara, stop. You don't need to apologize. I was the one being stupid. These scams are out of control, and I'm done with them."
"Actually, I wasn't going to apologize. I was gonna say... I want to pull a scam with you!"
I coughed, "What?!"
"What do you say, Toph? Let's make it a girl's scam. Me, you, (Y/N). You in?"
"Of course I'm in!" Toph exclaimed.
I grinned, "So am I."
We walked away together, formulating a plan.
"The plan is simple," Katara held up her phone, "This article says you're worth a lot of money. Ten times more than you've made in all your scams. So (Y/N) and I are gonna turn you in and collect the reward. Then you metalbend yourself out of jail, and we're on our way."
The next day, we did exactly that.
I adjusted my mask as Katara pushed Toph to the ground.
Toph yelled, "How could you guys do this to me? You betrayed me."
You know, if this whole defeat the Fire Lord thing doesn't work out, Toph should really pursue a career in acting.
Katara scoffed, "We had no choice."
Officers started dragging Toph away and the Mayor walked up to us.
"You two ladies did the right thing by turning in "The Runaway"," He said to us.
"The right thing is its own reward," Katara said.
"Yeah, but we'd still like the money," I said indifferently.
"Of course. Right this way," The Mayor led us to city hall.
He brought us to a room and I heard him mumbling to someone.
I glanced at Katara, "Something doesn't feel right."
Suddenly that man with a third eye entered the room.
"Oh... shit,"I said.
The next thing I knew we were in jail right next to Toph.
"Oh," I said, "The cell is wooden. No wonder you couldn't get out," I said to Toph.
"It's a trap!" Toph exclaimed.
"Really? I didn't realize. The cell wasn't a giveaway," I retorted.
"Not for us. We're the bait. He wants Aang."
Katara groaned, " I can't believe I was so stupid. See, this is exactly why I'm against these scams. I knew this would happen."
"But...this was your idea," Toph looked confused.
"I know. I wanted to show you that I'm not so motherly. I wanted to show you that I can have fun too," Katara said.
Toph and Katara embraced.
Awwww.
After a while, I heard sounds of fighting coming from outside, "Well," I said, "If you guys are done with your heart-to-heart," I wrapped my hand around one of the wooden bars and set it aflame, "Let's get out of here."
Katara looked at me, "You could have done that this whole time, and you just... sat there?"
I shrugged, "You guys had your own thing going on."
We raced outside and found 'Sparky Sparky Boom Man' about to deliver a fatal blow to Aang.
"(Y/N)!" Katara called.
"Yeah," I nodded, I lifted my hand and constricted the man's movement.
Aang, Katara, and Toph ran to Appa. I closed the airway in his throat, and he lost consciousness. Then I ran after them. We got on Appa and flew away.
What a day.