lizbee | (Reply)

From:

Heart of Stone

Azula's heartrate increased as Toph entered the room, and her fingers drummed restlessly against the arm of her chair. But her voice sounded as smooth and confident as ever as she said, "What, have I been passed further down the chain? I didn't think the water peasant would give so quickly."

"Get your things," said Toph. "We have a job for you." She paused, letting the silence stretch a moment too long. "If you're up to it."

"Has my brother finally decided to return the throne to the rightful Fire Lord? Because that's the only job I'm interested in."

"Suit yourself," said Toph. "I said it was a mistake. Way I hear it, you spend more time talking to the wall than training these days. When you can bend at all."

She didn't bother to dodge the wall of heat that Azula threw at her. It was no warmer than a candle.

Aang said it was a block in her chi, a barrier that Azula had created herself, that only she could destroy. Toph figured that was Avatar-speak for choking, like those Earth Rumble contestants who had competed for years, only to walk into the ring one day and just -- stop.

"Did my brother send you?"

"Nope."

"The Avatar? The peasant?"

"No and no." Toph leaned against the wall. "Has Katara been doing the motherly thing? Believe me, that gets old fast, even when you're not wolf-batshit crazy."

"I don't have a mother. I don't need one."

"That's what I kept telling her."

Azula's heartbeat had returned to normal. She was pacing, running her fingers over the walls and furniture.

Toph said, "There's a platoon of renegade Fire Navy ships at the North Pole. Pirates, basically. The waterbenders have them encased in ice, but they want someone to come and take them off their hands."

With a snort of disbelief, Azula said, "And Zuko's sending me?"

"He doesn't need a firebender for this." And as long as Azula's bending was in this weakened state, she was no threat to Zuko. Not even the most desperate rebels would put a weak firebender on the throne. "What he needs is someone who can talk stupid and desperate people into doing things they swore they wouldn't, and making them think it's their own idea."

Azula's pacing slowed. Toph thought her footsteps felt more thoughtful.

"Also," Toph added, "Zuko's still unwelcome in the Northern Water Tribe. Something about being part of the invasion force that killed the moon spirit. He's pretty pissed about that, actually."

"Poor Zuzu."

"Yeah, my heart bleeds."

Azula stopped her pacing at last. For the first time since Toph had entered, she was perfectly still.

"Who else is he sending?" she demanded. "Uncle? Mai?"

"Two old ladies called Li and Lo."

"To spy for him?"

"They volunteered. I'm going to spy on you."

"By my brother's standards," said Azula, "that's almost subtle." She walked to the door. "I don't need anything from here. Let's go."

end