No Time To...

Agreements

Katara walked through the village in grey and green clothes with a dagger on her hip. Since the fire nation destroyed the earth kingdom many people lost their homes and land. Everyone's been living in poverty, on the streets and little food to spare since the fire nation has stolen it all. Crime has been terrible between those who cannot fight and the selfish.

And those who were in the fire nation and flee have either been arrested by fire lord Azula or killed by earth kingdom civilians, the world was bathing in each other's blood, no one was safe from the others laws.

It seemed like everywhere was the same dark corner.

Katara went to fill her basket with the necessities with bread, fruit, rice, she grabbed two large melons for appa with the extra space in the basket and one under her arm. She paid for it and felt eyes on her. She glanced back at the group of men watching the woman who was alone.

Katara ignored their stares and went to leave the market. She never stayed long.

But they started to follow her with laughs like it was a joke. She ignored them even when one whistled at her.

"Oh come on baby I know you see us, let us help you out doll," a man grabbed her basket as Katara looked at him wide eyes that he'd even try grabbing her items.

"I got it, thanks," Katara gave a fake smile but he didn't let go.

"It looks real heavy," he smelt awful, like a drunk and a sewer.

"I'm a strong girl, I got it," she said again loosing the smile and glared unamused. They looked at each other as the man wanted more than she was giving.

"Sugar queen i know that has to be you," a familiar voice cackled. It gave Katara the opportunity to pull her basket away.

"Oh shit, Toph?" She turned to see a twenty year old blind woman that was almost her height now.

"The one and only, I know that annoyed mom voice anywhere," Toph slammed her hand on Kataras back like a friendly pat but it pushed the water bender forward.

"Oh dick heads when a lady says she's got it-" Toph shifted her foot for the earth to trap the men's feet to their ankles where they stood. "It means she's got it, cool?"

Katara looked at her friend softly, she's grown up so much, she looks just as confident and strong as she did five years ago.

"So where have you been sugar queen?" Toph walked with her friend and Katara handed her the melon.

"Out and about, nothing to crazy," Katara shrugged and Toph laughed a little.

"Oh I can tell you've done something crazy by that lie," the blind girl cackled holding the melon on her hip.

"Fighting war and shit," Katara smiled.

"Have you seen the others?" She asked curiously and Toph nodded.

"Suki joined me on a mission last year with her warriors and I just got a drink with Zuko last week," she shrugged. "Sokkas still on a boat I think,"

"He is, and you actually found Zuko? Suki and sokka said he's better at hiding than hunting," Katara raised a brow at her confused.

"He is, guy used some tricks that I didn't even know were possible but he changed his name and owns a pub," she nodded as they walked through the woods to get back to appa.

"Oh wow... did he say anything off to you?" Katara asked quietly and Toph grinned.

"Sorry babes but his rule at the bar is what happens in the pub stayed in the pub, it's a safe zone for fire benders and earth rebels," she closed her eyes tilting her head up with a grin.

"But yea, he said some stuff to me," she nodded and Katara pursed her lips.

"No he doesn't want to talk to any of us still," she said flatly as appa walked towards them excited seeing the melon in tophs arms.

"Still mad?"

"Beyond pissed still,"

Katara nodded understanding but it's been five years...

"Any word on Aang? Has that coward showed up yet?" Toph asked as appa nudged at her wanting the melon.

"No, I stopped looking for him, I've been trying to help the tribes with taking ships out," Katara set the basket down and watched appa lay down behind Toph waiting for her to drop the melon so he could eat it.

"If twinkle toes is in some sort of ice berg again who knows when he'll show up, it's good to hear your on the battle field again," Toph held the melon to her stomach so appa couldn't see it anymore.

"Unlike some people," she scoffed. Toph pursed her lips shaking her head.

"It's not his fault, he's busy," Toph said softly.

"I know, we left off on bad terms so I'm a little frustrated with him," Katara ran a hand through her hair and fed appa her melon she had in the basket.

"Because your still in love with him~" Toph sang and the water bender burned red whipping her head to her.

"I am not!" Katara scoffed. "I was not in love with that hot headed, stubborn, arrogant bastard!"

"I thought we came to terms you can't lie to me Katara," Toph grinned smugly.

"I'm not," she glared.

"Listen sugar tits, running into you wasnt an accident, we need you back, appa too," Toph sighed standing up and set the melon down by her bare feet. Appa didn't waste the moment and sucked the melon up quickly before she could take it away.

"For what?" Katara asked blinking confused.

"We have a chance to take Azula down, we take down the fire lord we're one step closer to taking down Phoenix king, you've been the closest person to beating her in a fight and we need you," Toph put her hand on her hips frowning.

"We just found out she's been staying in ba sing si, she needs to go down," she narrowed her blind eyes determined.

"That's why you went to find Zuko..." Katara sighed covering her face.

"He wants nothing to do with it, I know you hate each other but you two back with us is going to give us a better chance to win this war, the only other person that can bend Azula lightning and he literally locked me out of his bar, your all we have left," Toph gulped a little feeling how anxious Katara was getting.

"How soon are you setting this plan in motion?" She asked crossing her arms.

"As soon as we get Zuko and you back, without Aang we can't just have the three of us back, we need all four," Toph pursed her lips and Katara groaned.

"You're still trying to get him back?" She made a face.

"There are four people in the world that can actually bend lightning, two of them want the other two dead, one of them is an elder, we need him, and if he sees all of us together again maybe..." Toph rocked on the back of her heals with her hands behind her back innocently.

"No, no Zuko, if I come back I don't want to talk to him, he stays in his shitty little bar," Katara closed her eyes after a moment of silence.

"Katara-" "that's the deal, I help you on the mission then no Zuko," she stopped her friend and they were quiet.

"Alright fine, no Zuko," Toph put her hands up in defeat.

"I'll keep in touch with you then, I'll go talk to Sokka and Suki and we'll go from there, I'll give you a meeting point soon," Toph nodded slowly and Katara let out a breath.

"Alright, okay, I'll stay in the area till then," she nodded agreeing.