No time to Die

3

Katara walked through the village in beige and green clothes with a short blade 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, in camps, and little food to spare since the fire nation under the phoenix kings rule has stolen it all.

The world was against themselves everywhere.

It seemed like everywhere was the same dark corner.

Katara went to fill her basket on her back with the necessities with bread, fruit, rice, she held two large melons for appa. 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. They thought she was afraid of them. 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 herself away.

"There's no way, 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 as a friendly pat but it pushed the water bender forward.

"Oh creeps, 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. She set the items down and gave Toph a big hug as she hasn't seen her in years.

"So where have you been sugar queen?" Toph hugged her friend back smiling.

"Out and about, nothing to crazy," Katara shrugged and Toph laughed a little. They parted their hug and Toph carried a melon for her as they went to go to appa.

"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 been with 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 business," she nodded as they walked through the woods to get back to appa.

"Oh wow... what did you talk about?" Katara asked quietly and Toph grinned.

"Sorry babes but his rule at the bar is what happens in the pub stayed in the pub, there's a safe zone for fire rebels and earth kingdom," 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," Toph said flatly as appa walked towards them excited seeing the melon in tophs arms.

"He doesn't want to be apart of the war?"

"Not even a little,"

Katara nodded understanding but it's been five years since he wanted to stop fighting. Wanting a bit normal of a life.

"Any word on Aang? Has that kid 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. "Stop by Sokka and my dad to see what they need help with,"

"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.

"People are talking, saying there's a chance the next avatar is born as a water bender, next in the cycle,"

"It's a good thing the South and the north are fairly tight on security, the fire nation won't go near either, it's safe if there is the next avatar," toph hummed curiously not really thinking about that.

"Is Zuko seeing anyone?" Katara asked also curious.

"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.

"Well he's not seeing anyone, if that helps," Toph chuckled and Katara nodded softly not giving any other reaction to it.

"Listen sugar tits," she turned to her now serious.

"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 need team avatar back, something is threatening Ozai and Azula but no one knows what it is cause it's not Aang, and with you, Zuko, Sokka and Suki we'll be better with us together, for strength and safety," she explained softly.

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

"He wants nothing to do with it, he doesn't know what they're looking for or what they find threatening, but he definitely is a threat to them as well for his title, he wants to stay hidden because of that,"

"I know you hate each other but you can get to him, no one else can talk to sparky like you can, 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 that power, 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, if he is fine staying behind then we'll figure it out without him," Katara closed her eyes after a moment of silence.

"Katara-" "that's the deal, I help you on finding this weakness they're threatened by, 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.