After The Ending

CHAPTER NINETEEN

As I walked away I glanced back at the girl. We used to be great friends back when we were kids because we both had freckles and she and I would pretend like we were twins. Now it feels like we were strangers, I know it's been almost two years and a lot could change within that amount of time but still, it felt awful.
I shouldn't be ashamed of wearing my necklace, the one Zuko gave me but I was and now my stomach grew heavy. If Zuko was here or if he even knew I was embarrassed of the necklace it would hurt him. Besides it's not like I'm doing anything wrong, Zuko was good now and changing things for the better.
Why do I care what she thinks!?
   Suddenly I felt sick and dizzy. I just need to rest, I leaned back on a wall and closed my eyes, shoving the necklace back in my bag.
Ming was quacking making sure I was okay.

   "Kaida, you okay?" I looked up at Mirai and nodded but I really wasn't.

   "You look sick." Sokka said.

   "Yeah and your heart is running miles!" Toph added.

   "No.. I'm..I'm fine." I assured them.

   "Here." Mirai gave me a stick with meat. "Maybe you're hungry."

   "Thanks." I took it and ate one. It was great and it did calm me somewhat down. "Sorry, I didn't eat breakfast and the fumes."

   "It's fine." Sokka patted my back. "Are you okay? I can carry you on my back. Or we can get you a ride home."

   "No, I'm fine." I lied with a weak smile. "Really, I think using Tundra to get here was a mistake. Thanks Sokka."

"Okay." He shrugged still making sure I was okay.

I told them that we should get back to the others and they agree but they were gone from where I had seen them earlier. Mirai pointed them out behind a gate so we all went over, the foul smell getting worse the closer we got.
They were talking to a guy who looked as old as Zuko and Sokka maybe a year older or two. He had black curly hair and glasses.

   "TOPH BEIFONG!" The guy exclaimed excitedly. "IS IT REALLY YOU?"

   "Yeah?" Toph replied not caring.

   "I've died and gone into the heavens!" The guy said. "I've admired you for so long, Ms. Beifong! First you saved the world..with Avatar Aang's help of course.. And then you discover a brand-new kind of bending that not even the Avatar can do!"

   Toph laughed. "That's right, he can't."

   "You have a fan." Mirai nudged Toph.

   "It would be an honor...no. It would be the experience of a lifetime if I could give you a tour of the Earthen Fire Refinery!" The guy bowed.

   "Satoru, was it?" Toph asked.

   "You said my name!" The guy squealed.

   "Sure, Satoru. Lead the way." She replied finishing her meat stick while remaining unbothered. "Okay if my friend's tag along?"

   "What...? Oh, yes! Them! Of couse your friends can tag along!" Satoru replied.

   Momo flew onto my shoulder as we followed the two into the factory. Sokka offered out his meat to Aang but when Katara asked for some he said only vegetarians.
   Satoru began to tell Toph the background story of the place and she seemed to actually be listening but Aang tried to talk and tell him what we came here to do but he was always shut down, kind of like when we were with Bato.
  I looked back as Katara took Sokka's food with her waterbending and I smiled. I actually wanted to see if they thought we should help Aang get this guys attention but Satoru was just intrested in the metalbender girls approval.
   We walked through some doors and we watched all kinds of benders working together to get the rare expensive mineral. Firebenders, earthbenders, and even waterbenders, all in a working train.