"I know who you are."

The Prince stopped sharpening his blades, gazing over at his companion momentarily. "Uh, I know who you are, too, Toph." He continued what he was doing in silence.

"But do you?"

He stopped again. "Just what the hell do you want, Toph?"

The blind girl smiled, bending her knees in a mock curtsey. "I already told you: I know who you are," Her smile just got larger as her voice lowered in volume. "Blue Spirit."

He dropped his swords.

"How—how did you--?"

The blind girl didn't answer him at first. Instead, she walked closer to him, and bended the earth underneath herself in order to make herself a seat.

"You aren't the only one with two identities, you know." She whispered softly, the glow of the fire sparkling in the night. "Back home, I was known as the Blind Bandit. Won Earth Rumble IV, V, and VI. Still have the championship belt, too."

Zuko wasn't quite sure of what he was suppose to say to that.

Still, the blind girl didn't mind his silence. "I loved it. The crowds, the fighting…the whole tournament was like heaven for me." Her unseeing eyes turned towards him. "But you know what I hated? I hated having to choose."

"Choose what?"

She frowned. "Between being the Blind Bandit and the Lady Beifong." She brought her knees up to her chest with a sigh. "Was it like that with you? Did you have to choose between being the Prince and the Blue Spirit."

He growled, and picked up his fallen swords. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She ignored him. "Were you ever allowed to just be Zuko, then?"

He slammed his swords on the ground again. "Is this why you joined the Avatar? To learn how to bother people endlessly?"

"No," She smiled again. "I joined the Avatar so that I could just be Toph." She dropped off of her rock tower and walked towards Zuko. "Is that why you joined us? So you could just be Zuko? Or are you still juggling back and forth between the Prince and the Blue Spirit?"

He grumbled under his breath. "I don't know who I am anymore."

He was beginning to hate her smile.

"I noticed."

XXX
END

A/N: Well, that was a random, spur-of-the-moment fic. Not intended to be shippy, but I guess it could be. I wrote it being just friendship, though. Not near enough of those fics out in the world.

I don't plan on continuing, but who knows? I might.

Jak