Summary: Ever since Toph joined the crew, Katara's been feeling a little…angry? Strange? Confused? Maybe their differences are more opposing than they thought. OneShot.

Author's Note: I think I should first say that OneShots aren't exactly my thing. I like writing long, never ending trilogies (kidding!) I've never done any OneShots, let alone one in Katara and Toph's P.O.V. So please be sure to review or I won't know exactly how this one turned out. Oh! And also take a look at my other Avatar fic, "These Wars We Live." It's not a trilogy, I promise.

I'm always open for suggestions and requests, don't hesitate to ask. But review. Reviewing is important.

-Happy Reading

Katara's Point of View

They had to drag me to that damn wrestling match…

I could tell you that I was excited, maybe a little joyful, since I thought Aang would probably be able to find a teacher there, but I wasn't. I felt resentment. Who would want to watch a bunch of sweaty guys pound themselves with rocks? It wasn't my favorite form of entertainment.

I guess I went because I felt that I had to be there for Aang. Sometimes I get the impression that if I'm not there Sokka's judgment will get Aang killed—or worse, lazy. And Aang can't die or get lazy. The world can't afford it.

So I went, I watched resentfully, and I worried when Aang decided to go against that blind little girl. She seemed steamed when Aang beat her at her own game, and then she left. Even though it felt a little off, I tried to help Aang contact her. It was nice of her parents to throw us a feast, but I become aware of obvious differences…

Like, for example, she had a really bad attitude, as if she was never willing to help. Whenever Aang tried to ask her about teaching him, she would refuse it. And how can anyone refuse the Avatar? Eventually she ended up coming with us. And now she's part of our team.

But I'm still aware of our differences, of the sudden changes that our travels have taken on Toph. And I can't take anything out on her…what am I supposed to say? I have no hatred, just confusion.

Our elements are supposed to work together. Water and earth give life. How can I forget all the stories I've heard of the "brave and fearless" Earth Kingdom benders, who stood up boldly to the Fire Nation? I admire Toph's bravery and her fearlessness, but the stories never explain how the Earthbenders' personalities were like.

And then there was….

"Sifu Toph."

Well…

What am I supposed to say about that? Aang called Toph "Sifu Toph"! How long had I been training him? He never called me "Sifu" anything. Just Katara—regular old Katara.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not the type to get jealous. Just amazed…

Toph got the Avatar to respect her. All I can get the Avatar to do is stare at me with some goofy expression when I'm training him. There are differences.

So I was amazed. I was amazed that tender care and love for a student can help the student learn the element, but never earn respect for the trainer. She was mean; she was hard. Aang's face was on fire when she asked him to stand in front of a loose, rolling boulder. She made the Avatar wet himself; she made him fear for his life. She earned his respect.

And Toph must have earned my respect as well. Any person can be bossy, but it takes a special type of person to do what Toph did. Even though she was blind, she was able to do things that I hadn't been able to do—things that I would never be able to do.

I guess you could say that it annoys me, the way that everything always has to be based on stereotypes and Toph gets to be the exception. Aang and Sokka are both like that. Just because I'm their female companion, everything has to be simple and bias. Katara fixes pants. Katara heals wounds and cuts. Katara's the mom figure out of us all. Katara's nice to everyone and always has supplies. Katara's the boss, the leader. Katara's beautiful and kind. Katara can make Aang stare like an idiot for an hour. Katara this, Katara that...

But I've come to realize, especially between me and Toph, that beauty and kindness (or even bossiness) don't buy respect or fear. Hard work and perseverance do.

Toph's Point of View

Aang doesn't know how to bend well. I want to know why he got so angry when I told him that his form was all messed up and that a badger mole could do better.

I can't lie and tell him that he's good. It doesn't work that way. Aang sucks. I don't think he'll ever understand that. I sometimes doubt that I can.

I'm selfish, and I know it.

At first I thought I came with this crew because I wanted to help Aang save the world. I would be able to teach him, to help. But then, when I thought about it more, I realized that I had come to "help", but stayed because I wanted to be free. I wanted to get out of that damn prison I called "home" for twelve years. Barley anyone knew I existed.

Well now I'm with the Avatar, and wouldn't you know it, there's always someone to ruin it all.

And in this special little case, it's Katara.

I think she knows what she's doing. And, well…if she doesn't, it must be karma. Every time I'm training Aang, she watches, as if amazed. Before this I thought the Avatar was dead. Maybe Katara knows that I came for my own purpose, that I really couldn't care less about the Fire Nation or their damn war because it doesn't affect my village or my life in anyway.

Maybe that's why she gets so aggravated, because I knew I could feel it, whenever Aang referred to me as "Sifu Toph".

Maybe she thinks, how can this liar be a master and train the Avatar, when all she can think about is herself?

Maybe she's right.

Katara's mind works differently. I can't really explain it. And if I could, I wouldn't. Aang loves her. Sokka loves her. Everyone we meet seems to be awed and excited by Katara's beauty. She can pull Aang out of the Avatar State. She can pull the strongest child in the world out of his hatred and anger, and then still have enough gut to be peachy all the time.

I can't see color. I can't see beauty. Sometimes I think it's unimportant. Other times, like when Katara's training Aang, I think the opposite. How can she teach him when his form is messed up? He leaves his chest open for attack; his feet aren't firm. He's an airhead. And all he does is mess up on purpose so Katara can correct him and praise him some more for doing something wrong. She seems to enjoy it.

I can't see color…is that a problem?

I've always had that fear—of one day being able to actually see. I can feel my face with my fingers. I can sense other peoples' faces and bodies from by the vibrations they make. Everyone always looks a little different, a little bigger or smaller. I know how they look, but I can't see color. Everything will always be dark. Every shape will always be a shadow.

So I think that I deserve to be selfish and mean. Anyone would.

I'd like to see how they would all fair in pitch darkness. Alone.

They'd all turn selfish and they'd hate each other. And they'd be sour all the time, and they wouldn't give a damn about beauty and color, because they'd be too busy thinking about how they were going to make it. This is how the world is. Beauty comes in later, after surviving without seeing. But I still can't help but wonder...

What color am I? Is there a color that has been invented that even fits my description. What is color?

Until Katara came along, I always thought of color as strength, the will to fight and survive when all odds are counting you out.

I've earned people's respect, and their fear in some cases, because of this. They realize the differences. But you can't buy love and pitiless concern with firmness and determination…

You need to have the right attitude for that, the right colors.

It's something that shadows and darkness can't make out.