Ater Noctu

Prologue

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The Blind Bandit studied her next opponent. She could hear him jeering insults and stomping around calling her names. Focus Toph. He's just another Fire Nation brat. Her hair was hanging in her eyes. A distraction. The sweat dripping off her was confusing her eyes. She wasn't going to win. No, that's not me. The crowd was cheering too loudly, there was too much interference, too many pounding feet, too many cries, it was all too much.

Her fragile, barely put-together world was crumbling all around her. The last few years she had spent hiding in the side of cliff were being washed away by the single thought she had been trying to ignore; they had lost the Hundred Year War. She started to shake, eyes rolling around in her head as the voices, cheering and jeering blurred into one big mess.

"Aang!" Katara's voice was easier to hear even though the world is ablaze with war.

Toph clutched her mouth, stomach threatening to expel what little food she had. Her opponent is laughing openly. "What's wrong little girl? Catowl got your tongue?" The crowd laughed raucously at his comment.

The vibrations were feeble, his heart barely beating but wasn't what Toph was focused on. Someone was walking towards them, footsteps heavy. "You're too late." His voice was cold and gloating. "He's lost."

" 'Catowl got your tongue'," She repeated, forcing her voice to not shake, "There's a new one, how long did it take you to come with that one?"

Then the world becomes crystal sharp. She could hear the collective intake of breath as another challenger walked onto her stage. The slow movement of her opponent as he turns to see the source of the crowd's silence. The gentle padding of the newcomer, light but proud, almost arrogant. They ring her ear like the voice of a long-lost friend; familiar yet unplaceable.

"Who are you?" Her opponent called.

"I think you can see well enough." The heartbeat sped up and he took a step back from the newcomer. "Exactly, now go away." Without any hesitation her opponent fled, tail between his legs, the crowd booing him as he went.

Toph's head cocked to the side. "I recognize you." She stated. "I don't know where. But I know you." There was a hiss of two blades being unsheathed, Toph's feet automatically moved into a fighting position. This guy wasn't one for small talk.

"I'm here to challenge you."

Author's Note

Well, here it is! Divokoza's present! Sorry it's late, I wasn't sure if I should include more, but I realized that if I wrote a full chapter this would be delayed another week.

Happy Canada Day! And Matt's birthday :D