Adventure Time

A/N: Hi all, sorry for the long time between chapters in FoF, and I will be writing that as soon as I finish this. This is for a contest on DA, sponsored by Toko-Fans. It's due by the end of September and I will finish this, as with all my work. So, enjoy and don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, just hoping the 2nd movie will be better and not done by M. Night

Chapter 1

"I don't know why I let you drag me here," Zuko muttered darkly, casting glares at his two friends and bodyguards. At least The Duke had the sense to look sheepish, but Sokka just spouted his goofy grin.

"Ah, come on Zuko," Sokka said, wrapping an arm around the shoulder of the young Fire Lord, which Zuko promptly shrugged off. Most people would have taken that and the glare to know that if they kept pushing him, they would get burned, but not Sokka. The warrior just smiled even more before lounging back into the seat. "You need to relax, have fun. We're twenty-one now! And you act like you're fifty!"

Zuko narrowed his eyes at his friend which Sokka responded by frowning and then making his eyes go large and round. The effect could turn almost anyone into agreeing with the warrior and caused a lot of women to forgive him easily. Apparently Suki thought it was adorable and called it puppy eyes, but it disgusted Zuko. He let out a sigh and instead of yelling at his friend, drew the hood closer over his head and sunk into his seat in resentment. Sokka had arranged for them to come to this arena which had been converted from a military warehouse the year before and now looked more like the fighting rings of old when slaves and prisoners were forced to fight wild beasts and each other for their lives. A lot of people were already here, from all nations Zuko noted, but the stands were not packed. That had left them room to find some seats out of the way, closer to the arena than most people dared, and that left Zuko wondering why the bottom rows were mostly vacant. Also, they were here incognito. If it was known the Fire Lord was here with just his two friends, the council would be ashamed that he didn't go with at least twenty guards and all of them in a royal procession befitting his and their status. Something Zuko didn't want, let alone need here at this arena.

"So what's this thing called again?" The Duke asked Sokka. The younger man had to lean forwards and speak across Zuko to talk to Sokka properly, but he had grown quite a bit in the last five years. He was still the shortest of the people Zuko still saw, but he was also the youngest, just turning fifteen a few months prior. But he was now tall and lean, and could use any weapon expertly. His younger days as a thief and then part of the rebel band of Freedom Fighters had taught him how to be observant and cautious. That same trait had saved Zuko's life more than once since his becoming Fire Lord and the two got along quite well. Sokka had taken the young Freedom Fighter under his wing after the war had ended and now the three were nearly inseparable, all being good friends and sparring partners.

"It's called Battle of the Benders," Sokka replied in a dramatic voice, causing The Duke to grin and Zuko to groan and hide his expression under his hand. Of the many things he didn't agree with Sokka on, the most annoying trait was Sokka's love for macho wrestling type battles.

"Please don't tell me this is an off shoot of those Earth Rumbles I've heard about," Zuko muttered.

"Even better," Sokka stated, starting to sound excited. "They're sanctioned by all four nations and have been traveling around the world for the past three months. Here are the semi-finalists and the first champion will be crowned tonight."

Zuko dropped his hand off his face and turned to glare at Sokka again. "Sanctioned? I never 'sanctioned' anything like this!"

Sokka merely chuckled. "Yeah, you did. It was at the end of that little folder of compliances with the other nations as befits the treaty. The part about games to bring the people together and contribute to worldly cooperation."

"I didn't think it would mean this!" Zuko grated out, spreading his hand to encompass the arena which was now almost full. The crowd started roaring as two large men entered the arena and an announcer from the other side started introducing the men and the rules of the games.

"Don't worry," Sokka yelled into Zuko's ear as the crowd cheered even more as Shih Tzu of the Fire Nation was announced as one of the contestants. "There's someone here to meet you too. She'll be by later."

Any remarks Zuko would have made were cut off as Sokka and The Duke started screaming along with most of the crowd as The Boulder was announced as the other contestant. Zuko just sat in his seat and glowered. It was bad enough that Sokka had dragged him out to this stupid muscle fest, but now he had asked a girl to come along? The last thing Zuko needed to think about was a girl. He had a country to run, reparations still to make, and with the rest of the world and his own country looking for any mistake, it was a difficult job. He didn't have time for girls. He sighed deeply. That was part of the reason why he had lost Mai two years before. He never had time for her, and though they had been in love once, it wasn't enough to survive his becoming Fire Lord. He had just become too busy and too devoted to making things right and she had moved on. Since then, Sokka had been trying to set him up with every girl that breathed and smiled nicely, but Zuko had brushed them all off. He knew his duty, but he was still too young and his country needed too much work. He was broken out of his depression as The Boulder won and knocked his opponent out of the ring. Several men hurried into the depression around the arena and helped Shih Tzu up and limp towards the infirmary where several waterbenders waited to heal the contestants.

"There are rules to keep people from actually getting killed, right?" Zuko asked Sokka as the warrior sat down again after cheering on his favorite.

"What? Oh, yeah. Fighting dirty gets you thrown out. Anyone suspected of going for a killing blow is warned and then disqualified if they do it again."

Zuko nodded, feeling slightly better about the competition and turned to Sokka again. "Now, about this girl. You know how I feel ab…" He stopped mid-sentence as Sokka jumped to his feet again as the next two contestants came out.

"Now, from the Northern Water Tribe, Son Ling! And, from the southern reaches of the Earth Kingdom, five-time champion of Earth Rumble…The Blind Bandit!" The announcer cried out to the cheers of the crowd.

Zuko stopped short from pulling Sokka down to lecture him about setting him up with a girl. He recognized the name of the Earth Kingdom combatant. He looked down and to the far end of the arena where a young woman was arriving, waving her hand to the whistles and cheers of the crowd.

"That can't be…" he started, not believing his eyes.

"Wow, Toph is hot!" The Duke stated before doing a wolf whistle, and confirming Zuko's observation. For there, on the arena floor was Toph Bei Fong, the earthbending teacher to the Avatar, tormentor of Zuko and the Blind Bandit. He hadn't seen her in five years, since the small reunion in Ba Sing Sae. And man, had she grown up. The Duke was right, though Zuko was a little flustered to admit it. Toph was hot. She had grown taller, but still appeared short, and had filled in well. She was lean and curvy and knew how to use those curves as she swayed back and forth, blowing kisses to her admirers. She now kept her hair long, but still held some it back with a green headband and wore a light green pants and kimono set, belted around her petite waist to show off her curves. She also wore shoulder armor and the traditional wrist and shin guards of earthbenders. She was smiling flirtatiously, though he could tell bangs still covered her eyes as they did when she was younger, so one could never quite see what she was thinking.

"Toph said she'll be by after she wins to catch up with everyone. And she wants to speak to you about something. Think she'll win?" Sokka said. "Oh, and make sure you don't swallow any bugs with that mouth."

Zuko realized his jaw was hanging open and quickly clamped his mouth shut, turning to glower at his friend once more, to which Sokka merely smiled before they all turned to watch the match. The young Fire Lord was amazed at how quickly and effectively Toph won. Two moves and it was over, and Toph didn't even make the first move! As she was announced the winner and the next set of contestants came into the arena, Zuko became interested in the battles. He studied Toph as she moved and recognized several of her trademark moves he had seen while she taught Aang, and he also paid close attention to those who won, trying to find out if anyone would give the blind earthbender a decent challenge. He was sorely disappointed in the rest of the contestants and all too soon, the finale came, Toph against The Sea Serpent from the Northern Water Tribe. Sokka had booed the young man every time he had come into the arena and Zuko finally had a chance to question him about it as the two contestants bowed to each other and then sank into their fighting stances, each waiting on the other.

"Oh, him," Sokka sneered when asked about the waterbender. "His name is Hahn, from the Northern Water Tribe. He's a real jerk and was only going to marry Yue for the political gain."

Zuko merely nodded his understanding to that explanation as they both turned their attention to the fight as Hahn pulled water from one of the four barrels around the arena and threw it at Toph in the form of a large icicle. Zuko knew that when Sokka mentioned his first girlfriend to not push the subject any further. Even though he was in love with and engaged to Suki, he still had a hole in his heart from losing Yue. Toph easily counted the icicle with an earthen wall, but Hahn merely changed the water back into its fluid form and tried to wrap it around the wall to stab at Toph from the side. Toph merely waved her hand and a wall of dust came up, turning the water into mud. She twisted and sent the mud back at Hahn. The waterbender seemed surprised to be faced with a mixture of the two elements and was able to stop the wall of mud from hitting him, but the mud stood wavering between the two contestants, waiting to see who had the stronger will. Zuko couldn't believe that Toph could be so weak, but then he saw her shift her feet as she stepped towards Hahn, and thought he even saw a smirk on her face. He was glad he didn't blink as Hahn was suddenly hit in the legs by a wave of earth traveling through the ground and knocked flat onto his face. The mud came a second later and pounded on top of the waterbender, soaking him thoroughly and making him look more like a mudskipper than a human. Hahn started to get up, looking furious as the crowd cheered Toph She turned her back to the waterbender and bowed to the crowd as Hahn rose and started running straight at her, taking the other three barrels worth of water and sending them all at Toph as he ran. Zuko held his breath as he watched the water. It was all in a circular wave motion he had seen Katara use against his sister so long ago in Ba Sing Sae and it felt like his heart stopped as Toph disappeared as the torrent came crashing down where she stood.

"Look! Look!" Sokka along with half the crowd cried as Toph popped up behind Hahn and waved at the crowd before kicking the earth and sending the waterbender flying into the arena wall to the loudest cheer yet from the crowd. Zuko found himself cheering as well, and finally sank back with a relieved smile. She certainly had grown, and he couldn't wait to talk to her again. Five years had been far too long.

XXXXX

Toph smiled as she waved to the cheering crowd, glad to have a reprieve. That had been too close. It had far too long since she had faced a strong waterbender and she had to admit she had pushed the twerp a little too far, even when they were traveling to the Fire Nation for the finale. It didn't help that he thought he was the spirit's gift to women and the blind earthbender had to work hard not to scowl at the memories of the idiot trying to woo her. To banish the memories and feel of the drunken hand that had surprised her on the ship, she instead thought about how good it had felt to smack him into the ground, several times. And she had won; she wasn't just the greatest earthbender ever, she was the greatest bender ever!

"And now we have a surprise for you," the announcer said and Toph sighed slightly, knowing what would happen next. She would make a show of it, and put on a good face, but she knew there was really no one here who could best her. "Before we crown our champion, the finalist shall accept any challenge! Will anyone challenge the Blind Bandit for the title of Greatest Bender in this one time offer?"

"I will," she heard from across the arena floor and almost had a feeling of déjà vu, expecting a giddy voice and light as air footsteps to come onto the floor. Instead, she was surprised to feel heavy, yet confident, steps, and a gravelly voice she had not heard in a long time. "I will challenge the Blind Bandit, but not for the title. I have no need for one of those."

Toph felt a goofy, soft smile come onto her face and quickly masked it as she recognized the challenger. She had come to see him after all, and had wanted a spar, but he had come to her. She decided to play it up first. "Yeah, no title needed because you already have so many, is that right, Sparky?"

"You know I do not care about titles, besides, I think you have might have more than me now."

She smiled. This was the part of him she loved, the part that played back and didn't care if he acted a little childish. Far too often he was just too serious and she had heard from Aang and Katara that he had just gotten worse, even with the goofball Sokka being around him constantly.

"Well, hope you don't mind the taste of dirt, cause you're getting pounded into it!" she called to him.

"We'll see," he said in a simple tone, but she could hear the smile in his tone. That was good. He was looking forward to this as much as she was. She felt him take off something and heard a collective gasp from the crowd as what felt like a large piece of fabric or a cloak fall to the ground before he took his stance. "Announcer, let it be known I only do this for my friend, The Blind Bandit. No titles, nothing special. You will crown her champion afterwards. Understood?"

The announcer seemed to have been confused at the banter and then had gone stiff when Zuko had revealed himself, but now he merely nodded and quickly got out of the way. Zuko turned back to Toph and she waited, seeing what he would do.

"Not up to your old tricks, I see," she said with a smirk as they both waited.

"I've learned a lot in the past five years," he replied.

Toph's smirk grew. "So have I," she said before stepping forward and doing a complex set of moves. At her first movement, Zuko sprang into action, running in a wide arc towards her left side. She felt every footstep as the ground erupted throughout the arena in columns and craters. But he must have been expecting that as he jumped over a crater, but didn't land where she expected him to. Instead the crowd cheered as she heard fire erupt, but didn't feel heat coming towards her. Toph waited, trying to listen for Zuko, but the fire had stopped and then she heard it again, coming from almost directly above her and felt the heat as it got closer. She quickly created a dome of earth over her head, and was surprised at the ferocity and heat of his blast. She felt Zuko land and quickly dropped her barrier, sending several boulders at him as she did so. He moved around them almost effortlessly, sending fireballs back at her to which she also dodged and blocked.

"Sokka said you had something to talk to me about," Zuko said as they moved around each other, flinging elements and countering each other.

"You don't want to wait till after I pound you to hear it?" Toph asked with a smirk.

"No, you've peaked my curiosity. It's just like you to come here just for the competition, but I know you didn't."

Toph's smirk grew, though she was surprised at how close he was getting to her. She threw a couple of extra boulders and created a quicksand pit to slow him down as she countered a few fireballs and a whip. "I came because you owe me, and I aim to collect."

Though none of her bending had slowed him down, that seemed to. But then he pressed on even harder.

"I don't owe you anything," he muttered darkly. "Especially after all you put me through."

"I only put you through what you deserved," Toph said as he got within five feet of her. She gave him a cute smile and then spun into the ground, creating a dust shield around them as she did so. She felt him jump up and then he was moving quickly through the dust, but it wasn't fast enough. Toph came back to the surface and used the dust in the air to coalesce around Zuko's legs and flung him to the ground. "But you still owe me," she said as he landed hard on his front.

"I owe you nothing," he said again and suddenly he was on fire. The quickness of it expelled the dirt and dust holding him down and then he was running at her, head on. Toph felt heat coming from his hands as he came closer and she knew she had pushed a button. But it felt so good. She brought rock to her hands and deflected his lit fists with her own protected hands and smirked at him again.

"You owe me a field trip, a real one," she said quietly to him as they locked together for a moment.

"No, I listened to your 'field trip' five years ago. I will not go through that again."

Toph's smirk faded. "That one didn't count."

Zuko surprised her by spinning down and trying to sweep her legs out from under her. She created a column under her feet, blocking his leg. She felt him jump up after her and she jumped off, creating another dust shield.

"That won't work Toph," she heard him say. But those words let her know exactly where he was. She used the dust to create a shield around her and wrapped him in two layers of dust before she brought him down to the ground, the rock around her hand configured like a spear to his throat.

"Yield," she said, panting, feeling his chest heaving as they both caught their breath.

"Only if we don't have a field trip like the last one," he stated and she was surprised before she started laughing.

"Deal," she said and released him to the loudest cheers yet that night. She bowed in respect to him, and felt him bow in return. "I'll be at your place in the morning. Get ready for an adventure."

She grinned as she faced the announcer and felt Zuko sigh, knowing he wasn't looking forward to the proposed field trip. But from what she had heard from Aang and Katara, he needed it. And she was going to make sure Zuko had fun.