Floating:

a Avatar the Last Airbender fanfiction

Set up: This takes place after a previous story I wrote "Ten Seconds" which was at the end of the airship battle during "Sozin's Comet" where I had Toph fall from the airship, and Sokka jumps after her. This story is fairly straight forward but you might want to read the previous story first just for clarity.

Floating: Part 1

Toph was floating and she hated it. She never liked the feeling of floating because she could not "feel" anything, which meant that she was truly blind. I must be dreaming she thought. If she was actually floating on water she would at least feel the water on her skin. Of course she could be floating on air but that would be silly, no she must be dreaming.

The young girl felt something touch her forehead, just a light breath of moving air, then a slight tingle, and then it was gone. What was that? She wondered. Whatever it was it had woken her up, and she realized that she had been dreaming. She opened her eyes and saw… nothing, but she still could not feel anything, she was still floating.

Toph tried to move but felt a heavy weight on top of her, nothing specific, just a general weight covering her. She tried to move her arms but they seemed to be held down by her sides. She tried to move her fingers but they didn't seem to be responding. She tried to touch her side but she could not feel anything with her hands. As she moved them slightly against the weight an ache began to spread up her hands into her forearms. It wasn't bad but her hands definitely hurt.

The earthbender then tried to move her legs. They were held down but she could move them from side to side with no problem, they felt a little scratchy against the sheets… sheets! That was it, she was in a bed, a big soft bed, with sheets and a comforter, or blankets that had been tightly tucked in. That was the weight that was holding her down.

Where am I? Toph wondered. Was she home in Gaoling? She listened for a moment, but she did not hear anything. That meant she was not home, there was always someone moving around the big house or the estate. She started to wriggle her way up and out from under the bed clothes, her hands began to really hurt but she kept going I must have really hurt them she thought, but she kept moving until her legs were finally free and she was lying on top of the bed. that was a lot of work she told herself I'm as weak as a kitten. What is wrong with me that I am so weak she hated being weak and helpless, and she was not going to allow it now. She scrunched herself up the bed until her back was against the headboard and she paused to catch her breath.

The blind girl felt her left hand with her right and found that both her hands, as far as she could tell, were wrapped in heavy bandages as though she were wearing large thumbless mittens, that extended half way up her arms. What happened to me? she wondered. She could remembered that she, Meathead, and that Suki Girl were going to help Aang by attacking the Fire Nation Air Fleet, and she remembered earthbending all three of them onto an airship, but after that it became very sandy. She realized she must have been hurt at some point but could not remember exactly what happened.

What am I wearing? Toph wondered. Around her middle was a bunch of cloth is that a diaper? she asked herself, how long have I been in this bed? She took a quick sniff but didn't smell anything .

"Well that's a relief" she said quietly to herself.

The young girl noticed that only half her nose was working, her left nostril was blocked by something. She reached up with her left hand to clear it, but all she succeeded in doing was to bang her nose against the bandage on her hand. The contact sent another stab of pain into her hand and down her arm. This is just stupid! She thought. Her mother used to do this to her when she was a little girl, tie mittens on her hands to keep her from picking her nose. She was really starting to get annoyed by all of this. What is going on here? she asked herself.

Toph checked the rest of her ensemble, which seemed to consist of some kind of a long shirt. She then felt on her left bicep for her space earth armband and, even though she could not feel much through the bandages, she could tell that the armband was not there. Now this is just too much she told herself, someone is going to pay, and pay dearly for all of this. She sat there a moment contemplating what she was going to do to someone, Sokka probably she told herself, when a new idea came to her Wait a minute, I didn't smell anything, where is my healthy covering of dirt?

Toph reached up to feel her hair but with the bandages on her hands, she really could not feel anything specific, but her hair seemed to be hanging down her back in a pony tail. She could feel it as she moved her head back and forth against the headboard. If this is one of Meathead's stupid pranks she ranted to herself, he is going to be so dead! I am going to bury him up to his pony tail!

The blind girl worked her way to the right side of the bed. She felt a night stand that stood by the edge of the bed. She moved down until she felt clear space off of the side. With one hand on the bed and the other on the nightstand she lowered her legs over the side of the bed and felt for the floor. No joy she thought as her feet hung loose over the side not touching anything but the side of the bed.

The young earthbender sat there a moment trying to decide what to do. Finally she told herself well it's not like I am going to be jumping off an airship or something, this stupid bed can't be that high off the floor. She then took a deep breath and slipped off of the bed and onto the floor. It was only a short distance before her feet landed on a large flat stone. Her body came to a jolting stop when she hit the floor, well most of her body, her chest was, as always now, about a half second behind the rest of her. This whole becoming a woman thing made no sense to her. Shaving her legs and armpits, her chest having to catch up with the rest of her all the time, and "Tui's monthly gift to women" as Katara put it, that was a present she would have sent back unopened if she had the choice.

Toph felt a huge wave of relief and joy go through her as she felt the stone under her feet. She was in contact with the earth again, she could feel again.

"Sweetness" she breathed.

She could feel the room now. It was familiar in some way. It was a simple bedroom with a wardrobe in one corner, two chairs by the bed and a door in the far wall. Now she could feel the nightstand and what was on it, there was a jug of liquid, a bowl, a cup, some rolled up cloth, and My armband! She reached for the band but because of the bandages she could not pick it up. Finally using both bandaged hands she got it up off of the nightstand and eventually got it onto her arm. For some reason she could not explain, getting it on made her feel better than even getting on the ground did.

Leaning on the bed Toph raised one heel and popped it down onto the stone, sending out a wave of bending into the surrounding area. She felt the building, and the occupants inside it. The other bedrooms seemed to be divided up into boys and girls rooms. Some of them were awake and moving around, others were still in their beds, whoever they were. It must be early in the morning she told herself. The young bender popped her heel again a little harder this time and felt the wave go out and come back giving her more information. There were a lot of similar houses in all directions from this one. Farther out there was a wall. She did it again harder and felt more buildings and more walls going on and on into the distance. Ba Sing Se she told herself I hate this place! What am I doing here?

Toph felt her legs begin to tremble from fatigue even after the short time she had been standing. She sat down on the cool stone floor then shifted herself around to lean her back against the stone wall of the room. At least she could feel her surroundings now, At least it's an Earth Kingdom city with stone and earth buildings she told herself. If this place had been made of wood she would still be blind and lost, now she was just hurt, hungry, and angry. She wanted some real clothes, something to drink, some meat, and most of all she wanted to pick her nose. Once she got her energy back she was either going to start screaming or just knock this whole place down.

As the twelve year old sat there, she felt someone walking down the hall that passed by the door to the room, it was a woman. A big smile broke out on her face as she recognized those distinctive, direct, no nonsense steps.

"Hey Sugar Queen!" she called, "I need some clothes".

The footsteps stopped, then Toph felt them run to the door, which flew open and Katara stood for a moment looking at the bed, then searching the room, she called out,

"Toph?".

There was worry in her voice. The young girl would have played with older one for a while except for the concern that she heard. Instead she said,

"I'm over here, Sugar Queen".

Katara rushed to where Toph sat on the floor squatted down and grabbed her shoulders.

"Toph you're awake! Are you alright?" She asked of the earthbender, but before Toph could answer Katara continued "You had us so worried, you were so hurt and you just wouldn't wake up".

Toph began to stand up, and Katara helped her to her feet.

"I'm fine, I'm fine" she said as she tried to fend Katara off with her bandaged hands. "What's with these?" she asked holding up her hands.

Katara, still holding Toph's shoulders, began to herd her towards the bed.

"You really hurt your hands and wrists when you landed" She said as she maneuvered her up against the side of the bed.

Landed? Toph asked herself.

Katara tried to push her onto the bed telling her,

"You've been unconscious for days. You need to get back into bed".

Days! Toph thought, then she told the water bender,

"Oh no I'm not! You are not getting me onto that instrument of torture again. I can't feel when I'm on that thing, I'm staying right here on solid earth!".

Katara gave up trying to get Toph onto the bed and using her toe, pulled a chair over to them.

"Here, at least sit down then" she said while maneuvering Toph into the chair. Then she called out "Toph's awake!".

Toph surrendered and sat in the wooden chair but kept her feet firmly on the floor.

"What's with the shouting?" she asked the waterbender.

"Oh, that's a Suki-ism" Katara said as she pulled Toph's shirt down where it had bunched up around her waist as she was sitting on the floor.

The blind bender tried to bat Miss Fussy Britches away but she just didn't have the energy to do much. Toph thought of Fan Girl, it had been bad enough when Mr. Sparky Sparky Angry Man had joined the group, but then when the Kyoshi Queen showed up she really changed everything, and it seemed like she still was.

Toph pushed those thoughts out of her mind as she shifted her focus onto the rest of the house. She felt the rest of the people burst into sudden movement as some started to run for "her" bedroom and others got up and started dressing. She didn't feel Twinkle Toes but she heard a rush of air and figured he was on his scooter. There was the Suki Girl she was light on her feet but she seemed to grab the ground with her toes even when she was running. Oh and there was the Old tea man he was here, and a small half smile came to her lips as she recognized his sure but careful steps. There was a new woman, or not so new maybe, she had gliding steps even with the obvious heels on her shoes, that was it! She was one of the phony Kyoshi warriors, not the bouncy one that liked Stupid, this was the bored one. And there was Sparky himself throwing on clothes and coming out into the hall.

There was one person she searched for but she could not find him. Those big flat feet of Sokka's, he walked with his toes splayed out to the sides as if he were just wandering around. Unless he was fighting Toph reminded herself. When he was fighting he stopped being Snoozles and became someone else, sure, quick, and balanced. His feet light on the earth, yet somehow firm and solid at the same time. When Sokka fought it was a real pleasure to feel him move. Not dancelike the way Sugar Queen moved, or floaty the way Twinkle toes flitted around, or stomping around like Sparky, or studied the way Suki did. Sokka was exciting, you never knew when he was going to stop or start, where he was going to go next, always ready to move but solid when he stopped. She loved to feel him move when he really meant it, like the time he was fighting his Sifu.

Toph was pulled from her thoughts by Aang awkwardly hugging her as she sat in the chair. He asked her,

"Are you alright?" then the airbender added "You really scared us!"

Toph tried to push him away as she had done with Katara, who was now standing just to the side of her, with as little success. The young girl was getting embarrassed with all this attention, and punched Aang in the arm while saying,

"I'm fine Twinkle…" but was cut off by the sharp stab of pain as her right hand made contact with his arm. Can't do that for a while she told herself as she inhaled with a hiss from the pain.

The young bender felt the others assemble at the door to the room. Fan girl, Iroh, the new Glidy girl, and Sparky just stood in the door way, Sparky was holding on to Glidy girl, with an arm around her waist. Well that's new she thought. She was starting to get a little angry with all these people looking at her. Of course she had no idea how she looked, but she was sure that the outfit they had her in was not very flattering. She sat there trying to breathe deeply to calm herself but her left nostril was still clogged up. She reached up without thinking to get that booger out of there and once again she hit her nose with her bandaged left hand. More pain to this hand now, with her nose added in for good measure.

Toph was really getting sick of all this, everybody staring at her, no food, no clothes and worst of all no nose picking.

"Where's Captain Boomerang?" She asked. "I need some expert nose picking and he's the only one of you that isn't an amateur".

This got an unexpected reaction from everyone. Suki started making little choking sounds, turned and walked into the main room of the house. Glidy girl grabbed Sparky's hand, Old tea man seemed to deflate slightly. Sugar Queen just stood there holding her hands against her stomach. Twinkle toes looked at Sugar Queen then turned to Toph and quietly said,

"Sokka's not here, Toph".

The blind girl stood up, and turning to Aang asked,

"What is he still asleep?, Well wake him up and tell him to get his lazy butt in here, I need him."

Katara said,

"No Toph, Sokka's gone."

Is she crying, Toph asked herself, then asked,

"Well where is he? Is he out shopping for meat or something?"

The young earthbender lifted her foot and pounded it into the floor, sending a powerful wave of bending out into the city, searching for Sokka. She felt the building shake from the wave but she didn't care about this stupid house, she had to find Stupid. She quickly sorted through everyone around them and could not find him. This is just too much she told herself, I am going to find him no matter what.

Even though Toph could not use her hands she could still use her arms and this time she did, executing the full kata and stomped her foot down really hard while shouting out,

"Sokka!".

The wave burst out and rapidly spread thorough out the upper ring of the city. The twelve year old felt the ground shake, and she heard the sounds of falling roof tiles and of people shouting, but she did not find him. She began the form again, more powerfully this time, if she could send a strong enough wave out, and could shout his name loud enough she would find him and he would come to her. People were shouting her name but she just blocked them out, they were just minor distractions to what she had to do. She brought her foot down while screaming,

"SOKKA!"

The earthbending wave went out into the whole city. There was more noise of crumbling walls, cracking stone, and people screaming from outside but she just blocked it out as she had done with the shouting in the room. Someone was trying to grab her but she bent the floor up to push them away. She began the form again.

Toph brought her foot down, screaming as loud as she could,

"SOKKA!"

The muscles in her back and in her stomach begin to spasm trying to force more air out of her, she didn't care if it tore her apart as long as she could call him back, as long as she could find him. The wave spread out from her and smashed through the city and out into the country side. She could feel the people swarming like ants as their ant hill crumbled but she couldn't find him.

Toph began the form again, adding all the power she could to it, then she heard something that she could not block out. It was a single word,

"Dead".

She wasn't sure who said it. It was said quietly but it grabbed her attention. She continued the form but a part of her mind was now listening and she heard a raspy woman's voice say that one word again,

"Dead".

Toph felt someone kneeling in front of her, it was Mai, and she heard that distinctive quiet voice again.

"He's dead Toph."

Toph slowly lowered her foot to the floor. She could sense the room again and she could feel earthbending all around her in the city. She could feel Aang earthbending right in the room, but all she could hear was Mai's voice as she softly said,

"Sokka's dead Toph."

To Be Continued

Disclaimer : "Avatar the Last Airbender" the characters and the world were created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and owned by Nickelodeon and Viacom or Paramount or some huge corporation. This is purely a work of fan fiction because I wanted to play in their world and I love the characters that they created.

Authors Notes:

This is the second story I ever wrote. I have tried to clean it up and edit it to make it more presentable. I am putting it up since I am so far behind on "I'll Walk You Home". I hope to get the next chapter of that up this weekend.

I figure Toph would be a 9.0 on the Richter scale.

I hope you enjoy this. There are two more parts that I will try to re-edit and get up this weekend as well.

All comments and criticisms are greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

JustThisGuyYouKnow