"So, how's your dad doing?", Toji asked as he sat on the rooftop, looking at Toph who giggled as she shook her head.
"Much better after Mom and I stopped him from trying to put the family fortune as a bounty on your head."
"Wait, how much is that?"
"Firstly, you're not turning yourself in just to cash the bounty. Secondly...it's about 8.3 billion Earth Nation gold coins."
"...So, you said that you liked me, right?"
"You gold digger," Toph spoke with a roll of her eyes, Toji shrugging as he picked up the wine gourd beside him.
"I'm a greedy person. Never hid it," He answered before narrowing his eyes when Toph took the gourd from him and took a swig of it.
"You know, I miss the days where you were younger and couldn't do that."
"Tough fucking luck. Now, what are we going to do about this?"
"About what?"
"Me kissing you and you being a little bitch about it," Toph answered as she handed the gourd to him, to which he raised an eyebrow even as he took it and drank.
"Hah, honestly, not sure."
"About?"
"This. I've never been in a relationship-"
'In this life.'
"-and I'm not sure if I am ready for one. On top of that, I am a fucked-up mess and I don't want to have anyone dealing with that."
"...You know, I expected something worse," Toph spoke with a shrug, Toji raising an eyebrow as she smirked and rolled her eyes.
"What? Did you expect me to be like 'Oh, don't worry. You may be messed up, but I can help you and we'll work it out together'."
"Really?", Toji asked with a smirk, Toph simply shrugging as she took the gourd and drank again.
"Yeah, that was a bit over-the-top, but you know what I mean. You're fucked-up? Cool, you get to protect our kids should anything happen to them if we ever get to that phase. You don't know if you're sure about a relationship? Well, I am and I'm not a piece of meat you can string around as you wish.
The way I see it, you have two options here. You agree to being my boyfriend and we see where it goes or you don't be my boyfriend and we move on with our lives. Make a decision."
"...What about option 3: We wait until the war is over?"
"Nope, one of us could die in the process, leaving the other wondering of what could have been. No, one or two. Would you rather have me or let another guy have me?"
"Since when are you this forward?"
"Option 1 or 2, Fushiguro? Option 1 or 2?"
"Damn, option 1 then if that gets you to stop being pissed at me."
"Good, because option two was actually me forcing you to be my boyfriend."
"I thought it was the one where I don't become your boyfriend and we move on."
"Yes, move on from me asking you. I would then force you," Toph said with a shrug as she handed the gourd back, letting out a giggle before Toji watched her drop down to the balcony of his room.
"Sleep tight~ Remember, we got a big journey ahead of us tomorrow."
"That...was something else," Toji murmured as he finished the last of the wine in one gulp, but he couldn't help the small smile on his face as memories flashed in his mind.
"You want me to go out with you?"
"You're hot. Why not?"
"Hana, I just said I'm not looking for a girlfriend."
"I don't care~ Tonight, 8, my place. See you then."
'Yeah, they're so similar it almost makes me wonder if she reincarnated as her,' He thought as he dropped down, landing in a crouch on his balcony before making his way into his room and to his bed.
Toph was not wrong. Tomorrow would be his first return to the city of Ba Sing Se.
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"Huh, Iron runs a lot faster with you!", Toji raised an eyebrow at Toph as Iron dashed across the sand, shrugging as he stared at the gigantic wall in front of them.
"He only goes at this speed if you coerce him to."
"You told him you'd break his balls if he didn't."
"And it worked. Now, where did your 'pals' say we should meet them?'
"Stop calling them that. Also, we didn't say so we're going to have to go looki-", The sound of a large explosion echoed from their right, Toji and Toph looking in that direction before they saw Aang flying through the air.
"Or we follow the devastation and that's where we'll find them."
"Got it. Let's first take Iron to the wall. I see them," Toji said as he picked up speed, Toph immediately hopping off as they neared the wall before she stomped down onto the the ground as Iron stopped beside it.
The ground around them rippled before they began sliding up the wall, Toji climbing off while looking into the distance with a frown at what was either a drill or a giant spinning dildo...with a sharp tip.
'Wait, that's a drill. Oh, we're here,' He thought as he hopped onto the wall, Toph and Iron climbing on as well before Toph let their lift drop back to the ground as they walked to the gathered group in front of them.
"Oh, hey, Toph. How was talking with your dad?"
"It went pretty well, but I didn't expect to return to you guys fighting a giant drill?"
"Giant drill. The Fire Nation are trying to invade Ba Sing Se again so we're trying to tell the general here that we can help, but apparently, we can't."
"Because you're not part of the Ba Sing Se military. Now, I'm going to have to ask you all to leave."
"Oi, that you, Zhen Yi?", Toji asked with a raised eyebrow, smirking when the yonug woman narrowed her eyes at him before her eyes widened and she blinked in surprise.
"Toji Fushiguro?"
"Yo, you've grow-", Toji tilted his head as a jian missed stabbing through his head, not surprised when he leapt back to dodge the flurry of thrusts thrown at his form.
"You!"
"Whoa, whoa! Let's calm down here!", Toph grunted as she stomped onto the ground, Zhen Yi immediately shattering the stone coffin that tried to wrap around her before glaring at Toji as he sat on the top of the wall with a wave.
"Toji, wanna say how you two know each other?"
"Her dad is General Khieu who was on the Council of Five when I was here."
"And?"
"And I may have been paid by the Fire Nation to kill her father."
"Not 'may have'. The mercenary 'Merciless' June informed us that you were indeed the one who did it."
"...Huh, didn't expect her to be the betraying type."
"Oh, how does it feel? Does it hurt, knowing that a close friend betrayed you?"
"Oh, not as much as you did when I tore your heart out and tossed it around," Toji spoke with a shrug, Suki's smug smile turning into a glare as Toph held up her hands.
"Okay, so he killed your dad. I understand you're pissed, but can you try and kill him after we take care of the problem below?"
"If he is still here by the time we're finished with that, I will kill him."
"You're gonna have to get through me, but sure," Toph said with a shrug, Aang stepping in between them as he saw the anger dance in Zhen Li's eyes.
"Okay. Okay, let's start with figuring out what that is below us exactly."
"It's a high-pressure power drill. That's all we need to know. Stop the rotation of the front, damage the middle and pull back the end. Problem solved."
"Toji's right. Something that big has to have some support system on the inside to keep it up and running so if we go and take care of that, we can destabilize and destroy it from the inside," Sokka murmured, Toji raising an eyebrow as he nodded before narrowing his eyes as he saw two figures fighting against the Ba Sing Se guards below.
"So, Zhen Li, did you post guards to try and stop it."
"...The Terra Team that are focused on guerilla warfare."
"Uh-huh. Well, they just got their asses handed to them," Toji spoke as he pointed down, the group immediately looking down only to see two young women standing amidst the collapsed forms of the Terra Team.
"Great, it's the two girls that's always with Azula. That means we have to worry about her being here too."
"You guys know Azula?", Toji asked, smirking as Katara turned to him with an accusing look.
"Did you get paid to do work for her as well?"
"No, she just wants to force me to put a kid in her."
"...Toph, relax," Aang said warily as he looked at the short, blind young woman, who didn't say anything even as she crushed the wall in front of her with a grin.
"Oh, did she?"
"Yep, the girl's got daddy problems, control issues and a whole lot of crazy in her. Honestly, that's not my type."
"Not your ty-", Katara decided to stop talking when she saw Toph twitching, staring at the dangerous crack beneath their feet.
"Toji, let's maybe not make jokes about Azula wanting a-"
"A baby with him? Yeah, I don't want to have those nightmares," Sokka blurted out, Aang wincing as Toph stomped once and sealed the crack shut below them.
"Good, then. If you had been tempted, you would be buried six feet under right here."
"Six? That's not even enough to make me sweat."
"Twenty, then."
"The Fire Nation is our gates and you're wasting time squabbling about this...mercenary's love life!"
"Correction: I don't have a love life. I have a headache called Fire Nation Royalty that wants me as a slave."
"And now you have me, the blind bandit to rip her away," Toph said smugly as she elbowed his side, Toji rolling his eyes even as he felt a smirk tugging at his lips.
"We don't have time for this, people. What's the plan, Sokka?", Aang asked and they all turned to Sokka as Toji walked a few paces to the side and looked down over the wall.
"Well, we need someone up here to help General Zhen Li here coordinate where to strike as support. We also need someone to go with Aang so Katara and Toph would be the best there. As for Suki, you have a grudge against that emo chick, right?"
"Oh, I do," Suki spoke with a smirk as she flipped open her fans and Sokka nodded with a smile.
"Good. Then you'll go with them. As for Toji-where the hell is he?"
"Oi, idiots!", Toji's voice came from over the wall, Sokka letting out a groan as he saw the man running along the wall and down to where the drill was approaching with Kuruk's spear in hand.
With a grunt, Toji threw the spear out in front of him before spinning and leaping down towards the drill, Kuruk's spear flipping over midair before it launched itself towards Toji at high speeds.
With a barrel-roll and a grin on his face, they watched as Toji flipped and landed on his spear, crouched on the shaft as the spear carried him down to the ground.
"...That's the guy you want to date?", Katara asked as she looked to Toph only to let out a frustrated sigh when she saw Toph skating down the wall with a happy cackle.
"I stand corrected. They're perfect for each other."
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Below at the foot of the wall, Toji leapt off of the spear and slid down the wall, landing on the ground with a roll before standing up and catching Kuruk's spear with a smirk.
"...Oh, shit. It's Toji," Ty Lee spoke with a nervous smile, her long hair still in a ponytail as her rather large chest bounced with every happy hop she did.
'Damn, she's gotten bigger and that one...is still as pissed off at the world like usual,' Toji thought as he looked at Mai, who had grown her hair out somewhat while still dressing up in the same clothes.
"Yo, is your friend here?"
"Zula? Oh, yeah. She's up in the tower there."
"Ty Lee?"
"Yes, Mai?"
"Don't give our enemy information."
"Hey, Zula! Get your ass down here!", Toji shouted as he twirled Kuruk's spear, not surprised to see the hatch atop the control tower of the drill opening and a figure walk out with a glare.
Dressed in the armour of the Imperial Royal Firebender elites, there was a murderous chilling look in Azula's face as she walked to the railing, her black hair loose and billowing in the wind made by the drill as she gave Toji a cold smile.
"Toji Fushiguro."
"Hey. Last I saw you, you looked a lot less crazy than you do now."
"I was 17 and that was 3 years ago. Now, I am a young woman looking to find her place in the world."
"And I'm guessing my head is mounted above your fireplace as a trophy since I rejected you and all that?"
"No, your place is between my legs as the slave that you are."
"Don't you mean at your feet?", Toji asked only to raise an eyebrow as the young woman simply smiled and hopped over the railing with a flip, finally noticing the flowing dress she had on when Azula landed with a flourish and flipped her hair back.
"I meant between my legs."
'...Holy shit, she's gotten even crazier,' He thought as he felt a bit of danger from the women, having seen her kind far too many times in his past life when they tried to force him to be with them.
"You see, Toji, I have no interest in broken men who run. Now a beast where the danger of them dominating me is always present...that is what I want to leash," She purred, taking slow, deliberate steps while Toji smirked as he walked closer.
"Yeah? Well, apologies, but I don't do leashes. Collars and handcuffs, maybe, but only if they're padded."
"Still joking and pretending you're above me."
"Last I checked, I managed to beat you and get away twice. I think I'm very much above you."
"Those were but pity battles, but let me assure of this," She whispered as she reached up, tracing her fingers along his jawline while he raised a hand to her neck.
"When I tear Ba Sing Se's walls down and you're finally on your knees, you will come to me and I will enjoy tearing down that little facade of yours down."
"Oh, that's a nice plan except for one short problem, princess."
"And what's that?", Azula whispered and Toji grinned as he let go and leapt back just as the ground in between the two of them buckled when something crashed into it, sending the Fire Nation princess sliding back from the shockwave.
"That's me, Fire Psycho. So, why don't you shove all that crazy back into whatever hole you crawled out of and leave my boyfriend alone?", Toph spoke as she cleared the dust with a grin and a snap of her fingers, iron marbles dropping around her while Azula's gaze went from Toji to Toph.
"You? The short, little, barbaric, blind bimbo that can't see the lies of a peasant even when they're spell it out in stone."
"Oh, don't you worry, you sweet, demented cherry blossom that should have rotted in the back of your mom's throat. I'm about to ram that royal stick so far down your daddy even your daddy will be surprised when he hears you gagging on your own shitty lies."
"Your insults are fitting for a commoner such as yourself."
"Commoner? Ha! Bitch, I could buy out your entire country and still have enough to let your entire nation bathe in it. We are not the same."
"Indeed, we are not. I was born into greatness while you were pushed out into the mud like the pig you are."
"Ooh~ Harsh, but that's okay. I understand that jealousy makes you nasty."
"Jealous? Of what?"
"Of me, because no matter how much power you've got, it's hard for you to accept one simple thing. I'll get to sleep in his arms and you won't," Toph whispered before stomping on the ground, creating a stone wall that blocked off the torrent of blue flames punched at her.
"Oof, did I hit a nerve, sweetheart?"
"I have had enough of you, little girl."
"Same here, skank. Put your hands up."
"...Is this how cursed spirits would fight over souls?", Toji whispered to Wormy, who just nodded before the man leaned back to dodge a flurry of daggers thrown at his head.
"Really? We can't even enjoy the fight?"
"Sorry, handsome, but if we let you just stand there, I'm sure Azula would kill us," Ty Lee spoke with an apologetic smile as she lunged in, Toji narrowing his eyes as he twisted and smacked the inside of her right wrist with a chop.
Ty Lee winced at that even as she continued with a high kick, surprising Toji with her flexibility even as he ducked down and leapt back when Mai threw another dagger at him.
To their surprise though, he stabbed Kuruk's spear into the ground, Wormy shrinking around his body as Toji rolled his shoulders and shifted into a fighting stance.
"Well, I was looking for a way to pass the time so...let's dance."
A/N: So sorry for the late upload, but it was a bit of a struggle to write out this chapter, especially with how tired I felt yesterday.
Anyway, the Ba Sing Se battles begin with Toph and Azula clashing while Toji take on Ty Lee and Mai.
Next chapter: The Couple Fights.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
Anyway, as always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…
Ba-Bye~!