Fic: Tian Mi Shi Lui : Chapter Ten: Sweet Sixteen ***STORY COMPLETE***
By: Sugeatarc
Disclaimer: I still don't own Avatar. I'll let you know if that changes.
Genre: A little romance, a little humor, a little action
Characters/Pairing: Toph/Teo; lots of other familiar faces popping up
Rating: G/PG

Teaser:

“My, my, you’re always such a feisty one. I don’t intend to duel you. No challenge in it.”

“What?! I hope you’re ready to prove that!”

“Tsk. Don’t be foolish, girlie. I’ve got more than seven years for each of one of yours. Youth and skill will always be beaten by old age and treachery. Remember that. Now come along. Don’t make me have my guards drag you.”

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Toph popped to her feet and glared at the old king. “What did you call me?” she said.

“Doesn’t matter, does it? Got your attention, it did. Now, explain to me what you and your hooligan friends are doing playing games in my catacombs and risking my city!”

“WHAT? You put me down there!”

“That’s beside the point. Poor excuse. Hrmph. You come with me right now, young lady. I want an explanation.” Toph could envision his fluffy white brows beetling as he shoved his face in close to hers, close enough for her to smell his breath. He’d had something with a lot of garlic in it for dinner. The thought of food made her stomach grumble.

“You don’t want an explanation, you old loon. You want a rumble. Well, I’m ready any time you are!” She rooted herself and took hold of the earth, ready for whatever Bumi might have in mind. She hoped.

“My, my, you’re always such a feisty one. I don’t intend to duel you. No challenge in it.”

“What?! I hope you’re ready to prove that!”

“Tsk. Don’t be foolish, girlie. I’ve got more than seven years for each of one of yours. Youth and skill will always be beaten by old age and treachery. Remember that. Now come along. Don’t make me have my guards drag you.”

“Hah! Like they could. And last time I went with you, you dropped me into a hole full of cold water, old man. Why should I come with you again?”

“Because I never repeat a trick, as you know very well, little toughie. Can’t you hear the birds singing? The sun will be up in a few minutes, and I want to be in my palace when dawn breaks. It has a lovely view.”

“Like I care about the view.” Toph sighed. “But whatever, I’m tired of arguing. C’mon, Teo, let’s humor him. I’m hungry and sleepy.”

“Me too,” Teo said, as he fell in step beside her.

Bumi led them to one of the mail carts and motioned them to get in.

“Don’t these things go down the mountain, not up?” Teo asked.

“They’re made of rock. They go where I tell them to go,” Bumi replied, leaping into the cart in a way that showed no trace of his hundred-plus years. Teo muttered, “Is this a good idea?” in his undervoice.

Toph responded without bothering to whisper. “Let’s just go and get this over with. Besides, if he tries anything, well, the cart is made of stone, and I won’t make it easy for him.”

“Get in, get in, you dawdlers! The sun’s almost at the horizon.” Bumi caught Toph around the waist and boosted her straight into the cart, ignoring her yelp of protest.

Grumbling, she settled down as Teo climbed in to join her. “Old man, what’s this obsession you have with the dawn, anyway?”

“Hm? You know that. It means your Tian Mi Shi Liu is officially over.”

“…and? So what?”

Bumi snorted. “It didn’t used to be called Sweet Sixteen, you know. Back in my day, it was the Tiǎo Zhàn Shí Liù.”

“The Frivolous Pomegranate of War?” Toph guessed.

“Ah! Today’s youth are nearly illiterate. Silly girl. No. It means the Challenge of Sixteen.”

“Yeah, so?”

Now Bumi sounded exasperated. “Don’t be dense, Toffee.” He waved a hand and the cart with the three of them in it started to scoot up the mountain at very respectable speed. “The Tiǎo Zhàn Shí Liù wasn’t a party. Well, there was sometimes a party afterward, but never mind that. It was a rite of passage for young Earth Kingdom citizens. The young person’s family, friends, and teachers would get together and decide the best way to test the teenager to see if she was ready to assume the responsibilities of full adulthood. If she didn’t pass, she didn’t get a birthday. She stayed sixteen – and legally a child -- until she did pass. It wasn’t just for girls either. The boys had to pass the test too.”

“Huh. Well, I like the sound of that better than I liked the my party, but I’m probably in the minority on that. Why did the custom change?”

“The war, mostly.” His voice softened unexpectedly. “When our young people began having to take up arms against the Fire Nation at younger and younger ages. Like you did, at twelve. It was patently foolish to deny the unfortunate youngsters who had to fight, and often die, the status of adult.”

“Oh.” Toph recalled that Teo had been badly injured as a very young child, thanks to the war. She reached out and took his hand. He squeezed it, but said nothing. “So are you saying I’ve been an adult since I hooked up with Aang? Hah. I’ve been trying to tell people that for years – especially my folks – but they always ignore me.”

“I would say you declared your adulthood when you agreed to teach the Avatar, yes. But your parents aren’t Omashan citizens – their province is part of that young idiot Kuei’s kingdom. And Kuei’s a bureaucrat at heart. Wants legal proof of everything. I think he plans to be buried with his scrolls when he dies, he loves them so much.” Bumi snorted. “Legally, by the old laws, you weren’t an adult at twelve, even though you were nearly killed several times over in the struggle against Ozai’s madness.”

“Yeah, I know. I had this explained to me several times over by Sparky – er, I mean Fire Lord Zuko.”

“I know who you meant, dearie. Speaking of young fools…well, he’s less foolish than many his age, I’ll say that for him. He had to back up Kuei’s decision – he could hardly start this New Era of his by breaking Earth Kingdom law to suit his own wishes, now could he?”

“I guess not.”

The cart ground to a stop in front of a pair of very large ornate doors inlaid with gold and jade. “Ah, home at last. Will you and your young man join me for breakfast?”

“You’re not planning to slip anything strange into the food, are you?”

Bumi chuckled. “Try it and find out. Or go hungry!” He waved a hand, and the stone doors flung themselves wide open for their monarch. Bumi’s palace was very comfortable and nicely appointed in an elegant, minimalist style. Compared to Kuei’s palace complex in Ba Sing Se it was small and plain, but Bumi seemed to like it. And Omashu, while comfortably wealthy by the standards of most Earth Kingdom cities, did not have a chance at competing with Ba Sing Se in terms of opulence.

A few servants moved quietly about their tasks. One of them opened a door to what Toph sensed was a spacious room mostly filled with a huge table. She smelled a wide variety of breakfast dishes, and her stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl. Bumi snickered. “Sounds like you’re going to have to risk my food, girlie.”

“Guess so. Hey Teo, maybe you should wait to see if I keel over or – “ She heard munching sounds from somewhere near her elbow. “Oh. Never mind.” Toph found a plate, filled it with dumplings, lotus seed cakes, and other goodies, and dug in.

“I haven’t had anything nefarious done to the food,” Bumi said. “The games are over now, Toph. For today, at least. No promises about tomorrow!”

Toph looked up, half a lotus cake sticking out of her mouth, at the unexpected seriousness of Bumi’s tone. She regretfully put the delicacy down on her plate and turned to face the old king. “I’m guessing you’re finally going to tell me what all of this is really about. Am I right?”

“You are. Although a part of it, at least, was just to give you something interesting to do today. I’ve noticed you’re not a big one for formal entertainment of the type your mother prefers.”

“You’ve noticed? What, were you spying on me?” Toph said.

“I’ve been watching over you since you were born, dear. I always keep on eye on my family, even the distant ones, such as my little blind great granddaughter.”

Toph was glad she had put down the sweetcake, or she would have choked on it. “I thought you said no more games tonight, Bumi!”

“So I did. Actually, it’s a little more complicated than that. I’m your great great grandfather on your mother’s side, and your great great great grandfather on your father’s side. Where do you think the Bei Fong noble line started, eh? Right here in Omashu, that’s where.”

“But – but – I didn’t even know you had kids!”

“Twelve, to be precise, with three different wives. The last one passed away from me twenty seven years ago, and I haven’t had the heart to take another since I lost her.” Toph heard the old king pick up a teacup and take a sip. “Then there’s the small army of grandchildren, and the larger army great grandchildren, then your generation and the one after that. It’s one advantage of living so long – you get to see a lot of descendants. Of course, you also get to see some of them die before you. That part is not an advantage.”

“But neither of my folks are earthbenders!”

“True. The only kind of earth your father is interested in bending is the kind that can be made into coins. And yet here you are, dear, the second best earthbender the Earth Kingdom has ever seen, teacher of the Avatar, inventor of metalbending and many other notable achievements. All while you were still a child. You never thought that was strange?”

“I…well, I used to wonder, when I was younger, if I was adopted…what do you mean second best?!”

Bumi ignored her outraged exclamation. “No no. You’re the child of your mother and father, girl. Never doubt that. But sometimes the old blood arises anew from streams long thought dry. I have been watching you all your life, Toph. How do you think I knew to send the Avatar to you? For your sake, as much as his.”

Toph sat back on her cushion, hunger forgotten. “So…I…I don’t know what this means.” Sensing her confusion, Teo slipped an arm around her waist. She hugged it to her gratefully.

“Well now, that depends on several things. Tell me….what did you think of your performance during your Tiǎo Zhàn Shí Liù?”

“Uh…I don’t know. I just wanted to finish it. I thought you were just playing games with me. Weren’t you?”

“Yes and no. I seldom do anything for just one reason, Toph. They were games, yes, but they were also, as in the old days, a chance for you to prove yourself to the people who care about you, and more importantly, to prove yourself to yourself.” Bumi chuckled. “Not that I’ve often seen you lacking in self-confidence, my dear. So, did you learn anything?”

Toph thought back to the night’s events. “I learned that…having friends at your side is a strength, but can also be a weakness, because they can be used against you.” Teo gave her an extra squeeze. She patted his hand. “I learned that those who challenge you aren’t necessarily your enemies, and that not every situation that looks like a fight has to be one. I learned that people you thought you knew can surprise you, and that some friends will go out of their way to help you even if you don’t want them to. Of course I already knew a lot of that. Oh, and I learned my boyfriend is a genius. Which I already pretty much knew, too.”

“ ‘ Pretty much’ knew?” Teo said into her ear.

“Can’t have you getting an inflated ego,” she whispered back.

“Hmmm. I like your answers, Toph Bei Fong.” Bumi stood up and went to the far wall of the room, which turned out to be a pair of bamboo shutters hiding a doorway that led out onto a balcony. Beyond, Teo could see the sky turning a delicate blushing pink against pearly blue, streaked with darker rose from a few early-morning clouds. “Come view my city with me, Toph,” said the old king, stepping outside into the morning air.

Toph started to make one of her standard sarcastic comments about being blind, but thought better of it. She stood up, leaving Teo’s embrace with regret, and followed Bumi. The air was crisp and cool, chilly with the departing winter, but warmed by the promise of summer soon to come. Toph could smell the warm scent of the fertile farmlands surrounding the walls of Omashu, the lands that kept the city fed. From the smell, there was a lot of cabbage seed being planted down there.

“What do you think of my city, my dear? Take a good look.”

Toph looked. Not with her eyes, but with her feet; her hands on the balcony’s stone railing; her mind, heart, and soul. Saw the mountain, the whole of it, how the Omashans lived in and on it, always in harmony with the rock, respecting it but not fearing it. The Omashans were one with their home in a way the residents of sprawling Ba Sing Se never could be. They were true citizens of the kingdom of the earth.

“I think it’s beautiful,” she said, all sarcasm set aside.

“Hah. I gave you the opportunity for a blind joke, and you threw it away?...Well done, my girl.”

They stood in silence for a long moment. Bumi finally broke it.

“I’m glad you like my city. I’m going to put you in charge of it one day.”

Toph gave him her patented “I’m talking to a crazy person” look. “What, you want me to run things while you spend your days playing with Flopsie? I don’t think so, old man.”

“No, my dear. I mean you’re going to be Omashu’s Queen when I finally become one with my beloved earth.”

Toph’s mouth fell open. “The…what now? Bumi, are you saying you’re –“ She broke off, unable to complete the thought.

“No no! I don’t plan to die any time soon, so don’t start redecorating my palace just yet. But I’m one hundred and eighteen years old, Toffee-taffy. There’s only so long I can go on – or would want to. We’re at the dawn of a new age here. When I pass, Omashu will need a ruler who can bring her into that new age without losing what makes her special. I think you’re up to the challenge.”

“Why me?”

“Many reasons. First, you’re of my blood. This isn’t required, but I think it will reassure my people. Mind you, I have sixty-one living descendants at the moment, so don’t think it makes you too special. And some of them might, ahem, object strenuously to you taking the throne, so you’ll have to deal with that. You should be particularly wary of Fā Kuáng Quǎn – he’s tried to have me assassinated twice so far. Fortunately he’s as incompetent as he is greedy.

“Second, you have important connections. You’re the teacher of the Avatar, friends with the young Fire Lord with all the newfangled ideas, and one of the heroes of Ozai’s defeat. Those are impressive credentials. They’ll help keep people like Fā in line, give my people a ruler they can be justifiably proud of, and be a warning to any outside source of aggression that Omashu is not an easy target and they should look elsewhere.

“Third, you are the best young earthbender I’ve ever met. Someday you may even surpass me – thought I doubt it. Don’t glare at me like that – show respect for your elders, girl. As you can tell, we Omashans live in harmony with the mountain. Sometimes things have to be nudged to keep the balance. You have the ability to perceive when something is wrong, and the power to fix it, so that no avalanche or cave-in will threaten my people’s lives and homes. At the same time, you can ensure that my people don’t overtax the mountain by digging too deep into its roots, and you can help keep the flatlands that feed us all fertile and productive so that no one starves.

“Even if you weren’t a child of my line, Toph Bei Fong, you would still make a fine Queen for Omashu. And now that you are fully adult in the eyes of the law, you are free to make your choice. So what will it be?”

Toph gulped. “I …have to decide right now? Just like that?”

“Yes. Omashu needs a decisive leader. Oh, you’ll have to find a mate other than that crippled commoner boy who can’t even earthbend, of course.”

“Oh, well, then. That settles that.” Toph turned to walk away. “Teo! We’re leaving!”

Bumi’s bony claw caught at her shoulder. “My, my, I must really have shaken you up for you not to see through my little joke. Even I wouldn’t presume to tell you who to love, my dear. Two of my wives were commoners – it absolutely doesn’t matter. In fact, based on the way he helped you through your Tiǎo Zhàn Shí Liù, I’d say he’s an excellent choice. Smart, versatile, able to watch your back. Good qualities in a royal spouse.”

Toph felt herself blushing, just as Teo poked his head out onto the balcony. “Is everything okay out here, Slugger?” He paused. “What’s with the red face?”

“Uh…nothing. It’s the wind, it’s chapping my cheeks.”

“Yeah, right. Tell me another one, Slugger.”

“Well….Bumi wants me to take Omashu over for him when he dies. Which won’t be for a long time yet!”

“Oh yeah? Sounds like a good idea. I always knew you were a princess.”

Toph dropped her face into her hands. “Ugh, not you too. You really think I should go along with this?”

“Absolutely. You’d be great at it.”

Bumi cackled. “Yep, excellent spouse material, this one!”

Teo looked at him. “Excellent what?”

Toph broke in. “Never mind that! Just – help me out here. Bumi wants an answer now.”

“So tell him yes and come back to breakfast. The shrimp shumai is terrific.”

“I have a couple of suggestions for what you can do with your shrimp shumai! I’ve got a real issue here, Teo.”

“I don’t really think you do, but I’m behind you whatever you choose. You know that, Slugger.”

Bumi cackled again. Teo wondered what the old man found so funny.

Toph turned back to the old king. “So if I say yes – what happens? Will I be stuck here in Omashu? I’ve had enough of being a pampered, powdered doll.”

“I’m sure you have. Such a waste of your talents. Really, your parents should be ashamed. On the other hand, they produced you in the first place, so that’s a point in their favor. But to answer your question, I’ll want you to spend at least a couple of months here every year so you can learn about the city and the city can learn about you. Plus, you’ll need to show up here for regular earthbending lessons – you and I have some serious work to do on that score. You have to teach me to metalbend, for one thing.

“Aside from that, your time is your own. Although I think someone else has some ideas about that.” Teo saw Bumi lean over the railing and wave. A few seconds later a brown and white streak flew by, followed by a bright golden one. Appa roared in welcome as he circled around, Aang and Katara in his saddle. Shai, carrying Zuko and Sokka, tried to roar too, but her voice broke into a squeak at the end. Teo would swear the young dragon looked embarrassed.

The balcony was far too small for either animal to land, but that didn’t stop their passengers. Aang opened his glider and was the first one to land on the balcony. He swept Toph up in a huge hug the moment he touched down. Zuko arrived a second later, having run up Shai’s neck and launched himself off her head, utterly ignoring the deadly fall awaiting him if his leap fell short. Katara flung out a stream of water and froze it in place, then slid her way across the ice bridge. When Sokka complained that he wasn’t as crazy as Zuko and definitely wasn’t going to jump off of Shai’s head, his sister thoughtfully provided him with an ice bridge of his own, complete with ornate handrails. Sokka gave her a remarkably dirty look as he crossed over.

“I thought perhaps you’d like to talk it over with your friends,” Bumi said. “But don’t take too long, my dear. This offer expires when the morning bells sound in the city – which won’t be long now.”

“You all knew about this from the start, didn’t you?” Toph said.

“Of course!” Katara said. “This took a lot of setting up, you know. Planning it out, getting everyone together in the same place at the right time. We all worked very hard on this.”

“Well, not all of us,” Sokka added. “I mostly just sat around and let them do all the heavy work.”

“But we had a lot of fun doing it, so it wasn’t like work at all,” Aang said.

“And I needed a couple days off from the Fire Palace anyway,” Zuko said.

“So you all think I should go along with this?”

“Of course!” said Aang.

“Yes,” said Katara.

“Absolutely,” said Zuko.

“I say no,” Sokka said. “Royalty are all jerks. I mean, look at Zuko – you want to turn into that?”

Quick as a striking snake, Shai’s head shot forward and clamped around Sokka’s midriff. Ignoring his shouts of alarm, the dragon gave him a thorough shaking, then set him back down on the balcony, breathing hard but otherwise unhurt.

Bumi cackled with mad glee. “I like that beastie of yours, fire boy!”

“I like her too,” Zuko said, rubbing Shai’s head. “Good girl, Zǐ Sè Shǎi Lóng.”

“It’s all fun and games until someone loses a rib cage,” Sokka grumped.

“Sokka, were you serious about that no vote?” Toph asked.

“Nope. I just couldn’t resist the opening. I think it’s a great idea, Toph. You’ve always loved bossing people around.”

“You’re looking to get hurt again, Snoozles.”

“All right, all right!” Sokka raised his hands in surrender. “I give up. My answer is yes, Toph. Take Bumi’s offer. I would say something here about you having to put up with Bumi, but I think I’ve pushed things far enough for the moment.”

“A wise choice,” Bumi said. “Didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Hey, I’m wise!”

“Yeah, you’re a real wise guy,” Katara commented, rolling her eyes.

“So it’s unanimous, is it?” Toph said. “I suppose you’ll all hate me if I say no?”

“I certainly will,” Zuko said cheerfully. “I’m tired of being the only one having to deal with Sokka’s royalty jokes.”

“Thanks, Sparky, that’s really motivational.”

“Glad I could help.”

Toph looked at the person whose vote mattered most. “Teo, are you sure about this? I mean, being royalty means being a target. And it means the people close to you become targets. I don’t want to take a chance that you – “

“I can take care of myself, Slugger. And I could never forgive myself if worrying about me kept you from doing what you were clearly born to do. You can stop looking for excuses to say no. You want the job, and you know it. Tell the nice old king yes already.”

Sometimes Toph thought Teo knew her better than she knew herself.

She turned to face Bumi, Teo at her side, her friends standing around her in a loose semicircle. “Yes,” she said simply.

Bumi grinned until Teo thought his head might split, then swept Toph up in a huge bear hug. Aang led the gang in a round of cheers for “Her Royal Majesty Toph Bei Fong!” which Toph thought was overdoing it.

“All right, now that all that’s done with, can we get back to breakfast?” she asked plaintively. “All I’ve had is one dumpling and half a lotus seed cake.”

“Sorry to have to delay your meal even further, Your Highness,” Zuko said, “But there’s one further matter to take care of.” He brandished a scroll case, and drew out a suspiciously heavy and thick scroll.

“Oh pebbles, what now?” Toph groaned.

Zuko unrolled the parchment and began to read. “I, Earth King Kuei, by my authority, hereby confer upon the Lady Toph Bei Fong, having passed the legal age of sixteen, the title of Earth Kingdom Ambassador to the Court of the Fire Lord.” Zuko let the scroll roll back up. “There’s a lot more here but it’s just a bunch of legal chatter. I know you’ve been itching to be a part of the Restoration, Toph. Here’s your opportunity. You wouldn’t be able to live with your parents anymore, though – you’ll be traveling all over the place, because I plan to thoroughly overwork you. What do you say?”

Toph didn’t need any convincing on this one. “I say, ‘When can I start, Sparky?’”

“I think you owe it to your folks to at least give them a few days to get used to the idea of your leaving. Plus you must have a few things at home you’d like to bring to the Fire Palace with you. Say, one week from today?”

“Three days,” Toph countered.

“No. One week. You’ve lasted four years, you can handle one more week. I expect it will be quite a while before you manage to get back home for a visit, so let your folks have a little more time with you. Who knows, they may discover they’ll miss having you around.”

“They’ll get over it,” Toph said. “And they’ll love all the new status this will give them in their social circle. Having me around would just ruin their enjoyment, I bet.”

“Just one week, Toph. Then I’ll personally come by on Shai to get you. I’ll even dress up for the appearance, so your folks’ neighbors can be suitably impressed by the visit. Deal?”

Toph sighed. “One week it is. Deal. Now – breakfast? Please?”

While they had been outside on the balcony, servants had moved in, rearranged some bamboo walls, and transformed the dining room into a banquet hall so that Toph’s true Sweet Sixteen party could begin. She ate, drank, laughed, and shared stories with the friends she had missed so much, and in the future would be seeing much more of, she was sure. It lasted hours, but eventually the previous night’s lack of sleep began to catch up with everyone, and small epidemics of yawns began to break out. Bumi reasserted control and ordered everyone off to their guest rooms to get some rest.

Toph made sure to keep Teo close by her as one by one the others of the gang peeled off to go to bed. Finally, it was just the two of them at the door to Toph’s guest room. They stood close together for a long moment, enjoying each other’s warmth. Then they shared a lingering kiss.

Teo sighed. “Well, here’s where we part. I’ll see you tomorrow, Slugger. Or maybe I’ll just start calling you Princess, what do you think?”

“Don’t you dare,” Toph said in her most threatening voice.

“Okay, okay. You’ll always be Slugger to me, I promise.”

“That’s not what I meant. I meant – don’t you dare leave me alone tonight.”

Teo stood very still for a long moment. “Are you sure?”

“I’m legally an adult now, Teo. Everyone says so. And adults get to make their own decisions.” She took a firm grip on his wrist. “And this is mine.”

She drew him inside, and shut the door.

[The End]