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Bad enough they decided they're on a time crunch, everyone has decided they'll do it in these clothes.
Don't get Toph wrong, normally she hates dresses.
They feel so wrong, and containing, and itchy most of the time.
But it doesn't hurt when said green (Katara said it was green. What is green anyway?) silk dress is one you helped customized to your liking.
Anyway, this isn't about the dress.
After getting thrown into the lake by Katara and quickly dried by Aang before Toph could even complain, they're on the run for the palace.
You heard that right.
A quick splash in the lake then gotten dried via tornado is the best way to resume partying.
You ever felt silk wet and clinging to your whole figure and then suddenly it's dry and flowy again? It's weird.
Which is one of the reasons why Toph doesn't like wearing them.
"Where could we even find the information we need about this crazy lady anyway?"
Toph wrung out the last bits of water from her hair.
Aang had dried them off, yes, but that doesn't mean dry dry.
And gods, her hair is great for holding water Katara won't have to worry about her waterskin pouch emptying.
Thank the spirits it wasn't hard to brush out tonight, and she didn't have her hair comb at arm's reach.
"Where most people go when they want to look for information."
Zuko led them to a sharp turn at a corridor and pushed open tall doors.
It's the smell that hits Toph first.
Old, dusty, with a touch of tang in it.
Like this room isn't visited as much as the others.
Then again, it's a huge palace.
It smells a lot like one of the rooms Toph would walk by when she was little.
It also smells like the paper Penga would use to write her letters.
Wait a minute.
"Are you all serious right now?"
Toph ran both hands up and down her face in exasperation.
From her left, Sokka winced.
"Right. Libraries and blind people don't go well together."
"No duh, Snoozles."
Some paper rustled at her right.
And there's hardly anything to make noise for it, but it's not a problem for Toph. Although the structure feels so wide she might get lost in the maze it is.
Katara placed her hands at her hips and stared up.
"Where would we even start?"
"Maybe we can start by looking who this lady is."
Came Aang's voice from somewhere above.
He must be flying, since Toph can't sense him anywhere, but some rustling sounds from her left gave her a clue to where he could be positioned.
"We should probably split up," Zuko suggested, some hesitation in his voice.
"There's a lot of books in here, and it'll be quicker if we all look."
Toph raised her hand offhandedly.
"Sure, I'll help. I'll provide commentary. That's one of the needed sources."
Sokka snorted as Katara rolled her eyes.
Or, well, Toph thought she did.
They spread out after that.
Sokka took every chance of climbing ladders he got, reaching over to the farthest shelves because “The older ones are more interesting.”
And more outdated, Toph had wanted to add, but that's probably what they're looking for.
She heard Katara skimming through some of the books she held in her arms.
Her heartbeat didn't sound so sure, meaning it's probably not it.
Toph had lost track of where Aang is, but she's fairly certain he's not far.
Or he got himself lost in the catacombs called shelves.
Seriously, Zuko needs to renovate this place.
Mindlessly wandering around, Toph had one hand brush past dust covered wood and feeling the dirt between her fingers.
She probably had gotten far enough, because Aang's voice saying
"Guys, I think I found something!"
Sounded a little faint and muffled.
Like when you're eavesdropping on someone in the next room through a wall.
The floor had been made of marble, so Toph hadn't had any trouble navigating her way back.
Reaching the table, everyone else had already clustered around Aang.
Toph squeezed herself between the Airbender and Katara, because they needed some space from each other.
They've already been smooching back at the party when they thought no one was looking --- or in Toph's case, listening.
They can stand not being in each other's arms for a while.
And because yes.
Silence filled the room for a few seconds.
Until Toph scrunched her eyebrows.
"Well, Twinkle Toes? You're gonna read that aloud or am I gonna be kept in the dark again?"
She felt Zuko flinch.
Yeah, they're not past that yet. Nope.
"Oh, right," Toph felt Aang's heartbeat quickening with embarrassment as he cleared his throat and read it out.
"The Tale of Lady Meng Jiang."
Toph and Zuko sighed in resignation.
Zuko even slumped forward on the table, limp as a leaf.
The other three stared at them.
"You guys know this story?" Aang questioned.
A groan from Zuko is his answer.
"That's pretty much one of the most frequent stories we were told as children. Azula and I."
Katara looked at Toph, who regarded her with her blank, clouded eyes.
"And you? How do you know this tale?"
Toph only stretched herself onto the table.
"Maybe because it's one of the few stories my father ever bothered to read to me."