-You're jokin', right?- Toph crossed her arms in disbelief.

-No, it's true.-Zuko smiled to himself. – Babies come from cabbages, and this process is called „sex"!

O O O O O

(10 minutes ago)

The teen nervously walked back and forth. He was in panic...

It was really ironic – a simple mission – just go to the tomboyish earthbender and repeat the same lecture he told Aang a few hours ago – piece of cake! However, the prince felt his heart beat faster and faster the more he thought about it.

You're in deep trouble, my friend... –the brain repeated over and over again.

The thing is - Zuko couldn't do it! Even if his psycho sister apeared out of nowhere and threatened him to make this task, Zuko would gladly die the most agonizing death than actually do it. And there were plenty of reasons why:

1. Toph was a G.I.R.L., perhaps not the most lady-like of the bunch, but still Zuko's opposite sex. And that made the uncomfortability (AN-Not sure if this is an actual word ;)) even more painful.

2. Apart from that she came from a wealthy and well-known family of aristocrats, who ( Zuko was very sure of that) didn't want their vulnerable and sensitive only child to know these „filthy" things no one speaks about in public.

3. To Zuko's horror, she was probably even YOUNGER than Aang, and if that kid got this kind of reaction, it was a matter of imagination what would Toph do.

But the most important :

4. She was BLIND! Zuko's heart almost stopped on this one. How could he tell someone who has no sight about these intimate things? Sure, Toph was VERYpowerful. You could almost say that she was LUCKY to be born blind, because without her vision she was a better warior than every living seeing earthbender combined! This, however didn't change a fact that she probably had no idea of a male anatomy and what really lies under those clothes. And Zuko really wasn't in a mood to explain THAT.

Zuko sighed, accidentaly making the breath of fire. This happened only when he was nervous, and he really was... Then, an idea hit him!

-What would uncle do?

Zuko's box-of-storing-information though for a good moment and had a plan – Katara didn't mention he had to say the truth, and a bit of harmless lie wouldn't do a total damage, would it?

Zuko remembered when he asked Mai about her talk and she explained that some adults use a lie about finding newborns in a vegetable, specificly – cabbage.

How hard could it be to convince Toph it was not an urban legend?..

O O O O O

-Well then, what do those babies eat? –Toph asked, still having her arms crossed.

-The cabbage itself. –Zuko explained in a matter of a nanosecond.

-Don't they drink milk?-Toph frowned-she was still not convinced.

-Only after the parents pick them up.-He wasn't going to lose this battle.

-And what if they don't?

-Other people hear the baby, pick it up and return it to the parents.

-How do they know where they live?

-The adress is writen in the cabbage.

-Don't wild animals eat them?

-Well, a carnivore wouldn't come near a vegetable, and a herbivore wouldn't come near the baby! – Zuko was smart, his logic and imagination worked together just fine, but as the number of Toph's questions grew and grew, he was starting to get exhausted.

O O O O O

-Okay, you almost have me completely convinced, prince boy. –Toph admitted.-But just tell me...

Zuko looked tiredly at the blind girl. She was asking him questions for nearly forty minutes! And, quite frankly, Zuko had reached his stamina limit after her sixth question. Worse still, was the probability of him messing things up due to the lack of brain energy.

PLEASE stop questioning me...- he could hear his brain beg.

Hopefully this was going to be the last one...

-...how did babies came there in the first place?

Uh oh! The prince didn't thought about that...

OK, time for my last option...

-God created them... – Zuko murmed tiredly due to the lack of energy.

Toph rasised her eyebrows – an action she didn't do in a long time. Zuko could see her thoughts whizling in her head, desperatly trying to find another question to torture the poor helpless monarch. At last she found it and was just about to open her mouth when Zuko exclaimed „This conversation is over!" and ran into the woods before the girl in green had a chance to argue.

O O O O O

It was night time and the gang were circling the campfire, their fish roasting over it. But food consumtion was the last thing on their minds. The children were talking, Zuko could see their lip movements pretty clear even from the spot he was waching them , which was a pretty long distance.

„Guarding duties" were the best thing he could come up with to avoid the awkwardness of being in their company right now. And having in mind what chaos he made in just one day any mortal could understand his decision.

He saw Aang, still a bit pale and still a bit shaking, talking to Katara. Obiviosly, she was trying to callm the little airbender and convince him, that sex isn't that disgusting. It wasn't working.

Then Zuko's gaze fell on Toph who was chating with Sokka. From his changing emotions – confusion, laughter, confusion, disbelief, laughter again – he could say no doubt they both were discusing „Zuko's theory of the cabbage as a start for a human life". The lonely firebender could only imagine how Sokka will taunt him for the rest of his misrable life of this „adventure"...

Things can not possibly go worser...

-Hello, Zuko.-he jumped at the sudden mention of his name from behind.

-Hi... – Zuko said dryly as he understood it was just Sokka's girlfriend. She looked him in the eyes trying to hold the incursion of laughter. He lowered his head to avoid her twiching smile. It was obious she came here to torment him, since she hasn't forgotten that incident of her burnt village long time ago.

-Let me guess – you want to know what „sex" is too? – Zuko said sarcasticly, trying not to show he was afraid of that word from now on. Even the slightest mention of those three letters made his mouth dry.

-Nah, just want to give you some advice. – she laid her hand on his shoulder. He looked at the girl-warrior with confusion.

-Next time use the story about bat-storks. – she smiled both mockingly and sincerely. Zuko watched with his mouth opened as the brunete went to join the rest of the group. Now he was completly lost.

-That does it!- he tightened his fists.- Never again will I explain adult themed secrets!

Amen, brother.- Zuko's brain nodded.

PABAIGA (that's „the end" in my language :D)