Chapter 1 – written 3rd person not involved mind reader
"Oh, this was the best home I've had in over one hundred years" said Aang to himself trying to hold back the tears. He wished that he didn't have to do this, but, he knew there was no other way. He had to keep everyone safe. safe from him, "well from me, and the fire lord" he thought. "But mostly the Fire lord" but considering the fire lord and his allies followed Aang everywhere he went, technically he was the one endangering the people he loved most, especially Katara. He went over to a picture of her he had on his night stand and placed a small multi-coloured starfish that he had caught and dried himself, next to the photo, and that was it, he just couldn't keep the tears back anymore "come on Aang if you show up crying they'll never trust you to save the world on you own." He sniffled this, even though he knew they weren't going to let him leave anyway. He picked up his staff and started up the stairs to announce his planned departure, when Sokka came up behind him and shouted "Hey Aang how'd you sleep!"
Now Sokka didn't mean to yell at Aang, it's just he was really exited, 'I mean who wouldn't be' he thought, zoning out to whatever Aang was babbling on about. He wished Aang would shut-up so he could tell him his news. Finally after going up two of the three decks Sokka realized that Aang had stopped talking and was waiting for him to add on, but the thing was, he hadn't the slightest idea what Aang had been talking about. So he just said his standard response "ask Katara." "I CAN'T ASK KATA- I mean sure, I'll ask Katara, thanks Sokka…" Sokka sensed that Aang was holding something back; something that he hadn't been holding back when they where below deck, but now he was, did it have to do with his sister? he wondered. The same second that that thought popped into his mind he and Aang where on the top deck along with Katara and chief Hokoda. "hi dad." Said Sokka. Hokoda whirled around slowly, limping on a crutch from when he had fallen off deck fighting a rouge fire nation soldier, and replied in his deep commanding voice "good morning Sokka, and good morning Aang, I trust you both had a good nights sleep." "ya great nights sleep, now time for my new-" Hokoda cut Sokka off. "wait Sokka, there's a boat behind you; get below deck and we'll continue this conversation later." "fine." Grumbled Sokka as him and his sister along with Aang wedged through the small door down to the below decks.
Aang hated hiding from other boats that docked near them, but his head was to full of all his other thoughts he had no time to think about that at the moment. After about 2 minutes of waiting on the 2nd deck they heard a loud BANG below them and then a smaller but consistently getting louder sound coming slowly up the stairs; it was a very sleepy and grumpy Toph. "Toph, do you know what that noise was?" ask Katara turning her head towards Toph, for the first time Aang realized that she was wearing her mothers necklace, and the one he had made for her, that made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. When he remembered that night with Toph. He'd never forget it.
It had been a nice clear night when Aang had been watching the stars waiting for Katara and chief Hokoda to come back with dinner and Aang's new head band. As he spotted Orion's belt he had felt someone came up behind him and slip their arm around his waist. He remembered looking over expecting to see Katara, cause if it was Sokka he would have been really weirded out. But to his supprise it hadn't been Katara or Sokka it was toph. She looked at him…or turn towards him, and said, in a voice Aang would never forget, "I know you already have a girlfriend but she'll never find out about this." And slowly but firmly kiss him on the lips; her tongue ever so slowly making its way around the contour of his lips. Before Aang even really realized what was going on Toph moved her mouth next to his ear and whispered "I love you, I always have." Aang had been stunned he couldn't move, he couldn't speak "good, don't speak" Toph had commanded in a sweet seductive voice. She had kissed him on the check and then had walked out. Then Aang snapped back to the present.
"Ya, that was me, oh and remind me to tell Hokoda to fix the big hole in my wall." said Toph as she cracked her fingers towards who she suspected to be Aang considering the lightness of the weight she felt being shifted 'how can an Avatar be born so, so wimpy she decided; but the truth was Aang wasn't all that wimpy and she knew it, he knew what he needed to become a master earth bender, but never as good as her' she thought a slow smirk creeping across her face though she did not sense it. " YOU PUT A HOLE IN THEBOAT!" asked Sokka, Toph suspected his mouth was wide open and his eyes were popping. "oh. Don't be such a stick in the mud like your sis-" she was cut off by three loud bangs on the ceiling or the floor on the first deck, Toph knew that meant something but she was drawn a blank 'how nice pun' thought Toph "what does that mean again?" "lets see" said Katara as she stuck her hand into her pocket and pulled out something Toph wasn't sure what it was but by the sound of the it it was a small piece of paper. "so, one bang means 'stop yelling I can hear you from here' two bangs means 'any meal' and three bangs means… umm" continued Katara as she flipped her piece of paper over and unfolded it well at least that's what it sounded like to Toph. "oh, here three bangs 'get elow deck danger, danger!" from the mood the room Toph guest that Katara had just read that but didn't really realize what she had said .'Umm…. danger, danger do you realize what you just said madam Robinson." Said Sokka as he moved his feet in an odd pattern she was still working on her metal seeing but considering the being sounds he made after she suspected he was doing the robot.
As Katara ran through Aang's room to the mini kayak exit, she noticed something next to the picture she had given him as a present on Kyoshi island when she had been 'jealous' of all the intention he was getting from the Island girls. 'jealous.' Thought Katara with a have audible sniff, she hadn't been jealous; she had just found a really cheap photo and frame place and thought it would be a nice gift. But as she slowed down to look at it she realized that the thing by her photo was a small dried starfish with a small card tied to it. She wanted to stop to read the card but Sokka pulled her along , she only had enough time to grab them both and stick them in her pocket. She ran pick up her pace heading towards the kayak because she heard two man walking down the stairs "we are screwed" she thought she wanted badly to spray them with water she was in her element out on the sea, surrounded by water, but the agreement they had agreed on ever since Aang's injury had been 'no attacking unless they figure us out. But as Sokka cut the rope with his boomerang and they plunged into the water the only feeling Katara had was the feeling of her stomach going into her throat.
She hated water and wood, so being in a small wooden kayak in the middle of the sea was far from being her forte. Toph fought the urge she would NOT puke, no way, not her. She was gripping the sides of the boat so hard that the wood was splintering into her fingers. She then heard Aang say "umm… Toph are you okay?" "yes I'm dandy." Said Toph through gritted teeth. "wait, wheres the boat?" she heard Sokka ask "umm… Sokka I might not be able to see but its kind of obvious that we are in the boat." Answered Toph as she steadied herself in the tippy kayak. Then probably giving her a sarcastic look Sokka replied "no, I mean the fire nation boat." "he's right" said somebody she wasn't really listening to them, she was listening for the buzzing sound the fire nation steam ship made and, nothing. "lets phone Pipsqueak?" suggested Katara. Perfect thought Toph one problem no one had a cell phone, then she remembered she had her cell in her back pocket, as long as it hadn't fallen out into the sea… and there it was right where she had put it. She pulled it out and dial the boats phone number "555-0127" reminded Aang "ya ya I know" she complained back. As the phone rang Toph wondered why all fire nation phone numbers started with 555 when all phone numbers back in the earth kingdom were all different. Then pipsqueak picked up; "hello?" asked Pipsqueak in his deep roly poly voice. "Where's the boat!" she asked getting riye to the point. "oh hi Toph, well that other boat was a fire nation ship that made us go because this is supposedly 'restricted water'." "k, we can find our way back see you then." And before he could say good bye she hung up, she always hung up before good bye it was a bad habit but it seemed to keep the conversation going next time she talked to them. "okay, he says it was a fire nation ship, they bought our disguise but made us leave the water cause its apparently 'restricted area.' bbhhoo" the boat banked right from an on coming currant Toph could feel herself turning green. "okay, can we get somewhere; anywhere… now?"
Katara knew why Toph was turning green, but she had no idea why Aang was turning green, he loved boats, it just didn't make sense. "ya, I think she's right if we get to some land we can figure out our latitude and longitude then figure out the air currents and depict were the boat may have ended baste on a map…" Katara was stunned she turned towards here brother and gaped "Sokka, did you just say that?" "what, oh I guess I did." Katara had no idea what was wrong with her brother but she had to concentrate on the water because the currant was so strong that one little slip up would send the boat flying.
Sokka wondered if Toph knew the thing that was collapsing under her death grip wasn't the boat but his hand, but for some reason he didn't care that she was holding his hand, he liked it, but there was Sukki; he loved Sukki, he did, that had even been his news this morning, but Toph was different, she was, well Toph. Just as he was about to ponder this more, the boat crashed into land. Sokka hadn't even noticed them come up to it. "umm Toph were on land now." Said Sokka for the first time he realized that she had her eyes sealed shut, he didn't get that but he guessed it was her safety; like when ever Katara was scared she clenched her teeth and Aang held his breath and him well he liked to scream. 'but its a manly scream' thought Sokka to himself "ya- y- ya, you g- go I'll be right there." Said Toph as she slowly let go of his hand. As he brought his hand up to his face, he realized he missed Toph's firm grip, her nod at nails piercing his skin, he wanted her. Or did he? He thought.
Aang stepped out of the boat and stretched and elongated his spin towards the sky. "hmm, finally I can streeeetch" he said as he yawned and turned back towards his friends; Sokka and Katara were helping her get out of the boat but Toph being Toph was refusing there help and as he looked at her she fell out of the boat flat on her face on solid earth, but that didn't even faze Toph, she got back up and then sent a earth pillar up from under the boat which sent it flying high in the sky and it did not come back down. "blah gross, I think I swallowed an ant hill." Said Toph picking grass out of her mouth. Aang chuckled "well if you would have let Sokka and Katara help you out of the boat you might not have fallen." "watch it twinkle toes!" screamed Toph as Sokka and Katara coming up behind her "Toph, next time you send our boat into the stratosphere give me a warning; you almost clipped off my head!" said Sokka and then Aang thought 'wait where is the boat' then as if those were the magic words the boat fell out of the sky. 'CRASH!' the boat exploded into a million pieces. Katara got a furious look on her face "Why did you do that? How are we suppose to get back to the boat now!" "I don't know…" said Toph as she cleaned out her ear "maybe next time you cheap os could invest in a none stupid boat." Aang had no idea what she was talking about, and he obviously had good reason cause he look at Sokka and Katara and they both looked just as confused and him. "metal! You dummies I cant see through wood but with my superior bending I can see with metal, duh." Aang couldn't believe how stupid he was. Of course Toph wanted a metal boat. Just as he was about to say this he noticed something; or someone out of the corner of his eye, as he looked over he saw a man and woman walking towards them with bundles and bundles of flowers in their baskets . Aang wondered why they had so many of the same flower, then they noticed him looking at him and waved, Aang waved back and turned back to his friends; Sokka was between Katara and Toph; keeping them from killing each other. 'hey guys, look at those nice people coming towards us, do you think their friends or enemies?"Aang asked. "they don't seem threatening." replied Katara "but we should be careful lets talk to them but have you weapons ready." Aang knew she meant bending but didn't want to hurt Sokka's feelings, but he was really thinking about how cute she looked when she was paranoid. The couple with the flowers finally got up to them. "hello." The woman said Aang still wondered why they had so many flowers. "my name is Cho-Lee Mich and this is my husband Chin-Ho Mich." Continued Cho Lee. "well, im umm… one seck, k?" the spun around only having time to notice the Michs' looking very confused; he huddled with his friends. "whats your opinions, should we used fake names?" "Well they seem nice, but I think we should use fake names." Answered Katara. Aang whirled back around and smiled back at the Michs' "well I'm Lee boch and this is Ming Fih" he gestured towards Toph "and this is Poh Hiy." He said pointing a thumb back at Sokka. "and this is, Misaki; Poh's sister." "well, we noticed your exploading boat and we wanted to invite you to our store, we live just down the bloke from the boat store and you all seem pretty hungry." At those words Aang realized how hungry he was, he heard a loud gurgling sound he looked down thinking it was his stomach but then he noticed Sokka's glazed looked and he was clutching his stomach and murmuring. "food…" Katara must have noticed Sokka too because she said "if we wouldn't be imposing; I think we all are a little hungry." Aang noticed a slight ketch in her voice. So they started walking off towards little building off to the east.
Katara walked, completely oblivious to the beautiful flowers and small creatures running through them, the trees, the quaint little village they where walking through, she couldn't think about anything except the fake name Aang had given her; Misaki; beautiful blossom. She couldn't be sure but when Aang had said it she had detected a slight pause as if he was thinking about the name; was it just a cawinsadence? She had to know, she promised herself she would ask Aang about it later. Then she finally realized how tiered her feet where, and how far they had actually walked. But just after that they stopped, and she almost ploughed into her entranced brother. actually she getting aware of a heavenly scent wafting through the open windows. She looked up at the sigh above the door. it read Homaiden; love is in the petal. The sigh also had an ornately painted flower, similar to the ones the Michs' had in their baskets. Katara really wished that Cho Lee would open the door. She was dying to see what food they had baking in there. Finally after what seemed like forever Cho Lee open the door and they stepped through into a jungle of Flowers. Katara was stunned by all the flowers, flowers that were covering every single inch of every single wall; every one identical to the ones in Cho Lee's basket.
