Hey guys! This is my first ATLA fanfic, but I've been a fan forever! This isn't a romantic story, so don't be disappointed with the content. I hope you enjoy it! :) ~Snowfire
PS- write me a review!
Aang's shoulders were slumped in defeat as he walked blindly through the streets of the small Earth Kingdom town. A week ago, he had been rejected by his true love, his life, the one who made it worth taking care of the world's problems. He and Katara had been together for three years, and she had dumped him why? Because she had found somebody else. Aang wanted her to be happy, so he agreed to break off the relationship. She was still his best friend, but how can you be friends with someone when you'll always be thinking what if?
Finding himself at the barn he was staying in with Appa, he sighed and closed his eyes, accidentally bumping into someone as he did so. "Sorry."
"What happened to you, Twinkle Toes? You sound like you got run over by a herd of Komodo Rhinos."
Aang looked at her and blinked hard. "Toph?"
"No Aang, it's Sokka. Of course it's me! Who else calls you 'Twinkle Toes'?" Toph rolled her unseeing eyes. "Now why are you so upset?"
Aang sighed and kicked the dirt. "Katara broke up with me."
Toph said, "Oh." in a small voice.
"Yeah. She told me last week that she found someone else. It would've been easier if that someone wasn't Zuko, though."
Toph gave him a light punch in the shoulder. "Hey. It'll be okay. Wanna go train to let off some steam?"
Aang nodded and the two sixteen-year-olds walked behind the barn. Appa lumbered out, letting out a happy roar when he saw Toph. The blind girl was soon covered in bison drool. "Ew. Appa sure hasn't changed."
Aang quickly bent the drool off of her. He suddenly realized it had been two years since he had last seen Toph, and noticed small things about her that had changed. She was taller and curvier, her hair was in a short braid instead of its usual bun, and she had a gold locket with the Earth Kingdom symbol on it. Some things hadn't changed however, like her air of sarcasm, confident posture, and space-rock bracelet that Sokka had given her so long ago.
"You ready, Twinkle Toes?"
Aang snapped back to reality. "Bring it on, Toph."
They fought, equally matched, for hours, calling out taunts and encouragements to one another. Toph finally gained the upper hand when Aang tunneled underground, unable to see. Toph grinned and jumped underground as well, her vibration-seeking body finding him almost immediately. Putting him in a full body bind made of rocks, she brought them both to the surface. "Victory to the Blind Bandit!"
Aang broke out of his rocky shell, smiling ruefully. "Going underground probably wasn't the best idea while fighting the world's greatest earthbender."
"Oh, stop it, Twinkle Toes, I'm blushing." Toph teased.
His troubles concerning Katara momentarily forgotten, Aang and Toph talked about the adventures they had had over the past two years. Aang told Toph about the time he and Sokka had found an insane guru who thought Sokka was a Flying Lemur, and his search for the remnants of the Air Nomads. He learned that Toph had moved to Kyoshi Island, starting an earthbending academy there. "How are Suki and Ty Lee?" he asked.
"As serious and bubbly as ever. Ty Lee was talking about you the other day, actually. Complaining that you never came to visit her anymore." Toph gave a small smile.
"Maybe I'll come back to Kyoshi Island with you then-catch up with everybody." Aang smiled at the thought.
The two benders sat in silence for a while, Toph laying on her back, content to sit and relish in each other's company. Toph suddenly shot up. "Aang, I just had an idea."
"About what?"
Toph was smiling wider than he'd ever seen her before. "When you took away Ozai's bending at the end of the war, how exactly did you do that?"
Puzzled, Aang answered, "I bent the energy inside him, changing its flow. Part of that energy was his firebending. I stopped that part."
"What if you changed the flow of energy inside non-benders to make them Air Nomads?" she was practically jumping up and down with the thought.
Aang was floored. It was a crazy idea. But it would work. He knew he could do it. Jumping up as well, with tears pouring down his face, he hugged Toph and whooped for joy. He could restore his people.
"Can't breathe, Aang!"
"Oh, sorry." Aang let go of Toph, unable to stop smiling. "Do you want to go get something to eat? There's a guy in town who sells this really weird but yummy fruit called a jungan, and he makes the craziest looking meals. I feel like I need to celebrate."
"Sure. I guess I can understand. We found a way to restore your people and the first thing you want to do is eat." she teased.
Aang grinned again, and they walked toward the town bazaar. After walking in a silence filled with the joy of restoration, Aang spoke up. "Thanks, Toph. For everything. Without you I'd probably still be moping over Katara."
"And you'd have no idea how to make people into airbenders."
"Well aren't you humble." he laughed. "But I mean it. Thank you."
She threw an arm around his shoulders. "What are friends for, Twinkle Toes?"