"Katara!" Aang called. "Hey, Katara!"
Katara turned, shedding light on her chocolate-brown hair and ocean-blue eyes.
Aang stopped for a moment, stunned by her beauty. The world seemed to stop as his storm-gray eyes stared at her.
"Aang?" Katara asked, waving a hand in front of his face. "Are you okay?"
"Uh, yeah," Aang said.
Katara stared at him oddly. She could tell that something was holding his attention.
Before either of them could say anything, Sokka interrupted.
"Guys, I can't find my boomerang!"
Katara groaned. "Really, Sokka?"
Sokka started to whine. "Please, help me. I need my boomerang. It's like you and your weird obsession with those Water Tribe scrolls."
"I do not have a 'weird obsession' with my Water Tribe scrolls!"
Aang started to daydream.
--
Katara was standing in front of him, beautiful as always. The moonlight reflected off her hair, making it shine like a star.
"Hi, Aang," she said softly.
"Hey, Katara," Aang said. "I need to tell you something."
"Okay. Is it bad?"
"No, it's just--I love you, Katara!"
He kissed her. Her lips were warm against his, causing lightning to dance inside of him.
And then she kissed him back. Aang tangled his hands in her hair, pulling her even closer.
They finally broke apart.
Katara started to speak. "Aang, I lo--"
--
"Aang?" Katara asked from behind him. "What are you doing?"
Aang opened his eyes, finding himself positioned as though he was kissing someone invisible. He quickly adopted a regular posture.
"I was, um, having a daydream."
"What was it about?"
Aang had to think of something quickly. "Being a non-bender."
"Oh. Cool, I guess."
Aang nodded. At least Katara didn't suspect that he was in love with her. That would be awkward.
"Boomerang!" Sokka exclaimed. "There you are!"
Katara rolled her eyes. Aang smiled softly. She was so cute when she was annoyed.
--
The next day, Team Avatar set off for Gaoling in search of an earthbending teacher for Aang.
Appa lifted off, the wind flowing through his fur.
The day was still young, the colors of sunrise painted across the horizon.
Aang glanced at Katara. She looked gorgeous with the dawn hues shining in her eyes, bringing out the silver flecks.
Katara caught him staring at her. She smiled as he blushed out of embarrassment at being discovered.
--
A few hours later, they spotted Gaoling.
"There if is!" Sokka shouted. "Gaoling, here we come!"
Team Avatar landed and hid Appa by some hills nearby. Then they set out for the city.
Aang looked everywhere for signs advertising earthbending instruction. Finally, he found one with an address and coupon attached.
Katara and Sokka followed Aang as he walked to the earthbending academy.
A couple of younger boys were already there, waiting eagerly for the lesson to start.
The instructor walked onto the scene. He noticed Aang right away.
"Hello. I am Master Yu. Are you hoping to enroll in my academy?"
"Yes," Aang said.
Master Yu put Aang and the others into two lines parallel to each other.
"We will start with a little back-and-forth warm-up," he said.
The boy across from Aang lifted the rock in front of him with earthbending. Aang watched him in awe, not noticing the rock was coming at him.
Aang hit the ground, wheezing after the rock slammed into his chest.
"Aang!" Katara cried. "Are you okay?"
Aang nodded, wincing as he tried to stand up.
Master Yu was suddenly in front of him. "If you pay for the whole year in advance, I'll bump you up a level!"
Aang glared at him. All he wanted was money. He was not meant to be Aang's earthbending teacher.
--
Finally, the class was over. Aang walked over to Katara and Sokka.
"Let me guess--he isn't meant to be your earthbending teacher," Sokka said sourly.
Katara hit his arm. "Cut it out."
"It's okay," Aang said softly.
Two boys walked past, talking loudly about an earthbending competition.
"Excuse me," Aang said. "But can you tell us where this competition is?"
"Yeah," one of the boys said. "It's on None of Your Business Island."
Katara clenched her fists as the boys laughed. "Let me talk to them."
Aang and Sokka waited for Katara to come back.
"I know where it is," she said, grinning.
Aang grinned. "How'd you get them to tell you?"
"A girl has her ways."
She led Sokka and Aang to the competition, smiling the whole way.
--
"Weeeeeelcome to Rock Rumble," the announcer said.
Cheering erupted through the stands.
"Our first match will be between the Boulder," Lots of cheers. "And the Hippo!" Some cheers with a few loud boos.
The two benders strode out into the arena, each one intimidating and buff.
"Any of these guys look good to you? Or are they not meant to be your earthbending teacher?!" Sokka whisper hissed. Katara slapped his arm.
Aang shushed them. He was curious to see their fighting styles.
The Boulder started to trash talk his opponent. But the Hippo wasn't taking anything. He slammed his head onto the platform, and a pillar of rock shot the Boulder up into the air.
The Boulder got serious. He was not thrilled with his new opponent.
He was knocked off balance as the Hippo moved the platform.
"Come on, Boulder!" Sokka cheered.
The Boulder shot a rock at the Hippo and the platform stopped moving. He grunted as he lifted the rock the Hippo was standing on and threw it over the edge.
"The Boulder wins!" shouted the announcer.
The Boulder turned to face the cheering crowd, soaking in their applause.
Sokka was on his feet, giving the Boulder a standing ovation.
Katara rolled her eyes at him. He was too involved in this.
The matches continued, the Boulder winning every time. Finally, it was the last match.
"It's time for our last match, folks. The Boulder will be facing off against our champion, the Blind Bandit!"
Sokka booed when the announcer said the Blind Bandit's name. "Go, Boulder!" he shouted.
Aang watched the Blind Bandit as she stepped out onto the platform.
"She's not really blind, right? It's just part of her character," Katara said.
"I think she is," Aang said, barely listening. He knew her from somewhere, but where?
He gasped as he remembered where he had seen her. "She's the one."