"Today's the day!" Aang chirped excitedly as he leapt off a large boulder and onto the ground near Sokka, who was still snoring in his bedroll. "After all that time searching for an earthbending teacher, I'm finally starting earthbending!"
They had found what Toph had deemed the perfect setting to practice earthbending: a small canyon bordering on the Si Wong Desert, full of rocks and earth to practice with. They hadn't seen Azula and her crazy friends since the ghost town, and with no sign of Katara so far, they had decided that Aang should get started with his earthbending lessons.
He missed her. She was so amazing and perfect and kind. She always knew what to say and do, and she wasn't a pessimist the way that Sokka was. Toph was just crude. He hoped that they would find her soon. He was worried about her being alone, especially now that they knew Azula was still after them.
Momo chittered before he pounced on Sokka, who lifted his head with a discontented grunt as he glared at Aang before he burrowed back into his bedroll.
"Oh. you're still sleeping, huh?" Aang said with a sheepish smile. "Sorry."
Suddenly, the earth rumbled. Aang turned and saw Toph's earth tent, which collapsed back into the ground to reveal Toph.
She put her hands on her hips "Good morning, earthbending student!"
Aang walked over to her and bowed. "Good morning, Sifu Toph."
Sokka sat up and glared at them again. "Could you two possibly be any louder? I'm trying to sleep here!"
"Sorry, Snoozles," Toph snickered before she dropped her voice to an amused whisper. "We'll do our earthbending as quietly as we can."
Then she drove the heel of her foot into the ground, and suddenly, a column of earth erupted from beneath Sokka, toppling him over, bedroll and all. Aang covered his laugh with his hand as Sokka flung himself out of his bedroll, grumbling and swearing beneath his breath.
"Fine!" he hissed as he stuffed his feet into his boots and grabbed his boomerang and club. "I'm going hunting."
He stomped out of camp. Then Aang turned his attention back to Toph, practically vibrating with excitable energy.
"So, what move are you gonna teach me first? Rock-a-lanche? The Trembler? Ooh, maybe I could learn to make a whirlpool out of land!"
He spun around to demonstrate, but was stopped when Toph's fist connected with his chest. His breath left him in a huff.
"Let's start with move a rock," Toph said.
Aang clapped his hands. "Sounds good!"
It was not good. Aang quickly learned two things: one, that he did not have the natural talent for earthbending that he did for waterbending and airbending, and two, that Toph was a mean and ruthless instructor.
He struggled with the basic form of moving a rock, which resulted with him blowing himself back straight into Appa's side. No matter how hard he tried, the rock just would not budge.
"Maybe there's another way," he said as he rubbed the back of his shaved head. "What if I came at the boulder from another angle?"
"No, that's the problem. You've got to stop thinking like an airbender," Toph said as she flicked the back of his head. "There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickery-trick that's going to move that rock. You just have to face it head on. And when I say head on, I mean like this."
To demonstrate, she jumped up and landed onto the boulder with a grunt, reducing it to dirt. Aang's jaw hit the floor, but he was still unsuccessful in his own endeavors.
And because he failed, Toph put him to work. She made him carry a rock around on his back, even as he struggled to hold it. Then she started making little earth columns pop up under his feet like some messed up game of whack-a-skunkmole, only for him to fall. She tried to teach him to push his fingers through solid rock, and she made it look so easy, but when he tried, he just jammed his fingers into it, nearly breaking them in the process.
Then, she had him balance on top of two pillars as he tossed a sizable rock back and forth between his hands. He didn't quite understand it, but Toph seemed to approve.
"Rock-like!" Toph bellowed.
After that, she decided to switch things up, although Aang felt quite nervous about it as he stood at the bottom of a sloped canyon wall. To make things worse, she'd blindfolded him. She stood at the top of it, balancing a large boulder.
"This time, we're going to try something a little different. Instead of moving a rock, you're going to stop it," she told him. "Get in your horse stance!"
Aang hurried to obey.
"I'm going to roll that boulder down at you. If you have the attitude of an earthbender, you'll stay in your stance and stop the rock," she told him.
And then he could hear the boulder rolling towards him. His heart jumped into his throat. He could sense the vibrations in the earth, and at the last moment, he threw himself out of the way before he ripped off the blindfold. Toph's expression was one of irritation.
"I just panicked," Aang hurried to explain as she slid down the side of the canyon. "I don't know what to say."
Toph stopped in front of him and jabbed an angry finger into his chest. "There's nothing to say. You blew it! You had a perfect stance and a perfect form. But when it came right to it, you didn't have the guts!"
His shoulders slumped. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Yeah, you are sorry!" Toph shouted. "If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you can at least give it the pleasure of crushing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp! Now, do you have what it takes to face that rock like an earthbender?"
"I don't think I do," Aang said desolately as tears stung his eyes.
He wished Katara were there. She always knew what to say to help him understand. She was a way nicer teacher than Toph.
"I think I need to take a break," Aang said. "I should practice my waterbending, like Katara taught me."
Toph waved him off dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, go splash in a puddle."
Aang left and found a small stream in the canyon. He went through the various forms he'd been learning, but it just wasn't the same without Katara there to practice with. He gave up and returned to camp, finding it empty. With a sigh, he sat on top of a boulder and tried meditating. He was the Avatar. This block had to be temporary, right?
Then Toph came back, holding his staff and a bag. His bag. He tried to focus on his meditating.
"I found these nuts in your bag. I figured you wouldn't mind," Toph remarked as she leaned against the boulder next to him. "And besides, even if you did, you're too much of a pushover to do anything about it."
Aang took a deep breath. "As a matter of fact, I don't mind. I'm happy to share anything I have."
"Aw, I'm really glad you feel that way. Because I also have this great new nutcracker."
Aang's eyes flew open as a sharp crack sounded on the air. He looked over and cringed as he saw Toph cracking nuts with his glider.
"I'd prefer if you didn't—" Crack! "—That's an antique, handcrafted by the monks!" Crunch! "It's a very delicate instrument!"
Toph cackled. "It's not the only delicate instrument around here."
With that, she walked away, chewing on lychee nuts and banging his staff against rocks. Feeling irritated, he decided to go look for Sokka, who hadn't come back since he went off that morning. He was frustrated, both with himself and with Toph. Why couldn't she give him a break?
He finally found Sokka, stuck in a crack in the dry earth and looking rather miserable.
"Sokka!" Aang exclaimed as he approached him. "Are you okay?"
He tried to pull him out, but Sokka was thoroughly wedged into the ground. The older boy grimaced.
"Ah, stop! You're gonna pull my fingers off and I don't think the rest of me is coming!" Sokka protested.
Aang pursed his lips. "Hm...I bet I can airbend you out of there."
He blew a gust of air at him, but Sokka remained solidly stuck in the ground, only now he was coughing on dust. Aang winced and offered him an apologetic smile, but Sokka just huffed out a breath.
"Hey, Aang, I know you're new at it, but I could use a little earthbending here," Sokka said. "How about it?"
Aang looked away. "I can't do it."
"If you can't earthbend me out of here, go get Toph," Sokka said.
"I can't do that either."
Sokka looked exasperated. "What? Why not?"
Aang felt heat rise in his cheeks. "It would just be really...uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable?" Sokka quipped. "Well, I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable."
Aang sank onto the ground and rested his chin on his arms, folded across his knees. "Thanks, Sokka. This whole earthbending thing really has me confused. There's so much pressure. Toph expects me to get it right away. It puts me in a really awkward position."
"Awkward position? I think I know the feeling."
"If I try, I fail. If I don't try, I'm never gonna get it." He sighed heavily. "I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place."
Sokka did not look amused.
Suddenly, a small saber-tooth moose-lion cub waddled up to them. Aang smiled at it. He adored baby animals.
"How about that?" Sokka drawled. "Aang, this is my friend, Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. Foo Foo Cuddlypoops, Aang."
"What a cute name for a baby saber-tooth moose-lion cub," Aang cooed at it.
"Really? He looks nothing like a saber-tooth moose-lion," Sokka remarked.
"It's hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns grow in," Aang replied. "What are you doing out here, little guy? Did you lose your mama?"
Suddenly, a fierce growl filled the air. They both looked up as a grown up moose-lion appeared. Sokka swore, and Aang stared at it with wide-eyes.
"Hey there, we found your cub," Aang said nervously to the moose-lion. "See, we have no problem with you! We're friendly."
Sokka gulped. "Aang, this is bad. You've got to get me out of here."
The moose-lion charged unexpectedly, gunning straight for Sokka. Aang jumped to his feet and with a strong gust of wind, he blew the animal backwards. It landed with a grunt and struggled to get back on its feet.
"This is really bad!" Sokka yelped. "Please, Aang, you have to earthbend me out! There's no other way!"
Aang looked at his friend, his eyes wide with panic. He quickly dropped into his horse-stance, and gave his best effort to try and free him. But nothing happened. Not even a small vibration.
Then the moose-lion was aiming for Sokka again. Aang quickly flew on top of a rock and waved his arms, trying to get the animal's attention. But it didn't work, and he deflected the moose-lion with his airbending again. Then he jumped down to stand by Sokka again, who looked about ready to wet himself, if he hadn't already.
"Please don't leave me again," Sokka whimpered.
Aang's brow furrowed in determination. "I won't."
He held his ground as the moose-lion charged for them once again. Then, he attacked with his airbending. The animal flew back, and this time when it got to its feet, it limped off into the underbrush. Aang and Sokka exhaled a breath of relief. Then there was the sound of clapping.
Aang wheeled around and spotted Toph sitting on a rock nearby.
"What are you doing here?" Sokka asked.
Toph grinned. "Enjoying the show."
Aang's jaw dropped. "You were there the whole time?"
"Pretty much." She shrugged.
"Why didn't you do something?" Aang demanded to know, suddenly furious. "Sokka was in trouble! I was in trouble! You could have gotten him out and helped us get away?"
"I guess it just didn't occur to me."
She tossed a nut onto the ground and raised the staff to crack it, but Aang gripped it.
"Enough! I want my staff back!" Aang snapped as he wrenched it away from her.
Toph jumped to her feet. "Do it now!"
He blinked. "What?"
"Earthbend, Twinkle Toes," Toph told him. "You just stood your ground against a crazy beast. And even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff."
"But—" Aang protested.
"Do it!" Toph shouted.
Aang considered it for a moment. Then he nodded once. He dropped into his stance before he stomped his foot against the ground. It responded, and suddenly, a rock emerged from the dirt. With a grunt, he threw it into the canyon wall.
"You did it!" Toph whooped. "You're an earthbender!"
He stared in wonder at the crater he'd made in the wall. "I can't believe it."
"Aww, this is a really wonderful, touching moment," Sokka crooned from where he was still stuck in the ground. "So could you get me out of here so I can give you both a big, snuggly hug?"
Aang grinned. "No problem, Sokka!"
Toph blocked him with her arm. "Actually, you should probably let me do that. You're still a little new to this. You might accidentally crush him."
"Yeah, no crushing please," Sokka squeaked.
Toph manipulated the earth, and Sokka crawled free, gratefully dropping onto the ground.
"That whole time I was in that whole, not knowing if I was going to live or die...it makes a man think about what's really important," Sokka rasped out. "I realized—"
"I can't believe I can earthbend now!" Aang exclaimed.
Toph clapped him on the back so hard he nearly fell over. "Good job, Twinkle Toes."
The next few weeks were some of the hardest in Aang's life, and that was saying something. His practices with Toph kept improving, but that was the only upside. Well, except for showing Toph and Sokka the singing groundhogs.
Sokka suddenly became serious about coming up with a plan, not to find Katara, but to stop the Fire Lord. He had a good point—they had no information about the Fire Nation. How was he going to stop the Fire Lord if they couldn't even find him?
That led them out into the Si Wong Desert with an eccentric professor of anthropology from Ba Sing Se University. Professor Zei was fascinated by Aang. He told them about the mysterious library of Wan Shi Tong, the Knowledge Spirit. They found some amazing intel there, but at the cost of the owl spirit sinking the building.
Even worse than that, Appa was stolen by sandbenders, right from under them. Aang was furious and hurt. Appa was his best friend in the whole world, and losing him left a gaping hole in his heart even bigger than the one left by Katara. He was angry with Toph, more angry than he had ever been in his life. Even angrier than when he'd found out what the Fire Nation had done to his people.
And, without Appa, they had to get out of the desert on foot. It was a daunting task, as the desert was unforgiving. They had no food and very little water. Thankfully, Sokka was able to guide them through. They came across an abandoned sand sailer, but the compass on it didn't lead them out of the desert. Instead, it took them to some stone mountain in the center of the desert, where they were attacked by buzzard wasps.
Then, sandbenders showed up. Aang had always been taught to be wary of them by the monks, and when Toph recognized one of them as the thief who had stolen Appa, he'd lost it. He'd gone into the Avatar State, the power of all of his past lives surging in his veins as he conjured a massive sandstorm. It was terrifying to feel like that.
The last time he had been out of control like that, Katara had been the one to calm him down. But not this time. To his surprise, Toph had been the one to pull him back from that dangerous edge.
The only good thing was that they learned Appa had been taken to Ba Sing Se. They had a lead. Aang didn't care how long it took, or how dangerous it was. They were going to the great walled city, and they were going to get his bison back.