Thank you to SaoirseParisa for reviewing the previous chapter. We are now onto the Epilogue, where this story will finally end. While I didn't get as many reviews or hits as I expected, I still think this story is worthwhile. For those who did stick by me, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. This epilogue is for you.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Koneitzko own Avatar.
"So how much of each sequence should we use for each part of the song? And how does the mixing and matching flow in terms of telling the story?" Kori asked, her eyes tilting between her notebook and the playback videos of their shoot. It was a few days after their beach music video shoot, and now they had to edit the video. Luckily, their group had enough resources for the cutting and mixing, which kept Toph's budget low. The main point right now was finding the right mix of scenes, which required everyone's input once again.
Teo tapped a finger on his laptop, all the while Sokka and Haru gathered around him. The seating arrangement at the Gaoling boardroom was somewhat switched, with Sokka taking Aang's spot so he could sit next to Teo. Those were the two most proficient technologists in the group, so it made sense to put them together. Meanwhile, Toph had to roll her seat somewhat to the side, so that the monitor could show the video from Teo's laptop on the screen. The group had gone over all the playbacks all morning, and now they had to choose the best scenes.
"I think we should keep the first scene the way it is," Suki proposed from her position at the front. Toph pulled her chair towards Suki's side, allowing the latter to explain the scene to Toph. "I like the full circle around Toph while Kori played the piano next to her. Plus, Toph's gestures and expressions really make it work, so I think the whole thing should stay as is."
Toph glanced at the rest of the group, asking if there were any objections. Luckily, the group agreed with that assessment, which got at least the first scene out of the way. "I assume that's the entire introductory chorus then," the blind earth bender stated, typing a couple of notes in her own laptop, "So does that lead us to the first rap verse from Haru and Teo?"
Sokka clacked his tongue. "It does, but I'm wondering how we want to approach this," he suggested, playing the clip of the first rap verse. This was the second scene filmed, and Ikem had to direct the camera angles to avoid the sand. "It was where we didn't want to film the ground so we don't show the asphalt under Teo's wheelchair. Do we want to intersperse some of the parts that get too close to the ground? I didn't see any asphalt, but we should consider it just in case."
Everybody kept their eyes on the scene, watching how the camera did laps around Haru and Teo. Nothing below either performer's knees could be seen, which cut out any showing of the asphalt. In fact, with the way the camera panned in and out, it didn't even look like Teo was glued to one place. "I don't think that's an issue at all," Kori murmured, narrowing her eyes and craning her head forward, "I think we can keep it as is."
Every set of eyes then turned to the back end of the boardroom. Haru and Teo tilted their heads between the laptop and the screen, even replaying some parts of the scene. In the end, the group would leave it up to them to decide what to do. They were the ones shown, and they must decide how to make this look nice. "Well, what's your call?" Aang asked from beside them.
Haru tapped his chin a couple of times, taking a deep breath before answering. "I think the scene is fine the way it is," the earth bender declared, waving his pen at the laptop screen, "If anything, I think the back and forth motion of the camera complemented my movements well. Ikem did a great job timing the circling so that Teo's face was captured whenever he sang."
Teo nodded. "I think we should focus on the second chorus more than anything else, because that's the first dance sequence," the paraplegic described, "This is where I think we can intersperse the dance with some of Toph's scenes. Maybe we can include ones where she walked towards the shoreline and entered the waves?"
"Didn't the dance scene and the final scene with Toph entering the ocean both use the chorus of the song?" Katara chimed in after scribbling some notes of her own, "It shouldn't be too onerous to cut and paste between those, unless it won't work for this part of the song."
"The dance sequence is where you, me, Suki, and Ty Lee all dance around the barely lit bonfire," Aang pointed out, "For me, I think we should keep the second rap verse more intact. That's where the deaf dance troupe is dancing around Haru and Teo. If we want to showcase the talents of the disabled, it makes more sense to include them uncut."
Toph nodded her head. "Twinkle Toes is right. This is about the disabled, and it's only right that we focus on the disabled," she exclaimed, tightening a fist in determination, "Take note that the second rap verse also has our own disabled member performing. With Teo and the dance troupe together, I think it makes more sense to include that scene as intact as possible."
With that suggestion, Sokka decided to play both scenes using two separate video programs. The group compared the parts with the choruses, realizing that there were indeed a couple of places where Toph's scenes would make for good inclusions in the dance. "How about we do one where she's just entering the water, and the waves came right at her feet?" Sokka proposed, tapping a finger on the laptop screen, "And then we can do a close-up of Toph already in the water and singing a few words of the chorus? Neither should be more than a few seconds, but it makes for a good contrast between fire and water, and also the sea meeting the shore."
There were murmurs of agreement from the group, which prompted Sokka and Teo to immediately get to work. Opening a new video editing program, they carefully placed the video of the dance sequence as the base. They then cut the various parts of Toph's sequence and spliced them onto the dance. They had to make sure that the parts matched up with the right sequence in the chorus, as to avoid any inconsistencies. Worst case scenario was they had to record new audio of the chorus on top of the video, which could seriously set them back.
Finally, they had that sequence finished and ready for playback. Indeed, the dance sequence interspersed with Toph's singing in the waves had the effect they wanted. Not only did it accentuate the theme of sea and shore, but it also provided for a contrast between the lighting. "Let's not forget that the dance sequence was filmed late morning, just before noon," Katara pointed out, "Toph's scene was filmed in the evening, just before dinner time. I was there to make sure Toph didn't go under, so I know how hard we worked to get the lighting just right."
Everyone had a good chuckle at that. With the second chorus now saved in their system, the group focused on the second rap verse. Again, it was Haru and Teo doing the verse with the deaf dance troupe performing around them. The camera zoomed out a bit to include various moves the dancers did, all the while the bonfire burned from behind. Ikem once again avoided filming anything below the knees, just so Teo's asphalt was not in the shot. Despite doing a couple of takes, it was clear that the group wanted this uncut and intact. It was, as Toph said, a tribute to the disabled, and thus the scene had to stay the way it did.
But the third chorus, the one from just before the finale, would be the most interesting edit. While Sokka, Zuko, and Mai performed sign language with Lien, the group wanted more scenes with Toph and Kori. There were parts of Toph's scene in the waves that they wanted in, either at the second half of the chorus or at the bridge before the finale. "What if we transition between the first half of the chorus into the second half?" Kori suggested, waving her pen at the screen like a laser pointer, "We do a close-up of me singing 'I've been through it all before,' and then zooming out to me playing the piano when 'And I'll go through it again' is sung."
"So you're talking about the second take of the first scene, right?" Teo queried, clicking on a separate video, "We did two takes of the first scene with you and Toph at the piano, and I recall some parts were just of you playing. Do you want to take a few shots from there?"
"And what about the final two lines of the chorus?" Haru interjected, watching his friend rapidly click on various files, "I think it makes more sense to do the waves going over Toph's head at the bridge. We can use that as a buildup for the finale. Besides, we can also intersperse that with scenes of the people moving onto the bleachers."
"There should be scenes of Toph singing in that second take of the first chorus," Suki recalled, flipping through her notes once more, "We can recycle those for the third chorus for those specific lines. If we end up getting the piano in there, maybe we can edit that away?"
Sokka rubbed his head at the latest request. He might be the ideas guy, but they were really making him work for his title. "We'll have to check out the actual shot before we can do too much editing," he responded, focusing in on the laptop again, "And mind you, with all this extra thinking, it makes you pretty hungry. Do we have any afternoon snacks available?"
"Sokka, you finished lunch no more than two hours ago!" Katara chided him, shooting her brother an unimpressed look. Even so, she could not hold it too much against Sokka. He was doing his part on managing the technology with Teo, and editing was not an easy job. "I doubt Toph's father or his staff will be too happy with us demanding snacks all the time."
"Don't worry, Sugar Queen, because I can get on that," Toph offered, stepping out of her seat. She quickly gave her body a stretch and headed for the door. "If you want, you can come with me to the kitchen. I can probably use another hand to carry all the food Snoozles eats. As long as he doesn't hog everything, I think we'll be fine."
The atmosphere was jovial and pleasant at the Jasmine Dragon, where Toph would hold her reception for her team. It finally felt like the boulder on her shoulders for the past few months was lifted when the video's editing was done. Now she could show her gratitude to everyone who supported her, especially her long-time friends. "The dinner is all on my father and me, so order whatever you want," she declared.
Before long, everyone at her table buried their heads into the menus and excitedly chattered amongst themselves. Toph could not see their faces, but from their tones she knew they were as happy as she was. While waiting for her friends to finish, the blind earth bender left her table and approached a different one. It was one containing members from the school for the deaf, and Toph could not be more amazed at their efforts. "How are you guys doing? Did you enjoy participating in that video shoot?" she asked.
Lien immediately answered Toph's question, but phrased her sentence slower so she could add sign language to the other members. Toph was still getting used to hearing people speak slower and in a somewhat staggered way, but realized that this was part of their way of communication. Just like how nobody should belittle her blindness or requiring earth to see, she would not belittle them for using sign language to communicate. "Basically, we're all happy that you invited us, and we hope we did you proud," Lien concluded.
Toph nodded. "You did do me proud, and you all represented your own disabilities well," she responded, gently slugging Lien on the shoulder, "I guess with my blindness, I don't really see disabilities the way you do. I have seismic sense that allows me to overcome that, but then I have to realize other people are not so fortunate. It puts things in perspective for me, you know?"
"And our dancers see their dances as the same way," Sesi explained. She was seated to Toph's left while Lien was on Toph's right. "To them, dance is their way of living with their lack of hearing, and even the limited sound of certain musical instruments is their way of interacting with the world. That's why what they're doing is analogous to your earth bending."
"How did they find the process of designing the dance? And how did they feel about the additional sounds that Chong's group added to the song?" Toph inquired, tilting her body to the left towards Sesi, "I was really surprised at Chong's contributions, because I didn't know before that he knew a deaf person. But if you guys benefited from his sounds, then that'd be great."
From Sesi's other side, it was Kaori who responded to Toph. "Those sounds were amazing, and our dancers were really inspired by them. In fact, they even felt that Chong's group should explore more sounds with them, so they can design even better dances later on," the Fire Nation native described, "As for this specific performance, they all had a great time interacting with everyone. I think they'll look forward to the live event with your father next week."
"They also enjoyed interacting with the other performers in the video," Lien chimed in, putting her menu down, "I know Sneers brought in some people with learning disabilities, and the Duke had a speech impediment. It was interesting seeing how they communicated with each other, despite each side's issues. I think this will only lead to more collaboration along the way."
Just then, Toph tilted her head towards the direction of the table where Kori, Sneers, and the Duke were located. She didn't even get a chance to catch up with Sneers or the Duke after the video shoot was over. Sneers and the Duke represented not physical disabilities, but learning disabilities. They had to have extra learning supports in order to succeed in school, similar to Toph when she learned to use braille. She might have a laptop with braille on the keys, but she could imagine how difficult things would be had she not learned that in school.
Excusing herself from Lien's table, Toph trotted over to where Kori and Sneers were seated. The Duke was with them, and so were several of his classmates. "Sorry that I've been leaving you guys out," Toph stated, plopping himself between Sneers and the Duke, "How's life been treating you so far, now that your first music video will go online soon?"
Kori, Sneers, and the Duke all glanced at each other and gave nonchalant shrugs. While it was exciting they would see their faces online soon, they weren't really in it for the fame. "It was more the experience of doing something this grand that excited me," Kori commented, rubbing the lower half of her face thoughtfully, "Besides, given my parents work at City Hall, I see lots of politicians and businesspeople all the time, so it's not like I'm not somewhat well-known."
Sneers nodded. "It's also because I think the stars of the show should be those with disabilities," he added, speaking more confidently than he ever did before, "The Duke and I spoke with all those students who were involved, and they all said this is really meaningful. We did a good thing for them, Toph, and I'm so happy to be a part of this."
Toph smiled, happy to hear that she offered the group a project that could make a difference. While she didn't want to go to the extreme of offering her project as a safe space for these individuals, she at least wanted them to feel at home, knowing that having a disability was not considered abnormal. Deep down, Toph felt maybe she should reach out to Sneers or the Duke more, just to figure out some of their learning techniques in overcoming their disabilities.
Turning to the Duke, Toph asked him how he thought about the participation of his schoolmates. "You realize that the folks with the deaf dance troupe think there is some common ground between your friends and them," Toph pointed out, tilting her head in the direction of the table she was at earlier, "Maybe your friends should get together with them and work together."
The Duke flashed a smile at Toph. Unlike Sneers, the Duke still wasn't the most confident person around, but he definitely felt a lot more comfortable with Toph. "I think we should do that," he replied, "But first, we should talk about doing the live performance."
"Yes, that's important too," Toph responded with a snap of her fingers. Sitting straighter now, she leaned her body slightly forward, all the while pressing a foot on the floorboards. The carpeted floor made it impossible to feel out her friends, but it became a habit of hers whenever she became serious. "So let's go over the itinerary beforehand, because we have a lot going on that night. I also have to let Chong's group know, since they're playing live instruments."
Kori craned her neck towards the only table left. Chong and his group were there, and for some reason Suki and Sokka chose to sit with them. It was no secret that Sokka was doing what he could to stay polite, but his strained expression indicated he was still not a fan of Trustfully in Love. "If you want, you can talk to Chong right now," Kori proposed, "We can catch up later on, perhaps after everyone's gone home, to talk about our roles in the show."
Toph nodded. Excusing herself from Kori's table, she made her way to Chong's table. She sat down next to Sokka, just in time to stop his forehead from meeting the table surface. "I thought you would get over your little irritation with Trustfully in Love, now that you got your chance to work with them," Toph teased Sokka, bumping his ribs with her elbow.
Sokka winced, managing to lift his head back up. He shot Toph a look that could only be described as being eternally tortured. "I'm glad you found common ground with Chong and all, especially with him knowing what sounds to use for deaf people," Sokka hissed through partially clenched teeth, "But I think it only inspired him to create even weirder sounds for his music."
"Sokka, be polite! Without Chong's revelation, we would have never made that dance even better!" Suki exclaimed. Ignoring her boyfriend, she glanced over to Toph and confirmed what the blind earth bender discussed with Kori earlier. "Chong and his band will absolutely be at the live performance, and you can count on him to give a good show."
"Hey, anything for the tiny but powerful earth bending lady," Chong stated, making a strange hand gesture at Toph, "I told her that there's a difference between doing something for enjoyment and doing something for a career. But after this experience, I can truly say we finished this task for both, and Trustfully in Love is really happy to have gotten this chance."
Toph shook her head at Chong's odd method of communication, but still managed a smile at him. She really couldn't have done this without Chong, and despite his eccentricities, Toph was really proud to now call him a friend. But more importantly, Toph couldn't have done this without Sokka and Suki, who gave her the initial spark of inspiration. Had they not visited her after their date at the museum, there was no way all this would snowball into this result.
Getting out of her chair, Toph marched up and stood between Sokka and Suki. She curled both hands into fists and slammed them into their shoulders. "Thanks for everything, especially using Kyoshi Island as an example," the earth bender declared, "But do me a favour and never tell anyone I'm going this soft for you two, okay?"
Toph had not stopped craning her neck towards the entrance of the ballroom since she first got here. Even though she could not see anyone walking in, she wanted to identify all the guests by their voices. This was the night of the live performance, and Toph was both excited and anxious at the same time. While some people in her group had already arrived, the blind earth bender did not feel comfortable until everyone was here.
"Hey, relax a bit, okay?" a soft voice called out. Toph turned her head to the right and heard a person plop into the chair beside hers. "It's really unlike you to be this stressed out about the performance," Suki remarked, placing a hand on Toph's shoulder, "Usually you're the most nonchalant one, letting everyone figure things out on their own."
Toph huffed. While she usually took remarks like that in stride, something about the night's atmosphere felt different to her. "I can't help it when I have to give the biggest show of my life," she stated, crossing her arms over her chest, "Just because I'm the best earth bender around doesn't mean I can't get nervous, so cut me some slack."
"Right, but you're not demonstrating earth bending here. You're demonstrating your performing skills, and I'm pretty sure you'll say you're great at that too," Sokka responded. Toph wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or encouraging, but at this stage in time, having him around was better than not. "My point is, you've done as much as you can as the team leader. Now is the time to let it loose and let the performers perform."
Toph pursed her lips. She was thankful to everyone for everything, even treating them to a meal at the Jasmine Dragon. Heck, she could even moderately tolerate Chong, holding a somewhat productive conversation with him. But all that seemed to have gone out the window this morning, when Toph knew the live performance would debut tonight. She knew she didn't have to feel scared, and she should have full confidence in her team. But that nagging feeling kept returning to her, leaving her somewhat agitated and unfocused.
Haru and Teo were the next to greet her, to which Toph nodded back to them before turning back to Suki and Sokka. She could tell some other group members also arrived, but were scattered throughout the room. And even though she couldn't feel their vibrations, she figured that Kori and Chong were probably on stage. Kori wanted to check out the piano while Chong and his group had to set up their instruments. So far, nothing extraordinary occurred yet, and that was both a relief but also a worry for Toph.
Facing Sokka and Suki again, Toph thanked them for their support once more. "I really couldn't have done this without you, as well as the rest of our team," she affirmed, "I used to attend these parties with my parents, where they expect me to act a certain way just to conform to their expectations. Tonight is the first night where I can be me and set my own expectations, so that's why I'm a roller coaster right now."
"But you realize that it's okay to feel that way, right?" a different voice chimed in. Toph could tell that the speaker was from behind her, and it sounded like a certain water bender she knew well. "I know you don't want anyone's approval, and that you know who you are. But when you get put in the same spot you were in, when your parents dominated over you, it can bring back some bad memories. That's why it's important you stay strong and confident, given this is truly your show and no one else's."
Toph nodded. Surprisingly, it was Katara's words that calmed her the most. She didn't want to waste time catering to others, but that didn't mean she could stop caring and outright disregard others. "I know I can't see the stage or anyone around, but I'm sure you all look great, and that's not sarcasm," the earth bender replied, "I don't know what other compliments I can give you, but thanks for sticking by me and calling me out when you saw me go off track."
In the most unusual move ever, Toph formed a fist and lifted it skyward. She then curled her arm back and landed a direct hit on Katara's shoulder, even when Katara was directly behind her. "I thought you can only hit people when they're next to you," Sokka exclaimed, all the while Katara rubbed her shoulder, "How did you manage to do that?"
"I may not be a gymnast like Ty Lee, but it doesn't mean I'm not flexible," Toph declared, "Now let's get everyone gathered, because I have a feeling my father is about to start the show. We can talk tough and feel confident, but we better have the goods to back it up."
With the help of the Kuruk siblings and Suki, Toph was able to locate all the performers, including special guests. While Chong and his band eventually took their seats, Toph was advised that the deaf dance troupe had also arrived. They were with the rest of the students from the school for the disabled, who would take the stage at the end to sing the final chorus. Given everyone had now been accounted for, Toph could now focus on the stage itself.
"Good evening, and thank you for coming," Lao's familiar voice called. Toph could tell from the volume and direction that her father was now onstage, most likely positioned before the microphone. Toph had a chance to get on the stage earlier, so she had some idea where she would stand and where the other performers would position themselves. They even had a quick rehearsal at the community centre, which had a smaller stage. If they could transition everyone on and move them around on that stage, then it shouldn't be tough to do on this bigger stage.
Toph listened intently to her father's speech, which oddly calmed her nerves. When she was younger, Toph usually tuned out her parents at these events. Her parents were just too over-the-top and bombastic for her taste, always acting like the centre of attention while parading her around like a doll. It wasn't until the heart-to-heart with them when Toph was twelve that things changed, and Toph could definitely hear that in Lao's current speech. Even with no preview of Lao's speech tonight, Toph could sense a softer and gentler tone, focused more on gratitude and empathy for others. It pretty much confirmed that Lao had definitely changed for the better.
"I am truly grateful for everyone involved, starting with my daughter Toph," Lao declared, proceeding to call out each member of the team by name. Even guest performers like Chong and the dance troupe were mentioned, confirming for Toph that her father was sincere about this whole project. Toph would not do this if he was using this for his prestige, and hearing him say it once more made Toph feel it was all worth it.
Toph applauded politely as Lao finished his speech, giving way to various partners from non-profit organizations. They were the beneficiaries of this project, helping various disabled people with their everyday issues. With the first speaker now on stage, Toph had to be on her feet and making her way up really soon, as she was to perform when the speeches were all done.
After a couple more speakers came and went, Toph signalled to the rest of her group to go to the stage. They would enter form the back, waiting behind the curtain for their performance to be called. The group had to assist Teo backstage, making sure his wheelchair got up the ramp. "Everything will be live, meaning you have seconds to get into your positions," she reminded the group as they gathered at the back, "Are we ready for this?"
A series of murmurs in the affirmative put Toph's mind at ease. Toph would take the first stage alongside Haru and Teo for the first verses. Kori would be on the piano, which would be brought out to the side of the stage. The rest of the verses would be where various dancers would join in, and Toph reminded herself to stay still while they performed.
"Without further ado, please welcome our performers of the night, led by none other than my own daughter, Toph!" Lao exclaimed. With that, Toph took a final deep breath and marched onto the stage. She could hear Teo's wheelchair move past behind her, taking a position to her right. Haru came up to her left, slowly guiding Toph to the microphone supported by the stand. Haru and Teo themselves forewent the stand, opting to hold their mikes by hand instead.
To Toph's far right, Kori marched up to the grand piano, which has been pulled out from backstage. She allowed the stagehands to place down the bench before sitting down on it herself, adjusting the sheets on the stand while they prepared a separate microphone stand to her left. Teo craned his neck back just in time to see Kori place her hands on the keys, which was his cue to tap a few beats on the metal bars of his wheelchair. This was the only way Toph could hear her cue, and Teo made sure he would not miss it.
Before long, a silence descended upon the crowd. Kori played the familiar beginning notes of their song, and Toph leaned into the microphone just in front of her. As the introductory notes ended, Toph sang out her first chorus.
Like the sea meets every shore,
Not an if but it's a when.
From beginning to the end,
I am fire in the rain.
I've been through it all before,
And I'll go through it again.
Feel me burning from within,
'Cause I am fire in the rain.
Toph finished her verse and stepped back, staying still while Haru and Teo turned to their rap verses. Haru and Teo both had lines in this verse, and Toph knew when to hear for sounds from her either side. As per their rehearsals, the voice of Haru on Toph's left led off first.
On a race, so we can motivate,
This generation of our people, to the centre stage.
Undivided we are one, when it's said and done,
Just trying to become a better man, a better son.
No shadows if you face the sun.
You can try to run, but it's only that far.
Fall in the sky, if you aim for the stars.
Out of this world, feel like we hit the ceiling,
Breathing like we're living up on Mars.
Never the same, people going to change,
Even in pain.
Remember to dance like nobody's ever really watching you.
They can't see your tears fall in the rain.
Nobody can see a teardrop in the rain.
As Haru and Teo belted out the first verse, Toph couldn't help but think how applicable that was to her group. Her entire goal was to motivate disabled people, making them all better people by working together. Even with their disabilities, they were able to change their lives. But most importantly, Toph herself was able to change through the difficulties she had with her own group. Feeling some dancers approach from her either side, Toph went into the second chorus.
Like the sea meets every shore,
Not an if but it's a when.
From beginning to the end,
I am fire in the rain.
I've been through it all before,
And I'll go through it again.
Feel me burning from within,
'Cause I am fire in the rain.
Aang, Katara, Suki, and Ty Lee exited the stage, replaced by members of the deaf dance troupe. They would do their sequence while Haru and Teo rapped the second verse. It was also where Chong's group would add in some extra instruments from behind the curtain, which included the limited amount of sounds the dance troupe could hear. As Toph stood still and listened to the music, the dancers got in place for Haru and Teo to start up again.
Nothing to lose, just give it all.
Ain't nothing wrong with you taking a fall.
If you fell twice then get up on the third,
And make sure you come back on it standing tall.
Some days you just got to try.
Take a leap of faith, you might even fly.
Ain't nobody can stop you and the only limit that you got up here is the sky.
Asking why, looking for signs,
Search through the end of times.
Lost and you can't seem to find a peace of mind.
Here's a piece of mind.
Ever thought about the strength you possess?
Life throws you obstacles to test,
Just so you can bring out your best.
I got to confess.
Again, Toph found so much similarity between this second verse and her situation. She took plenty of falls during this project, including one where her own group faced disbanding. She ended up being hospitalized as a result, and she had to take a huge leap to get everyone back together. Thankfully, she underestimated everyone's strengths, including her own. The group's disagreements were obstacles that tested their friendship, but that only brought out the best in each other. As she felt the dancers stand down, Toph felt another series of footsteps, which would lead to the sign language scene. Snoozles better not let me down here, she thought.
Like the sea meets every shore,
Not an if but it's a when.
From beginning to the end,
I am fire in the rain.
I've been through it all before,
And I'll go through it again.
Feel me burning from within,
'Cause I am fire in the rain.
'Cause I am fire in the rain.
Toph finished that chorus with a flourish, dramatically raising her arms in the air. That signalled the curtain to lift, where everyone else rejoined the stage. Chong and his band could now be seen, adding their percussion to Kori's piano. Two sets of triple bleachers were now being filled, including members who appeared in the video. The Duke and Sneers were present, along with those from the school for the disabled. Heck, Toph was sure Yuri was there along with Goldblaze's owner, although Toph wondered if Goldblaze would join his owner on stage.
Undivided we are one, when it's said and done,
Just trying to become a better man, a better son.
No shadows if you face the sun.
Never the same, people going to change,
Even in pain.
Remember to dance like nobody's ever really watching you.
Watch the fire burning in the rain.
This was the buildup to the final chorus, which would lead to the end of the song. Toph waited the entire time for this conclusion, wanting to go out with a bang. She went out on the video with a bang too, asking Katara to watch her dive into the ocean for the final scene. Even though she could not see the screen, Toph knew some of those made their way into the final cut of the video. Knowing the video played as they performed, Toph belted out the last lines.
Like the sea meets every shore,
Not an if but it's a when.
From beginning to the end,
I am fire in the rain.
I've been through it all before,
And I'll go through it again.
Feel me burning from within,
'Cause I am fire in the rain.
Feel me burning from within,
'Cause I am fire in the rain.
As the final note was played on the piano, Toph waited a few seconds before finally relaxing. That was when the audience erupted into applause and cheers. Before long, she felt Teo wheel up to her right, while Haru grabbed her left hand, urging her to bow. Toph knew Kori also came up to Teo's right, and everybody else was ready for their curtain call.
With a huge smile on her face, Toph dipped her head low. This moment truly belonged to them all, not just her. If the reaction to this performance and initiative was anything to go by, it was that Toph definitely did her part to make the world a better place for the disabled.
And my final list of acknowledgements for this story is as follows:
1.) Editing a music video is similar to editing a movie in the sense that you can put various clips together. The main challenge is that they have to match the clips to the music, in case the person singing in the video doesn't match the actual lyrics in the song at the time. I regret to say that I have no experience in editing music videos, so I have no idea how the actual process works, but I'll let those more talented than me take the lead on explaining this one.
2.) The Autistic Patriot gets a shoutout here, in that he inspired 2 parts of this epilogue. The first one is that he suggested Chong has a connection who has a disability, and that leads Toph to seeing him in a different light. I figured to use deafness, which ties back into the original idea of the deaf dance troupe being able to hear some sounds. By adjusting his instruments, Chong is able to play music that the deaf dance troupe can hear. The other inspiration is that Toph will work out her differences with everyone through a fist to the shoulder (her trademark way of showing love). Not sure about you, but I had a blast writing those parts!
3.) I had to bring Kyoshi Island back again, because it was Suki's idea of using Kyoshi Island that brought "sea and shore" together. Part of it is also a preview to the live action Avatar series on Netflix, where major changes will be made to Kyoshi Island. From what I heard, Suki's mother is still alive and is the mayor of one of the towns on the island. In my series, Suki's father is dead but her mother and grandfather (Oyaji) are both alive. So maybe this will lead to something different in the future for Suki, but more on that when the time comes.
4.) Toph telling Suki and Sokka that she didn't want to be seen as soft, despite her gratitude, is from "the Runaway" in Book 3 where she said the same thing to Sokka about the way she felt about Katara. Katara reassuring Toph that she shouldn't seek approval and is fine the way she is is from "Tales of Ba Sing Se" in Book 2 when she said the same thing after Toph was made fun of after a spa date. And Lao showing gratitude to Toph and personally thanking her is from "the Rift" where he acknowledged Toph's talents and no longer sees her as frail and weak.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. I assure you that another new story is on its way, and I've already got it in the planning stage. Hope to see you next time and take care!