LES: I quick note before I get started... to those who are bothered by the 'tear-jerk-i-ness' of this story. #1. Most of the time, I write stories that reflect my current mood and, right now, that mood is 'depressed'. So, of course I'm going to write depressing things. #2. This is a story about Aang dying and the friends he left behind having to deal with that. If you can write a story about death that is all fluffy and happy, then... well... I don't know. You've probably never known anyone who has died.

Chapter III: Earth

Korra could still remember how she had felt the first time she left the South Pole. Since she was the Avatar, it was her duty to travel to the other nations to learn the different Bending disciplines. Her first destination was the Earth Kingdom City of Omashu, to learn Earthbending from the current Queen of Omashu, Queen Toph, a woman whom Aang told her was the greatest Earthbender in the world.

Leaving the South Pole had been nerve wracking, and it had taken many assurances from Chief Sokka that everything would be fine. Korra knew that Chief Sokka had traveled the world in his earlier years, and he was able to sooth her worries.

"At least you don't have an entire nation of ruthless Firebenders after you." Chief Sokka had told her and laughed during the trip. "Your Avatar trailing will probably be a lot calmer than Aang's."

Korra appreciated Chief Sokka's efforts, but she was still nervous. She got even more nervous when they had arrived in Omashu.

It had taken a long time for her to get used to the size of the city, and even longer to realize that her Sifu's age and blindness did absolutely nothing to impede her Earthbending skills. During their first training sessions, Korra had silently promised to go easy on the old woman. Her kindness got her buried up to her neck in earth.

That was nearly two years ago, and now Korra was 15 and a much better Earthbender. She had Mastered Earthbending, and Queen Toph had consented to teach her the ultra-rare art of Metalbending, a form of Earthbending so rare that some Earthbenders hadn't even heard of it.

Korra quickly Mastered Metalbending under Queen Toph's tutelage. In fact, it was after Korra had mastered making a suit of armor out of metal that Queen Toph had proudly proclaimed that she had mastered Metalbending and was therefore free to travel to the Fire Nation to learn Firebending.

"Sifu Toph, thank you for teaching me." Korra said, bowing in the proper Earth Kingdom way to the old Queen.

"Oh, no, it was an honor to teach you." Toph said, smiling fondly at her. "It's like doing a favor to an old friend."

"Do you mean… Avatar Aang?" Korra asked.

"I taught him too, you know." Toph said. "We were both so young at the time. I still remember the day he showed up at my parent's house…" She trailed off, as if reliving a fond memory.

"How well did you know Avatar Aang?" Korra asked, curiously.

"Know him? I loved him." Toph said simply.

"You… you loved him?" Korra gasped in shock. "But… he was married…"

"Come on, girl, don't you know that there is more than one way to love someone?" Toph asked sarcastically. "I didn't love him the way Katara loved him. No… we annoyed each other too much for that. I loved him like he was the older brother I never had. We were about the same age; he was just a few months older than I was. But we certainly knew how to get under each others skin. Aang was a very devote pacifist, you know… but I was very good at getting him to unleash his fury, if I do say so myself." She said proudly. "Aang… he was a good brother… but he stank at Earthbending."

Korra stared at the old woman in shock. "Avatar Aang was bad at Earthbending? But I always heard that he was the greatest Avatar who ever lived…"

"The legends that build up around the Avatar are always exaggerated." Toph said dismissively. "Someday, they'll be telling tall tales about you too. No, Aang was always bad at Earthbending. He lacked the attitude. He refused to stand his ground in the face of anything. He literally had to be in mortal danger with Sokka before he faced his problems head on. Katara always said it was because he was an Airbender and about Air and Earth being natural opposites. I don't buy that crap. He was a softie. It's no wonder he had so much trouble Mastering Earthbending. But… even though he was a softie, and I often made fun of him for being girly… he was still one of the best friends I ever had."

Korra wiped some sweat off her forehead, pondering what Toph had just said about her previous life, and then a thought occurred to her. "Twinkletoes." She said suddenly.

"What?"

"Sometimes when we were training, that word will just pop into my head. Twinkletoes." Korra said. "Sometimes Aang passes knowledge onto me without prompting, and this seems like one of those times. What did…?"

"That was the nickname I gave him." Toph said. "Yeah, Twinkletoes. We first met at an Earth Rumble tournament, and he challenged me in order to get close enough to me to ask me to teach him Earthbending. He used Airbender to lighten his steps so that I had trouble seeing him. It was the first time I had fought someone who could step so lightly that they could avoid my Earthbending vision. Thus, I dubbed him 'Twinkletoes'. In fact, I had nicknames for the entire gang. Katara was Sugar Queen. Sokka was Snoozles. Zuko was Princess. Of course, once Aang started having children, I realized that his nickname didn't fit him at all anymore. An Airbending Avatar cannot compare to an actual Airbender. Tenzin and the others often played games by sneaking up on me to see who could get the closest without me seeing them."

"You knew Tenzin and Avatar Aang's children too?" Korra asked.

"Yes." Toph said. "They called me Aunt Toph even though I'm not a member of the family, technically. I still keep in touch with them, especially Tenzin. Republic City is very close, so he often visits."

"He visits you?" Korra asked in amazement. She hadn't even met Tenzin yet, and she was getting more and more upset at him. How could he make the time to come see the Queen of Omashu and yet have no time for his own mother?

"Yes… I saw him just last year. He showed up with his wife and son." Toph said.

Tenzin is married and has a son. I wonder if Master Katara even knows. Korra thought bitterly. "Doesn't he visit his mother?"

Toph didn't reply at first. "I know that he writes to her. Tenzin's relationship with his mother is very complicated. It got even more complicated since Aang's death. I've kept out of their business, but I know that Tenzin doesn't feel comfortable in his mother's company since his father's death. You've got to understand, Korra, that Air Nomad families are not the same as families in other nations. Aang spoke about this a long time ago. They are not tied down to earthly things. Aang was different because he's the Avatar, but true Airbenders are as free as the wind. Tenzin and his brothers and sisters probably would have been driven crazy if they remained in the South Pole, so they left to start their own futures. They don't stay away because they hate their mother, they stay away because of the wind blowing their hearts to move forward and not look back."

"Still, they have a responsibility. Even an Airbender has to understand that."

"Oh, yes, they understand responsibility. Tenzin understands that the best. Tenzin is the leader of his family now… the leader of a nation. That's why he, out of all his siblings, has more or less settled down." Toph said. "But you don't have to worry about seeking out Tenzin yet. Your next element is Fire. I'll send an escort with you to the Fire Nation Royal Palace where you'll meet with Firelord Zuko. He's getting older now, so he'll probably have one of the princes train you, but it will all work out."

"Sifu Toph?" Korra began.

"Yes?"

"You miss Avatar Aang, don't you?"

Toph shrugged. "Of course I miss him. He died much too young, and left behind many people who were still in need of him." Korra glanced at the ground, suddenly feeling shame. Toph caught onto her feelings with her unnatural perception as she always did. "No one is angry at you, Korra, for Aang's fate. Whether Aang died naturally or unnaturally, it was not your fault. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sifu Toph." Korra said instantly.

"Good. Now go get your things packed. You'll leave for the Fire Nation in the morning." Toph watched with her Earthbending vision as Korra bowed and left the room. Her memories drifted back to the day she had told Aang that he had fully Mastered Earthbending and Metalbending. He had been quite exuberant in his celebrations, and hadn't stopped bragging about it until Toph got annoyed and used her Bending to take his ego down a few notches… just a reminder that, while he had Mastered Earthbending, he was still nowhere near her level.

Korra showed none of that as she graduated to being a Master Earthbender, but Toph could still feel that excitement in the young Avatar, as if Aang's spirit were just under the surface, dying to break out in celebration.

Toph smiled fondly. "Don't let it go to your head, Twinkletoes." She whispered the words she had told him that day long ago. "You're a great friend, but a terrible Earthbender." She paused and sighed. "Ah, Twinkletoes, you were my best friend. I miss you."

Her memory finished, Toph turned and began to walk away. A Queen's day was never done, after all.

LES: Sorry about the super long wait. I had written about half of this chapter before I realized that I hated the direction it was going, and had to re-do it. The quality is not quite up to my usual standard, but at least it's better than the slop I was writing before. Ugh. Now let's move on to Fire! You'll finally learn just what happened to cause the feud between Aang and Zuko!