Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. I only wish.

Okay, so I'm finally back after a month of not updating. As I've said before I was visiting family that I haven't seen in about five years. It's not that often we can travel out of country. I was not trying to hold the story hostage for reviews nor did I lose any interest in the story. (There's no way I could lose interest after coming so far.)

I wrote some of this chapter already and completed the other part on my vacation, but I had no access to a computer or internet so I couldn't write it or post it.

I'll try my best to wrap up this story because I have the best (of course I'm completely biased) idea for a sequel. And a little preview: it won't take place in the modern world. We're going back to the past!

So enough rambling. Let's get on to the story.

Aang's pov

I had always been a morning person. Ever since I was a little kid I used to jump out of my bed, startling the monks who were assigned morning cleaning that day, in my haste to make it to the large courtyard to watch the sun come up.

It fascinated me how different the sky could look at different minutes or hours of the day. The purple-blue of the sky was tinted with wisps of deep orange, rose pink, and turquoise blue even before the sun peeked out over the mountains. When it did the dark orange transformed into bright orange and sunshine yellow. Later on, the sky would turn into a calm blue as the stars began to fade before my eyes.

All the colors captivated me so immensely that I would forget everything for a moment and feel so in tune with nature.

It was to this kind of sky that I woke up to. Nostalgia filled me as I thought of my old home.

Toph had chosen to curl into my side sometime during the night. Her raven hair covered her face while the rest was splayed out on the sand. She was snoring slightly so I stood up silently so as not to wake her and inhaled the crisp, fresh morning air.

It was interesting how the air seemed to be almost new in the early morning, as if it had passed through a filter at night to rid itself of the all the smog, the heaviness, the heat it seemed to gain as the day went on.

I wanted to wake her up and have her experience the thrill of morning with me, but she couldn't. She was blind and it was really the colors that made everything so beautiful. Maybe I'd describe it to her one day.

The sun was barely over the horizon of rock but its light seemed to color everything pastel. It was as if I was looking at a painting rather than an actual landscape. When I took a step back to look at Toph, the painting grew a million times better. It was even more captivating with her curled form than if someone had just painted the scenery.

I felt happy.

Yesterday was fun and I could feel my muscles loosen up as I stretched again. All that activity had been exciting and new. I sort of wanted to dance again. Or better yet, airbend. How exhilarating it would be to fly in this open space and feel the new air brush against my skin. I wondered if Toph would be opposed to the idea of coming up in the air with me. If I couldn't share the wonder of colors and stars, maybe I could share my love of the skies.

We were best friends and I was always open to whatever she wanted to do. Hopefully this wouldn't be asking too much of her. She wasn't comfortable in the skies, I knew that. From all those times we'd ridden on Appa I hoped she had gotten used to flying. But it was different riding on top of Appa. Appa was a large, furry animal. There was more space to get your bearings. But with me, there was only me.

I would have kept up this line of thought had I not been distracted by a noise in front of me. It sounded like whimpers. I looked down and saw that Toph's small hands were sort of trembling. When her feet began twitching I rushed to her side and gently shook her.

"Toph? Toph. Wake up. Please wake up."

She came up sharply with a gasp. One of her hands came up too and the back impacted hard with my eye. I groaned in pain and wished that Katara was here to heal it so it wouldn't hurt so much.

"Gah," I groaned as I opened both eyes to get a good look at her. Her face was slightly ashen and there were small droplets of sweat forming on her brow. She was breathing harshly. Bits of sand were stuck to her cheek and a lot more in her hair. But what worried me and took me a bit by surprise was the expression on her face. "Toph are you okay? What's wrong?"

It was wild and distracted and scared.

"Toph?" I asked again. Please come back from whatever nightmare you were experiencing, I thought. It almost hurt to see that unfamiliar expression on her face.

For some reason she sighed heavily and fell back onto the ground.

"I'm fine. It was nothing," she insisted. "I just had a nightmare."

"What was it?" I asked. It must have been terrifying if it caused her to wake up in such a frenzied state. If it was something bad I wanted to console her and tell her everything would be alright. But what would make her act like that? Toph, the rock. I feared the answer a bit but let her speak because I had to know.

She gave a small laugh. "There was no meat in the world and I was forced to eat ocean kumquats and other veggies by small monkey humans for an eternity."

I smacked my head. Only Toph would consider no meat a reason to wake up in a cold sweat.

"Oh you poor baby," I mocked, glad that it was something inane and not serious. "Eating vegetables? Ocean Kumquats are admittedly horrible, but lettuce, rutabagas, cabbages? Nothing wrong with those."

She shook her head and stretched her muscular arms towards the sky and wiggled her long toes. Yet I felt a small prickling in the back of my mind. A prickling that told me Toph was lying. She wasn't dreaming of monkey humans. But I knew that if I pressed the issue she would deny it strongly. There was a reason she was keeping whatever she dreamt a secret from me, and only she could choose to unlock it. So I'd accept her answer and keep up the game she began to play.

"Let me give you some facts of life," she said as her arms rested under her head. The wild look on her face was calming, but there were remnants of it that I hoped wouldn't stay. "Animals destined to become residents in my belly, in their natural form, fart. When they fart they produce toxic gas that mixes with the air we breathe. If it weren't for the plants that convert that toxic air into breathable air, we would all suffocate. Meat eaters rid the world of these toxic farting animals. You, my good Hotman, eat the plants that sustain life on our beloved planet." She ended that statement with a haughty curve of her lips.

It took all I had not to laugh out loud at her ridiculous statement. She reminded me so much of Sokka the way she was passionately, and logically defending meat.

"Your point?"

"I help the world," she said righteously. "You, contradiction, are killing everyone one salad at a time." She tsked.

"Fruits and vegetables give you a lot more energy than meat," I countered. There was no way I was going to let her diss veggies and fruits that way. "It's healthy." It was my way of life.

"Not for the world."

I shook my head at her childish arguments.

"You're entitled to your own opinion," I compromised.

She sat up and crossed her legs.

"And you're not entitled to deprive everyone of oxygen every time you eat." Her haughty face told me that she wasn't going to let the subject go anytime soon. At least the wild look was gone. As she spoke the look lessened into oblivion until I began doubting myself of its existence in the first place.

"At least I don't have to watch my weight." Fruits and vegetables kept me healthy and trim. Meat had fat. Veggies did not. Meat had a face. Veggies did not. I win. But in Toph's meat driven mind, my style of life was just unacceptable.

"Neither do I. I train." She flexed her arms. "Just look at these babies. Muscle, Twinkle Toes. Pure muscle." She growled a bit to emphasize the muscles.

I tried a different argument. "Meat makes people angry. I am a happy person. You are cynical, sarcastic, argumentative, and like to hit things."

She gave me a lopsided smile. "Can't argue with that."

Her hand was stretched out and I held it firm to help her up. She was going to earthbend the sand off of her but I caught her wrist. Surprisingly, she didn't argue with me and allowed me to earthbend the sand off of both of us.

Sleeping on sand was nice at first, but after a while of moving it starts settling into very uncomfortable places.

"We should get going," I told her, looking up at the bright sun warming up the air around us.

"Why? We could get in some morning training now that I'm up."

"Can't," I informed her, a bit disappointed. But my tone grew hopeful, "I have an appointment."

"With who?"

"Riley."

"For what?"

I shrugged and said casually, "To save the world," to which she responded to with a light punch on my arm and a small smile on her face. Toph was never one to let something drag her down. Whatever had woken her up that morning was probably in the back of her mind already. She'd be okay for now. And besides, we would have a chance to talk things out later. That is, if she wanted to.

"Cheesy, Twinkle Toes. Pure Cheese."

"Why don't you just move out?" I asked. I didn't even bother to contain my exasperation and agitation.

"Because I'll be disinherited and I don't have a job."

I smacked my head. "Why don't you get one?"

"I'm trying but even if I do get a job I have to save up a whole lot of money before I'm able to get a place of my own."

"Then you should stay over at Todd's house."

"I don't want to impose. He's put up with a lot from me and I have nothing to offer him in return."

My anger dissipated rather quickly after that statement.

I looked out at the park where Riley and I were at and saw a little girl and her big sister running towards the swings situated near the center of the green field. We sat underneath a tree, one on each side. Riley asked for me to meet with him because he needed someone to talk to. Of course I agreed and met him here.

The first five minutes were superficial conversation, and then we lapsed into a stiff silence as I waited for him to say what was on his mind. When it was clear he was going to need a little prompting, I asked him what he originally wanted to talk about. He began to monologue about his dad for a while and I listened patiently, trying to come up with a perfect solution for him. Unfortunately, and annoyingly, he shot down ever one of my suggestions.

I played with the grass, letting the tips tickle my hand as we spoke.

"You can offer to pay rent," I suggested.

I heard him sigh. "I'd still feel pretty bad. Despite appearances, I have feelings and moral codes."

That was true. Riley had always struck me as a sort of collected, silent guy. Lately, though, I learned that this wasn't the case. Whenever he was unsure of something he would always remain quiet. He was also very awkward when it came to things that made him uncomfortable. And he was a bit of a hothead when things got under his skin. But he seemed like a caring guy underneath it all. Way underneath. He wasn't the best with words or actions.

"Do you have any relatives?" I asked.

I heard scratching on the bark of the tree. Out of my peripheral vision I saw him resting on his side and scratching the rough bark of the thin tree with his stubby fingernails. A ladybug climbed across my hand. Tilting my hand, I guided it across my palm.

"Not any around here."

I frowned as the ladybug circled my forearm before traveling down to the tip of my middle finger.

"No other friends that would let you stay out of the goodness of their hearts?" I asked him with a bit of a patronizing tone. All his friends were kind and would, of course, allow him to stay in their homes until he figured things out. But he wasn't going to ask them for that favor.

He stood up, knowing that I knew his answer to my question, and started walking towards the playgrounds. Getting the hint, I stood up and walked after him. The lady bug was still crawling on my skin so I bent down and attached it to a blade of grass.

"There you go little ladybug. It's green and probably tastes better than me." I wasn't sure what ladybugs ate, but I guessed it was greens. Because greens were healthy. Lady bugs really did know their stuff. A small smile made its way onto my face as I remembered the squabble I had with Toph this morning. Currently she was in Ana's house, probably eating meat. Honestly, I was going to have to try harder to introduce her to better food.

My feet picked up the pace until I was in step with him. We passed the swings, just barely out of range of flying feet.

"Not really," he sullenly answered. His blond bangs fell over his face to cover his eyes.

I pursed my lips, holding back a groan. I understood the fact that he didn't want to impose on people, but he'd already shot down my idea of camping. He said that the world wasn't that safe anymore which caused much worry on my part.

Sure, back in my world camping wasn't the safest mode of habitation, but barely anyone would bother you if that was the way you chose to live. It was just the tone in which he said it that worried me. It wasn't filled with terror, but rather seemed like it was just common knowledge that camping was unsafe and dangerous.

It made me fear for the world. How far downhill would we have to have been if we couldn't trust our fellow neighbors?

"The only thing I can do well is weld. But I'm too young. So it's college or nothing and that's still a year away."

"What do you weld?"

He shrugged. A bench and table was erected near another small tree and offered limited shade. I picked up my pace and lay down on top of the table with my gaze on the large expanse of clear blue skies. Riley straddled the bench and slumped against the trunk of the tree. This was something I learned very recently about Riley: he liked to lean. I don't think it was for any particular reason either, just habit.

"Lots of junk. It's not just welding. I'm into mechanics as well. I fix small appliances sometimes. As for the welding…if you want to give what I weld a name it'd be…" his voice grew smaller and I had to strain to hear him, "arts and crafts. I do things like jewelry too. Those go to Heidi and my mom. They're the only ones who don't laugh that much about what I do in my spare time."

I smiled at the sky. "That sounds fun."

"It's a hobby," he said forcefully.

My eyes narrowed in concentration as I tried to recall a memory. I remembered that it had something to do with Katara's necklace and a fish.

My adventures with them weren't the clearest due to a couple of times when I'd hit my head during battles. But there were just some that stuck with me like glue. Most were happy memories. Well, as happy as any memories could be with the weight of the world on my shoulders. There was just something about what Riley had said pertaining to jewelry that was resurfacing a past memory.

We were silent for a bit until a loud slap broke through my thoughts. Riley held a pale hand to his now red cheek and wiped it off on his pants.

"Stupid bugs," he muttered.

I gasped and sat up in front of him. My sudden movement caused him to lose his balance and he ended up falling on the ground with one leg still curved around the bench.

"I got!" I yelled.

He regarded me carefully before slowly asking, "Got what?"

I smiled. "An idea."

"On how to get rid of mosquitoes? Or my problem?"

"Your problem. My friend once gave me a recommendation about becoming a jewelry merchant when I grew up."

His eyes were skeptical.

"Good for you. But what does that have to do with me?"

I leaned back on my haunches. "Why don't you sell what you make? People pay good money for handcrafted jewelry, especially if it looks good."

He was silent as he stood back up to sit on the bench facing away from me.

The girls were now rolling around in the grass, covering their clothes with grass stains. I wanted to join them but Riley needed me right now. The bigger sister picked up her smaller one and twirled her around and around. Giggles and shrieks filled the air generously. More and more people began filing into the park no doubt attracted by such an obvious show of happiness.

"It's not a bad idea…"

"But…" I prodded.

He sighed and buried his long, slim fingers into his blond hair. His voice was tight with emotion and it sounded to me like he was a little embarrassed.

"I'm not that kind of guy."

I frowned, not understanding his meaning. "What kind of guy?"

His pale hands ruffled his hair before settling back on his face. The words were muffled from behind his hands but I understood him.

"You know. The kind that sells jewelry. Hell, I don't even look like a guy that makes jewelry." His face looked haunted, as if becoming a jewelry maker was his worst nightmare. Well, I thought, it's better than being a cabbage merchant.

"What does a jewelry maker look like to you?"

"A girl."

"Okay…. But there's no reason a guy can't do it. Besides, it pays well and isn't that what you want?"

A blue eye chanced a sidelong look at me from between thin fingers.

"You're too happy. You realize that?" I grinned and he leaned back against the tree trunk with his arm over his face.

"I eat my vegetables," I informed him.

After a pregnant pause he spoke. "I have a reputation to uphold, man."

"You can still lean and make jewelry," I answered.

He lifted his arm up enough to make a face at me. "What are you talking about?"

I pointed to him. "That. Leaning. It's like your signature move. You can still do that and make jewelry."

He let out an amused breath. "You are something else."

I shrugged. "I try."

A strange and charming jingle sounded in my ear. It was too far away for me to guess what it was. All I could say was that it sounded happy and made me want to bounce. Riley noticed and asked me what I was doing.

"This music is just enthralling."

He looked around and his blue eyes landed on something just behind me. His serious demeanor turned into disbelief.

"Get a grip on yourself, Aang. You look like a toddler." I stopped bouncing but couldn't stop my foot from tapping along with the rhythm. "It's just the ice cream truck." He looked down at my foot. "What to get some while we discuss my future? I'll drive you back to Todd's house afterwards."

I gave him a toothy grin. "Nothing says future like ice cream."

"By they way," he asked as we made our way towards the white truck, "what the hell happened to your eye?"

I touched the eye Toph had accidentally hit and winced as a sharp pain shot through me.

"Mosquito," I answered.

"Nasty little buggers aren't they?"

A private smile appeared on my face. "Only when they first wake up."

Riley and I had a very good talk about his options as a jeweler and I think I even got him to come around to the idea. I also gave him a couple of tips on how to sell and steered him away from his black cloak idea. But it would ultimately be up to him if he was going to go down that road. I was just a nudge.

It was nighttime and Todd was asleep so I made my way towards the unofficial training grounds with pep in my step. Just like that, I had solved another life. That was two down so far if my count was correct. Now all I had to do was figure out what was wrong with Todd–since apparently my assumption was wrong the first time–Heidi, and Skeeter.

I wondered if couldn't just sit down with Todd and ask him what he needed help with.

Well, that was another thought for another day. I had to go and meet up with Toph or risk her hurting her arm while she tried to bury me in a rock-a-lanche.

A/N:

You know, I think all worlds should have ice cream. It should be a requirement. And I mean, down in the South Pole, what else are you going to do with all that ice and snow?

That's right, you flavor it. Preferably without sea prunes.

Just a short filler of Aang trying to save the world, one person at a time.

Hope it tides you over until the next chapter.

Love: Lola of the Peaches

=]