Disclaimer: Did you ever hear that joke about a girl who went by the name of Lola of the Peaches who owned everything to do with ATLA? Well, here's the punch line: it was all a lie!

Read on…

Aang's pov

I was laying down in Todd's front yard. The smell of recently trimmed grass was wafted to me by the slight wind every couple of seconds. It was distracting, feeling the prickly, green blades brush against my skin every time I moved. However, distraction was what I had been hoping for. I closed my eyes in order to better enjoy the warmth from the sun's shining rays.

The world was at peace in these few precious moments.

World peace wasn't necessarily about achieving an era of order. Something like that would be so boring after the first couple of hours. My world after the war was literally a testament to the fact that an era of order was going to be difficult to gain, but not entirely impossible to achieve. World peace had come to mean an era of tranquility with little to no disputes, to me.

Now disputes with the cabbage man seemed to be never ending, and I wasn't thinking about completely silencing trivial arguments between citizens (otherwise I'd be out of a job). People were bound to get rowdy whether there was a war or not (of course, the rowdiness seemed to always seemed to escalate to full on anarchy in time of war, but that was to be expected). What I was thinking, was more on the broader issues, such as foreign policies.

The Fire Nation was literally watching its every move in order to avoid stepping on the toes of other nations–heck, even their own. Right now, their people were divided by severe prejudice among each other based on their views. Those dubbed the Hawks, were literally foaming at the mouth for more war and scorned their nation who, in their eyes, submitted dishonorably to the other nations will (needless to say I was burned in effigy in more than a couple of places). Unfortunately, that was also the majority of the younger population. Among those were few Doves who praised the Fire Lord for finally bringing peace into their land and for trying to reestablish strained ties with its brother nations.

World peace, in terms of just seven years after the Great War, was not going to be easy to reach. A sense of urgency shot through my chest. I had to get back and keep the strained peace among those who had been badly hurt by the actions of soldiers under prior Fire Lord Ozai's command, as well as the divided people of the Fire Nation.

For years, Zuko sent me letters–though since I was always traveling he sent them through messenger hawks–pleading with me to help keep the peace in certain parts of his nation under the Hawks control. He could not do it himself because he was Fire Lord. If anything should happen to him–in such a strained time of peace–the world was due for more turmoil than it had already been subjected to for the last 100 years. Though the people who had lived through the war were much stronger in terms of mentality than the children just born in peace time, another mini-war would shatter them.

Now that I wasn't there to keep the peace? I didn't even want to think about it.

It was like I was abandoning the world again! And failing the world not once, but twice, would be enough to shake anyone. Toph had told me that I didn't have to worry about Todd's problem anymore, and although I trusted her with my life, I couldn't help but think that I was the one who was supposed to get us out of this mess and save the world.

I'd been so into my musings and self-berating that I hadn't notice Todd sit down next to me until he nudged my side with his shoe. My side was still kind of in pain from Toph's nicely planted punch a few nights ago, but I wasn't focused on the pain now.

"Usually, when one is in silence they're meditating to find tranquility–something that you seem to be into. However, you've been frowning for the past five minutes."

I opened my eyes against the sun, trying to open them but failing. A bright orange-red painted my vision when I shut my eyes. I tried to wipe the frown from my brow, but even I could tell I was failing miserably.

"Seriously, this whole pensive mood you have going on is kind of freaking me out," he said. "Whatever happened to mister cheerful?"

"He's on break," I replied pensively.

Todd sighed but thankfully let me be. Explaining to him that the fate of the world depends upon his friends' happiness probably wouldn't go over too well.

"Can I axe you something?"

"Ax?" I asked, my curiosity peeling away my pensive mood.

"Axe. It means ask in old, old English. But anyways, what do you and Toph do when you go out in the dark of night?"

Pensive mood forgotten, I blanched. Had Toph told him about our training sessions? Why would she do that? She wouldn't. So how would he know? He shouldn't. I battled for what seemed a bit too long of a pause about telling him the truth. If he knew, he might actually refuse any of my help. If he refused my help, then how in the world could Toph and I get back? If the universe had the answer, I'd appreciate a cryptic sign every now and then.

Well, the whole how would Toph and I leave if I didn't help him was mostly at the forefront of my reasons for not telling him about our training sessions. The other reason, one that scared me more than the first, was that he'd get scared. Honestly, there were no people around who understood what it was to fight with the elements. And I'm not talking about fighting with a blowtorch. I mean pure energy. No one in this world seemed to have that ability so my fear wasn't completely unfounded. If he saw Toph and me fight, then he'd no doubt fear us.

"We just hang out." I hoped he didn't see past my guard.

"Doing what?"

"Stuff."

"Look, if you guys are doing something illegal I'm not going to turn you in. If anything I'd give you a clap on the back for being able to get away with it for so long. I just want to make sure that you guys know how dangerous it is to go out at night."

I nodded.

"I know. But you should know that Toph is a great fighter. And I happen to have the skills to talk myself out of almost every situation."

Todd snorted. "Sure you do."

I smiled slightly before dropping my lips.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" he asked.

I could only assume he meant to ask me what my problem was.

"I miss my home."

Somehow, the words carried much more weight than they had when I had just vaguely held that thought in my mind as the weeks here progressed. A small tear in my heart grew bigger every day I was away from Appa and Momo, and all of my friends. I honestly couldn't help my frown now.

It wasn't even just my friends I missed. Resonating through my mind was the clatter of wooden street cars that jittered every which way on the cobblestone and dirt paths. Mechanical cars rumbled like they were angry at the person who woke them up to drive somewhere.

I missed all the trees! When I opened my eyes to this world, there were buildings upon buildings in drab colors with only a few bright ones dotting the scenery to give it some much needed pop. Where was the nature?

Well, not all parts of this world were horrible. I was truly learning some interesting things, but my pensive home-sick mood jaded my eyes.

"You'll get there soon," he said. For a moment it felt like he was encouraging me in my pursuit to find out ways to ensure him and his friends' happiness. Then he tacked on, "Isn't your visa about to expire soon?"

I tried hard to keep my face neutral and fought tooth and nail to keep my hand from reaching up to scratch the back of my head in guilt.

Having no idea what he meant, I answered his question as vaguely as possible. "Sure."

"See," he replied, obviously happy that I had reached some conclusion. "You'll be back before you know it. Just don't leave without saying goodbye. We'd all be sorry sticklers if you did."

This time, my small smile broadened as I nodded. "I will," I promised.

As he went back inside, I could feel my pensive mood lighten significantly. I looked up at the sky. Of course I knew that my world was not in the sky, but I couldn't very well talk to a lamppost. Bright blue skies were my metaphorical windows to communicating with my world.

"Soon," I whispered in the wind. I'd be back soon.

When Toph and I met up at the grounds for training a scandalous idea formed in my mind. Now I knew that Toph was up for anything that offered a good work out, but what I was thinking of proposing might push her to new heights she'd never seen (literally).

So it was with an anxious heart pounding in my chest that I walked up to her. Toph quickly became aware that there was something wrong. Her laid-back demeanor seemed to tense for bad news just the slightest bit as she detected my heartbeat.

"You okay?" she asked.

I nodded, forgetting for a moment she couldn't see it.

"I was actually wondering if you wanted to…well, get down to the training grounds by another method."

Her face scrunched up in confusion as she stared blankly at my chest.

"What other way is there?"

I knew that Toph was not one for surprises. Being blind and still having the ability to see, well, she liked to know what was coming when it was coming.

"Well, I was kind of thinking of…flying down…" I waited anxiously for her dynamic refusal, but was pleasantly surprised when she said:

"Fine. But only this once," she gritted out the stipulation.

For a moment, my eyebrows touched my hairline. "Really?" I asked incredulously. A part of me knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it's voice apparently didn't matter at the moment.

"Are you trying to give me the opportunity to change my mind?"

I promptly shut up and strode towards her, trying to restrain my hops of glee that threatened to burst out. There was no logic behind my wanting to fly. I just knew that it was something I really wanted to do.

"Arms around my neck," I instructed. Toph had ridden on top of my glider before, and she made sure to promptly express her thoughts on that as soon as the battle with Azula during the first invasion throughout the eclipse was over with.

I figured that if she held onto something more solid than a small, rectangular piece of ancient wood it would calm her down a bit. She locked her arms solidly around my neck and for a moment I feared that she would inadvertently choke me if she felt I was going to let her fall.

"When I jump, lock your legs behind my knees. I'll be able to support you better."

"Are you calling me fat?"

I let out a small laugh. "No, I'm calling my staff ancient."

For some reason, she started sniggering and sounding as if she was trying to desperately hold back a bark of laughter.

"What's so funny?"

She shook her head, the smell of her hair wafting into my nose.

"I have been hanging out with Skeeter too much," she offered as an excuse.

I wondered when she'd gotten the chance to hang out with him, but it wasn't any of my business.

"Okay. You ready?"

Her laughter subsided immediately as she took in her situation. I heard her gulp.

"Just get it over with."

I considered not going through with my plan, but there was something about her body language that told me if I stopped now, out of concern for her, I would be offending her. She was literally putting aside her fear of flying just for my silly whim, so if I stopped now it'd be like I was belittling her. I respected her too much for that–especially because of what she was doing.

"I won't let you fall," I promised, a bit of iron in my tone.

She said nothing but nodded as I inched us over to the edge, about five feet away.

Suddenly, I felt a tugging on every fiber of my body. It was like being pulled in all directions at one time.

"Aang?" Toph asked, with a slight tremble in her voice. "What's happening?"

Apparently she could feel it too.

"We're getting pulled into the Spirit World," I concluded in wonder.

"Ah hell," were the last words out of her body's mouth as both us became a ghostly blue-white.

A/N: Okay, I am so sorry that I have not continued with this story in…months. (Oh man that hurt to type.)

School, as I've always said, comes first and this new semester seems to have saddled me with a massive amount of homework and tests that I've been stressing to pass with hundreds (though I'll take an eighty at the very least).

Honestly, I should have really thought out the consequences of taking 3 AP classes this year, but I, unfortunately, live to challenge myself. Yeah, I'm definitely setting myself up for failure there. (Wow, I'm really sarcastic right now.)

Anyways, I've been working like an hour or so every day when I have time on all my stories, so please bear with me while my new semester screws me over.

I am trying to advance this story but all I seem to be doing now is giving fillers, but trust me when I say that I have a reason for the fillers.

I sincerely hope I haven't turned you guys off from the story because of the lack of chapter updates. I hope you bear with me and have enjoyed this chapter.

As a side note: I'm taking AP Language & Composition, which is basically all writing all the time, with a few text analysis on the side. I love it! I'm really learning a lot on how to structure and organize my essays, and I am definitely going to try to use more of that on my chapters while still keeping who I am as a writer.

Love: Lola of the Peaches

=]