Alright everyone here's chapter eight and I'm really excited. I finally get to go back to school on the 30th; I'm not excited to be in school but to see all my friends again. I've also been thinking that I might ask out my longtime friend. She's been with me since seventh grade and I've been having several emotions for her for a long time. Wish me luck! Oh yeah one more this story is a few words short of 4000 words NEW longest story. Ok now one more thing I'm dedicating this chapter to her. Man things just get better and better!
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or take credit for it in any of my stories.
After two nights of wrestles sleeping, Aang and Katara were finally happy to get a good night sleep for once. They woke up to the sound of a few sparrowkeets singing outside their window. Katara breathes deeply and turns over to see Aang's steel eyes looking deep into her sapphire eyes. Katara smiles and moves closer for a kiss. What started as just a good morning kiss quickly turned into a very passionate one. Their tongues went back and forth between each other's mouth. Several moments later, they developed the will to separate their lips, but did so very slowly. It took several more minutes for the kiss to actually come to a stop and Aang began to speak.
"Well" He paused to take one more deep breath. "That was a great way to start the day."
"I just thought I could repay you for the morning you woke me up by kissing me, remember?" Aang smiled and chuckled lightly.
"Then consider us even." Aang says. "We should go and get breakfast." He quickly adds. Katara nods her head in agreement and gets out of bed. When she reaches for her discarded clothes, which were scattered on the floor, Aang remembers that she trusted him enough to sleep in nothing but her bindings. Shaking off this thought he goes and grabs his shirt lying near the edge of the bed and puts it on. Aang stands and walks over and grabs Katara's hand as they walk down to the dining room where food was already placed out for breakfast. They both stood in the empty room wondering why nobody else was in there. Then they see Toph walk in wearing a floor-touching white petticoat dress, with long teal sleeves, a flower printed bodice, a long sash along the back, and a small, tiara-like headband with pink and white flowers on it. The couple look at each other in confusion then back at her.
"What? This is what I wear when I'm home and it's about time you two woke up. Do you know what time it is?" Toph asks.
"A few hours past dawn?" The couple guesses.
"Ha! If only that were true it's an hour until mid-day. You two slept for a very long time, longer than me even. What did you do last night?" Aang looks to Katara who answers the question without letting Toph know the full story.
"We just went on a walk and talked but neither of us has gotten much sleep the past few nights. We both had a lot on our mind."
"Ok then, well breakfast is here and lunch will be ready in about an hour, just to let you know. Oh yeah and Sokka said "we'll be back in a few hours." He took Suki with him and I don't know where Zuko and Mai are. I can't feel their vibrations so they're not nearby." Toph finished informing them.
"Do you know where Sokka took Suki?" Katara asked.
"No he just said be back in a few hours and left."
"Thanks anyway Toph." Katara says as Toph leaves the room. Katara and Aang sit down at the table and begin their breakfast. They both grab a variety of the fruits in front of them: papayas, apples, watermelon and different berries. They eat their fruit in silence until Aang breaks it.
"Katara I've been thinking, since it's almost mid-day we should stay another night here and continue to the South Pole tomorrow. Otherwise we might get there in the middle of the night."
"That's fine Aang." Aang smiles to Katara and they finish their fruit. The two spend the next few hours wandering around the town looking for something to do. They eventually run into Sokka who's freaking out at a poster on the wall with Suki standing away from him acting like she doesn't know him. Suki notices Aang and Katara walking up to them and signals them to come over.
"Hey you two, we missed you at breakfast, where were you?" Suki asks as Sokka still stares and yells at the poster.
"Neither of us had gotten much sleep the past few nights so we slept in today." Katara explained a second time then looked past Suki at Sokka who, what a surprise, is still freaking out at the poster.
"Ugh what's with Sokka?" Aang questioned hoping Suki had the answer.
"Oh he found some poster announcing some underground fighting ring has returned and now it's accepting all fighters, fire, water, earth and non-benders." Suki explained as Aang looked at her with a very confused look on his face.
"Wait is this fighting ring hosted by a guy named Xin Fu?" Aang quickly asks.
"Yeah but how did you know that?"
"How did he get out of the box?" Aang whispered to himself.
"Yeah anyways Sokka wants to go and participate in it and I might join him. You two should come with us as well and maybe get Toph, Zuko and Mai involved too." Suki offered. The couple looks at each other and grins devilishly.
"Yeah sure we'll head back to Toph's place and ask her. She doesn't know where Zuko and Mai are though so can you two look for them?" Katara asks Suki and Sokka who has stopped freaking out but is now drooling over the poster. Suki turns her head to look at Sokka and notices how ridiculous her boyfriend looks.
"Yeah we'll search for them and then meet back at the Bei Fong residence in an hour, ok?" Katara nods her head in agreement and grabs Aang's hand and walks with him back to Toph's manor. When they arrive they find out that both Zuko and Mai have returned.
"Well that was easier to find them than I thought." Aang says as Katara giggles at Aang's comment.
"Come on lets tell them." Katara says and brings Aang over to the Fire Lord and his girlfriend. Zuko turns his head to see them walking over to them and smiles at them.
"Hey you two I guess you were tired last night?" Zuko comments about their long sleep.
"Yeah neither of us got much sleep the past few nights so we slept in." Katara explains for a third time hoping it's the last.
"So Zuko, me and Katara were just in the city and we saw Sokka and Suki standing by a poster and we-" Aang was cut off as Zuko held his hand up.
"No I'm not going to Earth Rumble seven no matter how much you ask me. I'll watch it but I'm not participating in it."
"Aww come on Sifu Hotman why not?" Zuko growled at Aang's comment.
"I said stop calling me that!"
"I'll make you a deal. If you go and participate in Earth Rumble Seven then I give you an Avatar's promise that I will never call you Hotman again." Aang says with an evil smile on. Zuko thinks to himself.
If I do the stupid tournament then I don't have to listen to "Hotman" anymore. I don't see a reason to not go sure why not.
"Ok fine I'll be in the tournament but only if you never call me that again. What about you Mai?" Zuko says as he looks to his gloomy girlfriend.
"Sure not like I've got anything better to do." Mai said in her toneless voice.
"Alright then, Suki and Sokka are going to meet her in about forty five minutes and then we all can go to the tournament, but first I got to see if Toph can go." Aang says before leading Katara away to find Toph. They find Toph in the garden with her parents having tea.
"Ah hello Aang and Katara did you have a nice rest?" Poppy Bei Fong asks as she hears Katara make a deep sigh.
"Yes neither of us got much sleep the past few nights so we slept in." Katara says for a fourth time knowing if she hopes it's the last time then she would probably have to say it again.
"So Toph did you here that Xin Fu is back?" Aang asks.
"Yeah I know it was a part of the letter that Katara helped me send to my parents. I told them to send someone to help him and Master Yu out of the box I trapped them in."
INTERMISION: Ok I know that there were several weeks in between the time Toph trapped Xin Fu and Master Yu in the box and when she sent the letter to her parents and that they would have probably died. Let's ignore this factor and say that Xin Fu went back to Gaoling to start the Earth Rumble tournament up again and that Master Yu went back to his school.
"Oh well did you know that he brought back Earth Rumble and now is letting anyone compete in it."
"Ok that part I didn't know." Toph grew a smug look on her face and pointed at us. "So does that mean you two are going to compete in it?"
"Well I don't think I would be allowed in since I'm the Avatar and all, but I'll still try to get in. What about you Katara?"
"If they let you in then I'll join if not then we'll cheer our friends on from the stands." Aang smiles as Toph makes a gagging sound causing Katara to glare at her. Aang turns his smile to a serious look when he turns to Toph.
"What about you Toph? Are you going to join us?" Toph sat silently expecting her parents to say something about how she was a little, fragile blind girl but they didn't they just looked at her and awaited her response.
"You don't have anything to say about me going to Earth Rumble Seven?" Toph asked as she brought her head up to 'look' at her parents.
"A year ago we wouldn't even let you out of this house without guards. We both have had a long talk about this and after seeing you when you fought all of those guys by yourself and won, we will let you do what you want." Lao says to his daughter who gets a big smile knowing that her parents finally accept her as the powerful Earthbender that she is instead of the helpless girl. Toph ran over to her parents and gave both of them hugs.
"Well on that note we should go and meet up with Zuko and Mai." Aang said breaking up their loving moment. He, Katara and Toph all left the room to catch up to Zuko and Mai to wait for Sokka and Suki's return. About twenty minutes later the two came through the gate and found everyone sitting in a circle around a small pond.
"Well thanks for telling us that Mr. and Mrs. Gloom are here." Sokka says irritated at the fact that his and Suki's search for them was pointless.
"Oh Sokka calm down at least we spent the day together." Suki said trying to make him feel better.
"Yeah big deal." Sokka said not realizing who he had just said that to. By the time Sokka realized it was too late.
"Suki wait I AHHHH!" *splash* Suki grabbed Sokkas arm and threw him over her shoulder into the pond.
"So Sokka like I said at least we got to spend the day together." Suki said crossing her arms over her chest. Sokka stood up and left the pond to stand next to her.
"I know this was the best day ever I wouldn't trade it for anything." Sokka said trying to suck up to Suki to make everything better.
"Now that's more like it. So how many of you are going to compete?" Suki asked looking around the group.
"Well Toph, Zuko and Mai are for sure, but Aang and I don't know yet. We want to see if he's allowed to join and if he is then we both join but if not then we're both going to sit in the stands and cheer you all on." Katara said to Suki.
"Alright then well how long is until it starts?" Suki asked looking back and forth between Sokka and Toph.
"It starts a few hours before midnight, so we can eat dinner here then leave." Toph answers. The Gaang looks at each other and nods. A few hours pass by and it's time for everyone to leave for Earth Rumble Seven. They arrive to see that the line for contenders is almost as long as the line for the audience. It takes about another hour until they reach the registration booth. Sokka and Suki are first then Zuko, Mai, Toph, Aang and finally Katara.
"Name?" The man in the booth asks Sokka.
"Call me Captain Boomerang!" Sokka says now that he has gotten a new boomerang and sword from a blacksmith back in Gaoling. The man in the booth looks at Sokka with a look that just asks: are you serious?
"Ok then take a number from the bin. NEXT!" Sokka grabs a number and steps aside and waits for Suki and the rest to get their numbers.
"Name?" The man asks again.
"The Kyoshi Warrior."
"Alright take a number from the bin. NEXT!" Suki goes over to talk with Sokka.
"Seriously? The Kyoshi Warrior? What type of name is that?" Sokka asks
"Oh sorry next time I need a name I'll come to you Captain Boomerang." Suki says sarcastically.
"Name?"
"Fire Lord Zuko." Zuko boringly answers as the man stares at him then writes his name down without saying a thing. Zuko takes a number and moves to the side.
"Name?" the man nearly whispers to Mai after seeing the new Fire Lord right in front of him.
"I don't know what do you guys think?" Mai asks as she looks over to where Sokka, Suki and Zuko stood. Sokka was quick to come up with an answer even if Zuko thought it was inappropriate.
"Oh I know how about Gloomy Daggers? It fits you perfectly since your Gloomy and you throw daggers."
"Alright sure." Mai says as she accepts her name and takes a number from the bin and walks over next to Zuko.
"Ahh I see our champion has returned." The man says as he sees Toph in front of him. He rights her name down as The Blind Bandit and hands her a number.
"Next! Oh it's you lord Avatar are you here for the tournament?"
"Yep is it alright if I join?"
"Unfortunately sir it is not. You see due to your extraordinary power you could easily beat everyone here so it hurts me to say, that no you cannot compete." Aang turns back to Katara to see her expression about him not being able to compete, disappointment yet still happy.
"Do you want to compete? I'll be fine you should go and have a good time."
"No it's ok I'll have more fun with you than I ever would beating up some random fighter." Aang gives her a kiss on the cheek and turns back to the man.
"Ok that's fine but I'm still allowed in to watch aren't I?"
"Of course consider the payment for you and your friend on the house. Please go on in through that door and take the first left you'll be right in the audience." The man motions them to a door that says staff only on it.
"Thank you very much." Aang says as he bows to the man and walks over to the rest of the group.
"Alright so Katara and I will be cheering you all on from the stands good luck." Aang briefly says as he leads Katara to the door. They go through and take the first left as the man had instructed. Once they go through the door they find that the arena had changed. The arena itself had an Earth Kingdom insignia on the ground. Surrounding the arena was a large pool of water that held the Water Tribe insignia at the bottom of the pool. Four pillars stood out of the pool on each side of the arena. On top of these pillars were large torches that had Fire Nation insignia flags hanging from them. They had opened the roof so that they could use the moon as a rather bright, and free, light source and there was no longer any 'front' rows, they had all been removed for safety. After taking their seats Aang and Katara waited for the tournament to begin. Xin Fu pops up in the middle of the arena and starts talking to the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen welcome to EARTH RUMBLE SEVEN!" Xin Fu says as the crowd erupts in cheers.
"As you know this year we let other fighters compete in the tournament this time. The rules are simple: for any bender fighting a bender its first to be knocked out of the arena. For any bender fighting a non-bender then its first to land a hit wins. However a non-bender can agree to bender vs. bender rules. So with that said let the tournaments begin! First up is The Gopher vs. The Kyoshi Warrior."
"That's Suki!" Katara says as she waits to see Suki appear on the arena followed by the Gopher who tunneled up through the ground. The match is short and sweet, Suki charges The Gopher, dodging the rocks shot at her, and hits him with three quick jabs: two to his arms and one to his chest. His arms go limp and he begins to struggle as he screams out "I can't bend!"
"Whoa Ty-Lee must have taught that to Suki." Katara says amazed at how fast the battle was. The next battles are quick as Zuko, Mai and yes even Captain Boomerang make it to the next round no thanks to his, you guessed it, boomerang. Toph makes it to but only because her opponent new who she was and never showed up to fight. After a few hours of watching everyone beat each and every one of their opponents it was only a matter of time before they had to fight each other. Sure enough the next fight was between Zuko and Sokka. For this match Zuko and Sokka would make a deal: Sokka would agree to a bender vs. bender match but Zuko wouldn't bend. It would prove who the better fighter was. Sokka drew his Jian sword as Zuko pulled out his duel Dao swords. The two fought fiercely but eventually Zuko had won, Captain Boomerang was eliminated from the tournament. Though he was not the last soon after his loss it was Suki vs. Toph. Suki proved to be a rather tough opponent for Toph she was quick and jumped a lot causing Toph to loose 'sight' of her. However, this was to no avail, as Toph eventually won by sending a fast small rock at the place where Suki landed after her jump. The night went on like this, first Sokka then Suki then Mai. All that remained were Fire Lord Zuko and The Blind Bandit. It was the final match.
"Well it looks like I finally get to pay you back for burning my feet at the Air Temple." Toph said punching her fist in her palm.
"Do your worst." Zuko said as he got in a defensive stance.
"Ha gladly." Toph said as she did do her worst. Toph sent out an earth wave twenty feet high strait at Zuko. Zuko used his fire to propel himself over the wave and shoot several fireballs at Toph. She quickly pulled up earth armor and absorbed the blasts. Zuko followed up quickly by launching a charged fire blast at Toph and hitting her, breaking her armor but not moving her.
"Fine you want to play dirty?" Toph said as she shook the ground back and forth and created a dust cloud, preventing Zuko from seeing anything. Zuko breathed and spread a fire shield to the edge of the arena, causing the dust to be removed from the sight, however Toph was nowhere in sight either. Zuko waited for a few moments then let his guard down thinking that he had won. As Zuko began to walk towards the exit the audience sat in shock. Then out of nowhere Toph popped up behind Zuko and shot a pillar into his back sending him flying out of the ring. The crowd erupted in cheers as Xin Fu appeared next to Toph.
"Here is your champion The Blind Bandit!" The crowd cheers louder than before and soon everyone regrouped and started heading back to Toph's home where they began to talk about the tournament.
"You were all amazing in your matches and congratulations Toph at beating Sifu Hotman." Aang said and as Toph was about to speak Zuko blew up.
"Ok first off you said you were going to stop calling me that if I participated in this stupid tournament. Second I got cheated out of the last match she hid from me until I had my guard down."
"Relax Zuko don't be such a sore looser it was still fun and you know it." Katara said trying to avoid an argument between Toph and Zuko. All of the conversations continued for another hour until everyone said their goodnights and turned in for the night. Aang and Katara entered his room and began undressing down to their underclothing and climbed in bed, cuddling.
"Hey Aang?" Katara asks quietly.
"Yeah."
"If I do turn out pregnant will you stay with me?"
"There isn't anything in this world that could stop me from staying with you."
"Do you mean that?"
"Of course I do, nothing will ever come between us I promise. I love you."
"I love you too." Katara finished as she turned over to face Aang and kiss him almost as passionately as this morning. They broke the kiss and smiled at each other as Katara rested her head on Aang's chest and they both began to fall asleep.
Sorry if the fight scenes were short I was pretty tired and this chapter just kept getting longer and longer, but I still love it. I also would like to point one thing out. My story WILL contain lemon in the not too distant future again, but I will always have Kataangy goodness in each and every one of my chapters.