Chapter III

"Ooh- Aang, look over there! They have a juggling contest! You can win a straw hat!" Sokka rushed over followed by a reluctant Suki to the small line to sign up. Aang just shook his head, smiling slightly.

"Ignore him, Aang. Hey- there's a really cool dance over there! Do you want to go?" Katara was obviously trying to be cheerful, seeing his doubt.

Aang couldn't even get a word in before Toph broke in, yelling outrageously, "Heck, no! What Aang needs is some adrenalin, not all your mushy, love scene stuff!" Toph was obviously ready for some fun. "Let's go to the Earth Bowl!"

"What exactly is the Bowl?" Katara raised a brow. Aang, though, sounded interested.

"It's where earth-benders bend the giant earth bowl and you have to try to not fall or get injured before the time runs out!" Toph's last words were nearly lost as she raced to the bowl, where a line of buff and tough guys were waiting. This didn't seem to bother her at all. In fact, as Aang stared at Toph standing and threatening to punch a muscle-y guy in the face, he realized how very at home she looked.

"I think I'm gonna join her," Aang said, feeling new enthusiasm. This was his time to have fun!

"Oh, ok! I'll… see you later, Aang!" Aang barely felt the guilt of neglecting his best friend as he came to the line to join Toph.

"Hey, twinkle-toes, glad you Toph-ed up!" Toph gave a small snigger at her word-play.

"Yah, but is the Avatar even allowed to play?" Aang asked. "Maybe I should wear a bear costume to make it more interesting?"

"Yah, and we can beat up giant squids while we're at it!" Aang didn't know whether Toph was joking or not. "Either way," she added, "I'm gonna out-stand you!" This time, Aang gave a full, broad smile and said, "You're on! I'll give you the cool metal I found behind the town market- I know you tried to steal it." He said, still smiling.

"Yah, fair point," Toph said rubbing her chin, then said, "And if I win, you have to prank Zuko in the middle of the night, where I'll be laughing AND enjoying the metal you found, which I already stole," she gave a smug expression before going in the bowl.

"Hold on a- oof!" The guard standing by the doorway was about to tell Toph off when she simply punched him in the stomach and went in.

"Uh, yah, I'm with her so…" Aang did one of his witty earth- tricks where he picked up a stone and swirled it above his palm (very similar to a SpongeBob episode) and shyly went in. Thankfully, the guard did not seem to care and took his trick as a mere annoyance.

What greeted Aang as he first walked in was a gaping upside-down arch that lead him inside the actual bowl, which was about the size of a large house. He could see boulders looking deceivably stable on the perimeter, big rock towers protruding randomly out of the earth, and the familiar green-and-gold round earth disks lying carelessly around the bowl. Toph has already taken her place around the centre of the bowl, picking a spot between two rugged boulders and was looking challengingly at Aang. He barely noticed the arena-like structure of the bowl, for it had seats equipped all around with people already eager for the earth brawl.

Aang chose a spot away from all the boulders and other obstructions- he was still used to the open air. He had to wait only moments before a pudgy but sturdy man walked into the center and regarded him and Toph. "You two- the goal of the game is to stay on your feet and not bleed until time runs out. You may attack each other, as well during that time to make things more interesting, but please-" the man looked rather concerned now, "do not bend one another from the actual bowl, seeing as you won't get points and cause lots of trouble."

"Okay, I won't fling my opponent out of the bowl," Toph said wryly. Aang just nodded, looking determined, and said, "Ok, we're ready!"

"Great! When you hear the gong, start your mauling! Good luck!" The man made his way back to the entrance and joined a bleacher on the bottom-close row. Silence. Aang's ears seemed to want to detect extra sounds so that the silence seemed to reverberate and be roaring.

After some long moments, Aang heard an echo of a gong go off and had any time to react when Toph sneakily flung a mesh of hard-stones in his direction. Aang dodged them just in time, but was knocked off balance when the earth under him tilted and swayed. This was going to be harder than he thought. When he regained his balance, Aang inhaled and, with a great exhale, rose and pushed a rock wall in Toph's direction. She responded wisely, ducking and creating a dome of earth around her to prevent impact of the wall. As she tore down the wall and her dome, Aang used the advantage to slide the earth from underneath her, but instead dodged an earth disk only a moment before it whizzed past his shoulders. It took only a moment for Toph to act; squaring her shoulders, she uprooted the entire plate of earth Aang had been standing on and spun it as you would a Frisbee towards the boulders. She knew Aang would be able to handle himself, and she was right. he quickly formed an air spiral and spun from the great disk into the air like a firework, landing perfectly on a rock tower top. He was about to launch his next attack when the same echoing sound resonated throughout the bowl.

Before the squatty man strode into the bowl, Aang knew that he was not allowed to perform bending other than earth, especially not air. "Well you made it clear; you're the Avatar, alright," the man gave a small chuckle. "But even that does not allow you to do air-bending in the arena! You're disqualified!" Aang's shoulders sagged and his ears grew hot as he saw people booing, shouting fits of outrage, cheering, and shaking their heads disapprovingly. He could see some wanted him to keep bending, but some, mostly fire-benders, he noticed with a sinking heart, were reproachful.

"Hey- that's not fair! I call a rematch!" Toph's screech carried across the arena.

"Well, if you want to make a match with benders of every kind, please do. But here, we only accept earth-bending!" The man already began to nudge them out before he finished, and felt a disheartened Aang and Toph standing outside the arena.

"Forget them, Aang. They don't know talent if it were hurled in their faces! Let's go find the others. Maybe we can catch Sokka juggling things!"

"I'm actually going to find Katara. She's probably upset I left her for the bowl, anyway." Aang began to walk around, peering over heads and looking in stores when Toph caught up with him. "Wait- are you sure you want to face her wrath now? Come on, let's spend the day something fun!" Toph almost dragged Aang along in the opposite direction and nearly knocked a cart of cabbages from the street.

"Wait- I think I saw her!" He tore from her grasp and entered a store. What he saw made his whole being grow hot. Katara was standing at the counter, facing away from Aang, but talking to her was this stranger- this buff, confident, and interested looking guy! Aang could barely keep himself from crying out as he staggered his way out of the store and, ignoring Toph's protests, ran to the house.