I just found out that the musical piece that was playing in the final
scene in the episode Avatar Aang, with Aang and Katara, is entitled,
"The Avatar's Love." How sweet is that?

Sorry for the long chapter. I wanted to get in as much of Aang,
Horonka and Toph as possible. Now I'm tired.

--

Aang's Narrative

By late afternoon, we had made it to the Bei Fong's estate. The debate
was still on between Toph and me regarding her intention to withhold
the news of Earth Rumble from her parents. I should mention here that
there were few things to which I strongly objected, especially where
she was concerned, and this was one of them. Considering my past break
with her parents, and how difficult it had been to regain their trust,
I was unwilling to be a deliberate partner in her scheme. It also
didn't help that Horonka, who had occasion several times in the past
to influence her to the right course, was persisting in his part as a
disinterested observer; at the very least, I'd been counting on the
weight of his support to ease Toph into submission.

"Well, Toph, have you already told them?" I asked her as soon as we
met in the wide, oval hallway that led to the room where we were to
present ourselves for tea with her parents.

"Shush it, will you!" cried she, fearfully, in a suppressed voice.

"I'll take that as a no, then," I whispered reproachfully.

When we were gathered before her parents, by Lady Bei Fong's
particular request, we began to regale them with stories of our recent
adventures in the Earth Kingdom, purposely neglecting to mention our
more risky mission to the Fire Nation. Throughout the whole of our
discourse, I tried to stir Toph to confession by dropping faint hints
here and there, but, all in vain; she'd remained resolutely heedless
to my prompts.

"Avatar Aang," said Lady Bei Fong, after taking a sip of tea from her
porcelain cup, "how much longer do you think it will be before the
refugees are re-established in their land?"

"Your guess is as good as mines, Lady Bei Fong," I rejoined,
matter-of-factly. "There are still many who are torn between their
earnest desire to stay in Ba Sing Se and their fervent wish to return
to their homes, not really knowing what awaits them there. I've seen
the damage rendered to some of these villages by the Fire Nation's
soldiers, and in some cases, everything was destroyed; there was no
other way forward for these refugees but to begin anew."

"What! Everything?" exclaimed Lady Bei Fong; an appalled expression
marked her matronly visage as she gently covered her lips with her
small, delicate hand. "Oh my!" She carefully placed her tea aside and
graciously clasped her hands in her lap. "How horribly savage!"

I smiled subtly to myself. I found Lady Bei Fong's empathy for the
refugee crisis a pleasant surprise. I hadn't anticipated that her
memories of the refugees' blight, which she had expounded upon during
the preface to our conversation, would've accompanied her back from
the magnificent walls of Ba Sing Se to the splendid halls of her
estate, where it was so easy to dismiss the troubles of others amidst
the blissful diversions of her privileged life. My respect for her had
grown tenfold with this recent intimation, and solidified by the help
that she'd pledged on behalf of herself and her socialite friends.
"You can be proud, Lady Bei Fong," I lauded. "The people of the Earth
Kingdom are resilient. They've proven repeatedly that they can rise
above any misfortune, and rally against any disillusionment, and
through courage and perseverance united, triumph."

"No doubt this spirit is commendable," observed Lord Bei Fong. "I
imagine that it doesn't always happen that way, Avatar Aang." I
confirmed his point. "I hope that those who linger in Ba Sing Se will
also have the presence of mind to recognize that there's no real
advantage to gain by continuing there, unless, of course, they have
some kind of means." With a barely noticeable wave of his hand, he
tacitly instructed the attendants to come forward to clear away our
tea things. "So, Avatar Aang, if I recollect correctly, the time is
drawing nigh when you must lose one of the members of your team."

"Sir?" I asked, immediately thinking of Toph.

"Prince Horonka, it was, I believe, in our last meeting, who spoke of
returning to his family before the year is up," Lord Bei Fong volunteered.

It was obvious to me that we'd caught Horonka off his guard and in one
of those rare moments of introspection, whilst in company. I could
tell that he hadn't a clue about what he should be answering to; I
decided to help him along. "Well, Horonka, is it true that you'll be
leaving us soon?" He stared at me intently, silently communicating
that he still didn't understand. "Your uncle, I assume expects you
back," I added with a complementary nod of my head.

"Oh!" he answered, livening up. "No, no. I'm sure he can do without me
for some time to come." He turned specifically to Lord Bei Fong, "You
see, Sir, I'm the last in the line of heirs to the Chiefdom. There's
my eldest brother and three other brothers who are preferred before
me. As I have no pressing duty that demands my return to the North
Pole, it's seems fit to me that I should spend my days being useful to
others."

Presently, the call for dinner was announced, and we removed to the
dining room. I'd been seeking the opportunity to speak with Toph
privately, but Lady Bei Fong clung doggedly to my side, engaging me in
talk of our plans for the evening. Not long after we were seated, I
was able to understand why. She rapturously informed us of the delight
we were destined for that evening; she had persuaded Lord Bei Fong to
purchase five tickets to the Earth Kingdom's most acclaimed visiting
symphony. I think Toph, who was seated across from me and beside
Horonka, almost choked on her soup when her mother enlightened us with
this bit of news.

"What is it, Toph?" Lady Bei Fong asked in maternal solicitude. "Are
you alright?"

Patting her lips with her napkin, she told her mother: "We sort of had
plans already for the evening."

"Really! What plans?" Lady Bei Fong pursued; an injured expression
dampened her previously cheerful demeanor.

The silence that succeeded this inquiry hung palpably in the air.
"Well, Toph," said Lord Bei Fong, at length, "what could possibly be
more important than pleasing your mother? She went through a lot of
trouble to get these tickets on short notice."

"I'm sorry, Mom," apologized Toph; she pressed her lips together; her
light green eyes were downcast. I sensed if somebody didn't talk right
then, I'd be unable to digest the dumpling that I'd just eaten. I saw
Horonka furtively whisper something to her through his closed lips; I
saw her breathe deeply before blurting out the truth, in its entirety,
-pre-meditated filial disobedience and all, which I thought could've
been left unsaid, unless, of course, her conscience was really
pricking her- to her awe-struck parents. With this virtual shocker, my
appetite was temporarily hijacked pending a peaceful conclusion.

I saw a look of disapproval settle upon Lord Bei Fong's face. At first
I thought that he'd be cross, but I'd say he strayed more on the side
of disappointment. "You were going to enter this…this…this brawling
tournament…of…uncouth characters without telling us?" He leaned
forward with his elbow on the table and began to stroke his right
temple. "I'm disappointed, Toph. We trusted you for a second time, and
you were willing to violate…destroy that trust for something that you
knew that I was adamantly against. Apparently you do not value our
trust as much as you did a year ago."

Toph, who was hanging her head ashamedly, sat immovable. I felt sorry
for her.

"I believe, Sir, that you'll be interested to know that the Earth King
will be attending this evening's tournament," revealed Horonka, whose
speech was augmented by the reawakened dignity of his royal bearing.
Upon hearing this, Lord Bei Fong's eyes partly widened. "Have a look,"
beseeched Horonka as he slipped a paper from the folds of his garment
and handed it to Toph's father.

Lord Bei Fong took the paper reluctantly and began to peruse its
content before folding it again and returning it to Horonka. "I think,
Sir, that the character of this tournament may have improved since you
last heard of it. I can't imagine that the Earth King, who has shown
himself fastidious in the minutest things, would ally himself with an
event of a contemptible reputation. Bending has always been, in
essence, about the celebrated art and culture of our civilizations.
How ever other men may have perverted it, we must look beyond that. A
little spirited competition every so often is good; it's a fair way to
help us gauge the superiority of our skill, the merits of our wit, and
may even temper or knock down any false pride that we may have." He
picked up his chopsticks and began to stir his noodle soup. "Of
course, I say all this respectfully, Sir."

Lord Bei Fong had listened to Horonka with a variable countenance.
"Very well then," said he contemplatively. "Though I'm still
displeased with Toph," he stared at his daughter, "I shall consider
what you've said."

When Horonka and I had retired to our shared chamber, I left him alone
to attend to Appa. By the time I returned, he'd been joined by Toph;
they were lounging on a comfortable settee in the center of the room.
"So that's where you disappeared to earlier," I told him. "You went
into town."

"Not exactly," said Horonka. "I saw a guy just beyond the gate who was
distributing fliers and heralding the Earth King's patronage of this
evening's tournament. I'm glad I had the forethought to take one just
in case things blew up in our faces."

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" demanded Toph.

"What! And miss watching you squirm," Horonka flatly stated. "I still
say that you should've fess up long before we left the Fire Nation. In
my book, Toph, you were being selfish. You weren't thinking of our team."

Well, that certainly cleared things up in my mind.

"Look, I don't have time for this right now," Toph argued.

"Oh really! When would be the best time, Toph?" countered Horonka in
his usual grave air.

"Guys, could you please keep your voices down," I admonished.

"Tell that to Mr. Wonderful, here," mocked Toph.

Horonka had gotten up and turned away. I saw his jaw tense. "You're
right," said he swinging sharply around. "This really is none of my
business. I think I'll take a walk in the gardens." Before he was
halfway out of the door, he was intercepted by a servant who had come
to fetch us.

We were ushered into one of several special balconies that boasted a
superior view of the ring. I had to believe that they were recently
constructed because I couldn't recall seeing them during my past
visit. The balconies were animated with lively conversations amongst
the many guests, of important statuses, which were congregated there,
as they greeted one another, including the Bei Fongs, with familiar
intimacy. A handful of top ranking military officers were sprinkled
amongst their numbers, including two of the generals, whom I knew from
the Council of Five in Ba Sing Se. The Earth King was the last to join
our company before the commencement of the tournament was proclaimed.

I'll tell you one thing I began to ponder at the beginning of the
games. Where was Xin Fu? A while back I'd heard a rumor of his and
Master Yu's embarrassing discovery, but I hadn't heard anything else
since. No matter. This present promoter, in my view, seemed more
charismatic, actually, was more charismatic, and was reputed to hold a
genuine interest in the tournament not solely for monetary gain, but
for the sake of the art and entertainment it represented. The
prevalent speculation that evening, at least in the balconies anyway,
had him valorously attempting to erase the tournament's notorious
stain in an effort to raise it to an eminent place of worldwide renown.

And hilarity ensues. I'd forgotten how amusing it had been to listen
to the competitors' ridiculous brags. I'd even espied Horonka laughing
several times throughout the dares and taunts that preceded the
physical showdowns. Yeah, even Toph had participated in her fair share
of braggadocious talk, which, quite frankly, had my sides in a stitch.
And, if the pulsation of the teeming stadium gave any indication of
the success of this event, I'd say that Earth Rumble XI had quite
marvelously attained to its crown.

"Oh!" exclaimed Lady Bei Fong, who was half shading her eyes with her
handkerchief. "So violent!" She appeared to be wavering between
genuine repulsion and rising fascination. Since she was seated beside
me, I'd been privy to these kinds of ejaculations all evening.

Through collective hassles, cheers, and groans, we watched each
successive match until Toph was left standing. She'd now have to
challenge The Boulder, -yes, I know; I can't believe he's still
around- who was the current defending champion, after Toph, through
non-participation, was forced to relinquish the belt some four years ago.

"I'd no idea that she was this amazing," praised Horonka, who had come
around to chat with the Earth King and me. He'd been sitting with Lord
Bei Fong through most of the matches.

"You should tell her after she wins," I suggested. He seemed truly
impressed.

"I'll think about it," he returned. "Besides, I know she already knows
how awesome she is."

"Still, I think it would make a difference coming from you."

He looked dubiously at me. "What're you saying, Aang?"

"Nothing, I swear," I replied truthfully and somewhat puzzled. I had
the sneaky feeling that my words were being taken in a way that I
didn't intend.

Although he didn't seem absolutely convinced, he didn't pursue it any
further. The final match began shortly after this and he left me to
return to his seat.

There's not much to tell after this. As we all figured, Toph reclaimed
her title as Earth Rumble's youngest reigning champion. I should
mention though that I discovered that the Earth King's presence at the
tournament had much to do with his desire to obtain a master for a new
elite team of earth-benders; he intended to resurrect the Dai Li, only
this time, they would answer only to him. Sadly for him, he was
irresolutely decided upon Toph. As I was thoroughly acquainted with
her bold opinions on the subject of Ba Sing Se and its political
structure, I'd say he had a non-existent chance of persuading her to
take this position. I was persuaded that there was no inducement in
this whole wide world that would motivate her to change her mind.

We spent another day with the Bei Fongs, and were able to get back
into Lady Bei Fong's good graces, by putting her tickets for the
symphony to very good use. At first light of the next morning, we were
prepared to return to the Fire Nation. As the ones who'd recently
apprehended one of the Fire Nation's most infamous war criminal, we
were expected to appear before a tribunal in the upcoming days. The
sooner we could get that accomplished, the more quickly we could
return to our work in the Earth Kingdom.

"You're unbelievable!" declared Horonka, half smiling. He was talking
to Toph, who had her newly acquired trophy exhibited around her waist.
"Talk about a big head."

"Hey, I haven't had this baby in four long years," she replied,
patting it affectionately.

We said our farewells to the Bei Fongs and promised that we'd visit
soon. We traveled for the better part of that day, before arriving on
the outskirts of Ember Island around late afternoon. While flying over
the gently sloped knolls that comprised the backdrop of Fire Lord
Zuko's newly renovated and expanded beach house, I descried several
people on the private beach playing a game of volley ball; because of
our route, they appeared vaguely small to my eyesight. When we'd
entered the immediate vicinity of the beach house, I carefully guided
Appa over the burnt red roof and down unto the cobble-stoned courtyard.

"I don't know about you guys, but as soon as I'm done unpacking, I'm
heading directly to the beach," Horonka informed us, as he tossed our
stuff down to me. "A few laps in the sea should ease my limbs. Flying
without a break since dawn has left me feeling sore."

I've got to admit that his plan appealed to me; only, as soon as I saw
one of the servants hastily emerge from the front double doors and
descended the steps, I instantly divined that I'd have to kiss that
idea goodbye. "Avatar Aang, the Fire Lord has bidden us to request
that you join him as soon as you arrive."

--

Katara's Narrative

Ugh! I can't believe that we're losing to the Kyoshi girls. With Ty
Lee on our side, I'd been certain that our victory was sealed. "Hey,
watch it will you!" I warned one of the Kyoshi girls. The ball had
already slammed my finger before, almost breaking it. Okay, so maybe
I'm exaggerating…a little. I don't get it. I've been feeling restless
ever since I arrived three days ago. The thing is, everybody else
seemed to be enjoying themselves. Uh, what was wrong with me? I know;
maybe it's because I'd expected too much from this reunion and it just
wasn't turning out to be like I'd imagined. Still, that shouldn't give
me an excuse to dump on everyone. Face it, Katara, Sokka was right.
I'd been acting downright weird ever since I got here.

A heavy growl punctuated the harmonious collaboration between the
sea-gulls' chorus and the lapping, gentle waves, as our eyes were
drawn to the grassy knolls that outlined the northern vista. A large
bison came directly into our view as he made his way close by the
hills and began to descend. "Appa!" I cried, ecstatically. At last,
they were here.

Our game continued for another fifteen minutes until I was forced to
call a break to review our strategy. "Time out, everyone," I called. I
wasn't concentrating enough on the game; my mind was distracted.

"Katara, what're you doing?" Haru asked.

"Yeah, I thought we were doing fine," Ty Lee added.

"We're tied with them," I said stubbornly. "Another slam like that
last one and they'll win."

"Hmmm! I do like winning," said Ty Lee, "but it's just a game."

"Yeah, I'm with Ty Lee," said Haru. "Katara, if we lose today we'll
still have a chance to beat them tomorrow."

"Okay, fair enough," I said relenting, in an attempt to save face. I
shouldn't have gotten worked up about this when, clearly, they weren't.

"Hey, who are those people?" I heard Ty Lee ask.

I turned to see two lonely figures advancing in our direction. I
shaded the western sun from my eyes as I glared out into the distance.
"It's Toph!" I said, partly running to meet her. I'd know that walk
and mannerism anywhere.

When I was almost upon her, I'd noticed that the other person was a
stranger; he was tall and dark-complexioned, like Sokka and me. "He
must be Water Tribe," I wondered aloud to myself. But who was he?
"Toph, it's great to see you," I told her as I hugged her warmly.
She'd changed. Her hair was very long; it fell to her waist; but, as
usual, her bangs were sorely in need of a trim. She introduced me to
her friend, whose name, I learned, was Horonka. When I heard of his
lineage, I was surprised that I had never met him before. Then again,
I hadn't met Chief Arnook's extended family. This guy, Horonka,
possessed a very handsome face and was perhaps around Toph's age, or
maybe my age, but no older.

"Hello Momo," I said, fondly greeting the lemur, who was perched on
Horonka's right shoulder. I stroked his head and he began to chatter
and gesticulate belligerently as though he had a charge against me.
And, to add insult to injury, he scampered atop Horonka's head and
descended to sit on his other shoulder, away from me. I wasn't sure
whether I should be offended or not.

"Come on, Momo," Horonka entreated, "don't you remember her?"

It's weird to acknowledge, but Momo's reaction really hurt me. He
probably thought that I'd abandoned him; but, seriously, was he
holding his forgiveness ransom? Very well; I figured I'd play along.
"Here, Momo," I said, pulling some nuts from my pocket and holding
them out to him. "I remember how much you liked these." Sure enough,
he sprang forward, grabbed the nuts from my palm and resumed his
position on Horonka's shoulder.

Horonka must have seen how this affected me, because he said, "Don't
worry. I'm sure he'll come around. He probably just needs to get used
to you again." He took off then to continue his stroll down the beach.

"Well, Toph," I said, now turning my undivided attention to her,
"What's going on? Where's Aang?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. When we arrived, Zuko sent for him."

"Oh!" I said, feeling a pang of regret. "Well, I guess I'll see him
later."

"I guess," replied Toph flippantly as she followed me to the spot
where the girls and I had our towels spread on the sand.

"You haven't changed a bit, Toph," I told her, shaking my head.
Actually, that was half of a lie. Besides being my height, lean and
toned, she had grown prettier. But in attitude, she seemed unchanged,
except maybe if she'd grown more candid, and, oh, more sarcastic. I
suppose I'll find that out in good time.

"Why would I?" said she, slumping down on her beach towel and cradling
her hands behind her head.

My attention was drawn to Ty Lee, who was running up the beach towards
us, before she skid on her knees in the sand to stop before us. "Who's
that guy?" asked she breathlessly. .

"What guy?" I asked, inattentively.

"That guy who came down the beach with Toph," she replied, dreamily.
"He's perfect!"

"Say what now?" said Toph, bolting upright from her prostration.

"Horonka?" I asked Ty Lee.

"Come again!" said Toph in utter bewilderment. "You've got to be joking."

I admit I looked at her strangely.

"Hey, Toph, will you introduce us to him tonight?" Ty lee begged. "The
girls and I would love to meet him."

"Ah…sure thing," Toph replied distractedly. After Ty Lee was gone, she
solemnly asked, "Katara, is it really true?"

"What?"

"What Ty Lee said?"

"Yes, but what does it matter? It's the measure of the heart that
really counts."

Toph was broodingly silent before eventually saying, "Yes, I suppose so."

"So, Toph, what've you guys been up to lately?" I asked airily,
pretending not to care too much about her answer. She eased back into
her sprawled position, with her face towards the sky, and her head
resting on her hands. Indeed, I was reminded of the same old Toph, who
felt free to do as she pleased, not caring what others thought of her.
I confess that it's the thing that I admire most about her.

When she'd finished recounting several of their more adventurous
journeys, I felt oddly estranged and separated from their lives. "So,
where are Sokka and Suki?" I heard her ask.

"Shopping," I told her.

"Oh brother! Some things never change, do they?"

"True," I muttered to myself, "I'm depending on that."

--

Aang's Narrative

It's not that I'm averse to difficult situations; I just preferred it
when things went smoothly. This was the common train of my thought as
I stood before one of the wide, glass windows in Fire Lord Zuko's
living room. I was perhaps the first of the guests to be ready before
we gathered for dinner. The others, I was told, had just lately
returned from the beach.

I sighed as I rested my palms on the windowsill and peered out into
the mellow horizon, where the edge of the far reaching sea was kissed
by the last vestiges of the fading sunlight. I rubbed my forehead
wearily. My perturbation on this occasion was considerably great and
instigated by no small matter. The Fire Lord's council had recently
delivered judgment in a case involving a war criminal, which ruled
that along with incarceration, the penitent was to be deprived of his
bending. This was never an easy decision for me. Over the years, I'd
manage to avoid this method altogether and have not done it since my
battle with Ozai. Even the Dai Li, who was, in my opinion, on a level
of villainy with many of these Fire Nation war criminals, had managed
to escape this strident measure.

"Aang?" I gave a start; it was her; the sound of her voice had
summarily plunged me back into the fabric of our past. I turned slowly
to face her, and was stunned by the ideal picture of loveliness
personified before me; if ever there was anything lovelier in the
whole history of the world, I couldn't fathom it; here, stood hallowed
beauty, in its fairest and unadulterated form. Her long, thick, brown
locks fall unfettered around her, mantling her person. She was smiling
tenderly at me, as if time and distance had never separated us.
"Aang," said she, more urgently, as I drew close to her and gathered
her in my arms and close to my heart.

When we broke our embrace, the living memory of the dearth of my
happiness was revived. I fought this unhappy feeling by first
complimenting her on her appearance and inviting her to tell me of all
that had happened since our last parting. I'd surreptitiously noticed,
with significant relief -though I don't know why I flatter myself with
even a fool's hope- that she was wearing the betrothal necklace that
had once been her mother's. As she spoke, and the recollection of my
past wishes flooded my mind, I felt strongly the impotence of my
strength against her fair charm. Indeed, I'd have to be blind, deaf
and dumb(1) not to realize that I was falling for her all over again.
The love for her that I kept bounded in the deep recesses of my heart
was awoken. I learned this new lesson: there were some things that
were stronger than my will...stronger than me, and this was one of
them. I surrendered to it, and yet, I was persuaded that the breadth,
the depth, the height of it all, would consume me.

From what I heard of her account, -I'd been constantly vacillating
between lucidity and daydream- I learned that Master Pakku and the
other water-benders, who had migrated from the Northern Water Tribe,
had achieved something marvelous in building up the Southern Water
Tribe. Instinctively, I knew that she also had a hand in it, but was
never the kind to sing her own praises. "If ever I'm to visit again,"
I said, rising from where we were seated, mostly from my desire to
weaken the hold that she presently held over me, I went to the window,
"I don't believe I'll recognize the place then."

She grew silent. I turned questioningly to her and she rose from the
red, velvet chair and came to stand immediately before me. "Why didn't
you ever come to see me?" asked she in a quiet, accusatory tone.
"Why?" Her dark, beautiful face was upturned and her blue, glistening
eyes were aflame with emotion; I could hardly withstand the
accusation…the condemnation…the hurt that I saw there. My eyes fell
momentarily before rising again to meet hers. How could I re-assure
her that it was never my intention when my wounded conscience bore
witness to the truth of her accusation? I'd really stayed away on
purpose, whether I was conscious of it or not. I'd forfeited the right
to her trust. It was apparent to me that she'd trusted and believed
that I would've come. For the first time since I'd built up that wall,
my resolve was shaken. Seeing her distress, I no longer felt justified
in my past decision.

My hands, which were clenched at my side, yearned to reach up and
smooth away her sorrow, but I struggled against this impulse; when I
could resist it no longer, I gently brought my knuckles to tenderly
trace her fine cheekbone. At my touch, she had closed her eyes, and a
tear had swiftly fallen.

"Aang!" The spell was broken by that ever-intrusive voice, which I
knew so well, and the moment was lost to us…forever. It was Sokka. He
was standing in the doorway with his mouth agape, with Suki a little
behind in the lengthening shadow that was cast upon the walls.
"What've you been eating?"

I glanced remorsefully at Katara, who had turned away to compose
herself. "Sokka," I said, assuming a cheerful air.

--

(1)Figuratively – insentient

Well, how about that! Momo is mad with Katara. Lulz! Actually, I find
from watching the series that Katara and Momo have a close bond,
especially in Season 2. So, I guess Momo is justified in holding a
grudge against her.

Okay, hopefully my Aang and Katara reunion wasn't cheesy. I'm really
trying not to make them come off that way. I'm really impressed with
the purity and constancy of their relationship (friends and/or lovers)
that I'm trying to keep up with their standard.

Next chapter: Aang and Horonka have a heart to heart. Toph makes an
unusual request of Katara.