((I just had to start the storyline somewhere
))
"Aren't they cute together?" "Adorable..." Just think.. a girl from our town..." "He could use a little hair though." "You'd figure she would have dressed up for something like this though." But can you believe it? At such a young age?"
The Gaoling citizens fawned over Toph and Aang with odd compliments and congratulations. The heiress brushed them off with easy fired elusive thank you's and snubbed a few people by politely pretending she hadn't noticed them, as she made her way to her friends in the ring. The Avatar was a bit less socially skilled and got swallowed up by the crowd as Toph left him behind. Despite their differing positions they equalled blushed red to the excessive attention. Stepping up before Katara, and striking her typical strong stance, the shorter earthbender pointed a finger at the water tribe girl to address sternly, "Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, Sugar Queen, but what's going on here?" Tough as she sounded, that rosy flush to her cheeks made her seem a good deal less threatening.
Katara held back a giggle at the younger girls cuteness, and tried to answer directly, "Well, since we knew you had been kind of homesick up until now, we decided this was a perfect time to throw you a little party." Toph rose a suspicious brow to Katara. She didn't seem to be lying, but the vibes she was getting from the villagers made her think there was more to this fiasco than it seemed.
From aside, Sokka backed up his sister, "Yeah, and since Aang's been working so hard, we figured we'd make it a double party." He was telling the truth too. Maybe Toph was just being paranoid.
Then came Bumi's crazy voice, "Right. It's expected a lot of people would show up to something like this." Toph bagen to relax, nodding along with the ancient King's words. "After all, it's not every day a girl from their town gets engaged to the Avatar." He smiled proudly as the rest of the group nodded along in agreement... for about three seconds.
"WHAT!?" The chorused cry rose up from Toph and the water siblings.
"What do you mean, engaged?!" Toph demanded as her face shifted a more furious shade of crimson.
"Huh?" Was Bumi's first response. Screwing up his wrinkly face, he added, "I'm talking about you getting married to Aang of course. Why else would people be this riled?"
Toph went from shocked still to whirling angrily on Katara, "Sugar Queen, you better have a good explanation!"
"Woah, woah, calm dowm. Calm down." Katara reached out to stroke the smaller girl's shoulders, settling her a bit. "King Bumi must just be a bit confused."
Sokka chimed then, "Yeah, the old guy can get a bit..." He waved his hand beside his hand in a gesture of craziness.
"Hey!" Bumi feebly argued to Sokka, "I resemble that gesture."
Katara shook her head to the old man's antics, before looking back to Toph, "See? It's just a misunderstanding. It's all straightened out now." Toph gave a sigh as Katara reassured her."
"Yup. I completely understand now." Bumi offered in a voice that made one wonder if he really did. Then he amended, as he rolled his eyes skyward, "Though I really wish someone had told me that before I had my soldiers tell the citizens of Gaoling this was an Engagement party."
"WHAT?!" The trio chorused once more.
Which prompted Bumi to ask, "How do you all time that so well?"
Toph shivered as her eyes widened, "E-e-everyone here th--thinks.. we're...?"
"Eh.. live and learn." Bumi offered with a careless shrug as he turned to walk away.
The water tribe siblings stayed beside Toph, Sokka waving a hand in front of her stony surprised face, while Katara tried to softly speak to the girl, "Now Toph... he was just trying to be helpful."
"Of course he was." Toph replied, her expression never losing it's wide-eyed gape. Until she suddenly hunched forward, shoulders's squared and face tensed, "Now I'm going to help him... into a full body cast!" Katara and Sokka were quick to grab the girl, pinning her arms down. Angrily she protested, "Hey! Let go! I'm not going to kill him. I'm just gonna break every bone in his decrepit old body!"
((Tag to the next Taanger!))