A/N.: Hey guys! Wow. It's been sooo long since I last posted! This story has been in my mind for a while now. It's supposed to be just a oneshot, but it became too long. So I decided to make it a tri-chptered song fic. It's still under construction, though. Sorry about that; but I PROMISE I'll put up the next chapter in a couple of days or so.

So enough with my blabbing. Inspired by Oliver James' song, I give you the Greatest Story Ever Told. Enjoy!

I. What Led Them There

Aang burst through the doors of their apartment in Ba Sing Se, excitedly brandishing a flyer. "Guys, check it out!" he practically shouted, waving the piece of paper in everyone's faces. "We're invited to the annual Spring Day Masked Ball!"

The group, sleepily lounging on the floor, stirred up.

"We are?" Toph asked in surprise, rolling to sit up. "I thought that crazy tour guide Joo Dee wanted us to keep a low profile."

"Actually, the whole upper ring is invited," Katara cleared out, scanning the flyer. "It's gonna be held two days from now at the Earth King's palace gardens."

Sokka jumped up, suddenly in a frenzy.

"Aang, this may be our chance to talk to the Earth King!" Everyone could practically hear his idea gears whirring. "We'll be wearing masks so no one will recognize us, right? All we have to do—"

"I don't think we should talk to him during the Ball," Aang flopped down on the floor, looking suddenly tired.

"What? Of course we should! We'll just go—"

"It's been weeks, Sokka. We've been looking for Appa and we still haven't found a single lead. It's really… I don't know…" The young monk airbender sighed, "I-I just thought maybe we could relax for a bit. Just have some fun."

Sokka was about to retort, but Katara placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Aang's just a kid, Sokka," she whispered, "This whole Appa thing's really taking a toll on him. He needs a break. We all do."

The water tribe warrior glared at his sister, but what she said was true. All of them were tired of waiting for nothing. And they do need a break.

"What do you say, Toph?" he glanced at the young earthbender, who was back lounging on the floor.

"I'm with Twinkle Toes on this one," she said, picking her nose, "It's getting kind of boring doing nothing the whole week."

Sokka sighed. Well, it has been a long week. And a ball does sound like fun… "Fine," he finally conceded, "But—"

Aang's cheer drowned out the rest of his words as he dragged him, Katara, and Toph out to the street, chatting excitedly about finding costumes.

"For the last time, Uncle," an irate young man was storming around the tea shop's kitchen, "I am NOT going to some ball!"

"Come now, Nephew," the old man tried to reason out, "It's not everyday that we get invited to serve tea at the Earth King's party. This is such an honor!"

It was past nightfall, and Zuko and Iroh had just finished closing up The Jasmine Dragon. Since he received the official invite that morning, Iroh had been trying to persuade the young man to come with him to the Spring Day Masked Ball.

"Well, you can go to the stupid palace, but I'm staying here." Zuko stubbornly announced.

Iroh sighed, "Nephew, you've been cooped up in the shop for weeks. You need a breather, some change in scenery."

"But—"

"Besides, no one's gonna recognize us. It's a masked ball! Who knows, you might just meet a nice, beautiful young lady," he added teasingly.

Zuko snorted, "Uncle, I don't—"

"Please, Nephew," he had exercised all means possible. It was time to play the sympathy card. Zuko had asked for it. "I want to share this honor with you. You have helped me come this far in my dream."

It was the young prince's turn to sigh. He hated it when his uncle got all sentimental with him. "Fine," he agreed at last, "But I am NOT going to dance."

Iroh beamed. Works every time. "Thank you, Zuko. Tomorrow we'll go shopping for our outfits," he called out as he headed for their rooms. "Isn't this exciting?"

The exasperated teen groaned as he strode out of the kitchen.

The palace gardens were bursting with lights and colors. People were dancing to the lively music that filled the air. Laughter and pleasant chattering mixed with the cool evening breeze.

The gang arrived at the festivities just as the moon was rising.

"This is so cool!" Aang was almost bouncing with energy as they stepped in the palace gardens. Momo's head poked out of his green and beige tunic and sniffed the air.

"Lucky we found a mask that hid your arrows," Katara smiled and patted the boy's emerald green head. The masked looked almost like a head piece, running from the top of his neck to the bottom of his eyes. "It fits great!"

Aang beamed and blushed. "Thanks. You, uhm, you l-look really great too."

The waterbender smiled, "Thanks, Aang."

Just then, Momo escaped Aang's tunic and scampered off towards the buffet table. "Momo!" The young monk shouted, hurrying after the lemur.

"Hey! Momo's gonna eat all the bean curd puffs!" Sokka ran after them, screeching. "Not on my watch!"

Toph snorted in mock distaste, "Disgraceful peasants," she shook her head, making her fancy flower hair ornaments sway.

"It feels so wonderful being here!" Katara breathed in the festive air, "Everything looks great! Oh I wish you could see this, Toph."

"It's alright, I can feel it." The young earthbender replied, smiling wistfully. "This was how it was always like back home. My parents threw parties for every occasion they could think of. But I was never allowed to any of them because I was "small and helpless." " she lowered her head. Katara heard her voice breaking, "They never understood."

The older girl placed a consoling hand on the girl's shoulder, "Well, I feel sorry for them for not being able to see you like this. You look amazing, Toph!"

Until now, Katara couldn't grasp the fact that this was the same Toph who championed in all Earth Rumble tournaments. She was wearing her hair in a fancy braid with a jade green flower clipping her bangs in place. Her mask almost hid her sightless eyes, making her seem like a normal twelve-year-old. Her long jade green dress hid the fact that her feet were bare, and she was daintily holding a small, wooden fan.

Toph gave a small smile. "Thanks, Sugar Queen. I'm sure you look great too."

Why did I ever let Uncle drag me here?

From under his mask, Zuko glared at the cluster of giggling girls who had been eyeing him ever since they arrived. If there was anything he hated, it was being stared at.

The old man nudged Zuko, holding a tray of tea. "The night is young, Nephew! This is your chance to unwind, meet the young people of the Earth Kingdom."

The young firebender snorted, "I don't think so," he crossed his arms and turned away.

"Come now, Zuko. Have a little fun! Why don't you go ask one of those young ladies to dance?" The old man nodded to the group of girls who tittered loudly. "They seem quite keen to talk to you," he smiled mischievously.

The young man sighed and cast his uncle a withered glance. "I told you, I'm not dancing!" he almost yelled. He cast the girls a disdainful scowl and he walked away to find another tree to hide under in.

The boys were still not back. Toph and Katara were lounging on a boulder in one corner of the garden, observing the sea of green dancing on the soft grass.

"I'm bored," Toph yawned, playing with two small pebbles with her toes.

"I wonder where the boys are," Katara mused, scanning the huge garden.

The young earthbender shrugged dismissively. "Let 'em be, Suger Queen. I'm sure they're just stuffing their faces somewhere."

"But—"

"Katara, you're so uptight!" Toph gave her a playful punch, earning a grunt from the waterbender. "Loosen up a bit, why don'tcha?"

Katara sighed, "I'm sorry. It's just that—"

"Tell ya what," the young girl stood up and brushed some dirt from her clothes, "We'll have a little fun of our own." She put her arm around Katara's shoulder and pulled her down.

"I bet I could dance with more guys tonight than you can," she whispered, grinning mischievously. "Loser gets to do the winner's chores. Deal?"

Katara raised an eyebrow. Toph dancing? she thought amusedly, This I've gotta see. "Oh you're on, Toph." she smirked.

The earthbender let her go and gave one last evil grin. "Watch and learn, Sweetness."

She took out her fan, turned around—and bumped into some Earth Kingdom guy. She dropped her fan and gave a girlish "Oh!" of surprise. "I am so sorry!"

"Oh man! I'm so sorry, miss!" the guy said, stooping to pick up the fan at the same time Toph did. Their fingers touched, and the girl quickly withdrew her hand.

The guy jumped up, blushing furiously. "Uhhm, I-I'm really sorry," he handed over the fan, smiling tentatively.

"That's alright. Thanks," Toph answered with fake sweetness coating her words, making Katara roll her eyes.

If this is Toph's idea of flirting, Katara thought, It'll never work.

There was about tree seconds of silence. Then, "So… uh, w-would you like to dance?"

Topg gave the guy a brilliant smile, "Yeah, I'd love that." They walked hand in hand towards the dance floor, but not before she stuck her tongue out at a gaping Katara.

That little sneak! Katara hid an amused smile as she watched Toph dance with the Earth Kingdom boy. Well, she must admit that move was pretty smooth. And they do kinda look good together. Who knew you had it in you, Toph?

Now it was her turn. No way was she losing to a twelve-year-old! And she was so looking forward to Toph doing chores for a change. She had to think of a plan.

From under her mask, she peeked around, observing the people in the vicinity. Everyone was either busy chatting with someone, or already dancing with a partner. She was about to walk away to another location when something caught her eye.

There was a boy leaning against a tree not far from her. He was wearing a tunic the color of autumn leaves. A dark red mask covered his eyes and extended to half his cheeks. He had short jet black hair and really pale skin, paler than most Earth Kingdom citizens.

He's… different, she mused, eyes lingering on him. Maybe I could…

Suddenly, he turned and looked directly at her.

Katara blinked and quickly looked away, embarrassed. Did he see her? Did he know who she was? A wave of paranoia washed through the watermaiden. But… He seems harmless enough… She inclined her head ever so slightly, chancing another glance at him.

He was gone.

Katara's eyes swept through the area, but she couldn't find the mysterious boy. She sighed, disappointed she missed her chance. Oh well…

Agni, these girls are relentless! Zuko was mentally yelling. It took everything he had to keep his fists from smoking. He was already severely tempted to escape the party, run to the tea shop, and lock himself in his room. He scanned the gardens for a quick escape route—and that's when he saw her.

She stood out from the crowd because one, she was one of the few girls who were not eyeing him hungrily; two, she had exquisitely exotic dark skin, completely in contrast with the usual pale white of the Earth Kingdom; and three, the girl wore her hair loosely, not set up in an elaborate fashion like the others.

But on top of it all was her dress. It was like a splash of life in the middle of all jades and whites. The blue hues complimented her skin elegantly and clung perfectly to her curves. Her only accessories were the pale blue mask and the simple pendant necklace she wore.

Zuko did a double-take. That necklace looked familiar. Hauntingly familiar…

His eyes widened; his whole body felt suddenly cold. It was her! The Avatar's waterbender! That meant the boy was here as well. Two years worth of instincts screamed out to immediately look for him, but his eyes seem to have a mind of their own. They just couldn't stay away from the waterbender.

She was—well, there was no other word for it—beautiful. Even under the mask, Zuko could see her eyes alight with nervous excitement. It was hard to imagine that this was the same girl who could freeze him to a tree in a heartbeat.

The young man stood a moment longer, entranced by the girl, until his natural instincts screamed out: Avatar.

But he didn't want to make a scene. If he and his uncle were caught, they could be thrown out of the city. No. He had to be quiet.

Casually, he ran his eyes over the vicinity, but there was no sign of the young bald monk anywhere. It was impossible to find him without calling attention to himself. The young man sighed, his eyes unconsciously straying back to the waterbender.

She was looking at him! But when he caught her eye, she quickly turned away.

Zuko was instantly alert. Did she recognize him? Well, she wasn't running away yet… Could it be possible? He touched his left cheek; his scar was completely hidden.

She didn't know it was him. At all.

A sudden idea clicked. She would be his key to capturing the Avatar. She would personally lead him to the bald monk!

But… how? First things first, he needed to talk to her, get her to trust him. Zuko swallowed. Easy enough, right? All he had to do was to lead the girl into a false sense of security. She was a naïve one after all.

Nervously, Zuko readjusted his mask and headed towards the waterbender. She hasn't noticed him yet, as she was looking around the area. The prince knew he had to say something, but he had no clue how to start. He felt stupid, standing silently behind her.

Then he remembered how his uncle always gave compliments to the ladies to make them smile. He took a deep breath, his heart hammering. If Uncle can do it, so can you.

"A pretty girl shouldn't be alone on a night like this,"

Katara almost jumped in surprise and wheeled around. The mysterious boy was standing right behind her! And he was smiling such a charming smile.

"Uhm, well…" the young woman was stunned, at a loss for words. Her eyes darted everywhere but at the boy. Did he see me looking at him? Did he recognize me? The paranoia was back. "I was just—well..."

This amused Zuko. The mighty waterbender, tongue-tied? He let himself chuckle. "Are you always this nervous?"

Katara smiled uncertainly at that. "No, I guess you just surprised me, that's all."

They lapsed into silence. Now what? Zuko started to panic. What do boy talk about with girls? He hoped the waterbender didn't notice his distress. But luckily, she saved him from striking up a conversation.

"So," the girl began tentatively as a new song started to play, "A-are you here with… someone?"

The young man blinked. Be careful, "No. I came here alone," he said, desperately praying his uncle won't barge in anytime soon. "And you?" he asked. Though he already knew the answer, he wanted to get the conversation off himself.

"Well, I was with my friends, but they disappeared somewhere…" Katara trailed off, scanning the area with a tiny frown starting on her forehead. Maybe I should go find them… she thought.

Zuko knew she was thinking of looking for them, but he can't let her go. From the corner of his eye, Zuko saw a man bow low and invite a smiling young woman to dance. That's it!

"I'll help you find them later. But first," he bowed, holding out his hand, "Dance with me."

Katara blushed, ducking her head. She hesitated for a moment. She really had to go and check on the others. But… one dance won't hurt…

She gave him a shy smile, "O-okay," she answered, placing her hand in his.

She doesn't suspect a thing! Zuko hid his smirk. But it was still too early to celebrate yet. The prince led the waterbender in an open space on the soft grass and faced her. He placed one hand on the small of her back as the other held up her hand.

Somewhere at the back of his brain, Zuko noticed how soft and slender the girl's hand was, and how perfectly it fit in his. He felt his cheeks grow hot as she placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

Timidly, Katara looked up to him and was met with eyes the color of molten gold. Her breath caught up in her throat. It was a remarkable color. It looked so foreign and yet… Katara felt like she had seen it before.

Zuko found himself actually enjoying dancing with the Water Tribe girl. She moved so easily, so gracefully, that it brought a genuine smile on his lips. They were already quite a spectacle, and some couples stopped to watch them dance; the men looking at the waterbender admiringly, while the girls gave her jealous stares, making Zuko smile broader, secretly proud that he was the one dancing with her. The girl beamed at him, obviously enjoying herself.

Then his mind suddenly flashed a word: Avatar, and his smile faltered a bit. He needed more interaction.

"I guess we didn't get the notice," he began.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, startled.

The young prince leaned closer, bringing his lips to her ear. "Look around," he whispered so no one would overhear. He heard the girl gasp and felt her cling tighter to his shoulder as his breath tickled her ear. "We kind of stick out."

Katara forgot to breathe for a second. She felt her cheeks flare up as a strange tingle stirred her stomach. She glanced around over the boy's shoulder and saw a lot of people watching them curiously. Some girls sending her jealous stares and a number of boys were looking at her partner through narrowed eyes.

"A lot of people are staring at us," she whispered self-consciously. She wasn't comfortable sticking out from the crowd. "I knew I should have picked that green dress instead," she muttered.

"But then you would have looked like everyone else," he looked at her, "And I never would have noticed—" he caught himself and blinked, quickly looking down to hide his blush.

"What?" Katara asked, puzzled, "Notice what?"

"How—" Zuko glanced at her inquiring eyes before looking away again, "How beautiful you are." he murmured, beet red.

Oh. The water maiden blushed and smiled. "So you're saying that it's the dress that's making me beautiful?" she teased, hoping to ease him out of his discomfort. Obviously he wasn't used to talking with girls. She found it kind of cute.

"N-no!" the young man almost shouted. Was he doing this wrong? He spun her outwards and quickly pulled her back in, so her back was pressed against his chest. At least she wouldn't see his face when he replied, because he was sure he looked very red, and very stupid.

"I-I think you'll look beautiful whatever you're wearing." he managed to get out. Though he still felt embarrassed, he knew that he sincerely meant what he said. He gently spun her around until they were facing each other again, just as the song ended.

He really was kinda cute, even when blushing madly like he was doing now. Katara smiled brightly, "Thanks. Wow, no one has ever told me that before,"

"Told you what?"

"That I'm… beautiful," she answered bashfully, lowering her eyes.

Zuko was surprised. "Oh. Well, I, uhm, glad I could, uhm, help," he rubbed the back of his neck, not looking at her.

Katara laughed outright at him, trying to stifle it behind her hand.

Zuko looked at her, worried that he said something wrong. "What? Did I—was there—?"

"You don't talk to girls a lot, do you?" she asked, her eyes still holding laughter.

Zuko sighed. This was hopeless. HE was hopeless. "No, not really…"

The beginnings of a new song started to play. The firebender was startled as the girl suddenly took his hand.

"Come on," she pulled him towards the pathway leading to the trees. "Let's take a walk."

Zuko was too surprised to reply, and simply let her guide him towards the deeper parts of the garden, the trees swallowing them up.