I don't own Avatar, though how much do you think Longshot and Smellerbee would cost? (since they're my new fave ship). ;)

A story where Zuko and Toph struggle with feelings for each other... Aang struggles with a developing relationship with Katara... Sokka decides what he wants once and for all...

And everybody gets their pairing choice (well, almost everyone) and a very happy ending.

Plenty of characters, plenty of fun!

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This is a couple of years after the war. Toph is a 14/15 yr old mature young lady (not too mature... she IS Toph) and Bumi - having been struck by war from an age to young to worry about finding a Queen, not to mention the fact that he wants to do EVERYTHING the unconventional way thinks at 114, now is the time to give Omashu the Queen they've been lacking for so long.

Hearing of her exploits... Bumi is convinced Toph is that Queen. Now if only she'd say "yes".

Now here's the story...

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PROLOGUE: The Dinner Guests

It all started with a celebration. A beginning of a new age in Omashu. In which the (still slightly demented) King Bumi was regreeted with his oldest friend The Avatar and his companions.

Not everything had settled back to normal after the war, but Bumi had spent all the money Omashu had left over to build amusement attractions everywhere to help get peoples minds off the 100 years of terror.

If people hadn't thought he'd lost it before... now they'd thought he'd really lost it... although many who were still kids at heart like the Avatar, really did appreciate the sentiment.

The townspeople would replace Bumi, expect for the fact that Bumi - a happy bachelor for all 114 years of his life was heirless.

A lot of people mentioned it, to which Bumi would just flash a toothy grin and go about his business as though he hadn't heard them. He had. He just didn't care when there were more interesting things to work on.

Not until that night, the first night the Avatar returned when the tales of his exploits pricked up at the ears of the old dingbat and he turned his attentions to the other dinner guest he was then talking about.

A young noble-woman named Toph Beifong.

Except you never would have guessed she was a noble woman.

And this is what intrigued King Bumi so very much.

She didn't wear shoes, even in his palace and he fell into his stew beard first laughing when Aang told him the rigerous training exercises that she put him through. He would have been delighted to have been there!

They were there for the Grand Opening Ceremony of the New Omashu, and among the promised guests were the Avatar and certain Fire Nation royalty.

But Bumi hardly cared to show proper hospitality since the Avatar and "friends" arrived.

"So... Miss Beifong..." began Bumi grinning somewhat lewdly at the young blind girl who had a killer smirk on her face. She was having a good time.

She always loved being back in the Earth Kingdom since their travels and the King of Omashu was some pretty riviting company.

"What do you think of water slides?"

Katara beside her squealed with excitement. "They used to make the best water slides out of ice back at the South Pole" she gushed.

"Keep your skirt on Sugar Queen" Toph said roughly and circled her spoon in her stew. "Sounds like gliding" she said, reminding herself of her trip to the Northern Air Temple previously. "I'd prefer to have my feet planted firmly on the ground" she responded, honestly.

Sokka snorted into his fizzy beverage, it going up his nose. "She didn't mind gliding" he said confidentally to Bumi, as though he was offering him some sort of advice on women. Any ill will himself or Katara felt about being encased slowly in crystal during their first meeting with Bumi was evidently palmed off.

"She didn't mind gliding with Teo" Katara said looking to her hopefully. Ever since she'd had a deniable almost happily ever after ending with Aang, she was on a challenge to make sure everyone else was as happy as she was.

And to Toph, this was just infuriating. She glowered into her stew.

"So..." Aang began happily. "It's great to be back, Bumi. I'm just about ready to get settled."

And that they did. To be all ready for the ball the next night.

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Next:

Suki returns. Sokka gets some action and Toph is surrounded by old men (Iroh & Bumi) and one broody prince.