Disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever, owned Avatar the Last Airbender or its characters. I also do not own Tim Burten's Corpse Bride, he does. But I am glad both were made.

SCB Chap 2 The Meeting of the Bride

Lord and Lady BeiFong stood at the top of the stairway waiting for their guests and future in-laws to knock. To Lao it was a feeling of utmost annoyance. The very thought that with his family name and title he was reduced to marrying his daughter off to such commoners to save the family from the poor house. The grinding of his teeth did not go unnoticed by his wife standing only a few inches away from him.

"Calm yourself Dear." She said in a cool and composed manner.

"This is all going according to plan and in a few days we will have no more worries about our current…predicament." She continued before taking a step leading to the front door.

Lao made no verbal response, but just nodded in agreement and adjusted himself into a more composed state before following his wife. Pushing aside all thoughts of pride and blood he knew this had to be to just keep them from sinking to the lowest of the low class.

When the two reached the about halfway down the large marble in crafted stairway the quite mansion was rocked with the sound of the loud and echoing ring of the door bell. A butler appeared from the side of the stairs and went to answer the door by the time his masters were nearing the bottom. Undoing the lock he opened the large door to reveal the honored guests arguing.

"Come on Sokka stand still your tie is all wrinkly and your collar is loose." Came the irritated voice of the youngest Hyousen member as she tried to fix up her brothers shabby tie and shirt.

"Ah Sis." Sokka said softly while pointing behind his sister toward the open door and the eyes of the people within the house.

Turning around on the heels of her foot the young girl was able to straighten her stance and push the wrinkles of her dress before standing to meet the BeiFongs with a smile on her face.

The butler led them in and with a sniff of the air he could smell the scent of fish. With the guest's back turn they could not see the snort and rude face he gave them before closing the door and walking up between both families.

The Hyousen's were in awe of the large mansion and were taking in the amazing construction, artwork, and furnishings that adorn the entrance hall.

'Our home is almost as big, but they do have us beat in elegance.' Thought Katara as her eyes glance around the room.

However, even though her father was thinking along the same lines, the remaining member of the family was thinking slightly differently.

'It feels cold and kinda creepy.' He thought as he focused his attention on the bizarre collection of busts that adorn the corners of the room. Shaking internally and praying to God that even though they will be related he would not have to spend much time in this house. Or at least be able to redecorate.

He was pulled from his designer dreams when he heard the butler speak up.

"Lord and Lady BeiFong," He introduced with a practice grace and voice as he bowed to his masters, "I give you Mr. Hyousen and his children, Miss Katara and Mr. Sokka." He finished while waving his arm towards the guest.

Being the head of the family Hakoda decided to speak first. "A pleasure to see you again Lord BeiFong and Ah Lady BeiFong you look even younger than I remembered." The tall tanned man said cheerily while tipping his hat to the couple before him.

The BeiFongs, if anything, were masters of keeping a neutral face no matter the situation. Even if a small vain could be seen on the side of the lord's head. His wife forced down the desire to raise an eyebrow at the odd comment and the obvious attempted to break the ice. She leaned slightly and spoke to her husband in a whisper so that only he could hear.

"Smile dear and remember the plan." She said oh so quietly before putting on a fake half smile of her own.

One would think that smiling was a strenuous physical activity by watching Lao slowly and painstakingly bring his lips up to form an odd shape of a smile.

"Well Hellooo." Lao said trying to sound as pleasant and charming as a host should, "Welcome to our home, it is so nice to see you again." This brought and eye brow or two up from the two blue-eyed siblings.

Lady Poppy gave a mental sigh to her husband's antics. "Please follow me, we will be having tea in the west wing while we wait for the minister to arrive." She said simply gesturing with her left hand to a door.

Hakoda with a smile still on his face nodded and walked behind the two nobles. Katara came soon behind her father complimenting Lady Beifong on her style and interior decorating.

Sokka went to follow at a more solemn pace as if dragging out as much time as he dared. His hands roamed from his sides' absentmindedly feeling around, fingers touching the potted plants and the porcelain vases. His eyes were down cast as he creped along until he felt a solid smooth and polished surface. Looking at the object that his fingers grazed he saw a stunning grand piano. Solid and well polished black hard wood, and stunning white ivory keys that begged to be touched and played.

He looked back up to see that he was the only one remaining in the hall. The others had already vacated into the other room. Casting his eyes back down he pushed down on a single key. The note echoed in the empty hall.

'Oh what the hell.' Sokka thought as he took a seat in front of the piano and cracked his fingers and neck.

He started opening with a soft play of a few keys and soon enough a tranquil melody began to fill the air and echo throughout the hall. The music roamed the halls further and found its way to a room occupied by the bride to be.

Toph was busy making sure her hair and dress were as perfect as her mother wanted it to be. She could still see a touch of nervousness in the eyes of her reflection, but it suddenly turned to a look of surprise and curiosity as her ears picked up the sound of a piano being play. She turned her head towards the door and focused. It was true; it was the sound of music but who is playing? All her time at this home and she never heard the piano being play. Eager to find the source of the tune she ventured out of her room and followed the echos to the front hall where she saw the back of a young man in a blue suit in front of the piano playing the instrument. She couldn't see his face from where she stood up top the stairs, but could guess it was her fiancé.

'Huh, never knew he could play the piano.' She thought as she watched him continue. 'And so well too.'

The music was entrancing to her (1). The rhythm was soft and slow and the melody was relaxing. It was a song played for the joy of playing, neither sad nor depressing. Toph closed her eyes and simply enjoyed listening to the composition with a small smile on her face. She had just learned something new about the man she was going to marry, and it was a pleasant new thing to know. The song started to slow down and end and Toph opened her eyes. Sokka had finished and left his hands on the last keys letting the last notes drag on. She went to greet him and give her thanks for the small concert, she took the first step down the stairs when she saw him look at the piano and rub his chin with his right hand as if considering something. She could almost see a smirk on his face as he went for the keys again. The next thing she heard surprise her so greatly she nearly tripped.

Sokka's hands were now dancing over the keys (2). This was completely different from the first song. The melody was energetic and the rhythm was fast paced. Toph was frozen in place as she listened to the song; she had never heard anything like it before. What she didn't even realize was that her foot had stated tapping to the beat of the song and it was almost infecting the rest of her.

'Woo now where did this come form? One second he is playing a slow serene song and the next he is playing this...this…I don't know what to call it.' She thought before adding with a grin. 'He is just full of surprises, I wonder what else he can do?' After that thought, she made her way down the stairs.

Sokka for the first time this day was truly enjoying himself. After his first song he wanted to have a little fun and play a new style of music he was working on. He was so enthralled in his playing that he didn't even notice the form coming up beside him until he noticed a shadow fall over the piano. Still playing he turned his head slightly and looked at the figure expecting it to be his sister. He was shocked to find standing beside him was a young woman with light green eyes and dark hair grinning as he made eye contact.

Startled Sokka tried to stand up fast and rammed his thighs into the piano causing him to fall backwards onto the hardwood floor. Rubbing his head as he looked up to see his audience of one. She was wearing an elegant light green dress that complemented her frame, her skin porcelain white a great contrast to her dark raven hair. He blink taking in her form until he saw her hand extend to him reminding him that he was still on the floor.

"Need a hand up?" She asked with a smirk on her face and her voice sounding like she was holding back a laugh.

Without even thinking Sokka took her hand in his. The feel of her smaller hand in his was interesting, it was soft on the outside but as she pulled him up he felt better the small calluses on her hand, like she did some rough work. Now standing at his full height, Sokka easily notice he was a good head taller then the young Beifong. They stood there for a moment until Sokka noticed he was still holding her hand. He jerked his hand away quickly and started to rub the back of his neck nervously.

"Miss Beifong where…"

"Toph"

Sokka blinked in confusion. "Excuse me?"

Toph placed her hands behind her back and walked around the piano in a lazy manner.

"Well" she began her voice almost sounding nervous as she explained, "Considering our circumstances, I think it would be alright to call each other by our names."

She looked over at him and saw him seems to let out a quite breathe and relax a little, the small gesture made her smile.

"You play well," She complimented, "Your first piece was beautiful. And your second one was very interesting; I can say I have never heard anything like it. What do you call it?."

"Um, Thank you…Toph…it is a style I have been making up." Sokka explained. "I call it Boogie Woogie." He look over to her as she now stood only a few feet from him trying to gauge her reaction from her face. Her very pretty and attractive face with a cute little nose and lightly rose colored lips that looked very soft and…

Sokka mentally shook himself from his imaginings and looked back to the ground.

Toph froze for moment when he said her name. It was the first time anyone had ever just called her simply by her name without a title or reverence. It felt…good to hear it said like that. It was such a simple thing and yet she enjoyed it and could get use to it. She notice him stare at her, he was looking at her trying to read her face, but when her eyes met his ice blue eyes she felt trapped in them. A magnificent blue like she had never seen before, even when they met before they didn't speak and most of the time her face was downcast. She now had the time to gaze into them and found herself falling into them. When he suddenly looked down to the ground she came back to reality and exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"It was really good, I enjoyed listening to it." Toph said composing herself. "Maybe you can play it for me again sometime." She said with a smile.

"Really? You want to hear more?" Sokka asked shocked but with the corners of his mouth starting to curve.

Toph just nodded her confirmation with a grin of her own forming.

"Gee usually my sister just wants me to 'stop making that racket'." Sokka chuckled with a full smile on his face.

Toph chuckled too; having a more normal conversation than her usual ones with her parents and servants was like a weight off her shoulders. "Well I guess she just doesn't…"

"What is the meaning of this?!" Both turned to see the form of Poppy Beifong looking positively outraged.

"You can't be seen alone together." Blurted the noble woman. "Hurry now the priest is waiting."

Toph sighed annoyed and rolled her eyes at her mother's intrusion, she was just getting to know Sokka a little bit. Sokka smirked and held back a laugh at seeing Toph's reaction to her mother's intrusion. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and gave a small bow of an apology before speed walking into the next room. She soon followed after for what she knew was going to be a long day, but after the simple meeting she did feel a little better than she did before. It may not be so bad after all.

To be continued:

(1) youtube victor's piano solo from corpse bride to hear the first song.

(2) /watch?v=uHmmid1pLi8

Well that's it for the meeting of the two. Hope it wasn't too bad. I am sorry about the lateness but that is the breaks of the time period we are in.

If you haven't read my bio page, here is the news. I am leaving tomorrow on a vacation of a lifetime, well maybe not a lifetime, but it will be fun.

The sad thing is I will be without Internet for like 2 months, only a strong will-will keep me sane. I might be able to pick up a fanfic here and there but I won't be able to upload anything. (tears)

But have no fear I do plan to finish this, and while I am gone I will do my best to work on it and other Tokka stories I have been planning.

So until next please R&R for I will rely.