Hot Sands and Hard Rocks

'Play' Date

Chapter 12 --

After a short time of walking, we reach the palace. There's a long line in front of it, and Katara, Toph, and I join it.

The line moves on fast, and soon enough it's our turn.

"Invitation, please." The guard demands as we step forward.

Toph holds up a small paper with the seal of a golden boar on it.

"I believe this will do." She tells him.

"No entry without an invitation." He states firmly. "Step out of line, please."

"Look, the Pangs and the Yumsoon-Hans are  waiting for us in there. I'm gonna have to tell them who didn't let us in." Toph lies.

She's good at this...

The man repeats; "Step out of line, please."

This time, we comply and step to the side.

This is already not going good..

Katara walks to a man she sees with more people bowing to him, bringing Toph and I along with her.

"Sir, I'm sorry to bother you, but my cousin lost our invitations." She tells him, referring to Toph. Then she whispers "She's blind." To the man. "Do you think you could help us? Our family's inside and I'm sure they're worried."

"And what of the boy?" He asks.

"He is her... Date!" Katara improvises.

I can visibly see Toph start to react but, due to the circumstances, she doesn't.

After a second, the man responds: "I am honored. Please come with me."

We follow him, and I can see Toph nudge Katara as we're walking. We make it past the guard, which the two girls blow raspberries at while we leave.

We enter a large hall filled with people.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? By the way, I'm Long Feng. I'm a cultural minister to the king." The man introduces.

"I'm Hwamei, my cousin is Dung, and he is Showa." Katara lies.

I almost can't hold back my laughter at the nickname she gave Toph. The earthbender reaches up and tugs on Katara's hair to show her displeasure with the name.

"Now where is your family? I'd love to meet them." Long Feng asks.

"Uhh, I don't see them right now, but I'm sure we'll find them soon. Thanks for all your help." Katara tells him as we walk away.

He stands in front of us.

"Don't worry, as your escort it would be dishonorable to abandon you children without finding your family first. We'll keep looking."

Great, more clingy people...

"We gotta ditch him." I whisper to Katara.

"I'm working on it.." She whispers back.

We walk around for a while, making it seem like we're searching for our family. Or rather, their family. I stay beside Toph the whole time. She helps calm my nerves about the party, but also makes me remember my embarrassment with words earlier. Maybe... I can do it now?

"Hey, Toph?" I whisper.

"What's up? Find our parents?" She asks.

"Funny." I say. "But no, I just wanted to apologize for earlier."

"What do you mean?" The earthbender asks me.

"I messed up my words... I... Think you look very pretty.."