Magma

Magma 2

When I wrote most of this, book 3 of Avatar was just getting started so some things happened a little differently in the story than in the show. However, the basic continuity fits in.

Magma

Volcano I: Earth

Eruption 12: How to Bathe a Lemur

Once Zuko, Toph, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Momo and Appa were back in their temple home, they retreated to their respective rooms and changed into some clean clothes, except Momo and Appa who didn't really need to wear anything, but they still needed to get cleaned up.

The dirty clothes were placed in a basket, which Katara reluctantly picked up. She eyed Aang and decided it was time for some water bending training. "Aang you're helping me do the laundry, it will be part of your water bending training."

"Aw, but I was going to bathe Appa." Doing the laundry was one of Aang's least favorite chores, and the down side to being able to bend water. Water benders often ended up with water related chores.

"Sokka can bathe Appa." Katara reasoned, much to her brother's dismay; though the water tribe warrior dared not protest when faced with his sister's glare.

"Then who's going to bathe Momo? You know how he gets at bath time." Aang tried once again to slip away from the chore of doing laundry. It would be especially bad with all the stains.

"We'll do it!" Toph immediately volunteered herself and Zuko.

"What?" The fire bender was not exactly pleased with his assigned task.

"Shut up dancing dragon, it's better than scrubbing stains off clothes." Toph had a point, if they already had an assigned task, then they wouldn't have to help deal with the laundry.

"Alright then it's decided," Katara agreed and dragged Aang off to do the laundry.

Sokka grumbled about having a bigger pet to bathe and not having any help, but as Momo squeaked and took to the skies, he realized that maybe bathing Appa would be easier after all. At least the sky bison actually liked to be groomed.

"So, how are we going to catch him?" Zuko had a good question indeed.

Toph shrugged. "How should I know, I can't really see him if he's flying around." Toph was so independent and capable; it was easy to forget that she couldn't see with her eyes and used earth bending to get around. But if the lemur they were trying to catch was not in contact with the ground or anything connected to it, then it would be very hard for Toph to stop him.

"You're the one who volunteered us so you have to help!" First Toph dragged him into the chore, and now she was apparently leaving him to deal with it alone. Zuko would not accept that.

"Fine, just tell me which way Momo went," thus began the wild chase to catch the sticky lemur.

Their strategy was simple, Zuko would be the eyes of the operation, and Toph would close the vertical distance between them and Momo with towers of earth. This resulted in a seemingly endless field of towers sticking out of the ground, a very frustrated Zuko and an almost tired Toph, but not quite.

"He's getting away!" Zuko pointed at Momo, then realized it was useless. "Up and to the right."

"Enough of this, Momo can bathe himself." Toph was sick of chasing after Momo and she was not going to continue doing so.

"You're the one who volunteered," Zuko reminded her.

"This isn't working, Momo flies too fast and you don't give me directions fast enough. We have to find another way," Toph started to think of possible traps.