Toph and The Boulder

Toph and The Boulder is one of the comics featured in Team Avatar Tales.

Overview
''This comic features The Boulder and Toph Beifong reuniting. Toph discovers that The Boulder has a pet croco cat named The Pebble, which he keeps secret since it does not "fit [his] image". When the croco cat sees Toph, he begins to yell loudly, causing Toph to question why The Pebble is making so much noise. The Boulder answers that The Pebble has an insatiable appetite, and no matter how much he feeds him, he continues to want more. Toph suggests taking The Pebble to the vet, causing both him and The Boulder to jump up in horror.''

Synopsis
Citizens of Gaoling begin to grow increasingly annoyed at the sound of meowing and wailing from one particular house. This alerts Toph, who rushes inside. She asks what is going on, and finds The Boulder crying when he sees his pet croco cat wailing loudly, and having destroyed much of his furniture.

Toph asks him what is going on, and The Boulder is pleased to see Toph again. She asks since when The Boulder had a croco cat. He tells her that his name is The Pebble, and that he's been an integral part of The Boulder's life for years, but that he is kept secret as "it doesn't really fit The Boulder's image."

Toph accepts this, but asks why The Pebble is yelling so much. The Boulder responds that he doesn't know, and says that The Pebble has an insatiable hunger no matter how much he feed him. When Toph asks if The Boulder has taken him to the vet, The Boulder and The Pebble respond with a look of horror, the latter beginning to hiss at Toph, the former stating that the "v word" isn't used around The Pebble. Toph says it's crazy that he's never taken his croco cat to the vet, but The Boulder states that The Pebble was very convincing, and flashes back to instances of The Pebble clawing at him.

Toph accepts that they won't take him to the vet. For an instant, The Pebble stops wailing, but soon resumes, and asks what they do next. The Boulder states that he has no idea. Toph considers that he might be tired of the usual stuff, and suggests different pet food. The Pebble devours bags of food for different hybridized animals, but resumes his anger. Toph suggests the quality of the food, noting the gourmet restaurant that opened up across town. The Boulder states that he will do anything for The Pebble, and a plate of expensive fish is placed before The Pebble. The croco cat turns his nose up, and continues clawing at The Boulder, the latter beginning to cry as he remarks how expensive the dish was, with Toph comforting him.

Toph then suggests that the solution may be something more fresh. The Boulder affirms this, and goes to fish in the nearby river, to no avail. Toph asks what he is doing, and clarifies that she meant buying from a fisherman. The Boulder rejects several different fish, until he buys the largest one available. The Boulder asks Toph if The Pebble will like it, and she rhetorically asks what croco cat doesn't like fish. The Boulder states that the fish should last The Pebble a while, but he devours it instantaneously. Toph holds up The Pebble, questioning where the food went.

Resigned, Toph states that she is all out of ideas. The Boulder tells her that he refuses to give up now, and Toph says that they have to take the croco cat to the vet. The Boulder considers disguising the vet, but dismisses having already tried that, while Toph realizes the silence. Toph notes that The Pebble is no longer in the kitchen, and a tearful The Boulder tells her to find him, which she proceeds to do using seismic sense. The Boulder asks if she found him, but Toph humorously responds that she doesn't know about "him."

She leads The Boulder to his bedroom, where he lifts up the bed to find The Pebble and three newborn kittens, Toph informing The Boulder that The Pebble is female and now a mother, remarking how it explains her insatiable hunger. She supposes that this makes The Boulder a "grandpa," and he falls to the floor, overcome with emotion. Toph declares the mystery solved, and heads out. The Boulder asks her not to tell people about the incident, as it would ruin his reputation, and Toph jokes that "[she] didn't see a thing," which The Boulder understands after a moment.

Later, Toph and The Boulder are in an Earth Rumble VI ring, ready to duel each other. Before The Boulder begins, he announces that he has a special shout-out. He says that he has been concerned with his image for too long, and states that after some soul-searching, he knows there's nothing to be ashamed of. He points the audience to his "number one fans", The Pebble and The Pebblets, dressed up in The Boulder's memorabilia. As The Boulder states that he cannot lose with their support, Toph shrugs off his previous request for her not to tell anyone. The duel commences, and Toph easily slams a pillar of earth into The Boulder's face with her bending.