Fiery Earth: Leaving Me Behind

Chapter Three~ My Best Friend's Secret

"What are you doing here?!" said Aang, surprised by our sudden entrance.

"We have something to tell you."

*~~~~*~~~~*

"I 'see' with earthbending." Toph said.

"But why don't you tell your parents?" Aang asked.

"They won't understand. I'd save the world, and they'd still try and 'protect' me from any threat." Toph sighed.

"Oh. Well what about you?" said Aang.

"My mother was from the Southern Water Tribe, and my father from here, Gaoling. My mother was one of the last waterbenders there, other than my cousin, Katara—"

"I know Katara! She's traveling with me right now. She's the watertribe girl." Aang interrupted.

"Really? Well, anyway, I was born there, and I moved here, Gaoling, when I was five. We lived close to the Bei Fongs." I said, and I gazed into the trees. "And one night, my parents went outside for a walk. But they never came back. Toph's parents adopted me, and that's how it's been ever since."

"I'm sorry." Aang said knowingly. I wonder what has made him feel my sorrow.

"It's okay. What's happened has happened. I can't change the past. And that was seven years ago. I can barely even remember what my parents look like." I replied. "Anyway, my father traveled to the Southern Watertribe, met my mother, and they married, and had me. The elders of the tribe said I had a brilliant glint in my eye that meant I was a waterbender. When I was 4, my mother enlisted me to train with Master Kya Otawa [pronounced Kee-a Oh-tah-wha]. She was a talented and skillful waterbender. The master was kind and gentle; she encouraged those who couldn't do it. But when I tried to waterbend, nothing happened. I couldn't waterbend. And since I couldn't waterbend, then my parents no longer had any reason to stay in the Southern Watertribe. And they knew there was going to be another Firenation raid soon. So they left and moved here, Gaoling. That all happened before they…." I couldn't continue. But they understood.

"And we were thinking that maybe we could come with you. And I can teach you earthbending." Toph said.

I smiled. "It's time to leave the shadows and into the light of the world outside of these walls." I blend of feelings was going on inside of me. I was excited to have a great adventure, but was also a bit nervous; who knew how many dangers lurked outside of these walls, but soon I would learn the large number.

All thoughts were cut off as two metal boxes suddenly came lumbering down on Aang and Toph.

"Xin Fu! I know you're out there! Let me out, now!" Toph yelled.

As to answer Toph's strains, many of the Earth Rumble contestants either popped out of the ground, or jumped from the wall to the ground along with Xin Fu. Thinking quickly, I imprisoned Xin Fu in a spiral of earth and raised a wall to block attacks from the other earthbenders. Unfortunatly, I wasn't experienced enough to know that a simple barrier of earth could not stop half a dozen master earthbenders' boulders. I was knocked out.

*~~~*~~~*

I woke up again with my hands tied behind my back expertly and feet binded together in a tight earth ring. A dirty gag was also fixed into my mouth. I opened my eyes only to face blind darkness, the great barrier to all joy and happiness.

~Emedy

Author's note:*dun dun dunnnn* I left you all in a cliffy! MUAHAHAHAHA!!!! Ok on with my message: I know there's not much action, but there will be, soon. And like most stories, it will get better. BTW, Katuna is pronounced Kah-TUNE-uh.