"If you don't want to watch me fight then just stay here! I don't need you anyways!" She shouted as she was sneaking out the window.
"Good! Hope you don't mess up!"
"Fine! Stay here! See if I care!" She stormed off, and I was surprised no one noticed how loud she was as she moved the earth as she walked away.
"Good! I hope you finally get your ass kicked for once!" I yelled, still very upset. I slunk down to the floor, and absorbed what was happening to us. Toph was my best friend. But I was getting sick of her pretending to be helpless, not coming to terms with who she was. She knew who she was, and whenever she was away from them she was totally confident in herself. It was very frustrating that she couldn't just admit she wasn't who they thought she was. I wondered what would happen if she did tell them though and I suddenly realized why she wouldn't tell them. They would take away all of her freedom, and I thought about what that would mean for her. She already had so little already, and they would watch her twenty-four hours a day. I couldn't imagine that life for her.
I had to go after her. I had to tell her I was sorry. I shot through the window and started sprinting towards the arena. I had to tell her. I had to find her. She wouldn't fight until the end, so I could still talk to her before she went out. I went as fast as I could and sped all the way to her room. I knocked on it, but didn't wait for an answer. I slipped inside, shutting the door behind me.
"What do you want Goldilocks?" She sounded angry still, but she wasn't yelling anymore.
"I'm sorry Toph. I've been selfish lately. I haven't thought from your point of view and I'm sorry I've been so mean and rude to you lately. All of it was uncalled for and I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am."
"Yeah, well I shouldn't have yelled back. And you just don't like that I have to hide myself and pretend to be someone I'm not. You want my parents to accept me for who I am even though they won't. And there isn't anything wrong with that."
"I still should learn how to control my temper. I'm sorry I made you upset today." She walked towards me, and hugged me.
"Don't worry about it Goldilocks. Wish me luck. And you better be out there for me."
"I wouldn't route for anyone else but the Blind Bandit." She slowly stepped away.
"You better be out there." She walked out, and I followed until I left for the seats.
"Knock em dead Tiger." She waved at me and continued towards the ring. I slowly got to my normal seat and waited for her name to be called. "The Boulder" was still fighting, and I listened to the ignorant savage throw rocks around like he was the best earthbender in the world. I knew Toph had to be, even at her young age. His arrogance made me laugh. I heard as they called her into the arena, and she handed her belt onto one of the women.
"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young blind girl!"
"Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder!" Her mocking voice made me smile. I loved her like this. She was just the way she should be, herself.
"The Boulder's over his conflicted feelings, and now he's ready to bury you in a rock-alanche!"
"Whenever you're ready, The Pebble!" Toph laughed and I was ready for her to defeat him so we could go home, and I could let her braid my hair. I just wanted things to go back to normal. Toph easily defeated "The Boulder" just by listening. She did a few humiliating moves first though.
"Your winner, and still the champion, The Blind Bandit!"
"To make things more interesting, I'm offering this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat the Blind Bandit," there was a dead silence, "What? No one dares to face her?"
"I will!" A voice, a voice that sounded so much like someone I knew called out. But, it couldn't be? I heard the air surrounding him as he landed in the ring. It couldn't be. Kai and I were the only airbenders left.
"Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here?"
"Ooh!" The audience yelled. I laughed a bit, as she always knew how to make me smile.
"I don't really want to fight you. I want to talk to you." The longer I listened the more sure I was. It sounded so much like Aang. But it was impossible. He was dead? He would be at least as old as I was. The boy moved through the air, and then lightly landed back on the ground.
"Somebody's a little light on their feet ! What's your fighting name, the Fancy Dancer? Where'd you go?"
"Please wait!"
"There you are!" Toph launched a rock towards him, but he sent a wave of air that sent her flying out of the ring. I got up and started to run towards her, not wanting to miss her. She needed me. As I approached the entrance to the arena and heard the voice of the boy come closer.
"Please, listen! I need an earthbending teacher, and I think it's supposed to be you!"
"Whoever you are, just leave me alone."
"Wait!" Toph walked towards me, but pushed past me.
"Toph, you didn't really lose to another earthbender. He was an airbender, I could tell."
"I know. That doesn't make it any less awful."
"I know Toph. Let's go home. I can make you something special to eat."
"I would actually just like to braid your hair, if you don't mind."
"We can do that too." She grabbed my hand, and we started walking home.
As soon as we got to her room, Toph started taking my hair down. She ran her fingers through it. Slowly she started braiding it again.
"Do you mind one braid this time?"
"Whatever you want Toph. Why do you like to braid my hair?"
"I like how soft and warm it feels. It so much softer than my own." There was a knock at the door as soon as she finished.
"Come in!" I heard a man walk through the door and I poked Toph curiously.
"Father hired a doctor to take a look at your eyes." I nodded and waited as the doctor set up. The doctor looked into my blind eyes, and thought for a few minutes.
"Young lady, we can fix this problem, but only if you want to go through with the surgery. We will have to fix the damage, but it is possible." Toph grabbed my hand.
"If my father is willing to pay for it, then we should do it."
"We can do a surgery tonight, if that is what you want Miss."
"Toph... do you want me to?"
"Yes. I do." I nodded at her, and then looked at the doctor.
"Alright lets do it." I heard the doctor talking to Toph's father and then to Toph in the hallway.
"You have to let me go with her! She can't be all alone in that room! I won't even be able to see anything! Please let me go!" I walked out, and touched Toph's shoulder.
"Toph I can do this." I could listen to her breathing, her shaking. But I went with the doctor anyway. I sent a reassuring breeze her way, because I knew if this was what she wanted, then I could do it.
"Now you'll have to stay here overnight. I'm afraid that's just the nature of the surgery."
"I understand." The doctor looked at me closely as I lie on the table.
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"Yes I do. For her." He leaned over.
"I'm going to put you to sleep now. Nurse, please insert the IV." As the needle went in, I could feel myself fading. And as I was fading, all I could hear was Toph's kind laughing .
"What's the matter Goldilocks? You're aren't afraid are you?" I slowly woke up, feeling very groggy. But the gauze were drawn over my eyes and I sighed. I felt a hand on mine and jumped.
"Easy Goldilocks. You're going to be alright." My breathing eased.
"How did you sneak out?"
"The same way I always do. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I'm in a lot of pain... I'm glad you're here." She chuckled.
"I knew you would be. We haven't been without each other since we met. Except in the bathroom. I don't really want you in there anyways." I laughed a bit.
"You'll have to leave before morning." She started to shake her head.
"I won't leave you. You've never left me so I'm not going to leave you."
"Toph, you'll never really leave me." Her hand brushed through my hair.
"I heard you can take the bandages off tomorrow. In the morning."
"What time is it?"
"I think it's a little past one. You should go back to sleep. I promise I'll be here when you wake up." I grasped her hand and started to fall back asleep smiling. I started to mumble, as the drugs were still in my system.
"I...wove you Toph."
"I love you too Ellie. Now get some sleep." I snuggled into her hand that was in my hair. She laughed, and stroked through my hair.

"Ellie, lets go for a walk okay?" I sat up and went outside with Toph. We strolled around the courtyard, and she stopped slowly.
"You can take your bandages off now. If you want..." I sighed.
"I'm a little nervous. What if it didn't work?"
"Well then you didn't lose anything." I slowly reached up and started to untie them. I made sure to face her, just to make sure. I slowly lowered the bandages and hesitated before opening my eyes. The image started off blurry and then it started to clear up. I couldn't believe what I saw. A young girl, in a silk green dress. Her black hair was pulled back with a beautiful headband. Her eyes were empty, her eyes the lightest gray. Her face was glowing, her skin like that of a porcelain doll's. Her features were perfect like a goddesses. I couldn't help but gasp. She was the most beautiful girl in the world.
"C-can you see?" I sighed, not sure what to say.
"Yes. I can see." She smiled at me and she looked so beautiful. I felt like I couldn't breath.
"I'm really glad." She embraced me, and now it was all so vibrant. The smell of her hair, her skin. And how she looked. I couldn't find anyone more beautiful if I had tried.
"What do I look like?" I smiled into her hair, and tried to think.
"If I could describe your looks, you would look like how a rose feels. You would look like how the bird's song sounds, and resonates in our ears. It would be how fire flakes smell in the breeze. I can't explain it to you in another way. You're beautiful, but I can't put it into words that will make sense to you. Because your beauty doesn't make sense to me, even though now I'm finally looking at it." She smiled, pulled away, and punched my arm.
"You really know how to make a girl feel good don't you?" She started blushing but then we heard something. My hearing was still heightened and Toph lifted the ground, sending the three people into the air. I saw it was Aang!
"What are you doing here Twinkle Toes?"
"How did you know it was me?" Aang asked.
"Don't answer to Twinkle Toes, it's not manly!" The other boy said.
"You're the one who's bag matches his belt," the girl answered.
"How did you find me?" Toph sounded angry.
"Well a crazy King told me I had to find an earthbender who listens to the earth. And then I had a vision in a magic swamp and-"
"What Aang is trying to say is, he's the Avatar. And if he doesn't master earthbending soon, he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord."
"Not my problem. Now, get out of here, or I'll call the guards."
"Look we all have to do our part to win this war, and yours is to teach Aang earthbending." The boy said in an irritated manner.
"Guards, guards help!" I quickly followed Aang and his friends while the guards rushed over to Toph.
"Aang, I can't believe you forgot about me." He looked down from the tree and his smile instantly widened.
"Ellie!" He swooped down and hugged me. I embraced the small boy and laughed.
"It's great to see you too Aang."
"I can't believe you're still young too! I thought I was the only airbender left in the whole world!"
"Well as far as I can tell there are only three of us, you, me, and my nephew."
"Cain had a son! No way!"
"And with an Earth Kingdom Princess no less. Bumi's daughter."
"That's amazing! What are you doing here?"
"I live with Toph now. I've lived with her for the past year."
"Aang, who is this?" Both of his friends looked at me curiously.
"Oh I'm sorry! Ellie, this is Sokka and Katara. Sokka, Katara, this is Elyon. She lived in the Western Earth Temple. I was really close to her brother and her. We were so close we were family practically."
"I don't know what this practically shit is. We were family, even if it wasn't blood Aang."
"So how can we get Toph to listen?"
"Toph doesn't like to listen. She likes to do what she wants. I would appeal to her being free. She feels so confined and I don't like seeing her this way. But if you want to really be able to see her, request an audience with her family. They won't turn down the Avatar." Aang smiled and I went back towards the courtyard.
"What were you talking to Twinkle Toes about?"
"We were just catching up. He's an old friend."
"More like old boyfriend."
"No Toph. He was basically my other brother. Besides I've never really been into boys."
"Oh is that so?"
"Yeah. Now let's go inside."