The Blind Bandit
I don't own Digimon or Avatar: Last Airbender
Chapter Twenty Six: The Blind Bandit
"It's pricey….but I really do like it," Sokka said as he was looking at a green bag with a brown leather strap sitting on a pedestal in a shop. Aang, Momo, Flame and Appa and Katara looked at him and the two humans sighed slightly.
"Then you should get it Sokka, after all you deserve something nice," Aang told his friend.
"I do don't I?" Sokka asked and Daisuke gave him a bored expression. "But no it's too expensive. I shouldn't," He said.
"Then don't buy it then," Katara said to her brother before she walked away in boredom followed by Aang, Flame, Appa and Momo while Sokka looked at the bag a bit more before he too walked away. He then ran back to the bag.
"You know what, I'm gonna get it," He said pleased with himself.
"Where's Daisuke?" Aang asked looking around for the Firebender.
"She said she saw something, and wanted to check it out," Katara answered as Sokka caught up to them with his new bag around his shoulder. Momo than chattered and sat up on Flame's head and the dragon sighed heavily.
"What's wrong with him?" Sokka asked.
"He's been like this for days, he's not sick I know that much," Katara said.
"Maybe he's lonely," Aang suggested. "I mean for our entire journey we have not seen one dragon, except Flame," Flame sighed again and sulked.
"Hey guys," Everyone turned to see Daisuke carrying a sack run up to them.
"Hey Dai, do you know what's up with you dragon?" Sokka asked.
"Yeah, he's lonely….fortunately I know how to help him," Daisuke said walking up to Flame who looked at her. "Close your eyes boy, mama's got a present for you," She said and Flame shut his eyes tightly and everyone else saw Daisuke take something out of the sack. "Okay boy open up," She said and Flame opened his eyes to see Daisuke with a toy dragon.
"A toy dragon?" Sokka asked.
"Yeah, since we haven't found any real dragons I thought this would keep Flame company," Daisuke explained.
"Oh that's sweet Dai," Katara said.
"Yeah, you really do care about Flame," Aang said smiling brightly and Daisuke smiled back.
"Why would Flame need a toy dragon?" Sokka asked flatly making everyone glare at him.
"It's not just a toy, listen," Daisuke said squeezing the toy and it squeaked and Flame cooed happily as he nuzzled Daisuke making her smile at him. "Hold on boy, let me put it on the saddle," She said as she strapped the toy dragon to the saddle and Flame licked her.
"What's this?" Aang asked drawing everyone's attention as he picked up a flyer and looked at it. "Master Yu's Earthbending School," He said turning the flyer over. "And there's a coupon for a free first lesson," He then said.
"This Master Yu guy may be the teacher you are looking for," Katara said to him.
"Maybe, couldn't hurt to check it out," Aang said shrugging his shoulders. A few minutes later Aang was in Earthbending garb along with several other students at the Earthbending school and an old man who was obviously Master Yu walked down the two rows of students one row had boulders in front of them while Aang's row did not.
"Take your stances!" Yu ordered and all the students but Aang did so. "Now, throw your boulder like you are punching through someone's head," Yu instructed and the students with the boulders did so and threw them at Aang's row and Aang was hit in the gut and thrown into a teapot shaped vase and covered in sand. Yu then walked over to him. "Are you ready to commit to more lessons, if you pay for a year in advance I will bump you up to the next belt," Yu told Aang who groaned.
"Couldn't hurt huh?" Daisuke asked smirking at Aang who was still cleaning sand out of his ear as the gaang left the school.
"No comment," Aang mumbled as two boys walked past them.
"I think The Boulder's gonna win the belt at Earth Rumble Six," one of the boys said.
"He's gonna have to fight his way through the best Earthbender's in the world to get a chance," the other boy said to him.
"What's Earth Rumble Six and where is it?" Aang asked the boys.
"It's on the island of Noneya, Noneya business!" One of the students said before both of them laughed and walked off and Daisuke glared at them.
"I got this," She said before she ran after the boys. "Hey strong guys wait up!" She said sweetly to them.
"What was I thinking? Why would I need a new bag?" Sokka asked looking at his bag. "Why didn't you stop me buying it?" He asked Katara and Aang who looked at him as Daisuke skipped back to them.
"You ready for some Earthbending action? Because we're gonna to Earth Rumble Six," Daisuke said.
"How'd you get them to tell you?" Katara asked surprised and Daisuke giggled and she pouted cutely.
"A girl like me has her ways," She said cutely. With the two boys they had their underpants over their heads and were tied up gagged and naked with blushed of embarrassment on their faces. When nightfall came the gaang were in a large rectangular arena with an oval shaped arena surrounding it and they walked to a huge row of empty seats.
"Front row seats, wonder why no one's sitting here," Aang wondered as he, Daisuke, Sokka and Katara sat down just as a massive boulder crashed the stands right beside team Avatar who all jumped to their feet.
"That's why!" Sokka exclaimed shocked.
"Welcome to Earth Rumble Six! I am your host Xin Fu!" A man with shoulder length black hair shouted and the crowd cheered.
"This is gonna just be a bunch of guys throwing rocks at each other isn't it?" Katara asked.
"That's what I paid for," Sokka said happily.
"The rules are simple. Just knock the other guy out of the ring and you win," Xin Fu said as he jumped onto a podium overlooking the arena. "Round one: The Boulder vs The Big Bad Hippo!" He then announced as a muscular man with green shorts raised his arms to the crowd who roared in approval while the Hippo roared.
"Listen up Hippo! You may be big but you're not bad, The Boulder is gonna win this in a landslide!" The Boulder shouted pointing at the Hippo.
"Hippo…mad!" The Hippo shouted as he stormed his foot on the ground making Momo hide in Sokka's new bag. The Boulder then threw three rocks at the Hippo who did not move and the Hippo caught a rock in his mouth and chewed on it before he spat it out and the Hippo then started to jump around the arena making it tilt and The Boulder nearly lost his balance.
"Unbelievable ladies and gentlemen The Hippo is rocking the boat!" Xin Fu announced as The Boulder nearly fell out of the arena but he saved himself as he bent a small platform over the side, he then threw the platform at the Hippo's back making him turn around to face The Boulder who bent the arena beneath the Hippo and sent him flying to the floor below.
"The Boulder wins!" Xin Fu announced.
"The Boulder's got some moves," Daisuke admitted.
"Maybe he's the teacher you've been looking for?" Katara asked Aang who looked at her.
"I'm not sure, Bumi said my teacher would listen to the earth, he's just listening to his big muscles," Aang said. "What do you think Sokka?" Aang asked him but Sokka was cheering loudly.
"Next match The Boulder versus Fire Nation Man!" Xin Fu announced as a man waving a Fire Nation flag made his way to the arena on a bridge made of earth that crumbled once he stepped onto the arena and the crowd booed him.
"Please rise for Fire Nation national anthem," Fire Nation Man said in a pseudo Russian accent. "Fire Lord, my flame burns for thee!" He sang and the crowds boos intensified.
"Go back to the Fire Nation!" Sokka shouted throwing a rock at the Fire Nation Man's head and he hit him dead on and the Fire Nation Man got angry at the crowd as The Boulder hurled a boulder at Fire Nation Man and threw him out of the arena and he crashed into The Hippo and the crowd cheered again with Sokka cheering loudest, soon several more Earthbenders came to challenge The Boulder who easily defeated them all and threw them into the pile of fallen opponents on the floor.
"And now the moment you have been waiting for. The Boulder versus your champion The Blind Bandit!" Xin Fu announced as a short girl with black hair walked into the arena with two women by her side and the girl was carrying a mostly green belt and wearing a green cape.
"She can't be really blind can she?" Katara asked looking at the young girl.
"I think she really is blind, this isn't gonna be good," Daisuke said.
"She is….going down!" Sokka cheered.
"The Boulder feels conflicted on fighting a little blind girl," The Boulder said.
"Sounds like you're scared Boulder," The Blind Bandit taunted him.
"Okay, The Boulder's feelings of confliction are over, The Boulder is going to bury you in a rock- alanche!" The Boulder said.
"Whenever you're ready the Pebble!" The Blind Bandit said before she laughed and Aang's eyes widened as he thought back to his vision of the girl in the swamp who laughed in the same way.
"It's on!" The Boulder shouted as he took a step forward and the Blind Bandit spread her arms and send a small shockwave towards the Boulder's feet as he stepped again and he made a perfect split as Sokka gasped with a look of pain on his face and The Boulder whimpered in pain as The Blind Bandit created a pillar of earth behind him and sent him flying over the side of the arena crashing into the ground.
"Your winner and still champion, The Blind Bandit!" Xin Fu announced.
"She waited and listened for the right time to strike," Daisuke said.
"Wait! Say that again?" Aang asked her.
"I said she waited and listened for the right time to strike," She repeated before her eyes widened and she looked at Aang. "I think we found your master," Daisuke told him and he nodded his head. "Now all we need to do is for you to talk to her," She mumbled to herself.
"To make things a little more interesting, I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat the Blind Bandit!" Xin Fu said holding up a bag of gold but everyone was silent. "What? No one dares to face her?" He asked.
"I will!" Aang was heard saying as he walked up to the arena.
"Oi vey, he's dead," Daisuke groaned.
"Go Aang avenge The Boulder!" Sokka shouted to the Airbender but Daisuke just slapped him on the back of the head. Back with Aang and the Blind Bandit the champion sent a boulder towards Aang who jumped over it and landed gently behind her.
"You're light on your feet, what's your name the Fancy Dancer?" She taunted sending a pillar of Earth at Aang again and he jumped over again.
"Please listen!" Aang said.
"There you are!" The Blind Bandit exclaimed as she sent a boulder at Aang who jumped back and airbent at the boulder sending it to the right of him and the gust of wind also knocked The Blind Bandit out of the arena and everyone was shocked at this while Sokka cheered followed by the rest of the crowd and Xin Fu held the belt and the bag of gold which Sokka took happily. Aang however ran towards the Blind Bandit but she walked through a wall before she closed the entrance stopping Aang from following her.
"Nice work champ," Sokka said to Aang as the gaang left the arena. "This belt goes with my bag perfectly," He then said looking at the belt.
"Oh joy," Katara said sarcastically.
"If we want to find the Blind Bandit the Earthbending School is a good place to start," Daisuke said and everyone nodded. The next day they headed towards the school where they saw the two boys from the day before.
"Oh great you again," One of them said looking at the team but Daisuke glared at him and he backed up slightly.
"Didn't think so, now you're gonna tell us where we can find the Blind Bandit, and if you lie to us, you'll wish you were never born, got it?" Daisuke said to them both and they nodded their heads.
"We don't know who the Blind Bandit is, she is a mystery, always arriving for a fight and then she vanishes." One of the boys said and Daisuke frowned and moved her hand to one of her hook-swords. "I swear it on my mother's grave! We don't know anything else, no one knows her name or where she lives," The boy said in fear.
"What about a young girl and a flying boar?" Aang asked.
"A flying boar, that's the symbol of the Beifong Family, the richest family in town perhaps the world, but they don't have a daughter," The second boy said before the two boys ran off.
"A flying boar is good enough for me," Aang said.
"Let's go," Katara said as the four of them ran off. A few minutes later they arrived at a gate that had a flying boar engraved into it and the gaang entered what appeared to be courtyard before the ground shot up and unceremoniously dropped them all over the courtyard with Sokka landing on his butt, Daisuke landing on top of him and Aang and Katara landing in the bushes. Aang looked up to see The Blind Bandit standing there now wearing a fancy dress.
"What do you want Twinkle Toes?" She asked.
"How'd you know it was me?" Aang asked.
"Don't answer to Twinkle Toes, it's not manly," Sokka said.
"Says the warrior whose belt matches his bag," Daisuke told him and Sokka pouted slightly.
"How did you find me?" The Blind Bandit asked Aang again.
"Long story short, a crazy old king told Aang he had to find an Earthbending master that waited and listened before attacking, and then he had a crazy vision in a magic swamp and saw you, and he believes you're the teacher he needs…did I mention he's the Avatar?" Daisuke asked her and the Blind Bandit looked at her.
"Not interested, now get out of here or I'll call the guards," She said.
"Look, we all have to do our part to win the war, and yours is to help Aang learn Earthbending," Sokka said to her.
"Guards! Guards! Help!" The Blind Bandit shouted and the gaang scattered as two guards ran up to her.
"Toph, what are you doing out here alone, you know your father doesn't want you wandering around without supervision," One of the guards said to her as the guards escorted her inside and Aang looked down at Toph from the rooftop as Daisuke also looked at her from behind a tree.
"So how is Toph's training coming along," An elegantly dressed man asked Master Yu as they both sipped from a teacup each.
"Very good Mr Beifong, I am keeping her at beginner's level. Basic forms and breathing exercises only," Master Yu told him.
"Excuse me sir, but you have a visitor," A servant told Mr Beifong.
"And just who is able to pop in unannounced?" He asked the servant.
"Uh…the Avatar sir," The servant answered and Toph's eyes widened in shock before she frowned. Several minutes later Team Avatar was sitting across from Toph, her parents and Master Yu with Daisuke sitting across from Toph in the dining room for dinner of Roast Duck, tea and soup. A servant brought some tea to Toph but her father noticed.
"Blow on it, it's too hot for her," He said.
"Allow me," Aang said as he sent a mini-tornado to Toph's teacup and cooled down the tea and everyone clapped.
"Avatar Aang, it is an honour for you to visit us," Toph's mother said to him.
"In your opinion how long do you think the war will end?" Toph's father asked him.
"I'd like to defeat the Fire Lord before summer, but to do that I need an Earthbending teacher," Aang answered him.
"Master Yu is the finest teacher in the land, I am sure he will be happy to teach you," Toph's father said and Master Yu nodded his head. "He's been teaching Toph since she was little,"
"Well if that's the case she can probably teach someone else if she's good enough," Daisuke said before she yelped as Toph sent a small rock at her foot from her side of the table and everyone looked at her and Daisuke glared at Toph who was acting all innocent.
"Toph is still learning the basics," Yu told her and the other members of Team Avatar.
"And sadly because of her blindness, I am afraid she will never become a true master," Toph's father said sadly.
"Oh I'm sure she is better than you think," Daisuke said as Toph frowned and she moved her foot back and Daisuke yelped as he face landed in her soup and everyone stopped eating and looked at her in shock and she frowned at Toph before she shot a low powered lightning bolt under the table at Toph making her jump slightly and he hair to stand on end and she growled.
"What's your problem!?" Toph shouted at her angrily.
"I could ask you the same thing!" She angrily replied back before she stormed off out of the room and house.
"Should we move to the dining room for desert?" Toph's mother asked and everyone agreed.
"That little stubborn, spoiled brat, how can she sit there and lie about her talents?" Daisuke grumbled leaning against Flame who cooed at her. She then saw Toph walk up to her and she stood up and got into a stance.
"Easy there Sparky, I'm sorry about what happened at dinner, so how about we call a truce?" Toph asked Daisuke who looked at her before she nodded and she and Toph walked towards the bridge that was in the garden going over a small stream. "Even though I was born blind, I've never had a problem seeing," Toph said.
"What do you mean?" Daisuke asked.
"I see with Earthbending," Toph said walking over the bridge with Daisuke following her. "It's like seeing with my feet, I feel the vibrations in the earth and I can see where everything is," She explained. "I can see you, that tree and even those ants," She said and Daisuke's eyes widened in awe.
"Whoa, that's incredible," She said.
"My parents don't understand. They've always treated me like I'm helpless," Toph said sadly.
"That's why you became the Blind Bandit right?" Daisuke asked her.
"Yeah," She replied.
"Why do you stay here if you're not happy?" Daisuke asked.
"They're my parents, what am I supposed to do?" Toph asked.
"You can come with us," Daisuke said.
"Yeah, you guys get to live your lives how you want, no one telling you what to do, no rules, no boundaries, but it's not my life…." Toph said before he eyes widened. "We're being ambushed!" She then exclaimed as Daisuke looked around before she grabbed Toph and pulled her away as they tried to escape but they were caught by Earthbending and soon they were both thrown in metal cages and The Hippo stomped on the metal prisons as Xin Fu walked over to them.
"You owe me some money," He said to them both. Half an hour later both Toph and Daisuke were suspended above the arena with Xin Fu and The Boulder below them.
"You think you're so tough! Let me out of her so I can wipe that grin off your face," Toph said and Xin Fu turned around to look at her.
"I'm not smiling," Xin Fu said dryly,
"Toph!" Everyone turned to see Aang, Katara, Sokka, Yu and Toph's father enter the arena.
"Here's your money," Sokka said tossing the bag of gold to Xin Fu who looked at it and he waved his hand and Toph's cage was sent down but not Daisuke's.
"What about Daisuke?" Aang asked as Toph made her way to her father who grabbed her hand.
"I think the Fire Nation will pay handsomely for the Princess of the Dragons, now leave my arena," Xin Fu said showing a poster of Daisuke.
"You weasel," Daisuke said glaring at him as all the Earth Rumble fighters climbed into the arena.
"Toph we need your help, we need an Earthbender," Katara said to her.
"My daughter is blind, tiny, helpless and frail, she can't help," Toph's father said to them.
"Yes I can," Toph said letting go of her father's hand and she walked back to the arena and she made an earth wall behind Xin Fu and his fighters. "Let her go, I beat you all before, and I will beat you again," She said.
"The Boulder takes issue with that comment!" The Boulder shouted at Toph as the wrestlers all charged towards Toph.
"There mine," Toph said to Aang, Katara and Sokka who watched in awe as Toph shook the ring up and sent the wrestlers back and created a small cloud of dust and Toph then entered the dust cloud to her father's concern. Toph stood in the middle of the dust cloud and stomped her foot and she sensed Fire Nation man approaching her before he stomped and sent a boulder at her and she dodged it before she Earthbent him into the air and he hit the ground before he was hit again and thrown out of the arena.
"Come on, come on," Daisuke grumbled as she tried to break the lock to her prison but it was no use, she sighed before she got an idea and focused before she held her finger out and a small jet of fire appeared and she started to cut through the metal prison slowly but surely. Meanwhile down below with Toph she dispatched several more of the wrestlers easily sending them all flying out of the arena and her father was shocked.
"Your daughter is amazing," Yu said to him, now Toph stood across from the Hippo and The Boulder who both charged at her and another one of the wrestlers attacked Toph from behind but she sensed him and she turned the arena around sending the three men on a collision course and they all crashed into each other before Toph sent them out of the arena. The dust then cleared and now it was Toph and Xin Fu against each other.
"Give up Blind Bandit, there is no way you can beat me, I taught you everything you know," Xin Fu said to Toph who was silent before she smirked. "What are you smirking at?" Xin Fu asked as he felt someone tap his shoulder and he turned around to see Daisuke standing there and she pointed up at her cage which had the front of it melted away and Xin Fu looked at Daisuke and she punched him in the face before Toph sent an earth pillar at him and sent Xin Fu flying out of the arena.
"You daughter is the greatest Earthbender I have ever seen," Yu said to Toph's father and later everyone was back at the Beifong estate.
"Dad, I know it's probably hard for you to see me this way. But the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an Earthbender, and I'm really, really good at it. I know I've kept my life secret from you, but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me, but I'm twelve years old and I've never had a real friend. So, now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me." Toph said to her father.
"Of course not Toph, in fact it has revealed something to me, that I have given you too much freedom, from now on you will be cared and guarded for around the clock," Her father said.
"But Dad," Toph said.
"We're doing this for you own good Toph," her mother said to her.
"Escort the Avatar and his friends out, they're no longer welcome here," Toph's father said.
"I'm sorry Toph," Daisuke said to her.
"I'm sorry too Daisuke, goodbye," Toph said shedding a tear. Later on the gaang were busy packing up their stuff onto Flame and Appa and were about to leave.
"Don't worry Aang, we'll find a teacher for you, there are lots of Earthbenders out there," Katara said.
"None like her," Aang said sadly. Flame then perked up making everyone look at the dragon to see Toph now wearing green and yellow running up to them panting.
"Toph?" Everyone asked.
"My dad changed his mind, he said I'm free to challenge the world," She said as Daisuke looked at her skeptically but she remained silent.
"Well let's get going before he changes his mind again," Sokka said.
"Okay, and one more thing Twinkle Toes," Toph said to Aang making him look at her before he was thrown into a tree by Toph who smiled. "I'll take that belt back now," She said holding her hand up and Sokka dropped the belt to her but it hit her head and she fell to the ground in a heap.
"Sorry," He apologised as Toph got back up.
"Hey Toph, want to fly on a dragon?" Daisuke asked and Toph looked in her general direction.
"Alright then," The young blind Earthbender said walking over to Flame and Daisuke helped her up.
"Hold on tight," Daisuke told her as Flame took off followed by Appa and Team Avatar flew through the sky. Meanwhile far away in another part of the Earth Kingdom riding an ostrich horse was Zuko wearing a straw hat with his swords on his back and he stopped for a second as he looked down at Daisuke's orange ribbon that he still had on him.
"Why do I keep thinking of her? I'm mean sure she's talented, smart, and beautiful, but it's not like I like her or anything, right? But that kiss we shared there was something special that I've never felt before," He thought to himself before he set off again through the night.
The end of the chapter
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