Disclaimer: I do not own the show's characters or plot line. Anything that wasn't originally in the show is mine.

Avatar the Last Airbender

Book 2: Earth

The Companion

Chapter 15: The Blind Bandit part 2

Ananda ran out into the garden only to find a sword with a note on the end of it. Sokka and Katara soon caught up to her and Sokka picked up the sword and read what the note said. "Whoever took Aang and Toph left this."

Katara read the note. By this point Toph's family had realized something was wrong because of the strange girl that ran through their house a minute ago. "If you want to see your daughter again, bring 500 gold pieces to the arena. It's signed Xin Fu and The Boulder."

"I can't believe it. I have the Boulder's autograph!" Sokka exclaimed excitedly.

Meanwhile, while Sokka was fanboying, Lao Beifong looked at master Yu and asked him for help and Katara told they were joining. Then she looked at Ananda "How'd you know he was in trouble?"

"I had a vision. Now let's grab the doofus and get to the arena."

"Okay. Sokka, let's go!" But they look back and he's not paying any attention to them. He's still focused on the fact that he has the Boulder's autograph.

Ananda walked over to him and ripped the paper out of his hands. "Hey news flash dummy! We're leaving now and you're either coming with us or I'm ripping this up."

"Geez! Okay I'm coming! I'm glad I have this bag." He said as he places the scroll in the bag.

"- why don't you come up here so I can smack that grin off you're face?" Everyone heard as they approached.

"I'm not smiling." Xin Fu said, and Ananda held back a laugh.

"Toph!"

"Here's your money. Now let them go." They lowered Toph's cage and let her out. Ananda could sense what was coming next.

"What about Aang?"

"I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the avatar. Now get out of my ring." Said Xin Fu.

Ananda rolls her eyes, "Typical."

Then all the earthbenders from the tournament start appearing and she can feel Sokka and Katara back down. This is a fight they can't win.

"Go. I'll be okay." Aang shouts down.

"Now is really not the time Aang!" Ananda shouted back. "You two go get Toph. I'll keep them busy." Katara and Sokka ran off. "Ok jerks, who's hitting first?"

"Erity! No! You can't win this fight!" Aang shouted from his cage.

"You should listen to the Avatar little girl." Xin Fu smirked. "Lower him down we have somewhere to be."

Ananda smirked back, "I'm not going to be the one fighting you." They had lowered Aang down and started walking away, when Toph cut them off with a giant spike in the ground. "Finally! Took you long enough to get back here!"

"Ok, who is this?" Toph asked confused. "Never mind." She looked back at the earthbenders and said, "Let him go! I beat you all before I'll do it again!"

"The boulder takes issue with that comment."

The Hippo threw Aang to the side of the ring. Ananda immediately ran over, Katara and Sokka went to rush forward to fight, but Toph held her arms out and said, "Wait! They're mine." Katara and Sokka looked at each other then went over to help Ananda get Aang out of the cage.

Ananda ran over to Aang, "Aang! Are you okay?"

"How stupid can you be? You can't fight all of those earthbenders by yourself!" Aang yelled at her.

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, you're fine." She huffed. At that moment Katara and Sokka ran over. "We need to get him out of this cage." Sokka took that to mean, lets bang it as hard as I can with a rock. Ananda just said "Oh my god move over! Katara, cover the hinges with water."

Katara did as she was told, Ananda focused on the metal, waved her hand over the water-covered hinges, and they turned to rusted hinges. "Ok Sokka, now all you have to do is slice the hinges off. A lot easier than banging the whole cage." Ananda said, rolling her eyes.

Katara put the water, back into her skin while Sokka hacked away at the hinges and got Aang out. As soon as he was out of the cage, Ananda gave him a big hug, but he shrugged her off to go help Toph but Sokka and Katara indicated not to engage. The group watched as one by one, Toph took down the other earthbenders. Xin Fu was last, everyone watched in awe as she took him down with relative ease.

Sokka fainted, while Aang, Katara and Ananda ran over to Toph. "That was amazing!" Katara exclaimed.

"You are incredible! Please be my teacher!" Aang remarked.

"Is someone going to introduce us?" Asked Ananda.

"Oh! Right! Toph, this is Ananda, Ananda this is Toph." Katara introduced.

"'Sup" Toph greeted.

"Hey." Ananda said back. "I saw you in my vision too."

"That's weird." Toph said

"I know. You get used to it." Ananda replied. "I will meet you guys at Appa. I want to hang out with Ajay a bit longer before we leave." She said waving goodbye to everyone.

"I really don't like that guy. He's taking my Erity from me!" Aang ground out through his teeth.

"She just wants to spend some time with her friend before we leave Aang. You'll get so see her for months, they only see each other sporadically." Katara assured him.

Toph chimed in, "I thought her name was Ananda?"

"I'm about to head out again." Ana told Ajay.

"Great! Next time you visit you have to tell me about all the adventures! And bring me souvenirs from everywhere you go this time!" Ajay exclaimed.

Ana sighed, "Ajay, I'm not coming back."

Ajay's face fell, "Is it because Aang doesn't like me? I didn't think that would affect our friendship. Listen, I can talk to him- "

Ana cut him off, "That's not why Ajay. You're right, I wouldn't let Aang not liking you effect our friendship. I've had a vision, and this is the last time we meet." She said in resignation.

"Well, that sound like a vision that's easy to alter. Just come back and visit every now and then. You don't have to stay away. Unless of course, you're tired of me and don't want to visit." Ajay said sadly.

"Hey, I love you, I love hanging out with you. It's not that I don't want to come back, it's that I won't be able to." She spends the next few minutes explaining her vision to Ajay.

"In that case you can't go!" He exclaimed.

"It's going to happen whether I'm there or not. I just wanted to see one of my best friends before I left. Let him know how much he means to me and how much he's helped me over the years. I was a lost, lonely little girl who needed a friend. Thank you for being that friend." Ananda gave him one last hug and left. She found Appa on the outskirts of town after calling him and climbed up. "Hey buddy, ready for some adventures?"

Soon, the trio came into sight without Toph. As soon as they climbed on Ananda asked that happened. "Her father won't let her leave." Aang said

"I'm sorry Aang." Said Ananda.

Just then, Aang saw a figure running in their direction. "Toph, what are you doing here?" Aang asked

Toph replied, "My dad changed his mind. He said I was free to travel the world."

Sokka and Katara looked at each other, then Sokka said, "Well we better get out of here, before your dad changes his mind again."

"Good idea," she replied.

Aang said, "You're gonna be a great teacher Toph."

"Speaking of which, I want to show you something."

"Ok!" Aang jumps down from Appa and immediately gets hit by a rock shooting up from the ground.

"Now we're even. Um, I'll take the belt back." Sokka threw it down to her and knocked her down. Ananda would have laughed at the whole situation, but she was having a vision.

When they got back on Appa, Ananda sat next to Toph and whispered, "If this puts Aang in danger, you and I are going to have a problem." Then she moved to the other end of Appa to give Toph some space for her first taste of freedom. Ananda may be protective, but she also understood feeling trapped.