A/N: I think it's time for a little change of pace. Let's see what Sokka's been up to since the South Pole.
Chapter 5: The Wrong Way
How did I get into this mess? Sokka thought as he was running away from some earthbending celebrities, heading for the estate of some blind girl that can and has beaten all of those earthbenders before. All he wanted to do was catch up to his sister and help her protect the Avatar, but noooooo the universe had other plans.
Two weeks ago…
On a canoe Sokka was pushing forward on the open seas. He had just passed through the mountain island chain that held the Southern Air Temple, and was heading for Whale Tail Island to resupply. He was almost out of food and would have to ration what he had just to make it to that island. Once he resupplied Sokka planned to go north and hopefully intercept Katara on her way to the North Pole.
But he never made it to Whale Tail Island. A patrolling Fire Navy ship had stumbled across Sokka's canoe and intercepted it. The crew took Sokka prisoner and seized what little food he still had in the canoe for themselves. In the brig Sokka overheard the guards talking about the ship heading northeast, so Sokka didn't try to escape. He may be a prisoner, but his captors were taking him in the direction he wanted to go.
The ship stopped near a village in the Earth Kingdom, where they handed Sokka over to the locals. The Fire Nation crew had more important matters than dealing with random Water Tribe prisoners and decided to let the locals handle him. The crew also left Sokka's boomerang and machete in the village as evidence for a trial. The locals threw him in with their other prisoners, who were actually very nice people. Sokka spent a day in that prison, actually enjoying the company of the other prisoners.
The next day Sokka was brought before the village to stand trial. "What am I on trial for again?" Sokka asked.
"Trespassing in Fire Nation territory without authorization," Mayor Tong answered.
"Oh that," Sokka said. "Well I had no idea where I was, so that could have been true. Can I just pay a fine or something and then be on my way?"
"Do you plead guilty?" Tong asked.
"Sure why not?" Sokka said. "Let's get this over with so I can catch up with the Avatar and protect my sister."
"Wait, the Avatar took your sister captive?" Tong asked.
"Yea..." Sokka said. "And I really need to rescue her."
"Very well then," Tong said. "As punishment for your crime, I sentence you to exile. Never return to Chin Village ever again."
"I'll be leaving now," Sokka said.
After retrieving his boomerang and machete from the village Sokka left. At a port he overheard some sailors talking going north, and stowed away on their ship. However the ship went east instead, stopping at port near Gaoling a week after Sokka got on the ship. The crew discovered Sokka stowing away on the ship and kicked him out there. They didn't notice that Sokka had stolen a handful of coins on the ship.
Sokka walked to Gaoling and browsed the market place. The money he stole from the ship wasn't much and he couldn't buy the fancy green bag that caught his attention. He needed a way to earn more money to buy stuff with, and overheard two teens talking about betting on an earthbending tournament.
"Excuse me," Sokka said. "Where is this tournament to bet on?"
"On the island of none'ya," one teen said. "None'ya business."
"Classic," Sokka said with a weak laugh. Then he took out his machete and clubbed the other teen. "Could you repeat that?"
"Take is easy man, that was just a joke," the teen said. "Earth Rumble V is under the mountain north of Gaoling. You can't miss it."
"Thank you," Sokka said.
Sokka walked to Earth Rumble V and bet his last silver piece on The Hippo, who was the main attraction tonight. The odds were in The Hippo's favor so the payout would be low, but enough for Sokka to get by. After the first few fights Sokka's bet had accumulated enough earnings to last a few days, so he cashed it in just before the championship round. The Hippo vs. The Blind Bandit.
With his earnings in his pockets Sokka watched the final round. He was glad that he cashed in early, since The Blind Bandit defeated The Hippo in under a minute. When The Hippo took a step to earthbend The Blind Bandit had moved the earth he stood on, splitting his legs apart. Then she made columns of rock to shove The Hippo out of the ring and win.
With the match over, the announcer Xin Fu jumped into the ring. "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. When no one took the offer he said "No one dares to face her?"
Suddenly the rock beneath Sokka's seat moved forward, throwing him into the ring. The crowd laughed as Sokka screamed and landed on his face. Sokka turned around and saw the teens from earlier right behind where he was sitting, smug looks on their faces.
"I guess I dare?" Sokka said. This won't end well he thought.
"Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here?" The Blind Bandit asked.
Xin Fu left the ring, signaling the match to begin. Toph earthbended a boulder out of the ground and threw it at Sokka. "Eep!" he yelled and dodged. The ground moved up under Sokka's foot, throwing him up and tumbling in the air. When he hit the ground a column of earth formed under him, sending him towards the edge of the ring. At the last moment Sokka took out his boomerang and used it to catch the edge of the ring and pull himself back inside. More boulders were thrown at Sokka, and he ran around the ring screaming as he dodged them.
"What kind of fighting style is that?" The Blind Bandit asked. "Is your fighting name the Fleeing Ponytail?"
"Pretty much," Sokka said. Then as a distraction he threw his boomerang, but since he was too busy running he missed. Suddenly his legs sank into the rock, sending his face straight into the floor.
"Good bye," The Blind Bandit said, about to earthbend Sokka out of the ring. She was interrupted when Sokka's boomerang came back around and the blunt end hit the back of her head. She didn't see it coming and the impact knocked her out.
The audience was shocked at this development. Sokka slowly got his legs out of the rock, took the prize money, and left. He was worried that people would get upset that he had apparently won without earthbending at all. His worries were confirmed when he was outside the arena and suddenly encased in a cone of rock leaving only his head exposed.
"That hurt a lot," The Blind Bandit said. She had recovered just after Sokka left the ring, and now had a really bad headache. It was easy for her to find Sokka thanks to her special way of seeing.
"Sorry about that," Sokka said. "I was just reacting."
"I'll let this pass if you hand over that prize money," The Blind Bandit said.
"I kind of need it," Sokka said.
"For what? A fancy new bag, an antique pipe and hat, a new sword? Hand it over, now" she said.
"I need it to find my sister," Sokka said. "She's off wandering the world and I need this money to buy supplies to catch up with her."
He's telling the truth she thought. "Okay, half of the prize money and I'll let you go," she said.
"How about a quarter?" Sokka asked.
"One third," The Blind Bandit said.
"Throw in a safe place to stay for the night and I'll hand over a third of the money," Sokka haggled.
"Deal," she said. Then she removed the rock around Sokka and took a third of the prize money. Then she led Sokka to her home, and earthbended a tunnel leading to a hidden cave beneath it. "My parents wouldn't like me bringing home strangers so you'll have to stay down here."
"Better than sleeping in a canoe for a week," Sokka said. "What's your real name anyway?"
"Toph Bei Fong," she answered. "And don't you forget it Ponytail Guy."
"That's Mr. Ponytail Guy, or Sokka for short," he said.
The next morning Sokka left the cave and headed for the marketplace. He bought that green bag he saw the day before and then filled it with supplies for his trip. When he couldn't carry anymore he left Gaoling and started walking north. As he was walking out of sight from Gaoling a giant wall formed in front of him.
"Oh come on!" Sokka yelled. Then he heard the earth move behind him, and turned to find Xin Fu standing there.
"I believe you owe me some money," Xin Fu said. Then the other earthbenders from the tournament came out of the ground, ready to beat up Sokka.
"Eep!" Sokka said and ran. He had to dodge rocks thrown at him and avoid patches of earth being bended in front of him, narrowly missing the rocks and barely keeping his footing. Sokka ran straight for the only safe place he could think of, which was Toph. He was about to reach the Bei Fong Estate when he sank into the ground.
"Now where is that money?" Xin Fu asked.
Suddenly the ground holding Sokka exploded, launching him into the air and landing inside the grounds of the estate. Sokka landed on his face in front of Toph. "What did you do?" Toph asked.
"That guy from the arena wants the money back," Sokka explained.
Before they could say anymore the wall nearby was torn down with earthbending. The noise was heard by the guards, who brought Toph's parents outside. Xin Fu earthbended some boulders out of the ground and threw them at the guards to disable them, then earthbended a wall in front of Toph's parents.
"You really think you can take money from him when I'm around?" Toph yelled. "I've beaten you all before and I can do it again."
Toph shattered the ground beneath Xin Fu and the other earthbenders with him, breaking their footing. One by one Toph sunk the earthbenders into the ground, immobilizing them to prevent them from earthbending themselves out. When only Xin Fu remained Toph shattered the wall in front of her parents and sent the debris at him, the impacts knocking him out.
Toph's parents were shocked at what Toph could do. They demanded that Sokka leave, and he did to keep Toph from being in any more trouble with her parents. They also made it clear that Toph would be kept at home and watched constantly to keep her safe.
Sokka left Gaoling as fast as he could, not wanting Toph's parents to change their minds and have him arrested. When night came he set up camp near a forest just far enough away for Gaoling to be a small light on the horizon. He was about to fall asleep when the ground beneath him moved up, throwing Sokka into the air. Then he landed on his face, and got up to find Toph standing nearby.
"What did I do this time?" Sokka asked.
"You're my ticket out of this place," Toph said.
"If you're running away you don't really need me for that," Sokka said.
"Yea well at least you have a general direction in mind," Toph said. "And there's the fact that you can read a map."
"Point taken," Sokka said. "Better get some sleep. We'll have to leave early in the morning before your parents find out your gone."
"Good idea," Toph said.