Kimjuni2, Wavebreeze, Kelev, and Legend of Zelda 4 Life were my reviewers. This time, we're really moving onto the Avatar's team. For me, Toph Bei Fong is an interesting character, as most people think of her as this tough little runt who can't keep her mouth shut. But me, I view it differently, as I see Toph as a person who is extremely inarticulate when it comes to expressing her emotions. She puts on a tough exterior to fool people, but those who truly bonded with her (which isn't much, given the way her parents mistreat her) will understand and see this softer side. Let's see what you think about the way I show her insides to you.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
Aang's POV
It was an unusual sight, as this wealthy couple from the Earth Kingdom accepted us into their mansion for dinner. Based on the lavish food and intricate furniture, I could tell that this family was one of high-standing in the Earth Kingdom hierarchy, which only made me feel that much more nervous. After all, other than going to the Northern Water Tribe's ice fortress, I had never truly experienced anything high class. The monks always told me I must let go of personal wants in order to be free, and that meant anything that related to class and status. So perhaps it was natural that I felt awkward here?
But nonetheless, I had a mission to accomplish in the Earth Kingdom, as I must begin my earth bending training. I was still intent to end the war by summer's end, and I tried to sound confident about it when the man of the house, Lao Bei Fong, asked me that question. Even though he had the manners of any member of nobility, I felt his words almost like a series of projectiles being hurled at me. Like using my air bending moves to deflect weapons, I brought him into a topic of urgency for me. "I can't do that without finding an earth bending teacher first," I replied, staring at the person across from me.
That person was the young daughter of this family, a girl named Toph. At first, I was concerned at how frail she seemed, and it didn't help that she was also blind, as evident by her cloudy and lifeless eyes. But it was at Earth Rumble, an underground earth bending tournament that I saw her at work. I was amazed at how well she could earth bend despite her disability. So, when our host recommended Master Yu, a rather snobby man seated at the far end of the table, given how he coached Toph, I immediately turned the issue to the blind girl. "Then she must be a great earth bender," I responded, leaning casually against my chair, "probably better than…"
I never got a chance to finish that sentence, as some hard material smacked me right across the shin. Completely blindsided, I could only yelp in shock, glaring at the blind girl across from me as she calmly enjoyed her meal. Undaunted, I kept pushing the issue with the father, who claimed Toph's blindness would prevent her from becoming a true master. "I'm sure she's better than you think she is…" I began.
That sentence was abruptly cut when an unseen force threw my body forward, forcing me to land face-first in my soup. My patience was clearly being tested here, not only by the either clueless or uncooperative parent, but also Toph herself, as I knew she was the one manipulating the ground beneath me to cause this. I figured this must have stemmed from when I first met her at the tournament, where I inadvertently defeated her in an exhibition match by blowing her off the ring with air. In hindsight, that wasn't the way I envisioned approaching her, as it gave her a negative impression of me.
But if retaliation was her game, then I was more than willing to play along. Taking a huge breath, I unleashed an exaggerated sneeze, blowing my food all across the table and straight into Toph's face. As her family stared in shock, Toph and I instantly jumped out of our seats, ready to square off. Had it not been for Toph's mother insisting that we moved on with dessert, we probably would have fought it out right there.
Toph and I didn't speak for the rest of the night as Lao Bei Fong told me a little more about his family's situation. He was keen on maintaining his status as a noble, and that meant having at least one heir. While he valued Toph and would ultimately train her to take over his estate, he was convinced that Toph's condition made it so that she could not take care of herself. He went to great lengths to provide protection for her, which, in my view, constituted as nothing more than making Toph a prisoner inside her own home. "It's getting late now, so why don't we show you to your rooms?" he suggested.
We were brought to the living quarters, which was larger than any of the places I stayed in so far on my journey. But before we could even unpack, we had an unexpected visitor. "Let's call a truce, okay?" Toph stated, asking me to take a walk with her.
The springtime air was cool and brisk, chilling my skin as we strolled through the large estate's garden under the quiet moonlight. Despite being so stuffy and formal at the dinner table, Toph actually seemed more carefree and relaxed, almost like she adopted the mindset of an air bender. "Even though I was born blind, I never had a problem with seeing," Toph described, leaping off a ledge and landing on the ground with ease, "I see with earth bending, which is kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the earth, and I can see where everything is."
I was in awe as Toph listed off various items in the garden, telling me their exact locations and shape. Never in my life had I experienced something that incredible before, and it made me more determined to request her to teach me earth bending. "My parents don't understand," Toph continued, a tinge of resentment in her voice, "they've always treated me like I was hopeless." She went on to say that it was one reason she took on the alter-ego the Blind Bandit in order to truly earth bend and be free.
Even though she was bitter about it, Toph told me she wasn't willing to abandon her parents yet. "You guys get to go wherever you want, and had no one telling you what to do," she told me, her voice a mix of envy and disappointment, "that's the good life, but that's just not my life." Pursing my lips, I mulled over her words. Perhaps by convincing her parents to let her join us, it was a way to allow Toph to truly see the world?
But we barely got another word off, as Toph got onto her knees and pressed her hand to the ground. "We're being ambushed," she announced, before immediately grabbing my hand and rushing us to safety. But before we knew it, two metal cages were dropped from the fence, looping over us and making us prisoners.
By the time I could see again, I realized Toph and I were hung from our cells, tens of metres above the same earth bending arena that I met Toph in earlier. I could barely see below me, but I realized that it was the same group of benders who Toph defeated earlier seeking retribution of their own. Amidst Toph's threats that she would personally knock each one of them out, I was busy thinking up a plan. "Even though I'm in a metal cell, I'm still in the air, so that means I have a temporary advantage…" I muttered.
While I stewed in my thoughts, I could see from the corner of my eye that Sokka and Katara, along with Toph's teacher and Lao Bei Fong, arrived. I saw a bag of money being sent towards Xin Fu, the promoter of Earth Rumble. But my relief lasted perhaps seconds as the only cage that could be heard moving was Toph's. "I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar," I heard Xin Fu exclaim, refusing to hand me over. Sighing, I realized I was in for the high jump now.
As several earth benders took my cage, ready to haul me off, I heard a huge rumble shoot through their formation. "Let him go," I heard Toph shout from the other side, "I beat you all before and I'll beat you again!"
My heart nearly skipped a beat as I saw the sight before me: here was a petite girl dressed only in her nightgown taking a stance against a slew of earth benders twice her height and weight. But at the same time, I kind of knew the result: I saw Toph in battle before, and she had the very skill that my old friend Bumi, king of the semi-autonomous region of Omashu told me. A good earth bender must do nothing for the moment, but wait until the right moment to strike. That was why, even when the Fire Nation took over his city, Bumi refused to retaliate, opting to wait for the right time.
For Toph, the right time was now, as with one stomp of her foot, a huge wave of rocks blasted through the benders and sent them all flying. Bender after bender engaged Toph, only to have them be sent back. By the time Katara and Sokka opened up my cage, I could see that only Xin Fu was left standing. As the two circled each other in the centre ring, I could only wonder what move Toph would envision next.
Within seconds, Xin Fu launched a series of boulders at Toph, coming in every direction and in speeds that could overwhelm even an air bender. Through the dust, I could see Toph whip up an earthen tent, blocking all shots and letting them fly past. Toph then sent one shard of the tent at Xin Fu, causing him to leap away before landing with an arm in the sand. Knowing how Toph saw with her feet, I knew Xin Fu had lost the fight.
Toph tilted her head just in time to let Xin Fu's shot go by, missing her face by fractions of an inch. Then, the killer hit came as Toph slammed a fist into the ground, sending Xin Fu flying into the stands. I could only wonder why no one had ever thought about this young girl being an earth bender, as they only saw her outer appearance and immediately branded her as frail and weak. Why couldn't people be more understanding of what really made a person? Couldn't they tear the blindfolds off their eyes? Perhaps it was the case that only a blind person, like Toph, could really see the truth.
But even with the truth out, there would be no change from Lao Bei Fong, who believed that this indicated he gave Toph too much freedom, and further put her well-being in jeopardy. Insisting that Toph must now be guarded twenty-four hours a day, he also sought to throw us out of his house, claiming we were no longer welcome here. "I'm sorry, Toph," I apologized as we were escorted out, realizing that my appearance to this group merely made me more hated, as Toph's life was now forever ruined.
As we mounted on Appa, I thought about the possibilities. What if Toph's parents weren't that restrictive? What if they weren't always trying to show righteous indignation to people around their daughter? What if they actually tried to see the world deeper rather than made superficial assumptions? As Katara tried to comfort me, telling me that there were plenty of talented earth benders around, I disagreed. "There wasn't any teacher like her," I stated, looking at the night scene.
Suddenly, a figure rushed up to us, telling us to wait. We all looked over in shock as Toph bounded up to Appa, claiming her father had changed his mind. We all glanced at each other uneasily, knowing full well that it wasn't the case. Lao Bei Fong was dead set on grounding his daughter, and it was probably the case that Toph ran away from home just to join us. "Let's get moving before your father changes his mind again," Sokka suggested, offering a hand to lift her into the bison.
I could only beam with pride, realizing that my goal had now been accomplished. I couldn't be happier to have a new earth bending teacher and a new friend. But more importantly, I truly believed this would be a good chance to change the way Toph now interacted with the world. Hopefully, with an open mindset and willingness to try new things, Toph could truly be free and helped us reunite the world once the war ended.
Toph's POV
"What are you doing in our land with a sand bender's sailer?" the leader of this group of sand benders demanded. My journey with Aang's group didn't start off exactly the way I wanted, as within days after I left home, we were pursued by a group of fire benders on a sophisticated machine. That led to a huge disagreement between Katara, the water bending girl, and me, on whether I was pulling my weight in the camp. Later on, Aang had to turn on me when I told him to deal with Appa, his Sky Bison, as his fur was shed to leave behind an obvious trail. Obviously, Twinkle Toes had a bit of a soft spot for his bison, to the point where any criticism was deemed insulting.
With no one left to take my side, I made the only choice possible, and left that group of snobby know-it-alls. Luckily, I met a rather easygoing old man named Iroh who convinced me to take another approach towards life, and accepted those around me more, rather than forcing them to conform to me and not letting them assist me. What turned out to be an unusual talk between strangers became for the better as I learned to accept other people's traits, to the point where I started building tolerance for them. It was with that idea that I accepted my role as Aang's new earth bending teacher.
"We found the sailer abandoned in the desert," Katara explained, fatigue laced throughout her tone, "We're traveling with the Avatar." Despite my discomfort, I nearly smirked after hearing that statement, as my first impression of the Avatar was that he was nothing more than a cry-baby and a wimp. When I first coached him the basics of earth bending, I had to admit that he learned quite fast, even when his knowledge of the Earth Kingdom was minimal. After a day of basics, I was ready to move onto harder material, such as learning to manipulate rocks and soil. So, when I offered my next challenge, it was to test if he was already into an earth bender's mindset; I told him to stop a boulder.
Then, in what I considered the biggest disappointment so far, Aang refused to face the boulder rolling down the hill at him. In fact, the jelly-boned wimp didn't even touch the boulder at all, jumping out of the way instead. If he couldn't even face a boulder, how could he save the world from the Fire Lord? He was still running away from his problem for a while, but finally had to do things the earth bending way when Sokka, Katara's goofy brother, was attacked by a large animal. To save Sokka, Aang finally had to face the animal head-on, which truly allowed him to grasp the attitude towards earth bending. Personally, I still felt he had a ways to go, but some progress was better than none. At least his spine wasn't softer than a wet noodle!
Suddenly, my brain was snapped back to realty, as one sand bender accused Katara of slandering them. "You dare accuse our people of theft when you ride in on a stolen sand sailer?" he demanded, rebuking Katara's claim that Appa had been stolen. This incident happened just yesterday, as the group found an underground library that allowed them to gain valuable information on the war. The sand shifting beneath my feet made my vision blurry, offering no clear vibrations. With my head and body already woozy, it was best that I stayed outside. While they were inside, a bunch of sand benders came and stole Appa from us, and we had been stranded ever since.
After surviving thirst, fatigue, and downtrodden spirits, we finally reached Si Wong Rock, which was a strange rocky formation in the middle of a desert. With a nearly fatal attack by buzzard wasps, the last thing we wanted was another fight. That was why I breathed a sigh of relief when the leader interjected. "They didn't accuse our people of anything. If what they say is true, then we must give them hospitality." At least someone was making sense here, so why couldn't these rock-heads just cooperate? Given that I was the last person who could save Appa, I felt somewhat guilty about what happened. So, if the sand benders were to help us, then why not lead us to where Appa was taken?
Then, I heard a familiar voice. It was the younger bender who confronted Katara's claim earlier, and his tone was identical to the one who grabbed Appa. While I had my hands full when the library suddenly sank, I could at least hear the voices behind me when they took Appa. "He's the one who stole Appa," I calmly told my group, "I never forget this." To me, this was the first time I felt anything this eerie. Whatever that would happen next, I shuddered to think of the results.
That was when Aang turned from his usual mild-mannered, jelly-boned self into an all-out raging beast. "You stole Appa!" He accused, pointing his staff at the sand benders. He whipped up a blast of wind, crunching a sailer to pieces, with the rumbling from that hit so great that it nearly knocked me off balance. "You tell me where he is, right now!" Aang roared, destroying another sailer. Things were looking bleak right now, and at this rate, Aang might tear up the whole desert. Maybe he should join the Earth Rumble tournaments after the war, and win a championship for himself.
Immediately, the young sand bender tried to deny it, but lying was one thing he shouldn't have done. I might be blind, but my hearing was just fine. "You said to put a muzzle on him," I pointed out, clearly unimpressed by his attitude. To me, this was also retribution on my part, as I wanted those who did this to face justice. I didn't have the chance to defend myself when I was holding up the library, so now I had to even the score. Give us the bison and maybe you could keep your teeth, I thought.
The sand bender was stammering now, claiming that now he sold Appa off to a merchant in Ba Sing Se. He even offered to get us out of the desert, which would be a great reprieve considering how we were near death out here. But nothing prepared me for what transpired, as Aang's fury reached a boiling point. Hot desert air now whipped violently as sand and dust blew everywhere, creating nothing but a huge haze. I had no idea what Aang was doing, but whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
My snide thoughts on what punishment we should dish out to the sand benders should they not cooperate were placed in the deepest parts of my mind as I realized this situation took a turn for the worse. Sokka told me it was Avatar State, as he and Katara witnessed Aang using it several times. But never in my life had I felt such incredible raw power. At this rate, I was sure we were all going to die. "Just get out of here," Sokka yelled, grabbing me by the arm as my body was being sandblasted, "everyone, run!"
We ducked for cover as the terrifying sequence went on, with only Katara still beside Aang. I was too confused by the sand blasts beneath my feet but also too scared to find out what was happening. With the sand twirling around us more violently than ever, I held onto Sokka as my head spun crazily. "Katara's got him," Sokka replied, "and she's holding him tight." His voice was much more muted, which showed me how serious this was. I guessed even Sokka couldn't make a joke out of this one.
Whatever Katara did, it worked as Aang was no longer in the Avatar State. With my courage finally returning in place, I finally re-approached Aang, who was in tears. His face was on Katara's shoulder and his sobs echoed off the rocks behind as he came to terms with what happened. Seeing the scene, I couldn't help but whole-heartedly feel for Aang. I was the one who let this happen, and I was the one who had to be taught how to accept and integrate with people. So for this case, it was only right that I took Aang's side and helped him with whatever he wanted help with.
Not another word was spoken as the sand benders gathered us onto their sailers, setting a course out of the desert. As I listened to the swishing of the sands beneath me, I truly realized what it meant to relate to people, and what being in their position was truly like. I couldn't say I bonded well to my parents, as they merely kept me hidden from the world throughout my childhood. I was merely another ornament inside their home, waiting to be seen but not heard. Because of this, I never knew what it was like to be around others, to bask with them in their glory and sympathized with them in their pain. Even when I ran out of my home to be with them, I was merely reflecting my parents' way of dealing with people on them, and that didn't make me any friends.
But being in this incident taught me that people did have a need to feel, and it was not necessary to bottle up emotions with a tough exterior all the time. If an Avatar, the most powerful being in the world, could wear his emotions on his sleeves, then so should anybody else. If the Avatar had to experience hardship to become more complete, then the least I could do was accept the differences in our world to enrich my own life. To be cooped up in a mansion somewhere in the Earth Kingdom wasn't enough, as it wasn't any different than being in jail. My original intent to leave was because I wanted to integrate into the world my own way, so I might as well start doing that right now.
Toph's POV
"I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass," Sokka announced nervously as he pointed at the huge sea beast rearing its head from the water before us. We managed to get out of the desert, and plotted our next course to Ba Sing Se. On our way there, we ran into a family of refugees, a husband and his pregnant wife who joined us because they somehow lost their passports. Without it, they couldn't get onto the ferry, meaning we had to guide them to the city via the Serpent's Pass.
Indeed, it was a dangerous area, as a tiny ledge with uneven footing and many loose rocks challenged our every step. What's more, the Fire Nation patrolled the waters alongside the path frequently, and we were almost caught by them. I ended up saving Sokka once when the navy blasted a shot, causing an avalanche to tumble down on him. But instead of realizing that I created a rock shield around him, he had to get all gooey on his girlfriend Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors who recently joined us on our journey. While I liked Suki in general, I wasn't happy that Sokka chose to pretty much ignore me. But hey, I couldn't blame Captain Clueless here, could I?
But bigger issues were at hand, namely the Serpent hissing menacingly at us. While Aang said he would fight the monster on his glider, Katara froze the water before us to get us across quicker. I was actually quite surprised at Aang's change in attitude, as ever since he lost Appa at the desert, he became downtrodden and closed himself to the world. Even when Katara tried reaching out to him, he wouldn't really react. Now, just based on the sounds in the water, Aang was fighting the Serpent with reckless energy, almost like he was taking out his anger of losing Appa on the beast. Was this even the same Aang I tried so hard to train earth bending to? I knew that earth bending required tackling obstacles head-on, but even I had to admit this was quite unhealthy for him.
I could no longer sense anything, meaning it was pretty evident that I was on a small rock in the middle of nowhere. Even though Katara gave us a way out with the ice bridge, I didn't appreciate the fact that it truly rendered me blind. So, even when Sokka called me, insisting that I must come over, I was extremely reluctant. "I'm going to stay on my little island where I can see," I responded, the cold ice piercing at my bare feet. There was no way I would risk damage to the very body parts that allowed me to see.
But my mind was soon made up for me with a very resounding thud, as the tail of the Serpent slashed at my rock, threatening to flatten me. "I'm coming!" I eked out, my whole body shaking. I didn't know what was making me more uncomfortable: my fear of the monster or the ice underneath me. Fighting against the numbing pain beneath me, I could only scoot along, with only Sokka's voice being my guide. "It's a little hard to ignore," I commented. But hey, I saved his life once already, so he owed me one, right?
Whatever thoughts regarding Sokka or anything else soon evaporated from my mind as a loud crash threw me into the air. The ice bridge underneath me shattered into pieces as I landed with a hard splash. "Help, I can't swim!" I screamed, my arms swung and thrashed wildly in the water. What better way to become Serpent bait than to have the blind girl thrown into ice-cold water while that monster circled me?
Just as I seemed resigned to my fate, with my body sinking into the water while my mind slipped out of consciousness, I felt a hard yank underneath both my arms, which sent my head above water and straight into daylight. So Sokka did care, I thought. Even with his girlfriend around, he still saw to it that I got pulled out of the water. For a while, my rocky exterior was washed away by the lake as I leaned over to the one holding me. "Oh Sokka, you saved me!" I declared, giving him a big kiss.
But when the voice identified itself, I found out it was Suki who dove in and pulled me out. "You can go ahead and let me drown now," I responded, my cheeks tense and hot. The Blind Bandit kissing a girl, how embarrassing could this get?
For the rest of the journey, I didn't say a word. Even when everyone cheered as Aang and Katara returned after momentarily fending off the beast, I didn't have much to say. I truly had to think about what went on, especially with Suki jumping in like that. It was obvious that she and Sokka cared for each other a lot, and that I was the one Sokka never noticed. But for her to wholeheartedly jump in to save my life, that had to mean something, right? I knew I was still bonding with people, but did that include Suki, someone who I just met and pretty much monopolized the attention of the guy I fancied?
But that thought was sliced away as well, because Ying, the pregnant wife, had to go into labour. With Sokka making a fuss, Katara decided to take action. Ordering Aang and Sokka to get rags and water, respectively, she had me create a huge earth tent where she and Suki could enter the now enclosed group. I had to admit that I was curious to experience this, as I had never been told what a birth delivery was like, and I had no details of my own birth. With such an intriguing event, why not get a feel for it?
Crouching outside, I pressed my palm against the ground, feeling the vibrations just as Sokka marched up with the water. "One, two, three, push!" Katara yelled as Ying cried out. And for whatever reason, Sokka showed off his wimp side by fainting right in front of me, disturbing the vibrations in the ground and nearly cutting off my perfect view. What's there to be afraid of? It's just a baby!
Before long, Aang and I had to use the water on Sokka, wiping his forehead with a wet rag as cries of the baby echoed from inside. As Sokka finally came to, I had to take a dig at him. "So, want to see the baby or are you going to faint like an old lady again?" I teased. Maybe that's what drew me to Sokka: he was strong but also weak. He wanted to lead, but wasn't afraid to show his flaws openly. It was just my style, a straightforward, show-it-like-it-is personality that could do no wrong.
But as we stood before the bundle of joy in Ying's arms, it was Aang's comment that truly touched us all. "I've been going through a really hard time lately, but you've made me hopeful again." It was that speech that inspired Ying and her husband Than to name the baby Hope. To me, it truly touched my heart, as we all went through that very trying period in the desert. Perhaps, through all the disagreements, personality clashes, and being thrust into dangerous environments, hope was what we had to get all along.
We loitered around for a few more minutes, with Aang and Katara wandering off for a quiet talk. With this experience, I truly realized how we had become a family. We all tried to look out for each other, despite our differences and disagreements. Suki might be Sokka's interest, but that didn't mean she would leave me out to drown. Likewise, Aang might be upset about losing Appa, but it didn't mean he couldn't become hopeful again. With all these things in mind, I truly determined to make my mark. If an event like this birth could re-inspire Aang, then I was sure I could take something from this as well.
Aang returned to us and requested his glider, claiming that he wanted to scout out Ba Sing Se to look for Appa while we took care of Than, Ying, and their baby Hope. Suki had to return to the ferry terminal to further assist refugees, meaning she would not join us in the city. But for me, this was a brand new page in my life. Even though I didn't enjoy my first experience in Ba Sing Se, the stakes here were much greater than my last visit. With the world's safety on the line, could we reach the Earth King in time?
Katara's POV
"The Fancy Lady Day Spa? Sounds like my kid of place," Toph responded, boredom and indifference caking her every word. Our journey into Ba Sing Se wasn't one without danger, as we were met right at the walls by a large drill manufactured by the Fire Nation. It took the full group's effort, plus some unexpected help from the Earth Kingdom generals, to stop the machine, but we were able to hold them off for now.
Because of this, we were allowed into the Earth Kingdom capital, and even received an apartment in the Upper Ring of the city, close to the palace. We still had very little luck accessing the Earth King, even when Toph and I decided to sneak into a party held by the ruler a little while back. So now, with the Dai Li watching our every step, we had to go through the long bureaucratic process of waiting for an admission to be granted. So, until then, we thought it was best for us to enjoy our time in this big city. Suggesting a girl's day out, Toph and I decided to take a look at the sights.
But a spa hardly seemed to be something Toph preferred, as she was rather comfortable with her "healthy layer of earth" around her body. Even when I convinced her that she would get the pampering of a lifetime, she was reluctant to accept. "As long as they don't touch my feet," she replied, hesitance replacing her earlier nonchalance.
I merely shrugged, leading Toph into the spa with me. Personally, I had to admit that Toph was one of the hardest people I had to work with. She was fiercely independent and almost didn't want to integrate within our group. While I understood her sense of longing for freedom, it wasn't right that she refused to cooperate with us during our first battle together against the Fire Nation. While things got better after a while, especially in the desert, I still felt some distance between me and her. So hopefully, with this visit to the spa, I could get a better sense of her character and tried bonding more with her.
Toph said nothing as I spoke with the administrative staff, requesting a massage for two and paying for the service. As we changed out of our street clothes into robes, we were escorted into a larger room filled with people also getting massages. I saw several people on stretched beds getting their backs rubbed or their legs pulled. Others were on chairs, getting treatments for their hands and feet. For us, we weren't doing anything too fancy, so just a seated massage would do for us.
I was placed into a nearby chair while Toph was led to one adjacent to mine. Within minutes, an attendant arrived and started work on me, going from my feet first. As the brush rubbed against my soles, I felt my entire body becoming less tense. It had not been a fun few months for my group, as we basically had to wander through the vast Earth Kingdom with the constant fear of the Fire Nation troops scouring the area for us. And with Toph's parents probably realizing by now that she was with us, it was likely that they would send their own guards after us as well. And speaking of Toph, I had to tilt my head over to see how the earth bender was doing. "Toph, are you enjoying it so far?" I asked, glancing over to my left.
Toph's facial expression said it all as her grimace indicated a world of pain for her. There were two attendants holding her down by the shoulders while a third scrubbed furiously at her feet, which was totally against Toph's earlier request. Add in the extra harsh rubbing to her organ of sight, and I could totally understand why Toph felt this treatment was close to torture. "Uh, I don't think you should…" I tried telling the staff.
But my words were too late, as Toph took action before I did. Unleashing a fierce stomp, Toph sent a slab of rock up from the ground and threw her attendant out of the room. I could only crane my neck to see how far she flew and how hard she landed. Biting my lower lip, I hoped the staff wouldn't take this chance to throw us out. "Um, perhaps we should move on to something else?" I suggested timidly, realizing that every set of eyes in the room were keyed in on the two of us.
As the staff cleaned everything up, we were led to a mud bath, which Toph found much more appealing than the last room. "At least someone here speaks my language," she commented as we removed our robes and climbed into the large tubs. Another group of attendants came and smothered our bodies with the brown gooey paste, all the while placing two pieces of lime onto our eyes. I merely placed my head back and allowed the heat to soak my body. Next to me, Toph was pretty quiet, which I guessed was because she was back in her element. At least now she truly felt she was on vacation.
The fun didn't stop there as Toph created a crazy-looking face, making the mud wiggle around her cheeks and bulging the two pieces of fruit from the eyes. It shocked a few of the attendants, causing them to scramble out, screaming in fear. We both had a good laugh at it, which made me realize that we had more in common than what we first envisioned. In the beginning, it seemed like the only thing we had in common was the fact that we were both passionate about our bending, and the only respect we hurled at each other came in the form of our mastery over our elements. But now, to see things in a different light, I realized maybe there was a soft heart inside Toph's rock-hard exterior.
After a quick steam bath where we both used our bending, with Toph throwing rocks into the fire while I splashed water onto it, we went for a make-up application session in which our cheeks were rouged and our eyebrows and eyelashes were brushed. I felt totally rejuvenated as we returned to the outside, thoroughly enjoying the experience.
And believe it or not, Toph did as well. "That wasn't so bad," she commented, "I'm usually not into that stuff, but I actually feel girly." That statement alone made me feel a lot better, as this was truly the first time we did something fun together. Hopefully, it would lead to better things for us both as we continued our mission to end the war.
But our joy soon turned sour as three preppy girls strutted across our path. Taking a condescending look at Toph, they immediately poked fun at her appearance. "Great make-up, for a clown," they taunted before bursting into giggles.
I turned around and glared at the threesome, not appreciative of their words at all. Toph never turned around, but I could guess how she felt about it. "Don't listen to them," I told her, placing an arm around her shoulder, "let's just keep walking."
But the belittling didn't end there, as another girl claimed Toph looked cute. "Like that time you put a sweater on your Poodle Monkey," she continued, further rubbing salt onto the wound. With their giggles being heard across the way, it was truly grating on my nerves. Had they know what Toph had to go through in her life, and what she and I were about to accomplish, maybe they would hold their tongues.
Yet, instead of moving along, Toph turned around and laughed along. "That is a good one," she stated, chuckling with those three, "you know what else is a good one?"
Before I could react, Toph stomped the ground, creating an opening on the area right below where the girls were standing. Given that they were in the middle of a bridge, they ended up falling right off, straight into the river below. I could only gape in awe as they landed with a huge splash, the water thrown so high that it reached the bridge.
I stuck my head through the hole, trying hard not to chortle as they stared up helplessly. Their dresses were soaked, their make-up was ruined, and their egos took the beating of a lifetime. "Now that was funny," I spat, glaring at the three who hurled insults at my friend. With a wave of the hand, I created a wave that washed them downstream. Maybe that wild ride could clear their brains a little, and let them realize why it was wrong to pick on someone due to their appearance.
Hurrying along, I caught up with Toph, and told her not to worry about what was said. "It's okay," Toph replied, "one of the good things about being blind is that I don't have to worry about appearances. I don't care what I look like, and I'm not looking for anyone's approval. I know who I am," she concluded, her voice struggling to get those words out. Even without seeing her face, I knew her emotions just got the best of her.
Even so, I realized that was the bravest thing Toph had ever done. Before she could take on the world, she must come to terms with herself first. And for a girl that had been under her parents' influence and control for so long, it was courageous of her to say what she did to truly accept herself only a few months after leaving her home. "That's what I really admire about you, Toph," I stated, "you're so strong, confident, and self-assured. And I know it doesn't matter, but you're really pretty."
Toph's sniffling and sobbing ended abruptly after my statement. She lifted her head finally, and a small grin crept across her lips. "I'd return the compliment, but I have no idea what you look like." Toph replied, her voice filled with gratitude.
It was then that I realized what Toph truly was, and how she truly grew in these months. While she appeared tough and unbreakable, Toph really was a person who had a lot of growing up to do. There was a bit of the spoiled-brat syndrome in her, especially when one considered her history. Her rebellious nature against her parents' control ended up being a contradiction against her pampered life, meaning her two sides were at real conflict with one another. Perhaps, through this journey to save the world, it would bring us closer together, and in turn bring Toph closer to understanding herself.
My thoughts were smashed when a punch came at my shoulder, courtesy of Toph. "Thank you, Katara," she said, showing off her now-famous way of expressing her love and appreciation. As I rubbed my shoulder, I realized that even though I made my first dent into her character, I still had a long way to go before finally seeing her completely.
Toph's POV
I could imagine the wave of shock washing over Aang and Sokka as I opened the door revealing the face of Iroh, a wise old man that I knew quite well. We finally got into the Earth King's chamber after barging into the palace. We finally managed to find Appa after a long search, in which we found there was a huge conspiracy right here in Ba Sing Se, where the cultural police, the Dai Li, had control of everything, limiting the king to nothing more than a puppet. It was only in an underground bunker underneath the nearby Lake Laogai that we found the bison, and it came at the expense of a life. Jet, who Aang's group had met before I joined, ended up dying as a result of an earth bending attack by Long Feng, the head of the Dai Li. Now, with a Fire Nation invasion imminent, and the Dai Li covering everything up, Ba Sing Se was under a great threat.
But our problems didn't end there, as Aang supposedly went to master the Avatar State, while Sokka met up with his father at Chameleon Bay, where they would plan for the defence of the city. I was told that my mother was in the city, and wanted to meet with me. But I got the surprise of my life when I was tricked into a metal trap, courtesy of Xin Fu and Master Yu, who wanted to bring me back home. Had it not been for me discovering metal bending by feeling for the earthen particles inside the cage, those two knuckleheads would have succeeded in dragging me back.
But I had to say that it was Iroh who partially inspired me to take a more open approach towards both bending and life. While Aang and Sokka were shocked that I knew the uncle of their pursuer Zuko, I personally felt there was nothing wrong with it. "I met him in the woods once and knocked him down. Then he gave me tea and some very good advice," I explained, recalling Iroh's words. He told me not to be afraid to reach outside of what I was used to, and accepted more of what others had to offer. It made me realize that life was never stagnant, and there were more possibilities had I looked deeper.
Iroh's voice cut my thoughts away from that life lesson, as he announced that Azula, the Fire Nation princess, was in the city. Given that she had infiltrated the palace, it was evident that she took Katara prisoner. "She has captured my nephew as well," Iroh described. Even without saying it, I knew Iroh was requesting some help in saving Zuko. "I know how you must feel about my nephew," Iroh continued, amidst the refusal from Sokka to save his nemesis, "but believe me when I tell you there is good inside him."
"Good inside him isn't enough," Sokka ranted, cutting my mind away from how I could take on that arrogant bozo of a Fire Nation princess, "why don't you come back when it's outside him too?" I had to admit I nearly chortled at that. It was so Sokka-like for him to tell a joke, even when the situation was dead serious. Well, since Iroh told me it was good to open up my mind, I guessed that Sokka's humour kind of grew on me.
Iroh brought us outside, where he had a Dai Li agent bound and gagged. Usually, I had trouble with sensing Dai Li agents, as their stealth and ability to earth bend while away from the ground made it difficult for feeling their motion, but this time there was no denying the fear this agent had when Iroh approached him. It made me admire how great of a bender Iroh was to take down someone this powerful. Iroh said he believed bending techniques transcended boundaries, and that he incorporated other types of bending into his moves. Maybe after the war was over, I could ask Iroh to show me how earth bending connected to his style, and how I could put some fire bending into my style as well. But focusing on the task at hand, we cornered the man and demanded answers from him.
"Azula and Long Feng are planning a coup. They plan to overthrow the Earth King," the agent stuttered, his body trembling so nervously that I could feel the rock pillars I created to trap him in place shake, "the prisoners are kept in the Crystal Catacombs in old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace."
Fortunately for the group, I had my hand on the rock pillars the entire time, so I could sense the agent's body movements. I knew that people's bodies reacted differently when they were telling lies, and I learned to observe those in order to tell how much they were truly lying. Given how fearful the agent was of Iroh, it was obvious that he couldn't have lied at all. As we marched back to the palace, I kept feeling for large open areas under us with my feet. Surely a large chamber like that would be easy to recognize, right?
Indeed, my question was answered, as a huge empty feeling came to my feet. For a while, I felt like I was walking on air as a huge hollow space appeared underneath me. Bending out a tunnel for Aang and Iroh to take, I told them to try to reach Katara and Zuko that way, while Sokka and I stayed above ground to warn the Earth King of the impending danger. "The coup may be happening right now," Sokka insisted.
My heart was racing as we hustled up the steps of the palace. The front entrance was eerily silent, as not a guard could be found. The most terrifying thoughts came to my mind as I imagined Earth Generals being bound by the Dai Li, the guards trying to fight back fruitlessly against a superior opponent, and quite possibly Long Feng getting up to the king's face and having the king arrested. And I thought my parents were controlling, what about the Dai Li? At this rate, they might be scarier than the Fire Nation army!
When we finally barged into the throne room, which was a wide chamber held up by several pillars along the way, I could sense the Earth King in his usual spot. He was on his throne, relaxed and chatting with his pet bear Bosco, while two Kyoshi Warriors sat in front of him. But for some reason, these two made me a bit suspicious, as they didn't have the usual feel of a Kyoshi Warrior. While I had only met one Kyoshi Warrior, I could sense enough from Suki to recognize someone trained in the Kyoshi method. But these two, it felt like they were something else, as their sitting postures and poses told me they came from a totally different style. Biting my lip, I exercised even more caution.
But the truth was revealed when one Kyoshi Warrior somersaulted our way, trying to flirt with Sokka. When Sokka told her that he was involved with Suki, she was completely confused, which told me enough was enough. "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" I declared, shooting a slab of earth from the ground below.
That sent the flirty one flying into the air, but her accomplice quickly replaced her as this new warrior hurled a series of blades at me. Even though the projectiles were in the air, I felt the way she released it, and estimated the distance the blade must cover before it reached me. That gave me plenty of time to create another slab of rock to block the shots, and threw the stony piece back her way. Now, with Fire Nation spies right at the Earth King's feet, the real battle was about to begin!
I created two huge slabs of rock, sending them both at the knife thrower. But surprisingly, for someone not familiar with the Kyoshi style, she was very mobile. I tried my hardest to feel her movements, many of which became difficult for me to track when she kept jumping into the air. My biggest worry was if she launched knives at me while she was jumping, making it impossible to judge where the blades would come from. There was no way I would let these Fire Nation nutcases best me in the Earth Kingdom.
But a shout from the throne got Sokka and I to stop our actions, as a third person arrived. In an authoritative voice, she declared that she had the Earth King hostage, and that we must cease our fighting. Realizing the Earth Kingdom's future was at stake, I had to grudgingly surrender. It ticked me off to no end that a cheap tactic like this was used. What, didn't they have the guts to face Sokka and me? If Aang could bring Katara back here, then they would really be in trouble, having to deal with all four of us.
I felt a couple of quick jabs to various points on my body, making me completely tense up and paralyzed. I didn't know what skill that was, but it only placed me further in humiliation. It was as if they weren't satisfied with picking on the blind girl, now they had to paralyze my whole body. As we were dragged away from the throne room, along with the Earth King and his pet bear Bosco, I could only wonder what was in store for us. Normally, I would be thinking about how I could get even with these girls, but the current situation right now was just too serious. With the world at stake, we had to take a stand.
But for now, the situation wasn't right, as any time now, we were to be swarmed by the Dai Li, if not the Fire Nation military. The best situation right now was to wait it out, biding our time for the right moment to attack. Even as they threw us into our cell while the bear was taken somewhere else, I tried to remain calm, hoping everything would fall into place. As the cell slammed shut, I took a seat in the corner away from the door and gathered my thoughts. How did two amateurs infiltrate this far into the palace?
In the silence, I could feel Sokka marching to the front peephole to look out for guards. In past conversations when Sokka and I were alone, I told him how by staying quiet and feeling the ground, I could anticipate certain events, and used that to my advantage when fighting. As I closed my eyes, feeling the series of vibrations outside, the Earth King couldn't help but ask what I was doing. "This is a metal door, so how exactly can you get us out?" he questioned.
I smirked, finally getting a chance to show off my new technique. With Sokka now turning around, I told them of my invention. "I recently started to feel pieces of metal, and could sense the earthen particles inside them," I explained, not bothering to tell the story of how my parents sent those two morons after me. Things were bad enough as it was, and the last thing we wanted was something out of our control. "If there are no guards outside, I'll bend the earth inside the door and break us out." I finished with pride.
I didn't gauge the king's expression, but realized that it was the least of my concern right now. With Sokka's eyes on the outside while I continued tracking the Dai Li's movements, we had to wait for the right time to strike. An agonizing few minutes passed, but to me it seemed like years, before the footsteps began to wane. Standing up but still leaning against the wall, I asked Sokka, "Are there any Dai Li agents nearby?"
When Sokka reported negative, I instantly went to work. Stretching my arms a couple of times, I pressed my hands against the door and concentrated hard. The earthen bits were like little blobs scattered throughout the sheet, making it a hassle just to push my energy onto them. With my face twisted, I slowly clenched my hands, making the metal bend to my will. "Come on, bend," I murmured, "I can't take it anymore."
Beads of sweat came down my face, all the while Sokka looked on. Even though my attention was on the door, I could feel the Earth King lift his head behind me. With one last push, I exerted everything I had into the door, crumpling it up and sending it flying the other way. As light shone into the cell, I led the way, hustling out while Sokka had the Earth King, who pleaded with us that we brought back his bear. Given that Bosco was his only friend, I realized we ought to grant him his wish.
After blasting through room after room, we finally re-entered the throne room, where the two fake Kyoshi Warriors were with the bear. One was doing a hand-stand while trying to get Bosco to follow along, but that put her in perfect position for an ambush. "That's a nice trick," I commented, bending out two rock slabs that encased her hands. As she toppled over, I encased her feet as well, leaving us alone with the other.
But the knife thrower had no intention to fight, insisting that we ought to just take the bear and left her alone. With no resistance, there was no need for battle. As the king gave Bosco a hug, Sokka and I raced out, trying to reach Appa before the Dai Li got to him again. I lost him once in the desert, and I didn't wish to repeat that incident. "We've got to get out of here before they get us," I told the king as he pulled Bosco along.
Luckily, there weren't too many Dai Li around, but given the feel of the earth below, I knew where they were couldn't do us any good. "They're in the catacombs, where Aang and Katara are supposed to be," I reported, sensing some battling in the underground cavern. As we boarded Appa, we could only hope they were alright.
When two figures appeared from the same hole I created that led them down, it was a gruesome sight. It almost felt like Katara was dragging a corpse onto the back of the bison. Her footsteps felt forced, and I couldn't sense any life in Aang at all. "We have to get out of here, now," Katara stated, half anxious but also quite exhausted. I didn't know what happened down there, but judging from their conditions, it couldn't be good. What, did those gutless Dai Li agents, powerful enough to beat the Fire Nation, betray the Earth Kingdom all because Miss I'm-So-Important made some stupid remarks?
We boarded Appa and lifted off, with Sokka on the reins while I held on tight. My fear of flying was completely wiped out by a bigger fear: the fear of the Fire Nation about to overrun my homeland. I might have been an overprotected girl stuffed inside her own home all my life, but it didn't mean I didn't care about my country. The Earth King, even with all his childishness, went through a much more painful experience than I did. At least I got the chance to run away, and joined a group that truly appreciated me for what I did, but what did the Earth King have? It was Long Feng, his supposed guardian, who kept him blinded to the world. And when things didn't turn out right, he merely turned on him by siding with the Fire Nation. What sort of guardian would behave like that?
I heard a couple of groans, leading me to lean my head forward. With my limited feel for things in the air, it was Sokka who told me Katara had used some spirit water on Aang, revitalizing him for the moment. "He's still very weak, so he needs rest, if he ever wants to recover properly," Sokka told me, his voice glum and sombre.
As I leaned back into my position, I could hear the Earth King mumble next to me, "The Earth Kingdom has fallen." I couldn't imagine the unbearable amount of shame on all our shoulders right now. Aang might be remembered as the Avatar who failed the world, while Katara, Sokka and I would be scorned in the Fire Nation history books. But for the Earth King, to be remembered as the monarch who pretty much gave his kingdom away, that might be too much for a man like him to bear.
But even as that thought crossed my mind, I reminded myself of one thing. Earth benders were people of substance, and our stubborn pride meant as long as we had even a sliver of hope, we ought not to give up. We still had an invasion to plan for, given all the knowledge we originally planned to share with the Earth King. If we could turn the tide on that day, maybe it could weaken the Fire Nation just enough to give us a better chance at regaining lost ground. With that thought in mind, I reinvigorated myself, hoping to use my skills on the battlefield once more. Even though the prospects were bleak, and our chances were slim, the fight was far from over right now.
While we're on the topic of earth benders being the people of substance and having stubborn hope, I would like to know, from those reviewers who I haven't had a chance to talk to about this subject: what type of bender do you think you'd be? As in, what type of bending style most reflects your own personal attributes and how you look at life? Give me a review and let me hear how you answer this question. Thanks for reading!