A/N: Alright, so I was going to post this on Friday, but I got impatient. Sorry for the delay, I was just trying to keep up my little buffer zone. I like to stay ahead.
Anyway, I'd like to address a Guest comment here, just in case other readers are thinking the same thing. Guest commented, "My only gripe is that Mira isn't really an Asian name, which would be out of place in the heavily Asian-influenced Avatarverse." I do see your point, there. My thinking when coming up with names was that I didn't want them to be all Asian. Aang, Katara, and Sokka don't all sound Asian (though I am a complete ignoramus in terms of Asian culture, so please forgive any mistakes I may make). I wanted names that sounded like they could fit in the storyverse without necessarily sounding Asian, and to me, Mira fit that. I do apologize if that turns anyone off, and I do hope you won't let it get in the way of the story.
Wow. So many reviews. I have the best readers ever! Thank you to all who reviewed, and thank you to those who remained silent and merely favorite or subscribed. Your support still means a lot to me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The only things I own are Mira and some original concepts.
So sorry for the long note. I just wanted to address the names issue. And now, on with the story!
Chapter Six
A Kindred Spirit
Mira spent the rest of that day lying on Appa's saddle in a sleepy haze. She wasn't used to being so tired for so long, but she knew her body was recuperating from the spirit attack. It hadn't been wise to confront the kakodaemon so soon after a fight, and now she was paying the price. She once again peered through the rip on her leggings (she needed a little privacy before she could fix them, as they were the only pair she owned) to the black scar beneath. Despite having faced a handful of daemons already (the shaman had made sure her education was very thorough), she had never once earned a scar. Just like the shaman had said, the scar was a dark black, like someone had dipped a calligraphy brush in a pot of ink and traced a thin black line across her skin. She poked at the line, noting the tenderness, but glad at the absence of any pain. All in all, things had gone better than expected.
Of course, she hadn't yet had time to give Katara the things she'd nicked from Chin. She wasn't quite sure how that would be received.
She found out that night. They'd disembarked from Appa and were preparing the campsite when Mira spotted an opening. Katara was rummaging around in her bag, muttering something about spices for dinner. Mira pulled a packet of herbs from one of her numerous hidden pockets and held it out for the waterbender to take.
"What's this?" Katara asked, eyeing the pouch suspiciously.
"Spices. For dinner."
"Where'd they come from?"
"I got them in Chin," Mira said. Her word choice was not an accident. "Got" sounded close enough to "bought" that most people heard the latter, and assumed she had obtained whatever it was legally. But Katara was well-acquainted with Mira's set of skills.
"Got," she repeated. "Bought or stole?"
Mira shrugged. "Does it matter?" Ordinarily she would have lied and said she'd bought it, but it was different this time.
Spirits know I'm telling too many lies already.
Katara opened her mouth to reply, but seemed to think better of her answer. She bit her lip and stared at the pouch in Mira's hand intently. Mira could tell that this would be a turning point in the two girls' relationship, and she could see that Katara knew it as well.
If Katara refused the pouch, and chose instead to pursue the argument regarding Mira's sticky fingers, they would be traveling down a hostile road. Katara would never really trust Mira, and Mira would reciprocate the feeling. There would always be tension between the two.
If Katara accepted the pouch, and chose to put Mira's stealing behind her, the relationship between the two girls could grow. They might learn to trust each other, and a friendship could be put in the works.
All that mattered now was what road Katara took.
Mira could see Katara working this out in her mind as she gazed at the spice pouch. Mira waited patiently, not quite sure what path the other girl would choose. She realized suddenly that she was holding her breath. She wasn't sure why she cared so much what Katara thought, or when she'd come to value her opinion. She'd been so used to working alone that the change was startling.
At last, Katara looked up. She took a deep breath, gave a timid smile, and said, "No. It doesn't." And she took the pouch of spices from Mira's hand.
Mira felt a small smile creep onto her face, but instead of hiding it from the waterbender, she allowed it to show. She wanted Katara to know what the decision meant to her.
She stood there for a brief instant, savoring the moment before sitting next to Katara and helping to prepare dinner.
Once the meal was ready, and the boys were back at the campfire, Katara asked, "Where are we going next?"
Sokka started to answer, then furrowed his brow. "I—I don't know," he said uncertainly. He looked at Aang. "Where are we going?"
"I think we should stop at a lot of different Earth towns," Aang decided. "I need to find an earthbending teacher, and I won't find one hiding out in the woods."
"Earth Kingdom town it is," Sokka agreed. He pulled out one of his numerous maps and started poring it over, muttering to himself occasionally.
As Katara started cleaning up, Aang started fiddling with his fingers and fidgeting, his boredom was obvious. Suddenly, his face lit up and he turned to Mira. "Do you think you could start teaching me about spirits now?" She debated saying no, but she really had nothing better to do. So she nodded and led him into the surrounding forest. She picked a spot by a large oak tree, then sat down, gesturing for him to do the same.
"You already know of the Water Tribe spirits, Tui and La, so I won't go into them. I mentioned Agni and Kai, the Fire Nation spirits. I haven't told you of the Earth Kingdom spirits, Daichi and Kyosei. And I will assume you've heard of the Air Nomad spirits."
Aang brightened. "When I was younger, the monks used to tell us stories about Kuki and Hiko, the spirits of air and flight." He looked down at his lap, and his voice grew quiet. "I knew about spirits, but the monks didn't teach me anything about them. I know as much as a normal young air nomad would." He looked up and met Mira's gaze. "I left the moment the monks taught me. Some Avatar I'm turning out to be," he mumbled.
"Don't beat yourself up about it," Mira murmured. "It was the monks' fault, not yours."
"But you can teach me now, right?" Aang's large gray eyes stared at her beseechingly.
"Yes, I can. Since you know a bit about the major spirits, I'll start with the lesser."
Aang nodded and gazed intently, the very picture of attentiveness.
"Daemon is the term for any lesser spirit. They can be good or evil, but it's more likely you'll come across a kakodaemon. They're spirits of evil that feed off negative energy. That's how they're able to break through the barrier keeping them from the physical world. Whenever a person commits an injustice or an unspeakable act of evil, they give the kakodaemon enough energy to break through to our world. They live off this energy here. If you take it away—"
"Like you did when you told that kakodaemon the truth," Aang interrupted.
Mira nodded. "You take away their life source, and they can no longer remain in our world. They're pulled back to theirs. A little salt helps ensure the journey. That case was pretty normal in terms of daemons. It's rare that the everyday person comes across one, but being the Avatar, you get the fortune of dealing with a lot."
"But what about you?" Aang asked, cocking his head. "You know more than most."
"I had the fortune of finding Guang," Mira said. Seeing Aang's confused look, she added, "The shaman. That was his name. I stumbled into a little abandoned town, and he found me. He took one look at me, and he immediately knew I was spirit-born. And then he wouldn't let me leave until I'd learned everything he could teach me."
"You're not like other people I've met," Aang said suddenly, eyeing her contemplatively.
Mira remained silent. She wasn't exactly sure how to react to his comment. Aang saw this and tried to clarify. "I mean, it sounds like you've been through a lot of bad stuff. And most people, they get angry. They blame others, and they try and get revenge. But not you. You look like you've just accepted it. It doesn't bother you."
"No," Mira corrected abruptly. "It does bother me. I am angry. But anger never helped anyone. It doesn't help me. So I turn it into something else. But make no mistake: I am not a peaceful soul."
"I think you could be," Aang said quietly.
"You don't know enough about me to say that."
"Because you won't tell us," Aang insisted, shifting to face her.
"I can't. There are some things you can't—shouldn't—know about me. You just have to accept that some part of me will always be a mystery. Count yourself lucky. I've told you more than most."
Aang scrutinized her for a long time before answering. "One day, I will know everything about you," he declared, before standing up and walking back toward the campsite.
You can try. But many, many others have tried and failed before you.
"It's pricey, but I really do like it." Sokka was examining a green satchel displayed in front of an Earth village shop. It was the fourth town they'd stopped in since Chin, and it seemed to be the same as any of the others. They would ask around for an earthbending master, someone would give them a name, they'd investigate and find the master to be sorely lacking in skill, and they would move on. Even Mira, the most patient of the four, was beginning to grow bored. Which is why Sokka had decided to drag them all on a rather pointless shopping trip. Mira leaned against the wall of the shop, her eyes flicking around the town languidly.
"Then you should get it. You deserve something nice," Katara said.
Mira leaned forward. "Don't encourage him," she whispered in Katara's ear.
"I'm just trying to get him to decide so we can move on," Katara hissed back.
"I do, don't I?" Sokka said, oblivious to the girls' hushed conversation. "But no. It's too expensive, I shouldn't."
"Then don't," Mira said shortly. She pushed herself off the wall and passed him, descending from the shop's portico and entering into the street. Katara and Aang followed her, leaving Sokka to debate his choice alone.
The congregated in the middle of the street, waiting for Sokka to make up his mind and catch up to them. Mira tensed as a man approached them furtively, a flyer in his hand. She knew Aang's identity was safe due to the large straw hat he donned before entering any town, but it was a deeply ingrained habit to be naturally suspicious. "Hey, you kids like earthbending?" he asked. "You like throwing rocks? Then check out Master Yu's Earthbending Academy." He shoved a flyer in Aang's hand, then walked away to accost another innocent bystander.
Aang flipped it over. "Look, there's a coupon on the back. The first lesson is free."
"'Cause a coupon is really going to find us a master," Mira muttered sarcastically, but nevertheless, she followed the others to the earthbending academy. She waited outside with Katara and Sokka while Aang completed his first lesson. She wasn't very optimistic about this Master Yu. What were the chances of the finding the right master teaching earthbending in some Earth village? But she didn't say anything. This was Aang's journey, and he had to make these choices himself.
She looked up as Aang trudged outside the gates, his shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast.
"He's not the one," he said glumly.
Mira's ears pricked suddenly as she overheard a conversation nearby. "I think The Boulder is gonna win back the belt at Earth Rumble VI," said one teenager, who was in a heated debate with his friend.
"He's gonna have to fight his way through the best earthbenders in the world to even get a shot at the champ," his companion insisted. Now this was a lead worth following up.
And apparently, Aang was thinking the exact same thing. He broke away from the group and ran after the boys. "Excuse me, but where is this earthbending tournament exactly?" Alright, so that wasn't quite what she meant by "follow up."
"It's on the Island of None-o'-ya…none o' ya business!" snapped the first student. The two boys laughed and disappeared down a side street.
Sokka burst out laughing as they caught up to Aang. "Oh, I gotta remember that one," he said, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Really?" Mira asked sardonically, arching an eyebrow. As Katara stepped forward, anger in her eyes, Mira put a hand out. "No. I'll handle this." She quickly undid the clasp of her cloak and tossed it to Sokka, who nearly dropped the bundle in surprise. Mira pulled at the hem of her shirt and tucked the material into her leggings (which had been mended a few days ago), so that her shirt fit across her torso a bit tighter. She tousled her curly black hair and pinched her cheeks, trying to coax color into her face.
"What are you doing?!" Sokka asked incredulously, his eyes bugging out of his head.
"I'm getting the information we need," she replied simply, before taking off after the boys. She may have preferred to hide underneath her voluminous cloak, but that didn't mean she disregarded the advantages of her gender.
She turned the corner after them, and slowed as they turned around. "I know you don't want to tell them, but do you think you could talk to me?" she asked softly, batting her eyes girlishly.
They two boys practically fell over themselves as they rushed to meet her. Mira resisted the urge to gag. "I dunno," said the one with a shaved ponytail, playing hard to get. "We can't just go around telling anyone."
She faked a pout. "I was hoping to see you there. But, if you're not going to tell me…" She trailed off and made to turn around.
The second boy grabbed her shoulder suddenly, and Mira had to fight the urge to twist his arm around. "Alright!" he said quickly. "It's in the mountains just outside the village. There's a passageway carved into the rock. You go down the tunnel, follow the lights, you'll find the arena."
"Thank you," she said coyly. "Maybe I'll see you there." She turned and exited the side street, leaving the two boys to gape after her.
"Who wants to go to Earth Rumble VI?" Mira asked as she rejoined the group.
"What did you do?" Sokka asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
Mira rolled her eyes. "What do you think I did?" she retorted.
"Mira," Katara breathed, sounding concerned.
"What?" she asked.
"I didn't realize…you're so thin," Katara said, her brow furrowed.
Mira looked down. She'd forgotten how different she looked with her cloak off and her shirt pulled tight. She quickly tugged at the fabric, and her shirt resumed its usual shape. "I'm fine," she said defensively. "I've been eating, you've seen me." And this is not nearly as bad as it's been. She snatched the cloak from Sokka's grasp and quickly fastened the clasp, letting the material settle around her. "Now if you don't mind, we've got somewhere else to be."
Mira felt the usual shudder of panic ripple through her muscles as she passed underneath the large archway leading to the underground arena. She quickly squashed the feeling and rubbed her fingers together rhythmically, letting the pattern of movement distract her from the tons of rock looming overhead. Sokka, for once, was being tactful and neglected to mention that she shouldn't have been functioning so well. So, all in all, Mira was relatively optimistic as they took their seats.
"Hey, front row seats! I wonder why no one else is sitting here?" Aang said brightly. Mere moments later, a huge boulder slammed into the seats next to them, shaking the stands and showering them with dust.
"I guess that's why," Sokka said shakily, lowering his hands, which he'd raised in defense.
"Welcome to Earth Rumble VI!" cried the announcer. "I am your host, Xin Fu!"
Mira sighed and stretched out on the row behind the others. She'd agreed to come, but she wasn't one who enjoyed watching scantily clad burly men brawl with each other (and judging from the look on Katara's face, she wasn't either). She would stay for the event, but that didn't mean she had to watch. So she lay back and listened, her cowl resting over her face.
"The rules are simple. Just knock the other guy out of the ring and you win!" Xin Fu explained. She heard the crunching of rock, then a bell rang. "Round one! The Boulder versus The Big Bad Hippo!" She heard a loud groaning noise, which she assumed came from the latter opponent. She grimaced under the hood. She was so very glad she wasn't watching.
"Listen up, Hippo. You may be big, but you ain't bad! The Boulder's gonna win this in a landslide," came a second deep and cheesy-sounding voice.
More incoherent grunting resonated through the arena. Mira assumed they were words, but they weren't the clearest sounds ever voiced.
The crunching of rocks echoed through the empty space, along with the grunts of the competitors. The Boulder won easily, and Mira heard Katara ask Aang, "How about The Boulder? He's got some good moves."
"I don't know. Bumi said I need a teacher who listens to the earth. He's just listening to his big muscles," Aang replied thoughtfully.
"And imagine listening to that voice all day," Mira spoke up. "He's not even talking to me, and already I want to throttle him."
"That too," Aang laughed.
Mira opened her eyes to stare up at the rock ceiling of the arena, and quickly regretted it. Her mind filled with images of thousands of pounds of rock, pushing against the very walls of the arena, waiting for the smallest touch to come crashing down, burying everyone within, crushing the air from her lungs, squeezing her to death even as she called out for help…
The gentle touch of a hand on hers brought her back to reality. She twisted her head to see Katara squeezing her hand, mouthing You okay?
Mira took a few shaky breaths, closed her eyes, and began to count her heartbeats. As soon as it resumed a steady, slower pace, she opened her eyes and nodded. Katara drew her hand back and turned around, once again watching the fights.
A small, warm smile played on Mira's lips. Despite being two years younger, Katara was such a mother. Having never met hers, Mira appreciated the sentiment more than most would. She allowed the feeling of contentment settle around her, like her well-loved cloak. She closed her eyes once more and listened.
Despite not watching what was happening, Mira was able to paint a pretty clear picture of what happened. The Boulder would face a new opponent, there would be the crunching of rock, a few moans would be uttered, and The Boulder was easily declared the winner.
"How is he doing so well?" Katara asked finally. "You'd think he'd have at least some trouble."
"Fighting's probably rigged," Mira said matter-of-factly.
"How do you know?" Sokka asked defensively. "You're not even watching!"
"Happens all the time," Mira said, shrugging. "Competitor makes a deal with the person who runs the fights. Rounds are rigged in his favor. He wins the pot, splits it with the boss. Couple that with the profits from betting, and you've got two very rich men."
There was a stunned silence. Mira lifted her hood to find all three staring at her. "What?" she asked. "Like I said, happens a lot."
"If you say so," Aang said skeptically. And then the final round was announced, and their attention was once again diverted. This time, Mira sat up, her curiosity overpowering her dislike of large men in small outfits. She needed to see who exactly was such a match for The Boulder.
Her jaw dropped as a petite girl stepped into the ring. The cloak she was wearing dragged on the ground, and the belt she held in the air was very nearly the size of her own head. She was less than half the size of The Boulder, but she'd been the champion?
"Now, the moment you've all been waiting for. The Boulder versus your champion...The Blind Bandit!"
"She can't really be blind," Katara said, her voice unsure. "It's just part of her character, right?"
Mira studied the girl's eyes. Sure enough, the green irises were a clouded, milky color. "She is," she answered, slightly in awe. A small, blind girl was the champion of an underground earthbending tournament?
Oh, this I have to see.
"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young, blind girl," The Boulder said. His arms gestured very energetically for a sentence that didn't say much.
"Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder," the Blind Bandit mocked.
Mira's mouth quirked in a grin. Oh, I like this girl.
The Boulder blinked dumbly for a moment before answering, "The Boulder's over his conflicted feelings, and now he's ready to bury you in a rock-a-lanche!"
"Whenever you're ready...The Pebble," the Blind Bandit called, and she threw her head back to laugh.
Aang suddenly stiffened in front of Mira. Her eyebrow arched, but she wasn't terribly concerned. If something were wrong, he'd let the others know.
"It's on!" the Boulder cried, and the battle began. Though it wasn't much of a fight.
The Boulder began to move forward, but he was barely two steps in when the Bandit swept forward, dragging her feet in a circling advance. She scissor-kicked with her foot, sending a small tunnel of earth speeding across the arena. It caught the Boulder on his second step, and sent him pivoting into a very painful-looking split. He cried out in a moaning whimper, but the Bandit wasn't done with him yet.
She gave a quick, powerful chop of her hand, and three slim columns of earth erupted from the arena. They slammed into the Boulder, and he went flying into the arena wall. And just like that, the Bandit was champion once again.
"How did she do that?" Katara asked in wonder, her eyes wide.
"She waited," Aang said, grinning widely. "And listened!" Mira could tell where his train of thought was leading him, and she had to say, she approved.
"To make things a little more interesting," Xin Fu announced, drawing the rowdy crowd's attention back to himself, "I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat," he gestured to the reaffirmed champion, a sack of gold in one hand, "The Blind Bandit!" After a brief moment of dead silence, he said in mock surprise, "What?" No one dares to face her?"
"I will!" Aang called out cheerfully. Mira groaned internally and almost buried her head in her hands. She understood that Aang wanted the Blind Bandit as his teacher, but facing her in an underground tournament was probably not one of the best ways to ask for her tutelage.
He's going to get his backside handed to him on a silver platter.
Mira had to force herself to watch as Aang descended the bleachers and climbed the steps into the ring. It was, she mused, almost like watching a train wreck. You knew what would be coming, and you knew it wasn't going to be pleasant, but you couldn't tear your eyes away from the impending disaster.
"Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here?" the Blind Bandit jeered. The crowd roared at her words. They were truly wrapped around her little finger.
"I don't really want to fight you," Aang said honestly, his hands up in a supplicating gesture. "I want to talk to you."
"Boo! No talking!" Sokka cried as his bloodlust from watching the previous fighting started to take over.
"Don't boo at him!" Katara snapped, swatting at him. Mira added her own hearty flick to the back of his head.
"Ow!" he cried, rubbing his skull. "What was that for?" he asked angrily. "She," he jabbed a finger to Katara, "can do that 'cause she's my sister. Why do you?"
She shrugged. "'Cause I can. That, and you make it too easy."
Sokka was left searching for words, so he just turned back to the arena with a huff.
Aang took a step toward the Bandit, his arm extended in peace. But as soon as Aang's foot made contact with the ground, the Bandit stomped and sent a pillar of rock shooting up underneath Aang. While it may have sent any other competitor shooting out of the ring, Aang was an airbender. He absorbed the impact with his legs and used the momentum to push himself gently into the air. The Bandit was left to look around in confusion while he gently floated down to the ground.
"Somebody's a little light on his feet," she scowled. "What's your fighting name, The Fancy Dancer?"
Mira snickered softly, making sure that Katara couldn't hear her. Spirits, she liked this girl.
Aang had barely landed before the Bandit sent another pillar of rock shooting up from under him. But Aang merely leaped acrobatically into the air, taking much too long to land. The Bandit swiveled her head from side to side as she tried to locate him. "Where'd you go?" she muttered.
Just use your air scooter. She'll never find you.
But Aang was focused on talking, not fighting. He landed behind her and said, "Please, wait!"
"There you are!" the Bandit cried triumphantly. She turned and punched out, sending a large boulder rocketing straight toward Aang. He panicked, and before he could think, he reciprocated with a blast of air. It deflected the boulder, yes, but it also sent the Bandit skidding off the arena and into the pit below.
A shocked silence filled the arena. No one could believe that the Blind Bandit had been dethroned so easily, and by a mere scrap of a boy. But their shock didn't last long, and the arena filled with cheers.
But Aang paid them no heed. He was running to the edge of the arena and down the stairs, trying to catch the Bandit before she left. Mira jumped from her seat and quickly hopped down the bleachers to join him on the arena stairs. "Please listen!" Aang cried desperately. "I need an earthbending teacher, and I think it's supposed to be you!"
"Whoever you are, just leave me alone," the Bandit grumbled bitterly, before opening a door in the wall and slamming it shut behind her.
"She won't want to talk to you now," Mira murmured in his ear. "You just humiliated her in front of thousands of her biggest fans."
"I didn't think that all the way through, did I?" Aang admitted.
Mira shook her head. She turned back to find the others, and saw Sokka exclaiming gleefully over the championship belt and sack of gold. What attracted Mira's attention though, was the look on Xin Fu's face. She'd seen that look before. It was the look of a fight boss who knew he'd been cheated and wasn't happy about it.
It was the look of a man who was going to do something drastic to fix the problem. And didn't care who he hurt on the way.
After a long trek back to their camp, sleep came quickly to the four travelers. It had been a long night, and it felt like mere minutes had passed when Mira woke to the sunrise. She blinked groggily and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before sitting up. She regarded the others blearily and decided to take pity on them; she would train until they woke naturally.
She quietly gathered her things and slipped into the thick forest surrounding the clearing. After finding a second, smaller clearing, she undid her belt and lay it at the base of a tree. Her cloak followed soon after. She started with basic stretches to warm up, and followed that with strength exercises. After she'd worked up a light sweat, she began the real training.
She started with her daggers. She fought against a tree, dodging imaginary blows and scoring scratch after scratch along the rough bark. Once she was satisfied with her work, she moved onto the rods. She once again fought against an imaginary opponent, swiveling and ducking and punching and jabbing. After ten minutes of work, she paused to catch her breath and wipe the sweat from her brow. Her training would be best with a sparring partner, but the only non-bender at her disposal was Sokka, and his fighting left a lot to be desired. She huffed in annoyance and resumed her drills.
The sun was well above the horizon when she finished her training. She'd thrown in a little hand-to-hand combat after the rods, in case she lost them again. The extra routines had given an extra coat of sweat to her already-soaked skin, leading her to search for a nearby lake to bathe in. She stripped down quickly, casting several nervous glances to the woods around the water. She'd heard of girls being caught while they were bathing, and the stories echoed through her head whenever she went to bathe. She personally hadn't ever been surprised, but she remained wary anyway. She knew it was very unlikely she would encounter anyone here, but…old habits die hard.
After a quick scrub, she dried herself off, dressed, and rejoined the now-awake others in the campsite. They looked up in the middle of packing as she emerged from the trees.
"Told you she was fine," Sokka muttered before turning back to his bedroll.
"You thought something happened?" Mira asked, puzzled.
Aang shrugged. "We woke up and you were gone. You're the one who told me to be more suspicious," he muttered, lowering his eyes.
"I'm glad you listened," she said. "But I was just training. If I'm captured, I won't go quietly. You'll know."
"I guess that's good to hear," Aang said, looking slightly bemused.
They quickly packed camp and stowed their belongings aboard Appa before re-entering the town. Their mission for that day was to track down the Blind Bandit and beg her to teach Aang (well, they didn't really want to beg, but Mira suspected it might come to that). Unfortunately, they had absolutely no leads to go on.
Sokka, who had claimed the championship belt the night before, admired it as they walked down the main street of the village. "I gotta admit, now I'm really glad I bought this bag. It matches the belt perfectly."
"That is a big relief," Katara said mockingly. Sokka either didn't notice her sarcasm or chose not to comment on it. For someone who used it a great deal, Sokka could be incredibly dense when sarcasm was directed at him.
"If we want to find The Blind Bandit, the Earthbending Academy is a good place to start," Aang said, ignoring the others. He ran ahead into the open courtyard of the academy, but stopped short at the sight of the two boys from yesterday. They were hunched over two large urns as they worked the sand within. Aang looked back at Mira, uncertainty clouding his face.
"Don't worry," Mira said as she unhooked the clasp on her cloak. She tossed it at Sokka once more, and ruffled her curly hair as she approached the two. "Hey boys," she purred, a hand on her hip. "I didn't see you last night."
It looked like the two boys gave themselves whiplash, they looked around so fast. They hastily abandoned their exercises as they attempted to position their bare arms in the best way.
"We looked for you," one of them said.
"Yeah, we did," the other chimed in.
"Great," she said, trying to hide her disgust. "But I was hoping you could help me with something."
"Anything," the boys chorused.
"Could you tell me where to find the Blind Bandit?" she asked.
"Why d'you want to find her for?" the boy with the mohawk asked. "If you want private earthbending lessons, I'm sure I could help you." He winked at her, and Mira promptly decided to switch tactics. She couldn't stand their leering anymore.
She snapped out one arm and wrapped it around Mohawk's neck in an effective headlock. Before his companion could do anything to help, Mira had a rod out and pointed right at him. "I wouldn't do anything stupid if I were you," she said levelly.
"Seven hells," cursed the one with her arm wrapped around her neck. He struggled, but Mira was deceptively strong. She had the upper hand, and after a few moments, the boys seemed to realize that.
"Back to my question…where can we find the Blind Bandit?"
"No one knows," said the one with a mop of brown hair. "She shows up to fight, then disappears." He flinched at Mira's glare, and added hastily, "That's the truth, I swear! No one knows who she is."
Mira looked over to the others. "I believe him. Got anything else?" she asked Aang.
"Maybe we're asking about the wrong person," he said thoughtfully. "I also saw a flying boar in my vision. Does that mean anything to you two?" he asked.
"Bei Fong family," Mohawk said tersely.
"A flying boar is the symbol of the Bei Fong family. They're the richest people in town," Brown Hair explained.
"No daughter," Mohawk pointed out.
"It's good enough for me," Aang said. "Let's go check it out."
Mira released Mohawk from her grip and quickly backed away, in case he had any ideas about retaliation. She rejoined the others and reclaimed her cloak before checking behind her. The two boys stood there, looking after her, confusion and something else written across their faces.
"They have no idea what to make of you right now," Katara murmured to her.
"I like it that way," Mira said, hiding her smirk. "Now, where's that house?"
As expected, the Bei Fong estate was not very difficult to locate. It sat at the edge of the village, and its impressive gilded arch flashed in the afternoon sun.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Sokka asked, shading his eyes as he peered up at the house. "We can't exactly waltz in."
Mira arched an eyebrow. "Honestly, it's like you don't even know me. C'mon." She led them around the perimeter of the house until she reached a stretch of wall pressed up near a riverbank. She quickly scaled the wall and motioned for the others to follow her. Aang soared up into the air and over the wall, while Mira helped Katara and Sokka climb up to the top. She leaped down to the ground and landed silently in a crouch before extending a hand to let them down. Katara took her offer of help and landed gently with Mira's guidance, but Sokka stubbornly ignored Mira's hand. He hopped down himself, and ended up sprawled on his backside.
"Is your ego satisfied yet?" Mira asked, amused.
Sokka merely glared at her and pushed himself up, grumbling all the way. "Just go," he mumbled, waving his hand in a shooing motion.
Mira looked around cautiously before ushering the others across an open stretch of grass. She hid behind a large bush, and the others followed her example. She peered over the top, leaving the others to poke their heads over the side. She couldn't see anything, so she prepared to wave the others forward when a barely audible rumbling caught her attention. That sound was familiar, yet she couldn't place it…
The pieces clicked together when Mira was sent flying into the air. If she'd been prepared for the sudden flight, she might have been able to compensate for it and land at least somewhat gracefully. But the launch had been so unexpected, she could barely register what had happened before she was headed back to the ground. It was mere chance that her feet landed first, but that was the as far as her luck extended. She hit hard, and her legs buckled underneath her. She tried to compensate by taking a few steps, but her precarious balance was already too far gone. She clumsily fell on her backside with a thump.
"What are you doing here, Twinkletoes?" a familiar voice asked.
Mira looked up and saw the Bandit standing in front of them, dressed in an expensive gown, arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
"How did you know it was me?" Aang asked.
"Don't answer to Twinkletoes. It's not manly!" Sokka whined.
"You're the one whose bag matches his belt," Katara quipped, saying the exact words Mira was thinking. She smirked at Katara, who returned the gesture.
The Bandit ignored them. "How did you find me?" she demanded.
Aang floated himself out of the bush he'd landed in as the others stood up. "Well, a crazy king told me I had to find an earthbender who listens to the earth. And then I had a vision in a magic swamp and..."
"What Aang is trying to say is, he's the Avatar, and if he doesn't master earthbending soon he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord," Katara cut in as she tried to save Aang from his babbling. But from the look on the Bandit's face, Aang's story might have worked better.
"Not my problem," the Bandit snapped, shoving her hand in Katara's face to cut her off. "Now get out of here, or I'll call the guards."
Mira attempted to step in with some old-fashioned flattery, but Sokka had to open his big fat mouth. "Look, we all have to do our part to win this war. And yours is to teach Aang earthbending."
If this girl was anything like Mira, that was the absolute worst thing to say. She had the feeling orders did nothing to sway this girl. And based on her reaction, Mira was right.
"Guards! Guards, help!" she cried shakily, her face contorted into an expression of panic. Mira swore under her breath and grabbed at Sokka's sleeve, dragging him back the way they came. Aang easily leapt over the wall while Mira clasped her hands into a stirrup to boost the others. Once they were over, Mira took a few steps back and ran straight for the wall. She pushed off the ground and took a few small steps up the stone before she reached out and barely grabbed the edge of the wall. She pulled herself up and over, dropping to the ground in a crouch. Her bruised tailbone protested at the treatment, and she knew from experience that she would be sore in the morning.
Aang took his time on the top of the wall, and when he finally landed next to them, there was a strange look on his face.
"Aang? What is it?" Katara asked.
"I have an idea," he said slowly, but he didn't elaborate.
"Care to enlighten us?" Mira asked dryly. "Or should we figure it out as we go?"
"She lives with her parents," Aang said. "So she has to do what they say. If we can convince them that she needs to teach me, then she'll have to listen to them!"
"You're assuming that she's the type who listens to her parents," Mira said.
"She's the best earthbender I've ever seen, and she's still living here," Aang pointed out.
Mira opened her mouth to protest, but she realized he had a point. The Bandit's parents had at least some influence over their daughter. A little convincing on Aang's part could work. At least, she hoped it would. She could already see the days of sulking that would lie ahead if the Bei Fongs didn't agree. Aang had his heart set on the Bandit. Mira didn't have the heart to tell him not to get his hopes up. That was just who he was.
The door opened almost instantly after Aang's knock. A plainly-dressed servant looked down at them, his face expressionless. "May I help you?"
"The Avatar to see the Bei Fong family, please!" Aang chirped.
It was a testament to the servant's training that his eyes only slightly widened at this statement. "If you would please wait here," he said, pulling open the door a little wider and gesturing to the sitting room adjacent to the foyer. They piled into the entryway and took seats in the room the servant had indicated as he slipped away down the hall.
After five minutes, Aang started to fidget. "What's taking so long?"
"They're a rich and influential family," Mira pointed out. "They're not just going to drop everything for you…"
"…or maybe they will," she muttered ten minutes later. They were seated at a large dining table laden with dishes of every shape and size. They had barely greeted the Bei Fongs when they were whisked into the dining room and a sumptuous feast. The Bei Fongs and Master Yu sat along one side, while Mira, Sokka, Katara, and Aang sat along the other. Mira could feel the tension in the air, though everyone else seemed to be oblivious. She picked at her food, as she was unable to bring herself to eat much. She wasn't used to food this rich, and she had a feeling that her stomach would rebel if she tried to eat any. So she sat and watched what was happening at the end of the table.
Aang was currently showing off his airbending for the Bei Fongs. She knew he was trying to butter them up for his request regarding their daughter, but Mira couldn't help but roll her eyes. He was enjoying this a little too much.
"Avatar Aang, it's an honor to have you visit us," Ms. Bei Fong said. Aang smiled and bowed his head in respect.
"In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last?" Lao Bei Fong asked, his hands folded together.
"I'd like to defeat the Fire Lord by the end of summer, but I can't do that without finding an earthbending teacher first." Aang slid a meaningful look to the Bandit (whose real name was actually Toph), which Mira thought was rather pointless. Toph may have been able to fight and sense where others were, but that didn't mean she could see the look Aang was sending her now.
"Well, Master Yu is the finest teacher in the land. He's been teaching Toph since she was little," Lao said, gesturing to the teacher.
Aang didn't take their bait, and chose to focus on Toph instead. "Then she must be a great earthbender…probably good enough to teach someone else," Aang suggested.
Not very subtle, Aang.
Suddenly, Aang jumped in his seat and yelped in pain. Mira's eyes flicked over to Toph as everyone's attention was focused on Aang. She was smiling innocently and quietly eating, a hint of smugness on her face. A guilty look, if Mira ever saw one.
"Toph is still learning the basics," Yu corrected, turning back to the conversation at hand.
"Yes," Lao said grimly. "And sadly, because of her blindness, I don't think she will ever become a true master."
Mira watched Toph closely as her father spoke about her. She was very good at masking her emotions, but as soon as Lao mentioned Toph's blindness, she gave an angry flinch, and her mouth twisted into an angry scowl for the briefest of moments before she rearranged her features into a neutral mask.
That was it. That was the thing Mira could use, if it ever came to just convincing Toph to leave (as it looked like it would). It wasn't love for her parents that kept Toph at home. And that would have been the toughest bond to break. Convincing Toph to leave might still be difficult, but not nearly as hard as she'd originally thought.
"Oh, I'm sure she's better than you think she is," Aang said skeptically. He was stopped from saying anymore when his chair flew forward and slammed into the table, sending Aang's face crashing into his soup.
Everyone watched, wide-eyed, as Aang straightened up and wiped the soup from his face. He scowled at Toph, the smirked as an idea hit him. He contorted his face into an exaggerated parody of a pre-sneeze. When he finally did, a huge gust of air exploded out and knocked dishes and food every which way. Their hosts, including Toph, were now covered in the table's contents.
Toph finally had enough. She stood up suddenly, slamming her hands down on the table. "What's your problem?" she demanded angrily.
"What's your problem?" Aang retorted, and Mira was once again reminded that both Toph and Aang were only twelve years old. She shouldn't have been surprised at the childishness of their spat. Aang may have been the Avatar, but he was still just a kid.
Ms. Bei Fong attempted to smooth things over, but the damage was done. Aang and Toph refused to make eye contact, and as a result, dessert was a rather tense affair. Mira didn't touch the sweets placed in front of her, and ended up giving them all to an overjoyed Sokka. If she couldn't eat luxurious food, dessert was a guaranteed no-no. After a rather short time, they were shown to their guest room (for the Bei Fongs had insisted they stay the night. Dinner might have been a tense affair, but it had done nothing to temper the Bei Fong's ambition) and left alone to prepare for bed.
Aang was petting Appa and bidding him good night through the window when she heard it. A small, soft footstep made by a bare foot.
Aang heard it too. He whipped around and immediately sank into a defensive position as he realized it was Toph in the threshold.
"Relax," Toph said, waving her hand in a peaceful gesture. "Look, I'm sorry about dinner. Let's call a truce, ok?"
Aang relaxed slightly. "I'm sorry too."
There was a somewhat awkward silence as Toph fidgeted in the doorway. Finally, she spoke up. "Can we talk alone somewhere?"
Aang nodded eagerly. "Sure!"
"Let's go outside. Follow me," she said, turning on her heel and leaving the room. Aang went after her without hesitation, leaving the other three alone in the room.
"Well…now what?" Sokka asked, blinking after them.
"I'd relish spending the night under a roof in a bed," Mira said, lying back on a mattress, her arms crossed beneath her head. "Spirits knows how long it'll be before we see another one."
They followed her advice, and they were all fast asleep not long after.
Mira knew something was wrong the moment she woke up later that night. She couldn't identify it at first, but she knew that something was definitely not right. It took a quick survey of the room to identify what exactly the source of her anxiety was. Aang was nowhere to be found. And the empty bed that had been reserved for him was untouched. He had never come back from his meeting with Toph hours earlier. There was no way he had stayed out this late, which left only one conclusion: he'd been taken by force.
Mira was up like a shot, peeling out of the room and down the hallway as soon as she'd shoved her feet in her boots. She needed to let the Bei Fongs know that Toph was most likely missing as well. It didn't even cross her mind that Toph had anything to do with Aang's disappearance. She may have been an angry, frustrated earthbending master, but Mira could tell that she was inherently good. She would do nothing to intentionally cause Aang harm.
She stopped suddenly as she reached a grand set of double doors. There was no way to be sure, but she guessed it led to the Bei Fong's bedroom. She didn't hesitate before banging loudly on their door.
It took several minutes to get a response, but finally Lao opened the door a crack. "It's the middle of the night," he said irritably. "What on earth could be so important—"
"Aang's missing, and I'm willing to bet Toph is too."
"What?" Lao gasped as his wife joined him at the door.
"Dear? What's wrong?" she asked groggily.
"You might want to check on your daughter," Mira said. "She went out for a walk with Aang, but he never came back. I don't know if she's in the house."
Mrs. Bei Fong gasped and ran from the room, flying down the hall to check on her daughter.
"Why?" asked Lao, his face a mixture of sadness and pain. "Who would do this?"
"I'm afraid there's a lot about your daughter that you don't know," Mira said grimly.
Lao opened his mouth to ask what, but Ms. Bei Fong's distraught shriek cut him off. "Toph! My baby!"
Lao whipped his head around to watch his wife stumble back into the hallway. He rushed to her side and supported her until they reached Mira again. Lao looked at her, pain written all over his face. The Bei Fongs might not have treated their daughter the best, but they undeniably cared about her. "Do you have any idea where she might be?" he asked.
"I know she and Aang went for a walk outside after dinner," she said. "Let's check there first." She took a quick detour to gather Katara and Sokka, both of whom had been awakened by Ms. Bei Fong's panicked scream. They joined the Bei Fongs in the garden as they searched for Aang and Toph. It didn't take long to find the two relatively fresh craters and the scroll near the edge of the garden.
"Whoever took Aang and Toph left this," Sokka said, pulling at the sword that pinned the scroll to the ground.
Katara slid the scroll from the blade and unrolled it, reading aloud for everyone to hear. "'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," Sokka said solemnly. He grabbed at the scroll, and his somber mood dissolved. "I have the Boulder's autograph!"
Mira slapped him on the back of the head. "This isn't funny," she snapped. "These are dangerous men!"
"Why would they want our daughter?" Lao asked, confused.
"You might want to let her explain that," Mira said. It was time for Toph to come clean to her parents (which would also have the added bonus of maybe convincing them to let Toph join their group).
"Poor Toph. She must be so scared," Ms. Bei Fong said, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Yeah, I'm willing to bet that's not the case.
The money was quickly gathered and put inside a cloth drawstring pouch before they set off. The Bei Fong estate was already on the outskirts of the village, so it was a relatively short journey to the arena. Mira turned as they reached the side of the mountain entrance and gestured for Master Yu to step forward. He stared at her blankly. "There's a tunnel inside. Seeing as none of us are earthbenders, if you could…" she gestured again, and his face dawned in realization. He stepped forward, pushed his hands together, and a slab of stone slid down to reveal a tunnel inside.
Mira led the way inside (when exactly she'd been appointed the leader of this expedition, she wasn't sure). The arena was well-lit, and as she stepped inside the ring, she saw two elongated metal boxes hanging from the ceiling. Aang and Toph peered out from the barred windows cut into the front. Xin Fu and the Boulder stood before them, staring up.
"Toph!" Lao cried, his voice bouncing off the arena walls.
"Here's your money!" Sokka called out, holding up the sack of coins high in the air before dropping it to the ground. "Now let them go."
Yu kicked the pouch across the arena, until it slid to a halt in front of Xin Fu. He picked up the sack, examined the contents, then nodded to an unseen figure higher up the arena. Toph's prison was slowly lowered to the ground, until it floated a few feet above the arena. The bottom suddenly opened up, and Toph fell to the ground in a heap. She quickly picked herself up, and ran across the arena until she was safely by her father's side. They turned to leave, but Xin Fu made no motion to release Aang.
"What about Aang?" Katara asked.
"I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar," he said, holding up a Fire Nation wanted poster. "Now, get out of my ring," he growled, his eyes narrowed.
Nothing can ever be easy for us, can it?
Mira tensed up, reaching for a throwing knife. She saw Katara lift a hand to her water pouch as Sokka touched his club. They were all prepared to fight.
Only they weren't prepared for the five extra opponents who quickly swarmed into the ring. Two on three was plausible, but seven on three? That was suicide.
"Go," Aang said gently. "I'll be ok."
"No, he won't," Mira muttered to the others. She sprinted for the tunnel, the others hot on her heels. "Toph!" she called. "We can't let him be taken, but there's too many of them for us. We need your help. We need you!"
Lao turned and glared angrily at Mira. "My daughter is blind," he snapped crossly. "She is blind and tiny and helpless and fragile." Mira saw Toph tense up with each word. "She cannot help you." Toph's eyes slid shut, and a look of steely determination crept across her face. She ripped her hand away from her father's.
"Yes," she said firmly. "I can." She walked slowly back towards Mira, and back into the ring.
The seven earthbenders were walking away toward the opposite side of the arena, Aang balanced precariously on the shoulder of one. They were almost out of the ring when Toph stomped on the ground, and lifted her palms up. A column of rock shot out from the ground, blocking their way. "Let him go!" she demanded. "I beat you all before, and I'll do it again!"
"The Boulder takes issue with that comment!" the Boulder said, pointing at her.
"And Mira takes issue with your voice," Mira muttered under her breath.
The fighter carrying Aang (she assumed he was the Hippo, since she didn't watch the match and didn't truly know for sure) tossed him to the side. He bounced and skidded to the edge of the arena, where he came to a screeching halt. The other fighters started sprinting forward, and Mira, Katara, and Sokka made to move forward and join Toph in the fight. But she held her hand out, stopping them in their tracks. "Wait," she growled. "They're mine."
She sank lower, her arms extended, a look of fierce concentration on her face. She stomped once, and raised her arms, which were trembling with effort. The fighters were nearly halfway across the ring when Toph quickly drew her arms into her center as she stomped the ground again. The ring bucked and trembled, and a veil of dust exploded outward. Toph unfolded herself and calmly walked forward until she was enveloped in the cloud. Katara and Sokka stared after her in shock until Mira tugged at them and jerked her head toward the metal case containing Aang. They ran over, and the other two immediately set to work in figuring out how to free Aang. But Mira was distracted by the sight of a fighter in Fire Nation robes flying through the air. It had been not even a minute, and Toph had already taken out her first opponent.
A harsh clanging sound drew her attention, and she looked around to see Sokka banging on the lock to Aang's cage with a large rock.
"No!" she cried, pushing him away. "Stop it, you moron!"
Sokka gave her a disbelieving look. "I'm trying to free him!"
She snatched the rock from his hand. "And what do you think this is going to do?" she questioned harshly, shaking it at him. She tossed the rock over her shoulder and pulled out her lockpicking kit. "You think I carry this around just for kicks?" She shouldered him aside and climbed on top of Aang's cage, where she knelt before the lock. She muttered an oath as she surveyed the damage Sokka's banging had done. She selected her tools carefully before inserting two picks into the lock and jimmying them around. The metal around the lock was warped from Sokka's work, and it made her job that much harder as she gingerly pushed at the gears inside. She felt herself slip into a sort of trance. All sounds faded and as she worked, and her entire concentration was focused on the lock in front of her. The soft clicks of the metal and the straining efforts of the picks in her hands were the only things she could hear or feel.
"Uh, Mira? Is there any way you can hurry up?" Katara asked.
"Wonder Boy here did a number on the metal. I'm doing the best that I can." She switched angles and pushed at the insides again. Only this time, she was rewarded by the satisfying sound of a loud click, and the bottom of the cage fell open. Aang leaped out, arms up and ready to fight. Sokka merely shook his head and pointed to the large dust cloud covering the arena, which was currently spitting out two opponents.
The Boulder and the Hippo quickly turned to face the dust cloud, fists up and faces twisted into ferocious snarls. The Hippo carried a large stone disk in his meaty hands, twisting around until he was a moment's notice away from throwing it.
Toph emerged from the dust, a fierce scowl on her face. Both the Boulder and the Hippo taunted her, which Mira found rather ironic, seeing as how Toph was oblivious to any expression they made.
There was an eerie silence in the arena as both sides looked on, sizing each other up. Then suddenly, the Boulder and the Hippo were charging across the ring, and yet another fighter was swinging on from a rope toward her, a rock clutched in his hand.
For the first time, Mira genuinely felt fear for the younger girl. How in the world would Toph sense someone flying in the air towards her? What would happen if…Mira didn't want to think about it.
But it seemed that Toph had already known that the third fighter would be coming her way. With two quick jabs of her arms, Toph started to turn the disc beneath her feet. The Boulder and Hippo remained oblivious, until the third fighter swung right into them. They toppled to the ground with a grunting crash. Toph's mouth quirked up in a half-smirk, and with a flick of her wrists, she sent the three groaning fighter flying off the ring.
Mira looked on in shock. Toph had just taken out three very skilled earthbenders in five minutes. She had never seen anyone even approach the level of skill Toph possessed. She really was the best.
But the fight wasn't over yet. Toph pushed her arms down in a sweeping motion, and the dust cleared from the arena. Xin Fu remained standing on the other side, glaring at Toph with narrowed eyes. He cracked his neck once, twice, then settled into a fighting stance.
Toph merely grinned and spat off to the side, prompting a cringe from her father. Mira held back a snort of amusement. Yes, she and this girl would get along just fine.
The two opponent began to circle each other. They stared unblinking across the arena, until Xin Fu made the first move. He kicked first one boulder, than two, then one, then three in rapid succession. Toph reacted in a split-second, drawing up two triangular shields to protect her from the rocks. They each smashed against it, one after the other, but the shelter held fast. After all the projectiles had passed, one triangle shot forward, aimed straight at Xin Fu. He leaped to the side, twisting through the air until he reached down, his fingers sinking into the stone of the ring. He dragged his hand through the earth, swinging it up to throw another stone at Toph. But at the very last second, she turned to the side, and the rock passed mere inches from her face. She quickly struck back, sending a rock hurtling through the air towards him. Xin Fu, who hadn't been expecting a retaliation so soon, didn't have a chance. He went flying from the arena and landed in the bleachers with a crash.
Sokka fainted in shock and disbelief, but the other ran over to congratulate her. "That was amazing!" Katara cried.
"You've got to be the best earthbender ever!" Aang added, eagerly, his eyes shining in excitement.
"And don't you forget it," Toph said, a cocky grin on her face.
"Damn," Mira said slowly, drawing the word out. "I don't think I've ever seen anything quite that badass. And I've seen a lot of things."
"Thanks," Toph said, still grinning. The grin quickly slid off her face as her father approached.
"I believe we have some things to discuss?" Lao said firmly, taking his daughter's hand.
"Yeah," said Toph, her tone defeated. "We do."
"What were you thinking?!" her mother cried, her voice shrill. "You could have been killed!"
"Wouldn'ta happened," Toph mumbled. She was standing with her head bowed in front of her parents, scuffing her feet on the pristine stone floor. They sat on two large, cushioned chairs on a wooden platform that was slightly raised above the floor. It was a facsimile of a throne room, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Mira, who rolled her eyes in disgust.
"Excuse me?" her mother asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Nothing," Toph said quickly.
"Well?" Lao asked. "Care to explain yourself?"
Toph took a deep breath before beginning. "Dad, I know it's 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," she said eagerly, her cloudy green eyes lighting up. "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." Her voice cracked slightly at this. "So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me," she finished quietly.
"Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something," Lao said, his hands folded together and his brow drawn in thought.
"It has?" Toph said hopefully, her eyes widening.
"Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom," Lao declared. "From now on, you will be cared for and guarded twenty-four hours a day."
"But Dad!" Toph protested despairingly. Mira found it not the least bit ironic that the girl who could do anything in the arena was helpless before her parents. Mira ached just a bit to see the sadness and anger on Toph's face.
"We are doing this for your own good, Toph," Mrs. Bei Fong said gently, and that almost did it for Mira. Her fists clenched in anger, and she had half a mind to just grab Toph and run, parents be damned. Katara touched her arm gently and shook her head silently.
Mira blew out a careful breath and nodded. She relaxed her hands and looked away from the broken-hearted twelve-year-old in front of her. She couldn't save everyone, and it was time she accepted it.
But that doesn't make it any easier.
"Please escort the Avatar and his friends out. They are no longer welcome here," Lao said coldly.
A guard reached for Mira's arm, but she yanked it away, hissing, "I can walk!" She glared at him for an extra second, taking pleasure in the uncertainty and fear she caused. At times like these, when she felt so helpless, it was nice to be in control.
As they left, Aang looked back over his shoulder at Toph. "I'm sorry," he said sadly.
"I'm sorry too," Toph replied bitterly, her voice breaking. "Goodbye, Aang."
"This sucks," Sokka groaned, moaning the thought that was on everyone's mind. He flopped over onto the sleeping roll he was supposed to be securing to Appa's saddle.
"I know," Katara said, "but there's nothing we can do."
"Well," Mira said thoughtfully, "I wouldn't say nothing…"
"We are not kidnapping her, Mira," Katara said sternly, taking a break from tying off a bag of supplies to glare at her.
"It's not kidnapping if she wants to come with," Mira defended, tossing a bag up onto the saddle, where Aang was waiting to tie it down.
"Not happening," Katara said stubbornly, tying her knot with a vicious yank. After that, the conversation dropped off as they finished packing everything. Sokka and Mira hopped into the saddle once everything was secured, and Katara went to retrieve Aang from where he'd wandered to the edge of the cliff they were on. Mira could hear the murmur of conversation from where they were, but she couldn't make out any words. Finally, they made their way back to Appa and climbed aboard. Aang took the reins and prepared to take off.
He noticed the sound just before Mira did. It sounded like panting. Almost like…
Toph was running across the clearing full speed. She skidded to a halt beside Appa just as Aang asked, "Toph! What are you doing here?"
"My dad changed his mind. He said I was free to travel the world," she said.
And I'm a wolf-bat's uncle.
Katara and Sokka exchanged meaningful looks before Sokka looked down at her and said, "Well, we'd better get out of here—before your dad changes his mind again."
"Good idea," Toph agreed.
"You're gonna be a great teacher, Toph," Aang said eagerly. He was practically bouncing up and down with excitement.
"Speaking of which," Toph said slyly, "I want to show you something."
"Okay," Aang said immediately, and he leaped down from the saddle. As soon as he landed, Toph kicked at the ground with her heel, and Aang went flying up again, this time with much less control. He landed upside down in a tree, a stupid look across his face.
"Now we're even," she said smugly. "Um, I'll take the belt back," she added, extending a hand up towards the saddle.
Sokka fiddled with the catch and undid the belt around his waist. Just as he pulled his hand back, Mira launched herself forward with a "Sokka, no!"
But he'd already tossed it down to Toph. It landed right on top of her head with a muted thunk, knocking her to the ground. "Ow!" she cried in surprise and pain.
"Sorry," Sokka muttered sheepishly.
Mira reached over and flicked his ear—hard.
"Ow!" Sokka yelped, rubbing the side of his head.
"I'm not apologizing for that one," she said stubbornly. "You deserved it."
"…I won't argue that one."
A/N: This was actually the chapter I started NaNoWriMo on. I could point out the exact place where I started my word count. I won, by the way. 50K words in November. Made it all the way to Chapter 12. Then I couldn't stand to look at it for a month.
Alright, so I have a question for you guys. When's the best time to update? I usually aim for Friday afternoon/night (except when I get impatient). From your experience, is there an ideal time to update? What do you think? Just for curiosity's sake.
Please review and tell me what you think! I love hearing from all of you.
EDIT: Didn't change the chapter, just wanted to add something to the author's note. If you want, you can now check on this story's progress on my profile page. I will do my best to keep you informed and up-to-date.