Jin and Li rolled their eyes as Sokka indulged himself. They had landed in the wealthy town of Gaoling some time ago, and in the process of restocking their supplies, Sokka had decided to do some shopping. Apparently, he thought that after their victory against the Rough Rhinos in Chin Village, he 'deserved something nice'.
Fighting the Rough Rhinos had been interesting. The twins had been told stories of the elite unit and their legendary exploits by their father and several soldiers that had served under him.
Handily defeating them proved to the twins that not all stories were to be believed.
"It's pricey", Sokka said, holding his chin in thought as he gazed down at the ornate green bag, "but I really do like it".
"Then you should get it" Katara said, sounding eager to move on. "You deserve something nice".
"I do, don't I?" Sokka agreed, causing the twins to exchange a smirk. Then, he slumped in defeat and said "But no. It's too expensive. I shouldn't".
"All right. Then don't". The twins let out relieved breaths as they and the others started walking away.
Unfortunately, Sokka decided to change his mind again. "You know what? I'm gonna get it". Jin and Li slapped their foreheads; if they possessed voices, then they would have groaned.
"Psst" someone said, drawing the group's attention. The twins turned and saw a shady-looking individual handing some kind of pamphlet to Aang. "You kids like Earthbending? You like throwing rocks? Then check out Master Yu's Earthbending Academy".
He then walked off, and the twins examined the pamphlet along with the others. "Look", Aang said, "there's a coupon on the back. The first lesson is free".
"Who knows?" Katara asked. "This Master Yu could be the Earthbending teacher you've been looking for". They then made their way to the 'Earthbending Academy', a fancy-looking structure with a golden sign on the arch.
"Do you guys want to join me? It could be fun" Aang said.
Jin crouched down and wrote on the ground. Katara craned her neck and read aloud "He says that he and his brother are self-taught, and they're fairly confident that this Master Yu doesn't have anything to teach them".
"Wow" Aang said with minor astonishment. "You guys are really powerful Earthbenders for being self-taught". Jin and Li wrapped an arm around each other's shoulders and smiled, taking pride in their achievements. A short time later, the bald boy emerged from the academy looking dejected. "He's not the one".
The twins exchanged a smug smirk. An Earthbending teacher who advertised and requested payment for his services wasn't that good.
"I think the Boulder is gonna win back the belt at Earth Rumble VI" one of the academy's students said as he and another boy walked out.
"He's gonna have to fight his way through the best Earthbenders in the world to even get a shot at the champ" the other one countered.
Jin and Li perked up upon hearing that, and Aang excitedly said "Excuse me. But where is this Earthbending tournament exactly?"
"It's on the island of Noneya" the first boy replied. "None o' ya business!"
They walked away with derisive snorts, and Sokka heartily laughed. "Oh, I gotta remember that one!"
"I'll take care of this" Katara said resolutely. The way she spoke told Jin and Li that those boys would be hurting in the next few minutes. As she walked off, Jin placed a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder while Li walked over to a nearby food stall. He got some snacks which he gave to Jin, who promptly handed them over to Aang.
"What was I thinking?" Sokka asked as the bald Airbender munched on his food. "I don't need a new bag. Why'd you let me buy this?"
Katara suddenly returned, asking Aang "You ready to find an Earthbending teacher? Because we're going to Earth Rumble VI!"
Jin and Li blinked over at their Water Tribe companion, while Aang asked "How did you get them to tell you?"
"Oh, a girl has her ways" she replied nonchalantly.
Jin and Li could feel the excitement as they entered the arena. The anticipation of Earthbenders battling for the trophy made their blood pump. The group soon found their way over to an inexplicably empty section of seating. "Hey, front row seats" Aang noted as they sat down. "I wonder why no one else is sitting here".
His question was immediately answered as a large boulder crashed into the seats not ten feet away from them, making the ground quake.
Jin and Li exchanged excited glances as Sokka said "I guess that's why".
Just then, a man with long, greasy black hair stepped out into the centre of the arena in the large cavern. He raised his arm into the air and loudly proclaimed "Welcome to Earth Rumble VI! I am your host, Xin Fu".
Katara huffed in disappointment. "This is just gonna be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn't it?"
"That's what I paid for" Sokka replied happily, voicing the twins' sentiments.
"The rules are simple" Xin Fu announced. "Just knock the other guy out of the ring, and you win". He then launched himself onto a platform overlooking the arena as a thick, well-muscled man stepped onto the arena. "Round one: The Boulder verses the Big Bad Hippo!"
The Hippo was an enormous man with four teeth who looked like he could swallow one of the twins in a single gulp.
"Listen up, Hippo" The Boulder said. "You may be big, but you ain't bad. The Boulder's gonna win this in a landslide!" The two men then started fighting as The Boulder punched some rocks towards the Hippo. The much-larger man merely stood there and absorbed the blows like they were nothing. He then started jumping up and down, shaking the arena.
"Unbelievable, ladies and gentlemen" Xin Fu said. "The Hippo is rocking The Boulder". Soon enough, The Boulder managed to Bend the rock at the Hippo's feet, launching the titan off of the arena. "The Boulder wins!"
"How about The Boulder?" Katara asked. "He's got some good moves".
"I don't know" Aang said hesitantly. "Bumi said I need a teacher who listens to the earth. He's just listening to his big muscles. What do you guys think?"
The twins glanced at Sokka, who loudly shouted his approval of The Boulder. The Earthbending boys shrugged as Aang's gaze fell on them.
The Boulder proved to be a fairly powerful Earthbender, defeating a wide variety of opponents, such as Fire Nation Man, The Gopher, The Gecko, and Headhunter. Each time The Boulder demolished an opponent, Badgermoles would be used in order to clear the debris from the arena. Jin and Li were highly entertained by the tournament, but they weren't that impressed; The Boulder was the only one of any real talent, and the boys were confident that they could easily take the rest.
"Now the moment you've all been waiting for: The Boulder verses your Champion… The Blind Bandit!" Xin Fu proclaimed as the Champion stepped out onto the arena. Jin and Li's eyes opened in surprise as they beheld a little girl, probably around their age, holding up the trophy belt as the crowd cheered.
"She can't really be blind" Katara theorized. "It's just part of her character, right?"
"I think she is" Aang replied, and the twins didn't see anything to the contrary.
Jin and Li exchanged a glance as The Boulder said "The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young, blind girl".
The girl pointed an accusatory finger at the muscular man. "Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder" she taunted in a high-pitched voice.
After a moment, he said "The Boulder's over his conflicted feelings, and now he's ready to bury you in a rock-alanche".
The blind girl remained unfazed. "Whenever you're ready, The Pebble" she taunted, and the twins couldn't help but smirk at her snarkiness. They watched as The Boulder made the first move, roaring as he brought a foot down to the ground. At the same time, The Blind Bandit struck her heel against the ground, creating a line of broken earth to shoot towards her opponent. The line reached The Boulder's foot just as it touched the ground, causing the man's legs to split.
The twins watched in stunned silence as the muscular man wailed in agony. He was far too distracted to see The Blind Bandit thrust her arm forward, causing three rock columns to emerge from the arena and throw The Boulder over the edge.
"Your winner, and still the Champion: The Blind Bandit!" Xin Fu declared, causing the crowd to cheer.
Sokka wailed in grief over the crushing defeat of his favourite fighter, while Katara asked "How did she do that?"
"She waited and listened" Aang surmised.
Xin Fu then leaped down onto the arena, a large green bag in his hand. "To make things a little more interesting, I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat The Blind Bandit!" The twins exchanged wide grins with each other before launching themselves from their seats with rock columns. "What? No one dares to…" Xin Fu started to say before the Earthbending boys landed on the arena.
He leaped back onto his platform as the crowd started murmuring. The Blind Bandit gazed in their direction, pointing at them and asking "So, does it take little boys to beat a blind girl? Aren't there any men here?"
The twins didn't take the bait, standing with their hands clasped behind their backs. They glanced at each other and nodded. Jin struck his foot against the ground, causing a line of broken earth to creep towards their opponent, while Li remained perfectly still, trying to Bend with only his force of will. Focusing on the piece of ground in front of him, he felt the strain on his body as the man-sized boulder was ripped into the air before it shot towards the girl.
The twins hoped that the first attack would be enough of a distraction that Li could exploit; if this blind girl listened before attacking, then an Earthbending attack with no movement involved should be enough to beat her.
It wasn't.
The Blind Bandit struck her left foot against the ground, creating a line of broken earth that intercepted Jin's. They both impacted, and large rocks protruded from the point of contact. She then struck her right foot against the ground, summoning a rock wall that absorbed the boulder.
The twins reacted instantly, charging their opponent. She kicked two boulders simultaneously from the ground before punching them at both of the boys. The two of them pushed off of the ground, landing on the boulders and leaping high into the air. They then ripped out boulders as they started to fall back down. As they landed, they brought the boulders crashing down onto their opponent… only to discover that she wasn't where she had previously been standing.
Turning around, the twins noticed that she was standing on a piece of earth that had been slid out of the way of their combined attack. She then thrust her arms forward, and two identical boulders shot towards them at phenomenal speed.
The twins punched the boulders, reducing them into clouds of fine dust. Li thrust his arms upwards, summoning a rock column that launched him high into the air, while Jin punched the ground. A crack then formed, quickly advancing under The Blind Bandit's feet. Li then landed behind her, creating a rolling wave of earth that managed to knock the blind girl onto her back as she moved out of the way of the crack.
Capitalizing on the opening he had just made, Li leaped into the air, ripping a boulder out of the ground and bringing it down towards The Blind Bandit. Just before his attack came through, however, she stuck her feet towards him, and a rock column suddenly emerged from the ground, striking Li directly in the chest and sending him crashing into the seats beside Aang and the others.
Jin's eyes widened upon seeing his brother being dispatched. The Blind Bandit turned to look at him, bearing a smug smirk on her face.
The Earthbending boy's eyes narrowed, intent on avenging his brother. Extending his arms to the side, he drew several pieces of earth onto them, creating impromptu earthen armour. He then made several punching motions at The Blind Bandit, sending some of his armour shooting towards her. She punched each of them, shattering them into dust before striking her heel against the ground.
Jin suddenly found himself struck in the back by some kind of piece of earth that launched him into the air. He soon came crashing upside down right next to his brother, slumping in defeat as he gazed out at the arena, which appeared to be hanging from the ceiling from his current position.
"Wow, what a fight!" Xin Fu exclaimed. "Would anyone else care to try their luck against The Blind Bandit?"
"I will!" Aang's familiar voice replied as he stepped onto the arena.
"Go, Aang!" Sokka cried with a great ferocity. "Avenge The Boulder and The Twins!"
"Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out there?" The Blind Bandit taunted, prompting the crowd to ooh.
"I don't really want to fight you" Aang said, holding his hands up. "I want to talk to you".
"Boo! No talking!" Sokka shouted.
"Don't boo at him!" Katara admonished, slapping her brother on the back of the head.
Jin could only stare at the blind girl with nothing less than absolute awe. He and his brother had taught themselves how to Earthbend since before they could walk, and it was a point of pride with them. Their greatest strengths were fighting in sync with each other and learning new techniques from watching others. The Blind Bandit was the best Earthbender they had ever encountered, and that was saying something; the boys had, after all, come across some of the best Benders the Earth Kingdom had to offer in battle.
The Blind Bandit struck her heel against the ground, causing a thick rock to emerge where Aang was standing. The bald boy used his Airbending in order to glide away from it. As soon as his feet touched the arena, the blind girl said "Somebody's a little light on his feet. What's your fighting name, The Fancy Dancer?"
Aang avoided her next attack, staying off the ground for several moments. When his feet touched the ground, The Blind Bandit kicked a boulder in front of her before punching it at him. The Airbender responded by firing a powerful wind blast which blew the boulder and the blind girl off of the arena.
The twins, along with everyone else in the stadium, watched in stunned silence.
The Blind Bandit stalked off as Aang tried to solicit her to be his Earthbending teacher, while Katara helped Jin get rightside down. She proceeded to wipe the dust off of him and his brother, saying "Don't worry; you guys did great out there".
"Yeah, that was one of the best fights I've ever seen!" Sokka exclaimed as they joined Aang on the arena. The Water Tribe boy grabbed the trophy belt and bag of gold from Xin Fu, telling Aang "Way to go, Champ!"
"I got to admit", Sokka said as they walked along the street, "now I'm really glad I bought this bag. It matches the belt perfectly".
"That is a big relief" Katara deadpanned. The twins only belatedly noticed the exchange; they were still a little sore from their defeat at the hands of the greatest Earthbender they had ever met.
And to think that she was blind!
"If we want to find The Blind Bandit", Aang said, "the Earthbending Academy is a good place to start". The group stepped into the academy, noticing the same two boys from the previous day pounding away at sand in jars.
"Oh, great. You again" one of them muttered. Katara took a threatening step forward, and the boys recoiled in fear, causing the twins to exchange amused smiles.
"Yeah. I didn't think so" the Water Tribe girl said.
"Nicely done" Sokka complimented.
"Hey, you're the kids who fought The Blind Bandit in the most epic battle I've ever seen!" one of the boys said, pointing at the twins.
"And you're the one who beat her!" the other added, pointing to Aang. Jin and Li didn't take it personally; after all, the surprise his Airbending afforded him in combat was an advantage that few were prepared to face.
"We need to talk to her" the bald boy explained. "Do you guys know where she lives?"
"The Blind Bandit's a mystery" one of the boys replied ominously. "She shows up to fight, then disappears".
"Let me handle this" Katara suggested to Aang. She then walked over to one of the boys and poked him in the chest with a finger. "You're not telling us everything!"
"No, no. I swear that's true! No one knows where she goes or who she really is".
"That's because we're asking about the wrong person" Aang said, sounding seized by inspiration. "In my vision, I saw a girl in a white dress with a pet flying boar. Know anybody like that?"
"Well, a flying boar is the symbol of the Beifong family" the one boy replied. "They're the richest people in town. Probably the whole world".
"Yeah, but they don't have a daughter" the other one added as he cowered behind his friend.
"A flying boar is good enough for me" Aang said, turning to the others. "Let's check it out". The group then made its way through Gaoling, but not before the twins threw head-sized boulders into the two boys. They then came to the edge of town, to a rather impressive estate. The gate was protected by two serious-looking guards, and the archway over the gate was decorated with a gilded flying boar.
"Come on, we can go around" Sokka suggested, and the twins followed as they made their way to one of the side walls. Jin and Li thrust their arms forward, and a section of the wall slid down into the ground. Once they were all across, the twins brought the section back up, leaving no trace.
Suddenly, Jin and Li exchanged a worried glance before the ground erupted at their feet in the blink of an eye, throwing everyone around. Aang and Katara crashed into bushes, Sokka crashed onto the grass, and the twins fell into two trees.
"What are you doing here, Twinkle-Toes?" a familiar high-pitched voice asked.
"How did you know it was me?" Aang asked in response.
"Don't answer to Twinkle-Toes" Sokka chided. "It's not manly".
"You're the one whose bag matches his belt" Katara retorted. After a moment, she asked "Where are Jin and Li?" Just then, the branches supporting Jin and Li snapped, and they came tumbling down onto the ground, covered in twigs and leaves.
"Oh, there they are" Sokka said, not sounding too concerned.
As Katara helped them to stand, the twins got a good look at The Blind Bandit. They shook their heads, thinking that they were seeing things. The blind girl that had handily defeated them after a grueling battle was dressed in a fine white robe, and her hair was done up in a bun with a gold band. "How did you find me?" she demanded.
"Well, a crazy King told me I had to find the Earthbender who listens to the earth" Aang offered in explanation. "And then I had a vision in a magic swamp, and…"
"What Aang is trying to say is he's the Avatar", Katara said, cutting him off, "and if he doesn't master Earthbending soon, he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord".
"Not my problem. Now get out of here or I'll call the guards" the blind girl said, holding up a hand to Katara.
"Look, we all have to do our part to win this war" Sokka said. "And yours is to teach Aang Earthbending".
She pointed a finger at the twins. "Why don't you have those two do it? They're Earthbenders. Pretty good ones, too". Jin and Li couldn't help but smirk as they received praise from a superior opponent. Jin crouched down and started writing on the ground. "What are you doing?" the blind girl asked.
"They can't talk" Katara explained. Jin quickly wrote something else, and she added "They were born like that". Li could see The Blind Bandit's expression change. "They can't listen to the earth like you can. They were hoping, along with the rest of us, if you could teach them and Aang what you know".
Jin stood back up, and he exchanged a glance with Li. For a few moments, The Blind Bandit was silent, and the twins hoped that she would say yes. Eventually, she put on a panicked expression and cried out "Guards! Guards, help!"
The group instantly ran for cover, and just as they managed to hide behind some bushes, several guards came running for The Blind Bandit. "Toph, what happened?" one of them asked.
Jin exchanged a glance with Li. So, her name was Toph; it sounded a lot like 'tough', which matched her personality perfectly.
"I thought I heard someone" she said, sounding timid. "I got scared".
The guards placed hands on her shoulders, and as they led her away, one of them said "You know your father doesn't want you wandering the grounds without supervision, Toph".
Fortunately, the group was able to overcome the initial barrier. As it turned out, being the Avatar came with a great many perks, and Aang simply had to show his tattoos in order to get them admitted into the Beifong estate. The guards showed them to the Beifongs themselves, including Toph, and they all found themselves eating dinner. Sokka noisily devoured his food, as did the twins; they hadn't seen this much food in quite some time, and they took full advantage of it.
A servant set a bowl of soup in front of Toph, and her father said "Blow on it. It's too hot for her".
"Allow me" Aang said, proceeding to blow a tiny twister over to Toph's bowl. The steam dissipated instantly, and the Beifongs clapped in amazement. Master Yu was present as well, and the twins didn't think very highly of him; he looked too clean and proper, absent of the regular dirt that every Earthbender possessed.
"Avatar Aang", Toph's mother began, "it's an honour to have you visit us".
Her father turned to the bald boy and asked "In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last?"
Aang swallowed a mouthful of food before replying "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". He looked purposefully at Toph, and the twins could see the scowl on her face.
"Well, Master Yu is the finest teacher in the land" the blind girl's father said, forcing the twins to suppress derisive snorts. "He's been teaching Toph since she was little".
Jin and Li exchanged a dubious glance, doubting very much that he had managed to train the finest Earthbender they had ever seen.
"Then she must be a great Earthbender", Aang said, probably good enough to teach someone… ow!" The twins felt the slight vibration in the ground, and upon seeing Toph's half-hidden smirk, they figured she must have been responsible.
"Toph is still learning the basics" Master Yu said.
"Yes", her father agreed, sounding very mournful, "and because of her blindness, I don't think she will ever become a true Master".
The twins blinked twice, their faces frozen, before turning to exchange a glance with the others. Toph's father appeared to be the only blind one in the room if he couldn't see his daughter's prodigious talent.
"Oh, I'm sure she's better than you think she is" Aang said. The twins felt another vibration in the earth just as the bald boy's face was forced into his food. They looked at Toph, who was smirking once again, as Aang wiped the food off of his face. He suddenly bore a devious grin before sneezing, blowing food onto Toph, her mother, and Master Yu.
"What's your problem?" Toph demanded, standing up.
"What's your problem?" Aang countered, standing up as well.
The twins, along with Sokka and Katara, observed the proceedings in absolute silence. "Well", Toph's mother said, sounding completely oblivious to the tension in the room, "shall we move to the living room for dessert, then?"
After a very awkward dessert, the Beifongs graciously offered the group to stay for the night, and they proceeded to settle into a very luxurious room. Apparently, this family had money to spare. As Aang bid Appa goodnight through the window, Toph stepped into the room, prompting the Airbender to cry in surprise and enter into a fighting stance.
"Relax" she said. "Look, I'm sorry about dinner. Let's call it a truce, okay?"
After a moment, Aang said "Okay, truce".
"Let's go for a walk" the blind girl said. She then pointed to the twins. "You two can come along". A few minutes later, the four of them were outside, walking through the estate's magnificent grounds. "Even though I was born blind", Toph began, balancing along a stone bridge which crossed a small stream, "I've never had a problem seeing. I see with Earthbending. It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the earth, and I can see where everything is: you, those two, that tree, even those ants".
The twins and Aang looked around in the darkness for the ants, but couldn't find anything. "That's amazing" the Airbender complimented. Jin then crouched down and wrote on the ground. "Jin says that that's just like him and his brother. Even though they can't talk, they communicate through their Earthbending. They know it's not the same as being blind, but everyone else sees them as just being helpless little boys except for their father. He always encouraged them to be the best they can be".
Toph snorted. "I wish my parents were like that. They don't understand. They've always treated me like I was helpless". Jin and Li exchanged a glance; while their father loved them and wanted the best for them, he didn't express that in the smothering manner of Toph's parents. They could only imagine what that must be like.
"Is that why you became The Blind Bandit?" Aang asked, echoing the twins' thoughts.
"Yeah" she replied.
"Then why stay here where you're not happy?"
"They're my parents. Where else am I supposed to go?" Jin and Li looked down somberly, thinking about their father and whether or not they would ever see him again.
"You could come with us" Aang offered, and the twins gave him a supportive nod.
"Yeah. You guys get to go wherever you want" Toph said, her tone wistful. "No one telling you what to do… that's the life. It's just not my life".
Li crouched down and started to write on the ground when he felt something. He looked to his brother, who sensed it too.
"We're being ambushed!" Toph exclaimed, and the twins followed her and Aang as they ran. Suddenly, something burst out of the ground in front of them, and the twins recognized him as one of the fighters from Earth Rumble VI. Before they could do anything, however, four metal cages were dropped on top of them, trapping them as something pounded them into the ground.
They then heard Xin Fu's voice. "I think you kids owe me some money".
"You think you're so tough!" Toph shouted down at Xin Fu and the other Earthbenders. "Why don't you come up here so I can smack that grin off your face?" Jin and Li gave each other an amused smirk; this girl definitely had a lot of spunk.
Down below, on the arena, Xin Fu replied "I'm not smiling".
Suddenly, the twins caught sight of four people on the other side of the arena, and they saw that it was Sokka, Katara, Master Yu, and Toph's father. "Here's your money" Sokka said, holding up a large bag. "Now, let them go". He dropped it on the arena floor, and Master Yu shot it over to Xin Fu. The greasy-haired man inspected its contents before nodding over to one of the fighters.
Toph's cage was lowered to the arena, and she was promptly released. "What about them?" Katara asked, referring to Aang and the twins.
"I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar and two deserters" Xin Fu replied, holding up wanted posters. "Now get out of my ring". The rest of the fighters then appeared, and Sokka and Katara exchanged nervous glances.
"Go", Aang said, "we'll be okay".
Katara then called into the tunnel leading out of the stadium "Toph, there's too many of them. We need an Earthbender. We need you".
They heard Toph's father reply "My daughter is blind. She is blind and tiny and helpless and fragile. She cannot help you". Jin and Li exchanged an irritated glance; if they weren't stuck in metal cages, then they would have pounded some sense into the man; clearly, he was blinder than his daughter.
"Yes, I can" Toph's high-pitched voice refuted, giving the twins a new sense of hope.
As they were being carried by the Hippo and The Boulder, a rock suddenly emerged in the fighters' path, causing them to turn around. The twins were facing the ceiling, so they couldn't see anything, but they heard Toph say "Let them go. I beat you all before, and I'll do it again".
"The Boulder takes issue with that comment" the muscular man replied. The twins suddenly found themselves being thrown aside, and they grunted as their metal cages bounced along the arena floor.
A great commotion then sounded as Toph engaged all the fighters, while Sokka and Katara worked on freeing the twins and Aang from their cages. "Hit it harder!" the Airbender cried as Sokka bashed his cage's lock with a rock.
"I'm trying!" he replied indignantly. Eventually, he managed to get Aang free, and the three of them then worked on freeing the twins.
As the twins awaited their imminent freedom, they heard the distinctive growling of the Hippo and The Boulder. Finally, their metal cages were opened, and the Earthbending boys quickly extricated themselves, entering into fighting stances. Aang shook his head, and they followed his gaze to the rest of the arena. The only ones left standing were Toph and Xin Fu; clearly, even when fighting together, none of the Earth Rumble VI fighters could hope to stand a chance against the blind girl.
The greasy-haired man launched a salvo of boulders at Toph, who responded by summoning an earthen bunker around herself. Once all the boulders had struck uselessly against it, a piece broke off and shot towards Xin Fu.
He leaped into the air in order to avoid the attack. As his hand made contact with the ground, he threw another boulder at Toph. She deftly side-stepped the chunk of earth before summoning a line of rock columns that launched Xin Fu into the stands, in between her father and Master Yu.
Aang and the others stood there in complete awe, their mouths open enough to house Badgermoles, while the twins stared at her with deep smiles. This girl was one of a kind.
A short time later, they were all back at the Beifong estate as Toph stood before her parents. "Dad, I know it's probably hard for you to see me this way, but the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an Earthbender. And I'm really, really good at it".
Jin and Li agreed wholeheartedly.
"I know I've kept my life secret from you", she continued, "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". Jin and Li exchanged a glance as she looked up at her parents and asked "So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me".
"Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph" her father replied. "It's made me realize something".
"It has?" she asked, sounding hopeful.
"Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom. From now on, you will be cared for and guarded twenty-four hours a day".
Jin and Li's eyes widened in shock. This man was one of the worst fathers they had ever seen, and considering they had been adopted into the family of Admiral Zhao, that was saying something.
"But, Dad…" Toph started to protest.
"We are doing this for your own good, Toph" her mother said, causing the twins to scowl over at her.
"Please escort the Avatar and his friends out" her father ordered. "They are no longer welcome here".
A servant then escorted them out, and Aang said "I'm sorry, Toph".
"I'm sorry, too. Goodbye, Aang". Jin and Li glanced back, and the blind girl stared after them. A tear ran down her cheek, and the twins felt an ache inside.
Jin and Li stared at the wall of the Beifong estate, their hands clenched into fists. Aang, Sokka, and Katara were in the outskirts of Gaoling, getting Appa ready to leave. The twins had decided to slip away quietly and make their way back to the large estate.
At this point in their lives, all they wanted to do was to be reunited with their father. Even though they had no idea if he was still alive, they still held out hope. Travelling with Aang was just a way for them to do that. However, they found themselves unwilling to abandon Toph to a fate of imprisonment, no matter what her parents said.
They had been orphans, destined to live on the streets and doomed to a life of poverty until their father had found them and took them in. They had had the opportunity to find freedom and a better life, and Toph deserved the same.
Nodding to each other, the Earthbending boys thrust their arms out, lowering a section of the wall into the ground. Upon entering the estate, they raised the wall back up so there would be no trace. The twins proceeded to stealthily make their way through the shrubbery, careful to avoid the patrolling guards. There was no telling what the blind girl's parents might do if they were discovered. Eventually, they came to a wall near the back of the estate, and they were fairly positive that it led to Toph's room.
The boys lowered a section of the wall, revealing a rather large room with ornate tapestries, gilded furnishings, a large vanity with a jewel-encrusted mirror, and a large bed where a certain blind girl was crying into her pillow.
Jin and Li exchanged a pained expression, hating seeing Toph like this. Sensing their presence, she looked up at them, her milky white eyes wide with shock. Jin jerked his head back, silently inviting her to come with them. Toph's mouth opened, and her expression appeared hopeful. She glanced back at her front door, likely thinking about her parents and the sentence they had passed.
Turning around so as to let her change in privacy, Jin and Li were suddenly punched in the shoulders as Toph emerged from her room, dressed in the outfit she had worn during Earth Rumble VI. "Come on, let's go" she said, sealing the hole in her wall. Jin and Li rubbed their shoulders and exchanged a glance; apparently, this girl showed affection differently than others.
Soon enough, they came to where the others were standing next to Appa. "There you are!" Katara cried upon seeing the twins. "We've been looking…" She trailed off as she caught sight of Toph, and the Earthbending boys could see her eyes widening with surprise.
"Toph!" Aang exclaimed, hopping down onto the ground. "What are you doing here?"
She turned to look at the twins, smirking. "These two convinced my Dad to let me travel the world".
Sokka and Katara exchanged a glance before the former 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.
"Speaking of which, I want to show you something". The bald boy hopped down onto the ground, and the moment his feet made contact, the blind girl struck her heel against the ground, causing a rock to emerge and shoot Aang into a tree. "Now we're even" she said smugly. Holding her arm out to Sokka, she said "Um, I'll take the belt back".
The Water Tribe boy scowled as he took off the belt and tossed it down. It struck Toph directly on her head, knocking her down to the ground as she exclaimed "Ow!"
Jin helped her get back on her feet, while Li waved a hand over to Sokka, causing a small rock to shoot through the air before hitting the older boy on the forehead. Once they were all on Appa's saddle, the large Bison took off, and they were soon leaving Gaoling behind. "I'm really looking forward to learning Earthbending from you" Aang said.
Jin used his Bending to crush a small rock in his hand into dust before forming it into writing. Katara turned to Toph and said "Jin and Li also want to learn how you 'see with your feet', and once they do, they want a rematch".
"You're on!" Toph said, prompting the twins to smirk at each other.
Woohoo! Toph has entered the building! I've been looking forward to introducing her to the twins for a while, now.
So, I was wondering if you guys could do me a favour: I'm having trouble thinking of possible nicknames Toph might give the twins, so if you can think of any, just let me know!
I'll be skipping Zuko Alone (hopefully for obvious reasons), so next up will be 'The Chase!'
Please review and favourite!