Author's note: hmm I'm not satisfied with this chapter. I wanted to write more Chenlian/Zuko and bring things better. But it could take months or years before I'm satisfied and I can't make you wait that long so I'm still posting it as imcomplete as I find it. You'll be warned if I manage to improve it.
Now as only Powerpuff reviewed (thank you about it :) ), I'll do as she said, and continue as always with no separarators (though there shall be exceptions).
Also, don't worry, no matter how bad things may be/look for Chenlian and Zuko, they'll still overcome obstacles and grow as a couple throughout the seasons... ultimately, they'll be together for life, this is my promise to you... even though there will be times when I'll do my best to make you doubt it. I'm evil so yeah... ye be warned :p
Concerning the poll, for now the results are 4 votes for Gundam Seed, 4 for Yu Yu Hakusho... and 0 for Avatar XD
Fight 30: Broken home
Senya equanimously stared at his two guests. Lee was fiercely glaring at him like he'd like nothing more than to rip his throat while protectively standing before Meiling and tightly holding her hand in a possessive grip... and Meiling was smiling sheepishly.
"Sorry, I got caught." She remarked. He could see that.
"She's resigning as of today. She won't be coming back here. So you don't ever come close to her again!" The scarred young man pointed a threatening finger at the young master who sighed.
"Is that really what you want?"
"Well, we should be moving out within the next few days so..." The girl trailed off. It was true that Zuko didn't want to stay in this town where that guy was. And she acknowledged that staying with that man could be dangerous for her, in many ways.
"Alright, I understand." Senya closed his eyes in apparent acceptation. But suddenly, before those two could even react, he closed in and imprisoned Chenlian in a tight embrace. "You were just using me, weren't you? You've bled me dry, made me hope, and now you're just throwing me away. In the end, I only meant this much to you. Such a cruel woman!" His quivering voice cried in his most poignant and disconsolate tone.
Although she had no such intention and hadn't even thought about it, it was true her working for him had served to incite Zuko's jealousy and as a leverage to make him stop stealing. And although Senya and Chenlian were technically only employer and employee, their relationship, meant to be a professional one but continually brought down (by him) to one between man and woman, similar to cat and mouse, could lead to think that she was just a woman cheating him of his money for the sake of her real lover... And of course since it was so difficult to know when he was being sincere, when he wasn't and when he was half sincere, he could also strike Meiling's sensitive chord and make her feel guilty. However, that only half worked and she kept telling him to stop fooling around and causing so much trouble to the very end, even as he kept dancing around with her in his arms to dodge all of Zuko's blows and attempts to claim her back...
"And you're still so cold to me, even to the very end! But it's your cruelty that makes you so desirable. Even if I'm scorched, I pray that these wounds will become a mark tying me to you. I will miss you." He kissed her forehead and finally let her go. Zuko grabbed her by the shoulders and held her tight to him, still menacing the son of the Qi family with his sword. "Go now." He smiled. "Before I give the orders to have Lee arrested."
Meiling stared at him for a time and stopped her childhood friend from flying off the handle. Was he serious or not? Was it sadness she saw in his playful smile? She couldn't understand him after all. But...
"Thank you for everything until now. I pray that you will be well." She bowed deeply and dragged Zuko away.
"Is that really alright, young lord?" An attendant questioned his master who was looking through the window, watching the two guests walking down the street.
"Yes, now was not the time. We'll definitely see each other again anyway. How are my brother and my parents?" He inquired. The aide replied he had received reports that everything was going smoothly on this side too. "Good. Have everything continue as usual. I'll go see her again once this phase of the plan has been completed."
In a town nestled among the mountains, Aang's group was looking at a green bag with a shoulder strap on display. Sokka liked it but it was pricey. His sister suggested buying it since he deserved something nice. He agreed, brightening up, and slumped back down the second after. It was too expensive, He shouldn't.
"Alright, then don't." Katara replied, slightly annoyed by his indecisiveness. The trio walked away but then a few seconds later, Sokka returned. He had decided to buy it after all. In the street, a man gave them a flyer about Master Yu's Earthbending Academy. There was even a coupon on the back. The first lesson was free. Hoping this Master Yu could be the earthbending teacher Aang had been looking for, they headed to the academy.
Aang was dressed in a dark green earthbender training uniform and a round helmet. He was at the end of a line of boys and there was a second line opposite them. They were all younger and smaller than him by a head (at least). He imitated their straight and resolute stance. However, each child of the second line had a rock at his feet but there were no rocks in his line. The master told them to take their stances (The students except Aang assumed earthbending stances) and to strike as if they were punching through their opponents' head. The students lifted their rocks with their bending and threw them at the other line. The monk was hit square in the chest and knocked back into a large ceramic pot behind him, just against the wall a few yards away. The pot exploded. Master Yu approached him with a smile.
"So, are you ready to commit to more lessons ? If you pay for the whole year in advance, I'll bump you up to the next belt." The man inquired. More debris slid down the avatar's face, burying him.
At the end of the lesson, Aang joined his friends at the gate and told hem disappointedly he was not the one. They heard students talking about a certain 'The Boulder' that would have to fight his way through the best earthbenders in the world to get a shot at the champ at an event, called Earth Rumble 6. Aang asked them where this earthbending tournament was.
"It's on the Island of Noneoya – none o' ya business!" One answered smugly, showing off his meaness and stupidity. Both laughed and walked away. Sokka was laughing too as this wise crack was exactly at his level. But Katara looked peeved. She reassured her friend, saying she was going to take care of that. She disappeared around the corner, calling after the 'strong guys'. Meantime, Sokka had already started complaining about his new bag and blaming Aang for having let him buy something he didn't need. Had Chenlian been there, she would have prevented that and he would have listened to her. He dropped the bag and crossed him. Momo jumped down into the bag and settled in for some sleep. Katara returned.
"You ready to find an earthbending teacher ? Because we're going to Earth Rumble 6!" She exclaimed happily. The airbender wondered how she had got them to tell her. "Oh, a girl has her ways." She replied innocently. However, against all expectations, she had not used her feminine charms but her waterbending skills to convince them. She had left them, frozen neck down.
"So, you made me quit my well-paying job, and I made you quit stealing. But that doesn't solve much. Does that mean you're ready to do what needs to be done and be more receptive to suggestions?" Chenlian questioned. But Zuko was still hesitating. "Then, won't you think of it that way? Rather than stay cooped up in a palace surrounded by people whose role is to wear a mask and suck up to you, ignorant of the rest of the world, the true feelings of the people who are down the ladder, this is chance to observe the world. You can meet many people, many different views and ways of life, many different perpectives. There are so many things you can learn if you just open your eyes and ears and stop being self-centered for a moment. When total strangers treat you with more affection and trust than your own family, when you see their happiness, you start learning the meaning of happiness and compassion. You want these people to be happy too, you want to protect them. It isn't bad to have a goal and stick to it. But that doesn't mean you have to close yourself off to everything else."
"You make it sound like we're living in some kind of beautiful place where everything's perfect but the world isn't so nice. Don't you know that well too?"
"Right now, I'm happy because I'm with you, and you care about me. So the rest doesn't really matter." She hugged his arm and leant on his shoulder. At this, the young man felt a warmth in his chest he had never known. Chenlian stopped and took his face in her hands. "Still, if you're worried about me, then you just have to protect me and watch over me, without ever leaving my side." The girl smiled. She looked so lovely, so radiant, so tender... He took her hands and let go, so he could softly touch her face, caress it, stroke her hair as if ascertaining she was truly there. And then, unable to take it, he kissed her, passionately, possessively, with all his ardent love. That brilliance was his and only his. She belonged to him.
In the mountain, people entered a tunnel leading to a very large underground stadium. The arena was rectangular with the Earth Kingdom symbol in the middle. A tower had been built among the stands. The 'ring' was separated by what looked like a moat without water. Strangely, the lower third of the stands was utterly empty but that didn't make the trio second-guess their decision to sit on the front row seats. They just carelessly wondered why no one was sitting there... and got their answer when a massive boulder slammed into the seats right next to them, showering them with dust and debris. At the center of the arena, a man had earthbended an explosion of rock and dirt, creating a column of earth that raised him upwards. It stopped. The man made another motion and the column sank back to floor level. He had long black hair down to his shoulders and a callous, slightly savage appearance. As their host, Xin Fu, he welcomed the audience to Earth Rumble 6. Katara already looked bored since a bunch of guys chuckin' rocks at each other didn't seem very interesting but that was exactly what her brother wanted.
Xin Fu explained the very simple rule: you just had to knock the other guy out of the ring to win. He earthbended himself back to the announcer's tower and presented the first round, the Boulder (a tall beefy guy with a tatoo on his back) versus the Big Bad Hippo (a huge fat man with missing teeth like a hippo). After the usual intimidation/provocation ritual, the fight started.
The Boulder earthbended a rock that shattered harmlessly on his opponent's belly. The fatty caught part in his mouth, crunched on it and spat the pebbles out. The Hippo then began to jump up and down, causing the arena to shake around. The Boulder wobbled backwards on the verge of losing his balance. He reached the edge of the arena, took out a sheet of rock out of the side of the arena and threw it at his opponent who was already celebrating. It hit the Hippo's back and he turns around to face his foe once more. The muscleman, with a tremendous effort, then earthbended a rock with the Hippo on it off the floor and hurled him over the side of the arena. That was the Boulder's victory.
Katara suggested that he became Aang's teacher as he had some good moves but the Avatar wasn't so sure about that. Bumi had said he needed a teacher who listened to the earth. That guy was just listening to his big muscles. He asked Sokka's opinion but he was too busy cheering to listen. Well, he was a sucker for that kind of manly event, masculine appearance, and machismo.
The tournament continued. Next was the Boulder versus Fire Nation Man. The crowd booed loudly as the contestant, dressed indeed in Fire Nation clothes, entered the arena floor waving his Fire Nation flag. He asked the audience to rise for Fire Nation national anthem and started singing 'Fire Lord, my flame burns for thee!' as he dropped on one knee. The crowd threw stones at him. Sokka's hit on the head. The boy yelled at him to return to the Fire Nation. However, the contestant's anger was cut short as he was twisted violently around and sunk into the earthen. Buried up to his shoulders, he could do nothing but stare at the Boulder, who raised himself up on a huge column of earth. Petrified, Fire Nation Man begged him to stop but his opponent grinned and jumped off. His legs bent at the knees, holding his feet with his hands, he hit the ground in front of Fire Nation Man, who was projected high into the air and out of the arena on impact. He landed on the rock next to the children. Sokka cheered. A guy riding a badgermole came to level the arena thanks to the animal earthbending abilities that acted as a zamboni.
The Boulder's streak of quick and easy victories continued... against a muscular man with a slight resemblance to a mad doctor and using gopher techniques, a thin one with a wrestling mask, and another with a painted face. And then, finally, the match against the champion: the Blind Bandit. And that champion was 'just' a small young girl with truly unseeing milk white eyes. She had black hair in a large bun held by a yellow and green headband and wore a green and cream uniform as well as a cape. She was holding a large belt with the earthbending emblem – the symbol of the champion – aloft. The crowd chanted 'bandit' as two young women removed her cape and took the belt. Katara doubted she was really blind but not Aang. And Sokka... was sure she was going to go down.
"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young, blind girl." The Boulder taunted.
"Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder." The Champ mocked, pointing.
"The Boulder's over his conflicted feelings, and now he's ready to bury you... in a rock-a-lanche!" He declared, piqued, after a time.
"Whenever you're ready... The Pebble." She threw her head back and laughed arrogantly. And that laugh... sounded like the girl in white's laugh from the vision Aang had had in the swamp. And now that he thought about it... they had the same face too! It was her?!
The match started. Despite his bravado, the Boulder was sweating profusely. He yelled and charged. However, there were reasons why she was absolute champion despite being a 'small blind girl'. To compensate for her blindness, her hearing and touch had reached an extraordinary acuteness. And she had acquired another skill: seismic sense which enabled her to detect even the most minute vibrations in the ground to perceive, 'visualize' most aspects of her environement like objects, plants, animals, people... it basically acted as a sonar. It could only work through earth but it gave her a clear advantage compared to other earthbenders as the Boulder would soon learn.
She changed her stance, which was very different from the usual earthbending stances. She swung her right foot in an arc and struck the ground. The small shockwave churned up the ground like a gopher and headed toward her opponent at great speed and took a quick, sudden and sharp turn just as the Boulder put his foot back on the ground, meeting it. He dropped down onto the ground in a perfect split, which caused him extreme pain due to his lack of flexibility. Momo squeaked and Sokka's look of adulation and excitement turned into a look of pain and compassion. The Bandit made a chopping motion with her right hand and three stalagmites erupted from the ground and ejected The Boulder from the ring. He slammed into the wall beneath the stands and slid down into the crevice. The girl's face split into a crafty and satisfied smile. Xin Fu announced the results. The winner and still the champion was The Blind Bandit. Sokka cried. His sister incredulously wondered how she had done that.
"She waited... and listened." Aang replied with an appreciative smile. He had finally found the one he had been looking for. Xin Fu jumped onto the arena. He was holding a green bag. To make things more interesting, he was offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who could defeat the Blind Bandit. There was a long silence until Aang spoke up and stepped on the arena. The crowd noisily approved. Xin Fu returned to his announcer tower.
Sokka yelled at Aang to avenge the Boulder.
"Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here ?" The champion taunted. But the Avatar didn't really want to fight. He wanted to talk. Sokka booed him as he didn't want any talking, earning himself a good smack from his sister. No booing at Aang. The boy stepped forward. The Bandit smiled and stomped the ground with the side of her left foot, causing a large rock to grow out of the ground underneath Aang. He should have been launched into the air but he weightlessly jumped away and landed softly on the ground behind her. She turned around with an upset expression on her face. "Somebody's a little light on his feet. What's your fighting name, the Fancy Dancer?" She taunted again but this time more angrily. The boy smiled and innocently shrugged. Another rock erupted from the ground and hurled the male bender into the air. He somersaulted and landed behind her again. He tried to talk to her but she wouldn't listen and raised a boulder she threw at him in a straight line, forcing Aang to jump and airbend the rock back.
However, he had made a mistake. He should have directed it straight at her to keep his disguise. Instead he shot two jets of wind, one for the rock, and one for the Bandit who was blown back out of the arena, shocking everyone. The audience and Water Tribe siblings cheered. The fallen champion walked away, clearly upset. Aang climbed a little down the stairs and he calls after her.
"Please listen! I need an earthbending teacher, and I think it's supposed to be you!"
"Whoever you are, just leave me alone." The girl created a door in the wall and closed it upon her passage. The monk reached it too late and he returned, sad, to the arena where he was given the belt and the gold, or rather when Sokka took them after having hugged Xin Fu. The Water Tribesman put his arm around his friend and congralutated, but that didn't cheer him up the slightest.
Chenlian was playing the pipa. She had had to change town but she was as thriving and popular as always. Her beaming expressions heightened her rose-colored sound for melodies full of love that drew many people of all ages, status and gender. Around her, everyone was smiling. And although Zuko didn't feel all well about 'lending' his beloved to others or letting them see those expressions, he also understood them. And he had also come to understand her a little bit. Seeing everyone smile happily, one couldn't help but feel their heart lifting a bit. But after all, seeing your loved smile from the heart was the greatest joy. Even though it still didn't reach deep enough... there was still this subdued, confused, but persistent sense of unease... was that really true happiness? Was that really enough? Was this really what they should be doing, where they must be? She would also regularly perform sword dances which attracted many customers too. Well, those could also serve as training so he was more permissive with them. But suddenly, while in the middle of one, her sword came down on him, forcing him to block. That stunned everyone. The spectators made another circle as she attacked him again. But she was smiling. He dodged and retaliated. She paried again, and like this, with her fluid, mesmerizing movements, she drew him into her sword dance.
The trio was heading to the earthbending academy in search of the Blind Bandit. Sokka was glad he had bought the bag now since it perfectly matched the belt. His little sis sarcastically replied that it was a big relief. Two boys (the two Katara had frozen earlier) were punching dirt contained in two huge pots. They didn't look very happy to see her again. She glared menacingly and they flinched. Aang asked where the Blind Bandit lived but they didn't know. She was a mystery. She showed up to fight, then disappeared. The little monk looked so disappointed that the waterbender threatened the students again... in vain as they really didn't know anything about her. The Avatar changed tactics and asked about a girl in a white dress with a pet flying boar.
"Well, a flying boar is the symbol of the Bei Fong family. They're the richest people in town, probably the whole world."
"No, the richest of the world are the Wang family."
"Do they have a daughter?" Aang questioned.
"No, they have two sons, and their symbol is the peacock."
"But the Beifong don't have a daughter either."
"Flying boar is good enough for me. Let's check it out." And the three left, the students glaring at their back.
While in one of the tunnels of the Earth Rumble stadium, the Boulder and Win Fu were discussing. The contestant was convincing the announcer that the kid earlier hadn't used earthbending. The Blind Bandit had just fallent out of the ring. She must have taken a dive and split the money with the kid. Full of rage, Xin Fu punched the wall. Rocks fell, some on his foot. He screamed but soon recovered. Nobody cheated Xin Fu!
Aang, Sokka, and Katara were spying the flying boar crest on the gate of a beautiful walled estate of consequent size with a lovely garden. That was the boar from his vision. They climbed over the wall and ran into a thicket. Suddenly a huge surge of earth threw them all into the air. They screamed as they fell back, Sokka onto the ground and Aang and Katara into nearby bushes. Aang looked up, the Blind Bandit was there, now in her fancy gown. She asked twinkle toes what he was doing here. Aang was curious to know how she knew it was him. Sokka told him not to answer to twinkle toes. It wasn't manly! His sibling reminded him he was the one whose bag matched his belt. It was usually women who coordinated clothes. The Beifong daughter wanted to know how they had found her.
"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 interrupted Aang to go to the essential.
"Not my problem. Now get out of here or I'll call the guards." The earthbender stuck her palm in Katara's face, surprising her.
"Look, we all have to do our part to win this war. And yours is to teach Aang earthbending." Sokka helped. The Bandit walked away and called the guards. The trio of intruders fled. Two guards arrived and asked Toph what happened. She thought she had heard someone and got scared. She sounded so pitiful they fell for her act and gently admonished her. She knew her father didn't want her wandering the grounds without supervision. From atop the wall, Aang stared, miffed, as the soldiers escorted the girl away. But he was a resourceful child, and soon, his face broke into a cunning smile.
The Beifong spouses were sitting on a dais and enjoying tea from a gaiwan cup. It was customary to first take in the scent after lifting the lid before drinking in order to fully enjoy the tea. Toph's father, Lao, was pleased to hear that his daughter's private lessons were going well, but he wanted to be sure that she was not trying anything too dangerous. Master Yu and Toph were there too, sitting on chairs. The teacher reassured him. He was keeping her at the beginner's level that consisted of basic forms and breathing exercises only. A servant entered and announced that they had a visitor, which angered his employer. Who thought they were so important they could just come to his home unannounced ?!
"Uh, the Avatar, sir." The man replied. Toph reacted slightly at the mention of the Avatar. She blew a stray strand of hair away from her face, looking even more annoyed than before.
And so, the Avatar and his friends were invited to have dinner with them. Lao was at one end, Aang, Katara and Sokka (eating like a pig) on his left and Toph, Poppy and Yu on his right. A servant placed a bowl of steaming rice before Toph. Her father told him to blow on it as it was too hot for her. Aang took it upon himself and created a tiny whirlwind that zoomed across the table and out over her dish, cooling it. Everyone clapped. Mrs. Beifong said it was an honor to have the Avatar visit them. Her husband was curious to know how much longer he thought the war was going to last. Aang intended to defeat the Fire Lord by the end of summer, but (and he looked suggestively over at Toph) he couldn't do that without finding an earthbending teacher first. Lao suggested the services of Master Yu, the finest teacher in the land who had been teaching Toph since she was little.
"Then she must be a great earthbender, probably good enough to teach someone else..." Aang praised. But that unnecessary comment made Toph earthbend a shock wave at him underneath the table. He hopped up in his seat in pain and surprise and glared at her. The little girl smiled innocently and ate. Yu and Lao contradicted the Avatar. Toph was still learning the basics and sadly because of her blindness, it was doubtful she would ever become a true master. The three travellers looked at each other. "Oh, I'm sure she's better than you think she is." This caused the annoyed blind girl to send another shock wave at Aang, knocking his chair a little, just enough so that his face would fall into the bowl of soup in front of him. He righted himself, not very pleased. The Water Tribe siblings and Lao stared quizzically. Again, Toph ate innocently. The monk smacked his face in frustration before another cunning grin split his face. His airbender sneeze blew all the food across the table, splattering Toph but also her mother and earthbending teacher. When the bowl covering her face fell, she angrily stood up and asked what his problem was. He did the same and returned the question. The children glared at each other. Poppy Beifong smiled as she wiped herself off and suggested moving to the living room for dessert.
The trio was given a (large) room for the night at the Beifong estate. Aang was petting Appa at the window and bidding him good night. The siblings were on a bed-like couch and Momo in Sokka's green bag. Toph arrived and stopped at the threshold of the door. The Avatar turned around, yelped in surprise, and assumed a fighting stance. Well, that was expected as her attitude to him had always been confrontational. She told him to relax and apologised about dinner. She wanted to call a truce. The two children went to stroll into the garden and talk.
Toph was walking along the guardrail of the bridge, and jumped down on the ground. She told him about herself. Even though she was born blind, she had never had a problem seeing. She could see with earthbending, kind of like seeing with her feet. She felt the vibrations in the earth, and saw where everything was... him, the tree, even ants. The airbender looked around for ants he couldn't see that were actually on a nearby rock. He was amazed. She was frustrated that her parents didn't understand her and always treated her like she was helpless. That was why she had become The Blind Bandit. Aang asked why she was staying if she wasn't happy but they were her parents, where else was she supposed to go ? The Avatar smiled and suggested that she went with him, Sokka and Katara. Indeed, they could go wherever they wanted, no one was telling them what to do... that was the life, but not her life.
Suddenly, Toph heard something. She dropped to her knees and placed a hand on the ground. They were being ambushed. She grabbed Aang's arm and began to run. Rapidly pursuing them underground, the Gopher passed them and turned as he appeared in front of them, blocking their path. But just as the two kids took their battle stance, metal cases dropped onto them, trapping them. Each had a window with metal bars for their faces. The Boulder, the Big Bad Hippo, the Gecko, the Fire Nation Man and Xin Fu were there too.
"I think you kids owe me some money." Xin Fu commented sinisterly.
Iroh returned to the cave. The fire was burning. Chenlian wasn't there. She had gone to hunt and gather some herbs, tubers and such, though surely she was going to be back soon. He noticed his nephew had some serious shopping as he inspected a gold tea service set but wondered where he had got the money . Even with Chenlian's earnings that thing must have cost a fortune... Zuko eluded by asking if he liked new teapot .
"To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup." The old man answered as he walked over to Zuko who was lying with his back to the opposite wall of the cave, resting against an old dead tree trunk. It was then Chenlian silently returned. Hearing their voices, she leant against the rock out of their sight and listened. "I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by. And much of it was thanks to Chenlian." He put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "But it's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a simple honor in poverty."
"There's no honor for me without the Avatar."
"Zuko... Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems. Not now. Or are you going to turn against her again after all she did for you?" Iroh sighed.
"Then there is no hope at all." The exiled prince replied abruptly as he turned to get up.
"No, Zuko! You must never give in to despair. You must not allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength. Don't you have a perfect example near you?" The wise elder held him back. The teen looked back at his uncle for a moment, then stood up and left.
Not long later, Chenlian entered the cave and put down the basket containing her catch and harvest. She smiled sadly at Iroh and asked him to take care of these. And she went after her precious friend and lover.
"Zuko..." She said softly. He didn't turn back to her. She walked up to him and faced him. "What is honor to you? Is it a medal, a title? Is it something that is given to you? Or is it behaving honourably, by doing what is right, and just? Does a king who tramples on others and ravage countries has more honor than a farmer who sacrifices his life to protect his family and his home? Between your father who'd burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground if he could and the Avatar who's trying to end a hundred years of pain and tears and bloodshed, who do you think is right? Is it really alright for only you to be happy when everyone else is suffering and dying? Won't you let him go?" Then she slowly, very slowly, raised her hands to cup his cheeks, as if afraid to scare him and make him run away or reject her. But he let her. "Am I... not enough?" Her moist imploring eyes were gazing straight at him, like searching for his heart in order for her to gently, warmly embrace it and protect it. She was once more baring her heart to him. She looked so frail, so tender, and still so caring.
He loved her so much that he could not help but tightly hold her in his arms. She loved him too. But even though he loved her so much he couldn't put it into words and they were together, something still wasn't right. He wasn't truly happy. Something was missing. This wasn't how he wanted it to be, how things were supposed to be... Leaving like peasants, like beggars, with Chenlian earning all the money and him just following her lead, even though he wanted to be the one to provide for her, to protect her, to be the one she would rely on... and even though he was the crown prince of a nation, and she was a noblewoman of that same nation. It was like she had gotten too accustomed to living among commoners that she had forgotten who she was by birth. She should think about protecting her nation first. And for that the higher your rank, the more people you could protect! They should be spending their days in the Royal Palace, not a cave! But aside from capturing the Avatar, what other ways could there be? And regardless of his feelings, Chenlian and the Avatar were friends, she would stop him from capturing the Avatar, and Chenlian herself was a wanted traitor. Were there any way for them to keep being together even back in the Fire Nation, a way for her father to forgive them both and accept them? Would that solve everything? Zuko loved Chenlian, and he loved his father, and he wanted to be loved by them, he wanted them both. And Chenlian's words from before were also still tugging at his mind.
"Your father is not the man you think he is. I know things about him that you don't. I discovered the real reason behind my imprisonment and the false accusations against my parents that led them to their death... That's why I'd rather die than obey your father."
He couldn't believe that his father truly wanted to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground like she said. It wasn't alright like this. He squeezed the girl in his arms even tighter. He had to leave them momentarily. He had to think, to be on his own... Chenlian was so important to him that just her presence influenced him, confused him.
The Water Tribe siblings, Mr and Mrs Beifong and Master Yu had gathered at the place of the kidnapping. A short sword pinning a scroll was stuck to the ground. Sokka picked it up and his sister took the scroll and read it. "If you want to see your daughter again, bring 500 gold pieces to the arena." It was signed "Xin Fu and The Boulder."
"I can't believe it." Sokka began somberly suddenly grabbing the paper, running a little and dropping to his knees. "I have the Boulder's autograph!" He screamed elatedly. His sibling watched his usual antics irratatedly. There was no time for that, it wasn't an autograph and it was not like that sign was more important than their friends' safety. Lao asked Master Yu for his help in getting his daughter back and of course the siblings went with them.
"Poor Toph. She must be so scared." Mrs. Bei Fong sobbed and prayed before the hole left by the metal cage.
But meanwhile, in the arena Toph was making a ruckus in her cage and angrily (and fearlessly) challenging her abductors so she could smack those grins off their faces. The two cages were hanging from the ceiling. Well, she had certainly imagined them smirking triumphantly as she would have done in their place but as he remarked flatly, Xin Fu was not smiling.
Lao and the others arrived for the exchange. Sokka dropped the bag of gold that Yu sent over with his earthbending. Xin Fu picked it up and confirmed its contents. He gave a signal and a case lowered and the Boulder freed Toph. She ran over to her father. He put his hand on her shoulder and guided her away, Master Yu in tow. Katara asked about Aang. The Earth Rumble announced unrolled a wanted picture of the airbender. The Fire Nation would certainly pay a hefty price for the Avatar. He ordered the siblings to get out of his ring. Sokka and Katara wanted to fight but all the contestants of the earthbending tournament came and stood by Xin Fu's side. All of those benders against just the two of them... The siblings looked anxiously at Aang who waved them off and told them to go. He'd be okay.
They backed away and went to the tunnel entrance where they called out to Toph. There were too many of them. They needed an earthbender. They needed her! Lao squeezed his child's hand tighter and angrily told them off. His daughter was blind. She was blind and tiny and helpless and fragile. She could not help them. However, to his shocked, she snapped her hand back.
"Yes, I can." She replied strongly and joined the waterbender.
Xin Fu and his gang were walking off the arena at the other end with The Hippo holding Aang's metal case on his shoulder when suddenly a huge, jagged rock erupted in front of them blocking their path. They all turned to the Blind Bandit, Sokka and Katara. Toph pointed at them and ordered them to let him go. She had beaten all of them before, and she'd do it again! The Boulder took issue with that Hippo threw Aang's cage across the arena. Sokka and Katara move up to attack but the Bandit blocked them with her arms.
"Wait. They're mine." She declared as the tournament contestants charged towards her. The siblings looked surprised but let her. As her enemies closed in, she blasted the ring in a widening shot from her feet to the other side of the ring like an avalanche of rocks. The arena was engulfed in a dust cloud. The Blind Bandit entered not bothered the slightest by the low visibility. She first encountered Fire Nation Man who jolted, startled, when he saw her. He recovered and moved his foot slightly, preparing for his attack. Sensing it, a small smile emerged on her lips. Her opponent raised a stream of earth from the ground next to him and shot it at the girl who moved slightly, dodging it, and simultaneously launching her own attack, causing a series of rocks to burst forth from the floor. The last one blasted Fire Nation Man out of the ring.
Meantime, Katara and Sokka were trying to open Aang's case. The warrior was hammering at the lock on the front with a rock, while the waterbender was trying to open the bottom with her hands. Aang was yelling to hit harder as if Sokka hadn't thought of that before on his own, or as if he had a reason to slack off.
The Gecko was walking on all fours through the dust cloud. A pebble hit his head and he turned to see Toph. She was smirking. The man jumped horizontally into the air and threw the two rocks he had taken at her. She paried and they crashed behind her.
As the Gecko fell back to the ground, The Bandit struck the ground several times with forming pillars of rock that hit her opponent in the stomach each time he fell and made him bounce from pillar to pillar, until the last bounce ejected him from the arena. He slammed into Fire Nation Man as he landed. The Gopher erupted form the floor behind her and hurled a rock at her that she caught and threw right back at him. The impact knocked him right through the floor and into Fire Nation Man and the Gecko.
Sokka finally managed to free Aang who came out, ready to fight but his friend stopped him, shook his head and pointed. There was really no need to interfere. The Hippo ran out of the dusk cloud swinging one of the Earth Kingdom stone but stopped as The Boulder got flung out of the cloud and crashed next to him. He got back up as the Blind Bandit emerged from the cloud. The two big men tried to intimidate her. Lao was terrified for his daughter. But those two were really just gorillas monkeying around, and Toph wasn't a frail baby girl but a great earthbender. She heard something coming from behind. The Hippo and The Boulder charged at her while Headhunter, the painted face man, swangs down on her holding onto a rope and ready to throw a rock at her. Toph made a few motions and the whole stone circle on which she and the two other benders were standing turned. Unable to maneuver, Headhunter slammed into the Hippo and Boulder just as they are about to strike her. They collapsed in a heap and she ejected them out of the ring. They crashed into the three other losers below.
Master Yu was in awe. He had never known or imagined that Toph could be amazing like thin. But although no longer scared for his daughter, Lao still wasn't convinced. The Bandit earthbended the dust away. There was still one opponent left, Xin Fu himself. He cracked his neck. Toph spat. They circled around each other. It was the man who initiated the attack. He launched boulders in rapid succession. She quickly raised two triangular sheets of rock in front of her as a shield. The rocks bounced off. After the last one she projected one half of her shield. It missed as he launched himself into the air to avoid it. As he spun in mid air, his hand delved into the earth, scooped a chunk of floor of the arena and threw it at her. However, thanks to her seismic and fighting sense, she had anticipated the attack which allowed her to avoid it. She returned fire, and being unable to defend or dodge as he was still in midair, Xin Fu was blasted out of the ring and crashed in between Lao and Yu before falling into the pit below. Aang and Katara smiled and ran to her while Sokka fainted, jaw dropped.
"She's the greatest earthbender I've ever seen!" Master Yu praised his student. But far from feeling proud, her father could hardly be more consternated. Then everyone but Yu returned to the Beifong estate. It was time for Toph to explain herself to her parents...
"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. 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. So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me." Toph spoke her mind at long last. Aang, Sokka and Katara were sitting on a bench and listening silently.
"Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something." Her father reassured her.
"It has?" She asked hopefully.
"Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom. From now on, you will be cared for and guarded 24 hours a day."
"But dad!"
"We are doing this for your own good, Toph." Poppy supported her husband. Lao instructed the guards to escort the Avatar and his friends out. They were no longer welcome here.
"I'm sorry, Toph." Aang whispered.
"I'm sorry, too. Good bye, Aang." The blind girl apologized too as a tear streaked down her face.
Appa and the children were on a cliff overlooking the Beifong estate and its surroundings. Katara tried to reassure Aang. They were goinf to find him a teacher. There were plenty of amazing earthbenders out there. But Aang knew there was no one like her. Sokka was already in the saddle polishing the champion belt around his waist. The two benders climbed on the bison too. Suddenly, they heard the bushes rustling and saw Toph emerging and running to them, breathing heavily. She was dressed into her earthbender uniform too. Surprised, the Avatar asked what she was doing here . She told him his dad changed his mind and she was free to travel the world.
"Well, we'd better get out of here – before your dad changes his mind again." Sokka commented. The earthbender agreed. It was a good idea.
"You're gonna be a great teacher, Toph." Aang affirmed.
"Speaking of which, I want to show you something." The earthbending master said. The monk airbended himself down but as he landed she earthbended a rock from the ground, throwing Aang into a tree. "Now we're even. Um, I'll take the belt back." She extended her hand to the sky, satisfied to have claimed back her championship. Sokka unhooked the belt and dropped it on her. It hit her head and made her fall. He apologized unconvincingly. Well, both could be quite petulant.
However, Lao had called both Yu and Xin Fu to his house. A servant brought a chest. He knew the two were very different... but he believed they had a common interest... the chest opened. It was full of gold. The two earthbenders glanced at each other with extremely cold, cunning, and greedy eyes. Lao accused the Avatar of having kidnapped his daughter, and he wanted them to do whatever it took to bring her back home. And unaware of the consequences of her actions, Toph closed her eyes, smiling contentely on Appa's saddle.
"Uncle, I thought a lot about what you said." Zuko returned to the cave with his uncle and girlfriend were waiting for him. The elder seemed pleased.
"You did? Good, good."
"It's helped me realize something. We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together. Chenlian, I'm sorry... especially after everything I said and did to you... but I must leave. I need to find my own way." Zuko looked at her without malice, without hesition. He looked at her with love, and pain, begging her to understand.
"I knew you'd do that..." She hung her head and sighed deeply. Iroh looked down and slumped slightly in sadness. And so, sometime later, Zuko picked up a pack and began to walk away. His uncle told him to wait and lead the ostrich horse to him and placed the reigns in his nephew's hands. He mounted it. Chenlian was there too. But surprised she also had her pack.
"I'll come with you just for a short while. I understand you need some time alone to think properly about what you want without any interference. But I think it would be best if you had all the information. It might help you. That's why I decided to tell you everything. I'll tell you the truth you wanted to know about myself, my family, and yours. Even if you don't believe me at least I hope you won't brutally reject me like you would have done back then. Will you listen?" The girl inquired, looking up at her childhood friend with a sad smile. After a time, he held out his hand to her and helped her up. "See you later, Iroh." She said her goodbyes. The former prince glanced one last time at his uncle and they galloped away.