Chapter 68

The four of us hear "Have fun in there kids" from the lookout that let us into Earth Rumble 5.

"Are you ready to find an earth bending master?" Katara asks as we reach the end of the underground tunnel. The tunnel opens up revealing a large excavated cavern. In the center is an elevated square platform. Surrounding it is a large empty divide. Past the divide is several rows of stone stands circling around the arena. Aang doesn't respond to Katara, but he seems to be a much better mood then he has been since before Omashu.

"Whooo! Front row seats!" Sokka yells charging ahead of us.

We all take sears next to him just as the event is about to start. Katara looks around briefly before asking "why are we the only ones sitting in the front row?" No one is given a chance to answer as the arena explodes rubble and boulders. One boulder slams into the stands directly to Aang's left. "Maybe these weren't such great seats."

As the dust on the center stage settles a man is revealed who announces "Welcome to Earth Rumble 5 I am your host, Xin Fu!"

"This is just gonna be a bunch of guys chuckin' rocks at each other, isn't it?" Katara says sarcastically as her excitement almost immediately ends. When faced with the reality of what we would be watching.

"and you get mad when Sokka says water bending is just splashing water around. " I joke

"Hey, you're right! Katara it's not throwing rocks at people its called earth bending" Sokka adds on happy to be on the other side of this conversation.

"Hmmph" Katara grunts before flipping her hair and turning her head.

"Guys come on. We came here looking for my Earth bending master, and if that doesn't happen we should at least try to have fun." Aang adds mediating.

"The rules are simple. Just knock the other guy out of the ring and you win. Now for our first match, it's The Jumping Toad Frog" Who appears once his name is said. An incredibly skinny man wearing only a mask and underwear he arrives into the arena on all fours. His arrival is met by a wave of applause." vs Fire Nation Mel" An average if overweight man wearing fire nation officer wear marches on stage to jeers and boos.

"Please rise for the fire nation's national anthem. Fire lord my flame.." That's all he can get out before he is pelted by rocks from the audience. At this point, Xin Fu launches himself out of the arena yelling "Fight!"

The tournament is set up as an 8 man tournament with the winner facing off against the reigning champ for the title. For the most part, the fights aren't really anything special. As more and more fights happen without anyone standing out Aang starts to get disappointed. That is until the final fight of the first round

"For our last fight of the first round, we have our largest fighter The Big Bad Hippo vs a newcomer. Our smallest ever bender The Blind Bandit!" Hippo is an enormous man. He is close to seven feet tall with the appearance of a sumo wrestler. Across from him in what could not be a more distinct contrast is a 4ft tall, 80 pound, 12-year-old girl."

"She can't really be blind, can she? It's just part of her character"

"I think she is blind"

"I think... she is going down"

"Wow, it's like you all have completely forgotten about little old me. Writing her off just because she's blind"

"Nonononononono" They collectively say while shaking their heads and crossing their arms

"I just wanted to know if she was actually blind"

"I guessed that she was. I would never underestimate a blind opponent Sifu Silva." Katara and Aang capitulated/ placated, but Sokka remained silent. After a moment he felt the eyes on him.

"What? Just because you're good doesn't mean every blind bender will be like you."

"That's a fair point, but Sokka"

"Yea?" He says a bit nervously as I lean in real close

"I'm watching you" I deadpan as I point from my eyes to him. I hold my serious expression for a moment before I crack and begin laughing.

"HIPPO NO HURT LITTLE GIRL!"

"Well, this little girl will hurt you"

"START!" We turn to see the prematch banter followed by an incredibly short match. Hippo takes a large step forward only for Toph to send out a tremor to trip him. Now in a forced split Hippo is then launched by a large earth pillar sending him out of the stage almost as soon as the match starts.

"Ohh this is going to be fun. Ha Ha Ha" After her victory, she throws her head back and lets loose a light-hearted laugh. The laugh stuns Aang.

"That's her," He tells us. We turn to him in confusion. All silently asking what he means. "In the forest, I saw a girl that had that exact laugh. She wore fancy clothes and had a flying boar. But otherwise, she looks the same."

"You're picking bending masters by swamp visons now?" Sokka asks skeptically.

"No, it was also that fight. Bumi told me to look for someone who waits and listens. I think I've been looking for her. But maybe watching a few more of her fights will make sure."

A few more fights did make sure. Toph the Blind Bandit demolished her opponents, her next 3 matches lasted less than 30 seconds. Even the championship fight was incredibly one-sided. Which was great to prove Toph's mettle, but very underwhelming for the audience. The end of the championship fight ended with boos from the crowd.

"Your new champion the Blind Bandit!!!" Xin Fu screams out. "I think you all still want a little action. To make things more interesting I'm offering 100 gold pieces to anyone who comes up here and can defeat the new Champion!". As he announces this he is meg by silences. I turn to Aang.

" Do you want to or can I?"

"Well, I was thinking about it, but it seems like you want to do it more."

"Thanks, Aang," I say before leaping across the gap and onto the arena.

"Are there noOhh it looks like we have a challenger! Come to try your luck at the prize and the title?" Xin Fu asks me while at the same time playing to the crowd.

"Nah. This is blind water bender vs blind earth bender.

" what?" Xin Fu asks deadpanning in confusion and breaking character.

"Oh, I am in!" Top yells out.

"Good. I would be disappointed if you had backed out. Since we're not fighting for the title or the gold I've got a different bet."

"Surprise surprise you want something."

"You feel that kid over there, the one a little light on his feet," I say pointing to Aang singling him out and turning all heads toward him.

"What about him?"

"He's the avatar, and if I win you teach him earth bending"

"You want me to teach twinkle toes over there? What's in it for me?"

"I'll teach you lava bending" Pretty sure I can do that. Maybe

"You can teach lava bending?" She says clearly not believing me.

"Best in the world"

"You're still asking for a lot"

"Oh, you're already planning on losing? So much for being the best earth bender. You fold at the first sign of real competition."

"THAT'S IT LETS GO!"

Xin Fu sensing the tension launches himself out of the arena yelling "FIGHT!"

Toph starts fast sending several tremors through the ground at me. The fight has a strange flow to it. My danger sense allows me to predict and avoid her earth bending. While her vibration sense allows her to predict my dodge and avoid my water bending. The actual fight would be incredibly weird to watch. Both of us are attacking at nothing. Either targeting where we just were or where we would be. It sort of looks like how you might expect a blind fight work out. However our inaccuracies aren't caused by lack of sight, but too much. We're both playing rock paper scissors and playing different moves ahead. If I had more water or was willing to publicly blood bend it might be different, but at the moment the fight is deadlocked. Toph and I have avoided each other attacks perfectly, but have yet to land any hits. Unfortunately, for Toph, I do have a final advantage. I'm a giant blooded teenager and she's a 12-year-old little girl. As much as it pains me to do so it looks like the way to end the fight is for things to get physical.

I let the battle drag on for several minutes where we exchange bending blows both large and small. Flying boulders, tidal waves, ice spikes, water tentacles, earth pillars, and ground fissures cover the arena. I slowly make my way toward her end of the arena. As she realizes what I'm doing I stop my defensive maneuvers sending all of her attacks wildly of course. I charge her and punch. She had at the last moment covered her self in rock, but my punch went through her armor and landed right in her gut. She crunches over and is pushed out of the arena. She bends a new platform saving herself only for me to surprise her by launching my self off the ground. Unable to feel me anymore I deliver a second punch. This time catching her jaw knocking her out. Honestly, I'm pretty disappointed in myself ending a fight by punching a little girl in the face. Although I'm not sure how else it could have ended our defenses are too strong for regular bending to get past. If I hadn't ended it like this it would have been a battle of stamina. I would have won, but the fight would have gone on for a long time and gotten boring.

Even with my own disappointment with how the fight ended the crowd does not care. It was the best fight of the evening. Most people won't ever see a battle of this caliber again.

"LETS HEAR IT FOR THESE TWO COMPETITORS, FIGHTERS, WARRIORS, TITANS!!!" The crowd is still going wild. I kneel down to heal to Toph. It looks like there isn't much damage, so after a few moments of healing she wakes up and I help her stand. As the two of us do the cheers get even louder. Aang, Katara, and Sokka rush the stage.

"Good fight. Actually, it was the most fun I've ever had." She tells me.

"It did feel great to go all out. There aren't many people at our level."

"When do you want to do it again?"

"We'll have plenty of time now that you're coming with us."

"I lost"

"Yep"

She takes a big breath followed by a sigh"Fine, but you guys have to help me explain this to my parents"

"I'm sure that won't be hard at all" Aang says cheerfully.