It was the reason the crowd had gathered in the underground arena, the marquee match-up between the Blind Bandit and the Boulder. It was the champ versus the challenger and the champ was a little blind girl, at least that's how Aang and Katara saw it. Sokka, on the other hand, just saw her as someone who could be easily beaten by his new sports hero. Whooping and hollering Sokka joined in with the cheering crowd, though his cheering was still in favor of the Boulder.
"Crush the Blind Bandit!" Sokka called out in support of the Boulder.
"Sokka!" Katara scolded her brother, "We're here to find a teacher for Aang."
The moment Ranma had heard the sister mention they were looking for an Earthbending teacher for the one named Aang he knew his earlier assumptions were right. It would only be a matter of time before the match began and Toph proved herself to the kids sitting in front of them. While the brother and sister fought with each other the one named Aang sat there transfixed on Toph. Ranma could tell by his body language from the back that there was something about Toph that fascinated him. What that was he couldn't quite figure out.
"You'll see soon enough that she's just what you're looking for," Ranma commented softly.
The kids in front of him were unaware that Ranma had moved his position in the stands to be near them. He was not about to give away his location to them just yet. There was an earthbending match about to begin and Toph's performance as the Blind Bandit would make or break her chances of finally gaining new friends.
The woman to the right of the Blind Bandit took the championship belt from her and continued to hold it up high parading it around for all to see. At the same time the woman on the left removed the cape the Bandit had been wearing. All the while the Boulder stood on the lai tai table with a dumbfounded look on his face. He couldn't believe the opponent Xin Fu had sent out to face him was a twelve-year-old girl and a blind one at that. On the one hand, he was contracted to fight any all challengers. On the other hand, the Boulder didn't want to fight what he believed to be a helpless blind girl.
"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young blind girl," the Boulder commented adding to the drama of the championship match while making his actual feelings known.
Any conflicted feelings the Boulder may have had over fighting the Blind Bandit were erased when she responded to his comments, "Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder!"
Angry with the Blind Bandit for her come back to his comments the Boulder made a bold come back of his own, "The Boulder is over his conflicted feelings and now he's ready to bury you in a rockalanche!"
If the Blind Bandit could see she would see just how ridiculous the Boulder had made himself look at that moment. The poses he made were all a part of the act and it was an act most of the crowd loved, including Sokka. However, Aang and Katara were not that impressed with the Boulder's display of manly toughness. They just sat back watching to see how the Blind Bandit would handle the match. Behind them, the young man too watched and waited to see what would happen next.
"Whenever you're ready, the Pebble!" the Blind Bandit called out with a laugh.
The laugh, the moment he heard it Aang was transfixed. Staring at the Blind Bandit in awe and disbelief Aang kept replaying that laugh over and over in his head. Where had he heard it before? Why did it seem so familiar? That's when it hit him, he had heard it in the swamp when he saw the vision of the laughing girl with the flying golden boar. She was the one, the Blind Bandit was the one who would become his earthbending teacher.
"Katara, I think the Blind Bandit is supposed to be the one to teach me," Aang commented to his waterbending instructor.
Aang watched as the match got underway. The Boulder went to make the first move while the Blind Bandit just stood there. Was she the one Bumi talked about? Did she master neutral jin? As the Boulder shifted his feet on the lai tai table Aang watched as the Blind Bandit's ear twitched. Then, in one swift motion she lunged forward causing the table to crack and the Boulder's feet to go spread eagle in opposite directions. At that exact moment every man at the rumble took in a wincing breath in sympathy pain for the Boulder's groin.
"The winner and still champion, the Blind Bandit!" Xin Fu called out as the crowd went up in a loud roar.
"Now I know the Blind Bandit is supposed to be my earthbending teacher," Aang commented to Katara again, "I have to talk to her."
Ranma knew it wouldn't be long before the match was over with. The kid in front of him commented to the girl in blue about needing to talk to Toph about teaching him her style of earthbending. Ranma knew that this was exactly what Toph needed, friends of her own. She needed to be with people her own age and she needed to get away from their parents' overprotective watch. Leaning forward Ranma decided to make his presence behind the trio known.
"So, the Blind Bandit sure is something isn't she," Ranma asked the kids.
"She sure is. I think she just might be what we've been looking for," the girl replied.
Ranma was about to offer to take the three kids to meet his sister when Xin Fu came out on the lai tai table and stood next to Toph. It looked as though Earth Rumble Six was far from being over.
"And now your champion the Blind Bandit will take on all challengers. The winner will receive this sack of coins and the championship belt. Is there anyone in the crowd willing to take on such a challenge," Xin Fu announced challenging all the would be rumble benders.
"Who's man enough to take me on," Toph added egging on the crowd.
"I'll take the challenge," the kid in the earthbending uniform replied accepting the challenge.
See other episodes by Chibihalo
(Posted Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:29)
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