𝐆𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 [ᴢᴜᴋᴏ]

Chapter 23

Episode 6, The Blind Bandit

We experienced some weird stuff in the last few days.

A swamp was more or less talking to us. It was weird because we all saw someone who was either dead or who we will meet in the future.

Katara saw mom, Sokka his dead moon girlfriend, Aang a girl and me, I saw Azula and her friends. I knew that wouldn't be the only time we encountered them.

Then, Aang had been accused of murder from a few hundred years ago and Sokka had lost his boomerang boy identity for a few days.

All that stuff had been cleared up and now we were in another earth kingdom city. Hopefully we can find an earthbending teacher here, but I had a good feeling.

I decided to walk around the city in hope of finding some information about any potential teachers.

All the people told me the same thing. The earthebnding academy here was the best option, but honestly, I didn't like that idea.

As I was walking around the market, I overheard two people talking about an earthebnding tournament.

With a smile I approached the couple, "Excuse me," I cleared my throat to get their attention, "where exactly is that tournament you were just talking about?"

One of them was eyeing me suspiciously while the other smiled and answered me. I nodded and slighly bowed at them, thanking them.

With quick steps, I was hurrying through the crowded market to find my siblings.

"Guys," I called when I saw them ahead of me and waved my arms in the air. Sokka looked up and stopped the others. I jogged up to them, "I... found a place with... the best earthbenders," I said out of breath.

Aang's eyes brightened and he smiled at me after I told them about the tournament.

"I don't think we should get help from underground fighters," Katara said and looked around uneasily as we were walking to the hall where the tournament was to take place.

"That's better than that wannabe greedy for money teacher," I told her after shooting her a 'you're kidding'-look

"Yeah, besides, it will we funny to finally watch something good," Sokka said over his shoulder as we entered the hall.

In the middle, there was a huge ring where the fight will take place. It was surrounded by seats from all sides.

"Oh hey, there are free seats in the first row," Aang said but before he could reach them, a huge stone smashed on the seats. We would have been flat as pancakes, if we had come a few seconds earlier.

Nevertheless, we sat down in the front row despite my protests. I can't believe I'm going to die here after all the stuff I survived.

I let out a sigh and shrugged my shoulders before sitting down next to Sokka. A big earth pole came out of the middle of the ring and a guy with long black hair jumped down of it.

"Welcome to earth rumble six," he shouted and everyone started to cheer loudly, "I am your host, Xin Fu."

Beside us, Katara sighed and looked at her finger nails bored, "This is just gonna be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn't it?"

I bent forwards in my seat to get a better look at Katara and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, but it's interesting to see various bending strategies," I stated and leaned back into my seat.

"That's what I paid for," Sokka said grinning like an idiot. He was the most excitied for this.

"The rules are simple," the host announced and turned around to look at the other spectators as well, "Just knock the other guy out of the ring and you win."

He jumped out of the ring and a bell rang, singnalising the beginning of the first duel.

"Round one: The Boulder versus the Big Bad Hippo!" the host announced and a muscular guy smiled and showed off his big arms while another big guy stomped onto the ring and let out a yell.

"Listen up, Hippo you may be big, but you ain't bad," the Boulder said and poited a finger at his opponent, "The boulder is gonna win this in a landslide."

"Did this guy just refer to himself in third person?" I mumbled and rolled my eyes at his bragging.

"Hippo mad!" the other guy yelled out and they started to fight. I shook my head at their obviously fake dramatic conversation.

After about four or five fights, I let out a sigh because I really thought I would see something cool. I glanced at Sokka who sat on the edge of his seat and cheered loudly. At least one of us was enjoying himself.

But then, the host spoke up again and everone was quiet. "Now the moment you've all been waiting for. The Boulder versus your champion, the Blind Bandit!"

The crowd started cheering louder than before and I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a little girl on the ring, showing off her champion belt.

I squinted my eyes and thought that she wasn't really blind until I saw her eyes. This was incredibly cool and stupid. Never would I have thought that a blind girl fights such violent guys and wins. 

I smiled to myself when the little girl started to laugh at the boulder and ridiculed him in front of the crowd.

He started to attack the little girl but it seemed like she knew what he was going to do. Just when the Boulder raised his foot and put it back on the ground to attack her, the girl made the earth under his foot move to he side so that he almost made the splits.

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened at the blind girl. She truly was amazing.

With another swift hand movement, she made edgeless earth spiked which hit the Boulder and made him fly out of the ring immdiately.

Everyone errupted in cheers and this time I cheered as well while Sokka sulked and looked like his whole life had been a lie.

I glanced at Aang who looked at the girl in awe and I knew she was the perfect candidate for the teacher Aang needed.

The host offered a bag of gold for someone who could beat the girl and Aang accepted the challenge and went onto the ring.

"Go Aang, avenge the Boulder!" Sokka cheered and I suppressed a laugh while Katara glared at him.

"I don't really want to fight you. I only want to talk to you," Aang told the girl slowly and Sokka booed loudly.

"Boo! No talking!" I snickered and slightly slapped his arm.

Katara smacked Sokka's hand, "Don't boo at him," she scolded and glared at our brother.

The girl smirked and started attacking Aang who easily dodged her attacks. She looked confused for a moment before she threw a huge rock in Aang's direction.

With airbending he dodged it and threw her out of the ring. The crowd gasped before they cheered loudly and Sokka immediately ran onto the ring to get the bag out of the host's hands while Aang tried to get to the girl.

He came back onto the ring with a sad face. The girl didn't listen to him. Guess we have to find and talk to her somewhere else.

AN - Sorry for not updating earlier. I try my best to keep writing but sometimes life just comes in the way. Anyways, I hope you like the chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment. I know, it's getting a bit boring but I try to only include the most important stuff of season 2 so that we can have Zuko back in the story as soon as possible. Stay safe everyone :)