Bella [AANGXOC]

Chapter 67: Stalled

After they showed us to our room and said we were free to wander I took the first chance to bolt and hung out in their courtyard. It was way prettier when the harsh sun wasn't giving detail to every little leaf.

My thoughts started leaking into my brain as they usual did when I was alone. Thoughts like airbenders and secrets. It's seriously horrible for a bender to have to try to remember when they last bent.

"Hey Bella!"

I jumped in the bench I was sitting on and looked around for the caller. I saw Aang behind me walking towards me, but I also saw Toph.

Oh no, are they fighting? Did they come out here so they had room to fight? Was I their mediator?

"What's going on?" I asked looking between them, standing up from my bench.

"Just a walk," he smiled.

Good job Aang. Maybe we still have a chance to get her to teach him earthbending.

"Oh, ok," I said quite awkwardly.

~

I followed close behind Aang as we crossed over a bridge in their courtyard, Toph however was walking on the the side of the bridge.

"Even though I was born blind, I don't have a problem seeing. I see with earthbending," Toph explained. I was right. She jumped off the railing and landed in the grass. "It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the earth, and I 'see' where everything is. You two, that tree, even those ants." Toph pointing to where everything was.

"That's amazing," Aang said with his usual charm.

"My parents don't understand," Toph continued. I knew that too.

"They've always treated me like I was helpless."

"Is that why you became The Blind Bandit?" Aang asked her.

"Yeah."

"Then why stay here where you're not happy?"

"They're my parents, where else am I supposed to go?"

"You could come with us," Aang offered.

"Yeah-- You guys get to go where ever you want. No one telling you what to do-- that's the life. It's just not my life," she said.

Nothing else could be said because suddenly she whipped back around to us, grabbed both of our arms, and ran forward, dragging us with her.

"We're being ambushed!" She said, pulling us along.

I kept running with her, trusting her instincts but she stopped and I saw why. A guy, who I recognized to be one of the guys from the tournament, came up from under the ground, right in front of us.

I stood back behind Aang and I saw Toph's head drift over towards me for a second, although I'm not sure why.

Before anyone could exchange words two cages fell on top of us and since I had been behind Aang, we were pushed into the same cage. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say whoever is kidnapping us wasn't planning and me being here.

Aang and I struggled to both see through the small window but we eventually got into a position where we could both see.

The man, the one with the long shiny black hair, the commentator was standing in front of us, "I think you kids owe me some money," He spoke, his voice sounded a lot different when he was trying to be intimidating.

Aang and I shared a look before our cages were flung onto some cart and then carried all the way up to where the tournament was held.

This sure is gonna be a long night.