Going Back To My Roots

"Sifu Toph?" Twinkle Toes called

'What now?' was my thought.

I stood up, even against my own will and walked to him, feeling his light feet walking towards me.

"Watcha want Twinkle Toes?" I screamed, so not in the mood right now.

"Well Sifu, it's just that well, we a have a couple of earthbenders that would like to learn from you" he said and I could hear the stupid smile in his voice.

I cleared my throat.

"WHAT? have you lost your mind, does it look like I have time to train stupid defenseless little kids?" Seriously, I had way more important things to do. Well maybe not so important, but, why would the best earthbender in the WORLD waste her time training stupid rookies? When I can be home cozy and warm while eating a big dinner and talking to my friends.

"Then is that a......" I didn't let him finish.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO"

I walked back to the house where suddenly a light figure blocked my way.

"Move it Sugar Queen" I demanded

"Toph how dare you? You know that the people were like right next to Aang" she said with that 'I'm disappointed' tone.

"Look Sweetness, I have no stupid time to waste with a bunch of, well, stupids that have nothing better to do. They will NEVER be like me OK? I'm way to good to be true, there is NOTHING on this Earth better than me at earthbending OK?"

I pushed her and walked in the house. 'Pst, like I need to waste my time'

It was late in the afternoon when this happened, and at night we got called for dinner.

"Well then, Sifu Hotman, how are things?" Aang started the conversation with Sparky and Death Princess who had just arrive.

"Very well Aang, not much work but those Elders are eating me alive, I needed a break" he said with a sigh.

"I believe you" Sokka said, Meathead and Fangirl were here too.

"How have you been Toph?" Fangirl asked.

"Can't complain" I shrugged. I hear Katara sigh at the end of the table.

"What Sugar Queen? Spit it out" I said standing up from my seat.

"Toph please" she answered, but I was not letting my guard down.

"No, no please, go ahead and let us ALL know what is bothering you about me?"   

"Toph please, not the place, not the time"

"This is so the place, and now is the time, TALK" I banged the table with my fist

"Toph, why are you so freaking demanding, 'NO, I don't want to train stupid people' 'No, talk now', have you ever thought that at one point of your life you too were defenseless and alone?"

"HA, very funny Sweetness, me, defenseless?, Oh by the gods and spirits please, do yourself a favor and shut up"

"No Toph, why don't you do yourself a favor and get down that high rock you have"

"Look Katara, I think of myself what I am, I'm powerful and unique and you need to learn that"

"And you need to learn that you are still a freaking BLIND DEFENSELESS GIRL"

I felt her stand up in rage while she yelled at me.

"What... did... you... say?" I said each word slowly.

"You... heard... me" she repeated.

I pushed the chair back and stomped my feet all the way to my room. I slammed the door behind me and screamed I hate you to her.

'Envious punk' I thought.

I ran away that night, I didn't have a planned destination, wherever my feet took me I was going.

'Stupid waterbender, telling me what I am'

I felt this weird sensation deep in my heart and I knew I wanted to cry. I shook my head.

"NO" I said to the air.

"I'm not crying".

I walked all the way to this cavern and walked all the way inside. I sat down on the dirt and started to fight with myself.

"Who does she think she is? Ha, me thinking too high of myself?, I AM the greatest thing in the world, she is just envious that's all"

I could feel her rage, yep, totally jealous.

"There is no one better then me, even funnier, me, defenseless? is she like serious about this? I've been strong all my life and I had learned on my freaking own, with nobody's freaking help, me, alone, ALONE I TELL YOU" I screamed out in rage and fury.

Then the cave began to shake, as if a furious drill was digging through the earth right to where I was.  For a moment I got paralyzed, such a force on the digging was put and such a direction. I sat there and then the digger appeared. It felt like a huge monster, something big, long claws dug where I was. For a moment I felt scared. The Badger mole stood in-front of me, smelling me. Then I remembered, that day.

I ran away, I was around five, my first out of many earthbending lessons, given by this beautiful creatures. I remembered then, how defenseless I was that day, I was blind and had no idea how to bend a pebble out of my way. Been with these badger moles helped me get through, they help me understand and be able to see. They took me as their own and taught me the basics to live out there by myself. I was a blind and defenseless girl, until they came.

I shook my head as the badger mole smelled me.

"I'm not the best earthbender, you guys are"

So what if I can metal-bend? That has nothing to do with been the best. Baby badger moles and little me are like those rookies that want to learn earthbending, they have no idea how to survive, how to move a pebble with out strength. If the moles taught me, why can't I do the same and teach thoes who need it? I did once and I can again.

Katara was right, I am a blind girl, blind to the things around me, and to the true masters of earthbending.

**********************************************************************

"ROCK LIKE" I yelled.

The kid in front of me harden his pose.

"Hey girly-girl, I said Rock Like darn it" I screamed to the girl a few feet away from me.

"Ok" I said and nodded.

I took a deep breath and stomped my feet hard on the ground making it shake. The rock pillars took the vibrations, but not one person fell.

"Perfect people" I smiled, at the success that I was doing as an earthbending Sifu.