The Spirit Bender

20. The Beifong Family

"people see me and they think i'm weak. they want to take care fo me, but i can take care of myself"

- Toph Beifong

-

In order to find the Blind Bandit, Aang decided the earthbending academy was a good place to start. As we entered the academy, we encountered the two boys from the day before.

"Oh, great, you again," one of them said in a boring tone, glaring and Katara and I.

I stepped forward and gave them an equally as tempting glare, which caused them to back off scared. "Yeah, I didn't think so," I said, satisfied.

"Nicely done," Sokka added smugly.

"Why, thank you," I smiled.

"Hey! You're that kid who beat the Blind Bandit!" one of the boys came to realization as they saw Aang.

"We need to talk to her. Do you guys know where she lives?" Aang asked.

"The Blind Bandit's a mystery," the boy raised his fist dramatically. "She shows up to fight, then disappears."

Katara crossed her arms. "Let me handle this," she said and began approaching the student with a stern look. "You're not telling us everything!" she said accusingly as she stuck a finger in his face.

The boy held his hands up defensively. "No, no, I-I swear it's true. No one knows where she goes, or who she really is."

"That's because we're asking about the wrong person. In my vision, I saw a girl, in a white dress, with a pet flying boar. Know anybody like that?" Aang asked from behind me. Katara gave the boys a glare.

"Well, a flying boar is the symbol of the Beifong family. They're the richest people in town. Probably the whole world," the other student said. Surely not the richest in the entire world, but they were insolent boys, so I'd let them pass.

"Yeah, but they don't have a daughter," the other boy added from his hiding spot behind the first boy.

"A flying boar is good enough for me. Let's check it out," Aang said optimistically.

"Yeah, you better leave," one of the boys said under his breath.

"Hey, we've got our eyes on you," I said and pointed two fingers to my eyes and then moved them to the boys. I then followed Aang and Katara out.

"Water Tribe," Sokka stated cooly behind me.

-

We walked to the Beifong Estate in silence. I don't think anyone really knew what to say. I wanted this girl to be the one to teach Aang earthbending and I really hoped she was a Beifong, but a part of my sensed that there was more going on.

The Beifong mansion turned out to be a big ground with a large garden and big house. "That's the flying boar from my vision. Come on!" Aang pointed to a crest of a flying boar before using airbending to swiftly jump down into the garden.

We joined him, but before we could get solid foot on the ground a part of the ground lifted up and we all flew up and landed unceremoniously. Katara and Aang landed in their own respective rose bush. Sokka landed on the ground and I landed on top of him.

"What are you doing here, Twinkle Toes?!" a girl's voice that I recognized spoke. I looked up and saw the Blind Bandit in an entirely different outfit. She looked much more vulnerable.

"How did you know it was me?" Aang questioned, looking up from his bush.

"Don't answer to Twinkle Toes, it's not manly!" Sokka squealed from underneath me.