The Avatar's Guardian

Chapter 44 The Runaway

We set up camp a bit away from a town again, we've been following this pattern for a while no. Aang and I are blindfolded and standing in between Katara and Toph. First Toph sends rocks our way, making them rise up from the ground to break our stances. We quickly shift through them, and then are instantly attacked by Katara. I use my own waterbending to fight that off. While I do that, Aang sends a rock to Toph.

"Good job, twinkle toes. Visualize, then attack!" I 'see' her throw the rock, and at the same time, Aang and I earthbend the ground under us so we have a little ditch. The rock slammed into Katara though.

"Maybe you should take your own advice, Toph." Katara said in an angry tone.

"What's the matter? Can't handle a little dirt, Madame Fussy Britches?" Toph said in an obnoxious tone.

I hear the sound of water, but it doesn't get Aang or I wet, so we know Katara attacked Toph.

"Are we taking a break?" Aang asked from next to me.

"AAHHHH! Sneak attack!" Sokka yelled running towards us. I let Aang deal with it because I just don't want to deal with his stupidity.

I take off my blindfold and see Katara and Toph fighting in a pile of mud.

"Really guys? I thought that we were supposed to be training." I said, interrupting their fight.

"Very well, pupil." Katara said, holding her head up. "I believe we've had enough training for today."

"While Katara Cleans up, let's go have some fun." Sokka, Aang, and Toph all went into town, I helped make camp, and helped clean up and start to make lunch. When the group came back, they were laughing, carrying buckets of food.

"Where did you guys get the money to buy all this stuff?" Katara asked for the two of us.

"Toph got us money. She scammed one of those guys in town who moves the shells around all sneaky-like."
"She used earthbending to win the game." Sokka said excitedly.

"You mean she cheated?" I asked.

""I only cheated because he was cheating." Toph said defensively. "I cheated a cheater. What's wrong with that?"

"I think this isn't something we should make a habit of doing." Katara said to us all.

"Why? Because it's fun and you hate fun?" Toph accused her.

"What! I like fun! See, fun!" Katara, I don't think putting Momo on your head counts as fun.

"Katara, I'll personally make you an Avatar promise that we won't make a habit of doing these scams." And I promised in my head that I would go with them next time. To try to keep them under control.

It didn't go so well. Toph used her bending to rig a chance game, a strongman competition, and to get a merchant to hand over most of his money from thinking he ran Toph over.

"Guys, I think these scams have gone far enough." Katara said after I told her what happened. "If you keep doing them, something bad is gonna happen."

"Could you for once stop being such a sourpuss and just lighten up?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. You think I should be more like you? Like some wild child?"

"Okay, that's enough." I said, getting in between the two. "Toph, I know you want Katara to lighten up. And Katara, I know you want Toph to grow up. We need to find some common ground."
"I don't need to find any common ground." Toph said angrily. "We have it great. Look at us, we're traveling the world, making easy money, having fun, with no parents to tell us what to do."
"You're acting like this because of your parents." Katara accused. Did they not listen to a word I said? "They were controlling over you, so you ran away and now you act like your parents don't exist."
"Katara, that's enough."
"I ran away to help Aang!" Toph yelled to Katara, I stood my ground in between the two and waited for them to stop.