Chương 70: Chapter 69
It was incredibly hard. No amount of arguing or diplomacy would get them to agree to let Toph leave. They understandably didn't want their daughter running off with strangers. Even if that stranger was the avatar. We all tried to talk things out. Well, everybody but Toph. She sat silently stewing in increasing anger. The energy from the fight must have stuck with her because she blew up at her parents and their over protectiveness. Toph told them that she was going to teach Aang and travel with us, with or without their approval. That was the end of the talks. Tophs parents sent in their guards to escort us out and to keep Toph from leaving. We all had to fight our way out. Despite not really wanting to we helped Toph run away. It seemed like she would leave eventually so better with us than by herself.
We escaped on Appa in the morning and once again began to travel with no destination in mind. We set down in an arid mountainous clearing. As we land Toph jumps off Appa, happy to be on the ground again.
"Come on Twinkle Toes. You wanted lessons. I'll give you lessons." Walking away toward some of the nearby rocky outcroppings.
Aang seems a bit surprised at the suddenness, but before he can decide what to do Katara interjects "We were going unpack and set up camp for today. You could help. We like to split the responsibilities."
"I'm good. I'm already unpacked and..." She makes a light kick in the ground forming a rock tent "there my camp is all set up."
"That's not exactly what I meant. The rest of us..."
"The rest of you can set up your own camps. Now come on avatar it's time for you to learn earth bending."
Aang looks a bit conflicted seeing the rising tension between Toph and Katara, but after a moment deliberation decides to go after Toph to start his lessons.
"UGH she's infuriating"
"Wow, I guess you know what it's like to set up the camp while the others are off learning weird magic stuff now." Sokka says sarcastically.
"UGH! You're infuriating too!" Katara angrily screams Sokka before starting to stomping off somewhere.
"Hey! Aren't you going to help us unpack!?" Sokka yells
"UGHHHHH!!"
"Dude?!" Sokka mutters incredulously to me
"Words to the wise Sokka. When a woman is angry don't point out how they're wrong and being a hypocrite."
"But you guys left me to unpack and set up the camp all the time when you were having water bending lessons. Which is fine, but now that she's left behind she wants everyone to do their fair share."
"First water bending? I thought it was water magic as far as you're concerned?"
"ehh Katara's not here"
"Funny. Second, you're not wrong, but if you hadn't said anything maybe we would have to deal with this now."
"Deal with what?"
"Her. One of us is going to have to go talk to her."
"Do we though? She might just need some time to herself."
"Maybe or maybe she comes back calmed down, but is actually still super angry and is just waiting to explode"
"I mean explosions are kind of fun right?"
"Do you want to stay here and unpack or go talk to her?"
"Earth, Water, Fire, Air?" Ahh the local rock paper scissor. I hold my hand out and nod.
"Earth, Water, Fire, Air!""Earth, Water, Fire, Air!" We yell out. It takes a few rounds, because of ties but I eventually lose.
"Ha! You go talk to Katara. I'm going to unpack" Well let's get this over with. I start walking in the direction that Katara went. I find her sitting down a little past our initial camp. I walk up and then sit beside her.
"Can you believe Toph? How she just..."
"One Toph literally just ran away from home to get away from her controlling parents. The reason she's not helping us isn't that she wants to avoid work or not help us. She wants to be independent and self- sufficient. Give her time. Second, this isn't about Toph at all so what really wrong?"
"I don't know I just hate being left behind just to set up camp."
"Like Sokka and I. Would you have actually felt better if Toph and Aang had waited until after camp was set up to go train"
"No. I don't know what to do. I fell like I don't add anything. Everyone else is just so talented"
"How so?"
"Aang is the avatar and is working on his third element. You and Toph are masters and are already teaching others, and I'm just okay. Even Sokka is really good at planning and tactics and being funny and creative."
"I think you're being hard on yourself."
"Don't lie just to make me feel better."
"I'm not. At worst you're a panther shark who thinks it's small because it's surrounded by elephant koi. And even that metaphor I think is too harsh."
"Are you saying I'm comparing myself to the wrong people. Why wouldn't I be comparing myself to all of you? We're all around the same age"
"But with vastly different amounts of experience. Toph started learning from badger moles when she was a child. So she has at least 6 years of experience. Aang has been learning to bend since birth and is the avatar. I have been personally taught by spirits. You with less than 6 months of instruction have gone from zero experience to nearly a master."
"I'm not really that close to being a master. I mean you and Master Pakku are so good"
"I was taught water bending by the Moon and Ocean spirits, and Master Pakku is so old he was around for when the spirits invented the waves." That gets a little giggle. "You just have no frame of reference for a normal bender. Let's compare you to Zuko. What do you think that comparison"
"I'm not sure he seems pretty good. I think I might be better, but it could go either way."
"Zuko has been learning fire bending since he was around 5ish. So he has been learning for over a decade from the best instructors money can buy. Then he was learning from his uncle who is one of the greatest firebenders alive. You are a match for him with less than 4 months of training!" After I finish we both sit in silence for a bit. Katara was clearly in thought but breaks the silence first.
"Thanks. I needed that. I guess I was maybe a bit jealous and being too hard on myself. Let's get back and set up the camp."
"If Sokka hasn't finished setting it up already."
When we returned to camp it was as I predicted. While we were gone Sokka had unpacked Appa and set up camp. Katara and I settled around camp and I started to help prepare dinner. While I was putting the finishing touches on dinner I was interrupted by more shouting.
"I don't know what happened"
"I tell you what happened. You got scared. You were lined up. You had the proper stance, but when the time came you didn't stand your ground. You ran away, cause you didn't have the guts."
"I know I'm sorry."
"At least have the decency to stand your ground and let the boulder smash you. Now, do you have what it takes to face that boulder?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Why did you even have me come if you're not even going to try!?."
"I am trying maybe you should try to teach better!"
Then the two stomp off it opposite directions. Jeeez what is with people today. Before I can even say anything Sokka puts his hand out and says
"Earth, Water, Fire, Air?"
We all nod and say.
"Earth, Water, Fire, Air"
"Earth, Water, Fire, Air"
"Earth, Water, Fire, Air"
Sokka wins first round again. Katara and I tie.
"I'll talk to Aang you talk to Toph" She suggests. I nod and accept walking toward where Toph left. I have to walk fast but I catch up to her.
"When you asked me to teach him I had assumed he actually you know wanted me to teach him. Then he goes and does that. Telling me to be a better teacher. Who does he think he is? It's not like he has anyone else lining up to teach him" I mean he probably does, but that's not the point.
"Totally agree and he did specifically want you to teach him. If he had done anything like that while I was training him I would have put the fear of God in him. Some real Old Testament shit"
"I don't know what any of that means, but I like the way you're saying it. Give me one good reason to stay and keep teaching him."
"If you stay you can use training to torment and make him miserable. To make him regret that disrespect"
"Wow. That is an excellent point, but you had mentioned teaching me lava bending I still want you to do that."
"Alright. Look lava bending like all advanced bending is blocked by specific related emotions. To lava bend, you have to overcome fear."
"I'm not afraid."
"Of anything? Anything at all? Death? Your parents secretly seeing you as a burden? " The fire nation winning the war then coming to burn down Gaoling and everything you've ever known and called home? Losing your bending and becoming actually blind?"
"Wow, you're absolutely right those all sound horrific. So what you were just going to tell me to get over my fears"
"Well, I would help guide you through meditation to overcome your fears. If that didn't work I had thought of other more extreme methods."
"Ha I'm not afraid of extreme" Oh Goddammit
"Fine while I recommend slow and steady there is also quick and dangerous. Which involves two steps. First, I would have to find a certain herb to help induce spiritual visions. The last resort I would recommend against. It is just as likely to completely block your earth bending."
"Tell me what it is."
"There are a few methods I have thought of to induce a vivid long nightmare where you will either overcome your fears or develop new ones."
"And what about lava bending techniques"
"As you were telling Aang without the right mindset you'll never bend."
"Fine you held up your end I'll keep teaching him, and I'll try to meditate on my fears I'll let you know if I need help."
"Sounds good Toph"
I don't know what Katara had said to Aang, but when we got back to camp Aang apologized to Toph. That didn't stop her from increasing the lesson intensity, but maybe the increased intensity helped. Because by the end of the day Aang had bent his first rock and had started his earth bending journey.
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