Chapter Text
“Oh Spirits, if you can hear me, please bring someone that can guide us to another victory”, Sokka pleaded, quite loudly.
Katara joined in, “Oh spirits, please let my brother have some sort of intelligence on this trip”.
She couldn’t help but giggle once she saw Sokka glaring at her. Before he was able to argue that he did possess a brain, he was interrupted.
“Can someone remind me who's the more spiritual one here? Cause I think it’s the Avatar. Which is me. Aang”. He was positioned on top of Appa; his usual spot on the flying bison.
“Sorry great spiritual avatar, for I, a humble southern water tribe leader must uhh”, Sokka replied sarcastically, but trailed off.
“Be humble” Katara offered to complete his declaration, which Sokka face palmed at.
Aang groaned in frustration, the siblings got bored after a tedious journey, staying silent was never their strong suit. He flew over to Appa’s saddle, planting a kiss on Katara’s cheek. As expected, Sokka started to show his nearest check, making kissy noises, Aang threw a gust of wind so his satchel slapped his face.
Then Aang got distracted at the sight of an earth bender scroll falling out of his satchel, brows furrowing seriously. Katara grabbed his hand, looking at him to figure him out.
Aang sighed, it’s not like he didn’t want to talk to Katara, he always did. But every time they seemed to talk, it always sucked out the fun atmosphere. He took a deep breath in.
“Look, I’m glad you came with me on this mission, but this time, it’s going to be a lot harder. Zuko’s still trying to manage his nation, I don’t think it’s fair we drag him along”.
Sokka nodded, “Right right, so it’s just us. But I don’t know how we can just fix another war, I mean, we aren’t kids in disguises anymore to snoop around information”.
“And we still have no idea if there is a “Metal” war, it’s just the historians that keep predicting it” Katara added. She pulled a newspaper clipping, which titled the BSS Chronicles, then said, “ All they base this on is ‘based on consumerization levels on the fast paced metal industries, with aquamarine ties’ ”.
Aang hit a lightbulb. “That’s it”, he snapped his fingers, “We’ll just have to follow the predictions!”.
“So you’re saying that we should wear disguises again!”
“Sokka, do you seriously keep all of those costumes from years ago? Wait, is that my fire nation dress?”
“Whaat? I heard it’s all the rave now”.
Aang let his shoulders relaxed, hearing them bicker in a important discussion was oddly therapeutic. It was just him and his friends, and the world couldn’t stop them.
Sokka clapped his hands. “Okay, let’s write down everything that needs to be tackled on. But first, can someone explain to me what, where, who, when, and how?"
_
“Daughter, I expect the face powder is satisfiable. Guards, place her in her seat”, Ms. Beifong gestured to a light green chair, noticeably less finer than her own.
Open my gold fan, say the powder was delightful, whisper to the guard, let him present it, and wait. And wait. And wait.
Those instructions made Toph Beifong. Helpless daughter of the richest family. Her voice let to whisper her parent’s wants. She was never a person, only a statue. Yet, she always waited. She never knew why she always anticipated something different, even though she shut down dreams of being more than the only child of the Beifong’s. What made her always tick, why did she even become the blind bandit. Even when she found respect, it came from underground.
Maybe it was hope. As if hope can make me free, Toph reminded herself. She couldn’t dare.
But she couldn't wait.
She sensed that Kanto was talking to the Officials, maintaining the entry.
What does he even want from me?
“Toph, don’t let daydreams forget your composure” her mother’s voice broke her from her mind.
Oh right. Open my gold fan, say the powder was delightful, whisper that to the guard, let him present it, and wait.
Wait.
Wait…
“WAIT!”
“Oh?”
“Ah”, instinctively she slightly covered her mouth in shock. Not only was her heartbeat rising, but her mothers as well. The official was looking at her, as if..
As if he’s expecting me to talk to him!
Toph cleared her throat. She then nestled into the most noblest posture she could muster, holding her fan in front of her mouth again.
Weirdly enough, her mother didn’t even glance at Toph for her outburst. No one was more powerful in the Beifong family except…
“The Avatar. Why is he involving himself in cosmetics?”
“I have the same question as well. You see, I’m Mr.Beifong’s partner, not the Avatar’s”. The official turned to his personal guard.
“She really is such a pity, lack of education is getting to her head”.
He bowed to Ms. Beifong, then proceeded to be exited out by the guards.
Toph gulped. Never in her life has she spoken out loud, without any restriction. Would she have to take proper manners again? And how does a blind girl receive punishment?
“Well Toph, speak.”
She jumped, turning her head to face hers. She played with the fancy embroidery in her dress, hopefully the guard could distract them.
“What a shame. To think that the Avatar almost helped you debut in society. Hm”. Her mother responded, signaling to her guards to help her up.
Toph’s eyes widened, “Debut? As in-”
The personal guard of the official rushed in. He had apparently walked into an unstable land, causing him to fall inside a ditch.
Toph was too busy thinking about the word “Debut”. The only thing popping into her mind relating to that was how her personal maids would gossip about another family’s
Diamond had entered elite society. But to be a Diamond, the daughter must excel in arts, which a blind girl could never achieve. But what else could her mother be possibly talking about?
She must have been thinking hard, because by the time she snapped from her thoughts, she found the Official seated next to her, covered thoroughly in dust.
He must have been important, as many in the room were worrying for him.
“How unfortunate” Mrs.Beifong remarked.
Luckily for Toph, she didn’t feel the need to say something snobby. She just relished the fact she knew what had happened before anyone else.
However, with everyone else gushing over the official, the personal guard’s job was now empty. So of course, he decided to make himself unbearably useful.
As if Toph wasn’t insulted enough before, the personal guard of the official repeated the events, trying to explain what the word “ditch” even was.
I’m blind, not deaf. Now, she was annoyed.
As the personal guard excused himself to spread the news, a rock piece flew over, and hit his head.
But before Toph could grab the chance to scoff in the most snobby way ever, her mother was walking off to her corridors.
Since everyone was distracted, Toph rushed after her. She caught her mom in the open hallways, where the outdoor gardens tended to. It was also pretty windy for some reason, toph’s hair strands were getting looser.
“Miss Beifong! You shouldn’t be out here without an escort!”
“It’s perfectly safe. I just need to converse with my mother.” Toph stated, putting a demure aura.
Mrs. Beifong stepped in front of him, nodding at him to shut up.
“Daughter, debutante’s must not be seen without a guard, especially when the midnight ball is up. Rumors might spread”.
Then whisked away, but added, “I never thought for someone like you to stand up”.
The guard went to retrieve Toph, holding her hand like she was a child. As they were walking back to her room, Toph couldn’t believe what she just heard.
She would get to go outside, but not known to be known as The Blind Bandit.
The hidden blind girl, made to be public. Made to be an object.
The guard reached another hallway, handing her off to Kanto.
He excitedly snagged her arm, “Toph! How did it go? I heard the official fell but more importantly you! Talking to your mother!”, he kept on rabbling but toph just couldn’t hear it.
“You!” Toph raised her finger in his face. Kanto blinked in surprise.
“Guess what? I’m going to debut in society. I bet you wanted that huh?”, her voice was rising.
“What no, I-”
“Shut it, Kanto. You knew I was the Blind Bandit, didn’t you? Well guess what”.
Toph stomped on the ground, pushing rock up which launched Kanto 10 feet away.
“If you ever dare to walk in my direction again, I will make you fight against the Blind Bandit next!”
Kanto watched her walk off, he knew he couldn’t reason with her. This wasn’t how he wanted things to go at all, but it was for the best.
He got up, staring at her turn to her bedroom. He kept remembering when he got thrown up by her, how there were pools of tears in her eyes.
_
“The midnight ball, that looks promising”.
“Good catch. Hey, maybe I could show off my Earth style moves!”
“Aw, I hate dancing, and I didn’t even pack a tuxedo”.