The Flames of the past (Avatar: Zuko love story)

Chapter 26: The Blind Bandit.

The four celebrated Avatar Day. It was quite... Extroadinary. Aang was being accused for somethimg Avatar Kyoshi did, and he was thrown in jail. Sokka started to "investigate" the case, while Katara went with him to Kyoshi Island and Mia juggled at the day to get some money. Aang proved his innocence, and the four left the town with a filled stomach and a pocket of money. They were now at a large town called Gaoling, where they would meet a nice, funny and strong person.

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"It's pricy... but I really do like it." Sokka said when he stared at the earthkingdom bag. "Then you should get it, you deserve it." Katara said who stood next to him. "I do, don't I?" Sokka replied. "But I don't know-" Mia dropped the melon she was holding. "SOKKA JUST BUY IT!" She yelled annoyed and she walked away to a little stand were they were selling herbs and other stuff. Mia bought some Jasmin, Ginseng, and some pepper. When Mia bought a scarf a hat and some make-up she walked back to Aang, Katara and Sokka (who bought the bag). "What is that?" Mia asked when she pointed to the small paper that Aang was holding. "It's a coupon. The first lesson of earthbending is free." He said with a huge smile. "That would be great." Mia replied and she stroked Aoi's head. Some old lady stepped away when Aoi moaned a bit. 

The first lesson was today, and Aang went to the school. Mia, Sokka and Katara waited outside the gate, eating a banana. After a half hour Aang came back. "And?" The three asked at the same time. "He is not the one." Aang said when he tapped against his right ear, so at the left the earth could fel lout that was still in there. 

Two boys passed by and one said: "I think the Boulder is gonna win his belt back, he has to fight the best earthbenders of the world!" Aang stood up and walked to the boys. "Excuse me? Where is this earthbending tournament exactly?" He asked friendly.
"It's on the island of Notya. Notya bussiness." The oen laughed and he walked away. Sokka started to laugh loudly. "I gotta remember that one." Mia walked up to Aang. "I am going to ask them again." Mia said and she walked up to the boys. "Hey strong boys! Wait up!" Mia yelled and with a flirting run she ran to the boys and disappeared around the corner. After two minutes she came back.

"You ready to find an Earthbending teacher? Cuz we are going to Rumble 6!  Mia said with a huge smile. 
"How did you get them to tell you?" Aang asked amazed.
"A girl has her ways." She said and winked to Katara. Katara started to walk around the corner and saw the two guys, frozen to the walls. Katara walked back and smiled. "Okay let's go!" 

The Rumble 6 was in a huge cave, secret. The four entered and they walked to the front row seats. "These are front row seats, why isn't anyone else sitting here?" Aang asked, and at that moment a huge rock of earth smashed in the first, second and third row seat a few yards away from Aang. "That's why." Mia said and she looked at the 'battlefield'. It was a huge platform, where they had to fight on. It stood high above the ground. You can pretty hurt yourself alot, if you'd fell of it, or in this case, swept or launched. 

Out of the middle of the platform a man rose and he spoke: "Wecome to Rumble 6! I am your host tonight, Xin Fu!" Mia, Sokka and Aang were staring at the muscled guy with big eyes, while Katara was checking her nails and turned her back to the platform. "These are just a bunch of guys throwing rocks to eachother." She said. "Yes, that's because it's so entertaining!" Mia replied. Xin Fu explained the rules and he announced the first vs: The Boulder vs. the big Hippo. 

"Listen up, Hippo," The Boulder said dramatically,"you may be big, but ain't bad.... The Boulder is going to win this, in one slide!" Mia started to laugh a bit, for how ridicolous that big man sounded as he talked. When the fight started, the Hipo started to jump up and down, and thye whole platform was shakingm, even Aoi looked away.  "If you like it so much, why don't you join?" Katara asked. Mia sighed. "Because you wouldn't last it 2 days without me." Mia replied back and she looked back to the fight. 

The Boulder lifted up Hippo man, and he threw him off the platform. "The Boulder wins!" Xin Fu yelled. 
"How about the Boulder? He has some good moves." Katara said, looking fascinated at him.
"I don't know... Bumi said I had to find a teacher who listens to the earth, not someone who listens to his big muscles," Aang said, "what do you think guys?" Aang asked to Mia and Sokka.

"WOOOHOO!"
"BRING HIM DOWN!" 
"WOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sokka and Mia yelled. "Next: the Boulder vs. Fire Nation Man!" Xin Fu yelled. Mia yelled out a 'wooo', but not as hard as usual, because the rest more went like 'boo'. The Fire Nation sang the Fire Nation anthem. Fire Nation man got launched by the Boulder and landed down right next to Mia. Mia looked at him and she bend over. "Very brave, but stupid move." She said and she looked back at Xin Fu again. And so on, the Boulder kept winning from every single fighter. 

"Now," Xin Fu started, "the moment you have been all waiting for: The Boulder vs. your champion.... The Blind Bandit!" 
Mia's mouth fell open and Sokka started to freak. "She can't really be blind. That's just a part of her character right?" Katara asked when she looked to the small, fragile girl, not older than 12. 
"I think she is..." Aang said quietly. Mia nodded in agreement.
"I think she is.... GOING DOWN!" Sokka yelled. 
Mia punched him and she just tared at the little girl. 

The Boulder and the blind bandit were now standing face-to-face. "The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young, blind, girl-" The Boulder said. The girl laughed. "Sounds to me like you're scared Boulder!" She said and she pointed to him.
Mia giggled and her and flew to her mouth. "A girl to my heart." She said full of joy. 
"The Boulder's over his conflicted feelings and now he's ready to bury you in a rockalanche!" He yelled. 
"Whenever you're ready with talking! Hahaha!" She laughed. 

Within three seconds the blind girl swept away the Boulder from the platform. "The winner and still the champoin is: the blind bandit!" Xin Fu yelled. "YES!" MIa yelled and she clapped loudly. "How did she do that?" Katara asked amazed. "She waited and listened." Aang said with a huge smile. "Now," Xin Fu started, "to make it a bit more interesting, I will offer this sack full of goldpieces to the one that will defeat the Blind Bandit." He shook the sack, but there was an ultimate silence. "I will." Aang said and he walked up the platform. Mia and Katara gave eachother a worried look. Everyone started to yell. "Go Aang! Avenge the Boulder!" Sokka yelled. AAng now stood face to face to the girl.  "Do people really wanna see two little girls fighting eachother? That will be interesting!" The Blind Bandit laughed.

"I don't want to fight you. I want to talk to you." Aang said. "BOO! No talking! BOOOOOO!" Sokka yelled. "Don't boo at him!" Mia said and she slammed his tumb down away. The Blind Bandit started to throw rocks and Aang quietly jumped up and lightly came back on his feet. "Somebody is a little light on his feet!" The Blind Bandit said a bit angry, "what's your fighting name? The fancy dancer?" 
Aang smiled, and The Blind Bandit threw a huge rock. Aang blew it away, including her. She was swept of the platform and fell down. Everyone looked at Aang with their mouth's open. Everybody cheered.
"WE ARE RICH!" Mia and Sokka yelled happily at the same time and hugged eachother. The Blind Bandit walked away, and Aang received his price. A belt and a sack of goldpieces. Well, Mia and Sokka did.

The day after, Mia immediately bought a comfortable clothes in the latest Earthkingdom fashion. It was a wide pair of trousers, that did got skinny at her ankles, a green top with a V-neck with wide sleeves, and a coat with some leather shoes. Mia kept her old clothes, and she still kept her leather bag as well, with Iroh's book in it. She always had hat book with her. "You know..." Sokka started, "I am really glad I bought the bag. It really matches the belt." Sokka said when he walked with his arm around Mia's shoulder with Katara and Aang by her side. "That is a big relief." Katara said unintrested.

"If we want to find her, we should search at the academy first." Aang said when they entered the academy. At the main square the two annoying boys were playing with earth. "Ugh. You again." One said when they saw Mia approaching. "Yeah u got something!?" Mia said threatening and they took a step back. "Hey, u are the one that defeated the Blind Bandit." He said and he walked up to Aang. 
"We need to talk to her," Mia said quickly, "do you know where she lives?" 
"The Blind Bandit is a mystery. She shows up at the fight, then, she disappears." He replied. 

Disappointed the four looked down. "You are not telling us everything!" Mia said and she held a flaming fist in front of his face. "Tell. Me. Now." The right guy dropped his earth and he hid behind his friend. "I swear, I don't know!" The other one replied. Aang shook his head. "I am asking about the wrong person. In my vision I saw a girl in a fancy white dress with a pet flying boar." He said. 
The boy looked up. "A flying boar is the symbol of the Bei Fong family. They are the richest people in town, probably of the whole world.-" 
"-Yeah, but they don't have a daughter." The other one, behind him said.

"A flying boar is enough to me, let's go." Aag said.
"Yeah, you better leave." The boy said.
"Hey," Mia said when she turned around, "I've got my eyes on you." 
"Yeah... Mia Li Feng style." Sokka said and he 'cooly' turned around, but almost hit the gate. 

"psst." Mia heard. She did not response. "psst." She heard again and she turned around. Someone stood in a small alley, with a cape on, behind her. He signed her that she had to approach. "Mia?" Katara asked. "You guys should go, I will some right after you. I have to... pee." She said with an awkward smile and Sokka shrugged. Mia turned around and walked to the person. The person walked away without saying anything. It started to walk faster. "Hey, where are you going? Who are you?" Mia asked when she followed the person. When the person was around the corner, it was gone. Confused Mia looked around, but did not see anyone. 

A door stood open, and Mia walked towards it and entered the door. The door slammed closed behind her and she looked into the room. The only thing she saw was a candle on the table, whose flame shone faintly and at the wall she could see the shadow of something that seemed like a man's. Mia's fist shot fire and she approached the person, carefully. When she saw the face, she almost fainted.

"Hey sis." The young man said.
"Gayo?" Mia asked with a shaky voice, "is that you?"  
Gayo stood up and he let his coat fall on the ground. She saw the face of her brother, tall and handsome. "It is you...." She said and she hugged him tight. "What are you doing here? Where do you come from? How did you know it was me?" 
"Chung," he said and Mia nodded, "and mom." Mia frowned. "Mom?" She repeated quietly. He nodded. "Mom joined the Fire Nation...." Gayo said. "I know what she did. And you? Did you join them?" Mia asked, not so friendly anymore. Gayo did now answer her. "I had no choice." He said quietly. "What about Camilla? Marily, Kiki, Dyo? What about them, what about dad?" She asked. "Did you leave them?!"
"Mia they took me away from them! I joined the Fire Nation but I came here, all the way from Ba Sing Se, to Omashu... Just to see you." Mia frowned. She was happy to see her brother but... Something did not feel well, something odd was all over him. Something... dangerous.

"You have anything more to say, about dad maybe?" Mia asked. Gayo shook his head. "Not really. I just had to tell you this." He replied.
"You have told me stuff and seen me now..." Mia said when she slowly walked back to the door, but he took a step to her direction. "Yes, and now I want you to come with me." He said, les friendly. "Why?" She asked. "Mother wants to see you, and the Fire Lord as well." He said. "The Fire Lord hasn't seen me for almost three years... I guess he can wait a little longer." She said and she pushed him, so he fell on the ground. Mia slammed the door open and ran through the alleys. 

"Mia, come back!" He yelled. The folk looked up, and her brothr smiled. "THAT'S MIA LI FENG FROM THE FIRE NATION!" He yelled and suddenly, the whole street turned against her. "Oh..." She mumbled quietly and she started to run. She zig zag'ed all around and she succeeded to shake them off by jumping in the river and stay h=there for a few minutes by holding herself down the bottom with a bowl of air around er, caught in a water bell. When she finally came up everyone was gone and she laid down on the grass, out of breathe. Mia saw Appa in the distance and she made her way. "Jeez, where have you been?!" Sokka asked. "I saw my brother, he joined the fire nation and I almost got lynched." She replied and she climbed up the back of Appa.

"How about you?" Mia asked. "Aang and Toph were caught by Xin Fu." Sokka said.
"What is a Toph?" She asked confused. "The Blind Bandit." He replied. Mia nodded slowly, and she laid her head down on Aoi's back. "I want to go." Mia said and Aang nodded. "Wait!" Mia looked up and saw the Blind Bandit approaching. 
"Toph what are you doing here?" Aang asked.
"My dad changed his mind, he said I was free to travel the world." Toph replied. 
"Well better get on before your dad changes his mind..." Sokka said. Toph nodded and climbed up Appa's back.

"Toph, this is Mia. Mia, Toph." Katara said. "Hi." Mia said friendly. "Hey." Toph replied and she smiled.
"I think you will be a great earthbending teacher Toph." Mia said quickly.
"Yes, I will." Toph replied confidend and she laughed.

Mia smiled a bit, but thought about her brother, who was still down there. 

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What a long chapter! Sorry for that! I just wanted to say that I am going to Greece and I will be back next saturday but I can;t upload, so that's why I upload the big one! Hope you'll like it! xx Nina