Chapter 3

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Chapter 3 We're finally somewhere that Aang has a chance at finding an Earthbending teacher, the town of Gaoling. Aang said he overheard two guys talking about an Earthbending competition, so he went to find out where it is. "Excuse me, but where is this Earthbending competition, exactly?" Aang asked politely. "It's in the town of Nunya," one guy answered. "Nunya business." Sometimes boys are so… idiotic. It's not that hard to just tell us where it is–besides, the joke wasn't that funny. I mean, Sokka laughed at it, but that's not saying much. Aang looks so defeated. I'll take care of this. "Hey, strong guys, wait up!" Look at them–they're so narcissistic! I bet they think I'm impressed by their muscles. Ha! What girl would be impressed by guys who get their kicks out of making fun of other people? While their arrogance keeps them distracted, I'll just get my skin of water out and– THWACK! Ha! Head to toe icicles–horizontal icicles, that is. "So, where's that Earthbending

competition again?" "Hey, Aang," I shouted out, leaving my handiwork behind and rejoining the gang. "You ready to find an Earthbending teacher? Because we're going to Earth Rumble Six." "How'd you get them to tell you?" "Oh… a girl has her ways." They deserved every last piece of ice I sent their way. Really, to go picking on poor Aang like that. I hope they learned their lesson. Some of the best Earthbenders in the world are competing at Earth Rumble Six. So we came to watch, hoping one of the competitors will be the teacher Aang has been waiting for. "Welcome to Earth Rumble Six, forty fighters vying for a shot at becoming the Earthbending champion!" I know I'm here to help Aang find a teacher, but there are a million places I'd rather be. This is just going to be another display of mindless male aggression. At least Waterbending and Airbending are all about the element. "This is just going to be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at one another, isn't it?

"That's what I paid for," Sokka said. One by one the big bruisers keep slamming rocks into one another. It seems like there isn't even any thought involved. Okay, there's one guy left standing now. He's a hulk who calls himself the Boulder. "And now," Xin Fu, the announcer, bellowed, "welcome your champion, the Blind Bandit!" Whoa! The champ is a girl. And she's half the size of the rest of these brutes. She calls herself the Blind Bandit, huh? "She can't really be blind. It's just part of her character, right?" "I think she is," Aang said. She's remarkable! It's like she can sense where the Boulder is. It's hard to believe she's blind. Whoa! She just slammed the Boulder across the arena, and all she did was press her foot against the ground and thrust her hands forward. "How did she do that?" "She waited… and listened," Aang said with a big smile on his face. Then Xin Fu announced, "I'm offering this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat the Blind Bandit! Who dares to face her?" "I will!" Aang cried, jumping into the ring. What's he doing? He doesn't want to fight her! Oh, he thinks she's the Earthbending teacher he's looking

for. He wants to talk–only, she doesn't seem too interested in talking! She just flung a boulder at him! He just knocked her from the ring–Aang beat her! She's leaving. She just opened a doorway in the wall and stormed through it. Aang looks so disappointed. "Way to go, champ!" Sokka said, running to Xin Fu and grabbing the sack of gold. Sometimes Sokka can be so… thick! After we left the arena, we went searching for the Blind Bandit. We discovered that she's a member of the Beifong family, the richest family in town. Then we found her house. It's more like an estate with really high walls, beautiful gardens, and a gigantic mansion. We've decided to climb over the wall and slip into the gardens. FOOM! The ground just rose up beneath me! I'm flying through the air! OOMPH! Ouch! This bush doesn't feel so good.… "What are you doing here, Twinkle Toes?" It's her. She's obviously not thrilled that we snuck into her home. I can't really blame her. "Aang is the Avatar," I explained. "And if he

doesn't master Earthbending soon he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord. He needs you to be his teacher." "Not my problem," the Blind Bandit said. Not her problem? She may think she's safe behind these walls, but no one is safe from the Fire Nation– and that's everyone's problem. Well, our first attempt at talking to her didn't go so well, but Aang's brilliant idea of presenting himself as the Avatar to her father has gotten us back in for good. Toph's parents–Toph is the Blind Bandit's real name–have no idea that she's this amazing Earthbender. She pretends she's a helpless little blind girl. Seems very strange, and kind of–I don't know– sad, if you ask me. She has all this strength and power when it comes to standing up to those Earthbenders, but none when it comes to her parents. After dinner Aang and Toph went for a walk. Hopefully they're talking about Earthbending. Actually, it's getting kind of late. I think I'll go and check things out, just in case. What's that on the ground? Oh, no! It's a ransom note. It says: "If you want to see your daughter again, bring five hundred gold pieces to the arena." It's signed by Xin Fu and the Boulder.