The next morning, they returned to town to look for The Blind Bandit, or rather her real-life self. "I've got to admit, now I'm really glad I bought this bag. It matches the belt, perfectly," Sokka smiled, causing Azara to huff playfully.

"Thank Spirits, I was so worried," she replied sarcastically, but Sokka was too caught up in his pride to notice her sarcasm.

"If we want to find the Blind Bandit, the earthbending academy is a great place to start," Aang stated before leading the way through the village. As they entered the earthbending academy, Azara saw the same two boys from the day before practicing with some pots of sand. At the sound of their footsteps, the two boys looked up, unamused at the intrusion.

"Oh great, you again," one of them scoffed until Katara leaned forwards threateningly. The two boys jumped back in fear.

"Yeah, I didn't think so."

"Nicely done," Azara smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hey! You're that kid who beat The Blind Bandit!" one of the boys realized, pointing at Aang.

"We need to talk to her. Do you guys know where she lives?" Aang questioned, looking between the two students.

"The Blind Bandit's a mystery. She shows up to fight, then disappears," one of the students replied dramatically, waving his arms about.

"Let me handle this," Katara comforted Aang, who looked disheartened, before stepping forwards. "You're not telling us everything!" She pointed a finger threateningly at the two boys, who recoiled in fear again.

"No, no, I-I swear it's true. No one knows where she goes, or who she really is," the other student stammered out, his friend hiding behind him.

"That's because we're asking about the wrong person. In my vision, I saw a girl, in a white dress, with a pet flying boar. Know anybody like that?" Aang listed, causing the two boys to look at each other.

"Well, a flying boar is the symbol of the Beifong family. They're the richest people in town. Probably the whole world."

"Yeah, but they don't have a daughter," the other student added, peeking out from behind his friend for a moment.

"A flying boar is good enough for me. Let's check it out!" Aang decided, before leading the way out of the academy.

"Yeah, you better leave," one of the students sneered quietly, his eyes narrowed.

"Hey, I got my eye on you," Katara warned, glancing back at them threateningly.

"Water Tribe," Sokka smirked, arms held out, before sliding out of the academy.

The group walked back through town towards the Beifong estate, a sprawling compound on one of the nearby hills. As they walked up to the Beifong residence, Aang smiled at the sight of the flying boar symbol above the doorframe. "That's the flying boar from my vision! Come on!" Aang called, before leading the way into the compound.

They snuck into one of the courtyards, jumping over a wall, and landing silently on the trimmed grass. As they hid behind some bushes, the ground below them erupted and launched them into the air, causing the group to yell out in surprise. Katara and Azara landed side by side in a bush, with Aang landing in an adjacent bush, and Sokka landing painfully on the ground on his stomach.

"What are you doing here, Twinkle Toes?" The Blind Bandit asked, appearing suddenly and standing over Aang.

"How did you know it was me?" Aang replied, looking confused up at her.

"Don't answer to Twinkle Toes, it's not manly!" Sokka reprimanded as Azara helped Katara out of the bush.

"You're the one whose bag matches his belt," Katara huffed as she stood up and plucked the twigs out of her hair.

"How did you find me?" The Blind Bandit demanded, glaring forward.

"Well, a crazy king told me I had to find an earthbender who listens to the earth. And then I had a vision in a magic swamp, and—" Seeing that Toph was quickly losing interest in Aang, Azara stepped in.

"—What Aang is trying to say is, he's the Avatar. And if he doesn't master earthbending soon, he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord," Azara clarified, but Toph was not persuaded and held up a hand.

"Not my problem. Now, get out of here, or I'll call the guards," she threatened before turning around and walking back towards the house.

"Look, we all have to do our part to win this war, and yours is to teach Aang earthbending," Sokka added as Toph paused for a moment before turning back around.

"Guards! Guards help!" she called out, causing the group to immediately panic. Scrambling out of the courtyard, Azara, Katara, and Sokka hid in some foliage as the guards moved to check on Toph. Aang, who had jumped back over the wall, watched Toph's interactions with the guards un frustration. However, he soon began to smirk, an idea coming to his mind.

As the guards walked off, Azara, Katara, and Sokka walked out from behind the bush and Aang jumped down to them silently. "Follow my lead, I've got an idea," Aang smiled, before grabbing Katara and jumping back over the wall with her in his arms.

"Well, can I have this dance?" Azara joked, holding out a hand to Sokka. He smiled and nodded as Azara slid her arm around his chest before lifting off with some rocket propulsion. They stumbled into a landing outside the wall, holding onto each other as they regained their footing. "Well, guess I should practice my rocket propulsion with another person with me," Azara chuckled, straightening up.

"I should be free," Sokka winked, causing Azara to blush, their arms still interlocked.

"Focus on the mission," Katara teased, shaking her head playfully as Azara's blush deepened and Sokka rubbed the back of his neck.

Aang led the way over to the entrance of the Beifong residence, knocking loudly on the grand wooden door. After a few moments, a guard peeked his head out of the door.

"Who is it?" he demanded, stepping out of the doorway.

"The Avatar," Aang stated confidently with a wide smile. "I would like an audience with the Beifongs, please."

"The Avatar?" the guard gasped, before turning and calling for a servant. Turning back to the group, the guard looked more nervous. "Just one moment, please." The guard disappeared back into the compound as Aang turned back to the group.

"About time we took advantage of your status," Azara chuckled, staring up at the grand doors, which were quickly thrown open.

"Right this way, Avatar and esteemed guests," a servant smiled, pointing towards the residence in the distance. They were quickly escorted into the dining room, where Toph, her parents, and Master Yu were already seated and waiting for their meals. Azara sat quietly in between Katara and Sokka as the food was served.

A servant placed a bowl of soup in front of Toph, but her father quickly stopped him before he could walk off. "Blow on it, it's too hot for her," Lao ordered, glancing worriedly at Toph.

"Allow me," Aang replied before sending a small air tornado towards the soup, cooling it instantly. The Beifongs and Yu clapped in admiration as Toph continued to look unimpressed.

"Avatar Aang, it's an honor to have you visit us," Poppy smiled, leaning forwards with a kind smile on her face.

"In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last?" Lao asked, nibbling at his food.

"I'd like to defeat the Fire Lord by the end of summer, but I can't do that without finding an earthbending teacher first." Aang leaned on the table, sending a look towards Toph, who stared down at her food instead.

"Well, Master Yu is the finest teacher in the land. He's been teaching Toph since she was little," Lao chuckled, gesturing down the table at Master Yu. Azara recognized him from the flyer.

"Then she must be a great earthbender! Probably good enough to teach someone else!" Aang praised, before jumping in his seat and exclaiming in pain. Azara paused eating to glance suspiciously in between Toph and Aang as a moment of silence fell over the group.

"Toph is still learning the basics," Master Yu insisted, causing Azara to raise an eyebrow. She wasn't quite sure if Toph was really the blind one around here.

"Yes, and sadly, because of her blindness, I don't think she'll ever become a true master," Lao sighed as Katara and Azara shared suspicious expressions.

"Oh, I'm sure she's better than you think she is," Aang replied before his face was thrown into his soup. The room fell silent again as Aang sat up, an annoyed expression on his face as he slid the bowl onto the top of his head. He glared at Toph for a moment, slapping his face, before he smirked and sneezed dramatically. The burst of air from his sneeze caused all of the food to fly across the table, including Toph's soup, which landed straight in her face.

"What's your problem?" Toph demanded, standing up.

"What's your problem?" Aang snapped back as the two glared at each other. Lao looked confused as he glanced between the two.

"Well, shall we move to the living room for dessert?" Poppy smiled, trying to diffuse the situation.

As the night dragged on, they were shown to the guest quarters by some servants. Azara stood by the door as Sokka and Katara prepared for bed. At the sound of footsteps, Azara turned to see Toph leaning against the doorway. Aang, noticing Toph as well, jumped up and got into a defensive position immediately.

"Relax, look, I'm sorry about dinner. Let's call a truce, okay?" Toph offered, causing Aang to relax and nod.

"Why don't you guys go on a walk and talk things out?" Azara suggested, looking between the two of them.

"You come too. I have some questions for the Princess of the Fire Nation," Toph stated, before leading the way out of the guest quarters. Azara nodded and followed after Aang as Toph walked into one of the courtyards. The sound of bugs buzzing and the dim lighting from the adjacent buildings brought Azara back to her childhood at the Fire Nation Palace.

Pausing for a moment to admire some flowers, Azara walked to catch up with Aang and Toph, who had jumped up onto the railing of a small bridge. "Even though I was born blind, I've never had a problem seeing," Toph explained as she walked across the bridge effortlessly and jumped down to the ground again. "I see with earthbending. It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the Earth, and I can see where everything is. You guys, that tree . . . even those ants." Aang looked around for any sign of the ants, before turning back to Toph.

"That's amazing," Aang praised, causing Toph to sigh.

"My parents don't understand. They've always treated me like I'm helpless," she spoke, walking forwards as Azara stared after her with a knowing expression.

"Is that why you became the Blind Bandit?" Azara asked quitely, causing Toph to nod.

"Yeah."

"Then why stay here where you're not happy?" Aang questioned, stepping forward to stand next to Azara.

"They're my parents. Where else am I supposed to go?" Toph questioned as Azara placed a hand on Aang's shoulder, sharing a silent understanding with the airbender.

"You could come with us," Azara offered, a kind smile on her face.

"Yeah. You guys get to go wherever you want. No one telling you what to do, that's the life. It's just not my life." Azara took another step towards Toph.

"Believe me, we know how hard it is to leave everything and everyone you've ever known behind," Azara started, glancing back at Aang, who nodded in agreement. "But sometimes . . . you have to do things that are uncomfortable to become the person you want to be, the person you were destined to be." Azara smiled encouragingly, before staring at the ground. "I mean, I wouldn't be nearly the person I am today if I stayed home with my controlling family."

"Controlling family?" Toph inquired, turning around slightly.

"My father's the Fire Lord," Azara shrugged, sharing a glance with Aang. "I'm not exactly what he envisioned I'd be. But that doesn't matter because I'm who I want to be. And you can be the person you want to be if you come with us. No rules, no sitting up straight all day. Just unruly hair and messy shirts," Azara joked as Aang stepped forwards and nodded in agreement, a kind smile on his face.

Toph was about to reply when she tensed, kneeling on the ground to place a hand down. "We're being ambushed!" she warned, before standing up and leading them back to the house. As they hurried, Azara spotted the Gopher ahead of them, which cut them off from their escape. Before they could react, three metal cages were thrown over them. Azara yelped in surprise as she was thrown about in the cage as the Hippo jumped on top of them.

Huffing, Azara grabbed the bars and pulled herself up. "I think you kids owe me some money," Xin Fu smirked as Azara glared at him through the metal bars. The three of them were quickly loaded up and taken back to the Earth Rumble arena. Azara held onto the bars for stability as they were hoisted into the air by metal chains.

"You think you're so tough? Why don't you come up here so I can snap that grin off your face?" Toph snapped at Xin Fu, pointing a finger out of her cage.

"I'm not smiling," he grunted in a deadpan as Azara spotted approaching figures.

"Toph!" Lao called out as he entered the arena with Master Yu, Katara, and Sokka behind him.

"Here's your money, now let them go," Sokka demanded, placing the bag of coins on the ground, which Master Yu earthbended over to Xin Fu. He examined the contents of the bag before gesturing for Toph's cage to be lowered. Once Toph's cage was close to the ground, the Hippo disengaged the bottom, allowing Toph to jump out. She ran forward to her father, who turned to leave with Master Yu in tow.

"What about Aang and Azara?" Katara questioned as Xin Fu pulled out two scrolls.

"I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar and Princess. Now, get out of my ring," Xin Fu growled out threateningly. Sokka and Katara, each with a hand on their respective weapons, were about to charge when the remaining Earth Rumble fighters jumped out from their hiding spots around the arena.

"Go, we'll be okay," Aang insisted as Azara sent them a reassuring smile. Katara and Sokka shared a look before they disappeared back into the tunnel. Azara let go of the bars and slid down to feel the metal insides of the cage. "What are you doing?" Aang called as they were being lowered to the ground.

"I'm not going back to the Fire Nation," Azara spoke, glaring at the metal contraption in front of her. "Just have to find a way out of here." Placing her hands around where she suspected the lock on her cage was, creating a small circle, Azara took a deep breath and blew out heat at the metal. Her hands cupped the heat and she pushed forwards, adding more heat with her breath when she felt it start to dissipate. She could feel the metal heating up when she was suddenly thrown to the side.

"What did you do that for?!" The Boulder yelled as Azara huffed in annoyance, rubbing her head.

"Cage. Hot!" The Hippo exclaimed as Xin Fu walked over and examined the metal cage. Azara glared up at him through the bars.

"Just carry it another way. She won't be able to melt through it," he snapped as The Hippo walked over and picked up Azara's cage again.

"Watch me," she huffed quietly, before reangling herself and starting the process over again. She could feel the Hippo walking until he stopped suddenly.

"Let them go! I beat you all before and I'll do it again!" Toph warned, causing Azara to smile.

"The Boulder takes issue with that comment."

Suddenly, Aang and Azara were tossed to the side. Groaning, Azara shook her head as she could hear the fight commencing between Toph and the other earthbenders. Regaining her senses, Azara looked up through the bars as she heard Sokka and Katara approaching.

"Let's get you out," Sokka stated, appearing on the other side of the bars.

"Wait! Help Aang first!" Azara insisted, causing Sokka to look back at her with a conflicted expression. "I'll be fine! I'm working on something. Help Aang first." Sighing, Sokka got up and ran over to help his sister release Aang.

Azara slid back down and sent another burst of heat at the lock. Holding her hands over the metal, she tried to concentrate despite the crashing behind her and pushed down. "Come on. Work," she groaned, her eyes clenched shut. She could feel the metal start to soften as she held the heat over the lock. Taking another breath, Azara released more heat and pressed down again.

"Azara, we're coming!" Sokka yelled, causing Azara to lose her concentration.

"Don't touch the lock!" she warned, jumping up as Sokka, Katara, and Aang approached. "It's hot!"

"How?"

"Well, all metal is molded with fire at some point, right?" Azara shrugged as she held onto the bars. Aang blew on the lock with a gust of air, cooling the metal, before Sokka hit it with a rock. After a few hits, the lock broke and the bottom of the cage opened, allowing Azara to crawl out. Sokka helped her up as they turned to watch Xin Fu and Toph face off.

The two earthbenders encircled each other at the center of the ring, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Xin Fu narrowed his eyes before releasing a series of rocks at Toph. Prepared for the attack, Toph created an earth shield, blocking each of the rocks, before sending half the shield towards Xin Fu. He managed to dodge it and sent another attack towards Toph. Sensing the movement, Toph stepped out of the way, the earth passing harmlessly in front of her, before sending a powerful fissure at Xin Fu, which knocked him back into the stands.

Sokka collapsed to the ground in amazement as Aang, Katara, and Azara rushed forwards to congratulate Toph. "That was amazing!" Azara praised, sharing excited expressions with Aang and Katara as Sokka stumbled over. Turning around at the sound of footsteps, the moment sobered as Lao Beifong and Master Yu approached.

They remained quiet on their back to the Beifong residence, each of the teenagers glancing between Lao and Master Yu for any sense of the situation they were walking back into. It wasn't long before they reached the Beifong residence once more, the Gaang following the Beifongs through their home.

Sitting in the main sitting room, Azara, Katara, Aang, and Sokka were quiet as Toph stood before her parents. "Dad, I think it's probably hard for you to see me this way. But the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am, just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an earthbender, and I'm really, really good at it. I know I've kept my life secret from you, but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me, but I'm twelve years old and I've never had a real friend," Toph stated, looking at the floor as Azara stared at her with sympathy. "So, now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me."

"Of course, it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something," Lao spoke, causing Toph to perk up momentarily.

"It has?"

"Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom. From now on, you'll be cared for and guarded twenty-four hours a day," Lao snapped with finality, causing the group to deflate.

"But Dad!"

"We're doing this for your own good, Toph," Poppy added, causing Toph to resign into herself.

"Please escort the Avatar and his friends out. They are no longer welcome here," Lao ordered, causing two guards to step forward. Azara stood and followed Katara and Sokka out of the room, Aang trailing behind her.

"I'm sorry, Toph," he called over his shoulder as he looked back at the earthbender.

"I'm sorry too. Goodbye, Aang," Toph replied sadly as the four of them were marched out of the Beifong estate. As they prepared for their departure not far from the Beifong residence, Azara spotted Aang staring with despair back at the compound. Walking over, Azara placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder as they stared at the estate.

"Don't worry, we'll find you a teacher. There's plenty of amazing earthbenders out there," she smiled, though she knew that Toph was by far the best earthbender that they had run into so far, if not in the entire Earth Kingdom.

"Not like her," Aang sighed, causing Azara to nod in agreement.

"Not like her."

After they finished packing their supplies, Azara climbed up into Appa's saddle as Aang jumped up to grab the reins. They were about to take off when movement from the bushes caused them to stop their departure. Aang turned and smiled when he spotted Toph running towards them.

"Toph! What are you doing here?" Aang asked as she reached Appa's side.

"My dad changed his mind. He said I was free to travel the world."

Azara and Sokka shared looks of disbelief, but smiled down at Toph, nonetheless. "Well, we should probably get out of here, before your dad changes his mind again," Azara smiled knowingly, causing Toph to nod.

"Good idea."

"You're going to be a great teacher, Toph," Aang praised, looking excited at the prospect of starting his earthbending lessons.

"Speaking of which, I want to show you something," Toph smirked as Aang nodded and jumped down from Appa. As he landed on the ground, Toph bent up the earth underneath him, causing him to be thrown into the tree behind him. "Now, we're even. Um, I'll take the belt back." She held up her hand towards Appa as Sokka huffed and undid the belt from around his waist.

"Wait, Sokka don't—" Azara warned, but he had already tossed the belt down to Toph, knocking her in the head.

"Ow!" Toph yelled out, falling to the ground as Azara sighed.

"Sorry," Sokka spoke as Aang fell out of the tree Toph had thrown him into. After gathering themselves, the group loaded back onto Appa and took off into the night.

A.N. As promised, here's the second half of The Blind Bandit episode. The next chapters will be The Chase episode. Thanks to everyone for reading, voting, and commenting!