Katara and Toph were training Aang, who is blindfolded and must use seismic sense to detect their attacks.
Toph accidentally hit Katara in the chest with a rock which resulted to them fighting.
"Are we taking a break?" Aang asked lifting up his blindfold.
"Aahhh," Sokka screams running towards Aang with his hand in the air. "Sneak attack!"
Aang earthbended a rock towards Sokka. "Sokka, sneak attacks don't work if you yell it out loud."
Aang and I turn our heads to notice Katara and Toph fighting in the mud.
"Soul, go to something." Sokka says pushing me into the mud.
"Really?" I scream throwing flame at him. He quickly ducks hiding behind Aang.
"Uh, guys," Aang spoke up. "I thought we were supposed to be training me."
"Very well, pupil. I believe we've had enough training for today." Katara says walking away.
"While Katara cleans up, let's go have some fun." Toph says.
"Yeah!" The boys cheer.
The boys, Toph, and I walked into town.
"Look at all those messenger hawks," Sokka said. "You know, I've been thinking about getting one for myself. That way, I wouldn't have to talk to anyone. I could just send them messages."
"I got to say, I like the idea of not talking to you." Toph says.
Sokka glared at her as I spoke up. "And who would you be talking to?"
"My dad, Gran Gran, and maybe Suki." He said.
I stuck my foot out and tripped him.
Toph laughed.
"So," Aang says. "What are we gonna get with our last silver piece?"
"We can get more money," Toph says. "Right there." She points to a group of people gambling.
Toph explained to us that she would be able to detect the pebble through her earthbending. We walked down to the table.
"You there," the dealer calls out to Toph. "Want to play a friendly game?"
"How could I possibly play?" Toph responds. "I'm blind."
"You don't have to see to be lucky." The dealer said.
Toph acted vulnerable walking over to the table. She placed the silver piece down as the man swished the shells around. We watched Toph pick the right shell.
"Flameo, Toph."
The gambler ups the ante, wagering Sokka's sword for 20 silver pieces.
I snatch Sokka's sword, placing it on the counter. "She'll do it for 40 silver pieces."
"Huh." Sokka gasps.
"40 silver pieces it is." The dealer says. We watched him swish the shells around again.
Sokka held onto my arm worried. Once again Toph picked the right shell.
"I won!" Toph shouted.
I quickly grab Sokka's sword and the silver pieces as we all bolt from the table.
We walked back to the camp, laughing with a bunch of food and money in our hands.
We threw the food at Katara, who was stirring some soup.
"Where did you guys get the money to buy all this stuff?" She asks.
"Toph got us money," Aang replied. "She scammed one of those guys in town who moves the shells around all sneak-like."
"She used earthbending to win the game," Sokka says sitting down next to me and wrapping his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. "Classic."
"Ah," Katara tsks. "So she cheated."
"Hey," I responded. "She only cheated because he was cheating. She cheated a cheater."
"Yeah," Toph puffs. "What's wrong with that?"
"I'm just saying, this isn't something we should make a habit of doing." Katara responds.
"Why?" Toph asked. "Because it's fun, and you hate fun?"
"I don't hate fun," Katara says putting Momo on top of her head. "See? Fun."
I cringe as Momo slips off her head. He screeches, scattering away from her.
"Katara," Aang stands up. "I'll personally make you an Avatar promise that we won't make a habit of doing these scams."
The same day we went back to town, pulling more scams.
"Guys, I think these scams have gone far enough," Katara exclaims. "If you keep doing them, something bad is gonna happen."
"Could you for once stop being a sick sourpuss and just lighten up?" Toph told her.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Katara says. "You think I should be more like you? Like some wild child?"
"Yeah, maybe," Toph said. "Or at least like Soul, she's pretty cool. Maybe then, you'd see how great we have it," Toph continued. "I mean, look at us. We're traveling around the world, making easy money, having fun, with no parent to tell us what to do."
"Ah, I see," Katara says. "You're acting like this because of your parents."
"Whatever."
Katara continued. "They were controlling over you, so you ran away, and now you act like your parents don't exist. You act like you hate them, but you don't. You just feel guilty."
"I do hate them." Toph emphasizes.
"I don't think so. I think you miss them. But you just don't want to deal with that, so instead, you act like this crazy person."
I wince knowing Toph was about to explode.
"Look, I ran away to help Aang." She responded.
"You know what?" Katara shouts. "It doesn't matter. These scams put us all at risk, and we don't need that. We've already got some third-eyed freak after us."
"Speaking of that third-eyed freak," Sokka cuts in. "I think I've come up with a name for him. What do you think of Sparky-Sparky Boom Man?" We all stay silent. "Just think about it."
"We have enough money," Katara yelled. "You need to stop this."
"I'll stop when I want to stop and not when you tell me." Toph yelled, grabbing her money and making an earth tent.
"Speaking of money," Sokka got up. "I'm off to spend some. See you guys later." He quickly kisses my cheek before walking away.
Katara and Aang went down to practice waterbending as I decided to start reading my Sun Spirit book again.
"Mhm," I tap my chin. "What page was I on."
Toph angrily sat next to me ranting.
I closed my book, sighing.
"Toph," Sokka said coming over. "When I was in town, I found something that you're not gonna like." He said showing her a wanted poster of her.
"Well, it sounds like a sheet of paper," she responds. "But I guess you're referring to what's on the sheet of paper."
"It's a wanted poster." Sokka says. "Of you. They've nicknamed you The Runaway."
"A wanted poster," Toph perked up. "That's so great. The Runaway. I love my new nickname. Is there a picture of me? Does it look good?"
I walked over to Sokka as we observed the poster.
"Well, yeah, actually," Sokka responded. "It does look pretty good."
"That's not the point," I nudge Sokka. "Maybe Katara was right. These scams are drawing too much attention to us."
"Don't be such a worry wart like your future sister-in-law." Toph says.
"And Sokka think of it as this way, now you have plenty of money to help with the invasion plan." Toph says wavering the money in front of Sokka's face.
"Well," Sokka responds. "That is true. I had this idea of making armor for Appa."
"Here's a little extra so you can get yourself a nice map of the Fire Nation," Toph said handing Sokka some more money. "You know what, make it an atlas."
"I do like expensive atlases." Sokka replies.
"Of course you do, and that's why this wanted poster is going to stay our little secret." She says walking away.
"Sokka," Katara calls out, walking over to us. "Tell me you didn't buy a bird."
I look over Sokka's shoulder, now noticing a bird.
"Not just a bird," Sokka responds. "A messenger bird. Now we can send messages all over the world, even to Gran Gran."
"Wow," Aang agape's. "How does it work?"
Sokka scratches his head. "Hm, uh, I never actually thought about that."
I walked over to the campsite and grabbed my book. Katara and Aang close behind as they sat near me.
"Well, look who decided to join us." Katara said once Sokka and Toph passed by us.
I sigh closing my book once again.
"Where have you two been? Off scamming again?"
"Yes, we were." Toph responds.
Katara slid behind Toph. "And I suppose you don't think what you're doing is dangerous at all?"
"No, I don't." Toph responds.
"Really? " Katara says putting her hands on her hips angrily.
"Yes, really."
"Well then, what's this?" Katara says showing Toph the wanted poster, Sokka showed her earlier.
"I don't know," Toph shouts. "I mean, seriously, what's with you people? I'm blind."
"It's a wanted poster of you. The Runaway. Is that what you're called now? Are you proud of this?"
"Where did you get that?" Toph angrily asks.
"It doesn't matter where I got it. The fact is-"
"You went through my stuff," Toph says. "You had no right."
"Your stuff was messy, and I was just straightening up and I happened to stumble across it."
"That's a lie." Toph exclaimed. "You're lying, Katara."
"Fine," Katara confesses. "It's a lie, but you've been so out of control lately. I knew something was up. I knew you were hiding something, and you were."
Toph snatches the poster from Katara as she walks away. "Don't you walk away from me while I'm talking to you."
"Oh, really, mom? What are you going to do? Send me to my room?" Toph taunts.
"I wish I could."
"Well, you can't, because you're not my mom and you're not their mom." Toph says, pointing to Sokka and Aang.
"I never said I was." Katara scoffs.
"No, but you certainly act like it. You think it's your job to boss everyone around, but it's not. You're just a regular kid like the rest of us, so stop acting like you can tell me what to do. I can do whatever I want."
"I don't act that way."
She quickly turns her head to Sokka. "Sokka, do I act motherly?"
Both Sokka and the hawk jump. "Hey, I'm staying out of this one." Sokka pouts laying his head on my shoulder.
"What do you think, Aang? Do I act like a mom?"
"Well, I.." Aang stutters.
"Stop rubbing your eye and speak clearly when you talk." She yells at Aang.
"Yes, ma'am." Aang says as him and Sokka sit up straight.
"I'm sick of this," I yell. "Katara shut the hell up for once and Toph stop being so stubborn."
The gaang look at me shocked. "Soul, I've never heard you raise your voice like that."
"Yeah, because you both have driven me to the edge. I've tried to stay calm, I've tried to stay quiet, I've tried to mind my own business, but you guys are making it so damn difficult. All I want to do is read my book in peace, to help myself and Aang, become a better firebender, but since he doesn't want to learn, I've gottta do it for myself, and I can't read a single damn page without you guys fighting. I can't be around you guys anymore." I say, angrily storming off.
"So your own her side!" Toph shouts at me.
I throw my middle finger in the air, flipping them off.
"You see what you've done?!" Sokka shouts. "You see how scary she gets. I think her hairs on fire."
I sure felt like I was on fire. I quickly put on my bathing suit and jumped into the water.
"Ahh." I sigh relived.
After a while I sat in the water reading my book. Finally I was away from those hooligans.
"I know this is from you, Sokka," I hear Katara scream from above. "Toph can't write. Ugh, you're all driving my crazy."
I laugh. Sokka is adorable.
After a bit a got a note from hawky.
Soul, don't let Katara and Toph get to you. They finally made up and they both want to apologize and pull the ultimate scam, I know shocking. Also come out of hiding, I miss you :((
-your funny and hot boyfriend Sokka
I giggle at the note.
"So, what is this prank you guys want to pull?"
"Soul." The gaang scream tackling me to the ground.
"I've only been gone for three hours." I laugh.
"Three hours to long." Sokka says kissing my forehead.
"We're really sorry." Katara and Toph both say.
"Just tell me the prank." I laugh.
The scam eventually ended us up in jail.
"I hate you guys." I mutter.
The guard walked by our wooden cage.
"You." He says pointing at me.
"What?"
"Get out, you're coming with me."
"What!" Katara and Toph scream.
"Why?" I ask.
He opens the cage, pulling me out by my hair.
"Hey, hey, let go." I yell, burning the guards arm.
"Ahhh," he screams. "You little bit-"
He tugs my arm throwing me out the cage.
"Soul!" Katara and Toph scream.
The guard throws me inside a cooler.
"Hey, what your deal? You don't know who your messing with!"
The guard laughs. "I think The Fire Lord would pay a hefty price for the Sun Spirit." He smirks closing the door on me.
I sit in the cooler crying. Eventually my tears turned to icicles.
Hours later the cooler door opened, as I saw Toph and Katara, they quickly grabbed me as we run out the cooler.
"Soul, Are you okay?" Katara asks. "You look so pale."
"Do I look okay?" I shiver.
Toph picks me up as we ran out the station.
Katara throws an icicle at metal mans head.
"Aang, get up." Katara says grabbing Aang's arm as we run away from metal man.
"What's wrong with Soul?" Sokka says grabbing me from Toph.
"I'm fine," I cough. "We've gotta get out of here first."
"Hey, I got it," Sokka says. "The perfect name for that guy. Combustion man."
I shiver. "Good job, Sokka. Now let's get out of here before Combustion Man catches us."
"See? It fits so well."