At First Sight

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Staring at the empty road was something I have never done. I had always been surrounded by the darkness that became my refuge and home. I was wrapped in pitch black and my only means of observing the world was through the vibrations that objects, people and insects sent through the earth. I am an accomplish Master Earthbender and Metalbender. I am practicing on becoming the best Sandbender and hopefully soon a Woodbender. Plants have a lot of minerals, which are easy to bend. The only thing is that the particles are so small that I need greater concentration to achieve this. But returning to the original topic: the darkness. For the first sixteen years of my life, I lived in complete darkness. But all that changed.

"Is anything happening, Lady Toph?" asked Wang, the new Chief of the Northern Water Tribe. He stared at Toph worriedly. Toph just sat near the Spirit Oasis, her hands covering her eyes. She didn't answer. Silent tears ran down her face, but she kept quiet.

"Toph, are you alright?" asked Katara. She tried to touch her friend, but Toph just shrugged.

"I am afraid to see, Katara." cried Toph. "I have never seen the world the way you do. All I know of the world is darkness, vibrations that I pick up from the earth and the sound that I hear around me. I am scared. This was a mistake Chief Wang, Katara." she sobbed. Katara reached down and hugged Toph. Both of them remained in an embrace, until Toph recovered her senses. She stood up and walked away from the oasis, where the spirit of Tui and La, swam freely.

"Toph, open your eyes." Katara said kindly. "You chose to do this on your own. We just want to help you. I came all the way from the South Pole to encourage you. This is important to me, as it is to you." said Katara, reaching for Toph's hand. Both girls stood closed to Wang.

"Toph, the healing properties only work if you are willing. I do not think that these waters are going to help you recover your sight if you don't want them to." said Chief Wang, placing a caring hand on Toph's shoulder. "You have been complaining since we started these healing sessions. I don't believe that you truly want to see. You don't have the faith in the spirits to heal you." he continued. Wang stood before them, his green eyes staring intently at them.

Katara gave him an infuriated look. How dare he talks to my friend like that?, she thought angrily. "Come on, Toph, let's get out of here!" said Katara, as she guided Toph out of the Spirit Oasis and into the city.

Both girls walked in silent. Every now and then, Katara would turn to look at Toph. "You don't have to worry, Katara. I am alright." Toph said, giving Katara a weak smile. "I just wanted to change my world." said Toph sadly.

Katara's heart broke when she saw Toph's face. "Why are you doing this, Toph? I remembered you smiling at the world, not caring about your blindness. You didn't believe it was a limitation." said Katara.

Toph's black hair was covered under the hood of her gray coat. It made her look smaller and paler. Her eyes remained close, as if she was afraid to see.

"Katara, I am not a child anymore. I am sixteen. My needs and wants have changed. I wanted to believe that there was something that I can do about my blindness. I wanted to see you when you wore your wedding dress. I wanted to see Aang's face when he saw you walk up the aisle. I wanted to see Suki and Sokka's wedding. I wanted to see their child's face. I wanted to see Zuko's coronation. I wanted to see Zuko's face. I …" Toph cried.

Katara's blue eyes widen. Her hand moved to her mouth in surprise. "Toph, why didn't you tell me all this?" asked Katara. She reached for Toph's hand, but Toph pushed her away.

"I don't want anyone's compassion. I don't want anyone to pity me. I can pull my own weight. I always had and I always will!" Toph screamed as she ran off.

Katara followed behind her friend, knowing that Toph was unable to receive vibrations through the icy road. "Toph, wait! The ice is thin in these areas. Toph, hold on!" Katara yelled. She wanted to run faster, but her heavy coat unable her to move as fast as she wanted. "Toph, stop or you'll fall… No, Toph!"

Toph could hear muffle sounds. Wet darkness surrounded her. She couldn't breathe. She was falling into her death. She couldn't believe she was in this predicament. Toph began to move her arms and legs, but one thing she knew she couldn't do was swim. Katara, help!, she thought. She couldn't bear the feelings that danced around her mockingly. More darkness engulfed her, until the only thing she could remember was his voice.

Katara took a stance and began weaving the water to her will. There was too much ice floating around, she couldn't find Toph. Her heart was pounding fast and hard against her rib cage. "Toph, be alive! Fight! I will save you, but fight!" Katara yelled, as tears of frustration fell down her face. The blue coat she had on was constricting her movements.

She took it off, forgetting about the freezing temperature; she moved her hands and the water began to separate until she saw a gray shadow. She knew it was Toph. She wrapped Toph in an air bubble and lifted her up, until she was safe on the ground. Katara fell to her knees and checked Toph's vital signs. She had a pulse but wasn't breathing. "Oh no, Toph! Be strong!" Katara said desperately. Katara continued to bend the water out of Toph's lungs. Toph began to cough. A smile spread across Katara's face.

"Be strong, Toph!" Katara cried. She covered Toph's body with her coat. She blew on the bison whistle her husband had given her. "Come on, Appa. Hurry up!" she whispered. Minutes later a shadow covered her and Toph. She heard Appa who was hovering above them. Katara raised an ice tower that boosted them to Appa's saddle. "Take us back to the village, Appa. Hurry!" Katara commanded the flying bison.

"I am so cold." Toph whispered, as she turned on her side and covered her head with her blanket. "Why is it so bright?" she mumbled under her blanket. "Sugar Queen, are you using one of your glowing waters?" Toph asked mockingly. She raised her hands and pretended to do what Katara does with her hands when she is healing. A soft laughter escaped her lips. She sat up in the bed made out of fur. Toph opened her eyes, but began to see shadows moving around her. Different shadows than the ones she was used to. She saw shapes she only recognized in the darkness.

"Toph, c-can you s-see me?" asked a familiar voice. Toph began to blink hard. Tears began to well in her eyes.

"Katara," she paused, "I am not ready for this. Not yet." Toph continued. She covered her face with her hands. Toph felt the side of her bed dent. She knew Katara was sitting beside her.

"Don't worry. Everything will be alright! Finally, you will see his face." Katara whispered. Toph's heart jumped. She was finally going to see his face.

A/N: Please review. This is my first Fanfic and I want to know how you, the reader, feel. I take constructive criticisms and ideas to help me improve my writing. Please, pretty please, review!!!