Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ The Blind Bandit: Gespenst Jäger ❯ Chapter 1

The Blind Bandit: Gespenst Jäger

 

Written By: SelfPossessed

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, or any of the characters within the show. I do not own Pumpkin Scissors. The following is a nonprofit piece of fanfiction for the sole purpose of the reading pleasure of any interested in doing so.

 

IMPORTANT: Author's Note: For those who haven't seen or read Pumpkin Scissors, here is all the background information necessary for the scope of this story.

1) 901-ATT is a top-secret infantry squad developed by the government as a counter to tanks. The number 9 in the squad designation is not used with “official” squads out of respect for the date of the emperor's death.

2) ATT stands for Anti-Tank-Trooper. They are also known as the “Gespenst Jäger,” which is German for “Ghost Hunter.”

3) 901-ATT utilize their lantern, lit by a blue flame, which affects their mentality to the point that they feel no pain. They then close in on enemy tanks and destroy the targets at point blank range.

4) “Töten Sie” is German for “kill” and it is repeated over and over when the blue lantern is activated. Facial expressions become almost zombie-like as well.

5) The 901-ATT, though secret from the civilians, is infamous on both sides of the battlefield as being infantry capable of taking down tank forces, which are the backbone of the military in Pumpkin Scissors.

 

-----------------------------

 

The scathing wind howled in its unquenchable anger, stirring up massive clouds of dust in a viscous fog that blanketed the expanse below. Its wailing screams reverberated throughout the open valley, never ceasing its relentless beating against the colossal walls of Ba Sing Se.

 

From high atop the walls, a trio of silhouettes of varying sizes could be seen staring out into the murky darkness. One such silhouette, the shortest of them, began to rub his watering eyes before turning to the tall companion scanning the area with a miniature scope.

 

“I can't see crap with all this damn sand sir. Why the fuck are we out here anyways?”

 

“Shut your trap Corporal,” responded the taller one as he sweeped the area again. “Long Feng said to keep a look out for the Fire Nation and his orders are absolute. Do you want to answer to the Dai Li?”

 

“No sir, but if I may, who the fuck gives a hogmonkey's ass. We have their precious princess in captivity. And shit, with this weather, the Fire Nation probably went home already. Sir.”

 

“I think Tiny is right,” the third figure, a portly fellow, chirped proudly. “And besides, even if they are going to attack, it isn't like anyone can possibly break into these walls, sir.”

 

“That is what everyone thought about the airbenders and their temples. Look at them now; they are extinct. Even the kid Avatar got offed. You two keep forgetting the obvious.”

 

The superior tiredly placed his scope down on the wall and pointed a gloved hand towards the heavens. An angry red light could be seen ominously staring down from high above the cloud cover, its malicious glow piercing through the din of the maelstrom. “That comet changes everything.”

 

“Sir, honestly, what does it fucking matter?” replied Tiny. “They're on our turf now. If it wasn't for their damned tanks, we would've pushed them back out to sea already, comet or no. Fucking metal…”

 

“Quiet.” With that, the tallest held out his hand in an absolute command for silence. The others immediately fell into a nervous hush as he began to sniff the air. “I smell burning fuel.”

 

“Oh fuck, do you think they are really out there?” asked Tiny nervously as he began to earnestly scan the surroundings.

 

“Move out of my way pussy,” ordered a sardonic voice behind the trio. Tiny yelped in fright. “You look like you're about to piss in your pants.”

 

The three turned around to greet the newcomer, only to drop their gazes as the tiny form of a little girl clad in an unknown regiment's clothing came into view. A large circular hat sat upon her head, masking her face from their vision.

 

“Hey, we have someone shorter than Tiny for a change! I guess we'd have to use Pussy instead from now on!” guffawed the portly fellow.

 

Tiny grumbled angrily in response at his companion before kneeling down to meet the tiny girl's gaze.

 

Well fuck, she's blind too?

 

“What have we here? You lose your mommy? This is no place for little kids who want to play soldier. Shoo. Go home now. Leave this to the real soldiers.”

 

An impatient stomp was his response, causing him to fall flat on his ass.

 

“Son of a…getting cocky now ARE we you little earthbending BITCH!”

 

“Stand down Corporal,” command the tallest of three who stood rigid, saluting the girl. “I apologize for my subordinate's lack of respect, ma'am. He will be properly disciplined.”

 

Tiny gave the tiny figure before him a second appraisal before noticing the innocent lantern hanging from her belt. Engraved in dull metal was a plate bearing the phrase 901-ATT…

 

Oh shit.

 

“Sorry MA'AM! I was out of line, MA'AM!” Pussy bolted up into a salute, sweating heavily as he did so. That tiny girl suddenly seemed to impossibly grow in size before his very eyes, her imposing shadow looming over his puny and worthless form.

 

Oh please don't kill me. Pleasepleasepleaseohgreatspiritssparemytinyandinsignificantlife.

 

Pussy wet his pants.

 

The girl only smirked in response, her mirth not reaching the pale discs that were her eyes. No one dared question her as she began walking towards the edge of the sky-scraping walls. No one dared move. No one dared to even breathe until long after she leaped off the side in a suicidal fashion, plummeting down into the storm raging below.

 

Oh shit I'm alive.

 

“I didn't know that kids were let into THAT sir,” breathed Pussy with a sigh of relief. “Shit, I thought THAT was just a rumor.”

 

“No squad number is supposed to begin with the number 9 in honor of the Earth King's death, sir,” added the portly soldier.

 

“That's no ordinary girl you two. That is one of the companions of the late Avatar, the only survivor of the group that infiltrated the Fire Nation at that. And apparently Long Feng's new toy.” The superior shook his head sadly, glancing at where he lost sight of her. “Corporal. Private. Thank the spirits that she chose to spare us.”

 

“I think we should start praying for the Fire Nation soldiers, sir.”

 

-----------------------------

 

The noisy clank of metal banged throughout the tiny interior space, the heavy machinery in the background whining and creaking endlessly in agitation. Sloshing liquid could be heard through the din, supposedly from the ingenious feat of engineering, also known as the balancing system, that all tanks were equipped with.

 

“Accursed metal coffin. Why did they stick me in here? I'm claustrophobic damnit!”

 

Such were the thoughts of one Fire Nation soldier manning one of the invincible tanks of the Fire Nation military.

 

“Just got to get see this job through, get the promotions, and then be set for life. With a tank like this, I should be completely out of harm's way; they told me no earthbender can do crap to this baby. This will be safe and easy. If I can just get past my claustrophobia…oh no here it comes.”

 

Said claustrophobic Fire Nation soldier hurriedly flung open the hatch of the tank and leaned over the side, puking out the contents of his stomach before taking in a deep breath of fresh…

 

Ah damn, accursed sand.

 

The soldier began coughing and wheezing as the jeers and taunts of Barfboy coming from his fellow soldiers reached his ears.

 

“Get a hold of yourself Private. You are in the Fire Nation army now,” came a strong, reassuring voice.

 

“Sir!” Barfboy yelled back, grateful for some understanding and support. “But can you just tell me one thing sir? I still don't see why we have to ride in this spirit-forsaken weather, sir! I can't see worth a damn out here and I doubt I can aim for my life! Sir!”

 

The other sighed in response.

 

“Stop complaining. The operation was explained in the briefing.”

 

“I was out puking my guts sir!”

 

“…and you did not ask anyone else as to what the operation is, Private?”

“I did, sir! I was told me that we were out to sing and dance with the badger moles, sir! I even prepared my Sungi horn for the occasion, sir!”

 

The commanding officer smacked his head, sighing before he began. “We are using the storm as a cover to advance our troops to the city limits. Our tank corps will scale up the walls and enter the city, giving the others waiting outside enough time to break a permanent hole in their defenses. The Earth Kingdom scum will not know what hit them.”

 

“But aren't these tanks invincible anyways sir?” asked Barfboy. “And with Sozin's comet overhead, couldn't we just bombard them from a distance in better weather, sir?”

 

“We have our orders Private. The high-ups want to end this war quickly.”

 

You mean rescue the princess. Bah. That's the only explanation for all the crap we've been going through lately.

BOOM.

 

The loud sound of a substantial blast filled the troop's ears, interrupting all forms of communication in its wake. The ground trembled uncontrollably in anguish, the moaning earth splitting with an ominous crack. Soldiers quickly reached to cover their ears in agony, pain lancing through their eardrums, before turning to squint through the clearing dust as to the source of the confusion.

 

Even the raging storm silenced itself, leaving behind an earsplitting quietness that filled every corner of the vast battlefield.

 

“So much for stealth, sir!”

 

The commanding officer didn't deem the jest a response, instead focusing on identifying the figure that emerged in the distance as the dust began to settle.

 

“Is that…a little girl?”

 

-----------------------------

 

“Now that…is a lot of tanks,” said the portly one, his mouth gaping wide open as the dust cleared to reveal the advancing Fire Nation army. “And that…is one big crater.”

 

“So? What the fuck is one little girl going to do?” huffed Tiny. “No matter how talented a bender she is, there's no fucking way she can take on a tank, much less an army of that size.”

 

“Corporal, just shut up and watch. What you are about to see here is never to be repeated within the walls of Ba Sing Se.”

 

-----------------------------

 

The lone figure kneeled in the center of a gaping depression in the earth. Images of the past flashed past her blind eyes in a marathon of memories, unrelenting in their steady march.

 

Training Twinkle Toes. Bickering with Sweetness. Teasing poor Ponytail Guy. Riding on Sheddy. Playing with Momo.

 

Being with the ones she loved. Who loved her back. Who appreciated her for who she was. Her. Toph.

 

She could never stop thinking about them, could never forget them. No matter how hard she tried. Ever.

 

The figure rose up from her position, a smirk gracing her features. Tears could be seen leaking out of her white eyes, tears that cried for companions long lost, cried about a life long past, cried amongst the shattered remains of a little girl's happiness.

 

The figure placed a tiny hand on the lantern, rubbing the markings of 901-ATT, burning the memory the feel and texture of it into her mind, reminding herself of what she was now.

 

Everyone, die you motherfuckers.

 

And the Blind Bandit flipped the lantern switch on.

 

Töten Sie. Töten Sie. Töten Sie.

 

-----------------------------

 

What in the Fire Lord's name is that blue glow? Does that kid want to die?

 

“Sir, is that…”

 

“Oh damnit. WHY IS IT HERE?”

 

Barfboy turned in surprise at that outburst, staring in fascination at the visage of his superior's face. He had always remembered it being steady and calm, reassuring and resolute no matter the circumstance.

 

Now, it was marred with an expression of sheer terror, transfixed with blind panic, almost as if he were seeing Koh himself.

 

“CALL RETREAT! EVERYONE RETREAT! AND DON'T STOP SHOOTING AT THAT…MONSTER! YOU HEAR ME? RETREAT, RETREAT!”

 

Several platoons immediately began to reverse their direction as ordered. Others hesitated, their gazes locked with the flickering blue flame that ever so steadily progressed closer and closer towards their position. Still others advanced recklessly forward in the face of the irrational orders, heedless of the chain of command.

 

It was pandemonium.

 

Tanks began to collide with one another, the once orderly ranks and formations dissipating into a mesh of steel. Metal screeched against metal as tanks ran over their comrades in the confusion, slamming others onto their sides as several tumbled uncontrollably about. Entire mountains of tank chassis sprung forth as tanks began to pile on top of one another, their combined weight crushing the unfortunate victims at the bottom.

 

Such was the image that greeted the lone figure advancing in the distance. Not that she gave a shit. They'd all die soon enough.

 

“Sir! Are you out of your mind? It's just ONE KID out there!”

The commanding officer began to mutter senselessly, his unfocused eyes dilated, heart pounding madly, hyperventilating uncontrollably.

 

“They will come forth along with the blue will o' the wisps. The 901 Anti-Tank Troopers. The Gespenst Jäger. Damnit damnit DAMNIT! I SAID TO FIRE AT IT!”

 

Rounds and rounds of fireball salvo began to fill the air, painting the sky in various shades of red. A gigantic hand comprised of ravenous flames appeared, reaching out towards the tiny figure approaching in the distance in a feverish desire to devour the unfortunate soul that stood within reach of its hungry grasp.

 

A loud boom signaled the impact and decimation of the target, an enormous black cloud of ashes erupting forth, spewing out its filthy breath.

 

“Sir, we got it! It's dead sir! Sir! Sir?”

 

“I DIDN'T SAY TO STOP FIRING! KEEP FIRING YOU IDIOTS!”

 

Like anyone could survive THAT.

 

And yet, through the viscous black clouds, a pale blue light winked back into existence, trudging ever so steadily forwards.

 

“Damn it all, what the fuck are they doing back there? GET THE TREBUCHETS TO FIRE AT IT ALREADY!”

 

Oh crap.

 

“Sir! WE'RE in range of those projectiles too, sir! We'd be annihilated by our own firepower, sir!”

 

The crazed commander turned towards his subordinate, staring at apparently the most idiotic piece of shit he had ever seen.

 

“If we DON'T use the siege weapons, WE'RE DEAD.”

 

And the sky was again lit in a bright red glow as a hailstorm descended, oblivious to friend or foe. Large chunks of flaming metal smashed into the helpless tanks, crushing them and their ill-fated passengers with impunity. Those tanks that managed to avoid a fatal hit were instead tossed around from the sheer force of the impact.

 

One such falling projectile slammed into the earth near the commanding officer's tank, causing it to plow recklessly into Barfboy's.

 

When Barfboy again opened his eyes, he found himself trapped under the wreckage that was once his commanding officer's vehicle, the officer himself partially hanging from the hatch in a bloody mess of human flesh.

 

Spirits be damned, this job was supposed to be easy.

 

-----------------------------

 

One tiny figure walked steadily forward, oddly displaced from the carnage rampaging the battlefield about her. Massive chunks of metal several times her weight crashed into the earth, recklessly annihilating the unfortunate in their path with senseless abandon. The little girl walked over the flaming piles of metallic wreckage, her bare feet treading over the broken and bleeding corpses of her enemies.

 

It was an apocalypse, but she cared not; the blue glow of the lantern guided her along the path of death.

 

The lantern whispered to the figure invitingly, warming her with a caressing flame. All would die in retribution, it soothed, all would pay for their crimes as an offering to the hollow that was once her heart.

 

Töten Sie.

 

The hailstorm decided to take offense at this insolent fellow and opted to send one of its kind to educate her in proper manners.

 

But the Blind Bandit wasn't one for propriety or decorum.

 

The falling ball of metal instead met the unstoppable force also known as her outstretched hand, molding itself around the contours of her arm, before being tossed aside like the scrap metal it was.

 

The flames licked at her skin, hungrily devouring bits and pieces of the tattered remains of her uniform, before acquiescing in the smoldering heat of her vengeance. Flakes of charred skin peeled off as endless salvos of impudent fireballs were launched at her advancing form, only to be swatted aside like buzzing insects, annoying and worthless.

 

And the Blind Bandit reached her very first victim, a lone tank, trapped in place by her blind gaze. The lantern called desperately, its yearning undeniable.

 

Töten Sie!

 

And the Blind Bandit reached forth, the hands of death embracing the armor plating that cocooned its passenger within a protective shell. With a feeble plea, the metal gave way, a red clad figure falling out of the awning hole and tumbling unceremoniously to the ground.

 

The figure laid in a prone position, ankle twisted at a grotesque angle, and crossed his arms protectively around his eyes in a vain attempt to rid himself of the vision of death that stood before him.

 

TÖTEN SIE!

 

With a shriek of fear, he left the mortal world as the Blind Bandit brought the remnants of his tank down upon his body, vanquishing his terrified form. Bits and pieces of bone and organs flew in various directions, blood splattering about in a sick fountain display. The resulting shockwave caused nearby tanks to flip about several times in air before crashing back into the ground. The earth trembled in fear, the gaping cavity a monument to the massive force of the crushing impact.

 

A loud whine signaled the arrival of reinforcement projectiles launched from trebuchets yonder, screeching to avenge its fallen comrades.

 

And the Blind Bandit responded in turn, effortlessly swinging the tank round and round like one would a bat, smashing the metal slug back towards whence it came. The chunk of steel flew at a speed it had never attained before, crushing several tanks in its haste and tossing others several hundred feet high into the air from its momentum. An empty scar cutting straight through the Fire Nation army marked its flight path, the first of many to follow.

 

Töten Sie.

 

The Blind Bandit discarded the remains of the tank like one would a broken doll, a child's worthless plaything, its charred form warped from the abuse, before she turned to advance upon her next victim.

 

This one was rather desperate as he smothered his aggressor with a pointless array of fireballs in a vain attempt to drive her away. The Blind Bandit marched forwards unflinchingly, the fire dissipating around her progressing form, before stopping short in front of the tank within arm's reach.

 

Cocking back her arm, she then plunged it deep into the hull, the steel molding itself around the shape of her arm. The metal surged forth in the outline of her tiny hand and wrapped itself around the victim's neck. Gasping sounds could be heard as the he struggled for breath, clutching desperately at the steel-encrusted arm that held him dangerously above the abyss of hell. The sizzling stench of burning flesh filled the air as the metallic arm began to take on a bright red hue.

 

TÖTEN SIE!

 

And the Blind Bandit squeezed her fist shut, a loud snapping sound replacing the gagging sounds prior. Releasing her grip, the Blind Bandit withdrew her scalded arm, a dull bang signaling when the headless body fell to floor, the lifeless head bouncing and lolling about the interior.

 

Again she turned and again her blind gaze focused upon another victim.

 

Walking towards her newly acquired target, the Blind Bandit's bare feet found themselves trampling upon the chassis of a tank that lay dormant in her path. With each step that she took, the tank collapsed further upon itself, her footprints permanently engraved onto the exterior. A horrified scream could be heard echoing within the confines of the impromptu coffin.

 

TÖTEN SIE!

 

She left the tank behind her as a flat piece of metal, crimson red blood oozing through from the tiny gaps that dotted the otherwise level surface.

 

This new prey had been fortunate enough to avoid critical damage and was desperately backing away at the absolute limit his tank would permit. The engine would roar and sputter with each obstacle the tank ran over in its frantic bid for survival.

 

But the Blind Bandit followed, dashing forward in a substantial burst of speed, the resulting miniature explosion leaving behind a small hollow in the shape of her foot marking where she had left the ground. Her form blurring due to her absurd speed, she suddenly appeared beside the tank, skidding to an abrupt halt.

 

A constantly fleeing target was rather bothersome.

 

To remedy this, the Blind Bandit grabbed a firm hold of one of the tank tracks, leaving deep indentations in the warped metal. The engine shrieked deafeningly in a futile attempt to dislodge her grip, but the tracks refused to budge from their position.

 

Placing a foot on the side of the tank for leverage, she forcefully yanked the tracks off of the tank. Lacking the proper support, the tank crashed into the ground with a thump, the bewildered balancing system repeatedly correcting and repositioning the tank unsuccessfully.

 

The driver stared through the tiny window of his hatch with a shaken expression as the Blind Bandit raised the tank tracks still within her grasp high into the air above her head, carefully measuring the broken tank scuttling around in circles.

 

TÖTEN SIE!

 

A thunderous boom sounded, followed shortly by another massive shockwave, the tank tracks recoiling back into the air from the might of the blow as she relinquished her grip on them. When the dust cleared, her blue lantern-lit figure could be seen walking away from the tank, its remains now deformed beyond recognition and repair. A lifeless human limb peeked out of the opening in the hatch, blood dripping from its protruding end.

 

The Blind Bandit paused her rampage to survey the carnage of the battlefield, her senses straining to detect the subtle vibrations of nearby beating hearts and labored breathing amongst the chaos. Her blind gaze swept the combat zone, her milky eyes stopping where a squadron of tanks hid behind a mountain of scrap metal.

 

Töten Sie.

 

The sky erupted into a symphony of steel as the Blind Bandit gravitated towards her new prey, bulldozing her way through several tons of the battered metal. The unnerved squadron began to fall back, abandoning their prior ambush position. A high-pitched whine screeched overhead, indicating the flaming metal slug arriving to cover their retreat.

 

But it was not to be so.

 

With a great arcing motion, the Blind Bandit redirected its course, flinging the projectile in the direction of the retreating regiment. Tanks became akin to bowling pins, soaring several hundred feet in various directions in an effort to clear a path for the wailing wrecking ball.

 

A surviving member of the brigade separated from the remnants of the retreating pack, coming to a stop in the dead center of the Blind Bandit's path. Apparently coming to the conclusion that fireballs were of no effect, he instead took careful aim, the crosshairs precisely aligning with her tiny head.

 

The grappling hook shot out its pressurized chute, reaching forth like the black hand of a vindictive wraith, its sharp claws seeking to draw blood.

 

And yet, the Blind Bandit stood eerily still. She did not move as it drew close, nor when it smashed into her forehead and mashed itself around her skull. She did not move as an unseen wind rippled forth from the blow, toying with the ragged remains of her clothing. She did not move as blood began to trickle down her forehead and into the orbs of her unblinking eyes.

 

The poor Fire Nation fellow just stared in disbelief, baffled as to why her head was still intact between her shoulders.

 

Only when gravity claimed the deformed piece of metal did she move once more, seizing the warped steel in her crushing grip before it could sink to the earth in defeat.

 

TÖTEN SIE!

 

With a brutal yank, the Blind Bandit jerked the tank off the ground and began to violently swing it by the chain round and round above her head like an unwanted toy. With each fierce swing, a cyclone began to take shape, gradually increasing in speed. Steel of all sorts began to lift off the ground, drawn by the irresistible suction of the vortex. The retreating tanks began to inch forward, their tire tracks desperately struggling to cling to solid ground, before succumbing as the wind viciously ripped them off the earth, hurling them helplessly into the air.

 

And then the chain snapped, it unable to handle the ludicrous amount of centrifugal force exerted upon it. The tank attached to its end flew far back into the distance, ramming a gaping hole through the supposedly impenetrable walls of Ba Sing Se. The sky began a downpour of metal as gravity took precedence once more.

 

The Blind Bandit stood still amidst all this, holding the broken end of the chain in her hand. Discarding it with a toss over her shoulder, she decided a better weapon was required and reached out, plucking a falling tank out of the air. Frantic clangs signifying a struggle were heard as the person inside flailed about the interior in an attempt to reach the hatch.

 

He only managed to poke his head out.

 

TÖTEN SIE!

 

Carelessly swinging it left and right against the ground, each impact causing an earthquake of its own and riddling the earth with ugly scars, she began to fashion the tank into an oversized makeshift club with the conscious pilot still trapped inside. Blood began to gush out of every crevice with each swing as the metal began to simultaneously crush and slice into the vulnerable body.

 

With her new toy in hand, the head peeking out having long since been lopped off, the Blind Bandit advanced once more, bashing the remaining troops that had somehow managed to survive the spill. Blood and bits of human flesh flew about with each resounding boom, showering the area in a red paste.

 

In mid-swing, the blood-streaked bludgeon gave way, the abused metal unable to maintain its structure. The top half of the battered club drooped towards the ground in exhaustion, the middle cowing to gravity's call. Disgusted at its lack of durability, she opted to drop it in favor of a more efficient tool.

 

Something more substantial was needed.

 

Having been molded into a giant basin by the Blind Bandit's prior activity, the battlefield dipped inwards, drawing nearby objects towards its epicenter. A large cluster of steel had gathered there in a disordered heap. Perfect.

 

Töten Sie.

 

With a great leap, the Blind Bandit catapulted high into the air and above the clouds. Unrestricted by the cloud cover, the smoldering gaze of Sozin's comet angrily glared at her, frustrated at its inability to give her rampage pause. Finally reaching the peak of her ascent, the Blind Bandit dove towards the ground, the wind shrieking with her descent and madly grasping at the shreds of her clothing.

 

And the Blind Bandit fell, landing in the heart of the pile of metal with an echoing roar, the ensuing shockwave causing even the outer walls of Ba Sing Se to tremble in dread. As the dust began to settle, the piercing blue flame of the lantern could be seen once more, attached to a tiny silhouette dragging the far end of something out of the crater.

 

TÖTEN SIE!

 

Rooting herself firmly into the ground, earthen hands clenching her feet in a tight hold, the Blind Bandit swung her new toy in a wide horizontal arc. A colossal steel pillar appeared through the dust, sweeping the battlefield clean like a child clearing a table of unwanted playthings. The immense wind, resulting from the sheer power of the swing, flung airborne projectiles miles back and flipped the far trebuchets off of their supports.

 

The true scale of the impromptu weapon became apparent as the Blind Bandit lifted it vertically into the air above her. Dwarfing even the walls of Ba Sing Se, the massive bludgeon, a medley of Fire Nation steel, pierced the cloud cover, staring down upon the city with disdain. The enormous lone middle finger jutted out perpendicularly from the center of the battlefield, an ill-disguised message for fuck you.

 

TÖTEN SIE!

 

Such a sight was the last thing one claustrophobic Fire Nation soldier was to behold, his commander's vehicle crushing his own and preventing him from undertaking any form of escape.

 

And the Blind Bandit brought her vengeance crashing down.

 

-----------------------------

 

An eerie silence filled the vast battlefield in the aftermath of the slaughter. Even the wind ceased its relentless howling, holding its breath in soundless respect and fear.

 

A yawning crater of unfathomable magnitude could be seen in the outskirts of Ba Sing Se, easily twice the size of the entire city, a memento of her wrath. The foundations of the Earth Kingdom capital had crumbled, various blocks and sections of it having sunk deep down into the underground city of old Ba Sing Se.

 

Bewildered citizens and refugees wandered about the mess in disarray as the flood of people began to salvage what was left of their refuge. The Dai Li struggled to contain the chaos, herding the masses into the few more structurally sound areas left. Now and then, another section of the city would cave in, trapping people within the ruins as the earth disintegrated in a cloud of dust.

 

Even the grand outer walls of Ba Sing Se had collapsed under the strain despite its fierce struggle, finally succumbing as the ground underneath it split wide open in several areas, undermining its support and stability.

 

But to one person, this mattered not.

 

One sole being trudged along the titanic crater, Sozin's comet painting her in a dark blood red. Her tattered clothing, either burnt or wildly torn into shreds, revealed the vicious scars that marred her childish figure. The tiny shadow she cast stretched over the broken bodies and scrap metal that littered the giant cavity.

 

There would be no living witnesses as she made her way through the stench of death and decay, the three watch guards having been spirited away by the Dai Li. There would be no living witnesses as she painstakingly scaled up one pile of flaming steel wreckage. There would be no living witnesses as she stood atop the mound, her tiny figure accompanied only by the departing ghosts of the dead.

 

The only witnesses were the corpses that dotted the hell of the bloody battleground, some grotesquely twisted in phantom pain, others disfigured beyond recognition. The tormented figures howled, their mouths gaping wide open in a silent wail of remorse and regret, their broken limbs reaching forth as if just short of attaining salvation, their eyeless stares pointed accusingly in her direction.

 

And the Blind Bandit raised her arms in a victory pose like she had so long ago.

 

Only it wasn't the same. This time there would be no belt. This time, there would be no one else to acknowledge her, to praise her, to befriend her, to love her. This time, it was empty.

 

Her soulless eyes stared directly into the sun, unseeing of the carnage around her, unseeing of the spirits of the dead crossing over, unable to see those that she truly and fervently wished to see.

 

She was alone, her significant others having left long ago. She was empty, the aching hollow of her heart never ceasing to remind her of her failure. She was broken, a living shell denied the eternal rest of sweet death.

 

And Toph let her arms drop as tears began to fall anew.

 

End.

 

-----------------------------

 

Author's Note 1: Although I'm happy with several parts of the fic, there are a couple areas that are bothering me. Any comments on these or anything else are greatly appreciated.

1) The loose Pumpkin Scissors crossover may throw off some people. I did provide the author's note at the beginning of the fic, but even still it may detract from the story itself.

2) There is a lack of characterization. The story is focused on revenge, which changes Toph's character, but as an Avatar fanfiction this is a problem.

3) Ardias helped a lot with my dialogue and I even had a discussion of various nicknames and ranks with him. However, the dialogue still lacks that oomph as I myself have never been in the military.

4) I assumed that the metal used by the Fire Nation is steel. I needed another word other than metal and steel was handy. Call it author's privilege.

5) The pacing of the story may also turn away readers. It starts rather slow with unnamed OCs (except for their nicknames or ranks) before building up to the climactic action sequence. Hopefully people got through that and reached the end.

6) The action scene may be a bit unclear as to what exactly is going on. I did spend a lot of time describing various actions and objects, so hopefully people will be able to understand it.

 

Author's Note 2: I am planning on creating a promotional fanart piece for this story. If I complete it, I will add it to my profile.

 

Author's Note 3: A big special thanks to Ardias for all his help with prereading and help with the dialogue. Thanks to everyone in the ASN chat room (Quenchiest and Isidorios as well) for their support and help. Also, a shout out to SylverEyes for his advice and his fanfiction “Toph's Rampage,” which also has a similar Toph revenge concept.

 

Thanks to all the people who Avatar possible, all the people who made Pumpkin Scissors possible, AvatarSpirit for being a great community, all the action-packed fanfiction, all the demonic-good-guy-kicking-ass anime, and readers like you. Thank you all.