Fire War Renaissance--Ch.4

Chapter Four: The Field Trip—Part Two

It was a bitter-sweet moment for Toph, walking through the streets of Gaoling. She couldn't say being in the market brought back any memories because frankly she'd never spent much time there. All her memories were either in her courtyard, her house, or at the Earth Rumbles.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked as they approached the gates to the Bei Fong estate. Toph just nodded while clenching her stomach as it churned in nervousness. Zuko placed a gentle hand on her back and the two walked up to the gates.

0o0o0o0o0o0

They were enjoying a calm quiet dinner at home. Poppy, Toph's mother, was staring out the nearby window seeing all the messenger hawks fly by but none landed in the mail receiver.

"Don't be discouraged Poppy," Lao, and Toph's father, encouraged her wife. "We sent out the letter a week ago it takes a while to get all the way over to the Fire Nation and Toph is a busy-"

"Uh, Sir?" One of the house butlers announced; interrupting Lao's comforting.

"Yes Yuexi, what is it," Lao hissed at his butler. Yuexi was rather young, around 16, he had been around the house with his father who worked in the kitchen for quite some time but after his father died a year ago he had been working as a butler for them.

"Well it seems you have a visitor."

"From who?" Poppy asked, jumping out of her depressed mood for the moment.

"The gateman didn't say, but the visitors assured him that you would want to see them." Yuexi walked up to the door and looked inside the small window to see who he was announcing to enter. He almost gasped when he saw who was standing there but opened the door regardless.

"Hi Mom, Dad." Toph whispered, her hand awkwardly over her mouth. A manner Zuko had never seen. Poppy almost feel flat down but regulated herself to run over and hug her daughter.

"Oh, my sweet little Toph!" She cried, crushing Toph into her chest. "Oh, how I missed you."

"Um, alright mom, please not in front of Zuko." Toph pleaded and the Fire Prince blushed a little, he loved watching these touching family moments, especially when Lao joined the hug;

wrapping his arms around his wife and daughter. He thought he saw a smile on Toph's face before she buried her face in her mother's shoulder, but she just as quickly pushed away.

"We still need to talk." The Blind Bandit said dully after brushing off her dress. Her parent's faces went to utter shock and Zuko just cleared his throat earnestly and stiffened. Toph turned her neck towards him and nodded.

"This is Fire Lord Zuko; he's the one who took me here. I have a lot to thank him for." Zuko bowed as Toph finished her introduction while both Lao and Poppy bowed respectfully in return.

"Shall we go to the dinner hall first?" Lao suggested; trying to silence his growling stomach but Toph just shook her head.

"No," Toph objected quietly yet firmly. Zuko could see that she was all the more gentle with her parents. "We need to talk, now." And with that said she led her two wide eyed parents into a separate hall to speak quietly.

Yuexi turned to face Zuko nervously.

"Hey," He started and now Zuko turned his head.

"Hey," Zuko returned; turning back his head as soon as his words were finished.

"So you got Toph here?" Yuexi asked.

"Yep," Zuko responded, still not turning towards him. "How do you know Toph?" he asked after a few moments of silenced.

"I used to work in the kitchen before my dad died last year, now I'm their butler. I used to play with Toph when she was younger." He breathed in length, looking down. "I guess she didn't recognize me." Zuko raised his eye brow at the frowning boy. He looked to be around his age, maybe a year younger but obviously he had a strong connection to Toph in her younger days.

"And you?" Yuexi questioned next.

"I joined the Avatar's group; she was in it at the time. I think you know the rest." His story with Toph was simply a 'she just happened to be there' story but he didn't regret meeting the little blind girl.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Aang was feeling a little uneasy that morning after Katara and him had spent the whole previous day fulfilling their desires of passion. But he realized that he didn't have much experienced in the matter; Katara was mostly the one leading. Maybe it was the fact that he was too nervous to try anything he didn't know of her doing first, or maybe he was just as inexperienced as he

thought. To his advantage Sokka was passing through the hall, book in hand, around the same time the thoughts entered his mind.

"Uh, hey, Sokka!" Aang yelled as Sokka passed him by, his mind obviously in the book he was reading. But still the young warrior turned to face the Avatar.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with something." Aang started, turning a little cherry in the process.

"Shot." Sokka said, closing his book—but being sure to mark the page—before he gave him the okay that he was listening.

"Well, um, me and Katara have been…..exploring other parts of the relationship that I'm a little shaky on and I just wanted an experienced dater's advice." Sokka thought over his words and realized why he was turning so red. He rolled his eyes.

This is the last thing I want to talk about with my sister's boyfriend.

"Okay are you talking about what I think you're talking about?" Aang just nodded. "So you want me to tell you how to kiss my sister?" Aang scrunched his face at the thought of what he was asking but pressed on anyways.

"Well, not just kissing, other things too." Aang rubbed the back of his neck trying to break out in a full on sweat but found it hard not to. Sokka winced slightly as he resisted the urge to not to think of the things the two of them might be doing when he wasn't around but stayed on task. If he wanted an active hand in the relationship he had to give Aang advice. It was principle.

"Alright buddy," Sokka agreed casually while slinging his arm around Aang's shoulders. "It's time for you and me to have the talk."

Aang gulped.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Toph, your mother and I just want you to know that we were never mad about you leaving the house." Was Lao's preamble, his arm firmly around his wife's shoulders. Toph just determinedly stared downwards.

"We were just worried," Poppy added while nodding.

"The world was in such a dreaded state and with you traveling with the main target of ruthless fire benders….we just wanted you to be safe."

"I'm able to take care of myself. I don't need you to be worried." Toph snapped, folding her arms.

"Regardless of whether you need us to be worried or not we are going to worry about you Toph, you're our daughter."

"Stop it!" Toph screamed; clenching her fists together. A single tear could be seen under her long bangs and Poppy held her hand over her mouth to hide an escaping sob.

"Stop what Toph?" Lao asked firmly.

"Stop acting like you care about anything I have to say! You guys don't care about me; you just want a little puppet that you can meander around. Why do you even want me back? So I can be miserable and be hidden from the world again?" She was now full out crying, vibrating at a dangerous pace as more sobs racked through her.

"Oh, Toph," Poppy sighed. "Did you read the letter your father and I sent?" Toph just shook her head and pulled out the unopened scroll from her dress pocket.

"Why don't we read it for you?" Lao said softly, encouraging her in a manner Toph had never heard ans she handed them the paper.

Our Dearest Toph,

We are truly sorry for all we have put you through for the course of your childhood. It was just the fact that you were blind and still very young that we would do anything to make sure you lived as long as you could. We wanted to protect you, make life easy for you. Our families money surely made this easy but along the lines of protecting you with your best interest at heart and making your life as normal as possible split apart from each other and or need to shelter you got the better of us. We're sorry we kept you a secret from the world but we felt at the time that it was better if we found a way for you to be safe before letting out in the open. We're also sorry that we never took the time to understand your views on our ways and that we never took the time to understand how much of a special gift you have with earth bending. We are so very proud of you for the part you've played in ending this war as well, you've truly made us proud parents and in the future if you choose to return we will be waiting with arms wide and minds open to the possibilities we now understand you can create.

We love you Toph, we love you so very much.

Love,

Your parents Lao and Poppy

And with that Toph revealed the purest smile she had ever shined.

To be continued...