Toph

This one is pretty much just about Toph. Her mind, heart, her life. It's just her. I hope you enjoy my first ever fanfiction story. Please R&R! Thanks!!

Disclaimer: … … …I'm not gonna' say it… … … …nope… … … …you can't make me… … …uh, no you can't… … … …yeah, I wanna' see you try! …oh, snap you've got a bat! Okay, okay, fine! … *sigh* v.v I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender, there I said it! Now get off my back!! … … …sorry… … …

I take a step through the grass,

It is tall, tender, and flexible as the breeze brushes by.

I feel a fly-away blossom graze my cheek

The wind is soft, cool, relaxing.

Never before had I felt so peaceful,

Calm,

Happy.

All of my days I'd been,

Locked away for a life of,

Escorts and guards,

Manners and rules,

Evening gowns and satin slippers,

Imprisonment.

I could never speak my,

Mind or heart.

I was forbidden by,

Sweet, polite mommy, and

Caring, proud daddy.

That's what I'd been told,

But I saw through those lies.

They were embarrassed,

Not proud.

Ashamed,

Not caring.

Disappointed,

Not loving.

Still, from my deprived childhood I grew strong.

I'd learned young that,

Adults always lie,

Tears are a sign of weakness,

Power is key,

Suffering in silence is best for all.

Earthbending has changed me from a helpless child into the fighter I am today.

It taught me to,

Defend myself,

Escape from home,

Make something of my life,

See.

I see the earth,

Movement,

Lies,

Everything I needed to, I thought.

But I've never seen,

The warm sun,

Cooling rain,

Beautiful colors,

My own face.

My eyes are a curse.

Life has shown me that,

People have shown me that,

My parents have told me so.

As a small child, I always wondered,

Why I couldn't play with the other girls my age,

How there could be an entire world outside my prison,

What I'd done to deserve my blindness, my fate.

I still wonder.

Although now, I have a real family and I'm,

Happy.

My mother, Katara, cares for me and is always ready to hug and talk to,

My brothers, Aang and Zuko, watch out for me and are always ready to fight,

And then there's Sokka:

My protective father,

My sarcastic brother,

My sensitive friend,

My first secret love.

He'll never see, though, my heart,

As I'll never see his face, but,

He'll still feel my smiles,

As I'll still feel his heartbeat.

We never leave each other's sides.

Now I have two families,

One that needs me, and,

One that wants me, however,

Both love me.

Of that, I hope.

Hope.

A funny word in a time like this.

While my people from all over the world cherish it and embrace it,

Like they do the memories of their fallen soldiers and long-lost families,

I'd long ago lost mine.

All around me there is nothing but,

Hate, war, revenge, anger.

Then I take a deep breath.

I close my eyes, open my heart, and,

I see all around me,

Love, peace, laughter, joy,

And I know I'm home.

I'll never have to leave or change,

I couldn't anyway,

But here, I'm understood,

And now I'm loved.

I no longer lie awake at night thinking to myself,

What if I was normal?

What if I never left?

What if I ended it all now?

I sleep peacefully at night knowing in my heart

I am special as can be,

Perfect in my own way,

Lucky as the stars,

And alive.

And I feel,

Hopeful.

It's late now, but the breeze is still blowing,

The grass still dances along my feet,

And all the flowers have long ago fallen off the trees.

I close my eyes, and hear

The wind whisper in my ear,

The melody of tiny insects crawling about,

The soft patter of raindrops as they hit the ground.

It's raining now, and I'm getting wet, but

I smile, because for once,

As tears fall freely from the stormy skies,

I don't cry with the clouds.