One Man.
Over the decades and throughout her entire life, Toph BeiFong would meet many men, loving few, even having two children with just as many. But from her youth, she will never forget that man. The angry man, he had been nice before, given her candy. He'd even guided her through town before. But that man changed, and hurt her.
It was the day after her birthday, she'd turned a hand, Mama called it five. Toph didn't know five, it was a sound, she could only feel her fingers, so she was a hand now. She liked being a hand, her hand could feel what was around her.
She heard Mama talk about something called "color". Toph didn't know what it was, but it sounded….nice. She wanted color. But then she would hear Mama say things like "eyes" and "dead" or her favorite "blind". Toph was a smart girl, Mama called her that, and "pretty". Toph loved her Mama, she taught her new words, but she was so quiet, Toph couldn't always hear her.
So one day, After Toph turned a hand, she asked the nice man, about "colors" and "blind" and "dead". The nice man said he would teach her, but they needed to be alone for him to teach her. Toph told the nice man yes, because the nice man sounded happy.
The sun was warm today, but her hair frizzed, it was going to rain today, Toph like the rain, it felt nice.
The man led her to the quiet place with the flowers, and the deep shadows. It was always cool there, Mama called it "Mountains", the nice man called it a "spine" or sometimes the "range".
Toph liked the quiet, but then the nice man started to talk to her.
"Toph, happy birthday." he said.
"Thank you" she replied. Mama always said to be polite.
"Toph, don't you remember my name?" the nice man asked.
"..." Toph thought for a few moments, scrunching up her nose. "You're Mr Kaiteki (Nice)!"
"Hahahaha" it took a moment for the nice man to stop chuckling "no,no, it's not, that's ok Toph. You don't need to know my name."
The nice man started to tell her about color, all about the world she "could never see".
He was patient, allowing her to interrupt him, and even telling her how her eyes were the color of peaceful clouds, of ivory, and even the stars and moonlight. She liked that best, deciding that moonlight would always be special to her.
But what happened next….changed everything.
He grabbed her, but he was gentle, and his touch was warm. He lifted her onto his lap and began to stroke and gesture against her skin. Telling her what parts of her body were which color….but he didn't stop at her clothing.
Too fast for her childish mind to comprehend or even react to, he had begun to undress her. His leathery, smooth hands becoming greedy claws. Tearing against the expensive silks and ripping through her cotton undergarments
"What a pretty color, fitting of such a Fragile young girl"
Those words, his words, stung her deeply. And she didn't know why.
"My daughter is blind! She is blind and tiny and helpless and Fragile, She cannot help you!"
Toph had enough of her father's stupidity and ego.
"Yes, yes i can!" Pulling her hand out of his, she scowled, remembering the pain of those words. And her promise to herself.
Laying naked and shivering on the cold stone of the mountain. She cried to herself, all alone, only the sounds of the birds. Their songs too happy, she hated them. She hated the creatures that she knew flew above her, their freedom. She hated their song.
"I...i'm not fragile...i….*hic*" She cried herself to sleep that night. Only the earth and bird song to keep her company. Until the earth sang back. Waking her. Giving her for once in her life...strength.
A curious snout rubbed up against her. The earth sang again. And she could see who it was. A badgermole. The earth said. Its voice kind and slow.
Her new friend nuzzled her gently, guiding her down, into its tunnel, as the world closed behind her. Shutting out the lies of the sky above.
Sitting on appa's back as she felt the familiar earth of home sing to her one last time, she knew things would never be the same again….maybe...she could learn to love the sky's song too? Maybe it was time for freedom.