Tips for Toph: A Deleted Scene
By Baby Kat Snophlake
Born blind, Toph learned to "see" using vibrations in the earth and her ability to earthbend. Without earthbending, she reverted back to her total blindness. Therefore, sitting in Appa's leather saddle really sucked because she was forced to rely on her other senses.
Her nose told her that it was finally time to wash their clothes because she could no longer differentiate between Sokka's socks and everyone else. She normally didn't mind, but they'd been at sea long enough that even Katara forgot they stunk, and the stench was becoming a bit overpowering.
Maybe it was best to focus on other senses instead... Her ears were picking up the faint rumbling stomachs amid splashes of water that were Katara's failed attempts at fishing while Appa swam. To her left, she heard Zuko sigh. The depth of the sigh told her he had his back to her, probably so he could lean over the side of the saddle so the others couldn't see him wishing to be anywhere but here. At least, that's what Toph was wishing.
Aang just had to disappear two days before Sozin's Comet, didn't he? Now they had to go look for him. The only thing worse than being stuck at sea, starving in the saddle of a swimming air bison, searching for someone who walked into the sea and vanished, was the bickering that always accompanied the empty stomachs.
"Come on, Katara, haven't you caught anything yet?" And Sokka had to start it off by whining.
"Why don't you try fishing in motion?"
Toph sunk against the saddle padding, wishing it would make her temporarily deaf.
"I can't. The line isn't long enough and the fish wouldn't have time to bite. Besides, fishing is a slow, quiet craft. It's not something that can be done while Appa is swimming."
"Oh really? It's a craft that requires so much patience and silence that you have to run screaming into the river chasing the fish with your bare hands, does it?" Katara asked.
"Hey! I don't use my bare hands. I have my boomerang."
Toph imagined him pulling his boomerang from its sheath at his back and waving it with pride. She snickered into her palm. At least this argument was entertaining.
Zuko shuffled and his voice sounded louder. "But, you can waterbend, you should be able to catch something."
"Not you too!"
"I'm just saying—"
"It's not as easy as it looks, you know. It's hard enough to actually see the fish, and then I have to know exactly how deep it is to bend the water around it, all while Appa is moving."
"But you're one of the best waterbenders out there, Katara." Sokka said.
Katara rounded on him. "Your craft is slow and quiet; mine requires concentration and discipline which," Toph felt Katara stomp closer, but Toph herself wasn't the target. She had crossed the saddle to Zuko, "you should understand since you're a bender too! So quit harassing me about the lack of food."
"Relax Katara," Toph said, "they're just hungry and complaining is all they can do about it." Katara hmph'd and returned to her station at Appa's head. The splashing water didn't continue. "Thanks a lot, guys. Now she's not even going to try fishing anymore."
"Sorry." Zuko had turned away again.
Now there was nothing left to focus on but on her thoughts or that awful smell. Great. Toph's thoughts kept drifting to her family at home. She had sent Sokka's messenger hawk to deliver a letter to them, but she doubted it would make any difference. When she returned home, she would be right back where she started. Never mind that she had just helped the Avatar fight against the Fire Nation. Never mind that she was the best human earthbender in the world—
Sokka ran across the saddle. "Land! Hey guys, it's land! I see land over there!"
As happy as Toph was to hear that, she couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed with him pointing out something, no doubt with his first finger, and expecting her to see it too. "Great. How far is it?"
"It's close! We're saved! So, Zuko is that the island we're looking for?"
"Yeah, I think so." Zuko said. His voice now came from Toph's right. At least now she knew the direction of land; Zuko had his back to her and that meant the island was to her northeast.
Appa landed and everyone crawled out of the saddle. Toph's feet touched ground and it was like waking up and watching the whole world bloom into visibility. She saw every rock, every plant and animal, and every one of her companions, including Toph herself, bend to the ground to kiss it, while Katara looked on with amusement. Finally, Toph felt comfortable. Katara unloaded Appa's saddle and set out the props for the tent, but everyone else had another job in mind. Sokka pulled his boomerang and ran for the forest. "Come on out, meat! Here I come!"
Zuko sighed. "Hey, if you're going hunting at least be a hunter about it and keep quiet!" But Zuko followed and Toph took up pace just behind him.
"Where do you guys think you're going?" Katara shouted at their backs. Toph turned and waved.
"We're going for some food before Sokka scares away all the meat." She grinned knowing Katara was glaring at them. Then Toph fell into step beside Zuko and punched him.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"I told you before, it's how I show affection." Toph said.
"Oh, yeah…"
"By the way, I never got that life-changing field trip I always wanted."
Zuko sighed. "The last time we wandered off looking for something, you started rolling in pity about your family."
"Why not? My family is my only real problem and everyone else got help out of you. I just can't figure out why I can't have the same luxury."
"Because there's nothing I can do for you."
Toph frowned. "Why? Am I not crabby enough to you? You helped Katara because she kept treating you like the scum of the earth. Which, admittedly, you did come from the right stock for that. Well, except for Iroh, but I think he's just a different blood entirely."
"Gee, thanks a lot." Zuko paused, probably to glare at her. "Are you sure this is about solving your family problems or is it about insulting me and mine?"
"Eh, if I insult you enough, you might help me."
"Gah! What do you want from me? There's nothing I can say or do that will help you."
"You don't know that. If the Ember Island Players had you pegged as accurately as it seems, you've come a long way despite who you grew up with and the struggles you had to face."
"And how is that similar to what you deal with?"
"We're not all that different if you really think about it." Toph said. Zuko scoffed and trampled on, leaving behind deep boot prints. Toph had to run to catch up to him. "I grew up in a family that makes me feel isolated from the rest of the world. You were confined by your family's rules just like I was, and it's as you said, you lost yourself by abiding them. I guess what I want to know is, how did you manage to break free from those rules? How are you able to go home and face your family?"
Zuko stopped again and fell silent, but Toph let him. He was thinking about his journey to this point, she was sure of it. She simply stood in place, her mind on the vibrations in the ground and where Sokka was somewhere west with his boomerang hacking into a tree. 'Hmm, he must have found something. We could go over and help him but… I finally got Zuko talking so… Sokka can handle it himself.'
"I guess the answer is that I realized the difference between right and wrong. Knowing that my father was wrong gave me the strength to stand against him, and that standing behind the Avatar was the correct path because his job is to restore balance to the world. Now that I know I'm doing the right thing, my destiny feels more like I'm following a homing monarch pigeon instead of chasing after some wild goose monkey. At the very least, I don't feel lost and confused anymore. I don't feel so angry."
"Huh… well that's… interesting." Although Toph wasn't sure how she could do what he had done. Realizing that he was wrong, deciding to do right, and then facing his father with courage based off knowing he was wrong, that was Zuko's secret? "It doesn't do me a bit of good, though. I've known my father was wrong for a long time. I decided to earthbend anyway and facing my father about it is like trying to earthbend air."
"You just need to be assertive and force him into a situation where he has to listen to you." Zuko said, walking again. "My father would've never heard what I had to say if I hadn't faced him during the eclipse. He was powerless and defenseless, and I was armed. I was able to say everything I needed to, and then he tried to kill me with lightening and I was able to redirect it back at him, so I guess the other thing you should do is be prepared for any backlash he might throw at you."
"Yeah, you're right… Be assertive, force him to listen, and be prepared for backlash. I can do that." Toph cracked her knuckles and grinned. "I can force him into a situation he can't break out of. I'm the only metal bender I know and the others back home won't know what to do about it. When no one can imprison me, they'll have to accept that I can fend for myself and I don't need to be babied anymore."
"Yeah, that should work. There, a life-changing field trip, do you feel better now?"
"Actually yeah, I do. Thanks Zuko."
"Good, now leave me alone so I can find some food."
Toph paused and frowned. His footfalls told her that he was running away, but a moment later, she realized she didn't care. She had what she wanted. She had hope that her father would finally let her be who she was: a free winged boar capable of fending for herself, with her greatest handicap that had always been her greatest strength. Now she would be in control of her own life, even back at home.
A/N: Just a little short story I wrote for my best friend's Christmas present. :D I decided to post because it actually turned out really well. For you, Solqua, and all else who always wanted Toph to have a real life-changing field trip with Zuko.
-Kat