Prologue
Professor Haiz wandered through the public library. He was doing some research on ancient earthbending culture. He bumbled through Ba Sing Ses' library and came across a door he had never really noticed before. It was made of a faded wood and looked almost older than the library. He looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was looking and crept inside. He was pretty sure he wasn't allowed in without certain permission.
Inside was a winding staircase in the middle of a tiled floor. The tiles formed a badgermole that looked as if it were grasping the stairs. Professor Haiz stepped onto the stairs and made sure they were stable, they were obviously very old. After securing the them he made his way down the stairs.
When he finally reached the end of the stairs, there was a single bookcase. A label that had fallen off was on the floor. Professor Haiz walked over and picked it up, blowing the dust off of it. It read, 'War files and documentaries'. The war was a very unpopular thing to talk about in itself. The only time it was ever really mentioned was when parents would tell stories of Avatar Aang and his friends' part in the war.
Fascinated, the professor sat on the floor, not caring how dusty it was, and selected a book near the bottom. The book that had caught his eye had a mark on the side that looked like a flying boar. He scanned a few of the pages, trying to judge the oldness of the book. He opened the inside cover and saw the flying boar again. Underneath were two signatures. One of the signatures was pretty sloppy and faded, but he managed to read the name Sokka. The next signature looked even worse, like someone wasn't writing for themselves, but having help. The second signature was Toph Beifong.
Professor Haiz realized that this story was written by two of the honored heroes that helped the Avatar end the war. This book would surely interest him. He opened to the next page and began reading the handwritten pages of history.
"My name is Sokka. I am 20 years old at the moment. My friend here is 17. She cannot write, so I will be writing for her. My handwriting isn't the best, but bear with me. If you have heard of me, you may know me as a goof, because I am. But I am going to write seriously, so….
If you are reading this then you must have a strong feeling of freedom, love, and determination. For, you see, those are the main components of the tale hidden in these pages. To respect it, you must know the feelings, hear the sounds, see the sights, touch the rocks and taste the dirt.
This is the story of a girl named Toph. Now, you may already know the stories of her. You may know she trained Avatar Aang and played a part in ending the 100-year war. But did you ever wonder how a blind 12-year-old became so powerful? If you have thought that question before, you are in the right place. This is the story of Toph's childhood, in her own words, written by yours truly."