What really went down between Baatar, Toph, and Huan when the others ran off to confront Kurvia's army.
"So..how's it been, mother?"
"I told you to not call me that"
The silence grew quite awkward between grandmother, son-in-law, and grandson, each one not knowing what to say to each other. Baatar Sr felt the most awkward and weak one of them all. Especially since he show how much of a sissy he was when Lin threw him across with a metal cable. Also, he just watched his wife, sister-in-law, twin sons, and his daughter and her ex boyfriend run off to God knows what danger, and here he was curled up like a little child. What type of man was he? The ground suddenly shifted underneath him to his discomfort. He looked up and saw Toph grinding her teeth together and her hands were clenched tightly, causing pieces of the earth to shoot upwards. Could it be that Toph, the greatest earthbender and creator of metalbending was showing some type of fear? Well, of course she would! That's her family running out there to their deaths and she was having a hard time dealing with that so he decided to ask her the most oblivious question. "So..what are we going to do?"
"What do you mean what are we going to do?" Toph responded in her usual grumpy and stubborn voice. "I mean are we going to help them?" Baatar stated, questionably. Toph scoffed at him. "If you want to help those idiots get closer to their deaths than by all means, go ahead" She said as she crossed her arms, angrily.
"Come on, mother. You don't really mean that" Baatar tried to reason with her. "I told you to not called me that!" Toph said warningly as she shot a rock straight at Baatar, who cowardly jump out-of-the-way, and landed with a huge thud right in front of a sleeping Huan, who's not sleeping anymore. "Wh-What's going on?" Huan asked, drowsily. But when he saw a huge rock in front of him, he jumped at high alert!
"What the hell, Grandma?!" Huan spat out, angrily but he was completely ignored.
"And yes, I do mean that" Toph finished her sentence as she put her hands down. Baatar slowly, rose up and looked at Toph with newly found fire in his eyes. He wanted to tell, Toph that she's wrong but how would he do that without getting hit by a boulder? Sensing Baatar's fidgeting movement, Toph decided to speak out. "I know you want to say something Baatar so go ahead and say it" Baatar flinched at the response. How did she know that-oh, that's right. Baatar sighed. It was now or never. Toph was getting agitated. "Well? Spit it ou-"
"They are doing this because they love you!" Baatar blurted out. Toph's eyes twitched when she heard the outburst. "What?" Toph asked menacingly. Baatar wanted to stop there when he heard the malice in her voice but he was not going to back down now. "The reason why they are running off to their deaths because they love you! They are still trying to fight for their mother's attention even though they are not going to come out and say it!" Baatar said loudly. Huan's eyes widen but Toph remain emotionless but she was listening. "You know. When Lin came to Zaofu for the first time, she didn't feel comfortable being there but, like all you Beifongs, she kept it inside same goes for Su, she was thrilled to see Lin but she kept it inside as well. The only way they expressed how they were really feeling was when they fought each other out on the courtyard until Opal interrupted them with her air bending."
This made Toph had a shift in her personality. "Opal broke them up?" She asked as if she didn't believe it. Even she couldn't get those two to stop fighting. She didn't think anyone could but her own granddaughter made it seem so easy.
Baatar nodded. "Yeah but sadly she didn't get her question answered since Lin passed out from exhaustion."
"Ha. That's Lin alright. Pushing herself to the limits. That stubborn fool." Toph chuckled, sadly.
"Indeed but she had a great impact on Opal. When Opal came to me and Su about her decision of leaving Zaofu to go to Republic City, we really didn't want her to but Opal said that Lin told her that she should do what she feels was right and live your own life, and not to completely follow in your parents' footsteps or in this case, your mother's footsteps just to show that you are capable. Su felt terrible when she heard this and didn't hesitated on giving Opal the okay to go. She realized that she has been caging Opal away from the outside world but for a good cause. She didn't wanted her to run with the wrong crowd and make the same mistakes she did but at the same time, she wanted Opal to find her own path in life so that influenced her decision of letting her go. You see Toph, you influenced those girls and you never even realized it yet." Baatar stated.
Toph felt a few tears, building in her eyes but she refused to let Baatar or Huan see them.
"Your point?" Toph asked, her voice slightly cracking but she wanted Baatar to get to the point already.
Baatar's eye twitched a bit. Did she really asked that question? "My point is that you should show them that you care about them as they care about you. Lin wanted to be an officer so you can noticed her and Su ran with the wrong crowd to get your attention. So drop that harsh attitude act and be the tough and loving mother you were meant to be! Lin and Su want a mother, who's caring, protective, and supports them in whatever they do, not an officer that shows them no mercy."
Toph fell deafeningly silent, taking in everything Baatar was saying to her.
"So I ask you this Toph, are you going to help and save your daughters or are you going to let the fear of being vulnerable override everything?! I understand that this isn't your fight but can you at least show some sympathy towards them and help them out. They're our family! Let's go help them! What do you say?"
Toph slammed her foot down hard on to the ground, causing a slight earthquake! Baatar and Huan tried their best to support balance. Quickly, Toph made her way to Baatar. Baatar noticed this and saw that he couldn't get out of this. Toph yanked him by his collar with one hand and hoisted him up in the air! Toph fixed him with a glare while Baatar fixed her with unlimited fear. She then says in a low voice. "Well then hotshot, I say we.."
Toph's glare then suddenly shifted to a gleam in a second.
"Come on! Let's go save my girls!" Toph yelled as she punched Baatar in the arm, harshly before throwing him down to the ground. Baatar hold back at yelp so Toph won't hear him wimp out but managed a smile at the old nickname she gave him.
She then moved ahead of him. Baatar couldn't help but be amazed by his sudden changed of personality. Huan walked up next to his father and even he was impressed by his dad's change of demeanor towards his grandma.
"Wow dad. I'm impressed you stood up to grandma like that. That takes heart in the art" Huan complimented him, proudly. Baatar smiled back at his son.
"Well, if you call peeing in your pants art? Then I'm the most artistic in the family" Baatar joked but he wasn't kidding and Huan noticed.
This made him take a full side step away from his father with precaution."Um better yet. I take that back. Can't have more than one artist in the family, can we?"
At that moment, Baatar and Huan shared a genuine laugh together. Something they haven't done in a long time. But that all ended quickly when Toph shouted a few feet in front of them. "Come on land lovers! Let's go rescue them!" Baatar and Huan quickly hurried over to her. Toph stomped her foot, causing the earth to rose up like a giant wave.
"Hold on tight to me." Toph warned them but they were already doing so. "I can't believe that you two at such sissies. Disgraceful!" Toph spat out as she rolled her eyes at them. Or, at least that she thought she did.
"Wait. Did I do that right?" She asked Baatar and Huan, who nodded fiercely at her. Sensing their vibrations, Toph smiled.
"Good. Now let's go!"
What do you guys think? I hope you like it! Review is life!
