Letters
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"So, Toph what are you going to do now that the war is over?"
"I don't know Sokka. I could always go back to my parent's house."
"Why? You never liked living there. Why would you go back to the place you hate the most?"
"Well, what do you suggest?"
"Come stay with me and Katara, back at the South Pole."
"No. I'm not going to that ice box."
"I'll write to you everyday Toph. I promise."
"I know you will Sokka."
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That happy day at the Jasmine Dragon was five years past. It was the same day where everyone had their own significant other: Mai and Zuko, Katara and Aang, and Sokka and Suki. Toph was the oddball, the wild child. Not one for conformity, but one for rebellion and strike. She did return to her former house, and she was ill received. Five years, that is one thousand eight hundred twenty-six days, and she included the leap year. By Toph's count that should be one thousand eight hundred twenty-six letters from Sokka, but sadly she has never received one. Five long years under the long and hardened stare of her parents. Since she was now an adult she could leave her house, but she had no where else to go. Till one day, a knock changed her world for the best.
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KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"I'll get it!" Toph yelled, "Who's there?"
"It's a friend."
"A friend, who?"
"Sokka."
Toph gasped as she was sure he had forgotten her, since he didn't keep to his promise to write to her. She opened the door, and she let the man in.
"What are you doing here?" she inquired.
"Toph? Who's at the door?"
"No one mother!" she replied back, and grabbed Sokka by the ear, "Come on let's talk in the garden."
She dragged him to a flower garden and sat him down on a bench.
"Now, what are you doing here?"
"I've been telling you what I have been doing in my letters! Have you even read them?"
"Read them! I never got one in the past five years!"
"What? I sent one every day to you!"
"Well, I never got one."
"In order to understand why I'm here, you'll have to read the all the letters starting from the first one."
"I don't know where they would be. I can tell you aren't lying about not sending the letters."
"Toph, I would never lie to you."
"TOPH! You step away from the man this instant!"
"Father! He's an old friend!"
"He is a menace and a terror to this family!"
"Hey bub! You better watch what you are saying about me!" Sokka said venom embedded in his words as he stood up to tower over Toph's father.
"Toph, I don't want you to talk to this man."
"Father, have I received any mail from this man over the past years?"
"Don't be preposterous! This man has never sent you anything!"
"THAT'S A LIE!" Toph and Sokka said in unison.
"Where are my letters?" Toph asked Sokka's same venom now in her words.
"Your mother put them away. Ask her."
Toph stormed off in search for Poppy, leaving Sokka and her father alone.
"You sir, are an evil, sadistic, little devil-of-a-man." Sokka said prodding his finger at each syllable into the father's chest.
"Guards! Do away with this filth! And make sure he is never allowed into my estate again."
Sokka went away complacently, his brain already plotting his next move.
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"Mother?"
"Yes, deary?"
"I want my letters from Sokka."
"Before I give them to you, I want you to know one thing."
"And what is that mother?"
"He loves you. He loves you more than he loves himself. He loves you more than the sun, moon, stars, and every living thing on this planet combined. I'm jealous of his love for you. I have read every one of his letters, and every new letter breaks my heart. Toph, his letters tell a great tale. His triumphs, his downfalls, his strengths, his weaknesses, and how much he has grown to love you the way he does."
"Then why even hide them from me in the first place?"
"Your father still believes that he was the one who took you away from us five years ago. I know now that he isn't."
"So father made you do this?"
"Toph, if I had any other way of telling you about Sokka, I would have. What ever you do I'll support you, and keep your father off your back."
"Where are they kept?"
"In my closet, in the brown box. I numbered each one from first to last, so you can read them in order they came."
Toph bent down and grabbed the box.
"Who should I have to read them to me?"
"Someone who you trust. Who can make a good tea. Sokka, mentioned an Iroh. I would go to him."
"What about Sokka? What will father do with him?"
"Toph, your father is pushover. I'll inform Sokka of your travels, and keep him up-to-date. Also I'll pay for his boarding in the village."
"Poppy?"
"Yes, Toph?"
"I love you."
"Go dear. You are five years behind, and you need to catch up."
Toph and with her box full of letters in tow marched down the stairs.
"Where do you think you are going off to?"
Toph never broke her stride as she earth bended her father out of her way, and she walked out of the Bei Fong estate and never looked back.
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"Well, Iroh. Where are we on the letter count?"
"This is the last one." and he held up the last letter in the air.
"Finally, after two months, I'm ready to finally go back to Sokka."
"It reads:
'Dear Toph,
This will be the last letter I will write to you. I know you must have read that last statement in sorrow, but tomorrow I shall be in Gaoling. I wanted to surprise you, but I know how much you hate surprises. Toph, this is the last letter because I'm going to propose to you, and after that I will never have to write you another letter again. We will be together forever, no more distance between us, no more emptiness inside my heart. I. Love. You, Toph Bei Fong, with all my heart.
-Sokka'."
"Sokka. How I wish I could have you propose to me now."
"Toph, you wait won't be long."
"What do you mean Iroh?"
"Over the past two months, I have been keeping Sokka up-to-date as to where we are in the letters, and he told me that he would surprise you. I'm sure the surprise will be down in the tea shop."
Toph rushed down the stairs from Iroh's apartment and entered the Jasmine Dragon's restaurant area.
"SURPRISE!"
Toph was blinded by the sounds and vibrations she was feeling. Everyone was there: Zuko and Mai, Katara and Aang, Sokka, everyone's respected families, and even Poppy was there.
"Toph, I've been waiting five years and two months to ask you one simple question."
"What's that Sokka?"
"Will you marry me?"
"Yes."
Everyone went hysterical. Five years and two months ago, everyone had their significant other: Zuko and Mai, Katara and Aang, Sokka and Suki. But now, it's Sokka and Toph, it just took some time to get things right.
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I've been itching to write another short story. And this is it. I really like this story, as it leaves a lot of room for the imagination, while also giving the reader some set platforms to work with. There's still 1,825 letters that I skipped.
I'll tell you what. I'll write some, and you the reader has any ideas for some letters, type them out. If it's just an idea, like a one word theme, post it as a comment. If you do the whole shebang, and make one complete letter, tell me about it. I know 1,825 seems like a LOT, well it is...but I'm sure WE can come up with some good stuff.
Of course, you can post your own letter if it goes with this chapter under your profile, just make sure you link it to this story, and give me some credit where credit is due. If you have an idea or a theme for a letter, and you don't want to type it out. Just tell me, I'll type it out, and give it to you for yourself, as long as I get credit for it.
I think this is kinda like a social/multi-media experiment, and I personally think this is cool. I really like the imagery in this chapter.
If you aren't a writer but an artist, but you still want to make a letter? Draw it out, and I'll write a short fic-let for it, just as long as you show it to me, and give me credit where is it due.
I'll keep track of the letters, LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN!