Prompts: (smell) cinnamon, (gender) Humor, (object) Bookshelves.
Word Count: 869
A/N: This is based in the episode "Zuko Alone". And yes, Poppy Beifong has a POV, even if we only saw her in like 3 scenes.
I can't believe how hectic things have been recently; Lao went crazy after Toph ran away; he neglected business just so he could hire everyone with the slightest talent at tracking to find Toph, whom now outed, turned out to be a very different person than what Poppy thought her daughter was.
Apparently she could see all along just fine and was a more capable fighter than those bullies that called themselves soldiers but just served to prey on the civilians. Even Lao thought the Fire Nation couldn't be that bad if it would mean to get rid of them, and we married just because his family is nobility, really loyal nobility.
Why couldn't he understand Toph is Ok, she's different, but in the basis, she's just as good as any of us? For so many years I tried so hard to protect her because I thought she couldn't see, when in reality she can see pretty well, unless it's something on paper.
I'm a little worried yet glad I gave the Beifong's ID passport to her; if she really is with the Avatar, that passport will get them pretty far. That is if they don't over use it and thus allow bounty-hunters to track them.
But if Toph was smart enough to run away without anybody noticing and having a second life for so long, then she'll be fine. I pray to the spirits she'll be fine and one day she'll be home with us; in her own terms.
"Ma'am, we need to move you to the Safe Room, there's a fight downtown and it could escalate" a guard suddenly comes and I rush to get something that I got a couple of days ago from a courier.
The Safe Room; Lao had it built in case there was a battle. It's supposed to be unbreacheable and it's meant to last a long battle, even if our town is rather small and the Fire Nation could just walk in with a platoon.
"Is the Fire Army here? Any sign of their numbers?" I ask. I may look dumb and play dumb most of the time but I know my ways around this kind of stuff, or at least I have a grasp on how to fend off for myself with either army.
"A firebender. He's been repelled but maybe that was just a scout and the Army might now come in on strength." The guard said as we arrived to the bookshelves that hid the door to the Safe Room.
"A single man? They're going to give him a medal for walking alive out of here if that brute with the hammers didn't turned him into pulp." I am surprised he was 'repelled' and not 'dealt with'.
"Agreed. This is more for your safety than anything else. For what I'm told the firebender was met with heavy resistance." The guard answers as he leads me into the room and closes it, standing nearby so he can see how things develop from a hidden position that's supposed not to be visible from the outside.
I sit down and start to look around for what we've moved in here to make ourselves comfortable should we need to use this room. Some board games, furniture, a few books and what surprises me the most; there's a pouch with cinnamon Lao had brought here since apparently that pouch it's a small fortune somehow.
I just make myself comfortable and start reading the letter that I got, a grin on my face the whole time given that I know this is not Toph yet somehow it is.
The person that wrote this could really use a calligraphy lesson, but it still is better than nothing from her at all. I better burn this thing before Lao returns or else he could use this to track Toph somehow. How? I don't know but with money anything is possible.
The letter reads as much:
Dear Mommy:
I know you're probably mad at me for being a very naughty girl and running with the big, tough, handsome guy from the Water Tribe that accompanied the Avatar along with his sister. Let me assure you I'm fine and that I can't say to you how much I appreciate you let me out of the house with that passport and that pouch of gold. It will come in handy.
I also want to say that your tophy woffy isn't as weak or as helpless as papa might try to make you think; I'll be fine and I've got my Earthbending to defend myself with if it comes to it.
I'll start training the Avatar quite soon. He's so naïve you would think he's a toddler but he's been out of touch from this world for so long I think that was due to happen.
I don't have much to say beyond: Don't worry. I'll be Ok. I'll keep myself away from trouble and I'll be the proper lady.
P.S: If the handsome man from the water Tribe stole my heart, how do I tell him? It's just that he's so strong and manly! He's irresistible.
The guard was weirded out by my giggles and small fits of laughter.