Chapter one: Locked Inside

It was another, boring day in the Bei Fong residence. Even though the sun shined brightly on the immense, beautifull gardens of the ancient estate, there was nothing that made this day stand out for Toph. She couldn't really care how beautifull the daffodills looked, and how the lotus tree had grown blossoms, which made it a beautifull sight to behold. Toph couldn't see it anyway. Sure, she could smell the scent of the blossoms, and she felt the sun shine on here pale white skin, but other then that, it didn't mean that much to her. Nothing really did. She was just sitting there on the porch, waiting for something to happen. She had done so ever since she could remember, which would make it six years by now. Somehow, Toph allways had the feeling that there was more to the world then just the gardens of the estate. As peacefull as it was, and as beautifull as she reckoned it would be, it was also a very boring place, where nothing ever happened. Slowly, Toph rose up, and picked up the stick she used to find her way through the gardens. Softly, she tapped the stick on the ground. By the noise the surface made, she could tell that it was most likely soft sand, which would mean it was the path through the gardens. She followed it for thirty steps, untill the path made a curve to the left because the wall around the mansion was in the way. She gently put her left hand on the wall, feeling its structure. The surface of the wall felt unusually smooth for stone, but that was the way it was in her family: only the best for the Bei Fongs. Toph took a right, straying from the path, and following the wall with the palm of her hand. It was the closest she had ever gotten to the world outside the walls.

'She's at it again, Senya', Toph's father sighed.

'What's that?' Toph's mother, Senya, replied. 'What do you mean? She at it again at what?'

'Sliding her hand along the outer wall, and walking across the entire gardens. I tell you, I don't know why she does such a strange thing. Every day, hours and hours. Just walking alongside that wall... Why doesn't she stay indoors, like a proper lady should?'

Senya looked at her daughter. She smiled at her husband. 'Well, she's blind and she isn't able to go into the city... I guess that she's just curious about the world around her, Jahn.'

'You know very well that it's far to dangerous to let her go out into the city, Senya!', he said with anger in his voice. 'We are a wealthy family. Everybody knows us. Someone would only have to think of kidnapping Toph, and she'd be gone! She can't protect herself! She's blind!'

'But she's not helpless, my dear!', she countered. 'She might not be able to see, but that doesn't mean you can keep her locked away inside forever!'

'I can if I want to!', Jahn said, ending the conflict. 'She is my daughter and I am responsible for taking care of her!'

Senya stood up and walked away.

'Where are you going?!', Jahn asked. 'Toph stays within the walls, and that's final!'

But Senya had allready left the room, leaving Jahn alone to stew in his own juice.

Meanwhile, Toph had walked across what she estimated was a quarter of the garden.

'He should be around here...', she whispered to herself. 'Where are you, Croak?'

She took out her walking stick and tapped it on the ground.

'Grass. Figures. The garden is full of it, anyway.'

She held out her walking stick in front of her, and swinged it around carefully. The stick hit nothing but air, so she took a few more steps until her stick tapped against something that sounded hollow and smelled a bit like wood and grass mixed gently together.

'There we are... That's bamboo allright. It should be here...'

Putting down her walking stick, she run her hand trhough the bamboo weeds, and slowly down untill her fingers suddenly felt a cold, chilling liquid. She let some of it flow through her hand, and then sat down.

'I knew the pond was here... Now where is...'

'CROAK! CROAK!''

Toph suddenly giggled. 'Croak! Come here!' She quickly put some of the rice she had secretly kept during the breakfast this morning in the palm of her hand. It wasn't long before something else ended up in the palm of her hand. Something slimy and wet, but with flippers for feet and a hard, flat beak.

'Who's the cutest duckfrog in the world? That's you!', Toph said, slowly stroking the duckfrog. It stayed put, most likely waiting to get more food.

'You're my best friend, Croak', Toph sighed. 'Well, actually, I think you are my only friend. I don't get to meet that much people here. I'm not old enough to go into the city yet.'

The duckfrog let out a deep croak, as if he understood.

'Do moms count as friends, too?' Another voice said. Toph quickly stood up and, letting the duckfrog swim back into the pond again. She bowed to her mother.

'Of course they do, mother. I am sorry if I've disrespected you. It's just that... there's no-one else but you and dad, and I... well...' Toph stuttered, not finishing the sentence. Toph's mother sat down on her knees, and embraced her daughter.

'Oh, honey... I know how badly you want to have friends. I know that you are curious about what the outside world is like... But it's just not safe for you to go there yet.'

Toph whimpered. A tear dripped down her pale cheeks. It felt cold. 'But I want to have friends, too, mom... Other friends. Friends who can tell me what the outside world is like, without me having to see it with my own eyes...'

Slowly, Toph's mother took her daughter's hand and held it between hers. 'The world outside is beautifull, Toph. There is so much to see. In the city, there are markets, that carry anything you could ever want. Exotic fruits, strange items, beautifull dresses... It is a wonderfull place, but also a very dark place.'

'Why is it a dark place?', Toph asked innocently. 'Doesn't the sun shine there?'

'Yes it does, my dear!', her mother replied. 'It shines as bright as it does on our gardens. But the nature of the people that live there, can be very dark. There are people who would take you, our most precious belonging, away from us, if they knew you were part of our family. For people outside the walls will do anything, even the unthinkable, to get even a little bit of the wealth that your father has worked so hard for all his life.'

Toph's mouth fell open in awe. 'So I can't go out because it's my dad's fault?'

Her mother was shocked and surprised, and stuttered to correct herself. 'No, no it's not! It's not your fathers fault, Toph! Don't ever think that! Don't even say that to him! It would be disrespectfull! It is the fault of those who wish harm on us... and us means you, too!'

She embraced her daughter and held her very tight. 'Just promise me you won't go outside the walls untill you are old enough, dear... Please...'

Toph sighed 'I promise, mom..'.

That night, when Toph was lying in her bed, thinking of the words her mother had said.

' If they knew you are of our family, they would take you away from us!'

She muttered about these words, thinking of how unfair it was that she couldn't go outside just because people were jealous of her parents.

' Can I help it that my parents are wealthy?', she mumbled. 'It's not like I'm wealthy myself. I'm just a little kid, like any other!'

And then, it struck her.

She was just a little kid. Just like any other. And nobody would ever have to know what family she came from. She grinned to herself.

'Nobody would ever have to know who I am...'