Toph was still dizzy from the Warden's gut-punch but she was helped to her feet by the same woman who had cared for her on the journey to the camp. "Are you alright, Lady Beifong?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"I'll be...I'll be fine," Toph strained to say, she hated it when people tried to take care of her so she shrugged out of the woman's grip and slowly followed the group of prisoners towards a large pit. It looked to have been dug out by Earthbenders. What few buildings were inside it were ramshackle, barely able to stand on their own, except for one which was constructed out of the same dark metal the Fire Nation favoured so much. These would turn out to be where the Warden and his guards were housed.

In the wall of the pit was a gaping hole that led into the earth. The entrance alone looked like it could come down at any minute which made her worried about actually being inside the mine. As she walked through the prison camp Toph finally got a sense of the sheer amount of people that were imprisoned along with her and those from Gaoling. It seemed that only Earthbenders from the local area had been sent to the camp, no non-benders. The Fire Nation didn't spare anyone either so men, women and even children were sent here if they could Earthbend and everyone was expected to work.

Over the next few days, everyone had to learn their place here. In the Iron Pit, you worked from dawn until dusk with no breaks. If you stopped, you got the whip and if you collapsed you were thrown in solitary which was a metal box that was heated by the Firebenders to keep you from getting comfortable. They called it the Hot Box.

During the day water was passed around sparingly though Toph always seemed to find an extra cup come her way much to her annoyance. Those who knew of her family had obviously spread the word of her noble status. Even in a prison camp, she couldn't escape her families influence.

"Here, Lady Beifong," someone said as he offered her a cup.

Toph sighed in irritation. "Pass it along," she told him as she solidified some dirt around a chunk of ore, "I've already had plenty." With ease, she extracted the metal and freed it from the dirt shell to let it fall into a minecart. The man stayed his ground and Toph let her irritation get to her. "Are you deaf? Give it to someone who needs it!" She snapped at him. The man jumped at her outburst, nearly dropping the pale of water he was carrying.

Everyone was tense. Not a day had passed before there was an escape attempt where two guards were killed. The prisoners who attempted to escape were burned alive publicly. It was a horrific thing to watch and although Toph couldn't see the flames, she got a good look as the prisoners writhed in pain while tied to metal poles. There were no more escape attempts after that.

Toph knew none of that was an excuse to snap at the poor guy. "Sorry, that wasn't cool," Toph said to the man as he stared at her in shock. She took a deep, calming breath before smiling at him. "Thanks but I'm fine, give the water to someone else okay?"

"Of course, Lady Beifong," the man bowed away. He had clearly been a servant to someone important with the way he acted. Toph knew from her father that it wasn't uncommon for some nobles to hire an Earthbender as a personal aide and have them trained in the martial arts side of bending. He was basically the same thing as a dagger hidden up someone's sleeve and far more deadly.

A month in and Toph learned that the Warden's promise to make her life miserable wasn't a bluff early on. Her cot had been stripped bare of any blanket or pillow and her meals were less than half the amount everyone else got but when someone tried to share with her the poor sap was thrown into the Hot Box so the prisoners quickly learned that helping Toph, as much as they wanted too, wasn't a good idea.

There this one kid who still tried to be kind to her. His name was Shu, a farmers son from one of the villages around Gaoling who had been picked up after the town fell. He always took the cot directly beside her and Toph welcomed his company.

"What's it like being stinkin' rich?" he had asked in a low whisper one night, knowing that Toph would hear him fine.

Toph took a moment to consider her answer as she shifted to get comfy on her bare cot. "Well, there's a lot of rules, y'know?" Toph said with a shrug, holding her hands together over her chest, "Since I was little my parents never really let me have any freedom."

"But you're a Beifong, you can do what you like right?"

"My dad always thought I was fragile and needed protection," Toph explained, "I was escorted everywhere I went even if I could see just fine with my Earthbending."

"Man, and I thought bein' poor sucked."

"It wasn't all bad, I know they did it because they loved me," Toph couldn't help sighing at the memories now, "I wish I'd appreciated them more."

"Yeah, real sorry about what happened to them," he said sadly.

"It's fine," she lied but forced a smile, "What's your family like?" Toph then asked him, rolling onto her side and staring blankly in his direction.

"They're great, once we go home I can't wait to see them again," Shu said excitedly, "They probably miss me something fierce." Shu was more than happy to talk about his family. He spoke about how everyone in the village got together at harvest time and worked the fields and then of the celebration they had once it was complete. The holidays they celebrated. It was nice to hear someone be so happy in this miserable place.

"They do miss you," Toph assured him when he finally stopped for a breath.

"Hey, when we get out why don't you come to stay with us?" Shu suddenly had an excited look in his eyes as he looked at Toph with a beaming smile, "It won't be nearly as cosy as the Beifong Estate but you'll not find nicer folk than those in my village?"

Toph smiled back at him. "Do you think they'll take me in?" Shu nodded, stating that he knew they would no matter what. Toph couldn't help smiling back at him. "Thanks, Shu, I can't wait to meet them."

Shu continued to be her friend and he often assured her that nothing could change that. He would always try to offer her some of his food or give her his blanket at night but the last thing Toph wanted was for him to get in trouble on her account. Even though she was tired and hungry, she didn't show it because she didn't want to worry Shu.

Even so, Toph had never been one to show weakness. It didn't matter if they stripped her bed bare because to a tired body it may as well have been a real bed and she refused to start begging for more food. They wanted her to break but Toph wouldn't give them that satisfaction. Shu was her strength and so long as he was around she knew she could get through this.

One afternoon Shu had been pushing a cart out of the mine but he lost his footing and managed to tip the contents out of it as he fell. "Useless brat!" Toph heard a guard shout. He conjured a flaming whip and brought it down but at the last second, the boy moved as if the dirt beneath him had deigned to carry him to safety. Toph stepped in front of the boy, between him and his aggressor.

"You want some too huh?" the guard goaded menacingly, "Don't think I won't beat you to the ground!"

"It was an accident," Toph said to him as calmly as she could, " He made to strike her with his whip but with a slight flick of her wrist, she moved the earth under his feet without him noticing, causing him to topple into a prisoner who was carrying water. He was drenched when the bucket landed perfectly over his head. Toph giggled at him. "Watch your step, it's slippery down here."

The tunnel of people started laughing as the guard stood up. "Quiet!" He yelled as steam rose from his soaked head. A swift kick from the guard caught Toph unawares, knocking her to the ground. "You'll regret making a fool out of me cripple," the guard said before walking away. Toph rolled onto her back with a pained moan and looked over at Shu.

"That guy's mean," Shu said as he watched the guard leave, "He's beaten people for the smallest things."

Toph forced a smile. "I'm not afraid of him," she said bravely but Shu didn't seem convinced.

"Don't poke the Skunk Bear if you can't handle the stink," he cautioned her, "That's what my Pa always says." He helped Toph back to her feet and together the children filled his cart again and began to push it out into the yard.

"Thank you Lady Beifong," she heard someone say as they passed. Soon the tunnel was filled with the thanks of her people. Toph blushed at their thanks and Shu nudged her playfully. The pair giggled like the children they were, almost like they were still free.

Toph quickly began to appreciate the relative peace of mealtimes. After a long day of pulling ore out of the ground it was nice to get this small opportunity to relax but as she ate her rice today, squatting on the floor so that she could still see, she saw two guards come up behind her.

"What's this?" it was the guard she had gotten drenched from earlier that day, "I didn't know animals could use chopsticks?" Toph sighed but continued eating, ignoring them.

"Good one Tau," The other said stupidly, "I'm impressed that these savages don't use their hands to eat!" He looked around at the prisoners and yelled as he spoke. I few shot him glares but otherwise didn't do anything.

Toph tried to ignore them but suddenly her chopsticks were yanked out of her hands by Tau and he broke them in half. "Go on, it'll be more comfortable for you right?" He said mockingly.

Toph felt a pang of anger but didn't react. Instead, she tried to set her nearly empty bowl down but Tau kicked it out of her hands before she could. Toph felt the bones in her left middle finger snap from the force of the kick and she cried out in pain. Shu made to run to her aid but thankfully someone grabbed hold of the gusty kid.

"Not hungry then?" he shouted at her, getting the attention of the other prisoners and guards. "Oh I see, you're a blind Earthbender right, like one of those Badgermoles you people love so much?" He knocked Toph over with a kick. "Maybe you only eat worms, right?" Another kick made her cry out in pain. "You're not one of the nobility," he said and kicked her again, "You're not even human you blind little freak!"

The guard with Tau pulled her to her feet, holding her arms painfully behind her back. She could see a third guard walking up to them now with his hands cupped. "My friend here has been digging these up just for you," Tau said with a smile, "Dinner time little mole!" He held a handful of dirt covered live worms in front of her mouth. "Don't hurt his feelings, eat up."

Toph pressed her lips tightly together, forcing them shut, and shook her head defiantly so Tau pinched her nose. No matter how she tried, Toph couldn't stop herself from taking a breath and when she did, Tau forced her mouth open and fed her the worms, dirt and all.

Toph retched as she felt the things wriggling on her tongue along with the nasty, wet dirt with her mouth now held shut by the sadistic guard. "Eat it, Mole!" He demanded, "Go on, you must be hungry!" Toph fought to keep the food she'd already eaten down. She could hear the other prisoners around her. Some cried while others yelled angrily. Some remained silent. Shu was the only one who seemed to be trying to help her but Toph begged the spirits that he didn't get free of the person holding him. "Swallow them, you ungrateful wretch!" Tau shouted right in her ear, causing a loud ringing to persist after he stopped, "This is what you get for making a fool of me, eat the damn worms!"

Toph squeezed her eyes shut, causing tears to run down her cheeks, and forced it all down in one big gulp. Tau laughed as he watched her retch, struggling to keep it down. "Now see this," he said to the prisoners, "This is what your precious Lady Beifong is." Toph was thrown to the ground and she started coughing and gagging. "This girl is nothing more than a blind little mole," he stated, "You're just a rodent, aren't you Mole?" he asked her mockingly, "What's your name?"

She knew what he wanted her to say but she wouldn't. "Toph Be-" a sharp kick to her jaw caused Toph to fall backwards. It wasn't broken but it had hurt. Blood trickled down her chin from a burst lip which she wiped away with the back of her hand, glaring at Tau.

"Wrong!" he barked at her, "What is your name!"

"T-T-Toph," she managed to stutter before another kick to her head forced her to the ground again. This time he got her in the eye. It would surely be black before the sun had set.

"Last chance freak!" he held a flaming fist above her, "What is your name!"

Toph fought back the urge to cry. Through the pain of her beating, the cracked ribs, the broken finger and the humiliation of being forced to eat live worms.

Toph - did - not - cry.

But she would die if she did not satisfy his sadistic ego. "Mole," she said through pained breaths and gritted teeth as she clutched her aching side. "My-my name is Mole."

His expression immediately softened. "There we go," he said in a frighteningly calm tone, his tense shoulders fell into a relaxed position and it was almost like he had never been angry. "Was that so hard?" He and his cronies walked away laughing. Toph looked around at the other prisoners who had sat by and did nothing while she was beaten and humiliated. Not one of them looked directly at her. No one except for Shu. Her wonderful and kind Shu.

"Come on," he urged her, helping her stand. Toph got back to her feet and started to walk with Shu towards the barracks but she didn't make it two steps before collapsing from the pain...

The Warden's threat about her treatment here was all too real now and Tau was the tool he used to enact it. Two months had passed since her arrival and she had been targeted by him again more than once. The slightest infraction earned her a beating, even if she just got dirt on his shoe. When it came to meal times she wasn't even given chopsticks anymore. While everyone else ate like a civil human being she was forced to eat like an animal, or not at all.

While almost everyone avoided her, Shu still stayed by her side. They ate in silence one evening as Toph began to lift chunks of cold rice with her fingers. Shu stared at his friend and felt horrible that he couldn't even share his food with her.

"You're getting so thin Toph," Shu had finally said one evening, "Guard's ain't lookin', will you take some of my rice?" Toph just shook her head, setting down her empty bowl. It was never enough, she was so damn hungry and Shu could tell. The boy's kind eyes were laced with pity as he watched her lick up a few grains from her gangly fingers.

She could feel him staring. "Pride won't get me through this," Toph said to him.

"But then what else do you have?"

"My life," Toph said surely, "So long as I'm still alive, I'm winning."

"Even if everyone else abandons you, I won't," he promised her there and then, "We're family now, you hear me?" Toph nodded with a happy smile and the pair embraced awkwardly. When they separated Shu was blushing but so was Toph.

"Thanks," Toph said to him, "I dunno if I could cope in here without you."

"Ditto," Shu said back.

By the fourth month, the near-daily abuse was starting to affect her both physically and mentally. She felt like she hadn't slept properly in years thanks to the pain she was in. Tau had also alienated the others from her. Anyone who helped Toph in any way got a beating or a stay in the Hot Box and it wasn't long before she was given a wide berth. She was completely alone.

Maybe she deserved it?

You do!

You killed them!

"No," Toph said to herself as she worked, "You still have Shu."

Present Day

Toph placed her hand on the wall of dirt in front of her. She could feel the metal in the earth and it was easy for her to bend it out. After depositing the ore into the cart she began to push it up the railway since it was full. Even though she had managed to eat all her food this morning she was still starving. As she was pushing the cart her vision began to blur. This had been happening a lot lately but so far she had managed to stop herself from fainting.

Shu had noticed the changes in her lately. The swaying on her feet or the moments where she would mumble to herself. He tried to be there for her, offering as much kindness and encouragement as he could, but lately, it felt like it was falling on deaf ears. He was losing his friend and it hurt so much to see her so miserable.

Suddenly Toph's cart hit something as she was lost in thought. The whole thing tipped and the ore inside rolled out across the ground. A guard walking by didn't move in time and slipped over the chunks of ore, landing hard on his back. Toph flinched as the guard landed and she looked to see what she had hit, it was another cart that had tipped over along with hers.

Toph took a step back in a panic but a sudden hand on her shoulder caused the already nervous girl to jump in fright. She bent the earth behind her on instinct and whoever had grabbed her was knocked down. Toph froze when she realised who it was.

It was Tau.

Toph turned to face him and just like this morning at inspection, she couldn't hide her fear. "I didn't mean-" she began to say but Tau had grabbed her by the collar and silenced her with a slap to the cheek.

"How dare you bend at me you miserable little rodent! " Tau shouted at Toph through gritted teeth, "And you assaulted one of my men, after all, we've done to clothe and feed you this is how you repay that kindness?" The guard who had slipped was already on his feet, unharmed, and batting away the dust from his armour. That didn't matter to Tau though.

"Leave her alone!" Shu had come running from the mine and seemed ready to fight Tau himself.

"Don't!" Toph yelled at him but it was too late. Shu ran up and punched Tau in the side but he was still just a kid and Tau was a well-built adult. Tau threw Toph to the ground before turning on Shu. With a blast of fire, he sent the youth flying backwards, a burning wound on his shoulder.

"You really like her don't you kid?" Tau said cruelly to the injured youth, "You know she's not worth your time right?"

"I ain't afraid of you," Shu said through his pain, "I ain't gonna abandon my friend!"

"How sweet," Tau said with a fake pout, "Say since you love Mole so much why don't we both get to know her better?" The beating stopped but Tau wasn't done yet. He grabbed Toph by her hair and made her face him.

"This could have been avoided if you had just bowed to Zhao but instead you got your whole family killed. You're just a selfish little girl who thought she could stand against the Fire Nation," Tau laughed menacingly, "But I'm going to treat you like the pathetic rodent you are." Tau stood and looked at his men. "Since she doesn't appreciate our generosity we'll just take back what's ours. Take off her clothes." Tau then turned to Shu who was looking at him in horror. "Make sure he gets a good look will you boys?"

Toph's eyes widened in fear at what he just said. "No, don't you touch me!" Toph screamed, glaring at Tau as he loomed over her. They couldn't do this to her. Not in front of everyone. Not in front of Shu. Fear gripped her and she began to struggle but she was just too weak. "Don't you dare touch me!"

"Relax Mole, I'm not going to sully myself with a rodent such as you," Tau told her in a sickeningly sweet voice, "I'm just making things clear, ungrateful rodents like you don't get to wear clothes." Suddenly they were laughing as she was laid bare before them. Some prisoners had stopped working and watched in horror as they began to beat the naked child while Shu was made to watch. For the first time since they had met he was crying but every time he tried to look away the guard would force him to turn back around.

Just as Toph thought it couldn't get any worse she felt a hand on her stomach right before a horrible pain as the Firebender seared his handprint into her exposed flesh. The men took turns branding her and Toph could do nothing but suffer through it all the while being watched by the other prisoners and, worst of all, by Shu.

She knew that Tau was sick in the head but even she didn't expect this. She could feel his excitement as he put his hands on her, uncaring that he was shattering what remained of her dignity. No, he was enjoying this in ways her young mind couldn't begin to understand. When they were done they dragged her, still naked, to the Hot Box and threw her inside. She heard them bolt the door closed and moments later the metal box started to heat up.

This was cruelty for cruelties sake. Toph fought to stay strong but the pain and humiliation were just too much. Burn marks and handprints covered her body as well as fresh bruises and she was sure a couple of ribs were broken too.

You deserve worse!

They had every right to treat you like this!

Pathetic!

It didn't take long for her to break down and cry because of the voices in her head. She curled up on her side as sobs wracked her broken body, barely feeling the hot metal on her bare skin. They left her there for two days and by the time she was let out she had cried herself raw.

None of this would have happened if she couldn't Earthbend. In her time alone in the box, she cursed her bending and cursed the spirits for giving it to her. When she was finally let out of the Hot Box, Tau simply threw her clothes in and put her right back to work. She tried to be strong but the damage had been done. A part of her had died in that box.

Worst of all was that Shu was had been put back to work despite his injury. The wound had been cleaned and dressed as best as possible so there was a chance he would recover. When she found him again he could barely look at her, however. Was he ashamed for her or of her? She didn't know but being ignored by him was the worst feeling imaginable.

Month after month passed and hope was becoming a distant memory. A fantasy. What had once been hundreds of Earthbenders from Gaoling had been reduced to a fraction of the number by either starvation, execution or simply being worked to death. This was on top of the countless other Earthbenders from the outlying villages who had also perished.

Shu's wound had thankfully gotten better and was filled with hope. But Toph didn't like to hope, it was easier to expect the worst than being crushed when the best didn't happen. And nothing did happen. She was still stuck here with Tau whose depravity only seemed to increase. He enjoyed doing what he did and made no effort to hide that fact.

All she could do was work and suffer through Tau's twisted attentions. Her body was a mess. Underneath her rags was a horror story of scars from burns, whippings and the countless beatings she had received. Her fingers were even worse than before and Tau seemed to deeply enjoy breaking them.

The days and weeks began to fade into a blur and her treatment only got worse and worse. Toph could feel herself slipping away. She was reaching her limit and was starting to lose control of her bending as a result of the imbalance. It had started small, a pebble wobbling when she was afraid or a stone suddenly flying through the mine but then the earth started shaking and she began to worry. It was like she was an infant again who had just gotten their bending but she was a hundred times more dangerous.

One day, she was working as normal when Tau approached. "Hey Mole," he said casually behind her with his grunts in tow. "Did you hear about that brat, Shu wasn't it?" He stood beside her and watched her work with feigned interest. "Died of fever in the night I heard, a real shame."

A few weeks ago Shu had gotten sick and those who cared for him had begged the guards for medicine but it was Tau who denied them. Toph tried not to react but she had heard him dying all of last night. Listened as his breaths became weaker and weaker but unable to do anything until they finally stopped in the early hours of the morning. She had cried of course but now all she felt was rage. He was the first and only friend she had ever had but Tau had let him die and she knew it was to hurt her.

"He needed medicine but instead you put him to work," Toph shouted angrily, prodding him in the chest with a bony finger. "You guys think you're better than me but I've seen Skunk Bears worth more than you, you pathetic-"

The punch didn't surprise her. She knew talking back was a bad idea but she couldn't keep it in any longer. The other prisoners ignored her, knowing that trying to help would only hurt them more. She hated the cowards but she pitied them just as much.

"Looks like you still don't know your place Mole." He spun his arm above his head and a whip of pure flame ignited in his hand. He cracked it nearby, hitting the dirt and sending up dust. Toph tried to stand but was pushed back down. "Let's see how smart you are after I cover you in lashes!" He had the same twisted smile as the night he had covered her naked flesh in burns. Toph began to shiver in fear.

Tau raised his hand and brought the whip down hard on her. The fiery lash cut deeply across her eye and down the side of her face, onto her neck. Toph cried out in pain as she tried to shield her face from further hits. Tau began to laugh maniacally as he continued to whip her. Each lash cutting then cauterizing her flesh.

Stop!

Please stop it!

I can't take it anymore!

LEAVE ME ALONE!

The earth shook for a second then a shocked cry sounded behind her. Toph also heard the wet sound of someone coughing up blood. Tau had been impaled clean through his chest by a sharp spike of hard rock.

Toph looked at the man's dead body. His last smile still on his face while he stared blankly at the ground. Why did she feel guilt? One of Tau's lackeys ran away screaming for the other guards but the one who stayed was approaching her. "It was an accident!" Toph pleaded, "I didn't mean it!" Again the mine began to shake, her fear and rage causing her to lose all control of her bending.

Chunks of the ceiling started to come down all around her. The prisoners all made a run for the exit but it was already far too late. The whole mine collapsed in seconds...

Well, that was extreme, right? Maybe you should leave a review so I know what you think?

In any case, this chapter was hard to write but not because of Toph's treatment but more because I didn't know what was too far. Obviously, I don't condone these actions in real life but genuinely feel they serve the story and help create the broken Toph of this story. Don't worry, it can only get better from here, right?