Chapter 26 - Orphaned
"Hmm... so far no sign of an invading Fire Nation army," Zuko remarked as Appa began to descend deeper into the fertile valley housing the Southern Earth Kingdom town of Gaoling.
"That's good, right?" Toph replied. She had been understandably tense during the lengthy journey, but she seemed to be relaxing now, encouraged by the absence of the Fire Nation military.
"Well, the people I overheard didn't mention when the invasion would happen," Suki explained. "It could be a while away, still."
"Probably a good idea to warn my parents nonetheless," Toph shrugged.
"Over there, Zuko," Katara pointed to the exiled prince as he was currently holding Appa's reins, directing him towards a large plot of land on the outskirts of Gaoling, a walled estate with beautiful expanses of gardens and a mansion of palatial proportions at the center of the complex. The familiar symbol of a flying boar adorned the front gate of the estate, Katara remembering it well from their first visit here, and the painful, but ultimately worthwhile efforts it had taken to recruit Toph on their team.
"That's called living in style, Toph," Zuko sounded impressed as he directed Appa to land in the estate gardens, where they were immediately surrounded by a group of angry looking guards, ready to earthbend at them.
"Uh, Toph?" Suki spoke nervously. "Maybe you could talk those guys down or something?"
"Oh... sure!" Toph rose on Appa's back and shouted at the guards. "Hey, louts! Back off! Don't you recognize me anymore? It's your Mistress, Toph!"
"Mistress Toph?" the guards appeared surprised, some of them running back to report to the estate, others bowing deeply, allowing the group to dismount in peace. "We are glad to see you again, Mistress Toph!" one of the guards, presumably their leader, spoke. "Your parents will be overjoyed!"
"Yeah, we'll see about that," Toph shrugged. "Anyway, take us to them... we have words to exchange."
"Right away, Mistress Toph," the guard leader bowed and led the group of four into the estate. They were then brought into one of the large sitting rooms, where a slightly haughty looking middle aged man sat trying to read a book, while at the same time trying to ignore the small talk that the gaudily dressed woman sitting opposite to him was insisting on tormenting him with.
"Toph! My baby!" the woman, Toph's mother Poppy Beifong, was the first to spot her, running up to her daughter and swept her up into a tight embrace. A moment later, she lowered Toph back onto the floor, the girl sticking out her tongue and making a face. "My goodness, Toph, just look at you! Your hair, so messy and unkempt, when did you last wash it? And what are these rags you're wearing?" it didn't take long for her mother to break into a lecture Toph had feared for days.
"These are Fire Nation clothes, mom," Toph sighed. "I kinda need to wear them when hiding out in the Fire Nation territory!"
"You were in the Fire Nation?" Poppy gasped. "And I suppose these scruffy ruffians are with you? Probably holding you hostage, I'm sure!" she glared at the stunned looking Katara, Suki and Zuko.
"Mom, those are my friends!" Toph exclaimed. "You should remember Katara, at least! She was here with... with the Avatar," she added, a shadow crossing her face.
"Ah yes, I do remember you," Toph's father rose from his seat, walking up to them and looking straight at Katara. "You know, Toph, I have been using my considerable resources to keep track of you ever since you ran away from home. When we learned about the death of Avatar Aang, your mother and I were sure that you would return home, and yet you didn't... these past few months have been a constant torment of worries, my daughter. We could not find any trace of you."
"Yeah, sorry about that, dad, but it was really important that I stayed out of sight," Toph replied. "And because of that, I've been able to learn something important. That's why I've come back, mom and dad, to warn you!"
"Warn us?" Lady Poppy gasped. "About what, Toph?"
"About an imminent Fire Nation attack on Gaoling!" Toph replied, making her mother gasp in shock and press her palms across her mouth. Toph could feel her mother's heart instantly starting to race in panic, but at the same time, she was very surprised upon sensing that her father remained completely calm, which seemed rather odd to Toph. "Did you know about it already, father?" she asked, turning to Lord Lao Beifong.
"I did mention that I have resources I have been using to track you down, Toph," Lao explained. "These very same sources have brought me rumors of a planned invasion."
"Why did you not say a word?" Lao's wife gave him an accusing stare.
"Because I treated them as just that, rumors," Toph's father shrugged. "I didn't want to worry you with these rumors, not before I received a confirmation. And now, thanks to Toph, we have it."
"What should we do now, Lao?" Poppy exclaimed nervously, wringing her hands.
"You should go and start making preparations with the servants," Lao ordered, his wife all but running out of the room. Toph was still a little perplexed at how calm her father was being about the whole thing, but then again, she remembered him as a very controlled and unflappable man, so perhaps it made sense. "Do you know anything else? Have you heard when they plan to invade?" he asked, looking first at Toph, then at the group standing behind her.
"We don't know that," Zuko replied. "But we didn't see any sign of a Fire Nation army on our way here, so I believe we have time."
"Good, that's good," Lao Beifong nodded. "That means we don't have to hurry. Also, where are my manners? Did you come all the way from the Fire Nation?" They all nodded at once. "You kids must be exhausted, probably starved and thirsty as well. Come with me, Poppy and I were about to sit down for dinner. We would love for you to join us."
"Thank you, Mr. Beifong," Suki spoke for them all as they followed Toph's father into the splendorous dining room.
"You're very welcome. Help yourselves to a round of drinks, while I go and instruct the servants," Toph's father said, before walking off and leaving them alone for the time being.
"Don't know about the rest of you, but I'm parched," Zuko grabbed the pitcher of juice and poured himself a glass, then repeating it for them all. Katara and Suki quickly and gratefully grabbed their drinks to quench the thirst, but Toph remained standing at the dinner table, her senses sharpened to the utmost as she was trying to listen in on what was happening around the estate.
"You're not thirsty, Toph?" Katara asked. "Moon peach and mango, my favorite," she added, but Toph did not react.
"Anything the matter, Toph?" Zuko frowned at the young earthbender's strange behavior.
"I don't know..." Toph finally said. "Something feels off, but I don't know what or why."
"Maybe you're just jittery with nerves," Suki remarked in between sips of the juice.
"No, I don't think that's it," Toph shook her head. "It's just... I expected a different kind of reaction from my dad, more similar to how my mom reacted. But instead, he's just so calm about everything... then again, he usually hides his emotions well. He'll probably try to give me a trashing once we're alone."
"But you're not going to take it, of course," Katara grinned at her friend, then stumbling a little, having to prop herself against the table. "Huh, I didn't realize I was this tired... I better sit down for a bit," she said, gingerly taking a seat.
Suki also seemed to be suddenly experiencing some difficulties in remaining upright, sitting down at the table. "No kidding..." she sighed, letting out a yawn. "Must be all that lack of sleep finally catching up with us."
"Are you sure you're alright?" Zuko asked, but then he suddenly felt a strange weariness in his bones as well, the glass of juice nearly falling from his hand. He reached out to grab the backrest of a chair, leaning heavily against it and placing the glass back on the table. "This... doesn't feel like normal tiredness," he managed, struggling to remain upright.
"Shush, you guys, I'm trying to listen in... my parents are talking. I can feel their heart rates spiking and suddenly jumping all over the place!" Toph exclaimed. "What are they up to?" The only response she received was in the form of a soft thud as Katara slumped to the ground, having passed out. In short order, the same happened to Suki, and finally Zuko, the exiled prince having held out the longest. "Uh, guys?" Toph spoke, suddenly having noticed that the heart rates of all her friends had slowed considerably as they all lay prostrate on the floor. "What's going on here?" she shouted aloud, suddenly becoming deeply alarmed.
Alerted by her shouting, Toph's parents quickly returned to the dining room. "Did you have anything to drink, Toph?" her father asked, sounding concerned.
"I did not," she replied, confused about the question, but then realizing in an instant. "You had the servants add something to the drinks! Why?" Toph shouted.
"I'm sorry, daughter, but I had no choice," her father replied. "When the Fire Lord himself orders you to do something, you just do it."
"What are you talking about?" Toph screamed. "What did Ozai order you to do?"
"He wrote to us that there was a way for you to return to your family and have all your crimes against the Fire Nation struck from record," Lao Beifong explained. "But in return, we had to give him two of your friends, the boy and the waterbender girl. We didn't think there would be another girl, I don't think they're interested in her. The Fire Lord's agents are on their way to retrieve their captives, I just dispatched the guards to inform the soldiers stationed nearby."
"Wait a minute... you mean to tell me there's no invasion at all?" Toph growled, her fists clenched so hard that nails were digging into her skin. "This was all an elaborate ruse?"
"I'm sorry, honey, I know you must feel very conflicted, but it is all for the best," her mother spoke in a soothing voice. "We were so worried about you, and then we saw an opportunity to get you out of a horrible situation. I'm sure you'll thank us later, once you've had a chance to carefully think everything over."
"I... you were in on everything, mother?" Toph snarled angrily, her pale cheeks flushing deep crimson. "You're a better actress than I gave you credit for."
"I did not know the exact plan, but your father explained everything to me in general terms and I gave the idea my firm approval," Lady Poppy explained.
"And you thought I'd just accept betraying my friends to the Fire Nation?" Toph screamed angrily, the rage inside of her starting to overflow.
"Friends? You can't be serious, sweetie," her mother shook her head in disapproval. "These scruffy lowlifes lured you away from us and filled your head with lies to keep you from returning to us. They're not your friends, they never have been!"
"Listen to your mother, Toph," her father echoed his agreement. "These kids have been exploiting you and placing you in great danger, you, the heir to the Beifong estate! That's not something any real friends would do! You'd be much better off without them."
Toph had finally reached her boiling point. "You said they're not my friends? Well, you're wrong! They're the best friends I could ever hope for!" she shouted angrily, raising her arms up in the air. "But do you know what I don't have? I don't have any parents!" she released an almost animalistic cry, and with sheer horror, Lao and Poppy Beifong saw the walls of the estate suddenly caving in, as the ceiling came down on them all, burying everyone.
"Ha-ha! This play is great!" Azula laughed, sitting in the upper balcony overlooking the stage, as together with Ty Lee they were enjoying the latest offering by the Ember Island Players, 'The Boy in the Iceberg'. "I'm actually glad I let you talk me into coming to see it," she playfully elbowed Ty Lee.
"It's pretty fun, isn't it?" Ty Lee giggled. "I'm so glad you like it, Azula," she added, smiling at the exiled princess. Ty Lee was so relieved to see Azula recovering more and more with each passing day, her physical condition improving rapidly. As she became less physically reliant on Ty Lee, the latter had worried that Azula might go back to treating her less kindly once again, but she was thrilled that such a relapse hadn't occurred, and Azula was living up to her promise to treat her as an equal.
"I particularly love that the Avatar is being played by a girl, that's so fitting," Azula laughed, popping a handful of fire flakes into her mouth.
"I know, right?" Ty Lee winked at her. "Anyway, do you think we're going to appear in the second act?"
"We should, if this playwright is any good," Azula replied, then shushing Ty Lee as the curtain was raised for the play to resume. The two of them were enjoying plenty of laughs until the middle of the second act and the scene with the giant drill with which they had breached the walls of Ba Sing Se. Azula was portrayed as completely incompetent and badly outmatched by the ridiculously cast female Aang, while Ty Lee had sunk into the mud together with the Fire Nation drill, getting written out of the play altogether after one embarrassing scene. Azula was then shown as being recalled from Ba Sing Se altogether for her disappointing showing against the Avatar.
"What was that?" Ty Lee fumed. "None of that happened! We gave them a run for their money!"
"I have a good mind to find this playwright and fry them alive," Azula growled dangerously. "I killed the Avatar and took Ba Sing Se! I'm going to be so pissed off if they try to take it away from me."
Twenty minutes later, Ty Lee could swear that literal wisps of fire were coming from Azula's nostrils, she was that incensed. Her character in the play had been sent back to the Fire Nation in disgrace, while to the cheers of the spectators, Ozai himself had assumed her place, infiltrated and taken over Ba Sing Se, and then destroyed the Avatar with a blast of lightning.
"Maybe we should just skip the final act," Ty Lee suggested timidly. "It will probably be really lame, anyway."
"No, I need to know all the crimes of this playwright," Azula insisted. "I must know exactly what I'll be killing him for."
"Very well," Ty Lee shrugged. "Want any more snacks?" she asked, pointing at her empty bag of fire gummies.
"I'm fine, but go grab some for yourself," Azula gave her a brief smile. Ty Lee smiled back at her, then quickly dashing out to grab more snacks, getting back just in time for the start of the final act.
"Let's see how they're going to butcher this," Ty Lee rolled her eyes while chewing on a fire gummy, as the scene of the Day of the Black Sun began. Soon enough, the rebels had broken into the royal palace and were fighting the Fire Lord, when Azula showed up, shrieked in a terrified voice and ran right off. "Oh, come on, I know for sure it didn't happen like that!" Ty Lee scowled darkly.
"Well... I did run away," Azula admitted, feeling an uncomfortable pressure in her chest from mere memories of her experiences on that day. "But that was only after Katara had used her bloodbending on me. I don't know why, but it just... fuck, I don't know what happened, Ty Lee. You know me, I'm not afraid of anything."
"No, but Katara's bloodbending is... the very thought of it gives me nightmares," Ty Lee confessed. "I would never blame you for having that kind of reaction to it."
"Thanks," Azula gave her a brief smile, watching on as her actress was dragged before the Fire Lord in chains. "Wait, it didn't happen that way!" she growled, looking on as her actress was released from her chains to take part in the shortest Agni Kai in the history of Agni Kai's, Ozai devastating her with an instant lightning blast.
Ty Lee was saying something comforting to her, but Azula could not hear a word of it. She could only hear the extremely exaggerated death rattle of the actress on stage, milking her gruesome death for all it was worth, and the raucous cheers of the crowd somehow made it all so much worse. Suddenly, Azula realized that she was starting to hyperventilate, feeling extreme shortness of breath, her heart hammering fiercely in her chest.
"Air... I need air..." she gasped, brushing past the perplexed Ty Lee and storming out of the theater, trying to draw deep breaths, but her chest felt so constricted that she was unable to do so. Trying to get away from the theater as far as possible, Azula broke into a run, not stopping until her lungs ran completely out of air and she dropped on her knees in the dark volcanic sand of the beach, gasping for air, feeling her heart thudding so hard and so loud, that Azula was genuinely terrified that it was about to explode inside her chest.
Tears broke out, flowing down Azula's cheeks as in that moment she wholeheartedly believed that she was about to die. But then, suddenly, Ty Lee was there by her side, pulling her into an embrace and starting to whisper soothingly into her ear. "Listen to my voice, Azula... focus on your breathing," the other girl spoke quietly. "Feel my breath and try to match it, just focus on that, don't force it. One breath at a time, there we go... again... and again. Feel that tension slipping away, lean in against me... let your muscles relax, just like that... very good, and keep breathing, calm and deep breaths, perfect, you've got it, Azula," Ty Lee softly guided the princess through the peak of her panic attack, helping her calm down and steady her senses.
"Thanks," Azula managed shakily once the worst had passed. "That was nasty. I wish I knew what was wrong with me... I can't afford to be having these episodes!"
"I'm not sure what's the cause, Azula, I'm not that smart," Ty Lee smiled, keeping her tightly embraced, Azula for once reveling in the softness and comfort that their physical closeness provided. "But I'm going to help you deal with whatever it is. I'll be at your side for as long as you'll need me, Azula."
"I believe you, Ty Lee," Azula sounded earnest and grateful. "And you know what? I actually do feel better just from knowing that."