The next sound coming out of Lao Beifong, father of Toph Beifong, honestly didn't really sound like it came from a man.
It sounded more like the high pinched screech of an overclass woman whom had just spotted a possum-mouse.
Complete with his hands up in the air and the big. "Eeeeeeeeeh! Darling!" he grabbed Toph's shoulders. "What are you doing out here?! In the forest? Alone?!" he asked. "You must be so scared! Are you hurt? It's going to be okay!" he cried as he embraced Toph. "Daddy is here now! I'll protect you."
Zuko blinked as he stood up from the bushes and approached the two. "Erhm… Hi. I don't mean to disturb but…"
"ARGH!" Lao screeched in shock then let go of Toph to stand in front of her. "Who are you? What do you want?!" he asked Zuko.
"Errhh." Zuko began.
"I will not let you touch my daughter!" Lao exclaimed as he held his hands up in the air like a wannabe boxer. "Not one step further you hooligan! I know your type." he stated.
Zuko blinked honestly just confused.
"I warn you! Stand back!" Lao exclaimed. "I'm a master in Tai wunda."
Zuko looked at Lao. "First of all that's not a thing." he stated. "Secondly your stands is kind of…" he tried to explain.
"Take this!" Lao aimed a fist at Zuko only for Zuko to easily step aside and Lao tripped falling down on the ground in lack of an impact.
Zuko blinked as he looked down at the man now on the ground. "That… That's your dad?" he asked Toph.
Toph sighed deeply. "Yeah."
"That's…. A little hard to believe." Zuko admitted.
"Well Zuko. It's a little hard to believe that your dad is a mass murdering psychopath considering you can't even look at a turtleduck wrong without feeling guilty." Toph commented.
Zuko pouted as he glared at Toph.
Toph how-ever smirked. "You know it's true Sparky." she said just as Lao groaned and he looked up at the two.
"So erhm. Mr. Beifong." Zuko offered him a hand. "What are you doing in the fire nation?" he asked. "as a prisoner… Isn't the Beifongs incredible influential."
Lao glanced at Zukos hand. But didn't take it. Pushed himself up instead. "Somehow the fire nation has gotten the idea that my daughter has become the Avatars earth bending master. And a friend of Prince Zuko! And anyone whom has any association to those two are taken prisoner by order of Princess Azula." he said then faltered. "They took everything… My home! The mines. My dear dear Poppy!" he cried.
"Mom?" Toph asked in a gasp. "Dad!" she grabbed the front of his blouse. "Where's mom? What happened to her?"
Lao sighed deeply. "We were together just two days ago. But then they split up male and female prisoners. I believe we were each being send to more permanent…" he halted. "Camps."
"Prisons dad. You were send to prisons." Toph rolled her eyes. "I know what a prison is."
"Ssshh. Shhh. Shhh." Lao embraced Toph so her face was now buried into his stomach. "You don't need to be afraid. I'll protect you. This is all a miss understanding. You're here now. We can explain to the fire nation. I'm sure they'll understand. The Avatar kidnapped you. I already know. You don't hang around such violent brutal figures as Fire Prince Zuko."
Zukos face was rather deadpan as he looked up.
And then Toph put up a hand and pushed her dad away. "Would you stop!" she asked.
"Sugarplum?" Lao asked wide-eyed.
Toph glared at him. "Dad! The Avatar didn't kidnap me. I ran away! To become the avatars earth bending Master!"
Lao gasped as he covered his mouth.
"Thanks for calling me a brutal violent figure by the way." Zuko commented dryly.
Lao looked at Zuko. "Wait…. Are you saying that. You're."
"Yes! He's Prince Zuko!" Toph exclaimed threw up her hands in the air.
Lao was quiet. Very quiet. He looked from one to the other. Then his eyes rested on Toph. "I see." he said then turned to Zuko. "You're threatening my daughter aren't you?"
"What?" Zuko asked.
"I know my daughter and she's a sweet, innocent, fragile girl!" Lao exclaimed.
"….. What?" Zuko asked. "Toph? This is Toph we're talking about right?"
"I don't know why you would have her act like this. But it's going to stop now!" Lao stated. "I'm taking my daughter and we're going! And that's that!"
Zuko was quiet as he looked at Lao. "Erhm… Go where exactly?" he asked. "You're… In the fire nation. And your home is under occupation by the fire nation… Which is lead by my sister. And believe me my sister don't really care if what she's told about you is true or not. If you annoy her she'll just kill you."
"And what about mom?!" Toph asked. "You'll just leave her? Really?"
"Honey. I know this is hard. But we can't just break her out." Lao said. "Our best cause of action is the diplomatic way! Don't worry. Your dad will handle it!"
Toph groaned as she rubbed the pinch of her nose.
"Sir…. With all due respect." Zuko said. "I don't think diplomacy is going to get you anywhere right now… Except right back in prison. Or worse." he commented dryly. Then he sighed deeply. "Let's go back to camp and talk to the others. Figure out what to do with him."
"Yeah." Toph muttered. "Come on…. Dad." she said grabbing Laos hand to make sure he followed them.
Zuko groaned deeply but then followed as well… Well in terms of dads. This guy really wasn't the worst Zuko had ever met. Then again… The Bar for being a better than Ozai was really… really low."