A/N Edit (15/04/2020): Hi there, I wasn't really happy with the first chapter (It was the first time I had written in a long time), and didn't think it was a good reflection of my abilities, so I decided to redo and edit it. For those who read the first rendition, I would advise to still read this one. Enjoy!

Prologue

If someone had told Toph that she was going to enlist in the military, fighting against the Fire Nation whilst pretending to be a man at 18, she would have slowly backed away from the mentally insane person. Was it plausible? Sure, Toph loved to fight, afterall she was the Blind Bandit in the illegal underground Earth Rumble VI tournament. But to leave the suffocating walls of her father's estate to join the military? Uh no, there would be no way it would have happened.

And yet here she was, face to face with the exiled Prince Zuko. With his height he loomed over her, and with being so close she could smell his smokey, earthly scent. It was intoxicating.

"You want to bring honor to your family's name? You think it was manly of you to step up in place of your father to go to war? Well don't worry, I'll make an honorable man out of you."

XxxxxxxxxxX

Gaoling, Earth Rumble VI

"AND HERE'S YOUR CHAMPION ONCE AGAIN, THE BLIND BANDIT!"

Rolling her opaque eyes, Toph gave her signature smirk and waved to the cheering crowds. As they chanted her name repeatedly, she took the heavy belt from Xin Fu. She also was about to take the bag of money, but before she could Xin Fu held it high above his head, his eyes scanning the arena,

"This whole bag of gold will be given to anyone who can defeat the reigning champion, do we have any takers?"

Complete and utter silence.

"Now that's what I like to hear." There was only one thing Toph liked better than the crowds going wild for her stage presence, that being the silence from the fear installed into potential opponents who knew they couldn't beat her after seeing her perfomance. She was the best of the best, and at this stage she was convinced she was the best in the world. Earthbenders had come far and wide to face her, only to be hit with the reality of her ability, and she relished in it.

Grudgingly, the ringmaster placed the bag in the champion's hand and walked off to allow for the badgermoles to clear the arena. Toph ran a little to catch up to him, walking by his side down the stairs with pride in her steps, and smugness in her voice.

"Well that was sooo unpredictable, don't you think? You know for a second there I thought I was going to lose, but who woulda thunk I could pull through huh?" Elbowing the ringmaster, she wiggled her eyebrows. Modesty was not something Toph tended to identify with, she much prefered sarcasm.

"Watch it little lady, I don't have time for this. And give that back, you know our agreement." snatching the money back, Xin Fu quickened his steps to get away from the small earthbender, though she made him twice the amount any other contestant made, she was an irritating brat, and he was not up for it today.

"Hey no need to be rude, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today. So same time next week?"

" 'Fraid not little girl, The Boulder and the other's won't be here. The Boulder has decided that he is going to fight for his country, The Bould-" At that both Xin Fu and Toph whipped their heads around to the voice behind them. The muscled fighter was not alone, all the other opponents were there too.

"What is it you imbecile? What do you mean you won't be here? Did the shame of a little blind girl beating you finally get to you?"

"Shut up both of you. You there- " the Mole gulped at being pointed at " explain the meaning of this"

"Well sir, there was a new draft made by the Earth King…" - wait, what? Toph hadn't heard of any draft, but then again, she hardly knew what was going on in the outside world. Any information that she did get was either through the servants gossiping back on the estate or through eavesdropping on the crowd's and other opponent's conversations.

Usually the teen didn't have a second thought on the ongoing war, she had no interest in politics, they bored her to death. However, if it was going to affect her only escape from the trapped cage she called home, she had to listen to this.

"...he found out about some Fire Nation drill that tried to break the outer wall and has announced that every household contributes one man to join the armed forces. And we've decided to join."

The ring leader scoffed "If that stupid figure head thinks that some drill is going to stop my competition, he's got a lot coming. I expect to see you next week. Now, GET OUT OF MY FACE." Toph exhaled heavily, they were going to take a man from every household? The only man in her family was her father, and he was definitely not as young as he used to be. Lao Beifong had Toph in his 40th year, and he was not fit to go to war then, much less going to war at 58.

"The Boulder will show him, wait till he sees that none of us show up next week, then he'll think twice about the way he treats us and the draft." The words were mumbled so low under The Boulder's breath that Toph almost didn't catch it.

But she did, and it dawned upon her that this may be true, the thing about the draft, and not some lame excuse to stop working for Xin Fu. Would they really take one man from a household away? Could they take her father? If shady contestants of an underground tournament, who had no military experience and were practically off the radar from any government officials, were going off to war, that meant that the Earth King was desperate. More desperate than she could hope.

And while yes, she hated her father and the way she treated her, as though she was helpless and blind and fragile, she knew that deep down, just as her mother would remind her every now and again, he loved her and was just protecting her.

She began to make her way home, earthbending an opening in the earth and going through the tunnels she had made over the years. The sudden prospect of never hearing her father's voice, or the way he tickled her cheek like she was four when she was upset at him after a screaming match in his effort to make her laugh and make amends, was starting to bring tears to her eyes.

"Damn it" she blinked furiously making sure the droplets wouldn't fall. She was Toph Beifong, there was no way she was going to cry. Besides, what if they saw that her father was old, and had to take care of his blind daughter and provide for his family, they definitely couldn't take him away, right? The longer she thought about it, the more her emotions wanted to express themselves, and she was not going to let that happen tonight.

XxxxxxxxxxX

"Wake up,Toph, let the sun's rays awaken you!" Toph groaned long and loud, and could hear the tutting of her favorite servant, Jinjing, who was currently opening the silk curtains.

"JinJing, when will you remember that I am blind and cannot see the oh so beautiful rays of sunshine that you seeing people go on about" she buried herself deeper into her soft sheets and pillows, she was way too tired for this. Toph had barely slept last night, replaying the conversation in her mind over and over. Her brain wouldn't let her rest with the scenarios constantly being made, each one getting worse, almost nightmare worthy.

"Toph, your parents have already started breakfast young lady! Now, get out or I'll drag you out!" the servant proceeded to rip off the bed sheets, making Toph curl up into a ball, calling out curses that would make her own mother faint. Jinjing took hold of the earthbender's slender leg,and pulled with her might.

"Okay, okay, OKAY! I'm up! Quit it" Despite the harshness, Toph had laughter in her tone. Jinjing was the big sister she never had, and would often listen to her problems, ever since she was 12. They had broken the formal wall that had been between them a long time ago, something Toph was grateful for.

"Right, let's get you washed up and beautiful like the heiress that you are"

XxxxxxxxxxX

"Look who finally decided to show up, you know that this will be unacceptable for your future husband right? JinJing, will you please show Toph where her chopsticks are? Thank you " Poppy Beifong had no problem bringing Toph's tardiness up, and with that the upbringing of marriage she had been doing for the past month - which was slowly but surely getting on Toph's nerves.

"Your mother is quite right Toph, your husband will not like for you to have no regard for punctuality. In fact, I think it's high time to discuss potential suitors, I heard General Huan's son has-"

"Dad, there's no way I'm marrying him, he's shorter than me, and I'm short, besides, wouldn't he want to follow in his father's footsteps, by joining the military? I couldn't possibly function as a blind woman all alone while he went off to war, now could I?" whilst Toph feigned fragility,, she internally cringed at the thought of marrying Huan's son, who was unappealing in every possible way, but she was grateful her father had brought him up. She hadn't brought up the military for no reason.

"OH! That reminds me Lao, have you heard about the draft the King Kuei sent out? He wants one man out of every household to join the Earth forces, there's no way that they can take you, you've become weak over the years!" So it was really true, this draft was real. The gruesome thoughts that had plagued her mind the night before were to come true? She prayed they wouldn't.

"Wait, the Earth King sent out a draft? Even if they wanted to take Dad in his state, he still has no military experience right? There's no way they would take him" Toph needed to put her mind to rest, and hopefully her father has some reassuring news.

"Well it's nice to know that both of you think I'm an old weak man. And just so you know little lady, I do have military experience - before you were born, every man in his 20s had to do a mandatory year in the military, I even have the uniform and sword to prove it, perhaps it's in the attic somewhere. Anyway that was a long time ago. I shouldn't put these thoughts in your precious mi-"

"Sir, General Huan is outside in the streets and he has proclaimed for everyone to come out!" Toph sucked in a breath quietly as her mother gasped and Lao scowled. Without a moment's notice they had left the dining area, and had reached the gates of the Beifong estate.

A/N: So during this crazy time I thought I would write an idea that has been in my mind for a long time, not only because I'm excited for the new Mulan movie to come out, but I recently rewatched ATLA and came back to the fandom (should've never left). Please review and let me know what your thoughts are. Btw I thought I would age everyone up just so the story goes a bit more smoothly. I don't have a beta reader so sorry for any mistakes. See you next time !

P.S Zuko and the GAang will appear in the third chapter or so, so don't worry!