Chapter 4: The Truth Hidden Behind the Lies

How the hell did this kid manage to make her say yes?

Toph clings to the flying furball's saddle as she quietly listens to them move around. Actually, she was just paying attention to the Avatar. She huffed when she heard him yell something about the clouds looking like dancing otter penguins.

She's currently debating with herself as to why she let him convince her to tag along with them. After what happened with that crazy lightning princess, Toph is starting to regret her choice. Truthfully, Katara and Aang blaming her yesterday did upset her but the Earthbender is over that now.

Well, maybe she's still a little bit annoyed with what happened.

But, Toph's not a kid who would mope about that. No. What ruffled her is the fact that her personality clashed with theirs. For now, the tension between them has subsided but it doesn't change the fact that her frequency isn't compatible with them. Who's to say that kind of debacle won't happen again, right?

Burying her face in her arms, Toph turned away from them to fight the urge of releasing an exasperated sigh. Instead, she silently recounts the recent events of her life that lead her to where she is now.

Apparently, whoever's in charge of this destiny bullshit really hates Toph.

As if being blind wasn't enough, the universe decided to further highlight how she's the odd one out by ruling her as markless.

It's been a month since her 12th birthday had passed –the day of the marking– and the soulmark that was supposed to show somewhere on her body is nowhere to be found. Her father, out of agitation, decided to call some psychic/guru or whatever they decided to call themselves to get a 'professional' reading just to get some semblance of an answer.

Toph almost snorted when her mother went to her room last night to inform her about the appointment and offered comforting words somewhere along the lines of, "This is for your own good Toph."

Her parents made it seem like they are worried about her (maybe sparingly) but the Earthbender is acutely aware that her parents are much more worried about the fact that she's bringing further disgrace to the Beifong clan.

The tension in the room is palpable. She can feel every distress shift in everyone's actions; both from servants and master alike.

Toph pursed her lips in a thin line as she struggled not to slouch her back out of boredom. She's been sitting in the middle of the room for about an hour now and this chick that calls herself a seer made her toss the whale bones into a carpet skin of a tigerdillo for the nth time. (She scrunched her nose in disgust when the woman pulled it out.)

She felt the frown on the woman's brow deepened, the Seer sighs in defeat and gathers the bones and the carpet. She silently packed them on her satchel and clasped hands on the low table placed between them. Toph could feel her eyes on her and after a moment of silence, she started to rummage on her bag again.

"Well… I'd been trying to save this for something special…" she spared Toph a glance and smiled to herself.

An intrigued look passed her face.

If she knows how to roll her eyes, Toph probably would've done it. Why do these people like playing the mysterious stranger shit?

But instead of attempting to do that, she opted to 'watch' the woman pull something out. It was wrapped in linen, Toph tried to feel what's inside through vibrations. The way the woman handled it made it seem like it was heavy yet very light at the same time. It took a while before she realized that it was some kind of stone.

That's odd, Toph usually senses minerals right away.

The seer probably saw the confusion in her face and mistaken it for something else as she gently reached for her hands, giving her a reassuring squeeze. Toph frowned and tried to pull her hand away but the woman tightened her grip. Her temper spiked upon her obvious pity. However, with how things are going down she decided it's wise to continue her charade of a miserable blind girl.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to fake a pained smile that successfully earned the sympathy of every person in the room. Toph internally smirked at this, if there is one thing she liked about this situation it's probably how she could make a fool out of them.

The psychic chick then instructed Toph to hold out her right palm. Then she proceeded to trace the lines in her palms while murmuring incantations to herself. The Earthbender let her mind wander off somewhere, thinking about new ways to crush those dunderheads at Earth Rumble.

A prick of a needle between her palm and wrist pulled her back to her musing, her father visibly fumed over this.

Toph would give it to him, he did a great job reigning his horses

With a polite yet cold smile he stated, " Madam, my daughter is very, very delicate. We would appreciate it if you notify us of such actions next time. Such a fragile child might faint in shock."

The woman just smiled, gave her father a nod then turned her attention back to Toph.

"Now listen darling, this stone is a special stone..."

Alright.

Toph braced herself for the fairytale roller coaster. Myths, legends, whatever nonsense people like to eat up that this woman uses to scam them off.

"This is called crystalacs. They are remnants of the past, proof that there was a time our world and the spirit world exist in the same realm. It is believed that when these two worlds broke apart some spirit energies scattered across our land. And with certain conditions met, nature managed to preserve these spirit energy into a cluster, thus forming a crystalacs"

"Okay?" Toph tried to sound interested but it came out flat.

"They were once abundant, but with the discovery of their exceptional use, our ancestors readily consumed them. With no way to replenish them and with the rapid consumption of humans, their number diminished through time."

A rare commodity in short.

The Earthbender almost let out a bark of laughter. This woman is going to rip off her parents' purse! Toph tried to feel bad, she really did, but humor got her first before empathy.

Serves them right, they asked for this.

They should've just waited a few more months or at most a year to let the soulmark that's not gonna appear 'show up'. A grace period for themselves to accept the fact that their blind daughter is also markless. Is it really that hard to comprehend? That her soulmark didn't manifest on her 12th birthday? Why can't they get that when no mark revealed itself on that day then it means that person is markless? Plain and simple.

Why fuss over it?

Why the fuck would they rub more salt onto her wound?

Toph didn't even bother to hide the smirk that tugged at the edge of her lips. Well, at least things are starting to get interesting.

The magic lady seems to find her reaction equally amusing but nonetheless continued with her storytelling, "They come in different forms: stones, gems, a stem of a flower, a bark of a tree, and many more...It doesn't really matter because they all serve one purpose– that is to cleanse souls."

"Oh, my poor Toph!"

The Earthbender was taken aback as her mother suddenly launched herself at her and cradled her face against her chest. "My daughter is such a lovely soul, untainted by the outside world…"

This statement was followed by a kiss on the crown of Toph's head.

Her mother then turned to the Seer and with a voice laced with faint hostility she said "She is pure and innocent! Such blasphemy for you to imply that her soul needs cleansing!"

Actually, Toph is pretty sure that if they ever finds out about her double life, they'd be the first to bury her under a mountain of those magic stones.

"I apologize Mrs. Beifong, it seems that you have taken my words into wrong implications."

Her mother raised an eyebrow.

The woman continued her explanation, "To cleanse someone's soul doesn't really mean they have a veil one. Crystalacs helps ease the spiritual flow of the body, unblocks the impurities that had gathered throughout lifetimes."

Those words were enough to pacify Toph's mother, Poppy released her from her embrace and instead chose to place a hand on her shoulder.

The woman then extended the mineral at the Earthbender's direction, "There are some cases that some soulmarks took quite some time before it manifested. This stone will help determine if your daughter is really markless."

Upon uttering that one forbidden word, the air in the room went rigid tenfolds. Toph is aware that her parents had secretly decreed that the word 'markless' should not be spoken in her presence in fear of upsetting her.

It was so infuriating how everyone is tiptoeing around her that she would do the servants the favor of avoiding them when she sensed them coming in her direction.

Her father gave her a woeful look and offered a kind smile. She could feel how everyone expects her to break anytime now.

Toph wanted to sneer at their goodwill.

As if summoning a professional to examine her like she has some kind of ailment isn't hurtful.

" –allow us to see the Young Lady's pure form for a moment."

Toph was so lost in her thoughts that she missed some of what the woman has said.

Not like it matters to her anyway.

This woman is obviously a scam. Although Toph can't really blame her. She was doing her best to survive and that was good enough for Toph. In a way, she was kind of a badass. She's so goddamn good at being a 'Seer' that her skills are enough to fool wealthy people like her parents. Not her fault that these people are asking to be taken advantage of.

"Young Lady, can you give me your right hand?" the psychic chick asked politely.

Toph held out her hand that was pricked by a needle earlier, and the woman took it. The Seer once again traced the lines in her palms while murmuring some kind of enchantments. After doing whatever voodoo shit that was, the Earthbender felt the woman meet her eyes.

"What you have to do is pretty simple; the moment I place this stone on your hand, crush it–"

"That might hurt my daughter!" her father immediately interjected.

"It will not hurt her, this stone isn't capable of doing that. In fact, it is the other way around. You see, this stone doesn't belong to this world. The moment it touches worldly beings it will immediately try to incorporate itself to the spirit of that being."

When that doesn't seem to convince her father, Toph picked the frustration from the seer. Tilting her head to the side, she sends a coy smile to the woman.

'Welcome to my world,' Toph mused.

Despite noticing her gibe, the woman ignored it and attempted to persuade her father again. However, before she could even speak, the woman was again cut off by her father.

"Enough! I believe what we had witnessed up until now will suffice. I will not risk my daughter's safety over trivial matters."

Trivial.

Yes, giving their daughter a closure about this soulmate thing is trivial.

"Mr. Beifong, these matters are very complex. I have to be certain about the results in order to give precise deductions."

"Madam, " her father took a long deliberate pause, "As I have said we had enough. Tell us the result so we could all proceed in settling this arrangement."

The finality in his voice made it clear that there is no room for further discussions.

Suddenly, Toph finds this situation less entertaining.

Her parents' overbearing possessiveness is twice more infuriating than the usual. Add to that, the notion of her being Markless about to be announced to the world made her teeth grind.

The woman on the other hand pursed her lips.

It took a few moments of silence before she lets out a defeated sigh. The Seer then stood up and with a voice heavy with grief announced the final judgment of the heavens:

"It deeply saddens my heart... but I'm afraid that your daughter indeed has no soulmate.

Toph felt numb.

She vaguely heard the gasps from the servants nor the soft sobs of her mother that echoes across the room. Hardly registered that her father embraced her.

Instead, she strained her ears to listen to her own heartbeat.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

She let the rhythm of her pulse soothe her, to remind her that she is still alive. That's right, so what if she has no soulmate? She's still alive and that's what matters. She's gonna be the greatest Earthbender in the entire world with or without them.

Upon grounding herself, Toph once again retreated back to her impenetrable walls. Played an aloof expression as if she doesn't really care, because deep down she had already come into terms that she will never be normal in any sense.

An oddity. That's what she is.

After this, her parents will box her again and tuck her somewhere far away. After all, Toph is the shame of their family; the embarrassment her mother and father cannot afford to show to the world.

The Earthbender smiled bitterly to herself, she supposes knowing something and hearing its confirmation from others are two different things;

She understands it now, it puts greater weight over the truth.

Ignoring the pang in her chest.

Toph stood up and quietly walked out of the room.

"Okay, guys! Let's camp here for the night." Toph felt Aang stir Appa as he said that.

The Sky Bison lets out a soft rumble in his belly once he landed on the ground. Despite this, Toph didn't move as she schools her expression into her usual indifferent one. She lifts her head up when she felt Katara tap her shoulder twice, feigning a yawn as if she just woke up from a nap.

Toph quickly jumps off the saddle and lets out a relieved sigh as her vision restores. She stood there for a moment before biting her tongue and deciding to help them set up camp. Toph doesn't want to have the same argument with them again. It's unnecessary and frankly, she doesn't have the energy for that now.

Turning around, she held a hand towards them, "Pass me all that's need to be carried and tell me where to put them."

She heard them pause, likely to exchange glances with one another, before she sensing Katara move to hand her some of their sleeping bags.

She heard the smile in Katara's voice when she said, "Thanks Toph… you can place them anywhere."

She shrugs and replies, "No problem."

Toph chose a relatively grassy land to set them down. Feeling their vibrations for a moment, she started for the forest nearby.

Without looking back she called for them, "I'll go gather some firewoods."

She heard Sokka shout an 'okay"' but didn't bother to respond. Wanting to have some space she decided to go deeper into the woods and once she couldn't hear them anymore, she started collecting dry twigs.

Seriously, what did she get herself into?

Unwittingly, Toph's train of thoughts trailed back home; Her parent's worried face flashed behind her mind.

Tugging the blankets to her chin, Toph turned away from her mother.

"I'm fine. I just want to sleep."

Her mother frowned and tried to coax her with comfort again. She sits at the edge of her bed and rubs gentle circles at her back, "Honey, it's okay. You don't have to worry about being markless. Your father and I will make sure to find you a suitable husband and once you're married to him you won't even remember about it."

Toph held back the sigh that was threatening to slip from her.

Why is she refusing to dismiss this matter? She's making it too obvious that they're the one who's not really fine about Toph being markless.

Closing her eyes, Toph strained her voice to make it seem like she's exhausted, "Mother, I said I'm fine. I'm just really exhausted, a nap would be great now…"

Finally giving up, her mother placed a kiss on her cheek and went for the door, "I suppose that meeting was really draining. I will leave you now, make sure you get a lot of rest."

"Okay, thank you… and can you please make sure no one disturbs me while I sleep?" Toph said it as sweetly as she can, almost making herself gag in the process.

A rueful expression settled in her mother's face, "Alright, I'll make sure of that."

The click of the door indicated the departure of her mother and as soon as she heard it, the Earthbender abruptly sat up. Toph viciously rubs her face as she groans. Her mother probably thought she's going to cry herself to sleep.

Whatever.

She stooped down and pulled the sling bag that was hidden underneath her bed. Toph threw it to her shoulder and ruffled her clothes a little bit more. She was already wearing her fighting garments, ready to blow some steam.

Quickly locking the door, the Earthbender then hopped on the railings of her window. If the universe seriously thinks that being markless would prevent her from kicking people's ass, they're dead wrong.

She stood there for a moment. Relishing the feeling of the wind caressing her skin before finally jumping out of her room, but not before looking up to the sky, raising both of her hands and giving the world a double flip.

Smirking to herself, the Earthbender runs across the yard.

Yeah. Fuck you, universe!

Remembering how optimistic she was that day made Toph sneer as she haphazardly dumps the branches she was holding into the pile that she had already gathered. She tipped her head back upwards and for the second time gave the universe another flip. She lets out a frustrated noise as she stomps her feet to summon a boulder to sit on.

She's not even sure who is it that she's mad at; the world or herself?

Toph shouldn't have been so intrigued by the idea of teaching the Avatar Earthbending that day. Her ego really got her good this time.

Everything was going well until that kid showed up.

Toph gritted her teeth as she got up from her fall. Letting out an irritated huff, she shrugged off the debris from her body.

What the hell was that?

She didn't sense him use any kind of Earthbending at all. It was as if he simply blew her away with wind, which is impossible because the art of Airbending is already extinct along with the Air Nomads. When she felt his light footsteps make their way towards her, she clicked her tongue and made her own way towards the exit of the arena.

"Please listen, I need an earthbending teacher and I think it's supposed to be you!" she heard him shout from across the stairs.

What kind of nonsense is he talking about? She has no time for that kind of shit.

"Whoever you are, just leave me alone."

Spirits, this boy is persistent. He nimbly jumped from where he is and chased after her. As she felt him closing their distance more and more, Toph decided to make her own exit and opened a hole in the concrete wall.

Stepping inside, she heard his desperate call, "Wait!"

Without sparing any necessary attention she slammed the wall in his face. As she trudged her way out of her make-shift tunnel, Toph felt him place his palms against the cold concrete and rested his forehead in defeat.

Toph disregarded how his heartbeat practically screams for her to come back.

She doesn't care.

It doesn't bother her how his footsteps became significantly heavier with each step he takes as he walks back to his friends.

Yep, she doesn't care.

Well, damn.

It turns out she does care. At least at a certain level.

After all, she wouldn't be here if she didn't. She felt bad not just for him but also for the world. Toph know's it doesn't look like it but she is genuinely concerned about how the Fire Nation is slowly conquering its neighboring countries. Hell, they literally burned a whole race.

No matter how tough Toph is, she has a heart.

She can't simply ignore the suffering of the common people under the hands of a tyrant and corrupt officials. Sure, she won't go out all the way to be their savior but if she can lend a hand to make things a little better then she wouldn't hesitate to give that. Or else her conscience wouldn't let her sleep at night.

Yes, that's right.

She's concerned but just slightly.

Toph refuses to admit that she risked everythingshe had for him. That's insane. He's practically a stranger, besides she's just gonna stick with them for a little while. She just had to hold her end of the bargain. Teach him Earthbending then yeet herself out and away from these rag-tags.

All she had to do is to pretend one last time and be a civil human being. The only consolation she got is that they gave her the leeway to freedom and she doesn't have to fake being helpless this time. She doesn't have to be upset by their actions or words.

No need for attachments, she's leaving them anyway.

Nodding, Toph convinced herself that she's doing it for herself, for her freedom, and for the world.

She stood up and decided to finally head back to the camp. Disregarding that perhaps the firewoods she had gathered are more than what they necessarily need. Taking careful and deliberate steps she sensed the earth's vibrations to see how far they have been from home. It was a futile attempt as her vision of the world slowly fizzled out after a hundred kilometers away from her.

Toph paused for a moment.

There is really no going back now, isn't it? She's really far from home.

Toph huffed.

One day she will be able to see everything that touches the earth even if it's on the other side of the world. One day. But for now, Toph settled to push the guilt that's gnawing at the pit of her stomach and started marching once again.

She then suddenly felt nimble footsteps ahead moving towards her.

Pausing once again in her tracks she called him, "Twinkle Toes."

"Hey, Toph..."

She sensed him anxiously shift from foot to foot. What's wrong with this kid? Does he need to pee? She tilted her head and asked, "Wassup?"

"Nothing…?"

Raising an eyebrow at that she shrugs and continues to walk again. Maybe he really does need to pee. A hand on her shoulder however stopped her, turning to him she shot him a look.

What now?

"Actually, Toph… I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

Surprised, she watches him rub his arms awkwardly.

The Airbender turned his head away from her as he continued, "I'm sorry that I blew up on you. It wasn't right that I blamed you for what had happened. You even helped us not to get ambushed, and yet I still did it. I let my emotions get a hold of me. I'm really, really sorry Toph..."

Toph internally faltered when she heard how steady and true his heartbeat remained as he uttered those words.

His honesty almost made her shrink away from the Airbender.

She remained quiet though, unsure of how to respond. She's genuinely astonished by what is unfolding before her. No one had ever apologized to her as sincerely as he did just now. Especially after knowing her true colors. And yet this kid did. He's exceedingly surpassing her expectations about him. How long till he loses this element of surprise? She wonders.

"So… do you forgive me?"

Snapping herself to respond, she motioned a hand towards him, "It's okay. No big deal."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Yep. She doesn't mind it.

For Toph to be able to do that it would require her to care about him or them or anyone.

"Great!" the Airbender beamed.

Then without hesitation, he threw himself over the Earthbender, squeezing her into a tight hug that he almost lifted her off the ground. Toph's brain short-circuited at both the feeling of his skin against hers and the sound of his laughter so close to her ear. And before she could back away from him he had already released her. The Airbender then swiftly took her hands that she didn't know she had held up to hold them tightly.

Letting out a shaky breath he declared, "Thank you! Man, I'm so glad you're not mad at me. It really feels so awful to have a fight with your friend."

Toph didn't need to see that he grinned from ear to ear, the boy might as well proclaim his rivalry with the sun with how much brightness he is radiating right now.

The Airbender finally lets her go and she senses him execute a movement. A gust of wind gently brisked on her feet and Toph quickly realized that he's gathering the woods she involuntarily dropped due to the shock of his sudden embrace.

Once he had collected the branches, he started walking in the direction where he had come from.

Glancing back, he called her, "Come on Toph. Let's go back. They're waiting for us."

Toph just dumbly stood there as she listened to his light footsteps fade away.

Later that evening, Toph found herself sitting around the fire with the rest of them. The moment she got back, Katara called for her to sit and have dinner with them. The Earthbender had always preferred her own company and that's not because she didn't like them but because she's used to doing things alone by herself. And yet here she was, quietly munching roasted fish and listening to whatever antics Sokka was doing.

Having finished her dinner she announced that she'll call it a night. However, Katara stopped her from standing up, "Wait. We're not done yet."

Toph blinked at her and sat down again, "Okay?"

The Waterbender turned and plucked one of the sticks of pastry (?)that was warming over the fire. She held it toward her with a smile, "Here, try this."

Toph gingerly takes it from her, she twirls it between her fingers before sniffing it. Cinnamon. Deciding that it smells delicious, the Earthbender took a bite.

It was decent.

It lacked sugar and was quite chewy. Toph had better deserts back at the Beifong manor. However, it had that strange domestic flavor. This is probably what home would taste like to other people.

Toph let out a contented hum, "What is this?"

Excuse her rich ass, but it's not Toph's fault that she had never been served with something like this.

"It's her apology gift for yesterday," Sokka chirps from where he is, making Katara hiss in embarrassment at him.

"Sokka!"

Katara then turned back to her, tucking her hair behind her ear out of habit, "It's a cinnamon roll-up. It's better with chocolate or honey but… we don't have them right now. I hope you like them?"

Toph refuses to believe that there is a stinging behind her eyes but just in case she lowered her head to hide her eyes behind her bangs.

Before she knew it, the truth slipped from her mouth, "They're amazing Sweetness...Thanks."

She felt Katara smile. She wasn't sure as they were sitting on a log and her feet were barely touching the ground. The side of her mouth involuntary tugs upward as she pictured this beautiful woman in front of her.

"Oh come on. Let's get into a group hug already!" Sokka exclaimed as he hauls Aang in his arm and went over to where the two of them were.

Once again, Toph found herself squashed into a tight embrace. And before she could fully comprehend what was happening she heard Momo squeal and Appa bellowed. That was the only warning she got before a massive force crushed her even more. The Earthbender expected her initial reaction is to squirm away in disgust but was surprised to find herself hugging them back.

This kind of warmth, this pleasant comfort; she likes it.

As she lay on the ground that night, wide awake, Aang's words kept repeating on her mind.

Friend.

Toph couldn't help but think that maybe it wouldn't be that bad to take her time sticking with this bunch.

End of Chapter

Disclaimer: I'm just simply borrowing the Characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender. All credits go to its creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

N/A: I ended up pulling an all-nighter to write five chapters for this story. I decided to post just the first two. I think the other three still needs improvements.

Anyways, as always, thank you for reading.

I'm going back to my hole to sleep now.