Toph continues her chat with Tulok. Her and Sokka then have a... discussion... with Yakone. The answers aren't exactly what they wanted, but what could they expect.
A/N: The chapter we have all waited for!
Big thank you to my lovely friend LisMuerta for helping me write this tough chapter. I am not great with confrontation scenes, and it would be nowhere near as good without her help 3
*** Reminder again that Chapter 21 will the the last one until November, as I am taking a couple weeks hiatus. I am headed to Disney and Universal in Florida in under two weeks now! So excited :D ***
"I want to know why." She demanded.
"Why what? Why we chose her? Why I married her? Bred her to have my children?" He sneered a smug grin at her. "Why don't you ask me how I had to break her? How she pleaded for me to not hurt her little sister. How she cried out in ecstasy when I finally broke her and she couldn't help herself anymore when I fucked her. She loved it. She was my little who-"
A sudden wack and simultaneously his feet were free of their restraints as a powerful fist smashed into his nose. He fell to the side, his head smacking off the stone floor.
Same day; evening
Toph's fists were still clenched tightly as she heard the sad excuse for a man spit what she assumed was blood, out on the stone floor. She felt a rage in herself that she had never felt before. She knew she would need to be careful that she didn't kill him, but there was a reason she wanted none of her subordinates on the floor.
The man started laughing. "That was a pretty dumb move for someone who is supposed to be holding up the law. What will everyone think when I show up with bruises across my face and a broken nose?" He grinned up, blood running from his nose into his mouth, so his teeth were covered in blood. Quite a nasty sight - if Toph could see that is.
"You are a sick pervert who will pay for what you have done, if it is the last thing I do." Toph said, stepping forward. "And don't worry, I will make sure you are nice and presentable." She reached down and grabbed his collar, yanking him up a little.
"What happened to being innocent until proven guilty?"
Toph could hear the taunting tone in his voice, causing her to scoff. "You don't think we can't put two and two together? You kidnapped my 16 year old daughter and made her your child bride, forcing her to have your children."
"Are you sure she didn't just run away from you? Yes, we got married when she was young, but she wanted it. I know for a fact that you would let your daughters run amok in the streets, not caring about where they went. While you were busy running your little police force or drinking in your off time, your darling daughter was being a mother to her own sister. Not to mention having to clean up after you and your shit. No wonder she would want to leave you."
Toph clenched her fists in his shirt even more, knowing that he was wrong even if some of his facts were true. "Lin would never run away! Especially not to marry someone like you. I had my faults, I won't deny that, but I know my daughter enough to know that she would have never done that."
"She begged me. Begged me to take her. I wasn't her first, you know." He commented casually. "While you were so wrapped up in your own life, your darling daughter was sleeping her way through the City. I put an end to that. I gave her what she wanted, what she needed. The whore loved it. She loved me breaking her down and building her back up. Helping to sculpt her into the woman she is today." He smirked, mouth still bloody, as he could see how upset the usually impenetrable Police Chief was.
What the idiot didn't realize was that Toph was most upset because she could tell he was lying. Could feel his heartbeat change with every lie he spoke. Not to mention the contradictions of his own words. This man was scum, and it made her furious that he forced himself on her baby.
She finally leaned in closer. "I know for a fact you are lying. You aren't even a good one. So spare me the bullshit. I want to know the real reason!" She spat venomously, some spittle hitting his face.
This time he let a dark smile grace his face. "You want to know what the best thing was? Watching her hope die. Especially after your waterbender friend didn't recognize her. That little light finally disappeared from her eyes, and that is when she finally gave herself over to me completely."
He didn't have a chance to move, before a swift kick hit him between the legs. Toph didn't allow him to fold over to protect himself, instead calling the stone up to encase his hands, before grabbing his face in a tight grip. She took some enjoyment from his pained groans.
"Oh, did that hurt? I can't imagine what it is like to be abused like that." She jerked his head up, nails digging into his skin. "But we both know that is nothing compared to what you have done to Lin. You will never touch her, or any other woman again." Toph said, her voice dark. "You don't want to give me answers? Fine, but the courts will decide your fate."
It was Tulok's turn to scoff. "You have just screwed your own case. Once my lawyer looks at me, they will throw out your claim."
"Think again." Toph replied, roughly letting go of his face, but not before digging her nails in one last time. "Alright Sugar Queen, do your magic." She called over her shoulder. The earthbender smirked as she felt the previous waterbender's heartbeat stutter in shock. The idiot really thought she would just hurt him and then just let Lin's case get dropped?
Katara stepped into view and then through the open cell. She was already drawing water from the skeins on her hips. As soon as she was close enough, the first thing she did was harden the water into an ice spear, and raised it to sit threateningly close to his jugular.
"You don't even deserve to live for what you have done. I didn't recognize Lin all those years ago, because I saw her everywhere I went. That was all your doing, you sick, perverted man. I don't want to heal you." The spear was sharp as it nicked his neck. "But I love my niece more than I want to see you suffer. She will win this."
Katara swiftly changed the ice spear back into water. She was quick, yet thorough to heal the split flesh and his broken nose. Thankfully Toph wasn't a bloodbender, so his forming bruises were able to be healed immediately, unlike with Lin's who had needed the healing bath to heal the bruises that had been made worse by the bloodbending. The whole time, Katara made sure that the water was not a soothing warmth that she usually used for her patients. She made sure it flowed between either just below scalding or right above freezing, as to not damage him any further - just enough to be very uncomfortable. She then healed the outward bruising done to his manhood, but made sure that he would still feel it for a while. Finally, she sunk the water into his shirt and swiftly pulled the blood from it, leaving no trace behind. The last thing she did was doing the same thing with the stone floor.
When the man and the cell were clear of all signs of a fight, Katara stepped back and called the pink-tinged water back into her skeins. She then placed her hand lightly on her younger friend's tense shoulder.
Toph swiftly released his hands from their stone prison, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.
"See you in court." She quipped with a sneer, before leaving the cell in front of Katara. She bent the lock closed with her bending, locking the man back in his cell.
Once in the hallway, away from his cell, Sokka pulled Toph into his arms, feeling her body shake. "It's okay. Lin is safe, she is home, and not with him any longer."
Toph allowed herself a few moments to take comfort from his warm embrace, before she pulled back. "I want to speak to Yakone now."
Sokka cupped Toph's cheeks, and rested their foreheads together as he nodded. "Alright, let's go. The sooner we finish with him, the sooner we can get home to our girls."
Toph gave him a strained smile as she stepped back a bit. Sokka wiped the lone tear from the corner of her right eye, before straightening himself up. They walked down the hallway, catching up with Aang, Katara, and Zuko, who had stepped ahead to give them some space.
"Let's get this shit show done with." Toph gruffed. "This is the only time I will be able to do this before others will find out that they are here."
Like before, Toph slammed the cell door open once they came to the opposite end of the floor.
"Ah good, will you explain why I am here?" The man said.
"Cut the shit, we know who you are, Konai, or should I say, Yakone?" Toph growled.
"Yakone, I have never heard such a name."
"Come on old man, I thought you played the game better than this. You may have changed your body to appear younger, but obviously your brain has gotten worse. I can tell when someone lies, you dipshit."
The kind and confused expression dropped instantly from his face. "You won't be able to prove it."
"Your son, and my daughter prove otherwise. Both are aware of who you are, since you told them yourself." Toph then fixed her unseeing gaze to stare directly at him, glaring. "Now, I want answers. Why Lin? Why take her instead of taking it out on me?"
"Why should I tell you anything? You blind freak."
Toph felt Sokka brush past her. "Listen here, you will not talk to her like that. You are going to answer her questions." He said, poking the man in the chest, glaring at him.
"Oh yeah? Watcha gonna do about that, Southern boy?" Yakone sneered. He opened his mouth to speak again, but found his back hitting the wall behind him instead.
Sokka had the man pinned, the back of his forearm pressed into the other man's throat. "You really think that bothers me?" He rolls his eyes, before turning serious again. "If you know what's good for you, you will answer her questions. Maybe I need to refresh your memory of just what happened during the war." There was a glint in Sokka's eyes that had Yakone narrowing his in return.
"Oh? Anything I tell you now won't be able to be used in court."
"We'll leave all the legal bullshit to the lawyers. I just want to know why Lin?" Toph asked again, moving closer.
Yakone glanced over to her, a sick grin curling one half of his mouth. "You were too old to have any more children. We briefly thought we would take the Avatar's daughter, but she's a waterbender, and was travelling. Your little baby was a strong earthbender, easy on the eyes, and a ripe age for bearing lots of strong benders herself." He enjoyed seeing the fire in the Police Chief's milky eyes as she processed his words. "Not to mention, we needed to have someone continue our line with my nephew, and who better than the daughter of the woman who ruined everything? I was jealous. I wish I hadn't married Istas, and I could have been the one to fuck that pretty little-"
A fist met his jaw, before another met his gut. Sokka's eyes were burning cold like the tundra he came from as he landed punch after solid punch.
He went to swing again at his head, when his fist was caught.
"Enough Sokka. You can't kill him." Zuko said firmly, even if he would rather let his friend keep going. That man had in one day changed their whole world, and if Zuko didn't feel confident he would never see the light of day again, he would not have stopped Sokka.
"Zuko is right. Let's let Katara do her thing and get back to Lin. They have taken enough of our time with her." Aang added, already having pulled Toph back.
Sokka's chest heaved as he met both of his friends' eyes, before quickly glancing at both his sister, and his love. His shoulders dropped, and he stepped back. Yakone slumped down the wall to rest on the floor, his face even more bloody than Tulok's had been. Before turning though, he stepped forward with one foot, putting pressure on the man's precious jewels.
"You will rot in prison for the rest of your life, you piece of scum. Don't forget that you will have your previous charges from before to complete, and that's not counting escaping from prison." He ground his foot a little harder. "And that's 'Heir Apparent of the current Chief of the Southern Water Tribe' to you."
Yakone looked like he would be sick from the pain, and that is when Sokka finally stepped back. He allowed Zuko to pull him from the cell. Aang and Toph stayed with Katara until she was done, making sure that there was no trace of anything that had transpired.
After leaving him on the floor, just like his nephew, they locked his cell and made their way back out.
Toph nodded to Bao that it was safe to return to his proper post, and that the prisoners were both well. "If they request a healer, feel free to oblige their fantasies." She gruffed.
Bao instantly understood and responded, "yes, Chief. I wish to extend my happiness that Lin has returned. I cannot imagine what you and your family are going through right now. Let me know if we can do anything."
Toph swallowed and nodded her thanks. "You can start by making sure these two continue to not have contact with each other. And continue to only allow our most trusted to guard. I do not want a repeat of Yakone skipping town. Understood?"
"Yes, Chief. Have a good evening."
When they made it back to the Island, they found almost everyone asleep in the living room. Poppy had obviously left at some point to sleep more comfortably in her bed, as had Mai, Suki, and Ty Lee.
Katara quietly described the adorable scene to Toph, as they took in the pile of limbs, blankets, and pillows around the room. Tayen was cuddled up on Bumi's chest sucking her thumb on one couch, and Tarlo was snuggled up cosily with Izumi as Iroh laid at his mothers feet on another. Suyin was cuddling Nuna in her arms, while Baatar was curled up behind her with his arm across them both. Amaruq and Tenzin were back to back on the floor, closest to the fire.
The only other ones missing were Lin and Kya. The group of five headed upstairs, and saw Kya's door open a sliver. Upon peaking in, they found both the missing girls. Lin was cuddled tightly into Kya's side, as both of the waterbender's arms were wrapped around the younger woman protectively.
Sokka gently slid the door open and quietly walked over. He fixed the blanket that had fallen, before placing a kiss on both girls' heads. Being much closer, he saw that Lin looked very content in his niece's embrace, and was thankful that they had each other.
"Sweet dreams." He whispered. His heart was content to leave them to sleep tonight. He slid the shoji door shut behind him and gave the others a relieved smile. "They are both sound asleep. Lin doesn't sleep enough as it is, so let's leave them for the night."
Toph hesitatingly nodded and allowed Sokka to lead her to their room after bidding the others goodnight.
"How are your knuckles?" Toph asked, once she had changed and was resting against the headboard.
"The ache gives me satisfaction that I at least did something." He said, slipping under the blanket. He picked up her hand and ran his thumb gently over her bruised knuckles too. "I'm sure you feel the same."
"Hmm." She hummed in agreement. "I wish I could have killed them both. But Lin deserves to have justice brought on them for what they did."
He cupped her cheek. "I know, I feel the same. We'll support her through this all."
"They are going to fight to have her testify in court, you know that right? And Nuna too. I don't know if we will be able to prevent that; to protect them both."
"I know, love. We will do all we can though."
Toph pulled him in for a kiss, expressing all her emotions through it, as he did in return. Usually this would turn into more, but instead, they needed to just find comfort in each other's arms. They pulled apart and slid down, Sokka resting his head on his pillow as Toph rested hers on his chest.
They fell asleep holding each other tight, vowing that they would protect their family at all costs.
A/N: I think that the next chapter will be a mostly sweet chapter. Lin deserves a little happiness, as do her children. I have just the thing in mind ;)
Let me know what you think, comments feed my soul these days and inspire me to write more.