Interlude: Returning from exile

The old woman next to him ached under the load of a heavy bundle she was carrying on her head. She looked rural, even for the standards of the swamps of the Kwanto. Kinochi Saito was a young Engineer working for Bei Gao Contstructions. It still was strange to live in the earthern nations, where everything was different from home. The people here were adversary to innovation. They did not like the thought of something displeasing their ancestors, and finally they were just so – unreadable. He still did not understand if somebody was agreeing with him or not – because the people always complimented him on his ideas. Back on the steep flanks of the Fusohi islands everything was simpler, the people were bolt and gruffy. But they were honest and hard working. Something that could only be said for few of the higher ups in earth nation society. The workers from Omashu however eluded him even more than the peasants and lords that lived in a strict hierarchy that had been broken half a century ago in the fire nation.

When he took on his work as a supervisor of the train line that should one day connect Omashu with Tsing Tao he had been startled at the strenght of his worker workers. It was almost inhuman, their progess by far proceeding the discussed time schedule – until the men collapsed like flys. The engineer had been astonished and asked his foremen what had happened. They stated that this was an inexcusable mistake of the weaklings that had picked up work at the railways. They told him they would make sure that the new men could work more than sixteen hours a day. What kind of monstrous mindset was that? And these people dared saying that the firenation was full of she-vixens and murderous butchers! That had shocked the young man to his core. He simply had fired his foremen and gathered the workers to thank them for their effort. They had stared at him as if he had stripped himself naked an pissed in their faces. Still his boys had started adoring the young man like some kind of deity. Some of them even went so far as to call him the southern saint behind his back. He smiled at the doubtful compliment that this rumors carried.

The old woman had set down the bundle with a heavy thud. She had to be much older than seventy years, even though she was the size of an elementary school child. Her clothes were made of yellow and green patches that had been loosing their colors for several years. She was so poor that she couldn´t even afford shoes. The engineer was wearing loosely cut, green throusers, high, polished boots as well as a green tunic. His hair was done in the style of the earthnation, as was his black mustache. It was bad enough that his amber eyes made him stick out like a three legged oostrich-horse. The small, makeshift station was run down and frequented only by faring folk and other scoundrels, as the local farmers muttered under their breaths. They disliked the trains, which were full of foreighn workes, who would lay eyes on their daughters. Mr. Saito had long ago stopped to explain to them, that this was just due to their rotten, more than vivid, imagination. They feared the huffing steemengines that reminded them of demons and evil spirits, even if the engineer never had heard from a steam breathing Kappas, or the likes! Nothing had ´prepared the young man for farmers sabotaging his work and denying him rooms. But in the meantime he somehow had adapted, had learned the local dialect of Guang zhu, had bribed local officials and even taken a liking to the clothing style of the local lords. But now he was leaving this boring hellhole for his long deserved vacation after three years of inhumanly hard wolk. There had been no day where he hadn´t risen with the sun and worked until it left the heavens.

Back home on Fijshi nobody would have let a gradmother carry such a heavy weight. His conscience nudged him. Still, things like these would be highly improper here – since he wasn´t that womans grandson. It was baffling how different earth nationers behaved to their family, they were well mannered, caring and outright nice people to their clansmen. But to strangers... they were quite superstitial scumbags! He was waiting for the train to take him to Republic City. There he had some pals from the academy, who were waiting for him. Jotaro had written that future industries was hiring in the construction department, due to a quite big mining Project in some little town named Lau An. The had found excellent iron ore there. Actually Saito was thinking about screwing his job if he got a foot into the huge, republican company. There the working conditions were much better, even if the wage was just half of what he earned right now. But he could not imagine doing his job for another ten years, for if he did he could organize his funeral, since his body wouldn´t stand the strain. Therefore he would not have to grovel under the boot of his survisors like a wiggling maggot anymore. Also he hoped that he would find a wife in this big city, since the country girls here were just too – simple. He expected more from a wife than a wet vagina, cooking skills and obedience.

He looked around, maybe one of the youngsters sitting on the wooden train plattform would aid the woman. They were waiting for the next train and hoped to catch a whiff of the wide world. The engineer smiled, he remembered his fourteen year old self having the same look as he looked out into the small fishing harbour of his home island. „Damned wood, can´t see a damn. As if stone was some expensive shit." a rough voice croaked annoyed. It took a while until he found out that it emerged from the stern looking old woman besides him. She looked very anxious somehow and – unimaginably threathening for somebody so tiny. He was short to coughing as he remembered that nobody was near him who could hear his response to the impolite woman. And since nobody was there he hadn´t to play indignated. He was wondering how she could have gotten here – because she definitily was not part of the locals, nor was she part of the savage tribe that was making more an more problems for the company.

How a watertribe branch had errected his dwellings in the middle of the earthnations was a miracle, but nevertheless the swamp- spirits had been here for centuries. And they definitely were objecting the doings of his company. Storage huts had been burnt and workers that strayed from the construction line – and hence the sharp eyes of the badgermole company 21 – had been beaten up so bad they had to be sent home. In his opinion it was just a matter of time until the watertribe would attack, and when that happened Hiroshi Saito would like to be as far away from this bloody swamp as he could. Still he had signed his contract and contracts had to be honored. He blinked as the old woman again muttered a curse that was far from befitting a lady. He eyed her more closely, because he was wondering, what wood might have to do with her sight. He then noted that the woman should not be able to see much at all. Her hair, wich was crafted into a huge, whitish bun on the back of her tiny head was rather unkempt and hung all over her eyes like a curtain. Also her head was not moving an inch, even though she seemed quite insecure about something. „Excuse me Madam, but what exactly is dislikeable in the case of a wooden train-platform?" He asked the woman with a hint of curiosity in his voice. The woman flinched and stumbled a steb backwards, the engineer wanted to catch her but she cought her body with a strange, fluid movement that belied her many years.

„Holy spirits – can´t ya damn slabberfuck intoduce yerself lika a bloody civilized being?" the woman snapped at him. He jumped into the straight position of a soldier since his father had ingrained firenation discipline into his very bones. Some of the teenagers were laughing at him, but a simple, indignated stare from his amber eyes made them silent. „There is no need to be so upset Madam! I was however politely standing next to you." he responded quite startled as the woman glared at him from under her long bangs. „Aho so that´s what yer kids nowadays call starin at honest people. If I were in ma prime I´d slap the ever livin shit outta yer noble butt!" she rambled rather annoyed and switched into some kind of strange dialect to add some colorful remarks. Some of the teenagers turned beetred, so it seemed the woman was swearing quite excellently.

Just where did she come from? If she belonged to some troupe of artists she would´ve never been let alone like this, and Hiroshi Saito could not imagine another earth nationer to swear like this in public. Still it started to annoy him to be the target of her raving. „Just stop behaving like a bloody Jia Shinrí." he growled while he felt his pulse rise, he had been rather gallant and this were his thanks?

The woman stopped and started laughing loudly, another impolite behavior for a lady. He blinked, what was so funny about that? „What the hell´s a fireboy doin in these swamps?" she asked. Still it seemed she wasn´t really interested in his answer, even though she had asked. „I´m building the railroad for Bei Gao Constructions, Grandma." he responded. „It´s not easy to say the least." he added sighing, actually he felt all gloomy as he remembered that he had to return into these swamps in two months time. The old woman snorted. „Yeah – with this bunch of pious fuckwad´s thats a damn understatement kid." she stated. „OH NOO these iron rods surely will make my wife infertile! Brother Lie Hong what shall we do? Oh Brother Ling Hong there´s just one thing we can do... WHIP THE FOREIGNERS...Yeah – I know how these idiots work!" the woman mused frustrated. „I´d not have phrased it so blunt - but you´re right. So I´m very happy to have some time of vacation. I´m taking a closer look at Republic City, I´ve heard a lot of quite intersting things about the Republic, since some of my study buddies are working there." he responded. It was rather strange how much his life had changed since he was able to take on the Avatar Aang scholarship after elementary school.

The man blinked as he realized just how far the son of a poor, illiterate fisherman had come in a mere thirteen years. The old woman nodded. „I´m headed there too." he voice was gruffy, it seemed that she didn´t want to go to Republic City at all. Since she did not elaborate her thoughts any further it was Saitos turn to show initiative. „I guess you´re visiting family?" he tried to continue the conversation, old people always loved talking about their family, that much was a given. The old woman just countered with a genuinely pissed „Shut the fuck up asshole!" She then simply walked off until she was standing at least ten feet away from him. The bundle still was resting at it´s place. Hiroshi Saito scratched his head as he looked at the old woman. What had he done wrong, and would he someday also turn into such a sour old person? It was just now he noticed how tipsy her steps were, she also was tapping the ground with her feet as if she was blind. What the hell had he done wrong right now? So he stood there feeling quite awkward, he was relieved as the train finally arrived.

It was a small, experimental train, which was only pulling a single waggon. The machine stopped with screeching brakes. The wagon was close to empty. Only a bunch of workers were sitting there, their simple clothes dusty, travel cases and rucksacks resting in front of their feet. The train operator stuck his head out of the train. „Train to Oma-shu, departing in ten minutes, Ladies and gents. He descended from the drivers cabine to sell cards to potential passengers. Of course the man knew Hiroshi and hurried up towards the young man to pay him his respects. „Greetings Master Hiroshi." the man babbled and bowed low. Since the engineer wasn´t of noble breed he wasn´t called Lord but Master, a title ususally used for artisans, martial artists or poets. He nodded dimissive as it was proper for somebody of higher status. „May the spirits bless you." he responded in traditional manner. What it was that made him buy two first class tickets instead of one he would not have been able to describe a split second after he did it. Even though the man was quite distuberd he did not loose his friendly smile and obediently handed him the two, yellow billets. They wore the sign of the Bei Gao railroad company as well as the stamp of the Republic City traffic works.

„Tickets – Tickets to Omashu, Republic City and Ba Sing Se. Tickets for onehundredandseventy yuan!" the man screamed according to protocol. Of course nobody else was interested, the old woman was walking towards the official. „Excuse me Ma am." the engineer started as he dropped his face. The woman took her hand out of a dirtied sleeve and presented a whole palm full of nail sized goldnuggets.

„Gimme a ticket to Republic City pal." she stated dryly. „You can keep the change." she added in the same, nonchalant manner, while the poor official was stuttereing incomprehensible things as he greedily gripped the gold. „Oh uh thank you mylady." he responded as soon as he finally remembered his manners. He went as far as lowering himself on his knees and bowing low. Hiroshi couldn´t fight the feeling of disgust – low bows weren´t something a man was supposed to do for money. It just felt slimy and unmanly and the fact that every serv in the earthnations was doing it more or less frequently did not make is less disgusting! The old woman was totally unfazed as if she were indeed a lady of standing. „Get the luggage rounded up and be careful!" she rose her finger obviously thinking about a fitting, what happes if phrase. Never had he seen a serv more eager to carry a filthy bundle of rags and - heavens knows what, The man almost tripped over his own feet and lifted the bundle. He obviously was startled by its substantial weight. The womans lips twitched. „Eh pretty boy – need a hand with that?" she mocked the train driver, who was flushing pink at the jovial offer of an old grandmother. „N-No no, everythings fine." he almost yelped as he squeezed his private parts between the strange bundle and he almost crossed legs.

The engineer could not fight a grin out of his face, even if he managed to avoid laughing out loud. The old woman however stumbled towards the train. „Maám..." the enineer caught up with long strides, willingly offering his arm to the old woman who stared at him furiously, even though her eyes were of a milky green. The eery gaze, combined with an annoyed frown made him back off immediately. The woman muttered something under her breath, he meant to identify the words „annoying brat" Instead off colliding head face first with the train, like Saito had expected the woman banged her palms against the steel as soon as it was in reach. She sighed a content sigh, muttered something and steadily walked towards the still closed door of the wagon. The engineer blinked disturbed and stared at his two cards. What had he wasted half a wage on exactly? And this crazy person wasn´t even thanking him. „What a bloody waste." he grumbled. „I´ve never told ya to buy two tickets in the first place fire-fry." the woman responded without turning her head.

An almost lazy seeming flick of her hand and the iron door of the wagon opened itself with a creaking sound. He blinked again. A metalbending, strange old woman that cursed like a sailor! And here he thought these swamps were something you got to know after a mere three years. Still he felt blood shooting into his head, then he reminded himself on his status as a grown man and followed hastily, the kids of course were laughing at him. He snorted annoyed – without a doubt rumors would be spreading. Rumer that stated he was associating with travelling riffraff – wonderful! Hiroshi Saito clenched his jaw – people always had laughed at him but up till know he had proven all of them wrong. He, who has the last laught laughs best – he believed in the old proverb. He entered and the idle talking of the workers stopped at once. „Greetings mylord." they bowed eagerly. Different from usual the word lord was spoken in a hearty tone and not in one of polite obedience. „May the spirits bless you." he responded and added „please don´t be formal in my presence gents." he responded and wanted to fasten his suitcase on a row of seats. „Pleas lemme do this m´lord." a grizzled worker responded and jumped from his seat. He almost tore the suitcase out of Hiroshis hand. The engineer held fast and chuckled. He wasn´t some kind of porcellaine prince – he was a healthy man in his late twenties! He frowned. „Erm...I can handle my own suitcase pops." he blabbered, dammit – my reputation – his noble self screamed in pain! „No no, please it´s no hassle m´lord. I owe his lordship me life! Pleas lemme be of service!" the man was short of crying so the engineer released his suitcase with a startled look on his face and watched as the man tied the suitcase to the seat as if he was placing his own firstborn in it. Saved his life? Hiroshi Saito was quite disturbed as he looked at the man an tried to remember where he should´ve known him from. Nothing in particular came to his mind – well, he did quell a fire in the workers barracks some months ago. Being an exceptional firebender had been what had enabled him to attend the royal academy in the first place. „I´m sorry but I can´t place you." he responded while he felt dozens of eyes on him. Even the old hag was looking at him, she finally had stopped smirking unnervingly. „Oh-oh yes, when the fires broke out some months ago in the baracks the oven fell on me – I, I couldn´t move and his lordship dragged me out there an carried me to the healers." he replied bowing deeply. Had he done something like this? The half and hour he was dealing with the barrack fire were nothing but a blurry memory of smoke, screams and singing heat. He shook his head. „No need to kneel in front of me." his voice sounded rough – open gratitude wasn´t something he had expierienced often in the last three years. He always had been the foreigner – the evil firenation Lordling who was a necessary evil. He blinked descisively. He remembered something he had read in a silly juvenile novel. He heard the voice of the fictional Kaito Nobunaga in his head. „A man may be lord over himself before he desires the title of Lord"

It was not the time to loose face, the young man was brimming with happiness and pride but his face returned into an expressionless mask. „I accept your thanks serv and appreciate your service. You may go now." he responded while the startled man nodded, bowed a few further times and then hurried beck to his mates with the bowed head of the servile class. The welkomed him with clasps on the back an silent whispers. „Oh – so there´s an actual man beyond the silk robes? you´re one funny firefly." the old lady quipped almost flirtatious. This irksome little woman! All his built up dignity crumbled away as he searched for a proper remark. He closed the distance to the woman who was placing her mudstained, calloused feet on the cloth of a seat. He planted his hands at his hips a nd frowned his angriest boss-frown. The blind woman of course was left unfazed. „What in Koh´s name have I done to you?" he asked with barely surpressed anger – not only had he wasted twohundredtwenty yuan for this woman, as a reward he even was mocked! „Ugh you´re a funny distraction kid." she responded dryly as if she was talking to a todler – not to an tall engineer. He was funny? He felt his chi simmering into his palms, they became hot. Still he seated himself next to her. „Listen – stop ridiculing me until we arrive in Omashu or by the mother of faces, I´ll forget that you´re a woman." he hissed in an icy voice. „I balled my fists in my pockets for three goddamned years, and you are on the best path to ruin what little reputation I´ve built..." he did not need to add further threats. The womans eyes flew wide for a moment. She fidgeted with her rather thick, calloused fingers. She didn´t say a word. „Well – I´m worrying about family. I might be a bit sharp-tongued." she responded in an almost pouty tone. Then she stared into nothingness, or to be more precise, dicectly at Saitos chest. He didn´t know an appropriate response, most likely this was as close to an apology as he would get. Still this woman irked him – she behaved like he wanted to behave after all. He waited for her to quip another comment but she remained silent, her face looking quite grim. He could wait, or so Hiroshi Saito thought. After sitting in silence for more than three hours, according to his parabellum pocketwatch – a geeky, extremely expensive item only an engineer could think of as worth buying – he broke the silence.

„Chrm." he cleared his throath „I´m Hiroshi Saito." he introduced himself. „I know." the old woman responded ignoring his sublte request for her name. He waited again, until he could not bear the smugness this old BRAT was radiating. „So what´s your name." he responded urgingly. The old woman chuckled, while popping some of her vertebras back into their propper places. „You´re quite impatient young man." she responded wiping an imaginary tear from her cheek. „That you´re so interested in an old woman is quite perverted." she stated dryly. Then the vile vixen watched Saito blushing furiously. As if he wanted something from such an old hag – even assuming that in jest – just – just how PERVERTED was THIS WOMAN! „But since you´re so adament I´ll tell you a secret." she leaned over to him. „I´m Toph Bei Fong." she spoke plainly. Saito snorted – everybody knew that Toph Bei Fong had left this world almost twenty years ago. She even had a memorial standing right in front of the metal bending academy. That wouldn´t have been erected if she still was around somewhere wouldn´t it? „Even a gearhead like me knows Toph Bei Fong is long gone to the realms." he responded „but if you don´t want to tell me your name thats fine – Toph." he rolled his eyes. She blinked and looked astonished. Did this woman really think she was the legendary warhero? Or was she indeed the legendary earthbender. The behavior at least was perfectly in tune with the numerous tales that were told about this woman. Well, you had to know beforehand she was a woman because Saito had believed that Toph Bei Fong as male until they had discussed the topic in history class. She then chuckled a humorless cuckle „Yeah – maybe that would´ve been better." she concluded mysteriously and frowned even worse. The traing rattled on an on, just stopping occasionally. Even as the sun set the old woman kept staring in nothingness – it was outright creepy. She would barely answer any questions Saito asked. While the man was quite exhausted from his hectic day the old woman was groaning and grumbling. She didn´t even eat something while he had his lunch. Despite Saito offering he something, because he himself wouldn´t have eaten anything from her stinking bundle as well! Still Saito started sleeping somehow, stretched out on the floor of the train – sleeping wagons, that would be quite the invention!