Author's disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Naffing.
Author's notes: I think you know where this is going :P
CharlieBarrow: it's probably stuff I tell myself, "why haven't you updated recently? Hurry up" lol.
"Tumbling boulder: The Toph files"
Chapter twelve "It all comes out"
Toph hissed as she was forced into the apartment, her legs forcing her back by an unknown force. She'd heard about being controlled by that hag Hama, and even Katara, that harrowing night in the Fire Nation, but she'd missed out on that bit of displeasure. She'd been the one finding the trapped prisoners. But now it was brought to her front door by unknown men and women and she felt sick. She wished she'd paid more attention to Katara's investigation. She wished Aang were here! Katara, she could blood bend as well….were only she here!
"Stay back…stop it!" Toph yelled. She heard her baby hitch a cry from her place on the blanket on the floor and her protective surges made her blood roil with rage. She struggled, feeling like she was tied with invisible chains. They wouldn't let her move! A line of sweat started at her brow and dripped near her eyes from the effort she gave. She could only move an inch, muscles surging against the invisible force. "Leave her alone or I'll tear you limb from bloody limb…."
"Now, Toph, no need for theatrics," Changying's voice lilted across the room. The apartment door was closed and latched and Toph bent her head, bangs falling into her eyes. There were five more chi signatures besides Changying, in her personal space, next to her child. She didn't want to admit aloud, but she was afraid what they'd do to her than worry about her own safety.
"Just….. just take whatever. Just leave us. Leave my baby alone," Toph growled. But fear lined her words. She was never afraid! She despised this feeling! But she couldn't fight against blood bending and the amused chi signatures told her they knew it.
A soft hand was caressing her jaw and Toph tried to duck her head from the touch. Changying's touch was no longer welcome and she cursed herself for letting her into her place in the first place. Her teeth gnashed as her head was held in place and Changying touched her all over, soothing her hair out of her milky white eyes, drying the sweat beading on her brow.
"We have so much to discuss. You know I'm pregnant, don't you? Can't you smell it?"
And Toph could. She couldn't focus on the change of her scent through the fear and panic of being forced back and unknown foes entering her home and standing over her helpless baby on the floor. She sputtered, panic and despair warring in her mind.
"So what! For all I know it could be anyone's. I don't know if you'd sleep with others, but you could be the type." Toph was pleased to hear a hiss of rage from the girl. Then her face was slapped, and she grunted at the sudden pain.
"Oh, we can prove it, Chief Beifong. All you need do is scent the babe at birth and when you do, you'll do what Changying wants. And what she wants is what we all want," One of the men said. Toph blinked, focusing on the strange chi signatures as her biceps rolled, trying to work her arms free. It was true; if an alpha was uncertain of an omega's pregnancy and whether he or she was the true sire, the alpha need only smell the infant's scalp at birth to discern their own scent was woven with the infant. Toph growled.
"So, we got a whole nine months; that's a long time for a stalemate," she snapped. "What do you want?"
"You to step down as Chief of Republic City's police force. We have someone better in mind." The words were mocking and Toph growled. Power, was that it? They were going to try to infiltrate high positions in the budding city. But it wasn't just her that was high up…..
"I think the Avatar will know something is up the day I decide to step down!" she laughed. And it was true. At least her closest friends knew her well enough to know it'd be completely out of her character and would investigate. She could count on it. Not like she could count on Suki but that hurt had to be shoved aside. The here and now was far more harrowing. Nausea welled in the alpha's belly and she tried to swallow any rising bile. She couldn't show weakness in front of this girl who'd bested her…..and she had bested her. Everyone in the room knew it.
"Well, I think he's going to just have to like it," One of the blood benders laughed. "We also need spots available on the city high council. Fire Lord Zuko's Fire Nation representatives should be cast aside for some of us."
Toph began to laugh helplessly. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, but she was strong enough not to let them fall. "Or what? You'll kill me? I don't think you want that. The investigation would come down on all of you and you'd never get what you want." The words soured Toph's soul; she would never want to leave her child alone, she was all she had of….dammit, stop thinking of Suki. She wasn't even here! To echo her thoughts, Lin gave sharp cries suddenly, wailing with fear.
Toph's heart pained to hear it. She struggled further and was forced to her knees. She hissed. "At least let me pick her up!" she snapped.
"We can't have that. Not until we have your express word you'll quit," One of the men laughed. He had such an annoying laugh. Toph hoped never to hear it aloud again.
"I can't promise that. Not unless that kid is mine and right now, I'm heavily doubting it," Toph growled. And even if it WAS her get, like hell she was quitting! She'd made the position herself and kept authority running like a well-oiled machine that Sokka had helped invent. Like hell on a frozen slope she'd step down from it.
"Well then, we're at an impasse," Changying said haughtily. "I could just get rid of the child."
Toph's blood ran cold. The possibility that it was hers kept her hero's heart pained. She couldn't let a child of her blood die. Cold sweat beaded from her brow again. "If it's mine…."
"It's far too soon. A few kajihana teas should take care of it."
"No!" The word flew from Toph's lips before she could stop herself.
"Well then, we'll need to keep an eye on you until you step down," one of the women laughed. "Some of us will keep guard over Changying here. Make sure you don't hurt her and all."
Toph felt ready to hit the woman, but the fact she was pregnant kept her mind bleeding and halting any thoughts of retaliation. "You're sure you wanna stay here? You're not getting anything else out of me!"
There was a knock at the door suddenly and everyone stilled. The abrupt silence was so palpable, it told Toph they had not been expecting any interference. She gave a fierce smile. "Gee, I wonder who that could be."
"Shut up! Tell them to get lost," One of the blood benders hissed beside her as the others shuffled around her. Toph was forced to the side and she tried to lean an arm over Lin who she could hear trying to roll over to her belly and crawl. She was having a time of it trying from the sound of it as she sniffled with frustration. Toph tried to extend her chi in passes of comfort, but she was so stressed, it wasn't viable for her child.
"I wouldn't…."Toph began when a familiar voice rang out from the hallway.
"Toph! You there? C'mon, Sifu Beifong…." Aang's familiar voice, deepened now, rang out and Toph could have kissed him. If Aang was there, he could reverse what they were doing. Better yet if he'd brought his wife, an actual blood bender.
Before the blood benders could tell her what they wanted her to say to get him to leave, Toph fought against them and screamed as loud as she could. "AANG, GET IN HERE!" The panic in her voice heralded a few seconds of silence; then the door was blasted open with a hurricane wave of air.
Katara WAS behind him; Toph was relieved to feel her familiar chi signature rush in behind her husband. The two moved in tandem, Aang subduing three of the blood benders with blasts of air before they could retaliate against him, and Katara handled the other two with their own talents, forcing them to their knees.
"Who are you? Why are you in here?!" Katara was demanding as she went to find something to tie the locked benders with. Curses and threats were hissed back in response. Toph knew all had been subdued when her limbs became her own again. She rolled over and put an arm over Lin. Her child finally quieted her hiccupping sobs when she pressed close.
"Catch her! Catch that bitch!" Toph yelled to her friend when she felt Changying trying to escape through the kitchen window. Loud clattering and dishes crashing told her Aang had been successful. "Is that all of them?"
"Two or three got away!" Aang panted nearby. Changying grunted with pain. Good, let Aang handle her roughly. "I'm sorry, Toph."
"It's….it's okay," Toph said weakly. Katara knelt beside her, knowing something was wrong when she didn't immediately get up. She gathered her friend to lay against her lap, cuddling her child close as well.
"Toph? Who are these people?" Aang asked gently.
"I think you were right, Aang. The blood benders are a danger," Toph laughed weakly, resting her head on Katara's knee. Her friend's hand passing over her head was motherly and kept her heart from completely leaping out of her throat. Lin pressed into her warmth and wailed lightly. Katara gave a motherly shush and her chi washed over Lin in gentle passes.
"They're Hama's apprentices, aren't they? I knew that soldier's statement that she'd died after being rearrested seemed funny," Katara worried.
Changying gave a laugh. "Oh, she got out all right. You all are in big trouble."
"Shut up!" Toph yelled, fury filling her. Her friend's chi mingled in surprised concern. She leaned into Katara's lap, limbs sagging with dull relief. But it was far from over, and they all knew it.
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It all came out. It was small relief for Katara to learn Hama had died recently, but she'd done enough damage after escaping prison a second time. She'd gained water benders as apprentices and had taught them how to blood bend. All of her worries about the dark area of water bending had come true after all.
Toph happily stayed in the police station all night, Lin in the crook of one arm. Aang and Katara had received their children from their servants, fussed over their safety and kept the small party nearby as they hashed out possible contingency plans in Toph's office. She had never had a chance to change from her uniform since coming home before all hell had broken loose, and she wore it still. Toph had only taken the time to roll her sleeves up. Sokka had arrived after a phone call and had fussed over her and Lin. Toph was glad to exchange words with him, but the usual guilt coiled in her belly near her old friend.
"Lin's okay? Good!" he gushed.
'Oh, Sokka, you are not gonna like me anymore once you know who her mother is,' Toph thought. She sighed aloud.
"Don't worry, we'll find the rest of Hama's little group. We'll arrest them and press charges for attacking you," Sokka assured her. Toph gave a strained smile to her small group of friends.
"It's not as simple as all that."
"Changying got her own cell, but we still need to keep an eye on her," Katara fretted. She had been on edge since learning of these new blood benders. Her previous investigations had been started on rumor and hearsay. That it had come to one of her friend's front door was alarming her drastically. Aang passed his chi over his wife in soothing arches.
"Who's that?" Sokka asked. Toph sighed raggedly. Her headache was back, and she sipped a cup of coffee one of her officers had brought them.
"No one worthy of conversation." Her dark tone seemed to have fretted Sokka's mood, but she didn't care. "We are gonna keep her here, until…."
"Until what? Until we see if she's pregnant, until she gives birth? That's extreme," Aang said gently. Toph hated to say he was right.
"Who's pregnant? WHAT is going on!" Sokka demanded. Toph slammed a fist on her desk. Lin woke and cried out and she picked her up.
"For Spirit's sake, stop asking questions! It's a hard time as it is!" Toph growled. She was placated when Sokka's beta tendencies kicked in and he obeyed. Aang cleared his throat. He was a beta himself but was far more influential due to his status as Avatar. He wove between hard decisions and soft peaceful answers carefully.
"Boss, we got visitors," one of the officers knocked. Toph shook her head.
"They can leave. Or write a report with you," she ordered. But the small party was interrupted by familiar chi signatures. Toph stood up so abruptly her chair flew backward from the small ping of earth shifting beneath her bare feet.
"It's them," she told her friends and Katara automatically locked energies with the remaining blood benders, both fighting for supremacy. Katara gave a grunt of satisfaction when she had them on their knees and in her control.
"Wait, Avatar! Tell your wife to back off. We have much to discuss," one of the men commanded. Aang walked closer toward the blood benders.
"And what is that? Your friends tried to blackmail Chief Beifong."
"Well, be that as it may, we have evidence of yours and your friend's corruption of this fair city…..and we won't stand for it,."
"Your master was a criminal! And we haven't done anything corrupt!" Katara yelled. Toph was inclined to agree with her.
"Just because you formed up this city, you took all the positions of power. You didn't give anyone a chance; you didn't let anyone vote. I'd call that corrupt!" the man continued.
Sokka shifted beside Toph, fiddling with something in his coat pocket. What the heck was he doing?
"There haven't been any new elections as the council is newly formed. There will be elections in the future," Sokka said evenly. Toph was glad for his level response. "We aren't excluding anyone."
"You still rule all right now. This city is not a haven for all, it's a haven for you and your friends!"
"You can believe what you want of me, but I have done all I felt was right for benders and nonbenders alike," Aang said calmly.
"This city doesn't need the Avatar up on high! You should step down. Beifong needs to step down. The sooner the better for all benders and nonbenders alike!"
"Enough!" Katara growled. Toph was startled when Sokka clicked the thing in his pocket and rustled his coat.
"And that IS enough. Thank you for that," he said. Toph cocked her head.
"What are you going on about?"
"I think we've got our proof we're being blackmailed. My newest invention helped," Sokka taunted. He pulled something out of his pocket and Toph wished she could see it. "A recording device that captures voice. So, thanks for all you've said."
"You stupid peasant!" the blood benders hissed. Sokka sniffed in response, playing with the cylinder device.
"Well, that's rather unpleasant and rude," he scoffed in response. Toph shook her head ruefully.
"The blood benders we arrested at my place still need to be charged. The rest of you can go."
"We'll be taking Changying with us," one of the men retorted. Toph's heart flared in panic.
"I need to talk with her first."
"Fine."
Toph gave a few commands to her officers outside her office and collected the key for Changying's cell. She went to her alone, and unlocked the cell, gesturing with one arm for her to exit the cell.
Once the woman left the cell, Toph touched her wrist. "You're free to go. But I worry you'll damage your pregnancy."
"It's your child. You can't keep tabs on me every moment you know."
Changying's flippant tone infuriated Toph. She sighed raggedly.
"Maybe not, but I can try. I want you to stay at my place. At least until you've given birth."
Changying's chi roiled in pleasing waves. And maybe that's what she wanted all along, Toph under her thumb.
"That could work for both of us. I'll have one or two of my friends also. To make sure you don't hurt me."
"I wouldn't hurt you," Toph said raggedly. But she waved a hand. Fine, if she thought the worst of her, let her have a blood bender or apprentice or two stay. This horrible night had gone on long enough. Just let it be over.
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"You should lay down. You look beat."
Toph hissed her displeasure, glaring in Changying's direction as she rocked Lin. One of the blood benders she could force across her place in the hallway, but having this horrible girl intrude on her small moment of peace putting her child down was too much.
"What's it matter to you. You can have the bed. I'm staying with my child."
"Well, get some sleep, my alpha. We have a child on the way ourselves."
Toph's mind bled at that and she paced, rocking Lin softly. She had to exhale rapidly to reign in her temper and keep from waking her child.
"Get the hell out of my face."
Changying laughed lightly and her footsteps faded. Toph laid Lin in her cradle and leaned over the top toward her wriggling chi signature.
"Sleep, precious. I'm here."
Even if her mother wasn't. Toph slid down to the floor to curl up, tears forming in her eyes.
End for now
End notes: Well well well. WELL! :P Review if liked. Suki will be coming into play next chapter, I promise!
Pen 6/06/2020