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Prisoner of War ch. 6

We're all blessed with our own talents and gifts, and even if you haven't discovered them yet someday you will and what you'll discover will be ten times better than what you imagined. That was what his mother said to him whenever he was sad or angry about Azula's fire bending abilities. He was now twenty years old, and he still could not find any special gift or talent inside him.

Sheer physical strength was what he possessed, but nothing more. So what if he was strong, a lot of people were. Azula was pretty weak in strength, but she could kill anyone who got in her way. She was a prodigy just like Toph, who was now sitting in a cell. Toph has just been too stubborn and thick headed.

During the day, when he had questioned her, nothing had gotten accomplished. She had no desire to tell him anything important, but could talk forever about how he was stupid, ignorant, primitive, uncivil, rude, and anything else insulting. It seemed like her mouth never stopped when she had a chance to displease and degrade someone.

But she was intriguing. The way she moves her hands when she talks, or how she squeezes her eyebrows when she's mad are captivating. She's one of the strangest girls, but none of them half as interesting as she.

"Did you miss me," was her opening remark as Zuko entered the dungeon, "Because I sure as hell know I missed you."

"That's comforting," Zuko said looking at another one of her untouched plates of food, "Why aren't you eating?"

"Ahh….that's so sweet. Is someone worried about me?" she said back sarcastically.

"Not in the least, I just don't want to see that food go to waste." That was a horrible lie.

"Yeah, yeah," Toph said airily.

"You're still avoiding me question. Why aren't you eating?"

"Maybe I'm not hungry."

"Toph, I know that's a lie. You haven't eaten in two days," Zuko said sternly, trying to sound like he had no emotion in his voice.

"Why do you honestly care: maybe I don't want to eat it, maybe I would rather not eat because there are many reasons why I shouldn't."

"That's very interesting, what are the reasons?" Zuko said smoothly.

"First of all it tastes like crap, second it was made by the fire nation, and third I just don't want to eat it. Who wants to eat barf on a plate?"

"Toph, that's a little much."

"No, it's not, because it tastes horrible and if I'm going to die anyway, why do it eating miserable disgusting food, that will probably make me throw up if I do."

"Have you even tried it?"

"……Kind of."

"Stop being so spoiled and eat the damn food."

"No, I will not."

"Will you eat bread?"

"Maybe if they gave me some I would," Toph said hotly.

"I'll be right back," Zuko said leaving her cell.

"Whatever."

Upstairs in the kitchen there was a closet, full of bread, pastries, and anything made out of dough, and as long as he wasn't caught, he could sneak out as much bread as he wanted. When he was younger he and his sister would play games to see who could steal the most goodies without getting caught.

It was easy to steal a loaf of bread. There were so many loaves in the pantry that no one would notice if one went missing. No one was even in the kitchen, and the cooks were probably drunk somewhere anyway.

"Just don't tell anyone, because if you do this will be the last piece of normal food you're going to get," Zuko said sternly throwing her the piece of bread that he stole.

"Like I'd tell," Toph said grabbing the loaf.

"Someone's being nice," Toph said in a sing-song tone.

"Just shut up and eat your food before any guards come down here," Zuko said hotly, "And can you say thank you or that's very kind of you like a normal person would."

"Why should I say thank you, you're the one who put me in here, but if you let me out of here I would say thank you."

"Not going to happen."

"I probably won't need your help anyway," Toph said looking directly at him.

"What are you talking about now?"

"Your brain's so small you probably wouldn't even understand if I told you."

"Oh," Zuko said haughtily, "Have you finally found a way to escape out of this prison or is it just wishful thinking. You're not going to get out of here, so just drop any hope you have."

"Unlike you Zuko, I still have hope and I'll have it until I die because I won't give up. You have given up, you've surrendered your life to live it the way your sister wants you too, but I won't. I won't do it, I will not stop fighting."

"You're just a fool, a stupid fool," Zuko said harshly and coldly. Any warmth in his voice was now gone.

"Why are you like this? Why do you call me a fool? I want to know…how did you turn out this way? Why are you so cold and dispassionate? Why does your face never show any emotion, but hate and pain?"

A bitter laugh sounded through the dungeon, "You wouldn't understand, you haven't seen or felt the hatred or sadness I have."

"Have you forgotten that I've fought in battles? Have you forgotten that I've seen friends die right in front of my eyes? Have you forgotten that you're not the only person in this damn world that has problems?" She said angrily.

"And what would you know of problems," Zuko said furiously, "Have you felt the sting of hatred being thrown on you from your own family, have you felt the pain of being banished from the only home you've ever known and living as a refugee? No, you haven't…your just a spoiled, unthankful, little brat. My father banished me and scarred me, my own father, what would you know of that?"

"Zuko," Toph said surprisingly calm, "Yes, you've gone through pain, but we all have. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, and friends have all been lost in this war. This war has brought misery and sadness to everyone, and now that the bad side has won, the world has been forced to endure even more grief. I don't want to spend my life living under chains. I want to control my own life, and the fire nation won't allow anyone to live as their own person. But, I'm trying to stop the wretchedness and hate. Even if what I do and have done has been in vain, I still know that I tried, unlike so many other people who have given up and surrendered their lives to be toyed with and controlled with by the fire nation."

Zuko left her cell without another word. He left the palace and even thought about running away all together, but that would be foolish. He found a small clearing in the forest by the palace, where no one would find him. Toph's words still stung his mind. Why was she so, why did she have to make him feel miserable at what he was doing? It wasn't his fault, was it? Toph was right about him not having control of his life. Whatever Azula orders, he has to follow, even if it's a command that will bring anguish to the people around him or hurt himself.

But what could he do about that. Azula would kill him if he disobeyed her. Azula's word is law and everyone has to follow it. Toph would be dead soon because she wouldn't speak and Azula wouldn't put her in a working camp. It would be too risky because knowing Toph she would probably start a riot.

He would probably be dead soon too or at least shown intense physical pain. Azula seemed as though she was getting tired of him and Azula usually disposed of the things she was bored with.

Shorter chapter than my others, but I think this was a good stopping point for it. I've now completed my sixth chapter, so review and let me know what you think.