Tangled Web

-In which we find out more about Toph and The Duke's life after the war.

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or The Last Airbender: The Legend Of Korra, but I do own a mobile phone- which I have turned off so it doesn't interrupt my writing!

….

If one were to stare out of one of the many windows at the front of the Southern Air Temple, one would see a small figure making its way toward said Temple. If they were to stay staring out the window, until they could make out the hazy figure- they would realise it to be young woman.

Toph.

With every step that Toph took, the Temple became easier to "see"- although her Earthbending sense had gotten a wider range than since she was 12, it wasn't infinite.

With every step, she could begin to form a mental picture of the Temple.

With every step, it became easier to distinguish individual objects and small details that even a trained eye could have missed.

Toph could also feel the vibrations of people at the back of the Temple. As she got closer she was able to recognise their individual steps and voices.

A man that was very light on his feet was chasing around two boys- the boys were equally as light treading.

"Aang and the twins" she thought to herself, and then she focused her earthbending on the others.

A little girl was talking to her mother- the mother had two heartbeats. Evidently it was Kya talking to her mother who was holding Kasami.

The picture she was forming in her mind was becoming more defined- it was a happy picture. A happy family, one where everybody loved each other, one where everybody was accepted.

Her eyes began to sting as she thought of her childhood, the one where she was hidden from the world. The one where she wasn't accepted for who she was.

….

"Toph, please come here" Her mother called her and began asking the guards if they had seen her daughter.

"Yes? " She asked as she walked into the large house.

"Toph, I don't want you wandering around the grounds without an escort" Her mother always worried about her, she thought she was fragile.

"Please go up to your room, your father and I have a very important meeting with some government officials from Ba Sing Se" her mother always wanted to shut her off from the world, hiding her everyone who came to visit. Very rarely would she get to meet a visitor, only if they were staying for dinner.

Toph walked up to her room quietly, as soon as her mother was out of earshot she climbed out her window- creating a large pillar of earth to stand upon before lowering herself to the ground. Her parents hadn't thought to place guards near her window since it was on the second storey of their house. She could sense every guard patrolling the estate and this made it easy to avoid them and visit her friends.

The Badgermoles.

She made her way to a familiar cave; it was the place she had run to the first time she had run away from home. Sensing her, he Badgermoles made their way to her, comforting her.

The Badgermoles were the only friends she had ever made.

Her parents had not allowed her to be educated with other children; they had hired a tutor to educate her in History, Language and proper society behaviour. She never used the latter- only if she was dining with an "Important Political Figure"

The Badgermoles were always there to comfort her if ever she was feeling sad; or out of place.

They were the only beings who understood her.

….

"Don't cry!" She instructed herself as she made her way to the familiar voices and footsteps. She sensed Appa eating some hay and smiled at all the good times she had shared with her friends after she had joined them to teach Aang Earthbending.

…

Toph had felt lonely after Aang defeated Ozai; it meant that she and her friends would be going their separate ways.

She had been standing alone on the sidelines waiting for the coronation to crown Zuko Firelord to begin. She felt a familiar person walk up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. The Duke wasn't sure what the end of the war meant for him either. Pipsqueak had discovered that his brother was in the same prison he was, and they wanted to catch up and try to locate their sister. The Duke had felt uncomfortable intruding this, so he and Toph discussed what they would do now.

"What are you going to do now?" He asked, sitting next to her.

"I don't know, I guess I have to go meet up my parents…Not looking forward to that!" Toph said, hiding the fact that she was really glad someone was in the same position as her

"Why?" He asked, Toph had forgotten that he didn't know the story of her parents, and after the coronation, they had fast become great friends- swapping stories and sympathising with each other.

….

Toph considered The Duke her best friend now. He didn't think that she was fragile or weak because she was blind. He knew that she could hold her own in a fight, and she knew he could too. Toph was comfortable around The Duke. He didn't make it awkward that two people of the opposite gender could be best friends.

The pair had ventured to the Bei Fong estate, her parents were very glad she was home- and under the impression that it was he who had convinced her to return- told The Duke he was welcome to stay with them for how ever long he wanted.

Her parents were still under the impression that she was a little girl, but they had begun to loosen her constraints. Before she was old enough to leave, and travel the world- her parents allowed her to teach Earthbending. It was very rewarding to see an unexperienced bender leave your lesson one day, a master bender.

….

"Aunty Toph!" Yelled Kya, bringing Toph out of her reminiscing and back to reality

Her yells were soon echoed by two other voices and she was glad they had such a childhood.

A free childhood, where they were accepted for who they were.

"Can you come play with us Aunty Toph?" asked Gyatso with a smile, revealing a missing front tooth that she couldn't see, but could feel.

It was no use dwelling on the past she realised as she replied with an "Of Course!" She couldn't change the past, but she could work with Aang and Katara to give these children the best childhood they could ever possible have.

This was why they had fought in the war. So that these kids needn't be scarred by the tangled web it had woven.

….

For "the pink pearl"

A/N- Thank you so much for reading! This one is a bit longer than past chapters so I hope you enjoyed it! I had a review by "the pink pearl" asking me to elaborate more on Tophs life, so here it is! When I was planning this chapter, I had Toph look at an oil painting of the family and flashback to her childhood, as soon as I was don't the outline I facepalmed and was all like "OMG! How could I forget that Toph is blind! How is she supposed to see the oil painting!" I hope you all forgive me for my terrible mistake, but at least I didn't post that version!

Please Review! It helps me to bring myself to update more and find out what you want!

The pink pearl- Thanks so much! I hope this chapter has enough information for you!

Pengwens- Thank you! I hope you like this one and future ones!

Storm- I feel so happy! Thank you so much for the amazing praise! I hope that you stay with this fic and enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

Star- Your review made Me have a permanent smile! I was so happy after I read your comment! It gave me the energy to write this one so THANKYOU!

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