Ch. 6 Grandma Toph

"Alright kids, go get cleaned up," Su said as they finished their dinner. "Grandma will be here soon."

"Toph is here?" Kuvira asked in disbelief.

Su nodded. "She doesn't visit very often, but, yes, she's coming. She'll be here in a few minutes."

Kuvira could barely contain her excitement. Everyone knew who Toph was; Zaofu was built with the technique that she founded: metalbending. She was every earthbender's idol; at least, she was Kuvira's.

The other kids were just as excited as Kuvira, and they all raced outside to wait. Kuvira stood behind the family as they waited for Toph as the sun began to set. Toph was their blood relative, not hers. She could stand to wait to meet her idol after the family had reunited.

"Mom, I'm so glad you're here," she heard Su say.

Kuvira found herself craning her neck trying to catch a glimpse of the visitor. However, Kuvira could not see over the adult's heads so she stood still again. Patience was hard.

"Who's the girl standing behind you?" Kuvira finally heard an unfamiliar voice ask after a few minutes.

The family parted and turned to look toward Kuvira who now felt her cheeks flushing. She internally kicked herself; she was embarrassing herself in front of Toph.

"Oh stop staring at her. You're making her nervous," a small older woman scolded Su as she passed in front of her. Kuvira noticed the woman was barefoot with a large, graying bun and pale milky eyes staring in her direction but slightly above her. Toph was exactly as Kuvira had pictured her.

Suddenly, Toph was standing immediately in front of Kuvira, and Kuvira felt her heart racing. She knew the woman couldn't see her, and yet she still felt the need to fix her hair and make herself look more presentable.

"Mom, this is Kuvira," Su introduced her. "She just joined our family."

Toph stood silently for a minute before she gave Kuvira a smirk.

"That makes more sense," she said, and then turned toward her daughter. "I was wondering how you had an older daughter that I didn't know about. I'm not that bad a grandparent." She turned back toward Kuvira and said so quietly Kuvira had to lean closer to hear her say, "You don't need to be nervous. Su wasn't lying when she said that you were part of the family. I can tell."

Kuvira smiled and instantly her heart began to slow. She had learned that Toph could tell when people were lying by earthbending, but hearing the woman say it herself made Kuvira even happier.

"Alright, everyone," Su said. "It's late. Grandma Toph will be here tomorrow. Let's get everyone to bed."

Kuvira was too excited to sleep. She could hear Baatar Sr. putting Opal to bed, and decided to sneak past him down the hall. Maybe a walk would help her sleep. As she passed the study, though, she stopped. The voice of the Matriarch and Toph had hit her ears, and she found herself curious. She looked down the hall, making sure Baatar Sr. was nowhere in sight, before turning her attention back to the room.

"Can I get you some tea?" Su asked.

Kuvira placed her eye to the crack in the door and saw Su and Toph in the study. Toph was sitting relaxed on one of the couches while Su was pouring tea into two cups. She handed one to Toph, placing it in her hand for her.

"I'm really glad you came to visit, Mom," Su said with a smile.

"Well you know it's been a long time when you haven't even met half of your grandchildren," Toph said with a laugh. Then her tone turned serious. "And anyway I'd like to have contact with one of my daughters. Even I can get lonely."

"So you haven't heard from Lin?" Su asked.

Kuvira had no idea who this person was but was intrigued. Was there another member of the Beifong family that she had yet to meet?

Toph sighed. "Haven't talked to her in years. You know her: always fuming about something." She paused, looking in the direction of Su. "You miss her?"

Su shook her head and said, "No."

Even Kuvira could tell the Matriarch was lying before Toph told her, "I know you're lying, Su."

Now it was Su's turn to sigh.

"I just wish she'd stop being so stubborn," Su explained. "If she could see how much I've changed since we were kids, maybe she could put that stuff behind her and enjoy her family. I always tell stories to the kids about their aunt, and they want to meet her. I just wish she would want to meet them."

If Kuvira wasn't intrigued before, she was now. Su had a sister. Kuvira instantly began imagining who this sister was. She sounded tough; she had to be to be a Beifong.

"Oh, she'll come around," Toph said. "One way or another you two will see each other again. It's like my parents and me: as much as we didn't get along, I saw them again and we put the past behind us. I mean, it helped that I had helped the Avatar save the world, created a metalbending school and eventually had two daughters that my mother fawned over, but you get the idea.

"But really, Su, you have a great city, a husband who adores you, five cute kids, and you know I don't call people cute often, plus that new girl," Toph continued.

"Kuvira," Su corrected her.

"Yes, Kuvira," Toph added. "She's very happy to be living with your family, and I can tell she's smart and with training will be a great earth bender, especially if you train her to be a little more stealthy."

This made Kuvira stiffen. She had sworn that the blind woman had looked toward the door right at her. But the look didn't seem to be caught by Su who continued.

"The kids seem to really like her," she said. "I wish I could make her a little less reserved about living here. I really do think of her as a daughter more than a student. I want to nourish her talents, but I also want her to have a nice home."

"I think she knows that," Toph said. She turned and winked in Kuvira's direction, and Kuvira felt herself gasp. The woman did know she was there. It shouldn't have been a shock. Su had explained to her about Toph's seismic sense. It was strange seeing it in action like this though. Kuvira turned toward her room, running back as quietly as she could. She didn't want to be caught eavesdropping again.

~AN~

Thanks to all who have read and especially to those who have reviewed.

I like the idea of Kuvira meeting Toph before the events in Book 4, making Toph's declaration of Kuvira giving metalbenders a bad name even more devastating. Also, with this I'm declaring the end of Kuvira's doubts about being part of the family.

I've been writing a lot of little Beifong drabbles lately with Lin and Su, hence why I included her in this chapter. I find that relationship the most fascinating.