Previously, on A viper-lizard's tales : Suki, feeling crushed by the guilt of everything that came from the events in Tenuht (be it Sokka's injury or the fact that the Gaang's eclipse plans were foiled), attempts suicide but is stopped by Toph at the last second. After almost drowning because Toph sent them both tumbling down a river, they argue over the fact that Suki doesn't truly want to die, and instead feels that she has to, which Toph disagrees with. This culminates when Suki tells Toph that "Not everyone can be strong like you are" and live life like they want.

A. N. : Toph ! Toph ! Toph ! The title of this chapter, as well as one of the metaphors used in it, refers to 鏡花水月 (literally "mirror flower, water moon") a common phrase in both Chinese and Japanese poetry. Like a flower seen in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water, it relates to illusion, the mirage of something you can see but not touch. It suits Toph very well, I feel.

Toph is strong.

Of course she is, she's the greatest earthbender in the world, she's been fighting for the right to be strong, to be the best, to be herself, and she deserves to be recognized as such.

She is strong. She loves – loves – being strong.

She is strong, and free, and she doesn't need anyone but herself.

Being called strong by Princess, someone who is just amazing despite being a nonbender, it should feel like that time she told Toph nice work, warm and fuzzy and proud, should feel like she is being seen –

Not everyone can be as strong as you are, Princess said in a breath, fast and almost panicked, to try and justify her own weakness. But she isn't weak, she saved Toph at the Serpent's Pass and she killed a man with her hands tied and –

What is strength ? Is it disregarding your own life for the sake of duty ? Is it living as you see fit ? Is it busting heads and taking names and keeping the people you care about safe ?

That first one is just cowardice, Toph thinks. It's bending the knee to Mom and Dad's wishes and being weak weak weak.

She chose the second option when she left, refusing to rely on anyone, refusing to bend to anyone, refusing to live for anyone but herself.

The third, she does because she wants to. She doesn't need anyone, but she just doesn't want them to die and smell like burned grease. She is strong. She can afford to save a few people.

She is strong.

She knows is, loves it, and –

And for the first time, she hates it a little, too.

No. Not the first time. Being strong, choosing to be strong, it means she will probably never feel Mom's hand on her head as they say goodnight again and it's –

Toph doesn't need anyone, so why does it feel lonely ?

She misses Mom's soft hands, her gentle voice, wishes it had all been hers and not the image of her in Mom's eyes'. Maybe that fake Toph was what those dumb poetry teachers meant with their talks of reflections, mirrors and water, things they didn't bother to explain in a way Toph could understand.

But it's not the same as now. Princess sees her, knows Toph's strength, and yet it's the same loneliness.

Is there such a thing a too much strength ?

Before, Toph would have said no, no way, the stronger she is and the stronger she wants to be, strong enough to keep her world from sinking into the sand, to keep things she cannot see from taking from her and hurting the people she wants to be strong for, because even if she doesn't need them, they need her and she likes that, it feels good to be strong and for her strength to be needed and –

If she rises and rises until she touches the sky, won't the people below be just as unable to reach her as the ones looking for her in things that can't be touched ?

Oma made mountains for the sake of love, for a person she needed and refused to lose, and Toph knows Princess is cut of the same cloth, even if she won't ever be able to do the same.

They're both strong and yet they need, and Toph – would Toph have been able to leave the house for good if not for the others ? Sure, she tells herself she could've done it anytime and she was just waiting for a good reason to do it, but…

In the end, she just couldn't do it alone, right ? Because she didn't want to hurt Mom and Dad, and it doesn't matter how many techniques she perfects and invents because what she wanted… what she wanted had nothing to do with the literal weight she can carry.

Until the others came and told her they needed her, she didn't have the strength to leave. She… she needed them.

They've made her stronger.

Princess fell from her mountain and all she can see of Toph is the foot of the pedestal she built since leaving Gaoling and it's lonely. And it's probably just as lonely for Princess.

And for the first time, Toph thinks maybe… maybe it's alright to climb down a little, just to help Princess get back up on her feet. Maybe Princess needs to be needed.

Maybe Toph can afford to need her in turn.