Chapter 152: The Good Father
A/N: Rain blessed us for two days, damn, feels good.
***
"Wow! You're an Earthbender?" Suki smiled widely, her tone gaining an ingratiating quality as other girls, the 'warriors' of the group were in the alley beside the Trading House of the Beifong family.
Nik had explained things briefly and the girls were quick to catch on. And the fact that Nik believed Toph was the Earthbending master that Bumi was praising made them even more interested. But...
No longer wearing her pristine dress, Toph stood barefoot, her locks pulled over her forehead and slightly covering her eyes as she pointed towards Suki... accidentally pointing at the trash can beside her and scowled, "Don't treat me like a child! I can bend you over like a twig and break you. All of you!
I'm his master, and the best one he'll find so you don't you dunderheads ever forget who's in charge!"
Suki smiled in amusement while Katara spoke with a sheepish expression, her tone even more motherly than Suki, "Toph... that's a trash can."
If she was surprised, she didn't let it show on her face. Or maybe that was her plan all along as Toph grinned and shook her head, "No, I'm pointing at your future positions!"
That made both Suki and Katara scowl for a second. If they were planning to treat Toph the best just because of her cute, doll-like appearance then this certainly cleared she was anything but a doll.
Of course, Toph was also psyching herself up... her mother wasn't 'happy' that she was about to fight. She was surprised when she disappeared into a whole new world but just when Toph was thinking of raging around to be kept in confines, Nik brought her out the next second and only kept Poppy in, alongside Michi and Yue.
Poppy was a special woman... but she needed to work things out with Toph soon enough.
"Wow... can we get inside the prison now?" Mai remarked with her usual mono and scratchy tone that made Toph blink for a second and hum thoughtfully.
"You're cool," Toph pointed at Mai.
"I don't particularly care."
"Now, even cooler!" Toph asserted but seeing this situation getting out of control with each denial, Mai who had her hands under her breasts merely exhaled in agreement from her nostrils as Katara lashes out, "THAT is cool?!"
"Calm your tits, girl. Nobody likes hussy-fits," Toph scoffed and opened up a path near them that led them underground. Still reeling from the shock at what Toph had called her out on, veins began popping out of her temples as the eyelids of the dusky waterbender twitched constantly.
"Nik, do something!" Katara huffed, her head snapping in his direction as he pondered for a second and spoke with a gentle smile, "You two should try to get along..."
"Impossible!"
"With her?" Toph scoffed and just to grind Katara's nuts, she pointed at Suki, "You know what? You're cool, too."
And this did grind the waterbender's nuts.
"You little..." Katara glared at the girl with mixed feelings. Of course, her emotions were a mix of pure annoyance and rage as her hands slowly leaned closer to the pouch of water around her waist.
"Fine, let's do it this way," Nik interrupted with a grunt, "Let's free the prisoners before fighting amongst ourselves, yeah? Katara, they're probably your kin, and Toph, didn't you say you could feel their pain? Do you have this much idle time to just annoy someone else?"
This made the duo silent before snorts escaped their nostrils and they continued on their way.
"Finely done," Suki smiled as he shrugged while Mai, too, walked beside him.
They soon entered the prison with Toph constantly pushing the ground in further and further, extending the tunnel.
Everyone had somber expressions by now but they weren't really worried. Nik could take care of the metal cages, and Mai would take care of the killing blows. Toph had shown herself to be a monstrosity in her own right. Suki was a well-versed warrior who had the natural ability to sync with others and raise each of their efficiency while Katara... was not only close to being a master waterbender but was also absolutely livid.
If he had to place a bet on who would contribute the most... it would be Yue. After all, these prisoners would need someone to heal them and ready them for the journey ahead.
---
Lao Beifong woke to... emptiness. His home was gone. His family, too. The reports from the guards came that the prison, Ozai's statue, and even his trading house were gone.
He shivered, unable to take so much disastrous news.
It wasn't right.
He still loved his daughter and his wife. He... just couldn't stop making her work. That was her worth. To please others so that he could earn greater wealth. But right now, his life was in shambles when he heard the news of an incredible rally of weak water tribe prisoners being escorted slowly but gradually this evening. Strangely, many waterbenders from the prisoner's rally had gained strength out of nowhere and assisted Nik and others in resisting the assault from the guards.
What strength...
His daughter is strong...
She isn't the quiet girl he raised her to be. She isn't sweet and frail as he desired her to be!
Veins once again popped over Lao's temples.
"Nik..." he uttered with hate. He would make sure to recapture what he'd lost.
"Bring me that damn bounty hunter!" He screamed!
He may not have the necessary wealth but earning it all back was just a matter of time. His business interests weren't confined to Gaoling only, after all. As Poppy had experienced, sharing of one's 'wealth' and 'prosperity' was part of the debauched high-class family of the Earth Kingdom and he has had his share of the fill, too. He had other businesses to earn from. Other women to vent on.
---
[Authority Rank: 1 (9.65→ 12.3/100)]
Nik looked at his gains with a smile. He still wasn't intending to rank up, not until experiencing another world, but he was thinking of filling the capacity of his current rank's AP meter.
"Aw, how cute, Toph. Poppy, your daughter really is the sweetest~!"
Katara deliberately fussed over Toph as the blind master gritted her teeth but the back of her head sunk into her mother's generous bosom as Poppy smiled sincerely, "Thank you so much, Katara. You girls really looked after my daughter."
"But mom, I'm—"
"You're strong. Yes, I saw it," Poppy stroked Toph's head tenderly, "But darling, you make me worry too much. At least, as you leave me to be alone in worry, let me, too, hold you once you return!"
Toph quietened down as Katara stifled her giggle.
"Your mother is right, Toph. Nobody likes hussy-fits."
Nik smiled seeing this.
Meanwhile, the prisoners had already formed a camp along the shores of the beach. They had yet to think of a way to send the group back to their homes. But Katara knew most of these men. These individuals were from Southern Water Tribe.
Done with messing around with Toph, Katara looked over to the tribal men and women who had begun to relax on the beach. A few of them finally gave heartfelt laughs when Katara found Poppy and Toph walking up closer to her and the camp of the rescued prisoners.
Their actions had attracted others from Nik's group including him as Poppy spoke up, her sonorous voice spreading far as she smiled comfortingly at her daughter who had unconsciously reached out to hold her mother's hand. As strong as Toph maybe... the possible reactions of the prisoners still scared her.
"I am Poppy Beifong... no, just Poppy. My husband is the mayor of the Colony where you were kept unjustly. I could... I could lie about not knowing things myself but I did. The Beifong family was forced to hold these prison cells underground. It has been unfair to you and we hope you could find the heart to forgive... my daughter."
Toph's head snapped up in her mother's direction as Poppy continued, "She is the one who had been sending you food and water on the sly. And if it wasn't for her... rescuing you all from prisons would have been harder.
So, I beg you all to forgive my daughter alone. Not me or my former husband. Just her. Toph is... sweet, kind, and strong...
Stronger than me."
Toph's modest frame shuddered as she held her mother's hand tightly, "And that is why she could do what she has."
There were dozens of men amongst the prisoners. Each of their glares landed on Poppy but as they looked at Toph, their expressions softened. They had seen firsthand how amazing this girl was. Others were, too, but now that they knew she was the reason why food had begun to appear within their cells discreetly... they couldn't help but stand up.
Poppy flinched. But a hand on her shoulder comforted her. While Nik stood beside her, others began to step forward, too.
"We are grateful... Strong Warrior," one of the men opened up, "As our southern traditions speak— a warrior is not defined by their circumstances, but their hearts and actions. You saved my life with only a few dumplings. You save all of our lives in a way. We are grateful. And thus, you never needed our apology. At least, not mine.
What do you say, Lads!" The man looked back and shouted as men and women shouted, "We are grateful!"
While cupping their fists and bowing slightly.
Toph's lips shuddered. She wanted to cry due to all these emotions... but she felt she had cried enough.
A smile bloomed over her lips. The terrible weight on her heart was now absolved as she grinned, snickering even, "Aw... now I feel bad about this, Katara. They are from your tribe, right?"
"What— aaah!"
Katara squealed as she suddenly sunk into the beach with only her head outside of the ground.
"Hey!" Katara hissed.
Not minding her, Toph looked at the group in front of her, "So... what? Am I your commander now?"
Amused by her question, the leader of the group spoke, "If you wish to lead us back to our tribe and help rebuild us... then yes."
"... Forget it," Toph turned around on her heels, waving her hands, and stomped on the ground to shoot Katara up from the trap of the sand as she squeaked in surprise again.
As the next day came, the group decided to gift the prisoners Zhao's Battleship. With plundering the much more peaceful and pleasant Beifong mansion, the group did not need the battleship and it was necessary to send these men on their way, too. Katara had spoken to them with great length, explaining the situation and also asking many things. A few of the men were from her village so her hope was reignited when she learned that her father, like them, was captured instead of getting killed off in a battle.
And finally, if Nik truly wanted a Battleship, he could plunder the Fire Nation again.
With the humongous beast being steam-driven, the waterbenders took loads of wood from the surroundings and finally left with the battleship once they understood how to control it.
As they left by the dawn of the next morning, Nik's own group had to decide on what to do now.
Meeting Toph was an unexpected surprise but reaching Gaoling had checked off two of their goals— rescuing prisoners and meeting a willing earthbending master to teach him.
They could return to Omashu and gain their next 'quest' from the Mad King Bumi...
Or they could think of something themselves.
So, they sat in a circle, discussing things until Toph got bored like Mai, causing both of their mothers to sigh and then feel a bond develop amongst themselves, too.
Katara and others still had the general objective of wanting to help. And Suki had two 'disciples' to train now. Her daughter's strengthening display had at least made Poppy willing to learn more about self-defense.
But of all individuals, Michi was the one who wanted to meet Tom-Tom as quickly as possible.
And now that Katara had rescued the men and women of their tribe, she wanted to reach out to Sokka, too.
Thus, their next destination was wherever the Avatar and his group maybe. In fact, Toph could just teach the both of them, try and learn Lavabending while Nik could learn more about airbending from Aang himself.
No matter how they looked, they felt it would be beneficial to find Aang.
With that, it was time to decide who would travel with him. It wasn't even a long discussion that Toph wanted to travel, no doubt. This made Katara volunteer, too... and others step back more than willingly. After all, instead of hearing about their bickering, Suki felt that teaching Michi and Poppy would be more meaningful of her time and would ease Nik's worries. Mai figured out that the journey itself would be grimy and annoying with Toph and Katara constantly trying to make fun of one another.
Poppy only relented to stay in the Beifong Mansion under the condition that Toph would return every night... and her more personal request was to get treated every few nights. Heck, even once a month was fine for her as long as he didn't forget about her. Something he wouldn't have done in the first place.
So, as everyone made themselves at home within the Beifong mansion, easily enjoying the numerous high-quality furniture present inside, Nik suffered silently, in the outside world...
---
"Here, that criminal Nik has kidnapped my daughter and wife..." Lao looked at the luscious dark-haired woman who had one side of her face hidden by her locks with a cold expression and handed her a piece of his daughter's clothing. Why he kept that strip of white cloth... wasn't something he was willing to explain himself for.
"Hmm, I'll find them sure enough," the woman licked her lips, "But..."
Lao brought out a hefty pouch of coins as her eyes gleamed.
"Get the both of them back to me."
***
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