Listen to the Earth

By: guyw1tn0nam3

One shot

There was no expression on her face when it hit her.

Smoke billowed from Princess Azula’s fingers, and the lightning found its mark, embedding itself into the chest of Toph Bei Fong. Her wall of Earth had failed her in the end, the too powerful element breaking open Earth as easily as stepping on a twig. The mark was blackened over Toph’s chest as her face was contorted in confusion and shock. Her blind eyes seemed to stutter and she fell face first into the ground.

No one had seen it but Sokka himself. His eyes watered seeing her fall.

“No…” Sokka thought. “It can’t be.” Of all the lively people he had met, Toph Bei Fong could not die. It was hard to imagine her happy lit up face, forever replaced by a face of shock.

Sokka hurled his boomerang at Azula. It was futile, as Azula sidestepped and sent another shockwave and barely missed Sokka’s face, his hair singed by the fire. But Sokka didn’t give up. He withdrew the meteorite sword and regained his battle stance, his eyes narrow, looking at the fallen warrior on the floor, and his opponent on the other side.

Sokka charged and Azula fired as well. Her lightning struck the meteorite sword and flung it out of Sokka’s hands. Surprised, but not finished Sokka leapt and dealt a blow to the face of the Fire Nation Princess. He could feel the jaw break and several bones crack as he dealt the blow.

Sokka didn’t stop there. Blow after blow he dealt kicks blows, not caring if they were blocked or hit. Azula would pay with her life. Sokka finally managed to gather enough strength and hit Azula straight in the chest. The cavity caved in and Azula gasped for air. She fired at the ground with a bolt of lightning, and an explosion followed, sending Sokka to the ground. Once Sokka had recovered the smoke had cleared.

But the future queen was out of sight.

The battle was over.

The pain had only begun.

Sokka slowly crawled to the body that was Toph. She still lay there in her prone form. Sokka sighed and shook his head as he put his hand over her body and flipped her over. He needed to see the face. Needed to see if she was still alive.

“Ack.” A voice coughed as Toph turned over. Toph put her hands to her mouth as she retched one way or the other. Sokka’s face lit up in hope. “What’s going on Snoozles?’

“Toph, you’re hurt.” Sokka muttered.

“Right, like I haven’t noticed.” Toph replied sarcastically, waving her hands as a boulder emerged behind her. She placed her head on the boulder, relaxing at the touch of Earth. “Where are Katara and Aang? Katara can heal me up right?”

Sokka surveyed the extent of her injuries. The lightning had boiled itself into her chest pretty deep, and the sign of no blood meant that it was very deep for it not to spill out. “Um…yes I’m pretty sure everything’s gonna be fine.” Sokka choked on the last word.

“Liar.” Toph chuckled. “Don’t lie. You’re never good at it.”

Sokka sighed. “It’s gonna ok Toph. It’s gonna be…”

“Look at me!” Toph barked before coughing again. “I’m pretty sure this is a fatal wound. It hurts…I don’t know if I’m ready yet Sokka.”

There it was. The confession of insecurity. Toph was scared. Of what Sokka couldn’t understand. It was these times when Sokka began to realize. They were never going to be normal again. They were scarred with fallen comrades, dead lovers, wounds of their own. They would never see things again. How could a young girl have to go through this?

“But the again.” Toph pushed a lock of hair out of her way, her face still in her monotonous form. “I suppose I deserve it don’t I?”

“No Toph. This is my fault.” Sokka hung his head lower than low. There was no way to explain the pain he was facing. It was as if death mocked him everywhere he went. Everywhere, his comrades, his friends, the loved ones have died for what? For him?

“Your fault?” Toph spat. She laughed. “Ha! I don’t need a knight in shining armor Sokka. You should’ve realized that by now.”

“Yeah.” Sokka joked, trying to lighten the situation. “You’re always so independent.”

Toph didn’t speak for a moment, as if she wanted to say something that wouldn’t come out. She just tilted her head as her breath became shorter, and shorter. “Hard to breathe Sokka.” Toph muttered. “I guess this is it huh?”

“Toph, please don’t say that. I’m sure you’re gonna be fine.” Sokka replied in a firm tone. “You’re gonna be fine.”

Toph pulled Sokka by the collar. “Didn’t I tell you not to lie?” She whispered in his face. Their faces were mere millimeters away. Their breaths were clearly noticeable. Toph released him and lay back onto her boulder. “I always wanted adventure Sokka. Not the life that my family gave me. I wanted to see the world.”

“Did you?” Sokka asked, gently stroking her hair and laid besides her.

Toph grimaced. “You’re forgetting.” She turned her head, her green eyes meeting his.

Sokka turned red in embarrassment. “Oh right. I forgot. Sorry.”

“Yeah well, I’m fine with that.” Toph chuckled. “To me, when I was on the journey with you guys. With you.” She emphasized the you. Sokka flinched. “I never thought I was blind anymore. I was…normal. Not the Blind Bandit. When you were around. I could feel normal. I have to thank you for that. Do you understand Sokka?” Toph’s breath quickened, and was lighter and lighter every second. Sokka prayed that this wasn’t her time. Not her time.

“I sort of do.” Sokka replied slowly, taking in her reasoning.

“Well, that’s pretty much I have to say.” Toph sighed. “You didn’t get it did you?”

“Well, yeah of course I did!” Sokka exclaimed. “You changed as a result of our journey, because you were able to be the real you. That’s what you meant. Right?”

Toph sighed. “Well, you could figure it out.” Toph took a final deep breath before saying. “ I need you to leave me now.”

Sokka flinched in shock, then recovered. “No way. I am not leaving you to die. I’m taking you with me.”

Toph exploded in anger. “Sokka, I will not hesitate to Earthbend you away, so you might as well step back.”

Sokka closed his eyes. “Ok Toph. I’ll figure out why you said that.”

Toph smiled. “Thanks. Now get out of here Snoozles. I don’t you to be here when it happens.”

Sokka’s face was shocked. She knew she was going to die. Tears streamed down the cheeks of Sokka as he bent down and embraced Toph in his arms. “I’ll miss you Toph.”

“I’ll miss you too Snoozles.” Toph grinned. Even in death Toph maintained her calm and confidence. But there still were hints of tears welling up in her eyes. “I wanted to be an adventurer. And I have. It’s been a great journey. It seems now I’ll be going through the greatest journey of all of them huh?”

“Yes Toph.” Sokka cried, sniffing and holding back as many tears as possible. It didn’t work, fresh drops of tears flowed onto Toph’s hair. When he had stopped he stood and strode away, not looking back, keeping his word to Toph.

The battlefield was quiet. Spears and shattered shields were scattered across the plains. Dead soldiers both Fire and Earth scattered over the final battle of the Fire Nation Capital. In only a few moments Sokka would hear that Aang had won. Finally defeating the Fire Lord in a epic battle. But no one would see ever see Toph again.

A rumble sounded and Sokka could not help but to turn around.

Toph was bending Earth, densely packing it together to form hardened Earth. She ejected Earth from the ground, a huge pillar carrying her higher into the sky. She ground beneath her shook and a rectangular hole appeared on the ground. And when the pillar began to drop, Sokka finally understood what Toph was doing.

Burying herself.

The pillar finally collided with the ground and as Toph fell, Sokka could still see the Earth moving above her, her delicate hands playing with her favorite toy of all. The Earth collapsed on the grave, forming the sign of the Bei Fong family, and created a coffin made of Earth for Toph. Finally the Earth quieted, and Sokka fell silent as well, kneeling to the floor, right as yells of victory erupted into the sky.

2 Years Later

The battlefield had remained barren for all to see the devastation of the war. No one had touched it. Nothing would come near it. It was not a tourist attraction. Only war heroes were allowed onto the grounds, to memorialize their fallen. None of the bodies that were killed were buried. They would stay as they were, a strange honor to those who gave their lives to their own causes.

That is, none were buried save one.

Sokka strode across the barren field, making sure never to step over fallen bodies or skeletons. On his shoulder was a bag, the Earth kingdom bag he had bought before first seeing Toph Bei Fong for the first time. His face was barren, stone faced. He would never forget that day. And her last words.

When you were around, I felt normal. I have to thank you for that.

It was now that Sokka understood Toph’s final words.

He stepped over to the grave. Two years hadn’t shown on the Bei Fong crest. The Bei Fongs of course were devastated by their loss and cried when they were told. Aang and Katara were shocked. But no one felt more pain than Sokka. He had cared for her, and tried to keep her safe. She was way too young to have been killed.

“Hello Toph.” Sokka spoke to the tomb. “It’s been two years since you…” Sokka sniffed. “Passed away. I’ve come back. And I’ve finally figured out what you said.”

“I understand why you felt that way towards me. I wish I could’ve returned it, but I didn’t. I was just…too blinded.” Sokka chuckled at the word. “Sorry Toph. I know I’m not the greatest speaker.”

“Anyway.” Sokka continued, face once again serious. “I just wanted to know, that I’ve decided to never marry. The war has cost me too much and has taken almost everything from me. Part of my family. My friends. You. I’ll never live down the guilt.”

“I also got a few things for you.” Sokka reached into the bag and pulled out papers and a pair of flowers. “I wrote you a letter so when you’re in the spirit world, you might want to read it to yourself.” Sokka placed the papers over the ground, already forgetting Toph's blindness. “And these flowers. I have to thank you for being there for me and saving my butt a couple of times.”

“Everything is good so far for the world. You’ve helped change it and I’ll always remember you for that.” Sokka continued again. “You’re missed everywhere Toph. I’ve had a memorial, or a statue made of you in Ba Sing Se. My original drawing wasn’t so good, but we got it down ok.”

Sokka chuckled at the thought, and then straightened his face. “I just want to know. I hope you’re waiting for me on the other side. Because I’ll be there and I’ll wait for you. I hope you’re learning more Earthbending from the badgermoles there.”

Sokka cleared his voice again. “When I first met you, I thought you weren’t much since you were blind. I realized over time you were more than capable. I just wanted to get that out to you. I’m so proud of how you grew over our journey. You were a great person, a great Earthbender, and a great friend.”

Sokka couldn’t say much anymore, so he decided to say his final words. “If you ever need me, I think Spirits can talk to you while they sleep. I’m pretty sure you deserve the Earth Spirit position. I’ll see you around.”

Sokka walked over to the grave, and drew a few words over the grave.

Here lies Toph, the greatest Earthbender the world has ever known. She was a great person, and a good friend. She will be missed.

And with a stab of creativity Sokka wrote one more word below the others.

Tokka.

Sokka walked off, not looking back again. He would visit every month to commemorate the bravest girl he had met.

Another rumble then shook Sokka as he turned, four badgermoles appeared from the Earth and the tomb of Toph Bei Fong descended with them, her final burial in the greatest honor. To be one with her Earth.

Every night from then on, Sokka prayed to the moon, but also prayed to the Earth. And every time he placed his head on the ground, he swore he could’ve heard the Earth’s heartbeat.