Week #16 -- Mother

Honored Parents
To whom it may concern
Dear Mom and Dad

To Mother and Father:
I got one of the Avatar's friends to write this for me, so if it's a mess, blame her. She's not so bad for a former princess of ice huts waterbender of considerable skill.

I'm sorry I had to go without saying goodbye. I'm not sorry that I'm not stuck at home right now. Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I'm stupid or helpless, just very bad tempered. You saw me show an entire tournament's worth of earthbenders at once who's boss and you still sent bounty hunters after me? The same ones that I flattened right in front of you? How can I explain this so that dumb people like you can understand?

You're my parents. You're trying to do what you think is best. What about what I think is best? I left because I wanted to be anywhere but at home. Out here, I'm learning new things. My earthbending is even better than it used to be--I can bend metal now, so currently I'm the greatest earthbender in the world no thanks to you as well as the most modest. I'm having fun, which doesn't include contemplating bad poetry about nature or learning to play the mandolin. I have friends. They're annoying, but they have their uses, and it's always fun to make them cranky. I'm always cranky and I annoy them too so it works out fine. They treat me like a person, which is more than you ever did. They forget that I'm blind unless I remind them. Do you get my point yet, or do I have to keep this up forever? 

I am having a good time and I'm carrying my own weight in our little club. I don't need anybody to lead me around. If you send any more bounty hunters after me, I promise you that I'm never going to come home again unless it's to tell the whole town that the Blind Bandit is your daughter. I may also hint that the reason for the secrecy was because I'm actually illegitimate, without saying whose fault it is. I may not. It depends on just how mad you make me. I'm just kidding don't take that seriously.

We're not in the safest place right now, so don't send a letter after us. You can give one to the messenger hawk (the waterbender's stupid brother named it Hawky but don't hold it against him), but if he gets intercepted, we're in really deep trouble. Just because I single-handedly invaded the palace of Ba Sing Se with the help of two other benders and a trained warrior doesn't mean I can handle the entire Fire Nation army at once. I could try, but my friends wouldn't appreciate it. Actually they'd be very upset so please don't send a letter.

Stay away from Omashu and Ba Sing Se because the Fire Nation has both of them. Yes, really, remember that I'm blind, not stupid despite some evidence otherwise. Don't invite Master Yu the Useless into the house--I don't think you noticed, but he used to steal stuff when you weren't looking. I let him get away with it because it was funny. If you don't believe me, take a look in his house sometime. Please take care of the morning glories on the south wall; they don't do well in the summer sun. Don't worry about me. Be careful. I love you.

Toph Bei Fong
The Blind Bandit
Teacher of the Avatar
World's Greatest Earthbender
Model of Humility

P.S. This is her waterbender friend Katara. Toph does love you & she's really a nice girl underneath the dirt & sarcasm--she just doesn't like to show it. She's been a huge help on our journey & I don't think we could manage without her. Don't mention this when you see her. 

----

Finished at last, Katara set the brush aside and blew on the letter to dry it. She'd had to write a little fast sometimes, so the grammar wasn't perfect, but she didn't think Toph's parents would care.

Toph drained her canteen, throat sore. "Thanks."

"You're welcome!"

"Now read it back to me, all of it, and we'll see how much of it needs fixing."

Katara blinked. "Uh--what do you mean? It's, um, kind of messy in places, and I don't know what 'morning glories' are, so I had to guess--"

"I can hear you painting over anything that isn't properly warm and fuzzy, Little Miss Liebender. Also, I'd probably do the same thing in reverse if it was me."

"Wait, 'reverse'?"

"Sugar Queen, I'm here to make sure all his little soldiers learn the true meaning of fear. You would probably give the Fire Lord a hug if he looked like he wanted his mommy bad enough. Come on, let's hear it. We haven't got all day."