Urgh, this is getting nowhere,' A young girl thought as she sat in the carriage that was currently under attack by bandits, her black hair pulled into a tight formal bun and dressed in silken robes of only the finest quality.
Nestled in the arms of her mother, who was a carbon copy of her, the girl watched as her father sat opposite of them, his dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail and a ceremonial sword held shakily in his hands.
Both of them were dressed in formal silk robes of the same quality as hers, but her father also had a thin moustache while her mother had numerous jade pins in her hair.
Toph Beifong usually would not care for something like this, but their family guards were knocked out, her mother was panicking like a headless chicken-gator, her father was shouting at the bandits trying to rob them and she wondered just how she was going to get some entertainment out of this.
In all honesty, she wasn't as good with earthbending yet considering she only started about two weeks ago, but she'd say she's good enough to take out a dozen bandits that were trying to rob them.
"H-How about…I give you all of my valuables and in exchange, you let my daughter and wife walk freely?"
"Dear-", Her mother gasped, but Toph just stayed silent as her dad gave a solemn smile and shook his head.
"I'm not making it out of here, dear, but I can at least make sure that you two do."
"…I suppose that is fair…but how can we be sure that your wife and kid doesn't try and contact guards to kill us?"
"That is unfortunately something I cannot guarantee!", Her father shouted back, Toph readying to just go ballistic and take out the guards before she stopped as she felt two new presences nearing.
"Oi oi! What do we have here?!", She heard the tall kid shouting and he was…riding on the back of a komodo rhino?
'Got to admit, that's pretty badass.'
"Go away, kid. We're doing business."
"Well, I would, but I just heard you shout Beifong and my komodo rhino and I just couldn't help ourselves. Now, would you gentlemen just be so kind as to throw down your weapons and run away?", Toph had to admit that she was impressed by the pair of balls on the kid as he spoke to the bandits, her parents looking at each other as the blind girl 'saw' the bandit leader scoffed.
"Alright, kid. How about this offer? You leave that komodo rhino behind and-"
"B-Boss!", Toph watched as one of the subordinates spoke up, feeling the man's heart racing while the boss turned to his subordinate with a growl.
"What the hell do you want?"
"B-Boss, that's Toji Fushiguro! The kid that took out the entirety of the Crimson Sails Armada on his own," Toph was a bit confused by the name as she never heard of it, but it appears her parents did as she heard her mother's surprised gasp while the bandits now all felt nervous.
"Oh, I didn't think I was still famous."
"T-This is the kid?"
"Y-Yeah, people thought he died while fighting them, but there was this one bounty hunter named June that said he was still alive."
"June? June the Huntress?"
"Yes!"
"Well, it's good to see June still told people I was alive. So!", Toph heard the boy grunt as she 'saw' him drop down from his komodo-rhino, making the men on their ostrich-horses step back when he slowly unsheathed his jian.
"One last chance. Either you guys give up right now or I kill you."
"…Attack!", It was over in an instant as the boy rushed forward, Toph in awe as she watched him slice through the ostrich-horses and the men with ease, dancing around their attacks with the smile of a kid that wasn't cutting living beings up into pieces.
"Whew~! That was fun, wasn't it Iron? Hey, ! You in there?!", The boy named Toji shouted as he knocked on the door, Toph watching as her dad slowly reached for the door before kicking it open while swinging his sword.
It didn't mean anything as the boy caught her father's swing by the edge, slowly taking the sword from the man while sheathing his own and placing it on the ground.
"Everyone okay?", Toph heard him ask, watching as her father felt a bit anxious before he responded.
"None of us sustained injuries."
"Good. So, let's discuss the matter of my payment."
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"P-Payment?", Toji heard Lao Beifong ask, smirking as he nodded while resting on the steps with a smirk.
"Yes, payment. After all, I just saved the wealthiest family in the Earth Kingdom, did I not? Or is generosity for your saviour not something in the Earth Kingdom?", He asked, smiling amusedly as Lao Beifong looked at his wife before looking back at him.
"Of course. Apologies for my lack of manners. It was simply…unusual for someone your age to speak of payment with such confidence."
"I find that confidence pays off. Besides, I don't charge much. Just a few coins, maybe a good meal…for both of us and a bath," Toji added as Iron let out a loud snort, taking a step back and watching as the guards woke up while Poppy Beifong spoke up.
"We owe you a great debt, young man, and the Beifong family does not forget those who come to our aid. You will be rewarded handsomely, won't he dear?", She said as she looked at her husband, who caught the look in her eyes as a wry smile formed on his face and he nodded.
"Great, because I've always wanted to try the Beifong family's dumplings. I hear they're a lot better than the knock-off ones from the lower rings."
"You will have your reward, Toji Fushiguro, and perhaps a letter of recommendation. There are many noble families who would pay well for a young man of your skills."
"Eh, I'll take that, but I'm not the noble guard dog type. Anyway, do you guys have any other animals to pull your guard?"
"No, the bandits…they stole them," Lao murmured as he stepped out before freezing at the bloody sight in front of him, watching as the komodo rhino went to eating the bodies while the boy Toji was busy looking through them.
"Do not come out, dear. It's not a pretty sight," Toji heard Lao say as he closed the door, going back to taking the coins from the bandits while keeping an eye on the few guards that were standing up.
"M-my lord, what…what happened?"
"The bandits were slain by the boy there."
"B-Boy?", One of the guards asked, the group turning only to be surprised as Toji smirked and waved while Iron ripped another bandit's arm off and swallowed it whole.
"Yo, why are you guys sleeping on the job?"
"Are you being serious, my lord?'
"I am, indeed. For now, we must first repair any damage to the carriage."
"If you want, Iron will pull it for just a gold coin," Toji spoke up as he emptied another pouch, grumbling as he only got four gold coin out of it before pocketing them and throwing the pouch away.
"Just a gold coin?"
"You're right. It's too little. Make it two gold coins," Toji said with a smirk over his shoulder, chuckling as Lao just sighed and nodded.
"Very well. Two gold coins."
"Great. Iron, time to work for a living," Toji said, grinning as Iron just gave a reluctant grunt before it slowly walked to the front of the carriage while the boy stood with a grin.
'Oh, yeah. Time for us to get more money, buddy.'
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'Oh, I can't help but admit that I do miss the noble life. Spending a shit ton of money on random shit,' Toji thought with a smirk as he sat in one corner of the room, amused at Poppy and the young daughter Toph looking warily at him while Lord Beifong had his eyes closed.
"So," Poppy began, drawing Toji's attention to her as he saw the curious look in her eyes.
"Toji Fushiguro…why does that sound like a Fire Nation name?"
"It is. My father was Fire Nation, but he deserted the army when he met my mom."
"I see. I would like to meet them to compliment them for raising such a wonderful son."
"Unfortunately, you're about…four years too late? Around that time, yeah. Our village, Tu Zin, was attacked by Fire Nation soldiers that tried to get my father back and I was the only survivor."
"I see. That is quite tragic. My condolences," The woman spoke softly, the practiced nobility in her voice faltering slightly while Toji just shrugged.
"It was a long time ago. You get used to loss when you have nothing else to lose.
"And yet here you are, smirking in our carriage after saving us from bandits as if it were all a game," Lord Beifong said as he opened his eyes and Toji let out a low chuckle as he nodded.
"That's because it is a game. One just either plays it smart or you die stupid."
"And do you think saving our lives has brought you a winning hand in this…game?', Poppy asked , to which Toji stretched out one leg and nodded.
"I think it got me a seat at your table. Besides. I've already gotten my gold. Now I'm just enjoying the view."
"You're really full of yourself, huh?", Toph finally spoke up, her arms folded and a cocky grin on her face. Despite her abrupt words, Toji just smirked before nodding.
"Takes one to know one, princess," he responded and Toph's smile widened slightly while Lao sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
:"You speak like a mercenary."
"I am. Bounty hunter, assassin, explorer. As long as it's good pay and I like the job, it doesn't matter. Don't worry, though. I'm not one of those expensive ones nor will I betray you if you've already paid me."
"Why do you do it? The fighting and the killing, drifting from job to job. You could simply run and disappear?", Poppy asked, sharing a brief glance with her husband while Toji lost the playful look in his eyes.
"Because it's the one thing I'm good at. \ Also, if the world wants a monster, it'll make one whether you want to be that monster or not. I simply decided that I would become the monster before something forced me to."
"I see. You are more complex than I was expecting, Toji Fushiguro," Lao murmured and Toji nodded as he leaned back in his seat.
"I get that a lot. So…are the Beifong dumplings really better than the regular ones?", He asked, bringing the peaceful atmosphere back as Poppy hid her giggles with her hand while Lao smirked.
"The best in the land."
"Ooh~ Then, I'll have to try some."
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"Holy shit, look at that beast."
"Where did Lord Beifong get that? Or does it belong to that kid?"
"W-Wait…isn't that…That's Toji fucking Fushiguro?"
"The Executioner? The Ghost of the Armada? Holy shit, he's still alive."
"Dude, of course he would ride on a komodo rhino 'cause he's a badass," Toji felt amused at the awed whispers of the crowd as he decided to ride on Iron as the beast pulled the carriage into Gaoling, both to give the family some time to ready themselves as well as check out the view.
He had to admit that in terms of functionality, it wasn't all that considering the town didn't have that many guards compared to Omashu or other villages.
However, in terms of aesthetics and beauty, he had to admit that Gaoling was downright beautiful.
The stone streets were clean and well-maintained, high-walled estates lining the streets and even the market stralls were selling fresh produce, handwoven expensive fabrics and sparkling trinkets glinting in the snulight.
"You see this, Iron? Even the dirt looks expensive here," Toji muttered as he leaned lazily forward on the saddle, tapping one hand against the side of Iron's neck while the other tapped at the jian at his side.
The rhino just gave a deep snort at Toji's words, making him chuckle as they watched the people quickly part for them, watching as the guards began to keep everyone away.
As they neared the Beifong estate, the guards at the gate immediately straightened and stepped to the side, letting the guards at the front of them push the doors open and allowed Iron to pull the carriage in.
Stopping in front of the massive stone manor, Toji whistled at its size while hopping down, hearing the carriage door open and turning to see Lao walking out first followed by his wife who helped the girl out.
'She has the poise of an earthbender,' It was subtle, but Toji could see it in the way that she stepped and stood, her head slowly looking around to make it look as if she could not see.
Yet, he knew she could as he tapped the side of his right thigh, a smirk growing on his face when he caught her eyes flickering to him for a brief moment before going back to their normal position.
Yeah, she can definitely see.
"Welcome back, Master Beifong," The guards greeted, Lao simply nodding while Toji rubbed Iron's side and patted his horn.
"Thank you. It seems you have made quite the impression."
"I aim to please," Toji spoke as his smirk grew, Poppy stepping forward and still looking elegant despite the long ride as she smiled.
"We shall have rooms prepared for you, Toji and of course for your…friend Iron."
"Don't worry, you can call him a beast. Honestly, he prefers it," Toji said as he patted Iron's side and Poppy was a bit bewildered as the beast…nodded?
"See? Also, no need to prepare anything. If you have an area where you usually place large beasts and steeds, he'll be over the moon."
"And for you?'
"A room with a view that lets me look down on the nobles trying to peek in."
"I like your idea. We have the perfect room for that," Lao said with a dry smile as he turned to his wife, who nodded before Toji watched as she and Toph made their way into the manor.
"You and your wife are quite protective over your daughter."
"We are. With her blindness and her frail state, we must unfortunately be extra careful with Toph lest we risk her getting injured. Is that a problem to you, Toji?"
"Not in the slightest. It reminds me of how my parents used to be."
'So she is hiding her strength from her family? Hmm, perhaps she feels that they will still treat her the same no matter if she becomes stronger or not? If that's the case, this is far too similar to my days as a Zen'in,' Toji remembers the days where his entire clan ridiculed him for his weakness in his younger days, the days where he had to fight for everything before he decided to show them all what it means to mess with Toji Zen'in.
After that decisive day, the entire clan came to fear the man known as Toji Zen'in and that was also the day that he decided to leave the clan and go on his own adventure.
"While we wait for the maids to prepare your room, I will ask the chefs to make you some of our famous dumplings," Lao spoke as he walked towards the door and Toji grinned as he followed after the man.
"That sounds delightful."
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It was late at night when Toji was finally left alone, most of the manor fast asleep while one sole occupant was seated atop the outer balcony that extended from his room.
In one hand was a glass of plum wine with the bottle that he stole from the kitchen, one leg dangling off the edge of the balcony and the other pulled up against his chest.
'Of course, he's sleeping his ass off,' Toji thought with a smirk as he looked at Iron in the stables below, the komodo rhino snoring away and most definitely being a warning alarm for anyone that wanted to come closer.
"I know you're there, Toph," Toji spoke softly as he took a sip from his wine, turning his head with a smirk as the door to his room opened. Toph stood in the doorway in a long robe with her feet bare, her black hair now loose around her shoulders while she walked with her arms crossed.
"I wasn't sneaking in, okay?"
"Never said you were. Want a drink?", Toji asked before smirking as Toji stared flatly at him.
"I'm eight…and you're twelve."
"Fair point."
"You don't sound like a 12 year old, you know?"
"And you don't sound like an eight year old."
"I'm built different," Toph answered with a cocky smirk and a shrug, Toji grinning as he looked back at Iron while Toph stood beside him.
"…Why did you really save us? I know you didn't do it for two gold coins."
"I did it out of the kindness of my heart."
"That's a lie," Toph murmured, Toji humming as he looked at her before shrugging.
"I was bored."
"…You're not lying."
"Nope. You see, boredom is a stupidly, dangerous thing that makes you do some dumb shit and I wanted to see if I can kill a dozen bandits and four ostrich-horses. As it turns out, I can."
"…You are one weird guy," Toph spoke as she shook her head and Toji shrugged as he flipped over to his feet while downing his glass at the same time.
"Thank you for the compliment. Hey, you're not going to tell your parents about the wine, right?"
"What's in it for me?"
"I don't tell your parents that their daughter is an earthbending prodigy."
"They wouldn't believe you," Toph answered and Toji hummed before swinging a quick jab at her head. However, he blinked as the girl shifted his footing slightly, making his fist miss by an inch while also catching and breaking the rock spear shot at his side.
"Not bad."
"You're the first, you know?"
"The first what?", He asked and Toph sighed as she looked out at the estate grounds.
"The first to treat me like I'm not made out of glass. Everyone else does."
"That's because you're blind."
"I know, but I'm not weak."
"Oh, I can see that and if they can't, then they're the blind ones," Toph was a bit pleased and surprised at his words, Toji putting his glass down before downing the entirety of the bottle in one gulp.
"Argh~! Whoo, that's the good shit," He spoke with a grin as he aimed and chucked the bottle into the night sky before turning to Toph with a smirk.
"You look like you'd be scary strong in the future, but just remember not to let their fear become your cage."
"…Will you stay for a while? You know, hang out and stuff?", Toph asked and Toji raised an eyebrow at her before shrugging.
"That depends on the food and the pay."
"I'll make sure the food is good enough and I'll take to Father about a better pay for you," Toph spoke and Toji chuckled as he nodded.
"Then it looks like I'm staying for a while."
A/N: And Toji is now…working a job? With a salary?! What travesty is this? Let us find out next time~!
Anyway, check out my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories that may peak your interest. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one...
Ba-Bye~!