[Day 210] open action | everything changed when the fire nation attacked

[tophgirl]

Who: Toph & you
Open: Open
When: 210
Where: By the onsen, near the bridge to the Skyway
What: Toph makes her way from the Skyway and to the Bastion.
Format: Prefer action, but I'll match.
Warnings: TBD

[Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.

That's the first thought to cross Toph's mind when she wakes up to find the world different. Wrong. She can feel earth beneath her feet, but it doesn't feel anchored. She can feel where it ends, which shouldn't be possible. Yeah, she's the greatest earthbender in the history of ever, but even she can't feel all the way to the inside of the world.

Everything around her feels barren and broken, like the earth had when she'd gone to see where Ozai had fought Aang. Maybe His Royal Loserness broke out of prison and rallied the Fire Nation malcontents against Zuko. There had been a lot of people not happy with her promise of peace & harmony.

She wishes for a moment that she'd gone to the palace after running away from home again — or better yet, she wishes she'd never gone home in the first place. If something's happened to Zuko, then Aang and Katara are probably in trouble too. Not to mention Iroh. If Sokka remained in the South Pole, he's probably fine, but what if —

No time for what if's. Standing around with your head up your butt is what diplomats and advisors do. Nobody ever saved the world by standing around and thinking about it. She should know; she helped save the world. If she wants to help her friends, then first she's got to find them.

She makes her way carefully across increasingly unfamiliar terrain... terrain which doesn't behave like earth should, and that's probably the most frightening thing of all. She's always been able to rely on earth. Reliability is the essence of dirt. She finally comes to a bridge and, when she crosses, she feels civilization.]

People are a good start.

Comments

[daughterofursa]

Woah-

[Zuko wasn't expecting that, but she's had enough experience on the Skyway that she almost catches herself-- almost. Onto her butt she goes.

She doesn't get up right away, instead glowering up at Toph for a moment.]

...you might be older but you really haven't changed.

[tophgirl]

[Toph beams with satisfaction.]

I wouldn't have it any other way.

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko picks herself up and dusts herself off. She wouldn't have wanted Toph to change either, but that's a little too sentimental for her to admit to.]

Well, anyway...

Do you want me to show you around?

[tophgirl]

Oh yeah, I can't wait to see all the sights!

[daughterofursa]

[That phrasing is a little suspect.]

I think you can see all of it.

[tophgirl]

[Huff.]

You're no fun. Sokka totally would've fallen for that.

[daughterofursa]

Guess I'm just smarter than Sokka.

[tophgirl]

You say that like it's hard.

[daughterofursa]

Well, at least it's smarter than you took me for.

You coming or not?

[tophgirl]

You leading or not?

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko rolls her eyes. Okay, fine. Well, might as well start her tour with what's nearby.]

We're just by the hot springs right now, if you noticed it.

[Not that Zuko ever uses the onsen, so she'll start moving on from it.]

Past that is the hospital. That's probably more important to know. The Skyway can be dangerous.

[tophgirl]

Well with a name like "the Skyway"... [Toph can't imagine more threatening sounding words. Ugh. Give her good decent earth any day.]

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko hadn't thought about it until now, but...]

That's right. There are a lot of flying creatures out there...

I know you're pretty tough, but it's a bad idea for anyone to be out there alone. Try to keep that in mind. [And take someone with who can see.]

[tophgirl]

Yeah, yeah. [It's a good thing Zuko doesn't add that last bit about bringing someone who can see, because then Toph would have no choice but to go back out there to prove that she can handle it on her own. She likes being underestimated by people who don't know her, but to have someone who does act like the ability to see things with your eyes is some awesome mighty superpower...well, there's no way she could take that lying down.]

So we've got hot water and a place for sick people. What else is here?

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko is pretty sure saying that part out loud would have gotten her yelled at or earthbent at again. Still, she imagines eyesight would be helpful for Toph's aim when it comes to flying things.]

The distillery is on the west side, over there. That's where most of us eat.

[Somehow she doesn't imagine cooking as one of Toph's talents...]

[tophgirl]

...isn't a distillery a place that makes alcohol? Do you guys eat or just spend the entire time getting wasted?

[daughterofursa]

Well- there's alcohol there, too, but I- don't drink it.

[Does she sound a little embarrassed about that? Maybe.]

[tophgirl]

You're lying. [Toph can't actually tell, which is going to freak her out when she thinks about it but fortunately right now the hilarity of Zuko's embarrassment is distracting.]

[daughterofursa]

I don't! [...okay, even Zuko knows that's not very convincing.]

I just tried it the one time and I am not doing that again.

[tophgirl]

I KNEW IT! [Toph cackles gleefully.] What happened? You gotta tell me what happened!

[daughterofursa]

I- I breathed fire and it is not that funny!

[tophgirl]

You breathed fire? Like a dragon?

[daughterofursa]

Well, sort of.

[She was trying not to at the time so it really wasn't that impressive.]

[tophgirl]

[Toph cackles. Loudly. And none too kindly.]

[daughterofursa]

Oh, come on!

[She'll admit it was a little funny, but she doesn't think it warrants cackling.]