(no subject)

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

Outside the farmhouse, there's a very localised seismic incident.

Toph spent the night in a rock tent, mostly because the main building is already packed full of people. This morning, for a lack of anything else to do, she's decided to do something about it.

So this tiny little blind girl is standing in an empty field, within sight of both fort and house. At first she just stands paces quietly, getting a feel for the earth, then her hands lift, and a huge square of turf rises about three feet up, on a large slab of bed rock, taking her with it.

From there the Earthbender continues, waving her arms and occasionally feet in firm, strong motions, but with no obvious results to anyone who can't see or feel beneath the surface of the ground as she can, or who hasn't lookedclose enough to see the strained expression on her face. Not until the raised slab heaves up again after half an hour's work.

Toph is building somewhere for people to sleep.

Comments

[sheknowsstuff.livejournal.com]

Layla is sitting reading her book with her back against the wall.

"Indoor plumbing would be nice," she says not even looking up from her book.

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

"If you want indoor plumbing you can come and dig it yourself, Smartypants."

It's yelled, but Toph doesn't stop moving as she says it.

"What are you planning on doing all day?"

[sheknowsstuff.livejournal.com]

"Telling Jamie where an abandoned furniture store is and helping him move it here in his truck," Layla said turning a page. "Unless you think people would be more comfortable sleeping on beds made of rock."

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

"What's wrong with rock?" Toph demands. "I've been sleeping on rock since leaving my parents' house."

Ba Sing Se doesn't count, on account of being the worst city in the world.

[sheknowsstuff.livejournal.com]

"Most civilized people use some kind of mattress," Layla replied still not looking up from her book. "It allows them to sleep better and not be in a perpetual state of crankiness."

Possible verbal jab at Toph. Nah. Couldn't be.

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

"You'd be cranky too if you were missing the Avatar kick Firelord butt to be stuck in this stupid world talking to uptight knowitalls," Toph points out.

[sheknowsstuff.livejournal.com]

"Again I just know stuff, not everything," Layla replied as she calmly turned the page. "And I'm missing the chance to help find the first mutant child born since the mutant race was decimated on my own world. Some of us seem to handle adversity better than others."

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

"Hey, I handle adversity just fine."

Toph stops speaking just long enough for the four walls she's bring together under her slab to rise up another foot.

"Doesn't mean I'm going to be nice to you."

[sheknowsstuff.livejournal.com]

"Right back at you, rock head," Layla replied. "Careful. Make sure you don't lose that giant chip on your shoulder."

[diseasedvermin.livejournal.com]

Tom was just out for a 'sniff about' as a rat - testing his nose, gathering scents, that sort of thing.

But then he heard the earth crack.

His body slides up to half-rat half-human, eyes sliding to full human. The earth is rising. Tom, already close to the house, runs full-out towards it, alarm-squeaking as he goes.

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

See, that makes Toph stop exactlty what she was doing, and the earth sops with her.

"Dude," she says, not bothering to turn around. "What did you just do?"

Because it felt like a rat turned into some sort of half-rat half-human thing.

[diseasedvermin.livejournal.com]

The earth is going to rise up and destroy them all! It's --

-- wait? Talking? Tom slows to a stop, turning around, panting lightly as he watches the earth - and then turns his attention to the girl floating on the rock.

He slides to full human, naked, heart hammering and palms sweating. "You're-- you're doin' that, righ'?" he manages.

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

"I'm not making you change shape," Toph informs him firmly. "I'm awesome, but I'm not that awesome."

[diseasedvermin.livejournal.com]

"The earth thing!" Tom shouts, terrified and now annoyed and hoping he's not gonna get dead in two seconds.

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

"Oh."

Toph shrugs.

"Yeah, that's me," she says proudly. She is awesome enough for that.

[diseasedvermin.livejournal.com]

There's a pause from Tom.

It doesn't look like she's going to kill them all. The wariness remains but the fear is beginning to subside.

"What for?"

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

"For somewhere to sleep," Toph says. "It stinks with all those people inside, and I'm not exactly Miss Hygiene pants."

[lemur-sitter.livejournal.com]

"I know that noise!"

Sokka's voice squeaks a little with excitement as he stampedes out of the house towards the source of the Earthbending.

"TOPH!"

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

SOKKA! Oh, Sokka! Hooray for him being here! Happy joy wonderful day!

Toph stops bending, her back to him.

"Took your time getting here, didn't you?" she asks dryly.

[lemur-sitter.livejournal.com]

"There was a giant squid kraken thing!" Sokka protests, stopping at the edge of Toph's bending rocks and grinning up at her. "And babies and a really really weird guy and all this awesome stuff! I couldn't help it! Have you seen all the machines they've got here?"

He's excited. And excitable. Bless.

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

Toph jumps down from her half finished shelter. Just, y'know, if he wants to do anything girly like hug or anything. She totally doesn't want to.

"Yeah, I got here in a metal box on wheels that runs on rock oil," she says. "How come you never invented that?"

[lemur-sitter.livejournal.com]

"I saw lots of those," Sokka says eagerly, "but I didn't have time to look at them, how did they work? What sort of rock oil? Is the one you came in here?"

It would be kind of weird to hug Toph. But he's really pleased to see her. Maybe she won't mind if he just sort of sneakily hugs her while he's pretending to steer her inside so he can show her the freezer. "Come on, you gotta see this stuff, it's amazing!"

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

Oh, she totally minds. See how she turns slightly away with a stiff shoulder? That's definitely not so he won't see her blush. Nope.

"I think they took it to get beds for the bedroom I'm building. Apparently the ground's not good enough for these people, I dunno."

She's in such a good mood she doesn't even leap on him telling her to 'see' stuff.

[lemur-sitter.livejournal.com]

That's okay. That's pretty much what you get for trying to hug Tophs anyway. He pats her shoulder and puts his hands back in his pockets, grinning at her enormously.

"How long have you been here? I just got in really early this morning."

[runaway-bandit.livejournal.com]

"I got in last night," Toph replies. "But I slept outside. It's too crowded in there."

Hence, new building.