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Tweak says, "I've had everyone here."

Toph Bei Fong (rocksolid) wrote in mirage_rpg,
@ 2008-07-25 18:37:00

Entry tags:

arrival, complete, day 9, katara, toph bei fong

Day Nine
Who: Toph & Katara
When: Late-Afternoon
What: Toph's Arrival
Where: Just inside, by the courtyard to start
Rating: G
Status: Complete

“Let me have some of your clothes.”

Sokka turned from his place seated on the floor of his temporary room in the Bei Fong manor, and stared in awe at the sight in his door way. Now he’d seen her in a dress once before, but she had been twelve years old at the time, and the rest of their time together she could’ve easily passed for a young boy. In fact, he was sure that she often tried to hide the fact that she was a girl. Couldn’t be blind and a girl, those two things no doubt just screamed helpless in her mind. Especially when her parents treated her that way for the first dozen years of her life.

“Stop gawking, meat head, and let me have some of your clothes! They burned mine. Burned them and gave me a room full of this crap.”

Toph was the blind bandit, the runaway, an earth bending master, and a notorious tomboy. Never had she felt so decidedly unlike herself. That Toph was currently lost under layers of green and white silks, hugging curves she would insist she didn’t have. She pulled at the skirt in frustration, stomping her foot when Sokka just sat there.

While Aang and Katara had gone to the fire nation, Toph went (begrudgingly, mind you) home for her mother’s birthday, and Sokka had decided to tag along. She was beginning to wonder why she let Sokka convince her that this wouldn’t be so bad. So what if she hadn’t seen her parents in two years, and birthdays weren’t anything special -- her mother was getting older, what else was new?

“My clothes won’t fit you, Toph.” He offered sheepishly, not wanting to annoy the earth bender more then she already was. The dark haired girl threw her hands up, and stormed away grumbling something about him being useless.

Her hands rose up behind her, trying to unfasten the gown, never mind she was wandering the halls. Unfortunately, her mother was clever in an evil sort of way. It felt like hundreds of tiny buttons along her spine, some she‘d never be able to reach on her own, no wonder it had taken so long to get the thing on (her struggling against it aside).

Around the corner -- the rhythmic steps, not the light padding of her self important parents who insisted upon grace and being light on their feet not stomping about like peasants, but strong beats of a soldier or guard. Toph moved into his path, and he stopped instantly, bowing despite the fact that she couldn’t see it, and likely didn’t care for the display.

“The smallest guard. I want a set of his clothes.”

“I -- uh, we were told --”

“Now!” she had surprised him, and no doubt her parents had instructed the guards against things like this, wanting her too look like a proper lady during her time here. However, when it came to who was more intimidating, the aging Bei Fongs didn’t hold a candle to their angry daughter. The man gave another half bow, and led the way to the guards quarters. Toph left several minutes later with a set of pants, a man’s tunic, and a sash to make up for the fact that smallest guard or not it would still be too large for her slight form.

Pulling the barrettes holding her hair up in braids from their place, Toph left a trail of hair ties, ribbons, and bracelets in her wake. Now just to get out of this wretched outfit and find something to eat. Her fingers played over the screen door of her room, pushing it aside, brows furrowing in confusion as a gust of wind and rain blew into her. Had someone left the windows open?

Moving with the intention of closing said window, Toph found her toes curling into moist sand instead of the plush rug in the center of her room. Her ‘vision’ went fuzzy, but it was obvious she wasn’t home anymore. She hadn’t just got the doors mixed up, her entire house was gone, water lapped at her heels, and rain soaked through the material of her dress.

“What in the -- “ She moved away from the cool ocean water, towards more solid ground, and the feeling of trees, buildings, and people. Someone was in serious trouble when she found out who was responsible for this, though she did have to admit, at least it gave her a damn good excuse to be away from home. Toph started towards the building in the distance, soaked to the bone by the time she reached the courtyard (her change of clothes in the same state), passing by the tablet explaining where she was without realizing it, finally getting inside.

“Katara?” Her footing shifted, getting a better stance, but it had to be her. She’d traveled with the water bender long enough to recognize when she was around, especially when she was so close. Of course, Katara was supposed to be in the fire nation with twinkle toes. How she’d gotten transported to a fire nation beach was beyond her, but at least the other was around so Toph wouldn’t be completely lost.

“Hey sugar queen!” She called. “Want to give me a hand? Kinda freezing over here.”

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k_waterbender
2008-07-26 12:53 pm UTC (link)

Katara had awakened late in the morning to the sound of the wind howling and the rain beating violently outside. For obvious reasons, she loved the rain, but the storm seemed to be raging fairly hard outside. If she hadn’t felt the pangs of hunger and the settling of boredom, she might not have even ventured out of building E to the main one.

She’d used her waterbending to keep the rain off her, though she could feel the power having so much water brought- even if the power wasn’t as intense as when the moon was full. The storm was treacherous, though, so she hurried into the main building. Katara was very much dry when she entered. If she saw anyone that was soaked, if they even left their rooms at all, she would assist them in becoming dry just as a courtesy.

The waterbender entertained herself with a couple hours of yoga. It was a good workout, and it calmed her mind and relaxed her body. Even as she worked out, though, her mind was still on thoughts of escape; they simply came slower because her mind was calmer.

Before she knew it, lunch time had passed, and her stomach was growling. Katara left to eat a late meal in the kitchen, as she never liked having a big lunch after a good workout session. As she ate, she thought about places she could look to figure out some way to leave. What if the Planet wasn’t really even keeping them here forever? What if it only said they could never leave, so it could test who really had the will to escape and the intelligence to find a way? The thought was a strange one, but it gave her a sudden burst of hope. What if the answer was in the courtyard? The waterbender hadn’t been back there since Max showed her the plaque, but it might hold an important clue!

Katara hurriedly finished the rest of her lunch, and half jogged to the courtyard. A gasp stuck in her throat as she entered. The rain was pelting down into it, but that didn’t bother her. Toph Bei Fong was standing there, completely soaked, asking for her assistance. “Oh no. Toph, it took you, too!” Despite her anguish that another of her loved ones had been stolen, she couldn’t resist running up to the younger earthbender and embracing her. It was good to see another familiar face, one that was the same age as the last time she’d seen it, which indicated time was passing the same on their world as it was here.

The Water Tribe femme waved her left arm around, forming a dome to keep the rain out of the courtyard. With her free hand, she bent the water from Toph’s person. “You have no idea how horrible it is to see you, even while it’s good. We’re not on our own world any more. We’re on another Planet. There’s a plaque over here that says what we all apparently need to know.” Katara led her friend to the tablet mounted on the wall, and took the girl’s hand to place it on the words that were raised, so she would know what she meant. “It says, ‘Welcome to Mirage. This is your new home. Your every need will be fulfilled. You will have a place to live. You will have food and clothing. You will have entertainment. You will have company. You will not be able to leave. You will not kill. Ever. If you have questions, ask my assistants. Love, the Planet.” She knew Toph would be able to tell by her heart rate that the waterbender wasn’t lying.

“I think the assistants are these creatures called Golems. They’re made of different things, but they all have the exact same features. They’re made of stone, clay, wood, and other things. Even you would be amazed at the precision and detail they were made with. I’ve never known anyone who could bend wood until I came here.

“I’m sorry it kidnapped you, too. I’ve been trying to find a way out, but so far there’s no way.”

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rocksolid
2008-07-26 02:06 pm UTC (link)

"Took me? What --" She stopped upon being pulled into a hug by the water bender, standing there awkwardly, allowing the embrace, but making a face at the feel of the cold, wet clothes clinging more tightly to her because of it. You'd think it'd been ages since they'd seen each other or something. Sure they were friends and all, but hugs really weren't her thing.

"Jeeze. Get off me already." Toph shivered and pulled away, thankful when shortly after the rain stopped pelting the two of them, and the water was drawn out of her clothes and hair. "Thanks." Reaching up, she shook the black locks between her fingers, working the braids out of it before pulling it into a loose bun while her friend started to talk again.

She scowled, snide comment on the tip of her tongue at the mention of how horrible it was to see her, but not getting the chance to speak as Katara rambled on, dragging her off to feel the raised words on the tablet. She'd been taught a little about reading and writing a while ago, but never really bothered too much with it. So she felt the curves of a word or two then let her hands fall back to her side. It sounded ridiculous, but the girl wasn't lying so really, Toph had no idea what to think. How could she leave the planet without knowing it? She'd opened her bedroom door, and it was just gone. Nothing on their world was that powerful.

"I'm not. My parents were driving me nuts." She replied, shoulders rising in a light shrug at the apology. A light smirk played on her lips though at the thought of Sokka having to deal with her parents once they realized she'd disappeared. They were going to throw a fit.

As for the rest. It was a lot to take in all at once, and first and foremost -- she still wanted this damn dress off. She could ask questions later, and see those golem things that were supposedly so impressive. How hard could it be to make a realistic looking rock dude? Granted -- they had her at the wood thing. Whatever. A little fire could get rid of those, or she could just crush the wood ones with a big enough rock.

"You said food and clothing, yeah? I like the sound of that. Help me get this thing off, and find some new clothes." She said, motioning towards the direction Katara had come from. Warmth, and dry, and hopefully some clothes that weren't dresses. "Is twinkle toes here too?"

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