InsaneJournal

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.”