tushanshu_logs | Closed;

[The doors to Toph's suite do open manually just in case of a power outage repeat, but admittedly Toph does prefer to open them via earthbending. One of them slides open now, the slab grinding sideways into the wall like a pocket door. It leaves Toph looking pretty tiny in comparison, but she does like catching the door-to-door saleskedan off guard.]

Hey. [The girl grins openly, raising her hands towards Naga to be sniffed (though the greeting itself is primarily for Korra). Naga herself is offered a quieter, "'S up?"] Where're we going, anyway?

[She's brought nothing outside with her.]

Hey.

[Used to sliding doors, Korra was unperturbed, but her animal companion’s ears perked up. Instantly, Naga’s wet nose sniffed Toph’s hand and began licking it. An invite to be petted.]

We are going back to my place after I pick up something here in Earth.

[Korra looked at Toph for a moment and then a smile came across her face.]

In fact, we should probably get something for you while we’re there too.

Huh? [At least Naga's tongue was shorter than Appa's. Toph gave a slight snicker, hand shifting back to scritch behind an ear. Originally she'd never been much of an animal person (no animals really allowed in the compound), but between Appa and Momo, they'd grown on her over time.]

What kind of thing?

[No complaint from Toph on going back to Korra's place.]

You’ll find out when you get there. [Korra said with a grin, intent on not telling Toph what exactly. She used the note Jack gifted her to have her custom dress made in the Earth Sector. She could make a rush order for Toph as well.]

Time’s wasting, let’s move. Sit in front or back, I’m still driving. [Korra patted the saddle on Naga. She knew she didn’t have to help Toph up. The earthbender could get anywhere as long as there was ground underneath her feet.]

[Toph snorted at that.]

Yeah, because it would be a great idea to have the blind girl steer, even if she did know where she was going.

[One last ear scritch to Naga, and Toph turned to close up her apartment, sliding the stone slab back into place.]

[And Korra was right -- not too much problem getting up on Naga, though the transfer involved some careful feeling out of exactly where the saddle was on the big dog's back. For the moment she opted for front -- better to have someone at your back when riding an unknown animal. Less risk of falling off. Toph was big on not falling off.]

What's the hurry, anyway?

[And no, it didn't seem to bug Toph that she didn't know where they were going. She trusted Korra enough for that.]

Don’t worry, Naga knows where to go if you ever wanted to ride her alone.

[Once Toph was on, Korra hopped on behind her and reached around her to grab the reigns.] The hurry is that what I ordered just got done, and the sooner we get there, the sooner we can place an order for you. You’ll need one too. [Korra already made up her mind of making sure Toph went to the Bacchanal, kicking and screaming if need be.]

Go, Naga. [All to happy to be back on the move, Naga made her way through the Earth Sector. Riding was something Korra sorely missed, but she was still used it. Korra knew Toph had ridden atop a skybison before, and genuinely hoped she didn’t get sick from the jostling.]

[No worries about this type of jostling. As long as they weren't in a submarine, Korra and Naga weren't going to wind up with Toph's partially-digested breakfast.]

[Being on the back of a polar bear dog was definitely a new sensation . . . slightly alarming to be so near the ground, feel the strikes against the earth, and yet not be able to see anything. Toph would get used to it, but. Yeah. For the moment she held tightly to the saddle and trusted that Korra wouldn't let her fall off.]

. . . This had better be a cake or something. [This was definitely all getting kind of suspicious.]

[Having the advantage of Toph sitting in front of her was that her arms would be on either side of the earthbender and Korra would make sure to keep her from falling off. She smiled at Toph's hopes.]

Let's go with "or something", we can save the cakes for birthdays.

[Getting through the Earth Sector with Naga was easy, the bounding polar bear dog got them there in no time at all. When she slowed down, Korra guided her to a nearby fountain for her to drink.]

We're here! [Korra put her arms around Toph's waist and slid off Naga to the ground where she release the earthbender. Getting on Naga was easy, Toph could see since she was on the ground. Dismounting though left her pretty much blind.]

Best clothing store in the Earth Sector, let's see about getting you your dress. [Said happily and with a smile, Korra grabbed Toph's hand and opened the door to get inside.]

[Whoa. Wait. BRAKES. Toph dug in abruptly with both heels, and Korra might find her ability to hold on severely tested.]

Dress? No one said anything about a dress.

[Last time Toph trusted Korra to go anywhere. Srsly.]

You bribe me with a polar bear dog, then take me shopping?

[She knew she should have told her once they were already inside.]

Come on, it's important. There's a big party happening in Sinbrilee in a couple of days and I need to pick my order up. We can just give them your measurements and I can make it a rush order. I'll even pick yours up.

[A beat.]

Wait, are you saying my polar bear dog isn't enough?

[Finished with her drinking, Naga looked up from the fountain and turned her head sideways at the two of them.]

[Like the blind girl can't find her way out of a store as easily as she came in. Doors work two ways, Korra!]

Okay, so you're going to a party and you've got to pick up a dress. Fine. Great. What's that got to do with getting me in one?

[Noooooot even touching the polar bear dog comment. Nope.]

In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the "party" or "dress" type.

[Okay, yeah, she did it that once, but that was for sneaking in to see the Earth King. It was a worthy cause.]

Hey, I'm not either, but they can be fun; and this one is definitely going to be fun. They're going to have music, and food, sports, and competitions.

[Had it not been for the last two, Korra probably wouldn't have gone. At least, not unless she was asked to go by Mako or Jack.]

Besides, we can't leave Sinbrilee and only remember our time here with bad thoughts, right?

[That dream, or memory, needed to be washed away. Doing this was a step in the right direction, or at least to Korra it was. Teaching Toph to swim would come later, when she was, ready or even willing, to do so.]

I'll even pay for it. Gift exchange for my Naga statue. [The one on her nightstand by her bed. The mention of it caused Naga to walk over to them, pretty close since like Korra, she didn't respect personal boundaries.]

[Toph breathed a somewhat horsey sigh through her nose before it wrinkled.]

Money's not a problem. I've got money.

Can't I just go without getting dressed up? It's not like you can do sports or competitions in a dress anyway.

I kind of left the whole "girly social conventions" thing when I left home.

Hey, I didn't make the rules for it. [If she did, there would have been a lot more casualness to it.]

Parties aren't so bad and this one is bound to be better than the first one I attended. [No meeting Mako's first girlfriend, no getting lip from Lin, and not manipulation from Tarrlok. And no Meelo making use of punch bowls.]

I'll even make Naga wear a fancy collar so it's not just you and me.

[At this point Naga had given up on trying to figure out what they were saying that involved her and opted to just nuzzle the top of Toph's head. All she could get is that momma!Korra wanted something from Toph, so help. Naga was helping.]

[Naga had just been drinking from a fountain, so she suffered from the same sloppy chin that most large dogs with the tendency to glug did. Toph reached up to prod at the whiskery-ness, ducking out from underneath.] Hey. Not helping.

[It was too late, though; she had a trail of slobber and water on top of her head. Fortunately Toph wasn't too testy about this sort of thing.]

It's definitely a rule? Everyone has to dress up?

[In other words, sure Korra wasn't just trying to get her into a dress?]

Yep, everyone does, even the ghosts.

[Reaching over, Korra scruffed Naga’s neck which got a pleased doggy noise.]

Even you girl.

[Holding out her hand to Toph, Korra spoke with a smile in her voice.]

Now are you going to make me go in there alone, or are you going to with me?

[Either way, Korra was planning to have Toph stay at her suite for a while. Company is what she needed and wanted, something Korra felt Toph was best suited for given for how good of a friend she had been.]

Food’s free.

[Toph stood with her arms folded, one eyebrow raised as though to say, "I can't believe I'm even considering this thing."]

[Siiigh.]

Fiiiine.

[The things she did for people she liked.]

Glad I didn’t have to twist your arm over it. [Korra said wryly before heading inside the shop.]

Hm, you know what… [She finished her thought by playing it out and asked the kedan to shapeshift to Toph’s form so they could get the measurements.]

There, don’t even have to pose. [Picking up the thing box containing her dress, she looked over at her besty.]

Pretty sure you want to go with Earth Kingdom colors. [Korra pointed out the different shades of green and yellows to the kedan and they gathered sample of each shade from different clothes.] Which ones feel right?

[. . . Okay, Korra should be glad Toph couldn't see as the kedan shifted into Toph's form. So creepy.]

[Meanwhile, Korra seemed to be a veritable whirlwind, barely stopping to pause. Excitement? Urge to get things over with? Usual gung-ho vigor? Toph couldn't really tell. But she went with it, running her fingers over the cloth.]

All colors kind of feel the same to me. [Had to get that nudge in there somewhere.] But if I had to go with something . . .

[Her fingers paused briefly on a very lightweight, pale green that was almost gauzy in texture, then a heavier, dark green satin.]

Not really what I'd go with if I were just picking out clothes for myself, but. Society fashion is kind of always impractical.

[And Toph did have experience with society fashion.]

[Once the fabrics were picked, the kedan started their measuring.]

You're already a step ahead of me. I don't even know how this thing is going to look on me. [When she had ordered, Korra just picked the colors and the general design concept. From there, her and the kedan kept tweaking it. And tweaking it. It looked good on a mannequin at least.]

These guys really know their stuff though. I'm sure they'll make it look incredible. [She never would have known about this place had it not be for Jack's gift.]

Oh yeah, I also have something at home you may want to check out. [Taking care of that giant turtle egg was something Korra had been wanting to ask Toph about.]

Yeah?

[That did catch Toph's interest, but there was something else drawing her as well -- namely, that she was being shut out of the fashion conversation.]

Hey. I know I'm blind, but that doesn't mean I don't have any fashion sense. [This was just as much for the kedan's benefit as Korra's -- perhaps a bit more so.] And I'm the one wearing the thing, so I get a say.

[You had to watch sighted people every minute.]

[That caught Korra by surprise. She had just assumed Toph was like her and didn’t know or care about fashionable dress. All the stuff Korra wore had just been average Water Tribe clothes, which may have been designed more for males, and that was about the extent of her clothing knowledge.]

Go for it, maybe I can pick up a thing or two. [Probably not, but it wouldn’t be for a lack of trying.]

I know mine’s going to be long enough to reach the floor, you want to try something like that?

If it's a formal event, reaching the floor is kind of a thing. Just for me, maybe it'll be slightly shorter because I'm younger and it's easier to navigate. [Toph steps forward, leaning against the table where the kedan is working, waiting for the design to be explained to her before continuing.]

Okay, not too bad. But the sleeves should come down at least to here. [She gestures on her own body, pointing out the proper point.] Sash at the middle should be wider, and probably go with the same material you're doing with the edging. Doesn't need a bunch of extra stuff; I'm not fancy anyway.

[Staring at Toph, Korra was impressed by how she was able to know things like clothing length and such.]

For not being fancy, you know your fancy stuff. Maybe you should get a job here.

[Korra scratched her chin and looked from Toph to the kedan.]

Well maybe not, I don’t think you’d have a blast doing this every day.

My mother. [Toph didn't raise her head from the table, but the words were said like a lead weight.] I don't like it. But I had to know it. That's what proper ladies know, and I was supposed to be a proper lady.

[A flat expression and Toph twisted so that the table was at her back, leaning her elbows against the surface.] Yeah. That worked out well.

I think it worked out perfectly the way it did. [Having Toph the way she is now was much more preferable to Korra than an incarnation that was all girly.] She made you know it, so you didn’t like it and now you’re the strongest earthbender.

Sounds like you kind of owe it to her for that in some kind of weird way, huh?

[In some kind of weird way, yes . . . though blooming in attrition was much harder and more painful than blooming in harmony, and Toph is still too close to the situation to give much more than a flat,] I guess.

[Just not enough emotional distance, and this was the part of her life that probably pained her the most.]

Anyway, think we're ready to go.

[Giving a nod, Korra placed her box on her hip and waved to the kedan. That issue had been hinted at from the dream she had with Toph and Korra didn't even think about pressing it.]

All right, let’s go.

[Once they were outside, she put her box in one of the saddle bags and helped Toph get onto the saddle before her.]

Hope you're ready for some junk food. [Rationing was, FINALLY, over with and Korra had stocked up on some of the now unrestricted foods. Candy for example.]

[That brightened Toph's expression as she settled herself back onto Naga's back.]

Ready? You're kidding, right?

[So ready. Toph likes her junk food as much as the next girl.]

[But pause.]

. . . No tribbles in it, is there?

[With Korra, it was a fair question.]

Edited 2013-09-05 04:02 (UTC)

Not unless you want some. [Said with a grin, Korra knew she was in the minority of those that didn’t mind the taste of tribble. In fact she was getting rather fond of chocolate and tribble jerky combined.]

Figured I can’t eat it all by myself. [Naga made the trip short by simple weaving around traffic in the Metal Sector.]

Closed;

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