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[alphatar]

Characters: Korra, Toph
Date: June 24th
Location: EA-3A, Toph's suite.
Situation: No bending means no sight.
Warnings/Rating: N/A, will update if needed.



Who knew such a short exchange of words could mean so much. After talking to Toph Korra had left her suite in a rush almost forgetting to close the door on her way out. Korra had taken the loss of her bending quite hard, after all it is what she had been training with for most of her life. Never had it occurred to her how that could affect Toph though.

Getting through the Metal Sector was made easy by buying a ride to the Earth Sector. Once there she went full sprint, casually shoving aside any kedan that got in her way. In any other instance she'd apologize, but there wasn't any time for her to stop. Right now, it was a waste of breath that she needed to keep herself running at top speed.

Once she got there, she skidded to a halt and knocked on the door loudly. She remembered this time to do so.

"Toph, it's me!"

Comments

[alphatar]

Korra couldn’t keep the laugh out of her words. “Smoothing things out isn’t something I’m too well known for.” There was quite a list of people she could think of that would say the exact opposite of Korra, but then again a lot of them had rubbed Korra the wrong way. “Thanks Toph. I think I needed to hear that.”

Associating bending with the Avatar was all Korra had ever done, even to the point where she just saw fighting as her main goal of filling Aang’s shoes. A point of view like Toph’s was different, reassuring. The fact that she was blind gave it more credibility than if it came from someone who wasn’t.

Setting her foot on the first step of the stairs, Korra actually tugged her hand a little to let Toph know she was leading the way up since there would be nothing in the way. Just stairs that she might be counting in her mind.

Or at least, that’s what Korra would have done if she was blind.

“This will lead straight up to the open practice area I was talking about.”

[dustonmyfeet]

It had needed to be said -- something Toph had wanted to give.

In spite of her honest appreciation of emotions, Korra didn't entirely seem to be comfortable with them, either, jumping quickly to something more practical within the next moment. It didn't bother Toph -- it wasn't as though she was touchy-feely either; that was more Katara's department -- but it was something observed. Toph gave one of her small smirks, letting the moment slide. "Didn't say you had to smooth out everybody."

Not everyone merited being smoothed in the first place.

Her eyes widened slightly as she felt Korra tug upwards, the words confirming the direction. The corners of her mouth tightened a little into a frown, and she hesitated -- just briefly, but hesitation just the same.

There was no help for it with stairs. Her fingers tightened on Korra's both as an anchor and a silent request to wait as she put out a foot, navigating the height and depth of the step. Her opposite hand came out, fingertips bracing against the wall.

It would be easier once she gauged them initially, but. Still embarrassing. Like she was a little old lady who had to be helped up a stairwell.

[alphatar]

“Good, because there are a couple of people I’d rather outright flatten than work things out with.” Flatten and smooth were two very different things and Korra was sure Toph knew that more than she did.

When she felt Toph’s fingers close tightly around her hand, Korra set her boot upon the step loud enough to be audible. A slight hint and guide to assist Toph in gauging the steps exact location. While Korra really wanted to completely guide Toph around her suite, the stairs were something Korra felt the earthbender should handle on her own; at least at first. Of course Korra was going to ensure there wouldn’t be any falling, but it was still hard for her since she really wanted to coddle Toph in this difficult time.

There was nothing Korra wanted more right now than to provide comfort Toph after the loss of her seismic sense.

“When we get our bending back, I think I’ll change these steps to stone so they match the practice area.” Korra said offhandedly as she waited patiently.

[dustonmyfeet]

Coddling was probably not Korra's best option, no, at least not for Toph. Coddling had strong associations with it -- negative ones -- that Toph would ultimately have not appreciated.

The fact that Korra was there, though, doing just what she was doing, even providing small bits of care like a squeezed hand . . . these things meant a great deal, and made a greater impression on the small earthbender than the Avatar realized.

At Korra's first comment, Toph snickered in spite of herself, pausing in her evaluation. "Flattening is a kind of smoothing too." Then lifted herself to the first step. Then the next. She went carefully, lifting her feet a little higher than necessary to meet each new step. Her opposite hand didn't leave the wall, tracing the path upward.

Mentally she counted them, saving the number for later.

"Stone would be good," she added, after nearing the top. Stone was always good in Toph's mind -- but it would also mean that even when (not if; she was determined to try not to think of if) her bending returned, she would easily be able to use them.

[alphatar]

“Well it’s the kind of ‘smoothing’ I prefer. Personally, I think you and I would make a great flattening team.” Matching Toph’s pace, they worked their way up the steps onto the cool, stone flooring. Korra looked at the mats piled up in the corner and wondered if she should set those down for Toph’s stay.

“Whenever I practice or spar here, I put down mats just so no one cracks their skull.” It was a very indirect way of letting Toph know about the mats and that they were readily available if she wanted them down. Acting on this idea, Korra patiently guided Toph along to where the cushioned mats were, as well as to where the sliding doors to the meditation room were.

[dustonmyfeet]

The stone beneath her feet was a relief, even if it didn't provide the resonance that it should. The cool smoothness of it was bracing, solid. Concrete. Furtively, Toph ran her toes along it.

When powers came back on, she was so making earth angels. (No, Korra, not in your floor.)

"You've got some people in mind?" was her query on the way to the mats. "And . . . taking a chance at cracking your skull is kind of part of the training for being an earthbender. But I'll keep it in mind."

[alphatar]

“Actually I have been teaching a couple of people how to fight, here, sometimes. They don’t have any powers or bending, so those mats are dead helpful for them.” As often as Korra had demonstrated, on them, how throws worked and how effective introducing an opponent to the ground, those cushioned mats have prevented major injuries.

Korra slowly slid open the door to the meditation room, which comprised of a large sitting cushion, big enough to lie comfortably on, in the center of the otherwise empty room. Each wall was adorned with one of the elemental symbols from home, color coded and made out of rock. Deciding to save the workout room for last, with all the weights, wooden dummy, chin-up bar, punching and speed bag.

“I’ve only used this room once. I got a really good nap out of it.” That last was said with some amusement. Korra waited, holding Toph’s hand to see if she even wanted to bother to feel around.

[dustonmyfeet]

"I meant for flattening." Toph poked her head into the meditation room, taking in the closed-up smell of it before pulling it back out. No need to go in; as she'd said, she wasn't much of one for meditation either, and even if she had been, it would probably be in a cave or on a mountain, surrounded by rock. ". . . Why have you got one of these if you don't even use it?"

Because obviously the Avatar had set up her own home and had the choice in the first place.

[alphatar]

"Oh." A small pause afterwards. Korra really didn't have anyone she wanted to- well, that wasn't true. "Amon. Just him and anyone who helps him." There wasn't anyone she disliked more than him and if someone was knowingly helping him, well them as well. Nothing good could come from Amon and his hidden scheme and/or agenda.

"Because it's really important in airbending. My airbending master taught me how to, but it never really took until I was alone, and I'll need to do it again eventually." Obviously Korra had been putting that off until she got more of the physical side of airbending down, which was currently indelicate and purely raw power.

After sliding the door closed again, Korra held Toph's hand as they made their way across the practice/sparring area to the workout room. "Just something to be prepared for I guess."

[dustonmyfeet]

Earthbending was the opposite of airbending. Toph couldn't always claim it made sense to her -- or that Aang always made sense to her. Airbending wanted you to clear your mind, be free from everything . . . earthbending demanded that you focus on the here and now and be present within the moment. The idea of meditation, therefore, tended to be counter to Toph's nature. She could teach Korra how to be alert, but not to make use of that room.

"Who teaches you in the future?" The question came suddenly -- because, thinking of Aang, it was all too clear that Korra's master must be related to him. (That must be weird -- teaching your father's reincarnation.) "Airbending, I mean."

As for Amon . . . really, that answer didn't surprise Toph at all. But that bit felt like the larger part to a story that needed sitting down to tell.

[alphatar]

That question totally catches Korra off guard and she sputters for a second as they walk into the workout room. After taking a few moments to decide that he wasn't directly tied to Toph's future, Korra answered "Tenzin. He's Aang's son and is the only airbending master back home. I was learning from him before I got here." Korra was still thinking of whether or not telling Toph about the rest of Tenzin's family. They didn't really fall under the restriction she agreed to, but at the same time it felt like a little too much information about her friend.

It still felt weird to think that she was holding the hand of Aang's earthbending teacher, founder of metalbending, and the first Chief of Police of Republic City.

"A little strict, but we managed to get along." Somehow.