Sight had always eluded Toph Beifong.
It wasn't a problem any more - she had adapted. The world was hers to command through new powers, ways of thinking no one had ever tried.
It sounded nice sometimes. People put so much stock into appearance, as though the things they could see were magical. It was something she couldn't share in. The intangible world of colours and shapes were beyond her grasp.
Katara had told her once, in their rare moments of bonding, about the Celestial Lights. Amazing swathes of vibrant colours, all dancing in the night sky. There was something almost sacred about it.
The wonder in Katara's voice as she recounted the times she had watched the writhing spectrum with her family as a girl had caused Toph's chest to ache. For a moment she would have given anything to experience that marvel as the older girl had.
But still, she wasn't bitter about it.
Who needed vision when you had her control of the earth? Any schmuck born with working eyes could see what was in front of them. It took talent and power to see the world as it truly was, in its core.
Time and experience had hardened her shell, but opened her mind. In a way, she was blessed. It was a form of protection not afforded to many. No one could sneak up on her while she trod the earth.
She couldn't be taken in by fancy displays and flashy tricks - they fell flat against her. The reality of life was laid bare to her senses. Truth and dishonesty were so easy to discern.
And there was so much more than mere vision to explore. Her senses were enhanced beyond normality. She could feel every ridge and bump on a tree branch. The call of a distant cat owl carried easily to her ears. The smell of a wild flower was all the sweeter, and the taste of a cooked meal all the more delicious.
This too had its downsides. Her increased feeling sometimes lead to fixations. In the past, it had not been an issue - in fact, it had proved exceptionally beneficial. She had zeroed in on mastering earthbending, and deceiving her parents into thinking she was their perfect doll.
And then she had left them, the call of the Avatar too great to ignore. Things had been tense in the beginning; years of living in shadows hadn't prepared her for prolonged interaction with other people.
Eventually, the group had settled into a comfortable groove, their ruffling feathers smoothed over. Sparks flared from time to time, but the worst was over - there were more important things to be concerned about.
No longer did she think of new methods to beat people in the Earth Rumble, or figure out how to weasel her way out of her parent's gilded cage. Instead she was free to think of how to approach life in new ways, to enjoy new experiences.
And new experiences came in droves. She taught her craft to the Avatar himself; how to move and shape the earth to a person's will. She learned how to fight with words, not with violence. And most importantly, she discovered parts of herself she didn't know existed.
At twelve years old, she was entering a new stage of her life. In truth, it slightly worried her. But if Toph Beifong was one thing, it was fearless. She approached problems in one way: by hitting them until they stopped being an issue.
However, feelings are not susceptible to violence. Bereft of her usual method of easing her predicaments, she opted for a very unusual action - she sought help from someone else.
The elder waterbender was her first port of call. She was remarkably kind and empathetic, (too much so, in Toph's opinion,) and had been able to clear up a few issues.
Unfortunately, Katara couldn't solve all her problems, especially since Toph refused to elaborate on some of them. But it was enough to grant her clarity on the subject.
Armed with this small measure of understanding, Toph had taken a small amount of time away from the group, constructed herself an earthen tent and sat down to have a long think about herself and the world.
When she emerged several hours later, the world seemed a much easier place to navigate. She'd been freed from her woes and made her decisions. The path that lay ahead was obvious.
Toph stomped hard on the ground, her feet digging into the dirt and the vibrations painting a picture of the world in her brain.
Target acquired, she grinned to herself and set off.
Sokka hummed pleasantly to himself as he sharpened his boomerang with a stone. The steady motions helped clear his mind and sooth his thoughts.
He was alone, for the moment. His sister had finished bustling around camp and had dragged Aang away for waterbending training. Sokka had his suspicions about their regular disappearing act, but there wasn't anything he could do about it.
He'd noted that the other member of the group had vanished too, but didn't think much of it. Everybody needed a moment to themselves once in a while. He personally took time off during the full moon, to reflect on his choices.
He set down his stone, running a finger along the edge of his weapon. The skin split immediately, pain and blood welling up from the new cut. Satisfied, he placed the boomerang back into its sheath.
He looked over to the komodo-rhino sausages gently sizzling on a pan over the fire. They seemed cooked enough, so he swiftly retrieved them, adding them to a wooden plate. He took a deep sniff of the aroma wafting from the delicious meal.
The sound of footsteps alerted him to the arrival of someone. Glancing up from his food, he saw his best friend approaching, her face twisted into a happy smile. He smiled too, raising his hand to wave at her before lowering it again sheepishly.
"Hey Toph, how's it going?" He asked her warmly, putting down his plate and standing up.
She didn't reply. He watched in growing confusion as she strode purposely towards him. After a moment, Sokka looked down at her small form, standing just before him.
"I'm doing great, Sokka. But I'm about to be better," she told him.
Wrinkling his brow, the Water Tribe warrior stared at her before shrugging in confusion.
"Glad to hear it. Any reason why?" He asked.
For a moment the pair just looked at each other, and then Toph struck, kicking out Sokka's legs underneath him. He fell to his knees with a puzzled cry of alarm.
Smirking at the now-shorter boy, Toph grabbed the front of his shirt and planted her lips on his. His eyes widened in bewilderment as she held him there for a long moment before releasing him.
"That's why." Toph declared, patting him on the head and swiping all of his sausages before sauntering away.
It was quite a while before Sokka got up again.