Bonjour all. Mae Silver here, author of this little story. Okay let me get right to buisness: reviews.
I'm not concerned about reviews, I'm really more concerned about hits and visitors. Buuuuut... I did get a review last chapter and literally shrieked at my sister I GOT A REVIEW! LOOK! So thank you SO MUCH to EmmaThe Master'sDaughter for your wonderful review.
The biggest thanks goes to HeyI'mTalkingToYou for being my first beta reader and without a doubt the best out there. She's probably too busy to read this, but I couldn't have gotten anywhere without your help. Merci beacoup, Thank you very much. Now you all enjoy this chapter!
Chapter Three
Blind Bounty
Thump.
The already ticked off bartender looks up. As soon as the noise begins, it stops. He resumes wiping the soiled counter with a faded gray rag. His first thought is it must be thunder.
Thump. There it is again! he thinks angrily. The noise isn't coming from the sky.
Thump.
He grumbles to himself, and crosses the bar to find out who's making all the racket.
Thump.
"Of course it has to be you," he growls.
Toph lifts her hand, then allows it drop to the ground. A sizeable rock rises, then falls to the ground loudly. Her facial expression can be described as cryptic, bordering between thoughtful and destructive.
Thump.
"Well, are you going to stop?"
Thump.
She doesn't give him a response.
He sighs, and walks back inside. The swinging wooden doors crash behind him.
Toph hasn't even bothered to notice the man. She is completely lost in thought.
Zuko had left her about two minutes ago, leaving Toph with the hope that she might, just might, meet the Avatar.
Without warning, a strong gust of frigid air finds a way through Toph's oversized cloak, and chills her to the bone. It was nearly a hundred degrees out here before… it might start to rain soon.
There isn't any way for Toph to see what the sky is doing, until rain or snow or hail fell onto her. She usually has to guess what the weather is going to be like.
Before she can experience any weather phenomenon, she juts her arms out in an upside down v-shape. Two slabs of rock join together to make a basic tent. She hunches her shoulders, and a wall rises in the back. Immediately Toph feels warmer. The tent is so useful because it retains heat from the day. It's like pulling up two hot coals from a fire.
The back of her tent is pressed up against the remains of a crumbling sandstone building. The ceiling is missing, and the building it belongs to is now long gone, as are half of the structures in the nameless town. It's one of the creepiest places Toph has ever had to stay in. Anyone could be lurking in the shadows, just waiting to attack her. However, no one could sneak up on her, unless they magically fell from the sky.
"A penny for your thoughts?" a voice floats to her ears. Toph raises an eyebrow, and tunes her attention to the shape sitting a few feet away. His hand is clutching what smells like a strong, smoky kind of tea.
She had seen the shape earlier, and didn't really pay much attention to it. Every town has a bum, and they are almost all wired the same way. First they find an excuse to talk, then he'd compliment her, then ask her for money.
"No." she says bluntly. If she gives a mean enough answer, they usually go find someone more gullible.
"Woah, woah, just asking a question." The elderly bum says, raising his arms in defense. She sniffs, and reclines her feet on a raised rock in the form of a tree stump.
"Well don't."
The man contemplates her short responses, and takes a sip of his tea. Toph can't help but wrinkle her nose at the strong scent. The smell reminds her of the tea her mother would drink. She had told Toph that it was called… was called…
"Do you not like the scent of my Lapsang Souchong tea?" he asks.
"…"
"It smells like a campfire, but tastes like heaven."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Why are you still looking at me?" Toph demands. "I can feel you looking at me."
"No reason."
Toph angrily crosses her arms. He's probably staring at her small, (but dirty) feet, wondering why a kid like her is out on the streets and not in a home. She brings her legs back inside the tent.
"Stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm too young to take care of myself." Toph surprises herself by confronting the man. She doesn't even know if he's looking or not. All she has to do is ask, and she'll be able to tell if he is lying or not.
"I never said that."
Her eyebrows shoot a mile up her face. She quickly regains her defenses.
"Then what are you still staring at?"
"I don't know, I'm still stuck on how good this tea tastes."
Toph laughs, an odd noise she hasn't been able to hear in weeks. It's not the kind of laugh that she uses after winning a fight or goading someone to, but… a normal one. It feels good and weird at the same time.
This hobo definitely isn't like others.
"Hmm. I've never thought of tea like that before." Toph says, wheezing for air. The first sip had her hooked, and she had drunk the entire serving without a break. She takes a deep swig of her second serving. The taste is smoky and strong. There's just a tad bit of sugar too. It tastes like heaven, with a whisper of spices and honey.
"Understanding tea comes with age, earthbender." The hobo says. "If you apply knowledge like that to the obstacles in life, nothing will bring you down."
Toph rubs her teacup with her thumb, and rummages through all the floating thoughts in her head.
Avatar, helpful hobo, and really good tea. Yup. Her life is really normal right now.
"So if I tell my next opponent how to brew Souchong like this, I'll win?"
The man laughs, a booming noise that ricochets off the walls and makes her ears throb.
"I wouldn't be surprised. Tea is amazing," he admits.
"Thank you," Toph says, handing the mug back to the man.
"For what?"
She pauses.
"For talking with me..." she decides. "Your advice was very helpful."
"Was it now?" he contemplates this for a second. "Well I'm glad I could help a fellow blind friend out." He says, packing up his tea. Toph's eyes widen in shock, but the words have been stolen right out of her mouth.
"With age, with age." He gives her a mock salute, and leaves with her mouth hanging wide open. His footsteps patter out silently. The seeing cane he uses seldom hits an obstacle, and he makes it out the town without tripping once.
Wow, that conversation lasted much longer than I thought it would. Toph thinks, allowing her earth tent to crumble. She brushes off the persistently clingy dust that would be back the next day. A giggle almost escapes her mouth as she realizes her last bath was the day before she left home.
Even the sad memories from home can't bring her down. The wise, strong words of the blind man are going to stay with her forever, she is sure of it. Toph turns to walk away—
"Hello Toph! I'm Aang."
Toph screams at the top of her lungs, and flails her arms around until she realizes what's happened. Someone snuck up on me! What kind of sick joke is this?
The feet belong to a boy about her height, probably around the same age. The Houdini boy hardly puts any weight on his feet, providing Toph with a substitute name for him.
"Well Twinkletoes! Has anyone ever told you it is rude to sneak up on people?" she demands, crossing her arms and glaring/glowering at him.
He seems slightly flabbergasted at her rude response, but before he can respond, a familiar pair of feet come into the scene.
"Do you have to shout at him?"
Toph shrugs.
"Hey, if you don't want me to be rude, then just bring me the—"
"This is the Avatar." Zuko interrupts. There's a bit of irritation in his voice.
"Oh..." she says softly. This wasn't supposed to happen when she met the Avatar.
"Yeah…"
The air is stressed and edgy with the awkwardness of the situation.
"So—SO—SOOOO!" Both Toph, Aang, and Zuko boom, trying to break the ice. The only thing it breaks is the chance to start a real conversation. Toph sighs impatiently. Aang and Zuko are most likely staring at her like she's going to be the one to start talking. Nope. Nu-uh.
Her stubborness isn't the best option.
Zuko looks around. Aang dribbles a rock. Toph coughs.
"What?" Zuko asks, as if she had muttered something underneath her breath.
"What?" Aang says this a little too slow, and cringes.
"I didn't say anything..." Maybe I should.
She sighs, but her face lights up at a sudden idea.
"So Aang, how much earthbending experience do you have?"
"Well, you see, I… uhhhh."
"Uhh?"
"I have a little." he squeaks. Toph's mouth quirks. He's lying.
"Right, right."
Another lapse of silence.
From somewhere in the town, a baby wails.
Fine. Let me try something else.
Before Toph can say anything, Aang clears his throat.
"Well Toph, I'm glad that I finally got to meet you. We should probably get to camp, it's getting dark." "Yeah, lead the way."
Any comments, questions, or rants will be answered. :)