View source for 4958/Some hard hits

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/12/31
|Location=Earth-199999
|Synopsis=Toph and Sokka have a training match! And then Eve showed up and... well, Sokka had a little talk with the young, love struck maiden.
|Cast of Characters=1076, 20, 857
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka sighed as he followed Toph through the house. "Listen, Toph, it's okay. All I'm saying is it's a perfectly natural part of the woman's body, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I understand why you got all upset yesterday, but it's really not necessary." <br><br> Oh my gosh. <br><br> "Every young lady goes through it. There's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of." Just the thing a girl wants to talk with her crush about. Menstrual cycles. "And if you ever wanna talk about it, it's fine. Gran Gran sat me down a long time ago and explained everything to me and Katara, so I'm pretty much an expert on the process."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This was so not happening.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Here they were, with the New Year's Eve party happening later today, where Pepper's family would come, when Tony had planned a setting for her where she could try to get things moving in the right direction with the boy of her dreams... and here he was, trying to discuss icky stuff with her.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"For the last time, Sokka," she groans and rolls her eyes, "I don't need to dicuss /those/ things with /you/!" How many times does she need to tell him? And why is Sokka of all people so ready to talk about it when Tony himself would curl up and wince even if somebody uttered the word 'period'? Men are so weird and do not make sense at all.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You're not an expert on it, you don't have them nor do you know what it feels like, so just let it rest, okay?" she adds, stretching her arms above her head as she walks down the stairs leading to the beach. "Besides, I've already talked with mom about it several times!" Please get the hint already!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka nodded and kept following behind her. For a few moments he was silent... then... <br><br> "I'm not saying you have to tell me. I'm just saying if you ever need anyone to talk to about it, I understand. I know all about it. Mood swings, bleeding, grouchiness, cramps, more mood swings. As a matter of fact, down in the south pole I even built a few things to help with the process." He paused. "Gran Gran did not appreciate that. At all." <br><br> "But hey, if you don't wanna talk about it, that's fine. I just know how it's kind of that thing that can be hard on a girl, so I wanna be there for you." He went silent again. "Well, assuming you've had them. I mean, if you're upset because you haven't reached that point yet, that's no problem. I mean, all girls mature at their own speed." Oh gosh he was making it worse.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Why is he continuing?!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When he talks about having built a few things to help with the process, Toph blinks, making a face of disgust. Just how the crud are you supposed to help with that kind of stuff?! No, forget it. She doesn't want to know. She halts in the stairway, then holds up her hand, a signal for him to be quiet. "Sokka... if you really wanna be there for me, then just... don't talk about it unless somebody begins discussing it, okay?" And then he has to make the suggestion that she /hasn't/ had those changes yet. Which makes her groan in frustration. "Would I be saying these things if I /hadn't/ started having those damn things already? SHEESH!" she exclaims, then hurries down the stairs. "Though I sometimes wish I didn't have them yet! Now shut up unless I decide to use /you/ as a training dummy instead to make you busy with crying and screaming instead of blabbering!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka sighed, nodding. "Right, right. sorry." Pause. Long pause... "I just know if I was going through something like that, I'd probably want some friend to talk to about it. but I'll let it go!" he said quickly, raising his hands defensively. <br><br> He then smiled to her. "Sooooo... on that actual note. I know it's probably nowhere near the challenge you're used to, but... do you think you'd want to train against me? I mean, I know I'm no match for the melon lord. But maybe I can get one scratch in. And I could show you the training Lloyd's been putting me through. He's a pretty good teacher, you know."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ugh. Just... discussing these things with the boy she's got certain feelings for is not what she wanted to do today.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wait, he wants to train with her? Toph blinks and looks confused, then holds up the steel baton she was carrying in her left hand. "I was going to train with this thing that dad made me for Christmas, but... well, I suppose you could." Oh right, he's been training with Lloyd. "So... what have you guys been working on?" she asks a bit curiously as she steps out onto the beach.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka grinned to her, reaching out and patting her back. "Something he calls artes. I've only learned demon fang so far. But I'm getting a lot better at it." He crossed his arms and walked besides her. "And feel free." he then snorted. "Though, I do hope this isn't some plot of yours to tie me up and leave me helpless. I'd hate to imagine what you'd do to me if I was at your mercy." He gave a shudder. <br><br> "Fortunately we don't have any of that wasabi stuff in the house that I know about." As he walked on ahead of her. "I still remember how brutal you used to be with aang whenever he was trapped by you."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Artes? "Oh, those moves of his, huh?" Toph asks. "I'll guess I'll see it when you show me then." It's not like she's fought much alongside Lloyd, but that might change now in the Paladins.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Sokka jokes about her tying him up however, her face turns a deep shade of red before she reaches out to punch him /hard/. "As IF!" she snorts, perhaps a bit too loudly. He did not just say that!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And Twinkle Toes only got what was coming to him, and you know it!" Toph adds, walking a few steps away before she turns, extending the steel baton. And then swings it in the direction of the ocean. The titanium wire extends with a hissing sound, twenty feet of cable that lashes into the sand and whirls it up, even as Toph swings her arm and clearly does her best to control the angle of the wire with her bending. At least this weapon is easier to control in the hands of a metalbender.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka nodded, moving away from her and then... that. His eyes widened. "Errr... wow. Maybe this was a bad id..." He then shook his head. "Nope. Nope. I went into this expecting to get my butt kicked. So. On the off chance I actually get close enough to hit you. Let's count the flat of the sword as a blade, okay? Cause there's no way I want to cut you." <br><br> He moved away from her, sword out. Oh, this was going to hurt him. "Just say the word, whenever you're ready."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"What?" Toph turns her head slightly, "You're the one who wanted to come with me to train, Meat Head!" She pulls her arm back, and the titanium wire gets reeled back in as Toph turns back towards Sokka. "And it's not like I'm going to hit you hard with this thing, it could seriously injure somebody if I'm not careful! And I only aim to bruise my students, so relax, will you?" But she can agree with him not wanting to cut her. "Flat of the sword is okay by me," she nods, then assumes a wide stance that Sokka should know well enough. A defensive stance, signalling that she is ready.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Ladies first," she grins, gesturing for him to go ahead.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka nodded, pulling his sword back, holding it in his right hand. For someone like Toph, normal means don't work. He knows he's not going to win, that much was obvious. Someone like Aang could do it, but he was soooo not Aang. But he could do something like him. <br><br> He needed to be unpredictable. Toph was a very... wait and react fight. And he saw whath appened when someone worked a little too hard. The poor boulder. So that meant he had to be quick, light, unpredictable. <br><br> He took off quickly, leaping into the air, and while in the air he grabbed his boomerang and tossed it, landing a second later as the boomerang spun off towards his right, aimed to come around towards her left foot. He then approached in a zig zag, keeping his feet light and soft, never putting too much pressure on each step, very little force. Just enough to keep moving. Not commiting and ready to get out of the way if she pulled something fancy.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The blind teen stands still, listening and ready to react should her senses pick up anything. Sokka knows her combat style by now, but still... is he able to land a hit? They're standing on sand, which makes it a bit harder for her to read the field effectively. But still, she's not at the level she was when they crossed the dessert on their way to Ba Sing Se nearly four years ago.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Off he goes, and Toph moves forward, not backing off as she hears a familiar sound of something moving through the air. The boomerang! If she keeps still it will be easier for Sokka to hit her, and so she does her best to head off to the side, trying to avoid the boomerang. It does strike the back of her ankle however, and she winces as she swings the steel baton, the titanium wire extending to lash out in front of her, towards where Sokka is heading towards.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka kept running in, the boomerang coming to his hands. He then leaped into the air again. As the wire struck, he used his sword to deflect it away, sending the boomerang out again, right at her chest. Depending on how well she felt through the wire, she might even realize it was coming. <br><br> Of course, that meant the wire was still a problem. He deflected it, but he only had a second to react, his feet shot down and he then pushed off the ground, leaping OVER the wire, trying to go over the opposite side and letting it grab at where he had been. Granted, it was dangerous as he was flying over the wire at the time, unable to maneuver.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The feeling of something striking the wire does tell Toph easily that Sokka isn't going to back down, and she extends her other hand, making the wire strike back again towards Sokka without her needing to draw her right arm back and then forth again. No, with a metalbending the whip can move differently than a normal whip. So when Sokka leaps Toph blinks, and at the same time she yanks her hand upwards, causing the whip to go up and attempt to wrap itself around Sokka's foot.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course this is at the same time when the boomerang comes flying at her. It's only the fact that she hears it coming that Toph is able to avoid being struck directly in the chest. Though as she moves to the side she isn't able to completely avoid it, and it hits her hard in her left shoulder, making her cry out.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka grinned, it was working! He just had to keep moving and-- <br><br> Oh shit she had him by the ankle. This was going to hurt. He slammed his sword, trying to cut the wire. Wait. Super high tech. This would not end well and as boomerang came towards him he started to fall, catching it and throwing it one last time... <br><br> Aimed at the hand holding the whip. His only shot.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There! Feeling the whip grab onto something Toph can't help but narrow her eyes, and she raises her left hand, gesturing for the whip even as she begins swinging her right arm downwards. The vibrations as he tries to cut the titanium wire is felt, though seriously... this is Stark tech, made by Tony himself. It's not going to be flimsy, considering he made this one himself as a gift that was meant to be used in battle. It's not going to be easy to cut.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This time however it seems that the boomerang won't hit, as Toph suddenly rushes forward, even as the whip reels in some before she manages to finish the downward swing. The boomerang rushes by her as she heads slightly off to the left, and she's closer to Sokka when he does get slammed into the sand.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Like I will fall for that a third time, Meat Head!" she declares with a huff, then yanks on the whip, making it uncurl from Sokka's leg. "You okay?" Since she shortened the length of the whip the impact should have been less, and well... they are on /sand/. If this was solid ground it would have hurt more.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka sighed and a moment later his hand snatched out to grab boomerang. He sheathed it and gave a nod. "Heh, I'm fine. About what I expected, Toph. You're as amazing as ever," he said with a hearty laugh. <br><br> "And here I thought fighting you on sand might slow your reaction time down just a bit." He jumped to his feet and sheathed his sword, before bowing politely. "But thank you, Toph. Out of league, but at least it's good training. I hope I wasn't too disappointing. And no, I really didn't think it'd work a third time. Heh. But was kind of a desperation play."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Out of league... huh?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Recalling Tony's words Toph can't help but blink. And here Sokka calls her amazing... It makes the blind girl's cheeks flush just slightly where she stands. "Oh well, I... I'm kinda used to training on the beach by now, you know?" she excuses herself. And she's not going to say that the fight would have been over quicker if she had used something besides her metalbending. Sandbending would have ended the fight within seconds, that's something she's certain of. But she wanted to just try with metalbending and see how the whip works. "No, you're not disappointing..." Not at all. Far from it, actually. Any time spent with him is not disappointing at all!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka chuckles and reaches out, patting her on the head. "Ah, no need to be nice, Toph. Admit it, you liked kicking my butt. Just like old times, right?" he said with a snicker. <br><br> He chuckles and shakes his head. "You're one of a kind, Toph. Here I could probably take one two or three of those annoying dai li agents. And then there's you, a girl I'm lucky to even throw off balance. Never let anyone not tell you you're special." Then nodded. "I guess if I ever want a chance, I'll have to try less common tactics. Like this." And then picked her up over his shoulder. "MWA HA HA HA! Vengeance for--" Then blinked. "Oh crud you still have the whip." He didn't think this through.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:857|Eve (857)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's really not like Eve to put herself forward, but this IS the holiday season. She's not really doing anything major, just hand-delivering some ... cheer. Yes, cheer. What with the upheavals and uncertainties, what with not being in the same faction as her rival, she has to have other tings to keep her in touch. Things like... cookies.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And so, JARVIS would announce a visitor! It's not like Eve could just walk into Stark Haven Malibu unannounced, right? Or that she would, even if she could. She might even be expected. Just not necessarily right this awkward moment.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The patting on the head makes Toph grumble a bit, and she turns her face aside slightly. "You're cruising for a butt whooping if you continue patting me on the head like that..." she mutters in a warning tone.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course she's one of a kind. She's the original metalbender, the greatest earthbender of all time... there's a reason the Avatar chose her as his earthbending teacher, right?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Those Dai Li are child's play to me," she adds. Throw several at them and she can handle them easily now with her superior bending and perceptiveness. "And of course I know I'm special, even-- ah!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Why is he picking her up? The blush on Toph's cheeks grow intense now, and she's confused for a few seconds until he reminds her that she's still got the whip. Oh, right. "Yeah, and I'll use it if you don't let me down!" she threatens!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Eve has visited this place before and is somebody that Toph considers a friend, Jarvis has no problems letting her in, registering her as a guest should Tony check the logs later. "Good day and happy New Year, Miss Eve. Miss Beifong is down at the beach training at the moment, if you would be so kind to take the path to the right of the house you will be able to get there and spot her," Jarvis offers as a greeting to Eve, clearly not seeing her as a threat considering her behaviour on her previous visits to the Stark house.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka nodded, chuckling and putting her down. "Really? I guess I'm lucky you're so merciful." He started walking again, taking her hand and leading her towards the house. "Well, I don't know about you, but I worked up quite the appetite. What do you say we go try some more of those new years treats? Also, I can't wait for tonight. So a big metal ball just falls from the sky, right? That'll be pretty awesome. The tech on this world sure is something special, isn't it?" <br><br> LEading to them heading up towards the house as Eve comes back...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When he puts her back down Toph's face is still red, especially when he takes her by the hand and leads her back towards the house. It's a bit hard to think about other things, she must admit... And she wraps her smaller fingers tighter around his as they head up the stairs. "Y-yeah, I'm kinda hungry. There might be leftovers and such still," Toph agrees with a nod. Then blinks when her feet notices somebody approaching just as Sokka talks about the party that awaits them later that day. "Spoopy?" the blind girl calls out.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:857|Eve (857)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cue Eve coming down towards the beach, and meeting Toph and Sokka on the way up. Holding hands. She probably doesn't see Toph before Toph sees her, so... that hand-holding must be deliberate, right? Eve's quick. Frightfully quick, at least with visual perception. She takes in the scene in a quick once-over, the details burned into her mind for later evaluation as necessary.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She doesn't react though. It's no big deal to her at all if they're dating. She's too young for that sort of thing. And besides, if she were jealous right now it'd be of Sokka taking her rival's time. And since Eve hasn't done much to be noticed and acknowledged by her rival, she's got no complaints of Sokka keeping Toph away. So, everything's fine. Everything, that is, except for Eve's eyes lingering just a moment or two on the joined hands while a speculative look crosses her face.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally Eve gives a theatrical sigh. "You aren't tired of that nickname yet?" she asks. "Hello Toph, Sokka." she says politely. "I brought cookies." she adds. They're even GOOD. Eve's no fool, and made sure to test the cookies before bringing them. This MAY have something to do with why she's bringing cookies on New Years instead of the more-traditional Christmas... or it may not.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka blinked and then stared down at the girl. Then grinned. "Wow. I guess it's a new years EVE, isn't it? I figured you'd pop by EVEntually. How you been, twerp? I hope you haven't gotten lost trying to find the place. You know we'll always help you find the place, EVErytime." <br><br> Oh gosh she only brought this on herself. And he let Toph's hand go. "And no, she doesn't tried of nicknames. She still calls me Meat head, and we've been best friends for years." He then blinked. "Wait, you brought snacks? Sweeeeeet. You should come by more often!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No, Toph will never tire of nicknames. "Not really, Egg Slayer," Toph says, not really looking surprised when Sokka takes the chance to deliver some puns based on Eve's name. Why, she doesn't even reach out to punch him. Though she does look a bit nervous when Sokka lets go of her hand. Did... Eve see that? Hopefully not.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eve brought snacks? Immediately Toph looks a bit suspicious. "What kind of cookies?" she asks, though she's not outright dismissing them at least, which might be a good thing! "Did you use recipes from the book I got you, or...?" Because the cookies in that book should be easy to make if one followed the recipes.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:857|Eve (857)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Funnily enough, the look Eve gives Sokka for his repeatedly punning her name is exactly the same as the look she gives Toph for the nicknames. A world-weary tolerance that has no business being on the face of a 12 year old girl.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Best friends?" Eve deadpans. Oh yes, she noticed. There's no sign she disapproves, exactly. That sourness MAY simply be left over from the punning and the nicknames. But it changes to annoyance at Toph's perceived snark. "Several kinds of cookies. GOOD ones." she insists. Chocolate chip, oatmeal, macadamia nut, sugar cookies and shortbreads. "... Some from the book, yes." she adds, reluctantly. Then defensively, "If you don't want any that's fine. Sokka can tell you how good they are." she insists tartly. Possibly fuelling Sokka's ego here, who knows?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka snickered softly at that thought. "Oh? So I'm advancing from best friend to food tester? What's next, body guard?" he asked with a light chuckle. "I'm sure if you made them with all your heart, Toph will be happy to accept them. Because that's what friends do for each other." <br><br> "So, I guess you made EVEry cookie type you could, huh? I guess you're a regular cookEVE gourmet." No, they would never stop. They weren't even that good.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's too bad for Toph that she can't see the deadpan look on Eve's face. At least she can hear it in the younger girl's voice.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Y-yeah, Sokka and I are best friends," Toph confirms, though the blonde might be able to notice something in Toph's expression and the way her hand reaches up to scratch at the back of her neck. A visible discomfort to those who look.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's a good thing that there's something else to talk about, and Toph's lip qurik up slightly as Eve talks. "Well, the recipes in that book were decent. And I dunno, Sokka has an iron stomach... he could eat garbage and survive that, I fear. So I guess I just have to taste for myself," she shrugs. "And you know damn well that I'm /your/ bodyguard, Meat Head," she asides to Sokka even as she reaches out a hand towards the younger girl. "We can go sit down on the cliffside if you want and eat there, Goldie says the view from there is decent."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:857|Eve (857)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Only best friends?" Eve asks dubiously, then nods. Fair enough, if that's what they want to claim. She's not really into tearing people down, evidenced by her complete lack of trash talking. That knowing look speaks far louder than words anyways. To anyone who isn't blind at least.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eve sees nothing incongruous in Toph reaching out to her, and there's no hesitation in the blonde before she assumes the role of guide. She even does it right, not engaging in grabbyness. She's done research into the blind, of course, though that's not really a big deal. She's also done plenty of research into waste disposal and fashion trends among ponies. The books were available.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'm not sure about that. Toph seems to think I'm not a good cook." Eve notes dubiously to Sokka, after a bit. Okay so she ruined the eggs. And the picnic. Stupid chocobo. It wasn't her fault! She hasn't ruined the cookies or anything... probably!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka blinked a few times and chuckled. "Really? But isn't the less important person supposed to guard the more important person?" he asked with a chuckle. "Also... isn't the bodyguard supposed to be older than them, too? I mean... you're not even technically an adult for another three months. I'm sure there's a law somewhere saying you'd need to be at least that to protect me," he said with a light tease. He took both their hands and started directing them towards it. <br><br> "So, Eve. Toph was about your age, I think, when she started saving the world. That why you come by? Hoping she'll teach you how to better kick butt? Just a warning, she is a tough teacher. And I'm sure your cookies are delicious, Eve. Besides, as long as you try your hardest, there's no shame in not getting it right the first time. I mean, look at me. I fail all the time but I've never let it stop me."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The moment Eve speaks in that dubious tone Toph can't help but freeze, her face turning pale. No, she did NOT just say that...! Does Eve notice it too?! A warning glare is sent in Eve's direction, and Toph's jawline hardens visibly. Don't. You. Dare!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It seems that Eve also misunderstood her intentions with reaching out. There's not like she needs help navigating in this area. But Toph allows it with a slight sigh. And the comment about her not thinking she's a good cook. "Are you still defending those eggs...? And hey, food isn't supposed to be soaked through. Just saying...!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"There's no age restrictions to being a body guard. What matters is skill and ability, not to mention conviction." And hey, who says that she's more important than Sokka? Some people might think so, but it's clear that Toph doesn't belong to that group. "I protect dad and mom all the time. Heck, if I wanted to I could seriously run this house and decide the rules," she points out. Except she doesn't, letting her adoptive parents decide.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:857|Eve (857)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's definitely something going on here, and from her lofty height of wisdom and experience Eve's pretty sure she knows exactly what it is. Toph's glower gets a gently soothing pat which probably comes off as condescending, especially since Eve's the younger by three or four years.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A weary sigh later, "I'm not defending the eggs. It was my first time cooking!" she complains defensively. Defending herself, not the eggs. "And you can blame your silly chocobo for the soaking." she adds in a tone of peeved indignity. Well, Faruja's chocobo. Whichever. She has more important things to worry about, and one of those is helping out Toph by setting Sokka straight.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Toph is better at fighting than I am." she admits. "Though I'm training daily, and I don't know if her fighting style would help me even if she agreed to teach. I'd be willing to train at her academy though, if only to show her students a form of metalbending that's different from anything they could do." she notes loftily. Of course there's more to it than showing up the students, even if she DOES want to show up the students. But that's another story. "And I try not to fail at something more than once. But you worry too much about age." she says, not quite casually.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In fact, Eve's just warming up. Toph might not see what she's up to, but the nanobender has a plan. A clever clever plan. "Toph was my age when she began saving the world? That shouldn't surprise anyone, but we women can usually do far more than people give us credit for." Yes, she said women. "And just because someone's twelve when you first meet them doesn't mean you should dismiss their feelings either." she adds. And the true horror begins. "We DO get older, you know." she says, intending to provoke Sokka into realizing that yes, Toph is indeed old enough to be taken seriously. For anything. This can't possibly go wrong, can it?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka completely misses the look of Toph's, he just keeps walking the walk of cluelessness towards the nice area, finally stopping once they arrive! He then blinks. "Conviction?" he glanced back with a cocked eye. "Oh? So you're dedicated to keeping me safe now, Toph? I'm flattered. Really, I am. But you don't need to worry about me like that. I may not be as tough as you, but i can take a punch, sword, bullet and club like nobody's business." He gave a firm nod of his head.<br><br> He nodded. "Oh? I know that tone. You're like a little Toph already." He then paused. "Dismiss their feelings? What feel--" And then his eyes widened as he connected the dots. He stopped and turned to her. Then ,gently reached out and patted her on the head. "I understand. Fresh cookies, arriving late on new years. For christmas, correct?" He shook his head. "Embarrassed by first mess ups with cookies? Trying to get me to eat all the cookies?" He went down to one knee and took her by the shoulders. <br><br> "I understand. Okay, Eve. I think it's best if we have a little talk." Oh by the stars. "I understand, trust me, I do. I've had plenty of kids your age crush on me. But... you're only ten, I'm nineteen, you've got your whole life ahead of you. No need to rush off and try to force yourself to grow up. And definitely don't fall for some idiot you just met. Listen, in ten years, if you're really still interested, sure, maybe. But now... enjoy your youth. Have fun with life." <br><br> Oh by the heavens. "And learn to enjoy what's all before you. Because you're going to find someone way, way cooler than me. You shouldn't settle when it comes to love, ever." He took a slow, deep breath and got a steely eyed look of determination on his face. <br><br> "When you find that person for you, that perfect person, you'll know. You need to find someone who always, always has your back, no matter what. Someone who, whenever you're feeling down, they will be there to take your hand and lift you back up, even if you make it hard for them. Someone who you feel safe enough with you can tell them anything, no matter how much it hurts you or embarrasses you, and you know they'll never use it against you." Good advice. WRONG TIME. "Someone who, when they take your hand, your heart skips a beat. Who always, ALWAYS thinks you're the most amazing person in the world, even when you don't feel like it. But who also respects you enough to call you out on your bull sh... balogna when you do something stupid or go too far. Someone who, even when you feel week and vulnerable, they make you feel safe and secure. Who can make you laugh even when all you want to do is cry, and will hold you close when all you can do IS cry. Most importantly, that person needs to be someone that, even if you aren't in love with them, you could still be best friends with them and never leave their side, no matter what. And never, ever fall for someone who tries to force you to change. It's one thing to want to be a better person for them. But if you try to force yourself to be something you're not, all that will happen is you'll be miserable for the entire relationship. And no one deserves to suffer that."<br><br> He gave her that parent look. "You're a cute kid, Eve. But follow Toph's example. Don't go rushing off, looking for love. Wait patiently until the right guy comes along who is all of that for you. Because you deserve nothing less. Isn't that right, Toph?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Don't you pat her, you little brat! She doesn't need that kind of condescending attitude from you! Just be quiet and don't say anything! It's already bad enough as it is with people pointing it out and Sokka dismissing it! And Sokka's words does make Toph snort. "I know you're not a wimp, I'm just saying that there are some benders out there that I can be more effective against. And I know the multiverse better than you and I can give you some pointers until you know them well enough to work out viable strategies against them!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Weird, you do sound awfully defensive," Toph points out with a snort, pulling her hand free once they get to the cliff so she can sit down on the rock there, letting her feet dangle off of the ledge facing the Pacific. "And I already do blame Nugget for a lot of things, she wasn't the one who put the food in her satchels. She's just going to do what chocobos do."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Oh right, Sokka doesn't know about Eve, does he? "Eve has metal in her body that she can control. It's not like metalbending, but to somebody who doesn't know better they might confuse one for the other. As for our fighting styles? It's different, yeah. You just need more experience," Toph offers with a shrug. Experience like she had. You don't get stronger fighting only opponents weaker than you, now do you?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What is Eve doing, talking about... oh no. She's not. Toph sits still, biting the inside of her lower lip, just letting her feet dangle. But she does let one heel slam back into the cliffwall, and underneath Eve a tiny, sharp spike shoots up from the ground. It's not dangerous, but it will give a sharp poke and hopefully a hint to /drop it/.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then Sokka turns to Eve, and Toph turns pale again. No, he didn't figure it out, did he? But then why is he... kneeling... oh man he got it wrong AGAIN?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Where she sits, Toph looks like she's chewing on something sour. Why oh why does he connect the dots in all the wrong ways? The blind girl just tenses up when Sokka talks, describing just what kind of person he thinks everybody should find. And the description makes her head hang, even as she reaches a hand up to rub at the bridge of her nose. Oh spirits, give her strength....!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Sokka speaks to her all he gets is a low and inaudible muttering in response.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:857|Eve (857)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eve means well, but not everyone turns out to be appropriately insightful. Someone here's blind, and it's not Toph. Eve doesn't clue in immediately though. She gets a hint when Sokka goes down on one knee. She gets a lot MORE of a hint when Sokka opens his mouth. And pours out the completely WRONG things. Being a complete fool, and making Eve's cheeks flush. In anger, not in embarrassment. Well, okay in embarrassment too. Him kneeling down to her and explaining the facts of life in such a way is humiliating.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She gets jabbed with a tiny spike, but Eve's wince could well have been for Sokka's words. Eve's got a good pain tolerance, but it's not like Toph has to repeat the warning. The blonde girl's shut up now, and quite aware she said the wrong thing. Well, aware for the wrong reasons perhaps. But at least she's aware and has no inclination to explain further. To make things worse. She wouldn't mind clarifying, but she's getting the strong impression that anything she'd say wouldn't get through. Sokka is... thick. He's a good match for Toph... they both have rocks in their heads.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She even starts getting dizzy, dazed by the sheer drivel pouring out in seemingly endless waves of missing the point. That or the heat in Eve's own face is cooking her brain. Really, this is ridiculous, and Eve's frustration and annoyance build past the breaking point. Yet somehow she holds it in, waiting for Toph's response. Surely Toph will say something cutting, or call him a dunderhead, or explain or SOMETHING. Maybe there's some salvaging this.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Toph does nothing but mutter, Eve's patience breaks. She raises her hand, then waves it in Sokka's direction. Only it's not just a wave. As her hand moves, a bat forms and extends. Meant to clonk Sokka senseless. Senseless, after all, seems the appropriate state for Sokka. Despite her wielding nanometal, she doesn't form the bat quite solid. Just solid enough to slap him silly with. Again, it seems appropriate. It's also his default state.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yep, Eve just broke out a clue bat to whap Sokka with. Hopefully it doesn't do more than daze him. She's not actually intending harm. Nothing that won't heal certainly, though it's only fair that it leaves a lump.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That done, regardless of Sokka's state of consciousness or whether or not Toph intervenes in the fast nanometal assault, Eve's finished. She doesn't struggle, doesn't follow up, not with weapons at least. She dismisses the clue bat, sending it back into her body through her palm with a certain... satisfaction? "I'm not ten." she states, perhaps a bit sulkily. Then to Toph, "He really doesn't get it does he?" Eve says, with entirely too much sympathy.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka blinked a few times. Wait, she could do some kind of metal bending thing too, really? That's pretty cool! And then she decided to hit him upside the head with a bat. He probably deserved that. He hit the ground with an oof, laying there a moment. "Ow... heh heh. Yeah, I guess I deserved that. Heh heh. But listen, kid. You're great and all, but..." Then blinked, sitting up. "Wait, you're not ten?" <br><br> Then he groaned. "This isn't another one of those... looks like you're ten, but really you're a two hundred year old super powered demon from yaya azula chocobo bitch queen land, is it?" he asked with a groan.At least he was able to sit without falling over. <br><br> "Sorry, just trying to look out for you, kid. But hey, I'll give you another piece of advice. When the time does come and you meet a guy you like like that..." he shrugged. Oh gosh he was going to give more advice. Didn't he ever learn? "If telling him doesn't work, just give him a kiss. I mean, no guy can misunderstand something like that." ... No guy. Right. JUST HAVE TO MAKE THINGS HARDER, DOESN'T HE?!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If Toph picks up on Eve's annoyance with Sokka being denser than granite easily enough, though she doesn't move. Not even when Eve shapes the clue bat to slap him silly does Toph intervene, instead she sits there, looking as if she's weighed down by the most depressing thoughts ever. "Eve is nearly thirteen," Toph offers when Sokka seems shocked at her not being as young as he thought she were. And Eve's question? That earns a shake of Toph's head along with a heavy sigh. Nopes, he doesn't get it at all. Which makes it even harder to even consider telling him.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But just then it seems that Sokka does give some helpful advice that happens to coincide with what Tony adviced her to do yesterday in order to confess her feelings to Sokka. Just... give him a kiss. Though, after all of these incidents, she does have a sneaking suspicion that even Sokka might misunderstand a kiss. 'Oh, just a little sister kissing her older brother'. 'Platonic kisses, you know'. Stuff like that. But... when he says it like that...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The earthbender's cheeks flares up, and she slowly raises her head a little, licking her lips nervously before biting down on her lower lip. "S-so are you going to share those cookies or what?" she asks Eve, seemingly desperate to change the topic.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:857|Eve (857)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For whatever it's worth, Eve doesn't hold grudges. Having put the clue bat 'away', she reaches out a hand to help Sokka back up if he needs it. He suffered the consequences, so there's no reason for her to continue to be hostile. Sokka's a friend. Well he's Toph's friend at least, and Eve doesn't dislike him despite his puns and cluelessness. But then, Eve doesn't dislike a woman who's poisoned her twice. Her acceptance of people is sometimes questionable.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Twelve." Eve says. "Probably. My first real birthday was last August, one year after I was freed. The Union doctors said I appeared to be eleven years old, if I was human-standard enough for them to judge properly. I don't really remember enough to claim otherwise." she says. And that statement is said with a certain weight. For Eve not to remember something is pretty momentous.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Too heavy really. It's rare for her to speak of such things, but she's not averse to it. The moment just has to be right, and that moment passes quickly enough when Toph changes the subject. "I doubt it." she says in a rather loud whisper, the words perhaps meant only for Toph but loud enough to easily be heard by Sokka. "Some boys are too dense to see what's in front of their nose." she mutters, again too loud to be properly private. She nods, and fetches cookies. Better to share cookies than commiseration, right?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1076|Sokka (1076)}} has posed:'''<br>Sokka gives another light groan, rubbing his head. "Ugh, got a mean right hook there, too. With that bat of yours. Heh, no wonder you're friends with Toph. She attracts all the people with special powers and stuff. Wonder how long it'll be until she finally decides to ditch me for an upgrade," he said with a light chuckle. <br><br> And then cookies and... he'd of course take a chocolate chip. And then give her a grin. "Wow, these are really good, Eve. I can tell you really tried hard to make them good." And patted her on the head. With that big, dopey, completely ignorant smile of his.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:20|Toph Beifong (20)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Who knows just how old Eve is? Does it really matter? She's growing older, so she's not going to be a kid forever, so that's good.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eve's whisper makes Toph turn her head slightly, her expression passive. And the comment about some guys being too dense to notice what's really going on? That makes Toph roll her eyes, even as she reaches out to take a cookie. She bites into it, chewing softly and looking lost in thought even as Sokka prattles about nonsense and then praises the younger girl for her baking skill. No snarky comment about the taste is delivered, instead she seems to be somewhere else as those unseeing eyes are pointed in the direction of the Pacific Ocean.<br> <br>
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