Scene #1874: Let's Do Lunch

Owner	Pose
Nightblind	URBANIA. A sunny day, the streets are warm and it's decent enough to walk outside with a light jacket on, much in the case of the young woman wearing the light hoodie. She's sitting in a cafe, enjoying the sunlight on her face. A dog sits beneath the table, happily content while keeping a watchful eye for danger. People mill about, cars hum and roar and silently slip by depending on their engines and tires. A few have windows open, snatches of music escaping into the street and joining the cacaphony of Urbania's audio landscape. The smells of hot french fries and fresh bread, of charring meat over an open flame-broiler, calls from kitchens during the lunch hour and the bustle of bussers and servers as they mill inside restaurants and out in the streetsides and sidewalks.
Toph Beifong	It's been a while since she was here last, and Toph decides that today is a perfect day for a stroll through Urbania and pick up some treats for her and the rest of the household. There are so many stores here of interest for girls with a sweet tooth, and the blind earthbender has already picked up a small bag of stuff already. And well, since this is bought with the allowance she has gotten, she has made sure to buy some of the things she knows that Tony and Pepper really like too. Though as she walks she can't help but sniff the air, catching the scent of tantalizing fries and meat... and her stomach rumbles. Perhaps she should grab some lunch while she is here. And well, this cafe seems like a decent place. So Toph heads towards the door, expertly moving past the tables. "'scuse me," she mutters as she slips past the woman and her dog.
Nightblind	Hey! That's a recognizeable voice! The German Sheperd's ears perk up, and the woman's eyebrows give a raise. "Well." Ella states, with a wry smile. "Toph Beifong? Imagine meeting your aquaintence all the way out here. What're the chances?" she questions. Tapping her cane on the ground, she shifts her chair a little to the side.
Toph Beifong	Ella isn't the only one who recognizes a familiar voice when she hears one, and Toph herself blinks, halting in her steps. "Ella?" The blind meeting the blind, huh? Indeed, the chances of such a chance meeting are low, but still, it's nothing to frown at. Rather, Toph grins a bit as she turns slightly towards the woman. "You're out enjoying the weather too, huh?" Her attention is also on the dog, and she crouches slightly. "Is that your dog?" she inquires curiously. Animals have always been something she has been fond of. And she can't help but be curious.
Nightblind	Emma gives a grin, and reaches up to adjust her sunglasses. "Yes; I figured I might as well get out while I had the chance... nice to feel sunlight again." She jokes, and she adds, without breaking beat "Oh my God? There's a Dog?!" and reaches down, and her fingers trail up the dog's neck to his ears, where she gives a light scritch. "Yep. Dakota's my service dog. It's okay to pet him; he's off duty at the moment." she grins. Dakota leans forward, sniffing at Toph's hand, and his tail gives a solitary wag, but stoicly stays still. "Have a seat. There should be a waiter on his way back for my order in a minute."
Toph Beifong	"The sun does feel good, doesn't it? Winter hasn't been too rough where I live, though I gotta say I don't like snow that much to begin with. So cold!" The young girl giggles just a bit when Ella clearly jokes about the dog and pretending to be unware of it being there. "A service dog? So he helps you?" Toph asks, then reaches out her hand for the dog to sniff. "Hey Dakota." To her it's a bit strange to think that people rely on animals to help them, but then again, not everybody has powers and skills to make up for their blindness, do they? When Dakota sniffs her hand and wags his tail Toph carefully inches closer and scratches him behind one ear. The invitation to sit down at the table is something Toph doesn't see a reason to decline, so she nods her head. "Sure... I was thinking of grabbing some food, I have been doing some light shopping for treats and snacks myself. Urbania has many neat stores, if you didn't know that already." With that the earthbender pulls out a chair and sits down. "So... what did you order?"
Nightblind	Dakota gives another tail wag, and bumps his head up against Toph's hand, pleased to get some attention. "Winter in Stonegate tends to be pretty cold, and ice does me no favors at all. Still hurts if I fall." she gives a smile, and leans back in her chair. "Yeah; Dakota makes sure it's safe for me to cross streets, helps me avoid obsticles like mailboxes and lightpoles, helps me get around the house if the furnature's shifted around while cleaning... he also grabs things if I drop them. My ears are good, but not /that/ good." she grins, and sits back. "I'd just ordered a coffee and some water, and some junk food. This is going to be my only day off." she gives a feigned sigh, "and you are totally welcome to share in any of my bounty. IT's good to run into a friend."
Toph Beifong	"Stonegate is where you're from, I guess?" It's what it sounds like anyway. As Ella describes Dakota's duties Toph can't help but listen intently, thinking about how she herself might have needed help with those things if she wasn't born a bender. Her life really would have been different... mostly because Toph is so largely independent. To not be able to do those things by herself, that sounds so... tough. "So he has been especially trained, huh?" The girl's voice is a bit quiet as she speaks. Junk food. The magical words. "I rarely get days off myself," she groans in mock annoyance, though her tone is clearly playful. "And yeah... not many blind elites, it seems. Though there is this blind Fed who joined not too long before you did," she adds with a shrug.
Nightblind	"Oh! Yes, Stonegate City, it's a port, has some highly wealthy individuals, a massive pit of scum who shield themselves from the poor..." she begins, and wryly adds "And then there's me, the foolish little girl amongst them." Not that Ella sounds paticularly young. She reaches down again, and runs her fingers over the fur. "Yeah. They take seeing eye dog candidates and train them for three years before you can get matched up with them. I had to be trained on how to use one so that we spoke the same language." Ella taps her cane on the ground thoughtfully, and she gives a small shrug. "I Don't think I'm anything special... just someone with access to a radio and a strong sense of curiosity. Oh, and business. In a position to own a business helps... so... Fed. Confederate, like that Lute fellow?"
Nightblind	And that's when the waiter shows up, with strong smelling coffee and iced water. "Ah, adding one on, miss?" He inquires. The sound of sizzling can be picked up, and there is French fried potatoes, covered with a fresh cheeze and crisped chorizo -- hot, spicy sausage -- all over it. It smells spicy and greasy. There's also motzerlla sticks and breaded, deep fried zuchinni.
Toph Beifong	"You did mention you help others, did you not?" Toph looks a bit curious, recalling Ella mentioning Braille books and such. "Clearly there's something about you since you're an elite. It's not like everybody can join the Union, you know." It does seem like Dakota is calm around her owner, especially compared to other dogs she has met. "Have you had Dakota for long?" Toph asks, then blinks when the waiter shows up with Ella's food and drink. "Could I get some cold Sprite or something?" she asks the waiter. "And I want the same thing she is having." Because it smells real good, and this is something that would surely keep her full until dinner time later tonight. The inquiry about the Feds makes Toph sigh. "Yeah, then again... Lute is a total dunderhead. He's an unlikable Fed. Because there are some nice Feds too, believe me. They might not be on the same side as us, but there are some Feds who are worse than others."
Nightblind	Ella was in the middle of imbibing in that coffee when Toph mentioned the Union. ANd thens he sputters, half-coughing the hot liquid back into the glass, and fumbling for a napkin, fingers tapping against the tabletop before she finds one, and uses it to cover her mouth. "I didn't--" she begins, in a squeak, before she composes herself, and gives a nervous laugh. "I haven't announced any... formal connection to the Union yet... I have to make sure it won't violate any terms of my endowment or my father's will!" The server looks entirely bewildered, and had pushed the napkin closer to Ella's hand. "A cold sprite -- of course miss. I'll be right back." And he goes off. "Oh, I imagine there are those in the Union who are worse than others." she replies, and gives a small shrug. "I've had Dakota for a good three years now. In another three years I'll likely adopt him as a companion animal and maybe, by then, I'll have access to some tech that will let me see so I can move around without help." And she brushes her hand against the water, and grasps it to try and drink some down and avoid being embarrassed!
Toph Beifong	As Ella sputters Toph blinks and raises an eyebrow. "You totally should join the Union. Why should it violate stuff? It's kinda what we're against, violating stuff that is," she shrugs and leans back in her chair. "You would totally fit in too." Are there bad people in the Union? Hmm. Good question. "Well, some can be a bit preachy..." Toph mutters, thinking back to her arguments with Armsmaster before he began to change a little. The mention of tech however does give Toph an idea, and the blind teenager freezes. "Hold on a moment," she tells her, then pulls up her bag and fumbles through it, finding something wrapped in cloth that she works on pulling out, as well as a book. "Give me your left hand."
Nightblind	"We have a completely /Faustian/ legal and probate system in Stonegate. If I violate minute tenants of some ridiculous law, my biological mother could sweep in and take my inheritance, my house, my father's company -- everything. And leave me dependant on her... and I swore even before the accident that I would never rely on that /witch/ again." Ella states. And there's rage in her voice, that quiet, seething rage of a kettle waiting to overblow. A chill breeze passes by -- but it passes, and she releases the fists that she didn't know she was holding. And then Toph offers something. Ella blinks, and half hesitantly, reaches over with her left hand. "All right..." and she taps her finger on the table, giving an audio clue where her hand is. Force of habbit from others.
Toph Beifong	"Oh." So the place she lives in is as strict as Ba Sing Se or something? Toph winces in sympathy, knowing all too well the pains having parents that you disagree with and who try to control you. While she won't call Lao a witch, he has wronged her in the past on several occasions, and... The blind girl swallows a bit nervously, hearing the rage in Ella's voice. Perhaps it's better to steer away from this topic. "What accident...?" she asks instead, even as she works on something, the sound of metal easy to hear as she leans over. Even if Ella hadn't tapped her fingers on the table Toph would have been able to locate her hand, but Toph doesn't tell her that yet. Instead she works on something, and Ella will soon feel something close in around her hand, a tight fit. "This is my reading glove, and here's a normal book," Toph informs the older woman, then moves Ella's left gloved hand over the letters, and immediately a familiar feeling should be evident against her fingertips. Braille symbols.
Nightblind	"... the one that took my sight." Ella replies, a little nervously. Her right hand taps lightly against the table, a nervous twitch, and she exhales, and she feels the girl's fingers touch hers, and the cloth. It is a pretty tight fight, and she stretches her fingers out a moment before she moves her fingers over the letters. "Reading glove?" she inquires...a nd then she gives a gasp. She recognizes the letters. Her finger moves slowly over the page, and she gives a hitched breath sound. And she feels tears burning at the corners of her eyes, which she squeezez tights. "This... is amazing." she shakes a moment. "This... this sort of thing would have revolutionized my world."
Toph Beifong	"So you weren't born blind, huh?" Toph asks further. "What is it like? Seeing with your eyes? Compared to being blind, that is..." It must be weird losing a sense, but for somebody who has never had a sense... what is there to miss? When the glove starts working its magic, Toph remains sitting still in her seat, though she hears the reaction from Ella. Her hitched breath, the increased heart rate... Sure, she knows the glove is amazing and all, but this amazing? At first reading was one hell of a chore for Toph, and while she isn't too fond of it even now when she is better at it, she knows there are others who love reading. Is Ella one of them, perhaps? "My... adoptive father made it for me after I joined the Union. My world does not have Braille, so he thought it would be important that I learned how to read and write," Toph explains. "It's currently being worked to be mass produced in his particular world, I'm sure you can get one of your own soon."
Nightblind	"No, I went blind after a car accident damaged my optical nerves. They tried surgery to correct it, but it only damaged the nerve irrepairably..." she grips her fingers together on her right hand, her left wandering over the page, catching random letters. "It sounds terrible, but when you're not born blind, and you wake up but you can't see, the world becomes disconcerting. You're stuck in the dark. At first I didn't recognize voices because I had no face to attach them to. Some of the board members tried to strip me of my right to the company because I couldn't possibly run it without being able to read contracts." Her shoulders sag, and she closes the book, and gently feels out how to remove the glove. "Oh, trust me," she changes the subject, and she gives a toothy grin: "I'm going to sign up for one." Ella grins.
Toph Beifong	A car accident? Toph winces at that thought. "That does sound terrible... I can't really imagine being any different than I am. I don't know faces, but I have always recognized voices, the sound of somebody's footsteps, the way they move." Her expression hardens though when she hears about what some of the board members tried to do. "What?!" Oh yes, that gets her annoyed all right. "Reading contracts isn't the most important thing to do in a company... dunderheads," she grumbles, then takes the glove back when Ella removes it. Yes, let's change the subject. "My dad hopes that many people will get this, it will make things far easier and eliminate the need for heavy books and expensive printers if we blind people can read normal text on regular paper. The letters have to be clear though, he says." The glove is wrapped up again in the piece of cloth, and Toph puts it back into her bag along with the book. Just as the waiter returns with her food and drink as well, and Toph brightens up. "Oh right, I'm so hungry I could eat a whole ostrich horse!" she states, then grabs her fork and begins eating without further wait.
Nightblind	By now, Ella's is cold, but she still begins to chow down. She leans back, and considers the possibilities -- and the others who would want to see those gloves. Integration, she would be able to read directions instead of having to rely on others to read for her... the possibilities running through Ella's mind made her mind spin... but being able to read without the bulky copies of Braille books, or books on disc? That would be amazing. "So... Tony Stark, he's the billionaire, right?"
Toph Beifong	Toph nods her head even as she is busy stuffing her mouth full. "Yuhp, he shure ish," she manages to utter even with her mouth filled with delicious food. She does swallow it quickly though before she continues. "He's a major in the Union too, and he is my supervising officer too. So he kinda took it seriously and made me learn stuff that he thinks is useful, I guess. Some people call him an asshole, but he is an awesome asshole at least." More food finds its way to Toph's mouth. "Sho... what do you do besides run a company? For that matter, what kind of company is it? Does it do more than supply Braille stuff to the needy?" It's a bit interesting to know at least.
Nightblind	"Some people are at least charming in their assholeism." Ella agrees, stirring up some of the remaining liquid queso and popping some fries into her mouth. "Well, I also run donations and equipment resources for a school system in impoverished areas and other nations in order to... well. Make the world a better place. My father encouraged me to start it when I was about fourteen. The company I help run manufactures mining and agricultural equipment which we deploy on a lease-basis to farmers overseas to make their lives easier, and we've spread into police and firecontrol, technology and body-armor, oxygen tanks, some light medical work towards protecting and transporting invalids and those with grevious injuries..." she leans back a moment. "I don't... really run the company. For now, it's just the charitable arm. Once I finish my degree I'll be able to take over the company in a more hands-on manner... how about you? You're... a bender, which means y ou control rocks and earth?"
Toph Beifong	That's true. Toph snickers a bit at that comment, then focuses on eating while she listens to Ella's explanantion about what the company does. All in all it sounds like a good one, focused on helping rather than exploiting people, which some companies seem to do. "Sounds like you do a whole lot of stuff..." Toph comments with a smile. "What kinda degree are you working on? Business?" It sounds logical, after all. Again Toph nods her head. "I'm an earthbender, I manipulate earth and earthen variations. I even discovered how to bend metal over a year ago, and people said it was impossible for millenia." While Ella might not see the grin on the girl's face, it should be pretty easy to hear from the tone of her voice. "Nobody can bend like I can, I'm the greatest. I even use my bending to see the world around me, I can sense vibrations through the earth. So I don't need a dog or a cane. It's like seeing with my feet."
Nightblind	"Ethics and philosophy, but I keep changing my major around as time permits, hate to focus on just one thing, you know." she leans back, casually conversing. "And yes; my grandfather and his brother built up the company in Stongegate when the city was a little port town, and pretty depressed following the war. My father continued building to help people, and he wanted the same for me. Without educated, thinking, creative people in the company, how're we going to grow?" she asks, rhetorically, and then she leans forward, listening to Toph intently. She does smile at the girl's bravado, but figures this pup had the bite to back up the bark. "... that... is unbeliveably fantastic." Ella replies. "So you have vibrolocation that dects anything conntected to the ground. That's... pretty awesome."
Toph Beifong	Okaaaay, those sound like classes she would end up snoring though. "What other majors have you had then?" Toph asks instead and picks up some more fries. Yummy! "I'm not much for education myself, but it makes sense. I'll save all that for those who have interest in it though, I prefer teaching myself..." she states with a shrug before she stuffs one finger up her nose, digging around. Of course she's eating with her other hand, but still...! "Of course it's fantastic. I am the greatest earthbender of all time, and I see more than most seeing people do." To Toph this isn't bragging, it's just a simple matter of fact. "I can also sense earthen materials around me, even if they aren't touching the ground. Like the eating utensils on the table, that guy's watch over there..." she states, pointing towards another table outside where a guy is reading the paper and munching on his sandwich.
Nightblind	"Ah,, business, French, Arabic, business ethics, law, criminal justice... international law... I've had some interests." The older woman replies, and gives a slight laugh. She doesn't see Toph pick her nose, but some of the other patrons do, and make uncomfortable sounds. "Well... I like education. If I wasn't a fabulously wealthy business owner, I might have been a teacher or librarian." she jokes. "... huh." And that makes her a little nervous. "All the earthern materials? Metallics and everything?" she inquires politely.
Toph Beifong	"So... a little bit of everything, then," Toph concludes, ignoring the reaction from the other patrons. What? Everybody does it! Nonetheless she flicks a booger off to the side, content now that her nose is clean, and she resumes eating even as Ella shares her other possible career options. "Those sound good too if you like reading and learning, I guess." Of course Toph can't help but grin at that question. "As long as there's some earthen impurity in it, I can bend it. So not pure metals like platinum, there's no earth left in that for me to bend. Iron is real easy, though," she explains.
Nightblind	Her implants are safe. OH GOOD. Ella relaxes, and she gives a bit of a shrug. "I have a good friend who's about learning. He was a Mixed Martial Arts fighter before he learned how to run a company and got into stocks. Now he's a former MMA-fighter who wakes up every morning in his custom-built house with what I can only consider the best gym ever, because he's told me several times that it is." she grins. "So don't knock learning and reading too much."
Toph Beifong	Now what was /she/ all tense about? "No offense honey, but all that stuff is hardly what I like. I /love/ fighting and bending, I'm not made to sit still behind a desk all day. I prefer being outside, to throw earth around, to kick ass and just cut loose," the blind girl states firmly. "My parents tried to raise me into being a lady, but that is so not my deal!" With that said Toph stuffs the remains on her plate into her mouth.
Nightblind	"Oh, I'm sure you could be if you tried." Ella jokes, and she leans back a bit in her chair, ripping a zuchinni plank in half, and then nomming on it. "Yeah. I don't think I could be out there, fighting. Not like I am now, anyway. My place is in an office, working through paperwork and giving stodgy old men the run-about to get their money from the-- oh god, that sounds awful! I get them to /donate/ to charity by pointing out how good it makes them!" she laughs, correcting herslef, and then reaches for the napkin. "Ah... man. That could hae come out much, much worse."
Toph Beifong	"The thing is, I don't want to," Toph points out. "So you stick to offices and I will be out there getting my feet dirty. I could always bully them into giving their money to charities, but their bodies and egos might hurt less with a more gentle approach. Which is not my thing either." The girl reaches for her soda glass, empties the rest of it... and lets out a massive burp. "Okay, I'm full. I think I should be headed off though, otherwise my adoptive parents might get worried." Not that they are as fussy about it as her birth parents are, but still... she has been out for a while, and she /did/ promise to be home at a reasonable time too.
Nightblind	"You sure? After that minor explosion, you could probably eat more." Ella replies, and she finishes her coffee. "All right... it was good to meet you in person, Toph. I hope sometime I can take you around Stonegate. You might like our rocky beach." she gives a smile, and there's the sound of paper rustling as it's left beneath a glass. "C'mon, Dakota. We should cal Al for a pick-up -- can I drop you off anywhere, Toph?"
Toph Beifong	Snickering, Toph seems amused at the comment about her burp. "Trust me, my stomach is full for now. And yeah, it was nice meeting you! I haven't really spent a lot of time with other blind people before... and I wouldn't mind visiting Stonegate sometime!" The rocky beach /does/ sound interesting. The blind girl fumbles for some cash from her bag and puts it on the table as well, shaking her head at the offer. "Nah, I can get home easily through the warpgates, there's one not too far from where I live. Thanks for the offer though! I'm sure we'll hear each other soon enough on the radio!"
Nightblind	"Soonenough. ANd who knows? Maybe you'll hear me on the Union bands sometime." she offers as a smile.
Toph Beifong	Toph grins, even though her companion can't see it, and she gets up from the table. One last scritch is given to Dakota though, and she reaches out to punch Ella lightly in the shoulder. "Let's hope so. Take care!" she offers, then heads off.
Nightblind	Ella laughs, and lightly rubs her shoulder. "Take care, Toph!" she waves (in a slightly off direction), and then gives a little command to Dakota, who hops to his feet, ready for work!