Yes, she's blind. But she thanks you for not making a big deal of it!
"That'd be nice, but I think maybe I should figure my way around this place a little better before I start looking." You know, so she doesn't accidentally kill herself. Logic!
And as far as rooms are concerned... "Do you know if there are any empty apartments on this floor? I...kinda want to stick as close to the ground as I can."
Her clothes look pretty Asian, so maybe she does. Then again, maybe she's Asian and in the entirely wrong Era for trucks.
"Well, think of something really big, and really heavy. Like, the sort of thing that it takes ten really strong men to move. I can pick something like that up and throw it across a city without breaking a sweat. No trouble. The problem is, shaking hands is no trouble either . . . the last time I tried it was about three years ago, and I broke the guy's arm." Irene laughs at herself, quietly. "No gauge of strength anymore. After that, the people in charge asked me to keep my hands to myself."
No, Irene, she wouldn't know what a car is, either.
"It's a really big machine that people in my world used around the time I was growing up to move a lot of stuff from one place to another. I haven't actually gotten to throw one yet, because I've been in the wrong time for trucks, but I've picked up stuff just as heavy."
Irene peers down at the little blind girl curiously. "What's your story, Toph? Where are you from?"
"Oh, kinda like a Fire Nation tank." Yup, Toph's basis for comparison to a truck is one of the monstrosities the Fire Nation army has in their arsenal.
"I'm from the Earth Kingdom; it's one of the Four Nations," she explains. "I was taking a break from teaching a friend of mine Earthbending when all of a sudden I wound up here."
Still, she'd much rather be here than at home under her father's threatened 24-hour guard.
Bear with Toph, please. She's never had to explain Bending to anyone before; everyone in her world knows what it is, even if they can't do it.
"I can make the earth do whatever I want - move where I want it, make walls, weapons, that sort of thing. And even though I'm blind, I can still see" kinda "with my earthbending. The vibrations in the earth tell me where things are."
"I guess you haven't met my friends yet, then. Katara and Aang are benders like me, only Katara's a Waterbender and Aang is an Airbender. But Aang's the Avatar too, so that means he's the only one who can bend all four elements."
She pauses, remembering who else from her world was here.
"There's also Zuko and his uncle. They're both Firebenders."
"Hi there," says a voice, from not that much farther above Toph. Irene is small for her age. "Looking for something?"
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"A vacant room, my friends and an easier way to navigate this place," she says, stopping for the time being. "Not neccesarily in that order."
She looks up and grins in Irene's general direction.
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Pretty eye color, though. What there is of color.
"Maybe I can help you find your friends. I helped some guy find his mom the other day," Irene offers. "And rooms are easy."
She smiles, because that sort of thing comes across in words. Even people who can't see must appreciate a smile.
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"That'd be nice, but I think maybe I should figure my way around this place a little better before I start looking." You know, so she doesn't accidentally kill herself. Logic!
And as far as rooms are concerned... "Do you know if there are any empty apartments on this floor? I...kinda want to stick as close to the ground as I can."
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She's kind of picked one, on the fourth floor, but possibly she'd rather have one down where there are less stairs? Maybe.
"I'm Irene, by the way. I'd be polite and shake your hand, but believe me, there's a good reason I'm not allowed."
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"My name's Toph." There's a quizzical look directed in Irene's direction. "Why aren't you allowed?"
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Her clothes look pretty Asian, so maybe she does. Then again, maybe she's Asian and in the entirely wrong Era for trucks.
"Well, think of something really big, and really heavy. Like, the sort of thing that it takes ten really strong men to move. I can pick something like that up and throw it across a city without breaking a sweat. No trouble. The problem is, shaking hands is no trouble either . . . the last time I tried it was about three years ago, and I broke the guy's arm." Irene laughs at herself, quietly. "No gauge of strength anymore. After that, the people in charge asked me to keep my hands to myself."
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A pause, then... "What's a truck?"
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No, Irene, she wouldn't know what a car is, either.
"It's a really big machine that people in my world used around the time I was growing up to move a lot of stuff from one place to another. I haven't actually gotten to throw one yet, because I've been in the wrong time for trucks, but I've picked up stuff just as heavy."
Irene peers down at the little blind girl curiously. "What's your story, Toph? Where are you from?"
Because so far, everyone here has one.
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"I'm from the Earth Kingdom; it's one of the Four Nations," she explains. "I was taking a break from teaching a friend of mine Earthbending when all of a sudden I wound up here."
Still, she'd much rather be here than at home under her father's threatened 24-hour guard.
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Bear with Toph, please. She's never had to explain Bending to anyone before; everyone in her world knows what it is, even if they can't do it.
"I can make the earth do whatever I want - move where I want it, make walls, weapons, that sort of thing. And even though I'm blind, I can still see" kinda "with my earthbending. The vibrations in the earth tell me where things are."
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Irene raises her eyebrows. "That's one of the cooler things I've heard so far," she says, grinning. "So you can, like, make buildings with your mind?"
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Because if she could, she would have built a home for herself far away from her folks long ago.
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She pauses, remembering who else from her world was here.
"There's also Zuko and his uncle. They're both Firebenders."
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