Meeting Toph

A few days earlier...

"Katara, Sokka, come here!"

The three huddled around as Aang unfurled the scroll Elliot had left.

'Don't worry, I'm fine. I am at Gaoling to find Aang an Earthbending teacher. She's one of the best, trust me. You'll need someone who listens to the Earth.

From your friend, Elliot.'

"Someone who listens to the Earth?" Sokka looked very suspicious and confused.

"Oh, be quiet Sokka, it's nice at least someone has some initiative," Katara said, eyeing Aang, dissatisfied. No doubt from the constant pit stops on their way to the Northern Water Tribe.

"We're going straight to the Northern Water Tribe, I promised, remember?" Aang reminded her.

"Right, sorry."

...

Elliot POV

I was standing before the walls encapsulating The Beifong Family Estate. I jumped over the wall of the estate. I temporarily paused in the air, just an inch above the ground, before resuming my fall and landing on my feet softly, reminiscent of a cat. I looked around, walking gently across the garden.

"I know you're there," I heard a high pitched voice call out. A little girl with glazed eyes walked out from behind some brush. In an instant, I agilely leapt to the side. The ground where I previously stood shot up like a canon, making a small, cracked hill.

'That would've hurt,' I thought as I decided to levitate in the air for a while.

"Now where'd you go?" She seemed to be listening intently. Unfortunately for her, I wouldn't be stepping on the ground till she stopped trying to put me six feet under.

"Toph Beifong, The Blind Bandit, I want to talk to you," I told her.

Her eyes narrowed, and she paused. Taking that as a sign to come down, I briskly stepped on the ground.

"Who are you? How do you know about me?" She demanded.

"The most renown Earthbending teacher in Gaoling visits here quite often, don't you think?"

"..." She stayed silent.

"It's not that hard to put two and two together. Especially since Mr. and Mrs Beifong aren't Earthbenders. Plus, your little stunt of instantly trying to pelt me with pebbles didn't help keep your Alter Ego secret," I explained.

"So? Why did you find me? You're not here to kidnap me, are you?" she asked.

"No. But I do want you," I clarified.

"Huh?" she stiffened.

"You're one of the Best Earthbenders I know." A smirk appeared on her face.

"The Best Earthbender," she emphasised.

"Yes, you're The Best Earthbender I know. So I want your help."

"You want MY help? You need a helpless blind girl's help?" She snorted in amusement. I needed to make sure she'd at least listen to what I had to say.

"Yes, but while you may be blind, you're far from helpless. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered." She seemed to like that answer as a smile appeared on her face.

"Alright. I'll hear you out, what do you want?" She asked straightforwardly. Toph took a more relaxed posture, with her arms crossed.

"As I said before, I want you to come with me," I repeated. She stared at me blankly.

"So, you are kidnapping me?"

"It's not kidnapping if you come with me willingly. In fact, I'd say it's closer to elopement, since you'd be running away with a boy," I joked.

"Ha! Fat chance," she scoffed.

"Thought so. Anyways-"

"Are you gonna tell me what you want from me?" she interrupted.

"I was getting to that. As I was SAYING, I want your help learning how to connect with nature, teaching someone Earthbending, helping stop Fire Lord Ozai, ending the hundred year war-"

"You're either delusional enough to believe what you're saying is true, or you are telling the truth. Either way, it's not my problem. Now get out of here, or else I'll call the guards."

"Wait, you didn't let me finish. I'll help you-"

"Guards! Guards, help!"

"I'll come back tonight, you better be here," I told her before I began running. Thankfully, I managed to get out of there before the guards saw me.

'Honestly, if I wasn't at least THAT fast, I'd be a shame to all Airbenders,' I thought.

...

I sat on the ground. I had nothing to do, except practice one of the theories I had about Soundbending.

'Sound is energy produced by vibrations. So if I vibrate Air...'

Hummmm.

A low hum was produced from the Air above my palm. I could barely hear it due to the earplugs I put in my ears. After all, I WAS practicing Soundbending. I could easily become deaf if I messed up. Though I doubted I'd actually become deaf due to the System, I don't think losing your hearing would be comfortable, even if only temporary.

Riling up the Air even further, the hum gradually increased in intensity. I could feel it vibrating above my palm, making my hand feel ticklish. In fact, it was actually beginning to numb.

[New Quest!]

But as I was in the middle of focusing, a pop-up appeared, distracting me. As I lost my focus, a discordant, sharp pitch was generate. Not a pretty sound.

[Convince Toph!]

Avatar Aang needs an Earthbending teacher, and you know just the person for it.

Objective: Convince Toph Beifong to come along with you.

Hidden Objective: ?

Reward: 15,000 EXP,

Time Limit: 3 Days

Failure: Decrease in Reputation with Toph Beifong,

"It only gave me this now?" Shrugging, I decided to take that as an indicator to stop messing around with Soundbending for now. Thinking for a minute on what to do, I stood up and started stretching.

[+1 DEX]

[You have gotten the Perk, {Limber}!]

[Your DEX has passed 100! Choose 1 of 3 Perks below.]

"I expected this would happen," I muttered to myself. After all, how else would I get Perks?

{Ambidextrous}

You can use both hands simultaneously.

"That's not... bad." But it was disappointing. I had been hoping Perks would be more game changing.

{Bullet Time}

Your motor skills, reflexes, and sensory organs are increased dramatically. So much so, it seems that time seems to slow down.

Gives you the skill, {Bullet Time}

"Now THAT'S game changing." Holy shit. I could feel myself salivating. Was that weird? Probably.

{Runner}

Your movement speeds is increased by 100%

"Crap. Bullet Time or Runner?" Who was I kidding? Bullet Time. Bullet Time all the way.

{Bullet Time} (Active)

LV 0

EXP: 0/10

Allows you to perceive time at a reduced rate by 0% when activated.

Reduces the amount that slowed time effects you by 0%

You can adjust the amount of slowed time and how much the slowed time can affect you as long as it's under the max percentage you can slow at any level.

Using this skill for too long can have drawbacks. This includes headaches, the bursting of blood vessels, mental exhaustion.

"Of course there'd be drawbacks." Instantly, I activated it.

+1

+1

+1

[{Bullet Time} has leveled up!]

I didn't notice it instantly. Of course, while Bullet Time was cool and all during fights, the main reason I got it was because I thought it could help with my training. If I was able to slow down time enough, I could notice easier when sound hit me. Of course, it would also help me with my other types of training. Like, It would help me notice how my muscles moved and if my posture was wrong.

...

Under the pale lighting of the moon, I jumped on top of the estate's wall. There I saw, in her white dress and barefooted, Toph. I knew why she was here. I remember very clearly when Toph confronted her parents, that she said she never had a friend.

"Hey there," I greeted her with a small wave. She didn't look at me. Taking a piece of metal out of my inventory, I nearly tossed it to her before remembering. She couldn't see.

Hopping off the wall, I walked up to her and held it out. "Here, take this."

"What am I supposed to do with it?" She asked grumpily. Probably annoyed that she followed my suggestion.

"You're going to Bend it." Her head finally turned to me, her eyebrow raised.

"You want me to try to Bend metal? You know Earthbenders-"

"Earth is metal and metal is Earth, I don't see why you can't," I said with a shrug. She pursed her lips and looked down at the rectangular metal piece. Her eyebrows furrowed and I could see she was focusing very hard, but in the end, she couldn't do it.

"Use your Seismic Sense," I suggested, making her look at me strangely.

"Oh please," I rolled my eyes, "You're not the only Earthbender to discover it. I figured that was how you could see without, well, seeing. It's just your the best at it. I'm good-"

"Right. You're good at putting things together, yeah, I noticed," She said, cutting me off.

Shutting up, she focused on the metal in her hand. Holding it completely in one hand, her eyes widened as it was crushed im her grip.

"I can't believe that actually worked!" I exclaimed, just as surprised as her. Not really, obviously, but I was a good actor. Breathing was one of the main things for Airbender, so regulating my heart rate and stuff like that was simple stuff. Enough to fool Toph? Well, I just found that out now.

"Wait, you didn-"

"Nope. I didn't know if it was possible. Just a small theory I had and wanted to test. And for me to prove if it was right or not, I needed a great Earthbender, namely, you."

"..."

"How does it feel to be the world's first Metalbender?" I asked her.

"Not good. I wasn't even the one who-!"

"You would've found it out eventually, trust me Toph. I just expedited the process," I told her truthfully.

"..."

"You are The Greatest Earthbender. I wouldn't of even bothered you if that weren't the case." I placed my hand on her shoulder. Uncomfortable, she shrugged it off and took a step back. I didn't know if it was from the praise, or my skinship. Maybe both.

"Thanks, I guess..."

"If you really feel that shitty, you could just help me invent another Bending Style," I said.

"Pfft, hahaha!" She suddenly started laughing. I blinked, taken aback.

"And what's it's name supposed to be?" She asked, sarcasm lacing her tone. The laughs in-between words though made it hurt less than she probably meant it too.

"Soundbending," I answered solemnly, and her giggles stopped. This time, she was the one taken aback.

"You're... serious?" she asked in very apparent disbelief.

"Absolutely."

"... You have a lot of things in that skull of yours, don't you?"

"Yeah, namely, a brain."

"..."

"And what I just realized, is that... well, I haven't told you my name. I'm Elliot," I held out my right hand.

She turned towards me and grasped it. "Sure, I'll help you with your "Soundbending" Eli." It was the first time someone had called me that in a while.

"That doesn't mean I'm coming with you, of course," she added as if an afterthought.

"Of course," I agreed, but I planned on changing her mind.

"I'm guessing we'll start sometime tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'm going to bed, I'm beat," she said, not hiding her yawn. I jumped back up on the wall and waved her goodbye.

"It was nice to meet you, Toph, really."

I guess that's how I became friends with Toph Beifong. An actual friend. I didn't know how much I needed that until now.

[Your flaw, {Emotional Detachment}, has been resolved!]

A grin appeared on my face as I walked. Where was I going? I had no idea.

'I think this has been the best day I've had since I ended up here,' I thought to myself.