"Since we're training and all," I said suddenly, a thought occurring to me as I watched Toph work through another set, "I've been wondering about something for a while now..."
"Huh? What're you thinking about?" she asked between breaths as she squatted with the barbell resting across her shoulders. And before anyone could misunderstand, the weight on that bar was intentionally light. Enough to build strength efficiently without risking her growth. I wasn't that foolish.
While Chi did most of the heavy lifting when it came to Bending, it's still beneficial to have a healthy body. Body, mind, and spirit were all connected, and the better shape they were in, the more Chi you could output.
Plus, it's always good to have the agility to dodge hits, like sharp darts to blue fire.
"Okay, hear me out." I tapped the iron bar with a finger. "You can bend earth—most rocks and stuff underground, right? Iron's technically a mineral that combines with rocks to form the mineral, same as iron, copper, aluminum, and even gold."
Toph stopped mid-workout and set the barbell down, dusting off her hands with a small exhale.
"I... guess I can? But I can't really sense earth that I can Bend in metals." To demonstrate, she slapped a hand against the iron bar. A few seconds went by. "Yep, can't feel a single thing."
"'Besides, I remember you asking this a long time ago. Why bring it up now?"
I shrugged.
"Well, it'd be useful to have a Metal Bender, or at least some kind of Mineral Bending skill. Nowadays, everything is made out of metals; imagine if you could manipulate it." My thoughts drifted to the steel monstrosity that had chased us before.
It'd make our lives easier if metal could be Bent. Oh well.
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Sparks from countless miniature explosions flickered across my palm as I demonstrated my Fire Bending to the group.
"You start by coating your palm with Chi for protection," I explained. "Then you add a second layer on top of it—the one that actually detonates. After that, you ignite it."
A warm orange glow illuminated my hand. I swung my arm.
The instant the strike reached its apex, I released the outer layer of Chi.
A deafening boom erupted from my palm, the explosion tearing through the air and obliterated the pillar of earth Toph had kindly raised for the demonstration, showering the area with chunks of rock and dust.
I reeled back slightly from the recoil and shook out my hand before turning to the others.
"There are a lot of applications for this," I said. "Blowing things up, using the recoil to propel yourself, or focusing it into a concentrated blast that can pierce through stone walls."
"That's kinda dangerous," Aang said, eyeing the remains of the pillar with a hesitant expression.
"But that's exactly the kind of firepower we need!" Sokka argued. "No offense, guys, but neither you nor Katara really specializes in blowing up a bunch of enemies at once."
He spread his arms.
"Now we've got a Fire Bender who can make explosions whenever he wants and an Earth Bender who can control the entire battlefield! Combat-wise, our team is getting way more balanced."
"I mean..." Aang glanced down at his hands. "I can probably do that too. Once I learn it."
His voice lacked its usual confidence.
It had been a few days now, and despite how badly he wanted to learn, Aang was still struggling to Earth Bend.
"You'll get there," Katara said gently, placing an arm on his shoulder. "Maybe it's just taking longer than expected, but I know you'll be able to do it."
"Hmph!" Toph scoffed. "That's because he keeps thinking like an Air Bender. You can't learn to Earth Bend if you keep trying to solve everything by going at it at another angle!"
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"Argh! Aang just doesn't get it!"
Toph stormed into the tent with a look of pure frustration.
Sitting cross-legged in meditation, I cracked open an eye and glanced her way.
"What doesn't he get?"
"He had everything down perfectly! His stance, his form—it was all perfect!" she exclaimed. "But when it came time to commit, he just couldn't do it! He keeps backing down!"
Crossing her arms, she huffed and dropped onto a makeshift sofa of earth she'd raised for herself.
"Just give him more time," I said, closing my eyes again. "He spent years learning how to think like an Air Bender. Asking him to learn Earth Bending is practically asking him to tear apart the way he's always viewed the world."
"Yeah, well..." Toph grumbled. "I know, it's just... He's the Avatar. Shouldn't he be able to learn faster? Katara said he picked up Water Bending almost instantly. Did you see that smug look on her face when she said that?! Grrrr..."
"Hmm..." I hummed, turning to face her. "Think of it this way. Fire and water are opposites—so maybe air and earth are too, in their own way. Since he's an Air Bender, maybe it's normal for him to struggle more with Earth Bending. Maybe even the Avatar can struggle to adjust between bending styles that contradict their own nature."
"Alas, we don't have enough information for such things. For all I know, I'm just spitballing."
... I couldn't hold back the smirk forming on my face.
"And I can't believe you're jealous that Aang learn Water Bending faster than Earth Bending—"
The ground beneath me suddenly shifted.
I yelped as I fell flat on my back.
"Whatever, idiot," Toph muttered, raising a wall of earth around herself.
"Come on, my lady, this is a super rare sight! Let me see your embarrassed face a little more!"
A moment later, I was punted out of the tent by a stray rock that slammed into my stomach.
"W-Worth it..."
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I can't believe that ragebaiting the Avatar—of all people—had actually helped Aang learn Earth Bending. Sure, Sokka had been in danger and all that, but by forcing him to confront the problem head-on, something in Aang's mindset had finally snapped into place, letting him break through whatever mental block he'd been stuck on.
And just like that, he could Earth Bend.
Watching the two boys play around with Aang's newly learned skill from a distance, Katara glanced at Toph for a moment before sighing.
"You were the one who trapped Sokka in the ground, weren't you? That hole he fell into closed up right after he dropped in."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Toph replied immediately. "But hypothetically, if I did do something like that, I think I deserve a nice spread of dim sum tonight."
"... I'll go prepare dinner, then."
"I want more meat."
"Very well."
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NEXT UPDATE: 8 July, Wednesday
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