[Action 03] Quad--Early Morning

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

[Yeah, there might be other open areas in Fisherman's Horizon, but Toph likes the quad.

Right now, it's pretty early, and she's going through her bending forms. They look an awful lot like this (also known as Southern Praying Mantis Style, for those Earthly kung fu junkies), but without all the rocks flying everywhere.

Observe?]

Comments

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

Yep. I don't get why I have to take all this pre...whatever classes. I know what I'm going to fight with, why do I need to be introduced to a buncha weapons I can't use?

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Sometimes you don't get a choice in what weapon to use. I prefer punching things myself, but there's been plenty of times I needed to pick up a gun to do what needed to be done. It's all about having options.

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

When you're blind, you don't exactly have a lot of options.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Hmph. [Snow folds his arms, grinning. Not that she can see that, but hear it? Oh yes.] And if I told you a blind girl couldn't learn martial arts, what would you say?

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

[Toph smirks and bends a decent sized rock so it's hovering about level with Snow's head]

I'd say watch it, buddy, because this blind girl knows martial arts and Earthbending.

[And the rock returns to the quad.]

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

[Doesn't bother him. Ordinarily, he wouldn't be bothered by a simple rock hit from sheer toughness. Now... well, he could just get too dense or too insubstantial to be bothered.]

I figured it'd be something like that... maybe not with the floating rock, but even so. So if you can do that, what's stopping you from using other weapons?

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

I don't like them. I can already kick butt with what I know, and seriously, who needs arrows or whatever when you can throw giant boulders at people? Arrows can miss. It's kinda hard to dodge a boulder the size of a baby komodo rhino. Plus, I'm never unarmed.

[She stops for a little bit, straightening up]

Besides, all the archers I know tend to be up high, and if I'm not on the ground, I can't see. Then there's swordfighting's always seemed too...prissy to me.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

That's why you specialize later. Doesn't hurt to know the basics, though. Look at it this way: when you're working with a team later, you'll want to know what everyone can do.

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

So I just ask 'em.

[She...kind of didn't get that last one.]

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Middle of pitched combat's not always the best time, y'know.

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

Well, of course I'm not gonna ask then. If I don't know, I'm gonna ask before we get into trouble. Unless it's an ambush, because in that case I'll be happy if they know what they're doing.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Maybe not an ambush, but say you're pinned down at range. You'll want to know what your sniper's range and accuracy are, right?

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

No, I'm going to want to know where the closest cover is, and I'm gonna want them to shoot whoever's shooting us.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

The range and accuracy are part of that. And it might affect your choice of cover.

Not that you can't just make cover, apparently.

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

[She sorta smirks]

See? It's not really all that useful for me.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Just one example. Point is, you want a basic understanding of all the options. Same way you need to learn the basic foundations of martial arts before you pick something to specialize in.

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

...Huh?

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

You... I mean, I assume you started out with the basics. Punches, kicks, physical conditioning, right?

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

Earthbending isn't normal martial arts, and this isn't normal Earthbending. I learned from badger moles when was about four or five.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Uh.

Okay, I didn't expect that.

Badger moles?

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

[Toph takes a rock and bends it into a surprisingly accurate rendition of a badgermole as 'seen' by Toph.]

They're a lot bigger, though.

[She gestures to a bench over ten feet away]

About that big.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

And clearly they're intelligent enough to known martial arts. That's pretty wild. I can see why you'd have trouble with the whole course schedule, with that sort of background.

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

I can get used to the schedule, it's all these pointless classes I have to take I don't like.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

I'm just saying, they're not all pointless. Besides, it's good to learn new things.

[erosion-sucks.livejournal.com]

Maybe it'd be better if I could, y'know, read and stuff.

[Shrug]