[Accidental Audio/Action] 020

[earthrumblegod]

[Audio]

[Over the journals there's a brief forest view and the sound of someone breathing quickly and harshly, like they're upset and about to cry. Suddenly there's a loud creaking and a crash, followed by a loud intake of breath. A small hand comes into view, reaches over, and closes the journal.]

[Action]

[Toph's back from her mallynapping and

Comments

[Voice]

[markofthewise]

... Hello? [Tap tap.] Someone there?

[Voice]

[earthrumblegod]

[WHAT? TOPH? THERE IS NO TOPH HERE KTHX. NO TOPH AT ALL. THE TOPH IS A LIE.]

[Voice]

[markofthewise]

[Oh good. In that case, Sokka will go back lounging and wondering why Toph and Zuko were replaced with Aang and Longshot.]

[Voice]

[earthrumblegod]

...[Then again, she probably should keep them from worrying too much, right? She's back and not being tortured and they should know that. But if she tells them she's back, they'll form a search party or something. Which would be bad. Especially with what happens when she reflexively tries bending.]

[She sounds reluctant to be talking, and her voice is hoarse.]I'm back. Don't come after me.

[ voice ]

[pretty_fascist]

Hey. You got taken by the Malnosso.

. . .

Are you okay?

[Have some rare concern; he has sympathy for this kind of stuff, okay?]

[ voice ]

[earthrumblegod]

[Well...at least that doesn't sound like a voice likely to come after her. She's trying to lie low from Sokka and Katara atm. she's going to sound kind of hoarse, btw.]

I'm...having a little trouble. But I should be okay.

[ voice ]

[pretty_fascist]

... Okay.

What'd they do to you? Or would you rather not talk about it?

[ voice ]

[earthrumblegod]

Let me see again, and then took it away. Wasn't fun. Messed up my bending pretty good.

[ voice ]

[one_green_eye]

[He's not too far away from Dilandau, so he hears part of the conversation and flips the journal open to see who's returned.]

Ah.

[Well, Katara hopefully won't try getting herself caught by droids, now. He hesitates before speaking-- because he knows the group of them are like family and probably want to go looking for her themselves. But she looks so young to him, he can't help asking--]

Toph...?

Is someone coming to find you?

[ voice ]

[earthrumblegod]

No. Don't come to find me.

[ voice ]

[one_green_eye]

[pause.

That isn't good. He'll follow the other conversations for a little while, instead of pressing.]

...what do you plan to do about it? It's too cold to stay outside for long. Not to mention the rain-- you'll get sick. [pragmatism is hard to restrain...] Do you at least have shelter, out there?

[ voice ]

[earthrumblegod]

I can take care of myself! I'm trying to make a shelter right now.

(Will be slow for a few hours; at work; hope that's okay)

[derek_bliss]

[Derek is still haunting the woods this week, so although he misses the journal, he doesn't miss the sound of digging and upset breathing. He follows it until he catches scent and recognizes it, which makes him speed up.

And then he pauses when he finally gets into view. Something is very wrong, he suspects. Very quietly, he calls out.]

...Toph?

(Will be slow for a few hours; at work; hope that's okay)

[earthrumblegod]

[Toph jerks when she hears her name, and the earth underneath her seems to jerk with her, rippling visibly. She takes her hands off the dirt and it stops.] ...Derek? [Man, she HOPES so.]

[derek_bliss]

[Derek will back up a few steps when he sees the earth moving, but other than that doesn't go anywhere.]

Yeah, it's me. Was out here when you started...digging.

[Pause.]

Glad to see you're back. But something's not right, is it?

[Her scent is giving off all sorts of signals; ones he's learned to associate with creatures that are feeling less than fine and steady. He keeps himself calm and low key, waiting right where he is.]

[earthrumblegod]

You could definitely say that. The...damn Malnosso screwed with my bending.

[forestpride]

[well at least she knows this one]

What are you doing?

[earthrumblegod]

[She jumps, and the earth jumps with her. Literally. Jagged pieces of earth jut out all over the place until Toph curses and jerks her hands up.] Don't come too close!

...I'm trying to dig a den. It's not working so good without using bending. The Malnosso screwed me up real bad.

[forestpride]

[San actually wouldn't hurt you. You're one of Moro's favorites. But ow, that hurt, that spike that knocked her over]

...Dig a den? [that sounds so weird from a human, even this one] You can come to the cave. Mother won't mind.

[earthrumblegod]

The way I am now, I might wreck it just by waking up. It'd be better if I got somewhere that doesn't have any earth. But I can't go on my own. I see with my bending, and now it's going haywire if I try to use it. I- don't know what to do. [She punches the earth and causes a small earthquake.] CRAP!