[31 July] [AtLA] Amnesty day
Title: Ginseng
Day/Theme: 8/Here we are now in containers
Series: Avatar TLA
Character/Pairing: Toph, Iroh, Mai, Suki
Rating: G
It feels as if she's entered another room. A store room perhaps. The tiles are cool beneath her feet. The scent of tea envelops her. Questing fingers encounter what feels like a shelf, a shelf lined with carved containers of varying sizes.
In the background, Iroh's explaining how tea gets harvested and processed. It's interesting, she knows, if a bit, dry. While idly tracing the intricate curve of a dragon on one of the containers with one finger, her other hand encounters a smooth box, it's grain sandpapered to an almost silky finish. Vaguely humanoid figures appear to be carved on its lid, humanoid figures who seem to be intertwined in a curiously organic manner. It's also surprisingly heavy for something that's probably not more than two handspans wide.
Holding the box, Toph turns in the direction of Iroh's voice, a questioning look on her face.
"Ah. That's a special one. I haven't had cause to brew that tea for some time now. Someone from one of the ex colonies sent that over. It's quite amazing what these villages have growing in their own back yards." Iroh remarks.
"What is it?" Fingering the edges of the box, Toph finally manages to spring the lid open. It seems to contain a rough, root-like structure. Not at all what she was expecting of a tea.
"It's red ginseng. Meant to increase the qi, improve circulation, keep the blood flowing hot and fast."
"I've heard of that." Suki remarks, the elders used to say that they drank infusions of that root before going to battle."
Mai is walking towards them, her footsteps are quiet and confident. "My father said that they used to serve tea made from the tiniest shavings to the army before they went on the raids up North. I never knew that such large roots even existed." There's a hint of wonder in her voice, as well as a tiny suggestion of some other emotion that Toph can't quite interpret.
"Ah well. Red ginseng is becoming quite rare. Unless one knows where to look. It's not just good for fueling fancy fireworks though." Iroh voice takes on a distinctly consipiratorial tone. Mai's heartbeat seems to quicken, for some unknown reason.
"Well. When one does happen to be the Fire Lady, there are some matters that one does become aware of. Not that we really need the stimulant effects though." Mai answers smoothly. "Perhaps you should try some with Sokka some time?"
There's an long drawn out pause, in which Suki seems to be stifling laughter, Mai seems to be increasingly uncomfortable. Iroh, needless to say, raidates innocence in a highly suspicious manner. For some reason.
Everyone seems to be in on the joke. Except an increasingly exasperated Toph.
"Er. Will someone enlighten the blind girl? Why are you blushing Mai? What's going on?"
Day/Theme: 8/Here we are now in containers
Series: Avatar TLA
Character/Pairing: Toph, Iroh, Mai, Suki
Rating: G
It feels as if she's entered another room. A store room perhaps. The tiles are cool beneath her feet. The scent of tea envelops her. Questing fingers encounter what feels like a shelf, a shelf lined with carved containers of varying sizes.
In the background, Iroh's explaining how tea gets harvested and processed. It's interesting, she knows, if a bit, dry. While idly tracing the intricate curve of a dragon on one of the containers with one finger, her other hand encounters a smooth box, it's grain sandpapered to an almost silky finish. Vaguely humanoid figures appear to be carved on its lid, humanoid figures who seem to be intertwined in a curiously organic manner. It's also surprisingly heavy for something that's probably not more than two handspans wide.
Holding the box, Toph turns in the direction of Iroh's voice, a questioning look on her face.
"Ah. That's a special one. I haven't had cause to brew that tea for some time now. Someone from one of the ex colonies sent that over. It's quite amazing what these villages have growing in their own back yards." Iroh remarks.
"What is it?" Fingering the edges of the box, Toph finally manages to spring the lid open. It seems to contain a rough, root-like structure. Not at all what she was expecting of a tea.
"It's red ginseng. Meant to increase the qi, improve circulation, keep the blood flowing hot and fast."
"I've heard of that." Suki remarks, the elders used to say that they drank infusions of that root before going to battle."
Mai is walking towards them, her footsteps are quiet and confident. "My father said that they used to serve tea made from the tiniest shavings to the army before they went on the raids up North. I never knew that such large roots even existed." There's a hint of wonder in her voice, as well as a tiny suggestion of some other emotion that Toph can't quite interpret.
"Ah well. Red ginseng is becoming quite rare. Unless one knows where to look. It's not just good for fueling fancy fireworks though." Iroh voice takes on a distinctly consipiratorial tone. Mai's heartbeat seems to quicken, for some unknown reason.
"Well. When one does happen to be the Fire Lady, there are some matters that one does become aware of. Not that we really need the stimulant effects though." Mai answers smoothly. "Perhaps you should try some with Sokka some time?"
There's an long drawn out pause, in which Suki seems to be stifling laughter, Mai seems to be increasingly uncomfortable. Iroh, needless to say, raidates innocence in a highly suspicious manner. For some reason.
Everyone seems to be in on the joke. Except an increasingly exasperated Toph.
"Er. Will someone enlighten the blind girl? Why are you blushing Mai? What's going on?"