Life Changing is not Life Shattering
- Chapter Four -
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Ray of sunlight seeped through layers of clouds and illuminated a round stone at the entry to the Eastern Air Temple, moved up to shine on folded legs of a girl sitting on the stone, and finally fell on her face. She couldn't see it.
Toph's eyes were closed. Her fluffy pet, an Ingie, was sitting by her side, occasionally looking around curiously.
The girl was concentrating her attention on even, deep breathing.
Breathe in, quickly – she was thinking about nothing – breathe out, slowly – her thoughts were an unfocused buzz, quieting down little by little – breathe in – everything was still – breathe out – she could not feel her body, there were no borders between her and the world – breathe in – there was no body – breathe out – there was just energy, its different forms, always moving – breathe in – the energy could be transferred – breathe...
She felt nothing, she could feel very strange sensations with her entire body – her body that had no edges and was whole with the world – there were the sensation of earthbending, the smell of air and the sound of wind.
Suddenly Toph could sense something, someone else feeling, breathing, being beside her.
And the haze melted away and she saw, with the eyes of her pet, Toph saw light, shadows and colors.
The girl took a shuddering, panicked breath and lost the contact with the Ingie.
She fell on the ground, panting hard, her body trembling and sweating.
Toph squeezed her blind eyes, hugged herself tightly, let the panic expand free for a moment more, and then started to draw comfort from the earth.
Her breathing calmed down, she was just lying on the stone, feeling the world around her.
That little, brief moment her spirit connected Ingie's, Toph could see a glimpse, and it was overwhelming, like nothing she had felt before.
A few days ago, during supper – the usual time for both the firebender and the earthbender to sit calmly and rest after the day's trainings – Zuko asked her if she ever had visions in her dreams. [1]
"I don't know," Toph confessed. "It's very difficult to understand. I know the shapes of objects; I dream that I "see" them with earthbending, but sometimes... Sometimes I think I see something in my dreams. But I can't say if I really see, or just think that I see."
Now, lying on the stone floor of the Eastern Air Temple, Toph knew she had never dreamt anything remotely close to that.
She was calm now. She could try again. Hopefully this time she would be prepared more and wouldn't break the contact with the Ingie so fast.
The girl closed her eyes.
Breathe in, quickly – breathe out, slowly...
***
It was only now – after three days of meditations, tiring training and numerous attempts that made her nearly faint with exhaustion, after three maddening sleepless nights, filled with dreams that had colors and light – only now Toph could maintain a long spiritual connection with her pet, the connection that didn't break when she moved.
The girl was standing near the edge of a cliff, holding the Ingie in trembling hands, so it looked at the same direction she was facing.
Toph was looking at the world through huge eyes of a little fluffy creature.
It was unbelievable!
So many colors, movements in the air she couldn't sense earlier.
The girl focused on trees – they felt nearly the same through her earthbending, but they looked completely different! Every leaf had its own unique hue, all of them casting shadows. A stream was shining, reflecting bleaks of sunlight.
Her head felt slightly dizzy, but she stood there for it seemed eternity, looking, taking everything in.
The earthbender felt someone approaching, she would recognize the person whom the footsteps belonged anywhere and anytime.
Zuko stopped, not getting nearer, where the Ingie could see him.
He said quietly, "I thought that today you would be able to maintain the spiritual contact with your pet, so I figured you'd like to learn which colors are which. I brought the samples of primary ones: the leaf is green, the strip of fabric is blue and the flower is red. I'll leave them here."
He turned around and made several steps away when Toph, still not moving, called, "Wait!"
The firebender stopped, rooted to the place, "What?"
"I want to look at you," was her simple answer.
His voice was uncertain, "Are you sure?" Sure, that she wanted him – the banished prince, the traitor of his Nation, the Fire Lord, the scarred man – to be the first person she ever saw.
Moments went by, Zuko stood motionless.
Toph said, "Yes, I'm sure!" and turned around to face him.
- Fin -
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[1] As far as I know, there were researches claiming that people born blind don't have visions in their dreams. But it's not like scientists know everything about spontaneous brain activity in occipital lobe. If you have any additional information about dreams of blind people, please let me know.
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An: ahh, the story felt wonderful to write. Hopefully you liked it as well.
Have you noticed Zuko gave Toph a flower, a red one? *Laughs*