Toph grunted in effort as she stomped the ground. Her hands were at her front, fists clenched. Her face had a smirk of excitement and eagerness as she fought with Katara.
The ground under her feet caved in like clay, before a wave of ripples spread out from the ground like it was water. Katara frowned as she saw nothing happen.
Her guard lowered due to nothing happening, and due to not being allowed to use any bending right now, she couldn't fly or use her waterbending.
"What are you doing, Toph? I am not seeing anything-"
Before Katara could finish her words, her feet suddenly sank deep into the ground like she was standing on a muddy marsh that was devouring anything standing inside it.
Katara gasped, feeling the force around her ankles increase drastically. If Toph wanted to, she could definitely break her ankles right there and then, but she didn't.
"Ha! Now you know not to think you are stronger due to winning the tournament!" Toph shouted with a grin before stomping her feet onto the ground again.
Katara enhanced her body, but the ground around her ankles vibrated, causing her to sink deeper into the earth at an accelerated rate.
"Wow! How did Toph do something like that? It just seemed like the ground was the same when Katara just sank," Ty Lee said with awe while watching the fight, though confusion filled her face.
"Toph stomped on the ground and turned everything under the surface of the ground into fine powder, but because the ground was moist, it turned into a marsh," Norrak explained with a surprised look as he watched.
Norrak knew that Toph's talent in earthbending was the best in the entire world. Even someone like Kyoshi could not compare to her, not without the other elements in her aid.
An adult Toph was comparable to an Aang who had mastered the four elements, as well as some sub-bending techniques in earth, water, fire, and possibly even air.
Although Toph only mastered earthbending, she also practised its sub-bending styles, which include metalbending and sandbending. She may have even learned how to lavabend. Kyoshi would not be able to beat Toph without the other elements.
"Did she already put what I talked to her about into practice?" Norrak muttered as he watched Katara struggle to get out of the now vibrating marsh. She was being encouraged by Toph.
While they were flying in the air, Norrak made sure to teach all three in something they are good at. Norrak taught Katara meditation and the psychic movement of her Chi.
To help her start on psychic bloodbending, since otherwise she would need the full moon every time to use it.
With Ty Lee, Norrak taught her how to utilise her Chi in a better way. Surprisingly, she had better Chi control than everyone except him. She managed to learn a single technique.
The technique involves vibrating her Chi at a predetermined frequency at a high speed. Mimicking the way a fierce river flowed and adding that into her movements.
This was a technique Norrak created on the fly to help Ty Lee become stronger. It works by enhancing her body functions and cell activity, while also stimulating her cells to divide. Increasing her body strength several times over.
But it's damaging to the cells due to her limited control, and she could only use the technique for at most 3 minutes before her cells began to burst from the vibrating Chi.
It also accelerates her ageing during the use of the technique. But the life span she loses is nothing noticeable. It's like ageing twice as fast when the skill is activated.
For Toph, Norrak shared knowledge about the earth and how refined metals still contain traces of earth. He also demonstrated how she could create sand using vibrations.
Norrak didn't tell Toph about things like glass, crystal or lava-bending. After she manages to master metalbending, Norrak will teach her about those things.
"Hurry it up, you slowpoke! If you don't get out soon, I will leave you inside the marsh for the night!" Toph said with a smug look while Katara struggled to move her now knee-deep legs in the ground.
"I am trying!"
As Katara released an annoyed shout of frustration. She slammed her hands down into the ground with such force that small potholes exploded out.
Boom!
The ground around her for a dozen meters cracked, her earthbending finally making an entrance. Katara freed her legs and jumped out of the marsh while panting.
Katara leaned down, her palms on her knees as she panted tiredly. She closed her eyes, and she replayed the feeling of what she felt when moving the earth.
"Now grasp that feeling, and push it into your legs first! After that, into your back and then through your arms. Follow the order! Earth is rough, fierce and sturdy. Without moving roughly, fiercely and confidently, it will be more difficult to earthbend," Toph explained, and Katara nodded.
This Toph was two years older and a bit more mature. So she could at least explain some things about how to earthbend to Katara.
"Hum!"
Katara stomped on the ground, her hands going forward, almost as if in a horse stance. The ground under her trembled, and stones of various sizes shakily floated up from the ground.
"It seems like Katara's talent in the two other elements is better than with earthbending. She will likely be better at firebending as well," Norrak analysed with a thoughtful expression.
Due to Katara being born as a natural waterbender, her connection to the elements is also biased. With elements that have good fluidity, like air and fire, she will likely be better.
'Though that does put a question on whether Katara could learn lavabending faster than even Toph?' Norrak thought with a hint of expectancy in his eyes.
"Is that a bad thing? From what I am seeing, she is already a genius among geniuses for being able to feel the earth in a single day," Ty Lee said with an impressed look, leaning on Norrak, who was sitting cross-legged on an ice platform.
"Yes, she is a genius. It's probably me just expecting more from her, which is unfair. So ignore what I said," Norrak said with a shrug as he watched Katara and Toph get to training again.
"I don't think it's bad to expect more from someone. Even if that person might not meet that expectation, it's better than expecting something low or bad," Ty Lee said with a smile as she rested her chin on Norrak's shoulder.
Norrak chuckled before pulling Ty Lee over his shoulder. Ty Lee gasped teasingly before sitting in between Norrak's legs, his arms wrapped around her waist.
"You really are a good girl, Ty Lee~," Norrak whispered with a smile. Ty Lee is a bubbly person, and Norrak always feels comfortable and energised around her.
It's like hanging out with someone who has the effect of an energy drink on you. You can't get enough!
[Meanwhile...]
"I am sorry, Zuko. But I can't be with someone who is so absent and unattending in my life," Mai said with a neutral face as she turned her back to Zuko. Mai walked towards a waiting Azula on a stair leading to the inside of a Fire Nation airship.
Zuko watched as Mai further distanced herself from him with a disappointed but understanding expression. He and Mai haven't been in contact for over two years, and even now, when they do say hello to each other, they don't have anything in common to talk about.
___________________________________________________
You guys got me.
I was planning on letting Mai off the hook and leaving her for Zuko, but you guys got me.
You guys keep posting pictures of Mai in the comments, and some of those pictures made me... Change my thoughts on Mai.
Katara, Ty Lee, Toph, Azula: Welcome on board, Mai!
Leave a power stone!