Chapter 2: Meeting The Tomboy

Getting up early due to the maids waking me, I stood up from the bed.

The maids escorted me to the bathroom and proceeded to remove my clothes while setting up the water.

They thoroughly wash my body and apply a nonintrusive perfume to my body.

They dress me in nice Earth Kingdom noble clothes and take me outside the gates to where my parents are, already standing in front of the carriage.

"My son, you look quite dashing! I'm sure the Beifongs would be glad to get such a handsome son-in-law!"

"Of course Lu is handsome! I'm his father! Hahaha!"

Heh, I'm glad I at least look good in this world. Xavier was pretty average.

"Thank you for your praise, Father, Mother."

"Come, my son, we must head to the Beifong residence at once! I cannot wait to brag about you to Poppy!"

(A/N: Poppy is Toph's mom's name if you didn't know. Weird, huh?)

I get into the carriage with my parents.

Not too long later, we've arrived at the Beifong residence.

I see a giant flying boar crest on the top arch of the entranceway.

What a weird animal to have for a family crest. Well, I guess all the animals in this world are weird. Except for the Earth King's bear.

We pass the entrance after a Beifong guard posted outside confirms our identity and lets us through.

After entering the house, we are greeted by Lao Bei Fong, Poppy Beifong, and most importantly, Toph Beifong.

Seeing her with my own eyes, she's definitely cuter than what they can draw in the show. I guess it's that tomboy charm radiating from her despite the elegant dress she's wearing.

Toph has a bored face while her head is turned in my direction.

She's probably observing me through her... feet.

God, I hope I don't open up any foot fetishes. Hopefully, Toph won't either, considering she's sensitive there.

(A/N: The FBI is here for anyone who had a dirty thought about Toph. MC's thoughts are safe cause he's only a year older than Toph! lol)

My parents say their greeting and I say mine. Both of my parents and the Beifongs turn to Toph and I, waiting for us to formally greet each other.

Since Toph seems hesitant, I'll be the typical straightforward Earthbender I am and greet her first.

"Hello, I am Lu Chen. What's your name?"

Toph looks at me with a bored smile and introduces herself.

"Hi, I am Toph Beifong. It's... nice to meet you."

She looks like she's struggling to not earthbend me outta her house.

I guess to her right now, marriage is akin to the last nail in the coffin to her freedom.

Hopefully today, I can change her opinion of me.

"Why don't you two head into the gardens to get to know each other, the family heads need to talk about the terms of the marriage."

Lao gestures to a couple of Toph's guards to escort us.

I turn to see Toph already heading out, and I follow.

----------

When we get to the garden, the guards separate and patrol the area around us, probably to give us some space.

Toph just walks around the garden in silence, with her head down.

I guess this will go nowhere if I don't speak.

I'll start by asking if this marriage is bothering her. That might make her rant about her freedom and stuff.

"Hey, uh, Toph. You... You're not comfortable with this marriage stuff, are you?"

"Ugh! You have no idea! I can't believe Dad would do this to me! Everything he does is so annoying!"

Whoa she sure is feisty. I feel for her though. Your parents not believing that you can take care of yourself.

I'm gonna have to agree with her on this marriage in order to get positive points with her.

"Yeah, I have to agree with you on that... I for one, rather just travel around the world and experience a lot of things. It seems a lot more interesting than whatever my Dad does."

Toph stops and turns to me with her eyes wide.

"R-really? You feel the same way?"

"The same way? What, you wanna travel too? Wouldn't that be hard, considering your..."

"Blind, I know. But... that won't stop me... I can... I can see just fine."

I have to make her open up to me more, I can't just dismiss her when she says she can see.

"Oh, how's that? How can you see?"

I try to act as genuinely as possible. It helps that the Lu Chen side of me doesn't know this information, so that helps in my acting.

"I'm an earthbender... and I can see through... my feet... weird, I know."

Toph lifts her dress a bit to show me her bare feet.

"Really? You can see by using your feet? I don't see any eyes anywhere..."

I incorporate a joke while sounding half doubtful. Toph seems to enjoy jokers, again referencing the fact that she liked Sokka in the show.

"Hahaha... No, I mean I can feel everything with my feet. I don't see like you do, but I can 'see' things just like a normal person."

"How does that work?"

"Everything lets out a vibration. That tree, those bushes, that small stream, those little ants crawling over there. I can even feel you scratching the back of your head right now."

Toph, while she was saying almost the same thing to Aang in the show, turned her back towards me.

I scratched my head on purpose in order for her to point out that she can feel it through her feet. Smart, aren't I?

"Whoa! That's so cool! So you can actually see! Then how come your parents have all these guards around? Did you not tell them that you can see just fine?"

Toph looks down sadly and shakes her head.

"My parents don't believe me. They think I'm delusional or something..."

Let's use this chance to make her have a good opinion of me.

"Well, I'm glad I'll be the first to believe you!"

"Huh? Do you really believe me? I can tell when someone's lying, y'know."

"So, am I lying?"

Toph stares at me for a few seconds, then she relaxes her face and smiles slightly.

"No... you're not lying... Thanks."

"Haha, No problem, Toph!"

I let out a genuine smile. Even though she can't see.

In order to get closer than this, Toph will have to tell me more about herself.

"So, Toph, I heard you're an earthbender. Since you've proven that you can see, you must be good at bending."

I speak in a slightly teasing tone.

"Heh, well, I can't show you much, since we're in the garden, but okay. I'll show you some basic moves."

Toph showed me that she can instantly make a small earth boulder and launch it in front of her, aiming at a tree, and a few other moves, proving that she can indeed see things around her.

Lu Chen was only ever taught the basics since Dad wanted him to focus on studies instead.

That sucks, but I can always learn from a master like Toph.

"Wow, you got the basics down better than me! Maybe you can teach me better than the master my Dad pays for?"

Toph looks at me and blushes slightly.

"Well, it'll cost ya. I don't come cheap."

"Really what do you need? Isn't your family, like, the richest ever?"

"Hmm... How about you come with me to this year's Earth Rumble V! It's being held tonight. I was planning to sneak out by myself, but since we both yearn for some freedom, I'll invite you too!"

This is the first time Toph sounded excited today. It's nice to see her smile with that tomboyish grin of hers.

Tomboys are supreme.

Earth Rumble V, huh?

If I remember correctly Earth Rumble VI is the one where the 'Gaang' is present.

That means this is one year before the events of ATLA.

That means one year to grow at least as strong as Toph to help out the Gaang and travel with them.

I smile at the thought of hanging out with the characters I grew up with.

"Sure, I'll go with you. Are you planning on participating or watching?"

Toph scoffs at the question and smiles wide.

"I'm participating, of course. How else would I spend my precious free time?"

"You sure you're gonna be fine? Your definitely better at earthbending than me, but are you prepared to get hurt?"

Toph spits at the ground and laughs.

"Hah! Like some puny wrestlers could stand up to me!"

But you're puny.

Toph's eyebrow twitches and she kicks the ground and sends a small wave of earth at my toes.

"Ow! What was that for?"

Toph crosses her arms and smiles mischievously.

"You just thought of something rude, didn't you?"

"...No"

"You're lying~."

I'll do good to remember not to anger this girl.