[ She can't see it, but maybe there's some trace of it in his tone; certainly the unruffled calmness helps her nerves. She can tune into her breathing a little more easily than before, when she was getting frustrated.
From all the practice she's done by now, Toph knows that getting emotional does not help her. It's not that she needs to be in some blank mental state to hear things through the earth or move something, but it just doesn't seem connected to her feelings at all, so getting worked up makes it harder to concentrate and does her no favors.
It does take a couple tries. Having a patient audience weirdly seems to help. Toph's a social person and it's comforting to have someone nearby, silently supportive. With each try she settles herself a little further, gradually shifting her weight back into her heels until her stance is firm and rooted. It feels like her body wants to take that position, like it's automatic for her muscles.
The third time she slides her foot forward along the ground and punches the air above it, a loose piece of stone from the neighboring rubble shoots down the alley at high speed.
This seems too trivial to celebrate as a victory. Toph slumps out of her bending pose, complaining, ] I can do that, but I should be able to do so much more.
no subject
From all the practice she's done by now, Toph knows that getting emotional does not help her. It's not that she needs to be in some blank mental state to hear things through the earth or move something, but it just doesn't seem connected to her feelings at all, so getting worked up makes it harder to concentrate and does her no favors.
It does take a couple tries. Having a patient audience weirdly seems to help. Toph's a social person and it's comforting to have someone nearby, silently supportive. With each try she settles herself a little further, gradually shifting her weight back into her heels until her stance is firm and rooted. It feels like her body wants to take that position, like it's automatic for her muscles.
The third time she slides her foot forward along the ground and punches the air above it, a loose piece of stone from the neighboring rubble shoots down the alley at high speed.
This seems too trivial to celebrate as a victory. Toph slumps out of her bending pose, complaining, ] I can do that, but I should be able to do so much more.