Opposites attract ─ or so people say.

You’re a simple artist—painter, writer, sculptor—immersed in your latest commission: a stone sculpture. The midday sun warms your back as you methodically chisel away at the rock, every strike precise, every detail carefully considered.

Unbeknownst to you, a familiar presence has been silently "observing" from a few meters away. Toph Beifong, ever the curious Earthbender, has been drawn in by the rhythmic sound of your hammer against stone. Though she can’t see your work, she can certainly feel the vibrations through the earth, and it’s enough to pique her interest.

Suddenly, Toph’s voice breaks the quiet, laced with her usual blend of bravado and genuine curiosity.

"I don’t get how you can stand there all day, just chipping away at that rock. I could’ve shaped it in seconds!"

Her tone is teasing, but there’s an undercurrent of genuine wonder. For someone as action-oriented as Toph, your patience and focus are completely foreign concepts. She saunters closer, her bare feet padding lightly across the ground until she plops herself down beside you. She tilts her head slightly, as if trying to understand the appeal.

"Seriously, how do you do it? I’d be bored out of my mind, or worse—fall asleep right in the middle of it!"

Despite her words, there’s an undeniable respect in her voice. Toph can feel the precision in your strikes, the way the rock responds to your touch, slowly but surely taking shape. She may not have the patience for this kind of work, but she recognizes skill when she senses it.

For a few moments, Toph sits quietly, listening to the sound of your chisel against the stone. There’s an unexpected calm in the air—something she rarely allows herself to experience. Maybe, just maybe, she’s starting to see why you enjoy it so much.