Toph's an earthbender. [ he says it in a tone so casual, as though he's simply reminding hiro of a fact that has slipped his mind. it's been years since toph had been in the drabwurld and although zuko misses her each and every day, he never likes to think of her in the past tense. his voice brightens in his praise: ] She's the best earthbender in the world. [ an indisputable fact, even though toph would stone anyone who thought to say otherwise. ]

[ but his voice remains almost proud, like zuko doesn't need to be the best firebender in the world to be proud, but simply to have a hoard of friends capable of so much. ] She was caught and locked in this metal box. She couldn't bend herself out of it at first, because it wasn't made of the earth. But she did. She ended up bending her way out of it because there's something in the metal earthbenders can bend, but Toph's the only one who can really sense this. She became the first ever metalbender the world has ever known.

She can sense when you're lying, too. She'd be able to sense if the machines are close. [ zuko cards a hand through his hair as he smiles. ] She's really smart. She'd be able to do what we can't do. She'd be able to figure out how to take down the machines.

[ he shrugs, ] She's Toph.