41 ]] request

[beifongbandit]

[voice]

--at's where this thing got to. Huh. Maybe I should clean up around here more. ...Nah.

Good timing, anyway. I'm looking for a new roommate. The last guy didn't stay very long, which totally wasn't because of me, just so you know. City sent him home, lucky guy. It's been too quiet here for a while now.

Oh, and someone recommend me a good noodle shop. Business is pretty good at the Jasmine Dragon right now, so I'll even buy you dinner.

Comments

[virginwings]

Noodles like ramen? Uh, I know of a great place!

[beifongbandit]

Oh, it's the kitten girl. [ She remembers Gazelle from the photograph curse. ] Tell me about this place.

[virginwings]

[She remembers Toph as well!]

Heh. Yeah, it's me!

Oh, do you know where the bakery is? It's around the corner from there.

[beifongbandit]

Oh, yeah, the one with the really good pork buns. Meet me there?

[virginwings]

That's the one!

Sure, be there soon.

[beifongbandit]

[ Toph will be leaning against the building casually when Gazelle arrives, half asleep in the late afternoon heat and listening for Gazelle's unusual methods of travel. ]

[virginwings]

[It wouldn't be very long until the humming of Gazelle's air trecks could be heard faintly in the distance and not much longer until she bounced to a stop in front of Toph. As she wasn't yet aware of Toph's blindness, she greeted her with a smile.]

Hey!

[beifongbandit]

[ Toph didn't quite look at Gazelle when she answered. Sorry, Gazelle, she's not trying to be rude. She smiled back, though, since her friendliness was evident in her voice. ]

There you are. Feels like you appeared out of thin air.

[virginwings]

[Gazelle isn't offended by little things such as no eye contact and doesn't really notice. Her weight shifts from one leg to another.]

Heh, sorry! I thought it would be faster to stay closer to the rooftops until I got here, less traffic.

[beifongbandit]

Nah, it's okay. Good practice. [ She doesn't say what for, though. ] There are a lot of people out tonight. I guess everyone tries to get their business done before midnight, and who could blame them?

[virginwings]

[She may not have mentioned what for, but it catches Gazelle's attention.]

Practice for what?

[beifongbandit]

[ She shrugs. ] Fighting. I used to be earth rumble champion at home, until this other kid who could fly knocked me out of the ring. [ She smiles, remembering. ] That worked out fine in the end, but no one's going to beat me again just because I can't see them coming.

1/2

[virginwings]

Whoa! Like one of those UFC people?

[As far as she's concerned that's exactly what earth rumbling sounds like, and/but just a little more awesome than what little she's heard about the UFC.]

[virginwings]

[-- Wait! "Can't see them coming"?]

Huh. You... couldn't see him...?

[beifongbandit]

I don't know. What's UFC? [ She seems interested. No one's ever told her about other fighting arenas before. ]

[ At Gazelle's surprise, she laughed. ] I always forget to give new people the speech, sorry. I'm blind. I use earthbending to see with my feet. So that's why I couldn't see you coming -- you weren't touching the ground.

[ She is barefoot under all that dust, in fact. ]

[virginwings]

[Not to be any more rude, but Gazelle gives a slightly more surprised look. Earthbending? Feet? She honestly wouldn't have noticed.]

[Oh, yeah, she should probably explain --]

Uh, the UFC? It's an... ultimate fighting contest, I think. Men fight to be the best.

[beifongbandit]

[ Toph doesn't mind that Gazelle is surprised. Her abilities are unusual on her own world, after all. She gets a lot of gaping after that explanation. ]

Yeah, that's what it was like! All these big burly dudes. And me. [ She grins. ]

[virginwings]

Wow!

[3, 2, 1...]

And you beat them all up? Just like that. No problems?

[beifongbandit]

No problems. [ She cracked her knuckles with evident pleasure. ] I'm the best earthbender in the world.

[virginwings]

[Very impressed!]

You gotta show me sometime!

[beifongbandit]

That's a promise.

[blackshadow]

Business is really that good?

[beifongbandit]

You bet it is. Between 'Punzel's desserts and Charlie's skills and my brilliance at business, we're booming.

[blackshadow]

Wow... That's great. Why don't you advertise in there for a roommate? Or a tenant...

[beifongbandit]

Well, you know how it is with tea. It tastes really good when you wake up with a curse hangover.

I like advertising on the network. If I got it written down, people wouldn't be as prepared. People aren't good at dictation.

[blackshadow]

[ Unsure... ] ... Yeah, I guess you're right...

That's not too different from talking on the network either, though, is it?

[beifongbandit]

Come in someday after you've spent the whole night as a horsebird and see what I mean. That's when you need tea, when you can't remember how to walk on two legs.

Talking on the network is faster, too. There's probably a lot of people who don't visit the Jasmine Dragon, but they're all on the network. I have to remember to tell Sokka about this when I go home, if I remember. It's way faster than messenger hawks.

[oceantrauma]

It isn't something I thought I would need when I first came here, but...if you don't find anyone else more suitable, and don't mind a cat, I wouldn't mind rooming with you.

[beifongbandit]

That could work. I have a rabbit but she usually keeps to herself. Got any weird roommate things I should know about?

[oceantrauma]

I don't think so.... [Is he weird?] I just like spending time at the library, and don't have a job.

[beifongbandit]

You're not somebody who has to have everything all neat, are you?

[oceantrauma]

I prefer it. It's what I'm accustomed to.

[beifongbandit]

...Then how do you like cleaning?

[ Because that would be a whole lot necessary. ]

[oceantrauma]

I'm fine with that. I'm not used to it, but I've been keeping my own place since I got here.

I will gladly clean in exchange for a roommate.

[beifongbandit]

Okay, you're hired. Come over whenever you'd like. There are plenty of extra rooms here.

[oceantrauma]

How big is this place?

[beifongbandit]

Well, let me think... Snoozles, Twinkletoes, Sugar Queen, and Fans used to live here with me, plus Sparky sometimes. So like I said, plenty of room. I don't go in theirs anymore.

[oceantrauma]

Those are some...very unique names. Anyway, let me know the address and I'll move in soon. I don't have very many things, just the cat, some clothes, and some computer stuff. I only need a small room.

[beifongbandit]

Well, they have real ones, but the nicknames are more fun. I guess I'll have to think of one for you. I think Squeaky will work for starters.

The address is [ some address ]. You can have your pick of rooms.

[oceantrauma]

Squeaky...? [He is going to play back a recording of himself now to see if he squeaks when he talks. What?!]

And thank you. It'll be nice to have some company in the vicinity.

[beifongbandit]

As in squeaky clean.

Same here. The rabbit is nice, but it's too quiet. The ticking gets old pretty fast.

[oceantrauma]

Yes, the same goes for me.

I will be seeing you, then. Thank you for this opportunity, once more.

[With that he ends the feed to prepare...well, packing, somewhat.]

[signatures]

You know, only the guilty try and explain other excuses.

[beifongbandit]

Me, guilty? I mean, maybe I didn't notice for like a week, but that's probably not a crime.

[signatures]

A week?

What were you doing?

[beifongbandit]

Camping. I like the outdoors when it isn't sandy.

[signatures]

Fair enough. I'm sure it's plenty better when there's a consistent water source nearby, too.

[beifongbandit]

Definitely. And I carry my own, because you never know what will happen to the City overnight. I guess as long as it doesn't turn into some kind of ocean, I'll be okay.