A/N: Chelber is BAAACK! And we being you some more TotD! So, another short chapter here, BUT, from here on, we start getting into the plot some more! I will be writing a few chapters, toggling back to what's happening with the Gaang, then back to Naruto land, when shit gets real. Excuse my French.

Disclaimer: We no owny A:TLA or Naruto...

[Toph]

I coughed and spat blood for a few seconds. That sand really packed a punch. When the blood stopped coming I just knelt there, panting and glaring in Gaara's direction. He was slowly lowering his arm. Kankuro was perfectly still, just... not doing anything.

With a small grin I stood up.

"You're not bad, buddy." I called in his direction. "Not bad at all." So I bent sand up so it swirled around me, the same as him. At that moment, we were perfectly in sync. We struck out our arms and sand met in mid-air and withdrew, before striking out again.

And then IT happened. He jumped and his sand followed him. He was completely gone. I had no idea where the heck he was. I stopped bending and focused n my hearing. The slightest movement would give away his position.

And I went flying. A sand tendril caught me on the chest, sending me sprawling over the ground. But before I could do anything it was gone and back again in a split second. It struck me again and again, sharp as a knife and cutting me across the shoulders and chest. I felt blood slowly seeping out of the cuts. I curled myself into a ball and cried out with each strike.

Then they stopped. I heard Gaara's voice from the air somewhere. "Are you done yet?" he asked in that boring monotone voice of his.

I uncurled myself slowly. I rolled onto my hands and knees and coughed blood again. I put a hand on my chest and felt blood all over it. I tried to stand up and fell over. My head was aching. It hurt so badly.

So I tried again, using the earth to steady me. "Am I -" I muttered through clenched teeth. "Am I done?" I asked myself. My head dropped and I fell forwards. Landing on my chest sent pain all through my body and I screamed. But I managed to stand up again. Gritting my teeth I looked where Gaara's voice had come from. "I'm -" I started. I raised my voice. "I'm nowhere near done!" I stamped my foot and raised my arms. A giant sand cloud raised itself above me and in a second, I could feel the air. Gaara was still where he had spoken but before I could move he was up and out of the cloud. But I sent a rock up, with another hiding in it's shadow, and waited. I faintly heard a gasp and silence.

Then there was a thump and vibrations went racing through the ground. Before Gaara could move I bent earth and strapped him to the ground. He was drawing ragged breaths but was otherwise still. He was down and I had won.

I used my bending to lower the cloud and I heard Kankuro gasp and felt him running over. But I was already at Gaara's side. I smirked down at him. He tilted his head slightly and I could tell he was looking at me.

"Now I'm done." I panted. "I am Toph Bei Fong and I am the greatest earthbender in the world. And you'd better not forget it."

But in that moment my head felt like it had exploded. My knees gave way and I fell to the ground and passed out.

The next day, I was lying in a hospital bed with bandages all around my body. It was like a... cocoon? No, that's not that word I'm thinking of. Well, I'll think of it later. Anyway, Gaara had already recovered from his wound but I think he'll have a big bruise for a while. And being in the bed meant I couldn't see anything. Anything.

"You're not bad, Bei Fong." Came Gaara's voice from somewhere to my right.

"Oh, are we on a last-name basis now?" I retorted. "I'd do the same, but I don't know yours." Gaara didn't move.

"I didn't think 'benders' existed." He murmured. "I thought they were legends."

Say what? "What the hell do you mean, legends?" I asked him loudly. "There's one lying in this bed! They're all over the world! Remember the freaking 100 Year War? When Sozin, Azulan and Ozai - all firebenders - went crazy and killed all-" Well, most, "- airbenders?"

"No, they're not. And no, I haven't." Gaara said. I heard footsteps and the scraping of a chair. I guessed he was sitting next to me now. I heard the rustle of clothing and the flicking of paper. It was easy to figure out he had taken a book from a pocket. "When I was little, I read this book. I thought it was just a fairytale." More flicking of pages. "Is this right?"

"Is what right?" I asked.

"Look at this."

Say what? I sighed, annoyed. "My god you people are so stupid!" I sat up in the bed and turned to where his voice was coming from.

"Excuse me?" Gaara seemed to stand up.

I sighed again. "What's wrong with you people!?" I waved my hand in front of my face. "I'm blind!"