Time for chapter three let's go!
Disclaimer: I own nothing; Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto & Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko.
Chapter 3 – Toph
Being woken up early the next morning by Katara, Toph sloped about getting ready for today's training session with Naruto, Sakura and some guy called Kakashi who was meant to be really strong. Aang, being his usual hyper self was flying about the room excited and impatient to get going.
"Why did we have to get up so early?" Sokka mumbled, still half asleep being dragged out by Zuko.
"Agreed" Toph added, yawning.
"Well because not only do we have more time to practise but also that Sakura asked for us to be at the training grounds at seven, and since there's six of us to one bathroom..." Katara didn't need to finish, they all understood.
"Well lucky I have my fresh coating of earth to keep me clean!" Toph said proudly.
It was lucky that Toph was blind otherwise she would've seen the faces that everybody pulled just then.
As they were making their way to the training grounds, they met Naruto and Sakura. When they arrived at the training grounds they all sat down first and got talking about their abilities.
"Knowing Kakashi sensei he'll be late." Naruto grumbled.
"Is he always late?" Suki asked politely.
"Yes, and it never ceases to annoy." Sakura answered, "I told him that we were starting earlier than intended so he shouldn't be that late, hopefully. But you know, we'll just have to get to know each other more until Kakashi sensei comes!" she added, trying to not conspicuously look at Zuko.
"Hey where's Sai?" Sokka asked suddenly, looking around.
"He's with his master, a man called Danzo." Naruto answered, "No one really likes him much."
"What's he like?" Toph asked, but neither Naruto nor Sakura said much about him, Danzo was as much as a mystery to them.
"So tell us about your fighting techniques." Katara said, "I've been curious since Aang explained to us little of what you guys do before we left."
Jumping up, Naruto started, "Oh it's really cool! We do these-"
Sakura cut him off, "Don't you think it's best if I explain?"
Slightly displeased, Naruto let Sakura explain. Toph surprised herself by finding it quite interesting; their power was something called 'jutsu' and they had to do hand signs to get the jutsu to work. And Toph found it even more interesting that there was also elemental jutsu, just like one's own bending power back at home! Also just like the benders back home, the ninja here have an affinity over one element, though some ninja have an affinity over two. Sakura then explained that there were three main types of jutsu: ninjutsu (techniques that utilize chakra-a ninja's source of energy), taijutsu (hand-to-hand combat) and genjustu (illusions).
"But you won't have to worry about genjustu." Sakura said, "Your four" she pointed at Aang, Katara, Toph and Zuko, "Will be working with Naruto and Kakashi when he gets here on ninjutsu and I'll be working with Sokka and Suki with taijutsu."
"So what's that power that Neji guy has?" Toph asked, curious about him and his family, "And how come only his family have that eye power?"
"The Hyuga family speciality is their Byakugan which as you know enables them to see through anything, three-sixty degree vision and much more. The Byakugan is what is called a Kekkai Genkai, a bloodline trait. Kekkai Genkai are only available to a single clan." Sakura explained.
"Are there any other Kekkai Genkai like the Hyuga's?" Zuko asked.
Naruto and Sakura's heartbeat suddenly went really fast, then dropped; Toph wondered what was up with that.
"Did I say something wrong?" Zuko asked, the six of them were surprised at Naruto and Sakura's reaction to Zuko's question.
"There was another family, their Kekkai Genkai is similar to the Hyuga's expect this family's eye speciality is in illusions. Their eye technique is called the Sharingan, belonging to the Uchiha clan." Sakura explained, though it seemed to pain her to do so.
"Can we meet this Uchiha family?" Toph asked, curious to meet more ninja with all these special eye powers.
"Unfortunately no" Sakura answered.
"Why not?" Toph asked.
"Because after an incident quite a few years ago, there's only one Uchiha member left. And he left the village almost three years ago." Someone else answered.
Everyone jumped up in shock, this person just appeared out of nowhere that Toph only noticed him up on that tree branch just a split second before he spoke!
"Sensei don't scare us like that!" Naruto complained.
Ah so this is the infamous Kakashi Toph thought, and judging by his entrance Toph knew this guy would be pretty powerful.
"Kakashi sensei this is Naruto's friend Aang." Sakura introduced, she also introduced everyone else to Kakashi.
"So tell me about what you six can do." Kakashi asked, after the introductions.
Everyone looked at Katara; she was the best at explaining things. Katara explained to Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi about where Toph and the others were from. How there are four major nations: Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and the Air Nomads. Katara then explained that some people born within these four countries could 'bend' one of the four elements.
"Take myself for example" Katara explained, "Since I was born in the Southern Water Tribe, and I am a bender, it makes me a Waterbender."
Katara then explained that Toph, born in the Earth Kingdom is an Earthbender, Zuko a Firebender and Aang an Airbender.
"But Aang is special." Katara continued, "Where we're from, one person can bend all four of the elements, but only one person at a time. Not only being able to bend all four elements, this person can also communicate with the spirit world. This person is called the Avatar, and this person is Aang."
"Wow Aang, that's really something!" Sakura said, full of awe.
"Told ya Aang's strong!" Naruto said.
"Can you show us what exactly bending is?" Kakashi asked.
This time everyone looked at Aang. Standing up, Aang did some Airbending, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi all looked dumfounded.
"In all my time" Kakashi mumbled to himself.
"Can you show us some jutsu?" Zuko asked.
Naruto and Sakura looked at Kakashi, expecting him to show them but Kakashi stayed put and suggested, "Naruto why don't you show them your Rasengan?"
Without being needed to ask twice, Naruto jumped up and everyone gasped. Even though Toph couldn't see she 'saw' someone of the exact same weight and height as Naruto, as if there were two Narutos! But how was that possible? After hearing a strange whirling sound, Naruto yelled out 'Rasengan' and Toph felt something fly past her and hit a nearby tree! This time, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko and Suki were the ones to look dumfounded!
"Wow, bending and jutsu are so very different!" Katara said.
"Though I'd like to be able to bend, being able to do jutsu without hand signs would easy." Naruto said.
"It's not as easy as it looks, trust me." Aang said, thinking of his experience learning the three other elements, especially earth.
After talking a little bit more, they split up (Suki and Sokka off with Sakura and everyone else off with Kakashi and Naruto) to work on their techniques and hoping to learn something new off the other. Just as Aang, Katara, Toph and Zuko were about to work with Kakashi, Zuko pointed out that since ninja can only have a maximum of two elemental affinities, then how would Kakashi work with them.
"It's because I have this." Kakashi answered and he showed something which made everyone (except Toph) gasp.
"What is it?" Toph asked.
"This is my Sharingan eye." Kakashi explained, "Yes I know what you're thinking, the Sharingan belongs to the Uchiha clan. This was given to me by one of its members; I cannot use it as well since I am not an Uchiha."
"But I thought the Sharingan was illusions, how is that supposed to help?" Zuko asked.
"You're quite the observant one aren't you?" Kakashi mused, "The Sharingan not only creates illusions, but also copies jutsu as well. Hence why I am working with you four, since I have copied over a thousand jutsu."
Toph was impressed, Kakashi was definitely strong! Kakashi then had a small battle with each of them to see what they did with their bending, he called Toph up last. Standing up and walking over to stand a little ways away from him, Toph stood in her usual bending stance.
"So you're the blind Earthbender, this will be interesting." Kakashi said.
Toph didn't say anything, but smirked. Oh was she going to show him!
They started their battle and Toph felt him go underground. Smirking again, Toph bended herself out of harm's way just as Kakashi appeared out of the ground right beneath where she was standing just before. Before Kakashi had a chance to make his next move, Toph bended so that he'd get stuck between two walls of earth. But she was surprised to feel a log between the walls instead, how in the hell did a log get there? She could feel Kakashi underneath the ground again, this time, she was going to take him by surprise! Feeling where he was going to strike, Toph bended and forced Kakashi back out. Because of the force of that Kakashi was in mid air for a few moments and in those quick seconds Toph bended and she caught him!
"Gotcha" she said, smirking again.
"You're extremely proficient in your bending." Kakashi said as Toph let him go.
"That's because I'm the greatest Earthbender in the world!" she gloated.
"Oh no trust me she is!" Aang said, surprising Toph as she couldn't see the 'as if' looks Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura had on their faces, "Toph's the only one able to bend metal!" Aang continued.
"What?" Naruto asked.
But before anyone had the chance to answer, Toph bended the metal in his forehead protector, resounding in a 'Hey what the?' from Naruto and before he could protest any more Toph bended it back to its normal shape.
"Understand now?" she asked, with a triumphant look on her face.
"To be honest I don't think I could teach you much." Kakashi admitted to Toph, "You are already that good."
"I said that before we left." Toph noted, looking at Aang, Katara and Zuko, "Though I'm supposed to be going to some desert place with Aang, I can work on my Sandbending then!"
"Ah yes I understand, we'll you'll have a great teacher over there if Gaara will be instructing you." Kakashi said.
"Gaara?" Toph asked.
"He's the leader of his village, exactly what Granny Tsunade is but in Sunagakure the leader is called Kazekage." Naruto explained, "Gaara's a real great guy and very strong, especially with sand."
"Yeah and I'm learning under someone called Temari." Aang added.
"You two will definitely come back stronger then, Gaara and Temari are very strong ninja." Kakashi noted.
"Well obviously if he's the leader of his village." Toph said sarcastically, which made Naruto and Aang laugh.
They got back to training for the rest of the day, for Aang, Katara and Zuko they found it very different and challenging. Toph sat out, though she didn't mind. She was interested in how jutsu worked, though she'd much rather stick with bending; she wouldn't know what to do if she didn't have Earthbending. She was right about her earlier assumptions of Kakashi, he was strong! He knew a lot of fire and water jutsu which greatly helped Katara and Zuko, and Aang was more or less goofing off with Naruto instead of working on anything. By late afternoon Kakashi called it quits and they made their way to where Sakura was with Suki and Sokka. Toph cracked up laughing when she 'saw' Sokka on the ground out of breath and Suki who too seemed a little out of breath, though standing opposite Sakura with her fan in hand. When Sakura saw them approaching she called it quits.
"FREEDOM!" Sokka yelled, Sakura and Suki rolled their eyes at each other.
They made their way back to the village; Naruto declared that they all go for dinner at a place called Ichiraku Ramen. Kakashi opted out, said goodbye to everyone then left.
"I've been wondering." Sokka said, "What's he look like without his mask?"
Toph almost jumped when all of a sudden she felt Naruto and Sakura fall to the ground, as if dejected for some weird reason.
"Even we don't know." Sakura mumbled.
"We tried to find out once, but it didn't work." Naruto muttered.
When they reached the place the six where staying at, they said goodbye to Naruto and Sakura before going inside.
"I learnt so much today!" Katara said as they went inside, "It's so different here I still can't quite get over it! What did you guys do?" she asked looking at Sokka and Suki.
"Sakura's a real slave driver man!" Sokka said, "She's tough!"
"That's because you're incredibly lazy!" Suki chastised, "I was fine!"
Everyone laughed at Sokka, who had now collapsed onto his bed, "It's going to be worse tomorrow!" he moaned.
"Oh shut it!" Suki snapped and she shut their door, "So what did you guys get up to?" she asked.
Katara explained what Kakashi did with them, they five of them stayed up for a little while and Aang went on a quick fly with Appa. When Aang came back they all went to bed.
Sakura
Early the next morning, Sakura was in Lady Tsunade's office helping out with Lady Tsunade and Shizune and organising what she would be doing with Sokka and Suki. She wondered if she was too hard on the two, however Suki seemed just fine. It was Sokka who seemed to have a tough time; Sakura would have to ask them today if she was too hard, after all, she was doing mostly the exact same thing as what Lady Tsunade did with her. Just then there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Tsunade ordered.
The door opened and Sakura grinned when she saw who it was.
"Ah Temari!" Tsunade said, "I'm guessing your here for Naruto's friends?"
"Yes my lady." Temari answered, "Gaara ordered me to come since he thought it best if someone take them Sunagakure."
Told you Toph & Gaara would be meeting soon, stay tuned!