"It's a… stick?"

"No, it's a cane and you will use it when you," Roro told me as I ran my hands over the smooth wood. It feels nice at least.

"So it's a stick for old people," I've felt almost every old person using one of these when I help Toshi with his deliveries. "I'm not old."

Roro took the stick out of my hands, "Yes, but it's also used by the blind," she said as she placed the end in my left hand, wrapping her grip around mine. "They use it to scan their surrounding by tapping the area around them like this." She moved her arm -and mine- to tap the ground around me.

"I don't need it though," I'm confused, I told her how good I was getting with chakra, she's the onlyperson I've told actually. I don't even need to hold Toshi's hand or the cart when we're walking, I still do because I have to be sneaky like Roro said that's not the point.

"Yes, I'm aware. However, this will let others know you're blind. You don't want to be mistaken for a Hyuga anymore correct?" I nodded. "Now, despite the similarities, people will know you aren't a member of the clan, it also has the benefit of making you more unassuming than you already are," she stood up and walked to the other side of the room. "Walk towards me while tapping the ground with the cane."

"Yes, Roro," I did as she told me, walking towards her while tapping the floor a few times. I stepped over a toy one of the kids left earlier but besides that, the room was pretty clean.

Roro's voice sharply rang out, "That isn't convincing at all. You didn't use the cane and stepped over an obstacle you shouldn't have known was there." She walked to the opposite wall, "Again. And this time use the cane."

"Yes, Roro," I walk to her, "Why do I have to convince anyone anything? Won't the stick be enough?" I ask as I stopped.

She walked to the other side, "To the masses, yes. However, anyone trained will easily spot discrepancies if you use this improperly. You have a unique opportunity in that no one will suspect you, a blind child, of anything. Anyone who doesn't truly know you will immediately look down on you, pity you, or disregard you. Now, again."

I was confused and kind of hurt, "That's a good thing? I don't like when they talk to me that way." Roro me why most people talk to me the way they do when I asked a few weeks ago. "It's annoying."

When I walked to her again, she knelt and brushed my bangs behind my ear, "Yes, it's a good thing. They underestimate you because of your disability, because you can 'see', and because you're a little girl. You can use all of this Toph. Make your disadvantage an advantage. Everything can be used as a weapon if used properly." She stood and walked to the other wall. "Again."

Why would I need to do that though? I don't get it, I don't like pity or anything like it so I just don't want it.

"Why do I need weapons? Wouldn't it be better if people thought I wasn't blind in the first place?" That's sneaky right? Tricking people like that.

"No," she switched sides again. "While I do see what you're coming from, playing to your strengths, or 'weaknesses' is better. If people thought you could see, or somehow knew you could feel you're surroundings they would expect more of you. They would be more cautious. You don't want this." She tossed another toy on the ground.

"Oh," I still don't get it but I guess it kind of makes sense, "Okay." I focused on using the stick 'properly'.

Like always, Roro somehow knew that I was confused. "Toph, it will make more sense when you're older," I stopped in front of her. "We also need to work on your facial expressions. You may not be able to see, but others can, and they can tell what you're thinking by subtle movements of the body. You aren't subtle at all so they will have a remarkably easy time."

I'm getting frustrated now, "Well, I don't know what my face looks like, or yours, or anyone's, so how do I fix that? Who is 'they'? What will make sense when I'm older? Why can't it make sense now?" Our lessons have always been Roro teaching me how to act or do stuff, like how to be polite or she's walked me through how to deal with stupid people, and only a little math or history, especially after the first month. But now I'm supposed to use being blind as a weapon? I don't get it.

"Toph, stop and breathe, like we practiced," Roro ordered.

Huh. I was starting to breathe kind of hard. I did as she said and took a deep breath in through my nose and then out through the mouth. It calmed me down but I'm still frustrated.

"Now, to answer your questions in order," she walked in front of me and tilted my face up with a finger on my chin, "First, relax your face," I did so, she's already gone over this with me so why's she telling me again? "Now, your face is resting like this most of the time already, however, when you are surprised or annoyed or experience extreme emotions the muscles react. Your brow furrows and twitches, you pout or grimace, all completely normal. This will give certain individuals the advantage so until you learn how to properly control and hide your emotions do your best to keep your face more or less like it is now when in public."

I nodded, I still don't get it but that's mostly because I've never seen a face -or anything else- before.

"Second," she let go of my chin, "They are your enemies, Toph. You will have them, knowingly and unknowingly, and you must use everything you have, every trick, tactic, and ability, you will use to kill them. Just as they undoubtedly will do the same. You won't let them though, you will be more clever than any of them, you'll be prepared."

That's… that's scary. "What if I don't want to?" My voice was quiet, I didn't mean to whisper.

"You won't have a choice," she said sternly, placing a hand on my head, "You'll be pushed down a path that will be painful and difficult, into situations I certainly don't wish on you, I'd much prefer the opposite." She ran her fingers through my hair a little, "But that's not an option."

"Is it because I asked about being a Kunoichi?" I asked a few weeks ago, and Roro started changing the lessons a little after, "I don't think I want to be one anymore…" I can always work at that flower shop like Richi said.

"No…" Roro's voice got soft again, a weird kind of soft though. "As I said before, you don't have a choice. There isn't anything you or I can do about it, one way or another, you will have enemies. You will become a kunoichi."

I swallowed hard and tried to focus on her hand that was rubbing my head, it was soothing.

"Now, "She suddenly clapped, snapping me out of whatever I was feeling, "For your final question. Do you trust me?"

"Yes." Of course I do. She's Roro.

"And we help each other right?"

"Yes, Roro." I nodded along.

"And I'm older than you?"

"Yes." Not that old though, she smells nice and is nothing like those ladies Toshi delivers to sometimes.

"Then trust in what I'm telling you. You will understand Toph, maybe not right now, but everything I'm teaching you is to help you in the future. I'm older, and because I'm older I've experienced more than you could imagine at the moment. I've made mistakes. Mistakes you are currently learning from. Please remember that, Toph."

"Yes, mam." I still don't get it… but Roro is always right, so I'll try my best to listen.

She started walking back to the wall. "You have potential Toph, maybe more than I realize. If you wanted to, you could be amazing. "She paused, "No matter what happens, no matter what path you take, always know I will be proud of you."

I didn't say anything. Roro's never talked like this before, it's weird but it feels good.

"Now, again." She ordered.

Three hours later

. 'Okay, tonight's the night,' I told myself, trying to get myself ready.

I was lying on my back in the garden like normal. It was cool like normal, the soil is cool like the air and kind of damp like normal, I could feel the earth's steady flow of chakra pulsing like normal, everything's normal. Well, the bugs are louder than usual but still.

I took a deep breath through my nose, then slowly let it out through my mouth, just like Roro told me. Actively focusing on my chakra now, instead of letting it automatically match with the earth -in speed- I take control and start making it stronger every three seconds.

I don't have to wait long before I'm about to match fully with the earth, my chakra is pretty easy to control now so I'm only breathing slightly faster and I'm not sweating too much but this part is easy. No pain at all. The next is the hard part.

Three.

Despite my breathing getting heavier I slow it down anyways. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Two.

I have to be careful that I don't put too much power into it. The earth's pulsing is powerful but it's surprisingly easy to put too much effort into making mine stronger. I started doing that a few weeks ago on accident and I couldn't feel anything for a few minutes after each time. Matching the earth fully is much more difficult, I don't understand why though.

one.

Suddenly, just like every other time I've done this, I feel everything. I feel more. My range of just a few buildings around me grew until it hurt. Every step, every shift in movement, every detail between that bug eating a leaf in a tree to the clothing next to the two adults wrestling a few buildings over, I could feel. And it hurt.

'One, two, three…' I start counting. It's hard to focus on anything honestly. The pain, combined with the amount I could feel was almost overwhelming. It would've been if I hadn't been preparing for this for a long time. Longer than… pretty much everything else in my life. Short as it's been.

'Thirty-five, thirty-six,' My head feels like it's going to split open, my entire body, tense and locked up. It's getting so difficult to breath I don't think I am anymore. My body wants to stop and rest but I didn't pass out so it's okay. I wanted to do this anyways. Roro said I could be amazing if I wanted, she said she'll be proud of me no matter what but I want to be amazing cause she said I could.

That's all I need.

'sixty-seven, sixty-eight.' What's that dripping down my nose? Is it's not? It's warmer than usual.

'Eighty, eighty-one.' I'm losing it. I can feel my chakra slipping from my control and my skin feels like it's ripping itself from my body, the buzzing all over is pretty terrible too.

I let go at ninety-two seconds, much more than the forty-three last week. My body's shaking, as if it doesn't know how tired it is now. It hurts. At least since my range is back to just a few buildings around me, my head is only throbbing, and not tearing itself in two.

I coughed, my chest hurt too. I let my chakra do what it naturally wanted to do and it flowed throughout my body at its own pace and strength. It made me feel better a lot faster. When I first started doing this it was boring like most other people, but now even without me doing anything it was faster, stronger, and was kind of weird honestly.

But that didn't matter. I coughed more, it was a bit more violent despite it hurting less.

'Ninety-two seconds…' I grinned. I'm not in public so I can do that right?

"Better."

One hour later

"Toph!"Richi quickly rushed out of bed to start fretting over me. she usually takes longer to wake up, even when I'm loud. It's still difficult to move my body so maybe I was louder than normal?

"Is this blood? Please tell me it's yours. How did you get it? You haven't tripped in months, are you okay?" All of her questions are kind of overwhelming but it's fine if it's Richi. I know I don't actually have to answer all of them.

I guess the warm stuff from my nose is blood, well now it's dried blood. "Yes, Richi-chan I'm fine, I just tripped. It's definitely my blood," I told her, stopping the questions.

She picked me up, which I'm thankful for since I can't really move well right now, and walked out of the room. "Let's get you cleaned up, we can tell Roroshi-san about this in the morning."

"Okay," I was already going to tell her anyway, I made it to ninety-two seconds after all.

"Kami, it's everywhere. We'll have to throw that dress away, it's completely stained," She nagged as she stepped into the bathroom. She put me down, then I heard a click.

"Toph?" She questioned after a moment.

"Yes, Richi-chan?"

"Are you aware of the blood that came from your eyes and ears?" She calmly asked with none of the franticness she had before.

"Nope."

"Oh… I'm going to get Roroshi-san." She promptly walked out of the room.

I reached up and rubbed the dress hardened with blood between my fingers, "…I don't like dresses anyway."

The next day

I got put in in time out.

They said it's 'bed rest' in the hospital for a day or two but it's definitely time out.

It smells wrong in here too, as in it doesn't smell like anything but medicine. It's kind of freaking me out.

"Roro it smells wrong in here, I complained.

"It smells like a hospital Toph, and you will deal with it. Think of it as a punishment for being reckless," Roro said from beside the bed I was in, thankfully it was soft. Softer than mine at least.

"So I am in trouble," I sulked, nose twitching.

She sighed, tossing something on my face, "Just focus on this," It's my special blanket, it smells like Richi and our room, but most of all it smells familiar, "I forget how sensitive you are sometimes."

"Thank you Roro," I mumbled with my face buried in the blanket, the tension was already leaving my body.

"You're welcome," She reached down and stroked my cheek, "Now I need to go," Her hand left my face and I heard her walk to the door.

"What? Why?" I didn't want her to leave. I don't like it here.

The footsteps stopped, "Well, like it or not I am a busy woman, and someone has to reassure Richi-chan that you're okay."

"Oh," the made sense sadly, "Okay, bye." I didn't want her to go but I understood, Richi seemed pretty worried.

"This is only until tomorrow Toph, plus you might enjoy yourself. Remember to take in everything you can." She shut the door.

"Yes, mam," I said to the empty room.

I took a deep breath into the blanket, "Now that I'm not distracted by the smell -or lack of smell- I can focus on the other things I've noticed. Like the number of people doing stuff with chakra I haven't felt before. They all have more than normal too.

Even when the man came in and 'examined' me he was doing something weird. It was like his chakra was flowing into me but not messing it up, it felt weird. He seemed pretty surprised and said something to Roro about my chakra being abnormally active for a child, then he said a bunch of things I couldn't understand.

Roro explained that I overused my chakra and that it was much more than my body could handle. That my body was too weak at the moment. I didn't really get it because I lasted a full ninety-two seconds this time, when I started I didn't even last one.

'Obviously, I just need to get used to it some more,' I thought to myself. It's worked so far so why change it?

In one of the rooms below me, I could feel three people surrounding another person laying down. But their chakra is acting funny. It seems like they're inserting theirs into the other person but instead of doing nothing, it making it the person on the table's chakra move faster. Not exactly by force, but just… urging. Leading it.

"I wish I could get out of bed," I say out loud. Roro says I'm not allowed to move from it until a doctor says I can. The problem with that is I can't feel ground from the bed very well. So, until I can, I can only feel chakra. At least I've gotten way better at that over the past few months but I still don't know what they're actually doing.

I still want to know what they're doing and how they're doing, so I press the button they gave me to use in case I need anything. I don't like the sound it makes though.

Shortly after the same man from before came in, "You needed something Ms. Beifong?" he asked pleasantly.

Ms. Beifong? I didn't let the surprise show on my face but no one ever called me that before. "Yes, what are they doing?" I pointed at the ground to the right side of the bed, directly at the group of people.

I felt his head tilt slightly, even if I'm in a bed I can feel stuff this close, "I'm afraid I don't understand the question. What are you pointing at?" he still sounded polite just confused now.

Shoot. I'm supposed to be sneaky. "Uh, what I meant was how did you use your chakra to examine me?"

Saved it, I think.

"Oh," the man didn't sound like he was asking a question this time, "Through chakra." He said simply. "You probably don't know about it yet, but med-nin like me," he pointed at himself, "use chakra to stimulate cells inside a patients body to heal them. That's the most basic of explanations though, there's much to it than that," he paused, "aaand you're a child." I heard a smack when his hand met his forehead.

That… didn't answer my question, at all. But I just went with it. "Could you heal me?" I never knew chakra could do stuff like this so I want to experience it myself, I thought it was just stuff that was everywhere and was fun to mess with. Roro told me ninja use it but I didn't think about it too hard at that time. She had just lit a match and the new chakra was exciting.

"I'm afraid not," the man chuckled, I should really start remembering names.. "You just need some bed rest, you aren't physically injured at the moment so there's nothing to heal. It's actually quite astonishing considering how extensive the chak-" he cut himself off when I brought my hand up to my mouth and bit down as hard as I could, I could taste blood immediately. My blanket tossed further down the bed to not get any stains on it.

"W-why the hell did you do that for?!" He yelled. He sounded surprised. I don't know why he would be though, I needed to be physically injured for him to heal me.

I simply held out my bleeding hand, "Heal it, please," I'm trying to use my manners more when I'm away from Roro or just around random people. I think I nailed it.

"You just took a chunk out of your hand!" he was still yelling even as he gently took my hand in his, "Kami, you bit down to the bone." He sounded angry now.

"I said please," I remembered my manners so there shouldn't be a problem.

"You said please after you nearly bit off your finger! Didn't that hurt?" I nodded, it only hurt a little compared to last night so a little bit of pain isn't a big deal. Not big enough to be this loud about it at least.

He started to rant about some more stuff but I'm too focused on the chakra to care now. It's different when I feel it myself, instead of observing. Just like that person surrounded by people, his chakra was encouraging mine to move faster, but this time I could tell he was directing it a specific way. I could have taken back control because honestly, it felt really strange, but I let it happen.

I could feel my hand close up, from where I bit to deepest to my skin, it felt weird but neat at the same time. But before I could study it anymore, the man was done.

"-just don't do that again okay? Listen to me when I say that no matter how curious you are, maiming yourself isn't healthy, I'm a professional so I know what I'm talking about," He was still talking? "-and you shouldn't bite anyone unless you have their permission first."

Um, what?

Doesn't matter, that was way too fast. I want to feel 'healing' more.

At this point, he let go of my hand and started walking out the room, turning around when he got to the door, "And another thing- WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

He turned right as I bit my other hand.

Roro was right, I'm enjoying myself a lot more than I thought.

Healing is neat.

The next day

Toshi came instead of Roro. He's holding my blanket.

"Yes, nurse-san. Roroshi-san caught me on one of my deliveries and asked for a favor. She seemed like she was in a hurry so I agreed to take Toph-chan back to the orphanage." We're all outside the hospital doors, the nurse is pushing the wheelchair they forced me into. Chairs shouldn't have wheels, and I shouldn't have to sit in one, or be strapped into one.

"Toshiro-san, I apologize but Toph-chan here can't leave without the proper guardian. The proper guardian being either a caretaker from the orphanage or a high-ranking official with the appropriate documents." Annette sounded genuinely sorry she couldn't send me off.

"Oh, that's right. She told me to hand you these." I heard the sound of rustling paper, "Sorry about that, it's been a long day."

"It's fine, Toshiro-san," Annett said absently, probably reading the papers. Hopefully, she's better at it than the kids in the orphanage.

"Okay!" she happily declared. "It all checks out," she started unstrapping my arms and legs from the chair, "I'm assuming you're a trusted friend of the guardian yes?" she moved on to the strap around my waist.

"I don't know about that but we've known each other for a good number of years…" Toshi trailed off.

"Okay! Well, make sure she gets this folder here. It has the details pertaining to Toph-chan's stay," she picked up the folder from my lap and then finished unstrapping me.

"Ah, okay will do… Correct me if I'm wrong but it's unusual for the hospital to send a folder this thick home, isn't it?"

"Well… yes," Annette admitted. "However Toph was a bit… difficult to say the least."

"Is that why she was strapped to the chair?" Toshi asked.

"I don't like wheelchairs." I chimed in helpfully.

"Yes, we've established that." Annette directed at me, she looked back up to Toshi, "She does not like wheelchairs."

"They're unnatural-"

"-All chairs are unnatural, Toph-chan, they're inanimate objects." She interrupted sweetly. "But to answer your question, Toshiro-san, no. The folder does include the fact she isn't fond of wheelchairs but it has more to do with the rest of her stay.

"Wha.. what exactly happened?" Toshi asked hesitantly.

"I can't divulge everything since you're not her legal caretaker, " The nurse began, "but Toph was a bit too interested in medical Jutsu."

"It wasn't that bad.." I mumble.

"Forty-nine, Toph! You bit yourself forty-nine times! And you bruised yourself thirty-six. We still don't know how you got your hands on the scalpel-"

"-It was just there when I found it!"

"IN YOUR ARM?!"

Annette took a breath, "So, yes," she cleared her throat, "Just a tad bit interested."

She helped me out of the freaky chair and guided me towards Toshi, not that I needed the help but she didn't know that.

"Erm, alright then." He took my hand in his, "Thank you, Nurse-san have a pleasant evening." He sounded like he was weirded out.

"You as well, Toshiro-san." She was back to her sweet voice. "Toph-chan, please be more careful in the future, I hate to see… cute," she ground out, "Kids like you at the hospital."

"Bye Annette-saaan," I called and lazily waved as me and Toshi walked away.

"Bye, Toph-chan," Annett sounded tired for some reason.

Ten minutes later

It's later than I thought it was.

Being in the hospital must have messed with my head because it got cooler a lot faster than I thought it would. There weren't a lot of people walking around either, the three that were had chakra that wasn't boring though. I was a little disappointed cause I like feeling the sun warm my skin but it's not that big a deal. At least I left the stick at the orphanage.

I was looking forward to riding on Roro's back again… I would have had to fake not being able to move well but I think I could have done it.

"So uh, Toph-chan. Your stay at the hospital was interesting?" It was the first time he spoke during the walk from the hospital.

"No, not really," I have to be sneaky, "I don't like the smell though."

"Oh thank kami, you can save that for Roroshi," he mumbled.

"Can I have my blanket back now?"

He jumped, I don't think he realized he was holding it. I was trying to be polite and waiting for him to give it back but I got impatient. "Oh, yes. Sorry bout that Toph, forgot I had it."

"It's okay," I snatched it out of his hand, "I figured."

"So how'd ya hurt yourself enough to land in the hospital?" he dropped his cart off a few buildings back, so now he was back to holding my hand. His chakra is weak, yes, but it's also something I'm used to. Kind of like Richi's blanket or Roro's everything.

"Tripped," I lied. A few months ago mine was boring too, but now if I compare mine to Toshi's, his is like a trickle into an empty tub while mine is like when the water's on full blast.

"Must have been some fall then," he said, "We're nearly at the orphanage now." I know that, I feel the building already. I can just barely smell it too, "Just so you know, I could tell Roroshi-san was sad she couldn't pick you up."

I perked up, "Really?"

He nodded, despite knowing I'm blind. "Oh, yes. She was devastated. Said she had to speak with the Hokage himself about something urgent."

That brought my mood up, I didn't even know I was feeling down. "Well, I don't want Roro to be sad…" Despite me trying to keep my face blank, I started to grin.

"Then let's hurry and get back to her, yeah?" he was all jolly again.

"Yeah!"

Suddenly, I heard something loud and then I couldn't breathe so I started coughing. Toshi was too.

Then he wasn't.

Something wet and heavy bounces off my head, rolling on the ground. At the same time, Toshi crumbles to the ground with me still holding his hand.

I don't know what's happening.

Not even a moment later I'm roughly picked up, and can feel wind. Faster than any I've felt before.

I'm scared.

Of all the things I'm feeling right now, the chakra of the person carrying me right now- a stranger, my lunges still burning from whatever I breathed in, or even the wetness on my face and in my hair drying in the wind that smells like my bloody nose. There's only one thing I can think of. One thing that scares me more than anything else.

Why did his chakra disappear?

AN: Let me know what yall think! Interaction feeds me.