Walking is hard.

Usually, it's not, and I don't need to even think about it but right now I can't move. I can't even get up from where I sat down. I'm tired and my body hurts, maybe? But I've been tired and hurt before. I should be able to move at least.

I shouldn't have sat down when I walked out of the tunnel.

Am I more hurt than I thought I was? I mean, they did beat me up a lot, I don't really feel anything though. I'm just numb. Probably shouldn't have attacked them like that, to be more sneaky. That guy's breath just smelt really bad, and there were just so many around me that I accidentally freaked out. Then I just went with it.

It was stupid. I am stupid. Maybe if I hadn't been so dumb none of this would have happened? Maybe I wouldn't have gotten hurt.

What do I do now?

The feeling in my stomach, the only thing that didn't feel numb, lurched.

"I-I should focus on me right now, take stock of everything I have, and then the problem. Just like Roro taught me."

My stomach hurt even worse.

My body feels mostly okay, I'm pretty sure if I didn't feel numb it'd be sorer but I've felt worse before, like when I overdo it with chakra. That's a lot worse than this. Chakra. My chakra feels okay. It's playing with the earth in the background like normal, flowing a little faster but that's fine. I can feel the wind blowing through the trees around me, more trees than I've been around before. More bugs and animals too. I can feel it all so that's not messed up.

Now, what do I have? I'm still wearing what the nurses put me in, some kind of dress. It's definitely dirty from being kicked around so much, with some tears, and is stiff in some places, I can feel some stiffness on my hands and face too.

I'm still holding the knife, the Kunai. I've never touched anything like it before. Cool and smooth. I hate it. I hate it so much.

So why am I gripping it so hard?

I can think about that later, but now the problem. Why can't I move?

It's not like I can't. I know I can, my body just won't? No, that doesn't make sense. Is it because of Roro? I don't get it. It's just a body, so it doesn't matter. No chakra. No voice. No nothing. She's gone and the body is underneath a bunch of dirt.

I curled in on myself, pulling at my hair. I can feel what's left of her body after being crushed under the cave. Flattened just like the rest of them, well, most of the rest.

I felt my stomach twist again, but this time it was worse. Like it was coming up my throa- oh, I'm throwing up.

'Am I sick?' I thought while scrambling to my knees while what was left in my stomach forced itself up my throat. No, I've never been sick. I think. Roro said I was sick as a baby but I'm almost five now so does that still count? I've felt bad though, usually, when I get confused and my head hurts, Roro always makes me feel better when that happens.

The heaving got worse, all that came up was something that made my throat burn and my nose run.

When it finally stopped I was even more tired than before, my throat feels sore too. I shifted away from stuff that came out of me or tried to, some still got on me.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down and focus on my chakra, nothing but my chakra. The earth is helpful at least, it's steady pulsing is soothing. The wind is being fussy as ever and is just barely out of reach for my chakra to copy.

Okay, yeah. I'm sort of calm now.

Nope.

My breath hitched, two people just came into range. And they're not like most of those smelly adults that I accidentally attacked. They're strong. Like really strong. They feel stronger than the three who kidnapped me. At least this got me to move.

I was about to stand and run when I thought better of it. I have to be more sneaky right? I can't run that fast so they'll catch me if I'm stupid… I'm a blind little girl so I have to use that.

I hunkered down with my back facing away from where they were coming from, hopefully hiding the kunai I had in my hand. They feel kind of familiar, but so did the two that attacked Ror- me. They could be bad too.

Please don't be bad.

-Kakashi Hatake: Inu's POV-

The girl noticed us a while ago. She's trying, and failing, to hide it, along with the kunai, but she's a brat so that's understandable. She's probably planning something childish though.

Still, the fact that she noticed us at all is impressive, she'll be frightening if she continues to hone her sensory abilities. I signed for the little Uchiha to follow my lead and jumped into the clearing. We only found the girl because we could hear the massive sinkhole form. Well, that and her scent suddenly appearing. The Inuzuka aren't far behind us.

I stopped a few feet away and kneeled. Let's see if I can talk to a child without fucking this up, "Toph Beifong right?" That sucked. "We're here to take you back to the village," This might be slightly more difficult than I anticipated.

The girl's only response was to start breathing rapidly, a panic attack maybe? "Hey, just breathe. You're safe now." Suddenly a pulse of foreign chakra swept over me and her rapid breathing calmed.

Interesting.

"Prove it." She ordered, not turning around.

I sighed and tried to think of a way I could convince a blind child whose been through something traumatizing that I'm not an enemy. Coming up with nothing, I just made my voice as calm as possible and spoke slowly, "I'm afraid you'll just have to go with my word on this. We're from Konoha, you've had a lot of people worried, and again, we're here to take you home," if talking doesn't work I guess I could always knock her out? Painlessly, of course, I'm not a monster.

She didn't answer right away but I didn't rush her, certain children need time to think out responses. I've dealt with comrades who are no different. Though it's much easier dealing with loudmouthed and brash children, often those are much more annoying.

Finally, she quietly answered, "You could be lying, you could be bad too." She started to shake, her voice rising, "You could take me away and hurt me and throw me at people who smell bad!" she started to hyperventilate again.

"Hey, calm down, and let's think this out," I try soothing her, "If we were bad, and if we were to do all those things to you, what's stopping us from just doing them anyway? Why would we stop and talk? Use your brain and think," I'll probably just knock her unconscious, it'd be better than the alternative. My ninken didn't detect any enemies around us but you can never be too sure.

She paused and calmed her breathing, whispering, "…I have to live."

I raised an eyebrow, "Oh? That's nice."

She stood, then turned around allowing us to see the blood-stained kunai in her hand, "I have to live, so please don't kill me." she said it so politely I would have chuckled if it weren't so heartbreaking.

"No worries Toph, no harm will come to you while you're with us." I took a step forward,

"Do you hurt anywhere?"

She tilted her head, "Yes."

I sighed, "Where do you hurt," she'll receive medical attention regardless, however, I might recommend someone to examine her for mental disorders too.

She patted her stomach, "Everything hurts at least a little bit but I'm kinda numb. My stomach hurts but only when I think about certain things," she clutched her stomach, "Like now."

Definitely recommending.

"What happened to the people who took you?"

She pointed down the massive sinkhole, "They're in there."

In retrospect that was obvious, better not load her with too many questions though. That can come after she's had some rest and from someone who's used to dealing with small children.

"And the Kunai?"

Her grip around the kunai tightened while she hugged it to her chest, "What?"

"Where'd you get it?"

"The kunai?"

"Yes, the kunai," I kneeled down to her height.

"I got it from Roro."

Mina. Still can't believe she disobeyed a direct order from Lord Third, I remember she was loyal to a fault. ...Maybe too loyal at times but nevertheless it's one of the many traits of hers I admired. One of which being saving my ass along with a whole squad of my comrades.

Apprehension rose within me, "And where is Roro?"

Toph pointed to the sinkhole and quietly answered, "In there."

I took a slow steadying breath, "I see… and she was alive when she gave you the kunai?" She's one of the toughest people I know, there's a chance she could still be alive under there.

"…Yes, but-" Toph started dry heaving, I didn't move, waiting for her to finish but weasel went and rubbed her back for the minute or two she was retching, "…She's not anymore."

My right hand felt heavy, another voice joined the many that were whispering to me, staring down at me, clawing my throat. I could feel them all dragging me down even more.

"Weasel when we get to Konoha inform an extraction team immediately." I ordered, "We need to recover the body and find clues as to who these people were". He didn't answer but I know he'll follow the order.

"What will you do if you find some alive?" The girl, quiet as ever, asked while wiping her mouth. "Will you hurt them?"

I won't sugarcoat anything, not in this situation, and simply say, "Yes."

Instead of the look of general unease at the thought of violence or causing one pain children usually have, her face doesn't twitch, "You guys are better at hurting people than I am, right? Knee hurt me with chakra so you can do stuff like that too."

…There's a bit too much to unpack there, both in what she experienced and her overall reaction. I'll just leave that to people more qualified.

"Okay give me the kunai and we'll leave."

Her grip noticeably tightens, "No."

I raise an eyebrow under my mask, "It's a safety hazard, you'll only hurt yourself or others if you keep it."

She clutches it to her chest, "Sorry, can't do it."

I scratch my head, "And why is that?"

"Cause Roro gave it to me."

Welp, fuck me.

"Okay Toph, you keep the kunai, just hold onto it as tight as you can and try not to stab me with it."

She relaxes. "Okay,"

"I'm going to pick you up now, we need to get going." I gingerly pick her up under her arms. To her credit, she only stiffens slightly.

Wrapping her arms around my neck she speaks directly into my ear, "Three are still alive down there, please hurt them."

…We'll need to be careful with who this one is raised around.

"How deep?"

Her chakra does something, and she relaxes in my arms. "Really deep."

Kami, I wish I was a sensor so I could figure out what she's doing, this feels strange. Just on the edge of being intrusive while still being invasive. That… doesn't make any sense, I'll think of something to better describe it later.

I turn to Weasel and jerk my head in the direction the Inuzuka are coming from. He nods and heads out to meet them with the news. They'll know what to do.

"Alright Toph, we'll start moving now."

She tightens her hold on my neck, quite a bit more than I thought she could actually. "Okay."

I start moving.

It gives me time to think. There's obviously something more going on here, as this isn't just some normal girl I'm holding. She was being looked after by Mina of the Threads, not as just as the babysitter of that orphanage. No. Otherwise, Mina wouldn't have disobeyed Lord Third. While the babysitter's job is to scout out orphans who have potential, something Toph has in spades, Mina most likely had been downplaying the sheer amount Toph has.

A child like Toph would have been watched with much more scrutiny than she had been, and given my rank, I would have been in the know.

What am I missing? The Mina I knew was a hard-ass, not a speck of maternal instincts in her but most of all she was smart. So what was it about Toph that made her sacrifice herself like that? Yes, sacrifice. There were many other ways she could have gone about rescuing this girl, but no, she decided on killing herself.

I quickly reach behind me and caught the kunai that Toph dropped while adjusting her in my arms, she had fallen asleep. Can't say I'm surprised, she must be exhausted. It's admirable that she lasted this long.

I stop on a branch and stare at the kunai, then at the girl in my arms. Thinking back Toph said Roro gave it to her, not Mina. I didn't know Roro.

Which means she's an unknown.

I start jumping again.

I might be focusing on the wrong thing here, what do I know of the girl herself.

I know she's developed a sensory ability similar to chakra mapping but different in a way I can't explain. How she managed to develop said ability is unknown but I can only guess it's due to a combination of her remarkable sensory talents and her being blind. I'm getting off-topic and going into speculative territory though. Back on track/

The kid obviously has talent, and at the moment I don't know a thing about her history so I'll just ignore that altogether. Her personality? She's… more inclined to violence than the average child, intelligent too. Mina- no, Roro could have played a fairly large part in that particular quirk.

Even I heard about the incident with the other kid.

Still though, the babysitters are told to only groom what's already there, and for Toph to display that kind of viciousness so young… she'd be a prime candidate for Danzo's group, even with her disability.

Danzo.

Shit. It raises more questions than answers and I can't fall too deeply into that hole without all the facts, but to have so many interweaving strings to throw off his scent does fit his style.

Still… How did Roro even know where the base was when the best of us were having no luck tracking, and why did she go about rescuing Toph that way? People could have been observing Toph for days, months, or years and no one would know. She's just an orphan after all.

Unless she's not.

Briefly shaking my head, I put that train of thought on hold. No use in going down one trail when so many are still open for speculation. Hell, the kidnappers could have just been dumbasses and thought she was a Hyuga. As unlikely as that would be -the clan rarely casts out its members for obvious reasons- she does hold a passing resemblance. Probably not though, things are seldom that easy.

She has the "darkness" that lord third likes talking about, and is better than most shinobi at handling her chakra.

She'd make an excellent Ninja.

I glance down at the girl in my arms, looking so small and innocent, even though said innocence has been tainted by this shitty reality. I let out a groan.

Why do I keep getting brats to look after when already can't deal with my own shit? I could just pull the same shit I do with Sensei's son and kill whoever tries to harm her while making sure she's looked after. Course I haven't even been doing that properly.

The looking after, not the killing. Sensei had a lot of enemies after all, it's better to nip them in the bud than wait till they figure out he had a son. Not to mention that the boys a jinchuriki…

Kami, I'm a piece of shit.

That won't work with this girl anyways. She needs to be guided carefully by the right people, or anybody but the wrong people. Naruto has so many eyes on him that the wrong people can't even touch him. Toph? She'd fade into the cracks.

Why do I keep getting brats forced upon me? I mean, I can't complain much. One is the son of my sensei and one is- was something to a person I looked up to, not to mention I owe.

"This sucks."

-Toph's POV-

They finally gave me Roro's kunai back, the doctors didn't like that a child or "this child in particular" had access to a sharp knife. But after a tantrum? No, a justifiable freakout, they gave it back. I'm just glad they didn't clean it, it still smells like Roro. Sure I feel like vomiting all over again cause it's her blood but… It still smells like her.

I also found out that every nurse or doctor here is a ninja so that's pretty cool. Annette told me after she showed me how to hold the kunai "properly", which was pretty much just don't stab yourself and you'll be fine.

She gave me candy a little bit ago. She called it a "sucker". Pretty sure because you suck on it. I like the name.

"So Toph, how are you feeling?" The nice-sounding doctor asked me, for the seventh time while doing the thing with her chakra. Examining me.

I take my time to noisily suck on my sucker before taking it out to answer, "Hi, Doctor-san."

"Er- yes. Hello Toph, my apologies for not greeting you when I came in."

As she should be, politeness is a virtue. I don't know what that means but I'm pretty sure it just means use manners. Honestly, though? I'm just annoyed that they only just undid the straps holding me down.

I don't feel like learning anything right now anyway, I don't feel like doing anything really. I just want to sit and do nothing. I know

"-do you feel any pains anywhere? Even if it's small it could be important so you don't need to be tough right now."

I wasn't listening again, that's been happening a lot since I woke up, "I'm fine." My voice was a lot quieter than normal too. This is weird.

The doctor just sighed and continued writing stuff down and doing weird things with her chakra, I had to keep myself from pushing hers away, I nearly did a few times, but her chakra was just kind of bouncing off of mine, sort of like what mine does with the earth. I kind of want to ask about it but I can't bring myself to.

Just as the doctor stopped doing the thing with her chakra, the door opened and a man came in. I noticed him when he walked into the hospital though, he had a lot more chakra than most people in the building and his was a lot more steady? Controlled? His was a lot more of one of those two. He's definitely a ninja.

"Hello Maki-san, I'm not interrupting am I?" He asked politely as he gently closed the door behind him.

"N-no sir, Inoichi-san, I'm just finishing up actually," I flinched when her chakra got wonky for a second, but it got back on track pretty quickly after a quick apology.

"I see, there are no problems I hope. Toph-san here has gone through a lot, too much for any child to bear." His voice is steady, like his chakra, but he's a ninja so that makes sense.

"No sir, physically she's fine, better than fine actually. If we went by the initial examination she'd have been out of here as soon as she woke up. But due to the circumstances of her visit, we're being as thorough as possible."

"I see," Inochi drawled, "Maki-san, why exactly did you just apologize to Toph?"

The doctor withdrew her chakra and took more notes -I asked her what the scribbling sound was- "We've noticed Toph-chan here is extremely sensitive to fluctuations in chakra, her own especially." Wait, what? "So we try to be as gentle as possible when examining her in any way, my control slightly wavered for a moment."

"Remarkable," The man said.

The doctor rubbed the back of her head, "Yes, the entirety of the hospital agrees, even if she's a little terror…" She muttered the last part.

…I don't think I'm scary.

"I would ask, but I've read the reports from her last visit," Inoichi laughed a little, "My little Ino is a curious child too, so I somewhat understand."

"Yes, she's a handful." The doctor began stacking the papers, "I'll leave you to it Inoichi-san, have a pleasant day," She bowed then quickly left, closing the door behind her.

Inoichi sat down in the chair beside my bed, "Hello, Toph-san. My name is Inoichi, I'm going to ask you a few questions about what happened last night."

"Hello. Can I ask you questions too?"

Inoichi chuckled, "You may."

"Okay, are you a ninja?" He definitely is, I just want to know for sure.

"Yes I am, why do you ask?" he questioned.

Score. "No reason, I noticed that you're chakra is a lot more steady than most of the people in the hospital."

"I… see. When did you notice me?"

"When you came into the building."

Inoichi paused for a moment, "Have you sensed any others you think are ninja?"

I pointed to three different directions, "Yea, right there, there, and there."

"Heh, I'll start asking you about your experience last night now." Inoichi sat up even straighter somehow, "How many people took you initially?"

"Three."

"And between them taking you and you arriving at the cave, did anything happen?"

I had to fight to keep my face blank when the memories came, Toshi dying, whatever Knee did to me, the beatings… "What do you mean?"

Inoichi's chakra, which had already been steady, calmed even more and slowed a little too. "Anything at all. Did they do anything to you? Do you remember them saying anything at all?"

I took a moment to think about it, "Toshi died, I bit Knee then he hit me and shoved me in a sack -it was itchy. I didn't like it. I wriggled a little bit, then they stopped and hit me some more, then knee did something with his chakra that really hurt-" Inoichi cut me off.

"My apologies for interrupting but can you called him knee? Why? Can you describe what he did? What exactly did his chakra do?"

I nodded, "I call him Knee cause his name was Shin, and that's stupid. He made a sign with his hand then his chakra got weird. He pinched my neck and it hurt. A lot."

"How do you know he made a hand sign?" Inoichi asked.

I shrugged, "I just… felt it?" I hate explaining things like this, it's always hard.

"I see, can you feel what I'm doing right now."

I shook my head, "No, I'm in the bed."

"Oh? And what difference does that make."

"I dunno, I'm not touching the ground." I shrugged again.

Inoichi was silent for a moment, "It seems we're getting off track. Describe what it felt when he pinched your neck please."

"It felt like my body was being burnt from the inside… It hurt a lot… then I couldn't move." I trailed off at the end. I still want to know how Knee did that, I know I can do it too. It's just his chakra was vibrating really fast, like wind but more chaotic. I don't think I can copy that yet.

"… Let's move on." Inoichi interrupted my thinking, "What happened when you got to the cave?"

"The woman made hand signs then this door appeared, I think. I don't know what it was. But we walked in and there were a lot more people inside that I couldn't feel before we walked through it." I stopped to see if he had anything to say, I don't like to be interrupted.

"Go on, you're doing great."

…I'm just telling him what happened, what's great about it? "They threw me to a bunch of the people, they smelt bad so I…" I'm actually embarrassed by this, "I accidentally attacked them."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I accidentally attacked them." I meant what I said.

"Okay then."

I guess he wants me to keep going, "Most of them went to get healed after that, then I-"

"Wait, they had to get healed?"

This was getting annoying, "Yes, I attacked them."

Inoichi let out a breath, "Alright then, what else happened?"

I didn't want to get into this part, "Then Roro showed up and killed a lot of them, she fought two of the ninja that watched me, and now I'm here." The end.

Inoichi sighed, "Alright Toph-san, let's end it there. Now, would you like to see a Jutsu?"

Uh, duh. Jutsu are cool.

"Yes, please. Then can I ask you questions?"

"Of course. I'm going to need you to relax, I understand you're particularly sensitive to chakra so this will feel strange."

"Okay." I probably should be worried, and I kind of am, but new Jutsu are neat.

"Okay Toph-san, I'll start now." He put his hand on my head, then his chakra got really funny. Like I can't describe what it's doing kind of funny. And it's coming from his head, through his hand, to my-

"Okay, Toph all done."

What? What just happened.

"Do you have any questions for me?"

No, seriously what just happened.

"What did you do?" I got quiet again for some reason.

"I scanned your memories with my Jutsu." He said as if that explained anything.

"Chakra can do that?" I whispered.

"Toph-san," Inoichi got much more serious for some reason, even when his chakra was slowing down even more, it calmed me down a little, "chakra can do just about anything when the right person is using it."

I didn't respond. I know that chakra is amazing. I know that it's in the air, water, earth, and fire, it's all around me actually. It can hurt people and heal people. And now it can do whatever Inoichi just did.

Chakra's really cool.

"What is chakra?"

I've asked the question before but at the time I couldn't understand what Roro was saying. What she told me didn't make sense with everything I feel.

"Hmm, quite the question," Inoichi drawled out, "How we understand it is that it's the combination of an individual's spiritual and physical energy."

That's what Roro said too, I can't accept that answer though. How do I feel so many things? What do I feel all around me? I don't get it.

But that doesn't matter right now.

"Can I use chakra?"

I want to be strong.

Inoichi stood, "From what I understand you've been using it for a while, but if you mean can you use Jutsu? Then with training, you can."

"How do I train?"

He ruffled my hair, "You're a bit too young for it now, but I did say I'd answer questions didn't I?

I nodded.

"Alright then, I won't go into detail because there are far too many ways to train for just one question, but you'd want to by… let's just say meditating for the spiritual aspect and various exorcizes for the physical."

That didn't help a lot, but it helped enough.

"Thank you very much," I stood on the bed and bowed, it was wobbly -I almost fell- but I managed it.

"It's no problem at all, might I say you are well-spoken for your age, extremely so even. Why is that?" He took my hand to help me lay back down.

"Roro always told me what the big words she used meant when I asked." That feeling in my stomach is back.

Inoichi's chakra started to pulse in a pattern kind of like the earth's, it calmed me down a little. "I see," he said. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's fine." And it is. I'm not hurt anymore, I'm warm, I'm in a hospital but that's okay cause I got this sucker. I just learned something new about chakra and I'm safe, so it's fine. I just have to ignore the bad stuff.

Inoichi just sighed, and patted me on the head, "You'll be let out soon, then you have a funeral to go to. I'll be coming by to speak to you in a few days' time." He started for the door, "Toph-san, never lose your curiosity. it's a boon that few cultivate," Then he walked out, leaving me alone.

There are a lot of things running through my head right now, a lot of things I need time to think through carefully. I need to focus on something else though, and use that to slow my brain down so I can think better.

I gave my sucker on more suck, realizing I hadn't done it in a while.

"What's a funeral?"

A few hours later

I hate funerals.

Ochicho came to pick me up, she hugged me and was crying a little too. For someone so mean, she seemed worried. She dressed me at the hospital, cleaned me up as well as she could, then she dressed me in a dress that felt really soft. She let me keep the kunai when the doctors explained it to her.

Then, after she signed some paperwork, we went straight to the funeral. At first, it was super interesting cause there were mostly Ninja there. Some kids from the orphanage were there too, even Richi!

But they were all crying.

Then someone showed up, I went stiff a few minutes before he arrived. He was… he was a lot. He had so much chakra and so much control that it almost blocked out everyone else.

This man was the Hokage.

But he wasn't anything compared to the sun that was standing a little bit from the group, I don't know how a kid could have that much chakra and not explode. The Hokage had more but the kid felt more… warm. Didn't have any control though. It was distracting.

I learned what funerals were when the Hokage started to speak.

Today feels nice. It's warm and there's a soft breeze. Birds are even chirping.

Today sucks.

The Hokage said some stuff I blocked out, then he joined the crowd of people. It was silent, except for the sound of kids crying. Some adults too.

I hate this so much.

Roro's gone. There's nothing anyone can do, so why cry over it? Why gather so many people to just cry and say nice words and cry some more. It's stupid and pointless.

I don't cry but my stomach hurts the whole time. It hurts bad enough I'm scared I'm going to throw up.

When everybody is leaving, the Hokage passes by, puts a hand on my head, and just keeps walking. It was weird.

Then Orocho took me to Richi -finally- and she immediately took my hand into hers. She didn't say anything but it made me feel… much better. I only let go when we were leaving and passed by the guy who brought me here to bow and say thanks. I didn't hear if he had anything to say cause I ran back to Richi to hold her hand.

We went back to the orphanage and that was that. Everyone was quiet, we ate, we cleaned up, and we went to our rooms. Richi's hand didn't leave mine once.

When the door shut, I was suddenly yanked into Richi's chest. Richi squeezed me with more strength than I thought she had, and we just stood there. I slowly wrapped my arms around her and gently squeezed back.

Then I felt something wet drop in my head.

Richi was crying.

"Richi," I squeezed a little tighter, "You aren't hurt are you?" I don't think anyone hurt her but if someone did, I'll make them pay. I'll figure out how to use chakra like Knee if I have to.

My question seems to have made her cry harder, and squeeze me tighter. I'm starting to freak out, how do I fix this.

Just as I was about to ask who hurt her, she pulled back. "I'm not hurt Toph, I'm just happy you're okay."

Oh. Those were happy tears.

"Okay then, you can keep hugging me then."

Richi let out a laugh that sounded kind of like a sob at the same time and took the kunai out of my hand to set on my bed. I trust her so I wasn't bothered by it much. She then took my dress off. She didn't bother with redressing me so that left me in just my panties.

I heard her clothes hit the floor too, then was led to her bed where we just sat down and held my hands in her lap.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

I nodded, "I'm fine."

"Okay," she held my hands a bit tighter, "What do you feel right now?"

It took me a few minutes to respond, "I don't know. I'm happy I'm with you but my stomach hurts when I think about how Roro's gone," that got a sob out of her, I don't know why though. I don't mention everything else I'm feeling, there's too much that I don't understand.

"Toph," she took a shaky breath, " I need to know if you understand what happened to Roroshi-san,"

I nodded, "Yea, she's gone, I'm never going to see her again."

She let go of my hands to place them on my cheeks, "No, Toph I know what you're doing. You need to say it."

My eye's started to water, "Say what? Roro's gone. That's that."

She shook her head, "Toph I know how this works, I know you're smarter than that. I need to hear you say it."

I shook my head, my face scrunching up, "Roro's gone." I say more urgently.

"Roro's dead, Toph."

I know that. I know she's not here anymore, I stabbed her in the chest myself. I know she's gone.

"Please, I need to hear you say it," Richi whispers.

A tear fell down my face, "Roro's dead," something changed right then, in the way I was thinking it was like a puzzle piece slotting into place.

I to lose my breath, "Richi… she's dead."

Richi pulled me into her chest, the only thing running through my mind, repeating is:

She dead. Roro is dead.

I cried for hours.

My stomach stopped hurting halfway through.

A few hours later

I woke up laying on Roro's chest, her skin feels soft and her chest is squishy. She makes a good pillow.

I need to wake her up, I need to tell her something.

"Hey, Richi…" I try.

"Yes, Toph?" She doesn't sound asleep at all.

"Have you been awake this who time?"

"Yeah."

"Oh…" I wonder why she didn't go to sleep? It makes things easier at least.

"Will my chest ever get comfy like yours?" I snuggled into it more.

She laughed, "Yeah, when you're a bit older. You just need to wait."

"Okay." I'm good at waiting, especially if I have to.

"Hey, Richi?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to be a kunoichi."

Her breath hitched, "I see," she hugged me a bit tighter, "You'll be amazing."

I rolled over to where I was sitting on her stomach with my legs on each side of her body, I got my face close to hers and "stared" into where I think her eyes are "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She tried to wrap her hands around my stomach but I just grabbed them and held them above her head, "Okay?"

She struggled quietly for a moment but eventually relaxed, "Okay, Toph. Make sure nothing happens to me."

I nodded once, then dropped back to her chest. I'm tired.

Richi's mine, Roro was too, but I killed her. She's dead now because I'm weak and stupid.

I won't let anyone else be taken from me.

I'm going to be a kunoichi.

I will be strong.

But for that, I need to train.

AN: Yes! End of "Childhood" arc and by childhood I just mean Toph's innocence and when she starts getting serious. ~Training~ I'm hyped. I'll still be going through the years with her though. So sorry if that's disappointing.

Damn this took forever to get out. Sorry bout that. A co-worker fucked us over and we've been understaffed the couple of months or so. That means working harder and more hours. The extra money is nice, the exhaustion isn't. I think I got a handle on it now. This chapter was also super fucking difficult to write. Hopefully, Toph handling grief came across okay. She's an emotionally stunted child and needed a little help. Again it was hard. Remember that Toph here is one of the most unreliable narrators you'll ever see. She's a blind kid surrounded by death and fucking wizard ninjas. Her perspective is a wee bit skewed.

God this is too long. Okay, so I actually need some help. I don't know a thing about mental issues or anything. So could someone diagnose Toph? From what Inoichi has read in reports and seen in person. I also need to know what questions he'd to ask Toph and shit to help determine the diagnosis next chapter. I swear I've never done this, this is just so far out of what I know and I want to be as realistic as possible. Any help is appreciated.