Yo! What's up!? Coming in with another chapter for this story! I also see that a lot of people want to keep this as a solo pairing between Naruto and Toph. I am heavily leaning to that, but I will give one more chapter for anyone to make a case for a three-way. But as it stands, Naruto X Toph is locked in! Anyways, with that out of the way, enjoy!
The whole village was a buzz, jubilant celebrations were being held as the return of the Avatar heralded a turn in the tide of the war! The people rejoiced at the knowledge that the Fire Nation would finally face the furry of the Avatar!
"Now…watch this!" Aang spoke, his face serious before he opened his palm to reveal…spinning orbs. His face having a goof look and the people went crazy at that parlor trick of the Air Bender.
"So, this…is the Avatar?" Naruto spoke flatly. He thought that the Avatar would be more powerful, stronger even, but he had already defeated him so easily!
"Still, I want to fight him head on. A fair fight!" His blood still boiled, a slow grin forming on his face.
"He's going to get a big head with all this attention." Naruto broke out of his thoughts as he looked to his side. What was the name of this girl?
"You're…Kata, right?" Naruto questioned, tilting his head in concentrated confusion. The girl grew an annoyed look on her face before she schooled her features and calmed herself.
"It's Katara." She corrected him as Naruto nodded, mentally going over the name and making sure he got it right. Katara sighed.
"Say, how strong is this…Avatar?" Naruto questioned, causing her to blink at that before turning to look at Aang.
"His name's Aang and, well, he isn't…that strong. But that's only for now!" She answered before correcting herself. Naruto hummed at that.
"Really? I was told that this Avatar was supposed to be over a hundred years old given that the Avatar vanished that long ago." Naruto questioned as he brought up a figure before he raised another.
"And from what I also understand there is cycle of…reincarnation? Where the Avatar is reborn into the next Bender inline." Naruto continued as Katara nodded, knowing how that all worked thanks to her grandmother.
"Well, Aang's story is…complicated and something you'll have to ask himself, but we found him frozen in ice in the South Pole." Katara responded as Naruto mulled over that.
"So, can we Bend all four Elements like they say?" He questioned her and she noticed the sharp look in his eyes, his voice almost sounding…excited?
"Well, right now he can Bend Air, and is learning Water Bending. He's still in training." She responded, seeing no harm in telling him.
"Why do you ask?" She questioned him in return causing him to give her a full smirk, an almost crazed look in his eyes.
"Because I want to challenge him to a fight at his full power!" He responded, his poster tense, but his voice briming with excitement causing Katara to blink before she almost laughed.
"You know, Aang might not be a Master of all Elements right now, but when he does Master them all, he'll beat the Fire Lord and end this war." She pointed out as a matter of fact. She had seen Aang in the Avatar State, and it was powerful, very much so. And that was when he didn't understand or have control of it.
"Really now? Well, that just pumps me up even more!" Naruto exclaimed as she sweat dropped at that. Was this kid some kind of battle manic?
"Hey! You!" The two turned to look behind them, causing Katara to sigh while Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Me?" Naruto pointed at him as Sokka walked up, a scowl on his face.
"I want a rematch!" Sokka demanded as he crossed his arms, a look of determination on his face as Naruto tilted his head.
"Uh…for what?" He questioned him as Sokka scoffed.
"For that sneak attack you pulled on the beach! That wasn't fare!" Sokka argued as Naruto blinked before he started to laugh, causing Sokka to become more irritated.
"I'm serious!" Sokka declared while Naruto wiped a lone tear from his eye.
"Oh, no. You got it all wrong. I wasn't the one that beat you. It was Suki, one of those Kyoshi warriors, their leader in fact." Naruto pointed out. He was pretty sure that Sokka already knew that considering that Suki herself had told the boy that much.
"Oh please! As if a bunch of girls can beat me!" Sokka countered, causing both Katara and Naruto to narrow their eyes to him.
"Sokka…" Katara said lowly. Sometimes her brother really got on her nerves, especially for saying things like that.
"Shut your mouth." The Katara stiffened as she heard the boy next to her speak. His voice held a certain level of venom and edge to it.
"W-W-What?" Sokka questioned, feeling the hair on his back rise.
"You assume that girls can't beat you?" Naruto questioned him as he slowly began to walk towards Sokka as he began to tremble and took a step back.
"I'll have you know…the strongest person I have ever known…was a woman. And she was ten times the warrior I am." Naruto started as he got up into Sokka's face. Given that Naruto was shorter than Sokka, one would assume that Sokka would have the advantage, but Naruto looked up at him, his bangs covering the glare within his eyes.
"And you? You're no warrior. Just someone pretending to be one." That causing something in Sokka to snap as his trembling was replaced by anger as he tried to strike at Naruto, but Naruto was faster. He quickly withdrew his Katana slightly, hitting Sokka right in the gut with the hilt of his blade. Sokka toppled over, as he gasped for air.
"A real warrior would have easily countered that." Naruto huffed out, sheathing his blade back before he turned and headed off.
"If you really want a rematch, go fight Suki. Maybe you'll learn how to fight." Naruto said offhandedly as he headed back to his make-shift camp. As he retreated, Katara walked up to Sokka and sighed.
"You know Sokka, you had that coming." Katara didn't even try to comfort her brother, he really was making an ass of himself.
"I hope this teaches you a lesson." Katara stated as she too headed off, she had supplies to gather. Sokka, however, gritted his teeth. Was he really defeated by a girl? He was a warrior dammit! He was the man! It was his duty to protect!
"I…I really was defeated…" He thought to himself as he balled his hands into fists as he stood up. He wanted to know, he wanted to know how to fight and he knew who to go to.
A Couple of Hours Later:
Naruto yawned as he lazily sat on a tree branch, one of his legs hanging down as he held his Katana in his hands.
"You know, you can come down and join us in training." Suki spoke up from down below as Naruto raised an eyebrow and peered down.
"Huh? Train? With that guy?" Naruto questioned as he pointed his Katana towards Sokka, who was currently dressed in the fashion of the Kyoshi Warriors. He had approached Suki and the first thing he did was get a rematch, to which he lost easily. Then he requested her to train him.
"It'll do him some good. Despite his…earlier beliefs, he is teachable." Suki stated as Sokka looked off to the side. Naruto meanwhile hummed at that.
"Does he still believe that women aren't capable of beating him?" Naruto questioned him in a flat tone. Suki smirked at him at that.
"Well, I definitely defeated him enough time to get that message across." She responded as Naruto chuckled at that. He had been witnessing those defeats for the day.
"Sorry, but if I fight him, it won't even be a challenge." Naruto spoke, waving his hand in a dismissive manner, to which Suki rolled her eyes while Sokka looked at him annoyed.
"What was that?!" Sokka questioned him while Naruto shot him with a glare.
"Need I remind you that I defeated you in a single move? I'm way above your league…water boy." Naruto spoke with a smirk as Sokka blinked at that.
"W-W-Water boy?!" He shouted at that nickname. He was Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe! A warrior!
"I'll have you know; I've beat a Fire Bender before! Multiple in-fact!" Sokka shouted, drastically elaborating the truth of the matter. Naruto hummed at that before he shrugged.
"So what? I'm sure Fire Bender's aren't all that strong. I did beat your friend the Avatar." Naruto countered lazily.
"Aang's just a kid and he's got a way to go, but Fire Benders are no joke! Most of them are veterans of many battles! They are savages and cause nothing but destruction! They even wiped out a whole people!" Sokka tried to explain the situation to Naruto, but Naruto gave him a shrug and smirked with his eyes closed.
"Nah, I'd win." He declared, fully confident in his abilities and skills. Sokka looked at him in utter bafflement.
"Let it go, Sokka. Naruto's never fought a Bender before, let alone a Fire Bender. In-fact, the Avatar's the first one he has fought." Suki stated as Sokka blinked at that before he pointed at Naruto in complete confusion.
"Impossible!" He declared causing Suki to sigh. Sokka was stubborn, even when he was wrong.
"Would you believe me if I give you the fight you want?" Naruto spoke up, to which Sokka instantly perked up.
"Yes! With what I have learned from Suki, having a proper duel will be easy!" Sokka thought, assured of his victory. Sokka was of the belief that he had only lost because Naruto had attacked him like a coward. But in a head on fight? He would!
"And, as a handicap, I'll even allow you to make the first move. Heck, I won't even use my sword." Naruto offered generously, much to Sokka's annoyance. He was underestimating him! Again!
"Fine! But if I win, I get that sword of yours!" Sokka proclaimed and immediately he felt a sense of dread fall on him as he tried to breath. His vision darkened as he tried to maintain his focus. He looked up at Naruto and his eyes widened, that same sense of dread retuning ten-fold! The younger boy stood where he was, giving him a smile, his eyes closed. But…something about his smile was unsettling.
"Sokka…if there's one thing in this life, I won't part with…is my sword." Naruto spoke, his while spoken calmly, were frosty.
"O-O-Ok!" Sokka let out as the sense of dread finally dissipated, allowing him to finally breath.
"W-What was that…" Suki questioned off to his side, never having felt such a thing before. It was as if her life was in extreme danger.
"Oh, and Sokka, you soiled yourself." Naruto pointed out as he began to laugh at Sokka's expense. The older Water Tribe boy looked down and blushed in extreme embarrassment.
"Sokka! You just ruined the armor!" Suki complained as Sokka turn tail and ran while Suki gave him a blank stare.
"I'm surprise he didn't pass out, given that he's so weak." Naruto commented, to which Suki looked back at him.
"What was that?" She questioned as Naruto shrugged as he too turned around.
"It's called many things, but you can call it Killer Intent." Naruto remarked as he kept on walking. Suki looked at his retreating back, her eyes narrowing.
"He is…dangerous…" She thought. Clearly there was more to the kid that it seemed.
A Few Days later:
"Hmm, where to go next? First thing's first, I must secure transportation." Naruto thought out loud to himself, planning his next move. He had explored the island, beaten Sokka many times, watching the Avatar's antics, his latest being riding some overgrown fish.
"I guess I should talk to some of the fishermen and then…" He trailed off before his whole poster stiffen, his left hand gripped his sword tightly.
"No time for that." He muttered to himself as he turned and began to run towards the village. Something was coming, he could feel it. As he ran towards the village, he saw black snow falling from the sky.
"That is not black smoke…" He said to himself. It didn't feel like snow, it felt like ash like almost and it smelled foul. Arriving at the village at record speed, he noticed that it was in a state of panic as the Kyoshi Warriors were out in full force.
"What's going on?" He questioned one of the villagers, who looked panicked.
"Fire Benders! There's a Fire Nation warship that just made landfall! Run and hide if you can!" The villager informed and suggested to him to which Naruto's eyes widened as the villager ran off.
"Fire Benders, huh?" He let out before a grin spread over his face. Sokka spoke of how strong these Fire Benders were. He'll put them to the test!
"Naruto! You must evacuate the village at once! Fire Benders will be here any minute!" Suki's voice broke him out of his thoughts as he turned to her. She was dressed in her armor and next to her was…Sokka in the same armor.
"Pff, ahahaha! Still wearing a dress?" Naruto teased to which Sokka frowned.
"It's battle armor!" He corrected him to which Naruto waved him off before he turned to Suki.
"I wish to test these Fire Benders." He stated his intent as Suki looked at him like he was crazy. Sure, he beat them, but fighting a whole contingent of Fire Benders? Before she could speak, the boy sat down on the ground, his legs crossed, and arms crossed across his armored chest.
"This isn't the time Naruto! For all we know, there could be a whole battalion of Fire Benders coming this way! And most of them most likely have fought in several battles during the war!" Suki tried to reason as Naruto's grin just grew.
"Perfect." He responded as her jaw dropped.
"Are you insane?!" She shouted at him causing him to chuckle at that.
"Maybe I am!" Naruto responded, his thrill for battle only increasing. He'll see what these Fire Benders were made out off. Suki was going to speak up again before Sokka grabbed her wrist and began to drag her away.
"We must get into position! I'm sure Naruto knows what he's doing!" Sokka stated, causing Suki to grit her teeth. And just like that, the village feel into silence. The usual hustle and bustle of the village was almost hunting. Stalls of goods and merchandise were abandoned, people had simple dropped whatever they were doing and had run for their lives. Naruto closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.
"Let's see how good you guys are." He opened his eyes and looked forward, as the wind picked up and leaf's gently floated across the landscape as he saw silhouettes out in the distance approaching the village.
And that's a wrap! Finally, Naruto will fight a Fire Bender! And Zuko over that too! Honestly, I wanna make Naruto someone who is easily influenced by his bloodlust, in the sense that he wants to seek out battle with strong opponents, but he won't be beyond killing when needed. And in the next chapter and especially some of the later ones you will see just how ruthless he can be and how his methods clash with Aang and his team.
You'll also see why Naruto is like that as well as the chapters went on, it has a lot to do with some lore I wanna build for the Uzumaki's, considering they have always been hotheaded (from the ones we have seen). And considering that they have fought and survived the Warring Clan Era. They had to be somewhat war-like to survive. Anyways, till the next chapter!
