*Thanks CheerioTraveler for recommending*
Latest update:December 14, 2023
Summary:The people here really value eyes for some reason. Losers.
*Basicslly, what if Toph was born in Naruto instead of Avatar the last airbender*
Link:https://m.fanfiction.net/s/14035457/1/
Word count:95k
Chapters:12
I'm blind. I mean I knew that already; I hear it mentioned a lot after all. I hear it at least as much as hear my name, more probably. But this is the first time I actually understood without a doubt what being blind meant.
Being blind meant I couldn't play.
"Toph, why don't you just sit here," Yuchi took my hand and led me to a corner. "Just sit tight, the other kids will be done in a little bit." She sounded like she was cheering when she spoke, like I should be happy with her because I can't play with the others.
"Yes mam." I knew better than to 'throw a fit' though, that never changed anything and usually got me in trouble. So now I just do what the grownups say, sit in my corner, and listen quietly.
I felt something bounce off my face, it didn't hurt but it still surprised me. I felt around for whatever it was but couldn't find it. 'It was probably just another ball…' I felt one the kids get closer through the floorboards but then run away
The other kids used to try and play with me, at first they tried their best to include me in their games. I got bruised and fell a lot but I didn't care. It was fun. But then one of the caretakers saw and put a stop to it. When the other kids asked why, the adult said:
"You'd just be teasing Toph by including her, she's blind so you have to be careful around her."
Since then the kids kept their distance, some teased me but I didn't really care that they thought I was weird or that my eyes were creepy. Even before that day everyone had already been doing everything for me, I didn't understand why for the longest time. They never treated the other kids that way, why was I so special? The older kids are no better. Always asking if I was okay, leading me by the hand (that actual helps but still), the older girls help dress me too. It's really annoying.
So now I just sit here in my corner while the other kids play, they played a lot. It was kind of annoying. But I made my own game too! I like to try and guess where everyone is. The floor is really old and rickety so while it's easy to tell where groups are, it's a lot harder make out where everyone exactly is cause of all the kids running. Though it's getting easier every day. Sometimes I can even feel where the others are in different rooms.
I won't tell them about my game though. If I can't play with them, they can't play with me. I felt heavier steps coming from the stairs, an adult probably. Maybe one of the bigger kids?
"Okay kids, time for lessons!" Bingo. That's Roro's voice too. I smiled; she usually forgets about me if I stay out of the way. I'll never be able to read anyways.
After all the other kids leave the room, I slowly rise from my corner. I didn't want to make too much noise, if I can hear and feel everybody in the building the adults definitely can.
Having done this a few times before I know how to get to the front porch from here, I still have to be careful because of toys and other stuff lying around but I can usually manage pretty well. Quietly and slowly is key. Tripping isn't allowed.
Stepping outside I breath it in, I can smell the grass and trees, feel the heat of the day on my skin, and hear the different people and animals chattering. When I focus I can make out individual conversations but I prefer the wall of noise that I can tune out. Other people usually aren't that fun anyways.
The best part is definitely when I sit down on the edge of the wood. Not only do the dirt and grass feel great between my toes but as soon as my feet touch the ground I can feel something. It's the same thing I can feel flowing in me all the time but more, like liquid but solid at the same time, I don't know how to explain it. What I do know is that it's everywhere. And everything vibrates.
I spend as much of my time doing this as possible, not near as much as I'd like to cause the adults don't like me coming out here alone. Something about me getting stolen or kidnapped. One of the meaner adults said kids that look like me would get snatched up by enemy ninja while another said that people would mistake me for someone I'm not. Whatever it is it hasn't happened yet so I just ignore them.
"Hey, is that Toph-chan I see?" I recognize that voice.
"I wouldn't know Toshi-san." I really wouldn't.
"Ha! It's rare to see one so young to have such humor. Are the others having lessons again?" I wasn't making a joke…
"Yes sir, it's the only time I can sneak out during the day, and it's only if Roro is teaching."
He walks a little closer. When he gets close enough I can just be barely feel whatever is in me in him. I can only feel other people like this when I'm touching the ground or when they're touching me, they just have to be close.
"So you're sneaking out at night is what I'm hearing." I froze. He sounded cheery when he said that but adults can be tricky no matter how nice they are.
"… No."
"Ha! That got a reaction huh. Well you can relax; I won't go blabbing. You're secrets safe for now. Just be careful okay?"
"Yes sir."
"If only my kids were only as polite as you," Toshi sighed. "You could learn to speak up a bit more though."
"I'll try."
"Welp, I actually need to speak to Roroshi-san for a moment, got a delivery here. You better get inside before they notice you're out here." With my thanks, he let me slip inside the door and gave me time to go back to my corner. He knocked a few moments after I sat down.
Everything was duller inside; I could hardly feel the stuff around me, it doesn't smell very nice either. And the other kids in here have so little of the stuff I can hardly feel it. Guess that's why my guessing game is so fun. And there's always messing with the stuff inside me so that's still pretty cool.
An adult walking towards me broke me out of my thoughts. "Toph, you know Toshiro?" Roro asked in her smooth, stern voice.
"Yeah."
She sighed, "Toph you know better than to go outside on your own, I know you enjoy it but someone could take you away. And that's 'yes mam' to you. None of this 'yeah' business."
Roro doesn't talk to me the way the other adults do. She doesn't treat me like I'm fragile at all. But she's still really annoying. For some reason she's extra hard on me, with her special lessons and how she's always telling me to eat vegetables. She never does that with anyone else.
Huffing I mumble, "Yes mam. And it's boring in here, besides who would want to kidnap me? No one besides you or Toshi-san really talks to me…"
Roro sighed. "Kami what am I going to do with you? We'll talk about this later, during your lessons. Right now Toshiro would like to know if you'd like to tag along with him on the rest of his deliveries."
I perked up. "If I say yes would you let me?"
She let a moment of silence pass before she spoke again, clearly, and carefully. "Well despite having my reservations," she started slowly, "Toshiro is a good man, I've known him for a while now. If you promise to be on your best behavior, I'll agree to it."
I felt my lips turn up so much it kind of hurt. "I promise! I'll use my manors like mam and sir, and I'll act like a proper lady just like you taught me in your stupid lessons! So please can I go with Toshi-san?" I was getting more and more excited at the idea of getting out of this building.
After a long pause Roro answered, her voice sounding no less stern than it usualy was. "Fine you may go. "
I just silently vibrated on the spot. I've never been this excited before, or really excited at all to be honest so I didn't know what to do. I just thanked and hugged Roro as hard as I could. As I was running towards the door, Roro spoke again. "Toph, what is fifty-four minus thirty-seven?"
"Seventeen." I replied without missing a beat.
Toshi-san was still waiting outside thankfully. I doubt Roro would play a trick like that but I was always careful. Kids and a few adults love tricks.
"Toshi-san are you really going to take me with you?!" My face felt stretched from how hard I was smiling.
"Ha!" The man gave out a hearty chuckle. "That's the idea kid! This is the most reaction I've ever seen on you. I'm assuming Roroshi-san said it was okay?"
Before I say anything Roro answered from behind me, "Yes, she did. And I'm assuming we don't need to go over any of we spoke of earlier concerning Toph's outing?" She's using that same stern voice she liked using with me just now.
"No no, there's no need for any of that now. I understood perfectly the first time." He sounded a bit frantic there.
"Good. See that it stays that way," She turned towards me,' Toph, remember to act appropriately for Toshiro and absolutely do not leave his side."
"Yes mam, Roro." I made sure to use my manners this time.
I felt a finger gently sweep my bangs to the side and tuck what it could behind my ear., "Be sure to take in as much as you can toph. Sound, smell, feeling, all of it. Understand?" Roro was kneeling down to my level.
"Yes mam?" I do that anyways, just like she told me to. Don't really get why she repeated it just now.
"Good." She backed away, "Have fun with Toshiro-san." With that she walked back in the building, the creaky door closing loudly.
"Well Toph, we better get going if I want to make these on time, shall we?" He took my hand in his, ingulfing it in size as I stepped down from the porch to the earth. Instantly I felt the stuff that was so much more than myself. It was great.
"Let's go Toshi-san!" I was so excited I thought my face would split in half from my smile.
With one of his hands holding mine, he only had one to push a cart that, from how the wheels groaned when he started pushing, was pretty heavy. "Toshi-san… are you strong?"
"Ha-ha, I'd like to thank I'm a little stronger than the average civilian but compare me with any shinobi and I'd look like a child in comparison." How strong would a shinobi have to be to make Toshi look like a child. I'M a child and Toshi makes me look like a weak little girl. Well… more of one.
"Wow." I said, awed.
"Wow indeed."
As we were walking I was content with just taking in everything. I was slowly calming down. The excitement was still there but I usually forget how to act if I get too hyper. This is still really cool! I didn't know the village was so big! We've been walking for a while and haven't stopped once! Nothing's changed much but there's different scents everywhere. It's in the middle of the day too, the amount of feet hitting the ground is kind of overwhelming even if I'm not good at feeling the vibrations yet. The stuff I feel in the ground hasn't changed though so at least there's that.
"So Toph-chan, are you enjoying yourself? I haven't seen you make a face like that before." Toshi had been quiet for a while, I'm kind of surprised it took him so long to start talking.
"Yes Toshi-san. All the people are a lot but I can deal." No matter how uncomfortable or sort of scary this was its way better than the orphanage. All the new smells and sounds are more than worth it. Plus every once in a while someone will pass by with a whole lot of that more of stuff than I have, like some of the adults at the orphanage. And theirs are… different somehow. I know there's a word for it but I forgot it. I'll ask Roro later. "What does my face look like right now?"
"Hmm… you look like a kid who's seen something new for the first time." I hear a man screaming 'youth' in the distance. Weird.
Hm. Cool." I didn't really care about looks, I'm blind and just turned four. Granted Roro says I'm pretty advanced for my age but still. Although hopefully I don't look as stupid as the other kids sound. Especially the ones that don't let me play.
"That it is! Hopefully this isn't the last time you have that look of wonder." He sounded all jolly again. "Alright Toph-chan truth be told I only have one more delivery to make. And we happen to be coming up on it. I'll need two hands so I'll have to let go of yours, got it." As he was talking we came to a stop.
"Okay." Honestly I was annoyed. I can make do just fine without handholding as long as I'm not moving too much.
"Alrighty then. This won't take too long." With that he let go to start digging through his cart.
Now that I wasn't holding Toshi's hand it was like I could take more in. The sounds by the orphanage got really boring but most were different here. The smells were definitely different, even the air tastes sweeter. But the main difference is that there was a lot. There was a lot all around me. There
"Okay, hold onto my shirt Toph." Figures I'd still have to hold something.
When I held onto his shirt, (The material was kind of rough) he started to walk. I kept a tight hold on his shirt cause this is kind of scary but it's fun at the same time so it's a good kind of scary so I don't mind.
We stopped after what felt like a lot of walking (I might have walked into Toshi on accident), then Toshi knocked pretty loudly on the door.
When the door opened, I heard a really old sounding voice that grated on my ears, it was pretty annoying so I just tuned it out.
"And who is this dear."
Up until she brought me up. Is this the lady who kicked that cat outside the orphanage? All old ladies kind of sound the same so it's hard to tell. Oh well, annoying or not, I promised Roro.
"My name's Toph mam." I stepped into the conversation. Roro said if I don't want to talk to answer only when spoken to, that way I can get out of the conversation as quickly as possible while still being polite.
"And if I may ask, what are you doing outside your clans compound? It isn't common for the Hyuga's to let one so young out with an outsider." And I.. have no idea what she's talking about.
Before I could ask if this lady needed to go to the special care place for old people I heard about one time, I think they called it a grave, Toshi quickly spoke up. "Oh you got it all wrong Yon-san, Toph-chan isn't a Hyuga even if the resemblance is uncanny. Unlike the Hyuga's she's actually blind." Toshi answered that pretty fast.
"Is this true dear?" Her voice had an edge to it for someone reason. Until now she sounded like every fake sweet old person but now she sounds.. hard? I don't know.
"Yes, Obba-san. Toshi-san is telling the truth. I live at an orphanage and have been blind since birth. I've only heard of the Hyuga in passing from my caretakers a few times." Why's she still Talking to me when Toshi just answered her question. I mean it's cool that I'm talking to someone new but I'd rather just get used to all the other Newness first. And why's she even asking that? Of course I'm blind. Maybe her eyes are going from old age?
I actually focused and sniffed; I didn't make a face or make it super obvious. Roro made it very clear that making faces after I sniff isn't polite. Point is she smells old. Old people go kind of blind all the time apparently, how you could be "kind of" blind I have no idea. But it could be why she's asking dumb questions. She said I looked like people though, she might be really bad at pretending she can't see?
"Toph-chan? Are you alright?" Oh she's still talking, I bow lightly.
"Sorry Obba-san, I was lost in thought. Could you repeat that?" Remember the promise Toph. Remember.
"Oh yes dear." Her voice changed again. Now it sounds like everyone else's. "I was saying it's such a shame that you're blind. A clearly intelligent girl as young as you could have grown into a wonderful asset for the village. As you are now though, you'll only be a liability" Never mind, she sounds a lot more mean then the others. And I.. I really don't like the way her voice sounds.
"Welp I think it's time for us to move along Yon-san, need to get Toph home after all. Thank you for your time." Before I could answer the lady Toshi grabbed my hand, put it on his shirt (still didn't like the material) and started to walk away. "Come along Toph, don't trip."
Once we made it to the cart I let go of the really rough shirt, and put my hand on the cart. The smooth wood feels much better than Toshi's shirt and less sweaty than Toshi's hand. Taking a deep breath from my nose, I decided to just ask Roro about what that old lady said when I get back. For now I just want to enjoy this some more.
After a few minutes of walking and me trying to figure out what that really good smell that made my mouth water a little bit water, Toshi spoke up, "Toph-chan I'm sorry about Yon-san, she grew up in a different time and has trouble realizing things aren't how they used to be sometimes." His voice had the same edge as the old lady's except a little bit less harsh.
"Oh it's fine, Toshi-san. I hear people talk like that all the time." It was quieting down now and getting a little bit cooler. Roro said that that usually means it's turning into nighttime which means more people are sleeping. It's getting less overwhelming now that less people are around. I can smell other things too. The one that makes my mouth water is still there though, it's actually getting stronger the more we walk in this direction.
Toshi's voice was a lot quieter the next time he spoke, "I wish that wasn't the case Toph." He was silent for a moment before returning to his normal jolly self again. "So Toph-chan, I've noticed you've been pretty quiet on this trip. Surprised you aren't yapping my ear off."
"I promised Roro I'd be on my best behavior Toshi-san. And if I annoy you to much I won't get to come with you again," I trailed off into a mumble.
Toshi was silent for a few second before laughing. "Toph-chan I wouldn't have invited you if you could annoy me with some conversation. I expected as much so yap away."
Hmm. I don't want to get to excited and, "cause a scene" like some of the other kids. So I'll just ask a few questions. "What smells good? I didn't smell it earlier so why does it smells so good now? And is it getting dark? It feels like its getting dark. Oh! And why does the road feel smoother here than it does near the orphanage? What's a hyuga? Why was that lady so stupid?" My words got kind of jumbled so I stopped talking but I only asked a little so it should be alright.
"Toph-chan," he sounded confused. Like he didn't know where to start, "how bout I just answer three of your questions since we're getting closer to the orphanage.
"Hmm," I can just ask Roro any other questions I have later cause Roro knows everything, "The first three please." That should be easy.
"Lets see.." I think Toshi was trying to remember them. "Okay! I think the first was the little BBQ we passed a little while ago restaurant grilling meat but it could be the dango place we just passed.." he trailed off.
"Definitely the meat!" I was grinning now; usually only Roro only answered my questions without being stupid. "I smell the dango all the time." Roro told me about that months ago. She even brought me some to try but I didn't like it all that much.
"Really? The orphanage is pretty far away to be able to smell the shop. That's pretty impressive." Toshi sounded like he's getting a little thoughtful so lets get him back on track.
"Yeah yeah, I've already heard it from Roro, now what about the meat?" I don't get a lot of meat at the orphanage. The caretakers usually let the older kids eat first, then the younger kids, then me. By that point there's hardly any left. Priority children first or something like that. Roro sneaks me a bigger plate sometimes but it never smells that good.
"Oh!" Toshi snapped out of his musing. "Yes, they season the meat and grill it over heated coals or something like that.."
"Well yeah." I was getting tired of this and my voice was maybe getting a tad whiney. "But why does it smell so good?"
Toshi chuckled. I don't know Toph-chan, that's just the way it is."
That… wasn't satisfying at all.
I sighed. "Okay. What about my other two?"
"Ah! Those are a lot easier. It's evening so it's getting closer to nighttime" -I pumped my fist at being right- "and the road gets more worn in the more people walk on the dirt. The area your orphanage is in doesn't get too busy I think so the ground is a bit softer. There shouldn't be too much of a difference though."
Toshi was thinking again. I decided to let him be and just take everything in again with a deep breath. We're getting closer to where I live, I can tell by the familiar smells that are getting stronger. Like the dirty laundry stink that's getting closer and closer or the pee smell from the really young kids that overtakes nearly everything.
For a while me and Toshi just walked in silence, the cart creaking and rumbling under my hand, the bugs screaming something I couldn't understand, then occasional conversation that I tuned out. The stuff all around me thrummed beneath me feet and I could almost feel it in the wind. Like it was teasing me.
Soon the cart slowed to a stop and I knew we were here. My adventure was over but I had fun so I was only a little sad. I took my hand off the cart and held my hand up for Toshi to take, which he did, but then he kneeled down to my level.
"Toph-chan, you told me that you hear people talk like Yon-san all the time right?" I nodded, not knowing where he was going with this. "Does Roroshi-san talk to you like that?"
My eyes widened, "No! Roro is great! Sure she makes me go to her stupid lessons but those lessons are kind of fun, don't tell her I said that. She's really strict too but even that's nice because Nom-san and Tichi-san talk to me with the voice I don't like. She even forgets that I'm there and lets me do my own thing when the others are playing some time-!" I was getting louder and angrier before Toshi interrupted me with a hand on my head which kind of freaked me out and go silent cause usually no one ever touches me unless they have my permission or they were a caretaker.
"Okay okay Toph-chan. I get it. I'm happy Roroshi-san is so good to you. You've eased this old man's worries." His voice was.. warmer? For some reason. "Now let's get you inside. It's getting dark and Roroshi-san will have my head if you're late." He finally started to walk.
Once we were up the creaky wood steps he knocked loudly once and almost immediately the door opened with Roro's smooth voice answering. "Toshiro-you're your late." She said while taking my hand from his and started checking me over at once.
"Ah sorry about that Roroshi-san," Toshi's voice sounded sincere in his apology, "Toph-chan looked like she was enjoying herself so we walked a bit slower coming back."
"I'll let it slide once," she said while tilting my chin from side to side looking for anything out of place, "however in the future if Toph's is to go with you again, please be punctual no matter if she's enjoying herself or not." She finally stopped checking me for now.
"Yes I understand Roroshi-san, it won't happen again." Toshi sounded jolly again.
She placed her hand on my head again, her hand was much better than Toshi's. "Toph did you act appropriately for Toshiro-san?"
I was just basking in Roro's feeling but I still answered. "Yes mam, I used my manners and didn't cause trouble at all. I acted just how you taught me." I think.
"Toshiro-san?" she questioned the man.
"Oh yes! Toph was great. Well behaved to the point of having me wonder if she wasn't three times her age." He reassured her.
"Good. Think you for indulging me Toshiro-san, I wouldn't have asked this of anyone else." Wait what? Roro asked Toshi? I thought it was the other way around… huh.
It wasn't a problem. Honestly I wouldn't mind making this a regular thing. My kids are off playing shinobi and too 'old' to make my deliveries with me. So the company was nice.
Roro chuckled, "Yes kids do love playing their little shinobi games. I think we can arrange Toph to accompany you twice a week if that's okay with her."
After a light squeeze on the shoulders from Roro I realized that was directed towards me. "Oh.. Oh! Yes I would like that very much. Thank you." I lightly bowed, hopefully I did that right, Roro will tell me later if I didn't."
"You heard her Toshiro-san, does every Tuesday and Thursday work for you? Starting next week of course."
"Works for me Roroshi-san, I'll pick her up when I drop off the usual next Tuesday."
"Very well, it's getting dark and I'm your wife wouldn't like you coming home after the sun goes down so I wish you a goodnight Toshiro-san." I think that was Roro dismissing him politely.
"Oh! Shoot you're right." Toshi sounded frantic. "Goodnight Roroshi-san, Goodnight Toph-chan!" I could hear his heavy footsteps quickly walking away before the door shut.
"Come along Toph, I saved you a bowl of dinner. Ichicho made soup. You can eat it while we review what you missed on your little outing." She let go of me and started walking away. "Meet me in the room."
"Yes mam, Roro." I headed to the room, carefully stepping over toys and only getting shoved a few times by kids playing.
"Toph what do you think you're doing?" Oh no, that's ichicho's really shrill voice.
"Roro told me to go to the lesson room." The playing around me stopped.
"And why in the world didn't she send someone with you? No. Why is she giving you those pointless lessons of hers this late in the day?" Her voice is almost as bad as the old lady's. 'And she didn't realize I'd been gone.'
"Because Toshi-san took me on his last delivery and I missed it." As soon as I said that the other younger kids started to complain.
"What that's not fair! Why does she get to go places!?"
"We already did our lessons, why did creepy eyes get to skip?"
"Ichicho-san, that's not fair!"
The other kids kids just kept yelling, and screaming, and just becoming a wall of loud noise. But this wasn't a normal loud this was a loudness directed at me. So I didn't know what to do or say or think except to wait on Roro.
"ENOUGH!" I jumped. Roro doesn't raise her voice that often so that surprised me more than anything. It worked though, almost instantly it was quit again and I could breath. Didn't even realize I was holding my breath.
I felt a hand gently grasp my shoulder. "Come along now Toph you still need dinner." She started guiding me forward without missing a beat. "It's history today. Listen while you eat."
Ichicho spoke up in the same shrill tone but was a lot more tame this time. "Roroshi, is that really all you have to say? I could let your babying of Toph pass for the most part because of her disability but now you're treatment of her has gone to far. What of the other children? It's not fair that Toph is exempt from the rules while they are held to such higher standards. That's setting a terrible example for everyone, including Toph, all because you pity her enough to mother her constantly." She finished.
Roro stopped and let out a long breath before she started to speak in her clear precise tone. It was almost like her version of how most adults talk to me, except colder. "Ichicho-san, I can assure you that I hold Toph to much higher standards than anyone in this building," she when Monaka-kun doesn't use his manners I don't correct him. When Katy-chan throws a tantrum I let her cry it out. When kin-kun won't eat his vegetables I give them to another child. Why? Because they're either too young or too silly to bother correcting at the moment. Toph here," she squeezed my shoulders while I stood. Stunned, "Is more advanced than any child I've met. I expect of her only what I know she can handle. And yes, that maturity comes with benefits. Just like with our older kids." She started walking me towards the room again.
"I would have much rather had this discussion behind closed doors, away from the children but you forced my hand when you singled out Toph again after we discussed this three days ago. Now carry on with what you were doing and don't question my relationship with this girl again." I didn't realize we had gotten to the room until I heard the door shut.
I was still stunned with what she said, thankful she came when she did, and didn't move or speak until I felt her gently push me in the direction of the table. "S-sorry Roro."
"It's okay Toph, you need to eat." I heard her set the soup in front of me while I sat in my normal spot a hard wooden chair that was pulled out already. Once I sat down she wordlessly pushed the chair in, picking it up slightly so it didn't make that scratchy sound I didn't like on the floor.
"Roro?" my voice was quieter than normal.
"Yes Toph?" she asked while putting a spoon in my hand.
"Did you mean everything you said to Ichicho-san?"
"Yes." Her tone didn't change. "Don't let it go to your head."
"Yes-mam." I said automatically. I was still kind of baffled as I started to eat. It tasted really bland but I was a lot hungrier than I thought so I didn't mind at all. I heard Roro sigh.
"Toph. What was it that you call other children?"
I finished swallowing, not wanting to talk with my mouth full. "Stupid?" I guessed. Roro lets me complain sometimes and that's what I usually call them.
"Yes, stupid." Her voice was getting that warm feeling to it that I like. "Now why do you think that?"
I took a moment to think about the answer. "Because they just are? They ask questions that are really simple and are way too loud. They don't listen very well either and get distracted super easily. And they never let me play." She's probably going to get on to me for talking bad about my peers again. "But I guess that doesn't mean they're stu-"
"No you're right." That shut me up. "Most children have a hard time grasping the simplest concepts. Most are obnoxiously loud and have the attention span of an untrained puppy. They single you out because you're different, because you lack something as unnecessary as sight. Just because someone told them too. They. Are. Stupid. Adults can be stupid too."
I slowly brought the spoon to my lips again. "But don't let that discourage you Toph. Kids may be stupid now but they have the ability to grow. As do you. As you will," she dabbed at the trickle of soup that ran down my chin. I've never heard her talk like this before. "So try not to judge them too harshly okay?"
"Okay Roro.." I don't really know what to say to that. "But it's okay to still call people who are stupid, stupid?"
Roro laughed. A soft, lighthearted sound that I loved. She didn't do it much. "Yes Toph, its okay to call someone stupid if they deserve it. You just need to know how to do it the right way."
"The right way?"
"Yes, the right way. The way that won't get you in trouble in certain social circles." She handed me some warm bread when I finished my soup. "I'll teach you that another day though. For now, you can tell me all about your outing with Toshiro-san. We can put off the lesson until tomorrow." She handed me a napkin and sat down beside me.
"Oh yeah! Well first there were so many people stomping around, it was kind of overwhelming…" I started to tell her about everything and didn't leave anything out. About the new sounds and smells, how the stuff never changed under my feat but there was a lot of people that had a lot of it that I passed that were different. (She finally told me it was called chakra), about how I was getting better at my game cause she likes to know my progress, and I even told her about how good the BBQ Toshi-san told me about smelt. And how he was impressed that I could smell so good.
It was nice.
Two hours later
I was laying down in the garden outside, Richi-chan, the older girl I room with whose not stupid, finally went to sleep so I snuck out again.
It was definitely late because it the air felt cool and I couldn't feel the warmth of the sun at all. The bugs were mostly quiet witch was weird but just meant that they didn't drown out the other animals with their noise. If I focused I could hear a lot of thumping sounds that sounded far away but that's it.
I stretched out; the cool soil felt really good. 'Chakra is weird.' I thought to myself. Ever since Roro told me what I was feeling around me, inside me, and inside people I haven't stopped thinking about it. Of course I haven't stopped thinking about what she said about how the other kids might not be stupid in the future. Or what she said to Ichicho... I think a lot. More than other kids at least. But mostly about chakra right now.
It's inside everyone but everyone feels different. It's all around us but the chakra in the earth feels different than the chakra in the wind. Granted I can barely feel that but still. I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. The stuff inside me vibrates faster than most of the kids without me doing anything. The adults too. Theirs feels slow and sluggish. Like sap from a tree. Roro's is faster than mine though, by a lot.
Why doesn't mine move that fast? Why doesn't it move like the ground beneath my feet or the wind that I feel moving the grass right now? Why the don't I have that much? I have so many questions and Roro only answered one. Chakra.
"Maybe if I…" I was mumbling to myself. Roro said not too that it's a bad habit but I still do it sometimes.
I focused on my vibrations, on my Chakra. It was pulsing like a beat of a drum, and felt like it wanted to do something more but couldn't. 'Kind of like me.' I thought. What's keeping it locked in the same boring, weak, rhythm. Right now it's just like all the kids in the building behind me. Different yes. But still boring.
'I'm different than them, I'm better. Roro said so.' And Roro's always right.
I couldn't move mine as fast as Roro's right now so I thought about the next best thing. I thought about how the earth's steady, strong pulses felt. How they always comforted me when Roro wasn't there or was busy.
I tried slowing my chakra down to match the earth I was laying on. It was stubborn and being difficult bit it listened.
My breathing was getting heavier, more frantic.
It's still too weak. I wasn't doing enough. I have to make it strong like the earth. Stronger than any of the other kids!
I was breathing really fast now and now I was sweating too. Normally it would have made me cold at nighttime but my body was hot. I hardly noticed though.
'Cmon! Work!' It was getting really painful now. 'I'm better than the others, Roro said so. So you can't be boring. I know you don't want to be boring' I was talking to myself now. Trying to edge my chakra on. 'I'm not like the others. I'm not stupid so just LISTEN ALREADY!'
Like a string being plucked once, my chakra was thrummed with the earth for one beat. And for that one beat of a second it was strong. I could feel everything.
And then I passed out.
Link:https://m.fanfiction.net/s/14035457/1/