Crossover Fan Fiction / Crossover With Non-anime Series Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ NAvatarUTO ❯ Toph's story ( Chapter 17 )

Toph spent her days training. She needed to work on sand bending if whe was even going to have a chance against Gaara. At first it was very difficult to move so many tiny stones at once. Toph couldn't keep all their individual positions in her head but she eventually realized that she didn't have to. If she just sort of thought of the sand not as individual grains, but as one fluid rock, she was able to get the hang of it. She even picked up some of Katara's waterbending moves to aply to the new technique. Next, Toph focused on honing her metal bending skills, trying her hand at bending the knives and shuriken that were standard ninja tools. This was also slow going as the metal that the weapons were forged from had fewer impurities than her space bracelet that she normally practiced with. Finnally, Toph needed to work on agility. As she had witnessed during her runs with Lee and Sokka before the exam, speed was not her strong suit. So every morning when the sun rose, Toph went out to take a jog. On one such morning, after a couple laps around the village, Toph was running down the street when she heard arguing coming from a nearby shop window. It sounded like Ino and Sakura.

Curious as to what the commotion was about, and wanting to take a rest, Toph headed towards the sound of shouting. Stepping through a doorway, Toph felt refreshed as she found herself surrounded by lovely scented air. It must be a flower shop. Sakura and Ino stopped their arguing as soon as they heard the bell ring from the opening of the door.

“Welcome to the yamanaka flower shop! What you might be looking for? Flowers for someone special?” Ino chirped.

“Yeah toph, I wouldn't expect to see you at a place like this.” Sakura said (she had always considered Toph to be more of a Tomboy.) “Why are you here?”

Toph shrugged. “I heard yelling, so what's the commotion about?”

“Hmph! Sakura's trying to win over my sasuke by bringing him flowers!” Ino yelled.

Sakura glared. “You're just mad cause I had the idea first the you dumb copy cat!”

Toph sweat dropped as sparks flew between the two rivals. “Well, I best be going, I have to train really hard if I'm going to be able to kick that Gaara's butt for what he did to Rocky.” She said, and started backing to the door.

“Oh that's right!” Sakura exclaimed. “I forgot you're matched up against gaara of the sand. That's so noble of you to want to avenge lee like that.”

“Yeah,” Ino added, “your team could've dropped out by now. Are you sticking to it just for Lee?”

Toph blushed, “Well at first I just wanted to have some fun, but now I guess I really am just in it for Rocky.” Toph's face saddened. “I only wish I could do more.”

Sakura gave Toph a sympathetic look that she couldn't see. That gave Ino an idea. Leaning over, she whispered in Sakura's ear; “Hey forehead, I never thought I'd find anyone so perfect for Lee!” Sakura gave her a quizzical look and Ino explained. “I mean come on, no girl in their right mind would date a guy with such bushy eyebrows, but Toph's blind! And I think she likes him!” Sakura didn't even have time to reply before Ino started her matchmaking scheme. “I know something more you can do for him Toph!”

“Really? What is it?”

“Weeeeeelll…” Ino drawled out myscheviously, “Sakura and I were just about to bring some flowers to the hospital for Sasuke, why don't you come along and bring flowers for Lee?”

“Flowers?” Toph asked. “That seems a little…”

“Romantic?” Ino supplied. Toph was actually going to say stupid but what Ino said next caught her off guard. “If you really want to do something for Lee, you should become his girlfriend. I heard he likes you!”

Both Toph and Sakura looked incredulous. Ino shrugged at her pink haired friend as if to say `beggers can't be choosers.'

By now Toph was a very bright shade of pink. “I can't,” She said.

“Why not?” Sakura asked.

“I don't know how to choose a flower. I don't know what they look like.”

Sakura and Ino grinned at each other. “We'll help!” They said in unison.

“First off, flowers are not only appealing to the eyes, but to the other senses as well.” Ino lectured. “On top of that, every flower has a meaning! You bring us ten flowers you think smell and feel the best, we'll narrow it down to the prettier ones, then tell you their meanings, and you can choose the perfect flower for Lee.”

Toph was still hesitant. “I don't know…”

“Come on! I guarantee you this will win his heart for sure!”

Toph smiled at that. “Well I do like winning.” She admitted. “All right, lets do this!”