Hello, Drinor here. I'm happy to publish a new Chapter of The Last Woodbender.
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The fire crackled softly in the clearing as Naruto finished preparing the rabbits he'd caught using his woodbending. The forest around them was peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos they'd left behind after splitting from Aang's group.
"You know," Toph said, laying back on the earth she'd molded into a comfortable seat, "for a guy who can bend wood, you're surprisingly good at hunting. Those poor rabbits never saw it coming."
"Neither did you when we first met," Naruto chuckled, turning the meat over the fire. "You thought I was just another earthbender."
Toph snorted, a sound that always made Naruto smile. "Hey, in my defense, who'd ever heard of woodbending? Still think it's weird how you can feel the life in plants like I feel vibrations in the earth."
"Speaking of feeling things," Naruto said, his tone growing more serious, "what do you feel about our next move? Now that we're not with Aang anymore..."
"You tell me, Tree Boy. You're the one who said we had a plan." She sat up, her milky eyes somehow managing to fix exactly on his position. "So what's this brilliant scheme of yours?"
Naruto took a deep breath. "We start with the cities near Ba Sing Se. Free them from Fire Nation control."
There was a moment of silence before Toph burst out laughing. "Wait, you're serious? Just the two of us against entire armies?"
"Why not?" Naruto reached over and took her hand, his calloused fingers intertwining with hers. "You're the greatest earthbender in the world. I'm... well, I'm me."
"Humble as always," Toph smirked, but squeezed his hand. She could feel his heartbeat through the earth. "But you're not wrong about me being the greatest."
Naruto fell silent, looking at his free hand. His right eye, now a brilliant emerald green, seemed to glow in the firelight, while his left eye - a pale, clouded blue - remained dull and unseeing.
Toph felt his heartbeat change. "You're doing that brooding thing again, aren't you? I can feel it in your pulse."
"Just thinking about how much has changed," he said softly. "Used to be I could see everything. Now..."
"Hey," Toph pulled him closer, "being half-blind just means you're halfway to being as awesome as me. Besides, that green eye of yours is pretty useful with the whole plant-life-sensing thing."
"How do you know it's green?" Naruto teased. "You can't even see colors."
"Because you've told me about fifty times, you dork." She punched his arm affectionately. "Now, about these cities - what's the actual plan? We can't just walk in and start throwing rocks and trees around."
"Well..." Naruto grinned, a expression that usually meant trouble. "Actually, that's exactly what we're going to do. But strategically."
"Oh, strategically. That makes it so much better," Toph rolled her eyes. "And what about when the Fire Nation sends reinforcements? Because they will."
Naruto's grin widened. "That's the beauty of it - we want them to send reinforcements. The cities are just a cover-up."
"A cover-up for what?" Toph's expression shifted from skeptical to intrigued.
"We're going to the Fire Nation itself."
The crackling of the fire filled the silence that followed.
"Okay," Toph said slowly, "now I know you've lost it. The Fire Nation? The actual Fire Nation? The place full of, you know, fire?"
"Think about it," Naruto leaned forward, his voice intense. "While they're busy sending troops to reclaim the cities we free, their homeland's defenses will be weaker. Plus, they'd never expect two people to be crazy enough to try it."
"Because it is crazy!" Toph threw her hands up. "Completely, utterly crazy! I love it."
Naruto laughed. "I knew you would."
"But," she added, poking his chest, "we need more than just 'being crazy' as a plan. I may not be able to see, but even I know the Fire Nation's probably got some serious defenses."
"That's where your earthbending comes in," Naruto said, pulling her closer. "We go underground. Way underground. Where they can't detect us."
"Hmm," Toph pretended to consider it. "So I get to make the biggest tunnel ever, mess with the Fire Nation, and spend weeks alone underground with you? There are worse plans."
"Weeks alone with me? Is that all you got from that?" Naruto chuckled.
"Well, it is a pretty good part of the plan," she smirked, leaning against him. "Though I have to ask - what exactly are we planning to do once we get there?"
"We find their weak points," Naruto's voice grew serious again. "Their food storage, their weapons factories, their supply lines. We don't have to beat their whole army - we just have to make it impossible for them to maintain one."
"Sneaky," Toph nodded approvingly. "Though I still think we should throw at least a few rocks at people. For fun."
"Oh, there'll be plenty of that too," Naruto assured her. "But first..." He reached over to check the cooking meat. "First, we eat. Can't overthrow a nation on an empty stomach."
"Now that's the kind of planning I can get behind." Toph created a small earth table between them. "Though I have to say, for someone who can literally control plants, you sure do eat a lot of meat."
"Hey, plants are friends, not food," Naruto defended, serving the rabbit. "Besides, you try living off leaves and see how you like it."
"Pass," Toph took a big bite. "So, when do we start this crazy mission of ours?"
"Tomorrow," Naruto said, his mismatched eyes reflecting the firelight. "We'll head to the nearest occupied city - Gaoling."
"My hometown?" Toph's voice carried a mix of surprise and something else. "You sure about that?"
"I figured you'd want to free it first," Naruto said softly. "Plus, I know you've been worried about your parents."
"I'm not worried," Toph said automatically, but her heart rate said otherwise. "They're probably fine. They know how to play nice with authority."
"Still," Naruto touched her cheek gently, "we can make sure. And maybe... maybe they'll see who you really are now."
"Yeah, right," Toph scoffed, but leaned into his touch. "Their helpless blind daughter, now a wanted criminal working with a one-eyed woodbender to overthrow the Fire Nation. I'm sure they'll be thrilled."
"Hey, I prefer 'dashingly rugged woodbender with unique depth perception,'" Naruto protested.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Tree Boy," Toph laughed, then grew serious. "You know, this whole plan is pretty much suicide."
"Probably," Naruto agreed cheerfully. "Having second thoughts?"
"Nah," Toph grinned, punching his arm again. "Just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting us into."
"With you by my side?" Naruto pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I'd take on all four nations at once."
"Smooth talker," Toph muttered, but couldn't hide her smile. "Just remember, if we die, I'm totally blaming you in the Spirit World."
"Fair enough," Naruto chuckled. "Though I have to say, for someone who claims to be the greatest earthbender in the world, you sure do talk about dying a lot."
"It's called being realistic," Toph retorted. "Besides, being the greatest doesn't mean being immortal. It just means I'll look awesome while fighting."
"You always look awesome," Naruto said softly.
"Now you're just getting sappy," Toph complained, but her cheeks flushed slightly. "Save it for when we're actually in mortal danger."
"So... tomorrow then?"
"Exactly." Toph created a small earth tent around them as the night grew cooler. "Now shut up and let me sleep. I need my rest if we're going to start a revolution tomorrow."
Naruto laid back, pulling her close. "Yes ma'am."
They lay there in comfortable silence for a while, the fire dying down outside their shelter. Just as Naruto was drifting off, Toph spoke again.
"Hey, Naruto?"
"Mm?"
"Thanks. For choosing Gaoling first."
He smiled in the darkness. "Anything for you, Toph."
"And Naruto?"
"Yeah?"
"If you tell anyone I got sentimental, I'll bury you so deep even your wood-sensing won't help you find the surface."
Naruto laughed softly. "Your secret's safe with me."
Later
The moon hung low and full in the night sky, casting long shadows through the trees. At precisely 3 AM, Azula emerged from the darkness like a ghost, her usual royal armor replaced with simple black clothing. Her trademark smirk was firmly in place as she approached Naruto, who stood motionless in a small clearing with a flowing lake nearby.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite wood-wielding blonde," Azula's voice carried its usual mixture of honey and poison. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about our little arrangement."
"The last time we met, you tried to kill Toph," Naruto's voice was cold, devoid of its usual warmth. His green eye gleamed in the moonlight, the right one slightly brighter than the left.
Azula waved her hand dismissively, as if swatting away an annoying insect. "Oh, please. The blind girl is perfectly fine. Besides, I had to make it look convincing, didn't I? Can't have anyone suspecting we're..." she paused, savoring the word, "...collaborating."
"Is our agreement still in place?" she asked, her golden eyes studying his face intently.
"If it weren't," Naruto replied, his voice dropping even lower, "you'd be dead where you stand."
A delighted shiver ran through Azula at his tone. "My, my... you do know how to make a girl feel special." She circled him slowly, like a predator - though whether she was the hunter or the hunted wasn't entirely clear. "Remember, no woodbending in the Fire Nation. It's far too... distinctive. Though I must say, you're fortunate my father remains unaware of your black flame ability. It makes for such a convenient cover."
"What's your endgame, Azula?" Naruto's eyes tracked her movement. "You could have 'tried' to kill me a dozen times by now. Instead, you're playing this game. Why?"
Azula stopped her circling, facing him directly. For a moment, her ever-present smirk faltered, replaced by something more genuine - and perhaps more dangerous.
"Because, Naruto, sometimes the most interesting path isn't the most obvious one." She stepped closer, close enough that he could feel the heat radiating from her body. "You think I haven't noticed? The way things are changing? My father's grip on power is absolute, yes, but absolute power has a way of becoming... brittle."
"And you're positioning yourself for when it breaks."
"Smart boy," Azula's smirk returned. "The Fire Nation needs to evolve. Change. And change requires... catalysts." She reached out as if to touch his face but stopped just short. "You're something new. Something unexpected. And I do so love unexpected things."
"You're playing a dangerous game," Naruto warned.
"Aren't we all?" Azula laughed softly. "But I play to win. Always. And having you as an ally rather than an enemy... well, let's just say I can appreciate a useful tool when I see one."
"I'm not your tool, Azula."
"No," she agreed. "You're something far more interesting. You're a wild card. And in the game I'm playing, wild cards are invaluable." She stepped back, the moonlight casting sharp shadows across her face. "Just remember our deal. You keep my little secret, I keep yours. And when the time comes..."
"When the time comes," Naruto finished, "all bets are off."
"Precisely." Azula's smile turned predatory. "May the best player win. Though I should warn you..." her eyes glinted dangerously, "I never lose."
"First time for everything," Naruto replied evenly.
Azula laughed again, the sound echoing through the clearing. "This is why I like you, Naruto. You're not afraid of me. It's... refreshing." She began backing away into the shadows. "Give my regards to your little earthbender. And remember - in Gaoling, eyes are everywhere. Even the walls have ears."
"Is that a warning or a threat?"
"Can't it be both?" Azula's voice came from the darkness. "Sweet dreams, Naruto. Try not to let our little chat keep you up at night."
Tomorrow
Toph stood motionless at the outskirts of Gaoling, her bare feet planted firmly on the earth she knew so intimately. Her face, usually animated with confidence or sarcasm, had gone completely still.
"It's... different," she finally said, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. Through her earthbending, she could feel the changes in her hometown like scars on familiar skin. "There are Fire Nation guard posts at every major intersection. Metal walkways installed above the streets. The earth feels... wrong."
Naruto watched her carefully, noting how her hands had clenched into fists. "Tell me what you feel."
"The marketplace where I used to sneak out to listen to merchants' stories - they've turned it into a military supply depot. The Earth Rumble arena..." she paused, swallowing hard. "They've converted it into a prison."
"And your home?" Naruto asked gently.
Toph's face hardened. "Still standing. Still pristine. Still protected. Of course my parents would find a way to stay in the Fire Nation's good graces." She spat the words out like they tasted bitter. "I can feel them in there, going about their daily routine like nothing's changed. Like there aren't people suffering right outside their walls."
"Toph..." Naruto reached for her hand.
"No," she cut him off, but gripped his hand tightly. "I'm fine. I just... I always knew they lived in their own little world, but feeling it like this..." She turned her blind eyes toward him, and despite her inability to see, they blazed with determination. "We're going to tear it all down. Every guard post, every prison cell, every single piece of metal they've used to cage my city."
Naruto felt the earth trembling slightly beneath their feet - not from fear, but from Toph's barely contained rage.
"And my parents?" She let out a harsh laugh. "They can either wake up and see what's really happening, or they can stay in their precious bubble while I save their city for them."
She took a deep breath, and when she spoke again, her familiar cocky grin had returned, though there was something harder behind it now. "Ready to help me redecorate, Tree Boy?"
"After you, Oh Great Earthbender," Naruto squeezed her hand. "Just try not to bury me while you're remodeling the whole city."
"No promises," Toph smirked, but she held onto his hand for a moment longer before releasing it.
Naruto's right eye, bright green and alert, scanned the entrance while his left remained dull and unseeing. "They're checking everyone's papers at the gate. Two guards at ground level, two more on the walkway above. They've got some kind of stamp they're using on approved documents."
Using his woodbending, he created a small gap in the foliage for a better view. "There's a merchant being turned away right now. Looks like they're pretty strict about documentation."
"Good thing we're not planning to use the front door then," Toph grinned, cracking her knuckles. "Ready for a little underground expedition?"
A few minutes later, they emerged from a perfectly crafted tunnel into an abandoned storehouse near the city's edge. Toph had navigated them past the underground security measures with ease, though she'd complained about the "amateur metalwork" of the Fire Nation barriers.
The interior of Gaoling was even more transformed than the outside. What had once been a vibrant marketplace was now sectioned off into strictly controlled trading zones. Fire Nation soldiers patrolled in pairs, their armor creating distinct vibrations that Toph could track easily. Citizens hurried about their business, heads down, voices hushed.
"Well," Naruto said quietly, "this is cheerful."
"Yeah, they've really brightened up the place," Toph replied sarcastically. "So what's the plan, Tree Boy? Please tell me it involves throwing at least one soldier off those pretentious walkways."
"Not yet," Naruto touched her arm gently. "We need to be smarter than we were in Ba Sing Se. No charging in without understanding the situation. We need to know how the people feel, where their breaking points are, who might help us when the time comes."
Toph sighed dramatically. "Fine. Reconnaissance first, throwing people off high places later. What's our approach?"
"We split up," Naruto suggested. "Cover more ground. You can feel the whole city through the earth - you'll know if either of us gets into trouble. I'll take the merchant district, you handle the residential areas. The people there might remember you."
"Or remember the blind noble girl who disappeared," Toph pointed out. "But you're right. I know those streets better than anyone. Just... be careful with that fancy eye of yours. We don't need anyone noticing it glowing when you're trying to be sneaky."
"Says the girl who sees with her feet," Naruto teased.
"Hey, at least my feet don't glow," Toph retorted, then grew serious. "But really, be careful. These soldiers... they're different from Ba Sing Se. More disciplined. More brutal."
"I will if you will," Naruto promised.
Toph reached up, finding his face with practiced ease, and pulled him down for a kiss. "Deal. Try not to start the revolution without me."
"Wouldn't dream of it. You'd never let me hear the end of it."
They separated, each heading in opposite directions into the transformed city. Naruto made his way toward the merchant district, keeping his head down and his right eye slightly closed to minimize its distinctive glow. The streets here were different from what Toph had described from her childhood. Where there had once been open-air markets and street performers, now there were regimented stalls with Fire Nation permits prominently displayed.
Merchants called out their wares in subdued voices, while Fire Nation soldiers watched from their elevated walkways. The metal structures cast strange shadows across the streets, creating an almost cage-like effect. Naruto noticed how the citizens would tense slightly whenever a patrol passed, their conversations dropping to whispers.
He stopped at a fruit stand, pretending to examine the merchandise while listening to nearby conversations. The vendor, an older woman with worried eyes, watched him carefully.
"New in town?" she asked quietly, adjusting her display.
"That obvious?" Naruto smiled disarmingly.
"You look around too much," she advised. "Best to keep your eyes down these days. Less trouble that way."
"Things are that bad?"
The woman glanced quickly at the nearest patrol before responding. "Things are... orderly. The Fire Nation keeps us safe, after all." Her tone made it clear what she really thought of that safety.
Meanwhile, Toph navigated the residential districts with practiced ease, despite the changes. The vibrations of the city told her a story of fear and resistance. Behind closed doors, she could feel people gathering in small groups, their heartbeats suggesting secretive conversations. The patrols here were lighter than in the merchant district, but more random - designed to keep people uncertain and afraid.
She stopped at a familiar corner where she used to listen to an old man tell stories. The spot was empty now, but she could feel a group of children hiding in a nearby alley, playing some sort of game away from the soldiers' eyes.
"Hey kids," she said softly, approaching them. "That hiding spot has a better exit if you go through the old Chen family's garden."
The children froze, but one of them, braver than the rest, spoke up. "How do you know about that?"
"Let's just say I used to be pretty good at hiding from people in this city," Toph grinned. "Things sure have changed though."
"Did you live here before?" another child asked. "Before the Fire Nation came?"
"Yeah, I did. What's it like now? For real, not what the adults say when the soldiers are around."
The children gathered closer, their voices dropping to whispers as they shared stories of midnight arrests, of parents whispering about resistance, of new rules and harsh punishments. Toph listened, memorizing every detail, her heart aching for her changed hometown.
Across the city, Naruto had worked his way deeper into the merchant district, gathering his own intelligence. The merchants, while cautious, were willing to talk if approached carefully. He learned about the new tax systems, the trade restrictions, the way certain merchants would mysteriously disappear if they complained too loudly.
But he also learned about hope - about secret messages passed between shops, about small acts of defiance hidden behind careful compliance. His right eye, sensitive to the life force in plants, detected several hidden gardens where people were growing food away from Fire Nation control.
As the day progressed, both Naruto and Toph built a clearer picture of Gaoling under occupation. The city was like a pot slowly coming to boil - the surface might appear calm, but underneath, pressure was building. The Fire Nation's control was thorough but not complete. There were cracks in their system, spaces where resistance could grow.
They reunited as evening approached, meeting in the same abandoned storehouse. Toph immediately punched Naruto's arm, her way of showing relief at his safe return.
"You won't believe what I found out," they both said simultaneously, then laughed.
"Ladies first," Naruto gestured.
"Such a gentleman," Toph smirked. "Well, turns out my dear old hometown isn't as beaten as it looks. There's an underground network - literally underground in some cases. People are just waiting for a chance to fight back."
"Same in the merchant district," Naruto added. "They're careful, but there's organization there. Hidden supply lines, secret communications. They just need..."
"A spark," Toph finished. "Something to show them it's possible to win."
"Exactly. But we need to be smart about this. The Fire Nation's grip here is different from Ba Sing Se. More efficient, more systematic."
"Yeah, I noticed that too," Toph's expression grew serious. "They learned from their mistakes in the other cities. The controls here are tighter, but that also means..."
"They're more brittle," Naruto nodded. "Break them in the right place, and the whole system could collapse."
"Now you're talking my language," Toph cracked her knuckles. "So, what's the plan? Please tell me it involves some actual fighting this time."
"Oh, it definitely does," Naruto grinned. "But first, we need to make some friends. Build some trust. Show people we're not just troublemakers, but actually have a chance of winning."
"You mean I have to be nice to people?" Toph groaned. "The things I do for revolution."
"Consider it practice for when you're the hero of Gaoling."
"Hero of Gaoling?" Toph snorted. "Please. I'll settle for being the nightmare of every Fire Nation soldier in the city."
"Why not both?" Naruto pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.
"Now you're talking," Toph smiled, then turned serious. "We're really doing this, aren't we? Taking back my hometown?"
"Unless you want to back out..."
"Not a chance," Toph punched his arm again. "Besides, someone needs to teach these Fire Nation goons that putting up metal walkways in an earth-bending city was a really stupid idea."
"I love it when you talk strategy," Naruto laughed.
As night fell over Gaoling, they began planning in earnest. The city might have changed, but its heart - like its greatest earthbender - remained unbroken. The Fire Nation had built their control carefully, systematically, but they'd made one crucial mistake:
They'd given Toph Bei Fong a reason to come home.
"Toph?"
The word hung in the air, and for the first time in years, Toph felt truly blind. She had been so focused on tracking the Fire Nation patrols, on mapping the changes in her city, that she'd missed the approaching footsteps she should have felt from a mile away. Her whole body tensed, muscles coiling like a cornered animal.
Naruto turned first, his green eye-widening in recognition. She looked both exactly the same and completely different from when he'd last seen her six months ago. Her clothes were still immaculate, her posture still perfect, but there was something haunted in her eyes now. The Fire Nation occupation had left its mark.
"I... I thought it was you," She said, her voice trembling slightly. "I saw you from across the street, and I couldn't believe..." She took a step forward, one hand reaching out.
Toph turned slowly, her unseeing eyes narrowing, her face settling into an expression that could have been carved from stone.
"Long time no see... mother."
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