3rd POV
Toph's world spun back into focus, but not in the way she was used to. The familiar weight of earth was gone, replaced by an unsettling, empty nothingness. She was floating—no, standing—on something, though she couldn't sense it. There was no vibration beneath her feet, no shift in the air to tell her where she was. The temperature around her was unnaturally perfect, adjusting to her body's needs like it had always been that way. But she couldn't feel anything. The stillness of the place felt like it was pressing in on her, a silent weight in the vast nothing.
"Okay, Toph, think," she muttered under her breath, panic bubbling up at the silence, the inability to feel.
"Not dead. Not dead. But... not home either. Where the heck am I?" She tried to calm herself, reminding herself that panic wouldn't help. It hadn't helped her before, and it sure as heck wouldn't now.
Taking a deep breath, she fumbled with the metal on her arm guards. If she couldn't feel, maybe she could use this. She twisted one of the metal plates off the arm guard, bending it with practiced ease into a long, straight shape—one of those sticks blind people used. She'd seen one once, and now it was her turn to use it. She tapped it against the surface beneath her, the sound echoed against the stillness, but the vibrations didn't provide any helpful feedback. The platform was… weird, like it wasn't really there, just pretending to be solid. She tried again, tapping the stick more forcefully, straining to make sense of the emptiness. Still nothing.
"Great. A whole lot of nothing to work with. Fantastic." She pushed herself to her feet, wobbling slightly before steadying herself.
"Guess I'm walking blind-blind now." Her heart pounded in her chest, but she focused. She had no choice. Biting her lip, she tapped her foot forward, cautious, every step making a faint echo against the stillness.
"Okay. One step at a time. No way I'm getting stuck here." Each step sent out a hollow, faint echo, the only sound grounding her as she made her way toward the distant murmurs. The emptiness was overwhelming, her senses craving even the tiniest vibration.
Toph kept moving, each step an effort of will. She didn't know where she was going, but the quiet seemed endless. It wasn't like the calm of the Earth Kingdom, nor was it like the emptiness of the
Spirit World. It was something else entirely. Her ears strained for any clue about her surroundings, but the silence was suffocating.
Then, through the dense silence, she caught a faint murmur—voices, distant and indistinct. She paused, straining to make out the words. A murmur from far away… like a whisper in the wind, but muffled, almost as though the voices were just out of reach. She couldn't catch anything clear, but the presence of others stirred her unease. Who was out there? What was going on?
She moved again, the sound of her footsteps echoing louder in the emptiness. But then, there was something different. A voice, much closer now, soft yet filled with sorrow.
"I'm sorry, Naruto," the voice murmured, thick with emotion.
"Please, be safe. Be strong."
Toph froze, instinctively straining to make sense of it. She couldn't sense the person, but the words, they were unmistakable. This wasn't a trick. Whoever it was, they were close.
"Who's there?" Toph called out, her voice sharper than she intended, cutting through the strange quiet. The figure turned, a surprised gasp escaping their lips.
"You... you're not supposed to be here," the woman said, her voice unsure. "You're not dead…"
Toph frowned.
"Not dead? Yeah, I'm getting that impression." She shifted, scanning the area with her mind, but there was no earth beneath her feet, no vibrations to pinpoint her position. The silence was almost crushing.
"What's going on here? Where am I? And who're you?" The woman studied her, still confused. After a long pause, she stepped forward, her hands trembling.
"I'm Kushina. Kushina Uzumaki." she said softly.
"And you…" Her voice trailed off, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in Toph's form.
"You're alive."
Toph furrowed her brow, her fingers grazing the edges of the smooth metal stick she'd crafted. There was something off about this woman's voice—too kind, too sad, and too steady for someone who might be a threat. But Aang had warned her about spirits that could deceive, and Toph wasn't about to let her guard down.
She stopped a few feet away from the woman, the tapping of her metal stick halting sharply. With a flick of her wrist, the end of the stick curled and twisted, reshaping itself into a razor-sharp point.
She held it out in front of her, casual as could be.
"Just so you know, lady, I'm not exactly helpless here," Toph said, her tone light but laced with warning. She smirked faintly, tilting her head in the woman's direction.
"If you're planning anything shady, don't forget—this might be the spirit world, but don't forget. I'm Toph Beifong, the best earthbender in the world. Metalbender now, actually."
The woman blinked, momentarily startled by the outburst and display of a new ability with metal. Then a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Metalbender, huh? Impressive. And here I thought earth was stubborn and unmoving." Her tone
softened, carrying an edge of amusement.
"Guess that makes you something special." Toph relaxed her stance just a fraction, her smirk widening.
"Glad we're clear on that." The woman—Kushina, as she introduced herself—didn't move closer, her hands folded tightly in front of her.
"I… don't understand how you're here," she admitted after a moment.
"The Pure Lands aren't a place for the living. But… I'm glad you are. It means I have a chance to help my son."
Toph blinked.
"Wait, you want me to help your son?" Her brow furrowed as she stepped back slightly.
"Why me? I don't even know you, lady?" Toph tilted her head then shook
it.
"Look, I don't know what's going on here. I mean, one second, I'm fighting some freaky spirit, next thing I know, I'm waking up in this nowhere place."
Kushina's expression faltered for a moment, but then, as if a thought struck her, she took another step forward.
"If you're alive, then you're different from the rest of us. Maybe… maybe you can go back."
"Go back? Great idea, except I don't know where 'back' even is," Toph replied, crossing her arms.
"And why should I trust anything you say, huh? For all I know, you could be one of those spirits Twinkletoes was always blabbering on about. The nasty ones."
Kushina took a step forward, her voice steady despite the doubt in Toph's tone.
"I'm not a spirit. Not like the ones you've heard of. I'm a mother." Her voice broke slightly at the last word.
"And my son… my son, Naruto, needs help. Your help."
Toph stood still, her mind racing. She was no stranger to weird, otherworldly stuff—this felt like the Spirit World, but it wasn't the Spirit World. And this woman's plea, her urgency, didn't feel like a trick. The words hit her harder than she expected. She wasn't going to let herself get caught up in some spirit's mess, but if this Naruto person was in real trouble…
"Okay, look, I don't know what this is, but if there's a kid out there who needs help, I'm in." She squared her shoulders, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
"But you better tell me how you plan to do this, because I'm not walking into some trap."
Kushina's POV:
I stood a little ways away from this girl, now known as Toph Beifong, that randomly appeared. My hands resting on my hips as I glanced over at the girl who was still adjusting to her new surroundings. I'm trying to figure out how to explain Naruto's situation without overwhelming the girl. The fire inside me burned as brightly as ever, especially when it comes to my son.
"My son, Naruto," I began, my voice steady but laced with a mother's worry. I couldn't keep the edge of anger out of my tone, not when I thought of what had been done to him.
"Just a days ago I saw him being thrown out of the orphanage. Now he's out there, on his own. A 5-year-old child, out on the streets." I paced around for a moment, turning my head to keep my voice low, as though speaking it aloud would make it real. The words felt too heavy, too sharp, a constant reminder of everything that was broken in my world.
"Now he tries to hunt, catch fish, and do whatever he can to survive but people think he's just a troublemaker. They don't know what he's been through. What he's going through." Her fists clenched at her sides.
"And you know what? He deserves better than that."
Toph tilted her head, her expression skeptical, though there was a trace of curiosity.
"Why'd they throw him out?"
My face tightened, and my anger flared at the question, causing my blood-red hair to rise, forming nine sections.
"For no reason," I spat, my words sharp as a blade.
"He is just a boy, and their irrational fear and hatred are ruining his life!" My voice cracked for a moment, and I blinked back tears. The thought of him alone, suffering… it tore at my resolve. But I can't afford to break. Not yet. I forced myself back to composure, breathing deeply.
I could see that Toph knew this wasn't the whole story, but was likely wary of angering me, her only hope of leaving the pure lands. I could see the metal bender (and wasn't that something?) debating whether to ask more questions or let it go. She seemed to hesitate, then wisely decided to give me the space I needed.
"I know it's hard for you to understand," I continued, my voice softer now.
"But you've got something in common with him. I can tell from looking at your soul that you both have an indomitable will. Surviving and adapting to whatever the world throws at you." I hesitated, my eyes briefly shifting down as the weight of the situation pressed against my chest.
"I don't know how you survived being forcefully thrown into the Spirit World, but I know you've got strength. You're tough—with a will stronger than most people I've known." I glanced at Toph, who was silent, letting the words settle. There was a long pause, and then I took a deep breath.
"I'm trying to make sure he doesn't end up alone, that's why I need your help..." I then stayed quiet for a few seconds deciding whether to voice my concerns. In the end, I decided that it was necessary and decided to continue.
"But there's a problem with you now." Anger then appeared on Toph's face. She then put her hands on her hips and looked at me scrutinizingly.
"And what's that supposed to mean." She huffed at me. I then realized she took what I said the wrong way.
"No no no.. You misunderstand. There's not a problem with you personally. I'll explain so you're not confused about what I mean. Since you don't seem to be from my world, your body wasn't born with
chakra coils. This means you don't possess chakra and without chakra you'll be vastly weaker in the world I come from." Toph's angry face was then replaced with a face of understanding.
"Oh, so that's what you meant. You gatta say these things first lady or I'll misunderstand ya. So basically, you're saying I don't have the energy that's used in your world and everybody else'll
be stronger. Ok I get that, so how do you plan to fix this, cause I ain't got a
clue."
"The answer is quite simple. I'll fuse with you." I then grinned at her.
"W-what" she said shocked at my
proclamation.
"Yea you heard me, we're fusing together. When
we do so, you'll get a lot from my soul. That includes my chakra coils, high
chakra reserves, my Uzumaki healing and abilities along knowledge of Fuinjutsu."
"Fiuenjatsu." Toph said, butchering the name. I chuckled a little.
"No, Fu-in-ju-tsu. It's the art of sealing. You'll able to write seals that can practically do anything you can imagine if your skills, chakra, and knowledge of art. You'll also be able to read, understand, and disarm already placed seals using the knowledge you'll get from me. Remember the only thing you'll get from me is knowledge, you'll have to practice if you want to make and disarm seals yourself." I was then interrupted when she put her hand up in a stopping motion.
"I know you don't know this lady but if you
can't already tell by looking at my eyes, I'm blind." I then blinked at her,
confused. I couldn't help but ask.
"I mean, I did think it was weird how you
weren't looking at me and just looking straight ahead or how your eyes aren't
focused on anything, but I never would've imagined that was the reason. How can
you see me and your surroundings if that's the case. I mean you don't have
chakra to sense around." She then sighed after hearing my question.
"Ok I don't want to explain in detail, so
I'll give it to ya like this. The shortened version is that I use the
vibrations of the planet through earthbending to see. Though the range isn't that
bad. It's about one thousand feet. I never felt the need to train myself to
increase it, but I know I can." I was surprised she could see that far. I then
thought about how far she would be able to see with the mind's eye.
"Well, when you obtain the Mind's Eye of Kagura your range will increase as far as you train yourself. Theoretically if you use your vibration sensing and kagura's mind eye at the same time when you've mastered them both to their highest capabilities, you'd be able to see most if not the whole planet, but I believe your brain would overload. This'll only work if you unlock about 80% to 90% of your brain's compacity. For example, the Uchiha clan genetically has about 10% of their brain's compacity available to them; the Hyuga's have at least 30% of their brain's unlocked. Everybody else has 5% of their brain's available to them." I then looked down to see Toph confused face.
"Basically, when you unlock Mind's Eye of Kagura, you'll be able to read anything written with chakra in them and that includes seals. Oh, the mind's eye will activate itself the second you arrive at the
Elemental Nations. It'll always be activated. It'll be at its weakest stage, so you'll only be able to see the chakra in things that's in about a 20 feet radius, so I suggest that this along with your speed should be the first thing you train." She nodded in understanding.
"All I seem to be hearing are good things. I always know there'll be a but to things like this." I then decided to break the news to her. Hopefully she wouldn't be that mad.
"There are a few downsides to this. You won't get any of my memories, so you better be ready to learn all there is about the Shinobi world. Your DNA will be shifted to that of a member of the
Uzumaki clan's royal line. You'll mainly have my DNA in you, so you'll basically be my kid. I'll also add a small bit of my husband's DNA as insurance. I'll do you a favor and give you the ok to have a relationship with my son or should I say, your brother. Oh, and don't about what other people
think if you do get into a relationship with Naruto. Relationships between
siblings are common in Uzumaki culture. I, mean our whole clan lived on an island that wasn't connected to anyone so how do you think we reproduced. Pretty sure the Uchiha's and Hyuga's are the same. I believe one of the first people in Uzumaki history to marry outside the family was my great grandmother Mito Uzumaki, now known Senju. My mother was Tsunade's sister by the way so remember to mention your grandmother if you ever meet the old hag. Anyway, the final downside is that if you go through this your eyes will forever be unhealable." The response I got for this was a deep blush along with a shrug of the shoulders. What Toph said next shocked me.
"Man, the things downsides aren't really a problem. I don't like having thing giving to me without effort, so I'll enjoy training my new abilities. I don't like my family, so it'll be refreshing to
get a new one and have a new mother. And I was born blind, but I found my way around that by gaining another way to see, so I don't care about being blind forever." I blinked and blinked again then bust out laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA, yeah, I guess that makes sense. I thought you'd have a problem with my disadvantages, but I guess they didn't matter. I need to prepare your transportation to my world so if you could give me some space." Toph walked back upon hearing this.
"Alright, get what you need ready. I can't wait to kick ass in another world."
3rd POV
(2 hours later)
Kushina walked Toph to the platform she made. They both stood in the middle of the array of seals meant for transportation. Kushina's thoughts were a whirlwind of strategy and emotion. The weight of it all pressed down on her, but she couldn't stop now. This was the only chance—the only chance—to protect her son. Every moment that passed without him getting the help he needed was a moment too long. She didn't have time to waste on uncertainty.
Toph would be perfect for this. If she could get the girl to respond to the jutsu, she would have a body. Not just a soul. A body. It was the key. She'd seen enough of Orochimaru's experiments to know that this variation of the Impure World Reincarnation was supposed to summon only the soul, 'plagiarizing bastard' she thought. 'Claiming my and Tobirama's work and perverting it.'—but Kushina's interference, her manipulation of the chakra, would make sure Toph's physical form came with it. A body to protect Naruto. A body to be a constant force of strength by his side.
Toph was tough; she knew that instinctively, even without seeing her in action. The girl's aura, her energy, it spoke of resilience, of a will that wouldn't break. The earthbender had the strength to withstand whatever life—or death—threw at her. After all, she was the first person to make it alive into the Pure Lands, surviving with a physical body. She was strong, stubborn, and skilled. Exactly what Naruto would need. Kushina's heart tightened at the thought of her son, so young, so full of potential yet weighed down by burdens no child should bear. But with Toph, maybe there was a chance.
"I believe the point in time you'll be teleported to is a time when you're about the same age and when he desperately needs help. Remember my son's chakra will resemble mine's, but I'm pretty sure he'll probably be the first person you meet during whatever happens. All I have left to say for you now is good luck."
"Not needed but thanks anyway." I smiled at her retort.
'I like this girl already. She reminds me of how I was when I was her age. Hopefully Naruto
will too. I'd love to have some grandkids from her and my son.' She then remembered something very important.
"Oh, and your father's Minato Namikaze, The Fourth Hokage. You also can't go telling anyone he's your father. The only people I trust that you should tell are the pervert Jiraiya and Tsunade Senju. And that's if you ever meet them."
Starting the summoning, I quickly jumped into Toph's body and fused with her. She seemed to fall unconscious but luckily, she stayed in the transportation circle.