Boulders

Skarn

The caravan, or what was left of it, had stopped in a small town by the border. Though it had only a few hundred people living in it, there was a large building on a hill that apparently housed a minor noble.

So the town got its name: Kokinain.

Toph sat on the ground, Akiko weaving lots of tiny braids around the back of her head. Around them, the merchants were setting up camp, a few of the more important ones taking Itachi to the village in search of a good hotel.

That left her and Kisame to guard the others, which was quite safe, actually. This close to so many people meant that no bandits or robbers would come after them.

Not like-

She hurriedly cut off the thoughts before her mind took her to a place she didn't want to remember.

Akiko tugged on a single strand, obviously distracted by something. Toph let her bending stretch through the ground and picked up the tramping of tiny child feet.

This closeness had honestly surprised Toph. She'd though that after what they'd witnessed her doing, they'd steer clear. She was dangerous, after all. She'd killed.

But instead of avoiding her, the kids seemed to be drawing closer to her. They'd run to hang out with her after they were done with their chores that morning, and took food to her, sharing meals on the grass.

She loved them for it.

"Toph-san! Toph-san!" Shibata called. "I have something for you!"

"Idiot!" Kiya cuffed him on the back of the head. "It's from all of us, and it was supposed to be a surprise!"

Shibata laughed, plopping down besides her in a display of carefree behavior that he'd never exhibited before. He'd been acting reserved the whole trip, but now...

Toph was glad for the change. She motioned for Kiya to sit next to her and waited as the last boy, Hirano, settled himself close by, though he was watching an anthill rather than sitting in their circle.

"Well?" Toph asked.

Shibata walked on his knees right up to her and set something in her hands. It was a book a little thicker than the hilt of her sword, had lots of pages, and was bound by some sort of leather cord.

Although, Toph mused. It was less of a book and more of a little flippy booklet.

"What's this?" She asked, just to be sure they had given her something that wasn't the caravan's accounting records.

"My mom gave this to me," Shibata confided. "Right before I left. She said to write things that made me happy in them so that whenever I was sad I could read it and remember the good things."

"Oh," Toph closed both her hands over the booklet. "Thanks, Shibata."

Kiya elbowed him. "He'd only written like, two things in there, so I helped fill out a whole bunch of things, too! Besides, I have better handwriting."

"Shut it, Kiya!" Shibata elbowed her back.

"That's no way for the son of the Daimyo to behave!" Kiya snarked, dodging his strike with a roll and ending up on Toph's other side.

"Guys," Akiko remarked from behind Toph's back. "You do know she's blind, right?"

"Wait, what!?" Shibata jolted upright, stopping his pursuit of Kiya to half crawl into Toph's lap. He put his hands on her cheeks and leveled her head, obviously checking out her eyes.

"No way..." Kiya came up besides her, joining Shibata in staring at her. "All that work was for nothing?"

Toph let them, blinking placidly. "I still like it."