Boulders

Diabase

"...Excuse me?"

Armored guy had a deep, soft voice. He was also very clearly staring at her in incredulity.

Toph drew her sword. "I'm going to attack you whether you say yes or no, but I would like to know who I am gracing with the honor of being beaten up by me."

"Um. I'm called Han. Han of Iwa. Why do you want to attack me?"

A grin grew over her face. "Because someone very annoying said I couldn't beat you."

She charged.

She battered at his armor with USS II for about two minutes before deciding that it wasn't working and falling back a couple of steps.

"Giving up?" Han asked politely. He didn't even sound winded.

"Nah," Toph decided, sheathing her sword in a single neat move.

She reached up, arms falling into a familiar position and she grounded her stance and reached for the earth.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Toph couldn't see why this dude was such a big deal. He wouldn't even take her seriously, despite the crazy attacks she was throwing his way.

She dodged a half-hearted blast of steam and retaliated, throwing up a spike of earth. He hopped to the side, easily dodging it.

"How are you doing that?" He asked her, voice rumbly and deep. "Where are all your handsigns?"

"Why does everyone always ask that?" Toph threw up her hands. "It's Earthbending, not any earth jutsus or kekkei genkai or whatever else you think it is."

"It's not?" He asked.

"No," Toph twisted her foot and lunged forwards, breaking the ground beneath him into a giant canyon. "This is all me!"

"Whoah!" He tried to leap back, but he couldn't get any footing and fell in. Quick as a vipereel Toph twisted the ground shut, leaving him stuck in the earth with only his head showing.

"Ha ha!" Toph pumped her fist in triumph. "Take that, sucker! See, Sasori! I'm totally tough enough to take on anyone."

"Why me though?" The guy asked pathetically. "Why couldn't you have proved your toughness on someone else?"

Sasori emerged from a new bush with a look of shock plastered all over his face. "What the he-"

"Sorry," Toph apologized to the steam guy. "Sasori said I couldn't beat you so I had to prove him wrong, of course!"

"Kami-sama," Sasori swore quietly. "I can't believe it. You actually-"

"I know something about that, yes," the steam guy agreed.

"This is- this is great! Toph-kun, you actually managed to-"

"Thanks for being understanding," Toph chirped.

"We have to tell Leader-sama!" Sasori ran his hands through his hair.

"Could you let me up now?" The guy asked, politely. "I think you proved your point."

"Yeah, I think I did," Toph hopped up to him and extended a hand, prying open the ground with her feet. The steam guy took her hand gratefully and clambered out of the ground.

"Toph. Toph-kun. What are you doing?" Sasori asked.

"Thanks for helping me prove my point!" Toph straightened and brushed the dirt off her wrinkled half-kimono. Steam guy did the same, but with markedly less success.

He laughed. "You really had me worried there! I was really stuck!"

"You put up a hard fight!" Toph chirped, straight-faced. "Train harder and maybe one day you'll get stronger!"