Kunoichi amongst Benders (avatar x Naruto crossover) Sakuar centric

Salutations everyone! Have you been having a good February? Though this month is short, no day is without it's challenges. I've been dealing with a lot of personal issues lately but my spirits are always lifted when I write for you, my amazing readers. I always find that reading a good story is the best remedy to take away the troubles of reality, and I hope that these chapters will do just that for you.

Enjoy!

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Chapter 10: Hope is Born

Sakura assumed her night was going to end on that bittersweet discussion with Katara, but when she headed back to the campsite, she overheard muffled voices on another side of the cliff. Sokka and Suki were conversing with a heavy tone of voice. Suki was confronting Sokka about his overprotective behavior that had hindered the Kiyoshi warrior today. She wasn't cynical in her questioning, more concerned for the reasoning behind this.

"Look; I know you're just trying to help but I can take care of myself," Suki said softly.

"I know you can," Sokka replied certainly.

The serious expression on his face was something Sakura felt did not suit him very well; the demeanor and aura were odd. At least when comparing it to the impression Sokka had given her.

"Then why are you acting so overprotective?" Suki asked.

"It's so hard to lose someone you care about." Sokka told her turning back up to the moon, a glimmer of recognition and sadness in his eyes, "Something happened at the North Pole and I couldn't protect someone; I don't want anything like that to ever happen again."

Suki gave a small smile "I lost someone I care about; he didn't die he just went away; I only got a few days to get to know him but he was smart and brave and funny."

Sokka stood up frowning in jealousy "Who is this guy? Is he taller than me?"

"No, he's about your height," Suki said, still smiling.

Sakura slapped her forehead, amazed at how dense Sokka could be. 

"Is he better looking?"

"It's you stupid," Suki said standing up as well, watching as Sokka's face changed instantly, wiping away all signs of aggravation and envy.

"Oh"

Suki and Sokka stared at each other before moving closer in towards the other; their eyes closing and lips pursing slightly, giving a clear foreshadowing to Sakura.

'And that's my cue to leave.' Sakura thought averting her eyes but then she heard Sokka speak that very moment.

"I can't."

Turning back Sakura saw that for whatever reason Sokka had turned his back on Suki.

"I'm sorry," Suki said

"No; you shouldn't be," Sokka said before walking away.

Sokka wanted to return to the campsite and just sleep away his troubles, to stop reminiscing about his past mistakes and regrets only to be caught off caught by a silhouette that appeared to be Sakura in the moonlight. Pink was easy to spot in almost any lighting.

"What was that about?" He barely got a word out because she grabbed him with a rather terrifyingly determined look on her face before dragging him to the side, somewhere behind a cluster of rocks where they wouldn't be seen with anyone.

"Tell me,"

Sokka looked at her confused "What are you talking about?"

"What happened out there with you and Suki earlier on?" Sakura said crossing her arms over her chest "I know you like her so why did you hesitate and turn away?"

"You were spying on me?" Sokka asked frowning, 

"Just answer the question." Sakura said before her face softened "You like Suki don't you?"

"Of course I do," Sokka said certainly. Still not entirely forgetting that Sakura had been eavesdropping on them.

"Then why didn't you kiss her?"

Sokka bit his lip and looked up at the moon, it was in a large crescent and the way Sakura saw him view the moon, it was as if he was looking at a person. "I can't...."

 "What do you have to be guilty about?" Sakura asked placing a hand on his shoulder. Sokka shook off her hand, trying to walk away.

"I'm not guilty-

"I know that look, I've worn that look," Sakura stated, stopping him. "What I don't is what caused it,"

Sokka hesitated for a moment, his gaze fixed on the ground. He wasn't used to opening up about his feelings, especially not to someone he barely knew. But something about Sakura's presence, her calm yet persistent demeanor, made him feel like he could talk to her.

With a heavy sigh, Sokka finally spoke. "Her name was Yue. She was the princess of the Northern Water Tribe… and she was also the moon spirit."

Sakura listened intently, not interrupting as Sokka continued. His voice wavered with emotion as he recounted the story.

"When we were at the North Pole for Aang's water bending training, the Fire Nation attacked. Their general killed the Moon Spirit, and without the moon, things were not looking so good." Sokka explained that without the moon spirit, water benders lost their bending powers and that was especially dangerous in their situation where the Fire nation was laying siege to their home. "But Yue… she was given life by the Moon Spirit when she was born, so she sacrificed herself to save it by giving that life back. She became the new Moon Spirit, and… I couldn't do anything to stop it."

Sokka's voice cracked, and he clenched his fists. "I loved her, and I couldn't protect her. Now, every time I look at the moon, I think of her. I can't forget her, and I don't want to forget her… but it makes it hard to move on. Especially with Suki."

"It's hard to let go of someone you care about, especially when you feel like you could've done more. But Sokka, you can't carry all that guilt on your shoulders forever."

"You only think that because you haven't been around me long enough." Sokka sighed, "Besides, how can I even think of being with Suki when, with Yue, I was…?" He couldn't even find the words to finish that statement never mind convey his conflictions. But It was enough to make Sakura understand.

 "You can care about more than one person you know? That doesn't take away the love you have, it's not something that can be split, it's something that multiplies. And if Yue really cares about you, I doubt she would want you to stop living, just because she's gone."

Sokka shook his head slowly. "No… she wouldn't."

"Then maybe it's time to start forgiving yourself," Sakura said softly. "It's okay to hold onto the memories but don't let them keep you from living your life. Suki cares about you, and she deserves to know how you feel."

Sokka took a deep breath, her words slowly sinking in. "You're right…thanks, Sakura,"

Sakura patted his shoulder. "Glad I could help. We should get some rest though, it's going to be a long day,"

As Sokka returned to camp, the kunoichi couldn't help but look out into the distance, falling into her thoughts. Seeing Sokka in that state, reminded her too much of herself. He blamed himself, because he wasn't strong enough to protect her, or he believed he wasn't. However, the way Sakura heard this story, it wasn't possible to change Yue's fate. However the sense of helplessness, unable to protect the person you cared for, it was as if her reflection was caught in Sokka's eyes in that moment.

..

..

..

There were fewer delays following their continued journey through the Serpents Pass. The jagged path was just as rough, but the journey was easier when they didn't have to dodge flaming oil-stained boulders that crashed through their path. All was going well for the first few hours of daylight, the winds were calmer too. However, after a few hours, they found themselves at a stalemate with the path, as the sea had made itself a permanent resident of its center.

While this was no obstacle for Sakura who could cross the water's surface on foot, there was an entire party with far too many members for her to carry in one go. Before she could make the offer to take everyone across one at a time, Katara called them to come together.

"Everyone form a single line" Katara ordered. Once following her instruction, Katara began to sway her arms in a patterned motion, the water following her gesture, swaying along to her whim. Sakura watched this intently, as she had whenever she witnessed this supernatural ability so far. Fire bending showed more aggression, as if it was forced to follow the bender's orders, air bending had lighter movements that had a big impact, and earth bending was rigid in its forms and strong like its element, water bending had more flow, Katara's actions akin to liquid. The seas moved creating a path that wrapped around them like a blanket full of air as they took to the ocean floor. Aang also assisted Katara with their air pocket. 

This differentiated from ninjutsu, where elements needed to be coded out before they could be executed. Sakura admired the ocean floor, the vast depth of the sea in a new perspective. Watching a school of fish swim by as if they were inside an aquarium. She chuckled when she saw Momo swimming outside, chasing after the fish. However, the delightful atmosphere didn't last long.

The ocean was deep, with a shadow that ran further than any terrain on land could replicate. That's what made it so dangerous. It was just far out into the distance, and it was so miniscule in the corner of her eye, that Sakura assumed it was just another fish. But the instincts in her gut came to life in that moment.

"What's wrong Sakura?" Toph asked, alert now and the first one aware of the girl's sudden change.

"I'm not sure, but I think something's out here with us," Sakura said, "It feels like we're being hunted,"

"What?" Katara glanced around, but she kept the motions of her swaying in line with Aang. If either of them fell out of tune, then they could risk popping their bubble. Momo returned from the waters, jumping onto Aang's shoulder and he also seemed distressed.

Then a shadow grew almost too quickly to comprehend, passing along from a distance, it was too far in the murky waters for them to see it clearly but it was big. And it was getting closer.

Everyone stood together. Then something broke through the air pocket they were in, Katara and Aang made sure not to lose their composure or hold of their bending even as they were startled. Toph chose to take them to land for a better look and swung her arms forward and up to create a pillar structure of earth that broke through to the surface. That's when everyone else was able to get a better picture of what had been scouting them.

The waters ripped in waves but it wasn't natural, as a scaly back peered from the edges of the foam. The creature burst forward, its body coiled like a snake with eye-catching scales of green and purple, because of course, something of that magnitude had no need for camouflage, its long face had whiskers like a catfish and red eyes. It opened its jaw revealing rows of sharp teeth as it screeched.

Sokka, though stunned was not silent, pointing at the creature, "I think I know why they call it the serpent pass,"

Sakura stared down the creature, cautious of its movements in case it decided to strike, at the moment it was still examining them. "We need to do something fast,"

Sokka grabbed Momo and held him up towards the sea creature, "Oh great and powerful sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering."

"Sokka!" Katara scolded.

"I meant to start making our escape,"

When it attempted to charge, Aang blasted a gust of wind to knock it back.

"I'll distract it, Katara get everyone across," Aang said before flying up into the air on his glider, which quickly attracted the sea serpents attention.

"Hold on!" Sakura grabbed Aang's staff to prevent him from flying.

"Sakura, what are you doing?"

She watched the creature dive into the water, no doubt circling to come in for another attack. Then she did something unexpected and completely inappropriate to the situation. She smiled.

"Leave this to me,"

As soon as Sakura suggested taking on the serpent alone, the protests began to fly.

"You can't face that thing alone!" Katara shouted, her voice filled with concern. "It's way too dangerous!"

Aang, equally worried, added, "We're better off fighting this together. Let us help!"

"You need to make sure they get across this pass safely. You've seen what I can do, I can handle it,"

"Yeah, you might be tough, but that thing is huge!"

Yet she remained unwavering in her decision her eyes were shining with her smile, as she knocked her fists together, "Trust me, this will be over in a minute."

Sakura then dashed toward the water, and to the astonishment of everyone, she continued moving—her feet gliding effortlessly across the ocean's surface.

Suki, her brow furrowed in confusion, turned to Sokka. "Is she a waterbender?"

Sokka, equally baffled, shook his head. "No... she's an alien."

Suki blinked. "What?"

Before the conversation could continue, the serpent reappeared, looming menacingly over Sakura. Suki, still concerned, said, "But that thing is too big for one person to handle!"

Sakura didn't flinch. She pulled out a kunai knife, aiming carefully before throwing it with precision. The blade struck the serpent directly in one eye. The beast roared in pain, its attention fully diverted toward her. With a smirk, she shouted, "Come and get me!"

The serpent, enraged, chased after her, leaving the others behind. Sakura led it further away from the group, running across the water.

Meanwhile, Katara quickly created an ice bridge along the water's surface, and she guided everyone across to the other side of the pass. They moved swiftly, but their eyes kept darting back to the ongoing battle.

When Sakura was certain that the serpent was far enough from the others, she stopped running, turning her heel to face the massive creature, her expression calm but focused. Gathering chakra into her fist, she waited, her eyes locked on the sea as the serpent disappeared beneath the surface. The atmosphere grew eerily silent, as the waves settled, the foam ceased and the waters stabilized. That was the perfect definition of calm before the storm.

In such a situation, there would be an unnerving pressure that chipped into a person's armor, slowly making them crumble into absolute fear. However, Sakura was solid, like ice, cold and unmoving.

On the other side of the pass, Katar, Aanag, Suki, and Sokka were hurrying their passengers over the ice bridge, to the other side. They were careful of Ying, who they couldn't' risk slipping on the patch of solid sea, however, Toph needed coaxing over as well since she couldn't see anything on ice as she could through the earth. There was nothing less comforting than having your senses cut at a time when danger was looming over you.

Aang helped guide her across as quickly as he could, glancing over to where Sakura stood.

"Sakura, be careful!" Katara called out, holding onto Ying as they made it halfway across.

The serpent reared its head once again, its jaws unhinged as it propelled through the sea and flew into the air, meaning to devour the girl in one swoop. At the same moment, Sakura leaped into the air, high above the creature's head, avoiding its mouth, which clamped shut below her. As she began to fall, she clenched her fist, chakra glowing around it. With a powerful shout, she brought her fist down on the serpent's head.

The impact was tremendous. The serpent's jaw slammed shut with a deafening crash, its entire body jerking from the force of Sakura's punch. The beast let out a wail of pain as it crashed back into the ocean, the surface shattering like glass beneath its massive weight. And its shadow disappeared beneath the waves.

Breathing steadily, Sakura made her way back to the other side of the pass. As she approached, she was met with a chorus of slack-jawed, wide-eyed companions.

"How did you do that?" Suki asked, her voice trembling with awe.

Sokka, still processing what he had just witnessed, repeated with a nod of certainty, "She's an alien."

Sakura chuckled, her gaze softening. "Not quite. Just a ninja."

..

..

..

In the remaining daylight hours, they managed to endure an uneventful journey and finally put the past behind them, coming to land once more. A good distance still stood between them and Ba Sing Se, but they knew they weren't far off as the wall's structure came into the distance.

"There's the wall" Sokka cried out, eager to see the straight line with no end from where they stood. "Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se."

As if the universe couldn't allow such a transition, Ying cried with alarm, holding her stomach, her eyes widened filled with anxiety, "The babies coming!"

Sokka's relief vanished like dust in the wind, and he was overcome with a hurricane of panic, "What right now?! Can't you hold it in?!"

The look Sakura gave was one after you drank sour milk, "That's not how the human body works Sokka. She's going into labor. It's like a floodgate opening, and it won't close until-

Sokka slapped his hands over his ears shaking his head, "I don't need that image! What are we going to do!?"

Katara quickly stepped in, "Sokka calm down, I helped Gran-gran deliver plenty of babies."

"This isn't an Arctic seal this is an actual human thing!" Sokka exclaimed

Katara didn't waver, giving her brother a deadpan expression. "It's called a baby and I helped her deliver plenty of those too."

"You've got a trained medic right here as well," Sakura added with a raised hand.

"Then it looks like we're doing this together," Katara said before turning to the rest of the group, "Aang get some rags, Sokka-water; Toph I need you to make an earth tent." 

Everyone started running around while Sakura, Katara, and Suki went into the earth tent Toph had created around the family. 

The full labor process was one Sakura had dealt with plenty of times; the only difference now was that she was delivering someone's baby in another world and an earth-tent instead of in a hospital. Although technicalities like that didn't trouble Sakura as much as the fact that the baby was being delivered in the wilderness. Ying was breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her face tightly holding her husband's hand and breathing in the intervals Sakura had told her to.

"You're doing great," Katara said, next to Sakura. She called back at the opening of the tent for Sokka to bring the water quickly.

"Okay get ready to push," Sakura instructed, keeping her hands at the ready for the baby.

"One, two three..." Katara started

"Push!" Sakura finished,

Just as they said that Sokka came in with the water, caught sight of the birth, and fainted. Sakura turned around and grabbed the water that was in the pouch.

"Did Sokka just faint!?" Suki asked.

Sakura restrained herself from laughing and focused on Ying.

A little while later, Aang, Toph, and Sokka (who woke up and quickly crawled out of the tent) heard the sounds of crying coming from the structure, and then Sakura and Katara were exclaiming in happiness the baby's gender which was a girl. Soon after everyone else appeared into the tent Toph apologised saying that they had to make sure Sokka wasn't going to faint again.

"She sounds healthy," said Toph.

"She's beautiful" Katara stated kindly.

"It's so squishy looking," Sokka observed.

Sakura rolled her eyes, she was washing her hands and drying them with one of the rags. "Oh, the day you have kids...

"What should we name her?"

Ying looked at her husband and smiled "I want our baby's name to be unique; I want it to mean something."

As Aang entered and saw the baby his eyes started to fill with uncontrollable tears of happiness. "I've been going through a really hard time lately but you've made me hopeful again."

Ying looked back at her husband, her eyes shining gleefully. "I know what I want to name our baby now...Hope."

"That's a perfect name."

Sakura smiled as she looked at the couple and then at Aang, it was like she told Katara; that he'd come to his realization in time that feelings aren't a weakness.

The group left the family in the earth tent while they went outside to decide on their next choice of action. Aang pulled Katara to the side to talk to her privately.

"I thought I was trying to be strong but really I was just running away from my feelings seeing this family together so full of happiness and love it's reminded me about how I feel about Appa and how I feel about you." Aang said looking at Katara

Sakura smiled as she watched Aang and Katara hug; the rest of them went to join him.

"I promise I'll find Appa as fast as I can," Aang said taking his glider from Toph.

"See you in the big city," Sokka told him placing a hand on his shoulder,

Toph punched Aang on his shoulder "Say hi to that big fuzz ball for me."

"You'll find him Aang" Katara said

"Good luck," Sakura told him

They watched as Aang and Momo took off to the skies towards Ba Sing Se. Sakura narrowed her eyes; she felt as if this was the calm before the storm.

"Well, I guess that's everything for now," Sokka said

Sakura raised an eyebrow at him and pointed over to where Suki was "Not quite; get over there now."

Sokka mumbled something under his breath before walking towards Suki while Sakura pulled Toph and Katara away.

"What's going on?" asked Katara

"Nothing," Sakura replied curtly 

"Does it have anything to do with Sokka and Suki's hearts pounding in their chests?" Toph asked, "Because I can feel it from here."

Then Toph froze, seeming to grow sickly pale before shivering. "Oh boy...."

"What?" Katara asked wanting to turn around but Sakura stopped her and turned her head back.

"They're kissing." Toph shuddered

Sakura laughed softly "I guess it doesn't matter if I turn you away from them huh?"

THAT'S ALL FOLKS! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and Remember to stay strong!

If you want to get a hold of these latest chapters check out my TUMBLR where you can join as a member. You can also get the update schedule to follow. As well as Fanart posts.

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NEW STORY: Kunoichi amongst Reapers 

-Commission: Demon slayer x My hero academia (PART 1 & 2)

 Kunoichi amongst Benders (Avatar x Naruto crossover) ( 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

-Kunoichi amongst Heroes chapter (77, 78, 79)

-Kunoichi amongst Heroes WHAT IF SPIN OFF: Dorms and Exams

-Kunoichi amongst Pirates chapter ( 32, 33,34)

-Crossroads of Fate chapter 23, 24, 25, 26

-Through the Looking Glass chapter 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. 33,

-(SEQUEL) Through the Spyglass chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6

-SPECIAL HALLOWEEN CHAPTER: Shinigami amongst Shinobi

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