Toph's Familiar

Disclaimer : I do not now nor have I ever owned Avatar the last airbender or Zero no Tsukaima. Or any of their characters. Glad that's out of the way.

Chapy one: Zero Summonses

An ordinary street, on an ordinary day, with ordinary people going about their lives.

"Ahh man," a young teen sighs as he looks at his laptop.

"The sound card if fried and it needs more memory, guess I will have to get a part time job again." He complains.

The boy sighs again before coming to a complete halt, there not more than ten feet from him is something he has never seen before. It was like a huge bubble in the middle of the street. It was one of the strangest things, looking at it was like looking into the night sky. The inside of the bubble was pitch black with tiny star like lights sparkling from within. The teen was entranced by the bizarre phenomenon, but what drew his attention more was that no one else walking by seemed to notice or even give it a glance. It was as if it wasn't even there to anyone else but him.

Unable to control his curiosity, or more precise it was like something was calling him towards it, the teen reached his hand out and touched the surface of the sphere. It felt like tingle on his skin before he realized he couldn't pull his arm away. Panicking, he tried desperately to remove his arm from the bubble but discovers that more of him was being sucked in.

"Woah, the Hell, someone help me!" he cries as loud as he could but to no avail. Eyes wide as he takes one last look at his home before his entire body is engulfed into the sphere leaving only his dropped computer lying on the floor. No longer was he anywhere near the ordinary city.

TNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNT

A very different place now. A large castle surrounded by a large stonewalls with 5 tall pillars at each corner forming a pentagon shape. Within the elegant structure were a gathering of young boys and girls no more than teenagers. Wearing classy clothing and capes. Each behind a half circle desk listening as an older woman teaches.

"Here at Garderobe we learn of the skills and practices of the 4 great magic's. Ands it is my honor to aid you young lords and ladies to become splendid mages." The elderly women spoke as she walked from one end of the class to the other.

Many of the students paid attention, some goofing off, others using there magic to mess with the other students.

"Now for a little review, who here can tell me about the 4 great magic's and the ranking of a mage." The professor asked.

"Ah it would be my, Haru Van Calx's, great honor and privilege to answer this question professor Wu." Called a young man dramatically wearing a puff white shirt.

"The four great magic's are power of earth, fire, wind, and water. Each mage is born with the use of one of the great 4. I myself am blessed with the beautiful and elegant power of earth. As a mage grows and learns to control and use the other three they rank up and become more powerful. Those with one power are known as dots , two are known as lines, three are triangles, and the highest of the high are the square. These mages are able to control and mix together all 4 of the magic's together at will." Finished the brown haired boy holding a rose and striking what he believed to be a dashing pose.

"Very well said Mr. Haru." Applauded the professor as the student took a bow.

"Yes professor Wu but some of us can't even handle one of the magic's." came the voice of an overly cheery student wearing an excessively revealing pink shirt as she looked over towards another student. No doubt the target of her joke.

Said girl was a short girl with raven black hair made up in a bun with pale ivory skin. Upon hearing the crack directed to her she griped her ink quill tight nearly snapping it in two. Restraining herself from the desire to bury the girl into the ground, she merely glared at the other girl who just gave her a cheery smile. Oh how it annoyed her so.

"Now now class." Clamed the teacher clam the class down. "Lets move on to the next lesson." After announcing this, the older woman took out a small bag and poured its contents on to the front table, a few small stones and some shining powder.

"The next lesson will be on the basics of alchemy." Taking out her wand and pointed it at the small pile of stones she chanted an incantation. Soon both her wand and the pile of rocks began to glow bright white, as the light faded it revealed with amazement that the simple pile of stones and powder had changed into…

"GOLD!?" cried the girl in pink.

"ohoho, not quite Miss Tylee." Informed the teacher, "It is merely fouls gold. It was simple alchemy to combine the metal dust to the stones creating one solid item."

"Now why don't we have a volunteer come up front and give it a try."

Heads looked back and forth as all the students were trying to see who would go, and some just wanted to avoid getting picked. The young girl known as Tylee smirked as an idea hit her for some fun.

"Professor how about Miss Toph." Tylee suggested with glee. "I am sure this will be easy for someone from the Bei Fong family." She smiled egging the other girl on.

Toph stared her down, oh if there was anything she hated more than being told she couldn't do something was being judged based on her family name.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Agreed the instructor never even noticing the glare off between the two girls. "Would you please come down Miss Bei Fong."

Toph snapped out of her staring trance and blinked at Professor Wu before nodding her head and made her way to the front of the class.

The reaction from the class was strange at best. Many students started to sweat in a panic, some tried to talk her out of it as she passed by, while others began to duck for cover. A skinning dark haired girl with a bored look on her face stood up and walked towards the door, all the while reading a book. Even the pink clad teen that started the whole thing gave her protest.

"Toph I was only joking. You don't have to do this, remember what happened last time!"

"Huff…I know what I am doing pinky. It is only a simple merging spell." Toph huffed ignoring all that actions going on around her.

The teacher smiled kindly as she approached and set out another pile of stones and metal dust. She gestured her to the table and asked her to raise her wand. "Now recite the words 'What is two now become one by my words it is done'."

"Yes Professor"

Raising her wand Toph closed her eyes in concentration and repeated the incantation verbatim. A bright light began to envelop the stones and dust. It soon became brighter as slowly the two items began to mold into each other.

Toph's face gained a large grin. ' Yes it's workin…' BOOM!!

An explosion, even if not fatal, still wreaked havoc with not only the classroom, but also shook up some of the nearer rooms. Many students were blown back lying in odd and uncomfortable positions, some unconscious. Desks and chairs were broken and toppled over everywhere. The same bored looking girl re-entered the room after seeing everything was clear.

A pile of ruble was suddenly thrown clear revealing a disheveled Tylee popping from it.

" Ah Toph I told you so." Tylee yelled annoyed, "This is why we call you Toph the Zero."

Toph, who still stood in the center of the blast covered in ash and dirt, merely coughed out a puff of smoke as a reply.

TSTSTSTSTSSTSTSTSTSSTSTSTSTS

"Here you go Head Master." Said a young with glasses and onyx hair in a lose ponytail as she handed a cup of tea to a much older man.

"Thank you Jun." replied the man with a kind and warm smile as he took the hot cup and took a sip.

The man was stout and balding with a mid length grey beard. He had a kind expression and calm demeanor. Yet his eyes held great wisdom and experience that was unquestionable to anyone who looked at him.

The woman went to sorting books on a nearby shelf.

"Oh, it is about time for the second years to perform the summoning recital isn't it?" asked the old man.

"Yes and I can't wait to see how they do this year." Jun said as she used her magic to reorganize some books, not noticing the small creature moving under her.

"Indeed, the summoning recital is very important to all magicians. The creature becomes a friend and companion for life." Spoke the man as he crotched down and a small lizard claimed up his arm to sit on his shoulder.

"Just like me and Jin-sing here have been through many adventures, right Jin-sing."

The small reptile nodded and appeared to speak out something in hisses.

"Hmm, I see black with frills today hmm."

That was apparently the wrong thing to say. For behind the old head master was his secretary, red in the face from both embarrassment and anger. Her wand began to glow a menacing red.

"Head Master IROH!!"

"Gulp, hehe did I say that out loud?"

Throughout the school you could hear the screams of a scared old man getting his come-uppings.

STSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTS

Outside in a large open field within the academy walls was a gathering of students. Among them was Toph only cleaned up from her earlier…attempted at magic. Even with the disaster behind her she carried herself with pride while walking with the crowd of students.

"Hey Toph!" Called a young tan skinned girl with long brown hair and soft blue eyes.

"Hey Katara."

"Glad you are ok after that spell," the girl voiced her sapphire eyes looked with concern to her friend. "You need to be more careful."

"Yeah, yeah I know." Toph sighed knowing she could never get by the motherly nature of her taller friend.

"Anyway are you excited about the familiar summoning? I can't wait to see what we get." Katara all but shouted.

Toph smile at her child like excitement. "I am sure you will summon something great sugar queen."

"Thanks, I am sure you will get something out of this world too."

"Well hopefully she won't blow us up in the process."

The two girls whirled around to see Tylee walking up to them with the skinning bored looking girl from the class.

"No one asked for your opinion Tylee." Spat Toph before looking at the other girl and speaking in a more controlled tone. "Hey Mai"

Mai simply nodded as her greeting. Simple and direct seemed to be her forte.

"You have to admit it though Toph, you have worst track record and this is a pretty major spell." A less degrading Tylee said.

"I will be fine Pinky. I will definitely summon a grand and powerful familiar even better than yours." Challenged Toph.

Now a sparkle of interest came to Tylee. This would certainly be fun. "Oh really now? Then I look forward to seeing your most elegant familiar." Tylee said sarcastically.

The two eyes flashed at the new challenge set before them and sparks of determination could be seen. Both Mai and Katara just sighed and shook their heads at their friends.

STSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTTSTSTSTSTST

"Ok class we will be beginning the summing ritual now." Announced the teacher, a balding man with glasses, one eyebrow and messy beard. "Remember now you have to let the magic flow through you and extend out your body. Your words and soul will carry your power until it finds your true partner."

One by one students of the second year came and preformed their own version of the summoning ceremony. Each gaining more and more unique and interesting creatures from owls and wolfs, bear-bats and eel-hounds, to mice and snakes.

"Toph oh look at my cute new penguin otter!" squealed katara hugging her new familiar a small penguin-otter no taller then her knee.

"Yeah it's really you Katara." Toph remarked sensing the over abundance of cuteness the two were emitting.

Off to the side Toph saw Mai quietly petting her recent summons, a medium sized bat. Her eyes then went to the next summoner, Haru.

"Ah what type of beautiful familiar will I, Haru the copper, summon? The very air is intense with anticipation."

Over dramatic was the kind of word thought by most of the spectators watching. None-the-less he raised his wand; a beautiful bright red rose, and chanted his spell.

"From earth to heaven, let the partner of beauty and strength hear my call and come forth."

There was a shine of light from his rose wand for a moment and then…nothing. He and the others were looking around wondering if the spell worked or not. Suddenly the ground beneath him began to shake and crumble. He had enough time to look down before he was launched into the air by and eruption of earth, as a badger-mole the size of a small horse popped from the ground. Everyone blinked in surprise some sweat-dropped.

"Well that was not the most beautiful of entrances." Commented Toph.

So distracted was she that she didn't even see Tylee cast her spell. As if she wasn't pressured enough as it is, now she had to go against a…

"A fire-fox. Wow Tylee that is really rare." Katara exclaimed.

There beside the pink mage was a four-tailed red fox. The tip of each of its tails was on fire. It purred as Tylee scratched under its chin.

"Um indeed quite the summons Miss Tylee." Spoke the instructor.

"Yes nothing less from Tylee the flare." Stated Tylee. "Well Toph dear, you going to have to bring something major out now."

She just loved to egg the shorter girl on, problem is that it seemed to be working. Toph was a mix of angry and nervous. She had to call upon something, as Katara put it 'out of this world' to beat the pink vixen, something that would have everyone talking about for years. She wanted something no one else would have.

"Just watch me." Marching up Toph's face was focused and determined.

"Do your best Toph." Encouraged Katara.

Toph stood in the center of the clear area; the crowd was waiting to see if the infamous Toph the Zero would be able to pull it off. She grasped her wand and raised it toward the sky. She closed her eyes and concentrated, and prayed, to find the perfect partner for life; A mystical servant that would be graceful, elegant and strong (not to mention put Tylee in her place). Inhaling to clam her nerves, she opened her eyes and began the incantation.

"From beyond the reaches of endless space." Many people sweat-dropped at this odd incantation. "I summon a familiar and partner of unsurpassed grace, power, and elegance."

The immediate area around Toph started to glow bright. It would seem the spell was working. The onlookers were mesmerized at the energy boiling up. Toph's eyes lit up and a large smile came over her.

'It's working, it's coming.'

Soon the light reached a breaking point.

'Uh-oh' realization came too late for the green-eyed mage in training.

!!BOOM!!

Smoked filled the area and many students were blown back from the explosion. Toph herself landed some feet away from the center of the blast.

"cough…My that was surly one of the biggest explosions yet right Miss Katara?" Haru coughed out on his hands and knees.

His question went unanswered. He looked over to the tan teen and saw her with a completely shocked look on her face as she stared into the blast zone. Curious Haru turned his head to face whatever was there. Squinting to see better through the clearing smoke his jaw dropped at what he saw.

"No…"

"Way." Tylee finished.

"A HUMAN!?!" Katara, Haru and Tylee shouted at the same time.

It was true, there lying in the center of the blast was a sleeping boy about their age in very odd blue colored clothing…sleeping? Not to mention snoring.

Toph shakily stood up and a strained half smile came to her face as she looked at the sleeping boy. No question, she was in a state of shock.

"ha-ha, t-this is my most e-elegant and gracef-ful servant?" her voice was cracked and she was obviously disappointed and disheveled, complete with twitching eyes and broken sad laughter. As if adding an extra insult the sleeping boy made a motion that looked like a shrug before scratching his head.

End chap 1

Yup I am still alive, just on a limited internet thing right now. I will still be working on Sokka's corpse bride, so don't worry, but this story just begged me to write.

Let me know what yall think. But please no 20 reviews saying how bad my grammar is, I know (cries anime tears) I am trying, sniff.

But seriously how you guys like the idea. Review make me continue.