A. N. : My mom keeps calling Zuko 'Suko' and I think I'm just going to end up inserting it in this fic somehow just to spite her. Also. Writing Toph is so fun ! And I think actual things are going to happen soon, which is good because exposition chapters are hard.

Sand sucks.

Toph can only vaguely make out Sparky's general location, and he's sitting right next to her ! And really it's mostly because he's so warm he's basically radiating. Honestly she thought he was sick at first. The only thing warmer is the fire camp in front of them – ah, maybe it's a firebender thing then.

Which would mean the little Turtle-Duckling is actually a Fire Turtle. She'll have to ask Sparky. Just not here and not now. These guys are already nervous enough with one firebender in the group.

Geez, for warriors, they really are a bunch of goose-chickens !

Snoozles is being his usual paranoid self, but he doesn't act too mean. His dad doesn't say anything at all, though Toph can hear him sigh every time he's around Sparky. Even if he tries very hard not to.

Then there's Stalker. Snoozles called him a wheat-jerk, but Toph can't smell any wheat ? Tea and dust and forest and a bit of salt, yes, but wheat ? Seeing people are strange.

Anyway, this guy is an odd one, and that's coming from someone travelling with Twinkle Toes. In Ba Sing Se he was angry and determined, but when they arrived here, well – he still sounded angry, but also somehow sad and scared, and even if Toph can feel him watching all the time, he never comes close to Sparky.

Then again it's pretty hard to judge distances with the sand moving everywhere like water. And Toph doesn't do water.

Still, Stalker seemed to know Sparky in Ba Sing Se and now he avoids him and Toph is going to bust some skulls if this goes on – she'll try talking before, but honestly diplomacy isn't her thing, so –

But what's really wrong with all this is that Stalker isn't even the worst one.

Sure, he's always there somehow, but at least he doesn't talk. The other guys just won't shut up, always mumbling and whispering when they think no one can hear them, and they're just so mean. Toph has heard some pretty nasty things back home, but this – they don't even know Sparky ! And from the way she feels him tense at times, she knows he hears them too.

If it was her, she'd throw a rock in their faces, but he can't even do that –

Maybe she will actually. That will teach them.

Sparky puts a bowl of fish in her hands. Smells edible. Snoozles says he's going to bring her share to Katara – last time they checked, Sugar Queen had fallen asleep after all that healing.

Twinkle Toes died.

He wasn't breathing in Ba Sing Se – Toph had tried to convince herself that she wasn't hearing right, but there was really only the sound of Sugar Queen crying and the horrible smell of something burned.

Twinkle Toes died and then he was alive again.

And she is strong, so she won't tell anyone how terrified she was and how she really wanted to puke. He is back, so none of that matters anymore.

She'll just pretend she won't dream of sobs and burning flesh.