4858/Southern Hospitality Part 2

Southern Hospitality Part 2
Date of Scene:	09 December 2016
Location:	Avatar World <AW>
Synopsis:	Today's activity at the South Pole is fishing. Both for fish and for info.
Cast of Characters:	1076, 20, 796

---

Sokka (1076) has posed:
The birds were singing, the sun was shining. Okay, neither of that was true. It was the south pole. The only birds were penguins and they did NOT sing. And it was cloudy and cold, with a little hint of snow.

That probably didn't bother Toph, though. What likely did bother her, was the cold. It was the south pole, that meant everyone slept in groups. Five or six people in an igloo, entire families often. Only the truly dedicated to being loners would sleep alone. Which was why Toph got to sleep next to Sokka and sarah, in a little corner by themselves.

Which led to sokka rolling over her whenever she whined and complained about being cold. But, more importantly... when she stopped complaining and just shivered, it led to Sokka being protective big brother. Which was why when Toph woke up, she'd find herself under a second blanket, with Sokka's arm around her and holding her to his chest. His face inches from hers. With Sokka morning breath lightly brushing against her face. The only good news was that she couldn't SEE how close their faces were. But she could smell and feel his breath on hers, so maybe that just made it worse?

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Her feet had hurt a bit, so many she had been pushing herself too much when she had done the first of the bending onboard the ship. And that cold seemed to refuse to leave her during the night. Everything was silent, and over the last years she's used to sleeping alone. Except for the occasional naps on the couch during movie nights, when Tony and Pepper have been used as pillows or leg rests. Sure, there's also Buster, but he's not a person.

    The corner is a bit noisy, with Sokka's snoring and Sarah's even breathing. At least it's noisy to a girl with sensitive ears. But eventually she did manage to fall asleep, curled up in her sleeping bag. There were times she found herself half awake, shivering a bit... but she did manage to fall asleep again.

    When she wakes up however she notes that she is no longer freezing. But something brushing against her eyelashes does make her eyes flutter open a bit. Wait, is that an... arm over her? It's warm, hugging her close... and oh man that's Sokka's morning breath! It's something she has smelled before while on the road, though seldom this close. Wait, never /this/ close. Just how close is his face to hers? Not daring to move, Toph blinks, her cheeks slightly flushed as she debates on what to do. Did he snuggle up against her in his sleep or something?

    Finally she seems to decide on something, and she lets out a slight sigh, closes her eyes and turns her head down a bit to where she assumes Sokka's shoulder is.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka was most definitely holding her against him. she'd know this, because she could feel his shoulder right there. So close. He grunted a little and then his arm tightened around her slightly, pulling her in closer to his chest and... he moved his head just a little bit. His breathing warm and hot against her ear.

Gran gran, meanwhile, was already up and about, starting breakfast. she worked hard for an old lady and soon the smell of something warm and tasty filled the air. Food that could fill them all with such wonderful strength! Or, you know. Just taste good. She glanced over but didn't say anything. She could barely tell in the mass of bodies. Besides, Sokka wasn't dumb enough to try anything under her roof. She had thwapped him enough times with a ladle over the years.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Resting her forehead against Sokka's shoulder, Toph swallows. This... isn't bad, though she has to force herself to be quiet when Sokka tightens his arm around her. This.... is actually not bad. She's warm, she's comfy against Sokka and... dammit, she needs to pee. And that scent of food in the igloo is making her hungry. Okay, five more minutes. Just five more minutes of this and she'll be happy. So Toph remains still, her cheeks a faint hue of pink as she snuggles up, pretending to be asleep. At least until her stomach lets out a drawn out rumble, reminding her that she should really be getting ready for some of that breakfast. Ugh.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka let out a low gurgling sound and rolled over, just a bit... enough so his other arm went over her. Why did he roll over onto his side then? She'd notice a moment later as he passed gas. Okay, so this probably wasn't EXACTLY how she imagined waking up or being held, but eh. It was better than some of the alternatives. And this position did help to keep her extra warm and now his head was resting against her head,cheek against her ear and... she'd... feel something wet in her hair.

Wait, was he DROOLING?! No! She was cooking meat! The smell of meat, noooooo!

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Another arm goes around her, and Toph holds her breath. It's a good thing she's still curled up in her sleeping bag, otherwise she doubts she would be able to stay calm in this situation.

    The gas makes her wince slightly. Ugh, no wonder his sleeping bag smells so funky! For a moment she considers pulling away, but... man, his head is resting against hers, his breath against her ear and... oh crud he's drooling.

    Finally Toph grunts, pretending to wake up as she does her best to roll away from Sokka while her entire body is still within the sleeping bag.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Unfortunately, Toph would discover something horrible when she tried to pull away. He... was hugging her a bit tighter then, grumbling a little. "Mmmmm... meat..."he mumbled softly, nuzzling his head against hers and more or less doing everything to just make her miserable. He pulled her a little closer, leaning in a little more, she could hear his mouth getting closer... feel his hot breath on her ear... moving closer... closer... closer...

"Soups on!" Gran gran called out. Toph would feel Sokka's grip loosen and he started to pull back, blinking blearily. "Hmgggg? Toph? Hey, kid," he said before giving a soft yawn. "You sleep okay? Not to cold?" Probably the worst part? His heart didn't even get faster when he was holding her. Even as he pulled away it was just so casual, as if he didn't notice what she was.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    A slightly startled 'eep' leaves Toph when she finds herself unable to pull away. And as she's pulled closer her eyes open wide. Is... his mouth getting closer?!

    She's saved however, and as Sokka loosens his grip and pulls back Toph remains still, her heart hammering away in her chest. Of course his heart beat is still the same...

    "Y-yeah, it was okay," she mumbles slightly, sitting up as she works on opening her sleeping bag. Ugh, sleeping with so many layers of clothes on is something she doubts she would ever get used to, especially after some years in Malibu. Just where is Buster sleeping now? Tony and Pepper are okay, she gathers... and she should check in on the radio with them as they're most likely up already. "Uh, so... what's for breakfast?" she asks Gran Gran.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka gave a yawn and sat up. "Mmmmmnggggg... man I gotta pee. I'll be right back," he mumbled before getting up and walking off, scratching himself in the most dignified of manners. Then belching. Oh yeah, totally the kind of guy you wanna bring home to mother.

"Seal fat stew," Grangran said. "I hope you slept well. I know the southern tribes can be difficult to get used to." She paused. "As can the southern tribe men." Did she know?! Or was she just digging sokka again? "Make sure you change your clothes if they're sweaty. You may be warm now, but you won't be for long in damp clothes." The sounds of other people getting up around the igloo could be heard. Sokka and toph weren't the only ones snuggling last night it seemed.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "Breakfast?" Comes a sleepy voice from the other side of the igloo. Sarah's somehow been dead to the world this whole time, wrapped up like a cocoon in her own sleeping bag. She slowly peels herself out of her bag, slowly gets up and meanders over to the. She peers at the cooking stew uncertainly, she's not sure seal fat sound very appetizing, but she's not about to go insulting the ways of the Water Tribe.

    She rubs her eyes and looks around, finding only Gran and Toph since Sokka stepped out. "Sokka ditched us already huh?" She smirks as she stretches out, "Figures."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Perhaps it's a good thing that Toph isn't overly feminine herself, and well... she doesn't mind scratching, belching and such.

    Seal at stew sounds like it's going to be filling at least. Is she sweaty? Toph shakes her head. "No, I'm not sweaty. I'm... not used to weather like this." When Gran Gran comments on southern tribe men being difficult to get used to Toph can't help but blush, though she tries to act cool. Does she know?

    Other people are waking up in the igloo it sounds like, and Toph turns her head when she hears Sarah's voice. "Yeah, Sokka had to go pee," Toph confirms as she fiddles with her radio a bit, speaking a bit low so to not disturb the other people in the igloo.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka came walking in, looking unamused and covered in snow. "Snow'scleared off the top of the out house," he muttered. Eeyup. Ever. single. Blood. Time. He then glanced over to Sarah and took her hand again, placing a gently kiss on it. "You look ravishing, as always~" he said with a charming smile.

"Sokka, knock that off, it's too early in the morning."

"W-what? But gran gran!"

"Don't you but gran gran me. I had to listen to your father doing his little song and dance for years, I'm not listening to you make us all gag too."

Sokka sighed. Always getting shut down. He went and grabbed them both a bowl. "Here Sarah," he said saucily. "Here Toph." Consderably less saucily. "It's a bit thick, so go slow." he then walked off to get his own, sitting by them.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "I absolutely do not look ravishing, I just woke up!" Sarah protests. She hasn't seen a mirror, so she pretty much just assumes she looks horrible.

    Settling down by the fire she accepts the bowl of stew, prodding at it for a moment with a spoon before taking a taste. It's not nearly as bad as she was expecting. "Huh.. not that bad." She murmurs. After a few bites she looks hopefully at Sokka, "So.. where does one go to.. freshen up around here? Change clothes and such?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Is that an amused snort from Toph when Sokka declares the roof has been cleared off. "Good to know you're still useful, Sokka," she half teases, pulling her socks on. And then tries to ignore Sokka flirting with Sarah. When Gran Gran tells him off. Okay, now Toph is a bit uncertain, considering the old woman's earlier words. Does... she know? Or is she just tired of Sokka's usual antics? It's hard to tell.

    Man, she can swear she still has drol on the side of her head.

    The bowl is taken with a nod of appreciation, and Toph does indeed start tasting it slowly, just to get used to the thick fat.

    Sarah has a good question, and Toph shrugs. "Beats me, this is so not like the way I'm used to live." If it wasn't so cold you could do that outside. Except there are no bushes around here. "If you're going to the bathroom I'm going with, I doubt I could remember the way from last night..."

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka sat down and took a seat. "Hmmm? Freshen up? You can do it here. Isn't a lot of mirrors. I mean, you got some ice ones outside you can use, but they aren't the best." He gulped the stuff down before shrugging. "But really, you look great. Well..." he eyed Sarah for a moment before sighing. "yeah, hold on a second." He rummaged through his stuff for a bit before nodding, walking up behind her and pulling out a brush and began brushing her hair.

She never should have encouraged him. "so, you said before you were part alien, right? So like... what kind of alien? I mean, with the multiverse and all, I think we're all aliens to each other in a way."

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "Yeah but.. I want to change, I'd like some privacy? Just where is the bathroom? That would probably work.." There's a hint of nervousness in her voice, she's half certain the bathroom means squatting over a hole in the ice on the far side of the village."

    Sokka gets an annoyed look when he starts brushing Sarah's hair, and she quickly snatches the brush out of his hands, "I can do that myself thanks." She says darkly, inching a little further away from him.

    "The Kree. They're from the Greater Magellanic Cloud." She's not sure if that'll mean anything or not, "They mostly look human, except they're usually blue.. We can talk about this later, I do kinda want to pee." She says bluntly.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Girls want privacy at times, meat brain," Toph comments to Sokka, then slurps down some of the stew. Okay, this tastes a bit weird, but it does help warm her up.

    There's no missing that nervousness in Sarah's voice, and Toph arches an eyebrow just slightly, curious. Doesn't Sarah like Sokka? Is she nervous or something...?

    Once she finishes up emptying her bowl she does stand up, putting on her boots before she rummages through her things to find some clean undergarments. "Come on Babycap. I don't feel like warming up by peeing myself."

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka blinked a few times. He hadn't expected that reaction. "Err... sorry, eh heh. Ummm, there's an out house outside. Third door on the right, has an image of a fish over it. Just be careful not to fall in!" he... hopefully was joking. But she seemed to have it under control so he quickly backed away. "have fun, you two. Don't..." Then paused. He eyed Toph for a moment, then shrugged. Meh, he was sure it was nothing. "Seconds, gran gran!"

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    Sarah quickly finishes her stew, then stands back up, grabs her backpack, and then offers her hand to Toph, "I'm with you Pebbles, let's go!" She gives a nod and a small smile to Sokka, hopeing to show she's not that annoyed with him, yet. "Thanks! I'm sure we'll be fine, We'll be back soon!"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Toph takes Sarah's hand, holding on and follows the older girl out of the igloo. The brisk air outside causes Toph to shudder a bit. "He... can be a bit like that at times with girls he likes," Toph explains, trying to sound neutral about it all. "So um, sleep well?" For now she'll trust Sarah to lead them off to where they can get cleaned up and ready for the day.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka just ate his food. Outside it was cold and people were just starting to wake up. They had to wait a bit to use the restrooms, but there was nice mirrors. And appa was on his side, snoring and making his large tent flap open and close with every deep breath.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "I'm not sure what to think of him." Sarah sighs, "I can tell he has a good heart.. But, sometimes he acts like a Gentlemen and sometimes he acts like a Lech. ...He's weird. I feel like I owe him a date but I'm not really sure if he's my type." She admits.

    Finding the door with the fish on it isn't too hard. She leads Toph to it and puts her hand on the handle, "I actually slept pretty well. I've had worse camping trips." Yes, the Water Tribe Village is definitely roughing it from her point of view. "Here we are. You go first."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    So... Sarah isn't interested in Sokka? Toph listens intently as they walk and the older girl explains her thoughts regarding the water tribe boy. "Yeah, he is a bit weird," Toph admits, biting the inside of her lower lip. What to say...? "He... isn't inconsiderate," she begins, "but yeah, he's been like this since I first met him." He's forward, honest and himself for better and worse. "If... if you don't want to go on a date with him now you can always push it for sometime later?" Okay, that's not the worst thing to say, is it? "S-so you can check if you change your mind about him, I mean," Toph quickly adds, trying to give Sarah a casual shrug.

    Upon finding the handle Toph nods, then heads inside. They can still talk even if they're on opposite sides of the door, right? "It was a bit cold, I'm used to warmed weather. And maybe I did bend too much yesterday, my feet took ages to warm up last night."

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka sneezed. He wondered if he was getting a cold? Ugh. He hoped he didn't have to suck any toads this time.

Kids were watching them on occasion, giggling softly.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    Sarah looks at Toph oddly for a moment, things starting to percolate in the back of her mind as they talk. "Well yeah, I could say that I'd prefer to wait until we're someplace warm." She ponders, "But maybe it's better to just get it over with. I dunno. I'll figure it out." She leans up against the side of the outhouse while she wait's for Toph to finish. "How hard is it for you to bend without using your feet? It'd be a whole lot easier on you if we could figure a way around that." She says worriedly.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Better to get it over with? Toph continues worrying her bottom lip a bit inside the outhouse, though she gets started on getting changed and cleaned up.

    "It's harder since I can't see, though I can sense the metal there. If there are traps it's better to have my feet touching the metal so I don't mess up. Maybe if we brought a firebender we could have warmed up the metal some..." Too bad that Zuko is busy being the new Firelord, heh. Oh well, she can do this! "It's just a few more days, and when I get back home to Malibu I'm going to actually use the bathtub properly for once!" the blind earthbender calls out.

    In not too many minutes Toph walks out, holding the door open so Sarah can get cleaned up next. "So ummm... what /is/ your type, exactly? Have you had a boyfriend before...?" Toph decides to ask carefully.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
There was more talking and whispering from the kids nearby. Then... "Toph, is it true you took down an ENTIRE fleet of airships with metal bending?" one of the kids finally asked.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "I guess the best thing to just take a lot of breaks." Sarah says in frustration, "We could start a fire in the ship without a Firebender, but then the whole thing could fill with smoke." She sighs.

    As soon as Toph emerges Sarah heads into the bathroom. "My Type? I.. I'm not sure if I've figured that out yet. I dated a little before I left home.. but no one really stuck." After that she's quiet in there for a long time, with only the sounds of her shuffling about being heard.

    "Oh My God I'm an Idiot!" She suddenly yells. A few moments later she comes out, takes Toph's hand again and squeezes it. "It just hit me why the necklace thing was so upsetting to you." She whispers softly enough that only the blind girl can hear it.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Yeah, maybe some heated water in bottles or something," Toph muses. It should cool down somewhat to not burn her feet off by the time they would be needed.

    Oh right, the kids are here. And they're up early as kids tend to be. The question makes Toph turn her head slightly, and she wonders just what Sokka has been telling them. "Well, it was a combined effort of metalbending, seeing eyes and quick thinking, really. It was me, Sokka and Suki. But... yeah, those airships wouldn't have gone down without me." Well, might as well show these kids some more bending if they're /that/ curious. And it seems like Sarah needs some time getting ready. So she slips down her armlet and begins bending it into various shapes... like a figure of Aang, Katara, Sokka, Sarah... even Appa.
When Sarah yells however Toph turns her head, looking slightly worried but also curious. "What? Did you forget to pack something? Like clean underwear?" Toph asks, standing still when Sarah comes out. When her hand is grabbed and Sarah leans in to whisper so the kids can't hear however, Toph's eyes go wide as she freezes up. And she doesn't say anything. Wait, did... Sarah figure it out?!

Sokka (1076) has posed:
The kids stared with wide eyes. "Wowwwww. Sokka says you could take out a whole herd of fire nation ships all by yourself! Can you bend them like, into each other? Can you feel any metal? I have a knife, can you feel it?" .... it was a bone knife.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    Sarah put a hand on Toph's shoulder for a moment, "I won't say anything, but I'll see what I can do to nudge things in the right direction?" She offers with a smile, keeping her voice soft. Then in a normal tone she adds, "Hot water bottles are a great idea. Plenty of it around, we just need to gather up as many extra containers as we can find. Let's get back before they start to worry about us!"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "I... I can only sense earth and metal, squirt," Toph asides to the kid. "And I can totally bend Fire Nation ships into one another." Her bending has grown stronger since she first discovered it nearly 3 years ago, after all. Pardon her for not answering the kid properly right now, her focus is on Sarah... who not only figured it out, but also /understands/. There's a baffled look on Toph's face as she simply stands there for a moment. And then her eyes look like they're threatening to water up, and she nods her head twice quickly.

    Sarah, you're truly Captain America's daughter!

    "Yeah, let's go back," Toph agrees, looking a lot less tired. They do have a ship to take care off today! Maybe they won't finish up today, but maybe tomorrow. Sure, penguin sledding and fishing was kinda amusing, but... she does miss earth underneath her feet. And not having to wear shoes.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka comes out suddenly, a big grin on his lips. "OKAY! Ladies, are you ready for some sun and excitement! I know we've got a ship to move, but that can wait. First, we're going to have a bit of adventure. And boy do I have some fun for you!" He took both their hands and started dragging them off. Outside the village? Sarah could see the small vessel off in the distance.

The weird thing was... Toph could... feel it? "Figure we could start off with something we'll all like." Dragging them to it and... there wasfishing supplies, oars and... the entire bottom of it had METAL! A thin sheet of iron on the ground. Not a lot, but considering all the ice up to this point... it'd probably be a joy for the little earth bender. Even better, since it wasn't quite as cold due to the stuff stored on top of it. "Made this myself when I realized Toph was coming. Figure I'm probably only going to get you down here once, kiddo, so best make sure you get and enjoy the full experience."

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "Actually we want to boil some water fir.." Too late. the dragging is already happening. "Okay. I have to admit that's clever. Sarah says once she gets a good look at the canoe. "You might actually be able to get Toph in there!" She looks over at the earthbender trying to judge her reaction.

    She falls silent for a moment as she considers. If she can find an excuse to leave Sokka and Toph alone in the canoe for a bit, maybe things would happen!

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    It certainly sounds like Sokka has some plans for today, considering his enthusiasm. "Well, I'm ready for whatever little sun you get down here!" Toph responds. Yet, what's this? An adventure? Though Toph goes along with it, mostly because she is grabbed by the hand and dragged off. "What kinda idea did you have /now/?" she asks, arching a dubious eyebrow.

    There's no mistaking it, that's metal! The blind girl blinks once, then lets go of Sokka's hand and steps forward, kneeling down to inspect the little boat. "You... made this?" she asks, taking off her gloves to feel the metal and inspect the boat further with her bending. "This... well, this might not be /too/ bad," she says, trying to make it seem like no big deal. "So we're going to catch our dinner or something?"

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka nodded. "Yup! Made it myself." Pause. "Well, made the metal layer on the bottom. Realized it'd be a bit cold, so I made a couple of metal pits, too. Should keep it warm enough without risking burning anything," he said before picking her up and placing her in it. "And yep! We're going fishing. I'll show you ho the men of our village fish."

He then holds out his hand to Sarah, to help her up, before going in himself.

Or rather,trying to climb in. The boat shifts and he misses, almost sending him i n the water. He grabs the edge with a squeak and stares into the icy depths for a moment before kicking off and landing... well, more crashing into the bottom of the vessel. "M-meant to do that," he lied with a stressed sigh of relief.

"I figured if you couldn't see, you'd probably be mopey the whole cruise. Then I remembered when we were in the fire nation. I mean, if they can make their ships entirely out of metal, I can make one that's partially metal." He started the small fires in their little pits, before grabbing the oars and sending them off, into the deep.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "Sure ya did." Sarah chuckles, helping to steady Sokka as he narrowly avoids falling into the water. "Seriously though, this is really thoughtful of you Sokka!" She starts to look around the boat, "So how do you fish here? Nets I'd imagine?" She asks curiously.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Wait, the metal won't be freezing? "Oh, finally!" Toph says, looking rather cheered up by this fact, only to look a little less dignified when she's picked up once again and helped into the boat. Once she's in the boat she keeps a hand on the edge and moves to find a place to sit down. Well, she won't be able to do much when it comes to fishing, considering her blindness. But perhaps it won't be too bad.

    Sokka's less than elegant boarding of the boat earns a snort from Toph. "Sure you did." He knows she can hear him lying, but yeah... he's trying to act suave, isn't he? Once the metal starts to become less cold Toph does start taking off her boots and socks, setting her feet down with a sigh of relief. "It feels good to see /something/ again!"

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka nods. "Of course. After all, I know how much Toph probably hates having to be here, so the least I could do is make sure she has a bit of fun." He reached out and ruffled her hair. "Nets and spears, yup. If we catch some good stuff, we can even barbaque. Heh heh. I'm a master of the barbaque, you know. Just ask Toph." And theywere off, the water gently making the boat bob up and down as they slowly made their way out towards the sea, him steering , occasionally using the oars to get around icy things. "you ever fish before? Wanna try casting the net when we get further out? Though, I should warn you. My fishing skills are... off the hook."

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "With a rod and reel, yes. Never like this!" Sarah peers at Sokka and rolls her eyes at the pun. "Of course they are.." She sighs. "How do you spear fish in this thing without falling over the side?" She's honestly curious, but perhaps Sarah's planning a little accident for herself in a little while?

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "I gotta say, this isn't as bad as I thought it would be," Toph says, pushing aside Sokka's hand as he ruffles her hair. Getting comfy she leans back, trusting that Sokka won't steer them into an iceberg or something. "And some tasty fish /would/ make this trip worth it!" Because yes, Sokka does know how to utilise a fire to prepare tasty food. As always he uses that pun to new people, and Toph can't help but roll her eyes in mock annoyance. "Do you /ever/ think of new lines, or do you just reuse them for certain occasions?"

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka opened his mouth to respond, then blinked. Then he burst into laughter and smirked to Toph. "That was a good one, Toph. I'll need to remember that one. And okay, Toph. There'll be plenty of good fish tonight, then. Once we get back from the ship." He grabbed one of the spears and motioned to the water. As they slowly wandered along ,fish could be see.

"It's all about being calm... slow... and then... when the moment is right... STRIKE!" he stabbed dow. Missed the fish, yelped and almost fell forward. The fish jumped up and smacked him in the face, sending him toppling back. He sat there, stunned a moment before holding out the spear to sarah. "Err, a-as, err, you can see, I mean. I think you get the, heh, point. Just don't push yourself too hard."

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
"Such skill! I'm truly humbled to see the fishing master in action!" Sarah tries to say seriously before bursting out laughing.

    She takes the spear from Sokka and leans over to start watching the water. She almost stabs at a couple of fish before stopping at the last moment. This goes on for a few minutes, either they were too far away, too small, or too fast. Then She spots a big one, moving slowly and rather obliviously. She waits patiently until it looks like it's about to swim under the boat, and then she strikes! The boat likely rocks more than it should, she's new at this after all. but she pulls the spear back with a nice fat fish skewered on it!

    The Poor thing is still thrashing about, spraying bits of water everywhere, and leaving Sarah looking a little lost. "Okay I got one... what do I do with it!?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    At least they can both agree that Sokka is pretty amusing to be around. And this is going to be amusing, good thing she'll actually be able to see it.

    As Sokka misses the fish and his weight shifts forward too much, Toph's hand is already moving as she reaches out to grab the back of his coat and help /yank/ him back. "Watch it, I'm not diving in after you!" she warns him. "Maybe we should tie a rope around your waist or something..."

    As expected it goes better when Sarah does it, she does have superhuman reflexes, after all. Not to mention she's not clumsy. As the water sprays from the thrashing fish Toph sputters and turns her face away. "Break its neck against the railing!" Toph suggests. That's what they've done with fish before, after all.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka stared, his mouth falling open. Her FIRST try? REALLY? He coughed into a hand. "W-well, errr, y-yes. The first time is... always... the easiest. I see you're as talented as you as beautiful, eh heh... heh." He then lifted the lid of the baskets. He took the fish, demonstrating the proper neck breaking technique before tossing it in. "In here. I'll get the net ready. Catch as many as you like." He then got up and startedd messing with the nets, getting them all set up properly.

Once he was finished, he sat by toph again. "So. Toph, did you lose the necklace? I saw you had it on yesterday, but it's gone now." HE NOTICED!

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    There, their first fish! "Is it a big one? What kinda fish is it?" Toph asks Sarah, leaning a bit over.

    They might be able to catch more fish with the nets though, but it was kinda fun that Sarah managed to catch one with a spear too. "Maybe we could attach some metal to the net....?" she suggests. That way she could help with fishing. And if the metal shifted she would be able to sense that too.

    The question from Sokka however makes Toph blink and halt, just as she's about to reach out for the net. The necklace...? "Oh! No, I... I think I forgot it back at the village," she lies, conscious of the necklace pressing against her thigh. "It's just a necklace, I mean... it's not like everybody wears them, right?" Those last words are a bit rushed, and she turns her attention to the net.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "It wasn't my first try! I let like half a dozen go by!" Sarah says apologetically, "Also this one was big, it was an easy target! And well, I learned from the master!" She grins, maybe Sokka will actually buy that. She winces a little at the neck breaking part, but accepts it. They're gonna get eaten anyway, and that looked pretty humane.

    "I'm pretty sure it came from that direction." She points toward the deeper water where there's a dark spot that might be a school of fish, but really she's looking for excuses to get the boat into deeper water, they further out they get the longer it'll take to get back. It gets even better when Toph suggests something that doesn't involve Sarah getting herself soaking wet and freezing.

    "It's pretty big, No clue what kind it is. all your animals seem to be hybrids." Sarah looks almost a little too concerned when Toph mentions her missing necklace. "Hey, I could head back to the village and look for it if you want? It's important to you right!?"

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka blinked and then nodded. Actually, that could work. "Hold on a second. Ugh!" And started, with a bit of difficulty, hauling the net in. It wasn't too easy, but he was a... moderately strong guy. He'd then bring it over to her. "Here. Bend metal at these points on it..." She'd have to take some from the edges of the ship, but it could work! And she could help bring it in then, too.

As they worked, he looked up and smiled. "Ahhhhhh. Okay, then. No need to be nervous, Toph." Pause. "If you don't like it, though, that's fine. Or if you lost it." Patting her head. "It's just a gift, after all. I want it to be something you're happy with."

He starts steering them towards the dark part "Hey, good eye!" And then tossing the net over, the boat rocking a bit, making him stead himself on the side.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Babycap must have gotten the reflexes from her dad... we've fought with a multiversal version of him, he's from the same world as Goldie," Toph explains. She'll let the seeing people decide where to steer the boat for now, and she'll bend of small pieces of metal from the railing. As for the animals of this world? "Well, we prefer to say that your animals are half animals," she grins. "I mean, /horses/?" Strange animals with no beak. Now that's something she's still not used to.

    The necklace isn't so much missing as Toph decided that it was better to not wear it when the kids were asking so many questions. And also since she isn't just sure if Sokka /did/ mean something with it or not. Which is why she's asking certain questions now. It helps that she can pretend to be busy with bending the metal in place onto certain spots on the net. "Well, the necklace wasn't uncomfortable, I... I'm sure I'll find it again." Just a gift. So Sokka truly is clueless about his own culture at times, huh. Which means that she can probably wear it /after/ they leave this place.

    When Sarah suggests that she could go look for the necklace, Toph raises her head a bit. Wait, Sarah is going to leave? Didn't she see her stuff the necklace into her pocket yesterday? "Uh, well, it's not li--" She... sounds like she really wants to. Is she... trying to give her time alone with Sokka? Carefully Toph points to her pocket with the arm Sokka is most likely not to see, and she nods. "Sure, if... if you want to, I mean. I don't think I could find it on my own down here..."

    With that she finishes with the net, handing it over to Sokka.

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    "It's got to be somewhere in the igloo, I'm sure it won't take long to find at all." Sarah says knowingly in Toph's direction. She'd wink but.. there's no point to that is there? She leans over to give Sokka a quick hug. "I'll be right back. Promise!" She lies. "You guys catch lots of fish for me!" With that she rises gently into the air, careful not to rock the boat, and dashes back toward the village before Sokka can protest. She actually lands a little ways away so a flying girl doesn't end up causing a commotion when she gets back.

     ...A little later: "Gran! You've gotta gimme chores, anything! But the longer it takes the better!"

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka blinked and watched her go, well, she gave a hug. Then once she was gone, he sighed and leaned back. "Now we just wait, mostly." He glanced over. "So, she's really special too, isn't she?" Then gave a soft sigh. "She couldn't wait to get out of here, could she?" Crossed his arms and leaned back. "She tell you anything? Lose interest already? Not that I can really... blame her," he said with a shrug. He nudged the net a bit. "I am happy you came, Toph."

He shrugged. "To be honest, probably could have just done it the old fashioned way. But I wanted to introduce you to everyone. I've told them all about you, but never really had a chance to show them how amazing you are. I think it's good for everyone here to meet someone like you."

Gran gran stared at her. Soon she grinned. And soon sarah would learn what a day in the water tribe was like. Mending traps, boats, tending to houses... tons of work.

"Besides, I'm pretty sure most the kids thought I was making half those stories up. Heh." He leaned back against her. "I've been... thinking about what you said. Before. About... err, school. And stuff. You know we don't really have anything like... that, in the water tribes. So I'm not sure if it's work, but..."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Man, she could /hug/ you right now, Sarah. But Toph won't, instead she sits still even as Sarah asks them to catch lots of fish, and well... there she takes off to the sky, and Toph sits still. "So... uh, let's catch some fish? I will be able to sense it if something tugs on the net now, with the metal there."

    It's... a bit awkward when Sokka prods /her/ for info whether or not Sarah thinks anything specific about him. "She's... I dunno what her type is, really." That isn't a lie.

    It's something else to hear him being glad she's there with him, however. And Toph blushes faintly as she focuses on the net, sensing for any movement. So he wanted to introduce her to everyone. That's kind of like how she wanted to introduce Sokka to /her/ family. Well, her new family that is. "They could probably come and see me metalbend," Toph offers with a shrug. Then... he leans into her. Toph tenses just slightly where she sits. After a few seconds she leans back against him as well, biting down on her lower lip. So he's been thinking about what they were talking about back then in Malibu? "Maybe... you could learn in that world, like I did. I mean, there are lots of schools there..." Surely Tony would know what kind of schools would accept somebody like Sokka, right? "I... could talk with my dad if you want? Maybe engineering or something, since you like building stuff..."

Sarah Rogers (796) has posed:
    Sarah's likely a big help to the village while she's there. She does her best to downplay just how strong he is, but by the time Toph and Sokka return There's going to be talk of several amazing feats she pulled off. Sarah will of course explain that when she got back Gran put her to work!

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka nodded, leaning back against her. "Yeah. But trying to get the whole tribe to come see you would be near impossible. Besides, I'd told gran gran a thousand times about you and I think she wanted to meet you. I think she'd like you, you two have a lot in common. You're both very tough."

He closed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah. Heh. I need to figure out how those schools work. Maybe scrape some money together after some missions and get a place in that world. But... maybe." He gave a soft yawn. "I am happy I came back to join you, Toph. Honestly, when I came back, I really did feel lost and... unsure of what I was going to do. Now... I feel like I'm really actually doing the right things. Sometimes I wanna give up but... you know. I really do want to do the kind of things you and Aang do. Change the world. I'm still not sure how but... with a friend like you helping me like you have, I kind of feel like I can do it. So thanks. I just want you to know, if you ever want anything from me, you've got it. Not sure what I could give you but, well, if you think of something it's yours." Pause. "Please not space sword though. Oh, or boomerang."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Yeah... your grandma doesn't seem like she takes crap," Toph agrees with a slight smile. It's... nice sitting like this. And it seems less cold and windy. The net isn't shifting just yet, so she does feel tempted to move her hand near his...

    She doesn't however, as she listens to Sokka talk. "They're kinda big some of them, but... there are some students who get the money needed for those schools from people. If they have promise and all..." Surely she could convince Tony, right? It's worth a try. "Dad does give out scholarships, and he liked your inventions, so..." Not to mention he seemed to like Sokka too. At least she hopes he does.

    Not everybody can be a powerful bender, but then again, not everybody is smart and quick witted either. "I... know you can do it," Toph comments, her hand moving slightly closer to Sokka's... There is a lot she could want from Sokka, and so when he says those words of course the teenaged girl blushes a bit. At least until he mentions the sword and the boomerang. "Pffft, like I want those things! Then you wouldn't be able to do your thing," she reassures him with a big grin. No, he wouldn't be Sokka without the boomerang. And the sword obviously means a lot to him. "Well, you could always help me with the students next year," she suggests. "Or just any mission that the Union sends us on. It's easier to fight with somebody you know well, you know?"

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka blinked, then shook his head. "Absolutely no way. I am not taking money from your dad," he said stubbornly. "I'd much rather trick it out of him~" he said with a mischievous grin.

He paused, glancing back. "Oh? So you will accept my help with yuor students? Then fret not! I, Sokka, the world's leading motivation bender, will dedicate myself to teaching them bending or have them die trying!" he said, before giving a light chuckle. "This is nice, though. And... going on missions with you would be nice. It's been kind of... lame, not having my best bud around. Katara is good and all but, well, you know how she can be. And... well, watching Aang and Zuko being all buddy buddy is just weird. I mean, I get it, the guy is good now. But he makes SO many awful choices!"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "What? Why not?" Toph asks with a huff. Wait, he... thinks he can trick THE Tony Stark? Heh, she'd like to see him try!

    It's nice that he wants to help out, and well... even if he doesn't see her as more than his best friend, it's still something. And Toph smiles a bit softly, averting her face from Sokka. "I... like hanging out with you too," she admits in a tone that is a bit softer than her usual way of speaking. "Even if it's just the two of us." Or perhaps even more. Then, she hesitates a bit. "... thanks for the necklace. And for making sure I didn't freeze last night."

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka chuckled softly. "I'll think about it. I don't know, though. It'd be kind of weird asking for something like that. I'd rather not have your dad thinking your friend is some kind of like... dead beat who's only your buddy because you give me money. I mean, sure, that's an important part of it, but a good chunk of it is because you can kick my ass," he said with that grin.

"Hmmm? Well, of course. It's your first night here, I know how rough this trip is going to be for you. And... I think you knew, too. But you came anyway. But I think I knew that. That you would. You've always had my back, no matter what. The least I can do is give you a foot massage and make sure you stay warm." He paused. "Though, to be honest, I kind of liked it too."!!!!! "It was freaking cold last night. It was either cuddle up with you, Sarah who I think I'm already pushing the buttons with, or gran gran. And gran gran might have tossed me in the ocean," he said with a joking tone. The boat jammedto the side suddenly and he turned instantly, grabbing the side with one hand, his other wrapping around her. Then he paused. "I... think it's time to pull the net in." That was fast! Not a big haul, though. But enough.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "You're not my best friend for that reason, and you know it!" Toph huffs. "And... he helped me, right? He helps a lot of people, he likes it. So if he likes your ideas, why wouldn't he want to help you make more ideas that can help other people?" It makes perfect sense in her opinion. Tony wants to make up for who he used to be, and well, he does give out lots of scholarships. Possibly to people that aren't half of what Sokka is.

    Wait, Sokka... liked snuggling up too? Toph's cheeks turn even more red where she sits, and she swears she can feel her heart pounding against her ribcage. "Y-yeah, Gran Gran doesn't seem like somebody who likes to cuddle..." Sarah would probably be a bit put off by it, so... it makes sense. It looks like she's about to say something, but then there's the obvious sign of something in the net. Rats!

    A bit rushed Toph leans back against Sokka to keep her balance. And nods at his suggestion. "Y-yeah... I'll pull it in." At least they have food for tonight. And just maybe Sokka will sleep next to her tonight as well. Heck, the drool and bad breath would be worth it.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka chuckled softly, nodding. "Yeah, i know. I'm also your friend because I take a punch real well. Better than anyone you know, ever," he joked. He helped haul the net in and then slowly started guiding the ship back towards camp. He reached out and ruffled her hair. "Yeah. Nights here can get pretty rough. Don't worry, I'll make sure to keep you warm, though." He paused again.

"I know this trip isn't easy for you. But I can tell you're giving it a shot. It... really means a lot to me. Thank you. I'll make sure to cook you up a real good fish, okay?" He paused, then grinned. "You wanna try cooking a few of them, too? We got some real good seal flounders."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Being able to take a punch is just a bonus," the blind girl grins, bending up the net evenly to make it easier for Sokka to help. The fact that he ruffles her hair again makes her give out a mock snort. "Heh, reduced to a heating pad... you water tribe people sure know how to make a girl feel special!" she jests.

    No, it's not easy being out of her element. But if it's for Sokka's sake. And him being happy is better than him feeling down. "Eh, I'll try some of whatever, really. It's not like I've tasted this kind of fish before." But it won't really matter. This fishing trip truly wasn't that bad.

Sokka (1076) has posed:
Sokka nodded, then when shorewas near, he reached out and put an arm around her. "See? I told you you'd have fun. And you know I'd never let you down. And to think you doubted me~"