"I-I don't... really know..." she shook her head, no longer resisting his embrace. Afraid as she was of him getting involved, the desire for comfort was very quickly winning out over any other emotion.

"I met him in a dream-- a memory, actually... right before I found you... right before I saw..."

He knew what she saw. She had told him. It didn't need to be repeated.

"He killed Toph... he was the reason she was a shadow... He rescued me from the same thing and he said if I agreed to this in exchange for bringing be back he would use a... spell of his to turn me human and then he wouldn't hurt anyone else."

She paused, looking up at him with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You can't tell anyone! And you can't go after him! Promise me, Duo! Please!"