BOOK TWO: EARTH
CHAPTER 10: THE LIBRARY
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Aang sat cross legged on a prairie on the ground looking over a vast open savanna landscape with a range of mountains can be seen in the distance the distance. The landscape is mostly barren save for small shoots of grass which bend in the breeze. The ground in front of Aang is littered with holes but somehow he is fascinated by them and for what lies beneath. Everyone walks over to see what it is up. Aang is holding a thin wooden flute in both hands ready to play a tune.
"What's out here?" Sokka asked.
Toph puts her hand on the ground. "A lot, actually. There's hundreds of little ..."
Aang turns around and silences Toph. "Shh! I know you can see underground, but don't ruin the surprise. Just watch." Aang blows a note on the flute. A groundhog-type creature pops out of a hole in the ground and mimics the note. "Yeah! Plays another note and another groundhog mimics it. "I'm putting an orchestra together!"
Sokka looking on with annoyance, "Orchestra, huh? Well, la-di-da."
Three groundhogs pop out of the ground and sing descending notes. Momo jumps into a hole and comes out the middle one, trying to catch the groundhogs. Aang plays four notes and Momo tries to catch the groundhogs that pop up. Aang plays another note as Sokka runs up to Aang and plugs the flute with his finger, causing nothing to play. As Aang's cheeks swell with air, Aang looks at Sokka with a sad expression.
"This is great and all, but don't we have more important things to worry about? We should be making plans."
"We did make plans. We're all picking mini-vacations." Toph chimed in.
"There's no time for vacations." Sokka reminded them.
"I'm learning the elements as fast as I can. I practice hard every day with Toph and Katara. I've been training my arrow off!" Aang defended honestly.
"Yeah, what's wrong with having a little fun in our down time?" Katara asked.
"Even if you do master all of the elements, then what? It's not like we have a map of the Fire Nation. Should we just head west until we reach the Fire Lord's house? Knock, knock. Hello, Fire Lord? Anybody home? I don't think so. We need some intelligence if we're going to win this war." Sokka stated.
Aang plays a note on the flute and a groundhog pops up underneath Sokka and sings the note.
"All right, we'll finish our vacations and … then we'll look for Sokka's intelligence." Katara mocked her brother.
"I'm sure it's around her somewhere. Here Sokka's intelligence, Here Boy." Dante whistled which caused a groundhog to pop up and sing the note.
"Your turn, Katara. Where would you like to go on your mini-vacation?"Aang opened a map and shows it to Katara.
"How about the Misty Palms Oasis? That sounds refreshing." Katara choose the location.
"Oh, yeah, Dante and I been there. It's a pristine natural ice spring. And I usually don't use the word "pristine". It's one of nature's wonders."
::
Misty Palm Oasis
Team Avatarstares at the oasis in utter disappointment. It is little more than a rundown dust town with a small ice spring in the center.
Aang laughs sheepishly. "Must've changed ownership since we were here."
"Things do seem better during the days of our youth." V commented in a poetic verse.
They walk through the entrance and the hanging sign falls down. Team Avatar walking past the small ice spring. They walk into the bar and pass five sandbenders hanging around outside. One sandbender spits at Sokka's feet. Sokka looks at the man angrily. The man utters a raspy groan, slurps, and chuckles. Katara grabs Sokka and pulls him into the bar, which is filled with weary travelers.
"What a retched gathering of scum and villainy." V said.
"The bar I went two on Tatooine was better that this." Dante added.
The bartender uses two swords to slice a bowl from a large chunk of ice. He cuts down some mangos from the overhanging fruit and dices them up. He chops up a piece of fruit and pours a jug of milk into the bowl, still using the swords. He throws a decorative umbrella and straw into the bowl and serves it to a gentleman, who gives the bartender a coin.
"I don't see anything wrong with having one of those fruity beverages while we plan our strategy." Sokka runs up to the bartender.
The gentleman bumps into Aang and spills his drink onto the Airbender.
"No worries, I clean up easy." Aang airbends the drink off of his clothes.
"You're a living relic." The gentlemen gasped.
"Thanks, I try." Aang shrugs.
"An Air Nomad, right in front of me. Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University. Tell me, which of the air temples do you hail from?" Zei asked while he grabs Aang's arm and points at his arrow tattoo.
"The Southern Temple."
"Oh, splendid! Now tell me- what was the primary agricultural product of your people?"
"Uh, are fruit pies an agricultural product?"
"Oh, truly fascinating. That is one for the journal."
While Sokka speaks, Zei writes in his journal.
"So Professor, you're obviously a well-traveled guy. Do you have a more current map? Ours seems to be a little dated."
"Certainly."
Sokka unrolls a map on a table and examines. Toph sips her drink and props her legs on another chair. Dante and V sips from their drinks while Griffon munches on a bowl of nuts at the bar.
"What, no Fire Nation? Doesn't anybody have a good map of that place?" Sokka asked out loud.
"Well since the war began the Motherland or the Firebenders isn't going to be open to just anyone. Only people with a legit reason are allowed inside. So to answer your question … No." V said.
"You've made a lot of trips into the desert." Katara examines the map.
All in vain, I'm afraid. I've found lost civilizations all over the Earth Kingdom, but I haven't managed to find the crown jewel: Wan Shi Tong's Library."
"You spent years walking through the desert to find some guy's library?" Toph asked in disbelief.
"This library is more valuable than gold, little lady. It is said to contain a vast collection of knowledge, and knowledge is priceless."
"Hmm, sounds like good times." Toph replied sarcastically.
"Oh, it is. According to legend, it was built by the great Knowledge Spirit, Wan Shi Tong, with the help of his "foxy" knowledge seekers."
"Oh, so this spirit has attractive assistants, huh?" Sokka hoping to gets some action.
"I think he means they look like actual foxes, Sokka." Katara burst his bubble.
"You're both right. Handsome little creatures. " Zei corrected causing Katara and Sokka turn to him in surprise.
"I remembered sexy vixen, an anthro furry kitsune, who helped me when I contracted to assassinate corrupted politician who was visiting a brothel. It took two weeks to complete it … though I found the guy on the first day. Two weeks of lavish silk bliss with her. Good times." Dante said.
Toph raised her brow upon hearing the story. She was being to like Dante for his daring and party hard attitude to life. Zei takes out a drawing of the library and places it on the table. "Anyway Wan Shi Tong and his knowledge seekers collected books from all over the world, and put them on display for mankind to read, so that we might better ourselves."
"If this place has books from all over the world, do you think they've got info on the Fire Nation? A map, maybe?" Aang asked.
"I wouldn't know. But if such a thing exists, it's in Wan Shi Tong's Library."
Then it's settled. Aang, I do believe it's my turn. I'd like to spend my vacation … AT THE LIBRARY! Sokka as he points his finger into the air dramatically with his voice echoing.
Toph waved her hand to gain the others attention. "Uh, hey, what about me? When do I get to pick?"
"You gotta work here a little longer before you qualify for vacation time." Sokka quoted a verse from Team Avatar contract of hire.
"Hmph!"Slams her drink on the table and folds her arms.
Of course, there's the matter of finding it. I've made several trips into the Si Wong Desert and almost died each time. I'm afraid that desert's impossible to cross. Zei said in a depressed voice.
"Professor, would you like to see our sky bison?" Sokka decided to offer the good professor
"A sky bison?! You actually have one?" Zei asked excitedly.
Outside Appa runs away from four sandbenders, as he growls as Professor Zei toward the sandbenders. "Sandbenders, shoo, away from the bison!"
The sandbenders run away and get into two sand-sailers. They drive the sailers by creating a small tornado of sand near the sail.
Without further ado Appa flew across the sky. In Appa's saddle Katara and Toph leaning against the sides to Sokka who grabs a telescope and looks over the side. Momo, Zei, and Aang on Appa's head. Zei leans over Appa's head to ask him a question.
"Tell me, sky bison, are you the last of your breed?" Appa growls and Zei responds enthusiastically. "Delightful! I only wish I spoke his , the stories this beast could tell."
Momo crawls up to Zei's side and starts chittering with stories of his own. "Shush, chatty monkey."
Aang examines the picture of the library. "Wow, shouldn't be too hard to find a place like this out here."
That was the idea. But the shifting environment of the sands of time likes to place a game of hide-and-seek.
Toph groans in frustration. "Does this place even exist?" she asked.
"Some say it doesn't." Zei answered.
Toph's eyes widen in surprise before narrowing. "Shouldn't you have mentioned that before?"Toph collapses on the saddle, putting her feet over the side.
She wasn't going to fight it. If knew before hand she would have gone. However that didn't mean she can't have a little fun. She got an idea pointed over the side of the saddle with excitement. "There it is!"
Everybody on Appa looks to where Toph is pointing, but they can only see sand dunes. Aang, Katara, Dante, V and Sokka glared at Toph in annoyance for tricking them. "That's what it will sound like when one of you spots it." she states and waves her hand in front of her face with a blank grin to remind them of the fact that she is blind. She quickly goes back to clutching the saddle.
After a while of Aang driving Appa Momo sleeps on Aang's head. Sokka and Katara search for the library diligence.
"It shouldn't be this hard to spot a giant, ornate building from the air." Katara said.
Sokka looks through his telescope and spots a tower. "Down there, what's that?"
Aang drives Appa down to the tower among the sand. Once on the ground Katara reviews the illustrations and shakes her head. "Forget it. It's obviously not what we're looking for. The building in this drawing is enormous."
They see a sparkle in the distance and an animal holding a scroll with its mouth walking over a dune. "What kind of animal is that?" Sokka asked Zei.
The fox runs up the tower to a window at the top through which the fox enters. "I think that was one of the Knowledge Seekers. Oh, we must be close to the library!" Zei says excitedly.
Sokka looks over the illustration. "No, this is the library- look! It's completely buried."Tower in the illustration is at the very top of the library.
"The library is buried?! My life's ambition is now full of sand. Well, time to start excavating." He attempts to unearth the library using the tiny shovel.
Dante crossed his arms. "Listen as much as I would like to plunder these ruins of it treasure. I'm not going to wait until you dig to the front door – with a tiny shovel."
Toph places her palm against the spire's surface. Her eyes widen upon her discovery. "Actually, that won't be necessary. The inside seems to be completely intact. And it's huge."
"That fox thingy went in through a window. I say we climb up there and give it a look." Said Sokka.
"I say you guys go ahead without me." Toph opted to stay above ground.
"You got something against libraries?"
"I've held books before. And I gotta tell you, they don't exactly do it for me."
"Oh, right. Sorry." Katara apologized.
"Let me know if they have something you can listen to." Toph called after them as they began the climb.
A boomerang with a rope tied to it is thrown into the window. At the bottom of the tower, Sokka starts scaling the rope. Aang said his goodbye to his pet where he was inside. "Don't worry, buddy. I'm not making you go underground ever again. You can stay out here with Toph."
Appa makes a low, rumbling growl as he turns to Toph.
"What's up?" She asked awkwardly.
The group descended down the tower on ropes while Momo flies down, V held onto Griffon as the demon flew and Dante shape shifted into an eagle and flies as well. As they entered into library's ceiling dome the professor marveled at the sights. "Oh, it's breathtaking! The spirit spared no expense in designing this place. Look at those beautiful buttresses!"
Sokka and Aang giggle at the word. "What's funny?"
"Nothing. We just like architecture." Aang said.
"As do I." smiled Zei.
They slide off the rope onto a bridge where Dante and V waited. They took in the beauty of the Great Library of Wan Shi Tong.
"My word!" exclaimed Zei as he examines an owl mosaic above two pillars The exquisite mosaic handiwork of this tile-rendered avian symbol ..." Everyone look at Zei quizzically. "Eh, nice owl."
They hear rustling noises. Dante, V, Sokka and Katara run behind a pillar. Aang grabs Zei and they hide behind another pillar. A giant black and white owl spirit walks over the bridge and examines the rope. Aang cranes his head around the pillar.
The owl spirit turns his head around in the direction of the visitors. "I know you're back there." the owl spoke with a voice that to reverberate off the walls, enough to make every last one of the little fine hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.
Aang gasps and hides again. However the good professor's curiosity got the better of him. He smiles and walks from behind the pillar and up to the owl. "Hello, I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University."
The owl didn't if he was of such. "You should leave the way you came. [Looks to the side.] Unless you want to become a stuffed head of anthropology."
The owl gestures to three stuffed animal heads on a pillar. Zei moans and clutches his neck. Katara, Sokka Aang, Dante and V walk out from behind their pillars and up to the Owl sees that it is safe to do so.
"Are you the spirit who brought this library to the physical world?" asked Sokka.
"Indeed, I am Wan Shi Tong, "He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things." And you are obviously humans, which, by the way, are no longer permitted in my study." Wan Shi Tong stated as a matter of fact.
"What do you have against humans?" asked Aang.
Wan Shi Tong frowned at the question. Every spirit being everywhere askedthat question would answer the same way. The Nature of Mankind.
"Hm! Humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans. Like that firebender who came to this place a few years ago, looking to destroy his enemy. So ... who are YOU trying to destroy?" Wan Shi Tong asked Sokka by leaning down and looking him straight in the eye. He sense he is the weakest link of the bunch. The boy's eyes will not lie.
"What? No-no-no-no destroying. We're not into that." Sokka pleaded nervously
"Then why have you come HERE?"
"Um ... knowledge for knowledge's sake?"
"Oh for the love of …" Dante rolled his eyes at Sokka's half-ass answer.
The owl didn't have to read his mind to know is a lying weasel. "If you're going to lie to an all-knowing spirit being, you should at least put some effort into it."
I'm not lying, I'm here with the Avatar, and he's the bridge between our worlds. He'll vouch for me." Sokka grabs Aang and nudges him.
"Ow. Uh, yeah, I'll vouch. We will not abuse the knowledge in your library, good spirit. You have my word."
They all bow to Wan Shi Tong. To see the Avatar is the Airbender that survived to genocide a hundred years ago, as well as two spirit beings in his company perhaps this bunch won't be like the ones before. "Hmm, very well. I'll let you peruse my vast collection. On one condition. To prove your worth as scholars, you have to contribute some worthwhile knowledge."
It seems like a fair trade. Zei walks up to Wan Shi Tong holding a book and kneels down. "Please accept this tome as a donation to your library."
"First edition, very nice."The owl grabs the book with his wing.
"I have an authentic waterbending scroll." Katara offered what she and Aang no longer needs.
"Ooh, these illustrations are quite stylish." The owl grabs the scroll.
"I found this book once that help sharpened my tongue." Dante offered a little book he had in his bag.
"The Art of Verbal Self-defense. For those who want to be good at parties. Efficient." the owl takes the manual.
"Uh ... oh, I know." Grabs his wanted poster out of his shirt and shows it to Wan Shi Tong.
"I suppose that counts." The owl takes the poster.
V who had nothing to give to Wan Shi Tong and his great library. "I'm sorry, wise one; I have nothing to give you. But it pleases you may I ready you a verse from my small book. Poetry is my area of expertise." V offered politely.
"By all means."
V raised his arm and opened his hand to reveal glowing particles that resemble an ancient symbols in forgotten tongue.
Wan's eyes widened at the beautiful sight."My, My. I haven't seen it this since their civilization fell into these sands."
Everyone was amazed at such a sight. V then pushed it the owl. "They are gone but their knowledge isn't. It figures some of it should return to one who gave it to them." said V. Wan Shi Tong accepted the glowing symbol back into himself.
Last but not least was Sokka."Oh, great spirit, check this out … Ta-da!" Sokka tied some string into a butterfly knot and shows it to Wan Shi Tong who just looks at him … in utter silence. "It's a special knot. That counts as knowledge!" Sokka tried to sell it.
"You're not very bright, are you?"Wan Shi Tong takes the knot leaving Sokka to grunt.
Perhaps this group is different than the rest. "Enjoy the library." He jumps off the bridge and flies down to lower levels of the library.
Sokka Narrows his eyes. "Bright enough to fool you."
Perhaps a imbecile like Sokka can be pity into and establishment.
::
Outside Toph and Appa engage in a conversation about … stuff.
"So ... you like ... flying?" asked Toph.
Appa purrs deeply and scratches his ear.
"Of course, I'm more comfortable on the ground where I can see. Well, I don't see the way you do. I feel the vibrations in the ground with my feet." Toph picks up a handful of sand and lets it fall. "But this sand is so loose and shifty, it makes everything look fuzzy."
Appa makes a rumbling groan and Toph wonders if she offended him.
"Not that there's anything wrong with fuzzy."
Toph have a few things in common. One: they are very moody. Two: they at times have hair covering their eyes. Three: they are really strong. And finally four: they have four letters to their name. If anything they would be fast friends.
::
Deep inside the library the group is immersed in the knowledge within. The Knowledge Seeker, Team Avatar, and Zei at a bookshelf. The Knowledge Seeker deposits its scroll on a shelf and moves on.
Aang, as he flips a page on his book. He finds an illustration of a person talking to a lion turtle with two more lion turtles in the background. Aang holds the illustration up to show Sokka and Katara. "Hey, look at these weird lion turtle things."
"Eh, I've seen weirder." Sokka shrugged.
"Aang, did you know in a past life, you were left-handed?"
"I always knew I was special." smiled Aang.
Sokka walked down to a few levels and found a statue of a scantily clad dancer of carved out of stone with a cat head and two plumped bare breasts. Sokka decided to enjoy the sight of this wonderful piece of art from the ancient world.
"What are you looking?"
"GAHHH!" Sokka nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned around and saw it was Dante who was standing behind him. "Ah … it's just a statue of a weird dancer ... girl."
"Eh, were guys who stare a statues of naked women. Nothing new there."
Sokka and Dante walk on until up to a podium. They see the burnt piece of parchment framed on the podium with the characters: 培治龍年七月九日烈火國最黑暗的一天.
"The darkest day in Fire Nation history." It's got a date at the top, but it doesn't say anything else." Sokka said
"Looks like it was pulled from a fire." Dante says ironically.
He looks around, making sure no one is watching, before prying open the frame with his machete and taking the parchment.
"Sokka, where are you going?" asks Katara bother upon seeing him rush past.
"I want to know what happened to the Fire Nation on their darkest day. This could be promising. The information on the Fire Nation should be right up here."Everyone running down the section of a library, to where the Fire Nation archives dwelt, only to find it a room full of ashes.
"Firebenders." Aang said looking at the devastation.
"They destroyed everything having to do with the Fire Nation." Katara said.
"That's so unfair! Just when I think I'm one step ahead of the Fire Nation, it turns out they beat us here a long time ago. I need to know what happened on the darkest day."
"Grow a pair and grow up. Life is unfair." Dante stabbed Sokka's personality.
Sokka hears whimpering and looks at the entrance to see the Knowledge Seeker standing on its hind legs. "Hello, little weird fox guy."
"You want a cookie, scram." Griffon said.
"Seems it's trying to assist you." Zei asked.
"Um, sure, I guess I'll follow you."
::
They follow the Knowledge Seeker to a large round door with a texture lining the bottom sides of the wall. The Knowledge Seeker enters a small door in the texture. The large door opens showing the Knowledge Seeker standing behind it. Team Avatar and Zei walk toward the center of the room. The Knowledge Seeker pushes a lever beside the calendar wheel and the domed ceiling changes from day to night.
"This room is a true marvel, a mechanical wonder. It's a planetarium that shows the heavens moving." Zei gasped in joy.
The domed ceiling changes back into day.
"Uh, this is beautiful, but how is it helpful?" asked Sokka.
Katara over to the dial. "Maybe these dials represent dates and times. Sokka, try entering that date from that parchment you took."
Sokka shushed his sister "Shh, Katara, not in front of the fox, he's with the owl."The Knowledge Seeker whimpers. Sokka glances at the parchment and changes four of the calendar wheels. He pushes the lever and the domed ceiling changes from day to night.
"Wow, I got to hand it to you, Sokka. You picked the best mini-vacation for sure." Aang comments.
The ceiling changes from night to day and the planetarium suddenly grows dark.
"Hey, wait. What happened to the sun?" Katara asked.
"Great, you must have broken it." Aang said.
Sokka walked until he was beside Aang. The sun piece of the planetarium covered by the moon piece.
"It's not broken. The sun is behind the moon. It's a solar eclipse! It's literally the darkest day in Fire Nation history. Now I get it." Sokka grabs Aang's shoulders and shakes him. "Something awful happened on that day. I don't know what, but I do know why. Firebenders lose their bending during a solar eclipse."
"Congregations, Sokka. You discovered a Firebender weakness. You get a cookie." V said sarcastically and tossed a cookie to him.
"Thanks!" Sokka accepted the cookie with proudly.
Katara understand it now. "That makes sense. I mean, think what the lunar eclipse at the North Pole did to the waterbenders. This is huge."
The Knowledge Seeker gets on its hind legs and begs. "Fine, you earned it." Sokka tosses his cookie to the fox.
"We've gotta get this information to the Earth King at Ba Sing Se. We'll wait for the next eclipse, then we'll invade the Fire Nation when they're totally helpless. The Fire Lord is going DOWN!"
"Mortals are so predictable and such terrible liars."
Sokka gulps and turns around and see Wan Shi Tong standing at the entrance not looking happy at all.
"Sokka did it, Eat him!" Dante pointed the finger at Sokka.
"You betrayed my trust! From the beginning, you intended to misuse this knowledge for evil purposes."
"That's Sokka." Griffon added.
"What, no. You don't understand. If anyone's evil, it's the Fire Nation. You saw what they did to your library. They're destructive and dangerous. We need this information."
"You think you're the first person to believe their war was justified? Countless others before you from all four nations have come here seeking weapons or weaknesses or battle strategies."
"He's right." V said and he walked forward until he was beside Sokka to confront the Owl. "Great Wan Shi Tong, me and my older brother Dante know all too well the nature of mankind."
"Yet, you are spirit beings yourselves; you live among them as if it would make their lives better. Yes I know of the conflict you two have with your eldest brother even before you even set foot in this world. Word can travel across creation faster than you think."
"The imagination of man's heart is evil from its youth. But even after they still can change."
"Change into what? The only things Humans that seek power can change into are clever demons. The cycle will continue throughout this world. Today it is the Fire Nation, tomorrow it will be the Water Tribes, and then it will be the Earth Nation. This vicious cycle that you two trying to fight against with never end unless you do what must be done."
V hung his head in defeat. Katara and Aang noticed small tear falling to the floor. Aang tried to plea one last time. "We had no choice. Please, we're just desperate to protect the people we love."
Wan Shi Tong closed his eyes and sighed before opening them again. He knows what they lost. But they do not see the bigger picture.
"And now I'm going to protect what I love." Wan flaps his wings to airbends a current thought-out the library which begins to shake.
"What are you doing?" Aang shouted.
"I'm taking my knowledge back. No one will ever abuse it AGAIN."
Katara notices sand begins to pours from the ceiling. "He's sinking the building. We've gotta get out of here."
Wan Shi Tong form began to change. His neck grew longer and he spread his wings to their fill wingspan. If the other form is normal than this form is for battle.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that. You already know too much." Wan Shi Tong right eye glowed red while the other glowed blue. Wave-like tattoos glow red and blue on his feathers.
Dante and V were surprised. "Wait a minute. Those powers are Angel and demon, are you …?" V asked.
"Yes, I'm too am a Nephilim, like yourselves."
Dante turn around and broke the fourth wall. "I didn't see that coming. RUN!"
Wan Shi Tong Pecks at them, but misses. He continues to pursue them as they run out the planetarium.
::
Outside, Appa snarls as the library starts sinking and the ground starts shaking. Toph rest in the Appa's in his shadow out of the hot sun. "I already told you, I don't wanna snuggle."
Appa stands up and hurries away from the library. Toph falls flat on her back, she stand and her feet show her the fuzzy image of the library sinking into the sand. "Library sinking. Library sinking!"
Toph runs up to the library and punches both fists into the library to stop it from sinking. Her feet slip in the sand, so she pauses to solidify it. She struggles to stop it from sinking again but time is running out.
::
As above, so below. The clock was ticking. Team Avatar and Zei running through the library. They round a corner, and Wan Shi Tong continues pursuing them.
Zei stops running and turns back toward Wan Shi Tong. "Great Knowledge Spirit, I beg you, do not destroy your vast collection of priceless tomes."
Aang uses air suction to move Zei out of Wan Shi Tong's attack. Aang fires an air blast at Wan Shi Tong, sending the spirit falling off the side of the bridge.
Aang runs back to the rest. "We've gotta get back to the surface!"
"Sokka, let's go." Katara waved to her brother to follow.
"But we still don't know when the next eclipse is gonna to happen." Sokka protested.
"Don't be stupid! We'll find out later!" Katara said.
"No, we won't. If we leave this place, we'll never get the information. Aang and V, come with me to the planetarium, I need cover. Dante, keep Katara safe and if the Owl shows up do your worst. Katara, take Momo and get out of here!"
"But ...!"
Wan Shi Tong breaks in between the two groups and pursues Dante Katara and Zei.
"GO!" Sokka urged them on.
"Hurry, Sokka!" Katara calls after her brother.
Zei evades Wan Shi Tong by diving into a smaller aisle of books. He grabs a book, looking at the cover excitedly. Katara runs and Wan Shi Tong swoops down. Dante spun around to face Wan Shi Tong with Rebellion at the ready.
"Dude, you picked the wrong day to drown me in sand."
Dante sprinted and leaped and cut into Wan Shi Tong who uttered a cry of pain.
::
Above on the surface with Toph holding up the library. Appa grunts nervously getting Toph's attention, "What is it now?" she asks.
There in the far off in distance closing fast are three sand-sailers. As they closed in The sandbenders direct a sand blast at Appa.
"Who's there?" Toph demanded as she struggled as hard as she could to not let the building sink.
Through her seismic sense she can see fuzzy images of sand-sailers circling Appa and the sandbenders jumping out. Things were about to go down.
::
Below the surface this were heating up.
"Come on, V hurry up!" Sokka called to him.
"You try to run with a bad leg." V replied sarcastically. He then summoned Shadow to be a mist under his feet and glide on the floor faster to keep up.
Sokka Aang and V run across a bridge and reach the entrance to the planetarium.
"Why are we doing this?" Aang asked.
"Because if this calendar can tell us about eclipses in the past, then maybe it can project when the next one will be." Sokka replied.
"You can't possibly check every single date."
"I don't have to. We just need to check every date before Sozin's Comet arrives. Because after that- well, try not to think about that."
V summons Griffon, Shadow and nightmare to watch the door. "Then for the sake of the children, Sokka, you better find it."
Sokka nods and finishes adjusting the wheels and Aang pushes the lever. Moon travels across the ceiling and Sokka adjusts the wheel calendar again, before switching to the ceiling changing from night to day. The sun and moon traveling close to each other but he keeps trying.
"Come on, eclipse." Aang mutters and pushes the lever.
The moon and sun traveling across the ceiling until the moon finally overlaps with the sun.
"That's it! The solar eclipse! It's just a few months away." Sokka takes out a piece of paper and writes down the date. "Got it. Now, let's get to Ba Sing Se."
::
Appa surrounded by sandbenders yielding weighted ropes. They throw the ropes over Appa and solidify the sand near their feet to bring Appa down.
"Don't make me put this down." Toph warned.
Toph lets go of the library and earthbends a slice of sand at the sandbenders, but misses. She grabs the library again. Appa is tied up by the sand-sailers that drag him away with all haste. "No! Stop sinking! No!" Toph finally grabs the library. Toph closes her eyes feeling like she wanted to die.
"I'm sorry, Appa."
::
Below the boss fight with Wan Shi Tong was going smoothly … Wan Shi Tong. Trying to fight him off while trying to make a break for the exit is not easy. Katara and Dante ran before stopping beside a bookshelf, Katara holding Momo while she and Dante panted quietly so not to alert Wan of their presence. Wan Shi Tong walks on the other side of the bookshelf and spots Momo's tail.
"At least I'll have one specimen to add to my collection."
Wan Shi Tong tries to grab Momo with his beak, but the three ran. They reach the bridge with the rope and turn back to face Wan Shi Tong who raises his head and unfolds his wings to attack.
"Your powers and swordplay won't be enough to face me while protecting her. And your waterbending won't do you much good here. I've studied Northern water style, Southern water style, even Foggy Swamp style."
Aang flies his glider holding Sokka, who jumps off holding a book, yelling. Sokka slams the book onto Wan Shi Tong's head, knocking him out. "Learn it. That's called Sokka style!"
It was finally time to get out of there. V grabs on to Griffon and he takes him above where the light from the outside is pouring down.
Sokka, Katara, Momo and Dante climb over Wan Shi Tong and up the rope. Sokka climbs the rope until stops and looks back down and see professor Zei. "Wait! Professor, let's go."
Professor Sitting among a pile of books holding a scroll that surrounds him. The sand is building up and beginning to cover some of the stacks. Zei is reading a scroll. "I'm not leaving. I can't. I've spent too long trying to find this place. There's not another collection of knowledge like this on earth. I could spend an eternity in here."
Professor would give up everything of his form life to seek the vast knowledge of the universe. He was truly and finally content. Knowledge is a gift that should never be wasted.
Katara looks up at Sokka. "Just go!"
Wan Shi Tong screeches and shakes the rope, making Sokka, Katara and Dante fall off. Aang catches them and they fly up while Wan Shi Tong pursues them.
They cut it close but they made it. V waited for them at the top and when he see them coming up fast he jump down. Once was everyone came out and hit the dirt Toph finally let go of the library letting sink into the sandy depths.
"We got it. There's a solar eclipse coming. The Fire Nation's in trouble now!"
Aang stood up and walks toward Toph wondering where his sky bison is. "Where's Appa?" he asked.
Instead of replying Toph shakes her head. She failed in protecting Appa. She did want to let either the library or Appa disappear, but she couldn't hold to both.
The needs of the many out weighted the needs of few.