CHAPTER 15: HE WHO KNOWS TEN THOUSAND THINGS (PART 2)

(Disclaimer: Avatar The Last Airbender belongs to Nickelodeon and Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own my OC's)

(PLEASE READ: THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO "SHUJINKO: THE FOURTH MEMBER", BUT A DIFFERENT STORY WITH SHUJINKO AS THE MAIN CHARACTER. THIS STORY WILL NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT WHATSOEVER IN "SHUJINKO SHIPPUDEN". I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO SHUJINKO'S ORIGINAL STORY)

Summary: One night, a stranger breaks into Shujinko's house and tries to steal one of the most mystical objects in the history of the Ozuma clan: The Eye of Kazemaru. When Shujinko tries to stop him, the two of them activate an ancient and forgotten power of the gem by accident, which sends them to another dimension where a certain bald-headed monk has to master the four elements in order to defeat the evil Fire Lord. What kind of impact will Shujinko's presence have in the Avatar universe? Who is this stranger and what does he want? Get ready for one wild space-time adventure

"Phew, boy, talk about lucking out," Sokka said as he grabbed a random book from a bookcase and began flipping through its pages. "Honestly, I wasn't so sure Mr. Owl was going to let us stay, but I guess our priceless offerings changed his mind,"

"Priceless offerings? Is that what you call a piece of rope tied into a knot?" Katara asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, it was good enough to be accepted by the almighty spirit of knowledge. Who are you to question his wisdom, huh?"

The waterbender rolled her eyes but didn't waste her time arguing about something stupid. What mattered most was that they had found the library and had Wan Shi Tong's permission to look around, presumably for as long as they wanted. It made her feel special when considering how many few people could say they were allowed into a mystical place most said it didn't even exist. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and Katara was determined to make the most of it, which was why she was carrying a pile of books in her arms, and although she'd never been much of a reader, Katara had to admit she was actually looking forward to reading as many books as she could before they had to leave.

Meanwhile, Aang was sitting on the floor, leaning his back against a bookcase while reading a scroll with great interest. "Hey guys, listen to this. According to this scroll, Avatar Szeto was capable of bending the magma from volcanoes. It's called Lavabending, and he was the first known lavabender in history. I wonder if I'll ever get to practice it one day,"

Sokka whistled. "Lavabending sounds awesome. I've heard there are several volcanoes in the Fire Nation. Can you imagine showing up there and start making volcanoes erupt everywhere? That'd be one heck of an entrance,"

"Actually, that sounds kind of dangerous to me. What if you were trying to bend lava and it falls down on you by accident? That's not something you can fix with some tea and a couple of band-aids," Katara said. She then looked around and noticed Shujinko wasn't there with them, which was fairly unusual given how the Chunin wouldn't normally leave their side while exploring a place like this. "Do any of you know where Shujinko went? It's been a while since we last saw him,"

"He said he wanted to do his own research to cover more terrain faster or something like that," Aang replied as he carefully rolled the scroll back up. "I had no idea Shujinko kept a diary up until now. It's a good thing Wan Shi Tong accepted it as a contribution, but I kind of want to know what was in there. Do you think he mentioned us in one of his entries? And if he did, did he wrote good stuff or bad stuff about us?"

"Knowing Shujinko, I doubt he would've let any of us glance at his diary. He didn't even tell us he had one in the first place, not that it's any of our business anyway," Sokka said as he placed another book into his bag. "Is it just me, or is Shujinko kind of upset for having to give up his diary? He was acting a little sulky before he left,"

The corner of Katara's mouth pulled down. Unlike Sokka and Aang, she did know about the existence of Shujinko's diary before either of them, as Shujinko had shown it to her once. She didn't get to see much of it, but she clearly remembered the photography of Shujinko's family and the fondness with which he stared at it. Being so far away from his loved ones, that picture had to have a lot of sentimental value for Shujinko, and now he no longer had it in his possession.

With a great deal of care, the waterbender left the books she was holding on the ground, making sure that none of them got dirty. She hadn't forgotten the warning Wan Shi Tong had given them, after all. "I'm gonna go check on him and see if he's doing alright. You two wait for me here, okay?"

000

Shujinko was not doing alright.

As he opened a book titled Sights of an explorer: A trip around the many places of the world, the frown on his face kept getting heavier and more noticeable. He was angry and frustrated, but most of all, he was sad about loosing his diary. That little book of his was one of the few objects he genuinely cared about, and in a way, it was his most treasured belonging. His diary had allowed him to somewhat cope with the overwhelming situation he found himself in, serving as a silent, faithful friend whom he could tell everything, including his fears and insecurities. Most importantly, it was the one thing that helped him feel close to his home, even more so than his headband.

He knew it had to be done, as Wan Shi Tong wouldn't have let him in his library otherwise. In the grand scheme of things, his diary was just a book he wrote on. It didn't contain any sensitive information nor did it serve a higher purpose, but it still meant a lot to him. The pictures he had kept there were irreplaceable, and even though he could get himself another journal once they left the library, it simply wouldn't be the same. Being unable to wear his headband anymore was a low blow, but losing his diary was more painful than a kick in the family jewels, and despite his efforts, Shujinko couldn't get over it.

Right now, all he could really do was focus on the task at hand. This library had books from all over the world. There had to be a map or a book that showed the shinobi continent, and he wasn't going to leave this place without coming across some worthy information first. Surely enough, the geography section was huge, but it didn't seem to follow a categorical system of order as the books were placed at random. Shujinko was considering the idea of creating shadow clones to find more information, but after losing so much chakra during his fight against the hooded man, he didn't want to spend more of it unless he was desperate.

While reading a tome about some of the most noteworthy expeditions in history, Shujinko felt something approaching him from behind. He could tell who it was due to the acute senses he had developed after years of training, although they didn't explain why he was being observed. "Is there a reason why you're stalking me, spirit?" he asked without turning around.

"Interesting. Not many humans have been able to detect my presence before I announce myself to them first," Wan Shi Tong said, blocking the exit by standing between the two bookcases as if intending to corner Shujinko. "And can it truly be considered stalking if this is my home and you are merely a guest?"

"Why would you ask me? You're the one who knows ten thousand things," Shujinko replied as he finally turned around. He knew that being sassy with a spirit was probably not the best idea in the world, but having to give up his diary had left a rather sour taste in his mouth and he was looking at the guy who now owned it.

"Do not mock me, child. I may have the patience to spend thousands of years gathering books, but I do not have the patience to deal with inane cheekiness. As for why am I here, I waited until you were alone so I could speak to you in private. You are… a most unusual occurrence,"

"How so?"

"As a spirit, I can naturally recognize the essence of my kind, either here or in the Spirit World. There is no doubt that you are a human. Your heart beats just the same as those of your kin. However, deep inside of you, there is something else, something weak and distant, but present nonetheless. You are not a spirit yourself, and yet I feel something ingrained in your blood that resonates with me, like an echo of a spirit emanating from your very being. I would say you are almost unique,"

"If I'm being honest, I don't rightly know what you're talking about, but why would you say I'm almost unique?"

"Because I have met someone like you before, and this automatically prevents your case from being unprecedented. Once, a man found my library and requested permission to stay. He was a botanist who wanted to learn everything he could about plants and herbs that could be used to produce medicine… or so he claimed. Just like with you, I allowed him to deepen his studies, and once he got what he came for, he left and never returned,"

The Ozuma narrowed his eyes. He had no idea where this was coming from, nor did he know anything about this botanist Wan Shi Tong spoke of. Shujinko was a shinobi, nothing less, nothing more. The fact that this spirit was somehow certain that he was "special" rubbed him the wrong way. He was different from the people of this part of the world, that much was clear, but that alone didn't make him special or unique as far as he was concerned. "If you dislike humans so much, why did you let him stay here? Did he give you an offering?"

Wan Shi Tong shook his head. "He did not. I only allowed him here because I was curious, something that rarely ever happens to me when it comes to humans. Just like you, he also possessed a connection to a spirit flowing through his veins, something I had never seen before since the dawn of my existence. I ignore what became of him after he left, but you do remind me of him in more ways than one,"

"Is that supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Neither. It is just something that caught my attention," the spirit replied. "Anyways, I shall take my leave now. Keep indulging yourself in the fascinating subject that is geography,"

As Wan Shi Tong flew away, Shujinko stared at the spot where the spirit was previously standing before letting out a sigh. This is just what he needed, more mystery and questions. It seemed like this part of the world simply couldn't resist itself and continued to confuse him wherever he went. He didn't want to concern himself with things that had absolutely nothing to do with him, and yet it just kept happening. Why the hell should he care about some random botanist that showed up here years ago? Shujinko didn't know him nor did he wanted to learn more about him, but thanks to Wan Shi Tong and his big beak, he couldn't help but feel a little intrigued.

'What did I do to deserve this?' Shujinko thought as he pressed his lips together. 'I never asked to be sent here. All I want is to return to the Hidden Leaf Village and forget about this nonsense. Is that too much to ask? Who did I wrong so badly that this happened to me?'

At times like these, Shujinko felt the need to open his diary and write down all of his thoughts, but now he couldn't even do that. His frustration was so great Shujinko wanted to rip the pages out of the book he was holding and throw it away, even if he risked evoking the spirit's fury. In the end, all the Chunin did was to sit on the floor and lean his back against the bookcase as his head hung low. He wanted to berate himself for his weakness and try to keep searching for books, but he couldn't muster the energy to do it.

"… Shujinko?" The golden-eyed boy grimaced. Of course, Katara had to find him wallowing in self-pity. He was so stressed and distraught that he didn't even bother to acknowledge her presence at first. The waterbender walked up to the Chunin and took a seat next to him, her eyes full of concern. "Are you okay?"

Shujinko took a deep breath before answering her. "No, I can't say that I am,"

The corners of Katara's mouth pulled down. She knew Shujinko well enough to know that he rarely admitted to being upset or sad by something, at least not without her doing some probing first. For him to flat out say he was not okay after just one question could only mean he was really afflicted. "I'm sorry about your diary. I know it was precious to you, very precious,"

"Forget about it. In the end, it was just a diary. There are more relevant things at stake here," he replied, still not completely letting go of the façade. It was pointless and Shujinko was aware of it. He had already told her he wasn't okay, but for some stupid reason, he couldn't help but try to reassure her by minimizing his loss. Maybe he didn't want Katara to grow more concerned over him, or maybe, he just had a hard time being open about his feelings. He didn't know and he didn't care, not right now.

"That might be true, but your diary is still important to you. You shouldn't have to suffer in silence because you no longer have it,"

"Suffer in silence?" Shujinko repeated, and this time, his eyes met hers. "Katara, I've been suffering in silence since the day we met. Losing my diary is just another thing to add to the list of crap I have to deal with. That's just the way it is. Believe me, if talking about my problems could somehow fix them, I'd talk about them all day long, but that's not how the world works and there's no point pretending otherwise,"

Katara ignored the annoyed frown on the Ozuma's face and looked into his eyes. For all his toughness and grit, Shujinko was still vulnerable, even if he didn't want to accept it. And honestly, who wouldn't be? If the roles were reversed and Katara got lost in the shinobi continent, surrounded by ninjas who had been obligated to fight since the ripe old age of twelve, she was certain she wouldn't be able to handle things or conduct herself nearly as well as Shujinko had managed to do so far.

What truly bothered and pained the waterbender was Shujinko's refusal to talk about what he was going through. She had gotten to know him a little better and the Chunin had even confided to her a couple of things, but staring at those shiny golden eyes of his, Katara knew there was so much he was holding back, so much undisclosed anguish and resentment caused by something he had no control over. It was true that talking about his problems wouldn't make them go away, but Katara was sure Shujinko would at least feel a little bit better if he just unbottled his emotions instead of keeping them locked as if they were dangerous prisoners.

"Why are you like this, Shujinko? Why can't you trust in the people who care about you? Why can't you trust me?"

"This has nothing to do with trust. I trust you the same way I trust Aang, Sokka, and Toph, maybe even more than them. You're one of the few good things that have happened to me ever since I ended up lost here," Shujinko replied with complete sincerity. Not expecting such a response, an unavoidable blush crept over Katara's cheeks, who could feel her palms starting to sweat. "But that doesn't change the fact that my situation has only gotten worse. Instead of finding solutions, I keep finding problems I don't have an answer to and… and I don't know how much more I can take before I snap,"

As stealthily as a snake slithering through the grass, Katara moved her left arm and placed it around Shujinko's shoulders before pulling him closer. The Ozuma was somewhat surprised by this, even more so when Katara grabbed one of his hands with her right one, but didn't try to resist the embrace. "You don't need to act strong when you're with me," Katara assured him. "We'll get through this, and I'm here for you,"

Shujinko didn't know what to say. It had been a while since the last time someone had held him like this. There weren't a lot of people Shujinko felt comfortable being this physically close to. The only ones who were allowed this kind of intimacy with him were his family members, Kakashi (although his sensei wasn't much of a hugger himself), and Tenten, who was his comrade as well as his first girlfriend.

Tenten was the first person Shujinko had developed genuine romantic feelings for. Her strong personality, her sense of humor, her skills as a kunoichi, and her beauty had been more than enough for Shujinko to have a huge crush on her. Once they started dating, the brown-haired boy was over the moon with happiness, maybe the happiest he had ever been before. Grabbing her hand, making her laugh, kissing her in private, it was almost like a fairy tale, almost too good to be true.

But being a shinobi came with its fair share of downsides, and with the two of them being young and inexperienced, it was only a matter of time before their relationship started to face troubles. Lots of their dates had to be postponed or canceled due to unexpected missions. Sometimes, the two of them were so tired after their training sessions that they simply didn't have the energy to spend quality time together as a normal couple should. This led to Shujinko and Tenten arguing a lot, and once it became clear neither of them knew how to fix their issue, they decided they had to take a break from their relationship until they figured out what to do.

Their relationship wasn't over. Neither of them wanted to abandon what they had, but at the same time, they knew things couldn't continue like this, so the only option was to stay separate for some time while they got their affairs in order. This hurt Shujinko a great deal, for he still very much liked Tenten and cared for her, and he was certain that Tenten felt the same way about him. As far as he was concerned, they made a good couple, and he'd only let it go if Tenten herself stood in front of him, looked directly into his eyes, and said "We're done", which had yet to happen.

However, being hugged by Katara reminded Shujinko of simpler times, and he found himself finding comfort in her embrace. It was easy to forget how nice human contact could be when punching and kicking were most of the human contact Shujinko partook in. "Thanks, Katara," was all he managed to say.

Once the hug came to an end, Shujinko and Katara went back to staring at each other, only this time, the distance between their faces was shorter than before. Despite her tan skin, the Chunin could clearly see Katara's cheeks were redder than usual, and for some stupid reason, this made him grow a blush as well. The fact that they were still holding hands wasn't the least bit helpful either. Being this close to a girl whom Shujinko considered to be pretty hadn't happened in a long time, and for a moment, the Ozuma stopped being a shinobi and felt like the teenager he often forgot he was.

Both of them remained as still as a statue. Shujinko had no idea why he was so nervous and embarrassed all of a sudden. The normal thing to do would be to stand up and continue looking for useful books, but the unanticipated tension that had grown around them had Shujinko's butt stuck to the floor. Katara herself didn't know what was going on or why she couldn't say anything. The only thing she knew was that there were butterflies fluttering in her belly and that Shujinko's facial features, although somewhat rugged, were quite attractive in her eyes. His hand, which she was still grasping, was rough and coarse, yet pleasant to hold all the same.

But then, seconds before either of them could make a move, they heard loud footsteps approaching, to which Katara let out a short and involuntary squeak of panic. Out of instinct (and fear), the Chunin instantly got up and took out a random book from the bookcase, which he then opened and used to cover his face. The waterbender did exactly the same, raising an open scroll just in time as Sokka and Aang appeared.

"Katara, Shujinko, you guys have got to see this!" Sokka declared, waving a rolled-up sheet of paper. When neither of them replied, he raised a dubious eyebrow, as if the boomerang-wielding boy had suddenly caught the scent of awkwardness in the air. "Humnh, what are you doing?"

"Reading," Shujinko said curtly, his voice louder than what he had intended.

"Yup, just reading," Katara followed immediately after, both of them still covering their faces. Aang thought their reaction was a little odd, and upon closer inspection, he noticed how Shujinko's ears were quite red and that Katara's hands were trembling as she held the scroll. He was about to ask them if they were okay when Sokka raised his voice.

"Look, I get it, this place has some really interesting stuff to read, but you really need to check this out," he said as he unrolled the crumpled sheet of paper in his hand, whose edges were heavily burnt. "I was searching for the Fire Nation section when I found this. By the looks of it, I think this is the first page of a book, and it has The darkest day in Fire Nation history written as a title. There's also a date at the top, but it doesn't say anything else,"

Katara took a very discrete glance at the page before hiding her face again, pretending to be thoroughly engrossed in the scroll she was reading. "You came here just to show us a boring old parchment?"

In response, her brother raised his hands in the air and jiggled his wrists mockingly. "Oh, I'm so sorry, your majesty. I didn't mean to interrupt your precious reading time by bringing you a potential clue about our biggest enemy, which is what we came here to find in the first place. Come on, sis, this could be promising! Aang found the Fire Nation section. If we go there, we might be able to discover what happened to the Fire Nation on their darkest day. Help me out here, will you? You can go back to reading that scroll some other time. You too, Shujinko. We could use your input on this kind of stuff,"

Knowing he had no way out, Shujinko hesitantly returned the book and joined Sokka and Aang, trying his hardest to subdue the blush on his face. He had absolutely no idea what was that moment between him and Katara or why it had happened, but it had, and he knew this just as well as she did. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Katara, who quickly turned her face away the second their gazes met.

This didn't go unnoticed by Aang, who for some reason, couldn't shake off the feeling that he and Sokka had interrupted something more than just Shujinko and Katara's reading time.

000

The library section of the Fire Nation was actually easy enough to spot thanks to the huge flag posted at the entrance. Shujinko would've probably been able to find it in just a couple of minutes had he not been busy conducting his own research. In the time that Aang guided them through the library, the Ozuma refused to make eye contact with Katara, who returned the favor. Shujinko didn't know whether the two of them would ever discuss the weird instance that they shared together, but for now, at least he had something to keep himself busy with.

Once they entered, they were greeted by the sight of ash and dust everywhere, with fallen bookcases lying at the sides. At first, Shujinko thought the owl spirit had neglected his duty to keep the place clean, but he soon realized that wasn't it.

"Firebenders," Aang muttered with a frown. "They destroyed everything having to do with the Fire Nation. This must be why Wan Shi Tong didn't trust us when we came here,"

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!" Sokka exclaimed. "Just when I think I was one step ahead of the Fire Nation for once, it turns out they beat us here a long time ago! That's so not fair!"

Shujinko crossed his arms. "It might not be fair, but you have to admit it's a pretty smart move on their behalf. By wiping out all of the books that used to be stored here, they managed to keep the secrets of the Fire Nation safe, including its weak spots and vulnerabilities. I don't like to say this, but if I were them, I probably would've done the same,"

His comment didn't sit well with Aang, who turned around and gave the Chunin a reproachful look. "I can't believe you're praising the Fire Nation for this. You'd be willing to destroy hundreds of years' worth of history just because somebody might try to use it against you?"

"I'm not praising the Fire Nation, Aang. I'm just saying I understand why they did this," Shujinko replied, keeping a neutral tone of voice as to not incite a needless argument. "As for your question, if it meant protecting my village from outside threats, then yes, I believe I would. When you're in a war, you can't allow your enemies to gain any advantage over you, because if you do, there's no telling how much harm they can bring upon you and the people you care about,"

Honestly, Shujinko could see why Aang was irked by what he was telling him. Without any sort of context involved, the destruction of hundreds, if not thousands, of books about the history and culture of a particular place sounded completely unnecessary and reprehensible at best. But war was never without context, and in the context of war, information was like a sword. If you couldn't keep it, you didn't leave it on the ground where someone else could get a hold of it and use it to stab you. It was simply a risk that offered no rewards or benefits whatsoever from a tactical perspective.

What Shujinko wasn't taking into account was that, in a way, Aang was the embodiment of what little remained of the Air Nomads and its history. Aside from being the Avatar, he was the last airbender and the only one who could restore the culture of his people. The firebenders had eradicated them in the same manner in which they had eradicated the books, manuscripts, and journals of the library that anyone had ever written about the Fire Nation. In Aang's eyes, this only cemented the fact that Firebending destroyed everything it came across, and it was frustrating to him how Shujinko didn't see that.

Sokka took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. "Whatever, I'm not throwing the towel just yet. If we give up now, this whole thing will have been for nothing. There's gotta be something we can do to find out what happened to the Fire Nation that day. Let's go back to the main halls and see if there are any other historical accounts of-"

"Hey look, that fox thing is back," Katara said, to which the rest of Team Avatar turned around. True enough, the canine knowledge seeker was standing in front of them, whimpering to get their attention and gesturing towards the exit with its head. "I think it's trying to help us. Should we follow it?"

"Well, I don't see why not. It's not like we're gonna find anything here," Sokka replied before clearing his throat. "Alright, weird little fox guy, guide us to discovery,"

The fox began to trot, leading Team Avatar out of the Fire Nation section. As they followed the knowledge seeker through the hallways of the library, Shujinko realized something. "Where is professor Zei? I haven't seen him since Wan Shi Tong accepted our offerings,"

"It looks like he got a little too excited and went his own way," the Avatar responded. "We told him to not stray too far away from us and to be careful, but I don't think he listened,"

"I wouldn't worry about him. He's a grown man and he's finally living his dream. Let's leave him in peace and focus on what we came here to do," Sokka said. Shujinko agreed with him. Given how they wouldn't be here if it weren't for the professor, he thought the least they could do was to let him enjoy himself without disturbing him.

Eventually, the fox led them to a giant golden gate shaped like a vault. It had no handles or knobs that could be used to open it, only a small opening through which the fox entered. Shortly after, the gate began to move itself until it was fully open, revealing what was inside. Team Avatar entered a circular, spacious room capped by a large dome where a round table carved from rock stood in the center of it next to a lever. The wall of the room depicted a painting of a bright meadow surrounded by hills from afar, with a tranquil blue sky above them. There were also a pair of curved poles that formed a semi-circle each; one carried a sun while the other carried a moon.

If that wasn't impressive enough, what happened next certainly was. The fox approached the table and pulled the lever using its two front paws. Suddenly, the painting on the wall was covered by a dark canvas with a thousand flickers of light that simulated the movement of the stars in the sky. Shujinko had never seen anything similar before and was completely fascinated by the demonstration, observing with childlike wonder as the trajectories of the sun and the moon run their courses. Once it was over, the canvas of the night retreated back to where it came from, allowing the painted wall to be seen once again.

"That was incredible!" Aang said in awe. "I never thought something like this could be built. It's like a machine that shows the heavens moving!"

Sokka, although amazed as well, didn't share his friend's level of enthusiasm. "I'm not gonna lie, that was really cool, but how is this supposed to help us?" he asked before giving the fox a questioning stare. "Foxy, this is no time for astronomy lessons. We need information on the Fire Nation… Fire… Nation… Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Meanwhile, the Ozuma took the time to examine the table in front of them. Upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn't actually a table, but a control panel instead. It consisted of four outer rings that encircled a ying-yang symbol that had a sun on the white half and a crescent moon on the black half. "Oi, come take a look at this," Shujinko called out to the rest of the group members, who walked up to him to see what he had discovered. "I think this is some kind of calendar. If you move these dials, you can choose a specific date. I'm guessing this is the main function of this room's mechanism,"

"Sokka, didn't you say there was a date on that parchment you took?" Katara asked. "Let's try it out. Maybe we can learn something from it,"

Sokka adjusted the dials so that the day, month, and year would match the date shown on the parchment. Once everything was set up, he pulled the lever and the machine did the rest. The poles began to move as the dark canvas returned, only this time, they stopped at a certain angle where the moon covered the sun. The canvas that simulated the obscurity of the night rolled away, but the room remained dark. "Oh-oh, I think we broke it," Aang said uneasily. "Maybe we should go before Wan Shi Tong finds out we messed up his calendar toy,"

"… No, it's not broken," Sokka replied. "This is supposed to be daytime, but there's no light because the moon is covering the sun. This is-"

"A solar eclipse?" Katara finished her brother's sentence.

"Yeah, exactly. A solar eclipse… Holly crap, now I get it! This is why it's called the darkest day in Fire Nation history! It all adds up!"

Shujinko raised an eyebrow, unable to understand what had gotten Sokka so excited. "I'm sorry, what do you mean it all adds up? What does a solar eclipse have to do with the Fire Nation and why are you talking like it's a big deal?"

"This is more than a big deal, Shujinko! It's a huge deal! A massive deal!" Sokka proclaimed as he grabbed the golden-eyed boy by the collar of his shirt and started shaking him, much to the Chunin's confusion. "Firebenders draw their power from the sun, so if the sun is blocked, they can't use Firebending at all! A solar eclipse is a dark day for the Fire Nation not just in a literally sense. It's exactly what happened during the siege of the North, but in reverse. Ha! I knew this could be promising and I was right!

"Wait, that actually does make sense," Aang chimed in. "When the Fire Nation attacked the Northern Water Tribe, the lunar eclipse rendered the waterbenders defenseless. If the same applies to Firebending, then a solar eclipse should cut off firebenders from their power for as long as it lasts. This could be our chance to defeat the Fire Nation and stop Fire Lord Ozai for good!"

The Ozuma didn't know what to make of this new piece of information. It had never occurred to him that something as random as a solar eclipse could have such an impact on firebenders. He now understood that bending was tied to external sources, which wasn't the case with Ninjutsu, as the energy required to perform it came from within a ninja and wasn't bound to any celestial bodies. Regardless, at least now they had something to work with and Shujinko could go back to searching a map of the shinobi continent.

"Wait, so when is the next solar eclipse happening?" Katara asked. "We need to find out the exact date. Otherwise, this new information will be worthless,"

"… Good point, sis. We'll just have to try every possible combination until we get it right. Aang, give me a hand here, please,"

As Aang helped Sokka adjust the dials, Shujinko and Katara stood there quietly. Like characters of a cheap teenage romance novel, they gingerly turned their faces around until they made eye contact, only to look away a split second later. "I'll stand guard outside while you guys do your thing. It's better to be safe than sorry," Shujinko said as he walked towards the entrance. It was a lame excuse that he came up with on the spot to place some distance between Katara and himself, but fortunately, Sokka and Aang were too focused on their task to question him.

Katara blinked a couple of times before realizing she was the only one standing there idly. Her brother and the Avatar were dealing with the calendar machine just fine and she couldn't possibly join Shujinko outside, so she looked around for something to do until her eyes landed on the knowledge seeker a little further away from the lever. "A-And I'll keep an eye on the fox. Wouldn't want this little guy to snitch on us or something," she said, to which the knowledge seeker whimpered. "Oh, don't listen to me. You're a good fox,"

|Meanwhile, somewhere in the desert|

"Are you sure about this, Joluik?"

"You bet I am," the sandbender replied as he put away his binoculars. He and his fellow tribe members were lying on their stomachs at the top of a dune, spying on their soon-to-be victims from afar. One of them was a little girl, who was friends with the boy who had humiliated Joluik in front of his partners back at the Misty Palms Oasis, and he was going to get back at him by stealing that big beast he was traveling with, leaving him and the rest of his gang stranded in the desert.

Ghashiun frowned. As the son of Sha-Mo, the leader of the Tampai Tribe, he was expected to follow his father's footsteps and abide by the Tampai Laws of Generations. One of these laws was the Right of Retribution, which stated that a member of the Tampai Tribe was allowed to steal something from someone, but only if said person had greatly offended that tribesman's honor. This rule was implemented to prevent the Tampai Tribe from gaining a reputation for being a bunch of unprincipled bandits who robbed everyone indiscriminately. The objects and goods they took were seen as compensation for the affront.

Now, Ghashiun was nowhere near as strict as Ma-Sho when it came to the Laws of Generations. In his opinion, the laws his people had followed for decades were outdated and had little value, especially when other tribes of the desert lived under no such rules. Ghashiun himself didn't bother to keep them in mind most of the time, except for whenever he was around his father. He heard from Chunah and Sungung what had happened between Joluik and the boy outside the cantina, and even though Joluik couldn't rightfully claim the Right of Retribution due to him being the instigator in this case, it honestly didn't matter all that much to Ghashiun.

What did worry him, however, was how they were going to steal that white beast and sell it without his father being none the wiser. If Ma-Sho ever found out about this, Ghashiun knew he would be in for a world of trouble. "If we're doing this, we better hurry. I told my father I'd be back before sunset, and bringing that thing to the merchants is gonna take us a lot of time,"

"Don't worry about it, Sungung and Chunah are gonna be here anytime soon along with the others. Once they return, we'll take care of this right away, and these brats will learn what happens when you mess with the Tampai Tribe,"

"There it is!"

Upon hearing Aang's voice, Shujinko, who was sitting on the threshold of the gate, looked over his shoulder. After roughly twenty minutes of Sokka and Aang adjusting the dials, pulling the lever, and whining about not being able to find the date they were looking for, the sun and the moon had finally stopped together in the exact same spot. The Chunin rose to his feet and joined his friends while Sokka wrote down the date of the next solar eclipse on the back of the parchment he had found, double-checking the dials to make sure he had everything right.

"It looks like the next solar eclipse is just a few months away. That gives us plenty of time to make all the preparations we need. We can end the war before Sozin's Comet arrives!" Sokka said as he placed his arms around the shoulders of Aang and Katara. The three of them were clearly in a festive mood, sporting hopeful smiles and hugging each other. Shujinko, however, had his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed in thought.

"Wait a minute, I don't understand. According to you guys, firebenders draw their power from the sun. If that's the case, I can see why a solar eclipse would diminish a firebender's strength, but why would a comet enhance it? I mean, a comet and the sun are two completely different things as far as I know, so how does that even work?"

The boy from the Southern Water Tribe blew a raspberry and dismissed the question with a wave of his hand. "Does it really matter? Come on Shujinko, don't be such a party pooper. We just discovered how to beat the Fire Nation once and for all! Leave those questions for later and cheer up, will you?"

Shujinko let out a sigh. He supposed he should be more empathic towards them. Unlike him, those three not only had suffered the horrors that war brought about, but they were also the ones who had to put an end to said war despite them being so young. This discovery of theirs could stop a conflict that had dragged on for a hundred years and save countless lives that would otherwise be claimed by it. He was happy for them, he really was, but at the end of the day, this wasn't his war. As a ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village, Shujinko already had people to protect, enemies to face, and a home to fight for.

This lead to another thing: While Aang, Katara, and Sokka were making great progress for their cause, Shujinko was not. Aside from the hooded man, the Ozuma hadn't come across anything that could help him find a way back to his village, and he'd been traveling with Team Avatar for approximately two months now. It made him wonder if any of his friends had ever considered sparing some of their efforts to assist him as they had promised. He understood that there was a war going on and that there was a time and a place for everything, but even so, he had yet to hear them discuss the possibility of doing something, anything, to help him return to his home.

He didn't like to feel this way, but it was the truth. Even after hearing about Wan Shi Tong's Library, none of them said "Hey Shujinko, if this place has information from all over the world, maybe we can find something that could help your situation". Had they forgotten he was lost? Had he not made it clear enough that going back to the Hidden Leaf Village was his number one priority? Did his plight matter to them as much as his skills and abilities did?

"So now that we know when the next solar eclipse will appear, what's the plan?" Aang asked.

"It's simple. We need to go to Ba Sing Se, meet the Earth King, warn him about the solar eclipse, and get in contact with as many allies as we can," Sokka explained, smiling as he placed the parchment inside his handbag. "Now let's get out of this place. Our job here is done,"

"Is it?"

Sokka raised both eyebrows and blinked in confusion while the smile on his face disappeared. Shujinko was frowning and staring expectantly at him, waiting for an answer. "Humnh, what do you mean by that, Shujinko?"

"This place has books from all over the world. It's the greatest source of information there is, so it's gotta have something about the shinobi continent and how to get there. I'm not leaving until I find what I'm looking for," Shujinko said in an assertive, almost defiant tone of voice. "You guys promised to help me on this, remember? Well, now's the perfect opportunity to do so,"

The Avatar and the Water Tribe siblings shared a nervous glance. Shujinko's request, although understandable, had taken them by surprise. It hadn't occurred to them that their ninja friend would want to use the library for his own purpose, much less invoke the promise they'd made to him the night before they traveled to Gaoling, back when they were looking for an Earthbending master that could teach Aang,

It wasn't as if Shujinko was being unreasonable, but the sudden change in his attitude was unexpected, and even a little bit intimidating. He wasn't outright demanding their help, and yet, the way the Chunin spoke was enough to insinuate he wasn't just asking them for a favor. If anything, it felt as though Shujinko was testing them. "… Listen Shujinko, I know how important your village is to you, and it's true that we promised to help you," Sokka began to say, choosing his words carefully. "The thing is… Well, now's not the best of times. We shouldn't stay here for much longer,"

"So you're not going to help me. Why? Am I not your friend? Is it too inconvenient for you?"

"W-What? No, it's not like that at all. But if Wan Shi Tong finds out we came here looking for information about the Fire Nation, I don't think he'll forgive us for breaking his trust. That's a risk we can't take, not when we have to deliver the news to the Earth King as soon as possible. Look, we'll make it up to you once we get to Ba Sing Se, okay?"

Shujinko deepened his frown, which only made Sokka feel more uncomfortable. The Ozuma was genuinely disappointed by his excuse, and the fact that neither Aang nor Katara seemed to be on his side made it worse. The two of them simply remained silent, which Shujinko interpreted as them agreeing with Sokka. After everything he had done for them, after all the problems and complications he had solved for them, they couldn't do this one thing for him? Was this how they thank him, by ignoring his predicament and focusing on their own needs? How could they be so selfish?

"Let me get this straight. We all know we will probably never set foot here again. This might be my best chance to find a way to return to my village, but you still think delivering this information to the Earth King is more important than that, to the point where you can't even lend me a hand for a few hours at the most. Is that what you're telling me?" Though not by much, Sokka was older and taller than Shujinko, but that didn't stop him from feeling like a small kid in front of those golden eyes staring at him.

The boomerang-wielding teen knew the Chunin had every right to ask for help, and he honestly deserved it, maybe more than any other member of Team Avatar. But at the same time, Sokka had a bad feeling about this. They had already pushed their luck by finding out about the solar eclipse, and if Wan Shi Tong discovered them now, Sokka feared what the giant owl might do to them. His encounter with Hei Bai had taught him how crazy things could get when dealing with an angered spirit. If something were to happen to them and this crucial information failed to reach Ba Sing Se, a golden opportunity to defeat the Fire Nation and end the war would be lost.

"It's not that we don't wanna help you," Sokka said slowly. "It's just that… this is more important,"

"You know what? Forget about it. Do whatever you want," Shujinko said as he began to walk away from them at a hurried pace, clenching his fists with anger. "Since you all find it so problematic to help me, then fine, don't bother. Get out of this library and wait for me outside while I do my own research, or just leave me here. Either way, I'm not going anywhere until I'm done,"

Panicking, Sokka started to warn Shujinko not to be hasty, telling him he didn't mean to offend him, but everything he said fell on deft ears as the Chunin continued to walk. He was too frustrated and upset to pay attention to them after they had blatantly failed him when he needed them the most. However, before he could leave the planetarium, a black figure swiftly entered the room. Shujinko's shinobi instincts kicked in and he immediately jumped back, adopting a fighting stance while wielding two kunais.

"One thing is certain. You are not going anywhere," Wan Shi Tong announced. His sudden presence filled the planetarium with dread and dismay, and at that precise moment, the members of Team Avatar knew they had run out of luck. "How predictably disappointing. It appears that the promise of an Avatar, the bridge between the Spirit World and the Human Realm, is just as empty as the promises the rest of you mortals make. I would say I was not expecting this to happen, but unlike you, I do not tell lies or bear false witness,"

"Wait, this isn't what it looks like!" Katara began to say, completely intimidated by the spirit's thunderous voice and its imposing size. "We're not trying to destroy this place or harm anyone, we just want to-!"

"Keep your explanations to yourself, child. They are of no value now that you have been exposed. From the very beginning, you were aiming to misuse this knowledge for evil and conflictive purposes. You betrayed what little trust I placed on all of you, insulted my intelligence by pretending to be something that you are not, and disgraced this library with your dishonest endeavors. You are no different from your enemies,"

"That's not true!" Sokka shouted. "If anyone is evil and conflictive, it's the Fire Nation. You saw what they did to your library. We'd never do anything like that! I admit we're not who we said we were, but with this information, we can stop the Fire Nation and your library will never be threatened ever again. It's for the greater good!"

Wan Shi Tong took a step forward, extending his wings fast enough to release a powerful gust of wind. "Do you truly think the Fire Nation is the sole responsible for my mistrust for humans? That no other person has abused the knowledge stored here while claiming the greater good as their cause? Countless individuals before you from all over the world have come to this library searching for weapons, battle strategies, or bending techniques. The greater good you are striving for is no nobler than the greater good the Fire Nation has in mind,"

Shujinko couldn't believe the situation he was in. Wan Shi Tong had caught them red-handed and it was clear he was not in a good or forgiving mood. However, he couldn't leave this place without getting his hands on the information he so desperately needed, so he decided to reason with the spirit in hopes that he would understand him. "Spirit, please listen to me! I don't want to participate in a war! I'm here because I want to go back to my home and this is the only place that can give me answers. You have to believe me!"

"Even if I were to believe you, you are still an accomplice. You knew your friends were lying when they stated the motive of their visit and you had the chance to tell me the truth, whether in front of them or when I approached you in private, yet you chose to keep the secret in both instances. Perhaps your goals differ from theirs, but your loyalty still lies with them, and thus you share the culpability of their actions,"

Shujinko bit his tongue in utter frustration, not only because Wan Shi Tong wasn't willing to make an exception with him, but also because he couldn't argue against what the spirit had said. Regardless of whatever views Wan Shi Tong held on the subject of humans, there was no denying that Team Avatar's intentions, although well-intended, hadn't been sincere, and that applied to him as well.

Aang was well aware of this, so instead of arguing their case, he attempted to plead with the spirit as a last-ditch effort. "We had no choice. I swear we're not doing this for our own benefit. Please, we're just trying to protect the people we love,"

At first, it seemed that the Avatar's pleading tone had an effect on the spirit. Wan Shi Tong didn't reply immediately and fell silent instead, as if pondering on the monk's words. "You say you are trying to protect what you love," the giant owl muttered after a while. A glimmer of hope came into Aang's eyes, thinking that Wan Shi Tong was starting to understand them. "That is your right… as it is mine,"

All of a sudden, Wan Shi Tong began to grow taller and wider until he was four times his previous size. His features became rougher, more threatening in a way, and his neck stretched out. The owl spirit then flapped his wings with the fury of a hurricane, shaking the entire library to its core. Shujinko and the other members of Team Avatar fell to their knees and struggled to get back up again as the spirit kept going at it, generating a violent earthquake that promised nothing but destruction.

"What the hell are you doing!?" the Ozuma shouted with his eyes wide open, trembling as he tried to regain his footing. To his shock and horror, he saw sand pouring down from above, landing on the floor and forming bigger and bigger piles.

"I have tolerated humans for far too long. There is no remedy for their greediness and corruption, which is why I am taking my knowledge somewhere safe from them. No one will ever abuse it again,"

"The library is sinking!" Katara exclaimed in terror. "We gotta get out of here now!"

"Unfortunately, I cannot let you leave this place. You already know too much. Consider this as punishment for your transgression," Releasing a deafening hoot, Wan Shi Tong lunged forward and buried his giant beak into the floor where the gang members were standing. Shujinko and the others managed to evade the attack just in time and hightailed out of the room as fast as their legs allowed them, with Wan Shi Tong following them in hot pursuit.

As they ran across the many hallways of the library, Shujinko ordered the group to follow him. Instead of moving around in the open, the Chunin decided it was better for them to use the lateral corridors where the bookcases were located. The reduced space of the corridors made them naturally more dangerous, but it also allowed them to give Wan Shi Tong the slip as the spirit couldn't follow them there without crashing into the numerous bookcases that were in place.

His strategy proved to be effective as the owl spirit refrained himself from going there, but the ordeal was far from over. Wan Shi Tong flew across the library until he reached the center of the building, right where they had left the climbing rope. "Crap, this isn't good!" Sokka yelled. "If we go anywhere near the rope, that thing is gonna eat us alive! What do we do?"

"You guys head in there and climb up the rope as fast as you can!" Shujinko answered as he brought his palms together, activating the Karura Tensei and entering Sage Mode. "I'll keep this stupid bird busy and make a run for it as soon as I get the chance, but whatever you do, don't stop! Get out of here NOW!"

Without waiting for their approval, the Chunin grabbed a book from one of the bookcases and left the corridor. Once he reached the open area of the library, he was quickly spotted by Wan Shi Tong. Shujinko had to make the spirit chase him so that the rest of Team Avatar could escape without any further problems, and although he wasn't dealing with a dumb beast driven purely by instinct, he had an idea of how to anger the owl and steal his attention.

"Oi, Wan Shi Tong! Over here!" the brown-haired boy shouted. He then proceeded to rip the pages out of the book he was holding, tearing off the delicate cover before tossing the rest away. "Look what I'm doing to your precious knowledge! What are you going to do about it?"

His idea worked only too well. Wan Shi Tong let out a furious screech and bristled his feathers before going after him, flying away from the bridge. Shujinko waited until the owl was close enough before moving out of the way, analyzing his enemy's movements at all times. In more ways than one, Wan Shi Tong was different from the opponents Shujinko was used to deal with, for this was his first time engaging in combat with a spirit whose physical form was a giant bird. But that didn't stop him from assessing the situation with the same perceptiveness and mental acuity as always.

As he was running, the Chunin noticed something about Wan Shi Tong's new form. 'Could it be that…' In order to test his theory, Shujinko ran faster to put some distance between himself and the spirit before turning around to face him. As expected, Wan Shi Tong was coming to get him with his talons wide open. In a seemingly suicidal tactic, Shujinko began to run straight towards the grotesque owl, but just as he was about to become bird food, the Ozuma performed a short dive forward and slid across the floor on his knees, bending his back as he observed with full detail how the sharp claws of Wan Shi Tong passed above his head.

After dodging the attack, Shujinko turned around once again, having confirmed his initial hunch. 'Wan Shi Tong may have grown in size, but he's also slower than before. He shouldn't be able to catch me as long as he stays like that,' he thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Aang, Sokka, and Katara climbing up the rope just as he had instructed them, although Zei was nowhere to be seen. 'I have to keep this guy focused on me. If he goes after them now, we might not make it out of this place,'

"Very impressive. You are quite fast and agile for a human. I daresay you are an exceptional specimen amongst your brethren," Wan Shi Tong commented as he went back to his normal size. "However, do not mistake my wonderment for absolution. You will not live to see the outside world ever again,"

Shujinko frowned. The spirit had realized he was going to need more speed if he wanted to catch the Chunin. Therefore, Shujinko adopted a fighting stance meant to provoke him. He had no idea if Wan Shi Tong would take the bait or not, but if he could buy some more time, then trading blows with the owl would be worth it. "Since you like learning so much, then how about you come at me? I can give you a lesson or two,"

"Please, do you truly think you can best me in combat? I have studied hundreds of different martial arts, some of them so ancient they are no longer practiced, in addition to a myriad of hunting and tracking strategies. Do you see now how fruitless your efforts are?"

"For someone who knows ten thousand things, you really need to learn when to shut up," Shujinko replied before grabbing a smoke bomb and throwing it to the ground.

The cloud of smoke that erupted caught Wan Shi Tong off guard, but the spirit quickly removed it with a single flap of his wings. Once the smoke cleared off, Shujinko was nowhere to be seen, to which the giant owl scoffed. "What a cowardly tactic. You are obviously trying to stall for time, but what you simple-minded humans fail to understand is-"

BAAM

His overbearing speech was cut short by the Ozuma, who fell down from above and delivered a powerful kick to the top of the owl's head, partially imitating Sasuke's Lions Barrage. His kick was strong enough to make Wan Shi Tong wobble in disorientation. Without missing a beat, Shujinko landed behind him and weaved a couple of hand signs, aiming at the spirit's back.

"Wind Style: Air Current Dance!" he shouted, releasing a current of air that pushed the spirit off the bridge and into the depths of his very own library. Even with all of the commotion and noise, Shujinko could still hear the sounds of screeches echoing from below as they faded away. "As I said, you really need to learn when to shut up," Shujinko said before making his way to the rope. Once he got there, he bent his knees and got ready to jump upwards to shorten as much distance as possible, but before he could do it, he saw professor Zei sitting between two bookcases, surrounded by books and scrolls. "Professor Zei, what are you doing!? The library is sinking! Get out of there or you'll be buried alive!"

"I can't! I… I don't want to go,"

His answer dumbfounded Shujinko. "What do you mean you don't want to go? This isn't a game! You'll die!"

"So be it, then. I have the right to decide how to spend the rest of my life, and this is what I want," Zei replied in an almost hypnotized tone of voice. "There's so much knowledge here, so many things I can learn. If I leave now, I'll never get the chance to experience this joy again. Go and pursue what fulfills you the most, young man, but let me do the same,"

Had the circumstances been different, Shujinko would've stayed to try and help the man see reason, but time was running out and Zei had clearly made up his mind. The sound of concrete cracking told the Ozuma to either abandon this place this very moment or join the professor in his self-agreed fate. Pumping as much chakra as he could down to his feet, Shujinko jumped high enough to reach the inner structure of the upper tower. Then, he adhered his feet to the surface and began to run upwards. The Chunin was fast, but running up a tower while fighting the pull of gravity wasn't easy, much less comfortable, and the distance between him and the balcony wasn't a short one.

The tower began to break from the inside and large fissures began to form with every step he took. But then, Shujinko saw Aang waiting for him at the very top with his arm stretched out. "Shujinko, jump! Grab my hand!"

Once again, the Chunin made use of his chakra to close the gap between him and the airbender, but jumping upwards while standing on the wall of a vertically raised structure was considerably tougher due to the laws of physics. As the Avatar lowered his body as much as he could, Shujinko jumped and managed to grab his hand just as the surrounding concrete started to split apart. Aang mustered all of his strength to pull his friend up, and once Shujinko's feet touched the edge, he and the airbender jumped out of the balcony seconds before the entire tower sank beneath the sand.

Thanks to Aang's Airbending, the two boys only had a bit of a rough landing instead of suffering a dangerous fall that could've broken their bones. Sokka helped Shujinko to get up and Katara did the same with Aang. "Are you okay?" Sokka asked, to which the Chunin spat to the ground to get rid of the sand on his lips.

"I think so. That was too close. A minute later and we would've been done for,"

"No doubt about that. Toph held the tower while we were making our way out of there, she's the one who saved our hides," Sokka said while pointing a finger at the earthbender, who was sitting next to the spot where the tower had once been. Instead of bragging about it or making some of her usual remarks, she was silent and had her head hanging low, acting like a child getting a reprimand. "Well, despite all the dangers, I'd say our trip to the library was well worth it. The next solar eclipse is coming up and we'll be ready by then. The Fire Nation won't know what hi-"

"Where's Appa?" Aang asked all of a sudden.

"What do you mean 'where's Appa'?" Sokka asked back, only to blink in confusion a few seconds later. "Wait, where is he though? I can't see him anywhere,"

Shujinko's eyes widened a bit as he began to look around him, finding nothing but sand. Before he could say anything, Aang approached Toph, who was still sitting with her back turned to them. "Toph, where is Appa?" the Avatar repeated.

After a moment of silence, Toph shook her head, and Shujinko heard the sound of a bitter whimper coming out of her… And then, it hit them.

Appa, their loyal Sky Bison and dear friend, was gone.

Aaaaaaand that was chapter 15 part 2. Hope you all liked it.

So, there's a bit to unpack here, so let's start from the beginning.

You might be wondering what Wan Shi Tong was talking about when he mentioned the spirit essence he detected inside Shujinko, as well as who the hell is that botanist he talked to him about. All of this will be explained in due time, but you can be certain that the conversation between them will be relevant in the future. After all, a little mystery never hurts.

Some of you have been asking me what's the deal with Shujinko and Tenten in terms of their relationship. As you should know, 'Shujinko: The Fourth Member' ended with Shujinko and Tenten getting together, and they're still together in 'Shujinko Shippuden'. I took the opportunity to explain things here in this chapter, as it is something that should've been addressed earlier on, but I just couldn't find the right moment to do it. To keep it simple, Shujinko and Tenten took a small break from their relationship prior to Shujinko being sent to the Avatar universe. They aren't together right now, but they haven't broken up just yet. I think this is believable given how busy a ninja's life could realistically be, and dating at their age is complicated enough.

Just to make this clear: This is NOT something that happens in the original Shujinko story. Their breakup/non-breakup only takes place here and only for the sake of this story.

I also took the time to expand on the culture of the Si Wong tribes a little bit. Ghashiun and Sha-Mo are canon characters, but the other members of the tribe are OCs of mine, and the Tampai Tribe, from its name to its customs and way of life, are entirely of my creation. When I come across these kinds of characters that are canon, but have little to no backstory, I generally like to apply some imagination to fill the gap a little. It's just one of those things to which I say: Well, why not?

The fight between Shujinko and Wan Shi Tong was rather tricky to make. Do keep in mind that Wan Shi Tong appears only once in ATLA and once or twice in ALOK, and we didn't really get to see him "fight", so it's not like I had a whole lot to work with. I know the fight itself was short, but it wasn't supposed to be long, given the circumstances. Just so that none of you get the wrong idea, Shujinko didn't really beat Wan Shi Tong, he just took him by surprise so that he could make his escape as fast as possible. I mean, if Sokka managed to get behind Wan Shi Tong and whack him over the head, and if Aang managed to push him aside with a single Airbending move, I don't see how Shujinko wouldn't be capable of doing the same.

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Peace!