I don't own Avatar The Last Airbender
Chapter 16
Toph stood with the men in the debrief room inside the sand caves. Stone cold and emotionless, the enforcers stood at attention as he spoke.
"I got a message right now, that said that the fire prince just entered the desert from the occupied parts of Gaoling. This disrespect had gone enough. Find him, make an example of him and bring him to me. Leave no witnesses. Now mount the eel hounds and go!"
The men silently went to their respective mounts, long but thin creatures that felt more like reptilians with ling legs than any name of their crossbreed. Toph was about to follow, but he called her.
"Girl! To me."
Reluctantly, she followed.
"Yes?"
She spoke.
"Listen girl, I was kind enough to ignore the little hiccups of your misadventures, but this time there is no burying someone under rubble to save them. Am I understood?"
She wanted to yell at him that he wasn't kind at all, after the first time he ordered the men that accompanied her to punish a random person any time she did something like that. But she held her tongue, not wanting to have her head smacked to the ground again.
"Yes… sir."
"And in case you got any funny ideas, I can still send an assassin after your father at any given moment. There will be no prince in shining armor to save you, you're going to break his bones. Am I clear?"
"Yes… sir…"
"Good, now back to your handler."
Toph silently walked away. She needed to think about something that will have her family safe and far from his cloches.
"Mi-Dved, Jasmine, a minute."
He could see the siblings still shudder uneasily from the side of his eye.
"Ahm, yes, sir, how can we help?"
Zuko pulled them to a corner of the camp they made for the day. They were now inside the desert, crossed the border this morning. As such, Zuko ordered plenty of umbrellas to be spread through the camp for shade, one of which they were under.
"I just wanted to ask how you are holding up, I noticed that you two started acting strange ever since the talk about Mi-Sha."
"I- *sigh* Listen, Mi-Sha is like, the boss, around here. Everyone and everything are owned by him, either directly or not. When he wants someone dead, then they're dead, never has been any other way. Think of him as the fire lord of the desert, that should be a fitting analogy."
Zuko suppose he would have been terrified as well if his father sent people to kill him, not that it would ever happen.
"You two are safe with me, I will never let something happen to you two under my watch. After I gain my birthright as the crown prince, I will make sure that you two will have all the freedom and security you want."
"I- well, thank you, Zuko…"
"What my brother is trying to say is that we are more concerned about the here about now, my prince. Mi-Sha knows we're here in his domain, he most likely already sent a kill squad of enforcers after us."
"I see… No matter, we'll be quick about it and get out as fast as possible. And if they do find us, then we'll crash them as we did before."
Zuko put a hand on each sibling's shoulder and looked at each of them in the eye.
"I promised to protect the both of you, I'm not going to back down."
He held his hands there for two seconds before being released. He then turned away and walked to the table thar most of the men gathered at. They started to prepare a rather new boardgame that Zuko (Sai) introduced, a combination of luck, strategic thinking, and resource management.
"Now come, we are just about to begin a few rounds of Katan."
He heard from behind Mi-Dved sniggering and then a slap, most likely Jasmin on the back side of her brother's head. They, however, followed him, so for now the mission was accomplished.
"You are free to leave now, chieftain. But please, be on light duty for the next week."
"Thank you for everything you have done for me and mine, head abbot."
After agonizing weeks of being bedridden after his near-death experience, Hakoda was finally free to join the rest of his pack. It was a great feeling, one that he would try to treasure as much as he can.
When he was outside of the abbey, he was greeted by his second in command.
"Chieftain! It's good to see you well again. Bet you were already half mad there."
"You have no idea, Bato old friend. I'm just glad that I can hold a cup without it falling out of my hands again. Tell me, how are things with the pack?"
Bato slowed his walk a little at that.
"Things… could have gotten better. We haven't lost anyone, not yet, but there were too many close calls for comfort."
"I see, and how are the affairs with the earth kingdom? Have they given us the supply we agreed on?"
At this Bato stopped walking.
"Spirits damn it, no they didn't. They have we're working with a third of what the general had promised. They also told us that they were being generous with us with all of Gaoling being cut off and that if we don't like it we can go home."
This shocked Hakoda. Gaoling was a heavily defended area which was critical for the supply lines of the earth kingdom, to hear that the fire nation advanced so far while he was bedridden…
"How could this happen? I was out for only a few weeks."
Bato let out a humorless bark of laugh.
"You're going to have a fit, Hakoda. Apparently, in the time you were healing, the prince managed to exterminate Mi-Sha's boys in the south western sea, blitz and conquer the entire Gaoling sea strip and root out Mi-Sha from Kyoshi island as a bonus."
"Damn, the kid doesn't mess around."
"Makes you wonder what will be when he is the fire lord."
"Don't even think of it, I had enough headaches in the last month."
"And I'm afraid that you will have much more now that you're back from the dead."
"Back from the dead? Have I really gone that long?"
"Long enough for rumors to hatch. Your lack of presence on the field, as well as in the meeting with the earth kingdom representatives didn't help."
Hakoda sighed.
"Can this be any worse?"
"Please don't tempt the spirits, Hakoda, we can't allow this right now."
"Fine, fine, you said that the prince showed that ugly cactus what's for, right? Can't believe the bandit lord would take it without retribution."
"He probably already sent men to take care of the prince, that's what I would have done."
Hakoda smiled, an idea forming in his head.
"Yes… You're right, he would have. And Zuko wouldn't let this go unanswered, right?"
"What's on your mind? You have this look on your face whenever you have a crazy idea cooked up."
"I was just thinking, the prince and the crime lord are at odds, right? So, what if we give them a push? The two of them will hopefully kill each other but having them extremely weakened is good as well."
"And how would we manage to do it?"
Hakoda warped his arms around his second in command's shoulder.
"Oh Bato, I have a plan."
Zuko's group had to stop at a small helmet on the way to the library to rest and resupply. The place was clearly not for the law-abiding citizen, it was filled with groups of sand tribe people that eyed Zuko's own group with a little too much interest in comfort.
They found a place for the Komodo-rhinos to rest as they split into two groups, one will get the supply they needed, and one will guard their staff. Unfortunately, he had to break the siblings between the two groups, their experience with the ways of the desert were critical.
It was decided that Mi-Dved will be among the guarding group, his big size will be helpful for the job. He has some experience as a supply guard from one of his many part-time jobs at Amora, so that will be helpful.
Uncle would be in the guarding group as well, he was a great fighter, but not so great at transporting stuff. Zuko didn't want his uncle to walk with heavy weight under the harsh desert sun.
Jasmine, on the other hand, will join Zuko and his group to gather supplies. She was more business savvy than her brother, she had greater chance to bargain with her looks and wits.
The siblings didn't like the idea of separating, but they were practical if nothing else. They trusted Zuko's group to protect the other sibling as well.
Which led to the present as Jasmine bargained with the man at the counter about the price of meat.
They were in a supply store that was a bar as well and once again, Zuko wondered if it was the right decision to stop here. He could feel the eyes of the occupants on him and his group, mostly on Jasmine.
He was then extremely aware of the amount of skin her dress showed, he was certain that the other men at the bar were even more aware of it then him.
Lucky, his own men weren't complete inept, and made a semi circle around him and Jasmine. The relatively large frame of his soldiers, vast nutrition (he didn't think half of the people at the bar saw something green in their life that wasn't a stolen gem) and healthy lifestyle had their uses as the other patrons were fine with the "see but don't touch approach".
"And I say, girl, that two silvers are a cheap price for the meat. You wouldn't find anything cheaper in those parts of the desert."
"And what exactly do you feed your animals for such a price, an actual gold corn?"
"It is what it is, girl. Say… aren't you familiar from somewhere? Yes… now that I look at you, I do remember something… something about two siblings on the run from the arena vazir and a few angry suitors if I'm not mistaken. Of course, I'm a forgetful type."
The man pulled his hand and moved his fingers in a money begging motion.
"You want us to break your fingers? Because that can be easily arranged."
Zuko said, in the first time since they got here.
"Ahm now, now, I don't know what she or her brother told you, sir, but I can honestly tell you that you're being used. She has a long list of young honest boys that she manipulated for her own selfish vices, didn't she used you as well to by such a fine dress? Hardly something a street urchin can afford."
Zuko could see from the side of his eyes Jasmin stiffened. He could understand her, so far, the stranger described her to a T.
"Of course, I would be more than happy to-"
"Are you quite finished?"
Zuko cut him off.
"If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked it, you smelly old geezer. I am well aware of her so-called victims, each at least twice her age. Quite frankly, I trust her much more than I trust you, old man."
"Your loss, than. You know, they have a juicy bounty on their head, those siblings, I'm sure many men here would be interested."
The old geezer shrugged his shoulders in an uncaring expression.
"Of course, a few coins of gold will be enough to keep my mouth shut. You look like a wealthy sort, you can afford it for the upkeep of your toy."
The expression turned greedy now.
"I say we follow his request, in the most literal way."
'You know what? Let's do it.'
"Very well. Men, hold him down and keep his mouth open. I will melt a few gold coins down his throat, that ought to keep him quite."
His men were quick to react. Two men caught the would-be blackmailer, one from each side, and pulled him to the counter. The right one pulled the hair, so that his face would back backwards, and the left one pulled the mouth down, making a big and easy opening for Zuko to do his deeds.
"W-wait! I-I pay protection to Mi-Sha himself!"
The man said, at least as much as he was able to with his mouth constantly open.
"I don't worry, after some time beating his thugs becomes boring."
Zuko pulled a gold coin and began heating his hand.
It took only for Zuko's hand to be above the men's mouth for the low life to break.
"Fine! Fine! Just take your stupid things and go!"
The men released him, and the disgusting seller quickly pulled himself to the back of the wall.
"Very well, take it and let's go, men."
The men grabbed the supply and the group started to move outside. In half of the way, a group of men stood in their way.
"As fun as the show was, old Salut is right about one thing, this place pays good money for protection. So I'm afraid we have to gut you kid, no hard feelings."
The leading man spoke. Unlike the rest of the men at the pub, he had a bigger build than most. His way of speaking and how he looked reminded Zuko of the first thug leader he fought, Tar or something.
"Although if you pay now with all your money we may let it slide, of course your charming companion will have to come with us as well."
The look in his eyes became cruel and promised nothing good for anyone at Zuko's party.
Jasmine went to him and whispered in his ear.
"Kill him, make it quick and brutal."
Zuko nodded at her.
It was funny really, a month ago, he had cried himself over maiming a thug that reigned terror on an entire colony, but now? Now he had no problem to butcher each and every one of the lowlifes that are before him. He wondered silently what changed.
"Some very generous terms, now for my counteroffer."
He held his hand and pointed a finger to the face of the leading thug. He then released a blast, with the same intensity as the one that tore that thug's leg all those weeks ago, right to the target's face.
The attack met its mark head on, the nameless leader's headless body fell to the floor as the door behind him blew apart. Needless to say, every desert dweller was shocked to his core.
"Scram while I'm in a good mood."
The thugs were too shocked to move.
"Now!"
Zuko may or may not have used Sai's ability to enhance voice, either way, the Thugs ran as if Koh was after them.
Zuko and his party walked out as if nothing happened.
"My prince, I must say that you know how to impress a lady. I can still feel goosebumps in all the right places~"
"Thank you, I understand it was enough show?"
Jasmine giggled a little.
"Oh, that was more than enough, my prince. I can assure you that more than a few wetted themselves."
Now her face turned somber and serious.
"However, I'm afraid that there is no way that Mi-Sha wouldn't hear about this, we have hours at most until his enforcers arrive."
"We'll be long gone by then. Besides, if they do bother us then we'll just blast them as well. You both are safe with me, I give you my word."
"Hey!"
Zuko looked and saw Mi-Dved waving them.
"What was that noise all about?"
"Nothing much, dear brother, let's just say that the people of tavern gave us an offer we couldn't except."
"Understood, are we leaving then?"
"It's for the best. Men, get the supply secured and mount. We leave immediately!"
"Yes sir!"
June was having a camp in the relatively dense woods in some forest near the place where her failed ambush happened. She was covering the various injuries of her little Nyla with healing salve that she always had just in case, something that she was glad that she prepared beforehand.
The beast wailed as the salve burned when it touched the open wounds.
"Shh… There, there… nice and slow… just like that, good boy…"
The shirshu gradually came down.
"Here, have a treat."
June threw it a treat as she continued to brood about the last butchered mission.
"Damned prince, now what I will do for the next mouth!"
Because it would take at least that much time for Nyla to be back to good enough condition for bounty hunting. Oh, how she hated the little brat for that.
Worst thing is, she had some amount of respect for the kid, it's a given after the trashing she received. She completely understands how this kid put old Mi-Sha in a bind.
Nevertheless, her part in this hunting game is over, neither she, nor her trusty shirshu were in any form fit to continue. She moved a little the hand that used to hold her whip, she could still feel a lingering sensation from when the lightning stroke.
Nyla jerked his head and growled.
'Ah great…'
June thought.
"You can come out, you know. You'd be less of a creep this way."
From the trees emerged a goliath of a man with muscles upon muscles. He was bald and had a tattoo of an eye on his forehead, as well as metal arm and leg.
"Boom-boom man~ what do I owe the displeasure?"
She and boom-boom went way back in their bounty hunting business, she had to admit that the quite freak was professional and effective, if nothing else.
The man merely raised an eyebrow at her.
"Fine, fine, stupid question."
He then looked at Nyla, or more accurately the state her little boy was in and turned his head in confusion.
"Yeah, kid got us good, bought enough time for his thugs to throw all kind of things on poor Nyla here."
Boom-boom nodded his head in understanding. He then held his prehistoric hand up and moved his metal finger in a circle.
"Brat went to the desert a day ago with ten or so of his men ten miles west from here, more than that I have no idea. He didn't exactly lay down his vocation plan when we fought."
The man nodded and petted his metal arm.
"What is it, an integration?"
June said while rolling her eyes.
She received a bored look in return.
"Fine, such a killjoy. The uncle of that brat still has some fire left in him from his old days, managed to keep Nyla at bay."
"As for the crew, didn't have much interaction with them, but by the state of my poor boy here they can't be complete slackers. They had hooks and mechanical dart shooters on hand, no idea if they are fire benders or no."
Boom-boom nodded at her once for receiving the information ant once to tell her to continue.
"The brat himself? Well, he's a good enough fighter, a real protégé for his age. But still not quite there yet for the big fishes. He does however shoot lightning and it hurts, so be careful with that metal lighting rod you have there."
She pointed at his prosthetics, and he nodded in understanding, if she didn't know better, she may say he looked a little impressed.
"Oh, and you're going to love it, the too of you have more common than you think."
The seemingly mute man raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, you two are boom-boom man. He can shoot explosions from his hands, not quite as strong as yours yet. But he also wanted answer, so he may held back there."
Now the man looked extremely interested.
He nodded and threw her a silver coin that she caught easily. He then turned back and went to find his target.
"Hey!"
The man turned.
"Give him a kick for me, will you?"
He nodded and left.
Toph rode with the enforcers for the better part of the day, she had the usual uniform that the other criminals wore. In contrast to the others, her helmet had no holes above the nose, she didn't need them because of her blindness.
The first time she "saw" those uniforms at "earth rumble", she thought they were very cool. Needless to say, the uniform lost its spark long ago.
They were now in front of some dirty poor hamlet that apparently was a popular point of rest for those that come from the direction of Gaoling. The enforcers were about to interrogate some poor shmuk about the prince.
As her party walked through the streets, she could feel through her feet how everyone hid and played as small as they could when the enforcers passed. She could understand them, she saw how enforcers butchered people in cold blood for literally standing un the way or be as sword's reach.
She also had better hearing than most, most likely compensation for her poor eyesight. She barely heard the fearful whisper of the people.
"Spirits persevere, enforcers!"
"So many of them… are they going to kill us?"
"Silence… Don't give them a reason to notice you, you fool…"
"Who is the small one? Don't tell me it's the gnome!"
"Oh my spirits, will it bury us alive as well."
"I heard that it buried a fool platoon of fire nation soldiers, what is this thing even doing here?"
"Prick me, they're going to the old man Salut. You think they are after the siblings?"
"Don't be a fool, if anything they are after that brat who blasted big Hui."
She wondered what happened, not like it really interested her, but at least it would burn a few minutes.
They finally were face to face with the tavern, it was as dirty and stereotypical as she imagined. Barley standing wood and smell of alcohol, piss and other things. For goodness's sake, the door was blasted open as if someone was thrown from there!
Needless to say, the place was quite as grave when the enforcers came. Two of them stayed to guard the entrance, while the rest went inside to terrorize the patrons. The leading enforcer went to the counter with her following suit while the rest of the enforcement surrounded them in a semi-circle.
The leader put a fist down the counter, nearly breaking the thing into two. The old gut manning the counter immediately jumped from under it.
"H-h-h-hello s-s-sir! H-h-how c-can I h-help?"
"A group of people with fire nation ethnicity on komodo-rhinos led by an armored teenager, did they pass her?"
"Y-yes! They went that way!"
The old man pointed at some direction.
"They said all kinds of things against the lord! And killed in cold blood his men, right there!"
The old men pointed at some point at the floor near the destroyed doors.
"They also have the wanted Jasmine and Mi-Dved with them!"
The leader pulled his hand from the counter, which had an arm shape dent on it now, and went outside. Toph and the men followed him.
"Mount up and move to the sinking library, if there is something someone may want here it's that."
The eel hounds left the road in a dust cloud as they sprinted to their target.
They were finally there, the famed library of Wan!
It looked like a damp.
'Are you sure this is the right place?'
"Yes, although even I mast admit that the old bird let his place down."
What Sai described as a tall tower that seemingly reached the sky was in reality, while not little, a much smaller building half buried in sand.
"Do you have the jaculus?"
'Yes, in the jar at my backpack. The jar also has small openings for air.'
For some reason, Sai advised Zuko to catch a small kangaroo mouse before they reached the library. At that, Zuko sent Xing to hunt and bring back a vermin unharmed.
Needless to say, Xing was very willing to hunt in its master's name and brought back results in less than fifteen minutes. The small, the creature could rest on Zuko's hand, thing was quickly put in a jar, and they continued their track for the library.
When Zuko asked Sai why they needed a mouse of all things, the later only replied that the owl liked mice.
"So, this is it? Don't get me wrong, it has this charm of an ancient place I suppose, but I think that I talk for all of us when I say that we expected something… more."
Mi-Dved commented, to which his uncle seemed to give a response.
"I'm afraid that times treated the great library of Wan Shi Tong. The place sought out for knowledge was gradually becoming a place for people of power to seek advantage again their rivals."
"During the later decades of avatar Roku, the great spirit of knowledge, Wan Shi Tong, had enough of the politicians in his library who had now respect for knowledge. So he put the blame on the sand tribes for bringing to the library people on base of coin and not intention."
"As time went by, the people of the sand tribes saw no reason to keep the grand library from sinking, which led to the sorry state of the once great building."
It was now lieutenant Jee's turn to voice his thoughts.
"Are we sure it will even allow us in? By the sound of it, Wan Shi Tong doesn't exactly like humans so much anymore. And we fill all the criteria of the people Wan Shi Tong doesn't like."
"The helmet sought this place, it obviously has connection. If this helmet can get us an in, then we can help millions of people. It is a risk, but one I'm willing to take."
Zuko and his group were now a hundred feet from the library, then suddenly the ground shook a little and from the window/door/opening? From the opening jumped something like a hundred wolves. The wolves surround them in great speed and their mounts become wary.
Xing barked in retaliation.
"Looks like something really pissed off the old owl, better tread this one carefully. Get the jaculus and follow my lead."
Zuko dismounted and took the jar with the kangaroo mouse. He walked towards the wolves that suddenly became a little unsure of themselves, as if they didn't quite know what to do.
Zuko waved his hand as Sai spoke from the helmet.
"Knowledge seekers, how are you? Was I really gone that long? "
The wolves looked among themselves in complete confusion, they had no idea how to follow two orders from their master that went against one another. Do they let the overlord and its accessory or bar entrance for all humans, especially ones touched by the sun.
"Fang, tell the others to calm down. I'm here to fill my arrangement with your master."
A wolf at the front, that looked a bit bigger than the others, moved his ear upward. Then, as if listening to someone (or something), it moved to the side. The rest moved as well and gave Zuko a clear way to go.
When he was already at half the way, his men started to dismount as well. Then, the wolf growled and bared fangs at his men.
"It seems that Wang Shi Tong invited me alone. Stay where you are for now until I call you, do not aggregate the knowledge seekers."
With his last words the men stood in place and Zuko went inside. He used fire bending to descend from the window and walked to the center of the immense room he was in.
'It's definitely bigger in the inside.'
He felt that he wasn't alone and that he was watched by someone of great power.
"Come down already, you old bird. Over three thousand years, and that's how you great an old friend?"
Zuko then saw a shadow moving that much to his amazement and horror wasn't a shadow at all. When the creature finally reached him, Zuko saw Wan Shi Tong in all his glory.
Black as tar body with a white, heart shaped head and pitch-black eyes, the spirit of knowledge was a sight to behold. It had this justified prideful aura around it that Zuko couldn't help but think of a being of a higher caliber than him, much to his irritation.
"This is the spirit energy that's in your body now reacting to a named spirit of a much higher standing. Ignore it, you will grow in time."
Wan Shi Tong finally stopped a few feet in front of Zuko and the prince understood just how big the spirit was. It was the biggest land walking creature he had seen, the swamp monster doesn't count, and Zuko had no illusion that it was the strongest being he had met so far.
While the Unagi took the lead in brut strength by far, the sheer intelligence in Wan Shi Tong's eyes was overwhelming. He was glad that he, or at least Sai, was on friendly terms with the great spirit.
"I apologize for the harsh welcome, recent events forced me to take a… harsher approach with guests."
The gigantic owl spoke without moving his mouth, it was like the spirit was talking into his head, not unlike Sai.
"It's quite understandable, it seems those are chaotic times as well, old friend."
Sai answered back as the spirit continued the conversation.
"Yes, I must admit that it is good to hear you again after all this time. I was starting to think that we will never see the overlord once again, this is one of the rare times when I am glad to be proven wrong, grand puppeteer."
"All that matters is that now there is a new overlord. And of course, as promised."
Zuko gave the spirit a small square of metal that Sai produced beforehand.
Sai raised one of his legs, which was bigger than Zuko's entire body, and took with his claws the little thing. It was worth noticing that the talon was bigger than Zuko's, and the prince didn't doubt it could shutter a Komodo-rhino's skull with ease. The fact that it was able to move with such precision in contrast to its size, and that the claws were sharp enough to hold the pinky nail sized construction, spoke highly of the spirit of knowledge.
Wang Shi Tong raised the thing to its eye level and gazed upon it.
"An excellent masterpiece as always, Sai."
The owl then put the thing inside his feathers.
"Oh, and as an apology for the delay, please have this."
Zuko then gave the spirit the jar with the kangaroo mouse, which the spirit eagerly took.
"An adolescence jacalus, my favorite, you do remember. I will save it for later."
Wan Shi Tong placed the jar inside his feathers as he did with the metallic thing.
"I do must ask, however, why the drastic measures?"
The spirit looked at Zuko and he felt his soul being judged.
"A few years ago, some humans that aligned themselves with the political entity known as the fire nation came here. They offered some technologies their nation developed as a toll and were granted entry as result. For the sake of saving all of us time, in the end they burned anything related to the fire nation and took off with a scroll about the story of La and Tui."
"Let me guess, you weren't present?"
The owl spirit nodded its head.
"I was away at the interdimensional rally of deities of knowledge. The humans also weren't even near your section of the library, else the security system would have made short work of them."
"So we should expect a raid on the north pole targeting the fish, then?"
"Most likely. I already warned the due and they have made a backup plan in motion."
"Would you like to tell?"
"I'm afraid those aren't my secrets to tell, especially to you of all creation."
"Fare enough. And speaking of fair, I would like to borrow a few files on medicine. Especially Penicillin and its kind. As well as files on glass houses."
"You know the rules, no use of violence."
"Of course, wouldn't dream of it. All of those will be used for curing and feeding the masses, not really much to weaponize."
"Very well, follow me."
The great spirit spread its massive wings and took flight and Zuko followed it with his fire bending. After some time, the corridor they were in was replaced with a giant metal wall. Wan Shi Tong stopped (and Zuko with him) and put one of his talons at the center of the wall.
As the spirit did so, the wall glowed around the talons in green light and with a sound, started to disappear into the walls that surrounded it. Both left and right, up and down, to Zuko it reminded a maw of some abomination too much for comfort.
The two of them flew another minute to some device and landed there.
"It is my understanding that you would like the files about medicine and about glasshouses in different devices?"
"Yes please."
"Very well."
The spirit pulled two black squares, that Sai named notebooks, and connected them to the device. It pushed some bottoms and turned his head back to Zuko.
"The data will be ready momentarily."
Zuko nodded and took a look at the rest of the room. It was filled with all kinds of wonders, from small automatons to magnificent pieces of art. From star maps, unfamiliar to any schooler, to plants that the word has never seen, and never will.
"Your collection has grown, Wan. Using the dimensional port often?"
"Guilty as charged. I owe you immensely for that gift, knowledge was gained exponentially from that."
"I also see you made some new friends along the way, I'm happy that you have others who share your ideals and can keep up with your intelligence."
Zuko looked at the various paintings of all kinds that depicted other beings, sometimes with Wan Shi Tong with them. There was a man with a head of an ibis, a monkey-man thing, a woman with four hands and a lute and many more. The most dominating figure, however, was a woman in her prime wearing a full armor with a spear and a shield that was hard to look at.
"Indeed, they are all delightful company."
"Especially Athena, by the looks of it."
"I find her as a very interesting and illuminating company, she also has a very keen eye on animals."
"She does like owls… You know that she swore off men, right."
"I am no man, and our relationship is purely professional."
Zuko looked at a painting of this Athena that was surrounded by flowers, even he wasn't dense enough to fall for this.
"Very well, I will leave you with your delusions."
Suddenly, there was an alarm.
Wan Shi Long addressed his guest and its toy.
"It seems like there are troubles coming after you as always."
"I will take care of it."
"Please do take it outside, my library is no pub for drunk fights."
"You wouldn't even hear a noise."
Zuko jetted away and flied back to his men.
AN
And this is the end of chapter 16
Toph is finally on the path to meat Zuko, for better or worse.
Zuko gave a pep talk to the siblings, something that he had never done before.
A little look at Hakoda, wonder what he cooked up in that brain of his. he is obviously a bit vengeful against both Zuko and Mi-Sha.
Zuko met the locals, notice how he is self aware of his changing morals.
June had a talk with boom-boom (not his real name) and Zuko has one more thing to worry about.
And we finally met Wan Shi Tong in all his glory, different from the cannon a bit because of his interactions with the different overlords. Which gods do you recognize from what little butchered description I gave?
And of course a cliff hanger, just what problems there are on the surface?
Now for the reviews:
deniswanheda :
He really didn't think that fight through, but June is also an experienced bounty hunter and no easy opponent.
Glad you agreed with Zuko's decision, we'll talk about the consequences later.
You wouldn't be disappointed from where all the story around Toph, Kia and even Hakoda is going.
Anyway, be sure to write what you think about the chapter and the story. Don't be afraid to share what you think could and should happen.