The Spirited Boy

Chapter 8

"That was one of the Knowledge seekers! "  The Professor said, grabbing onto his satchel. "Oh this must be Wan Shi Tongs Library!" Then he paused and then collapsed. "Now all my life's work is burred under sand woe is me!" Toph then clumsily made her way to the tower, slamming her hand on it.

"Actually that wont be necessary, the inside seems to be completely intact." Then she waited on dramatic pause."And It's huge." emphasizing the and in particular.

"Sounds good to me" I said going into my bag.

"That fox thing seemed to go through that window, I say we climb up there and give it a look." Sokka said pointing at the window.

"I say you guys go on ahead without me" Toph said putting her hands on her hips. Sokka and I made eye contact, which was both sharing an uncomfortable look.

"You got something against Library's?" Katara asked quizzically, also crossing her arms in distaste in Tophs action. I pulled out my grappling hook and rope.

"I've held books before and I gotta tell ya, they don't exactly do it for me." Toph replied.

Katara looked down in shame frowning at her obvious mistake any one could see  that, "Oh right, sorry". Toph then turned around.

"Let me know if they got something you can listen to?" I threw over my grappling hook, Sokka did the same. I pulled up on the rope and started to climb up it, I watched as Aang airbended himself up at the top.

"Hey Sokka" I asked as were climbing up the wall.

"Uh Yeah, Danny?" He asked struggling to keep up with me.

"Where did you get your boomerang?" Sokka's eyes lit up at the mention of his trusty boomerang. We got up to the top of the tower, looking down at where we would land.

"This here is my 'trusty' boomerang! It was a gift from my dad, he left it to me when went to go join the other tribesmen In the one hundred year war." I nodded, then he pointed at my grappling hook.

"Oh uh this is something of my design more of a modern look for this age. But Its great for climbing mountains, not so much for towers and stuff like this. However it has changeable hooks for those types of needs." I said, the look of sokka's face was just too much. He basically was fangirling over my grapple... 

"Wow, I can't believe you got Sokka to make that face! He only makes it when there are girls, meat, or super cool weapons are around!" Aang laughed pointing at Sokka. We soon made our decent deeper into the library.

The walls glittered with gold and other fine ornaments and architecture. "Oh It's breathtaking! The spirit spared no expense in designing this place! Look at those beautiful buttresses!" Causing the group to giggle at the word butt, I wont say I laughed but more like smirked at the flabbergasted Professor's choice of words. "Whats funny?" he asked not knowing his easy mistake.

"Nothing" Aang interjected. Making me sigh, the kid was quick with his words and his skills. "We just like Architecture" Aang mused, I noticed the professors smirk peel onto his face.

"As do I" I hopped down, following the professor, then Sokka, followed by Katarra, and then Aang. "My Word! The exquisite mosaic handy work of this tile! Rendered Avian Symbol-l Is!" We all looked at the professor in confusion. "Er... Nice Owl?" Soon I felt my ghost sense pop off like a rocket a cold blue wisp followed soon after. Then  talon scraped sounds came right after. Everyone ran behind the owl pillars, I crouched behind the stone walls.

Soon a large great owl came out, the tingling grew stronger. I knew he must've known that I was there. The Owl craned his head around before uttering a cold voice, that did not seem to belong to it. "I know you're back there." It stated flatly

The professor stood out and walked toward the owl, a smile over his face. "Hello! I am Professor Zei, Head of anthropology at Ba Sing Sei University!" Zei Shouted, now I at least learned his name. I watched as the man Bowed at the great spirit.

"You should leave the way you came" Said the great Owl, "Unless you want to become a stuffed head of anthropology?" It asked rhetorically, Ironically the man rubbed his neck as if he were thinking his head were to be removed. Soon the group followed with, and face palmed walking to the great spirit.

"Are you the great spirit who brought this library to the physical world?" Asked Sokka.

"Indeed, I am Wan Shi Tong. He who knows ten thousand things and you are obviously humans and partially excluding one of you." It was talking about me and not Aang." Which are by the way no longer permitted in my study."

"What do you have against humans?" Asked Aang.

"Hmm, humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans. Like that fire-bender whom came to this place a few years ago, looking to destroy his enemy. So, who are you trying to destroy?" Wan Shi Tong asked, Bending his body right into Sokka's face.

"What! No-no No!" Sokka Denied waving his hands in protest. "No destroying, we-were not into that!

"Then why have you come here?" Wan Shi Tong asked.

"Uuuhm, knowledge for knowledge's sake?" he responded. Causing the great bird to frown? his feathers ruffled a bit, probably in anger at Sokka's lying.

"If your going to lie to an all-knowing spirit being, you should at least put some effort into it."It stated, Sokka looked slightly offended.

"I'm not lying! I'm here with the avatar and he's the bridge between our worlds." Sokka said pulling Aang In front of Wan Shi Tongs body."He'll vouch for me!" Pushing Aang uncomfortably close to the spirit.

"Ow! Uhh-Yeah! I'll vouch, we will not abuse the knowledge in your library good spirit. You have my word" Aang bowed his head and soon the rest of us.

"Hmm" the Bird mused. "Very well, I'll let you peruse my vast collection. On one condition to prove your worth as scholars. You have to contribute some worth while knowledge." I dropped down into my bag, looking for something no one had. Then I remembered, I had my grappling hook. I can always make a new one in another village, It was so bad. 

"Please accept this tomb, as an donation to your library" Professor Zei said, kneeling onto one leg offering his book.

"First addition, very nice." The spirit then took the book from his hands with it's large dark wing. Soon after Katara followed in holding a small scroll.

"I have an authentic water bending scroll." She said holding the scroll open for the spirit to notice its intricate details.

"Ooh, these illustrations are quite stylish" the owl then removed the scroll from her hands.

"Oh I know!" Aang shouted grabbing another scroll from his shirt, I dare not wonder where it was in the first place.

"I suppose that counts." Wan Shi Tong said gruffly, but took the scroll from the Avatar any way.

"Oh great Spirit!" Sokka Said, holding out a piece of rope, "Check this out!" Sokka then started tying the rope into some sort of knot. "Tod-ah!" Sokka shouted holding out a dragonfly shaped knot, Impressive but not what I call knowledgeable. "Its a special knot! It counts as knowledge!"

"You're not very bright are you?" Wan Shi Tong asked. Sokka growled, but the spirit took it anyway.

I gulped handing out my grappling hook, "Here great spirit, An adaptable Interlocking and Interchangeable grappling hook" I said but the bird looked closer.

"You do not need to give me anything. You have a vouch and a letter from an old friend." The bird said I sighed putting back my grappling hook into my bag."Here is your letter Mr. Phantom" The bird handed me a letter with two infamous letters CW. "Enjoy the Library". Then the bird flew down to the floors below.