"I like that nickname because it reminds me of an old name for a festival celebrated in the Fire Nation between winter and spring," said Shisui as he sat down on the floor and leaned his back against the bookshelf behind him. He felt quite at ease in a place that wasn't his own.
The Sage's confidence was almost palpable. He did not fear Wan Shi Tong, despite his great size and strange face, which could evoke fear and menace in humans.
"It's still celebrated by Firebenders who live in isolation, keeping many traditions alive that were lost to the Fire Nation," Wan Shi Tong replied casually. There was a hint of anger when he mentioned the Fire Nation, and he chose not to mention it by name, revealing his displeasure.
"Hehe, it seems that some of the people who came before us left you with a terrible impression of the Fire Nation," Shisui chuckled under his breath. His words caused some of the spirit bird's feathers to bristle momentarily.
"I found this Zhao fellow quite likable at first. Among all the humans who had come to my library, he was the most...submissive? Though in the end, it was a ruse. He wanted to destroy the very library you rely on, Sage Shisui. It seems he didn't care for the food," said Wan Shi Tong with a touch of sarcasm as he extended a paw and delicately picked up a book.
The title read, "How to Make the Perfect Pizza." Needless to say, the author was Shisui. Qin, who hadn't said a word up to this point, approached the bookshelf and stood quite close to the Waterbender. However, he paid him no mind and pulled out another book:
"100 Ways to Make Potatoes." This is my favorite. It really has delicious recipes. I didn't know potatoes could taste so good," said the man before sitting down next to Shisui. Shisui tilted his head slightly and smiled mischievously.
"Hehe, Zhao was one of those people who wanted to cling to what he knew. Comments like 'potatoes are pig food' and 'cheese should be enjoyed with wine, not mixed with the flour the poor eat' are things I've heard a lot from people who don't understand that times are changing everywhere, even when it comes to food." Shisui couldn't help but chuckle since he had ended up talking about food with two beings he was still trying to figure out.
"I must say that human creativity has always impressed me. I haven't tried this pizza made with 'melted cheese,' but it must be delicious," Wan Shin Tong commented, causing the Sage's golden eyes to sparkle slightly.
"Then set up your library in the Fire Nation. You must know that things have changed. We're truly improving. Although the scars left by the war will never fade, we want to make a difference," Shisui said earnestly. The spirit took his request and his words seriously.
As for Qin, he had the book open on his lap but wasn't reading. Instead, he looked at the Sage standing beside him, his green eyes hidden behind his glasses.
"Has the Fire Nation truly changed? And why did they launch an offensive against Ba Sing Se?" the man asked, staring intently at Shisui. He was clearly referring to the Sage's years of service, during which he fought against that city.
"If the Dai Li hadn't invaded our nation during a ceasefire, attacked the Fire Nation royalty, and me, perhaps the conflict wouldn't have started. But I don't absolve my country of blame for the conflict. Still, this time, we didn't start it," Shisui replied. This time, he turned his head to look directly into the eyes of the man who had asked him those questions.
"Professor Qin, I understand that you have your opinions. Many hate the Fire Nation. How could they not? The pain we caused can't be forgotten in a few years just because of some recipes," the sage remarked, gesturing toward the book the supposed professor was reading. He had some suspicions, but decided to maintain his façade while continuing to speak.
"But just as I don't dare hide the sun with a finger, you shouldn't either, at least not in my presence," Shisui concluded in a neutral tone. Though he maintained a relaxed posture, he had narrowed his golden eyes dangerously.
"Ah, politics and war. Things that are sometimes so intertwined that I don't understand how humans manage to interpret them differently." Wan Shi Tong was interested in the dialogue between the humans, so he crouched down to their level and joined in.
"Perhaps you won't take the opinion of a spirit like me seriously, but I'd like to express it openly," the spirit said, causing Shisui and Qin to stop staring at each other and turn their attention to him.
"Go ahead. A spirit like you must have interesting opinions on human matters, even if you aren't one of us. I'd like to hear them," the Sage replied with a smile. He was genuinely happy about this, since you couldn't always speak with an entity known for its desire to safeguard all knowledge.
"This time, I agree with the Sage. How could I refuse to listen to Wan Shi Tong's words on the matter? Go ahead. Speak freely," Qin replied, nodding to the entity. Despite having a beak, the entity gave a rather human smile.
"Thank you for the opportunity," Wan Shi Tong replied as he returned the book he had taken to the bookshelf. He then placed the edge of his wing under his chin, mimicking the gesture people typically make when thinking.
"I have lived for many years, and I have made this library my domain, an extension of myself. I can sense every entity within it, and throughout all that time, I have conversed with many humans." The spirit began, then emitted a shrill screech into the distance. From behind the bookshelves, tables, and other surrounding objects, several spiritual beings emerged.
"I rarely go out, preferring to stay and read in my domain. But these beings collect copies of scrolls, books, papyri, slate tablets, and any other medium on which knowledge is recorded. They also collect information from the outside world." Hearing this, Shisui and Qin examined the beings closely.
They resembled various small animals, such as rabbits, foxes, and minks. In nature, these beings would be preyed upon by owls. Here, however, they were in the service of a giant owl-like being.
"Why am I explaining all this? Simple. My opinion may be biased and full of errors I'm unaware of since, at the end of the day, knowledge is infinite, and I am finite." When Wan Shi Tong said this, a broad "smile" spread across his face.
"I have learned that humanity is conflict-prone. Even when it seeks order in its societies and wants to set aside direct conflict, it transfers that conflict from swords and bending to politics.
That is why I assert that war and politics are intertwined because they are essentially in conflict, and one can be an extension of the other." The spirit began to offer its opinion, causing Shisui and Qin to give it their full attention.
"Human differences tend to lead people to form groups and ideologies. Different ways of seeing things and acting inevitably clash, whether through words or bloodshed. Is humanity doomed to war or conflict in general?
"That would be an extremist view, but don't doubt that some humans think that way because politics and war are tools." Wan Shi Tong fixed his eyes on Qin, who narrowed his eyes slightly, knowing the spirit had discovered something about him. Qin remained silent, listening to Wan Shi Tong's words.
"Though it's hard to admit, the engine of human progress seems to run faster during periods of conflict. Look at how the Fire Nation industrialized. They built iron ships instead of wooden ones and fuel-powered carriages instead of relying on pack animals. Even if he did so with some annoyance, one could hear the astonishment in the spirit's words when he began speaking of the Fire Nation.
Displeased as Wan Shi Tong was with Zhao's actions, he had to admit that Zhao had gathered a great deal of knowledge about Fire Nation technology over the past 100 years, further expanding Wan Shi Tong's library.
"Even the other elemental nations, which seem backward on the surface, have improved and changed over time. The Water Tribes, once divided by ideological and philosophical differences, have begun to work together." The great owl tilted its head slightly and looked at Shisui.
"Medicine in their lands advanced as a direct result of the intense conflict. I've heard that women can now learn more about Waterbending at the North Pole, which is a huge step forward since many techniques have emerged over the past 100 years. Even though they were stagnant, things have started to flow."
Wan Shi Tong nodded to Shisui, acknowledging his role in this process and its outcome.
The spirit valued not only the preservation of knowledge, but also its expansion so that more intelligent beings might be able to understand and utilize it. Therefore, he viewed the fading of the Northern Water Tribe's rigid traditions positively, as it would allow more people to access that knowledge.
"The Waterbenders of the Foggy Swamp have emerged from their isolation. They use their abilities to help people farm. Even in the South Pole, the region hardest hit by the conflict, they have improved in the arts of naval warfare and martial arts." Wan Shi Tong pointed to a painting of a scantily clad woman covering her nudity with leaves while striking an unknown Waterbending pose and growing a vegetable from the ground.
Then, the spirit pointed to another painting where a warrior from the Southern Water Tribe faced off against several Fire Nation soldiers without bending. The warrior was armed only with a bone spear and a club. The image suggested that he was gaining the upper hand against his Firebender enemies.
"I deeply regret the loss of the Air Nomad civilization. It is something I will never forgive the Fire Nation for. It is one of the reasons I did not respond to your proposal, Sage Shisui. You have no idea how excited I was to see how war might clash with the Airbenders' ideologies and philosophies! But they were completely wiped out!" the spirit growled, his feathers standing on end.
"This is one of the things humans don't understand. War and politics are just social tools, like many others. But you have a conflict so deeply ingrained in your essence that you've turned a tool into a deadly weapon. What better example of conflict taken to the extreme than the actions of the Fire Nation or the Earth Kingdom?" Wan Shi Tong was no longer directing his anger at just anyone; his gaze had fallen once more upon Qin.
"A nation? No, they aren't even that. They're a landmass without a defined government. Each city-state has its own ruler, and some have even called themselves king. King of a single city and the few farms around it? They aren't progressing, they're regressing!
Ba Sing Se is the worst of all those cities. Are you going to tell me that the cruelties and atrocities committed behind those walls aren't as bad as those committed by the Fire Nation? "Your Majesty," the spirit said, bringing his face close to Qin's. Qin slowly removed his glasses.
"Oh, of course they do. My ancestors were mad. Though I am mad too, at least I no longer make those below suffer needlessly. I must admit, though, that burning books and knowledge to plunge the entire population into generations of illiteracy was perhaps extreme on my part. But the Fire Nation did worse." Qin replied mockingly. He clearly wasn't taking what he was saying seriously. As he shed his façade, he began to reveal his true essence.
"You judge the Fire Nation and justify your actions by claiming that you won't surpass them. You are the epitome of someone who has taken politics and war to their most dangerous extremes. For you, they're not just intertwined; they're practically the same. Conflict burns in your blood.
Your ambitions, on par with Sozin's, have only been halted by your inability to unify the Earth Kingdom and by the fact that the Fire Nation can reactivate its war industry shortly after suffering an attack, something you confirmed quite well, didn't you, King Kuei?" Wan Shi Tong pointed his beak at the man, who had a broad smile on his face. Just then, the entire library seemed to tremble.
"What you say isn't bad at all, Wan Shi Tong. But you're wrong about many things, though I won't bother to clarify that. It's a pleasure to converse with you, great being. Sage Shisui, it's a shame I couldn't debate with you more during our first meeting. I suppose we'll be able to talk more in depth in the near future," said Qin, no, Kuei, as he stood up, unconcerned by the spirit's threatening gaze.
"No wonder your aura is so strange. You're the leader of those bastards. Very well." Shisui stood up, ready to attack. But the library shook again, this time with much greater intensity.
Something important was happening outside!