The Lost Waterbender (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction)

Piandao

We didn't stop traveling until dawn. By then we'd left the town far behind. There was no way Kachi's people would find us now.

I was exhausted both mentally and physically. Raiko had woken up for a short time during our journey. He'd said his chest hurts, and besides cuts and bruises, he was mostly just tired. They'd been interrogating him for the time he was there, trying to figure out Hikura and the City of Outcasts' weaknesses. He said occasionally they would use physical force, which is where some of his injuries came from. When he told is this, I looked away I shame. Not only had I left him, but he'd been tortured. And I had a feeling they did worse than he was letting on.

"So who is this Piandao?" I asked Raiko when Koza had gone ahead.

Raiko shrugged. "All I know is that he's part of some sort of order. They used to be connected to the City of Outcasts somehow."

I knit my eyebrows together. "Why are we being sent to him?"

"I don't know. He lives in the Fire Nation and its easy to get there?"

The remainder of our trip was mostly silent. We took a couple breaks to let our ostrich-horses rest and stretch our legs. By evening, we arrived in a small town. It looked nice enough. There was a little square with restaurants and shops that people milled around, going on with their daily business.

Koza led us past all the shops up a large hill. The home we were approaching was huge from the looks of the walls that surrounded it.

We approached the huge doors. They were decorated with a huge carving of a pai sho lotus tile.

"He must really like that game," Raiko muttered as Koza banged the giant knocker against it.

A bored-looking man opened the door. He had gray hair pulled back into a neat bun and gray mutton chops. He wore a long dark robe buttoned together with a Fire Nation broach.

"Can I help you?" He asked in a bored tone.

Koza tossed the man something, who caught it with a surprised look. "Give that to Piandao. Tell him it's urgent."
The man nodded and ushered us inside the wall.

Inside was one of the most beautiful home I'd ever seen. It was a large villa made of cream-colored stone topped with a red roof that reflected the setting sun's glow. There was a gorgeous courtyard full of trees and boulders and a thick bamboo forest. I hoped Piandao would let me and Raiko explore that.
The man led us up the stairs into an open room. Sitting at a low table was the one I guessed was Piandao.
The butler handed Piandao the item Koza had given him. Piandao looked at it for a minute before speaking.
"So after all this time, you come for our help?" He had a low voice that was stern, but had a hint of fatherly kindness.

Koza nodded. "In a way. There's some... trouble in the City of Outcasts. These two are especially in danger. Can they stay with you?"

Piandao slowly put down his paintbrush and stood up. He turned around and studied Raiko and me. I did the same. He had an older face that I could tell once belonged to a very handsome man. He had sharp cheekbones and a thin mouth. His hazel eyes were sharp and intelligent. His skin was dark from the sun, and his brown hair was pulled into a bun. His chin was obscured by a very neatly trimmed goatee. Overall, he had a very smart and intuitive look to him.

"What are your names, children?"
We answered his question. He raised an eyebrow at me. "Where are you from, Badger?"

"Fire Nation, of course," I said. Piandao looked at Koza, who said, "she's from the Water Tribe."

I stared at him. "Why would you tell him that?"

Koza waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry. He's trustworthy. So, will you care for them?"