Rainbow's Gift (Avatar The Last Airbender Fanfic)

38. The Library

"So why are you guys at a library?" I asked.

"Oh, Sokka decided that he....." Aang started.

"I wanted to visit this place." Sokka said quickly. It  seemed that he didn't want me to know what they were looking for. He couldn't look at me and I had to say that left me a little sad. He didn't even greet me unlike the rest did.

"I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." The stranger that was with them bowed and I did the same. I felt like I hadn't been formal in years.

"Taliya." I told him with a smile.

"So you're the rainbow sylph and this is your rainbow phoenix." He said as he went to touch her but she flew away.

"She doesn't like to be touched by strangers." I said as she perched on my shoulders. He looked into my eyes as if he was searching for something or examining them.

"Your eyes..... they seem to have the actual colour of gold in them with some slight shades of brown." He said apprehensively.

"Um...thank you?" I said as I took a step back.

"You hail from the Fire Nation." He said slightly frightened. I rolled my eyes.

"And so? I'm also the rainbow sylph." I said.

"We need to get going." Sokka said as he tied a rope to his boomerang and slung it all the way to the top of the open window. Aang told Appa goodbye and we started to climb up the tower. I felt slightly sick because I had just projected myself  through a long distance. I was glad when I got inside and looked around at the architecture. I had never seen anything like it.

"Oh, it's breathtaking. The spirits spared no expense in designing this place." The professor said as we continued to climb down the rope." Look at those beautiful butresses." He said. Aang and Sokka chuckled and I rolled my eyes. " What's funny?"

"Nothing. We just like architecture." Aang answered.

"As do I." I was glad to get on the ground." My word! The exquisite mosaic of this handiwork tile rendered alien symbol.....eh, nice owl." I realized everywhere was decorated by owls. There was something about this place that made me feel like I had been in here before even though I knew before meeting Aang I had never been anywhere outside the Fire Nation. We heard movement that sounded like beating of wings and we hid behind some pillars. I peeked and Katara pulled me back. It was a huge owl, very huge,that had black feathers everywhere except the face which was covered in white feathers. It completely rotated it's head making me almost scream at the horror before it said,

"I know you're back there." Professor Zei who seemed stupid enough ran to the huge bird saying,

"Hello! I'm Professor Zei head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." He bowed and I shook slightly at where I was standing. Kiki seemed to shiver too.

"You should leave unless you want to become an object of anthropology." The rest of us decided to walk out and Kiki seemed to squirm more in my arms. I felt like she had been here before, and maybe I remembered it.

"Are you the spirit that brought this library to the physical world?" Sokka asked.

"Indeed I am Wan Shi Tong, he knows many things. And you are obviously humans who are no longer permitted in my study." The huge owl said. Kiki sat on my shoulder as we stood in front of the spirit.

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

The spirit sighed." Humans only learn things to get on the edge of other humans like that firebender who came to my library a few years back, looking to destroy his enemy." He paused then  his beady black eyes looked at me." You look just like him."