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chapter xix

Word Count: 4,078 words

CHAPTER XIX: 读万卷书不如行万里路

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If it weren't for a nearing comet that comes every hundred years, Natsuko would let Aang have the vacation he wants until he gets tired of it, even if it would take them the next century because she knew he deserves it.

"Where would you like to go on your mini vacation?"

But here they were, letting Katara choose a mini vacation and to the Misty Palms Oasis which is as pristine as it sounds, "And I don't usually use the word pristine. It's one of nature's wonders."

At least that's what their hopes were until they saw it in person, "Must have changed ownership since I was here."

Natsuko snorted, "More like firebending occurred here, the sun is scorching."

It was really hot and the air was dense despite it in the open, not to mention the rude men who were covered in clothing head to toe who just spat on Sokka and gave him a smirk afterwards while they all were going inside what looks like a bar. The person behind the counter was very skilled with the twin swords he had, using it to make a mango drink for the person with a rather large bag and is well dressed, hopefully the bartender is only using his skills with the swords for the purpose to serve them drinks rather than other stuff.

"I don't see anything wrong with having one of those fruity beverages." they all went to the bar, Sokka walking faster to see what other fruits they had to drink. Aang, though, bumped into the well-dressed stranger who is hopefully more considerate than the others who would pick a fight with them just by staring.

Aang airbended himself to clean up the mess on his shirt, which the stranger was fascinated with, introducing himself as a professor and the head of anthropology at the Ba Sing Se University then began interrogating the Avatar about what airbenders were known of and which air temple he was from. Even if the professor doesn't actually mean harm, Natsuko was still keeping an eye on him.

They all had their fruity drinks with them by the time Sokka asked, "So, professor, you're obviously a well-travelled guy, do you have a more current map?"

"Certainly."

He placed his map on an available table, the only problem was there were no Fire Nation, "Doesn't anybody have a good map of that place?"

"How about you, Natsuko? I'm sure you could ask Aang's past lives." Katara asked Natsuko and she drank from her fruit punch which was quite refreshing, "I could but I only talk to them during sleep."

"Great, let's knock you out then." Sokka was about to take his machete out before Natsuko knocked his balance off with her experimental earthbending, which Toph laughed at, "You've done well."

Natsuko was training her hardest, even with her dominant hand on bandages after being burnt by Zuko, she proved to Toph that she wasn't actually a nonbender like Toph thought when in fact she also bend four elements like the Avatar. She had already excelled in airbending and earthbending was going smoothly for her as well, water was still a work in progress but she'll eventually get it.

"Thank you." she bowed at her earthbending master and Katara kept on looking at the map, particularly at the traces the professor has gone through in the desert, "All in vain, I'm afraid."

"I've found lost civilizations all over the Earth Kingdom, but I haven't managed to find the crown jewel- Wan Shi Tong's library."

Natsuko's eyes widen and coughed a bit whilst drinking from her bamboo straw, now realizing that the desert right in front of them was the home to the library she has visited a long time ago, "You've spent years walking through the desert to find some guy's library?"