Sentimentality

Wan Shi Tong sat perched on the edge of the rocky path and surveyed the land before him. The eclectic scenery of the Spirit World might have been troubling to human eyes, but then, this place was not for humans. The land popped and flowed, sunk and rose at its own choosing. It breathed with life and death and was twined with time. Wan Shi Tong approved of it wholeheartedly.

Surreptitiously he eyed the creature sitting at his feet, his legs swinging over the path, his face buried in a tome. Zei either pointedly ignored the moving landscape or was unaware of it. The man had such a thirst for knowledge that he was often blinded to his surroundings. Wan Shi Tong liked him. Not that he liked any humans but this one spoke to his soul in a way others had not. He had decided to keep the creature as a pet. He might lose interest in him eventually but for now he was an interesting enough diversion. Idly, Wan Shi Tong wondered if he should feed him soon.

It had been such a good decision to leave the human world behind. He still sent his knowledge seekers out into it but the Knowledge Spirit himself had given up on the world of mortals. He would not set claw in there again if he could help it. Here, in his native home he could be free to catalogue and collect to his heart's content. And now that he had taken on a pet he found himself relishing his decision to move more and more.

A slithering sound perked up his ears. Wan Shi Tong clicked his beak in agitation. There were, however, drawbacks to the new move.

"Good Morning, Brother," Koh said, sliding into view.

Wan Shi Tong eyed his spiritual brother critically. Koh was a collector like himself. But whereas Wan Shi Tong loved hard facts and insightful journals, Koh the Face Stealer preferred more…earthly delights. The Knowledge Spirit had to admit, though, that Koh had the greatest collection of human emotion and behaviour anywhere and was a great authority on the subject. Today he came to Wan Shi Tong with one of his old favourites, a face he had classified as The Companion.

"Good Morning, Koh," Wan Shi Tong replied stoically. He was in no mood for his brother. Koh often found a way to spoil his day.

Koh smiled broadly. "I have-"

He paused and eyed Zei at Wan Shi Tong's feet. The human had not even responded to Koh's presence and sat absorbed in his tome. Koh's face flickered briefly to The High Lord and frowned in irritation before switching back to The Companion. He made a show of ignoring Zei.

Wan Shi Tong smiled inwardly. He always gave Zei a book to play with whenever they ventured out; he knew the little thing would not look up from reading until he had finished the book. As such it made an effective protection for the human against Koh. It also amused Wan Shi Tong to see his brother so put out.

Koh smiled again. "I have a present for you, Brother."

Wan Shi Tong raised an eyebrow. "I have no desire for human faces, Koh."

Koh's smiled broadened. "Oh but this is not face, dear Brother. It's something that I think will interest you greatly."

The Face Stealer suddenly inverted on himself and pulled out something. The thing fell to the ground beside Wan Shi Tong. Zei shifted a little but that was all.

Wan Shi Tong stared at the thing at his feet. It was one of his knowledge seekers. Or, it had been. It had been skinned, alive by the look of it, the gouges of sloppy work attesting to that. Wan Shi Tong frowned.

"I have more," Koh said and threw another at Wan Shi Tong's feet, and another.

The second had had its eyes and teeth removed; the third its tail cut off.

"One more?" Koh asked and threw the last one at him. The animal hit Wan Shi Tong's feathered chest, splashing blood across him.

This one was still alive but hurt mortally. It panted in pain and whined. In its mouth it held a scroll. Wan Shi Tong took it gently from it and unravelled to read it. It was a simply chart of acceptable fish weights for selling at market. The animal whined again. Wan Shi Tong looked down at it. He stretched a feather finger out to its snout. The knowledge seeker licked it once and died.

Wan Shi Tong looked up at Koh. His heart was like stone, his eyes cold fury, his voice quiet, "Who did this?"

Koh smiled broadly, his face switching to The Fool. "What does it matter, dear brother of mine? You've abandoned the human world."

Wan Shi Tong spread dark wings and stretched his neck high. "Do not toy with me, Koh. Who is responsible for this?"

Koh grinned slyly and became Old Witch. "If I tell you will you give me your pet?"

Wan Shi Tong looked at Zei. The creature turned another page obliviously. "No."

Koh as Whimsical Child shrugged. "Then I'm not telling."

The Face Stealer suddenly found himself on the ground trapped under Wan Shi Tong's claw. The Knowledge Spirit moved faster than Koh could see. The centipede-like spirit squirmed under the great bird's talon. Wan Shi Tong's hooked beak moved close to Koh's face.

"Tell me, Brother," Wan Shi Tong asked quietly.

Koh's look of distressed suddenly melted into laughter. "Alright, Wan Shi Tong; you've got me." His face shifted into that of a Fire Nation Soldier.

Wan Shi Tong stared at him. "What is this?"

"Your precious seekers' killer," Koh responded. "Or one of them at least. I saw no desire to be greedy and take another."

Wan Shi Tong raised his foot and backed away from his brother. Koh stood up again.

"You remember the Fire Nation, don't you Wan Shi Tong?" Koh asked slyly.

The Great Fire that had burned through an entire collection. The loss of Knowledge had been terrible. It had eventually led to removing himself from the human world. But it seemed those damnable creatures followed him no matter where he went. His claws grated against the ground.

Koh smiled at his obvious anger. "It is summer in the human world, Brother. The Fire Nation march through lands and destroy indiscriminately. I happened upon them having sport with your furry friends."

Wan Shi Tong crushed the rocks beneath his feet. Koh eyed him and slipped back into The Companion. "Not so removed from the world as you think, are you Brother?"

"The Fire Nation will regret gaining my attention," Wan Shi Tong replied and spread his wings. One, two beats and he was off and speeding to the world of humans. To find the Fire Nation. To exact revenge.

Koh smiled and his brother's departing image. Wan Shi Tong was hardly a fighter but when provoked he could be deadly as Agni.

The sound of a page turning caught his attention. Koh frowned and slithered over to the human still seated at the cliff's edge. His continued ignorance of Koh disturbed him greatly. The Face Stealer was not used to being ignored.

"I did as you wished, human," he said finally. "I have fulfilled my side of the bargain. Your turn now."

Zei rested his hand on the page and raised his head. He looked out at the shifting landscape of the Spirit World. "So you have, Koh, so you have. Thank you."

Koh snorted. "I liked seeing my brother in a tiff. I'm curious, though, human. Why would you want to enrage your master?"

Zei took a moment to reply. "I…I heard about what the Fire Nation had done to Ba Sing Se, to my home. They burned people I cared about, Koh. I couldn't let that slide. Not when I had the power to help."

Koh eyed Zei. Human sentimentality was still a mystery to him despite his years of study. This one was just as much of contradiction as others Koh had collected. He wanted him more than ever.

"Time to pay up, human," he said.

Zei sighed. "It was worth the price."

Koh watched as the human turned to him and smiled. He decided that he would call this face The Quiet Rebel.