"That'd be great, I haven't had breakfast. What's it going to be about when you're back?"

He smiles gently. "Nothing too serious. I thought I might trouble you for an early morning game."

"Ooh, a game. Okay. I'll see you later." She yawns, and shuts the door.

He's back a few hours later.

She's wearing clothes and has eaten a lot of breakfast! "Who do I talk to about food, or a stipend to go to the grocery store with, or whatever, do you know? I have a really fast metabolism," she says as she waves him in.

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the terms of your stay here," he says, setting his bag down on a convenient table. "Though I do imagine that if you ask the guard, you will receive an answer."

"Guard it is! So what's your name? I'm Tarinda, I don't know if people are calling me that or 'the foreign inventor' or something."

"A mix of both. I am Piandao. Colonel Piandao at one point, though I have grown to disprefer that title. The people of my village and my students call me Master Piandao, which I can stomach more readily." He takes a gameboard out of the bag and unfolds it. Four triangular faces surround a central arena, and the whole is covered in a grid of squares. "Do you know pai sho?"

"I've never played! But I learn pretty fast."

"Then I am honored to be your teacher." He takes the pieces out from a compartment tucked into the board while he explains the rules. It's something like a combination of go, shogi, and dominoes. The tiles are decorated with artfully painted flowers, animals, and elemental symbols signifying their rank and abilities. The starting position is determined by drawing one of the tiles randomly. For their first game, it's a fire tile, so they set up their pieces in three groups of four.

"It is said that pai sho is the oldest game in the world, and that it was taught to humans by spirits who had been playing it long before their arrival."

"Any spirits in particular?"

"More than a few. Pai sho is played across the world, and every school has its own favored history, usually one that has some bearing on their philosophy of the game. My master said that it was the suncats, Agni's favored servants, and that we should honor their brilliance with the blaze of our own attacks. The great players of Ba Sing Se would likely tell you of the Mountainsoul and the importance of deep consideration. If you were to visit the poles, you'd hear about snowsprites, and plans within plans. At the Air Temples, when they were still inhabited, there would be an invocation to She of the Laughing Zephyr and He of the Solemn Mistral for a favorable initial draw."

"Wow. I wonder if that's true or if someone just thought the story would sound cool when they invented the game."

"As with many legends of this sort, I suspect there is at least of grain of truth within. Certainly, I find it plausible that the game was as popular with spirits as it is with us today."

"Well, it does look like fun."

She doesn't let Page help her win; she does authentically poorly for someone who knows all the rules but has not played before.

Piandao keeps a running strategic commentary going throughout the game, discussing both his moves and hers.

"You did well for your first game."

"Thanks!"

He begins shuffling the pieces.

"Do you have much of an interest in spirits?"

"Yeah, I think they're really interesting! But it's hard to find good information. Do you know much about them?"

"I am no shaman or Avatar, but as much as anyone you're likely to meet here, yes."

"Well, don't tease, tell me stuff!"

"Is there anything in particular you would like to know?"

"If I wanted to find Wan Shi Tong's library what would you suggest I do?"

"The lost library of the desert, hm. Invest in waterskins. Don't bother with hiring a guide, even those who have visited before are only allowed to find it again if Wan Shi Tong wishes it. He desires more than anything else to possess all the knowledge of the world, and demands a tribute of new information from any who wish to read his books. Having a particularly interesting tribute to offer may in fact be the best way of finding his library."

"How can he tell in advance that someone has that?"