June was just as I remembered her, loud, deadly, but strongly alluring. The whole bar felt as if it circled around her, this was her territory and we were invaders.
"Hey, I remember her. She helped you attack us." Sokka reminisced.
"Yep. Back in the good old days." Zuko replied glancing over at me knowingly.
"Remember how stupid your hair was back then?"
"Shut up." He blushed slightly from the embarrassment.
Ah, Zuko never changes.
We stepped towards June, immediately earning us disgusted glances,
"Oh great it's Prince Pouty and his girlfriend...see she still hasn't left you yet? Surprising. Where's your creepy Grandpa?"
"He's my Uncle and he's not here."
"And I would never leave Zuko! Except for that one time..."
"Okay, okay. Sheesh. I was only teasing. So what do you want?" She took another swig of her drink.
"I need your help finding the Avatar."
"Hm doesn't sound too fun.."
"Does the end of the world sound like more fun?" Zuko questioned fire burning in his eyes.
~
She lead us outside to where Appa and her shirsue were waiting,
"Nyla.." she lovely throw him a piece of meat, "Who's my little, hmm, Snuffly-Wuffly? Okay. So who's got something with the Avatar's scent on it?"
"I have Aang's staff." Katara said handing the staff to June for Nyla to sniff.
The creature began to circle sniffing the air for a trace of the scent. After failing to sniff anything, Nyla plopped to the ground and groaned.
"Well what does that mean?"
"Means your friend's gone." June replied.
"We know he's gone that's why we're trying to find him."
"No I mean he's gone gone. He doesn't exist."
"What do you mean Aang doesn't exist? Do you mean he's ... you know, dead?" Sokka stumbled as we quickly all exchanged panicked looks.
"Nope. We could find him if he were dead. Wow, it's a real head-scratcher. See ya." She stated mounting the shirsue.
"Helpful real helpful..."
"Wait. I have another idea. There's only one other person in this world who can help us face the Fire Lord. I'll be right back with a smell sample." Zuko rushed off and returned with..
"You saved your Uncle's sweaty sandle?" Sokka scrambled trying to breath in as little of the smell as possible.
"I think it's kind of sweet." Toph smiled.
The shirshu rushed up to sniff the sandle,
"Let's do this."
"Hey wait up!" Zuko shouted as we all struggled to get onto Appa.
The night breeze left a bittersweet haze in the air as we flew past. The moon quickly turned to sun as Appa followed the shirsue's every move. It was so strange to fly without Aang leading the way.
Hillsides turned to deserts which turned into the broken repents of a fallen city,
"We're going to Ba Sing Sa?"
Nyla dug at the rumble,
"Your uncle's somewhere beyond the wall. Nyla's getting twitchy so he can't be too far. Good luck."
June took her shirsue and turned into a speck on the hills far far away. I looked towards Zuko, this was his Uncle after all. Even though Iroh was basically family.
"It's been a long day. Let's camp and start the search again at dawn."
~
My eyes were asleep but my dreams were silent, dark empty. I huddled closer to Zuko next to me when the scent of burning ember fell like arrows against my chest.
"Huh?"
I sprang up and aggressively tapped Zuko on the arm,
"Wake up!"
Zuko and the rest of us rushed to our feet to see ourselves surrounded by a blaze of flame. Amidst the rumble of the fallen city stood different old men each wearing navy robes.
"Well look whose here!" One of them said snorting and laughing.
"What's going on? We're surrounded by old people." Toph questioned.
"Not just any old people. These are great masters and friends of ours." Katara walked towards one of the men, "Pakku."
"It is respectful to bow to an old master, but how about a hug for your new grandfather?" He held out his arms.
The water tribes siblings faces lit up as Katara went in for a hug,
"That's so exciting! You and Gran-Gran must be so happy to have found each other again!"
"I made her a new betrothal necklace and everything."
I slyly hit Zuko on the arm,
"You taking notes?"
"Welcome to the family Gramp-Gramp!" Sokka gushed embracing Pakku tightly.
"You can still just call me Pakku..."
"How about Gramp-Pakku?" Sokka grinned making a very Sokka hand gesture in the process.
"No."
"And this was Aang's first firebending teacher." Katara smiled looking at the next old man who was in desperate need of a haircut.
"Jeong-Jeong." He bowed.
"Master Piandaao." Sokka greeted the next man with a bow.
"Hello Sokka."
"So wait. How do you all know each other?" Suki questioned.
"All old people know eachother, don't you know that?" King Bush snorted.
"We're all part of the same ancient secret society. A group that transcends the divisions of the four nations."
"The Order of the White Lotus." Zuko grinned.
"That's the one!" Bumi teased. Gosh I love this dude.
"The White Lotus has always been about philosophy and beauty and truth. But about a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important."
"It came from a Grand Lotus: your uncle, Iroh of the Fire Nation."
"Iroh.." I mumbled my face turning into a grin just at the thought.
"Well that's who we're looking for." Toph added.
"Then we'll take you to him."
"Wait! Someone's missing from your group. Someone very important. Where's Momo?" Bumi questioned leaning so forward he was touching noises with Sokka.
"He's gone.. and so is Aang."
"Oh well, as long as they have eachother, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about. Let's go!"
~
We walked to the White Lotus campsite with Bumi leading the way,
"So Bumi how did you end up escaping your imprisonment in Omashu?"
"Escape? I didn't escape. Everybody else escaped. There I was back in Omashu, waiting for just the right moment. I didn't know what or when, but I knew I'd know it when I knew it."
He then told us how he took back the city on the day of the eclipse.
"Wow you took back your whole city all by yourself!" Suki stated amazed.
"So what about you guys? Did you do anything interesting on the day of the eclipse?"
"Nah.." Zuko stuttered.
"No not really." Sokka agreed.
~
"Well, here we are. Welcome to old people camp."
I immediately scanned the rows of tents for Iroh and I could tell Zuko was doing the same,
"Where.. where is he?"
"Your uncle's in there Prince Zuko." Piandao pointed to the largest tent in the back.
I reached towards Zuko's hand embracing it tightly in mine,
"Are you ready?"
"I can't do this. He hates me I know it, all he gave me was love and support... and what did do in return?"
His eyes dulled under the softness of night I stepped closer placing my hand on his cheek. I waited until his gaze was captured in mine,
"He'll forgive you Zuko. You have no idea how much you mean to him.. you're sorry right?"
"I've never felt more sorry about anything in my life."
"Then you have nothing to worry about. Do you want to go in by yourself or together." A swift breeze blew past me as I waited for his response.
"I want you by my side (Y/N), I always will. I'm ready..."
I held open the tent door for Zuko letting him go first,
"Uncle?"
I entered only to see a passed out Iroh loudly snoring on the floor, I guess some people never change.
I looked to Zuko, he gave me a quick nod and sat down. I sat down right by his side.
~
It was a while before Iroh woke up, but the hope in Zuko's eyes when he did could light a flame bigger than Ba Sing Sa. But it was immediately taken by fear and shame as thoughts about the last time he saw Iroh swirled in his head,
"I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me. But I want you to know, I am so, so, sorry, Uncle. I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you. But I'll-" Zuko's tears were cut off by a loving embrace from Iroh, "How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you would be furious with me."
"I was never angry with you. I was sad because I was afraid you lost your way."
"I did lose my way."
"But you found it again. And you did it by yourself. And I am so happy you found your way here."
"It wasn't that hard Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent."
I stood back, standing awkwardly off to the side.
Maybe I shouldn't have come in? I shuffled my feet together as Iroh saw my plight,
"Don't think I forgot about you (Y/N)."
Iroh quickly ushered me into the hug,
"Thank you for showing Zuko the importance of love."
~
We all sat in a circle slurping down some bowls of stew. Whenever I looked at Iroh it was hard to believe he was really.. back.
"Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord."
"You mean the Fire Lord." Toph added.
"That's what I said!" Zuko snapped.
As Iroh meditated on the thought Zuko chipped in with,
"We need you to come with us."
"No Zuko, it won't turn out well."
"You can beat him!" Zuko spat, "And we'll be there to help."
"Even if I did defeat Ozai,and I don't know that I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord."
"And then would you take your rightful place on the throne." I questioned.
". Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. It has to be you, Prince Zuko."
Zuko's face shriveled with confusion,
"Unquestionable honor? But I've made so many mistakes."
"Yes, you have. You've struggled; you've suffered, but you have always followed your own path. You restored your own honor, and only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation." Iroh's eyes weighed heavy on Zuko. The breath in his lungs grew tight and rigid as he contemplated the idea.
"I'll try Uncle."
"Well.. what if Aang doesn't come back?" Toph asked.
"Sozin's Comet is arriving, and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord. When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation, so the Earth Kingdom can be free again."
"That's why you gathered the members of the white Lotus." Suki surmised.
"Yes. Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation, so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there, waiting for you."
"I can handle Azula." Zuko grimaced.
"Not alone! You'll need help."
"(Y/N)... wanna go on one more adventure with me?" His eyes grew hopeful and docile, a faint smile crossing his lips.
"I would have it no other way."
"What about us? What is our destiny today?" Sokka questioned.
"What do you think it is?" Iroh replied.
"I think that, even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet."
"And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us." Toph grinned.
~
We gathered our things and prepared Appa for the journey as the others prepared an eel hound.
Zuko looked to Iroh,
"So if I'm going to be Fire Lord when the war is over-"
"I call Fire Lady!" I shouted causing Zuko's face to go completely red.
"Umm.. what I'm trying to say is.. what are you going to do Uncle?"
"After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to re-conquer my tea shop, and I'm going to play Pai Sho every day." Iroh flipped a Pai Sho piece and caught it as he spoke.
"Oof that sounds pretty fun too, Zuko would you mind if I do that instead?" For about a second Zuko started to look genuinely sad, "wait wait it was a joke I'm sorry!"
"That's the (Y/N) I missed so much, keep Zuko in check for me." Iroh grinned with a great pride.
"Of course General Iroh."
"Goodbye everyone. Today destiny is our friend," Iroh's voice echoed through the whole camp, "I know it."