Outside of her tent, Zuko paced back and forth. He was contemplating the best way to ask his nosy question for Katara. Katara watched as he paced, then stopped and began again through the crack in the flaps. Although it was mildly annoying, she was curious and couldn't wait for the banished prince to come in. Finally, popping his head into the tent, he waved at Katara. Katara was standing toward the back and motioned for him to come in.

"Hi Katara." Zuko greeted.

"Hello, Zuko." She answered, sitting down and pouring two cups of steaming Jasmine tea. Zuko took a deep breath and almost began to start, but stopped to think his question over one more time.

"Do you know what happened to Lotus?" He asked her. Katara's eyes widened. She then closed them and thought to herself. No, I don't know what happened. She thought. Then she proceeded to tell him and advised her go speak to Lotus herself, who was in the next tent over. Zuko stood up and bowed to his friend and left her tent.

Lotus was meditating, when Zuko popped his head in. Her back was turned and candles swarmed around her. Her brown hair was down and flowing with the gentle smoke yielded by the candles. Zuko went in and sat down behind her and waited. He leaned over to smell a candle, and then placing a hand over his mouth began to cough. Lotus, shaken to reality, looked over her shoulder to see a coughing Prince in her tent. She turned around and looked at his big golden eyes.

"I'm meditating." She announced.

"Oh- sorry." He choked out all red in the face.

"What do you need?" Lotus said gently, wondering why he was in her tent choking.

"I just wanted to know…"he took a deep breath and continued, "I just wanted to know who and what you are." He forced out. Lotus looked down at her hands and thought over his words. What you are and who you were. Well that's not so hard. She shook her. Zuko understanding, was about to get up to leave, when Lotus returned to her normal cheery self.

"Do you want to meditate with me?" She asked. Zuko nodded and sat down in front of her. Zuko closed his eyes and evened his breathing. Suddenly, he felt a warm breath on his face and opened his eyes.

"Ahhhhh. He screamed. Lotus was face to face with Zuko, with a huge smile on her pretty face.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

Then she began.

"When I was a born, it was like I was dead. My skin was pale and I was really really sick. In the western air-temple, where I am from, the monks pleaded with the water, the earth, the fire, and the air spirits to let me live. When they agreed, the monks told them I would dedicate my life to them. Since I was an air nomad, I began to train with Monk Yangchen. When I was 5, I mastered air. Monk Yangchen decided to wait until I was 10 before she told me who I was. But that time never came. The fire-nation attacked our temple when I was 7. Monk Yangchen told me my destiny and to leave quickly. I grabbed my glider, and was about to fly off, when I saw her die." Lotus then pulled back from Zuko's face, and pulled her knees into her body.

"I wanted to do something to help my people, my friends, but I knew I had to leave. So I watched as I abanded my friends and family, my favorite monks, and least favorite monks, and all my hope. A storm started to gather, as I realized what was happening. Rain started to drop from the clouds when I began to cry. It was like the weather was mimicking my emotions, and actually it comforted me. It started thundering and lightening, and pouring. I decided I needed to do something, so I made sort of a globe around me with the water and plunged into the icy ocean. The next thing I knew, I was awake in a Northern Water Tribe hut, and an older boy leaning over me. I told the friendly family of three what happened and how I was here and alive. They told me to cover my arrows to not confuse people." She motioned to her long sleeves and a blue headband with a yellow crescent moon in the middle.

"Then I was onto master water-bending. Master Kuruk taught me the ways of the water for a while, and before I knew it I was a master air-bender and master water-bender. My adopted family was very proud. But then, a year after they found me, they suddenly died and left my new brother and me alone. He never acted the same, he never spoke, and he just went to school and ate. I think he blamed it on me, so I decided to leave, hoping the guilt would be left behind too." She hugged her knees tighter.

"I needed to master earth-bending next. So I traveled to Omashu, to find a master, where I found Aang and his friends, who gladly accepted me." She finished. She looked up at Zuko with big, puffy, red eyes and sniffled. She then smiled at Zuko and closed her eyes, beginning to meditate like nothing happened. Zuko decided to leave and opened the tent flap and marched over to his sleeping bag and fell asleep, repeating Lotus' story over and over in his mind. What an interesting girl. He thought. What an interesting girl, indeed.