"Are you sure about this, Uncle?"

Zuko's voice was still raspy, having only a few days to really be awake and moving around. He was still walking gingerly, favoring his right side more than his left. They were outside the Meeting Room at the headquarters for the White Lotus. By headquarters, Zuko meant an abandoned building near the edge of the Upper Ring. The old man, taking his time with sipping his jasmine tea, gazed up at Zuko, and only nodded once.

"A resistance is only as strong is the foundation it's built on," Iroh spoke.

The young man only rolled his eyes at his uncle's forms of speech. He turned around making sure his shozoku was fitted right before he rested the plates of armor over it. The gauntlets were easy, along with the shin guards. He had trouble with the chest plate, his ribs still throbbing with pain that caused him to hiss slightly. He paid no mind to Iroh's concerned stare, tying the sheath to his back with the dual dao swords slipped inside. Zuko picked up the mask, seeing that the blood from his face had stained the blue oni mask. His golden eyes followed his fingers as he softly scraped off the dried blood.

"Are you ready, nephew? I suspect Katara will be arriving shortly with Sokka and the others," Iroh asked.

Zuko stayed silent, slowly raising the mask over his face and fitting it snugly over his face. He turned his masked face towards Iroh, only nodding once before he opened the door into the Meeting Room. The other members were there already. Iroh sat in the middle, between Pakku, Jeong-Jeong, Bumi and Piandao. Zuko, underneath the mask, glared at every one of them, knowing all too well how they felt about him during his exile. He stood on the right of Iroh, his hands clasped together in front of him.

"Grand Master Iroh," Pakku began. "It is nice to see things are in order again."

Iroh nodded once as the other door opened, the Painted Lady leading in Sokka, Aang and Toph. From behind the mask, Zuko gasped at the sight of everyone. Sokka looked beaten and battered. He had a scar on his left cheek, his hair longer and tied back in what Katara had told him was a wolf's tail. These three years of fighting did a number on the former Commissioner, Zuko knowing full well that most of that was his fault.

Aang was completely different. He wore dark red pants with a yellow and orange jacket. His hair had grown out a bit, but the new blue arrow tattoo on his head was still visible. His weapon was a large staff, a pointed arrowhead tied to the end of it. He looked worn and tired of everything. Zuko knew that Aang was something of a pacifist, not wanting to fight unless it was absolutely necessary.

Toph had gotten about two inches taller, her glossy eyes still hidden behind black bangs that draped over a green and yellow headband. She had gloves over her hands, small daggers on the side of her belt. War was present in each of the three, and Zuko could clearly see it through the blue tint of his oni mask. His eyes draped back to Katara, who strolled over to him in her Painted Lady makeup. They stared at each for a quick second before the three sat down across from the Order.

"Greetings, friends," Iroh began. "I'm glad that you were able to join us tonight."

"So, what's this all about, gramps?" Toph asked.

"Grand Master Iroh would like to discuss our plan to end the Phoenix King's reign," Pakku snapped, putting emphasis on Iroh's title.

The old man waved him off, smiling softly at Toph and the others. "It is true that this is our purpose for today. With the Painted Lady and now the Blue Spirit back, we now have all the pieces in play to end all of this."

Sokka huffed and rolled his eyes. "Big whoop. What's this masked vigilante gonna do anyways? Hmm?"

Save your ass, that's what, Zuko mumbled inside his head.

"In fact, I have a question to ask you," Sokka asked, standing up and slamming his hands on the table.

Zuko, somehow, knew what Sokka was going to ask him. He only nodded once, the blue mask nodding.

"Where were you when my sister was killed?" Sokka prompted. "Where were you when I needed you the most?"

Rage grew inside Zuko now. Rage that even Katara's brother was unaware that his sister was standing in front of him. Zuko turned his gaze on Iroh, who was sipping his tea casually, not even flinching or looking worried. He turned back to Sokka and then stepped up onto the table. Everyone watched as Zuko walked down, stopping front of Sokka, who was still staring into the black abysses for eyes on the oni mask.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Zuko huffed out in his disguised voice. "But believe me when I say, you will see your sister again."

Iroh cleared his throat before Sokka could say anything else, Zuko turning back and positioning himself next to Iroh again.

"Now, if we shall begin," Iroh started.

"What is your plan, Iroh?" Aang asked.

"Sokka, how many men do you have under you?" Iroh asked. "This is key for our assault on the Royal Palace to be successful."

"I say about two, maybe three hundred," Sokka answered.

"Can all of those men be trusted?" Piandao prompted.

Sokka turned to stare at the swords master, his face contorting into a glare. "What's that supposed to mean? Of course they can be trusted."

"It is my understanding that a member of the Kyoshi Warriors, under the command of Kyoshi Captain Suki, was actually in league with the Phoenix King's daughter, correct?" Piandao snapped. "It means we have to be cautious."

"These men can be trusted," Sokka hissed. "I bet my life on it."

"Let us move on," Iroh interrupted before anyone could say another word. "Now, either way, that is just enough men for this plan."

"So the plan is just a direct assault?" Toph asked. "Cool."

"Very," Bumi cackled.

"Not exactly," Jeong-Jeong added. "The endgame is the assault."

"Endgame?" Sokka asked.

Zuko sighed underneath the mask, stealing a glance over at Katara. She was unnaturally calm about all of this and to even be standing ten feet away from her brother, who still thought she was dead. It made Zuko angry that Iroh and Katara could do stuff like this to the people they loved. But, in the end, the man behind the mask knew that all of this was necessary to save Ba Sing Se. As much as Zuko didn't like it, he simply had to accept it.

"The other members of the Order will lead a distraction near the border of the Upper and Middle Rings," Iroh explained. "We will come in from the Middle Ring to create the illusion that we are invading the Upper Ring."

"Will that work?" Aang asked. "I mean, from what happened a few years ago with that Azula girl, she almost knew everything that would happen."

"It will work," Katara spoke in her Painted Lady voice, which was low and very sultry, making Zuko's knees slightly buckle.

"And then what?" Toph asked, stealing glances from the Painted Lady to the Blue Spirit, smirking softly.

"The assault group will be divided up into two groups," Piandao explained. "They will be led by the Painted Lady and the Blue Spirit."

"The Painted Lady's group will go from the rear and look to incapacitate Azula," Iroh continued. "The Blue Spirit will go from the front, and they will look and engage with the Phoenix King himself."

Memories of his fight with his father flashed inside Zuko's head. He shut his eyes tight, lowering his head and trying to shake off the memories. He could feel everyone in the room staring at him, but couldn't quite hear what was being said.

"You lack discipline. Allow me to teach you some."

"Is he okay?" Sokka's voice broke him from his trance.

Zuko shook it off, making the blue mask nod once before standing straight once more behind Iroh. He caught a stare from his uncle, only nodding again to reassure that he was fine. He did the same with Katara, who was glancing at him through the veil over her face.

"Okay, I get all of this, but what if it fails?" Sokka prompted.

"Then it fails," Iroh snapped. "And then we will have to come up with a new contingency plan. But, let's hope it doesn't come to that."