The Desert
Zuko, Eri, and Iroh rode on their ostrich horse. Iroh fake-moaned in pretend pain at every step the ostrich horse took, clasping his chest.
"Maybe we should make camp," Zuko suggested.
"No please, don't stop just for me!" He said. Iroh theatrically let out several more groans of pain. Zuko pulled at the reins, clearly annoyed by the performance displayed by his uncle.
"Eri took more damage than you, and yet you're complaining more."
"Too be fair, she is asleep," Iroh pointed out. True enough, the female of the group was napping peacefully against Zuko's chest. Zuko dismounted and lifted Eri off the ostrich horse. As Iroh got off, said mount was alarmed by something. Zuko immediately set Eri back on the ostrich horse and took on a firebending form, ready to defend himself.
"What now?" Iroh asked, annoyed. The Rough Rhinos rode through the thicket at both sides of the road that the trio were traveling on. The crashing of the thicket caused Eri to stir, her eyes opening and locking on the men instantly. Mongke's rhino stepped the ground forcefully breaking the surface. He pulled back the reigns. Zuko kept up his defensive position, looking at the men that surrounded them. Iroh's face cleared up as he stood up and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder.
"Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise!" He chirped.
"If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps," Mongke sneered. The Rough Rhinos prepared themselves for battle, each readying their own weapon of expertise.
"You know these guys?" Zuko asked, surprised. Iroh nodded.
"Sure. Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapon specialist. They are also a very capable singing group!" He exclaimed. Mongke raised his fist, ready for firebending.
"We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives!" Mongke snapped.
"That's too bad," Eri muttered, sitting herself up slightly.
"Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kahchi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?" Iroh said pleasantly.
"Enough stalling! Round 'em up!" Mongke ordered.
A dark skinned, pony tailed guy swung his ball and chain at Iroh, who kicked it away. The chain wrapped itself around the leg of a nearby standing Rhino. Iroh tumbled over the ground, dodging two fire blasts. He rose back up and hit the Rhino in the rear, making it dash away, yanking the dark skinned warrior off his rhino and dragging him along. Iroh waved goodbye as he watched them go.
The archer shot a lit arrow at Zuko. He quickly reacted by knocking the arrow away and releasing a fire blast, burning a hole in the surprised archer's bow.
Mongke joined the fight by directing some fire blasts at Iroh. Iroh deflected each and every one of them. As Mongke was distracted with Iroh, Zuko ran up and jumped on the back of the Rhino. With two spinning fire kicks, he sent Colonel Mongke flying.
Iroh ran up to the ostrich horse, jumped on and rode toward Zuko, who awaited him, standing on the Rhino of Colonel Mongke. As he jumped on, another Rough Rhino immediately started the pursuit. The Rider threw a grenade at the fleeing ostrich horse. It exploded right in front of the steed, but the trio rode through the explosion's smoke. Eri threw her arm back and created a wall of ice, spikes protruding from the wall. The Rider pulled his steed to a sharp stop.
"It's nice to see old friends," Iroh stated calmly. Eri rolled her eyes.
"Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you," Zuko said sharply. Iroh rubber his shoulder again as he racked his brain in search of an answer.
"Hmmm... Old friends that don't want to attack me..."
Zuko, Eri, and Iroh sat at a table in the tavern at the Misty Palms Oasis. Eri rested her head on Zuko's shoulder, a yawn escaping her.
"No one here is going to help us. These people just look like filthy wanderers," Zuko said.
"So do we," Iroh pointed out. "Especially Eri."
"Love ya too, Tubs," She muttered, raising her hands in a heart. Iroh chuckled and pointed at something behind Zuko.
"Ah, this is interesting. I think I found our friend," He said. Zuko turned around to see an old man sitting at a Pai Sho table.
"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?" Zuko asked disbelieving.
"I don't think this is a gamble..." Eri muttered, her interest spiked. As they walked toward the Pai Sho table, Eri looked around. She saw one man jump up, eyes trained on them, but another man placed a hand on his shoulder to restrain him.
"May I have this game?" Iroh asked. The man, Fung, gestured for Iroh to sit down.
"The guest has the first move," He said. Iroh placed the lotus tile in the center of the board. "I see you favor the white lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways." He cupped his hands toward Iroh.
"Those who do can always find a friend," Iroh said. He copied the gesture of the old man, also cupping his hands toward him.
"Then let us play." The old man placed a tile on the board, quickly followed by a tile placed by Iroh. Seemingly without even looking at what the other person was doing, the two men quickly placed their tiles on the board. Zuko sat down and watched intently as the two man placed one tile after the other, while Eri remained standing with a knowing smile. When they were done, their tiles formed the shape of a lotus flower.
"Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets," Fung said with a small smile.
"What are you old gasbags talking about?" Zuko grumbled.
"I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game." Iroh said. He rolled a tile over his knuckles and clutched it.
"They're talking about the Order of the White Lotus," Eri said, sitting across from Zuko. She looked between the older men. "Right?"
"Are you an initiate?" Fung asked. Eri shrugged.
"I started to get involved as a kid through my mom, but it didn't work out seeing that my dad was Zhao," Eri confessed.
"And who is your mother, perhaps I know her?" Fung asked.
"Um..." Eri glanced to Iroh, who nodded. "Tui, the Moon Spirit."
"Really? That's incredible," Fung said. Eri smiled, but stopped abruptly as she saw the man from earlier stand and make his way over.
"Let's hope our luck is too," Eri said, moving to sit beside Zuko.
"It's over! You three fugitives are coming with me!" He yelled, his partner-in-crime following quickly after. Fung quickly placed himself before Iroh, Zuko, and Eri, preventing the men from reaching them.
"I knew it! You two are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!" Fung exclaimed.
"I thought you said he would help!" Zuko hissed. Eri gripped his hand with a smirk.
"He is," She whispered.
"Just watch," Iroh added.
"You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?" Fung shouted.
"Gold?" A man at the bar repeated. Every person in the bar looked up when they heard the word 'gold'. Some of them stood up, pulling a knife, ready to attack.
"Uh ... Maybe we shouldn't..." The smaller man suggested. Xin Fu grinned. As he moved toward Zuko,Iroh, and Eri, two men jumped in front of him to block his path. With a reverse roundhouse kick, the earthbender bent a rock from the ground and easily pushed them out of his way.
Yu readied himself for battle. He sank the first person to charge him into the ground. Meanwhile Xin Fu kicked two sandbenders away while he was lifting another one up in the air and holding a fourth one back with his other hand. After he kicked another sandbender away, he twisted his waist, sending the two men he was holding flying. One of them crashed into the wall behind the bar.
When there was no one left to fight, the men looked around. But the fugitives were no where to be seen.
Zuko, Iroh, and Eri followed the Pai Sho player into a flower shop.
"It is an honor to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus. Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets," Fung gushed to Iroh as they approached a door.
"Now that you played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is someone in this club going to offer some real help?" Zuko snapped.
"You must forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts," Iroh said. The Pai Sho player lead Iroh toward the door with a peephole in it. He knocked two times. A man slid open the small window in the door and peeked through.
"Who knocks at the guarded gate?" The doorman asked.
"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries," Iroh replied. He smiled as the door opened to let him and the Pai Sho player through. When Zuko attempted to follow them, the door slammed shut in front of him. He looked at the door with a pout when Iroh opened the small window.
"I'm afraid it's members only. Wait out here with Eri," He said. The window closed. An annoyed Zuko frowned and crossed his arms as he rested against a nearby table. He leaned over to sniff the plant on the table. Eri laughed lightly.
"How's it smell, Pouty?" She asked tiredly. Zuko rolled his eyes and looked to her, but his amused expression dropped once he saw her.
"Are you feeling alright?" He asked. Eri lowered herself to the floor and leaned back against the shelf.
"I'm not a heat person. Being in a desert is taking the energy right out of me," Eri said. Zuko sat across from her with a frown.
"Do you need water or something?" He asked. Eri shook her head and looked around. She noticed a dying flower and reached out, bending water up from the soil into the leaves. It perked up as color returned to the petals. Zuko watched her curiously. She caught his look and smirked.
"What? I might not need water but it did," She said. Zuko shook his head and laughed slightly.
"You always look out for other things before yourself," He said. Eri shifted and crawled over, sitting beside Zuko and resting her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah, but that's why you like me," She said. Zuko raised a brow and looked to her.
"That's why I have to take care of you," He corrected. Eri lifted her head so that they were eye-to-eye.
"You don't have to take care of me y'know," She pointed out. Zuko raised a hand and cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb over her cheek.
"I know," He said. She grinned and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. Keeping their mouths together, Eri shifted and situated herself on Zuko's lap. He pulled away, surprised. His cheeks flushed as pink as the poppy by his head.
"What the-?" A smirk appeared on his lips and he raised a brow. "I thought you were tired?"
"I am," Eri said. She wrapped her good arm around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "And you make a very comfy pillow."
Zuko and Eri were fast asleep on the floor of the flower shop. Zuko was startled awake by the squeaking of the door. Iroh stepped through as Zuko took on the best defensive stance that he could with Eri on him. His jostling woke her up though.
"What's going on? Is the club meeting over ?" Zuko asked as they stood. Iroh and Fung bowed to each other in respect.
"Everything is taken care of. We're heading to Ba Sing Se," Iroh said.
"Ba Sing Se? Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital ?" Zuko asked, baffled.
"The city is filled with refugees. No one will notice three more," Fung explained calmly.
"We can hide in plain sight there. And it's the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city" Iroh said, shrugging his shoulders happily.
"Makes sense to me," Eri agreed. A bell signaled that someone had entered the shop. A young man approached the group, holding up some papers.
"I have the passports for our guests, but there are two men out on the street looking for them," He said. Eri looked out the small window to see Xin Fu and Yu holding up wanted posters of the trio. Eri pursed her lips and looked away. She noticed two large pots and grinned.
"I've got an idea."
"You're so tiny," Zuko snickered. Since there were only two pots and Iroh took up an entire one to himself, the couple were forced to hide in the remaining one. Eri sat between his legs and they both curled up to avoid giving away their position. Eri glared at him over her shoulder.
"Shut up," She stated. "Or I'll squish you."
"Be quiet, we are leaving the shop," The white lotus member whispered. Eri bit her lip nervously and stared up at the lid of the pot. Zuko noticed how she tensed up and held her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She smiled. The pot rattled quietly as the man pulled them out of the shop into the desert. Eri and Zuko listened to the men from earlier yelling about them.
"Hey you, where are these fugitives? I got a tip that they're in your shop," The bigger one yelled.
"As you can see, no one is here but us," The florist said calmly.
"We know all about your secret back room. Kick it down," the smaller ordered. There was the faded sound of heavy footsteps before a loud crash sounded.
"Hey! That room is for flowers only!"
"Some unlucky soul has an incomplete Pai Sho set."
"Let's go back to finding the girl."
"Who do you think they're looking for?" Eri whispered. Zuko shrugged to the best of his ability.
"Probably some rich snob that ran away from home," Zuko said. Eri smiled. They heard a slight creaking noise and then a muffled grunting noise.
"What was that?"
"I think that was my uncle getting out of his pot," Zuko said slowly. "But I have no idea."
"This is like some whacked up guessing game," Eri grumbled. Zuko rolled his eyes, but not out of annoyance.
"I guess we're in the clear," He said. Eri agreed with a nod, and sure enough, Iroh pulled the top off their pot a moment later.
"Sorry to interrupt, but we have to move, quickly," Iroh said. Eri stood and slipped out of the pot easily, while Zuko took a less graceful approach and awkwardly hopped out. The trio followed the flower-pot man to a caravan and leapt in, ducking down behind the crates and goods inside.
"It has been a long time since I have seen Ba Sing Se. I wonder what has changed," Iroh mused. Eri smiled.
"Yeah. I'm ready."
So that was The Desert, and I'm sorry if it sucks cause I wrote most of this really quickly and really late at night. I. Am. Exhausted. Babysitting is brutal. *shudders* Two-year-olds
Aaaanyway, I hate to be clingy, but feedback would be soooo appreciated! I feel like this story has been so boring T-T
But enough about me! First off, disclaimer : I don't own Atla. Second, replies!
Digi-fanCapp ~ XD This is how Zuko first kissed the girl in another fic I followed! Did you get the idea from anywhere? X3. *cough* Earth on Fire *cough* I have read that one, but nope, I didn't.
Kaddy19 ~Oh my gosh! I want more, it's great! Aww, thank you! I hope this didn't disappoint then X3
Next up is Serpant's Pass