We watched with different levels of surprise and admiration as June kicked a chair forward and then plopped herself down in it, gesturing to the bartender for another drink.

"Hey, I remember her!" Sokka interjected, sounding angry. "She helped you attack us!"

"Yup, back in the good old days," Zuko replied dryly, walking over to her. The rest of us followed as Zuko walked up to June's table. She glanced up as he approached, a lazy smirk settling on her sharp features.

"Oh, great, it's Prince Pouty," she drawled as the bartender handed her a little cup. "Where's your creepy grandpa?"

Zuko scowled. "He's my uncle. And he's not here."

June glanced at Katara, who was standing next to Zuko. "I see you worked things out with your girlfriend," she smirked. My eyebrows disappeared underneath my bangs as Zuko and Katara both made noises of disgust and yelled back at her.

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"I'm not his girlfriend!"

Her smirk grew the tiniest fraction. I realized she was getting enjoyment out of riling Zuko up. "Okay, okay, sheesh, I was only teasing." Her eyes slid over to me. "You look familiar. Where have I seen you before?" Before I could answer, she snapped her fingers, cutting me off.

"That's right! You were on Pouty's ship as his prisoner or something." She smirked again and turned to Zuko. "Wow, Pouts, she's pretty. You certainly do get around. Who is she, your little personal wh-" June paused as the stone cup in her hand cracked right down the middle and shattered, leaving her hands dripping with the liquid inside. She looked up at me in shock.

"Oops," I said sweetly. Suki covered her mouth and looked like she was trying not to laugh.

June's eyes narrowed, but I met her gaze steadily. After a second, she shook the drops off her hand and turned back to Zuko. "Wow, you really know how to piss off the ladies, don't you?"

"That was entirely on you," Zuko replied, amused. He glanced over at me with something like pride, and I couldn't help but smirk. June let out a long suffering sigh.

"So what do you want?"

"I need your help finding the Avatar," Zuko said, becoming serious.

June made a noise of amusement. "Again? Doesn't sound too fun."

Zuko clenched his fists and got all up in her face. "Does the end of the world sound like more fun?!"

"Alright, alright," June said, leaning back slightly. "Don't get your panties in a twist, Pouts. I'll think about it-" she paused and looked over at me again "-but this one's gotta buy me a drink first. I'll take my usual."

"What? You have got to be kidding me-" I started indignantly, but stopped at Zuko's look. "Ugh, fine."

"Hey, if we're stopping for refreshments, I could use some tea and snacks," Sokka said. I narrowed my eyes at him. "What? We've been flying all day, I'm thirsty!" The others expressed their desire for tea as well, and I sighed.

"Fine, one pot of jasmine tea, and for you?" I asked June sarcastically.

"Whiskey, neat."

"I want a whiskey neat, too!" Toph piped up. I raised my eyebrows at her.

"I'm not getting you whiskey, Toph."

"Fine," she grumbled. "I guess I'll take tea."


I ordered the drinks and walked back to the table to find them talking about - horror of horrors - Zuko's love life. The prince had his head on the table and looked like he would rather be anywhere else.

"Wait, so let me get this straight." June held up a finger. "Sweetness over here was never Pouty's girlfriend." She pointed at Katara, who shook her head vigorously. "The little princess was his girlfriend, but then he threw her in prison? Harsh." Zuko groaned, his face red. "But then you made up, so she's your girlfriend again?"

"Not his girlfriend," I said, walking up to the table and setting the tray down.

"Nobody's my girlfriend," Zuko emphasized, lifting his head. "I don't have a girlfriend."

June snickered. "Well, I'm afraid I can't help you there."

"Enough." Zuko glared at her. "We have a real problem on our hands, and we need your help."

"Yeah, yeah, the end of the world, you mentioned," she said dismissively.

"You seem awfully cavalier about that," Sokka remarked.

"With Pouty, everything's the end of the world," June said. We all glanced at each other awkwardly for a second. "What?" June asked, sensing the tense silence. "What's going on?"

"Er, June, there's something you should know," Zuko began. He told her, in hushed tones, about Ozai's plan and the comet. June's eyes grew wider and wider as he told the story, and when he finished, she wore a strangely uncharacteristic look of shock.

"So, basically, you need to find the Avatar so that he can stop your daddy-o before he burns the whole world to a crisp?" she clarified. We all nodded and June let out a low whistle. "Nice family you got there."

Zuko scowled. "Well, are you gonna help or not?"

"Guess I don't really have a choice, do I?" June snarked back. "Come on, doesn't look like we have that much time to waste." She downed the rest of her whiskey and stood, walking out the front door with the rest of us following.

Outside, Appa and the shirshu were engaged in some sort of staring match, both of them growling at each other warily. Appa leaned forward and licked a stripe up the shirshu's face, but the creature merely snuffled and lay down. "Nyla," June singsonged, pulling a steak out from her bag. She tossed the steak at Nyla, who caught it and ate it in one gulp.

I stepped slightly closer to Zuko. "Who's my little snuffly-wuffly?" June cooed, rubbing Nyla's snout. The enormous creature purred before it caught sight of us and lashed out with its forked tongue. "Whoa! Careful there!" I squeaked, and gripped Zuko's lower arm. "Okay, so who's got something with the Avatar's scent on it?"

"Are you scared of the shirshu?" Zuko whispered as Katara climbed up to get Aang's staff. I dropped his arm, glaring.

"No, I just- it's just creepy, okay?" Zuko shrugged at me innocently, and I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I have Aang's staff!"

June took it from her and held it out to Nyla, who sniffed the staff for a couple seconds before raising its snout into the air. She circled us for a couple minutes, her nose held high and sniffing the air, before she collapsed in front of June and whimpered, putting her paws over her snout.

I raised a single eyebrow. "Well, what does that mean?" Zuko asked.

"Means your friend's gone," June answered.

"We know he's gone, that's why we're trying to find him," Toph said sarcastically.

"No, I mean he's gone gone." June turned to face us, looking grim. "He doesn't exist." A thrill of shock went through me when she said that. What was she talking about? How could Aang not exist? We had just seen him last night!

"What do you mean, Aang doesn't exist?!" Sokka cried. "Do you mean he's, y'know, dead?" Dread stopped my heart for a split second.

"Nope, we could find him if he were dead," June answered, and relief washed over me. "Well, it's a real head scratcher. If I were you, I'd head as far north as possible. See ya." She flicked her fingers in a wave and started to mount Nyla.

"Helpful," Toph scoffed. "Real helpful."

"You're just leaving?" I asked in disbelief. What were we meant to do now?

"Wait," Zuko said, walking forward. "I have another idea. There's only one other person in this world who could help us face the Fire Lord. I'll be right back with a smell sample."

He went back to Appa and pulled a paper bag out of his knapsack before climbing down and walking towards June. As he unwrapped the paper bag, I was hit by the most astonishing scent of smelly feet. Recoiling, I pinched my nose as Zuko pulled a sweaty, stinky sandal out of the bag.

"Is that Uncle's sandal?" I asked in disbelief, my voice nasally due to the hand covering my nose. "Oh, Zuko, gross."

"You saved your uncle's sweaty sandal?" Sokka echoed my disbelief.

"I think it's kind of sweet," Toph said. Nyla lurched forward and Zuko took a startled step back, holding the sandal out as the shirshu sniffed it eagerly.

"Let's do this," June said grimly, cracking the reins. Nyla took off instantly, disappearing into the darkness while we stood gaping in front of the tavern.

"Hey, wait up!" Zuko cried as we all clamored onto Appa. The sky bison thumped his tail and took off, following Nyla and June. The shirshu ran at a breakneck speed; we had to fly high above in the sky to even try to keep up.

The others started to nod off, curling up in their various corners of the saddle. I crawled to the edge of the saddle and looked down at Zuko, who was sitting at the head, his shoulders tense. It wasn't hard to guess why.

"Hey, you should get some sleep," I called down to him. He glanced up and sighed, looking forward again. I climbed out of the saddle and slid down next to him. "I'm serious, I'll take the reins. I know you can't sleep while the sun is up." His hands only tightened on the reins. "Zuko," I said gently. He sighed and his fingers relaxed, allowing me to take over.

"I don't know if I can sleep." He glanced down at Nyla, who was still a dark speck below us. "I wasn't expecting to see Uncle again so soon," he admitted.

"I told you we'd run into him again."

"Yeah..." Zuko didn't look excited. In fact, he kind of looked like he was going to throw up. My face softened.

"Hey." I took one hand off the reins and put it over his. "Don't be nervous. It's going to be fine."

"You don't know that," Zuko mumbled. "What if he hates me? What if he never wants to see me again?"

"Don't be ridiculous," I scoffed. He looked down, not convinced. "Look, when I was at the Boiling Rock, I sent a letter to Iroh for help. For some reason, he sent the letter to you instead. He must have known, even then, that you would do the right thing." Zuko looked a little less terrified, and I smiled.

"Besides, I forgave you, didn't I? And Uncle's a far better person than I am." A small, tired smile formed on his face and I squeezed his hand. "Okay?"

"Okay," he sighed.

"Good. Now get some sleep." He nodded, too tired to even argue, and slumped down next to me. After a few minutes he was snoring quietly, leaning against my shoulder. I smiled down at him fondly before looking forward again, as Appa continued flying into the night.


We flew through the night and well into the next morning. Predictably, Zuko rose blearily at dawn, but I was glad he'd gotten at least a couple hours of sleep. "Morning," I said as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Morning," he yawned, his whole face scrunching up. "Where are we?"

"Still somewhere in the Earth Kingdom," I answered. "I hope June's leading us in the right direction."

"She's the best bounty hunter in the world," Zuko said. "And she's not a bad person... annoying as hell, for sure, but not a bad person. She knows what she's doing."

"If you say so," I said dubiously. I rolled my shoulders to relieve some of the tension. My arms were heavy from holding the reins for so long. Zuko noticed and held his hands out to take them. Relieved, I handed them over.

The rest of the day was spent flying without break. I was worried Appa would get exhausted, but he seemed to be plowing on resiliently. I wondered if he could sense the urgency in the air. I spent the day switching between sitting in the saddle and sitting on Appa's head next to Zuko. Being stubborn as he was, he refused to let anyone else take over steering for him.

To pass the time, we talked through various strategies for tomorrow and threw around ideas for where Aang could possibly be. The airship fleet had definitely left the capital already or would take off later that day. There was no way we could catch up to it in time, so our original plan had been thrown clear out the window. We had nothing. Everyone seemed relieved that we had finding Uncle as a concrete goal - in the few minutes after June had told us Aang mysteriously didn't exist, the helpless panic had been nearly overwhelming.

I still didn't understand how that could happen, how a person could simply not exist anymore. The idea was more than a little terrifying, and I tried not to think about it too hard. Sokka maintained there were some sort of Spirit World shenanigans going on, and that was the only explanation that made any sense.

"Is that Ba Sing Se?" Katara asked finally, squinting out at the horizon. Puzzled, I crawled to the edge of the saddle and tried to make out the large shape in the distance. It became evident that it was Ba Sing Se; the large wall was unmistakable against the dusky sky.

Nyla ran through the enormous cracked Outer Wall and stopped a few thousand feet inside. June gestured for us to come down. My heart started beating a little nervously as Appa descended and we touched down in front of the Outer Wall. "We're going to Ba Sing Se?" Zuko asked as Appa landed.

"Your Uncle's somewhere beyond the wall," June said. "Nyla's getting twitchy, so he can't be far."

"You're not taking us any further?" I asked. June gave me a wry smile.

"I'm forbidden from ever entering the city," she replied. I couldn't say I was surprised. June walked Nyla forward until they were right next to Zuko. "Don't think I'm doing this for free, Pouty. As soon as this comet business is over, I'm tracking you down and demanding payment."

"You know there's a chance I could die during this whole thing," he pointed out. I subtly clenched my fists.

June thought for a moment. "All right, if you die, you can consider this one a freebie."

"Your generosity knows no bounds," Zuko replied sarcastically.

"Aw, little Pouts is learning sarcasm." June put a hand to her heart. "I'm so proud." Zuko rolled his eyes and she grinned at him, a real grin, before it faded into a softer smile. "Good luck." Zuko nodded and she flicked the reins, sending her and Nyla both running off into the distance.

Zuko watched her go before turning to the rest of us, his face tense. "It's been a long day. Let's camp and start our search again at dawn."

Katara pulled some food she'd packed out of her backpack and passed it around to all of us. We ate quickly and in silence, still nervous about what would happen tomorrow. The scariest part was, we didn't have a plan at all, just a hope of finding Uncle and the knowledge that we were all in this together. Somehow, that was enough.

We didn't even bother setting up camp, just lay down on Appa, who had fallen asleep almost immediately and was snoring soundly. Sokka and Suki curled up on one of his legs, Sokka's arm pulling Suki close to his chest. Katara slept on the leg next to them, and Toph set herself up in a little earth tent.

I walked over to Zuko. He lifted his head as I settled down on the leg next to him. "You okay?" I asked quietly, and he sighed.

"Yeah... well, as okay as I will be. You?"

"I'm pretty much terrified," I admitted. "But I still have faith that it's all going to turn out okay." He looked thoughtful for a second, and then nodded.

"We'll find Uncle in the morning," he said, taking my hand and squeezing gently. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I whispered back.


I was awoken first by the rumbling of earth as Toph collapsed her earth tent. My eyes snapped open as a ring of fire suddenly circled Appa and I leapt up, looking around wildly. Zuko waved his arm to put out the circle of fire, plunging us back into near darkness, when I spotted four figures standing atop the rocks, illuminated by the moon. They were wearing blue and white robes and all seemed to be old; I scanned the line until -

My heart stopped and I let out a sharp gasp. Zuko turned to me in confusion.

"Well, look who's here!" Bumi beamed down at us, letting out a snorting laugh. His eyes landed on me and the grin grew even wider.

"Grandpa!" I shrieked, sprinting forward and launching myself upwards on a pillar of stone. I flew straight into him and he caught me, his arms going around my middle as I hugged him tightly. He let out another snorting laugh as I buried my face in his robes, unable to stop the happy tears from gathering at the corners of my eyes.

"Hello, Kioni," he cackled. "It's good to see you again." I pulled away, eyes wide.

"What - what are you doing here?" I asked, breathless. "How did you escape Omashu? Is the Fire Nation still there? How did you get here? Who are all these people?"

He chuckled again, gentler this time. "All in due time, my dear. But why don't you go introduce us to your friends?" I stepped back and turned to look at the other three, who were watching with various expressions of seriousness.

"Oh, right, of course," I said sheepishly. Bumi laughed again and bent the rock we were standing on so that we all slid down to face the rest of the group.

"What's going on?" Toph asked, throwing her hands in the air. "We're surrounded by old people!"

"Not just any old people," Katara said. "These are great masters and friends of ours." She walked up to a man with a long white beard and bowed. "Pakku." I suddenly recognized him from the Northern Water Tribe, as the man who had given me the herbs from the Spirit Oasis.

Pakku bowed back at Katara. "It is respectful to bow to an old master," he smiled. "But how about a hug for your new grandfather?" Both Sokka's and Katara's faces lit up, and Katara rushed forward to hug him.

"That's so exciting! You and Gran Gran must be so happy to have found each other!"

"I made her a new betrothal necklace and everything," Pakku said proudly. Sokka rushed in to join the hug enthusiastically.

"Welcome to the family, Gramp Gramp!" he cried. Pakku pushed Sokka away gently.

"You can still just call me Pakku."

"How about - Granpakku?"

Pakku made a face of distaste. "No." I had a sneaking feeling Sokka would call him Granpakku anyway.

"And this was Aang's first firebending teacher," Katara said to Zuko, waving him over. They bowed at each other in Fire Nation style.

"Jeong Jeong," the man introduced himself.

"Master Piandao," Sokka said to the youngest of them, bowing deeply. Piandao bowed back, looking faintly amused.

"Hello, Sokka."

"And you two have met Bumi." I waved at Sokka and Katara, who walked over and greeted Bumi with deep bows. He cackled and pulled them both in for a hug. "Zuko, come here." I waved at him, and he walked over, looking nervous for some reason.

I grabbed him by the arm and pulled him over until he was standing in front of Bumi, who stared down at him with piercing eyes. "Zuko, this is my grandfather, King Bumi," I introduced them. "Grandpa, you know Prince Zuko."

Bumi stepped forward until he was nearly nose to nose with Zuko, whose eyes widened. "Ah, of course." Bumi started in a disapproving tone. "So you're the one who kidnapped my little girl, dragged her all around the world, and then broke her heart and threw her in prison?"

I winced and Zuko gulped audibly. There was a beat of tense silence before Bumi's face split into a wide grin and he yanked Zuko forward into a bone crushing hug. "Welcome to the family!" he cried, laughing manically.

"So how do you all know each other?" Suki asked as Zuko tried to extract himself from Bumi's grip in the politest way possible. He glanced at me for help and I just shrugged, trying not to laugh.

"All old people know each other, don't you know that?" Bumi laughed and dropped Zuko, causing the firebender to fall on his butt with a startled yelp. I couldn't help but laugh then, coughing to cover it up.

"We're all part of the same ancient secret society," Piandao explained. "A group that transcends the divisions of the Four Nations."

"The Order of the White Lotus," Zuko said, having stood up.

"That's the one!" Bumi proclaimed loudly and Zuko visibly suppressed a flinch of surprise.

"The White Lotus has always been about philosophy and beauty and truth," Jeong Jeong said. "But about a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important."

"It came from a Grand Lotus," Pakku said, looking at Zuko. "Your uncle, Iroh of the Fire Nation." A tiny smile started at the corners of Zuko's mouth.

"Well, that's who we're looking for!" Toph said.

"Then we'll take you to him," Piandao smiled.

"Wait!" Bumi cried, looking around. "Someone's missing from your group, someone very important." He stopped in front of Sokka, pressing his face very close to the warrior's. "Where's Momo?"

Sokka tried to step back, his eyes wide. "Uh, he's gone. And so is Aang." Bumi stepped back and Sokka flailed before landing on his butt.

"Oh well, as long as they have each other, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about. Let's go!" With another cackling laugh, Bumi shot himself upwards on a pillar of earth and past the rocks they had came from. I let out another laugh myself, feeling strangely lighthearted considering our situation.

"Hey, don't take this the wrong way," Zuko murmured to me quietly. "But your grandfather is kind of..."

"Crazy?" I grinned at the look on Zuko's face. "Come on, Pouty." I held my hand out and he put his hand in mine, a little wary.

"What are you- aaaaahh!" He broke off in a scream as my hand tightened around his and I launched us upwards on another pillar of earth, laughing loudly all the way.


The Order of the White Lotus led us back to their camp, which was located somewhere between the Outer and Inner rings. Sokka and Katara walked ahead, chatting with Pakku about the South Pole and their grandmother. Toph, Zuko, and Suki were slightly behind me as I walked next to Bumi.

"Okay, you have to tell me how you escaped Omashu," I said excitedly. "Is the city all right? Did you meet up with Captain Yung and the rebels in the mountains?"

"Escape? I didn't escape," he said with a wicked grin, and my brow furrowed in confusion. "Everybody else escaped. There I was, in Omashu, waiting for just the right moment," he started, getting into telling the story now. "I didn't know what or when, but I knew I'd know it when I knew it!

"Finally, my time came... on the Day of Black Sun." My eyes widened with realization. "As you know, I can earthbend with my face," he said proudly, and I nodded, enraptured. "So I pulled up bits of earth from everywhere and bust out of that pesky metal cage easy as pie! Of course, there were guards, so you know what I did?"

"What did you do?" Katara broke in, her voice hushed. I hadn't even realized she and Sokka had joined us to listen to Bumi's story.

"The head guard was all, 'What do you think you're doing?'?" Bumi imitated. "And then he went, 'hwah!'" He stopped suddenly, causing Zuko to nearly collide into his back, and punched outward with one fist, and then with two. "But of course, no fire came out. So I was all like: 'Taking back my city! You've got no firepower, and it's payback time!'"

He grinned, looking very pleased with himself. "And after that, it was really no contest. I mean, those guards had really gotten lazy ever since all the rebels left. They built these ugly little smokestacks all over the city, so of course, those had to go. The hardest part was that hideous statue they built of Fire Lord Ozai - no offense," he broke off, nodding at Zuko, who just shrugged. "Really ugly. I got rid of it soon enough - but not without a little artistic modification first!" he finished, cackling to himself once more.

Bumi paused as the rest of us stood there, our mouths slightly hanging open. "Of course, it did end up taking out part of the bridge, so there's that to be fixed. And the city's pretty much in rubble. But at least it's ours again!" He grinned at me and I smiled back so big my cheeks hurt. My city was free once again.

"Wow!" Suki breathed. I glanced behind me slightly to see her eyes wide and awestruck. "You took back your entire city all by yourself! I can see where Kioni gets it from." I beamed at the compliment.

"That's amazing, grandpa," I agreed, feeling as if my heart would burst with pride.

"There's still a lot to be done," Bumi acknowledged. "Captain Yung and I started some of the repair work on the city, but then I got this call from General Iroh." He turned to me, his crazy green eyes a little softer. "I was hoping once the war was over, you would come back with me and we could rebuild our city together."

My breath caught in my throat and I found myself frozen. It seemed like we had spent so long preparing for this day, I hadn't even begun to think about what would happen once it was over. I sent a sidelong glance at Zuko, who was looking at me intently. Bumi seemed to sense my hesitance.

"Of course, now is not the time to decide," he said. "So, what about you guys? Did you do anything interesting on the day of the eclipse?" We all glanced at each other, a different kind of awkwardness settling over the group. None of our stories were nearly as successful or interesting as Bumi taking back Omashu by himself.

"Nah," Zuko said.

"No, not really," Sokka added.

"Pretty boring," I shrugged.


Bumi spent the rest of the walk telling the others stories from my childhood, to my immense chagrin. The story of the first time I tried to ride Flopsy made Sokka laugh so hard he had to stop and rest for several minutes. I crossed my arms, scowling as he tried to get himself under control.

"Are you quite finished?" I asked crossly. Sokka stood, wiping tears from his eyes. Zuko patted him on the back, fighting back a smile himself. I turned my scowl to him and he looked appropriately chastised.

"That's the last time you tried to feed Flopsy genomite, eh?" Bumi grinned, nudging me. Suki giggled next to me and I glared at her. Traitor.

"Grandpa, please," I groaned, my cheeks red.

"All right, all right," he chuckled. "Looks like we're here anyway." With a wave of his hand, Bumi lowered a pile of boulders, revealing a campsite of several dozen tents scattered around a large clearing. "Welcome to old people camp!"

Zuko's face sobered quickly as we walked further into camp. "Where... where is he?"

"Your uncle's in there, Prince Zuko," Piandao said, pointing to a large white tent at the back of the others. Zuko nodded, looking determined, but I could see how nervous he was.

I walked over and put a hand on his arm. "You'll be fine," I reassured him. He broke his gaze away from the tent and looked at me, his gold eyes full of uncertainty. I squeezed his arm and smiled encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, Zuko turned his head away from me slightly before gently taking my hand off his arm and walking forward.

I turned, watching him walk towards Uncle's tent - and he almost made it! He stopped right in front of the tent and paused for a second before sitting down. I sighed and started to walk towards him when I felt a hand on my arm. I turned to see Katara looking at me, understanding on her face as she looked towards Zuko.

"Let me try," she offered and I nodded, watching as she walked towards Zuko. I walked over and pretended I was talking to Appa, but in reality, I couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked. Zuko turned away from her.

"No, I'm not okay!" he shot back. Katara crouched down next to him. "My uncle hates me, I know it. He loved me and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?"

"Zuko," Katara said gently. "You're sorry for what you did, right?"

"More sorry than I've been about anything in my entire life." He looked down, and my heart ached at his pain and sadness.

"Then he'll forgive you. He will." Zuko glanced at her for a second before he nodded and stood up. He stood in front of the tent for a second before he squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and walked inside, the flap fluttering gently behind him.

Katara stood up and walked over in my direction. "Nosy, nosy," she singsonged under her breath, and I blushed.

"Oh, you're one to talk," I hissed back, but she merely smirked and walked back to the tent the White Lotus had set up for us.

I had to admit, I was worried for Zuko. Not because I didn't think Iroh would forgive him - because I knew in my heart that he would. I just hated seeing Zuko so guilty and upset. It was strange to think about how just a few weeks ago I would have relished Zuko's guilt and maintained that he deserved it. The thought made me feel guilty.

No matter how much I had hated Zuko in the months after he betrayed me, I don't think I ever hated him as much as he hated himself.

He had been through so much and come out so much stronger on the other end. Wasn't this what Uncle and I had wanted for him back in Ba Sing Se? For him to see the light and choose the right path? And now, reuniting with Uncle again, he was coming full circle with his true family.

Suddenly, I really wanted to see my grandfather. I walked past our tent and towards the one where the other White Lotus members had gone. It was lit by two lightly flickering lamps, and I pulled back the curtain uncertainly. None of the members who we knew were in the tent, but there were several men and women dressed in blue and white robes sitting around and talking quietly. They all looked up when I approached.

"Um... would anyone happen to know where King Bumi is?" I asked nervously.

"His tent is two down on the left, Princess," one of them answered, and I thanked them before exiting. I walked over to Bumi's tent and hand just raised my hand to knock when his voice rang out.

"Kioni, is that you? Come in!" I pushed aside the flap and walked in to see Bumi picking in between his toes and munching on a slab on genomite.

"Oh, Grandpa, gross." I made a face and he cackled, tossing me another stick of the rock candy. I rolled my eyes but smiled and caught it, walking to sit down next to him. I bit the tip off, sighing quietly as the sugary sweet taste spread across my tongue. It had been far too long since I'd eaten genomite.

"I've been thinking about what you said," I said in between crunchy bites. I swallowed the last bit of genomite and looked at him seriously. "And I would love to come back to Omashu and help you rebuild it." A genuine wide smile spread across Bumi's face.

"I knew you'd come around!" He pushed my shoulder and I laughed, leaning against him lightly. He was so solid and steady that it brought back a rush of childhood memories and I just sank into him. After a second, he lifted his arm and draped it around my shoulders, pulling me closer. Emotion welled up in me, so sudden that it took me off guard, and I turned my face into his chest, clutching at his robes.

"I missed you," I murmured into his robes. "So much." Bumi sighed, his arm squeezing my shoulders gently.

"I missed you, too, my flower. But I knew you'd find your way here."

I looked up at him. "You did?"

"Destiny has a funny way of working itself out," he smiled knowingly. "Here you are, with your friends and Prince Zuko in tow." I couldn't help but smile back. We were silent for a few moments before he spoke again, his voice laden with mischief. "However, when I told you your destiny was intertwined with Zuko's, I did not mean that you had to literallybecome intertwined-"

"Grandpa!" I leaned away, shocked. He started laughing at my horrified expression. "I didn't... that's not... there's nothing going on between me and Zuko!" I sputtered, blushing furiously.

"If you say so." Bumi winked, looking heavily entertained. "I'm just saying, I am an old man, and it would be nice to have a few great-grandchildren before I kick the bucket..."

"Oh my god," I groaned, mortified. I buried my face in my hands as Bumi cackled again at my discomfort. "Please stop," I begged.

"All right, all right." He grinned. "I do have a present for you though."

"Is it a rope to hang myself with?" I muttered. Bumi chuckled before standing and walking over to the corner of the tent. He pulled out a bundle wrapped in paper and handed it to me. I took it, still sullen, but the second I unwrapped it my jaw fell open and I stared in wonder, all earlier annoyance forgotten.

"Grandpa, this is..." I couldn't form words. I lifted up the emerald green tunic, my fingers running over the gold trim. Beneath it lay a lighter green bandeau and matching knee trousers. The belt holding the tunic together was emblazoned with the Earth Kingdom insignia, woven into the fabric with threads of green, copper, and gold.

"I thought, that going into battle tomorrow, you would want to wear the colors of your people," Bumi said softly.

"I- thank you." I leaned forward, embracing him tightly again. His hands came up to rest at my back, and I could feel the tickle of his beard against my shoulder. It had been so scared and worried about what would happen tomorrow, but I felt miles better than before. I tried to express all this in my hug, and I think Bumi understood.

"You should get some sleep," Bumi said finally. "You do have a big day ahead! We'll talk in the morning, my dear." I nodded and stood, walking to the edge of the tent. "Kioni," he said just as I was about to leave. I turned. "Think fast!" Bumi cackled and hurled another genomite spear at me. I yelped, throwing my hand up just in time to catch it.

"Nice catch." He grinned, and I rolled my eyes before smiling, munching on the candy as I left the tent.

I glanced over at Iroh's tent, wondering what was going on. Would it be too creepy to go in and check? It would be too creepy, right? Zuko and his uncle were probably having a very personal and emotional moment, and it really wasn't any of my business. I would see them in the morning.

Still, it took a lot of self control to head straight to the tent. Everyone else was already inside, set up in various bunks around the tent and talking quietly. They looked up as I walked in. "Have you heard anything about Zuko and his uncle?" I couldn't help but ask.

"No, he's still in the tent," Suki answered.

"Kioni, they're fine," Katara emphasized, seeing my worried face. "We should all get some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day."

"Understatement of the year," Toph muttered from her bunk. I said goodnight and climbed into the bunk above Katara's. I would have thought that I would be too nervous about tomorrow to sleep, but the exhaustion of the past few days settled in and I slipped into a deep slumber before long.


I woke the next morning before everyone else, yawning and sitting up. Rubbing my eyes, I slipped out of bed quietly and padded across the tent, dressing myself in the clothes Bumi had given me. I stood in the mirror for a second, admiring the clothing. The light green bandeau was strapless and covered the majority of my torso, and the green tunic I slipped on over it reached a few inches below my waist. I belted the tunic, watching the gold threads Earth Kingdom insignia glint back in the mirror.

I smiled wide, pride surging through me. For the first time in months, I looked like a princess. I looked like warrior. I looked like me.

I made my way outside quietly, careful not to wake the others. The campsite was just stirring to life; White Lotus members scurried around, carrying scrolls and various battle garments. There was definitely a sense of urgency in the air, but I felt oddly calm despite it being the day of the comet.

I heard familiar laughter from across the clearing and turned my head to see Zuko and Uncle sitting by the campfire. A small kettle was boiling on the fire and Uncle was talking animatedly, gesturing largely with his hands. Zuko was watching him and smiling the biggest smile and my heart melted just a little bit.

At that moment, he glanced over and spotted me. His eyes lit up for a split second and then they widened and his mouth fell open the tiniest bit. Uncle turned to look as well and his face lit up when he saw me. My feet seemed to be moving before my brain caught up, and before I knew it I was at the campfire.

Uncle stood up and opened his arms just in time for me to rush into them, hugging him tightly around the middle. His arms came around me and hugged me back, squeezing tightly. I pulled back, smiling widely at him, and he beamed back at me. He looked stronger than the last time I had seen him, standing tall and his golden eyes piercing. But the familiar warmth and softness was still there in his eyes, the same smell of ginseng tea still lingering around him.

"Kioni, my dearest," he said, and I suddenly found it difficult to swallow. "How good it is to you see again."

"I... it's so good to see you too, Uncle Iroh," I managed before I leaned into him, hugging him once more. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"And I am so thankful you are as well," he replied before we finally stepped away from each other, still beaming. Zuko was still sitting us on the ground, watching us fondly. I sat down next to him.

"Of course, you will join my nephew and I for tea?" Iroh asked, sitting down also.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," I answered honestly. While Iroh was busying himself with the teapot when one of the White Lotus members said they needed him for a quick second. Iroh excused himself, assured us that we would right back, and stood up and followed her.

"So looks like it went well last night?" I asked Zuko. He turned to me, his smile astonished and elated.

"He... wasn't even mad at me," he replied, as if he couldn't quite believe it. "I... I don't even know what to do. I just feel so light and... and happy." He sounded so bemused by this concept. Oh Zuko. "I know the comet is today and it's not the time-"

I cut him off. "There's never a wrong time for you to be happy." I reached over and put my hand on his. "And I'm so happy that you've reunited with Uncle."

"Thanks." He smiled. Zuko looked lighter, more free, as if a weight had been taken off his shoulders. I wondered if that's how I looked when I forgiven him. "I like your outfit," he said, a little shy.

"Yeah?" I spread my arms out, looking down at myself. "My grandfather brought it for me. You wouldn't believe how good it feels to wear green again."

"Reminds me of what you were wearing when we first met," he commented. I raised an eyebrow.

"When I kicked your butt, you mean?" I couldn't help but smirk. Instead of the scowl I expected, Zuko gave me a wry smile.

"Yeah. Certainly made an impression." The way he said it made me unsure if it was a compliment or an insult. I narrowed my eyes and opened my mouth to retort, but the whistling of the kettle caught me off guard.

Smirking slightly to himself, Zuko took the kettle off and poured the water gently into the three cups around the campfire. Iroh arrived moments later, looking surprised that Zuko had poured the water. "Zuko's been making tea for us while we were hiding out," I explained to him as he sat down, the bemused expression not leaving his face. "He's gotten quite good."

Iroh's look of surprise morphed into something like pride. "Well, I cannot wait to taste it."

"Uncle, you have to tell me about how you escaped the Fire Nation," I said. Iroh grinned sheepishly.

"I'm afraid it is not a very interesting story," he said, humble as always. "Mainly involving lots of pull ups and some rather stupid guards." Zuko shook his head, smiling down at the ground. "From what I have heard, the two of you had much more interesting adventures the day of the eclipse."

Zuko and I glanced at each other, muttering about how it really wasn't that interesting. "Well, however it happened, I am so glad the two of you found your way here," Iroh said. He looked over at us with happiness and something else in his expression. "And I am so happy that you have found your way back to each other."

We glanced at each other again, much more quickly this time, before looking away. "Er, Uncle, that's not-" Zuko began the same time I started, "Well, we're not exactly -" We both paused at the same time, looked at each other awkwardly. I laughed nervously, a little self conscious.

Iroh watched us with a furrowed brow, looking a little confused. "We're just friends," Zuko explained and I nodded. Iroh's face smoothed out, replaced by a barely concealed look of surprise.

"Oh," he said after a moment, as if this were unexpected information. "From Zuko's stories, I believed- I see." He studied us curiously now, and Zuko blushed a little.

"I didn't tell him- I wasn't-" he stammered, looking at me nervously. I smiled reassuringly.

"It's fine, it's fine."

"Well, I think the tea is ready, don't you?" Iroh asked, breaking the awkward moment. He reached out and took a sip of his tea, his eyes widening even further. He looked even more surprised than he had moments ago. "Zuko this tea is... quite delicious. You have learned well, my nephew."

The prince's eyes lit up subtly at the praise and I couldn't help but smile at them both fondly. In that moment I was so content, sitting around the campfire with Zuko and Uncle, that I could almost forget the looming task in front of us.


The others joined us soon enough, and by mid morning we had all gathered around the fire to eat a late breakfast, or an early lunch. Hm. There should really be a word for that. Anyway, Zuko introduced the others to his uncle, who greeted them all like old friends. He and Toph actually were old friends, and he seemed particularly delighted to see her again.

After their initial greeting, Iroh leaned and whispered something in Toph's ear, his face the picture of puzzlement. Toph snorted at whatever he had asked and whispered something back to him. Iroh chuckled, shook his head, and said, "I thought as much." They shared a laugh and then they both turned to look at Zuko and I. I narrowed my eyes, certain they had just been talking about us.

"So," Sokka spoke up once everyone had been introduced and had started eating. "What's the plan?" The atmosphere sobered noticeably as we all sat up straight and looked towards Iroh.

"Uncle," Zuko started. "You're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord."

I resisted the urge to slap my forehead. "You mean the Fire Lord," Toph supplied.

"That's what I just said!" Zuko snapped. Iroh lowered his head, and let out a thoughtful hmm. "We need you to come with us!"

"No, Zuko," Iroh said finally, turning to his nephew seriously. "It won't turn out well."

"You can beat him!" Zuko pushed on. "And we'll be there to help."

Iroh sighed. "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 will 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."

I didn't know what to say. I could see the truth in Iroh's words, but it felt like now we truly had no plan. Zuko bowed his head, understanding, but the disappointment was still clear on his face. "And then... then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?" He looked up at Iroh hopefully.

"No. Someone new must take the throne - an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor." He turned to Zuko and my eyes widened with realization. "It has to be you, Prince Zuko."

The look of astonishment on Zuko's face was almost comical. "Unquestionable honor? But I've made so many mistakes."

"Yes, you have." Iroh smiled at him, the heavy atmosphere dissipated for a second. Then his face became serious again. "You've struggled and 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."

Wow. Zuko as Fire Lord. For a moment, I recognized how strange this was, when being Fire Lord was all Zuko had wanted months ago. So much had changed, yet... here we were. I looked over at him, uncertain yet so steady, and it just made sense. I reached over and put my hand over his gently. He glanced at me, unsure, and I nodded, smiling encouragingly. Zuko closed his eyes and turned back to his uncle.

"I'll try, Uncle." Iroh smiled at him, and then turned his smile to me.

"Well, what if Aang doesn't come back?" Toph asked, voicing the concern on everyone's minds.

"Sozin's Comet is arriving, and our destinies are upon us," Iroh said with confidence. "Aang will face the Fire Lord." He closed his eyes, as if slipping into a distant memory. "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 said, realization dawning.

"Yes," he said before turning back to his nephew. "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."

Zuko's eyebrows tightened. "I can handle Azula." I bit my lip, remembering the ending of that horrible play. That's not going to happen, I told myself.

"Not alone," Iroh said quickly. "You'll need help."

"You're right." Zuko nodded, and then turned to me. "Kioni, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?"

Unconsciously, a grin spread across my face. "It would be my pleasure."

"What about us?" Katara asked. "What's our destiny today?"

Iroh smiled at her. "What do you think it is?"

Katara thought for a second, turning to her brother. Sokka looked deep in thought, one hand on his chin. "Even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet," Sokka said.

"Then when Aang shows up, we'll be there to help him," Katara said, her blue eyes flashing with determination. "Just like we've always been."

"Yeah, when he does face the Fire Lord, we'll be ready if he needs us!" Toph added, punching one fist into her palm. Iroh nodded, looking pleased.

"Zuko and Kioni, you should take the sky bison to the Fire Nation," he said, turning back to us. "Fly over the Eastern Sea, and you should get there in a matter of hours. You all should head to the airship base. Go find Piandao, he will have further instructions for you."

Sokka nodded and stood up, the rest of us following him. As I stood, I realized that on the most important day of our lives, we had to split up. I couldn't believe it, that after everything we'd been through, we weren't going to be facing the Fire Lord together after all. I turned to look at Zuko, who was looking off into the distance, deep in thought.

I suddenly felt better. At least I would have Zuko by my side today. I had started my journey with him, it seemed only fitting that we would finish it together. And to be honest, there was no one else I would rather have with me.


The urgency seemed to increase tenfold after talking with Iroh. Zuko said that he had to go talk to his uncle about something and went off to his tent. The rest of us headed back to our tent and started to repack whatever essentials we would need for our day.

"I can't believe we're really splitting up," Toph said after we'd packed everything. She was sitting on her bed, looking smaller than I'd ever seen her. My heart wrenched with worry for her, and for all of them. Katara walked over and sat down next to her, putting a comforting hand on her arm.

"We're all going to be okay," she said with so much determination that I had to believe her. I walked over and sat down next to them, putting an arm around both of them. Toph leaned into me and wrapped her arms around my middle. Soon, Suki and Sokka came over and joined us in one big snuggly hug. We just sat there for a while in silence, all holding each other.

"Katara's right," I said, trying to keep my voice as cheerful as possible. "Zuko and I are going to kick Azula's butt. And you guys will take out the airship fleet, and be right there when Aang comes back to defeat Ozai."

I willed myself to not cry, to stay strong for all of them. I knew splitting up was necessary, but it still worried me so, so much. I didn't know at what point I had started thinking of them as my family. Just yesterday, I had felt like I wasn't completely a part of the group, but now I realized that I had never been true. These people had loved and supported me since the day we had met. And now, on the most important day of our lives, we would be apart. I shook my head, clearing it of the negative thoughts. We would all be okay. We had to be.

Zuko poked his head in the tent. "Are you guys ready, it's time to... oh you're hugging."

"Come over here, Zuko," Katara laughed, gesturing him over and he complied, stretching his arms around our huddle as far as they would go. After a second we broke apart and just looked around at each other with such fondness and love.

Zuko cleared his throat. "Um, they're all ready for us." And just like that, it was time to say goodbye.

Suki walked over to me first and threw her arms around me, holding me so close. Suddenly, all the emotions just welled up in me and I felt tears prick the back of my eyes. I wrapped my arms around her back and buried my head in her shoulder. We'd been through so much together at the Boiling Rock, and it was so hard to believe I wouldn't have her with me on this important day.

I pulled away and looked at her, the tears glistening in her normally steely gray eyes. "We can do this," she whispered, reaching out and tapping above my heart with two fingers. "Remember, we escaped the Boiling Rock. We can do anything."

I laughed, a little shaky, and pulled her to me again. "Anything," I agreed. We broke apart and I turned to see Katara embrace Zuko and whisper something in his ear. It sounded like a combination of good luck and be careful and I'm sorry. Zuko nodded and held her tightly and said that we were all going to be fine.

I walked over and sat down next to Toph, who was still on the bed. "You're going to take her down, right?" she asked me, sounding tough and vulnerable all at the same time. "Remember what I taught you. Listen and wait for her to show you a weakness, and then strike. And strike hard. Listen for the heartbeat, that always gives them away. And never break your stance."

"You got it, Sifu Toph," I smiled. Toph wrapped her arms around me again and I rested my head on her shoulder. "Metalbend all those airships into the ground for me, all right?" Zuko gave Sokka a one-armed bro hug, but the warrior brought his other arm around and hugged him tightly. After a second of looking surprised, Zuko hugged him back.

He turned to Suki, giving her a hug as well. She pulled back, looking at him seriously. "Take care of my best friend."

"Suki," I complained mildly, but my heart swelled at hearing her call me her best friend. They both ignored me, solemn expressions on their faces.

"I won't let anything happen to her," Zuko promised her. Katara sat down next to Toph and I, and I turned to hug her as well. She buried her face in my chest and I breathed deeply, feeling her shoulders shake slightly. Katara always had to be so strong for everyone else, even though she wasn't that old herself.

"You've got this," I told her, tilting her chin up. "You know Aang's going to come back. You know we're all going to be fine."

She smiled weakly. "I know."

Toph stood up and went over to say something to Zuko. Whatever it was, it must have been snarky, because he laughed and picked her up in a huge hug. I stood and walked over to Sokka, who was smiling at me. I couldn't help but roll my eyes before throwing my arms around his neck.

"Don't be an idiot today," I said affectionately, and he chuckled, his laugh rumbling against my body, and squeezed me tighter. We broke apart and I stared around at my little family.

"This isn't goodbye," I said, looking around at all of them, one arm still around Sokka. "It's just... see you later." Katara cracked a smile and reached over to take Zuko's and Suki's hands. Toph grabbed Zuko's and I took her other one. I looked at everyone and a moment of understanding passed through us.

She nodded. "Let's go." Holding hands, we all walked out of the tent together, as a team. As a family.


The Order of the White Lotus had all gathered outside by Appa. Next to Appa, however, was the largest, sleekest creature I had ever seen. Almost transfixed, I let go of Toph's and Sokka's hands and walked up the the beast. It let out a loud snuffle at my presence and lowered its head to stare at me with impossibly wise, teal eyes.

"That's a giant eel hound," Piandao said. I turned to see him standing next to the creature, smiling at me. "Nothing can run or swim faster."

"She's beautiful," I murmured, reaching out to stroke her snout gently. The eel hound whinnied lightly and nudged into my hand.

"She seems to like you," Piandao said. "She'll be taking Sokka, Toph, Suki, and Katara to the airship base." Snapping out of it, I stepped back to see them standing behind me, a little puzzled. Blushing a little, I bowed to Piandao and hurried over to where Zuko, Iroh and Bumi were standing by Appa.

Zuko was fiddling with the saddle on Appa and loading the small backpack I had packed with a few essentials onto his saddle. Iroh turned to face me, his light gold eyes full of wisdom and concern. He opened his arms for me and I stepped forward to hug him tightly once more.

"It pains me to bid you farewell so soon after we have reunited," he said. "But I know I will see you again soon. And I have nothing but utmost faith in you and Zuko." I pulled back, smiling sadly. "I know I do not have to tell you to take care of my nephew, but-"

"Always, Uncle," I promised, cutting him off. He smiled widely and squeezed me one more time. We broke apart as Zuko slid down Appa and walked over to us. I gave him a smile before walking up to Bumi, who was watching me with a smile on his face. Not his usual crazy smile, but a softer, prouder one.

I ran the last few steps towards him and threw my arms around him. He bent down and hugged me tightly. I couldn't believe I had to say goodbye to him so soon after we'd seen each other again. I pulled back wordlessly, unable to come up with anything to express how I felt.

Bumi reached out and brushed part of my bangs away from my face gently. "You have grown so much since I let you go all those months ago," he said. "And I am so, so proud of everything you have done." He glanced up at the chopsticks gleaming in my hair and his eyes turned a little sad. "You look so much like your mother."

I leaned into him again, hugging tightly. "I love you, grandpa."

"I love you, too, my flower. I will see you soon." I nodded and stepped away, climbing onto Appa. Bumi reached forward and pushed me the last few feet onto Appa's saddle.

Below me, Zuko and Iroh were talking with their heads close together. Suddenly, Iroh reached forward and pulled Zuko into a bone crushing hug. Iroh whispered something like I am so proud of you, my son. Zuko's hands tightened in his Uncle's robes. He pulled away and started to climb up on Appa's head.

"So if I'm going to be Fire Lord after the war's over, what are you going to do?" Zuko asked his uncle.

Iroh smiled, taking a white lotus tile out of his sleeve. "After I reconquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to reconquer my tea shop." He flipped the tile in the air, catching it with ease. "And I'm going to play Pai Sho every day." Zuko smiled and shook his head a little and I couldn't help but smile also.

I glanced over at Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Katara, who were sitting in the eel hound's saddle. An infinite moment passed as we just stared at each other. Sokka nodded once and Zuko nodded back at him. "Goodbye, General Iroh," Katara said.

"Goodbye everyone," Iroh said, wisdom filling his voice and the entire clearing. "Today, destiny is our friend. I know it."

Sokka clicked the reins and the eel hound let out a whinny, turning on its tail and sprinting into the forest. Zuko said, "Yip yip!" and Appa took off, thumping his tail and taking to the sky. I turned around in the saddle, waving to Iroh and Bumi until they became mere specks on the ground. I searched below for the others on the eel hound, but they were covered by the trees. I prayed that wasn't the last time I would see them.

Then I turned back around, looking ahead as we flew forward to face our destiny.


If there was a song for this chapter, it would be See You Again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth. I was listening to that while writing the goodbye scenes and not gonna lie I got a little emotional.

This chapter was all about reunions and goodbyes. Kioni is reunited with both her grandfather and Uncle Iroh, of course. Bumi is difficult to write, because I want to keep him true to his crazy character in the show, but in this AU he's had children and a granddaughter, so I think there are moments when he would be more subdued. And he can be incredibly wise, as we've seen from Return to Omashu.

Oh, and Bumi definitely knows there's something going on between Zuko and Kioni. He and Iroh are good friends, and no doubt Iroh would have told him all about everything that happened in Ba Sing Se. Iroh is quite surprised when he finds out Zuko and Kioni aren't a couple again, because after their initial reunion Zuko would have told him all about his adventures, and I imagine the way he talked about Kioni would have led Iroh to believe they were together again. He and Toph are definitely gossiping about them in that moment.

I spent a long time debating what Kioni's role during Sozin's Comet would be, if she would go with Zuko to the Fire Nation, etc. At first, I was going to have Katara go along with them, but in my opinion, Sokka, Katara, and Toph are very much a part of Aang's story. Of course, in the series, Katara is flawless in the Fire Nation taking down Azula, but I've tweaked the story a little here.

Zuko and Kioni are a team. They understand each other and work so well together that at this point, they make the most sense to take down Azula together. Plus Kioni has a few bones of her own to pick with Azula. I have a rough idea on how the others will take down the Fire Lord/how that story would change with Katara in the mix, but I'm not going to write that in this story.

I'm probably going to make Into the Inferno a bit longer, since most of the actual episode deals with Aang and the airship fleet, there's not a whole lot of material for Zuko & Kioni. So most likely the next chapter will be a combination of Into the Inferno and Avatar Aang, instead of having the former be a really short chapter and the latter being split into two parts.

That should be up soon! I've been really cranking out these chapters. And be sure to keep reviewing! The last chapter was slacking a bit in terms of reviews (probably because the gap was much shorter than they've usually been, I know) but let's still aim for 1000 reviews before the end of the story so you can get that drabble! The next chapter will probably be up soon-ish so don't slack on the reviews! And keep sending your ideas for the drabble!

Up Next: Into the Inferno.