Yun met the Order of The White Lotus at the Earth Kingdom Palace. Members were rounding up Fire Nation prisoners, and Yun looked around for Master Piandao. She felt relieved to see him looking tired but otherwise fine. She limped over to him, enjoying seeing his face brighten when he saw her.
"Hi Master," she said, nearly blacking out in shock as she attempted to put weight on her burnt leg.
"Yun," he replied, standing up.
"There are a few children in a house three blocks from the east wing of the palace in the fourth quadrant. They are expecting me, but I am not sure I am able to walk that far," she said faintly. She felt weak with exhaustion, the pain from overexertion and the pain racing up and down her burn was not helping.
She vaguely saw Master Piandao nodding and then looking worried before her world faded to black.
Yun woke up with a start, in a room she didn't recognize. She was in clothes she didn't remember owning and when she looked down, her leg was bandaged up to her knee. Getting out of bed, she attempted to stand, putting all of her weight on her unbandaged tried to take another step but the pain was too much. She immediately fell to the floor, her forearms stopping her face from becoming her next injury. A strangled scream made it out of her throat. Rolling over to her back, she tried to control her breathing, digging her fingernails into her palm to alleviate the pain from everywhere. The overwhelming pain coming from what seemed like every part of her body entered the forefront of her mind, and Yun curled up onto the ground, tears leaking out of her eyes.
Someone rushed into the room, but Yun couldn't even open her eyes to check who it was. She could hear frantic yelling, but she couldn't figure out who was yelling. Ringing pain reverberated through her skull, and she was unable to focus on anything other than that.
Yun felt arms pick her up and put her gently on the bed. However, as they put her down, another wave of pain came over her. A sob pushed out of her throat, and she clutched for something. Finding an arm, she clung, not knowing what else to do.
"Are you telling me nothing can be done," someone asked angrily.
"Zuko, do not yell. I will make some tea to take away some of the pain, but this is something she will have to recover from by herself," a voice answered. Zuko?
"Zuko," Yun whispered questioningly. A hand gripped hers.
"Yes," he said.
"Where am I? Where is everybody else? And Aang," she asked, more tears leaking out from the pain.
"We are all here," another voice said. Katara. "Me, Sokka, Aang, Toph, and Suki. General Iroh and Zuko are here too."
"Aang," Yun said. "You won?"
"Yeah, we won. I'll tell you all about it when you get better."
Another wave of pain ran through Yun, drawing out another strangled sob that she tried to stop from coming out. Yun felt embarrassed at how she was crying like a child but the pain wouldn't stop. She tried to curl in on herself, breathing deeply so that she wouldn't throw up. Nausea worked her way up her throat, but luckily stayed there, not coming up any further. An arm lifted her into a sitting position, and then moved so that a hand supported her head. A cup was brought to her lips and warm liquid filled her mouth. Swallowing was painful, but Yun managed.
"We have to go," Katara started, before Yun interrupted.
"Please don't go," she said, but her voice started slurring. Sleep was approaching quickly.
"I'm going to get her a room. Get her out of the infirmary" Yun heard Zuko say before she drifted off, true darkness taking over again.
The next time Yun woke up, she was feeling miles better. Opening her eyes, Yun saw a rich red canopy. Sighing, she sank deeper into plush pillows as her hands tightened into a thick blanket on top of her. The sun was shining through the gap in closed curtains.
Wondering what woke her, Yun soon got her answer when she listened. A roar of voices greeted her. Yun pushed the blanket aside and shimmied to the edge of the bed. Looking down, she saw that her left leg was bandaged until just under the knee, allowing her the mobility to still bend and unbend her knee. Gingerly getting up, Yun put all of her weight on one leg. Gently putting weight on her bandaged leg, Yun found she could put some weight on the leg before it became too painful. Hopping about, she couldn't find her old clothes anywhere. They were probably burnt and bloody anyways. However, that left her with nothing to wear except the white one piece she was currently wearing. Reaching mid calf and with mid length sleeves, it was modest enough, but Yun wasn't sure it was appropriate to wear something like it outside. She had never worn anything like it before.
Yun hopped over to the door, slowly opening it and peaking outside. She saw a corridor that led to an outside courtyard. That was where all the noise was coming from. Opening the door fully, Yun quickly limped outside, before transitioning to a hop when the pain became too much.
She saw many people of all nations gathering in the courtyard. Hoping her way around people, she saw some that she recognized. There was Batu, talking to another Southern Watertribe member, and there was the Mechanist. Yun squinted her eyes, trying to look for more familiar faces, when a hand clasped on her shoulder. Turning around with wide eyes, she saw Sokka's grinning face.
"Finally tired of sleeping," he asked playfully.
"Sokka," Yun exclaimed, hugging him in excitement. She hadn't seen him since before the war, and the ache in her heart somewhat receded but increased at the same time.
"Hi little sister," he said softly, gripping her tightly. Pulling away from her a little, he gestured to his bandaged left leg.
"Look, we match," he said excitedly. Before Yun could respond, she was distracted.
"Yun," another voice exclaimed.
"Katara," Yun said, turning towards the sound. Katara waved at her from her father's side. Hopping quickly over, Yun saw Toph, Haku, Teo, The Boulder, The Duke, everyone really.
"What's happening, Katara," Yun asked, looking around for Aang.
"Zuko's coronation. It's the day the new Firelord is going to be crowned."
"Seriously, already," Yun asked incredulously. Hadn't they just won the war?
"Yun, you've been asleep for almost a week," Katara said gently. Yun's eyes widened in shock. She had been gone for a week? What had happened to her?
Before Katara could explain, a hush fell over the crowd. A gong rang. Yun looked up to see Zuko step out. He looked . . . nice. Yun was unsure what she was feeling at the moment, but she pushed it down, chalking up her confusing feelings to her shock at being asleep for a week and the pain in her leg. Still, Zuko looked really good in Fire Nation formal clothing. Yun told her brain to shut up after that thought. As he stepped out on top of the stairs the crowd was facing, they all began to cheer.
Zuko held up a hand and said, "Please, the real hero is the Avatar." With that, Aang walked out, wearing his traditional Air nomad garb. Yun was struck with how grown up he looked, so different from who she had met a year ago.
It made her choke up just a little just knowing how much he had to have gone through. How much he had grown up. How much they all had grown up. Yun was sure her parents would be proud of her, wherever they were.
"Today, the war is finally over," Zuko said, followed by cheers from the crowd.
"I promised my uncle I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation, and I will," he continued. "The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting have left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love and peace."
With that, Zuko kneeled and a fire sage approached, holding the symbol of the Firelord with him.
With an exclamation of "All hail Firelord Zuko," Zuko was crowned amongst cheers from his friends and allies.
After the coronation, Zuko left immediately, but Aang joined his friends in the crowd. Yun hopped over to him and gave him a big hug.
"Yun, you're awake," he exclaimed, hugging her back.
"You look great, Aang," Yun said happily, nuzzling the top of his head with her cheek. She let him go and let him greet the others. Suki approached her and guided one of Yun's arms over her shoulder, so that she could support most of her weight.
"We need to get you a crutch, huh," she commented. Yun nodded, looking enviously at Sokka's.
"Do you think Sokka would miss his," Yun asked. Suki laughed.
"He's grown quite attached to it," she said. Yun sighed deeply. Katara and Aang approached them.
"Are you feeling okay," Katara asked. "Do you want to go back to bed?"
"I'm feeling fine, Katara" Yun huffed. "I've been sleeping for a week. I doubt I need more time in bed now."
"What I do need," Yun continued. "Is for you guys to tell me everything I missed."
The Gaang led her over to a bench in another part of the castle, considerably more quiet and private and began telling her everything.
"A lion turtle, seriously," Yun asked in disbelief. She didn't even know that they were still around.
"Yeah, it taught me how to energy-bend, so I took away Firelord Ozai's bending," Aang explained.
"Where is he now," Katara asked. Everyone looked amongst themselves and shrugged.
"You beat Azula," Sokka asked in shock. Yun guessed no one had time to share everything that had happened yet.
"Kind of," Katara said. "She was already unstable, and she had already tried to shoot lightning at me, and Zuko took the lightning instead-"
"She shot lightning at you," Aang yelled in disbelief while Yun simultaneously exclaimed, "Zuko got hit with lightning?"
"Yeah, it was terrifying in the moment," Katara shuddered. "But she's somewhere she can never hurt anyone else again."
"So where is she now," Sokka asked. The whole group looked amongst themselves and shrugged again.
Yun was partially through explaining what happened when she remembered something.
"The orphans," she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She quickly fell back onto the bench when her left leg protested the rough treatment.
"What," Toph asked.
"There were orphans in Ba Sing Se. They were in the middle of all the fighting. I got them to a house, but I don't know where they are now!" Yun felt horrible, guilt constricting her heart.
"They might be here," Suki said, putting a comforting hand on Yun's shoulder. "We were brought here with the remaining Fire Nation warships, and maybe they were brought as well."
"Do you know where they might be," Yun asked, trying to remember how many kids she had gotten out.
"No, sorry. Zuko might know? Or maybe General Iroh," Suki suggested. Yun nodded, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She would have to find out what happened to the kids, make sure they have a place to stay, and make sure they are feeling okay.
They all were talking still when a servant approached them.
"Here is a message from Firelord Zuko," she said, bowing. She handed off the letter to Aang before leaving. The group crowded around him to see what was written. Aang cleared his throat before he started reading.
"I have rooms arranged for you. Please ask a servant as to where you will be staying. Also, make Yun go back to bed." Yun scowled at that.
"I don't need to go to bed," Yun grouched. She felt fine, and she didn't need anyone to worry about her.
"Well, I do," Sokka said. "Where's your bed?"
With Suki's help, Yun traced her way back to the bedroom she was occupying. Toph whistled upon coming inside.
"That's a big room," she said admiringly.
"Feel the sheets," Yun encouraged excitedly. They all crowded on the bed, enjoying each other's company. Yun swore her heart had never felt more full.
"So what now," Aang asked, looking at the canopy above them. Yun looked up as well. They had gone through so much. There was constant travel, running from the Fire Nation, Zuko, Azula, and making their way towards their destiny. What was their destiny now?
"I want to go home, and maybe sleep for a million years," Sokka said.
"I want to go home too, and see Gran Gran. And spend time with Dad," Katara seconded.
"I need to find my parents," Yun said softly. Now the war was over, that was her destiny. She needed to find her parents and get back to the Southern Islands.
"So, we're splitting up," Toph said, her voice uncharacteristically small. A hush fell over the group.
"Well, can't we stay here a couple of more days," Suki said hesitantly. "Zuko gave us rooms, and we can actually enjoy the Fire Nation capital, you know? Without people trying to kill us?"
"Great idea," Sokka said, springing up. "Let's make the most of these days!" Suki let out a small laugh, sitting up to peck Sokka on the cheek. Yun smiled at the display while Toph mimicked throwing up. Yun looked over at Aang and Katara, and huffed out a little laugh. Faces close together, they lay on the bed fast asleep.
"We might have to wait a bit for exploring the capital," she said. In the end, they all crowded on the plush bed, falling asleep to the sound of each other's even breaths.
Over the next few days, Yun spent almost every minute with Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki. Zuko was nowhere to be found, but Yun assumed he had a lot to do, being the new Firelord and all. The group explored the streets of the Fire Nation, excitedly looking at all the things they didn't get to enjoy the last time they "visited". Shops were mostly closed, as a sort of independence holiday, so the group didn't see many Fire Nation citizens.
"I wonder what they think of me," Aang confessed.
"Probably nothing good. I mean you got rid of their firelord, and now nothing is ever going to be the same for them," Sokka said frankly, picking his teeth. Aang visibly deflated.
"You can't please everyone, Aang," Katara said gently, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You are a hero to most of the world, but not everyone understands that right now."
"Who cares what they think, Twinkletoes," Toph said carelessly.
"Yeah, what matters is what people close to you think," Suki said, nodding firmly. Aang shrugged. He was about to say more, when a messenger came up to them.
"A letter from Firelord Zuko," he said, bowing. He then gave the scroll to Aang and left promptly.
"I formally invite you to the opening of the Jasmine Dragon. Iroh," Aang read aloud.
"So it's not Zuko's invitation. It's Iroh's," Toph asked.
"I guess," Aang said, squinting at the message.
"Where is his tea shop," Suki asked, looking at the message again.
"I guess we're going to Ba Sing Se," Katara said.
When they arrived, Yun was surprised to see how pristine it looked. Granted, this was towards the northern part of the innermost wall, so there wasn't a lot of damage in the area. The Jasmine Dragon was painted a beautiful shade of green, and the interior was calming and plain, a few tables and chairs set up around the room.
They all cautiously entered, seeing how empty the building was.
"Hello," Aang called out. Zuko came out, dressed in green typical of Earth Nation garb.
"Sit down," he said cheerfully. "Uncle will be out in a moment. He's tuning." With an affection filled eye roll, he went to the back again. The Gaang looked at each other again, before shrugging at sitting down. By this point, Yun didn't need her crutch anymore, and all that was left of her injury was a burn marking on her leg. It travelled up from her ankle to her knee, and twinged at times. Katara had been helping her heal it, but it was just something that would take time.
Yun made her way to the back, peering in the doorway.
"Zuko, do you need any help," she offered.
"Could you pass-," Zuko started to say before sharply turning around. His eyes widened in surprise. "Yun, your leg! You need-,"
"I'm fine, I swear! It barely hurts-"
"Barely hurts? Where is your crutch?"
"Zuko, I'm fine- The tea kettle! The tea kettle is overflowing!"
A mad dash ensued, both Zuko and Yun rushing to get the tea kettle off of the heat. When Zuko placed the tea kettle safely away from the fire, Yun began to giggle.
"It's not funny," Zuko grouched, though the corner of his mouth twitched up.
"It's a little funny," Yun said through giggles. "You looked more freaked out over a boiling kettle than you did at your coronation." With that, Yun quickly sobered.
"Oh yeah, I have to refer to you as Firelord Zuko." She bowed. Zuko made a face.
"What," Yun asked, straightening up.
"It sounds weird when you say it."
"What do you mean," Yun asked, offended.
"Just call me Zuko," he said quickly, before turning to pour tea into cups. "And take these out for me."
Yun left the kitchen with a tray in her hands. She saw her friends lounging around the Jasmine Dragon, and she saw General Iroh with an instrument in his hands.
"Hello, General Iroh," she said, handing him a cup of tea.
"Just Iroh. I am a general no longer, just an owner of a tea shop."
"Honestly, that sounds cooler," Yun said, receiving a smile in return. She gave tea to everyone else, before returning to the kitchen with the empty tray. She saw Zuko cleaning up the kitchen, putting the tea leaves and kettle away.
Taking the tray from Yun, he said, "I have something to say to you, but it can wait. Let's enjoy this evening with our friends." With that he walked out of the kitchen towards their friends. Yun's eyebrows furrowed as she thought about what he could mean. What did he have to say to her? Was she in trouble?
"Yun, are you okay," Katara called out. Putting a smile on her face, Yun headed back to the tables to hang out with her friends.
Later, she followed Zuko out of the Jasmine Dragon. They were about to walk towards the sunset into an open area, when Yun started.
"Maybe we should go somewhere else," Yun said, turning around quickly. Zuko looked confused, still walking in that direction.
"Kissing! Aang. Katara. Kissing," Yun whispered, pointing to where the two were locked in a passionate embrace.
A blush slowly crept onto Zuko's face before he turned around quickly leading Yun to the back of the Jasmine Dragon. Yun's heart rate began to pick up. What did he want to talk about?
"Yun," Zuko said, not looking at her. He then awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Yes," Yun asked hesitantly, not sure if Zuko was waiting for an answer. Zuko stalled for a moment before taking a deep breath.
"Do you want, umm, do you, would you, want," Zuko started, before straightening up. "I would like to formally offer you a position of diplomat of the Southern Islands under the Crown of the Fire Nation."
Yun's jaw dropped.
Seeing her jaw drop, Zuko began to speak quickly.
"I don't have many people I can trust right now. Most of the staff in the palace were there under my father's rule. I want y- someone I can trust close to me right now, and you know so much about the Southern Islands."
"Zuko, I-," Yun started to say, before she was cut off.
"And your parents, I know you are still searching for them, but now you can do it with funds, you know? I thought about it all," Zuko said excitedly. However, that energy faded when he saw Yun's shocked face.
"I'll give you some time to think about it," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. He then turned and walked back into the Jasmine Dragon. Yun slumped onto the outer wall of the Jasmine Dragon.
The war was over and won. Aang fulfilled his destiny. The world was saved. Yun helped save Ba Sing Se. Now she needed to find her parents. She then remembered the look on Zuko's face when she didn't give her answer. He was all by himself, surrounded by people who sat by as he was banished at thirteen. Yun groaned in frustration, gripping her hair in her hands.
What was her next step?
Guys! I'm done with my first fanfiction ever! This is crazy, and I want to thank you for all the support you have shown me, with your views and reviews, and everything, even with my wildly weird upload schedule.
This fanfiction will be marked as complete, but I might go back and change grammatical errors as well as formatting.
For the sequel, I am planning on fleshing out Yun's personality more, now that I don't have to follow canonical events. I do plan on Zuko and Yun getting together officially in the sequel, but it might take time, hee hee.
Also please let me know about characters you want to return in the sequel. They can be super minor characters to more major ones.
Thank you once again, and see you later!
