Chapter 90: Finding the Dragon

A server had seated Zuko at a small table beside a window. There was a small vase with flowers in the middle of the table, and light filtered through the panes of glass.

The server bowed to Zuko. She said, "Master Mushi will be with you presently with his recommendations."

Zuko inclined his head to her. "Thank you."

The server smiled and departed.

Zuko stared out of the window, which was why he was completely unprepared for the voice that came from his left side.

"Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon!" The voice said jubilantly. "Now I judge you to be a jasmine man, am I right?"

Zuko turned fully in his chair. He gasped, "Uncle?"


Honi stuck her head into the kitchen. "New customer, Master Mushi. I've sat him over by the window."

Iroh looked up from his teapots and smiled at the girl. "Thank you, Honi. I'll be out to greet him in a moment."

Honi smiled and exited.

Iroh took a deliberate breath, stabilising the flames underneath each teapot, and then followed after her.

He immediately saw the new customer; a young man in profile, the sun behind him casting him in shadow, though Iroh could see a patch covering the man's left eye, obscured slightly his dark hair. He wore light armour, Earth Kingdom make, and there was a set of Dao swords positioned on his left hip. A swordsman. Unusual for the Upper Ring, and even more so for Iroh's teashop.

He approached, plastering on his usual smile, and said, "Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon! Now, I judge you to be a jasmine man, am I right?"

Iroh was unprepared for the young man to turn, revealing a hauntingly familiar face.

He was even less prepared for the ghost before him to whisper, "Uncle?"


Iroh had all but collapsed into the chair opposite Zuko's. He couldn't take his eyes off of his Nephew. His Nephew who should, by all rights, be dead. Iroh thanked Agni and all other Spirits profusely that the boy lived, but he could not understand how it could be.

He voiced his thoughts. "My dear, dear Nephew. How… I thought you were dead."

Zuko nodded. "I… I thought the same of you. I heard about the assassin."

Iroh's lip curled. "I got the better of the assassin. Your father announced otherwise."

Zuko nodded again. "That makes sense."

Iroh frowned at the boy. "You seem less surprised to see me than I am to see you, dear Nephew."

Zuko smiled slightly. Iroh thought his heart might break; while much had visibly changed about Zuko, his smile hadn't. It was so very like his Mother's.

Zuko said, "I… had a vision. In a swamp. It suggested that you were alive. Then Azula all but confirmed it."

Zuko frowned and continued, "When I say it out loud, it sounds thin."

Iroh chuckled, a little wetly. Zuko joined in. Iroh said, "But how are you alive? You were sent to Osaru with the 41st. The entire division was massacred, and you were just a child. I saw the reports myself."

Zuko looked away, though Iroh saw a horribly familiar expression on the boy's face. He'd seen it on the faces of countless soldiers who'd served under him; shame, regret, guilt. His heart broke a little more.

Zuko said, "I-I don't know how I survived. We were approaching the walls of the stronghold and the Earthbenders began bombarding us. There was some sort of explosive in the mix. I blacked out. When I woke up…"

Zuko shook his head. "I was the only survivor of my company. Perhaps I was the only survivor of the 41st. I don't know."

Iroh reached across and placed his hand on Zuko's arm, squeezing gently. The boy flinched slightly at the contact, but relaxed into it quickly.

Iroh said, "It matters little how you survived, Nephew; I am just so very glad that you did. I have spent these past three years believing you had perished."

Zuko smiled sadly. "That's sort of what I wanted, Uncle. I wanted them to think I was dead. I… deserted after that attack. Just walked away from the battlefield. I didn't even realise what I was doing until I'd already done it. My feet just made the decision for me."

Iroh smiled. "Then I thank Agni that your feet had such foresight."

Zuko returned the smile shakily.

Iroh continued, "What intrigues me is your purpose in Ba Sing Se? In the Upper Ring no less? It is difficult to gain entry here."

Zuko replied, "I could ask the same of you. And, really, the Jasmine Dragon? A little obvious, isn't it?"

Iroh laughed. "I am hiding in plain sight. Besides, Mushi is a harmless, old tea-seller. Nothing to fear or worry about."

"Still doesn't explain how you got here."

Iroh shrugged. "My talents for tea were recognised and capitalised on. I… had reason to be in the city and saw it as an opportunity to further my own goals."

Zuko nodded. "I suppose I should tell you about my… travelling companions? Friends? It is difficult to think what word to use."

Iroh smiled. "I am pleased to hear that you have been making friends, Nephew. You were such a solitary child."

Zuko's face sobered. "That was hardly my choice, Uncle."

Iroh sighed. "No, it wasn't. Still, I am glad that you have corrected such matters. Tell me about your friends. How did you meet them."

Zuko smiled again. "It's kind of an interesting story."


It boggled Iroh's mind. Zuko, his nephew, was travelling with the Avatar. His nephew was the one-eyed, Firebending swordsman that he'd been receiving reports about for months. Astounding.

Zuko had reluctantly departed the Jasmine Dragon, returning to the Avatar's compound.

Iroh was in his office, having closed the shop up early and given his employees the rest of the day off.

"Zuko is alive." He muttered to himself.

It was… a miracle. He could think of no other way to describe it. A gift from the Spirits themselves; though, he had never known them to be so generous before. They had not been so kind when it came to Lu Ten.

Iroh shook his head. One miracle was enough, and he would not trade one child for another, even if he could. Zuko was enough.

His mind went, as it often did these days, to the Avatar. He had been planning on keeping his distance, however that plan would no longer be feasible.

He wondered how far along in his elemental training the boy was, whether he was ready for Fire. He hadn't been when Jeong Jeong encountered him; though Avatar Roku had manifested and pressured his friend into teaching the boy and kindling his inner flame. It had ended before it ever truly began, though, thanks to Zhao.

Iroh knew the Avatar had to master the elements in the right order, and in the right way. Being born an Airbender, the Avatar had mastered that element first; it should have made his heart light, and given him a taste and desire for freedom. It would make him open to life's challenges and mysteries. Water would allow him to adapt and change, making him quick to react to any situation. It would teach him connection. Earth would ground him, given him a solid foundation from which he could defend. Earth would make him strong. Only then would he be ready for Fire; the element of power and ambition. It would give him the passion and drive to achieve his goals.

However, if the boy's training were lax in the other elements, then the Fire would burn him up. He would be ill prepared to handle his inner flame and it could consume him and everyone he loved. Air would fuel his flames, Water would turn to steam, and Earth would become molten. The Avatar needed to be trained well before he was ready for Fire. Such was the Path of all Avatars.

Iroh considered the reading he'd done, in the Order's records, about the Avatars that failed to stick to their Path. He thought of Avatar Kima, an Earth Avatar, who'd lived approximately one thousand years ago. She had learned Waterbending before she was ready and had been lost to the currents; and she had taken a large part of the Earth Kingdom with her in a monstrous tidal wave. Kima had failed to properly master Fire, which meant that she lacked a counterbalance for Water.

Iroh shook his head. He would assess the boy, Aang, soon. He would judge whether the Avatar was ready for Firebending.

That reminded him, he would have to assess Zuko's bending too; he couldn't imagine his Nephew's bending had progressed much past the point he was at at age thirteen. Iroh would have to rectify that, especially if Azula pursued her brother.

Iroh sighed and pulled a sheet of parchment towards him. The Order would have to be informed of the situation, of Zuko's survival, his connection to the Avatar, and with regards Iroh's intentions to assess the boy's training and progress. He considered who to correspond with; Bumi would have been his first choice, given the King's friendship with the Avatar however he was still… indisposed. Jeong Jeong was currently out of communication, as was Mohn. Sayah would no doubt disagree with his course of action, as she was very traditional, but he would have to inform her anyway; as guardian of Kaihua Fortress, she held an important in the Order's ranks. Pao should also be told, as de facto head of the Ba Sing Se Chapter, as should Pakku. Iroh debated telling the Guru, but decided against it; to send messages to the Eastern Air Temple was risky, especially when it was highly likely that Pathik knew the situation from his meditations.

Iroh shook his head. He had to keep his messages out small in number, so as not to attract too much attention from the Dai Li. Masters Sayah and Pakku, and Pao. That would have to do, for now. They could inform the rest of the Order at their own discretion.

He wrote the messages out, carefully encrypting them, and addressing them appropriately. Master Sayah's was care of Galo at the Great Divide, as all messages went through him before reaching the Fortress. The last Iroh had heard, Master Pakku was docked temporarily halfway down the western coast of the Earth Kingdom, en route to the South Pole. And Pao's message could be sent through Ba Sing Se's internal postal service.

He nodded to himself and sealed the scrolls with candle wax. He set them aside, ready to send out later, when the sun began to set.

Iroh looked out of his office window and sighed softly.

Zuko was alive.