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~The Desert~

Ryuu POV

As soon as the storm had passed over, Iroh told us to head to a Sand bending community at the edge of the Si Wong Desert. I was excited, as I had never been to a desert - let alone seen Sand benders. My great-uncle was a Sand bender, but he died before I had been born.

Iroh groaned as he clutched his left arm (seriously, left again, something must be wrong with all of us) and gave extravagant death throws. I was jogging alongside the Ostrich horse and pushed Iroh back on everytime he nearly all off; Zuko and I were taking turns to ride and run the Ostrich.

"Maybe we should make camp," Zuko huffed.

Iroh put his hand to his forehead, "No please, don't stop just for me!"

I snikered at Iroh's melodramatic performance but Zuko was steaming with rage. Literally. He pulled the Ostrich to a halt in a clearing and went to help me on, but the creature got startled. It trotted in a circle - dumping me onto the floor. Zuko rolled his eyes.

"What now? A mercenaries? " He moaned sarcastically as he helped me up.

His sarcastic comment came all to true as out of the woods burst five angry mercenaries riding Kimono rhinos. He swore loudly as they circled us. Iroh dismounted the Ostrich Horse and raised his miraculously healed arm to wave at the leader of the group.

"Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise!"

"If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps," Mongke sneered. What is it with bad guys and sneering?

Zuko turned his head over his shoulder, "You know these guys?"

Iroh beamed and pointed at each member in turn, "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."

Mongke raised a fist at us. Zuko slid into a Firebending stance in response and I raised my Ji in a protective way behind him. The leader growled:

"We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives!"

Iroh lifted his teapot to show Mongke, "Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kahchi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?"

Mongke wasn't impressed. He gave the order to round us up to his men. A chain whistled at Iroh, but he dodged it and somehow wrapped it around the senders ankle. He was dragged away by his own Rhino. An arrow was shot at Zuko, but he deflected it and burnt the bow in two. A guy with a Guan Dao came at me - I blocked his first strike and kicked the back of his knee.

He toppled over but sliced at my ankles. I leapt over the attack and smacked my Ji down into the shaft of the pole axe. It splintered the head off completely. He raced back to his Rhino and together, they crashed back into the woods.

Someone grabbed the scruff of my collar and dragged me along. Initially, I faught, until I realized it was Iroh and Zuko on the Ostrich Horse. A grenade flew towards us, but I kicked it back at the sender - who fled in panic.

Iroh smiled as we rushed through the forest, "It's nice to see old friends. "

Zuko hauled me onto the Ostrich horse and sat me infront of him. He glanced backwards.

"Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you."

"Hmmm ... Old friends that don't want to attack me ..." He pondered.

The trees raced past and we were heading in roughly the direction of the Si Wong desert. Soon, the trees thinned out and gave way to vast sand banks. I gasped in awe at the shifting earth - desperately wanting to touch it, see how it felt. Zuko gripped my shoulders. He didn't allow me to jump off until we arrived at an Oasis.

It was extremely run down and a block of melted ice sat in the square. We entered a bar and Zuko recoiled from the stench. Rotten fruit and some sort of animal droppings. Iroh scanned the bar for a 'friend ' - which I sincerely hoped wouldn't try to kill us.

"No one here is going to help us. These people just look like filthy wanderers."

"Pfft. Have you smelt yourself lately, " I laughed. Zuko glared daggers at me. Iroh led us towards a table.

He gestured for us to sit, "Ah, this is interesting. I think I found our friend."

There were only two seat and the ground looked covered in a carpet of unknown faeces and occasionally blood. It was trampled up into a disgusting mess. Zuko took the empty seat while I was contemplating the lack of hygiene of the Broadswords guy behind the counter.

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?"

Iroh winked at the elderly man who sat across from him, "I don't think this is a gamble."

To spite Zuko, among many factors including my legs ached badly, I sat on Zuko's right leg. He blinked at me but made no move to push me off - in fact, he put one arm around my waist. Iroh spred an arm out to man on the other side on the board.

"May I have this game?"

"The guest has the first move."

Iroh carefully picked up the lotus tile and placed it in the centre of the board.

"I see you favor the white lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways," The other man cupped one hand towards Iroh.

Iroh cryptically replied, "Those who do can always find a friend."

He mirrored the other mans hand cupping gesture. Zuko glanced up at me and me down at him.

"Then let us play, " The old man spread out his arms. They both shifted peices as fast as they could into the shape of a lotus flower. Zuko stared at it in awe, but also frustration at the cryptic nature of it all. I shared his amazement. Iroh leaned back as the elderly man grinned widely.

"Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets."

Zuko had had enough of the cryptic things, "What are you old gasbags talking about?"

I swatted the arm he had around my waist and got up. He grumbled under his breath and crossed both his legs and arms. Iroh rolled a lotus tile over his fingers and caught it between his thumb and ring finger.

"I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game."

Someone grabbed my shoulder and squeezed it so tightly I got pins-and-needles in my arm. A man bellowed in my ear:

"It's over! You three fugitives are coming with me!"

The man Iroh had previously been playing with got up and stood between Iroh and the two angry men. He put an arm akimbo and waggled the other finger at us.

"I knew it! You three are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!"

Zuko grabbed me from the Bounty hunter's vice-like grip, "I thought you said he would help!"

Iroh had a plain smile on his serene face, "He is. Watch."

Every single person in there turned to him with a collective whisper of gold. Iroh closed his eyes and widened his smile. Zuko shot to his feet and slipped his hand into mine. I flushed as he held my hand tightly.

One of the men attacking us hissed to his companion, "Uh ... Maybe we shouldn't."

His companion didn't listen. He went to grab Iroh but got smacked on the face with a rock. Sandbenders kept to there feet and the bar exploded into a chaotic scene. We took the chance to slip out of the bar unseen, following the Pai sho man.

...

"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."

We were stood in a flower shop, not the place I utterly expected for a secrect headquarters but good pun. Also, flower shop in the desert? Anyway, the man - who introduced himself as Fung - bowed to Iroh deeply. He grinned and went to the back of the shop. Zuko exhaled sharply.

"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 ?"

I narrowed my eyes at Zuko; he just crossed his arms and pouted at his Uncle. Iroh wafted his hand.

"You must forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts."

We were led to a door by Fung. He knocked twice and a peep hole slid open. Two suspicious eyes glared out at us. The eyes widened when they saw Iroh.

"Who knocks at the guarded gate ?"

Iroh held one finger up, "One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries."

Fung led Iroh through the door, but when Zuko and I tried to enter, Iroh pushed us back. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"I'm afraid it's members only. Wait out here."

I sunk to the floor as Zuko leant against the table. He picked up a blue orchid from a rack behind him and dangled it infront of my eyes. I took it from him and screwed my nose up.

"Why did you give me-"

" Because I'm sorry about yesterday, alright?" He snapped. I twirled the flower in my fingers.

"Why? Zuko... you needed to just let it out. Nothing to be ashamed of."

He huffed, "Pfft, you sound like Uncle... But- but in truth I'm sorry about just being a jerk. I am just a massive jerk."

The Blue Orchid would be hard to carry without damaging, so I tucked it into my plait to keep it safe.

"You're only a jerk sometimes. Occasionally you can actually be... friendly? Hospitable? Approachable? Approachable."

He chortled and leaned further back on the table to smell the flower that sat in a vase. We waited a few more minutes for Iroh to come out of the meeting - Zuko insisted on calling it a 'Club' meeting. Although that doesn't really do the White Lotus any justice.

"What's taking them so long?" He growled.

I shrugged and examined the rows of flowers before me, "Who knows. Cryptic club stuff?"

"I know that. But why so long?"

"You sound like a whiny kid, " I stared up at him teasingly. He rolled his eyes, exadurating. He lay back on the table and soon began snoring. The door to the mysterious room clicked open, starting him from his sleep. He flailed around into a defensive pose.

"Wha- What's going on? Is the club meeting over ?"

I snorted at his half-asleep defence, "Yes, sleeping beauty."

He let his arms down as Iroh grinned and told us about the plan.

"Everything is taken care of. We're heading to Ba Sing Se."

"Ba Sing Se? Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital ?" Zuko's jaw dropped.

Fung put his hands together and made a slight gesture towards me - "The city is filled with refugees. No one will notice two more."

"Two... but I'm going as well right?"

I crossed my arms at Fung. He nodded, "As far as anyone is concerned, you already live there and are merely just escorting two friends."

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. Somehow, this old man Fung had secured some sort of living arrangement. I didn't know where or how, but by the smirk on his face, it proved it.

"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 shrugged happily.

The shop bell rung and another White Lotus member - holding three sheets of yellowed paper - placed to Fung. He announced: " I have the passports for our guests, but there are two men out on the street looking for them."

Fung nodded and gestured to two large flower pots and a brownish scarf. We nodded and donned our disguises, ready to be taken to Ba Sing Se.