I Don't Own Miraculous or Avatar.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Prince of Destruction

Zuko was tired of being an outlaw. The other morning, Zuko and Iroh had been cornered by the rough rhinos. Luckly, the duo had managed to escape. Apparently, Iroh had once been old friends with the Rough Rhinos. Zuko didn't really care. He just wanted to stop being attacked by people from his own nation. That same night, Iroh declared that they would head to the Misty Palms Oasis, wear one of his old friends would be able to help with their current… problem.

Now, Zuko found himself inside a tavern full of mercenaries from all over the world. He glanced around warily. If these guys recognized them… more specifically... recognized his scar, they would be in serious danger.

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

"Well, so do we. Ah, this is interesting, I think I've found my old friend." Iroh pointed at an old man who was playing Pai Sho with another man in a strangely purple kimono.

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?" Zuko asked in annoyance. Honestly. His uncle needed properties. Once, he'd stopped Zuko's warship to look for a stupid white lotus Pai Sho tile. The man had an addiction that seriously needed addressed, especially, since they were definitely broke.

"I don't think this is a gamble." Iroh said simply, walking up to the pair.

"May I have next game?" Iroh asked the man in purple. The man glanced over at the older man.

"Gabriel, if you would be so kind?" The older man asked. The man in purple shrugged and moved over so Iroh could play.

"The guest has the first move." The old man said. Iroh smiled, pulling out the White Lotus tile that had cause Zuko so much trouble earlier that year. He placed it in the center of the board.

"I see you favor the White Lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

"Those who do can always find a friend." Iroh said. What?

"Then let us play." The two began to move their pieces in record time, as if they had memorized the pattern. They finished, leaving a picture of a lotus in tiles.

"Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who those who knows her secrets. I am Yung. This is our newest member, Gabriel of the Agreste household." Okay. What!?

"What are you gasbags talking about?!" Zuko asked. He was seriously confused now. The White Lotus tile actually did something important? Seriously? That stupid little tile was actually important? Why did his uncle fail to mention this until now?"

"I always did try to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game." Iroh skillfully turned the tile in his fingers and placed it back into his sleeve. Zuko went to ask more, but two men stormed up to the Pai Sho table angrily.

"You two fugitives are coming with us." The gruffer looking of the two ordered. Gabriel suddenly stood up.

"I knew it! You two are wanted criminals with a bounty on your heads!" He yelled.

"I thought you said they would help!" Zuko hissed at his uncle, going for his duel blades.

"They are, just watch." Iroh said, forcing Zuko to put his hands back down gently.

"You think you are going to capture them and collect all that gold?" Yung yelled. Suddenly all eyes were on them.

"Gold?" Everyone was drawing their knives, ready to take Zuko and Iroh into custody. Seriously, how was this helping?! Zuko wanted to reach for his swords again, but Iroh fixed him with a stern look. In the next instant, all chaos broke loose. Men began fighting each other for the chance to take Zuko and Iroh to the Fire Lord. Yung smiled, motioning for Zuko, Gabriel, and Iroh to follow. The exited the tavern unscathed.

"Hmm. And I thought my days of purposefully creating negative emotions were over." Gabriel chuckled, as if making an inside joke.

"You can sense even their fighting form here?" Yung asked Gabriel in surprise.

"A gift and curse, I'm afraid. In this war torn world, I have to be careful which emotions I focus on, or it could be harmful to my mental health. Luckly, Iroh has enough positivity to him to block out the greater portions of the negative emotions, but even a man as hopeful and Iroh has his grief and sorrow." Gabriel replied.

"Ah, so you are Gabriel, the spirit-friend… a Miraculous holder right? At least that's what Yung's message told me you were." Iroh said.

"Yes, I am." Gabriel replied, "Come on. We don't have much time. The members have already gathered in the back. Since I am not officially a member yet, despite Yung explaining things to me, I can't be considered one until a Grand Lotus approves. I'll stay with Zuko and keep watch. They'll be looking for you." The two strange men led Zuko and Iroh to a flowershop of all places. Yung let them in before locking the door to the shop behind them.

"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." Yung said kindly. Zuko was confused and annoyed. Why were they in a silly flower shop? Who even owned a flower shop at the edge of the desert? What was his uncle going on about? What was going on?

"Now that you've played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is this club going to offer some real help?" Zuko demanded. Gabriel glared over at him. Zuko shut up. Gabriel's stern glare sent chills down his spine. There was something really off about the man. Zuko didn't like this guy at all.

"Forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts." Iroh said quickly. Yung nodded.

"I understand. Come." Yung brought them to a back room and promptly knocked. A little peephole opened and a man called out.

"Who knocks at the guarded gate?" He asked.

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries." His uncle replied. The door opened and Yung and Iroh went in. Zuko began to, but Gabriel stopped him.

"Members only. We can't go in." Gabriel said sternly. Zuko groaned, leaning against on of the shelves to wait.

"This is a waste of time…" Zuko muttered under his breath. Thankfully, Gabriel didn't seem to hear him.

"So you are Prince Zuko, huh? You are much younger than I imagined. A little younger than my own son. Too young to be in such a position." Gabriel said. Zuko scowled.

"I am not weak." He growled.

"I didn't say you were. I said you were young. And so many negative emotions. It's sad. You seem like a boy who once held so much hope and joy. But the scarring of your past has turned your heart from righteous to uncertain. Right and wrong are a blur to you. You no longer know what is good anymore. Because of this, you fight both sides. You walk a hard path. You try to prove yourself to men who do not deserve to decide your fate. To decide whether or not you are worthy or honorable."

"You know nothing about me." Zuko growled.

"I once was like you. I lost sight of right and wrong and I just fought, until finally darkness completely consumed me. I became someone I wasn't. Then. I realized my mistake and I am working to make amends." Gabriel looked down, "But in a way, I will also never really understand you. I never understood my own son. How could I hope to understand another man's son? Especially, one who has been scorn so badly by a man who had no right to do so. I'm just as bad as your father, boy. I will warn you. I've rejected my own son and scorned him constantly because I thought it to him good. Little did I know my son was the foe all along, and I had lost myself trying to kill him. Ironic and funny, really. That my wrath would carry me so far. I didn't kill him. He doesn't know what I've done. But he will one day. I only hope he will have the heart to forgive me, but I know I don't deserve that from a man like him." Zuko peered at the man in confusion.

"Jeesh. I didn't want to hear your life story. Now shut up while those old men discuss. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible." Zuko grumbled.

"Hmm. If you really want that." Gabriel leaned back against a shelf, fingering the tiny purple brooch on his kimono in uncertainty. Zuko glared at him, annoyed with his fidgeting. It was distracting him from… well… nothing really, but it was annoying him.

"Could you stop messing with that thing?" He growled.

"I apologize. I was simply thinking. Mostly about my son. He's in Ba Sing Se right now. He's looking for his Lady, even now I can sense he is desperate. He is confused. He just wants to be with the one he loves the most. But she isn't in the city… not yet… She's nearby. In distress. The desert. I feel her there, but without my Guāng Papillon, I am uncertain how desperate her situation is. At the time, it seems wisest to send my butterfly to watch over my son, but if his Lady is in danger… well, I might have to recall it. I have yet to use my Transformation power since I came to the Oasis, but I think I may need to very soon."

"What the heck are you talking about?" Zuko snapped. Butterflies? Lady? The desert? Transformation? How was it possible for there to be a man more cryptic than his uncle?

"Nothing you would understand. I'll have to recall the butterfly, unfortunately. I was hoping to better pinpoint Adrien, but knowing he is in the lower ring will do enough. If his Lady perishes because of my neglectance, he will never forgive me. Excuse me, I must return to my room for a few minutes, if you do not mind." Gabriel left with that.

"Good riddance." Zuko snorted. He stood in silence, mostly thinking about how obnoxious his newest situation was. He knew Azula was crazy, but he hadn't expected her to volunteer to hunt him and his uncle down. Zuko shook his head.

Nothing had been the same since grandfather died, since mother vanished. Nothing. Azula suddenly was the best. Without mother to correct Ozai and remind him that Zuko was his son too, Zuko became an outlet of Ozai fury. Constantly being told that he was worthless and would never deserve the throne he was supposed to one day inhabit. Constantly reminded that he was always the second best. Constantly mocked and told that he would never amount to anything. The war would kill him before he had the chance to fight in it, just like with his cousin. Azula would be Fire Lord and he would be forgotten. A mere name in the history books. He was nothing in his father's eyes. On day, he had enough. He told himself he'd prove his worth. He trained constantly. And if he wasn't as good at firebending as Azula? He would be better at other things. He took up sword play. Learned knives. Practiced every single day. He got good at fighting. Better at surviving. One of the most accomplished dual sword wielders at only thirteen.

Of course, in Ozai's eyes, learning the swords and knives wasn't enough. He had to be a good firebender. No, he had to be the best. The Fire Lord was expected to be the best, and as Ozai's heir, he had to be the best. So then he trained at that, but was never good enough. Never strong enough. He couldn't do anything to earn his father's love. Azula always deserved it more than he did. He gave up on beating Azula at firebending eventually. He decided he would learn how to be a good leader instead. That was his fatal mistake. He had begged to be at the war meeting that ruined his life. Only he knew he couldn't let all of those soldiers die. A good leader wouldn't. So he spoke. He stood. He fought. He held strong. But then, when seeing his father… a man who he had yet to earn love from… he froze. He knew he wasn't good enough. He wasn't strong enough. He wasn't worthy of facing the Fire Lord. He was unworthy of his love. He couldn't firebend well enough. He knew it. In an instant, he'd already lost the fight. He surrendered. Begging for his father's love. For his forgiveness. His own fault. He was too weak.

Now, the Fire Nation knew it too. Everyone knew it. Because he was weak, he got burned. He deserved to be burned. But if he got the Avatar… then he would be strong. Stronger than Azula. Stronger than his father. He would be worthy to be called Ozai's son. He would triumph, and the world would love him once more. Until then… he had to keep his weakness hidden and hope no one saw it. He would keep pushing everyone away, or they would get close and know how unworthy and unhonorable he really was. Only uncle was aloud to see. After all, uncle loved him despite the weakness. He wished his father did too, but that wasn't how the world worked. Nothing was free. Everything was earned. Iroh was just the exception.

"I'm sorry that you feel love is something you earn." Zuko jumped. Gabriel had returned from whatever he'd been doing, Zuko had been to lost in thoughts to notice. He had a concerned look on his face, but his expression was still cold and difficult to truly read.

"Tell me, Zuko… do you think my son also believes love must be earned as you do? I hope not… but I am afraid he might. It's my own fault I suppose. I only hope his Lady won't reject him… or things will be worse. Zuko, I warn you now, if you continue blaming yourself for your father's poor and cruel behavior, you will lose yourself. You did nothing to deserve any of this. You are a boy. A boy who shouldn't have to worry about this… war. You shouldn't have to earn your father's love. A father's love should be unconditional. He should protect you and prepare you for the world. If your father doesn't love or protect you, then I suppose you've been calling the wrong man your father." Gabriel said, not even waiting for Zuko to speak. Zuko stared at the man with wide eyes. How had he known the exact things he'd been thinking through? He showed no indications of it. He didn't even know this man. Before Zuko could ask, the door opened and Iroh came out.

"What's going on, is the club meeting over?" Zuko asked.

"Everything is taken care of. We're heading to Ba Sing Se." Iroh said, smiling over at Gabriel.

"Ba Sing Se? Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?"

"The city is filled with refugees. No one will notice three more." That made sense… wait three?!

"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 the city."

"I have the passports," Gabriel said, "But those men are still outside looking for them."

"Wait a second… who's the third person!? I thought Uncle and I were the only ones…"

"Gabriel is coming with us." Iroh explained, "He has been assigned to establish the communications in Ba Sing Se. He has… special talents that would make this job very easy for him. Don't worry about it. Now, can you fit into this flower pot?"

"What?!"