Chapter 23: The Order of the White Lotus

Jin got her first drink before anyone else made it inside the shady Earth Kingdom bar. The bartender winked at her and slid her a mug full of something strong. She really didn't care about the annoying wanting look in his eyes. She needed a drink too much after this terrible day.

She couldn't really blame Aang for his hesitancy to take a life. After all, only a few months ago she had emptied her stomach into the middle of an upper ring street at the mere sight of death. She also knew from experience that Lee's pep talks about becoming a murderer were slightly less than helpful.

Aang's actions today reminded her of just how much she had changed. She wasn't sure if this change within her was for the better, or if she would wish such a terrible power into the hands of a boy so young. But it had to be done.

Didn't it?

Yes. It did.

She sighed. Aang was just a little kid. Putting that much pressure on him was unfair. Maybe they should have been a little more understanding. Maybe their hearts were just too cold to accept the sweet ideas to which Aang still clung. They were too jaded. They were too callous.

She couldn't really blame him for running away. She certainly wouldn't have disappeared to allow her city to be burnt to the ground. But she couldn't bring herself to be mad at him.

When none of them had been successful finding Aang, the group (of course) had turned to Lee. He was stunned to realize that they wanted him - they needed him - to guide them. He really shouldn't have been surprised; he was a solid leader and he had proved himself to the group several times over.

As they had flown towards the Earth Kingdom, she could make out something else in his eyes: pride. His years of chasing the Avatar were coming in handy. And this group thought that he had done a good job of tracking him, something that he never believed himself. They had accepted him enough to look back on the past with an unbiased eye.

Jin was proud of him too.

She was proud of him until he brought them to a seedy Earth Kingdom bar. Then she was just confused. Was this really the time to be drinking themselves silly?

Yes. Yes it was.

Lee grabbed her arm, gave her an irritated look, and pulled her away from the bar. Huh, maybe they weren't there to get toasted. That made a bit of sense. If they were going to have one last party, she could think of much better places to have it.

Sokka had followed her lead and came up to her with another drink as they approached a far table. "Cheers." They clinked cups and chugged. She loved Sokka. Had she told him that lately?

The woman in the back raised an eyebrow at them. "Oh great. It's Prince Pouty. Where's your creepy grandpa?"

Jin snorted. Creepy grandpa. Tee Hee!

Lee ignored her. The bounty hunter surveyed the group and smirked. "I see you worked things out with your girlfriend."

Lee gave his typical response, this time in stereo with Katara, and Jin inspected the pair with squinted eyes. She whispered to Sokka – or at least she intended to whisper, "You know, I still don't see it."

"I know. Right? What's wrong with people?"

"I don't know. She's way too good for him."

Sokka nodded knowingly and when they returned their attention back to the proceedings, Lee looked exasperated, Katara looked horrified, and Jun looked amused.

"Are you drunk already?" Lee snapped.

"No. I'm being very serious. Entirely sober." Sokka nodded along enthusiastically. Lee rolled his eyes, took her mug away from her, and placed a steadying hand on her elbow. "I just think you two would make a terrible couple" she continued as Sokka nodded again. "You would just fight all the time."

"We fight all the time!"

"But she wouldn't put up with your crap."

"Why are we talking about this right now?"

Jin shrugged. "She brought it up." She pointed at Jun who raised her glass in a toast.

"Arg!"

"You should be nicer to your girlfriend or she'll leave you like the last one." This time Jun raised her glass to Katara, who was turning a brighter shade of red every moment. Jin giggled.

"This is serious!" Lee shouted.

Jin blinked at him. "I know."

"Then what are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"You're giggling while the whole world is about to end."

"It's not the worst way to go down."

Her third drink was after they discovered that Aang was gone. Suki and Toph joined in this time in a communal drink-and-mope while Lee dug through his bag, already working on a contingency plan.

"Hey!" Jin said, "You're twelve."

"And you, Lightweight, are observant," Toph countered.

"No. I mean you shouldn't be drinking."

She shrugged. "Why not? The world's gonna end tomorrow afternoon."

Alright. She had to give her that one.

That's when Lee appeared holding a sandal.

Jin's face lit up. "Mushi's shoe! Oh! He'll know exactly what to do."

Lee frowned at her. "You recognize his sandal?"

She ignored him. "This is perfect! It's almost poetic that you and Mushi are going to be the ones to take that bastard down."

"Sokka, what is this stuff she's been drinking?"

He shrugged. "Something awesome."

"It's pretty good" Suki said, taking a delicate sip.

"Wait a second" Sokka said a bit too loudly. "We're getting off track. You saved your Uncle's sweaty sandal?"

"I think it's kinda sweet" Suki sighed.

"Or kinda weird" Toph put in.

"Hey! Jin's the one that packed it."

Jin rolled her eyes. "Only because I know you like to snuggle with it."

"I do not!"

"I thought you'd want something to remember him by."

"And a picture just wouldn't do?"

"Hey. That sandal's gonna save all of us, so quit complaining."

Their celebratory fourth round was very quick as they really were in a bit of a hurry. Katara joined them at last as she wasn't prudish enough to scorn a drink to success. Lee took Toph's drink away from her to down it himself, causing Toph to punch Sokka and take his drink. Suki was sweet enough to let the spluttering boy share hers.

Jin wasn't drunk enough to miss the appreciative twitch to Lee's mouth as he looked at her.

The wind on Aapa's back sobered her up rather quickly. Or maybe it was the fact that they were heading towards Ba Sing Se, with its crumbled wall and its thousands of inhabitants who would soon be burning. Or maybe it was the realization that they were going to have to fight like crazy for their survival, and they may very well not live to see another sun set.

She slipped out of the saddle to take a seat on Aapa's head just behind Lee. Her arms wrapped around his chest and her cheek rested against his shoulder.

Every muscle in her body was singing with tension. Someone (Genki? Smellerbee?) once told her that the eerie calm before the battle was the worst part. She wasn't sure if that was true, but she recognized that it was pretty bad.

Being near Lee made it slightly better. He squeezed her hand and raised his body temperature slightly to keep her warm, to calm her ever so slightly. They didn't need to speak. They both knew what they would say. 'The stars are beautiful. Too bad we'll never see them again.' 'It will all be alright.' 'Please stay safe and come home alive.' 'I love you so very much.'

Below them the dark figure of Jun and her shirshu raced across the landscape, unheeded by any natural obstacle. The outer wall of Ba Sing Se grew steadily closer and larger, until it towered over them. Lee squeezed her hand one last time before hopping off the bison.

It was in that moment of uncertainty and tension when they stood at the foot of the dark, intimidating wall that had once been impenetrable that they found help from the least likely source. It was then that Mushi's pai sho friends were finally given a name: the Order of the White Lotus. She could have laughed at the lunacy of it. She could have laughed hysterically just to release some of her pent up emotions.

Late that night she sat alone by the fire in the middle of camp, unable to sleep. She knew that she should probably be resting up for the battle tomorrow, but she found staring at the hypnotic flames much more calming than gazing up at her dark tent ceiling. She would never think that again.

She heard a shuffling noise and turned around to see one of the White Lotus members. He hobbled towards her, gave her a grin that revealed several uneven teeth, and lowered himself slowly and stiffly down next to her. She reached up to assist him, but he waved her off, and finally made it to the ground with a grunt. They sat together for a while, both lost in the sound of the crackling timber and their thoughts of what was to come.

"I've heard a lot about you, Jin of the Jasmine Dragon."

She blinked, unsure where to start with that statement. "My clan name is Ng."

He snorted and waved his hand again.

"Who told you about me?"

"Hyun Su."

"You know Hyun Su?"

"All old people know each other!" He laughed again.

"Was he in your society?"

"Oh yes. Good man, Hyun Su. He had a very nice pai sho set. Made of ivory. Painted by the Air Nomads. But you've seen it."

She blinked at him again.

"Is your game improving?"

"I… yes… wait, he talked about my pai sho skills?"

The only answer she got was a snort.

She meditated on this for a moment, staring at the dancing fire.

"We like to play pai sho around here. You need to be pretty good for us to invite you to play."

She looked up to see that he was staring at her intently. One of his green eyes was larger than the other. It seemed prudent to stay silent.

"We are taking back Ba Sing Se tomorrow." His voice had become serious. All traces of laughter were gone and she could tell for the first time that this ancient man held immense power. "Will you join us in reclaiming your city?"

"Of course."

"Even if it means that you cannot help your friends with their own battles?"

She faltered for a moment. If Lee died and she wasn't there to help him, would she ever forgive herself? What of Sokka and Toph and Katara and Suki?

She swallowed. "…They have their own fights and I have mine. Our paths must diverge for a time."

He grinned at her. "You will make an excellent addition to our group, Jin of the Jasmine Dragon."

"My name's …" But he had already stood and walked away, surprising her with his agility.

She said goodbye to Sokka, Toph, and Suki before they mounted their eel-hound. Sokka's battle would be against the airships. In a way he had helped create the armada, so it was only fitting that he would bring them down. And after all, he was the only one who knew how they worked or how to fly them. He was hopeful that Aang would appear and he would get to help, or at least get to witness the final battle. The group was in high spirits as they dashed away.

Lee's battle would be for his throne. He was confident that he could defeat his sister. He was a dragon and she was crazy and Katara would be there to help. This was his moment.

If Aang did not show up, then Sokka would try to take down the Fire Lord along with the rest of the armada. If Sokka failed, then Jin would stop him at Ba Sing Se. If she failed, then Zuko would take down the Fire Lord once he returned to the capital. The situation was nowhere near ideal, but they were prepared. They would die for this, knowing that someone would take up the cause when they were gone. They would die knowing that at least some would be saved.

Jin hugged Katara and wished her good luck as Zuko hugged his uncle. Then it was time to say goodbye to Lee.

As he held her tight, she felt as though someone had reached into her chest and squeezed both her lungs uncomfortably. She loved him so much that it ached. Was that normal? Did everyone feel that way when someone they loved faced destruction? He may die and she may die and this might be the last time she would ever see him, the last time she would feel his cheek against hers, the last time she would feel his warmth. It took her a moment to clear her throat enough to speak.

"Come back to me" she whispered against his ear.

"I will."

"…Come back to me … and make me your stupid concubine."

He stilled for a heartbeat. Then he pulled her so close that she thought that she might melt into his chest. He grabbed the back of her head and planted a burning kiss that left her breathless and dizzy and full of fiery embers.

"I promise" he said, and then he was gone without a backwards glance. Aapa grew smaller and smaller by the second until he was only a speck in the distance, until she was unsure if she was still seeing him at all.

Mushi placed a hand on her shoulder and led her slowly back to camp.