Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar.
Chapter 16
The Order of the White Lotus
"You okay over there?"
"I'm fine, Aang," Zuko replied. "Stop asking."
Aang could tell simply by the way he was walking that Zuko was still not up to full speed. Even three weeks after the incident his movements were still slightly stiff whether he would admit it or not. He still had not seen Zuko's injury, but from what he had heard and what he had seen from his friend told him more than he cared to know about it. Still, there was the nagging, morbid curiosity that made him wonder what kind of scar must Zuko be hiding on his back.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Aang asked, trying to keep his mind on the task at hand.
"We've followed Uncle's directions to the letter so far," Zuko answered. "It's gotta be the right way."
"But all that's here are clubs and bars," Aang pointed out.
Aang was right. The street lights that lined this particular area of the city were virtually useless thanks to the amount of brightly lit signs and flashing marquees. All along the sidewalks were people standing in entry lines or gathering together in small groups presumably to wait for other members of their entourage. More than once the two of them had received flirtatious looks and threatening scowls. Aang pulled his stocking cap down tighter around his head as Zuko adjusted his sunglasses.
"Just make sure no one gets a good look at you," Zuko ordered. "I don't know what Uncle's got in mind but he specifically said to make sure we weren't identifiable. We're supposed to meet someone at some place called 'Pai-Lien Chiao' down the street."
"And we're supposed to show these cards at the door," Aang continued as he took another look at the image on the otherwise blank card. It was identical to the flower tattoo that Yangchen had on her neck. And if he remembered correctly pai-lien chiao translated to white lotus. The whole thing had his mind reeling with confusion.
"So why don't you save your questions for when we get to where the answers might be?" Zuko asked.
After nearly another hour of searching through the darkened, unwelcoming streets, the two of them were able to find Pia-Lien Chiao sitting comfortably on an intersection along with a topless bar and adult book store. Aang and Zuko could clearly sense the apprehension in each other, but this was where Iroh had told them to go. Iroh would not send them somewhere like this for no reason. Would he?
"After you," Zuko offered.
"How about you first?" Aang asked. "You're older."
"What kind of reasoning is that?"
"What if they check identification?"
"Somehow I doubt that's going to be a problem," Zuko replied
The older man grabbed Aang's arm and dragged him towards the door without letting himself think. As he approached the large door man Zuko flashed the lotus card without looking at him or speaking. Being pulled along behind Zuko, Aang quickly held up his card as the doorman tried to grab his other arm to stop him.
"Are we good?" Aang asked the door man. Before any answer could come, the club door closed.
Music assaulted Aang and Zuko's ears, drowning out all other sounds. The darkened club's only guiding lights were those around the bar and the luminescent paint trails along the floor and walls. Lasers streaked across the ceiling every few seconds in a wide spectrum of colors, adding to the disorienting sensation the club's affect was apparently going for.
"Where are we supposed to go?" Aang shouted close to Zuko's ear.
"You're guess is as good as mine!" Zuko replied just as loud. Even right next to each other it was nearly impossible to hear what was being said.
The two men began to wander through the crowd looking for any kind of sign that they could follow to their destination. The bar held no clues. Neither did the wall decorations. Aang would have thought there might be a path along the floor or some kind of lotus symbol to guide them, but nothing gave them any information as to where they were going or why they were supposed to be meeting someone there in the first place.
"Find anything?" Aang asked as Zuko rejoined him at the bar counter.
"Nothing. I'm starting to think that this is just a wild goose chase."
"That doesn't sound like your uncle," Aang replied. "Maybe we're just not looking in the right place or something. What's the name of the guy we're looking for?"
"Uncle didn't say," Zuko sighed in exasperation. "Why does he always have to be so cryptic?"
A glass slammed down on the counter next to Zuko's arm and the two looked to its owner. Kuzon stood next to them with an amused smile on his face as he leaned in closer to them.
"Perhaps he is hoping that you will take a lesson from all of it," he told them over the music.
"What are you doing here?" Aang asked. "This isn't exactly the kind of place I'd expect to see you."
"I myself would never have pictured me here," Kuzon replied. "However, I have a responsibility to some acquaintances of mine. I am to show you to your hosts."
"What acquaintances?" Zuko asked.
"What hosts? I thought we were only meeting up with one person," Aang said.
"You will see momentarily," Kuzon answered. "Please follow me."
Kuzon led the two confused young men through the crowd of dancing people towards the back wall. Upon reaching it, Kuzon placed his hand on the wall and began to walk its length until he apparently found what he was looking for. He gave Zuko and Aang another quick smile as he pushed open the wall revealing a small walkway.
"Cloak and dagger in a club?" Zuko asked.
"Right this way, gentlemen," Kuzon said.
The corridor itself was darker than the club. The lights were placed just far enough apart to make out the path beneath their feet. Kuzon guided them down what felt like miles worth of corridor before they eventually reached another door. At this point he stopped and turned to them.
"I am not allowed any further than this, but do not worry," he said. "All of these people are your allies. Listen to what they have to say."
With looks of skepticism and confusion on their faces, Aang and Zuko pulled open the door. Inside was a large well lit room ordained with large portraits and a mural of a white lotus as the centerpiece. An enormous table sat in the center lined with chairs. Chairs filled with people both familiar and unknown.
"Uncle Iroh?" Zuko asked, voicing his and Aang's surprise.
"Welcome my friends," Iroh replied as he rose from the table. The other people present rose as well.
"What is all this?" Aang asked. His eyes fell on a woman halfway down the table. "Yangchen?"
"All of your questions will be answered," Yangchen told him as she pointed back towards Iroh.
"Most of your questions," the white haired man beside Iroh corrected.
"We have to keep some secrets," an ancient, senile looking old man chortled. "Otherwise, what's the fun of having a secret society?"
"You've got to be kidding," Zuko said with wide eyed disbelief.
"What?" Aang asked. "You know those guys?"
"Aang, that's police commissioner Jeong Jeong and the mayor of our city."
"Bumi," the crazy looking man smiled.
"Our mayor is named Bumi?" Aang whispered to Zuko.
"What is all this about a secret society?" Zuko asked, pointedly ignoring the question.
"This is The Order of the White Lotus," Iroh explained. "The Order has been around for many centuries. Originally founded by the masters Ran and Shaw who instilled the importance of philosophy, beauty, and wisdom. The Order of the White Lotus has been a guiding force in this city since its inception."
"So you guys basically run the city," Aang said.
"Absolutely not," another man at the table said flatly. He cleared his throat before nodding to Zuko's uncle. "I apologize for the interruption, Iroh."
"By all means, Pian Dao," Iroh smiled.
"We of The White Lotus have never directly interfered with the development of this city. Though both Bumi and Jeong Jeong hold positions of power, no member of the Lotus aided them in their pursuits."
"I voted for Bumi," one of the younger people at the other end of the table said.
"Not what he meant, Kuruk," Yangchen told the man.
"So what are you doing here, Yangchen?" Aang asked.
"And Kuzon," Zuko added. Then he turned to the long haired man at the far end of the table. "And if I'm not mistaken, you're Katara's grandfather Pakku."
"The Order has its own structure," Yangchen explained. "Each one of these men here is a Grand Lotus, the highest ranking members of the Order. Each of them is responsible for choosing and training an apprentice."
"And they would be us," the stoic woman beside her said. "We're getting off track here. Why don't we tell them what it is that they've been invited here for."
"Yes, of course," Jeong Jeong said.
"We have a problem," Iroh told them. "A problem that threatens the entire city."
"The Fire Lord," Aang and Zuko replied in unison.
"Yes."
"So why call us?" Aang asked. "You're some of the most powerful people in the city."
"He's virtually untouchable," Pian Dao said. "There's never been any real evidence that could be used to identify him as the rumored 'Fire Lord'."
"Without evidence there's nothing we can do," Jeong Jeong added.
"What do you mean 'no evidence'?" Zuko asked. "You locked him up once. Do it again!"
"That was a mistake on his part," Jeong Jeong said calmly.
"You must understand, Zuko," Iroh said softly. "What happened to your mother was not something that was planned. Ozai was in a warped state of mind and not thinking through his actions as he usually does. He made a mistake that cost your mother her life, but protected the lives of the citizens of this city for years."
"So what are you going to do?" Aang asked.
"Officially, we aren't going to do anything," Bumi answered. "It's what we're not going to do that will make all the difference."
"I don't understand," Zuko said. "What's going on?"
"We have to ask you to bear a heavy burden," Pakku said.
"We need you to face the Fire Lord."
A/N: Short chapter, yes, but I am now promising updates every Monday and Thursday until the end of this fic. With everything that's been going on lately, this will be as much for me as it is for all of you. Thank you all so much for putting up with me.