Previously on Fire and Earth…
"My father then asked me for my opinion" Zuko continued. "Me, the son who he had banished years earlier. I was so happy, all-too eager to tell him that the people of the Earth Kingdom would always fight on so long as they have hope. He then said that the next move should be to destroy their hope, and it was then that Azula suggested that he burn their lands to ashes".
I cupped my hands over my mouth in shock; I could hardly believe that such brutality could exist, and yet, I knew that the evidence was incontrovertible.
"He's going to use the power from Sozin's Comet to wipe out the Earth Kingdom. I wanted to speak out against his horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't. My whole life, I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had it, I realized I lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was". Shan We placed a hand on the teenager's back, and the former gave the latter a reassuring smile.
Katara fell to her knees and hugged herself tightly. "I can't believe this".
"And you knew about this, didn't you?" Aang asked Shan We.
The tea-loving Firebender nodded. "Zuko told me shortly after we made our escape from the Boiling Rock. That's why we're so insistent on preparing for the comet's arrival".
The two Benders made short work of their opponents, and Sokka shouted "Now, Aang!" I turned to my left as I noticed movement; Aang charged forward with an expression of determination on his face. He leaped into the air, staff raised for a strike… only to come short at the last second, stopping his weapon before it struck the Melon Lord.
"What are you waiting for?" Zuko shouted. "Take him out!"
Aang closed his eyes, shaking his head as he meekly replied "I can't".
I crossed my arms, staring at him intently as Sokka stalked over to the bald boy, poking a finger into his chest. "What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full of lightning right now!"
"I'm sorry" the Airbender said helplessly. "But it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself".
For a tense moment, no one dared to speak out. Then, Sokka drew his meteor sword and promptly sliced the melon in half. "There", he said as the top half fell to the ground while juices ran down the figure's shirt, "that's how it's done". Though Aang didn't say a word, what I saw in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.
Aang sighed, proceeding to pace as he said "This goes against everything I learned from the monks: I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like".
"Sure you can!" Sokka said. "You're the Avatar! If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you".
"This isn't a joke, Sokka!" Aang suddenly shouted. I looked up and saw him facing the Water Tribe boy and the others, his body tense. "None of you understands the position I'm in!"
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" I thundered, on my feet in an instant as all eyes turned to me. "Aang, I have tried to be patient with you, but your insistence on avoiding your destiny comes to an end right now! What is the fate of the world when compared to your precious Air Nomad beliefs? What is the life of one man when compared to millions of innocents? Fire Lord Ozai is an evil man; he is not capable of love or redemption, all he understands is power, and he cannot be saved!"
"You don't understand!" the Airbender shouted back, though I could see the helplessness in his eyes. "I can't just take a life because that's what everyone wants me to do! I'd lose everything!"
"I've already lost everything. More than once" I said, my voice as soft as a dove's feather. "And that was all because of one man: Fire Lord Ozai. We all, everyone here, have lost something or someone we loved because of that man, and if you do not face your destiny, then we might as well surrender now!"
Aang growled in frustration, stomping off in a direction which would take him away from the house. I started to walk after him, but a sudden hand on my shoulder stopped me. I turned and saw Zuko standing beside me. "Let him go" he advised. "He needs to sort this out by himself".
Looking back at the bald boy, I harrumphed and muttered "If he does at all".
Finally, I looked over at him and gently nodded my head. He smiled, silently trying to assure me that this was the right thing to do. We would see about that in the days to come. Taking only a few minutes in order to gather my things, I slung my twin meteor swords across my back, and with that, I was ready for travel. Shan We leaned in close and gave me a soft, tender kiss on the lips, and I smiled at the loving gesture. With one final look at the others, at our friends, we were off, traveling into the beyond, hopefully in time to save our world.
She felt her mouth opening with surprise, her every dream and desire suddenly a reality. "Fire Lord Azula?" she asked no one in particular. "It does seem appropriate. But, what about you?"
Her father smirked. "Fire Lord Ozai is no more" he said, bowing his head slightly as two of the Fire Sages lifted golden armour onto his torso. "Just as the world will be reborn in fire, I shall be reborn as the supreme ruler of the world. From this moment on, I will be known as… THE PHOENIX KING!" A large, resplendent banner was then raised behind him, depicting a golden phoenix on a field of black as similarly-designed banners were raised all throughout the harbour area. All of those gathered, including Azula, bowed before the new Phoenix King, and the scarred teenager's demonic face broke into a wide, satisfied smile.
Everything was coming together as it should.
I slowly crept forward, making sure to not make any noise as I maintained my gaze on my prey. Takara and the twins were crouched behind me, staying within the protective camouflage of the bushes as I moved ahead. It had been several hours since we had left Aang and the others back on Ember Island, and we had just recently arrived on Earth Kingdom shores.
It had been easy enough to hijack a merchant vessel and use it in order to cross the sea, but we were now faced with the problem of transportation on land. Ba Sing Se was on the other side of the country, and without access to a flying Sky Bison, we would have to acquire an animal that would get us to our destination relatively fast, seeing as the comet was two days away. Luckily, it was still mostly dark out, so we had a little extra time to reach the Order of the White Lotus.
Therefore, I now found myself staring at a lone eel hound that was drinking out of a small pool. The animals were notorious for being rather belligerent at times, so they weren't very common mounts, but on the rare chance that someone did tame one, they were probably the fastest land animals in the world.
Glancing back at the others, I saw them nod, indicating that they were ready for what was to come. With that, I held my hand up and closed it into a fist. With the signal given, Jin and Li punched their fists together, and the ground shook as four lines of broken earth shot towards the unsuspecting eel hound. The long, thin creature stopped drinking as it heard the Earthbending, but before it could do anything, the lines of broken earth reached each of its feet. Once they made contact, rocks emerged out of the ground, locking the animal in place.
With there being no danger of it running off, we all stood up, easing our muscles, which had been tense with anticipation. The eel hound tried to shake itself loose, but to no avail; it was stuck, and there was nothing it could do. I slowly walked up to the frightened creature, holding my hands in front of me in a non-threatening gesture. Once it spotted me, it ceased its thrashing, and instead started growling-hissing at me.
I continued my slow approach, doing my best to appear non-threatening. The eel hound reared its head back as I lunged at the trapped creature.
I held on tightly to Shan We's waist as the eel hound zoomed across the land. This was the fastest that I had ever gone on something that wasn't Appa, so I held onto the Firebender for dear life, while the twins held onto me in turn. Fortunately for us, Shan We had proven to be adept at handling animals, as he managed to tame the wild eel hound in a relatively short amount of time. After that, we had wasted no time, and were even now speeding towards Ba Sing Se, where this 'Order of the White Lotus' was gathering in preparation for the arrival of Sozin's Comet.
Our long, thin mount moved so quick and light on its feet that it almost seemed like it was flying mere inches above the ground. My long hair whipped behind me from the wind, and I squinted as the merciless onslaught of air started to make my eyes water. A short while later, I glanced up at the sky, and saw that the sun was in the last half of its journey, meaning that it was now sometime in the afternoon or evening. After today, there was only one more day until the arrival of the comet, until the end of the world.
No, I scolded myself silently, not the end of the world. We would work together to foil the Fire Lord's plan and save the world, ending the hundred year-long war as a result. We just had to work together, and victory would be ours.
Finally, after traveling at break-neck speed for the better part of a day, we finally arrived at our destination: a massive gap in the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. Shan We explained that this was where, almost six years earlier, General Iroh had broken through, making him the first invading general in history to do so. However, the victory proved to be short-lived, as his son had fallen a few days later, and he had called for a retreat after that. I knew that that incident was a painful memory for the tea-loving Firebender, so once we dismounted from the eel hound, I placed a hand on his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek.
"We should probably…" he started to say, when all hell broke loose. A few man-sized boulders struck nearby, shaking the ground and throwing up large clouds of dust and debris. The twins created a protective earthen shell around the eel hound, and we all proceeded to stand back-to-back a few feet away. Shan We summoned a ring of blue flame around us as I drew my twin meteor swords and brandished them for battle, while the twins kicked up their own boulders, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
I then noticed movement at the foot of the breach in the massive wall, and I directed the other's attention to it. From what I could tell, five figures stood before us, clad in some manner of robe, but it was difficult to tell through the shimmering heat created by the ring of fire. Suddenly, Shan We clenched his hand into a fist, smothering the flame and saying "It's alright; they are not enemies".
I gave him a slightly dubious glance before turning back to the five figures. My eyes widened with recognition, and I quickly sheathed my swords as the old men moved to stand in a line before us. I turned to the familiar man on the right, and smiled at him. "Master Piandao" I greeted warmly, bowing in respect to my teacher as he did the same. I then rushed up to him and gave him a hug, glad to see him after all this time.
"It's wonderful to see you, Takara" he replied, patting my back before I stepped back. The man to Piandao's right appeared to be much older, and though he stood with a hunched posture, his muscles were equal to any man half his age. "This is King Bumi" Piandao introduced. "One of the finest Earthbenders in the world".
I smirked. "Well, he'll have to compete with Jin and Li for that distinction".
The old man turned to look at the twins, stepping up until he was towering over them. "So, you consider yourselves to be the best Earthbenders, eh?" he asked in his madness-tinged voice. Neither of the boys gave him an answer, obviously, and for a few moments, the three of them stood there, staring at each other. "Don't talk much, eh? You're really silent, you know. Some might even say… stony silent!" I slapped my forehead in slight exasperation as the ancient king cackled madly.
"This is…" Piandao started to say, gesturing to the second man to his right.
"You!" Shan We suddenly exclaimed, cutting off my old master.
"Yes, it is good to see you again, as well" the third man greeted sardonically, his hands clasped behind his back. There was something familiar about him, but I couldn't quite place it. "Things have obviously changed since we fought one another at the North Pole".
Shan We looked down at the ground for a moment out of embarrassment before bowing to the old man. "Forgive me" he said. "Had I known that you were part of the Order…"
"Then the outcome would have been the same" the older man said by way of assurance. "Nothing would have changed what happened that night. Still, you should take solace in the fact that you were the finest Firebender I have ever fought".
"I'm sorry, who are you?" I asked.
"Takara, this is Master Pakku" Piandao introduced. "A Master Waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe". I nodded in respect to the master, and then he indicated the third man to his right, a similarly-aged man in white and blue robes whose shaggy silver hair ringed his head like an upturned bowl. "This is…"
"Master Jeong Jeong" Shan We said, once again cutting off my old instructor. He bowed in respect before saying "It is an honour to meet you, Master".
Jeong Jeong scratched his chin in thought. "You look familiar" he said in a deep voice. "Do I know you?"
Shan We smiled mournfully. "You taught my father, Admiral Zhao" he replied, and I could see the older man's muscles tensing slightly.
"I see" he said, his hands falling to his sides. "Well, from what I have heard, the son has learned where the father did not".
The tea-loving Firebender nodded, accepting the compliment, before our gazes turned to the final man standing before us. He stood slightly shorter than his companions, but nevertheless, the portly man demanded enormous respect from the way he carried himself. I noticed that his robe was more elaborate than the others, meaning that he was of a higher rank. Based on what Shan We had told me, he could only be one man.
The Firebender bowed to the older man, who returned the gesture, before his lips slowly curled into a deep, satisfied smile. The two men then embraced each other, wrapping their arms around the other and chuckling. "It's good to see you, old friend" Iroh greeted as they eventually separated.
He then turned to look at me, and I smiled, saying "You must be the man Shan We admires so much". Iroh held his arms out in response, and I laughed as I bent down and gave him a warm hug. The old former general was like a father to Shan We, which practically made him family in my eyes.
"Iroh, I can't tell you how happy I am to see that you are alright" the tea-loving Firebender told his surrogate father, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I was so pleased after I received the letter detailing the summons. I'm just sorry that I couldn't have gotten here sooner".
"I assumed that you had important business with the Avatar" Iroh said. After taking a moment to glance at me and the twins, he asked "Why are you not with him now?"
Shan We sighed, and he and I exchanged a glance before he said "We should probably talk in private".
I gratefully took a sip of the ginseng tea, feeling the comforting warmth of the liquid run down my throat. It had been some time since I had sampled this particular type of tea, as my favourite had always been jasmine, but I welcomed it nonetheless. I glanced around the inside of Iroh's tent, taking note of all the little things that he had populated it with, making it his.
I sat cross-legged across from him, dressed now in a White Lotus robe like the other masters wore. Despite the fact that I had been a member of the Order since I was seventeen years old, I had never worn any kind of uniform. After all, we were a secret society, and thus the need for standard uniforms which displayed our colours was low. However, I felt strangely at home in the material; among these old scholars and Master Benders, I felt at home. I was among people who shared my interests and views, and we were all united in common purpose.
Iroh rumbled across from me, bringing me back to the present, and I proceeded to take another sip of tea. "This is troubling" he said at last, his voice gentle and calm.
"It is" I agreed. "Aang is not facing his responsibility, and if he continues down his current path, then he will doom us all".
For a moment, Iroh said nothing. He took a sip of tea, swallowed it, then looked into my eyes. "Confronting the Fire Lord is the Avatar's destiny", he reminded me, "and how Aang chooses to do that is his choice, and his alone".
"But he…" I started to protest, wanting to vent my frustrations to someone who would understand.
"Old friend" Iroh said soothingly. "Your destiny is to help end this war, but it does not involve the Fire Lord".
"I want to end the war" I said, staring my mentor directly in the eyes. "That's all I've ever wanted. But it's taken so much from me! I've already lost Takara and the twins more than once, and I've lost…" I averted my eyes as I felt tears starting to well up. "I've lost my father. I just want it to end, and the only way that that will happen is if the Fire Lord dies, and Aang does not realize this".
Iroh sighed. "You have much anger inside you" he noted. I didn't reply, but we both knew that that was true. I took another sip of tea as he added "You have always kept your emotions bottled up inside you, living with a mask of control, like Azula".
"I am nothing like her" I spat, incensed at the comparison.
"You are more alike than you realize. You both had difficult childhoods, and you both had strained relationships with fathers who demanded nothing less than perfection from you. You both lost your mothers, which created emotional scars that you have learned to cover up. Why else do you think that you and Azula are the only ones to use blue fire? You both do your best to hide your emotions beneath masks of stoicism and control, but inside, you are two people who have suffered greatly".
I tried to wrap my head around Iroh's words, belatedly noticing that my hand was shaking. Placing my tea cup down, I clenched my hand into a fist, turning my knuckles white from the pressure. Eventually, I looked back to Iroh, and he had a look of respectful patience. That was the primary thing that distinguished him from my father: where Iroh was calm and collected, my father had been fiery, temperamental, and impatient to a fault.
"You have much to reflect on" Iroh said gently. "Rest, and hopefully the morning will bring clarity".
I nodded, my mind still in turmoil over his words. I then stood up and, bowing, left Iroh's tent, stepping out into the cool night air. Darkness had fallen a short time ago, which meant that tomorrow, Sozin's Comet would finally arrive, and the fate of the world would be decided. Whatever happened, the Order of the White Lotus would be there to stop the cataclysm to come. We would help to restore order to a world scarred from a century of unending war.
Suddenly, Jin and Li ran up to me, urgent expressions written on their faces. "What is it?" I asked. Jin turned and pointed back towards the opening in the massive wall in response, and I knew what was going on. Turning to look at the Old Masters, I said "Someone is at the wall". They all glanced at each other before nodding, and I told the twins "Stay here". With that, the five of us made our way over to the wall, and whoever was waiting for us.
We soon reached the large opening. I was the first to reach the top of the rubble, and I was utterly shocked at what I saw: Sokka, Suki, Katara, Zuko, and Toph resting either on top of or next to Appa. I extended my arm forward as Toph emerged from her earthen tent, creating a ring of blue flames around the group. They all awoke instantly, and the titanic Bison growled threateningly.
The other Masters then joined me, becoming visible to the others. Their shocked gazes fell on each of us, and King Bumi was the first to speak. "Well, look who's here" he said before cackling and snorting.
I smothered the flames, and the five of us proceeded to walk up to the children before us, much like the Old Masters had done with me a few hours ago. "What's going on?" Toph asked. "We're surrounded by old people".
"Not just any old people" Katara countered. "These are great Masters and friends of ours. Pakku". She then bowed in respect to the Master Waterbender, who returned the gesture.
"It is respectful to bow to an old Master" he said. "But how about a hug for your new grandfather?"
Sokka's and Katara's faces lit up, and she hugged him and exclaimed "That's so exciting! You and Gran Gran must be so happy to have found each other again!"
"I made her a new betrothal necklace, and everything" Pakku added with a wry smile.
Sokka was at his side in an instant, smothering the old Waterbender as he said "Welcome to the family, Gramp Gramp!"
I smirked at his slightly irritated expression. "You can still call me Pakku" he said as he pushed the Water Tribe boy away.
The boy was not to be deterred. "How about… Grampakku?"
A moment of silence passed before he replied "No".
Moving past the tension, Katara said "And this was Aang's first Firebending teacher".
"Jeong Jeong" the old Firebender said by way of greeting.
"Master Piandao" Sokka said respectfully as he bowed to his former mentor.
"Hello, Sokka" Piandao said, bowing in turn.
"And…" Katara started to say as she turned to look at me. "Shan We?" The others' gazes all fell on me, and I offered a smile as I bowed my head. "What are you doing here?"
"You abandoned us!" Sokka said, pointing an accusatory finger at me. "We woke up this morning to find you, Takara, Jin, and Li gone!"
"So, wait, how do you all know each other?" Suki asked.
"All old people know each other. Don't you know that?" King Bumi asked, cackling at his joke.
"We're all part of the same ancient, secret society" Piandao explained. "A group that transcends the divisions of the four nations".
"The Order of the White Lotus" Zuko said, and I nodded.
I opened my mouth to speak, but King Bumi interjected, saying "That's the one!"
I then turned to the others and said "The White Lotus has always been about philosophy, and beauty, and truth. About a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important".
"It came from a Grand Lotus" Pakku added, looking at Zuko. "Your uncle: Iroh of the Fire Nation".
"Well, that's who we're looking for!" Toph said.
"So is this why you left us behind at Ember Island?" Katara asked me. I nodded, and she crossed her arms and grumbled "Well, you should have told us".
"We'll take you to Iroh…" Piandao started to say, just as King Bumi shoved him and me aside.
"Wait, someone's missing from your group. Someone very important. Where's Momo?" he said, coming to stare Sokka directly in the eyes as he brought his face mere inches away from the Water Tribe boy's.
"He's gone" Sokka replied. "And so is Aang".
My eyes widened, and King Bumi stepped back. "Oh well, so long as they have each other, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about. Let's go!" He then thrust his arm into the air, summoning an earthen column that shot him into the air, cackling madly as he soared through the air.
The rest of us then began to make our way back to camp, and for several minutes, there was an uncomfortable silence. Eventually, I broke it by walking beside Katara and asking "Aang is missing? How did that happen?"
"We don't know" she replied. "We woke up this morning, and he was gone. And so were you". I gazed ahead, at the wilderness that separated the White Lotus camp from the wall, pondering the implications as Katara asked "So, you've known about this all along? For a month? And you never told us? Why?"
I sighed. "I received a message while Takara and I were imprisoned in the Boiling Rock, telling me where the members of the Order were being called. After we escaped, I thought that we would come here eventually, and that Aang's training took precedence".
"So why did you decide to leave all of a sudden?" Toph asked. "You could have left at any time".
"Aang forced my hand" I replied evenly. "He made me realize that he was not up to the task of facing his destiny, and so I was forced to take action and do my part while there is still time".
Silence was once again draped on us, and I could tell that my words weighed heavily on the others. Eventually, it was Sokka's turn to break the silence. "So, Bumi, how did you end up escaping your imprisonment in Omashu?"
"Escape? I didn't escape" the old King replied. "Everybody else escaped. There I was, back in Omashu, waiting for just the right moment. I didn't know what or when, but I knew I'd know it when I knew it: a solar eclipse! Using just my face, I broke out of my cell, when a few Fire Nation soldiers tried to stop me. They asked me what I was doing, and once I saw that they had no Firebending, I said 'Taking back my city!'"
I listened intently to my fellow White Lotus member regale us, as I had not yet heard the tale of his escape. So far, it was shaping up to be a grand tale.
"With my Earthbending", he continued, "I made short work of all the guards that tried to stop me. I was in no danger, so I took my time, removing the awful machinery and horrible architecture they had rudely added to my city. They had cared a simply awful statue of the Fire Lord at the mountain's peak, but I toppled that thing over like a stack of Pai Sho tiles. It slid down the main delivery chute, demolished the Fire Nation palace, and then finally slid down until it destroyed the metal bridge!"
My brow furrowed slightly. "Doesn't that mean that Omashu has no bridge at present?"
King Bumi raised a finger and opened his mouth to speak, but he lowered his hand in realization. "Oh, yes" he said, rubbing the back of his wrinkled neck. "I guess I'll have to fix that, later".
"Wow", Suki said appreciatively. "You took back your whole city all by yourself!"
"So what about you guys? Did you do anything interesting on the day of the eclipse?"
I exchanged nervous glances with Sokka and Zuko, and the three of us merely shrugged and replied that we hadn't done anything interesting.
Eventually, we arrived back at camp, and King Bumi used his Earthbending to lower a section of the wall that ringed the group of tents. "Well, here we are: welcome to old people camp".
As we entered the camp, I saw Takara and the twins running up to join us. "You're back" she said with a smile on her face. "I thought…" She trailed off as she caught sight of the others with us, and her expression turned decidedly more embarrassed. By all accounts, the children weren't too angry with us, so I was hopeful that they wouldn't be too hard on the Kyoshi Warrior, especially Suki; Takara valued her friendship, and she had only recently gotten it back.
Zuko appraised the tents set up all around us. "Where… where is he?"
I pointed over to Iroh's tent, which was a little larger than all the rest. "Your uncle's in there, Zuko".
I then walked beside him as he approached, his expression becoming more and more tentative as he came closer and closer. When he was at the threshold, he sat down on the grass, cross-legged, staring at the ground contemplatively. "Are you okay?" Katara asked as she came around to his other side.
"No, I'm not okay!" the scarred teenager replied. "My uncle hates me, I know it. He loved me and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?"
"I supported you, too" I soothed, placing a hand on his back as I crouched down. "I have forgiven you, and I know for a fact that your uncle will, too".
"Zuko, you're sorry for what you did, right?" Katara asked.
"More sorry than anything in my entire life".
"Then he'll forgive you. He will". Zuko turned to look at me, and I nodded my agreement. The scarred teenager then stood up, sighed, and entered the tent.
The following morning, we were all gathered in a circle, eating breakfast like the events of the past were forgotten. We were all back together again, talking and joking and having a good time like we always did. We even had Iroh with us, and that just made things even more perfect. I speared a chunk of roast duck as Zuko said "Uncle, you and Shan We are the only people other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the fatherlord".
I looked at the teenager curiously, and he seemed unaware of the mental slip.
"You mean the Fire Lord" Toph corrected.
"That's what I just said!" Zuko defended a little too quickly. Going back to my meal, I glanced at Shan We, just in time to see him exchanging a glance with Iroh.
The old man sighed, and Zuko said "We need you to come with us!"
"No, Zuko" Iroh replied. "It won't turn out well".
Not to be deterred, the teenager said "You can beat him! And we'll be there to help!"
"Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord".
Zuko turned to look at Shan We, a hopeful expression on his face. The tea-loving Firebender shared another glance with Iroh, and then sighed wearily. "As much as it pains me to say it, I would not be the best choice, either".
"But you fought my father before" Zuko pointed out. "And you almost won".
"I fought him to a standstill" Shan We clarified. "Even before Azula intervened, Ozai and I were evenly matched for skill and power. With the sheer might of Sozin's Comet behind him… I don't know if I could stand a chance. Besides, I would be in a similar boat as Iroh: history would see me as the disgraced son of a failed Admiral who killed the Fire Lord out of vengeance. That isn't the way we should proceed. Aang is the only one who can face the Fire Lord and end the war the right way".
I placed my hand on his back, rubbing it comfortingly. He had just shown a lot of personal growth, and I was happy that he had let go of the anger that had driven him to abandon the others in order to come to this place.
Zuko looked disappointed, which was understandable. With Aang gone, we were all looking for a miracle to occur. "And then", he said, turning once more towards his uncle, "then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?"
"No" Iroh replied. "Someone new must take the throne: an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honour. It has to be you, Prince Zuko".
The scarred teenager was clearly taken aback. "Unquestionable honour? But I've made so many mistakes!"
"Yes, you have" Shan We agreed. "You struggled, suffered, and you've had to fight and claw your way to get here. But you have always followed your own path. You restored your own honour, and only you can restore the honour of the Fire Nation".
Zuko stared down at the ground for a moment before finally saying "I'll try. For both of you". Shan We and Iroh nodded, their faith in him finally paying off.
"Well, what if Aang doesn't come back?" Toph asked, saying what we were all thinking.
"Sozin's Comet is arriving, and our destinies are upon us" Iroh replied. "Aang will face the Fire Lord. When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now, do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation, so the Earth Kingdom can be free again. And that is your destiny, as well" he said, looking at Shan We as he said the last part.
The tea-loving Firebender glanced at his mentor before looking over to me. I nodded, and he smiled. His destiny was not to face the Fire Lord; he had done that already, and with disastrous consequences. I think that, in the moment, he was finally able to let go of his anger and accept what fate had in store for him.
"So, that's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus" Suki surmised, waving a hand to indicate the camp.
"Yes" Iroh replied. "Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there, waiting for you". The mention of the psychotic teenager's name reminded me all at once of the weeks of torture she had put me through, of the hell that I lived through as her plaything. In that moment, I knew what I had to do, just as I had when I had helped Shan We to burn her face.
"I can handle Azula" Zuko said confidently.
"Not alone" Iroh warned. "You'll need help".
"I'll go with him" I said, drawing everyone's slightly surprised gazes. "I know that I have to face Azula with him. I need to pay her back for everything she did to me". After a moment, and some shared glances, Zuko smiled a little and nodded his head in acceptance of my offer.
"What about us?" Sokka asked, referring to himself, Suki, Katara, Toph, and the twins. "What's our destiny today?"
Iroh gave the Water Tribe boy an amused smirk. "What do you think it is?"
Sokka held his chin in thought. "Well, I think that even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet".
"And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us".
Iroh nodded approvingly, and with that, we all made preparations to face our destinies, and whatever end fate had ordained for us. I held one of my twin meteor swords in my hands, appraising it with care. I had done so much with these weapons in the short amount of time since I had forged them, and now, I felt as if they were part of my very being; they were extensions of myself as I fought against evil, and they would never let me down.
Having everything I needed, I stepped out of the tent and joined the others as they were getting ready to depart in time to stop the airships. Toph, Suki, and Sokka were already mounted on the saddle we had placed on the eel hound Shan We had tamed, and as I approached, the Firebender told the three children "Nothing runs faster over land, or swims quicker than a giant eel hound". He then handed them a scroll. "The airship base is on a small island just off the Earth Kingdom shore. You should be able to intercept the fleet within a day's journey".
Sokka examined the scroll for a moment before saying "Thanks. For everything". Shan We nodded, and the Water Tribe boy rushed up and embraced him in a tight hug. I smiled as he proceeded to mount the eel hound. Jin and Li walked up, and the two of us crouched down so that we were at eye level with the Earthbending boys.
"I want you two to know that when I found you, I couldn't be happier. You boys aren't of my blood, but you are my sons, and I will always love you. Before we go off to face our destinies, I just want to say that I'm so proud of you. Both of you". The twins smiled at their father's praise, and their eyes became misty as the three of them embraced tightly, not willing to let each other go.
I joined in on the hug, and I said "Be safe, and don't forget to kick some Fire Nation butt". They nodded, and we proceeded to lift them onto the eel hound's saddle. Shan We and I then walked over to Appa, where Zuko was already seated on the Bison's head, the reins in his hands. I turned to look at Shan We and said "Well, I guess this is it".
"I suppose it is" he agreed. After a moment, he said "Takara, I want you to know…"
I placed a finger on his lips, stopping him mid-sentence. "I think we know each other well enough by now that I know what you're going to say. So, instead, how about I say something?" I then removed my finger before I brought my lips to his, telling him how much I loved him through the physical contact. We stood there for what seemed like forever, and the world around us dissolved into nothingness as we held each other.
Someone loudly coughed, and we broke the kiss to see Iroh giving us an amused smile. I blushed a little before giving Shan We one last kiss on the cheek before climbing onto Appa's saddle. I gave Zuko a nod, and the scarred teenager turned to look down at his uncle. "So, if I'm going to be Fire Lord after the war's over, what are you gonna do?"
"After I reconquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to reconquer my tea shop, and I'm going to play Pai Sho every day!" As he spoke, he took out a White Lotus tile and flipped it. I then took out my own tile, which I had held onto since the day Shan We had given it to me before my capture, and held it in my fist, letting it give me strength.
In that moment, all of us, Team Avatar and the members of the White Lotus, exchanged long glances. This was it: the fate of the world would be decided today, and either way, we were about to face our destinies. I looked down at Shan We's mentor and said "Goodbye, Iroh".
"Goodbye, everyone. Today, destiny is our friend. I know it".
With that, we were off. Sokka and the others dashed into the forest on the eel hound, while Appa launched himself into the air. I stared back at the White Lotus camp as it became smaller and smaller, until it was nothing but a speck in the distance. I then turned back to face forward, leaning against the edge of Appa's saddle as we soared through the air.
Suddenly, the sky exploded into orange.
I watched as Takara and Zuko flew away on Appa's back, a small ache in my heart. Every time I was separated from the Kyoshi Warrior, my heart broke a little, only to be mended once she returned. I knew in my soul that she would return, and that we would win the day.
Suddenly, the sky morphed from a calm, tranquil blue to an ominous orange. Off in the distance, I could make out a single, brilliant fireball making its way across the sky. As this happened, I felt a massive surge going through my body, like the power of a hundred suns was burning inside of me. In the back of my mind, I mused that this must be what ultimate power feels like. I breathed in deeply before expelling that breath, which emerged as a cloud of blue flame that scorched the grass at my feet.
Glancing at the other members of the White Lotus, I saw that they were tense, as they knew that judgment was fast approaching. Iroh's eyes burned with an intensity that I had never seen before, and I knew that he was feeling the same thing I was. Tilting my head up so that I was looking at the sky, I unleashed a primal roar from the very depths of my being, which took the form of an utterly gargantuan tower of blue flame that reached the level as the top of the wall of Ba Sing Se.
To be continued…
DUN DUN DUNN! Sozin's Comet has finally arrived, and things are about to get… HOT!
Okay, I'll stop with the bad puns.
So, we are now at the halfway point. The ultimate battle is about to begin, and the fates of all our beloved characters are about to be decided.
I want to take this moment to thank all you dear readers out there. Your reviews and favourites have been ever so supporting, and I want to thank you all for sticking with this story through all of my schedule changes and various differences from the show.
Won't you come with me, and face the upcoming strife together?