Chapter 35- The White Lotus

"What do you mean Aang doesn't exist? Do you mean he's... you know, dead?" Sokka hesitantly asked June.
"Nope, we could find him if he were dead. Ah, it's a real head scratcher. See ya," June waved goodbye and hopped on Nyla.

"Helpful, real helpful," Toph sighed, but then Zuko peeked up.
"Wait, I have another idea. There's only one other person in this World who can help us face the Fire Lord. I'll be right back with a smell sample," Zuko ran off to Appa and rummaged through his bag, and pulled out something.

"You saved Iroh's sandal?" You covered your nose ad everyone else followed your actions.
"I think it's kind of sweet," Toph said as Nyla came closer to take in the scent. She then lifted her head and growled.
"Let's do this," June hopped on the Shirshu and ran off.

"Hey, wait up!"

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Following Nyla all over the land, Appa stopped at the wall of Ba Sing Se.
"We're going to Ba Sing Se?" Your mother asked, feeling a little uneasy. You winced slightly at the sight of where you destroyed the palace with your lava form.

"Your Uncle's somewhere beyond the wall. Nyla's getting twitchy so he can't be too far. Good luck," June nodded and led Nyla away.
"Thank you June!" You called out, and you yawned. Zuko noticed and turn to the others.

"It's been a long day. Let's camp and start our search again at dawn.

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Hugging Twig close to you, you slept through the night as Zuko and Katara took watch, and Suki and Sokka wrapped their arms around you as Toph laid on top of you. Just then, you felt movement on the ground and immediately sat up, making Toph fall off of you.

Fire then surrounded all of you and Appa, and you all got up, ready to fight, until you looked up to see four men on top of the rubble.
"Well, look who's here," You smiled brightly at the sight of the king of Omashu.

"What's going on? We're surrounded by old people," Toph asked while feeing the ground with the men sliding down the pile of rocks.
"Not just any old people. These are great masters and friends of ours," Katara smiled.
"Pakku," She bowed to the Waterbender master.

"It is respectful to bow to an old master but how about a hug for your new grandfather?" Your eyes widened as Katara and Sokka beamed.
"That's so exciting! You and Gran Gran must be so happy to have found each other again," She smiled.

"I made her a new betrothal necklace and everything," Pakky nodded as Sokka tackled hug him.
"Welcome to the family Great Gramp," He said, making Pakky push him away.
"You can still just call me Pakku," He said.

"How about Grand Pakku?" He grinned, making Pakky stare at him.
"No," Sokka deflated at that.
"And this was Monk boy's first firebending teacher," You showed Zuko Jeong Jeong.
"Jeong Jeong," He bowed at the prince.

"Master Piandao," Sokka bowed at his master.
"Hello, Sokka," Piandao bowed too.
"Hey, it's sword dilf," You elbowed your mother, and she just nodded, making eye contact with him, before looking away slightly. You noticed, but slowly shook it off.

"Bumi! How's life treating you?" You smiled at the king, who simply grinned.
"The same as I treat myself, a little loony!" You both laughed and bowed.

"So wait, how do you all know each other?" Suki asked them.
"All old people know each other don't you know that?" Bumi laughed and snorted.

"We're all part of the same ancient secret society. A group that transcends the divisions of the 4 nations," Piandao explained.
"The Order of the White Lotus," Zuko smiled.
"That's the one," Bumi commented.

"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," Jeong Jeong added.
"It came from a Grand Lotus, your Uncle, Iroh of the Fire Nation," Pakky told Zuko.

"Well that's who we're looking for," Toph smiled.
"Then we'll take you to him," Piandao said, then Bumi pushed him away while looking around.
"Wait, someone's missing from your group. Someone very important. Where's Momo?" Bumi asked while looking at you very closely.

"He's gone. And so is Monk boy," You said and Bumi just shrugged.
"Oh well, so long as they have each other I'm sure we have nothing to worry about," He said and blasted himself up in the sky while laughing and snorting.

"Let's go!"

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"So Bumi, how did you end up escaping your imprisonment in Omashu?" You asked the King as you all were walking down a small valley.

"Escape? I didn't escape, 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," He explained as you listened with awe, how he took down all of the Fire Nation army in the span of 8 minutes.

"Wow, you took back your whole city all by yourself," Your mother said, impressed at the old king.
"So what about you guys? Did you do anything interesting on the day of the eclipse?" Bimu asked you all, making you and Zuko look at each other before coughing a little.

"Nah," Zuko shook his head.
"No, not really," You shrugged as Twig somehow took his little battle hat out.

Eventually, you all stopped and Bumi let a rock wall lower to reveal a campsite.
"Well, here we are. Welcome to the old people camp," Bumi said and you looked around to see a row of tents.

"Where... where is he?" Zuko muttered to Piandao, who pointed his finger to a far away tent.
"Your Uncle's in there, Prince Zuko," He replied, and the prince walked over to the tent, but keeled down at the entrance.

You walked over and stood next to him.
"Princey, you okay?" You asked him , and he shook his head slowly.
"No, I'm not okay. 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?" You saw him shake again, and you kneeled down and gave him a smile

"Well, are you sorry about what you did?" You asked him.
"More sorry than I've been about anything in my entire life," He replied back with his head in his hands.

"Then he'll forgive you. If he doesn't, then he really has gone crazy," He gave a small smile before standing up, taking a deep breath before walking inside the tent.

"If he doesn't forgive him, then I'll do an Agni Kai with him,"

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You all sat around the fire, with Iroh wearing the White Lotus armor, and you were petting Twig as he curled up on your lap.

"Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Fatherlord," Zuko told his uncle, and you tilted your head at his words.
"You mean the Fire Lord," You said, and he just stared at you.

"That's what I just said," He insisted, and you shrugged at that, no longer paying attention.
"We need you to come with us," He turned back to Iroh, but the old man just shook his head.

"No, Zuko. It won't turn out well," He replied.
"You can beat him and we'll be there to help," Zuko pushed further, and you placed a hand on his hand to calm him down.

"Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could. It will 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," Iroh explained to him.

"And then... then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?" Zuko asked him.
"No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honour. It has to be you, Prince Zuko," Iroh turned to the prince.
"Unquestionable honour? But I've made so many mistakes," Zuko told him.

"Yes, you have. You struggled, you suffered but you have always followed your own path, you restored your own honour. And only you can restore the honour of the Fire Nation," Iroh smiled softly at him.
"I'll try, Uncle," He nodded.
"Well, what if Aang doesn't come back?" Your mother asked.

"Sozin's Comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. 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," Iroh explained.

"That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus," Suki mumbled.
"Yes. 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," Iroh told his nephew.

"I can handle Azula," Zuko stood up, but Iroh also piped in.
"Not alone. You'll need help," He told him, making Zuko nod.
"You're right. Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?" He asked the waterbender, who gave a determined grin.

"It would be my pleasure," She said, and
"What about us? What's our destiny today?" Sokka asked Iroh.
"What do you think it is?" He asked him.
"I think that... even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet," He explained.

"And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us," Toph grinned and raised her fists.
"That's sounds perfect," Your mother smiled while cracking her knuckles.

"Alright! The five of us will crush those ships!" You grinned, but you all stopped as you heard a screech above the camp. You looked up to see a messenger's hawk flying down and landing on a branch. Jeong Jeong walked over and grabbed the letter the hawk held.

"This letter, it was sent for (Y/N)," He said, and you froze, wondering who would have sent you a letter.
You got up to bow and grab the letter, unscrolling it to read what was on it. After a few seconds, your eyes widened and dropped the scroll on the ground, your knees feeling a little weak.

"(Y/N), honey what is it?" Your mother asked you worriedly, helping you up as the gaang also wondered why you're startled.
"It... it was..." Your mother's eyebrows furrowed a little as the others looked at each other, but not before you took a deep breath and looked up at them with hopeful eyes.

"(S/N)... She's alive,"