꧁ chapter twenty-nine ꧂
family reunion

✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚˚✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚˚✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚˚✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚˚✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚

"HEY I REMEMBER her!" Sokka exclaimed, "She helped you attack us"

"Yep," Zuko answered leading the group towards her, "Back in the good old days"

"Oh great. It's Prince Pouty," June spoke sarcastically, "Where's your creepy grandpa?"

"He's my uncle. And he's not here" Zuko corrected.

"Look at that, you've got yourself a girlfriend" June pointed as she observed Zuko's hold on Meiluna.

The two looked at each other, Zuko quickly retracted his hand from her waist as they both became increasingly flustered while speaking at the same time,

"I'm not his girlfriend"

"She's not my girlfriend"

"Okay, okay, sheesh," June raised an eyebrow, "I was only teasing. So what do you want?"

"I need your help finding the Avatar" Zuko told her.

"Hm, doesn't sound too fun" She sipped her tea.

"Does the end of the world sound like more fun?" Zuko asked angrily.

"Okay, so who's got something with the Avatar's scent on it?" June questioned, rolling her eyes in a bored manner.

"I have Aang's staff" Katara said as she held out the glider to the shirshu, Nyla.

He sniffed the staff and began walking around in circles before returning back to June, lying down and covering his nose.

"Well, what does that mean?" Zuko asked, looking to June.

"Means your friend's gone" She replied calmly as she petted Nyla.

"We know he's gone. That's why we're trying to find him" Toph crossed her arms.

"No, I mean he's gone gone," She turned to face the others, "He doesn't exist"

"What do you mean?" Meiluna tilted her head in puzzlement.

"Is he, you know," Sokka glanced to his friends before looking back at June, "Dead?"

"Nope, we could find him if he were dead. It's a real head scratcher," She said bluntly as she started to climb Nyla, "See ya"

"Helpful, real helpful" Toph mumbled.

"Wait, I have another idea," Zuko stopped her, "There's only one person in the world who can help us face the Fire Lord"

He held up a sandal.

"Ugh" Meiluna groaned as she quickly brought her hands up to her face, covering her mouth and nose.

"You saved your uncle's sweaty sandal?" Sokka asked in disgust.

"I think it's kind of sweet" Toph smiled.

June stared for a second before speaking with determination,

"Let's do this"

Nyla moved forward to get the scent off the sandal then almost immediately quickly took off in the opposite direction.

"Hey, wait up!" Zuko called out as he and the others quickly climbed onto Appa.

The bison followed the Shirshu through the terrain before they eventually approached the destroyed Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. Appa landed near the rubble, letting everyone off.

"We're going to Ba Sing Se?" Zuko asked.

"Your uncle's somewhere beyond the wall," June turned to look at Nyla, "Nyla's getting twitchy so he can't be too far. Good luck"

She climbed on to the Shirshu before heading off.

Zuko addressed the group,

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

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"What's going on? We're surrounded by old people" Toph said, sounding confused.

"Not just any old people" Meiluna smiled brightly as she noticed Master Pakku.

She ran up to him, wrapping him in a hug.

"Princess Meiluna" He smiled fondly at the girl.

She let go as she spoke to him,
"How's father? And the rest of the tribe?"

"He misses you," Pakku said as Meiluna smiled sadly, "He'd be so happy to see how far you've come"

Meiluna felt her eyes water slightly. She quickly blinked back the tears as she bowed her head. Katara walked up to him also bowing as Pakku did the same.

"It is respectful to bow to an old master, but how about a hug for your new grandfather?" He asked, extending his arms.

Meiluna's mouth opened in shock.

"That's so exciting!" Sokka said as Katara hugged Pakku, "You and Gran-Gran must be so happy to have found each other again"

"I made her a new betrothal necklace and everything" Pakku smiled.

"Welcome to the family Gramp-Gramp!" Sokka said running up to Pakku wrapping him in a tight hug.

Pakku gently pushed the boy away, looking slightly annoyed, "You can still just call me Pakku"

"How about Grand Pakku?"

"No"

"And this was Aang's first firebending teacher" Katara introduced.

He bowed introducing himself as Jeong Jeong.

Sokka greeted his Master,
"Master Piandao"

The two bowed to each other respectfully as he replied,
"Hello Sokka"

"So wait, how do you all know each other?" Suki questioned.

"All old people know each other. Don't you know that?" Bumi laughed.

"We're all part of the same ancient secret society. A group that transcends the divisions of the four nations" Piandao explained.

"The Order of the White Lotus" Zuko recognised.

"That's the one" Bumi smiled.

"The White Lotus has always been about philosophy and beauty and truth. But about a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important" Jeong Jeong continued.

"It came from a Grand Lotus, your uncle," Pakku looked to Zuko, "Iroh of the Fire Nation"

Zuko felt a smile grow at the mention of his uncle.

"Well, that's who we're looking for" Toph confirmed.

"Then we'll take you to him" Piandao nodded.

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"Well, here we are. Welcome to Old People Camp" Bumi spoke as he stepped onto the site.

"Where-" Zuko looked around the campsite, "Where is he?"

"Your uncle's in there, Prince Zuko" Piandao pointed to a tent on the other side of the camp.

He immediately walked over to the tent before hesitating at the entrance. Meiluna noticed the boy's nervousness and went to sit next to him in front of the tent.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly.

"No, I'm not okay. My uncle hates me, I know it. He loved and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?" Zuko rested his head in his hands.

"Your uncle could never hate you," She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't know that" He sighed.

"I know you're sorry for what you did,"

Meiluna turned her body to face him, making him do the same, "Right?"

"More sorry than I've been about anything in my entire life" His eyes never leaving hers.

"Then he'll forgive you," Meiluna assured him, "He loves you Zuko"

Zuko looked down with a smile as the two stood up from their spot. He took a step towards the entrance, his hands hovering over the tent before he quickly turned around and tightly wrapped his arms around Meiluna.

The Princess stumbled backwards slightly, not expecting Zuko to approach her with such force. She held him for a moment while he hid his face in the crook of her neck. She could feel the embrace of his warmth surrounding her. She could also notice the slight movement of his lips curling into a smile against her skin.

Meiluna felt safe. She was out in the open, exposed to everyone's prying eyes. They held each other in the midst of worldwide devastation caused by the Fire Nation, yet somehow Meiluna had never felt more at home.

She let go of him, lightly placing her hands on the sides of his face.

"Don't leave him waiting" She told him with a small smile.

He brought his hand on top of hers, and turned to place a soft kiss to the inside of her palm,

"Thank you"

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"Iroh!" Meiluna smiled seeing the the old man walking alongside his nephew.

"Princess Meiluna" He extended his arms as she embraced him quickly.

"I missed your tea," Meiluna admitted, "A lot"

Iroh laughed as Meiluna continued to ask him a million questions on how the perfect cup of tea would be made and if he could teach her. Iroh's eyes practically sparkled at the Princess' request, with a nod and a soft pat on her hair, he agreed that he'd make her the second best tea maker across the four nations.

The first being Iroh himself, of course.

Zuko smiled at the interaction between the two. He noticed Meiluna had brought out a side of Iroh he had hardly seen before. He had a wide smile, his eyes crinkled at the corners while he passionately spoke of tea as if it were gift from the heavens. Meiluna only listened in return as if he were bestowing her with the most crucial knowledge, her eyes filled with amazement.

It was so easy, for Zuko, to forget the world when he'd admire Meiluna. The way she beamed so bright, he wasn't even sure he wasn't simply dreaming. He took note of the constellations of stars dotting the sky behind her.

He felt compelled to apologise to the universe, as it still couldn't compare to the girl before him.

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"Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord" Zuko informed.

"You mean the Fire Lord?" Toph laughed.

"That's what I just said!"

Iroh hummed, pondering the information.

"We need you to come with us" Zuko insisted.

"No, Zuko, it won't turn out well" Iroh shook his head.

"You can beat him!" Zuko said as he faced the others, "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," Iroh explained, "The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord"

"And then," Zuko looked back to his uncle, "Then you would come home and take your rightful place on the throne?"

"No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honour," Iroh explained seriously, "It has to be you, Prince Zuko"

Zuko cast his eyes down,
"Unquestionable honour? But I've made so many mistakes"

"Yes, you have. You've struggled, you've 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 assured his nephew.

"I'll try, uncle" Zuko nodded, still avoiding Iroh's eyes.

"Well, what if Aang doesn't come back?" Toph asked.

"Sozin's comet is arriving, and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord," Iroh asserted, "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"

"That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus" Katara realised.

"Yes," Iroh answered before facing Zuko once again, "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"

"I can handle Azula" Zuko replied.

"Not alone, you'll need help"

"You're right," Zuko turned to the waterbenders next to him, "Meiluna, Katara will you two help me put Azula in her place?"

Meiluna nodded,
"Of course"

"It would be my pleasure" Katara smiled.

"What about us? What is our destiny today?" Sokka asked.

"What do you think it is?" Iroh asked back.

"I think that, even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet" Sokka answered.

"And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us" Toph added confidently as Iroh smiled.

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"Nothing runs faster over land or swims quicker than a giant eel hound," Piandao explained to Toph, Suki and Sokka, "The airship base is on a small island just off the Earth Kingdom shore, you should be able to intercept the fleet within a days journey"

"Thank you, Master" Sokka said as he hugged Piandao, before climbing on to the eel hound.

Meanwhile, Zuko, Katara and Meiluna prepared to board Appa.

"So if I'm going to be Fire Lord after the war is over, what are you going to do?" Zuko asked his uncle.

"After I reconquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to reconquer my tea shop, and I'm going to play Pai Sho everyday"

Meiluna smiled as Zuko and Katara climbed on to the bison. She bowed her head respectfully to the man,
"Thank you for everything Iroh"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, bringing her into a hug,

"Take good care of my nephew"

She nodded quickly before joining the other two on Appa.

"Goodbye General Iroh" Katara waved.

"Goodbye everyone, today destiny is our friend!"

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