Double Bender

Part 52

Zuko and Uncle came out of the tent, both smiling widely with tears of joy in their eyes. Geo and I ran up to Uncle and hugged him tightly. "We missed you so much!" Geo said. Uncle laughed heartily. "I missed you too." We pulled away and he looked us over. "You both seemed to have changed so much." My hand absentmindedly went to my much shorter hair. "Not necessarily a bad thing." I said quietly. Uncle smiled. We walked over to the rest of the group. "I want to hear everything that you've been doing." Uncle said. So we explained everything; leaving Ba Sing Se with everyone else, Aang finally waking up, that crazy dance party, becoming the Painted Lady, helping the village, the invasion, everything all the way up to now. Uncle stroked his beard and said, "Sounds like you've been on quite a journey." "I'll say." Geo chided. "You would not believe the hormones these two have." She said, referring to me and Zuko. We both shot her a look. Uncle looked at all of us and said, "Where is the Avatar?" We all exchanged nervous glances. "That's why we're here." Sokka said. "Aang's suddenly gone missing." Zuko looked at his uncle. "You're the only one aside from the Avatar who can defeat the Father Lord." "You mean the Fire Lord." Toph corrected. Zuko looked confused. "That's what I said." Geo and I both gave him a look. Uncle thought for a moment. "We need you to come with us." Zuko finished. "No." Uncle said. "It would not turn out well." "What do you mean?" I asked. "You're practically the most powerful fire-bender in the world! How is it you can't defeat Ozai?" Uncle looked at me with a sad look in his eyes. "Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't even know that I could, it would not be the right way to end the war. History would just see it as more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to gain power. The only way to end this war peacefully is if the Avatar defeats the Fire Lord." Zuko looked at his uncle. "And then..." he said nervously. "Then would you take your place on the throne?" Uncle shook his head. "Why not?" Geo asked. Uncle held up a hand and signaled for her to stop asking. "No. Someone new must take the throne." He looked pointedly at Zuko. "An idealist with unquestionable honor. It has to be you, Prince Zuko." Zuko looked back at the ground. "Unquestionable honor." Zuko whispered in disbelief. "But...I-I've made so many mistakes." "Join the club." Muttered Geo. "You've struggled," Uncle continued. "you've suffered. But you've always followed your path. You restored your own honor. Now, you must restore the honor of the Fire-Nation." Zuko looked up. "I'll try." He said. Toph broke the silence. "Well, what if Aang doesn't come back?" She asked negatively. Uncle sat up. "The comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord." He sighed again. "When I was a boy," he continued, "I had a vision, that I would one day take Ba Sing Se." He paused. "Only now do I see is my destiny is to take it back from the Fire-Nation so the Earth-Kingdom can be free again." Suki put two and two together and came to a conclusion. "So that's why you gathered the order of the White Louts!" she exclaimed. Uncle nodded. Zuko was still very nervous about what Uncle was going to ask of him. "Zuko," Uncle said. "You must return to the Fire-Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you will assume the throne and regain peace and order." I spoke up. "You can bet that Azula won't take this lying down." Uncle frowned. Zuko sat up, looking a little more confident. "I can handle Azula." He said confidently. "Not alone." Uncle insisted. "You'll need help." Uncle looked at me and Geo out of the corner of his eye. Geo looked at Zuko. "We've been through thick and thin together, Zu." Geo said. "If you think you're not going in without me, you're crazy." She whacked him on the arm, the way and annoying little sister might do. "Katara, you want to help me take down my crazy sister?" Zuko asked. "My pleasure." Katara responded happily. "Don't think you're going without me." I said. "No." Zuko protested firmly. "I won't have you getting hurt." "Oh no, but I bet if I die, you'll all just be peachy. Thanks for all the sympathy and worry over here. Thanks a whole lot." Geo said sarcastically. I shot Geo a look and took Zuko's hand. "I won't let you go without me." I insisted. "What if you get hurt and I'm not there?" "He'll have me." Katara implored. "That's not what I meant." I said firmly. "You could die, and I wouldn't be there for you. I wouldn't be able to say anything or do anything about it. It would drive me absolutely insane. I don't care what you say, I don't care if you're gonna be the overprotective boyfriend, I'm coming."
Zuko looked at me. "What about if you get hurt and die. I'd never be able to live it down, knowing that you could have been somewhere safe. If something like that-"
I cut him off. "I'm not that helpless girl you found in that beat up village, Zuko. I know you like to think that I can't defend myself but I can. What's more, I won't stand idly by as my home and the person I love fall. I'm coming and I will help you kick Azula's ass!"
Zuko took my hand. "I can't win anything with you can I?" he said.
"I'll take that as yes?" I asked. Zuko sighed.
"Can't take down my crazy sister without you there." He said smiling.
"And you can't forget!" Geo said, pointing to herself and Katara. Zuko smiled.
"Wouldn't dream of it!"
"Hey!" Sokka said. "What about us? What's our destiny?" Uncle smiled slyly. "Well, what do you think?" Sokka thought for a second and then said, "I think that even though we...don't know where Aang is...we should do everything we can to stop the airship fleet." Uncle nodded. "And that means," Toph continued, "That when Aang defeats the Fire Lord, we'll be right there when he needs us."
After about half an hour of preparations, Sokka, Suki, and Toph left on a giant eel-hound. According to Piandao, nothing ran faster over land or water. Before we left, Zuko confronted his Uncle one more time. "So, if I become the Fire Lord, what will happen to you?" Uncle smiled with a look of great peace over his face. "After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to re-conquer my tea shop." I walked up behind Zuko. "Well, you certainly deserve it." I said with a smile. He smiled back and hugged me and then Zuko. "After this war," he said, "I hope you two find a happy life together." We both blushed. Geo walked over to us. "We're all ready to go." She said. Uncle pulled her into a hug too. "I remember, when we found you in that burned village, I completely underestimated you. I thought you as just a poor little girl who needed someone to take care of her. I now see that you are among the most skilled warriors I've ever encountered in my time." Geo looked at the ground, small tears forming in her eyes. It was the only time I saw her cry. Zuko put one arm around her and the other around me. "We won't let you down, Uncle." He said. "I have no doubt about that." Uncle said with a smile.
We packed all our few belongings and climbed onto Appa. "Let's go, Fuzz Ball." Geo chimed. "Yip yip!" she cracked the reins. "Goodbye, General Iroh!" Katara called. We all looked over the side of the saddle to see the old man, waving heartily.

I'm actually kinda sad. It's almost done. I think I might do about for or five more updates after this. After that, who knows???? What the eff am I gonna do Wafflebunnies???? Maybe I'll put out a survey of which of my stories to put up next.
Also
EXAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! STUPID EFFING EXAMS!!!!!!!!!
Exams should literally go die in a hole. >:(
~Maeve
(Also, I saw the picture and couldn't resist)