Fire Heart

Chapter 23

Uncle and I sit on the ostrich-like animal while Rin and Zuko walk. Uncle groans in pain. I sigh.

"Maybe we should make camp." I say.

"No, don't stop for me." Uncle says before groaning dramatically. I roll my eyes and stop the bird. Uncle climbs down on his own while Zuko lifts me off. The ostrich-like animal hears something and looks off towards the trees around us. Zuko and Rin get into defensive stances.

"What now?" I whine. Suddenly, a group of men on rhinos appear around us in a circle.

"Colonel Mongke. What a pleasant surprise." Uncle says with a smile.

"If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps." Colonel Mongke replies. Zuko looks at Uncle.

"You know these guys?" Zuko asks.

"Of course! Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary! Each one is a different kind of weapon specialist! They are also a very capable singing group." Uncle replies.

"We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives." Colonel Mongke says.

"Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kahchi? I make you as a Jasmine man. Am I right?" Uncle asks the man to our left. Zuko moves in front of me protectively.

"Enough stalling. Round them up!" Colonel Mongke exclaims. They start to attack. Two metal balls on chains head towards me but Uncle hits them away. They wrap around a rhino's leg and Uncle hits it's butt. It takes off and takes the person who threw the balls with it. An archer goes to shoot me but Zuko breaks the flaming arrow midair before shooting fire at him, putting a hole in his bow and breaking the string. Rin then launches a big boulder at him, sending him into the woods. Colonel Mongke shoots fire at me but Uncle blocks them all. Zuko jumps onto the rhino and spin kicks Colonel Mongke off the rhino. Rin then puts a bunch of rocks on top of him. Uncle climbs onto the ostrich-like animal and helps me on before getting it to run. Rin follows us on a slab of rock and pulls Zuko onto it as well. The last Rough Rhino throws a bomb ahead of us. But we keep going anyway.

"It's nice to see old friends." Uncle says. I face palm.

"Too bad you don't have any friends that don't want to attack you." Zuko says. I giggle.

"Hmm. Old friends that don't want to attack me..." Uncle says in deep thought. I laugh even more.

"I hate that I can't bend without hurting." I say. "You protected me and I'm grateful. But I just feel useless."

"You're anything but useless, Ivy. You are a very powerful Bender. But right now, you need to rest your muscles as much as you can." Uncle tells me. Zuko and Rin give me a smile, which tells me they agree with Uncle. I sigh and nod as we enter a desert.

"Are we there yet?" Rin asks after an hour or two. I look ahead to see a small market.

"Well, it's not Ba Sing Se. But we can stop here for some food and drinks." I reply. Rin sighs and nods. We stop before we reach the town. We all walk up to a building and Zuko ties the ostrich-like animal to a post. As soon as we enter what seems to be a bar, Uncle walks over to a man around his age.

"Care for a game of Pai Sho?" The man asks Uncle.

"Uncle, we don't have time for this!" Zuko grumbles.

"I'll only be a moment, My Nephew. Go get the girls something to eat and drink." Uncle says. Zuko sighs and guides me over to the counter, Rin follows us.

"Three cups of water please." Zuko says. The man behind the counter nods and starts pouring water into three cups.

"That'll be six copper coins." The man says. I dig through my shoulder bag until I find six copper coins. I hand them to him before picking up one of the cups. Zuko and Rin pick theirs up. We stand and watch Uncle play Pai Sho. They move their pieces around until the game pieces create a lotus shape on the game board.

"Welcome brother. The White Lotus opens to you." The man says and bows to Uncle.

"What is the gas bag talking about?" Zuko asks Uncle. I smack his arm.

"Zuko." I scold. That's when a man stomps up to us.

"You fugitives are coming with me." He says.

"I knew I'd seen you somewhere! You're fugitives of the Fire Nation! The ones with a huge bounty over your heads!" The man who played Pai Sho with Uncle exclaims.

"I thought you said he could help." Zuko snaps at Uncle.

"He is. Watch." Uncle says. A fight breaks out and the man ushers us out of the bar and into a plant shop.

"So now that your done playing Pai Sho, you're going to sort plants!? Or can one of these members offer real help!?" Zuko yells. I smack the back of his head and send him a warning look.

"I apologize for my nephew. He is not an initiate, and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts." Uncle tells the man. Zuko growls as the man knocks on a door. The little window opens, revealing a man's eyes.

"Who knocks at the garden gate?" The man behind the door asks.

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries. The door opens and Uncle enters the room with the man who brought us here.

"Are any of the others members?" The first man asks Uncle.

"Ivy was to be initiated. But she didn't get the chance because Azula put her down as a fugitive. Which caused us all to travel a lot so we couldn't initiate her." Uncle replies. I stare at Uncle curiously.

"Then she may come in if she knows of the Order of the White Lotus." The man says. I enter the room and Uncle puts an arm around my shoulders. We walk over to a table and sit down.

"What is it you need Iroh?" The man asks.

"A place to sleep for the night. And a way to Ba Sing Se tomorrow." Uncle replies. The man nods.

"You may stay in the large storage room here in the shop. I will think of a way to get you to Ba Sing Se." The man says. Uncle and I bow our heads.

"Thank you." We say gratefully. The man nods before taking us both out of the room. Zuko and Rin stand up and look at us.

"We are to sleep here tonight." I tell them. We enter the storage room. The man leaves. Rin lays down and immediately falls asleep.

"Why did you tell him I was to be initiated into the White Lotus?" I ask.

"You can't bend. And it makes you feel like you can't do anything. Since you are a master Fire, Water, and Earth Bender, I will initiate you after the war." Uncle tells me. I stare at him in shock.

"Thank you, Uncle." I say and hug him tightly. He chuckles and hugs me back.

"You're welcome, Ivy." Uncle replies. I release him and lay down beside Rin. Zuko kisses my forehead and I smile.

"Goodnight Zuko." I yawn.

"Goodnight Ivy." Zuko says. I close my eyes and let sleep take me.

--The Next Day--

I yawn as Rin shakes me awake.

"Get up! Those two guys who were trying to capture us at the bar yesterday are on the streets looking for us. We're going to hide in flower pots to get out of here." Rin tells me. I jump up and look around. The man from yesterday has a cart with four flower pots. Zuko helps me into one.

"Zuko?" I ask after a little while.

"Yes, Ivy?" Zuko asks.

"I have to pee."