Chapter 4

I give up. I can’t spend the rest of my life chasing Azula and losing to her. I’ve got to move on, find somewhere safe. I returned to Uncle, and, thankfully, he didn’t mention my failure with the lightning. We climbed onto the ostrich-horse and rode off.

“Ow-oh-ow-uh.” Uncle continued to moan and groan. It was too soon for him to travel. “Maybe we should make camp,” I suggested.

“No, please, don’t stop just for me. Ow-oh-ow-uh.”

Okay, that’s it. We have to stop. Why can’t Uncle just admit he’s in pain? I helped him down from the ostrich-horse and found a place for him to sit. Just as Uncle seemed to be comfortable, we heard the sound of riders approaching.

“What now?” Uncle said, groaning.

A bunch of Fire Nation soldiers riding rhinos burst from the woods and surrounded us.

“Colonel Mongke? What a pleasant surprise,” Uncle said.

“You know these guys?”

“Sure, Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary.”

“We’re here to apprehend you two fugitives,” Colonel Mongke snarled.

“Would you like some tea first?” Uncle asked.

I know Uncle well enough to know that he’s not interested in having tea with these men. He’s trying to buy himself some time, to prepare for battle. Well, I’m ready too.

“Enough stalling!” Mongke shouted. “Round ’em up!”

Uncle released a wall of fire and I blasted a few others with my own Firebending moves. These soldiers may be legendary, but they were no match for us! Within a few moments we were back on the ostrich-horse making our escape.

“It’s nice to see old friends,” Uncle said.

Always making jokes, Uncle. Some things never change. “Too bad you don’t have any old friends who don’t want to attack you.”

“Hmm … old friends that don’t want to attack me?”

Uh-oh, what’s he thinking now? What idea did I just give him? Whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.

Uncle led us to a rundown old dive called the Misty Palms Oasis Cantina. “You think we’re going to find someone to help us in this place? These people just look like filthy wanderers.”

“So do we,” Uncle said. “Ah, this is interesting. I think I’ve found our friend.”

He was staring at an old man sitting at a Pai Sho table. “You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?” I asked.

“I don’t think this is a gamble,” he replied, walking over to the man.

“May I have this game?” Uncle asked. The man nodded, then Uncle made the first move.

“I see you favor the white lotus gambit,” the old man said. “Not many still cling to the ancient ways.”

“Those who do can always find a friend,” Uncle answered—a little mysteriously, I thought.

They placed pieces on the board quickly. It didn’t even look like they were playing Pai Sho. It looked more like they were making some kind of picture with the pieces. After a while they stopped. Now what was the old man going to do?

“Welcome, brother,” he said. “The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets.”

First crazy Pai Sho patterns, now strange talk. What are we even doing here? “What are you old gas bags talking about?” I asked.

“I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game,” Uncle said.

Well, what does that mean? Before I had the chance to ask more questions, two men came toward us.

“It’s over!” the taller man shouted. “You two fugitives are coming with me!”

We’ve got to get out. But Uncle’s new friend jumped to his feet and pointed at us. “I knew it!” he shouted. “You two are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!”

I thought Uncle had gotten the guy on our side. “You said he would help!” I whispered to Uncle.

“He is,” Uncle whispered back. “Just watch.”

The old man turned to the ones who had approached us. “You think you’re going to collect all that gold?” he yelled.

Now he had everyone in the place standing and staring at us. The tall man moved toward us, but a crowd started forming around him! Soon a huge brawl broke out, and Uncle’s friend signaled for us to slip out the side door. I finally got it. By shouting about gold the old guy set off the brawl as a distraction. We had to follow him and get out of here before anyone realized that we were gone.

But I still have no idea who this guy really is. Can we trust him? He led us to a flower shop, looking back over his shoulder the whole way.

“It is an honor to welcome such a high ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus,” the man said when we were inside and he had once again checked to make sure that we hadn’t been followed.

The Order of the White Lotus? More mysterious talk. Why are we here? “Now that you’ve played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is someone in this secret club going to offer some real help?” I asked again.

“You must forgive my nephew,” Uncle told the man. “He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts.”

We reached a door at the back of the shop. A small panel in the door slid open.

“Who knocks at the garden gate?” asked a man behind the door.

“One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries,” Uncle replied.

More crazy talk, but the door did open. At least maybe someone in there can help and—WHAM! Uncle and the man just went in and slammed the door in my face! What am I, invisible? A small panel opened and my uncle’s face peeked through.

“I’m afraid it’s members only,” he said. “Wait out here.”

Oh, great. So I can’t even see what’s going on in this secret club of theirs. I waited … and waited … and waited. What’s taking so long? What are they doing in there?

I dozed off for a while before they finally came out. “What’s going on? Is the club meeting over?” I asked.

“Everything is taken care of,” Uncle said. “We’re heading to Ba Sing Se.”

“Ba Sing Se? Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?”

“The city is filled with refugees,” Uncle’s new friend said. “No one will notice two more.”

“We can hide in plain sight there,” Uncle explained. “And it’s the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn’t break through to the city.”

So we really are giving up, going to hide in the Earth Kingdom capital where Azula can’t find us. We’re not going home. I’m not going to fight my sister, capture the Avatar, or reclaim my honor. I’m going to spend the rest of my life as a fugitive, a refugee, hiding from the world. Mostly hiding from myself. I never thought it would end like this, but I really don’t have other choices right now.

Suddenly a man rushed into the room carrying some papers. He seemed to be in a panic. “I have the passports for our two guests, but there are two men out on the street looking for them,” he said.

I peered out the front window of the shop.

It was the two men from the cantina. They were showing a wanted poster to everyone on the street. What do we do now? Run? Hide? Stay and fight?

Uncle’s friend pointed to two vases that were large enough to hide in. We quickly slipped into the huge clay pots and Uncle’s friend placed some soil and flowers over our heads.

I squatted in the dark, hiding under the dirt and flowers, and trying to make out what was happening. I could feel that we were moving in some kind of cart. I could hear the squeaking wheels of the cart rolling us from the shop.

Then I heard the two men from the cantina yelling at Uncle’s friend, but their voices sounded far away. I guessed we were moving away from the shop, toward our new life in Ba Sing Se.