A week has passed since Zuko has really started training with Toph, and in that time Team Avatar has once again been on the move. Each day was almost the same for Zuko in this time, he'd wake up before dawn, meditate with Aang, eat breakfast, swim and waterbend with Katara and Yue before lunch, earthbend through the afternoon, have tea and dinner before going through the advanced firebending forms, lightning generation and redirection with his uncle. While he has successfully created lightning on a few occasions, Zuko still isn't consistent with lightning generation. Either through his own self doubts, insecurities or thoughts, something is preventing him from being able to create lightning consistently. Iroh himself is confused and curious as to why Zuko's lightning is gold in color and not the typical bluish white like his own. However, those questions will have to be answered at a later time. The old general has decided today would be the day to put a stop to the week-long rigorous training sessions and let the body recuperate and rest.

This morning has been a bit slow compared to the others, with Iroh not allowing any training for the next couple days Zuko finds himself a bit bored. There hasn't been another letter coming from Mai, and the only thing he's had to pass his time has been the training. He still has his habits, meditating in the mornings and focusing on his senses, but today his meditation isn't exactly easy. Every few moments he hears a note on Aang's flute before the similar note coming from a prairie dog that sits up out of its tunnels and echo's Aang's flute. "Aang, can you not do that? I'm trying to meditate." Zuko asks, furrowing his eyebrows and pinching the bridge of his nose. The belligerent creatures have given him a headache from all the playing. "C'mon Zuko, you gotta admit this is pretty fun." Aang says before playing three notes in a descending fashion causing the prairie dogs to mimic him before he stands back up. "Any plans for today or is it just going to be more traveling?" He asks.

"We need to head east to Ba Sing Sei and gain the earth king's support and armies if we're going to defeat the firenation." Sokka adds, "But since we're kinda taking a break from all the training, I thought we might be able to go on a short vacation. A day or two at most." Sokka says as he produces a map.

"Do we all get to choose these or what?" Toph asks, and with the others getting chatty, Zuko gives up on trying to meditate and decides to join them in looking over the map for anything interesting.

"You haven't exactly been in our group to have earned a vacation yet Toph." Sokka says but Zuko just raises an eyebrow at this statement.

"And you're suddenly the boss of our group? Personally I don't care about the whole vacation thing, so she can have my vote." Zuko says before walking away from the map before laying on Appa's tail and grabbing a mango from within their supplies before cutting into it.

"Well if that's the case, then this might end up being fun after all." Toph says, "Too bad you don't have any topographical maps, these ones are boring." She says running her hands over the page before losing interest and wandering off as well.

"What do you mean it's boring? Just look at all the stuff on here!" Sokka shouts before holding up the map towards Toph. The short earthbender turns and faces him before lifting a hand over her face and waving it in front of her eyes with a wide grin on her face. "Oh... sorry." He says, having completely forgotten that she's blind.

"This spot looks interesting." Katara says as she points to a light blue spot on the map. "Misty Palms Oasis. It'd be nice to get out of the heat and get into the water for a bit." She says looking around the others for their input.

"Oh yeah! My sister and I went there a hundred years ago! It's a pristine natural ice spring in the Shi Wong Desert! It's one of nature's wonders." Aang says in his typical chipper upbeat attitude.

"I think I'm gonna throw in my vote for this mini vacation too." Yue adds and with three out of six possible votes, since Zuko gave up his vote, the group collects their belongings and gets on the back of Appa.

An Hour of Flight Time Later.

Appa trots down onto the sandy ground outside of this little "Oasis" which by this point is extremely run down. "Well this place sucks." Zuko says bluntly as they pass a sand bender missing several teeth, as they enter the small oasis town a dog runs out in front of them before running over to the ice in the center. "Maybe it's just under new management?" Aang says, trying to sound optimistic. "Or they died." Sokka says seeing a few... less than polite looking locals. Aang cringes at this comment before taking a step closer to Katara who actually stepped closer to Zuko as they walk through the entrance to the oasis. "There's a tavern here, at least we can get something to eat before we find literally anything else to do." Zuko groans as he marches towards the adobe style restaurant. He half expected it to smell musty or at least like mold but the inside is at least clean. At the bar a man in a green turban is a blur of energy and movement, cutting up fruits, adding different liquors and syrups to the concoction before scraping it all into a bowl made from the ice coming from the spring.

"You guys want anything?" Zuko asks as he leads the group over to the bar, behind him Iroh scans the room for a few moments before spotting something that interests him and walking off.

"Sure." Sokka says answering for the group before having to tap Toph on the shoulder since she was looking the wrong way. "You having a hard time seeing Toph?"

"The floor in here is wood on sand, I can't see a thing." She comments.

"Tell Zuko what you want, he already knows what we like so we're gonna have a seat." Sokka says, directing her towards Zuko before grabbing Yue's hand and walking to where Iroh was seated across the little tavern.

"Care for a drink?" The man behind the bar asks, studying Zuko for a moment before looking at the rest of his ragtag group.

"Yeah, None of these are gonna have alcohol. Can you give me 2 mangoes, 1 berry and guava, 1 pineapple with coconut and some meat skewers?" Zuko says before turning his attention to Toph. "They have fruits from all over, you want anything?" He asks.

"Pomegranate and Dragonfruit" She says, causing the man behind the bar to nod at her request before he gets to work.

Behind them at a pai sho table, Iroh sits down in front of a thin old man in an olive green set of robes with his hands folded within the sleeves. "Care for a game?" Iroh asks as he rummages through his satchel for his Pai Sho set. The man nods before withdrawing a bag from within his sleeve and setting it on the table. "The challenger gets the first move." The man says as he waits patiently for Iroh to grab his token. Behind him, Sokka and Yue take a seat followed by Aang and Katara. Iroh smirks as he picks up a piece from his bag before placing it on the center of the table. Aang notices that the pai sho tile that Iroh had selected has the white lotus insignia on the face of the piece. "It's been a while since I've had someone who favors the white lotus gambit... not many cling to the ancient ways." This statement causes the four younger viewers to give the man a questioning look. "Those who do can always find a friend." Zuko says as he approaches the group with their drinks. "You stole the words right from my mouth, my nephew." Iroh half chuckles, the man across from him shoots a look to Zuko and then at Iroh, noticing the old general wink before he smiles. "Let us begin."

As the two begin placing piece after piece on the board, a man dressed in explorers gear approaches them. He takes out a couple instruments before tapping Aang on the shoulder. "Excuse me, are you an actual air nomad?" He asks, causing Aang to arch an eyebrow before studying him for a moment. "Yes, I am." Aang says before using a bit of his airbending to float his drink to his hand. "Fascinating." The explorer says before taking one of his instruments and measuring the size of Aang's head. "And which of the air temples are you from?" He asks as he lifts Aang's hand and studies the tattoo on his hand. "The southern air temple." Aang says before pulling his arm away. "Who are you?" he asks before the man realizes he may have overstepped some boundaries. "Ah, my apologies. I am Professor Zei, head of Anthropology at Ba Sing Se university." Professor Zei finally introduces himself.

"Why are you all the way out here then? Shouldnt you be teaching at the university then?" Katara asks as she moves Aang away from the scholar, a bit weirded out by the anthropologist.

"The university has paid for my expedition out to the Shi Wong desert. I'm searching for one of the greatest treasures known to man. Wan Shi Tong's Library." Professor Zei explains before pulling out a map detailing his adventure into the desert. "Unfortunately over the past few years of my expedition all of my attempts to find the library have been in vain."

"What makes this library so special?" Sokka asks, having leaned over to read the map the professor had pulled out.

"It's said to contain the sum total of all recorded history between man and spirit. Mechanical marvels beyond our capabilities created by the knowledge spirit and his foxy knowledge seekers." Professor Zei continues, but that comment causes Katara and Yue to give him a questioning look.

"Are they actual foxes or..." Yue asks hesitantly.

"Oh yes, they are actual fox spirits." Zei says before rolling up his map and putting it back into his bag.

"Do you think it has any up-to-date maps on the firenation?" Sokka asks.

"Of course, the problem is, these expeditions take weeks if not months to conduct and we only move at night to avoid the scorching heat of the day." Professor Zei says but Sokka has a better idea.

"We have a much faster means of travel." He says with a smirk on his face, his right hand framing his mouth between his index and thumb. "We have a Sky Bison."

"Love how you're just inviting this random dude onto Appa without asking Aang first." Toph says as she gives Sokka a deadpan expression. "You could have at least asked Aang first."

"I don't mind." Aang responds, causing Toph to shrug. "It will be a lot of weight on Appa though so I think we should wait until night for him to fly so he doesn't get overheated."

"Before we make this expedition into the biggest desert on the planet, I think it would be a good idea for you guys to get some more water. We have plenty of food but water is going to be the most important." Zuko comments as Iroh and the old man finish their game of Pai sho. The table in front of them now has a large lotus drawn out with the pai sho tiles the two have placed.

"Welcome brother. The white lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets." The other man says as he bows to Iroh.

"There are some things we must discuss brother, is there a private place where we can speak?" Iroh asks, causing his tablemate to nod before collecting his tiles and motioning for them to follow him.

Aang opts to show off Appa to professor Zei with Sokka while Katara and Yue end up following Iroh and Zuko across the small oasis town. Toph however is more interested in the food and finishing her drink over spending time with that ten ton fluffy flying slobber monster they others refer to as Appa. Casting a side glance over his shoulder at the two water tribe women, Zuko notices how extremely uncomfortable and overheated the two are despite wearing their thinnest robes. Half a year ago when he started this journey, his old self would have been content to just let them and himself suffer in silence but now he's a different man. A better man, an honorable man. Katara was half a second away from pulling some water off the ice spring to cool herself and Yue off when she sees Zuko take in a sharp but deep breath. She immediately feels the shift in the air, the dead calmness of the desert is replaced by his airbending. The winds waft the chill off the ice and towards them, surrounding the five as they walk across this little hamlet town on the edge of the wasteland.

The older man leads them into a shop filled with plants from all over the earth kingdom, a few flowering plants in vases distract Katara and Yue as the man leads Iroh and Zuko into the back of the shop. As they arrive at the back door, Iroh knocks on it in a spaced out pattern causing an eye slit to slide open and a fourth man is standing on the other side. "Who knocks at the garden gate?" This new man asks in a grovely voice. "One who has eaten the fruit and has tasted its mysteries." Iroh responds before the eye slit in the door closes and then the door itself opens revealing the back room. Iroh steps to the side and motions for Zuko to enter before he follows suit. Behind them Katara and Yue attempt to follow them into the room but the door is shut before they can enter and the eye slit opens again revealing Iroh. "I'm afraid it's members only, Zuko is an initiate however you two are not yet." Iroh apologizes before he passes a coin purse to them. "Please pick up some supplies for the trip into the desert, we may be here a while." Iroh says before he closes the little slit in the door.

"It's an honor to be in the presence of one of the 8 grand lotuses." The old man from the bar says as he motions for the two to sit on a couple of floor cushions. "I am Master Ryoto and this is my dear friend Elder Shoda." Ryoto introduces as he and Shoda bow to Iroh.

"A pleasure to meet two other masters." Iroh says before he bows and Zuko follows suit. "I have brought my nephew to be initiated, This is Avatar Zuko." The other men in the room look at Zuko and then drop to a knee in honor of him.

"We are honored to induct you into our Order, Avatar." Shoda speaks, his sand groveled voice resonating with admiration and respect. "We had approached Avatar Beifong about becoming a member, but we were unable to meet with him before his death."

"Our order was founded by Avatar Szeto who lived over a thousand years ago. Since him, only one other avatar has been a member of our order. Avatar Roku." Ryoto explains as the two men rise to their feet. "Now that you come as an initiate, you carry on the tradition."

"We are members of a society that exists beyond the borders of our nations, above the petty political squabbles and above the lines drawn by the machines of war." Iroh explains. "To become a member you must be a master and you've demonstrated that you are now ready."

"I haven't mastered firebending yet, wouldn't that make me not worthy?" Zuko asks, prompting Iroh to shake his head.

"Aang has deemed you a master airbender, he's even said so himself." Iroh says, "I'd extend the invitation to him however the boy needs to mature before he can become an initiate."

"If you really think I'm ready then... I accept." Zuko says before he takes a seat on one of the cushions. Across from him, Ryoto pours some liquid into a small porcelain cup.

"Avatar Zuko, we offer you the fruit from the garden of the lotus, drink deep and behold the mysteries that lie beyond the boundaries we set between nations." Ryoto says before presenting the drink to Zuko, the cup is covered by a small blooming lotus flower that floats on the liquid.

Zuko bows slightly as he accepts the cup presented to him, with two hands he sips the liquid, this liquid is almost tasteless but it has hints of the lotus flower floating on top of it and burns the back of his throat slightly as he swallows. The others remain silent as he finishes drinking the sake from the cup and eats the small lychee fruit in the bottom of the glass. "Welcome Avatar Zuko." Ryoto, Iroh and Shoda speak in unison as Iroh extends his hands to his nephew. "To the Order of The White Lotus." In Iroh's hand is a hand carved and hand painted white lotus tile. Zuko accepts this gift from Iroh before turning his attention to Ryoto and Shoda, the latter of which presents him with a full pai sho set. Zuko takes the small leather pouch before opening it, inspecting each of the wooden tiles before noticing a small interior pocket meant to house his white lotus tile. He places the tile into the little pocket before tying the bag closed and attaching it to his hip. "Let us begin." Ryoto says as the four masters get settled in for a lengthy discussion.