Zuko lowered his war balloon into some forest cover before grabbing a set of rope and heading for the Western Air Temple. Tying the rope around a rock, Zuko descended into the temple before swinging and landing on one of the platforms. Walking to the edge of the courtyard, Zuko stared out into the canyon, his thoughts elsewhere.

"What a stunning view," Iroh commented, staring out at the canyon.

"The only view I'm interested in seeing is the Avatar in chains," Zuko stated firmly, his eye still wrapped from the Agni Kai.

"You know, the Avatar hasn't been seen for one hundred years. The chances of finding him here are very slim," Iroh reminded Zuko gently.

"And we're just not that lucky," Azara added, her arms crossed over her chest.

"First, we'll check each of the air temples, then we'll scour the world, searching even the most remote locations until we find him."

"Prince Zuko, it's only been a week since your banishment. You should take some time to rest and heal," Iroh suggested, walking over.

"What else would I expect to hear from the laziest man in the Fire Nation?" Zuko scoffed, causing Iroh to sigh. "The only way to regain my honor is to find the Avatar, so I will." Iroh sighed again before turning to walk away, Azara glancing after him.

"You shouldn't be so harsh on Uncle. He's just trying to help," Azara told Zuko, walking to stand beside him.

"I don't need his help. I need the Avatar," Zuko snapped as Azara rolled her eyes, glancing around the Western Air Temple.

"Well, I don't see him here. So, let's go change your bandage again. The healer said we should be applying the salve every couple of hours," Azara suggested, turning to Zuko, who shot her a look.

"You're treating this like a joke, Azara."

"I'm just trying to be realistic, Zuko," Azara returned, her hands on her hips. "Now, don't make me drag you by your ponytail back to the camp so we can change that bandage."

"You'll never understand," Zuko huffed, turning away from his sister.

"How you seem to care so little for basic first aid and hygiene? Yeah, I won't," Azara muttered, walking over, and placing a reassuring hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Now, come on. This place is empty. You won't find the Avatar here. Come on, let's go."

Zuko sighed, lowering his head for a moment, before tensing as Appa flew down into the canyon. Running into the temple, he hid as Appa landed in one of the adjacent courtyards.

*|*|*|*|*

Aang sat down in the circle of his closest friends, who all had rather determined and serious expressions on their faces. He really wanted to join Teo, Haru, Kesuk, and The Duke in their exploration of the Western Air Temple, but he knew that Katara and Sokka would never leave him alone until he finally discussed the new plan.

"So, what's the new plan?" he asked, glancing between Sokka and Katara.

"Well, if you ask me, the new plan is the old plan! You just need to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes," Sokka replied, resting his hands on his knees.

"Oh, yeah. That's great, no problem. I'll just do that," Aang scoffed sarcastically, looking away.

"Aang, no one said it's going to be easy."

"Well, it's not even going to be possible! Where am I supposed to get a firebending teacher?" Aang sighed, lowering his head.

"We could look for Jeong Jeong!" Katara suggested, trying to maintain an upbeat attitude.

"Yeah, right. Like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again," Aang sighed, laying down.

"Who's . . . oh, never mind. If it's important I'll find out," Toph muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh well, guess we can't come up with anybody. Why don't we just take a nice tour around the temple?" Aang suggested before opening his glider and taking off with Momo.

"What's up with him?" Toph asked, resting her head on her hand.

"There's got to be someone who can teach him firebending," Sokka murmured, staring at the tiles below him. He knew the perfect teacher—they all did—but she wasn't there. "Toph, are you sure you didn't feel her anywhere in those tunnels?" Sokka questioned, picking up his head.

Toph paused before shaking her head. "I didn't do a thorough investigation, but from where we were, I didn't feel her. And even if I did, there's no way we're getting that close to the Fire Nation capital again."

Katara walked over to Sokka, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We'll find her, Sokka. Maybe she's not as far away as we think she is."

"Yeah . . . as if we're that lucky," Sokka sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.

*|*|*|*|*

A short walk away from the Western Air Temple, Zuko was pacing back and forth around his campsite. "Hello . . . Zuko here, but I guess you probably already know me, sort of," Zuko mumbled, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Uhhh . . . so, the thing is I have a lot of firebending experience, and I'm considered to be pretty good at it."

Zuko smiled for a moment as he placed his hand on his chest. "Well, you've seen me, you know when I was attacking you." He paused, realizing his words. "Uhh . . . yeah, I guess I should apologize for that." He sighed, pressing two fingers to his forehead before waving his arm out to the side.

"But anyway, I'm good now. I mean, I thought I was good before, but I realize I was bad, but anyway, I think it's time I joined your group and taught the Avatar firebending," Zuko stated sincerely, standing up straighter as he faced the badgerfrog in front of him. A moment passed before the frog croaked at him, stoking Zuko's anger.

"Well, what's your answer!?" The badgerfrog hopped up onto his head in response before hopping further away. "Yeah, that's what I'd say, too. How am I supposed to convince these people that I'm on their side?" Zuko sighed, beginning to pace again.

"What would Uncle do?" Zuko held out his hand as he began to imitate his uncle. "Zuko, you have to look within yourself to save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self, reveal itself." Zuko paused before slumping his shoulders. "Even when I'm talking for him, I can't figure out what he means."

"What would Azara do?" Zuko tried, placing his hand on his chin for a moment, before holding his hands together, mocking his sister. "I know the Fire Nation has done a lot of bad things, but I'm different. And I can help you because I've always been on the good side secretly my whole life," Zuko spoke in a higher voice, batting his eyelashes, before sighing. "That won't work for me."

"What would Azula do?" Narrowing his eyes and widening his lips into a smirk, Zuko began to imitate his other sister. "Listen, Avatar, I can join your group, or I can do something unspeakably horrible to you and your friends. Your choice." Ending his impersonations, Zuko sat down on the ground. "I guess I'm just not that good at impersonations."

*|*|*|*|*

As Aang continued to dodge Katara and Sokka's attempts to force him to talk about finding a firebending master, Toph cut into the conversation, sensing a new figure on the scene. "I think that'll have to wait." Toph pointed behind her at Appa, who moved to reveal Zuko. Katara, Sokka, and Aang looked shocked for a moment before quickly getting into defensive positions.

"Hello . . . Zuko here." Zuko smiled, waving his hand. "Hey, I heard you guys flying around down there, so, I just thought I'd wait for you here." Zuko was quickly cut off by Appa, who growled loudly at him, before licking him twice. Wiping some of Appa's slobber off of him, Zuko turned back to the Gaang. "I know you must be surprised to see me here."

"Not really since you've followed us all over the world," Sokka replied stiffly, his eyes narrowed as he kept a firm grip on his boomerang.

"Right. Well, uhh . . . anyway . . . what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I, uhh, I'm good now, and well I think I should join your group, oh, and I can teach firebending . . . to you," Zuko spoke to Aang, who looked rather shocked for a moment. "See, I, uhh—"

"—You want to what now?" Toph interjected shrilly as Katara took a threatening step forward.

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you? I mean, how stupid do you think we are!?"

"Yeah, all you've ever done is hunt us down and try to capture Aang!" Sokka snapped, glaring over at Zuko, who shot him a look.

"I've done some good things! I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something!" Zuko tried, raising his voice.

"Appa does seem to like him," Toph conceded, tilting her head to the side.

"He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it," Sokka argued gruffly, swinging his arm out to the side.

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past," Zuko continued, taking a step forward.

"Like when you attacked our village?"

"Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?"

"Look, I admit I've done some awful things. I was wrong to try and capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. I'm going to try and stop—"

"—Wait, you sent Combustion Man after us?" Sokka interjected angrily, glaring at Zuko.

"Well, that's not his name, but—"

"—Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to insult your friend!" Sokka snapped, causing Zuko's own temper to flash to the surface.

"He's not my friend!"

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" Toph yelled, pointing a finger at Zuko.

Zuko sighed before turning to Aang. "Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends. You know I have good in me."

Aang turned to his friends at Zuko's words. Sokka frowned and shook his head, causing Aang to turn back to Zuko. After a moment, he stood up straighter, ready to deliver his verdict. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us."

"You need to get out of here. Now," Katara warned dangerously as Zuko closed his eyes, lowering his head.

"I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore! I'm good now! Azara believed that I had good in me and I'm trying to help finish what she started. She trusted me—" Zuko started, but he was cut off as a boomerang nearly clipped his head. Spinning to avoid it, Zuko stared back at Sokka, who glared murderously at Zuko.

"Yeah, she trusted you. And look where she is now because of you," Sokka snapped, catching his boomerang as it returned. "So, unless you know where she is and how we can get her back, you better leave, or we'll attack."

"I don't know where she is. There were reports that she was taken to an off-site location for the invasion, but I'm not sure," Zuko explained, glancing across the Gaang members, before kneeling down and holding his arms up. "But if you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner."

"No, we won't!" Katara yelled, blasting a stream of water at him, forcing him back. "Get out of here, and don't come back! And if we ever see you again . . . well, we'd better not see you again!" Katara threatened, her hands clenched into fists.

Zuko sighed, getting to his feet, and trudging back to his campsite. Once he was alone again, Zuko began to pace. "Ugh! I can't believe how stupid I am! I mean, what was I thinking? Telling them I sent an assassin after them? Why didn't I just say Azula did that? They would have believed that! Stupid!" he shouted, smacking his own forehead. As the badgerfrog croaked at him, Zuko slumped.

Sitting down, he held his head in his hands for a moment, before picking it up again. "You would have known what to say, Azara. How can I convince your friends to let me help them?" he wondered aloud, though he knew he wouldn't get a response back.

*|*|*|*|*

The next morning, a figure in dark clothes crouched from their position on the adjacent cliffs, hidden by the folds of the rock. Their face was completely hidden, save for a pair of golden irises, which scanned the campsite for the one target they were after. However, before the figure could act, a much larger individual with an odd tattoo on their forehead across the canyon decided to shoot first.

So, the figure would sit back and wait. For now.

*|*|*|*|*

Zuko approached Team Avatar slowly, slightly sore from the battle with Combustion Man. This time, he wasn't met with immediate hostility, but he still remained cautious. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but . . . thanks, Zuko," Aang spoke, staring over at the Fire Nation boy.

"Hey, what about me? I did the boomerang thing," Sokka cut in, sounding mildly offended.

"Listen, I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday, I've been through a lot in the last few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor, and that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself, by choosing to do what's right," Zuko began, staring at Aang.

"All I want to do now is play my part in ending this war, and I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world." Zuko turned to Toph, bowing apologetically. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild, so as a firebender, I need to be more careful and control my bending, so I don't hurt people unintentionally."

Aang looked at Zuko with a shocked expression, before contemplating Zuko's words. "I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher. When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara, and after that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love. I'd like you to teach me."

Aang walked forward, bowing respectfully to Zuko, who hurried to bow back. "Thank you. I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group!"

"Not so fast," Aang cut him off, straightening up. "I still have to ask my friends if it's okay with them." Aang turned to Toph, who looked calm. "Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?"

"Go ahead and let him join. It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet," Toph smirked, pounding her fist into her palm, causing Zuko to wince.

"Sokka?"

Sokka paused for a moment, thinking back to all the hurtful things Zuko had said and done to Azara, before turning back to Aang. "I don't like him, but all I want to do is to defeat the Fire Lord and get Azara back. If you think this is the way to do that, then, I'm all for it."

"Katara?" Aang asked, turning to the waterbender.

Katara glared openly at Zuko, causing the firebender to sweat a little. "I'll go along with whatever you think is right," Katara offered to Aang, who smiled and nodded.

"I won't let you down! I promise!" Zuko exclaimed, excitedly walking over to the group.

Eventually, once Zuko had collected his things from his campsite, Sokka led him through the halls of the temple to an empty room. "So, here you go. Home sweet home, I guess. You know, for now. Unpack? Lunch, soon? Uh . . . welcome aboard?" Sokka listed off awkwardly before excusing himself.

Walking over to Aang, who stood in the hallway, Sokka sighed. "Okay, this is really, really weird. Makes me feel so on edge."

"Just think of it as getting to know your future brother-in-law better," Aang suggested as they walked off, a teasing smile on his face.

"Don't joke about that where he can hear you," Sokka hissed, glancing back at Zuko's door.

As Zuko began to unpack in his room, he noticed Katara standing in the doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest. Seeing that he had finally noticed her, Katara pushed off the doorframe and walked over, her eyes narrowed threateningly.

"You might have everyone else here buying your . . . transformation, but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past. So let me tell you something, right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends . . . right then and there. Permanently."

Katara turned on her heel and headed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Zuko sighed, slumping his shoulders, before going back to unpacking his things.