Author's Note: Hey guys, I finished the second chapter, and I know that Zuko seems a little OOC, but I'm trying to keep him in character as much as possible. This chapter and more than likely the next one are going to be flashbacks of how Zuko, Iroh, and the gang came to be together. Please don't kill me, I'm trying my hardest here!

Thanks to InuAva and Toli, my first two reviewers!

Oh yeah, before I forget: I don't own ATLA or anything that seems familiar. Now enjoy the story!

"Young Avatar, how many times must we go through this? Firebending comes from the breath, not from the muscle! You need to focus on this. Run it again!"

Zuko laughed inwardly at his uncle's speech. 'Not too long ago, that was what I was hearing', he thought. 'At the time, who would have known that we would have joined forces with the very same person I was training to battle with?'

The decision to join the Avatar's group hadn't been an easy one for the young prince to make. After Azula's attack on Uncle Iroh, Zuko had finally started to accept the fact that his family did not want him, and that the only way to gain the throne and redeem himself in the eyes of the Fire Nation was to overthrow his father and finally end the war. Though he was still the same stubborn prince, he was finally beginning to change.

He also realized that having Iroh injured would slow the two of them down in their travels, which would not help them escape from his sister Azula, if the need came up. Zuko remembered that the Avatar had that flying bison, and thought that maybe enlisting the help of the young bald monk would benefit both he and his uncle, allowing Iroh to rest, and Zuko to begin the process of ending the war.

So, when Iroh had felt ready to begin traveling again, Zuko told his uncle of the plan. The older man had accepted, grateful that his nephew was finally coming around.

The plan was for his uncle totalk to the blind Earthbender ('Toph', Zuko corrected himself) he had met while following the wandering Zuko, and explain their situation. She was the least likely of the group to try and kill him, as they had already gotten to know each other over their little tea session, so she would be the easiest to persuade. Toph was a little cautious during their meeting, as she had since learned that the man's nephew was the same person who had been chasing the group before she came along. But, remembering that the old man had been hurt, she agreed to talk to the gang about it, and had gone off to find them.

When Toph relayed the news back to the group, there were mixed reactions ('As was to be expected', the young prince thought). Aang was willing to accept the two new additions, knowing that Iroh was injured, and that maybe when he had healed enough, he would be able to teach the monk Firebending, as Jeong Jeong hadn't been seen since Zhao had attacked. Katara was more wary, but after reluctantly agreeing ("Only because Aang needs to learn Firebending, and you're the only ones around", she hadlater toldZuko), she told herself that she was going to make sure the prince and his slightly odd uncle didn't do anything to hurt the Avatar.

Of all the members in the group, the Watertribe peas---warrior was the most difficult to persuade. Sokka didn't trust the Fire Nation at all, and was shocked when Aang suggested bringing, of all people, their PRINCE, and one of their greatest war heroes into the group. Naturally, he outright refused, and had grown angry when Katara and Toph had tried to reason with him. His sister had finally brought the warrior around by reminding him of the approaching comet, and of the fact that Aang still needed to learn Firebending. "The older man can teach Aang, and you and Zuko can work on ways to fight the Fire Nation soldiers when we reach the capital", Katara had said. "Besides, if Zuko knows that crazy group of girls that is following us, then maybe he can help us fight them. After all, he would know what their strengths and weaknesses are." Naturally, when the idea of taking down any member of the Fire Nation filtered through the boy's mind, he finally agreed ('Of course', Zuko snickered, 'the fact that Toph had threatened to bury him in a rock-alanche and leave him for Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee was also a contributing factor in the boy's decision'). He too decided to watch the Firebenders, though, in case they attempted to sabotage the mission.

So Zuko and Iroh had joined the reluctant group, and set about trying to work on their assigned 'projects'. Iroh was teaching Aang the basics of Firebending, and Zuko…well, Zuko had ATTEMPTED to work with the Watertribe warrior, but soon grew irritated with the boy's immaturity. Sokka would throw in not so subtle insults when the two sat down to the planning sessions, and rather than add fuel to the fire, Zuko would sit in an area by himself and not contribute to the arguments. This would make Sokka angry, and he would start yelling at the banished prince. In order to get the younger male to shut up (and to keep himself sane), Zuko would throw a stray flame toward the warrior, smirking when he would panic and run away from it. Zuko would then apologize, and state that fire could be hard to control sometimes. However, Sokka caught on quickly, and would resort to tossing his boomerang, apologizing when it would 'accidentally' hit the prince. Both soon grew very angry, resulting in the inevitable exchange of punches. Needless to say, not much planning took place.

When Katara had seen their actions, she had sought out the old general, asking him if there was any way to incorporate Zuko into Aang's lessons, so that her brother might still be in one burn-free piece, and the prince would have something to occupy his time. Iroh had decided to have Zuko demonstrate the Firebending moves for Aang, so that he might better learn them. "I'm much too old to be trying to demonstrate these, and it will give you the opportunity to practice for Azula, Prince Zuko", his uncle had told him one night.

So here he now sat, watching the Avatar receive that lecture from his uncle, and sitting against the tree until he was needed again. As he thought, he began to wonder just where Azula and her group were. Zuko knew his sister, and knew that she wouldn't be very far away. He began hoping that he would be prepared when they met again, so that he might finally take her down. 'If worse comes to worst', he thought, 'maybe I could throw Sokka at Ty Lee as a distraction. She always struck me as the boy crazy type. Besides, it's not like I would miss the 'warrior' anytime soon'.

And so, with this happy new thought running through his mind, Zuko went back to demonstrating the bending moves to the Avatar.

Unbeknownst to the gang, a cunning young princess with cold amber eyes was nearly on top of them, planning her own attack and hoping to catch two traitors and a little bald Avatar all at once.

End note: OK guys, so tell me what you think of this. It's difficult to write, and I know that some characters might be OOC, but I'm hoping to get past that. I don't know when the next chapter will be out, so give me some time, and hopefully I'll have it soon!