Coming of a New Age

Cooperation

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

Warnings: None...

Here he was. Face to face with what he had been chasing after for three long years now. The one thing that could get him back all that he had lost. His honor. His throne. His life. He could gain it all back with the capture of one simple thing.

The Avatar.

Zuko jumped to his feet and reached for his swords instinctively. As he began to grasp his swords, he stopped himself. Would the capture of the Avatar even help him? Then the answer suddenly occurred to him. No, it would not help him. His Father would take the Avatar and destroy him for his own petty security. Zuko would only see the walls of the Fire Nation. He would never get inside again.

At least, not as long as his Father was the Fire Lord.

Aang jumped to his feet and shot an air blast at the unexpecting Prince, knocking him back onto the ground. Only attempting to regain his ground, Zuko received another air blast from the side, pinning him down.

Something strange was going on. Usually, the Avatar would just knock him to the ground and then fly off. He did not normally attack consistently... unless Zuko had given him a reason to.

"What did you do with my friends!" Aang yelled at him, still retaining his fighting stance.

Zuko looked up at the Avatar. "If I had done something with those peasants do you really think that I would be stupid enough to sit out here in the open with a campfire going?" Zuko replied coldly.

Aang shot another air blast at Zuko, causing him to slide a few more feet away. "Don't call them peasants!" Aang warned with a dangerous tone to his voice. "Where are they!"

"I just told you. I don't have them, nor did I do anything with them." Zuko replied slightly irritated as he sat up. "Uncle, feel free to join in and help me anytime." Zuko said to Iroh through clenched teeth.

Iroh pretended to be oblivious to the situation as he sat next to the campfire. "I would prefer not to Prince Zuko. You see, I just put a fresh pot of Ginseng Tea over the fire." He said smiling at his annoyed nephew.

Aang dropped to his knees and covered his face with his hands. "What am I going to do?" He asked himself sadly.

Zuko noticed something that he had not before. This time the Avatar did not have his flying bison or his gliding staff with him. "Don't you usually fly?" Zuko asked.

Aang slammed his fists on the ground and shot a glare at Zuko. Zuko had never seen the Avatar this angry before. "Whoever has my friends took my staff and Appa." Aang replied with disgust.

"Clever." Zuko chuckled. He soon realized that this was a mistake as his remark was returned with another strong air blast. Aang and Zuko exchanged glares with each other for a matter of minutes. Iroh decided to break the silence.

"Why don't you both come over here for a nice hot cup of Ginseng Tea to calm you down?" He asked.

"I am calm." Zuko snapped.

"I need to find my friends." Aang said as he stood up. "But thank you for the offer." Aang bowed to Iroh, then started to walk away.

"Prince Zuko, why don't you go with him?" Iroh insisted.

"What!" Zuko yelled jumping to his feet. "I'm not going to help the person that I'm supposed to capture to restore my honor!"

Aang turned around and glanced at Zuko. Restore his honor? This had been the first time that Aang had ever heard about this. Was that the only reason why Zuko had always pursued him wherever he went? All because of an alternate motive?

"You know Prince Zuko," Iroh started, "taking an important item to someone who wants it badly, a person who never owned it in the first place, only gives you honor in the eyes of thieves. However, helping someone in a time of need, friend or foe, will allow you to gain honor from not only the people, but also within yourself."

Aang had never realized that Zuko's Uncle was very intelligent when he wanted to be. What he had said to Zuko just now had even motivated him. Did Zuko even begin to realize how lucky he was to be able to travel with someone so supportive as this? If he did not realize it, then he truly would be a lost soul.

Zuko looked down at the ground trying to fully intake what his Uncle had said. There was always a reason for Iroh's strange but wise words, and Zuko always took the time to try and decipher them. That was when Zuko finally remembered the conversation that he and his Uncle had had shortly before this.

What in the world was he doing? Once again, like so many other times before this, Zuko was being foolish. It was pointless to try and capture the Avatar now. There would be no reason behind it. Then maybe, since there would be no point in capturing the Avatar... just maybe Zuko would have a better chance if he joined the Avatar.

"Fine." Zuko said suddenly, breaking the stifling silence. Iroh smiled, realizing that his nephew was certainly starting to catch onto things much quicker than before. "I will help you find your friends."

Author's Note: I hope this update wasn't too fast for you guys and I apologize for another short chapter. Gomen nasai! I know I kind of repeated the "No point in capturing the Avatar" thing quite a few times but I wanted to make sure I got the point across. I think that this is moving along rather nicely... but I could be wrong I guess. Anyway, for those of you that reviewed and I haven't replied to you I promise I'm not ignoring you! I was just on a tight schedule this weekend so I only got to reply to a few people. But I will reply to every single one of you this time. I promise! So please review. This time you'll get... TWO free cookies!