Ever since meeting Avatar Aang inside the South Pole, Zuko had begun his chase and began following Aang and his friends across the world, excluding the Fire Nation. Zuko made a few attempts to capture Aang while on Kyoshi Island and working with pirates.

Now, Zuko, the Fire Nation Prince was currently training within his chamber room inside his sloop. Honing his Firebending in order to capture Aang and return to the Fire Nation. He would bend small flames, so it wouldn't get out of control. Suddenly, a few knocks contacted his metal door and interrupted his training.

"Who's there?" Zuko asked.

Suddenly, Zuko's uncle, General Iroh had opened the door to his room.

"Uncle? What are you doing here? Did something happen?" Zuko asked, feeling a bit concerned.

"I'm afraid that you have a visitor." Iroh told Zuko.

"A visitor?" Zuko asked.

Without permission, a tall and masculine man named Zhao had entered Zuko's chambers.

Zuko's eyes narrowed toward Admiral Zhao.

Zhao ignored the narrowing eyes and decided to pretend to act loyal and try to act under Zuko's good graces. "Greetings, Prince Zuko. It is such an honor to see the pri-"

"Cut it out, Zhao." Zuko cut Zhao off.

"It's Admiral Zhao, to you." Zhao told Zuko.

"Who cares? You never once came to visit me, since I was banished. Nor have you ever held me in high regards, before. So don't start pretending that you do, now." Zuko crossed his arms and turned away from Zhao.

Zhao smirked as he knew Zuko could see through his little act. "Alright, fine. You got me." Zhao raised his hands in the air for a second. "I came to tell you that I will be taking your crew."

Zuko quickly turned back to Zhao, feeling surprised. "What?"

"I've recruited them on a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao said.

Zuko then looked to Iroh. "Uncle, is that true?"

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone-" Iroh acted like he's weeping with his right arm over his face. "Even me and the cook."

"Wait, then what about me?" Zuko asked.

"You won't be coming with us. You will just have to stay here and keep watch of the sloop." Zhao ordered Zuko to stay on the sloop.

Zuko visibly growled at Zhao.

"I know you need the Avatar to return home, but I can't have you or anyone else in my way." Zhao said.

Zuko stopped growling for a moment. "The Avatar's alive?" Zuko asked as he pretended to act surprised.

"Haven't you heard? The Avatar and his friends have been causing a bit of trouble for quite some time, now." Zhao stared at Zuko for a moment

"But, I thought the Avatar was just a myth. I thought it was an excuse, so that my could get rid of me." Zuko said, pretending to act clueless and naive.

"Then your head must've been in the clouds for a long time." Zhao said, the placed his arms behind his back. "Oh! And while you're here, Prince Zuko. Try and make sure that you don't burn this sloop down. We don't need you damaging anything-or "Anyone", will you?"

Zuko's right eye widened, as he knew what Zhao was talking about. He realized Zhao was talking about Ty Lee. This made Zuko angry to where he wanted to attack him, but Iroh stopped Zuko by throwing his arms out and acting as Zhao's shield.

Zhao then walked to his right and spotted dual broadswords hanging on a metal wall. As he looked closely, his eyes hesitated as it had brought him a few memories. He then thought back when the Blue Spirit infiltrated a Fire Nation base and freed the Avatar. He then grabbed one of the dual blades.

Zuko stood still as he thought that Zhao was about to realize something.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko?" Zhao said as he swung one of the broadswords in the air.

"I'm not that skilled. Those are decorative antiques. Given to me by Master Piandou." Zuko said and turned away.

"General Iroh. Have you ever heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?" Zhao asked.

"Just rumors. I don't think he's real." Iroh said.

"He or she real, alright. Whoever it is, he or she is a criminal." Zhaor slightly glanced at Zuko for less than a second. An enemy of the Fire Nation." Zhao then handed Iroh one of the broadswords. "But I believe that justice will catch up with him, soon." Zhao said, before leaving Zuko's chambers.

Ten seconds after Zhao closed the metal door, Zuko turned to Iroh. "He knows."

"He knows I did it, uncle." Zuko said in a quiet tone.

"Knows what, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked.

"He knows that I freed the Avatar!" Zuko whispered to Iroh.

Iroh gasped. "You what?"

Zuko quickly shushed Iroh. "Not so loud, or he'll hear us."

"You freed the Avatar? When did you do that?" Iroh asked as he felt concerned.

"Back then, I had no choice. The Avatar was already in Zhao's custody." Zuko told Iroh.

"Wait, if you freed the Avatar from Admiral Zhao, then how come you didn't catch him?" Iroh asked.

Zuko paused.

Flashback

Zuko moaned as he had just woken up from being unconscious. He glanced around the area to see tall trees and realized that he was in a large forest. His body was lying on a bed of leaves.

"I hope you're feeling better." Aang said.

Zuko's right eye opened when he heard a voice. He quickly turned his head to the right and saw the Avatar, Aang, sitting on a large tree root.

"Do you know what's the worst part about being frozen for a hundred years? You lose touch with the people you care about. You'd do anything to get back what you once had, but it's too late. Other than the Air Nomads and Bumi, I had a friend named Kuzon. We would get in so much trouble, together... and he was from the Fire Nation. Just like you." Aang told Zuko.

Zuko blinked as he listened to Aang's story.

"If you were alive, back then, do you think we could've been friends, too?" Aang asked, hoping Zuko would say yes.

Zuko paused for six seconds, before sitting upwards.

Both of Aang's eyebrows had risen as he something was about to happen as he stared at Zuko.

Zuko got up from on top of the bed of leaves, turned his back towards Aang and walked a different direction in the forest.

Aang was utterly confused as he noticed Zuko isn't trying to capture him at all. "Hey! Don't you still want to capture me?" he yelled as he cupped his hands over his mouth.

Zuko stopped for a moment as he did not say a word. He hung his head and waved his left hand towards Aang, telling him to "leave" then kept walking along.

End Flashback

"Oh. I see, now. You wanted to repay your debt to the Avatar for saving you, as well." Iroh said.

"I did. And I have a feeling that it would be the last time." Zuko said as he placed his hands on Iroh's shoulders and hung his head in front of him. "I just couldn't let anyone else have him."

Iroh blinked, once, then thought of something. "I have a plan."


Twleve Hours Later

Prince Zuko had met his uncle, General Iroh at the bottom of the Zhao's sloop and dressed himself in red and black Fire Nation armor. On the night beforehand, Zuko had survived explosion caused by the pirates he cooperated with in the past. Zuko learned that it was the pirates who destroyed his sloop, but he didn't know why they did it.

"Our plan is working, perfectly. Zhao doesn't suspect a thing." Iroh told Zuko.

"I appreciate you showing me the secret escape route from my sloop, before, uncle." Zuko thanked Iroh as soon as he had taken off the front face mask.

"No family of mine is going to stow away on a secured ship without some backup." Iroh said.

"I can't even thank you, again, uncle. For all you've done for me." Zuko said.

Iroh's eyes looked forward down the hall as he heard the sound of a metal door opening. "Someone's coming." Iroh informed Zuko. "Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole. And when Zhao is distracted, the Avatar will be yours." Iroh told Zuko, before parting away from him.