Naruto stretched on the deck of the ship as the sun started to rise above the horizon. He had just finished his morning exercises and was cooling down before he accidentally burned one of his men. Once he was cool he made his way inside of the ship as his men were coming out of their rooms to start their day. As he passed all of his men gave him a solute and a smile as he gave them a small nod and returned their smile with one of his own.

"General Naruto, I am happy to report that we shall be docking in the Capital in a day and a half."

"Thank you Sir Bekon." Naruto responded as he sat down at the table before eating his breakfast.

"Please call me Alker, sir." Naruto gave him a surprised look then nodded his head before swallowing. "Go get some breakfast Alker." The man gave him a smile then enthusiastically ran to get his meal. Naruto shook his head at his energy.

"It's already been four years hasn't it" Naruto thought to himself as he ate his food.

After Naruto was brought into the castle he easily climbed the ranks in his class before he was solidly at first and no one could catch up to him. In that time he met the Fire Lord's children Zuko and Azula along with her friends, Ty Lee and Mai. They made quite the little group and were able to defeat any opponent that they came across, but four years ago Zuko was challenged to an Agniki by his father where he was publicly humiliated and scared before being banned from the Fire Nation until he returned with the Avatar.

No one knew why he was banned, but the higher ups and Naruto were furious every time he thought about it. He had become a General when he was eleven and Zuko wanted to figure out what his life was like so he allowed him into a strategy meeting. They were going to sacrifice hundreds of men to get an opening in Earth Nations defenses and before Naruto could point out a better and less life consuming strategy Zuko blew up and yelled about how much peoples lives were worth and how there had to be a better way. Naruto agreed with every point, but the other general was offended and started to yell before he could get a word in. Before he knew it Zuko was shooting him a look of betrayal and running out the door with his Uncle following.

He had tried to find Zuko and apologize, but the next time he would see him was in that stupid and cruel fight that gave Zuko the scar on his face. Then he was gone.

"General Naruto, we have a message from the Fire Lord." A woman caring and messenger hawk spoke as he handed him the message, "Thank you Kora." Naruto spoke before he opened the message and began to read before almost choking on his food.

"General Naruto,

I know you are currently on your way home, but we need your help taking Kyoshi Island from the Natives. They are resilient and refuse to back down or give up. I want to hit them so hard they will never stand back up again.

Signed

Fire Lord, Ozai."

"Turn this ship due north. It looks like we are going to Kyoshi Island." Naruto ordered as he stood and made his way up to the bridge to check on his crew.

As the island came into view Naruto could see a Fire Nation ship already docked at the port and flames eating the village. He walked calmly through the village before seeing a shadow quickly fly past him. Naruto looked up and saw a sky bison flying through the air as a young boy steered it away from flames and to the safety of the sky. He made eye contact with an older male on the animal and his eyes widened with recognition. Naruto sighed and looked down once more before looking around the village. He held his hand up and pulled all of the remaining fire to his hand before dispersing it before it could do more harm.

"What happened here?" He asked an older gentleman that was to his right only to get some dirt spit onto his shoe and he sighed again. Naruto moved on to find the captain of the other ship and was surprised to see Iroh helping a young boy up and trying to wrap his leg.

"Let me, Iroh." Naruto spoke softly as he came up from behind them. Both of their heads whipped around to see who had spoken and both eyes widened, one with fear and the other surprise. Naruto gently took the bandages from Iroh's hands before gently wrapping the burn the boy had gotten tightly and with some burn cream he always carried on him.

"You should be okay to move, but try not to do too much with that leg, okay?" Naruto gave the boy one of his famous calming smiles before rubbing the boy's hair and turning to Iroh. His eyes hardened and his voice was like steel when he spoke "We need to talk."

Iroh led him back to his boat and explained that Zuko had been tracking someone to the island and they had gotten into a fight causing the destruction he was seeing now.

"So Zuko's here?" Naruto asked with more hope leaking into his voice than he would have wanted, but Iroh just gave him one of his famous 'I can read you like a book' looks.

"Yes he is, I can lead you to him if you would want Naruto?" Iroh offered and Naruto paused. Zuko had left the Fire Nation thinking that he had betrayed him. Would it really do any good for them to talk?

"The man I saw with that boy was not the person that the rumors would make you out to be." Iroh started making Naruto look him in the eye. "Even I, who has known you since you were a child, started to believe the rumors of the ruthless Golden Warrior of the Fire Nation. The person that could kill you with a look or his bare hands. I had thought you were lost to our Nation's Propaganda, but what I saw there was Naruto, not general Naruto, not the Golden Warrior, just Naruto; and that is who Zuko needs right now."

Naruto's eyes crinkled up with worry as he looked at Iroh asking for an explanation.

"Ever since that day he hasn't been the same and he's getting worse. I fear that he's falling into his darkness and I can't help him. I'm begging you, Naruto, help my nephew learn to think for himself again." Iroh was practically begging Naruto, but he just grabbed his shoulder and spoke.

"You don't need to beg for my help, if Zuko needs me I will always be there." Iroh looked into his eyes to see his iron hard resolve and he gave a smile and a nod of thanks.

He started to walk and Naruto followed after him. As they got deeper into the boat Naruto started to lose some of his confidence and began to slow. "Iroh, are you sure I can help him?" Naruto asked as he looked at the ground.

"I believe you are the only one that can." Iroh responded before he began walking once again. Naruto resumed walking too before Iroh stopped in front of a door and gave Naruto a look. "I will be just down the hall when you are done." Naruto gave him a nod and Iroh grabbed his shoulder, "Just remember, change is hard and you won't be able to see it right away." With that he left and Naruto stared at the door in front of him.

"My arm feels heavy and I can't seem to lift it to knock." Naruto thought to himself and suddenly without his command his arm lifted and he was knocking on the door.

"You need this too, Naruto." A female sounding voice spoke from within him and he bracketed himself for the response.

"Uncle I don't want to talk, go away." It was ruder, deeper, and heavier, but it was still his voice.

"It isn't Iroh Zuko." He responded only to hear silence on the other side of the door. There was quiet shuffling before the door cracked open and Zuko peaked his good eye through. The eye widened with surprise before hardening with anger and hate.

It physically hurt Naruto to see that look in his best friend's eye once again and for once he decided to wear his emotions on his face. If this conversation was going to go how he thought it would, emotions were going to be running high.

"What are you doing here, Golden Boy?" Zuko tainted and Naruto flinched at the name before responding.

"I was sent by your father to take Kyoshi Island, but I ran into Iroh and he led me here. I know you don't want to see me, much less speak to me, but please let me explain myself. I'm begging you." Naruto dropped into a deep bow while remaining on his feet as he squeezed his eyes closed.

"You get ten minutes." Zuko responded as his eye glared through the crack in the door.

Naruto righted himself before begging to speak. "That day I was about to suggest a plan that wouldn't cost any lives and have a higher chance of success, when you spoke up. I agreed with all of your points and was trying to back you up, yet every time I tried I got interrupted or ignored. Then you stormed out of the meeting. I tried to find you afterwards because your father wouldn't let me leave early, but I couldn't find you anywhere. The next day that horrendous crime happened and I went to find you to heal you and be by your side, but I was too late and couldn't catch you. I was so mad I blew up as well once I learned where you had gone and your father gave me a scar to match yours." Naruto lifted his shirt so Zuko could see the burn scar that was across his side. "He didn't want to lose his precious weapon so he didn't do anything else, but I had to train through the pain and suffer for the next month for my deed." At this point Naruto's eyes had started to water and he had to breathe to stop the emotions from overwhelming him.

"Your father threatened to do something worse to you if I dared to go after you, so I prayed I would run into you on a random mission and it seems like I was heard." Naruto met Zuko's eye once again, "I was so scared that you would refuse to talk to me that I almost didn't even try, but now I'm happy I did." Naruto took a deep breath, " I don't care if you forgive me. I don't care if you shut me out again, but don't let that monster ruin your life as he has so many. I can't tell you right now, but there's only one reason that I'm still by his side and once that's gone, so am I." Naruto gave Zuko a smile, "Next time we meet I want to say hi to my best friend again, okay?"

Zuko's eye widened once again and Naruto turned and left the hall to go meet up with Iroh and fill him in on what had transpired.

Once Naruto returned back to his boat late that night many of his crew commented on his good mood and he told them he had gotten rid of a weight that had been weighing him down for years. Many congratulated him and they had a feast once the ship was back into the sea. The boy on the Sky Bison was completely forgotten.