Chapter 3: Baby Steps

When Aang's three other friends returned from collecting food, they were more than a little surprised to see Zuko sitting casually in the middle of their camp. They stood on the edge of the clearing.

"I guess I should go talk to them," Aang said.

"I'll come with you," Katara volunteered.

Zuko was left with Toph and Sokka. Neither seemed particularly eager for chit chat, which was fine with Zuko. He'd done enough talking today to last a lifetime.

Sokka went about stacking wood for a fire. He took a small satchel out and dumped the contents on the ground. "Toph, have you seen my flint rock?"

The blind Earthbender gave Sokka an annoyed look. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Oh, uh…sorry Toph."

"Allow me," Zuko volunteered, using his bending to ignite the wood. In a matter of minutes they had a crackling campfire.

"Sweet!" Toph replied, leaning up against a rock she bended up from the ground. "We usually have to wait forever to get a fire going."

"Thanks, but I didn't need your help," Sokka grumbled. "Despite Toph's opinion, I'm perfectly capable of starting a campfire in an efficient manner!"

Zuko shrugged. "Whatever you say."

"I don't know what you're so annoyed about, Sokka," Toph teased. "He did say he wanted to join the team and he is after all a Firebender. Seems like the perfect job for him if you ask me."

"Well, if you put it that way…true."

And as the evening progressed, Zuko was very aware of being the odd man out as the Avatar's friends gathered around one side of the campfire, while he sat alone on the other.

After Aang's apparent talk with the rest of his friends, they seemed to accept his decision, but looked far from enthusiastic about it. Haru, the Earthbender in particular, seemed to regard Zuko with quiet animosity.

A simple meal was passed out. Haru handed Zuko his portion.

"Thanks."

Haru nodded, but didn't offer further conversation. Instead he went back and sat by Katara who mostly glared at Zuko and picked at her food. When Haru leaned over and said something to her, Zuko caught the Avatar frowning.

For a while Zuko contented himself by watching the flickering flames of the campfire, until laughter made him look up. He saw the Avatar's pet lemur perched on Sokka's head, its long tail wrapped around the Water Tribe boy's face. The lemur had reached down and snatched a piece of fruit out of Sokka's hand.

"Momo! Get your own food!" Sokka muffled a complaint, trying to unwrap the lemur's tail from around his mouth.

Momo jumped onto Teo's shoulder, chittering happily. The boy in the wheelchair laughed. "As far as Momo is concerned, I think he just did."

"Blah!" Sokka spit fur out of his mouth. "Well…still…Momo, you need to learn a few manners!" He scratched his head and picked something out of his hair. "Not to mention you could use a bath. I think you just gave me fleas!"

After their meal, Katara got up and abruptly left the group. The Avatar stood up to follow, but Sokka held him back. "Just give her some time, Aang."

The Avatar sighed. "I guess I'll go check on Appa then."

A few minutes later, Zuko stood and stretched his cramped muscles. To know one in particular he said, "I'm going for a walk." As he left, he felt both Sokka and Haru's eyes on his retreating back.

He strolled about the Temple grounds in the warm evening air until he finally came across the Avatar. Aang was airbending several bundles of hay in a pile before the giant bison.

He looked up as Zuko approached but remained silent.

"Guess I'm not making much of an impression," Zuko said.

Aang shrugged. "It's going to take some time. It's a big adjustment for everyone."

Zuko crossed his arms casually. "If you don't mind me saying, you've got a rather rag tag bunch of followers here."

Aang glared defensively at Zuko. "They may not seem like much to you, but they all are very brave and loyal friends!"

Zuko sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out that way."

Aang airbended some melons into Appa's mouth. "We had to leave the adults behind during the invasion, including Haru, Teo and Katara and Sokka's fathers," he explained. "They don't trust you for obvious reasons, but right now they all are just worried about their families. Haru's father, Tyro, spent five years already in a Fire Nation prison before Katara, Sokka and I helped free him. It wasn't a pleasant experience. The Duke...well...he doesn't have any parents; both of his were killed in a Fire Nation raid. He's an orphan, like me I guess you can say in a way."

"Weren't you raised by the monks or something?"

Aang nodded. "Air Nomad children are raised differently than the other nations. Because there were so few of us born at one time, the Air Nomads considered us sacred, their most prized treasure. Also, unlike the other nations, all the children of the Air Nomads could bend. So when we became old enough to start our formal training, the monks brought us to the temples. But I always felt closest to my master, Monk Gyasto. He was really funny and always seemed to know how I felt. I still miss him a lot." Aang stroked the bison's fur. Appa gave him an affectionate growl back.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too, but I'm not without a family," Aang said. "Sokka, Katara and Toph and the rest of my friends, they are my family now. We protect each other."

Zuko nodded in understanding.

There was a rustle of leaves. Both turned to find Sokka and Haru standing a few feet away.

"Everything all right here, Aang?"

"Yeah, I'm fine guys."

The two nodded and disappeared back into the darkness.

Aang gave Appa a few more melons and then gave him a big hug. "Night buddy." He bowed briefly to Zuko and left quietly.

Alone, Zuko stared at the giant fur ball, his arms loosely crossed. The beast growled and stepped forward, opening it's enormous mouth. Then to Zuko's utter surprise, a wet sloberry tongue licked him up his side.

"Uhhh!" Zuko cringed back in disgust. Wiping the dripping goo from his eyes, he had to put out a hand to keep the beast from trying to nuzzle him in the chest.

"Look here!" He addressed Appa sternly. "Just because I released you in Ba Sing Se, doesn't mean I like you!"

Appa growled affectionately back, licking his lips. Zuko shook his head. Huge eyes stared at him. Mumbling under his breath, he picked up another melon and tossed it into the beast's mouth "Fine. But we are keeping this between us, you understand?"

Zuko stormed off, unaware of the rustle of leaves nearby.

Later that night, when all had settled down to sleep under the stars, Zuko dreamed about his mother. She was sitting in a quiet garden, very similar to the one he would often find her in at the Royal Palace. In her hand she held a white lotus flower gazing serenely out at the turtle-ducks in the pond. As he approached, she looked up and smiled.

As Zuko reached out to her, he could hear his father laughing. His mother faded away into the darkness.

When he awoke the next morning, he found himself staring into a pair of big saucer eyes.

"Momo, come back here!" The lemur jumped off his chest and up into some nearby trees.

The Duke skidded to a halt a few feet from him and then took a step back.

Zuko rose up on his elbows. "Hi there."

The Duke just blinked.

Zuko looked around. Besides the boy, he seemed to be alone. "Where's everyone?"

The Duke shrugged. "I don't know. Uh, I…I…gotta go." The young boy hastily raced off.

Now awake, his stomach grumbled and Zuko set about exploring the grounds in search of food. He found a plum tree and picked a piece of fruit. It was then he heard a metallic clanging sound. He followed its source and found Sokka and Teo in an open area bent over a rather large piece of dented metal. The massive bison lay under a tree napping.

He heard Sokka muttering. "It's no use. It's pretty damaged and I don't have the right equipment to repair it."

"Maybe Toph can fix it?" Teo suggested.

"Maybe…though Toph's specialty is ripping metal apart, not fixing it."

It was then Teo noticed Zuko and gave Sokka a nudge.

"Oh, it's you." Sokka replied not very enthusiastically.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked.

"Trying to fix Appa's armor. It was badly damaged in the attack."

Zuko looked at the twisted metal plate charred black. "Looks like you just need some heat to soften the metal up enough to pound it back into shape."

"Well I don't exactly have a blacksmith shop on the premises here," Sokka replied sarcastically.

"Why don't you get the Avatar to help you?"

"Aang? Why would you think he could help? I mean, he's a great kid, but well let's just say he's mechanically challenged."

"It's easy enough with firebending."

Sokka gave Zuko an odd look. "Uh, right…well, Aang is a little challenged in that area as well."

"Oh?" Zuko replied. "Well, mind if I try?"

Sokka stood up, crossing his arms. "Sure, why not? Knock yourself out."

Zuko took a deep breath and concentrated. Extending his hand, he produced a steady stream of fire directly on the metal. After a minute or two, the metal began to glow and turn red.

Sokka peeked from around Zuko's back, one brow arching curiously, his mouth turned in a lopsided frown.

Zuko stopped bending. "Try it now."

Sokka looked at Teo who shrugged. He picked up the hammer and started pounding. To his apparent surprise, the softened metal started to bend back into place.

"Okay…so that might work," Sokka conceded reluctantly.

Zuko grinned.

Over the next hour or so they worked together to repair the plate, alternating between softening the metal through firebending and Sokka hammering it out.

It required a great deal of concentration for Zuko to keep up the steady stream of intense flame for several minutes at a time and he was covered in sweat by the time they were finished.

"Looks almost brand new again," Teo commented, impressed.

"Well…uh…thanks for the help," Sokka finally muttered.

"No problem," Zuko replied. "I was glad to help."

"Now that you and Zuko fixed the amour, Sokka, do you think you can help me rebuild my glider so I can attach it to my wheelchair? I kinda miss not being able to fly."

"Sure, Teo."

"I'll leave you two alone then," Zuko said.

As Zuko took his leave, he saw The Duke some distance away. He waved to Sokka and Teo. He was carrying a fishing pole and soon disappeared in the woods.

Sweaty and hot, Zuko left too in search of a place to wash up. He entered a wing of the Air Temple and after making several wrong turns he became frustrated at getting lost. Eventually he came upon a large room with a set of massive double doors. On the doors were several large pipes scrolled in the design of the Air Nomad insignia.

Similar to the set he'd seen once in Avatar Roku's temple, but with the Fire Nation insignia instead, Zuko knew what they were, the chamber doors leading into the Air Nomad's most private sanctuary. Like the ones in Roku's temple, they were designed to be only be opened by the sages or the Avatar himself.

Zuko examined the doors for several minutes, wondering what existed beyond. But he knew there would be no way to open them and eventually left the room and found his way back outside.

He followed a path that led through a tunnel of overgrown vines to a section of the temple partially collapsed and lay in ruins. Despite the overgrowth of vines and trees which had sprouted between the cracks, it was still easy to see its destruction had not come from natural erosion but at the hands of the Fire Nation.

It was then he spotted the Avatar.

He was standing next to a partially collapsed wall and peering, somewhat peculiarly around the other side.

Zuko quietly approached. "What are you looking at?"

Aang spun around, startled.

"Uh…nothing!" He blushed.

Zuko looked at him oddly. He peered around the side and saw Katara dangling her feet in a pool of water with the Earthbender Haru sitting next to her. They seemed to be engrossed in a quiet conversation, unaware they were being watched. Katara's mouth was turned down.

"What were you doing, spying on them?" Zuko asked.

"Spying? Of course not! I was…just looking for Katara to make sure she was all right!"

He saw Haru place a hand gently on her lap. "She seems like she's in good hands," Zuko commented. "Are they an item?"

"What?"

"You know, girlfriend, boyfriend thing?"

"Of course not! Haru is just a friend!"

Zuko looked back at the pair as Katara smiled back at Haru. "If you say so."

The Avatar frowned deeply.

"Anyway, it's good I found you. I want to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Let's take a walk."

Zuko led him into one of the smaller gardens.

"Sokka mentioned something earlier that I was curious about."

"What?"

"How much fire bending do you actually know?"

Aang's cheeks flushed and he looked uncomfortably down at the ground. "A little. Mastering all four elements takes years of training. I mastered waterbending in the Northern Water Tribe and with Katara's help. Toph is teaching me earthbending." Aang gripped his staff. "I was able to find a master firebender for a short time but…I wasn't ready." His shoulders slumped and he looked away.

"Aang, I can teach you to firebend. I am pretty good at it. As you probably know."

Aang bit his lip. "Maybe."

"Is it because you still don't trust me?"

Aang shook his head. He looked out into the gardens. "No, it isn't that."

Zuko frowned. "Then why?"

"Because I fear the ability to control it. Master Jeong-Jeong told me Fire's nature is to consume and destroy. Without discipline and restraint it will destroy everything and everyone around me. He told me I wasn't ready for it, that I was too impatient. I didn't listen to him and I ended up burning Katara." He fiddled with his staff. "I know it's something I need to master, but it's also something I don't want to." Aang sighed. "As the Avatar I sometimes have unbelievable power, but I also risk hurting other people."

Zuko gazed down at the Avatar and saw the boy within. Suddenly, for the first time he began to realize the enormity of weight that he had to bear.

"It's true fire is different from any of the other elements and must be handled with care." Zuko admitted. "It's not an element that's manipulated from an existing form like the rest, but has to be created and controlled in a delicate balance. But I can teach you how to master it…if, if you will trust me."

After several long seconds, Aang replied. "All right Zuko, I'll accept your offer to train me."

Zuko nodded. "Very well. We'll start immediately!"