Born Beneath An Angry Star

3. Burn Out

"The next few weeks are going to be tough. Firebending takes a lot of hard work and discipline. You're not going to have much free time so before we start is there anything you'd like to do?" Zuko asked Aang. Once he started teaching Aang he didn't want to there to be any distractions or any other reasons for Aang to have to stop his training.

"Can we finishing touring the temple? There are a few things you haven't seen yet that I really want to show to you."

"OK, but when were done and after we've had lunch, we'll start your firebending lessons, OK."

"OK. Now come on. I want to show you the hall of statues."

Zuko had always wondered what it would be like to have a little brother and in spending time with Aang he was finding out. Ever since he played a game with Aang on the giant pai sho table he'd warmed up to Zuko considerably. Zuko was enjoying seeing the Western Air temple though Aang's excited eyes. 

When all the lies that his country had told about air nomads were separated from the actual facts about the air nomads he could see what a rich and beautiful culture that his family had truly taken from the world. It was just another thing for him to feel guilty about and he wondered how it was that Aang could even stand to be around him. It was still a bit of a shock that he was now Aang's firebending teacher.

He strolled along the hall of statues and studied the statues of airbenders in various airbending forms.

"They were all previous airbending Avatars." Aang informed Zuko.

"So they were all you in another life." He said as he stopped in front of Avatar Yangchen.

Aang nodded.

Zuko wondered what that must be like. To have lived so many times before even if you had no memory of it, but at a drop of a hat be able to gain the knowledge of all those past life if need be. What he taught Aang now would be knowledge for future Avatars. He had better make sure what he taught Aang was useful. He still hadn't planned out any type of lesson. He figured he'd start with the basic to gauge Aang's aptitude and go from there.

"This place is truly amazing. I'm glad I'm finally seeing it as a ally and not an adversary." There was so much intricate art work within the Western Air Temple it would take Zuko as many lifetimes as Aang had lived to take it all in.

"Me too."

The two continued down the hall of statues.

"Too bad you can't form an air scooter." Aang said. "Then we could have races down the hallway."

"Yeah, too bad."

"Oh well. We can take Appa along on the air bison obstacle course. He needs the exercise."

"OK." Going along an air bison obstacle course wasn't exactly on his list of things to do today or ever, but he had asked Aang what he wanted to do so now he had to go along, besides he figured the happier Aang was the easier he would be to train.

"There you are Aang." Katara said once the two of them stepped in to the main room of the temple. "You were gone so long I was beginning to get worried about you." She shot Zuko a pointed look.

She still didn't trust him. What did she think he was going to do to Aang? He had not forgotten her warning.

"Zuko and I are going to take Appa around the obstacle course."

"Can I come too?" Sokka asked.

"It's probably better for Appa if he doesn't have a bunch of extra weight to carry. He's not even going to have his saddle for this."