Disclaimers: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or anything related to it. I am not earning a profit from this fanfiction.

This fanfic started out as a drabble. I liked where it was going so I continued to write it. It basically covers what took place in between episodes 312, "The Western Air Temple" and 314, "The Boiling Rock, Part 1." Zuko's behavior towards the other characters changes drastically in those episodes, and I want to at least explore what else may have brought about the change. For instance, I want to cover specific interactions with other characters.

I originally posted this fanfic as Crescendo back in April 2008. Numerous things took place over the last couple of years to hinder the creative process. I decided to take a new approach to the story. I am making the original prologue of Crescendo and the chapters I had in progress into a two-shot prequel.

I wrote a sequel back in 2008. It's the prologue to a larger story arc. It takes place after the end of the series. The original Crescendo will be known from here on as "Prelude." As I said before it should be considered a two-shot or short story.

"Prelude, Part 1"

By: Inazuma Akai

It was common knowledge that Aang could be a bit unfocused from time to time. Zuko had quickly surmised that the last airbender was an uncontainable ball of energy. But when it came to practicing the elements, Aang had started to show much dedication to the task. Only the last two or three days his pupil began to exhibit uncharacteristic behavior during their practice sessions. At first there were just small blunders. Some of which consisted of singed clothing, but that was normal for a firebender. A notable incident occurred in which Aang became so frustrated, a wave of flame came from his mouth along with his voice of dissatisfaction. Zuko decided at this point it was time for him to have a talk with his pupil.

"We're done for the time being." Aang's shoulders sagged in relief at his

firebending instructor's pronouncement. He abandoned his stance and sat down heavily on a stone bench. Their designated practice area was an open space well-suited for firebending. A water fountain nearby was perfect for any 'mishaps.'

Moss and vines had sprung up over the century the temple was abandoned. They winded their way around the benches and pillars. The stone structures and monuments still stood strong despite their inevitable wear from the elements. The venerable walkways were missing stone and mortar.

Aang wiped the sheen of sweat gathering on his forehead with the sleeve of his robes. It took Zuko a moment to figure out exactly what he wanted to say. He'd thought about how he'd broach the subject with Aang the day before, but he still could not be mistaken for the heart-to-heart type.

"You seem to be pretty preoccupied." Zuko said.

"No… I've just been thinking a lot lately." Aang responded evasively.

"Well, it's starting to hinder your advancement. You need to focus." The teenaged firebender was quick to reprimand.

Aang immediately became defensive. "I know that."

Zuko noticed there was a note of annoyance in the young Avatar's voice as well. "I'm not trying to put any more stress on you." Zuko continued. Aang stared at him disbelievingly, but Zuko chose to ignore it. Instead he said, "I just think you need to detach yourself from whatever is bothering you right now. Any negativity could be your undoing."

"It's not negativity!" Aang retorted.

Zuko's good eyebrow rose. He folded his arms and stared at him. He had a hunch what it could be, though he didn't know exactly what had transpired to get Aang so worked up. "Just don't let it interfere with your objective. Can you at least guarantee me that much?" Zuko at least wanted Aang's cooperation if nothing else.

An imperceptible frown crossed Aang's youthful features. "Fine,"

The ex-Fire Nation prince had a feeling it wouldn't be their last discussion on the matter. He nodded his ascent, inwardly feeling he had accomplished nothing of depth. He wondered if there was something he could have said differently.

Bowing to each other, Aang and Zuko headed towards the temple's commons area where the group had set up their provisions. Zuko would undoubtedly go to meditate, and Aang would join up with Toph.

After spending the majority of his morning practicing firebending, it was time for Aang to start his earthbending lessons with Toph. He secretly suspected the midday earthbending lessons had more to do with Toph's reluctance to wake up before noon than anything important.

Aang found his earthbending master lounging against a rock with her feet crossed at the ankles. Having nothing better to do, she was eavesdropping on a conversation between the Water Tribe siblings. Haru, Teo, and the Duke were nowhere in sight, off exploring the rest of the temple.

"Sokka, lunch won't be ready for another hour!" Katara scolded her brother.

"But Katara-" Sokka couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"Do you realize that since Toph joined us our group has doubled?" Katara asked, trying to remain patient and reasonable.

"Yeah," Sokka conceded.

"Hmph, the least you can do is help." Katara returned her focus to food preparation.

Muttering about his high-strung sister, Sokka grabbed the basket of vegetables next to her and sat down on one of the stone slabs nearby. Picking up a vegetable, he stared at it for a moment before grabbing his machete and preparing to peel it.

"Oh for the love of…" Katara quickly snatched the machete away and replaced it with one of their cutting knives.

"This knife is sorta dull, Katara."

"It's what I've been using so far. It should do the job."

Shrugging, her brother began to peel the vegetable again. He looked up when he noticed Aang's presence. "You finished with your firebending?"

"Yep," Aang sat down across from Katara. "I kind of wanted to take a break before I started my earthbending practice."

"I really think you should try to be more focused. Now that you've learned the secrets to firebending, you should practice whenever you have free time. At this point, you should probably work on your firebending more than your earthbending or waterbending."Katara said in a concerned voice.

"I think there are still some things I can learn from water and earthbending." Aang replied. He was starting to become edgy since everyone seemed to have an opinion about his training.

"Come on Aang. It's pretty clear that you've got water and earthbending down pat." Katara retorted, unaware of his conflicting emotions.

Toph could tell Aang, like herself, was gradually becoming more irritated by Katara's 'motherly' nature. She smirked at the realization that the normally jovial young man was about to throw a temper tantrum. Noticing Sokka was about to put in his two cents, she quickly grabbed his shoulder. "Just watch," She whispered. "Twinkle toes is about to lose his cool."

As if on cue, Aang's face reddened slightly as he shot another rebuttal at Katara, "Don't I get a say in my training regimen? You act as if I can't decide what's best for me."

"I was just suggesting-" Katara's face contorted in confusion.

"No, you were telling me what you think I should do, and you're expecting me to do it." He stomped over to Appa and propelled himself into the air, landing effortlessly onto the sky bison's saddle.

"He'll be back by dinner." Katara said, watching as he and Appa flew into the clouds.

"Riiight," Sokka droned sarcastically.

"If he's not, can I have his share?" The master waterbender rolled her eyes in annoyance at Toph's request.

"Aang's been kind of…moody lately…don't you think?" Sokka said raising an eyebrow at the irate 12-year-old's behavior.

"I wouldn't exactly call him moody. I think brooding is a better word." Katara offered.

Sokka scoffed. "It's hormones. He's turning into a moody, angst-ridden teenager. Like someone else we know." He discreetly peered over at Zuko who was in the corner, back against the wall, his eyes closed. Zuko looked as if he were still meditating until he opened his eyes and frowned slightly at Sokka, leading the group to believe he actually heard the Water Tribe warrior.

"And what would that make you?" Toph inquired.

"I am not a teenager, I'm a man. I'm above all that." Katara shook her head at her brother's response but decided not to comment. She crossed her arms and glared lightly when she noticed Zuko approaching their little huddle. She learned to tolerate his presence since Aang returned safely from their expedition to the Sun Warrior Temple but that was it. She still thought it prudent to keep an eye on him. Although she had to admit everyone else was growing more comfortable with him being around as the days went by. She still couldn't see what it was ang saw in him, and she couldn't promise she ever would.

"You treat him like a kid." Zuko statement abruptly pulled Katara from her reverie.

"Pardon?" Katara responded, raising an eyebrow at him. "If you're going to interrupt our conversation, you should at least explain yourself." She was being rude, and she knew it; however, she justified it by telling herself he deserved it.

With a long suffering sigh, Zuko gritted his teeth. The motion turned into a forced smile as he refrained from shooting back an equally insulting comment. He would not be tricked into an argument, especially since he finally gained the majority of the group's trust. Stiffly, he explained, "You, more than anyone, treat him like he can't think for himself sometimes. It's starting to get to him." It had become quite obvious to Zuko that Aang had a crush on Katara. Ironically, everyone knew except her. Or maybe she was in denial.

Katara was disturbed by the fact that Sokka and Toph hadn't disputed Zuko's statement. Their failure to deny the accusation that she treated Aang like a child planted the seed of doubt in her. She resolved to get to the bottom of things as soon as Aang returned.

"I'll talk to him when he gets back." She replied, unwilling to outwardly admit that perhaps Zuko was right.

His legs swinging back and forth, Aang sat next to Appa on one of the ledges jutting out of the vast canyon surrounding the temple. Nostalgia began to overcome him as he stared down at the statues of the past Air Nomad Avatars.

"I didn't want this…any of this. I wanted to live an ordinary life. Every day was supposed to be an adventure. The fate of the world was not supposed to rest on my shoulders. I haven't even lived yet. And 100 years in an iceberg does not count." Aang sighed. Talking to himself was not going to change his situation. He turned to Appa.

"What do you think?" He asked, patting the humongous creature on the head. The sky bison growled his support, and Aang smiled.

It was midnight when Aang returned. Appa settled down near the open area the group used to camp out. Aang jumped off, landing soundlessly. He slowly made his way to his sleeping mat, intending to go straight to bed.

"Storming off without telling anyone where you're going and then sneaking back in? What's gotten into you lately?" Katara chastised. Her form was obscured by the shadows cast by the temple's wall structures.

Aang stopped in his tracks ten feet away from her. He felt guilty for making her worry, but he was not about to be treated like a child whenever it was convenient for her.

"One minute you want me to act like a 100-year-old Avatar and the next you treat me like I'm 5 years old. Will you make up your mind already?" He whispered harshly, trying to keep from waking the rest of the group. Katara's eyes widened in surprise, but he continued, "I'm sorry for not telling you where I was going, ok? But I just need time to myself every once in a while. It's frustrating having everyone breathing down my neck all the time."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Aang. That's not how we intended to make you feel." the other responded gently.

"Yeah, well, you all sure could've fooled me." He made a move toward his sleeping mat, but Katara reached out to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, we all just want to make sure you're prepared. We don't want anything to happen to you." Katara tried to reassure him.

"Why do you keep saying we?" Aang asked.

Katara tilted her head to the side, perplexed. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired. I'm going to bed." He pulled away from her and walked in the opposite direction. He lay down on his sleeping mat without another word.

Sighing, Katara decided to let the conversation drop. She would bring it up again later when he was in a better mood. Aang's words haunted her that night, making it difficult for her to sleep.

Why does his mood bother me so much? Katara thought. Her mind was running a mile a minute but making no progress. Gratefully, her weariness from the day took over, and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Sunrise signaled the beginning of his day, yet he couldn't find the energy to pull himself up from his sleeping mat. Zuko had very few moments where he could relax and think. The early morning was one of the times where he attempted to snatch a few moments of peace for himself.

He didn't mind the company, but he was unused to the constant socializing. Although he admitted it was a welcome change from the constant backstabbing he had grown accustomed to in the Fire Nation's royal court.

He was now resolute in his decision to help Aang defeat the Fire Lord Ozai. Zuko had long sense given up on the notion that he and Ozai would ever have a normal father-son relationship. He would do everything in his power to put an end to the Fire Nation's imperialistic reign.

Unlike his companions, he was not naïve enough to believe the Fire Nation's ambitions for world dominance would end with the Fire Lord. There was Azula to contend with, and she had undoubtedly thought five steps ahead. He promised himself he would not let the hardships that awaited them deter him from his goals. He would repay his uncle's years of kindness by protecting the peace he so desperately sought. Lost in his selfish ambitions, Zuko failed to realize how his uncle only wanted to live the remainder of his life in peace and quiet. The young prince would put everything on the line to right the wrongs of his forefathers. He knew it would not make up for his betrayal, but he had to start somewhere.

There was such a long list of people he had betrayed. He wondered if it would ever be possible for someone like himself to ever earn their trust again. He had long since learned to function in deceit and treachery; it was the only way to survive in the royal court. The one time he spoke out against their cruelty, he paid dearly. Redemption seemed so unattainable, but he had come to realize he would have to learn to forgive himself in order to move forward.

The past may have been behind him, but it continued to haunt him. Most of his companions accepted his presence. Only Katara had made it quite obvious she would end his existence if she had even the smallest suspicion he would harm Aang. She would be the second hardest person to gain forgiveness from. After his hasty exit during the invasion, he was quite certain it would be near impossible to regain Mai's trust. He knew it had been a cowardly move to leave her a letter. He tried to convey his feelings to her, but it never came out right. When he did figure out the fact that he was still unhappy even with his father's alleged approval, he realized Mai was unable to give him the comfort he sought. Mai may have come to terms with their lot in life, but he had become dissatisfied with the pomp and circumstance of Fire Nation royalty. He could not rest until their misdeeds had been righted.

Still, his abandonment of Mai had been wrong, and he would try his best to make it up to her, if she let him.

Suddenly, he felt someone poking him in the arm. He supposed his time of reflection had ended. His thoughts of Mai and his nation would have to wait.

"Hey, are you awake?" A long suffering sigh made its way from Zuko's mouth before he answered the youth.

"Yes, so stop poking me." Zuko grumbled.

"Oh," Brightening, Aang asked, "Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like to go train now."

Zuko grunted in exasperation before rising in one fluid motion. "You seem to be in a better mood." He observed. Aang's smiling countenance belayed the anger and frustration he had exhibited the day before.

"I'm always in a better mood after a good night's rest." Aang told him.

"How does that work?" Zuko asked.

Aang seemed puzzled. "How does what work?"

"How do you wake up in a better mood than when you fell asleep?" Zuko elaborated.

"I just did. I don't know how to explain it."

Zuko pondered for a moment. "So did you find a solution to what was bothering you?"

Aang lost a bit of his chipper edge. "Not really,"

"Then what is there to be happy about?" Zuko was oblivious to his pessimistic tendencies.

A gray cloud seemed to descend over Aang's head, and the dreariness he felt the day before slowly returned. Noticing the younger boy's change in demeanor, Zuko floundered for a way to placate the other.

"Well, once I had this weird dream back when my uncle and I were refugees in Ba Sing Se," Zuko began awkwardly. "When I woke up I was in a better mood than I had ever been in before. So I guess I understand how you feel." A slow, hesitant smile formed on Zuko's lips. When Aang smiled back, he relaxed. He was surprised when Aang changed the subject and rescued him from his uncomfortable moment.

"Let's get going. I want to start training before the other's wake up." Aang announced.

"You don't want breakfast?" Zuko was baffled. Aang's appetite in no way rivaled Sokka's, but he was still a growing boy. He'd seen the last airbender stuff his face on more than one occasion.

Aang hopped to his feet. He quickly went and grabbed some fruit and bread from their food storage. "For later," He explained.

As they were leaving, Sokka released a snore that closely resembled an angry platypus bear. The sound made Katara frown in her sleep. She mumbled something under her breath about shoving a rock down his throat. The two firebenders took this as their clue to make a hasty but stealthy exit.

Tousled deep brown locks obscured Katara's vision as she opened her eyes to a new day. Wiping the crust from her eyes, she stretched before letting out a jaw cracking yawn. As her vision cleared, she was unfortunately rewarded with the sight of strewn sleeping bags, blankets, and backpacks. What was once the Air Nomad's common area had been turned into the guys' bedrooms. Toph would have been a part of the list, but the blind earthbender had learned to keep her things somewhat neat since Katara had the tendency to 'tidy' others' belongings. Anything unkempt she came across was considered fair game.

She assumed that in their haste they had forgotten to clean-up and left it at that. Then she thought about Aang, yesterday's events quickly returning to her. Usually, Aang would have said something before leaving. He, more than any of the other young men, let her keep tabs on him. The fact that he was avoiding her was somewhat unnerving. For the moment, she decided she would try to stay preoccupied. Aang would eventually get over whatever was bothering him; she hoped.

Tackling the messiest pile, Katara set about straightening things up a bit. The Duke's things were by far the messiest. Surprisingly, Zuko's belongings were the neatest, and she assumed it had to do with his time in the navy.

Katara really didn't know what to make of Zuko. She'd seen his personality change so much she had no idea what type of person he really was. She made it a point to threaten his well-being if he ever hurt Aang. Since then Aang had told her she should behave more agreeably toward him. Which was easier said than done. Though she had to admit, after Zuko returned Aang to them unharmed following their expedition to find the first firebenders, she had come to slowly lower her guard.

At the thought of Aang, she tensed. "What set him off yesterday?" She wondered to herself. She'd seen him lose his temper before. In fact, it was a very frightening thing to behold. But she had never seen him go from calmly disagreeing with her to shouting at her. She resolved to give him space for a while rather than trying to confront him. He might lash out at her again.

Her foot caught on Haru's backpack, knocking it over. She had an urge to take a peek at the pack's contents but quickly stuffed it all back into the bag.

"I'm trying to kick the habit. Peeking will only tempt me." She murmured, suppressing the desire to be nosy.

Her thoughts drifted to Aang again. Sokka blamed hormones for Aang's moodiness. But Katara felt it was much deeper than that. She felt there was obviously something she was missing. The young airbender was never angry without justification. Maybe she had been ignoring his feelings. Aang's words kept running through her mind, "Why do you keep saying we?"

The master waterbender was many things. She was a friend, a sister, a teacher, and at times a surrogate mother to those around her (whether they wanted her to be or not). She had long since realized Aang had, had a crush on her. She assumed it would dissipate as all crushes do when someone else strikes your fancy.

Contrary to her belief, Aang's crush hadn't gone away. The kiss he initiated with her before their invasion of the Fire Nation had put a sound end to that notion.

Crushes seemed so minuscule compared to the grand scheme of things. (Her crush on Jet had almost allowed her to be manipulated into flooding an unsuspecting village, for crying out loud!) When faced with the fate of the world, the frivolities of romance were not an option for her anymore.

While his sister experienced her own inner turmoil, Sokka struggled with the guilt he felt due to his father's imprisonment. As a result, he and Teo had briefly discussed a plan of action.

Teo was experiencing the same guilt and could identify with him. Haru, on the other hand, had already gone through something similar and held a more optimistic outlook on their situation.

After devising several rescue missions, Teo and Sokka encountered a dead end. There was no way they could infiltrate the Fire Nation again. And that was assuming their fathers were being held captive there in the first place. With heavy hearts, they decided to momentarily abandon their rescue mission in favor of gathering an army as they had been instructed.

Unsurprisingly, the guilt continued to gnaw away at Sokka, threatening his resolve to move on to other more pressing matters. He knew the cause was greater than any one man, even if that man was his own father. He couldn't help diverting a portion of his planning toward finding his father though.

After the Day of Black Sun, he was eager to undo his initial failure. Whether he was being too hard on himself or not, he was convinced if he had taken the reins sooner things wouldn't have gotten so out of hand. He honestly felt he was partly responsible for the invasion's failure. If he had been more focused and calculated they wouldn't be in their current predicament. There would be no prisoners of war to begin with. The invaders shouldn't have to suffer for his emotional outbursts and lapse in judgment.

He studied the map of the Fire Nation every chance he got. The next time his dad called on him to lead, he would be ready.

He had to be very discreet. He still had no idea where the Fire Nation kept its prisoners of war. The tactician mulled over how to get the information he needed out of Zuko without the other being the wiser. If Zuko had any idea what he was doing then he would tell the others, and that was not a can of worms he wanted to open.

Author's Notes: I'd like to thank all those who have reviewed and encouraged me to finish this story. Many thanks go to: babu'sbff, AvatarKiba1001, whatsername911, Trombe, Sharkman1, Comix28, Ginny-cry, caitymae1992, wedelin-gisela, J. Idanian, and Gualirix.

All new and old readers of my work please review! I'd love feedback and constructive criticism. My goal is to continue to grow as a writer. : )

Also, I've designed a 5-star system for my readers' convenience. Feel free to use it to review the fic.

Inazuma Akai's 5-Star Rating System for Fanfiction:

1 star – This fic is unreadable! Get a beta-reader stat!

2 stars – This story needs a face lift in the worst possible way…

3 stars – Not bad, but with a little more effort you can make it a really good fic.

4 stars – There are some minor errors here and there but otherwise it's a very nice fic!

5 stars – It's an exceptional work of art! More, please?

Thank you all for reading!