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Zuko nods, smiling more genuinely to himself behind his mask. Having hope is certainly an ability and a power, that's for sure. It takes practice. Hard practice. And he has certainly had little more than hope in his past at times, for a long time, even — but he has hope still. Even dearer now. So he's quite stirred by this angle, relating well and enjoying this man's perspective.

"Yes... I do, too. High hopes, maybe, heh... But I'll try my best to make them reality. I suppose you could say, a lot of people back home are counting on me."

Not at all untrue. He's not necessarily trying to be vague in order to be secretive, but also not wanting to shoot this conversation down by mentioning he's ascending a throne, knowing in all likelihood the person he's talking to probably isn't royalty and can't relate to such problems — and indeed, problems is the right word. It's a conflicting hope he carries. But he doesn't want to alienate a wise man by bogging him down with the details. The core remains the same across all types of people in all sorts of situations. That's most definitely something he's learned recently — and relishes in, now.

He nodded. "Working towards what we hope for can be very powerful, but you must be cautious. Especially when people are counting on you. You need to balance your hope, even if it is hop for them, with their well being in the now. That was a hard lesson that it took one of my boys some time to learn. Being depended on, as a leader or a parent, or a friend, or an uncle... having people who are counting on you is always a balancing act of hope, realism, current needs, future needs, and the greater good. A farmer can hope for a good harvest and work his people towards it. If he works them too hard, however, they can injure themselves or fall ill, or make a mistake that ruins the field. Fail to push them at all and thy hav an easier spring but they all starve in the winter. I hope that you are up to the task, and that you have people around you that you can trust to help you see when hope is needed and when hope is needed to be tempered." A warm smile.

Zuko listens on, and on, and on — and can't help but think of his uncle and his musings, of course even more so when he outright mentions being an uncle. Not a suspicious clue in itself or anything. This guy rather reminds him of his uncle, though, he thinks to himself as he loses track with the farmers metaphor. Sorry, stranger... Zuko also had trouble following some of his uncle's wisdoms — m-many of his uncle's wisdoms... But he typically gets the gist, and thinks he does now, too. He gives a polite namaste bow in response. A wise response in itself, for Zuko... He is not the wordsmith this guy or his uncle are — but he's been getting better lately.

"Thank you. I believe we'll find a balance. I know I won't be working alone. Many share our goals. My friends are brave and honorable, and there are many wise people in my life now who I can trust. Not everyone is so lucky..."

He nodded. "It is good to see that clearly. You sound as though you will do quite well, young man, in whatever you attempt to achieve."

"Thank you."

Zuko's truly appreciative to hear words of support, even from a stranger, with so much hope and fear for the future within him — two sides of the same coin, perhaps. He gives a more respectful bow in response, hoping it expresses more than his simple 'thank you' can.

He rose and returned the bow. "And thank you. You give an old man hope for the future."

The remark kind of catches Zuko off-guard, and he even gives a puff of a chuckle out his nose behind his mask, though it's barely more than a breath.

"Even though it won't even affect you?"

He means it jokingly, heard in the little lilt in his tone, less wry than before. But he appreciates the sentiment all the same. Maybe it's just reassuring to think that if war can end in one place, with noble young people working to better the world, it could happen like that elsewhere, too...

"It already has, I assure you."

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