Chapter Text
The fire was everywhere yet it did not burn a hair on him. There was so many colors, too many to keep track of. He felt on top of the world until he didn't. The fire was coming closer and closer. The heat began to be unbearable. Suddenly Aang wasn't next to him but outside the flames. The dragons got closer to him and he could hear Aang's shouts.
The whiskers of the red and blue dragons were drawn closer and closer. His heart was beating fast. Then it wasn't beating at all.
He woke up fast with bright, widen eyes. His breathing was everywhere and he was exhausted. He looked around the room in confusion. It was his old palace bedroom. He stood quickly walking around only to find it was different from the last time he was here. It reminded him of his childhood.
He also felt smaller. He catches a glimpse of himself in the vanity. Zuko gasps but it doesn't sound like him. It's high pitched like it hasn't broke yet. There's no scar and his face is young far younger than a seventeen year old should look. He was ten again. He was in his old body.
He was so fucking screwed.
The universe just hated him. Literally laughed in his face daily. Stupid fucking dragons.
The sun was beginning to rise and he felt an unbelievable amount of fire surge within him. He opens his blame to reveal a normal looking orange and yellow flame but it felt different. He didn't know how but it wasn't the same like it was slowly changing.
A knock on his door sounded it was servant asking if he needed help getting dressed. He answered yes because he was a Prince and it was expected of him to be above basic things. He's dressed in the finest clothing. Clothing he felt so foreign too. He was a Prince again but he knew he couldn't stay or could he?
"Princess Ursa wishes to see you before you head to fire bending lessons." The servant explains escorting him to his mother's favorite common room. She sat in front of a small round table that was draped with a white cloth. She poured tea into a glass teacup and smiled at him. Zuko couldn't believe his eyes but he knew he had to play it safe. He walked slowly to her and sat down in front of her.
"Mom..."
"It's a beautiful day isn't it, Zuko. I know you’re not a big fan of tea but I figured you could try this new earth kingdom tea your uncle sent me. Iroh has sent presents to us and I will give you yours when Azula arrives." The Princess smiles with pink tined lips. Her smile was bright but he notices how it doesn't reach her eyes. Zuko finds himself smiling back at her giving her a real genuine smile.
She wore the finest red dress and a beautiful headdress of the Princess of the Fire Nation. Her hair was a dark brown and was half braided up while the rest fell past her waist. Her eyes were a pale gold that shined in the sunlight. She was beautiful and he could see many of her traits in his little sister. Azula arrived shortly after in a huff. Zuko looked at her and for the first time didn't have any fear in his heart. He wasn't a little boy anymore even if he physically was. He was seventeen years old with fire bending abilities stronger than her's at this age.
He could only see his little sister that was snarky and disobedient but not evil. No, she only became that way after mother left. This time, he'd make sure she wouldn't leave. "Azula come join us for tea then I'll give you the gift your Uncle has sent you."
Azula scowls but takes a seat next to their mother. Princess Ursa pours a cup of tea for them and asks how their week has been. Zuko of course didn't remember his week so he said it had been good. "How is your fire bending been, Zuko?"
Ursa asks knowing her oldest has been struggling.
Zuko smirks from behind his tea cup. "I've been practicing more and I think I've really improved." His voice is higher than he expected and he tried not to let it startle him.
Azula raises an eyebrow at him with a grin, "Oh yeah, Zuzu, bet I could still beat you!"
"Is that a challenge, Zula?" Zuko questions his eight year old sister.
"Tch as if it would be a challenge. I'll humor you though to a spar after I get out of the Royal Fire Academy today." She takes a sip after she finishes speaking. Ursa pulls out two small packages for the siblings. She hands one to Azula and one to Zuko before reading the letter.
"To Zuko a knife made in the Earth Kingdom with a powerful inscription to inspire the spirit. And to my dear niece, a new friend styled in the finest earth kingdom clothing." Zuko takes out the similar knife and swings it in a fluid all too familiar motion. Azula sticks out her tongue at the doll before lighting it on fire burning it to ash.
"Azula! Now why would you do that?" Ursa scolds.
"I'm a warrior not a useless little girl. It's not fair that Zuko gets a weapon and I don't!" Azula huffs out. Ursa's eyes soften in sadness knowing her daughter will never have the life of a playful little girl.
"You can have my knife if you want it, Zula, but only after I teach you how to use it. I have my duel swords anyway." Zuko shrugs.
"Like you know how to use it!"
Zuko frowns at her words before closing his eyes and throwing the knife back and forth between his hands. The blade never cuts into his skin. "Zuko! Don't do that! You could get hurt."
He opens his eyes and is met with his mother's worried face. "Don't worry mom. I know what I'm doing." Azula huffs and walks off to heading to the courtyard for their fire bending lessons. Zuko shrugs before handing the knife off to a servant that will put it away in his room. "Bye mom!" Zuko then hugs his mom for the first time in seven years. He's reluctant to pull away but knows he cannot keep his teacher waiting.
Azula is at the other end of the courtyard learning Kata's that are surpassed the ones he is to be learning. He starts off listening to his instructor as he gets use to the smaller body but he notices how unusually bright and powerful his flames are compared to how they use to be. Eventually he gets tired of the same old moves he's known for years and he glances at the Kata Azula was learning before moving to perform it.
He begins by shooting two blasts to his right before turning to his left to do the same. He twirls the fire over head in a circular motion before bringing the stream to his front. He moves light on his feet through the moves before jumping forward into a split blasting the fire out of his right foot. The fire explodes into a multicolor of flames with white being it's basis. Swirls of light blue, orange, yellow, and red fly through the air before disappearing just as Zuko lands on his feet.
The silence is deafening as the teachers look at each other as Azula glares at her brother. "Prince Zuko, how did you learn that move so quickly."
Zuko straightens, "I was watching your instructions out of the corner of my eyes, sir."
"Please perform the Kata again." His teacher orders. Zuko bows and starts again this time his flames are colored throughout the performance and not just at the end. The servant is ordered to bring Prince Ozai to the courtyard to see his sons flames. Prince Ozai does not seem impressed as he arrives at the courtyard.
"Let's get on with this boy."
Zuko bows to him and performs the Kata once more. His colored flames are bright and impressive but he has a feeling that Azula's blue ones will still be more impressive in the future. Blue flames are hotter than white ones after all, extra color or not. Ozai smirks at his son for the first time but the feeling does not send a pleasant one Zuko's way.
Later that day, Azula gets home from the academy. For the first time, Zuko sees his sister become nervous. They bow to each other before starting the spar. Their movements are fluid but it's clear that Zuko's are quicker. Azula's on the other hand are more calculated. The white flames meet the burgundy ones. Zuko knows that soon they'll be blue but maybe he can stop his sister from becoming like their father. Maybe there's a way to save her mind.
He thinks back to his Agni Kai with Zhao and starts to kick up flames to break her route. It works and soon she's on the ground and he has her pinned. "I win, sister."
Azula frowns as her lip quivers. Zuko gets off of her and holds out a hand for her to take. She takes it as she shakes. "How?" She croaks out as she struggles not to cry. "You suck at bending! How did you beat me? Why are your flames white? Why are you better than me?!" She screams at him as her fists heat up to flames.
Zuko's eyes soften as he sees his little sister. His eight year old sister that has not lost almost all her family. He grabs her hands putting out the flames before hugging her. She tries to pull away at first but he only holds her tighter. She cries and suddenly he doesn't hate her.
Weeks pass and soon they're in the throne room in front of Fire Lord Azulon. Prince Ozai is more than proud of both his children for once in their lives. And above all, he's immensely proud to have Zuko as his son and to have him demonstrate the new move he has learned. Zuko goes first doing the Kata he had been practicing since his fire turned white. He lands perfectly with no stumble.
His sister goes next with a straight face. He knows better than to smile at her in fear his father or grandfather will become angry with the display of weakness. She twirls the fire in the air sending it in opposite directions at the same time. She focuses on both strands before bringing them together. She than front flips with both strands light before landing safely on the ground.
Her father is the definition of proud as she bows and returns to her place beside Zuko. Her grandfather is surprised by the white flames and praises Zuko than Azula. Princess Ursa gathers her two children up and tries to hurry them out the door. Somehow the two siblings sneak away from the young mother and behind the currents of the throne room.
"Father, you must have realized as I have that with Lu Ten is gone, so has Iroh's legacy. Iroh has also abandoned his siege on Ba Sing Se and we know not of when he will return. But I am here father, and my children are alive." Prince Ozai speaks in a clear voice.
"What is it you are suggesting?"
"Use me, father. Make me the next heir to the throne."
The fire grew hot and rose high as Fire Lord Azulon begins to speak, "You'd have me take away my first born's birth right, after the death of his beloved son! No, I believe he has suffered enough. But you, you have only begin to suffer!"
At this moment all those years ago, Zuko had ran while Azula had stayed. Only this time, the Prince does not run. "If you wish for your throne you must know the feeling of losing a child. Young Zuko has too much potential to die, you must kill Azula for the throne. Did I make myself clear?" The flames have died down but Azula was shaking and Zuko grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the throne room in silence.
He hurried to his bedroom with her. "Father's going to kill me...father's going to kill me..." She repeated the phrase over and over again until she was crying hysterically. Zuko looked at her in shock as the tears flew down her face onto the floor. Her hiccups were loud and erratic. Zuko did the only thing he could think of and let her break down in his arms.
"Your not going to die. I know what to do, okay."
"What can you possibly do?" Azula questions sniffing.
"Look do you want to live?" The Princess nods. "Okay, then we have to kill Grandfather." Azula's eyes widen in terror.
"What?! Are you crazy?" She hisses out shoving away from him. He shakes his head stepping in front of the door to block her way out. "Mom use to be a herbalist. She taught me all about it. All we have to do is poison his tea without anyone knowing. Dad will be crowned king and everyone will be happy."
"Expect grandfather..."
"Expect grandfather..."
Hours pass and the sun rises once again for a new day. Azula doesn't know how Zuko does it but the next morning Azulon is dead. Her mother holds their hands as the funeral ceremony proceeds. Rain falls slowly down the umbrellas the servants hold over the families heads. No one cries. An hour later, Ozai becomes Fire Lord and the people cheer in obedience and not in joy.
Zuko becomes the Crown Prince with all of his family intact. His mother doesn't leave and his father is not as cruel towards his children with his wife present to watch over them. Zuko's lessons become more fierce with a new title hanging over his head. It's nothing he can't endure, after all, he's been through worse.
Presently, Azula plays with her friends in the courtyard and Zuko wonders if he should join them.
"Come on, Zuzu! You should play with us." Azula calls out with a genuine smile. It's one of her rare ones and Zuko hopes he can get many more out of her. He walks to Tylee, Mai, and Azula where they stand around the turtle duck pond. "You're not going to catch anyone's heads on fire are you?"
"Hmm I suppose not this time brother. Can't play the same trick twice." She shrugs before pushing him onto the pond. "Oops my hands slipped."
Zuko's eyes shoot open and he glares at Azula from the pond. He jumps up before grinning deeply in a playful manner. "Come on, Azula, hug for you big brother?" Her eyes widen and she runs as Zuko takes off after her. She blasts fire at him which he dodges. Soon she's backed into a corner, "A Princess surrenders with honor." Zuko knew that line all too well though and he ducks before the flames can reach him.
"That's not very honorable..." Mai sighs. In the end Zuko got his hug and Azula got a little wet. Fire Lady Ursa watched the scene unfold from the side lines with a pleasant expression. Her children were finally getting along and she couldn't be happier. Ozai had even settled down a bit. She supposed he had finally gotten what he wanted.
Zuko, Azula, and their two friends laughter fills the air and Ursa can't be more proud. Yes, being married to Ozai wasn't ideal or pleasant but her children made it worth while. She'd never abandoned them.
Iroh returns by the time Zuko is twelve. He retires and rests easily inside the castle. He takes over Zuko's fire bending training along with Azula's. He teaches the siblings to battle together in sink. The bond between brother and sister never breaks. Azula is cruel but not evil as she once was. She's happy with a family that loves her. And a big brother to look up to.
Years pass and Zuko turns thirteen. His bending grows strong along with his swordsmanship. Azula eventually learns how to use the dagger Iroh had gifted Zuko and is given it for one of her birthdays.
The day of the war meeting roles around and Zuko wonders if he should enter once again. He decides against it. He'll have his opportunity to reach the Avatar. He just has to wait it out. He couldn't save the forty-forth division then. He cannot save them now.
Time goes by slowly with Zuko learning how to be Fire Lord like he never had a chance of before. He would know what he was doing this time around. He would be able to be Fire Lord and no damn dragons would drag him back. On his sixteenth birthday, he gets a surprise. The Princess of the Southern Water Tribe had been captured as the last water bender, and she was to be his new wife.
Just how was he going to get them out of this one?