Chapter Text
The pirates crawled onto the ship, Zhao had previously bribed them to assinate zuko after the secret was zuko was the Blue spirit, obviously the crooked pieces of shit couldn't pass an offer like that. So they started to sneak up the ramp. A pirate got a hook and rope and Les it down to a small boat carrying two barrels worth of blasting jelly. Someone nearly dropped the barrel and if he did there goes everyones life except their target because they were so far away from the actual rooms on the ship.
“Be careful with the blasting jelly!” A pirate with a green headband whispered while raising his voice just a bit to get the point across
They slowing crept to the door and as they started to turn the huge wheel like handle it made a quite but fairly noticeable to people who where nearby squeak.
“Oh” the pirate with the green headband said with “oh fuck” written all over his face
Zuko was suddenly started by the sudden squeak immediately assuming his uncle came back.
“Uncle? Uncle is that you?” Zuko said, it clicked something was off but he just couldn't put his finger on what it was, zuko squinted trying to sense of there was anybody nearby.
He jump into the hall in a string stance ready to attack but nobody was there just the usual ery red mist that sat there every night in every corridor. Zuko started to walk, while the pirates were already done preparing, lit a match and sped off into the distance.
Zuko walked into the cockpit of the ship, as the fuse slowly grew shorter zuko was still wandering around the room before an iguana-bird flew onto a rail.
Zuko stared right at it, trying to pinpoint where it came from instead of running. As it flew off it clicked but once again his bad luck striked and it was too late.
The blast quickly spread from floor to floor, quickly shooting up to the cockpit. Zuko quickly whipped up a fire shield and was forcefully blown out of the ship. His body was shot out the window strapnel and glass littering his body and he sported three new burns on his body two on his forearms and one on his chest.
While his uncle was walking, the ship exploded, he immediately took notice and ran into the scene
“Zuko!” Iroh ran to the scene concerned
The ship was up in flames debris falling from all directions all of them in flames, Zuko's body was nowhere to be found, the only sign that he was alive was his screaming that already subsided.
“zuko” Iroh said devastated his nephew was dead, he always treated Zuko like his second son but once again he failed to save family.
The fire continued to roar as debris fell into the ocean some sank and some burned with a large flame.
Zuko's unconscious body continued to sink deeper and deeper, glass and strapnel slowly detached from his body leaving more wounds exposed.
Zuko's consciousness was stuck in a limbo, it was a dark and foggy forest but the burning ship was still above him the only source of illumination but it was dim.
After what felt like hours of wandering he came across two paths but there was a dark spirit blocking it.
The spirit looked aquatic resembling an anglerfish. Almost nude and had gills
Zuko tried to walk onto one of the paths, spirit was fast and blocked him, zuko moved again it blocked him, they went back and fourth for a couple minutes before zuko broke the silence.
“What do you want?” Zuko asked
“I can revive you, you can restore your honour” the spirit said
“What's the catch?” Zuko wasn't that easy to finesse but honour immediately started to lure him in
“Nothing noticeable I'll just be able to talk to you” this dip shit was leaving every single detail out
“Is it possession?” Zuko was slowly but surely getting finessed ignoring every red flag about this damn spirit
“No” the spirit was a lying bitch
Zuko got finessed and accepted it.
He woke up, in the water and swam to the surface, nothing hurt in the time he was swimming up even when the adrenaline wore off.
Zuko flopped onto the dock soaking wet, coughing his lungs out.
His uncle heard him again, Zuko was alive!
Iroh hugged Zuko, zuko was a wet mess that felt humiliated.
Zuko quickly sprang up and disguised himself as a soldier to sneak onto Zhao’s ship.
“Do you have a plan?” Iroh said
“I'm working on it uncle” Zuko said with bruises and cuts littering his face
Zuko dressed into a white disguise and started to lower a boat down until his uncle walked in again
“if your fishing for an octopus my nephew, you need a tightly woven net, or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape” Iroh said
“I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle.” Zuko said
“I’m sorry. I just nag you, because well, ever since I lost my son...” Iroh couldn't finish his sentence
“Uncle, you don't have to say it.” Zuko said
“…I think of you as my own” Iroh managed to finish his sentence
Zuko hugged his uncle his expression softer
“I know, Uncle. We'll meet again.” Zuko gave his Uncle some words of reassurance “After I have the Avatar”
Zuko got onto his boat
“Remember your breath of fire. It could save your life out there.” Iroh said
“I will” Zuko started to lower the boat suspended by ropes
“And put your hood up. Keep your ears warm!” Iroh said
Zuko continued the sail it was peaceful as he sailed through a path of ice spikes. Before several water tribe guards spotted his Zuko quickly looked at a group of turtle-seals resting by a hole of ice. One seal plunged into the water, zuko immediately got an Idea and dived into the icy waters. “Already in danger, huh” the spirit said