#Zuko isn't planing on dying anytime soon

[mistical52]

Time Travel! Now You’re Smol Again!

I've been wanting to do a time travel fic for atla for a bit, but I didn't really have a plan. Then @captainkirkk answered a few askes on Tumblr namely, when would be the worst time to send Zuko back into the past?

The answer was, of course, the Angi Kai.

Yeah so here we are! I hope everyone enjoys!

Also, it’s on Ao3 if you like that format better. 

- - - 

It was the Agni Kai. Zuko hadn’t had this nightmare for years. Every time he thought he was over it the nightmare would happen again. Zuko would never be free of this day. 

The Fire Sage called for the match to begin. 

Zuko tensed as he turned, he knew what was happening. He knew what was going to happen. He was too small, too young, too inexperienced as always. 

Zuko tried to breathe, even as his eyes landed on his father. He could see his father so well with both eyes and Zuko could hear every step so clearly with both ears. 

That was strange, he could never see or hear this well from his left side. Zuko had spent almost half his life with his scar. It had been so long that he had all but forgotten what it was like to have full vision and hearing. He never had full vision or hearing in his dreams anymore. Why did he now?

His father was stepping closer, and with every step, Zuko tensed more, “Please father,” fell from his lips before he registered his mouth opening, “I’m sorry I spoke out of turn. Please, father, I am your loyal son,” the words felt like ash in his mouth. Zuko was still standing but he was shrinking and curling in on himself. 

Every part of him was screaming to move as Ozai came closer. A number of the parts sounded like his friends. Suki, Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph. They screamed and shouted at him. This was his life. He should stand up for it. He didn’t deserve this. A yell that sounded a lot like ‘Move Sparky!’ finally jolted Zuko into action. 

Zuko took up a weak stance, “I do not wish to fight you father.” Zuko’s heart was thundering in his ears. 

“You will fight for your honour,” declared Ozai. 

That, that was what properly snapped Zuko out of it. He had his honour. Zuko was the one who decided if he lost his honour, not his father. “I do not wish to fight you father, but I will.” Zuko straightened and his eyes burned with determination.

Ozai must have seen some of it because he stopped and slid into a stance. 

“I am not fighting for my honour, you are fighting for yours,” declared Zuko. 

That got a reaction out of Ozai, it was a twisted smile, “Oh am I? And why is that?”

“You have disgraced the Fire Nation. You twist history to favour the Fire Nation. You let people go hungry in favour of military productions, you send a battalion of recruits out to be slaughtered as bait and that’s just a handful of examples,” supplied Zuko. 

Ozai’s face scrunched into a scowl, “You will hold your tongue if you know what’s good for you.” 

“Sorry, but I’m pretty bad at risk assessments regarding myself,” said Zuko with a wiry smile. Zuko couldn’t believe it, he was sticking up for himself against his father during the Agni Kai. His nightmare never went this well. Zuko let out a breath. It felt strangely real. Everything felt far too real for a dream. Zuko pushed that thought from his mind. Technically if Zuko defeated his father he could be crowned Fire Lord. This was an Agni Ka after all. 

“You have brought dishonour to the Fire Nation, as such you are unfit to rule,” Zuko was painting a large target on his back now, “I challenge you for the title of Fire Lord.” 

The crowd collectively gasped and Zuko heard a quiet ‘Zuko no’ from his uncle. 

Ozai’s eyes narrowed, “You ignorant,” Ozai took a step forward, flames curling around his hands, “foolish,” Ozai stepped closer, “child.” Ozai stopped two steps from Zuko, “You will pay for your insolence. You are no match for me!”

“And yet you challenged me anyway,” retorted Zuko looking his father in the eye.  

With a snarl, Ozai pushed a jet of fire towards Zuko’s face. Zuko inhaled as he swiftly stepped under the attack. Zuko exhaled as he brought his foot down with a flash of fire next to Ozai’s foot. Ozai took a hasty step back from the flames and Zuko pushed forward with the same attack. Every step was fire right next to Ozai’s feet. Zuko was breaking Ozai’s root and causing the Fire Lord to stumble. 

After seven steps of an embarrassing retreat, Ozia had had enough. Fire under Ozai’s feet sent him up and over Zuko and away from the fire step. As Ozai flew overhead he poured fire over the top of Zuko, who just managed to roll out of the way. When Zuko recovered he returned fire and sent his own fireball, however, Ozai swatted it out of his way before he landed. They were now facing the opposite way. Ozai was standing where Zuko started and Zuko was on his father side of the court. 

Ozai set up his stance and released a large stream of fire that rushed towards Zuko. This stream of fire was large enough and strong enough to reach Zuko from halfway across the field. If this was against any inexperienced bender or a non-bender then it would have been deadly. However, this was Fire Lord Zuko, who had sparred with Aang, Katara, Azula and Toph. Azula at twenty-three was at least as good as father before he lost his bending, likely better. 

Zuko breathed and parted the mass of angry rushing flames. The stream of fire was long and intense, however, the fire all flew past him leaving Zuko completely untouched. 

Once the fire died down there were murmurs in the crowd when they saw Zuko still standing. 

“Huh, Zuzu’s gotten better.” was the only actual sentence Zuko heard.

Ozai’s eyes were wide as he stared at Zuko for a moment before Ozai’s features pulled into a scowl again. 

Zuko breathed in and took a leaping step forward before shooting a curling jet of fire towards Ozai. Zuko’s wasn’t quite as big, but it was bright and flecked with purple, pink and green. It was a powerful torrent of colours and heat, which Zuko had only begun to perfect in recent years. Zuko didn’t need colours in his fire, however, it was a great distraction technique. 

When Zuko let his fire go he was not surprised to see his father still standing. Zuko knew he would need to do better to defeat his father whether it be in reality or a dream. 

A flicker of blue and a slight shift in stance was all the warning Zuko got as he saw Ozai send lighting crackling towards him. 

“No!” came a terror filled cry from Iroh in the stands. 

Zuko paid little attention to his uncle’s distress, everything was under control. Zuko caught the lighting and sent it back to Ozai’s feet just as quickly. The lighting sparked up a bang of fire and smoke where it hit the ground. Zuko rushed in and sent a short flare of fire ahead to keep him covered. The smoke cleared enough for Ozai to see the blaze of fire heading towards him. Ozai pushed the fire aside but failed to notice the small boy just behind it. By the time Ozai’s vision was clear Zuko had slid down and knocked Ozai’s feet out from under him. 

When all of the smoke and fire gone, it was easy to see Fire Lord Ozai on his back with Zuko’s fist inches from his face. 

So many emotions crossed his father's face as Zuko held his small fist in front of it. There was surprise, confusion, frustration and fear. Zuko felt satisfaction seeing the fear cross his father's face, but that satisfaction was replaced in an instant by guilt. Zuko had no desire to take pleasure in fear or pain. He was nothing like his father. Zuko would never hurt an innocent and he would not let Ozai hurt the innocent anymore. 

Zuko held his fist there for a number of long moment. 

“Finish it!” snarled Ozai. 

Zuko’s face twisted int a sour expression. Zuko shot a burning ball fo fire, it scorched the ground next to his father’s left ear. 

“I don’t take orders from you anymore,” retorted Zuko as he stared down at Ozai with eyes far older than his face. 

“Coward,” snapped Ozai. 

“It’s called mercy, but I suppose you don’t know what that is,” commented Zuko unimpressed at his father’s remark. 

“Prince Zuko is the winner of the Agni Kai,” announced the Fire Sage, “As witnessed by the Agni, Prince Zuko defeated Fire Lord Ozai in the challenge for honour and the throne,” the Fire Sage paused and swallowed, “As such Prince Zuko is now the Fire Lord.” 

Everyone in the stands was silent. While Ozai’s mouth tipped down to an angry silent snarl. 

Zuko eyed Ozai for a little longer before lowering his stance and backing off. 

Zuko’s eyes swept over the crowd. Iroh looked so relieved and when he made eye contact with Zuko he visibly sagged and his eyes softened.  

Now that the fight had ended Zuko couldn’t shake the feeling that this was more than a dream. It couldn’t be real, could it? 

What was the last thing he remembered? Where did he fall asleep again? Was it at his desk? Zuko didn’t remember going to sleep. 

“When did you learn to fight?” barked Ozai, his tone made it sound like a command. Ozai was more or less sitting now.  

“When I started bending. But I learnt the most from my friends,” 

His friends, wasn’t he with his friends? Investigating a spirit problem? 

“You don’t have any friends,” sneered Ozai. 

“I do. We’ve beaten you and brought balance to the world,” 

Osai scoffed, “Your reign hasn’t begun yet.”

Zuko looked his father dead in the eyes, “Yes it has.” 

Silent fury slithered onto Ozai’s face, creeping into his fingers and curling his hands. 

Zuko’s eyes flicked back to the stand where Iroh started making his way to the arena with Azula. Iroh looked back at Zuko and instantly Iroh’s eyes widened and Iroh opened his mouth to yell a warning. 

Zuko saw Iroh’s expression, he heard the shifting of arena ground and the rustle of fabric. Zuko’s eyes snapped to his father. Ozai was lunging at Zuko his right hand hot and heading straight for Zuko’s face. Everything was so slow, Zuko saw it, he almost froze at the sight. The yell in the back of his mind and the yell from his uncle, along with his fighting experience managed to keep Zuko moving. Zuko tried to back away from the flaming hand. Zuko raised his right hand and sparks became a fire that pushed out making its way towards Ozai’s chest. Zuko tried to push Ozai back with fire, to keep him at a distance while his left came up to try and push Ozai’s hand off course. Ozai brought up a hand to push some of the fire away. He still kept coming each millisecond he was closing in the gap. The hand brushed against Zuko’s left forearm and instantly the heat and pain shot through Zuko’s arm. However, Ozai’s hand was forced up slightly. The face was no longer the target, now it was just the eye. 

Ozai’s hand connected. The pain was agony. This wasn’t a dream. This wasn’t a nightmare. This was real! 

Ozai couldn’t hold for long, Zuko was still trying to push Ozai away with fire, and it was working. Ozai could only block so much. As soon as Ozai connected he expected Zuko’s flames to die out but they burned, larger, hotter and brighter. Ozai couldn’t redirect the flames, he had to let go and dodge Zuko’s fire. He didn’t manage to escape unscathed. Ozai had small burns from the licks of fire that got past his defences. 

Zuko cut his fire and scrambled away with quickened breaths as soon as Ozai let go. Zuko brought his left arm up to cover his injured face before he shot out a warning fireball at Ozai’s feet. Ozai just laughed as he advanced, 

“I told you that you were no match for me,” Ozai continued to step forward. 

A wall of fire flared to life between Zuko and Ozai. 

“That is far enough brother,” said Iroh firmly from the edge of the burning wall. 

“Uncle,” Zuko whispered. 

Rushing footsteps approached Zuko. Looking at the noise Zuko tensed until he recognised the Royal Physician. 

“Prince Zuko!” the physician called as they skidded to a stop next to Zuko. 

“Hello, Physician Tomo. I think I have a little burn,” said Zuko quietly as he swayed a little. Zuko lent his good side onto the physician and promptly passed out. Uncle was here, he wouldn’t let anyone hurt him now.