Chapter 2 - A Prince's Resolve
A sharp, rhythmic knock rapped against the metal door, followed by the unmistakable voice of a soldier.
"Prince Zuko," the man called with practiced discipline. "General Iroh requests your presence on the deck."
The young prince—no, the man who had become Zuko—kept his expression schooled as he processed the words. The weight of his new reality pressed against him like an iron vice, but he forced himself to remain composed. He could panic later—if he ever allowed himself such luxury. Right now, the situation demanded intelligence, not reckless emotion.
He took a controlled breath before responding, his voice steady. "I'll be there shortly."
A slight hesitation followed from the other side of the door before the soldier acknowledged the response. "Understood, Prince Zuko." Footsteps receded down the hall, leaving behind silence.
Zuko—because that's who he was now—exhaled slowly and ran a hand down his face. His mind was a battlefield of conflicting emotions, fragmented memories, and sheer disbelief. But shock and confusion wouldn't serve him right now. If he had somehow been thrown into this world, into this body, then he needed a plan.
Think.
He was Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. That much was clear. The exiled prince, the dishonored son, the banished heir searching for an impossible goal—the Avatar. The moment that realization crystallized in his mind, the weight of his predicament truly settled on him. He knew this story. He had watched this story unfold as a child.
He also knew how It ended.
But now, he wasn't just an observer. He was inside it. He wasn't some passive audience member watching from behind a screen; he was Zuko. Which meant every decision from this point forward would shape his fate.
Blindly charging ahead, trying to brute-force his way through things, wouldn't help. He needed to be smart, methodical. No recklessness. No cowardice. Just careful, strategic moves.
His uncle was waiting for him, and that was another factor he had to consider. Iroh wasn't just some supporting character—he was a man of wisdom, a war hero, and, most importantly, one of the few people in Zuko's life who actually cared about him. If there was anyone he needed to be mindful of right now, it was him.
Zuko stood up from the bed and approached the nightstand where he had rummaged through the clothes earlier. He pulled out a fresh set of robes, the deep red fabric embroidered with gold accents. He discarded the sleepwear he had woken up in, noting absently how the new clothing fit his leaner frame.
As he tied the sash around his waist, he caught his reflection in the small hand mirror once more. The burn mark over his left eye was an ugly reminder of his past—his past. The past of a boy who had suffered humiliation and pain at the hands of his father. A prince who had been cast aside.
But was it his past now?
The thought made his fingers pause for just a moment before he clenched them into a fist.
It doesn't matter. This is who I am now.
His jaw tightened as he pushed away the lingering unease. With a final deep breath, he turned and strode toward the door. It's time to meet Uncle Iroh.
The corridors of the ship were as metallic and utilitarian as he had expected, the hum of the engine and the occasional clang of footsteps the only sounds accompanying him. He walked with purpose, not rushing but not dawdling either. He needed to establish himself—to project the demeanor of a prince, even if he still felt like an imposter in his own skin.
As he ascended the final steps leading to the main deck, the harsh ocean wind greeted him, carrying the scent of salt and smoke. His sharp eyes immediately landed on the figure standing near the railing.
Iroh.
The older man was exactly as he remembered from the show—broad-shouldered yet relaxed, dressed in traditional Fire Nation armor yet radiating none of the rigid hostility that most of their countrymen did. Instead, his uncle seemed utterly at peace, sipping from a small porcelain teacup as he gazed out over the water.
At the sound of approaching footsteps, Iroh turned, his kind eyes twinkling with quiet amusement. "Ah, Zuko! You're finally awake."
Zuko inclined his head slightly, keeping his expression neutral. "Uncle."
Iroh studied him for a moment before gesturing to the open deck. "Come, join me. The sea air is quite refreshing in the morning."
Zuko hesitated briefly before stepping forward, coming to stand beside the older man. He kept his posture straight but not rigid, his hands loosely clasped behind his back. He could feel Iroh watching him, assessing him—not in a judgmental way, but with a familiar, knowing gaze.
"You were asleep for quite some time," Iroh noted casually. "I was beginning to think I'd have to send for a healer."
Zuko exhaled, choosing his words carefully. "I just needed rest. I must have been more exhausted than I realized."
Iroh hummed thoughtfully, taking another sip of his tea. "Understandable. You have been carrying quite a heavy burden for some time."
Zuko didn't immediately respond. He knew Iroh was testing the waters, trying to gauge his mental state. If there was anyone who could sense something was different about him, it would be his uncle.
"I'm fine," he said at last, keeping his tone steady. "But I appreciate your concern."
Iroh raised a brow but didn't press further. Instead, he gestured toward the horizon. "It is a long journey ahead, my nephew. Searching for a ghost is no easy task."
Zuko nodded slowly. The Avatar. The impossible mission given to him as a means of keeping him out of the Fire Nation indefinitely. A wild goose chase designed to keep him exiled forever.
He needed to think. He needed to figure out what to do next.
"Have the crew reported anything unusual?" he asked instead, shifting the focus.
Iroh looked mildly surprised by the question but answered, "Nothing yet. Though I suspect we will encounter more dead ends than actual leads." He sipped his tea with an air of amusement. "Unless, of course, you have suddenly developed new ways of tracking ancient legends."
Zuko allowed himself a small, knowing smirk. "Not yet," he admitted. "But I will."
The fire of determination burned in his chest. He didn't know exactly how he was going to handle everything, but one thing was clear: he would not repeat the same mistakes.
This was his life now. His story.
And he was going to write it on his own terms.
Zuko let the conversation settle into a comfortable silence, the wind whistling softly around them as the Fire Nation ship cut through the icy waters. The sight of the frozen landscape stretching endlessly in all directions was both awe-inspiring and foreboding. Massive icebergs drifted in the distance, towering monuments of nature's cruelty. Snow blanketed the world beyond the waves, a stark contrast to the warm reds and golds of his homeland.
His homeland.
The thought felt almost foreign now. He knew he should long for it—to crave his return with every fiber of his being. But knowing the real Fire Nation, the truth of its war and its conquest, soured the idea in his gut. Blind loyalty won't get me anywhere. If I want to change my fate, I need to be careful. Thoughtful. Smart.
He turned his gaze to his uncle. Iroh was still staring out at the waves, his posture relaxed, the steam from his tea curling into the cold air.
This was a rare opportunity.
If he wanted to understand where Iroh truly stood in all of this, he needed to test him.
Casually, Zuko stepped forward and lowered himself onto the wooden crate beside his uncle. "Tea?" he asked.
Iroh's mustache twitched upward in a pleased smile. "Ah! You are learning, my nephew." He reached for his teapot, pouring a second cup with practiced ease. "A man who drinks tea is a man of patience. And patience is wisdom."
Zuko accepted the cup, letting the warmth seep into his fingers. He took a slow sip, using the moment to gather his thoughts. He needed to phrase this right—if he pushed too hard, Iroh would suspect something was off.
Carefully, he spoke, his tone casual. "Uncle… what do you think would happen if the Avatar returned?"
Iroh didn't react immediately. He simply took another sip of his tea, as if mulling over the question like a fine brew. "Hmm." He sighed, watching the steam rise from his cup. "That is quite the question."
Zuko kept his expression neutral. "It's possible, isn't it? The Avatar disappearing for a hundred years is already strange, but if he were to resurface now, the world would change."
Iroh hummed in agreement. "Yes. The world would indeed change." He turned his head slightly to study Zuko, curiosity in his gaze. "But I wonder… why the sudden interest?"
Zuko shrugged, keeping his voice level. "It's not sudden. The Avatar is the key to my return, isn't he? My only way home."
Iroh's expression didn't shift, but his eyes remained locked on him, as if peeling back layers of thought.
Zuko pressed forward. "If I were to find him—if I were to capture him—what then?" He turned his head slightly, looking his uncle in the eye. "Should I bring him back alive? Or dead?"
This was it.
This was the real test.
Because deep down, even if the world saw him as a Fire Nation prince, he wasn't. He was a man from modern-day Earth, and in his world, killing a child was an unforgivable crime. A twelve-year-old boy, frozen in ice for a hundred years, waking up to a world at war… How could he justify ending a life like that?
He knew what Ozai would want. He knew what Zhao would do. But what about Iroh?
The older man's eyes darkened ever so slightly, the warm amusement fading just a little. He set his tea down on the wooden railing with a soft clink.
"The Avatar is a bridge between worlds," Iroh said finally. His tone was quiet, thoughtful. "He is more than just an enemy or an obstacle. He is balance."
Zuko didn't move, letting the words sink in.
"If the Fire Nation captured the Avatar," Iroh continued, his voice carrying an almost imperceptible weight, "then the world would face a choice. Capture him alive… and there is a future. Kill him… and you may destroy something far greater than just one man."
Zuko inhaled slowly, gripping his cup tighter. "So you believe he should be taken alive?"
Iroh studied him once more, as if trying to see past the question itself. Then, a knowing smile tugged at his lips. "That would be the honorable thing to do."
Zuko held his gaze, feeling the unspoken weight behind those words.
Honor.
That was what this had always been about, wasn't it? But whose honor? The Fire Nation's? His father's? His own?
Iroh had just given him an answer without outright saying it. If Zuko captured the Avatar alive, he had a chance to dictate what happened next. But if he killed him… he might set something in motion that he could never undo.
And deep down, he already knew what choice he had to make.
He set his tea down beside Iroh's. "Then I'll take him alive."
Iroh let out a small chuckle, nodding approvingly. "Good. A wise choice, my nephew." He reached for his cup again, taking a long sip before exhaling contentedly. "Now, drink your tea before it gets cold. There is no honor in wasting good tea."
Zuko allowed himself a small smirk before taking another sip.
But in his mind, the pieces were already shifting.
He had a direction now. A path.
The Avatar was out there, somewhere beneath this frozen wasteland. And when they finally met… things would be different.
Because this time, Zuko wasn't going to be a pawn in someone else's game.
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