"We are not sure if he is going to wake." The healer told them, a short woman with her hair a tight graying bun covered by a pinned piece of crimson cloth. An expression of grief plastered over her face; little did they know she had been one of Ursa's midwives. "It's been several weeks and his heart hasn't gotten any stronger…I fear he might give in soon."
"Zuko would never just give in." Sokka said firmly. But Zuko had been in a coma for three weeks now. He shuddered trying not the think of Aang in his coma also sent there by Azula's lightning. They could never be sure if miracles happened twice.
"Sokka's right Sparky is gonna make it!" Toph said. But it sounded like the words were more for her than the healer. Sokka looked over the others in the room. To his right were Aang and Katara.
Katara looked pained and her eyes glassy ready for a new wave of tears to roll down her cheeks and pool at her chin. She had spent the better part of the time Zuko was their ally hating him. Excluding and demeaning him in front of others. When Sokka thought back to it he realized the Prince seemed used to it, long accustom to it even. His hands shook a little, no one deserved to think that's how they should be treated.
Especially not Zuko, the man who took lightning for his sister, might die for his sister. This wouldn't be the first time someone died for Katara. Yue, Zuko couldn't be like mom. He has to live, has to. Katara can't take much more of this.
Aang looked lost, his gray eyes resembling murky water more so that peaceful storm clouds now. He had thought Zuko indestructible much like Sokka had the angry scarred teenager who chased them all over the world and never quit. He kept them all on their toes and reminded Aang of the danger of the Fire Nation at a time when he didn't take it seriously. The one Katara had frozen over and Aang slammed against walls more time than they could count. His Firebending sifu laying in a bed his skin matching the color of his white bandages and needing a healer at his bed at all times to make sure he didn't die. There had been a few close calls. Sokka could only imagine Aang blaming himself for this, for something not in his control. It's an Avatar thing to do.
Toph was to his right, her fist digging into the helm of his shirt for support. They had always planned to meet in the palace after the comet was over. Someplace that would be big and confused after Aang took down the Fire Lord. They would have to conquer it first, bring order to people there and secure it with peace. When Toph, Suki and him touched down at the palace courtyard triumphantly in the stolen air balloon they hadn't expected to be greeted with Katara's tears and Zuko's unconsciousness. Toph had been so eager to see Zuko after their victory. She had been the first one to trust him and the only one to truly try to connect to him. Sokka had caught them talking about visual impairment once. Toph revealing a secret desire to read and write, Zuko revealing his scar had given him some color blindness among other vision problems and vowing to teach her to both read and write. They were close friends, Toph always doing damage control after Katara's many rampages aimed at Zuko.
Sokka wasn't sure how he felt. All he knew was that it hurt. Seeing the Prince like this, seeing his friend like this. Sokka hadn't known Zuko well. But he was sure that after everything they could know each other better. Sokka remembered after his father rescued from the Boiling Rock him saying he sensed a brother in Zuko, Sokka's brother. Sokka hadn't believed then, but he wanted to now, when it could be too late.
They walked out the room quietly after receiving the news heading for the palace gardens. There Iroh sat with Suki, her hand on his shoulder. She could be surprisingly comforting almost like Katara when need be, made Sokka love her even more for it. They sat by the small pool underneath a blossoming tree nearly shielding it. Sokka had been told that it had been Zuko's favorite place in the garden his secret place from his family for him and his mother. Iroh sat there now a small red pouch in his hand two long incense sticks burning from it in his right hand and a small dagger in the other it had been Zuko's a gift from Iroh. He was in prayer to Agni his sorrow plain on his face. Sokka hoped whatever Iroh said brought Zuko back to them.
Zuko woke up dazed. His head swam as he lifted from the bed and rose to his feet. He put some distance between himself and the bed crossing to the other side of the room once there he stretched and turned around freezing.
There he was on the bed. His chest wrapped tightly and body propped up slightly by pillows. Beside himself was a woman holding his hand sitting to the right of the bed. A healer, he recognized her as Yan his childhood healer, memories flashed before his eyes and he remembered how he got there, Azula, the lightning, everything.
"I'm dead" he said the words making his mouth dry. He had so many plans…
"I assure you you're not." Someone replied. Zuko turns to the door way and finds a man standing there. His hair a long jet black, his eyes red and skin pale seems to glow with some hidden golden radiance. He wore long and heavy looking robes, ceremonial ones and there was a 9 centimeter wide sword the length of Zuko's arm sheathed at his left side.
"Who are you?" Zuko asked fearful for some reason, his body trembling.
"A boy does not know his own god." He answers. Before Zuko could think he was in a low bow his forehead touching the ground beneath him, his trembling more violent than before.
"Stand child" Zuko obeyed but did not lift his head.
"I'm sorry- I did not know. I swear" Zuko said staring into the floor. Agni lifted his chin gently forcing him to meet his eyes. His touch burned but didn't hurt, it soothed.
"I am not angry Prince of Fire. If I was you would know. I want you to return to the land of your ancestors with me." Zuko stunned his eyes widen as he tried to pull away from the touch but found himself unable to force himself to leave it.
"I can't die!"
"I have plucked many soldiers from the battle field Prince of Fire. You have brought yourself and your family more honor than you know. But now I want you to rest." His other hand coming to rest on Zuko's scarred cheek.
"No! My country, my Uncle! I'm only seventeen!" Tears flowed from his uninjured eye. The god wiped them away.
"I can find love for your Uncle and he can make strong heirs. I wouldn't let the country fall, not when my people have just found their way again."
"What do I have to do to convince you?!"
"A god cannot change their mind"
"That's a lie!" Silence followed the statement. Zuko continued "The Autumn Lord changed his mind and spared our people after the Fire Nation killed his! I know the spirit-tale."
"War is not his nature"
"He makes great typhoons! Every great spirit has war in their nature!" "Please let me lead my people, wasn't that my destiny."
"Fine"
"Fine?" Zuko asked confused he hadn't expected that. He assumed after much arguing he would be dragged into the spirit world.
"You may rule over this land. But don't ever expect me to save your life in this way again. Twice is enough. " The God said letting go of Zuko.
"Twice?"
"Your birth was hard, very hard. You were blue right out the womb and your mother wailed to me the whole night to save her dead winter baby. I did and I don't regret it." He said giving Zuko a hard stare as he told him the truth of his birth. He was lucky to be born. Zuko buried his face in the man's chest.
"What are you doing now child?" Agni said amused.
"Thank you for then and thank you for now."
"Yes, yes you are welcome young one. But you don't understand. I can longer save that body."
"What? What do you mean by that?" Zuko said looking up from the chest of the God.
"That body is destroyed" he said gesturing to Zuko's physical body as it lives on the bed. "It will only survive one more week even if I did put you back in it. I am not a Water Tribe spirit I cannot heal, I can only recreate from ashes and even if I do I can never make the same thing twice."
"What does that mean?" Zuko asked feeling afraid.
Wrapping his arms around Zuko he pulled him to his chest, resting a hand on the top of the boy's head. "It means you will have a new body." He said as the room filled with a golden glow.
Everyone rushed into Zuko's room at the sound of Yan's scream to see a girl no older than 10 open her golden eyes wide and the tips of Iroh's incense burning bright to match.
Yep littlegirl!Zuko just thought of it on a whim and had to write it. I don't know if I'm going to do anything else with this story but if people want me to I can try. I know Zuko will seem ooc but I feel like if you meet your patron god/goddess you're gonna get pretty out of character. Anyway hope you enjoyed it.