This fic contains-

Non-Cannon Character Death
Gender-bending
Graphic Descriptions of Violence
Slightly religious themes (talks about spirits and other religious concepts,)
Gender dysphoria
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Women Being Awesome
Flashbacks not seen in cannon
OOC Zuko
BAMF Team Dai-Nana-Han/Team 7/Team 7 As Family/Team As Family/Families Of Choice, etc.
Sexual assault and abuse
Cannon-based child abuse

This fic does NOT include -

Zuko replacing Sakura on Team 7 (Sakura will grow and be awesome in her own right, there is no Sakura bashing here, henceforth the Women Being Awesome tag,)
Romance with kids that aren't at least sixteen years of age, so that doesn't include the Konoha 11 getting together with anyone before the Shippuden era,
Zuko replacing anyone in the Konoha 11 teams, so instead, it'll be the Konoha 12.

I do not own Naruto or Avatar The Last Airbender.

It all happened to fast.

He hadn't expected as Fire Lord gain so many allies overnight. The hundred-year-war had left the Fire Nation with many things to build on, and with Zuko – the new Fire Lord – sweet Agni, he was too young for this – had been under stress. He had been becoming like Ozai. One night, sleeping in his room, unaware of anyone else – which was really stupid – Zuko was killed.

It was by an Ozai supporter? One of his own in the palace? Either way, it all happened too fast. A paralytic, and then a fast-acting poison. He doubted even Katara would even get to know how to cure it. The only reason why he knew it was poison that had killed him was the sensation, the tingling sensation against his Chi. Zuko breathed and coughed up blood immediately – his eyes rolled in the back of his head – and –

He blacked out.

He died.

"Hello, Zuko,"

Oh Agni, no, he had seen Roku. Aang had meet Roku plenty of times – but was this really what he looked like? The Fire Lord – young man – withered and looked pale. "What happened, why am I here?" Zuko tried to remain a calm disposition towards his ancestor, but Roku raised a hand. He felt Roku's Chi express himself, and then – he saw Lu Ten materialize in front of him. Zuko gasped. "Lu," He felt watery-eyed but he wouldn't cry.

"You've done well as Fire Lord, Zuzu, this – "Lu Ten showed the tanto that killed him – leaking with a foul-smelling poison. "Was not your fault," Zuko's eyes went wide. "I should've been the one to take up the flack for Ozai, but I died in the Siege," Lu Ten threw the tanto and growled, it landed to the floor with a clang. Zuko wince. "First and foremost, I would like to hug my cousin – years in Valhalla I have yet to see my cousin, or any of my family. Azulon soul is in Tartarus, he will not pass on through the veil,"

Tartarus had many names. It was also known as the Netherworld, the Underworld, or Hell, the world of the dead, as some. Where the spirits see you unworthy to be graced by their side to pass through or into their realm and into Valhalla or the true afterlife – the Spirit World was not purgatory, but a gateway into the true realm leading into the next life that would be yours after death. At least, that's' how his Uncle Iroh and Aang described it, as well as that Guru Pathik had odd… views on how the Airbenders and monks viewed hell.

It was all quite terrifying, Airbenders were not saints, Zuko surmised. When he had learnt that Monk Gyatso had taken down twenty-two Fire Nation Soldiers with a technique that was deliberate on ending a Fire Nation Soldier's life, but that technique had long since been last to time due to the Fire Nation Aang all said but "Good, that's how it should be," And Aang, sweet sunshine child, he doesn't deserve to have his people murdering others or passing on dark arts of any kind.

Yet, he had such a hard time accepting the Air Acolytes for not being benders, but with a bit of reassurance from his friends – Aang came around. But now, Zuko was here, hugging his dead- very dead cousin and the young Fire Lord groaned. "What's going to happen to me, Roku," Zuko buried his face into Lu Ten shoulder who murmured some lyrics from Iroh's lullaby, Lu Ten smiled and kissed his cousin's hair.

"You are to help the Avatar of another world," His ancestor had spoken softly this time, but his voice just as ethereal – and Zuko was gaping. Sokka would argue that if he had kept his mouth open so long, flies would get in. "He is not long Aang though, and will never be like Aang, in this world… There are Shinobi,"

Zuko scowled. It sounded foreign, the word. "Shin – what?" He had heard of the word Shin, but he had never heard of the word Shinobi, when Lu Ten coughed and added to the conversation by being ever-so helpful.

"Shinobi are assassins for hire, but not like the ones that had killed you, those are different, their rules and laws differ from that of our world, cousin dearest," Zuko's heart fluttered at the affectionate nickname and he wasn't prepared for the big info dump that Lu Ten was about to give him just now. Apparently, most Shinobi lived in the Elemental Nations – which he wondered if there was some sort of connection to the Elemental Countries, but Lu Ten assured Zuko, there wasn't.

The Hokage was the dictator, and the Daimyo was the head. A noble who didn't view Shinobi very highly due to their ignorance, but mostly relied on them due to how the system worked – in most major countries such as Konoha, the Daimyo's family lived, to represent the main house. There were clans, scattered through the elemental nations. And Zuko piqued interest when he had heard Roku talk about Chakra, though Chakra worked differently in the Nations.

Chakra had affinities, and it didn't matter if you were the Avatar or not. There were various affinities with special Kekei Genkais – or Bloodline Limits, so Roku put it. Those, were tricky, it was possible technically for a Shinobi to have multiple Kekei Genkai's, which Zuko didn't know how the hell it was possible, but alright. Though receiving multiple Kekei Genkais was rare, even beyond 'abnormal Shinobi standards', so, what in Agni's name was considered abnormal?

"Nothing is really considered abnormal, so try to keep an open mind, the boy who is the Avatar of this world is treated with prejudice and bigotry due to an event that had happened the night of his birth," And Zuko froze, mouth opening. "October 10th, a demon under the name 'Kyubi' known as the Demon Fox attacked – it was sealed – inside the boy. It was supposed to be kept a secret, but,"

Roku rubbed his temples. He didn't even know that the man could get so annoyed. "The dammed ninja had spread word of it somehow, leading to a majority of the village of hating the poor child, thus, never really giving the boy a chance to fit in with the rest of his comrades or his fellow Shinobi, who hated him too,"

And who could hate a child so much? Zuko wondered absently – surly someone destined to be so great, would be praised by their people… But that wasn't the case for Aang. Zuko sighed, rubbing his face. "There's more to the story here," The Fire Lord, former prince, ticked his tongue and tapped his shoe.

"But you're leaving this out on purpose. Aren't you?"

They both nodded. "There's much we can tell you and much we can't," Lu Ten sighed. "I apologize, cousin,"

"So, your sending me to the Avatar's world – with just that information? That's all? Nothing else?" They all froze, when Zuko's face was downcast, and Lu Ten sighed. "Well, I guess I can't complain, I should've seen this coming, after all," Lu Ten cussed.

"You couldn't have known – I should've done something at the Siege to prevent me from not-dying," Lu Ten stomped his foot, Zuko's eyes widened. "It's my fault you're in this predicament in the first place, Zuzu," Roku sighed and placed a hand on his decedent's shoulder. Lu Ten wiped his face.

"Hush now, Lu Ten, this is not your fault, stop blaming yourselves, or this isn't going to work," The both look up confused. "I need your emotions to be clear, clear of any confusion for it to work properly, because if their clouded with judgement and grief, it'll cancel out the technique, or," Roku cleared his throat, the former Avatar going pale. "Send you someplace that I never intended. This technique is not for the faint of heart – it's a technique passed down by Sages, one known as the Sage of Six Paths taught it to me,"

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "What's it called, Roku?"

"Sealing Art: Rewind," The Avatar's spirit showed up a tattoo covered in ink on his forearm. "This technique is known by Shinobi as Fuinijutsu, this is what the Demon Fox, Kyubi was sealed with – and the art is very powerful," Roku swallowed. "If conjured wrong, it could be deadly, do you understand?"

Zuko nodded slowly Roku smiled. "Good, now hold your hand out to mine," Suddenly Roku's hand became physical and Zuko was surprised, Roku's ghostly aura disappeared and he intertwined his soul with his ancestor, the former Avatar chuckled. "Don't look so surprised, Zuko, I'm in control in this realm here – now focus on a happy memory, clear your mind or it will not work," The Fire Lord grit his teeth, he sighed.

He let his mind drain of negative thoughts. But was finding it hard to do so. He thought of his Uncle, he thought of the Gaang (it was a stupid name and he wasn't ever going to admit it out loud to anyone but he quietly called his 'friend group' that) and then "We don't have much time, Zuko, quick!" He was trying, dammit! Zuko cussed and bit his cheek, feeling a metallic sensation leek from it.

"We have to go, now," Roku snapped and Zuko's eyes opened. "Don't let go of my hand – don't you are," Zuko's heart was pounding, his ears were ringing, Lu Ten was calling out to him saying this was a bad idea – because yes – this was a bad idea. Would his soul be lost if he didn't do this right? Dammit, he was supposed to be thinking happy thoughts, but he couldn't, and Zuko was failing! "Rewind!"

This ended the reign of Fire Lord Zuko. Not that there was much of a reign to begin with. Zuko yelled as the seal ran up his arm and etched his skin – burning it slightly – maybe it was just his imagination – but he cried out in pain as he had felt the world go black, yet again. Zuko groaned, he wasn't dead this time at least.

He was alive. So, so very much alive – and this time – he was going to live.