Author's Note: Content Warning- Zuko's Agni Kai. It's about as violent as you would expect for canon but it's not particularly graphic or anything.

It was the year 96 AG, not that the spirits cared, when the world-shaking Agni Kai took place. Agni loved the custom and always made a point to watch every single one if he could help it. Come on, it was literally named after him. How could he not love it? Firebenders displayed their power before him and fought in a glorious battle for him to watch. They were rare but they were a treat ever since the first Sun Warriors began the traditional form of fighting in front of the dragons. They were the pinnacle of honor and represented everything Agni hoped his children would be.

This one though… It made Agni sick. He wasn't even sure he could feel this much disgust until now.

At first he'd been excited. He could always sense when the words declaring a challenge were spoken, always pulling his attention from the spirit realm down to the mortal world, and this time was no exception. Eagerly, he let his consciousness drift downward to the site of the soon to be battlefield and began scoping out the two warriors about to fight in his name. Only it wasn't two warriors.

On the battlefield stood Fire Lord Ozai and Tui's beloved Zuko.

Agni would privately admit he'd grown fond of the prince as well. How could he not? With twin white streaks in his raven hair and an eye as blue as a waterbender's tunic, it was clear that Zuko was the creation of both the Blue Spirit and Tui, not just Agni. It made him happy in the most peculiar way he didn't quite understand.

Plus, it was fascinating to watch him transform into a dragon. Fascinating enough to make him not want to sleep, which was quite a feat. Agni loved sleeping. Zuko didn't always fly when he transformed, Tui was right about Zuko needing to hide that part of his identity, but when he did, Agni loved to watch. He missed his dragons. They were the first children of Agni, followed by the Fire Lion Turtles, and then finally the humans. It made him boil with rage knowing that his youngest children had wiped out his eldest but seeing a child with such a balanced spirit...

Agni was so shocked to see Zuko standing shirtless in the Agni Kai chamber that the sun spirit almost turned to Blue to ask if he was seeing the same thing he was seeing only to remember Blue no longer stood at his side. He was down there with the humans, watching over Zuko. If Agni really focused, he could sense his friend's soul thrumming in harmony alongside the young prince. It was a small comfort, a realization that his closest friend and most loyal subordinate was looking after the boy the great spirits were so invested in, but it didn't make it any easier to watch the scene unfold before him.

"Father?" Zuko questioned, sounding utterly confused. He looked around the stoney chamber, innocent eyes searching the small crowd of observers for his opponent. "Where is the general? I'm ready to face him. You said I would fight for my honor in an Agni Kai."

"You are," Ozai responded evenly, "only the general isn't your opponent."

"What? Then who-?"

"You spoke out in my war room. You disrespected me, not my general," Ozai stated, powerful voice carrying across the palace, slicing through the silence. Zuko's face melded into a mix of shock and horror as Ozai tossed his robes aside, revealing his bare chest and combat trousers. "I'm your opponent."

There were others at the edges of the chamber but Agni didn't have eyes for them. Rage swelled up inside him, making the torches at the corners of the battlefield roar. They only seemed to terrify Zuko further. His eyes were wide and his jaw went slack. Sweat dripped down his temple and he began shaking his head furiously, muttering under his breath.

"No, no, no. Father, I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect," Zuko blubbered as he took a few hesitant steps back. He glanced into the audience, then at the flames, then at his father and dropped into a deep, deep bow. "Please, Father. Please, I beg for your forgiveness."

"Rise," Ozai snapped. His eyes were as cold as ever but his fists betrayed his emotions. Fingers curled tight, he shifted into a fighting stance. "This is an Agni Kai and you will fight with honor."

How dare he speak Agni's name while forcing a child to fight? This was no duel of honor. It was hardly a duel at all and there wasn't a speck of honor in that room, save perhaps in Zuko. Agni really didn't know his spirit well enough to be the judge of that but the Blue Spirit rested within and Agni knew that counted for something.

Agni willed his friend to do something. He knew Blue would be fine if the boy perished but he didn't want Zuko to die before the prince had a chance to discover the man he was meant to be, before Agni got to see the man he would become. Yue and Zuko, they were the children of La and Agni respectively and blessed by the moon that tied them together. Zuko gave him hope for the people who had brought him pain this past century. If his father killed him today, Agni might just lose faith in his once beloved firebenders.

"I can't fight you, Father. I won't," Zuko said, shaking his head. His voice was somehow firm and shaking at the same time. He pressed his forehead into the floor. "I meant no disrespect. I promise I will never do it again. I'll- I'll do anything. Just, please, don't make me fight you."

Ozai's features seemed to soften. He took a few small steps so he was standing over his son and reached out with one hand. "Look up at me."

Zuko looked up, eyes welling with tears, and Ozai cupped his cheek tenderly. He stroked his face and Zuko relaxed against his palm. Agni relaxed as well, his rage dying down to a soft hum. Ozai, it seemed, wasn't as cruel as he thought.

Ozai's eyes scanned Zuko's form, taking in the golden eye and dark hair that matched his own but contrasted the sterling blue of his other eye and the white streaks that ran parallel though his hair. It was so clear that Zuko was his yet not at all at the same time but a father's love was not bound by such technicalities.

It was too late by the time Agni realized this sentiment was not a reality.

Ozai's hand suddenly shifted upward, pressing his large palm flat against Zuko's left eye. Zuko didn't even have time to wonder what was happening. In a heartbeat, fire surged from Ozai's palm, searing Zuko's face, and the prince's screams echoed through the Agni Kai chamber.

The screams were the most awful thing Agni had ever heard. He'd never heard any being- human, spirit, or animal, scream like that. The pain he was in… Agni couldn't even begin to comprehend it. One moment and Ozai had physically, emotionally, and spiritually destroyed his son.

Cold, paralyzed fear overtook the crowd as Ozai turned away. The flames in the torches exploded, scorching the walls with Agni's fury, as he walked out of the chambers as calm as could be. Zuko had long since collapsed and his uncle was already at his side, shouting for a medic, but Agni was hardly aware.

All he could see was the hand shaped burn over the eye that Agni once believed was a symbol of Zuko's safety.

Zuko wasn't holding up well.

Agni didn't understand human medicine but the medics seemed concerned and panicked. Zuko's uncle, a man named Iroh, was at his side at almost all times. Holding his hand, murmuring words of encouragement, offering help whenever the doctors needed it- It would be a rather wholesome scene if the circumstances weren't so dire. The room stank with infection, the scent of charred flesh, and the nip of anesthetics. It was filled with the sound of doctors' tools cutting away dead skin, Zuko's pained whimpers, and the hum of silence. The air was tense and the stress was visible on everyone's brow but eventually the activity died down.

Nothing really appeared to have changed but it seemed Zuko was stabilized by nightfall. The medics traded off with some others to go get some rest but Iroh remained, just sitting at Zuko's bedside. He rocked himself softly, eyes fixed on his nephew, and said nothing.

The next day was more of the same. Zuko had become feverish so there was a constant stream of wet towels being pressed against his forehead and swapped out when they absorbed too much heat. By night, the situation calmed somewhat but a feeling of unease lingered.

Iroh stayed by Zuko's side, changing the cool compresses with the help of a servant, but eventually he decided to step out for a breath of fresh air. Agni was confused for a moment before he saw the aging man's lips moving. Curious, he decided to listen in.

"Great Spirits," Iroh murmured, dropping to his knees and folding his hands together in prayer. "Ursa asked you to save her son once and you came to his aid. She isn't here anymore so now it's I who ask you. Please, save my nephew."

Agni watched a moment before taking pity and withdrawing his consciousness to consult with those in the spirit world. To his surprise, Tui was already waiting for him.

"I think it's time the spirits stepped in," she murmured softly and her sadness washed over him. Agni felt it echo through him but he didn't have to know what his sister was feeling to know she was right.

"Rise and send your wolf down," Agni told her before looking away and back down to the earth where Iroh was returning to his nephew's side, fretful at the prospect of leaving him for long. "Blue will know to follow him."

Tui nodded and Agni looked back down to the earth. The moon wasn't supposed to be full tonight but the moonbeams intensified as if it was, washing over the land and showing the Wolf Spirit the way to his target.

The Wolf Spirit stepped into the courtyard with his massive paws, moonrays washing over his fur making him look as majestic as ever. He padded through Caldera, following the cobble paths, until he found the small room where Zuko awaited. The scene was so much like the one thirteen years ago. Hopefully tonight would end just as well as that one had.

The Wolf Spirit pushed the wooden doors open and stood silently in the doorway of the small room. It took Iroh a moment to notice. When he did, he gasped and dropped into a humble bow. "Have you come to help my nephew?"

Stoic as ever, the Wolf didn't allow himself to nod or bark in acknowledgement. He stepped back, letting the moonlight come inside, and began padding away.

"Wait, no!" Iroh cried, reaching for the Wolf like a lifeline. "Please, don't go."

Iroh rose to his feet, making an attempt to chase after the spirit guide, and failed to notice the scene unfolding behind him. Zuko, still unconscious and feverish, began writhing in his sleep as the familiar transformation overtook him. Bones silently cracked as they took a new form, scales replaced skin, clothing teared, a pair of extra extremities appeared on his back, and countless other changes took hold of the young prince until the body lying in that bed was unrecognizable.

A big, hot stream of breath hit the back of Iroh's neck. The general turned around and noticed the dragon just as Zuko eyes snapped open for the first time since the Agni Kai. His consciousness had finally returned.

Or maybe it wasn't Zuko. Blinded by the pain throbbing around his cerulean eye, it very well could have been Zuko, the Blue Spirit, or neither in control at the moment. He let out a loud, echoing roar that came from deep in his chest and spread his wings, taking out the roof. Debris fell around the pair and crushed everything within. Iroh was forced to shield himself and hurry out the door to safety but the dragon paid it no mind. He howled and thrashed, crawling out of the limiting frame and out into the cool night air.

The dragon seemed crazed and out of control but when his mismatched eyes met the Wolf's, he seemed to understand. The Wolf Spirit took off running, long strides quickly carrying him out of the courtyard, and the dragon followed. Still screaming and thrashing, he somehow managed to take to the sky.

Iroh called after him but the dragon was too fixated on the prospect of freedom and escape from his pain to listen. The Wolf was a friend, he knew, and he would guide him where he needed to be.

The Wolf ran across the land with grace, pelt rippling with his movements, stunning as ever. The dragon flew after him, sticking low to the ground as he followed the canine out of the Caldera. They streaked across the Fire Nation, hardly disrupting the earth below, until they reached the coastline. Neither seemed fazed by the water. The Wolf kept running, pawsteps lightly pattering on the water's surface, while the dragon soared high into the air, so high it looked like he was touching the stars to the naked eye.

Pain still wracked the dragon's face but in the sky, some of the weight fell away. Freedom echoed through his body all the way to his wingtips and he let himself twist and glide in joy. The pain could only be forgotten momentarily, however, so the lone golden eye remained fixed on the wolf and path he was leading him on. He didn't know where the path was leading but he knew deep in his heart he was going where he needed to be.

Slowly, the air became cooler and cooler. The Fire Nation was hot and the farther they got, the cooler it became but eventually cooler became cold. Chunks of ice appeared in the water and warm air currents became freezing winds. The dragon didn't question it, trusting the Wolf knew what he was doing, but he was tiring. He sank lower and lower in the sky until his wings were skimming the ocean as he soared. The Wolf didn't notice until the dragon's foot hit the water, sending up a quiet splash.

The Wolf merely glanced over his shoulder and began deviating from his path. The dragon followed closely, chest heaving and throat rumbling with noises of exhaustion. The Wolf leaped from the water, landing neatly on an iceberg. The dragon crashed down next to him not a minute later and immediately fell into a deep slumber.

By now, the sun was ready to rise. Agni didn't really want to shine his light on the world, not quite yet, but he knew he had to. Sunbeams trickled over the horizon, alerting the Wolf that it was time to go. He whined and nosed his friend one last time before taking off, leaving the dragon behind.

The dragon's beastly form began to melt away as sunlight hit his scales until only a shell of his former glory was left in its place. Zuko laid on that iceberg for a long time but now that it was day, Agni could watch over him properly. Tui stayed at his side but the day was Agni's time to shine. Warm rays washed over Zuko's skin, trying to protect him from the nip of the cold as much as he could without melting the iceberg. It was about all Agni could do. He knew Blue was doing even more, he was right there down with him, but Agni wasn't sure if it would be enough. Spirits were powerful but they could only do so much. They needed human interference.

Humans just seemed to love to interfere.

It was well past noon when the ship arrived. Powered by waterbenders and steered by experienced sea men, it was truly a sight to behold. Fishing or patrolling, it didn't matter. What mattered was that they noticed the pale, unclothed figure lying on the block of ice in the water.

Agni would later learn the man who saved Zuko's name was Pakku and he was out with some of his students to train at sea. He was a great waterbender, one of the best. Pakku didn't even call for the ship to slow down when he spotted the boy. He merely took control of the waves and carried himself over to the iceberg with ease before taking off his coat and gathering the boy up in his arms.

"Yalok! Rasu!" Pakku barked, his voice cutting through the frozen air. The boy secure in his arms, Pakku leaped back onto the boat and put him down on the ground. "Bring the boat around! We need to get this boy to a healer. Sangok! Help me warm him up."

Pakku's students, dutiful as any student should be, followed their master's words without hesitance. Yalok and Rasu took waterbending stances on opposite sides of the ship and began weaving their arms through the air, prompting the ocean to propel them through the water, as Sangok got down on his knees beside the unconscious boy. He peeled his jacket off and began to wrap it around the shivering form when he interrupted himself with a gasp.

"What is it?" Pakku snapped. "It's not that cold. Just give it to him!"

"H-His face," Sangok stuttered as he sat down behind the boy. Gently putting his hand on Zuko's chin, he angled the boy's face toward his master and showed him the burn in all it's infectious glory. To his credit, Pakku hardly reacted. His face turned a bit more sour but it seemed to harden more in anger and determination than disgust.

"Yalok, Rasu, pick up the speed," he said simply and turned his attention to warming up the boy. His students increased the speed and the boat was drifting through the entry arch within minutes.

The Northern Water Tribe was truly a beautiful city. Agni knew he really should visit it more. Unlike the Earth Kingdom or the Fire Nation, the Northern Water Tribe was one united people. The city fit together like clockwork. The canals, the ice towers, the roads, the little homes scattered around the city, and the brilliant palace painted a serene image. Agni hoped this place was as kind as it was glamorous. For Zuko's sake, he hoped it was.

The waterbenders parked the boat in front of a small tower just off the main area of activity running through the city. Pakku scooped Zuko back up into his arms and hurried inside without bothering to knock.

"Yagoda!" Pakku gasped as he skidded inside. "We need a healer. Fast."

"Oh! Oh, I can smell the infection from here," a woman said with a grimace as she rose from the table where she was grinding herbs into medicine. "Quickly, put him down over here. Who is it?"

"I don't know," Pakku told her truthfully, putting Zuko down on a medical bed. "My students and I found him out at sea unconscious on an iceberg. There was nothing on him that gave any sign of where he was from, not even clothes. Just this burn."

Yagoda said nothing and began gathering up water in her hands. "This burn looks a few days old. Someone's been treating it but it's a bad one. I'm not sure how much I can do."

"Try," Pakku said, sounding as tired and old as he looked. He glanced down at the boy and shook his head sadly. "It would be a shame if someone so young lost the chance to live a good life so soon."

Pakku turned to leave but Yagoda stopped him. "Wait. Stay. He's freezing. I'll be too busy healing his face to keep him warm. Just sit with him."

"I need to return to my students."

"Master Pakku. You brought him in. He is your responsibility now. If no one is there to look out for him, saving his life won't be worth it. He won't have much of a life to live if he doesn't have someone to-"

Pakku grumbled something unintelligible and returned to Zuko's side, trying to share his body heat with the boy. He looked annoyed and unhappy but it brought a smile to Yagoda's face.

Satisfied, Agni was just about to turn away when he heard Yagoda gasp and drop her healing water.

"What is it?" Pakku demanded, jostling Zuko a bit as his back went rigid.

"This boy…" Yagoda said softly as she swept her hands around to pick up the water. She pressed the water to his face and closed her eyes, speaking so quietly that Pakku almost didn't hear her. "He's spirit touched."

"Spirit touched?" Pakku echoed, sounding as surprised as a man as gruff as he could. "How can you tell?"

"I can feel its presence," Yagoda told him. The water on Zuko's face rippled and glowed as its healing properties took over. "It's trying to help me heal him. It's very powerful but it's not a healer itself."

"This boy must be special then," Pakku mused. "What is it? A warrior spirit? A hunting spirit?"

"I'm not sure but- Pakku, I think the boy is a firebender."

"A firebender?!" Pakku repeated loudly. He jerked like he was going to drop Zuko and get to his feet but Yagoda stopped him.

"Yes. A firebender. In the Northern Water Tribe."

"Then why are you still healing him?!"

"Pakku, he's just a boy. Please, we can't let him die. He's done nothing wrong."

"If he's here, that may mean there's a Fire Nation ship closing in on the city," Pakku said, withdrawing himself from Zuko.

"Pakku, don't aban-"

"I'm not abandoning anyone. I'll be back," Pakku said with an unreadable face. Agni sensed there was something here he was missing. "I'll take care of him. I just need to tell Chief Arnook first. The boy's stopped shivering and if he really is a firebender, he should be fine as long as you can heal that- that…"

Pakku trailed off, the voice losing its heat, as his eyes grew wide. Yagoda blinked in confusion for a moment before the same realization that just dawned on Pakku hit her. "He's burnt. How can a firebender be burned? And a burn this bad…"

Shakily, Pakku stepped forward and away from the door. He put his hand over Yagoda's and slowly pushed it closer to the boy's face. Her handprint lined up almost perfectly with the wound.

Pakku stumbled back, shocked and wordless, until his back hit the door. "I- A firebender burnt a- He's just a child…"

"We have to protect him. You can't tell anyone he's a firebender," Yagoda pleaded. Her back was to Pakku, she could heal and speak at the same time, but the desperation in her eyes was visible through her voice alone.

"But Chief Arnook…"

"Tell him if you must but no one else. Not even your students."

"What about your students?" Pakku asked, seeming to suddenly notice there were no others present in the healing den at the moment. "Won't they try to heal him as well and notice that he's a firebender?"

"The spirit might be able to hide it," Yagoda responded but she didn't sound hopeful. "Once I'm done here, we'll have to move him. Please, go talk to Chief Arnook and hurry back."

Pakku nodded once and bolted out the door. He didn't even bother to greet his students still waiting at the boat. He swept his arms, gathering a platform of water under his feet, and shot across the surface of the water on a stream of sea water. He could hear his students yelping and calling after him but he paid them no mind. With the skill of the master waterbender he was, he weaved through the network of canals with precision and hurried to the palace.

It was only once he'd arrived that Pakku slowed down but not by much. The guards tried to stop him but Pakku's urgant tone deterred their efforts and Pakku was led into the meeting hall. The chief didn't look pleased at Pakku's interruption but he recognized that something was off and quickly dismissed the council and guards to speak with the waterbender.

"What is it, Pakku?" Arnook asked, crossing his arms. "I haven't seen you this distressed since…"

Arnook trailed off and Agni really had no idea what the man was referring to but Pakku seemed annoyed by it. The man shook himself and tried to not let it faze him. "My students and I found a boy at sea. He had a burn on his face. He's with Yagoda now."

"Strange," Arnook murmured but seemed to know there was more.

"He's spirit-touched. And a firebender."

"A firebender?! And you brought him back to the city? Pakku-"

"He has a burn on his face in the shape of a handprint!" Pakku snapped. "A spirit was fighting to save him but it wasn't enough. I had to bring him in or would you risk the wrath of Tui and La?"

"He's a firebender. Tui and La aren't watching over him. It's Fire Nation spirit."

Agni decided he didn't like this guy.

"Agni is Tui's brother. The spirits don't see borders. I stand by my decision," Pakku said firmly, any earlier doubt gone, "but if the boy's here, that means there might be a Fire Nation ship in our waters."

Arnook sighed and pinched his brow with his gloved hands. "I'll send some warriors to investigate. But you're in charge of the boy until he's healed then it's your job to get rid of him."

"Get rid of him? But, Chief Arnook, did you not hear what I said? He has a burn on his face. The Fire Nation was the one that hurt him. They won't welcome him back and the Earth Kingdom is no place for-"

"What do you want to do? He's a firebender with no training. He can't stay here."

"He is spirit-touched," Pakku repeated, sounding frustrated as if he couldn't fathom why this factoid wasn't clicking with the man in front of him. "The spirits looked down on him and blessed him. Surely that means something great awaits him in the future. I think it would be wise to keep the Northern Water Tribe in the spirits' favor."

"Spirits are bad news," Arnook sighed. His gaze drifted to the ground. "Being spirit-touched isn't a gift. It's a curse."

Pakku pursed his lips but didn't press. "If I train him, can he stay?"

"You want to train him? A waterbending master train a firebender?"

"An old friend of mine likes to say the elements aren't too different. Benders can learn from the techniques of other benders. I'm certain I can make something out of him."

"And the spirit?"

"I don't know which spirit rests within him but I will take care of that as well."

"Very well," Arnook sighed. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this but you may keep him as long as no Fire Nation ship demands him back."

"Thank you, Chief Arnook."

With a bow, Pakku hurried out of the palace and Agni could've sworn he saw something akin to hope on his face.