#iroh may have fucked up ba sing se but like. he killed a dragon

[evilkitten3]

was fucking around on google images and i ended up stumbling on a reddit post from three yrs ago with a picture of iroh grabbing azula during a fight scene...

this is the only time i can think of when azula seems completely terrified.

he grabs her and she's scared shitless

but he just redirects her lightning and she's just bewildered.

i wonder what she was thinking there

#atla #avatar the last airbender #azula #azulaposting #iroh #like my first instinct is to read into her relationship with iroh and/or ozai #but if we're being real it could just be a ''wtf is that allowed????'' moment #iroh may have fucked up ba sing se but like. he killed a dragon #or. pretended to have #people thought he did anyway #i just think it's interesting #trope-wise azula is ''the dragon'' of the cast #and iroh is a helluva lot kinder to the real dragons than he is to her #did she think he was going to kill her? or just seriously kick the shit out of her #idk it just looks like azula was expecting something significantly worse to happen

[spacedace]

So because I’ve ended up with so many ATLA AUs/fic ideas (more than I’ll probably ever reasonably be able to write) I’m just gonna go ahead and drop some of them here for anyone who might be interested in using the ideas. What’s listed below isn’t all of my AU ideas, just some of the ones that I like but don’t know if I’ll ever get to actually writing. I’ll probably end up making more of these fic idea/writing prompts as I end up coming up with more lol

Living Shrine AU: From an early age Zuko is trained in a secretive sect of Fire Nation Spiritualists that serve the Fire Lord. The Spiritualists gain powers/abilities through binding themselves to willing Spirits in exchange for worship and servitude.

Instead of binding himself to a minor spirit like he’s supposed to, Zuko ends up forming a bond with the Blue Spirit. When the Agni Kai happens, the Blue Spirit goes on a rampage, nearly kills Ozai and scares the shit out of everyone in attendance, resulting in Zuko having to go on the run at 13.

Lone Dragon and (Air Bison) Cub AU: An AU that starts with Zuko leaving Iroh behind in Zuko Alone where instead of the Earth Kingdom town, Zuko stumbles upon a small group of strange refugees seeking a new life. After spending some time with them Zuko realizes that they’re actually some of the last living Air Nomads in the world.

One thing leads to another and Zuko helps them find a safe place to stay (trading his ability to Fire Bend to a Spirit in order to make sure), only for one of the Air Nomads - one of the small handful of Air Benders in the group - to ask him to help them hunt the Avatar down so they can become an Air Bending Master themself.

Which means Zuko is, once again, hunting Aang, only this time so he can yeet another Air Bender at him and then die in a ditch (Zuko is both very dramatic and making a little bit more of an emotional/mental wreck than normal in this AU). Everyone is very confused by the whole thing.

Prison Prince AU: In which Zuko, still very injured and not at all recovered from the Agni Kai and not even officially banished yet, storms the docks when the 41st Division is to be deployed, very publicly screams at several generals about how he refuses to let them sacrifice his people for no good reason, maybe causes a riot and ends up in Boiling Rock at age 13.

Instead of being murdered immediately like Ozai expects, Zuko ends up flourishing. The prisoners love him. The guards love him. Everyone is desperate to keep him safe and teach him anything and everything they can to keep him alive, unintentionally turning him into a nightmare of a skill monkey.

By the time Zuko is 16 he’s broken out of (and into, and out of again) every prison in the Fire Nation and half of the ones in the Earth Kingdom to boot, doing whatever he can to help his people wherever he ends up along the way.

Now if someone could explain to him this whole new fashion fad where people keep smearing red paint over their left eyes that’d be great. Maybe he’ll ask that Water Tribe kid what the deal is after they get done breaking all these people out of Boiling Rock (again, he’s really ruining this place’s reputation.)

Azula says “Fuck the Fire Lord” AU: After taking Ba Sing Se, instead of getting Zuko to help her attack Aang (and the Gaang at large) Azula instead convinces Zuko to stay with her and help her rule over Ba Sing Se/use the resources the city offers in order to fight against Ozai.

Things get confusing for the war after that, and even more so when Zuko decides he doesn’t want to just hide behind Ba Sing Se’s walls and sneaks out to hunt down Aang (again) and teach him Fire Bending. He may have forgotten to tell Azula of his plan. Azula may, due to some faulty information, believe that her brother has been kidnapped by the Avatar to force her hand into helping fight the Fire Nation. Things get a bit chaotic.

#atla #Avatar The Last Airbender #atla fanfic #writing prompts #fanfic writing prompts #Zuko #azula #blue spirit #blue spirit zuko #aang #sokka #honestly all of these are also zukka but i haven't added that to any of the blurbs so i'll just put it here #zukka #atla au #air nomads

[azenkii]

A Long List of Trash Fire Lord Zuko Headcanons

...that i couldn't get out of my head:

(warning: SUPER LONG POST i havent figured out how to trim posts yet)

he's the one who unchains azula despite iroh's protests. she doesn't even try to fight him, just cries into his shoulder and keeps mumbling about how father's going to be so disappointed in her. he takes her to her rooms and has her drink a sleeping draught, then stations the best guards he has left outside her chambers.

his first council meeting takes place literally a day after sozin's comet. he hobbles into the council chamber shirtless with his entire torso covered in bandages and every council member just looks at him like '...what'

he does NOT sleep for like,,a week after sozin's comet and then another two weeks after his coronation. katara, aang and suki try to persuade him to sleep and he doesn't listen. eventually sokka, toph and mai team up to literally drag his ass to bed and tell him he's not allowed to get up until he sleeps (does mai pin him to the bed with her knives? yes. is it kinky or sexual in any way? definitely not.)

he drinks So. Much. Tea. at this point it's practically tasteless to him but he drinks it anyway because he just needs something to do and tea is something familiar. he keeps iroh on his toes because he's constantly asking for new tea blends, uncle, i think i actually tasted the last one,

he flat-out refuses to grow his hair for at least a year after ozai's defeat. the second it starts getting close to his chin he shears it off himself, with his knife, and his stylist has a heart attack every single time

when he's tired he'll occasionally jump up when one of his guards moves. it stops after a bit, but for the first month and a half or so he's really twitchy. when sokka asks, the only explanation he can come up with is that he's not used to having people stand behind him silently and not want to kill him, much less want to protect him (sokka immediately takes him out for a shopping trip and makes a point of walking behind him the entire time, but only on zuko's right side, where he can clearly see it if sokka moves towards him)

when the healer declares azula mentally unstable and in need of an institution, he shuts himself in his office for the rest of the night. no one's allowed in, not even iroh. he finally emerges in the morning, eyes red from crying and sleep deprivation, and tells the librarian that he'd like a list of the best mental institutions in the country, please, the best in the world if you can get them

he loves theatre (is this even a headcanon?). unfortunately it practically died out in the fire nation along with the rest of the creative arts, leaving nothing but small troupes like the ember island players. one of zuko's personal goals (meaning things he wants to accomplish that aren't as important as restoring his country) is to bring back theatre; he finally manages to do it after about eight months or so of being fire lord, along with other arts like dancing, music and sculpture

he establishes a national day of mourning, on the first day of autumn every year, to commemorate the genocide of the air nomads. from 100AG onwards, every calendar printed in the fire nation has it marked. at first it was called the day of repentance, but aang persuaded him to have it changed (by arguing that he didn't want guilt to be a literal staple of fire nation culture)

he introduces literally So Many educational reforms, plus a mandatory class that teaches students about the cultures of the other nations (air nomads included) and how some of their traditions overlap

he turns down the offer of having a statue put up of him in the capital. toph ignores him and does it anyway.

he visits azula regularly, makes sure she's (relatively) comfortable and well-fed, and sometimes just sits down outside her door and tells her about everything that's going on right now ('some of the far colonies have developed their own standardised writing, azula, you wouldn't believe it, and i've asked the fire sages to come visit more often—but you never liked them, did you? oh, well; i'll make sure none of them go into your chambers by mistake')

(he doesn't know it, but when he does this azula sits by the door and listens. she wonders what kind of writing the colonists have developed, and whether or not the fire sages have taken on some new recruits.)

he hates being above anyone else. never sits in the throne if he can help it, nor does he sit on the dais in the council room. when he talks to people shorter than him, he finds himself stooping a little bit to talk to them on their level (the exception to this rule is sokka, who he mocks for being shorter all the way up until sokka grows taller than him, the bastard)

the first time he visits the earth kingdom, the earth king's ministers call a toast. he ends up being the only one who has to sit out, because he's too young to drink by earth kingdom law

once his servants figure out he won't kill them for talking to him, they start becoming a lot more bold, telling him off when he doesn't take care of himself. at one point, they force him to let them take care of him so much that he literally just bolts into the gardens and hides there until the staff rope in mai and ty lee

when he needs to escape, he does one of two things: (a) he dresses up as the blue spirit and does some parkour until he calms down, or (b) he goes to work at the jasmine dragon. (b) happens less often bc the jasmine dragon's in ba sing se, but there's been a few memorable incidents when an earth kingdom diplomat walks in and yells, 'LEE?!' when they see the fire lord

the first court artist who draws him also happens to be the one who drew azulon and ozai. he draws zuko without his scar. zuko takes one look at it and tells him, very calmly, that he'd like him to leave, please.

zuko burns the portrait. he doesn't fire the court artist, but he never calls on him again unless he has to. a second court artist is called, and can't help but be a bit confused when the fire lord tells him to be sure to include the scar

he forgets the crown. a lot. sometimes he walks into council meetings in his sleepwear with his hair tied up in a messy ponytail and a bunch of scrolls tucked under his arm. none of his councilmen have the guts (or the heart) to tell him that this is not, in fact, formal council wear

he goes to feed the turtleducks when he's stressed. he thinks he's being subtle. he's not. the entire palace knows, and they consciously give him space when they see him in the turtleduck garden

most of his staff are older than him, so they look at him and see this teeny tiny fire lord who is So Small and who Must Be Protected. the day after zuko's coronation, the head chef holds a meeting where they commence Operation Do-Not-Let-That-Boy-Turn-Out-Like-His-Father (subsection He's-The-Only-Good-Thing-We-Have)

one night he wakes up to find suki sitting in his room, decked out in full kyoshi warrior garb and makeup, and just about screams blue murder. suki tells him there are suspicions of an assassin in the palace, and would you please stop yelling it's very distracting, we won't be able to hear anyone coming over that racket

zuko gets very, very paranoid of random spirits after that. yeah, suki looks like a possibly malevolent spirit when she's wearing her makeup, what about it? (when he tells sokka he's highkey terrified of spirit shenanigans, sokka just looks at him and says, 'man, the stories i could tell...', and THAT'S when zuko remembers sokka spent like six months more than he did travelling with the avatar)

on his first visit to the southern water tribe, he removes his boots and leg guards, rolls up his pants and kneels barefoot in the snow. even though chief hakoda immediately starts trying to pull him up, he's stubborn as hell and stays kneeling for the entirety of his very long, very sincere apology-on-behalf-of-the-fire-nation speech. he nearly loses his toes to frostbite after that, and both sokka and katara never stop giving him shit for it

the first time he grows a 'beard' is completely accidental. he's stressed over some trade miscommunications with chief hakoda, hasn't slept in a few days...and then when sokka arrives as water tribe ambassador to help smooth things over, he takes one look at zuko and says 'man, facial hair does not suit you'

zuko: facial what now

he checks a mirror to find that he's got stubble covering his chin, dark enough that it almost looks intentional, and holy gods how the fuck did he not notice this before

'UNCLE WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME' 'i assumed you were doing it on purpose' 'WHEN HAVE I EVER DONE ANYTHING ON PURPOSE'

he shaves it all off immediately, of course, which prompts a lot of teasing and rib-poking from sokka until zuko finally snaps that he's scared it'll make him look like his father. sokka stops after that.

(the day after sokka leaves, zuko finds that a mysterious someone has scribbled all over ozai's royal portrait, giving him a frankly ridiculous beard and moustache that literally CANNOT be grown in real life. oddly enough, he can't bring himself to care about the defamation of royal property. he's too busy laughing.)

his paths cross with toph and sokka more than any of the others, because sokka is ambassador and toph is technically still a beifong. most of the time, at formal functions, he ends up sequestered in the corner with toph and a hoard of snacks, and they talk and swear much more than they usually do (zuko's ministers once heard him when he was drunk with toph, and the servants swear the older ministers' ears started bleeding)

he restores fire nation cultural festivals, and in doing so subjects himself to learning a lot of complicated dances

during one memorable week, he wrote so many letters and drafted so much legislation that he ran out of paper. he had to go visit the nearest school and ask for some

he keeps up with his firebending and sword training even though it's hard to fit into his schedule. his ministers refrain from reminding him that he has guards to protect him now; it's still hard for zuko to trust his safety with anyone but himself (team avatar is the exception).

he started sleepwalking about two months into his reign. no one knew why. one time, he nearly sleepwalked right off the edge of a balcony, and one of his guards had to grab him by the back of his robes.

the sleepwalking stopped after around a month and never happened again. at this point it's practically palace legend.

after freeing the war prisoners, he went around collecting every single earthbender-proof wooden cell he could find in the capital and surrounding areas. when he'd gotten most of them, he gathered them into a huge pile in the city square and set fire to them with his own hands.

unfortunately he couldn't do that with the waterbender metal cells but he did get toph to come in and bend them all into pretty shapes (well, toph thought they were pretty shapes. everyone else thinks they're meaningless squiggles)

he learned how to write with both hands at the same time out of sheer necessity (he refused scribes until it became clear that he'd be putting some people out of a job; that was when he started letting scribes write very, very minor things, but all important documents/drafts/letters are still written by him)

he once put the wet end of an ink brush in his mouth instead of the wooden end by mistake. didn't even realise until he bit down to keep it in place and ink went oozing everywhere

when his guards rushed in to find him coughing and spluttering black liquid all over his desk they thought he'd been poisoned but no he's just stupid

on his 17th birthday, his first one after being crowned, he got tackled by team avatar in the middle of the ballroom and ended up at the bottom of a cuddlepile for like ten minutes

this cuddlepile happened at an event that was very much public and very much formal. it was a scandal for weeks

just. fire lord zuko, guys. so much potential

#holy cow this ended up so much longer than i intended #atla #avatar #zuko #firelord zuko #headcanons

[mellowdreamer]

HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO VERSE.

this is a modern bending vigilante/hero au featuring zukka, mailee, yueki and a lot of hijinks!

the gaang are all 16-19 here, because while bruce wayne apparently has no problem with it, i’m not comfortable with having vigilantes who haven’t yet gone through puberty.

the avatar world is just one big city, and each of the nations/cities are different suburbs of the city.

kyoshi island, ember island, and boiling rock are small islands off of the city, similar to singapore’s sentosa island.

the city (republic city? i dunno, get back to me on this one) is full of heroes, vigilantes and villains alike. the fire nation is a criminal empire intent on taking over the city. the avatar is a hero who works to keep the balance of heroes and villains in the city, and stop the entire city from becoming a war zone. 

however, the avatar disappeared 100 years ago, and no one was chosen to take up the mantle since. in the avatar’s absence, the fire nation was able to begin its quest to take over the city.

the heroes of the southern water tribe that were left after the various raids have left the southern water suburb on a mission to defeat the fire nation or die.

hakoda, alias chief, left his two young children in charge of their territory, despite them being a) children and b) relatively untrained.

katara, alias painted lady, is the only waterbender left in the southern water tribe. sokka, alias captain boomerang, is the only trained combat hero left in the southern water tribe. all those remaining are either children or incapable of fighting.

side tangent: when sokka does well, he calls himself “grand marshal boomerang” and when he does badly, he calls himself “private boomerang”. thank you to the crimily for coming up with this one!!

one night, when katara and sokka are out on patrol, they get chased by fire nation goons into the ice off of the southern harbour. there, they get into a fight over sokka’s sexist remarks and katara’s yelling having attracted the fire nation goons, and katara’s waterbending gets out of control. she breaks open an iceberg, only to find someone in there.

the two siblings approach the iceberg and break the person out. they are shocked to find a young boy in the unmistakable uniform of the avatar, resting next to a creature they’ve never seen before.

they wake the boy up, to find that his name is aang and he’s the next avatar. and that he has no idea of the fire nation’s quest to conquer the entire city, or the fact that the air nomads – heroes that didn’t resign to just one area of the city – hadn’t been seen for the same hundred years that he must’ve spent in the iceberg.

katara and a reluctant sokka take aang back to the apartment building where the remaining southern water suburb residents have been living and introduce him to everyone.

later that night, the three go out on patrol together. it’s a quiet night, and sokka thinks they might actually get through it without any incidents, until they find a woman being mugged.

sokka and katara are about to intervene, but aang takes down both thugs in a matter of seconds. aang, ignoring the slack jawed shock of his friends, asks if they could go penguin sledding. katara goes to agree, but is cut off by the shout of “MY HONOUR” from a nearby rooftop.

zuko, alias dragon prince, runs from the rooftop before they could find him. his father ozai, alias firelord, had sent him and his uncle iroh – formerly dragon of the west, now retired – to find the avatar. zuko had been banished from the fire nation territory years ago, after speaking up about a plan that would’ve cost them a whole division of goons and refusing to fight his father in an agni kai.

the kyoshi warriors are similar to the birds of prey or the amazons; they’re an all-female crime-fighting unit not directly associated with any of the kingdoms or nations. suki is their leader, and they don’t have secret identities like the other heroes.

iroh, bumi, piandao, jeong-jeong and p*kku are all retired heroes and a part of the order of the white lotus.

toph is the blind bandit and a hero, albeit a less morally structured and ‘good’ hero than the avatar, the painted lady, and captain boomerang. she was a part of the underground fighting ring ‘earth rumble’ when the gaang infiltrated the ring looking for intel and convinced her that her powers could be used for something better than beating bitches blue and making bank while doing it.

azula is firebolt, and she is as brilliant as she is terrifying. she’s arguably more feared than the firelord, mainly because she’s the one who frequents other areas and actually goes on missions. ozai just sits on his stupid throne and yells at people and manipulates his children like the little bitch he is.

mai and ty lee are azula’s sidekicks, and are known as blade and tightrope respectively. also: they’re lesbians, harold.

yue is a part of the northern water tribe’s group of heroes, alongside her family. they tried to marry her off to hahn and have her trained in healing instead of fighting, but she rebelled and threatened to go out on her own, so they relented. yue’s hero alias is tui, but she will be called sailor moon at least three times.

jet and his freedom fighters are a group of anti-heroes who aren’t afraid to hurt innocent people in their pursue of ‘justice’.

zhao is a villain who works for the firelord, under the alias admiral, and he’s an asshole. using the yuyan archers, he manages to capture aang and takes him to a fire nation stronghold. zuko finds out about this, and not wanting admiral asshole to get the upper hand, dresses as the blue spirit for the first time to rescue aang.

during the siege of the north, zhao “kills” yue. she fakes her own death and disappears into hiding until the final battle, in which she kills zhao because it’s what she deserves.

the gaang know that yue is alive, because she’s nice enough to not do them like that, but they have to keep up appearances. because of this, sokka amps up the heartbreak and clings to suki a lot. that’s why a lot of outsiders begin to think that sokka dated yue and is dating suki, though in reality yue and suki are dating each other.

zuko and iroh, after the siege of the north and a trap set by azula, disappear into hiding and decide to take refuge in ba sing se, knowing that the fire nation wouldn’t think to look for them there.

ba sing se is a section of the city that has been fenced off in order to prevent an influx of heroes and villains. the dai li, who keep a tight grip on the suburb and ensure that the residents don’t know of the war raging outside the walls, are a group of “heroes”.

of course, the fence does nothing to prevent zuko and iroh, the gaang, and later azula, mai and ty lee from entering ba sing se and turning it into their own warzone.

iroh fulfils his dream of finally owning a tea shop and zuko, when not working in the tea shop, spends his nights lingering in the shadows of ba sing se as the blue spirit.

sokka, desperate for a warm drink and something to do while the others do their bending training, wanders into the jasmine dragon one afternoon and is served by “lee”.

neither know the other’s civilian identity, so there’s no shady business, just pining over the cute customer/server. sokka strikes a conversion and the two begin flirting chatting. it’s going really well, and you can almost see the romance blooming.

and then in walks azula, flanked by mai and ty lee, all in costume.

sokka and zuko both leap up from their seats and into fighting stances. both are confused as to why the other jumped up, and then azula calls zuko brother and it clicks in sokka’s mind.

he starts yelling at zuko for a lot of things, including yue’s “death” which is how zuko realises who he is. zuko starts yelling back because he’s only once met a fight he didn’t like. in the background of this argument, iroh is trying to fight azula, mai and ty lee to varying degrees of success.

it’s funny that i say degrees, because this is when azula sets fire to the jasmine dragon. iroh grabs the two dumbass arguing teens and shoves them outside as he too runs, telling zuko to meet at their rendezvous point at sunrise.

azula, mai and ty lee chase after zuko and sokka (who are still arguing as they run from the three girls). mai and ty lee don’t want to chase them, because zuko has always been better to them than azula, but defying azula would be a death sentence.

sokka pulls zuko into a building for coverage, and because azula is azula, she summons the dai li and has them surround the building. there would be no leaving without confronting the dai li, and thus zuko and sokka are trapped.

sokka confronts zuko and basically asks how he could justify the fire nation’s villainy, how he could support a monster who’s killing hundreds of people. zuko defends his father blindly because he’s been raised to believe that his father is right, that his father has to be right, and this southern water scum is wrong. but zuko’s losing his grip on the argument and is becoming more and more hysterical but sokka is so calm, so sure of himself, and the dam finally breaks.

zuko crumples to the ground in tears, and now sokka’s gotta deal with this because ozai is a shitface and has been brainwashing his son for years and wow fuck the fire nation.

mai and ty lee, having taken down the dai li, burst in to find zuko crying his eyes out in sokka’s arms. they teasingly ask if they’re interrupting something and laugh as zuko next to sprints out of the building, sokka hot on his heels.

this is the last straw for zuko, who defects from the fire nation, hangs up his dragon prince uniform and fully becomes the blue spirit, a hero who works with the gaang to eventually take down the fire nation.

also, at some stage zuko rescues a turtleduck that got stuck up a tree. don’t ask me how this happens.

#holding out for a hero verse #whoa? original content? and on this blog? who would've thought? #i'm kind of proud of this even if it's corny and lame and took me very long #but you know what? i finished it and it's funny to me #and that's all i need #that's a lie i need validation #anyway #zuko #sokka #zukka #yueki #suki #mailee #gaang #superhero au #atla #aang #bitchlord ozai #uncle iroh doing the most #i couldn't be in the atla fandom long before turning to my dc roots #this is a very long mess #if you've made it this far than thank you #i love you!!! drink water and stay safe #be like zuko and wear ur fucking mask #actually they all wear masks in this au #except the kyoshi warriors but if covid were a thing they'd wear their masks #so wear ur fucking mask #i'm gonna stop rambling now #so #yeah i'm really feeling it today

[hello-nichya-here]

Why the ATLA Comics Suck

Here is my merger attempt to explain why the ATLA comics suck. Please tell me if I missed anything or if you disagreed with any of my points.

Writing everyone out of Zuko's life so he would go to Ozai willingly and use his advice, despite Zuko making Aang promise to kill him if he ever starts acting like Ozai.

Making Aang promise to kill Zuko and almost follow through with it until Katara stops him.

FL Zuko and Aang “convincing" Kuei to allow the oldest FN colonies to become independent, despite being dominated by FN colonials, just to keep families “together” despite separating families due to creating new borders/nation-states. It is implied Kuei never got reparations (or at least adequate reparations) and so the loss of trillions of dollars of land/taxes partially motives his daughter and Kuvira in LOK.

Makes everyone act stupid so Azula could go on The Search free and unbound, constantly act a menace thanks to her psychotic breaks since no one asks her what she is hallucinating about, nearly succeed in committing matricide so she can use a letter (more details below) to overthrow Zuko, and then allow her to escape into a dangerous forest without giving proper chase (ex. have Aang use AS Seismic Sense, call in June or Toph or just have Zuko run after her in the beginning).

Zuko fails to station guards at Azula's asylum, allowing her to break out her fellow asylum mates (or at least Zirin) without Zuko ever finding out.

Mai finding out about the existence of the New Ozai Society (and the fact that her father is the leader) but not telling Zuko till Zuko has almost been killed and his half-sister (along with her bro) have been kidnapped by Azula and said mental asylum escape(es) who are working with the New Ozai Society.

Mai trusting Ty Lee's "aura sense" in order to gauge the trustworthiness of a New Ozai Society pasty she is dating in order to get intel despite already knowing who their leader is and at least one of their hideouts.

Mai initially honeypots said pasty also to get back at Zuko, but eventually falls for him but he breaks up with since it is painfully obvious that she still simps for Zuko, despite Zuko not really working on any of the flaws that caused Mai to break with him in The Promise.

Zuko trying to get into Mai's pants while searching for Azula's terrorist cell, despite the fact it is largely his fault that Azula is free and Mai and Ty Lee are rightfully fearing for their lives as well as for Tom-Tom's.

Azula getting a very unjustified/unearned power-boost that allows her to slap all of the non-Avatar State powered main characters without really trying once she regains her "sanity."

Azula regaining her "sanity" but decides on a 148D plan to make Zuko into a tyrant when there are better ways of doing so like becoming his advisor.

Ursa telling Zuko to never forget who he is but mind wiping herself of her time at the palace despite the fact that she loses the memory of the kids she supposedly loves and adores.

Ursa writing a letter saying that Zuko isn't Ozai's kid. Ursa knows that she and Zuko only have value if Zuko and Azula are Ozai's kids so if Ozai was smart, he could have used the letter to kill them off. Moreover, it makes Ozai stupid; instead of burning/banishing Zuko or trying to kill Zuko on DoBS, he could have released the letter to the public, essentially disinheriting Zuko without ever getting his hands dirty.

Western-style straight jackets and mental asylums; modern wheelchairs and forklifts.

Sokka getting reduced to comedic relief for the most part and Toph's power level being inconsistently portrayed in order to maintain tension in the various plots she is involved in.

Making the Southern Water Tribe look racist for being suspicious of their Norther brothers, and Kuei and Zuko when the North and EK allowed the FN to genocide their water benders without helping them and Zuko being the leader of a newly post-imperalist nation that he was an important member of before his defection. Moreover, when it is revealed that the North wants to essentially colonize the South for its oil.

Ursa being able to make a mega op poison on command and short notice with materials easily found in the palace but never thinking to use it on Azulon and Ozai until Ozai is going to kill Zuko at Azulon's command.

Never explaining how Zuko managed to make Azula a non-entity in Fire Nation politics; how he managed to make amends to Kyoshi Island to the point the other Kyoshi Warriors were ok with supporting his regime, let alone becoming his bodyguards; and whether or not he managed to help all the people Azula banished.

Aang almost getting killed by some mental asylum escapees; more generally The Gaang constantly suffering the worf effect so they don't stomp every Comics!antagonists like they should based on their show feats.

Never seeing Zuko find out what happened to his ship crew and whether or not decided to ever honor those who were killed by Koizila.

Not touching or trying to resolve the lingering plot threads in the TV show: Hama, Long Feng, and the rogue/ banished Dai Li. Especially since bloodbending eventually becomes common enough that Katara got it banned and the Dai Li are back defending Ba Sing Se during Korra’s era. Like how did bloodbending get spread when Hama was last seen locked up again, Katara doesn’t seem like the person to teach it to others, and it doesn’t seem that people are likely to come up with it on their own due to not being in the same desperate situation as Hama? Did Long Feng survive the coup attempt? And if so what is his plan to take back power of the Dai Li and/or The Earth Kingdom? Is he going to try to take revenge on the Dangerous Ladies, Zuko, and The Gaang for ruining him? And why would Kuei and/or his daughter ever be ok with reinstating the organization that not only betrayed their own country but was also ok with their own countrymen being genocided?

Never seeing someone recognize General Iroh in The Jasmine Dragon and have Iroh explain why it was a good idea to set up shop in the city he besieged for years. Especially when it reeks of economic imperialism and he never actually made amends to the people he had hurt (Earth Kingdom commoners). And point that he has better things to do like actually mentor his inadequately prepared and way over his head nephew in statecraft.

-----

Just a few notes:

1 - It is at least sort of implied Ursa killed Azulon with poison in the show as well, which is why no one can prove he was assassinated despite how awfully convenient it was that Ursa disappeared literally the night he died.

2 - The bending could be inconsistent on the show itself (though NOHING compares to how insane the change on what the characters could or could not do was on the comics)

3 - Iroh, by himself, opening a a tea-shop in a city he once attacked is not enough to make it economic imperialism. And while I too would have preferred him to stay in the Fire Nation, at least for a little while, to help Zuko, the comics can't be blamed for that since the show itself explicitly says that Iroh is going back to Ba Sing Se (mostly because of the trope that the father figure needs to either die or part ways with the hero to show that the character is now grown and more mature, meaning they "no longer need" said father figure to stick around)

But, yeah, the comics are fucking terrible.

#submission #avatar #atla comics #the comics suck

[phoenix-king-ozai]

Fire Nation Family Cookout Gathering!!!!

Fire Lady Ilah: MY BABY!!! [Kiss & Hugs Ozai] 😊😚🤗😍🤩😊😚🤗😍🤩

Fire Princess Azula: MY DADDY!!! [Hugs & Kiss Ozai] 😊😚🤗😍🤩😊😚🤗😍🤩

Fire Lord Zuko: GRANDMA! SIS, PAPA DIDN'T LOVE US! 😥😥😥😥😢😢😢😢😭😭😭😭

Fire Lord Azulon: [Shakes his head] It useless Zuko...my wife and granddaughter are now under my foolish son's spell. 😑😑😑😑😒😒😒😒😤😤😤😤

Fire Lord Zuko: SHUT UP! YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE TOO GRANDFATHER! YOU ORDER MY OWN DADDY TO KILL ME! YOUR OWN GRANDSON! 😠😠😠😠😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬

Tea Lord Iroh: He right you know, dad. If you raised Ozai right our family would be happy. I would have a better brother, Ursa a better husband, Lu Ten would be alive (Ozai joins battle of Ba Sing Se protecting Lu Ten), Ozai wouldn't have asked for the throne and later poisoned you with his wife help, and Azula and Zuko would have happy childhood without trauma.

Fire Lady Ilah: YOU TRIED TO KILL OUR GRANDSON! ALONG WITH ABUSING AND MISTREATED OUR BABY BOY! NOBODY HARMS MY SMALL TURTLEDUCKLINGS!!!!!😤😤😤😤😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

Fire Lord Azulon:

🤨🤨🤨🤨🤔🤔🤔🤔 [reacting to Iroh speech]

😨😨😨😨😱😱😱😱 [reacting to Ilah speech]

Fire Lord Ozai: HAHAHAHA YOUR IN BIG DRAGON-DUNG NOW FATHER! 😏😏😏😏😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣

Fire Lady Ursa: YOU SCAR OUR BABY TURTLEDUCKLING ZUKO AND MENTALLY DAMAGED OUR FIRE LILY AZULA!!! YOU SICK FUCKING BASTARD!!! 😟😟😟😢😢😢😭😭😭😤😤😤😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬

Fire Lady Ilah: OOOOOZZZZZZAAAAAAAI!!!! HOW DARE YOU TREAT YOUR SON, YOUR DAUGHTER, AND YOUR WIFE THAT WAY!!! YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MAN, HUSBAND, AND FATHER MISTER!!! 😤😤😤😤😤😡😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

Fire Lord Ozai: [Rolls his eyes] Fucking Drama Queens... [whispers] 😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒

Fire Prince Lu Ten and Fire Princess Azula:

[Massive Belly Laughter] WE HEARD YOU UNCLE/DAD!!! 😁😁😁😆😆😆😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

Fire Lord Sozin: My family is fucked... 😥😥😥😣😣😣😞😞😞😔😔

Avatar Roku: OUR FAMILY IS FUCKED BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR BOOGIE ASS WAR! 😤😤😤😤😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬 Agni and Indra bless the women in our family besides Azula; she's crazy and needs to go down just like her father according to some guy.... [side eye Iroh] 😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒

Tea King Iroh: I DIDN'T COME HERE TO BE DISRESPECTED! 😤😤😤😤😤😠😠😠😠😠

Fire Lord Ozai: HAHAHAHA! You know the real disrespectful thing is that you came home alive and your son in a casket/coffin...😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒

Crown Fire Prince Lu Ten: Uncle kind of has a point there dad...😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒

Tea Supreme Leader Iroh: BIIIITTTCCCHHHH PLEASE!!! AT LEAST MY SON LOVES ME AND WE LOVE EACH OTHER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, EVEN YOUR OWN SON WANTS TO CALL ME DADDY! 😤😤😤😤😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬

Fire Lord Ozai: YEAH, IROH YOU ARE SO FUCKING GREAT! GREAT GENERAL, GREAT FATHER, GREAT UNCLE, AND A SHIT FOR ALL BROTHER! 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃 😤😤😤😤😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬

Sozin, Roku, Azulon, Ilah, Iroh, Ursa, Lu Ten, Zuko, Azula: 😦😦😦😧😧😧😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😥😥😥😣😣😣😞😞😞😔😔

Li with her son Jeong Jeong and granddaughter June. Lo with her son Zhao and granddaughter Ty Lee: [Li and Lo are Sozin's daughters and Azulon's older sisters]

Li: WHAT'S UP FAM! 😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗

Lo: WHAT'S POPPING! 😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗

Zhao: Oh, did we interrupt something????? 😕😕😕😕😬😬😬😬

Ty Lee: OBVIOUSLY, DAD, THEIR AURAS ARE GLOMMY, SAD, AND ANGRY! 😤😤😤😤 😤😤😤😤😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒

Zhao: DON'T SASS YOUR DADDY LITTLE GIRL! 😤😤😤😤😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬

June: Your definitely lucky I'M NOT your daughter, Zhao. Talking to my cousin Ty Lee like that! 😤😤😤😤😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬

Ty Lee: GOTH AND VALLEY GIRLS UNITE! 😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗

Jeong Jeong: OH, ALMIGHTY SPIRITS! INDRA AND AGNI UP ABOVE (INDRA) AND BELOW (AGNI) PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY FROM OUR CURSED FAMILY!!!!🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃

Indra and Agni: [Eats popcorn while watching their mortal descendant fight] 😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊

Mai: ZUKO, AZULA, TY LEE! YOUR FAMILY...UGH, OUR FAMILY IS FUCKING WEIRD! [Mai just married Zuko and had Izumi] 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒

Zuko, Azula, Ty Lee: DON'T WORRY! YOU'LL FIT IN JUST FINE! 😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊

Izumi: GO GO GAGA GAGA! {Translation: NO, YOU WON'T!}

June: HEY, ANOTHER GOTH CHICK! 😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊

Mai: Perhaps, I FINALLY have AT LEAST ONE WOMAN who UNDERSTANDS ME! 😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊😚🤗😊

#fire nation #fire nation royal family #fire family #fire lord sozin #avatar roku #li and lo #jeong jeong #zhao #fire lord azulon #fire lord iroh #fire lord ozai #fire lady ursa #fire lord zuko #fire lady mai #izumi #iroh ii #izumi's daughter #ursa ii #atla #avatar #avatar the last airbender #legend of korra #june

[middleofnowhere92]

Ranking all ATLA Villains/Antagonists from worst to best (by someone who loves villains)

This post was inspired by this ask 

Warning: I swear quite a bit in this post and I’m a dumbass, not an ATLA scholar, so take this with a grain of salt. Also I have no idea wtf my ranking criteria was. I assigned arbitrary and meaningless points like Dumbledore giving all the points to Gryffindor at the end of the year. 

Iroh

 I have a secret for you...Iroh is an antagonist.... Say it with me... Iroh is an antagonist. For the people in the back, IROH IS AN ANTAGONIST. He’s not particularly good at at it, but he belongs on this list. Primary reason being, his siege on Ba Sing Se, which was a major battle in the 100 year war and all the other things he did in the war to become a general. If he was good at being a villain, he would at least have the decency to conquer the city, but as Ozai points out, Iroh excels at tea and failure. When we see Iroh in Book 1, He’s a very chill antagonist for the same reason a lot of our other antagonists are (June, the Yuyan Archers, Combustion man etc)-they are helping a villain achieve their goal. In Iroh’s case, he does help Zuko in many ways ( like sneaking him onto Zhao’s ship) and these in turn help Zuko get closer to his goal of capturing Aang. I love Iroh as a character, but he’s not good at being an antagonist, which is why he is ranked the worst. 

Circus Trainer

This man is straight up, evil. I like villains, but I do not like this man. He’s cruel and not in a fun way, which is why he’s near the bottom of the list. The whole point of being a villain is to be cool and do bad things, but he’s not even a little fun to watch. He’s the least interesting to look at... 

Yon Rha

This man is a coward. Like how did he lead the Southern Raiders? He went soft when he got old. He was more savage back in the day. Like this man is a firebender, but he cowers from Zuko before Katara even pops up. He needs to grow a pair. Like Katara said man is pa-thet-ic. 

The Rough Rhinos (ignoring the comics)

They get points for creating my favorite antagonist, Jet. But the first time we see these clowns in the show, the gang just rides away on Appa, easily avoiding them. And then the gang easily defeats them in their next run in. These clowns are good at destroying things, but not really fighting or pursuing others. 

Ozai

I expected more from this man. He was hyped up for three seasons and I just didn’t feel like he was smart enough to be the bad guy for the whole ass show.  The man clearly doesn’t think for himself or show up throughout the series doing  menacing things. The final agni kai overshadowed Ozai and Aang’s showdown. That’s the theme, Azula outshines a grown man as the star villain of the show. He does get some points for his fashion and flair for the dramatic. 

Mai's Uncle (Boiling Rock Warden)

This man, is a dumbass with the reflexes of a sloth. Suki overpowered him in 2 seconds flat. How is this grown man getting defeated by a little nugget like Suki? She was only holding his wrist. He could have just kicked her? Like you are a prison warden, look alive man! And he should have captured Zuko’s little ass and sent him right over to Ozai to get some street cred, but instead he just gets pissed cause Zuko broke up with Mai? First lesson in being a villain/antagonist- power over everything (including family). He does get points for ordering them to cut the line. That’s straight savage. 

Xin Fu and Yu

Toph gets it right, these are two dunderheads. How did they not hear Toph bending metal? They react almost as slowly as the Boiling Rock Warden, letting Toph easily overtake them. They are two skilled benders and they didn’t even stand a chance. 

General Fong

This man gets points for being a bat shit crazy. And I think he’s one of the first non fire nation antagonists we see in the show, so points for him. He’s an underrated antagonist. He does cool bending and his emotional manipulation to get Aang into the Avatar state is A+ villain work. 

Azulon

Azulon gets villain points for keeping the war going. He didn’t fuck it up like Ozai. But Azulon gets his villainness handed to him on a platter, he didn’t really do much, besides maintain status quo. We do get the scene where Ozai asks for the throne. But I don’t think Azulon assumed Ozai was going to kill Zuko. Azulon was trying to make a point, that Ozai’s request was absurd, but he obviously didn’t know Ozai well enough...

Koh

Koh almost didn’t make the list. I don’t really consider him to be an antagonist. Aang came to him asking for information and Koh was trying to do what he does..steal faces. He was just vibing. I included him on this list, because he antagonized us (the viewers). Dude is easily the most terrifying part of the show. 

Ghashiun

He muzzled Appa! He’s not ranked high on this list, because he didn’t know Appa was Aang’s so he wasn’t intentionally trying to fuck with the Avatar. I do like the sandbenders as a whole. They just run around causing chaos with their cool bending. This character, however, loses points, because when he is confronted about stealing Appa, he gets defensive and tries to lie. If you do something bad, at least have the balls to own up to it. 

Wan Shi Tong

Gets points for his flair for the dramatic a la Ozai. I did like Wan Shi Tong’s logic around not giving the gaang information: “You think you're the first person to believe their war was justified?!” He had more brain cells than some of our other villains/antagonists, but was also dumb too? Sokka pretty easily outsmarted him. This Spirit has been alive forever, he shouldn’t be outsmarted by a child. 

The Old Man

Oooof. I almost put him in the number one spot tbh. He did us and Haru so dirty. Like he could have died,but he turned in the person that saved him??? He gets points for shock value and pettiness. I personally think Jet should take him out...

June

June gets points for being a bad bitch. I like her vibe. She’ll do anything as long as you’re paying her the right price and I can respect that. She isn’t higher on the list, because she is executing someone else’s plan, not her own. 

The Yuyan Archers

Speaking of bad bitches, the Yuyan Archers are so cool and I wish they got more screen time! We see very few antagonists that can keep up with Aang the way that this group does. They add a bit of spice and a different flavor to what we know about Fire Nation fighting styles, which I approve of. I hope we see more of them in future ATLA projects. They aren’t higher up, because they are still doing someone else’s bidding. If they had their own leader and their own agenda, that would be some cool shit. 

Combustion Man

This man gets points for giving the gaang a lot of trouble. As viewers, we really worry about whether they will be able to defeat him. I like that he has a different style of bending, which in and of itself is terrifying. He still doesn’t make it up higher on the list, because he’s still doing someone else’s (Zuko’s) bidding.

Rig Warden

On second thought, I may have him ranked a little too high. But oh well, fuck it. He gets many many points for being voiced by George Takei. This man also gets points for having general villain swag. He is sassy and I am here for it. He’s highly effective at crushing the souls of the Earthbenders on the rig. Also, he does not stutter when Haru throws those rocks at him.Came at him full force which is what all the other himbos on this list should have been doing when these children played them! He outright told Katara he was gonna kill her “You’re one mistake away from dying where you stand.” Loses points for begging as he’s dragged off the rig. Go down with some dignity!

The Southern Raiders

So the Southern Raiders get ranked separately from Yon Rha, because he led them towards the end of their conquest. I think they started under Sozin’s reign. This group gets ranked fairly high, because they were very effective at their task. They came, they saw, they decimated-leaving the SWT defenseless and barely able to sustain itself. 

Mai

I like Mai and wish I could rank her higher. I like her knives, they are very cool form of defense that was unique to her. I also love how she just immediately flung arrows at Aang, no hesitation. She does get style points, her aesthetic is everything. Her one liners are pretty funny, “You’re so colorful, you’re making me nauseous.”  She lacks in her commitment. Anytime anything inconveniences her she’s just like eh, no thanks. Hardcore antagonists need to be have some dedication to their cause, which Mai does not.  I feel like she would eventually run out of weapons in a longer battle, which would be a big issue for her. 

Long Feng

Gets instant points for villain swag, creepy vibe and sass. This man kept news of a whole war from Ba Sing Se, even though the city was filled with refugees? Long Feng had his work cut out for him. He loses points, because he lets the children get away with too much. He should have locked down Aaang and co immediately, because they were trouble as soon as they rolled up. Also, he should have fought Azula. He let a fourteen year old take his whole career away. He was never even a player.

Sozin

Sozin gets a  large amount of hypothetical points from being the one to start it all. He’s the one who initiated the 100 year war. He did not play around. He used that comet to its maximum potential. Also he has a dragon, which is fucking cool. He gets bad bitch points for leaving Roku on the exploding island. Like that’s a power move right there. He wiped out the air nomads and invaded the Southern Water Tribe, which is why his successors  are ranked much lower on the list. They really didn’t do shit.

Hama

Gets points for being a waterbender, which is something cool that we hadn’t seen in a villain yet. She also gets points for executing her own deranged agenda. I would love to see her and Jet link up, cause that would have been chaos. She also gets heaps of points for inventing bloodbending. Many of the villains of this list can barely think and homegirl has big brain energy. She is cunning and quick, like when she utilizes Sokka and Aang to attack Katara. I like her general bruja (witch) vibes. She gets more points because she does not motherfucking stutter when Katara figures her out, she just starts bloodbending immediately. She really enjoys her power and I can’t blame her for it. She’s a baddie and she knows it. More points for Hama, because she gets Katara to carry on her legacy (whether she wants to or not) and goes off to jail with her dignity. She’s an all-star villain and I love to see it. She loses a few points, because her bloodbending is limited to the full moon, but she still has her waterbending which is terrifying enough...

Dai Li

Like the rig warden, I probably ranked these himbos too high, but I love them as henchmen. Their bending is amazing, they are sneaky and they can brainwash you? Like fuck me up man. They really are just a joy to watch and their betrayal of Long Feng is so unexpected. This group really creates the creepy/ominous aesthetic the creators were going for in Ba Sing Se. Don’t think their bending is good? They one upped Toph and almost had her, but Jet saved her at the last second. 

Zhao

I feel like Zhao’s characterization is inconsistent (sometimes he has a bad temper, sometimes he doesn’t?) which makes him hard to rank, but let’s do it anyway. He gets points for being voiced by the guy that played Lucius Malfoy, like yaaas work that Slytherin aesthetic. Gets points for using the Yuyan Archers. Loses a lot of points in his fight with Aang, like that child was obviously baiting him. He has a lot of ambition and actually has to work to his rise to power, which he obviously relishes. He’s the perfect antagonist for Zuko. He accomplished his goal of frying the fish/moon and he actually captures Aang. I think the writers added in his hot temper later on, because they realized he was too competent and had to give him a flaw. 

Zuko

Ohhh my morally confused prince, Where do we even start? Zuko gets a lot of points for his sheer determination. I would love to see an unhinged Zuko without Iroh. Zuko’s tenacity and unpredictability make him a fantastic antagonist. Iroh and Azula try to control Zuko, but they never really know what he’s gonna do next and neither do we as the viewers. He’s near the top of the list, because even with so many struggles he kept Aang on the run for two seasons. I like that he actually struggled to be good. He obviously loses points for joining the good guys, but we still love him. 

Jet

Speaking of morally grey, cue up Jet’s theme music. He gets instant points for swag and cool swords. Like the Yuyan archers, Jet is one of the few antagonists we see that can keep up with Aang. Like Zuko, Jet’s dedication to his cause get him high on this list, because he will defeat the Fire Nation at any cause. The creators lose points for being cowards and killing him off. We saw plenty of other people (Sokka) get hit with similar rocks and not die. Jet is a fantastic antagonist with a backstory that the audience can sympathize with. He loses points for not being more versatile in his tactics. I’ve written more on this here. 

Ty Lee

Katara is terrified of her, do I need to elaborate? Ty Lee by far has the scariest skill set on the show. It’s too easy for people to underestimate her. Katara and Suki make that mistake once and then never do it again. Like Toph, Ty Lee knows to wait for the right time to strike, making her highly effective at taking out our favorite benders and whole groups of benders (The Terra Team). Her betrayal of Azula is ICONIC and unexpected, but as always, Ty Lee knows just the right time to strike. I think Ty and Mai were perfectly capable of getting away at the Boiling Rock and I’m disappointed they were captured so easily. 

Azula

Look down, you’re talking to your highness. Can’t see her? She’s the reason for your blindness. 

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Azula is the baddest bitch in the game. PERIODT. She is ruthless, cunning and powerful. Her lightning bending is at a whole other level. She is the smartest person on this list. She takes Ba Sing Se from the inside out, utilizes the Da Li perfectly and has antagonized Zuko from the beginning. As far as I’m concerned, she was made to be Firelord. 

#atla villains #atla unpopular opinion #unpopular opinion

[punkinroses]

Okay before I kinda log off this blog completely for my new account and bc I don't have any intentions on doing anything with the Avatar Lian/Zutara grandbaby au I'm just gonna leave my final thoughts on what it would have gone into for if anyone ever wants to do anything with it;

So Lians airbending master would have been Jesa obviously, as the two of them ran off together to go travel the world. They would have also been accompanied by a nonbinary character who was either gonna be a waterbender and healer to help Lian learn that side of her waterbending or a nonbender who was skilled with a sword. Her Earthbending teacher was gonna be a very patient and sturdy, very self reflective girl who would have helped Lian learn patience.

Her firebending instructor would actually have been a cousin of hers. Just...not a first cousin. It would have been Azulas grandson.

Azula had fled her own imprisonment and institutionalization and hidden in the Earth Kingdom, taking on the identity of being someone from the colonies. She lived out in either a small town or perhaps even Ba Sing Se where no one could find her, eventually found a partner tho he died when their only child was just a baby. She taught her child and grandchildren everything she could about Firebending but never revealed who they were to them.

Lian would have eventually found her and found out who she was and tried to learn Firebending from her because she knew how strong her Great Aunt was and figured it could werve to help redeem her and bring her back to their family.

This, however, is foiled and Azulas actually kidnapped by one of the antagonists and her grandson is begrudgingly forced to become Lians Firebending teacher while trying to track down his Grandmother.

One of the antagonists would have been the new head of a police force of Metalbenders -- a former student of Tophs who was banished from her school and he took whwt teachings he had gotten and used them to create a new take on the Dai Li -- who his father Long Feng had once been in charge of, a fact he kept hidden from the world. Since then they had become a privatized police force who spread across the Earth Kingdom qnd he was planning a bit of a coup to regain status for his family and even take over what would be Republic City.

He would, however, be working with a far bigger antagonist for his own gains.

I am talking about that Bitch; Zhao.

Zhao, while lost in the Spirit World, would find angry, dark hearted Spirits who had bitter feelings towards the Avatar, who was supposed to be the bridge and peacemaker between worlds, a Spirit themselves reborn every generation as a mortal human to keep the Balance.

(There would have been a whole storyline about this Spirit and I believe they would have been one of the Original Spirits, perhaps even having a connection to the original benders and the Lion Turtles, but was not going to be Raava and there was no Vaatu. Since this was an AU storyline, I was gonna go all in and go back to the scrapped concept the wiki talked about the Avatar being the Spirit of the Earth).

Zhao teamed up with one of the most powerful of the Dark Spirits who wanted power themselves and Zhao wanted out of the Spirit World to become a Conqueror. Essentially a Global Domination storyline using the advances in technology, going after the Original Benders and the last Lion Turtle, killing the Avatar while in the Avatar State, and finishing what Ozai started. Mostly because I feel like with there being Spirits still pissed off about what Kuruk and Yangchen had done (and hell you could even count Kyoshis era for the Father Glowworm thing) and Zhao just being left there it could have led to a very interesting team up and a threat of an antagonist and tying up loose ends completely.

Also him teaming up with the son of Long Feng who also wants power and status returned to his name and wants revenge becausr the Avatar and Azula fucked everything for his family. Why not go after two birds with one stone? And it shows the repercussions of some of these villains kinda not getting a full resolution as seems to be a pattern with some of the antagonists in Avatar.

Lian would have been forced to face all of this head on while still trying to figure out what being the Avatar means to her, learning how to bend the elements, running from the White Lotus who want to enforce how they believe the Avatar needs to be trained, and trying very hard on learning how to connect with Aang and her other past lives for help.

And mostly finding that guidance with Uncle Iroh after she gets stuck in the Spirit World on accident and he helps her out od that meditative state after a long cup of tea together bc he needs to spend time with his great great niece. I also think it'd be cool if she met Yue at one point.

And also when she takes down Zhao if she teamed up with the Original Benders. I am talking rainbow fire with the dragons. Getting help from the Badgermoles. Jesas Flying Bison helping wreck some shit. And most importantly her getting help from the Moon and Ocean Spirits and just. Absolutely going full Spirit Kaiju as a cinematic parallel to end Zhao. But that's just my thought process on that.

Messy, I know. And like there's a lot of thoughts I had I never wrote down or fully fleshed out but these were concepts I thought of while trying to work on the Lian storyline and just. I don't really feel up to trying to get all cohesive or in a proper fic or webcomic style so like. If anyone in this fandom wants to take this over and clean it up, be my guest, y'all can go fucking crazy with it if you want it. And if you don't, that's fine too.

Take care of yourselves guys. And if anyone wants my new blog, just shoot me an ask on here I may check back at some point on the messages.

Love y'all.

#zutara #zutara au #atla #atla au #avatar the last airbender #avatar lian #avatar lian au

[muertawrites]

The Lovers of Ba Sing Se - Part 2 (Zuko x Reader) [Modern AU]

Part 1

Summary: You finally reunite with Zuko after the war, standing up to those from his past who would rather you stayed in Ba Sing Se. 

Word Count: 3,200

Author’s Note: As promised, I finally wrote a fic where my self-insert self gets to proverbially smash Mai’s head in with a baseball bat. Before those of you who disagree flood my inbox with arguments, please reference this post for an in-depth explanation as to why I dislike her so much. I’m tired of having to explain this to people and like honestly, I’m just a person on the internet and this is just a show (a great show, but a show nonetheless) - my opinion about her should not matter enough to you that you feel the need to take the time to go into my inbox and try to change it. There are better, more important things to devote that time to. Plus, a few people have asked to see the relationship from Zuko’s perspective, so I’ve written it as someone who has lived much of the same kind of trauma he did. This fic is truly just catharsis for myself and it is so fucking sweet.

~ Muerta

You stood in the courtyard outside Zuko’s room in the palace infirmary, leaned against the wall beside its window and chewing your nails down to their stubs. 

You’d been in the Fire Nation for a little over two months, living in the servants’ district of the imperial city and supporting yourself by working for a high end dry cleaner that catered to the wealthy and diplomatic who lived around the palace. When the siege began, you scoured the streets searching for Zuko, finding him when his confrontation with Azula ended in a massive explosion that lit up the skyline like a nuclear bomb. You made it to the palace just as Katara - who you’d met when you’d thrown yourself over Zuko’s unconscious body, distraught and fearing him dead - determined that she’d be able to heal him. You’d been stationed outside his room since then, unable to sleep or eat for the twelve excruciating hours Katara and the other healers spent working on him; it was near morning now, purple hues starting to burn the edges of the midnight sky. 

Katara finally stepped out, looking as exhausted as you felt. Her hair, knotted sloppily atop her head, fell in tangles around her face, her eyes drooping from exertion and lack of sleep, but she thankfully didn’t seem upset. She sunk down beside you, resting a hand on your shoulder. 

“He’s going to be alright,” she assured you. “He’ll scar pretty badly, but he’ll make a full recovery. You should get some sleep; I can ask someone to get a room ready for you if you want?” 

You sniffed, wiping a nervous tear from your cheek. 

“Can I stay with him?” you asked meekly, sounding not unlike a lost child asking for help from a stranger. “I just want to see him.” 

Katara nodded, gently lifting you upwards as she stood and guiding you into Zuko’s room. 

He lay on his back on a large, plush bed, wrapped in bloody bandages from his shoulder to his stomach. His hair was longer, falling in messy strands around his cheekbones, jaw, and neck, which all looked much more gaunt than you remembered. He also looked older, as if the months of running he’d done had aged him years instead of just weeks. Your eyes stung with tears, hands shaking as you reached up to your chest and clutched his necklace beneath the fabric of your shirt. 

“I’m having a cot and some blankets brought for you,” Katara told you after mumbling something to one of the nurses. The room began to clear out, and she sat with you on a chaise that backed up to one of the far walls; the room felt more like a grand master suite than a hospital room. 

“Are you the girl from Ba Sing Se?” Katara asked quietly, taking one of your hands in both of hers. You nodded, keeping your misty eyes locked on Zuko’s sleeping form. 

“He talks about you all the time,” she told you. “We haven’t seen him happy all that often, but he always looked it when he told us about you. He’s really missed you.” 

You smiled a little, taking a shallow, gasping breath in. 

“I’ve missed him, too,” you said, voice quivering. “I’m livid, but I’m glad he’s okay.” 

Katara sighed, her lips curling up just slightly with amusement. 

“Yeah, he was worried about that,” she replied. “But if you mean as much to him as it sounds like, it’s worth forgiving him. I can tell he loves you, even if he’s never admitted it to any of us.” 

The nurse Katara spoke to before returned, carrying a foldable cot and a sleeping roll, setting it up under the window beside Zuko’s bed. She made everything up for you, fluffing the pillows and smiling kindly at you as you approached, thanking her. 

“We can get you some clean clothes,” Katara offered, standing in the threshold to the courtyard. “Do you need anything else?” 

You shook your head, giving her a spent, appreciative grin. 

“I’m okay,” you told her. “My apartment is in the city. I’ll send someone to get my stuff later.” 

Katara nodded, wishing you pleasant dreams before slipping out the door, sliding it softly shut behind her. You fell back against the cot, not even managing to take off your shoes or tuck into the blankets before falling asleep. 

When you woke, you found the bag you left Ba Sing Se with resting against the wall beside your cot, pinned with a note from Katara’s brother explaining that he’d taken care of having your belongings retrieved while you slept. A table had been set up nearby, stacked with lidded dishes - each one held rice, pickled vegetables, and a traditional omelette. You took the container of rice and crossed your legs atop your cot, slowly filling your empty stomach as you allowed the sleep to ease out of your heavy eyelids. 

Halfway through your little meal, Zuko stirred, whispering your name and sending you careening to his side. 

“Zuko,” you gasped, clutching his hand and holding it tight against your chest. He blinked heavily, his dreary expression brightening as his vision cleared and he realized he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. 

“How did you get here?” he murmured, head swimming with confusion. “How long have I been asleep?” 

“Only about a day,” you told him, speaking slowly as you brushed his hair back off of his forehead. “I've been here since a little after you left to join Aang. I wanted to meet you when you came back.” 

Zuko attempted to sit up, dizzying himself but unconcerned with his own state, instead worrying only for you. 

“You smuggled yourself in?” he slurred, still hazy with sleep and pain medication. “Why would you do that?? Do you realize how fucking dangerous that is??” 

You laughed softly, tears rising behind your eyes as you placed a hand on the uninjured side of his chest to lower him back onto the pillows. 

“Stop being so concerned about me,” you scolded him. “It's making it really hard to stay mad at you.” 

Zuko sighed, his exasperated expression falling into one of deep regret as he curled his fingers with yours, grasping your palm tightly against his. 

“I’m… I’m so sorry,” he breathed. “I was an idiot. I felt like an idiot the moment I left Ba Sing Se. I should never have betrayed you and Iroh.” 

You hushed him, bringing his knuckles to your lips. 

“You are an idiot,” you admitted, “but we can talk about that later. Right now you need more rest.” 

He nodded, removing his hand from yours to stroke your hair, running his fingers through it in the same tender, delicate way he did in the mornings you used to wake up together. The action made you shiver, stirring up more tears. 

“I'm sorry,” Zuko mumbled again. “I'm so, so sorry. I love you.” 

Zuko healed quickly over the next few days. You spent all your time by his side, being offered your own room multiple times but always declining it, having missed him so much that you didn't want to be apart. Instead of the cot, Zuko made room for you in his bed, and it almost felt as if things were back to the way they'd been before. 

As soon as he was coherent enough, Zuko explained himself to you. He told you about how conflicted he felt after returning to the Fire Nation, how reuniting with the people within it only proved to him how spiteful and miserable they made him. He told you about confronting his father, about earning the trust of his friends and finally learning how to exist among people who didn't use and manipulate each other for their own gain. 

He told you about Mai, his retelling of the events at Boiling Rock filling you with rage. 

“How could you let her do that to you?” you howled, eyes flashing wild with hatred. “You just sat there and let her turn your own problems against you? After everything you went through??” 

You frustratedly slammed your hands down on the table you both sat at, knocking over the teacup you'd previously been drinking from. 

“If she comes here, I’ll kill her,” you growled. 

“Babe, please…” Zuko attempted to quell you. You held your hand up, fixing him with a steely glare. 

“No,” you snapped. “You know how long I suffered that shit. How my closest friends turned every hurt feeling I had around and convinced me I was the one causing harm to them. You know how badly it fucked me up - it's the exact same thing your father did to you, Zuko. Just because she called herself your girlfriend doesn't give her the right to abuse and gaslight you like that and get away with it. If you don't stand up for yourself against her, I will. I refuse to let anyone get away with that bullshit anymore.” 

As fate would have it, Mai did show up to try and reclaim her hold on Zuko - little did she know she was stepping into a dragon’s den, in which neither inhabitant was likely to let her come out unscathed. 

You were moving with Zuko back to his chambers, which had been renovated while he was in the infirmary; he requested that everything be taken out and redesigned so that each room was unrecognizable, wanting to let go of the horrible memories that lay within them. You helped him into a silken robe, slipping it over his injured arm and lightly  pecking his lips - the moment was broken by a raspy, grating voice cutting through the peaceful morning din. 

“I never thought you were the type to rebound so fast, Zu.”

Zuko’s face hardened, and you whirled around, knowing before he even said her name who was bold enough to intrude on your moment of intimacy. 

“And after I spent four months in prison for sacrificing myself to save you,” Mai drawled, glaring at you from under her bangs. “You really did want to break my heart, didn't you?” 

Zuko took hold of your arm with his uninjured hand, attempting to keep you back - you shoved him off, unable to obscure your rage. You prowled forward, stopping a few feet from Mai and looming over her in the threshold, holding yourself high. 

“Leave,” you spat lowly, calmly, but with force. “There's no place for you here.” 

“Says the the Earth Kingdom trash being used as a fuck toy,” Mai jeered at you. 

She didn't realize her mistake until it was too late. 

Without a second thought, you raised your hand and slapped her across the face, digging your nails into her skin as you struck her. Zuko jolted, curling his good arm into a fist, ready to defend you; Mai stared up at you with wide eyes, shocked, holding a hand to her cheek. 

“Don't you dare speak to me that way,” you hissed. “How dare you think you can come back here so easily after everything you did to him?? How dare you turn his trauma against him and make him feel as if you were the one being wronged, when you knew exactly the situation he was leaving?? How dare you contribute to it by staying faithful to his psychopathic sister until his life was at risk - not even for the first time, just when you could finally see him being threatened?? Get out. You're done using him for your own validation.” 

Mai let out a primal cry, striking you back with a palm to your cheek - she hit you so hard you bit the inside of your mouth, causing blood to trickle over your bottom lip and down your chin. 

“He wasn't the only one who was hurt!” she shrieked at you. “Do you know how hard it was for me growing up in a family that didn't let me be myself?? How painful it was to have to suppress myself?? I don't care what you think I did - I love Zuko, even if I don't always show it because of everything I've suffered from showing people how I feel.” 

You spat the blood pooling in your mouth at her, squaring your shoulders. Her sudden outburst didn't scare you - you refused to back down. 

“If you loved him, you wouldn't have let your own pain hurt him,” you stated. “I've been broken to the point of facing death, but I never once let my anger or insecurity hurt the people I love. People who truly care about others don't repeat the cycle of abuse - you're too weak to overcome it. And it has no place here.” 

In a swift motion, Mai slammed her forearm into your chest and drove you backward, crashing your shoulders into the wall behind you, hard enough to knock the wind out of you. 

“Mai!” Zuko shouted, advancing in an instant and reaching to try and force her off you; she produced a knife from her back pocket, raising it to your neck in a silent threat to slice if he attempted to touch her. She pinned you where you stood, pressing the blade of her dagger to your throat with her face only inches from yours; the red marks you noticed your nails had left in her flesh gave you a morbid, loatheful satisfaction.  

“Do it,” you dared her, defiantly holding her gaze. “It still won't convince him to take you back, or make up for anything that you've done.” 

She glowered at you for a long, tense moment, tears brimming in the nooks of her eyes. She shifted towards Zuko, still holding you down with all her strength. 

“Please, Zuko,” she begged. “I know you can forgive me.” 

Zuko shook his head, gazing down at her with a somber, pitiful expression. 

“I have forgiven you, Mai,” he told her. “There's just no way I can forget.” 

Another moment of awful, biting strain passed before Mai backed off of you, shoving her arm deeper into your sternum before releasing you. You gasped, heaving in to try and catch your breath as Zuko’s arms formed a shield around you, steadying you against his chest without a thought towards his own wounds. He held you close, unwilling to ever let go. 

“Have it your way,” Mai drawled bitterly as she walked away. “I'm sorry I couldn't be more to you.” 

For a while, you didn't move, cheek pressed to Zuko’s chest with his hand at the back of your head in a firm, protective stance. He buried his face in your hair, still sheltering you like a fortress long after Mai had disappeared. You cried, the confrontation bringing all of your own demons back to life, but reminding you just how strong you were in the face of them. 

“I've never seen her like that before,” Zuko murmured. “I'm sorry she tried to hurt you.” 

You shook your head, pressing a chaste, benevolent kiss to his collarbone. 

“I'm okay,” you assured him. “I just have that effect on people - for better or worse.” 

Zuko chuckled, letting out a soft, relieved sigh as he tucked a finger under your chin, tilting your face up so he could look you in the eye. His thumb traced a gentle trail over your jawline, his lips coming to rest tenderly against your forehead. 

“That's my girl,” he whispered.

Zuko asked you to marry him immediately after he was officially declared Firelord. You supposed that most men would have waited a day or two, taken you somewhere romantic and secluded and given a moving, heartfelt monologue, falling onto one knee and presenting a ring the cost of a small single family home, but not Zuko - he took ten steps off the dias where he was crowned and pulled you into his arms, kissing your fiercely and popping the question in front of his uncle, the Avatar, and half the Fire Nation government. You were terrified, never having given much thought to marriage and, whenever you did, dismissing the idea completely. But Zuko was the man you loved, and you trusted him with nothing short of your soul - there was nothing left to risk except a life spent by his side, so you said yes. 

Instead of a large, public ceremony, you eloped, returning to the city you met in and getting married at the Jasmine Dragon. You wore your favorite black sundress and Zuko wore jeans, the celebration attended by his found family and a slew of your coworkers from the lolita bar (it was a bit embarrassing having to explain your former occupation to a group of people who saved not only the mortal world, but the spirit world multiple times, but to your relief they didn't seem too bothered by it - Sokka was even somewhat pleased, nudging and playfully congratulating Zuko on landing such a catch.) 

You spent your honeymoon in the city, waking up the morning after your wedding to a view of the brilliantly sunlit skyline, Zuko standing on the balcony of your rented suite as a warm, delicate breeze tousled his hair. You rolled out from between the crisp white sheets, floating out to him in a drowsy haze so you could wrap your arms around his waist, hugging him tightly from behind. He took your left hand in his, admiring the ring on your finger and tenderly kissing your knuckles; you pressed your lips to the bare skin of his back, peppering gentle, loving kisses between his shoulder blades. 

“Let's stay here,” you mused. “You can be Lee again, and we can work in the shop with Iroh. Maybe we could even open our own shop - a used bookstore connected to the Jasmine Dragon. Momo can take over as Firelord.” 

Zuko chuckled, turning so that he faced you, his arms coming to rest around your shoulders as he kissed the top of your head. His fingers ran through your hair in their familiar, affectionate way. You missed his touch; you were glad to be with him again. 

“It does feel like home here, doesn't it?” Zuko hummed. “We have to help rebuild after the last government took over… Maybe we could stay longer. Look at houses around our old district.” 

You smiled, kissing his jaw and savoring the scratch of his morning stubble against your lips. 

Though you knew you'd have to return to the Fire Nation, that you would ultimately have to come to accept it as your own (which you could do, as it was home to Zuko’s people, a part of him you loved as much as the whole), you also knew that nothing could change your past, nor the bonds you formed while lost together in a city so foreign to you. You were lovers first on the streets of Ba Sing Se; but no matter how far you journeyed, whichever reaches of the globe you traveled, whoever happened to rule over them, you knew wherever Zuko was would always be home. 

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#muerta's works #zuko #prince zuko #zuko x reader #zuko x you #prince zuko x reader #prince zuko x you #prince zuko fanfic #zuko fanfic #zuko fanfiction #prince zuko fanfiction #atla fanfiction #atla fanfic #self insert fanfiction #self-insert #self insert fic #self insert #self-insert fic #atla modern au #modern au zuko #prince zuko modern au #modern au prince zuko

[smolfrogi]

Love amongst the Himbos

by: Roman

tw’s: homophobia(briefly), swearing, some violence

Multiple parts, I’ve got a lot of world building and not enough space in one part

“Get up, bitchboy.” Ah, one of Toph’s lovely greetings.

“I’m doing it, I’m doing it.” Sokka lied.

“I may be blind but I know you’re still in bed, pissbaby,” Toph growled. “Don’t make me get Katara.”

“I should’ve never given you a house key.” Sokka grumbled, standing up. He wrapped up his arms in white bandages and put his hair up in a ponytail. “If I get called to the guidance councilor for wearing these one more time, I’m gonna kill someone.”

“I genuinely do not care.”

“You’re so nice, why don’t you have more friends?” Sokka retorted.

“They can’t handle the power of my greatness. I’m the greatest earthbender in the world, y'know.” Toph answered.

“Alright, let’s go.” Sokka walked through the door, with Toph following. Katara joined them. They walked out the door and down the street. Why is this sophomore hanging out with a 7th grader? Who cares.

“I heard there’s a new kid at school.” Aang added when they picked him up on the way. “He’s from New York or something, a private school kid, y'know?”

“Hm. I wonder why he’s moving here.” Katara thought out loud, opening the door to the school.

“Oh, did I tell y'all I hit 4k on tiktok?” Sokka bragged.

“Yes. Like 40 times.” Toph stated bluntly. The cafeteria was chaos as always. Sokka walked across the cafeteria to get the school’s breakfast since he didnt have time earlier.

Sokka’s stomach filled up with dread. Hide,  fucking Hide. He was the worst. Hide tormented all of the students, especially the 6th graders just trying to find somewhere to sit. Lucky for him, Hide never tried to make fun of Sokka. What we he even insult him over? “Haha! You have straight A’s and biceps!”? Sokka didn’t recognize half the kids at school anyway, why should he care about some asshole?

“Oooo! What’s this?” Hide’s ‘crew’ circled around an almost empty table. “A new kid? What’s your name, shorty?”

No response. Shouldn’t have done that.

“He asked for your name.” One of his goons thumped his hands on the table.

“Cool.” The boy muttered. His voice was raspy and deep. He spoke quietly, but with a fatal amount of sass. Hide, an asshole, obviously didn’t like that.

“You think you can talk to me like that?” He snapped. Where the hell are the teachers? He yanked the boy out of his seat.

The kid had dark hair that fell over his eyes and crept down his neck. On the left side of his face, a huge scar covered his eye and reached across his ear, which had a hearing aid. “Leave me alone.”

“Oh, I will! After I kill you.” Hide swung at Zuko, but his hand was blocked before he could reach. Sokka clenched his wrist and twisted it around his back before shoving him.

“You’re a coward, Hide.” Sokka challenged.

“What’s wrong, faggot? Got a crush on him already?” He mocked. Sokka stepped back.

“No. But you’ve just about pissed me off-” The bell rang and interrupted Sokka.

“Saved by the bell. See you after school.” Hide smirked before walking off.

“I can handle myself.” The kid grabbed his bag.

“I never caught your name, emo.” Sokka remarked.

“Yeah, I didn’t throw it.” He paused, throwing the bad over his shoulder. “It’s Zuko,” he answered. “yours?”

“Sokka. Well Zuko,” Sokka cleared his throat. “What’s your first class?”

“History.”

“Ah, my pal Mr Zei. Follow me.” Sokka started toward the hallway.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I have history, and I’m late already. Now I can say I was showing you around.”

Zuko nodded.

“Sokka, you’re late? You’re never late, are you okay?” Zei asked.

“Yeah, of course, I was helping the new kid!” Sokka answered. Zei nodded and gestured towards Sokka’s seat. “Psst! Zuko!”

Zuko didn’t even look at him.

“Zukooo!”

No reply.

Sokka poked him in the arm.

“What?” Zuko asked, he had one hand on his ear.

“Are you paying attention?” He asked.

“They were being loud earlier, I turned my hearing aid off.”

“Oh, well Zei’s starting a lesson.”

Zuko nodded.

Zuko pov

“And that concludes the Tutum Unision. Can anyone tell me about the siege on Ba Sing Se?” Zuko flinched at the mention of it. “Hide?”

“General Iroh, a-k-a the Dragon of the West, started the siege on Ba Sing Se in 2013 with his son, Lu Ten,” Hide started. Zuko closed his fists. “The siege ended when-”

“Can I go to the bathroom?” Zuko clenched his teeth. “Please?”

“Um…yes. You may. Raise your hand next time.” 

Zuko ran down the hall, trying to shake the panic. He went into the bathroom and sighed. Fuck. You’re such a pussy..

Zuko breathed slowly, releasing some fire through his breath, he closed his eyes. There’s no more war. There was never war in Tutum. That’s why we’re here. Zuko thought to himself. He pulled himself together after a few minutes. He left the bathroom slowly enough to get back almost the moment they were about to leave.

“Sorry about…whatever that was…” Sokka sighed.

“It’s fine.”

“Well anyway, what’s next?”

“English Language Arts.”

Sokka rolled his eyes. “It’s down the hall- just look for the room with cartoon book stickers on the door.”

“Thanks.” He smiled, mostly just to be polite. He felt strangely upset that Sokka wasn’t coming.

“Romeo and Juliet. Chapter one, who wants to start?”

French, already speak it. “Bonsoir! Je parle français. Vous aussi.”

Math. “If X is 2 and Y is 6, What is K?”

Chemistry. “Safety must be taken very seriously in this class…”

It all felt useless, y’know?

“Zuko?” Sokka had seen Zuko from his desk. His blue eyes were squinted, almost shut, in a bright smile. His hair was pulled back messily. He wore a dark gray pullover hoodie, with a NASA logo on the right side of his chest, that fit him just right. Zuko thought about how beautiful Sokka was until he snapped himself out of it, that’s not who he was, he didnt think like that.

Sokka came over and sat down next to him. He breathed softly while he copied the instructions onto notebook paper, small animals and trees were scribbled into the margins.

Sokka pov

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH C U T E

Sokka scribbled in the margins of his paper to distract himself. Turtleducks and Badgermoles, even Aang’s Bison. He started sketching out a sheepcat.

“I have some of those.” Zuko pointed at his drawing. “Sheepcats, I mean.”

“Oh. That’s,” Sokka paused. Say something, dumbass! “nice?” DUMBASS 

“Yeah.” Zuko looked back at his paper.

“I- uh, what are their, their names?” He asked, trying to keep the conversation going, it’s not like they’re going to do anything. Imagine! Doing actual activities in Study Hall!

“Druk, Ursh, and…” He paused.

“And?”

“Lu Ten jr.- Lu for short.” He finished.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

They kind of sat looking at each other, not knowing what to say. Sokka looked down at his paper. “I, uhm, I have a polar bear dog.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.”

Alright, this officially sucks.

It ain’t much, but it’s chapter 1.

#Zuko #sokka x zuko #sokka #atla sokka #zuko x sokka #zukka #zukka fic #love amonst the himbos #yeah thats the tag for this series #what of it #atla #avatar #atla zuko #Avatar The Last Airbender

[killrockabill]

azula redemptive

so this isnt a full redemption more of a setting her on the path. azula is a character i kind of identify with. i grew up in a chaotic environment and learned to “play the game” manipulate lie and occasionally throw people under the bus. at first it was just a way to get through life but then it kinda just became who i was. i have gone to counseling etc but still occasionally wonder if my feelings are real or if theyre just what theyre supposed to be. i was lucky to have people in my life. my uncle irohs but she didnt seem to. here it is.

Azula was never the type for brooding, that was more zuzu’s territory. Tonight was different. She was tired. It had been a few years since the avatar ended one hundred year war.  she had barely kept track of the actual amount of time. In the time since however; she had not grown complacent. she couldn’t. 

Zuzu had become the fire lord and seemed to be decent enough at it. At least he was capable of not destroying the fire nation with incompetence. While they were never close there was a hint of something in her that could almost be considered pride. No. Pride was the wrong word the feeling was more that of acknowledgment. He and the avatar won and that was the end of that story. 

For a time azula was unsure of her place in the universe. She had lived her life to be the true heir, to be ozai. He was a wrathful and petty god and she was his disciple. 

“ Why was that again?” She pondered. “Well what else could i be? Zuzu?” She knew she was smarter than that.

Zuko was soft and too stupid to play the game, so she used him. Every misstep, every weakness was a way to save herself from being him. Did she ever feel bad about it? Perhaps a long time ago, not that it mattered. You do something long enough you get used to it and when you get good at it you start to enjoy it. Every maneuver, every manipulation was a victory and nobody played the game like her. 

“My shadow lord” a shaky voice called from behind. The cult of ozai must have sent him. They had been useful to be sure, but she hated that name. It reminded her of the darkness within her, the same darkness her mother saw. 

“Yes?” Azula spoke finally in an exasperated tone. “What is it? i have no use of any of you right now.”

“F-forgive me. I-I have come to warn you.” he stuttered as though he were shaken by the earth itself. 

“You? Warn me? I may not be the fire lord anymore, but i am still one of the most powerful firebenders of this generation. What could be coming that I need worry?!” That was a bit more intense than she intended, but anyone who knew her knew it was her default state.

“N-nothing that i'm sure you cannot handle, b-but as your loyal servant it’s my duty. The ozai followers t-they doubt your intentions. They believe you don't intend to restore ozai to power.”

That was a fair thought seeing as she had no intention of restoring ozai to power. She had used them to challenge zuko and make him grow into the strong leader the fire nation needed. He was soft on enemies, azula being a perfect example, and not wary of friends that could turn on him as they do. 

“Hmph, well I suppose i owe you thanks. Tonight you will leave and discard any sign of joining the movement. Live a life well or not it doesn't matter to me” she hated being in debt to someone. Azula could manage some over privileged fanatics, but knowing she’ll have to get her hands a bit dirty is nice.

“M-my lady i-i-i apologize i meant no offense.  please i-“ 

Azula cut him off. “ you misunderstand. Tonight there’s going to be a … discussion, between the rest of the group. Take this and go do whatever it is you people do.” She flipped a gold piece. She couldn't be bothered to remember if he was one of the wealthy members and what's one gold piece. It was his duty to her to report and that should be rewarded. Flies and honey; perhaps if she did that back then those two. NO we are not going there azula scolded herself. Focus.

The man was still sitting there mouth agape like a fool. Was he processing what just happened? Regretting exposing his comrades? If he betrays her and lets them know she's coming she will live up to the darkness that earned her the title shadow lord. 

“I don’t know what you are waiting for, but go. I have an appointment.”  Azula walked past him. Ordinarily any threat of a stanger betraying her and leading her to a trap would be subdued by their fear of her. Azula learned that was not a guarantee the hard way. Her shoulder aches like an old woman from ty lee’s strike. That wasn’t what azula had heard about chi blocking, but maybe this hit was deeper. 

“FOCUS” azula chided herself “her of all people.  Yes, I did use fear to keep them in line but I was good to her. I tried at least. There weren’t many who’s tears could get to me. Fuck, enough. You need to deal with these fools”

Azula had reached the door to where the cult of ozai held their meeting. A Modest wooded shack near where Azula was. It benefited them to be out of the way and not get attention. Azula paused and thought “alright put on the scary eyes” before making her entrance. You could hear the conversation screech to a halt.

“My lady! Welcome, what brings you? New plans rid us of your brother?” One finally broke the silence. The fool that was their leader before azula had seized control. 

The gaul to pretend like they werent just talking about turning on her. Did they know who they were dealing with? She was no longer princess azula daughter of ozai; she was the god now. 

“Its come to my attention that some of us feel breaking my father, ozai out of prison. Let me clear ozai was a fool who bit off more than he could chew trying to conquer the world. He’s weak now spoiled by everyone's fear of him he lost to a child.”

“You speak out of turn little girl. You wouldn’t be so brave as to say that in his presence!” One of them burst out. 

“Ah, yes the withered old man that has been in shackles for how many years?” Azula genuinely could not remember anymore. “I am a prodigy trained by the finest benders this nation has to offer. The bender that conquered ba sing se. Even with his bending he lost to an avatar that I beat. “ 

Azula wasn’t bragging. This was the fight. Subduing them without having to lift a finger. What happens when azula needs to lift a finger? Well, let's say azula would oblige in earnest. She could tell most of them had already seemed to understand. Any of them try something it’ll end one way. She’d won the fight before they could even try; perhaps she should write a book azula mused. “Azulas art of war”. 

The only one not to flinch was their leader. His smile from when he greeted her did not waiver. He must have something in mind, as he would have no way of defeating her in single combat.

“My princess, perhaps you’re right there is something unclear about our partnership.” He started, as calm as can be. “ you are a talented bender to be sure, but without your father’s backing you’re simply an unstable little girl. Your usefulness is only in name and furthering our reputation.” 

Usefulness? This commoner did not just reference her as a prop in their machinations. This was when azula began to get heated, literally. Around her the air began to warm until the air around her blurred like that of the air around an open flame. The room had become unbearably hot for the others, but azula the dragon she was, could handle much more.

Azula let out a sigh. “Unstable?!? Lets be clear you work for me! Not the other way around. I have seen and done more in life let alone for the fire nation than you will in what is about to become a shortened life!” 

Parts of azula began to catch fire as her rage seethed. Zuzu may have been a lame turtle duck of a brother, but he did show her the usefulness of adapting different bending styles. The fire on her crawled across her body into a sphere in her hands. Though the leader had prepared for a direct strike; azula had something else prepared. She slammed her hand on the floor and allowed the fire ball to be pressed on the ground exploding out in a circle around her. 

The cabin had caught fire and many of the cultists were sent flying into the walls and scattered like the insects they were. Azula had practiced that move for some time and understood why strong earth benders would use an impact like strike like that. It was an effective way to combine offence and defense, and not to mention oddly satisfying. 

Azula may have been willing to kill if necessary but leaving them broken was the better choice. She snuffed out the fire leaving the smoke cloud to cover her exit. That should be a clear message to anyone. Princess azula is done.

Fire lord zuko did not need his shadow lord anymore. Azula hated to admit zuko had become a passable fire lord. The land prospered, and while zuko is about peace hes is firmer on asserting influence in world. The fire nation is still a force to be reckoned with and she was as influential in it as the avatar or that slob of an uncle. There wasn’t much to do here. Azula wasnt sure what the next move was, but there were things that needed to be drawn before action could be taken. 

The palace at the fire nation capital. It was much like she remembered less a gaudy statue of her father. The way the paths lead by lantern fire flowed like a living flame. It was soft enough to have a cozy warmth like that of the hearth. If she missed anything the most of the old princess lifebit was how home loosened tension. This unfortunately was not a vacation.

Her brother liked to sit near the water where the woman and him sat. Only two kyoshi to guard him, I suppose if azula was an average attacker that would do. Azula could already feel the exhaustion this is going to come from this

She waited seated at the spot he typically stops at. 

“AZULA” ah that raspy broody voice is never, not funny. He growls like a cub caught without a mother. “What are you doing here?! Trying to cause more trouble for me to clean up? Trying to take the throne?

“Oh zuzu all I’m doing is sitting here. Come I wish to speak to you, as civilly as possible. I’ll even allow one of your fangirls chi block my arms.

A laugh broke the tension “that's even funnier the second time around azula” that cheery pitch could only be one person. Azula perked up in her seat.

“Ty lee, im glad you’re here too. Wait that sounded ominous. I mean the sight of you is pleasant.” Not exactly how she thought things would go they were supposed to be separate. “Well that’s best anyway it’d make the noodle arm treatment feel less awkward when it’s someone you know.” 

“Hey that makes this easy”  with two jabs azulas arms and therefore lightning wre off the table.  “I just want you to know. I am still scared of you, but that fear makes me want to stop it.”

“Ah-um ty lee… i don’t expect you to and ill understand if you say no but i'd like to speak with you after.” Azulas voice was gentle when it reached ty lee.

Ty lee paused to glance back. She was shaken at the thought. Of course she would be what else should she be? Happy? She said it herself she was scared of azula and you cant have friends with that or they betray you. 

“Lets try this one first.”

Azula was impressed at how ty lee could not only give a non answer and still leave someone hopeful. After the war, thinking through things during training sessions, azula had a new perspective on ty lee. Azula never doubted her prowess for a second, but being such a skilled people reader and least suspect of manipulation. She was everything azula was not and then some. Where azula scanned for weakness ty lee scanned the person. Where azula would use fear to bend to her will ty lee was playing the long game with positive reinforcement. Azula needed her to know that and more.

“There.” Zuko barked. “Now state your business.”

“Zuzu, you’re not meant for impressions, that was the worst ‘father’ i've ever heard. I'm leaving the capital and maybe even the fire nation. “

“Why?” Zuko was confused, what would be her next move. other nations aren’t helpless and its not like Zuko would leave them to her.

“What is there for me here? Zuko, youre the fire lord ive made my peace with that. You were too soft when you first got the throne, and while not all of my actions were always so benevolent; after a while it was about keeping you on alert dealing with the changing world. Making sure you had fangs. Father, ozai, had beat you to submission for so long and only at the end of the war did you begin standing.

“You think you were helping me? Training me in some insane way?!” Azula knew he’d be this way.

“Heavy lies the crown on the head of the ruler zuko. I should know i had it for a couple hours and lost my mind.” Azula chuckled at the memory. A foolish child who had nobody left to manipulate and nobody she trusted, of course shed crack. “You don't have to believe me. Im not sure I believe me. If i couldn't be the fire lord, I'd help mold him, I thought. You're still too soft with other nations in my opinion but you can manage. You’ve proven that.”

“And why tell me instead of just going?” Zuko had began to calm down, perhaps the avatar was rubbing off on him.

“The very reason i had to have my arms chi blocked. You fear me. Sure, you could fend me off with your friends but you know i am not something you would want to face. Now you know you dont have to look over your shoulder, at least not for me.”

“You expect me to believe that?” Zuko lowered his tone. If azula were plotting it could’ve worked here.

“No. I expect the next few weeks you’ll be on high alert. You’ll be upping security in cities and in constant communication with smaller settlements. Most importantly, you will be training. You Want to know that if we cross blazes, you will win. That is why i am leaving that response to an unseen threat? Exactly as a fire lord should be.” He won't look at it practically, at this point what is there for azula to be here. the only reason to keep this up is to take that throne, the one that broke her, it may be rightfully hers but she was not rightfully its. It was owed to her but she was not owed to it.

“Listen zuko, we’ve both seen ozai for what he is. The man who needed his teenage daughter to take ba sing se because he never could. The shortest reigning fire lord who faced an avatar that had only one year of training on the day he was at his peak. He called you a loser, and always asserted dominance because that was the only way to get people to not see the pathetic incompetent man with good enough luck to have me. Looking at you now he missed an opportunity at a useful tool.”

“People aren’t tools azula.” The father talk began to itch at zukos emotional scabs. 

“That was the way of the house, and you never learned that. You were too blind or stupid to think ‘whats the right answer’. That is why i was favored. Not luck, i played the game. Not unlike my friend ty lee, there did with me. She saw me.” It appears that azula had some scabs still too. She felt like her skin was raw and each word was hard to spit out.

“It doesnt matter” she took a breath “it would shame the fire nation anyway having to change leaders every few years. Just take my words and do what you will with them.”  Azula was done, this had already been more a spectacle than she cared for. 

“Ok, now what you stroll out the front door? We should take you in. That’d interrupt your trip. What now?”

“Oh zuzu, you are so on guard still. Good. I’ve an exit lined up out if the way so nobody questions my presence. If you take me in? Why? So i can escape THEN leave? Just extra steps. I dont mind waiting however. I think we both got something from this conversation.”

The air was warm. Unseasonably warm, its him. Azula wondered if this was coincidence or if he made hes own version of her technique. Now azula was tense. Impressive brother, but these are your options. 

Finally, a high pitched intervention. “Uhum, fire lord zuko she also wanted to have a talk with me too. Maybe while you think about what to do with her I can see what she wants to say.” 

“Are you sure? If she tries something.” Big brother of the year hm. Hopefully mai watches her back azula mused. 

“Zuko im a big girl. Plus you’ll be in holler distance. Just keep an eye out.” Ty lee turned to azula. “Im going to sit next to you now, and if you try to bend at me or kick me i will be very upset.” There it was. Azula looked in awe at how she managed to channel a determined child while making it clear there will be consequences for any transgressions. Azula truly was a fool like her father before her, failing to see what’s right in front of her.

“Hi azula. You wanted to talk?” She tried to keep the pep but ty lee couldn’t help but be nervous. Azula was one Of the most dangerous people in the fire nation. 

“I did. Thank you. Even though you know there’s a chance i could actually be up to something leading to you or something or someone you care about because all youve ever seen from me is wrath. So, thank you.”

“Ppft, im sorry azula I really am and you’re right i wasnt sure but that awkward rambling reminded me of that day at the beach.”

“ARE YOU MOCKING ME?! I came here and let you chi block me. Do yoy you know what this feels like? Limp noodles where my arms should be.”

“No, no, azula i swear it just shows there's still some of the good in you. Your aura is less vlack more a...deep watertribe navy blue. Theres also the temper still i see” ty lee tried not to give azula a reason to get heated. 

“Oh. I see. Well regardless of the context tgat was rude”

“Yes it was, sorry.” She gave azula the eyes that always got to her. 

“Its fine. I may have also been a tiny bit intense there.” Azula hated this. She was a prodigy. Which meant apologies and social interaction were unnecessary. 

“Ok. Lets try again. ‘Now state your business’” imitating zukos growl of a voice. It got a genuine laugh iut of azula. It had been a while since she laughed at all. 

“How do you do that? Just lull people into a state of placation and lowering their guards.” Azula regrouped.

“Its not a trick like you said. Well, mostly not. I do watch people and learn what i can, but its so i dont do anything to start upsetting people. And the rest is just i have a calming aura” 

“So you’re just a pure sweet roll in this terrible world?” Azula was proud. She made a quip that didnt sound threatening. That practice wasnt for nothing at least.

“I dont know about that. All I do know is that if we try the world doesn’t have to be terrible.  You’ve changed azula. I can see it. Not just your aura either. You meant at least half of what you said i can feel it.”

“Half? That's more generous than i would be in your shoes. I appreciate that and would love to girl talk i think time’s coming so ill jump to it. I want you to know the same as zuzu. I dont have plans for revenge for the prison. I also wanted to say… im sorry. You may have noticed my opinion of my father has changed and as his heir, his duplicate its making me think i need to redefine me. Clearly our way didnt work. I held you and mai by a leash and when it came down to it who do you side with the leash wearer or holder. I’m sorry it happened that way and what it’s probably done since, but there it is. 

Ty lee remained silent.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me or even believe me. I just thought, you of all people deserved that much even from a monster like me.” The silence coming from ty lee was worse than any words she could have said. Each second of waiting for any kind of reply was tourture. Ty lee was never the silent type, so as expected she probably won’t accept it. That's fine azula didnt need her to; she didn’t need her or anyone for that matter. Beasts dont always have packs, especially the most vicious ones. 

Ty lee stood up and took a few paces. Azula watched and simply thought ‘there she goes. She may be giving azula an out as a courtesy, ehich is more than she expected.

“You're not a monster.”  Ty lee's silence finally broke. Her tone was quiet and somber. 

“Youre not a good person. Youre Probably one of the worst friends I’ve had, but we were friends. I dont know how much to believe you, but you’ve apologized for hurting my feelings before in more casual moments. The time away may be good for you. I tell you what, I’ll accept your apology for the both of us. I’ll know i gave you one last shred of trust and if how things ended truly bothered you it can stop now.”

Azula was stunned. She shouldn’t have been. That reaction was as textbook as azula threatening a subordinate. Azula should be a little more at peace now, but she isnt. It hurts. Here was a kind strong woman who managed to make something of herself and azula was nothing anymore. A vagrant who couldn’t do what she was raised to do for a few hours. Kindness and compassion were underused thongs for azula but clearly they’re good for something. 

“Ty lee” azula choked on the words. How pathetic. How embarrassing. On the verge of tears because she was not a monster to ty lee. 

“ thank you ty lee. I didnt and still don’t deserve your friendship, but i think you did something to me. I dont know what, but something. You may go if you wish. I think i want to wait and see what zuko has to say”

“I’ll put in a good word for you. You called him ‘zuko’ most of the time you talked to him. You're a bit confusing right now but I think that might be a good thing.”

“Ha, oh ty lee you have too much faith in people. I could still be the monster in your closet. Don't ever change that.” Azula needed everything in her to not cry, not in front of them. Not again. Never again

Ty lee turned back to face azula. “And you have too little faith. That's ok though, i may not need to change but I really hope you are.” She smile md at azula. It was a soft smile like the glow of a candle in the night and just as warm. How she could manage a real smile towards azula was beyond her. It was beautiful and it had a way of crushing azula. 

Ty lee was gone. Not far, as zuko still had to be in the garden somewhere. Azula was glad for that she could breath and focus on the next hurdle. Getting out with noodle arms would be difficult but not impossible. They were so put at ease about the arms they didnt think of any attacks she could do with her legs. If it came down to it she would set enough of a blaze to keep them occupied and run to her escape location. 

Zuko and the others returned. He had a stoney look on his face more grim than broody. Azula cant be surprised its bad news, but it was less than ideal. Ty lee stood next to him. Had she kept her word and gave her a chance? Or was that just to encourage me to stay. She had been bitten once and was twice as shy nowadays.

“Ty lee mentioned your talk went well. Im glad you didnt try to kick or bite her.”

“Zuzu, what do you take me for a platypus bear or something?”

“Or something” zuko remarked. It was a fair enough jab azula decided. 

“She told me you seem lost in the world. If this is true, we can help. Theres the beach house so you dont have to interact with people unless you want to. We can get you treated like someone in our family should be. You can help us do good for a change.”

“Where do you people get this faith?! I do not intend on being a ward or high end prisoner. I do not belong here, and cannot promise you I’ll be what you want. For all we know i'll turn on you like i have a dozen times over.” Azula could not tell if he really was that foolish or if she should be offended at the patronizing proposition. “No, if im to become something, someone, else it has to be away from here.

Zuko stood silent for a moment. “Very well, but i want you to know that any action against a fire nation citizen is an action on me. the way you and i have been going for years seems to only have one end so i hope you mean all of this. You may go on the condition a kyoshi warrior shadows you for a while.”

“The ones in the elaborate dresses, white, make up and golden fans? Im sure theyll be like a shadow in the night. Though I suppose it could be worse. If i get left alone they will be left alone, just so we’re clear.” Azula hated being followed, but if its just for a while she can put up with it. 

“They’ll watch and see if you're just up to old tricks. You'll get a head start and they'll catch up so you won't be sure they are present. If they determine youre no longer a threat they will leave you.”

“Interesting proposal Zuko spoken like a benevolent leader. I accept.” Azula stood up, and was a little off balance because of the arms but they began to come back to her. “I… suppose that's it then brother. I’ll do you a favor and make it so my way in cannot be used again. We may not see eachother again, so farewell. remember, you are the dragon not some toothless herbivore. Dont embarrass us.” There was an awkward melancholy to azulas voice. They were never siblings in the traditional sense and she did try to kill him. A lot. Still, it’ll be sad to not get under his skin anymore even just a little. 

“Goodbye azula. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for. If all of this is true my offer will stand.” 

Azula had nothing to say. She couldn’t. She fully intends to be gone, and yet he leaves the door open? It’s embarrassing, its offensive, and somehow its cruel. Azula living the rest of her days in a place designed to make her complacent? No. She may not want the throne but she will not be a pet.” 

Azula nodded and walked away. He was as good a brother as you could get in this family and she was as bad a sister as you could get in this family. That bridge is burned whether he realizes or not. 

Now all that was left for azula was to decide where to go. That entire exchange left her raw and exhausted. Zuko may have had a point, the beach wasn’t far and a small coma would be nice. A stop off there get some nation neutral clothes and see where the wind take her. It was as good a plan as any for now. 

When she finally reached the shore and looked up the stairs to the childhood beach house the exhaustion set in. How long had it been since she slept? More than 24 hours to be sure. Azula dropped to her knees and felt the sand beneath her. Soft, like ty lee's smile. 

“No.” Azula dismissed. Now was not the time to reminisce. This sand was once a rock. It could have been a rock that punctured war ships sinking them to their doom, or a smaller rock cutting the food of an unwitting beach goers foot. Azula was that rock. Was she being worn down into sand? Was that ok? Everything in this world wears down, so why not her? If she could be half of what this sand was, pleasant soft and comforting perhaps that wouldn't be so bad.

#avatar #avatar the last airbender #atla azula #atla #atla fanfic #ty lee x azula #azula avatar #princess azula #prince zuko #azula and zuko #atla zuko #fire lord zuko #ty lee #ty lee atla #fan fiction #fanfic

[margokesses]

Hi! I seen that you just watched atla, what were some of your favorite moments?

Oohh okay um idk the episode titles but

The episode where sokka and katara are sick and aang gets captured by the fire nation. I loved the whole sequence where zuko helps him escape

Kyoshi being the baddest bitch when she admits to killing the conqueror guy and created a whole ass island with just bending

Sokka getting drunk on cactus juice

Toph. Just all her scenes she's feral and i love it

Iroh fucking breathing fire out of his mouth like a dragon???

Suki taking down the warden and the guards by herself

I loved the mirror parallels they used between zuko and aang throughout the entire show

Sokka constantly being like "suki!!" whenever he sees his gf

"Its a long long way to ba sing se but the girls in the city they look so pretty"

Just the entire "tales of iroh" episode tbh

Katara stopping the rain was p cool

When sokka said "appa ate momo!!!" that killed me

Zuko standing up to his dad made me cry tbh

Mai and ty lee standing up to azula

"I knew i shouldn't have asked kyoshi"

All of the fight scenes were gr8 tbh

Sokka suki and toph taking down the warships at the end

Zuko fighting azula at the end was amazing too (especially the soundtrack it goes hard)

There's probably more but that's all i got rn. Thanks!!

[grither55]

The Princess and the Peasant - (An Azula Epic) - Chapter 32 - The Component

The terribly injured Avatar was warded off with yet another savage round of lightning that he just barely dodged.

Azula flipped around to gaze up into the air with bewildered eyes to see her warship was now aflame.

In the distance was another Fire Nation warship opening fire on her vessel.

'How did the enemy manage to commandeer a Fire Nation vessel!' The princess thought while exhaling through her nostrils like a wrathful dragon.

Only for her callous eyes to widen in realization when she watched her ship begin to plummet at a dangerous rate.

And for reasons that she couldn't explain she found her cold heart beating rapidly in worry for her young girlfriend and her childhood friends.

The Avatar's enraged roars snapped her out of her reverie while she watched in frustration to see the monk speeding towards her once more.

Through the corner of her eye she watched the airship plunge through the cliffside while she gritted her teeth in anger like never before.

And then the princess's callous eyes snapped open as wide as can be while her veil of flames suddenly flared to life with even greater ferocity than before.

'I have to get to the wreckage!' Azula thought with lightning generating at her fingertips while she released a thunderous battle roar.

"I told you to die Avatar!" The princess bellowed before releasing a beyond lethal voltage that would have struck the man dead then and there.

The exhausted Avatar attempted to dodge the lightning only for his body to fail to move according to his desires.

Aang stumbled with widened eyes while he watched the lightning nearly strike him just as it had six years ago in Ba Sing Se.

Only to find himself staring on with amazed eyes when a hooded figure leaped down in front of him and swiftly redirected the lightning back at the surprised princess.

Azula stared on with shocked golden eyes from within her wall of flames before hastily leaping out of the way of her redirected assault.

And then she turned to glare at the newcomer with her regal lips curling into a scowl.

She knew all too well who this interloper was.

"Hello dear Uncle." The princess greeted in a growl after catching a glimpse of the old man's face beneath the cloak.

"Azula." The Dragon of the West replied curtly with his golden eyes narrowing while he assessed his niece's evolved powers in disbelief.

All the while asking himself just one thing.

'How is Azula maintaining a cloak of fire!' Iroh thought with his shocked eyes never leaving his lethal niece.

"You're in the way." Azula stated in a dangerous voice before sprinting forward with her cloak burning brightly in the wake of her footfalls.

The warship spiraled through the air while soldiers slid down the length of its surface desperate to grasp onto anything they could get ahold of.

Pakku rolled down the surface of the vessel with his neck bleeding from a botched cut that had only been interrupted by the assault on the airship's engines.

Due to the presumption that the approaching ship was an allied vessel they had been taken completely unawares.

In the moment of chaos Elle had been thrown from Ty Lee's arms.

And now the teenage girl was tumbling down the sinking ship.

The young girl released a high-pitched scream just when she nearly fell over the edge to her death.

Only to find herself gazing up into protective brown-gray eyes while the agile acrobat took hold of her wrist.

"O-oneesan!" Elle stammered while Ty Lee stare down at her with protective eyes.

"I've got you Elle! It's going to be okay! I'll protect you!" Ty Lee assured in a sisterly voice before lifting the smaller girl over her shoulders.

The small girl hung onto the acrobat's back while she clung to her neck with an emotional tear streaming down her cheek.

"A-arigatou gozaimasu." The blonde-haired girl murmured with a sniffle while she closed her eyes in fear when the acrobat took off running down the side of the airship.

"Think nothing of it. You're my little sister. You didn't really think that I would let you fall, did you?" The brown-haired woman spoke in a warm voice while she gazed over her shoulder into the younger girl's misty eyes.

"No. Not for a moment oneesan. I trust you with my life." Elle answered sweetly with her face in the woman's hair while Ty Lee sprang over the rails of the ship.

And then the acrobat skillfully held onto a bar on the side of the erupting vessel while she managed a small smile over her young friends gentle hearted nature.

Moments afterward Ty Lee dropped to the ground with her grip on Elle never once loosening.

The two tumbled into the dirt while the fires from the earlier assault continued to blaze all around them.

The good news was that the Ty Lee had managed to land without any harm to her precious passenger.

The bad news was that she hurt her leg in the fall.

Ty Lee winced after rolling to a stop when she noticed the injury.

Damn.

That one was going to hurt for some time.

'This day isn't pink. Not pink at all.' The brown-haired woman thought yet when she felt the smaller girl hug her from behind.

That was more than enough.

Knowing that Elle had avoided injury was victory enough for her.

The soldiers on the ground were shocked at the sight of their crashing vessel.

So much so that it gave Toph a brief moment of surprise.

It was only a few seconds but that was all the blind bandit needed to launch many of them away from her with a pillar of earthen rock.

She quickly gasped for air before turning her 'gaze' to the battle in the distance involving Azula, Aang and the newcomer.

Only to spin around when she heard the soldiers rushing to her once more.

Toph stomped her foot before producing a shield of rock around her on all sides only to gaze up in alarm when it was promptly pierced with an explosive.

She covered her face with her elbow while dust rained in her eyes just before barely blocking a swing from a male soldier.

It was none other than Zoe's faithful lieutenant, a young man by the name of Saro.

The earthbender gritted her teeth while two burning fists now engaged in a grapple with her own earthen gauntleted fists only to find her feet being slid backwards.

'This one is stronger than the rest!' The blind bandit thought while the soldier stared back at her with dedicated golden eyes.

"I do not fall so easily as the others earthbender!" The lieutenant shouted before making a swipe at the woman's eyes with his burning fist.

"I can see that…you removed the metal from your body…smart move but not good enough." Toph commented with a slight smirk while Saro glared into her glazed eyes.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not!" Saro exclaimed before surprising Toph when he lunged forward to pull her into a stranglehold.

The blind bandit snarled while she pounded her fists against the man's cheek only for her attacker to remain persistent even when blood splattered from his cheek.

That when she sensed the vibrations below her with her eyes agape in disbelief.

"Let me go!" Toph yelled out with a furious growl while Saro began to bend her right arm backwards at an agonizing angle.

All the while a swarm of the Dai Li successfully negated her earthbending.

"Oh, I will. In a moment." The lieutenant grunted before he ruthlessly snapped the struggling woman's arm upward.

Crack!

The sound of Toph releasing a sharp cry of pain echoed into the air and into her remaining comrade's ears.

The blind bandit rasped for air with her eyes agape in tremendous pain before finally breaking free of her assailants hold.

And then she sunk to her knees clutching her broken arm with her remaining good hand while she listened to the sound of the soldiers descending upon her.

Only for the soldiers to be taken surprise by rebel soldiers descending from the commandeered warship to the earthbender’s aid.

Saro spun around with his golden eyes narrowing in anger while he watched the soldiers of the White Lotus drop down around Toph on all sides.

"Kill the rebels!" The lieutenant roared with his comrades storming forward alongside him.

Mere moments ensued a brutal clash of fire, earth and water.

Elsewhere.

Zuko lay bleeding from a gash on his right cheek while he gazed up at Zoe with widened eyes while he desperately fought to wrench her sword free from her hand.

Only for the soldier to begin to choke him with her free hand.

"Die you fucking traitor!" Zoe roared before thrusting her sword down to piece the pinned man's neck.

Only for her eyes to widen in shock when a dagger stabbed her through the gap in her armor while Zuko stared up behind her in a mix of both relief and surprise.

"Mai!" Zuko cried out in a relieved voice while the surprised Zoe turned to gaze over her shoulder into Mai's piercing tawny eyes.

"Get off of him!" Mai hissed with an arm wrenched around the struggling captain's neck while Zoe furiously fought against her.

"Coward! You were too scared to face me in open combat so you went for my back!" The captain snarled with her eyes agape in unbridled anger while the other woman drove the dagger in deeper.

"Now isn't that ironic considering what you did to General Shoren." The markswoman replied icily only to receive a savage punch to the jaw.

The former prince struggled to stand up while he watched his ex-girlfriend stagger backwards with her bloody knife in hand.

"You don't know anything! I had just cause for killing General Shoren!" Zoe shouted with rage in her voice while her hazel eyes shimmered in anger over the insult to her honor.

"Of course, you did." Mai snorted while she watched Zoe stagger to her feet.

"If you think that poorly aimed stab will defeat me then you truly are a fool." The captain stated with a cold sneer while she stood up grasping at the hilt of her sword.

"The stab won't…but the explosive will." The markswoman declared ominously while she stared victoriously into the other woman's widening hazel eyes.

Zoe stumbled backwards with her free hand feeling at her back only to pale in horror when her fingers grazed over a small landmine.

"I'll kill you! I swear I'll kill you!" Zoe bellowed in a livid voice before dropping her sword while she furiously fought to remove the bomb from her upper back.

"No. You won't." Mai sneered before pulling Zuko to his feet while he watched Zoe writhe with conflicted golden eyes.

The soldier began to roll on the ground in a surmounting panic while her enraged shouts carried out over the battlefield.

"Traitors! I'll kill the both of you!" The captain shrieked with her hand struggling to pull the mine off her back.

Only for the markswoman to wordlessly walk away with her fiancée holding onto her shoulder.

The two glanced over their shoulders at the bloodthirsty captain rolling in the dirt while Zuko watched with clear discomfort over the dishonorable tactic.

After a great deal of thrashing about Zoe finally managed to remove the landmine from her back.

It dropped before her in the dirt while she struggled to push herself to her feet.

Only to widen her eyes when she caught sight of not one but multiple landmines strung out before her.

'The one on my back was a distraction for the ones at my feet!' Zoe thought in horror while she took off in a maddened sprint for cover.

In her haste the soldier screamed out for her monarch's aid.

Azula was sent skidding backwards with a droplet of blood on her chin while she glared callously back at her uncle.

Her cold eyes swept about while she watched rebel soldiers begin to surround her on all sides.

"It's over Azula." Iroh remarked calmly while he assessed his niece's exhausted face.

It would appear that these new abilities come at a great cost…

Behind him the Avatar sunk to his knees with his gray eyes gazing up in astonishment.

"Iroh!" Aang exclaimed with relief in his voice while the old man turned to smile down at him upon noticing that he had finally snapped out of the Avatar State.

"Rest easy now Aang. Let us take care of the rest." The Dragon of the West greeted kindly while the young monk nodded in agreement.

"I don't know how you managed to obtain the drop on us…but I can assure you it will be your last." Azula purred with a cold smirk returning to her graceful lips only to whip her head around when a familiar shout rang out into the air.

The princess's golden eyes swept about while she quickly assessed her situation.

In the far distance was Ty Lee with Elle behind her while soldiers of the White Lotus too began to surround them.

Somewhere deep inside of her cold heart she felt a shred of relief to see that the two had managed to survive the crash.

Her surviving soldiers were pouring from the downed airship.

A violent battle was now underway between the rebel forces and her own.

That was when her gaze finally landed on the person that had called out her name.

To her great surprise it was not Elle, nor Ty Lee or even Mai.

Saro had just cut down an enemy soldier when one of his men called out to him.

"Sir the captain!" A soldier exclaimed in alarm while the lieutenant wheeled around with his eyes widening in horror.

In that instance everyone saw it.

Mai was helping Zuko walk away with several landmines exploding thunderously behind them.

Azula gazed over her shoulder with her eyes widening in rage like never before when she caught sight of her friend's betrayal.

Only for her fury to increase tenfold when saw her most skilled soldier staggering through an erupting minefield.

The landmines erupted one after another while the captain's body vanished in the blazing inferno.

"Captain!" Saro called out in rage like never before when he took off darting towards his leader's aid.

"Mai…" Ty Lee whispered with her eyes agape in worry when she caught the murderous rage in Azula's eyes.

And not just the princess.

Nearly thirty soldiers were rushing forward to avenge their beloved leader!

The ground began sinking on all sides while the unstable ground began to sink into the earth in every which way.

The injured soldier hung with her fingers slipping while she yelled out in rage once more.

"Princess Azula!" Zoe screamed before finally plummeting into the open earth with her frantic call for help resonating across the war zone.

And then…silence.

The princess trembled in unbridled anger while clenching her fists at her sides.

'Mai you fool! You just cost me the loyalty of all of House Song!' Azula thought with fire spewing from her lips while she watched the fallen woman's soldiers move to capture her friend.

She didn't even need to speak the order.

She was well aware that the captain's crew would do so regardless of what she said.

"Go Zuko!" Mai exclaimed before pushing Zuko backwards while he gazed back at her with hesitant golden eyes.

"I can't!" Zuko protested only for Mai to backhand him furiously.

"You had no qualms doing it before!" The markswoman snapped venomously while guilt now flashed in the former prince's eyes.

"Mai I…" The former prince trailed off just as he turned away while the soldiers rushed towards them.

"Six years together Zuko. And you broke my heart. If you had simply told me why you were leaving…I would have understood. But you didn't. Our relationship is over. But that doesn't mean that I am going to watch you die." Mai spoke with downcast tawny eyes while Zuko swallowed in shame.

"I…am sorry Mai." Zuko muttered with great remorse in his eyes before Mai gazed at him one final time.

"Just go." The markswoman ordered before drawing her blades while she watched her former lover flee the opposite direction.

"Seize her!" The lieutenant roared while they stormed the composed woman.

The former prince fled while he watched the stolen warship soar overhead with a rope dropping down from rails.

Zuko swiftly grasped ahold of it while rebel soldiers began to pull him up to safety.

All the while Mai was being restrained by the loyal soldiers with Saro staring back into her remorseless tawny eyes.

"You are going to wish you hadn't done that." Saro stated frigidly before driving his knee into Mai's gut while he glared down at her coughing face.

"Believe me. It was well worth it." Mai responded in defiance while the soldiers hauled her forward with her hands restrained behind her back.

It was only when she met Azula's glacial golden eyes that she finally began to shiver.

Well aware that a gruesome punishment was sure to await her.

The princess turned her callous eyes away from her treasonous subordinate before gazing back at her uncle with her hand wiping her lip once more.

"If you think that you and these nothings can defeat me Uncle…then you are even more of a fool than I had taken you for." Azula scoffed with a sophisticated scoff while her flames flared to life once more.

"By the looks of it we don't have to defeat you Azula." Iroh retorted before leaping out of the way from an exploding fireball.

Her flame has become unnaturally strong!

It was truly terrifying to know that his niece was capable of such devastating power.

Such power should only be possible on Sozin's Comet and yet…

The princess began to reel around with sweat dripping down her face while she launched a rapid stream of blue fire at all of her attackers.

A rebel soldier released a scream of terror when his entire body caught fire while his comrades watched with horrified eyes.

"Stay back!" The Dragon of the West commanded with the Avatar staring on in horror at the sight of the burning man.

Several soldiers put the fire out with waterbending yet it was clear that the damage was already done.

The man now lay lifeless in the dirt while fires continued to rage around them on all sides.

"S-she just burned a man to death in a matter of seconds!" A rebel soldier exclaimed while the shouts of the enemy soldiers rang in the distance.

The Dai Li were cutting down rebel soldiers left and right while two rebel soldiers now carried the wounded Toph to safety.

All the while Elle stood behind Ty Lee while the acrobat turned to gaze at the rebels surrounding her with unusually stern eyes.

"Surrender!" A rebel soldier ordered while the acrobat pushed the smaller girl behind her.

"No." Ty Lee answered calmly while Elle hid with her face in her back.

"Then you leave us no choice!" The man shouted before charging forward while the woman stared on with hardening brown-gray eyes.

In mere seconds the acrobat delivered a brutal strike to the man's jugular before she swiftly removed a blade from his belt.

"Close your eyes Elle." The brown-haired woman spoke gently with her hair blowing behind her while the petite girl nodded fearfully.

And with that the injured acrobat sliced opened the attacking man's throat before springing forward with an uncharacteristically cold countenance.

The men released cries of terror while the wounded woman dispatched them one after another.

Soon enough Ty Lee was standing with Elle under her arm over a handful of slain men.

The brown-haired woman continued to limp forward with her hand pulling the young girl after her.

Only to stare across the battlefield in concern to see that Azula was completely surrounded.

Rebel soldiers were successfully preventing Saro and his comrades from coming to the princess's aid.

While those on the hovering warship opened fire on the Dai Li.

The earthbending assassins were forced to leap for cover while projectiles continued to drop down on them from above.

Azula began to pant from exhaustion before releasing a furious growl.

"Filthy peasants! I will destroy you all!" The princess barked with fire spitting forth from her lips while she raised her hands to release another blast of blue fire.

Only to widen her eyes when all that came out was a pitiful sputter that could barely be called a flame!

In that very moment she gazed down in frustration to see her veil of flames vanishing in the blink of an eye.

And then she finally collapsed onto all fours with her golden eyes agape in disbelief.

'Impossible! It hasn't even been more than six minutes!' Azula thought with her lips pursing into a thin line while she crushed the dirt beneath her in her anger.

"Chi burnout Azula…it would seem that you've pushed your body too far." Iroh remarked casually while Azula glared up at her with enraged golden eyes.

"And what of it? I will recover! And then I will kill you all!" The princess bellowed with her fists gripping the ground below her.

"Judging by the look of you…you won't be recovering soon enough to do that." The Dragon of the West commented with a serious countenance while he glared down at his defeated niece.

From high above the warship Zuko sat alongside Pakku while the old man nursed his bruised wrists.

The former prince turned to gaze down at his sister with unnerved golden eyes.

In all of his life he has never been as afraid of Azula as he is now.

To think that it would take such extreme measures to finally defeat his sister!

'I can't believe that Azula is strong enough to challenge Aang in the Avatar State!' Zuko thought grimly while he gazed down at Azula's defeated form.

Now there was no doubt in his mind that his sister was far stronger than even their father.

He could only hope that his sister would remain down long enough for the White Lotus to take her into custody.

Ty Lee gazed on with widened eyes at the sight of Azula on her knees with soldiers storming forward to apprehend her.

'I have to help Azula! I can't just leave her to die!' The brown-haired woman thought in alarm before spinning around to stare down at her young friend's horrified face.

"A-Azula-sama is in danger!" The blonde-haired girl cried out with a tear streaming down her cheek before breaking free of the acrobat's grip.

"Elle no! Elle!" Ty Lee called out in alarm while she watched the innocent girl run across the war-torn battlefield to aid Azula.

The rebel army watched in astonishment while the young girl ran panting across the burning landscape.

Iroh could only gape in amazement to witness such a kind hearted girl running to his niece's aid.

Azula turned to gaze over her shoulder with surprised golden eyes to see her handmaid darting through the flames to make it to her side.

Even a woman as ruthless as herself couldn't help but be moved by her servant's unflinching loyalty.

She was so shocked by her handmaid's devotion that she could only stare at the small girl running towards her with her mouth hanging open in a speechless silence.

Out of all of her army, the first person to run to assist her was her handmaid!

"Azula-sama!" Elle shouted in a distraught voice just before she nearly stumbled into the burning landscape.

Aang too was staring on in disbelief while Elle made her way through the flames with no regard for her own well being.

The young blonde rushed through the fires only for a landmine to go off mere feet away from her.

The distraught girl stumbled forward with the horrified acrobat running after her.

"Elle!" The brown-haired woman yelled in a frightened voice while the girl finally made her way over to the stunned princess's side.

The weapons expert stood gazing on at the scene with mutual amazement in her eyes.

There was no doubt about it in her mind.

That girl was in love with Azula.

The ruthless princess finally snapped out of her reverie while she reeled around to glare at her panting girlfriend making her way through the throngs of rebel soldiers.

"Stupid girl! Are you trying to get yourself killed!" Azula barked with a seemingly cruel scowl on her lips while she glared at the girl to dropping to her knees before her.

Only for her cold eyes to stare on in even greater surprise when the petite girl rounded around to glare back at her bewildered uncle.

"You stay away from her!" Elle exclaimed with her ever present smile giving way to anger while she held out her arms to shield the stunned Azula.

Ty Lee finally came to a stop behind her leader while she held onto her blade with her wary eyes gazing about.

'This doesn't look good.' The brown-haired woman thought before turning her attention back to her adopted sister's oddly angered face.

It was just astonishing to witness Elle lose her temper over something that didn't involve spiders.

To think that the only thing that could make the girl truly furious was seeing Azula's life in danger!

"Why do you defend Azula?" Iroh questioned in genuine puzzlement while he stared down at Elle holding her arms out before his niece.

"Because she's my friend!" The blonde-haired girl declared with the princess gazing down at her in a speechless silence.

"Young lady, my niece is not your friend. Whatever she has told you. It isn't true!" The Dragon of the West insisted with a frown on his lips while the princess sat on her backside glaring back at him.

"Yes, she is! I know so! Now get lost!" Elle growled with an adorable expression of anger on her snarling lips while Azula gazed down at her almost amused by her newfound temper.

The rebels stared back at the small girl in bafflement while the blonde began to pull the exhausted princess onto her back.

All the while Ty Lee and Mai watched in astonishment to see the girl attempt to carry the princess to safety.

"Come on Azula-sama. I'll help you walk." The blonde-haired girl offered sweetly while the princess lay on her back with her stern golden eyes peering down at her in disbelief.

"What are you doing peasant?" The princess snorted with a regal roll of her eyes while she peered down at her petite girlfriend's pitiful efforts to carry her.

"T-taking you to safety." Elle stammered before taking a stumbling step forward while she struggled to carry the much taller woman on her back.

It was such a touching sight to Ty Lee that a tear fell from her eye while she watched her young friends' naïve attempts to protect Azula.

And with that she steeled her resolve before bracing herself on her good leg while she glared at the approaching rebels.

For once Azula found herself unable to reply.

All she could do was stare down at her handmaid with stunned golden eyes while the girl struggled to carry her armored body.

"I am sorry young lady, but Azula will not be returning home with you." Iroh announced gravely with his sentries stepping up behind him while Azula turned to glare at him over her shoulder.

"She hurt Katara, Appa, Sokka, Momo, Toph and even Zuko! She must face justice for what she has done!" Aang yelled before staggering to his feet while he gazed after the downed princess with angered gray eyes.

In the ensuing panic Saro had thrown Mai to the ground while the firebender and his men began furiously cutting down the rebel soldiers that stood in their way of assisting their princess.

And then the rebels sprang forward while the acrobat disabled a charging soldier while turning to meet the princess's stunned gaze.

"Go Azula! I'll cover you and Elle!" Ty Lee informed before springing forward on her limp while Azula watched with widened golden eyes.

It soon became clear that the acrobat alone would not be able to cover their retreat.

A rebel soldier rushed forward while the princess stared at their rushing attack with callous golden eyes.

Even exhausted and wounded Azula's gaze was so terrifying that it made the rebels feel pause.

However, her uncle and the Avatar were not so easily intimidated.

"I-I said stay away from Azula-sama!" The blonde-haired girl cried out in an emotional voice only for the man to knock her to the ground.

It was an action that proved to be one the unfortunate soldier would regret when Azula swung her bloodied fist into his cheekbone so hard that a resounding crack resonated into the air.

The man fell to the ground with a shattered jaw while Azula glared down at him with enraged golden eyes.

"Touch the girl again and I will castrate every last one of you!" Azula snapped in a beyond imposing voice with her eyes narrowing so callously that even her uncle felt pause.

If Princess Azula threatened mass castration, only a fool would doubt her willingness to follow through with her threat.

Yet it did not stop the Avatar from rushing forward in an attempt to bring her to justice.

Elle pushed herself to her feet with her arm once more around Azula's shoulder.

Only for the sentries to swarm forward before shoving her to the ground once more.

And then the enraged princess found herself being restrained on all sides while she thrashed about in a futile effort to break free.

"Release me at once!" The princess roared with her eyes agape in rage while the soldiers began to haul her off.

"Azula!" The brown-haired woman called out while knocking down rebels in desperation to assist her childhood friend.

Only to find that there were far too many for her to fight all by herself.

And soon she found herself being restrained by her numerous attackers.

Just when it seemed hopeless, she heard a cry of pain from one of the men beside her.

The acrobat turned her head in relief to see the weapons expert had come to her aid.

"Quickly, let's get to Azula." The markswoman stated in a tone of resignation while the acrobat nodded with understanding in her eyes.

Both noblewomen knew that a severe punishment was in store for her for Zoe's murder.

But even that would pale in comparison to what Azula would do to her if she just stood by and watched her capture.

And with that in mind the two continued furiously fighting their way through the Lotus legion.

All the while Zuko watched his sister's capture from above with an expression of conflict in his eyes.

He knew that Azula had to be taken down, but that didn't mean that he wanted to watch her die.

"Quickly! Get Azula aboard the ship!" The Dragon of the West shouted with his fists aflame while he fought against his niece's loyal soldiers.

"Kill everyone that stands in the way of the princess's rescue!" Saro called out just before impaling a man through the neck.

Only for Iroh to grasp ahold of his blade while he glared into the veteran's old eyes just as they began to engage in a desperate struggle for dominance.

"Azula-sama!" Elle yelled in a fretful voice before taking off running after the restrained woman.

Azula turned her head to gaze at the young girl once more with her golden eyes expressing her astonishment over her servant's unwavering devotion.

'My most loyal subordinate…is also my weakest. How ironic.' The princess thought with an outraged hiss before slamming her elbow in one of her attacker's eyes.

But it was all in vain.

Her chi was completely drained as a result of the overuse of her new technique.

"Let her go! You can't take her away from me!" The blonde-haired girl wailed with soldiers holding her back while she tried to climb over them to reach her friend's side.

The rebel army was completely stunned by the teenager trying her hardest to reach the cruel princess.

Even Azula could only stare after the girl with her eyes widening in shock by Elle's devotion.

"I-it can't happen again! I can't watch another person that I love die before my eyes! I won't let it happen again!" Elle protested in a deeply emotional voice with her sorrowful cries carrying out over the battlefield.

The young girl's words took the three women by surprise while they watched their young friend scream over the shoulder of one of the men restraining her.

Soldiers were fighting left and right on all sides.

While Elle fought furiously to reach Azula.

Her eyes were stinging so greatly from her tears that they began to clamp shut.

And then the loyal girl called out to her speechless princess one final time.

"I said let her go! Now!" The blonde-haired girl cried out with her fists balled up in her anger unaware that all eyes on the battlefield were now focused solely on her.

A mysterious wind swept through the air that Aang turning to stare at the young girl with his gray eyes widening in surmounting unease.

This…was what he was sensing earlier!

And then it happened.

An inexplicable energy suddenly blew through the air before all of the soldiers that were attacking the three women were blown away by a burst of glowing white energy.

Azula sunk to her knees with a speechless expression in her widening eyes while stared at her handmaid dropping to the ground on all fours.

Ty Lee was so shocked that her hands fell to her sides while she gazed ahead with bewildered eyes to see that her attackers had been removed by a strange propulsion of energy!

But not just her assailants, both of her friends as well!

Mai's mouth hung open in a rare display of great awe.

Her shock was so great that she didn't even notice that her knife falling to her feet.

Even the Fire Nation soldiers and the stoic Dai Li stood gawking at the baffling scene before them.

Every single White Lotus sentry that had been attacking the princess and her two friends had been repelled by a mysterious force.

Iroh stood frozen in disbelief gazing back at Elle with his golden eyes expressing his disbelief.

And the Avatar himself had been sent skidding backwards by the strange burst of energy.

Far above on the warship Zuko gazed down with his eyes widening in puzzlement.

And on the other side of the battlefield Toph sat on her knees with her mouth hanging open in amazement.

All the while the teenager continued to pound her fists on the ground with her eyes closed repeating the same thing over and over.

"Get away from her!" Elle shouted in a shaken voice while Azula still sat gazing at her with amazed golden eyes.

"Elle…open your eyes. Azula is safe." Ty Lee assured in an astonished voice with her mouth still ajar in awe at the sight of the faint white glow emitting from the girl's body.

"W-what was that?" A White Lotus Sentry asked in a frightened voice while he gazed in confusion at the young girl opening her amber eyes.

The blonde-haired girl gazed ahead with her own eyes widening in surprise while she gazed down at her open palms.

"No way…" Elle breathed in shock while Azula pushed herself to her feet.

The princess took a tired step forward while she stared down at her servant in disbelief before finally regaining her composure.

"How…did you do that Elle?" Azula questioned with her eyes still expressing her surprise.

If she hadn't had seen it with her own two eyes, she wouldn't have believed it.

She would have never expected that her cry baby handmaid had powers of any kind!

"Naoki was right! I thought that she was mistaken when she told me that she wanted to recruit me. She told me that I had a gift…I laughed. I told her that my only talent was a paint brush." The blonde-haired girl spoke with her amber eyes still gaping down at her hands while her friends listened in amazement.

The princess could only gaze down at her young admirer with stunned golden eyes while the two noblewomen came running up behind them.

It was plain to see that the gears were already turning in Azula's mind.

Ty Lee gazed between her adopted sister and Azula's unusually surprised face with a trace of worry in her eyes.

She had no doubt that Azula was already thinking of all of the ways that this would benefit her!

"Explain this to me! Every detail!" The princess demanded with her sweat-stained face already staring down at her pet with imposing golden eyes.

"Azula!" The brown-haired woman scolded while her leader paid her protests no mind.

"I…don't know anything about it really. All I know is that this particular power is passed down through bloodlines. When I die…it will randomly transfer to someone else." Elle answered with her explanation invoking worry in the three women.

Even the princess's regal lips curved into a brief frown after hearing those words.

“This…must be what my mother and father died for.” The blonde-haired girl mumbled to herself while the two noblewomen gazed down at her with sisterly concern in their eyes.

"Elle…I didn't know…" Ty Lee spoke softly with her warm eyes expressing her sadness over the girl's grief regarding her mother's death.

"Young lady, I must ask that you step aside." The Dragon of the West stated once more while he stood up seemingly unharmed by the burst of energy.

"Why?" Elle replied with a frown while she pushed herself to her feet while the Avatar stared back at her with stern eyes.

"So, we can defeat the Fire Nation and bring balance back to the world!" Aang declared in a determined voice while he glared at Azula's cruelly scoffing face.

"And where is Azula-sama's place in this world of yours?" The blonde-haired girl pondered with the three women watching in bafflement when a faint white light began to sweep around all four of them.

"Far away from the Fire Nation throne." Iroh answered without delay while Elle hung her head with her bangs in her eyes.

"In other words, you wish to kill her?" Elle spoke with her hands tightly gripping the straps of her backpack.

The Dragon of the West gazed at his niece's enraged face with a grave countenance.

The old man's silence was all that she needed to know what fate would be in store for her beloved princess.

"What a preposterous question. My answer is obviously no." The blonde-haired girl announced to the surprise of the enemy forces yet her highborn friends had expected such a response.

"What?" The Dragon of the West blurted out in disbelief while the princess smiled smugly before collapsing onto her backside in exhaustion.

"Humph. Nice try Uncle. This one is my most loyal servant. She would never betray me." Azula boasted with a pompous huff while she smirked at her handmaid's back in approval.

Such an interesting turn of events…

Any power that her admirer possessed could be considered hers by default.

"You are afraid of Azula-sama's evolved power…and you wish to dispose of her before she has a chance to recover…and master her abilities further. Is that right?" Elle remarked with her amber eyes gazing ahead at the old man's bewildered face.

The two noblewomen and their princess continued to stare down at their petite friend in rising bafflement over the girl's changing personality.

"Yes! If Azula is allowed to obtain a power that rivals the Avatar State there is no telling what horrors she will inflict upon the world!" Iroh explained with a trace of anger in his usually peaceful voice while Azula's crimson lips curled into a proud smile.

And even Mai and Ty Lee couldn't help but shudder over their leader's clear pride in her new abilities.

“Yep! You have just cause to be afraid. Going to war with Azula-sama is no joke. If you’re not careful she could very well kill every last one of you.” The blonde-haired girl chirped in an almost carefree voice while her big sister's sweatdropped alongside her

"Once more yes! Now please stand aside!" The Dragon of the West repeated with genuine bafflement in his eyes when the girl shook her head.

"I truly hope that all of you survive this war. I hold no ill will against any of you and I wish you all long, prosperous lives. But I will not stand aside." Elle insisted with a small smile while Azula gazed at her in sadistic amusement.

The weapons expert couldn't help but stare down at their strange companion with a sliver of amusement in her stare.

The girl was an odd one, that was for certain.

"How can you say those words and still assist her!" The Avatar demanded with fury in his voice while the girl laughed bitterly under her breath.

"Because at heart I am a selfish person." The blonde-haired girl admitted to the surprise of even her friends before removing her backpack from her shoulder.

Her backpack promptly fell to her feet before she turned to gaze down into the princess's once more bewildered golden eyes.

"I hide my selfishness beneath a smile. After many years of torment and despair I have finally found a place where I belong. And you think that I will throw it all away just because you ask me!" Elle almost snapped before tipping her head back with an expression of apathy in her eyes that took even Azula aback.

"Elle." The brown-haired woman murmured in a surprised voice while the teenager turned to face the now disgusted Avatar.

"You would put your own desires before everyone else?" Aang inquired with anger returning to his once peaceful eyes while Elle managed another bitter chuckle.

Both Mai and Ty Lee were completely stunned by their adopted sister's cynical behavior.

Even the princess herself seemed thrown off by the change in personality.

"In a heartbeat! I will not trade my happiness just because you tell me to!" The blonde-haired girl bellowed with her eyes narrowing while the three women listened in an amazed silence.

And they were even beginning to grow concerned for Elle's wellbeing.

From what they have seen Elle had no combat ability whatsoever, and on top of that, a crippling breathing condition.

And they knew nothing about this strange power of hers that was suddenly coming to the surface!

"Then I have no choice but to go through you!" The Avatar shouted with his bad arm hanging at his side while turned to stare hard at the girl's unraveling energy.

Once more…why did gazing at this young girl send a chill down his spine?

"I think I finally understand why you disgust me! You are such a sanctimonious hypocrite!" Elle roared with a scowl on her usually kind face while her three highborn friends stared at her in complete astonishment.

"W-what do you mean?" Aang asked with his anger giving way to hurt while Elle's lips entrenched into a repulsed thin line.

"You have the gall to believe that you are the sole answer to all of the problems in the world! But you're nothing but a stupid boy born with a preordained power!" The blonde-haired girl snapped before spitting at her feet while the princess gazed at her back with surprised golden eyes.

"Wow Elle." Ty Lee spoke with her eyes agape in disbelief.

This is the first time she has ever seen her this angry!

The venomous condemnation hit Aang harder than any punch ever could.

And even Iroh was staring at the girl with his mouth open in shock over the young girl's angry side.

"We're all selfish here. Azula-sama wishes to rule the world, Mai wishes for her lovers' safety above all else, and you fancy yourself the savior of the entire world and I desire to protect the person that I love even at the cost of your lives." Elle ranted with a bright light beginning to emanate from her body once more.

Even Azula was gazing at her young girlfriend with her crimson lips expressing her surprise over the girl's burst of anger.

The Avatar and his allies stood staring back at the strange girl with unnerved eyes when she continued to glow with a white hue.

"Do you know what you're doing Elle?" Mai inquired with worry in her usually monotone voice while she gazed around at the girl's mysterious protective barrier.

"I don't know." The blonde-haired girl admitted with a twinge of a blush on her cheeks when she sensed her princess staring at her with those brilliant eyes that she adored.

"Well that's unsurprising." Azula snorted with a regal roll of her eyes while her two subordinates stared at the back of her head in disapproval.

"All of my life I have hidden been afraid. I have always been hesitant to face the world. But you give me courage Azula-sama. Perhaps…it was meeting you that brought this about in me." Elle confessed in a return to her bashful voice while Azula gazed at her with a flicker of fondness in her callous eyes.

"That explains it. My greatness must be rubbing off on you." The princess commented with a pompous nod while the other two women rolled their eyes over her gargantuan ego.

"It must. Before I came here, I encountered two fellow survivors of the child hunt." The blonde-haired girl answered before turning away once more while her three friends listened with concern in their eyes.

And the two noblewomen gazed at their leader with questioning eyes.

Neither Mai nor Ty Lee had been aware that Elle had been a victim of a child hunt!

"Naoki wanted vengeance. Katsu wanted the same. But that wasn't what I wanted. I told them that I was searching for something…" Elle trailed off with a reminiscent countenance while Azula listened in a taken aback silence.

"What was it that you were searching for Elle?" The brown-haired woman questioned gently when the younger girl turned to smile over her shoulder.

"Home." The blonde-haired girl announced with her amber eyes gazing over their speechless faces before meeting her princess's stunned golden gaze.

Not even Azula could mouth a reply to such a heartfelt statement.

It was all they could do but gape at the girl when she reeled around to face the Avatar with her smile transforming into a resolute stare.

"And I won't let you take that from me!" The blonde-haired girl bellowed with the three women gawking at her change in disbelief.

The Avatar hardened his gaze before leaping forward with a burst of airbending.

All the while Iroh watched with shocked eyes when Elle took off in a mad sprint straight at Aang.

"W-what is Elle doing!" Ty Lee exclaimed in horror while Azula sat up with her own cold eyes agape in a rare show of concern.

"Foolish girl! Do you even know what your power does!" Azula barked with something akin to concern in her callous voice while she gaped at the sight of the tiny girl charging the Avatar.

Toph blinked her glazed eyes while she 'watched' the young girl dart towards Aang.

"I never would have thought that Sunshine had it in her to be this bold." The blind bandit commented with just a small trace of her usual humor in her voice.

"I don't want to hurt you! You are not my enemy!" Aang shouted with his staff in hand while he watched in alarm when the girl's unnerving energy began to spike.

"I don't know what this power does but I know I can fight you with it! Rieko wouldn't be searching to obtain it if it was useless! So, let's go you!" Elle called out with her little fists balled up at her sides.

The princess quirked a brow in curiosity all the while trying to conceal her barest hints of concern for her young girlfriends' safety.

Yet at the same time…curious to see what the girl's power could do.

"Quickly men! Apprehend Azula!" Iroh ordered with his fists burning brightly only for the princess's soldiers to leap down before her.

"Your orders princess?" Saro inquired with a turn of his head while Azula glanced up with cold golden eyes.

"Kill anyone who gets in your way. And do not like that girl die. If she dies…you die." The princess remarked icily with her words causing the soldiers to shiver.

"U-understood! It will be done!" The lieutenant exclaimed before turning away only after briefly casting the weapons expert a warning glare.

The meaning behind the glance was all too clear to Azula.

House Song was expecting her to punish Mai for murdering their captain.

Azula turned to glare frigidly at Mai's flinching countenance only for her eyes to widen when she snapped her attention back to her loyal servant's charge.

The princess's mouth dropped open in complete bafflement when she watched the girl tip her head back and scream at the top of her lungs.

She almost laughed! It was such a preposterous sight!

That is if she wasn't witnessing a powerful chi exuding from her body!

In that very moment each and every person on the battlefield watched in astonishment when the small girl ran screaming to meet the Avatar in battle.

Only to gape in disbelief when they watched the impossible happen.

Before the Avatar could even so much as release a single blast of bending, they all watched in shock when his airbending died out like a waning flame in the palm of his hand.

"My airbending! Where…did it go!" Aang protested as he fell through midair with his eyes widening in shock.

High above the airship Zuko stood staring down at the scene in disbelief when he watched Aang drop through the air like a bird with a broken wing.

"What happened Aang!" Iroh called out only to watch in horror when the Avatar fell to the ground on all fours.

"I can't bend! W-what did she do to my bending!" The Avatar yelled out with his eyes blinking down at his bare fist only for the small girl to tackle him.

"Did…she just turn off the Avatar's bending?" Mai asked with her tawny eyes widening in awe while she watched her adopted sister comically jump on the stunned Avatar.

"S-she did! H-his flow of chi is completely cut off!" Ty Lee shouted with mutual awe in her eyes while Azula pushed herself to her feet beside her.

The two women turned to stare back into the princess's shocked golden eyes while the sadistic woman observed the scene in amazement.

And it didn't take long for Azula's shock to give way to delight.

"The tiger monkey…is the Avatar's bane?" Azula spoke before erupting into belly shaking laughter while her subordinates gawked at the scene.

"Y-you can't bend at all?" The Dragon of the West stammered with a frightened realization in his eyes while the young girl glared down at the now frightened Avatar.

"No! It's like she turned off a switch and it's gone!" Aang cried out while Azula's smug laughter continued to ring out over the battleground.

"This…can only mean one thing." Iroh breathed with his golden eyes agape in shock while Azula listened closely with a curious gleam in her golden eyes.

"Not so mighty now are you!" The blonde-haired girl growled while she sprung to her feet pointing a finger down at the speechless monk.

"Legend has it that long ago there existed a power that functioned in opposition to the Avatar Cycle. They…called it the Component! They say that the Component had the ability to cut through the Avatar’s spiritual energy! It was said to have vanished over two thousand years ago! But I thought that it was just a myth!" The Dragon of the West shouted with his hands at his sides while everyone listened in utter astonishment.

There wasn't a single person present that wasn't struck by the declaration.

Azula stared at the Avatar staggering to his feet with his eyes agape in horror while her red lips began to quirk into a victorious smile.

The former prince listened to those words with a newfound fear of his sister in his eyes.

This couldn't be!

In all of his life he has never been this frightened of Azula as he is now!

Not only was his sister strong enough to challenge the Avatar State but she was now in possession of the sole person capable of nullifying Aang's powers!

"You don't say Uncle? The Component?" The princess purred in a devious voice while she continued to laugh victoriously.

"Vanished thousands of years ago…if all of this is true…would that mean that somehow Elle has ancestry in our world?” The markswoman pondered in a shocked voice while the princess tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Hm. An interesting thought." Azula spoke with a hand under her chin while she regarded her shouting girlfriend in approval.

She couldn't have picked a more appropriate girlfriend!

"I…can't believe it…Elle…the Avatar's opposition?" The brown-haired woman muttered before swallowing in fear for her little sister's safety.

She could only hope that Azula had wouldn't thrust Elle into harm’s way!

"An opposition to me? B-but how will I defeat Azula and the Fire Lord if she is present to turn off my powers!" The Avatar yelled out in fright while the princess observed in sadistic delight.

"You won't be defeating Azula-sama! As soon as she recovers, she's going to kick your sorry ass to the moon and back!” Elle cried out before pumping a fist in the air while Azula continued to laugh in hearty amusement.

"My sentiments exactly. It would certainly seem as if I am rubbing off on her." The princess commented with a proud smile while her two-childhood friends gazed at her in discomfort.

"S-she's a sweet girl Azula! Please don't take advantage of her!" Ty Lee pleaded with her words causing Azula to turn around and scoff at her.

"Take advantage? Please! I have done nothing but pamper her!" Azula snorted with a roll of her arrogant eyes.

"I beg you to please stand aside so I can restore balance to this world!" Aang pleaded with his arms at his sides while Toph marveled at the scene from the sidelines.

"No way. Sunshine is Twinkle Toe's weakness." Toph muttered with unusual shock in her expression.

"Go restore balance then." The blonde-haired girl scoffed with a defiant voice before gesturing to her princess standing a distance behind her.

"I can't do it without my bending!" The Avatar yelled in rising aggravation while the petite girl mustered her back attempt at a glare.

"You've got your little staff and Azula-sama can't bend right now either. Go on! What's stopping you!" Elle exclaimed in a cynical voice while Aang turned to gaze over at Azula's smugly smirking face with hesitation in his eyes.

All the while everyone on all sides stood watching the confrontation with baffled eyes.

"Yes, do come over Avatar! So, I can tear off your genitals and nail them to your forehead!" The princess bellowed with a violent sneer while her childhood friends shuddered alongside her.

"Uh…w-well…" Aang trailed off with his friends gazing at him in pity while Elle clenched her fists at her side in anger.

"Just like I thought! You don't have the balls to face her on even ground! Get lost! My loyalty is to Azula-sama and Azula-sama alone!" The blonde-haired girl declared with prideful puff of her chest before turning around to rejoin her stunned friends.

"I…still can't believe that Elle is the opposition to the Avatar." The brown-haired woman muttered with her sisterly eyes still agape in awe while she watched the girl pad her way over to the pleased princess's side.

"And to think that we would have never known if I hadn't brought her along." The princess purred with a refined smile on her regal lips while she turned to gaze at her little girlfriend in approval.

"You must listen to me! Please!" The Avatar called out in a frantic voice before reaching out to grasp the girl's wrist by his good hand.

"Let go of me!" Elle cried out only to recoil at Aang's touch while Azula waved her hand for her men to back her up.

"It is the Avatar's duty to bring harmony to the four nations! I was chosen by the spirits almost a century ago! But I ran away like a foolish child and I left my friends behind when they needed me most! And then I abandoned the world a second time for six more years! My…my friend Bumi even died waiting for me! And that's why…that's why I will not turn my back on the world a third time!" Aang pleaded with great emotion overcoming his face while Elle stopped to listen as if she were considering his words.

"So, what you're saying is…that the world needs the Avatar?" The blonde-haired girl questioned with a tilt of her head while the monk rapidly nodded his head.

"Yes, it is the Avatar's responsibility to guide the world towards peace." The Avatar answered in a serious voice while the teenager peered up into his eyes.

"Peace…" Elle trailed off with a thoughtful voice while she briefly turned her eyes away from Aang's gaze.

"Elle, will you help me bring peace and stability to the world?" Aang inquired in an adamant voice with hopeful eyes while Elle stood gazing down at her feet.

For the briefest of moments Azula stood with her lips curving into an annoyed scowl.

She stared hard at the girl with her golden eyes momentarily flashing in a long-hidden fear of betrayal.

After opening up her heart to this girl and letting her get to know her in ways that no one else ever has.

After giving this peasant girl the greatest gift of all…her trust!

Elle had better not turn her back on her now!

Not after all that she has done for her!

In that very moment Elle turned to meet Azula's gaze while the princess stared back expectantly at her with narrowing golden eyes.

The teenager's lips began to crease into a thin line all the while recalling the princess's words from that day at the port.

Don't be so afraid to be yourself. Be proud of who you are.

The words from that fateful moment in time continued to play in her mind while Aang gazed down at her with an optimistic smile once more returning to his lips.

Only for each and every person present to stare on with captivated eyes when Elle suddenly slapped Aang's hand away from her wrist.

And Team Azula watched in astonishment when the girl followed that up by knocking the monk's staff from his burned hand.

The staff dropped to the ground at their feet with a resounding thud while Aang gaped down at the girl with disbelieving eyes.

Iroh stood off to the side observing the ensuing conflict with horrified golden eyes while the girl's shouts began to ring into the air once more.

Zuko and Pakku also stood frozen with their mouths agape in shock.

"No matter what you say I will not betray Azula-sama!" The blonde-haired girl insisted with uncharacteristic anger in her voice while the Avatar stared down at her in disbelief.

The princess stood on exhausted legs with her golden eyes gazing at her companion in ever rising wonderment.

And somewhere deep inside of her cruel heart she felt a growing appreciation for this young peasant girl from another world.

No one…has ever expressed such undying devotion to her before.

It was surreal.

Yet pleasant all the same.

The acrobat turned to the princess's stunned face with the barest hints of a warm smile appearing on her lips.

While she had her concerns for Azula obtaining even greater power.

There was no doubt in her mind that Elle's sweet hearted loyalty was for Azula's own good.

"Elle! How can you be this selfish!?" The Avatar demanded in an utterly furious voice before snatching ahold of the girl's shirt.

As soon as Aang put his hand on Elle the three highborn women were already moving forward to the girl's defense.

And most curious of all was the fact that Azula was the first to spring forward.

The princess's golden eyes were flashing with an aggressive protectiveness at the sight of seeing her enemy manhandle her young girlfriend.

Only for the three to halt in surprise when the girl swiftly struck her flat palm into the monk's cheek.

The monk stumbled back in surprise while his head whipped to the side while the three women watched with taken aback eyes.

And then Aang released a sharp cry of pain when Elle followed up with a merciless kick to his groin.

All males present felt a phantom pain in their lower regions when the Avatar dropped onto his back crying out in pain.

Such a sight was just as shocking to Team Azula as learning that their fragile friend held the key to an ancient power!

"I told you not to touch me! Harmony my ass! You're just as selfish as everyone else!" Elle roared with a glower of disgust on her lips while she scoffed down at Aang’s shocked face.

The three women stood gawking at the scene in shock.

And each of them had a similar thought running through their minds.

This young girl that they have all come to feel a need to protect was learning to protect herself.

And in some way or another they all found themselves pleased by their young friends' growth.

And strangely enough, no one more so than Azula.

'Is this what it feels like to have pride in someone else?' Azula thought with her mouth still entrenched into an expression of astonishment.

"Maybe you're the problem! Maybe the world doesn't need you! Look at all of these people just standing around waiting for you to solve their problems! Maybe, just maybe! The Avatar is hindering human development! Maybe if you took a hike for good the other nations would learn how to handle their problems without you!" The blonde-haired girl snapped with her amber eyes glaring down into the monk's hurt eyes.

The soldiers on both sides had even paused in their individual battles to gaze at the young girl in shock.

And even though none of the White Lotus wanted to admit it aloud, some couldn't help but ponder that the girl had a valid point.

"I implore you to listen to what we have to say! Azula is not what you think she is!" Iroh called out with desperation in his old eyes while Elle turned to glare at him.

"She may not be a friend to you but she is a friend to me! I'm on Team Azula and if you don't like it you can kiss my ass!" Elle declared with a scowl before turning around to dart back over to the princess's side.

The princess watched the girl run back over with the shock in her cold eyes giving way to amusement before erupting into approving laughter once more.

"Did you hear that Ty Lee?" Azula spoke with boundless satisfaction in her voice while the acrobat sighed fondly alongside her.

"I heard it Azula." Ty Lee replied with a chuckle while she watched the girl run back over to rejoin them.

All the while Toph couldn't help but release an amused chuckle of her own.

If only because she understood where Elle was coming from.

"That's the spirit Sunshine! Let it all out!" The blind bandit snickered even while her allies glared in her direction.

"Toph!" Several voices berated in unison while the girl slid to a stop before the smirking princess.

Though Azula did realize that the earthbender had a point.

She was well aware that the girl has been keeping her emotions pent up ever since the moment she met her.

It hadn't escaped her notice that while Elle was genuinely happy the majority of the time that she spent in the girl's company.

Up until now the girl was concealing her anger and sadness beneath the mask of an eternal smile.

"So, you're going to stand as our enemy?!" The Dragon of the West demanded with a grim look in his eyes while the girl held a fist high above her head.

"Damn right I am! Any enemy of the princess is my enemy!" The blonde-haired girl yelled with her chest puffing out while the princess gazed down at her in approval.

"The Component? This is horrible! Can this possibly get any worse!" The waterbending master exclaimed with shock in his voice while the former prince swallowed fearfully beside him.

"I will bring balance to this world! Even if I have to go through you to do it!" The Avatar shouted after shakily pushing himself to his feet while the teenager pointed an angry finger back at him.

"To hell with your balance and your Avatar Cycle! Let's have imbalance! Defeat the Fire Lord you say? Defeat Azula-sama you say! Take a good hard look at me Avatar! I'm your worst enemy!" Elle announced with a snarl while the three women gazed down at her in amazement.

Aang and all of the White Lotus could only stare on in horror when the bright chi burst from the girl once more.

The Fire Nation soldiers and the Dai Li also stood marveling at both the young girl's newfound power and words.

"You better be afraid Avatar! Because my name is Elle Turner! Daughter of Lana Turner! One of the Rosewood Three and as long as I draw breath, I will stand beside Azula-sama!” The blonde-haired girl concluded with a resolute countenance while thrusting a clenched fist high in the air.

The princess quirked a brow while peering down at her young companion with a hand curled up beneath her chin.

"Elle Turner is it now?" Azula commented with a margin of fondness in her strict voice while she continued to study the girl's chi in astonishment.

Who would have thought that the Avatar's greatest weakness was hiding right before her very eyes!

"That's so Azula-sama." Elle answered in a calmer voice with her loyal eyes gazing up at Azula's beautiful countenance.

"Do you feel better now that you got all of that out of your system?" Mai questioned in her usual deadpan voice while she blinked down at the younger girl in puzzlement.

"As a matter of fact, I do!" The blonde-haired girl chirped with a grin while the three women stared down at her in amusement.

"What brought all of that on little sister?" Ty Lee pondered with a tilt of her head while placing a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder.

"Azula-sama told me to be proud. She inspired me to be open with my feelings." Elle admitted softly with a twinge of pink on her cheeks while Azula eyed her closely.

It was a truly jarring statement to both Mai and Ty Lee.

This was the first time that they have ever heard of Azula inspiring anything that didn't involve cruelty!

"I suppose I did say that didn't I?" The princess sighed with her finger sweeping her sweaty bangs from her eyes before turning to glare in the direction of her uncle.

Evidently the older waterbender had been wrong about Iroh being in the Misty Palms Oasis.

The old fool must have changed course when he received word that Zoe was hunting and killing his soldiers.

"You leave me no alternative Azula. Whatever happens from here on out is on your head." Iroh informed in a warning voice with his lips pursed into a scowl while Azula's golden eyes narrowed dangerously.

The meaning of the old man's words was obvious to all three women.

The acrobat could only stare at the back of her leader's head with angered brown-gray eyes.

Now Elle was going to be an open target for capture and maybe even assassination!

Her worst fears were confirmed when she rounded around just in time to see sentries rushing towards them.

Heading straight for her young friend!

The small blonde took a fearful step backwards only to watch with moved amber eyes when the tired princess sprang forward with the ferocity of a protective lover.

Both the Avatar and the former general watched in shock when the princess savagely restrained the first man around the neck while she glared down at him with merciless golden eyes.

The two noblewomen swallowed a stunned gasp while they protectively pushed the petite girl behind them.

"And this poor fool's life is on you. Watch closely Uncle. You're next." Azula hissed in a glacial voice with her toned arms brutally crushing the writhing man's wind pipe.

Zuko gripped the rail of the warship while he stared down at the scene with shuddering golden eyes.

Just before turning away when the man's knife slipped from his fingers and dropped into the dirt at his feet.

Crack!

The other soldiers stood frozen in their tracks when their comrade fell face first into the dirt while the ruthless woman glared back at them with terrifying golden eyes.

"A-Azula-sama." The blonde-haired girl squeaked in a mousy voice with her sentimental amber eyes averting her eyes from the slain rebel.

While the sweat soaked princess stood staring icily back at the now terrified enemy army.

"E-eh…well it looks like you're in good hands Elle." The brown-haired woman stammered with a gulp while the princess's merciless gaze swept across every soldier's fearful face.

In that moment Toph turned to 'gaze' at the White Lotus command with anger in her eyes.

'So that's what this has come down to? Murdering a young girl for being on the opposing side?' The blind bandit thought before turning away to scoff in disgust.

"Anyone that tries to touch my girl will be bathed in blue fire!" The princess roared before springing forward at her shocked enemies.

“Azula’s girl?” The Dragon of the West repeated with a horrible realization in his voice.

"S-she's a monster!" A White Lotus Sentry cried out while the two noblewomen sweatdropped as they watched him turn and run away.

Even when she was wounded and drained of all her chi Azula was still a force to be reckoned with!

The former general quickly regained his composure before hardening his eyes while he sprinted straight for his exhausted niece.

Azula's fierce battle roar echoed into the air while she savagely kicked a man to the ground.

At her boot was several stray teeth and a small blood stain.

Saro and his soldiers were ruthlessly fighting their way through the enemy legion while the Dai Li continued to slay men left and right.

The Avatar grasped his staff before he took off running towards the teenager while her big sisters stood defensively above her.

"If you won't cooperate then I will just have to take you by force! Maybe then you'll listen to reason and-" Aang shouted only to be cut off when he was sent soaring backwards by a burst of ominous bright light.

And the White Lotus could only stare on in shock to see that the Avatar was truly powerless in the presence of this girl!

"Stay away from me and my family!" Elle announced with her little fists clenched at her sides while her big sisters gaped down at her in awe.

"If you would only give us a moment to explain ourselves you would see that there is truth to what we are saying!" Iroh bellowed with his eyes agape in shock while Azula viciously slammed her body into his side.

"The moment my bending returns I am going to break your back Uncle. After that…I will bring you back to parade you and the broken Avatar through the streets of the Capital!" Azula snarled with her callous golden eyes staring back into her uncle's while he slid back in the dirt.

The declaration hit Zuko like lightning in the chest while he gazed down at his sister with newfound horror in his eyes.

"W-we should retreat Iroh! This isn't worth the risk!" Another commanding officer yelled out while he gazed fearfully between the frightening princess and the young girl releasing powerful bursts of mysterious chi.

"You don't scare me! Now get away from Azula-sama or I will not hesitate to fight you!” The blonde-haired girl cried out to the disbelief of her friends while she narrowed her eyes back at the stunned Avatar.

“Fight? I thought you were a pacifist?” The markswoman asked in astonishment while gazing down at the girl in shock.

"Three weeks ago, I had nothing. I…was alone. I was lost in the world in search of something…somewhere to belong. A man approached me, and he said that he had a job for me. I said that I wasn't interested and then he hit me hard across the cheek. He would have taken me but then a royal litter passed us by. S-she saved me!" Elle explained in mid pant while her sister's and even Azula listened in a taken aback silence.

The two noblewomen were so stricken by the girl's description of when she first laid eyes on Azula.

The acrobat couldn't help but stare down at the girl with tears in her eyes.

She had no doubt that Azula didn't even notice Elle on that fateful day. That moment in time meant nothing to Azula, but to Elle it meant the world!

"And so, I sat there…so I could watch her walk by every day. And…she protected me without even knowing it. And then…just when I was about to slip away a woman stood over me…that person was Azula-sama!" The blonde-haired girl shouted with her golden locks sticking to her cheeks while her friends and enemies stood in a transfixed silence.

All the while any thoughts the White Lotus had of convincing Elle to join their side began to rapidly soar out of the metaphorical window when the girl's furious cries resonated over the battlefield.

Team Azula gazed on in amazement when the petite girl leaped to her feet with her fists balling up before her in a stunning display of uncharacteristic rage.

"S-she gave me a roof over my head, food, water, and a bed! S-she put this bow around my neck! She brushed my hair! She held me when I was afraid! And she gave me a home! I don't care what you people say to me! I don't care if you’re at war with her! I will not turn my back on her! And I won’t give up that home for any of you!” Elle screamed with her chi surging to astonishing levels while it swept over the three speechless women.

"Elle…" The brown-haired woman trailed off in a heartfelt voice while the girl's mysterious power continued to surge while the Avatar was sent skidding backwards on both feet.

Aang held his arms over his face while he gaped at the girl just when the earth began to shake beneath their feet.

Only for Iroh to grasp him by the wrist before he took off sprinting to their airship while Azula's forces watched them retreat.

The princess glanced down at her feet with her golden eyes widening in realization while the remaining landmines continued to explode underground.

"Princess! We must leave! Someone detonated the entire minefield!" Saro advised with fear in his eyes while Azula stood scowling in understanding.

Before turning her ruthless gaze back to Mai's flinching face with her cold gaze warning of a severe punishment to come.

There was only one person with remote control over the minefield!

"That's right! You better run! Because there's more where that came from!" The blonde-haired girl called out with a fist held high above her head while the three women sweatdropped in amusement.

It went without saying that even Azula found herself taken aback by the girl's wilder side.

Elle took a tired step forward with her hands on her knees while she panted for air.

And yet she was smiling once more.

Smiling because her princess's golden eyes had swept over her in approval.

And that was victory enough for her.

And that was when it happened.

The princess broke out into a full run to rejoin her companions only for her boot to fall straight through the collapsing ground.

The preceding events seemed to happen in slow motion.

Azula's boots began to slip through the eroding ground only to snap her alarmed eyes upward when a small body slammed into her stomach.

The princess landed on her backside only to find herself gazing on in shock to see her young companion plunging through the ground in her place.

"Elle!" Ty Lee yelled out in alarm while she dropped to the ground to grasp the girl's hand.

The acrobat watched helplessly when her hand just barely grazed the younger girl's fingers.

She could only watch in shock while the girl fell through the open earth just when Mai arrived over her shoulder with her own mouth agape in sorrow.

And Azula sat on her bottom staring down into the pit with something akin to regret in her golden eyes.

Not a single word was uttered when the soldiers rushed to a stop around them.

There was nothing but silence while the three speechless women gazed down into the dark hole.

Even the sounds of the exploding landmines were but an afterthought.

And then…silence.

#Azula #avatar the last airbender fanfiction #ty lee avatar #mai avatar #femslash

[setaripendragon]

Like Fire and Water - Part 4

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 Yeah, you probably saw this coming. But oh my god, Azula is simultaneously so easy, and so very difficult to write. She has some very clearly defined traits (like her vicious ruthlessnes and shrewd calculation) but at the same time, she’s clearly very fucked up about her mother, and the topic makes her kind of unstable. I hope I did her justice.

“Azula!”

Looking up from her maps, Azula called for Ty Lee to enter the tent. It wasn’t as large as Azula was used to, but if she wanted to move fast with a small unit, she had to make some sacrifices. Across the small room, Mai glanced up from sharpening her knives, before rolling her eyes at Ty Lee’s cartwheeling entrance, and going back to her work. “A courier just brought this letter for you.” Ty Lee announced, coming to a stop kneeling beside Azula’s chair, holding up a plain envelope on flat palms like an offering.

Ty Lee always knew how to improve Azula’s mood. She took the letter with a smile, even though she was vaguely perplexed by the fact it clearly wasn’t a scroll, which was favoured in the Fire Nation, or a military correspondence, as those would be on the thin fire-proof paper that worked so well with heat-sensitive ink for secret missives. It was addressed plainly, to ‘Princess Azula of the Fire Nation’, and when she flipped it over, Azula saw that the seal belonged to the Bei Fong family.

“Why would Earth Kingdom nobles from Gaoling be writing to me?” Azula wondered aloud.

“Gaoling?” Ty Lee inquired, bouncing to her feet and leaning over Azula’s shoulder to peer at the letter. “Where’s that?”

“South of the Si Wong Desert.” Azula informed her absently, breaking the seal and pulling neatly folded paper out of the envelope. She stared at the first line for a moment, bewildered to the point of speechlessness, which didn’t happen very often.

“Ooh, Mai, it’s from Zuko!” Ty Lee exclaimed gleefully.

Mai’s head came up again, her gaze sharp with interest. “Oh?” She asked, trying and failing to sound bored. Azula didn’t bring attention to it, though. Let Mai try to pretend she wasn’t still half in love with Azula’s foolish brother if she wanted to. Maybe Azula would even let her have the pieces once she’d finished breaking him. “What does it say?”

“Honoured sister,” Azula began reading aloud.

“I would start with saying how I hope this letter finds you in good health and all of that, but I don’t really, and I feel like a lie would be a poor way to start such an important letter. So instead I’ll say that I’m pretty sure this letter will find you alive, since you’re annoyingly hard to kill.”

“That… doesn’t sound like Zuko at all.” Mai muttered, getting to her feet and coming to stand at Azula’s other shoulder.

“It is a bit more venomous than Zuzu usually gets…”Azula mused, squinting at the letter suspiciously.

“Maybe he’s still upset about you hurting General Iroh?” Ty Lee suggested.

“Maybe…” Azula mused. She was absorbed enough in her thoughts that she didn’t object when Mai tugged the letter out of her hand and carried on reading it herself. There was something about the choice of words that was irritatingly familiar. It didn’t sound like Zuko, but it did sound like someone, if only she could think who would dare to impersonate her brother, even in writing.

“As much as I honestly do wish some grisly fate upon you, I still feel that it’s my duty to inform you of news about our family, which is why I went to the trouble of writing this letter. You may already know this, because you would be cruel enough to know and not tell anyone, but-” Mai stopped reading abruptly. Azula looked up to find her staring at the letter with shock written all over her paler-than-usual face.

“What?” Azula snapped sharply.

Mai gaped soundlessly for several long seconds, but she recovered herself before Azula had to ask twice. Good thing, because Azula didn’t ask twice. She cleared her throat, and met Azula’s eyes as she repeated from memory; “-but Lady Ursa, our esteemed mother, is alive.” Going by the look on Mai’s face, she was wondering – the same as Zuko – if Azula had known that Mother wasn’t dead.

She’d suspected, of course. Or… wondered, might be a better word, because she’d never quite thought about it. What did it matter, anyway? Dead or banished, it wasn’t as if she had any power over Azula anymore, so it was of no consequence. Except… Except there was a faint ringing in Azula’s ears, and she couldn’t quite seem to find enough air.

It did matter. It shouldn’t, so Azula ruthlessly squashed the part of her that hurt at the thought of her mother abandoning her like that. She shook away those stupid, weak emotions, and gestured for Mai to keep reading. She didn’t, though, the letter dropping to her side in a limp hand while the other came up to massage the bridge of her nose. “Spirits, I can’t even imagine how Zuko must have felt…” She murmured.

Azula considered scorching her bangs off to remind her to pay attention, but before she could succumb to the impulse, Ty Lee had twirled in, snatched the letter, and flung herself up onto one of the support poles, hanging upside down from her knees with the letter in front of her face.

“Whether or not that’s news to you, I’m fairly sure you don’t know that she’s in good health. I really do hope you have enough of a heart left to care about that, since she’s your mother. She’s well, and currently living in Ba Sing Se’s lower ring. Not the most glamorous of places, I know, but she seems happy here. Much happier than she was in the Fire Palace. She’s working as a scribe, which pays pretty well, since you probably don’t know but a lot of people here don’t know how to read and write.”

Ty Lee peeked over the bottom of the letter. “People in the Earth Kingdom don’t know how to write? But I thought they made a big deal out of their written contracts and stuff?” She asked, sweet and innocent in her confusion.

Azula rolled her eyes. “The nobles keep written contracts. The peasants have to make do with verbal contracts. The Earth Kingdom nobles seem to think that keeping their subjects ignorant and dull is the way to keep their power, when actually it only ensures that the foundation of it is weak and easily broken.” She sneered. It was a good distraction from the turmoil making a mess of her insides. She felt… offended that Mother was working at all, even if her work wasn’t as menial as it could be. But she shouldn’t care whether her mother was alive or dead, working or slaving or lounging in the lap of luxury. She was nothing to Azula anymore.

“Oh, that is pretty stupid.” Ty Lee agreed, then pitched her voice with an actor’s flourish as she began reading again. “The most important detail, and the reason I felt obligated to write to you, is that she has, this past autumn, remarried.”

“What?!” Azula snapped, losing her tenuous hold on her composure.

“That’s what it says.” Ty Lee confirmed, although she didn’t quite dare repeat it, watching Azula with wide, concerned grey eyes.

“Give it here.” Azula ordered, snapping her fingers in Ty Lee’s direction. The acrobat swung down in a graceful flip and bounded the two paces necessary to pass the letter back into Azula’s hands. Azula scanned the letter from the top until she found the paragraph that began with the sentence Ty Lee had just read. Of course Ty Lee had read it word for word, Azula knew that Ty Lee was loyal, and would never dare lie about something like that to Azula’s face, but she had to see it for herself. She had to be sure.

“The most important detail, and the reason I felt obligated to write to you, is that she has, this past autumn, remarried.” Azula repeated out loud, her tone one of disbelief. “Given her banishment and status as a traitor to the Dragon Throne, she is, of course, legally dead within the bounds of Fire Nation, and therefore her marriage to Fire Lord Ozai is null and void. So not only was she free to marry again, but the marriage itself held to the traditions of not just the Fire Nation, but the Earth Kingdom and-” Azula nearly choked on the words as she read them, horror and rage filling her as suspicion formed in her mind. “-the Southern Water Tribe, as well.”

Ty Lee squeaked. Mai sucked in a sharp breath.

Azula felt everything inside her go deathly still at that confirmation. She was not the only one to pick up on what that might mean. If it had only said ‘the Water Tribe’ she might have passed over it as simple emphasis that all traditions had been observed. Some of the more addled folk in the colonies did that, mixing and matching customs from everywhere for their weddings and funerals. But no, Zuko had specified Southern Water Tribe customs. So to exclude the Northern Tribe meant the ones specified were important. Fire Nation customs because Ursa was born and bred in the Fire Nation, a noble lady of the Fire Nation, no less, and Earth Kingdom customs because she was living in Ba Sing Se, the very heart of the Earth Kingdom, and for their officials to consider it binding, she must observe their customs…

Which left only one reason for the wedding to have included barbaric customs from the frigid south.

Azula wanted to set the letter on fire.

She didn’t, only through a profound effort at self-discipline, and because she needed to know which Water Tribe barbarian she was going to have to incinerate for touching her mother. The more rational, coldly logical part of her tried to protest that Ursa was as good as dead to her, and so whatever scum she chose to lie with should mean nothing to Azula, but…

But, Azula rationalised, their family was tainted now. Father might be able to disavow Mother, but there was no way for Azula to deny that she shared the woman’s blood. And now there was every chance of a Water Tribe brat sharing that blood, which was simply unacceptable.

“Perhaps one of us ought to finish reading that?” Ty Lee suggested. “I’d hate for it to go up in flames before you found out exactly who this guy is.” She pointed out. That was one of the reasons Azula liked her. Ty Lee was so good at understanding her thought process and anticipating her needs. Wordlessly, Azula let her take the letter again.

Thankfully, Ty Lee forwent any dramatics, and simply read the next paragraph. “Yeah, you read that right. Your new dad is Water Tribe. Specifically, he is Chief Hakoda of the Whale-shark Tribe, son of Kanna and Suluk, and temporary Chief of the united Southern Water Tribe.” She paused, blinking. “Well, at least she’s not marrying below her station?” She offered.

Azula considered burning her plat off, then gave in, and laughed. “One way or another.” She remarked caustically. Ty Lee blinked, and then caught on to the double meaning in what she’d just said, and giggled. Even Mai cracked a wry and faintly mean smile. “Is there more?” Azula asked, forcing herself to sound brisk and professional, even though she wanted to snarl the question.

Ty Lee nodded, and took the unspoken hint to keep reading. “I don’t know if there’s any point telling you more about him, as you probably don’t care to hear anything good about a Water Tribe Chief. But I will say that it’s clear he loves her very much, and personally I think he’ll make her a far better husband than Fire Lord Ozai. Chief Hakoda would never ask her to turn on her family, after all.” Ty Lee frowned and looked up. “What?”

“Oh, don’t be disingenuous, Ty Lee.” Azula snapped, getting to her feet because she couldn’t bear to sit still any longer. She paced the short length of the tent, trying to calm her mind and mostly failing.

“Fire Lord Azulon dies and Lady Ursa disappears the very same day?” Mai asked pointedly. “Oh, yes, I’m sure that was just a coincidence.” The sarcasm dripping from her words couldn’t be any more obvious, but Azula was still impressed that she’d managed to answer Ty Lee’s question without outright stating things that could get her into trouble.

Ty Lee stared at her for a long, drawn out moment. “Oh.” She said, voice small. She looked back down at the letter, but didn’t seem inclined to keep reading. Azula snatched it out of her hands as she passed her.

“Which brings me to my final point. As much as we might hate it, we’re a family now, and that should matter. If nothing else, it should matter that our attempts to kill each other will upset our parents, even if we can’t bring ourselves to care for any other reason. Our mother would very much like to see you again, and our father would very much like to meet you. I could go without ever running into you again, but I can at least promise to hold to a truce while under our parents’ roof. Make of that what you will.

“Signed-”

Azula stopped. And stared. And then reread the entire letter, feeling like she’d just been punched in the sternum. “What? How did Zuko sign it?” Ty Lee asked, bouncing on the spot in her curiosity and impatience.

“It’s not from Zuko.” Azula said, her voice sounding oddly distant to her own ears.

Mai caught on first. “Oh.” She breathed, and stepped up to Azula’s side to check the last line of the letter. She froze, whole body going still as she ran into the same brick wall of realisation that Azula had just encountered.

“What? What?” Ty Lee pressed, inserting herself against Azula’s other side to peer at the letter.

Mai cleared her throat, and said those horrible words out loud. “Signed, your not-so-loving new brother, Sokka, son of Kya and Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe.”

“Sokka?” Ty Lee echoed, sounding puzzled. “Isn’t that that cute Water Tribe boy with the- Ohh…” She trailed off wincing. “That’s awkward.” She observed. “And, oh, wasn’t the girl his sister or something? And she’s a water-bender. Didn’t Fire Lord Azulon decide to wipe out the Southern water-benders?”

“Capture.” Azula corrected. “In case the Avatar had been reborn.”

Ty Lee nodded, but her expression was still screwed up into a moue of discomfort. Azula agreed with her on that. She could barely begin to process the idea that her mother had married- Never mind that now apparently that Water Tribe idiot could call her sister.

“May I?” Mai asked, and Azula let her have the letter. It should be simple, she told herself, going back to her pacing. Kill the Water Tribe barbarian and his Avatar-loving spawn, and put their family back to rights. That should have been her first and only thought. And the Water Tribe boy had promised to a truce, had all but invited her in, and she could use that.

She consciously didn’t try to imagine the look on her mother’s face if she attacked the Water Tribe barbarians in front of her.

“There’s another sheet.” Mai said abruptly, and Azula looked up. Mai was rubbing at the corner of the paper, which came apart under her fingers, and she slid the front sheet away to look at the page beneath. She took one look at the paper, and pointedly averted her eyes. “It’s from Lady Ursa.” She explained, holding it out to Azula.

Azula snatched it from her with lightning quick fingers. It was a good thing Mai hadn’t read any of it, because Azula might have burned one of her hands in punishment, and then she would be down one expert knife-thrower, which would have been unfortunate. She recognised her mother’s handwriting even before she tried to focus on the words, and hated the small burst of… something that filled her chest. Relief? Hope? Gratitude? Wonder? No. No, no, no. She was not pathetic, and she was not weak. Zuko had clung to their mother’s skirts and gone along with all her useless sentiments. Azula was above that, she was stronger than that, better than that.

Her hands did not shake as she finally read the letter.

To my beloved daughter,

There is so much I wish to say to you, and most of it should be said in person. However, I do not know whether you wish to see me, or even if you could if you wanted to, so I shall have to make do with writing these things, and repeat them if and when I see you again.

First of all, know that I am sorry. Perhaps you did not see my leaving as an abandonment, and perhaps you do not care for my apologies, but you have them, never the less. I left you behind, and for that I am so sorry. Know that I would have taken you with me, if I could. I was harsh, in our last conversation, and I regret that more than I can say. The only explanation I can offer is that I was scared. It is no excuse, but it is the truth. I was more frightened than I have ever been before, and I knew I had only limited time to act, to protect both Zuko and you. And I am sorry for not protecting you better. You may not understand me when I say I am sorry for not protecting you from Ozai, but I am.

Secondly, know that I love you, and I will always love you, no matter what. I can be angry with your choices – and I am, Azula, I will not lie – and still love you more than the sun. You are my daughter, and I would kill for you in a heartbeat. It was not only to protect Zuko that I left my Marriage Blade buried in Azulon’s chest. I had hoped that if he gained what he desired, Ozai would allow you and your brother space, to grow as you pleased, rather than as pleased him.

Last of all, I hope Sokka’s letter has not upset you too much. I know not what words to offer you, in explanation. Only this; one of the reasons I love Hakoda is because he has shown me, in all those little ways that matter most, that he loves his children fiercely, and would love mine just as much, if given the opportunity. Zuko, I think, is beginning to understand what that means, and where Ozai has wronged us all so terribly. I hope – and know that I have very little right to ask – that you will give him a chance, at least, to show you, as well, what Ozai has never, in all my years of knowing him, been able to give.

As for his children, I do understand the awkward position my marriage has put you and your brother in, far better now than I did at the time, although I still would not take it back. I can only hope that the four of you will not do each other permanent harm, and I do know better than to ask any more of that from any of you, although you and Katara in particular, I think. (Oh, Azula, she does remind me of you, at times, the talented younger sister, privileged and burdened both by her power. And her hot-temper makes her cruel in ways I think you would appreciate, although she is as straight-forward as Zuko at his worst, even when she’s aiming to wound.)

Yours with love and hope,

Ursa

Azula swallowed, and tore her stinging eyes away from the letter to find both Mai and Ty Lee watching her with solemn, expectant gazes. She didn’t know what to do, and that was more terrifying than even Father’s wrath. The echo of her mother’s voice rang in her ears. ‘Monster’, Ursa had called her, and Azula had learned to wear the description with pride, but… to know that her mother regretted that, that she could write of apologies and love, turned everything on its head. The references to Ozai were confusing, frustrating, irritating, but in that bit at the end she could hear the sideways little smirk her mother might wear while saying it, the sneaky and dark-edged humour that would lace her voice.

She didn’t know what to do about all of it, though. She always knew what to do. Zuko was the one who flailed about, trying and failing to figure it out, always just a bit too slow, a bit too late. Unbidden, an old, old memory came back to her, when she’d said as much to her mother. She’d been four years old, and confused and disappointed by her older brother’s failed attempts at fire-bending when she had already figured out the basics. ‘Give him time,’ her mother had said, smiling softly, ‘he doesn’t know what to do because he hasn’t figured out what he wants yet. He’ll get there at his own pace, and so will you.’

Azula didn’t know what she wanted. Maybe she had never really known. She’d thought she had, but if one little letter from her mother could send her into such turmoil, then everything she thought she’d known about herself was a lie. A dark, bitter smile curled her lips. She thought she’d chosen to follow in her father’s footsteps, since Zuko seemed to fit so much better in their mother’s shadow. But perhaps she’d missed a few things in her youth and inexperience. Perhaps the situation called for some reconnaissance, before she committed to a course of action.

“Pack your bags, girls.” She ordered, flipping the letter closed and planting the other fist on her hip. “We’re going to Ba Sing Se.”

#Avatar The Last Airbender #Azula #Mai #Ty Lee #Ursakoda #Ursa #Hakoda #impersonation in writing #prank letter #sokka is a trickster #zuko approves #emotional instability #sociopathy #is it nature or nurture? #I tend to err on the side of nurture #Azula and Ursa have more in common than their looks #on the other hand... #unconditional love #heartfelt apologies