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sokkagatekeeper · 3 years

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I think with zukka it’s the exact opposite as soulmates like in every way these two should’ve never even met let alone connect but they did and they do and they balance each other out in so many ways... them being together isnt fulfilling some serious destiny them being together is being able to let their guard down and being who they were never allowed to be: youthful, and playful... essentially when I think of zukka I think of laughter and the heaviness one’s heart feels when they’re nearly overwhelmed with happiness. No fate, no destiny, no titles... just being.

i think that in order to break down what sokka and zuko’s relationship means in relation to soulmates especially interpreting this relationship as romantic, we need to start with the basics. get ready for a long and probably pretty wordy ride.

let's start with the meaning of the word “soulmate” specifically in fandom. the most common perception of a soulmate in fandom is that your soulmate is quite literally the other half of your soul, meaning that without this romantic interest you are somehow incomplete. now, what the hell is a soul? according to my dear friend google, a soul is “the spirit or the essence of a person, and the part of the person that makes them who they are and will be even after death.” is it even possible to split a soul in half? well, in my opinion everyone in fandom is essentially insane, so i’d rather say that no, it is not possible for a soulmate to be the other part of your soul, or for another person fictional or otherwise to complete you as another person, fictional or otherwise (when it's fictional, a soulmate can add depth and nuance, maybe?? but not complete. what the fuck does complete even mean). i have a more interesting interpretation of the meaning of a soulmate at hand, specifically because my first language is spanish: the closest thing to the word “soulmate” in spanish is alma gemela, literally “twin soul.” i believe it is much more interesting to interpret a soulmate as a person whose soul is a mirror to yours, or a reflection. a complement. the notion that someone is perfect and made for you romantically is essentially full of shit and a very lazy mindset, but anyway.

if we’re talking about being destined to meet a person, or being different faces of the same coin, or stuff like that, then of course this is a thing in fiction. aang and zuko and katara are definitely soulmates in terms of being destined to meet and change each other in a meaningful and earth-shattering way. the concepts of destiny and fate are not only an actual thing in atla, but also very prominent and loud in themes and narrative, and in the mindsets and beliefs of the characters themselves; it heavily influences their actions and approach to other characters, especially zuko. from his perspective, zuko’s dynamic with aang throughout the show and in general (meaning before and after he joined the gaang) is in part shaped by his sense of morality, and in part by his belief that his destiny is somehow intertwined with aang’s (he was right, of course), similarly to how katara approached aang (too, as a beacon of hope) or even how she saw zuko as a definitive enemy (in contrast to how sokka saw zuko as pretty much a fool and a recurrent inconvenience) aang, katara, and zuko’s dynamics with each other are all somehow related to destiny, the general concept of soulmates as a mirror of your soul, whether consciously or unconsciously. this is part of what makes them the central thematic trio and the heart of the show.

knowing all this, let’s go back to sokka and zuko. in short, as i’ve said before, to each other they are just… some guys. to elaborate, to sokka, zuko was just 1) some guy in the way, another inconvenience that occasionally got in between him and in his business with the avatar, whom he didn’t respect at all and didn’t think of as an enemy, 2) just some guy to be wary of for all of the aforementioned reasons, and 3) some guy, but cool and nice and a friend, possibly a love interest?? idk we’ll see!! meanwhile to zuko, sokka was 1) some guy in the way, another inconvenience that occasionally got in between him and in his business with the avatar, whom he didn’t respect at all and didn’t think of as an enemy, 2) some guy, who is amazing and cool and he will break into a prison with him because why not?? so we can safely say, while there are direct parallels between them and are definitely connected in some spiritual way (as are all of the gaang, in my opinion!!), sokka and zuko themselves do not know that. the weight of being meant-to-be in their relationship is nonexistent, and i definitely agree that they can relax around each other in that sense, especially zuko (who believes in destiny therefore i mention him a lot, in comparison to sokka who does not believe in destiny therefore doesn’t carry the weight of anf his relationships being shaped by it which. they arguably are, as it is a story that was predefined, but that’s for another day). it’s been talked about that the most compelling thing about sokka and zuko’s relationship revolves around the concept of choice. the boiling rock is the only life-changing field trip that zuko was initially denied, but insisted on going anyway. he decided to go out of pure selflessness, solely to help sokka, in contrast to him being quite literally required to go as aang’s teacher/to prove himself and get katara off his back (as well as other subconsious reasons, that, too, for another day). zuko went with sokka because he thought he was dope, and as we all know zuko cannot do anything half-way so he decided he would die for the guy (valid of him, by the way). their entire relationship is just subversion after subversion after subversion.

it’s also related to sokka being just some guy, not only as he believes himself to be but also how sokka is pretty much the fourth part of the thematic triangle that aang katara and zuko have going on. he balances each of their pure hearts and idealism with a sharp mind and bitchy but useful pessimism. sokka being just some guy to zuko’s deuteragonist is the thematic equivalent of sokka being a main character and suki being a secondary character. it works because the weight of universal forces just isn’t there, and it works better than (in my opinion!!) katara and zuko or (to a lesser degree) aang and katara being romantically involved for the same reasons.

and anyway. when it comes to fandom interpretation, it’s very easy to think of every parallelism/symbolism as a sign of two characters being meant to be together romantically, or whatever. and while it is fun, most parallels (at least among the gaang) are mostly to show how the characters are able to understand and connect with each other whether romantically or platonically (and the destiny in fiction thing i’m too tired to talk about again), so the parallels between sokka and zuko are not entirely irrelevant to their romantic potential — people are also quick to think every parallel/trope/catchy line about their relationship is shallow and stupid and soulmates suck anyway!! and therefore i’m asking you all to calm down and find a middle ground. not every parallel/trope/etc is romantic and not every parallel/trope/etc is dumb and irrelevant. when it comes to the infamous “prince and the fool” for example, some people take it as the ultimate proof of their love and some think it’s utter nonsense and a cheap version of the zvtara’s moon/sun dynamic. and both of them are wrong!! “the prince and the fool” is in fact pretty much like “the wise and the brave” of katara and sokka. it is merely a descriptive of the way they act with each other, the way their differences balance each other, the way they contrast each other, etc etc. they do work as descriptive on their own, but not as well as they work when put together; yes, sokka is wise, but how wise? what is the standard for him to be considered wise, or even the opposite? sokka being wise works in terms of aesthetic, character, dynamic, etc etc, only if katara is being brave right besides him. zuko is a prince, sure, but what else is there? what is the alternative? you can call sokka a fool (and you would be wrong, by the way) but what does that word alone bring to his character?

to conclude, i believe the thing about sokka and zuko’s relationship is that there’s nothing definitive to it by universal order — or rather, while it might exist, it's definitely to a lesser degree than other relationships in their lives, therefore the characters themselves don't notice it and there's no pressure to fulfill any prophecies; they just are, and they just do. you can have a passionate and true love without it being the sole meaning of your existence, or your sole motivation and priority in your life. it’s clear that in case they were romantically involved they wouldn’t even be the person they love the most (as it is very clear the person sokka loves the most is katara (!!!), while zuko’s is probably iroh?? idk). i believe the best part of a romantic relationship between sokka and zuko is that they are just some guys, maybe not to the universe but to each other. if they have to choose each other as they do, if they just get each other as well as they do, who care about each other a shit ton even if not any more than their other friends and family but just a little differently, while they aren’t canonically soulmates the way aang and zuko or aang and katara are (while the potential is there) i’d go as far as to say they are some sort of kindred spirits. i think it all depends on how you define soulmates, really.

#i hope this makes sense #and isn't overly pretentious #bc i'm actually writing a soulmate au for the zukkaweek and i mention these thoughts an awful lot #what does it mean to have a soulmate?? what does it mean to your own identity???#at what point do you stop being your own person and start being part of another person??? idk many ideas much 2 think about #analysis #asks #anon #n #zukka #atla

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chemicalmagecraft · 3 years

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A Black Wind Howls Chapter 5: Winter Solstice Part Two

Previously on Avatar...

The fireballs tore through the smoke cloud, but the Black Wind was nowhere to be found.

"He's invisible!" Zhao shouted.

"What was that about you killing us?" he asked the black-clad man before kicking him into unconsciousness, then grinned.

The door suddenly creaked shut. When everyone looked at it they saw a rather short old woman with long white hair appear with her hand on the white lotus design in the middle of the door, as if out of thin air.

"Bending is connection to an element," Dorji said, her hands on Appa's reins. She held her hand out to a passing cloud, causing a miniature funnel cloud to form from it.

"By restricting one of the senses you use the most, you will unconsciously draw on other senses. And once you begin to feel the elements more, your control over them will only increase."

Dorji took a deep breath. "The reason I can't hear in the spirit world... is because I was born deaf."

oOoOo

"So that's why you have trouble hearing," Katara said. Dorji had decided to tell them what she'd told Aang while they were flying to the Fire Nation.

Dorji nodded. She looked nervous, her hands were shaking. "Y-you don't... think less of me, d-do you?"

Katara hugged her until she stopped trembling. "I don't," she reassured her after letting her go, "and I'm sure Aang and Sokka feel the same way!"

Aang and Sokka nodded.

"I don't think anyone would think less of you for being deaf," Sokka contributed.

Dorji's face fell. "Thank you, but..."

Sokka's face scrunched up in regret. "It'd be great if I could go a day without sticking my foot in my mouth."

"No, no," Dorji shook her head. "It... wasn't anything that you could've known about."

He sighed. "Yeah, thanks, but I still should've guessed."

"I... would understand if you were wary of having me accompany you, still," Dorji muttered nervously. "M-my ability to sense noise, w-while more expansive than a normal person's, requires me to actively decipher sounds. I don't think that's normal, anyway. I'd like to say I'm normally good at using my air sense to hear, but it's not perfect. Strong winds and rainstorms can sometimes interfere with my ability to make out sounds, and if I'm distracted..." Dorji absentmindedly touched at her hair, her hand shaking slightly. She bit her lip. "It... that was how..." She took a deep breath, then muttered, "I was too focused on what I was practicing. Didn't notice him until he had grabbed me by the hair..."

"Oh, that must've awful," Katara said. "But don't worry, we'll be here to watch your back from now on."

Dorji smiled at her. "Thank you."

"Uhh, speaking of watching your back..." Sokka said fearfully, pointing to something behind Dorji. Everyone turned to see a Fire Nation ship sailing in their direction at full steam.

"They're gaining on us!" Katara shouted.

Dorji squinted at the boat. "It looks like an outdated cruiser. I haven't seen one of its make before, but it's much too small to be a current Fire Navy ship. I've heard that they focused more on speed than power at the start of the war, though. Is... is that Prince Zuko?"

Katara tapped Dorji's shoulder. "He probably is," she said when Dorji glanced over to her. "He's... kinda been chasing Aang."

Dorji made a small noise, then looked back at the boat. "Didn't think he'd find the Avatar that soon..."

"How can you see someone that far away?" Sokka asked. "And how do you know about Zuko?"

Katara went to tap Dorji's shoulder. "I 'heard,' don't worry," Dorji said. "While my hearing is... not, my eyesight is, thankfully, very good. Though to be honest I can only recognize Zuko from this distance because of his very identifying facial features. I've only had him described to me and it's too far away to really make out fine details. As for why I know him, my father is... a member of the Earth Kingdom army. I know at least the general descriptions of most Fire Nation persons of interest, banished princes included. Speaking of which, I think that's Uncle Iroh yelling at Zuko."

"Uncle Iroh?" Katara asked.

Dorji stiffened slightly. "Z-Zuko's uncle, Iroh. He was originally the heir apparent to the previous Fire Lord, but his younger brother, Ozai, somehow managed to usurp his claim." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "They're loading something into a trebuchet. I think Iroh is fanning his face, so it might have some form of flammable, but pungent oil on it. Get ready to take evasive maneuvers, I'll try to block it." She pulled out her staff halves.

"Hold onto something!" Aang shouted, gripping Appa's reins.

Dorji slashed the air with her staff halves as the now-flaming ball of... something hurtled towards them. It was smashed way off course by a blast of air.

"I'll try to disable their catapult without harming anyone now," Dorji said. "It'll take them some time to reload, so hold Appa steady."

"We've got a problem with that!" Aang shouted, pointing ahead of Appa.

Pointing at the Fire Nation blockade to be specific.

"That's bad," Sokka said.

"This is why I wanted to come alone!" Aang shouted. "It's way too dangerous!"

Dorji, too focused on Zuko's ship to hear, had planted her feet in a stance very unlike traditional airbending. She swirled the two halves of her staff around the air fluidly, then combined them with a flourish and slashed sharply at Zuko's boat. She could barely see the catapult slashed into as if by a giant, invisible blade while the crew of the ship was only knocked over by the blast of air. Just after she did that, Appa darted off to the side to dodge a flaming ball. She only barely managed to stay on Appa's back

"What did I say about-" Dorji started to say, then trailed off when she saw the Fire Nation blockade. "Oh, that's the blockade. It's usually not this bad, they must have been worried you'd go to Crescent Island on the solstice."

"We can't go around, there's not enough time!" Katara said.

"Hang on, everyone!" Aang shouted, gripping Appa's reins and steering him away from another volley of fireballs, up into the clouds.

"I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it'll work," Dorji said, starting to dig through the bag of scrolls. "For now I'll try to ward off the fireballs. Someone alert me if it looks like I'm distracted, though." She pulled out a particular scroll, then quickly unfurled it. When the next volley of fireballs flew, though, Dorji managed to do something to blow them away from Appa just with a single wave of her hand.

"What's that scroll about, Dorji?" Sokka asked.

"A... unique airbending technique my grandmother made a long time ago," Dorji answered after a moment, eyes still on the scroll. Every so often she waved her hand or flicked her wrist, and the fireballs flying around them missed Appa. The wind seemed to get more lively as she kept it up, causing the clouds to shift around. "I haven't managed to learn how to do it yet, but if I do learn it might help out. You might like this one, Aang, it's pretty pacifistic. Potentially."

"Really?" Aang asked, still trying to keep Appa away from the fireballs even though they were mostly being deflected away by Dorji's winds. "How does it work."

"It's..." Dorji squinted at her scroll, then shrugged. "It has... something to do with air and light. Have you ever noticed that, when you stick something in water, it looks a little distorted?" She waved a hand at a fireball, knocking it back down at the blockade.

"As a member of the Southern Water Tribe," Sokka butted in, "I've noticed."

"Thank you, Sokka," Dorji muttered flatly. "A long time ago, my grandmother noticed that as well. After some research she came to learn that while light mostly travels in a straight line, it can be distorted when it passes through clear things. This includes water and glass, but it can also include..."

"Air," Katara finished. "So is that where those mirages come from?"

"There can be mirages in the South Pole?" Aang asked. "I thought they only happened in the desert or something!"

"Apparently," Dorji said, effortlessly directing yet another fireball away from Appa. "So my grandmother managed to figure out how to use that with airbending to cause light to pass around objects, usually herself. The technique, once mastered, allows the user to become more-or-less invisible, as well as potentially create mirages to trick someone into thinking something is where it isn't." She looked back down at the scroll, then started concentrating. "It's harder to do over a larger area, but hopefully..." She started swirling the arm she wasn't using to hold the scroll around, making the air around Appa start shimmering.

"And you think I'd like it because using it means I could sneak around people without fighting?" Aang asked.

"...Possibly," Dorji muttered, still reading from her scroll. "Fair warning, this is where I might start getting more dis... distracted."

True to what she said, the next few fireballs came dangerously close to hitting Appa. He managed to dodge the first, but then the next two collided in midair and exploded near Appa. Unfortunately, Sokka slipped off the side of the saddle when the bison jerked away from the explosion, screaming as he fell.

"Sokka!" Katara yelled.

"I'm going down!" Aang shouted, spurring Appa into a dive. "Dorji, try to slow his fall!"

"Right, sorry," Dorji muttered. The shimmering around Appa got lighter as she waved her hand at Sokka. Some of the nearby clouds started to swirl around him as his fall slowed down. Appa managed to fly below Sokka long before he hit the ocean, allowing Katara to catch him.

"You okay?" Katara asked.

"That... was not fun," Sokka whined.

"He's fine..." Katara rolled her eyes.

"Good, because it looks like they're about to fire again!" Aang shouted, pointing at the blockade. "Dorji, if you can do that invisibility thing you'd better do it now!"

"H-hang on," Dorji said, putting the scroll away and waving her arms a little frantically. The air around Appa started to shimmer even more, though it didn't quite look like the technique was working.

"Fire!" the commander of the blockade shouted. The ship he was on shot another fireball at Appa. It looked like the aim was a little off, but it would still hit Appa if he continued flying straight.

"Whoa!" Aang shouted, steering Appa to dodge the attack. He also threw a blast of air out, knocking it even further to the side. With that last fireball dodged, Appa was able to fly past the blockade. It seemed that the ships were only readied to fire on one the one side of the blockade, as the ships failed to fire on the group as Appa got further from them.

"Everyone okay?" Aang asked. "That last one was a little close, Appa wouldn't have been able to dodge it if it was any closer." He turned around to look at the rest of the group. "We should be there soon, so get... Where is Dorji?"

Katara and Sokka looked to where they last saw Dorji, but didn't see her. "She was right there," Katara said. "Where did she-" Katara was cut off when an unseen, shaking hand tapped her on the arm. "What was that?"

"I-I... I s-saw..." Dorji's voice, distorted for some reason, came from the spot next to Katara.

"Did she... become invisible?" Sokka asked. He carefully poked at the air where Dorji's voice came from until he hit something solid. He caught a flash of black cloth from under his finger for a moment when he lifted it, though the effect quickly reasserted itself.

"D-did I?" Dorji asked. "It... shouldn't work like this."

"What's wrong with it?" Aang asked.

"Nothing," Dorji muttered. "But that's the problem. This is a technique that requires concentration, and I'm not even concentrating on it. I can feel that it's working, but... It shouldn't be."

"Is there anything that you can think of that... might have caused this?" Katara asked. "Sorry, I have no idea what's going on."

"I... s-saw the man that snuck up on me," Dorji muttered. "Wh-when my father was captured. He was o-on the blockade. I-I panicked for a moment when I s-saw him."

"Hey," Katara said, grabbing where she thought Dorji's hand might be. It felt like she grabbed her wrist instead. Good enough. She felt her way down to Dorji's still-shaking hand, then squeezed it. "Take a deep breath, please."

They heard the sounds of an invisible girl taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "Thank you," Dorji muttered. "I feel better now."

"Do you think you can turn it off?" Sokka asked.

"At the very least, I can disrupt the technique by flowing air around my body in a way counter to how it's currently flowing..." Dorji muttered. "But I don't think I'll try that yet. Whatever happened here, whether it's related to the solstice, my panicking, or a mixture of both, I think it's safe to assume it's not going to happen again, or at the very least something that I can't reliably trigger. I can feel how the technique is working even though I'm not concentrating on using it, so my hope is that if I let it stay I might figure out how to actually use the technique. Plus we're going into enemy territory, so I think I'll take my chances hoping it lasts until we get out of here."

"That makes sense," Katara said. "By the way, how's your ankle?"

"It's better," she answered. "I should be able to walk and even fight, but I might have trouble running too fast. Don't be afraid to leave me behind if it comes to it, I can fend for myself even if I'm not invisible. And by myself it should be a simple matter to sneak by any guards that might be posted."

"We'll try not to leave you behind, though," Aang said. He pointed at the island that they were approaching, or rather the tower-like temple standing on it. "We're here, I'm gonna land Appa."

oOoOo

The grand door to the entrance of the temple opened, seemingly on its own. After a moment a quiet, distorted voice sounded from the door. "There isn't anyone in the main room, but I sense some people nearby. Fire sages, from their breathing and spiritual affinity."

"Good job, Dorji," Katara whispered.

"I'll scout ahead," Dorji said, now in the temple. "Try not to get spotted."

"We need to hurry, though," Aang said, walking into the room. "I need to get to the room at the top of the tower before sunset."

"Then we should avoid confrontation so we don't get caught- hide!"

Five old men in fire-themed red robes and hats walked into the room from one of the hallways around it. "We are the fire sages," the leader, the oldest-looking sage in the fanciest-looking robes, said. "We are the guardians of this temple."

"I don't suppose you're here to take me to the top of the temple?" Aang asked, smiling sheepishly.

The head sage shot a blast of fire at Aang. "No." The other sages also threw fire at him.

Aang quickly twirled his staff in front of himself, using airbending to form a shield of air in front of it that blocked the fire.

"Run," Aang shouted, "I'll distract them!"

Before he could do anything he was swept away by a strong gust of wind, getting knocked into Sokka and Katara and then pushed to one of the hallways that the sages didn't come from with the two. "You're the one that needs to reach the top," Dorji said. About half of her staff had turned visible when she made the gust, but it quickly faded again. "Run. Now."

Aang grimaced, then sighed. "Be careful. Meet back up with us as soon as you're done." He ran, dragging Sokka and Katara off with him.

The head sage sneered at the air next to where the staff disappeared. "I don't know how you're doing that, but you made a mistake by revealing your position. Split up, I'll deal with the ghost." The sages, at their leader's command, split off while the leader threw a blast of fire where he thought Dorji was.

A low but powerful gust of wind swept the sages that ran after Aang and the others off their feet while the fire that the leader shot hit only air. "What!?" the leader exclaimed, seeing the end of Dorji's staff fade away at the other end of the room, between the now-prone sages and the hallway. The head sage growled and threw more fireballs where the staff was, trying to keep Dorji on the defensive by constantly attacking her. The first few didn't seem to hit her so he started throwing his fire in random directions, trying to catch her. It didn't seem to work, but at the very least it seemed that it distracted her a bit judging from how one of the sages was able to quickly get up and dart to the hallway the Avatar went down.

"Good job, Shyu!" one of the other sages, who was still trying to get up, said. Another gust of wind tore through the room, knocking the remaining sages back down. They just barely saw the tip of a black staff flying down the hall the sage went down.

"Alright, who said that?" the head sage grumbled.

oOoOo

Shyu, the sage who had gotten past Dorji, somehow managed to catch up to Aang, Katara, and Sokka in a dead end. "Avatar, I wish to help you!" he told them.

"Why should we trust you?" Sokka shouted as they got ready to fight.

Shyu bowed in front of Aang, placing his hands on the floor. "I know what you must be here for, and want to help you. It's going to be hard for you to reach the Avatar's chamber before the rest of the sages without help." He started to get up but slammed back into the ground, the imprint of an invisible foot appearing on his robes and a surprised expression sprouting on his face. "Wha-"

"I assume from the fact that he was on the ground in a position that greatly limited his choices for attack that this sage is the only one who remembers his ancestral duties," a calm voice sounded from the air above him.

"Of course, Lady Raava," Shyu said. "Now please, we must hurry before we are caught."

"I'm not... right, what do you need to do?" The invisible foot lifted from his back and he was hauled up by the unseen Dorji.

Shyu quickly walked over to a lamp, slid it back to reveal a small hole in the wall, then placed his palm over the hole. Fire flashed from under his palm, then a secret passage opened up in the wall. "Inside, quickly," he commanded.

"Thank you," Aang said, then followed his orders. Sokka and Katara quickly followed after him.

Shyu entered the secret tunnel last, closing the door behind him. "They hopefully shouldn't consider the fact that I brought you in here," Shyu whispered, "but we should stay moving, and stay quiet. I'm not the only one who knows of these tunnels."

"What did you call me earlier?" Dorji asked as they walked.

"Lady Raava, the name of the Avatar Spirit from before she merged with the first Avatar," Shyu answered. "Are... are you not she? I had wondered, when you first attacked us, if the talk of the Avatar Spirit walking with each Avatar was more literal than we thought..."

"No, I'm not Raava," Dorji answered.

"I see," Shyu said, though he still looked puzzled. "How is it that I can't see you, then?"

"A long story that, no offense, I am not willing to share with a fire sage at this time."

Shyu nodded. "I understand."

"Hang on, did you just say that the Avatar Spirit is a girl?" Sokka asked.

"I've never heard the name Raava before..." Aang said.

"I was lucky to learn that name at all," Shyu said, rubbing his chin. "It was mentioned in a scroll about the Avatar that I found a while back. I attributed the lack of knowledge on her to Fire Lord Sozin's regime, but if you only know her as the Avatar Spirit... I suppose it makes sense. The text said that she merged with the first Avatar thousands of years ago, so I suppose it might not be common knowledge..."

"I guess I should add that to the list of things I want to ask Roku about..." Aang said.

"These secret passages are actually Avatar Roku's work, you know," Shyu said. "Once upon a time he called this temple home. Though that was before my time, of course."

Aang stared at the walls of the tunnel. He quietly ran his hand along the cave-like wall. "It feels... strange, being told about all these things about my past lives, about myself, that I don't remember..."

"I can imagine," Dorji said. "I don't have any past lives, or at least I don't have any past lives that I can remember, but... Let's just say that some of my ancestors have done noteworthy things. Hearing about them, knowing that I'm related to them... It's a lot, and I imagine that being the Avatar is like that, but with more pressure. But..." An invisible hand squeezed Aang's shoulder lightly. "You have us. I... I do hope that that helps."

Aang smiled at where he thought Dorji's face was. "I think it does. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Though my eyes are up here."

Aang jumped. "Ah! Sorry!"

Dorji snorted. "That was a joke, you're good."

He sighed. "Thanks..."

"Hey, I thought that Air Nomads didn't know about their families," Sokka said.

"They don't. I was talking about my grandfather's lineage, however, and my grandfather is no Air Nomad."

"Your grandfather?" Katara asked.

"My father's father," Dorji answered. "He was an Earth Kingdom general before he retired. He still helps out, though certain situations even aside from his age prevent him from taking to battle anymore... He is still a powerful earthbender, though."

"Was... was he disappointed you're not an earthbender?" Sokka asked.

"Of course not!" Dorji said sharply. It was louder than her normal speaking voice, but thankfully only echoed a bit off the walls. "He would never be disappointed by something like that! He was delighted to learn that my father and I are airbenders, even if there was only so much he could teach us!"

Sokka backed up a bit, putting his hands out defensively. "I'll take your word for it," he said quickly.

"We're almost to the room," Shyu said. "Please quiet down, in case there's anyone up there already." He thought, then said, "I'm sorry, I never caught your name..."

"I'll scout ahead," Dorji said, anticipating what he wanted to ask.

Shyu nodded. "Yes, thank you. I can do it if you don't want to, but..."

"As I am currently invisible I'm the most logical choice," Dorji rationalized. "Plus if you're staying here with the others then you won't have an opportunity to set up an ambush, in the event that you're plotting against us."

"I would never do that," Shyu objected.

"No offense, but after a century of war and the genocide of my grandmother's people I reserve the right to not trust a Fire Nation official I have just met."

He sighed. "I suppose that's only fair... For the record, though, that thought hadn't occurred to me."

Dorji didn't answer.

"Did she leave already?" Shyu frowned.

Katara shrugged. "Maybe. She's pretty quiet..."

"Sorry about her," Aang said.

Shyu shook his head sadly. "It's... not like she's wrong, is she? You were wary of me, as well..."

"I mean, yeah," Sokka said. "The Fire Nation is pretty much the worst. Our mother died in a Fire Nation raid. You weren't the one who killed her, obviously, but stuff like that makes it hard to trust people from the Fire Nation..."

The sage chuckled sadly, his shoulders slumped. "You know, this is the first time I've ever spoken from anyone from outside the Fire Nation... I didn't know what to expect, but I suppose I can't complain with what you've said... I don't know what I can do to even begin to make up for the sins of my nation, aside from what I'm doing now, but after today I will do my best!"

"An admirable goal," Dorji's voice suddenly sounded from nowhere. "If you're serious about it, you'll find an opportunity soon. Now, the room and the route to it is clear, so let's hurry."

oOoOo

Shyu fell to his knees. "The doors are closed," he whispered. Sure enough, the massive, ornate doors in the middle of the room were shut, the five dragons on its face seeming to glare at the intruders and "traitor."

"Can't you just open them with firebending?" Sokka asked. "It looks a bit like a door in the Southern Air Temple that Aang opened with airbending."

"Maybe it has a similar mechanism," Shyu said, "but this door is made so that only a fully-realized Avatar can open it by themself. It needs five simultaneous fire blasts that otherwise need to be provided by five fire sages."

"I think I have an idea," Sokka muttered, rubbing his chin and looking at a lamp.

"I also have an idea," Dorji said. "Care to share notes?"

Sokka nodded. "Something my father showed me, once. We take some oil from those lamps and put them in animal skin pouches. Soak some twine in the oil and Shyu can light them all up at once!"

"Makeshift bombs," Dorji noted. "It sounds like it might work, at least in theory. My idea is to try to use my airbending to amplify and guide Shyu's firebending. It's actually a concept my father once told me about, as well. How about you set your idea up while we try our thing?"

"Sounds good," Sokka said. "Katara, can you give me some help? And... you probably want Aang, right?"

"He might help, hopefully. At the very least it might be good to introduce the concept to him. Approach the door, Shyu and Aang."

At Dorji's order, the sage and the Avatar approached the door. "Where do you want us to stand?" Shyu asked.

"You take a few steps back and face the door." A bit of dust kicked up behind where Shyu was standing, presumably where Dorji wanted him to stand. "Aang, you stand back. Try to feel what I'm doing to the air, but don't do anything unless you're absolutely sure you can help." A current of wind started to blow despite the lack of open windows in the room. "I am creating pathways of air that will contain and stoke your fire. In theory, this will make the fire powerful enough to trigger the mechanisms even with just your fire. Still, I'm going to need you to use as much fire as possible or it might not work."

A circle of air shimmered in front of Shyu for a moment. "Is that where I'm supposed to hit?" he asked.

"Yes. I'll tell you when it's ready, of course, but you have to shoot inside that circle, as close to center as possible."

Shyu nodded, starting to concentrate. He breathed deeply; in, then out. In, then out. He clenched both of his fists, raising them slightly and entering a firebending stance. He didn't say anything, but he didn't need to.

"I take it you're ready?" Dorji asked.

He nodded.

"I'm almost ready, too. Once it's established it shouldn't be time-sensitive, so don't try to rush it once I say so, but..."

He nodded.

Dorji concentrated in silence for a few more moments. Finally... "There, it's ready when you are."

Shyu nodded again, took another deep breath, then punched as hard as he could with both fists. A large blast of fire sprouted from his fists, but most of its heat was funneled forward by Dorji's airbending. The flames spiraled forward and split into five branches that hit the five dragons on the door directly on the mouths. The dragons, thankfully, reacted to the fire, moving up to a position that allowed the doors to open. Shyu beamed at the door as it slowly opened, revealing a statue of Avatar Roku. However it started to slowly close as soon as it was fully opened. "Now, Avatar! Before it closes again!"

Aang nodded and quickly dashed through the doors. He sat down in front of the statue as the doors closed behind him.

"Aw, I wanted to try out my idea!" Sokka said, carrying over three of his makeshift bombs. Katara was walking behind him with the other two.

"Sorry, maybe next time," Dorji said. "Though now you have a few makeshift bombs."

"How is Aang supposed to get back out, actually?" Katara asked, a little concerned.

"There's a similar mechanism on the other side of the door," Shyu said. "Hopefully Avatar Roku can help with it. What do we do now, though?"

"You wander the halls, pretending to be looking for us," Dorji said. "Give them no hint that you have helped us." An invisible hand grabbed Shyu's and pulled it into a handshake. "We'll hide near here until Aang emerges. Good luck."

Shyu looked at his hand with surprise, then smiled at where he thought the girl might be. "Thank you, I wish you luck as well."

oOoOo

Aang waited in the sanctuary until a beam of sunlight hit the statue. He watched light engulf the statue, smoke pouring out of it. He stood up as the smoke engulfed him, seemingly transporting him to a mountaintop. The statue of Roku was gone, replaced by the spirit of the past Avatar.

"Avatar Roku," Aang said with a reverent bow.

His predecessor gave him a smile. "Avatar Aang. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too. Is the reason you brought me here related to that vision you showed me when you called me?"

Roku nodded. "The comet. One hundred years ago Fire Lord Sozin used the power of that comet to wipe out the Air Nomads."

Aang frowned. "I heard about that, actually. Sozin's Comet, it supposedly comes around once every century and gives firebending a boost." His frown deepened. "Hhhey, I don't suppose you know when, exactly, the comet showed up?"

Roku nodded. "Your fears are, unfortunately, correct. The comet will return by Summer's end, and it is unlikely that the current Fire Lord will do nothing with the power it will grant him." Roku bowed contritely. "I apologize for the mess that I have left you, Aang, but now it is up to you. You must end the war before the return of the comet, or I fear the Fire Lord will end it for you."

"I... I don't know how I can do that," Aang said. "I haven't even mastered all four elements, and that normally takes years!"

"That is true, yet you must master the elements by the comet. It is a tall task, but not impossible. If you trust in your friends and make allies, you will be able to avert this disaster."

Aang nodded, though he still looked nervous. "If you believe I can do it..."

Roku moved forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you can, Aang. You have done it in each of your past lives, even through hardships, and your past lives will forever be with you."

Aang gave him a nervous smile. "Thanks... Hey, speaking of past lives, have you ever heard the name Raava?"

Roku nodded. "Of course. She is the Avatar spirit, after all. However, I only learned her name after my death, when I met her in person. Well, as 'in person' as you can get between two spirits..."

"Why didn't you learn her name until then?" Aang asked.

"It is always easiest for an Avatar to communicate with more recent past Avatars, hence why the most recent Avatar is usually the current Avatar's spirit advisor. Raava first bonded with us thousands of years ago, with hundreds of Avatars between then and now. It's not impossible for you to contact Raava, of course, but it will require effort on your part. You might not be able to until much later in your life. For now, I suggest you worry about the war for now."

"Of course," Aang nodded. "How will I meet you again? I don't think I can come here every time I want advice..."

He nodded. "When you need me, you will find a way. I only used the power of the solstice to contact you because I wanted to make you aware of the comet as soon as possible. Otherwise, you should eventually learn to contact me through meditation. Now, the solstice will soon end..." He waved a hand, showing a vision of outside the sanctuary. The five fire sages stood at the ready in front of the doors, Shyu looking slightly uneasy. Armored Fire Nation soldiers bolstered their numbers, led by a helmetless man that looked quite pleased with himself. Aang could just barely see Sokka and Katara hiding behind a pillar, though he also noticed Zuko hiding behind another. "It seems that your enemies are anticipating your exit." He smiled. "Why don't you let this old man help you deal with them, to make up for dragging you all the way out here?"

Aang returned his smile, then his eyes and tattoos glowed. "Thank you," he said.

oOoOo

"Bathe him in fire as soon as that door opens!" Zhao ordered. As soon as the dragons on the doors started to move, the firebenders all took aim. They threw a wave of fire at the doors as soon as they started to open, before they could even see what was inside. The fire obscured the contents of the room... and then a tall, white-haired man in red robes emerged from the fire completely unscathed. His eyes glowed pure white as he glared at his countrymen. With a single wave of his hands he gathered all the fire that the firebenders had thrown at him and made it explode outward in a wave that knocked all the firebenders down or at least back, but barely pushed Katara and Sokka.

Zhao growled at the phantom Avatar as he braced himself against the wave of superheated air, then blinked when he saw a familiar shimmer in the air. His scowl turned into a predatory grin as he lunged at the shimmering air. The grin widened when he managed to grab something solid, perhaps a wrist, even though she tried to dodge. Dorji squirmed, but he quickly wrapped his other arm around her waist and switched the arm at her wrist to holding a fire dagger to her neck. The heat of the flame disrupted the smallest amount of Dorji's invisibility, revealing a small patch of the skin of her neck just a hair's breadth from his "blade."

The commander chuckled into Dorji's ear, or at least where he thought it was. "You can't cut your hair to escape this time, kid," he whispered. Zhao turned his attention back to Roku and sneered. "I have a hostage, Avatar! Give up the kid's body or I'l-"

His demand was cut off by a squelch and a spray of blood. He released Dorji and screamed, clutching the now-bleeding arm that he had used to grab Dorji. Roku used the distraction to blast him to the floor with another wave of fire.

"Go, now!" the Avatar ordered, looking at Katara and Sokka.

The siblings hesitated, but an invisible force dragged them towards the exit by their hands.

"We can't leave Aang!" Katara yelled, digging her feet in and forcing Dorji to stop with Sokka's help.

She noticed, though, that Dorji's hand was shaking. "A-a-avatar... R-roku... w-will..." There was a sound that, even muffled and distorted by the altered airflow around her, Katara and Sokka recognized as shallow, panicked breathing.

Sokka and Katara exchanged a look. "I'll make sure Aang gets out safely, you take care of Dorji," Sokka said.

Katara nodded and squeezed Dorji's hand. She noticed that the air around Dorji was starting to shimmer, enough that she could make out the rough outline of her body. "Let's go, Dorji," she said softly, then pulled Dorji along. She frowned at Avatar Roku, who was still throwing around the helpless Fire Nation fighters.

oOoOo

Appa flew as close to the now-melting temple as he could, guided by Katara at the reins. Sokka ran out of the temple. dragging an exhausted Aang over his shoulder. He quickly climbed onto Appa's saddle. "Yip yip!" he yelled, even though Appa was already flying. Katara got the message and had Appa fly up and away from the temple immediately.

"Where's Dorji?" Aang asked, looking around the saddle. He saw, in the back of the saddle, what appeared to be a ball of shimmering air. As he watched, Dorji seemed to shimmer back into existence as her invisibility "technique" finally failed. Dorji was curled into a ball, clutching the back of her head. Tears streamed down her face, her eyes closed.

Aang silently crawled over to Dorji and cautiously put his hand on her shoulder. Dorji jumped a bit, then looked up at Aang. She sniffed, then leaned forward and pressed her head onto Aang's shoulder. Aang hugged her as she sobbed, stroking her hair.

He waited until she looked back up at him to speak. "I'm sorry," he said. "Today was too much of a risk, and all I really learned from Roku was that Sozin's Comet is coming at the end of Summer. In hindsig-"

"N-no," Dorji muttered, shaking her head a little. She took a deep breath. "Even... even if you didn't learn much, the first meeting between an Avatar and their predecessor is still important. And as far as you knew he could've told you about a secret tunnel into the Fire Lord's palace. And it's not your fault that Zhao was there." She then slumped over and laid down. "Now if you excuse me, I need to sleep now..."

Aang nodded. "Thanks. Good night, Dorji."

She didn't answer, though Aang couldn't tell if it was because she had fallen asleep already or if she just stopped listening.

#fanfiction #avatar the last airbender fanfiction #Avatar The Last Airbender #avatar the last airbender oc #A Black Wind Howls #ABWH CH5

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bisexuallsokka · 4 years

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Hi! Just watched the boiling rock episode for the first time and am looking for a reason to not study for calc lol. What were your favorite moments from the ep? Definitely one of my favorite episodes yet.

as a fellow procrastinator i have no choice but to assist you in your own procrastination lol

i actually just rewatched that two days ago!! there are so many things i love about it. i love seeing how wary zuko is of sokka at the beginning, like he’s still trying to figure him out and not sure who this guy is. but by the end they are better coordinated, especially in the fighting sequences. i love the balloon scene and i always have to rewatch it a few times because they’re so awkward and hilarious foshwkjwjw.

i love zuko being a dork (“uh, hey there, fellow guard”) and also trying to support sokka (his attempt at impersonating iroh or when he is consoling sokka about failure) and although it comes out awkwardly, it’s about his intentions and it’s sweet that he immediately tries to be a good friend

i love hakoda being all “alright my son says the fire nation prince is on our side now so must be true”. i love suki because it’s suki!!!! she’s the best. her taking the warden hostage is 10/10 one of the greatest scenes ever. chit sang also cracks me up (“let’s roll baby” “hey guys! i’m new”). and the last ten minutes or so when they’re escaping are just so iconic. the saving each other’s lives. the fighting. just everything about it.

and i especially love how the episode that did So Much for zukka nation has not one, but TWO parts. very grateful for that.

#youre so cute anon ily #anonymous #ask me stuff

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7team7 · 4 years

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I like-like you

AU: Zuko becomes the Fire Lord at an even younger age and when he finally meets Chief Hakoda’s daughter, he is struck by her beauty, power, and poise.

Or, Zuko has his first crush and he doesn’t know how to deal with it. 4.8k words

A/N: hi HAHA I’m still very dedicated to the sasusaku fandom, but I wanted to post zutara fics too now that I’ve been rewatching avatar hope no one minds T-T so obviously this is my first zutara fic hope it turned out ok!

Zuko sighed as he dropped to sit on the foot of his bed, taking down his hair and removing some of his outer layers of clothing. He was in trouble.

Fire Lord Zuko, the young and pure Zuko who had been thrust into power after his father and sister met their mutual demise in an explosive Agni Kai. Zuko had sustained injury, resulting in his prominent scar, when he tried to put a stop to their duel. But the battle raged on, both family members too incensed by uncut ambition to listen to reason. Uncle had to drag him away from the scene to protect him further. It made sense that two of the strongest fire benders would be the ones to extinguish the other’s light.

Fire Lord Zuko, who wasn’t ready to take power and still heavily leaned on his uncle’s wisdom and support. Fire Lord Zuko, who was hardly an adult and still had plenty of growing up to do. Fire Lord Zuko, who was panicking at the strange feelings bubbling up inside of him — his first crush.

He had been notified that Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe was a formidable, but modest man and would be traveling with his two children as his main companions. The two leaders had yet to have the pleasure of meeting, so Zuko could not have predicted this, could not have prepared himself to be faced with the most beautiful girl in all the nations.

If someone had just told him, “By the way, Katara is stunning and will rip your insides apart both literally and figuratively, so watch out,” then maybe Zuko could have practiced his introductions more carefully and avoided stuttering like a bumbling fool.

But he was born unlucky, cursed to be...like this.

“Chief Hakoda,” he had greeted easily upon the family’s arrival, “I’m pleased to meet you and welcome you to the Fire Nation. I hope your travels were smooth.” But as the party drew closer, close enough where Zuko noticed the particular shade of blue in the girl’s eyes, he stumbled. “I see you’ve brought your...your, um...your family. They are also most, uh, honored. Honored guests. Your two children. Both of them.”

Hakoda must have chalked his bumbling speech up to nerves — Zuko was so very young — and he chose to greet him warmly.

Oh spirits, he knew how to greet other leaders, but how was he supposed to greet...a girl?

Luckily, her brother gave a rather informal introduction and promptly asked where he could locate a snack or, if Zuko was feeling generous, a seven course meal. “Oh yeah, and this is my sister, Katara.”

“You’ll have to excuse my brother. If you’re wondering, yes, he’s always like this.”

Zuko was wary of sisters, he had been royally screwed over by his own. He was even wary of girls in general after seeing how crazy his sister and her friends were.

But he could tell immediately that Sokka and Katara were dramatically different from Azula and himself. His heart squeezed a bit at the thought of what could have been, but he pushed it aside and transitioned into the welcoming host that he had been training to be. He really was glad to have them there — it was a true benchmark of the peace and cooperation spreading across all four nations.

Thankfully Uncle, always there to save the day, came around the corner and offered tea like it was the most natural thing in the world. (And to him, it probably was.)

“How was your trip?” he asked warmly while guiding them in the right direction. “Not too bad, I hope. It must be nice not getting seasickness!”

Hakoda chuckled, “Yes, it wasn’t anything that we’re not used to. The Fire Nation is a bit far, but the journey was worth it.” Crossing the open ocean with his two children was really only missing one thing.

Pulling a piece of jerky from seemingly out of nowhere, Sokka joked, “Yeah, sometimes the water got a little jerky,” and then remembering where he was he became serious, “but nothing the Water Tribe can’t handle.” He took a bite of his snack and Katara rolled her eyes.

“Even when the sea isn’t feeling kind, Sokka and I are able to steer easily thanks to Katara’s help.”

Zuko spoke up, “Oh, are you a ship captain?”

Katara smiled at him, “No, I’m a waterbender.”

Duh. Of course she was a waterbender. But also, why didn’t anyone tell him that not only was she pretty but she was a waterbender too? Those lengthy council meetings couldn’t have included just a little debrief on this girl?

“Oh. That’s cool. I’m a firebender.”

“Makes sense.”

He needed to get it together before someone would be able to waterbend the sweat off his palms.

Thankfully the conversation was cut short by their arrival to the tea room. Surrounded by red, black, gold, and the smell of herbs, Zuko felt instantly comforted. As they settled around a low table, he found himself wondering what Katara would look like in Fire Nation red. Probably cute.

He was shaken from his daydream by his uncle asking the room if they preferred jasmine or chamomile. “Even though this is supposed to be an official trip, I hope you can still enjoy some more leisurely activities during your stay. All work without play makes your day become gray,” he said wisely.

“Tonight, we have a banquet planned in your honor,” Zuko chimed in, “but the meetings tomorrow should only take up part of the day.”

“I’d hope so,” said Hakoda good-naturedly, “this tea is fantastic and I’ll need some more in the coming days.”

“It’s Uncle’s specialty, I’m glad you enjoy it. We’ll have to give you a tour of the grounds.”

“Speaking of a tour, wouldn’t you say the garden is very nice? Rather romantic don’t you think? Why don’t you take Katara there, she’d certainly enjoy the, uh, water in the pond!” Iroh wore many hats: loving uncle, wise advisor, fierce warrior, and now, insightful matchmaker.

But Katara didn’t sense the awkwardness, her face lit up at the mention of water, as if they hadn’t spent ages at sea. “A pond! I’d love to see it! Oh, and I’m sure the garden is lovely.”

“Excellent! Zuko, why don’t you guide her there? I can show our other guests the weaponry.” This time, it was Sokka’s turn to light up like a firecracker.

While normally Zuko would find it very sensible of his uncle to delegate tasks like this, he was feeling a little resentful that he was forced into a situation that made him so unbelievably nervous.

Alas, he had a duty to perform. He stood up and gestured, “Let’s go.”

Katara made small talk the whole way, asking questions about the palace and its history and the weather. Zuko was relieved that he knew all the answers. He should show her the library too.

“Do you come to this pond often?” She cringed, feeling like she was dropping a pick up line, but she really did want to know why Iroh suggested it out of all places.

“Not so much lately, but I used to sit in the gardens all the time with my mother.”

She didn’t respond except to smile at him with a genuine, meaningful warmth in her eyes.

The garden was even more breathtaking than she expected it to be, and the glittering pond was just begging her to come closer. It was so lush and just different from what she was used to (snow, snow, and more snow) that she couldn’t help but let her mouth hang open in awe.

Zuko led her to the usual spot without thinking much of it. She gasped in delight when she saw the little creatures gliding through the pond, “And just what do we have here?”

“They’re turtleducks. They’re cute, but don’t mess with them too much. The mother turtleduck can be feisty.”

But Katara was only half listening, having fun making little waves to gently lift the babies. They kept swimming up to the edge of the pond, quacking as if they were saying, more, more, more! Their mother watched safely from the other side of the pond, but she never swam over to intervene. “They are really cute!”

“Oh,” he said, sounding clearly surprised, “they like you.”

The dinner that night was festive and bright, but left Katara feeling pretty tired. While foreign, the Fire Nation palace was rather comfortable. After such a long trip to get there, the riot of new sights, sounds, and smells, and perhaps a little too much food all at once, gave Katara the sense that she’d sleep easily that night.

She had a certain amount of trepidation visiting the Fire Nation, but it really was nothing but pleasant so far. It didn’t hurt that the Fire Lord, rather than being old and stuffy and weird, was very cute. He was probably also, uh, really good at his job and at firebending. Or something.

As she settled into the fluffy pillows and drew the deep red comforter closer, she thought that if she saw him in her dreams, she certainly would not mind. She counted turtleducks in her head before drifting off.

While Uncle’s company was normally more than enough (and on a bad day, too much), but the morning after meeting the lively Water Tribe family felt distinctly empty when they had yet to arrive at the table.

Zuko sipped his tea, not yet cold, but it felt like so much time had passed since he sat down that it might as well have been. “Where are they? It’s been...many minutes! Do you think they just decided to jump ship and head back to the Southern Water Tribe?”

“Patience, patience. I’m sure once the scent of breakfast and the greatest tea in all four nations wafts over to their rooms, they will come running.”

“Maybe we should wake them up.”

“Why the rush?”

“Shouldn’t we at least check? What if they died?”

“I would hope not.”

“What if a faction is conspiring against us and killed all of them — and will frame us for the murder?! This will launch another war that we are responsible for.”

“That would be very bad!” He could see the gears turning in his nephew’s mind, so he decided to play along to help placate him.

Zuko stood up abruptly, shaking the table, “We can’t just sit around and wait. I’ll check on Katara. You go look for the others.” He stormed out of the room before Iroh could even object.

Not that he would, though. Seeing his nephew take action was very pleasing.

He marched all the way across the palace to the guest bedrooms, but before he knocked on Katara’s door, he stopped in his tracks like an invisible wall was in his way. Initially so confident in his decision, he was now filled with uncertainty. What would he do if he really found Katara’s limp, poisoned body laying on the bed?

Or worse: what if he barged in and she was naked because she was in the middle of changing?

He took a deep breath to center himself. There was no use in panicking. He could do this. He had faced more intimidating enemies, more foreign situations.

But the longer he thought about it, he realized he had never had to deal with a girl.

Best case scenario, she was in there with a great explanation as to why her family was late to breakfast and his nerves would be soothed like putting aloe on a sunburn. Yeah, he would go with the most ideal situation for now.

Maybe he should still practice, just in case.

“Hello, Zuko here!”

The looming wooden door didn’t respond.

“Good morning! Um, no, that’s not right. What if she’s having a bad morning? Uh, how do you do there? How is the Fire Nation treating you? Too formal, she’s not a dusty old diplomat.” His shoulders drooped. He needed to get this done before Uncle (or her own family members) came and interrupted him. This was his chance. His chance at what exactly, he wasn’t sure, but he was just going to go for it.

He knocked sharply, loud enough to wake any long-slumbering air bison. Just for good measure, he called out, “It’s Zuko!” And all his hemming and hawing and practicing was really for nothing because not long after, Katara flung the door open.

Without her hair tied back, it ran wild and curled around her face. Her eyes, normally so wide and crystal clear, were half shut and bleary with sleep. “Yes?”

“Yes! Hello. Uh, good morning. I just wanted to see if you would be joining us for breakfast this morning.” He added a little more quietly, but also a little more like himself, “I was getting worried.”

“Good morning,” she nodded. “What time is it?”

Zuko glanced around, “I’m not exactly sure, but the sun is up.”

Katara gave him a small smile, “I see. Well, have you ever considered that not everyone rises with the sun?” Or code for, firebender, can’t you see I’m tired?

He immediately started apologizing, feeling a blush creep up his neck. He had interrupted her hopefully peaceful sleep because he was missing her at breakfast. Nice one.

Katara held up a hand to stop him, then scrubbed it over her face to wake herself up more, “It’s really fine. We’re guests here and should be running on your schedule. I can be ready in a minute.”

“We’re hosts and should be more accommodating. I’ll leave you to it, breakfast won’t go anywhere without you.” He turned away, feeling a little silly for freaking out, but Katara’s voice stopped him.

“Actually, Zuko?”

“Yes?”

“Can you maybe wait here for me? I don’t want to get lost on my way to breakfast. You know, that would just waste more time,” she laughed awkwardly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“I’ll be here.” He was still smiling widely when she shut the door in his face.

“Your first full day here, is there anything else you’d like to do?” Iroh asked when everyone was finally gathered for breakfast. The meetings were purposely scheduled for after lunch when the sun was high in the sky and all the grumpy old advisors were in their best moods.

Sokka attempted to be casual, “Well I don’t know about everyone else but I’m feeling like I could stretch my legs some more. Like, sure, we got to see the armory and it was super cool. But! It would be infinitely cooler if we could actually, you know, play.”

Zuko lit up like a match, “We should spar!”

Sokka backpedaled, waving his arms around, “Woah, woah, woah! Nonbender versus Fire Lord? Do you see the problem here?”

Iroh spoke with pride, “My nephew here is not only a talented firebender, but he is also trained in the art of the sword, the dao sword.”

“So he can make fire and he has two swords? Kind of unfair, but not scary enough for me to decline. But no bending!” A true warrior never backed down from a challenge.

While a club and a boomerang might not seem like much, Zuko quickly realized he’d have to keep his guard up if he wanted to put up a decent fight. And it had absolutely nothing to do with looking cool in front of one out of the three members in the audience. Wouldn’t any sister want to see her brother get it handed to him anyway?

By the time they threw the towel in, Zuko could feel the sweat dripping down his back. So much for being invigorated by the sun. It was reassuring to see Sokka crawl back to sit next to his father.

As he put away his swords and took a refreshing drink of water, Katara stood up, “Don’t think we’re done here.”

He raised his eyebrow, “Your waterbending versus my firebending? You’re on.” He was tired but definitely still had some fight in him. It would be dishonorable to refuse.

As soon as they started, Zuko’s eyes widened. Okay, so by now he knew she was a waterbender, but seriously, why didn’t anyone tell him that she’s a master waterbender? Honestly, you’d think this girl would have built up a reputation across the nations. Based on the wide-eyed palace staff watching from the corners, she was definitely going to earn one in the Fire Nation.

Giving as much as he got, they danced around in circles for what felt like ages. Katara was a resilient, dynamic fighter and Zuko hadn’t felt so challenged in ages. He didn’t want to end the match because he wanted to keep studying her. It was rare for him to be able to battle a waterbender, let alone one so capable.

But Zuko’s fire had caused most of Katara’s water supply to evaporate and she was running out of places to draw from. In a last ditch effort to come out on top, she quickly made a razor thin water whip and managed to land a hit on the side of his face. His fire faded away into shimmering heat almost immediately.

He didn’t see it coming — really, the whip was so thin and came on his scarred side, so he was mostly stunned when it cut into his cheek. Katara gasped as she saw rich red blood start to drip out of the wound.

Gathering what was left of her water, she rushed up to him and immediately got to work healing, “I am so, so sorry. I wasn’t seriously trying to hurt you, I thought you’d block it like you blocked everything else. I’m really sorry, Zuko, I feel terrible.”

But he harbored no resentment. It was an exciting match and he was still too shocked to feel real pain besides the soreness in his muscles.

And the cut had landed just beneath his scar, so Katara’s hand covered the bottom part of it too. No one had bothered to touch him there in a long, long time, let alone heal him.

“Katara,” he said softly. She was so focused on apologizing that she hadn’t realized the cut was long gone. Healing water was useless on his scar at this point. But he didn’t mind anymore. The burnt skin was less sensitive than the rest of his face, but he could still feel the cool relief seeping into him.

She jumped back, letting the water splash to the ground between them. “Right, sorry. Again.”

He chuckled, “It’s okay. I didn’t know you could heal. What can’t you do?”

“Uh, firebend. I’m no avatar! So that means I can’t earthbend or airbend either. Would be awfully convenient if I could.”

“Right, me neither. I mean, I can’t waterbend, that is. I can firebend. But you already knew that.”

“Yes! I did, I did. You can also fight with swords, though, and that’s another thing I can’t do. So I think a better question would be what can I do, you know?”

Sokka, growing tired of their lame jokes, interrupted from the side, “So who’s hungry?”

Zuko, though worn out, wasn’t feeling particularly hungry because it seemed that a colony of butterflies had decided to occupy his stomach.

After cleaning up and taking a quick lunch, they sat through a series of meetings that left Zuko a bit weary, but hopeful. The nations working together peacefully was truly a dream come true. He had watched wistfully as Hakoda encouraged and listened intently to the suggestions of his two children. At least Uncle always valued his opinion.

Before dinner, the young man was finally allowed to have a moment alone with his thoughts, and they turned to Katara. He wandered aimlessly through the palace halls. Maybe he should seek her out? But for what reason, didn’t they just spend hours together?

The decision was made for him, though, when he nearly bumped into her as he rounded a corner. He reached out to grab her arm to steady her. For a waterbender, her skin was awfully warm.

“Oh, Zuko! I was actually just looking for you.”

“You were?” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice even though he was too, kind of.

“I had a question for you. The Southern Water Tribe is expanding at a pretty fast rate, but I still feel like we’re missing something. And I think it would help if we had some sort of library, you know, for future generations to look at and learn from. I’ve been gathering things, but most of our history has been told through oral histories. Would the Fire Nation happen to have…?”

It was a valid question, given the way the Fire Nation had plundered the other nations. Zuko nodded in understanding, “I can show you the library. If you see something you think would be helpful, it’s yours.” It was the least he could do to start making up for years of mistreatment. Ozai had done so much damage.

The royal library was truly worthy of marvel and Katara probably could have spent ages inside, but she had a mission. Without her needing to ask, Zuko led her to the relevant section. The fact that the library had a section at all was pretty hard to wrap her mind around.

“Wow, if I were you I’d just spend all day in here.”

“Yeah, I wish. But I’ve got a job to do and I don’t know how much a book can teach me about it,” he said with a hint of bitterness. He knew there were plenty who opposed his rule, criticized his every move, but he couldn’t hide from them.

“Well I think you’re doing a great job,” she said with an easy smile before pulling out a title. She gave out compliments like water, but it still felt nice to be on the receiving end of one. Despite it being a passing comment, Zuko couldn’t help but dwell on it as she scanned the pages. The sincerity of it struck him most acutely.

As they went up and down the rows, Zuko toyed with the idea of offering to carry her growing stack of books. Would that come across as polite or suggest that she wasn’t strong enough? Is it hot in here? Would his hands singe the pages? Do they have to be quiet since it was a library? Should he say something?

Luckily, Katara swung around to look at him sheepishly, “If you don’t mind, can I take these home with me?”

“It would be my honor if you took them back to their rightful place.” It was a good thing his father never decided to burn down the library.

Zuko’s eye sockets hurt. He had experienced a lot of kinds of pain during his young life, but this was a new one. He kept trying to look at Katara during dinner without actually looking. He couldn’t put his finger on why he was so interested in looking at her rather than something like his plate of food, but it was hard to balance normal conversation with the desires of his eyes, traitorous things.

It had been a long time since so many people he actually liked were at the dinner table. Of course Hakoda, Sokka, and Katara would have to go back eventually, but he would miss them. If anything, he definitely made some friends.

Uncle tried to get everyone to play pai sho that night, but it only stuck with Hakoda and Sokka. While their strategizing was admittedly impressive, Zuko just didn’t have the patience to keep watching. He noticed that Katara had stepped outside for some air, so he decided to join her.

She sat on the ground looking up at the sky — brilliantly clear with bright stars and an even brighter moon.

“Can I join you?”

“Of course.”

Zuko nodded and settled himself in a similar position to Katara: cross legged, face turned towards the inky night sky. While not the familiar warmth of the sun, the moon really was beautiful. He turned to look at Katara and was struck by the way her profile looked illuminated by moonlight. He noticed that her hand was up by her neck, playing with the necklace she never seemed to be without. She wore a thoughtful expression and Zuko had to take a deep breath before speaking again. Despite the success and geniality of the trip, he could imagine that her family had mixed feelings about coming to visit.

“Katara?”

“Yeah?” She turned to look at him. Another breath.

“How are you?”

She smiled faintly. “I’m alright.” She let her hand drop to her side.

Zuko shuffled into his room, feeling very ready for a nice night of sleep after such a long day.

He removed his crown, his hair falling loosely around his face like a waterfall. When he took off his headpiece, he was really just a teenager, not even an adult yet. He changed into pajamas and laid back on his bed, allowing himself to think teenage thoughts, ponder teenage problems. What was he to do about Katara? Or, how would he confront his feelings for Katara?

Zuko was, in a word, confused. He wasn’t sure what these feelings even were, let alone how to deal with them.

There was no one he could turn to; his options were severely limited. Ask Uncle? Yuck, never. Besides, he’d say something that Zuko wouldn’t be able to puzzle out until after Katara had left, like reading the tea leaves. Sokka was near his age, but he was Katara’s brother. When he asked Zuko for tips on landing “the Fire Nation’s hottest babes,” it was cemented that Zuko could not ask him for anything, really.

And then there was his greatest challenge, Katara herself. He couldn’t force her to return his feelings, and she very well could want nothing to do with him beyond a friendly political alliance. Even if his mother, father, or sister were here, he wouldn’t be able to consult them. No, this was something he had to figure out on his own. This time there was no war to be won, no battle to be planned. This situation was like a fire lily: if it wanted to bloom, he would be pleased. But he couldn’t do much besides water it and hope for it to respond.

But the more he thought about it, the more he was certain that he liked Katara. Like more than a friend. He had a crush on her. He had feelings for her. He like-liked her. Whatever you wanted to call it.

Oh boy.

He woke up from a restful night’s sleep thinking about her. He groaned.

Oh yeah, he was in trouble.

He stretched and got dressed. Might as well go to breakfast with a smile on his face, even if he probably looked like an idiot. While still pleasant, the morning meal was quieter than their other ones. It felt strange to have to say goodbye already. And, oh-so-conveniently, right when Zuko had a better grip on these feelings of his…

But just like that, the visitors’ time in the Fire Nation had come to an end. For now.

Zuko was confident that their visit created a strong foundation to build a better relationship on. They would probably be seeing each other some time soon. And they could send letters, friendly ones that lacked the normal formality of political correspondence. This was far from the last they’d be seeing of each other, something he found great comfort in.

“Thank you, Lord Zuko, it’s truly been a pleasure. It brings me peace of mind to know the Fire Nation is in good hands. We’ll see you again.” Hakoda’s words were brief but Zuko couldn’t deny the wave of validation he felt after hearing them. Maybe he was doing a half decent job after all.

“Now that we’ve been here, don’t be surprised if we pop in every so often. Oops, lost control of the ship and ended up on Zuko’s door step! Don’t blame me, blame the ocean spirit! Thanks, buddy.” That morning’s breakfast spread alone was enough to keep him coming back. And Katara didn’t seem to mind, so all was well, right?

“I’ll keep the rooms ready for you,” Zuko promised while shaking Sokka’s hand. The boy followed his father onto their ship, leaving Zuko to face Katara. As much as she looked forward to returning home, she was glad she was the last one to get on board.

“So…”

“You got everything?”

“Seems like it.”

“That’s good. Even the books?”

“Yup, even the books.”

“Good, good. Well...I’ll see you...later?”

“Definitely. You’ll have to come visit the Southern Water Tribe soon,” Katara said sweetly, playfully.

The promise dancing in her eyes made Zuko feel something undeniable: hope.

A/N: Yes I conveniently had Ozai and Azula take each other out HAHA now I don’t have to deal with them. I don’t know if I’ll post another chapter because I /could/ write about them visiting each other but idk. I’ll mark this complete for now, thanks for reading!! Idk if it’s too long but at this point I’m just like :] Also, if you have a zutara twitter pls lmk/give me account recs!! I want to see more on my tl but it’s hard to find people esp when the zutara search is mostly people arguing lol and hopefully you either have a neutral or positive opinion of sasusaku <3

#zutara #fan fic #my writing #atla

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comradekatara · 3 months

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I think Sokka would low-key resent Iroh for reminding Yue that she is blessed by the moonspirit, resulting in her sacrificing her life without question. Sure Iroh did it because there is no other choice, and really sokka would understand, but really, that boy has the right to atlest dislike someone who encouraged his (ex) girlfriend to die turn into the moon.

Thoughts?

yeah i’ve talked abt this exact thing before (can’t be bothered to locate the post but it basically just states this) and i definitely think that it’s one of many reasons sokka has to resent iroh. i mean despite being such beautiful foils (in many ways, iroh is just oldass sokka), sokka is the only member of the gaang to not trust iroh implicitly (which is funny only because they all at least vaguely know that he is the dragon of the west, and yet sokka, as usual, is the only one with enough common sense to be wary of him due to this fact) and treats him with a baseline hostility throughout the entire show (my favorite detail being how offended he gets when iroh puts his hands on sokka’s shoulders. and actually just sokka’s outrage whenever anyone he doesn’t like in general places a hand on him, it’s so funny). i mean even in their final scene, i always sort of read sokka asking “what about us? what’s our destiny today?” not as like, an earnest, deferential question, but rather as a sort of challenge. he obviously thinks that iroh sounds kind of cuckoo whenever he talks about destiny or intent-based morality (“good inside him isn’t enough, come back when it’s outside him too!” speaking of which, sokka would beat immanuel kant to a pulp you know it’d be on sight), and so here (at least how i read it), he’s kind of just saying “okay smart guy, so you’ve got this whole day mapped out according to your prophetic dreams and visions, but what about us? are you just forgetting about three perfectly good soldiers?” and i think iroh’s response here is the first time he actually sort of wins sokka’s approval, because he turns that question back around to sokka and says, no, “what do you think you ought to do?” recognizing sokka’s role as the planner, the delegator, the strategist, affording him the respect he deserves. and obviously sometime in the (near) future after the war, sokka is going to join the white lotus and work more closely with iroh and play the same game of pai sho with him for days on end, etc. but i think that one tiny moment really lays the groundwork for any possible future relationship they might have in good faith. and i also think that at some point, sokka would ask iroh to teach him how to enter the spirit world, at which point he will have finally atoned for the fact that yue sacrificed herself upon his suggestion.

#salt-popcorn #asks #iroh #sokka #iroh&sokka #sorry for giant wall of text & all the parenthetical asides I have a fever rn & it shows✌🏼#anyway iroh & sokka are such gorgeous gorgeous foils and no one ever talks abt. a shame!

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jaxsteamblog · 4 years

Text

Tradition

Click here to read the full fic on AO3

Zuko was distracted on their video call. Katara let her words trail and it would take a few moments for him to respond. After watching him for a moment, Katara finally reclined on her couch.

“So, what’s new with you?” She asked. That got his attention and Zuko looked at her nervously.

“Katara, we’ve been dating a few months now.” He said, but didn’t seem to pick up the thread after trailing off.

“Yes?” Katara prompted.

“I don’t want to rush things.” Zuko said, as if that were a complete thought.

“But?”

“But certain people are asking about the long term.”

“Zuko.” Katara sighed and Zuko’s camera jostled as he sat up.

“I know, I know. Like I said, I don’t want to rush things. I just want you to know that people are asking questions and I’m answering them the best I can.” He said.

“That’s ominous as all get out Zuko.” Katara replied dryly.

“I just don’t want you to be surprised by the news or anything.” He replied easily.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing! Well,” Zuko looked strangled as he formed the words. “Azula and I are fighting. Or maybe my father is fighting me through Azula. Either way, we’re going to be in the news.”

“Is everything okay?” Katara asked.

“It’ll be fine.” Zuko replied. “I promise.”

It was not the news that told her.

Rohan landed their sky bison Dawa in the middle of the courtyard as Katara was going through her exercises. The large animal slid on the ice and bumped into the wall with a low groan. When they jumped off, Rohan pressed themself into Dawa’s massive head, bury their face in her fur.

“My poor baby. Did that hurt?” They cooed and Dawa lowed gently.

“Rohan? What are you doing here?” Katara asked as she approached. Still keeping their body pressed against Dawa’s head, Rohan turned their face. They were still mostly obscured by the long fur, but an attempt was made.

“Pop was thinking you and I should go to the Fire Nation.” They said.

“Arnook doesn’t want me leaving the palace. I still have a lot of learning to do.” Katara replied.

“Yes well, Azula challenged Zuko to an Agni Kai.” Rohan said.

“WHY DIDN’T YOU LEAD WITH THAT?” Katara yelled. Panicked, Rohan flipped around and Dawa growled at Katara.

“I DON’T REALLY KNOW.” They yelled back.

“WHY ARE WE WAITING?”

Katara pushed herself up with the ice and Rohan leaped onto the saddle.

“Yip, yip Dawa!” They said and Katara barely had time to brace herself.

The sudden force of air knocked her back, but after Dawa levelled out her flying, Katara was able to move. She crawled on her hands and knees toward Dawa’s head where Rohan sat with the reins.

“You need to explain to me what’s happening.” Katara said. Rohan turned, idly flicking the reins in their lap.

“Azula has stated that by continuing to pursue a relationship with you, Zuko has dishonored their family and should have no right to the throne. She’s challenged him to an Agni Kai for inheritance.” They answered.

“And he accepted?”

“He had no choice. His father wasn’t going to stop it; it’s kinda the end all, be all of decision making. And you know,” Rohan fidgeted as they spoke. “He had accepted the Agni Kai where his father burned him.”

“WHAT?” Katara gripped the edge of the saddle and felt the pressure against her palms.

“Like I said, it’s how they do things in the Fire Nation. Zuko didn’t really have a choice.” Rohan replied.

Katara sat back and stared off into the sky. Agni Kais were rare, but all of them were broadcast. They had been outlawed in the United Republic, and among any Fire Nation citizen in other kingdoms. The dangerous taboo created a massive allure and young Firebenders in the Fire Nation would routinely call for one, knowing that it would be televised. It was definitely their chance to make a mark on the world.

If Katara really wanted, she assumed she could find a recording of Zuko’s initial Agni Kai. Where his own father pressed his hand to his son’s face, in public, and marred him.

This one would be just as public. And against his sister.

Katara tried to think of the last time she had fought with Sokka. It was over the summer, when they had planned to eat dinner together and they disagreed over acceptable pizza toppings. She had thrown a loaf of bread at him. They weren’t even having pizza.

“So what can we do?” Katara asked.

“Thuy is already there with Pop trying to de escalate, except that neither Azula nor Ozai are actually, you know, emotional about it.” Rohan said.

“They’ve been looking for a reason.” Katara murmured.

“Probably.”

“You don’t think she’d kill him, do you?”

“It’s not illegal.” Rohan answered, answering her question as gently as they could.

“We have to stop this.” Katara stated.

“We literally cannot.”

“Then why did you bring me?”

“Just in case.”

Feeling sick to her stomach, Katara rolled on her tailbone until her back was against the edge of the saddle. Her arms fell along the edge as well, making her look like a boxer on the ropes. She felt like she had been sucker punched.

It took two days of flying to get there. Dawa pushed through as if sensing her riders’ desperation. Rohan showed Katara how to fly and they took shifts as they crossed the unending ocean. From a hastily packed bag, Rohan pulled out various foodstuffs and their eating times were the only moments they had together. They tried to think of a plan but had nothing, and fear gnawed at the underside of Katara’s heart.

When they landed, both Katara and Rohan leaped down. Katara pulled water from the grass on the ground to brace herself and Rohan’s wind ball gently shrank while propelling them forward. There were guards, because of course there were, but Rohan’s gusts snuffed out the pit of their fires while Katara swept them aside.

“The arena is over here.” Rohan yelled and Katara followed them closely. In front of them was also a large reservoir of water. It would make sense, in case the firebending got out of control. And it made things easier for Katara.

“There!” She exclaimed and found soldiers waiting for them. Rohan made a noise in irritation before spinning into an aerial kick, blowing them away with a gale. They floated down with a huff and Katara sped up to match their stride.

“They’re lucky I took a vow of non-violence.” Rohan muttered as they continued on.

“You’re lucky that I did not.” Katara said and Rohan briefly smiled at her.

They crashed into the doors and immediately struck bodies. There was a crowd gathered to watch the spectacle and Katara fumed. Rohan took a deep breath and blew out; a whirlwind burst out of his mouth and people were shoved away from them. It was just enough of a gap to see the raised platform where Zuko knelt, a cloth over his shoulders. Katara and Rohan bolted forward just as he stood, the cloth falling away.

And a burst of blue fire surged toward him.

Katara screamed even as Zuko turned out of the way, moving the blue fire around his body and changing it into the orange she recognized.

The fire was loud, which surprised her. It was also hot, which made her wary to get closer. Still, she stepped forward and Rohan put their hand on her shoulder.

“We can’t now.” They said. Katara, pained, looked at them before turning back to the platform. Zuko moved like a waterbender, sliding his feet as he pulled Azula’s attacks around himself before pushing it back at her. When he did get defensive, he spun with his feet arcing over his head, like an Airbender. And when the attacks were too large, Zuko took a deep stance and broke the line of fire, much like an Earthbender.

“What is he doing?” Katara asked.

“Tiring her out. Zuko’s hung out with us for so long, he’s picked up so many different styles, Azula can’t get past them.” Rohan replied. “Once she’s exhausted, he’ll knock her down and he’ll win.”

They smiled, looking relaxed, but Katara frowned.

“That seems very anticlimactic.” She said.

“But it’s a good thing.” Rohan retorted and she shook her head.

“Except Zuko said his father is dramatic.” Katara said before looking back Zuko. “Do you think it’ll be that easy?”

It wasn’t.

As soon as Azula went down - having been slow to react to a curve ball of fire and so Zuko swept her legs out from under her - Zuko immediately stood at attention.

Azula got up on a knee and started to laugh.

“You have brought dishonor yet again onto our family, prince Zuko.” Ozai’s menacing voice came from the far end of the raised walk. “You have fought with your sister in front of the entire world.”

“But he-” Katara started but Rohan grabbed her arm, shushing her.

Zuko put his fist to his hand and bowed deeply.

“I meant no disrespect.” He said, his voice hollow but still ringing in Katara’s ears.

Ozai stepped from the shadows; shirtless, as was required by the Agni Kai.

“So it’s time for a rematch?” He asked.

Zuko stood upright for a moment before sliding into a waiting stance. This marked a choice, not a reaction. He knew what he was getting into.

“Trust me,” Zuko said darkly. “It won’t be much of a rematch.”

Ozai’s burst exploded, making the air around the audience pop. That scattered most of them as the bending bordered on combustion; a trained combustion bender could control it, but Ozai did not focus on that form.

Zuko didn’t waste his time tiring out Ozai, mostly because his fight with Azula had already weakened his own stamina.

Looking around, Katara was finally able to see the people she was hoping for as the crowd fled. Tenzin, Iroh, and Thuy stood yelling at each other just a few feet away.

“Thuy!” Katara screamed and started to run. The Avatar turned and Tenzin preemptively held her back. When Rohan and Katara made it to the group, Katara was seething.

“Why haven’t you stopped this?” She damned, looking at Iroh and Tenzin.

“Our hands are tied here.” Tenzin started.

“All of this is perfectly legal.” Iroh added.

“But it’s not right!” Katara yelled.

“Watch out!” Thuy pushed Katara back and pulled up a rock wall as fire spilled off the platform.

“I’m going up there.” Katara stated.

“You are the queen of another country, you cannot interfere!” Tenzin said.

“Yeah, well, I’m the Avatar and it looks to me like the sovereign of the Fire Nation is terrorizing his heir, which I’m pretty sure can lead to some serious political consequences so I’m gonna have to overrule you here.” Thuy retorted forcefully.

“Look!” Rohan called out. Everyone turned and saw Zuko push Ozai back, now very clearly mimicking Waterbender styles. As Ozai shielded himself, the flames dissipated and Azula jumped up next to her father.

“That certainly isn’t legal.” Iroh said.

“Let’s go!” Thuy grabbed Katara’s hand and rocketed themselves upward on a protrusion of rock.

“There’s water under the grates.” Katara said just before they hit the platform. Thuy grabbed from the right side while Katara pulled water from the left. Bringing their wavering columns together, they clashed on the eruptions of fire heading toward Zuko.

Things worsened when the soldiers made it into the arena.

Iroh, finding himself yet again on the enemy lines, fought defensively. And as both Tenzin and Rohan had taken vows of non-violence, they were quickly occupied with keeping themselves safe while also not allowing anyone else to join the fight on the platform.

For the ones above, their fight was nothing less than brutal. Azula and Ozai went with sheer power, attempting to push someone off the platform. The fall would easily be enough to break a leg, making escape impossible. So Katara and Thuy pulled on more limbs of water, catching themselves when they got too close to the edge.

Thuy had no formal firebending training, but instinctively she was able to disperse indirect attacks.

But as Zuko got hit with a fireball, Thuy lost it. She pulled too hard on the water, bringing Zuko up but nearly taking Katara off in the process.

“Just. Stay. Put.” Thuy seethed through gritted teeth. Right before her eyes started to glow.

Katara had never seen Thuy in the Avatar state, and it terrified her a bit. Air swirled up around her, tossing her hair up that made her look like she was drowning. Large slabs of rock were ripped from the ground and circled her like an armor plated atom. Fire jumped between the slabs, creating a protective net, while water fell upward to coat the entire platform.

“We are sick of you and your forefathers treating everyone like filth.” A booming voice that was not Thuy’s said. “Your heir has atoned and we will bestow our favor on him.”

Ozai laughed. He laughed right in the face of the Avatar.

“You are a coward. You all were cowards! You can’t strike me down because of the balance!” He shouted.

The elements parted around Thuy, but something cloaked her. She was taller, wearing robes, and with a large headdress.

“I can assure you,” A clearer voice, but still not Thuy’s, rang out. “I was no coward when I killed my master.”

Avatar Kyoshi swept her hand and a large rock ripped itself free of the arena and slammed into Ozai, knocking him clear into the other wall.

The shroud changed again and Katara gasped at the sight of the blue parka. Water slammed into the place where Ozai had landed, just as the rock exploded. Avatar Kuruk ran on the water bridge he created and created a fist of ice.

“Don’t forget about me.” A lilting voice sang out. Blue fire shot toward Katara as she turned. Pulling up a sheet of ice, Katara took a moment to admire the shimmering explosion of blue that rippled behind it. Then, stepping forward, she shoved the wall at Azula. As Azula broke it, Zuko had spun through a series of sets. Azula charged them then, splitting them cleanly down the middle with a wall all her own.

Azula was good at keeping them apart, putting Katara on the defensive while forcing Zuko to choose between pushing an attack or trying to deflect spill over from harming Katara. They would dart at each other, only to have Azula fall back while attacking Katara.

The fight had barely gone on for ten minutes, but that was longer than any other duel. Zuko and Azula were both visibly panting, and they both swayed in their stances. Off to one side of the arena, the Avatar was beating the Fire Lord into the ground while the other side saw the trio slowly losing their footing.

Suddenly grinning, Azula stood up and took a different stance.

“Azula.” Zuko called out as a warning.

“Dear brother, this ends now.” She said. The electricity arced between her fingers and Katara froze.

She knew what happened when electricity met water. Unsure of what to do or how to help, she looked at Zuko.

“I can handle you Azula. For as long as it takes.” Zuko shouted, getting his voice over the snarling sound of lightning growing around Azula.

“Is that so?” Azula remarked casually.

Zuko stood, his body tilted and grounded.

And Azula turned to face a new direction.

Katara could see her gold eyes glint but she didn’t hear Zuko yell.

She saw the lightning and she saw Zuko. And she saw Zuko’s body. He was just a few feet from her, she could reach him.

Steam erupted as Azula shot fire in front of her.

“Oh no you do-” Azula began but cut off as the steam curled and shot up like a spear. Katara pulled more and more water, levitating ice shards all around her and sending them hurtling toward Azula. The water moved like a wave over the platform and while Azula twisted to dodge one of the ice spears, her ankle rolled and she fell to her knees. The water froze, adhering her to the platform. To keep her from bending, Katara pulled more water up and created an inverted bubble around them.

Then she froze it.

Bending was an art. Some benders were born with inherent strength while others could improve through rigorous training, and still others were stuck with low ability no matter what. But it was all dependent upon the benders chi, or spirit, or metaphysical energy. Whatever they called it, it was an energetic field that they could manipulate. Most of the time, benders had to move in order to control their element as they could never achieve true mastery of their chi.

Some monks among the Air Nomads were rumored to have achieved it and would float without the need for food or water.

Katara felt the frozen rage down to her core and the water around her obliged. She breathed, and the ice melted to let her pass.

Moving through the ice, Katara picked up the cloth Zuko had worn at the beginning of the Agni Kai. With it, she bound Azula’s hands, then refroze them. At least this way it would take longer for her to get frostbite.

Melting the ice block, Katara kept Azula pinned to the ground and her hands encased in ice.

Then she ran to Zuko.

Turning him onto his back, Katara knelt down to listen for a heartbeat. Not finding one, she immediately started CPR. As she counted, she used her bending to move the blood through his veins.

“I could use a little zap here!” She paused to yell. Focusing on her compressions, she had no idea how long it took Iroh to get up to them. When he did, she sat back and watched as Zuko was electrocuted again.

Gasping, Zuko rolled onto his side and Katara fell on him, crying.

“I have to heal you!” She sobbed. “I have to.”

Her hands glowed as the water came to them and she ran it over his chest. She had cracked his sternum during CPR and had to concentrate on pulling the fracture together. Her chi went into him, sewing the bone together. She healed his veins and the damage done to his heart. But the scar would not go. Dark veins bled out from the strike, but at least they were working.

“Zuko.” Katara said as she fell on top of him. “Why?”

“Tradition.” Zuko said weakly. “I wasn’t allowed to say no.”

“Get rid of it.” She murmured, burying her face in his chest.

“As soon as the crown touches my head beloved.” He brought his head up and kissed the top of her head.

“Yeah but seriously, someone needs to check to see if the Fire Lord is dead.” Rohan said from above them. “Because Thuy went all out on him.”

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#zutara #fanfiction #jax writes #modern au #zutara month 2020 #the fic that prompts built

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liquidink21 · 4 years

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If I were doing the Avatar Remake

Just a list of things changes and tweaks to the original I would make to Avatar if I was in charge of this netflix remake, given that we’ve all lost hope in it and now I’m just speculating to make myself feel better. I’ve already made a list of things it really needs, and this list includes them, but I’m just going to go hog wild with my imagination and opinions on Avatar. In a rough order of when I think and them and what episode it becomes relevant.

How long are these new episodes going to be? I’d like to extend them for more story content, though am wary of overdoing it. How does thirty minutes sound? Enough for some more depth to some episodes.

I think it should be pointed out earlier on that there are more villages across the South Pole. This is canon, and would make the Southern Water Tribe feel more alive.

Aang’s friends from the past: in addition to Kuzon and Bumi, give him a Northern Water Tribe pal. He’s never been to the South Pole, and was deliberately coming to make new friends somewhere the Monks wouldn’t think to look for him. We can reference this friend again when we reach the North Pole.

Somebody, probably Iroh, mentions Zuko’s name in front of Aang. It’s always infuriated me that the Gaang know’s Zuko’s name suddenly in Warriors of Kyoshi without anyone telling them what it is. I don’t think it needs its own episode, just somebody says it while he’s captured.

The terms of Zuko’s banishment don’t restrict him from the colonies in the Earth Kingdom, so they don’t consider those colonies to be proper Fire Nation territory. I feel they should have their own name, just to make the politics of the show feel deeper. “The Eastern Protectorate” is a nice reference to the Chinese “Protectorate of the Western Territories.” Zhao can namedrop it when they go to his port.

The fact that Kyoshi Island has such a different culture from the main Earth Kingdom should be brought up. The answer is a mix between isolation and cultural exchange with the Southern Water Tribe. Katara and Sokka probably have a passing knowledge of the island. “Oh, that’s where we are.” Also, if Aang knew to come here for the Koi fish, how didn’t he know about there being Kyoshi revering settlements there?

There should be an adult Kyoshi Warrior training the others. She approves of Suki training Sokka, and comments on the rarity of outsiders and men being Kyoshi Warriors. I feel Sokka is the first outsider, but there was another man. Adult warrior gives the explanation that when she was a young trainee, a man working on the docks was teased for “fighting like a girl” so warriors taught him exactly like a girl.

There should be an Earthbending Kyoshi Warrior. I mean Kyoshi herself was a bender, the art can’t be exclusively a non-bending form.

Maybe point out that there are multiple villages on the island. This is in fact canon.

Haru’s mother and village could use some actual names.

We never see any non-bending Earth Kingdom soldiers. I loved how the Fire Nation has different uniforms for its bending and non-bending warriors, and I’d like to see the same for the Earth Kingdom troops.

I want to know more about those pirates? The captain is ethnically a Fire Nation citizen. Is there a story behind that? A navy deserter? Like an opposite of Jeong Jeong, deserting not for ethics but because he didn’t like duty getting in the way of fortune? I’m probably just overthinking it.

The names of the Freedom Fighters are obviously pseudonyms, and Jet probably urges the Gaang to adopt some themselves.

While I don’t actually feel that Aang lying to the two groups in The Great Divide is an unforgivable wrong, I feel the lie itself was a little demeaning and could have been a little more sophisticated.

I have seen that post saying there needs to be more Indians in Avatar than just Guru Pathik, given how many Indian concepts are in the show. Many people also share the opinion that there should be Indian airbenders, so yes they should appear in the flashbacks in The Storm (and The Southern Air Temple as well). Also some Earth Kingdom villages should be Indian based as well. I think the market from The Waterbending Scroll could be a good place to start, maybe the port from The Storm as well, though probably somewhere that isn’t just a background place as well. Maybe the nuns in Bato of the Water Tribe too.

Iroh could be less creepy with June.

Ah, The Northern Air Temple. Honestly I feel that while the ultimate message of Aang being okay with the Mechanist and his people settling in the Air Temple is okay, I feel it needs to end with a greater emphasis on the Mechanist’s people being more respectful to the site. Ramming pipes through historical mosaics and demolishing statues is really not on. Also, while Sokka being cool with industrialisation is in character, I do think he’d disapprove the desecration.

I feel the fact that a lot of the Fire Nation’s technological might (not all of it, though) is riding off the back of a blackmailed Earth Kingdom citizen is something that could be brought up more often.

Yue’s story with the Moon Spirit needs to be explained almost immediately, so that it’s not kind of an arse-pull when the plot needs it.

Legend of Korra makes a big deal about the South gaining independence from the North, but they’re already treated as separate nations? I think it should be mentioned somewhere, probably from Hahn, that the South is technically subservient to the North, though operates with a great deal of autonomy that comes with not being able to contact each other.

The North is pretty sure it’s the original Water Tribe, but can’t say for sure. Hahn thinks of the South as nothing but a colony, though Arnook is more progressively minded and notes there are no records of who came first and treats the South as a sister tribe.

I think there’s another character worth adding, a captain of the Northern warriors. He can appear several more times throughout the series, which I’ll elaborate on.

Zhao comments “there’s a reason they’ve survived a hundred years of war” whereas other comments suggest the Northern Water Tribe has been sitting out of the war. Apparently the North did take uniforms from soldiers 85 years ago, so I think the idea should be that they received one big siege back then, and since then they’ve been experiencing raids since then culling their villages and forcing them into that single fortified city-state. Since then, their ability to send ships out has been impeded by Fire Nation ships patrolling those water but not engaging the city itself until Zhao’s siege.

Yue, when mentioning the waterbenders learning from the Moon, should reference humanity receiving bending from the Lion Turtles, just to introduce the concept that bending could be given and therefore by implication taken away.

There’s a historical character I want to introduce: an Earth Kingdom general that was nearly able to push the Fire Nation out of the Earth Kingdom around half-way through the 100 Year War, but was taken down by internal Earth Kingdom politics. The Fire Nation had to do its conquests all over again because of him. It would help fill out a century of history that is poorly explained. I think he could be introduced by Sokka asking General Fong how they still have an outpost on the west coast when most of that region has been occupied by the Fire Nation.

Azula’s blue fire should be depicted like blue flames are in real life: very straight jets rather than the flickering things you see in the animation. Since it’s basically just powerful fire, I think it should be seen with a couple of other firebenders, though Azula is the only one that exclusively uses it. Jeong Jeong and Iroh would be good people to use it.

I saw a post once by a Korean rightfully upset that the only Korean characters in the show (Song and her village) are lumbered in with the essentially Chinese Earth Kingdom as if they’re the same culture despite Korea obviously being separate and having a poor history of China attempting to enforce hegemony over it. I think maybe something could be made of Song and her people being a distinct culture that has had a generally poor relationship with the Earth Kingdom at large. Maybe the previously mentioned Earth Kingdom general was screwed over for being of this culture.

I’m not sure how to depict the Swampbenders. They'll no longer be caricatures of the guys in the next studio, so they’ll be more respectfully treated and not hillbillies. I’m not sure if they should be Vietnamese (given the original characters have Vietnamese names) or southern Native Americans (given they’re waterbenders, and the other waterbenders are Inuits).

After failing to get Bumi as Aang’s earthbending teacher, they throw around suggestions. Since Aang is learning waterbending from Katara they consider a similarly aged Earthbender. Katara suggests they go find Haru, while Sokka suggests the earthbending Kyoshi Warrior I mentioned before.

I saw a post once suggesting that the Beifongs were collaborators, and while I think this is somewhat extreme, I would like to explore the interplay between their wealth and their position in the war. Also, the fact that Toph had been sheltered from the war and has far less of an emotional stake in it needs to be explored in more detail.

In the Zuko Alone flashbacks Azula really needs to be made out as a normal child with a bad influence (her father) instead of an inherently bad child. My sister points to this episode and claims Iroh or Ursa should have just drowned her and that’s something incredibly fucked up to say about a ten(?) year old.

In that vein, Iroh’s “no she’s crazy and needs to go down” line really needs to be changed to something more compassionate. Most Avatar meta states that Iroh doesn’t actually hate Azula; he’s just prioritising Zuko’s safety, and his line here needs to reflect that.

Aang should recognise the Lion-Turtle, and know that they gave humanity their bending powers. Just to keep that concept in mind, so that when it comes to the energybending climax it’s less of an arse-pull.

Wan Shi Tong’s morale compass and lumping a bunch of kids attempting to avoid genocide in with conquerors needs to be called out more, and I feel Katara should be the one to do it.

Suki gets to stay on for one extra episode and help fight the Drill. It also makes for a better explanation of how she got back. Right now it’s implied she went back across the Serpent’s Pass; in my own she’d explicitly head along the wall and go back with the ferries.

I want more discussion of Ba Sing Se’s social stratification. Was Jin able to visit the Jasmine Dragon? Or was she blocked from entering higher rings?

Toph’s lie detecting thing made into a spiritual or chi related thing. The whole heartbeat thing is pseudoscience.

The Northern Water Captain I mentioned earlier reappears, having met and joined his men with Hakoda’s. Hakoda praises his son with helping bridge the gap between the two water tribes.

Ty Lee gets more appearances in Book 3, even if just in the background. She got some nice development in The Beach and I want to see more of it as Azula’s brought her out of that circus and back into the Fire Nation nobility.

Sparky Sparky Boom Man’s tattoo has a different design that is not a villainised appropriation of a Hindu symbol. Something nice and geometric, maybe sun based.

Hawky at some point returns to Team Avatar. I want them legitimised as a member of the Gaang! Equal status to Momo and Appa! Also I suppose bringing a letter back from the Beifongs could have significance to Toph. But let Hawky return!

Hama has a more compassionate ending. I feel after she’s led away, Sokka figures it’s pretty fucked up that they’re handing one of their own over to the Fire Nation so they go and rescue her. They give her a choice between joining them to fight during the eclipse or returning to the South Pole to help rebuild the Southern Water Tribe (given that there’s Notherners helping rebuild she could help make sure they rebuild it in the style of the south and not a facsimile of the north). She chooses the latter.

No weird Guru Pathik during Aang’s hallucinations please.

While discussing the allies that Hakoda picked up, he mentions some people he couldn’t get: they couldn’t find the Kyoshi Warriors, the Sandbenders didn’t want to come, the Omashi Resistance wanted to use the eclipse to retake their city, and General Fong’s outpost had been overrun. Just flesh out things a little.

Sokka and the other Water Tribe warriors should be wearing that facepaint for the Invasion.

I want more interaction with The Duke, Haru, and Teo with the Gaang.

Chit Sang’s girlfriend and friend join with the second escape instead of being strangely absent. Also, who is he? Sokka probably looks him up to make sure they’re not bringing a serial killer into their midst. Preferably not, I like to think they were thrown in there for opposing the war.

I’d like Suki to learn from Hakoda that the other Kyoshi warriors are alive, if imprisoned.

Suki doesn’t like wearing prison clothes and attempts a facsimile of Kyoshi islander clothes by stealing Katara and Haru’s clothes.

Some more emotions between Sokka and Suki relating to her imprisonment please. There’s a lot of pent up trauma there and I’d like them to work through it.

People like to play up Katara’s “you obviously didn’t love her as much as I did” line into an insight to a horrible character rather than just something stupid said in the heat of the moment, though I do think Katara should apologise, if only to show the haters that this isn’t her personality.

Training with Aang, Zuko finds out he has the peace of mind to do lightning. He wouldn’t use it against Azula, but it would be a nice demonstration that his inner turmoil is more or less resolved.

The adult Kyoshi Warrior I mentioned at the very beginning of this reappears as a White Lotus member. She, for whatever reason, has a replacement warrior uniform for Suki, because I feel Suki shouldn’t have to go through the climax in a Fire Nation disguise. Also maybe Sokka should be wearing his warpaint too? I mean it’s culturally significant to him.

You want lightning? No I don’t. Azula’s growing inner turmoil denies her the use of lightning, mirroring Zuko’s original inability to use it when he was lost and confused. So when it comes to sneakily zapping Katara it’s just her fire, but a flame more concentrated (and by implication, rage-fueled) than we’ve ever seen from her. A veritable beam that Zuko has to put his all into deflecting, opening him up to an attack. A non-lethal attack; Azula still has that line about “the family physician”. She doesn’t want Zuko dead and leaves him be when he’s down. Despite going off the deep end there is a spark of compassion in her that stops her from doing that.

As I’ve stated previously, Aang needs to do something slightly more significant and spiritual in order to access the Avatar State again rather than that stupid rock. Some sort of spiritual lesson.

As I’ve said a few times now, the Lion-Turtles should be known to the audience by now, along with their ability to give bending to humans, so that the ability to take bending has been implied.

The weird orange-vs-blue lightshow with the energy bending was kind of melodramatic, though the corruption-vs-purity thing could still be visually represented by Ozai trying to physically overpower Aang and failing.

Possibly to be continued.

#avatar

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butididnottried · 4 years

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Yooo, are we rady for some invasion!? I already know that they're fuckin not, lol!

The Day of Black Sun Part 1 - The Invasion

Sokka made some inventions, huh? Ok, ok, he's pretty smart, he helped with those hot air baloons, he can totally made up something totally by himselasdfghjkl HE INVENTED A FRIKIN SUBMARINES???!!! With periscopes and torpedos!? Daaamn, dude, you're going to be a Tesla of this world or what? I'm so proud of you, my dear boy.

Appa get a full body armor. Like, full full. Even his stomach is covered. Logical, he can fly, it's reveal all the time and vunerable. But, didn't Sokka said in previous episode that he's doing an armor for Appa? By himself? He did all this thing? How? Guessing that Toph help him but still. I also love how Appa overall is big baby but he still crave violence (Momo is not valid, he never was a baby).

Ow, ow, Harus facial hair, the fuck, is this this world equivalent of awkward tennager first moustache?

Aw, that's a really nice moment between Katara and Aaaand he kissed her. That's how you ruin a good scene. Couldn't he just kissed her on her cheek? Like, one fast smoch and he's gone?

This whole Gates of Azulon thing is so excessive. The Fire Nation sure likes to show off, huh?

Yes Sokka, be endlessly grateful that Toph joined your team. Otherwise all of you would be dead long ago.

So, the capital and a whole palace are empty. Azula knew about invasion plans and even after avatar death she still though that their enemis are going to attack nevertheless. So they prepared. But. It looks like Zuko don't know about anything, or else he wouldn't so calmly and slowly preparing for leaving. Or maybe he was like "hmmm, there's going to be some chaos and fights so i can use that as a cover for my escape". Idk but for me it looks like he's still in bad position in his family. Oh wow, my dad wants me at meetings in war room. Oh wow, they didn't tell you about invasion and their plans for it. Hysterical.

Those flintstones style powered tanks are moving like caterpillars. xD

So. Katara can bring people from dead but can heal some "scratches" that her dad got. Sure. Ok. If you say so. ...Unless for Aang she used all of this special spirit water? Would make sense. Eh, i don’t like this whole issue that american media have with blood. I can’t take some characters injuries serious when there’s only a dark stain on their body/clothes. Or better, only jagged clothes. Or sometimes even not that. Even as a kid i was rolling my eyes on that. You don’t need hurt yourself badly to bleed, and kids know that. Stratch a knee a little harder and you can have a whole leg in blood, and people on tv wants to convince me that there’s no blood from a stab wound. What.

The Day of Black Sun Part 2 - The Eclipse

They fucked up that whole invasion real bad, huh?

They even had a special eclipse glasses. Why this shit is so funny? And how he knew that they would need a special glasses for that?

asdfghjkl those are full ass grown air ships ahahaha this is not funny but this IS sooo funny lol

Uncle Iroh was like one man army. Nothing but respect for my favourite elder. Applause for best man.

So, Zuko knew about all this plan and deciced that it's the best occasion to run away. Nice, nice. And he confronted his bitch of a dad and drag him. Nice, nice. And revealed to Ozai his plans to help the avatar and bust uncle Iroh out of from prison. That's dumb, yeah, dumb. I recognize that they wanted to show us how patronizing and not serious Ozai is still treating Zuko, but still - maybe not reveal your plans how to overthrow someone to that person? But honestly, i wouldn't be surprised if Zuko really didn't knew nothing about attack. Aaaand... Sooo... Azula didn't lied and Azulon really ordered Ozai to kill his son and this dumb bitch was like okie dokie sure thing dad.

The Western Air Temple

Well, damn, the western air temple sure is an impressive piece of architecture.

That racoon toad is gross as hell. Worst atla animal. Ugh. Amphibian with fur? Who the heck thought it's a good idea?

Aaaaw, Zuko, my awkward dumb baby boy is back. And he had cringy flashback. First signs of growing up. I also like how hard it is to him just to talk to gaang and convince them that he changed, and you just feel pure awkwardness of this whole situation. But gaang also got a good reasons to be wary of him and heck, they use them to drive him out. They're aware that this situation is suspicious. And from what i saw on the internet it look for me like theres some aggrement in fandom that Katara is too stubborn and is unnecessarily harsh to Zuko, since the rest of group decided to more or less trust him. But i understand her, she's fully allowed to feel like that about him. One could expect that Sokka would behave more like her but he’s rather resigned? Like, ok if you’re here then you’re here i guess.

Also it’s nice how for change Toph is the one that's reasonable and can look at this without clouded judgement. Kinda sucks that Zuko burned her and we couldn't saw their conversation. I'm sure it would be an interesting one.

Good episode, good, such tasty awkwardness, mmm nice.

#atla #the last airbender #atla season 4 #atla first watch #gaang #zuko #atla black sun #atla invasion #atla eclipse #ozai is a bitch #katara #toph #sokka

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adoranymph · 4 years

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You know I’m really less than thrilled about a story when even the father-daughter hook isn’t enough to get me to fully invest in its entirety. And that’s how it is for me with Legend of Korra, the sequel series to Avatar: the Last Airbender.

And a shame too, because on top of father-daughter relationships in stories, I love sequel series and spin-offs. Or, I guess I should say, I do love the idea of them. The ones that I’ve had actual experience with are hit-or-miss and, like with anything, are only a hit for me based on how meretriciously they stand on their own as stories. To the point where I haven’t even gotten my first book published, the first book of the YA series I have planned, and already I have plot points and characters in mind for the next-gen sequel series. Kind of like imagining my grandchildren when I haven’t even had children of my own yet.

Avatar: the Last Airbender was yet another great series that I was one of the last ones to board the hype train for (at least of my generation I’m sure), for many reasons. Not because I didn’t appreciate it, because I love anything to do with working with the four elements (considering that’s what my own YA debut series is centered on), and never mind that it was only anime-esque, because that was still good enough for me.

But I missed out on watching it in full when it aired. I was in high school back then and just didn’t make time for it. When I did get around to watching it, through to the end of season one, I was so depressed by a plot point I was spoiled on (that being that Sokka was going to lose his first love, Princess Yue) that I stepped away from it. And that was back when I was brave enough to stream off illegal streaming sites on my laptop. Then I got wary of that practice, (barring resorting to find shows I can’t find anywhere else on those sites via my phone instead) and moved on to other things, anime, etc. With the passing of time, I knew that if I was going to fall hard for Avatar in the end, I wanted to do it on a legal streaming platform that I could watching on my laptop, not my phone. And, if I loved it enough, purchase a hardcopy of it.

If this was available all along, to this day, on Nick.com for free, then someone feel free to let me know. But, as far as I was concerned, I didn’t see my window of opportunity to binge it until Netflix brought it onboard their streaming platform this past summer. Yes, the series was also available for purchase through YouTube and of course there were the available hardcopies, but I was still hesitant to make that purchase until I had seen the show in full. Sometimes I take a risk on shows and buy them without seeing them first, and I hit a jackpot (like with the anime, Psycho-Pass), and sometimes I take that risk and regret my purchase (like with the anime film, Fireworks). In this case, even though I could smack myself in the head in hindsight, I decided to not take the risk until I was 100% sure, watch-through included.

So, stuck inside like we all are right now, I told myself, “No more excuses, you are finishing this thing.” Next thing you know, I’ve bought myself the full series on blu-ray (having been reassured that I loved the thing as much as the world promised I would) and I’ve rewatched it twice now. I freaking love it. And predictably with that love came the price of the “void”: that depressing post-watch feeling when it seems as though nothing will ever be as good again as what you just finished watching. When all you want is more, since you know you can’t ever actually reexperience the feeling of watching it for the first time.

Which brings me to Legend of Korra, which I had also heard about. And heard that it had issues writing-wise, and didn’t quite live up to the legacy of Avatar. And well, to be fair, expecting it to would have been a bit naïve. Rarely do most things in this world get their version of Rocky and Rocky II winning Best Picture at the Oscars back-to-back years.

I thought about watching it, going back and forth since before I had even finished the original series. I was happy to see that we were getting a female main as the new Avatar in the cycle, and, again, there’s that thing I love about sequel series, revisiting old characters marked by the progression of time, as well as seeing new characters, both the next gens of the original cast and new originals alike. I love seeing them rise and carry the torch that’s been passed onto them.

And in this case, we not only get a female Avatar, Korra, but she’s paired with character growth in part with her father, so there’s that father-daughter trope box ticked. Actually, we get two, with Aang’s son Tenzin, and his daughter, Aang’s granddaughter, Jinora.

Yet, I was also given to understand that the romance subplots were a complete mess, and then the overarching storylines in general were also somewhat botched in places. I mean, they name Korra’s first main love interest Mako (in honor of Mako, the actor who originally voiced best-uncle-in-the-universe Iroh in the originals series), and yet, writing-wise and romance-wise, he kind of gets the shaft from what I’ve seen. That aside, I wouldn’t have had a problem with the Korra x Asami ship itself, if it weren’t for how the writers got them together. That being not only via the worst kind of love-triangle nonsense from what I’ve been given to understand, but one that involves cheating on one person for the other because, “Oh, we have something more.” No excuses for cheating in my book.

All of this due, in no small part I’m sure, to Nickelodeon mucking things up (like you do) in hedging on allowing any of the show to be made, and then on whether there’d be more seasons, and with the writers, all the while, having to work with that uncertainty. One could argue that the best writers find ways to work around that to the point that those problems don’t show in the writing of the final product, but if there was all that grief, I give the writers some slack. Just the same, it was also enough to put me off watching the show.

And it still is enough. Barring everything else watchable in the universe disappearing and this being the only thing left, I, at this point, do not see myself ever watching it in full. At this point, I’ve watched a few clips and bits of episodes in the first three seasons, because I was still curious about certain things and I love free samples. But those things in connection with the rest of the story isn’t enough even now to get me to invest my time in watching the whole thing through when the series joins Avatar: the Last Airbender on Netflix.

However, I did in fact get something out of watching those disparate few clips and bits. And not just evidence for the case that Aang and Katara’s son Bumi clearly takes after both his Uncle Sokka as well as his own namesake, the “mad genius” King Bumi, or Zuko having a grandson named Iroh (and the fact that they had him voiced by Dante Bosco, who voiced Zuko in Last Airbender), or even the fact that now-old-guy Zuko himself is riding a bleeping dragon.

I got perhaps the most powerful and emotionally engaging origin story for a fantasy world that I can ever recall getting in any type of media. That being the story of Wan, the First Avatar, as told in episodes seven and eight in season two, Beginnings: Pt. 1 & 2.

I loved these two episodes so much that I keep playing the reworked Avatar theme, The Avatar State, from the Korra soundtrack, on repeat. And can’t get enough of rewatching the moment when Wan becomes the first fully realized Avatar. Barring the stuff with the present-day storyline of the show bookending the beginning of part one and the conclusion of part two, there’s a complete, and rather satisfying story here, made doubly enjoyable by anyone familiar with at least Avatar: the Last Airbender.

I didn’t need to (personally) watch the episodes prior to these two parts to understand anything that was going on or appreciate it any more than I already did, or what I’d already floating around about Raava, the Spirit of Good and Light and Peace and Sunshine and Rainbows, serving ultimately in part as the means to create the phenomenon of the Avatar and the Avatar Reincarnation Cycle. The change in art style to something reminiscent of the works of Hokusai’s woodblock paintings was beautiful, and Wan’s characterization was beautiful, from diamond-in-the-rough street rat just trying to get by to developing such a relationship with the spirits that he lays the foundation for becoming “the bridge between the human and the spirit worlds” that the Avatar is meant to represent.

A journey of a simple human who screwed up, and atoned for that through bitter work and forming a meaningful bond that would come to transcend millennia, all for the sake of trying to keep the world in balance, striving to better humanity. And from that, the lives that are relived through that of the Avatar echo meaningfully from the distant past to the reflective present.

And it only took two episodes. With concise writing, emotionality, and characterization, we got what fell like an entire epic story in just a matter of less than an hour or so of screen time. I watched them both on my phone, and when Korra comes onto Netflix, I’ll revisit those two alone on there and be more than satisfied.

All that said, there is a very good argument against being able to enjoy it as its own thing, never mind its flaws in terms of consistency with the established world of Last Airbender. Which I totally understand, and would probably understand more if I took the time to watch Korra in its entirety, and even in regards to the fact that I’ve seen Avatar: the Last Airbender. In which case, I could see how these two episodes actually undermine and even outright retcon a ton of story and world elements.

That said, I personally don’t agree that it ruins the spirituality inherent and or implied by the relationship between humans and the art of elemental bending. If only because after all that, I still felt a catharsis at the conclusion of Wan’s story. I’d call that doing something right with the writing at least.

What I think I works for me in particular compared to Korra as a whole, apart from my affinity for guys with flooffy anime hair who go on penance journeys toward enlightenment, is that it feels like a return to its roots, to that feeling that the original Avatar series gave me, and also something more. Not to say that I think that Korra should have been a retread of the plot structure of Last Airbender by any stretch, that would have made it worse, and I applaud it for pushing towards different themes and conflicts from that of its predecessor (it’s just that the payoff for a lot of those were less-than-stellar). That said, the moments that I came across that were awesome and moving were patchworked together by plots that didn’t always come out the most coherently or compellingly when laid out in the light of day.

And yes there is the argument that Wan’s story lacks anything compelling. I suppose, because you know how it’s going to play out, and it derails from the main plot, somewhat, save for explaining the whole Raava vs. Vaatu, good vs. evil spirit conflict. But, again, for me, I’m watching these more completely than I have any other episode of the show, and as a separate spinoff from the rest of the series. So while technically it can’t be a self-contained story, as the series it is a part of would undo that possibility, I still enjoyed it regardless for what it is on its own, and genuinely at that.

I enjoyed that it was something of a mix of a fable and an actual historical account, adding to that sense of expanding the mythos in that way that distant histories like that of ancient civilizations in our world have become fuzzy and fragmented with the passage of time. I enjoyed how simply it was able to establish a young man who started out as a ruffian who had to steal to survive, but was still fundamentally good in that he cared for those close to him, and that he had the capacity to care for the well-being of spirits after he’d been banished for stealing the power of firebending and was banished to live in the spirit wilds.

Then take that, and develop him into a man who rises above that, to become one who takes on the burden of fighting for peace, especially in the wake of mistakes he’s made that caused things between humans and spirits to grow worse, regardless of whether or not he intended such. To see him grow through his friendship with Raava, and how they come to work together to restore the balance he inadvertently put out of whack when he was tricked into separating her from her eternal struggle with Vaatu, Spirit of Darkness and Chaos and Corruption and All the World’s Evil. Concluded with that final culmination between him and Raava fusing together permanently, mastering all four elements, getting knocked down by Vaatu over and over and still getting up and standing to fight again every time, his efforts to bring peace to the world foiled only by his short human lifespan, and with his death beginning the Avatar reincarnation cycle when its clear that maintaining balance in a world full of humans takes thousands upon thousands of lifetimes.

To me, that was a beautiful simplicity for an origin story told within the larger story of a larger world. Which I think is a great tool for anyone who looks to insert those sorts of things in their own writing (including myself, who has her own origin storyline in mind for that YA elemental series, if I didn’t already mention before that I’m writing that).

Retcons and undermining aside, I’m happy that I discovered this little gem within the great world of The Last Airbender, and like all things in media that affect me this way, you can be sure I’ll carry that feeling further into my work. Threading it through into the grander tapestry of the art of storytelling.

Right. Back to me waiting for season four of The Dragon Prince.

Keeping this link up to their donation page!

A Concise, Emotional Origin Journey You know I'm really less than thrilled about a story when even the father-daughter hook isn't enough to get me to fully invest in its entirety.

#avatar #avatar the last airbender #dragon prince #fireworks #hokusai #netflix #nickelodeon #origin story #oscars #psycho-pass #rocky #rocky ii #sequels #the dragon prince #the legend of korra #YA #YA fiction #young adult

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lykegenia · 5 years

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The Things We Hide Ch. 26

Chapter 1 on AO3 This chapter on AO3 Masterpost here

Appa was careful to stay in the sunlit part of the courtyard as the people around him argued about supplies. The sun was already sinking, and with the thin mountain air, the shadows fell heavily enough to shiver through even the thick fur of a sky bison. He watched with interest as Sokka matched crates and wrapped packages to a list written in his own unpolished handwriting, while Aang sifted through the pile and complained about unnecessary weight.

“Appa isn’t as young as he used to be,” he said. “And don’t forget he’s carrying all of us. Is everything here really necessary?”

“Of course it is,” came the reply. “We’re going into enemy territory without backup – with the avatar, in case you’ve forgotten that blue arrow on your forehead is a giant ‘here come get me’ to any soldiers we run into.”

“Sifu Hotman has a plan for when we get to the Fire Nation – and hey, all of this food is meat!” He pouted and stuck out his tongue. “And why do we need these canvas sheets?”

“I agree with Twinkle Toes on that one,” Toph called from where she was resting on one of Appa’s giant forefeet. “You know I can just earthbend shelters for us wherever we go. But don’t skimp on the blankets, it gets cold flying up wherever.”

Sokka preened. “Blankets were first thing on the list.”

Up above them, Zuko watched the exchange with arms folded, careful to stay a step back from the edge of the balcony so his face remained in shadow and out of sight. He counted seven sets of guards at unobtrusive places around the walls, and there would be more in the tower rooms and in the training fields below, every one within easy reach should the avatar find himself in danger. The observation was an idle one. Without the advantage of surprise, and with the avatar’s inner circle of companions surrounding him at almost all waking hours of the day, Zuko had little opportunity to follow through on his original plan. Instead, he had to stand by while they prepared for an assault on his home, a journey with the ironic twist that they would travel there voluntarily, and without him. His uncle had mentioned in a sly, sidelong kind of way that Zuko might join them, but that idea stank of desperation more than anything.

If I had said yes, I might have earned their trust, and then delivered them all to my father without having to restrain the avatar at all.

He huffed as the thought passed through his head, and watched the fog of his breath as it curled and dissipated into the late afternoon air. At the very least, such a ploy would get him away from the mountain cold, but it was a level he refused to sink to. In that respect at least, he could satisfy himself that he still had more integrity than Katara.

As if summoned by his thoughts, her step sounded behind him, along with a slower, heavier tread that made no effort to hide itself.

“Prince Zuko,” Iroh said. “Have you made your decision?”

Zuko glanced to him, and then to the young woman at his side, taking in the closed, wary expression in her eyes as he suppressed the tick in his jaw. “I’m not going to help you betray my people,” he growled.

Katara scoffed. “We’re trying to help your people, and everyone else on the face of the world. I’d have thought you of all people would understand that.” When he didn’t respond, she turned to Iroh with a shrug. “I wanted to believe you, but it looks like we’re on our own. I told you he wouldn’t help us.”

“It would appear so,” the old man replied with a stroke of his beard. “In that case, I will go to make sure you have everything for your journey.”

He bowed low enough for his joints to crack and retreated down the stairs towards the courtyard, leaving an awkward and painfully obvious silence in his wake. Zuko watched him out of sight, mostly to delay the moment he would have to look at Katara, who had sidled over to the balcony edge and was surveying the scene between Sokka and the avatar.

“I didn’t know he was your brother,” he said, wincing as he caught the note of accusation in his voice. “You told me your brother was dead.”

“I told you I lost him,” she answered. “I never said he was dead. I didn’t lie.”

“Lies by omission are still lies,” he snapped. “Do you really think I’d trust you enough to travel with you on the back of some flying beast? Even if I did agree with your plan, I’m not that much of a fool.”

Katara’s hand moved towards him, a reflexive motion she halted halfway to his arm, but he still refused to look at her.

“Zuko, please. I know you care. You helped people as the Blue Spirit, you risked your life to save Haku from Keijo – and you saved my life, more than once, when you didn’t know who I was.” She paused, frowned, and when she spoke again her voice was softer, lost in regret. “You have to know that kind of suffering can only end once the old cycle is broken.”

“I came here to capture the avatar, not to be your pawn,” he snarled.

There was sorrow in her gaze when she glanced to his scar, but it vanished in a blaze of indignation. “Well, the avatar is leaving,” she reminded him. “And unless you’re leaving with us, you’re stuck here. As a prisoner. Doing nothing to help anyone.”

He took her point with a scowl. His fingers drummed against his folded arms as he tried to frame a counter-argument that didn’t sound petulant or childish, and when that failed, he huffed a breath, unready and unwilling to answer. The Katara he had known before might have indulged his silence and waited, but this one, the real one, only clucked her tongue and turned to follow Iroh down to the courtyard. The space between them stretched like a fraying rope.

“How much of it was part of your plan?”

She turned on the top step. “What do you mean?”

“Getting close to me, getting me to lo– like you,” he clarified, without looking at her. “Did you mean to use me right from the beginning or did you make it up as you went along? What were you going to do when you got what you wanted?”

With a sigh, she leaned against the pillar at her back, pulling her arms around herself in a defensive gesture as she frowned at the flagstones between them. “It doesn’t matter now,” she muttered, oblivious to the way he clenched his fist to keep his bending under control. “But that means it doesn’t matter if I tell you everything.”

He waited. He watched her fidget as she worked out where to begin.

“We knew from the beginning that the Fire Lord would use Sozin’s Comet to destroy us.” Her gaze drifted over the courtyard. “And we knew we couldn’t stand against it, so instead, we decided to turn the situation to our advantage. But we didn’t foresee everything, and I – Ozai killed my mother, right in front of me, because she took my place as the Sea-wolf to trick him. It’s my fault she’s dead, no matter what Sokka and my father say.”

Zuko’s fingers tightened further, this time to suppress the urge to comfort the sadness in her voice, the slump of her shoulders. His scowl pulled at the edges of his scar, but it softened as she continued, revealing with each word how the Southern Tribe planned for her to be a war prisoner to distract from Sokka’s efforts to undermine Fire Nation naval control, and to place herself and a corps of the most elite waterbenders within easy distance of their enemy, hidden in plain sight and ready to strike him down.

“If that was your plan,” Zuko asked, “why didn’t you help Jet when he tried to assassinate my father?”

She shook her head. “What would that have accomplished? With Ozai dead, someone else would have stepped into the power vacuum with the same goals – or there would have been anarchy. Our plan was always to end the war. The reason we waited was so we could have the resources in place to take control, not just rampage through the streets like – well.” She swallowed, once more reliving memories. “When I first got to the Caldera, I wanted nothing more than to tear the whole place down.”

“I remember.”

“I forgot you were there that night,” she murmured, almost to herself. “I couldn’t let those ships leave, not when I knew they were going to attack my people. I would have destroyed it all… but then I met ordinary people like Haku and I realised the problem wasn’t what I thought it was. I got the idea for the Painted Lady from you, actually, from that festival that passed us in the market that day, but I just wanted to help – I had no idea what they would turn it into, and you were never meant to be part of it.”

His mouth curled at the corners. “You took advantage of me, so I wouldn’t suspect you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Is that all you have to say?” he demanded. “You string me along for months, trick me into thinking you cared about me, steal from me, then waltz off and leave me to look like a traitor, and you’re sorry?”

“What, was I supposed to just wait quietly in that gilded cage to be arrested and then executed?” she shot back.

“I could have protected you!”

“From the Fire Lord? I remember last time you stood aside because you thought keeping your secret was more important than standing up to him, and that didn’t get you very far in the end, did it?” She had stepped towards him, unconsciously sunk into a bending stance with her hand hovering over the cap of the waterskin she always kept at her waist. The raw emotion that fractured the air between them bubbled up from a shared place they had spent too long ignoring, a mutual hurt that had always been inevitable while they were on opposing sides, but had proven too wrapped up in guilt to simply discard. They were both too similar, too stubborn, too wounded by the other’s betrayal for anything else. He had to fight not to shrink away from her glare.

Breathing hard, Katara forced her shoulders to relax, and her gaze slid once more to the scar that covered Zuko’s left eye. “Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out?” she asked him softly. “I know burns. That one goes to the bone, and it’s precise, which means whoever did that to you put effort into it. There’s only one person I know cruel enough who could lay hands on the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation without him fighting back.”

The pity choked him worse than her anger. The cool certainty in her eyes, the fact that she had guessed what had happened and kept quiet as he raged through shame and anger and pain right before her eyes, left him speechless. But she wasn’t done yet.

“I shouldn’t have left you on that island. I shouldn’t have gotten so close to you. On that day, in the thunderstorm, I shouldn’t have kissed you. I could say I was tired and homesick and – and cold, but it doesn’t change things. You were there and you were just so…”

“What?” he asked, sharply.

She shrugged. “Honourable.”

Anger closed across his features. He stalked forward to tower over her, leaning down so his ruined face hovered mere inches from hers. “You don’t know the meaning of that word,” he snarled.

“Zuko…”

He pushed past her, retreating into the shadowed recess of the corridor, and didn’t turn when she called his name again. The twists and turns of the temple passed him by, the maze as familiar to him now as his own home, with the White Lotus guards scrambling out of his way just as the palace soldiers used to do as he climbed the levels to the cramped space that had been given to him as a bedroom. There was barely enough spare floor to turn around, but with every passing moment his anger surged higher, threatening to swallow him, and his only outlet was to pace like a caged tiger-deer.

How dare she? How dare she cause his misery and then cast blame elsewhere, and then pour salt on the wound by acting sorry for it? He needed her to be arrogant, condescending, remorseless for the part she played, because how else could he hate her? Who else was there to hate?

There’s only one person who could do this to you.

He roared to get her voice out of his head. Pacing wasn’t enough. He turned and smashed his fist into the wall by the window, relishing the pain that shot up his arm, the instant of power as his muscles pulled taut, until that power bled out of him and he sagged, folding forward so that his forehead pressed against cool stone. Every time he closed his eyes, he relived the horror of his banishment, the iron grip on his chin, the firelight blinding bright as it closed upon his face, the stench of cooking flesh. He had believed so strongly that Katara was to blame, had forced himself to believe it, and yet now, his brushed a hand over his shoulder, where a thin white scar still marred his skin from the first night he had fought with the Painted Lady. But she had betrayed him, and he had betrayed his father, and his father had betrayed his people.

The thoughts went round and round in his head, while outside, the last light faded from the sky.

He came to them in the middle of dinner. While the rest of the compound tended to eat in the large refectory under a mural of dancing sky bison, the avatar and his company liked to dine under the stars, with Appa’s bulk blocking the wind and a large fire to keep them warm as they laughed and told each other stories. The avatar made friends easily, always playing peacemaker, and at that moment he was mediating a dispute between Toph and the Kyoshi warrior, Suki.

“The Boulder is a chump. He cried like a little kid when I beat him. And then there’s the way he always refers to himself in the third person. Weird.”

“He’s entertaining.”

“And his form is very good.”

“Cha, maybe if he really was a boulder. Hey, Sparky.”

Conversation around the fire died as they turned to follow the blind girl’s sightless gaze into the shadows. With heat crawling up the back of his neck, Zuko stepped into the ring of light, his carefully prepared speech of a moment before completely lost as five pairs of eyes pinned him in place. Four sets of eyes, he corrected himself – Katara had merely glanced to him and now was carefully staring into the fire, every fibre of her body tense with her hands curled into fists around her knees.

“Hi,” he said. “Um.”

The avatar smiled at him brightly. “Are you coming to join us?”

“I… If you’re going to try to take down the Fire Lord, you’ll need to have a plan for Azula as well,” he blurted. “She was named heir when I was – when I left – and she won’t be happy to see any of you.”

Had it been the wrong thing to say? The avatar and his companions passed glances to each other, suppressing looks of amusement, and the silence stretched. Katara did not look up from the fire.

“You know,” Sokka ventured, leaning back against one of Appa’s large toes, “Usually we start with introductions. You’re not used to talking to normal people, are you?”

A few months ago, such a statement, delivered so casually, might have made his temper flare, but now all the only feeling he could muster was fatigue. “I… never had much practice, no,” he admitted.

“Have you eaten?” Suki asked. “There’s plenty left.”

He barely had chance to stutter out a response before they were shuffling aside to make room, pulling out a bowl of rice topped with a dollop of tofu cubes in a rich, savoury sauce and handing it to him with rough bamboo chopsticks – nothing like the fine, painted implements he was used to at the palace.

“It’s not half bad,” Sokka offered as Zuko raised the first mouthful to his lips. “Not quite sea prunes, and there’s no meat, but it’s filling.”

“I’ve tried sea prunes,” came the careful reply. “They go well with spiced fish.”

“Doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that would appeal to Fire Nation royalty.”

“Well…”

“The Fire Lord served them at the New Year banquet,” Katara interrupted, before Zuko could work out a way to avoid offending his new allies. “He served a lot of things from a lot of different places. It’s not a big deal.”

But her cheeks darkened in the firelight. She pulled a lock of hair over her shoulder and fiddled with the ends, parting it into three strands for a braid so she wouldn’t have to look at the others, and when she glanced up and caught Zuko’s gaze, she turned away with a frown. He was glad. Sullenness he knew how to deal with; her shame and guilt gave him a vindictive pleasure, and if he had to squash the memories of that banquet, the lightness in his chest as they passed notes to each other, then all the better. He might ally himself with his father’s enemies for the good of his people, but he would not be fooled by her again.

#zutara #zuko #katara #zuko x katara #katara x zuko #avatar: the last airbender #a:tla #avatar fanfic #uncle iroh

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shamelessliarkickapow · 7 years

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So @borkf wrote this great piece of critical feedback for chapter 21 of The King’s Pet or The King! I finally finished a super long response that addresses character development and the trajectory of the story, so if you’re interested, borkf’s review is linked above and my response is under the cut.

To start, thank you so much! Thank you for writing this enormous, beautiful, thought-provoking critique, which shows so much investment in the project and awareness of its writer! Thank you for caring so much about my story, and for sticking with me even though I haven't been quick about the updates for the last forever, and also for being a part of my sad little patreon. I feel like I say 'this means so much to me' so much that it's lost meaning, but it continues to be true. I thought (and wrote!) a lot about the issues you raised over the past week, and I hope the following will at least address some of those gaps, if not alleviate them.

Let's start with Zuko's conflicts, which you're totally right about. Primarily, up to this point in the story, it's been Zuko vs. Katara on the surface and Zuko vs. Himself at the heart. Zuko vs. Ozai is also a big part of this story, but since Zuko has mostly just been struggling with his internal issues regarding his father up until now, it falls in the Himself category. That will change. Zuko has to resolve his inner conflict before he can take his place in the outer conflict that is the point of the story - Zuko vs. Ozai. Or, Team Avatar vs. The Fire Lord, or Good vs. Evil - or "Good" vs. "Evil". (Can I say how glad I am that you brought this up? I don't devote enough thought to things like this as I'm planning - I get so caught up in those exciting details…)

My focus tends more toward what characters desire. In Call Me Katto, Zuko's desires were super simple. Avatar, Katara, Go Home. Now, having achieved those things and found them all more complicated than they initially seemed, his desires are muddied. He still wants Katara, but he doesn't want to want her anymore, since that situation has turned so painful and shameful. He still wants his father's love and, though he isn't entirely honest with himself about it, that desire makes him want to go about things in the palace a certain way - be a proper prince, work the nobles to the Fire Lord's will, dominate the ministers, and so on - but he is also not entirely naive to what his father is capable of doing to him. The only driving force that remains uncomplicated at this point is Zuko's desire to fulfill his duty to his people - but the ways in which he tries to do that are strongly influenced by desire #2. I'll come back to that in a sec.

So far the story has been concerned with Zuko's progress toward enlightenment. Admittedly, i often go about these things in round-about ways, but I just want to make sure you know - this isn't intended to be a cliffhanger! I don't mean to make people wait unnecessarily for some closure on how he'll choose (he'll choose good! I swear!) but i also don't want to rush him into epiphany by letting him just suddenly see things clearly. So, on the one hand, I'm right there with you - I want to tell a well-crafted story that doesn't drag, but I also want to get at the heart of this transformation.

I had a creative writing teacher once who told me not to waste a lot of time on navel-gazing. He was talking about unnecessary reflection, and leading character's thoughts around in too-convenient paths of logic. The most stressful times in our lives are often characterized with spans of blindness. Abusive relationships, big moves, major lifestyle changes. We look at the immediate work we have to do, and at the sources of tension and friction in our day-to-day, and we forget about the overarching themes of that time of our lives. Zuko hasn't reflected a lot for a while because the time hasn't been right. He hasn't experienced the logical steps and more direct challenges to his perceptions that will drive him finally to his breaking point. I have so many ideas and plot points for the coming chapters, I've written dozens of pages of outlines, character reflections, and summaries, and most of what I'm working on now is centered on Zuko reaching the decision point and dealing with the complications that follow.

I was kind of surprised at how many people thought he might decide to jump aboard the Avatar Express in this last chapter (like you said, with no time to reflect or really consider it) but I guess I shouldn't be. We all kinda go into this story with the plot to season 3 in the backs of our minds. Zuko's got to join the Avatar in order to make his transition to the good side, because that's how it happened in the show.

In CMK and King's Pet, though, a lot of factors make that impossible right now. First off, like i said, Zuko has not yet reached his breaking point. Secondly, this AU is a little more mature, a little more realistic. Zuko is older. It may only be a couple of years, but it's enough to put him solidly in his majority, an adult in the eyes of the Fire Nation, and therefore old enough to handle some responsibilities of state. There are actual duties (to actual people) tying him to the Fire Nation, where the Zuko of the show by all appearances had only Mai and the occasional war meeting. There's a lot in this story physically holding him to the Fire Nation. Luckily, his transformation in this story doesn't have to be marked by him running off with the gang. But I'll come back to that.

Another thing keeping Zuko from defecting (and this is kind of a side note) is that the Avatar's cause still seems pretty hopeless, except to hope-huggers like Katara and Iroh. In this AU, nobody really knows about the Avatar State yet. Aang, having already interrupted his lessons with Guru Pathik, hasn't unlocked it, and nobody really realizes at this point just how powerful he can be. The gang has been focused on escaping since they got together, so there hasn't been much chance to dwell on it yet, but the doubts are coming. Mostly from Sokka. Ah, Sokka…

But getting back to Zuko's insistence on remaining loyal to his father/the Fire Nation/his people… That important third option you mentioned, where Zuko could rationalize betraying his father as a necessary act to save his people and be with Katara, that opportunity was lost way back when he joined Azula (his 'real' family, not the family that had just locked him up in a trunk) on the beach. At the present moment in the story, even though he at least partially recognizes how flawed his real family is (suspicious of Azula, wary of his father) that third option no longer makes sense. If Zuko joined the Avatar now, he would be giving up on winning his father's love and trust in the middle of Ozai's test. He still believes the strength of the Fire Nation cannot be defeated by one kid, so he would be abandoning the position of power from which he could actually help his people.

And, not least of all, he's come to realize that Katara's love is entirely out of reach to him. Even if he did change sides, he still wouldn't be worthy of her, firstly because of all he's done to her, and secondly because he would be turning his back on his father and his duty. But, as we've said, Zuko hasn't really had a chance to come clearly to these conclusions at this point. He's had no reason to really think of changing course. Things are still - if not optimistic - at least hopeful in the capital, and Zuko still believes he can fulfill his destiny there, if he can just resolve his most immediate moral qualms. (i.e. removing Katara and her friends) He's wrong, but he hasn't been confronted with that reality yet.

I do see what you mean about a confusing and vague dynamic, though. A hundred thousand words (o god why) and Zuko is still trying to have it both ways - winning his father's love, but also doing the right thing in secret. If I were a more devoted editor, I could probably lop out some chapters… and, if I'm being honest, if this wasn't fanfiction, I would probably be more ruthless about cutting the fluff and pruning down to a streamlined plot. As it is, I'm pretty loosey-goosey about including every narrative side-street and alleyway. You're right that Zuko hasn't made a lot of headway in his conflict with himself, but he has undergone some subtle changes since the start of King's Pet (accepting that he cannot change Katara's mind, colluding to free enemies of the state, choosing to free the Avatar rather than keep Katara hostage (that's a big treasonous one.)) They're mostly small steps, tiny compromises that mark a slow maturation. Soon, he'll be ready to assess where these compromises have taken him, and why. He'll be able to recognize that he didn't free the Avatar JUST because he wanted to get rid of Katara and the pain she causes him.

But yes, he's also regressed, too. Flip-flopped, as you said. He refuses to see Katara's side of things out of frustration and pride, because being angry at her is easier than being vulnerable and penitent with someone who finds satisfaction in causing him pain. He cannot completely bury his own guilt, though, which will ultimately aid in his redemption. Anyway, this issue hasn't been dropped, I promise.

So… confession… King's Pet is going to be the longest thing i've ever written, no doubt about it. The trajectory of the story might be unclear right now because I've written twenty beefy chapters full of details and mini-arcs and new characters and new settings that i did not skimp on because I wanted all of the material I could produce available for all the threads coming together in the ultimate struggle ahead. In the next five or so chapters, Zuko will reach his breaking point and his struggle will begin to shift from internal to external. Finally.

After all, the title of the story is The King's Pet or The King - it isn't just about Zuko joining the Avatar, it's about him coming into his own as a ruler, which means dealing with all those pieces I've taken the time to position in Caldera.

For now though, suffice it to say that the Districts will be rising up against the Capitol. Sozin's Comet is still coming at the end of the summer, and Aang and the gang will be moving forward with that in mind. Sian and Pokui, Yotsu, Loska and the healers, Lord Gan and the ministers, Jee and the crew, Tyno, Zhao, the Northern Water Tribe rebels - all those characters have roles to play in the story ahead. It's just… a really long and rambling story, and maybe not as streamlined as it could have been. Chapter 21 wasn't a climax - it was Saving Private Sokka, part 1. A whole lot is still ahead. I know there's a lack of trajectory right now, but we're still in an action sequence. Things will change in the next chapter. :)

Healing between Zuko and Katara will take a long time, and a lot of little steps. (Stay with me? Don't leave me? Please?) But it will happen. It will start with corrections of personal action for both of them, an acknowledgement of minor wrongs, and mutual need for trust in a dangerous place. Then there will be shocking discoveries, bolder choices made, perils welcomed, and risks braved. Respect will be won again. The heat will rise by degrees. Something terrible will lead to a victory, twice. And after all that, the romance can emerge again, uncertain but more deeply-rooted than before.

Point being, and here's a little concrete spoiler, all that can't happen if Katara leaves Caldera now. She didn't get her final say in the throne room (partly out of embarrassment that her dad and uncles were watching her have that conversation about loving and lying and using) and she isn't finished with the task she's taken on in the Fire Nation. I debated on how to handle Hakoda leaving her there, and I finally realized that he couldn't. His trust in her judgement is shaken, he knows in his heart that leaving her behind is as good as never seeing her again, and she is the nearest thing he has remaining to Kya. He would never choose to leave her, so Katara has to take matters into her own hands. When she gets back to the Palace, you can bet she'll have some things to say to Zuko, and a lot of them are going to address the stuff you brought up.

Katara's conflict has always been more straightforward than Zuko's. She's fighting for her people and for her family and for the side of good, although the last has become more complicated since the beginning of the story. Forces and figures of authority stand in her way, and where she could fight them directly in Call Me Katto, she has had to change her approach in King's Pet. She still has to learn to fight in a more nuanced way, a way that doesn't compromise her identity, and she has to tackle this overwhelming challenge and not give up even though it would be so much easier to do things her father's way.

Katara's struggle fades into the background beside Zuko's, because despite uncertainty, her goal does not waver. Freedom, an end to the war, peace for her people, the Avatar triumphant. She has the luxury of knowing her father will always love her anyway, even if she breaks his heart. And while she butts heads with Zuko, and lashes out at him because he's the only person she can lash out at, her primary conflict remains Katara vs. Strictures of Society. There has been some Katara vs. Herself mixed in there, too, but her overarching fight right now is to establish herself in the eyes of others - as a powerful warrior, as an honorable and respectable public figure, as a compassionate hero. As Zuko begins making progress in his conflicts, Katara will also move forward.

Anyway, I hope some of this has been useful, or at least reassuring about the direction of the story. And I hope it's not muddled. I feel like I ramble and talk in circles a lot with essay-type-things, so I hope you'll forgive that if I did it. If I forgot anything or you come up with new questions or observations, feel free to hit me up! Thank you again for your wonderful message and all the thought-provoking it did! I'll get a new scene up on Patreon in the next couple of days - maybe even tonight! Yay!

#The King's Pet or The King #shamelessliar goes on forever and ever #metas i guess

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