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m1ckeyb3rry · 3 months

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── THE GLASS PRINCESS // SIX

Series Synopsis: You wake up in a strange room with no memories, broken glass at your bedside, and a prince named Zuko as your only chance at figuring out who you really are.

Chapter Synopsis: Two separate encounters with two different Firebenders yield revelations of the sort you are unprepared to face.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Zuko x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 8.4k

Content Warnings: complicated relationships (strangers to friends to lovers to enemies to strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers), amnesia, alternate universe, lots of secrets and lying and mystery

A/N: i have been writing like crazy recently AHAHA but anyways apologies in advance to anyone expecting anything different from this 😫

“I’m so sad that the break is over. It wasn’t nearly long enough,” Jia-Li said as the two of you returned to your room for the first time since you had left it for Ember Island.

“Our beds look a lot smaller in comparison to the ones on Ember Island,” you said. Jia-Li snorted.

“That’s for sure. And did the room shrink while we were gone?” she said.

“It definitely looks like it,” you said. “At least we don’t have class until tomorrow.”

“Do you think Ty Lee is back yet?” she said. “We should go to the market. It’ll be fun.”

“I should probably do some reading so that I’m ready for tomorrow,” you said.

“Don’t be a spoilsport! I doubt you forgot anything in the short time we were gone, seriously. You’ll be okay if you skip out on reading for one day and come enjoy yourself with the rest of us,” Jia-Li said.

You gave the stack of books on your desk a longing look before nodding firmly, knowing Jia-Li was right, and furthermore that Ty Lee would agree with her. It was just as important for you to socialize as it was for you to study hard, and going to the market wasn’t so time-consuming that it would leave you unable to do anything for the rest of the day.

“Alright, but only if you don’t complain about me reading tonight,” you said. “The book I’m on currently is really interesting.”

“What’s it about?” Jia-Li said.

“The history of Ba Sing Se,” you said. “Since I was found there, I thought that learning more about it might spark some memories in me. All things considered, it’s not as boring as one might expect. The chapter I’m about to start is on the royal family and the construction of the palace.”

“To be honest, I don’t see how you find that so fascinating, but if that’s what you like, then who am I to stop you? Sure, you can leave the candle burning a bit longer in order to finish your chapter if we get back too late,” she said.

“Thanks,” you said. “You are the best roommate ever.”

“You flatter me,” she said. “Open up, Ty Lee!”

“What if Kaho is the one at the door?” you said, grabbing her hand to stop her from continuing to bang on it. Jia-Li huffed at you.

“She’s not going to be back until the evening. Don’t you remember how much she was bragging about having to stay late to submit her official reports from the meeting and all of that?” she said. You let go of her hand, for you did remember that. Once freed, Jia-Li continued to knock.

“Coming!” a muffled voice said, and then the door was swinging open to reveal Ty Lee, who was standing on her hands for some reason. “Ursa! Jia-Li! What are you guys doing here?”

“We wanted to ask you if you would come to the market with us,” you said, twisting your neck so that she would come into proper perspective. To your chagrin, it did nothing but make you dizzy, so you gave up and decided to just look down on her upside-down visage.

“Sure!” she said, rocking herself onto her feet and standing properly. “How were your breaks?”

“They were good,” Jia-Li said. “Very relaxing, but way too short.”

“We did see you at one point,” you reminded her. Ty Lee giggled.

“Right, at that stupid party! I heard you guys ended up partaking in the festivities, if you’re catching my meaning,” she said.

“Yes, that’s right,” you said. Jia-Li grinned, flames dancing in her palm before she curled her fist and extinguished them.

“It was fun,” she said. “You were on to something, Ty Lee. It was exactly what we needed.”

“Jia-Li’s brother was not happy with us when he found out,” you said. “But it’s fine. He’ll make up with her, I’m sure, and as for me…it’s fine if we never speak again.”

“Onto the next,” Jia-Li said. “It’s alright. You win some, you lose some.”

“Exactly,” you agreed. “What about you? What were you up to when you weren’t on Ember Island?”

“Strategizing with Azula, mostly,” Ty Lee said. “You know, she killed the Avatar around when Zuko took over Ba Sing Se.”

“Really?” you said. Ty Lee nodded.

“Yup, I saw it myself! He was about to go all glowy-white-eyes on her, and she just shot him with lightning before he could,” she said.

Killing an Avatar as a normal person was unheard of, and Princess Azula wasn’t even a master yet. She was clearly a prodigy, but you knew from Ty Lee that she was still training, though her training was so advanced that it was theoretically impossible for normal Firebenders such as Jia-Li and even Kaho to accomplish. The fact that she had done something as legendary as defeating an Avatar without full mastery of her element spoke to her skill and talents, and you swore then and there to never get on her bad side.

“That’s insane,” Jia-Li said. “I always knew she was on another level from the rest of us, but I didn’t realize until now just how large that skill gap was.”

“Mhm, but for some reason, she’s gotten to be crazy paranoid recently. She’s convinced that he’s not really dead, and she’s been losing sleep over it,” Ty Lee said. “It’s tainting her victory, and she’s been meeting with Mai and I nonstop on what we should do in case he proves to be alive.”

“It’s better to be prepared than not,” you said. “Though she probably doesn’t have much to worry about. If the Avatar was alive, he probably would’ve made himself known, don’t you think? I doubt it would be easy for an Airbender to hide himself, especially not one as powerful as the Avatar surely is.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling her, but she’s still worried,” Ty Lee said. “So my break was mostly work, except for that one weekend on Ember Island.”

“That’s a shame,” Jia-Li said.

“Next break, I’m going to sleep the entire time,” Ty Lee vowed. “Every day I’m at the school serves as a reminder of why I dropped out in the first place, and I need my body and aura to recover from this kind of environment.”

“I always forget you did that,” you said.

“Why’d you come back?” Jia-Li said. “It’s obvious you hate it here, and you have a place in the palace already, so it’s not as though you’re going to climb the ranks socially by attending.”

“Simple! I’m here to keep an eye on Ursa!” Ty Lee said. “Not that she needs it, but Prince Zuko asked me to come along and help her acclimate to the environment of the academy, since we weren’t sure if she’d be able to handle it or not.”

“That’s a lot more logical than you suddenly developing a passion for the scholarly pursuits, which is what I had previously thought was the reasoning,” Jia-Li said.

“I don’t think I’ll ever develop that,” Ty Lee said, wrinkling her nose. “I’ll leave the academic stuff to Ursa.”

“Me, too,” Jia-Li said.

“Hey, come on, guys. Reading is fun,” you said, though it was obviously unconvincing, as both of them made faces at you. “Or not, I guess.”

“Let’s stop talking about school, please,” Ty Lee said. “It’s bad enough that we have classes tomorrow. We don’t need to ruin our free time by thinking about them now, too!”

“It’s not a problem for me,” Jia-Li said. “Maybe Ursa will have some difficulty, though.”

“Shut up! No, I won’t!” you said. “You won’t hear me speaking about school for the rest of the outing.”

“Does that include whenever you drop your random little factoids to explain whatever’s going on at any given time?” Jia-Li said.

“Hopefully not,” Ty Lee said. “I’d be way too confused without her narrating everything.”

“True,” Jia-Li said. “Okay, you can talk about those, but no more explicit mentions of the academy. Or of reading. Or of other things along those lines.”

“I already agreed!” you said. “Honestly, you guys have such a low opinion of me. Anyways, do either of you have anything specific to get at the market, or are we just wandering around?”

“Maybe I’ll get a new hair ribbon, but I’m not particularly attached to the idea, so I’m alright no matter where we go,” Jia-Li said.

“I don’t have anything I need, so we can go look at the hair ribbon stalls if you want, Jia-Li,” Ty Lee said.

“It’s the same for me,” you said. “Besides, it’s not like I really have money to spend, which means I’ll just admire the different shops, so I have no particular preference for where we go. Lead the way, Jia-Li; you’d know the market best, anyways.”

“Ty Lee probably knows it pretty well, too,” Jia-Li said.

“Nope, I ran away to join the circus, remember? I haven’t been here for a while! Even when I came back to the palace, I was always with Azula and Mai, and they’re not really the type to enjoy walking around the market, so it’s been a bit,” Ty Lee said.

“Then it really is up to me,” Jia-Li said, straightening her shoulders and nodding firmly. “Follow me, girls!”

You and Ty Lee marched after Jia-Li as she strode towards a stall decorated with hair ribbons of every shade. Some were patterned the way Kaho’s was, whereas others were solid-colored, like the one Jia-Li tended to wear. All of them were beautiful, richly made and finely dyed, and you could not help running your fingers over a few of them in appreciation.

“What do you think of this one?” Jia-Li said, holding up a red ribbon that had white flowers embroidered on it. “The one I have right now is so plain.”

“It’s very nice,” you said.

“I like it!” Ty Lee said. “You should get it.”

“Do you think so? Let’s see. How much is this for?” Jia-Li said. As she began to argue with the merchant about the price, you found yourself wandering off, observing the hustle and bustle of the marketplace, the different vendors and their goods, the mothers with their little children rifling through their purses full of gold coins, the serious soldiers standing at attention in uniform — and the not so serious ones with their helmets off and tucked under their arms as they talked to each other. Though the market was so large in scale, it was more like a collection of small, intimate snapshots of domesticity than a grand, epic portrait woven together out of perfectly conjoined parts.

There were so many different stories happening at once. People cried and laughed and argued and bantered on these streets. They lived their lives, unknowing of what would happen to them next or what those at their sides were going through. It was one of those mundane sort of miracles, the sort that were so commonplace that nobody would find them miraculous unless they stepped back and thought about them for a moment.

“Did you hear the news?” someone said to you. You tilted your head at the woman, who had her hand held in front of her mouth politely. “Apparently, there’s a prisoner on the loose!”

“What? In the capital?” you said. She nodded.

“Word has it that he deserted the army during the fall of Ba Sing Se and was promptly captured by Prince Zuko, who sent him to prison. But now he’s escaped! It’s all so frightening,” she said. “Be careful. You’re a student at the academy, aren’t you? My daughter is in her first year there, so I recognized the uniform. You should hurry back to the campus — it’s much safer there.”

“Thank you for the warning,” you said. “I hope you stay safe as well, madam.”

It had been an odd encounter, but for some reason, it wasn’t the random nature of the conversation that made you uneasy. Such things happened at markets, and especially because you apparently went to school with her daughter, it made sense that she had approached you. No, it was the story itself that you were worried about.

The History Mistress had never mentioned anyone deserting the army, besides the former General Iroh. That meant that this escaped prisoner, whoever they were, must’ve been some foot soldier so unimportant that they were not even worthy of the simplest sentence in your lectures, but that begot another question — how had a simple foot soldier escaped a Fire Nation prison?

The haggard man in front of you walked with a limp, and the exposed skin that you could see was littered with scars. Unlike what you would’ve assumed, though, the scars were clearly not from burns. They were cuts, deep lacerations that stood out red and furious against his arms, his neck, his ankles and even his face.

He must’ve been in a terrible battle, but for some reason, no one paid him any mind. The crowds parted around him before melting back together, like he had never been there in the first place. It was only you that followed, you who was entranced, matching his every step with your own. There was some burning desire in you that needed to follow him. You couldn’t place it, couldn’t understand its origin or any part of its existence, but you just knew you had to fulfill it. So you went after the man, growing steadily closer and closer until you could hear what he was muttering to himself.

“Gave everything…fought for that damn prince…what does it get me? Going to kill that girl. Going to kill that girl. What does it get me? Gave everything for that damn prince. Going to kill her. I have to kill her,” he said, over and over, repeating the same phrases on loop.

“Excuse me, sir, but are you alright?” you said when the two of you reached a dead end and the man stood still, facing the wall, continuing to say the same breathless things.

“I knew it,” he said. “I knew someone was following me. We Soldiers of Agni, we know these things.”

“Soldiers of Agni?” you said. The man still did not turn around, pressing his hands against the stone wall and resting his forehead against it. “They’re all dead, sir. They fell during the invasion of Ba Sing Se.”

“And don’t I know it!” the man said. “We gave everything for that prince, and what did it lead us to? Death! Death, you foolish girl, all of my comrades are dead! I’m the only one who survived that wench’s onslaught, but instead of being treated as the hero I am, I was renounced as a traitor. Prince Zuko took my status as a Soldier of Agni away, and he threw me in some dungeon to rot. Tell me how that’s fair!”

“I think you’re confused, sir,” you said, stepping away from him, questioning your own instincts for landing you into this situation. Because this was definitely the prisoner that the woman had been talking about, and since that was the case, you were almost certainly in danger. “Prince Zuko would never do something like that. He is a kind and just person. He even saved me!”

He spun around. “He saved — you!”

Before you knew it, there was a blast of fire heading directly for you. You barely leapt out of the way and readied yourself to fight, but even if the prisoner was telling the truth and he really had once been a Soldier of Agni, his reflexes and musculature had faded during his time locked away. No matter how much he tried, nothing but wisps of smoke escaped his hands, and he shouted in fury before rushing at you.

“What are you doing?” you said as you began to run as well.

“I’m going to kill you!” he said, his voice breaking as he did so. “You took everything from me, so I’m going to kill you!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!” you said in distress. “I’m just a student at the Royal Fire Academy! I haven’t taken anything from anyone!”

“Is that where you are now, you sly witch?” he spat. “It wasn’t enough for you to destroy us all? You have to infiltrate our nation, too? Get out of here, scum!”

“What are you saying?” you said.

“My comrades are dead because of you,” he said. “I’m in prison because of you. I have to — I have to get justice. If that Agni-damned Prince Zuko really did save you, if he really is just letting you walk around and pretend to be one of us, then the Fire Nation is doomed. I have to do what I must for my country! In the name of Fire Lord Ozai, I will kill you, once and for all!”

“Huh?” you said. “I was a prisoner in Ba Sing Se! I don’t have the faintest clue how I could’ve killed your comrades.”

“That’s rich, coming from you. You don’t have to lie in front of me. I was there, wench. I know what you really are,” he said.

“And what might that be?” you said, skidding to a stop before you crashed into a wall and turning to face him, getting into the hand-to-hand combat stance that you had been trained to adopt at the academy.

“The—” Before he could finish, his eyes widened, and then he was falling over. It was Ty Lee; she had jabbed her fingers into his pressure points in a quick but familiar succession, and now she was standing over him, disapproval etched on her face.

“Ursa! There you are!” Jia-Li said, rounding the corner and almost tripping over the fallen man. “Who is that?”

“He’s an escaped prisoner,” you said. “He claimed he used to be one of the Soldiers of Agni.”

“I thought they were all dead, though?” Jia-Li said.

“They are,” Ty Lee said. “He must’ve been rambling about nothing.”

“Definitely,” Jia-Li said. “What Soldier of Agni would just faint like that for no reason?”

“It wasn’t exactly for no reason. I used my chi-blocking to take him out!” Ty Lee said.

“Chi-blocking?” Jia-Li said as the man groaned, beginning to wake up.

“It’s a pretty useful skill,” Ty Lee said. “All sorts of applications. It can temporarily take away bending, incapacitate people, and more! It’s the way for nonbenders like me to level the playing field and stand a chance even against the strongest of benders.”

“That’s why you aren’t afraid of Kaho!” Jia-Li said.

“Yup!” Ty Lee said.

“Who are you girls?” the man said groggily, pushing himself to his feet.

“I thought you knew who I was?” you said. “You said so yourself!”

“How would he know who you are?” Jia-Li said.

“No idea, but he seemed pretty sure just a second ago,” you said.

“For some reason, I think I do,” the man said. “But I don’t know how or why. There’s just a blank spot in my memories. I can’t — I can’t remember anything.”

“That’s strange,” Jia-Li said.

“He must’ve hit his head when he fell,” Ty Lee said.

“Right,” you said, though when she stooped over to pick the man up and bring him to the nearby soldiers, you narrowed your eyes at her.

You knew that chi-blocking sequence. You knew it well, because Ty Lee had used it on you before, still used it on you even now. You had never questioned it much, never found any merit in doing so. Ty Lee was infamous for being an airhead, so you had always put the strange ritual down as another one of her oddities. But what if it wasn’t? There was no way that the man had hit his head hard enough to forget everything so quickly, especially not when he had been so confident only seconds prior.

The more likely scenario was that Ty Lee had somehow blocked his memories when she had blocked his chi. It made the most sense, but if that really was the case, then what motive did she have to do the same for you? It was uncomfortable thinking about it, but you couldn’t stop the question from reverberating around your mind for the rest of the day.

Was Ty Lee the reason you didn’t remember anything?

That night, when Jia-Li was asleep and you were getting ready to settle in bed yourself, there was a knock on your door. Quickly blowing out the candle and making sure that the door was locked, you leapt into your bed and pulled the covers over your head, squeezing your eyes shut and pretending to be fast asleep.

“Ursa?” It was Ty Lee. “Are you awake?”

You knew what she was there for. It was about the time for her to — if your assumption was correct — block your chi, and possibly your memories. You had never protested, and you didn’t want her to grow suspicious of you in case that led to her taking even more drastic measures, but you also knew you had to avoid her for the time being if you ever wanted to remember who you were.

Just for a couple of days. You only had to stay away from her for a couple of days, and if nothing changed, then you would return to her side and act as if you both were friends once more.

“Are you and Ty Lee fighting?” Jia-Li said the next morning. You were currently suffering from a massive migraine, massaging your temples as you tried to block the light from hitting your eyes, but you managed to shake your head in the negative.

“No, we’re not,” you said. “Why?”

“You didn’t talk to her all morning, and you sat next to me instead of her, the way you usually do. I think she was a little sad about it,” Jia-Li said.

“I just have a really bad headache,” you said.

“Do you need to go to the infirmary?” Jia-Li said. “If you can’t handle class, I’ll tell the Etiquette Mistress. You’re already her favorite pupil, so she shouldn’t mind.”

“No, I’ll go,” you said, knowing that it was of the utmost importance that you didn’t go anywhere alone. It would be an opportunity for Ty Lee to chi-block you again, one you did not need to create, not if you wanted your experiment to be successful. “I’m sure I’ll get over it with something to drink.”

Yet, despite the cups upon cups of water you chugged, it didn’t do anything to dissipate your headache. It was like there was someone pushing on your brow, crushing your head together, the heaviness seeping down behind your eyes and into your jaw. You thought you might be close to implosion, but there was never a moment of relief. The pressure just kept mounting and mounting until you really did wish for someone to take a hammer to your skull and break it open so that you could finally be freed from the pain.

“Ursa, Jia-Li,” Kaho said as you entered the classroom, her voice filled with venom. “I can’t believe you’re daring to show your faces today.”

“Why wouldn’t we?” you said, far too preoccupied with your migraine to temper your irritation with your usual politeness. “We’re students at the academy, the same as you, Kaho.”

“I thought you might be ashamed of yourself after your performance during the break, at Ember Island,” she said.

“What performance?” you said.

“You destroyed my house!” she said. “I know you all did. You and that group of losers from the beach, whoever they were. My brother told me all about it.”

“Your brother’s the biggest fool I’ve ever met,” you said. “Followed closely by Ruon-Jian. Neither of them recognized the prince and princess even when they were right in front of them.”

“Don’t call my brother a fool,” she said.

“It must be a familial trait,” you continued.

“Ursa, what are you doing?” Jia-Li said.

“I have way too much of a headache to deal with her squealing right now,” you said harshly. “Chan is an idiot and we helped destroy her house. It’s true, but it matters little to me, and I wish she’d just go and wallow in her misery somewhere far from where I am!”

“You’re playing with fire,” Jia-Li fretted. “Quite literally.”

“Can you just leave me alone for once, Kaho?” you said.

“You think you’re so much better than me, don’t you?” Kaho said. “You’ve taken my spot as the top student, and you’re favored by Prince Zuko, so you believe that makes you my superior. But there’s one thing that you’ll never have.”

“And what might that be? An insufferable attitude, or a particularly hideous—” you were cut off by Jia-Li slapping her hand over your mouth.

“She doesn’t know what she’s saying,” Jia-Li apologized. “The migraine is making her delirious.”

Kaho ignored her, staring directly at you, the anger which she was so well-known for blazing to life in her irises. It was the same way she had glared at you after defeating that one underclassman in an Agni Kai. It was the same way she glared at you every time you corrected her in class or got a better result than her on an exam. It was the same way she glared at you whenever you received a letter from Prince Zuko while in the dining hall.

She hated you. You had known this for some time, but you had never understood it until that moment. Kaho despised everything you were, but more than that, she despised that she was jealous of you. She was used to everything going her way, and yet, here you were, a girl who had no memories and no background and no bloodline, taking without difficulty everything that was once hers.

It should never have been yours. To Kaho, you were nobody, a girl from rubble who stole everything from the rightfully deserving. And now here you were, insulting her in front of everyone, clearly rising above the place she had designated for you in her mind. It was an offense of the highest order, and in that instant, you came to the conclusion that you would not escape unpunished. Kaho would no longer allow you to walk over her without retaliation.

“Firebending,” Kaho said. “That’s what I have, and I will always, always be your better, because you can’t even bend.”

“Maybe not,” you said, swallowing and then deciding that if you were already doomed, you might as well have the last word. “It makes it more embarrassing for you, though, doesn’t it? That a nonbender has beat you so thoroughly in everything else? That you can only cling to your bending to maintain your sense of superiority?”

“That’s it,” Kaho said. “You know what I’m going to say, don’t you?”

“You’ve really done it now, Ursa,” Jia-Li groaned. “Don’t even think of asking me to be your proxy. I don’t have a death wish.”

“I do,” you said. “And I’ll save you the trouble. I challenge you to an Agni Kai, Kaho.”

If an Agni Kai was declared, classes were suspended so that the school could watch. Though they were so brutal in nature, they were actually encouraged by the administration, as they served to weed out the weaker students, leaving behind only the strongest, the best of the best.

At present, the field where you and Kaho were going to fight was utterly cleared, though staff and students alike gathered on the edges to watch the event. It had been anticipated for some time, this clash between the two top students of the academy, even if one of them couldn’t Firebend.

“You’re seriously not even calling a proxy?” Jia-Li said.

“Who would I call?” you said, rolling your shoulders. “She’s beaten every girl at this academy already, and I’m not about to beg the prince to save me.”

“Let go of your pride for once and do exactly that!” Jia-Li said. “You couldn’t even take me in a fight, so you can just forget about facing Kaho.”

“Actually, she can manage,” Ty Lee said grimly. You didn’t know where she had come from, but there she stood, her face set, her posture stiff. “Ursa. I don’t know why he said it, but for some reason, Zuko seemed to think that you were strong. Stronger than the rest of us, in fact.”

“He told me as much,” you said. “I don’t know why he said it, either, but for some reason, I don’t think he was lying. At least, he seemed to really believe it, which means there must be some thought behind it all.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a prodigy with weapons on par with Master Piandao himself!” Jia-Li said. “Against someone like Kaho, you either need to be a bender or have unusual skills the way Ty Lee does. Can you claim either of those things?”

“I don’t know, Jia-Li,” you said. “I don’t think so. Yet I have to do this all the same. She’s gone unchecked for far too long.”

“And you’ll be the one to check her?” Jia-Li said, throwing her hands up in the air. “I wish you had just gone to the infirmary like I had told you to!”

“Let’s go, Jia-Li,” Ty Lee said. “It’s time. Good luck, Ursa.”

Another pang. You forced yourself to smile through the pain, not wanting to show weakness right when you were about to get into a fight. Ty Lee smiled back, though Jia-Li did not muster the same energy, wailing despondently about how she was going to lose another roommate as Ty Lee dragged her off the field.

“This is your last chance, Ursa,” Kaho said. “If you fall to your knees and grovel, if you accept your place in this world, and if you renounce your ties with the royal family, then I will spare you.”

“I cannot do either of those things,” you said. “And you cannot ask me to.”

“I will not be gentle,” Kaho warned. “I was kind in my last Agni Kai, so perhaps you think that you will get off in a similarly unharmed way. If that is the case, then I want you to know that you are wrong. I will burn my victory into your skin so deeply that you can never look into the mirror without being reminded of the day you angered the wrong person.”

“My head is already full of pain, nearly to the bursting,” you said. “What is one more wound? Do your worst, Kaho. Even if I lose today, I will still have won in the end.”

“And how is that?” Kaho said. You grinned at her.

“Because I’ve shown everyone else at this academy exactly the sort of person you are,” you said. “You can’t beat a nonbender at anything else, so you have to challenge them to an Agni Kai in order to cling to the last threads of your former glory. You’re really very pathetic, and no matter how thoroughly you burn me, you can’t change that.”

“Did no one ever teach you to hold your tongue?” Kaho said, taking a deep breath, fire flickering at her fingertips.

“Certainly, at some point, someone must have,” you said. “But I shouldn’t know when or who or what the purpose of the lesson was. Don’t you recall that I have no memories?”

No one could say that Kaho wasn’t talented. The way she used her Firebending was like an extension of herself, as brutal and efficient as her clinical personality. It wasn’t that she was incredibly powerful — she just did not waste even a drop of energy, focusing her entire being into her forms, which were done with a clear accuracy that was difficult to dodge.

She punched a lick of fire at you, deadly hot, the air shimmering in the aftermath of it as it dissipated into nothingness, barely avoiding singing the edges of your clothes. You employed every trick you had learnt, for the longer you could draw out the fight, the worse it looked for her.

It was a game that you could not win. It was a game you were destined to lose, but — and maybe this was your past knowledge speaking — you had to play along. The outcome was determined, but you still had to play.

“Why did you come here?” Kaho screamed, her careful control slipping the more times she missed burning you. It was like her words drove a knife through your head, and the only reason your faltering was not a fatal blunder was because she, too, was growing more and more errant in her strikes. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“You’re the one trying to immolate me!” you said, sweat pouring from your brow, your shirt sticking to your collarbones and your pants clinging to your legs. “Why don’t you raise that question to yourself?”

“You!” she said. “Why are you speaking so elegantly? Are you mocking me?”

“Of all the things, you choose to criticize my manner of speaking? Your sense of prioritization is as horrid as your personality,” you said.

More fire. This time, the hem of your shirt did catch alight, but you put it out before it could reach your skin, so it didn’t count as a first burn. It did, however, mean two things: you were getting tired, and Kaho was losing even more of her composure.

“You came here,” she said. “I was alright before! But you came here and decided that everything I had was yours. My place in society, my standing in the school…the happy ending I was born to inherit has all gone to you!”

“Happy ending?” you said. “Do you think I care about something as superficial and fantastical as that? I don’t even have a beginning! Have you ever taken a second thought about your hatred? You can choose the direction of your life, Kaho. Whether happy or sad or anything in between, you know who you are. I do not have such a luxury. You resent my friendship with the prince, but if I do not have him, I have nothing left of my past! I helped destroy your house, yes, but at least you have a house — and it was only one of many. I don’t even have a shack in the woods to call my own!”

“Exactly,” Kaho said. “You should be begging on the streets, yet you are here. But no longer. No longer will I allow you to exist beside me, as if we are equals.”

Your eyes widened as her words sank in. This wasn’t just an Agni Kai anymore. She would not stop once she burnt you. It didn’t matter how completely; you had been wagering that you could eventually heal from whatever she inflicted on you. But, according to Kaho, she was not planning on you ever healing. She was planning on you dying.

Without Kaho’s fire, the air was almost cold. Goosebumps raised on your bare arms, though whether it was from chill or fright, you were not sure. Kaho was incredibly still, her eyes closed as she inhaled deeply, centering herself, drawing strength from the core of her bending — her breath. Everyone else was silent, though you thought you could hear someone, perhaps Jia-Li, repeating a prayer to Agni frantically, begging him to protect you from Kaho’s wrath.

You did no such thing. There was a voice in your head, whispering past the pain, telling you that Agni was not your god. You could not pray to him. You could not pray to a lord of destruction. You could not pray to the deity who had ruined your home.

You did not question this voice, though by all rights it was contrary to the little you knew of yourself. You were a Fire Nation soldier. Agni had not ruined your home, he had saved it. He was the one whose banner you had fought under. He was the one whose name you had been tortured in. He was your patron.

No. He was not. He was Kaho’s. He was Zuko’s. He was Jia-Li’s. But you were not a Firebender. You were something else. What? It was inexplicable, but your bones resonated with that truth as the effects of Ty Lee’s continuous chi-blocking began to crumble, your headache finally alleviating as you had your first breakthrough.

Kaho opened her eyes, and then fire gathered in her palms. You stood your ground this time, rooting yourself into the dirt of the field, and as a wave of fire rolled towards you, destroying everything in its path, you cringed back and screwed your eyelids together but refused to move. This time, you would not move.

Right when the blistering temperature got to be too much, it was cut off, asphyxiated before its source could reach you. Then Kaho was hurling insults at you, calling you a mongrel, a filthy half-breed, a daughter of mud. You cracked your eyes open, wondering why she did not attack you once more, why she had ceased her assault at the instant before she would have won for certain.

There was a large wall of stone erected before you, shielding you from Kaho, impenetrable by even the hottest of fires, which certainly she did not possess. That wall had not been there before, and the names which Kaho was calling you suddenly made sense — because you had created the wall. It was yours.

You were an Earthbender.

Within seconds, every single person that had borne witness to the Agni Kai was slumped over on the ground, including Kaho herself. Ty Lee used her momentum to flip over the wall, dropping to her feet before you and crossing her arms.

“You knew,” you said. “The entire time, you knew.”

“No,” she said. “Not exactly.”

“You’re the one who’s been blocking my memories, though,” you said. “Right? You would block my chi so that I couldn’t remember my past or use my Earthbending.”

“That’s right,” she said, bowing her head. She seemed apologetic, but nothing resembling pity filled you. The only emotion you could muster was disgust.

“Why?” you said. “What could have convinced you to do something like that? I thought we were friends, Ty Lee. Was that all a lie? Were you only staying close to me so that you could keep suppressing my memories?”

“No!” she said. “That was the reason at first, but I like spending time with you, Ursa. You really are one of my friends.”

She reached out as if to embrace you, but you took a step backwards so that she could not. She pulled back as if you had wounded her.

“My name isn’t Ursa, is it?” you said. “Who am I really, Ty Lee? Tell me the truth.”

“I have no idea,” she said. “He didn’t tell me anything about you. He just said it was for the best if you didn’t remember anything. I was so afraid the whole time, I thought Azula might be angry if she found out, but he was always so kind to me when I was younger that I thought I owed him at least this one favor…”

“Who?” you said. “Who is he? Who demanded you keep my memories from me?”

She gave you a miserable look. “Zuko.”

“That liar,” you said. It wasn’t just anger for the specific betrayal; there was some old rage quivering in you. You hated him. You hated him. You couldn’t say why, but you hated him. The ground shook, and Ty Lee glanced around nervously, but you paid her no mind. “He lied to me! He pretended like he cared, but the whole time, he was the one who did it! It’s his fault that I’m like this!”

“Don’t be angry,” Ty Lee pleaded. “I’m sure he had a reason. Just talk to him, and I’m sure he’ll explain!”

“Explain?” you said. “I don’t want to hear his explanations. I want him to pay for what he did!”

Another stake driven into your mind. It was your chi, you presumed, chipping away at the place where your memories were stored. There was still nothing concrete, but a sense of claustrophobia was creeping over you. You weren’t supposed to be here. You were supposed to be somewhere else. You were supposed to be doing something, but Zuko — Zuko had snatched you away from that fate.

“Ursa,” Ty Lee said.

“Stop calling me that,” you said. “It’s not who I am.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what else to call you,” she said, clearly near tears. “Please calm down for a little bit. I blocked everyone’s chi in time; no one will remember this happened, so take the moment to settle and think things over. There’s no rush.”

“You can’t just do that,” you said. “You can’t keep blocking people’s memories at whim. They’re not yours to play with like that. Anyways, won’t they remember again? Are you really going to go around once a week and block everyone’s chi?”

“I was quick enough, and it was a small enough memory, that just one time will be sufficient,” she said. “No one will know what you’ve done, and I promise I won’t block your memories again if you stay.”

“I can’t trust you,” you said, straining with all your might to drive the stone wall back into the ground. “I’m sorry, but I really can’t.”

Dust flew up everywhere, but once it cleared, the field looked placid and undisturbed — barring, of course, the scorch marks left in the wake of Kaho’s attacks.

“What are you going to do now?” she said.

“I’m going to my room,” you said. “You can go ahead and tell Zuko I can Earthbend again. I’m sure you’ve been keeping him updated this entire time, so I won’t stop you.”

“He’ll want to come visit you,” Ty Lee said. And, because you did not want her to get in trouble, because despite what she had done there was still fondness for her buried deep within you, you only sighed and then nodded.

“Then he’ll do just that, I’d expect,” you said. “Goodbye, Ty Lee.”

You weren’t sure if she knew what you meant by the farewell. Maybe she did. For her own sake, you hoped she did not, or at least that she pretended that that was the case. She had in the end only been a tool of Zuko’s, so though you did not forgive her, you did not hate her, either.

Perhaps by a stroke of good fortune or perhaps by design, Jia-Li did not return to the room before dinner. This allowed you to collect your meager possessions, shoving them in the bag you had brought with you to Ember Island. Changing out of your uniform, you bit your lip before placing it in the trash. It was beyond salvaging, and besides, your time as Ursa was over. Now, you had to leave behind the life that the prince had created for you and figure out who you were, what your own life was like.

Fastening a cloak over your shoulders and tossing the hood up over your head to further disguise yourself, you slunk through the dormitory, staying in the shadows and hiding whenever people passed. In that manner, you managed to escape detection, reaching the academy’s aviary before anyone noticed you.

“Bian,” you whispered to your messenger hawk. She was instantly awake, cocking her head at you. You shook your own at her in the negative. “I don’t have a letter for you. There’s no one left for me to write to. I just wanted to tell you something: I’m leaving.”

Even if Bian had once been meant to be Prince Zuko’s, you had difficulty thinking of her as anything but yours. She was your friend, yourhawk, and though she was of the Fire Nation, of your time as Ursa, you could not let her go without saying farewell first, the way you would with the rest of it.

“I can’t tell anyone else,” you said. “It’ll just put them in danger. I can’t even say bye to Jia-Li. She’ll think I just ran away for no reason, and she was too loyal of a friend to deserve that, but I cannot implicate her in my defection from the academy. She’ll be the first they question, and I don’t know that she’ll lie convincingly enough to escape suspicion. So, then, when she says she has no idea where I’ve gone, she has to be telling the truth.”

Bian cooed at you; well, maybe calling the throaty sound cooing was being generous, but there was no other way to describe it, and the sentiment was the same. She was trying, in her own way, to comfort you, and you extended your arms to her perch so that you could rub the soft, tiny feathers of her cheeks.

“Thank you for being my hawk,” you said. “Be good for whoever owns you next — unless it is the prince, in which case I give you full permission to bite his fingers whenever he tries to give you letters.”

With that, you turned around, your hands dropping to your sides as you walked, then ran out of the aviary. If you turned around, you would cry. If you turned around, you might not ever be able to leave, so you sprinted until you reached the stables where the various animals belonging to the academy were kept.

Passing by the sleeping dragon moose and the corral of komodo rhinos, you ducked into the stall of one of the mongoose lizards. Throwing its saddle on, you patted it on the forehead.

“I’m sorry,” you said, swinging on and kicking it forwards. “I promise you can go home once you get me out of the capital.”

The mongoose lizard was fast, but more than that, it was stealthy and could traverse many kinds of terrain. Scuttling through the campus, it climbed the walls at your direction, though it was obviously unsure, as it had been trained not to leave the academy, even when given the opportunity.

Looking up, you saw a shadow cover the moon briefly, and you furrowed your brow as the dark shape came hurtling down towards you. The mongoose lizard continued to dash through the streets of the capital, and you used your hands to shield your face from the incoming projectile.

You needn’t have. At the last moment, it flared its wings, landing gently on your shoulder, careful not to dig its talons into your flesh despite the subsequent loss of balance.

“Bian?” you said. She nipped your shirt collar like she was chiding you for daring to leave without her. You laughed in relief, scratching her crest. “Oh, my dear Bian. I should never have tried to go without you. Thank you for finding me.”

She hopped off your shoulder, sitting on the pommel of the saddle, surveying the terrain with the regal bearing of a figurehead. With her at your side, you weren’t quite as lonely, and though it was selfish of you, you were glad that she had made such a choice, that she loved you enough to follow you away from the comfort of the aviary.

You traveled for a while at top speed, but once the mongoose lizard began to show signs of fatigue, you reined it to a stop. Whistling for Bian, you slid off of the beast. It made a clicking noise at you, and you smiled at it.

“Thank you,” you said. “You have done your job well. You may go back now.”

Without hesitation, the mongoose lizard spun and headed in the same direction it had come from. You didn’t wait, either; the palace certainly had methods to track you, so it would be a folly for you to stay in the same place for too long.

When the search began depended on Jia-Li. If she reported your disappearance immediately, then you were in trouble, but you sensed she would not. You had a habit of coming back to the room later than her, so she’d likely not realize you were gone at all until she woke up and saw your bed had remained undisturbed the entire night.

That left you with a window of time in which you could eat and sleep. After that, you had to walk to the nearest village and appropriate a new mount that could get you even farther from the academy and the capital and Prince Zuko’s grasp.

“It’s just so strange,” you said to Bian as you made a small fire using kindling, the way you had been taught in the academy. “If I’m an Earthbender instead of a former Fire Nation soldier, then there really is no explanation for any of it. Why did he abduct me? Why did he order my memories to be subdued? What significance did I hold?”

If she knew anything about the heart or mind of her former master, she did not reveal it. Rummaging around in your bag for the bit of food you had scrounged up while packing, you chewed on it pensively before pulling out the book you had been reading.

Opening to the page you had left off on, you promised to only finish the chapter on the royal family before you went to sleep. Maybe it was foolish to sacrifice any of the precious little rest you could get, but you longed for something to soothe your mind, and you thought that reading, as a familiar habit, might accomplish that goal.

The last ruler of the Earth Kingdom was the 52nd Earth King, born Kuei. He is famous only for his ineptitude. Ascending the throne at the age of four, he was a puppet monarch for much of his life, until the day he was deposed of by Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation forces.

For some strange reason, there was a lump in your throat reading about the 52nd Earth King, as if he was someone that you greatly missed. But that was not even the oddest thing — it was the next passage that made you truly gasp. Memories upon memories poured in as you read and reread the paragraph, which was more of a footnote than anything.

The 52nd Earth King also had a younger sister, though no one ever saw her. A nonbender like the king, Princess Y/N remained shut away in the palace her entire life, reputedly for her own protection. Because of her fragile and essentially invisible status, her own subjects mockingly referred to her as the Glass Princess.

She, along with her brother, was killed during the fall of Ba Sing Se.

#zuko x reader #zuko x y/n #zuko x you #zuko #avatar the last airbender #atla #reader insert #canon au #the glass princess #m1ckeyb3rry writes

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my-hyperfixation-hell · 5 months

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Katara belonged in the final Agni Kai

I was thinking about ATLA again, particularly about the common fandom complaint I hear that Katara was out of place in the last Agni Kai, and it should have been about exclusively Zuko and Azula, or that because Katara technically finished the fight, Zuko doesn't "count" as Firelord; he never won.

But I think that Zuko and Katara winning it together is actually crucial for not only Katara, but Zuko as well.

Let's start with Zuko by examining what the Agni Kai is to begin with. We've seen Zuko engage in two Agni Kais before; against Admiral Zhao, and of course, Firelord Ozai. The notion of an Agni Kai in theory is to prove one's honor.

In practice, it has been used as a means of displaying your power over someone else through firebending. Ozai overpowers Zuko, and Zhao intended to do so over Zuko, but failed.

It's reflective of Fire Nation society as a whole, and the way that displays of power and force have become more valued than actual honor. This is the lesson Zuko has to learn, too; no one can give him honor or take it away, especially not through violence. He cannot earn his honor back through acts of violence, either.

The final Agni Kai, for Azula, was once again about power. Her goal was to overpower Zuko and force him to yield. Zuko's goal was different, he wanted to save the world, and fighting was the way to do so.

Another issue Zuko had to overcome was not allowing others to help him. He rejects help at every turn in the past, most notably from Iroh and Katara, back in Ba Sing Se, when she was sympathetic towards him but he still chose to side with Azula.

Additionally, I'd like to point out the episode where Zuko's crew finds him irritating and self centered, and Iroh explains his backstory to them. Then, Zuko makes the decision to save a crewmate, earning respect for the first time through genuine means.

Lastly, remember why Iroh taught Zuko to redirect lightning to begin with; lightning bending is symbolic of the Fire Nation royal family's abuse. It's a protected secret, a display of force and firebending prodigy. Iroh teaches Zuko to deflect his father's abuse in a very literal sense.

Now, tie all this in to WHY Katara steps in; when Azula lightning bends Katara, Zuko takes the shot for her.

Zuko, the Fire Nation prince, takes the shot from Katara, the last bender of the Southern Water Tribe, one of the areas most impacted by the Fire Nation's cruelty.

This is reflective of Zuko choosing above winning, above the misguided beliefs his family had about what honor is, to protect his friends, his chosen family, and the rest of the world from what the Fire Nation is doing.

By becoming Firelord not by the rules of the Agni Kai, but through the help of a friend, Zuko breaks the cycle of violence that it represents.

Now, onto Katara. This is the finale, the final fight, and it lets Katara shine, too. Remember, here she is, the last Southern Water Tribe bender, putting an end to the rule that had hurt her people.

I don't think bearing that in mind it's any question whether or not Katara deserves to be there.

But it's more than that. Being present at the final Agni Kai lets Katara shine both as a master bender in combat, and as a healer, two skills that she worked hard to grow over the series.

When Zuko says he's going to fight Azula alone, Katara initially protests, pointing out the intention from the beginning was to get help from Katara. Zuko changes his mind because he believes he can do it alone, seeing Azula isn't at her best, and Katara ends up respecting his decision, until the chips are down.

Like Zuko made the split second decision to save her, Katara then saves him, first by beating Azula in a remarkably clever way. The freezing-the-water-around-them trick was a brilliant stroke of creative thinking for her.

Then, after the fight is over, she begins to heal Zuko from a BLAST OF LIGHTNING TO THE CHEST. Iroh made it very clear how dangerous that was when he instructed Zuko to redirect lightning. Always through the stomach, never through the heart.

Zuko isn't 100% healed, as evidenced by him still being in pain during his coronation, but even being alive at all is pretty miraculous by that point.

She shows that she is a waterbending master both in combat and healing.

And more than that, think about what it means for Zuko and Katara as friends. Katara is the last to accept Zuko into the Gaang, because she is not as ready to forgive as, say, Aang, or like Toph who wasn't there when Zuko was the gaang's main threat and had her talk with Iroh.

When she and Zuko do bond, it's over grief for their mothers, and, I think, the fact that Katara can finally recognize Zuko the way she started to see him in Ba Sing Se; as someone else the Fire Nation has hurt.

Zuko, on the other hand, disregards Katara quite a bit during the earlier seasons, as he does Sokka. His focus is primarily on Aang and capturing the Avatar, and I think he falls short of seeing her for the powerful bender she is.

But when it comes down to fighting Azula? Zuko didn't think he could do it alone until he saw her slipping. Katara was the one by Zuko's side. The one who perhaps best understands and shares in his pain, as he understands and shares in hers, after they bonded going after Katara's mom's killer.

She, too, was hurt by the Fire Nation, lost her mother to them.

And the focus of that episode entirely! Katara wanted revenge, she wanted to kill for her mother. Zuko was ready to support her in that (and ironically going back to my earlier point about how Zuko used to disregard Katara and Sokka, being focused on Aang, it was definitely one of those moments where he realized just how strong she was).

Katara bonded with Zuko and healed the part of herself seeking revenge for the ways she'd been wronged at the same time. Their stories of grief are intertwined and I think that's beautiful.

Really, what better character to participate in the Final Agni Kai?

My last point is this; ATLA from the very beginning stresses co-existence and harmony, balance. The Fire Nation waging war upset this balance.

I think a water bender helping restore power into better hands in the Fire Nation fits in with this idea of balance and harmony, with the nations working together rather than against one another, or an "every nation for themselves" alternative.

So, basically, TL:DR; Katara belonged in the final Agni Kai, and her helping Zuko win does not make it any less of a victory for Zuko.

#avatar the last airbender #zuko #katara #edited because i initially forget the part about katara healing zuko

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oneatlatime · 4 months

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Let's look back at my season 2 predictions!

When I got to the halfway point of season 2, I made a post detailing my predictions for where the rest of the season was going. They were delightfully subjective and conformed more to my hopes than to any legitimate foreshadowing.

I made 9 predictions (one per main character), and then I predicted three ways that the finale could go. I went into some detail in some of my predictions, so I'd recommend checking out the linked post. Keep in mind that I made these predictions before the Ba Sing Se arc started, and it shows.

For Azula, I predicted that she would be the finale's big bad, that she would be defeated, and that the Fire Lord would be introduced as next season's big bad. I'm giving myself one third of a point for this one. Azula was indeed the big bad.

For Toph, I predicted that she would get a subplot that revolved around either something she excelled at being challenged by an external force like those wrestling idiots, or something that she needed to work on that tied into her noble background. Once again giving myself a third of a point, because those wrestling idiots were involved and she did meet an obstacle that she beat by inventing metalbending. I correctly predicted the pieces involved but I got them in completely the wrong configuration.

For Appa, I predicted that he would come back after having many adventures and running into other sky bison. (What's the plural of sky bison? Devastated to say that I've never had to use it) I was right that Appa came back; I was wrong that he ran into remnants of sky bison(s?), but he did end up running into remnants of the Air Nomads, and dreaming about other sky bison(s?), so I'm giving myself three quarters of a point.

For Zuko, I predicted that he would be coaxed/dragged into being decent via a swordbending girlfriend, and that he would be redeemed by the end of Season 2. Hilariously, my prediction smashed Jin and Jet together, which breaks my brain a little. Also, he did the polar opposite of being redeemed by the end of the season. I'm going to give myself a quarter point, for getting the sword bit and the girl bit.

I predicted that Sokka would split from the rest of the Gaang and go on a multi-episode Appa hunting arc that focused heavily on his ties to his family. I was 100% wrong with this one. No point for me. Which is too bad, because I really liked the idea I came up with.

I predicted that Momo would do aerial reconnaissance for the Appa hunt with Sokka. I'm giving myself a full point for this one, because what was he doing in the Tale of Momo? Flying around looking for Appa. Admittedly Sokka wasn't there, but whatever, I need this point.

For Katara, I predicted some sort of moral crisis. Something to add some nuance to her world view. A good yet unapologetically patriotic firebender, or a downright evil waterbender. I was completely wrong on this one too, unless you count being talked into listening to Jet. No points for me.

I predicted that Aang would have to do some type of Avataring that involved delegating tasks to his friends, or putting his status as avatar first, probably due to unrest in the spirit world. This was by far my most broad prediction ("hey maybe the avatar will have to avatar it up" is a very safe statement), so no points for that. I was wrong about spirit world involvement, although I was right that his Avatar duties would conflict with his personal convictions. I'll give myself one quarter point.

For Iroh, I predicted that he would call on old resources to get himself and Zuko into a better situation. I got this one almost completely right, except two bits: I thought he would use blackmail or intimidation, when he actually used something more like the power of friendship, and I also thought that particular plot point would last longer than a single B-plot in a single episode. But what the hell, I'm giving myself the point.

All three of my predictions for how the finale was going to go were incorrect. There was no strike against the Fire Nation, there was no immediate dismissal of the eclipse as a possible time of attack, and there was no relegation of the eclipse to a single episode plot point. No point for me.

So, out of a grand total of 12 predictions, I scored:

3.91!

Ouch.

I'm going to be generous and round it up to 4, which is a third correct. Still ouch. I am less reliable than a coin toss.

But! I actually had a lot of fun both coming up with predictions and reviewing them. So I'm still counting this exercise as a win.

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #if any of you play cards with me #bet against me

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sleepingdeath-light · 11 months

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being her one true friend hcs ; azula

requested by ; batstickblog (16/06/22)

fandom(s) ; avatar: the last airbender

fandom masterlist(s) ; here

character(s) ; azula

outline ; “Azula x fem!reader (taking place event’s of Book One: Water) Shy daughter one of Imperial Firebenders. Visiting the palace, when she met the princess of the Fire Nation. Quickly closed friend’s and Azula truly care about the girl more than her two friends and brother before she leaves. Stories mixed between Fluffy and Fix-it fic.”

warning(s) ; canon typical levels of angst but mostly fluff

the two of you had first met when you were children — with your father having dragged you along to a war meeting with his fellow aristocrats in order to gain some sort of leverage with the ailing fire lord

he’d been beaming and filled to the bursting with the pride and aggression your kin were known for as he discussed strategy and hostile takeover — but you were just bored and looking for any opportunity to escape the clutches of thinly veiled mathematics and other boring grown up stuff

so you came up with an excuse of feeling sick and needing air, slipping away and running to the courtyard like your heels were on fire

and that was where you met your best friend

princess azula; the young daughter of the fire lord’s younger son — renowned overachiever and star student who earned nothing but praise from her tutors and family members

princess azula who was training right in front of you — blue flames pillaring up from her fingertips as she danced across the large flat stone she’d haphazardly thrown onto a shaded area in the far corner of the courtyard

you’d watched her for a while before she realised she had company and with the confidence only found in children, she invited you to spar with her

and, as the saying goes, the rest was history

as the years passed by, the two of you stuck by each other through it all — through her grandfather’s death, through her father’s coronation, through her mother’s disappearance and through her brother’s banishment

arm in arm and side by side through thick and thin — there was nothing that could separate you from each other

you trained together, you learned together, you lounged together, you mocked together and you grew up together — truly two peas in a pod

you were there cheering her on from the sidelines as she mastered her bending and were the one to push her to pursue lightning bending — there to help her work through her issues with her parents until she reached something close to contentment and acceptance

she was there ready to sponsor and help you reach your goals — funding your hobbies and bolstering your studies by giving you full access to the palace library on the condition that you spend more time with you — but also ready to scold your parents if ever they try and force you any which way (a princess outranks any aristocrat, after all)

and whilst she’d never be caught dead admitting how deeply she cares for you, it’s clear to see through how kindly she treats you compared to anyone else — soft eyes, gentle words, pushing you more when you think of giving up and threatening anyone who even thinks of hurting you

how she only ever sleeps soundly when she’s pressed against you: leaning against your side or lounging across your lap as she promises she’s just resting her eyes

how you’d always catch her smiling softly out of the corner of your eye whenever you’d start passionately ranting about your latest interest

how she balked and paled and started spitting out excuses when you overheard your father proposing that your family move into one of the earth kingdom cities that the army had just captured — far away from her and everything you’d ever known

a greater reaction than when her oldest friends left the capital — mai for the same reasons your family had considered and ty lee for the circus — and when her own brother was burned and banished

she feared — truly feared — losing you and it showed

but, thank the spirits, that day never came and your parents decided to stay in the city and you didn’t have to leave azula behind — honestly you could have cried

the week following that she barely left your side, finding every excuse she could to be around you — training, studying, practising her royal duties and on and on…

(not that you minded, of course, but you certainly got in your fair share of teasing remarks anyway)

and for a short while everything was back to normal — or as close as it could be with the fire nation being so close to winning the war

… until azula was assigned on a mission to retrieve her brother and uncle

…

that was a difficult conversation for the two of you to have: tearful, emotional, genuine and above all else hard

hard to be hugging not knowing how long you’d be apart (she couldn’t know exactly where zuko was after all)

hard for her to insist on you staying behind (not because you couldn’t hold your own but because she didn’t want to run the risk of you getting hurt under her watch — it would kill her to see you hurt)

hard for you to wave her off whilst keeping an encouraging smile on your face (because if you wavered then so would she — and you didn’t want her to give up this opportunity to further prove herself to her father)

hard for her to promise to fetch her dear brother and uncle back home safely before the comet hits (because, no matter how hard she tried, there was still a part of her that dreaded zuko stealing the love of their father and their people as he had their mother)

just hard in general, really

but somehow you managed, giving a hug and a cheek kiss goodbye before she hurried onto that boat — azula filled with determination as you waved her off

she would bring them home

she would do her part to help ensure the victory of the fire nation

she would come home safely to you

because, really, what other choice did she have?

she’d sworn it you she would and she’d never once broken a promise she’d made — not to you, not ever

so failure simply wasn’t an option

#sleepingdeath #female reader #fluff #fluff hcs #atla fluff #atla x reader #azula fluff #azula x reader #avatar the last airbender fluff #avatar the last airbender x reader

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redbayly · 5 months

Text

I should be working on my next chapter for "Hot Ice, Strange Snow."

(I've just started on Chapter 12)

Instead, I'm just sitting around imagining headcanons for Zutara in the LOK-era.

Katara isn't just "greatest healer in the world." She is Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, former ambassador to the Fire Nation, founder of the Southern Water Tribe's Waterbending Academy (and frequently visits the academy to give advanced lessons in combat, practical, and healing waterbending), subject of numerous statues around the world to commemorate her contributions to ending the war and aiding in the post-war restoration (she even has a statue alongside Sokka's at the SWT cultural center in Republic City, because WHY WOULDN'T SHE?!), patroness of countless charitable and cultural organizations, and retired Fire Lady.

Zuko still has all his achievements from canon, plus he continues to endorse several groups dedicated to promoting world peace. He is a celebrated philanthropist, often volunteering his assistance to orphanages and shelters. Even in his retirement, he and Katara still travel regularly to look for opportunities to help people. Zuko also visits Ba Sing Se specifically to stop by the Jasmine Dragon. When Iroh passed away, he left the tea shop to Zuko and Katara's youngest son, who was obsessed with tea since he first tasted it (as the kid was way far down the succession line, he saw no point in living like a prince when he could run a tea shop, instead).

Zuko and Katara also enjoy spending time with their grandchildren. As someone who likes kids, I prefer to imagine they had a lot of children and, as a result, a lot of grandkids. They are extremely doting grandparents and try to be as involved as possible. They both enjoy sharing different parts of their respective cultures with their family.

Their children and grandchildren grew up learning about and appreciating their mixed heritage. While they are all Fire Nation royalty, they all know and practice Water Tribe traditions alongside Fire Nation ones.

When the Northern Water Tribe invades the South, of course Zuko and Katara step in. After all, the SWT doesn't answer to the North (seriously, wtf LOK?) and this is an unlawful occupation. Zuko and Katara also rally their kids and grandkids, who all turn up along with Sokka's kids and grandkids to stop the invasion. When the Southerners see firebenders in their land, they regard it as a cause for celebration rather than fear.

Kind of a cosmic role-reversal. Instead of people from the South defending the North from the Fire Nation (like in Book 1), it's the Fire Nation helping defend the South against the North.

Of course Katara is right in the midst of the action alongside Zuko and the rest of the family. After all, it's not like Katara would just sit silently in the background doing nothing while her homeland is invaded (*glares at LOK again*).

Also, Katara never outlaws bloodbending. She ensures heavy regulations are put on learning it, but she does teach it to some select students whom she has vetted to ensure they are mentally and emotionally sound, have a good grasp of ethics, and are trustworthy enough to study the art.

Anyway, that's enough for now. Just wanted to get these ramblings out of my brain before I go to bed.

#zutara #zuko x katara #zuko #katara #avatar headcanons #avatar the last airbender #legend of korra #pro katara #katara defense squad #random brain drippings #redbayly

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steveandbuckysdaughter · 2 months

Note

since you talked about Izumi in some of your posts (like Dad!Zuko and Mom!Mai and their “conquering Ba Sing Se adventure”) and the Hou-Tong/Izumi beef, I was wondering if you were open to make Gaang kids headcanons.

and if you were, can I request Kya and Izumi headcanons on their friendship etc?

Ok so, anon refers to this post and this other post in the ask, FYI.

But yes, I absolutely am down to make adult gaang/Gaang kids’ headcanons of any kind. So if y’all want any headcanon of that kind feel free to send an anon!

Anyway, back to the ask. I absolutely love the potential of Kya and Izumi’s dynamic. But since I love angst, here’s some little HCs with p a i n.

Izumi and Kya are roughly the same age, maybe Izumi is a year older than Kya.

Ever since they could sit straight, they’ve been inseparable. And as kids, with the republic city construction, they used to be constantly together

I headcanon that Izumi was more responsible and protective of Kya, while Kya saw Izumi as her idol, because you know, pretty firebending princess who punches everyone who looks at Kya the wrong way

I also like to think that Izumi was Kya’s gay awakening in her teens, but never acted on it because Izumi was straight and uninterested. Also, I HC that Izumi had a thing with Bumi, but that’s another story

Anyways. Since Izumi most likely had Iroh at like, 20, Kya would always hang out with Iroh as his fun aunt, doing mischief around etc.

But, and let’s go to the angsty part, I also HC that Kya and Izumi kind of began losing contact once 30s approached. Because you know, Kya was always traveling, and Izumi had crown princess duties to partake in.

Also, given that Zuko was Fire Lord and kind of not as involved in republic city as he used to be, the FN royal family did not hang out with the rest of the gaang as often, and Izumi ended up being often excluded from the drama etc. nothing unfixable, but stuff that definitely hurt Izumi.

I also feel like Izumi (and parents) was always invited to all of the gaang’s and their kids’ milestones, like weddings, ceremonies etc.

And when in 158AG Sokka died protecting Korra, Zuko and Izumi were at the funeral despite their problems in the fire nation.

But, and here we reach the most angsty part, a year later it was Mai who died, of an illness that had taken her like, five years prior. Of course Zuko and Izumi were distraught, and asked Katara, Toph and the others to attend.

But the day of the funeral, only Katara showed up. Because Bumi was in the United forces, Kya couldn’t interrupt her spiritual travels, Tenzin had a heavily pregnant Pema at home, Lin was working, Suyin was just up in her business in Zaofu and Toph was nowhere to be found.

This made Zuko very sad, but Izumi? She was furious. Absolutely furious. Because, how could they miss the one time they needed to be there for her after all the times she had gone out of her way to support them?

And especially, Izumi felt betrayed by Kya, for not even passing by or answering back to the news. So Izumi kind of ghosted and stopped talking with everyone.

The first time she saw any of the Gaang kids was during Kuvira’s storyline. And even then, as cold as ice

So I kind of headcanon that Korra had some business to do in the fire nation and the gang kids tagged along, and kind of had a some of fight with Izumi about her ghosting them and them never visiting

Izumi would be the most angry and hurt with Kya, and they would kind of be angry with each other for the entirety of the storyline

But then by the end, they would have an actual talk and begin speaking to each other again

So yeah, happy ending but TONS of angst. I know right? Amazing❤️

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crowentity233 · 1 year

Text

The Dragon's Keep (part 1)

*Finished*

Fire Lord Zuko x (Fem!) Reader

Part 2

Summary: You are a firebender named Ayushi, who has been accepted to guard over the royal family as a kyoshi warrior. You end up guarding Zuko through his travels to visit the sun warriors. The mission, protecting the newest dragons, begins.

You stood in the hallway of the palace. Your armor clung to your body. The moon took over the night sky. The windows were open, letting in the cool breeze from the summer night. Pitter patters of feet down the hall jerked your attention back to reality.

"Princess kiyi." You called out running after the footsteps. You caught up to the girl. "Princess, you should be asleep. What's wrong?" You kneeled down next to her.

"I'm scared. I can't sleep." She mumbles, then hugs into your body, pulling you in to comfort her. You immediately wrap your arms around her and hold her.

"What are you scared of?" You asked gently to the girl. You picked her up and walked back to her room.

"I had a bad dream about a dark spirit." She whines into your shoulder. Her tears were starting to roll.

"It was just a dream, Princess Kiyi. You don't have to be scared. How about I sit with you and tell you a story?" You smiled brightly as the girl wiped away her tears nodding her head.

You laid her down on her bed and tucked her back in. You sat and told the story of the little dragon named Kioko. He was a very adventurous little dragon who learned he had to rely on others for aid. He couldn't do everything by himself. It was a firenation tale you heard many times from your parents.

She had fallen asleep, and you pet her hair before slipping back out into the hallway.

The next morning, Ursa was tending to the very energetic girl. She had retold the dragon story to her mother. "Where did you hear this story from?" Her mother giggled at the girl as she continued to almost the end, but kiyi didn't know how it ended because she had fallen asleep.

"Ayushi told me! I was going to get ZuZu up to scare away the spirits, but Ayushi told me a good story, and the spirits went away." The girl smiled proudly.

Zuko ate the breakfast in front of him, not paying too much attention until his nickname was said. "You were scared last night?"

"Yes, but Ayushi made it better. Mommy, I want Ayushi to tell me the rest of the story tonight. Can she please?" She spoke up to her mother.

"You can ask her before dinner tonight." Her mother smiled pleased that one of the kyoshi warriors was being so kind to her daughter and not just being a fire nation guard that was heartless like the old days.

You woke up getting ready for the night shift. You had been guarding at night. It was a long shift, but it was important to look after the royal family. You had stopped your fair share of criminals from getting to them.

Your job was about to become more interesting. "Ayushi, dear, will you come here, please? Kiyi has a question to ask you." Ursa's voice sounded through the hall out from the throne room.

You entered the room and bowed to the firelord and to the royal family.

Kiyi ran up to you. You kneeled down, sitting on your knees to face her. Your face brightened as she laughed energetically.

"Can you tell me another bedtime story tonight?" She said as she got to you.

You nodded. "Of course, Princess Kiyi. I would love to."

The girl jumped in glee. She wrapped her arms around you with a smile. You hugged her back, and then she ran back to her mother happily.

"Ayushi, I asked Suki if it was okay for you to take a daytime shift so you could tell Kiyi a bedtime story every night before your shift ends so you could sleep during the night." Ursa politely spoke.

"Yes, of course. What times work for you, work for me." Your voice is calm and respectful.

"You can have the next two nights off to readjust to daytime." She offered happily.

"Yes, Lady Ursa, thank you." You bowed, and you were dismissed.

The bedtime came quickly. You changed out of your uniform into a casual yet presentable outfit for the royal palace. You walked to Princess Kiyi's room, but it was empty. You looked around the nearby halls. The young girl poked her head out of the fire lords chambers. "Ayushi, come in here. I want Zuzu to have a bedtime story, too." You hesitantly followed her into the room. It was fit for a ruler. The room was huge. The walls were a darker color, very comforting and cozy. The fire lit torches flickered, a fireplace warming the room to a comfortable temperature to your skin. Fire Lord Zuko laid in the bed he was in silk sleep wear. His hair was down and messy. It was a stark difference from the times you've seen him. He seemed to be much more relaxed.

"Zuzu, she is here. Are you excited about the story?" Lord Zuko chuckled. Yes, much more relaxed than you've ever seen him.

"Yes, I'm excited." He said as kiyi got into the bed and tossed the covers over herself.

You bowed when your eyes met Zuko's. "Lord Zuko, I'm happy to tell you a bedtime story with Princess Kiyi." You giggled softly at the situation at hand. You leveled your body back up. His lips were turned into a grin. "Thank you, Ayushi." His eyes were a gorgeous golden brown. Your cheeks brighten ever so slightly seeing the Fire Lord in such a casual place. You were one of the new kyoshi warriors. You had never been in contact with Zuko before he became the Fire Lord.

"You can come in and sit. What story are you telling us tonight?" He seemed so welcoming.

"I was going to tell the story of the princess and dragon beast." You sat at the edge of the bed.

"Is it about a princess like me?" Kiyi gasped.

"Yes, it is her name is Bealin. She falls in love with a prince."

She laid down and held onto a stuffed flying bison Avatar Aang had given her from the air temple that was being rebuilt.

You started telling the story to the young girl. You were at the part where the princess was having fun with the dragon beast playing in the snow when Zuko leaned over, checking his sister. She was fast asleep. "She's out." He said quietly.

"I can take her to her room." You started to get up. Zuko shook his head, "That's alright. I can take her." He paused. "This reminds me of when I was little. My mom told that story a lot to us when we were little."

"My mother told me it a lot too, but my favorite was sleeping beauty. I always thought I would be rescued by a prince with a dragon from the dark spirit." You giggled at your own naivete.

"I've seen dragons they are as incredible in person as they sounded in the story." He trailed remembering the time with the sun warriors.

"But they went extinct..." Your face fell into shock.

"No, I am bound in a secret of their location, but I assure you they are very much alive." He stood up, and you stood as he walked past you.

"That stays between us." He trails quietly.

"Yes, Lord Zuko. Can you tell me more about the dragons?" You ask softly, making sure no walls could hear your conversation. You felt such a connection to dragons since you were a child. You just brushed it off to just being a firebender, but your connection seemed higher than the rest of your classmates.

"Wait here." He spoke softly, picking up his sister and then disappearing out into the hall.

You sat back down on his bed. Your hand ran across the silk. It was so luxurious and soft against your skin. His bed was so comfortable. It was better than yours back in the kyoshi housing.

Zuko returned to his room, and he pulled off the top robe. His silk bottoms were loose fitting. Your eyes stole glances at his fit figure. He didn't seem to notice. He slipped back into the bed and sat down across from you.

"The dragons are huge. They towered over me. It was so humbling facing them. There is a sacred firebending form. That started from the first firebenders that learned from the dragons. The ones I saw were red and blue. They breathed the most amazing flames that were every color you could think of." He explained the dragons to you, cautious of the secrets he had to keep specifically the where.

"I am so jealous. My dream is to see dragons. That is all I could think about as a child." You sat comfortably talking with the Fire Lord. It was the first real casual conversation.

"Maybe one day I can take you to see them. You've been very kind to my sister, and you've dedicated your life to serving the kingdom. You've put your life on the line. I will need a personal body guard when I return to them. Consider it a gift." Zuko leaned back against the headboard. His body is on even more display. Your mind didn't notice as your dreams were coming to life. His body had no place in your mind at the moment. Your eyes widened at the thought of meeting real dragons.

"Lord Zuko, you would do that for me?" You leaned forward in complete awe that he would take you to see them. He nodded, chuckling at your reaction.

"Can you teach me the form? I would be honored to learn it." Your eyes were still full of wonder.

"Yes, I can show you tomorrow. Kiyi is going to want to hear the rest of the story. I can teach you tomorrow after she falls asleep." Zuko offered to you.

"Thank you so much, Lord Zuko." You bowed respectfully. "I don't think I could ever repay you..." You trailed.

"You don't have to. It's a gift, and showing you the form is a right to all traditional fire benders." He stretched and wrapped his hands behind his head.

Your eyes then took in the scenery. The pillows, the bed frame, Zuko in less than appropriate attire for a woman to be in his bed even if you were just sitting on top of the sheets a distance away from him.

"Thank you, Lord Zuko." You bow respectfully. You stood up and made your way to the door.

"Good night, Ayushi." Zuko called out to you as you opened the door.

"Good night, Lord Zuko." You exited into the hall to go back to your housing unit with the other warriors joining the others that completed their day guarding.

Let me know if you would like to be tagged. 🥰

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sokkastyles · 1 year

Text

The idea that Azula would object to Zhao trying to kill the moon spirit is something I've seen more than once and like, it's really a misunderstanding of Azula's whole character. Azula has no understanding of or respect for the balance, one of her introductory scenes is threatening her men for suggesting that she doesn't have power over the tides themselves, she's the one who suggests Ozai's scorched earth plan. The final agni kai is wrought with apocalyptic imagery because if Azula had kept going the way she was going, she would have absolutely burned down the world.

And that's the whole point. People buy into the myth of Azula as the smart and hypercapable villain, but the Avatar is the representation of balance for the Fire Nation as much as it is for the rest of the world and destroying the Avatar is destroying the world.

There's something inherently cannibalistic in the Fire Nation royal family, and that's part of what Zuko and Iroh are able to break away from. Ozai lording his power over his own children until he almost destroys them both, Iroh witnessing the death of his own son. They would have done the same thing to the world if they hadn't been stopped, if Zuko hadn't become a Fire Lord who would help heal the damage that had already been done.

Zhao comes across as stupid for his plan to destroy the moon and we all make fun of him for it, but it's really only a natural extension of the Fire Nation ideology and fits with what the show says about fire's capability for destruction of not only everything in its path, but itself as well, what Jeong Jeong says about firebenders losing their humanity to savagery. That's the point, that's the whole point.

#azula #zuko #ozai #zhao

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starstruckphantommoon · 24 days

Text

Polar Opposites - Book 1: Water - Chapter 2: Avatar Aang

It’s nearly sunset now, and Katara still hasn’t returned from going to find Aang about 3 hours ago.

You’re really worried that two of them got into some sort of trouble, because not even ten minutes ago, a flare was shot into the air. You had wanted to go out to look for them but once you and Sokka saw the flare, he was very stern about you staying in the village. You completely understand that Sokka wants to protect you and keep you safe in this situation because that’s what he had promised your dad before he left to fight in the war. The thing is though, he should know better than anyone that you can take care of yourself just fine, but then again, that doesn’t stop him from being an overprotective brother, even though you’re 5 minutes older than he is.

It’s been about an hour since the flare was shot into the sky, and you and Sokka stand at the edge of the village with your grandmother and some of the other villagers, waiting for Aang and Katara to come back. You let out a sigh of relief when I see both Aang and Katara in the distance making their way back to the village. “Yay! Aang's back!” one of the little girls cheers as she and the rest of the children start running toward them. The children gather around Aang, just as Sokka steps toward him and Katara angrily. “I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare!” he exclaims angrily, while pointing at Aang. “You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?” “Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident.” Katara defends as she stops right in front of Sokka with Aang and the children. “Yeh, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and well…” Aang hesitates by putting his hand on the back of his head in embarrassment. “...we ‘boobied’ right into it.”

At his explanation of what had happened, your grandmother shakes her head in disappointment. “Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger!” “Don't blame Katara!” Aang exclaims. “I brought her there.” he states before looking downcast. “It's my fault.” “Aha! The traitor confesses!” Sokka exclaims pointing at Aang. “Warriors, away from the enemy!” He commands the children, making the children walk away from Aang and back to their mothers. “The foreigner is banned from our village!”

“Sokka, you're making a mistake.” Katara says angrily. “No! I'm keeping my promise to Dad. I'm protecting you and (Y/N) from threats like him!” Sokka replies. “Aang is not our enemy!” Katara says angrily as she motions to Aang. “Don't you see? Aang's brought us something we haven't had in a long time. Fun.” she states. “Fun?” Sokka repeats irritably. “We can't fight firebenders with fun!” “You should try it sometime.” Aang says with an earnest smile on his face. “Get out of our village. Now!” Sokka says sternly. “Grandmother, please, don't let Sokka do this.” Katara says to Gran Gran who stands next to you. “Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbender leaves.” Gran Gran says to her. Katara then turns to me, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. “(Y/N)… please…” she begs desperately.

As much as I’d like to have Aang stay, it’s not safe to keep him in the village anymore now that he took Katara to the Fire Navy ship. I look into her sad eyes for a second longer before looking away, ignoring her plea. “Fine! Then I'm banished too!” Katara exclaims, making me turn my head back to her, my eyes wide in shock as she turns around, taking Aang by the wrist as she leads him back toward Appa. “C'mon, Aang, let's go!” “Where do you think you're going?” Sokka asks her. “To find a waterbender! Aang is taking me to the North Pole!” Katara replies as she continues to drag Aang toward Appa. “I am?” Aang asks, confused before his face brightens. “Great!” “Katara!” Sokka calls after her, making her stop in her tracks. “Would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family?”

As Sokka asks her this, you see Katara’s shoulders slump and you know that she’s in doubt on which to choose. Aang comes up next to her a second later, obviously seeing the struggle that must be on her face. “Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family.” “So, you're leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?” Katara asks him softly, the sadness in her voice very evident. Aang turns back to her. “Thanks for penguin sledding with me.” “Where will you go?” Katara asks him. “Guess I'll go back home and look for the airbenders.” Aang says as he puts a hand on Appa’s head. “Wow, I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that.” he continues before he uses his airbending to get onto Appa’s head where he takes the reins. Aang then turns his head to address the rest of the villagers and Sokka and I. “It was nice meeting everyone.” “Let's see your bison fly now, air boy.” Sokka says sarcastically, causing you to elbow him in the side, which causes him to rub his side while glaring at you which causes you to roll your eyes at him before turning to look at Aang again. “Come on, Appa, you can do it! Yip! Yip!” he says, flicking the reins. Appa rumbles as he gets to his feet. “Yeh, I thought so.” Sokka says, as if he knew that Appa wasn’t going to fly, like Aang said he could and/or would.

Before Aang can make Appa turn to walk away, one of the little girls rushes forward with a cry to stand next to Katara. “Aang… Don't go… I'll miss you…” “I'll miss you too.” Aang replies back, just as sadly. Aang then shifts his gaze towards Katara, who you assume is looking at him with sadness in her eyes. Aang then turns away from her and flicks the reins again. “Come on, boy.” he says to Appa softly making Appa to begin walking away from the village.

As you watch Aang and Appa walk away, you feel bad for agreeing with Sokka in having him leave the village, but since Aant was the one who led Katara onto that war ship where the flare came from, putting everyone in the tribe in danger… even if it was an accident like he had said it was… There’s really no other choice than to have him leave so that everyone in the village can be safe. Just as you think that, you see Gran Gran stop behind Katara. “Katara, you'll feel better after you–” Katara cuts her off. “You happy now?” “There goes my one chance of becoming a waterbender!” she continues before stalking off angrily, leaving Gran Gran alone.

You’re about to walk up to her and comfort her, but- “Alright! Ready our defenses! The Fire Nation could be on our shores any moment now!” Sokka yells at the young boys as they run past him and back into the village. One of the boys stops, raising his hand and dancing about suggestively. “But, I gotta-” “And no potty breaks!” Sokka interrupts him as he points towards the fortifications, which makes the boy run away.

The silence is deafening… It’s the calm before the storm… You watch Sokka silently as he stands atop of the ice wall that surrounds the village, scanning the mist for any sign of the enemy. Suddenly, you hear a deep rumbling noise before the icy ground beneath your feet begins to shake violently. Parts of the wall that Sokka’s currently standing on begins to crumble beneath him as the shaking gets more and more violent. The villagers around you look in front of them in alarm as the rumbling and shaking of the ground continues to the point that the guard tower that Sokka had built himself collapses in a heap of snow and ice. “Oh man!” you hear Sokka exclaim, the disappointment in his voice very evident as he’ll have to rebuild the whole thing.

Many of the villagers around you are stuck where they stand in fear, you included, as memories of the day your mother was killed flash through your mind as the enormous shadow of a Fire Navy ship appears through the mist. Villagers run past you in their haste to get to safety, while you continue to stand there in horror. Your terror is hastily dismissed when you hear a frightened scream of a child to your left.

You turn your head towards the sound, gasping as you realize that the sound came from a small boy who’s kneeling on the ground as the crack in the ice from the ship goes right underneath him. You quickly run over to him, scooping him into your arms before he falls through the crack. I hand him over to Katara who puts him in a tent where his mother embraces him tightly. Once the boy is safely in his mother’s arms, you turn back to face the ship to see Sokka still standing on the wall. “Sokka, get out of the way!” Katara screams at him from her spot beside you. Sokka however doesn’t move out of fear… The only thing he can do is raise his club in defense, ready to strike the ship as if that would do anything.

Before he can make another move, however, the bow of the ship breaks through the wall, turning it into a giant pile of snow. The snow slides downward, pulling Sokka several feet back before he finally comes to a stop. You sigh out in relief once you know that Sokka’s safe before realizing that this is just the beginning. With thought of the possible fight coming, you get into your waterbending stance, prepared to protect your siblings, your village and your people from these Fire Nation savages, even if there’s a possibility that you’ll end up dying doing so.

You stay in your stance, watching as the bowsprit of the ship begins to open with a burst of steam.

Sokka backs up, trying to get away as the metal comes down towards him. He jumps out of the way, just in time, tumbling to the snowy earth just as the bowsprit hits the ground with a loud thud. The rest of the villagers gather behind you, partly for support and partly out of curiosity. Now, if you weren't so ready to defend them right now, you’d be telling them to get back inside their tents and stay there, but, knowing them, they won’t go anywhere unless they absolutely have to.

You watch the ship closely as 3 figures emerge from the mist, coming down the newly made walkway. Your eyes follow them as 7 men in total come down the ramp, 6 of them being soldiers with full suits of armor on, face masks included, whereas the figure in the front does not have a face mask on. From what you can tell, he’s probably your age, but the deep scowl on his face ages him quite a bit, causing him to look a lot older than he actually is. What shocks you most of all though is the large scar covering his left eye, deforming it slightly. Your intense curiosity about how he had gotten the scar causes you to weaken my stance slightly as you stare at him intently.

Your staring is interrupted by Sokka letting out a battle cry as he charges at the boy and the 6 soldiers that are following him with his club at the ready. The moment Sokka reaches the scarred boy, the boy merely kicks the club to his left and, without ever resting his leg on the ground, he kicks Sokka over to his right, sending him into the snow where he lands headfirst, becoming trapped. As Sokka tries desperately to free himself from the pile of snow that he got stuck in, the boy with the scar continues his way down the ramp, the 6 soldiers following close behind him.

If he wasn’t from the Fire Nation, you’d probably be very impressed at how quickly he took Sokka down, but then again, it’s Sokka. The scarred boy approaches us while his men stay back. His uneven gaze scans each of our faces, intensely. He seems to be looking for something but couldn’t find it while looking through the crowd of women and children behind you. “Where are you hiding him?” he asks angrily. ‘Him?’ you think in confusion. ‘Who’s he talking about?’ No one answers his question because, obviously none of you know what or who he’s even talking about.

The Fire Nation boy surveys the crowd of villagers again before, without warning, extending his arm out, yanking your grandmother toward him by the hood of her parka, causing you and Katara to try to grab her. “He’d be about this age, master of all elements.” the Fire Nation announces sternly to us.

You and the rest of the villagers stay silent, not saying anything in reply to his words. In response to the silence, the scarred boy forcefully shoves your grandmother away from him and into Katara’s arms.

You glare at the boy intensely, gritting your teeth, wanting to attack him for doing that to her, but you restrain yourself from doing so, not wanting anyone to get hurt. By now, in any other situation, you’d have used your waterbending against him for disrespecting a member of your family, but something else is bothering you at the moment. ‘Master of all 4 elements?’ you repeat in your head. ‘Is he looking for the Avatar? Why would he think that the Avatar is here? This is the Southern Water Tribe and the Avatar was supposed to be an Airbender. We-’ That’s when everything finally clicks. ‘Aang.’

My thoughts about Aang possibly being the Avatar that disappeared 100 years ago are interrupted by the scarred boy swinging out his arm, releasing an arc of fire that just barely passes over you and everyone else behind your heads, causing you and everyone else behind you to duck down in fear to avoid the flames. “I know you're hiding him!” The boy exclaims angrily. “And how would you know that?” You growl, stepping forward, your eyes meeting his golden ones as he turns to you, glaring at you intensely. “We have nothing to do with whoever it is that you're searching for, so I suggest that you take your men, and get out of our village. Now.” you hiss.

The scarred boy in front of you opens his mouth about to reply when Sokka comes running up behind him, letting out a loud battle cry, charging at the scarred boy again. Sokka swings his club at the boy, but the boy simply turns and ducks under Sokka’s swing making Sokka forcefully land in the snow in front of you and the rest of the villagers. The boy then fires a blast of flames at Sokka, and luckily he jumps out of the way before spinning to his side, tossing his boomerang at the scarred boy who just manages to dodge it.

At nearly getting hit with Sokka’s boomerang, the scarred boy glares at Sokka with a mixture of annoyance and frustration in his eyes. You’re about to intervene but a little boy runs out in front of you with a spear in hand. “Show no fear!” the little boy repeats Sokka’s earlier words as he tosses the spear to Sokka. Sokka catches the spear with ease and charges at the boy with the scar again. With sharp swings of his arms, the Fire Nation boy breaks the spear into separate pieces using the arm guards on his forearms, before he pulls the remains of the spear out of Sokka’s hands and jabs him in the head with the blunt end, making Sokka fall to the ground at your and Katara’s feet.

You quickly kneel down beside him, giving him a look that asks ‘Are you alright?’ in which he nods in reply too. Knowing that Sokka is alright, you glare at the Fire Nation boy again, wanting to attack him again for doing that to your brother. Before you can get to your feet and attack him though, something strikes the boy in the back of his helmet with a loud cling; momentarily pushing him forward by the unexpected blow. The boomerang plummets onto the ground in front of you and Sokka and you smirk in triumph, knowing that he wasn’t expecting that to happen at all. Enraged, the boy readies 2 fire daggers, one in each hand as he glares down at you and Sokka (mostly Sokka).

You grit my teeth in frustration. ‘He just doesn’t know when to give up, does he?’ You think irritably as you get to your feet, getting ready to attack the Fire Nation boy in front of you, but before you can make a move to use your bending in any way, shape or form, another force collides with the boy, knocking him off of his feet. You smile at the sight of Aang on a penguin, sliding towards you and the rest of the villagers. At the sight of Aang the children cheer happily, but they stop when snow covers them. Aang grins at you, Sokka and Katara when the penguin stops in front of the three of you before he’s thrown off by the penguin. “Hey Katara. Hey (Y/N). Hey Sokka.” he greets as the penguin waddles away from him. “Hi… Aang. Thanks for comin'.” Sokka says to the young Airbender dryly.

Behind Aang, I see the Fire Nation boy get to his feet before giving his men a signal to surround Aang while he assumes a firebending stance. Aang gets into his own fighting stance, his staff held firmly in front of him as he’s getting encircled by the six soldiers. Aang then sweeps the ground side-to-side with his staff, showering the six with snow, before slamming the ground, sending a rush of snow at the Fire Nation boy who braces for the impact. Aang straightens, staring at the boy. “Looking for me?” “You’re the Airbender?” the boy questions incredulously, as he uses his firebending to melt the snow on his body, the steam billowing around him. “You’re the Avatar?” “Aang?” Katara asks in surprise. “No way.” Sokka spoke bewildered. ‘I knew it.’ You think as you watch your siblings stare at Aang in surprise.

“I’ve spent years preparing for this encounter.” The teenager rants as he and Aang circle each other.

“Training. Meditating.” he lists off. “You’re just a child!” Aang tilts his head at the boy in confusion. “Well, you’re just a teenager.” Aang’s reply makes the boy launch a series of fire blasts at him in anger. Aang is able to defend himself by twirling his staff, dissipating most of the flames, but some of the flames come toward you and the rest of the villagers making all of you turn away not wanting to get hit by the flames. “If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?” Aang asks, making me turn my head to him in surprise.

The Fire Nation boy hesitates for a second, obviously not certain if he should trust Aang or not, but he does nod in agreement, affirming that he will leave us alone if Aang comes with him willingly. Aang is then apprehended by the Fire Nation soldiers, one of which takes his staff. Katara jumps out from behind you, running towards them as the soldiers lead Aang to the ship. You quickly run after her, grabbing her wrist, stopping her. “Katara, don’t.” you say pleadingly, not wanting her to get hurt by going after Aang. Aang turns his head to her. “Don’t worry, Katara. It’ll be okay.” he says calmly before the soldiers push him forward roughly. “Take care of Appa for me until I get back.” he continues as the soldiers lead him up the ramp, leading him onto the ship. “Head a course for the Fire Nation.” the scarred boy orders as they walk up the bowstrip. “I’m going home.” you hear him say before he disappears into the ship.

After they board the ship, bowsprit slowly rises back up. As it slowly rises up you see Aang smile weakly at us until the bowsprit closes fully with a metallic thud.

#x reader #fanfiction #fanfic #prince zuko #prince zuko x reader #zuko #zuko x reader #atla #atla x reader #a:tla #a:tla x reader #avatar: the last airbender x reader #avatar: the last airbender

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okiedoketm · 11 months

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Unfortunately, Azula’s first memory is Zuko.

The details are hazy. She is two, maybe three years old. Holding something. He quickly snatches it from her hands. Pushes her forcefully into a bow, head to the floor.

Then Father is there. He grabs the object Zuko took from her. Raises his voice. Smacks Zuko. Leaves. Zuko cries.

It’s a rather dull first memory. Not even about her.

~ ~ ~

Her second memory is much better.

She is almost four, watching Zuko’s lessons. She’s figured out how to firebend for a few weeks now, but hasn’t told anyone. Instead, she is watching. Waiting.

Zuko runs through the same kata he’s been trying for days. The same steps, same motions. Azula can see acutely where he falters. Can see Father’s eyes narrow, his mouth mangle in distaste.

She hops to her feet and strides onto the field, beside Zuko. Father barks her name, but she ignores him.

“Like this, Zuzu,” she says, and performs the motions, but turns her foot where Zuko keeps it planted.

Fire bursts from her hand, a perfect blast.

When the light dissipates, Father is smiling. Father has never smiled before. A thrill rushes through her.

~ ~ ~

Azula is five the first time she realizes just how stupid her brother is.

Unlike Zuko, she has never been struck by Father. It’s actually quite simple. If you make Father happy, he won’t be angry enough to hurt you.

Zuko, for some reason, still hasn’t figured that out. And he’s had two years on Azula to get there first.

They’re at family breakfast. Zuko drops his fork under the table. He crawls under the tablecloth to get it. Father scowls.

“I’ve mastered my intermediate forms, Father,” Azula says, “I begin advanced training today.”

Father turns his gaze to her, a smile forming.

There’s a thud. The table shakes. Father frowns, and puts a bored hand over his glass. Azula does the same - quick and calm enough that it seems she did it on her own.

Zuko scrambles out from under the table, holding his head where he undoubtedly hit himself.

“But I’m still learning the intermediate forms!” He says desperately. Azula fends off a cringe. She just played the biggest card in her hand to make Father happy, and Zuko is wasting it.

“Zuko,” Father says sharply. Zuko flinches. Azula wants to strangle him; he should know that Father hates displays of fear.

“It’s okay, turtleduck,” Mother says softly, but urgently, “Sit down.”

Azula wants to strangle her too. Father hates-

“What did you just call the boy?” Father asks, voice dripping with venom.

Idiots. Azula thinks fiercely. Shut up.

“It’s nothing, Ozai,” Ursa says placatingly. Azula wants to tackle her and melt her lips closed. “Zuko just-”

“Zuko,” Father cuts her off, “Needs to behave himself at the table. Or else he won’t be allowed to eat at all.”

He stares at Ursa with hatred that could melt steel without fire. Ursa, to her credit, doesn’t buckle and blubber like Zuko would. She nods tersely and returns to her breakfast, only shooting a discreet look of urgency to Zuko.

It’s messy, but passable. Azula would have actually responded with words, and with dignity, but Azula would never let herself draw so much ire in the first place.

Zuko finally, finally takes a hint and starts to return to his seat.

“Azula,” Father turns back to her pleasantly, and the slight tension in her shoulders vanishes. Her card is still in play. “Perhaps I will join-”

SCREECH

Azula snaps her head to the noise. Zuko is frozen in place, halfway through scooching his chair on the marble floor like a fucking dog-monkey.

“Father is speaking,” she practically spits at him.

Zuko’s eyes widen.

“Azula!” Ursa exclaims. Azula whips her head to her, too, fresh vitriol ready on her tongue.

“ENOUGH!” Father’s voice booms, echoing off the high ceiling.

The table shakes, more violently than before. Azula primly covers her glass with her hand. There is a searing flame of rage in her chest, hotter and fiercer than any chi she’s ever had. She had been crafting this moment for a week, and Zuko ruined it with his incompetence.

“Take the boy and get out of my sight,” Father orders Ursa.

She stands and gathers a petrified Zuko, scooping him up gently from the chair. Like she has all the time in the world to-

“Now,” Father growls, and Ursa drops the gentleness, practically dragging him from the room.

“Should I leave as well, Father?” Azula asks.

Father sighs.

“No,” he says tiredly, cutting into a sausage and popping it into his mouth. “Someone should remain to enjoy the morning.”

He puts the cutlery down and dabs at his lips with a napkin, despite the fact that Father has never let a stray crumb or droplet of any kind touch his face since the day he was born.

“I was hoping to watch your lesson today, but it seems like I will be too busy teaching the boy manners.”

Father stands, dropping the napkin atop his half-eaten food.

“Perhaps tomorrow, Azula.”

“Of course, Father.”

When the doors close behind him, she is alone in the massive room. After ten seconds, when she is sure he’s gone, she snatches a piece of toast off Zuko’s plate and coats it in searing flame, burning it to a puck. With a shout of pure, unadulterated rage, she throws it at the wall. It shatters into a shower of burnt gluten and embers.

The hall is silent, and her angry heaves of breath are deafening.

Then she remembers herself. Azula is five years old and a princess, not a tantrum-throwing toddler. With a wave of her hand the debris are smothered, and she shoves away from the table. The chair doesn’t so much as squeak.

“Clean that up,” She snaps at a servant. “Bring a fresh plate to my room.”

~ ~ ~

Read the Rest on AO3

#avatar #atla #avatar the last airbender #atla fic #azula #child abuse #child abuse tw #my fic #better (fic)#screaming into the void

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razzberrydazz · 13 days

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Went and found this old circa 2020 sketchpage of Avatar Azula from when I first baked up this idea. More ramblings about said au idea under the cut

Of course they don't know Azula is the avatar, at first. They still assume the avatar must be a sole surviving elderly airbender, or a waterbender in hiding. But due to the imperial carnage the fire nation empire has left across the nations, the airbender avatar died among the slaughter and genocide of the air nomads. The water and earth born avatars died without having discovered they were avatars in the first place, either living a quiet life in the swamp or dying as teens before their destiny could be revealed.

In this au not every airbender was slaughtered, the nomad groups that weren't at the air temples survived the initial carnage, and upon discovering the deaths of their family and teachers, went into hiding. Rumors of surviving airbenders circulate and eventually reach the fire nation, spurring them to launch searches both to eradicate the remaining survivors and to find the assumedly airbender avatar.

Zuko still was scarred by Ozai and sent on his wild goose chase to find the avatar, unaware that said avatar was right under his nose, living with him, his own sister.

Azula didn't know she was the avatar either, though her mother seemed to know, and so her mother disappeared and ran away to protect that information. Azula, the golden child, a prodigy at firebending capable of producing blue flames and propelling herself into flight. How could she know her flying with flames was also bolstered by airbending? Airbending in reality is practically invisible, unless there's enough dust or other debris to show the air flow. If there's so much fire in the air to mask that it is the air itself being bent, no one would suspect a thing. Heating up humid air to produce steam, that's still firebending, right? Right? And lava bending, that's still fire. The little lies she tells herself to avoid the revelation that she is the avatar.

Meanwhile, Aang does find the little village in the southern water tribe, and meets Katara and Sokka. Originally I was thinking Aang would be an old man, but nah let him be a 12 year old, an actual 12 year old, raised by surviving air nomads and Guru Pathik, and Aang ran away after a fire nation ship (carrying Zuko) attacked the nomads while they were resting on a beach. Aang took Appa and flew away, terrified, and somehow ends up at the southern water tribe village days later. He's a kid, he doesn't want to face the horror that the caravan he grew up in is likely dead, so he tries to distract himself with the thought of riding otter penguins, up until the imposing fire nation vessel stopped at the village's shores.

These fire nation soldiers accuse Aang of being the avatar and demand he be handed over, and the events of episode one happen, and through airbending and hijinks alone he escapes and joins Katara and Sokka on a quest to go to the north pole to find the northern water tribe. This time not for Aang to learn waterbending, but for Katara to find a waterbending master.

Azula comes into play when news gets back that Zuko has supposedly spotted the avatar and nearly caught him... and this news comes a day after Azula makes the horrifying revelation that she can waterbend. She must hide this revelation from her father, and from everyone else for that matter. She approaches her father and asks to go on her own search for the avatar, and drags Ty Lee and Mai along for her mission.

Once it's just the three of them alone, already on a boat to embark, she reveals her secret to them, she is the avatar. And if Ozai finds out he'll kill her to make an example of her. Now her goal is to try and covertly travel the world to learn how to bend the four elements, before her father can find out, so that when he does find out, she'll be able to stand her ground against him.

Azula's terrified of her father, and loves him in the twisted way she does, and so perhaps she rationalizes to herself that revealing she's the avatar after having already mastered all the elements would ingratiate her to him, so that she could prove a useful asset. If that doesn't work, she will fight to take his place. A Fire Lord Avatar.... she likes the sound of that.

Of course, over the course of her travels, she'll learn about all the bullshit the fire nation has caused, and that some air benders survived, and that the fire nation committed genocide by ambush against the air nomads. Does she necessarily care? No. She wants to be feared, she could maintain order and balance through fear, right? Right?

Her band runs into Appa on the water, and through various shenanigans and misunderstandings then finally explaining, she reveals Aang is not the avatar, she is, and she needs him as her teacher if she's to master the elements as quickly as she can without her father finding out.

And so the ruse begins. Team avatar keeps up the lie that Aang is the avatar, while Azula touts that she will be his firebending teacher, and as they travel she has him teach her airbending. Azula donning a cloak and once they deal with Kyoshi island hijinks, choosing to dress and don herself up as a kyoshi warrior to hide her identity for whenever they encounter fire nation peeps. If Zuko weren't so dense he would have realized quickly the kyoshi warrior fighting him was his sister. Iroh realized it was her, but kept his mouth shut, knowingly.

Just ahhhh the antics, the antics, do you understand my vision

#razz rambles #lore musings #avatar azula au #razz's art #razz art #razz draws #old art

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ur-frndly-neighborhood-memer1 · 1 year

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A THEORY ABOUT OZAI-

Why was Ozai so cruel?

Fire Lord Ozai is the absolutely malicious and tyrannical main antagonist of the Avatar: The Last Airbender. In the series, he comes across as a cruel, ruthless, and a megalomaniac dictator. Which is why he is often considered as a 2 dimensional cartoon villian with no rich background compared to the other villains like Azula, Zuko (formerly), Hama; Amon, Zaheer...

We never really see his inner struggles or anything complex about his character at all. His only motivation is like "Evil for sake of being evil". That's why some fans complain about his character being too shallow and too cartoonishly evil. And this really stands out when we compare him to rest of the characters, and arguably, they're all more complex characters than Ozai.

But... is this really true?

Could there be something more interesting and tragic about Fire Lord Ozai's character? Do we only see the only a small part of the iceberg? Well, let's find out!

There's literally nothing we know about his childhood or his early ages. All we know is that he was married Ursa when he was 30 and Ursa was 21, Ursa was specifically chosen because she happens to be the granddaughter of Avatar Roku. So, they could have powerful heirs for the Fire Nation. And it actually happened because Zuko and Azula really are exceptionally powerful firebenders.

Another thing we know about him is this panel,

They actually look like a normal, ordinary family here and it hurts. They're on a vocation; Ozai and Ursa just sitting calmly, baby Azula playing with sand, little Zuko running to save a turtle-crab... And when when the wave washed over Zuko, Ozai ran to save him.

Could the whole thing be true or Ozai was lying? I personally don't think it was a lie, because Zuko seems to remember some rare memories of his family being happy once and coming to Ember Island all together. Yes, you can say that Zuko could be an unreliable narrator here since he kinda romanticized those memories... But again, it's what happens with memories. Don't we all remember our childhood as purely innocent and happy? Because we like to remember those happy times and often forget about the bad ones. But the bad times don't erase the good memories! Also, in the "Beach", when Azula came to comfort Zuko, she also seemed a bit depressed. It means she was also missing those happy and innocent times of their life. So no, Zuko's memory was correct and Ozai probably wasn't lying either. Their family had some good times once.

Could it possibly be a redeeming quality for Ozai? Perhaps. However, we all know that it didn't last long. And we also know that Ozai was always sort of like that and Iroh comfirms it in "The Legacy of The Fire Nation" novel

And something interesting here... Iroh admits he sort of blames himself for not being a better guide for his brother. Which makes me think... Did Ozai really ever have a positive influence on his life?

You can arguably say Iroh, but i'd disagree. First of all, there's a huge age gap between Iroh and Ozai. And Iroh was a general who was busy with fighting in battle, such as the siege of Ba Sing Se. So I imagine they didn't really have a chance to spend time together and bond as brothers.

Also, Iroh wasn't exactly a positive influence before the death of Lu Ten. He used to be more ruthless and hungry for glory. Yes, he still was a caring guy towards his family, but he only realized the terrible side of violence and terror after losing his dear son... This is when he finally developed empathy towards everyone, not only for his family. So I don't think he would be able to be a better influence for Ozai when they were younger...

And if not Iroh, who could possibly be a good guidance for Ozai? Azulon? Pfft, yeah right! He definitely favored Iroh over Ozai, and was seen to be cold and harsh towards his son. So nope, he was an abusive father and far from being a good guidance.

But... What about his mother? What happened to her?

The only thing we know about Iroh and Ozai's mother is her name, Ilah. And she was married to Fire Lord Azulon. There's literally nothing else we know about her. So, we don't know what kind of a relationship she had with Ozai either.

And that's why I have this theory in my mind! Could it be that Ilah died when she was giving birth to Ozai? And maybe that's why Azulon was cold and cruel to Ozai?

The death on childbirth was a common incident during middle age and in the earlier ages too. Unfortunately, it still can happen in modern world too... But thankfully, it's a rare incident now due the modern advantages.

So yes, it's very possible that Lady Ilah to die on the childbirth. Because we never see her in the series nor in the comics. If she was alive at the moment, she would totally show up on Ozai and Ursa's wedding. But she didn't, which means she was long gone, at least for like 20 years. But since neither Iroh or Ozai mentions her for once, we can assume that she died very long ago.

Could this be why Iroh turned out to be a caring and compassionate person towards his own family? Because he had maternal love and support? Well, he obviously didn't get that from Azulon (even though Azulon seemed to care for Iroh and Lu Ten in a certain level). And that might be why Ozai became a cold and cruel jerk, because he never had this kind of love and support in his life.

And it also explains Azulon's bad treatment towards Ozai, reminds me of how Tywin Lannister despised his son Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire. Tywin hated his son Tyrion because he was a dwarf and also because he "killed" his mother in childbirth

So maybe Azulon was going full Tywin on Ozai and blamed him for "killing" his own mother.

If that's the case, it makes a ton of sense for Ozai's character! Because he never really had a chance to redeem himself and grow up in a healthy environment. He was being told that he was a killer since he was born and accused with killing his own mother. I can totally imagine Azulon telling him that he is "An ill-made, spiteful creature. Full of lust and low cunning" (Quote from Tywin Lannister), or maybe even calling him a "monster"?

If this theory is true, then it makes sense for Ozai's character and why he became a brutal, ruthless and narcissistic person.

And let's not forget, narcissism isn't only a personality disorder but also a coping mechanism. Narcissists actually have fragile egos and low self-esteems. That's why they fake confidence and a false sense of grandiosity as a self-defense mechanism. The exact reasons of narcissism is not known, but researchers show that both genetic and environmental factors are in it. And it's very possible to occur because of a trauma or abuse too.

So maybe Ozai was crushed under the abuse and pressure of being "guilty" for killing his mother in childbirth, and he found comfort in creating a false sense of superiority.

And this also might be why Iroh and Ozai became distant towards each other. Ozai was probably jealous of Azulon's nicer treatment towards Iroh. So he didn't want to be around him and see how their father treats him better, because it would remind him of the fact that he was the unfavorite child. And from Iroh's aspect, maybe he was devastated after the death of his mother and wanted to distance himself from Ozai for it? Yes, it doesn't really sound like something that the Iroh we know would do. But again, we really don't know the Iroh before Lu Ten's death, but he surely cared about his family so much. And maybe that's why he distanced himself from Ozai because he took away a part of his family? And because of Azulon, Iroh probably didn't have a chance to accept Ozai a part of his family at this point. And when he did, it was probably too late. The damage was done. Ozai already became a narcissistic jerk and a potential tyrant.

So, that's my headcanon about Ozai's evilness. You can agree or disagree with it. If you have different thoughts, please feel free to share them with me

#atla ozai #azulon #atla iroh #azula #fire lord ozai #ozai #evil #Atla #Avatar the last airbender #Avatar Ilah #Why is ozai evil #avatar analysis #Zuko #ursa #avatar ursa

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proxissima · 5 months

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Least favorite Ozai take you know (you can also name more if you like too)

Even after taking a thorough break from the ATLA fandom in the past year, that Ozai "isn't the sharpest tool in the shed", that people seem to think that he's the dumbest member in the royal family is the take that came to my mind immediately, and it's the one that I still abhor to this day.

Dishonourable mention goes to Ozai being also the most talentless and/or weakest firebender, which tends to go hand-in-hand with the above-mentioned take.

People who spout this nonsense with such confidence make me wonder if they even watched the same show as the rest of us or if they transferred here from some parallel universe, because what part about Ozai shooting lightning like fireworks during Sozin's comet, what part about him sensing the end of a total eclipse in a bunker deep in the earth, from his inner fire alone (all while regular firebending soldiers hadn't even noticed that their bending was gone in the first place!!), what part about Ozai being the only person that was able to summon lightning from both hands simultaneously (in the OG show tbf), near instantaneously and with just a sliver of the sun (never mind that by this point there were only two other people in the world that were even able to generate lightning and neither were on his level), gave the impression that he's an unskilled or untalented fighter?

And that's just listing his feats regarding his lightning, not even his general technique and bending.

Ozai is both powerful AND capable of extreme precision, something people also just love to ignore when they're forced to admit that Ozai is no chump in the power department.

EOS Azula would absolutely NOT defeat prime Ozai and Iroh would at least have a hard time with him. Jeong Jeong, however, is decisively getting smoked, never mind anyone less than a master; some people need to come down from cloud cuckoo land.

On a side note, I like how in the bottom right picture, it looks like Ozai is bending blue fire when he's unleashing huge lightning bolts in reality.

Another take I despise is the common notion that Ozai wanted to have Zuko dead since his birth, or that he couldn't wait to kill his infant son, which is factually wrong. Even the comics, despite instigating this whole mess, made it clear that Ozai wasn't that bad.

Okay, further tonal whiplash incoming, but there's another topic on my mind. That's your warning.

I also used to hate the notion that Ozai is a rapist and that the relationship between him and Ursa was one of constant abuse. (I think it was a bold move of Bryke and generally everyone to portray Iroh, of all people, as the polar opposite and a demure character, considering his history with women... but Iroh is a whole different can of worms.) Let it be said that I still think the plot of the comics is complete horse-shit in that regard, so my opinion on that hasn't changed.

However, I won't lie and say that there isn't a certain, morbid appeal in Ozai using sex as a weapon to exert control over people.

There was a fic, I think it was called Queens and Consorts that portrayed Ozai's manipulative and subtle side quite well, where each chapter is written from a different woman's perspective that all are either in or have some business with the royal family. Ursa felt unloved, but when it turned out that she was the only one Ozai truly loved? *Chef's kiss*. The fic deals with the inner workings of not just the royal family but also the political intricacies of the royal court in a captivating manner. I remember it being worth a read, but I digress.

Back to my original point though, I do also have to give Dominion credit where it's due, because the particular chapter, chapters? where Ursa departs, written from her POV, were an interesting read that gave insight into Ozai's character and their toxic and abusive relationship. I liked that Ursa was actually in love with him, but turned to despise him all the same. One part that has stuck with me was, paraphrased, how Ozai would sometimes forcefully take her, but she would spread her legs for him willingly on enough other occasions.

The abuse, in general, is a touchy topic and it's a delicate balance to strike, between giving Ozai edges, without taking away from his humanity entirely, and avoiding making it grotesquely obscene, but if done right, it can add a whole lot of complexity to their dynamic. Needless to say, the comics busted it miserably. Like, so thoroughly, a twelve year old could come up with a more cohesive and interesting plot.

I think this type of characterisation of Ozai works best, when it's not just him, but also the rest of the family to be depicted to have extremely dubious morals that serve as a reminder why exactly no one was objecting to perpetuating a century-long war their ancestor started, but also why practically every member of the following generations was either willing to carry out a genocide/mass murders on their own, have successfully done so, or were actively endorsing it. (It's certainly noteworthy that we know nothing about Lu Ten's mother, and that any of Iroh's past in the military has been carefully tiptoed around in all official portrayals post-ATLA.)

All of this being said, I don't get it when Ozai is the one portrayed as this depraved, sadistic rapist, all while characters like Azulon and especially Iroh, out of all people, are treated as the bastion of moral superiority in the meantime, or something, like they'd genuinely be outraged by... (marital) rape and abuse. These two. It's a bold assumption at best.

It's just kind of a pointless endeavour, trying to apply modern-day (western) morals on the setting ATLA takes place in and pretending [favourite] characters would hold those same values and act accordingly, when it's more comparable to the late 19th century. (Yes, there's enough people on stan Twitter and Reddit who actually seem to forget about this)

Obligatory disclaimer that I've got nothing against modern AUs or whatever. I just don't like it when people are genuinely pretending that is how characters would be thinking in canon.

#thoughts #tw sa mention #tw rape mention #inbox #ozai #ursa #iroh #atla

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745voiceofthepeople · 6 months

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Hello @745voiceofthepeople !! How’s it going?

Got an ask for you this time.

A reversal AU where Katara is the princess of the Water Tribe and Azula is a peasant from the Fire Nation. The Water Tribe isn’t the bad guys. There was never any war in this AU.

Azula and her family journey to the South Pole when the FN goes there for a diplomatic meeting. Azula is one of the servers at the feast and Katara can’t stop staring at her because she really thinks Azula is gorgeous. After the feast, Katara seeks Azula out and starts talking with her.

It’s slow, but they do bond a great deal while Azula is there. Whenever Azula is done with her chores and Katara is done with Princess lessons, they met up and hide away. Azula is worried about how people will react if they find out she’s seeing a princess and, while she never says it outright, Katara is also a little worried about how people will react if they find out she likes a peasant from the FN so they keep everything under wraps. The only people who know are Sokka and Zuko.

When Azula has to go back to the FN, Katara tries to find every reason to visit. Eventually, her parents let her and Sokka go to the FN and Katara tries to find Azula again. No one in the FN knows Katara is a princess so when she takes off the expensive furs and crown, she looks like a regular Water Tribe girl and two can be seen in public together. Now Katara gets to spend some time in Azula’s world.

That’s all I got for now. What do you think?

I’m doing well @waterfire1848 , thank you.

This scenario is really interesting! I’ve never really though about the reversal of royal positions for Azutara before, so this is pretty cool.

In a no war Au, I can see this happening sort of like the following (maybe)

Its like you present, a peasant Azula can at first charm a (princess) Katara with her looks and then her personality as the two get to know each other.

I can picture a scene where there is some sort of international dispute being discussed between the SWT royal family (by Hakoda or his father) and the diplomats of the FN. And it is in the midst of this discussion when the FN diplomats call for wine bearers to come and bring in more drink.

This is when Azula comes in and stars pouring wine in everyone’s ones cups. Meanwhile Katara is having a discussion with an FN noble about fishing rights and Maritime boundaries between the South Pole and the Fire archipelago. While Katara is conversing she see’s her glass being filled up (with wine) and turns to look at the servant doing so. Only to stop dead in her grace as she sees the most beautiful women on the planet pouring the wine.

Katara openly gapes at Azula and she trails off in the middle of conversation. Sokka (who would be sitting to her right) has to stomp on her foot to get Katara to pay attention to the diplomat.

After everyone retired for the night, Katara would sneak out of her room (wearing what she believes is a “good disguise”) and try to get into the guest quarters. That held the FN diplomats and their retainers.

She’d find Azula randomly, and the two would have an enjoyable conversation. Talking about everything and anything. Life as a princess, as a servant, Waterbending, Firebending, politics, etc. And for the rest of the diplomatic mission, the two would have secret rendezvous at night. They quickly becomes good friends. Even showing each other their bending ability. Katara being amazing at Waterbending is expected. What Katara would not expect is for Azula to be powerful at firebending. Yet the peasant girl was. With Blue flames and the raw power to match even a princess of the Southern Water Tribe.

So for the next fortnight, Azula and Katara’s nights are spent talking, (sneakily) flirting, laughing, and sparing (discreetly so as to arose the suspicion of anyone else).

These rendezvous would continue until one night, Katara overwhelmed by desire, and falling in love with the beautiful Fire peasant, gives into her courage and kisses Azula.

From there, their secret rendezvous becomes more romantic. But eventually reality sets in and they have to “end” the affair. Even though neither of them really wish to do so. Katara is greatly worried about her parents and the rest of the Water tribes reactions to finding out she their prodigal princess has fallen for a peasant dorm the Fire Nation. Another girl at that!

Later when Azula goes back to the Fire Nation Katara becomes greatly depressed. Her love for the Fire girl is all consuming. So much so that he even begins to trump the bonds of duty. Eventually, Sokka notices Katara downtrodden state and (correctly) assumes that that is has to do with the beautiful servant girl from the Fire Nation that Katara drools over.

Sokka eventually goes to Hakoda (the high chief the United Water Tribes) and convinces him that he and Katara need to experience the Fire Nation for themselves. So as to better understand their newfound allies and financial partners.

Hakoda agrees, and Sokka goes to tell his sister the big news. Who is of course ecstatic.

Once the Water siblings get capital city, they check into the palace and greet the FN royal family. After this greeting, Katara goes into their library and reads their book of records. Once she finds the info she’s looking for (Azula adress, sir name, typical occupation, and other personal info) Katara puts the book back into its resting place.

Katara then flees the FN palace. Evading both the FN royal guard and the Water Tribe guards is a laughably easy affair. Had Katara not been so cornermen’s with finding Azula, she might have been concerned. As it was her mind was solely focused on the Fire Nation breaty. She had even forgotten to warn Sokka. She decided to leave her crown and other royal effects behind. With the exception of a coin purse.

Katara commanders a dingy in the docs. She paid for it though! And traveled via bait and Waterbending to Hawk-crab island (name I just came up with). Which was a small island in the southern archipelago, where Azula and her family lived. The trip itself took nearly two days. Katara spent the time alternatively thinking about Azula, how angry her parents would be, how she forgot to tell Sokka the good news, and damning her impulsiveness and forgetting to pack food. Fortunately, Katara being a royal Water bender can de-salivate the ocean water and make it potable.

Eventually, Katara arrives at the small port on the island. Anticipation and momentary panic erupting in her very bones. Still she steels herself and goes looking for her beau.

Walking through the port…town was an odd affair for Katara. She was used to be stared and gawked at all her life. Being a princess of the Water Tribes and all. Here? After Katara had gotten rid of anything signifying she was royalty? No one gave two cares about her. Sure, people would still occasionally stop and stair for a second. Because I she was WT on an FN island. And II she was great beauty in her own right. Still, now one belived her to be a princess. Such a realization was both dreadful and exhilarating for Katara.

She finally comes to a small shop in the middle of the port town. Katara had been directed to this shop by a kind women, after she inquired about Azula’s whereabouts. She entered into the small shop. It was duels designed. One area for black smithery and the other for glassblowing. And their Katara see saw her. The women of her dreams and and waking thoughts. Azula.

Azula looked up and saw Katara, her jaw dropped to the floor. She dropped the the glass she was working on and it shattered at the floor. Neither Azula nor Katara payed attention to that though.

Azula rushed to Katara arms and the two spun around. Laughing and crying tears of joy. Katara brought their lips together. Finally she was home.

For the next few month, everything was perfect. While it lasted. Katara got to know Azula and her family. Her father Ozai (a blacksmith), her mother Ursa (a tailor), and her brother Zuko (an apprentice-blacksmith). Katara didn’t believe that life as a peasant could be so fulfilling. To be sure, it could be exceedingly frustrating. And it took a long while to adjust from being a princess to peasant. But nothing could be the simple of joy of returning to the arms her girlfriend future wife(?) after an honest days work. Katara fished off her dingy that she brought over from capital city. Zuko would often tease Azula about being a trophy fishwife to a WT princess.

Katara and Azula are able to be together incognito. Katara is able to enjoy the simple life in the Fire Nation. Just her, her fishing boat, and the her pretty Firebending girlfriend.

Until of course, the Water tribe arrives. You see the guards panicked when the princess Katara disappeared with out a word. They had assumed she may have been kidnapped. And so the Hausa quickly rushed to inform the Chief Hakoda just what was going on.

Sokka assumed that Katara had found where her Fire Nation lover was and gone after her. So he was not overly worried. Especially, when he found (and later hid) Katara’s royal effects. Sokka would keep up a girl of ignorance to confirm the guards and the Fire Nation nobility at the FN palace. Sokka would do a good job of it too. Until Hakoda showed up in the Fire Nation personally.

Under his fathers intense scrutiny, Sokka lasted maybe V or VI minutes. Then he blabbed. Both about Katara’s love for a Fire Nation peasant (Azula) and her intentions to find her.

Hakoda and Sokka subsequently travel to Hawk-Crab island to find Katara. They find her to the Fire Family home. Hakoda demands that Katara abandon this peasant foolishness and return to the South Pole. Katara tells him of her feelings for Azula, but Hakoda replies that it is irreverent next to her duty. He offers a choice to Katara stay with the peasant and become one yourself, or return to the South Pole and remain a princess of the Water Tribes and a member of their family. While Hakoda does not like separating Katara from her love, he feels it is something me must do to maintain order in the tribes.

It is at this point, that Azula interrupts Hakoda and request permission for Katara hand. Right to the chiefs face. Impressed by the peasant girls audaciousness, Hakoda decides to give task reminiscent of say Beren and Luthien of the Silmilrilion. If Azula retrieved the pearl of spirit Sharks cove. A jewel of myth and legend, important to the Water Tribes culturally and materially. Then he allow Azula to marry his daughter, and even for Katara to retain her title and place in succession.

It was an near-impossible task that may mean Azula’s death. But she accepted it gladly. She traveled to the hive and retrieved the pearl. Overcoming all obstacles. Though only because of the aid of Katara (who did so secretly).

Azula presents the pearl to Hakoda and true to his word, grants permission for Azula and Katara to marry. Which they do gladly. Several years down the line.

Eventually, the two will bare a child (spirt shenanigans) whom will inherit the chieftenship of the Water Tribes.

Anyway, that’s one way it might go. Thanks for the awesome scenario @waterfire1848 !!!

#azutara #ask #Princess Katara #peasant Azula

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