#I just don't... I rarely ever have very strong negative feelings about ships

[girlscience]

i just want to read about wraith, specifically, MY idea of wraith, but no fic is getting it right, and over 80% of the fics are tagged with McKay/Sheppard and i just DON'T ship that at all... so i am struggling

[weirdoldmanhoho]

Alphonse

>:3

(going mangahood bc I know him better; might talk about 03 al after I finish it)

do I like them: only a tiny amount. a normal amount. a completely normal amount. (trips, 5000 pictures of Alphonse Elric fall out of my pockets)

5 good qualities:

Alphonse is kind. Not nice, because he can absolutely be as much of a smartass as his brother, and not naive, as it sometimes gets mistaken as. Alphonse knows the world is full of awful people, he knows that people can be cruel and selfish and terrible. He knows life can take and take and take. And still, he chooses to care about other people and give of himself to help them.

He's a brilliant tactician! He's really, really good at outsmarting people and getting them to look the wrong way. He's played up his young age to make people underestimate him. He's used Pride's own arrogance of thinking he's smarter than everyone to trick him MULTIPLE times. If I remember correctly, he somehow managed to pass on important information about the Promised Day and Father to Mustang and co. under the radar. Boy is smart.

He's funny!!! Genuinely hilarious at times.

Little Brother Energy is off the charts. He loves his big brother will all his heart and thinks Ed is brilliant and strong and wonderful, but he also will not HESITATE to drag him and judge his dumb actions because that's just his job as a brother.

He’s selfless. By the end of the story, protecting people he cares about becomes more important to Al than getting his own body back, and so he when he’s given the chance, he sacrifices it for the sake of others. He chooses to keep a body that can protect others than take the one he wants most.

3 bad qualities:

I think Al has a tendency for righteous anger, it’s just that it’s rarely portrayed as a flaw because he’s usually in the right or the narrative is siding with him. But I could easily see it becoming a flaw and turning more into a combination of ignorance and arrogance - not him thinking he’s better than others, but him thinking he KNOWS better than others and failing to consider other people’s perspectives. (What I wouldn’t give for this to have been addressed with a storyline with Scar.)

Anger in general, I think, is probably Alphonse’s best and worst quality. Al uses his anger to talk sense into people, to convince them to value their lives, to yell at them when they’re planning to give up or are considering themselves less than human because of their bodies, but I could easily see his anger coming out in the wrong situations or him acting on it. If he hadn’t felt the need to hold Ed back from beating up Shou Tucker, he easily could have been the one doing it. We rarely (if ever?) see Al’s anger portrayed as a flaw or in a negative light, but it very easily COULD be a bad thing in a different situation, and because Al has a tendency to think he’s right and his anger is right, it could easily become a flaw. 

(Always find it interesting that no one ever talks about mangahood!Al’s anger, because it’s definitely a big part of his character.) 

He’s stubborn, and while it usually manifests in the series in GOOD ways like never leaving people or never giving up, it’s another trait that could easily become a negative one in different situations.

favourite episode/etc: 

I just really love his arc of starting to view his armor as not just a curse, but as a way to protect people, and that it all stems from being unable to protect Nina and then Ed from Scar immediately afterwards. Every moment he decides to put himself in front of someone in harm’s way or refuses to let them die, and then, of course, the peak of it, when he chooses to go back to the fight in his ARMOR instead of taking back his body, because ultimately protecting people is what’s most important to him.

I also love any time he drags Ed lol.

otp:

I don't really have any strong die hard ships for him, but I do like him with Mei (post-canon, of course, as something that grows into real feelings as young adults rather than Mei's one-sided crush) because they've been through a lot together, they have a lot of respect for each other, I think the implications of them being from different cultures and Mei's royal status and how that would complicate everything between them is super interesting, but mostly just because I love the idea of his partner being someone who knew him when he was in the armor and understands that part of his life. 

But I also totally see him having multiple relationships throughout his life because he’s young and he can now!

brotp:

I love him with the Xing squad and Jerso and Zampano post-canon. We don't see a TON of those dynamics in the show, but I love the possibility of them. I really like the idea of him getting closer with Ling post-canon.

And not so much a brotp, but a dynamic I wish had been explored more in Mangahood is him and Scar.

ot3: shrugs

notp: him and his brother oh my god stop it please I'm so tired of seeing it

best quote:

"Your arms - you've grown so thin. Nothing but skin and bones. It's all you can do just to stand up. I can't. I can't - I - I can't fight in a body like this! But everyone else is fighting!...For a long, long time, all I've thought about is getting my body back. And yet, I can't come back to you. I just can't right now. That body isn't strong enough."

Genuinely this scene gives me goosebumps every time.

Also:

“You’re right! I should make my own decision!...After thinking for myself, I’ve decided to make you guys tell me.”

head canon:

How many do you want??

Al is just as much of a scientist as his brother. He really struggles to handle concepts that aren't based in logic and quantifiable science because that's how he's trained to see the world. If you tried to talk poetry and art to him a lot of it would sail over his head, but ask him to talk scientific theory and he's got seven working theories prepared about whatever topic you want to discuss.

Al never has kids - just not what he wants - but he has a small army of wonderfully chaotic nieces and nephews who he adores and showers with gifts every time he comes to visit. They all think he’s amazing.

Adult Al is a horrible flirt. He breaks hearts everywhere he goes. And while Ed has only been in a relationship with one woman his whole life, Al has dated several people throughout his travels.

He tends to have Texture Issues after getting his body back because he's hyper aware of touch in a way he never was before. Somedays everything just feels Bad and he wants no part of it. Other days a certain stitch in his clothing drives him mad. He wants to try every food he comes across, but he has very strong opinions on food texture. Mushrooms are disgusting. One day apples will be totally fine, and the next day they’ll be The Worst Thing Ever. He hates socks so much.

He gets food poisoning SO MANY TIMES during his travels because he will eat literally anything you put in front of him. He’s also hurt himself because his poor Amestrian mouth really wasn’t ready for spices.

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Thought About "Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" from The Owl House

Wow. They are really pushing it for that secret message, huh?

Anywho--Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons!

I think it goes without saying at this point that Season Two of The Owl House is setting itself up as a season without filler. Now, filler episodes aren't always bad. Yes, it hurts when a series turns away from the main plot for a week. But at best, they're utilized as a chance for the writers to play around with the characters and developing said characters without it relating to the overarching story. So, some people who see that consider it a bad thing that a series doesn't have that many filler episodes.

I like to call those people: F**king morons.

Don't get me wrong, I see where some of you are coming from. And I'd be willing to agree...if The Owl House was a plot-driven series. Which it's not. It is a character-driven series. Because for every plot thread and narrative that the show presents, they always relate to the characters and develop them further each time these threads get brought up. For example, look at "Knock Knock Knockin’ on Hooty's Door" (It pains me just to write that). Several narratives move forward, and it’s all done to make the characters grow. And to explain how requires going into spoilers. So keep that in mind as you continue reading.

Now, let's review, shall we?

WHAT I LIKED

Hooty: Might as well start with the character that this episode is about.

To tell you the truth, I wasn't a huge fan when I found out we're getting a Hooty-centered episode. I've grown to love him over time, but he is a comedic character that's best used in small doses. Primarily due to how his voice is grating to me (My ears are still bleeding...). With that said, I do really love his contributions in "Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" (Seriously, there couldn't have been a less awkward title?). Hooty's antics when trying to help everyone are as hilarious as they are heartwarming. He deeply cares for his friends but just doesn't understand how his plans could do some unintended harm, which is pretty lovable if you ask me. We also get some surprisingly great insight into his character, as he feels insecure about basically being the comic relief who doesn't really do that much other than being funny. Rarely do you get that level of dimension from a comedic character, and it's even more uncommon for that to work out as well as it does here. It once again proves just how competent the writing is in this series to the point where we get an episode about Hooty, and it's funny and heartwarming instead of being annoying. And whoever is responsible for that, you're the best.

Lilith’s Letter to Hooty: I mean it when I say that I love how Lilith kept her word about her and Hooty becoming penpals. Their friendship was something I would have never expected to love, and I'm still shocked that it works so well, so seeing it continue like this just warms me to the bone. Plus, it is pretty sweet that Lilith's kind words are what inspired Hooty to do what he's done in this episode...meaning it's Lilith we should thank here--SON OF A WITCH! Even when she's gone, she's still working her way into my heart!

King going through Puberty: What?! KING IS EVOLVING!

(There, I made a Pokemon reference. Do I get my cookie now?)

Eda Keeping Herself Awake to Train Herself: I'm willing to bet a large sum of money that this has everything to with Raine getting captured last week. If Eda was still the most powerful witch in the Isles, she might have actually saved them. But she isn't, and now the love of her life is in the clutches of a tyrant planning something that could potentially be the end of everything. So I can understand Eda pushing herself to her limit to get back on top again, as I would probably do the same. It's not healthy in any way, and Eda would be doing more harm than good. But when it comes to the people you love, logic doesn't always win out in the end.

Luz Wanting to Make her Way into Amity’s Heart by Making the Echo Mouse Happy: ...That's it. I Just...I just love everything about it, ok?

This was also when I knew that I was wrong to doubt that there would be zero Lumity in this episode. I realize my follies now, and I humbly apologize.

Hooty Teaching King About Demons: This was so funny. So, so funny. Probably doesn't come as a surprise, especially since The Owl House proves itself as a comedy before, but the jokes have never hit as frequently and as hard as they did here. From Hooty getting offended by King's dance to him and Dana's insert wanting a "DNA sample," everything managed to successfully make me lose my s**t. It does come at the expense of King suffering, but I can stomach that much more than if it were Eda or Luz. And, as a bonus, we get lore about how demons work, added with another great joke of King getting in trouble with Hooty for saying he already knows this stuff. Humor isn't always the show's strong suit, but when it works, it f**king works.

King Wanting to Know What he Is: But despite how funny King's vignette was, we still get to see more of his character grow. We learn that he's frustrated now that there's this big question mark over his life now, feeling extra angry that his father "abandoned" him to leave such a present mystery. It shows the hidden resentment he has that Lilith inadvertently brought out, made even worse when King's father hasn't responded to the video yet. King hasn't really gotten that much development until "Echoes of the Past," so it's pretty cool that the writers haven't really slowed down on it. Especially when it leads to these great moments of King venting his frustrations.

King’s Shouting Powers: KING learned FUS RO DAH!

(And now that's a Pokemon reference AND a Skyrim reference. WHERE'S MY GOSH DANG COOKIE!?)

Eda’s Nightmare: If King's vignette hits you hard with the laughs, Eda's will absolutely hit you harder with the feels (never make me say "feels" unironically again). Knowing that Eda's life got thoroughly screwed over by the curse is something we could figure out on her own. But seeing just how much the curse ruined her life and tore apart relationships that mean the world to her really does a swell job at ripping apart the soul. What's even more tragic is, technically speaking, it's all sort of Eda's fault too. She kept hiding the curse, refusing to be a burden to others who would do all they could to help. If she had only been open and honest, things probably wouldn't have changed much, but they most likely would have been better than they are now.

Eda Attacked her Father as the Owl Beast: ...I don't know what I was expecting when "Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances" hinted that there was some possible tension between Eda and her father...but it definitely wasn't this.

The fact that we see blood where his eye used to be doesn't make things any happier, either.

Raine Broke Up with Eda: Before we get into anything else, let's celebrate the fact that it's now confirmed that Eda and Raine really did use to date in the past. Because this show is just f**king phenomenal with its LGBTQA+ representation!

But, seriously, this is a fantastic reveal that goes far beyond just shipping...well, sort of. It shines a new light on Eda and Raine's interactions from last week, revealing that while they're not a couple anymore, they still very much love each other. It helps make their last interaction especially tragic, as they were both on the same page now and could very well be together again. Only for them to be forced apart for the second time in a way that's much worse than the first. And I frickin' adore that this series changes the impact of one episode one week later. Again, it shows just how competent these writers are, and kudos to them for making something so...perfect.

The Moon Person: WHO THE FU--Nope. Nope! We have more than enough mystery bulls**t to deal with through CreepyLuz and Philip Wittebane, so I am PUTTING YOU ON THE BACKBURNER FOR NOW!

(They're probably nothing more than a one-off character, anyway)

The Owl Beast and Eda are Connected: Through visuals alone, we, the audience, can clue into what the curse really means. The Owl Beast doesn't want to be a part of Eda as much as she doesn't want it to be a part of her. Whether they like it or not, and they very much don't, they're stuck together. The thing is, and this is what I love the most, they still decide to make the best of their situation rather than let it ruin their lives even more. This might be the best possible turn Eda's curse could have made. It'll still affect her, and there are probably more negatives than positives, but at least now, it's not the worst thing in the world. And I feel like that's all anyone can ask when in a position like her own.

Eda's “Pretty Dream”: I don't know what emotions are toiling inside me more with this moment. Awe and wonder over how beautiful Eda's dream is, or heartbreak over the implication that she has only had nightmares since getting cursed...I'm gonna say both. Yeah, it's definitely both.

Eda’s Harpie Form: Well, fan artists are gonna have a field day with this...especially the freaks.

(You know who you are. And you're weird!)

Luz Calling Amity a “Cotton-Candy Haired Goddess”: ...Have I ever mentioned how much I love this show?

Hooty Kidnapped Amity: ...Hooty, if your stupidity wasn't charming, I would be more than willing to call the authorities over how you kidnapped a girl in your version of a knapsack and locked her in the basement. For that is going to ring SO MANY alarm bells in people's heads.

Amity and Luz Stuck in a Tunnel of Love: *Smacks lips* Mmm. The adorable awkwardness of this moment is just *chef's kiss* magnifique!

Luz being afraid of getting made fun of:

Amity’s look of hope: I mean...just...f**king--LOOK AT HER:

That is the look of a girl who, while embarrassed as hell, still is ecstatic to learn for a brief moment, everything that she is hoping for has a high chance of being real. Who, in their right mind, wouldn't go "Aw!" at something so pure and innocent?!

Luz Destroying the Tunnel of Love: This is how to effectively utilize dramatic irony. The audience can understand why Luz is tearing the place apart because she explicitly states that she's afraid of Amity rejecting her in the end. They also know that's bogus, thus making it extra painful to watch Amity's heart break more and more with each second (which is perfectly represented through Amity's expressions). You feel bad for both of them, and even worse when you know that it can easily be prevented by the simple art of communication. That's what makes it great dramatic irony. Knowing the point of view of each character results in a scene that evokes emotions in two different ways.

Hooty’s Breakdown: This was...genuinely hard to watch. Not that it was badly written, far from it. It just...hurt seeing how destroyed Hooty was when he realized he failed the people he has such an admiration for. On the upside, a wholesome moment follows soon after as the Owl House gang tries to reassure Hooty that he's done a lot of good that night. It's a pure action that shows even though Hooty gets on their nerves all the time, they still care about him...damn it. I think I'm gonna cry.

Eda’s Advice for Luz: ...Eda...You're the best.

You found out that your surrogate daughter wants to ask a girl out, and not only were you quick to deliver the best possible advice ("Just go for it!"), but you also quickly reassure her that it doesn't need to be perfect.

And you know what? That's it. Eda is the best cartoon mom! She might not technically be Luz's mom, but I don't give a s**t because she is the best!

Luz and Amity Ask Each Other Out: Shh-sh-sh-sh...

Do you hear that?

...

...

...It's the sound of dozens of Lumity fans collectively losing their s**t...and I'm one of them.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

HOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!

IT!

IS!

CANON!

AH-HAHAHAHAHA!

HOLY S**T! Holy s**t! Holy s**t...might just be the best way I could possibly describe this! Finally, after all the waiting, speculating, and praying, THESE TWO IDIOTS FINALLY GOT TOGETHER! AND IT WAS PERFECT! I mean, it was awkward as s**t, but that's what makes it perfect! You know why? You wanna--Hey! *snaps fingers*. You want to know why? It's because they're teenagers. Of f**king course, it's going to be awkward! This is their first relationship, so there will be a lot of missteps along the way. And that, in itself, brings me to the best (second best part?) thing about it happening in episode eight of the new seasons. Most endgame couples get together in the climax or even at the end of the series. But to have them get together this early on, means there will be quite a few episodes dedicated to showing them grow as a couple.

And better than that--EVEN F**KING BETTER THAN THAT--dozens of kids are going to see these two, a realistic depiction of young love that just so happens to involve two girls, and are going to learn once and for all that there is nothing wrong with being who they are. That fact alone is f**king incredible. Yes, it sucks that season three got cut short, and we'll have even less time with Luz and Amity, but knowing how many kids have felt seen today almost makes it worth it in the end.

And if I see one mother f**ker saying this was poorly paced, I might just hunt them down for SPORT...Sorry if that was an overreaction. I'M JUST SO HAPPY! Because they're happy! Look at them. Listen to them! It's so...GAH-HAHAHA!

“They’re adorable! And deserve all the happiness!”: You're darn right, Hooty! You're darn right.

King’s Father(?) Shows Up: What the--WHAT?! They're doing this now?! Here?! After everything else?

Oh, man. What could this mean? What dynamic changes will this cause in the main cast? How could the writers fit this in during the next two episodes? And what--

Hooty Eats the Letter: ...Pfffft--HAHAHAHA!

Oh, man...I should be mad, and I wouldn't blame others if they are...but that is too much of a brilliant f**k you that I can't help but appreciate it. Bravo writers. Bravo.

WHAT I DISLIKED

...Dislikes? Dislikes? You would honestly believe that after everything I witnessed in this episode, that I would have the gull to list anything wrong with it?!

HOW DARE YOU ASSUME THAT I WOULD BE SO CALLUS TO--Actually, I do kind of have an issue with the episode's title. It's just too much of an awkward mouthful for me to get behind. I understand that the writers wanted to sneak the K into the secret message, but were there really no other titles starting with K that they couldn't come up with?

But that's just a personal issue, and in no way do I think anybody else would feel the same way. Especially with how well-written everything else is anyway.

IN CONCLUSION

"Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" (title aside) is another A+ episode. It was hilarious, heart-wrenching, and downright adorable while keeping me entertained with every minute. I'm sure there are some issues I was willing to ignore due to how expertly written everything else was, but why bother looking for the chinks in the armor when I could just enjoy a perfect episode for being so...perfect! Some of you might be willing to disagree with me, but to that, I say: Don't knock it till you've tried it.

(Now, if you don't excuse me, I'm going to go lie down. It's...It's been a day.)

[bybdolan]

hey! saw ur post about tjr and her books, and honestly if you didn’t enjoy daisy jones or evelyn hugo, don’t bother with malibu rising, it’s just not very good. i enjoyed the other two, even with their flaws, but malibu rising just lacks the same charm, making the poor writing stick out. also your review of evelyn hugo is so real™️. i loved it but also wished it could’ve been more. the portrayal evelyn’s bisexuality was /interesting/ to say the least. and it would’ve been nice if she’d been with a woman other than celia, just to experience it and learn more about herself. not to mention, i wasn’t 100% sold on their relationship. but nonetheless i could still ship them and i enjoyed her queerplatonic relationship with harry. however the way race is handled is very sloppy. one line about barely being in the civil rights movement isn’t much considering that evelyn is described as non-white. it sometimes felt like i was reading the summary of a really good book instead of actually watching ya know, reading it

Thank you so much for sending this ask <3 i have sooo many thoughts of TJR and this allows me to share almost all of them.

I have heard a lot of. Not good stuff. About Malibu Rising, but I want to give it a try to see if the "telling instead of showing" aspect is as strong in it as it is in her other books despite being told in real time. The "looking back on my life" format plays into it so much because these people are able to say why they did what in hindsight; they've had time to reflect. And if Daisy Jones was a Rolling Stone cover story that wouldn't be an issue given that I signed up for having stuff explained to me, but in a novel it doesn't hold my attention. I don't need somebody to guide me through the story without ever giving me time to stray off the designed path a bit. TJR tends to be a tad patronizing in her writing, her characters are meant to be believed at all times and rarely ever questioned, but that doesn’t reflect the truth: All of these people are unreliable to some degree because they are human and misremeber things or hide stuff to make themselves look better. ALSO: A good interviewer doesn’t just write down everything the interviewee says but adds their own perspective (which is how we get stuff like the Jeremy Strong profile everybody is so obsessed with; it seems like a lot got lost in translation there). Sure, the published Evelyn Hugo book in the novel is a biography, so it isn’t supposed to have that, however, in the novel itself Monique could have or should have challenged Evelyn more imo. Why give your interviewers a backstory when they end up just being there to write down shit.

Re: The representation aspect... I am gonna focus on the bisexual rep here because I am a bi girl myself and therefore can talk more on that specific issue. There is no right or wrong way to be bi, being in love with one woman only is enough if you want to use that label, howeverrr narratively Evelyn’s sexuality only ever revolving around Celia is... weak? We know she sleeps with other women off-screen, it gets mentioned at some point, however, we never actually hear Ev mention or talk about genuine attraction towards a woman that isn’t Celia. The way she looks at other women doesn’t feel queer, if that makes sense. Gay women don’t want to sleep with every girl they meet obviously, but feeling flustered when a pretty girl touches you, or having very intense female friendships seem to be a pretty common part of the queer woman experience and none of that is found in Evelyn Hugo. The way it is written is very straight even though the main love story is queer. Evelyn doesn’t read as queer when she isn’t romantically involved with Celia, and that feels weird. Her bisexuality is only there to make her more interesting, to give her a secret, and to make Celia belittle her for it Plus: I think her only ever having negative experiences with her other partners (all men) makes the love story weaker. Celia and her are not a great couple, and her husbands ALL treating her badly (except Harry) just make it seem as if Celia is the best option she has. Had she realized in another good relationship that it doesn’t give her what Celia gave her, it would have been more impactful. Not to mention that Celia does a lot of thing Evelyn doesn’t like about her ex husbands.

I think it all comes down to what you said in your final sentence: The ideas are there but the execution lacks depth. Evelyn gets all these things taped to her (being queer, being a WOC, being sexualized for her entire life) in order to make the story more interesting, but the novel never gets DEEP into these things outside of very explicitly mentioning them a bunch of times. Evelyn never stops being bisexual, but we don’t see that side of her until we need to narratively. Same goes for her being Latina. We get one (1) scene of her regretting neglecting and hiding her heritage for so long, but there are never any subconcious things that makes us realize that before she does. TJR makes her characters tell us everything and it’s boring, which is a shame given that her ideas are so interesting. Every part of ourselves influences us every second of the day, sometimes more, sometimes less, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for her characters.

[azure-firecracker]

For your prompt list, can you do #36- "I never wanted to hurt you' for Azutara.

I'm gonna set this one up a bit if that's ok. This prompt reminds me of a scene from the soulmate au I'm working on (hopefully will one day finish lol)

If you don't wanna use this then that's absolutely fine. With that being said, here's the relevant info.

-Soulmarks are rare to appear. Everyone has a soulmate, but the only thing that's guaranteed is that you'll be in the general vicinity of them at some point in your life. The mark won't appear until you directly speak to each other, in this case it was the throne room scene from the show. When you are both aware of the mark, you become spiritually connected. This connection is different for every person. In thier case, the mark worked two ways 1) during moments of high stress, the non-stressed one's spirit is pulled to the other (think astral projection but they can't be seen) to provide support/comfort. 2) they see various memories of the other through dreams. I plan on using this aspect to build a connection between them since they hardly directly interacted during the show. Katara's memories and some of the actions Azula witnesses from Katara both inspire her to want to be a better ruler and show her that Katara is her equal. Katara sees a lot of the more negative memories of Azula, like when her mother implied there was something wrong with her, harsh training from Ozai, her mother disappearing, Zuko's Agni Kai. Azula also has anxiety from her past traumas so, needless to say, Katara's been providing quite a bit of comfort (Azula has a mark mirroring Katara's necklace and Katara has one of a Blue Dragon going down her spine)

Next point - the Crossroads of Destiny never happened. Azula freed Katara after seeing the soulmark. She didn't tell her about it and instead offered a deal. Her freedom in exchange for information on Zuko's location. Azula had the Dai lee lower the walls before trying to capture Zuko, so he had already fled when she goes to capture him.

Azula gets called back to the fire nation by Ozai, leaving War Minister Qin in charge of the city. When she gives her report to Ozai, she left out the info about Katara, which Ozai knew about thanks to Qin's report sent via messenger hawk. He accuses her of trying to hide her failure and also brings up her inability to capture Zuko. He decides to overlook the slight in lieu of her victory but threatens her to never fail him again. Katara saw all of this and her spirit is pulled behind the princess as she returned to her room and proceeded to lose her public composure, falling into a panic attack. That was the first time Katara provided comfort but the relevant part is Ozai's threat.

Later, on the Day of Black Sun, Azula had decided she was going to leave the capital, planning to teach Aang firebending. Her plan was to safely slip into the night after the invasion (she didn't leave during it because she needed to make sure her people were protected). She set up a plan to stall Aang using far more Dai lee than she did in the show. She gave them orders not to capture him however. With the invasion thwarted, she went to give her report to Ozai. She didn't get a chance to speak as he started laying into her about allowing the Avatar to escape. (Katara astral projects in. At this point her body is on Appa as they prepare to flee) When she tried to speak Ozai back handed her yelling/asking when she became so weak. The sudden movement shifted her shirt enough for Ozai the see a hint of blue in her neck. He pulls down her collar revealing the soulmark. The last thing Katara sees is Ozai throw Azula back, causing her to stumble as he calls he a born traitor throwing lightning in the process.

This is a spoiler point. I have Ty lee rescuing Azula with airbending. As the lightning kept from Ozai's fingers, she slammed him with a gust of wind, sending him flying. The lightning, with it's trajectory changed, strikes Azula in the shoulder. When Ozai looks back, the room is empty.

Ty lee, following the spiritual connection through Azula's aura, brings her to the Western Air Temple.

I'm curious to see your take on what happens next and this prompt seemed to fit it quite well. Perhaps you'll have Katara speaking to an unconscious Azula. Or maybe you'll have a couple scenes, one when Azula arrives and another when combustion man attacks, having Azula wake up, stumble out and strike him with lightning leading to Katara freaking out about her condition. There are really a lot of different ways this could go. If you decide to do it, I admit I'm very interested to see what you come up with. 🙂

Sorry this took so long but I really wanted to make sure I got this right, especially after you left all of those wonderful comments on my fic! This AU is absolutely incredible, and I hope I did it justice.

***

Katara awoke with a gasp and found herself lying on a flat stone ledge. Around her were her friends, each looking dejected after their recent failure. But Katara had other things on her mind.

She hadn’t told her friends about the blue dragon that had appeared on her back in Ba Sing Se, or where she really found herself when she “fell asleep.” She wasn’t exactly sure why she hadn’t told them. It was partially because they had so much going on already, but partially because she was afraid they wouldn’t trust Azula.

Azula...the girl had turned out to be so much more than Katara had ever imagined. Far from pure evil, she was a broken teenager with fierce protectiveness deep inside her, and Katara had found that they weren’t as different as she’d once thought. She was her soulmate, as strange as that was. Katara never would have expected it, but she had come to care deeply about her.

She paced the Air Temple in worry, wishing she could do more than just move her spirit into Azula’s mind, that she could help in some way. The last thing she remembered was seeing the girl at the mercy of her father. Katara thought she would know if Azula had died, but her heart still ached with fear.

« Help!��» came a cry from far above. Katara leaped to her feet and glanced up into the sky. There was a Fire Nation airship zigzagging towards them. Sokka raised his sword, but Katara held out her hand to stop him. This ship was clearly being flown by someone who didn’t know what they were doing. Something wasn’t right.

The ship suddenly tipped forward, pointing straight down and hurtling towards the bottom of the canyon. At the last moment, Katara saw a strange form leap from the front window towards them, falling just short of the edge of the cliff. Katara raced towards them, but Aang was faster, leaping off the edge with his glider, falling into a dive. A moment later, he was back, and he wasn’t alone. Ty Lee was hanging on to his feet with one hand, and somehow she was helping propel them through the air. Was she...was she airbending? In her other arm was the limp body of Azula. Katara felt her heart leap.

Katara raced towards them as they landed on the side of the ledge. Aang and Ty Lee began a conversation, but Katara barely registered it. She ran straight to Azula and dropped to her knees, instinctively scooping the girl up in her arms. Thank the spirits, she thought. Azula was alive, if weak.

Quickly, Katara drew her water out of her pouch, her hands moving over Azula’s shoulder, feeling the electricity coursing through her. Healing Azula was, in some ways, the easiest thing she’d ever done, because the pattern of her heart and her spirit was so similar to her own.

Azula stirred in Katara’s lap and slowly opened her eyes. As her vision cleared, she groaned, and tears instantly filled her eyes.

« I’m sorry, Katara. »

Katara blinked. « What for? »

Azula sighed, tears still spilling down her cheeks. « I’m sorry that you’ve got me for whatever this soulmate thing is. You’ve done everything for me. You showed me compassion when no one else would, you calmed me down, you were open with me when you never had to be. You made me a better person. And me? All I did was hurt you. I tried to kill your friends, and now my father won’t stop until he kills me too. I’m a failure and a monster. » She looked up, right into Katara’s eyes. « I never meant to hurt you. »

Katara suspected that the girl’s weak physical state was part of what was making her so vulnerable. She’d never seen Azula be so honest, even with herself. It made her heart swell, with sadness for the girl who’d been made to believe she was a monster, when Katara knew that that couldn’t be further from the truth.

She pulled Azula up into a tight hug. She’d never hugged her before, but it felt right. Like they’d been made to put their arms around each other just like that. « Azula, you’re my soulmate. I...I love you. I love you because you’re a person, because you’re passionate and strong and human. You could never be a monster. »

Azula didn’t speak, maybe because she was still too injured, maybe because she had nothing to say. She just wrapped her arms tighter around Katara, and held onto her like she was the most important thing in the world.

A voice came from behind them.

« Wait a second. She’s your WHAT?! »

***

This was a super fun prompt! You’re amazing so I hope it made you happy! This is an amazing idea and I can’t wait to see where you go with it!!!

[legault]

oh man, i don't have any ships for you to rate but would you be willing to share more thoughts on eirika, ephraim and lyon? (especially lyon) your analysis of ephraim and lyon's personalities is SO good i just. can't even

Ok, so this is super late and I’m sorry, but here’s what I’ve got.

You know how sometimes you have that childhood friend that’s like, a friend of your parent? You see them on vacations sometimes, maybe once or twice a year, and it’s super fun, because you’re five and being five and going on vacations and playing with other five year olds is fun. You get along great on said vacations, and maybe you think it’d be awesome if you went to the same school as they did, but they’re not really your friend the same way that the people who go to your school or live next door to you are, because you only see them a few times a year, in very specific circumstances.

Then once you get older, you start to realize that you actually don’t know this person all that well. You still enjoy visiting, and you still feel fondly towards them because you were best buddies as kids, but the magic is kinda gone. Maybe you get along even better now that you can talk at teenagers/young adults/adults and you actually have stuff in common. But maybe you realize that you probably wouldn’t have been friends if you did live in the same place because you don’t have much in common or your personalities don’t gel or whatever, and even though you’re still fond of the person, actually hanging out with them is a little awkward.

What I’m getting at is that Lyon is that friend for Eirika and Ephraim. They get along awesome as kids, because they’re kids, and Lyon is so starved for company and companionship (because there is no one else who is his age and also of an equal social standing as him, so he can’t really make any true friends or confidants in Grado) that he thinks that Eirika and Ephraim are just the most magical things ever, and whenever they leave, he thinks about them all the time. Not only are they great to have around for their company, but they also possess qualities that he feels that he himself lacks, and (this would come into play more as he got older) they’re also super beautiful and that’s nice too. Plus, they make him feel like he’s actually a good person, a good prince, and they give him the affection and positive reinforcement that he doesn’t get as much as he wants from his own family.

As they get older, their dynamic isn’t quite as effortless, and it becomes more and more clear that their personalities are quite different, especially Lyon and Ephraim. But it doesn’t matter to Lyon. He doesn’t have a sibling, so he considers Eirika and Ephraim to be his closest friends, even if they almost never has the chance to talk. He projects on them a lot: they represent happiness to him, because being with them as kids was probably the happiest he’s ever been. They represent affection and acceptance, because they accepted him as he is and thought he was cool for being so bookish, and didn’t make any judgements on his failings as a prince. They represent the ideal ruler to him, because even though they both have flaws, they also have strengths that really complement each other, so between the two of them they seem like they really have it all figured out. Any actual awkwardness or distance between them is overshadowed by the fact that Lyon has subconsciously made them into living symbols of everything good.

Eirika and Ephraim, on the other hand, don’t have the same kind of view of Lyon. They’re not as emotionally starved as he is; they have each other, they have close contact with Tana and Innes too, and their parents are pretty supportive of them. So Lyon is a good friend, but that’s all he is. He isn’t the only source of affirmation or affection they got as kids, so they don’t rely on the idea of him as much as he relies on the idea of them.

That said, they do think of him in different ways as they get older. Although they do drift apart, just due to time and circumstance and the fact that they rarely see each other and then mostly for politics, Eirika does genuinely like Lyon and consider him a friend. He’s very smart and very kind and very nonjudgemental, and even though Ephraim is her best friend, Lyon is a great contrast to Ephraim sometimes. Lyon is calm where Ephraim is always moving. Lyon is happy to discuss more abstract, academic, or political topics at length, and is never dismissive of her contributions or her idealism, even though they often disagree. Lyon does not dominate a room the way that Ephraim does, and around Lyon, Eirika always feels like she is heard and understood. Eirika makes an effort to keep in touch with Lyon, although probably less than he would like, and genuinely considers him to be one of her circle of friends.

Ephraim views Lyon more the way we view a childhood friend who we don’t have much in common with. He’s fond of him, and he feels nostalgia for the good old days when they were kids, but he feels like he’s outgrown Lyon. He and Lyon have almost nothing in common; their strengths are very different, and so are their personalities. This doesn’t bother Lyon, but Ephraim is secretly very insecure about feeling unintelligent or unsuited to be king (he also resents the fact that he has to be king), and being around Lyon reminds him of his own inadequacies because Lyon is strong at the things that Ephraim is weak at. Ephraim does not like to contemplate on or acknowledge his own inadequacies, so being around Lyon is uncomfortable for him. Being around Ephraim also makes Lyon acutely aware of his own shortcoming, but Lyon is incredibly hard on himself all the time, so it doesn’t really bother him.

Although Lyon’s strengths make him feel inadequate, Lyon’s weaknesses in some of the things that Ephraim values (physical prowess, charisma, etc) also make Ephraim uncomfortable. He doesn’t try to feel this way, but he does look down on Lyon for lacking certain qualities, because he has associated them so closely with the concepts of manhood and kinghood. Again, this comes back to Ephraim’s own confidence. Ephraim has always been told that he is good at things, so he must be good at being a prince. If Ephraim is good at being a prince, then Lyon must be bad at it because they are so different. And if Lyon isn’t bad at it, then Ephraim has to think about how he himself might not be so great, and he doesn’t want to do that. Of course, it’s not that simple in reality, but Ephraim shys away from nuanced thinking, especially about his own character flaws, so he doesn’t really consider that.

So through no fault of Lyon’s own, Ephraim doesn’t feel all that connected to him anymore due to a combination of Ephraim’s own insecurities and the natural passage of time. Ephraim does not overtly dislike Lyon at all, but he likes him more out of nostalgia and obligation than of anything else. He is warm to Lyon when they do meet, but distant, unlike Eirika, who is genuinely warm. Even though Eirika is much more supporting/approving of Lyon than Ephraim is, Lyon craves Ephraim’s approval more, perhaps because they’re both princes so he has the potentially incorrect impression that Ephraim is more suited to judge him. Or perhaps it is because Lyon is so used to putting himself down that he is more inclined to believe negative opinions of himself. Regardless, Lyon values their friendship equally but tends to give more weight to Ephraim’s opinions.

Ok, that’s all I have for now (and it’s really long already, sorry!). Sorry for the long delay in answering this, and I hope you enjoyed it!