#Sokka is still a non-bender... but he can sense spirits

[gotticalavera]

When he was little, Sokka was trapped in the spirit world. He returned to his house with some help. He thought it was a dream, until he gets trapped in the spirit world again and receives the same help from the Spirit Guardian.

Initiating a curious relationship between an immortal entity and a simple human.

I've noticed that the times I've drawn Aang like that and with long hair it's always in a depressing AU... And I have quite a few drawings of different AU's where I draw Aang so I haven't posted, so I wanted to vary.

I also realized that I didn't properly AU the ship SokkAang, and what better way to start it off with my immortal x mortal trope?

[oneatlatime]

The Siege of the North Part 2

Last episode of the season! I'll post some season round up stuff over the next few days.

The last episode ended super abruptly, so a refresher: -Aang and Zuko are in a snowstorm and Aang is currently hypnotised by a Yin Yang fish -Katara, Sokka and Yue are in the spirit oasis moping about losing Aang to Zuko -There’s a big fuck off Fire Nation Armada parked out front -All current trends point to the Northern Water Tribe being a finely ground and toasted paste by the end of the day

Episode Time!

I don’t know, did Katara really do everything she could? She could have called for backup. Although given Zuko’s track record with taking out scores of guards when the plot requires (hello Blue Spirit episode), I guess it probably wouldn’t have made a difference.

Ignore Momo for a minute and look at this grass texture. I can't decide if I like it or not. It's certainly doing... something?

Is this the spirit world? I'm loving the colour pallette. Since Aang's dreams tend to be sepia-toned, does that mean he dreams in the spirit world?

This monkey guy has so much personality. I love how our first look at this sacred, spiritual, mystical place is an antisocial jerk. Lovely subversion of expectations.

Roku has unparallelled jumpscare abilities.

I have to say the sound design on the ice cracking under Zuko's feet is spot on. That oddly hollow yet muffled thud is exactly the noise ice sheets make when they go.

Poor Aang getting dragged like a kitten. He's got to have frozen skin by now. Should have taken Iroh's advice and covered his ears.

I don't think Aang moves once during Roku's speech about the spirits crossing over. I think he's a freeze frame of animation, something which this show usually avoids.

Judging by the musical sting it's supposed to be a serious line, but the way Roku feels the need to clarify that the Face Stealer will steal your face got a laugh out of me. Was anyone expecting him to do anything else?

"They call him Coe, the Face Stealer. Be careful, or he will validate your parking."

Where did he get fuel to burn? And why does he feel the need to monologue? And if struggling and fighting is what made you into who you are, maybe you should give being lucky a chance, because you're not exactly well-liked or very good at what you're supposed to be doing.

Inclusivity win! These non-benders get to torch the water tribe too!

Ballistic water canon portholes - that's neat.

Those long range grappling hooks are probably the fire nation's most effective weapon.

Please die please die please die please die please die please die

How rotten do you have to be inside, that when you find a giant underground hidden library, you use it to find out ways to wipe out civilisations? And celestial bodies? Zhao is honestly so pathetic. Ruthless, and somewhat effective sure, but you're gifted a giant underground secret library and all you can think to do with it is use it to kill people? Pathetic.

This spirit world stuff is so neat. The scale, the lighting, the animals, everything is slightly off in a way that feels deeply alien. I like.

Get your mind out of the gutter.

The squealing strings in the spirit world are fantastic. The composition of this shot, also fantastic. The colour pallette; fantastic. I would love to live in the spirit world if I wasn't in danger of losing my face.

The face stealer recognising the avatar is chilling. Really adds a sense of the ancient. And whoever is voicing him had the time of their life. Deliciously evil moustache twirling stuff, but still with an underlying very real threat.

I love Sokka's logic here. Co-opt enemy's strength; make it serve you. Zuko being persistent means that there will still be an avatar to save once Sokka catches up to them.

This whole encounter with the face stealer is a cut above. They really pulled the stops out for this finale.

I don't think this is the Blue Spirit, but it's close.

I KNEW those fish were thematically relevant. What a completely unexpected reversal too! Those spirits you're asking for help? Actually, they're asking you.

It pays to be nice! This is why Aang has to stay such a nice boy! See? It pays off!!!

Looks like someone was a little slow with the whole 'conquering the enemy before their main source of power turbo charges them' thing. We've got floor is lava: tank edition, ice machine guns, and Poophead turning a whole row of soldiers into popsicles. Good stuff.

I absolutely hate Poophead but I have to admit it's satisfying watching him go 1 v dozens in tornado mode and kick fire nation butt.

That panda has some powerful breath. And I love that morphing effect between big cuddly guy and horrors beyond description.

"Oh No! Where's my body?" That's pretty funny. I don't think it's supposed to be, but it is.

Forget about the panda, Aang has powerful breath. He just wallpapered Zuko to the cave wall and travelled like 100 feet in the opposite direction.

Keep inching along buddy.

"That won't be enough to escape" "Appa!" "That probably is."

Forget about Aang wallpapering Zuko, Katara just turned him into a floor mat from 40 feet up. How many concussions has Zuko had in the last week?

If that rope is so quality, why did you cut through every loop rather than untie it and save it for later?

Of course Aang has to bring Zuko back. Aang is a nice little boy. That's what nice little boys do, and they get repaid for their kindness down the line with things like rides from giant pandas.

Imagine if Zhao had grabbed the wrong fish? It's a good thing that the moon spirit has a built in indicator light. What would the ocean do if it was in trouble? Get more blue?

Yue exposition. Yue is a moon horcrux. Oh this won't end well.

How long do you think Zhao spent composing his little speech? How many crumpled up parchments did he go through before he had the words just right? Do you think he practiced in the mirror while holding up a sock in place of the moon fish?

Get his ass Momo! I love how the guard in the back is like "nah, I'll let the lemur do his thing. Dude deserves it honestly."

Could we have some more specific examples of consequences beyond "balance" and "Chaos" for killing the moon? I don't think Zhao the asshole is going to pay attention to consequences unless they directly affect himself.

Zhao is way too fond of the word traitor. That's two people he's called traitor who are actually just people he personally dislikes.

You know you done goofed when kindly tea uncle promises to beat your ass. Zhao, meet consequences that directly affect you.

The face of a man realising he has, in fact, done goofed.

That's twice now these fish have yanked Aang around. Powerful fish. Did the fish call upon the Avatar or was Aang so angry that he went glowy and the fish took advantage?

FISHMAN

oh boy these guys are dead. So dead.

Tired of failing at capturing the Avatar, Zuko instead turns to trying to kill Zhao. Brightest idea he's had all season.

"Then at least, you could have lived!" Bold talk for someone who's already lost one duel to this guy and is currently losing the second. Unless you meant to flop backwards off that bridge?

Ooof. But she was always on borrowed time, wasn't she?

He just batted them away like balls on a pool table. So casually cutting through tonnes of steel and people. Fishman is killing thousands. I bet Aang's not too happy about that.

Ouch. More Sokka trauma!

Fish spirit dropping Aang off like he's bumming a ride to school, not killing probably 10 000 + people.

How am I supposed to take this seriously when Zuko's doing silly little summersaults?

Zhao is such a baby. I sincerely hope he's dead now too.

Bit of an abrupt tonal change. And yes, it's LONG past time you helped out the south. I hope Kanna is informed in exacting detail of her grandaughter's Pakku-bahsing exploits. She'd be so proud.

This scene should have come before the scene with Katara and Poophead. Would have avoided the tone switch. Also is that a tree to the right?

"So proud. And sad." OUCH.

Not-fun fact: there are four humans in this screenshot.

I'm guessing that was the firelord? I suddenly see where Zuko gets his muppet voice.

Mark Hamill?!?!

Final Thoughts

Where is the line between self-sacrifice and suicide? Because I have to say, Yue was very determined to do her duty. I guess that's one way to get out of an arranged marriage.

So glad to not see her fiance again, because then I can pretend he drowned. I bet he and Zhao are having fun out asshole-ing each other at the bottom of the sea.

Sokka!!! Somebody needs to give him a hug and get him into the care of a trusted adult immediately because the last thing he needed was MORE duty-related trauma. I bet he views what happened as him failing in his duty to the northern chief. He pretty much says as much when Yue chooses to save the moon. Obviously, there was rationally no way out of that one, but since when are emotions and trauma rational?

Yue describes her saving the moon as her duty, but it was also her choice, and I bet that's the first free choice she's ever gotten to make. Sokka didn't prevent her; he let her choose to do her duty. He definitely had objections, which he voiced, but he let her go once she brought up duty. It's so awful that Yue's first time having her choice respected (dare I say, having her own agency respected) is when she chooses to die.

She is dead, right? Her body evaporated and she's in the moon now. On the moon? Is she the moon? Did she replace the old moon? Or did the moon let her have a few seconds as a ghost for closure before she went to the afterlife? I don't know the mechanics of this.

Poor Aang just killed thousands of people, even if he was fish-possessed at the time. Katara's about the only person who emerged from this episode ok. She got to one-shot Zuko.

Fish possession-induced mega-fishman is not a solution I could have ever predicted to the problem of a whole fleet that needs getting rid of. It totally fits, despite it being a strange idea to contemplate in isolation. Aang pulls (rather, the fish pulls) a move straight out of Pacific Rim and it works.

The spirit world was really capably done. Creepy yet alluring, seemingly detached and untouchable yet both in tune with the real world and vulnerable to the things that go on there. And how clever was it to have Aang go to the spirits for help, only to find out that the spirits need his help? I love that reversal. It really ups the stakes. In any other fantasy story an appeal to the council of higher beings of whatever would either result in help or a refusal. Imagine calling up your godly bosses with a problem only to have them beg you for help? It's kind of chilling. Both in how close things came to disaster, and in the fact that humans in the real world actually have the power to pose that much of a threat to the spirits. Again you see why it's important to have a bridge between the real and spirit worlds: because traffic either way poses a threat to both sides.

What is up with Zuko? He failed the whole season at capturing the avatar (a task at which he was outclassed by episode 3), and now he doesn't have the resources to even try. So he's no longer a villain (not the he was ever good at it), he's no longer even a threat. He's a concussed vulture's meal on a raft. Is he even going to be in the next season of the show? What role could he possibly fulfill? He'll be just... there.

I had tone problems with this episode. A couple of places where I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to laugh, I did. And there were a couple of pretty corny set up lines. Yue discussing how there was no hope gave me Helm's Deep flashbacks. I think maybe this episode should have been a little longer in order to make the tone switches more gradual. And I get that, as a kids' cartoon show, they have to end the season on a happy note, but was there anyone in the main or background cast that didn't have a reason to end this episode seriously bummed out? Momo maybe. Appa's empathetic enough to be sad that Aang is sad. Yes, the North is saved, but the princess is dead, there are presumably thousands of enemy corpses bobbing around beyond the wall, and who knows how many water tribe people got crushed by fireballs.

The last three episodes have really been one big story. Katara's part was really over by the opening scene of the siege of the north part 1, which is about where Aang's part began. The real through line that ties these three episodes together is Sokka and Yue. These last three episodes have been low key Sokka episodes (and Yue episodes by extension). I think it's a sign of good writing and engaging characters, that the season finale of a show named after its main character can put a huge amount of focus on someone who isn't the main character and still have it feel natural.

Turn Sokka into a girl and beat him down with the expectations women face in a patriarchal society, and you get Yue. They are each others' mirrors, which is partially why they connect (the other reasons being Sokka is a breath of fun fresh air and Yue is gorgeous and desperately lonely). While I would give an arm and a leg for a version of the show where Yue joins the Gaang and travels around the world with them, being exposed to opportunities for growth and adventure and becoming her own person rather than an extension of her tribe's will, I think it also makes sense that Sokka and Yue ultimately can't be together. I'm having trouble putting this into words, so bear with me, but I think because Yue and Sokka are mirrors, and largely mirrors of the more burdensome aspects of their lives (ie duty), then wouldn't them getting together limit them? Halt their growth as characters? Would they not drag each other down? Under the right circumstances (like peace) they could help each other grow, but in war time it's probably not a good idea to have two self-sacrificing members on your team.

I know Aang had some crazy stuff happen to him this episode (and last episode too), but so much of what happened to him literally happened TO him. He had no say in the matter. He got yanked around by spirits, fish, and Zuko. Which is why the Sokka x Yue storyline was more interesting to me. Poor Aang may have a hell of a time processing all that yanking around, but that's not in this episode. Sokka and Yue actively making choices are in this episode, and their storyline has had three episodes to develop, so the payoff feels more earned.

The soundtrack was great this episode, especially in the spirit world. Deliciously creepy stuff.

Visuals were gorgeous. I especially liked the beige palete of the spirit world and grey-blue palette during the mega fishman scenes. The creeping blue veins were a good way to express the scale of mega fishman's power without just colouring the whole frame bright blue.

Zhao honestly got exactly what he deserved. It must have been a fitting end for his character because it left me highly satisfied.

Yue deserved better, but if the chief is to be believed, predestination is both a thing and unavoidable in this world, so she got the only end she could ever have. I love characters with quiet strength, but I love them more when they don't have to die.

Overall a good episode! It had to wrap up so many storylines that it ended up going all over the place, with some necessarily expository dialogue that felt clunky. Poor Aang featured surprisingly little in his own show's finale, if you discount when he's fish-possessed. Sokka got his heart ripped out and stomped on, as did the chief. Pakku has hopefully set himself up for a hearty slap from Kanna. Zuko and Iroh survived, but that's about all that can be said of them at the moment. I feel like maybe Katara will be carrying the Gaang for the next few weeks.

[impossiblycolorfulpanda]

Alternate ending of ATLA if there was a book 4: air, and Ozai was actually Vaatu, the dark avatar, a one-man team avatar, and the true instigator of Sozin's war:

Aang: Azula’s plan worked. Raava is now the spirit of darkness/chaos/yin as well as light/peace/yang, the spirit of balance itself. She can now also embody and control the sources of any/all bending.

Zuko: I don’t even know what to say.

Katara: You were incredible!

Toph: You pull off the craziest stunts.

Ty Lee: The way you turned all gigantic like that, wow! Just when we were losing, a miracle happened!

Mai: There’s never gonna be a dull moment with you, is there?

Sokka: Are the elemental spirits ok? Appa? Yue? My dad?

Aang: Yes. All souls that were absorbed, including Yue, Appa, and your dad, are now free and are going in peace. But I no longer draw power from the lion turtle spirits or elemental spirits, they all draw power from me.

Sokka: OK. Good. As long as they’re ok.

Suki holds onto Sokka’s arm and rests her head on his shoulder. Cut to Aang and Azula at the northern portal.

Azula: Now that you’ve reconnected with Raava, have you also regained your past lives?

Aang: No. That link is gone forever. I am now the first Avatar in a new line of Avatars.

Azula: You don’t say. Let’s just close the portals and call it a day.

Aang: (Reaches for the portal but stops and hesitates) Maybe I shouldn’t.

Azula: What makes you say that?

Aang: I think with the spirit portals opened, it’ll restore the ancient balance between our world and that of the spirits and it’ll help eliminate the illusion of separation that divided us for so long. Appa’s physical body may be dead but I can still sense his spirit. Iroh’s spirit is here too. Everyone we’ve ever loved and lost. What do you think?

Azula: You’re the avatar, this is your type of situation, whatever your decision is, I’ll support you.

Aang looks at the portal and smiles. Cut to the rest of the gang gathering together in front of the third middle portal. They all collapse in exhaustion. Zuko and Katara held on to each other, Sokka and Suki did the same thing as well as Aang and Azula.

Zuko: I can’t believe a year ago me and my sister’s purposes in life were competing against each other and hunting you down. And now…

Aang: And now we’re all getting along.

Zuko: Yeah…we are.

Aang: I can’t believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world’s so different now.

Zuko: Yeah…

Katara: The fight is finally over. But how long will this peace last? So much chaos and death have happened. I can’t help but feel like we’re the only ones left.

Azula: (To Aang) Hippie, what do you think? Are we the last ones alive?

Aang entered the avatar state and put his hand on the ground. After a few moments, he went back out of the avatar state.

Aang: No. Less than 50% of all living creatures in the physical world manage to survive but they’re all headless. All of their homes and establishments have been destroyed. No nations to govern them. No rulers to lead them. Every member of the white lotus and the original benders are all still dead.

Azula: That’s where we come in. We’re the only ones left alive who know the goals of the white lotus, so it’s up to us to complete them. The white lotus and the original benders shall be reborn through us. (To Aang) Any bright plans that you would like to share regarding that?

Aang: Even though we should learn from those who came before us, we must also forge our own path. So, as we rebuild, we should announce that we are bringing back the era of energybending and give everyone a choice to bend more than one element like me, I'll continue to be the avatar only because of my avatar spirit. This may blur up the avatar cycle but the avatar being able to reincarnate at all is good enough for me. The portals will also remain open, which means I will no longer be the bridge between the two worlds. Humans, spirits, benders, non-benders, nations, and elements will all learn to live together as one, with all of us leading them. Things will never be the same again, we are entering a new age.

Everyone nods and stands back up. They all look at the third portal. Pan to the sky, which is filled with spirits. All are flying and dancing in the sky.

[ultranos]

I feel like I'm exposing myself as someone who enjoys emotional pain but--what would be the aftermath of The Bad Ending to the Dragon!Azula au? Specifically, how would the Gaang feel about killing a dragon--an extremely young one at that--and how would it affect their worldviews and relationships with those around them. I also want to know how the Sun Warriors would react to Ran and Shaw suddenly leaving and then returning with pained silence, gently clutching the remains of their little sun.

Hey, I have zero legs to stand on when it comes to the Bad Ending. I do, however, own a shovel so I can keep digging myself deeper into this pit of despair.

Oh, the Gaang...doesn’t take this well at all. This is kind of the thing that could cause deep and irreparable fractures in their friendships. Sokka and Suki advocated for this plan of action, they thought it’d be fine (they didn’t know, oh spirits, they didn’t know, they didn’t mean for this to happen). And Zuko was conflicted, Zuko heard them validating his wariness, and didn’t argue against. And Zuko remembers that they weren’t especially broken-up about it at first.

Maybe because it hadn’t sunk in, maybe because they still saw Azula as “enemy”, but a guilt-ridden and distraught Zuko? He’s not going to see that. He’s going to hear “maybe it’s a good thing” when his sister is lying stone dead on the floor, he’s going to hear that in his head as he’s staring at two raging, mourning dragons.

It would take a long time for them to be able to talk honestly.

It takes Toph years to forgive Aang. She told him. She told him it was a bad idea. And he didn’t listen. So that meant Toph was the first one to know what had happened. Toph heard Azula scream and also sensed her heart stop beating, her lungs stop working. Toph is the one who knows the exact fucking moment this turned into an execution, because Toph is the only one still alive who felt Azula go still and cold.

When the truth comes out, there are those Sozinists who find they have some respect for the Avatar. The boy killed a dragon. Iroh was the last who claimed that feat.

(Aang: your approval fills me with shame)

For others? Benders wonder if this is how non-benders see them. If there’s a sense of jealousy, of them just wanting to rip this ability out of them. They start fearing. And non-benders resent this, resent that they are seen as less. Iroh saw Azula as a threat to Zuko’s throne, that’s the reason he wanted to defang a young dragon. He thought her fire was the thing that made her dangerous, a girl who defended the capitol against an invasion without using her flame.

The Dragon of the West finally killed his dragon.

(Let’s say Ran and Shaw have a way to remove the mask even after Azula is dead. So they don’t have to take home the body of a girl in chains and muzzled. Fire cleanses as well. So when they breathe multi-colored flames on her corpse, the human form burns away, leaving behind the truth.

Dragons aren’t supposed to look that small.

The Sun Warriors mourn the loss of one of the children of fire. The latest in a long, long line. They knew the dragons gambled, they knew they hoped that this one would live. That this cuckoo’s gambit would work.

They had hope when Zuko and Aang came to them. The boy who could be Fire Lord was so much better than his ancestors. They had that hope grow, that they’d once again see dragons in the skies, when they heard of the war’s ending.

Their shamans shuddered just before the two dragons shot out of their caves and into the sky, and went white shortly after, when they realized what had happened.

It might not be until Korra that the Sun Warriors allow an outsider to set foot on their island.)

[words4bloghere]

ATLA Ships

Because there’s an endless deluge of ship hate going on, I wanted to break up the BS with some lighthearted fun. You know, what fandom is SUPPOSED to be.

So here is my honest, positive take on most ATLA ships:

Aang

x Katara: High school sweethearts, they are each other’s biggest cheerleader, have not called each other by their actual first name since week 2 of dating and now they’ve been married for five years, still thinks they can give dating advice to their friends.

x Sokka: Idiots in love, half of the people they know think they’re just super close, the other half think they’re dating but won’t ask in case they’re somehow wrong, got married for the tax benefits and never got divorced, both still routinely commit tax fraud

x Toph: Sometimes their teasing of each other gets so intense it’s like foreplay, Aang is still shocked someone calls him out because he is obviously a pure cinnamon roll who never does anything wrong????, Toph is still confused that Aang can compliment her and he’s not lying?????, basically summed up by no one can call my bae an idiot except ME

x Suki: late game relationship, neither were looking for a relationship but they ended up working long hours together on a mission kinda thing, Suki keeps him grounded and brings the common sense of a BAMF non-Bender woman, while Aang gets to be the introduction into all the cool crap he knows about the world, tons of fluff, very calm pair

x Zuko: Started with a “hey you know it’d be funny if the Avatar and the Fire Lord kissed” joke, Zuko immediately overthinks and Aang is clueless, miscommunication ABOUNDS, when they ultimately get together Zuko gets the confidence boost of being with the Avatar, no one can say anything because suddenly the Avatar is there wondering why his boyfriend is pissed off.

x Azula: Everyone worries about toxic co-dependency at first because Aang was the healer in the relationship, he just ends up learning the most about her and falls in love with her, he becomes the first person she trusts, Azula actually pushes him away because she doesn’t want to use him, they end up together after Azula goes on an apology tour, Aang waits for her patiently, full of YEARNING

x Ty Lee: this ship embodies the energy of that meme where the girl is smiling with the burning house in the background, no one knows exactly what’s going on but something ends up on fire, they are not allowed entry into fifteen Earth Kingdom cities, Ty Lee proposes and they are engaged for a good amount of time, but end up eloping at the Earth Kingdom equivalent of Las Vegas, they throw the best parties, the couple who never have children but are the wealthy cool aunt and uncle that stir up the holidays

x Mai: EVERYONE HAS QUESTIONS, started off with a bet that Aang couldn’t make her laugh, they ended up in bed together, definitely a secret relationship, full of “we shouldn’t be doing this” kinda messages, both think it’s just the one time, end up together because they bond over the weirdest esoteric novel series, neither of their personalities change over the years, the type of couple that can go to separate events because they trust each other

x Jet: bonded over the mutual ex girlfriend, Aang gets sick of the fame when he’s older and runs around Kyoshi style with Jet’s crowd, bad choices and bad boys make their pulse race, probably not gonna end up together and it’s about how much gets damaged before they break up.

x Yue: Aang was instantly intimidated, she is just so pretty??? and proper???, despite being the Avatar Aang doesn’t think he’s good enough, Yue really likes how funny he is, they bond over spirit stuff, something like her royal duty or whatever makes him think he doesn’t have a chance, he finds out she gets engaged because she thinks he doesn’t like her, they’d have like a Jane Austen kinda story imo

I’ll have to write the others later. I won’t be tagging the ships because I don’t wanna clog up the content. 

Edited to add Yue. How could I forget my lunar princess????

[army-of-mai-lovers]

Ok so I have been thinking about this Equalism business all day and it will not leave my brain because the way it’s written in the show makes literally no sense so. Here’s how I would have done it: 

canonically speaking (at least in ATLA) the only nation that systemically oppresses nonbenders is the Fire Nation

think about it: the Air Nomads didn’t have nonbenders (and also considering there’s really not that many of them in Korra’s time whether or not they systemically oppressed nonbenders would kind of be a non-factor), and we never see evidence of it happening in the Earth Kingdom or the Water Tribes in Aang’s time (in fact, Earthbenders and Waterbenders are targets for the Fire Nation)

but in the Fire Nation, it’s considered shameful to have a nonbender child. We see this with Zuko (who didn’t show evidence of bending ability until he was 7), whom Ozai wanted to kill when he was a baby because he seemed to lack Firebending, and with Piandao, who was abandoned by his Firebender parents because of his lack of bending. 

We also can imagine that even though Aang defeated Ozai and the gaang ended the war, things still weren’t hunky-dory. Regular Fire Nation citizens may not have been the ones leading the troops or capturing the Avatar, but they were complicit and actively benefiting from FN colonialism

so consider: Zuko and Aang decide to turn the Fire Nation colonies into the United Republic. The Earth Kingdom citizens who had been colonized by the Fire Nation for at least a hundred years (and tbh probably not doing so great while under Earth Kingdom control before then) suddenly govern themselves, alongside the Fire Nation citizens. There is no (official) aristocracy. Allegedly, everyone is equal. 

But Fire Nation citizens had grown used to being superior to their Earth Kingdom neighbors, and especially to people from the Water Tribes, who are immigrating to Republic City. Most of them do not like the ideals of the United Republic at all, and they don’t want balance with other groups. They want to be on top again. 

So how do they go about this? Well, some of them hide these sentiments under layers of academia. Some use dogwhistles when they run for office. Some join the police force, where they treat people with Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe heritage in the system worse than they treat people with Fire Nation heritage. And some form gangs to terrorize people with Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe heritage.

The root of the anti-bending movement is organizing against violence from people with Fire Nation heritage. Benders and nonbenders of Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe heritage work together to highlight problems in their communities and to speak out against what people with Fire Nation heritage are doing to them. 

And this is all very, very bad for one Hiroshi Sato.  

The Satos are a new money Fire Nation family. The invention of the Satomobile has brought them into great wealth, but the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe organizers are very vocal about the fact that he treats his workers, most of whom aren’t Fire Nation, quite poorly, and they’ve had a lot of success pressuring the council into passing and enforcing stricter labor laws, which of course, cuts into Hiroshi’s profits. So he hatches a plan to shift the conversation to benefit himself. 

To do this, he enlists two Water Tribe brothers, Tarrlok and Noatak (I’m just going to make it that they left together because their whole backstory is convoluted and I simply cannot) to shift the pro-Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe movement into an anti-bending movement. Tarrlok will campaign on a platform of uniting benders of all nations (very carefully leaving out nonbenders) and slowly ratchet up his anti-nonbender stance once he’s in the council. Meanwhile, Noatak will pose as a nonbender who can commune with the spirits (as Sokka, very popular retired nonbender councilman, did) and say that the spirits told him that bending is an imperfection and must be abolished. 

This successfully divides the Earth Kingdom/Water Tribe movement in Republic City. Noatak, posing under the name Amon, basically runs a cult, and Tarrlok is fanning the flames of bender supremacy, and Hiroshi is watching as the movement falls apart and his profits rise. 

Publicly he is not anti-bender, but he toes the line, discussing his wife’s death by Firebender mugging frequently to garner sympathy with the public. He is never again held accountable for the way he treats his workers.

part of the journey would then be, in addition to defeating Hiroshi, Tarrlok, and Amon, reviving the alliances between benders and nonbenders and between people of Earth and Water heritage so that they could continue fighting for Republic City to be better, this time with the help of the Avatar, who is determined to bring balance and help all the citizens of Republic City

[avatarstories]

izumi’s birthday part three:  sources of wisdom

The next morning, breakfast with the family is awkward. Izumi was a few moments late, having had to stop by the royal seamstress to have the last adjustments fitted for party outfit finished. By the time she arrived at breakfast, everyone was seated, and the only empty chair was between her father and Bumi. Bumi’s stony expression made her want to just be swallowed up by the floor. Maybe she could go find Druk and convince him to eat her. She gives Bumi a sad smile, and he rolls his eyes with a noticeable exhale. Izumi takes her seat quietly trying her hardest to give him as much space as possible. 

“Are we going to talk about how Izumi and Bumi are making the air in the room extremely uncomfortable?” Kya says. “Lover’s quarrel?” she jokes. 

“Fuck off, Kya” Bumi mutters, looking down at the table in front of him. Kya is across from him and leans in trying to get his attention. 

“Excuse me?” she says with a joking lilt in her voice. 

Bumi doesn’t say anything. Instead, he throws his tea at Kya and storms out of the dining room. Everyone is silent but all eyes are on Izumi. Having managed to stop the tea from hitting her, Kya bends it back into a cup. 

“Well, Happy Birthday, Izumi! What an exciting way to start the day,” Kya deadpans. Zuko looks at Izumi with a concerned expression. Azula looks ready to go to murder. Toph and Lin have their eyebrows raised and are taking a big sips of their mango juices. Tenzin hangs his head and focuses intently at his rice. Izumi notices Katara giving Aang a look that says go after him and when he doesn’t move she shakes her head. 

“This looks like a job for a wise old man like me,” Iroh says, pushing his chair back so that he can stand up. 

“General Iroh, it’s really ok, Aang can take care of it,” Katara says. 

“Uh, I kinda agree with General Iroh,” Aang replies sheepishly. 

If looks could kill, the ice in Katara’s eyes would have Aang pinned to the wall. “You are unbelievable,” she says quietly, though the anger and disappointment in her tone are unmistakable. She follows Bumi out the door 

“Looks like Twinkletoes is in the polar bear doghouse,” Toph says. Aang groans and then goes after Katara and Bumi.

“Care to enlighten us, Izumi?” Azula asks. 

“Not really,” she mutters. “I’m going to the training yard,” she announces quietly, and she walks out the door. 

Azula looks between Zuko and Iroh “I would go after her, but I was planning to go boss some staff around to make sure her party is perfect, which I think now needs to be even more perfect,” she says. 

“I will see what is bothering our dear Izumi,” Iroh says pushing out his chair once again. He and Azula leave the room. 

“Man,” Lin says “I thought mom and I would be the ones to start drama.” At that, Sokka laughs so hard he snorts, and Suki punches him in the side for it. ————————————————————————————————— 

Izumi is moving through advanced katas when Iroh finds her.

“I have told you before, forms practiced in anger are like tea steeped in unclean water, dear Izumi.” 

She finishes the form sending an arc of a flame towards the stone wall with an audibly annoyed exhale. 

“Now, are you going to tell me what is wrong or should I guess? Kya suggested a -” 

“IM NOT DATING BUMI! CAN EVERYONE STOP THINKING THAT!” 

Iroh chuckles. “Everyone used to think the same of your father and Katara when they were yours and Bumi’s ages. When people share a special bond others cannot help but wonder. But of course I did not come here to talk about your father’s youthful affections. It appears you and Bumi are experiencing a strain. Care to inform your old grandfather so he can help you?” 

“We had a misunderstanding.” 

“I know that I am old, Izumi, but I am not blind.” 

“Bumi was telling me about some issues in their family between him and his dad, and I basically told him that he should be lucky not to have the weight of a legacy on his shoulders.” 

“So your problem stems from your fear of your future,” Iroh affirms. “Rightfully so on an occasion as momentous as your 17th birthday, but Izumi, you are a kind, gentle, and fair minded young woman, and your father is a picture of health, what has brought about this anxiety?” 

Izumi crosses her arms and says nothing. 

“Izumi?” 

“I overheard some of the noblewomen talking about a curse on the Fire Ladies.” 

“And what is this curse?” 

“That Fire Ladies who die in childbirth give rise to evil Fire Lords. The spirits make them pay the ultimate price for what they bring into the world.”

Iroh takes in her words. “And so you have applied this to your own birth?” Izumi nods.

“You’re young yet Izumi, but I think you will find that destiny is what you make of it,” he says. “You and your father are the descendants of Sozin and Azulon, but you’re also the descendants of Avatar Roku on your grandmother’s side. There’s light and dark in you, and you will have to chose what nature you will allow to flourish. But knowing you, I would largely place my bets on the light side. And,” he takes a pause, “you can always seek to redeem yourself for your faults. I tried to break through the walls of Ba Sing Se, and then I took it back from the Fire Nation. Your father chased Aang halfway across the world, and now they are best friends. Azula was one of the most terrifying people in existence -” 

“She still is.” 

He chuckles. “Yes, she still is. But the original fire bending masters deemed her worthy of regaining her power when she lost it and repented, and they even gifted her a dragon egg as they did to your father,” he explains. 

“Your father’s legacy was to end a war. Yours will be the equally important one of maintaining peace,” Iroh says. “Now, maybe you should go practice that and make your amends with Master Bumi. I am off to make some tea.” 

“What if he won’t speak to me,” she asks. 

“Well then your partner dance in front of the court later on at your party will be terribly uncomfortable!” he says walking back inside. ——————————————————————————————————— Bumi does not really know where he is walking to, and he just follows the direction that instinct takes him. He can hear his parents behind him, but he does not stop. 

“Bumi please,” Katara calls. 

He groans and walks faster. In this instance, he was incredibly pleased with himself because he still remembers some of the secret passageways in the palace that Izumi had showed him as children when they would play hide and explode with Izumi’s Aunt Kiyi and Aunt Azula, so he ducked into one that he knew was coming and hears his parents run right passed. It was slightly dark inside, which made perfect sense considering that usually only firebenders used these hallways and had no need for any other light. 

Bumi went off memory and kept his right hand on the wall. If he had to figure this out like a maze in order to get out, that’s what he would do. After about ten minutes in the dark, he feels a variation in the stone that tells him he’s found a door. If he remembers correctly, this one will let him out by the portrait gallery. However, when he opens the door, he’s stopped by a piece of furniture. 

“Huh?” he hears someone ask, and soon the furniture is being shoved out of the way and the door opens and bright light blinds him, and Azula is standing in front of him.

She stares him up and down. “I would offer to help you but I will warn you first that if you ruin Izumi’s birthday, not even the fact that your father is the Avatar will save you from me.” 

Bumi remains frozen, unsure what to do. 

“Well don’t just sit there,” she says, raising a brow. He stumbles into what he realizes to be Azula’s office. 

“If you are avoiding your parents who ran after you when you caused quite the commotion at breakfast, then my office would definitely be the best place to hide. Push that back into place,” she commands gesturing to the small table she had just moved. 

Bumi has not spent much time alone with Azula. Whenever he would visit the Fire Nation, he and Izumi were attached at the hip. Every summer when Kya would go to the Southern Water Tribe and his dad and Tenzin would go to an Air Temple, Bumi would get dropped off in the Fire Nation for a few months of sword training with Master Piandao. After Piandao passed away, Zuko offered to continue training him since Sokka was busy trying to get Republic City up and running. In all that time, he’d never really gotten to know Azula. From what Izumi had told him, Azula was Zuko’s right hand. She lead his small council and sat in on meetings when he was away on diplomatic trips, which made her an extremely powerful person. 

He looks around her office. It’s clean and tidy. There is a small ink portrait of Izumi on the wall to the right of Azula's desk, and vases of Fire Lilies around the room. 

Azula studies him while he looks around the room. “Should I ask what’s bothering you or should we pretend this exchange never happened?”

“Whatever you prefer,” he replies. 

“I prefer to be well informed.” 

“Izumi and I had a fight.” 

“I gleaned that,” she says flatly. There’s a pause. “Izumi hates celebrating her birthday. She tells us every year it makes her feel guilty, but the 17th birthday of the Heir Apparent is a rite of passage in the Fire Nation.” 

“Why’s that?” 

“Traditionally, it’s when the Crown Prince, or in Izumi’s case, Princess, starts sitting on the small council and has to take up a stronger political role than just kissing babies and doing well in school… it’s seen as the last day of childhood.”  

Oh Bumi thinks. “That’s why she’s so stressed.” 

“Most likely a factor.” 

“She never mentioned it.” 

“Well, you know Izumi. Unless it’s Zuko, getting her to tell you what’s wrong is like pulling teeth. She is like you in that regard.” Bumi looks puzzled. “I read people very well,” she says in reply to his reaction. There’s a pause as she regards him. “I do not imagine it is easy to be a non-bender in a family like yours.” 

“Man, you really don’t hold back.” 

She offers him a half smile. “I understand the fear of being a disappointment too. When I was 12 I was so scared of failure and what would happen if I disappointed my father. It was not even two years by the time I self destructed.” 

“I’m not going to self destruct,” he mutters. 

“Then you might need some help carrying that weight on your shoulders around.” 

He is quiet for a minute. “What if there’s no one to help me?” 

 She glances down at a small ink drawing of her mother, Zuko, and herself  that sits on her desk. “From my experience,  you can often find help in very unexpected places, but you have to be open to being helped.” 

AN: you cannot convince me Azula didn’t get a redemption arc and a lot of healing and become a strange source of wisdom. you just can’t. azula redemptions are a peak of feminist literature. 

I imagine redeemed Azula serves Zuko in a position similar to the hand of the king from GoT. 

[jaxsteamblog]

Glowing

Click here to read the entire fic on AO3

The library felt both cavernous and claustrophobic as Katara thought of the hundreds of pounds of sand above them. It had been lucky that Malina introduced them to Professor Zei, who she had met when they were students at Ba Sing Se University. It had been lucky that Toph was able to feel out the library, despite the sand rendering her truly blind for most of their trip. And it was lucky the weird fox showed up when it did.

But as they started over one crumbling walkway, Katara felt her stomach twist.

The stacks were massive and defied reason as they seemed to hover in empty space. Toph was quiet, only pausing to tap her feet everyone in a while and shake her head. Thuy, having found her group, clustered with the others and whispered among them. Out of all of them, only Mister Whiskers seemed unbothered.

Zuko led the way, holding out a flame.

At an intersection, they stopped at the wide platform and looked around. A breeze picked up and a massive shadow slammed down in front of them. A few of the young ones behind Katara yelped.

A large white face turned to them all and Katara almost lost her breakfast.

“Why have you trespassed in my library?” The titan of an owl asked.

“Wan Shi Tong!” Professor Zei exclaimed, rushing forward. “We’ve come seeking knowledge!”

“The last human I allowed in my library sought knowledge for the purpose of destruction. I will not abide such desecration. Speak your intentions and I will decide if you may enter.” Wan Shi Tong said. Katara’s stomach sank and she grabbed onto Zuko’s arm for support.

“I’m only tagging along since I can’t, you know, read.” Toph spoke up.

Wan Shi Tong tilted his head to a disturbing angle and Katara swallowed a lump in her throat.

“You okay?” Zuko whispered.

“Fine.” Katara hissed.

“We have texts in all forms, including the ones read with your,” Wan Shi Tong lifted his wings and flapped them gently. “Fingers.”

“Oh lit.” Toph said and Thuy groaned. “Then what do you have on metallurgy?”

“Why?” Wan Shi Tong questioned. “I have seen how your kind has weaponized even the meanest of elements in this world.”

“I just like being an asshole.” Toph stated with a shrug. “And I want to know how to make equipment more cold resistant.”

“Aw, Sifu.” Thuy said and Toph waved her away.

“Acceptable.” Wan Shi Tong said. “Now, the rest of you.”

“I am only here to seek as much knowledge as I can.” Professor Zei said.

“A lie.” Wan Shi Tong announced.

“Sorry bucko, but the nerd is telling the truth.” Toph interjected.

“And how do you know that, human?” Wan Shi Tong shot back.

“My bending. I can tell when someone is lying. And how many of those weird foxes you have in here.”

“How many?”

“Fifty-seven.”

“Seven? Ling got out again.” Wan Shi Tong muttered. He then ruffled his feathers and straightened. “Fine, but what of the rest of you?”

“The Avatar and I are looking for information about Energybending.” Katara said.

“The Avatar?” Wan Shi Tong flew past them, an eel of blackness, and coiled around Thuy. Forcing the others back, Wan Shi Tong loomed over her.

“Ah, I see. I am sad to hear of Aang’s passing. I was fond of him.” He announced.

“He did not tell me you were this scary.” Thuy rasped out. Wan Shi Tong’s head bobbled and he laughed.

“My apologies, Avatar.” He said.

“I know the rest of us just came along with Thuy,” Tashi said, grabbing Wan Shi Tong’s attention. “But since this is actually real, I would like to find stuff pre-Avatar Wan.”

“Wan.” Wan Shi Tong muttered.

“I do not need to hear anything further. I will leave you to my attendant, but be aware that I will know what you take. If I think you are attempting to abuse my library, I will sink the whole building with all of you in it.” He said and, before the group’s bewilderment could find a voice, launched himself upward.

“I am done with spirits.” Sokka muttered.

“Alright team, let's go.” Thuy said, trying to sound cheerful.

“I’m going with Toph.” Jae-hwan announced.

“Figures.” Toph said, pushing her student.

“I’d like to go too, if that’s okay.” Aktuk said.

“You’re not trailing after Thuy?” Jae-hwan mocked and Aktuk blushed.

“He’s got the leg you idiot.” Toph said, smacking the back of Jae-hwan’s head. “Of course he’s going with me.”

“If this place really has everything, I’m going for the poetry.” Sokka announced.

“Poetry?” Jae-hwan questioned.

“You know, if you put something other than dirt into that blockhead of yours, you might be a better Bender.” Toph said.

“He’s not a Bender!” Jae-hwan protested.

“And yet he will always kick your ass, dust bunny.” Toph said and then ruffled his hair, grinning.

“I’m not feeling well, so I think I’m going to stay here.” Suki said, sliding down the stone railing and pulling off her backpack.

“Mister Whiskers can stay with you.” Thuy stated.

“Thanks, hun.” Suki said and smiled.

“I’ll stay too.” Tashi spun his closed glider and sat near Suki, laying the apparatus across his lap.

The rest of them split up, following foxes that took them down separate walkways from the platform. Katara and her group were led to a large table to set up a sort of camp. Foxes brought lanterns or else escorted Thuy, Suzu, and Zula off to find books.

From their packs, they pulled out snacks and water, setting into the tomes and scrolls that the fox librarians pointed out for them.

Energybending was a theory Avatar Aang had explored. Airbenders were assumed to be more intune with the energy of the world, but Waterbenders had a stronger connection to spirits. Aang wondered if there was a connecting force after seeing how some Waterbender midwives were able to identify if an unborn child would be a Bender.

That, along with the concept of chi blocking, led him to believe that Bending ability could be locked and unlocked, even in people believed to be non-Benders.

Zuko was hoping to find something that would help him deal with his father. The recent coup attempt was backing him into a corner and neither he nor Katara wanted to see the man executed.

For hours they poured over books, while Katara sucked on various candies to help her nausea. They broke to eat and compare notes, but only Katara and Thuy could even begin to make sense of what was written. The Firebenders had a different connection to their bending.

“Wait, let me see if I understand this.” Thuy said, turning in her seat to face Katara. With a book open on the table, Thuy traced down the page with one finger while her other hand waved in front of Katara’s face.

“If the lines go from…” Thuy murmured, looking at the book for a moment before making the gestures in the air. She moved down Katara’s front and startled at her chest.

“Is that your heartbeat or your bending?” She asked.

“Probably heartbeat.” Katara said with a laugh. “The water chakra is lower down. And the Water Tribe thinks the chi is held in the bladder anyway.”

Thuy lowered her hands toward Katara’s lap and concentrated.

“I think I can feel it, but it’s weird.” Thuy said.

Alarmed, Katara looked back at Zuko for a moment.

“Weird?” She repeated, looking at Thuy, who was frowning at her hands.

“Maybe it’s me, but it feels similar to the energy around your heart.” She said. Then, shaking her head, she sat back. “I must not understand.”

Katara leaned over and looked at the book. Straightening in her seat, Katara made the same gestures over her lower abdomen.

It was a weird feeling and she frowned as well.

“What about me?” Thuy asked.

Katara turned and they face each other. Following the diagrams of the book, Katara scanned over Thuy’s body. There was a strong energy in every major point, but a lot of it was centered at her lower abdomen. She was a native Waterbender afterall.

“Try us.” Suzu offered. Thuy stood and went to her friends while Katara turned and faced Zuko.

With the same scan, Katara could feel the energy in his stomach, right where it was supposed to be. With her bloodbending tied to her waterbending, Katara could feel his pulse and knew the difference. What she had felt inside of herself was, foreign.

“You’re worried.” Zuko stated.

“I just don’t know what I was feeling. I get that I wouldn’t have the same thing as Thuy, but even her’s made sense.” Katara said and rubbed her forehead.

“Suzu and Zula feel really similar.” Thuy stated. “And it confused me for a second too.”

“But I’m-” Katara stopped and the blood drained from her face. Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Not two people.”

“What?” Zuko asked, his voice strained.

“I think I’m pregnant.” Katara said and met his eye.

Zuko blinked and then started laughing. He grabbed her, hugging her as they sat and Katara felt tears in her eyes.

“Pregnant?” Thuy shrieked.

“Baby?” Suzu asked as she inhaled a sharp breath.

“So is that why you and Suki have been trying not to puke up your guts all week?” Zula asked.

Suzu whirled on her sister.

“BABIES?” She demanded.

“Katara, this explains so much.” Zuko said, sitting back and pushing her hair back from her face.

“Like what?” She asked.

“Why you’ve been glowing.” He said.

“Hush.” Katara sniffed and wiped her running nose on a napkin. “Look, now that I know it’s not the flu, we really need to focus on this.”

“I can literally not focus on anything else but the fact that you are PREGNANT.” Thuy said.

“Blazes.” Katara groaned, laying her head on the table. With a smile, she placed a hand on her stomach.

Behind her, Thuy and Suzu started hopping around in celebration while Zuko rubbed circles on her back.

“Can you tell if it’s a boy or girl?” Suzu gasped.

“Why would you seriously ask that question of me?” Thuy asked. “Me?”

“Maybe it’s like chi, Thuy, and not parts. Did you ever think of that? Huh?” Suzu retorted.

“You both are giving me a headache.” Zula stated.

“I love you.” Zuko whispered.

Katara sat up and he kissed her quickly.

“Can we figure out how to deal with your dad now?” She asked.

“We might not need to. I’m pretty sure when he finds out he’s going to be a grandfather, he’ll have a heart attack.” Zuko said.

Katara snorted.

“Still.” She said.

“Fine. I can’t deny you anything now.”

“Like you could before?”

Zuko smiled and kissed her again.

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[gloves94]

Sunburn [Prince Zuko] 8

Warnings: None   Rating: PG-13   Pairings: Zuko/OC   Summary:  “You have everything you’ve ever wanted.” “No.” He said softly. “Not everything…”  His golden eyes looked at her with a melting intensity she had never witnessed before. “I guess not.” She responded with glassy eyes as tears welled up threatening to break the dam of her eyes.

My fanfiction: M A S T E R L I S T

A brown speck floated in a blue vastness in the middle of a lost sea.

Tsai lay on a boat she had stolen back in Mo Ce regretting every single decision she had done in her short life. Her moral compass had been askew. She could not believe she had actually stolen a humble fisherman's boat back at the docks. Why did she think she would be able to navigate a boat with absolutely no sailing experience? She had been lost at sea for days. Her only guide had been the north star which would compass her in the direction of the Northern Water Tribe. It seemed simple enough at the time. The air had been growing colder as the days passed and she thought she was approaching north due to the drastic climate change. She presently lay across the deck sprawled out like a starfish. Her skin was being burnt by the vicious sun, she was starving and was severely dehydrated.

Having had left Prince Zuko's ship in a rush she hadn't even manage to bring her belongings with her. Only picked up some supplies at the local village with the little money she carried on her person.

She regretted leaving home. She regretted attempting to follow her grandfather's dream.

Freeing the Avatar. Following Iroh on this fool's errand. The worst part is that nobody would know what happened to her now. She would die a disgrace to her clan. She would bring shame to her family. To her grandfather's name. It was then that she thought of him. She thought about him every day. Would he be embarrassed of her?

She sighed and closed her eyes- at this rate - she'd ask him herself soon...

Xxx

A cool sensation brushed against the auburn hair girl's skin. The cold wind made her shiver as she was able to regain the sensation in her skin. She turned over pulling herself together in a fetal position and her eyes cracked open to see a blurry blue shaped figure kneeling before her. Water dripped down her chin- water.

She parted her lips open and drank.

Xxx

"I'm not one to complain," a male voice whined. "But can't Appa fly any higher?"

Distorted conversations had resounded in her ears from a while now. Some were incoherent others more distinguishable.

'What's an Appa?'

"I have an idea! Why don't we all get on your back and you could fly us to the North Pole!" Another voice retorted. This one was younger, a bit more child-like.

"I'd love to," the original voice retorted dripping with sarcasm. "Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff."

"W-what's a Sokka?" she mumbled slowly opening her eyes returning to the world with partial consciousness.

She slowly sat up leaning on her elbows and touching her head with her other hand she had a pulsating headache and found herself being covered by a heavy wool blanket.

"She's awake!" A female voice announced loudly.

Tsai took a minute to look at the two people that were gathered around her. Both had tanned brown skin, their eyes were blue and their hair was dark brown. They were wearing parkas in traditional Water Tribe fashion. They looked oddly familiar for some reason.

"Who are you?" She said attempting to scoot away from these strangers. "You're safe now," the girl spoke in tone which was not welcoming. She pulled out a cantaloupe and offered the girl some water which she desperately took in hopes it would quench her burning thirst.

Tsai eyed the girl with the loopy hairstyle through the corner of her eye. Her expression was bitter towards her. She could tell that for whatever reason this girl did not like her.

"We found your ship," the girl explained. "Aang said he had a feeling he had to go down and that's where we found you. You were dehydrated and sunburnt. We don't know how long you were out at sea."

She simply remained still taking it all in. Lowering her head in shame.

Her eyes drifted up and she saw a pair of large grey eyes starring back at her. The arrow above his forehead unmistakable. The Avatar. Then it all clicked together. She was flying on top of the Avatar's flying bison. The Avatar was on board and these two Water Tribe people were his loyal team mates.

"You're Prince Zuko's girlfriend?" The male with the fade haircut and ponytail accused. It was more of statement than a question. His eyebrow was raised in suspicion and mistrust.

The red tint that spread across her features did not go amiss to the group. She didn't want to think about her last moments with him. They were too painful. It was too much, too many complicated emotions to dissect at the moment.

"He wishes." She let out what sounded like a humorous huff. "My name is Tsai," she explained reclaiming her identity. She hoped they would come to know her as more than her association to the Fire Nation's prince. She proceed to explain her entire story and to tell them about when she saved Aang at the Pohuai Stronghold and how they met again in the Abbey and how she ran away to meet them at the Northern Water Tribe.

"This is you!" The teenage boy suddenly pulled out a parchment from a bag. It was the WANTED poster her brother had sent her. The one in which she went by the alias of Haru.

"Eyup," she said lazily. She wasn't proud of her wanted poster. Of the shame she had brought to her family and to her name. It wouldn't be long until somebody identified her and wrote her real name down. The thought of it made her stomach churn uncomfortably. Speaking of stomachs a sharp pain in her gut suddenly made her bent over.

"Here," The girl said fishing out what looked like dried nuts and seeds and handed it over to her. "Eat them slowly." She instructed and avoided Tsai's hand not wanting to touch or even be around her.

Regardless the girl was grateful for their kindness and began eating. "This is my brother Sokka, I'm Katara and you've met Aang." She said signaling to the Avatar.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Sokka still asked warily rubbing his chin. "First of all," she said weakly raising up an index finger. "I'm a non bender- what harm could I possibly do?" "Hey!" He protested. "I'm a non bender too! And I can do a lot of damage!" He whined fuming.

"She saved my life once Sokka, and because of it now hers is on the line," Aang interrupted taking his eyes off the horizon ahead of them. Sokka nodded, it made sense to him.

"Avatar-" Tsai began. "Aang, just Aang," he smiled over his shoulder.

"Aang. I wanted to talk to you-" she struggled to keep her eyes open. "About equality. I want all parties in this war to be equal."

Suddenly feeling faint. The girl laid back down, her eyes slowly shutting. She guessed her conversation with the Avatar would have to wait until some other time. And just like that she fell asleep once more. This time feeling more at peace than before.

Xxx

Moments later the group had been welcomed in to the Northern Water Tribe with open arms. Tsai only came back into consciousness when they arrived at the palace. Where everything was cold and crafted out of snow. She didn't like this place, it was cold, void, and everything was way too neat. For the first time in what seemed to be forever she felt home sick. She wanted to go back to Yu Dao and simply be in her room with Mecha or be in the indoor garden watching the swimming koi with her mother. Maybe even pestering her father while he attended his governing duties.

"Well, nobody likes this style anyways," one of the Waterbenders that had welcomed them had said when handing the colonial girl a parka which was a beige color and some dark brown pants and boots. "They haven't been dyed yet,"the bender had explained. "In these areas you have to stay warm. You could get frost bite or even hypothermia and that's it. So make sure to be aware of your temperature." he had warned. "don't get wet."

Presently Aang and his gang sat in a long table inside of the Northern Water Tribe's snow palace. Tsai wondered if anybody from the Fire Nation had ever been inside here as a guest. She sat in the same row as the Avatar next to the Southern Water Tribe siblings she had now learned were named Sokka and Katara. They sat with their legs crossed as the leader of this tribe, Arnook, had decided to host a feast in their honor. Despite her exhaustion and hunger Tsai sat like she had been taught to her whole life, with her back straight and her chin up. Drums were being beaten in the background. She kept her eyes focused on the massive fountain that decorated the center of the room.

It wasn't the right time, but she wanted to have a serious conversation with Arnook and with Aang. The future of the Fire Nation and of Yu Dao depended on it.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe. And they brought with them one of the last Airbenders and someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now...The Avatar! Not only have they brought the Avatar, but the last Airbenders as well!" Arnook said grandly, gesturing to his guests. The crowd cheered and applauded, "We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!"

The edge of Tsai's eye twitched slightly. Arnook was suddenly beginning to sound a lot like her mother.

Suddenly a beautiful white-haired girl whom Tsai assumed to be Princess Yue stepped forward with two older women walking on either side and slightly behind her. Princess Yue smiled and briefly bowed her head demurely towards her father. She was beautiful. Her eyes were a striking blue, her hair white like rays of moon. She found herself unable to remove her eyes from her, feeling strangely drawn to her spirit.

"Thank you, Father." She said graciously then addressed the crowd, "May the great Ocean and Moon spirits watch over us during these troubled times!"

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" Arnook exclaimed, gesturing with one arm towards the three men standing on a raised platform across from the head table.

The older man, Master Pakku and the two younger men began Waterbending to significant bubbles of water from three large jugs in front of the raised platform, completely captivating the crowds. Aang and Katara were in awe as the two applauded almost jumping up from their seats. Tsai had never seen Waterbenders before, usually she would've been starring in awe but her hunger was too much and she began to as polished as possible eat the giant sea crab that had just been boiled, platypus bear, pickled fish and tentacle soup. Basically everything and anything that was in front of her. She ate as if she hadn't eaten in days, which to be fair she hadn't. And for dessert she had the sea prune stew. All delicious flavors that were unknown to her palette. Tsai was too busy eating that she did not notice the princess walking over and taking a seat besides Sokka who instantaneously stopped eating when he saw her. He swallowed a mouthful of food and brushed his hands clean against his clothes before leaning an elbow against the table as he attempted to look as cool and as nonchalant as possible.

"More for me," smirked Tsai as she helped herself to Sokka's food. He glared at her and it was then that the princess was starring at her intently. Her blue orbs frozen on her face. Magnetized. Tsai couldn't stop herself from starring as well. This sensation.. it was odd. She had never felt it before. It was emotional, it called more to her spirit.

It was then that her stomach grumbled. She snapped out of the trance and smiled politely before continuing to eat.

Moments later she sat with both hands on her stomach which now churned painful.

'Why did I eat so much?' She slouched slightly. Eyes focused on Arnook and the Avatar as she rehearsed the rhetoric she would say to them in separate meetings. She played a game of ping pong in her head, strategizing how the conversation would go. Snapping out of her train of thoughts she kept her eyes fixed on the Water Tribe leader as he lead Aang and Katara to Master Pakku who was standing on a raised platform. She watched the interaction and saw the water bending master walking away and Katara storming out. She didn't hesitate in flashing Tsai a deathly glare on her way out as she left the dinner party.

'What did I do?' She thought confused.

Once again exhaustion burdened her shoulders as she slowly leaned forward on the dinning table something which she considered to be extremely rude.

'No. I have to talk to him.' She decided determinedly and stood up approaching both Arnook and Aang who were at the center of the celebration.

Like most people from the Water Tribe Arnook had dark hair, skin and a set of striking blue eyes. He looked older than he should've due to the stress of the war.

"Chief Arnook," She approached them and bowed slightly stretching her hands out like she had always been educated in Fire Nation fashion.

His eyes widened slightly as he was taken aback by the gesture.

"My name is Tsai, I'm from Yu Dao, I'm-" She was interrupted.

"Fire Nation!" He said angrily.

She was taken aback by his reaction.

"You have brought a member of the Fire Nation to my tribe?" Arnook turned to scowl angrily at Aang.

"It's not like that," Aang defended. "She's not with the Fire Nation. She's with us."

"What if she leads them here? What if it is a trap? No Fire Nation citizen has set food in the North Pole in the last one hundred years! There is a reason why we have been able to survive this war for so long!"

"I'm-I mean no ill-" Tsai tumbled over her words as she struggled to find the proper thing to say. Everything she had rehearsed in her head before had just gone down the drain.

"Get out of my home!" He shouted. "You are not welcome here!"

She looked at him shellshocked her mouth gaping from the shock of his rejection.

"And your friend best be on her best behavior. She'll be watched closely. I'll be sure of it." He spoke menacingly before retreating.

Aang looked at her unsure of what to say and simply placed a comforting hang on her shoulder.

"Why? Why did he react in that way?" She asked confused. "I know the Fire Nation is at war, but I present no threat. I didn't even get to thank him for the meal," she said sadly.

Aang remained unsure of what to say. He really didn't meddle in these political matters.

"You'll have your chance to," he said with optimism before giving her shoulder a second pat. The girl let out a pessimistic sigh slightly dropping her head to the side. They decided to get out of here but before leaving Tsai noticed Arnook's daughter, the princess, still looking at her intently.

Some moments later they were escorted to a chamber outside the palace premises were Tsai and the others gave into sleep.

Xxx

Zuko was restless. He was sick of being on the ship. He was sick of sitting down, of laying down, of pacing up and down his small room. He was presently leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. His glare was fixed on a blank spot on the wall.

The events of the past days replaying on his head over and over again. Losing the Avatar.

Fighting Tsai.

Losing Tsai.

He had single handedly ran her out of his presence. He had done it again. He was completely alone, but most of all. He hated how her absence made her feel. Worst of all his uncle wouldn't shut up about how much she missed her and how she was the best Pai Sho player on board.

It was then that the metal door to his chamber open and Uncle Iroh poked his head inside.

"For the last time. I'm not playing the tsungi horn!" He snapped angrily.

"No, it's about our plans." Iroh said worriedly as he looked at his nephew carefully and stepped further into the dimly lit room, "There's a bit of a problem."

Zuko turned to see Admiral Zhao stepped into the room then, standing slightly behind Iroh as he stared at the banished prince coldly. That proud bastard stood tall with a smug expression on his face.

"I'm taking your crew." The Admiral stated matter-of-factly with a smirk on his face.

"What?!" Zuko demanded, pushing himself a way from the wall and moving to stand a foot or so away from the admiral.

"I'm taking them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao said with a vile smirk on his face as he enjoyed the sight of the of the seething prince.

"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko asked in disbelief as he looked over Zhao's shoulder at his uncle.

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone." Iroh confirmed then covered his eyes with his arm in sadness, "Even the cook."

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar." Zhao sneered down at the prince, "But I can't have you getting in my way again."

Zuko growled and charged towards Zhao with fire burning his eyes only for Iroh to move forward and stop him by putting his hands on his chest.

"No!" Iroh gasped, keeping his hands raised slightly as he and Zuko watched Zhao walk towards to crossed broadswords hanging on the wall of Zuko's cabin. His eyes growing slightly as recognition flickered through his eyes. He began connecting some dots in his head.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko." Zhao stated with feigned interested as he picked up one of the swords, remembering how the Blue Spirit had used the same kind of swords back at the Pohuai Stronghold to rescue the Avatar.

"I'm not." Zuko replied and looked off to the side, "They're antiques, just decorative."

Zhao scrutinized the prince skeptically then began examining the broadsword in his hand as he addressed Iroh, "Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

"Just rumors." Iroh answered flippantly, "I don't think he's real."

"He's real alright. He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation." Zhao stated as he walked towards the other two then twisted the sword so the blade was facing down as he held it out to Iroh, who took the broadsword from the Admiral's hand. "And so is his accomplice," it was then that he pulled out a parchment from his back pocket. It was a WANTED poster with the drawing of a an auburn haired girl that was more than familiar to both Zuko and Iroh. Iroh's poker face was impressive almost worthy of award recognition. Zuko's could've used some work. He gritted the back of his teeth.

"Seem familiar?" the Admiral arched an eyebrow as he attempted to dissect the expressions on their faces for the slightest hint of a tattle tale give away.

"Tsai of Yu Dao also goes by the alias of Haru. Reports say that she fled Yu Dao some time ago. Came to the Stronghold and working together with the Blue Spirit freed the Avatar. She was last seen at the docks near the Abbey. Strange coincidence that that the two of us were in the same place... at the same time," he said trailing off as he eyed the two of them suspiciously.

So that's why she had left. She hadn't left because of him. She had left to protect them! She probably knew that Zhao would come hunting her down and fled before they associated her with them.

It was then that Iroh let out a loud laugh and patted his stomach.

"But she's the daughter of the Vice Royal Governor," Iroh laughed once again. "You really think the teenage daughter of the Vice Royal Governor snuck into a military fortress and freed the Avatar? And I thought you didn't have a sense of humor," he laughed. When Iroh painted it the scenario sounded absolutely ridiculous.

Zhao seethed as he boiled in anger feeling slightly humilliated.

"I have a feeling that justice will catch up with them soon. Specially with that little slut," It took every muscle in his body to keep Zuko from lounging at Zhao. Fists clenched at his side. He could feel his Uncle's gaze fixed on him. "Sounds personal," Iroh commented. Zhao ignored the comment and continued as he walked towards the door to the cabin and paused in the doorway with one hand on the door, "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands...if you change your mind."

Zuko's jaw clenched as he and his uncle watched the other man leave the room, closing the metal door behind him.

Xxx

The next morning Tsai awoke feeling like a brand new person. Well rested and well fed she awoke and took her time doing her routine. It was hard not to be annoyed by Katara who excitedly chattered about how excited she was for her first waterbending lesson.

"What are you going to do today Tsai?" Aang asked as they got ready to leave for breakfast.

She paused for a moment. She had to have a conversation with him and with Arnook at some point, but it would have to wait. It had to be done correctly at the correct place at the correct time. Also it's not like she had money to shop around the market or buy any teas.

"Explore," she spoke ominously after a moment. She really wasn't in the highest of spirits. She meditated writing to her brother. Lost in thought she decided to explore the window show the local market.

The market was cold, filled with fish, sea food and other traditional Water Tribe artifacts such as carved necklaces and bead bracelets. She looked at the sea prunes and vast variety of roots, sea flora and fauna on the stalls. Some seemed familiar and she could identify from the many levels of encyclopedia she had read back in the palace. She would've love to try more of their delicacies but didn't even have the money to spend. Word of her being from the Fire Nation spread like wildfire and all villagers were wary of her. Hiding merchandise and glaring at her with pure hatred which confused her to no end. She felt hyper conscious and more alone than ever. Being shunned like that from all the others.

Talking to Arnook was going to be harder than she had expected. Feeling a presence next to her she turned and was surprised to see the white haired sixteen year old, it was Princess Yue.

"Majesty," she lightly bowed her head pressing her palms together as Fire Nation citizens usually did as a sign of respect. Several passersby gasped at this.

"Yue will do," she swatted her hand down reaching for her hands lowering them. "You're a princess too, right?" She asked the auburn hair girl

She smiled kindly at her in response. "Not quite," Tsai cracked a smile for what seemed to be the first time in forever. "My father is the Viceroyal Governor of Yu Dao, one of the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom." She explained. "It's an hereditary title, but I'm afraid we are not royals."

"Want to come shopping with me?" The white haired girl offered her company to the other. With nothing else to do, feeling at ease, warmed and welcomed Tsai gladly accepted the invitation.

"By the way, I love your makeup," the Fire Nation girl complimented.

Xxx

Seeing Tsai and Yue walking together around the Northern Water Tribe was odd- maybe even scandalous. Seeing them together was odd. It was like two sides of the same coin.

Yue had confessed that she was interested in knowing more about her culture. Being the first outsider she had ever met in her life she had become intrigued by what the life of another sixteen year was like in another world. Specially one from the Fire Nation.

Yue showed Tsai around the market and anything that Tsai tried on or said she wanted was given to her as an offering as they all bowed to their beloved princess with respect. By now the girl resembled her old self a little more. Her eyelids were coated with some light brown eyeshadow and her lips with a peony pink lip balm. Nails were again polished dark. Seeing the two teenagers, one with bold auburn hair, the other with white, one wearing yellow the other wearing blue. It was a strong contrast that was not unperceived by others.

"So do you have a boyfriend?" Yue asked as they both sat on a gondola riding to the other side of the city. Yue had insisted that she wanted to show Tsai her favorite spot in the heart of the city.

Tsai hummed as she thought of her answer. Did she? Everyone she met thought Prince Zuko was her boyfriend, but was he?

"Erm- it's complicated," she admitted with a sheepish grin. Yue raised an eyebrow intrigued by the story. "Well," she ran a hand through her hair nervously. She wasn't home were she could have girl talk with her friends and it's not like she could talk about this with Katara. She would immediately know who she was talking about and shun her just like all the others.

"Well- the last time I saw him we were on his boat and we got in a fight," she began sadly.

Unknowingly to Tsai, Yue was picturing the most romantic scenario possible. A gondola in a pond and a verbal argument, not a physical one like it had been.

"We were on his boat and he kissed me mid argument," she blushed. "That is so romantic!" The other girl cooed. "I was so surprised I just- froze. You see he's- odd, complicated, mysterious-" "You are so crushing on him," the white haired girl gushed as they continued walking. Tsai felt her ears turn red. She shook her head and focused on the story. "And since I didn't kiss him back he took it as a rejection." "Was it one?" The other inquired surprised. "No- well- yes, erm- kind of," Tsai shook her head, eyes closed. "He's just! He can be such a child sometimes! He has a lot of growing up to do. Besides I can't deal with all of his baggage and inner demons," she shrugged. "That's something he has to figure out himself. You know what I mean?" "You sound so sure. I wish I was half as mature as you are," Yue sighed. "Trust me I am neither of those things," Tsai rolled her eyes before letting out a laugh. "I don't know what love is supposed to be or feel like, but I do know it doesn't call you a "pest" and push your buttons."

"Did I mention toxic?" She added.

"Oh, that sounds like a lot of fun. You're lucky you're not a royal. Most of us have arranged marriages and even then all the boys here are so dull. You know one you know them all. I really wish I could meet someone different," she sighed with a slight frown.

It was then that a voice called out her name.

"Princess Yue, good morning!" Sokka called out when he saw the Northern Water Tribe princess's gondola pass under the bridge he'd been standing on and he quickly ran down the steps and along the small path beside the canal until he caught up with Yue's boat.

"Somebody like Sokka perhaphs?" the red-head sniggered. Yue elbowed her to keep quiet with a giggle.

"Hey, how about that picnic last night?" Sokka questioned as he slowed to a walk alongside their boat and rubbed the back of his head as he caught his breath, "Boy, your dad sure knows how to throw a party."

"Yeah, Sokka would've eaten the entire Giant Crab if Katara hadn't stopped him," Tsai teased. Sokka flashed her a deathly glare and Yue tried to stiffle her laugher. "I'm happy you enjoyed yourself." She replied sincerely with a slight smile as she looked at the boy.

"Well, it wasn't as much fun after you left." Sokka confessed then blushed which caused the white haired princess to blush as well.Tsai rolled her eyes a smile on her face.

Sokka cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "So, I'm still hoping we could see more of each other."

"Do an activity, you mean?" Yue asked in amusement as she watched the boy struggle from the corner of her eye, her lips curled in a small smile. Tsai giggled with her friend. She strongly fought the urge to make a sarcastic comments.

"Yes!" Sokka agreed eagerly, then awkwardly continued as he gestured with his hands, "At a place...for some time."

"I'd love to. I'll meet you on that bridge tonight." Yue said with a light laugh as she pointed towards the bridge in front of her.

"Great! I'll see you-Ah!" Sokka's happy reply was cut off by him yelping as he walked off the small ice path and into the water.

Both girls giggled behind their hands, peering behind her as the gondola continued moving forward.

"Sorry." She apologized and waved slightly with one hand. "That was adorable," Tsai laughed. "He's so cute!" Yue commented back with a blush "I-I just, I feel like I shouldn't lead him on," she said softly. Tsai had seen Sokka snoring the night before and picking his ear wax in the morning, in her eyes he wasn't that type but didn't want to ruin Yue's day dream. "Lead him on? There's no harm in just getting to know him," she advised wisely.

She spaced out for a moment imagining if Zuko would ever do something like that for her. She raised her eyebrows at the horrible imagery.

"Go out with me!" He would probably state bluntly sounding more of a demand than an invitation his cheeks red. For some reason there was also fire blazing in the background. She shook her head.

"So what are you wearing?" She gushed excited for her friend.

Some moments later they were at the spot that Yue had mentioned. It was a serene bond at the heart of the Water Tribe. Even the air felt warmer as they approached it. An oasis of peace blossomed in the midst of the snowy desert. At the end under a falling waterfall was some lush greenery growing, mist clouded the secluded area. Not a single sound could be heard.

"What is this place?" Tsai asked softly feeling like she might be disrespectful if she raised her voice. They both crossed a wooden bridge that lead to the island in the center of the body of water.

"This is the Spirit Oasis. It is the center of all spiritual energy in our land," Yue explained as they stood a foot away from the pond. In it Tsai could see two koi fish swimming. One was black with a white spot and the other identical in contrast. The fish swam in circles around each other in what seemed like an eternal dance of push and pull.

"Why have you brought me here?" Tsai asked perplexed as she removed her eyes from the koi fish and turned to look at her friend.

"I'm afraid I haven't been completely honest with you," Yue apologized. "I'm not interested in knowing about your culture or your life in the Fire Nation's colonies."

Tsai looked at her impatiently with an arched eyebrow.

"When I first saw you- when I met you- I felt a strange connection to you. As if we already knew each other." She explained.

The red-head was silent for a moment. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here-" Yue began turning away.

"No," Tsai raised a hand. "I felt it too." She spoke suddenly. "Almost like a pull?"

Yue stopped in her way and turned to face her friend.

"I feel like I've known you for a lifetime," the girl from the colonies confessed. It was such an odd feeling...

"I just had the feeling we had to be here. Together. The two of us." Yue explained. Tsai lowered her eyes to look at the two fish in the pond it looked as if she was almost hypnotized or in a trance.

Her mind went blank for a moment and she could've sworn she saw a bright light and felt a comforting heat before snapping out of it. She touched her arms feeling warm almost toasty. It was that pleasant feeling you get after a long day at the beach. She felt as if she had just been sun kissed.

xxx

AN: Oooohhh So what are we thinking? Why do you guys think Katara dislikes Tsai so much?

xxxx

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CHAPTER MASTERLIST

[thefangirlingdead]

I wasn’t planning on updating this quickly, but I went and watched the Supernatural finale and made myself sad (which is comical cause I haven’t actively watched that show in 5 years) so I figured I’d update this (also very sad) fic as a way to distract myself. That makes sense, right??

I took some elements from the “Imbalance” comics to depict the tensions between benders and non-benders in this chapter. If you haven’t read them, you’ll definitely still be able to grasp the concept!

Strap in, friends. This is a heavy one.

By the time that Zuko is stepping down the gangplank and onto solid ground, the sun has all but set around him. The sky, which was once painted in soft pastels and warm reds, has transformed into a muted periwinkle and a deep navy as the sun disappears behind distant mountains. Even Air Temple Island - the quiet, vibrant little slice of paradise just off of the shores of Republic City - feels dull and lifeless. Could it be that the world senses a great loss? Do the spirits understand the gravity of what just happened? The importance of the person that was just taken from them? Or is it just a trick of the light, maybe just Zuko’s mind playing tricks on him?

Either way, as Zuko steps off of the airship and onto the shore, he can’t help but think back to one of the last times he visited Air Temple Island, just after Bumi was born. It had been springtime, and the island was bustling with activity, blooming with colorful flowers and filled with the sound of chatter and laughter. It felt alive.

The island doesn’t feel the same, now.

As Zuko steps off of the airship, he gazes up at the steps before him, long and winding, leading up to the temple and Aang and Katara’s home and -

And as he looks up at the looming air temple before him, he spies a lone silhouette, standing stock-still about a third of the way up the steps, hair blowing slightly in the soft breeze.

“Katara,” Zuko breathes, his voice raspy and thick with emotion.

He’s not sure if she can hear him from where she stands, but regardless, the moment seems to break, and suddenly, Katara is moving. Although his body still feels numb with disbelief, Zuko takes a few steps forward as well, closing the distance between him and the waterbender until they collide in a tight, bone-crushing embrace at the bottom of the steps.

Zuko doesn’t say anything. He can’t say anything. Instead, he just hugs Katara tightly, squeezing his eyes shut, and he knows in that moment that there is no misunderstanding the contents of her letter - the letter folded in the inner breast pocket of Zuko’s tunic, that he can’t bring himself to touch or look at anymore, but he couldn’t just leave in the Fire Nation.

Suki is gone.

The weight of the world comes crashing down around him as they embrace, and for a moment, Zuko feels like the weak, unsure, scared teenager that he once was, when he and Katara first met. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. They ended the war. There wasn’t supposed to be any more suffering.

Of course, Zuko isn’t naive enough to believe that the world is perfect. Although they ended the war and brought a semblance of peace to the four nations, Zuko knows more than anyone that there is always more work to be done. The first five years following the end of the war were some of the most challenging, and in that time Zuko quickly came to understand that the world will never truly be at peace - that it’s up to people like Aang and their friends and allies to try to keep the balance.

He just didn’t think it would come to this.

[presumenothing]

one more light

ALRIGHT SO this isn’t a new fic but i just realised i somehow never did post this to tumblr, so here it is: 2k worth of atla zombie apocalypse non-au. 

no archive warning content beyond the fact of. y’know. zombies

(AO3)

i.

“It’s not your fault, Aang,” Katara says after they beat back the latest siege, and only his sister could still sound sincere even in something they’ve all said at least a dozen times by now.

Sokka feels so proud of her that his heart is almost bursting… or maybe that’s just the effort of hacking his way through dozens of actual damned zombies. A bit of both, really.

Not that the rest of them don’t believe what she’s saying. This whole mess is Sozin and maybe Roku’s fault if it’s anyone’s, and Sokka would gladly repeat that until he went hoarse if he thought Aang would listen.

But Katara is the one who’s always believed in Aang before any of them did, and that sort of thing made a difference.

Or it used to, at least, but today there’s no brightening in Aang’s expression as he stands up, glider having never left his hands. “I’ll take first watch.”

Biting her lower lip, Katara meets Sokka’s gaze as Aang flies off without waiting for any response, and Sokka shakes his head slightly: let him be.

“Twinkletoes fly off again?”

“Yeah.” When Sokka looks over, Toph’s eyebrows are furrowed in what he would’ve called concern if it hadn’t been on someone who could still fling him off the cliff even after a whole day of fighting. “He’s… not doing too well.”

Not that any of them really are, by this point. Toph doesn’t even call him out for stating the obvious, only crosses her arms. “I wish Sparky was here.”

“You and me both,” he admits – and fine, yes, it’s already enough of a lucky coincidence that the four of them had been travelling together when the sudden case of apocalypse broke out, so asking for more would just be tempting fate, but…

Sokka sighs. “I’m sure he’s fine. Jerkbender doesn’t know how to lose.”

Toph’s punch on his shoulder is far lighter than her usual. “You’re a real shitty liar, Snoozles.”

“Doesn’t make me wrong,” Sokka retorts, and he really really hopes he isn’t wrong. Because Zuko has his firebending and his dual swords and a whole palace full of scarily armed guards plus Suki hellbent on protecting the first sane Fire Lord, so there isn’t any reason why he shouldn’t be okay except that there is.

A century of war dead, in every corner of their world. Legion doesn’t even begin to cover it.

.

.

ii.

Aang had still tried to be careful, at first – dodging blows from shambling corpses is easier than usual, if anything, and he could call up enough water or earth to freeze a half-dozen bodies in one sweep even if it wouldn’t be fatal (insofar as that applied to the undead).

Not that they really had any other option besides stopping them permanently; Katara had tried healing once, on someone who’d just been turned an hour before, and the way her entire face had gone grey answered that well enough.

But Aang is still their most powerful fighter, and after everything with Ozai none of them had been willing to say anything until they almost lost three people to a too-quick thaw. Toph had been the one to react, a flying shard of rock decapacitating the half-frozen zombie with extreme prejudice right before it could lurch onto the cowering villagers, and later she’d also been the one to say it.

“They’re already dead, Aang! Someone’s going to die if you keep this up, and it’s gonna be one of us still alive!” Toph had shouted, eyes glimmering even as Aang stood too quiet and too still, and even now Sokka isn’t sure which had been the worse sight.

.

.

iii.

In a way, taking down zombies as a non-bender is – well, maybe not easier, but at least a sword thrust clean through the throat works just the same on everything.

It wouldn’t have been Sokka’s first choice of target before, but at least he hadn’t needed to change strategies as much as the benders had: internal injuries from blunt force rock don’t slow down an opponent who lacked working organs to start with, and getting frozen in ice probably ranked as a minor inconvenience compared to literally being dead.

Toph had begun hoarding metal after their first fight, and now could bend and fire wickedly-sharp blades in a manner scarily reminiscent of Mai except she never ran out. Katara’s ice missiles aim for the head instead, and Sokka doesn’t need a closer look to know that her ice had gotten denser, heavier somehow, even if he doesn’t quite know how.

At least air still works the same in clearing a swathe through the hordes when they need it, which is just as well – Aang fights almost solely as an airbender, now.

It had taken Sokka a while to realise, since he’d initially sorta assumed that Aang had just been avoiding any use of fire (because the stench of rotten flesh burning is really enough to make anyone consider joining Aang in vegetarianism).

But then he’d paid more attention, and confirmed it with Katara and Toph: Aang really doesn’t fight with anything but air unless he’s forced to. Like he’s not the Avatar at all.

And that makes its own sense, in a twisty sort of way – even after they’d ended the war and brought some sort of peace Sokka knows that Aang still blames himself for having let things get that far, and being the bridge to the spirits doesn’t help this situation at all because it had nothing to do with the spirits to begin with as far as they could tell, so what good is the Avatar?

…just because it makes sense doesn’t mean that Sokka has to like it, and he is going to confront Aang about it one of these days as soon as he’s figured out what to say. Just like how he still needs to talk to Katara about what the heck happened during that fight in the desert.

(All Sokka knows for sure is that Katara had run out of water to bend even though they still had far too many zombies to take down, so instead she had reached and–

Empty bodies had fallen like cut marionettes in a half-circle around her, in the same moment that Katara had turned to the side and thrown up, and if Sokka’s being honest with himself he thinks he can figure out what happened there too even without asking Katara about it.)

(There are many things they don’t talk about, these days.)

.

.

iv.

At least it’s a blessing in disguise that Aang and Zuko had already gone through the Air Temples to perform the appropriate rites, because they’ve proved to be the current best option for evacuating people and keeping them safe.

Not that the temples are invulnerable, not by a long shot – but it’s better than staying on flat ground, and definitely way better than it would’ve been if there’d still been century-old corpses scattered around.

Also, it turns out zombies aren’t really keen on higher altitudes. Who could’ve guessed?

Admittedly the temples were never built to host that many people, especially not after standing vacant for this long, but it’s the best they can do for now. Iroh had told them about the White Lotus safehouses, of course, just in case everything went wrong during the comet and they needed some place to regroup, but Sokka has to wonder if those are fortified enough.

He tries to imagine Master Piandao preparing for the zombie apocalypse and can’t help a snicker.

Aang, staring straight ahead, doesn’t notice.

It’s just the two of them on Appa now as they make their way back down from ferrying more people up to the temple, so Sokka isn’t expecting it when Aang shoots upright from his seat on Appa’s head, turning wide-eyed to shout in the direction of the saddle. “Take the reins, I have to get down there!”

Sokka almost yelps in alarm when Aang barely waits for his glider to open before throwing himself out mid-air, but then he looks down and does swear a dozen things that would have Gran-Gran washing his mouth out if she heard, because there’s no mistaking those bursts of blue fire.

He urges Appa down at top speed and scrambles off once they touch land to see Katara facing off squarely against Azula, Aang by her side and Toph a few paces behind.

There’s at least a dozen ice daggers hanging in the air around Katara, but Azula doesn’t even seem bothered. “Zuzu? Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“I took you down once, Azula.” Katara’s voice is scarily level as Sokka slows to a stop beside Toph. “I can do it again. For the last time: where is Zuko?”

Azula doesn’t even bother to answer now, only throws her head back with a laugh, and Sokka can see Aang tensing up in preparation to redirect lightning–

–can see Toph twitch in something like surprise, opening her mouth to say something just as another voice roars: “Hold your fire!”

A grin spreads across Toph’s face even as Sokka turns, and there they are: Zuko supporting Suki as she limps up to them, both looking worse for wear but still safe.

Suki waves at them with her free hand, smile a little wan. “Hey. Sorry we’re late?”

.

.

v.

Sokka volunteers for first watch before anyone else can.

He’s only just gotten settled in when Zuko comes over to sit beside him, and if Zuko notices that this position conveniently lets Sokka keep a lookout while still being able to see Suki – screw it, okay, he hasn’t seen his girlfriend in ages and he’s missed her like hell.

They’d gotten the chance to talk earlier while Katara had been healing Suki’s twisted ankle, but even now that Sokka knows she’s okay, it’s still good to have the visual reminder.

Zuko doesn’t comment on it, though, so it’s up to Sokka to point out the obvious. “You can rest, y’know. Katara will wake you when it’s your turn.”

“In a while, maybe. I’m not sleepy yet.” Zuko shakes his head even as Sokka gives him (or more accurately the dark smudges beneath his eyes) a dubious look – but then again, none of them are strangers to being exhausted but sleepless, whether from adrenaline or something else. “Suki has been taking more than her share of night watches, anyway, she’s the one who really needs the rest.”

Sokka almost snorts but stops himself. Honestly he might’ve done the same, if he had been sharing a camp with Azula. “So how are things in Firetown?”

“Still standing when we left,” Zuko answers, which Sokka takes to mean possibly overrun and definitely on fire. “I gave the decree to open the imperial bunkers to anyone who needed shelter, right before the Fire Sages burst into the hall and demanded I immediately leave and seek out the Avatar to end this blight upon our world.”

Sokka raises an eyebrow. “That a direct quote?”

“Yeah. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen the Sages literally running, but apparently there’s a first time for everything.”

Like mostly-ending the war only for the walking dead to happen, Sokka’s pretty sure they’re both thinking. “Don’t suppose they might’ve mentioned what exactly Aang is supposed to do?”

“That would’ve been too easy,” Zuko says dryly, before sobering. “Aang hasn’t figured anything out?”

“He doesn’t even think there’s a spirit behind this.” Which had all sorts of disturbing implications that Sokka refuses to consider right now. “So Suki decided to come with you?”

Zuko doesn’t say anything about the blatant change of topic. “Insisted, more like.”

Sokka grins – that’s Suki, all right – before he looks over at the other addition to their group. “And Azula?” he asks quietly.

“She’s my sister. I–” Zuko scrubs a hand roughly over his face, shakes his head. “I couldn’t just leave her behind. She’s my sister.”

And if Sokka hadn’t already noticed how tired Zuko looks, that would’ve been clue enough. Yeah, they’ve all made their fair share of jokes about Zuko being a broken record about honour and capturing the Avatar way back when but really, he’s never been one to repeat himself. Sokka isn’t even sure Zuko realises that he’s doing it.

He takes a page from Toph’s book and punches Zuko on the shoulder. “Get some sleep, hotman,” he says over Zuko’s splutter. “We’ll still be here in the morning.”

“You better be,” Zuko grumbles as he heads off to bed, but when he flops down to sleep it’s right between Suki and anything that might come at them.

Sokka turns back away with a smile.

.

.

.

.

hell yeah sokka pov

also my other atla fics are here and here if you need a pick-me-up after that, i swear they’re actually like. my usual funny fare

[impossiblycolorfulpanda]

Azulaang - happy ending

Azulaang week @ly0nstea

Aang: Azula’s plan worked. Raava is now the spirit of darkness/chaos/yin as well as light/peace/yang, the spirit of balance itself. She can now embody and control the sources of any/all bending. All benders will be empowered by the avatar spirit from now on. The eternal conflict between Raava and Vaatu has finally come to a permanent end.

Zuko: I don’t even know what to say.

Katara: You were incredible!

Ty Lee: And the way you turned all gigantic like that, wow! Yes, you did it, just when we were losing, a miracle happened!

Sokka: Are the elemental spirits ok? Appa? Yue? My dad?

Aang: Yes. All souls that were absorbed, including Yue, Appa, and your dad, are now free and are going in peace.

Sokka: Good. Thanks.

Suki holds onto Sokka’s arm and rests her head on his shoulder. Cut to Aang and Azula at the northern portal.

Azula: Now that you’ve reconnected with Raava, have you also regained your past lives?

Aang: No. I guess that link is gone forever. I am now the first Avatar in a new line of Avatars.

Azula: Ya don’t say. Let’s just close the portals and call it a day.

Aang: (Reaches for the portal but stops and hesitates) Maybe I shouldn’t.

Azula: What makes you say that?

Aang: I think with the spirit portals opened, it’ll restore the ancient balance between our world and that of the spirits and it’ll help eliminate the illusion of separation. Appa’s physical body may be dead but I can still sense his spirit. Iroh’s spirit is here too. What do you think?

Azula: You’re the avatar, this is your type of gig, whatever your decision is, I’ll support you.

Aang looks at the portal and smiles. Cut to the rest of the gang gathering together in front of the third middle portal. They all collapse in exhaustion. Zuko and Katara held on to each other, Sokka and Suki did the same thing as well as Aang and Azula.

Zuko: I can’t believe a year ago me and my sister’s purposes in life were competing against each other and hunting you down. And now…

Aang: And now we’re all getting along.

Zuko: Yeah…we are.

Aang: I can’t believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world’s so different now.

Zuko: Yeah…

Katara: The fight is finally over. But how long will this peace last? So much chaos and death have happened. I can’t help but feel like we’re the only ones left.

Azula: (To Aang) Hippie, what do you think? Are we the last ones alive?

Aang entered the avatar state and put his hand on the ground. After a few moments, he went back out of the avatar state.

Aang: No. Less than 50% of all living creatures in the physical world are still alive but all humans are headless. All of their homes and establishments have been destroyed. No nations to govern them. No rulers to lead them.

Azula: That’s where we come in. We’re the only ones left alive who know the goals of the white lotus, so it’s up to us to complete them. Even though we should learn from those who came before us, we must also forge our own path. So that is why we should tell everyone that we are bringing back the era of energybending and give everyone a choice to bend more than one element like Aang. The portals will remain open, which means Aang will no longer be the bridge and he'll continue to be the avatar only because of his avatar spirit. This may blur up the avatar cycle a bit but the avatar being able to reincarnate at all is good enough of a cycle for me. Humans, spirits, benders, non-benders, nations, and elements will all learn to live together as one, with us leading them. In other words, things will never be the same again, we are entering a new age and we definitely have our work cut out for us but with Aang’s new-found powers, our jobs should be much easier.

Everyone nods and stands back up. They all look at the third portal. Pan to the sky, which is filled with spirits. All are literally dancing in the sky.

[loopy777]

Here’s a Late-night question that popped up in my mind. I sometimes see that some people headcanon Izumi as being a non-bender, but I have also seen some that headcanon that she is one. What’s your take? For me, I slightly lead more to the former headcanon since I personally think it can an interesting thing for Izumi to be the 1st (from what we know) female and non-bender Fire Lord. I can’t really think about any interesting situation with Izumi if she’s a firebender. Okay. Now I’m gonna sleep.

Well, I think you’ve come straight to the crux of the issue. There’s nothing particularly interesting about Izumi being a Firebender, but Legend of Korra didn’t treat her as anything particularly interesting. It’s canon that Izumi is super-boring. Everyone wants to learn more about her and LoK’s version of the Fire Nation, but what if the reason we haven’t seen anything is because there’s nothing to see? The last time the Mike and the Bryan had to make stuff up to answer fan questions, we wound up with NuUrsa. And I don’t think anyone wants a repeat of that.

(And by anyone, I mean about 60% of the people who read my blog. Everyone else seems cool with it.)

Also, would Izumi be the first female Fire Lord? Granted, Zuko interrupted Azula’s coronation just before the crown was put in her hair, but at that point Ozai had already promoted himself to Phoenix King, and Azula had been giving out orders in the throne room. I think she was, at the very least, Acting Fire Lord.

However, if we’re okay about undermining the spirit of LoK (And why wouldn’t we be? Everything in the Avatar franchise has so far treated all the previous stuff as disposable.), then it would kind of make sense with what we know. Zuko abdicated the throne in favor of Izumi, which is not how we were given to understand these things work. The Fire Lord succession seemed to be based on the Fire Lord dying, and then the title passes on to the heir. Granted, Ozai didn’t die, but he promoted himself to a higher position. In real life, royals can certainly abdicate without it being unusual, but I don’t think we currently have any monarchies where formal death duels are a thing, never mind used to determine the line of succession. Transitions of power with no loss of life doesn’t seem very Fire Nation to me.

So the question becomes why Zuko did this major thing of stepping down in favor of Izumi. Did he just want to retire that much? Or was there a problem it was supposed to solve? Perhaps he figured he was old and the Fire Nation was stable, so best to get it out of the way while it was convenient. Or maybe everyone knew Aang wasn’t going to live much longer, so they wanted the transition to happen while an Avatar was still around. Or her feared that his daughter was getting impatient and that last tea she served him tasted funny.

Or perhaps Izumi lacked a major qualification- like being a Firebender.

In that case, maybe Zuko’s stepping down and personally handing her the crown was a political move to help solidify her succession. If people balked about her not being a Firebender, it could be pointed out that her Firebender father chose to hand over power to her. Perhaps there was even a token Agni Kai performed, where Zuko didn’t defend himself, Izumi gave him a light shove to the ground, and he yielded the match. Or maybe it was even a real fight, and Izumi had to bust out every single move her mother and Uncle Sokka taught her about fighting dirty. Or Izumi is Ty Lee’s apprentice, and so is the most dangerous individual combatant on the planet and won easily.

No matter the details, I can see the idea of Izumi not being a Firebender working with everything we know. Too bad every single character in LoK was like, “Oh, yeah, that’s Fire Lord Izumi. She’s so boring we can barely be bothered to look at her. Hey, what’s Mako doing right now? Now there’s a fascinating individual!”

[mxrcayong]

the avatar series: 01.10

masterlist.

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chapter ten

“You know, Toph would be very proud of you.” Aang chuckled, coming out of nowhere as a decade old Tari sat down in the middle of the stone gazebo that she created within an hour of arriving back home. “She used to make tents out of rocks when we were on the road.”

It was located at the edge of the island – behind the small forest that surrounded the village area of the Order’s island and overlooking one of the smaller beaches that no one else in the Order seems to visit. Funnily enough, it’s the reason why Tari loves it. “She would also love the fact you’re isolating.” Her past life’s spirit teased, sitting down on the floor next to her.

It felt like she was on top of the world. The crashing of the ocean was the sound flooding her ears as the water crashed on the base of the cliff and the small beach. The connection between her and nature with no human influence for at least another 500 meters. “It’s peaceful here.” Tari closed her eyes, letting the sound and darkness be the only reminder of her current presence in the human world. “Better than being with everyone else.”

Aang smiled sadly, “It’s the pressure, huh?” He huffed, obviously empathizing with her. “If you didn’t know, I refused to tell Katara and Sokka that I was the Avatar when I first met them, but of course, that’s buried deep in there, huh?” He pressed his finger against her forehead. The sense of a spirit’s touch is foreign; a sense of an invisible weight, like a trickle down the spine. “It was because from the day I was born, I was destined to save the world. And we all are.” Aang continued, letting out a sad huff. “But the pressure should not get to you. You were chosen as the Avatar for a reason. There is a reason you were chosen for this time. You may not know it yet,” Tari opened her eyes as she felt the trickling sensation dissipate, “but you will know it.”

The cold feeling of the rock seemed to ignore the fabric that separated it from her skin - probably due to the rips and tears the same pants that were ripped while she was ensuring people had left safely. Her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, bringing it close to her chest as she tried to steady her heart rate without meditating.

I cannot meditate, she told herself, no. If she meditates, she’ll only be brought into the Spirit World – where she may possibly see Iroh and feel compelled to tell him everything, or into the state of the Avatar – and see her past lives be disappointed in her. Sighing, she closed her eyes but kept her focus on the water – the crashing of the waves on the rocks. To avoid meditating, her eyes remained closed as grounded herself in the crashing waves, in the feel of the stone, in the taste of the blood in her mouth. She decided to count to five.

One, she remembered the shocked smiles of her parents as she caught on the first water bending trick, they didn’t mean to teach her. It was a simple move – flicking water onto someone else. Her father had just meant to playfully flick her mother, not teach their infant daughter a water bending move before she could even run.

Two, she thought of the photo her mother had packed alongside everything Sukiara picked up for Tari. The photo was a family photo with Tari – only two years old. Her father peeked out behind her mother who was holding Tari, making it obvious the water octopus form consuming them was originating from him. Her mother looked livid, annoyed they could never take a nice picture (as she wrote in the back of the photo).

Three, she remembered being in a class for water bending students aged sixteen when she was only three years old. The other students looked at her with shock every time she seemed to effortlessly bend masterful moves.

Four, and then she remembered the Order of the White Lotus appeared and tested her. She remembered the five objects placed in front of her that she had to pick from, the days of testing, their observances. Sukiara was only twenty-five when she took the responsibility of raising another’s daughter. At the same time, she had no choice too. The White Lotus ordered that Tari would be trained immediately.

Fi- Her head snapped to the right as she heard footsteps from the woods. “Man, you run fast.” A voice chuckled, panting slightly. It was unfamiliar, something she was still not used to. “I followed you to the woods, but one of the people…uh…” Yuta squinted one eye as the other eye seemed to search the sunrise for a non-existent answer. “Uso-usa-uuuuuuuu“

“Usoka,” Tari finished for him, chuckling slightly as his obscure expression. Usoka was one of the carers in the facilities, particularly focused on taking care of the animals. Tari trusted no one else but her to take care of Ani while she was gone.

He snapped, quickly pointing at her with a finger gun. “That’s it. She stopped me from coming here until they changed me, so…” He spun around in a circle, as if showing off his outfit. It was a simple black White Lotus robe with loose black pants and a white shirt. “What do you think?”

“Really unique.” She teased. Everyone here wore a version of that robe. “I think that can be a new fashion statement.” She said, barely above a mumble, before returning her attention back to the seashore. She was now highly aware of the world surrounding her, paying attention to the crunching of leaves warning that Yuta was approaching.

Yuta let out a sigh, before falling onto his butt and resting his hands behind his back. He leant on his hands, looking at the rising sun come from behind the ocean. “This is gorgeous. I can see why you came here.” Tari hummed, not wanting to respond about her favorite place. She knew everyone here knew about the gazebo, but none of them come here. Yuta would be the first person to step foot here at the same time as Tari.

Tari avoided eye contact as if he was Medusa. The two sat in silence as her attention diverted from the sky to the ocean or the smallest pebble across the ground. Yuta let out a short huff, before sitting up properly and putting his hand comfortingly on top of Tari’s, which rested on her knee. “I know I only just met you and I know I have no clue what’s going on, but I can’t let you be sad alone. Care to tell me what’s up?” If her lip doesn’t start to bleed soon, she’d be impressed. She’d be impressed if the current force of her teeth anxiously tearing into her gum doesn’t rip her lip. Would it be good to tell a stranger? I know nothing about hi-

“Let me start.” Tari’s eyes widened as she turned to him, his hand now landing in between his lap as he continued to stare at the sky. Can he read my mind? “My name is Yuta Nakamoto and I promise I’ve never been in alcoholics anonymous, as much as this introduction may sound like I have experienced it.” Tari let out an involuntary chuckle, making Yuta’s face blossom with a wide smile. “My mom is a fire bender, my dad is an air bender, I’m an artist but I love sports and I decided to become the Osaka Prince due to my belief that training gyms are shit because they don’t dare and teach you another bending’s culture, history, or technique.” With a charming grin, he turned to make eye contact with her. His eyes were a cool brown that seemed to glimmer in the reflection of the sun. “Your turn.”

“Umm,” Tari searched for the words to say. Her identity was revealed. She couldn’t say she was just a water bender, could she? “My name is Tari Kotola, I’m twenty years old, and my parents are both water benders.”

Yuta let out an even larger grin, “Good.” He clapped his hands together, now readjusting his position, so he’d sit crisscross apple sauce facing her. “And may I ask for a penny for your thoughts?”

Why the hell not? “I’ve never told anyone about being the Avatar. I don’t think I’ve ever said that…” She motioned with her hands, clearly showing discomfort, “out loud. It’s always been said for me. And because of it, I never have really…had anyone?” She seemed to question out loud, “Like, had anyone around – other than the Order of course. So I moved to Sooman City to have a new start in a sense and I became Tari, the water bender and nothing else. I liked that.”

Yuta solemnly nodded, his eyes staring into hers even as she diverted her attention to the world surrounding them. “I see.” He mumbled, biting his lip anxiously. “So the four people who we ran into today, they’re your best friends?” Tari nodded. “And they didn’t know?” As if he was an archer, the question sent another arrow of guilt to her heart – adding yet another one to the millions there already. She nodded shyly. “It sounds like you didn’t want to tell them because they’d leave. Why do you think they’d leave?”

She shrugged, although the answers resonated in her head. Because I’ll only disappoint them, she thought, because I’m not like them. She still refused to open her mouth, letting Yuta just nod – waiting for a good time to stop the silence. While she desperately avoided his attention, he couldn’t stop looking at her eyes.

He was in awe. He just found out one of the most powerful figures in the world who he also admired was not only around his age and not only someone he just met, but someone who was stunning. In the way she speaks to the way she looks, he was enchanted. He only knew her for maybe an hour and a half. The conversation that flowed throughout that hour of travelling was riveting, the way she fought – although seeming to hold back – was raw, calculated, and strong.

“I know you may be uncomfortable telling them, but they’re still here, are they not?” He said, trying to encourage her. “They have met you for Tari, the water bender. The Avatar is just another title. It doesn’t change your personality.” His hand went to her back, soothingly rubbing up and down.

She finally made eye contact with him. “But what if I disappoint them as…you-know-who?”

“Voldermort?” He teased, before Tari let out a smile and slapped him playfully. “That’s the smile I wanted to see.” He commented, making Tari’s cheeks go warm. “Then they weren’t right for you.”

“I want them to be right.”

Yuta let out a sigh. “Sometimes, you have to lose people you thought were right to make way for the people who are deserving of your love.” She decided to think of all of them. Doyoung? He was definitely deserving. Johnny? Him too. Sonan and Kilari? Both of them are who she calls ‘the loves of her life’. She can’t imagine life without them.

“I don’t want to lose them.”

Yuta continued rubbing her back, Tari letting her head rest on his shoulder. “I don’t have much to say but from my short time with them, they seem to never want to let you go.” Tari nodded slightly, the movement nudging Yuta’s shoulder. “We can stay here for as long as you need. But we should probably head back at one point.” Yuta rested the side of his head on the top of hers. “I’m not letting you lose my company right now.”

Within the next couple of hours, Yuta guided Tari out of the forest - trying to ensure her that her friends care more about her status as the Avatar. After taking a quick pit stop in her bungalow - where she quickly changed into comfortable (and non ripped!) clothing, she appeared at the canteen. Doyoung was tapping his foot, a smile creeping onto his face as he saw his roommate appear. It was obvious he was holding himself back from hugging her from the way his arms seemed to flinch upwards and he stopped himself from plunging towards her after launching to his feet.  Sonan’s smile was wide as soon as she heard the door open - it was welcoming ass if comforting her with all the words Tari didn’t know she needed to hear. Kilari was in the corner, looking slightly annoyed but mostly confused. Jisung was just on his phone, tapping away at a game as he tried to de-stress from earlier events. Of course, he was ecstatic when two familiar faces finally came out of hiding after they left him alone with a bunch of older strangers. Obviously, he became more acquainted with the strangers...but still. 

“I think I’m ready to tell you everything.” As soon as the words left Tari’s lips, Yuta’s hand wrapped around hers, squeezing it to reassure her. But she noticed an empty place.  

“Where’s Johnny?” She suddenly asked, not daring to look any of them in the eye longer for a minute. Her heart dropped. She lost Johnny. She lost Johnny. Her heart plummeted down an endless abyss as she waited for their response, praying it was just ‘he went to the bathroom’. 

“He said he’s useless here.” Sonan mumbled. “Sukiara took him back to Sooman City.” Tari’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, as if the clear answer was distorted. 

“Tari,” Kilari sighed, “he left.” 

request anything for future parts / penny for your thoughts here

[ljf613]

Things I Knew About LOK (Before I Actually Watched It)

Aang & Katara had three kids. Aang was not really a great dad, which annoys the fandom but sounds reasonable to me, because, to quote Zuko “I suppose you wouldn’t know of fathers, being raised by monks.” Growing up, Aang’s only parental figures were also his teachers, so it makes sense that he wouldn’t know how to be a parent to kids who weren’t also his airbending students.

Kataang child #1 is named Bumi. He has “daddy didn’t love me” issues and so became a rebellious wild child in a desperate cry for Aang’s attention (and also because how could any child named after that crazy king not be a mad genius?). He was born a non-bender, but managed to become an airbender through sheer force of will ( à la Callum of TDP) because he’s just that awesome.

Kataang child #2 is named for Katara’s mom Kya, and she’s a waterbender. Also, I’m pretty sure she’s lesbian.

Kataang child #3 is an airbender. IDK what his name is. He used to date Toph’s daughter (more on her later) but ending up dumping her (which the fandom doesn’t like) for a woman who may or may not be Ty Lee’s daughter. He’s under a lot of pressure, because, as Aang’s only airbending child (before Bumi figured it out), he’s got to carry the weight of an entire culture on his shoulders.

Aang died when he was really young-- like, in his sixties or something. Turns out spending 100 years on ice isn’t great for your health.

Katara’s still around, though. She’s a Wise Mentor Figure to the new Avatar. (Wait, does that mean she’s going to die? I hope not.)

Toph Beifong was also not a great parent, because, again, good parental role models are important for developing parental skills. Her parents were too constricting, so she kind of just let her kids do whatever they want. She had two daughters with two different men (only one of her baby daddies gets a name).

She ended up becoming the chief of police of the Big City the show is set in (I forget its name), which the fandom thinks is weird. Eventually, she dropped off the face of the earth, and now hangs out in.... the Swamp? I think. At some point, the new Avatar shows up and forces her to mend fences with her kids. New Avatar also tries to get Old Lady Toph to tell her some cool stories about the ATLA era, but Toph is a really bad storyteller.

Toph spawn #1 is named Lin or Ling or something like that. She’s the new chief of police-- it was an attempt to make mommy proud, which didn’t work out too well. She’s also an earth/metalbender and doesn’t get along with her sister because of some old argument that was never resolved. This is dealt with in the whole “new Avatar helps Toph reconnect with her children” arc. She used to date Kataang kid #3, until he dumped her for aforementioned Ty Lee child. Toph-child is still bitter about this. She’s just bitter about life in general, I think.

Toph spawn #2 exists. She’s a woman. This is all I know about her. I have zero idea what her name is or if she’s even a bender or anything. I feel like she has a lot of kids, but I’m not sure.

Zuko, on the other hand, was a great dad. (He had a Good Parental Role Model in Uncle, and also was firmly opposed to being anything like Ozai.) At some point, he got a dragon named Druk, who may or may not have hatched from the Sun Warriors’ “sunstone” which may or may not have been a dragon egg. He’s retired now, and like to sit around drinking tea and generally acting like Uncle.

(The Zutara ship has never died, and the fandom still thinks Old!Zuko and Old!Katara are having a secret fling, despite the fact that they have literally zero scenes together in this show.)

His daughter Izumi is the new Fire Lord. Her mother may or may not be Mai-- the fandom has a lot of dispute over this. She wears glasses and looks really awesome, and doesn’t want to involve her country in anymore “nonsense wars.”

Uncle Iroh has, sadly, passed into the Spirit World. But he still becomes a sort of Mentor/Spiritual Guide to New Avatar when she’s little.

I don’t know anything about Sokka or Suki. Did they get married? Are their kids running around somewhere?

New Avatar is named Korra (hence, Legend of Korra). She’s the Water Avatar (I think she’s from the Northern Tribe?) and she pulls no punches. Think Katara on steroids.

Korra is dating this guy-- I think his name is, like, Marco or something?-- on and off. Marco is also dating this other girl, Asami (who is freaking gorgeous), on and off. He may even be dating both of them at the same time at one point, IDK. Eventually, Korra and Asami decide that they are collectively done with his bull, and just hook up with each other. (Cue Zuko: “That’s rough, buddy.”)

Even though the Air Nomads were all killed out, I think there are more airbenders in the series than just Bumi and his little brother. IDK where they came from-- maybe they’re descendants of airbenders who managed to hide from Sozin? Or something? Like I said, IDK, I hope this gets explained properly at some point.

The ATLA fandom really doesn’t like LOK. It’s not as good, apparently. I should watch it myself so I can make my own judgements.

[thecaroliner]

That awful CBR Kataang article

I don’t normally do metas but this was so bad I had to respond. I think I actually had a stroke reading it

1. She shouldn’t teach him waterbending

At the beginning of the series, Katara was a waterbending novice, barely capable of maintaining a feeble orb of water in midair. As she traveled with Aang, they grew as waterbenders simultaneously, each growing through their journey to the north pole where they were taught by the same teacher.

After that, Katara assumed the duty of Aang’s waterbending tutor, which doesn’t really make sense considering that they should both be at the same approximate place in their training. In fact, Aang was shown to be more naturally adept at waterbending and capable of picking up the techniques easier.

So, like, did you completely miss the episode where Katara is shown to have advanced more than Pakku’s other students who have been training for months or maybe even years at this point? Yeah it’s a little weird considering that she’s only been there about a month, but Katara is just really, REALLY good at waterbending once she had a proper teacher. And yes Aang did pick it up really quickly but we also see in said episode he was lounging around playing with Momo rather than practicing, unlike Katara who it seemed like practiced hours each day.

2. They did their best work separated

Both Aang and Katara were intensely powerful benders who accomplished many amazing feats through their powers. However, it’s interesting to note that their most formidable feats were accomplished by themselves and separate from one another. Katara learned her most powerful techniques, bloodbending and water healing, completely without Aang’s aide. And the amount of incredible things Aang accomplished without her are immeasurable.

For starters, he was able to embody the spirit of the ocean, beat Fire Lord Ozai, and impressed the last dragons. In fact, he had to intentionally abandon her to attain his highest form and gain control of the Avatar State, pretty much definitively proving that they are more powerful when separated.

....What does this have to do with anything. Like, seriously, anything. Should they not be amazing, powerful benders unless the other is there to help them?? I genuinely don’t understand the point you’re trying to make here. Also do you not know how the Avatar state works? 

3. The Cave of Two Lovers

One of the defining moments in Aang and Katara’s romance was the episode “The Cave of Two Lovers.” In it, Aang and Katara are separated from everyone else in a system of caves on the way to the city of Omashu.

The romantic nature of the story inspires Aang to hint his true feelings to Katara and, after some rom-com levels of shenaniganry, the two almost kiss for the first time as their light goes out. Without the light, however, the pathway of glowing crystals becomes clear and the two are able to escape. The episode is generally never brought up, both in discussion and the show’s lore, because it is, for lack of a better word, cringy.

Great argument, just explain what happened in the episode and then don’t explain why it’s bad or weird

4. Political Disagreements

Their biggest obstacle came in the comics, where they came within moments of splitting up over political disagreements. Specifically, their fight was over the Harmony Restoration Movement, which attempted to remove Fire Nation colonies following the end of the war. After Zuko had a change of heart and wanted to keep the older colonies in place, Katara agreed with him.

Aang was initially of the mind that all Fire Nation presence in the Earth Kingdom needed to be removed to ensure peace. Their conflict came to the point of violence when Katara had to talk Aang down from the Avatar State to prevent him from ending Zuko.

Again you just explained what happened and not why it was bad

5. Aang’s grandkids are better without him

There’s clear evidence that Aang and Katara weren’t the best parents, as evidenced by the emotional and psychological hang-ups of their kids, but the most telling proof that they weren’t fit to raise kids is how their grandkids turned out. Given that Aang never met them, Tenzin’s kids were never directly influenced by their grandfather and they were all nearly ideal children. Sure Ikki and Meelo are hyperactive, but they’re kids and are shown to mature somewhat with age while retaining their energetic personalities.

Free from Aang’s influence, Jinora even becomes a more powerful spiritual advisor than her father, who was so burdened with Aang’s pressure that he was never able to fully embrace his spiritual side.

Um, WHAT? Are you freaking serious right now? Of course we gotta go with the dumb “Aang was a bad dad” argument, AGAIN, which obviously was blown way outta proportion. But I can’t believe you’d actually say that they are better off not knowing him

6. They both have PTSD

While to romance between Aang and Katara is often framed as being between two kindred souls who knew from childhood that they were meant to be together, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Even from the first moments they met each other, both exhibited acute symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder.

Katara’s maternal instincts are likely derived from witnessing her mother’s demise and the prospect of vengeance. Aang had a tendency to misdirect, project, and avoid his issues over abandoning his culture and being lost in time. He also demonstrated a consistent lack in ability to process his anger, often snapping and yelling at his comrades over his perception of their failures.

ONCE AGAIN. WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING. Also, are you literally implying that PTSD victims shouldn’t be in a relationship? ok

7. Aang kept her from seeing her dad

In one of the most despised episodes of the entire series, “Bato of the Water Tribe,” also featured a moment that probably should have destroyed Katara and Aang’s relationship. In the episode, Aang intercepts a letter that would provide Katara and her brother information on where their father, who they haven’t seen for three years, might be stationed and give them a chance to see him. Worried that they might abandon him, however, Aang hides the letter from them.

Katara’s father was at war and could have died at any time. If Aang had prevented the water tribe siblings from seeing their father, there’s no guarantee that they would have ever seen him again.

This is as close to a legitimate point as this article gets. But I guess they’re forgetting how Aang felt guilty about it and how neither Katara nor Sokka took it lightly and it took a while for them to forgive him. 

8. They gave their kids inadequacy issues

If there’s one thing that could be gleaned from the Legend of Korra spin-off series, it’s that Aang and Katara weren’t the best parents. The oldest, Bumi, was born a non-bender and even in what appear to be his mid-50s, and after an illustrious military career, was still dealing with the inadequacy issues imparted by his father who always wanted an airbending child.

His sister Kya was so affected by her parents’ pressures that she spent several years traveling the world by herself before being forced to return to the south pole to take care of her co-dependent mother. Tenzin, the only airbending child was denied a childhood by his father hoisting the burden of an entire culture on his young shoulders.

Nothing in the show implies Kya was forced to come back and live with Katara. Katara was an elderly woman, devastated by the loss of her husband of 50+ years. My grandpa died many years ago, and if we hadn’t already lived in the same town as them, my family would’ve definitely moved up there to be with my grandma who was all alone. Taking care of your family is bad, I guess.

9. Their relationship got worse in the comics

The romance between Katara and Aang was a slow build on the show, developing infrequently from beginning to end. After the show ended, the generally laudable comic series took over the narrative and fumbled their relationship worse than a clumsy wide receiver. After affirming their relationship, the series depended entirely on an unfair dynamic between the two.

Katara was jealous of Aang constantly flirting with other girls closer to his own age, Aang bragged about being able to kiss her to everyone who would listen, and neither could think of a better pet name than “sweetie.” Overall, their romance just sort of went on automatic in the comics.

Show me ONE TIME where Aang flirted with other girls. Being friends with other girls is not flirting with them. Aang only mentioned being able to kiss her ONCE, and it wasn’t in front of close friends. He didn’t freaking go out in the middle of a crowd and go “HEY EVERYONE LOOK I CAN KISS KATARA”

10. Their kiss at the end was weird

The only time when Katara and Aang’s romantic relationship really picked up steam was in the final season of the show, culminating in the final scene of the original series where the two finally share a reciprocated kiss. As romantic as the tone was, it was offset somewhat by the atmosphere between the two leading up to that moment.

Mere episodes earlier, with the looming threat of genocide, death, and continued global war hanging ever-present over their heads, Katara was still uncertain and upset over Aang’s advances and made that abundantly clear to him.

Whoa, Katara took time to think about her feelings before jumping into a relationship?? Wow, how stupid of her.

11. They worked better as friends

The Kataang relationship was present throughout much of the series, but was only addressed and developed a few times at sporadic intervals. For the vast majority of the series, their relationship was one of matriarch and dependent. Aang needed Katara to keep him humble and focused while Katara’s motherly nature made her want to keep Aang safe.

Put bluntly, they were friends and their relationship worked well in that regard. But whenever romance was forcibly inserted into the equation, Katara began questioning how she felt about Aang and stated openly that she was uncomfortable with his affections. I.E. red flags that they probably should just stay friends.

Man, how dare Katara and Aang have a solid friendship before being romantically involved!!!!!!! You’re not supposed to be FRIENDS with your significant other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12. The age difference

Though Aang is technically over 100 years old, he’s biologically only 12. And though Katara herself is only 14 at the start of the series, the gulf between a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old is far greater than that between a 30-year-old and 32-year-old.

Despite having moments of genuine sage wisdom, Aang’s everyday behavior is more on par with an 8-year-old than anyone in his actual age bracket. This might not be his fault as his isolated, holistic upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of detachment, which might have prompted some of his more selfish actions, but even the most mature 12-year-old should not be making out with someone two years older.

I am forever baffled by y’all thinking that someone with a fun-loving, carefree personality is childish. When you get to a certain age are you supposed to stop having fun?? Stop telling jokes??? What a miserable life that would be

13. It was a one-sided relationship

When Aang was freed from the iceberg he’d been trapped in for the past hundred years, his first instinct was to fall head over heels in love with Katara. However, she didn’t see things the same way for quite some time. In fact, during the entire series, their romance was viewed through Aang’s lens with little to no input from Katara’s opinions on the matter.

In fact, she made it obliquely clear from the beginning of the series that she saw Aang more as a little brother or pseudo-child rather than a potential love interest, a view that didn’t change until very late. And even then, she was more embarrassed and confused by Aang’s affections than reciprocal.

Yeah, because relationships in real life are always 100% mutual from the beginning, and one person is never interested before the other is. That NEVER happens.

14. Their romance was unnecessary

While they were one of the primary pairs of the show, Katara and Aang’s relationship was only focused on in a handful of episodes in the original show’s three-season run. And those episodes tended to be considered weaker or filler between more significant arcs. Overall, their ship was not integral to the narrative of the show, both figuratively and thematically. You could remove all the Kataang content from the show and it wouldn’t change anything.

It wouldn’t even effect the series’ general quality, only improve it slightly. This might have been an issue in the writing staff as central breeding pairs are a trope in most shows, animated or otherwise. But just because stereotypes exist doesn’t mean they have a purpose or need to be used.

This was a show about magic, martial arts, and war. All the romance on the show was technically unnecessary. Doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have happened.

15. Zuko would’ve been a better match for her

The main rival of the Kataang ship is the Zutara vessel, the faction of viewers who believed that Katara would be better off with the series anti-hero Zuko. And they’re probably right. Zuko and Katara have expressed an interest in each other before, launching their ship in the first place, but it’s more because Zuko is more mature and, for lack of a better word, attractive than the alternative.

There’s also the pretty significant matter that they both have similar emotional baggage. Katara has issues with her father abandoning her for the war, Zuko has problems with his father being a dictatorial jerk, and they both lost their mothers at a young age due to the intricacies of politics and conflict.

*eye roll* “Zuko and Katara have expressed interest in each other before” Where? Show me where.

Ok so before you said that one of the reasons Kataang doesn’t work is because they both have PTSD. Buuuuut Katara and Zuko having PTSD is a reason..they should’ve been together? And full offense, but Katara having hard feelings towards her dad for a short time in one episode that was resolved quickly is in no way equal to Zuko experiencing lifelong physical and emotional abuse by his father. I’m actually really angry and kind of offended you would even think this was a reasonable comparison.

16. Their personalities never changed

One of the most important aspects of fictional characters is how they change. Round characters are indefinitely more interesting than flat, one-note characters. And while Aang and Katara are in no way flat characters, they didn’t change much within the confines of their relationship. That is to say, while their presence in each other’s lives changed the others’ personalities, they did not change all too much to each other after their childhood.

As seen in Legend of Korra, Katara is just as maternal and wise as she was in her youth. Korra’s brief flashbacks to Aang’s life demonstrated that he grew somewhat more serious as he aged, but was still immature enough to pose for pictures of him doing his marble trick.

fklafj;afjea;fef; if AANG MAKING A FUNNY POSE FOR A PICTURE IS IMMATURE. god i’m just. i am so done with this article.

17. Aang decided how many kids they had

One of the biggest decisions a long-term couple can make together is if they want to have children. It’s a choice that, if made in the affirmative, can never be taken back, and if they do decide to have kids, they both need to determine how many kids they want or can afford to have.

While Katara never said anything on the subject, their kids were more than happy to discuss how Aang was insistent on having children until at least one of them developed airbending so he had a surefire way to pass on his near-extinct culture. Presumably Katara was more than happy to have three kids with Aang, but if Tenzin had turned out to be a water- or non-bender, he would have demanded that she continue.

LITERALLY WHAT SHOW ARE YOU WATCHING HERE, MY DUDE. Where was this EVER said or even implied. Might I point out in Legacy where Aang literally says that he and Katara were open to the idea of having more kids after Tenzin

18. She lived without him for 20 years

t’s stated in Legend of Korra that Aang died when he was 66. Given that Katara is approximately two years older than him, that means she was about 68 when he passed. By the end of the spin-off series, Katara was 89, according to the official wiki.

That means that she had around 20 years to live, grow, and evolve as a person without Aang around. In all likelihood, if Aang had somehow returned to her after all that time, he might not even recognize Katara as the same woman he fell in love with. As far as the series is willing to tell, Katara’s only company after Aang’s death was her daughter, the Order of the White Lotus, Korra, and infrequent visits from her other children.

Wow, how dare Aang DIE and leave Katara all alone. What a jerk!!!!!!!! I guess my grandpa is a jerk for dying and leaving my grandma all alone, too! Men SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

19. She had a crush on Jet first

Kataang shippers tend to consider the start of the relationship to be the moment Aang saw Katara. He looked at her through rose colored glasses the moment she broke him out of the iceberg, framing her in light and a romantic breeze. It took Katara a little while to come around to having feelings for him, but she had a few different non-starter relationships along the way.

The first, and by far most impassioned of these, was with the freedom fighter Jet, who she met all the way back in the first season. Her crush was apparent and strong enough that she was disproportionately upset when she saw him several months later. She may have wound up with Aang, but she clearly had stronger initial feelings for Jet.

Wow because nobody in real life ever has multiple relationships throughout their lifetime or crushes on other people before meeting their significant other. And yeah, Katara totally shouldn’t have been upset to see the guy who tried to wipe out an entire innocent village unless she was madly in love with him

20. The (older) age difference

Despite only looking like a pre-teen, Aang is actually over 100 years old. He was born and raised before the start of the 100-year war at the Southern Air Temple. Upon learning he was the reincarnated Avatar, Aang was surprised. He and Appa were caught in a ferocious storm that sent them below the waves.

In a moment of self-preservation, his Avatar state activated for the first time and he bent himself into a frozen iceberg, which preserved him as he waited for a century beneath the seas near the Southern Water Tribe. The series is riddled with Aang’s hang-ups about his long-dead culture. It often causes rifts between himself and the other characters.

What does this have to do with their age difference or Kataang at all