#Yunmeng Jiang training arc AU

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Lan Wangji Goes To Lotus Pier AU: Part 4.5: Morning Period.

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)

[alolanlan]

ideas for a mdzs ATLA au

- the Lan as the air nomads except instead of a flowy, go-wherever lifestyle, they have rules to keep them “tethered to the earth”. the lan forehead ribbons work in the same way, with them only releasing their earthly tie to the one who they can trust to bring them back - spouse and family. the colors would swap to the typical cloud recesses colors instead of yellow, orange, and dark red.

- the Nie and Jin taking up the earth kingdom. ba sing se could be where the jins have walled themselves in to protect themselves from the war, while the rest can be nie territory.

- the Jiang as the water tribe except instead of replacing the north and south pole tribes, they replace the swampbenders. so yk how the tribes at the poles are seen as the main waterbending groups while swampbenders are seen as a subculture hidden away in the earth kingdom? yeah, switch the status of the groups. the Jiang sect can live in Lotus Pier and have the combined prestige as the canon north and south waterbending tribes and while there are waterbending tribes at the poles, they’re isolated and closed off from the rest of the world (intentionally; im thinking baoshan sanren is the leader of the southern water tribe in this au).

- the Wen as the Fire Nation, obv. that’s pretty much all I have to say.

- Cangse Sanren was the last avatar. Baoshan Sanren took her in to the Southern Water Tribe after finding Cangse living on the streets of an earth kingdom port city. Cangse Sanren was trained in waterbending first, then traveled around the world to master other forms of bending. She’s taught airbending by the Lans, earthbending by the Nie, and learns waterbending by the Jiangs (and falls in love with a nonbender Jiang sect servant, Wei Changze, in the process).

- Wei Wuxian is born a waterbender. When his parents die in a hunt for a resentful spirit, he grows up on the streets. He’s eventually found and taken in by the Jiang sect to teach him waterbending.

- Jiang Yanli is a nonbender and Jiang Cheng is a waterbender. Instead of becoming a whip, Zidian could send an electric charge thru the water and make his water whip extra dangerous?? idk if that would work scientifically but it would be neat

- Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen are airbenders that channel their bending thru musical instruments

- Nie Mingjue is the general of the earthbending army and he sends Nie Huaisang to the island of Kyoshi to keep him safe, unaware he’d become a Kyoshi Warrior (i think they’d make an exception for him gender wise??)

- Wen Qing is a nonbender in the Wen sect that found a new way of healing that focuses on chi points, similar to how waterbending healing works but using acupuncture needles instead. Wen Ning is a rather weak firebender but his aim with a bow and arrow is amazing

- the Jin are either a clan of metalbenders or nonbenders. Jin Zixuan and Meng Yao would both be nonbenders i think.

- anyway, onto the plot.

- the cloud recesses arc is pretty much the same except everyone is there to learn more about airbending culture and spirituality and see how it can be applied to their own bending.

- just like in mdzs canon, the Wen end up attacking the Lan sect first and it’s devastating. not to the point of total genocide like in atla canon, but a shit ton of people die. Lan Xichen flees with ancient airbending scrolls and Lan Wangji is captured at the temple he’d been defending.

- Xuanwu of slaughter is a rlly angry spirit creature kept prisoner in a cave, wangxian once again defeat it

- Lotus Pier is burned but there are more survivors considering they have waterbending to put out the fires. Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan are both killed in direct combat with the Wens and Jiang Cheng gets his bending taken away by Wen Zhuliu (a bloodbender like Amon in tlok that can block people’s bending abilities).

- Wen Qing and Wen Ning help the Yunmeng sibs escape Lotus Pier but there’s nothing anyone can do to help him. Wen Qing puts him in a medically induced coma to keep him from putting strain on his injuries but then she and her brother have to go, leaving Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian. When they hear Wen Chao is hunting them down, Wei Wuxian takes off to lead them away but is running on fumes to the point where he gets captured. Jiang Yanli, meanwhile, takes her brother to the Golden Carp Tower in Ba Sing Se, where her connections allow them to take refuge.

- He’s thrown in the Burial Mounds, a place where resentful spirits roam freely, devouring anyone who dares step foot in their territory. He spends a few days hiding for his life before he’s discovered by a spirit.

- the spirit looks deep into his heart and sees that all he truly desires is to help Jiang Cheng and everyone else. the spirit takes pity on him and makes an offer: it will teach him the bending technique needed to help his brother, but in return he has to gift the spirit his ability to waterbend normally. he accepts and the spirit teaches him bloodbending.

- through the spirit’s teachings, Wei Wuxian is able to master the art of bloodbending (Wen Zhuliu is a bloodbender already, but he’s no master). The cost, however, is high - bloodbending deteriorates the bender’s mind, body, and spirit and if he’s not careful it will consume him.

- three months after being thrown in, he leaves the Burial Mounds. first thing he does is find Jiang Cheng in Ba Sing Se and use his bloodbending to unblock his waterbending. he leaves before Jiang Cheng wakes up or Jiang Yanli spots him and the return of JC’s bending is seen as a miracle.

- Anyway. Sunshot Campaign happens!! Wei Wuxian is a BAMF that controls the blood in recently dead bodies to create a zombie army! Lan Wangji is Concerned but also uncomfortably turned on! Meng Yao goes undercover and kills Wen Ruohan!

- to be continued. probably

[besanii]

More SM for me please 🥰

Shattered Mirrors #68

[follows on from #23]

Every summer, the younger generation of the nobility—the princes, as well as the sons of minor branches of the Imperial Family, higher-ranking officials—are sent to the Cloud Recesses to study with the monks and renowned scholars who reside in the mountains. There, they are exposed to all kinds of subject areas, not only the Six Arts—etiquette, music, archery, charioteering, literacy and mathematics—but also diplomacy and statecraft, swordsmanship and meditation. For that reason, their allies also choose to send their sons to the Cloud Recesses to bolster their education.

Lan Wangji has been attending these annual study retreats for as long as he can remember—both he and his brother had spent the majority of their childhood within the walls of the Cloud Recesses since they were able to hold a brush—and takes great joy in the solitude of the mountains, far removed from the capital and its noise and bluster. Here, he can focus on his lessons rather than on his duties as a prince; here, he can spend his days reading, studying, honing his skills in sword and guqin, instead of engaging others in frivolous conversation. It is his respite, his sanctuary.

His brother meets him on the parapets above the courtyard where this year’s students are assembling, ready to depart for the Cloud Recesses. His arrival reminds Lan Wangji that this is the first year his brother will not be joining them—at nineteen, Lan Xichen has officially taken over as Regent in their father’s seclusion, and will be erstwhile occupied with affairs of state—and the thought brings with it a touch of melancholy.

“Huangxiong.” He greets him with a bow, clasping his fingers before him. Lan Xichen smiles.

“Wangji,” he greets him easily, smiling. “Are all your preparations complete?”

“Yes, Huangxiong,” Lan Wangji replies. “We will be leaving within the hour.”

“That is good to hear.” Lan Xichen looks out over the courtyard to where the other young masters are starting to gather in various stages of alertness. “The Cloud Recesses will be much cooler than the capital. You have always had a preference for colder weather. And the change in scenery will do you well.”

“Yes, Huangxiong.”

A shout of laughter floats up from the group below, loud and familiar, and it sends a thrill of recognition through Lan Wangji to hear it. Even Lan Xichen is drawn towards the sound, peering over the stone parapets at the flash of purple robes below.

“Ah,” he says knowingly. “That would be Yunmeng’s Wei Wuxian, Wei-gongzi. The son of Wei Changze, and Jiang-wang’s ward. He’s here in place of Yunmeng Jiang-shi’s Crown Prince, Jiang Wanyin, who was here last year.”

Yunmeng. That would explain the purple robes and the boisterous laughter—Lan Wangji has never been to Yunmeng personally, but he has heard that they are more…free-spirited as a people. Certainly not as reserved or quiet as Gusu, but with the same affinity for water; where Gusu borders the sea, Yunmeng is home to lakes and rivers, and both nations are well-versed in battle tactics on water.

For Wei Wuxian to be here as a representative on Yunmeng, in place of their own Crown Prince, must mean he is of high birth, or perhaps part of a powerful family. It would certainly explain his cavalier attitude towards trespassing palace grounds in the middle of the night.

“Wangji, is something the matter?” Lan Wangji can hear the amusement in his brother’s voice.

“My apologies, Huangxiong,” he replies with a bow. “I came across an intruder while on patrol a few nights ago, trying to sneak past the guards. I did not think I would find them here.”

“Oh?” Lan Xichen raises an eyebrow, both concerned and intrigued. “Would I be correct in assuming the intruder in question is Wei-gongzi?”

“Yes, Huangxiong.” He exhales through his nose, frowning. “I should report this to Huangshu, so the matter can be dealt with appropriately, given Wei-gongzi’s status—”

Lan Xichen laughs, reaching out to clasp him on the shoulder.

“Perhaps you could let it slide, just this once?” he suggests with a twinkle in his eye. “It is, after all, his first time here in Gusu. I’m not saying not to discipline him,” he adds, when it’s clear Lan Wangji wants to protest. “Just that it would be good to show leniency on a small infraction. After all, if one does not know any better, one cannot be held responsible.”

“Trespassing is not just a crime in Gusu,” Lan Wangji says, annoyed. Below, Wei Wuxian is brushing his horse—a beautiful black mare that nuzzles at his pockets for treats as he croons and laughs, every bit as cheeky as her master—seemingly oblivious to his observers. “He cannot possibly claim ignorance, Huangxiong.”

Lan Xichen smiles and shakes his head fondly.

“Well, if you insist he be punished for his transgressions, I would suggest perhaps introducing yourself before you do.” He steps back, hand falling back to his side. “I’m afraid I cannot see you off. The Qinghe delegation arrived this morning and I must make preparations to receive them. Take care, Wangji. Safe travels.”

Lan Wangji bows at the waist. “Thank you, Huangxiong.”

He stays bowed until Lan Xichen’s footsteps recede, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watches the distance between them grow. It is inevitable, of course. His brother is Crown Prince and Regent, and will one day be Emperor; it is only natural that their paths diverge as they grow older. In a year or two, Lan Wangji will also be expected to take on more and more responsibilities of his own—already now his uncle is has him reviewing past petitions as part of his studies, and debates with him on the best course of action to take in each particular case. It is challenging work, but rewarding, and Lan Wangji finds it almost as tiring as a full day of drills on the training field.

In the courtyard below, Wei Wuxian is talking to another young man dressed in Qinghe green—Nie Huaisang, the younger brother and heir to Nie Mingjue, the young lord of Qinghe—while helping him with his horse. There is no way to tell what they are saying from this distance, but it must be terribly amusing because Wei Wuxian throws his head back with laughter, and their eyes catch. He watches as recognition dawns on his face, replaced then with excitement, followed quickly by mischievous delight.

“Miu-gongzi!” Heat floods Lan Wangji’s neck at the nickname, shouted across the courtyard for everyone to hear. More than a few heads turn in his direction. “Miu-gongzi, are you here for the study retreat too? Come join us!”

He quashes the little flutter in his chest and turns away, ears burning at such a shameless display, already dreading the next few months.

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master post is here: besanii.tumblr.com/shattered-mirrors-master-post

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buy me a ko-fi: ko-fi.com/besanii

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I realised that a lot of what I had planned to write for this verse coming up is set in the WWX era, but then also realised that the WY arc isn’t really developed either. Like, their relationship build up etc. So here is a little something.

Jumping back to the WWX arc in the next bit (probably).

(Also, yes, I have heard your requests for the AU verse. It is...in development.)

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Lan Wangji Goes To Lotus Pier AU: Part 1: Dread on Arrival

(Part 2)