#fire lady azula au

[the-genius-az]

Ozai died.

(A/B/O, The Fire Siblings, Mai and Ty Lee).

Where Ozai found out about Zuko's visits to Iroh. And he interrogates him until the Prince explodes, causing Ozai to be about to burn Zuko again until Azula appears on the scene, and she, being the Alpha of the pack (Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee) defends her brother from his father, although it was by instinct.

She roared at him and immediately got in front of Zuko, trying to protect him, and when Ozai saw that, he exploded in fury and began attacking the two.

Everything became a blur for the two siblings, but they both won even though they were seriously injured.

The guards arrive and only see Ozai with a large scar on his chest and a cut on his throat.

While Zuko is lying on the floor looking at the ceiling while he has a large burn on his arm and shoulder. And Azula is sitting with Zuko with a knife in her hand, and her leg and fingers completely burned.

Both are taken to the doctors while others take Ozai's body to bury it, although no one knew what happened.

And when Mai and Ty Lee heard the news, they immediately ran to the palace and found both Alphas passed out, and stayed with them until they wake up.

I hope you understand, because I didn't even understand anything :/

[animation-cartoon-fan-writings]

A Secret Darkness 3

Part 1 Part 2

As soon as Azula was sure Emi was fast asleep in her room, the fire princess went to the only person that she knew could help her with this particular dilemma.

Heading over to the Fire Lord and Lady’s Suite, she is met with the two usual men guarding the french doors to the room. She approaches them with a serious expression, making it clear to them without saying a word that she needed to be allowed inside pronto. “Princess Azula, I’m sorry, but Lady Katara is not allowing any unexpected visitors at the moment,” the older guard tries to explain. Undeterred, the Fire Princess tells them, “this is a family emergency that requires the immediate attention of my sister-in-law”. The guards looked at each other with wide, surprised eyes before quickly turning their heads back to Azula. “Alright. Just let us inform her of your presence,” the younger guard says before opening the door slightly to allow his head to poke inside.

“Fire Lady Katara, Princess Azula is here to see you. She says it’s a family emergency that requires your immediate attention. Should we send her away for now?,” the guard informs. Azula rolls her eyes at the incompetentence of this rookie guard. Thankfully, in response, Katara’s voice is heard from the inside, “No, please send her in”. “As you wish,” the younger guard replies before turning his attention back to Azula, who had a noticeable annoyed frown on her face.

Without another word, the two guards part like the red sea and the older guard opens one of the doors for her, allowing Azula access to the room. She then walks inside before hearing the doors close behind her.

Inside the Fire Lord and Lady’s suite, Azula can see the mess and state of disarray it had become over the past few months. However, the fire princess didn’t flinch. To her, it was normal for the suite to be like this for the first couple of years after a child was born.

When Katara was pregnant with Emi, Zuko had their suite expanded to have the nursery there instead of in another wing of the palace where it would’ve been located before. For weeks, Zuko worked tirelessly with palace contractors and interior decorators to make the new nursery perfect for his and Katara’s first child. Sokka was even brought in from the Southern Water Tribe earlier than expected to help out with the final preparations needed for the nursery. This was a perfect arrangement, given Katara was breastfeeding her children and Zuko was such a hands-on protective father that often struggled to let his little ones out of his sight for even a second.

Since then, it has become tradition that both the Fire Lord and Lady take a leave of absence from their duties during the final two months of pregnancy, plus the first three-to-four months after labor. It also became customary that the baby would sleep in the nursery in the Lord and Lady’s suite until they were around two or three years old, at which they would be moved to their own room in the family wing of the palace.

Currently, only Emi and Kya, respectively, had their own bedrooms. Their youngest, Kallik, was still in the nursery at this time.

So, it wasn’t a surprise for Azula to see Fire Lady Katara sitting on the floor with her son, who was lying down on a blanket wiggling about. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold.

As soon as the fire princess entered the room, Katara looked up with a bright smile at her sister-in-law. “Hi, Azula. Why don’t you come sit?,” the waterbender offers, which Azula takes, walking over to sit on the floor next to Katara.

As she sits down, Kallik starts whining a little. Miraculously, Katara is able to immediately calm him down by just caressing his head and reassuring him that he’s doing “such a good job” and he will get to have his milk soon enough. Azula looks at her sister-in-law sooth her infant son with a mix of awe and confusion as to what was going on. Without her needing to ask, Katara explains, “Sue Long recommended we have Kallik on his stomach for about an hour a day. It’s supposed to help their muscles and develop their motor skills properly”. Azula nods in understanding as Katara holds up a little rattle and shakes it, encouraging her son to reach up and grab it.

Kallik looks up and sees his toy and starts aggressively reaching his chubby hands out to take it. It wasn’t that far away from his reach, but the infant still struggled with pressing his body up. After the fourth attempt, he plopped back down hard onto his belly and began crying.

“Alright, Kallik. That’s enough tummy time for now,” Katara finally relents as she puts the rattle down and picks her crying son up, placing him in her lap to start soothing him.

Katara then turns her head to Azula as she simultaneously starts feeding Kallik his bottle, quieting him down. “So, what’s the ‘family emergency’?,” the fire lady asks. Azula frowns, remembering why she sought out her sister-in-law. “It’s Emi…,” the fire princess starts to explain, to which Katara’s smile drops. “What happened to her? Is she hurt?,” the self-described mama bear implores.

“Not physically, no. But… the thing is… she saw and heard some things and she’s really upset about it”

“Azula, what exactly happened?”

“Alright. I had left Emi and Kya in my suite for about ten minutes to get them some snacks. When I left them, they were fast asleep for their nap, so I didn’t think anything would happen. But, when I came back, Emi was gone. Thankfully, I found her in her room, so she’s safe and sound… but when I went inside to check on her, she was really upset. More so than usual. I asked her what was wrong and she told me that she was an abomination…”

Katara’s eyes widened and her stomach fell.

“Emi called herself that? How is that possible? Did she overhear one of Zuko’s councilmen say that?”

“I wish it was that. No, she went exploring and ended up in the dungeon… that’s where Emi found Ozai”

Katara thought she was going to scream. She could not believe what she was hearing. Her little girl, her precious sunshine, came face to face with that monster.

“What did he say to her?”

“Emi told me that he apparently thought she was me. He started ranting and telling her stuff as if she was me. It’s complicated, but he told her that a half-water tribe child as heir to the fire nation throne was an abomination. He told her some other things, possibly about the war and the Agni Kai years ago. All I know is what she told me happened. She was only able to figure out that Ozai was her grandfather because he referred to me as his child…”

The waterbender gave her sister-in-law a confused look as she adjusted her hold on her son to begin burping him. Suddenly, the fire princess felt all the emotions from her past come up all at once like a roaring volcano.

“Katara, I don’t know what to do. I thought I had finally put my past and what he did behind me. But, now… I know she’s going to be asking more questions about what Ozai told her and the lies he filled her head with and I want to help, but I don’t know…”

Katara took a deep breath and she tries to comfort Azula. She always knew that, sooner or later, her kids would start asking questions about the war. That they couldn’t keep sheltering them from the truth forever. They all needed to be honest with themselves and the kids about the darkness of the world. While the time to do so came earlier than she might have expected, it was a conversation they all needed to have as a family.

“Azula… we all knew this was going to come up someday. These kids deserve to know the truth.”

The fire princess looks up at the fire lady, her eyes glistening with fresh tears.

With a gentle hand on her shoulder, Katara assures her, “We’ll get through this. I promise”.

Azula nods as a small, sad smile appears across her face. She trusted Katara’s intuition and judgement.

“Thank you, Katara,” she whispers, her voice unable to speak any louder. “But, umm… what do we do now?”

The Fire Lady thinks about it for a second before answering, “Well, first, I think we should tell Zuko what happened”

Azula’s eyes widen.

“What? My brother is going to flip when he finds out about this”

“I do not doubt he will be upset. Trust me, I know. But he deserves to know what happened.” In response, Azula lets out a big sigh, resting her cheek against the palm of her hand.

“Ehh… ehh,”Kallik makes his little baby sounds as he reaches his arm out, sensing his Aunt was upset and wanting to make her feel better. Katara obliges her son and passes him on to her sister-in-law. The fire princess accepts the infant into her embrace with ease.

Katara looks on at Azula holding her son with such pride. The young Fire Princess had undoubtedly come a long way since that final Agni Kai years ago. Her, Zuko, and Azula now see that event as the night that changed the trajectory of their lives for the better.

For Zuko, the final Agni Kai was the first time he felt truly confident in himself. But, more importantly, it was the night he finally came to terms with his true feelings for Katara. That he was willing to risk it all, including his own life, for her. That no crown was worth it if Katara got hurt. Even though it took another three years and a failed betrothal with Mai for him to gather up enough courage to even attempt to ask her out on a proper date, that final Agni Kai on the night of Sozin’s Comet marked the very moment Zuko realized he was in love with Katara.

For Katara, Sozin’s Comet marked an important moment in her life. To her, it was the night she finally understood why her mother did what she did, why her mother would lie, claiming to that Fire Nation soldier that she was the last waterbender, a lie that ended up costing her her own life. It was love. It was the love for her family that prompted her to make that decision.

Not only that, but it was also the night she came to peace with her bloodbending abilities. After restraining Azula, she had quickly attempted to heal Zuko from that lightening strike, only to find out that he had been shot directly in the heart. The damage was beyond repair for just her normal healing abilities and even the extra vial of spirit water Pakku had given her before she and Zuko left the White Lotus camp wasn’t enough to bring him back. Zuko’s heart was literally minutes away from giving out when Katara decided to try and bloodbend him as a last resort. While it did take more energy out of her than she was used to, it worked. Zuko’s heart was put back together and his breathing returned to normal within just a few minutes.

Though she initially felt ashamed she had done so, Zuko kept assuring her the rest of that night- and the few weeks that followed it- that knowing how to bloodbend did not inherently make her a bad person and that she was allowed to not be perfect all the time. Those few weeks with him as she continued to further heal him back to full-health, it had been the first time she felt safe, free to just let her guard down and be herself. She doesn’t know exactly when it began, but she knew it was sometime during those few weeks that she finally felt a connection with Zuko that she had not felt with anyone else. While she did not yet have to exact words for it, she would later realize that it was love.

For Azula, as she looked back on the final Agni Kai, she couldn’t help but think that it was both her rock bottom and her saving grace.

At the time, she believed her life was over, that if Ozai didn’t kill her for her failure, that her brother would definitely have her either executed or incarcerated. Much to her surprise, Zuko and Katara insisted on staying in that arena with her until the comet exited the Earth’s orbit. The whole time, they tried talking to her, doing what they could to calm her down. Unfortunately, she was inconsolable at that moment. So, when all else failed, the two instead prepared for her to receive medical help.

By the time Sozin’s Comet came to an end, Azula- while still heavily restrained and her bending abilities blocked- was sent to Caldera’s local psychiatric hospital. That would be where the fire princess would stay for the next several years. During that time, she was put on multiple medications to help her, including one that weakened her bending and made it impossible for her to do so.

For a while, she began to believe she would be in that hospital forever. She was severely depressed, felt like she no longer had a purpose. Even when Zuko- and sometimes Katara- visited her regularly, keeping her up to date on important developments and milestones- such as finding their mother alive with a whole new family of her own- Azula could not find any reason to keep going forward.

She believed that Zuko would eventually give up on her, disown her and move on like she never existed. Zuko tried to help calm those fears by convincing Ursa and her daughter, Kiyi, to come with him to visit her in the hospital. Unfortunately, that whole visit just wound up making things worse. While Kiyi was nice enough, Ursa looked at her oldest daughter with such coldness. It was like she really did not want to be there.

Ursa would only come back to see Azula twice more in five years, and always at Zuko’s insistence. She never came on her own volition, which in hindsight, made the fire princess’s mental health even worse than it already was. Once it was clear Ursa’s presence was causing more harm than good, Zuko stopped bringing her to the hospital.

Around that time, Azula found herself starting to gradually get better. She started seeing her therapist regularly and was on medications that truly helped her. She could tell Zuko was proud of her progress, too. And it wouldn’t be long until she and Katara finally started to get along.

Soon enough, Azula was ready to return to living at the palace. It was a transition and there were a few bumps. What didn’t help was the fact that Katara was in her third trimester with Emi and emotions were already running high. But, Zuko made sure his sister knew it was ok to be imperfect and always made an effort to make her feel included, appreciated, and accepted.

Presently, after going through all that, as the fire princess sits on the floor holding her infant nephew, talking with her sister-in-law about how they were going to tell Zuko about Emi’s encounter with Ozai, Azula felt as if this was where she was meant to be. That everything in her life, both good and bad, has led her to this. And, knowing what she knows now, she wouldn’t trade it all for all the jewels and glory in the universe.

On the other hand, Azula was scared to let her brother know the truth. Terrified that Zuko would be upset with her for possibly allowing this to occur. After all, she was the one left to watch his daughters in his absence and she left them alone, even if it was for a short period of time. The Fire Princess could not help herself but feel so much guilt over it.

However, she knew helping Emi through this was more important than her own fears.

“You’re right. My brother deserves to know what happened,” Azula murmurs. “Aren’t I always?,” Katara smirks as the two women get back to their feet, Azula hanging on to the baby before handing him back to his mother.

Azula lets out a kind hearted laugh, “Thanks, Katara. It… really means a lot”.

“Of course. You know you can talk to me about anything. Wanna help me get Kallik down for his nap?”

“Sure”

Azula and Katara proceed to spend the next several minutes coaxing the infant prince into taking his nap. The Fire Princess allows this to distract her from the omnipresent anxiety over how Zuko will react to the news of what had happened to his eldest child.

Hope you guys liked this!

Please comment if you want to see part 4!

[biconickyoshi]

Sorry to bother you. But in your answer to my question you wrote that Azula will receive redemption. And will May and Tyle Lee forgive her as part of that redemption? It would just be interesting to see Azulie try to be nice to her friends, like Zuko did in the second half of season three. And it would be cool if at the end they started a threesome relationship.

I definitely always thought that Mai and Ty Lee would forgive her, especially if she genuinely apologized! Unfortunately even 15+ years later, Azula has yet to be redeemed in canon, so I really want to try and give it a shot. Maybe she’ll end up following a similar arc that Zuko does in canon book 3, and will end up joining the Gaang after the Day of Black Sun. Still not sure exactly where I’ll go with that - we’ll see once we get closer to that part of the story!

I have definitely also given thought to making Mai x Ty Lee x Azula canon, because they would be so cute! Especially since Azula will be redeemed in this AU. I had already planned on making Mai x Ty Lee canon anyway. Once again, we’ll see what happens as I keep writing :)

[1v31182m5]

I'm going to send shit tons of asks about the lost avatar au so be prepared.

Anyhoo, how old are the gaang? And why did sokka and katara go out to find aang? And what are toph and zuko doing? Is zuko still on thr hunt? Is toph still with her parents, living her double life?

And be prepared to me answering them all cuz I will and I shall >>>>:3💥💥💥

The story is setted up 1,5 years after Aang breaking the ice, so the gaang are one and a half year older, about to finish the second year. I know Sozin's comet came in the first year but in this one it'll come later, about a year or half a year later.

Sokka and Katara going out to find the Avatar is actually quite normal in this universe because just like what Zuko was doing in the OG show, the Avatar is actively hunted because no one thinks he actually vanished and finding the Avatar is like catching the Bludger in Quidditch. Whoever gets him will have him on their side(!)

The same exact things happened to Toph while leaving her house in the AU but this time she was alone in the whole progress. And her meeting with the Gaang will be together with Sokka because they met first in the swamp first XD!!! While Aang and Katara are a duo alone, Sokka and Toph are their own duo on the other side till they meet again💥💥💥

Zuko is hunting the avatar just like in the OG but this time, he has Azula with her. They are not on the same ships or routes but they keep crossing eachother's routes. And in this AU I executed all the family drama for many reasons. First stuff I'm not a fan of family dramas like that and I wanted Azula and Zuko to be comedically rivals on their journey, knowing when to team up or fight eachother just because when given the chance.

Zuko is not on the exile neither is Azula, but going out to world to capture the avatar is a commonly given generational mission to princes and princesses who are not a ruler yet to learn more about the world, explore, and learn so many things along the way of catching their one fast golden ticket the avatar. Ultimate honor

Ursa is still in the castle and doesn't has any issues with Azula neither does Ozai with any of kids and they're pretty chill with eachother aswell, another reason why I threw away their family business is because the focus of this AU is NOT THEM!! The focus are other things and I am pretty much more fond of the nice fire family who is nothing like that OG, this is my AU don't @ me!! I like this so much better this way

Original plot of the Lost Avatar au

[shanastoryteller]

another trip around the sun hooray! love your writing!!! some banished azula au???👀

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

The problem is that it's been years and the council is right about Zuko needing an heir and, unfortunately, he's not getting one out of Azula, which after meeting Sokka had been his plan up until she and Katara started making eyes at one another.

Sokka looks at him like he's an idiot. "Hello? Just sleep with Toph. She is your wife. And the Fire Lady. Having a little future Fire Lord is one of the things she'd agreed to when she married you."

Toph isn't unattractive, of course, but, "I don't want to sleep with anyone that's not you."

"That's sweet, but impractical," Sokka answers. Zuko sighs. "However, that doesn't mean that I can't be there."

He stares. "Don't you think that would make it more awkward?"

"I don't mean standing in the corner watching, sheesh. We'll ask, obviously, but I can pretty much guarantee you that Toph will be entirely on board with this."

Toph ends up being very, very on board with it.

[muffinlance]

Towards the Sun, Chapter 45: Contract Bargaining 101 with Lady Jun, B.S.

Jun v the Northern Water Tribe's council of Old Guys. She's dealt with old guys before. Same script, right?

Latest chapter || Read from the beginning

Summary:

Zuko botches his escape on the day of the eclipse and sits out the war in prison. What will the Gaang do with a new Fire Lord they can't trust? Season Four "Zuko never joined the Gaang, and he's really bad at being good" AU. Featuring Azula's extended field trip, Jun not signing up for this, and Sokka's increasing desire to scream. Come get your international politics with a side of baby dragons.

[zuko-always-lies]

List of Azula AU/fic ideas

Better parenting Ursa

Azula raises Katara AU (and continued) and more

Azula and Katara get friendly postwar and talk about their brothers.

Mai is significantly older than Azula and Ty Lee AU (Older "sister" Mai)

Jin works at Iroh's teashop but finds out about his past

Zuko tells Azula about the Spirit Water

Ursa and Ozai get along better, and it's not a good thing AU

Imperialist Lu Ten survives the war and tries to regain his throne afterwards

Zuko finds out more about his nation AU

Revolutionary Azula takes over Ba Sing Se AU

Three different AU ideas in one

Favoritism in the royal family is a little different

What if Zuko had a nonbending twin sister (who he doesn't get along with).

Zuko's daughter changes how he sees Azula

Zuko and Ursa try to isolate Azula ("for her own good")

Ozai gets exiled and the Gaang stupidly ally with him

Earth Kingdom ends up with custody of Azula postwar and support her bid for the Fire Nation throne when Zuko starts another war with them.

The Gaang tries to figure out why Zuko joined them.

Dangerous Ladies find Ursa in Book 2

Azula and Toph fake dating

Zuko/"world leaders" try to force Aang to take away Azula's bending and he's very much not OK with it.

Azula is thrown away to the NWT postwar as a trinket and Chief Arnook adopts her.

Comics! Ursa's letter about Zuko being a bastard gets out.

Zuko and Katara lie about what happened during the Agni Kai

An exiled Azula finds Fire Imperialist! Ursa postwar

Aang has to save Azula from being executed by Zuko

Zuko's defection during DoBS goes very badly for Mai

Zuko joins the Gaang at Ba Sing Se, but it ends poorly

Zuko killed Azula during the Agni Kai, and now he has to deal with the consequences.

AU idea where Zuko keeps Azula permanently imprisoned in bad and torturous conditions postwar, and Izumi finds out about when she’s relatively young, and draws exactly the sort of conclusions about her parents that you would expect. Not to mention being terrified that she might be treated the same way if she missteps…

Ozai never declares Zuko and Iroh traitors

Iroh-Azula roleswap au

Zuko asks Azula for help with his firebending

Zuko wants Azula to like him but doesn't get why she doesn't like him (postwar)

Katara has an arranged marriage with Zuko and Azula tries to get into the good graces of her sister in law

"Katara is supposed to have an arranged marriage with Zuko, but she falls in love with Azula instead."

Another take on Zvtara (arranged marriage) and Maizula.

Azula-Katara AU idea (or: Katara runs into an Azula who has changed a lot in some ways and not very much in others)

Zuko is actually Ikem's son

Firelord Azula ends her brother's exile

Azula raises Izumi (it's complicated)

"AU idea: Azula commits suicide out of despair, and just about everyone is convinced that Zuko had her murdered or at the very least “encouraged” her to do it."

Dangerous Ladies get banished/declared traitors and Azula basically gives up. Mai has to step up her place

I have to say, “Zuko has to deal with finding out that Ursa very much isn’t who he believed she was” remains excellent fanfic fodder.

"AU idea: Ursa is more aware of Ozai’s abuse and potential for abuse than in canon, so, right after her exile, she seeks out Iroh and charges him with protecting both of her children."

Firelord Iroh treats Azula in a really screwed up way.

"AU where Azula dies during the latter stages of the war or right after it, and Mai is the only person who ever morns her as a person, not as a politically convenient symbol (Ty Lee runs away from her complex feelings on Azula as much as she can)."

Dark idea

"Since so much of the fandom is convinced that Azula is Zuko’s older sister, I need an AU where this is true and Zuko is just as throne-obsessed as canon and spends all his time trying to usurp his older sister."

"AU where Ozai has a heart attack and dies right after the fire siblings return to the Fire Nation, and Zuko and Azula have to pick up the pieces. Meanwhile, the Gaang are plotting to overthrow them and bring the war to a close once and for all..."

King Kuai adopts Azula as his heir

Things get complicated, darkly (Azula exiled postwar AU)

What if Zuko tried to be a good brother

"I really need an AU where Lu Ten returns and is pissed over Ozai’s usurpation, so he kills Ozai, seizes the throne, and continues the war. Of course, Iroh ends up supporting his actual son in all of this, and the conflict in the Fire Nation ends up boiling down to Zuko and Azula vs. Lu Ten and Iroh as the situation spirals toward civil war, at the same time the 100 years war continues."

"Maizula AU where Mai married Zuko, but he died not long after Izumi was born, and Azula and Mai are secretly carrying out a relationship while raising Izumi and ruling the Fire Nation as her regents."

Azula joins the Gaang with a twist...

"The chaos which would result if Lu Ten showed up alive again in Book 1 and launched a rebellion against Ozai in pursuit of “his” throne."

Ursa opposes Firelord Zuko

Iroh tries to kill Azula during "The Chase"

Mai and Ty Lee on trial for "war crimes"" and Azula has to save them

This is very long list, and people are welcome to steal any ideas they want from it for their own use.

[imagines--galore]

||The Thread of Fate|| Part Nineteen

Summary: Soulmate AU. They say the Thread of Fate connects you to your one true love. It may tangle. It may stretch. But it will never break. Wrapped around your little finger it tightens when it feels your soulmate is close and loosens when they are far. And becomes visible with the colors of your soulmate’s Nation when you finally fall in love with them.

Pairing: Zuko x OroraOC (ATLA)

Rating || Genres || Warnings: T+ Romance. Adventure.

Previous Chapters - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen, Part Seventeen, Part Eighteen,

A/N: I think the aftermath of the last chapter is more angsty then the previous chapter : P

"I'm home!" Orora called as she stepped through the doors of the apartment above the tea shop. Iroh, who had been doing some inventory looked up and smiled.

"Welcome home Orora. I trust your little shopping excursion was a success?" She nodded, setting her bags down on the floor. "It was. And I got more then a little extra since Aang and the others will be coming over for dinner."

Iroh nodded. "Better to be prepared. Especially since that friend of yours, Sokka, tends to eat quite a lot." Orora giggled before glancing around. "Where's Zuko?" She asked.

"He just stepped outside to get some fresh air. He was pacing rather anxiously. He still doesn't like you wandering around on your own." Her Master reminded her, to which she rolled her eyes. "Well he can't follow me around our whole lives." The girl called over her shoulder as she walked towards the balcony door.

Sliding it open, she was met with the sight of Zuko glaring at her. "I can and I will." He stated, referring to the conversation she was just having with his Uncle. Laughing softly to herself, Orora shook her head and stepped out next to him, closing the door behind her as she did.

"Well that would count as extra work. And I doubt you would have time for that while also running an entire Nation." She playfully tapped him on the nose. "I'll find a way. I always find a way to come back to you don't I, My Fire Lady?" He asked, a smile on his lips, one she never got tired of seeing. Her heart swelled and Orora responded in kind. Reaching up on her tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his lips.

She moved to step away from him, her mouth opening to speak when a sudden flash of lightning had the entire scene changing.

Blue eyes blinked, trying to get rid of the temporary blindness it had caused her.

The sight that greeted her, had her eyes widening in horror and nearly caused her heart to stop.

Azula and Zuko, facing one another, with Azula's fingers smoking as it did whenever she would release a bout of lightning.

Lightning that was crackling through the air.

Aiming at Zuko's chest.

A scream tore through the air, and it took a moment for her to realize that she was the one screaming. She made to run towards him, to stop the deadly weapon, but she was too slow.

She blinked.

And she was holding Zuko in her arms. His body trembled as residue lightning crackled through his entire being. There was an ugly wound in the center of his chest.

He wasn't breathing.

"Zuko! No! Zuko! Zuko! Wake up! Wake up!" She called out to him, begged him to open his eyes. Over and over. She smacked his chest, trying to use her Healing Abilities, but to no avail.

She blinked.

Zuko had disappeared from her arms, only to be replaced by Iroh. His injuries were the same as Zuko's. His face was so pale, his breathing ragged. "Master?" She whispered, her mind racing. Hadn't she healed him? He was better now! He had gotten better. He had lived.

She blinked.

Aang, with a wound in the same place as Zuko and Iroh before. His eyes flickered, as he raised a hand feebly towards her face. Orora began to breath sporadically, her mind spinning as she watched the Avatar, a child, slowly die in her arms.

She blinked.

Katara in the same condition as the previous three. Her eyes once full of love and life, staring unseeing at the ceiling above. Orora couldn't bear it anymore. She grabbed the girl's shoulders and began to shake her, calling out to her, trying to wake her up.

She blinked.

Sokka, his eyes closed, and his chest frozen. Never to rise again with the large wound that gaped in his chest. "Sokka!' She didn't let go of his shoulders.

"Wake up! Please! You still need to teach me stuff! You need to show me how real brothers are! Please! Just open your eyes!"

She blinked.

"Katara! No please! Come back! Come back! You have to live. You have to see the world not fighting! You have to wake up! You can't leave!"

She blinked.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't heal you Master! Please! Don't leave me! Don't leave me! Master! Uncle! Father! Father, please! Father!"

She blinked.

"No! No! No! Aang! No! Don't die! People need you Aang! I need you! Wake up! You still have to show me the Air Temples! You promised! Aang! Aang!"

She blinked.

"No! You don't get to leave me! You have to live! You have to live for me! With me! Please Zuko! I beg you! Open your eyes!"

A movement from the corner of her eyes had her raising her despair filled eyes to the figure now standing next to her.

It was Zuko.

And yet, it wasn't.

This couldn't be her Zuko. He would never look at her with such hatred and venom in his amber eyes. Her arms tightened around Zuko's body as the Zuko in front of her, who was very much alive, raised a fist.

In her heart, no in her soul, she knew what was coming. Knew she should run. Defend herself.

But she didn't.

She simply sat there, cradling Zuko's body as she watched the other Zuko bring his fist down, a ball of fire raging strong and hot as he aimed at her chest.

Right where her heart was.............

                                          ————————–

Orora shot up with a startled cry.

Her chest rose and fell as she panted. Sweat coated her entire body. Her eyes darted around the darkened room, frantic and panicked. For a moment, she didn't remember where she was.

But then, her gaze fell on the figure sleeping in the bed, with another figure beside them, holding their hand.

She was on a ship, her brain reminded her. She was on a disguised Fire Nation ship with her friends and members of her sister tribe. Aang was asleep in the bed, with Katara sitting vigil at his side, holding his hand.

As the reality sunk in, her breathing calmed and the panic left her eyes. Slowly, her heartbeat returned to normal. And yet the images of her most recent nightmare continued to play in her mind.

Shaking her head to try and dispel the thoughts, she stood to gently lay a hand on Aang's forehead, checking for a fever. Normal body temperature greeted her, prompting her to let out a sigh of relief and slowly slide away and back onto the floor where she had probably fallen asleep after staring up at the ceiling for hours.

Her mind wandered to all that had happened since they had joined Sokka and Katara's tribe.

                                          ————————–

They had landed on the ship, the familiar structure providing her with some comfort as friendly faces surrounded them. Sokka, Toph and the Earth King and his pet had slid down, while she had helped Katara get Aang down from Appa's head.

Katara had still been near catatonic as she cradled Aang close to her. Sokka and another figure, a man, had moved forward, mouth open to question her. But she gave them no chance. Orora took charge, ordering for mats and blankets, bandages and any salve they might have for burns. Turns out, they had everything she needed. While Katara, still lost in the horrors of her mind at nearly loosing her Soulmate, Orora worked diligently, cleaning Aang's wound and after giving him a healing session of her own, which helped her determine how much of his injury had healed, she rubbed the salve along his back, before bandaging him up carefully. He would have to sleep on his stomach for awhile. There were other injuries that she had to heal. One on his shoulder, and several bruises from being smacked against stone walls by Azula. She had no idea who long she sat there, healing Aang as much as she could while Katara watched on.

Once she was sure he was comfortable, Orora turned her attention towards Katara. Resting a hand against her cheek, Orora slowly guided Katara's head so that she could look at her properly. "You don't have to say anything." The older girl said, her voice soft and gentle. "Just nod or shake your head." It took a moment, before Katara nodded.

Smiling in an encouraging manner, Orora continued. "Are you hurt anywhere?" A pause before a nod. "Where?" Katara blinked at her, before slowly pulling out her leg from underneath her and pulling up the sleeve of her pants. Orora hissed softly at the sight of the ugly bruise already marring the young girl's skin. Pulling up some water, she quickly coated her hands and pretty soon the entire bruise had faded.

That wasn't the only injury Katara had. There were bruises and cuts on her back as well, and several others on her abdomen. Thank the Spirits it wasn't as serious as Aang's injuries.

Once done, Orora stood. "Stay with Aang. I'll get you something to eat. Don't fall asleep." She could already see the girl's eyes drooping. Exiting the small tent-like room atop the ship's deck, Orora stopped short at the sight that greeted her.

Every member aboard the ship was standing in front of her, staring at her. Every single one of them had the same question in their eyes.

"What happened?!?" Sokka was the one person impatient enough to voice it. "We left you, Iroh and Aang to get Katara and Zuko." Her heart twinged painfully at the name, prompting her to lift a hand to press against her chest. "And only you came back, with Aang half-dead and Katara looking like she was dead!"

Silence followed his words. Sighing deeply, Orora nodded, her eyes closing. "I know you have questions." She said, her voice low and soft, tired sounding. "Just let me get Katara something to eat, then I'll explain everything."

A quick bowl of warm broth, which she spooned into Katara's mouth herself, and once she was sure the other girl was sleeping comfortably and that Aang was still breathing, Orora found herself sitting on one side of the fire that burned in a small square hole in the center of the ship.

Everyone stared at her, while her own gaze remained trained on the fire in front of her.

"We found them both in the catacombs." She began. "But we were ambushed, by Azula and the Dai Li Agents." Memories of what had happened rushed to the front of her mind but she continued speaking.

"The Fire Nation prince joined his sister." Another twinge in her chest, one that had a certain blind girl narrowing her eyes at. "Aang was going into the Avatar State when Azula shot lightening at him from behind." Words and cries of outrage echoed in the night, calling the Fire Nation names. Orora continued. "Katara........I think.......she's in shock. It was pretty scary, watching him fall like that."

Her voice caught in her throat, a strange emotion rising within her. One that had her suddenly blinking really fast as her eyes burned. "How did you escape?" Toph asked from where she sat, looking so small and vulnerable, with her arms wrapped around her legs.

"My Master, Iroh of the Fire Nation." Looks of utter disbelief and surprises crossed everyone's faces. "He sacrificed himself. Ordered me to grab Katara and Aang and get out of there. We got to you guys and Katara healed Aang."

A beat of silence before Toph spoke again. "She didn't heal him." She said, slowly rising to her feet to stand next to Sokka. "I can sense heartbeats, and when the three of you came." Her unseeing gaze turned to the tent where her two friends were now sleeping. "I only sensed two heartbeats."

Revulsion rose up inside her. Clapping a hand to her mouth, Orora quickly ran to the side of the ship and dry-heaved whatever was left in her stomach.

Died, the word echoed in her mind.

Azula who was a child herself, had killed Aang, who was even younger then them.

A child killing a child.

She heaved again, feeling someone come up behind her and rub her back soothingly. "You alright?" It was Toph. Wiping her mouth, Orora straightened, pushing her hair back from her face and giving a small nod. "I guess." The older girl closed her eyes briefly.

"I know we've only just met Toph, but could you pay close attention to Aang and Katara's heartbeats for the night?" She asked, looking at the younger girl. Toph was silent for a moment.

"You just saved the lives of two people I care about." The girl responded with a smile and a nod. "Its the least I could do. I'll tell you if anything changes." She promised, just as Sokka walked over to them with a bowl of soup. He held it out to Orora who took it, slowly spooning the broth to her mouth, enjoying the warmth of it.

And yet she still felt cold from the inside.

"Guess bad luck followed us into Ba Sing Se too" Sokka moved to stand on Orora's other side. "We don't have the Earth Kingdom army to back us up now for the Invasion Plan."

Orora glanced up, frowning. "The what plan?"

Sighing, Sokka began to fill in what their plan had been. Orora listened, her half-eaten bowl of broth forgotten as her eyes widened with each key point Sokka revealed about the plan.

Or rather what had been the plan.

"Now that our old plan has gone down the drain." Toph spoke up. "Whats the new plan Idea Guy?" She asked to which Sokka pursed his lip.

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm gonna work on something with my dad and the others, try and come up with something." He continued with a determined expression. "The day of the Eclipse is the only opportunity we have of stopping the Fire Nation, once and for all. We can't loose it."

Orora's mind flitted to the memory of Aang falling. Of Katara staring at her with eyes full of anguish. Of her Master ordering her to leave him. Of the Prince......betraying her.

"And we won't." Toph added, with Orora nodding beside her.

                                          ————————–

Feeling her eyes begin to grow heavy, Orora pushed herself to stand up. Glancing at Aang and Katara, she quickly picked up a blanket to cover the girl's shoulders before exiting the room. Her soft footfalls were loud against the metal surface of the Fire Nation ship. It was still early in the night, and aside from the people keeping watch, she was sure everyone else was still asleep.

Climbing up the stairs, she emerged onto the deck and inhaled deeply as the cool night air greeted her. A Fire Nation cloak was fastened around her shoulders, to cover her clothes. She still wore the dress she had worn when going to meet the Earth King.

Albeit it was now torn in places, rumpled and was covered in a bit of blood as well. She'd lost her comb in the Catacombs, as well as her water satchel.

Truth be told, she had lost everything in that cursed place.

The two men on guard, one of whom was Sokka and Katara's father, Hakoda, looked at her as she walked to the side of the ship, eyes trained on the water beneath. Removing her cloak, as well as her shoes, the young girl gripped the edge of her dress and tore it on either side, splitting the fabric up to her waist. She wore leggings underneath, and now that the fabric was open around her legs, she could move them more freely.

Despite the tiredness that still ached in her bones, Orora began to go through different waterbending forms. The motions helped calm her racing mind and ground her.

She continued to practice, going through several new forms she had created herself and had been working on them for a long while now. The girl only stopped when her she could barely lift her arms, and her legs trembled from the exertion she had put them through.

"You know I've never felt Katara do some of those moves before." Toph's voice prompted her to look over her shoulder as the younger girl approached her. Orora shrugged. "Its just something I'm trying to develop. I figured if all other types of benders can use their feet and legs to use their bending, why can't waterbenders." She wiggled her bare toes.

Toph nodded. "I get it. You want to use your bending to the best of your ability." She came to stand beside Orora. "Its the same reason I created metalbending." She stated, the pride clear in her voice.

Orora had witnessed Toph's abilities during their small takeover of the Fire Nation ship. She had to create a hole to hide Appa in, in case passing by Fire Nation ships spotted them. Orora smiled. "That's pretty amazing for someone as young as you."

Toph chuckled. "Yeah, but not when you're the world's greatest earthbender." Orora raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" She asked, a little disbelief slipping into her voice to which Toph grinned.

"I even have the belt to prove it. The other three met me at a Rumble, of which I had been champion for quite sometime." Orora couldn't help but be impressed.

"That is actually amazing. You didn't let your blindness stop you then?" She asked, curious to know how Toph's seismic sense actually worked. Toph shook her head.

"It works in my favor actually. Why a need to see, when you can sense when your opponent is about to attack." Orora nodded.

"True." A playful gleam in her eyes, the older girl quickly lifted her leg, bringing it down in a graceful arc. The moment her foot left the floor, a stream of water rose from the side of the ship, arching through the air and towards Toph.

The girl simply brought up a slate of metal to shield herself from getting wet. "Impressive." She said, grinning at Orora. "But you still need to work on the force behind your attack."

Orora nodded. "Yeah, I'm actually working on that right now. Practicing helps." Silence fell between the two. Orora glanced at Toph. She was significantly taller then the other girl, and yeah, Toph was powerful, no doubt about it, but that didn't stop a surge of protectiveness to race through her. Strange, she'd only just met Toph properly a few days ago.

Maybe some friendships just started out that way. An urge to protect someone else because........well, just because.

Taking in the air of the early morning, she held out a hand towards Toph. "Once we get ashore, we'll have a little one-on-one. You can practice your metalbending, and I can practice using my feet and legs to waterbend. Deal?"

"Sounds good." Toph agreed, raising a hand to shake hers. "I think we're gonna be good friends Orora." She smiled, as she began to walk away. "Which reminds me, I need to come up with a nickname for you. Its tradition." With that the girl walked off in search of breakfast, leaving Orora to smile after her departing figure.

It was still an hour or so before dawn, so she pulled her shoes back on, wrapped the cloak around herself, and went back downstairs. The moment she entered, she fell onto the mat she had been using. She was fast asleep before her head even hit the pillow.

And this time, she didn't dream.

                                          ————————–

"You feeling alright Katara?" Orora asked, moving to stand beside the girl as she and Toph stood near the railing. It was the same day, the sun having set a long time ago. But throughout the day, Orora always asked Katara the same question. While it would've gotten annoying to anyone else, Katara would only smiled and reassure the girl that she was.

                                          ————————–

It had started the day after they escaped the Catacombs. Katara had exited the small tent and Orora had approached her, voicing her concern. Though Katara had not spoken, she had responded with a small nod, then she'd hugged her father, cried in his arms before falling asleep again. It was the third day when she began to speak. She'd insisted on giving Aang a healing session herself, and also attempted to feed him the vegetable broth Orora had made.

Biting her lower lip, and hoping she wouldn't snap at her Orora asked again. "You feeling alright Katara?" The girl had paused, looking up from where she had been spooning the simple broth into Aang's mouth. They had to keep him fed somehow, and this was the best option.

Turning to look at Orora, Katara blinked. "I'm........not sure." She finally said. Her heart twinged at the look of utter devastation on Katara's face. "I have to keep reminding myself, that he's here. He's alive." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I-I nearly lost him Orora." Tears filled her eyes as she seemed to curl in on herself. "I nearly lost my Soulmate." She sobbed softly, pressing a hand to her mouth to muffle her cries.

Orora wrapped her arms around the other girl, lending her whatever comfort she could, even as her own heart lay broken in a hundred pieces. She didn't know who had it worse.

Katara who had actually seen her Soulmate die, or her, who's Soulmate did not hesitate in betraying her, turning her back to her.

As if he hadn't even cared about her.

When she had been on the verge of falling........

                                          ————————–

Presently, smiling in a reassuring manner, Katara nodded. "I feel fine, and its all thank to you. You've really been a great help Orora." The older girl shrugged.

"Just trying to be useful." She said, before turning her eyes towards the water below. "I know you'll feel even better when Aang wakes up." Toph added, arms hanging over the side of the railing. Katara's expression morphed to one of worry, while Orora sighed.

"We all will." The girl said, pushing back the white patch of hair from her face. Katara's eyes landed on it as Sokka, dressed as a Fire Nation Soldier approached.

"You never told us how you got the white hair." Katara pointed out, to which Orora shrugged. "The Moon Spirit visited me." Her response was so nonchalant, as if she were commenting on the weather, that the rest of the three in their little group stared at her, dumbstruck.

"Do Spirits make a habit of visiting you? Is that why you sound so relaxed about it?" Toph finally asked, a bemused smile on her lips. "Moon Spirit? You mean Yue?! She visited you?" Sokka asked, more like demanded to know as he pushed Katara to the side to stand in front of Orora.

His sister give him an annoyed look which he completely ignored. Orora nodded. "It was after my Master was hurt, in that small village where we all met." They all nodded. "Well I was just feeling a little lost after that, and I questioned my own decision of staying rather then go with you guys."

She lifted her head to gaze at the cloudy night sky. The moon was probably hiding behind the clouds somewhere.

"I....prayed to the Spirits. I begged them to help guide me and suddenly Princess Yue just appeared in front of me. She gave me words of advice, touched my hair right here, and then she was gone. Since then my hair has been white."

Sokka hummed. "Just like how Yue's were because she was touched by the Moon Spirit too." Orora shrugged. "Yeah, but it doesn't make me special." Toph nudged her side. "Oh please, you're working on making an entirely new form of waterbending, don't be so modest. That's pretty special in my books."

Orora smiled at the girl. "You created a whole new form of bending, Toph. Pretty impressive for a scrawny little kid like you." She ruffled Toph's hair affectionately. Her noises of protest prompted Sokka and Katara to laugh, and Orora couldn't help but feel her heart swell.

It was a good thing she had so many people around her, distracting her in the best way possible. She was sure she would have succumbed to her more dark thoughts if they hadn't been there. Despite all that had happened, they still remained optimistic. Something that Orora sorely needed after what she had gone through in the catacombs.

Suddenly a commotion near the stairs had them all turning.

"Twinkle Toes! That's got to be you!" Toph called out before they had even turned. A bright smile pulled at Orora's lips at the sight of Aang standing there.

"Aang, you're awake!" Katara called out, as they all rushed to his side.

Aang rubbed his eyes. "Are you sure? I feel like I'm dreaming." He said, his voice still a little slurry with sleep.

Katara reached him first, wrapping him in a hug. "You're not dreaming. You're finally awake." She reassured him before stepping back.

"You gave us quite the scare kid." Orora added, giving him a brief hug as well. Aang stared around, still confused. And adding to that confusion, was the sight of Sokka in his new getup.

"Aang!" He said, his voice slightly muffled. "Good to see you back with the living, buddy!"

"Sokka?" He mumbled, body swaying and head heavy.

Toph straightened. "Uh-oh, somebody catch him!" She called out. "He's going to-" She'd barely finished when Aang collapsed to the ground. The small group crowded around him, with Orora checking his pulse while, Katara checked his pupils. "He just passed out." The older girl reassured everyone watching.

Appa grumbled as he walked forward. "Give Appa some room people!" Sokka called out, pushing everyone away so that the Bison could sniff at Aang. Maybe he sensed his friend was near, but Aang slowly opened his eyes and smiled at the Bison who nuzzled his big nose against Aang.

"Hey buddy, mind telling me whats going on here?"

                                          ————————–

His eyes followed Mai as she finally walked off leaving him alone.

He knew it was his sister's doing. Trying to get Mai to distract him from what he had done to Uncle and..........Orora.

The bubble his and Mai's little outing in Ba Sing Se had created was popped the very next day when he had seen his Uncle being led away in chains. Even now he felt his heart clench in his chest. But that had been nothing compared to the image his mind had conjured the very next moment.

Orora.

Walking behind his Uncle.

Chains around her wrists and ankles.

Looking at him the way she had done in the catacombs.

It wasn't even real, and yet he had turned on his heel and marched off, sweating, panting as his heart beat wildly in his chest. It had taken him quite a while to calm down.

Now, he was standing on the ship that would take him home. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he had barely heard Mai approach him. She had responded to his words with a sarcastic comment and what would have been a kiss on the lips was shifted to one on the cheek when Zuko moved his head at the last moment.

She'd told him to stop worrying, before moving off.

Not at all helpful.

"Not exactly how I would handle things." A voice said next to him.

He opened his eyes to the sight of Orora sitting on the railing of the ship. His heart jumped at the sight of her, and yet he showed no other emotion.

After all, it was all in his head.

"What would you have said?" He finally asked.

She pursed her lips in the way he remembered when she was contemplating over something. "Would it have mattered?" She responded, looking right at him.

"You wouldn't have listened to me anyway."

He opened his eyes.

She was gone.

                                         ————————–

The next morning, during breakfast, Sokka decided to sit Aang down and tell him of what he had missed since he had been hurt. Though while they waited for breakfast to be served, Aang walked over to Orora.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked. She frowned, but nodded, giving The Duke the ladle to scoop the noodles into bowls. Once they were a good ways away from the rest of the group, he turned to Orora, leaning on his staff.

"Katara told me what happened in the catacombs." Her shoulders stiffened. "And I guess its safe to assume that I'm the only one, who knows about......." He trailed off, looking at Orora. The girl sighed, closing her eyes as she did. "Yeah." She finally responded. "You're the only one. And I don't plan on telling anyone else."

Her eyes drifted to her finger where the string hung loose and limp. "I'm sorry." He said, his voice echoing with a sadness she would never associate with a boy who was always smiling. She shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. Fate only put us together as a cruel joke. What happened in Ba Sing Se has taught me that if you open your heart to someone who is your enemy, you only get stabbed in the back."

Once more, that strange lump formed in her throat, prompting her to swallow. "I'm just glad you're alright." She continued, smiling at him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. Aang smiled back. "Katara also told me how you helped with the healing session when she couldn't."

Orora shook her head. "It was the least I could do." Glancing around to make sure no one was listening, she added. "After what happened, Katara sort of shut down. She was able to save you with the water from the Spirit Oasis, but even after that for a few days she barely ate, slept or left your side."

Aang bit his lower lip, glancing in the direction of his Soulmate as she chatted away with her brother. "I always feel so guilty, putting her in situations like that. Someone is always trying to hurt me, and she's always worried about me. I hate it. I hate that I worry her so much." He said with a scowl of frustration.

A brief silence.

"Well, I guess that just means we have to win this war, so that you're not in anymore danger and she can stop worrying about you." The older girl responded, to which Aang smiled and nodded. "You're right. Thanks Orora."

"Hey you two! Breakfast is getting cold!" Katara called out from where she sat. The waterbender and Avatar smiled at one another before joining the little group where Sokka had taken charge.

"After what happened at Ba Sing Se, we had to get you to safety. We flew back to Chameleon Bay where we found my father and the other Water Tribe men." Orora tried really hard not to think of that night, instead focusing on eating her breakfast.

Sokka continued. "The Earth King decided he wanted to travel the world in disguise, so he set off alone." He grinned. "Well, not completely alone."

Toph chuckled. "I wander how long it will take him to start missing someone buffing his cuticles." She muttered from where she sat next to Orora, who chuckled in response.

"Soon, the bay was overrun by Fire Nation ships. Rather than fight them all, we captured a single ship and made it our disguise. Since then we've been traveling west." He opened a map, pointing out their location. "We crossed through the Serpent's Pass a few days ago. We've seen a few Fire Nation ships, but none have bothered us."

Aang nodded. "So what now?" He asked to which Hakoda responded. "We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan."

Katara, who had been silent till now, cut in. "It's Sokka's invasion plan."

Hakoda nodded, glancing at his daughter. "Yes, Sokka's plan. We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable."

His son nodded before continuing. "So we're planning a smaller invasion. Just a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke." Orora smiled at the sight of The Duke sitting atop Pipsqueak, slurping noodles.

"And the best part is, the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage!" Looking a little too gleeful, Sokka lowered his voice to a whisper. "We have a secret!" He looked to both sides. "You!"

Aang blinked. "Me?"

Sokka nodded, grinning. "Yep, the whole world thinks you're dead! Isn't that great?" He added, standing up and raising his hands triumphantly in the air as if he had just won a prize. Orora, seeing the look of utter shock on Aang's face, reached out to grip Sokka's armor and yank him back down.

"Learn to read the room Sokka." She advised, as Aang began to pace around.

"The world thinks I'm dead?" He cried out. "How is that good news? That's terrible!"

Sokka, despite a warning look from Orora, stepped forward. "No, it's great! It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore! And even better, they won't be expecting you on the Day of Black Sun!"

The news only distressed Aang further. Humphing, Orora flicked her hand forward, encasing Sokka's mouth in a small mask of ice. The boy protested in a muffled voice but she only glared at him.

"Keep it shut Sokka! I told you not to bring all of that up." Her gaze flicked to Aang, leaving Sokka to struggle with the mask. Aang had to calm down, he might aggravate his wounds if he kept the pacing up.

"No, no, no, no, no. You have no idea." He said, burying his face in his hands. "This is so messed up!"

Before anyone could say anything, the sound of another ship's horn echoed across the water. Every eye turned to the ship approaching them.

Aang straightened up. "I'll handle this." He said, trying to stand up straight and opening his glider. "The Avatar is back." But then he paused, grunting in pain as sweat lined his forehead.

Katara approached him. "Aang, wait! Remember, they don't know we're not Fire Nation!" Teeth gritted, the injured Avatar put away his glider.

Hakoda stepped forward. "Everyone just stay calm. Bato and I will take care of this." The two of them walked off while Orora helped Aang get into one of the smaller square holes in the ship's deck. It was big enough to hide all of them.

"I hate not being able to do anything." Aang grumbled.

"Hopefully, you won't need to." Toph stated as they all succumbed to silence.

For five minutes.

The moment the Fire Nation began to depart, Toph emerged from the hole. "They know!" She called out, alerting everyone around her. Orora glanced at Katara, and the two girls nodded at one another.

"Sokka, keep Aang here." Katara told her brother. "On both our order." Orora added, glaring at Aang who pursed his lips in annoyance, watching as the two waterbenders raced off.

Meanwhile, Toph had metalbended the bridge between the ships. The captain and his guards fell into the water below. Racing to the edge, both Katara and Orora stood side by side creating a large wave which separated the two ships, creating a little distance between them.

Their ship raced off, with the other one in hot pursuit.

Standing at the railing, Orora raised her arms skyward, sending a wave of water towards the ship, trying to freeze it in place. But the ship's speed was too strong, and it crashed through the ice before it could hold it in place.

The girl frowned in frustration.

"Load the Toph!" Toph called out.

Pipsqueak dropped a boulder in front of Toph who began earthbending it at the attacking ship. One of the boulders hit a catapult as another one fired.

Seeing the fireball approach the ship, Orora quickly bent a huge bubble of water and once it was frozen solid, threw it in the air with the force of her entire body behind it. Her icy ammunition struck hard and fast, flickers of fire and ice shards flying through the air. With The Duke's guidance, Toph earthbended another piece of rock and sent it to intercept another oncoming fireball.

Suddenly their ship lurched, nearly sending Orora tumbling, but she steadied herself. Katara, who had been standing at the edge, noticed the harpoon at the side of the ship. She quickly froze the water to plug the hole.

"I'm gonna give us some cover!" She said, already going through the motions of creating a fog. "Orora!' She called out, though she didn't have to. Orora was mirroring Katara's motions and between the two of them, they were able to create a fog screen.

Another fireball flew through the air, this time taking out Toph's ammunition.

The fog dissipated, their plan failing. As two more fireballs arced through the air, Orora repeated her previous move, sending a ball of ice at one of the fireballs. Both of them exploded on collision. The other one struck their ship, setting it on fire.

Which was quickly extinguished by Katara.

"How are we doing?" Toph called out, to which Sokka responded.

"Things couldn't get much worse." No sooner had he finished saying those words when a Sea Serpent rose from the water near their ship. Every eye turned to look at the towering behemoth of a creature. Orora actually felt herself gulp in fear.

"The universe just loves proving me wrong, doesn't it?" Sokka called out in despair. "You make it too easy!" Despite the danger they were in, Toph couldn't help but take a shot at Sokka.

"Now is not the time Toph." Orora called out, already running to stand in front of her, to protect the younger girl if need be.

However, the serpent was hit by a fireball from the other ship. Turning it's wrath to the other ship, it wrapped itself around it, allowing their ship to escape.

As everyone stared in surprise, Sokka grinned, throwing his arms to the sky. "Thank you, the universe!" He called out. No sooner had the words ended when he found another ice mask covering his mouth.

He glared at Orora, who glared right back.

"Do not jinx it!" She growled, to which he huffed.

                                           ————————–

This was not how he had envisioned returning to the Palace and sitting in front of the pond he had his mother had frequented for so long.

He hadn't thought he would be alone.

As he flicked some bread to the turtleducks, who fed upon it happily, a shadow enveloped him.

"You seem so downcast." His sister observed, arms crossed and that ever present cunning smile on her lips. "Has Mai gotten to you already?" The mention of the girl trying to distract him with her attention had him pursing his lips. "Though actually, Mai has been in a strangely good mood lately." She continued.

"I haven't seen Dad yet." Zuko finally revealed. "I haven't seen him in three years, since I was banished." His sister shrugged, not at all bothered. "So what?"

He looked up at her. "So, I didn't capture the Avatar."

Waving a careless hand, Azula circled around him. "Who cares? The Avatar is dead." Her statement prompted Zuko to look away. An act that Azula noticed as she frowned suspiciously. "Unless you think he somehow miraculously survived."

He remembered. He remembered the vial Katara had shown him. Water, that had special properties.

"No." He finally responded, after a rather long pause. "There's no way he could have survived." The two siblings glared at one another before Azula moved to walk away.

"Well, then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about." She said.

Suddenly she stopped. "Speaking of nothing to worry about." He did not like the tone she was using.

"Who exactly was that girl with the white hair? I don't believe she was traveling with the Avatar to be his companion." She looked over her shoulder. "Was she traveling with you and Uncle?"

A cold, dreadful feeling settled in his stomach.

She couldn't know the truth.

She didn't know the truth.

"She was.......a server from the tea shop that Uncle opened." He said, his response quick, his voice calm as it could be. He didn't even look in Azula's direction when he spoke, opting to instead throw more bread at the turtleducks.

If she couldn't see his face, then she wouldn't be able to discern the brief bout of fear he felt, at the thought of Azula finding out Orora's connection to him.

He knew his sister would not hold back in finding Orora and either throwing her in prison, or even killing her. "Nobody important."

"If you say so." Azula responded before walking off, not at all satisfied with her brother's response. She had her suspicions, had her sources of information, but she would not act on them. Not until she knew that Zuko would respond to being questioned about the girl.

Azula wanted to hurt her brother as much as she could.

Because if he had found his Soulmate before she had, then it wouldn't be fair now would it?

He couldn't have all their Mother's love and a Soulmate's love too.

Not when she had neither.

Zuko watched as his sister disappeared, heaving a sight of relief.

"Nobody important huh?" The voice prompted him to look up to see Orora standing over him. The look she wore had him on the defense. "I said what I did to protect you. I had to convince her. You don't know what she's capable of." He responded, despite the fact that he knew she was just a figment of his imagination.

Orora simply stared at him. "Who were you really trying to convince Zuko? Your sister, or yourself?"

He blinked and she was gone.

                                         ————————–

The dinner on shore had lifted their spirits. Orora was actually laughing by the time she walked the ship's plank and onto the deck. It was just her, Toph and Sokka. Katara had returned earlier with some fresh food for Aang.

"Aang's gone!"

Katara's frantic cry had the smiles wiping from their lips. She approached them, eyes wide and frantic. "We need to go after him. I suspect he's gone towards the Fire Nation to face the Fire Lord alone!"

Toph's sightless eyes widened. "Is he crazy!? He's still hurt!" Sokka quickly stepped forward. "All of you gather as many supplies as you can, we're going after him."

Despite the urgency of the situation Orora paused. "We?" She echoed as Toph and Katara raced off. Sokka, who had paused at her question gave a smile of reassurance and patted her shoulder. "You've more then earned your place on our Team Orora. Besides, we still have that spot open just for you." He grinned at her.

She knew they had to depart urgently, and yet she couldn't help it as she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. "Thank you." She spoke softly into his shoulder. Sokka returned the embrace a little before pulling away, blushing a little as he did.

"There will be time for hugs later, now go get your things." Nodding the girl raced off.

They had all clambered atop Appa within the hour and after Sokka had given last minute instructions to his father, they departed with promises to meet on the day oft he Invasion.

"How're we going to find him though? He could be anywhere!" Toph said as Appa flew through the air towards a cluster of clouds as they gathered over the horizon.

Orora's eyes darted to look at Katara, who was looking at the finger where her string was tied. While Sokka responded how they just had to follow a specific direction, she quickly slid next to the other girl.

"Its alright, you don't have to tell anyone anything." She said, trying to alleviate the guilt Katara felt at keeping such a big secret to herself. "I can find him if I guide Appa." She turned her head to look at the approaching storm with a frown of concern. "I'll be a little busy so you'll have to keep a bubble around us, to protect us from the rain."

Orora nodded in understanding.

"Leave it to me."

The storm was brutal when it hit. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed as Appa soared through the air. The waves from the sea crashing beneath them rose so high they brushed against the bison's feet.

And yet they continued onward.

With Katara on Appa's head, holding the reins. Sokka was in the back, doing his best to keep Toph and Momo from falling off. As well as all their supplies. Orora stood in the center, a rope tied around her waist that connected her to the saddle as she moved her arms in a continuous circular motion to keep the protective bubble around them. Appa was struggling to fly, the wind from the storm pushing their bubble around. But it was the only way for them to know where they were going.

After what seemed like hours, the rain finally let up and the clouds began to clear. Once only a small trickle was left, Orora stopped her bending and all but collapsed onto the saddle. She felt Sokka and Toph quickly reach her side with the former offering her a satchel of water. She gulped down the entire content of it.

"You alright Orora?" Katara called over her shoulder as moonlight began to filter through the clouds. Orora nodded as she slowly sat up.

"Yeah, I'm fine I just......." She trailed off. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open at the sight that greeted her.

"Yue." She whispered at the ethereal figure floating alongside them. The name prompted Sokka and Katara to whip around to try and look for her. "I don't see anything." Sokka finally said, to which Yue smiled sadly at him.

"He won't be able to see me." She said, her gentle voice echoing around them. "Then how can I see you?" Orora asked, prompting the other three to halt in their movements to listen to her one-sided conversation.

"Because I choose you to." The Moon Spirit responded, reaching out to gently caress Orora's white hair. Just as she had done all those months ago. "You said all I had to do was follow my heart, that it would never lead me astray." The girl suddenly burst out, to which Princess Yue smiled sadly.

"Everything happens for a reason Orora." Gently cupping the girl's face she pressed a kiss to her forehead as a sign of blessing. "Do not loose hope, dear one. Trust fate. Trust your friends. Trust your heart. Trust yourself."

Her wise eyes lifted to look at Sokka who was staring at Orora in disbelief and hope. "Tell Sokka that I'm happy that he has found his Soulmate."

She started to move away, slowly fading from view. "Look towards a new day with renewed hope Orora." Her voice faded away as the sun peaked over the horizon.

Appa continued to fly, while everyone stared at Orora in utter disbelief.

"Orora?" Katara called out, worried for her friend, who hadn't turned around yet. Suddenly Orora's shoulders stiffened and she leaned forward, nearly falling off the saddle.

"Look!" She called out, pointing towards a small island volcano. Though they were still a ways away from it, there was no denying the figure that lay on the shore.

"Its Aang!" Sokka called out as Katara changed their course. Momo had already taken off, and was the first one to reach Aang, licking his face as he did. Moments later Appa landed on the shore, with all four of the children scrambling off and running towards Aang.

"You're okay!" Katara cried, relief evident in her tone as she threw her arms around him. None of them hesitated in following suit, coming together for a group hug that had Orora briefly believing what Princess Yue had just told her.

Once they broke apart, Aang inhaled deeply. "I have so much to do." He said, sounding every bit as the thirteen year old boy he was.

Katara nodded. "I know, but you'll have our help."

Toph gently hit his shoulder. "You didn't think you could get out of training just by coming to the Fire Nation, did you?"

Aang smiled at his friend. "What about the invasion?" He asked, turning to look at Sokka.

The boy shook his head. "We'll join up with my dad and the invasion force the day of the eclipse."

Sighing in relief, Aang smiled at Orora. "So you finally decided to take the spot huh?" Orora smiled back at him, reaching up to ruffle his new hair. "Well you need someone as bossy as Katara around don't you? I couldn't let her handle all three of you alone." The group shared a laugh.

Toph turned. "Hey! What's...." She trailed off when she realized that it was Aang's damaged staff she had felt as it washed ashore. "Oh, it's your glider." She said, handing it over to him.

Aang shook his head. "It's okay. If someone saw it, it would give away my identity." Though it burdened his heart to say so, he knew it was for the best. "It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive."

He flew up with his glider one final time and stuck it in the semi-solid lava. The delicate wood instantly caught fire, but Aang did not look back as he rejoined his friends and they departed.

                                          ————————–

Zuko slammed the door behind him as he entered his room.

His mind was spinning with all that had just happened.

With all that he had just discovered.

His father was proud of him. He had his father's love again. He had his honor back. He had his title, his home, everything.

All because of a lie.

A lie his sister had told their father.

A lie that wove a story of how he, Zuko, had been the one to kill the Avatar.

"Azula always lies." He whispered to himself, as he stared around his empty room. "She always lies."

He knew she was there before he even turned.

"And yet, you believed everything she said in the catacombs." Amber eyes clashed with a familiar icy blue.

She stood in the center of his room, cool and calm, as was the norm for her. "What if the Avatar is alive?" He whispered, even though he was the only one in the room. Orora frowned. "His name is Aang and if he is, then there is still hope for the world." Her expression softened, prompting him to feel a little annoyed at her.

"Hope is for those who have nothing else to live for." He responded with venom in his voice, not at all mirroring what he really felt. She fixed him with an emotionless expression.

"People always find something to live for Zuko. Hope is what pushes them to find that something." She walked to stand in front of him, head tilted back to look at him properly.

"I found my source of hope and lost it. But I quickly found a new one."

They stared at one another.

"Have you found yours?"

He blinked and she was gone, leaving him feeling more alone then he ever had in his life.

                                          ————————–

Tag List - @wavesofchaos​ @violet-potter​ @rennysketch​ @emma-andrea1 @lovesammikinzz @fuzzyfestcat @msrawog @notsaelty @lust-for-pan @aces-tattooartist @jinxxangel13 @lotr-got @bitterspoons @realrintaro @gatorgirl151 @inutheangel @heartfully10 @lucaaahhh @juniper-july19 @anuttellaa @gfksz @bussyvussy @punksnotdeadbutiam @ablofftoneverland-blog-blog @slut-for-menn @vyliie @army-moa75

[comradekatara]

Hi, hope you're well.

How would you rate the gaang + fire ladies' ability to work in customer service?

(there are so many fics of sokka working in retail and mai working in flowershops and I just don't think they're built like that— sokka has no patience for dumb questions and mai would probably rather die)

wait that’s so funny they literally are not built to serve people like that they’d kill themselves. especially mai i cannot imagine her having any kind of working class job and i know she hates flowers thinks they’re disgusting!!! i could see sokka being a tutor (in my modern au that’s how he meets toph. bc she drives everyone else away but then he meets her and he’s like “why ?? she is so cool”) and even working at the jasmine dragon (iroh is a chill boss so that’s why) but he could NOT do retail he’d kill himself before working black friday (in my modern au they’re also in new jersey. bc that’s very funny to me). but anyway!!

aang: i think he’d hate having to answer to someone else like just doing something he was told to do that he does not want to do ever would make his skin crawl. but when it comes to interacting with people even the worst rudest customers he is very friendly. even as a twelve year old he’s extremely patient (except when you are keeping him apart from a loved one, which is understandable!)

katara: i actually think katara working at a local coffee shop or smth is very plausible. she would have a tier ranking of all the regular customers in her head (and maybe even on paper) and she would treat them accordingly, ranging from excessive flirting to passive aggressive eye twitch. she’s good at her job for a communist who also needs to be liked by everyone at all times or she’ll die!

sokka: when he thinks a customer is stupid or annoying he starts talking slower and using smaller words in such an infuriatingly condescending way, but with the plausible deniability of “he was just being helpful” so that he can never actually get in trouble for it. but they both know he was being an asshole!!!!

toph: she needs to tell it like it is every five minutes or she’ll literally die it’s like a source of air for her. but i do think customer service would be good for her. she would enjoy it more than being a c*p that’s for sure! (low blow, sorry.)

zuko: okay well we see him be a tea server and the reviews are mixed. i think the thing about zuko that you have to understand is that if he is in a good mood he is a delight to have around and if he is in a bad mood he is a monster and his vibes ruin every room he’s in. so his proficiency at customer service is also just entirely dependent on how he is feeling at any given moment. i think he’d be happy serving tea once he’s the firelord though because it’s nostalgic and a respite for him. not so much when he’s an angry teen in ba sing se and he wants to be anywhere else.

suki: she’d be good at it because she is good at everything but she would definitely employ sokka’s plausibly deniable tactics of condescension. she has a lot more patience for people than sokka does, but she’d still enjoy messing with people, maybe even just out of boredom.

ty lee: she pretends to be stupid on purpose with customers she doesn’t like and when they try to complain to her manager she’s like “i am the manager” and when they question how she’s still allowed to work despite being so incompetent everyone else vouches for her they’re like “she’s literally our best employee.”

mai: would kill herself before that ever happened.

azula: see above, but also i think it could be good for her.

[stardust948]

do you have any zutara or atla fic recs?

Oh yes! I have plenty!

Fluffy fics

Questions & Answers by @gemgirl28

Kya and Lu Ten learn about the Hundred Years War, and Kya has a lot of questions for her Father about his role in the war. Or The Steambabies learn the origin of Zuko's scar.

A Month of Sundays by ok_boomerang

Fire Lord Zuko is desperately trying, and continuously failing, to successfully propose to Ambassador Katara. She's oblivious; everyone else is entertained. Meanwhile, Zuko is giving weekly Sunday speeches to the Fire Nation in an effort to help his people feel closer to their government. This effort was not supposed to include telling the entire Fire Nation about his plans for a future with Katara before even she knew about them. But it's fine! They promised not to tell!

Even Dragons Need Hugs by EKWolf2020

Zuko is missing his wife while off for business. While she is gone, he can't help but feel prickly and clearly misses having her near him.

Fire Dance by HomeAgainRose

Zuko goes with the gang following the events of Crossroads of Destiny. This is what happens when they're first in the Fire Nation and Aang ends up at the Fire Nation School. Katara wasn't exactly prepared for the feelings that come out.

little rays of starlight by JasmineTeaLatte

Izumi had been a mere babe during her first and only trip to the Southern Water Tribe, back before Druk had even joined their family or the twins were even born. She remembered freezing white snow flurries and huddling in her father’s arms for warmth, but little else...   Or, the Fire Lord and his wife take their infant daughter out on a trip to see the Southern Lights during the crown princess' first visit to the Southern Water Tribe. Takes place in the timeline of "The Phoenix and the Dragon" but can be read as a standalone.

vitamin z by thetasteoflies

Katara has a cold and there's only one person in the world she wants to see.

Angst/More Mature Fics

Incendiary by Anon

Bizarrely, the first thing Katara felt was a wave of relief. Zuko. Not Ozai. They just wanted her to marry Prince Zuko. And then the horror of it washed over her, cold and harsh and insistent; an iron grip on her heart.

Past the World's Horizon by Mauve_Avenger / @the-badger-mole

When Katara finds herself with an unwanted secret admirer, she and Zuko end up on a frightening adventure.

The Scourge of the Mo Ce Sea by ajstyling

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and with one look at her face he understood the truth of her words. She would kill him and not lose a minute of sleep.

i'm still here by owedbetter

"You see me."

And somehow, that makes all the difference.

thicker than water by akaiiko

Zuko tries to pick up the pieces of Katara.

AUs/Slice of Life fics

The Worst Prisoner series by @emletish-fish

What if Sokka was there during the events of the Blue Spirit? What if he accidentally kidnapped Zuko? It's not a poor life choice of it's an accodent, right?

The Prince of the Fire Nation by HarrisonHolmes2014

Zuko was raised in the Fire Nation royal family alongside his sister Azula. He has never known any life outside the palace, his family, or his homeland. But when two slaves claim that he is their brother, Zuko must face a destiny he never asked for.

The Fire and the Flood by @badlucksav

Katara has lived in the same town with the same people her whole life, and since the death of her mother, she feels like her life has been on hold. But then she meets Zuko, an intriguing stranger, and everything changes.

what you want is what i want by zelzenik

Katara isn't alone. She has Bumi and Kya. The three of them are family.

Zuko isn't alone either. He has Izumi. The two of them are family.

But maybe... just maybe, they can all be family together.

It Runs In The Family by Anon

Katara and Zuko were a lot of things. War heroes. Master benders. Fire Lord and Fire Lady. Their favorite occupation? Parents. They'd managed to find each other again and had children, who are part of a brand new world and mixed nations family. While isn't exactly easy, as shown through a repeating series parent teacher conferences.

Or basically, steambaby shenanigans because they have Sokka as their uncle and how could they not be wreaking havoc?

Shameless Self Plugs

They have stolen the heart inside you; but this does not define you series

At a young age, Katara is taken to the Fire Nation as the first candidate in an experiment to assimilate the 'savages' instead of wiping them out. She grows up alongside the Royal Family before eventually escaping. Years later, an oddly familiar Fire Nation solider shows up at her village looking for the Avatar.

Kintsugi series

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with gold. It treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. Zuko is tortured by Ozai after helping Katara and Aang escape Ba Sing Se.

Head Above Water

While running away from home after the Agni Kai, Zuko befriends a curious mermaid. He later learns how protective merfolk are.

Dead Hearts

Ozai is a mass serial killer who forces Zuko to lure his victims to him. It’s the same drill for as long as Zuko could remember until his father sets eyes on the new girl who just moved from the Southern Water Tribe.

Let beauty come out of ashes

Zuko is done with Spirit tales. Everyone knew worthless nobodies like him didn’t receive happy endings. He wasn’t even allowed to go to the ball to see his love, a veiled waterbender he met in the woods, in person. Zuko lost all hope until a mysterious dragon helped him with a bit of magic.

Always With Me

While moving away from the only home she’d ever known, Katara finds herself spirited away to a strange in between realm. There, she struggles to ink out a living with the help of a mysterious masked boy who promised to get her home.

Are There Still Beautiful Things?

Katara befriends a lonely boy and they spend the summer together until he suddenly moves away. She doesn't learn the dark truth about why he left until years later.

[phoenix-king-ozai]

I don't think Ozai was like inherently evil but Iwhen imagine how he was as a child, I imagine he very competitive, very stubborn child and when he thinks he's gonna lose...well um..it doesn't go well. Even in a happier AU like the one listened below, this becomes a problem as Hakoda and Kya demonstrate.

I believe that when Ozai was young he was kind, caring, and compassionate like young Zuko was as well. I believe Ozai's ruthlessness, brutality, and cruelty were taught and instilled by the nature of imperialistic propaganda brainwashing along with child abuse and neglect by Fire Lord Azulon. My personal headcanon is that Fire Lady Ilah died in a disastrous childbirth accident and Fire Lord Azulon resented Ozai because of that. Making the poor boy more aloof, cold, ruthless, and cunning compared to his older brother Iroh who had the love, affection, and compassion of their father and especially their mother’s love. Ozai as a child probably was extremely sweet, kind, and well-mannered. However, became aloof, distant, cold, and vicious later into his teenage years. If the Hundred Year War, Fire Lady’s Ilah death, along with Fire Lord Azulon’s child abuse and neglect didn't happen. Ozai probably would be a happy and good child if these circumstances didn't happen. Child abuse & neglect along with fascistic imperialism is a horrible combo…

I personally don't believe that children can be born a naturally cruel and evil monster. Sure, Azula can be mean-spirited and tormenting in her teasing of Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee. However, she genuinely cares about and values her time with her friends and her brother. This is why she also brought him back to the Fire Nation as a hero as well albeit with Zuko taking the pressure of slaying the Avatar possibly being a failure and unknowing lie.

Regarding your comic. Ozai attitude towards Hakoda and Kya depends if the HYW happened or not. If HYW happen as in canon then Ozai would probably view Water Tribes as inferior savages and enemies of his father and nation. Ozai would not be friends and would despise Hakoda and Kya without even knowing them based on his imperialist brainwashing and fire supremacy superiority complex. If the HYW didn’t happen in an AU. Then Ozai would probably be pretty kind, charming, and friendly with Hakoda and Kya especially with Fire Lady Ilah being alive. If for some reason Fire Lord Azulon and Fire Lady Ilah brought Ozai to the Southern Water Tribe. Fire Prince Ozai would probably become fast friends with Hakoda and Kya despite the cultural differences.

However, honestly, I would ABSOLUTELY ADORE a Fire Nation Royal Family & Hundred Year War Prequel covering Sozin, Azulon, Ilah, Iroh, Ozai, and new characters complex and dark characters that serve as allies and foes to our two main "protagonists" Iroh and Ozai. Iroh as Grand General of the Fire Nation Army slowly becomes disillusioned and changed due to the cruelty, violence, and death surrounding the HYW whereas Ozai as Commander of the Southern Raiders and later Fleet Admiral of Fire Nation becomes consumed by the hatred, violence, suffering, and death surrounding him in his teenage years. Iroh is 30 and Ozai is 15 whereas Azulon is 55.

[ecoterrorist-katara]

2, 19, and 20 for the fandom asks!

heyyyy thanks for the ask!

2. My favorite fic from the fandom that I’ve read

I LOVE SO MANY!!! let’s narrow it to three…I’m a huge fan of crushinator’s Half Asleep and eleventy7’s Once Around the Sun, but if I had an icicle to my head and had to pick just one, I’d say colourwhirled’s Southern Lights. All three fics rival published books to me, but Southern Lights embodies a lot of things I love about fanfiction as a literary tradition (distinct from original fiction). It’s very, very long, which means we have plenty of time to dive into how different characters grow in a way that’s very difficult outside of long series. Katara’s journey is at the centre of Southern Lights, obviously, but we see a lot from Zuko, Sokka, Azula, Toph, Aang…I’ve compared it to A Song of Ice and Fire before for this reason. Because it’s a full AU, it also takes advantage of our knowledge of canon and works it into something very different, so there’s plenty of “ohhhhh so this is where x happens” and you get that delight of both familiarity and newness. Also the themes of colonialism, trauma, reconciliation, and oppression from your enemies vs oppression from your own people are done in a super mature way. There are no easy answers in Southern Lights, but I feel like the author trusts the reader to grapple with those complexities.

19. Favorite headcanon

Momtara and Dadko for the Gaang! I love the idea that Zuko helps her with chores in the Western Air Temple as a way of regaining her favour, and then he just keeps doing it. We love an equitable distribution of domestic labour.

20. Least favorite headcanon

I like Fire Lady Katara, and I’ve defended it before, but I don’t like the version of the headcanon where the people of the Fire Nation think she’s a savage / peasant and she has to get etiquette lessons and learn to be a FN noblewoman to get respect. I think Katara would sooner pull the “I won the throne so watch your mouth” card than to defer to people who think her culture is inferior, particularly because we don’t have any indication from canon that the Water Tribes are especially looked down upon (more than, say, the Earth Kingdom). And as much as I like Fire Lady Katara, I prefer United Republic Councilwoman Katara or Chief Katara. Both are obviously harder to execute so I understand why fic writers don’t go for them, but I have a serious soft spot for fics that depict her in those ways.

[linnoya-writes]

Zutara Childhood-Friends-to-Lovers Alter-Egos Forbidden-Romance AU (part I)

Their first kiss comes at the absolute worst time, with Katara and Zuko exchanging fruit under his late mother’s favorite tree in the palace gardens.  It comes with a disagreement between Fire Lord Iroh and Chieftain Hakoda of the WaterTribes.

A Southern tribesman and two of the palace guards are the ones who walk in on the teenagers’ awkward little kiss. 

The Southern tribesman coughs for attention; Zuko flinches and Katara jerks her head away.  Her cheeks are so flushed, Katara barely recognizes her father’s guard. Whatever he’s there for, it’s not good. 

“Lady Katara, I’ve been ordered to escort you back to the ship. We leave port tonight.”

Immediately, her world caves in. “W—What?”

“What’s going on?” Zuko can’t help but interject in that voice that is both regal and concerned.  As they stand up, Katara feels her frame staying close to his.

“I’m afraid I cannot disclose anything else, your highness,” the kinsman bows his head to Zuko respectfully, and the palace guards approach almost instinctively. “My orders are only to take our princess home.” 

The way he’s suddenly referring to her so possessively, and distantly, it makes her brows furrow.

“Kievel—“ it takes her a century to remember this man’s name, “There has to be some mistake.  Sokka and I still have a few more weeks here!”

“Let me talk to my uncle," Zuko rasps to her, "they should still be at the council meeting.” 

“Your highness, council has already adjourned," Kievel chimes in. "His lordship expects you and her highness Azula to meet him at the royal hall before any more news goes public.” 

Katara can see Zuko’s eyes widening into a confused, unexpected gold. This is bad, she thought, and yet her fingers instinctively searching for Zuko’s knuckles.

Staring at the guards, Katara and Zuko find their fingers entwining in the obscure folds of their robes. She can feel Zuko’s hand still holding some kind of fruit, the little shivers in his finger debating whether to let it drop to the ground, if it meant he could hold her hand just for that little moment. 

“Princess…” Kievel brought them back to the present. “…it’s time to go.”

They glance at each other, looking like they’d lived a glacial sixteen and fourteen years for a moment like this to happen… and yet here it was… so easily being taken away.  It wasn’t fair. 

The glistening of his eyes said exactly that, but the flaming gold said something else: I don't regret it. 

And Katara met him with her glimmering blue eyes.

Me neither.

As she stepped forward and their secret hands parted, Zuko instinctively let her grab hold of the fruit he’d kept curled in his hand. The last thing Katara saw was his serious face, sandwiched between his two guards.  He seemed so stern, regal and untouchable, but his eyes spoke of hope. 

Katara could only imagine that she would see him again, that whatever this premature separation was about would someday eventually fade.  She waited until making it to the dock to finally pull out the fruit from her robes.  It was a plum-- ripe and ready for eating-- the size of tiny goose-otter egg.

She smiled, keeping it in her robe pockets as a parting gift to take for her long journey back home… feeling like a part of her had still remained under the shade of that tree with her best friend.  It wasn’t until she saw Sokka at the dock that she learned the gravity of this separation; their countries were in a feud regarding the discovery of a remote island off the Fire Nation's archipelago, the Water Tribe proclaiming it an ancient burial site of their ancestors and arguing how this island should be deemed theirs. This feud has halted their their trade agreement, and they are willing to readdress it after a ten-year separation.

“TEN YEARS!?”

She as princess of the WaterTribe was forbidden to touch ground in the Fire Nation for ten years, and the idea of not seeing Zuko for that length of time…

“No— that can’t happen.” 

“Katara, it’s done.  It’s the law.” 

“Well, the law stinks!” 

Before she can even think of making her way back to the palace gate, the Watertribe guards hold her back with a Water-bending wall.  And in the distance, she could see a faint figure trying to wrestle his way past his own guards at the beacon point.

The way he'd been so athletic and agile as The Blue Spirit back when they were kids, Katara didn't have to guess who it was. 

His voice bellowed. “I said,' Let me through!'  You can’t do this— I- I HAVE to talk to her!” 

“Zuko!?”

She didn’t care if she referred to him so informally, or that her voice echoed through the entire capital, or that Sokka was grabbing her wrist and edging her back towards their ship. 

She could see his face softening as he saw her.

“Katara— I— I’m so sorry.” 

“No— it’s not your fault. This isn’t over, okay? I love you.” 

There was an abysmal wave gasps at the dock, and Katara didn’t care- she was only speaking to one person, anyway. Zuko was also taken aback, amazed as much as the others surrounding them by the sheer boldness his best friend had chosen to demonstrate.

His heart pounded in his chest, feeling that same boldness take root inside of him more and more.

Zuko breathed, and spoke out, “I love you too.”

And with those words, Katara could almost feel his warmth next to her, hands grazing… lips touching…

No, it wasn’t over. 

“I’ll see you,” he shouted, his hands gripping the rails of the beacon. 

“See you," came her reply. 

It’s what they’d always said to each other as young playmates in the palace, always on the day that Katara would have to to leave Zuko's side at the end of summer… but it felt different this time, because the tides had turned so monumentally. 

They could feel themselves becoming something else. 

When she finally boarded the ship, Katara could hear Sokka muttering that she was an idiot to say something like that out loud. 

Katara wasn’t listening. Instead, she was looking down at her hand, at her little plum. And as the ship set sail, she started to take little bites of the fruit... savoring the sweetness of it… thinking about the seed, and wondering if it was possible to raise a plum tree in the arctic tundras of the south. 

[waterfire1848]

Deadpool Anon here!

Could I get #1 Soulmates AU for Zutara please?!

Hello, deadpool anon!! Of course you can!!

This is in the regular universe but in this universe I'm going with a classic tattoo AU where everyone has a tattoo describing their soulmate

Every since Zuko could remember he had this annoying blue ribbon with a light blue pendant tattoo on his neck. It was there the day he was born and it would be there the day he died as well. Zuko would often step in front of the mirror to see if it had changed at all, maybe into something more closely associated with the Fire Nation, but it never did.

"An even greater shame on the Royal Family." His father grumbled.

"You don't know it's someone from the Water Tribe." His mother argued back.

"It's a blue ribbon!" Ozai yelled.

"The color blue doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be a tribeswoman! Think of Fire Lady Ilah!" Zuko shuttered at the mention of his grandmother. She was the only reason he was alive. When he was born, his father was sure that his soulmate would be someone from the Water Tribe and wanted him killed for it. Azulon, who hadn't said a word, spoke up for the first time.

"Your mother had blue in her hair as her mark. A rare mutation of a soulmate mark, but one that led me to her. It was blue not because she would marry someone from the Water Tribe but because she would marry me: someone with blue fire." Ozai never said a word about Zuko's mark after that in front of Azulon.

This wasn't to say Zuko could flaunt his tattoo as he wished. His teacher, schoolmates and even family, including his mother and grandfather, still looked at it with disdain whenever they saw it. Which is why Zuko had taken to covering it up as best he could at every possible opportunity.

"Do you really think your soulmate could be a tribeswoman, Zuzu? Would that mean you have to move to the North or South Pole?" Azula asked, jumping on his bed.

"Go away, Azula." Zuko mumbled.

"I'm just asking questions. Oh! What if your soulmate is a prisoner in the Fire Nation?" Azula asked, "I wonder if you'll be able to marry-"

"At least I'm not a confirmed disgrace to our grandfather's law!" Zuko snapped.

When he saw Azula's face, he instantly felt bad. Maybe that was too far. Azula, same as Zuko, had also received her mark at birth. The only problem was that her mark were ribbons for circus performers. Ribbons that only female performers used. Azula’s soulmate was a girl.

Zuko didn’t hear the first half of what Azula said but he did hear her mumble something along the lines of, “Not my fault.”

“We both got soulmarks we don’t like.” Zuko said.

“I guess so.” Azula agreed, “What will you do if you soulmate is from the Water Tribe?”

“I don’t know.” Zuko shrugged, “But I can’t be with someone from the Water Tribe. You heard what the tutor said. They’re violent and dangerous. I can’t date someone like that.” Azula nodded, agreeing with her brother’s statement, “If it is someone from the Water Tribe then I guess…I’ll just ignore it.”

It wasn’t unheard of for someone to ignore their soulmate mark but it was incredibly uncommon, “Good idea.” Azula said, “I think I’ll do the same.”

“Even though your soulmate is Ty-“

“Don’t! I-…we don’t know it’s her. It could be anyone. Besides, I don’t even like Ty Lee like that.” Zuko, knowing better, hugged Azula close to him, “We won’t say a word about our soulmates?” Azula asked, holding out her pinkie.

“Not a word.” Zuko agreed, wrapping his pinkie around his sister’s in solidarity.

————————————

Katara always hated her tattoo. It was the mark of the enemy. Orange, yellow and red flames on her wrists mocked her whenever she took her wrist cuffs off to wash or for bed. The told her that she was a traitor to her people, a traitor to her family, a monster for having a soulmate from the Fire Nation.

Her mother had been the only one who was kind to her about who her soulmate was.

“It doesn’t matter what mark you have. The spirit’s never make a mistake. Your soulmate will love you and they will be as kind and as caring as you.” Kya promised, offering her a soft smile.

“How do you know, mom? What if they’re evil? Like in the stories?” Katara asked.

“Honey. Remember a few weeks ago how Ulu’s dad was attacked by a wolf? You were pretty mad at that wolf, huh?” Katara nodded, “Does that mean every single wolf in existence is as bad as that one?”

“No.” Katara answered.

“Exactly. Maybe this Fire National isn’t as bad as the soldiers. Maybe he wants to escape and join us.” Katara allowed herself some hope for her mother’s words.

The hope vanished the moment she ran into her house and saw her mother burned alive. Her mother, the one person who had tried to encourage her to believe that her soulmate was a good person, was dead.

Hakoda found her later that day because Sokka ran to find him, “Dad! Something’s wrong with Katara!” Hakoda was by his eight year old’s side in a second.

“Katara?”

“I don’t want it!” She sobbed, “I don’t want my tattoo! Get rid of it!” Hakoda looked at her wrists, noticing quickly that they were bright red and Katara’s nails had broken the skin.

“Katara, baby, you have to stop-“

“I DON’T WANT MY MARK!” Katara screamed, “They killed mom! They’re monsters! They should all die! They’re evil! Mom-…I want mom.” Katara couldn’t keep up her yelling by the end. She collapsed into her father’s arms as he stroked her hair.

“Shhh. Shh. It’s okay. It’ll be okay.” Hakoda promised.

“Want mom.” Katara sobbed.

“I know. I know.” Hakoda felt Sokka wrap himself around them so he used one of his arms to bring his son into the hug, “We’ll be okay.”

“But…but I’m still a traitor.” Katara whimpered.

“You’re not a traitor. You didn’t choose that tattoo. The spirits did. Katara, look at me,” Hakoda gently cupped Katara’s chin so he had to look up at him, “your mother never cared about the mark on your skin. She loved you. She loved you so much. Never forget that. Never forget that she didn’t care about your tattoo, she just wanted you to be happy. That’s all she ever wanted: both of you happy.”

Sokka took a look at his own wrists which had small fans on them. The fans themselves didn’t indicate much until Kanna claimed that she had seen them before. She took out a book and showed them Avatar Kyoshi’s fans. They matched perfectly.

“My soulmate is a dead Avatar?” Sokka had asked, earning a laugh from the adults.

“I think her wife might have a problem with that.” Kya told him, “But it means your soulmate will probably be from the Earth Kingdom and they might be a nonbender too.” Sokka practically glowed at that realization.

“Or an earthbender.” Kanna added, “Avatar Kyoshi used her fans to compensate for her inability to bend small objects in earthbending. Your soulmate might use the fans for that.”

“I wanna meet them!” Sokka said, jumping up and down.

“You will. When you’re older, you’ll meet them at just the right time.” Kya told him.

“I don’t want my soulmate, dad.” Sokka was brought back to reality by Katara’s words.

“You don’t have to make a decision now, Tara. Take some time and think it over.”

So, she did. She thought over her tattoo and what it meant while she buried her mother, while she mourned her, while she assumed responsibility in the tribe, while she watched her father go to war when she was only 11, and came to a conclusion. She put on wrist cuffs to cover her mark and hide it away from the world.

Never to be seen again.

—————————————

The Western Air Temple was certainly a new hideout for Team Avatar. They’d been in temples before, as had Zuko, but it was different to stay and life in one as opposed to just visiting it for a few days.

The first few days in their new makeshift home were…uncomfortable to say the least. It was clear that no one trusted Zuko, no one more so than Katara, and they acted like it. It was subtle but visible how the Gaang would sit in front of Haru, the Duke and Teo to protect them from Zuko or how Sokka always had a weapon with him when Zuko was around or Aang always having a hand on his staff.

Even if they said nothing, their minor actions were more than clear: they didn’t trust Zuko.

Then, slowly but surely, that distrust melted away. The more time Zuko spent with them and proved himself, the more the Gaang slowly grew to trust him.

“To Zuko. Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out today he’d be our hero!”

“Hear hear!” Everyone, minus Katara, cheered to Sokka’s toast.

“I’m touched. I don’t deserve this.” Zuko said.

“Yeah, no kidding.” Katara grumbled, getting up and walking away.

“What’s with her?” Katara heard Sokka say.

“I wish I knew.” Sensing that Zuko was following her, she went into her tent. To most people this was a sign that she wanted privacy.

In her isolation, Katara removed her wrist cuffs just as Zuko pushed the flaps of her tent open. Their eyes connected for a moment before Zuko’s eyes landed on her wrists.

“Your tattoo.” He whispered.

“What is wrong with you?!” Katara snapped, “Who charges into someone’s tent?!”

"Sorry. Sorry. I just...your tattoo is fire."

"What about it?" Katara snapped, putting her wrist bands back over her.

"Is your soulmate a firebender?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never met my soulmate. I never really had any want to after their people murdered my mother." Katara's voice cut through Zuko like a knife to his heart.

He had known for some time now that Katara was his soulmate. While there were thousands of firebenders, there was only one person Zuko had ever met with the same blue necklace around his neck. For the longest time, he ignored his feelings because she was the enemy but to know she had a tattoo that symbolized him was incredibly. To hear that she wanted nothing to do with her soulmate was more heartbreaking than anything else.

"Maybe you should give your soulmate a chance. He or she could surprise you and-"

"I don't want them! With my luck they're probably some firebending soldier working for Ozai. The last thing I need right now is to go looking for someone like that." Katara grumbled, "Now, if you have nothing more to say, can you leave my tent?"

Zuko's hand grabbed at his collar that kept his tattoo covered, "I...ummm..." He took one final look at her wrists before sighing, "I want to talk about why you don't trust me." He went with.

Zuko and Katara never spoke about soulmates after that. It just wasn't really a topic that ever came up. However, it never left Zuko's mind that Katara was his soulmate. Whenever he could, he sat next to her at dinners, laughed at her really bad jokes, helped with chores. But the biggest moment would always be the lightning strike. Zuko didn't even think during that moment. His legs acted before he did and he jumped in front of the bolt.

His vision going dark.

-----------------------------

The next time Zuko woke up, he was still in the arena and the sky was still painted red with Sozin's Comet. Was he dead? Is he a ghost now? No, no he felt very much alive, in incredible pain, but alive. Suddenly, Katara's smiling face was looking at him.

"Your tattoo." She whispered.

"Surprise." He tried to smile at her even though everything in his body hurt.

"How long have you known?" She asked.

"Since the earthbending prison when I found the necklace. It matched perfectly with my tattoo." Zuko explained, "I should have told you but I-"

"It's okay. I understand why you didn't. You didn't know how I'd react." Katara took her hands away from Zuko's injury and undid her wrist cuffs, "I started wearing these when I thought no good could come from the Fire Nation. I wore them as a reminder everyday of what I was fighting for. Now...now the war might be over and I don't think I need them anymore."

"If the war is over...do you think you'd want to try going on a date?" Asking his soulmate out on a date while she was healing a life threatening lightning injury was not how he imagined asking out Katara would go but he had a feeling that taking after taking a lightning bolt for her was probably as good a time as any to ask.

"That sounds great."

[julchenawesome]

Zukka week 2023

Day 6: Royalty (& historical AU)

In a world Where the Fire Nations wins in the beginning with their conquest, but certaily found peace.

"After Prince Lu Ten's death, Prince Iroh grieved, but also did Azulon: Iroh can't have more children, so the succesion is doomed. If Prince Ozai is the next on the throne, they would start a new war, and Azulon is tired. Until a decision that makes Iroh When he secludes with his father in which they made an arragement:

1. Iroh steps down as Heir, but stays as his father side.

2. Ozai would not inhereted the throne.

3. That Prince Zuko, would be the next Fire Lord, with Iroh as his adviser and mentor.

So, since he is ten, Prince Zuko is the Heir of the entire Fire Nation, their colonies and allies.

That ripped this family in two factions: the one Who supported Prince Ozai's claim (and also Princess Azula) as Fire Lord, for their power as firebenders and their supremacy.

They were called "The Golds".

The one Who supported the Heir Prince Zuko’s true claim, were Prince Iroh, Princess Ursa, and Fire Lord Azulon himself. They thought the Young Prince, even if he wasn't a prodigy, was a very skilled swordman, has a better understanding of the other nations, and was very kind hearted and loved by the common.

They were called "The Reds".

Between The loyalist of the Red Prince, There was a Southern Water Tribe boy, Who studied with Master Piandao, at the same time as do the Prince. They become very close friends, until they grow up.

Some would say, that they were more than that.

Until the day The Golds usurped the throne after Azulon's death, and Prince Iroh was missed in one of his diplomatics Journeys. That left the young Heir of seventeen as a fool.

The day he, his Mother and Some companion, make an honorary funeral for his grandsire, the warrior Sokka (with his Sister, Lady Katara ) came with something: the Fire Crown, and, at the dawn of that tragic day, Prince Zuko became Fire Lord Zuko.

A civil war started. Brother against Sister. Son against father.

But then the Avatar wakes up, and with that, the times runs out. The first one to keep him on their side, would won the war.

And The Dance of Dragons begun. "

-"The Red Dragon and the Avatar" by 'The Cabbage Man'

Well, I can say that the "historical" part it's based in "Fire and Blood" event called "Dance of Dragons". I'm in my "House of the dragon" phase, and I couldn't stop it. The idea came to me as a revelation, and more ideas come. I would really like to write a fic.

I hope you liked it!!! ❤️💎👑

@zukkaweek

[ID: Background as a cloudy day, or it seems. The dawn, start of a day. The focus of this picture are two figures: Zuko, wearing white mourning clothes. In his hair it's the Crown of the Fire Lord. His expression shows how conflicted he feels about being crowned in a moment like this. And, Sokka, is wearing Piandao's uniform, kneeling in front of Zuko, with respect and also conflicted. They two are in differents position, but feels the power of the moment and the anticipation of the inevitable war. END ID]

[shanastoryteller]

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!! Banished Azula au pretty please?

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

It's not that Iroh is at all upset at the partners his niece and nephew have chosen. If anything, he's relieved that they've found them, although for slightly different reasons. Zuko has always been too serious and Iroh had worried that romance would completely pass him by.

Azula he'd worried was a touch too vicious and self centered to ever have a partner and not a plaything.

But Sokka can pull a smile out of Zuko quicker than anyone else and Katara's viciousness matches Azula's.

There's just one problem.

"We really should make some sort of alliance with the Earth Kingdom," Iroh sighs. "A marriage would be a good way to do it."

He mostly complaining out loud. It's not like he expects either of them to leave their loving partners for a political alliance. They've already suffered enough for politics, and they will likely suffer more, but not like this.

Sokka hums and says, "Hey Toph, want to be Fire Lady?"