#i promise i AM going to finish Djinn Dilemma

[the-badger-mole]

TBT! Avatar: The Final Conflict

So here we are...I guess it’s time for me to post this link. 

I’m actually quite proud of this story. It had been on my mind since the show ended and I dove into the wonderful world of ATLA fanfic. It took me a while to start- and then finish- this story. I posted the first chapter a good 3 years after the series finale of ATLA, and I didn’t post the last chapter until March of...this year???  That can’t be right...

Let me check the dates on the story...

Yep...that’s correct. This story took me 8 years to finish. Lord, have mercy...

So, I guess the lesson here is, don’t assume I’ve given up on a story just because it takes me a while to finish? ahemDjinnDilemmaahem... 

Eight years...wow. Imagine that.

This story is a sequel to A Word Between Friends, which I featured in a TBT post about a month ago, but The Final Conflict was actually in the works first. 

My memory of what- aside from that disaster of a finale- inspired me to write this might be a bit off, but from what I remember, it was actually a Zutara illustration. Years ago, I saw this picture- it was either here, or on Deviant Art- of Zuko and Katara in their Southern Raiders ninja outfits, and Zuko had his hand over Katara’s mouth as if he were trying to keep her from being heard by some unseen enemy. It was absolutely beautiful, and I wish I could remember the artist, but maybe someone reading this will remember?

That piece inspired what later became a scene in chapter 12. I won’t go as far as to say I wrote the entire story around that scene- I’m not even sure I’d had that scene completely plotted out  when I began writing this- but I knew very, very early that I wanted that scene in this fic. Ironically, though, it’s not my favorite scene in this story. 

My favorite scene in this story happens later in that same chapter. Without spoiling too much, Katara has to heal a very interesting patient, and Zuko finds a new reason to respect her healing ability. 

I really like this story. And I know I usually say that on these Throwback Thursday posts, but writing this fic in particular was the culmination of years of exploring why I love this show and this ship. I even remembered why I kind of liked Aang in the beginning (yes, I actually liked him at one point. A little). If I was to declare any of my works a love letter to ATLA, this would be that work. 

I hope you enjoy it! It’s a bit long, though, so get some snacks. The link will be in the first reblog. If you like it, please comment and share!