#yangchen: kuruk??? is she always like this??? kuruk did you even help her??? kuruk KURUK GET BACK HERE!

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

Kyoshi, when she first sees Yangchen: ?????!!! MOMMY????!!! Yangchen:

[cuteniarose]

an au that may or may not exist: what if suiren became the avatar instead of korra??

Believe it or not, it is an AU that has existed in my head for… about four years now, maybe? I think I even made some art for it once, though I’m pretty sure it was destroyed in the Great Tablet Explosion of October 2020 (don’t ask…). I never really developed it much because Kat wasn’t too interested in it and considering my difficult relationship with motivation, energy and creating in general, it’s hard to find the will to spend time and resources on something if I don’t have my beloved partner in crime to yell about it with me, you know?

But anyway, the two ways an AU like this could go are:

1) Reminiscent of most Red Lotus Korra AUs, Suiren is raised by her parents to believe in the anarchist cause, always on the run and never staying in one place for too long as they hide her from the White Lotus right up until it’s time for her to learn airbending. The world is absolutely not ready for an Avatar like her, Spirits help us all

2) She is discovered and taken from her parents as a child, the Red Lotus are imprisoned and she’s raised in Korra’s compound. No matter how much the White Lotus would try to condition her against her parents, she’d never listen and would spend the years doing as she’s told but biding her time until she’s old and powerful enough to break her parents free and take revenge on everyone who did this to them. The world’s fucked, RIP everyone

I am much more partial to the first version just because Suiren already goes through so much pain in all of our AUs, I’d like to spare her at least from this. And also the first version is just so much more fun since it creates room for a lot of family fluff and shenanigans, which are some of my favourite genres to indulge in 😁

As for what she’d actually be like as an Avatar, she’d be a lot like Korra. Brash, cocky, hotheaded, all that. She’s prodigious in waterbending, obviously, and I imagine fire and earth would come to her rather quickly as well, fire more so since she’s a bit too lightfooted for earth (on that note, as much as it would make sense, I don’t want her to be a lavabender. Let Midori have this one thing she’s exceptional at, please, she already has an inferiority complex the size of the Earth Kingdom even without her sister being the Avatar). Air would also be a struggle since the extent of her spirituality is considering the moon her closest ally, but she’d have the movements down straight away since it’s not too far off from her bending style. And this is based on what I tangentially learned from Kat, but I think she might also be similar to Yangchen in being very susceptible to her past lives. Not quite to that severity, but she definitely gets flashbacks and strange dreams and random knowledge a lot, and when she’s overwhelmed and dissociated her past lives have a tendency to take over. It’s both scary and comforting to her, knowing that at any moment someone else could take her body over while her mind would be safe and sound in some sort of headspace. Out of her past lives, she’d absolutely adore Kyoshi and Yangchen, would probably be interested in whatever Kuruk and Aang have to tell her, and would hate Roku for his inaction leading to the start of the 100 Year War. She’d probably like Wan too if she ever dug that deep

She’s two years older than Korra so she’d have a bit more time before LoK’s plot kicks in, but… I didn’t actually think this far, to be honest. I’m horrendous when it comes to politics so I don’t really know what to do with the conflicts Korra faced. However, Suiren’s grandmother (adopted, not one of the biological ones, RIP Nuying and Afarin but Ikiaq is different) is a bloodbender so assuming there came a point where Suiren was taught it – and I believe she would definitely spend some time in the North with her grandmas, maybe at some point after the White Lotus exhausted their search of the poles and decides that the Avatar must come from a blended family in the Earth Kingdom – I think she’d be able to clock what Amon was doing as bloodbending. Not straight away, but if she looked at the chi paths of one of his victims. But again, I don’t really know where that whole thing with the equalists and Tarrlok and everything else would go. But it would be funny as hell if they had a “🎵 I’m just like you, you’re just like me 🎶” moment over bloodbending 😂😂 (before obviously some huge end-of-season fight, we’re not in a Disney movie where everything is solved by singing, unfortunately. If Suiren from the mermaid AU was here, though…)

About Book 2, tbh I feel like the story could very well end here, because the Red Lotus is fundamentally opposed to the existence of the Avatar. No, I’m not saying that her own family would kill her, absolutely not, but perhaps Suiren would choose to end the Avatar cycle during Harmonic Convergence by unfusing with Raava, freeing Vaatu and letting them keep doing what they were doing before Wan so rudely interrupted them. But if we wanna take it further and make it interesting, which I would prefer, she could fuse with Vaatu instead (probably killing Unalaq in the process since he’s not letting his Chaos Kite Boyfriend go that easily /hj. That’s alright though, wouldn’t be the first verse in which she’d kill Unalaq [hi Kat I know we haven’t discussed this yet but I recently got this really clear picture in my head of UtOS!Suiren eventually killing Unalaq as they’re readying the world for an anarchist revolution, and of Malina finding her over his dead body and kissing her while her face is splattered in his blood. Idk what possessed me there but it exists now and idk what you’ll think of it but you’re gonna have to try really hard to talk me out of it], no one would miss him). Raava wouldn’t be too happy about it but she’ll settle eventually once Suiren yells at her and Vaatu enough times to shut the fuck up and stop fighting, she can hear every word and she’s trying to sleep. If I were to write it, I’d draw a lot from what Kat described in her works Bonded and Adumbration, which I would link but that would require me doing a whole song and dance to get my VPN to connect so I can access Ao3, so… I’m sorry find them yourself if you’re curious 😅 It’d be quite an interesting dynamic for sure, and I really think Suiren would be rather fond of her Spirit Kites. She’s got a real thing for any creature that reminds her of water – snakes, certain fish, dancing Kuvira, etc., Raava and Vaatu would fit right in!! (I’m being plagued with art ideas beyond my skill level, send help)

After that it’s pretty much a clear road to an anarchist revolution since she’d be practically unstoppable with the power of two Great Spirits inside her, and that would replace the plots of Books 3 and 4 since obviously she wouldn’t have to go up against her own parents, they wouldn’t lose and Kuvira wouldn’t become the Great Uniter. But I still think Kuvira would have a high rank in some kind of oppositional movement against the Red Lotus, probably started by Suyin, so Kuviren can still have that sweet, sweet toxic yuri enemies to lovers plot line. Wouldn’t be an AU by yours truly without it :D And.. I think that’s pretty much all the thoughts I have on this topic, apart from the fact that once the time comes, Suiren would still end the Avatar cycle, either by unfusing with Raava and Vaatu or by ensuring she dies in the Avatar state (not by poison or anything, I’m sure if she talked to Raava and Vaatu they could arrange a way for them to take over right as she’s about to pass. My dear girl deserves to go peacefully at age 90+, I will not argue about this). No matter the exact route of this AU, Suiren would be the last Avatar, I can’t see her deciding any other way. Anyway, it’s a fun AU, definitely, an absolute goldmine for those shenanigans that I adore, but I do not have the energy or enough knowledge of politics and worldbuilding to turn it into an actual thing, so for now, it all remains in this post. Thanks for the question though, I really enjoyed this little thought experiment :)

[aangislove]

Aang Appreciation

I feel like Aang is such an underrated character in many ways. I know Korra gets a lot of abuse in the fandom and I acknowledge and recognise that as unfair (also, yes, I understand these are fictional characters). But in some ways this is something they share. There is a lot of hate of both these characters because of their strengths and their weaknesses and I want to take some time to talk (again) about Aang and why I love and appreciate him so much.

He starts the show as a goofy, kind, fun loving 12 year old kid who has woken up after being frozen for 100 years. He is unaware of what has happened to the world and his people. He acts like a child because he is. He tries to get Katara to have more fun like a kid, because SHE is. Whether you love him or hate him you have to acknowledge that a 12 year old is still a CHILD and as a child he will make mistakes and he will have somewhat childish struggles. He is still learning and growing. And regardless of whether you think it impacted him or not he suffered a significant trauma with the loss of the other airbenders. Literally, all but one person he knew before were gone and when he finds this out he doesn’t even know that one person is still alive. It’s not just friends and the people he grew up with either. He also lost Gyatso and that man was the closest thing he had to family. I would even consider him Aang’s dad/father figure. And he was gone. He must come to terms with the fact this happened after he left. He carries around this guilt with him because of it.

I feel like that is one of the areas the show was weakest. Aang’s trauma and loss was mostly glossed over. I understand it to a degree but I think some of the Aang hate could be lessened had they developed this more, given it focus in more episodes and maybe stretched it out throughout the show. Because whether you think another character’s trauma was worse or not, this BOY lost those he grew up with, the ones who looked after him and he never really got the time to grieve because he was thrust into this position no Avatar before him had been thrust into and he was thrust into it at the youngest age of any Avatar before him (that we are aware of).

But Aang never gave up. He learned how to bend the other three elements. He might not have mastered them but he learned how to water bend, fire bend and earth bend in one summer. Was he a master? I will let you answer that. But he had a good knowledge and ability in each of these at the end of the show. THAT is something to be proud of. It shows that he wasn’t fucking around or being too childish the whole time. He wasn’t a master of every element but he was competent in them all, and for such a short amount of time that is just incredible in my mind. He also had good control over the Avatar State. 

He made mistakes both as The Avatar and as Aang. Those mistakes are hard to hold against a 12 year old who lost so much. Yes, he was wrong, he should not have lied to Katara and Sokka about their dad. Again, I will repeat, he was in the wrong for that, but he learned from that, he grew. He didn’t do it again. Yes, he shouldn’t have kissed Katara when he did, it was wrong when she had already expressed her confused feelings. He learned from that. He showed instant regret. He didn’t try to guilt her or coerce her into accepting his kiss.

And yeah, he was almost killed in the Avatar State. But Azula took him unaware. He was doing his best but he was still learning. He wasn’t a fully fledged Avatar when that happened.

I 1000000000% do not blame him for the death of his people. He was a child. He was being sent away (or so he thought). Almost everyone was rejecting him. All he wanted was for things to go back to normal. He ran away and there are kids who run away in real life. They feel unwanted, uncared for, or there is so much going on they just need to go. Aang had his whole world turned upside down and he reacted. He was 12. His being there would not have saved a single life. If anything, he would have perished with the other airbenders and then where would the world have been? Down an entire nation.

We see Aang live by his morals and culture. It’s not easy for him. Those around him do not share the same ways of life he grew up with.They eat meat, they weren’t brought up with the pacifist way of life. His vegetarianism is questioned and made fun of at times. He is pressured to do something that goes against everything he believes in (more on this in a bit) and he doesn’t. But no matter what people say to him, no matter how many jokes are made at the expense of what he believes, he never ever turns around and does the same. He doesn’t judge his friends for eating meat. He never tries to stop them. He never pushes his vegetarianism on anyone and contrary to what others think, he never tried to push his belief of not being violent onto people either.

He encouraged Katara to reconsider. He gave his point on it. But he did not physically try to stop or shame her. He gave his blessing for them to take Appa. This, after they tried to take Appa behind Aang’s back, this after he already lost Appa once. He wasn’t angry. He didn’t hold it against them. In fact, he showed remarkable kindness and understanding in the scene and I don’t think that is pointed out enough.

Then we have the ending. We have Aang learning how to win the war without taking a life. The one thing most people dislike. For me, it fit perfectly with the story and his arc specifically, but let’s talk about why it was a good character move for him. For the whole show we see Aang holding onto his beliefs, his way of life. We see how he’s sometimes put in positions where he has to fight, which goes against what he believes. Then we see him meet the Lion Turtle. One thing I love about this that I only realised recently is how incredible it is that he met the LT. Aang, a very spiritual person, got to go on a journey unlike any other before and he got to learn a new (to benders/avatars) element. He did so by going on a spiritual journey to help him find a solution to a problem he was having. Before getting that advice he turned to 4 of his past lives. Depending on how you look at it he did not take their advice (but reflect on this, how many of them actually said he needed to KILL Ozai?)

Roku:   “You must be decisive.”

Kyoshi:  “Only justice will bring peace.”

Kuruk:  “Aang, you must actively shape your own destiny and the destiny of the world.”

Yangchen:  “Selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs and do whatever it takes to protect the world.”

Notice anything? Three of the four are definitely something you can say Aang took on board. Aang was decisive, he brought Ozai to justice and brought peace to the world by doing so and he did all this in a way that shaped his own destiny but also the destiny of the world, by showing there is another way to do it. He brought a new way. A way that doesn’t continue the cycle of death previously seen in the world. He did so by keeping his spiritual needs and beliefs. He did so in a pacifistic way. He did so in a very Aang way. We saw that Aang had a very different style of fighting from other. He knew how to avoid/doge attacks. He knew how to win without hurting the other person (he had to go on the offensive at times too, I won’t argue that) but Aang at his best in some respects was when Aang was being Aang in a fight. And Aang was being Aang at the end. He followed his heart and conscience and he brought peace to the world.

He did all this in such a short space of time, after finding out about a horrific loss, without losing himself. He stayed the same imperfect, lovable, relatable (for me and I’m sure others), kind, loving and goofy person. He grew up a lot. But his core person was still very much the same because Aang was already a developed person in his own right and he knew himself in a way not many 12 year olds would know themselves, but there sure are some. The key fact is he was imperfect. That made him very real for me. He wasn’t this never fucks up, never makes a mistake, never has a bad day character. But he felt so real to me and that isn’t always true. He also showed us that boys can be soft and loving and kind and still not be absolutely perfect. We get to see a boy grow but remain a boy in the end. And we leave him when he still has more learning and growth to do, which is something really cool in my opinion.

Aang is my favourite character in the Avatar universe for all these reasons and more. He is a character I have passionately felt a connection with since I was a little girl first watching the show and I truly hope that others can learn to at least accept he’s not the bad guy or a totally unrealistic character. But even if not, and you read this, I hope you can see why others would love him.

[patrickstargang]

The Firelord’s Promise (Kyoshi fic)

Chapter 1: Nomad’s Land

Chapter 2: A Bureaucrat's Word

Chapter 3: Throw Away Your Honor, Rally In The Streets

Chapter 4: Unfortunate Truths

Chapter 5: A Change For The Better

Chapter 6: The Roles We’re Given

Chapter 7: To Save A Life

Final Chapter: I’ll Always Be With You

*this fic contains massive spoilers for Shadow of Kyoshi

The distance from Yokoya to the Fire Nation wasn’t particularly far, but sometimes a sky bison could be unreliable in long distances. It didn’t help that everyone from the estate (minus Aunt Mui) decided to join in on Kyoshi’s “diplomatic” meeting with the Firelord. Even the Flying Opera Company begrudgingly tagged along as back up. They weren’t in support of dabbling with the authorities but they still swore loyalty to their brothers and sisters.

They found themselves in a canyon, the slightly rougher areas of the Fire Nation wilderness that bordered the capital. To get to the capital was about a day’s journey on foot, but it was already nearing dusk. Everyone made camp while the sun was beginning to set.

Kyoshi stood away from the camp, attempting to earthbend, something that should be more than familiar to her. While her state of bending improved since the day Hei-ran arrived at the estate, Kyoshi still found herself struggling with bending. She lifted up a large chunk of the ground in front of her, but it began to swivel around as she tried to push it forward. It was fragile and unbalanced, crumbling before it could make impact with anything. Her face strained as she tried again, feeling like it was more of an effort than it should be.

Rangi noticed Kyoshi struggling, seeing the Avatar having to face the obstacle of basic bending was a sorry sight. But Rangi remembered her promise, and she knew what to do in a moment like this.

She walked up behind Kyoshi, observing the towering girl as she tried to hold another chunk of stone before it collapsed. “Having trouble?”

Kyoshi shook her head with a stoic face. Rangi then stood in front of her with a knowing smirk. “Are you sure?”

Kyoshi then remembered the promise she made to Rangi, to be more honest with her when she needed to. She exhaled, letting the fourth attempt at shifting earth fall to the ground.

“I’ve just been having trouble with bending lately. Like yesterday, I couldn’t even bend a puddle, now I can’t even bend my native element.”

Rangi began to understand the severity of the situation. At first, she thought her superstition about the Avatar not learning the elements in order was becoming true, but she knew that saying that wouldn’t help. So she had other ideas.

Rangi lightly tugged on the sleeve of Kyoshi’s kimono, getting her attention. “How about some firebending practice? This time we can actually start with fire fists.”

Rangi stood back and reeled her arm behind her and swiftly let out a quick but forceful flame from her fist, like a sudden fiery jab. Kyoshi observed, noting the delicate details she might have missed the first time she properly learned the technique. She copied her motions to the best of her ability, only to have produced a light spark from her knuckles. She hid her face in her hands, filled with aggravation.

“I don’t understand! I was fine a few days ago, now it’s like my bending disappeared overnight.”

Rangi’s concern grew, she wasn’t sure if this was something that she could help with. Jinpa stood off to the side listening to their conversation, but after Kyoshi’s last statement he decided to join the group.

“Maybe it has something to do with your chi flow,” said Jinpa while stroking his chin.

Kyoshi remembered her lessons about chi flow at the Air Temples. She learned about its place as the energy that connects all life, more or less the ultimate life source. But she also learned that it is the life force of the bender , giving them the powers they possess. And as a result, she learned about chi block, an instance where bending is rendered almost useless by some physical or mental obstacle. She wasn’t being attacked in any way so she crossed off physical obstacles from the possibilities. All that was left was the more tricky of the two.

“Honestly I’m surprised you haven’t had a chi block sooner, especially with your run-in with the Yellow Necks.”

Kyoshi remembered the injuries she took from her fight with Xu Ping, which should have been a complete block of her chi from everything the Monks told her. Yet she was still able to bend after her recovery. So why was this happening now?

Rangi wasn’t entirely knowledgeable about chi, as it was a concept that was never taught in-depth at the Academy. However, she tried to move the conversation in the right direction. “Is there a way to unblock her chi?”

“Well, one way to do that is to connect to your spiritual side. Sometimes this could mean visiting a spiritual place or something as simple as clearing your mind and emotions through meditation. It all depends on how bad your chi block is.”

It was strange for Kyoshi. In terms of being the Avatar, she still had trouble connecting with the spiritual, mainly since most of her encounters with it left her in dire situations. But this gave her an idea.

“Maybe I can try going into the Spirit World, there's nothing more spiritual than talking with your past lives, right?”

Jinpa thought about it for a moment and quickly nodded in agreement. “I don’t see why it couldn’t work.”

But then an air of doubt came over Kyoshi, she looked down. “But at the same time, I’ve only gotten it to work on rare occasions. The only thing I’ve noticed is that I was able to enter the Spirit World whenever I was in a spiritual place, and as far as I know, there aren’t any spiritual places near he-”

Suddenly, a rustling came from the bushes next to camp that caught everyone off guard. It stopped for a moment before rustling again. It also sounded as if voices were coming from them. At that point everyone became alert. Rangi held out a ball of fire in her hand and Kirima brought a stream out from her water skin, ready to attack. Kyoshi got into her earthbending stance before she remembered her chi block, awkwardly dropping her hands.

Rangi stepped toward the bush, a stern authority in her voice. “Who's there! Show yourself!”

Suddenly, four different people rolled out from the small bush. They were wearing light Fire Nation clothing with long sleeves and carried small bags and satchels. One of them, a somewhat scrawny man with a big beard and spectacles, held up his hands trying to stop the tension.

“Hey, hey, we mean no harm! We didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

Kirima raised an eyebrow. “Oh really, then why don’t you explain what you're doing out here in the first place. Who are you people?”

At that moment, Jinpa noticed something about the group. They were all wearing necklaces, more specifically necklaces made from fire lilies. Jinpa’s eyes widened. He moved past Rangi to meet the group.

“You-your all nomads, aren’t you.”

The bearded man smiled at the sudden recognition. “Yes my good man, more specifically we’re Fire Nation nomads.”

Kirimia and Rangi slowly let their guard down, both confused at Jinpa’s interaction. He shook the bearded man’s hand, keeping his polite demeanor.

Kirima walked up to the group of nomads. “That still doesn’t explain what you're doing out here.”

“Why, we’re out on a spiritual journey to find enlightenment. We’re here to find Szeto’s Pillar.”

A feeling of suspicion came over Kirima. “Szeto’s what?”

The bearded man turned off to the side and pointed out into the distance. “Szeto’s Pillar.”

Surrounded by a sea of cooled molten rock stood a towering, monolithic pillar of stone. With its height, it was able to partially block out the sun as it was setting.

The bearded man continued to gaze off into the distance. “During the age of Avatar Szeto, one of the volcanos near the Fire Nation capital was erupting, causing mass hysteria and panic for the people. But Szeto stopped the magma flow from the safety of his stone pillar. Now, these volcanoes will stay dormant for years to come. This pillar has become a sort of sacred spot, a place to stand where one of the great Avatars once stood.”

This gave Kyoshi an idea. Not only did she have a spiritual place to unblock her chi, but this could be an opportunity to speak with Szeto. She was able to contact Kuruk and Yangchen, this could be the next step.

She turned to Rangi, whispering so the nomads wouldn’t overhear. “This might be my chance, if I can get my chi flow back by tomorrow we’ll be able to make it into the capital safely.”

Rangi let out a light chuckle, realizing this was Kyoshi’s way of asking to leave. “You don’t have to tell me twice, go on ahead.”

Kyoshi smiled and kissed Rangi on her forehead before starting a light jog towards the Pillar.

The bearded man halted his conversation with Jinpa to note Kyoshi’s sudden leave. “Gee, your friend there is pretty excited to see the Pillar.”

Jinpa nervously rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, she can be a bit….enthusiastic sometimes.”

The bearded man let out a hearty laugh before surveying the area. “Well, it looks like you're all settled in pretty nicely, I guess our journey can wait till tomorrow. But in the meantime….”

The bearded man and the other three nomads all pulled out jars filled with a strange looking liquid.

“Who wants to drink cactus juice and find spiritual enlightenment!”

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

Night quickly came over the canyon, the campfire lit up the darkness and spirits were high. Mostly. The nomads were already in full swing with some of their “spiritual” exercises. Jinpa decided to join in to varying degrees of success. He thought that cactus juice was a spiritual cleanser, like what onion-banana juice was back at the Air Temples. Now he was laughing hysterically at the wildlife and his own airbending while the nomads incoherently argued about who opened the most of their seven chakras.

Kirima and Wong were both amused and terrified at Jinpa’s state. The airbender was known to be somewhat of a stickler for good behavior, but now he had no regard for proper manners. Hei-ran looked as if her soul was leaving her body, watching everything that was unfolding alongside the other two members of the Flying Opera Company. She had her blackboard and chalk but even her words couldn’t communicate the confusion and distaste she felt. Atuat almost tried the cactus juice, but after seeing how Jinpa fared after trying it she decided against it.

Rangi half paid attention to the antics that were taking place, but part of her mind was elsewhere. There was a lot of uncertainty for what tomorrow would hold. Even though she was the Avatar’s bodyguard, she was also part of the Fire Nation military. Now she would have to face the idea of going against her own nation’s leader. She had fought to stop corruption in many other parts of the world, but it was a different beast to deal with corruption in her own home. If Zoryu had not kept his promise, then that means Rangi would have to go against her own code of honor.

But then another thought came to her. She had said before that she wished to share the greatness of the Fire Nation with the rest of the world, but with everything that was happening she was beginning to question how true that “greatness” really was. The more she thought about it, the more it upset her. The Saowan clan was charged not for the few people that were creating pushback, but for the entire clan itself. Chaejin and Huazo obviously had their hand in starting a commotion but there were those who were arrested without knowing what was even happening. It made her stomach churn.

But then she became much more grateful for Kyoshi, she could have pretended that Zoryu’s treatment of the Saowan clan never happened and let them all be imprisoned, or worse. But she didn’t. She became a headache for both Zoryu and the chancellors. The Firelord was trying to make an easy solution for a not so easy problem, which might cause greater harm to his people and his own status than he may realize. Kyoshi wasn’t out for what she believed was revenge, she was out for stopping injustice enacted by those who were the supposed preservers of justice. But the possibility of killing Zoryu was still a thorn in Rangi’s side, the consequences for it could be much greater than the Saowan’s imprisonment. What could Kyoshi be gaining if she went through with it?

Then on that thought, Rangi realized Kyoshi was still at the Pillar even though hours had already passed. She might be having trouble getting into the Spirit World. Rangi remembered her promise to Kyoshi, as she got up from her seat.

She leaned over to Atuat. “I’m going to go check up on her. Could you keep an eye on Jinpa for me?”

The healer chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry sweetie, I’ll make sure he doesn’t embarrass himself...well any more than he already has.”

As she said that, Jinpa was reaching for another glass of cactus juice before Hei-ran took the drink out of his hands and threw it into the bushes.

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

The terrain of the cooled magma was uneven, like trying to maneuver through a valley filled with millions of small hills. Rangi skipped from the peak of each mound, getting closer to the Pillar. Once she arrived, she noticed a stone stairway around it, one that was built at some point after Szeto’s time. She ascended to the spiraling staircase, noting just how tall the Pillar actually was. Once she made it to the top, she found her Yokoya girl meditating.

At least that's what it looked like at first. As Rangi moved closer she could see the strain in Kyoshi’s brow, like someone trying their hardest to look as if they were at peace. Kyoshi let out a soft sigh and opened her eyes. She turned her head to see Rangi.

“Still having trouble?”

Kyoshi looked back out into the distance, feeling the soft breeze that such a high spot gave her. “Yeah….But I’m still not getting anywhere. I’m the only one who can bend the four elements and communicate with the Spirit World and right now I can do neither of those two things. Some Avatar I am, huh….”

Rangi gave her a concerned pout. “You seem to forget really quickly don’t you,” she said as she shifted to sit beside Kyoshi. “You may think that you have to face your Avatar duties alone, but you don’t. I’ll be here for you, even if I can only help a little.”

Kyoshi’s sardonic tone quickly changed to sincerity. She didn’t forget, but it was still nice to remember that Rangi meant what she said that night. “Thank you….”

“Now, maybe you just need a partner,” Rangi crossed her legs and put her hands together in the same position that Kyoshi was in. “Try breathing with me.”

Kyoshi straightened herself and closed her eyes, waiting for Rangi’s orders. It was like doing Horse stance again, except without the pain in her legs.

“Now do as I do…..In.”

Kyoshi inhaled at her command, letting it linger as long as it needed to.

“And out…..”

She exhaled through her nose. Already she had a greater sense of flow than she had when she was alone.

“In…..”

She inhaled again, she was fully in sync with Rangi. While the Avatar was uncertain of her many bending abilities, she felt comforted by the fact that she still had air on her side.

“And out….”

Kyoshi could feel Rangi’s warmth beside her, every breath like an ember slowly growing its flame. It was relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

Soon the words were fading out, but she still kept into the flow of her breathing before she was doing it instinctually. Sound began to fade out completely, her mind becoming clear. She stayed in that silence for a little bit.

Then she felt a cool air come over her, like that of a mist coming over the mountains. She slowly began to open her eyes, seeing the abstract clouds that enveloped the Spirit World before she heard a voice. A voice that sounded experienced yet rough.

“It’s about time you showed up, you're a few months late.”

[jaxsteamblog]

Clueless

Click here to read the full fic on AO3

After leaving the shop, Katara went home to change and talk to her father. Apparently, Thuy’s debut was going to be a very large ordeal. As she was born in the swamp, she symbolized a partnership between the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe. Historically, such a relationship had been impossible as many of the closest Earth Kingdom city-states feared any growing power among the ice bound tribes.

The idea of inviting the Avatar’s descendants came out of the Fire Nation. The only times when they got together were for various Avatar related holidays, and those visits were strained during the war. The records only went as far back as Yangchen and Kuruk never had children, but there were hundreds of years between Kyoshi’s daughter Koko and family trees blurred quickly. But with this strong connection between Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe, the Fire Nation was keen on reestablishing these familial bonds.

Bonds Katara had no idea about. It’s not like she was related to the Avatar.

Sitting on her couch, Katara pulled up the mini series on the Avatars on Webflicks. Starting the episode on Avatar Roku, she fast forwarded to the end.

His only living descendants were Zuko and Azula.

That surprised Katara but, as Tenzin narrated the episode, she found that their connection to Avatar Roku was through their mother. She was an only child, born of the only child Roku had. And she had disappeared halfway through the war.

Flipping to the next episode, Katara watched a bit about Avatar Aang. Tenzin, with more emotion in his voice as he spoke about his late father than the previous Avatars, explained how Roku’s death is what allowed for the conflict between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom to begin.

Roku, having been close to Fire Lord Sozin all of his life, had defused a lot. While attempting to stop a volcanic eruption, both the Avatar and the Fire Lord perished. Aang was raised during a time of turmoil as Fire Lord Azulon sought to fill his father’s throne, but was isolated in part due to being an Air Nomad.

The back and forth between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom went on for the Avatar’s lifetime. It was only because of his intervention that it didn’t escalate.

Ultimately, Avatar Aang had a family. His eldest son Bumi left the monastic order and founded the secular Urban Dust, his daughter Yangzom became the youngest spiritual sage of her time, and his youngest son Tenzin became a revered historian. All of them Airbenders, they scattered across the world and, in a moment of unintentional hilarity, not even Tenzin could figure out who had children and where. His older siblings having passed on, only his children were the official descendants of Avatar Aang.

Katara chuckled as she saw a shot of Rohan in their Airbender robes and with a shaved head. They looked happy standing with their family. Her smile fading, Katara clicked back an episode to see the shot of Zuko with his. He didn’t look nearly as happy. Or really, he didn’t look happy at all.

With a sigh, Katara switched off her TV and got up. She would probably have to sit and watch the whole series, if for nothing else than to give her even the slightest bit of knowledge about the current global climate. It might help to know more about Thuy as well, if they were going to be working together when Katara became queen.

Katara shuddered and headed for the door.

Rohan met her in a park and Katara looked around as she got there. It was still early in the evening and, with the summer solstice behind them, the sunset made the world rosy. Rohan sat on a low cement wall, overlooking an outdoor amphitheater with their glider folded up next to them.

“So, do any air deliveries today?” Katara asked, eyeing the glider. Rohan laughed and rubbed the back of their head.

“Nah. Unfortunately, I was on time for everything today.” They replied.

“You know, I’m curious, why is it that the Avatar’s grandchild is a delivery person?” Katara questioned.

“Well, since an Avatar is born every generation, it’d get pretty expensive to keep their kids living in the lap of luxury.” Rohan said and Katara shrugged. “And grandpa certainly blew through any niceties when he had three times as many kids as the last three Avatars combined.”

“And then your dad having four!” Katara added as she sat down next to them. “The audacity!”

Rohan chuckled and they both looked down the overgrown slope. Children jumped from one spot of exposed rock to another and shrieked with delight. It was a gentle scene as the day was ending and the air was finally cooling.

“It’s nice having a big family. It’ll be nicer once Jinora has her kid.” Rohan tilted their head and looked over at Katara. “Do you and Sokka get along?”

“Yeah. Why do you ask?” Katara leaned back, putting her hands on the warmed stone.

“You look sad.” Rohan said bluntly. Katara felt the blush and she turned her face.

“It’s just Sokka and I. And our dad.” She added hurriedly.

“I think we were lucky, all of the Air Nomads. Our temples are so hard to reach, we were really protected.” Rohan said. “Except for Uncle Bumi, but Pop said that he got to play Sky Pirates and fight the Fire Nation, which the monks wouldn’t’ve let him do.”

“It’s funny how there will always be pirates. Waterbenders were the pirate kings but got wiped out during the war.” Katara said and then sighed. “A lot of Waterbenders got wiped out in the war.”

“But you’re still here.” Rohan said, putting their hand on hers. “And the Avatar has been found with a whole stash of lost Waterbenders!”

Katara laughed and sat up, sliding her hand from under Rohan’s. “You’re right.”

Standing up, she held onto the strap of her purse with both hands. “Ready to go?”

“Yup!” Rohan said, jumping up. They took their glider up and spun it, stamping it down on the ground as they stood to their full height.

“How do you feel about pizza?” They asked.

The pizza place they ended up in was small, but lively. Rohan left Katara and their glider at an outdoor table, and she watched them through the large plate glass window. People were pressed shoulder to shoulder as they stood eating the largest slices of pizza Katara had ever seen. Rohan was quickly enveloped as they got closer to the counter and Katara pulled her phone out of her purse. Opening her Clicktalk app, she snapped a picture with the hanging restaurant sign behind her. Typing in a caption, Katara glanced up to see if she could spot Rohan. They were tall, but had somehow been completely swallowed by the crowd.

As she posted her picture, she saw two arms rise up over the bobbing heads and smiled at the sight of the blue arrows. Holding up two plates, the arms pushed through the crowd till Rohan freed themself, heading for the door.

Setting down the plates, Katara watched as they then reached into their pants pockets, pulling out two soda bottles with a flourish.

“Now watch this.” They said as they sat down. Using their airbending, Rohan flicked the bottle caps off and sent them spinning. They caught them in the air and made the caps dance around each other before letting them drop.

“That is a cool trick.” Katara said with a laugh. Looking down at the pizza, she pulled a plate over to her side of the table. The slices were as big as her face and the pepperoni slices were twice the size she had seen on other pizza.

“I thought Airbenders were vegetarians.” Katara remarked, picking up her slice and folding it in half.

“Common misconception. Avatar Aang was a vegetarian but he was an outlier and should not be counted.” Rohan replied before shoving pizza into their mouth.

“So do you and like, the other Avatar descendants hang out?” Katara asked before taking a bite.

“You mean with Zuko and Azula?” Rohan questioned with their mouth still mostly full. They paused to swallow. “Sometimes, but it’s usually just at formal functions. Apparently my uncle Bumi saved Iroh’s butt a bunch during the early part of the war and so the current Fire Lord doesn’t really like us.”

“Then you know Iroh?”

“Sure! I get tea there all the time and hangout. Pop says Iroh’s the little brother he never had.”

“Well, you should know Zuko at least.”

Rohan took a moment to eat before responding, looking off into the street.

“Zuko is Zuko.” They said softly, then turned and smiled. “Actually, my sister Jinora was better friends with him. And Meelo is absolutely obsessed with Azula.”

“I can’t imagine anyone being obsessed with Azula.” Katara said dryly and Rohan laughed.

“The very reason you can’t is exactly the reason why he is.” They said and shook their head. “Anything he wasn’t supposed to do or was considered dangerous was always the first thing at the top of his to-do list.”

Katara and Rohan laughed, and Katara picked up her bottle of cherry cola. She liked this, liked getting pizza and being out. Everything was more open and sticky; the sweetness of the soda spilling into the rest of the evening and making her feel happy. It was somehow more expansive than being at the beach.

Everything had been picked out and packed up before she had even gotten to the beach house. Now, in retrospect, she knew that someone had come in to make their meals and take care of everything for the royals. Here, she had her choice of toppings and soda, and she sat outside listening to people pass by.

What would Zuko have picked if he had gone off the tracks for once?

“So, do you happen to know anything about the new Avatar?” Katara asked.

“Only that Pop can’t wait to train her. He was so happy he almost cried.” Rohan replied.

“I guess that makes sense, that she would train with Aang’s family.” Katara said and drank more of her soda. “I wonder if she’ll train with Zuko.”

“Maybe, it’d certainly be good for them if she did.” Rohan said idly. “Think she’ll do any training in the North Pole?”

“I don’t see why.” Katara shrugged. “She’s already a Waterbender.”

“Yeah, but like, for her spiritual training.”

“I thought that was an Airbender thing.” She said, picking up her pizza.

“Don’t you guys live with two actual spirits?”

The flash of black that glowed swept over her mind and Katara choked on her mouthful of pizza. Rohan reached out, alarmed, but Katara held up a hand and grabbed her soda. Take a drink, she felt the lump painfully move down her throat and she could breathe.

“Okay, well yeah.” She said and Rohan sat back, chuckling in relief.

Pushing her plate away, Katara leaned back in her seat. “I think I’m done.”

“Sure. Would you like to go on a walk?” Rohan asked. Katara smiled and nodded.

“That would be nice.” She said.

As Rohan took their plates and walked over to the trash, Katara pulled out her phone. A few people had viewed her Click but she had a message from-

“Zuko?” She murmured. Opening the reply, all it said was

I love that place! Try it with white sauce!

Frowning, Katara put her phone away.

“Shall we?” Rohan asked.

Katara stood and they started down the street. Rohan used their glider as a walking stick and people kept out of their way. Eyeing them out of the corner of her eye, Katara smirked.

“Are you doing that on purpose?” She asked. Rohan smiled slyly.

“Whatever are you talking about?” They shot back.

“Why did you ask me out?” Katara questioned suddenly. That seemed to surprise them and they thought for a moment.

“Every once in a while, my family gets on my back about dating. I’m aromantic and they don’t get it, so I take someone out from time to time to get them to stop asking questions.” They answered honestly.

“So you don’t, like me?” Katara asked.

“Do you like me?”

“Well.” Katara fidgeted and Rohan laughed.

“We literally just met today. It’s not about liking someone, it’s about getting to know them.” They said. Looking at Katara’s pained expression, they shook their head.

“From what I understand, people click and then they go out and the whole thing is riddled with hormonal traps.” Rohan gestured with a hand and Katara watched them. “But honestly, romance is just like any other relationship to me. You have to know the person right?”

“Sure, but…” Katara started and Rohan held out their hand. Unsure, Katara still took it.

“Your heart is pounding isn’t it?” They asked. Katara’s face burned and she yanked her hand back.

“S-shut up!” She stammered and Rohan laughed.

“It just happens, and I’m not even the one you want right?”

“Not the one…?”

“Oh come on, I saw how Zuko was looking at you.” Rohan said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Katara sputtered and Rohan continued to laugh.

“It means that maybe I also asked you out because the last time I saw Zuko, his sister was being really mean and he didn’t do anything.”

“That still doesn’t make any sense.” Katara said in a huff.

“You are totally clueless.” Rohan said, wiping their eyes. “Let’s just have a good night, and I promise you it’ll make things more fun for you.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

[mxadrian779]

Avatar Liu: Info Document

Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender; The Legend of Korra.

Time: about 100-150 years after Korra.

Past Lives:

Wan

[...]

[...]

Yanesha: transgender, asexual, polyamourous; was one of few Avatars to energybend; was first transgender Avatar; trainers included prince of Northern Water Tribe, princess of Fire Nation, and an Earth Kingdom rogue; also first (and only) to have multiple partners. (In the old days, the teachers of the Avatar were specially selected, and were expected to be of highest pedigree, usually male royalty. Yanesha's fire and water trainers were royalty of their nations, but the first handpicked earth trainer did not work well with the Avatar, and they ended up finding a rogue to teach them—which was frowned upon in history, and especially caused conflict between the Earth Kingdom monarchy and the Avatar).

Lifespan: 155 years

[...]

[...]

Yangchen

Kuruk

Kyoshi

Roku

Aang

Korra: Lifespan: 38 years. Wed Asami Sato, had daughter Chenna [father: Bolin]. Chenna wed Ashiva, had three children: Yasuko, Kaona, Ryu. Yasuko had one daughter, Kaona had twin sons.

Batakh: Lifespan: ~80 years. Wed Mako's daughter Juna, had one daughter.

*Liu Lang: Lifespan: in progress. Weds Beifong. Descendant[s] unknown.

What happened since Korra: Korra wed Asami, and they had daughter Chenna (with help from Bolin). Because of her gay parents, Chenna was bullied, she retaliated, and grew up a bit aggressive. Korra was assassinated when Chenna was 11; she fell into depression, and her relationship with mother Asami became very strained. Much later, they grow closer, there's stuff going on in the world, they and a few others find and aid the next Avatar, Batakh, a young boy born into a well-to-do Emerald States (new name for Earth Kingdom) family. Chenna ends up with an old childhood friend, they have three kids: earthbender Yasuko, waterbender Kaona, and airbender Ryu (named for his father's late brother). Kaona, born male, starts coming into her feminine identity when she's eight years old; her identity is challenged and subsequently strengthened when she's twelve and starts a new school with gendered uniforms. Her older sister, Yasuko, is fast at her side, extremely protective and defensive. When Kaona is sixteen, grandmother Asami gifts her the betrothal necklace Korra had proposed with. Jealousy rips apart their close sisterly bond, as elder sister Yasuko believes she is the rightful inheritor of the Sato heirloom. It'll take years for them to heal the rift between them. Yasuko marries and has one daughter; Kaona marries a female airbender, and they have twin sons; baby brother Ryu's future is uncertain.

Much later, the next Avatar is born, Liu-yin Lang, into a large lower-middle-class Fire Nation family. Liu-yin was told of her Avatar status when she was sixteen, but the world didn't need her yet. The family, who's very close and protective, kept her until she was about 21, at which point she started some firebending training. Liu-yin grew frustrated with the slow pace, and left home two years later to join the Fire Navy. Liu-yin was always a tomboy, but when she finally gets away from her family and experiences freedom, something changes. When enlisting in the navy and asked for the recruit's name, Liu-yin starts to give the full name, but stops after "Liu." When asked for the gender, after a breath, Liu responds "male," and begins his transition. He serves a year in the navy and masters firebending and melee arts, sometimes under special tutelage of the Fire Nation prince, knew Liu's identity and watched over him in the military (and possibly may later come out as a transwoman, inspired by Liu). Liu leaves the military after a year, and sets out after the other three elements.

{Special note: every elemental leg of the journey will present a new trans character and identity. In Fire, we meet Liu, who is a transman, and the Fire Nation prince, who may be either genderfluid or a transwoman; in Air, we meet the Yaneshans, who are essentially agender; in Water, we find transwoman Kaona tending to transgender youth, and we meet Liu's waterbending teacher, whose gender presentation is slightly unusual; in Earth, we meet a nonbinary entertainer}

~Air: Liu meets up with the Yaneshans, an ancient transgender tribe named for the first transgender Avatar, Yanesha; historically, the Yaneshans were strictly Air Nation, and were extinguished in Sozin's war; centuries later, they were reborn with the help of Kaona, (trans) granddaughter of Avatar Korra, and became a multiracial society. The Yaneshans seek the highest spiritual enlightenment, and thus strive to live beyond gender, which they see as another earthly attachment.

Air proves very tricky, especially with an eccentric instructor like Manisha. She proves a valuable trainer, however, and is revealed to be a direct descendant of the original airbender family (Rohan's descendant).

Despite air being an ally element to Liu's native fire, he has a very hard time learning to airbend. After studying him, Manisha realises his problem: "You have to relinquish control." She notices the tense, forceful way Liu tries to airbend, and concludes that he's too focused on trying to harness power and control over airbending. "You're a control freak, just like every other firebender. But air isn't something to control." Liu: "So, I let it control me?" Manisha: "No. Stop thinking like a firebender. Air isn't about control—it's about freedom. Guide the air like it's your friend, not your subordinate. Loosen up. Free yourself, and let the airbending follow." Manisha might pull some airbending tricks, miniature tornadoes and such, to ruffle Liu's feathers in an attempt to loosen him up.

[Manisha: "The beautiful thing about airbending is that it's always there. You can put mittens on a firebender, put a waterbender in the middle of the desert, suspend an earthbender in the sky—but an airbender is never vulnerable. If you have air to breathe, you have air to bend."]

~~ Family:

mother, firebender (age 49)

father, nonbender (age 52)

-Liu, Avatar, age 24-

brother, nonbender (age 19)

brother, firebender (age 17)

sister, nonbender (age 14)

sister, firebender (age 8)

A year or two into his journey, Liu returns home for a visit. His family knew nothing about his identity, and takes it hard:

- mother is distraught; "I know she is not a boy; I gave birth to a girl."

- mother starts to come around when her family, and Liu in particular, is mocked by a snide acquaintance:

While on a family outing, mother runs into a particularly snobbish busybody, who, upon meeting Liu, proceeds to put down the mother and family (exact circumstances unclear). She runs down the list of the mother's children, from the rambunctious sons to the energetic "wild" youngest daughter to Liu. Citing Liu's other sister, the woman scoffs,

"Well, at least you still have one normal (or other adjective) child." Liu instinctively rises to his feet to challenge her, growling, "What did you just say?" His mother rushes to pull him back down to his seat, chides him—then rises herself to challenge the woman and defend her family—the Avatar in particular.

- father is shocked, but tries to keep to himself. will save it for a private conversation later.

- brothers (~17, 19) don't especially care. They're off doing their own things anyway.

- youngest (~8) sister asks what happened to his hair, hears "I cut it off," accepts it, and runs off.

- younger sister (~14) takes it hardest, feeling like Liu, with whom she was closest, abandoned and betrayed her:

"You were the big sister I could always look up to. It's like I don't even know who you are now...or what you are."

"We used to be sisters. We had each other. Now you're just like one of those idiots" (pointing to rambunctious brothers)

~Water: Liu wasn't really looking for a waterbending teacher at the moment; he just found himself checking out a surfing competition and caught his favourite athlete enhancing his surfing with waterbending. (Location: Northern Water Tribe?? Maybe an area in the northern Fire Nation?)

"Hey. You were pretty badass out there on the waves. Think you can teach me some of that?"

"Thanks." The waterbender stops to size up Liu. "No can do. You're a firebender."

Liu gives a smug look. "Yeah, I'm a firebender...and an airbender..."

Realisation mixed with awe flickers on his face. "You're the Avatar?!"

Liu winks. "Damn straight."

Liu ends up subtly flirting and subtly threatening to report him to the competition heads for cheating if he doesn't agree to train him.

Names: (Kalal, Halona, Hania Honani, Honon, Huyana, Howakhan ["Hoaqan"], Bisahalani ["Halani"], Cetanwakuwa ["Wakuwa"], Cha'tima, Chaska, Chavatangawunua [short rainbow], Cheveyo, Chesmu, Chogan, Chu'a, Ciqala, Chunta [cheating], Dasan, Dichali, Achak, Ahanu, Akando, Alona, Angeni, Annawan, Aquene, Avonaco)

~Earth: Liu's arrival to the Emerald States is well-received, with a banquet thrown in his honour by the Beifong family. Amidst the celebration and the revelry, Liu can't take his eyes off of an elegant Emerald woman in the crowd. He sidles up to her and asks her to dance, and she hesitantly accepts. He later learns that she is a member of the Beifong family, an ancient Emerald family and powerful ally to the Avatar. Liu becomes determined to have her teach him earthbending, but her parents forbid it, citing racial and social conflict (something about the fact that Liu is Fire Nation and lower-middle class, ignoring the fact that he's the Avatar). They decide to cultivate a friendship anyway, and the Beifong woman shows him some moves. Meanwhile, a widespread war had been growing behind the scenes, and now comes to the stage. Liu suddenly finds himself overwhelmed with enemies, and he, Beifong, and the waterbender are forced into hiding. The earthbender cuts her hair and sheds her extravagance; Liu cuts and restyles his hair ("I feel so bald now." "What do you mean? You only cut off an inch in the back!"), and changes the spelling of his name to Lu; the waterbender ties back his hair and finds an outfit nearly identical to his last.

One night while sheltering in an Emerald town, Liu awakens in a trance and wanders to the edge of the Emerald continent. His eyes start to glow as the same light envelops him, and he disappears. He awakens fully to find himself sitting under the banyan-grove tree in the foggy swamp. Before him, visions of his past lives stand in the mist. When Liu rubs his eyes and clears his vision, they fade away. He thinks he's hallucinating, until a deep chanting echoes throughout the swamp. The Avatar follows the chanting to the edge of the swamp, which he discovers has been sitting atop a lion-turtle for centuries. He decides to consult the ancient creature for advice about the war. The lion-turtle is clearly distressed about the continuing human greed and violence, especially in this technologically-advanced age. It easily remembers when its swamp was attacked and its spiritual energy harvested and corrupted. The lion-turtle decides that the human race must be punished, and it vows to withdraw the elements and close the spirit portals. Liu panics and begs the lion-turtle to reconsider its decision, claiming the elements and the spirits have lived with the humans for millennia; "you can't just take them away!" 'Why not? Humankind has no use for them anymore.'

~~ Shortly after meeting the Beifong girl, another character comes into Liu's picture. Quan is a thirtysomething, lithe, tan-skinned person with curly black hair and grey-green eyes who goes by "they" pronouns. They're mostly masculine-presenting, wear makeup, and have a sort of flamboyant, theatrical quality. Attracted to women. They're a local celebrity known for their androgyny, which they happily flaunt and capitalise upon (which irks Liu). Quan knows they're considered a public novelty, and they thrive on that while also using it to make a statement. Liu is mistrustful of Quan, considering them an impostor of sorts.

Quan: "Some people are women, some are men. I happen to be both." They see themselves as a performer in more ways than one, likening gender to a performance in and of itself. And, "sometimes it's not about being a man or a woman. It's about being you, and 'you' doesn't always fit into one of those two little boxes."

Liu: "You know, our struggles are real. There's a serious problem out there for people like me. The world doesn't have room for pretenders."

Quan: "Who's pretending? Who I am is as real as who you are. You couldn't conform to what you were assigned, and neither could I." and "People already see me as a freak show. I figure I might as well have some fun with it." When the tension between Liu and Quan reaches a boiling point: "You know what? I've had it. Avatar or not, if you can't respect me, then I'm done."

~~ Liu will tackle toxic masculinity. He refuses to prove his masculinity in ridiculous ways, i.e, through violence ("sometimes, being a man means knowing when to walk away from a fight"), vulgarity ("how does being disgusting make you a man?; "big deal, my younger sister can belch better than that"; might also tackle objectification of women). Liu is a refined breed, despite being surrounded by crude older brothers. He sometimes started to doubt his own masculine identity when he compared himself with his brothers.

~~ Western transgender concept and terminology does not exist in their world. At the time of Korra's granddaughter, Kaona, there was little awareness, and no terminology. At the time of Liu, it is slightly better known, usually not directly referenced, but when it is, it is called crossgender (derived from the concept of being spiritually aligned to one gender or the other, and, just as one crosses into the Spirit World, one may cross into the other gender; the Yaneshans, a transgender tribe with strong Air Nomad roots, throw out the concept of gender altogether, and find the crossgender concept insulting and spiritually incorrect because, as the Air Nomads teach, ultimate enlightenment and spirituality can only be attained by shedding all earthly attachments, including gender)

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

Kirima's Heritage Theory (Yangchen Novels spoilers)

Ok ok ok ok. I know I (half) joked (half hc'd) that Atuat (and Amak) were grandkids/great-grandkids of Kavik and Yangchen. (reasons being nothing more than Atuat and Yangchen having great healing abilities, and Amak being assassin/up people's business reminding me of the political shenanigans Kavik/Yangchen get up to. Not a lot to stand on other than "it would be funny.")

But I woke up in a cold sweat today and realized "What if Kirima was actually Chaisee and Kaylaan's great-grand/great-great-grandkid? O_O

Tbh I've always just headcanoned her as someone who came from the Swamp Bending community (and ran away from it). But the more I think about the Chaisee/Kaylaan thing.....the more it might kinda works jskljf TT0TT Like both with what context we have on the chars (like it's plausible) AND in a satisfying narrative sense.

Chaisee/Kaylaan have to go into hiding with their son after the events of Legacy. Always on the move. Chaisee, though her land is in the Fire Nation territory, her heritage is a mystery (iirc) with no bending lineage. Then you have Kaylaan, who provides the waterbending for this theory. Their child is of mix heritage, and Kirima is most likely mixed as well (considering Kyoshi and Jingsu are, and Xu is hinted to be, and Kirima wears EK clothing except for a pelt, it's possible Kirima has at least some EK mixed into her because of how often it comes up in Yee's novels, tho genetic wise her WT side appears to be the dominant gene).

Anyway, the important thing I wanna focus on is, genetic wise it lines up and their situation lines up as well.

This is what Kirima states when Xu comes back:

Chaisee/Kaylaan would've been on the move running from the Earth King for the rest of their lives. I can see their kids and grandkids maybe even adopting a similar stance. Wouldn't be surprised if she joined Jesa's gang partially cause it was easier to stay on the move.

Combine that with, the entire reason Yangchen let them go on the run in the first place, it'd keep them from gaining power and status. Which would possibly make the family poor/not in good standing. Which is a big reason why a lot of (normal/general) daofei exist:

Narratively it'd be kinda satisfying imo. An action caused by Yangchen over a hundred years ago, aka "Showing mercy to her villain" only for it to come back and HELP a future Avatar? Usually we have a trickle down of Avatar's actions harming their successor, but this would flip that on it's head.

It would've been such a balm, such a shining light from all the BS Yangchen hand to go through and the problems she caused. (because, her actions did lead to Kyoshi's circumstances, because how Kuruk had to address Yangchen issues first, yes we know these issues started with Szeto and probs started with his predecessor before him and yadda yadda). But it would've been just SO GREAT for the girlie to get a win for Kyoshi. TT0TT

And if that's not enough to convince you. Consider this. Kirima telling Rangi "Hey yeah I'm also part Fire National, did you know?" and Rangi just fucking losing it. Just the absolute shock and horror of it all would be worth it. Just for the comedy jfdksalfjd TT0TT

Like, I know it's probs not the case. A lot of these can be explained away imo. Kirima could just be wearing EK clothes because she lives there/wants to blend in. The whole "on the run" move probs is because of Jesa and Air Nomads with their negative jing. But what if....fun? It's just a fun silly idea? jaskfjda

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

RoR: Issues with Kyoshi's supposed fate (her power and purpose)

Spoilers for the Roku Novel....obviously (as well as Kyoshi's novels, ATLA/LoK show and comic will be touched on. Lightly touches on Yangchen in her novels but not the plot). TT0TT

I have a lot of thoughts on Kyoshi's fate, but instead of one big post, I'm just going to do a bunch of smaller ones that tie into different aspects of it.

This one involves her power narrative and purpose.

Trigger warning under the cut as well (under the cut cause of possible spoilers)

TW: Suicide/Suicide mention

Ok so basically the novel wants us to be like "She went so far off the deep end, she stopped valuing human life and just found it easier to kill people! But then looked within and realized her time had come and possibly just let herself die. uwu"

So many issues, holy shit. Like....so many things that DON'T add up. It doesn't help that we literally don't go into how the world is shaped by her 230 years, not even how Roku is effected by it! And this doesn't even consider the darn "Every Avatar is made right for that era" spiel.

Now, I'm not against Kyoshi realizing her time has come for that era. Or if she always planned to self exit (both kill herself and just literally see herself out the gd door cause damn did she just....bounce! She really left us guessing TT0TT) because of one reason or another.

But I don't like how it was framed in this story (so far, cause I barely wanna give RR the benefit of the doubt >_>). Mostly cause I think we could've gone about her wanting to leave without vilifying her. I think it's more tragic if she just..... it was just too painful to live. Like she could've kept going, but she didn't want to because she missed all that she had lost.

And the vilifying is less of me being like 'My character can do no wrong!" and more "This doesn't add up with our perception of her later down the road, and it's not like a part of her legacy was hidden like Yangchen's was." Kyoshi is more up front than sweet scheme Yangchen (and to YC credit she schemed for a good damn reason). And it's not like she had a Kuruk to take the damn bullets for her. Kyoshi stood on her business. She never denied or diminished what she did, accident or on purpose. It was one of the few character traits we got out of that Avatar in the original ATLA. What we see is pretty much what we get.

But while the suicide route is viable. I really think we could've just....gone with a bigger hero moment. Maybe she dies by the hand of a spirit? Possibly protecting someone. I feel like that utilizes her extreme godly power to a much better use for the 1) the narrative and 2) "every avatar is made right for that era" mentality.

Cause......let's look at point 2

Yangchen: Was a schemer who stopped other schemey schemes from scheming. Her gentle and forgiving nature giving her a peaceful vibe. And all that accumulated to her navigating the world to peace. She brought balance to an imbalanced human world. The world needed someone who could navigate people into peace.

Kuruk: Was a powerful bending prodigy and amazing hunter. He used those skills to defend the human world against spirits that Yangchen pissed off. The world needed someone who could fight those spirits.

Kyoshi: Because Kuruk had to ignore the human world, corruption and crime became rampant. Kyoshi was born at the lowest rung so she could understand and fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. She stayed alive for 230 years. We don't really know all the progress she made tho (we do know she failed in some regard, such as changing the Earth Kingdom's views on LGBT, or the fact there is apparently some daofei still hanging around 3 years before her death), but apparently she did A LOT of good. She accumulated a lot of power and.....we don't know what se did with it.

Roku: We're ignoring you :) (partially we don't really.....know a lot of his accomplishments that maintained peace, only really his mistakes, rather than me being a hater. We know he more or less kept the peace tho)

Aang: Ran away right before a war started, securing his people's culture to at least remain alive with/within him. Finished the 100 year war with a way of avoiding having to kill (which kept his culture's values alive). Giving the world a form of hope and peace amongst all the death and destruction.

Korra: A powerful fighter put through the ringer over and over and over. Constantly showing the world that it still needs an Avatar. The world is going through intense constant change, and she was there to help guide it through each change in its rapid current.

Taking what we broke down above and going pact to point 1 with the "narrative," Kyoshi just kinda.....dies. There's still stuff she wasn't able to fully see through to the end. She probably COULD'VE but she doesn't, she dies. And her death is a mystery on top of that.

Then there's the fact she accumulated SO MUCH power and.....what was the point of it? Was it just in service for the Avatar state? (I thought the creators chose to make "Prime Raava" to be more powerful and 10,000 years worth of lives???? so what's the point there)? Why make her supposedly so freaking powerful if you aren't going to do anything with it?

I dunno, if she was going to become THAT powerful, it feels like it's building up to something. Someone who needed to suffer for 230 years, get that strong. I really think if they wanted to claim "yeah she got really powerful" then it should be in service of something. She sacrifices herself to defeat a strong spirit. Either dies in combat along with it, or, upon seeing the threat is gone finally let's go because she realizes her time had come (aka she realized that was the last duty she needed to perform as the Avatar).

It's the only thing that makes sense with what we are given. Between the time delay, the lack of knowledge, her having so much power. And the fact the last time an Avatar went AWOL, aka Kuruk, that wasn't because of an injury (aka Korra).....it was because of spirits. Which loops back around to part 2, Kyoshi was the Avatar that generation(s) needed, because it built up to that. The world needed someone resilient to last 230, gain power, and then protect the world from devastation! (....to unite all people within our nation-ahem sorry sorry got distracted >_> still fitting words jkldsajflk;j)

I dunno, maybe I'm too hung up on her being uber powerful. It just feels weird that she may have exceeded past Avatars by a lot and then.....do nothing with that. If they didn't make it feel like she'd basically obtained godhood, that would be one thing....but that's not what they did so. TT0TT

[patrickstargang]

The Firelord’s Promise (Kyoshi fic)

Chapter 1: Nomad’s Land

Chapter 2: A Bureaucrat's Word

Chapter 3: Throw Away Your Honor, Rally In The Streets

Chapter 4: Unfortunate Truths

Chapter 5: A Change For The Better

Chapter 6: The Roles We’re Given

Chapter 7: To Save A Life

Final Chapter: I’ll Always Be With You

It was strange to see Avatar Szeto without his iconic headwear, showing a patch of hair tied up in a Fire Nation top knot. His demeanor appeared cold and clinical, yet there was still a warm openness about him. He didn’t exude any of the energy of Yangchen or Kuruk, there was just a dry formality to his posture and speech.

“It took you quite a while to get here.”

There wasn’t a hint of judgment in his voice, he was just stating the obvious. Kyoshi looked down after his introduction. “I apologize for not meeting you sooner. With things the way they are right now, trying to contact my past lives has been a bit of a challenge.”

Szeto smiled slightly, slowly raising a hand. “Don’t fret my child, it's all in good time. Now….. what would you like to know from a stuffy old bureaucrat like me.”

His sarcasm was disarming for Kyoshi, letting her tension alleviate somewhat. But some of it returned as she remembered the problem at hand. “Szeto, do you know anything about chi block?”

The old Avatar sat, letting out a short hum of thought before responding. “My experience with chi block hasn’t been particularly bountiful, but I know one thing for certain. If it isn’t a broken bone, then its something else that's holding you back.”

Kyoshi looked at Szeto, fully puzzled by his advice. His eyes narrowed.

“Kyoshi, is there something that's holding you back?”

It took her a moment to realize what he was saying. With that bit of emphasis, the problem became obvious. Her face was serious, her brow furrowing.

“A lot. Maybe more than I realize. I have to go to the capital tomorrow and…. There's a chance I might have to do something drastic. It could throw everything into chaos. I…..I just don’t know what to do.”

The fog of the Spirit World began to intensify, almost enveloping Szeto before he spoke through the mist. “So….. you're blocked by uncertainty.”

Kyoshi raised her head up moments after hearing this. It was so simple, but it got to the core of her issue. Szeto could see this realization in her.

“Let me give you some bureaucratic advice. No matter what, you’ll have to face uncertainty in life. And when you have as important of a role as being the Avatar, your decisions hold greater consequences.”

The mist began to subside, along with some of Kyoshi’s worries.

“There were many times where I had to make tough choices for the sake of the Fire Nation. I did everything in my power to do what was best for the people. Sometimes, compromises had to be made. But there are times when negotiation is pointless, you can’t compromise the sanctity of human life. Those were some of my hardest choices. And it seems that you’ve found yourself in something of a hard decision yourself..”

The cool air of the Spirit World was beginning to warm up again, the mist was regressing backward. Kyoshi was trying to hold on, to listen to Szeto’s last words.

“I give you one piece of advice young Avatar, never let your mind be closed in. Remember to consider the bigger picture. I’ve been watching your journey for a while now. I’ve seen the path you’ve taken to seek justice, or more so, to seek revenge. And while you were down this road, so much has changed in so little time. Never let yourself be bogged down by tunnel vision, as its been one of my greatest weaknesses.

“Kuruk told you of his neglect for the issues of the physical world and Yangchen for her neglect of the Spirit World, well I am guilty of neglecting the plights of the other three nations. I spent so much time propping up the Fire Nation and its economy, I forgot my role as a world diplomat. A humanitarian for all nations. I let the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes fall under hard times while my home nation prospered. It’s something that I regret, even now.

“But you know the Avatar is meant to help the world, I’ve already seen that. Now it’s only a matter of how to help it. Again, remember the ripples that your actions will have on these people. Don’t just think about now, think about what this will mean for the next few generations. Whether good or bad, you will make an impact. Now you must know your own influence.”

The mist was almost gone, Szeto was starting to fade in Kyoshi’s vision.

“I hope my words will give you the confidence you need to face these hard choices, whatever they may be.”

Kyoshi smiled at Szeto. There was still a feeling of uneasiness in her, as tomorrow was still uncertain. But Szeto’s support was something that gave her the strength to do what must be done. “Thank you, Szeto.”

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

Kyoshi opened her eyes to see the molten landscape from the Pillar’s vantage point. She exhaled one last time, still in sync with Rangi. She turned to face her, the firebender still had her eyes closed. But Rangi slowly opened them when she noticed Kyoshi had stopped the breathing exercise.

“Did it work?”

Kyoshi remembered why she was up there in the first place. She slowly stood up and took a step back, lifting a chunk from the Pillar and using all her force throwing it against the canyon walls. Then she kicked a leg up, letting out a stream of flames in its path. She still felt some resistance, but not on the same level as she had before. She quickly looked back at Rangi.

“It’s still shaky, but it's much better now. I might be slow right now, but I’m getting back to normal.”

Rangi smiled at her, but with a slight pout. Kyoshi noticed the change in her look, slightly concerned.

“I was hoping I’d get to train you again.”

Kyoshi’s concern quickly washed away at the firebender’s playful comment.

“Well, that doesn’t mean you can’t.”

She smiled again, thinking about the hours upon hours they had spent training together, how they were still learning from one another. Rangi glanced back at the camp.

“Come on, lets get back before Jinpa starts singing again.”

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

Kyoshi found her team in a moment of stillness, with Jinpa sprawled on the ground trying to recover from his cactus juice binge and the rest of her group mostly sitting by the campfire. It seems that everyone except for Kirima, though Hei-ran was different since she was in the middle of one of her five-minute power naps.

Kyoshi and Rangi found their place by the fire, right next to the Fire Nation nomads who had completely passed out. Kyoshi looked to the side slightly concerned. “Are they okay?”

Rangi just shrugged with an air of exhaustion as she sighed. Kyoshi didn’t bother to check, since they most likely have done this many times before.

Kirima noted Kyoshi’s arrival, raising her head up slightly. “So…. did you talk to your old friend up there.”

Kyoshi nodded slightly. “I did.”

“....and?”

Kyoshi fidgeted in her seat, staring into the fire. “He gave me some helpful advice, and I think I’m ready for tomorrow. I’m gonna be prepared for whatever comes next, but I’m just holding on to Zoryu sticking to his word.”

Kirima stared into the fire as well. After a moment she let out a light chuckle before throwing in another log. She got and headed over to her tent.

“For your sake, I hope you're right.”

[jaxsteamblog]

I started writing an outline for a non existent Flower Shop AU series but it just turned into Loving Avatar Thuy Hours.

Here are some great things about Avatar Thuy (SUPER long post because I love Thuy):

She tells her folks that she’s a girl around the same time she tells them about the bald man who taught her to sling mud. Because there’s not a lot of gendered differences in the Swamp Tribe, the trans thing wasn’t a big deal. Finding out their daughter was the Avatar, on the other hand, REALLY WAS.

The concept of “kin” (FOLKLORE TERM) and the connection of all life in the swamp via the root system has a profound spiritual effect on Thuy. She can perfectly call up any Avatar and, as she gets older, can channel them easily when in the Avatar State. For the on-screen Avatars, here’s Thuy’s hot takes:

Wan- She is Not A Fan. Doesn’t like how he shifts between being super cocky and super insecure. Wishes he had not closed off the Spirit Realm. (Not like it worked, as she gestures angrily around the swamp)

Yangchen- When Thuy learned about Fairy Godmothers from a book of Fairy Tales someone brought into the Swamp, this is immediately who Thuy thought of. Yangchen was always calming and patient, and listened every time Thuy would rant about her cousins stealing a toy or when someone pushed her into the swamp. Family is big in the Swamp and Yangchen became another mother.

Kuruk- He can’t handle kids. He also cannot handle the concept of hick Waterbenders. He is a North Pole Waterbender and (SPOILERS) fell for a high class Fire Nation Lady so, he does not like the Swamp. The Swamp is not a fan of his either.

Kyoshi- TBH Thuy was intimidated by her at first. However, when puberty hit, they talked a lot about body dysmorphia and what it means to be a woman. Thuy was able to accept her body with the continued help of Kyoshi. 

Roku- Roku is a story-teller. He told Thuy about the start of the war, and his time with Sozin. He talked about Azulon and what the royal family used to be like. Thuy was fascinated by the Fire Nation, wondering how such a mythological sounding people could do something so human like wage war.It allowed her to think of the Fire Nation as something more than just The Enemy.

Aang- The first Avatar to greet her. He was her confidante and like a very fun grandpa. He taught her to meditate and throw mud pies (breaking the rules by tiptoeing into Earthbender territory). He talked about the war as it was happening, and explained to her how important it was that she grow up safe. He talked about his kids and asked her about the Swamp. He explained how important it was to understand how all things, all nations, were connected and to make friends in every nation. He told her about Zuko, and about his grandkids. Especially Rohan, who might know a thing or two about pronouns. 

Sometimes, catgators are tame enough to keep near the residents. However, this is similar to things we see in the news when people keep exotic pets. Tame does NOT equal domestic, and bad things happen. So when Thuy shows up with Mister Whiskers, Everyone Is Quite Alarmed. 

Catgators, like real life catfish, are also borderline cryptids. No one knows how old they get. Or how big.

I imagine catgators move like alligators and can be surprisingly fast for their flat, fat bodies. Remember kids, run in a zig zag because they WILL get you.

I am from Florida. I live in Florida once again. My family has lived in Florida since we came to this country. I was “poor white trash” and had an accent. I am NOT indigenous (see above comment about coming to this country). I give Thuy a lot of traits from what I remember about growing up, things I know about the rural south via my family, and throw in the pieces I like from canon. I also want to explore topics that are indigenous specific like what’s happening to the Amazon and the continued sins my country commits on native and/or sacred land. As a sensitivity point: I do not wish to ever write about the trials and tribulations of these issues. That is for native people, as they are the ones who truly understand the generational trauma surrounding it. What I would hope to do is bring awareness to real world situations where we as non-indigenous people can assist.

Don’t let them cut down the Amazon y’all for real. And blowing up Mount Rushmore is RIDICULOUS.

Thuy loves people. Because she’s so used to being around a supportive community, and being a teenager, she doesn’t understand when adults are rude or mocking at first. 

However, she is VERY secure about who she is as a person. Her family and tribe has always supported her, so she has a very strong foundation. It takes a lot to rock her. Mostly, she gets embarrassed when people call her out or make fun of her for being loud and overly excited.

She is scared to meet Katara at first, because she learns a little about what Katara did in the war. What and who she lost. She feels bad that she wasn’t there. Thuy doesn’t know how to start a conversation with her, which is bad because Thuy not so secretly wants to replace Kuruk with Katara as her Water Tribe connection. She doesn’t want to go to Arnook, who lost his daughter, or Hakoda, who lost his wife, and Sokka is in the same category as Katara, obviously.

Suki finds her freaking out. And remember, Thuy is a close friend of Kyoshi. They talk and Suki relaxes Thuy by putting the Avatar in Kyoshi robes. Sokka finds them with Thuy thoroughly disguised and, I might actually write this scene so you’ll have to wait.

Thuy likes Azula at first because she is oddly fascinated by the performative femininity of the Fire Nation. Azula is powerful, confident, and very feminine, and that intrigues Thuy. But Azula is Azula and has very little interest in some backwater peasant, even if she is the Avatar.

Toph embraces everything about the Swamp Tribe, as does Rohan, so they are the ones Thuy is the closest to. Toph, as a more destructive Gyatso, figures out how to rig a pressurized device that launches mud projectiles and the two of them wreck havoc at fancy Beifong dinner parties. Rohan takes the technology up a notch and they all terrorize the Air Temples. Doesn’t have the same impact, because they all survived Aang. Toph teaches Thuy to take no shit and give no fucks.

Thuy is insecure about her inability to communicate with the Spirits. Having grown up in the swamp, she could see them and heard how other people ran into them. Especially the refugees that were allowed in. The Spirits seemed to guide certain people to Thuy, which meant they didn’t hate her, but they never seemed to engage. The only thing she could think of was Wan and blamed him unfairly for a long time.

Thuy does a traditional education as the Avatar. She works for a few years with Toph, having a basis in earthbending already from Aang. Crystalbending is her special talent and Toph dismisses it as playing with jewelry (but never discourages her pupil ofc). 

Jinora is Thuy’s airbending teacher and spiritual advisor. She is very good about calming Thuy when she continues to have this disconnect with the Spirits, but is unable to help her overcome it.

Tenzin deems Rohan too irresponsible but allows them to ferry Thuy around so they still teach the Avatar new things. Plus, in this world, there’s a secular sect of Airbending that Bumi - Aang’s son and an Airbender since apparently all Air Nomads are Benders?? - started during the war. They have a very loose relationship with the Air Nomad commitment to non-violence and can live in permanent residences. They are required to do their initial training at the temples, but many go back to their homes, don’t shave their heads, don’t live a monastic life, etc. Rohan goes back and forth about their place, but ultimately takes over as the head of the secular branch. It appeals to Thuy more and they take their role very seriously because of the responsibility. 

Zuko teaches Thuy firebending. His adaptations to include other styles makes it easier for Thuy to pick up, though she still learns the basics at the Royal Academy for Girls (where she meets Suzu and Zula). 

Katara is Thuy’s “master.” She helps Thuy navigate the political world and they work together on the Water Tribe restoration and re-unification plans. Katara oversees the training schedules, the visitations, the summits, the tributes, and every other bit of minutiae. She also gives Thuy a break and they hang out doing Waterbender stuff.

Sokka and Suki teach Thuy non-bending martial arts. Thuy can kick your ass in a multitude of ways basically.

Thuy gets her Avatar Companions at very different stages. You’d think they wouldn’t get along, but Thuy has collected them and they like her, so they make it work.

Suzu and Zula (those are their names, not nicknames) are twins. They are Firebenders and are not related to the royal family at all. They grew up near the palace, went to the Royal Academy for Girls, and were sent to the palace to keep Thuy company and it was supposed to be very formal and politically advantageous for their parents. Except they actually became friends with Thuy and escaped the Fire Nation to go on adventures, which their parents did not like.

Suzu is a blend of Azula and Ty Lee in my mind. She is named in honor of Fire Lord Sozin. (Her family is SUPER into Fire Nation superiority) She is cheerful and enjoys playing around. She and Thuy get overly excited about things together instead of being “mature” and “above such things” as many noble girls tell them repeatedly. Her “Azula” traits come out when someone insults her family or Thuy. She ends up learning chi blocking from Ty Lee. Suzu is not to be left unsupervised.

Zula is a blend of Azula and Mai. She is “the eldest” and does everything her parents tell her to do, even if she hates it. She is named in honor of Fire Lord Azulon (and I guess Azula?). She ends up becoming an instructor at the Royal Academy for Girls until Thuy whisks her away to go adventuring. Zula hates the rigid society among the nobles and very happily dashes off. Can’t say no to the Avatar right??? Her firebending skill is in marksmanship. She can and will singe the sleeve of some snotty little noble from across the room if they irk her. She learns to bend lightning from Iroh and even Thuy is a little scared.

When Thuy moved from her earthbending lessons and onto air, Toph opened up her metalbending academy to have something to do between professional bending competitions. Jae-hwan was a late addition because he couldn’t afford the fees. Then he found out that the fees were arbitrary because Toph is a Beifong and she gave him a room to stay in. Thuy met him when she visited her Sifu and he, not knowing she was the Avatar, stole her purse as a joke. When he did find out, instead of freaking out, started to make fun of her because some lowly Earthbender orphan was able to steal the Avatar’s wallet. He never lets her forget that or any other embarrassing thing he witnesses.

Tashi is very quiet. He surprised everyone by choosing to join Urban Dust, the secular branch of the Air Nomads, instead of continuing on at the temples. People thought he would become a great sage and possibly live old enough to see the next Air Nomad Avatar. But Tashi is a true child of the sky and would live on his Sky Bison Dawa if he could. He does not like being on the ground for long and frequently disappears to go flying. Tashi specifically asked that Rohan be his mentor, again shocking everyone, but Rohan understood. Getting older, Rohan calms down and becomes very philosophical. Tashi finds them to be very wise and they contemplate the nature of things together. Thuy appreciates the one friend of hers that would never end up in jail with her. Tashi brings the bail money. Tashi also hides the body. Tashi can keep secrets.

Aktuk was born and raised in the North Pole. His father is a waterbending master and his mother is a waterbending healer. His older sister is a waterbending prodigy. He lost his leg during his ice dodging ceremony when the boat crashed. As a non-Bender, he had almost drowned and has a fear of the open sea. He makes his own prosthesis and is very into mechanics. When Thuy attended a festival in the North Pole, they had collided because Aktuk was carrying a bunch of parts and material for a project and didn’t see her. Freaking out, Aktuk tried to scurry away as quickly as possible but Thuy kept asking him questions. When she asked how he kept his leg from freezing, Aktuk immediately started to infodump and forgot about being scared. Thuy had to drag him around for awhile, because Aktuk had been basically taught to defer to Benders, but they refused to let him. Suzu and Zula hated the reminder of Fire Nation propriety, Tashi accepted everyone, and Jae-hwan only cared if people were paying attention to him. Thuy and Aktuk date for awhile, but part amicably after they grow into different people.

Thuy saves the world and I steal Korra’s ending for her own. She balances the Spirit World and the Physical World, opening up the portals. She brings back DRAGONS.

Zuko and Katara ultimately retire. Their daughter Izumi becomes Fire Lord. Sokka and Suki’s daughter Kya surprises everyone when they find out she’s a Waterbender and sits on the Water Tribe triumvirate as the chief of the South Pole. Kya and Izumi, having been born on the same day, terrify the rest of the world with their closeness. They consider themselves more like sisters than cousins and have to be repeatedly talked back from their plans to rule the world. They aren’t killing machines, more that they think they know what’s best and only listen to each other. Sometimes Lu Ten. But ALWAYS Suzu. 

Rohan becomes the head sage of the Urban Dust and creates a flying society that freaks everyone out for awhile. Tashi goes to the Spirit World for a long time and comes back, a little weird. IDK, I have stuff to explore with him. It’s not bad, just very different. 

Suzu marries a nice, minor Fire Nation lord and settles down to teach firebending in his rural home. She adores the royal children and they adore her. When Suzu shows up at either the Fire Nation palace or the South Pole, other people know it’s because either Izumi or Kya were planning something.

Zula never leaves Thuy and they travel together forever. Are they together? IDK, it might just be my attempt to fix (what I think is wrong with) k*rr*sami tbh. 

Toph DOES end up going to the Swamp, but her family knows about it and visits her often. Toph does not become a cop ffs, she becomes Willy Wonka but without the candy and slave labor. Lin tries to head the Beifong family after her mother just leaves one day, but she is much more suited to being a metalbending instructor. Once Suyin settles down, she gently pries the Beifong stuff from her sister’s terrified hands and does a really good job at managing Gaoling. They both studied under the Avatar for a little bit, and their rivalry came about with Suyin getting along better with Thuy. 

Sokka, pulling an Iroh, never leaves his flower shop. People ask him if he’s THE Sokka, brother of the Queen of the Water Tribes, brother-in-law to the Fire Lord, friend of the Avatar, then the father of the South Pole chief and he always goes “No, I just look like him and we have the same name.”

He often says this while Zuko is sitting with him behind the counter, drinking tea. 

Aktuk helps rebuild the South Pole and the Water Tribe navy is reborn. The Earth Kingdom is shook. Toph introduces him to another Swamp Tribe member and he marries her. He loves the Swamp. The Swamp Tribe gains a lot more replacement limbs that were lost to catgators. 

Jae-hwan has a hard time letting go of the metalbending academy. He basically grew up there, and spent every free moment there if he wasn’t travelling with Thuy. When Toph has kids, he realizes he had thought of her as his mom and freaks out. She assures him that it’ll be okay. Before she runs off to the Swamp, she legally adopts him, making him a Beifong. He opens more metalbending academies but runs the one in Gaoling because of familial pride. He encourages Lin to take up pro-bending, and becomes a coach when the mixed bending circuit opens. Rohan is OBSESSED with mixed bending matches. 

Ultimately, Thuy gets to relax in a way Avatars had been unable to for many cycles. The Water Tribe navy keeps the coastal city-kingdoms in the Earth Kingdom in check, while also reinforcing the United Republic. With the Swamp Tribe literally in the Earth Kingdom, the city-kingdoms become more firmly established and the Earth King becomes the Earth Emperor, but has to manage all of the city-kingdoms and it’s just a lot you guys he is so tired. The Fire Nation goes through an artistic renaissance under Zuko’s rule and the former colonies turn into industrial powerhouses. They are an economic force unto themselves and protect the Fire Nation from Earth Kingdom advances. 

With the world in relative harmony, Thuy travels often, since her friends and family have settled all over the world. Mister Whiskers grows to ENORMOUS size and they put him in a wagon when they go around. He does not eat people (anymore) but the wagon still warns others not to get too close. 

Zula is always there, with her RBF and scary fast bending. Thuy is still prone to gleeful outbursts and Zula smiles lovingly. They like to read together and will fall asleep resting on Mister Whiskers as they all bask in the same sunny spot. 

Aw crap, they are together.