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I wish I could draw so I could draw my fics. like the image of Izumi reading by the light of her fire bending under the moon with a cup of tea..... mmm :)

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oh my god watching this after writing the chapter with Azula being protective of Bumi has me cackling

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Izumi’s Birthday part four: getting better

A/N: I am so sorry it’s taken me so long to get a chapter out. law school is hard and time consuming. I’m about to enter exam study time and research season so I definitely will not have another chapter out until after Thanksgiving. Thank you to everyone who reads. You have no idea how happy your comments make me, especially after a long study session. I originally thought this series would only be three chapters, but I think now it’s going to be eight or nine. Take care, stay safe, wear a mask! 

When they had made another complete trip around the the palace and were unsuccessful at finding Bumi, Aang and Katara returned to their room. When the door closes behind her, Katara turns on Aang.

“I kept telling you to take care of this,” she says coldly.

“You’re going to make this my fault? He had a fight with Izumi. Why is it my fault?”

“He and Izumi get along beautifully. I’ve been telling you for two months that you needed to talk with him, and now that hurt he feels is affecting his other relationships!!”

“Bumi wasn’t open to it, and you weren’t backing me up!”

“Backing you up? Are you kidding me?” she asks incredulously. “Who stayed at home alone with our kids while you went on missions or days long trips into the Spirit World or taught Air Acolytes how to meditate? Who was there beside you when you tried to bring back a culture from the brink of extinction?  I have always backed you up,” she says pointing a finger at him. “And it hasn’t even always been you! When Mai died and Izumi was really sick, I came here with little Bumi to take care of her and Zuko, and Bumi on top of them. When Kanto left Toph when she got pregnant, it was me who helped her get everything ready for Lin. I have always put down everything and helped when people need me! Spirits, I even gave up becoming chief for you! I am not going to sit here and let you tell me that I don’t have your back, because I always have. But, you can’t run away from this or he will end up resenting you for the rest of his life,” she says furiously. She’s almost yelling at him, but then she stops and a tear rolls down her cheek. She looks defeated and disappointed.  “I know you’re the Avatar, but you promised me we’d be in this together. I can do a lot, but I can’t do everything.” 

Katara looks at him with anger and hurt in her eyes. The way she  stands with her clenched reminds him of when she was 18 and he was 16, and she broke up with him for awhile . Right after their break up, her father asked her to go to the Fire Nation for some diplomacy work. Aang had been miserable. To try to help him feel better, Sokka and Suki invited him to visit Toph’s metal bending school, and Suki had given him some of the best advice of his life...

“I’m pretty sure Toph could will herself to bend the other three elements if she tried hard enough,” Suki says they watched Toph work with her metal bending students.

“Don’t give her any ideas,” Aang says, “then I’d be out of the one thing I’m good for.”

“Was it that bad?” Suki asks. Of course Aang knew exactly what she was referring to.

Aang sighs. “She said I don’t support her. That I expect her to give up everything for me, and that I don’t see her.”

“Hmmm, that must have been hard to hear,” Suki says empathetically.

“She said, ‘you are in love with the idea of me” I mean, what am I supposed to say to that? Of course I am, she’s perfect!” Aang takes a deep breath. “And then she conveniently gets appointed Ambassador to the Fire Nation so she gets so busy there, and she can do so many things she wants to do…and she can do them because she’s not with me. I don’t want her to think our relationship was a waste of time.”

Suki offers him a sad smile. “She would never. She adores you, Aang. But even when two people love each other dearly, it doesn’t mean they are good partners for each other.”

“Are you saying I was a bad boyfriend?” he says.

“No, and don’t put words in my mouth,” Suki says.  “Some people just aren’t always good partners for each other. Like, look at Zuko and Mai. They adore each other. But Mai didn’t want to be with someone who couldn’t take care of himself, and she told Zuko that. So she left for a while so that he could get his bearings and figure what he needed to do to be a good Fire Lord and a good boyfriend.”  

“So…I was a bad boyfriend?” Aang asks again.

“No Aang, you just weren’t what she needed right now, and it’s no fault of your own unless you honestly did not try,” Suki says. She puts a hand on his shoulder in an empathetic gesture. “You have to stop thinking like you were a failure. You’ve learned how to be a better friend to her.  And, you can be mindful of this lesson in your next relationship.”

“But what’s it matter if we’re not together?”

“Aang, come on. If the only thing that mattered was that you were ‘together’ then that’s not enough,” Suki says.

“So what, if Sokka decided you weren’t good together you’d be fine if he left you?”

“Of course I wouldn’t be fine, but that’s why I work hard  every day to make sure he feels loved. I let him know that he matters, and not just to me, and that he can mess something up and I’ll be there to help him fix it. And if what I give him doesn’t satisfy what he needs out of a partner, I would rather him leave and find someone who will make him happy than him stay with me. I would feel bad because I can’t be enough for him. It would be a vicious cycle, and we’d just end up resenting each other.”

Something about her statement clicks for Aang. “So it was better to just cut the losses,” he says. “And that way we can still be friends.”

“I think you’re catching on,” Suki smiles. “Plus, you never know what will happen in the future. Maybe in a few years, you’ll be exactly what she needs, and she’ll be exactly what you need. Not that it wouldn’t be hard work, but maybe you’ll be good partners in the future.”

“Thank you, Suki. This really helped,” Aang says.

“Anything for you, kid. Come on, let’s go find Sokka, I’m starving.”

Aang smiles, Suki is exactly what Sokka needed.

"Its no fault of your own unless you didn’t try.”  

“I’ll find him. I’ll make this better. I promise,” he says walking towards her. She lets him wrap his arms around her and hold her to him. He presses a kiss to her temple. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she whispers. Her gaze follows him until the door closes behind him, and for the first time in a long time, it isn’t a sight that makes her angry.

———————————————————————————————————

“Alright, now I do have work to do, so unless you plan on helping me, I am going to have to ask you to leave. I have to take care of a few things before I go to the insufferable ladies luncheon that gets put on every year for Izumi’s birthday.”

“I could assist you,” Bumi offers. “What do you have to do?”

“Security,” she answers. “Having guests in the palace puts Zuko and Izumi in a bit more of a precarious situation than I prefer.”

“Why is someone trying to kill them or something?” Bumi asks.

“Nothing has happened in a while but that’s because I am diligent.” She gets up from her desk. “Come along, I hear you’re quite the strategic mind yourself, you can help me solve the last problem I have to figure out.” Azula moved to lock the door to her office, at which Bumi raises his brow quizzically.

“Tunnels,” she explains. “I don’t like being stopped in the hallways.” Bumi moves the piece of furniture that blocked his original entrance and follows Azula.

When the stone door closes behind them, Azula lights her palm. Bumi had seen Azula’s fire before on trips to the Fire Nation, but he had never seen it so up close. It was so many different colors, almost like stained glass.

“It’s called Dragon Fire,” Azula says. “When I was a teenager I could bend blue flames. I came to find out, fire benders are not supposed to bend fire that hot without special training. As a result, I lost my bending. It took a lot of healing, but when I was ready, my brother took me to the fire bending masters, and they taught me how to bend again, and then I was able to make these colorful dragon fire flames.”

“How did you lose your bending?” he asks. The only way he knew for people to lose their bending was his father’s avatar powers.

“Turns out, fire benders can quite literally burn themselves out.”

“That’s the self destruction you were talking about?”

“Very perceptive, Master Bumi,” she says. “Ahh, here we are.” Azula pushes on the stone and lets Bumi pass through the secret doorway before she exits herself. Bumi realizes they are close to the courtyard and festival space where Izumi’s party would later be held. Azula leads him into the center of the courtyard. He quickly does a turn around the scan the area. It’s bustling with staff who are setting up the tables and lanterns for the evening festivities.

“Guards are posted there, there, there, and there,”Azula says pointing to the four different locations. It’s a post at the main entrance, one at the back entrance, and one at each side entrance.

“What about the galleries?” Bumi asks immediately.

Azula smirks, “Smart, but that’s where I watch so that’s covered. No guests will be permitted up there without the Fire Lord’s approval.”

“Uncle Zuko will be on a dias, yes?”

“Yes with two Kyoshi warriors stationed there, and there,” she says pointing.

“Well it seems covered, especially with my dad, my mom, Aunt Toph, Uncle Sokka, and Aunt Suki all being here, so what’s the last issue you couldn’t work out?” Bumi asks.

“Poison” she answers. “Zuko and Izumi are fantastic fighters. I don’t have to worry as much about someone poisoning Zuko because he knows his safety protocol and he isn’t really one to socialize anyway, so it’s unlikely he will get something that has not passed through his layers of security.” She walks to the center of the courtyard, scanning the surroundings once again. “I know Izumi could take out a small army by herself because I trained her. And what she can’t do with fire bending, she can throw shuriken precisely enough to pin flies to a wall. When she’s in a fight, she’s almost undefeatable. So if anyone was trying to kill Izumi, they’d do it with poison. Since I’ll be spending most of the party of up there, I’ll have a dragon’s eye view of what happens on the courtyard grounds, but it will be difficult to keep track of everything.”

“Well if I am supposed to be Izumi’s special guest or whatever, why don’t I monitor on the ground? I’ll be on the ground and close to her the whole night. If I think something is suspicious, I’ll take Izumi’s cup or her food.”

“After you get in an argument with Izumi, the heir to the throne of the Fire Nation, you think that I would allow you to do poison control?” Azula asks, almost harshly.

Bumi looks shocked, “I’m upset with her but I’m not going to let someone hurt her!”

“You’re the son of two cultures against whom my people, whom my family represents, committed genocide and countless other atrocities. I’ve seen first hand the anger you hold since you have visited here so often, and I just saw you have an angry outburst at breakfast not even an hour ago, after you had an argument with her last night. Again, explain to me why I can trust you to protect Izumi.”

“I am not angry” Bumi whispers harshly, stressing every word.  “I am not an angry person.”

“Then what are you?”

“I’m not angry…I’m just…” he stops for a beat. “I’m just lonely,” he says, his voice trailing off.

“And was it Izumi that made you feel lonely?”

“Maybe,” he says crossing his arms and letting his gaze fall to the cobblestone ground. 

“So again, explain to me why I can trust you with Izumi’s life.”  

In the silence between her question and Bumi’s answer, Aang finds himself on the galleries lining the courtyard.

“I don’t know what to tell you besides that I would do whatever I had to for her, just like I would for Tenzin,” Bumi says. “And Kya. Whatever they need, I would do in a heartbeat,” he adds.

Azula gives him a look, silently urging him to continue. Recognizing his son’s voice, Aang listens over the railing, hoping Bumi and Azula will not notice him.

“Tenzin is just as much an heir as Izumi is,” Bumi continues. “Tenzin’s the only Airbender born in over a century. He has a legacy to inherit, and its an unspoken understanding for Kya and me that Tenzin always comes first. If there’s a life or death situation and Tenzin’s in danger, the ultimate priority is Tenzin’s safety. Maybe not as much as Tenzin and Izumi, but Kya’s an heir too. There aren’t many fully Southern waterbenders, so she’s under a lot of pressure.”

Aang’s shoulders drop. When did he ever tell his two oldest that they would have to give up everything for Tenzin? When did Bumi get the idea that he had to take on the mantle of a protector? Had he really made them think they were expendable? And when did Bumi and Azula get so close?

“It is safe to assume that Tenzin does not live under the same expectation?”

“...He’s ten…”

“I was raised by a war lord to be a super weapon child solider, and your dad became a fully realized avatar at 12. You and I do not have the same inherent understanding of the relationship between age and ability.”  

“Umm then no, Tenzin doesn’t have the same expectation. But he’s little, it would be unfair to expect anything else from him.” Bumi explains confusedly.

Azula regards Bumi for a moment. She’s made him vulnerable, and he’s clearly uncomfortable airing his thoughts like this. However, he is still honest, and she admires that about him. “Is that the source of the loneliness?” Azula asks, her voice becoming a little softer.

“Spirits, is this therapy?” Bumi asks, exasperation obvious in his voice.

Azula laughs, genuinely. “Oh no, that’s worse,” she says jokingly, and Bumi chuckles. “At the end of firebender therapy you dance for your life in front of two monstrously sized dragons.”

“What is wrong with the Fire Nation?” At that, Azula laughs again. In the corner of her eye, she catches the swatch of yellow clothes up on the gallery. She and Aang make the briefest of eye contact before her gaze falls back to Bumi. Bumi glances to where she looked, and he catches the sad expression on Aang’s face.

“I have a luncheon to get to, but stop by my office again around 4 to go over the details of your position, hmm?”

“Sure thing,” he says without looking away from his dad.

“Remember what I said about being open to being helped. It’s hard to get better unless you are.”

Azula turns on her heel and leaves the courtyard.

———————————————————————————

Azula walks to Zuko’s office before going to find Izumi and Kiyi for the luncheon.

“I swear to Agni, if she ever hurts that boy’s feelings again, we’re sending her to stay with that wretched Earth Princess in Ba Sing Se for a month!”

Post Note: I’m pretty sure the Earth Queen from LOK and Izumi are around the same age. The Earth Queen sucks and I imagine she always did. Also sorry Izumi isn’t in this chapter. Her part didn’t really fit the theme of the chapter.

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a sneak peak

(did I procrastinate a rough draft of a research project to write this, you bet I did) 

“Alright, now I do have work to do, so unless you plan on helping me, I am going to have to ask you to leave. I have to take care of a few things before I go to the insufferable ladies luncheon that gets put on every year for Izumi’s birthday.” Azula says. 

“I could assist you,” Bumi offers. “What do you have to do?”

“Security,” she answers. “Having guests in the palace puts Zuko and Izumi in a bit more of a precarious situation than I prefer.”

“Why is someone trying to kill them or something?” Bumi asks.

“Nothing has happened in a while but that’s because I am diligent.” She gets up from her desk. “Come along, I hear you’re quite the strategic mind yourself, you can help me solve the last problem I have to figure out.”

I have a lot of the chapter written, but I just have to finish editing. Hopefully I can share sometime next week! 

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updates

When I was riding my bike to class today, this instrumental version of reflection from Mulan came on my playlist. It just had the most haunting violin parts that I don't know why but made me think of Mai. I kind of hate that I don’t have her in the series I’m currently working on so I was like well fuck it, I’ll just write a Mai-centered series to make up for it. 

Long story short, after I finish the semester, I am writing a series about Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee in the time between Zuko leaving after the Day of Black Sun until when Ty Lee and Mai betray Azula at the Boiling Rock, and it’s going to be SO GOOD. It is probably going to be my favorite fanfic project I have ever done. 

Additionally, I haven’t forgotten about the Izumi’s Birthday series. I have the plot finished but I need to figure out how to finish this segment I’m on before I can hit my stride to get to its finale. I like to write my fics all in the same universe, and there’s some past events that happen before the Izumi’s Birthday series that affect it. I’m just having the most difficult time getting them in. Plus it doesn’t help that I spend so much time in school that it’s basically a full time job. 

But take care! thanks for being patient with me. stay safe, wear a mask, make a voting plan! 

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Happy spooky month ‘n stuff 🧟‍♀️

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me thinking more on my obsession with Azula redemption arcs and what Katara and Azula’s relationship would look like in the future

Obviously Azula did something to hurt each and every member of Team Avatar as well as Mai and Ty Lee. I still like to imagine her getting a redemption though, one because it would be a good story of a girl overcoming trauma, abuse, and loneliness, but also there truly are just not enough redemption arcs out there for female characters. Like I love Zuko, and I loved Ben Solo in Star Wars, but the boys with black hair and troubled childhoods redemption arc has been told. 

But with Katara being the least forgiving one of the group with Zuko, I thought she’d probably be the same way with Azula. I mean Katara watched Azula try to kill two of the people most dear to her. Imagine what Katara was thinking when Zuko got hit by Azula’s lightning after knowing what it did to Aang. Ugh it makes my heart hurt. But they’re also such good foils for each other, these two motherless bending prodigies that are forced to fight in a war. The parallels make me ache. I saw a post where someone says that another thing that makes the last Agni Kai so tragic because Azula basically loses to a better version of herself. 

Azula wouldn’t really be able to say she had made good of her past until Katara forgives her. I am going to try my best to incorporate this into the story bits that I post. I touched on it in a flashback in Izumi’s Lessons but I really want to go into it more. 

Also sorry I haven’t been able to give a good update recently. Between my school work and my work schedule, I have not had the time or energy to really get anything out. I have a two month long winter break though so come thanksgiving I will be lighting this blog up. 

Wear your masks and register to vote!!! 

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I’ve had literally zero time to write because school is crazy and I work as well, and the next part of izumi’s birthday has been pretty hard to get organized enough to post... 

But I had this little day dream that I thought I would share. 

Once Azula got better, she and Zuko started to become close. Now that their father was not around to manipulate them as he had when they were children, they were finally able to have a brother sister relationship. Azula never dropped her dark sense of humor though, and she loved a good public humiliation. 

So on the 8th anniversary of Zuko’s coronation, meaning that he has now officially been Fire Lord for longer than Ozai was, they visit Ozai in his cell. They bring him a cake made of Zuko’s dragon’s shit. “Congratulations on being the worst Fire Lord in history! We brought you a shit pie to celebrate!!” 

They then proceed to read Ozai the single paragraph about his reign in the new Fire Nation public school history books. 

“Fire Lord Ozai was the last of the imperial Fire Lords and had a short and disastrous reign. He orchestrated a plot to kill his own father so that he could take power, that he ultimately did nothing with. He allowed the army factories to pollute his own people, and he bankrupted the country to pay for the war. All of his military ideas were developed by his daughter, the Princess Azula. It should be noted that while the Princess Azula fought for her father during the war, in the years since, she has sought to restore her personal honor and has devoted herself to a life of public service and assisting her brother in repairing the damage caused by the Fire Nation during the 100 Year War.” Zuko reads. he then hands the book to Azula. “‘The two notable events of his reign, the surrender of Omashu and the Fall of Ba Sing Se were also orchestrated by his daughter. During an unsuccessful attempt to take over the Earth Kingdom, Fire Lord Ozai, even though endowed with the power bestowed on firebenders when Sozin’s Comet passes, was defeated by then 12 year old Avatar Aang who took away Ozai’s firebending.’” She passes the scroll back to Zuko. 

“This is the best part,” Zuko starts “‘Ozai was deposed and then his son, whom he had burned banished at 13 years old for speaking out of turn in a war meeting, assumed the throne. In stark contrast to Fire Lord Ozai, Fire Lord Zuko, who is the current sovereign, has had one of the most successful reigns of any Fire Lord in history, and he is currently only 25 years old. Ultimately, Fire Lord Ozai’s reign was an unproductive failure for the Fire Nation and its people.” 

Azula laughs, “Hear that? FAILURE!! Exactly what you told us what we’d be if didn’t listen to you!”

Zuko closes the book with a joyful snap. “And do you know what today is, Lord Miserable Failure?” Ozai just turns his back in response. 

“Today’s the day when Zuko has officially been Fire Lord longer than you!!” Azula cheers. 

“Happy Failure Day, Father!” they say in unison. Azula drops the shit pie on the ground, letting it spill across the floor. She and Zuko then set it on fire so that Ozai’s cell smells like burning dragon shit. 

“See you next year for your Failure Day, dad!” Azula says. She and Zuko turn to walk out the door, but Azula adds one more thing, “Oh, and don’t be too rude to your other visitors!” She closes the door behind her and Zuko. 

When they get into the hallway, Aang, Toph, Sokka, Katara, Suki, Mai, and Ty Lee are waiting. 

“Ok who’s next?” she asks. 

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I’m in love with this. It shows so well how young she is

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Wholesome zuko take- Zuko tries to help Izumi with her homework . Izumi doesn't want a tutor , she ONLY wants her dad's help . He's isn't very good at school stuff though & when they come across history questions about the Gaang he stops and goes "Ooh I was there , I remember that!" Then he goes on a tangent about random anecdotes with the Gaang. Izumi smiles because she knew this would happen (she really doesn't need his help) , she just wants to spend more time with dad & get his perspective

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school is picking up so it’s going to be probably a week until the next part of Izumi’s birthday comes out. 

thank you to everyone who reads, likes, comments, and reblogs! the comments and the tags on re-blogs make my day! 

stay safe, wear a mask, and please do what you can for those affected by Hurricane Laura!

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izumi’s birthday part three:  sources of wisdom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Izumi is moving through advanced katas when Iroh finds her.

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

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

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

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

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

“We had a misunderstanding.” 

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

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

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

Izumi crosses her arms and says nothing. 

“Izumi?” 

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

“And what is this curse?” 

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

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

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

“She still is.” 

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

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

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

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

“Bumi please,” Katara calls. 

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

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

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

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

Bumi remains frozen, unsure what to do. 

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

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

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

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

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

“Whatever you prefer,” he replies. 

“I prefer to be well informed.” 

“Izumi and I had a fight.” 

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

“Why’s that?” 

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

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

“Most likely a factor.” 

“She never mentioned it.” 

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

“Man, you really don’t hold back.” 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[avatarstories]

this is me every five minutes for a day after I post a chapter 

[avatarstories]

izumi’s birthday pt 3 sneak peak...

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

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

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

“Excuse me?” she says with a joking lilt in her voice. She loved to antagonize her brothers, but she didn’t realize she was pushing Bumi too far.  

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

“Well, Happy Birthday Izumi! What an exciting way to start the day,” Kya deadpans. 

Zuko looks at Izumi with a concerned expression. Azula looks ready to go to murder. Toph and Lin have their eyebrows raised and are taking a big sips of their mango juices, and Toph bounces Suyin in her lap. Tenzin hangs his head and focuses intently at his rice. 

Izumi notices Katara giving Aang a look that says go after him and when he doesn’t move she shakes her head.  

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

[avatarstories]

the Fire Nation, arresting the Gaang: You have the right to remain silent.

Sokka, nodding: Sure. But do I have the ability?

[avatarstories]

izumi’s birthday pt 2: chosen legacies

AN: Bumi! (my favorite of the Gaang kids!!) Don’t read this if you don’t want to read about family problems, otherwise, enjoy. 

Despite being a firebender, Izumi loved the nighttime. When she was little her grandfather told her stories about how a Water Tribe princess became the moon to save her people. She liked to think that she would do the same if the people of the Fire Nation needed someone to save the sun. On clear nights when the moon was full, she felt as though the moon was reaching out especially to her, maybe a bond between princesses. Her grandfather had chuckled when she mentioned that to him, “I think the moon princess would like you very much, my dear Izumi,” he had replied. 

So it was no surprise to Bumi when on a clear night with a full moon that he would find his best friend on the rooftop in the secret spot above the royal library they had found two summers ago reading a scroll with the light of a small flame coming from her fingertip and a cup of tea steaming beside her.

“Zumi-"

“Oh Agni! Bumi you scared me,” Izumi says, nearly knocking over her tea. 

“Sorry,” he says trying to cover a laugh. “May I?” 

“Of course, come,” she says patting the empty spot next to her. “What are you doing up?” 

“Mom and Kya are running around like maniacs with the full moon,” he replies. “They were making so much noise I couldn’t sleep. I’m sure half the palace is awake with them in at the garden pond making splashes. Thought I try my luck and see if you were up here.” He takes a seat next to her. “What are you reading?”

She shows him the scroll. “History of the Early Fire Lords,” she says. 

“Any good?” Bumi asks. 

“Yes, actually. The Fire Nation islands used to all be separate and constantly fighting each other and then a warrior from one of the outlying islands united them,” she answers. “He got them to stop fighting for resources by setting up trade among the islands and making them economically interdependent on each other. It then allowed the islands to specialize production of certain crops or materials.” 

“Smart guy,” Bumi says approvingly. Izumi does not say anything in reply, and a silence falls between them. 

“You’re never this quiet,” Izumi says after a moment. “Everything ok?” 

Bumi leans back with a sigh and lays down with his hands behind his head. Izumi rolls up her scroll and turns to face him. “Bumi, what’s wrong?” 

“I applied to the Military Academy of the United Forces,” he says eyes fixed on the sky above him. “And I got in...You’re the first person I’ve told.” 

“Bumi that’s great!” Izumi replies but she couldn’t quite cover the hesitancy in her voice. 

“You have a question, just ask it,” he states. 

“Well you’ve never mentioned even thinking about applying before,” she replies. “And you don’t really seem excited about it…So I can’t help but wonder what brought this about?”

Bumi sighs and sits back up next to Izumi. “Remember when I won the United Republic sword fighting championship last year?” 

“Of course, how could I forget? You almost fell off the ring but were hanging on by two fingers and then you got yourself back up and won!” 

“Exactly.” 

“I don’t follow.” 

“My dad forgot that I won,” he says a little bitterly. “He asked me what the trophy in my room was for, and I just got so mad. Honestly I was so angry, I don’t even remember what I said, but things have been bad between us for a few months now. And my mom, she’s just pretending like nothing is wrong.” 

“Bumi,” she puts a had on his shoulder comfortingly. Bumi leans into it and puts his head on her shoulder, and Izumi lets her arm fall to hold him in a sideways hug. 

“I just don’t understand why everything has to be about Tenzin all the time. I’m half air nomad too. And I know I can’t bend - .” He lets the sentence fall. 

“So you thought the Military Academy would be a better place to showcase your talents,” she affirms. 

“Yea, something like that.” 

Silence falls between them again. Izumi feels like the moon is so close that she could be listening in on their conversation. “Sometimes I just get so jealous, and it makes me feel terrible because he’s so much younger than me. I love him to death, and I'd do anything for him, but I’m smart and talented too! It’s like no one wants me in their culture because I don’t bend so I can’t possibly fit,” he says. “No one sees me.” 

“I see you,” she offers 

“Yea but you’re my best friend so you chose to. My parents though, they should definitely be the people who don’t have a choice. But its like 75% of their attention is on Tenzin, 20% on Kya, and then maybe 5% on me. I’m about to graduate top of my class, and yet no one can get over how Tenzin learned how to make two air-scooters at once,” he says defeatedly. “It’s so lonely.”

At that, she looks at him. His lips quiver, and his brow is furrowed.  “I’m sorry, Bumi.” 

“It’s nothing to apologize for,” he says. 

“For what it’s worth, sometimes I wish we could trade places,” she says. 

He tenses and narrows his eyes at her. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Well-"

“You want to live where no one gives a shit about you?” he asks, anger creeping into his tone. 

“That’s not-”

“You couldn’t live in anonymity for a day, Izumi. You’re a princess, there’s a whole country of people who care about who you are and what you’re doing.” 

That comment makes her blood boil. “And you have no idea what it's like to live under that much pressure all the time. At least you don’t have a legacy to inherit!” she says bitingly. 

Disappointment washes across Bumi’s features, and Izumi immediately regrets what she said. 

“Of all people, I thought you would at least try to understand,” he replies, barely above a whisper. He starts to get up and Izumi tries to grab his shoulder to stop him, but he shrugs it off. He pushes himself up before she can stop him again and starts back towards the roof entrance. 

“Bumi- wait,” Izumi says, now also standing. 

“I am so tired of giving people I love so many second chances,” he says over his shoulder. 

“Wait,” she tries again, but Bumi does not stop, and he disappears through the secret entrance back down into the library. 

Izumi lets out an angry sigh and covers her face with her hands. You, idiot! She thinks to herself. Frustrated, she throws a fire ball off the roof and watches it dissipate as it falls towards the courtyard below.       ********************************************************************************************* Bumi is walking alone through the library when he hears a gust of air above him. He looks up around and almost misses his little brother on an air scooter, high above the rows of shelves as Tenzin tries to hide. 

Bumi sighs. “Tenzin, I know you’re there. Come out.” Tenzin sheepishly lands next to Bumi, head hanging low.

“Were you following me?” 

“I wanted to see where you were going,” Tenzin whispers. “Are you mad at me?” he asks. 

With that Bumi knows Tenzin heard his conversation and fight with Izumi. Bumi pulls on his lip, taking a second before replying and thinking about how this could get any worse. “No, bud.” 

Tenzin looks up at that. “Are you mad at Dad?” 

“Yea,” Bumi says. “But that’s nothing for you to worry about.” He leans down so he is eye level with Tenzin.

“Are you mad at Princess Izumi?” Tenzin asks looking intently at his big brother.

Bumi chuckles a bit at Tenzin’s use of her title. He really was a serious little 10 year old. “Yea, I am, but again, nothing for you to worry about,” he says.  “Come on, hop on my back, I’ll give you a ride back to our rooms. It’s way passed your bedtime.” 

Tenzin smiles and climbs onto his big brother’s back, holding on tight to his shoulders, and Bumi starts back towards their rooms in the guest wing of the palace. 

“Bumi?” Tenzin asks as they exit the library. “Are you really going to leave for the military academy?” 

“Spirits Tenzin, did anyone ever teach you anything about privacy?” Bumi mutters. “But yes, I think I am.” 

“I’ll miss you,” Tenzin says, holding on to Bumi a little tighter. 

Bumi adjusts Tenzin since he had slipped down his back a bit while they walked along the hallway. 

"I’ll miss you too, bud.” 

Tenzin rests his head on Bumi’s shoulder. Tenzin cannot see the single tear that rolls down Bumi’s cheek, but he feels it land on his finger. He nuzzles deeper into his brother’s shoulder, and it is silent between them the rest of the walk back. 

AN: soft brother Bumi, ugh I’d die for him. Izumi and Bumi’s brother/sister like friendship, *chef’s kiss*

I remember reading once that funny characters often use their humor as a way to deflect from hard emotions and I think Bumi fits that description perfectly. 

[avatarstories]

izumi’s birthday pt 1: bad memories

AN: I had to split Izumi’s birthday up a bit. trying to fit it all in one chapter would have been just stupidly long. I will say this starts sad, and the second chapter is also sad, though more angsty than sad, but part three will be much happier and have a good resolution. 

TW: character death in childbirth (in past, but mentioned), noblewomen being sucky to Izumi. 

Izumi was never particularly excited to celebrate her birthday. It was a day of mixed emotions knowing that while her family celebrated her coming into this world, they were reminded of the sharp pang of losing her mother on that day as well. Nonetheless, her grandfather Iroh had insisted on throwing a party to celebrate her 17th birthday. Nobles from the outlying islands, diplomats from the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes, and of course her father’s friends and their families who were essentially her extended family. The palace, usually quiet and peaceful (as she and her father preferred) was bustling with guests. Her father had been so busy  greeting guests and addressing some Republic City business with Sokka and Aang that she had barely seen him that day. So, she decided to take a walk to his office after she knew he had finished meeting with Sokka and Avatar Aang. 

As she walked down the hallway, she overheard two of the noblewomen, a governor’s wife and her daughter, visiting for her birthday festivities talking with each other in the portrait gallery. 

“I just hope she won’t be like her forefathers, with the Fire Lady curse,” the mother says. 

“Fire Lady curse?” the daughter questions. 

“Haven’t you noticed, dear, that all of the Fire Ladies who gave birth to bad Fire Lords have died in childbirth,” the mother answers. “Fire Lord Sozin’s mother died when he was born, as did Azulon’s. Lady Ilah died when she gave birth to Ozai. General Iroh’s wife died when Prince Lu Ten came. Princess Ursa barely made it through Princess Azula’s birth, and of course you know that Lady Mai died when the Crown Princess was born.” 

“It seems the spirits had it out for the Fire Ladies that brought bad men into the world,” the daughter replies. 

“Indeed,” the mother says “For our sake, let’s pray it’s not an omen about our next Fire Lord.” 

Izumi’s breath hitches. The mother turns and sees her. Izumi recognizes her as Lady Niko and her daughter Ichika. 

“Your highness, I hope you are well,” Lady Niko says with a bow. Izumi clenches her fists. What an asshole she thinks to herself.

“Good evening,” she says bitterly. 

“We were just off to retire,” Lady Niko states.  If she has any suspicion that Izumi overheard their conversation, she does not show it. Izumi says nothing. “Well, good evening then.” The women bow again before walking down the hallway. 

Izumi is left alone in the portrait gallery. Her father had the portraits of the imperial Fire Lords removed long ago, before she was born. Instead, they were replaced with paintings of more favorable parts of Fire Nation history. There was one of Avatar Roku, one of her grandfather taking back Ba Sing Se, of her father redirecting lightning, and most recently of her Aunt Azula discovering the true nature of fire and being gifted a dragon egg. Even still, there were not enough new paintings to replace the old, and black curtains hung in their place. 

Izumi finds herself reaching out to touch the heavy dark fabric and remembers the first time asking about them when she was maybe 8 years old.

"Why are there dark curtains on the walls in the portrait gallery?” Izumi had asked at dinner

“There used to be paintings there, but I had them taken down,” Zuko explained.

“Why were they taken down?” Izumi asked. 

“They were of bad men, and I did not want them on display,” Zuko explained. “I didn’t need the reminder of their poor examples. And I did not need them setting an example for you to aspire to,” he answered. 

“Well, I will not be bad. Girls are not bad like boys are,” Izumi said cheerfully. 

“Girls can be bad, Izumi,” Azula says. 

“But I’m a girl and I’m not bad. And so are Aunt Kiyi, and Aunt Katara. They are all very nice,” Izumi states, somewhat defensively. “You are not bad.” 

“I used to be bad, very bad,” Azula responds. 

Zuko looks at her across the table. “You don’t have to now-”

“She’s going to have to know sooner or later” Azula cuts him off. Azula didn’t talk much about her past, and for Izumi, Azula had always been one to chastise her for being mean. Izumi could not imagine Azula as anything other her stern and wise aunt. 

Azula and Zuko are having a conversation with just looks, like only people with secrets can. Izumi looks between the two of them. “Know what?”

“Izumi, I know we have not taught you much about the war yet, but during the war, I was a bad person,” Azula starts. “I hunted down your father and grandfather to try to bring them back to the Fire Nation as prisoners,  I chased Bumi and Kya’s mom and dad, Sokka, and Toph across the earth kingdom, I burned Uncle, I put Suki in prison, I tried to drill a whole in the walls of Ba Sing Se, then I actually took over Ba Sing Se, I killed the Avatar, well briefly, I had your mom and Ty Lee locked in the Boiling Rock, and then when my dad tried to take over the world and told me I could be Fire Lord, I tried to kill Zuko and your Aunt Katara when they tried to stop me. Even before the war, I was never nice,” Azula finishes. She sighs “Don’t believe anything is the way it is about you because you’re a girl, Izumi. Anyone is capable of destruction.” 

Izumi is quiet. She looks at her aunt, her fire bending teacher, her fiercest protector, the woman who walks her home from school every day, who brushes her hair every morning, who tucks her in at night when her dad has too much paperwork to do, who is the closet thing this motherless child has to a mother. She cannot reconcile Azula’s confession. 

“Dad is that true?” Izumi asks. 

“Izumi, where else would he have gotten the scar on his chest? That was from when I tried to kill him,” Azula responds before Zuko can.

Izumi does not want to believe these things about Azula. “Well, if you were so bad, then how did the family pass the People’s Approval every year?” 

“We did not have People’s Approval before me. That was something I created,” Zuko explains. 

“So there used to just be uncontrollably bad Fire Lords and Fire Families?”

“Yes” Azula and Zuko say in unison. 

“But we’re different, we learned from their misdeeds,” Zuko finishes. Izumi pulls her hand back from dark velvet.  A door opening down the hall pulls her from her thoughts, and she starts towards her father’s office. As she walks down the hallway, she cannot shake the thought that she might be predestined for destruction. 

“Is he with anyone?” She asks the guard at the door when she arrives. 

“No, your highness. Master Katara, Councilman Sokka, and Avatar Aang just left. Would you like me to announce you?” 

“Thank you, but no need. It’s just me,” she tells him. 

“Of course, your highness,” he says with a polite nod.

When she walks in her father is staring, with a wistful but melancholic look, at a small ink portrait of himself and Mai that was commissioned shortly after they were married. Her entrance pulls him from whatever thought or memory he was lost in. The thought of him sitting in here alone and thinking of her mother only augments her anger and unease, and it quickly settles in her as sadness.  

“Hey, turtleduck,” he says softly and with a smile when he sees her. 

“Hi,” she replies, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“Sorry, I missed dinner. Sokka, Aang, and I were working on something. And then Katara came in here to tell us off for working too late.” 

“That’s ok,” she says, trying to cover the sadness in her tone but Zuko notices.  

“What’s wrong, turtleduck?” he says walking over to her. 

“I’m almost 17, don’t you think I’m a little old for that?” 

“I don’t care how old you are, you’ll always be my little turtleduck.” 

Izumi smiles softly. Zuko was sweet father. “You were looking at that painting of mom when I walked in.” 

“I was, yes.” He pauses, "I was thinking about what I would tell her about you if I could.” 

“What would you tell her?” a few tears well up in Izumi’s eyes, and she tries hard to keep them in. 

“Well, I think she’d be happy to know you look just like her,” he starts. “And that you like to read and learn, and there’s nothing that you can’t teach yourself how to do. She’d be amazed that you can make your Aunt Azula laugh. And,” he says tipping her chin up so that she has to look into his eyes, “she’d want me to tell you that you could confide in your father with anything just like she did.” 

“I don’t want to celebrate my birthday,” she whispers. A tear rolls down her cheek, and Zuko wipes it away. 

“Why not?” 

“It makes me feel guilty,” she barely manages to get out.  She leans forward, and Zuko pulls her into an embrace. 

“Zumi, sweetheart, we’ve talked about this. You have nothing to feel guilty about.” 

“What if I just haven’t done the thing I’ll feel guilty about yet?” she strains. 

“What’s that supposed to mean, Zumi?” 

She doesn’t want to talk about what the noblewomen were discussing in the portrait gallery, and she diverts from her last question. 

“I took your wife from you. You’ve been lonely for a long time because I came into the world.” 

He holds her tighter against him. “That’s not true, Izumi,” he says firmly. 

“Yes, it is.” 

“Sit down, Izumi.” He guides her to the red and gold couch in his office and kneels in front of her. He takes one of her hands in her lap between his own, her gaze fixed downwards. 

“Look at me,” he says softly. 

She swallows and looks up, a tear rolls down her cheek.  

“It has been, and still is, the greatest privilege of my life to be your father. The first time I ever saw you, I didn’t think I could ever love anyone more. I would have rather died than see you get hurt.” He pauses and wipes a tear off his cheek with his sleeve, and then does the same for Izumi. “And you’re right, I am lonely sometimes, but it’s not your fault, Izumi. In fact, when I see you smile or do something that brings you joy, I wonder how I could ever have wanted anything else. So don’t you ever think that you took anything away from me because you are the greatest joy of my life.” 

She cannot stop the tears at his admission. She wraps her arms around his neck and he hugs her tightly to him. He doesn’t seem to mind that his robes are getting wet from her tears. Let’s pray it’s not an omen about our next Fire Lord plays again in her mind, and now with her father’s words, she only cries harder. He had so much faith in her, and she hadn’t proven anything yet about her ability to lead. 

A few minutes later when she had stopped crying, Zuko loosens his embrace. 

“I hate when my little girl is upset. You know Azula used to laugh at me because I’d cry when you got hurt or when you were sick. Then one time while I was in a meeting and Azula interrupted it clearly distraught because she found out someone had picked on you at school and she wanted the swiftest punishment imaginable, and I told her, 'now you know how it feels.'” 

Izumi lets out a little laugh against his robes. 

“Thanks, Dad.” 

“Want me to make some tea?”

“You’re turning into grandfather,” she quips, pulling out of the hug. 

“I’d consider that a very nice compliment, Zumi,” Zuko jokes. 

A short while later they are in the kitchens, each with a cup of tea in hand, but a darkness still sits heavy in Izumi’s heart. She knows she won’t be able to shake it off anytime soon.

AN: I love soft Dadko and protective Aunt Azula. I think it’s cool to explore Izumi’s understanding of her family and their past, especially in a way that it mixes with her own insecurities and fears. Next chapter, we get Bumi (who is actually of my favorite of the Gaang Kids, even though I tend to harp on Izumi.)