#She is Lu Ten's mother. Zuko's mother. Uncle's sister.

[demaparbat-hp]

In your Spitfire AU, since Zuko is looking after Lu Ten II, what happened to Ursa?

Zuko is slightly older in the Spitfire AU. He was banished at fifteen, his head a little clearer and denial a little weaker than in canon. After his first look through the Air Temples, Zuko decides that if he can't find a myth, he might as well search for the next best thing.

Finding Ursa isn't easy, but in time he makes it to a secluded house in a near-forgotten part of the world. His mom is there, older and stronger and alive.

But she isn't alone.

And Zuko, as it turns out, didn't keep the best company during his search.

When Ursa is discovered and her secrets are laid bare for assassins (for Ozai) to find, she begs Zuko to take his little brother and run. She'll do anything it takes to protect her children, even if that means leaving them behind to keep a target off their back. Ursa diverts attention from them and allows Lu Ten's ancestry to be kept a secret. She orders Zuko not to follow her again, and disappears.

Zuko is left with a little three-year-old brother to raise and a mother he cannot hold onto.

[floatyflowers]

Dark Platonic! Fire Nation Royal Family x Non-bender Reader

Part 2

With Ozai:

At first he didn't accept the fact that you, his youngest child, is a non-bender, and ignored your existence.

That was until he noticed how his older brother, Iroh, spends time with you, Ozai got extremely jealous.

And decided to spend time with you, only to realize that you are his favorite child, and felt like an actual father.

Yes, you can't firebend nor do you even have the ability to protect yourself.

But why would you need to protect yourself when your father is going to be the Phoenix king of the fire nation?

Ozai will burn down the world for you.

"You, my sweet child, will grow up in the presence of a very powerful father"

With Ursa:

When Ursa found out that you couldn't bend, she became overprotective of you to the point of paranoia.

Since childhood, she refused to allow you to play with anyone except Zuko.

One time, one of her handmaidens scolded you harshly for playing outside without your mother's permission which resulted in you bursting into tears.

The next day, that handmaiden was fired and Ursa made sure that she gets no other jobs.

While thinking of escaping, she thought to take you with her.

However, Ozai has forbidden that from happening.

"When you find out the truth, promise to come find me"

With Azulon

While still alive, he made sure you had the best education and guards.

Azulon also made sure to have you believe that the fire nation is without mistakes or faults.

He tried manipulating you into believing that just your loyalty to your people is enough duty.

However, you are kind, too kind.

Yet, he Azulon didn't hate you for it even if he considered a weak trait to have in the royal family.

He also still has the flower crown you made him stored away safely so it doesn't rot.

It is rumored that the last word he muttered was your name.

With Iroh

Uncle Iroh isn't really as possessive as the other characters, but he focuses on advising you from time to time.

You enjoy drinking tea with him and gossiping about everything.

Even though, Ozai has forbidden him from speaking with you, you would sneak behind your father's back to drink tea with him.

After the loss of his son in the war, Lu Ten, Iroh felt depressed.

Yet you managed to comfort him with your cheerfulness and playful attitude.

It reminded him of his son.

"The best quality in a princess is her kindness, something which your sister clearly lacks"

With Zuko

Zuko thought you would be like Azula but you have proven him wrong.

You are kind, gentle, and nurturing just like your and his mother.

That's why Zuko always found himself by your side, being your playmate...being your protecter.

His mother told him that it's his duty to protect you from danger considering that he is your older brother.

Even though Azula has never hurt you, but Zuko was always wary of her, especially after his mother disappeared.

When Ozai challenged him to an Agni Kai, you were the first to cry out and plead with him to let Zuko off, but Ozai felt jealous of your relationship with Zuko and was determined to teach his son a lesson.

However when your brother got banished, Zuko took you with him in secret not wanting you to be left with Azula.

"I know the journey will take long but once I restore my honor we can return home together"

With Azula

Azula was extremely jealous when you were born, thinking that you will take all the attention from her.

But she realized that you deserve all the attention.

You didn't treat her like a monster, you weren't scared of her.

Instead you showed her love and called her 'big sister'

You would cling to her as a toddler, whenever there was lightning, you would secretly sneak to her room and sleep beside her.

"How can you be scared of lightning, we control it, silly"

Mai and Ty Lee saw how Azula softens whenever you are around.

And when Azula discovered that you have left with Zuko, she destroyed everything in her way and burned a few servants.

"She's mine, and only MINE"

[discordiansamba]

something something AU in which Zuko is Ikem's son, but everyone in the royal family (including Zuko) knows about it and the ripple effects that has on the story.

in which Ikem gets married to Ursa, but this does not matter to Azulon at all. He is determined to introduce Roku's bloodline into the royal family, so he simply absolves their marriage and has Ursa marry his second son instead. She has no say in the matter. The only wrinkle is that she is already pregnant. Ursa carries Zuko to term anyways.

he has no royal lineage, but he is still of Avatar Roku's bloodline- and Azulon decides that could still be useful to him. Zuko's fate hinges on whether or not he is a firebender- if he isn't, then Azulon will allow the boy to return to his blood father. if he is... then he will remain at the palace and will be raised as a member of the royal family.

unfortunately for Zuko, he is.

Zuko grows up keenly aware he's the odd one out in the royal family. He's not of Sozin's bloodline- it's just an accident that he ended up as part of the royal family. It's clear his step-father resents his existence, especially once he and his mother have a child of their own. he grows up resenting Azula in turn, because she serves as constant reminder of everything Zuko's not.

(Azula resents him because it could not be more obvious why mother likes her half-brother better.)

everyone knows that Zuko's title of 'prince' is a farce. he has no royal blood. he is simply Fire Lady Ursa's child from her previous marriage. he is expected to learn how to carry himself as one, but he has no duties at the palace. the only thing he is truly expected to do is to be a good firebender, and Zuko's not even really that.

(Azulon is indifferent. As long as the boy can marry well, his children may one day be of service to the royal family.)

he's an outsider in his own home. his step-father barely acknowledges his existence. fire lord azulon does, occasionally, but it's rare. his mother loves him, and so does his cousin Lu Ten- who doesn't seem to care that they don't share any blood. But then Lu Ten goes off to war- and dies. Then Azulon dies, and his mother disappears.

Zuko is suddenly very, very alone.

he manages to avoid the fallout for three years. he had just started lessons with master piandao, who manages to convince the new fire lord to allow zuko to come and live with him for awhile in order to truly study the way of the sword. those are probably some of the best years of Zuko's life- he thrives there.

(he also learns things there that his tutors at the Caldera would never tell him.)

but he can't avoid the inevitable. he has to return home at some point. ozai never quite strips him of his title of prince- but he's not his heir. azula is the crown princess. zuko is just an extra. he might be a useful pawn for marriage, like his step-grandfather always said. at the same time, it's obvious that ozai is looking for an excuse to get rid of him.

zuko keeps his head down. tries to not give him one.

ozai finds it anyways. zuko is burned and banished- sent to look for the avatar. he knows the task is impossible. lu ten's father- his step-uncle- is there to keep an eye on him. he wonders if maybe there's a fraction of a chance that his step-father might actually see him as worth something if he manages to do the impossible.

then he does. and the avatar is a twelve year old child.

he can't do it. he knows what his step-father and half-sister are like. when the avatar escapes, he doesn't even try that hard to stop him. he lets zhao temporarily detain him. then in the middle of the night, he packs his bags and leaves.

the avatar needs someone to teach him firebending. maybe it should be him.

[cobra-diamond]

Who Cared for Azula?

And which of them did she hurt?

Some people will read this and think the answer is obvious. The answer is not obvious. Azula in the Spirit Temple contains a particularly puzzling scene that feels eerily out-of-place and concerns the titular subject: who cared for Azula, and which of them did she hurt? I’m referring to this scene:

Spoilers under the cut.

Who is the Zuko ghost referring to? Honestly ask yourself this: who cared for Azula, and of those people, which of them did she hurt?

Her mother?

Ursa more than likely loves, and at a minimum cares for, her daughter despite us never seeing Ursa act affectionate and snugly toward Azula as she does Zuko, but Azula never hurt her mom. She was a young kid when Ursa left. Is the ghost referring to The Search? Smoke & Shadow? Azula never mentions the face change, Kiyi, the Kemurikage, any of that. Those comics barely seem to exist for this comic.

No, not Ursa.

Her father?

I’d be hard-pressed to say that Ozai loves his daughter, but he definitely cares for her. But Azula didn’t hurt her father. Failing to prevent Zuko’s coup? Mentally falling apart in the biggest moment? Lying to him about Zuko killing the Avatar? Maybe? That can’t be what the Zuko ghost is referring to, but I can believe Azula feels guilt over the events of Sozin’s Comet and that she, in part, is responsible for his current sorry state.

Maybe her father.

Her uncle?

Iroh is not shown to “care” for his niece. Be cordial, polite, neutral, yes, but affectionate? Devoted? No way. Azula only hurts Iroh after he hurt the Fire Nation, as a traitor, as per her father’s orders. Azula did not hurt Iroh personally and Iroh did not care for Azula personally either. Iroh did, after all, fail to avenge Lu Ten’s death and abandoned the siege. That’s not Azula’s fault. Other people in the Fire Nation, and Earth Kingdom, dislike him too.

Definitely not Iroh.

Her brother?

Zuko is never shown to care for his sister. Let me make something clear: siblings do no tend to leave each other as they love their parents. Perhaps in an ideal world deep sibling love is the standard, but there’s a reason siblings terrorizing each other is a meme: they want all the parental attention for themselves. And this happens between Zuko and Azula. Zuko is bitter toward his sister, highly competitive, and harbors a massive inferiority complex. Zuko is never shown to be loving, affectionate, or personally devoted to her. In fact, Azula is shown displaying more evidence of sibling love than Zuko, but that is neither here nor there. Azula has hurt Zuko, yes, but Zuko did not care for her. Zuko is not someone who cared for Azula, and who Azula hurt. He’s primarily a rival whose weakness she didn’t care for.

Not Zuko.

Mai?

Mai cared for Azula? In what way? When is Mai shown being affectionate, loving, and personally devoted to Azula? When does Mai bring Gatorade and Campbell’s over to Azula when she is sick? Mai is as biting and sarcastic and nasty as Azula at times. And how exactly did Azula hurt Mai in such a way as to draw feelings of guilt from Azula? Azula helped bring Zuko home so Mai could get back together with him. Azula “freed” Mai from Mai’s parents and Omashu. How did Mai care for Azula outside of taking orders from her nation’s princess?

Not Mai.

Ty Lee?

Maybe. Did Ty Lee care for Azula? Did Ty Lee love Azula, feel affection and personal devotion to her? She hugged her in Return to Omashu and was excited to see her, but she turned down her “beloved friend’s” offer without a second thought. Did Ty Lee want Azula as a friend at that point, or was she upset Princess Azula knew of her and wished she had never known her? Azula definitely hurt Ty Lee at the circus, without a doubt. But did Ty Lee care for Azula? All we see is Ty Lee giving Azula lousy dating advice that did nothing to assuage Azula’s self-esteem issues. That’s love? That’s care?

Azula hurt Ty Lee, but did Ty Lee care for Azula? Maybe, but likely no.

Lo and Li?

Lo and Li said they were concerned for her well-being. Nobody else ever said anything like that to Azula throughout the show, nor any expanded content since. Yeah, they might have cared for her. Maybe they even loved her. I have a hard time saying Lo and Li were good for her, but it does seem they took a personal interest in Azula. And Azula banished them unfairly. She hurt them. And they appeared to care for her.

Yes, Lo and Li.

Her servants?

Her servants technically cared for her, cooking meals, doing laundry, her hair. They seemed shocked when Azula banished the girl holding the cherries. Perhaps some of them loved her, having known her for her whole life. I find it plausible Azula’s servants felt affection and personal devotion to Azula. And she hurt them. She unfairly banished them. They didn’t deserve it. And they cared for her.

Yes, her servants.

Her Imperial Firebenders?

Maybe? I assume they were mostly men and some women. I imagine at least some of those men were attracted to their princess, and I imagine some of those women were impressed by their princess’ firebending prowess. I can’t say they loved her or were affectionate, but they were certainly dutiful, at least duty-bound. And she banished them unfairly.

Yes, her Imperial Firebenders. They didn’t deserve it at least.

Her Dai Lee agents?

Screw the Dai Lee. They are scumbags. She was right to kick their sorry asses to the curb.

Who else? Her Fire Warriors?

How did she hurt them? She rescued them from the asylum!

The Zuko ghost confused me, and I find it interesting that it also confused Azula. Of all the dialogue in the comic, this felt the most unnatural, disturbing even, and Azula’s expressions during the encounter reflect that same feeling.

The Zuko ghost doesn’t sound like the rest of the comic. Azula had responses to all the ghosts until that point. The previous discussions concerned topics that felt natural to Azula’s perspective and experiences. The Zuko ghost don’t sound like it is expressing Azula’s self-loathing and creeping doubt the other ghosts conveyed.

To me, it sounds like it was speaking fandom talking points.

Grey Delisle, many years ago, said in an interview that she thinks Azula manipulates people into being her friends because she’s afraid people will leave her. The comic almost says this verbatim.

Certain fans believe that Azula took advantage of scores of people who were weaker than her, or dependent on her as would a petty toxic individual in an abusive interpersonal relationship, regardless of her station as princess. They, without question, cite Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee as being the prime examples.

Of the three, Zuko is the only one she took advantage of for petty reasons, and primarily as a poorly-raised child. For Ty Lee, she gave her the medieval lord treatment to rip her from the smelly circus where platypus-bears lay eggs out in the open. Mai? I don’t see it. But the Zuko ghost is not talking about people she hurt in general. It’s talking about people who cared for her that she hurt.

Zuko has hurt Azula. Ty Lee has hurt Azula. Mai has especially hurt Azula. But did these people care for her? Did she betray their love they held for her?

I don’t think Zuko, Mai, or Ty Lee “cared” for Azula by the time the events of the show roll around. The Zuko ghost sounds like it is using fandom talking points from certain fans who hold the most pessimistic interpretations of Azula’s behavior.

I find it notable that Azula is drawn with a confused and disturbed expression while she is being confronted by the most off-sounding accusations. I also find it notable that the ghost delivering these accusations turns into a threatening monster. I also find it notable that she winds up killing this ghost.

Maybe it is a metaphor.

To answer the question, "Who cared for Azula, and which of them did she hurt?" It appears to be Lo and Li, her servants, and Imperial Firebenders. Maybe Ty Lee and maybe her father. But think of all the arguments over Azula and her interpersonal relationships. Does anyone care about Lo and Li getting banished? Her servants getting wrongfully accused of trying to assassinate her? Her Imperial Firebenders for being disloyal? Her father being in prison and debended at the hands of Zuko and his supporters?

Of course not, it's always Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee, but the evidence that they "cared" for her is flimsy at best. The people who Azula should feel most guilty about hurting are the ones we, as fans, and the narrative, give the least amount of sympathy to.

[lovely-p-issues]

I have this fanfiction idea for times when my English will become acceptable: (it was in my drafts for months and tbh if I didn't post it today like this, with mistakes and stupid parts, I wouldn't have posted it at all, so, sorry ig)

Book 1: The war

How it all started

Let's make Azulon not madly-evil, but just regular-size-evil: he didn't plan to kill Zuko, because it's a stupid idea to get rid of your possible heir, he just wanted to take a son from Ozai - so he decided to make Zuko Iroh's heir, de facto making him Iroh's son (let's not focus on formality, just assume that you can switch your fathers if you are highborn enough)

(Zuko's life isn't in danger, so Ursa doesn't kill Azulon and he'll be ruling at least to the end of that book)

It may seem a great idea (especially in comparison with killing Zuko) but we can't forget that Iroh just lost a son and is still in grief, absolutely not ready to take care of another kid. He still needs to learn how to find a new path and calm his spirit and now he needs to do it with Zuko around him.

Iroh decides to take Zuko with him for his journey - Azulon approves this, seeing his son (and heir) needs to learn how to live after losing Lu Ten and thinking that Iroh may finally teach Zuko some actual fire bending

"I do not want to want to leave, Azula. I'm sorry, little sister."

"Whatever, Zuzu. At least you won't be distracting me from my lessons. Finally, something good comes from this whole fuss around you."

(In fact, she's not happy. Not at all)

______

At this point, Iroh is not yet the nice old man you know from ATLA. He's a broken man, trying to find a purpose in his life, triggered by Zuko's alikeness to Lu Ten and tired of being imposed on things like taking care of a teenager.

He's not Ozai, he's not cruel or even just bad, he just can't force himself to care.

They don't really talk, only sometimes to establish a plan for their further journey. The worst moments are when Iroh calls Zuko Lu Ten's name and then suddenly stops, looking at him in shock. After that kind of incidents, they stay silent for days.

Zuko starts to blame himself for being, well, alive, when his much better cousin is dead. He convinces himself it would be better if he died and Lu Ten lived.

Zuko spends most of his time alone. He hates making Iroh sad and upset so he chooses to stay away. He doesn't know what this all thing with White Lotus, he just likes the idea of his uncle/formal-dad having friends.

Yet, they travel all around the world and for the first time in his life Zuko sees what sharing progress and civilization by Fire Nation looks like. And he doesn't like that.

He's still loyal to his family, so he doesn't believe that his grandfather knows what is happening.

He decides that he needs to make a proper report (soul of writer, ya know).

He makes notes and talks with people, even if he hates how awkward it is. He believes that it's necessary to help them.

I think it's a wonderful idea to see Zuko interviewing - I mean, investigating-

Zuko's raport list - random traders complaining about the difficulty of staying afloat, - migrants who are fleeing war or have lost their homes to fighting, prisoners of war (this doesn't go down too well, thank goodness Zuko is still a kid and his passion seems adorable so no one kills him), - strange ladies in nice outfits who are paid by horrible men for no one knows what, - malnourished scarred soldiers of the Fire Nation, - children of the Earth Kingdom who teach him their stupid game (once he understood the rules, it wasn't THAT stupid, but still), - crazy old ladies, who won't stop pinching his cheeks, - a young girl with a scar on her face who didn't want to tell him much, but Zuko knew what accidental burns looked like and this wasn't one of them, - a group of artists whose theatre burned down after they refused to perform plays approved by the Fire Nation authorities, - a mother who asks him if he knows what happened to her son who was an earth bender and one day. .. just didn't come home

But we all know that Zuko always prefered to act than think. Pretty often Sometimes he disappears for a night. With him disappears an old, theatre mask.

Son came home and left with his mom. Someone left some gold for the soldiers to buy food. Someone bought the most useless things from traders. Someone left burn ointment made by someone who must have grown up surrounded by fire, on the doorstep of the poor girl. And many other, strange things happened.

Of course no one suspects anything or anyone. Trust me. Not a single soul.

______

Zuko is still training but can't even be angry enough to make a big fire. He's just frustrated and that makes him choke with smoke more than anything.

But with every other day, he feels worse. He gets letters from Azula who started to receive more attention from their mother since Zuko was away. When Ozai's influence is limited, she becomes a little more normal. She's still sharp as a knife and dangerous, but feeling loved by both her parents (even if Oazi is more focused on trying to control her and transform her into a weapon) decreases her psychopathic behaviour.

"Mom asked me to take care of your stupid turtle ducks, dum dum"

She thinks he will be happy hearing that she spends time with their mom, and Zuko, honestly, is happy. It's just-

"Am I even still her son since I'm Uncle Iroh's heir?"

-where is his place now?

For the first time in days, he feels an actual rage. And just like this, his fire bending becomes hundreds of times better, even unhinged and dangerous.

Iroh sees this while coming back from meditation (or whatever) and in a second feels that something is wrong.

He reaches out to Zuko, offering him some advice and lessons, but Zuko, a 13-year-old, harmfully lonely and practically neglected at this point prince, can't hold back anymore:

"YOU WANT TO TEACH ME AFTER MONTHS OF IGNORING ME? YOU'RE JUST LIKE FATHER, HE LOOKS AT US ONLY WHEN WE ARE ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE! WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP ME WHEN I COULD NOT HOLD A LITTLE FLAME IN MY HANDS? I DON'T NEED YOUR STUPID ADVICE NOW! YOU WEREN'T THAT WISE WHEN YOU LOST BA SING SE AND GOT LU TEN KILLED"

Iroh sters at him calmly for a few seconds.

"You are right. I wasn't. I'm trying to do better. If you change your mind about training, you know where to find me."

Zuko comes to his Uncle by night.

They don't really train. They drink tea instead.

And it becomes a habit.

After a few days, they start to actually train.

They need to breathe a lot. It's too much for Zuko, but Iroh is rather stubborn about this one.

After a few weeks, for the first time in his life, Zuko feels that fire bending is soothing and just pleasant. It feels like home.

It can't last forever. Of course.

______

They stayed for a long time in the Earth Kingdom. One day Zuko sees Ba Sing Se and vast fields of previous battles, trampled, dry land and piles of burnt bodies.

It's not the work of some mad general or bunch of scared soldiers fighting for their lives. It's his chubby nice tea-loving uncle's work. This is not an accident, an accidental casualty of war. They are the pride of the Fire Nation. This is their honour. This is their civilisation and progress.

That's what his family is doing to the world. Purposely.

Something is breaking inside him. Thoughts of mourning for Lu Ten. No one has ever mentioned all those bodies, the people who died here too. His uncle, his good uncle, his father, the pride of his Nation, only cried over his son. He never even hesitated to burn to a crisp anyone who defended his home. Against them.

Zuko isn't very smart, as we know. He screams a lot at Iroh. And then he leaves.

He thinks to himself, that Lu Ten, who actually fought in those battles would understand that it was wrong. But Lu Ten would also know what to do about it.

He wanders for days, trying to avoid people, untill

He crushes into something.

"Why are you running, flame-boy? Your pants are on fire?" *wild laugh*

And this is how Prince Zuko met Lady Toph Beifong.

[waterfire1848]

Au where Zuko also is a prodigy + has white flames

Hello, anon!!

When Zuko is born, he's born as a powerful bender. Ozai is very happy to see a strong flame in his son and it keeps Zuko from being in danger of being killed. Zuko is allowed to be a normal kid for a few years (because Ozai knows an infant isn't going to firebend) and Ursa tries to raise him as best she can but Ozai is also pretty much there from the start which keeps Zuko from fully learning from his mom like he did in the show. Instead, Ozai raises Zuko and Azula to be mini versions of himself and since Zuko is also a prodigy now, Ozai has two weapons who want to earn his favor. Ursa, again, tries to do what she can for her children but there isn't much that can be done once Ozai gets his hooks in them. (Azula: Zuzu! Look what I learned! *Does a kata* Zuko: Yawn. I learned that move five weeks ago, Lala. And I got it down in one session. Azula: That's impossible! No one can master it that fast. Zuko: Well, I am father's oldest prodigy. The one who will be taking over for him one day. I think you are....Oh, how did that general put it? The spare. The forgotten child. Azula, angry: Yeah, well-have you learn the Flying Dragon move yet? Zuko:.....I'm going to very soon. Azula: I've already started. Zuko: I'll have it mastered by the end of the week. Azula: A move so complex even uncle struggled with it? I'm sure.)

When Lu Ten is killed and Ozai asks for the throne, Azulon orders him to kill Azula because Zuko is the older child, male, and a prodigy as well (Azula is powerful, yes, but Ursa and Ozai can always have another kid as far as Azulon is concerned since they already had two prodigies. The new child will just be a bit younger than their older brother. Nothing that would seriously hurt the family in the long run). Azula panics and flees to her mother, begging her for any kind of help. Ursa makes the same deal she does in canon but this time, since she did it for Azula and Ozai agreed to kill her, Azula starts to wonder if her father really is as amazing as she once believed him to be. She spends the next few years starting to doubt her father more and more but keeping quiet because she's not an idiot. There is no Agni Kai scene since Zuko never speaks out. Ozai raised him here. If anything, he would be congratulating the general on his plan. Rather, Ozai keeps both him and Azula around to train until they are 14 and 16 which is when Azula gets her blue fire and Zuko gets his white flames. (Zuko: White flames are better. Azula: Huh? That's interesting. I could have sworn blue fire burned hotter than white. Zuko: Just means you're going to burn out before me.)

Aang is still broken out of the ice by Katara and Azula is sent after them (because...again spare heir). Azula eventually catches up to them and pretty much partakes in Zuko's role in canon except she had the authority to throw Zhao off a boat. But, since Aang is constantly slipping through her fingers, Ozai takes her off of the mission and puts Zhao in charge. Azula, not wanting to fail in her first mission outside the Fire Nation, ignores her father's order to return home and follows the Avatar to the North Pole. Zhao still murders the moon (Azula: How did this man become an admiral?) and is then killed by the ocean spirit. Azula fails in getting the Avatar again but refuses to stop in her mission, making it clear to the team that she is still after them. Meanwhile, Ozai realizes Azula is not returning and sends Zuko after the Avatar and her. (Ozai: Azula is a failure. I have a task for you, my son. Capture the Avatar and your sister and bring them here. Do you understand? Zuko: I do, father.)

Zuko and Azula quickly start competing with one another to try and capture Aang. Zuko had more resources behind him since Ozai isn’t currently mad at him, but Azula has more experience fighting Aang (basically Zuko gets taken out by airbending and waterbending more than Azula does). Now, because both siblings trained under Ozai they’re both incredibly smart as well as powerful. Zuko knows Azula is going to get Mai and Ty Lee and decides to recruit Mai before Azula can get to her, so it becomes Azula and Ty Lee vs Mai and Zuko for who can capture Aang first. When Ba Sing Se comes around, both siblings have the idea to sneak in but while Azula and Ty Lee sneak in with the Kyoshi Warrior disguises, Zuko and Mai sneak in as refugees. In the upper ring with the Gaang, Azula believes she had the advantage and decides to act and capture Katara. Her plan is to use Katara as bait and then attack and capture Aang when he comes to free her. Meanwhile, Zuko and Mai are in the lower ring and make their way up to the upper ring while chatting which is when Mai realizes that the Zuko she knew is kinda gone. Zuko at 10 and Zuko at 16 are two very different people after 6 years under Ozai. She tries not to let it bother her but it’s very clear. Eventually, the final fight breaks out and ends with Azula aiming the lightning at Aang but Zuko, who refuses to let Azula win, takes the lightning blast and sends it back at her. The blast is strong enough to disorient everyone and knock Aang out, who is quickly captured by Zuko. He and Mai flee the city before they can be stopped leaving the Gaang without an Avatar (thankfully in a still standing Ba Sing Se) but with a captured Royal and acrobat.

Ozai isn’t happy. Zuko’s job was to bring Azula back but instead he just did half of his job. Zuko tries to argue that Azula is taken care of since she’s in enemy hands. (Zuko: I give her a week before they kill her for not giving up information. Ozai: I didn’t ask for the Earth Kingdom to kill her. I asked you to bring her back! Zuko: Father, please, I….I thought it would be a good idea for the war. Ozai: Explain. Zuko: Sozin’s Comet is coming soon but we haven’t been seeing a spike in morale- Ozai: You’re too concerned with regular soldiers, Zuko. Zuko: I know, but hear me out. How would citizens feel when they find out the enemy murdered the princess? The princess who was trying to save her nation from Ba Sing Se’s tyranny gave her life to defend the Fire Nation. Ozai:….Hmmmm. I will consider this. It’s not a horrible idea. You’re dismissed. Zuko: Thank you, father.) Meanwhile, Azula is very much alive and pissed at Zuko for abandoning her in the city. The Gaang knows they have to get Aang back if they want any shot at ending the war and, to do that, they have to get into the Fire Nation. Thankfully, they just so happen to know a familiar princess who knows the nation like the back of her hand. The Gaang make a deal with Azula and Ty Lee: they help them get into the Fire Nation in exchange for saving them from Earth Kingdom execution. Azula initially refuses, saying she doesn’t want to betray her father or her nation. However, it becomes clear to her that this might actually be a blessing, a way to return to the Fire Nation with the Avatar’s team, capture them all and stop the eclipse invasion: three birds with one stone. After talking to Ty Lee, Azula agrees and the five head off towards the Fire Nation.

[wileycap]

[spoilers for ATLA]

I have this fanfic story idea for Avatar, and I want to write some of it out.

The basic premise is: What if Iroh had gone the other way after his son's death, becoming more warlike instead of more peaceful - but Ozai still executes his power grab, and they essentially end up ruling two opposing kingdoms?

After Lu Ten dies, Iroh subjugates Ba Sing Se in grief. He doesn't go full villain, no massacring the civilians on purpose or anything, but he does lay waste to the city, takes the young King Kuei hostage and, as a treat, kills Long Feng. (I really dislike Long Feng.)

Meanwhile, Ozai goes ahead with his plan. Azulon reacts much the same, but he does the ever-popular fic thing of giving Ozai's heirs to Iroh. "You must know the pain of losing a firstborn son!" And, furthermore, he manages to get a hawk out to Iroh, that both of Ozai's children have been written out of his lineage and into Iroh's.

Ozai conspires to kill Azulon by blackmailing Ursa. For her treason, Ursa is banished, as in canon, and Ozai takes the throne.

But the balance of power has shifted. The Earth Kingdom, bolstered by Iroh's legions, is now a contender for total world domination - and that's not exactly a disagreeable state of affairs for a lot of Earth Kingdom kings and generals, who pledge loyalty to Iroh.

Meanwhile, Ozai's Fire Nation controls the seas, but they are quickly losing ground in the Earth Kingdom. The newly crowned Ozai is facing immense amounts of domestic pressure, and responds by cracking down on the homeland, making the already totalitarian state even more totalitarian. The Fire Nation still holds the advantage in the war, but their edge is shrinking more and more by the moment, as many of their best legions were in the Earth Kingdom and are now loyal to Iroh.

To legitimize his rule, Ozai spreads the story that Ursa had been working with Iroh to murder Azulon, and that rather than being a conqueror and a ruler, Iroh is now a hostage for the Earth Kingdom - a puppet to exert influence over the Fire Nation. And furthermore, as she fled, the traitor Ursa had done the unthinkable - kidnapped a member of the royal family!

Meanwhile, Ursa does make it to the Earth Kingdom and to Iroh. And true to the story being spread in the Fire Nation, she does have one of her children with her...

Azula.

Who, upon seeing the Earth Kingdom subjugated under Iroh, isn't actually very upset about the whole thing. In fact, she's excited: with Zuko stuck in the homeland and her here at the side of the leader whom she now views as the stronger one, with Azulon's letter proving that she is meant to be Iroh's heir... her prospects of becoming the ruler of the entire world, not just the Fire Nation, are beginning to look pretty good. And all she has to do is make sure to kill dear old Dad and Zuzu at some point. And help Iroh win the war. And stay in Iroh's favour, because if Iroh is anything like her father (he isn't, but Azula doesn't know that), he's more than ready to cast her aside if she proves unsatisfactory. So, bring on the tea and Pai Sho: Azula is both patient and an excellent liar.

Iroh, however, is beginning to feel his character development. He would now be content with pushing the Fire Nation back and ruling the Earth Kingdom in the name of his lost son. But Ursa pleads with him: Zuko is still in the Fire Nation. He is in danger. They have to win the war, or at least rescue Zuko.

And what about Zuko? Zuko looks at the situation: his mother and sister disappear, his uncle and father are at war, his dad probably had his grandpa killed, the Fire Nation is slowly going to hell and now his dad is acting suspiciously nice to him. (Well, he is the only heir Ozai has left.) He thinks about it for a while, and decides to get going while the going is good, and just so happens to run into a recently disgraced Lieutenant named Jee, who thinks he might be able to get them a ship and a crew, and hey, the areas near the South Pole are supposed to be pretty far from the war, and what's that huge beam of light on the horizon?

Any thoughts?

[mugentakeda]

the weirdest thing about it just being the four of them is how insistent lu ten is about him and azula getting a vote in everything. hes trying really hard to stop feeling weird about it.

at first, zuko was more than okay with just going with whatever mom and lu ten have in mind. theyre the grown ups, after all, and they make a good team. they haven’t been captured, or even chased, so that has to mean something. it never really hit him how well they got along until now that theyre alone. he can’t help but start wondering about how long they knew each other before he was born.

and things between him and azula have been… awkward. he doesnt really know what to do with how well shes been taking this. something her and lu ten both do is that when they think nobody is looking, they get these really tense and faraway looks on their faces.

zuko is pretty sure it has something to do with dad and uncle.

it might be bad of him, but hes not all that upset about being away from dad. hes terrified of what will happen if they get caught, yeah.

but they wouldnt have any kind of fun in this crazy new life if dad was here, would they?

last night, lu ten grilled a bunch of big red fish over a fire, with some steamed bamboo. mom acted out a story for them as entertainment. its something she hasnt done in… well, forever. but she would stop and ask both him and azula what happened next, they both would yell out the possible answers, and mom would pick either or and change the story depending on which she chose to make the ending unpredictable.

its the ease he feels on ember island when just the four of them go, just in a different place. so maybe it’s not as weird as zuko thinks it is.

mom and lu ten decided that leaving was the only way to be happy and have opinions, so they left. the palace rules stopped that, and nobody went along with palace rules more than dad. so he didnt get to come with. mom and ursa aren’t very upset about that, so neither will he.

at the cost of his dad, yeah, and thats traitor talk, but hes alive, isnt he? agni hasnt struck him or everyone else down for being glad dad isn’t here, has she? he’s okay with that and they’re okay with that.

zuko decides as he stares up at the blue sky peaking between the tree tops, that he wont feel bad about wanting to be happy and giving his opinion anymore. and he’s not weird for that if mom and lu ten aren’t weird.

azula is way weirder than everyone that’s weird on the whole earth combined, though. so it might be harder for her to not feel bad about wanting to be happy or giving her opinion. or being happy about things that arent weird, because only the weirdest things make azula happy.

lu ten is better at talking to her than anyone else, but…

he scoots next to her on the rotted log she’s resting on, watching mom comically struggle to help lu ten prepare breakfast.

“do you miss mai and ty lee?” he asks her, forcing himself to sound casual. she hasnt tried to set his butt on fire since they left, but who knows what might change that.

“miss them?” she repeats, but not like shes mocking him for the question- more like she’s asking herself again.

“like, do you wish they were here too?”

his sister makes a face. “why would they be here? this is a family affair.”

“just go with it. for the sake of the question.”

azula rolls her eyes, but hums thoughtfully. trails off.

he tries something else. “do you think mom’s storytelling last night wouldve been better if ty lee was there doing interpretive dance?”

to his surprise, she snorts. “probably,” she replies. “and mai would probably enjoy the macabre of it all. the more drama and bloodshed, the better. you wouldn’t know mother likes all the dark ones just by looking at her.”

azula turns to him, suddenly. there’s something mischievous in her eyes that zuko immediately distrusts. “why are you asking? do you miss mai?”

his face immediately flushes. “no! i was just asking, cus, well…”

“oh, don’t feel the need to explain yourself to me, zuzu. its just the four of us in the middle of nowhere, after all-“

“i was just asking, cus you haven’t seemed… well… sad. about leaving. dad and the palace and stuff. you didn’t even say much when we had to burn our old clothes and wear this green stuff instead.”

azula pauses. she doesn’t quite scowl at him, but she furrows her eyebrows and twists her lips in this weird, thoughtful way. she turns back away from him and sighs.

“cousin lu ten didn’t carry me out of the palace like a little baby. he had to convince me why i should choose to come with. so this is me, standing on the decision i made. why should i be sad about something i chose?”

“i was asleep the whole time, but i think i would’ve said yes to mom if i was awake, too. i just wanted to know why you said yes. cus you… had more going on than i did, back home. this is… way different, for you.”

zuko really wants to believe that she didn’t just agree because she knew that dad wouldn’t punish her if they got caught. and he won’t know if shes lying to him about it either.

“i don’t think i would’ve said yes if mother was the one that came to get me instead of lu ten. even if, deep down, i wanted to come with. and then i would’ve been mad about it forever, and hated her and you and lu ten for leaving me. because mother just took you while you were mostly asleep, and now shes just lucky that you ended up being okay with it anyway.”

zuko startles at how easily she’s talking about this. maybe it’s the distance?

“but lu ten and i… are in the same boat. we’re the same, like how maybe you and mother are the same. and he told me how he felt. and i guess i figured i’d feel the same. so i decided to do the same as him, too. and i have yet to falter, just like how lu ten hasn’t faltered.“

his sister turns to him, very seriously. “father wouldn’t have done interpretive dance to mother’s stories. one day i’ll do interpretive dance to mother’s stories, and so will you and lu ten. so only people that are willing to do interpretive dance to mother’s stories are missed by me. does that make sense?”

he thinks he gets it. in this crazy situation, not feeling bad about wanting to be happy and having opinions probably would mean the same as being willing to do interpretive dance.

“i think my interpretive dance would be better than yours,” he blurts, instead of answering.

azula blinks, then narrows her eyes. “you wish.”

[hadesisqueer]

Hey so, one thought about the Beach that gets more painful when you know how Azula's story ends in the finale: She ALMOST opens up to the others, but then IMMEDIATELY puts her metaphorical mask back on the second she realizes this.

She very clearly DESIRES a genuine bond with her companions, but thanks to Ozai, she has no idea HOW to function like a normal person!

It's HEARTBREAKING to see her so clearly aware that there's SOMETHING wrong with her, but having no idea how to actually RESOLVE that. So she just defaults to appeasing her father. To being the monster people expect her to be.

Azula is such a tragic character because in another environment she could have been great. She was a firebending prodigy and her father favored her because of that, enabling her worst traits instead of trying to correct them so she could turn out to be just like him. Since Zuko wasn't as favored, her mother in turn paid more attention to him so he wouldn't feel left out, and you can see in the novels that she tried to get Ursa to also pay attention to her by doing the same things Ozai would usually praise her for, which caused Ursa to reasonably scold her; however, Ursa usually didn't scold her in the same way she scolded Zuko sometimes, by guiding him into doing the right thing. Instead, she scolded Azula by shutting her down, which caused Azula to rely more on Ozai than Ursa, thinking her mother didn't love her and showed favoritism for her brother, which isn't entirely wrong (although Ursa did love her; she simply connected more with Zuko because he reminder her of her first love, while subsconciously Azula reminded her more of Ozai).

Iroh seemed to have a similar relationship with them when they were kids, sending them both presents, although he seemed to get along more with Zuko, partly because he reminded Iroh of Lu Ten and partly because again, Azula relied a lot on her father who openly disliked Iroh. Then, Zuko was banished, and obviously, Iroh went with him; Zuko was a 13yo broken hearted child with half of his face burnt and sent away from home on his own to complete an impossible task. His abuse was more apparent and Iroh went with him because at the time, it seemed like he had it the worst (and also, again, because he was closer to him). I do think that if that had been Azula sent away, though—if she had somehow offended Ozai enough for him to burn her and banish her—Iroh would have probably tried to go with her regardless of how bad their relationship would have been, trying to show her the same guidance he showed Zuko. Damn, maybe even Zuko would have chosen to go with her, since that's his younger sister (and because he would have prefered going with his uncle and his younger sister who he doesn't get along with rather than staying completely alone with his father, maybe). Maybe it'd have worked, spending years in a different environment with someone who tried to help her and didn't treat her like a living weapon who could easily be disposed of whenever she no longer was useful to him. Zuko himself said that the best thing Ozai did for him was banishing him. Maybe it would have been the best thing for Azula too.

[sokkastyles]

When Our Family Was Actually Happy

"Zuzu!" the little girl in the tiny topknot toddled drunkenly through the sandhills, holding her arms out as she ran after him. "Zuzu!"

Zuko, at three and a half, was faster than his sister, yet he still paused to allow her to catch up, his toes curling in the sand as he looked back. When Azula almost reached him, her chubby outstretched fingers snatching for his torso, he took off, dancing away and looking back again. 

His baby sister giggled and hurried after, only stumbling a little. When he finally stopped long enough to allow himself to be caught, she tumbled headfirst into him and they both fell together into the sand, laughing.

"Zuzu!" Azula exclaimed happily, tugging on his ponytail.

"It's Zuko," he said, with annoyance that was only partially feigned, poking her in her chubby stomach with each syllable.

"She'll get it right eventually," said mother. "She's a fast learner."

Zuko poked his sister's belly again, this time in real annoyance, but she only laughed. A fast learner. Dad said that about Azula, too, all the time. He always said the opposite about him.

She didn't get his name right, though, not for years, even though she learned everything else fast. Soon she was running faster than him, too, leaving him behind in the sand. Another time, while fleeing from the incoming tide, he'd turned his ankle stepping into a hole and fell, and Azula looked back at him and laughed.

"Clumsy Zuzu!"

"I do expect better of her," father said to mother, as if the children weren't even there, although Zuko could feel his father's eyes on him even though he wasn't looking in his direction or even speaking about him. He stood up and brushed sand off his legs quickly. "She should have her pronunciation mastered by now."

Azula was watching too, a few feet away, standing very still.

Mai and Azula laughed together as they pushed sand around Ty Lee, buried neck deep and grinning widely. "We need water to make it stay," her disembodied head said helpfully. They were several yards up the beach from where the tide was gently rolling in.

Zuko was a few feet away from the girls, purposefully ignoring them.

"I'm not going," Mai announced. "I don't want to get wet."

"You should do it, Zuzu," Azula called to him, even though he wasn't part of their game, didn't want to be.

"That's stupid," he said, busying his fingers with digging out a shell that was half stuck in the sand.

"You're stupid," Azula shot back. "Dad thinks so."

"He does not!" Zuko was shouting, but something niggled at the back of his mind, and his voice wavered. Their parents were farther down the beach and Uncle was busy catching crabs with cousin Lu Ten.

"Stupid Zuzu!"

"Stop calling me that!"

He only vaguely now remembered a time when he'd almost liked it, when she'd used the nickname. She could say his name now, she just chose not to, a fact which she made obnoxiously clear, especially when their father was around. He remembered when she used to chase after him. He used to worry that she wouldn’t catch up. Then, for a while, when Ozai was watching, it had felt like relief.

She didn't chase after him anymore.

[ghanjrho]

How A:tLA should have ended, Pt. 2

Part 1 is here

I promised you Fire Family and Steambabies, have your Fire Family and Steambabies. We'll start with oldest and move down in age, as of roughly AG 115. For timeline purposes, the royal wedding was in AG 105, when Zuko was 21 and Katara 19.

Uncle Iroh: Iroh retires from his role as Regent the day Zuko and Katara have their Fire Nation wedding. Now he moves back to Ba Sing Se and his tea shop, though he still makes it back to Caldera for a couple weeks a year. It's a good system, obviously removing the Dragon of the West from the levers of power, while also putting enough physical separation between him and Zuko that a coup is unlikely to target both at once. The Steambabies call him Grampa Iroh.

Ozai: Is dead. Handed over to the Earth Kingdom a year or so after the war ended, an international tribunal called for his execution. In desperation, he offered up all the information he had on Ursa. All it bought him was being executed like a member of the Fire Lord's family, as opposed to a peasant. Aang refuses to vote for death on principle, but has grown enough to understand that not everyone can live by his personal code of ethics.

Ursa: Was found. The basic arc of The Search is maintained, with the exception that Ursa didn't lose her memories. Why didn't she go back? She was going to. But Ursa was Noriko now, and Noriko was going to have to work hard to convince her son that she was his mother; at the time she didn't know that the Mother of Faces could undo a gift and make her Ursa again. Not to mention that at the time of The Search, the family simply didn't have the money to travel to the Capitol and stay there for the amount of time it would take for her to get access to Zuko without running afoul of her banishment.

Zuko: Is the Fire Lord, and a devoted father. He thinks the second is more important. Had some serious nerves about parenthood, but bowed to the reality of needing an heir and a spare. Winds up having more than that.

Katara: Is the Fire Lady, and a handful of other titles besides. Her travels through the Fire Nation hinterlands give her a surprising wealth of connections to the Fire Nation's peasantry, which she freely uses to keep abreast of what's going on in her adopted land. She and Zuko are that married couple that can't keep there hands off each other.

Azula: Instead of letting Azula be a crutch villain, Azula gets better. Ursa's return and Zuko's persistent attention helped her unwind a lot of the emotional abuse that Ozai inflicted on her. Not all the way better, she has a medicated tea that she takes daily, and her moral compass is still worryingly external. That said, Zuko is her frame of reference instead of Ozai, so everyone is willing to call it good enough. On her 18th birthday, Zuko (and Iroh) named her the Hand of Fire, making her the Fire Lord's go-to problem solver.

Kiyi: is adorable. Yes, Mommy looks different now, but Kiyi has cool older siblings now! Azula had very complicated feelings about "her replacement" for a while. A lot of talks with Ursa helped; finding out Zuzu would fold in the face of Kiyi's pout did too. Early morning Fire Sibling meditation is essential bonding time. For Kiyi's age, I'm putting her 10 years younger than Azula, or 12 years younger than Zuko; in AG 115 she's 19 and a skilled firebender.

Izumi: Steambaby the first. Izumi was born on her parents' first anniversary, almost to the hour. Like her aunt, she's an extremely talented firebender, using blue fire and learning lightning generation. Unlike her aunt, her mother isn't trying to protect a more vulnerable sibling, and her father isn't emotionally abusing her to turn her into a living weapon/vessel for his will.

Kya: Steambaby the second. Followed her older sister by a year and a half, being born in mid-winter. Like her mother, she's a waterbender with the healing gift.

Lu Ten/Noriko: Twins that followed Kya by 3 years and a bit; spring birth. Neither has shown signs of bending yet, but there's still time.

Rei/Kallik: Boys, newborn.

Bonus:

Sokka/Suki: The brother-in-law and co-sister-in-law of the Fire Lord. Have 3 of their own and are working on a fourth. Suki and Azula are in a low-key competition to be the favorite aunt. Their work mainly keeps them in the new United Republic's territory,

[peony-pearl]

Ursa wakes Zuko and Azula up the day Ozai is set to become next in line for the throne, but something is off. She’s hurrying them, holding garments they’ve never seen before; something ceremonial. These shouldn’t be for a simple announcement proclamation.

Ursa herds her children to the throne room, where Azulon and Iroh stand. Their father isn’t in sight, he must be getting ready.

Azulon takes one look at Zuko and Azula and begins barking.

“On your knees!” He hisses.

Zuko is struck by the hostility. Azula frowns; but just as Ursa can motion for them to do kneel, Iroh holds out his hand.

“Father, there is no need. My niece and nephew should be here to celebrate their new cousin.”

Azulon leans closer to his son. “Their new cousin is nothing short of divinity!”

“Divinity?” Zuko asks Azula, who shrugs. Iroh motions for the two to stand; he is holding something in his arms.

The brother and sister note the infant residing in their uncle’s embrace.

“Zuko, Azula,” Iroh begins. “This is my daughter, Zion.”

“More than a daughter,” Azulon says, towering over his grandchildren. “A blessing. A miracle; given to your uncle by means you cannot comprehend.”

Iroh chuckled. “Father.”

Zuko walked forward. “Means?”

Iroh turned to hand Zion to her grandfather, who quickly, and reverently took her into his arms. Zuko and Azula had never seen him regard anything as being so precious.

Iroh opened his robes to reveal a gaping, twisting hole in his chest, through which they could see the throne on the other side. Ursa clapped a hand upon her mouth. Zuko stepped back, and Azula’s nose wrinkled in a mixture of disgust and horror.

“Means, as in, a very particular piece of me was used to create our future Fire Lord. My heart has been given the honor of providing the housing for a spirit; my new addition, and the future of the Fire Nation.”

Azula stepped forward. “But dad’s gonna be the next-”

Ursa almost tackled Azula before she could finish her sentence. Azulon’s rage was palpable as the flames from his throne up above reached the ceiling.

“Young lady!” Azulon howled. “Show your future leaders some respect! If you cannot maintain the poise and tact expected from your position, perhaps we should evict you from your place in line-”

“Father.”

Iroh’s calm caused a cease in the flames, and in Azulon’s words.

“There is no need for that,” Iroh smiled. He looked back to Azula, calmly and with the smile he used to wear before Lu Ten’s untimely passing.

“Your father was indeed going to be named the next Fire Lord - but the Spirits have deemed I maintain my birthright, you see. With the creation of my daughter, I have been ordained as the proper next in line, by the will of the spirit world itself.”

Zuko finally exhaled. “That’s incredible,” he murmured. Iroh nodded.

“I quite concur.”

Azulon tutted. “You should be getting ready, Iroh. You and Zion both. The ceremony isn’t long now,” he said, gently returning the child to her father. “It will be like nothing we’ve ever had before; a ceremony befitting our own little goddess.”

Azula leaned towards Zuko as Iroh made his leave. “Uncle’s heart made a girl?”

Zuko shrugged.

Ursa grabbed them by their shoulders. “Let’s go; we must be on time.”

“The guest of honor isn’t even ready himself!” Azula cried out.

“URSA.”

Ursa shuddered, and she turned back towards Azulon. He glowered at his daughter-in-law.

“Teach that girl of yours some respect. I’ve expected more out of you as a mother; and each day you disappoint me.”

Ursa swallowed as her children looked up at her.

“Yes, Fire Lord Azulon,” she warbled, bowing deeply. “I am so sorry.”

“As you should be,” Azulon snapped before dismissing them with a gesture.

Ursa stood and nearly dragged her children out of the throne room. The two of them were silent as Ursa trembled with frustrations.

Zuko frowned at Azula. She carried no weight of Azulon’s words; instead she merely looked annoyed at the old man.

“What a gas bag,” Azula said; but just before she could say anything else, Ursa was on her knees and grabbing her daughter by her shoulders, shaking her.

“Azula!! Don’t you realize what is going on?!” She said through gritted teeth.

Azula’s wide eyes regarded her mother with shock.

“Your uncle has been chosen by the spirit world to father one of their own! Your cousin is not of this world. She is here to guide us to the glory begun by Sozin - this is bigger than all of us! You need to understand the gravity of this situation! We are in the presence of things we cannot comprehend - they now share your blood! I need you to please, please hold that damned tongue of yours!”

Zuko’s mouth hung agape as Azula trembled in her mother’s grip.

“Do you understand me?” Ursa reiterated.

Azula nodded once. Barely. It was enough for Ursa to stand and to continue ushering them through the halls.

As they approached the palanquin, Zuko finally found his voice as they piled in.

“What about dad?”

Ursa sighed. “...He’ll be there. On his own life, he will be there.”

[xthrenody]

Crimson peak / ATLA

I was rewatching Crimson Peak (one of my favourites movies ever), and seeing the dynamic between Lucille and Thomas Sharpe reminded me of the dynamic between Zuko and Azula. (warning, spoiler alert)

Youth

First, both dynamics starts at an early age. Lucille and Thomas were always together in the nursery, since they were forbidden to go anywhere else.

We were not allowed in here as children. We were confined at the nursery. In the attic. Mother played piano sometimes. We’d hear her through the floor. That’s how we knew that she was back in the country.

Lucille Sharpe

Zuko and Azula were the only children around the palace when they were young (except for Mai and Tai Lee, which were already manipulated at some extent by Azula). Sure, they knew their cousin Lu Ten, but he was already in the army when they were like 7-8 years old. Ozai didn’t spent time with them, and favoured Azula over Zuko, whereas Ursa did the contrary.

A brutal father

Another interesting thing. Lucille says that their father “was a brute” and that he hurt their mother very much.

Father was a brute. He hated mother. Broke her leg. Snapped it in two under his boot. She never quite healed. She was bedridden for a long time. But I cared for her.

Lucille Sharpe

It is hinted in the Smoke and Shadow comic (not so good btw) that Ozai abused Ursa. Clearly, if that happened, Zuko and Azula probably didn’t know but they could sense something, as many children do when in such situations.

Monsters

Furthermore, Ursa apparently called Azula “a monster”, and when Edith says “You’re monsters, both of you”, Lucille answers “Funny, that’s the last thing mother said too”.

Of course Azula isn’t as much a monster as Lucille, since they are clearly not the same age, but we can imagine that Lucille was quite like Azula at the same age. After all, Azula killed Aang (before he was saved by Katara), which proves somehow that she was ready to kill, just like Lucille killed her mother.

Manipulation

Both Azula and Lucille are also really good at manipulating their respective brother.

Azula manipulates Zuko into helping her defeating the Avatar, making him believe that all rested upon his shoulder (which seems like a lie, even though Zuko helps her against Katara during the fight). He betrayed his uncle and who he is at the core for her.

I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko, Prince Zuko, you’re a lot of things but you’re not a traitor, are you ? (...) It’s not too late for you Zuko, you can still redeem yourself. (...) I need you Zuko, I’ve ploted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back, you will have father’s love, you will have everything you want. (...) You are free to choose.

Azula.

Lucille has a similar way of manipulating Thomas, to such an extent that the sentence seems to be anchored in him “We stay together, never apart”.

She could make him marry four women, and watch them being poisoned by her without him saying a word, even though we can guess that he didn’t condone the crimes, especially when Edith mentionned - on purpose - Milan. He looks away, regretful.

Lucille is very protective, to a very toxic extent, saying that she took their mother’s cane strokes instead of Thomas, which must have made it even easier for her to manipulate him.

You should have seen him, as a child, Thomas. He was perfect. So from all his small infractions, from my mother’s cane, I protected him. I took so many beatings.

Lucille Sharpe

About the similarity between Zuko and Thomas, both of them struggles with doing what is right.

Zuko betrays his uncle and Katara’s trust by siding with Azula.

Thomas betrays Edith by sleeping with his own sister, and letting Lucille poison her without saying a word for a very long time.

- You lied to me!

- I did.

- You poisoned me!

- I did!

- You told me you loved me!

- I do!

Edith Cushing, Thomas Sharpe

Thomas overcomes his sister’s toxicity and protects Edith at the cost of his own life. Zuko overcomes his father bad influence and is even willing to sacrifice himself for a former enemy (Katara).

I know the stories are very different, and that the demonstration isn’t perfect and all, but I needed to write about it. (please, forgive my mistakes, English is not my mother tongue and I wrote it as I went along ;)).

[discordiansamba]

"good morning, lee."

prince zuko of the fire nation shot him an impressive glare, all things considered. a weaker man would have broken four days ago, when lan-wei had begun reconditioning the young firebender. prince zuko had stubbornly held, refusing to give up a single shred of his identity. any progress lan-wei had made thus far had been pushed back on.

well. that was what made it all the more rewarding.

"i'm not lee."

"no, you aren't," lan-wei admitted, "-not yet, at least."

the prince looked like if he came a step closer, he'd bite. lan-wei stroked his beard in amusement. when princess azula had offered up her own brother for experimentation, he could hardly believe his luck- and had to laugh at the coincidence. the last time he'd been given permission to do what he liked with one of their... guests, it had also been a prince of the fire nation.

he had turned prince lu ten into what long feng had wanted- a proper, upstanding earth kingdom citizen, who was fully loyal to the earth king and the dai li. everything else was just a little zest, to make min-su feel more like a real person. he'd given him a proper, if vague backstory. the result was someone who felt real and authentic- more so than the joo dees ever did.

ah, the joo dees. he'd perfect that experiment someday.

but for now, he had to focus on the second fire nation prince he'd been granted the task of altering. princess azula had requested that her brother become lee the tea server, the alias he'd had while here in ba sing se. she also wanted him to be unfailingly polite to those above his station- which would be everyone, she'd said. make him a commoner from the lower ring.

if min-su had been a dry run, then lan-wei planned to make lee the finished product. how much could you truly change a person with this technique? how far could it go? lan-wei wanted to push the boundaries. isn't that what any good man of science did?

"really, i don't see why you're trying so hard to resist, prince zuko," lan-wei observed, "-you could be quite happy as lee."

zuko spat in his face.

hm. crude behavior for a prince. he suspected that would be fire, if he weren't currently under the influence of a bending suppressant. he merely wiped it off with his sleeve, nonplussed.

"he's not wanted, you know," lan-wei observed, "-prince zuko, I mean."

zuko twitched.

ah. he was getting somewhere.

"think about it," lan-wei said, "-your father banished you and later declared you a traitor and your sister is the reason you're down here. i believe your mother disappeared quite a long time ago."

"my uncle-"

"ah yes, your uncle," lan-wei stroked his beard, "-poor general iroh. how cruel of you, prince zuko- to betray him after all the love and care that he gave you. forging fake passports to sneak you into the one place he'd thought you'd be safe from your father. couldn't have been easy."

zuko visibly deflated. lan-wei resisted the urge to smirk.

"ah, but you should look on the bright side," lan-wei said, "-you've got a real opportunity here, prince zuko. nobody wants you, but lee? i could make him into someone who's wanted. wouldn't that be nice, prince zuko? to be wanted?"

ah. there it was. the longing in his eyes. there was a crack there.

lan-wei smiled.

"prince zuko," he said, "-the earth king has invited you to lake laogai."

[muffinlance]

@captainkirkk

It takes days of wondering, is it him, is he the thing that's different, did he really screw up as an infant and that's why Ozai--

His mother is still here. His sister and he are in the same firebending classes, and she's better, of course she's better, but he doesn't have any of the little spackled scars from his teacher--their teacher--getting frustrated with his slowness, with being stuck training the lesser sibling, with--

And after the lesson, when he's still wobbly in this too-young body he woke up in, she grabs his sleeve and hauls him off

"You can't still be worried about dad," she says, like either of them have ever called Ozai anything but Father. "What's wrong with you?"

Oh, Zuko realizes; this Zuko is better. And this Azula noticed when he wasn't, and cares, and is crossing her arms and glaring at him while she demands answers, and

"You know I love you, right?" he says

"...You were running around in that mask again, weren't you. Zuzu, how much head damage did you get this time?" She knows about his Blue Spiriting--this Zuko still has reasons to Blue Spirit--and before he can even begin to process that she says, "This is why we need to go together."

So they do. Blue Spirit and Gold break into the nobleman's house, they find the evidence of the embezzlements, and they leave it, gigging and breathless, on the desk of the Fire Lord without his guards ever noticing.

On the desk of Fire Lord Iroh

Fire Lord Iroh ascended the dragon throne nearly fifty years ago, after the late Azulon's untimely heart attack

Fire Lord Iroh, then barely the age of majority, raised his younger brother Ozai like a son, just as he raised his nation to new heights

Ozai, second in line after Crown Prince Lu Ten, returns to the palace and hugs his brother (his father). Hugs his wife and his daughter and his son.

"Victory, I assume?" Azula asks, and she and her father have the same sharp smile as they all go down the hall after Uncle, who is eager to make the new tea blend his baby brother has brought back from Ba Sing Se.

Grand Secretariat Long Feng sends his most respectful regards. He and Ozai have finalized their arrangements, no unsightly sieges required. It's too bad, really, about his own young monarch's failing health--fortunately, wiser minds will soon prevail upon the throne.

Zuko sits. Zuko has tea. He can't tell if it's good or bad because

Because Ozai touches him on the shoulder, a casual gesture, just reaching past him for the soy sauce Lu Ten is teasingly keeping from his "big brother's" grip, and

And everyone is alive and everyone is here and the last time his own Ozai touched him was--

And he can't remember the time before that. He honestly can't.

The hand on his shoulder is light, is warm, is the casual touch of a love that never needed to be earned.

This family loves each other. Loves him.

They do not love the world.

"Oh," says Ozai, nearly off-handedly, "I heard the most interesting rumors on the way home. Apparently grandfather missed at least one of the air nomads. And an entire sky bison."

"An old man?" Iroh asks.

"A twelve-year-old," Ozai replies. "Traveling with--"

That part hasn't changed. Just... Everything else.

Just Zuko.

Iroh sits back from his tea, stroking his beard. "It would be a shame to allow the knowledge of such bending to be lost again. Perhaps we should send someone to retrieve them, before any of our troops get... over zealous."

Azula is suddenly catching Zuko's eye, is kicking him under the table, and--

And the Blue and Gold Spirits make such an excellent team around the capital, but neither of them have ever been allowed to leave home.

Have never been forced to leave.

Azula speaks up, when Zuko doesn't. "Uncle," she says, like that's how to address her Fire Lord, "Retrieving one pacifist and a barely-trained waterbender" --she does not bother mentioning Sokka, not that anyone at this table has earned the right to know his name-- "is hardly a mission worthy for our troops. But perhaps it would prove a useful introduction to command, for your two youngest officers?"

She smiles sharply, winningly.

And. And Zuko is off to hunt the Avatar.

I was thinking about universe swap AUs where characters from very dark (and often abusive) universes get brought into a much kinder universe. Those AUs are my favourite but consider:

Canon Zuko is temporarily brought into a universe where his father never hurt him, his mother never left, Azula adores her big brother- and he has no idea why this universe is so much kinder to him than his own

[waterfire1848]

An AU where Azula has a sister named Rangshi, older twin of Zuko, much more talented than her in fire bending (born with white fire, learned blue fire at 8, learned lightning at 9, redirecting lightning a month after and found a way to heal with fire at 11(she didn't think she'd ever need it)), who is a prodigy in everything she does (sword fighting, martial arts, ruling, politics, diplomacy, CQC, arts, music, and etc.) but doesn't let anyone other than her siblings and uncle know and who teaches Azula and Zuko everything they know.

Rangshi who is intersex, who is a LOT like Rangi, who takes care of Azula in place of their mother when she notices the bias she has towards Zuko (and eventually Zuko when Ursa leaves), who has a strong moral compass and will fight anyone if they threaten to harm Azula and/or Zuko, who is kind and honest to the people of the fire nation, who emulates her Uncle Iroh, who has trained with the military and has earned most of their respect, Rangshi is beloved by the people and have been called Agni's Chosen unbeknownst to her father.

Rangshi who Azula imitates rather than her father seeing as she took care of her with unconditional love, who Zuko can rely on, who protected Zuko in the Agni Kai that got him burned and is banished in his stead, Rangshi who never lets anyone touch her shoulder again after she was burned there by her father unless she trusts and feels safe with them (her scar is roughly in the shape of Ozai's hand), Azula who interacts more with Zuko, her friends, the servants, military personnel, and 'peasant' people rather than her father because she wanted to go with Rangshi but was ordered to stay.

(I just want someone who takes care of BOTH the fire siblings especially Azula)

(TyZula, MaiKo, and Rangshi/Katara(parentified daughters))

Hello, anon!! (Hey....so...I hate tumblr. I had a great piece all written and then Tumblr decided not to save it! 😡)

Rangshi is the perfect sibling for Zuko because when she is born a few minutes before him as a strong firebender, she saves Ozai from looking at Zuko with pure hatred. Yes, he has a weak firebending son but the older of the two is a strong firebender (or at least will be) so everything is fine. Rangshi is going to be his heir so it doesn't matter what Zuko can or can't do. Despite Rangshi's skill, Ozai keeps her focused on the basic stuff which she doesn't understand but doesn't say anything about it because she didn't want to upset her father. Rangshi also takes the time to show Zuko the basics and how to do different katas, both ones that are taught to young kids and ones she made up herself. (Rangshi: Good. Make sure your legs are strong. You need to control your bending. 5 year old Zuko: Okay! Like this? Rangshi: Yeah! Perfect! Zuko: Fireball? Rangshi: No! No fireball yet! You're too young. Zuko: You did one! Rangshi: I'm older than you. Zuko: By seven minutes. Rangshi: Still older. 3 year old Azula: Fireball! Rangshi & Zuko: NO!).

As time goes on, Rangshi becomes more and more powerful both in firebending and combat. However, she keeps her skills mostly under wraps because she doesn't want her father to know how good she is. If he knows she's excelling in bending, even more than Azula, then what's the point of keeping Azula around when Rangshi could be the only heir he needs? And she knows he's always looking for the chance to get rid of Zuko so Rangshi keeps her mouth shut. That being said, she does show off to her siblings and uncle because she likes seeing how excited they get whenever she learns a new skill. She also tells Lu Ten but he reacts more disbelieving and ignores her (not in a rude way but in a teenager way). (Rangshi: Uncle! Uncle! I learned how to bend white and blue flames! Iroh: Oh! Wow. That is very impressive. Lu Ten: Come on! You know she didn't learn that. Rangshi: Yes, I did! Lu Ten: The only person who ever bent white flames was.... Iroh: You can say her name. It's not a curse. Lu Ten: Was Rangi. Rangshi: Maybe I'm like her. Our names are similar after all. Iroh: No, you're not like her! Rangshi: Fine, but I did bend white and blue fire! Lu Ten: No, you didn't. There's no way an 8 year old learned that. Rangshi: Well I did! *Sticks out her tongue*).

Rangshi also starts to notice that there is some blatant favoritism in their family. She notices this first with Azula because one day she's out for a walk and sees Ursa tell Azula to leave the turtleduck pond because she hit one of them with bread. As Azula is walking away, with tears in her eyes, Rangshi gets to her before Ozai can and brings her to her room for some games. As more time goes on, Azula starts going directly to Rangshi for maternal love instead of Ursa and confiding in her more secrets that she had: including a little crush on Ty Lee. (Azula: Here's the way it goes. Now, what you do is, try to knock the apple off the other person's head. Like this. Rangshi: Azula! What are you doing? Azula: Playing a game and showing Ty Lee my new firebending move. Rangshi, noticing that Azula really wants to show off to Ty Lee: I think there are better ways then potentially hurting your friend. Why don't you take her to the training grounds and show her there? Azula: Okay. Rangshi: And Zuko? I think you said you needed help with moving your swords right? I can't help but maybe- Mai: You have swords? Can I see them? Zuko: Sure! Rangshi: My work here is done.) Then, when Ursa disappears, Rangshi becomes fiercely protective of both Zuko and Azula because she knows that Ozai is just going to try and use Azula as a weapon and hurt Zuko. When she becomes crown princess, Rangshi takes the opportunity to go out to the Fire Nation citizens and speak to them. Very quickly, she becomes favored by the citizens and looked upon as one of the best heirs to the throne in generations. Some people are even secretly waiting to celebrate the day Ozai will die so that Rangshi can take the throne.

When Zuko first goes to the Agni Kai, he tells Rangshi not to get involved. Rangshi, wanting to honor her brother's request and feeling like it isn't her place, stays in the audience with her sister and uncle. It's only when Ozai is revealed that she pushes past the guards and stands in front of her little (by 7 minutes) brother. Despite being his oldest heir, Ozai can't let her act this way and burns her, declaring her and Zuko to be unfit and sending them away. Rangshi takes Zuko with her on the ship and says they'll travel together to try and find the Avatar. (Rangshi: What...did you put...in this bag? Zuko: I didn't pack that. I thought you did. Rangshi: What.... *Opens the bag to find Azula* Rangshi: Zula- Azula: I'm coming! Rangshi: You can't. Father already said- Azula: NO! I want to stay with you! I want to go with you and Zuko! Father will...and with you and Zuko banished no one will be...I don't want to be alone. Rangshi, hugging Azula: I'm so sorry, Lala. I promise we'll come back home as soon as we can and we'll write you every day. Azula: I want to go with you. Rangshi: I know you do, but you can't. Iroh will stay here with you. He'll protect you. Azula: Promise you'll come back. Rangshi: I promise. Iroh: I thought I was- Rangshi: Plans change. Stay here and keep Azula safe. Iroh: Alright. Zuko: Bye, Zula. Azula: You have to come back too, Zuzu. Who else is gonna steal mochi with me? Zuko: I'll come back. I promise.) Rangshi and Zuko set sail that day with a small crew, waving goodbye to Azula and Iroh who will remain in the Fire Nation.

The three years at sea go pretty similar to how they did in canon. Zuko just feels some guilt whenever he sees Rangshi struggle with something because of her burn or whenever he sees the burn. He's the only person on the ship who's been allowed to see it and touch it. When they find Aang, Rangshi and Zuko go after him like before but Rangshi is the one to have more small scenes with Katara. She knows she shouldn't be flirting with the enemy but it's not her fault the enemy is cute. Zuko doesn't notice this but the crew does and Rangshi has suffered from a few jokes made about her and Katara. However, she also is more concerned about her brother than capturing the Avatar. She will put herself in danger if it means protecting Zuko, even if the Avatar gets away because of it, and by the time of Ba Sing Se, this lands her in the catacombs with Katara (this time just put there by the Dai Li for being a firebender).

{ Just separating these because 5 was getting really long }. (Katara: How could you, some spoiled princess, understand anything about the war?! About what it's done to people! Rangshi: I don't completely understand the war, but that doesn't mean I haven't suffered because of it. I had to take care of my younger siblings because my mother and father couldn't be bothered, had to hide my skills to protect them and myself, and put myself in between them and fire more times than I can count. Katara: I...I know what it's like to have to-to need to become more to protect your family. I had to do that for my family. Rangshi: You did?). Rangshi and Zuko change sides in Ba Sing Se and so does Azula, who is half doing it because her siblings are and half because she knows the war isn't completely right (three years with Iroh will do that), and the Gaang is able to keep Ba Sing Se. From there, they launch a successful invasion of the Fire Nation during the DOBS and that's when Ozai is taken down, Rangshi is put on the throne and Zuko and Azula are given the opportunity to finally be real kids and get to spend some time with their crushes. (Katara: Does this make me Fire Lady? Rangshi, smiling: If you want the title. Katara, kissing her girlfriend: I think I do.)