#and then Fushimi finds ways to incorporate firebender style into his waterbending

[ridiasfangirlings]

In your ATLA au where Fushimi is a waterbender in Mikoto's fire nation it makes me think that he must be particularly strong since he'd have to adapt to the climate with not a lot of sources of water. Like he'd be like Hama who could get water straight from the air and plants. How do others view Fushimi's ability to do these type of things?

I can see Fushimi being considered something of a natural in this AU, like even though he’s largely self taught he’s extremely strong and has learned to adapt to using his powers even without water present. I imagine in this AU Niki being a waterbender who was expelled from his home probably because he was doing all kinds of illegal bloodbending things and he used to like to use Fushimi for his experimenting, Fushimi meanwhile did his best to hide the fact that he was a waterbender at all but then at the same time he observed Niki in order to learn at least the basics of how to use his powers. After Niki dies and Fushimi starts living on the streets with Yata he does the same, Yata as a firebender can use his powers anywhere but Fushimi had to learn how to survive even if there isn’t water handy (and actually in this AU I could see him being good with the knives as well the same way he is in canon, like Fushimi also likes having a last ditch trump card just in case his bending isn’t an option). When he becomes part of Fire Lord Mikoto’s court especially it’s difficult because there’s very little water around, he’ll often watch the rest of Homra practicing their firebending and Fushimi will just be like sitting by himself not able to do anything and feeling irritated and useless. That’s when he remembers how Niki used to use bloodbending and while Fushimi refuses to do that himself it does give him the idea that there’s really water all around him, he doesn’t need to have a lake or river when he can just pull moisture from wherever he needs to.

Fushimi puts a lot of time into practicing that on his own and then the first time he pulls water straight from the plants in order to use it everyone’s amazed, Yata most of all. I think Yata would be super proud that Fushimi’s so talented, like look at how cool his friend is. Of course Yata’s super loyal to Mikoto and thinks that firebenders are the best, which constantly puts Fushimi’s teeth on edge, but seeing Fushimi using his bending in different ways like this also makes Yata brag a little that Fushimi’s different from other waterbenders, since he can do all these kinds of awesome things that Yata’s never seen any other benders do (and then maybe it happens that when Munakata tries to recruit Fushimi he shows that he’s able to do something similar but in a more controlled manner and Munakata notes that he could show Fushimi how to do this too). The rest of Homra thinks it’s impressive as well, I could see Kusanagi nodding in approval and noting that Fushimi’s very good at adapting to situations, like he doesn’t just give up because his powers can’t be used in the normal way and instead he found a way around that and it probably makes Kusanagi think even more that Fushimi would be a good pick as his successor even if Fushimi is a waterbender.