#azula WOULD read a dictionary for fun as a distraction from her familial strife and pain

[inamindfarfaraway]

This is incredibly niche, but… Avatar: The Last Airbender AU fusion with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Sokka is Chip Tolentino. The winner of last year’s bee, he’s experienced, highly intelligent and a little too cocky. But this time he gets… distracted by Ty Lee’s friend Suki in the crowd.

Ty Lee is Leaf Coneybear. She’s not that smart. Her sisters have been telling her that for years. She came third in her district bee, but the winner and runner-up weren’t available on the county one’s date.

Mai is Marcy Park. She succeeds at everything she does, only sleeps three hours a night, isn’t allowed to cry… and is not all business.

Aang is Logainne Schwartzandgrubiniere. His adoptive dads - a younger Tashi and Gyatso, the former strict and ruthless, the latter kind and more lenient - have high expectations for him and he lives in fear of disappointing them. He is precociously aware of and involved in social activism.

Azula is Olive Ostrovsky. She’s taken to the bee by her big brother because their father is working late again and their mother has recently left the country, and spends much of it struggling with her insecurities as her dad continues to not show up. Then to her amazed delight, she finds that she’s making a friend for the first time.

Toph Beifong is William Barfée. She has a magic foot technique, tapping words out in braille. She probably could have won last year if her overprotective parents hadn’t pulled her out against her will the instant her competitors got a little mean. Her growing bond with Azula is purely platonic (unless you ship them, which I don’t).

Piandao is Rona Peretti. He won this bee as a child. Treasuring that memory and valuing the discipline and excellence that accomplishment entails, he has become the moderator, taking pride in helping the new generation thrive under pressure, discover their potential and learn life lessons.

Zhao is Douglas Panch. He’s bitter about being a vice principal instead of a principal. Five years ago he stopped working at the bee due to an “incident”, likely because of his anger issues. But he’s totally fine now, he swears.

Jet is Mitch Mahoney. He’s an ex-convict being the bee’s comfort counsellor for his community service, just eighteen himself. Though jaded, he comes to care a lot about the kids.