#but states that azula is not redeemable with the same breath

[hyacinths-in-a-storm]

I said it once and I’ll say it again. Iroh is a boymom.

[justanotherthrowaway1950]

Zuko Did the Honorable Thing by Challenging Azula to the Final Agni Kai

Lately, there seems to be a popular strain of thought in ATLA fandom that the 16 year old Zuko was dishonorable in accepting his clearly mentally unstable sister’s Agni Kai challenge for the Fire Nation throne.

Or that the 16 year old Zuko challenging the 14 year old Azula to an Agni Kai is the same as the middle aged Ozai challenging the 13 year old Zuko to an Agni Kai due to “disrespecting” him in his war council meeting.

But when you look at the complete context, not only is there no equivalence whatsoever between Ozai’s challenge and Zuko’s acceptance, but also Zuko did the honorable and most sensible thing he could have considering the circumstances.

For it is it sad that Azula’s mental state deteriorated so hard that Zuko, who she is normally superior to, believed he could take her one on one?

Yes.

It is sad that two siblings, who, despite all that happened between them, do deep down care for each other, and yet, instead of being able to resolve their issues peacefully, instead have to fight each other till one of them is dead or subdued due to being on the opposite sides of a war that started long before either of them was born?

Yes.

It is sad that Iroh said that he could not fight his younger brother because history would negatively view two siblings fighting for the throne while in the same breath sending his underage surrogate son to fight his underage niece to death? 

Or that instead of subduing Azula himself with a handful of his fellow White Lotus members, Iroh instead deliberately choose to leave the fate of the Fire Nation and his remaining non-Ozai family in two teenagers' hands (Zuko and Katara) in favor of going on an ego trip liberating Ba Sing Se? Especially since TV!Iroh, even when out of shape, has hype and feats that suggest that he can easily defeat TV!Azula without hurting her or getting himself hurt?

Yes.

It is sad that Ozai, if he knew that Zuko was going to challenge his prodigy for the, as far as he knows, now worthless Fire Nation throne, would probably encourage it since in his twisted mind, either Azula gets to “redeem” herself for “failures” and for lying to his face about the Avatar’s survival, or Zuko will have done the world a favor by eliminating his “disappointing” daughter, who was not worthy of his “love” after all?

Yes.

It is sad that instead of getting a real chance to heal and atone for her actions after getting involuntarily psych warded, Azula instead got abused in her asylum to the point that her mental health further degraded, causing fans, and probably everyone in-universe outside of Zuko and Ursa after the actions she took because of said degraded mental health, to believe that she was always a psycho and/or that she had “second chance”, and yet threw it away?

Yes.

But the key point is that Azula was the agent of a genocidal, imperialist, colonizing regime, and was going to continue perpetuating violence on the world if she took the throne. Meanwhile, Zuko was an anti-imperialist seeking to take the throne so he could stop the Fire Nation’s unjust and vile war of aggression. 

And that Azula, even if she was mentally stable, was not going to be peacefully persuaded that everything she had been taught was wrong. Nor was she going to be peacefully persuaded that the world would never trust her on the throne, especially when Zuko, who at the point of the Agni Kai had shown he was a committed anti-imperialist, was a viable claimant and had a close connection with the Avatar.

For while we, the audience, know that Azula does have inner conflict and wishes that there was another path to take other than the one her father set out for her, Zuko and Katara don’t know that.

But what they do know is that: Azula is the hyper-competent Fire Princess who hunted them across the Earth Kingdom; that Azula is the person who overthrew Ba Sing Se with just two friends while also managing to turn Zuko and put a lightning bolt in Aang’s back; that she helped suggest  the “let’s burn the Earth Kingdom” plan, or at best suggested scorched earth tactics; that she actively encouraged the cruel treatment of prisoners of war like Suki; and that she started actively hunting them again once Team Avatar made a public reappearance on the Day of Black Sun.

And in Zuko’s case, Azula was his secondary abuser from childhood, attempted to kill him several times, and, as far as he knows, killed the love of his life after she saved him and half of Team Avatar from boiling alive in the Boiling Rock.

Also, Zuko was probably thinking ahead to when he needed to assert authority once he, Aang, and Katara successfully overthrew Ozai’s regime, and thus needed some way to legitimize his claiming of power.

For as far as the average Fire Nation citizen would be concerned, Zuko would be the traitorous crown prince who turned on his nation just when they were going to fulfill Sozin’s dream for the world in favor joining the demonic Air Nation Avatar so he could overthrow his highly regarded father and war hero sister so he could take the throne for himself.

And to make things even worse, Zuko’s only real domestic allies would be: the traitorous former Crown Prince General Iroh, the traitorous deserters Jeong Jeong, Piandao, and Chey, and the treasonous Ladies Mai and Ty Lee, if the Ladies miraculous survived being executed by Azula as far as Zuko is concerned.

So when Azula not only appears to be severely off her A-game, but also gift-wraps Zuko the means to legitimately take the throne, Zuko did what any sensible person would have done and accepted it, a choice that is vindicated by canon.

For even after Aang de-bends Ozai before allowing Zuko to jail him, and Zuko manages to involuntary psych ward Azula after winning their Agni Kai, Zuko constantly faces assassination attempts in Ozai’s name, and even an organized Ozai restoration movement in the form of the New Ozai Society, barely managing to survive all these threats to his life.

(Legacy tells us that Zuko officially won the Agni Kai even though Azula burned him, presumably because she attacked a non-duelist.)

So if Ozai, who had been defeated by a fully realized Avatar at the height of his power and spiritually mutilated as punishment for his transgressions against balance, was still was able to invoke such feelings in the Fire Nation population, imagine what would have happened if Zuko, instead of fighting Azula in an Agni Kai, instead decided to jump her in a 2 v 1 with a “snow peasant” before forcing the Fire Sages at fire and/or ice point to crown him Fire Lord?

Well, in my opinion, either Azula becomes an especially potent martyr if she dies, even compared to the scenarios where Azula dies in the Agni Kai since at least Agni Kais have the built in assumption that you are willingly risking your life by engaging in one, or, assuming that the 2 v 1 still ends with Azula alive and involuntarily psych warded instead of being killed, Zuko would have probably faced an Azula restoration movement. 

And in the latter scenario, assuming that Azula manages to escape Zuko’s custody like she does in canon due to Aang's unwillingness to use energybending except as an alternative to summary execution and Zuko’s selfish desire to find Mommy at all costs, even if it means putting the post-war order in danger, instead of Azula eventually realizing that no one will support her claim to the throne, and thus her "realization" that her destiny is to “help” Zuko, Azula instead would have joined up with the movement and easily dispatched Zuko and his friends/allies before restoring the old regime en route to restarting the Hundred Year War.

And obviously Zuko wants to keep on living alongside his friends and allies so that they can, among other things, build the world of peace and love that they desire instead of the world of hatred and subjugation that the Fire Nation created during the Hundred Year War.

Not to mention, at the time of Azula’s challenge, Zuko didn’t even know that energybending was a thing, making it more crucial that he delegitimize Azula, for even if she was jailed or psych warded, if she managed to escape his custody, she could easily train to surpass him once again before attempting to violently overthrow him.

And before you call this fear unfounded, Azula did canonically manage to surpass Zuko again post-Sozin Comet, and has attempted, and is still attempting to, overthrow Zuko, either by outright overthrowing him, or by turning him into her puppet.

But to wrap things up, while it is tragic that that the Final Agni Kai had to happen, that Azula never got the help she needed after loosing, and that the Agni Kai is used to demonize Azula, the fact is that considering what Azula was fighting for, and the fact that Zuko needed all the help in legitimize his rule while also delegitimizing his main probable rival claimant and her potential to be a potent martyr if he did end up having to kill her, Zuko did the honorable and sensible thing by accepting Azula’s Agni Kai challenge.

[mohluskiepedard]

Rating ATLA Characters literally only from what I’ve seen in fandom

or: posts that probably shouldn’t be on my writeblr except I don’t have a sideblog

the context here is it’s half midnight and I have never seen ATLA except I have opinions now apparently so here we go whoop de do- 

I’m also not actually rating them like numerically that’s too much work i’m just stating opinions I know I’m a fraud

AANG

- A child?  - A son?  - he is Baby. but also. he has had It Rough  - would make the updog joke - has unspeakable power or smth and everyone says he’s better than the Korra girl who comes after him but honestly tastes like sexism to me - doesn’t kill people because he’s like twelve, right? he’s like twelve so he refuses to kill people - I stan honestly - less twelve year olds should kill people - Some people say his name WRONG and they are BAD but i don’t actually know what the right way or the wrong way is so. have fun w that yall - lived in peace unTIL THE FIRE NATION ATTACKED 

KATARA

- She is also like twelve???  - Is everyone here twelve - Cortana?? Katana?? Catbug??  - She has good hair, - Her mother is dead??? her mother is dead n she has a brother but she cares about her mother being dead WAY more than him (or apparently the entire fandom??) - Badass - She seems soft. good. sweet - she’s a water breather or whatever??? her brother is NOT but he is a meme - I love her 

SOKKA

- NGL looks like a fuckboy  - The meme brother! does not do the water things, but he has an aXe???  - dates BAMF lady - ngl until I talked to my ATLA watching friend I thought he canonically dated Zuko  - kinda mad he doesn’t - I haven’t actually seen anything about him except like. in zuko ship posts and also Suki appreciation posts - joined the white lotus not-a-cult by accident???  - dark ATLA tumblr show me more Sokka posts - is his name prounounced the same way as Soccer or isn’t it I need to know - HIS FIRST GIRLFRIEND TURNED INTO THE MOON - (AND THAT’S ROUGH, BUDDY) - He and Suki are a good ship, but also, Sokka Has Two Hands

SUKI

- the BAMF herself - she says STOP in that photo but also to sexism - Rlly all I see of her in fanon is abt her teaching Sokka to drink his respect women juice and I appreciate her doing that but also it’s sad she never gets talked about outside of what she did for a man - I hope she has other badass moments w/o him it would suck if she didn’t - she is NOT the girlfriend who turned into the moon, she is the one who didn’t - I don’t know much else about her ATLA Fandom y’all should appreciate her more

ZUKO

- Look at him... my son... - He has a good redemption arc - he and his sister are evil lesbian and redeemed gay guy??? - has a straight canon ship but should’ve been with Sokka this boy is gay - I Want To Protect Him - That’s literally it - he has a cool uncle and his dad sucks  - people ship him with Katara and I Do Not Get It that’s his sister in law except not really - “We don’t trust Zuko’s change of heart” [the next day] “so Zuko is my closest friend now,��  - His dad was like “fuck up the avatar to prove your worth to me” and Aang was like “counter argument you already have worth and we should fuck up your dad” and I think that’s beautiful - he becomes the fire man and he’s very good at it - Zuko for President 2020 - in the words of myself, half an hour ago: “ I was like "that kid with the burn on his face seems like a sad but then happy mlm who needs found family" and I was RIGHT” - took too long to find a happy picture of him :( Zuko rights NOW please - His mother’s story got compared to an OC of mine and all I can say is oh no and they deserve better based on that alone - I have had Zuko for five minutes but if anything else happens to him I will kill everyone in this throne room and then myself

TOPH

- She is badass but like also will murder you while laughing maniacally? - for some reason reminds me of Nott from Critical Role, another show I Have Not Seen - Is blind but gets more out of making jokes abt being blind than she would from being able to see - “Sight is just a cheap tactic to make weak benders stronger!!!” - Literally the opposite of Aang and has killed many people?? - She Can Tell When You’re Lying. But I do not know how and Am simply mildly threatened by this - Therapist: Toph’s ability to know if you’re lying isn’t real and can’t hurt you. Toph’s ability to know if I’m lying:  - She and Zuko.... buddies???  - if not they should be - tiny sad boy needs friends like toph

AZULA

- Evil Lesbian Culture - [BDG Voice] You committed a war crime! Oopsie! - took be gay do crime too literally - her and Zuko have accurate sibling writin except instead of “you ever want to murder your sibling for breathing in the same space as you,” being a Joke Azula took it seriously - okay but with a name like azula she should be the blue bender this ANNOYS me she should NOT be red bender - AZULa  - AZUL - IT MEANS BLUE - She was half of y’alls gay awakenings and it SHOWS - Should have maybe been redeemed too??? Jury is out no one knows - Was she gay for Ty Lee or wasn’t she I can’t tell how much of that Audio is a joke - IS SHE ALSO TWELVE??? IS EVERYONE HERE TWELVE?? IS THIS TWELVE YEAR OLD COMITTING ATROCITIES? 

UNCLE IROH

- A Good Man - Finally, Some Good Fucking [Adult Figures]  - he has the tea. literally and figuratively - Ozai is like “and I will permanently disfigure my son and throw him out” and Iroh is like “What The Fuck, Ozai,” thus voicing the entire audience’s thoughts - Literally the only adult in this that I trust - I? I love him. this is all I have to say. my love for him is unending. Some1 protect this man from all harm   - he’s Zuko’s uncle (and also Azula ig) but he does not seem related to Ozai. is it just a theme in this family that one sibling is chill and one sibling commits horrendous atrocities against your fellow human beings or  - something happened to his son???? :((((( I Don’t Want Him To Have Suffered Like This

OZAI

- A BAD MAN - Uh Oh (stinky)  - THE WORST OF THE MEN  - I do not like him - Bastard man. nasty. committed war crimes and then went “but what if - get this - i also abused my son,”  - I would like him to Not Be Like This - by Like This I mean present and alive  - :/ 

TY LEE

- She’s NOT the There Is No War In Ba Sing Se lady and I don’t know why i thought she WAS but until I looked up her photo I thought that was her  - She looks like a sweetheart tho - I hope nothing bad happens to her????  - talks about auras??? or smth??? let her vibe - She would talk animatedly to me about warrior cats if she was in my year seven class and I was sat alone and I would understand none of it but appreciate her anyway - if azula bullies her I’ll be :( at Azula and Azula will not care because she has Mommy Issues and therefore is slightly unhinged - She seems like that one kid with no trauma vibing at the edge of [every other kid having trauma] and not really getting it but trying her best - Is she also twelve?????? She maybe looks twelve

CABBAGE MAN 

- HIS CABBAGES - fulfills my favourite trope: ordinary person repeatedly has life disrupted by the inconveniences of relying on actual children to save the world - probably has a campaign post canon for letting trained adults fix the worlds’ problems in the future - or sets up the Very First Cabbage Insurance Company - look at him. he loves his cabbages so much. you go you funky lil cabbage man

ALSO THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES MOMO

- LOOK AT HIM HE’S SO GOOD - small. fluffy. big ears - Lord Momo of the Momo Dynasty: his Momoness - a Good Boy...

APPA

- he looks so soft... - he can fly but he just does it by??? vibing through the air?? motionless??? iconic - I saw that one post about mishearing it as Abba and thinking he was Aang’s dad and he looks like he would be a good stand in dad ngl - he’s so LORGE - a chonky boy - love him

that is everyone I have heard of it and if I left someone out it’s a sign that y’all should talk about em more bc I have no clue they exist put more ATLA On my Dash ig I’ll do Legend of Korra ig maybe apparently that one has canon wlw and i love me some canon wlw

[raewritez]

all that mattered

based on this request: Hello! I love your writing! Can i request a zuko x firebender reader where the reader was a close friend of zuko’s and went with him when he had to go hunt the avatar and she goes w the gaang in the catacombs and is hurt by zuko’s decision but they reconcile slowly @ the western air temple? Thanks!!

word count: 2.8k

You were happy, a cautious glint of hope pulling at your heartstrings as you smiled at Zuko from across the teashop. After all you had been through together; from playing pirates with the young boy who wore his heart on his sleeve to sneaking onto the navy ship to follow your best friend on his seemingly unachievable quest for the Avatar, you had finally grasped the scraps of unabashed content in the upper ring of Ba Sing Se. 

You were so proud of Zuko. He had come so far from the erratic, rage-filled boy you had stuck with the past three years, now growing into the person you always knew he was. The glimmers of your youth seemed so far now, yet closer than they had been in years. The Zuko you knew then; the soft, earnest child who loved his friend unashamedly in the merriments of your pretendings was slowly peeking out of the harsh exterior he had built up in his desolation. 

He found himself aching, yearning for your presence and the unwavering comfort you had always provided him. He could barely remember a world without you, without the familiarity of your laughter and the warmth of your caring touches. He knew he loved you, he supposed he always had. He knew it in the way his heart would speed up at the sight of your grin, how a lovely blush would make its way to his face at the soothing lilt of your voice. He knew he loved you, the same way he had when his hands were small and his face unscarred, when the only problems were the insufficient days that weren’t long enough to hold all your adventures. 

Now, you were smiling at him from across the room of Iroh’s tea shop. Like always, he felt his face heat up and the corners of his lips threatening to lift at the mere sight of your joyful expression. He smiled back, forgetting for a moment the weight upon his shoulders. Again, the Avatar had been preoccupying his mind, the temptation and longing to be back home and to feel the affection of his father overpowering his logic. But now, with his amber eyes locked with yours and his uncle’s jolly laughter ringing over the dulled chatter of the customers, he thought maybe a life like this wouldn’t be too bad.

///

“Zuko!” you cried, launching yourself into his arms.

Iroh trailed behind you, the Avatar in tow. The catacombs shone with an emerald glow, a slight chill in the humid air. You turned your head to see Aang hugging Katara, while you step aside to allow Iroh to embrace his nephew.

“Uncle, Y/n, I don't understand,” Zuko speaks, his brows furrowed. “What are you doing with the Avatar?”

“Saving you, that's what,” Aang replies. Zuko growls and steps forward confrontationally, your arms reaching out to restrain him.

“Zuko, it's time we talked,” Iroh says calmly. 

He tells Aang and Katara to leave, Zuko’s eyes trailing after them. 

“Why, Uncle?” Zuko questions in a hurt tone.

Iroh simply smiles. “You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good.”

You yelp as you feel your body being encased in a prison of crystal alongside Iroh, your eyes snapping up to meet Azula’s golden ones with a glare that could send a man ten feet under. Zuko frantically reaches out to you, only to be halted by Azula’s drawling voice.

“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?” “Release them immediately,” Zuko growls.

“It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself.” “Zuko, no!” You shout, desperation in your eyes. “You can’t listen to her! She’s lying, like she always does!” Azula chuckles sinisterly. “Am I, Y/n? Or are you just trying to hold him back? He knows his destiny, it seems to me like you’re only preventing him from achieving it.”

“Zuko, that’s not true!” you call out to him, your voice cracking. “I know you, I know that what you want isn’t-”

“Why don't you let him decide, Y/n?” her voice cuts through like a knife. “Zuko, I need you. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have father’s love. You’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted.” Iroh’s pleads are drowned out by the noise inside your head, the panic setting in and clouding your senses. Please, Zuko. Don’t do this.

Tears roll down your cheeks as Zuko turns his back, following his sister out of the cavern. A choked cry leaves your mouth, desperation for the lost feeling of happiness leaving you feeling empty. 

Iroh tenderly calls out your name, the deep sadness in his expression interrupted only by a glint of determination.

/// You gaze up in horror as the figure of the Avatar falls to the ground, Azula’s outstretched fingers crackling with electricity.

Katara rushes forward, her water crashing over the Dai Li agents and Firenation siblings and pulling them under the waves. She embraces Aang in her arms, a look of hopelessness and despair shining in her tear-filled eyes.

You stare in disbelief at the face of the prince, your heart splintering. Iroh suddenly jumps in front of your frame defensively, his voice booming in the hollowness of the catacomb. 

“You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!” Fire thrusts forth from his fists, momentarily halting the soldiers. Katara makes her way over to you, her hand outstretched. You look at her with confusion, having been prepared to suffer your fate at the hands of your nation.

“Come on!” She exclaims, grasping your hand and lifting the three of you out of the wretched caves. The last thing you see are his eyes, piercing your soul with the bitterness of betrayal and abandonment. 

///

“Hello, Zuko here.”

You can only stare, shocked into a state of paralyzation by the utter surprise of seeing his figure on the mountainside. He looks different, his hair is longer and his face bears a hesitant smile. 

As the shock fades, it is replaced with a burning anger, the one that has been brewing and festering in the depths of your soul ever since he walked out of that cave with his sister. Your eyes narrow into slits, a hardened glare contorting your features. His eyes flicker to yours as your friends unload their bearings onto him, only to shrink away at the fire in your expression. 

He longs to rush forward, to fall at your feet and beg for forgiveness. The guilt that has been plaguing his mind for weeks bubbling to the surface; the sight of you almost bringing him to the ground. He yearns to be in your arms again, to bask in your wondrous existence and fearless love.

But he knows he doesn’t deserve it. He had hurt you, abandoned you. You, who had stood steadfast beside him through all his troubles and misfortunes, you, who had shown such faith in him that he began to wonder how he deserved it. And for what? For honor? For the approval of his father? He didn’t know, but he knew that walking away from you and his uncle in those catacombs was the single biggest regret of his life. 

He’s sent away, and you don’t argue. Not that he would expect you to. That night, as he curls in on himself by the blaze of the campfire, silent tears stream down his face as he aches for you, as he loves you from afar in the high hours of the night. He at least finds comfort in the fact that you sleep under the same sky.

///

a week later...

It was almost unbearable, having him so near. You saw him everyday as he trained with Aang and conversed with the rest, his gaze always finding yours the second you walked into his vicinity. You kept your distance, the wound of his desertion still raw and painful, building new walls around your heart which had always remained unsheltered. Your body betrayed your logic, your fingers itching to run through his hair, your breath escaping your lungs whenever you heard the rasp of his voice.

You knew he had changed, really changed this time, that much was obvious. The way he and Aang talked like old friends, how he was slowly worming his way into the group’s good graces and affections.

He hadn’t pushed you, hadn’t demanded you speak to him or expressed anger at your coldness. Instead, he waited, reluctantly settling for small acts of atonement and care. He would always ensure you received the first bowl of rice at dinnertime, secretly complete your chores for you. He treated you like an idol, an alter, his actions small compensation for all his wrongdoings and mistakes.

That didn’t mean it was easy for him, though. Zuko starved for your closeness, the feeling of having you so close yet so far eating away at his heart. He feared that he would never again experience the love you so unsparingly served to him, never again bathe in the solace of your friendship.

He found you sitting beneath the moon, Yue’s light cascading through your hair and illuminating your features with an ethereal glow. His breath was ripped away at your unapologetic beauty, a familiar longing consuming his senses.

“Y/n,” he whispered. 

You whipped around, your eyes locking with his. Under his intense stare you were paralyzed, unable to run away like you wanted.

You sighed. “What do you want, Zuko?”

There was a bitterness to your words, but all Zuko could focus on was the way his name sounded from your lips. He hadn’t heard the sound in so long, the melody squeezing his heart with adoration. He knew it was undeserved, though.

When he didn’t respond you scoffed and rolled your eyes, standing up to walk back to the temple only to be gently yanked back by a hold on your wrist.

“No, wait, I...” his eyes were wide, a distressed look upon his face. He glanced down at your interlocked hands, reluctantly letting go so as not to overstep. “I...”

You stared at him, brows furrowed. What? What could you possibly have to say to me?

“I...I’m sorry.”

He sighed, brushing his hair out of his face. “I know that doesn’t mean anything, and it doesn’t make anything better, but....I just need you to know how sorry I am.”

When you didn’t interrupt, he pressed on.

“Not a single day went by where I didn’t think of you. When I was in the Fire Nation, I had everything I’d ever wanted. I thought everything would fall into place...but it didn’t. Every night when I went to sleep I would see your face, how  you looked at me back in Ba Sing Se. Like I was a monster.”

Your features softened at that, that part inside you that you had locked away yearning to reach out to him, to comfort him like you always had. 

“What I did was so wrong,” he continued. “And I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for it. But I can’t live with knowing that you hate me, that we can never be friends again because I was so stupid. And, I mean, you’re not just my friend, you’re way more than that! We’ve been through everything together, and back in Ba Sing Se everything was perfect and I ruined it, and now you hate me and now I probably can’t ever-”

He was rambling now, his eyes ablaze with the struggle to salvage the scraps of your relationship. You couldn’t stand watching him in such distress, all of the emotions you had built a wall around slowly cracking through.

“I don’t hate you, Zuko.”

The words were out before you could stop them.

His rant ceased abruptly, his eyes latching onto yours, a question lingering behind his golden irises.

“I never really hated you,” you spoke, shuffling uncomfortably in your place. “I just...”

His wild eyes calmed, replaced with an imploring gaze, urging you to continue. 

“I thought I did. Every time I thought of you I felt so angry, and I thought I hated you but I don’t. I never could.” His lips parted, staring at you with such wonderment you were reminded of the way people beheld paintings. Or how Iroh looked at tea.

“Why?” he questioned. “Why can’t you?”

“I don’t know.” 

You knew.

///

Days passed, and the crumbs of your bond with Zuko were slowly falling back into place. You still bore a scar from the memories, but seeing him acting as the person you had always wanted him to be filled your heart with more pride than you’d like to admit. 

He moved around freely, interacting with the misfits that had become your family and smiled carelessly in the gleams of his content. Seeing the way his eyes lit up, the way his lips tugged up at the corners made your heartbeat irregular. His hair wasn’t bad either, and his insistence to remain shirtless while training Aang certainly wasn’t helping your attempts to remain impassive.

You found him sitting at the edge of the cliff, his legs dangling over the vast expanse of sky. His ebony locks danced around his face, a pensive expression resting on his brows.

He snapped around at the sound of your footsteps, an unguarded grin making its way to his face upon seeing you.

“Hi,” you greeted, your feet carrying you to sit beside him.

“Hey,” he breathed, eyeing your profile as your arm brushed against his, the sensation sending shivers up his spine.

You tilted your head towards the stars, the coolness of the night caressing your cheeks. You remained silent for a few minutes before speaking.

“I missed you, you know.”

Zuko turned to you, finding your eyes closed against the navy curtain of the sky.

“Even when I was mad. I guess spending ten years of your life with someone makes you a little attached, huh?”

His eyes traced your profile, dipping down the curve of your nose and lips and rising back to the delicateness of your eyelashes. Attached, he chuckled. He was long past attached.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Your head swirled to face him, your eyes reflecting the adoration and love they always had, the same look Zuko had passed to you so often in the shadows of your obliviousness. Your fingers rose to tenderly trace the outline of his scar, your familiar touch elicting all of the emotions Zuko had been deprived of in your time apart.

He nuzzled further into your embrace, feeling much like the boy he had been all those years ago. Just you and him, when nothing else mattered. When he was a child, and you were a child, and he loved his friend in the pureness of childhood.

And he loved you now.

Deciding he couldn’t wait any longer, after years of longing built up on a lifetime of friendship, he pushed himself forward until his lips met yours.

Your breath escaped you in a gasp, your palm finding its way to its proper place against his cheek. Your lips pressed against his with fervor, all of the emotions that you had ever felt for this boy disclosed in the desperation in which your hands grasped his shirt in a hopeless attempt to bring yourself even closer.

His arms wound around your waist, his thumbs stroking your sides as he kissed you with all the love and affection he possessed. His raven hair tickled your face as your lips locked over and over again, until the only thing you two were more desperate for than each other was air. 

You breathed heavily, slowly regaining your senses. Your eyes met his with the same hesitant look that was held in his. For a moment you simply stared at each other, gazing, before grins broke out across both your faces. 

Your laugh cut through the night, his own chuckles escaping him. He gazed at you fondly, leaning in to capture your mouth in a short and sweet kiss. You smiled unabashedly, pressing your forehead against his. This was long overdue. You basked in each other’s presence, soft caresses and brief pecks shared under the light of the moon. As you loved one another beneath the stars the world faded away and nothing else mattered.

It was just you and him.

[miraculouscontent]

*moon walks in* have you ever written anything for zutara? If not that’s cool *moon walks out*

I’ve written a piece, yes. It’s a what-if on Zuko’s scar getting healed by Katara instead of them getting interrupted after their conversation in the catacombs:

"It's a scar. It can't be healed."

"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important. I don't know if it would work, but..."

Likewise, Zuko didn't know why he allowed Katara to touch his scar. He'd long grown used to the fact that he had it, but that also didn't mean he let people idly touch it like it were something to gawk and poke at.

And what did he really expect? That his scar would be magically taken away, just like that? His life had never been that easy. He'd struggled all throughout his existence, and any wounds caused along the way were likely there to stay.

This girl was clearly fooling herself, acting as if it'd just be--

"Yeah, I--" Katara summoned forth her spirit water. "--I think this might work."

He gave her a weird look, though given that his neutral expression usually made him come off as sour anyway, she probably couldn't tell. "What?"

She seemed to ignore him, her spirit water bending around her hand. She looked up at him, eyes briefly squinting like she was unsure, then stared down at the spirit water with the same expression. She took a breath, apparently solving whatever mental debate she was having as she raised her hand to touch his scar again.

He flinched, and then hated himself for flinching. The water had been freezing.

"Oh!" she gasped. "Sorry. You're a firebender, so it must be too cold for you."

He was almost suspicious, but the look in her eyes seemed genuine. He had a slew of responses for her, most of which were sarcastic, but he somehow ended up saying, "It's fine. I can handle it," instead.

She tilted her head, concerned, but that just made him more determined to prove her wrong. He forced himself to stand rigidly in place, staring her down like he was ready for a fight.

She snorted - actually snorted - at him! Was she amused? The nerve!

"Alright, hold still," she ordered gently, raising her hand again.

Zuko tried not to look so obviously like he was steeling himself up. Thanfully, if Katara had noticed anything this time, she showed no sign of it, and the water touched his face without issue. He was surprised in a way, as he'd expected her to make the water colder just out of spite.

It was nice to be wrong, he supposed.

The water felt strange against his skin. He couldn't see what she was doing obviously, his left eye closed from the water while his right could see a bit of her hand if he really tried. Katara's gaze, meanwhile, was focused and steady, never wavering from where her hand was.

He was only forced to stop looking when the water began to glow. The temperature of the water suddenly stopped mattering, as he couldn't determine it. Maybe it was numbing him?

He could feel the vibration as the liquid shifted like a calming wave, like it were washing over the left side of his face over and over despite it already being submerged. At first, he didn't understand how it felt like it was seeping into his skin, seeking impurities and washing them away, without hurting him at all.

But water was the opposite of fire. His father's flames had burned him and the heat had dug so deeply as to leave a scar, so it would only make sense if water could reverse it. He'd just never imagined it was possible, and he was more glad than anything else that the light forced him to close his eyes as to avoid Katara seeing any more emotion than he was comfortable sharing.

Could someone's sins really be washed away with something as simple as water?

Suddenly, there was the sound of rocks collapsing nearby, jarring both he and Katara out of their state. Katara staggered forward in surprise, but seemed compelled to keep her hand on the left side of his face. Likewise, he tried not to move, unsure of how interrupting the process would go and not wanting to tempt fate.

His left eye couldn't see beyond the now-faint light of the healing water, while the right could only stare at Katara. She'd averted her gaze, presumably to look at what'd caused the disturbance, and although Zuko couldn't see it himself from where he was at, he knew well enough that she was capable and would say something if anything were wrong.

Katara's eyes widened. "Aang!"

Recognizing the name of the Avatar, Zuko's head twitched on reflex to look, only barely managing to keep the rest of himself still as Katara's hand was still on him. She went through something similar, shifting her body as if to run off before remembering the situation.

She peered up at him, the light intensifying now that her focus had returned. She tilted her head and eyed him critically as she ran her thumb where his scar was. He may've taken the critical gaze personally under normal circumstances, but he supposed it was just the water having an effect on him.

Finally, the light died down, Katara pulling her hand away along with the water. Zuko was immediately hit with the strange sensation of just the left side of his face, covering it with his hand in surprise at the shift in his vision.

Katara had already run off. He straightened, looking over to see her in the middle of hugging Aang, who was currently glaring at him. Iroh was nearby, rushing to Zuko to embrace him. It wasn't that Zuko wasn't happy to see his uncle, but he focused on returning Aang's glare, not sure what the Avatar's motives are.

Given that, he wondered aloud, "Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar?"

Aang broke away from Katara and replied, as if he'd been asked, "Saving you, that's what."

Needless to say, Zuko didn't appreciate the cheekiness in his tone. He tried to move, ready to fight, but Iroh hugged him tighter to prevent him from going anywhere.

"Zuko, it's time we talked," he said sternly, but quietly. Finally pulling away - allowing Zuko to lower his hand from his face - Iroh turned to face Katara and Aang. "Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you."

Aang bowed, then ran off for the nearest cave. Katara followed, but kept a slower pace to look back at Zuko.

He saw a slight raise of her brows, then a smile that wasn't directed at the Avatar, but at him. He tried not to show too much of a reaction to it, not matter how bizarre it was, but that didn't stop him from continuing to maintain eye contact until she'd fully disappeared into the cave.

Then, remembering himself and that Iroh had never answered his question, he turned. "Why, Uncle?"

Iroh faced him, looking serious. "You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You--" He cut himself off, eyes going wide and mouth dropping open in surprise. Apparently, all the seriousness had just drained out of him. "You're really not the man you used to be!"

"What?" Zuko asked, but realized a second later exactly where Iroh was staring. Bringing a hand up to his face, he finally felt along where his scar was.

Or rather, where his scar used to be. His skin was smooth, his vision just as good in his left eye as it was in his right. In fact, the only sign that there'd been a scar at all was his lack of a left eyebrow, though that could grow back with time.

"The... Katara," he began, "she used a type of water she got at a spirit oasis."

"A spirit--of course..." Iroh's expression regained its calmness as he placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Zuko, listen to me. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been, and now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny."

Zuko raised a brow (well, the only one he had), not sure he understood.

Iroh continued, "It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good."

Zuko opened his mouth, but the conversation was cut off by a sudden earthquake. He managed to keep his balance, but a slew of crystals suddenly burst through the ground, separating him from Iroh and trapping the latter in a crystal prison.

He gaped at the sight, then assumed a fighting position at nothing in particular and readied himself, not showing any emotion even as Azula descended form the sides of the crystal chamber alongside what he presumed to be two earthbenders.

Walking to Zuko and Iroh, Azula kept up her usual demeanor despite his vanished scar. "I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko," she began, "Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?"

Zuko glared. "Release him immediately!"

"It's not too late for you, Zuko," Azula insisted as she stopped in front of him, not paying his order any mind. "You can still redeem yourself."

Iroh shouted to Zuko from his containment in the crystals, "The kind of redemption she offers is not for you!"

"Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?" Azula challenged. She glanced back at Zuko, voice softening as she continued, "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day - " She raised a fist for emphasis. " - 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."

Father's love? Everything he wanted?

"Zuko," Iroh called out gingerly, "I am begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want."

Zuko looked back and forth between the two, Azula's eyes unusually gentle while Iroh's were as gentle as they always had been. However, he lowered his gaze, not meeting either.

"You are free to choose," Azula said. She raised a hand, the gesture wordlessly telling her guards to leave the premises. That done, she simply walked off into the cave that Aang and Katara had gone.

Zuko thought back to Iroh, though still not looking at him. I'm begging you, he'd said, and it was familiar because he'd said it before. Zuko had been down this path before, being asked what he wanted and what his "destiny" really was back when he tried to take the Avatar's bison. He remembered it well.

I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you, and what do you want?

Prince. Iroh had called him that, even back then. Azula was doing it now as well, but...

Zuko knew deep down that it was one of her tricks. He'd played her games too many times; been played too many times. He wasn't foolish enough to think otherwise, but he also couldn't be sure that Azula would betray him completely.

Already, he could hear a fight ensuing in the the direction that Azula had gone. His feet were itching to move; to do something, but what?

Iroh spoke up, "You said it was water from a spirit oasis."

Zuko glanced over at him, giving him his attention.

Iroh continued, "Zuko, that scar you had was full of suffering and terrible memories. Had you truly wanted to go back to that, I'm sure that you wouldn't have been able to be healed from it." He shook his head, his voice thick with sorrow. "All this time, you've been trying to make up for something I've never held against you."

"What do you mean?"

"Think," Iroh urged. "You spoke up, yes, but against the idea of lives being lost! Are you going to apologize for that?!"

Zuko blinked, eyes wide at the fact that he'd never thought of that.

Iroh's voice softened. "I'm sorry that I let you into that meeting. I had to live with that guilt for the scar you had on your face."

"What? Uncle, no, I'm the one--"

"You were young, but you were already a far better Fire Lord than your father will ever be. You cared about the lives of others even if they weren't for your own benefit. I'm proud of you, and I'm so happy that you have a moment to start over again." He paused, squirming briefly within the crystal restraints. Realizing that he was firmly stuck, he looked back to Zuko, uttering firmly, "Go."

"But, Uncle--"

"Go!"

Zuko's feet finally moved. He dashed past Iroh and into the cave as quickly as he could.

He felt stupid. He felt pathetic. He'd spent all this time torn and twisted between two sides when his heart had made up its mind a long time ago and his body struggled to listen.

"The Fire Nation took my mother away from me."

"I'm sorry. That's something we have in common."

Common. Relating to someone was not something he often did. His father and sister had long since convinced him that he was less than nothing without earning his honor back, but what did honor mean? If he was less than nothing, why could he get so close to the Avatar and his bison with his own efforts?

The only thing he had in common with Ozai and Azula was blood, and it'd been boiling away ever since he'd been banished.

Who are you, and what do you want?

As he made it out of the cave, he jumped, letting out a blast of fire between the ongoing fight that Azula, Katara, and Aang were having. They all stared at him as he landed, his stance ready for action as he looked around at the lot of them. Now that his mind was clear, he could see the almost expectant look in Azula's eyes, along with a hidden threat if he dared to betrayed her.

He was no pawn. Not anymore. He wrote his own destiny.

"I'm Zuko," he declared firmly. "and I want the kind of honor that you and my father could never give me!"

He inhaled, then thrust his arms forward to let out a blast of fire so loud that it drowned his own cry of frustration. Years of pent-up aggression were put into the flames, and he just barely caught the sight of his sister's wide eyes before she almost seemed to become engulfed in it. It wasn't that he thought he'd truly destroy her with it, but finally letting it out gave him a sense of freedom he hadn't felt before.

Aang and Katara flung themselves back due to the heat, despite not being within the flames' particular range. Aang gaped, confused, then glanced at Katara for answers.

But she wasn't looking at Aang. She was meeting Zuko's gaze with her own. For the moment of calm in the battle, they simply stared at one another.

They said nothing, but shared an unspoken promise, held together by the simple commonality they shared.

Let's take down the Fire Nation together.

[muertawrites]

Two Halves - Chapter Twelve (Zuko x Reader)

Part 11

Word Count: 3,000

Author’s Note: Let’s talk about Azula. I know a lot of people really want a redemption arc for her, and it’s something that’s written a lot in the fanfic community, but (like everything else) I have an unpopular opinion about her - I don’t think she deserves a redemption arc. This doesn’t mean I think she’s a bad character. I actually think exactly the opposite - she’s so perfectly written that I feel changing her to make her any less problematic would ruin her. 

Characters can be great without ever redeeming themselves, and Azula is a perfect example of one of A:TLA’s major themes - that there’s no such thing as absolute good or bad - in that she’s clearly vindictive, manipulative, egotistical, and sociopathic, but the way the series leaves her convinces the watcher to feel sympathetic towards her. It’s such a beautiful destruction of preconceived notions in fiction that I don’t think it needs to be touched. Azula is evil, but I love her that way. 

~ Muerta

Appa’s feet don't touch sand until late evening, by which time it feels like you've been flying for weeks.

A group of about twenty guards is waiting when you land, each of them wrapped from head to toe in white gauze; the woman at the front of the group removes her face covering and introduces herself as the warden of the compound, her expression hard and motionless behind sun-darkened skin. She leads you through a maze of buildings enclosed by high, interlocking stone walls, to an empty store room that’s been converted into a bedroom for your stay. 

“We only have what we need out here,” she explains. “The guards’ bunks are all filled, and we don't typically have guests. I'm sorry we couldn't give you more appropriate lodging.” 

“It's alright,” Aang assures her. “We’re used to sleeping rough.” 

Dinner is composed of a combination of dried meat and pickled vegetables, paired with water from a well in the center of the surrounding block of buildings; you're advised only to use it for drinking and not to bathe, saving it for the guards stationed at the compound. Even after the sun sets, the air feels arid and scorched, the sweat dripping down the back of your neck doing nothing to cool you. 

“It's awful out here,” you remark as you settle into your bed roll for the night. “I can see why Sokka went insane.” 

“Sokka went insane because of hallucinogenic cactus juice,” Katara corrects you, smirking at the memory.

“I can't believe I missed most of that,” Aang laments. “He must've been a handful.” 

“You had more important things to worry about,” Katara softly reminds him. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, placing a tender kiss atop the crest of his head; you look away, your stomach churning uneasily at the intimate display. 

You lay and attempt to sleep for the next few hours, finding yourself unable. The ground is too hard beneath you, your thin blankets too heavy and hot. You toss and turn over and over again, trying to find a comfortable position that seems not to exist. Your mind races and refuses to slow down. 

Despite your guilt over doing so, you go out to the well and fill a small basin, splashing your face with warm water in the hopes it'll make you feel better. Katara joins you a moment or two later, having noticed your unrest. She dips her hands into the water and runs them comfortingly through your hair to cool you off. 

“What's wrong?” she asks. 

You sigh as you lower yourself onto the base of the well, holding your knees to your chest. 

“I'm worried,” you admit in a murmur. 

Katara sits down beside you and rests her hand on your arm. 

“Aang and I won't leave until after you speak with Azula,” she promises. “And even then, we’ll be right outside the room the entire time. You're not doing this alone.” 

You shake your head, afraid to look her in the eye. 

“That's not it. When you go to the Northern Air Temple… they're going to expect me to get pregnant, too. But I'm not ready to have a baby, and I don't know if I'll ever be.” 

Katara curls her arms around you, pulling you into her lap in the motherly way she used to do when you were kids. She strokes your hair, and you nestle into the fabric of her night gown.

“What does it feel like?” you wonder. Your voice is nothing but a breath. “To… have sex?” 

Katara’s hands pause their ministrations. She sits absolutely still for a moment, gazing off as she mulls the question over. 

“... It hurts,” she says after a while, “but only at first. Then it feels exciting. It's sort of like getting hit by lightning, but gently, over and over again. You feel it in your whole body; it's unlike anything else. The best part is being so close to someone you love in a way that nobody else will ever be close to you. It’s like magic.” 

“But I don't love Zuko,” you reply. “I didn't choose him like you chose Aang. How could it be the same for me?” 

“You did choose Zuko,” Katara contests. “Do you think Dad would have forced you into marrying him if you fought hard enough against it? You might not have chosen him because you love him, but there's a reason you're together. I think you will love him. There's something about the two of you that just… fits. I've never been very good with intuition and even I could feel it the first time I saw you together. You will love each other; and we both know Zuko cares about you too much to force you into anything before you're ready. Trust him. Follow what you feel for him.” 

You sigh, shutting your eyes tightly as the weight of the desert heat squeezes down on you; nonetheless, Katara’s hands are chilled as they begin to rework the braid knotted down your back.

“I know he’ll protect me,” you say. “That's all he's done since we met. But I don't know if I want to be protected.” 

“You don't have to be,” Katara tells you. Her voice is soft and serious. “You've never let anyone tell you what to do; not even now.” 

“Keeping that up is dangerous though,” you whisper. “Doing the wrong thing could get me killed - it could get Zuko killed, or you, or any number of people I care about. And I've been really stupid about it up until now.” 

“Has Zuko ever talked to you about redirecting lighting?” Katara asks. 

You shake your head. 

“It's a water bending technique,” she explains. “The idea is that you take your opponent’s force and turn it back against them, but you have to keep your own energy steady to be able to do it.” 

She takes one of your hands between both of hers, pressing it tightly between her palms.

“Keep doing what you're doing,” she urges. “If one of us gets hurt, you can't let the loss break you; you have to use it to fight back. Anyone who wants to destroy you needs your permission to do so.” 

You sit up so you can look her in the eye; her expression is resolute, brows drawn together with  agency and concern. Your arms fall around her, pulling her into a tight embrace; she holds you close as you bury your face in her hair. 

“It'll be okay,” she promises. “You'll survive; it’s what we do.” 

The next morning, you meet with Azula’s psychological counselor before going to see her. 

The center of the compound is devoted entirely to the disgraced princess and her keepers, each of them living within the bounds of a large wall lined with guards every few feet. Her counselor’s home is divided from the main house by an ornate fence, painted red and black and gilded with gold detail; guard houses stand at either side of the gate. 

“This part of the compound is designed to look like a Fire Nation neighborhood,” the counselor explains. “We don't live luxuriously by any means, but a homey atmosphere is important to Azula’s rehabilitation.” 

“How has she improved?” Katara asks. 

You remember her retellings of what would've been Azula’s coronation, how she lost her mind with power and corruption. Thinking back on them, you almost pity her. 

“She's much more stable than she used to be,” the counselor states. “We know her vindictive behavior will never go away and that her condition prohibits her from understanding or feeling empathy, but she's learned not to act on those tendencies. She's also greatly overcome the anger her father instilled in her.” 

“I need something I can use as leverage,” you say. “Zuko’s told me that everything she does is a negotiation, and I need something to trade for her insight.” 

The counselor nods, tapping her fingers against the table you're seated around in thought. 

“The information alone won’t be enough incentive for her,” she concludes. “She’s seemingly lost interest in the outside world or trying to get out of the compound in the past few years, but I have a feeling she’ll use that to try and get more out of you. Perhaps offering her a chance to see her father will hold useful.” 

“She still wants to see him?” Aang gasps, incredulous. “After everything he did?” 

“She blames him for the breakdown she suffered at the end of the war,” the counselor elaborates. “She’s expressed a desire to confront him for years, and I’d like to help her find the catharsis in it without setting her back in her rehabilitation.” 

“We’ve spoken about the possible need for execution,” you say; your voice is meek, the shame making it difficult to meet the counselor’s eye. “Would the threat do anything? As a last resort?” 

“... I don’t know,” the counselor admits. “It truly depends on her mood. She swings between bouts of stability and episodes of deep, manic depression; were she depressed, the threat wouldn’t do much. She unfortunately is always on the brink of an episode, and I don’t think death is much of a fear to her.” 

You nod, unable to respond any other way. 

“Be civil,” the counselor advises, “but don’t let your guard down. She’s improved greatly, but she’s still extremely dangerous.” 

Azula’s home is quaint, consisting of only four rooms, but is every bit the palace she grew up in compared to the rest of the compound. The walls are painted deep, warm crimson, every inch decorated in elaborate murals; in the dining room where you meet, images of giant salamanders curl around pillars of forest and flame - they're terrifying, but as beautiful as any more traditional work of art. 

When Azula enters the room, she smirks at you. You're stricken by the fact that she looks nothing like her brother, her features much softer and rounder, save for her eyes and brow bones which are drawn downward in a permanent scowl; it occurs to you that while Zuko closely resembles  their father (something you've learned he resents), she’s almost a perfect mirror of their mother. Her clothes are simple - a shapeless dress over loose trousers - and her hair is knotted messily behind her head, loose tendrils falling carelessly around her face. Her cheeks are gaunt, years of living on only what the compound can provide clearly having taken their toll. 

“So Zuzu’s got himself a wife,” Azula chirps, sitting down across the table from you. “I suppose that's all you Southern women are good for - selling off to more powerful nations so you don't get yourselves pummeled.” 

You ignore her harsh words, bowing your head respectfully in greeting. 

“Zuko and I have actually known each other since we were teenagers,” you tell her. It isn't exactly a lie, but you decide that forfeiting her game is the best way to defend yourself. “It's an honor to finally meet you, Azula.” 

If she's put off by your deflection, she doesn't show it. She leans forward on her elbows, leering at you over the table like some sort of heinous, bloodthirsty predator; you stare back unfazed, reminding yourself that there's nothing she can do to you if you remain stoic. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure of my dear sister-in-law’s visit?” Azula wonders, grinning. “I doubt this is a family reunion given Zuzu’s absence.” 

“We need your help,” you tell her. “We’re facing serious problems with outside opposition and our advisors have failed us; Zuko suggested I come to you because of your intelligence in these matters.” 

Azula scoffs, her sickening smile disappearing as she leans back and crosses her arms over her chest. 

“I may be captive, but that doesn't mean I have to help you,” she spits. “I no longer hold any loyalty to the Fire Nation.” 

“We don't want to force you,” you reply. “Zuko and I are willing to offer something in return for your expertise.” 

“There's nothing you can give me that will convince me,” Azula states. “My brother lost any sympathy I had for him when he locked me up here.” 

“We both know you never had any sympathy for him.” 

Azula’s eyes shoot upward, meeting yours in a chilling glare. 

“He's the eldest,” you continue. “Despite your talent, he was still in your way - if he hadn't been banished, he’d have taken your father’s place. You hated him for that. You hated him for earning your mother’s affection. You hated him for things neither of you had any control over, and all you've ever wanted to do is have control. He defied that. So you took matters into your own hands and tried to kill him.” 

Azula glowers at you, her eyes icy as her face sets into stone. She's not used to being on the other end of this sort of needling; behind her muted, immobile shock, you know she's calculating her next move. 

“It wasn't fair,” you go on. “I've heard what people in the Fire Nation say about you - that you shaped the odds of the war while your father took all the credit. That's why we need you. Zuko himself admitted that he can't do it. This is your chance to show him once and for all who the true heir to your family name is.” 

Your sister-in-law studies you for a moment before tilting her head, the nasty smile she entered the room with returning. 

“Thanks to my shrinks, I'm no longer motivated by personal vindication,” she drawls. “And besides, what good would it do me for Zuko to take all the glory like Father did? He always liked to believe he took after Mother. He's wrong - he's just as cruel and underhanded as the rest of us.” 

At this point, you decide that bargaining is going to get you nowhere. Instead you turn your attention to the murals, standing so you can run your fingers over the scales of the nearest giant salamander; they're so realistic that even their grooves have texture, delicately carved between layers of thick paint. 

“These paintings are stunning,” you comment. “Are they yours?” 

Azula nods, though her expression remains shuttered and somewhat threatening. 

“Since that little brat took my bending, I had to find a new hobby,” she hisses. “When I run out of space on the walls, I'll start tattooing myself.” 

You smirk at her joke, but she doesn't reciprocate. Her eyes narrow, and though she doesn't move from her position at the table, she seems to prowl closer to you, caging you in with the sheer power of her presence. 

“I know why Zuzu married you,” she claims; her tone is matter-of-fact, her golden irises cutting through you. “You remind him of that Southern wretch he used to chase around during his banishment. He was enamored with her. But of course she chose the Avatar over him, since she wanted the alliance for your puny little nation, so it seems he rebounded with the next best thing. He's always been weak that way - falling for anyone dumb enough to buy into that kicked kitten act and let him use them for sympathy.” 

For a split second, her words bite you in a way you don't expect them to. Just last night, you told Katara you didn't love Zuko - now, at the thought that his affections could lie with anyone else, that you could mean nothing more than a placeholder to appease the ache of an unrequited love, your ribs feel as though they've caved in and are crushing your lungs. You do your best to keep your expression void, but the corners of your lips flinch with the ghost of a frown, your eyes fogging with a shadow of fear before you can stop them. Azula grins - she knows she found a weak spot. 

“I heard she's knocked up,” she spits. “Tell me, does Zuzu even bother to fuck you? Or is it just too painful, knowing you’ll never be the woman he loves?” 

The sting in your chest subsides the moment she speaks, the rest of her scathing going unheard as you look her dead in the eye, suddenly unmoved by the attack.

“How do you know that?” you murmur. 

Azula’s face falls. She doesn’t avert her gaze, but instead locks it with yours, frozen as if debating whether or not to admit defeat. It doesn’t matter if she does or not - she’s stabbed herself in the gut.

“How do you know Katara is pregnant?” you ask again. 

You pace forward, pushing back on the way she attempted to close you in with her criticism. Her poisonous grin once again makes a comeback, this time accompanied by a cackle as sharp as a spearhead. 

“You’re in far too deep, little girl,” she lilts. “All of you are. None of you can see the danger that’s been in front of you all your lives.” 

“Tell me what you know,” you command. “If you do, we might be persuaded not to execute you.” 

Azula huffs, tossing her head back as her laughter continues. By this point, the guards standing in the room’s corners have converged on her, taking her by the arms to hold her still; she doesn’t fight, instead leaning into their grip as if the touch is welcoming. 

“Zuzu could never bring himself to kill me,” she jeers. “Sniveling little cad he is. The world isn’t perfect because the war is over, and you’re a fool if you think that my grandfathers were the only men to ever destroy for the sake of their hate. Everyone has evil in them - some of us are just smart enough to embrace it.” 

As she growls out her last words, the guards drag her from the room, her laughter subsiding but her hideous, manic grin remaining splattered across her cheeks. The door slams as she's carried away, and you’re left with nothing but the looming silence of terror and dread. 

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[oki-writes]

Hey! Can I ask for a songfic for Azula? The song would be Michelle by Sir Chloe and/or Animal, by the same artist. I love your blog 💞

Moster

Okay sorry it took me awhile to write this...school been hectic. Also I play soccer so practice been messing with my writing. So now on to the story....

Lo siento...but before I start here’s what you need to know. Azula got her redemption arc, but queen still doesn’t know how to express her emotions that well. No matter how hard you try to help her. You want to leave the relationship because it seems like she doesn’t want to try anymore, but there’s a force keeping you.

Walk in the room

Take off your coat

You look so nice

I've been so cold

You wanna be my special one

I cannot breathe

Please just go home

Azula came over to your place for a so on called “date”. Which basically means sparing with her or helping her redeem her image for the people. Which both you love to do, but she makes it seem like your not even dating each other, just a assistant helping their employer.

“(Y/N) come here, I need to go to this meeting to meet these officials about something, can you take notes for me”

She didn’t even wait for your response before shoving a notepad and pen into your hands.

Michelle

Michelle

You are a monster from hell

Michelle

Michelle

You are a monster from hell

“Zula, Zula, AZULA...”

“What” Azula snapped

“I thought we were going on an actual date today”

“Next time” she said with the most fake smile you ever seen.

You know just how to be cruel

When you shake your hips that way

Paint your lips that way

You wanted to break everything off with her. She never treated you like you did her. Always second in her eyes, never first like her for you.

Michelle

Michelle

You are a monster from hell

Michelle

Michelle

You guys finally finished your meet and was walking back to your house. Unbeknown to you, a guy was checking you out and Azula didn’t like that. She yanked your arm and dragged you all the back to your house.

Walk in the room

Watching you smoke

I'm such a fool

Take off your coat

“Zula what was that for?” you questioned

“Oh like you don’t know” she was fuming

“I don’t” you gotten worry

“Oh so you didn’t see that guy checking you out and everything” she was pissed at that point

“No Zula I didn’t even notice I was just thinking about you the whole time” you stated

“Why were you thinking about me...”

“Well I was thinking if you actually loved me or not, cause it seems like you don’t”

You know just how to be cruel

When you shake your hips that way

I don't care what you say

“Do you really think that, if I didn’t you wouldn’t be my s/o” it rolled off her tongue like honey

She always lies...that what everyone that knew her knows

But, you couldn’t help believe what she said

Michelle

Michelle

You are a monster from hell

Michelle

Michelle

You are a monster from...

“You know Zula, I would believe you if you stop acting like a monster from the spirit world and treat me like your actual s/o”

“Noted, date tomorrow actual one”

“After my meeting tomorrow, you’re taking notes” she said quickly

“You monster” you yelled

I hope I fulfilled your request. Again I’m sorry it took a few days to write. Anyways hope you enjoyed and love you guys.

Spanish word of the day: el hijo único (only child) Get the reference.

[grither55]

The Princess and the Peasant - (An Azula Epic) - Chapter 24 - The Mechanist

The sound of a jail cells bars slamming shut filtered into the air  while its single occupant sat on a bench staring out his cell.

The man gazing out of the Fire Nation prison was none other than the man known as the Mechanist.

He had just been transferred out of the Fire Nation prison.

To where? He couldn’t say. As for why? He had a good guess.

‘This  must be some sort of ploy to blackmail me into creating more weapons  for the Fire Nation.’ The mechanist thought with a sorrowful sigh while  he leaned back upon the bench.

The sound of footsteps approaching  his cell caused the older man to raise his eyes upward to see just who  had been sent to interrogate him.

Only to pale in terror upon finding a beautifully merciless face gazing back at him.

Princess Azula!

“Greetings peasant. You must be the mechanist.” Azula spoke with her arms folded regally over her robed chest.

While staring through the cell doors with her callous golden eyes at the unnerved inventor.

“I…am Your Highness.” The mechanist answered with poorly hidden nervousness while the woman opened the doors to the cell.

“By all rights I should have you executed for your part in the invasion. But that would be a waste of your ability.” The princess stated before stepping in with her every step that she took sending a shiver down the poor man’s spine.

“No matter what you say to me. Even at the cost of my own life. I will not build the Fire Nation anymore weaponry.” The brown-haired man informed in an attempt at defiance while the princess stared down at him with her usual hardened death stare.

“Really? You speak as if you are so certain that I am powerless to change your mind.” Azula purred before taking another step closer while the torches in the cell block suddenly lit up with azure fire.

“Whether I live or die is very well within your hands. But the Fire Nation wouldn’t have half of its weaponry without me. And since you lack the ability to build it without me. Yes. In that regard you are powerless.” The mechanist retorted in a brief spurt of bravery while the princess glared down at him with her lips curving into a scowl.

Not even a second later the sound of a pained cry echoed into the otherwise empty cell block.

The older man crumpled to the floor while the princess stood towering over him with a truly icy countenance.

The fist that she used to backhand the man fell back to her hip before she turned her head to speak once more.

“True. I cannot force you to build for us. But I can torture you slowly over the next year. I have many ways of making you reconsider your position.” The princess remarked before stomping on the inventor’s head with her golden eyes narrowing into that of an utterly piercing glare.

And much to her sadistic delight she was already finding that the Earth Kingdom man was already caving into her will.

That is if the sounds of his pitiful whimpers were anything to go by.

“Furthermore. There are a great many refugees living at that temple of yours. I could always bring them in to join you. Perhaps…you would be more receptive to their screams than your own?” Azula commented with her fingers curling up upon her toned biceps while the frightened man squirmed beneath her boot.

“N-no. Please don’t.” The brown-haired man responded with his confidence already beginning to wane.

“Or…perhaps I should bring in your cripple son to keep you company.” Azula continued in a cruel voice while her ruthless golden eyes never once left the inventor’s now horrified face.

“Not Teo! Anything but that. I beg of you. Please…don’t hurt my son!” The mechanist cried out with sadness in his voice while the ruler’s boot pressed his face into the floor.

“Well then…do as you are told peasant! Defy me again and the only sounds that you will be hearing will be your son’s screams!” The princess barked with her body tilting gracefully while she ground the groaning man’s head into the steel floor.

“Y-yes Your Highness! I understand.” The brown-haired man agreed in a defeated voice while the heartless woman loomed above him.

“Wonderful. Now I have a job for you. Do it well and after the wars end. I just may release you to live out the rest of your days with your son.” Azula announced with her arms crossed over her chest while she peered down at the prostrated man.

The inventor felt a sense of hope flood through him upon hearing those words.

Yet at the same time…an even deeper sense of shame.

“What…kind of weapon must I build?” The mechanist inquired in a bitter voice before breathing in relief when the woman removed her boot from the top of his head.

“Not a weapon.” The princess grunted with her fingers fishing through her pouch while the inventor glanced up at her in disbelief.

“If…it isn’t a weapon…. then what is it?” The brown-haired man breathed in a bewildered voice before backing away when the young woman crouched over him.

And with that the inventor found himself gazing upon a small l shaped canister in the calm of the princess’s hand.

He turned over to glance up at the device in curiosity already finding himself compelled to study the strange item.

There was a dial on it that read…zero.

“This is a medical tool…a breathing apparatus to be precise. It was good for one hundred and twenty doses. You will study it and replicate it.” Azula declared with practiced rigidness while she scowled down at the baffled inventor.

“I…have never seen such an apparatus before.” The mechanist muttered before holding a hand to his wounded head while he continued to survey the device.

“You wouldn’t. It is from a far away foreign land that neither you nor I have set foot in.” The princess explained in an impassive manner before dropping it into the puzzled prisoner’s open hand.

It went without saying that it was a true shock to hear the cruel Princess of the Fire Nation ordering him to build medical equipment.

And from a mysterious foreign land no less!

His curious mind couldn’t resist pondering just what land Azula was referring to.

He’s travelled all over the globe and he’s never seen such a compact portable breathing device before.

“Out of all the weapons that you could ask me to build…you want me to do this?” The brown-haired man asked in an almost relieved voice while he studied it with a keen eye.

Only to shiver once more when the princess stood up while she glared down at him in a terrifying manner.

“That is none of your business. You will fix it if you wish to continue draw breath.” Azula stated in a callous voice while she stared down at the rapidly nodding prisoner.

“U-understood! I was just curious. That’s all!” The mechanist assured before leaning back against the floor of his cell while he peered between the device and the ruler standing over him.

“You will work in a guarded laboratory and you will begin straightaway. If there is anything you need, I will provide it.” The princess ordered in a cold voice while she crossed her arms over her breasts once more.

“Yes. I understand.” The brown-haired man spoke in quiet voice all the while pondering just why the princess wanted this done.

There was no way that this breathing apparatus was for her personal use.

The princess wouldn’t be a master level firebender if that were the case.

So…why?

“In there you will also find two more devices that I wish for you to work on. A music player and a handheld game unit. But you will refrain from working on those until you’ve concluded with the inhaler.” Azula instructed with her head tilting to peer down at the inventor’s now utterly stunned face.

“A music player…and a game?” The mechanist repeated in a surprised voice all the while mulling over the strange matter.

There was no way that any of this was for Princess Azula!

It was almost as if…this was all for someone else!

“I just said as much. Did I not?” The princess snapped in a moody voice while the older man rapidly nodded his head.

“G-got it. If I do this…you will let me go free?” The brown-haired man inquired in a curious voice while the ruler stared down at him.

“After the Avatar is dead…of course. At that point it won’t matter what you do. You can build all the Earth Kingdom weapons that you want. Your little rebellion is dead without the Avatar.” Azula replied in a smug voice while the inventor averted his eyes in shame for the briefest of moments.

“I will do it.” The mechanist stated before raising his gaze once more while he observed the princess turn away.

“Perfect. And it goes without saying if you breathe a word about me ordering the repair of medical equipment…that all offers of mercy are off.” The princess warned in a merciless voice while the poor inventor shuddered in understanding.

“Yes, Your Highness! I will remember.” The brown-haired man concluded with a nod while the princess strode towards the cell doors once more.

“Good. And I suggest you consider yourself fortunate that I am giving you this chance to redeem yourself. Try not to give me cause to change my mind.” Azula concluded after closing the cell doors once more while glancing at the prisoner one final time before turning to walk away.

The mechanist sunk back into the floor of the cell with his hand over his face while he watched the young woman walk away.

Only a fool would trust the word of Princess Azula.

And yet it was his only chance to secure his and Teo’s freedom in the event that the Avatar should fail.

If you look at it that way…

He would have to be a fool not to comply.

Elsewhere.

In a sunny meadow a young monk sat gazing into the distance with a reflection of sadness in his eyes.

He was wearing standard Fire Nation robes with a headband wrapped around his head to cover his markings.

In his hand was a staff and on his shoulder was a small winged lemur by the name of Momo.

Behind him sat a young woman gazing back at him with sympathetic blue eyes.

“Six years.” Aang muttered in a guilt-ridden voice while Katara with a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s not your fault Aang.” Katara assured in a soft voice while Aang still hung his head in remorse.

“But it is Katara. Twice now. Twice…I have abandoned the people that I care about!” The Avatar lamented with heavy emotion in his eyes while his lemur companion chirped over his shoulder in protest.

“No, you didn’t Aang. It was Azula that put you in a coma! If it’s anyone’s fault. It’s hers! And Zuko too!” The healer exclaimed with fury in her voice while the peaceful monk sat shaking his head.

“Zuko is our ally now Katara. He isn’t our enemy. Not anymore.” Aang insisted while Katara turned away with a bitter look in her usually warm eyes.

“I…don’t trust him. I can’t forgive him. Not for all that he’s done.” Katara retorted with her hands in her lap while Aang frowned at her back.

“All people have the capability to change Katara. We…just need to give him a chance. It doesn’t do us any good fighting with Zuko when he wishes to make amends.” The Avatar explained while turning to meet his girlfriend’s unconvinced eyes.

“I guess we’ll just have to see. Won’t we.” The healer scoffed in a skeptical voice while her boyfriend turned away once more.

“I…just wish that I had been able to say goodbye.” Aang spoke in a barely perceivable voice while Katara turned back to him with her blue eyes softening in understanding.

“Aang…” Katara trailed off in a quiet voice while she watched a tear drip down Aang’s cheek.

“Bumi…died waiting for me. Just…like Gyatso.” The Avatar mumbled in a tone of boundless remorse while his lover began to wrap her arms around his neck.

It was something that they all avoided talking about.

How after Aang was struck into a coma by Azula, how they had to rush him away.

And in her rush, she shamefully spilled a large portion of the spirit water.

Due to having only a fraction of the waters healing properties at their disposal they were only able to just barely pull Aang back from deaths door.

Instead of dying, the small sample of the spirit water had only saved Aang from death, and there after he remained in a coma for six years.

Alive, but never awake.

They spent six whole years on the run.

Many days they almost gave up, but they held onto the hope that Aang would one day awaken.

As did Bumi.

After word got out that Aang had been rendered in a comatose state they met with members of an order that they would soon learn was called the White Lotus.

Bumi was a member of that order, led by former general Iroh and many others.

The King of Omashu escaped from Fire Nation custody as soon as he heard that Aang had been struct down by Azula.

Bumi was the first to find them, and he was the one who put them in touch with the other leading members of the secret order.

He sat by Aang’s bedside day in and day out, always insisting that their friend would awaken once more.

Bumi waited, and waited.

Until he was no more.

After one year of waiting Bumi finally succumbed to old age.

The King of Omashu died at the elderly age of one hundred and thirteen seated in a chair across from his slumbering childhood friend.

It wasn’t too long after that that they met up with Iroh after he had escaped from the Caldera prison.

He had been just as grief stricken to learn of his friends passing.

There wasn’t a single one of them that wasn’t.

But no one so much as Aang himself.

He had been shocked and horrified to learn that he had been asleep for six whole years.

And after finally shaking himself free from his shock he began frantically inquiring about each and every one of his friends.

It had only taken Aang seconds to ask about Bumi.

Not a single one of them had wanted to be the one to break the horrible news to their gentle hearted friend.

It was ultimately Toph that had been the one to take the initiative.

She will never forget the heartbroken look in her lover’s eyes when he had been told that his longtime friend had died waiting by his bedside.

And this is why she will not forgive the Fire Nation for what they did to Aang!

Aang now sat in silence with tears streaming down his face while Katara held him in a loving embrace.

“He…told me to tell you that…knowing you was his life’s greatest pleasure.” Katara spoke tenderly with a tear trailing down her cheek as well while Aang hung his head in her arms.

“B-Bumi.” The Avatar stammered with tears staining his eyes while his lover held him close.

“We’ll stop the Fire Nation Aang. It…won’t be for nothing. I promise you.” The healer declared with a steely resolve in her eyes while she clutched her boyfriend into her shoulder.

“I’ll…do it for Bumi.” Aang murmured with a choked sob while Katara nodded in solemn agreement.

“For Bumi.” Katara answered gently while they sat in the meadow gazing out over the horizon.

“I…will defeat the Fire Lord. I swear it.” The Avatar stated with a hand wiping the tears from his eyes while Momo nuzzled against his neck in an attempt to sooth his sorrows.

And so, the two of them sat in silence while they gazed off into the distance all the while silently vowing that all of their sacrifices would not be in vain.

Ozai and Azula will fall, and balance will finally be restored to the world.

They were resolved to see it through to the end.

No matter what.

[anxtheroliveinthehouse]

Bathed in Flames.

Hello, I wrote a little something. I also posted it on AO3 if you’d rather see it there.

rating: G || no warnings || fandom: atla/atlab || character(s): Zuko, Mai || 

additional tags: other main characters mentioned, vignette, angst, Zuko-centric, Zuko’s scar, angst and feels, teen angst, guilt, dysfunctional family, family issues, personal growth, bending, Iroh is a good uncle, meditation, dreaming

summary:  Three vignettes written about three of my favorite parts Zuko's character arc: where he came from, what he did, and who he became.

There were times when he didn’t dream. His sleep was left unmarred by troubling visions of destiny or night terrors of dishonor. However, this wasn’t a night of blissful awareness, as most nights were. He was only half asleep, one part of his brain could still hear the crackling of the fire in the center of his chambers as well as the sound of the water sloshing against the sides of the ship. The air was tainted with the smell of coal burning deep within the belly of the ship. The blazing hot life inside the engine called out to him, the flames he could clearly feel licking up his legs and torso, arms and back, until it entirely engulfed him.

It could have been terrifying for someone else to experience. However, it was only natural for him. Firebenders could sense their element when it was in close vicinity, and of course the stronger the source, the more it made itself known to the benders that controlled it.

This was perhaps the only time of the day in which his bending abilities and his sense of fire did not soothe or calm him, ground him or give him balance. When he slipped into his own dreamworld where he couldn’t hold back his ridgid control on his memories, he fell into the deepest pits of despair. The sound of the crackling fire and the sloshing of the water on ship and the sense of the great roaring fire within said ship only brought him back to the day of his Agni Kai.

The torches that filled the viewing benches around the arena crackled the same as the one in his room. The water in the moat around the arena sloshed against the stone structures that confined it as did the sea against his confining ship. The engine rumbled . . .

Zuko distantly felt the rumbling through his bed from the floor. It wasn’t enough to rouse him from his half-aware state because of how long he had been on this Godforsaken ship. Regardless, the rumbling only further enhanced his painful memory. The rumbling was the way the crowd stomped and cheered for the fight between father and son. It was the sound of the searing flames his father unleashed upon him even when he begged for mercy.

The pain was all he could remember after looking up to see the fire reaching for him. The agony remained for days and days afterwards. It smarted him for weeks to come, the skin always sore and hurting. It would never feel normal, always tight and dry like leather. He was lucky to make it out with his eye and eyesight.

Barely aware he was doing it, Zuko reached for his scar, covering it from any further harm. It was a pathetic attempt. His father could sear through his hand and probably his skull as well. The threat always lingered with him. His father was clear that if he were to return to him, Zuko would be killed.

Banging on his chamber door startled him out of his sleepy brooding and into his fully awake brooding.

“What is it?” He snarled.

“Prince Zuko, we have reached the Southern Water Tribe.”

Cruel excitement swirled in his gut. “Gather your men. We disembark as soon as the ship’s nose crosses into their village.”

*

Zuko dreamed pleasant visions for once when he was back inside the Fire Nation’s capital, he was home . It felt right to be there. There was always the bonus of having Mai in his arms. Her hair brushed against his chin and her breathing against his throat. Something about those feelings lulled him into a sense of security.

The dreams, while happy and contented, were sure to bring anguish to Zuko when he woke. He dreamt of the Avatar, alive and well. He dreamt being on the shores of the Fire Nation watching the kid sail through the wind off the ocean on that contraption of his. He kept happily gliding without a care in the world, whooping and laughing all the while. It was almost like the scene took place a hundred years prior. When there was no war and the Avatar had visited the Fire Nation as a normal boy. He had friends here and a good relationship with the people.

Of course, Aang was enjoying himself, as were the other three. Toph had busied herself trying her hand at sand bending a sandcastle, though Zuko could tell she wasn’t a huge fan of it. Katara and Sokka were out in the water with Sokka trying to surf but ultimately failing, eventually Katara bended a wave that was easy enough for her brother to ride on. This only boosted his ego.

Zuko smiled, genuinely smiled, at the scene. Maybe this was paradise? Some idyllic world where the crown Prince of the Fire Nation was friends with the Avatar.

As soon as the vision began, it was swiftly taken away. Zuko stirred, feeling the coattails of happiness in its wake. He opened his eyes to the choice he had made. He chose not to fight with the avatar, but against him. His sister had shot down the boy with lightning and killed him, yet gave Zuko the credit. It wasn’t long afterwards that the guilt set in. A myriad of emotions crashed over him. Anguish was the best descriptor. The Avatar’s words echoed to him as he laid there watching his girlfriend as she slept.

If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends, too?

*

It was the day of Zuko’s coronation. He was dressed in robes that reminded him of his father. They were heavy on his shoulders. Or perhaps it was the weight of the responsibility that he now carried. Even though he had not been officially crowned as the new fire lord, he had inherited the position after his father had been forced out. As Ozai’s oldest child, Zuko was set to be crowned and carried the burden of the entire fire nation.

Not even a week ago he was still on the run with the avatar, fighting and sneaking around. He had been starving, imprisoned, shunned, and beaten the first time he had been away from home, right after the Agni Kai. And since then, Zuko has been at his lowest in the past year. He hadn’t even thought he could go lower. Then to be humbled when he joined the avatar’s gang and redeemed himself.

What a journey he had been on.

When Zuko found his own eyes in the mirror of his dressing room, he couldn’t believe the contrast in what he found. He recognized himself, but he had changed so much that he was unsure. He had aged and lost weight, leaving his cheeks hollow and his face gaunt. He was wearing the fire lord’s robes, a sight he never thought to be possible. His hair had grown long enough to be put into a top knot which a hair piece would be placed signifying his new status. It was almost too much to comprehend.

The scar was the only thing that grounded him. It made it unquestionable who Zuko was seeing in the mirror. The person he saw was a product of their journey. Whether the wounds were physical as the scar on his face or invisible as were the ones on his heart, they were testament. They would be his legacy.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He faintly felt the candles and low embers of the incense burning in the room. When he took a breath, the few sources of fire flared and grew brighter. Then, Zuko meditated. Everything he was worried about was being pushed aside in his mind. He thought of Iroh and his tea to help.

The first thing Zuko came across in his thoughts was his sister. Azula was still wailing and fighting for escape. This particular thought was unexpectedly painful to deal with. There was so much driving force between them from their father that once he had been removed, it left this awkward, empty space. He always loved his sister, but it wasn’t like how Sokka loved Katara. It was a cold and distant concern. At times, Zuko questioned if he did actually care. He was afraid that maybe too much time and pressure had permanently estranged them. It felt like they could never be able to pick up the pieces or try to have a semblance of normalcy, but he knew he had to try and bridge the gap. Though, in the state Azula was in, that would be completely impossible. Maybe the healers Zuko sent to her would be able to help her.

He pushed the thought away and made it smoke in his mind. It drifted away.

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph were all going on more adventures. Really they were supposed to be helping people in their transition out of the fire nation’s hold. However, Zuko was sure they were prone to stir up trouble. Deep down he worried for their safety, especially now in the midst of great change. There were already reports of rebellions both in and out of the fire nation. Secret groups were being formed and threats on his life were being sent out. He could only imagine what hung over Aang’s head.

The thought became mist, and drifted before settling on another worry.

His mother was still alive. It was a thought that had been pushing for attention in his mind even when he needed to stay focused. He missed her so much at times he felt like he would implode. The first thing he did when he had the power to was order an investigation into the whereabouts of Ursa. Even so, he was planning a visit to see his father. There was a chance the previous fire lord would at least give him something, but Zuko wasn’t optimistic.

The thought turned to rain. Curiously when he opened his eyes to find the rain he began to feel, he found fat tears rolling down his face.

He wiped them away. They had caught him off guard. No more would his emotions catch him unaware. He needed to be comfortable in his ability to feel them, name them, and, to an extent, control them. His empathy was the tool he needed in becoming a great fire lord. One that Ozai refused to acknowledge during his time in power. Hopefully, Zuko would be able to hold onto it.

Hopefully, Zuko would never become his father.

[lykegenia]

The Things We Hide Ch. 25

Chapter 1 on AO3 This chapter on AO3 Masterpost here

The hall was dark, an interior room for the judgement of high office that had no external windows. Like in the throne room, there was a raised dais along one side, separated from the main floor by a gutter filled with constantly replenished fire. Here, however, the Fire Lord sat as a spectator rather than as the focus of attention. His wife and his daughter flanked the space behind him, both hidden in shadow, and like the rest of the gathered ranks of nobility, they were silent as two guards dragged a figure between them into the room and anchored his chains to a large iron ring set into the stone floor.

He was in a bad way. Zuko had been left in the same clothes in which Azula found him, locked in the hold of her ship to rot with just enough food and water to keep him from death, and only the respect due to his station had allowed him enough accommodation to bathe before the trial. The intended effect was mockery, to make certain the court was impressed with how far their prince had fallen, and for them to watch as they stripped him of any dignity he had left. Dizzy and dehydrated, he barely mustered the strength to kneel in his bonds, and didn’t quite dare glance towards his family as silence settled around the room.

For the entire journey back, his mind had roiled with every memory of Katara. His thoughts whirled treacherously with all the looks and words she had given him, their shared touches, and he examined them all, poisoned as they now were by the knowledge that it had all been a lie. That humiliation haunted him more than his current position as a prisoner, and part of him defied the Fire Lord’s imperious silence, daring him to do worse even as the metal cuffs bit into his wrists.

A pair of black, pointed boots entered his line of vision. They belonged to a wiry, bent old man with liver spots disappearing into his wispy white hair, who towered above him with the anticipatory smirk of a street panther toying with its prey. Doubtless there had been a brawl between every adjudicator in the capital for the opportunity to lead such a prestigious trial, and Minister Koku had a reputation for being ruthless. With a bow to the Fire Lord the old man turned, pulling something out from beneath his cloak that he threw down at Zuko’s knees.

The Blue Spirit mask grinned up at him, charred and cracked down the middle.

“Explain this,” the minister ordered.

The disrespect flared Zuko’s temper. “Which part?”

For a moment, Koku stared down at the prince, grinding his teeth as he judged the wisdom of retaliation against someone who still technically outranked him. “Why were you at Dao Zhuanshi?” he asked with a sneer.

“I went to capture the waterbenders.”

“Wouldn’t that have been easier with soldiers by your side?” Koku countered. “You knew the witch would try set them free, and yet you told nobody. You went to great lengths to cover your escape, tricking your loyal escort with an imagined sighting of the Blue Spirit to make it seem like you were abducted. And then you were found, with the weapons and the mask of that same Blue Spirit, colluding with the Water Tribe before they made their escape. Do those seem like the actions of someone working against enemies of the Fire Nation, or someone on friendly terms with them?”

“I was iced to a rock,” Zuko replied dryly. “Does that seem like friendly terms to you?”

The minister scoffed. “The Water Tribe has proven itself to be deceitful. Perhaps you had merely worn out your usefulness, Prince Zuko. I’m sure you did all you could to resist the witch’s charms.” His voice turned silky as he watched his opponent’s face contort into a snarl. “You are not the first to be taken in by the wiles of a beautiful woman, if you could call such savagery beautiful – but a traitor can only be trusted so far, don’t you agree?”

Zuko lunged against his chains. “I am not a traitor! I am the loyal prince of the Fire Nation! Everything I have done I did to help this country!”

“Is that so?” The smile turned truly dangerous as the minister turned and raised his arms towards the spectators. “You hear the confession from the prince’s own mouth! You have all heard the testimony of the witnesses, but for the sake of completion, let’s examine His Highness’s actions. First, the number of assaults against members of his own royal and city guards, counted in the dozens, who were good, honest citizens only doing their duty to their Fire Lord, and underserving of the beating given to them.”

“They were extorting and –”

“Second,” Koku interrupted. “He consorted with a known war criminal in acts of vandalism and terrorism at Keijo, throughout the city, and in the very grounds of the Fire Lord’s residence. He incited terror in the hearts of the people and spread dissent to all corners. Who knows what would have happened had his liaison with the Water Tribe witch not been discovered?”

Zuko growled. “I didn’t know –”

“This, of course, leads us to this unfortunate traitor’s most heinous crime. It is thanks to the diligent observation of Her Royal Highness that we have been able to piece events together. Prince Zuko, did you or did you not collude with the enemy and provide information vital to the Water Tribe rebellion, and then destroy evidence of that collusion?”

“I did not know who she was,” Zuko spat.

“There are seventeen separate reports that mention the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady fighting together.” A pause for effect, while whispers ran their course through the room, and Koku’s wrinkled expression morphed into something that would have been sympathetic if it wasn’t so lizardlike. “But perhaps we are being too hard on you, Prince Zuko. The Water Tribe is, after all, known for its sorcery. Stories of the Painted Lady’s strange powers have permeated the reports of her appearances, and your preference for the Lady Katara did not go unnoticed. Perhaps you are not responsible for your actions, and merely fell under her thrall?”

The court tittered like children waiting to see if a baited hyena-dog would bite, and Zuko clamped down on his tongue until he imagined blood. It would not matter if he denounced Katara or defended her, because either would admit her power over him. The minister’s eyes danced, goading, but having grown up with Azula for a sister, he had learned better than to rise to such obvious provocation.

“Enough of this.”

The room stilled at the sound of the Fire Lord’s voice. Disguising his flinch, Koku turned and bowed to the dais. “Your Majesty, I am merely trying to –”

“You waste your breath.” Ozai leaned forward in his throne. “My son is under no spell. He shows no remorse, only disrespect, and there is no place for that here.”

Beside him, Ursa started from her composure, the only sign that events were taking an unexpected turn. Two guards stepped from their places at the bottom of the dais and flanked towards Zuko.

“Hold him.”

They grabbed his arms, twisting with an iron grip that cut into his biceps as they turned him to face the Fire Lord, and only grew tighter when he struggled against the rough treatment, until Ozai’s shadow fell over him broken by a flash as he pulled a knife from the inside of his sleeve.

“Father...”

“Be silent.” Ozai tipped the point of the knife under Zuko’s throat and used it to force his gaze up from the floor. A small, satisfied smile curled at his mouth as he read the wide uncertainty in his son’s eyes. “You have disgraced me, and your country,” he said softly. A gesture, and the two guards seized Zuko’s jaw to bare his neck to the knife.

“Father, please, don’t do this!” Zuko cried, pulling in vain at his captors. Fear lent him strength, but not enough with his hands bound and unable to bend. “I am a loyal son, I am loyal!”  

“You are no son of mine.”

The blade flashed. Zuko closed his eyes, but the expected pain didn’t come. Instead, he felt a tug on his scalp, heard the dry rasp of the blade, and then an instant later something soft brushed against his cheek, against his still-bound hands. The guards let go, released now Ozai had no more use for them, and the sound of their booted feet echoed Zuko’s heartbeat in his ears. He couldn’t breathe.

“You flinch like a child. Disgraceful.”

My hair… It’s just my hair…

In his relief, he almost missed what was said next.

“Under pain of death, Prince Zuko is banished forthwith from the Fire Nation and its territories, stripped of his titles and his honour. He will have until nightfall to depart our presence.”

“No! Father, you can’t do this!”

Ozai turned, eyes alight with malice. “You dare presume to tell me what I cannot do?”

But the deathly silence surrounding them had broken into murmurs, courtiers whispering and pointing not at the two royals, but at something behind them. Ursa had stepped through the extinguished flames and stood meekly waiting to be noticed, with her hands folded in her sleeves and her head bowed in deferential civility. Though her appearance on the floor could be taken as an insult, it was not an act her husband could rage against without losing face.

“Have you something to say, my lady?” he asked instead, sweetly.

“This has not been a fair trial,” she stated. “The evidence presented by the witnesses is circumstantial, and His Highness has said nothing to implicate himself. There might have been a dozen Blue Spirits terrorising the streets, or it might be that the prince knew this disguise would trick the Lady Katara into trusting him. There has been no cross-examination.”

“And you are giving him ideas,” Ozai replied.

“Please, my lord. For once in your life, show mercy. He is your son, and has served you loyally. Give him a chance to redeem your faith in him.”

For a moment, the Fire Lord considered. Zuko knelt frozen on the floor, feeling the currents of the room and the shift of opinion between the Fire Lord and the quiet defiance of his Lady, who stood beyond reproach in the middle of the floor, her plea so abject yet so full of grace no one there would dare call it begging.

Ozai smiled. “Very well, my lady, I will indulge your argument. Know that everything following this is because of you.” He let his gaze slide from her to Zuko, and the expression in his face chilled worse than Katara’s ice ever could. “Your mother has vouched for you, Prince Zuko. She asks for a chance at redemption.”

“I am loyal to you,” Zuko answered, and suppressed a shiver as the smile grew wider.

“Then you will prove it. The avatar stands against us, and until he is removed our enemies continue to be restless. To restore your honour, and my trust, you must capture him. Bring him back alive, or do not come back at all. Do you understand?”

With his hands still chained behind his back, the prince bowed so low his nose touched the floor. “Yes, Father. I will do as you ask.”

“You have gone astray, lured by a water witch who used your weaknesses against you. You cannot afford to be led astray again.”

“I won’t,” he replied, daring to look up. “I promise.”

Again, Ozai sneered. “You are a traitor until you bring the avatar to me, and the promise of a traitor means nothing. I will give you a reminder.”

After that, Zuko only remembered pain.

[aquaburst3]

I have a huge hunch that Lotor will be redeemed in VLD.

During an interview, Dos Santos flat out stated that the first two seasons were one story arc. And looking back at the first two seasons, I believe him since it focuses on taking down one villain and then defeating him at the end of it, switching the villain at the end of it.  So with that said, with this sort of story structure Lotor can be only the villain for season 3 and 4 and then someone else will step in for the last two seasons. Because having a villain for two story arcs, one right after the other, would just simply not work for this kinda structure.  If one villain was used for two story arcs back to back, the writers would have no idea what to do with them, having no breathing room for their character and making the audience tire of them fast. Put it simply, Lotor can’t be the “Final Boss” of Voltron – it has to be someone else. Who that Final Boos is? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ A part of has a hunch it will be Haggar, but even that is just a guess.

That leaves us with the question, “If Lotor is gonna be a villain for only two seasons, then what the hell are the writers gonna do with him at the end of the story arc? I mean, you can’t just toss him in the Shadow Realm or something...”

There are only really a few options for what will happen to Lotor at the end of the story arc at the end of season 4…

Killing Lotor off

Putting Lotor in jail or punishing him like Azula in Avatar

Do something similar to what happened with Zarkon last season

Change into a better person slowly over the course of the series

The first option I don’t see happening since that would be too edge lord for a Y7 show, since they would be murdering a teenager with his design making appear to be the same age as the paladins. Even if we go by “well, what if he was 18-19″ style logic, I still don’t think that will fly because it seems to be stretching things too much.

It could be left ambiguous like Jet in Avatar,  but I can’t see that happening here because if they did that with Lotor, it would be repeating themselves because the same thing happened with Zarkon and it would be groan worthy to the audience.  The only option left is to kill him off on screen Game of Thrones style or do a Disney death like him falling to his death to separate themselves from the season 2 finale and to complete the use of his character.  I can’t see happening since, again, he is highly likely a teenager and that would not get a Y7 rating.

It would be breaking the tone of the show and they are simply not allowed to kill off a main character because of censorship and it would never get a Y7 rating. Sure, the show killed off side characters in VLD like Thace, Ulaz, Haxus, that one mermaid, and more , but so far we never had a main player die (Shiro doesn’t count since I doubt he died in the finale). The closest to main character death is Thace, but even then his death wasn’t overly graphic far as anime deaths go and he was still just a side character. I know that the show being on Netflixs allows the show staff to explore things that they normally never would on network television like sexuality (I still think there will be some LGBT characters in the show) and things like that, but I can’t see the ratings people greenlighting a teenager getting blown up or something.

The second seems anticlimactic for such a huge threat.  

The third option would be the writers repeating themselves.

 So that leaves us with the last option.

It makes sense for him to have a redemption arc the more I think about it, considering that in Defender of the Universe (since Lotor in Go Lion was almost a completely different character), Lotor was very Proto Zuko like, even down to the whole “change to the good side and then turn back” thing, except Zuko did change for the better while Lotor didn’t.  With this being written by a lot of the writers behind Avatar, I can see them taking cues from themselves  and maybe make Lotor a mixture between Azula and Zuko at the start, slowly changing him to be more Zuko like at the end. I do the same thing with my own writing and a lot of other writers take cues from themselves. Even from a colour stand point it makes sense considering orange and blue, the colours used in his armour, aren’t used at all in villain designs – but antiheroes like Lelouch. To put in prospective, Keith’s civilian outfit is more befitting of a villain than Lotor’s from a colour POV. That really says something.

Do I see Lotor becoming exactly like Zuko? Fuck no. The writers on this series are talented, so they will make Lotor his own character. They already did so with his little speech in the trailer and by having him already take his place in the empire.  

If Lotor does get a redemption arc, I think Lotor will take the route of a YGO villain where he will have specks of good in him and more of a complex villain/morally grey character at the start, but still be a powerful foe and than slowly changes until he  reforms at the end of the story arc. ( fitting since I swear Lotor reminds me of Bakura in this version xP)  I wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was the case, since this is a very common trope in shonen anime. It happened in Digimon, YGO (dozens of times, mind you), DBZ, FMA, Avatar, Sailor Moon, Naruto and a bunch more. It even happens a fair bit in mech anime like Macross. Considering VLD is taking a lot of cues from shonen anime and the mech genera as a whole -- it could happen.

Don’t get me wrong; I am not saying Lotor will be an innocent snowflake and all of his actions before such a change are justified or some bullshit, fuck no, but I don’t think he will be devoid of morals either or lack the potential for this kind of character arc.  

Right now, this is me just spit balling about this and this is just a guess. Who knows what will happen at this point.