#geotheraider writes

[geothewriter]

Dark Revelations

A raucous cacophony crashed overhead as near-constant lightning flashes illuminated the rain-streaked palace windows she left behind. The panes shook with every thunderous rumble. Her entire being relished the energy of the skies as she walked through the downpour.

On any other night, she may have stopped the water from soaking her through. Not tonight. Not at the midnight hour. Torrential as it was, she let the storm in. It made her feel alive. She felt the crackle of the storm’s power, but more; beyond the tempest, above the clouds, the moon hung full, brimming with power just begging to be set free. Who was she to deny it that want?

She entered the massive stone prison fortress with little resistance. The guards who recognized her bowed and immediately stepped aside, while those who didn’t were decidedly dealt with. Not harmed. Not permanently anyway. None would stop her from reaching her goal.

His cell was dark, dingy, and dismal, a desolate place for a man who once sat at the precipice of ruling the world. A fitting place for him to rot. The walls were thick with moisture, seeping in from the storm above. 

Perfect but unnecessary.

The guards posted to this prisoner’s cell were summarily dismissed. She felt their presence would only complicate the matter. This was personal. 

Standing in the barren hall, she felt the latent energy of the full moon still reaching out, still begging to be used, and she did intend to use it, but not just yet. He lay in the cot on the opposite wall, a pathetic example of what he once was, of what he represented. She shook her head, shunting away the tiniest pity that rose within. 

She bowed her head, a mockery of her own position and her own morals, but she wanted this to feel perfect as she softly spoke, “Fire Lord Ozai?”

A shuffle of clothing signaled his consciousness, and she could see in the shadows that he had sat up, eyes of amber shining through the dark. 

He returned her inquiry with graveled words, a sign that he rarely spoke. “You are bold to use such a title here. State your business.”

Pathetic how he thinks he yet holds any power here. He rose from the cot and approached the bars opposite her. 

She keeps her tone even, controlled, and if she were honest, almost dark. “I have learned an interesting tale regarding your son, the former Prince Zuko, and I would know its truth.” 

He seethes through the bars. “You speak from a place of knowledge. It is dangerous for a woman to come alone here and seek its origin; Unless of course, you seek power.” 

Anger roiled and growled within her, but it was not yet the time. She would play with her prey a while longer. “What power could you possibly offer from in there?”

She could feel his eyes narrow from within the cell, the twin coals of amber becoming mere pinpricks. “Who are you that dares disturb the only true Fire Lord of this land?”

She suppresses a smile as she responds, venom seeping from her words, “Tell me, Ozai. Does he visit you? Has your daughter seen the pitiful state you exist in? Do you hear any news in this dismal place?” A pause. “Do you ever see the sun?” 

Silence, broken only by the periodic crash of thunder and the shuddering of the rock walls stretches for minutes. As she stands, a puddle of water has formed at her feet, still dripping from her soaked clothing. 

He scoffed “A waste of my time. You’re nothing. A nobody! Not worth anything.” 

As he turned toward his bed, she replied in a near-whisper laced with conviction, “Is that what you think?”

It was enough to give him pause.

“Three years.” She begins darkly, “Three years ago a young woman came to this land. She learned the customs, the traditions, and forged her path forward. She was named ambassador for her work. The Fire Lord recognized her long before she gained the title. She and your son are now betrothed.” A beat. “Tell me, Ozai. Your son. Fire Lord Zuko. Are you proud of him?” Thunder crashes, shaking the chamber, as if to punctuate her question.

He whipped around and grasped the bars, eyes pressed to the opening, attempting to gain knowledge about the speaker before answering, disgust dripping from his every syllable, “Proud? I’d be proud if he were dead. So what if he tricked some weak simpleton to be his bride. It changes nothing.” 

Bile surged into her throat as she witnessed firsthand his complete disdain for his own son, but they were nearing the end of this conversation. It would not matter much longer how he felt. 

“Your son will be making a waterbender his wife in two months. A waterbender, the Fire Lady.” 

She could see his hands shake against the bars, clenching with what strength he had available. The whites of his teeth shone in the dim light as he gritted them together, then to her surprise, a sickening laugh peeled out from the cell. 

A moment later, the laughter subsided, and he spoke with unexpected joviality. “The news you have for me of my son, is that he picked a weakling pathetic water tribe peasant to be his wife? To rule my nation? You’re joking. The elite will tear him to shreds. What could he possibly see in such an inferior being?” He laughed once more then continued, “They will hang her in the streets and come crawling back to–” 

She interrupts with a fake sweetness in her voice. “Tell me, Ozai, why do you think he belongs to her?”

A glint of light poured through his eyes as realization struck him and he growled, “You… It’s you! You’re her? I should have known he would choose a stupid peasant girl not fit for rule! You're just a cheap whore who doesn't know–”

She smiled as her hands began to curl, “He did not choose me.”

The moon’s power flowed within her, and when she reached for it with impossibly flexed fingers, the liquid in him answered her command. He was frozen in place, unable to speak, unable to move, and for the first time in years, fear welled within him.

“Your son is marrying a waterbender.” She spoke with a scarily even tone. “He is noble, compassionate, and righteous. He is right for our nation.” 

She waited, pausing for a response she knew would not arrive, before continuing, “His bride is like him. She is driven, loving, and cares very deeply for both he and their nation, but I chose to accept his proposal.” 

Lightning flashed once more as he spoke with great effort sputtering through gritted teeth, “Your tricks will not save you. I–”

“I am marrying your son in two months. And tonight, I learned something about his past.” 

Ozai spat toward her, showing his contempt.

She gripped the moisture in the air as it flew toward her, froze it, and smashed it into his chest, leaving a bloody welt in its wake, and the former Fire Lord grimacing in pain. The blow sent him reeling backward, and through an expression of shocked terror sputtered, “What– What are you?!”

She straightened her back and the water that once coated her lifted free of her clothing, levitating in the air before her. The storm crashed with a crescendo of lightning flashes, clearing the air for her to speak. 

“I am retribution.” She paused, letting the water around her swirl momentarily before continuing with all the hatred in her heart. “And I know what you did to him!”

Her fingers curled sickeningly, and his body was suddenly lifted, held aloft in his cell. Wide-eyed, he realized all too late, that he could not scream. 

“My future husband may not forgive it, but he is willing to put what you did to him aside…”

His fingers continued to grasp the bars, even as his body was pulled away, lifted by invisible strings, and suspended in the middle of the cell. 

“I am not so compassionate for those who hurt my loved ones.”

Her hands twitched, and he involuntarily released his hold on the bars. In a moment, his arms were pinned to his sides, and once again, he was brought back before her, but now entirely tensed, unable to move.

“You say my people are weak. When you were powerful, you showed your son just how to treat the weak.” Barely containing her anger, her words seethed through clenched teeth. “You burned him! Permanently scarred him! To what end?!”

A moment passed and she found her calm voice once more, dark and calculated, and no more than a whisper, “I will teach you in the way you taught him. I don't care that you won’t learn, but if power is all that you recognize…Then witness mine.” A few murky laughs escaped her before she continued, “Where there is water, I have all the power in the world, and in your blood, I can feel the water churning. It calls to me.”

The power of the moon rushed through her, pulling his blood through the rivers it flowed, and the now-distant thunderclaps echoed his heartbeat. She gripped at the tendrils of power and twisted.

A deafening scream issued from the cell, heard only by her, so intense was the cacophony of thunder that the sky raised at that very moment. His howls faded into a whimper, and when she was finished, her voice hauntingly whispered into his cell.

“No matter who you tell, it will not matter.” She cooed at the bloodstained former Fire Lord as he lay broken on the cold cell floor. “There will be no trace.” 

At her word, the broken skin began to heal, wounds stitching themselves back together, bones mending, and mangled flesh reforming. In no time, her lesson was no more than a memory. 

His form shuddered at her final words, “There will be more lessons. I have much to teach you about respect.”

As she walked back to the palace, the sky released another torrent of rain. She did nothing to stop its impact; yet this time, the drops dared not touch her.

[ablatheringblatherskite]

Alright, I'm interested! Let's hear a bit about POTO: Pirates!

As someone whose familiarity with POTO is limited to general knowledge - what made you want to write about - I assume - a piratical incursion into the opera? 😊

HELLOOO hi, thank you for the ask!! Yes yes so the pirates don't actually invade the opera house, BUT basically Raoul and Christine are on their honeymoon and end up getting captured by pirates. I'm not actually sure how I got the idea tbh LOL, I have an incredibly overactive imagination and it just came to me out of the blue LOL. But probably a part of the inspiration came from the fact that Raoul was actually in the Navy or something like that (at least in the book LOL)!

I also do have snippets I shared in some other asks if you want to see them! Here and here!

Let people send an ask about one of your WIPs!

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 17 - Visionary

In which Zuko reconvenes with some voices of his recent past. See also: The tiniest spark.

GOOOOOD DAY FAIR READERS!!!!

I'd say it's been pretty calm around Geo-town, but it definitely hasn't! Just finished helping my gf move across the country and still working to get moved in, so it's hectic as heck! That said, my writing time has been fairly limited, so there will probably be a few shorter chapters coming down the line.

NOW!

This chapter marks a turning point in this arc of the story we're getting to some juicy meat and potatoes so be ready!

Shoutest of the outs to achillmango for her editing skills - without her, this story would never have left the ground. Thank you, friend!

All too quickly, he feels a cold sweat coat his limbs and feels the hair on the back of his neck stand. The woman’s face is carved through with wrinkles, and what hair falls outside the sagging pointed cap atop her head is scraggly and sticks to her face. None of that bothers him too much, save for the pair of snow-blind eyes peering at him. Through him. No, not through, into. He feels a shiver as if he were an open book before her gaze. It is almost the feeling he had with Hama. “Former Prince Zuko. Future Fire Lord, Zuko. Please, ‘ave a seat.” She gestures to a cushion surrounded by a dozen candles across from her and the younger girl. 

Continue reading on AO3.

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 18 - Reuniting

Well, hello! Been a few weeks. Helping my girlfriend move from one state in the South to one in the North has completely monopolized all of my time - which means this chapter is the last one I have fully pre-written and ready for posting. BUT FEAR NOT! I have quite a few hours plane-bound coming up this weekend - which means plenty of hours of uninterrupted writing.

With all that said, I need to give one of the biggest shoutouts ever to @achillmango. She flexed her editing muscle on this chapter and really brought it to where it needed to be. You're the best!

No summary today - it would spoil too much ;)

Now then, I present to you, Chapter 18 - Reuniting.

A deep breath. The heat of morning’s first light bathes him in its splendid glory. Tickling rays of sunshine dance atop the crown of his head and flow down his face. Its *unjudging* rays embrace even the scar that marks him. He smiles as it fills him with warmth.  A breath releases. The energy departs, save but a lingering spark. His brow furrows gently, channeling his focus to hold onto that lingering greater power. His eyes open. It's gone, and only the gifted spark remains. Zuko stands and snaps his fingers. The tiny spark dances at his fingertips. It’s the key to whatever lies ahead, the key to his restoration. He blinks his eyes against the bright morning light and squints at the tiny flame atop his thumb. Is it…? No. It couldn’t be. He shakes his head. He’s seeing things, the flame isn’t flickering from one color to another. He’s never seen anyone wield fire like that, it’s impossible.  He extinguishes the tiny flame and finishes his morning meditation uninterrupted. The smile returns to his face as familiar heat fills his body, though he knows it will disappear again the moment his focus wavers.  “Are you ready?" Aang’s voice quietly questions from behind him. 

Continue reading on AO3

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 10 - Plight of the Spirits (part 2)

A pair of benevolent spirits grace a small Fire Nation river village plagued by pollution. Throughout their endeavors, secrets are spilled, and feelings are amplified.

This ended up growing a bit, so I'm definitely glad I split it up into two parts. The antics herein were driven by our lovely characters, not by me. They really took the wheel in this one.

There are certain scenes in this chapter that I thoroughly enjoyed writing - betcha can't guess which! As always, a special planet-sized thankyou to @achillmango for her expert editing and feedback. Without you, this wouldn't be where it is now.

Have a sample of the chapter before visiting! :)

No more secrets, right? The phrase repeats in her voice as he reaches for her hand to pull himself up. He swallows roughly, staring at her hand. “Katara,” he grimaces, reaching into a pocket of his pack, “Wait.” 

Without further adieu, please enjoy Chapter 10 - Plight of the Spirits (part 2)!

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 16 - Old Flames

Aang learns more control, Zuko realizes more terrifying facts about his allies’ bending abilities,  they decide to go on a trip, and Azula has a dream. Oh, and the remaining Gaang gets some visitors. Unexpected ones. 

-

Content warning here again folks, implied child abuse ahead. :(

As always, a MASSIVE shoutout to @achillmango for her wonderful editing! This was a big one!

As the final morning stars begin to slink out of view, he turns eastward to greet the tender radiance of the rising sun. A deep breath grounds him.

Shadows of the day ahead begin to retreat in the face of the rising sun, giving his fearful thoughts ever less space to hide in their waning darkness. Deceit, sadness, distrust, blame, fear. He presses them forth, refusing to allow them refuge. They’ll be laid bare before the dawn’s light.  He feels for his connection to the earth. Seated firmly against the ground, he pushes against the building energy within.  What do I fear?  Blue fire flares and lightning flashes against his mind’s eye, but quickly wanes. He shakes his head, dispersing the thought. No. Disappointed glares of his friends and allies replace the energy. The resulting frown that pulls at his mouth tells of his true fear.  He’s let them down before. He has the capacity to let everyone down again. He did let everyone down again.  “If you fail, then we will continue to fight.”

Continue reading on AO3.

[geothewriter]

ATLA Live Action

Evening ATLA fans and shippers alike, I just wanted to pop in and make a quick post. I've seen a lot of discourse over the past few days and weeks that think both positively and negatively about the Live Action reimagining of the show. I'm personally a Zutara fan, but I've consumed some Kataang content over the years. From a shipping perspective, I think we should all do our best to calm down a bit and try to enjoy whatever is placed before us.

Now - meat and potatoes of this: From an avid enjoyer of ATLA in its various media (no, the comics don't necessarily tickle my fancy, and 2010 didn't exist). Regardless of our shipping backgrounds, Kataang or Zutara mostly, we all enjoy countless retellings of the same story involving the same cast of people. In the past 6 months, I've read around 30 novels worth of the same people falling in love and saving the world alongside incredible friends and family. What's one more fanfiction in the bunch, just one that makes it to a bigger screen? So long as it's good, let's enjoy the content given to us. If this first season is awesome, the big thing we need to be concerned about as a group is whether Netflix produces more episodes.

PS: One thing to note - this is not directed at any one person or post or anything of that sort. I love just about all of ya, and want to encourage you to keep making your loved content of choice. BE CREATIVE! <3

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 12 - Like a Puppet

Discovered, the Gaang journeys to a nearby island to lay low for a bit. They don't like what they find. A new bending style awaits. Oh. And Trauma.

Let's see. Average long chapter? Check. Lots going on in the chapter? Check. Buried plot points, hidden details, and fun hooks? Check. Truma? Check. I'd like to give a shoutout, as always, to my awesome beta and editor @achillmango. Without her continued support, I don't know if this would see the light of day.

Warning: This chapter does contain some decently descriptive violence near the end. It is not enough to constitute a higher rating, but it is worth mentioning.

Here, have a snippet! V

“I know.” He moves to the other bed and looks at his hands. “Sokka, did you get an off feeling about Hama when she looked at you?”  “You mean like a creepy old lady, or something else?”  Zuko looks over toward him, “Something else.” He refocuses his eyes on the ceiling of the room, “Something about her, the way she looks at me, is wrong. It’s like she’s looking through me. It’s like I don’t even exist.” 

Read more on AO3 :)

[geothewriter]

ATLA Live Action Thoughts

Well hello there! After letting the events and creative choices of the Live Action ATLA show absorb for about 24 hours after finishing the series, I think it's time to put my thoughts to the page.

Yes, that was a mouthful of a sentence. Sorry about that.

To start things off, I loved it! Did I love every single part? Not exactly, but the creative choices and how everything was weaved together? YES! It felt exactly like a fairly well-put-together fanfiction for me. It incorporated loved pieces of the show while warping them slightly to fit within the creator's vision.

Now, we all like lists right? I know I do, so let's do some listing.

The Good:

The CGI for the fights was pretty well awesome alongside the choreography for the scenes. While some fights lacked a bit of depth (Katara vs Pakku) and certainly could have had more oomph with more length, I can still appreciate them for what they are.

To add to that, the bending looked freaking awesome! The earthbending had a signature ..crunch to it, water flowed, fire was punchy (though had one small bit to be desired - I'll address this later) and air was flighty.

The CGI creatures were great IMO. Momo was a little gremlin, which fits him perfectly. He was still cute in spite of his gremlinosity. Appa - I absolutely loved him. I think he's as good as he could possibly look in the media. He's still a ten-ton flying monstrosity of a bison, and he's perfect. He's fluffy. He's Appa. OSTRITCH HORSES! They were awesome and looked like living dinosaurs - nuff said.

The acting and line delivery, while rougher in the early episodes flourished as each episode went onward and the kids got more comfortable/experienced. You could really tell they were giving it their all, and I applaud them! Awesome work on their part!

Storytelling - the combination of different episode topics together flowed rather well! I really enjoyed them putting together the things they did.

And now for a bit of a read more for spoilers.

The storytelling was rather well done, especially things like adding Omashu, Jet and the freedom fighters, and the Mechanist (as well as the cave of the two lovers) together. Overall, it played well, and I'd like to think it was a good approach NOTE: This is from someone who is actively adapting the series in my own fanfic, and I can see aspects of that approach in the adaptation. I love to see it!

Ozai playing his children against each other is probably one of my favorite aspects of the entire thing! He's a manipulator in this version, which if they were going to have him on-screen rather than the ominous shadow emperor, then I think this was probably the only choice. I loved it.

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The not good not bad:

Nudging the story in a darker direction was a choice. I know I just spoke at length about how I liked the creative choices and I'm not sure how I feel about this one. As someone who's throwing a lot of trauma at the characters in his fanfic, It can be a lot. To have that on screen is difficult since it can end up hiding characters' sense of being if not handled correctly.

Katara - in the animated show - always a go-getter, filled with righteous anger, not backing down, and strong-willed Katara - in the live-action show - fairly timid, but slowly growing over time into her strength of will. I wasn't a fan of the vision of Katara early in the season, but by the finale, it was starting to feel like her. (I still wish her fight with Pakku was better)

The family of Aang, Katara, and Sokka - I've seen quite a few posts talking about how they don't feel like a family in the live-action. In the animated show, after rewatching it recently, I feel like they didn't really grow toward a family unit until after the North Pole. They were good friends traveling together. Yes we had the line from the Southern Air Temple of 'We're your family now' but I don't think I truly felt it until season 2. Don't get me wrong, they were close, but I didn't get those true bonded feels until S2.

Iroh felt like Iroh half the time, and the other half, I'm not sure who he felt like, but it wasn't in a bad way? Like, we explored a different part of him. With his first interaction with Aang, we even saw him as the reluctant Fire Nation general. As he still was at that point. I can appreciate the change and don't mind it a ton.

Bumi. I think I've decided that Bumi was where Katara's righteous anger went. He doesn't immediately forgive Aang for disappearing, and then reappearing. Bumi has fought a war for a hundred years and has had to deal with ALL THAT for a hundred years. To say he'd be prickly is an understatement. Honestly? He has no reason to forgive Aang. I don't mind this change - though he could've toned down the dickishness IMO.

Katara's bending progression: In each episode of the show she improved both in skill and strength, when finally she fought Pakku, she used self-developed techniques. Those are the traits of a master bender. While we don't get to see her training with Pakku, or demonstrating that she truly has mastery over the element, we get shown that she has indeed grown immensely. A few extra training scenes would've gone a long way, especially with Aang.

Speaking of Aang. Aang had no water-bending training along the way north :( I would've liked to see that, but it's not a deal-breaker.

--------

The bad/meh- Let me preface this by saying I still love the show. There were a few moments that were lacking though (and one that was meh throughout):

The firebending, while amazing in almost EVERY SINGLE ASPECT, was lacking in one. FIREBLASTS AND FIREBALLS ARE SHOT FROM THE FIST, NOT GATHERED IN YOUR HAND LIKE CHI BLASTS. Sorry.

Katara. Where were your responses in some of those interactions? You sat there and listened (which in some cases is a good thing for someone expressing their emotions) but didn't respond when you could have/should have! I feel like we missed a bit of her character when we lost some of her in those. It's not enough to be a truly detracting piece of the show, but I should say that I wasn't a fan of that choice.

Roku was a bit...too unserious. He was the serious avatar in ATLA (in terms of brooding and wanting to help guide Aang.) He...got the Bumi jokes. That was an odd choice. I hope they revisit him in the future and he is able to redeem that aspect.

At the end, during the scene at the North where Aang gives himself over to the ocean spirit, I didn't really like the idea that the avatar was lost to the spirit. I also didn't like the "I need you" from Katara. Not from a shipping perspective, but from a character perspective. In the animated show, Katara spent a lot of effort showing that Aang is her hope for a better world. In the live-action, that wasn't there, so that line seemed out of place.

Hmm, four negative points. I'm sure there were more, but none are springing to mind at the moment, so perhaps I'll edit this later.

----------------

Final thoughts.

I need to stress that the likeability of the show hinges heavily on how you approach it. If you approached the live-action hoping for a perfect retelling of the ATLA story, then you are going to be severely disappointed. If you instead approach it for what it is - an adaptation of the story, with nudges events in one way or another, and includes new approaches, then you'll love it. I went in expecting a fanfiction type of show, and I think I got more than expected. The kids gave this thing their all, and it shows! Everyone showed improvement through the episodes and by the end really fell into their roles.

I certainly hope the future has another (2) season(s) lined up because I'd love to see what twists and turns we're in for.

Oh yeah, and scarf. I liked the scarf scene. There is no shipping bait in Omashu.

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 9 - Plight of the Spirits (part 1)

Zuko attempts to pose as Aang's father, only to discover something sinister simmering beneath the surface. He attempts to internalize it, but like most of Zuko's plans, a pesky waterbender gets in his way. Somewhere along the way, Sokka decides to get involved too.

A dance also happens.

--------------

This chapter was pretty fun to write! I ended up splitting it into a two-parter - not necessarily for length, but for general feel. I wanted this to have a certain tone, and Chapter 10 - Plight of the Spirits (Part 2) has a bit of a different one. You'll see when that's posted :) As always, a MASSIVE shoutout to @achillmango for her editing prowess. I literally couldn't do this without you friend!

Please accept my favorite line from the chapter as bait:

Zuko nearly speaks over her, “Who said I was going to dance? Who said I could dance?”

Without further adieu, please enjoy Chapter 9 - Plight of the Spirits (part 1) over on AO3!

[geothewriter]

Zutara Week 2023 - Day 1: Home

Her fingertips brush gently across the smooth carved oak surface of the armoire. Each perfectly chosen chisel stroke contributes to the comforting flow of her room. Her eyes drift through the rest of the space; the woodwork meanders like water, curving, ebbing, and eddying throughout the artistry of each piece of furniture. A wardrobe of similar craft sits next to the window. Thick dark curtains are pulled back to let in the evening’s moonlight. Atop luxurious surfaces live small paintings, snapshots of moments in time. The sight of her father, brother, and grandmother’s images ignite her smile. She lets out a contented sigh as her eyes fall on the final frame, a depiction of her husband and two children in front of a beach house. 

A stack of carelessly thrown, yet still organized sun hats rest on the corner chair next to the dressing mirror. A light nightgown hangs from there, perched beside its reflection, discarded until its duty is next called. Her smile diminishes marginally as her eyes pan through the rest of the space, realizing the empty feeling in the room filled with things.

Journeying out from the room, she is surrounded by ornamental purple silks mingled with reds and some blues decorating the walls. Adopting a leisurely pace while traversing the halls, she recalls the recently changed aesthetic. Gone is the darkness and overbearing decoration, in favor of more open space, room to breathe. The hallways are more well-lit and brighter, such a change from the dark overbearing presence the place held when she first arrived.

Stopping before a large set of doors, she thinks back. She’s called many places around the world temporary houses, from the South and North Poles, to the back of Appa, to a house in the upper ring of the Earth Kingdom. She frowns at the lack of permanence any of them held.

Pushing the doors open, she is greeted by streams of cool moonlight filtering through the yet unblossomed fruit trees of the gardens. Walking out toward the glistening pool that houses her husband’s favorite small animal friends, she hears laughter and giggling floating across the garden. The sound is contagious, and she finds herself smiling as she rounds the corner. 

The familiar voice of her love calls out to her, “Katara?”

It is followed quickly by excited yelps and screeches as her children cry out “Mom!”

She feels her cheek muscles stretch and begin to hurt as her kids rush over and hug her. She closes her eyes and takes in the feeling, drinking it in as if it would disappear the next moment. 

The strong arms of the Fire Lord embrace her as he looks at her questioningly. “Weren’t you supposed to be in Ba Sing Se until next week?”

She gazes back into his golden eyes and leans into his hug. “We finished up business early.” Giving only a momentary pause, she places a loving peck on his lips. “Besides, I missed all of you. I missed this place. I missed home.”

If you like my writing, check out my other works over on AO3!

@zutaraweek

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 11 - The Sword, The Man, The Legend

After liberating the small village of Jang Hui, Sokka feels pretty bad. In this chapter, he realizes his potential, Zuko discovers an important piece of his past, Aang reveals some secrets, and we get a training session!

Hello reader-friends! The funny thing about these chapters is that the ones I write on planes tend to be longer. This is absolutely no exception to that rule. I remember back when I posted chapter 5 saying that I wanted to limit the number of extra long chapters. Welp, looks like the shorter chapters are an exception to the average ch length here. Oh well, I don't think you're complaining!

As always, a massive shoutout to @achillmango for her incredible editing capabilities.

The sound of metal sword on metal sword clashing in the background almost entirely drops away from her ears at the seriousness of Aang’s expression. “Katara, have you ever felt really strongly for someone?”  Wow. Right now?  This isn’t where she expected this conversation to go, nor the place to have it.  She turns her gaze away, and answers noncommittally, “I– uh…I guess I have.” She looks up toward the branches of the tree and notices the midday sun shining beams of golden light on them, Its warmth is comforting yet something about this feels wrong. The light flickers against the slow-drifting pollen in the air.

Without further adieu, please enjoy Chapter 11 - The Sword, The Man, The Legend on AO3!

[geothewriter]

Zutara Week 2023 - Day 2: Solstice

106 AG Winter Solstice

These four years have flown by at an unimaginable pace. I thought the two years I had spent with Aang had gone quickly. How foolish I was in that time. Oh how life was simpler back then…more dangerous, but simpler. Where would we find dinner? Where would we sleep? Would we be ambushed by someone trying to kill us? Would we survive the end of summer? 

Now it's just meetings with foreign dignitaries each morning, and sit-ins with policy advisors in the afternoons. Do I prefer one life over the other? Of course, after all, these meetings are higher stakes. I’ve always wanted to make positive impacts on the world, and I finally can. Me. I’m making changes. The burgeoning Republic City was my idea, but no one needs to know that but me. Let Zuko and Aang have their glory for that one.

After everything, I made my choice. Zuko never had my heart early on, certainly not right at the start. He was bull headed, stubborn as a mooselion, and was actively trying to ruin the world’s only chance of a bright future. But…fate has a funny way of working. He became one of my closest friends after abandoning the future his nation chose and finding his way to us, though not without trying his best to make it up to everyone. I was the last to officially warm up to him, but truth be told, I was too hard on him back then. My heart hurt, and still does for how I treated him. 

Funny how fate works. My husband and I just set up camp at the end of an extended hike through the South Pole tundras. I forced him to wear heavy furs in spite of his insistence that he didn’t need them. He was glad for them in the heavy winds. I made sure he knew that I knew I was right. Inner fires can only keep someone warm in this cold for so long. 

We made it to the sacred spot my family always journeyed to on this night when I was growing up. A mountain of ice, trapped far inland and capped by snow, hid a cave for decades that only my family knew of. I took this man into the caves, and at midnight, as the moon reached its zenith, the lights began to appear. Fairy lights, we called them, reflected off every crystal within the cave. I drew him further into the cavern, to the end of a winding tunnel. 

I introduced him to the pool of sacred water, the shrine upon which it was built, and the gateway to the sky above. Multicolored light rained through the skylight reflecting the dancing aurora from above off the water’s surface. We sat in silence for what felt like hours. The first moments of the solstice passed. The closeness was tremendous. I could feel my ancestors around us, looking upon who I had become, and who I was with. I just knew they were smiling.

We begin our journey back to reality tomorrow. Three days of hiking, then four by airship back home. Luncheons with dignitaries, dinners with advisors, evenings with him. Life could honestly not be much better. The future is bright.

~Master Katara, Fire Lady

If you like my writing, check out my other works over on AO3!

@zutaraweek

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 7 - Haiku, Horror, and Honor

Sokka engages in an unexpected contest with Zuko, Azula deals with some issues, Zuko builds connections with his new allies, AND all the while, Aang goes through some serious spiritual journeying.

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Hello dear readers! Chapter 6 got really dreamy for Zuko, but this is something else entirely. As always, an absolutely enormous shoutout to @achillmango for her editing and input! I won’t spoil anything, but I feel that it is pertinent to put in a content warning here.

WARNING: This chapter contains content that may evoke disconcerting emotions and has some very intense scenes involving negative emotions. Reader discretion is advised.

Please enjoy Chapter 7 - Haiku, Horror, and Honor over on AO3!

Leave me a comment or just say hi! I'd love feedback on this one :)

[geothewriter]

Zutara Week 2023 - Day 3: Union

Attending Sokka and Suki’s wedding on Kyoshi island was meant to be a joyous excursion from Zuko’s duties as Fire Lord. Indeed, he indulged himself in the fine wines unique to the island, and spoke at great length with his friends. A massive storm extended the five day excursion to seven, as the harbor was battered by wild waves and typhoon winds. Not even the Avatar’s efforts could quell the raging storm, and after fighting with nature for hours on the fifth day, he retired to a well protected home inland, along with the rest of the group who were visiting for the wedding. 

Luckily for them, the storm held out until after Sokka and Suki’s vows and subsequent reception on the fourth day. Witnessing the pair’s union added a cherry on top of the idea that Zuko had made the right choices in the war, and in life. If only he hadn’t felt so alone, he wouldn’t be in the predicament he currently found himself. 

Before the fledgling Fire Lord sat a young woman with beautiful flowing brown locks of hair. He sat behind her, attempting to braid the mane into a traditional Fire Nation style unsuccessfully for fifteen minutes. Distraction continually weaved its way into his mind, with thoughts of how nice the hair felt running through his fingers, or how it felt wrong to see the exposed nape of her neck when he pulled the hair into a different style. 

The thoughts weren’t necessarily new to him, but being trapped with her by a raging typhoon in a tiny home in a foreign land wasn’t helping. He needed to leave before he said something stupid. He wasn’t ready for his mind to speak words he may regret later, and besides, this was an event to honor Suki and Sokka’s union, not just any old get-together. 

The pair shared the one room house and talked, laughed, and played games of pai sho. They spoke of their adventures during the war, and the years following. Katara had expressed interest in becoming an ambassador to one of the other nations at one point, and Zuko jokingly offered a spot in the Fire Nation. She never responded to his offer, instead she chose to ponder it quietly for some time. 

Zuko gave brief notes of how frustrating it had become to deal with his advisors, council, and just about everyone else at the palace. He missed having just their old group around to solve problems. He mentioned that he even missed the stressful final days of the war, with how close everyone had grown. 

The sixth night, at the height of the storm, the pair found themselves huddled up as lightning crashed and thunder echoed outside. The winds howled as they attempted to find sleep. At some point in the long night, Zuko heard her voice near to him, seeming to be practicing some set of lines. He feigned sleep, not trusting his tongue to keep quiet.

"I’d love to be an ambassador to the Fire Nation. Would you really have me? No. Sure, Zuko being ambassador there sounds like fun. No.. If I became ambassador, would we be able to be together? I’ll wait for you, but it’s so hard to see you struggle by yourself when I can help. We could get through it all together."

A chill shot down his spine as he realized she felt the same as he had for only the spirits know how long. He’d officially ask her in the morning. To be his or to be the ambassador, he wasn’t sure; probably both. Either way, it would be a grand union between their two nations, a union of nations grown out of a union between friends.

If you like my writing, check out my other works over on AO3!

@zutaraweek

[geothewriter]

Zutara Week 2023 - Day 4: Jewel

Note: This prompt response takes place in a museum and is mostly written on a plaque for the exhibit.

Behold! The Jewel of Agni. 

Once thought lost to time and civilizations, the pure ruby Jewel of Agni is symbolic of Fire Nation strength and perseverance. This particular crimson gemstone’s origins lay within the belly of the very volcano that once formed Caldera city. Belched out in a great inferno, this jewel would eventually rest just south of the mainland.

Its many natural facets are intricate. Some have claimed to see the visage of Agni himself within the reflections, if inspected closely. Flames periodically dance within the gem, and reach their apex of activity during the summer solstice, and cease entirely on the winter solstice. Each major facet holds deeper meaning.

The Cloven Facet, located at the top left and is identified by the fracture running through the cut, signifies the fractured history of the Fire Nation, and how once we were once separated into warring tribes prior to unification.

The Sun Facet, located at the very top of the gem is near perfectly circular, and signifies our connection to the ultimate power above.

The Twin Facet, located along the right side of the gemstone is identified by the twinned crystal structure dominating this portion of the jewel. It portrays the nature of Fire Nation histories to wish for a partnership with one nation more than all others, acting as a twin during times of triumph.

The Flame Facet, located front and center is self explanatory. Shaped like a striking fireball, it shows the strength we all have within ourselves.

The Dragon Facet, pictured in the painting below, was lost in 35AG, to damage caused by an earthquake. It signified the glorious companionship our nation formerly had with the dragons. Hopefully one day in the future, we will once again rejoin their kind in union.

This sizable gemstone will be on display here, in the Grand Azulon Museum, until the end of summer, whence it will make its first journey outside the nation in over a century. You can see it at its future exhibit in Ba Sing Se’s Kuei Institute for gemology for the six months it will be on loan.

“As far as explanations go”, Zuko thinks aloud, “That’s roughly all correct.” 

A gemstone is preserved back in the royal palace, hidden beneath a floorboard in Fire Lord Zuko’s private quarters. It was gifted to him upon completion of his training with the Sun Warriors as an act of good faith, along with a golden egg shaped jewel that the young man could swear almost felt alive. He had commissioned a pendant be made that would allow the real Jewel of Agni to be placed within.

The museum exhibit certainly got one thing wrong. The Jewel was not fiery, nor was it even a ruby. The pure sapphire blue gemstone resides within the pendant Zuko plans to gift his future wife as part of their engagement in three weeks.The museum can keep the false gem; he and Katara will know the true history.

If you like my writing, check out my other works over on AO3!

@zutaraweek