#ursa discovers consequences

[the-air-nomad]

Hi there I have a request for a flick Azula X reader but I would like reader to be evil. Azula and reader, were arranged by marriage reader, is from a noble family, and is very ambitious very involved in the politics of the fire nation, and will do anything for his princess. He becomes fearful when he finds out that the Avatar survived Azula had lied to our father about the avatar reader comes up with a plan to frame Zuko, so for him and Azula, to avoid any consequences, should be Avatar appear readers plan is to assassinate the fire in frame, Zuko for it I hope this interests you

When two prodigies fall in love

You are the second born of a very powerful noble family in the Fire Nation. Although you were always smarter and better at firebending than your older brother, your parents always preferred your brother. That made you run away to the Fire Lord's castle at just 13 years old.

Well, maybe your parents were right. You had a spark of cunning and ambition from birth. And that spark burst into a devastating fire the moment you arrived in the capital.

Your talent, ambition and intelligence have caught the attention of the fire lord. One day, he invited you to train with him. You held your head high and fought him with dignity, and that impressed him.

Fire Lord Ozai made a plan, and soon, he put it into action. He exiled Zuko and arranged a marriage between you and Azula.

You tasted power like a shark tastes blood. You played your cards like a master. You were always the son Ozai wanted.

You gave Azula the attention and affection she had always wanted. You noticed the irregularities in the princess's behavior and the fact that she had become dependent on you in a very short time.

You consulted a very good psychiatrist and found out that Azula was suffering from a mental illness. You got the medicine the princess needed. And then you killed the psychiatrist. Not a single person was to know that the princess was insane.

knowing that Ozai had spies everywhere, you decided to act like a good future son-in-law, worried about his future wife and the fate of the nation.

That very evening, you requested a private meeting with the Fire Lord.

You went to his quarters and he was curiously waiting for you. You bowed to him and he told you to sit down and have some tea with him. You sat in front of him and took a sip of tea catching him with a worried and tired look.

He frowned at you. He asked you what happened.

You sighed and told him about what you discovered. You put your head in your hands and told him that you were devastated to find out that your future wife and princess was suffering from something like this.

He put his teacup down, frozen for a few seconds. Then he got up and started having a nervous breakdown. He threw flames all around him, cursing Ursa and accusing her of giving him two useless children.

You did your best to calm him down, ending up with a few burns. After he calmed down, he told you that you are his only hope, the only one who will be able to continue his mission. Ozai also told you that you must do everything in your power to control the princess. You swore on your honor to keep everything under control.

You left and went to the infirmary to have your wounds tended to. Then you went to Azula's room. As soon as you entered her room, Azula practically pounced on you with questions about where you were and how you got hurt. You told her that Ozai had a nervous breakdown and that you were his unfortunate victim.

You saw the princess's expression distort and all the respect and love she felt for her father burn away, leaving behind a burning hatred. You stop her before she tries to kill her father.

That night, as she slept in your arms, she vowed to destroy her father.

You played a double game, making Ozai think Azula was a wild fire to be contained, and making Azula think Ozai was planning to get rid of the two of you.

besides, you sent letters to Iroh, using the friendship between your brother and his deceased son to get under his skin. You managed to make Zuko and Iroh blindly trust you.

When Zuko came back and Azula told you about her killing the avatar you almost laughed. instead, you kept a calm face and congratulated her on her victory in Ba Sing Se. Then you went on a date with her, making sure the chef prepared all her favorite dishes. At the romantic date you explained that the Avatar is more than likely alive. She looked worried so you reassured her that everything would be fine. You advised her to tell her father that Zuko killed the avatar.

In the evening, you visited Iroh in his prison. You drank tea and promised to take care of Zuko and Azula.

The next day, you trained with Zuko with the Dao swords. After training, you ate fire flakes and played Pai Sho. Before the Eclipse you advised Zuko to join the Avatar.

Ozai was furious after Zuko's betrayal. You acted like you were shocked at what happened and expressed your gratitude to Agni that the Fire Lord was fine.

This way you ensured that whether the Fire Nation won the war or not, you would be on the winning side.

During Sozin's comet, you were forced by Ozai to stay hidden in your family home.

You returned to the palace as soon as you heard of Ozai's defeat. Zuko welcomed you with open arms and even named you Admiral. You thanked him and asked for Azula to be released into your custody.

He looked worried and asked you to reconsider your idea. You flatly refused and manipulated Zuko into bringing Azula back to the palace.

Once back at the palace, Azula acted like a lost dragoon and didn't dare spend even five minutes away from you.

Now you look after Azula and wield your influence from the shadows, waiting for the moment when you can strike and claim the throne.

Although I do not own the characters from avatar the last airbender, this work belongs to me! I sincerely hope you liked it. please rate it and leave a comment! follow me to see my next posts! Don’t forget that the request are open💖💖💨

You can buy me a coffe if you want:  buymeacoffee.com/TheAirNomad

[callophelia-ailingamnemonic]

Oh look, What I have so far for my Cataclysm and pre-canon Mondstadt plot points for my ATWIAWL AU!

CATACLYSM

After defeating Durin, Celestia summons Barbatos to assassinate the Khaenri’an heir, to which Barbatos very reluctantly cooperates with, that is until they get there and discover a baby Kaeya.

Seeing his smile, Barbatos cannot bring themself to kill the baby and attempts to smuggle him away from the Cataclysm, but they are discovered by Morax and the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.

Before all of this, Dainsleif was exiled (for reasons I haven’t really decided yet) from Khaenri’ah but came back during the Cataclysm hoping to save the people, but bumps into Barbatos. Dainsleif is tense at first until Barbatos hands Kaeya over to him and tells him that he must run before the Sustainer arrives.

The Sustainer then proceeds to arrive and Barbatos buys the two time as Dainsleif and Kaeya flee into the Abyss. However, Barbatos quickly loses the fight.

An offence like this would normally lead to the offender’s execution, however, the Sustainer is unable to kill Barbatos without severe consequences (all relating to Istaroth), but leaving them to their own devices is just as equally dangerous, so instead, the Heavenly Principles seal them away.

She still tells all the other archons that they killed Barbatos to dissuade them from also rebelling.

Before they’re able to seal them away, however, Barbatos transfers their powers over to the Thousand Winds, blessing them with power rivalling that of Liyue’s adepti so that after the deed is done and the Sustainer sets out to attack Mondstadt, the Wind Wisps are able to fight her off, sending her into a deep slumber after the Cataclysm weakened her.

PRE-CANON MONDSTADT

After they were blessed by Barbatos, the Wind Wisps essentially became divine protectors of Mondstadt, similar to the Four Winds and Liyue’s adepti. They’re also able to have human forms, identifiable by their white hair and anemo-coloured tips and eyes. They mostly stay in Mondstadt but are also known to live in other nations alongside people they decide to stick to.

Before they were sealed away, Barbatos was able to remove their soul and put it into the form of a Wind Wisp not too dissimilar from the rest of the Thousand Winds. Since their identity as Venti was compromised, Barbatos decided to craft a new identity under the name of Nye and use it to secretly remain in Teyvat.

The fact that Barbatos disguised as Nye is still around is a secret only the Thousand Winds are privy to, because if Celestia were to ever hear of Nye’s true identity, they could potentially awaken prematurely, and that is the last thing anyone wants.

Because they’re around, Venti is able to heal Dvalin of Durin’s poison, but because I’m also a sucker for the gay dragons, close to the present events of the game, Durin gets reincarnated into the most reckless being in all of Teyvat. Initially, Dvalin lets him be out of a sense of guilt from killing his past self, but then Durin (whose name might not be Durin anymore) gets himself in a sticky situation and Dvalin has to appear in his human form in order to get him out of that situation. Afterwards, Dvalin decides to stick around with Durin to ensure that he doesn’t get himself almost killed again.

In his human form, Dvalin has a fake anemo vision and I can imagine him either being a bow user or a catalyst user.

I like to think that Durin would have a cryo vision. I can imagine his weapon either being a claymore or a physical catalyst like Heizou or Wriothesley.

During the Ursa the Drake crisis, the presence of the wisps are able to save Crepus’ life. I haven’t decided yet if present-day Diluc still has the same personality he had before his father died in canon, or if he’s still grumpy. Another fic that inspired me was “A Bard’s Ambition” by OG_CaleHenituse where even though Venti saved Crepus’ life, it wasn’t without people thinking he had died when he went missing which still results in Diluc’s fallout with the knights.

[loopy777]

Spoiler Thoughts & Reactions: Azula in the Spirit Temple

This is the stuff I had to leave out of my other post because it's spoilery, mostly concerned with Azula's character arc. It seems the fandom is having mixed reactions to this, but I think it moves Azula forward in a big way as a character, even though very little changes about her general situation.

The thing I'm most struck by is that this thing has the exact same character arc as the 2-chapter vision question I sent Zuko on in Traitor's Face, complete with the protagonist seemingly rejecting redemption at the climax by attacking the spirit in what is actually a symbolically self-destructive reaction to becoming consciously aware of the abusive they experienced from Ozai- an awareness that may lead to better choices in the future.

I love that Azula actually talks about Ozai here, and the flashback to her discovering her Firebending is perfectly illustrative of her dynamic with her parents. During her spirit visions, Azula claims to no longer support Ozai because he failed and lost his Firebending, which seems to be a change from how she was still taking his orders in 'The Search.' After 'Smoke & Shadow' was loudly silent on the matter, we see that she's truly taken a step forward in her characterization and is no longer consciously trying to win his approval. I had suspected as much, considering her obsession with Zuko, but it's good to see it given confirmation and focus.

At the start of this story, Azula is definitely diminished, though, running around the fringes of the Fire Nation committing petty acts of sabotage, no longer attempting any grand plans to manipulate Zuko but rather just generally antagonizing him. This is a change from her professed mission in S&S to supposedly make him a better Fire Lord by teaching him the power of fear over love.

My own speculations are that that she either wasn't serious about her true motivations in S&S (which I think would be a retcon), she's now lashing out at him in revenge for his rejection of the lesson, or she's just taunting him with her own continued survival and freedom in order to show him that his belief in love can't accomplish everything.

Getting back to Ozai, I was stunned to find that this comic actually has her admitting that her father abused her and she feared him. That is a huge step forward for her, acknowledging the part he played in her troubles. And yet, at the story's climax, when she goes to attack the spirit who has been troubling her and giving her visions, she proclaims herself the daughter of Ozai (not Ursa, unlike Zuko at the climax of 'Zuko Alone,' despite Azula also admitting some real truths about her mother), gives him the title of the Phoenix King, and uses it as proof of her claim to the Fire Nation throne. That seems to be a huge reversal from the earlier acknowledgements, and she explicitly frames it as a rejection of the possibility of redemption- a rejection even of the need.

This would seem to be a rather meta sign of what we should expect next for Azula, that there will be no Redemption Arc and she will remain a villain. But I'm not so sure.

Because Azula is not being honest.

The spirit, after it takes its final monstrous bug-like form, describes itself as a mirror of Azula's inner-self, a monster just like her, and the consequence of rejecting redemption. Azula attempts to destroy it with her lightning, a symbolic act of self-destruction. She seems to once again be embracing Ozai's worldview that human connections are a weakness. And the symbolic self-destruction seems to indicate that this will not end well for her.

But I would say that the final pages are not definitive about what is next for her.

For one thing, the spirit is not destroyed. When Azula continues her journey through the forest where she found the spirit temple, the first panel puts an insect of the same type and color as the spirit's final form in the foreground. So she's mistaken about that, and if we continue to say that it's a symbol of her inner-self, she didn't succeed in destroying it.

When she finds the Fire Warriors -- who she initially said she would hurt for leaving her to go rescue a captured member she had given up on -- she observes their close friendship and chooses to walk away. She covers this by saying, out loud to no one, that they are unworthy of her leadership. Who is she trying to convince? This directly parallels the feelings about Ty Lee and Mai that were explored in her visions. So clearly she's in denial about what she's feeling, attempting to talk herself into a more palatable justification, and has grown from wanting to hurt the Fire Warriors for their disobedience and having what she wants.

Then, interestingly, as Azula walks away, she says she'll find a new place to rule and new followers, and that she always does. This is despite her earlier talk about being the rightful heir to the throne.

I've long said that the dumbest, least interesting way to use Azula in any AtLA sequels (including fanfic) is to have her trying to usurp the title of Fire Lord from Zuko. It plays into the rivalry taught to them by the way Ozai played them against each other, but in the context of the setting, it's a fool's errand. Even if the Fire Nation accepted her, the rest of the world wouldn't, not if she's going to antagonize them. Restarting the war is a no-go, as the Fire Nation has lost its colonies and captured territory in the Earth Kingdom, and now it no longer has a military or technology advantage. I can't buy that someone as smart as Azula would want to put herself into an career dead-end like that.

But it seems, thanks to those final pages, this comic has advanced Azula enough that even though she wants the throne, she recognizes that it offers her nothing in either real power or personal satisfaction. If she really is looking for somewhere else to rule, she's no longer interested in fighting with Zuko over a token that their father had dangled over them all their lives. She doesn't even care what Zuko does with it.

(That's not to say she won't fight with Zuko over other things! Which I would be fine with.)

And she's off to find something worth fighting over, even though she's still very flawed and in denial about a lot of it.

So I think this comic opens up a lot of possibilities for Azula. Maybe she'll continue being a villain, but for smart stakes. Maybe she'll eventually work her way to a true redemption. (I especially like that the dialogue ties redemption with apologies; it's not enough to stop being bad, a true redemption requires acknowledging past wrongs and attempting to make up for them.) Or maybe the continuing AtLA story will do what I like to play with when I write Azula:

Just find a way for her to achieve peace with herself.

Anyway, the more I think on this comic, the more I like it. I'll be crushed when the animated Aang movie makes her a generic villain again. XD

[batheavensent5]

Sabine Wren always runs away from her problems instead comforting them.

She ran away from the Imperial Academy when she discovered the Emprie's true intentions for the Duchess.

She ran away from her own family. She didn't even go to her family and tell them what happened. Instead Sabine's actions forced Ursa Wren to bend the knee to Gar Saxon and by proxy the Empire. Just so Clan Wren won't face the consequences.

Nor has she admitted as to why she would create such a weapon that would turn a Mandalorians armor against them. She would only admit to it as being a series of bad decisions.

Sabine understood from birth what a Mandalorians armor means to a Mandalorian. Yet, she goes and create a weapon that turns a Mandalorians armor into a death trap. Then why do it? Why?

And the only time Sabine would admit anything was when Kanan pressed her.

By the time of Ashoka, Sabine is still running away.

The first time the audience sees Sabine, she's on a speeder running away from a dedication ceremony to the rebel victory over Lothal. All she had to do was play nice and give a speech. Instead, she decides to blow it off. She literary blows off the people she helped save.

In a sense, she is also, running away from herself. In that she is not dealing with the loss of her family and Mandalore, in a healthy way. I think at one point Zeb, Kallus, Hera and Ahsoka tried to help but Sabine pushed them away.

Sabine Wren is running away when she dodges Ezra's questions about how she got to Peridea. She just refers to as it being shady. She just doesn't want to admit that she traded the safety of galaxy on the slim chance Ezra might be alive. Or ruin her reunion with Ezra.

She is still running away when she chooses to stay with Ahsoka. Of course Ahsoka is Sabine's master (I use that term loosely). They had been estranged until recently.

Staying is easy. It's easier than facing the questions that are waiting for her. It's easier then lying to everyone or omitting certain facts. Or having to deal with the consequences when the truth does comes out.

Sabine Wren is still running away

[rk099]

Stellar Stories: Tales from the Night Sky's Constellations

The night sky has been a canvas of imagination for humanity throughout history, with stars forming intricate patterns that have inspired countless myths and stories. Among these celestial tapestries, constellations stand out as timeless storytellers, each bearing its own unique narrative. Let's embark on a celestial journey as we explore the captivating tales woven into the fabric of the night sky.

1. Orion the Hunter: A Tale of Valor and Love

Orion, a prominent winter constellation, is often depicted as a mighty hunter. In Greek mythology, Orion was a skilled and boastful hunter who fell in love with the beautiful Pleiades, seven sisters transformed into doves. The story unfolds with Orion's pursuit of these elusive sisters, capturing the essence of both love and determination amidst the twinkling stars.

2. Cassiopeia's Vanity: A Lesson in Humility

Cassiopeia, a constellation shaped like a distinctive "W" or "M," depending on its position in the night sky, is associated with a queen from Greek mythology. Cassiopeia's vanity and pride led to her punishment, being forced to spend half her time upside down in the heavens—a celestial reminder of the consequences of arrogance.

3. Perseus and the Gorgon: Triumph Over Adversity

Perseus, another hero of Greek mythology, is immortalized in the night sky for his heroic feat of slaying the Gorgon Medusa. The constellation showcases Perseus holding the severed head of Medusa, an emblem of overcoming challenges through courage and resourcefulness.

4. Draco the Dragon: Guardian of the Celestial Poles

Draco, a constellation resembling a dragon, winds its way through the northern sky. In various cultures, dragons symbolize different things, from guardianship to chaos. In the night sky, Draco appears to guard the celestial poles, adding an element of mystery and mythology to its celestial presence.

5. Ursa Major and Ursa Minor: Bears in the Northern Sky

The Big Dipper, part of Ursa Major, and the Little Dipper, part of Ursa Minor, are well-known constellations that have inspired stories across cultures. In Native American folklore, the Big Dipper represents a bear, while in Greek mythology, the two dippers are associated with the nymph Callisto and her son Arcas, transformed into bears by the jealous goddess Hera.

6. The Zodiac: Celestial Pathways of Mythology

The twelve constellations of the zodiac each carry their own symbolic significance. From the adventurous Aries to the sensitive Pisces, these constellations have been linked to astrological beliefs and personality traits. Exploring the zodiac adds another layer of storytelling to the night sky, connecting the stars to our daily lives.

As we gaze up at the night sky, these stellar stories come alive, transcending time and culture. The constellations serve as a testament to the human desire to find meaning in the cosmos, offering a timeless connection between the mysteries of the universe and the stories that shape our understanding of it. So, the next time you find yourself under a starlit canopy, remember that above you lies not just a celestial display but a tapestry of stories waiting to be discovered.

[sciencespies]

Here’s how you could see a rare bright comet this January – no telescope required

https://sciencespies.com/space/heres-how-you-could-see-a-rare-bright-comet-this-january-no-telescope-required/

Here’s how you could see a rare bright comet this January – no telescope required

If you find the precision of astronomical predictions impressive, January’s topic might change your mind. C/2022 E3 ZTF is a well-placed comet, possibly about to break the naked eye visibility threshold. However, comets are notoriously difficult to predict, sometimes likened to cats in the way they ignore predictions and do just whatever they please.

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In astronomy, a bright comet roughly describes any such object visible through binoculars or a small telescope. Many fall well short of this requirement!

Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF is a long-period comet discovered on 2 March 2022, with an orbit estimated as longer than 50,000 years. Consequently, this is a non-periodic comet; that’s what the ‘C/’ in the name means. A periodic comet is typically regarded as one with an orbital period of less than 200 years.

The ‘2022 E3’ part of the name indicates 2022 as the year of discovery, it being the 3rd (3) comet discovered in the fifth half-month of that year (E). Comet discovery half-months are indicated by the letters A, B, C and so on, with I being omitted to avoid confusion with 1. The ‘ZTF’ in this comet’s name indicates that it was discovered by the Zwicky Transient Facility at Mount Palomar in California.

© Pete Lawrence

As it tracks near the North Star, Polaris, comet C/2022 E3 ZTF passes close to the two middle brightness stars in Ursa Minor, called Kochab and Pherkad. Being relatively close to Polaris, the pair are often described as ‘the Guardians of the Pole’.

To navigate this area of sky, the best starting point is the Plough or Saucepan pattern. Use our chart and see whether you can get a view of this comet, but be prepared because it may not be as bright as you might imagine. Then again, if something unexpected happens, it may well be brighter!

Read more:

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Looking for stargazing tips? Check out our complete astronomy for beginners UK guide.

#Space

[lightdancer1]

Draft scene from the ATLA/Sailor Moon crossover Part III

Office of the Fire Lord

"You are Ozai's son," she said as her son crossed his arms in front of his chest. With his face, once scarred and now scarless, her eyes lingering on it, the only difference between himself and his father at that age was that Ozai would never have dared have such...domestic...marvels in his center of power. That gave her hope, a hope that she clung to with a desperation that surprised her.

"You of all people know exactly who Father can be, what he can be."

She blinked.

"Is he not that still?"

Zuko shrugged.

"He's taken up with mind-healing." A strange expression crossed his face. "Serenity insisted. And to everyone's surprise except maybe him, he listened. And it works. He will never leave Ember Island again, but a gilded cage like that is about as good as he can hope for and he knows it. And we do talk, now. Father and son."

Zuko shrugged again. "We're not likely to try to burn each other's faces off so I count that as progress."

Ursa flinched.

"If you're wondering why my face isn't scarred anymore..."

He tapped the woman behind Azula and the others, the tall one with wings and the penguin-suited man at her side.

"Serenity's powers healed it. Lala told me I could have that healing. If I wanted it. She let me choose, rather than trying to choose for me."

There was a fondness on his face as he thought of that memory.

"So I did choose, and I was able to erase that mark of intended shame, with her help. Ty Lee may have told you, but a lot has changed since you fled that day."

Ursa nodded, her gaze lingering at some of the other.....strange paintings, as she thought of them then.

"So I see. And yes, I knew what your father can do. You ask why I wrote that letter?"

"One of the things I want to ask, yes."

She paused and looked at Zuko. His hands trembled slightly and she could almost palpably sense a rage burning within him like a volcano awakening from slumber.

"Neither you nor Azula ever truly understood this, because you were children and even Ozai could agree to keep you from some things, to allow you some levels of being children. But..." she looked at the pictures again, lips thinning at one of Azula with her arms around the blue-clad woman, who looked at her with a warmth and love that curdled in Ursa to see, "I was your grandfather's Eye and Ear for the entire span of my presence in the Palace. Your father was breaking security protocols and reading my mail, so I wrote something designed to provoke him into doing it."

"You called me a bastard!" Zuko's voice briefly exploded in a shout.

His face softened a bit at the sight of regret on her face.

"Yes, I did. I needed to say something that would get his attention, that he couldn't meekly ignore. So I poked at one of his oldest insecurities and I did not think about what it meant for you."

Then her face displayed some of the vast fears she'd sat on since her face had changed.

"Was that why he-" She pointed to a portrait of Zuko with the old scar he hung up and which showed signs of Mai's knives used for target practice.

"No, not really," Zuko shook his head. "I objected to a plan to massacre a division for a cheap gain. Father did not like that, Father chose to call me to an Agni Kai instead of the general he felt I'd insulted. And I didn't fight back against him because he was my Father."

Old hurts swam through his gaze for a moment and he couldn't meet hers.

"Ozai is in that gilded cage for a reason and he knows it."

Then he sighed.

"I'm old enough now to know that adults don't know what we're doing, that nobody is entirely perfect." He pointed to the letter in her hands. "But that letter, mother, that's a little bit beyond imperfect."

She flinched again. "I will say that when I regained my memories I realized what I'd done with it, so soon before the....events...of that night and that it was why I was so desperate to return here."

Zuko tilted his head for a moment.

"And the other one, when you wrote that my sister wasn't even someone you thought of as 'good in the Palace?' "

Ursa flinched much more deeply at that one.

"I have no excuses for that, Zuko. I was angry at a lot of things, and I took that anger out on my child, who needed a mother and in truth had someone who only partially met responsibilities."

Zuko's gaze went back to the picture with the set of women around her daughter.

"She has three now," he said with a fond tone to his voice that surprised her to hear it. "Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna."

She blinked.

"They sound like-"

Zuko laughed. "They're not. When, not if, you meet them you'll see that for yourself. They speak Japanese. It sounds like our language but it isn't. More clipped, honorifics, no articles. Completely different metaphors."

His lips curled in a reference to a joke that he shared with Azula and a few of the nerdier Senshi. "Shaka, when the walls fell."

Ursa raised an eyebrow and shrugged. Some new saying of the postwar generation, she was sure of it.

Zuko sighed.

"Look, I am glad you're alive. For a long time I thought Father murdered you, and lied to us that he didn't know where you were, or where you'd run off to. Really. I am. I didn't seek you out after the war because I figured you were happier where you were than you would be here."

His nose twitched.

"And yet here you are."

Ursa nodded.

"Here I am."

Her gaze turned to the image of her daughter with her arms around the blue-clad girl.

"How did they find a Waterbender in wherever she is?"

Zuko laughed.

"Oh, Berthier! Yeah, that's a long story. Very long. And we have plenty of time to tell it."

Ursa blinked. "Hm."

"But you're not going to get out of the question I still want to ask easily as that."

She turned to him.

"If you could dislike my sister because she did something to bother you, what kept you from disliking me the same way? We're both Ozai's children. I'm much more like him than she is, I got his temper and his....." he spread his hands. "Hunger for a few things that I like to think I'm using better but in some ways the roots aren't really all that different. And I can admit that, now, without thinking I am a monster myself."

Her nose twitched.

"It wasn't anything that she did, or you did. It couldn't have been. I don't know, Zuko. I'm trying hard not to make those mistakes again with Kiyi."

"Kiyi?"

"Your younger sister."

Zuko blinked.

His tone was deceptively light, enough that Ursa recognized the danger signals in that lightness.

"So you replaced us when you forgot about us?"

"Oh Zuko, no. No." She shook her head.

"Noriko, the person the spirit turned me into, kept having dreams of both of you. I didn't know why, out of an entire nation, it was the two of you, and why they felt like memories. I never forgot. The memories began to give me terrible headaches and that's what forced me to remember in full."

Zuko sat down then, and gestured to a chair.

"Spirit?"

"Yes."

He leaned forward and steepled his hands as Ursa took a seat.

"Tell me everything."

Ursa did.

[ellakomskaikru]

Since you are a cool person with good avatar opinions:

What do you think about the headcanon/crack theory that Azula is actually the daughter of Ursa and Iroh?

There isn't any real evidence in the show for this theorie( only some similarities Azula shaees with Iroh that she doesn't share with Ozai and it fitting very well with Azulon ordering Ozai to kill Zuko), but also nothing to disprove it.

Personally i like this theory just for the huge amount of drama and chaos the revelation of this would cause in the Fire Nation Royal Family.

Hello!

Thanks for the compliment!

Although the theory would certainly cause drama in the Fire Nation Royal Family, I’m not sure if I like the theory. I’ve seen a fanfic where Azula was actually Iroh’s daughter, and I didn’t like it. Iroh only seemed to feel bad that he didn’t try to help Azula because Azula was actually his daughter.

Also, Ursa is a very smart woman, and I can’t see her risking both her own life and Zuko’s life to have an affair with Iroh. Even though Iroh was part of the royal family himself, Ursa was still Ozai’s wife, and I think there would be very big consequences if Ursa were discovered to have cheated on Ozai and even had a child with Iroh.

I also think that Azula actually does look a lot like Ozai, as well as Ursa. Azula’s face shape resembles that of Ozai, rather than Iroh’s. I find that Iroh and Ozai do not look very similar. The shape of Azula’s eyes I also find to be similar to Ozai’s.

So that is why I’m not really a fan of the theory. Thanks for the ask!

[atlabeth]

everything happens for a reason part 3 - zuko x fem!reader

I feel so much, I get carried away

part 2 | masterlist | part 4

a/n: enjoy the fluff in this chapter bc its not gonna last

once again for reference - this chapter takes place 2 years after the last one so y/n is 11 and zuko is 12

warning(s): eating/food, but otherwise its pure fluff

wc: 3.3k

chapter title comes from carried away by madison beer!

i ran out of kid zuko gifs so i had to make my own smh if you want something done you gotta do it yourself

The young friendship only flourished after that fateful day. Zuko and Y/N began spending almost all of their freetime together between Y/N teaching him about her culture, their usual talking in the hallways, and finding ways to hang out together outside of her schedule. She was absolutely delighted to be teaching Zuko though, so she always made sure there was time for her self proclaimed academy.

Y/N was constantly busy around the castle, so in order to hang out they had started waking up extra early — the pair had become experts at sneaking around the castle with the first rays of the sun. The gardens were a favourite because of its availability, and of course, the turtleducks. It also gave Y/N a chance to bend outside of healing, something that they began to take advantage of as they got older.

Sparring sessions became a regular between them as a way for Y/N to get some practice with martial bending, Zuko to experience fighting against a waterbender, and just another way for them to spend time together. Of course, they had to keep it as quiet as possible to avoid alerting anyone of their presence, but that became the least of their worries over time.

They each pushed each other to be better, and with Y/N’s healing skills, they were able to walk away every morning without any injuries. But after discovering a very unfair advantage that the prince held, she decided that morning sparring just wasn’t enough.

(“Firebending gets stronger in the morning,” he had told her after a particularly brutal blast resulting in some emergency bending on Y/N’s part to extinguish a tree. “My teachers always say that we rise with the sun.”

“Well,” she had said with a smile. “We rise with the moon. You just signed yourself up for some late night sparring sessions.”)

Y/N had truly started to come into her own. It had been two years since her capture, and though she had in no way made peace with her life in the Fire Nation, she was trying to take advantage of it as much as she could. Even though she despised being at the beck and call of nobles and guards, she couldn’t deny the opportunities it gave her to hone her abilities. Her healing had improved tenfold and her martial bending wasn’t too shabby either. Between all of the time spent with Zuko and practicing her bending, she was able to distract herself from her dim reality.

But the world was a cruel, cruel place, no matter how much she tried to ignore it. It didn’t treat souls like Zuko and Y/N kindly, a fact that they would soon become aware of.

In the moment though, Y/N was more focused on not getting burnt.

She twirled to the side as a small flame shot past her, just barely managing to dodge it as she bent a stream of water out from the pond and sent it at Zuko. He turned it to steam as he blocked it with his own fire, which he then sent back at her with a combination of a punch and a kick. Y/N raised her hands and bent up a large wall of water from the pond, and with a small grunt on her part, sent it flying towards Zuko. He tried to conjure up his own fire shield in an effort to extinguish the water once more, but it was too little too late and he ended up getting knocked to the ground and completely drenched.

Y/N couldn’t stop the giggle that fell from her lips as Zuko wiped water off of his face, sputtering incoherently while he pushed himself up. “Did you really have to do that?” he complained.

“You know I do.” She grinned as she walked around the pond to his side, cracking her knuckles before she began to bend the water out of his clothes. “This was in the morning, too. Admit it, I’m getting better!”

He cracked a smile of his own. “You really are. I just wish that you getting better didn’t end up in me getting soaked every time.”

She bent the water she had extracted from his clothes back into the pond and held out her hand to help him up from the ground, which he took gratefully. “That just makes it more fun.”

As she helped pull him up, Y/N found herself more than a little transfixed. The rays of the rising sun shone down on him perfectly, and the smile still on his lips made her feel flutter bats in her stomach.

Y/N didn’t know when she had started seeing Zuko in a different light than usual. When his laughs became melodious, his smile like a ray of sunshine on its own, his company coveted. While she was usually able to trade verbal jabs with him without a second thought, doing her self-assigned job of keeping him humble, something had changed in the past year.

They grew steadily closer over the years after they had met, but one event in particular all but pushed Zuko into her arms.

Ursa’s banishment.

Of course, they didn’t know that she had been banished. No one aside from Ozai knew the true nature of her disappearance — to her children and the other inhabitants of the palace, it was just that. A disappearance.

It was suspicious, yes. All in the span of a day, Princess Ursa vanished, Fire Lord Azulon mysteriously perished, and Ozai took his place, but nothing could be done. It was a somber day for every servant — Ursa showed them a kindness that couldn’t be found anywhere else in the palace, and to rub salt in the wound, a man just as cruel as Azulon had risen to the throne.

Zuko was devastated. He had always been close with his mother, and the only thing she had given him before leaving was a short goodbye and a kiss. He was angry beyond belief at the abandonment, and that anger overshadowed his grief.

Y/N tried to help him, but he lashed out at her.

“Your mother is still here and she loves you! Mine left me like I was nothing. Don’t try and say you know how I feel.”

“But my father is gone. I do know how you feel Zuko, and I want to help you, but I can’t help you if you keep pushing me away.”

“…you don’t know anything.”

It hurt, but she knew he needed space. She gave it to him, letting him brew alone and take out his anger however necessary, but let him know that the door was open when he was ready to talk.

He did — he had apologized for what he said and she accepted, and Zuko ended up spilling every emotion he had to her over the next few weeks. She listened, offered advice when she could, and made Zuko feel a little bit less alone in the scheme of it all. It was a horrible experience, but it brought them closer together, and the prince was eternally thankful that he had a friend to help him through the ordeal.

The night that he came to her room, admitting that he was hurting and asking for her help — Y/N thinks that was the moment she fell for him. She cursed herself at the time for developing feelings for her only friend in the palace, but over time she learned to cover them up. She had to remember her place.

She understood her role, but it got harder and harder to keep up with it the more time she spent with Zuko — this moment was no exception.

“Yeah, yeah. I just hold back because I don’t want to burn you.”

“Liar!” she exclaimed, hitting him playfully on the shoulder. “You forget that I can heal myself if anything goes wrong. Besides, I know you’d never burn me. I trust you.”

Zuko smiled and smoothed his clothes back down, the only sign of their sparring session now gone. “Good, because I trust you too. No matter how many times you totally drench me.”

She snorted as she started to walk back to the palace. “Like I said, that just makes it more fun. And as fun as it has been completely crushing you in combat, duty calls.”

He sighed, giving a reluctant nod as he started to follow her — then his eyes lit up, and he grabbed her arm to stop them. “Wait, how much work do you have today?”

Y/N thought for a few seconds then shrugged. “Dunno, it varies. I got stuck working with Jaysa all this morning, so that’s going to take forever, I have my usual healing lessons with Master Rika after, and then I usually just end up going around with whatever else comes my way for the rest of the day.” She grinned and lowered her voice as if the subject of the matter could somehow hear her. “I’ve been working on a dress for my mother in secret because her birthday is coming up soon, so the free time I get between my shifts that isn’t spent with you has been going towards that.”

Zuko gaped. “You’re making her a dress all on your own, with no help? How?”

She held up her hands with a proud smile. “These things are good for waterbending, sewing, and hitting best friends.”

He gave her a sideways grin at that. “I’m your best friend?”

Y/N snickered and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, dummy. You’re like, the only person that likes me in this whole nation. Of course you’re my best friend.”

“Well…” he started. “Would a best friend like to break the rules even more tonight?”

Her eyes lit up in turn, completely betraying her excitement despite her attempt to look nonchalant about it. “That depends — what d’you have in mind?”

He grinned and leaned forward, dropping his voice to a whisper as he spoke in her ear. “So, after you finish work for the night, we…”

-

It was a struggle to get through all of her work after the plan that she and Zuko had formulated — sure, they broke the rules all the time. The basis of their entire friendship was breaking the rules, but this was going farther than they ever had before. Y/N wasn’t thinking about the consequences though, she was thinking about the journey — that was her first mistake.

She had rushed through all of her chores with Jaysa, hardly paid attention in her healing lessons, and made quick work of the rest of her day until she was finally able to meet up with Zuko at one of the various servant entrances that she had shown him.

“You’re finally here!” he exclaimed, his body buzzing with nervous energy. “I thought you were never gonna come.”

“Some of us actually have work to get done, mister crown prince,” she joked as she bumped his shoulder with hers. “But that doesn’t matter — let’s get going before someone catches us! I don’t want it to get too dark either.”

“It’s gonna be fine,” Zuko reassured. “My dad is in war meetings all day, no one is going to catch us. Now come on!”

Zuko pushed open the door, grabbed her hand, and began to pull her along. A laugh fell from her lips as they ran, unable to stop herself from casting a cautionary glance behind them as they got farther from the palace. Y/N tried to push her worries out of her mind — like she had told Zuko earlier, she trusted him.

That was her second mistake.

It was surprisingly easy to sneak past the guards around the wall and just as quick to get through Royal Caldera, and before Y/N knew it, they had arrived in the city.

It was nothing like she had ever seen before.

The village she had grown up in was miniscule compared to anything in the Fire Nation, and she was especially awestruck upon entering the city. As home to more middle class citizens than anything, it was a bustling marketplace filled with workers and nobles alike — if she hadn’t been preoccupied with the stars in her eyes, she would’ve been able to see the way Zuko was absolutely beaming at her.

“Come on!” he exclaimed, grabbing her hand once again as he began to walk — at a much more moderate pace than their run here — down the streets. “There’s so much here that I wanna show you. Have you ever been out here?”

She shook her head, allowing herself to gawk at her surroundings while they went down the street. “We aren’t really allowed to leave the palace since we’re technically still prisoners, just… ones that work. My mother always had to give her money to one of the other servants so that when they went out to buy their things, they could pick some stuff up for us as well. This is all totally new.”

Once again, a frown found its way onto Zuko’s face, but only for a split second before he pointed at a stall opposite to them. “Oh— there’s a fruit stand! Come on, you have to try this.”

Y/N let Zuko pull her over to the stand, looking at the array of fruits on display while Zuko conversed with the merchant. A few silver pieces later and they were walking away with a basket of produce — miraculously, the prince hadn’t been recognized, so she figured he wouldn’t need a disguise. Third mistake.

“Here,” he said, offering her a mango from the basket. “You haven’t lived until you’ve tried Fire Nation mango.”

She took the fruit from him and bit into it, her eyes immediately widening as she turned on Zuko. “Tui’s gills, this is delicious! You’re telling me that you people just have this on hand but we don’t get any of it?”

He shrugged and took a fig from the basket as Y/N wiped some juice off of her chin. “There’s a reason I’ve helped you break into the kitchens so many times. Now, where do you wanna go next?”

-

The pair spent the next couple of hours browsing the marketplace, enjoying their day on the Fire Lord’s coin. Zuko was more than happy to show Y/N parts of his culture after all she had taught him, and she was more than happy to experience it. They had been able to buy lanterns for the upcoming Festival of Szeto, purchase their own blends of tea leaves, and of course Zuko insisted on getting fire flakes and gummies.

(Y/N thought he was insane. Why in the world would the Fire Nation want to make food that hurt them on purpose? She was going to stick with her newfound love for mangoes.)

But Zuko hadn’t even brought her to the best part yet.

“Can I open my eyes now?” She asked, her anxious tone betraying her curiosity.

“Now you can.” Y/N was met with Zuko’s grin and as she focused on the stand in front of them, she had to make a conscious effort to not gape.

Zuko had brought her to a sewing stand with all the threads, fabrics, and silks that she could dream of in all kinds of colors. She immediately rushed forward, unable to stop herself from running her hands over and through each and every piece of material — she was in a seamstress’s heaven.

“I take that as a sign you like it?” Zuko asked happily.

“Oh, definitely,” she confirmed, still completely caught up in all the choices. “This is so much better than all the material we’re given to work with!”

“That’s why I brought you here. I thought you could get some stuff for yourself, and some stuff to help with the dress you’re making for your mom. I don’t really know how sewing works, but I thought that this was one way I could help.”

“That is so sweet of you!” she gushed. “Thank you so much — you should probably get around to some of the other stalls because I… I think I’m gonna be here for a while.”

Zuko laughed and fished out of a couple of golden pieces then set them in her hand. “That’s okay. I’ll meet you over by the steps; we can watch the sunset together.”

They nodded as parting gifts and each was enveloped in their tasks; Y/N beginning to ask the merchant questions about everything at their stand and Zuko off to entertain himself for a few more minutes.

Soon enough, Y/N had her own small bundle of silks and fabrics, her mind already going off in a million different ways of how she could incorporate it into the design. She found Zuko sitting on the steps and as she took her own seat next to him, he handed her another mango.

“Did you find everything you wanted?” She nodded and hummed gratefully as she accepted the fruit, taking a bite as her eyes fell on the skyline in front of them.

“I had a really great time today, Zuko. I really can’t thank you enough for taking me out here. I… I think I forgot what it was like to feel like this.”

“Like what?”

“...happy.” She paused for a second before allowing herself to meet his eyes. “All the time I spend with you in the palace… It’s one of the only times that I really do feel happy. And being out here today, getting to walk around where I wanted and buy things and just— I feel free, Zuko. And that means everything to me.”

She felt the heat rush to her cheeks and she turned away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go on like that—“

Zuko gently reached out for her hand, drawing her attention back to him and the soft smile on his face.

“Well… I care about you. You’re nice to me, and you take time out of your day to help me which you don’t have to do. This is just me trying to pay you back for all you’ve done to help me. We can do this more often — whenever my dad’s busy.”

Her own smile grew on her lips and she nodded as she laced her fingers with his. “I care about you too. And.. I’d like that.”

Y/N leaned her head on his shoulder and together, they watched the sunset over the city.

There was no place either of them would rather be.

-

Y/N and Zuko made their way back to the palace as quickly as they could after realizing how late it had gotten. Y/N was sure that she was going to get the talking-to of her life after what she had done, but she was almost giddy after what had just happened. She could deal with any of Kura’s consequences later — right now the only thought in her mind was the feeling of Zuko’s hand in hers.

The night had been nothing short of perfect. She had felt freer than ever before out there in the city with Zuko, and knowing that he reciprocated the feelings she had for him was enough to make her heart burst. She cared for him, and he cared for her.

Of course, there was that nagging question of how they would continue now that their friendship had morphed into something more, but once again — it was something she would deal with later. Her fourth and final mistake.

But as a guard turned the corner, Y/N realized she might not get the chance. She quickly let go of Zuko’s hand and tucked it under the bundle of fabric, hoping that the gesture of affection had been missed by the man.

If he had noticed, he showed no sign of it. He stopped in front of them, a gruff voice speaking from behind the mask with words that made her heart stop.

“Prince Zuko, the Fire Lord has requested an audience with you.”

-

haha OOPS

perm tag list: @dv0412 @siriuslyslyslytherin @maruchan77

ehfar: @chandies-sideblog @persica27

atla: @marianne1806

[awanderingmuse-fandom]

Monthly Writing and Reading Update

Long time no see Tumblr. I am working towards ending my Super Long Hiatus not because life has slowed down but because I am tired of being on hiatus. That means Monthly writing updates to keep me on track. I'm also posting what I've read this month for the interested. Said updates are below the cut.

If you have any fics you want to recommend that I read feel free to send me an ask or a message! I'm always looking for new fic to read... 

WRITING UPDATE

Hybrid Theory

Percy dies in battle.  A very tragic death that wasn’t at all lame, thank you. Unfortunately, the gods aren’t done with him yet. Instead of waking up in Charon’s waiting room as he should, Percy wakes up in the courtyard of Hotel Valhalla.  Thinking things can’t possibly get worse he runs to Carter Kane for help. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t the best idea he’d ever had.

I’ve not made a lot of progress here since I’ve gone on hiatus... I’ve not been in a good headspace to try to work on it tbh. That being said, I’m drafted to Chapter 27 and outlined to Chapter 30.

 World Travelers: A World Around

No summary written yet. Basically it’s part six of my bountyhunter!Nico, seafarer!Percy adult!demigods Percico AU. 

I’ve drafted to Chapter 5 drafted and outlined to Chapter 12. It will be 21 chapters long. Nothing is posted on AO3 yet. 

Ways of Love: Part 3

No ritle. No summary written yet, it’s what it says on the tin. 

I just wanted to say I do think about this still. It lives in my brain...just very quietly. I’ve written part of Chapter 1?

Assassinations, Building Nations, and International Relations

The war has been over for a year and the tenuous peace has held. Everyone has gone home and while Team Avatar misses each other, life has been going great. Until Aang gets a mysterious note from Zuko. A midnight trip to the Sun Warriors has much further reaching consequences than anyone could anticipate. But the first, and biggest, item on the agenda is to keep the Fire Lord alive.

This one is suffering from Writers Block TM. I know where I am and where I want to go and I have NO IDEA how to do the between part. That being said I’m drafted to Chapter 13 and outlined to Chapter 14.

White Lotus Buds (Working Title)

Music night washes over Iroh. The crew’s attention  on each other means no one notices  their allegedly ill prince slipping over the side of the Wani and onto the dock. 

Zuko, as The Blue Spirit, is leaving to meet another White Lotus Bud agent to exchange information on the Earth Armies for similar details on Fire Nation troops. 

The White Lotus Buds are more successful than Iroh expected. Sometimes he thinks the war would end in days if they left the operatives in charge. 

The White Lotus Buds were inspired by Zuko himself. It wasn't difficult to connect The Blue Spirit’s earlier escapades with Zuko. Not once one realized there were connections to make.

Iroh does not know when the sneaking began, though he has his suspicions. Ten year old princes don’t go missing for days on end easily. And there's the  ambiguity surrounding  Azulon’s death and Ursa’s sudden flight. When it started doesn’t truly matter when Zuko will not speak of it.

 Iroh lets himself be drawn into the singing of an old sea shanty. It helps keep an old man awake, which he will need if he wants to be alert for his nephew’s return later that night.

This is a White Lotus!Zuko AU and a Blue Spirit AU and a Zuko joins the Gaang early AU. With lots of Zutara and lots of identity shenanigan's. 

I have drafted the first 14 chapters for Book 1. I have outlined the first 22 chapters and have notes for every episode of Book 1. This one won’t post until Book 1 is done because I keep having to rewrite parts of chapters as I go. 

When the Dark Comes Rising: Gathering

With another Rising in its infancy the remaining five must gather. As a safeguard the Light left certain defensive measures in place. It us up to Will, Bran and Jane to assemble those defenses. In the process they must discover the loving bonds that will be the foundation for the Circle to come.

This is also not dead. I think about this often. I have drafted to Chapter 12 and outlined to Chapter 14.

These Temperamental Days: On Balmy Nights I Know That I Am Yours

No summary as of yet on these. It’s Marvel and Stucky post Civil War. I’m about halfway through? 

READING UPDATE

Avatar Fic

Fear the Dragon, Not the Flame by Des98

Azula is born without bending. It doesn't change who she is, but it does change everything else.

Nobel Boldness Series by hootowl

“Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending.” And they did, but things didn't go according to plan. In fact, failure had never even crossed her mind. A capture!fic...of sorts.

Fate Deferred by  catie_writes_things

At the south pole, Katara and Sokka returned to their village with only a few small fish to show for their trouble. “Stupid magic water,” Sokka grumbled, while Katara fumed silently.

Aboard his ship, the banished Prince Zuko admitted with a tired sigh that his search of the southern seas had proven unfruitful. “Tell my uncle...we’re going to try the eastern Air Nomad territories again.”

Underneath the waves, within his frozen cocoon, the Avatar slept still, and the world continued to move on without him.

-----

Aang remains in the iceberg ten years longer. He awakens to a very different world.

[Now on Book II: Earth]

Still Burning Embers by archergwen

It's been three years since Sozin's Comet should've returned - and it hasn't. The war drags on, complicated, messy, as the Avatar and his band roam shoring up defenses and helping in small raids.

And in Ba Sing Se, there is no war, or rumors of war. Not even after the Fire Princess took the city in one complicated day. So in the Lower Ring, a young prince and retired prince can continue to work, disguised, silent guardians of the small world they've carved for themselves.

Until an encounter, one night, wrapped in flames, ends that.

[stardust948]

Because I can't decide, 18, 21, and 23 for the writing asks??

Fun meta asks for writers

18. Do any of your stories have alternative versions? (plotlines that you abandoned, AUs of your own work, different characterizations?) Tell us about them.

I have a few for Into the Night.

For the original plot, I was going to have Ursa discover she was pregnant with Kiyi right after running away from Ozai.

The other one was that Zuko and Azula didn't escape the courthouse in time and were kidnapped by Ozai's men. Zuko would be sold off to the Ozai's sketchy business partners and Azula would be sent to a sweat shop in the Air Temples where she'd meet Aang.

I scrapped both of these because I thought they were too dark.

The other AU is for Innocent Warrior.

I would have had Ursa make more of an attempt to connect with Azula instead of waving her off. Looking back, I see how much she behaved like comic Ursa which I hate. It's one of the things I'm trying to fix in the sequels.

Another characterization for Ursa in this fic I've entertained after it was finished was if she was morally darker. For example, when she found out Ozai burned 8-year-old Katara's hands for waterbending, instead of immediately going to bat for her, Ursa would calmly tell Katara that she knew the consequences for bending then leave it at that.

Maybe one day I'll write about morally dark Ursa. Sounds like a nice twist.

21. What other medium do you think your story would work well as? (film, webcomic, animated series?)

Webcomics so people can see the scenery and backgrounds.

23. What’s the story idea you’ve had in your head for the longest?

The Miraculous Tales of The Painted Lady and The Blue Spirit series. I've rewritten the plot at least twice before finally posting the first story.

Thanks for the asks 💖💖💖

[thelandswemadeofpaper]

Sacrifice 

(Unwilling or Willing)

Power of a Sacrifice

Vessel

Servitude

Memory

Freedom

Experiments

Human Sacrifice

Royal Food Tasters

Surrender to Enemies

Shield from Attack

Bend the Knee

Arranged Marriage

Take Me Instead/Switch Places

Hand over Yourself to the Enemy

Offering Another in Your Stead

Raised as a Sacrifice.

Sacrificial Revival Spell

Crippled/Lose an Ability.

Childbirth (or at least having children regardless of the risks)

Survival through Self-Sacrifice

Suicidal Mission/Dangerous Task

Appearance (a Shapeshifter stuck in a form?).

Lose a limb (Tongue? Eyes? Its self multilation? Punishment?).

Reputation/Honor (like Jaime Lannister and Ned Stark or save your friends instead of the mission). What reputation you got? Coward? Traitor? Oathbreaker? Cheater?

Sacrifice of parents to raise and provide for their children.

Sacrificing a stranger or someone lesser instead of a loved one or someone more 'important'.

Do a necessary evil and accept the punishment.

You gave to sacrifice for another person's mistakes or because they refuse to do so (looking at you Robb Stark).

Do a action knowing of its consequences (killing a important person to save a loved one and getting exiled for it like Ursa, Cinna with the Mockingjay fire dress in HG).

A person got infected/possessed/corrupted/turning into a monster or whatever and the others kill her/him instead of looking for a solution because of the risks.

Scapegoat (you were discovered and the others involved abandoned you? Failure? Blamed for something out of control? Misblamed? Promoted to Scapegoat? By association with a person they can't blame?)

Take the fault/blame or/and the punishment for a loved one.

Stand Up for a person in a dangerous position/situation (like being accused or hunted for treason) or hidding them in your house.

Labor (people died to build something? To transport it? To deliver a message? A dangerous job?)

Army? Combat? Duel? Battlefield? A specific fight? Like 'died taking back the Stolen Castle'.

To? To fix a McGuffin. To fix a Land (from a curse? Decay?). To gain more time. To stop an ritual of sorts. To heal/save another. To gain a power. To take the villain with them. To prevent a disaster. To destroy/create something. To power up/give energy to something. To break a curse

Powers with an Price (Ex: like breaking a magical oath and losing their vision). Or maybe its the sacrifices made for gain a type of power (political, monetary, magical...)

Or taking a position or something like that (like Mulan for her father, Belle for her father or Katniss to her sister).

Assume a Supernatural Position (Yue, Nabu Helmet, Soul King, Kyubey)

Impersonification

Genuine Impersonificator

Switched Lives/Roles

Fake Aristocrat

A Fraud

Switched at Birth

Impersonating the Evil Twin

Sweet Polly Oliver Trope with male relatives.

A Missing Person comes back (or did they?)

The Mole killed someone and assumed their place. What accomplishments and doings were made by the Real One? (Like an fight or rescue). At what point it was your friend with you? Maybe nobody even meet the Real One.

Twin (the original and/or his friends know about the twin existence or not) or a Clone. Its a Backup in case the original died? Man in Iron Mask situation? Something like Ford and Stan?

An mysterious person who is implied to be the secret identity of an character is revealed to be an twin. (the two or one of them knowing or not)

Unware/Unwilling Pawn. Can be an Changeling in this case, or an clone (or unknow twin? Like the mexican telenovela Cómplices Al Rescate?)

A substitute or replacement (possibly for a dead or even missing person).

Fake Reveal: Impersonification of a dead character that pretends to have survived

An Villain kills the Hero and takes his place. Everyone belives that the Hero defeated him.

Legendary/Popular Figure (maybe the impersonificator is the one who actually saved the day?)

Legacy Immortality

The Imposter is actually the Real One and vice-versa (like Red in 'Us'?).

The Real One died and they don't want nobody to know. The death of this character would cause problems. Maybe a Hero or Ruler? El Cid Ploy? The imposter killed them by accident? Maybe they were Really Evil but needed because of popularity?

One of the friends went missing/captured for a time and the impostor came back.

The Hero kills the Evil King and takes his place to rule the Kingdom for best.

A test is made to decide which one is real, the Fake One wins.

A being is revealed to be just a copy.

Something being done in another person's name. A order? A message? A conflict? A peace treaty?

An Decoy so the Real one will be safe or another place at time, the original in question can pretend to be one of the guards. May involve the death of the fake one.

Whats is the Fake One for? Marriage? Sacrifice? Hostage? Fight? Essencial part of the Plan?

Also, their origin: a cousin? Bastard? Something like Hyuuga Hizashi? Maybe pretending to be someone that don't exist like Mulan (Ping son of Fa Zhou) or go in their place (they run away and someone needed to go or under the threat or punishment?)

Cases like Jeyne Poole and Aegon/Young Griff, or even the farm boys Theon killed. Pretend to be an long lost heir or something, they can be an hostage, for marriage, for a fight, as corpse as a proof of their deaths.

Maybe you had good intentions, like avenging the deceased Real One.

Assume being a Secret Identity of a unknow character (maybe you want the credit? Like...the Mysterious Person who saved the Hero?)

The villain forces his doppelganger to take their place (kinda like Paola Bracho)

My Sibling/Friend Will Live Through Me (you assume their life or just use their face in honor of your fallen friend?)

Another person reveals begin the hidden identity of a character the to take off the suspect over the real one's identity, who is hidding (perhaps under a fake identity? I Am Spartacus Trope?)

What did the impersonificator did? Got the original in trouble? Betrayed the Hero Team? Infiltrating? Started an war (if the original is an leader?).

A normal person disguise? A enemy guard? An ambassador? Can invent a relation with a real person.

The imposter is a shapeshifter? Possessing a dead body? They are just older (the original was not seen in years)? The real one is killed? Missing? Captured? The imposter can actually have the real one's consent for impersonification.

[aprettyweirgirl]

AUNTIE LIN HC BECAUSE I NEED AUNTIE LIN CONTENT

i must say, this includes the airbabys and Izumi's kids, I'm gonna call them the firekids because i'm not that creative

THE HC LISTS ARE BACK

11 niblings, 7 nephews and 4 nieces

the first time she saw Iroh (a newborn) she said that he was very ugly

the same with Ursa

after the fight with Su, Izumi drag her to the Fire Nation and she spend a lot of time with Iroh and Ursa (who were 8 and 4yo), making them a special place in her heart

sometimes when Lin was at the Fire Nation, Izumi had very important meetings that lasted until late night and the firekids had nightmares or they miss their mom so they used to go to their auntie Lin so she could make them company

at the next day Izumi doesn't find her kids in their bedrooms and goes to Lin's to see if she knows were they're and the found them all sleeping together and she died of cuteness

Ursa II lives in the Fire Nation and she's her mother's right hand so Izumi has the trust to send her to RC in representation of her when she can't attend, that's why Lin has a bedroom in her house exclusively for Ursa II in case she needs to stay for a long time (normally a week)

Lin has a photo of everyone of Su's kids as babies, that she send her in letters

and she saw them for the very first time at Aang's funeral although she made sure they didn't saw her

after Amon, the airkids started to see her like a real hero (which she is btw) and they felt really safe around her

she once told Jinora and Ikki that her sister did her scars so every time Su goes to Air Temple Island she gets a big >:( by the sisters and she just stays there, very confused

ikki took her (against her will) to a tea party with baby bisons

Lin gave meelo respect women juice

she has a bigass house, big enough to her metal niblings (Su's kids) stay for a while when they go to visit

the only ones who have actual permission to call her "Aunt" are Iroh II and Ursa, the other ones start calling her "Aunt" and there was nothing she could do about it

when she arrived to the life of the metal kids: she first approach to Huan because he doesn't ask questions about her past and stuff, they just stay there in silence, but later they became really close and she end talking about it

then she goes for Baatar Jr, they discovered they actually had a lot in common, although their trust and relationship turned out quite damaged after the events of the Book 4 but they're working on it

with Opal and the twins was a little harder (Opal is first, then the twins) because they're very much like Su when she was young and they always ask a lot of thing about their past together, so her bond with Opal at the first is based in tell her things about her past with Aang and the things she learned about the Air Nomad culture

with the twins is based in metal and earthbending training and a little bit of power disc

the twins LOVE train with Lin, this is because at difference of Su, she doesn't contain herself and has at least 30 years dedicated her life to fighting

she also teach them a lot about the metal cables

Lin knows Republic City like the palm of her hand so once she asked Huan to go alone to the city for a full week and every day she took him to the bests art galleries, he's kinda sceptical at first but after the first day he realizes that she actually knows a lot about art and at the end of the week he can't be any happier

Lin couldn't get Su to learn to cook and because Opal grew up with Su, she doesn't learned how to cook and Lin'll not accept that

once a month, between the Book 3 and Book 4, the gaang Jr get together for a "family dinner", in that same day, the air, fire and metal kids get together to discuss who is Lin's favorite nibling (although the never get to anything)

everytime the firekids are in town, Lin takes them to a bar and just talk for hours

sometimes Kya and Lin go dinner at Air Temple Island and Lin use it as an excuse to see how Opal is doing

Rohan genuinely believes Lin is his actual aunt and not just the sister-in-law of his father

Lin holding Rohan to make him sleep and him snuggling against her? because Pema has been up for 3 days straight? yes, please

after Lin officially present Kya as her wife to the metal kids and by consequence, they finding out she was bi, Wing asked her for help to come out as pan to his parents and siblings

every month Lin gives one new book to Jinora, with another genre so she can expand herself and read more than just romance

once, Ikki said she wanted to be like Lin when she grew up and Lin say to her "no, you don't want", she didn't get that until a couple of years later

[imnotusedtobeingloved]

HAPPY IS HER

Warnings: Unrequited love.

Pairing: Zuko x Mai x f!Reader

Characters: Zuko, Mai, Uncle Iroh, Azula, Ty Lee, Ursa, Avatar Aang (mentioned)

Requested: No.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, nor the gif. Credit to the owners.

Summary: You remember the time that lead up to Zuko's coronation.

A/N: I feel like Mai is often villainized in some fics? Which definetely works in some cases, but in this one i just wanted to do something nice for her as well. So yes, you get to actually be Mai’s friend in this shot. She’s a queen. Hope you like it!

Zuko had a beautiful face.

It was something that you'd discovered in your childhood, and it still caught your eye now that you were an adult. Maybe even more so.

Growing up next to him, Azula, Mai and Ty Lee enabled you to see how much he'd grown. You remembered running around in the gardens and training in the palace grounds, playing all those silly games with them. Being the daughter of a Fire Nation General enabled you to spend a lot of time with the prince and princess.

“Mom, can you make Zuko play with us? We need equal teams to play a game,” Azula explained, running up to the Fire Lady and her brother while you, Mai and Ty Lee watched. “I’m not cartwheeling!” Zuko declined. “You won’t have to. Cartwheeling is not a game, dumb-dumb,” the princess crossed her arms, but he shot right back. “I don’t care! I don’t want to play with you,” Azula payed him no mind, instead persuading her mother. “We are brother and sister. It’s important for us to spend time together. Don’t you think so, mom?” her big golden eyes, a common trait of the Royal Family, looked at Ursa expectantly. “Yes, darling, i think it’s a good idea to play with your sister. Go on, now! Just... for a little while,” she gave in, strolling on without the prince. He didn’t seem particularily enthusiastic but he stepped up next to you, causing a blush to rise on your face. Luckily, nobody seemed to notice.

“Here’s the way it goes,” his sister said, plucking an apple from a tree. “Now what you do is, try to knock the apple off the other persons head. Like this,” After placing the fruit on Mai’s head, Azula proceeded to take a few steps back, standing between Ty Lee and Zuko. “Zula, are you sure this is a good idea?” You asked, unsure about the game. “Of course it is, silly. It’s going to be fun!” Mai didn’t look to pleased with her task, tough she stood still in front of the fountain, balancing the apple. But it didn’t stay that way for long. Azula produced a flame, using two fingers to coordinate it towards her target. The leaves of the fruit atop Mai’s head were aflame in a second. She screamed, causing Zuko to run forward and pushing her into the water-fountain, resulting in both of them landing in the water. Azula cackled, placing a hand on your shoulder. “See? I told you it would work!” Ty Lee nodded and pointed a fiinger in their direction. “Awww, they’re so cute together!” A flicker of jealousy rose in your chest, but you pushed it down quickly. Zuko didn’t respond, he only stood up and walked away, huffing. Mai wasn’t in a good mood either. “You three are such... ugh!” she didn’t really finish her scentense, but anyone could see how upset she was. “Come on, let’s get you out of here,” You said, reaching out. She took your hand reluctantly and once she stood on solid ground, Azula and Ty Lee dragged her with them to find some dry clothes. You, on the other hand, were already running after the prince. “Zuko, wait!”

Many memories of Zuko were forever branded into your mind. Even then you'd stolen glances at him whenever you felt unobserved. But that was before he participated in an Agni Kai against his father.

You’d turned your face away when it happened. Zuko lost, his screams echoing through the halls, even when he finally got to the healers. Since then a glaring red burn mark graced the skin around his eye. A reminder that would last for life. And that wasn’t even the worst part of it. He was banished. Burdened with the hopeless conquest to find and capture the Avatar. You’d cried as you hugged him goodbye, almost certain you’d never see him again. 

"Do you really have to go?” you mumbled into his shoulder, staining it with your tears. The embrace was rough. He recoiled in a matter of seconds, pushing you an arms-length away. It wasn’t the loving touch you were used to. “Yes, i have to. I need to restore my honor, (Y/N),” he said, his tone devoid of any emotion but anger. “But Zuko-,” he interrupted you. “No!” fire was blazing in his eyes. You’d never had his anger directed at you before, and now that you did, it shocked you into silence. “Just leave me alone,” he said, turned around, and walked away. You stood there, rigid, until General Iroh moved to your side. “Please don’t take it personally, (Y/N),” he folded his hands in front of his stomach, looking after his nephew, who was stomping onto the deck of his ship. “He is very desperate right now,” You nodded shortly. “I know,” A sigh left your lips. “That’s why it hurts even more,”

There was nothing. Nothing you could help with. You were losing your best friend and the only thing you could do was watch. Years went by without word or sight of either Zuko or Iroh and not a day went by without remembering them. The prince may be banned from the Nation, but he couldn’t be banned from your heart.

Needless to say you were ecstatic when he returned. You all seemed to be. In the few days spend on Ember Island you all discovered something about yourselves, and each other. You, for example, discovered that you were still very much in love with Zuko. Being with him, talking to him, laughing with him... it all seemed so easy that it ripped your heart apart to see him with Mai. But nevertheless you were more shocked than relieved when she ended things with him.

“Zuko?” you’d followed him after he stormed out of Chan’s house, finally finding him on the steps of their old residence on Ember Island. “What happened?” You sat down next to him. A few moments passed in silence, with both of you lost in thoughts. He didn’t look at you, but eventually he started to speak. “Mai ended things between us,” “Oh...” you weren’t sure what to say... but maybe pretty words weren’t needed for once. Zuko looked stricking under the moonlight, almost unreal. It was a sight so pure that you were reconsidering the idea in your head, but eventually you just followed your heart. “Come here,” He furrowed his brows. “What?” You sighed. He was still angry. After all those years he hadn’t learned to let go. “You need a hug. Come here,” And this time he did. He felt warm, just like he did back when you were kids. Maybe not everything had changed completely, you thought. Maybe things truly could turn out okay.

So when he left once again, for the Avatar, you had to make a choice. With Mai and Ty Lee by your side you eventually stood against Azula, helping Team Avatar to escape the Boiling Rock.

“You should’ve feared me more!” Azula roared in anger at your betrayal. You and Mai had known the consequences of restraining the quards and helping Zuko to escape. And yet you did it. Both of your wirsts were behind your back, bound with a rope, making it almost impossible to defend yourself. But honestly? In this state you would have no chance against Azula. Not even with Mai by your side. The only thing that kept you sane in that moment, was knowing that Zuko had made it out alive and safe. The princess made her move, bringing her fingers together to produce her flames, but it never came to that. Ty Lee blocked her chi faster than anybody could realize what was happening. Azula grunted and gasped as she fell to the floor of the plattform. “Come on! Let’s get out of here!” Ty Lee ran over to try and pull you and Mai away, but the guards surrounded you before you could attempt anything more. “You’re all fools,” Azula growled, still laying on the ground, until the men picked her up. “What shall we do with them, princess?” her face was disorted with rage. “Put them somewhere i’ll never have to see their face again!”

And now that Sozin's Comet was over, Zuko became the Firelord.

He looked like a true leader in the traditional robes, laced with red and gold. A proud expression graced his face, as you looked up at him. His smile genuine and happy. He'd become a wonderful man fit to rule the Nation. Grown more mature with his experiences, something that showed in the look on his face and his posture. And in that moment you were sure. Zuko had never been more beautiful than in this very moment. His amber eyes shined in the sun, glimmering full of love as he looked at Mai.

Deep down you'd always known that the two of you weren't meant to be. You'd known when you were little, playing by the water fountain, the two of them blushing whenever Azula teased them. Or when he was back, leaving the palace in the evening, going out to see her. And you'd known when Mai recieved a goodbye letter, before he joined Aang. Because you didn't.

Now you were stuck in the crowd, applauding the new Fire Lord. Watching as he was joined by the Avatar and pulled Mai into a hug. As the tears welled in your eyes, you felt a hand on your shoulder, squeezing softly. "You're not to blame, (Y/N)," Uncle Iroh's calming voice soothed your nerves, as it did so often before. "The heart wants what it wants,"

You nodded, throat burning from the bottled up emotions. “You’re probably right,” Like he always was. “Happy is her. It was never me,”

You, daughter of a former general, should now become advisor to the Fire Lord. But honestly? You couldn't. And you couldn't bare to tell him. Watching him with Mai filled you with joy. So much joy. And pain. Your two closest friends had found each other to form a beautiful bond. Who were you to take it from them?

So this time, again, Mai was the only one to recieve a letter. It sat on your pillow, were she'd certainly find it. The both of you had formed a habit when you were young, often sneaking into each others bedrooms once it was late, talking about every thought that clouded your minds. Everything but the fact that you were in love with her boyfriend.

Dear Mai,

I want to say that I’m sorry. I need to. By the time you’re reading this letter, i am gone. And i want you to know why.

First of all i want to apologize that you and Zuko will have to look for another advisor who will stand in my place, for i am not coming back. Please don’t search for me, or try to reach me. This is the path i have chosen for myself.

I don’t want to blame you for my disappearance, and yet i have to tell you why i had to leave. I am in love with Zuko. I have been since we were kids. Nobody ever noticed. And i never said anything, because i didn’t want to hurt you. I love you, Mai. I love the both of you so much, it hurts. And i can’t deny the fact that i would’ve liked to be where you are right now. But i know that you love him. And you make him happy. I can live with that. Though seeing you two together every day is something my heart can’t seem to bear anymore. I’m cursed to love someone i cannot have. I don’t want to have. Because i see how joyful you are, now that the two of you can finally be together. I don’t want to be the person to destroy that bond in my jealousy.

In conclusion i thought it would be best to remove myself from the situation. And from the position offered.

I’m going to miss you so much, you have no idea. I want you to know it’s not your fault. And that i am always with you in mind and heart. Nothing i have ever done was harder than writing this letter. No fight was ever more brutal than leaving you, my friend. I wish you all the best. And i love you.

Your best friend,

(Y/N)

You’d asked yourself often... why him? Out of all people, why did it have to be him? But if you had to be genuine with yourself, you knew exactly why. Zuko was someone who had to face a lot of trauma to be who he was now. To be who you loved. His strength, his humor, the way he rubbed his neck when he was embarrassed or the dimples in his cheeks when he smiled. You could name countless reasons why you loved him. But you also knew all the reasons why you shouldn’t. And Mai. The stunning, silent, wonderful Mai. She deserved everything and more. And spirits, you wished them all the best in this world.

"Thank you, Iroh," you whispered blinking back the tears, before you turned around and went. You left behind your best friends, the Fire Lord, your Nation. All was lost as you your back faced the crowd, climbing into the next carriage. It was finally over. Once and for all.

[aspoonofsugar]

I was happy to discover you are in ATLA fandom too. Could you please share your thoughts on Azula? I like your analyses

Hello anon!

Thank you very much for the nice words and for this ask! I love Azula!

I think Azula’s character explores the idea of control:

In The Avatar State, she is shown training to master “lightening”. There, it is shown how losing control of even a small detail, like a lock of hair, is enough to make Azula angry.

It is not by chance that such a scene occurs in an episode focused on the Avatar State. As a matter of fact the Avatar State and the lightening can (partially) be compared when it comes to Aang and Zuko’s stories in book two. This book opens up with Aang trying to enter the Avatar State and with the lightening being introduced thanks to Azula’s character. What is more, both Aang and Zuko try to get a hold of the two different techniques throughout the season. Finally, both skills need for the user to “let go” of their feelings.

In particular, when it comes to the lightening, there are two different ways to interpret this:

Iroh: There is energy all around us. The energy is both Ying and Yang. Positive energy and negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance and, in the moment the positive and negative energy come pressing back together, you provide release and guidance...creating lightening. (...) Remember, once you separate the energy you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide.”

Iroh: “Lightening is a pure expression of fire-bending without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightening the cold blooded fire. It is precise precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind.”

On one hand Iroh’s description is interesting because it is as if creating lightening is a process of synthesis. You separate opposites and have them come back together, so that they can gain a new form. So it makes sense that, thematically, this new synthesis can happen only if the character overcomes their inner turmoil. This is also why Zuko is not able to learn the skill:

Iroh: “You will not be able to master lightening until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you.”

Zuko: “What turmoil!?”

Iroh: “Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away.”

In order to acquire it, he should let go of his shame, but he can’t do it. The fact that “shame” is what stops Zuko from making progress is interesting. As explained by Guru Pathick, thus, the fire chakra is the chakra of will and it is polluted by shame.

On the other hand the lightening is called cold-blooded firebending because it can be realized only by benders whose emotions are kept in check. I would argue that this is the reason why Azula is able to use this skill. It is not that she has reached a level of emotional maturity which lets her become a  “humble guide” to the energy. It is just that she constantly represses her feelings. This repression gives the idea that she is in perfect control, but this impression is a superficial one and it is proven wrong towards the end of the story.

In short, Zuko is not able to use lightening because of his explosive emotions, while Azula is able to because she restricts her feelings. Let’s highlight that this difference between the two siblings comes up again in a key episode aka The Beach:

Once again Zuko’s emotions are in full display. He is angry and nervous. He might not know why, but he is. Moreover he is finally able to express himself thanks to a confrontation with the other members of the group. Finally he does so while a giant fire erupts to highlight the catharsis of the moment. When it comes to Azula, she too opens up a little. In particular, she lets this slip:

Azula: I don't have sob stories like all of you. I could sit here and complain how our mom like Zuko more than me. But I don't really care. My own mother... thought I was a monster... She was right of course, but it still hurt.

Azula thinks that Ursa saw her as a monster. It is clear that the unsolved issues with her mother have left a sign on her. However, when she has the chance to truly let it all out, she does not. She changes the tone of the conversation and immediately leaves the topic. However, this does not mean that she is not troubled. If anything, her emotions keep burning behind a cold exterior, exactly like the fire, which burns under the ashes. Almost invisible, but still there.

About this, let’s consider two things.

1) In The Beach episode, Azula does something similar here:

Azula: “Come down to the beach with me. Come on! This place is depressing.”

Zuko starts talking about their past and their family, but Azula does not engage in the conversation and tells him to leave.

2) When Azula opens up, the others do not challenge her. They do not ask her what she meant nor they try to contradict what she said. This is different from what they have just done with each other. All in all, Zuko openly provokes Ty Lee and Ty Lee, Zuko and Azula all provoke May, until she shouts. Finally, all the girls keep asking Zuko who he is really angry with, until he is finally able to answer.

These two considerations can be linked to more general ideas.

a) Azula is a person who needs to always be in control. This has two consequences. The first is that she never lets herself be vulnerable. She is always on guard and closed up to others. The second is that she is like a fish out of water when there is nothing to control.

This is made clear in the episode The Beach:

Zuko: “Doing nothing is a waste of time. We are being sent a way in a force vacation. I feel like a child.”

In this episode, Azula and the others are given a break. However, Azula, just like Zuko, is not really able to take a break.

She is on an island and should relax, but the only way she manages to do so is by finding new enemies:

She must continually challenge herself and must change everything in a competition (and win it) in order not to face how empty she feels. This is why, in the end, her solution to the insecurities the beach re-awakens in her is to trash a party. She can’t fit in a group of pampered teenagers, so she ruins their evening. However, what Azula should really do is to try to understand why she does not fit.

The episode shows that Azula is ignorant when it comes to casual relationships:

Azula: “I am so used to people worshipping us”.

Ty Lee: “They should!”

Azula: “I know and I love it. But for once I just wanna see how people would react to us if they did not know who we were.”

She says so directly. She has been worshipped all her life. However, this means she does not know how people react to her outside of her role as a princess and a military leader.

The military aspect is especially interesting because, even if she does not disclose her identity as a royal, her attempts to bond are all centered around military topics:

Azula: “That's a sharp outfit, Chan. Careful, you could puncture the hull of an empire-class Fire Nation battle ship, leaving thousands to drown at sea. Because... it's so sharp.”

Azula: “Together you and I will be... THE STRONGEST COUPLE IN THE WHOLE WORLD! We will dominate the Earth!”

Her life has been a long training session for war, so she does not really know anything else. This is obvious both in how she can’t talk about other things and in how she sees others not like people, but like enemies/rivals.

This is also why the vacation in Amber Island could have been very important if Azula had been able to properly capitalize on it. All in all, The Beach is the episode where Azula is shown the most vulnerable (not counting the finale where she has a complete break-down).

She tries to change her approach to go along with others:

Azula: “Well that sounds really shallow and stupid...Let’s try it!

She openly apologizes and shows her insecurities:

“Look...maybe I just said it because I was a little...jealous.”

However, all of this is not enough to change the trajectory of her arc. Why is that so? This has to do with another aspect of Azula’s controlling tendencies. As a matter of fact not only does she controls herself, but also others.

b) Azula is presented since the beginning as a highly manipulative character. Manipulation is at the root of all her major relationships:

Zuko:You lied to me!

Azula: Like I've never done that before.

She lies to Zuko to catch him and forces Ty Lee to join her through manipulation. Moreover most of her plans rely on manipulation and lies. However, if you try to control and manipulate others you are unable to build healthy relationships.

This is what happens to Azula. As stated above, nobody replies to Azula when she opens up. Zuko could have very easily told her Ursa loved them both. May and Ty Lee could have tried to comfort her somehow. However, nobody does. And nobody does because they are all scared of Azula. In her attempt to control everybody, Azula has negated herself the chance to have  a relationship among equals.

What is more, it is clear that it is impossible to fully control others. The Beach starts to show this through Azula’s attempts to flirt. Without her status as a princess, her peers do not behave like she wants. She might be able to hook up with a guy by rehearsing and applying a strategy. However, building a relationship is not a military operation. It is not something that can be done through control, but only through respect and trust.

Azula fails to do so and this is why she is left behind by others. She is left behind by Zuko who breaks free from their father. She is left behind by Mai and Ty Lee who choose healthier relationships over the one they have with her. After she loses them, Azula starts spiralling out of control and burns everything around her.

In short, I would say that Azula’s main flaw is “control”. She wants to control everyone, herself included. So in the end she is betrayed and left behind by people and she herself loses control:

Ursa: I think you're confused. All your life you've used fear to control people. Like your friends Mai and Ty Lee.

Azula:Well what choice do I have? Trust is for fools! Fear is the only reliable way. Even you fear me.

This is especially tragic because it is clear that Azula’s behaviour is her answer to an environment where a clear line was drawn between winners and losers. Azula has always been Ozai’s favourite, but Ozai has never loved her. He loves Azula’s talent, so Azula cultivates those qualities which make her accepted by her father. What is more, Ozai is not a character who values feelings or emotions, so Azula represses these aspects of herself.

In conclusion, I think Azula is a very tragic character and that her spiral was very well written and realistic. I also think that in the series itself she has shown the potential to change for the better, but this possibility has not been explored. I mean, if she had no guilt nor regrets about her behaviour, she would not have seen the hallucination of her mother calling her out.

These are more or less my major thoughts on Azula. There are probably many other things to add, but as far as my generic impressions of her go, this is what I have to say. Feel free to make more specific questions! I love her!

Thank you for the ask!

[hello-nichya-here]

How would Ursa and Ozai react to Zucest in a modern setting?

Ozai wouldn’t have any moral objections to it (Does Ozai even know what morality is? Not that he would give a shit about it if he did, I’m just curious). That doesn’t mean he would be okay with it. Incest is still taboo, and having his kids be in a relationship with each other would make him look bad, so he would probably try to separate them.

Ursa would not approve of it and would be concerned because she thinks of it as evidence that their family truly is broken beyond repair AND because she knows other people would not accept that relationship and would mistreat them. If it was illegal in their country, she’d obviously be terrified of them being found out and ending up in prison. Eventually, seeing how happy they are together, she would no longer be as against it, but that wouldn’t mean she doesn’t wish things could have been different (and again, she’d be afraid of the consequences if they are discovered).