#with azula who is the princess of the fire nation who has actively participated in these exact things that lead to haru getting arrested

[burst-of-iridescent]

on mai, azula and the nature of fear

so the discourse of “did mai fear azula?” has been reigning for some time, and i figured it was time i added my two cents. let’s explore the arguments made by both sides of the debate, and evaluate the general claims i see most frequently from either party. 

no, mai did not fear azula: this side claims that mai canonically showed no signs of being afraid of azula. they point to mai smiling at azula, looking eager to get out of omashu, willingly hunting down zuko without hesitation, and refusing to complete tasks that azula gave her as evidence. they argue that mai’s actions were undertaken of her own agency, not out of fear of azula. 

yes, mai feared azula: this side argues that mai knew azula held power over her, and her reactions are a response to trauma and abuse. she is apathetic and repressed because she fears azula, which is why she joined her on her mission , and thus gives her a fulfilling arc in the boiling rock when she says the much debated line: “i love zuko more than i fear you!” 

looking at the arguments on either end, i don’t think the real question that both sides are debating is whether mai feared azula. mai is a citizen of the fire nation and azula is the princess. just as we must obey our governments, mai is bound to obey azula or face the consequences. if mai wishes to keep her life, she knows that there are certain things she cannot do (such as actively work against azula, or the fire nation). to some extent, then, mai is pretty much required to fear azula, just as we fear the law. 

the real question is: did mai’s fear of azula control her? 

if mai’s character arc was always meant to be her overcoming her fear of azula due to her love for zuko, we need to see that this fear affected mai’s choices in some way. in order for mai to have a believable redemption, it needs to be clear that mai’s fear of azula is what determines her actions, but this is never established in the show.

when we first meet mai, she is bored with her life in omashu. when there is a failed attack by the resistance, she immediately retaliates swiftly and viciously (and is in fact the only one to do so), and even seems to take delight in doing so, smirking when she throws her knives. she relentlessly pursues aang, katara and sokka until they escape with the resistance’s help, whereupon she sighs and appears disappointed. 

what does this tell us about mai? 

we learn that she is apathetic, indifferent and craves excitement. we learn that she is a vicious, skilled fighter and takes joy in fighting. we learn that she is an active combatant who does not hesitate to injure or even kill resistance fighters in the city her family occupied. now keep in mind that all of this is established before azula even shows up, or mai knows that she is coming. 

when mai does meet azula, she complains about the boredom she feels and sardonically asks azula to kill her. she immediately volunteers to sign up for azula’s mission without knowing what it is, citing her displeasure with the city as the reason. she attacks katara and sokka at risk to her own brother’s life, and smiles at the thought of hunting zuko down. 

what does this tell us about mai? exactly what it did before. 

now let’s compare this to ty lee’s introduction. 

ty lee is happy to see azula, and hugs her. she is very acrobatic, agile and flexible. despite going to the same school as azula, she chose to join the circus. she immediately rejects azula’s offer to be part of her team, and states that she’s happy where she is. she only changes her mind when azula actively endangers her life. 

what does this tell us about ty lee? 

we learn that she is a bubbly, carefree person. we learn that azula clearly has a lot of trust in and respect for her skills to recruit her. we learn that she does not want to participate in the war and actively chooses to stay out of it. we learn that she agrees to fight with azula only when she has absolutely no other alternative. 

there is an immediate distinction made between what ty lee wants to do and what ty lee has to do, and it’s done in a scene that lasts all of five minutes altogether. we learn everything we need to know about ty lee and azula’s influence on her, and this continues to be substantiated throughout their dynamic for the rest of the series. the juxtaposition between the choice ty lee makes with full agency, versus the choice she makes under duress, is what makes her actions understandable and her redemption believable.

the real problem with mai’s character arc is that there is no clear distinction made between what she does of her own agency, and what she does out of fear of azula. if they are one and the same, then mai’s fear of azula is irrelevant to the argument at hand, because she would have done the same thing regardless of her feelings towards azula. there is barely any difference between what she does before she meets azula/without azula and what she does in azula’s presence. 

in fact, the only scenes where there is a disparity seems to imply that mai’s fear of azula, if it does exist, is not enough to overpower mai’s own desires. she refuses to enter the sewers of the drill to fight katara and toph, and willingly gives up bosco the bear to sokka, despite knowing the consequences if azula found out about either of these things, because she cannot be bothered. 

i’ve seen the argument that mai only dares to do this when azula isn’t around, but then why doesn’t she exercise this agency in other cases where azula can’t see what she’s doing? why not show a flicker of worry for her brother when fighting katara and sokka (while azula is occupied with aang)? why not look down, momentarily tensed, when ty lee teases her about zuko, and azula isn’t even looking in her direction? why not show compassion for the people of ba sing se, even, if they truly wanted her to be the endgame love interest of one of the show’s most empathetic characters? it reflects far worse on mai if she does dare to defy azula when she’s not around, but only for her own needs and wants.

if mai is apathetic and repressed as a result of trauma, or she’s putting it on due to a fear of azula, then show us that this is her response, and not the real her. show us the cracks in the facade. show us the choices she makes when she has the freedom to choose. 

let me be clear: in real life, victims of trauma/abuse don’t need to act in a certain way to prove their trauma or abuse. trauma and abuse come in different forms, and victims react in different ways. but in fiction, especially with an audience that is primarily children, we need to see every step of a character’s journey, and particularly so if that character is slated for redemption. 

we see an excellent example of character agency with zuko in book 1. sure, he acts entitled and selfish and arrogant, but when the chips are down? we see who zuko is. we see him put his life on the line to save his crew member, show mercy to a man who would’ve never done the same to him, and even try to save that man’s life. we know who zuko is when he’s acting of his own accord, and there is a clear difference between that zuko and the zuko he is as a result of trauma, or when he’s trying to be the son his father wants. 

if mai was truly meant to be redeemed, if she was always meant to overcome her fear of azula for zuko, then the show had to prove that, like ty lee, mai’s fear of azula was the sole motivating factor behind her actions ‐ and it did not. 

and that is why her redemption arc was, fundamentally, a failure in every possible way. 

#anti mai #anti maiko #atla meta

[hello-nichya-here]

Azula - Abuse, Imperialism And Redemption

"Azula was abusive to her brother and friends" is one of the main things people have yelled at pretty much every Azula fan, or even to anyone who so much as dares to say "Wow, it's really sad that this 14-year-old child soldier had so many issues no one ever helped her with or even noticed." This is one of the few anti-Azula arguments that do make some sense... but there more you look at the show, and especially at the people who raised and the culture she was born into, the less black and white the situation becomes.

The majority of the things Azula did to Zuko when they were on the same side were pretty standard sibling behavior (teasing, pranks, calling him names, being jealous of a gift he got), with only a few moments that crossed a line (cheering for their fatheir during the Agni Kai, mocking his scar, calling him pathetic for quite clearly being in the middle of a crisis). She also helped him out a lot, and was literally the only reason he was ever allowed back home, basically set him up with Mai, offered him emotional support a few times (both in the form of kind words AND of arson), and on The Beach she asks if his mad at her and/or their father, meaning there is some awareness on her part that Zuko has plenty of reason to be angry at his family and of not wanting anything to do with them.

There are also two very important moments in the novelizations of the show that show us more of why Azula acted the way she did. First, when she tricks Zuko and Iroh into coming over to the palace and she sees Zuko acting as a simple servant and thinks that such a life is beneath her brother, and then later when she offers him the opportunity to join her, and we see, from her point of view, that she genuinely was thinking of what was best for their family, for their nation, and for Zuko himself - she straight up thinks "He is my brother, and I welcome him by my side." This shows us that Azula has both an elistist side that makes her look down on those she considers to be "inferior", but that she also has a caring side.

This also ties into one of her worse actions: forcing Ty Lee to join her on the mission to capture Zuko and Iroh (+ Aang + conquering Ba Sing Se just because they fucking could). In the show, we see that she is quite clearly uncomfortable with the life Ty Lee chose for herself, and the novelizations back that up, with Azula thinking Ty Lee deserves better than to being in such a place, hinting that maybe some part of her genuinely believes she's helping her friend - which shows that while she has a heart, she's still a princess of an elitist nation and never really learned to respect, or even notice, boundaries.

We see two other character doing that as well - Iroh and Sozin. In Ba Sing Se, Iroh basically was trying to turn Zuko into his ideal son, and then in the finale told him he HAD to fight (and most likely kill) his younger sister, and Sozin literally started a war because he thought he knew what was best for everyone everywhere. They were so focused on what they believes was/should be right and good, that they never questioned their mentality and ended up hurting the people they wanted to help. The fact these two are not just from the same nation as Azula, but also the same family (one that also had Ozai, aka the abusive father Azula was raised and groomed by) shows us that she is not the exception, or the bad apple of the bunch, she's merely a reflection of what that deeply screwed up society considers normal.

And pretty much everyone in the Fire Nation is screwed up in the head - including Zuko, Ty Lee and Mai. Zuko did some pretty terrible things and was an active participant in the war (on the wrong side) and had the truly awful habit of blowing up at people for the smallest things (from his uncle just saying "Maybe don't trust the guy who disfigured and banished you" to his girlfriend just saying she felt absolutely no emotion, positive or negative, towards a guy he felt threatened by). Ty Lee and Mai usually got along, but had some moments in which you could see there was some conflict, and neither of them saw anything wrong with supporting the Fire Nation, capturing/killing the last survivor of a genocide, taking over a city, and even capturing a guy they were friends with, and that one of them had a crush on and would later date. For fucks sake, these girls changed sides for personal reasons that had nothing to do with politics yet Azula is still talked about like she basically brainwashed/coerced them into every bad thing they did.

That also shows one thing: the fandom is INCREDIBLY uncomfortable with the fact that these three are not "perfect" or "innocent" - Ty Lee very clearly only tried to reject helping Azula because she had already found happiness in the circus, Mai joined her because she bored, and Zuko threw away his first chance at redemption of his own free will. Fans tend to completely ignore these characters' agency, as well as the facts that:

1) They all had positive feelings for Azula at some point

2) There were other people in their lives (especially Zuko's) that damaged them much more than she ever did

3) All three of them did shitty things to many people, including the ones they cared about, just like Azula did

And the worse part is that fans don't do that because if they didn't it'd make her a saint (obviously it wouldn't), but because it wouldn't make her look like the devil incarnate, and leads to the obvious conclusion that, if there is nothing immoral about Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee being redeemed, then there's nothing immoral about her character getting the same treatment. Anything that shows Azula as "Not the worse/most cruel character in the story/in any story" is unacceptable to them simply because it opens to the door to different interpretations of her character and arc.

Azula is already paying for every single bad thing she did, and suffering the consequences of mistakes that were not her own, but of the adults in her life that failed to protect and guide her - why does she also need to be reduced to just the label of "Abusive sister/friend" when she has shown that she has potential to save herself from that fate since she actually feels bad for her actions and wants to do better?

#azula meta #azula deserved better #abuse mention #azula redemption

[melzula]

Fire Lilies

pairing: Zuko x princess!reader

warnings: fluff, angst, forbidden lovers au

notes: this is my first zuko piece and also my first atla piece ever so pls excuse the fact that it’s a little clunky 🥺 this isn’t really canon to the show but the reader is princess of the southern Water Tribe and a water bender. also this may or may not have been inspired by the secret tunnel song... anyway, i may make a part two to this but for now enjoy!

summary: “Two lovers forbidden from one another. A war divides their people.”

Tensions between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes had never been higher, and the possibility of war was a continuous threat that loomed over both nations. Constant efforts of parley and council meetings proceeded throughout the years, but neither side could ever seem to reach an agreement both deemed satisfactory. As chief of the Southern Water Tribe, such negotiations seemed to weigh heavily upon your father’s shoulders, and despite being the crowned Princess there was nothing you could do to help him.

“A council of negotiations is no place for a princess,” he would remind you every time you attempted to give your own insight and opinion on the troubles your people faced. Your father would leave you then in the care of your mother and your handmaidens, an apologetic kiss placed upon your forehead before his departure.

“The council is overrated anyway,” you would huff in an attempt to conceal your disappointment and annoyance at the unfairness of it all, “it’s just a bunch of angry old men who are too stubborn to set aside their differences for the sake of peace.”

And yet despite your renouncement of such a meeting, you always found yourself sneaking away from home and towards the council chambers where the negations often took place. Your people believed that women held no place in war, only meant to be gentle hands and spirits that served and guided their people. Such expectations were set even higher for Princesses, and so you were restricted to activities such as practicing your healing and providing aid to your people. You loved your tribe with all of your heart, but you found the traditions they practiced rather... well, for lack of a better term, stupid. You could be doing so much more to help if only your father would let you participate.

The stars are bright on this particular evening, a glimmer of hope that hangs over the dark blacks and reds of the Fire Nation ships arriving at the docks; it’s the southern tribe’s turn to host the meeting. You can’t see much from where you stand other than the outlines of the soldiers, guards, officials, and the royal family, but you know for a fact that the minacious figure leading the procession is none other than Fire Lord Ozai. You’d only ever crossed paths with the man once when you were four, and it had purely been an accident on your part, but you knew that if you hadn’t been the Chief’s daughter you would definitely have marks to show for the encounter.

Considering the fact that you’re the only Princess and heir to the throne, it’s surprisingly easy scaling down your balcony and sneaking off into the night without a second thought. Though you found the underestimation of women in your tribe extremely insulting, the “helpless princess” front sure kept suspicions off your back. The nation is quiet with everyone either tucked inside for the night or present at the meeting, and there is no one to stop you from hiding yourself amongst the shadows outside the meeting hall and taking a peek inside.

Various political figures sit at the long table, your father and the Fire Lord sitting at opposite ends. The atmosphere is heavy and thick, the air silent as each side dare’s the other to speak first, and perhaps part of you is glad that you don’t have to sit through such a meeting.

“What are you doing?” A voice calls, and you’re grateful for the fact that you’re able to contain your startled gasp so as to not blow your cover. You whirl around with a murderous glint in your eye and the intent to blast whoever almost gave you away with an icy cold wave of water, but your demeanor changes in an instant as you realize who the voice belongs to.

“Zuko!” You squeal, all caution thrown to the wind as you fling yourself into his arms. The sheer force of your impact sends you both toppling back onto the snow, but the prince can’t help the laugh that leaves him as he winds his arms tightly around your waist.

“I guess I don’t have to ask if you missed me,” he teases. The two of you sit up from the ground once you release him, and he watches with a fond smile as you carefully brush the snow off of his clothing.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come. Things have been so tense.”

“You know I’ll always come see you,” Zuko comforts before pressing a delicate kiss to your temple. Your relationship with the Fire Nation prince was a complicated one, but there was no denying the love you two shared.

You had first met when you were four and Zuko was five. Originally you were meant to be a playmate for Princess Azula, but she had made it clear that she would much rather torment the white hamsters than spend her time pretending to be your friend. It was Zuko who took interest in your companionship, sledding on the otter penguins with you during the day and sharing secrets at night.

“Princesses aren’t allowed to water bend, but sometimes when no one’s looking I practice my combat skills,” you had told him. “I can also do cool tricks.”

“Really? Like what?”

Zuko watched in awe as you used the water in the air to swirl the snowflakes that fell from the sky into the shape of a butterfly, delicately flapping its wings so that it landed on tip of the young prince’s nose. Joyful laughter escaped him at the sensation, and it was then at four years old that you knew the Fire Nation boy would always hold a special place in your heart.

You kept your courting a secret for the sake of making things less complicated for the both of you. It wasn’t necessarily against the rules for the two of you to be together, but it was just easier to keep it to yourselves. Keeping politics and prying eyes away from your relationship was what made it so strong; you weren’t the Fire Prince and the Water Tribe Princess when you were together, you were simply Zuko and y/n. And it was nicer that way.

“Close your eyes, I have a surprise for you,” Zuko smiles, rolling his eyes at the way your eyebrows immediately furrow in protest. “Just do it.”

With a reluctant sigh you shut your eyes and let out a small hum, waiting for whatever prize may come your way. Something gentle and sweet smelling is placed in your lap, and you open your eyes to see a bouquet of flower lilies resting upon the skirt of your dress.

“Oh, Zuko!” You gasp, picking the bundle up and admiring the beautiful petals. “They’re gorgeous.”

“I knew you’d like them,” he grins. “There aren’t many flowers around here.”

“The snow prevents anything from growing,” you agree with a small smile. “You’re so thoughtful.”

“Anything for the Princess.”

“I love you,” you profess, sighing happily as his lips meet your own in a tender kiss. Times like these were few and far between considering you both came from opposite sides and only saw each other once a month, so you liked to savor the feeling for as long as you could. However, your moment of bliss ended much sooner than you had anticipated.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Your father’s voice bellows from the entryway of the meeting hall. You’re quick to scramble onto your feet and away from Zuko, but the fire lilies are still clutched tightly in your hands.

“Father, I-I can explain,” you begin to say only for him to take hold of you by the elbow and yank you away from a terrified Zuko. The bouquet of flowers falls from your grasp and drops onto the snow.

“How dare you try and soil my daughter!”

“I-I didn’t mean any harm, sir,” Zuko tries to say, “I love and respect your daughter.”

“Love,” your father scoffs. “Fire Nation monsters aren’t capable of love. They only bring pain and heartache wherever they go. For as long as I live I never want to see you near her again, is that clear?”

“Father, you can’t!” You cry, but the deterrent glare he sends your way has you backing down in an instant. You know better than to argue with him when he has that crazed wide eyed look on his face; your father was a good man and a great chief, but he could be ruthless when it came to his people and his family- especially with you.

“Yes, sir,” Zuko utters quietly, eyes cast downward and refusing to meet your gaze. Fighting your father’s decision would only make things worse, and he doesn’t want you to suffer any more than you have to.

“Now run along child,” your father instructs gruffly, “and don’t come back.”

Zuko takes one last longing look at you, and the pleading you look you give him that begs him not to go has his heart breaking into two. Chances are this is the last time he’ll ever see you again, and he wants to commit the details of your memory permanently to his mind. He wants to remember the curve of your lips and the smoothness of your hair, the red of your cheeks from the cold and the tears that brim at the corners of your sparkling eyes. You are beautiful, ever since you were children he thought so, and in his mind he’d always remember you as the Princess with the snow butterfly and the bouquet of fire lilies.

Tears steadily fall down your face as your father guides you home by the elbow, carelessly stepping on the lilies in his path. They crumple and wither under his boot much like your heart had at his banishment of your beloved Zuko.

“Your mother should have kept a better eye on you,” he mutters harshly, glancing sideways at your trembling form. If he holds any remorse for breaking your heart he doesn’t show it, and it makes you feel all the worse. “It was for your own good, y/n. You may not see that now, but someday you will.”

“What happened to keeping the peace?!” You cry in protest. “I thought you wanted our nations to come together in harmony? Zuko and I are proof that it’s possible!“

“There will be no peace,” is your father’s solemn reply. “The Fire Nation has declared war.”

A small gasp leaves your lips at his confession, your stomach tying itself into knots so tight it almost makes you want to vomit. Your father says nothing more as he hands you off to your nurse maids and orders extra guards to ensure you can’t escape again. Everything feels as if it’s come crashing down upon you, and there isn’t a single thing you can do about it.

Snow begins to fall with the departure of the Fire Nation ships, and your forgotten lilies are suffocated underneath the clean sheets of ice.

*part two

#zuko #zuko x reader #prince zuko #prince zuko x reader #zuko imagine #prince zuko imagine #avatar the last airbender #atla x reader #atla imagine #angst #forbidden lovers au #secret tunnel

[passable-talent]

part 4 was so so good!!!!! can you make a part 5? i’m in love with your writing and that series!!! you’re feeding my need for zuko content and i love u for that.

it literally took exactly 19 minutes to get a request for part 5

THANK U THO SHDBCNDGS IM HAPPY YOURE ENJOYING WHAT I DO

been excited to get back to this one, y’all aren’t ready 😏

OKAY I SAID YALL WERENT READY BEFORE I EVEN WROTE IT BUT NOW IVE WRITTEN IT AND LET ME FUCKING REITERATE: YALL ARE NOT F U C K I N G R E A D Y

| part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 |

For chapter five, and my five hundred follower special, we will go back to spring of the year 100 AG, right before Azula’s coup succeeded in their destruction of Ba Sing Se . . .

“So what’s happening?” You asked Mushi as the two of you hurried through the streets of the upper ring.

“Come close,” Mushi answered, and your footsteps brought you beside him.

“My nephew and I are more than refugees,” he began, “my name is Iroh, and I am the brother of the Fire Lord. My nephew, Zuko, is the banished prince of the Fire Nation. I’m sorry we lied to you, but we needed to, in order to stay in Ba Sing Se where we were safe from our family.” Your head reeled, but you kept beside him, because still you trusted this man. You were trained to react and to think, thanks to the Dai Li, so you analyzed his words.

“Were?” you questioned, wondering why he seemed to suggest that he was no longer safe.

“My niece, Princess Azula, has infiltrated the city. She tried to capture me- she did capture Zuko.” Your eyes widened, and your speed increased beside Iroh. “I need your help to retrieve him, and the Avatar’s. That’s where we’re headed.” You looked up at the house you were approaching, half caved in from some sort of destruction. What had happened here?

“The Avatar?” you asked, and Iroh nodded, pausing in front of the door to knock politely. You waited beside him, but held your forehead- you were so shocked about everything you were finding out.

Zuko- not Lee. The banished prince of the Fire Nation. You hadn’t even known that the prince of the Fire Nation had been banished! What else didn’t you know about the other nations of the world beyond the walls of Ba Sing Se?

Why had this information been kept from you? You were training to be in the Dai Li, one of the best and most important police forces of the Earth Kingdom, shouldn’t this information be privy to you? Why wasn’t it?

You were pulled from your thoughts as a girl opened the door, and regarded Iroh with friendliness.

“I need your help,” he began, and you watched the reactions of the other two at the door. They seemed frightened by Iroh- what kind of history had they that you weren’t aware of?

Why were you kept in the dark about everything?

“You guys know each other?” demanded the boy you had to assume was the avatar, who didn’t seem much concerned with your presence. Maybe it was the earth kingdom robes?

“I met him in the woods once, and knocked him down,” answered the girl, and with her gaze that didn’t seem focused on the avatar you wondered if maybe she was blind. She, however, seemed like a strong earthbender. It was one of the things you were trained to pick up on in the Dai Li, and relied entirely on how a person carried herself. “Then he gave me tea and some very good advice.”

“May we come in?” Iroh asked sheepishly, and you wondered why there wasn’t more urgency to his tone.

“Who’s your friend?” the clearly water tribe boy demanded, and you lifted your chin, being acknowledged.

“I’m Y/N, a soon-to-be member of the Dai Li,” you answered, “You can trust me.”

“The Dai Li?” Avatar Aang responded, more shock in his face than before.

“That makes us even less likely to trust you!!” the water tribe boy shouted, and your eyebrows knitted together.

“The Dai Li are the protectors of the city!” you said, though you felt doubt gnaw at your spine- they had kept so much from you, their own cadet.

Iroh turned his eyes to you, and something in his gaze told you to hush up.

“Princess Azula is here, in Ba Sing Se,” Iroh told them, his tone stern and serious.

“She must have Katara!” Aang said, and you looked to Iroh. You didn’t know these people- but that Azula would capture both Zuko and a friend of the avatar meant that she was one of two things: insanely brave or insanely stupid.

“She has captured my nephew, as well,” Iroh said.

“Then we’ll work together to fight Azula, and save Katara and Zuko,” the avatar said, and you felt a little lightness crawl into your heart. You’d be able to help save Zuko, and a friend of the avatar? You were about to go on a crazy adventure.

“Whoa there,” said the water tribe boy, walking back into the conversation, “you lost me at ‘Zuko.’ “

“I know how you must feel about my nephew,” Iroh began, and your expression softened. There was definitely history here, and you’d be interested to learn it. “But believe me when I tell you, there is good inside him.” You brought your eyes to the avatar’s, and nodded, trying to fathom something to say that they’d believe. They didn’t know you, didn’t know what you stood for, and it seemed that you didn’t know much of that yourself.

“I’ve known Zuko for a while,” you said, “and he’s never been anything other than a scared and polite refugee.”

“Good inside him isn’t enough!” The water tribe boy insisted, “Why don’t you come back when it’s outside him too, okay?” Your chest deflated further, and you had to wonder: what had Zuko done, what had Zuko been, that they had this strong of a hatred for him?

Did you want to know?

“Katara’s in trouble,” Aang said to his friend, “All of Ba Sing Se’s in trouble. Working together is our best chance.”

On the way toward the catacombs of the city underneath the palace, you learned Sokka and Toph’s names, as well as the true treachery of the Dai Lee. You learned about the war with the Fire Nation, and had a smile on your face as you took in how lucky you were that the two firebenders whom you had come to love were the only two on the right side of this war.

“Well, whaddaya know, there is an ancient city down there,” Toph said, her hand pressed to the stone courtyard, “but it’s deep.” She opened up a large hole in the stone, heading downward.

“How can you tell?” You asked, and she cracked her knuckles in your direction.

“Right, you’re classically trained,” she mocked with a rude laugh, which made you smile. “I can sense seismic activity through stone. Maybe I’ll teach you, when this is over.” You nodded, intrigued, before Sokka grabbed your attention.

“We should split up. Aang, you go with Iroh and Y/N to look for Katara and the angry jerk,” he said. “No offense,” he added in Iroh’s direction, and once again you found yourself confused on the nature of their shared past when Iroh said “none taken.”

“And I’ll go with Toph to warn the Earth King about Azula’s Coup.”

Aang, Iroh, and you began heading down into the tunnel, Iroh holding up fire for light while you and Aang took turns lengthening the tunnel downwards.

“So, Toph thinks you give pretty good advice,” Aang said, seeming to try to make conversation. “And great tea.” A smile came to your face- Iroh’s tea was the reason that you were, apparently, romantically involved with the prince of the Fire Nation.

Imagine that.

“The key to both is proper aging,” Iroh said, and you laughed under your breath. “What’s on your mind?” Aang paused, and took his turn lengthening the tunnel.

“Well, I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the avatar state and control this great power.” You turned to look at the avatar as you walked, amazed at both his story and his mere stature. You never thought that you’d get to meet the avatar.

“But to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn’t.” You reached the end of the tunnel, and took stance beside Iroh to take your turn lengthening it. However, Iroh began speaking, and you figured it rude to interrupt him.

“Perfection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness, and love.” With a smile on your face you earthbent and opened up the tunnel further, deciding then and there that you would stick with Iroh. Surely you weren’t to stay and train with the Dai Li, and as it seemed he was teaming up with the avatar, maybe you’d get to help fight in the war!

“But what happens if we can’t save everyone and beat Azula?” You didn’t answer, and let Iroh, both because you didn’t know the answer, and because you felt that the scope of your knowledge and importance wasn’t what it needed to be to even participate in this conversation.

“Without the avatar state, what if I’m not powerful enough?”

“I don’t know the answer,” Iroh said, making you gaze to the side at him. “Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving...” Iroh paused as Aang took his turn to break through the stone in front of you, revealing light and a wide open new space, “...you will come to a better place.” You paused, standing on the edge of a cliff, to look out over the ancient city. There was a fountain in front of you, making the air smell fresh even though you were so far below ground. It was amazing, and part of you wished you could have stayed. However, you knew that there was much more pressing matters, and so you quickly moved along with Iroh and Aang into another chamber to hopefully find the prisoners you were looking for.

Aang burst through another wall of stone, and quickly disappeared through the hole as you and Iroh followed.

“Aang!” A girl shouted before embracing him, and you barely put it together that this must be ‘Katara’ before your feet had carried you to Zuko, and hugged him tightly. You yielded this, however, to Iroh, who hugged him with just as much relief as you felt in your heart.

“Uncle, I don’t understand,” Zuko said, a malice you didn’t recognize glinting in his eyes. “What are you doing with the avatar?”

“Saving you, that’s what,” Aang said, and Zuko began to lunge before Iroh caught his chest. You flinched- this wasn’t the boy you knew at all.

“Zuko, it’s time we talked,” Iroh told him, then looking at Aang and Katara. “Go help your other friends. We’ll catch up with you.” Aang and Katara turned away while you stood still, but Iroh turned to you. “You as well. It’ll be alright.” You nodded, and raced down the tunnel after Katara.

“We’ve gotta find Sokka and Toph!” Katara shouted, but you couldn’t answer her before you heard roaring behind you. You didn’t recognize the sound, but when you turned and saw blue fire, nothing could’ve prepared you.

This wasn’t in your training. It wasn’t in your index of attacks to react to. You had no idea what to do- if it wasn’t for Aang and the wall that he raised, you would’ve surely been charred on the spot.

You didn’t recognize the girl that had shot it, but you felt that it was safe to assume it must’ve been Azula.

Katara raced around the wall and picked up water, revealing herself as a powerful water bender before your eyes. The fight between her and Azula created a cloud of steam, and you staggered back even further from Aang’s wall, your chest rising and falling quickly.

You were panicking.

All of that training, everything that your instructors had ever done to harden your will and sharpen your reaction time, it stood nothing against this. This, with the sister of the guy you were crushing on shooting blue fire at the avatar, and you weren’t even sure who’s side you should be on.

That was stupid, of course you knew you should be on the avatar’s side. But something in your head whispered doubts- she was Zuko’s sister. She was the leader of the Dai Li, who you belonged to.

Azula appeared from the steam and shot two fireballs at Aang and Katara, who were forty or so feet in front of you. You just watched, dumbfounded, and realized quickly that she wasn’t aiming at you. She wasn’t targeting you at all.

She landed on a column, which Aang rocked beneath her, and she fell down to stand between Aang and Katara, her back to you. She kept her hands pointed at both of them, but suddenly, her attention turned toward you.

“You’re Y/N, right?” She asked, and your eyes widened. “I remember you. You’re a very impressive cadet, you could be an asset to me. I control the Dai Li, now, and so your allegiance is to me.”

Just for a moment, Katara’s gaze turned to you, wondering if there was any truth to that statement.

Was there?

A fireball impacted the ground between Aang and Azula and you staggered backward, looking up for the source of the flame.

Zuko. Relief filled your chest- at least you knew for sure you were on his side.

As though time was frozen, you watched as he turned his ready stance from aiming at Aang, to aiming at Azula, and your tension melted away. You could fight beside Zuko and the avatar and Katara, and surely between the four of you the princess would be defeated.

Then, from your position fifty feet behind Aang, you saw Zuko’s eyes land on the avatar.

The calmness drifted away, and all you saw was rage.

Fire blasted toward Aang, and he couldn’t avoid the plume, his air bending keeping him from harm but also sending him back beside you. Zuko’s fire kept coming, and you threw up a wall in front of you, turning to the side with your body made into a smaller target out of pure fear.

Zuko had turned on Aang. He’d shot fire at Aang- he’d shot fire at you.

Aang leapt away to continue his battle, which left you behind your wall of stone, paralyzed with fear and indecision and betrayal and anger and sadness.

Didn’t you know Zuko at all? That look in his eye... you had never seen that before. There was pure rage inside him, and you couldn’t understand it, you couldn’t comprehend how this was the boy you’d cared for.

You heard fire roaring throughout the cave, and the whooshing of the wind that Aang sent back. Rocks clattered to the floor and water shot around the cavern, and it was all too much, the sounds of martial arts and groaning and impacts, you couldn’t get a clear thought through your mind.

“I thought you had changed!” Katara’s yell echoed off the rocks, and just for a moment your hands lifted from your temple. Was she talking to Zuko?

“I have changed,” he answered, and it was in the silence that followed that you made up your mind, finally.

Zuko was on the wrong side of this war. Not as you’d thought.

You heard a yelp from Katara and brought up a hunk of earth underneath you, launching you across the cave and into a defensive position in front of her with a battle cry. Both Azula and Zuko seemed surprised by this decision, but before any of you could react, the rumbling of Aang’s reemergence interrupted the fight. They turned their attention to him, which gave you the moment to send a hunk of stone into both of their abdomens, knocking them backward. However, your eyes turned up with the sound of Dai Li stone chains, and you couldn’t pull your limbs in tight enough to avoid their sudden grip on you.

“No,” you snarled as Katara woke, and brought a ring of water around the both of you. You stood back to back with her, small finger movements slowly dissembling the stone chains around your wrists so you could help her in the fight.

But there were too many agents- you knew you couldn’t take them all on. Not even with a master waterbender at your back.

A gust of wind surprised you, and you broke free in time to see Aang rise from shattered crystal inside a beam of light. It was amazing- and you were stunned into awe.

Lightning struck the avatar.

Katara nearly drowned you in the wave she created, but you pulled up a slab of stone just in time to surf on it behind her, just like you had on summer days in Lake Laogai. Mowing down Dai Li agents, and the royal siblings, the two of you raced toward the falling avatar, before he was caught by Katara. Soaked, exhausted, and tears blurring your vision, you stood between her and the siblings, who walked toward her, as though they were predators, and she an easy meal.

Though you knew you should be watching them both, your eyes were on Zuko. Maybe, there was some of Lee left in him, and seeing you would bring it back. But his eyes were firmly on the dead-or-dying avatar, hungry, predatory, and your heart shattered.

Fire cut off their path and you looked up to see Iroh, who leapt down in front of even you.

“You’ve got to get out of here!” He shouted, looking back at you. “I’ll hold them off for as long as I can!” Katara stood and you joined her on Aang’s other side, carrying the avatar toward a waterfall, the sound of fire roaring behind you.

It was terrifying.

“Hold onto him!” Katara shouted, her grip tight on the avatar as she used her other hand to bend an upward spiral around the three of you.

You watched Iroh face Zuko until the rock covered your vision, and you closed your eyes.

Back on Appa, you kneeled behind Sokka, one eye keeping a watch on Katara as she attempted to heal Aang. But mostly, you gripped Appa’s fur, and cried.

The Dai Li had lied to you. Zuko and Iroh had lied to you. The Dia Li turned on you. Zuko turned on you. Zuko turned on Iroh, Azula killed the avatar. Everything was so messed up, beyond proportion, skewed beyond belief. The boy you thought you might’ve loved...

He’d never existed in the first place.

And though the avatar lived, you laid your forehead to the bison’s back, and sobbed.

tag list for this series- @furblrwurblr @eridanuswave

oh yeah request for pt 6 /// already been requested y’all are fine

edit: | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 |

-🦌 Roe

#angst #atla gaang #atla reader insert #atla imagine #atla x reader #atla imagines #atla zuko #atla #avatar x reader #katara #atla sokka #atla katara #atla aang #atla iroh #atla toph #team avatar #avatar iroh #avatar reader insert #avatar imagine #avatar imagines #avatar: the last airbender #avatar #avatar zuko #prince zuko x reader #prince zuko fluff #prince zuko #zuko imagine #zuko #zuko reader insert #fics

[the-firebender-girl]

I See the Light (Zuko x Reader)

Inspired by that one scene from “Tangled”

Note: This is my very first fic soo I do apologize in advance if it’s still bad and for the grammar mistakes which I could’ve made somewhere along the story since English is not my mother tongue. Feedbacks are appreciated and I hope you enjoy it♥️

-> In which Y/N is a part of Azula’s gang and also Zuko’s long lost childhood bestfriend who has had a crush on him since they were little.

The infamous banished crown prince is now back, up and running alongside his father and sister again. This news spread like wildfire all over the capital of the Fire Nation, both pleased and opposing reactions equal in numbers but alas everyone can see that Prince Zuko is now back in the Fire Lord’s good graces.

The noble families are preparing a ‘welcoming back’ celebration in his honor. Surely it was just another act to suck up and earn his favor, but whose to say that he can’t still enjoy it and bask in the festivities? after all he deserves this right? no matter what the means and motives behind it.

It was the morning of the day of the festival and Zuko is just about to begin his day after getting prim and pampered into his Crown Prince’s attire when he heard a knock on his bedroom door.

“Who is it?” He raised the tone of his voice a bit so the person behind it could hear.

“Why don’t you take a guess?”Is what he heard back, a voice that he hasn’t heard for far too long of a time answered.

Not waiting a second longer the person behind it swung his ornate door open and entered the room.

Y/N stood in all her glory wearing the finest of red silk traditional garment, hair neatly weaved into a braided bun. Her (Y/E/C) eyes twinkled with mischief as a small smile tugs the corner of her lips up.

She hums and take a good look at the grown boy in front of her, whatever journey that he’s been through surely did him good.

“You look good”

“Well I sure hope so, after all it’s my first day back as the crown prince isn’t it?” He replied sheepishly, cheeks tinted red at her compliment.

“If the verdict comes from me then it’s safe to say you’re ready to dazzle the whole kingdom and have all the maidens fawning all over you Prince Zuko” She said as she grinned a cheshire cat smile.

“Ughh stop with the compliments Y/N, I can’t even tell whether you’re teasing me or not anymore” He replied back as he rolls his eyes.

“It’s been a while since I saw you” All mirth lost from her tone as she whispers this out.

“Yeah.... way too long for my liking” His eyes softens as he stares back at her.

Their little moment was broken as Azula poked her head from behind the half-opened door and decided to join the party.

“Whatever is taking sooo long? you’re even worse than us girls when it comes to vanity, Zuzu” The princess said as she saunters in all cat like, movement smooth and calculated.

“I was done a while ago Azula, me and Y/N was just catching up” Zuko grumbled.

“Well do the catching up later then, we need to grace this festival with our presents”

“Fine by me, off we go now Y/N” Zuko said as he beckoned for Y/N to follow him.

Y/N falls in line besides Zuko and they exited his bedroom with Azula trailing not too far behind them.

———————————————————————

Despite it still being bright and early, the festival is already in full swing. Unlit lanterns decorated the streets, carts selling fire flakes, extra spicy fire noodles and various other traditional food can be seen here and there, the sound of singing and various musical instruments reverberated through the air.

Y/N walks side by side with Ty Lee, meanwhile Zuko chooses to position himself beside Mai in the back, Azula’s leading the pack all by herself in the very front.

The bubbly girl leans in to whisper in her ear, “Soo did the two of you get to talk?” Ty Lee asked curiously.

Y/N sigh, “No we didn’t, I was just about to when Azula decided to ruined the moment”

Y/N sneak a discrete look to the couple behind them who’s too busy basking in each other’s presence to notice, “And now he decided to spend the whole day with Mai instead” Letting a bit of annoyance and hurt creeps into her voice.

Ty Lee looks at her dejected bestfriend encouragingly, putting her small hand on one fo her shoulders and give it a few taps, “There there... i’m sure he’ll come around, this festival is gonna go on for a while, at some point he’ll be alone”

But she was wrong. Zuko was never alone, not even for the smallest of moment. He was always dotting on Mai, looking at her with this sparkle in his eyes. I guess even time sometimes can’t change some things.

———————————————————————

Night rolls around as the sky darkens and the streets are lit with the red and gold glow emited from the lanterns.

It’s now time for the finale and the highlight of this celebration that people have been waiting for the whole day. A boat ride across the small lake in the capital to watch the release of lampions into the sky.

Here they are now standing on the wooden dock and about to enter their respective boats when Ty Lee decided to do a little sprint towards Mai and weave herself right into her arm.

“I’m tagging Mai and it’s final! I miss her, I never got the chance to do any of the activities together earlier” She said, feet stumping like a child, lips pouting.

“Uugh fine do whatever you want, Ty Lee just stop with the antics” Azula said as she looks at her judgingly, “You won’t mind, would you brother?” A hit of teasing malice evident in her tone as she challenged him to say something back.

“No, of course not. I’ll take the boat with Y/N” He replied flatly, trying hard to maintain the tone of his voice and not give into her trap.

Azula claps her hands, “Well great then, that solves the problem, off you all kids go now”

“Wait you’re not going with us?” Y/N asked incrediously.

And to this the princess raised one of her perfectly groomed eyebrow, “And what in the world makes you think I would participate in such..... frivolous activity?” She bites back.

“Come on Y/N let’s just go, she has no fun bones in her” Zuko said as he gently tug at her elbow to stop what could be an escalating argument.

And so the prince and his childhood bestfriend make way to their boat. He goes in first then extend a hand out for her to take, to steady her.

“Thanks Zuko” She said gratefuly, after stepping into the boat and taking a sit.

“Couldn’t let you fall now could I?” He replied teasingly.

The two of them takes the paddles and row their boat towards the middle of the lake, trying to secure the best spot, which is left empty anyway once the people saw who’s currently on this boat. Some giving a small bow of their heads in respect as they passed.

“It’s peaceful out here” She started, slumping a bit in her seat, trying to find a more comfortable position.

Zuko sees her constantly shifting into different position asks, “You okay there?”

“Yeah it’s just that my body is kinda aching from the day activities and walking, I couldn’t really sit still upright now” She confessed a bit embarassed.

Zuko lets out a low chuckle and beckons for her, “Come here”

She throws him a questioning glance, to which he gives a nod.

Y/N gets up and wobble a bit towards Zuko, rocking their boat, and she almost took a tumble when his arms wraps itself over her waist.

“I got you,” He said, making her took a sharp breath as her cheeks flooded with warmth.

Zuko then guides her into a seating position in front of him, half cuddling her into his chest. Her head settling in the crook of his neck as he lazily drapes his arms on her side.

“Comfortable enough for you, your highness?”

She rolled her eyes and hit his chest playfully.

“As a matter of fact, I am very comfortable right now”

The both of them look at each other and share a smile.

“You must regret not being in the boat with Mai instead, this setting is a bit too romantic for two childhood friends isn’t it?” She asked, testing the water, head tilting a bit to look at him properly and try to gauge out a reaction.

“Well I already spent the whole day with her anyway so that’s fine, i’m usually not into this whole romantic boat ride thingy but I guess if it’s with you then i’ll just bear with it” He replied back in good humor.

She just hums back in respond and decided to let the comfortable silence envelops them.

The sound of pipa (琵琶) a four-stringed musical instrument with frets like those on a guitar could be heard through the air, followed by other instruments, and soft singing voices of the hired singers on a boat not too far from them.

All those days watching from the windows

All those years outside looking in

All that time never even knowing

Just how blind I've been

A melodious voice sings the first few lyrics out.

“I’ve never heard this song before, it’s lovely” Y/N said quietly.

“Yeah... me too” came his reply.

Now I'm here blinking in the starlight

Now I'm here suddenly I see

Standing here it's all so clear

I'm where I'm meant to be

Y/N takes a glance at Zuko, watching his features looking content and relaxed for the first time in a while. This boy doesn’t realize just how handsome he is, does he? how much power he actually has over her.

And at last I see the light

And it's like the fog has lifted

And at last I see the light

And it's like the sky is new

And it's warm and real and bright

And the world has somehow shifted

As the first light from the lampions started to illuminate the night sky, awed gasps can be heard from all around them.

Lampions are released to fly into the sky, bright golden glows surrounds the boat everywhere, it’s like the sun itself is here, in the middle of the night.

All those days chasing down a daydream

All those years living in a blur

All that time never truly seeing

Things, the way they were

Now she's here shining in the starlight

Now she's here suddenly I know

If she's here it's crystal clear

I'm where I'm meant to go

Zuko had spent a huge portion of his life wandering aimlessly. Yes of course he has the whole ���chasing the avatar’ thing on his agenda and yet it never felt quite right.

But being here, with her, someone who probably knows him best of all the person in the world besides his uncle, for the first time he finally feels like he belong.

And it's warm and real and bright

And the world has somehow shifted

All at once everything is different

Now that I see you

Zuko watches every emotion flickers across her face, it’s beautiful, she’s like a living art.

“Is this how uncle feels when it comes to his tea?” He wondered to himself.

He always knows that he loves her as a friend, he’d do anything for this girl, but could there possibly be something more between them? especially with this weird feelings that he now has in his stomach while looking at her, and the tightening of his chest, and how he felt warm watching her happiness at such simple things.

Now that I see you

“Stop looking at me Zuko, you’re staring at the wrong thing” She said embarrassedly, trying to hide her face into his chest.

“Nahh i’m mighty sure i’m looking at the right thing, what’s more worthy of seeing anyway” He whispers back to her.

She raised her face so fast she almost got a whiplash, about to retort something witty back when she sees the honesty in his face. How he actually means what he says.

“I see you too you know.... I always have, not the composed prince, just you, just Zuko”

Zuko raised one hand hesitantly, stopping it mid air to ask for permission and when she shows no sign of wanting to stop him, he lets his hand cup her cheek gently.

“I know... that’s why i’m scared to lose you, I thought by keeping this all to myself, I wouldn’t ruin whatever we have right now”

“Just let me in Zuko, that’s all I ask” Y/N said as she rubs a comforting touches on his arm.

“But what about Mai?” She starts again, “I thought you like her”

“I thought I did too, but it would never have worked out anyway between me and her, we both want and crave different things, and I was too scared to admit to myself that you’re what i’m looking for all this time”

“Soooo?” She asked, drawling out the O’s while looking at him expectantly.

“Sooo?” He said back, grinning at her clear frustration.

“Stop being coy with me! so where do we go from here?”

He takes both of her hands in his and clasp it firmly, looking straight into her eyes.

“We go forward, together.”

“Always?” She asked again, vulnerabilty evident in her voice, asking for his devotion.

“Always. Until the very end” He said in a final tone, giving her his promise.

And so the both of them shared their very first kiss, under the light of a thousand lanterns, and the moon in the distance as the witness of their everlasting promise to each other.

#aang #atla #atla aang #atla rewatch #avatar the last airbender #avatar the legend of aang #atla zuko #avatar zuko #fire lord zuko #prince zuko #zuko x reader #prince zuko fanfic #prince zuko imagine #prince zuko x reader #prince zuko x you #zuko drabble #zuko imagine #zuko x you #atla imagine #atla oneshot #zuko one shot #atla fanfic

[gaangadventures]

Hi! I’ve just found your blog and will you marry me?!? AANG CONTENT?!?? ! I saw the requests open and if you’re still open for them could I request a Zuko x reader? Zukos been awed by readers sheer power over and over cus he’s a sucker for strong women. And when he joins the gaang he is soo smitten with the reader and every one sees it but the oblivious reader. And he enventually asks for everyone’s help but during the ember island play she finds out cause they over dramatize his big crush?

Awww! We should probably meet before getting married lol  Sorry for taking so long with the request, life has been kicking my butt. Here you go! c: 

As a former citizen of a small village in the Earth Kingdom, you always longed for adventure and there weren’t many ways to leave your family farm. Or at least not without having to take something from them, and you had refused to. You knew they had little enough already.

But it was different one day, after meeting the avatar himself and his friends. As an earthbender, you weren’t sure where you could go but you wanted to go everywhere. And if you could beat up some Fire Nation soldiers, then you would be having the time of your life.

You had gone into the market for some feed for the lone ostrich horse, and a few of the Fire Nation soldiers had caught wind of the avatar. You were sure that he could actually take them down himself, but you weren’t exactly going to test that theory, and you trapped them in pillars of earth before helping the group out of the market and towards your family farm.

That was how you had met them anyway, and you had asked to join them that day. You hadn’t exactly expected them to say yes either, but they had, and you were overjoyed. So were they, but you assumed that Katara was more or less just glad to not be the only girl there.

Shortly after you joined however, the adventure you always wanted seemed to be a bit much at times.

First, there was the general that actively tried to get Aang into the avatar state and had put all of you in danger for it. Then there were the nomads that you had wanted to leave in the tunnels, you couldn’t believe how carefree they could be in the middle of a war. Even after all that your group had done to get into Omashu, you all found out that the Fire Nation had overtaken it and that Aang had to find an earthbending teacher himself. You offered, but you still had much to learn for it yourself.

And your least favorite place happened to be the swamp. Everyone there had visions of some person they already met and lost or in Aang’s case, were going to meet. You however, had a vision of your family. You had left them, and who knows if you would see them again, but you kept reminding yourself that it was okay, and they understood why you did.

The next place was some odd avatar-hating village, and Aang got arrested. But it was okay, because the day had ended with him out of prison, you beating up some soldiers, and some weird dough-like thing that you immediately spat out after tasting.

 In another Earth Kingdom town, your group had gone to an underground earthbending tournament which you had a blast watching. You had wanted to participate as well, but ended up following the rest of them as they looked for the Blind Bandit. The day went well, considering Aang had managed to get an earthbending teacher and so had you, despite her parents originally saying no. You had assumed that her parents never changed her mind like she said, having done the same thing with your own.

After Toph had joined, there was a strange metal contraption constantly following them by way of Appa’s fur trail. It had turned out to be the Fire Nation princess herself, and her two nonbending but still dangerous friends. You had helped Sokka and Katara with the other two that you had yet to learn the names of, while Aang was dealing with the last one. There was a fight because of course there was, you were starting to wonder just how many more fights you would have to go through in this. That was not to say you didn’t like to fight. You excelled at it.

That had also been the first time you had actually met the Prince Zuko that had literally followed them around the nations, and the first thing you wanted to know was where his ponytail had gone. Sokka had made sure to tell you all about it, but had left out the fact that he could actually be considered attractive, not that you would say that part out loud, and especially not when he was your enemy as well.

You had definitely been thrown for a loop when Azula had shot Iroh with lightning, only for Zuko to refuse help from any of you, even though Katara would have been the only one able to actually help.

Your second least favorite place was the desert, even though you thought the library had been amazing, apart from Wan Shi Tong getting upset that you guys had actually only come to learn how to defeat the Fire Nation. But Appa had gone missing, and you were absolutely convinced none of that was Toph’s fault. Another part of the desert that you didn’t like much were the buzzard wasps, but at least you had begun learning how to bend sand, which was definitely odd.

On your way to Ba Sing Se, they ended up meeting a few old friends of theirs, the Kyoshi Warriors and you had been quick to introduce yourself as well. Mostly since you had grown up hearing about them, and how amazing they would be, you really aspired to be more like them. 

Of course, the ticket lady wouldn’t let any of you get onto the ferry without passports, and Toph had managed to get all of you, only for the group to go the other route to Ba Sing Se when a pregnant lady and her husband had mentioned that their things were stolen. The Serpent’s Pass, you thought was aptly named when going through it. The serpent was terrifying, and you severely hoped that you wouldn’t have to go that way again. 

But at least you had made it through before Ying had her baby, which you thought was surprising considering she was quite far along. She asked you if you wanted to hold her, and you declined, having held more babies in your life than you probably would have liked, not to mention you hadn’t particularly wanted to hold any more. At least for now.

The new family had separated from you and your own group when you finally reached Ba Sing Se, only to find out that the Fire Nation trio was back again and they were trying to take down the wall with another metal thing. You had been helping Toph and Katara bend the awful rock and water combination and successfully kept a few of them back that way.

Ba Sing Se was a horrible city in your opinion, the Dai Li only being a part of it, but you were having a big issue with how the poor had less opportunities and the like.

You were partially glad when you left with the group, but heavily concerned for the avatar you’d come to think of as a younger brother. He had been shot with lightning and actually died, it was a miracle when Katara had healed him.

The weeks passing seemed to grow longer and longer, and nobody said it but everyone could tell that there was a lot of concern and worry for Aang when he hadn’t woke up. You spent your days learning how to bend metal like Toph, and it had taken you a while to even start.

Once he was awake however, you had to leave the boats you’d grown somewhat accustomed to and wait for the solar eclipse to grow nearer.

Unfortunately where you had to wait happened to be in the Fire Nation itself, and you hadn’t exactly wanted for more red in your wardrobe but it couldn’t be helped.

The next month or so, you weren’t sure how long it actually had been and couldn’t be bothered to remember, Katara had helped a coast village with its sick by posing as a river spirit and had even blown up a Fire Nation factory with Aang and finally scared the soldiers away from the town by continuing the ruse. Sokka had acquired a master of his own and made his own sword out of a piece of rock that fell from the sky. Toph had been scamming people in town, occasionally with your help but you ended up stopping when you thought that it would be too obvious. Katara had ended up finding another Southern Water Tribe bender, but unfortunately due to decades of being in prison had gone mad and had been kidnapping innocent people and trapping them under a mountain.

Hama had actually terrified you more than anything else had, but you couldn’t help but pity her at first. Your empathy had been shut off when you saw how Katara had to bloodbend her that night, and how upset she was.

The day of the invasion had been off to a good start, but it had been cut short when everyone learned that the Fire Nation already knew of the solar eclipse and had planned for it.

All of you had regrouped, apart from the adults that had gotten arrested for being a part of the invasion, and had gone to the Western Air Temple. Having never gone to any of the air temples yourself, you had quite a bit of fun exploring this one.

When the prince himself appeared and offered to be Aang’s firebending teacher, you wanted to throw a rock in his face and probably would’ve, had anyone else started a fight. It had been his choice to join his sister in Ba Sing Se, and now he wanted to join the group that he’d been chasing this entire time? Needless to say, you held a grudge against him, and you wouldn’t hesitate to earthbend him to the edge of the cliff if he tried anything.

The next day however, Toph returned with burned feet and Zuko had come back yet again. After his apologies, Aang had accepted him as his firebending teacher shortly after that.

It seemed like everyone but the ones that could earthbend had gone on a field trip with him, oddly enough, when Aang and Zuko had gone to learn real firebending, then it was Sokka and Zuko apparently breaking Hakoda and Suki out of prison but they also brought back a prisoner named Chit Sang too. Then it was Katara’s turn, and she went with him to confront the man who killed her mother. Thankfully, she hadn’t killed him.

Instead of camping out, Zuko had offered up a new place to sleep at, and it was a house that apparently no one goes anymore. You were a little weirded out at the thought of it, and Katara thought so too.

“Doesn’t it seem weird that we’re living in the Fire Lord’s own house?

“I told you, my father hasn’t come here since our family was actually happy. And that was a long time ago. It’s the last place anyone would think to look for us.”

“True, but still weird.” You piped up, doing your own stretches as the two firebenders had finished with their training.

“You guys are not gonna believe this. There’s a play about us.” Sokka said, walking out onto the courtyard with Suki, holding a rolled up poster, looking awfully smug.

“We were just in town, and we found this poster.” Suki continued, while Sokka rolled out the poster and held it up so all of you could see it.

“What? How is that possible?”

“Listen to this.” Sokka started, before beginning to read off the poster itself. “The boy in the iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Puan Tin who scoured the globe, gathering information on the avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage.”

“Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island players.” Suki finished, before Zuko began to groan.

“Ugh. My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered “Love Amongst the Dragons” every year.”

“Sokka, do you really think it’s a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?”

“Come on, a day at the theater? This is the kind of wacky, time-wasting nonsense I;ve been missing.” And with that answer, you all headed out to the theater to see whatever play this would end up being.

Upon arriving, you all settled down into the seats, Katara sitting next to Toph and you sitting next to her, much to Aang’s disappointment, you were sure. You expected Aang to just sit down next to you, but no, Zuko had.

“Why are we sitting in the nosebleed section? My feet can’t see a thing from up here.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll tell your feet what’s happening.” Katara answered to Toph, while your gaze was awaiting on the curtains.

They opened to show what was supposed to Katara and Sokka on a boat in the sea, back in the South Pole you assumed. You almost laughed at Sokka’s excitement to notice the two when he grabbed his sister’s shoulder and pointed from each other back and forth.

“Sokka, my only brother.” The fake Katara let out a sigh, dramatically gesturing to the painted “ice glaciers” on her side. “We constantly roam these icy south pole seas, and yet, never do we find anything fulfilling.”

“All I want is a full feeling in my stomach. I’m starving.” ‘Sokka’ responded, making the real Katara and Sokka give each other a look as the audience burst into laughter.

“Is food the only thing that’s on your mind?”

“Well, I’m trying to get it out of my mind and in my mouth. I’m starving.”

“Is that all that guy says?” You grimaced, starting to dread when your character showed up.

“This is pathetic. My jokes are way funnier than this.” Sokka exclaimed, while Toph laughed at him.

“I think he’s got you pegged.” With that, the rest of you turned back to the play.

“Every day, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears. Still, we cannot give up hope, for hope is all we have and we must never relinquish it, even. . . Even to our dying breath.” Fake Katara began to sob, and you drew in a breath through your teeth when Katara crossed her arms.

“Well, that’s just silly. I don’t sound like that.”

“You have your moments.” You admitted, but even you would agree that this was an exaggeration for sure.

“Oh man, this writer’s a genius.” At least Toph was having fun.

“It appears to be someone frozen in ice, perhaps for 100 years.” ‘Katara’ said, when a light shone down onto a floating iceberg.

“But who? Who is the boy in the iceberg?” Fake Sokka asked, the two climbing up the iceberg.

“Waterbend, hi-ya!” Fake Katara cried out, drawing her hand down as if to actually crack the ‘iceberg’ herself, only for it to break and reveal fake Aang, whose actor was a girl apparently.

“Who are you, frozen boy?

“I’m the avatar, silly, here to spread joy and fun.” ‘Aang’ giggled, and you looked to the avatar himself, only to see him frowning deeply.

“Wait, is that a woman playing me?” He asked, right as a fake Appa showed up and went around the iceberg in a circle while fake Katara gasped.

“An airbender. My heart is so full of hope that it’s making me tear-bend.” She began to fake sob, falling to her knees and grabbing onto fake Aang’s leg. 

“My stomach is so empty that it’s making me tear-bend.” Fake Sokka cried out, falling to his knees as well and grabbing onto ‘Aang’s’ other leg. “I need meat.” With that, you really couldn’t help but laugh, even when both Katara and Sokka were beginning to glare at you.

“But wait! Is that a platter of meaty dumplings?” The actress for Aang mentioned, pointing up at nothing in particular.

“Ooh, where, where?” ‘Sokka’ quickly asked, only for ‘Aang’ to start laughing.

“Did I mention that I’m an incurable prankster?”

“I don’t do that. That’s not what i’m like. And I’m not a woman.”

“Oh they nailed you, Twinkletoes.” Toph joked, laughing at the play as she basically had been this entire time.

A new boat showed up on the stage, this time carrying Zuko and his uncle.

“Prince Zuko, you must try this cake.” ‘Iroh’ offered, while fake Zuko was looking out at sea with a telescope.

“I don’t have time to stuff my face. I must capture the avatar to regain my honor.”

“Well, while you do that, maybe I’ll capture another slice.” Fake Iroh said, before literally shoving the cake into his face and eating.

“You sicken me.” ‘Zuko’ said, with a disgusted look on his face, and you let out a laugh.

“They make me look totally stiff and humorless.”

“Actually, I think that actor’s pretty spot-on.” Katara joked, and Zuko had been quick to turn to her.

“How could you say that?

“Let’s forget about the avatar and get massages.” 

“How could you say that?” Fake Zuko cried out at Iroh’s suggestion, only for you to laugh when you saw the look on Zuko’s face.

The scene panned out to show Aang the actress at the Southern Air Temple, with a tail sticking out of the fake bushes.

“Hey, look! I think I found something.” Fake Aang kept digging into the bushes, only to come back out with a fake puppet of Momo on his shoulder and a fake arm hanging from his side. “A flying rabbit-monkey! I think I’ll name him Momo.” He laughed, before moving the puppet so it would look like it was talking.

“Hi, everybody. I love you.” At the sight of it, both you and Aang let out a low groan. Momo did not deserve this slander.

With another scene, it showed a Kyoshi Warrior, which you assumed was supposed to be Suki before ‘Sokka’ came out, dressed in the same Kyoshi Warrior ensemble.

“Does this dress make my butt look fat?” He said, making the real Suki laugh, as you turned to look at the couple.

“So nobody told me you were a Kyoshi Warrior? I do have a question though. Did you look as good as Suki does?” You couldn’t help but tease him, although this was definitely bringing up some topics that you had missed out on.

The scene changed yet again, but this time was showing what was supposed to be King Bumi. Was he really that buff?

“Riddles and challenges must you face if you are ever to leave this place.” It showed fake Aang pushing a boulder, fake Sokka running from a gorilla rabbit, and fake Katara groaning as she was trapped in crystals.

It cut to a different part of the play, showing a pirate boat and pirates began to surround the trio. The pirates continued to fight each other as the trio actually got out quite safely.

“Why did you have to steal that waterbending scroll?” Fake Sokka asked as they crept away from the pirates.

“It just gave me so much hope.” Fake Katara answered, sobbing yet again.

“I really hope my character isn’t as bad.” You added, wearing a grimace, since you knew Katara didn’t cry nearly as many times as this one made her out to be like.

“The avatar is mine!” Fake Zuko cried out, while fake Aang was chained to a wall with soldiers surrounding him. “Wait, who’s coming?” He pointed to a different part of the stage where a person with a large blue demon-like mask held dao swords.

“I am the blue spirit, the scourge of the Fire Nation, here to save the avatar.” He exclaimed, before the soldiers began to drop to the ground dramatically and he somehow defeated fake Zuko as well as simultaneously untying fake Aang.

“My hero.” ‘Aang’ said, before leaving the stage with the blue spirit.

The scene changed, and it showed a sobbing ‘Katara’ with a fake Jet, hanging from a rope.

“Don’t cry, baby. Jet will wipe out that nasty town for you.” 

“Oh, Jet. You’re so bad.” Toph laughed, while Katara tried to hide her face, and you just lightly patted her shoulder with a slight look of pity.

“Look! It’s the Great Divide. The biggest canyon in the Earth Kingdom.” Aang mentioned, standing atop fake Appa.

“Eh, let’s keep flying.” Fake Sokka shrugged, while you only leaned back into your seat.

“Don’t go, Yue. You’re the only woman who’s ever taken my mind off of food.” The two actors dramatically kiss, before fake Sokka turns away with a gag. “Wait, did you have pickled fish for dinner?”

“Goodbye, Sokka. I have important moon duties to take care of. And yes, I did have pickled fish.” Fake Yue said, going up into the sky with the moon.

“You never told me you made out with the moon spirit.” Suki chuckled, and you glanced at the couple to see tears in Sokka’s eyes as he shushed her.

“Shh, I’m trying to watch.” Turning back to look at the stage, you saw the actress for Aang in a fish spirit costume, crushing fake fire Nation ships.

“The avatar is back to save the day! Yay!” He said, kicking and stomping on the rest of the fake ships before falling onto the floor as the curtains closed.

“So far, this intermission is the best part of the play.” Zuko mentioned when all of you sat on the steps outside of the theater.

“Apparently, the playwright thinks I’m an idiot who tells bad jokes about meat all the time.” Sokka angrily shoved jerky into his mouth, as Suki teased him.

“Yeah, you tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics.”

“I know!”

“At least the Sokka actor kind of looks like you. That woman playing the avatar doesn’t resemble at all.” Aang lamented, putting his hands over his head, as Toph shrugged.

“I don’t know. You are more in touch with your feminine side than most guys.” With that, Aang groaned and Katara interrupted when he stood up.

“Relax, Aang. They’re not accurate portrayals. It’s not like I’m a preachy crybaby who can’t resist giving over-emotional speeches about hope all the time.” Everyone had clearly been looking at her but nobody said a word, until she asked. “What?”

“Yeah, that’s not you at all.” Aang backed her up, sitting back down and rubbing the back of his neck.

“Listen, friends. It’s obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt, but what you’re seeing up there on that stage is the truth.” Toph offered, and you tilted your head.

“Not quite I don’t think, this is definitely exaggerated.”

As the group went back into the theater, the scene was apparently when you had met the group, seeing as it looked like your hometown.

“Well, here we are in the Earth Kingdom.” 

“I’d better have a look around to see if I can find an earthbending teacher.”

“Hey, is that the avatar? Get him!” A Fire Nation soldier exclaimed, pointing at fake Aang, when fake you appeared on the stage.

“No, don’t take him! I need to leave this town and abandon my family forever!” ‘You’ cried out, fake earthbending the soldiers out before running with the group. “I don’t want to live on this farm anymore! I want to beat up people!”

You grimaced at their portrayal of you, but at least the actress looked somewhat like you, even if the personality was quite a bit off.

“That’s not. . Quite true.” You added, seeing fake you leave with the rest of them. 

The scene was changed into another Earth Kingdom town, and you assumed this was where Toph showed up.

“Well, here we are in the Earth Kingdom again. So we can find an actual earthbending teacher.” Fake Katara repeated, the four of them standing next to a suspiciously large rock.

“This must be where I come in.” Toph whispered as fake Aang ‘flew’ around the audience with a rope.

“I flew all over town, but I couldn’t find a single earthbending master.”

“Here it comes.” Toph said, leaning forward in her seat.

“You can’t find an earthbending master in the sky. You have to look underground.” Fake Toph was apparently a very large and buff man, throwing the fake rock off stage. Which only caused everyone but Toph to start laughing, yourself included.

“Who are you?” Fake Aang asked, as fake Toph spat away from him, before proudly pointing to himself before beginning to flex his arms.

“My name’s Toph, because it sounds like tough, and that’s just what I am.”

“Wait a minute. I sound like a guy. A really buff guy.” Toph said, already starting to smile when Katara turned to her.

“Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth. It hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t have cast it any other way. At least it’s not a flying bald lady.” Toph answered, making Aang frown as you bit back a snicker.

“So you’re blind?” ‘Aang’ asked, waving his hand in front of ‘Toph’.

“I can see you doing that. I see everything that you see, except I don’t see like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth.” Fake Toph explained before beginning to scream, causing everyone in the audience to flinch, apart from the actual Toph of course, who only grinned. “There. I got a pretty good look at you.”

The scene changed to show Iroh and Zuko who apparently had long hair now.

“Zuko, it’s time we had a talk about your hair. It’s gone too far.”

“Maybe it’s best if we split up.” Fake Zuko dramatically flipped his long hair as the two actors walked off the stage, only for everyone to come back with fake Azula as well.

“Azula, my sister, what are you doing here?”

“You caught me. Wait, what’s that? I think it’s your honor.” She said, pointing up and everyone in the cast looked away from her as she slipped away.

“Where?”

“She escaped. But how?” Fake Katara asked, and it switched to show Azula and Aang at the wall of Ba Sing Se with the drill.

“If she continues drilling, this wall will come down for sure.” Fake Aang said, throwing a fake rock at her.

“Yes, continue drilling. The city of Ba Sing Se can hide no longer.” Fake Azula said as ‘Aang’ continued throwing rocks, but it never showed how it ended as the scene changed to show a mind-controlled Jet.

“No, Jet, what did they do to you? Fake Aang cried out, dodging as fake Jet swung out with his hooks.

“Must serve Earth King. Must destroy!” He exclaimed as a fake rock fell onto him, before curling up underneath it so his body wouldn’t be showing.

“Did Jet just die?” Zuko asked, as Sokka answered, gesturing with his hands.

“You know, it was really unclear.” 

“I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I really find you attractive.” Fake Katara said, now seemingly in the crystal caves of Ba Sing Se as fake you was looking for a way out, hardly paying any attention to the two.

“You don’t have to make fun of me.” The actor said, turning away and then turning back when fake Katara sat down onto the same rock as him.

“But I mean it. I’ve had eyes for you since the day you first captured me.” With that, you noticed the real Zuko and Katara briefly glance at each other with mildly disgusted looks as Aang frowned at the stage.

“Wait. I thought you were the avatar’s girl. And besides I’m in love with someone else.” Fake Zuko then said, beginning to walk away and very obviously looked towards fake you. ‘Katara’ laughed, before starting to say.

“The avatar? Why, he’s like a little brother to me. I certainly don’t think of him in a romantic way. Besides, how could he ever find out about this?” She hugged him, and you looked at the stage in confusion.

“There’s no way you two would do that.” You said, knowing for a fact that Katara was crushing on Aang, and she had already divulged that he kissed her the day of the invasion. “But what I don’t get is why the actor looks at me when he says he’s in love with someone else. What’s up with that?” You questioned, only to get radio silence from everyone there. You shrugged, figuring that you would weasel the answer out of someone later.

“Oh, you’re getting up? Can you get me some fire flakes?” Sokka asked Aang when he walked out of the theater after that debacle. “Oh, and fire gummies.”

“Well, my brother, what’s it going to be? Your nation or a life of treachery?” Fake Azula said, only for fake Zuko to contemplate things.

“Choose treachery. It’s more fun.” Fake Iroh said, drinking some tea as ‘Zuko’ walked over to him and paused.

“No way!” ‘Azula’ yelled before he pushed ‘Iroh’ over onto the ground and headed towards his sister’s side.

“I hate you, Uncle. You smell, and I hate you for all time!” As he left the stage with ‘Azula’, the Earth Kingdom flag fell onto the actor for Iroh.

“You didn’t really say that, did you?” Katara asked, and you frowned when Zuko answered.

“I might as well have.”

The next scene was Ty Lee and Mai taking over Ba Sing Se, only for Aang to appear out from behind the throne.

“Avatar state, yip-yip!” Fake Aang proceeded to be brought up from the stage by a rope as fake Azula appeared.

“Not if my lightning can help it.” A ribbon was thrown at the fake avatar who pretended to be electrocuted and fell to the floor. “The avatar is no more.” At that, the whole audience seemed to cheer, apart from your group.

You stretched during the intermission, thankful to be out of the seat.

“It seems like every time there’s a big battle, you guys barely make it out alive. I mean, you guys lose a lot.” Suki mentioned, only for her boyfriend to quickly respond.

“You’re one to talk, Suki, didn’t Azula take you captive? That’s right, she did.”

“Are you trying to get on my bad side?”

“I’m just saying.”

“Does anyone know where Aang is?” Katara interrupted the couple, and you hoped that the two might finally talk about how they feel.

“He left to get me fire gummies like ten minutes ago, and I’m still waiting.” Sokka complained, only for his sister to turn away from him.

“I’m gonna check outside.” She said, walking out of the theater, as a child dressed up as Aang pretended to fly around.

“Suki, what are the chances you can get me backstage? I got some jokes I want to give to the actor me.”

“I’m an elite warrior who’s trained for many years in the art of stealth. I think I could get you backstage.” And the two walk off, leaving you with Zuko and Toph.

“Well, I think I’m going to go check out how bad Sokka’s jokes are. Maybe you can tell her now.” Toph suggested, before following Suki and Sokka.

“Wait-” But you had cut Zuko off before he could continue.

“Tell me what?” Would someone finally tell you about why fake Zuko looked at you when he said he was in love with someone else?

“I-uh.. The actor wasn’t entirely wrong.” He partially confessed, only leaving you with more questions.

“Wrong about which part?” You simply couldn’t understand any bit of it.

“I’ve kind of been in love with you for a while.” He quickly answered, glancing at you to see your reaction before looking away.

“Wait what-” You said, only momentarily confused before shaking your head. You didn’t exactly understand why, and that’s exactly what you said. “Why? I don’t get it. There’s nothing special or anything about me.”

“You are far from ordinary, Y/N. You’re so strong and-”

“So what you’re telling me, you’re attracted to strong women?” You teased, oddly satisfied upon seeing the light pink of his cheeks as he groaned before letting out a sigh.

“Yeah.” He admitted, before continuing. “I even asked everyone for help with this.”

“Wait, is that why you had told me I was pretty the other day? And why I found flowers in front of my door the next morning?”

“Yeah.” 

“Well, I thought you were hot when we first met, so we’re even.” You shrugged, looking at him from the corner of your eye.

“Do you still think that?”

“What do you think?” You answered his question with a question, leaning closer to him until your faces were merely inches apart. “Y’know, I started training to get my mind off you.”

Just as your lips were almost touching, you had closed your eyes only to quickly open them and pull away when you heard a wolf-whistle.

“It’s about time!”

#Avatar The Last Airbender #atla #avatar fanfic #atla fanfic #zuko x reader #aang #katara #sokka #toph #suki #female reader #earthbender reader #zuko

[comradekatara]

what does pai sho reflects on the characters in atla? who is their favorite opponent?

aang: he likes it fine. as far as games go, it’s a bit too sedentary for him. he likes playing it with zuko and katara, because they play the game pretty fast-paced, and they never keep score. he hates playing against sokka, it’s super boring and takes forever and sokka takes it way too seriously. mai is his favorite opponent, though, because it’s clear she actually knows the ins and outs of the game, but she doesn’t treat it like life or death, and her very subtle trash talk is hilarious. 

zuko: he hates pai sho and generally refuses to play it. sometimes his uncle wears him down, but usually zuko wins those fights by throwing a tantrum and storming off, which iroh decides isn’t worth his time. he agrees to play aang sometimes because he has a very hard time saying no to aang due to his overwhelming energy and puppy-like demeanor. zuko regrets teaching sokka how to play because he fears he created a monster. sokka makes zuko play him sometimes, but the whole time sokka just taunts him for being terrible at pai sho. once iroh, aang, and sokka are all dead, though, he actually gets pretty into it. this is because katara is just as terrible at the game as he is, and being old as shit means they’ve actually grown to appreciate sitting around and playing board games, as opposed to their favored activities of their youth (causing chaos and setting things ablaze). they’re pretty evenly matched, and it suddenly occurs to them that maybe they’re not terrible at pai sho, sokka was just freakishly good. 

katara: she is not good, and she is a very sore loser. she wins against aang, against zuko, even against suki a couple times, but she refuses to play sokka ever. she claims it is a dumb game for nerds, and also she doesn’t want to participate in fire nation culture thank you very much! zuko points out that the game’s been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and katara just mutters, “of course you would say that, colonizer.” she refuses to play it for decades to come. 

toph: sokka is sick of not being able to play pai sho against his favorite person, so one day he is just like “that’s it! we’re making a metal pai sho board!” and it really doesn’t take long at all for them to build it. all of a sudden, toph has joined the fray of eligible pai sho opponents, and of course she is great at it. it is, after all, a game all about waiting and listening. toph’s favorite opponent is azula. she thinks it’s funny when azula has to hold back tears after having lost a game, which is about 50% of the time. many breakthroughs happen during their weekly pai sho games. and toph looks forward to them. 

suki: suki loves pai sho. suki loves board games, card games, games in general. suki is a very sore winner, even when the other person is not even aware that they are supposedly in competition. going out with suki is actually a very tiring affair because she is always the first person to suggest that they play a drinking game. and then once she’s drunk, nay, just slightly tipsy, she demands that everyone in her vicinity try to fight her, all the while insisting that she would kick their ass if they even tried. suki has a lot of fun playing pai sho. she and mai first became friends over a game of pai sho, and they play at every opportunity. they are both part of an ongoing tournament among the kyoshi warriors, as well as mai and sokka. she insists that someday she’ll beat sokka and/or ty lee, but that day never does arrive. but she beats iroh once, and rides that high for a month. 

mai: mai thinks pai sho is fun. pai sho makes sense. there’s beauty in its structure. she and ty lee used to play all the time when they were little, and she cherishes those memories. some days, when azula’s lessons would extend past their usual hour, they would be ushered to an empty room of the palace and just be forced to sit there and wait for azula. of course, this didn’t bother them at all, and these were in fact their favorite days at the palace. sometimes zuko would just sit there with them, but he wouldn’t really talk to them, just take out a book and start reading. and then sometimes, iroh would play them in pai sho. iroh never let them win, which mai knew because she never did. granted, she was eight. that said, ty lee did beat him. she mentions this to zuko years down the line, to which he is skeptical, which annoys her. her favorite opponents are suki, sokka, and toph. playing against ty lee isn’t fun for her anymore, though, because she hates knowing that ty lee is lying to her, even if it’s just for the sake of winning a game. they play boggle instead. 

ty lee: she’s a pai sho master. she loses on purpose a lot, but very rarely does she find an opponent where she actually struggles to win. sokka is that opponent. the first time they play each other, they find themselves at a complete and total impasse because both of their strategies rely on the other player growing too confident and revealing too much, and both of them know better. at one point ty lee wins just by really subtly negging sokka into submission. sokka’s just like “i suddenly feel really bad for azula.” 

azula: up until the day she plays sokka, azula is of the belief that she has an unbeatable pai sho record and has never lost and will never lose a game. she goes her whole life not realizing that ty lee lost to her on purpose, and then would say, so earnestly, “wow, azula! you’re really good at pai sho!” to which azula would say something about how her superior cunning is all just part of being a good princess, to which ty lee would nod emphatically and say “i bet!” sokka beats her, easily no less, and she feels like she’s been punched in the gut. what’s worse is that zuko was there, and he saw it all play out, which is quite possibly one of the only factors that could make that situation more humiliating than it already was. and of course, zuko does revel in watching sokka best her, because of course he would. she plays her uncle a couple times, and finds the experience torturous. but she does genuinely enjoy those days wherein she gets to play toph. 

sokka: mai decides that sokka is good people the second that she sees him play a single game of pai sho. for sokka, learning pai sho feels like coming home. no matter how many decades pass, he never tires of it. his strategy is infallible: lose the first round, possibly even the second (depending on the skill of the opponent) and then use all the intel he collected on that person’s strategy to wipe the floor with them forevermore. his brain is a database of everyone’s pai sho strategies, and the better he knows someone, the easier it is for him to beat them. (katara, zuko, and suki are by far his easiest opponents, for example.) he has about a 99.9% success rate, and yet he still maintains that he has room for improvement, that he just hasn’t found the right opponent to properly challenge him yet. that person is asami, who stumbles (with korra) into him and iroh playing pai sho in the spirit world, which is what they’ve been doing every day for the past 10+ years. the game takes forever, but once asami eventually beats him, sokka just looks very intensely at korra and says, “listen to me: never let her go, okay??” 

iroh: he claims he hasn’t lost a game in fifty years. sokka counters that he probably just hasn’t had very good opponents. iroh explains to him the symbolic significance of the lotus tile. sokka captures his lotus tile and tells him that it’s functionally useless as long as you know how to counter it. iroh isn’t used to people knowing how to counter it. also, he’s conveniently forgetting that time an eight year old kicked his ass. he has since convinced himself that he let her win, but deep down, he knows better, mai knows better, ty lee knows better. none of this stops him from favoring the lotus tile, though. it’s pretty! 

#the gaang and #asks #anon #sloooooowly getting around to these longer asks i promise #pai sho