Life, Liberty and Pursuit of the Avatar

Fic - I want to dance

2008-07-27T03:19:33Z

Title: I want to dance.
Prompt: Dance
Character/Pairing: Meng/Toph
Rating: G
Warning: None
Word Count: 100

“No way!” Toph shouted in reply. She couldn’t believe the girl. What was she thinking?

avatarfic @ 2008-07-26T23:00:00

2008-07-27T03:02:24Z

Title:Forgivness
Fandom::Avatar The Last Airbender
Rating:G
Summary: Death would be a blessing to him.
Character(s): Katara
Warnings: none
Spoilers: The Southern Raiders
Disclaimer: Brian and Mike own.
Bete'd: As of right now, no.
Notes:

He made her suffer.

The Last Hairbender

2008-07-24T07:19:21Z

Title: The Last Hairbender
Author: chilibreath
Warning: Spoilery for the epic Season 3 finale--and crack.
Summary: Ozai the Fire Lord, A.K.A. the Phoenix King has to pay. Here's a suggestion...
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
A/N: (At the end of this fic)

What did you do to me?

Fic || Creation in Nine Acts

2008-07-22T17:37:07Z

Title: Creation in Nine Acts
Author: escalove
Characters/Pairings: A character from the finale, so in that there are Spoilers for Sozin’s Comet, but nothing else really plotwise
Rating: K
Summary: An Avatar creation myth.
Word Count: 4,787

(Notes and the fic inside the fake cut)

posted at privatenation

FIC: Black is the New Black by Liondragon

2008-07-21T15:07:13Z

Title: Black is the New Black
Author: shusu.insanejournal.com
Pairing(s): Mai/Zuko; canon implied
Rating: K / same as the show
Warning: Spoilers for the finale. Not in fandom, don't ship, don't care. Just sharing a post-series fic. Enjoy!
Word count: 1040
Summary:

Mai is bored.

Not on InJ? Sign into OpenID here.

avatarfic @ 2008-07-21T02:15:00

2008-07-21T06:16:10Z

Title: The Wrong Kind of Compass
Fandom: Avatar
Rating: Safe for all ages
Summary: Sokka and Toph go hunting for something that got lost.
Warnings: Spoilers for Sozin's Comet (admittedly mild, but still)
Word Count: 907

( Fake cut to my journal )

Cross-posted to avatar_fans and avatarfic

Ember Island Players fic.

2008-07-21T02:52:40Z

Title: Watch and Review, Please
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: K
Genre: Comedy
Words 1100
Notes/Warnings: Spoilers for both "The Ember Island Players" and "Sozin's Comet".
Summary: Every writer has to deal with bad reviews -- not every writer has to deal with a changing socio-political climate.
Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender copyright Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko/Nickelodeon and this derivative work was created without permission.

"First review's in," Kun said, holding up the newspaper.

Also, I'm running an Avatar Fanworks festival over on Insanejournal, and would love people to take a look.

Fic : That Red is not The Color of Death (Zuko, Azula, Gaang)

2008-07-20T14:59:19Z

Fandom : Avatar: The Last Airbender
Title : That Red is not The Color of Death
Characters : Gaang, Azula
Rate : T

Summary : Zuko and the consequences of his words. After the fateful Agni Kai, the remaining members of the gang found Zuko and Katara in the Royal Palace Agni Kai arena. With Azula. Spoilers for Sozin's Comet.

It was painful just to watch.

The princess she defeated was shrieking and spitting fire- desperation and agony laced on each one of her screams- and she had to turn away because even if it was Azula- the girl who tried to kill her and her friends- to see a person like this- behaving just like a wild, mad skunk-bear- was heartbreaking.

She turned her eyes away to face her companion.

He stood there like an ancient warrior, with his new battle scar (smack dab right there on his chest), torn clothes and worn eyes.

His golden irises were set on the crumpling figure in front of them, rigid and unblinking.

She put one of her hands on his shoulders- either it was to calm him down or calm her down, she didn’t know- but she itched for human contact, after everything that happened- and closed her eyes.

Two minutes and she knew something’s off. He’s calm. Too calm.

“Zuko?”

He didn’t react. She looked at his face and her senses sent a warning. The boy beside her was in a kind of trance, somehow. The way he looked at his fallen sister, the way his palms clenched and unclenched at the sounds of the princess’ screams, the way he was sweating hard and Katara was not- it was all odd.

She tried to call his name again but something bright caught the corner of her eyes and she stopped.

A pillar of light. She remembered South Pole, where everything began. She remembered the mammoth strength of an entity inside a small boy with blue tattoos on his body. Aang.

Her brain told her that she should go down there, help the one boy she had been protecting for all their time together, and she agreed that it was the logical thing to do.

But her heart reminded her of the one who had just jumped in front of her, who now carried a painful souvenir on his chest (so close, too close to his heart), who didn’t want her to get hurt.

She stayed.

-----

Sokka had expected- and was sure that both Zuko and Katara will caught up with Aang before him and Toph and Suki, after the Avatar defeated Ozai (Loser-Lord? Chicken Lord? Naah, who cares) but he was wrong.

They were nowhere to be seen.

Toph and Suki were discussing the fine, ancient principle of nick-naming, and Aang’s sturdy gray eyes (he wondered when did the boy grew up) found his own blue ones.

“Where’s Katara?”

The girls grew silent on the Avatar’s question, and everyone’s eyes hit upon the still-smoking capital.

“To the Palace.” He heard his own voice.

-----

They ran.

Aang was in front, his heartbeat speeding- Toph couldn’t tell if he was worried, angry, or anything else- her senses hadn’t yet came back completely after the near-fall experience from the zeppelin- Sokka supported by Suki, and herself on the rear.

This was so much easier on Appa.

But her fuzzy friend wasn’t here, he’s there- up there with Katara and Zuko, who they haven’t seen yet.

If something happened…

No. She refused to believe that anything- bad- happened to the pair. Zuko still owe her a field trip.

They arrived in front of the palace- she sensed that everything seemed to be still burning, the place sure got sacked- but the vibrations she felt made both of her eyes widen.

“There!” She pointed, to where a familiar vibration of a certain Sugar Queen and Sifu Hotman were located, and someone else who was also quite familiar.

-----

Suki couldn’t believe her eyes.

Was that Azula chained to the ground, screaming like a banshee and shouting blue fire out of her mouth?

She hated the girl, that was sure, but she couldn’t make herself to comment- to say anything about the princess’ appearance right now. Her hair jumbled, her eyes larger than life with insanity tinted on them… this was so far from the ever-so-controlled girl who defeated her those months ago in Kyoshi.

And there was Zuko, standing still directly in front of Azula, and Katara beside him, seemingly trying to snap him out of something.

She heard Aang yelling Katara’s name, and she saw the Water Tribe girl turned her face to them.

Her blue eyes pleaded them to do one and only one thing: Help me.

-----

Aang was beside her two friends in a beat.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know- I chained Azula down there, we were just looking at her and Zuko just froze-“

“What happened- I mean, from the beginning?”

“Oh La, Aang- they were in an Agni Kai- Zuko was winning- Azula shot lightning at me-“

“Wait- She shot lightning at you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine! Zuko jumped in front of me- then Azula started to attack- I ran out of water so I tried to trap her there- and I did it- so I healed Zuko and we saw Azula screaming and I tried to snap him out of it but he wouldn’t budge!”

Aang looked at his newest ally, the one who used to chase him all over the world, who was now mumbling incoherently, palms clenched, his eyes wild but focused on his sister.

“Zuko? Zuko!”

At his voice, Zuko turned to face him, his deep (broken) voice speaking helplessly.

“I can’t kill her.”

Azula screamed.

“ZUZU!”

“I can’t.”

“ZUZU, COME HERE!”

“She’s my sister.”

“I ORDER YOU TO COME HERE!”

“I told you to kill but I myself can’t.”

“ZUZU!”

“Not her.”

Katara looked frantically at him; pleading him to stop the Fire Nation siblings- the desperation and agony were too much-

“KILL ME!”

“NO!”

Without warning, both royal siblings roared, fire exploding from their bodies- and everyone scrambled to shield themselves. In the end, Toph’s rock tent saved everyone.

And they found Zuko emerging from all the smoke, tired and worn and looking older than all their ages combined, eyes on him and pleading, pleading him to say the words he needed to hear the most.

“You don’t have to kill her.”

His firebending teacher smiled with gratitude, before closing his eyes and fell forward.

They all caught him.

Two fics

2008-07-18T23:40:59Z

Title: Just Another Secret
Prompt: #26 The Fire Nation Royal Family (avatar_contest)
Rating: PG-13
Pairings/Characters: Iroh, Ozai
Warnings: None
Word Count: 338

It was a beautiful day for a ceremony, and luckily that day there was a ceremony -- and not just any ceremony either.

Title: Cornered
Prompt: Games (drabblethon @

femslash100)
Character/Pairing: Azula/Ty Lee
Rating: PG
Warning: Spoilers for the boiling Rock.
Word Count: 100

Ty Lee grinned.

avatarfic @ 2008-07-18T19:22:00

2008-07-18T23:29:38Z

A short drabble inspired by insomnia and last night's episode. :D

Title: The Morning-After Condition
Author: sporkyadrasteia
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The aftermath of, yes, THAT SCENE.
Warning: Spoilers for "The Southern Raiders"

It's too early in the morning for your insanity.

avatarfic @ 2008-07-16T02:18:00

2008-07-16T07:19:33Z

Two short pieces written for the Avatar Drabble Request Meme! which is still going on and is still looking for more participants! There are lots of drabble requests waiting to be filled, and lots more room for more requests to be made! Join in! :D

Title: we won't get used to being gone
Pairing: Mai/Ty Lee (although it's more in the strain of friendship)
Rating: PG
Warning: Spoilers for The Boiling Rock!
Summary: she can't tell if she's still breathing, if sunlight still exists in a room, a world without.

I dreamt of colors last night

~

Title: a memory remains
Pairing: Aang/Katara
Rating: PG
Summary: The past, the future may be endless, but he will see it all, and she is only one face, one person; one thought that will fade away the moment the baby cries, still bloody, and he is born anew.

he dreams of people he's never met, of places he's never seen

[FIC] A Certain Fondness, Chapter Three

2008-07-15T12:48:39Z

Rating: PG
Spoilers: None.
Character/Pairing: Mai/Zuko
Author's Note: Regardless of how it may seem, it is not actually my intention to make each chapter ~1000 words longer than the previous one.
Summary: "It was through this connection between their parents that Mai was first acquainted with the Breckenridge siblings."

Chapter Three @ shewhothathapen

Chapter One | All Chapters

Royal Guard - Ursa/Ming

2008-07-15T03:07:29Z

Title: Royal Guard
Prompt: #156 Enchantment -- femslash100
Fandom: Avatar: the Last Airbender
Pairing: Ursa/Ming
Rating: G
Warning: None
Word Count: 200

( Ursa’s arranged marriage made her depressed. )

Drabble: The Conqueror

2008-07-14T22:53:38Z

Title: Drabble: The Conqueror
Character(s): Iroh and Zuko
Pairing(s): None.
Rating: K
Word Count: 100
Warnings: Spoilers for Iroh and Zuko's side-job in season 2.
A/N: My first foray into this fandom, written on the back of a shopping list during my evening commute (must remember to carry a notebook in future, in case of inspiration). Concrit welcomed with tea eggs. Crossposted from nebroadwe to avatarfans, avatar_fans and avatarfic).

... Iroh chuckles, though he knows the sound risks snapping Zuko's racked nerves ...

avatarfic @ 2008-07-14T01:42:00

2008-07-14T05:44:44Z

Title: Empty Casket
Fandom::Avatar The Last Airbender
Rating:G
Summary: To her it seemed that he knew things that even he did not understand.
Character(s): Roku x Ta Min
Warnings: Death mention.
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Brian and Mike own.
Bete'd: As of right now, no.

She stood by an empty casket.

Title: Regret
Fandom::Avatar The Last Airbender
Rating:G
Summary: A powerful man always regrets something.
Character(s): Sozin
Warnings: none
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Brian and Mike own.
Bete'd: As of right now, no.

Even powerful men regret.

avatarfic @ 2008-07-13T13:58:00

2008-07-13T18:58:55Z

Avatar Drabble Request Meme!

Request drabbles for your favorite pairings/characters from Avatar, and fulfill the requests of others! Join in on the fun! :D

Fanfic: "For Keeps", chapter 1-3, gen, rated Teen.

2008-07-13T00:12:45Z

Fanfic: For Keeps

Summary: How Zuko copes with life-after-rebelling-against-Daddykins. A series of shortfics in the Western Air Temple.

Warnings: Gen, friendship,

Setting: The Western Air Temple, after 3x12 and 3x13, but BEFORE BOILING ROCK

“I rise with the sun,” said Zuko, affecting the patient, matter-of-fact voice all adults developed for explaining things to children. He’d learned his from a young boy in an Earth Kingdom village, at quite a price. “Partly because I’m a firebender, but partly because I like to exercise in the morning. It’s cooler, and quieter, than any other time of day. How come you’re not sleeping in?”

“Sleeping in?” the Duke echoed, as if he’d never considered it before. “But… it’s morning.”

Zuko stared at the kid, who couldn’t be more than seven, and marveled at the inexhaustible energy of children.

avatarfic @ 2008-07-09T23:20:00

2008-07-10T03:25:41Z

Title: Not Yet
Characters and Pairings: Kataang
Spoilers: Day of Black Sun.
Rating: K
notes: It's a Drabble.

And that was something that she could not do yet.

Title: The Necklace
Characters and Pairings:Pakku/Kanna
Spoilers: none
Rating: K
notes:drabble.

He tried to show what he felt throw the necklace.

avatarfic @ 2008-07-09T22:52:00

2008-07-10T03:14:23Z

Title: Irony
Characters and Pairings: Ozai/Ursa
Spoilers: "The Avatar and the Fire Lord", but I assume that everyone has seen this.
Rating: b
notes:Drabble.

And he wanted her.

avatarfic @ 2008-07-09T22:11:00

2008-07-10T02:15:14Z

Title: High Born Drabbles
Characters and Pairings: Zuko/Toph
Spoilers: Up to 3.12
Number of Drabbles: 13
Notes: Kind of old, actually. Written for the high_born New Years Challenge. As such, there are 13 fics of various length

Because they were both born rich, and look how that made them turn out

avatarfic @ 2008-07-08T16:36:00

2008-07-08T20:39:06Z

Title: Tough Love
Characters and Pairings: Toph/Sokka
Spoilers: Smallish one for the second season finale.
Word Count: 360
Notes: Kind of old, actually.

Because Toph kinda does top

A Certain Fondness, Chapter Two

2008-07-08T10:32:00Z

Rating: PG
Character/Pairing: Mai/Zuko
Spoilers: None whatsoever.
Author's Note: Still AU. Still ridic.
Summary: "It was through this connection between their parents that Mai was first acquainted with the Breckenridge siblings."

Chapter Two @ shewhothathapen

Chapter One | All Chapters

avatarfic @ 2008-07-07T22:12:00

2008-07-08T02:16:29Z

Title: Plus ca Change
Characters and Pairings: Azula, Zuko
Spoilers: None
Word Count: 1,405
Notes: Kind of old, actually. AU

Because the devil had to start somewhere

avatarfic @ 2008-07-07T11:23:00

2008-07-07T16:37:07Z

Title: I Love Your Smile
Characters and Pairings: Mai/Zuko
Spoilers: none
Word Count: 1,119
Notes: It's a little ancient.... but I've edited it since then. Kinda fluffy.

“What’s on your mind?”

Mai turned to look at him, slightly irritated that he had broken the silence, but mostly glad that he had thought to ask. “Oh, the usual. Nothing,” she replied, leaning into him. The shade of the tree above covered them both, and the dappled shadows played with the ripples on the pond. They were in the courtyard of the palace, a place they retreated to more and more.

Zuko tossed a leaf on to the water, watching it drift. “You must be thinking about something.”

Why did everything have to have a meaning, a purpose? Couldn’t he just relax? “I’m thinking about how it’s possible to think about nothing.” He gave her a soft glare.

“Of course. That makes perfect sense.”

“Doesn’t it, though?” she replied without missing a beat. “Thinking about nothing is relaxing; you should try it sometime.”

A breeze ruffled Zuko’s hair. Mai watched with interest, noting how much better she liked it when it was long. “How can I think about nothing?” he asked, his voice almost pleading. “There’s so much to think about.” Another leaf flew from his hands to the water.

“Not if you choose not to think about it.”

He sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “It always sounds so easy when you say it,” he muttered, somewhat good-naturedly. “It comes so naturally to you.” Amused orange eyes came to rest on hers. “You have a gift, Mai.”

“It’s not a gift, just a skill,” she countered in defense. “I’ve had lots of practice.”

Her words seemed to echo in the pleasant silence that followed. And although Zuko probably thought nothing of it, Mai was suddenly brought back to her past.

When the practice began.

“Hush.”

“But—“

“HUSH.”

Mai bit her lip, not daring to look up at her father’s face. He was so much bigger than her; and she was tall for a 7-year-old.

“Don’t say anything, do you hear me?”

“Yes, father,” she whispered, her throat closing with an onslaught of tears.

“I speak for you. Even if they ask you questions, you wait for me to answer them. Do not smile or laugh; no noise at all.”

“But what if I have to sneeze?” It had seemed such an obvious question at the time. Everybody had to sneeze. However, catching Mai by complete surprise, her father grabbed her throat with both hands, pressing her chin upwards with his thumbs. She was forced to look at his slowly aging face, with wrinkles pressed into his forehead and brow from frowning. Her mother had the same lines, she noticed.

“No noise.” His voice was low, almost menacing. His dark eyes were sharp and hard. Not even daring to swallow, Mai just stared back, emptying her face of all emotion like she knew he wanted.

Satisfied, he released her face. Placing a hand upon her back, he gently led her to the double doors. As they opened, Mai was hit with a wave of music, talk and laughter. Laughter that she wouldn’t get to share.

Her throat began to close again, but she forced the emotions down with the strength of desperation. She would make her family proud.

“Thinking about something now?”

Mai allowed herself a small smile. “Just remembering.”

“I remember Azula pushing you and I into the pool.”

“I remember that, too.” She tilted her chin upwards to look at him, and kiss him swiftly on the lips. “A rather fond memory, actually. Better than the one I was thinking about.”

Zuko smiled. “Good. That’s what I was hoping for.” With the arm around her shoulders, he reached down and took her hand gently. She let him, enjoying the touch. “And, in case I never told you: I love your smile.”

The corners of her mouth twitched upwards involuntarily.

The party was going well; her father’s mood improved the more people they met. She was introduced to a hundred smiling faces, and a thousand frowning ones. It was harder to keep her expression blank when she met the smiling faces.

Entertainers were off the stage now, wandering through the crowds in an attempt to earn extra tips. Buttons vanished into thin air, only to be pulled out of a goblet. Contortionists twisted themselves through the crowd in ways that were almost grotesque; they drew more stares than any other. Magicians blew on their palms, and orchids flew to land in the hair of young ladies.

Miniature fiery horses galloped across the shoulders of one talented Firebender; she made them canter down her arm, to halt in a small herd on the back of her hand. She offered the hand to Mai. A stallion was at the head, and he reared with a high-pitched, miniature whinny.

She couldn’t help it. Mai giggled.

The giggle drew a smile from the performer, and a scowl from her father. As the Firebender left to pursue others in the crowd, he drew Mai into a corridor, darker than the rest of the dance floor.

A stinging slap almost brought the young girl to her knees, but she remained standing out of sheer will. When she opened her eyes, with a hand that had flown immediately to her cheek, her father was staring right at her with that dark gaze.

“What did I say?”

“But—“

“What did I say?”

Mai stared back at him for a moment, then looked down, taking her hand from her cheek. “No noise.”

“No noise. None at all. I speak for you, I smile for you, I laugh for you. You are silent, and you are expressionless. A doll.” She brightened slightly at the mention of ‘doll’, although only on the inside. Outside, her face remained the same. He gently took her by the chin, and made her look up at him. “A beautiful doll. You are my beautiful daughter, remember that. And make me proud.”

Mai immediately vowed that she would never smile again. He would be proud of her.

Another leaf flew from Zuko’s dancing hand to the water; he couldn’t seem to keep still. Mai gently plucked the last leaf from his fingers, tossing it into the pond herself. Ducks came to investigate, and for a moment, they weren’t alone anymore. The sensation felt foreign.

“I’m hungry.”

“So am I,” he agreed.

“Want to see if the cook will give us some food before supper?” Zuko turned to look at her, surprised.

“I didn’t think you were one to bend the rules.”

“What rules? You're the crown prince.” A smile came over his face.

"True." He stood up first, and then offered to help her up. She took his hand gratefully. They walked out into the sunlight, fingers entwined.

“I think I’m in the mood for a pastry; how about you?”

Mai smiled.

avatarfic @ 2008-07-07T00:53:00

2008-07-07T05:00:15Z

Title: These Games We Play
Characters and Pairings: Sokka/Toph, with brief camoes from Katara and Aang
Spoilers: Vague spoilers for the 3rd Season. Probably no more than 3.05?
Word Count: 1,888
Notes: Kind of old, actually.

Because these two are kinda hilarious