![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fulseldenSeries: Avatar
Characters/pairings: canon characters, mention of Mai/Zuko
Ratings/warnings: G
-----
Being a notation made at the foot of a wall
In the lower passage of the eastern apartments
By the children of the second prince
In the year of the sand leopard
At the close of the evening
In the electrical air before thunder
When they should have been in bed.
When I grow up I am going to be
A prince.
I was going to write that!
I know, dumb-dumb.
-----
Being some fragments of juvenilia
Attributed to Fire Lord Zuko,
Who was given to the fire
In the year of the dragon-hawk
Honour to his memory.
Mai, your hair shines like
The sun on a [deletion: ‘sword’] knife, I wish
I could stroke it now.
Mai, your face, [deletions: ‘beautiful’, ‘fine’, ‘lovely’] so clear,
A full moon in deep water.
Or in the night sky.
I want you to know,
Mai, that I even enjoyed
The part with the fish.
Summer rain falls [deletion: illegible] softly.
Mai, your skin is snow pale silk
Except [illegible].
For access to the remaining texts, please apply to the royal archivists.
Relevant forms are available at the central library and from the lower palace offices.
Access is subject to approval.
------
Being a notation discovered on the wall of the upper guest chambers,
accompanied by a series of markings
possibly unidentified tribal symbols
perhaps intended as representations of individuals
or as schematic maps
together with a fine amateur drawing of an air bison
during palace renovation work in the wake of the Century War:
WATER TRIIIIIIBE.
-----
Being a letter in the hand of Fire Lord Zuko, provisionally dated from the third year of his reign, from the private collection of Fire Lord Akemi:
Aang. [deletion: I hope you are well] I’m sorry. I know you have a lot to do where you are, but I need you here, please. There are still disturbances in [illegible] and shortages [illegible] hardly any reserves; peasants are still using rice for brewing despite the prohibitions [deletion: illegible].
There are other issues but [deletion: I’m sure things will improve soon] the problem is Red Rock Island. People are refusing to evacuate and the Fire Sages say they need your help to allow for a controlled eruption. This absolutely cannot wait, Aang, it is not like last summer.
I hope you are well, all the same. I’ve had to do some things, here. I need to talk to you. Mai says hello to Katara and so do I of course.
Please disregard the wording on the letter sent through official channels and come as soon as you can. With deepest respect, Zuko.
PS – Aang I don’t know if you will be able to [illegible; the lower half of the document has sustained severe fire damage].
-----
Being a notation earthbent into the ceiling of the throne room:
Toph Bei Fong rulez [sic].
Other fragmentary characters appear in general to be attempts to represent vulgar Earth Kingdom phrases. They are however legible only with difficulty.
All these characters are still extant behind the decorative panelling.
-----
From the collection of messenger scrolls in the possession of Prince Kenzo, second child of Mai and Fire Lord Zuko. Transcribed and deciphered by Hina Laosin, palace archivist.
For the immediate attention of Fire Lady Mai.
Your Honour,
Glory and good fortune to the Family and the Nation.
Allow me to state at the outset that our guest remains in custody.
We have reassessed our security procedures in the wake of the incident.
Nevertheless, at sunrise check-in this morning, the following text was discovered burnt into the wall outside our guest’s room:
I wish to emphasize that my business remains unfinished. My dearest Mai, please inform [illegible] that I have something to say.
With all due respect,
[illegible] Azula.
She appears to have locked herself back inside without any further activity.
Awaiting immediate instruction,
Your humble servant,
Ayako Muzon
Chief warden, Seika Island Facility.
-----
Written by Princess Ursa for the attention of her youngest child, just prior to her departure for exile.
My dearest girl,
Please remember what I told you this evening about your honoured father, it is very important.
I promise you that other things are more important than [illegible].
Please remember that I love you, Azula, always.
Please remember that a certain standard of behaviour is required
From someone in your position.
I wish I had time to come to you but there is no time.
Darling remember it is how you use it that counts.
Please be careful, darling, remember you are very strong with all my love your mother.
This paper was burnt while the ink was still wet.
-----
Being a note discovered tucked into the side of Fire Lady Mai’s mirror by Mai herself.
I’m sorry Mai.
I know you’ll already know when you find this.
I know you’ll understand, sort of.
I’ll try not to hurt any of the guards.
I’ll try not to let her hurt anyone.
Hugs, Ty Lee.
-----
Being a notation discovered on the favourite wall scroll of Fire Lord Zuko
Which is a perfect example of Kanzo Era calligraphy
OR IT WAS
And which he had only taken down
And left on his desk
For a moment.
Dad, Mother said you’d be in here.
We need to ask you something.
Because Uncle said you were the expert.
Just put it here, silly.
Fine. Where do babies come from?
We will be in the garden.
ANSWER SOON PLEASE IT IS A BET.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 09:34 pm (UTC)I'm trying to think through this. If Zuko never left, what does that mean? Does Katara still go to the Fire Nation capital? If she has to face both Zuko and Azula (who is a little nutty, but no more than usual, because Zuko never left, so Mai and Ty Lee are still with her). I just. If Katara goes, I can't -- both Zuko and Azula?
Wow.
(I'm trying to think about Iroh's utter heartbreak in Zuko, and I don't know if I can really think about it, because it just hurts so much.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 09:42 pm (UTC)Man. I mean, maybe Toph goes with her? Because they don't even know about the airships. And maybe Aang gets delivered to his last stand by the Lion Turtle, as per usual, and maybe he takes out most of the airships by himself, once he hits the Avatar state?
But Toph and Katara get to the Fire Nation capital, and there is a fucking army waiting for them, with Azula at its head, fire pooled in her hands.
Iroh's utter heartbreak in Zuko
Oh, man, no. And what's worst of all is that he can see Zuko trying to be the Fire Lord he should have been, trying to snip away at corruption and blunt the damage they're doing to the world. And he can trace in every new dispatch from the Fire Nation how he is failing, how his failure is changing him.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 10:01 pm (UTC)I don't think I can deal with the idea of a world without either Toph or Katara. Especially at the hands of some kind of Zuko/Azula/Fire Nation death trap. Oh my God, the pure amount of heartbreak. At the end, do you think Katara is desperate enough to try Bloodbending? Because that, oh my God.
how his failure is changing him.
Jesus goddamn Christ. Oh, Zuko. Zuko. He had this tiny little thought, from wandering in the Earth Kingdom: maybe this war should be stopped. Maybe we should hold onto what we have. And then, he goes into his first meeting with the economic advisors, and they lay out for him exactly how the entire economy of the Fire Nation is based on war. It has been, for three generations. What would Zuko like to replace it? Trade? Who would the Fire Nation trade with? Agriculture? Has he forgotten that only a relatively small portion of the Fire Nation is suited to agriculture, and that it can feed only half of the mouths in the nation?
Oh Zuko. And then, the first time assassins come for his children -- the legitimate children.
And when Mai catches the assassins, more or less alive, and it turns out they were from Ba Sing Se, ostensibly acting without --
Yes.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 10:21 pm (UTC)Oh, man. Definitely, I think, when it comes down to the line. But ... Toph is there. They could go underground, right? Though, even if they did escape, the shape Katara would be in, having sunk to bloodbending. And then, Aang. OH FUCK.
What would Zuko like to replace it?
And Zuko, I mean, assuming he never got his big carthartic fuck you dad moment with Ozai - perhaps Mai found him, as he was leaving the letter - he might even, most of him, be glad that it's so obviously impossible to end the war. He can imagine his father would be proud of him. It helps, a little.
And when Mai catches the assassins, more or less alive, and it turns out they were from Ba Sing Se, ostensibly acting without --
Oh, man. Damn. And when it turns out that they had orders to try and bring back at least one of the children, one of the younger ones.
THIS IS JUST TO SAY
Date: 2010-09-23 08:35 am (UTC)the thread
that was on
your LJ
And which
was so totally
doom-rich
and awesome
Oh Tony
so much the asshole
so broken
plus, rockets
... And I typed all that out in one line to start with so it would look like real work, ahem. Anyway,
Ok, ahem. I should do some work now, I guess. Sigh.
Re: THIS IS JUST TO SAY
Date: 2010-09-23 01:34 pm (UTC)Or, uh, something. I was thinking all last night about Toph trying to escape -- maybe she does get out. Let's say that Azula figures out that Toph and Katara are likely to show up to try and pin down her and Zuko, and Azula, being Azula. You know. Wants this match to end cold and bloody, so they put metal sheeting underneath the cobblestones of the place where the fight happens? And Toph can metalbend her way out of there, surprise! But Katara is left behind.
There is a really, really creepy version to this story where Katara is still alive, but in a Fire Nation prison somewhere. I'm not sure that I'm capable of coming up with the actual details of how they keep her from breaking out -- sedation? chi-blocking? -- but I guess it's this universe's parallel to Azula being in solitary until she gives up on this killing-the-Fire-Lord thing.
Alternatively, them executing her. She tried to Bloodbend, after all.
(If. Ozai can't Firebend, is he still the Fire Lord?)
Re: THIS IS JUST TO SAY
Date: 2010-09-23 07:19 pm (UTC)metal sheeting underneath the cobblestones of the place where the fight happens
Or indeed over it - I'm sure I remember the 'Return to Omashu' episode showing them not only building the enormo-Ozai on top of the city but actually starting to plate the whole place in metal. So they have practice.
a really, really creepy version to this story where Katara is still alive
Argh. This generation's Hama, man. Though ... I can't imagine a functioning Azula ever taking the risk? Ozai, I can see taking trophies, going to the trouble of immobilising Katara somehow (brrr) and keeping her around to make a point. But Azula wouldn't have the patience for such niceties, I think.
(If. Ozai can't Firebend, is he still the Fire Lord?)
... maybe he gets automatically kicked off the throne, with Zuko installed as a puppet ruler (well, even more so than he would be anyway in this world). Though I must admit, it is hard to imagine Ozai: eminence grise.
Re: THIS IS JUST TO SAY
Date: 2010-09-23 08:10 pm (UTC)Dude is not subtle enough. Seriously. His plan for getting Azulon to set Iroh aside? Tell him that he should do it! His plan for subjugating the Earth Kingdom? Burn it! It's enough to make you think that Azula's brains came from Mom, and that Zuko, well. "Hi, Ozai here!"
Zuko installed as a puppet ruler (well, even more so than he would be anyway in this world)
The degree to which this Zuko is a puppet that Mai and/or Azula and/or the council fight over is kind of heartbreaking to think about. Zuko tries! He thinks he has agency! But. Not really. Not really.
God, this universe.
I can't imagine a functioning Azula ever taking the risk? Ozai, I can see taking trophies, going to the trouble of immobilising Katara somehow (brrr) and keeping her around to make a point. But Azula wouldn't have the patience for such niceties, I think.
You're right, I think. Public execution. Zuko watches.
Re: THIS IS JUST TO SAY
Date: 2010-09-23 08:50 pm (UTC)AHAHA. SO TRUE, MAN. That practically is what he says to Azulon!
Zuko tries! He thinks he has agency! But. Not really. Not really.
Oh, god. The only time, he sometimes thinks, that he's not being told what would be in the Nation's best interests, being instructed in how to address fawning dignitaries or expected to preside for hours over ceremonies, returning to find policies have shifted, that even the court gossip is different - the only time that is his own is the hours he spends sitting on the throne, nervous petitioners making their cases before him. Then he looks down at the wall of flames in front of him. They burn blue at the root.