I saw you putting this up at the Avatar Big Bang. It's not much like the extended prompt, but... I hope you like it anyway.
The water swallowed the Avatar up without a ripple, but when it gave him up again, it sprayed forth like a fountain from the oasis. “Oh Spirits,” Aang whispered, but they were the problem, weren’t they.
“Aang!” Katara ran forward and seized him in a hug. “Are you alright?”
“No,” he said into her shoulder. “I’m not.”
~*~
When Iroh came to put his hand on his nephew’s shoulder, Zuko’s feet were dangling off the bridge. The Water Tribe denizens stepped around the two of them without a word. No one wanted to realize they were there. “Nephew-”
“What are we supposed to do now?” he muttered.
“Nephew-” Iroh sat down next to him and put his arms around his nephew, but Zuko shrugged them off.
“You heard him; they’re all gone, everyone at home, in the colonies, everywhere, there’s nothing...”
“There is us,” Iroh put his arms back around him. “We are left.”
His face crumpled, and Zuko did everything he could to stop the tears. After the first few fell, he swiped the rest away, face hardening. “We can’t stay here.”
“We shouldn’t spurn the Water Tribe’s hospitality after Zhao invaded!” His uncle’s arms were so tight around him. “We do not have anywhere to go anyway.” The Avatar had stood there and told the tribal council all about how all the people, all the buildings the Fire Nation had ever built, the royal palace, villages, ancient Sun Warrior temples, were suddenly gone, washed away.
Zuko couldn’t make himself shove his uncle away again. The way everyone there looked at him, the faces stuffed full of loathing and pity, left him sick to his stomach. He just felt... lost. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Find somewhere to stay,” his uncle murmured. “Settle down with someone.” His voice kept getting rougher and rougher until Zuko thought it would wear away. “Raise your children teach them...” he choked. “That’s all you can-” Zuko wrapped his arms around his uncle, and held him as he broke down.
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branchandroot
At the North Pole something goes wrong with La, and the Fire Nation sinks beneath the sea
Date: 2010-02-19 03:01 am (UTC)The water swallowed the Avatar up without a ripple, but when it gave him up again, it sprayed forth like a fountain from the oasis. “Oh Spirits,” Aang whispered, but they were the problem, weren’t they.
“Aang!” Katara ran forward and seized him in a hug. “Are you alright?”
“No,” he said into her shoulder. “I’m not.”
~*~
When Iroh came to put his hand on his nephew’s shoulder, Zuko’s feet were dangling off the bridge. The Water Tribe denizens stepped around the two of them without a word. No one wanted to realize they were there. “Nephew-”
“What are we supposed to do now?” he muttered.
“Nephew-” Iroh sat down next to him and put his arms around his nephew, but Zuko shrugged them off.
“You heard him; they’re all gone, everyone at home, in the colonies, everywhere, there’s nothing...”
“There is us,” Iroh put his arms back around him. “We are left.”
His face crumpled, and Zuko did everything he could to stop the tears. After the first few fell, he swiped the rest away, face hardening. “We can’t stay here.”
“We shouldn’t spurn the Water Tribe’s hospitality after Zhao invaded!” His uncle’s arms were so tight around him. “We do not have anywhere to go anyway.” The Avatar had stood there and told the tribal council all about how all the people, all the buildings the Fire Nation had ever built, the royal palace, villages, ancient Sun Warrior temples, were suddenly gone, washed away.
Zuko couldn’t make himself shove his uncle away again. The way everyone there looked at him, the faces stuffed full of loathing and pity, left him sick to his stomach. He just felt... lost. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Find somewhere to stay,” his uncle murmured. “Settle down with someone.” His voice kept getting rougher and rougher until Zuko thought it would wear away. “Raise your children teach them...” he choked. “That’s all you can-” Zuko wrapped his arms around his uncle, and held him as he broke down.