Avatar: The Last Airbender Darkfic Comment Meme

[attackfish]

So I just finished writing something so impossibly sweet that I swear all my teeth just rotted in my head from it.  And since I have to write floranna's fic for help_haiti  (and her request is full of lovely angst) I need to get myself in a darker writing groove.  To further this goal, I’m watching Criminal Minds, and I’m asking you guys to send me your darkest, most angst producing prompts for Avatar: The Last Airbender.  Comment with up to five, and I’ll guarantee you at least one commentfic.  I’ll probably answer with more, knowing me.  weirdlet  and floranna  get seven requests and a guarantee of two fics, because I spawned a wild AU in weirdlet ’s head, that she has been writing delightfully twisted installments for, and because I delayed writing floranna’s promised fic to work on my novel.

Please no rape or sexually explicit requests.  I’m a big believer that there needs to be more gen darkfic in fandom.

Ganked from avocado_love .


Meme Closed and Finished

Despite the fact that I asked for no requests involving rape or sexually explicit requests, my brain decided to take me there all on its own in two instances.  I've done my best to warn as accurately as I can in both in a way that the warnings themselves are non-triggery.  I'd also like to put up a blanket warning for violence.

Fics:

for florannahelp_haiti :
Azula's lightning strike on Zuko has some far more serious consequences
Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won’t heal:  Part One l Part Two l Part Three l Part Four l Part Five l Part Six l Part Seven
*Warning for heavily implied Rape by Coercion and Sexually Abusive Dialogue* Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child continued from Zhao: Wedded and bedded (AU of Sun Child), both of which are AUs of weirdlet 's Sun Child AU

for[Bad username or site: � animikii @ livejournal.com] :
Suki’s just as calmly insane as Azula is. She just hides it better

for weirdlet :
Zhao: Wedded and bedded (AU of Sun Child)  continued in Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child, (*Warning for heavily implied Rape by Coercion and Sexually Abusive Dialogue*) both of which are AUs of weirdlet 's Sun Child AU
Koh's eggs
Eric Bogle’s “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda”
I sometimes imagine Jet's hiding a set of stripes under his shirt- how'd he come to experience such a flogging?

for blue_lacquer :
Zhao helps his chances of being promoted by getting rid of his competition
What Chit Sang did to end up in the Boiling Rock
Zhao destroying part of Wan Shi Tong’s library
The Omashu Earth Kingdom resistance succeeds in killing Mai’s family (but not her)

for avocado_love :
Why exactly the turtle-ducks fear Azula so much
Lao Bei Fong will do anything to keep his daughter safe, even from herself
Zuko: Directly after the Agni Kai
Bonus: some fluffy Toph/Zuko, all grown up (not dark)

for clockwerkchaos :
At the North Pole something goes wrong with La, and the Fire Nation sinks beneath the sea

for yma2 :
The story of Lu Ten’s death
Zuko finds his mother (or more accurately, Ursa finds him)
Aang isn’t rescued by the Blue Spirit and is imprisoned for a long time Part One l Part Two

for beboots :
S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence continued in Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang and further continued in The Gaang in Ba Sing Se
Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

Comments

[floranna.livejournal.com]

I get to give more requests? This is the first time! *makes a silly victory dance*

Oh God how I love this fandom...

Firebenders are cannibalists. Zuko centric, please, and preferably at the Western Air Temple the Gaang reacts to this. (Yes, I am a Zuko-whore. ^^ And not ashamed by it!)

Zuko is very, very morally grey. Gaang is terrified/worried about the decisions he does when he has joined them. No qualms of killing, etc. Say if this is too vague.

Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won't heal. (something like with Severus, something a bit more permanent.) ^^

Ocean spirit dragged Zhao AND Zuko down to the bottom of ocean.

Azula's lightning strike on Zuko has something far more serious consequences on Zuko.

Ozai executed Zuko after he arrived to Fire Nation.

Zuko was never a fire-bender.


...

Well, I am predictable. And easy.

Azula's lightning strike on Zuko has something far more serious consequences

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Glad I’m your first, *snerk* Not that predictable; there are no babies.


Zuko’s legs gave out twice as he made his speech, and he kept his hands behind the balcony to hide the shaking. The whole time, he could hear the physician’s words to Mai, over and over again. “His heart’s weak. We need an heir as fast as you can possibly manage.”

He could feel it fluttering within his chest.

Later, on Appa, Mai didn’t mention it, and as he lay with his head in her lap, Katara bending the water out of the clouds to try to fix everything, he hoped she didn’t know he had overheard.

~*~

The teashop walls had a few scorch marks, and places where the paint was still drying, but Uncle was standing in front, just as pleased with it as ever. Zuko leapt down, hands hidden in his Earth Kingdom robe, and ran to him. The robe flapped around him, and Uncle held his arms out-

And his legs decided to spasm right there, and he fell hard on the teashop steps.

Mai and Uncle sprinted to him at the same time to help him to his feet. “Are you alright?” his uncle demanded, throwing Zuko’s arm over his shoulder.

“I’m fine,” he said gruffly, pulling his arm back, and Mai smacked the heel of her hand gently into his forehead.

“He walked right into Azula’s lightning,” she told him, arm around Zuko’s waist, keeping him up.

“What!” he yelled, and Zuko shrugged halfheartedly.

As soon as they were inside, he moved to serve the tea, but his uncle grabbed the tray off the counter before he could reach it, and Zuko was left awkwardly letting Mai guide him to a seat.

He got his tea last, and when Uncle handed it to him, he rested a hand on Zuko’s shoulder before sitting down next to him.

It was nice to rest like this. You weren’t supposed to rest after saving the world; you were supposed to start making things work again, but it was nice.

“So what am I supposed to do?” he muttered, taking a sip of tea and glancing at his uncle. “Lean on walls or sit down all the time and hope no one notices?”

“No,” Zuko glanced at him hopefully, “There’s no way people aren’t going to notice.”

“Oh,” he looked away, wondering why he always thought his uncle was helpful again. “Thanks.”

“There is nothing wrong with everyone noticing, Nephew,” he soothed, “Scars are a mark of honor.”

“It’s not a scar, Uncle!”

“Yes it is! Some scars are just harder to identify than,” he pointed at the burn scar around his nephew’s eye, “others.”

Zuko glared.

“Scars mean you walked away from the battlefield,” Uncle murmured. “They mean you’re alive.”

No, he wanted to say, they mean you’re too stupid to block properly.

Re: Azula's lightning strike on Zuko has something far more serious consequences

[floranna.livejournal.com]

oh yeah, that's true. Should I fix it? Xb

Daft kid. It is a scar of honor, you shouldn't be ashamed.

Re: Azula's lightning strike on Zuko has something far more serious consequences

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. Other people's challenges have produced babies... I mean Koh's eggs are on here somewhere.

Poor Zuko feels useless, miserable, and humiliated. At least he's used to it!

Re: Azula's lightning strike on Zuko has something far more serious consequences

[avocado-love.livejournal.com]

Loved this. And you know... the first paragraph was the spookiest part of all. The best Zuko could be is, like, a stud-horse for the next generation. And the last sentence... Oh Zuko... *hugs*

Re: Azula's lightning strike on Zuko has something far more serious consequences

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Zuko'll show 'em, Zuko'll show them all! *hugs him*

Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won’t heal 1/?

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Man, girl, you really really really want me to write Zuzu with a bum leg, don’t you?


“Well look at this, enemies and traitors all working together,” Azula sneered. Zuko gritted his teeth. “I’m done. I know when I’m beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor.”

When the fire hit him in the leg, he stared at his sister in abject disbelief. He wasn’t dead. He wasn’t dead.

Then the pain hit and he almost blacked out. The smell of burned flesh made his stomach roil, and the way he had been dwelling in his memories lately, it shouldn’t have surprised him that the smell pitched him right back into them.

He heard screaming, and it took him a while to realize it was him.

His uncle’s arms were around him, and he could hear his breath in his ears, so close to a sob on every exhale.

He blinked hard against the firelight, and in front of the spots in his eyes and the tears filming across them, he could see the Water Tribe girl’s feet as she came closer. “Nononono, go away!”

“Nephew,” Uncle whispered urgently, hands bending away the fires still burning on his flesh and clothes. Zuko grabbed for his wrist and couldn’t make himself let go.

“Zuko, I can help!”

“No!” he shouted, thrashing. The movement sent a wave of agony up from the burn. Uncle hugged him tighter, one armed. Hesitantly, she moved closer, streaming the water out of her waterskin Sparks flew from his free hand, but he couldn’t aim, and he couldn’t gather them together into flame. “Leave!”

The feet stopped advancing. She backed up and stopped, backed up and stopped, and then turned, and left with the Avatar.

He panted. He thought he was going to black out.

He thought it would be a good thing if he did.

~*~

Sometimes he thought he was thirteen again. His uncle held water to his lips, and kept him warm. It was familiar.

But that wasn’t familiar.

Sometimes, he could feel his uncle scraping away putrid flesh and searing the wound, and he thought he must be dreaming, or lost in delirium again.

“Azula always lies.”

Uncle’s snore cut itself short as he was jerked out of his doze. “What was that?”

Zuko opened his eyes, glazed and fever-bright, and turned them on his uncle. “Azula always lies.”

“Almost always.” He held even more water to his nephew’s lips and swept Zuko’s hands out of the way when he tried to push it back.

~*~

The morning the fever broke, Zuko pushed himself up on his shoulder and leaned against the crumbling wall, tossing off the half-eaten blankets his uncle had found somewhere, but as soon as he tried to stand, his uncle was at his side, pushing him down again. “Rest, nephew. You have been very sick.”

“I’ve had enough resting!” he snapped back, bracing himself against the wall.

But as soon as he tried to get his leg beneath him, he found there wasn’t any leg there.

“Rest nephew, recover your strength.”

“Recover my strength?” he yelled, knocking bits of plaster loose from the wall. “What about my leg?”

Iroh shook his head.

~*~

“But I don’t feel any shame at all! I’m as proud as ever!”

“Prince Zuko, pride is not the object of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.”

Zuko looked away. “Well… my life has been nothing but humbling lately.”

Uncle glanced to the side and then back. “I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn’t know,” he paused, eyes glittered wickedly, “because I made it up myself!”

~*~

Hours later, Zuko found himself practicing the movements and letting his energy flow.

~*~

Re: Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won’t heal 1/?

[floranna.livejournal.com]

*innocent face* What? ^^

I am being spoiled. So badly and I refuse to feel any bad feelings about it. ^^

Excuse me, I will go squee in peace.

Re: Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won’t heal 1/?

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

lol, there's more to this coming, and I have a thousand or so more words already written. Unfortunately, it's all coming out of order. grr.

Re: Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won’t heal 1/?

[floranna.livejournal.com]

For some reason I don't feel any ounce of guilt for that. XD

Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won’t heal 2/?

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

They slipped into the Ba Sing Se, unnoticed by everyone, and spent the last of their money on a crutch, a week’s rent in the worst part of town, and a stupid vase full of stupid orange flowers. Zuko hobbled at his uncle’s side, who slowed down to keep pace with him, and wanted to sink into the street. He didn’t question how Uncle had found them both a job so quickly with all the refugees pouring into the city, or what he was supposed to do with only one and two thirds legs. At least his uncle had let him take off the makeshift bandage and pin his pant leg up.

The streets teemed with people, animals, and dust in the middle of the day. Zuko heaved a sigh of relief as they ducked into a gloomy little teashop, but then the owner marched over to them with a pair of folded aprons in his hands. “You must be Mushi’s neph- You didn’t tell me he only had one leg!”


“Yes, but he’s a fine tea maker.” He clapped Zuko on the shoulder. “You don’t have to stand up to do that!” Zuko wanted to know if his uncle knew just how obvious he sounded when he was lying. The teashop owner shifted his eyes to Uncle, dubiously, but Iroh just smiled. “He has a gift.”

Zuko wanted to sink into the floor again, but instead, he just snatched the apron out of his hands and yanked it over his head.

"You must forgive my nephew,” Iroh smiled smarmily. “It’s a recent injury. He’s still a little bitter.” Zuko shot him a poisonous stare. “Uh, Does this possibly come in a larger size?”

“I have extra string in the back.” The teashop owner poured two cups of tea and handed them to his new employees. “Have some tea while you wait.”

As soon as the man had bustled away, Iroh took an experimental sip. “Eeow!” his face twisted, and his eyes bulged with horror. “This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “Uncle, that’s what all tea is.”

“How can a member of my own family say something so horrible?” Uncle grabbed the teapot and sent the tea flying out the open window mournfully. “At least you can’t do any worse!”

Zuko glared. “Uncle, have you gone insane?”

“Well you have to make the tea,” his uncle patted him on the shoulder. “You can’t serve it.”

Zuko’s glare deepened, and Uncle just steered him into the kitchen, and for the next several hours, went over and over the baby steps of tea making as Zuko sulked through each attempt and quickly hid his smile when he finally got it right.

~*~

Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Continued from Zhao: Wedded and bedded (AU of Sun Child) (http://attackfish.livejournal.com/53604.html?thread=250724#t250724)



“I told you not to interrupt me when I’m training!” Zura roared, lobbing a fireball to the side instead of at the prim servant her husband had assigned to her.

“My Lady.” Zura needed to stop flinching at that. So she had been demoted. So she didn’t even know her father could do that- She cut herself off. “There’s a messenger here from your husband, I put him in the garden.”

“I guess anything he has to say to me is more important than anything I possibly could be doing,” she spat bitterly.

(“Spirits, girl, it’s not like it’s your first time, stop flinching.”)

“I wouldn’t know, My Lady.” The woman looked her up and down, eyes narrowing. “Are you going to speak to him right away, or would you like a few minutes to make yourself more presentable?” Her voice dripped with disapproval.

Zura wiped the sweat out of her eyes and glanced down at the way her training clothes fell loosely around the dome of her belly. “No,” she returned the servant’s glare. “I’ll see him just the way I am.”

(“You’re an ugly thing, aren’t you? I thought I was marrying a girl, not an ostrich-horse.”)

Her footsteps pounded dully on the corridor floors, and the tropical sunlight, when she stepped into it, brushed her face like fingertips. The young man, standing stiffly in his armor clasped his hands and bowed to her. When he looked up, his face faded to even grayer than before. Behind them, the servant moved into the shadows, watching. Zura folded her arms. “My husband sent word?”

“N-no,” he stuttered, unable to take his eyes off her rounded belly.

“Then why are you here?”

“Princess, I mean, My lady...” he babbled. Her jaw clenched.

“Yes?” she prompted.

“I have word from...” he trailed off. “I’m sorry, My Lady, your husband’s dead.”

Zura went numb. “H-how?”

The soldier spoke to his feet. “In battle, at the north pole.”

“Thank you,” she mumbled.

“I know this is a terrible time for this to happen with the baby on the way and all... Not that there’s ever a good time, I mean, but...” Zura stared at him, mystified. “I’ll just go now.”

As he followed one of the servants away, Zura pivoted on her heel and marched back into the house, trying to unstick her mind.

“My Lady, where are you going?” the prim woman called after her. The words fell flat in the still, humid air.

“I’m going to see my daughter,” she snarled. “Is that okay with you?”

She pushed her way through the nursery doors when she reached them, and for a moment, her daughter’s nurse just blinked at her in shock, until Zura ran to the cradle and lifted Lan Min out. Giggling, Lan Min grabbed for her mother’s hair.

“I’m going to be watching Lan Min for the rest of the day,” she muttered, pulling her daughter close to her chest. Lan Min burbled, and her mother cooed back, her heart still hammering.

(“I thought when I married you, I’d at least get a girl who had some idea about about what she was supposed to do in bed!”)

The office stood on the other side of the house. Zura shoved the door open, writing a letter to her uncle in her mind. The walk across the office floor seemed longer than the whole rest of the house.

Kneeling down on a cushion in front of the low writing table, Zura rubbed her scalp, expecting it to be smooth like it always used to be, but there was fuzz growing up around her top-knot, and soon some of it was going to be long enough to stick into the wrappings with it.

(“If you ever disgrace me, you’ll lose a lot more than just your hair.)

Lan Min pulled herself up on the table leg and stumbled to another, and then back to her mother.

Zura spread out the paper and weighted down the edges. The inkwell unscrewed with a snick and the brush sent ripples of ink to its walls. Zura looked down at the blank sheet of paper. The brush fell from her fingers and she just stared.

Outside in the hall, Zura could hear rustling and footsteps, and her eyes snapped away from the paper. “My Lady, that’s the Admiral’s office!” the servant began explaining before the door was all the way open. “You’re not supposed to be-”

“It’s my office now!” she yelled, picking up the brush.

Lan Min started to cry.

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

(ooh, what's she up to?)

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Well, she's Zura, so nothing too devious. Just sending a letter to her uncle and planning a much better financed bid to capture the Avatar. One track mind, that girl.

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

That she has.

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[floranna.livejournal.com]

She really doesn't have much of a experience, even if she is a mother. And Zhao is a relly, really big asshole.

How could I forget to request anything from this verse? *gasp* Luckily you did it anyway. ^^

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Well, you got around to requesting it in the end, lol.

He really really is, so much so I think he gave her PTSD. *decides she needs a great big late medieval articulated steel gauntlet to pet him with, whack!* Now that I think about it, this snippet should have been called "Avatar does Gothic literature."

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Ooh... now this, I like. I mean, Zhao's dialogue hit me like a kick to the chest (especially that one about Zura flinching D: ), but I like that Zura's already turning this to her (and Lan Min's!) advantage. :) You know, I've never been more glad to read a fic where Zhao dies?

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

*Snerk* Zhao's an awesome character in a lot of ways, but he's still a nasty son of a bitch. I love him for it, and love to make him pay for it. Glad to know you liked it too.

I'm still taking requests if you want to drop a few.

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Another request? Hmm... I'll feel horrible requesting bad stuff to happen to my favourite characters, but... ;)

What if, at any point during the first or second season, Iroh died, leaving Zuko without his influence?

What if Jet decided NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee were firebenders, and just did as his instincts told him to? (They'd never failed him before, after all...)

S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

“Zuko, remember that plant that I thought might be tea?”

“You didn’t.” Zuko stared at his uncle’s back furiously.

“I did.” He turned around without a trace of guilt, face swollen and blotchy. “And it wasn’t.

Zuko recoiled. “Yah!”

Iroh kept his voice level, scratching the blotches determinedly. “When the rash spreads to my throat I will stop breathing.” Then he whipped out a branch tipped with a spray of pinkish berries. “But look what I found! These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade plant. That, or macahoni berries that cause blindness.” He popped a handful into his mouth.

“What are you doing!” Zuko grabbed his uncle’s arm and pounded his back, but it was too late. Iroh had already swallowed. “Are you crazy? We need to get help.”

“But where are we going to go?” Iroh whimpered. “We’re enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and fugitives from the Fire Nation.”

“If the Earth Kingdom, discovers us, they’ll have us killed.” Zuko mused.

“But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we’ll be turned over to Azula.”

Zuko glanced at his uncle speculatively. “Earth Kingdom it is.”

“No!” Iroh snatched his nephew’s wrist. “You could be killed! If these are the bacui berries I’ll be fine, I don’t want to risk you!”

Zuko grabbed his uncle’s wrist with his already imprisoned hand and pulled. “Come on.”

Iroh didn’t move. “We wait.”

~*~

The sun moved lower down the sky before Iroh’s vision began to blur. “Nephew,” he rasped.

Wordlessly, Zuko helped him to his feet. Iroh’s feet faltered. His breathing came hoarse and shallow, and Zuko kept supporting him. The evening fell over them, and in the distance, village lights glowed on the horizon. Zuko’s shoulder ached, and all he could hear was his uncle’s noisy broken gasps. They got louder before they stopped entirely.

~*~

The air from around the fire hit him hard in the chest, flinging him hard into the street. The moan came out of his mouth choked and small, and he closed his eyes. The battle kept up around him. Fire ripped through the air above him. That was it. It didn’t matter anymore. Azula was going to capture the Avatar, bring him home, lock him away, drag Zuko along if she felt like bothering, get the throne. He closed his eyes and did his best not to care.

There was a scream before the sounds stopped, except for a couple of whining groans. Zuko kept his eyes closed and sighed.

“Hey, that guy’s heart’s still beating.” Zuko didn’t pay attention until a foot dug into his ribs. He opened his eyes, then closed them against the setting sun. Pulling his feet under himself, he levered his way to his feet shakily.

“Toph, get back,” the Water Tribe girl yelled, but Zuko had already shifted into a bending stance.

Stomping her foot, Toph opened up the ground beneath him. He fell until she stomped her foot again, closing it around his shoulders. “Don’t even think about it, Sparky.”

Zuko snarled. “Where’s Azula?”

“She ran off.” Toph cocked her head and smirked. “Why? Thinking of following her.”

He squirmed. “No.”

The Avatar skidded to a halt right in front of Zuko’s makeshift prison. “Are you okay? I saw you go flying, she must have hit you pretty hard.”

“I’m fine,” he snapped. “Just let me out.”

“Don’t you dare, Toph,” the Water Tribe girl called. “You have no idea what he can do.”

Zuko glared at her, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Maybe we should take him with us.”

“What? No!” The water arched around her and lashed the air.

The Water Tribe boy squeaked. “Are you out of you’re mind?”

“Hey, you have no idea how skinny he feels.” She folded her arms.

The Avatar looked from the earthbending girl to the Water Tribe pair and back again, biting his lip. “Alright, let’s get him on Appa.”

“No!” Zuko howled, but Toph brought her arms back and pushed. The earth surged up and plopped him down in the bison’s saddle.

The Water Tribe girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she climbed in next to him. “That girl, Azula, said you were family?”

“She’s my sister, so?”

The Water Tribe pair shared a look, and the girl uncorked her waterskin to heal the burns on the boy’s arm and chest.

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Huzzah! :D

... although I really shouldn't be pleased that I technically caused Iroh's death. D: You picked a good way for him to go - realistically fitting within canon (doesn't make me wibble any less, though). I do like that Zuko stayed with his uncle until the end. ;_;

I'm glad that you left the fic on a slightly more uplifting note, though. :) For some reason, I really liked Toph's “Hey, you have no idea how skinny he feels” comment. Even a Toph who never knew Iroh realizes that Zuko isn't all bad. :)

I also liked that "look" that Sokka and Katara shared after hearing that it was Zuko's sister that did this to him. :) Nice little moment.

In short... thank you so much for writing this! :D

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I noticed a few extra things I liked about this snippet, after a second reading an hour or so later!

Did Zuko actually just almost give up there? That's definitely different. Loss of Iroh, mayhap?

Also, Iroh dying because he was unwilling to seek help because it may put his nephew at risk for capture? Daaamn... ;_;

I do love how Toph is totally unconcerned about whatever possible "threat" that Zuko might pose (i.e.: none), though. XD I also totally didn't even notice that Aang was one of the first to actually show concern for Zuko's well-being. :)

Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Jet’s eyes widened on the other side of the station. The hook swords flew th his hands and he crashed through the crowd, world narrowing to that gentle, sinister whisp of steam rising off the tea cup in the old man’s hand.

The cup tumbled to the floor.

“What are you doing firebending your tea?” the boy who had called himself Lee hissed, looming over his uncle. “For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move!”

The old man gazed miserably at the puddle of steaming tea on the station floor. I know you’re not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but-”

The edged hand guard slammed into the pillar around the old man’s throat. “They’re firebenders!” he shouted to the station.

Heads turned all around them. The old man’s legs smashed into his stomach and under his ribs. Snarling, Lee slammed his open hand into Jet’s throat as he staggered back. Before he could breathe again, they had disappeared.

~*~

From behind one of the pillars, Zuko and Iroh listened, waiting. Jet leapt onto the base of a pillar across the station from their hiding place. “I know they’re firebenders!” He shouted to the crowd. “I saw the old man heating his tea!”

Zuko jabbed his elbow into his uncle’s ribs.

“And then the kid actually said that he had been firebending, I heard him!”

Iroh stuck his tongue out at his nephew.

Jet drove his fist into the air. “After we’ve travelled all this way, are we going to take this, the last safe place? Are we going to let them take Ba Sing Se too?”

The crowd roared. Zuko and his uncle exchanged a desperate look and made a break for it.

~*~

Their feet pounded the sand until Iroh slumped to the ground, unable to run any more. “So?” his nephew snapped, panting. “What now?”

“I hear Whale Tail Island is beautiful this time of year,” he replied querulously.

Zuko put his head in his hands. “Oh Agni, why.”

Re: Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Yep, I love how it was, in the end, Zuko's reaction to his uncle's firebending that gave them away. XD Awesome.

Also, threat of lynching? Very believable, especially amongst a group of desperate refugees like there would be in that situation. Nicely done!