brainstorming a potential Avatar fic idea
Oct. 16th, 2008 09:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
timepiececlocktitle: The Clearest View (lame, I know....I'll pick something better soon)
Summary: After five years of peace, Aang and Katara are friends without benefits, Ty Lee and Mai are contraband runners, Sokka and Suki's marriage is in trouble, Toph's become a dragon worshipper, and Zuko is turning into a butterfly. Life goes on.
sound track: david bowie!
context:
Five years later. Mai left Zuko two years ago to be with Ty Lee, after a brief attempt at a threesome. Zuko was pretty frustrated but after a while he accepted it, partly because he'd known Ty Lee for so long. Ty Lee was also able to take Mai out of the protective world of the palace, something Mai could never fully-readjust to after her time in prison and hunting the Avatar. Now they're like, i dunno, vagrant pirates or something. (I'm thinking Mortal Engines for some reason.) Except Mai's still kind of stuck up, even as a vagrant. (after finding Zuko much later: "My my, Zuko. You really did go to a mess without me. I thought you were just exaggerating." "Be nice, Mai.")
Sokka and Suki are married, but do not have children. They worry that they might be barren, something that bothers Sokka more than Suki. This is a point of growing tension between them.
Katara and Aang are traveling together but are no longer lovers. They lost their virginity to each other when they were 15/17 respectively, and it was only after sleeping together the first time that they realized they didn't want that from each other. Everyone expects them to get married, but the only people that know they aren't really together are Hakoda, Sokka and Suki, and Toph. But they are very close, as close as siblings. They make a powerful pair, but are starting to want different things. Katara hasn't been completely forthright with Aang that she's tired of the transient lifestyle. And Aang is starting to wonder if he relies too much on Katara's counsel instead of his own judgment.
Toph traveled with Aang and Katara for a while, then went home for a year, and then returned to the Fire Nation. She's been staying with the Sun Worshippers for more than a year now, completely absorbing herself into their culture and trying to learn about the Dragons, the way she learned about the giant Badgermoles. Toph has discovered in herself a real scientist's view of immersive study. She began dictating her findings about metalbending after the war, and decided that only the Sun Warriors were good enough secret-keepers to hold onto her knowledge without blabbing to everyone. The Sun Warriors in turn have been filling in her education in math and chemistry that she stopped getting when she ran away with the gaang.
Beginning:
At the Avatar's request, all of the gaang (except Toph, who is "too busy") meet for the spring equinox festival in the FN. He wants to have a reunion. During the public celebratory dinner, a woman arrives in the middle of the gathering, uses fog that puts people to sleep. Katara fights it, pushes the fog aside only to see a woman holding Zuko's chin/jaw in one hand. the woman leans over and kisses Zuko's eye. Then she looks at KAtara, and disappears. She also steals something, which mihgt or might not have mystical significance.
Katara blames herself for letting this happen, as she didn't get out of the fog fast enough to stop the "attack" on FL Zuko. Not only as a friend, but as a warrior, Katara feels intensely guilty for not protecting them from a fellow waterbender. She also has subconsciously been "protecting" Aang for so long that she feels responsible for not protecting Zuko as well, as a person in her circle of loved ones.
At first they all assume that the attack was about the theft, and Katara is vague about what she really remembers seeing, but over time, they notice something wrong with Zuko that gradually, over time gets worse. It starts in his left eye, which first is green, then shimmery, and he sees light-blindness. it starts to spread to other parts of his body. At first they keep it a secret, but eventually they have to go hunt down the woman and bring Zuko along since they don't know what she did to him or why. The FL goes "on a retreat" leaving Iroh in charge.
Zuko's not only got a weird magic rash, but being back in the gang again is weird enough because Katara and he are much more adult now, and he feels a tension around her that he never quite conceptualized before. He realizes as they travel that she and Aang aren't intimate, but doesn't know why or what that means. Zuko is also starting to wonder if his mind is being infected or changed.
Katara is fiercely determined to find this mysterious waterbender, both to assuage her misplaced guilt about Zuko's condition and because it's "a waterbender thing" and she feels that means it automatically is her responsibility.
Aang is along for the mystery and because he's worried about Zuko. He is also curious about why the woman stole the item...the whole thing has a spirit world smell to it. Sokka and Suki go along because they were there, but soon after Sokka breaks off to go investigate another lead. He and Suki have a big fight, and Suki stays with the gang.
Sokka runs into Mai and Ty Lee during his investigations, they rejoin the group much later on with new information about the item the woman stole. (might be something to do with trapping the Avatar?)
Aang, Katara, Suki, and Zuko follow the trail to the Earth Kingdom, but as Zuko's condition gets worse they get information that the Sun Warriors will know how to stop it, so they meet up there to consult the dragons again. This time, Katara faces the dragons and pleads for Zuko's life. The dragons are able to slow the process, and tell them how to cure it. The Dragons also command Toph to stay and complete her tutelage (in order to spur her to go). The dragons each give KAtara one scale from their bodies, which she can use to travel to the spirit world, possibly give as a gift.
Suki confides to Toph about her marriage troubles. This is awkward, but it effectively cures Toph of her long-nurtured crush.
The gang, now with Toph and a half-green/shiny slightly bonkers Zuko, head to meet up with Sokka who said he thinks he tracked down the item the woman stole, hoping they'd find her too.
How is the woman, the item, and zuko's curse all connected? What is Zuko becoming, and why? What does this have to do with the dragons, FN legend, and the spirit world? Why is the perp a waterbender of unknown origin but involved in attacking the Fire Lord?
(*possibly he starts turning into a tree? very mythical, that. but why...)
"Should you be kissing him when he's like that?"
"What do you mean?"
"He's green. And his fingernails shimmer. Do you really want to catch that."
"It's not a skin disease, Suki. It's a spirit world curse. Or a spell. Or...something. It's probably not contagious. Anyway, his mouth isn't green and sparkly yet."
"Well it's only his mouth, I suppose. I mean it's not like you--oh hell! Did you---"
"No!"
"Gross, Katara! Is it green?"
"We didn't, Suki, okay! Just drop it."
Summary: After five years of peace, Aang and Katara are friends without benefits, Ty Lee and Mai are contraband runners, Sokka and Suki's marriage is in trouble, Toph's become a dragon worshipper, and Zuko is turning into a butterfly. Life goes on.
sound track: david bowie!
context:
Five years later. Mai left Zuko two years ago to be with Ty Lee, after a brief attempt at a threesome. Zuko was pretty frustrated but after a while he accepted it, partly because he'd known Ty Lee for so long. Ty Lee was also able to take Mai out of the protective world of the palace, something Mai could never fully-readjust to after her time in prison and hunting the Avatar. Now they're like, i dunno, vagrant pirates or something. (I'm thinking Mortal Engines for some reason.) Except Mai's still kind of stuck up, even as a vagrant. (after finding Zuko much later: "My my, Zuko. You really did go to a mess without me. I thought you were just exaggerating." "Be nice, Mai.")
Sokka and Suki are married, but do not have children. They worry that they might be barren, something that bothers Sokka more than Suki. This is a point of growing tension between them.
Katara and Aang are traveling together but are no longer lovers. They lost their virginity to each other when they were 15/17 respectively, and it was only after sleeping together the first time that they realized they didn't want that from each other. Everyone expects them to get married, but the only people that know they aren't really together are Hakoda, Sokka and Suki, and Toph. But they are very close, as close as siblings. They make a powerful pair, but are starting to want different things. Katara hasn't been completely forthright with Aang that she's tired of the transient lifestyle. And Aang is starting to wonder if he relies too much on Katara's counsel instead of his own judgment.
Toph traveled with Aang and Katara for a while, then went home for a year, and then returned to the Fire Nation. She's been staying with the Sun Worshippers for more than a year now, completely absorbing herself into their culture and trying to learn about the Dragons, the way she learned about the giant Badgermoles. Toph has discovered in herself a real scientist's view of immersive study. She began dictating her findings about metalbending after the war, and decided that only the Sun Warriors were good enough secret-keepers to hold onto her knowledge without blabbing to everyone. The Sun Warriors in turn have been filling in her education in math and chemistry that she stopped getting when she ran away with the gaang.
Beginning:
At the Avatar's request, all of the gaang (except Toph, who is "too busy") meet for the spring equinox festival in the FN. He wants to have a reunion. During the public celebratory dinner, a woman arrives in the middle of the gathering, uses fog that puts people to sleep. Katara fights it, pushes the fog aside only to see a woman holding Zuko's chin/jaw in one hand. the woman leans over and kisses Zuko's eye. Then she looks at KAtara, and disappears. She also steals something, which mihgt or might not have mystical significance.
Katara blames herself for letting this happen, as she didn't get out of the fog fast enough to stop the "attack" on FL Zuko. Not only as a friend, but as a warrior, Katara feels intensely guilty for not protecting them from a fellow waterbender. She also has subconsciously been "protecting" Aang for so long that she feels responsible for not protecting Zuko as well, as a person in her circle of loved ones.
At first they all assume that the attack was about the theft, and Katara is vague about what she really remembers seeing, but over time, they notice something wrong with Zuko that gradually, over time gets worse. It starts in his left eye, which first is green, then shimmery, and he sees light-blindness. it starts to spread to other parts of his body. At first they keep it a secret, but eventually they have to go hunt down the woman and bring Zuko along since they don't know what she did to him or why. The FL goes "on a retreat" leaving Iroh in charge.
Zuko's not only got a weird magic rash, but being back in the gang again is weird enough because Katara and he are much more adult now, and he feels a tension around her that he never quite conceptualized before. He realizes as they travel that she and Aang aren't intimate, but doesn't know why or what that means. Zuko is also starting to wonder if his mind is being infected or changed.
Katara is fiercely determined to find this mysterious waterbender, both to assuage her misplaced guilt about Zuko's condition and because it's "a waterbender thing" and she feels that means it automatically is her responsibility.
Aang is along for the mystery and because he's worried about Zuko. He is also curious about why the woman stole the item...the whole thing has a spirit world smell to it. Sokka and Suki go along because they were there, but soon after Sokka breaks off to go investigate another lead. He and Suki have a big fight, and Suki stays with the gang.
Sokka runs into Mai and Ty Lee during his investigations, they rejoin the group much later on with new information about the item the woman stole. (might be something to do with trapping the Avatar?)
Aang, Katara, Suki, and Zuko follow the trail to the Earth Kingdom, but as Zuko's condition gets worse they get information that the Sun Warriors will know how to stop it, so they meet up there to consult the dragons again. This time, Katara faces the dragons and pleads for Zuko's life. The dragons are able to slow the process, and tell them how to cure it. The Dragons also command Toph to stay and complete her tutelage (in order to spur her to go). The dragons each give KAtara one scale from their bodies, which she can use to travel to the spirit world, possibly give as a gift.
Suki confides to Toph about her marriage troubles. This is awkward, but it effectively cures Toph of her long-nurtured crush.
The gang, now with Toph and a half-green/shiny slightly bonkers Zuko, head to meet up with Sokka who said he thinks he tracked down the item the woman stole, hoping they'd find her too.
How is the woman, the item, and zuko's curse all connected? What is Zuko becoming, and why? What does this have to do with the dragons, FN legend, and the spirit world? Why is the perp a waterbender of unknown origin but involved in attacking the Fire Lord?
(*possibly he starts turning into a tree? very mythical, that. but why...)
"Should you be kissing him when he's like that?"
"What do you mean?"
"He's green. And his fingernails shimmer. Do you really want to catch that."
"It's not a skin disease, Suki. It's a spirit world curse. Or a spell. Or...something. It's probably not contagious. Anyway, his mouth isn't green and sparkly yet."
"Well it's only his mouth, I suppose. I mean it's not like you--oh hell! Did you---"
"No!"
"Gross, Katara! Is it green?"
"We didn't, Suki, okay! Just drop it."
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-17 05:39 am (UTC)'Til then, I'll settle for al the fun ideas others're coming up with. ^_^
This is a neat and interesting idea, full of potential; for some reason, Zuko's "infection" strikes me as particularly compelling. It'll be interesting to see a strong, proud person like Zuko deal with such a debilitating condition as it gradually tears him apart, and oh how much MORE interesting the tension he develops with Katara could make it.
If this ever comes to fruition, I'll be glad to read it. :D
no subject
Date: 2008-10-17 11:00 pm (UTC)"Katara and Aang are traveling together but are no longer lovers. They lost their virginity to each other when they were 15/17 respectively, and it was only after sleeping together the first time that they realized they didn't want that from each other. Everyone expects them to get married, but the only people that know they aren't really together are Hakoda, Sokka and Suki, and Toph. But they are very close, as close as siblings. They make a powerful pair, but are starting to want different things. Katara hasn't been completely forthright with Aang that she's tired of the transient lifestyle. And Aang is starting to wonder if he relies too much on Katara's counsel instead of his own judgment."
I've always seen them as "family" (which is what they told us in episode 2) more like siblings than spouses, and I really believe Aang's upbringing as an Airbender is a totally different kind of lifestyle than would make Katara happy for long. He's raised to be footloose and fancy free, and to seek spiritual enlightenment. I can see Katara trying believe it's romantic love though because she has a strong sense of duty and devotion to Aang, until reality kicks in (after their first time).
The relationship parts of this sound realistic, the way teen romances that feel like "truluff4evar!" barely ever last, the way childlessness can strain a marriage, the way closeted gay people come out in young adulthood, etc. The concept about the mysterious waterbender could be interesting, and more Sun Warriors and dragons (and Katara facing the dragons to plead for Zuko) sound very intriguing.
I really hope you write this.
Maybe I'll post my post-war story outline.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-17 11:31 pm (UTC)So, I say you should write it. ;DDD
But, hey, I understand being busy and all that. -glances at my unfinished fic I need to update-
no subject
Date: 2008-10-18 04:34 am (UTC)I missed you!
I while I always love our fic ideas, I can't imagine Aang being okay with not having sex with Katara. (I can't imagine him maturing, period, really.)
The last bit of dialouge cracked me the hell up, though.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-18 03:33 pm (UTC):grin: Hey, I never said Aang was celibate. Just that he and Katara moved past that point. They travel together as partners in world-saving but that doesn't mean Aang hasn't discovered the potential of groupies. I'm imagining Aang at 17 as, well, a 17 year old boy. It's only that between each other, Katara and Aang figured out a while ago that they were happier as family than as lovers....that's not a cop-out, I hope. It's just something I can see happening... like the Cordelia/Wesley kiss in season 3 of Buffy. All that lead-up, and then awkward disappointment.
I admit it, I stole inspiration for that last dialgoue bit from this. And Lily from HIMYM might be bleeding into Suki here..
no subject
Date: 2008-10-18 05:47 pm (UTC)They travel together as partners in world-saving but that doesn't mean Aang hasn't discovered the potential of groupies.
Just when I thought I couldn't be more dismissive of Aang....
no subject
Date: 2008-10-19 01:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-19 09:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-18 03:57 pm (UTC)...except, at the very end of things, it has to be partly Zuko's will that saves him from his transformation curse, as well. Because...because the spirits have fortold that Katara will be Fire Lady, and she has to be proven worthy by the judgement of their patroness spirit, to rule the FN people. (which Katara hasn't even agreed to do or been asked to do yet...the gods think ahead.) But Zuko, and this is part of the painted lady's curse, has already won his throne, so he needs to prove worthy of Katara's hand, again by the judgement of the painted lady. So the curse-test starts the situation and provokes the feelings that makes the curse-test necessary.
For some reason I'm thinking of Cupid and Psyche now, or East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and tasks. Just one, in this story, instead of three. I want Katara to bitch out the spirits for interfering in the world and forcing them all through this stupid exercise.
As the story goes along, Aang begins to understand before anyone else that the spirits are turning his friends lives into a fairy tale that oddly resembles old FN legend and tradition. He clues in first.
but why would the spirits
no subject
Date: 2008-10-18 05:45 pm (UTC)you and your relevant questions....silly rabbit...
Date: 2008-10-19 01:11 am (UTC)Re: you and your relevant questions....silly rabbit...
Date: 2008-10-19 09:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-18 02:50 pm (UTC)I see great potential. And the only way to write an epic is a small piece at a time. So don't think whole thing. Think chapter one.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-18 03:35 pm (UTC)I've never seen snow queen. I do love the easy symbolism of eyes, however, and the fact taht people would notice something a little less if it started in his damaged eye.
Hmm... you just gave me an idea.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-18 05:39 pm (UTC)http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheSnowQueen_e.html
Glad to be of any help!
no subject
Date: 2008-10-19 12:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-19 01:10 am (UTC)But I will try to log onto msn in the future so we can hash to our hearts content.