Zhao: Secret Edition Another day had ended as the midsummer sun interred itself beneath the Fire Nation's horizon. Like a flame on the end of its wick, the centers of livelihood in Royal Caldera started to flicker as the proud and happy citizens returned to their homes. Even the denizens of the palace mimicked the lazy heat waves radiating from the sunset. Yet another glorious day for all. The throne room was unoccupied, save for Admiral Zhao sitting at the conference table amid layers and layers of paperwork. He had been assigned the duty of overlooking reparations from the war. It could be worse, they told him, you could be swallowed up by a giant spirit fis
Dawning: Defiant DawningPart 3: DefiantThe unraveling began when Azula arrived home with a wave of humid summer weather.She was celebrated as a greater hero than Zhao would ever be, given a Public Presentation in the center of the capital city. Everyone turned out to hear the litany of her accomplishments (assassinating the Earth King and causing a succession war, recovering her brother, and teaming with him to chase the Avatar from his hideout in the Eastern Air Temple), and the din of the applause echoed throughout the entire caldera. Her brother was honored alongside her, and soon the whole capital was abuzz with word of their favored status. The Fir
Dawning: Subversive DawningPart 2: Subversive"Welcome home, Admiral.""It is a pleasure to be back, Fire Lord.""I'm sure. You can give a full account of Conquest of the North during the Military Council later, but for now I want to know one thing. Where is the Incarnate Moon Spirit?""It should be at my new mansion now, my lord. I inspected the holding chambers myself after the parade in my honor, and watched as the Koi form was locked in the tank. The only place more secure in all the world is this throne room.""As it should be, Admiral. You will have ample opportunity to spend time here, yourself. I am elevating you to the Military Council, as an exp
Dawning: Compliant DawningPart 1: CompliantOne dark night, an old man walked in the clear, cool air; he was alone in body, but not in spirit. There was no warning when a flash of light illuminated his path. He turned towards the source, and the light was revealed as the death of the warship he had traveled on for three years. What remained of the craft after the explosion was burning furiously. The old man's former path was one that would not be walked, now.As soon as his eyes beheld the glowing destruction, the old man remembered that his surrogate second son had still been aboard the burning ship.That afternoon, the old man might have had a second cup
Afraid to be a soldier Afraid to be a soldier is an AU-story; about the moment when Prince Zuko hears about his fathers plans.Iroh is sixty,Ozai is forty,Zhao is forty,Zuko is thirteen.Afraid to be a soldier.The old retired General sipped his tea calmly as he glared over his playful little nephew. Prince Zuko was already thirteen, but he proved to be very childish. Iroh hadn't really a problem with that fact but he knew Ozai did.His younger brother was so serious and Zuko was indeed the next heir, those two facts caused some problems inside their small family. Iroh lowered his cup with a lovely smile as his nephew rolled over the grass mat with plea
Balance Zhao was too exhausted and comfortable to be bothered by the earthy smell and the feel of spongy moss tickling his sideburns. He was lying facedown somewhere warm and moist and he knew he should probably get up and get on with whatever scheme he was currently about, but for the life of him, he couldn't recall what that might be.And he was comfortable. So very comfortable."Don't get up on my account."Zhao twitched and lifted his head to look for the owner of the mysterious voice. He was in a strange swamp with no recollection of how he'd come to be there, but it would take much more to shake his confidenc
The thing about open endings EDITED 25.1.11. EDITS are marked.The thing about open endings is, they incite readers to seriously think about how the story could end and to come up with a scenario that will allow the characters to find closure.Over at #noselfcontrol, the awesome rufftoon posted an almost 450 pages long comic about how, after his siege of the North, Admiral Zhao ended up in the watertribe without his memories and was left alive, because it obviously was the will of the spirits. Zhao eventually redeems himself, but the story leaves many, many questions unanswered.It's something that just wouldn't leave me alone (I have no self-control either *sigh*. I
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