[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
Arsonist's Lullaby: An Azula Timeloop Quest
- Thread starter Magery
- Start date
- Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
- Location
- Somewhere in the area
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
- Location
- Finland
[X] The future. The one place you cannot seem to reach, throne or no throne. Has Zuko ever wondered what it'll be like? No, not whether the mantle is heavy enough to cramp the shoulders, or what his first command as Fire Lord could be—just about the shape of the Sun's path through the sky, the day after Sozin's Comet, and what the world will have become in the face of that light. What does he see? What do you?
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
- Location
- The Void
[X] The future. The one place you cannot seem to reach, throne or no throne. Has Zuko ever wondered what it'll be like? No, not whether the mantle is heavy enough to cramp the shoulders, or what his first command as Fire Lord could be—just about the shape of the Sun's path through the sky, the day after Sozin's Comet, and what the world will have become in the face of that light. What does he see? What do you?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] The future. The one place you cannot seem to reach, throne or no throne. Has Zuko ever wondered what it'll be like? No, not whether the mantle is heavy enough to cramp the shoulders, or what his first command as Fire Lord could be—just about the shape of the Sun's path through the sky, the day after Sozin's Comet, and what the world will have become in the face of that light. What does he see? What do you?
Frozen Flame
Fragment of the Devourer
- Location
- The Darkness Beyond Time
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
- Location
- Somewhere
so…bets on when Azula will realize this applies to her and Ozai's 'love'
also, does Zuko know that Mai and Ty Lee weren't around Azula for long after he was exiled? actually, I'm not sure of the timeline, but Azula was left with just Lo and Li and the man who scarred half of Zuko's face.
I adored all the ladies this chapter.
This was funny, but can someone please remind me who tf Ruon-Jian is?
I don't have a strong preference on the votes. Though whichever wins, I really hope Mai and Ty Lee are around to help translate and/or keep Azula mostly honest.
Thanks for writing!
- Location
- California
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
- Location
- The Frozen North
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
Okay, so this update inspired me to do some math.
Azula claims that Lu Ten died 5 years ago in chronologic time, yet from her time-looping perspective has been dead nearly longer than she was alive to know him. Given she's physically 14-15, that means he died about when she was 9-10.
To fit her claim of perceived time, that means at most 9 (mental) years have passed since then, which would make her 18. However, she doesn't seem to think she's mentally older than Zuko (aside from her general dismissiveness towards her brother), and given he's 17(?), then that must be the upper limit for Azula's mental age.
From this, assuming she was 14 when the loop started and is 17 now, that means she would have been looping for about 3 years. Given each loop is about 9 days long (presumably excluding ones where she died early), that means the upper limit for how many time loops she has actually gone through is roughly 122 (give or take a few). If you assume the lower limits for her age (15 at start and 16 now), then the lowest amount of loops she could have gone through is about 40.
Azula claims that Lu Ten died 5 years ago in chronologic time, yet from her time-looping perspective has been dead nearly longer than she was alive to know him. Given she's physically 14-15, that means he died about when she was 9-10.
To fit her claim of perceived time, that means at most 9 (mental) years have passed since then, which would make her 18. However, she doesn't seem to think she's mentally older than Zuko (aside from her general dismissiveness towards her brother), and given he's 17(?), then that must be the upper limit for Azula's mental age.
From this, assuming she was 14 when the loop started and is 17 now, that means she would have been looping for about 3 years. Given each loop is about 9 days long (presumably excluding ones where she died early), that means the upper limit for how many time loops she has actually gone through is roughly 122 (give or take a few). If you assume the lower limits for her age (15 at start and 16 now), then the lowest amount of loops she could have gone through is about 40.
- Location
- Wörms, the half continent
[X] The past. It's what has driven you here. It's what you're trapped in. It's what you want to break out of. But it's Zuko's past, too. You've spent the whole of your lives chasing each other's shadows—on your whole family's encouragement. Has he ever realised? Does he even care? And why does it seem so impossible to escape?
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
I imagine it was about asking Zuko about the hypothetical lives they could have had if Lu Ten had lived. It was something Azula contemplated earlier ("But when you imagine a life where he never died, the strangest thing of all is that you think you might have been happy.") and very much is a "world that will never be."
- Location
- Florida
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
- Location
- Earth
- Pronouns
- He/Him
One of these loops, Mai is going to figure out how weird it is that Azula's mood flopped so dramatically away from anger.
It might not change much, though.
It's so much worse than you could possibly imagine.
Well, yeah. She's his little sister, and they're both still kids.
The recent war crimes and support for Ozai didn't improve Zuko's opinion of Azula, but they're not really necessary.
A couple of arguments I found persuasive.
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
- Location
- Hollister
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
ConfusedCanuck
Where did it all go wrong?
- Location
- Neverland
Well now this was a great read! From Mai and Ty Lee being baffled over Azula and then turning it around on her at Boiling Point. To the advice Lo and Li have given her that makes her self-reflect and finally decide to sit down and talk to Zuko!
[X] The past. It's what has driven you here. It's what you're trapped in. It's what you want to break out of. But it's Zuko's past, too. You've spent the whole of your lives chasing each other's shadows—on your whole family's encouragement. Has he ever realised? Does he even care? And why does it seem so impossible to escape?
Now with that said I do feel that'll be best for Azula if they talk about past grievances first after all if she doesn't learn about the past how will she be able to see the future?
[X] The past. It's what has driven you here. It's what you're trapped in. It's what you want to break out of. But it's Zuko's past, too. You've spent the whole of your lives chasing each other's shadows—on your whole family's encouragement. Has he ever realised? Does he even care? And why does it seem so impossible to escape?
Now with that said I do feel that'll be best for Azula if they talk about past grievances first after all if she doesn't learn about the past how will she be able to see the future?
Zed.
Cannon Fodder
[X] The future. The one place you cannot seem to reach, throne or no throne. Has Zuko ever wondered what it'll be like? No, not whether the mantle is heavy enough to cramp the shoulders, or what his first command as Fire Lord could be—just about the shape of the Sun's path through the sky, the day after Sozin's Comet, and what the world will have become in the face of that light. What does he see? What do you?
infinityDivided
Prince Of Doom
- Location
- USA
Well, I did say.
Welp, I was wrong, I'll own up to it. I suppose that realizing that she cares for Mai and Ty Lee as friends is still a step or two away from trusting them with the time loop.
Ladies, I really wish you had somehow slipped this into Azula's mind years ago, instead of only telling her this now.
...Also, isn't this practically a step away from treason in this palace? Holy fuck.
The funny thing is, there's exactly one person you haven't attempted to kill. And you fear to try on the off-chance it would work.
[X] The past. It's what has driven you here. It's what you're trapped in. It's what you want to break out of. But it's Zuko's past, too. You've spent the whole of your lives chasing each other's shadows—on your whole family's encouragement. Has he ever realised? Does he even care? And why does it seem so impossible to escape?
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[X] The past. It's what has driven you here. It's what you're trapped in. It's what you want to break out of. But it's Zuko's past, too. You've spent the whole of your lives chasing each other's shadows—on your whole family's encouragement. Has he ever realised? Does he even care? And why does it seem so impossible to escape?
- Location
- Who knows?
Oooohhhhh so close. Getting so close!
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
Who knows what twist will get in the way of The Talk this time! (Yes I think Azula might be overly optimistic in thinking no one there will interrupt) but I like the idea of both of them sharing their doubts. Especially as mentioned this seems most likely to get Zuko to slip something about the dragons/his new firebending philosophy. (Which if I'm reading the narrative re the fire dancing and coronation correctly, she kinda sorta already agrees with--that fire can be beautiful not just strong)
- Location
- ORCA HQ
[X] The present. Here you stand, before your brother. Here doubt has driven you. Does Zuko doubt, too? Is he still angry at himself? If you were him, you would be. But maybe that's his secret. Maybe he's always angry. Maybe you're angry too. The world isn't what you thought it was—and you think Zuko can relate. What will happen if you let him?
Karlito
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
[X] The future. The one place you cannot seem to reach, throne or no throne. Has Zuko ever wondered what it'll be like? No, not whether the mantle is heavy enough to cramp the shoulders, or what his first command as Fire Lord could be—just about the shape of the Sun's path through the sky, the day after Sozin's Comet, and what the world will have become in the face of that light. What does he see? What do you?
I don't know I'd be pretty convinced someone was evil if they seriously suggested burning an entire nation to ash…