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Arsonist's Lullaby: An Azula Timeloop Quest

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Magery said:
"Yes," you say. "Choose anything else but a performance, Ty Lee. I will not have it."

A smile sings across her lips, so wide, so bright that it crinkles her eyes shut. It takes you a moment to realise why—you seem to have accidentally agreed to the idea of the trip in exchange for escaping the Ember Island Players.

If Ty Lee were anyone but herself, you'd almost be convinced that had been her plan from the start.

How irritating.
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Ouch. But also, aww.
Magery said:
You've tried a lot of things when it comes to Zuko. You've killed him until you were certain that there was nothing about the shape of the world that wanted his death—until you knew you never had to kill him again.
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This is incredibly sad. But also, that word there. "Had". That's progress. I don't think Azula thought about it in such terms at the start.

Anyway, that was a lovely update to this beautiful quest. The, as you put it, "wholly indulgent Azula brainrot" is delightfully infectious, so thank you for sharing it with us all.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.

I wonder if Azula would be an exception fire bendeing teacher. She has a knack for getting into people's heads, and so much love for the flame.

And I'm kinda glad that she gets to interact with the gang again. Particularly, Toph. I want to see the two best benders in the world talk to each other. Compare notes. Have to coolest new bending style fight to end all fights.

Two once in a millennia genius's of the art of bending, both given almost divine inspiration. Being given a chance to duke it out and compare.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
[x] A Flame

I can't say any of the choices offered feel like bad ones, but sharing her love of firebending seems like a good start. Ty Lee did talk about how Azula never shares that after all.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
Staff Notice :Remember the Age of Azula.
Nicholas Brooks said:
Azula no, incest isn't the answer! Even if Grey DeLisle said it was during a convention!
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The reason for the season is breedin'!

And it would be the most life-changing trip either of them would ever have!

[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.

But instead of getting her stocking stuffed for Christmas, let's give her something almost as hot for now.

Merry Christmas all!
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
Calico J said:
Okay, I really loved the scene where Azula was bending in the local festival earlier. It'd be great to hear her give a TED talk on the subject.
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She, at the end of everything, is someone who has defined herself by firebending. We even see it mechanically with her truth, her first truth, being her firebending. And the only impact 5 truth.

BeepSmile said:
Goodness, I really hope this involves Zuko teaching Azula bit of his new approach to firebending.
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Wiggy said:
It'd be interesting if this got Zuko to open up about the sun warrior style.
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Kirook said:
You know, if we do this, Azula might end up finding out what Zuko (and Aang) learned from the dragons.
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I'm looking forward to that too. If only because it'd be fun to watch Azula be herself at anything related to firebending. Because she is amazing at it.

WeissRaben said:
As the girls said, firebending is, genuinely, something that makes Azula happy. Share it. Actually get Zuko to see a passion - not the monster and not the child chained to her convictions and responsibilities and convictions about responsibility: Azula, happy and passionate about something.
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It is rare for her to be that impassioned in a y sense. Zuko seeing her… in her element, when she shows him that, yes, she can see the beauty in the fire… that might do a lot.

crusaderking01 said:
Why ship maizula when you can ship tyzula? I mean just look how easily ty Lee shattered one of azula's truths!
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Ty Lee is absolutely who id ship with Azula. If only because I love it when she responds to what Azula doesn't say.

SoaringJe said:
The Royal Fire Hazard Siblings are theatre kids? Yeah, that tracks.
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….. I'm going to remember that description. Royal Fire Hazard Siblings Indeed

Valmond said:
Zuko: "Why are you here?"
Azula: "I am here to make sure you will not completely embarrass yourself when you finally decide to challenge me for Agni Kai, now look carefully and repeat after me.
Zuko: "What?"
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Venerable Ro said:
An opportunity for great amusement and more than a little bewilderment, showing up just after dragon-revelation to dance with lightning and cerulean flame. Yes, Sun Warrior traditions are fairly impressive, in the historical sense, but there's so much more refinement to be had!
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Azula would either be a terrible teacher or a really good one.

ShadowAngelBeta said:
This is what Azula and Zuko should be like, having play fights that put Master Benders to shame over who gets the Fire Flakes and making national policy to ban a shit theater troupe.

Man, fuck Ozai. With a rusty pogo-stick. Sideways.
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This is the dream. For both of them, really.

I'd love to see them do their insane firebending shenanigans in front of some old sage who doesn't know them by reputation and just… have them be amazed.

Because they are both really impressive firebenders. For all that Azula gives Zuko flack he is one of the better benders in the setting and managed to learn a new and very different style in days.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.

I think sharing the beauty Azula's found in her own fire might be the best path forward. 'A traitor' and 'A child' are both *negative* things to Azula. Her firebending is one of the only beautiful and true things she has, and sharing that with Zuko would be a great moment of connection.
 
Randino Treviani said:
Oh my God. Azula is a theater-phile. All of her hammy lines and grand monologues are fueled by her love of theater and refusal to be as bad as the ember island trope. No wonder she's the series most iconic villain.
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Just started my reread with this in mind and oh man it's even in the very first sentences of the first chapter!
Magery said:
"Doesn't everybody?" you say into the silence, the knife-edged violence, the—oh, you're rhyming, like this is some kind of accursed theatre.
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[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.

Fire Good obviously. Also it would be hilarious if Azula, disconnected from the usual bad emotions and/or resignation of the last day, causes Zuko to call bullshit on her being ridiculously good. Like ludicrously good. Like drop everything how did this happen good. He's going to blow the lid on this case when he can actually take a second (and if Iroh is there his eyes are gonna fucking bulge out of their sockets because he'll just have that much better an understanding how silly the heights she's reached are).
 
blankmask said:
Ty Lee is absolutely who id ship with Azula. If only because I love it when she responds to what Azula doesn't say.
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Oh no, that's not what's happening. It's been implied that occasionally Azula verbalizes her inner monologue and doesn't realize it. It's lingering mental damage from, well, everything.

Reread and see how often Mai or Ty Lee seem to read her thoughts or facial expression; it happens a lot more than you might think.
 
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[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
[X] A flame. It's funny—despite everything, even sharing lessons for a year or so before you accelerated past him, you don't think you've ever taught Zuko a single thing about firebending. He's certainly never taught you. You've only ever used your fire to hurt each other. Maybe you should try, just this once, to offer a moment of your incandescence for something other than pain.
 
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