Remove ads

Avatar Taylor (Worm/A:TLA)

Reader mode
As far as I can tell, Toph needing to touch the ground directly is probably more spiritual need than physical. She's using the vibrations in the ground to "see", but it's not a physical thing. She's using her earthbending to both sense and interpret those vibrations as something she can "see". Without her Earthbending, she's be like any other blind person.

I recall that there was a moment in the cartoon when she tore out the bottom of a pair of shoes in order to have a better connection of the earth. I think she was rather relieved when she did this, though it's been a while since I watched A:TLA. Considering the technology level, Toph wouldn't get anywhere near as much disruption in her senses as Taylor would today, so I think it's more of a need to be directly touching the earth to better use her Earthbending to sense and interpret the signals she's getting.
 
Dalxein said:
It mostly comes back to a scene from early in season 3, where they steal a bunch of clothes to blend in. Toph rips the soles out of her shoes, stating that she can't see as well in them. This isn't to say she can't see with them period, but considering that pre-metalbending she was basically blind in metal structures too, I think there's a good deal of "It's magic! It doesn't need to make sense!" going on. I try to be a little more scientific with it, thinking in terms of 'Okay, how do vibrations actually propagate through this material' rather than a blanket 'not earth, doesn't work', but even galvanized rubber is a pretty decent vibrational insulator.
(EDIT: Or is it vulcanized? I can't remember, whichever the hard 'almost doesn't act like proper rubber anymore' stuff we tend to mistakenly think is normal for rubber these days, is.)

I'm making less of a big deal about it now, because Taylor doesn't consider it a serious problem anymore. She has solutions, and hasn't really tried normal shoes since mastering Tremorsense/Detection. Then again, if you gave Skitter the option of reducing her bug-sense to only a house or two instead of several blocks, why would she ever bother? Much like wearing shoes grated on this version of Taylor, the lack of information and sense of safety just isn't worth it.

Taylor isn't going to escape the fancy shoes forever. She's certainly wearing normal ones to the meeting at Medhall, for instance. In her day to day life though? She has about as much reason to feel worried about people picking up on her oddities as Toph did in literal enemy territory. People may look down more often than up, but who bothers to actually take the effort to look under people's shoes?

I DO need to make a note of her changing over to a new pair soon, though. She's about worn through her current ones already, I just haven't found a good place to slot in the switch over. Her faux-shoes were always meant to last about a month each.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The term is Vulcanized. You take molten rubber and add sulfur to it and you get a lot smoke and some burning. It looks and smells like a bubbling pool of magma so people called named it after the same root as volcano. Galvanizing is to coat with zinc. It generally is used to protect metals from oxidation by adding a sacrificial layer of more reactive zinc. Until the zinc is fully oxidized the metal it is protecting will not corrode.
 
Love this so far, and you are going for a Taylor and Amy pairing right? I don't mind if you add in others for a Yuri Harem , but Taylor and Amy just mesh really well with each other.

Hope you update soonish.
 
Windborne said:
Love this so far, and you are going for a Taylor and Amy pairing right?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'm going for no pairing, I'm just very, very bad at it.
My hard rule is that I'm not pairing Taylor with an OC. It stinks a little too rankly of 'SI for waifus!' to me.
Amy is an option, (and seems to be the one the quest side seems set on shoving into her schedule) but she's not the only one. There's even a shockingly nonzero number of penis-havers she could wind up with.
Windborne said:
Hope you update soonish.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Been dealing with an annual depressive slump, June/July tends to be pretty hard on me mentally, (COVID stress certainly hasn't helped any) and I've been putting most of my energy towards personal wellness and job hunting.
I seem to have secured a new line of work though, so that'll change to 'most of my energy towards personal wellness and new job' for the near future.
Still, I've got the weekend, and I've broken through my writer's block recently. Update 33 is currently about 2K words, with 1/3 planned scenes completed.

Annual melancholy slump tends to not last into August, and I'm not sure I'll manage more than the one update before then. Dodged it last year by focusing on the honeymoon 'new story' writing burst, since I started AT in June. Not so lucky this time. Can't make any guarantees, but I'll keep picking away at things.
 
Not that I mind the character development stuff it's cool. I just wish we could get just a little bending please?
 
I just see Amy Sabaha and surprisingly Cassie, all comforting each other over how oblivious Taylor is to their feelings.
 
That's fair regarding your depression, I deal with it and anxiety at borderline crippling severity every day so I understand.

And yeah I'll cast my vote for Amy every time in that quest, if my saying so here counts. They're very good for each other.
 
Dalxein said:
if they thought they were nice enough o show off
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I think you meant "to" there.

The spellchecker thing confuses me too. Sure, you have stuff like Grammarly, but other than potentially-sketchy plugins that likely send all your data to China, your only real option is M$ Word (expensive). Which sends all your data to Microsoft. And tends to live on Windows, which also sends all your data to Microsoft. Libreoffice is a great program, and free software (in cost and intellectual terms), but has a rather poor grammar or spelling checker. Some web browsers have one too, but other than that, there really aren't that many cheap options. I wonder how many people use the web editor or something like Notepad?

RoyalRoad has a very good excuse, actually. Their web editor prevents browser spell checking from working. It's quite dangerous.
 
LostArchivist said:
I think you meant "to" there.

The spellchecker thing confuses me too. Sure, you have stuff like Grammarly, but other than potentially-sketchy plugins that likely send all your data to China, your only real option is M$ Word (expensive). Which sends all your data to Microsoft. And tends to live on Windows, which also sends all your data to Microsoft. Libreoffice is a great program, and free software (in cost and intellectual terms), but has a rather poor grammar or spelling checker. Some web browsers have one too, but other than that, there really aren't that many cheap options. I wonder how many people use the web editor or something like Notepad?

RoyalRoad has a very good excuse, actually. Their web editor prevents browser spell checking from working. It's quite dangerous.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
in theory, if you don't login the webextension for grammerly can't collect as much on what your doing. if you combine it with a VPN (not that everyone has such) it won't even matter if grammerly happens to lie and really are collecting your info because a VPN combined with not-logging means they physically CAN'T record what your doing because nothing would be sent anywhere that is actually tied to you.

edit: nevermind, even ify ou don't login it still records and actively sends your info....but it would still catch most of it since their servers won't even know where you are....combine that with a email account that you make anonmously (and not with google) and they won't have much info on you besides your typing habits....and not having context about who you are (due to anonmous email) or where you are (due to a VPM if you have one)...they can't really do much.

its hard to be truly anonmous in the modern age...but it IS possable.
 
Last edited:
Your = you own it
You're = you are

I die a little every time I see it and I've been reading internet forums for 25 years, which means I'm completely dead inside. Or undead. Maybe I'm a lich inside...
 
kaosisreality said:
Your = you own it
You're = you are

I die a little every time I see it and I've been reading internet forums for 25 years, which means I'm completely dead inside. Or undead. Maybe I'm a lich inside...
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
welp, eventually it will become so common to use it incorrectly that its more common than the correct usage which would make it correct....or at least once its encountered long enough/often enough that people expect it.

apparently some of the inconsistencies/differences between British English and American English is partly due to American newspapers charging by the character for paper ads and thus ppl wanting short-hand to cut out literally every char they can
 
MrMayhem said:
Hows this for an slightly altered Taylor costume (on left side I mean)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
From my phone, the image looked pretty similar, aside from the metal parts.
Now that I'm actually remembering to check from my computer so the image will properly size up, it does look interesting.
Taylor probably won't be changing her outfit before she winds up adding metal to it, but she only has three copies of it. She might even decide to retire the original before all of those are irreparably damaged.
I'll try to keep it in mind for when that happens, but it's going to be a ways off, real-time.
Havictos said:
Not that I mind the character development stuff it's cool. I just wish we could get just a little bending please?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Bending has been fighting and training, almost exclusively. It's a bit difficult to incorporate it into Taylor's life any further without outing her.
That said, bending will happen both of the next two in-story days.
LostArchivist said:
I think you meant "to" there.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
...weird. I usually catch those.
Thanks.
 
Dalxein said:
Taylor probably won't be changing her outfit before she winds up adding metal to it, but she only has three copies of it. She might even decide to retire the original before all of those are irreparably damaged.
I'll try to keep it in mind for when that happens, but it's going to be a ways off, real-time.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Now the really important question. Will she switch to the ponytail, or keep the bun?
Dalxein said:
Bending has been fighting and training, almost exclusively. It's a bit difficult to incorporate it into Taylor's life any further without outing her.
That said, bending will happen both of the next two in-story days.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'm looking forward to her figuring out all sorts of neat ways to subtly use her Bending in her everyday life. Like using Firebending to keep her tea hot.
 
Dalxein said:
From my phone, the image looked pretty similar, aside from the metal parts.
Now that I'm actually remembering to check from my computer so the image will properly size up, it does look interesting.
Taylor probably won't be changing her outfit before she winds up adding metal to it, but she only has three copies of it. She might even decide to retire the original before all of those are irreparably damaged.
I'll try to keep it in mind for when that happens, but it's going to be a ways off, real-time.

Bending has been fighting and training, almost exclusively. It's a bit difficult to incorporate it into Taylor's life any further without outing her.
That said, bending will happen both of the next two in-story days.

...weird. I usually catch those.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I feel bending can be incorporated into her life very easily. Bending is not just about fighting. It is First, Spiritual in nature, Second, a way of Survival and Creativity, and Last, and most certainly Least, a way to fight.

That was what happened to the fire nation. They lost their spirituality. They went generations of brainwashing in order to drain them of their cultural heritage. Leaving nothing but Agni Kai, honorable, but still, that's their entire culture besides conquering.

The Legend of Korea is almost nothing but fighting, and brutalizations. There is more to bending than fighting, although it plays a role.

You should read Giving Up by Fulcon. That really touches the core of how bending works (in my eyes at least). I can see your following the Legend of Korea in your style of mastery, I can't help that( it's primarily a quest) but training can also mean spiritual training.

Anyway that's my two cents, take it or leave it, you know the drill. I have no control. Just criticism, although that won't stop me from reading ( I read just for fun). :)
 
Last edited:
Robolo42 said:
I feel bending can be incorporated into her life very easily. Bending is not just about fighting. It is First, Spiritual in nature, Second, a way of Survival and Creativity, and Last, and most certainly Least, a way to fight.

That was what happened to the fire nation. They lost their spirituality. They went generations of brainwashing in order to drain them of their cultural heritage. Leaving nothing but Agni Kai, honorable, but still, that's their entire culture besides conquering.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I think you might be conflating culture and spiritualism a bit. They're very difficult to separate sometimes, I have a lot of trouble with it, but I try to back away and pick them apart when I can.
I'm pretty sure I found a lot less spiritualism in the original show than you did. I saw a lot of culture, (and I won't get into institutionalism being a form of culture, instead of unilaterally killing culture, here) but it was hard to pick out the spiritualism as spiritualism rather than honest sensible practice given how the literal spirits were a tangible thing the characters had to worry about. Like the Heibai episode. On the one hand, congregation looking to their spiritual leader for guidance. On the other, actual spirit giving them trouble in ways they can't deal with, where the Avatar maybe can. They were right, it's kind of his job.

The point I'm trying to get to is, Taylor has absolutely zero influence from Avatar-verse culture. She is not an inherently spiritual person. She is very much a Korra, rather than an Aang. I'm trying (and failing) to work spiritualism in gradually, since she's been at this for less than two months and these changes take time without some big religious experience. But then religion and spiritualism are also separate but heavily overlapping things, along with culture.

TL;DR: Shit's complicated. DX
 
Dalxein said:
The point I'm trying to get to is, Taylor has absolutely zero influence from Avatar-verse culture. She is not an inherently spiritual person. She is very much a Korra, rather than an Aang. I'm trying (and failing) to work spiritualism in gradually, since she's been at this for less than two months and these changes take time without some big religious experience. But then religion and spiritualism are also separate but heavily overlapping things, along with culture.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I like this approach in general and I think you are doing a good job of it so far. And I think that it would be ideal if Taylor has to confront this side of herself at one point, perhaps as a repeated "dream goal" exercise from Queen Administrator. Taylor is allowed to be afraid of this spirituality stuff.
"Why have I been acting like this? When are the changes going to stop? Am I going to recognize myself after these urges edge out all the other people and values I care about?!"

I don't know how else these might be reconciled... Aside from meeting a religiou OC who has compatible spiritual beliefs to break down the major concepts for Taylor. And that sounds ham-fisted.
 
nmWarden said:
I like this approach in general and I think you are doing a good job of it so far. And I think that it would be ideal if Taylor has to confront this side of herself at one point, perhaps as a repeated "dream goal" exercise from Queen Administrator. Taylor is allowed to be afraid of this spirituality stuff.
"Why have I been acting like this? When are the changes going to stop? Am I going to recognize myself after these urges edge out all the other people and values I care about?!"

I don't know how else these might be reconciled... Aside from meeting a religiou OC who has compatible spiritual beliefs to break down the major concepts for Taylor. And that sounds ham-fisted.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Or Taylor can run into past Avatars in a dream of after triggering the Avatar State at some point.

"I have met my past lives and Avatar Kyoshi is now my idol. I have learned that literally kicking Nazi's out of my city is not only feasible, but a practical solution to most of my life's problems."
 
Last edited:
Fouredged Sword said:
Or Taylor can run into past Avatars in a dream of after triggering the Avatar State at some point.

"I have met my past lives and Avatar Kyoshi is now my idol. I have learned that kicking Nazi's out of my city is not only feasible, but a practical solution to most of my life's problems."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This reminded me, the second book in the Kiyoshi Novels comes out (as an eBook at least) on July 21st. The first book has been available (as an eBook at least) for a while now, but I'm only seeing it on Amazon.
 
Fouredged Sword said:
Or Taylor can run into past Avatars in a dream of after triggering the Avatar State at some point.

"I have met my past lives and Avatar Kyoshi is now my idol. I have learned that literally kicking Nazi's out of my city is not only feasible, but a practical solution to most of my life's problems."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
That's big talk for the lady the founded the brainwashing secret police.
 
nmWarden said:
I like this approach in general and I think you are doing a good job of it so far. And I think that it would be ideal if Taylor has to confront this side of herself at one point, perhaps as a repeated "dream goal" exercise from Queen Administrator. Taylor is allowed to be afraid of this spirituality stuff.
"Why have I been acting like this? When are the changes going to stop? Am I going to recognize myself after these urges edge out all the other people and values I care about?!"
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
That's something else I've been struggling with adding in. Taylor has been worried about her powers being in her head for a while, she even broke down about it once with Amy. I'm just so bad at writing psychological thrillers that I forget to add in tiny hints of worry, and when the opportunity to add a bigger one comes in I think "no, that'll derail the whole scene and hasn't been set up well. It can stay in the background" until now when it's been background for so long it's hard to slip it back in.

I'm trying, and failing, but trying. Maybe I can work it into an upcoming scene.
More crying girls incoming. Intentional and part of the plan for a while this time, unlike a lot of those scenes.
Fouredged Sword said:
Or Taylor can run into past Avatars in a dream of after triggering the Avatar State at some point.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Taylor isn't going to be running into anyone, mostly because I'm wanting to dodge them being people and QA wanting to preserve them which means Taylor would wind up in contact with all of them and suddenly hundreds of OCs to manage and...
*shudder* ...no? No.
Fouredged Sword said:
I didn't say she was a good person. I merely said she was a proponent of physically kicking things hard enough that they ended up being on a different landmass.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
If I might drop in a different example, I still think Azula is one of the best characters in the show. Absolutely terrible person and I hate her, but she's just so good at being hateable (and a little relatable) that I can't help but think fondly of her as a well-formed tool for her role in the story.
You don't have to be a good person to be a good character. A:TLA is full of good examples of it.
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top