0338: Wild At Heart (Zuko) Chapters 57-64

Wild At Heart (Zuko) 

Title: Wild At Heart (Zuko) 

Author: Lone-wolf-fanfics

Topic: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Genre: Hurt/Comfort (emphasis on hurt)

Critiqued by: Linstar, Mina Overpower

Hey everybody, and welcome back to Wild at Heart. I’m Linstar, and with me is Mina Overpower.

Mina: You told me there were a bunch of other characters named Mina on this site in your badfics. I’m allowed to beat them up, right?

Erm… no?

*Mina pouts.*

Anyway, last time we finished regurgitating the Season Two finale, and Death Kermit and Zuko wandered around in the woods before bumping into a village full of treehugger Sues. 

Mina: Don’t worry, Carlisle told me all about this fic!

Lucky you. Anyway, I’m hoping the author can pull off an original ATLA episode today. Our counters and bingo board are thusly:

Be Original!: 42

Get… to… the… point!: 197

Sentenced. To. Death: 361

Chapter Fifty-Seven

After a week in Tian Tang, 

Mina: Ooh, a Floridian university professor!

Zuko feels more relaxed than ever before. There is just something so isolating here that makes it easy to forget about everything happening beyond the Spirit Tree. 

It’s probably using its Sue powers to control your mind.

Mina: Wait, can I do that? It sounds fun.

He sits on the porch of the hut he and Kali have been sharing. He’d left Kali sleeping and gone to the bathhouse to bath 

As one does.

and then when he came back she’d already left. But she did leave a note. A little scribbled smiley face, she still hasn’t mastered writing, but the face she can do. 

Death Kermit invented emojis.

Mina: Aww! That’s kinda adorable.

I hate it, but that could just be because of my post-traumatic Wattpad disorder. Seriously, stop using those stupid emojis in prose!

He should probably get back to teaching her how to read, now that they have the time. Tian Tang has to have books or scrolls or something they can use. 

I mean, sure, they might.

A young naturebender walks towards Zuko. He’s probably the same age as him but circumstances make him look younger. He waves at Zuko and then points to himself.

“Kenji” He offers. 

Eh, I’ll let it pass. There are far worse OC names out there, and this one would probably be fine as a Fire Nation one.

Mina: I think it’s a good name!

“Alchemilla is my grandmother” Zuko nods, he can guess that from the white lotus on his belt. “A few of us are starting a game of moss ball” 

Mina: Ooh, that sounds like fun!

He offers. “Wanted to know if you wanted to play”

“I was waiting for Kali” Zuko argues. Kenji motions behind him.

“She’s with the planters, they’re planting a new apple orchard across the village” 

Is this orchard below the mega tree? Because I thought that was the boundary of the village.

Kenji counters. Zuko instantly sags. Of course, she would go off and get involved in village life, with her own people.

Mina: And she didn’t bother informing Zuko about this? Rude.

“Oh” He whispers and tenses up immediately.

“So….” Kenji swings his arms at his side. “Moss ball?”

“I guess” Zuko agrees reluctantly, he supposes he should get involved if he is going to be staying here. These people will be his people. He should start getting involved. Getting to know them. For her. To stay with her. Zuko stands to follow Kenji as he walks away, but the naturebender slows to allow Zuko to catch up with him.

“We were always told stories about outsiders” Kenji muses as he and Zuko head across the village. “Especially firebenders” Zuko glances at him. “You probe them all wrong” 

Who is Zuko probing???

Mina: He’s probing… outsiders? Firebenders? Stories? I think it’s probably just a typo for “proving”.

Get… to… the… point!: 198

Sentenced. To. Death: 361

Zuko isn’t sure that that’s true, he and Iroh may have proven that not all firebenders are evil monsters, but he’s not sure about the rest of them, not with Azula around. 

Mina: Azula makes all firebenders be evil? Like, if you were to put her in a room with Jeong Jeong, he would instantly start burning babies alive?

“Is it as bad as they say?” Kenji asks, Zuko frowns. “Is the Fire Nation in control everywhere? Are all the benders gone?” Zuko frowns harder and stops, Kenji turns to him.

“No” Zuko answers. “I’ve met a waterbender, 

Mina: He’s met Katara, and he should definitely know that there are plenty of other waterbenders in the North.

I know there are earthbenders….

There are plenty of earthbenders. The Earth Kingdom is very large.

Get… to… the… point!: 199

and I know the Avatar is out there” Kenji shakes his head.

“There are no more Avatars…..Gran said so”

Mina: Well, you’re gullible.

Get… to… the… point!: 200

“She’s wrong” Zuko stops him. Kenji frowns to himself as he processes that. Zuko has been outside of the Spirit Tree, he has seen the world, and he knows it better than him.

Exactly. Zuko knows the Avatar better than the vast majority of people in this world.

“She said that we have to stay here, behind the tree, because all that was left was fire,” 

Well that sounds apocalyptic.

Kenji tells himself and then hurries off, leaving Zuko standing there alone.

“I guess moss ball is off” 

Whatever that is. Do you need to be a naturebender to play? Are all of these people naturebenders? 

Mina: I want to play moss ball! It sounds fun.

Of course you do.

You know, it occurs to me, the author doesn’t seem to have factored in the fact that non-benders exist in all four Nations and that each nation has a separate name from its associated bendering type. “Fire Nation” and “firebender” are not synonyms. Where are these guys’ non-benders? 

He mumbles to himself and then looks around. He does feel a little bad for bursting that bubble of ignorance that Alchemilla has planted here. But they have to know the truth. They’ve been sheltered here believing that the world ended in fire. But it is out there. And from what he’s seen, it’s ready to fight back. 

This honestly seems like the plot of an actual ATLA episode.

Mina: See? The author can come up with good ideas!

He turns and lets out a breath as he wanders off, going to find something to do with his time.

……

It’s a cherry blossom orchard that Zuko ends up settling in. The pink flowers rain down around him, swaying above in the wind. The sounds from the village reach him from behind. He lets out a breath and closes his eyes, letting the sun warm his face. Alchemilla appears behind Zuko and then approaches.

Suddenly, I should hope.

Mina: Wait, why?

Because suddenly and from behind is how everything must begin.

“I thought I’d find you out here” She comments as she sits at his side.

“Kali is…” He starts.

“With the planters, I know” Alchemilla stops him. “I wished to talk with you”

“You want to talk to me?” She nods. “What about?” She manifests a red flower in her hand 

I think I’ve already made my “manifesting” joke.

Mina: I’m manifesting more good jokes for you.

*Ls rolls his eyes.*

Get… to… the… point!: 201

and Zuko looks at it as she turns it around in her fingers.

“Your place here” Alchemilla answers. Zuko frowns at the flower. “You don’t have one” 

Mina: Well that’s rude!

She squelches the flower in her hand as she stares at Zuko. He swallows a little and lifts his eyes to hers. “There is a reason we have remained safe and protected all these years….

Authorial preference?

Mina: Being overpowered?

Because of the authorial preference.

Get… to… the… point!: 202

we do not allow outsiders in”

Well, aren’t you xenophobic?

“But Kali…”

“She is welcome to stay” 

Mina: What, just because of her skin color? This is racist!

Get… to… the… point!: 203

Alchemilla argues as she stands, turning to look down at Zuko. “But you are not one of us and you are to leave” Zuko shakes his head. He is not going to leave Kali. Not after everything they’ve been through to get here. “You can either leave voluntarily or you can be forced….you have until tomorrow to say your goodbyes” 

Mina: I really dislike this person, and not just because of her silly name.

Get… to… the… point!: 204

She then starts to walk away. Zuko stands to watch her go.

“I won’t go. I won’t leave her” Zuko argues. Alchemilla smirks a little as she looks back over her shoulder.

“I think you will” She counters and then continues to leave. Zuko lets out a shaky breath. He can’t ask Kali to go with him, not when she has only just found this place, these people, her people, and he doesn’t want to leave her either. 

Mina: I mean, you can just ask her? You clearly have been together a long time, and just because these people have the same dumb skin color as her doesn’t mean she is obligated to stay with them. 

Mina, don’t let the fic trick you into thinking what it wants you to think!

Mina: It’s not my fault the author is competent.

He can’t leave her. He won’t do it. And nothing Alchemilla does is going to force him away. He assumes this is because of his conversation with Kenji earlier, he’s done nothing else in their time here to warrant that sort of reaction. If she wanted him gone all along then she would have told him too earlier. He’s being evicted for telling the truth. Again. This is how it started with his father, he spoke out, spoke the truth and was exiled from his home. He’s starting to think that some adults like to lie to live in the world that they built, and they will lie and lie and lie to keep it that way. But the world they have, the world that they created is far from perfect. It’s not working anymore.

Mina: I can absolutely buy this, though I kinda wish he was saying it to one of the assorted animal companions in a rant or something. Then maybe have Kali overhear this?

Yeah, this little subplot has been pretty decent so far.

Sentenced. To. Death: 362

Chapter Fifty-Eight            

Night has fallen in Tian Tang and Zuko sits on the floor of his and Kali’s hut, though he assumes if Alchemilla gets her way it will just be Kali’s. Kali’s sat in front of him eating from a bowl of fruit as he braids her hair back again. 

Oh. Because that was mentioned earlier, and it’s assumed that we still understand it. Yeah, good job, fic, for remembering what was established.

She is blissfully unaware of what went down with Alchemilla. He doesn’t want to tell her; it might shatter what she thinks of this place, but he doesn’t want to keep it from her either. 

Mina: Communicate, please! I absolutely despise it when stories are centered on characters not telling each other stuff that’s important.

He leans forward and kisses the back of her head, lingering there as he closes his eyes and breaths her in.

“What’s wrong?” She asks him when he pulls back from her. He tucks her braid over her shoulder. “Zuko…”

“In the morning” He stops her. She’s had a good day. A nice day. Bonding with her people. He won’t taint it now. 

*Mina’s cries of anguish are quite loud.*

Get… to… the… point!: 205

He can let her have this day as a good memory. And not a day he told her that he’s been threatened by one of her people. That he might be forced to leave her. He can put that off as long as he can.

Mina: I take back anything positive I might have said about this fic.

…..

Later, Zuko sleeps curled around a sleeping Kali. Tian Tang is silent during the night. Not even the animals make noise. Suddenly, the sounds of a messenger hawk crying wakes Zuko. He sits up and lets out a breath, glancing around the hut to find the source. The bird is sitting on the open window. He brushes the blankets from his body and climbs from his bed to move towards it. He takes the scroll from the bird’s holster on its leg. Once freed, the bird flies off again, disappearing through the trees of Tian Tang. 

Wait, who on Earth is sending him messages? And how did the hawk know where to find him? 

Zuko shakes his head and unravels the scroll to reveal its contents.

“You need to know the story of your great-grandfather’s demise” He reads. “It will reveal your own destiny” He closes the scroll, and stares out the window the bird disappeared. There is no signature. No clue as to who could have sent it.

Mina: Wait, so now we’re just regurgitating The Avatar and the Fire Lord, where Iroh sends Zuko a message about learning about his great-grandfather?

“Zuko?” Kali asks as she sits up, brushing the hair from her loosened braid back from her eyes.

“I’m here” He assures her softly but doesn’t move back to bed.

“What’s going on?” He lets out a breath and moves to join her now, sitting cross-legged on the bed next to her. He holds out the scroll to her which she takes and opens up and then squints at the page. He takes it back from her when he realises that she won’t be able to read it.

“You need to know the story of your great-grandfather’s demise” He repeats for her. “It will reveal your own destiny”

“Your great-grandfather?” She asks. “Sozin?”

I mean, yes, that would be one of them, but there are three others, too.

“What do you know of him?” He asks, she shrugs and he sets the scroll down between them.

“I didn’t exactly get a formal education” She reminds him. “But I heard stories over the years…

If you know about Sozin, you should’ve recognized that killing the Earth King would be bad. I think most people would know their current ruler before they know some guy who died decades ago.

Mina: Wait, what?

There was this one really awful line about Kermit not caring if Azula threatened the Earth King. It had really bad implications for her character.

He started the war, right?” Zuko nods. “Started killing naturebenders and airbenders” 

Yeah, because shoehorning your knockoff Avatars into the Air Nomads’ backstory was just so great.

He hums in agreement.

“He waited for a comet, later renamed Sozin’s Comet, and used its power to launch his full-scale invasion of the world” Zuko adds. “He died peacefully in his sleep when he grew old”

Mina: Are you just repeating lines that Azula said in that episode? Hmm, Zuko? Hmm?

“So maybe he didn’t” She whispers touching the scroll.

“Or someone is using this as a way to distract me” He counters, she tilts her head with a frown. “Alchemilla came to me yesterday and told me to leave” He admits. 

Mina:

She sits up a little more now. “Told me that I didn’t belong here with you”

“Why would she say that?” She argues, and he’s never heard her angry before, 

Wait, really? You sure there wasn’t a single point in the rest of the fic where she’s been angry?

but she is very clearly angry now. He looks up at her, surprised by the intensity of her rage. He shrugs and then reaches out to touch her face. To calm her down.

“She’s been lying to all of the naturebenders” He admits. “Told them that the Fire Nation has complete control over the world outside of the Soul Tree….that all the other benders were gone, that the Avatars were gone” 

Mina: To be fair, the Avatar did disappear for a hundred years, and the Fire Nation did just take over Ba Sing Se. To be less fair, they only really control their homeland and some, but not all of the Earth Kingdom, since all three Water Tribes are totally unconquered. 

Soul Tree? I thought it was called the Spirit Tree.

Get… to… the… point!: 206

She frowns and turns her head, trying to work out why she would do that. “I told her grandson the truth” Zuko adds, she softens and turns to him.

“You planted doubt” She realises, and he nods. “She wants you gone because…” She closes her eyes, mentally kicking herself that she didn’t realise earlier. “Because she is in control here, a figurehead, a leader…if they were to find out that she has been lying, they’d leave….she’d just be an old woman….”

Mina: As opposed to the ham sandwich she currently is?

Get… to… the… point!: 210

Zuko nods a little. That makes sense.

Does it? They’ve lived their whole lives here. Just because what’sherface lied to them doesn’t mean they’d all automatically abandon their lives.

She is in complete control here. Their leader. Their ruler.

Mina: Is she, though? I thought that was Adair?

If they knew the truth, what is to stop them from finding a new place in the world, returning to the Earth Kingdom or the Water Tribes, or even the Fire Nation. To reintroduce themselves back into the world. If they left, she wouldn’t be in control of anyone, she would have no power.

But why though? Why wouldn’t she want to exert more power over other places, too?

Kali should have noticed it earlier, that look in Alchemilla’s eyes was one she has seen so many times over the years in her masters, power-hungry, she looked at Kali and didn’t see another survivor, she saw someone else to control.

Mina: …uh, what?

“No” He begs when she starts crying.

“Zuko, I thought that I had finally found….”

“I know” He stops her, clutching at her face. He knows how much finding Tian Tang means to her. To find all of these naturebenders alive and thriving. A chance to find out about her family. “But it’s not real…” If someone is controlling these people into believing a lie, keeping them here through a lie, then they are prisoners, just like she was.

Not really? They can still leave. I think you guys are overexaggerating how evil Alchemy Lady is. I want to see her admit to this before I really hate her.

Get… to… the… point!: 211

This paradise is a lie. And Alchemilla is willing to go to any lengths to keep it.

Mina: How do you know this? Again, establish her evilness by showing us it!

They seem to have just decided that she’s even eviller than she really is. Makes them seem mildly schizopheric.

“Paradise through lies is not paradise”

How meaningful.

He whispers, she nods in his hands. She knows. She looks down at the scroll.

“Do you think Alchemilla gave you this to get you to leave?” She asks, he shrugs.

Mina: That would actually make some sense. She probably can write, and presumably can control animals or something like that. Maybe she found a Fire Nation messenger hawk someday and intentionally sent it to Zuko as a way to convince him to leave.

He doesn’t know. The use of the Fire Nation messenger hawk throws him a little. He doubts Ozai or Azula would have sent it to him.

How would they even know where to send it? The hawk don’t trace people down by smell or something.

“It doesn’t matter” He counters. “I’m not going to leave you here with her” He throws the scroll across the room. It lands on a lantern. The light from the lantern shines through the parchment, and it reveals a secret message on the scroll.

As in canon.

Kali sees it first. She pulls away from Zuko and crosses the room. She takes the scroll and squints at the page. Zuko stands and moves to her side to read it for her. “The Fire Sages keep the secret history in the Dragonbone Catacombs”

“Where is the Dragonbone Catacombs?” She asks. He lets out a breath and looks at her. “In the Fire Nation?” She counters, and he nods.

“The Capital” He answers. She nods and takes a deep breath.

“The Fire Nation isn’t that far from here”

Great, the plot regurgitation is reasserting itself.

“What?” He asks, watching her move around the room to pack up their belongings. She is so willing to just leave and go after this message when they don’t even know if it’s real.

“If we leave now, we can be there in a week” She offers, he shakes his head.

“No” He stops her. She frowns at him. “I can’t risk taking you into the Capital” He argues and touches her arm.

“And you can’t risk going there yourself” She defends.

“I’m not going” He counters, she frowns at him.

Mina: Okay, why are we talking about this then?

We can all agree that there’s no good reason to go, okay?

“Someone wants you to know the truth” She points out. “Alchemilla can’t know about this, can she?” He stops and looks at her. She has a point. The Dragonbone Catacombs are only known to the Sages and the royal family. “What if it’s Iroh?” She asks. “He’s reaching out….trying to guide you…you can’t ignore this”

How did he get the messenger hawk to find you???

Get… to… the… point!: 212

“And I can’t leave you here” He stops her when she moves again. He leans down to press his forehead to hers. He closes his eyes.

“I could leave” She offers, he shakes his head.

“I already told you, taking you into the Fire Nation..”

Mina: Is bad?

Spoiler alert, she goes to the Fire Nation later.

“No” She stops him, pulling back to look at him. “You find out the truth….and I will find the Avatar”

Mina: Wait, why?

He raises an eyebrow at her. “We both know he’s out there…and he’s going to need help. A bunch of children running around trying to save the world…they need an adult”

Mina: Aren’t we patronizing?

Why does she care about saving the world anyway? Earlier, she indicated she only cared about people if she knew them. Shouldn’t frescuing Iroh be her priority?

He laughs a little and smirks at her. She might be a teenager herself, but she does have more life experience behind her.

Mina: She does?

“And he needs to learn naturebending, that’s one of the elements…

No it isn’t!

Get… to… the… point!: 213

I am the only one who will be willing to go out there and do it….” He nods a little. The Avatar and his friends can keep Kali safe. And it’s better than leaving her here with Alchemilla, he doesn’t know what she’ll do to Kali, what she’ll warp her mind with.

You guys are really overreacting.

Get… to… the… point!: 214

He steps away from her and runs his fingers through his hair. He can go home to do this. He can trust her safety to the Avatar. If she can find him. The time between is what is bugging him. Letting her run around on her own. “You know…He’s going to need a firebender” She reminds him, and he turns back to her. “You do whatever you need to do, find Iroh, find the truth, then come find me” He strokes her cheek.

Or you both find Iroh. Maybe do that.

“Okay” He whispers and nods. It is better than her staying here. She goes back to packing. Two packs this time. “I love you too” He admits whilst her back is to him.

Mina: That’s kinda adorable.

She turns back to him and bites her lip.

“Zuko, you turned your back on your family and your home for me…I already knew that”

“I wanted to say it” He lets out a breath. “I need to say it now” He adds and the two of them share a look before he moves, kissing her firmly. If this is going to be the last time they have a moment to themselves in a long while. He wants to make it count. That she thought to let him go because she feels he needs to do this, speaks wonders. She isn’t making the choice for him, she isn’t forcing him to stay or go. He can go with her, right now, and he knows that is a choice he can make. But she is right. He needs to know why this was sent to him, and he needs to know the truth.

Mina: Huh?

Yeah, I’m confused here too.

Get… to… the… point!: 215

Chapter Fifty-Nine          

As the sun begins to rise, 

Alright, that’s it. New counter!

Sunrise Scene Change: 4 (since we’ve had three before this)

Kali is outside of her hut and setting her pack onto the side of the mongoose lizard waiting for her. She only has the heart to take one of them, leaving the other two to remain here. 

Oh. I guess Kali is leaving.

She knows that, despite Alchemilla, the naturebenders will look after them. 

Why would Alchemilla stop them from doing so?

Bing sits on a patch of grass close by with his new friends. 

Mina: Wait, who’s Bing?

Bing is a crappy search engine, but that’s not important right now.

Mina: Is that the Sue’s animal friend or something?

Yes, not that it matters at all, because Search Engine is beyond useless.

The others of his kind all curled up together. 

More random digimon?

He’s torn between staying and leaving with her. 

Bing, never change. Or do anything of note.

Kali lets out a breath and turns to the hut she was using. Zuko has already left. The hour before. They didn’t want to waste any time. And they didn’t want to give Alchemilla her chance at forcing him out. 

So he left anyway? That’s… counterintuitive.

Mina: I’m just glad he fessed up about it.

They’ve said their goodbyes for now. She has to have hope that she will see him again. 

Mina: Is there a reason she wouldn’t? Does she think the alchemist lady is gonna blind her or something?

She has to. She takes a breath and rolls her wrist. Producing a flame. Turns out that she found the rage needed to manifest flames. 

Of course she just instantly gets firebending. Ugh.

Sentenced. To. Death: 363

What Alchemilla said to Zuko, that she tried to control Kali’s life and the people in it, that is her rage. She throws the fireball at the hut and it instantly catches fire. 

What was that for? You were given a free hut, and you just burn it down? Someone else could have used that!

She lets out a breath as she watches it burn before picking up Ran-Ya as he brushes up against her. Alchemilla is with the naturebenders that rush towards the burning hut. Kali stands outside of it, watching it burn. Ran-Ya is still in her arms 

Right, Cat is at least as useless as Search Engine.

and a mongoose lizard waiting behind her.

“Kalini” Alchemilla states, Kali turns to her. “What is the meaning of this?”

Mina: Good question.

Kalini is some kind of Indian fashion brand.

“Zuko told me what you said to him,” Kali tells her. “That you were going to force him to leave because he told Kenji the truth about what’s outside….” The other naturebenders share a look. Kali stands up taller. “Hide behind your Soul Tree 

It’s still just a ripoff of the Banyan-grove tree.

all you want, but there is a whole wide world out there waiting. The Fire Nation is not in control of it all. There are other benders out there, I’ve met them…..the Avatar is out there, I’ve seen him…” Whispers spread now and from the look Alchemilla gives her, Kali knows that Zuko was right about why she wanted him to leave. 

Mina: I like this conflict.

Of course you would.

Get… to… the… point!: 217

Truth. “Zuko will not be punished again for telling the truth…for being honourable” She steps closer to the older naturebender. “Think about controlling my life again, make a choice for me again…I’ll come back and burn the rest of this place to the ground” 

Okay, now that’s too much. Alchemist lady wasn’t forcing you to stay here at all. Stop Vicarious Victimhood’ing this into being a slight against you somehow.

Get… to… the… point!: 219

She threatens Alchemilla before she climbs onto the mongoose lizard and rides away with Ran-Ya. Bing whines from his group before he races after Kali, bouncing up behind her on the lizard mount.

Mina: That’s confusingly phrased.

……

The Soul Tree gives way to the forest that Kali and Zuko were initially dragged into. Kali rides through the trees on the mongoose lizard. She knows she is doing the right thing, but she feels bad for leaving them all back there under Alchemilla’s control. They don’t deserve that. 

Mina: Aside from booting Zuko and telling everyone the Fire Nation won, what has she really done to her people?

When she has done what she has to with the Avatar, 

Mina: Which is… what?

when Zuko finds her, 

Isn’t he waiting just beyond the tree or something?

she will come back here and set them free.

You told them the truth. There’s been no indication that they’re unable to leave.

“Kali!” She stops the mongoose lizard and looks back to find Adair waving for her as he runs towards her. He catches up with her but keeps a respectable distance. “What you said?” He asks. “Is it true?”

“Every word….” She answers. “Alchemilla has been keeping you all locked away here…

Mina: Not really?

Get… to… the… point!: 220

it’s not perfect, the world, and it needs help, but it’s not a lost cause like she said….” He nods a little, seemingly taking in the words before he takes a step closer.

“Zuko is a fine young man, what he did for you….the way he is with you…” Adair closes his eyes. “I will be sending scouting parties to the four corners of the earth” He assures her. 

*Ls and Mina turn to look at each other in confusion.*

Mina: Why would he need to do that?

What does that have to do with anything he just said? Is Zuko lost? We never established that Zuko is lost!

Mina: I know I’m lost.

Get… to… the… point!: 223

“Alchemilla will not hold our opinions any longer…and I will show the others” 

Mina: What on Earth does that mean?

Get… to… the… point!: 224

She smiles softly and nods.

“And Alchemilla?” She asks.

“Will be contained to her hut for now….” He offers. “We do not have a prison and we do not believe in death as a punishment…but she won’t control us. 

Wait, why is she being imprisoned, with the implication that she might deserve the death penalty in another society? Yeah, she lied to everybody about the outside world, but this seems beyond excessive!

Get… to… the… point!: 226

My father has taken over her duties for now, until we elect a new leader” He glances back over his shoulder before returning his attention to Kali. “Will you come back with me?” He asks.

“I can’t” She argues sadly. “I have to find the Avatar…he needs a naturebender….” 

Mina: Once again, no he doesn’t! Aang got along perfectly well without your green butt. How did you even get this idea in the first place? When was this brought up? Why?

Get… to… the… point!: 228

Adair nods and lets out a breath.

“You will be welcome here again, Sister” He offers. “And should you need us…you can call on me”

Get… to… the… point!: 229

“Why are you so quick to trust me over a woman that has led your people for so long?” She asks. 

Because you’re the Sue, and she’s not.

Mina: How did Alzheimer’s or whatever her name is keep them from ever finding any earthbenders who may have wandered into their forest anyway? They clearly send people out beyond the tree to patrol, that’s how they found Kali and Zuko in the first place, I thought. 

I guess no earthbenders have ever wandered into this forest in the last century.

He lets out a breath.

“Because I believe we are family, Kalini” He admits and takes a blue lily from his belt. “I can see it in your face” He adds and holds out the flower. “You remind me so much of my sister that I had to ask my father….he said that my mother had a sister, a nomad….married young, they had a daughter….No one knows what happened to them but…I think that daughter is you” 

Mina: Huh. Not the answer I was expecting.

What were you expecting?

Mina: I thought he was going to compliment her for being honest or something.

Get… to… the… point!: 233

Kali lets out a breath and slides from the lizard. “I wasn’t sure at first, but you look so much like Fida…I think we are cousins” he moves closer to her and pins the lily to her belt. “I don’t know what your father’s flower was, but…you can wear mine until….” He shrugs. “There are archives here, family histories, I will do some research…”

“But I look too much like your sister for you to think that we are not related?” She asks, he hums and nods.

Mina: Huh?

Get… to… the… point!: 235

“She has slightly more orange hair and a scar here” He touches his own face under his jaw. “She tripped and fell into a stream when she was little…

Streams being well known for causing scars.

Mina: Well, they do have rocks that could cut you, I would think.

Get… to… the… point!: 236

but yes.” He gives her a soft smile. “You should meet her when you come back” She smiles and nods. 

“I will” She assures him warmly. The two of them share a look and he takes a deep breath before heading back towards the entrance of Tian Tang where an older naturebender is waiting for him. A male with very close features. Adair’s father. He lets out a breath and turns to his son.

“You didn’t tell her all of it” He accuses.

Wait, which one accused whom? Antecedents, please.

Sentenced. To. Death: 364

“She has things to do” Adair argues as they both watch Kali ride away. “She will be okay” He assures his father. “And she will be back”

Is that a threat?

Chapter Sixty           

A/N – I am giving Zuko a hart mount, because each nation has it’s own animals, I thought to give Tian Tang their own too, they have other Bings and I would say different birds and other mammals and stuff and I personally loved the hart mounts in Dragon Age. 

Mina: Holy run-on sentence, Batman!

Just give him it, you don’t need to give us this inane, rambly justification.

It also appeals to Zuko’s morality and personal growth as they are strong, powerful, sturdy and reliable mounts.

Mina: We get it, you like deer.

And the dragon age description of the Red Hart from the game kind of feels like it would fit Zuko (Red Harts are sure-footed and calm animals (perhaps not so much the calm thing for Zuko lol). 

(Goddess of Parentheses does not recognize your misuse of her subjects.)

They are described as majestic creatures with regal bearing. Red Harts are very rare; spotting one in the wilderness is considered a sign of good luck. Hunting them for sport is seen as foolishness. It’s said that only one person can become a Red Hart’s rider, as the animal will bond with the individual, becoming attuned to its rider’s presence)                  

I know literally nothing about Dragon Age, but to the tag list it goes.

Mina: Why does the fic think we’ll care about this?

I do not know.

…..

On his own, Zuko does travel faster than he would have with Kali, as much as he hates to admit that. 

Sues do slow one down, I’m sure.

He has only himself to think about and worry about and he can push himself further than he would push Kali. 

Mina: Why did you randomly abandon her again?

He has a mount, but not one of the mongoose lizards that he and Kali had. Instead, he has something Kali called a hart. 

It looks like this, apparently:

It must be a naturebender animal because he’s never seen it before. But it is sturdy and strong and comfortable. It’s bigger than most other mount animals too. Kali said that it chose him. He doesn’t know what that means 

It’s just a copy of something from a video game the author likes.

but that something chose to come with him from Tian Tang means a lot. That an animal as regal looking as this wanted to join him. 

*Ls rolls his eyes.*

To help him. The hart makes a noise and Zuko frowns as he looks at the head of the animal. It sounds rather impatient actually.

Mina: It’s not the only one. This is boring.

Sentenced. To. Death: 365

“What?” He asks it, the hart makes another noise and tugs its head forward, pulling on the reigns and then kicks at the ground. Zuko raises an eyebrow, thinking he has it figured out, whilst he can’t understand them like Kali can, he can read the intent in the tugging and kicking. 

“You want to go faster?” He asks, the hart makes a noise and nods. Zuko adjusts his hold on the reigns 

*Ls and Mina both facepalm.*

Not the right homophone.

and lets out a breath. He nods and then smiles. Faster means getting this down faster. 

Does Zuko have to swallow something for some reason?

Mina: I… think that’s supposed to be “done”, which makes a little more sense.

Faster means returning to Kali faster. 

Mina: Even though she’s taking off too.

He is all for that. The hart seems to sense its desire to run and takes off at a gallop, letting out a bellowing echoing cry. Whilst in the Earth Kingdom he will have to use the mount, but he knows he is going to have to worry about crossing the sea with the hart, he’s going to need to find a ship.

Mina: Um, what? The thing is clearly a land animal. Of course you’d need a ship if you were to cross the ocean.

…….

The sun is just starting to set 

I’ll not add to the counter for that, but I’ve got my eye on you, sunset.

when Zuko reaches the western edge of the Earth kingdom. He lets out a breath as the hart stops, staring out over the sea beyond. There is a dock a little further down the road with some fishing vessels. Zuko closes his eyes because he knows he is going to have to steal one of them. He’ll return it if he can, but he still has to steal it. 

Mina: Again, why? Did we miss a chapter where Zuko explained why he decided to wander off?

He snorts at himself. Before Ba Sing Se he was more than willing to steal as the Blue Spirit, but now he’s feeling bad for having to do it. The effect that Iroh and Kali have had on him. 

Mina: I guess that’s fair, though I think that would be more something Iroh would care about than Kali.

The hart turns its head to look at him before it seemingly nods in reassurance. Zuko reaches forward and rubs its neck.

“Okay” He whispers and nods. “Let’s go home” The hart makes an argumentative noise. “Fine” Zuko argues. “Take me home” The hart makes a more content noise. Clearly arguing that the Fire Nation is not its home. 

I thought you were telling it to go back to Florida Professor.

Zuko lets out an amused snort. He’s starting to talk to animals like Kali does only he doesn’t have the benefit of knowing exactly what they are saying. 

Mina: Animals can still understand tone. They’re pretty smart!

The hart snaps at the reigns 

*Ls groans.*

and then pulls itself around to start down the road again. Impatient or eager to get going.

……….

*Mina lugs up a Brick o’Text onto the riffing desk.*

Mina: Whew, that’s heavy.

On the stolen fishing vessel, the hart lays down, tucking its legs under itself on the deck of the boat. It takes up a lot of space given its size but with only Zuko to worry about it’s not that much of an issue, he can move around the animal easily enough. Zuko sets his bag on the deck next to the animal before he sits and leans back against the animal’s chest. He’s set the boat straight and it can just sail on through until they reach the islands. 

As long as the winds don’t change at all.

It will be a few hours at least. He can take a moment to rest. He pulls the pack closer to dig around in it. There is food, clothing, and the scroll. 

He takes an apple from the pack and then holds it out to the hart who turns its head, careful of its antlers, to take it from him. He worries about Kali being out there on her own. He knows she can do it, she has before, but that was different, that was within the walls of a city, this is her going off on her own in the wild. 

Oh, shut up. We don’t need any more of this pretentious angst.

He knows she is different now from when they met. The shy and reserved and scared girl has grown into a confident, powerful, and determined young woman. She’s growing into a formidable naturebender and warrior. 

Blergh.

But retaining her loving and compassionate nature. He snorts. She’s turning into nature really. 

Strong, powerful, and resilient but soft, tender, and caring. 

Stop shilling the Sue. If she does things to indicate those qualities, I’ll agree that she is them. Just telling me she is doesn’t make me like her, it just makes me annoyed.

Sentenced. To. Death: 366

He lets out a breath. He really hopes that she is okay out there. That she made it out of Tian Tang without incident. 

Mina: Why would she not be able to leave Florida Professor behind?

Sentenced. To. Death: 367

The hart uses its antler to nudge Zuko, he looks at the animal to see what it wants but it is staring at his pack, it’s pretty clear what it wants. Zuko takes another apple out and holds it out to the animal.

…..

The docks to the Captial 

Mina: Autocorrect exists. Use it! 

Or a proofreader.

Mina: And/or a proofreader.

are surprisingly empty when Zuko’s stolen fishing vessel docks. He expected some guards, maybe some soldiers. But there aren’t even that many Fire Nation military vessels docked, one in fact. 

Wow, ain’t that convenient for you there?

At the far end of the docks, it’s why Zuko came in the other end. He climbs off the vessel and pulls the hart’s reigns along behind him. He doesn’t want to leave it on the boat just in case something happens to it but he knows he can’t take it with him into the city. 

Quite the quandary, eh?

Mina: Great, you’re Canadian.

I swear, I’m not–

Mina: You’re Canadian to me.

Gah.

It stands out too much. He moves to a stake of crates at the end of the dock. It will be a good place for the hart to tuck itself away from the threats. He leads the hart around to the back of the crates and motions with his hands.

“You have to stay here,” He tells the hart who whines and steps closer to him. He can’t be worrying about keeping the hart hidden from view whilst he infiltrates the Catacombs. 

And how will he keep this hart out of sight?

The hart is too big to be stealthy. He pushes at the hart to get it back into the cover on the docks. It can hide behind the crates and things until Zuko comes back for it. He hopes. If he’s caught, he has no idea what will happen to him. The hart lays down, tucked away and Zuko lets out a breath. He places his hand on the hart’s forehead and closes his eyes, as does the hart. This hart is a connection to Kali. The only one he has right now. 

*Ls rolls his eyes.*

Sentenced. To. Death: 368

“I will be back” He promises and then lifts his cloak hood before walking away.

Chapter Sixty-One

The High temple rises through the sky of the Capital, 

You spelled it right this time!

Anyway, Zuko enters the temple, finds a scroll, and reads it. It’s not very helpful. *SNIP!*

Be Original!: 43

………

In the Fire Nation prison where Iroh is imprisoned, 

Mina: Not to be confused with the Fire Nation bouncy house where Iroh is imprisoned.

Zuko bursts through the door, slamming it back against the wall. It didn’t take him long to figure out that he would be here actually. Once he thought about it. It was here or the Boiling Rock, and he assumed that Ozai would want his brother close, just to keep an eye on him.

Mina: Or the author just saw the episode and you know he’s in Capital City Prison because of that.

Anyway, Iroh sent the letter, Roku is Zuko’s ancestor too, Iroh gives Zuko a crown thingy. *SNIP!*

Be Original!: 44

Sentenced. To. Death: 369

Iroh stands quietly, looking at his nephew. “Why did you come back?” Iroh asks, Zuko look back at him.

“Because you sent that scroll…” Zuko answers. “Kali, she thought I needed to see it through” He admits. Iroh softens a little.

“Is she…?” Zuko shakes his head

“No, we’re not….She’s not here” He lets out a breath. “She has gone on ahead without me”

“But you are still…?” Zuko lets out a small laugh and nods.

Mina: Fic, please stop it with your confusing dialogue attribution. It’s giving me a headache. And I hate headaches!

Get… to… the… point!: 238

“Yes, we are still…together” He assures his uncle who smiles and relaxes a little. 

Thank goodness we resolved that detail, rather than breaking Iroh out of his cell.

Get… to… the… point!: 239

He is glad that after everything they went through Zuko still gets a somewhat happy ending. He is with Kali. That’s enough for now. 

Mina: Why is this so relevant? Aagh!

“I will join her eventually” He adds. He knows he is going to go back to her, he’s just not sure when yet or how easy it is going to be to find her again. They parted for the right reasons, 

Not that the audience was shown those reasons.

but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss her or worry about her.

……

Somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, Kali sleeps in an abandoned and burnt building, though the interior is much greener. Soft grass beneath her keeps her from sleeping on broken wood flooring and there is a large leaf wrapped around her to keep her warm and covered, she misses the heat that Zuko radiates. Ran-Ya and Bing are curled up against her back.

That paragraph added so much.

Chapter Sixty-Two

Hiding in her regular human skin, 

Mina: Are we sure she isn’t a lizard person?

Pretty sure she is one.

Kali moves through the Fire Fountain City. 

Through… where?

*googlefu*

Oh, it’s that city in The Runaway where the Gaang scams people. Good on you for finding out its name, author. Have a redemption cookie.

Mina: I’ll take one too. They’re just so… not bad.

Turns out that she and Zuko ended up going in the same direction, though she went the long way around, following stories of the Avatar, though they were rather hard to come by past Ba Sing Se, most reports say he’s dead. 

Mina: What reports? Is she teaching a class on how to spy for her and these are her reports?

What a weird hypothetical.

Which she knows isn’t true. She relied on nature for the rest. 

Of course she did.

Following whispers through trees and leaves. But she knows that here, she has to hide what she is. It’s exhausting but it is better than ending up in the Fire Nation’s hands. She sighs and stops to look up at a statue in the centre of the city. It’s of Fire Lord Ozai, roaring with flames coming from his fists and out of his mouth. She pulls a face and shakes her head. That is rather ridiculous. 

It’s also what the city was named for.

Bing pulls a face from where he sits on Ran-Ya’s back. Neither one impressed either. She doesn’t like that there isn’t very much in the way of nature here. She can feel fruit and vegetables 

So she just can sense random apples lying around? Weird.

and the odd planted pot, 

Mina: Planted pot. 

I didn’t realize they grew uneven marijuana here.

but that’s it. It seems Sozin really went out of his way to void his land from plant life.

Mina: Not really. There are forests and such in the Fire Nation, and besides, they need to grow crops to live anyway.

“Hey!” Kali turns around to find Aang and Sokka rushing towards her. 

Stay away from the canon characters! Please, no regurgitation!

She raises an eyebrow. Seems the Avatar has found her. “Do you know where everyone is?” Sokka asks her. Aang narrows his eyes slightly at her. She’s out of place here. Her clothing is all-natural.

She better not try to sell it to me based on that. “All-natural” is just a meaningless marketing phrase.

“Do I know you?” Aang asks as he looks up at her, staring into her green eyes.

“What?” Sokka counters turning to Aang. “I think we’d remember seeing her before” 

Her Speshulness is just overwhelming.

Sokka points out and then turns to Kali who tilts her head. “Wait…” Sokka stops and narrows his eyes. “Do we know you?” An assassin is walking across a rooftop behind them. Aang hears him inhaling and becomes shocked when he turns and sees him. Kali follows his eyes.

“Watch out!” She pushes them both aside and stands in front of them, holding out her hands. A shield of tightly woven vines and leaves erupts in front of her. With her focusing on her bending, her skin shifts back to green.

Mina: That’s a weakness, I guess?

Get… to… the… point!: 235

“We do know her!” 

Her facial structure wasn’t familiar enough for you to recognize her? I think I would still recognize my friends even if their faces turned green.

Aang points out and then his eyes widen as the blast from the assassin hits the shield. Exploding and sending Kali flying back from the spot she was standing and away from Aang and Sokka. Kali hits the ground and groans. That was a hard hit for a firebender. 

Mina: Well, that’s condescending. You probably haven’t seen someone like Iroh or Jeong Jeong or Ozai in action, then.

*SNIP!* some regurgitated dialogue.

Be Original!: 45

Sokka states dryly and Kali lets out a breath, and touches her side. Bruised, definitely. “Are you here with Zuko?” Sokka asks her, Kali shakes her head.

“No, it’s just me” She assures them. “Who is this guy?” The assassin jumps down from the roof and fires another blast at them. They barely dodge it but are sent flying back by the blast. Kali grabs the earth beneath her to stop her from sliding back. Aang and Sokka go flying past her whilst screaming. Kali gasps a little with what she feels. There is wood close by. 

Mina: How is that helpful? Dry wood is the one substance nobody can bend.

Sentenced. To. Death: 370

She closes her eyes and focuses on it. Flashes flicker through her mind. She lifts her eyes, determined. She clenches her fist and then yanks as Sokka pulls her along. Nothing seems to happen on the surface but in a building close by, she shatters the wooden slats of the cell that is holding Katara and Toph, allowing them to escape. 

Oh, come on! Katara got herself and Toph out of that cell fair and square. Stop stealing canon characters’ achievements!

Mina: How did she know they were in there? Actually, how did she bend the wood without being able to directly see it?

The assassin fires a blast at them which they dodge but still get sent flying. Sokka crashes onto a wheelbarrow, which they hide behind.

More regurgitated dialogue, and some fight scene. *SNIP!*

Be Original!: 46

With the assassin distracted, Kali grows a vine whip and sends it out with a crack. The top of the whip hits him square in his third eye, which momentarily stuns and angers him. He tries to fire another blast, but with his chi is blocked, he ignites the air around him and gets sent back, head-first into a wall. 

Toph’s rock did that in canon. Stop stealing others’ actions!

The assassin’s name is Combustion Man now. *SNIP!*

Be Original!: 47

…….

Appa flies through the air with his saddle full. Ran-Ya is enjoying the breeze with Bing whose tongue lulls out the side of his mouth. Kali watches them warmly but has attached herself to the saddle through vines. She is not sure that she likes flying. To be so far away from nature. She is not alone though, Toph was grateful for the vines that have her safely attached to the saddle. 

Because of course they all just instantly accept you.

Mina: Toph doesn’t need your stupid vines.

Sentenced. To. Death: 371

I like how we just skipped any of the conflict of her joining up with them. She’s just been shoved in awkwardly.

Appa starts to lower himself towards the ground and Kali lets out a relieved breath, turning to look over the edge, 

You know, cut yourself on all that edge if you want to.

to watch the ground get closer and closer until Appa lands with a soft thud. The vines around Toph and Kali retreat, slithering away to nothing. 

Because that’s how that works.

Sokka sits up and stretches with a long yawn.

“Well, I’m exhausted. Hawky, how about you, buddy?” Sokka looks at his new messenger hawk who makes a bird call. Kali chuckles a little. “Yeah. You’re such a lazy little bird” Sokka comments, though that actually has nothing to do with what the bird actually said about him.

Mina: What the bird said–Kali, are you getting mad at Sokka for not having your Sue powers?

Aang, Kali, and Sokka get off Appa. Katara is about to dismount Appa but is stopped by Toph. On the ground, Aang turns to Kali.

“Thank you for helping, Kali” Aang offers warmly, she smiles at him and nods. “But…what were you doing there?”

“Actually, I was looking for you” 

Ominous!

Get… to… the… point!: 240

She admits and shrugs a little, curling an arm around herself. “After Ba Sing Se, Zuko and I fled, and kept on going, until…” She lets out a breath.

“He left you” Sokka finishes, and she shakes her head.

“No, he’s going to come back and find me” 

He randomly ran away from Florida Professor because of a message that somehow got to him, and you decided to chase after the Avatar instead. How would either of you find the other at this point?

Get… to… the… point!: 241

She argues but neither Sokka nor Aang believe her. Thinking that she is delusional. 

Mina: I don’t blame them.

“Things just changed, we both needed to take our own paths for a while, and mine led me here, to you” She looks at Aang. “I’m sure you’ve thought about it” She points out. “About naturebending” Aang nods.

“I had. But…it’s not like there was anyone else to teach me” He whispers. Kali smiles a little, knowing that that is no longer true, but she doubts that Alchemilla would have helped Aang even if he had found Tian Tang. 

Mina: So Aang needs to be taught naturebending specifically, even though it’s just the plantbending part of waterbending combined with the rest of the Avatar’s powers (and the ability to talk to animals)?

For the third time, this is stupid.

Get… to… the… point!: 242

“And with Zuko, I didn’t think you would”

“I am here now” She assures him, stepping closer. “And I will teach you if you want me to” 

Considering how you learned firebending by getting angry once, I’m sure you’ll be a great teacher.

Aang nods overenthusiastically. Nature was one that he was looking forward to the most. 

Mina: Stop that.

They find a balance between life and the world and the elements that could help him. To find a balance between each element that will make him stronger. They are the peace that he is supposed to inspire and provide. They are the key. 

Laaaaame.

Sentenced. To. Death: 372

Aang then sighs and slaps his forehead.

“We have no supplies” Aang complains, they had to leave them all behind with the hast of their escape.

Mina: I’m not sure who hast their escape, but I’m pretty sure I could use one from this slog.

“That’s not a problem” Kali counters and closes her eyes before she holds out her hands, turning them slightly and lifting them up. From the ground, woven tents start to form. A campfire forms in the centre, along with piles of food. 

Now her power is to flat-out summon whatever she could possibly need.

Sokka smirks and looks at Kali who lowers her arms and slumps a little, touching her side. His smile vanishes.

“Are you okay?” She hums and nods. The whole day has taken it out of her and she shouldn’t have used that much bending to create the camp. 

Mina: I’m pretty sure she wandered in from the wrong magic system, because that’s not how bending works.

They would have been fine with something smaller, but she just got here, and she needs to show that she is worth having around.

Spoiler: She isn’t.

Chapter Sixty-Three       

The sun is high in the sky, 

Not quite a sunrise.

Mina: Why is it that the only descriptions we seem to get of this Void is its weather?

clouds rolling in, threatening to storm, as Kali hums to herself as she stands in the centre of the camp she made. She is not happy with it. It’s too basic for her to try to make friends. 

She should be showing off. She should be showing just what she can do for them. She has to prove her worth to them so they let her stay with them. She knows she has her bending. She knows that Aang needs her to teach him the naturebending but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how they feel about Zuko. To her, Zuko is not the villain. He has never been the villain, not to her. 

*Non-villainous alarms blare.*

*The non-villainous DRD un-villainously breaks into the riffing room, valiantly giving Ls his valiant paperwork. To them, they leave, leaving to them.*

Mina: You know, spoons are the ultimate utensil. Sure, people use forks and knives and chopsticks and stuff, but you only need a knife if the food hasn’t been cut yet. Otherwise, you can use a spoon to eat basically anything.

And what does this have to do with the fic?

Mina: I dunno, it was boring so I tuned it out.

She has only seen the best of him. But Katara, Sokka and Aang have only seen the worst. Kali takes a deep breath and uses her naturebending to adjust the camp. She’s mostly alone. Katara, Aang and Sokka have gone off to find a nearby river leaving Kali with Toph. She doesn’t mind the girl, but Kali’s not exactly found it easy to connect with them.

“I know you prefer earth” 

She’s an earthbender, so obviously.

Kali offers as she turns to Toph. “But with the storm brewing…”

“I do prefer earth” Toph argues and digs her toes into the grass beneath her toes. It’s not earth, but there is something about the grass and plant life that Kali makes. It’s like a bridge between the earth beneath and Toph’s toes, it doesn’t halt her connection like usual grass does. It’s not a wall like most grass is. Kali’s made nature is like a warm blanket instead of a wall. It softens but doesn’t completely block her link to the earth. 

Death Kermit has Speshul grass. 

…is that marijuana too?

Get… to… the… point!: 243

“But I like this. It’s different to…natural grass” 

Mina: As opposed to all the artificial grass that exists in this setting that doesn’t have any form of plastic.

Get… to… the… point!: 244

Toph tilts her head as she wiggles her toes into the grass. It’s hard to completely describe the difference between real and Kali-made grass and nature, but there is a quality that Toph can feel that sets them apart. 

It’s called Speshulness.

No one else can probably tell. But she can. “I can still feel through it….

Get… to… the… point!: 245

like it’s all connected”

“Well, it is” Kali defends. “That’s what naturebending is…it’s about the connection between all things” 

This is like the “element of green” from the Lego Ninjago movie, but even lamer.

Get… to… the… point!: 246

She motions with her hands. “It’s feeling that link between everything around you, embracing it and then manipulating it” 

Note the wording.

Toph hums a little, wiggling her toes in the grass. It’s very clear that Kali’s nature is connected to everything around them. Like threads of energy interlocking everything she creates. 

Mina: What’s your favorite color, anyway?

Turquoise.

Mina: I prefer magenta.

Of course you do.

Sentenced. To. Death: 373

Kali goes back to concentrating on their camp, on making it nice for them all. They might have to run around watching out for the Fire Nation, whilst trying to help Aang learn to control all the elements, but that doesn’t mean they have to be uncomfortable.

“It’s beautiful” 

Toph offers, Kali looks back at her, seeing the girl knelt with her fingers dug into the grass, seeing the world around her. Kali moves closer to the girl as she stands. Kali finds it impressive actually. Toph has over come what others would see as a weakness and turned it into her most powerful tool she has with her earthbending. In the last few days, she has seen it give Toph an edge that Kali hasn’t seen in other earthbenders. She might just be the most powerful earthbender that Kali has come across.

Don’t cut yourself on all that praise for Toph!

“Do you know much about naturebenders?” Kali asks her, Toph shakes her head.

Mina: Not really, but Linstar keeps telling me they’re bad.

Because the very concept is absurd!

“Rumors” Toph admits with a shrug. “Everyone thought your kind were all gone”

“Not all of us” Kali agrees, Toph turns her head to her wearing a smirk.

Ahh! Smirks as clothing!

“That’s truer than Aang believes” Toph points out, Kali nods in agreement. But she believed that just as much as everyone else does, she thought she was the last of her kind for her entire life. Whist it wasn’t like she would have imagined, being reunited with them, they are out there and she knows that now.

You didn’t imagine a card game?

She knows that she is not the last naturebender.

“Only recently found that out myself” Kali offers. Toph nods. Seemingly understanding that Kali isn’t here to lie to them. Everything she’s said to them has been the utter truth. Even the Zuko stuff. Toph doesn’t have the bad connection to him as the other do. Only the stories. And whilst they believed the stories they told her about him, so does Kali. It’s all a matter of prospective. 

A matter of “likely”? Fic, get a proofreader! Please!

Sentenced. To. Death: 375

Kali believes everything she has said about the good Zuko, but Sokka, Aang, and Katara believe all the bad they’ve told her. Kali has seen the good Zuko. The one that took care of her, has been kind to her, taught her to read, and got impatient when he couldn’t learn how to gut a fish fast enough, the Zuko that loves her. If they had seen that side of him, then they might change their mind. Kali knows that right now, as things stand, when Zuko comes back for her, then they are not going to let him stay and help too. They are going to turn on him. She lets out a breath as she ponders that. The Avatar needs a firebending tutor, and Zuko would be the perfect person to teach him, he’s such a powerful bender, but they are more likely to chase him off then accept that help.

Mina: What’s your favorite room in the Asylum?

Is this just an interview now?

Mina: Yes. Now favorite room?

I guess the Brain Bleach Jacuzzi.

Mina: Ooh, I haven’t been to that one yet. I’ll check it out once the riff is over.

“It looks great, Kali” Aang assures her, she hums and looks at him, surprised that he’s now at her side. She must have let her mind wander enough to ignore everything going on around her. So much so that Aang, Sokka, and Katara have returned. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine” Kali assures him, smiling softly. “Did you get everything you needed?” She asks, glancing at Katara for the real answer. She’s quickly learnt that despite Sokka being the oldest, it is Katara that is best at shopping for supplies. 

Even though there has been precisely zero shopping in this fic so far? You just magicked up everyone a bunch of food.

Sokka and Aang both get distracted easily.

This is true. 

Katara nods as Aang shrugs, pulling a face. 

Oww! That’s my face, weirdo!

Proving Kali’s thought there.

Mina: What?

Sentenced. To. Death: 376

“If not we can go again tomorrow” Aang defends and swings his arms. “You redecorated” 

Mina: Is it okay if Brian and I have a lightsaber fight?

Yeah, go ahead. I know he has one around here somewhere; I think he keeps it near the doughnut dispenser.

He points out, looking around, Kali hums and nods.

“Just some flourishes really” She offers as Bing swings up onto her back.

“A swing!!” Sokka yells, running towards the vine swing that Kali had grown, she had no thought behind that one, just that it might be relaxing to leisurely swing a bit. 

That sounds suspiciously like a thought.

Sokka has other speeds in mind as he climbs onto the swing and immediately pushes himself into a fastpaced rock. Katara lets out an embarrassed sigh but Kali doesn’t mind. It’s what she did this for. For it to be comfortable for them. Plus she kind of thinks that they forget that they are just children. And they should be allowed to have moments where they can be just children. 

I’m not opposed to this sentiment.

Sentenced. To. Death: 377

Aang runs towards Sokka and the swing, already claiming that it will be his go next.

Chapter Sixty-Four

A few days after the storm rolled in, and two different camps later, Kali serves food into bowls for the rest of the group who are gathered around a fire. It’s one thing that Kali has seen with them, is that they are children and they cannot look after themselves very well. Katara tries her best, but she is still so young. None of them has come out prepared for life on the road. 

They’ve been doing this for much longer than you, Kermit. Perhaps go stick your patronizingness somewhere else, mkay?

She’s surprised they’ve managed to survive this long considering they haven’t been eating properly. They’ve been picking up snacks and nuts and berries when they can, not real food. 

They also get food from other people in places where they’ve been; they have money. You literally arrived at the tail end of an episode in which they scammed even more people out of money to buy all sorts of things. And I thought Katara had been doing shopping?

Besides, aren’t you the one giving them berries and nuts anyway?

They need an adult watching over them, and seen as Kali is the oldest one here, she supposes it falls to her now. 

Stop stealing Katara’s motherly role!

Mina: Hah! I have the high ground!

Hey, try not to damage any of those potato cannons. 

Kali hands out the bowls to each of them, making sure that they are all set for their dinner, right down to some bread rolls to go with it.

“Real food” Sokka comments as he takes a deep breath in through his nose. For them, it’s been so long since someone cooked them something real. Not just snacks or berries or nuts. But a real stew with chunks of meat in it, or vegetables for Aang. 

They! Eat! Real! Food! Stop infantilizing them, you wilted stalk of celery!

“We should have found you first” He points out and Kali gives him a look. “You’re useful to have around” 

Definitely what one wants to be appreciated for; sheer utility.

Kali smiles slightly as she passes out a bowl to Toph, making sure the young girl has her hands firmly around it before she releases it.

Because Toph can’t hold a bowl on her own???

“We don’t know much about your past” Aang points out as he rests his bowl on his knees watching Kali softly. “Or your family….”

“Zuko and Iroh are my family” Kali offers as she sits down in front of the fire with her own bowl. Sokka and Katara share a look. Neither of them can really comprehend the Fire-Nation 

There is no hyphen! Why would you add one?

Get… to… the… point!: 247

as anything other than the enemy, especially with Zuko and everything he did to them and the nation as a whole took their mother away from them.

“What about your real family?” Sokka asks turning back to Kali. She tilts her head.

“They are my real family” Kali argues firmly. Iroh and Zuko are her real family. The only family that she has, the only family she has known, the only family that matters to her.

Yes, but biologically–

*ducks a potato that is thrown his direction by Brian*

–you still have to have had a father and a mother.

“Your birth family” 

Yes, that.

Katara tries to be more diplomatic about it. But neither of them will ever see Zuko and Iroh, or anyone in the Fire Nation the way that she does. Kali shrugs a little.

“Dead” She answers. “When I was little” She adds. “I was found by a slaver” Katara closes her eyes and lets out a soft breath. None of them needs her to elaborate on the sort of life that gave her. Slaver gives them everything. 

Even though it was never a thing in the original show.

“I passed through a number of them until Zuko and his uncle saved me” She admits. “They took care of me until I could take care of myself” She stirs at her bowl with a soft smile. “They love me” Aang lets out a soft breath and smiles.

“It’s really great that you had them” Aang seems to be willing to see her side of things. He is willing to give second chances, and more. He believes in redemption and change. If Kali can convince any of them to give Zuko a chance, it is going to be Aang. His kind and compassionate nature will push him to try.

Zuko’s not even here, why are we angsting about him?

Mina: OhmygoshBrianIdidn’tmeantocutoffyourarm!

It’ll regenerate. Now get down from there!

“You must miss them” Aang offers softly. “You must miss Zuko” Sokka pulls a face and scrunches up his nose. Kali ignores it though.

Oh, and the next bit is a brick.

“I do” She agrees. “But this is where I am meant to be” She lets out a breath. “We will find one another when we are meant to” 

“Which is when the author wants us to.”

She smiles down at her food. She does believe that. She knows, deep down knows, that she will see Zuko again. She has to believe that. Because if she even considers never seeing him again, she’s not sure what she’ll do but she doesn’t think it will be hopeful. Zuko and Iroh are family to her. They are all she has. The most important people in her life. Zuko is a very important part of her life. Someone that she deeply treasures, so she has to believe she will see him again. 

*Mina stabs her lightsaber into the floor and sits down next to Ls.*

Mina: Did anything happen?

She infantilized the Gaang and brought up Zuko every three paragraphs. It wasn’t really interesting.

Mina: I kinda figured. 

Sentenced. To. Death: 378

Aang admires her already. 

Of course he does.

She could have become cold and cynical and hateful living the life of a slave, and instead, she is kind and compassionate and brave and deeply loving. 

Is she those things? 

Mina: I’d be more inclined to believe her if she wasn’t the one thinking this.

She turned all that bad shoved at her and put out good instead. Aang actually sees a little of the Air Nomads in her but she is also the very embodiment of the naturebenders and she wasn’t even raised by them. 

The naturebenders are just ripoff Air Nomads anyway!

It’s so ingrained in her. So powerful in her. 

It would be very hard for someone to hate her 

Mina: I dunno, Linstar seems perfectly capable of it. He’s foaming at the mouth right now.

and he can see how she softened Zuko. Her bright and brilliant and warm soul tempered him, so it is no surprise that she has seen a different side to him. A side that only someone like her could bring out in him. He’s on her side when Zuko appears because he is starting to believe that Zuko would never let her go without a fight. And that means he’s changed. It’s not about him anymore, it’s about her. He’s thinking about someone else and putting them first. That’s an important change and that matters to Aang.

ZUKO GOOD BECAUSE DEATH KERMIT WE GET IT.

A/N -I KNOW IT’S A LITTLE SHORTER, BUT THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL PICK UP WITH THE EPISODES, I JUST WANTED TO DO SOME CHAPTERS WITH KALI BONDING WITH THE OTHERS.

STOP SHOUTING AT ME!

Mina: You were shouting first. 

I KNOW!

Mina: I think I’ll go check out that jacuzzi now.

Go ahead! I can’t stomach any more of this dreck, so we’re done! Gah. 

Overall, this was… annoying. While the original plot seemed promising, it slowly deteriorated into mush with several confusing plot points. It really seemed like it was ended prematurely, like the author got scared of originality and decided to flee back to the canon plot. Then we got more regurgitation, infantilization, and insufferable inner dialogue bloviating about how great Kermit is. The original plot had a degree of promise, and with some editing, it could be very good. Anyway, that’s it for now. I have maybe two more of these left before we finish the fic. The board is unchanged, and the counters are thusly:

Be Original!: 47

Sunrise Scene Change: 4

Get… to… the… point!: 247

Sentenced. To. Death: 378