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Nov. 24th, 2006 04:43 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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sparklefictionFandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Characters: Shaozu (Zuko/Mai), Kaguya (Sokka/Yue)
Warnings: AU, possible drama, possibly dirty
Under the influence of Avatar Aang's boundless enthusiasm and Toph Bei Fong's hard-nosed business sense, not to mention a dose of inventiveness from Sokka of the Water Tribe, the Earth Rumble tournament had evolved from a second rate small-town event to a multi-national competition. Over the years it had become so large that it had to be moved from its original location to a wide, empty plateau. There, over the course of ten days, people gathered from every nation to form a temporary, highly-structured village, at the center of which was the arena where benders of all elements would compete.
That had been the idea, anyway. But there were, of course, no airbenders around to participate until the Avatar's children were skilled enough to take part. And though the Fire Nation posessed what seemed like a glut of benders for such a relatively small country, they weren't entirely welcome in the Earth Kingdom, and so there were very few who made the trip to take part in the event.
It wasn't every year that they had royalty come to watch the event, and after King Bumi wiped the floor with the competition several years after the tournament's inception, none had stepped up to participate. So it was especially exciting that not only had five firebenders come from the Fire Nation to demonstrate their skill -- the top five in their class at the Royal Academy, in fact -- but that the Fire Lord's eldest son was among them.
The impression that most people got from Shaozu immediately was that he was quiet and intense. He was not actually taking part in the competition, but had come to conduct a demonstration which included a rare event that most of the onlookers had never before seen; a full ceremonial Agni Kai. And while there were certainly many among the crowd who would have made the assumption that the other young men were letting Shaozu look good, anyone who knew more than a thing or two about bending could note his obvious skill. When he concluded the final demonstration by shooting a bolt of lightning into the sky, there were few who could deny it.
Girls alarmed their fathers (and some, their husbands) by waving and shouting and flinging scarves and handkerchiefs to the firebenders and the prince especially as they exited the arena, the young men still bare-chested from their dueling. One or two waved back, but Shaozu's gaze was fixed straight ahead, and he did not stop or look around until he had slipped back into the tent, his tent; his status allowed him at least this much privacy, if not a whole building constructed solely for him.
Shaozu splashed water onto his face and wiped the sweat from the back of his neck with a damp cloth. It had been dustier than he had thought it would be, and now his skin was covered in a gritty film.
He'd need to have someone prepare him a proper bath sometime that evening. Shaozu wasn't as fastidious as his mother, but he was not particularly fond of being dirty.
Characters: Shaozu (Zuko/Mai), Kaguya (Sokka/Yue)
Warnings: AU, possible drama, possibly dirty
Under the influence of Avatar Aang's boundless enthusiasm and Toph Bei Fong's hard-nosed business sense, not to mention a dose of inventiveness from Sokka of the Water Tribe, the Earth Rumble tournament had evolved from a second rate small-town event to a multi-national competition. Over the years it had become so large that it had to be moved from its original location to a wide, empty plateau. There, over the course of ten days, people gathered from every nation to form a temporary, highly-structured village, at the center of which was the arena where benders of all elements would compete.
That had been the idea, anyway. But there were, of course, no airbenders around to participate until the Avatar's children were skilled enough to take part. And though the Fire Nation posessed what seemed like a glut of benders for such a relatively small country, they weren't entirely welcome in the Earth Kingdom, and so there were very few who made the trip to take part in the event.
It wasn't every year that they had royalty come to watch the event, and after King Bumi wiped the floor with the competition several years after the tournament's inception, none had stepped up to participate. So it was especially exciting that not only had five firebenders come from the Fire Nation to demonstrate their skill -- the top five in their class at the Royal Academy, in fact -- but that the Fire Lord's eldest son was among them.
The impression that most people got from Shaozu immediately was that he was quiet and intense. He was not actually taking part in the competition, but had come to conduct a demonstration which included a rare event that most of the onlookers had never before seen; a full ceremonial Agni Kai. And while there were certainly many among the crowd who would have made the assumption that the other young men were letting Shaozu look good, anyone who knew more than a thing or two about bending could note his obvious skill. When he concluded the final demonstration by shooting a bolt of lightning into the sky, there were few who could deny it.
Girls alarmed their fathers (and some, their husbands) by waving and shouting and flinging scarves and handkerchiefs to the firebenders and the prince especially as they exited the arena, the young men still bare-chested from their dueling. One or two waved back, but Shaozu's gaze was fixed straight ahead, and he did not stop or look around until he had slipped back into the tent, his tent; his status allowed him at least this much privacy, if not a whole building constructed solely for him.
Shaozu splashed water onto his face and wiped the sweat from the back of his neck with a damp cloth. It had been dustier than he had thought it would be, and now his skin was covered in a gritty film.
He'd need to have someone prepare him a proper bath sometime that evening. Shaozu wasn't as fastidious as his mother, but he was not particularly fond of being dirty.
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no subject
Date: 2006-11-26 09:05 pm (UTC)He was so commanding! Even the most perserverant of the boys at home were terrified of misspeaking to her and fled when she showed any interest, lest they prove disappointing. Prince Shaozu seemed confident with every pore of his being, he was aggressive and unwilling to negotiate. It made her stomach swirl and her mouth water, no matter what reservations her lady mother expressed during their talks.
no subject
Date: 2006-11-26 09:31 pm (UTC)When he moved away from her to stand, her whole body quivered with anticipation; surely he was about to cast aside his own clothing and press his body against hers. But no, he was scooping up her garments from the floor. Kaguya pushed herself up onto one elbow to stare at his back in confusion as he walked away from the futon, but before she could voice a protest, the bundle of blue and white in his arms suddenly burst into flames.
The tent was filled with the smell of burning fur and hide. Shaozu threw the still-burning clothing down onto the block of ice, then turned toward her to say coolly, "Next time, you should think again before acting so forward."
Then he pushed open the flap of the tent and was gone. She was left alone, naked, amidst the tidy jumble of his belongings, steam hissing as the ice slowly extinguished the fire consuming her clothes.
no subject
Date: 2006-11-26 09:43 pm (UTC)Well!
Hm...
Kaguya gave a little sigh, her hand lifting to resolidify the puddle forming around the ice block. She supposed if she were more prone to fits of temper, she'd melt the block, flood his tent, and stomp back to her own camp in a huff.
She did sincerely give that thought for a few minutes.
But, no, she hadn't meant to upset him, and she wasn't sure what to do about it. He was interested, but perhaps she was rushing him, and while she was extremely frustrated, she wasn't going to give up. She was just going to have to adjust her tactics. Again.
Slipping into her cloak, she drew as much of it as she could over her bared flesh, and then slid her feet back into her shoes. She had a plan.
She moved past the guards in such a way that her nudity was not particularly detectable, got within twenty feet of the camp, doused herself from head to toe in icewater, ditched her cloak and shoes, and ran into the tent she was sharing with her cousin, clutching her breasts and shivering, looking furious.
Hika stared at her. "Whoa! What happened?"
"I went for a swim," Kaguya explained, teeth chattering. "And some wiseacre stole my clothes!"
no subject
Date: 2006-11-27 05:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-27 05:26 pm (UTC)"It was a reservoir for the waterbenders for the fight, and I probably shouldn't have been swimming in it, but I like nightswimming."
She was breaking her dad's first cardinal rule of lying, 'Keep it simple.' Oh, she was getting angry at Prince Shaozu. Why did he have to be so- so- so stubborn and mean to her when she was just trying to be accomodating?!
"Could you hand me my pack, please? I'm freezing."
no subject
Date: 2006-11-27 05:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-27 05:55 pm (UTC)After tugging her spare clothes on, frowning as they were one of only two spare sets, the others being the dark navy silk she'd brought to wear for the performance, Kaguya fell back on her sleeping bag, raising her arms and drawing the water from her hair.
She really, really wanted to do some more bending, and ending up sitting up again after all, starting to slowly, carefully juggle the small stream.
"Is Aunt Katara still adamant that we can't be in the tournament? I'm sure you've been at her all day."
no subject
Date: 2006-11-27 06:15 pm (UTC)"Of course she is! She said we're here for the exhibition only, not to compete. Man! She and Dad both did it last year, so I don't know why she's being such a stick in the mud."
Poking out her bottom lip, she blew a few errant strands of hair out of her face. "She just thinks we're going to get hurt. Like I didn't used to spar with Shan and Quan all the time. And those guys are rough."
no subject
Date: 2006-11-27 06:19 pm (UTC)"We have two choices. We can go along with what Aunt Katara has decided, or-" Kaguya unscrewed the lid of the first jar and showed Hika the warpaint. "We just can ask Aunt Toph ourselves."
no subject
Date: 2006-11-27 06:40 pm (UTC)"Just ask Aunt Toph? Sounds like a plan."
no subject
Date: 2006-11-27 06:50 pm (UTC)"You look very, very happy."
"I am in a good mood."
"Am I going to be injured in some way?" Sokka crossed his arms over his chest and frowned comically.
"No, but I might. Is Katara watching the matches today?" Toph sounded positively chipper.
"No, she- what did you do?"
"No questions! This is going to beat last year's tournament to bits, let's leave it at that."
"Ladies and gentlemen, today, a new waterbending challenger! Hailing from the far reaches of the North Pole, I give you- Frostbite!"
Sokka liked to think he would have recognized his daughter even if she weren't wearing the artic wolf facepaint pattern under her cloak, but he slapped his forehead anyway. Katara was going to kill them all.