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lizbeeLate on Monday morning I developed a weird obsession with Toph/Azula. Why? Well, I've reached that point in my AU Big Bang where I'm quite close to being done, only there's a big climactic scene to write first. And whenever I reach this stage in a story, my brain starts throwing out completely unrelated ideas that totally have to be written right away. For example, over the weekend I wrote 1000 words of Katara/Zuko fic. And usually that pairing makes me retch.
Anyway, Toph/Azula. Because I was talking about my Big Bang fic withbnharrison last week, and she said something about Toph being almost the only person in the world, other than Katara and possibly Iroh, who is totally a match for Azula. And while any good Azula pairing should start out with "someone she can't kill too easily" I started seeing other ways they work well together, even as their combined ego threatens to destroy the entire world.
So now I'm kind of contemplating a series of ficlets about Toph and Azula fighting crime and letting Zuko pay for the property damage. It needs a better, or at least more appropriate title than "TEAM TOPHZULA, FUCK YEAH!" but I can work on that. I scribbled a 500-word ficlet this afternoon.
Untitled Toph/Azula ficlet
The Earth King opened his eyes and beheld the face of his rescuer.
"Actually," he said muzzily, "on second thought, captivity wasn't so bad."
"Relax," said Azula. "I'm not invading your kingdom this time." She smiled. It was about as reassuring as a sharktopus eyeing its prey.
"Oh. Good."
"You could call it a gesture of international cooperation," she added.
"Could I?"
"Don't tease him, Princess," said another voice. Another woman came into view. The Bei Fong girl. Last time he had seen her, she was fifteen years old, striding through the palace at the side of the Dragon of the West. That had been a few years ago. Last he had heard, she was living in Omashu, being groomed to succeed King Bumi.
Now she was as tall as Azula, though stockier, and her hair was cropped short like a peasant's. Her muscled arms were decorated with metal bands. Kuei had a vague memory of seeing her bend the metal like stone, right before he passed out.
Now he was on an airship. A Bei Fong airship, he realised, recognising the flying boar sigil on the walls. Toph had rescued him. Only not alone.
"Why..."
Toph shrugged. "The Council of Five said you'd been taken by dissident Dai Li agents. I asked myself, who is the one person in the world who took down the Dai Li without breaking a sweat?"
There was probably going to be some kind of diplomatic incident over that, the Earth King thought. He would probably have to do something about it. A sternly-worded letter to the Fire Lord, reminding him that the Earth Kingdom had agreed not to prosecute his sister for war crimes on the condition she never, ever came back.
At that moment, it didn't seem especially important.
One final thought struck him as he fell asleep.
"...Bosco?" he managed.
"Yes," said Azula. "The bear is fine."
"Oh. Good."
*
As they left the airship's little infirmary, Azula said, "You know, Long Feng wanted me to marry the Earth King."
Toph snorted. "Wow. He really did misjudge you."
Azula's grip on her arm tightened. Just a little, a squeeze that was almost affectionate, but for the sharpness of her nails.
"Will you visit your uncle while we're in Ba Sing Se?"
"I'd rather eat my own fingers," said Azula, "or babysit my neices, or go back to the hospital--"
She broke off as they entered the bridge. The pilot bowed to Toph.
"We've just had word," he said, "the waterbender, Katara, is waiting for you at Ba Sing Se. She said she'll meet you at the palace."
Only Toph could have felt Azula's flinch, or understood the reasons for it.
"On second thoughts," Azula said, "some tea and anecdotes might be nice."
Later, as the airship came in to land, Toph said, "Do you think General How wanted that castle left intact?"
"He's an earthbender," said Azula. "Don't you people destroy buildings for the fun of putting them up again?"
"It was eight hundred years old."
"Then it was overdue for refurbishment." Azula leaned against Toph. She didn't quite relax, because she never properly relaxed. But neither did Toph, so that was okay.
Toph pressed a kiss to her temple, savouring the taste of her skin and the smell of her hair, and the metallic scent of lightning.
"Anyway," Azula added, "we just saved the Earth King's life. If they really want to complain, tell them Zuko will pay for the damage."
Toph grinned. "Are you going to warn him about that?"
"No," said Azula, and she sounded happy. "No, I'm not."
end
Tonight, feeling a sad lack of River Song in my life, I watched "Silence in the Library" for the first time since it aired. Tennant's accent isn't very good, is it? I spent much of it going, "WHY AREN'T YOU ELEVENTY? BE ELEVENTY AGAIN!" and also feeling that, while I like Donna okay, I feel like she was hyped up into The Greatest Companion Ever, and I don't actually find her that interesting.
Also I wonder, again, at people saying River is smug in her first appearance, because she spends most of the episode either dealing with plot stuff, or being visibly and increasingly distraught that the Doctor doesn't know her. Either she completely changes in the next episode, or fandom thinks that any woman who is capable of walking and breathing at the same time is getting above herself. GUESS WHICH OPTION I SUSPECT!
Here, have a meme that charms me:
Give me two characters I'm familiar with, and I'll tell you about a time that they kissed.
As usual lately, bonus points for AtLA characters.
Anyway, Toph/Azula. Because I was talking about my Big Bang fic with
bnharrison last week, and she said something about Toph being almost the only person in the world, other than Katara and possibly Iroh, who is totally a match for Azula. And while any good Azula pairing should start out with "someone she can't kill too easily" I started seeing other ways they work well together, even as their combined ego threatens to destroy the entire world. So now I'm kind of contemplating a series of ficlets about Toph and Azula fighting crime and letting Zuko pay for the property damage. It needs a better, or at least more appropriate title than "TEAM TOPHZULA, FUCK YEAH!" but I can work on that. I scribbled a 500-word ficlet this afternoon.
Untitled Toph/Azula ficlet
The Earth King opened his eyes and beheld the face of his rescuer.
"Actually," he said muzzily, "on second thought, captivity wasn't so bad."
"Relax," said Azula. "I'm not invading your kingdom this time." She smiled. It was about as reassuring as a sharktopus eyeing its prey.
"Oh. Good."
"You could call it a gesture of international cooperation," she added.
"Could I?"
"Don't tease him, Princess," said another voice. Another woman came into view. The Bei Fong girl. Last time he had seen her, she was fifteen years old, striding through the palace at the side of the Dragon of the West. That had been a few years ago. Last he had heard, she was living in Omashu, being groomed to succeed King Bumi.
Now she was as tall as Azula, though stockier, and her hair was cropped short like a peasant's. Her muscled arms were decorated with metal bands. Kuei had a vague memory of seeing her bend the metal like stone, right before he passed out.
Now he was on an airship. A Bei Fong airship, he realised, recognising the flying boar sigil on the walls. Toph had rescued him. Only not alone.
"Why..."
Toph shrugged. "The Council of Five said you'd been taken by dissident Dai Li agents. I asked myself, who is the one person in the world who took down the Dai Li without breaking a sweat?"
There was probably going to be some kind of diplomatic incident over that, the Earth King thought. He would probably have to do something about it. A sternly-worded letter to the Fire Lord, reminding him that the Earth Kingdom had agreed not to prosecute his sister for war crimes on the condition she never, ever came back.
At that moment, it didn't seem especially important.
One final thought struck him as he fell asleep.
"...Bosco?" he managed.
"Yes," said Azula. "The bear is fine."
"Oh. Good."
*
As they left the airship's little infirmary, Azula said, "You know, Long Feng wanted me to marry the Earth King."
Toph snorted. "Wow. He really did misjudge you."
Azula's grip on her arm tightened. Just a little, a squeeze that was almost affectionate, but for the sharpness of her nails.
"Will you visit your uncle while we're in Ba Sing Se?"
"I'd rather eat my own fingers," said Azula, "or babysit my neices, or go back to the hospital--"
She broke off as they entered the bridge. The pilot bowed to Toph.
"We've just had word," he said, "the waterbender, Katara, is waiting for you at Ba Sing Se. She said she'll meet you at the palace."
Only Toph could have felt Azula's flinch, or understood the reasons for it.
"On second thoughts," Azula said, "some tea and anecdotes might be nice."
Later, as the airship came in to land, Toph said, "Do you think General How wanted that castle left intact?"
"He's an earthbender," said Azula. "Don't you people destroy buildings for the fun of putting them up again?"
"It was eight hundred years old."
"Then it was overdue for refurbishment." Azula leaned against Toph. She didn't quite relax, because she never properly relaxed. But neither did Toph, so that was okay.
Toph pressed a kiss to her temple, savouring the taste of her skin and the smell of her hair, and the metallic scent of lightning.
"Anyway," Azula added, "we just saved the Earth King's life. If they really want to complain, tell them Zuko will pay for the damage."
Toph grinned. "Are you going to warn him about that?"
"No," said Azula, and she sounded happy. "No, I'm not."
end
Tonight, feeling a sad lack of River Song in my life, I watched "Silence in the Library" for the first time since it aired. Tennant's accent isn't very good, is it? I spent much of it going, "WHY AREN'T YOU ELEVENTY? BE ELEVENTY AGAIN!" and also feeling that, while I like Donna okay, I feel like she was hyped up into The Greatest Companion Ever, and I don't actually find her that interesting.
Also I wonder, again, at people saying River is smug in her first appearance, because she spends most of the episode either dealing with plot stuff, or being visibly and increasingly distraught that the Doctor doesn't know her. Either she completely changes in the next episode, or fandom thinks that any woman who is capable of walking and breathing at the same time is getting above herself. GUESS WHICH OPTION I SUSPECT!
Here, have a meme that charms me:
Give me two characters I'm familiar with, and I'll tell you about a time that they kissed.
As usual lately, bonus points for AtLA characters.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-15 12:51 pm (UTC)Word. Although... I've thought a bit about the River hate, and I've watched her looking for what irks. And I think there's a combination of authority and insecurity about her that may cause the tension. It's like, by almost having the status of - y'know, a non- nonentity - but still being so vulnerable and Not The Doctor, she marks the limits of female possibility. Whereas without her the female audience can just participate in the Doctor's awesomeness (both the doctor and the infantalized companion.)
I'm being very inarticulate - I don't really have the vocabulary for this. I actually did like Tennant in that episode, though. I love Eleventy, but I thought Ten had better chemistry with River, actually.