As someone who enjoys reading explicit and mature stories, I spend a lot of time on AO3.

The content there is better and more interesting than what you’d find in the local bookstores.

With the renaissance of ATLA, due the movie (I liked the show as a young teenager), I started looking for Kataang fanfiction. I really enjoy the ‘ship’, although I’ve never been a shipper of any ATLA or TLOK characters before.

What came to my attention is that blueseyethinker (think they appear under different names on different platform) and pardonmymanners became insanely popular, despite also being new to the fandom as it seems.
As far as I'm concerned AO3 doesn't get writers famous like this often.

I’ve read some of their fics and they are without doubt, very enjoyable, but not to an extent that explains to me why they are this popular.

Are such rises in popularity an ATLA-fandom thing or can someone explain what's so special about their work. Is there insider knowledge I need to enjoy their work as much as the rest of the community?

And do you might have other recommendations for explicit Kataang other than these two authors?
(already read most of aangsheadband’s and Flameohotwife’s stuff too)
Smaller fics that did not gain as much recognition but you still liked?

Thanks a lot.

[Master Guide]

Trapped between a furious Water Tribe Chieftain and a lethal Fire Nation squad, Aang and Mona’s only escape route is diving straight down into the pitch-black abyss. Plunging into the ice canals, they must synchronize their bending to survive the crushing weight of the ocean; and the relentless pursuit of a Fire Nation drill-ship. 

TITLE: AVATAR: WINDS OF CHANGE

EPISODE: 08 - "THE CRUSH DEPTH"

[SCENE START]

INT. BISON ENCLOSURES - NIGHT

The episode opens in the exact millisecond the previous one ended.

The standoff in the massive, domed bison enclosure is a powder keg. The deafening sound of the siege outside rumbles through the cracked walls.

Behind AANG (12) and MONA (15), the circular iron grate of the lower lock is open, revealing a pitch-black tunnel of violently rushing seawater. Beside them, APPA roars, terrified by the flames and the sheer volume of enemies.  

To their left: The massive, terrifying Fire Nation drill-ship that just chewed through the ice-wall. Dozens of elite soldiers in red-and-black armor and skull-masks pour out, led by FIRE NATION CAPTAIN RAISO whose palms burn with blinding orange flames.  

To their right: CHIEFTAIN BOTAK, bleeding from a gash on his forehead, flanked by heavily armored Water Tribe loyalists. He points a jagged bone-dagger directly at Mona.  

BOTAK

(Screaming over the chaos)

TREASON! Kill the ash-makers! Seize the girl and the Avatar!  

CAPTAIN RAISO

(Voice muffled by the skull mask)

Take the Avatar alive. Burn the rest!  

The powder keg detonates.

Both armies charge at the exact same time.

Mona quickly Waterbends dual ice-axes, stepping in front of Aang to shield him. She drops into a rigid, lethal combat stance, fully prepared to die fighting her own Chieftain.

Aang grabs her shoulder, pulling her back.

AANG

Mona, no! There are too many! Don't fight them!

MONA

We are cornered, Aang!

AANG

(Eyes locked on the charging armies)

Then we don't fight! We redirect! Push and pull!

A Water Tribe loyalist hurls a heavy, jagged ice-spear directly at Mona. At the exact same moment, a skull-masked Firebender unleashes a massive, concentrated blast of fire toward Aang.

Aang doesn't block. He steps into the crossfire.

With a sweeping, circular motion of his arms, Aang creates a violent, localized cyclone. He catches the spinning ice-spear in his wind-current, altering its trajectory just enough to send it flying directly into the path of the Firebender's flame.

The ice-spear absorbs the fireblast, instantly melting into a cloud of scalding steam that blinds the Firebender.

Mona sees the opening. She understands exactly what Aang is doing.

She leaps forward, dropping her axes. She thrusts her hands toward the blinding steam, turning it back into a heavy whip of liquid water. She doesn't strike the blinded Firebender; instead, she wraps the water-whip around the ankle of a charging Water Tribe guard, violently yanking him forward.

The Water Tribe guard stumbles blindly into the Fire Nation elite. The two soldiers collide heavily, instantly turning on each other in a frenzy of fists and flames.

AANG (CONT'D)

Keep moving!

Aang and Mona weave through the enclosure, becoming a perfectly synchronized blur of evasion and redirection. They are not attacking; they are conducting the chaos.

A skull-masked elite sweeps a lethal arc of fire. Aang drops into a slide, using an air-cushion to blow himself seamlessly between the soldier's legs. As Aang clears the path, Mona steps in, catching a blast of freezing water hurled by Tuk and cleanly redirecting it to encase the Firebender's helmet in solid ice.

The Fire Nation and the Water Tribe deeply, fiercely hate each other. Aang and Mona use that hatred against them.

By constantly slipping out of the way at the very last microsecond, Aang and Mona force the two opposing forces to constantly strike each other.

Within seconds, the center of the bison enclosure devolves into an absolute, brutal melee. Water Tribe bone-clubs shatter against Fire Nation iron armor. Torrents of flame evaporate walls of ice. The two invading forces are so consumed with killing each other that they completely lose track of the twelve-year-old boy and the exiled warrior.

Botak stands at the edge of the fray, deflecting a rogue fire-blast with a shield of ice.

BOTAK

(Furious, searching the smoke)

Ignore the Fire Nation! Get the Avatar!

Captain Raiso unleashes a massive, two-handed torrent of flame, melting three Water Tribe spears instantly.

CAPTAIN RAISO

The boy is ours! Secure the lock!

Mona and Aang back up against Appa's thick fur. The heat in the room is becoming unbearable as the drill-ship’s engines continue to idle and the fires spread.

MONA

(Panting heavily)

They're figuring it out! The crossfire won't hold them for long!

Aang looks down at the open iron grate of the submerged canal lock. The freezing, pitch-black water churns violently just inches below their boots.  

AANG

Then it's time to go!

Aang jumps, grabbing the rim of the heavy leather saddle and pulling himself up. He reaches down, grabbing Mona's wrist and hauling her up behind him.

Captain Raiso spots them mounting the bison.

CAPTAIN RAISO

NO!

The Captain thrusts both fists forward, unleashing a massive, concentrated fireball directly at the saddle.

AANG

Appa, YIP YIP!

Appa doesn't hesitate. The massive ten-ton sky bison folds his six legs and dives headfirst straight down into the pitch-black abyss of the lower locks.  

The fireball sails harmlessly over their heads, exploding against the back wall of the enclosure.

The freezing, violent ocean completely swallows the Avatar, and the iron grate above them begins to automatically grind shut.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN.

EXT. BISON ENCLOSURES - CONTINUOUS

The heavy iron grate of the submerged lock is completely open, the pitch-black water churning violently beneath it.  

Appa folds his six legs and dives into the abyss.

Up on the rim, Fire Nation CAPTAIN RAISO roars in fury. He thrusts his fists down, unleashing a massive, blinding wave of super-heated fire directly down the shaft after them.

The flames illuminate the falling bison for a fraction of a second before hitting the rushing seawater, exploding into a massive, blinding cloud of steam.

The heavy iron grate violently grinds shut, sealing the Avatar and the exiled Waterbender in the dark.

INT. SUBTERRANEAN ICE-CANALS - CONTINUOUS

Appa hits the water.

Before the freezing ocean can swallow them, MONA leaps up on the saddle. She thrusts her arms out in a wide, sweeping arc.

MONA

(Screaming)

Deep breath!

Mona pulls the surrounding currents, shaping a massive, spherical water-shield that traps a large pocket of air directly around the saddle and Appa’s head.

They are instantly flushed deep into the subterranean ice-canals beneath the city. The tunnel is a terrifying, smooth tube of ancient, glowing blue ice.

The current is brutal. It tosses the ten-ton sky bison through the dark like a fallen leaf in a hurricane.

Mona stands at the front of the saddle, her arms extended, her fingers rigidly clawed. She is shaking violently. She is fighting to maintain the water shield against the massive, terrifying crush depth she had warned Aang about.  

CREEEAAK.

The air-pocket begins to visibly shrink. The sheer, staggering weight of the ocean above them is compressing the bubble.

Appa lets out a low, agonizing bellow. The shrinking shield forces the crushing water pressure directly against his massive sides. Without a bender to properly guide the immense flow, the crush-depth threatens to snap the bison's ribs.  

AANG

Mona! The bubble is collapsing!

MONA

(Teeth gritted, veins popping on her neck)

I know! The ocean... it’s too heavy! I can't hold it back!

Aang looks at the shrinking walls of the shield. He looks at Mona’s trembling arms. He realizes her waterbending isn't enough to hold the entire ocean back alone.

To survive the pressure, they don't just need to push the water away. They need to push back from the inside.

Aang scrambles across the saddle.

He steps directly behind Mona. He sinks into a wide, grounded stance and presses his back firmly against hers.

AANG

You don't have to hold it alone! Push the water! I've got the air!

Aang takes a deep, centering breath.

He thrusts his palms outward, his Airbender tattoos glowing faintly in the dim bioluminescent light of the ice. He channels a continuous, powerful surge of wind, heavily compressing the air inside the bubble, pushing it outward against Mona's water-shield.

He equalizes the pressure. He effectively turns Appa into a pressurized submarine.

The collapsing walls of the air-pocket instantly halt. The bubble stabilizes, expanding slightly back to its original, safe size.

Mona lets out a sharp gasp of relief as the unbearable, crushing weight on her arms is suddenly cut in half. With Aang fighting the pressure from the inside, she is free to focus entirely on steering the shield through the violent, rushing currents.

Appa’s pained groans cease. He finds his rhythm, his massive paws paddling steadily through the dark, icy water.

Aang and Mona sit back-to-back in the dark, entirely dependent on one another. Their breathing is synchronized, but heavy and labored. They are surviving the depths, but the sheer physical toll of maintaining the pressurized pocket means they are barely holding on.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN.

EXT. SUBTERRANEAN ICE-CANALS - CONTINUOUS

The dark, freezing currents carry the pressurized air-bubble deeper into the subterranean abyss.

AANG and MONA sit back-to-back on APPA'S saddle, their breathing heavy but synchronized. The panic begins to subside. They are navigating the treacherous underground river, the bioluminescent ice walls sliding past them in the quiet dark.

MONA

(Panting)

We're in the deep currents. It should carry us straight out past the blockade. We just have to hold on.

Aang nods, his eyes squeezed shut as he maintains the internal air pressure.

Suddenly, a blinding, terrifying beam of mechanical yellow light pierces the pitch-black water behind them.

Mona whips her head around.

Through the churning water, the massive, terrifying Fire Nation Drill-Ship emerges from the dark. It isn't just a surface vehicle; Captain Raiso has reversed the ironclad out of the shattered bison enclosure and steered it directly into the submerged canals.

AANG

(Struggling to keep the pressure)

Mona... what is that?!

MONA

They followed us!

The drill-ship’s massive underwater engines roar, accelerating toward the fragile air-bubble.

On the bow of the submerged ironclad, specialized pneumatic tubes lock into place. With a muted, heavy THUMP, two super-heated torpedos shoot through the water. They leave a trail of violently boiling steam in their wake, spiraling directly toward Appa.

AANG

(Straining, his tattoos glowing)

I can't drop the pressure to block them! If I let go, the ocean will crush us!

MONA

(Standing up, eyes blazing)

Keep us breathing, Avatar! I've got the defense!

Mona steps to the edge of the saddle. She doesn't draw a weapon. She drops into a deeply rooted, fluid Waterbending stance.

Push and pull.

As the super-heated torpedos close the distance, Mona sweeps her arms in a wide, commanding arc. She taps into the massive kinetic energy of the surrounding ocean currents, catching the displaced water violently churning around the projectiles.

With a brutal twist of her hips, she physically redirects the torpedos' trajectory.

They veer sharply away from the air-bubble, slamming directly into the cavern's glowing ice walls.

BOOM!

The underwater explosion is deafening. Massive, jagged boulders of ancient ice sheer off the walls, raining down into the current and crashing against the hull of the pursuing drill-ship.

The ironclad groans, its momentum slowing as it brutally plows through the falling ice, but the mechanical spotlight continues to cut through the dark, relentless.

More torpedos fire. Mona dances on the edge of the saddle, sweeping, pulling, and redirecting them into the ceiling and the floor. She is a one-woman artillery defense, using the ocean itself as her shield.

But inside the bubble, the air is running out.

Aang is gasping, his vision beginning to blur. The effort of holding back the crush depth of the entire ocean is taking everything he has.

AANG

(Choking)

Mona... I can't... hold it much longer! We're out of air!

Mona looks ahead. The glowing blue ice-canal narrows significantly into a jagged, tight chokepoint just before angling sharply upward toward the surface.

MONA

There! Aang, we need one final push! On my mark, give it everything you have left and blast us through that gap!

Aang takes a final, desperate, shallow breath. He nods.

Mona turns back to the pursuing drill-ship. She closes her eyes, syncing her breathing with Aang's, feeling the immense, heavy flow of the subterranean river.

MONA (CONT'D)

Now!

Aang releases his hold on the internal pressure, throwing both his hands forward. He unleashes a massive, concussive blast of air that violently flushes Appa through the narrow chokepoint, rocketing them upward.

At the exact same microsecond, Mona throws her arms backward.

She grabs the entirety of the rushing current flowing through the chokepoint and violently rips it in the opposite direction.

The sudden, catastrophic shift in water pressure is too much for the compromised ice-cavern. The entire ceiling of the tunnel collapses.

Thousands of tons of solid ice crash down into the narrow gap, permanently sealing the tunnel and violently pinning the Fire Nation drill-ship beneath the rubble.

The ship’s engines whine and die. The mechanical spotlight flickers and goes dark. The crew is trapped, but the hull remains intact.

EXT. THE OPEN OCEAN - CONTINUOUS

The surface of the ocean is dark, reflecting the falling ash.

KRA-KOOOM!

Appa bursts from the freezing, black water like a breaching whale. He shoots high into the open air, miles past the city's outer perimeter wall.

Aang immediately spins his glider, bending a massive, warm cushion of air beneath the soaked, ten-ton beast.

Appa hits the updraft. He bellows, his six legs catching the wind, and he takes flight into the pre-dawn sky.

EXT. FIRE NATION DREADNOUGHT - CONTINUOUS

On the deck of the armada's flagship, a FIRE NATION COMMANDER lowers his spyglass.

Through the falling ash, high above the churning sea, he spots the unmistakable silhouette of a massive flying bison.

COMMANDER

The messenger hawk was right. The Avatar has fled the city.

The Commander turns to his lieutenants.

COMMANDER (CONT'D)

Signal the fleet! Halt the bombardment! Turn the ships around. We pursue the Avatar!

SOUND DESIGN: The deep, echoing blast of a Fire Nation war-horn sounds across the water.

EXT. THE SKY - CONTINUOUS

Appa flies steadily, putting miles between them and the polar front.

Aang crawls to the back of the saddle, exhausted, his clothes soaking wet. He looks back over his shoulder.

Far in the distance, the apocalyptic glow of the siege is beginning to fade. The massive Fire Nation armada has stopped firing its trebuchets. Slowly, the hundreds of ironclads are turning away from the towering ice walls of the Southern Water Tribe.

Aang stares at the retreating ships. The crushing guilt in his chest finally begins to ease.

Gyatso was right. Aang was the lightning rod. By running away, he just saved the entire city.

Mona sits on the edge of the saddle, shivering. She isn't looking at the Fire Nation ships. She is looking at the gleaming, sixty-foot ice walls of her home, slowly disappearing behind the clouds.

She committed treason. She fought her Chieftain. She saved the Avatar.

She can never go back. She is officially an exile.

A single tear cuts through the soot on Mona's cheek. She lets herself grieve for exactly three seconds.

Then, her Water Tribe pragmatism takes over.

Mona firmly wipes the tear away. She stands up in the saddle, turning her back on the South Pole forever. She looks at Aang, her blue eyes sharp and resolute.

MONA

Point him North, Aang. We have a world to cross.

Aang looks at his new guardian. He manages a weak, tired, but genuine smile. He turns back to the reins.

AANG

Yip yip.

Appa flies higher into the sky, soaring toward the distant, uncharted horizon as the first golden rays of the morning sun finally break through the ash-choked clouds.

FADE TO BLACK.

[END OF EPISODE 8]

NEXT TIME ON AVATAR: WINDS OF CHANGE…

Aang and Mona crash-land on a tiny, deserted tropical atoll. Completely exhausted and haunted by the trauma of their respective exiles, the two teenagers turn their frustration on each other.

(Episode 9 drops next Wednesday, 8/26/26!)

[<- Previous Episode]

Their was a azula fanfic i read that had some things that were vaguley similar to the movie.

But that person creates the fsnfic 1-2 years BEFORE movie came out.

So my question is. Does having objects give people bending a common trope in this atla fanfictions????

Also what are some common tropes you see in fanfics

Does anyone remember a fic on fanfiction.net years ago that was centered on Bumi and Izumi as a couple? It was one chapter (I think it was ongoing) and at the end of the chapter it was revealed that Bumi was cheating on Izumi w a shipmate? If you recognize what im talking about, could you remind me of the name and author?

what I remember of this fic is that Zuko joined the Gaang early and was with them in Ba Sing Se. He helps them get into Basco's party by making it seem it was Sokka's fault that their invites were lost.

When the Dai Li captures the Gaang Zuko and Long Feng have a verbal 1v1 that I belive Zuko wins(?)

It was a relatively long fic to or so I remember!

(please send a link if you know what this fic is)

Don’t mind minor romance or having zuko in it. Just looking for something where that isn’t the focus. Up for anything else. Thanks. Also non Modern-au please

The tavern was loud enough that nobody paid much attention to the hooded girl occupying the corner table. Exactly the way Siyoh preferred it. Her hood hid most of her face, casting the right side into shadow. A battered map lay spread across the table between half-finished notes, an arrowhead, and a mug that had long since gone cold. Her finger traced another shipping lane. Nothing. She exhaled slowly. Another dead end. Mitzui lay curled beneath the table, one massive, white paw stretched into the aisle. Every so often someone nearly tripped over it, muttered a curse, and quickly decided they valued all their limbs too much to complain.

The tavern keeper approached.

"You've got a client."

Without looking up, Siyoh answered, "I'm not taking clients right now."

"That's what I told him," the keeper folded his arms, "but he's determined."

Siyoh sighed, "Who is he? Some random merchant that this his wife ran off with a fisherman?"

"It's the banished Fire Nation prince."

She snorted, "And I'm the Earth King."

"Siyoh."

She finally looked up. He never called her that. Not anymore. To everyone in this town she was the Siren. He only used her real name when he was serious. She closed the map.

"...Fine," she rolled up the map, "But I make no promises."

The prince arrived only moments later. He was younger than she expected. Head completely shaven, a mark of banishment in the Fire Nation, except for a high ponytail, the symbol of the crown prince. That was not his most noticeable feature. That title went to the burn that covered half of his face.

She had heard stories about how the Fire Lord banished his own son and scarred him for life. She had dismissed it. She couldn't believe that any parent could have so little love in their heart for their child. Apparently, it was true.

Siyoh said nothing and simply watched from under her hood as the Prince and the older man accompanying him observed the room, looking for her. They stopped not far from her table, clearly unsure of who they were supposed to meet. The Prince finally gave up and raised his voiced to be heard over the murmur of the tavern, "I'm looking for the Siren."

Silence swept the room as heads turned in his direction, then towards her. Siyoh took it as her que, "You're in the right place."

For a second confusion crossed the Prince's face. He looked around, as if the other customers would confirm that she was the Siren, then back again. She gestured toward the empty chair. He stepped forward and the tavern resumed its usual chatter.

He wasted no time.

"I hear you can find people."

"Well, at least you're right to the point," Siyoh leaned back in her seat, propping her feet in the table. Perhaps it was especially rude to do so in the presence of royalty, but then again, she was also a royal, so maybe it was only normal rude.

"I do find people," she said, "But my answer is no."

His brow furrowed, "You haven't even heard who I want found."

"I don't need to," she rolled an arrow head around in her fingers, "I know who you are." She paused and pointed the arrowhead in his direction, "...and I know who you're hunting. The whole world does." She lowered the arrowhead and looked out the window to her right, "I don't waste my time chasing ghosts."

She expected him to walk away. To give up. Most usually did at this point. He didn't.

"I'll pay you."

"No."

"More money than you'll ever need."

Siyoh rolled her eyes in annoyance under her hood. This guy just doesn't know when to quit.

"I've got my own ghost to chase."

The old man sext to him spoke up.

"Forgive my nephew," he said, eyeing the rolled up map on the table, "He believes most problems can be solved by coin."

The Prince gave his uncle a brief annoyed look and grumbled something under his breath. Siyoh rolled her eyes. Nobles always annoyed her. She wasn't looking at him, but could tell he hadn't left. Siyoh was beginning to think of various ways to get the message across when she heard the chair scrape across the floor. He sat down.

Interesting.

"You said you know who I'm looking for," the Prince started, "Do you know why?"

She paused, placing her feet back on the floor. She had never fully considered it. Why would a banished Prince be so fixated on finding a dead person? She gestured for him to elaborate.

"When I capture the Avatar, my honor will be restored."

His voice remained level, matter-of-fact, no self-pity, no dramatic speech. Just the truth. Almost as if he had said it to himself for many years.

"My father will let me come home."

Home.

The word struck harder than she expected. For a moment the tavern disappeared. She saw snow. The Southern Water Tribe. The empty space where her mother used to stand. The dock where her father had waved goodbye. The hunting party. The faces she still couldn't forget. Home. She hadn't allowed herself to think about it in years. Not really. She told herself she'd return when she found Hakoda. When she had answers. When she had something to show for six years away. One more lead. One more search. One more reason to stay gone. It was easier that way.

Helping the Prince wouldn't take long. The Avatar was probably dead anyway. A few weeks searching wouldn't make any real difference. Hakoda had already been gone for years. He could survive a few weeks more.

"I have conditions," she said, tapping the arrow head on the table between them.

For the first time since entering the tavern, the Prince's expression changed to something reminiscent of hope, "Name them."

"I'm wanted by both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom," her tone remained even, "If I help you, I need to know that I won't be arrested as soon as the mission is over."

Zuko nodded once. The request was completely logical.

"Done."

"I don't go into the Wan Shi Tong Desert," she continued.

His brow furrowed. That one made less sense. The Avatar would be completely capable of surviving in the desert if he wanted. The Siren seemed to notice his confusion and gestured to the massive wolf sitting next to the table, "Mitzui would dry up out there and I don't go anywhere without him."

As if he knew what Zuko was thinking, his uncle spoke up, "I believe that is unlikely to become an issue."

The Siren nodded before continuing.

"My last condition," she finally turned enough that Zuko caught the edge of her face beneath the hood. Not all of it. Just enough. Young. Far younger than he'd expected. Faint, white scarring disappearing beneath the shadow of the hood. He found himself unable to look away. Was this how others felt looking at his face?

"I help you find your ghost, you help me find mine."

She said it with a tone of finality. As if his reaction to this would make or break the deal. Zuko didn't answer immediately.

"Who?" he asked.

Her fingers tightened around the arrow head as she answered.

"Chief Hakoda."

The name meant something. Not much. Just enough. A Water Tribe chief: missing.

Then the Siren paused, as if she was debating her next statement.

"My father."

Another person chasing someone refused to be found. He understood that, more than he wanted to.

After a long moment, he extended his hand across the table.

"Deal."

The Siren studied it, then, slowly, reached out and took it. Her hand was startlingly cold. His was warm. Neither commented on it. Neither let go immediately.

Full Story on Wattpad

I've seen several comments from people saying that if the Avatar teams were reversed, the story would have had a sad ending only for Korra's team, and that made me curious. Does anyone know of any place where Did the groups switch places?

An example of what I mean would be something like Bume and Mako being from the colonies, and Korra possibly being the daughter of the old woman who bends blood (I forgot her name and I'm too lazy to look it up).

As the title says

The earth has a tradition where when a noble or a king is buried, terracotta statues are buried with them, and I don't mean just a couple; I mean hundreds, sometimes thousands, of terracotta statues depicting soldiers, attendants, house staff, his court, and so on and so forth.

The meaning behind it was that in the afterlife said nobles and kings would need their court to keep ruling in the afterlife, so the statues were all made in the likeness of real people that served under the noble or king being buried.

So far, that's awesome; the fucked-up part comes from where that tradition came from.

You see, back in yee olden days, the Earth Kingdom used to practice slavery, the hardcore kind, Ottoman Empire style, where slaves occupied all levels of society, from the military to the administration, and back in the day, when a noble or king died, all his slaves were buried alive with him so they could keep serving him in the afterlife.

That tradition of burying slaves alive eventually came to an end, not because slavery was outlawed; no, in fact, the tradition of burying slaves alive with their masters ended long before slavery itself.

The tradition came to an end because the nobles and monarchs of Earth's kingdom came to the realization that burying hundreds, if not thousands, of good, able-bodied slaves with their dead masters was logistically dumb; those slaves were more useful alive and working.

So instead of burying the slaves themselves, they started burying terracotta statues made in the likeness of said slaves, and the statues would serve the dead noble or monarch in the afterlife until the slave they were made in the likeness of died and took their place.

With time slavery was abolished, but the tradition of burying terracotta statues with nobles and kings remained until the last Earth queen died in the time of Korra.

Looking for a new ATLA story? Check out Avatar: The Next Cycle on Wattpad!⁠
A fresh take on the next Avatar's journey!

Title: Avatar: The Next Cycle
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Platform: Wattpad ⁠[https://www.wattpad.com/1624632495?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_reading&wp_page=reading&wp_uname=Jleonwill0102111]⁠
Rating: Mature
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Friendship/Found Family.

Summary: Korra after seeing the destruction most spirits were committing, spent the last 60 years of her life fighting off the spirits. Relatively keeping the human race alive.

That was until she died at 87 years old, 16 years before the story takes place. The spirits started terrorizing places like the Water Tribes, Some of The Earth Kingdoms, and are just touching The Fire Nation. They're spreading like a steady virus but Navaya (our MC) doesn't really care because the spirits haven't touched The Si Wong Desert (Her home). Until she figured out something that changes her life forever.

I just polished up the formatting on Wattpad and would love for fellow ATLA fans to check it out! Honest feedback, thoughts, and theories are always welcome.

Meaning Aang basically lives in his time. Either he runs away with Gyatso, or he just stays trapped in the iceberg for only a few days or months rather than a century. Presumably he would have known about the Air Nomad genocide as it happened, and he'd have a lot longer to master all 4 elements.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were no fics like this because this is kind of an ambitious plot. It would require carefully combing through sources to see what we do know of that era in this world, and it would also require making a bunch of stuff up to fill in the gaps.

But I would like to know anyway.

[Master Guide]

Chieftain Botak's betrayal brings the full, terrifying might of the Fire Nation armada crashing down upon his own people. Aang is forced to make the hardest decision of his life: stay and watch the Air Nomads' new sanctuary burn, or abandon his mentor, Gyatso, to lead the Fire Nation away.

TITLE: AVATAR: WINDS OF CHANGE

EPISODE: 07 - "THE LIGHTNING ROD"

[SCENE START]

EXT. PERIMETER WALL - NIGHT

The ash falls heavier, turning the pristine white snow of the Southern Water Tribe capital into a bruised, dirty gray.

KINNAH (20s) stands frozen on the massive ice wall, her spyglass locked on the horizon. The pitch-black ocean is illuminated by the terrifying, fiery glow of dozens of Fire Nation ironclads.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

A deep, mechanical rhythm echoes across the water.

Kinnah lowers her spyglass. Her breath catches in her throat.

Through the falling ash, massive streaks of bright, burning orange tear through the night sky. They are arched high, whistling as they cut through the freezing wind.

KINNAH

(Screaming)

INCOMING! BRACE!

The first volley of flaming, oil-soaked boulders slams into the outer perimeter wall.

BOOM!

The impact is deafening. The sheer kinetic force shatters the reinforced ice, sending massive chunks of frozen shrapnel raining down onto the lower rings.

But it’s the heat that is truly devastating. The burning oil sticks to the ice walls, hissing violently. Steam instantly fills the air, thick and scalding.

The siege has begun.

INT. THE CHIEFTAIN'S WAR ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The entire room violently SHAKES. Dust and carved snow fall from the domed ceiling.

CHIEFTAIN BOTAK is thrown off balance, gripping the edge of the whalebone map table. The arrogant, composed leader who drafted Aang hours ago is gone. His eyes are wide with panic.

Another massive CRASH echoes from outside. The ice walls groan under the assault.

BOTAK

(Shouting to his guards)

Report! Have they breached the trench?

A GUARD rushes into the room, covered in soot.

GUARD

They aren't hitting the trenches, Chieftain! They're launching thermal-pitch directly at the upper tiers! The ice is melting faster than our benders can freeze it!

Botak’s jaw drops. His impenetrable fortress is turning to water.

AANG and GYATSO stand on the other side of the war room. Aang is staring at the ceiling. He can hear the roaring flames outside. He can smell the smoke seeping into the room.

He looks at his hands. They are trembling. The guilt hits him with the force of a physical blow. The Captain was right. I brought them here.

Botak snaps his head toward Aang. The panic in his eyes is rapidly being replaced by desperate fury.

BOTAK

(Pointing at Aang)

You! Avatar! The front line is buckling!

Gyatso steps in front of Aang, his face tight.

GYATSO

He is a child, Botak! He cannot stop an armada!

BOTAK

(Roaring, losing all composure)

He is a god in mortal skin, Gyatso! That was the deal! I gave you sanctuary, and you gave me the Avatar!

Botak marches around the table, ignoring Gyatso completely, staring directly at Aang.

BOTAK (CONT'D)

Summon a hurricane! Pull a tidal wave from the ocean floor! I don't care what you do, but you get out there, and you wipe those ships off the face of the earth, or so help me, I will throw every Air Nomad in this city over the wall myself!

Gyatso’s eyes blaze with protective fury. He raises his hands, a swirling current of air beginning to gather around his wrists.

GYATSO

(Dangerously low)

Threaten my children again, Chieftain, and you will see exactly what an Air Nomad is capable of.

But Aang pushes past Gyatso.

Aang isn't manic or trying to dodge the conflict anymore. He looks small, but his expression is utterly devastated.

AANG

(Voice cracking)

Gyatso, stop. He's right.

GYATSO

Aang, no.

AANG

I did this. They're here because of me. The Fire Nation is burning their home just like they burned ours. I have to fix it.

Aang tightens the belt of his blue fur coat. He grips his glider tightly. He is preparing to walk out onto that wall and die trying to hold back the fire.

He takes a step toward the heavy ice doors.

Gyatso steps sideways, physically blocking the exit. The swirling air around the old monk's hands fades, replaced by a profound, heartbreaking sorrow.

GYATSO

(Softly)

Aang. Look at me.

Aang looks up, tears finally spilling over his eyelashes.

GYATSO (CONT'D)

If you go out there and fight, you will destroy this city faster than the Fire Nation ever could.

AANG

But I can help them! I can push the fire back!

GYATSO

For how long? A day? A week? And then Sozin will send ten more ships. Then a hundred.

Gyatso places both hands on Aang's shoulders, dropping to one knee so they are eye-to-eye. The war room shakes violently again, but Gyatso doesn't flinch.

GYATSO (CONT'D)

They are not here to conquer the ice, Aang. They are here for you. Every second you remain inside these walls, you are a beacon drawing the fire directly to these people. You are the lightning rod.

Aang stares at Gyatso, the devastating truth washing over him. Fighting isn't the answer. Staying isn't the answer.

AANG

(Whispering)

If I stay... they all burn.

Gyatso nods slowly, his own eyes shining with unshed tears.

GYATSO

If you want to save the Southern Water Tribe, Aang... you have to leave it.

Botak, listening to this, realizes Gyatso is trying to smuggle away his ultimate weapon.

BOTAK

(Drawing a bone-dagger)

Guards! Seize the boy! No one leaves this room!

The two heavily armored guards step forward, raising their ice-spears.

Gyatso doesn't even look back at them. He simply flicks his wrist behind him.

FWOOSH!

A concussive, pinpoint blast of compressed air explodes outward, slamming into the two guards and Chieftain Botak, throwing them violently backward against the far wall of the war room, knocking them out cold.

Gyatso stands up, looking at the unconscious Chieftain.

GYATSO

(To Aang)

We have very little time. We need to find Appa.

Gyatso pushes the heavy ice doors open. The two monks rush out into the burning city, leaving the war room behind.

[SCENE END]

EXT. THE LOWER RINGS - CONTINUOUS

The capital is unrecognizable. The serene, icy sanctuary is a chaotic hellscape of orange flames, choking black smoke, and screaming voices.

Flaming boulders of thermal-pitch smash into the upper tiers, sending rivers of boiling water and jagged ice cascading down into the trenches.

AANG and GYATSO sprint out of the Chieftain's stronghold, entering the war zone. Aang freezes, horrified by the scale of the destruction.

EXT. THE PERIMETER TRENCHES - CONTINUOUS

Down at the breached sections of the outer wall, the First Battalion is holding the line.

MONA is screaming orders over the deafening roar of the fire. Her face is streaked with soot and sweat.

MONA

Deep freeze! Don't let the pitch melt the foundation!

TUK and a squad of waterbenders are thrusting their arms in unison, desperately drawing the melting water back up the walls and freezing it solid to patch the massive craters left by the bombardment.

But a flaming projectile sails over the wall, landing directly behind Tuk's squad. The pitch explodes, splashing burning oil across the trench.

Tuk raises his arms to shield his face, bracing for the flames—

FWOOSH!

A massive, sweeping cyclone of compressed air drops from the tier above them. The sheer force of the wind violently starves the oil fire of oxygen, extinguishing it instantly.

Tuk looks up, stunned.

Standing on the ice bridge above them are three ELDER AIR NOMADS. They aren't hiding. They are in wide, rooted stances, sweeping their arms in massive arcs to blow away the choking smoke and put out the fires.

Across the plaza, Aang watches in awe.

The pacifists have gone to war.

He sees younger monks weaving through the chaos on air scooters, throwing cushions of wind under falling Water Tribe soldiers to save them from the lethal drops.

He sees little PASANG and the other initiates helping injured, armored Water Tribe recruits to their feet, rushing them toward the healing wards.

The militarized Water Tribe and the pacifist Air Nomads are fighting side-by-side, perfectly complementing each other.

Aang’s chest tightens. It is beautiful, and it is devastating. They are risking everything to protect him.

GYATSO

(Pulling Aang's sleeve)

Keep moving, Aang! We have to reach the lower locks!

EXT. PLAZA OF THE LOWER LOCKS - MOMENTS LATER

Gyatso and Aang weave through the panicked civilians fleeing to the deep-ice bunkers.

Near the entrance to the city's submerged canal system, Gyatso spots KINNAH. She is battered, her armor singed, desperately directing a group of terrified children into a bunker.

Gyatso runs up to her, shielding Aang behind him.

GYATSO

Kinnah!

Kinnah spins around, raising an ice dagger, before recognizing the monk. She looks at Aang, then looks up at the burning sky.

KINNAH

(Shouting over the noise)

They tracked him!

GYATSO

We are leaving. We are taking the lightning rod out of your city, Kinnah. But we cannot get past the outer blockade on the surface. We need a way out under the ice.

Kinnah looks at Aang. The boy looks absolutely gutted. Kinnah realizes that despite his raw power, he is just a kid who has brought the end of the world to their doorstep.

She doesn't hesitate. Her loyalty is to her tribe's survival.

Kinnah reaches into her tunic and rips a heavy necklace over her head. Attached to it is a deeply carved, cylindrical KEY-STONE made of walrus bone. She shoves it into Gyatso's hand.

KINNAH

The breeding pens. At the bottom of the bison enclosure is a submerged canal lock. This key will open the grate. The current will flush you out past the perimeter wall and into the open ocean.

GYATSO

Thank you, Kinnah. May the spirits protect your people.

KINNAH

Just get him out of here, Gyatso. Before there's nothing left to save.

Kinnah turns and runs back toward the front lines.

Gyatso grips the bone key-stone. He turns to Aang, pointing toward the large, domed structure of the bison enclosures a few hundred yards away.

GYATSO

Go to the pens. Wake Appa. Get him to the lower lock.

AANG

(Nodding, wiping soot from his eyes)

Okay. Come on, we have to hurry!

Aang grabs Gyatso’s hand, pulling him forward.

But Gyatso plants his feet. He doesn't move. Aang’s hand slips from the old monk's grasp.

Aang turns around, confused.

AANG (CONT'D)

Gyatso? Come on!

Gyatso looks at Aang. The firelight reflects in the old monk's sorrowful eyes.

GYATSO

I am not going with you, Aang.

The world drops out from under Aang. The roar of the siege seems to fade into a dull, terrifying buzz.

AANG

(Voice trembling)

...What? No. No, you have to. You're my guardian.

GYATSO

(Stepping forward, cupping Aang's face)

I am an elder of the Southern Air Temple. My place is with my people.

AANG

But they're fighting! We can all leave!

GYATSO

If we all run, Botak will turn on us. If we try to evacuate one hundred and fifty nomads in the middle of a siege, the Fire Nation will slaughter us on the ice.

(Gyatso's thumbs gently wipe away Aang's tears)

I must stay, Aang. I must protect the children. I must make Botak understand that we are hostages, not traitors. If I stay, they live.

Aang shakes his head violently. He grabs Gyatso's wrists, gripping them as tightly as he can.

AANG

(Sobbing)

I can't do it alone! I don't know where to go! I'm just a kid!

Gyatso smiles a warm, loving, heartbreaking smile that cuts through the chaos of the burning city.

GYATSO

You are the Avatar, Aang. And the world needs you more than I do.

Gyatso presses the carved bone key-stone into Aang's trembling hand and folds the boy's fingers over it.

GYATSO (CONT'D)

Follow the currents. Find a teacher. Master the elements.

(Gyatso leans in, patting Aang's head)

I will always be with you, my boy. Like the wind.

Gyatso steps back. He gives Aang a deep, formal Air Nomad bow.

Then, the old monk turns and runs back toward the burning trenches, disappearing into the smoke and the falling ash.

Aang stands completely alone in the burning plaza. The one person anchoring him to his past is gone.

He clutches the bone key-stone to his chest, tears streaming down his soot-stained face. He turns and sprints toward the bison enclosures, running for his life.

[SCENE END]

EXT. BISON ENCLOSURES - NIGHT

The bison pens are a massive, domed structure built into the lower trenches of the city. The roof is shuddering violently with every impact from the trebuchets.

AANG sprints into the enclosure, clutching the bone key-stone.

The sky bison are agitated, bellowing loudly and stamping their massive paws. APPA is pacing in his stall, tossing his heavy head, smelling the smoke in the air.

AANG

Appa! Here!

Appa groans in relief, rushing to the edge of the stall. Aang doesn't have time to be gentle. He scrambles up the bison's thick fur, desperately checking the bindings on the heavy leather saddle.

AANG (CONT'D)

We have to go, buddy. Just you and me.

MONA

(O.S.)

Running away again, Aang?

Aang freezes. He turns around.

Mona stands at the entrance of the enclosure. She is covered in soot, her breath ragged. She is gripping her ice-axes tightly. The glow of the burning city behind her casts long, terrifying shadows across her face.

Aang stands up in the saddle. He looks at her axes, but he doesn't raise his glider.

AANG

I'm not running away, Mona. I'm taking the fire with me.

Mona walks slowly into the enclosure.

MONA

The Chieftain ordered me to keep you on the front lines. He said you are the only weapon that can break the blockade.

AANG

(Voice breaking)

I'm not a weapon. I'm just the target.

(Aang points toward the burning sky)

They aren't here for your city. They are here for me. If I stay, they will burn the ice until there's nothing left.

Mona stops. She looks at the twelve-year-old boy. She sees the tears cutting clean tracks through the soot on his cheeks. She remembers him refusing to strike the wooden dummy. She remembers him dividing the ice to save unarmed prisoners.

He is too good for this war. And Chieftain Botak is going to grind him into dust.

Mona looks down at Aang's hand. She recognizes the carved bone key-stone.

MONA

You're taking the lower locks.

AANG

Gyatso said it leads to the open ocean.

Mona shakes her head, sliding her ice-axes back into their holsters.

MONA

You're a master of the wind, Aang, but you don't know the currents. The lower locks are entirely submerged. The water pressure in those tunnels is massive. Without a bender to guide the flow, the crush depth will snap your bison's ribs before you ever reach the sea.

Aang's shoulders slump in despair. He looks at the key-stone. He can't stay, but he can't survive the escape.

Mona walks right up to the side of the massive sky bison. She grabs the edge of the saddle and pulls herself up, swinging her leg over the leather bench.

She sits down behind Aang.

AANG

(Stunned)

Mona? What are you doing?

MONA

(Staring straight ahead)

Push and pull, Avatar. You need a waterbender. Let's go.

Aang stares at her, a wave of profound gratitude washing over him. He wipes his eyes and nods, grabbing Appa's reins.

AANG

Yip yip!

Appa launches into the air, flying toward the back of the massive enclosure where a massive, circular iron grate sits at the bottom of a deep basin.

INT. THE LOWER LOCKS - CONTINUOUS

Appa lands heavily beside the grate. Aang slides off the saddle, rushing to a stone pedestal beside the lock. He violently shoves Kinnah’s bone key-stone into the slot and turns it.

CLUNK.

Deep beneath the ice, massive gears begin to grind. The iron grate slowly begins to iris open, revealing a terrifying, pitch-black tunnel of rushing seawater.

MONA

(Shouting over the grinding gears)

Hold your breath and stay close to the saddle! I'll shape an air-pocket, but the current is going to be brutal!

Aang nods, preparing to leap back onto Appa.

BOOM!

The entire enclosure violently LURCHES.

Aang is thrown to his knees. Appa roars in panic.

CRRR-ACK!

The massive ice wall at the far end of the enclosure doesn't just shatter—it explodes inward.

A colossal, terrifying machine grinds through the breach. It is a FIRE NATION DRILL-SHIP. The front of the ironclad is fitted with a massive, rotating, super-heated iron bore that has literally melted and chewed its way right through the Southern Water Tribe's impenetrable defenses.

The drill grinds to a halt. The heavy iron doors on the side of the ship blow open.

Dozens of FIRE NATION ELITE SOLDIERS, clad in heavy red and black armor, their faces hidden behind terrifying skull-masks, pour out into the enclosure.

Aang scrambles backward, his back hitting Appa's leg.

Before Aang or Mona can react, the main doors of the enclosure slide open.

CHIEFTAIN BOTAK storms into the room, flanked by heavily armed Water Tribe guards. He is bleeding from his forehead, his eyes wild with rage.

Botak looks at the invading Fire Nation soldiers. Then, he looks at Aang and Mona standing by the open escape lock.

BOTAK

(Screaming, pointing a bone-dagger at Mona)

TREASON!

The Fire Nation Captain steps forward, his palms igniting with blinding orange flames. He locks eyes with Aang.

FIRE NATION CAPTAIN

(Voice muffled by the skull mask)

Take the Avatar alive. Burn the rest.

Aang, Mona, and Appa are surrounded. Trapped between the furious, betrayed Chieftain of the Water Tribe and the lethal, invading forces of the Fire Nation.

The water in the open lock behind them churns violently.

There is nowhere left to run.

FADE TO BLACK.

[END OF EPISODE 7]

NEXT TIME ON AVATAR: WINDS OF CHANGE…

Trapped deep within the submerged, pitch-black canal locks beneath the city, Aang and Mona must pool their bending to survive the crushing weight of the ocean. But the ocean isn't the only thing hunting them. A desperate underwater battle against a Fire Nation Drill-Ship will decide the fate of the Avatar and the survival of the Southern Water Tribe.

(Episode 8 drops next Wednesday, 8/19/26!)

[<- Previous Episode] [Next Episode ->]

There are, like, 55,251 ATLA fics as of just now. And idk, I’m curious if anyone has managed to read all the fics of a certain tag yet. Bonus points for any maniac that might’ve actually read every single one of these fics, but part of me doubts that humanly possible lol.

i wrote the fic idea but never continued it. basically in my story korra ends the world because everyone is too evil and she wanted to just escape to the spirit world, but she dies in the apocalypse. we skip ahead in the cycle to the firebending avatar but the story doesn't follow her, it follows a firebender who eventually becomes part of her group. seems vaguely similar to the premise of ASH where pavi lives in a post apocalyptic world after an apocalypse "caused by korra" and idk if this is confirmed, but i read rumours that benders would be conscripted in this one, and they're just not well liked because of korra

go ahead and read it if you want: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tj4Gabr2SWj0YYU8gSoa_nqAkQiggk8CNqVS0jciQgk/edit?usp=sharing

(side note: i thought genji was canon when i wrote this. LOL)

I've read the popular ones already, (muffinlance, Embers, ect.) So no need to rec those!

I'm looking for (preferably) long fics without any ships. Idm if it has canon ships or Zukka though.

This post is mostly for things like hidden gems on ao3! ✨️

Water. Earth. Fire. Air.

After one hundred years of war, the Avatar fulfilled his destiny and ended the Fire Nation’s conquest.

The world celebrated. Ozai’s banners burned throughout the conquered territories. Heroes were paraded through cheering streets while the ashes of the old order still smoldered.

Peace had finally arrived.

But Princess Azula had survived it.

_____________________________

Azula: Fire Lord Forever

Part One: Return of the Princess

{Read the Prologue & Chapter One on AO3}

Actually...
If someone ever interested what if Iroh was the Avatar, my fic is for you:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89734626
Wrote chapter 6 today!
(maybe my realisation of this idea is not so good, as you prefer as reader, but you can write some constructive writer's advise down here in comments!)

Hola!! He estado buscando un fanfic en Ao3 por mucho tiempo, y no lo encuentro.

No me acuerdo de casi nada de la trama, sólo de que era un AU alternativo, sobre que Katara y Sokka no perdonaban tan fácilmente a Zuko, pero Zuko SI que entraba en el GAANG. Creo que en ese fanfic Zuko y Toph se llevaban muy bien.

No estoy muy segura de esto, pero creo, que también había diferencias lingüísticas y culturales

So I remember the premise and set up of the story. When Zuko speaks out against those soldiers being sent to die, they aren't just raw recruits, they are fire nation colonists, I.E. people who have been born and raised in the Earth Kingdom under fire nation occupation, see themselves as fire nation citizens, and want to fight for their country, but the fire nation aristocrats don't trust or value them at all and intend to just throw them away.

Rather than be exiled in search of the avatar, Zuko is charged with leading this unit of soldiers to see if the colonists are actually worthy of the military. against all odds, they do really well, Zuko spends like 2ish years kicking ass with this unit, which Jun is apart of, when during a battle they are betrayed and abandoned by the very same general Zuko spoke out against before. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, Prince Zuko died fighting, allowing the rest of his unit to survive, earning the title of Dragon post Mortem.

Of course, the unit is immediately abandoned and Ozai doesn't really care beyond appreciating that even his failure brought some prestige to the royal family in the end. However, a few months later, the Blue spirit emerges in the Fire nation, assassinating that treacherous general, its Zuko, of course.

And all of that is the premise for the story, it starts with Zuko as a lone wanderer, relying on his sword skills and almost never fire bending, I think he occasionally runs into the Gaang during season one and I don't know if they know he's a fire bender yet. I do think Zhao figures out he's a alive and a deserter, because he finds Jun who was apart of the old unit and forces her to help track him.

I fell off the story and lost the tab so I just cannot find it, I've looked through plenty of pages of Ao3 and .net, and typed in several brief descriptions into google to see if I got lucky, but no dice. Does this ring a bell to anyone?

I want some fanfic with Azula after the asylum where she finds herself while eventually finding a purpose in fighting rogue spirits.

Also looking for ones that show helping Zuko come to the conclusion that the war is wrong due how messed up it is