Fuck It. AtLAland Secret Santa Gifts
They are in the comments. There are a lot of them. Because I wrote a fuckton for this.
suzukiblu was my giftee. dark_puck and spyridona are my buddies. neldluva, crystaldrake, and banditjoeykuba are also my people. chameleon_pete and takatohedgehog got random things written for them for various reasons.
suzukiblu was my giftee. dark_puck and spyridona are my buddies. neldluva, crystaldrake, and banditjoeykuba are also my people. chameleon_pete and takatohedgehog got random things written for them for various reasons.
'Verse: Fire Avatar Ozai
Characters: Piandao, Ozai
Summary: The swordsman would like to have a few words with the Second Prince.
Author's Notes: I'm rather uncertain about how to characterize an "evil" Piandao, besides "want, take, have", so this is rather experimental.
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The Avatar was practicing his earthbending. Barefoot, like any man of the Earth Kingdom, but the Avatar wore red.
Piandao had heard that the previous Fire Avatar wore the clothes of the people he trained among. Rumors of the Avatars after Roku were few and far between, though. They'd never even known the name of the Air Avatar, the Water Avatar had died seeking a firebender teacher, and the Earth Avatar... Well, Avatar Farid had been a dangerous man, or so they said.
Not dangerous enough, because Piandao was watching Avatar Ozai train now. The young man couldn't be more than ten years younger than himself, but he was scarred like a warrior thrice his age. Weapon-slashes, the strange curving scars that Jeong Jeong claimed came from waterbenders, burns. So many burns.
Iroh had been pulling his punches, too, for the sake of their shared blood.
Piandao tested the edge of a knife against his thumb. He shouldn't be this deep into Omashu by himself, not with the Avatar's young friends about. Nor the Avatar's old friend, especially not the Avatar's old friend. King Bumi could break Piandao's ribs without hesitation, if he was any judge of 'benders and madmen.
He was friends with Jeong Jeong. He was a very good judge of 'benders and madmen.
He should get out like he'd gotten in, report back to the Prince and Commodore. Tell them the king of Omashu was kindly disposed to Ozai because of a previous incarnation. Tell them Ozai was beginning to learn earthbending. Show them how to get into the city so they could take the Avatar by surprise.
The corners of his mouth turned up. He'd gotten this far. He could get a little farther.
***
Something disturbed Ozai through his earthbending, and his concentration wavered. Rock split and clattered in shards on the floor of the stone courtyard. Then someone was behind him-
Ozai was the Second Prince of the Fire Nation, a master firebender and a fighter long before he was the Avatar. He reacted as naturally as breathing, trying to disable his opponent with fists and flame. He kicked like a mule, felt the slight touch of a hand at his thigh, brought his elbow back as he turned, heard a grunt of impact, flame roared-
It was short, ugly, and useless. 'Bending wasn't designed for close-in combat, and Piandao never let Ozai get the range he truly needed. The fight ended when he wound up on his back, knife at his throat, dark hand on his chest hard enough to make ribs creak, knees pinning his arms. He could still move his legs freely, but Piandao leaning on the knife convinced him that was a bad idea. For the moment.
Piandao's shirt smoldered, and he spat blood to the side. "You're neglecting your hand-to-hand, Second Prince."
"Duly noted," Ozai hissed.
"Don't be so angry, Prince Ozai." Piandao grinned, leaning a little harder on the knife. "You didn't stand a chance, anyway."
Ozai's eyes narrowed, and he snarled at the swordsman, who just laughed very softly.
"You thought you were safe," Piandao said, lifting the knife away only to lay the edge against Ozai's cheek. "That was your mistake, Second Prince. You'll never be safe until you're in the Palace again, doing what you're supposed to do."
"I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing as an Avatar," Ozai growled, legs shifting to press the soles of his feet against the stones.
"But not what you are supposed to do as Second Prince of the Fire Nation." Piandao's knife slit Ozai from cheek to chin, and the swordsman leaned over him. "Remember that, Prince Ozai. Remember that I'm always close enough to kill you."
End
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And I like 'evil' Piandao. I like the hints of play to his threatening, knowing the weak points the other man has and is fearless. Though I think might not help in a OWL sponsorship by Bumi in the future.
But yes, this may in fact trigger lots of issues for Ozai. Lots. *purrrs*
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Evil Piandao is fun to write, he is. He enjoys himself, especially when he gets a chance to fight.
Lots of issues? Ooh? *looks interested*
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