AtLAland Drabble Entries
The very first writing challenge for atlaland was to write a drabble (or three) based off episode titles from the show. I threw in some entries, because I'm easily amused like that.
Title: The Storm
Character: Ozai
Word Count: 100+
Rating: G
The Storm
***
Skin prickled along his spine, and Prince Ozai tossed in his sleep. Fire blossomed across his mind, but cold. Not blue, not like his brother's hottest fires. Cold fire, flashing in the darkness.
The wind rose, rattling the great metal shutters of his chambers. Rain slashed down, a steady pounding that invaded dreams of red war. Prince Ozai heard the battle-drums, the clang of the steel boilers, his brother marching against the Earth Kingdom.
Cold fire flashed again, sweeping war away. In the darkness, there was only his own breath tasting the way the cold fire stung the air. He knew this taste. He knew it. He was it-
Thunder boomed.
The Second Prince sat bolt upright, lightning spilling from his hands.
-End-
Title: The Earth King
Character: Long Feng
Word Count: 200+
Rating: G
The Earth King
***
Long Feng picked up the vermillion inkstick. He scraped it against the rougher marble of his personal inkstone, then blended the red with water to make the ink he would need. He plucked the jade seal from its place in the case, replaced the inkstick, then pressed the seal into the red ink. Then he pressed the Earth King's seal to the page.
He had thought it would get easier. He had thought the ink would look less like blood as time passed.
A year ago, Kuei's father died. The ministers and generals gathered and decided the Minister of Culture, being neither too old to remember the days before the war nor too young and eager to face the Fire Nation, being once a Dai Li and thus blessed by Avatar Kyoshi, was the only person who could serve as regent until Kuei came of age.
They gave him the seals of the Earth King and told him to act as he thought best.
One day less than a year ago, Kuei pressed his small hand into Long Feng's and gazed at him with naked trust.
Long Feng picked up the edict he had just sealed into law. He remembered that look in Kuei's eyes, just as he remembered all the ministers and generals who had suddenly found time to offer their own suggestions as to what would be best for the Earth Kingdom.
They wouldn't like what he thought best for Kuei. They could hang for all he cared.
-End-
Title: The Firebending Masters
Character: Zhao
Word Count: 100+
Rating: PG
The Firebending Masters
***
Zhao picked up a coal from the fire. The red flames clung to his hands, and he pushed them away before they could blacken his skin. The coal was hot in his hands, burning his fingers, and he bit his tongue to keep from cursing.
Master Jeong Jeong could stick his hands in a fire as easily as into water. Fire loved him.
Fire did not love Zhao. Fire didn't love most firebenders when you got right down to it, but most firebenders didn't get burned by fire.
Zhao stared at the coal in his hand. He was a master firebender now, judged such by Master Jeong Jeong. The records all showed his new status. He would master this last thing, he would not be burned by fire.
'Learn control and you'll learn that,' Master Jeong Jeong had sneered.
Zhao crushed the coal in his hand, ignoring the sudden pain. He had control. He had all the control anyone needed! He was a firebending master now!
He opened his hand and stared at the burn-reddened skin on his palm.
Damn it.
-End-
Title: The Storm
Character: Ozai
Word Count: 100+
Rating: G
The Storm
***
Skin prickled along his spine, and Prince Ozai tossed in his sleep. Fire blossomed across his mind, but cold. Not blue, not like his brother's hottest fires. Cold fire, flashing in the darkness.
The wind rose, rattling the great metal shutters of his chambers. Rain slashed down, a steady pounding that invaded dreams of red war. Prince Ozai heard the battle-drums, the clang of the steel boilers, his brother marching against the Earth Kingdom.
Cold fire flashed again, sweeping war away. In the darkness, there was only his own breath tasting the way the cold fire stung the air. He knew this taste. He knew it. He was it-
Thunder boomed.
The Second Prince sat bolt upright, lightning spilling from his hands.
-End-
Title: The Earth King
Character: Long Feng
Word Count: 200+
Rating: G
The Earth King
***
Long Feng picked up the vermillion inkstick. He scraped it against the rougher marble of his personal inkstone, then blended the red with water to make the ink he would need. He plucked the jade seal from its place in the case, replaced the inkstick, then pressed the seal into the red ink. Then he pressed the Earth King's seal to the page.
He had thought it would get easier. He had thought the ink would look less like blood as time passed.
A year ago, Kuei's father died. The ministers and generals gathered and decided the Minister of Culture, being neither too old to remember the days before the war nor too young and eager to face the Fire Nation, being once a Dai Li and thus blessed by Avatar Kyoshi, was the only person who could serve as regent until Kuei came of age.
They gave him the seals of the Earth King and told him to act as he thought best.
One day less than a year ago, Kuei pressed his small hand into Long Feng's and gazed at him with naked trust.
Long Feng picked up the edict he had just sealed into law. He remembered that look in Kuei's eyes, just as he remembered all the ministers and generals who had suddenly found time to offer their own suggestions as to what would be best for the Earth Kingdom.
They wouldn't like what he thought best for Kuei. They could hang for all he cared.
-End-
Title: The Firebending Masters
Character: Zhao
Word Count: 100+
Rating: PG
The Firebending Masters
***
Zhao picked up a coal from the fire. The red flames clung to his hands, and he pushed them away before they could blacken his skin. The coal was hot in his hands, burning his fingers, and he bit his tongue to keep from cursing.
Master Jeong Jeong could stick his hands in a fire as easily as into water. Fire loved him.
Fire did not love Zhao. Fire didn't love most firebenders when you got right down to it, but most firebenders didn't get burned by fire.
Zhao stared at the coal in his hand. He was a master firebender now, judged such by Master Jeong Jeong. The records all showed his new status. He would master this last thing, he would not be burned by fire.
'Learn control and you'll learn that,' Master Jeong Jeong had sneered.
Zhao crushed the coal in his hand, ignoring the sudden pain. He had control. He had all the control anyone needed! He was a firebending master now!
He opened his hand and stared at the burn-reddened skin on his palm.
Damn it.
-End-