"Merits" outline back-up, just ignore...
Story Major Events/scenes (that are left): moderately detailed outline... spoilers
Current Chapter: History between Zuko & Katara;
To add to "Merits" (currently writing chap?):
ZUKO & KATARA’S HISTORY, 150 YEARS AGO:
- “Don’t worry when people fail to recognize your merits, worry when you fail to recognize theirs” (Confucius)
This is the reasoning behind the title for "Merits" -- that Zuko was so busy trying to get recognition for himself that he failed to recognise the value of others. He was trying to gain recognition from his father when he accepted his quest to search for / collect Yue(Katara) from the Water Tribe to 'better' the vamp society. It was only once he'd met her, stayed with her and her tribe, that he realised how much value others could bring, recognised their merits, that he realised how much he still had to learn and how much he loved Katara (and thus stopped trying to get praised for his own accomplishments, but instead supported her in hers. And then made the mistake of trying to show his father her
merits as a person...)
For the longest time, Zuko didn't recognise that Katara was powerful, or how good she was -- which led to his own failure, in a way. When he did recognise hers, though, it was too late and he lost her. So he vowed to make it up to her the next time.
She made a promise to come back to him, but she also made him promise her that he would recognise her for who she was first, and that he would let her live her life as she wanted, not as he wanted her to live -- partly why he allows her to leave with Jet to go to the Water Tribe. He promised he would not interfere with her own dreams and would allow her to live the life she couldn't have when she was tied to her tribe (that he would wait for her to recognise him for who/what he was, instead of trying to gloat/vaunt his merits towards her). She'd always wanted to 'do more' and expand her horizons when she was with her tribe, but was duty-bound to her people. When she was reborn, she wanted to have at least a chance to see how far she could go on her own before reuniting with him and starting to make decisions together. She wanted to show him just how much she could do on her own.
So things to add to tie in the time Zuko & Katara have together (in the Water Tribe, 150 years or so ago):
- Zuko is trying to get recognition for his (self-proclaimed) awesomeness
- Zuko needs to learn to see the best in others (this is outside his vampire-upbringing, of course, since vamps see themselves as superior to all others)
- We'll need to see glimpses of Zuko's discussions with Ozai as he tries to get his father to see how 'great' he and his accomplishments are (and how important reputation/honour are in vamp society)
- We'll need to see glimpses of Iroh trying to show Zuko how important it is to look beyond oneself to those around him, to realise how truly great a person is and how important their supporters are/can be (through straightforward advice? Iroh walking with Zuko, showing him/making him observe a scene, telling him an anecdote?...)
Things Katara & Zuko can discuss (150 years ago):
- Why he came to the Tribe
- How vamp society is structured / how it is 'better' than Tribe/humans
- He brings her a gift (blue scarf - is same scarf Katara wears in modern times. Was passed down as a family heirloom.)
- He has something to tell her (see Sharkflip's outline) -- wants to stay together/marry her. Has necklace for her in his pocket, puts it on her in her sleep, leaves next day (epic battle), as he kills her she looks up at him and tells him to propose properly next time (and makes him take the necklace from her).
JET & KATARA’S VISIT TO TRIBE, MODERN-DAY:
Jet takes K. to visit her family/Pakku. Time spent with the Water Tribe (J & K)
Jet could be Katara’s modern-day Protector, in a sense. He does truly care for her, but they haven’t arrived yet at Katara’s village - where he’ll meet with Pakku (coughcough, behind Katara’s back, coughcough)…
(NEED TO TYPE UP NOTES FROM NOTEBOOK HERE!)
-
LONG FENG INVESTIGATING KATARA, WITCHES’ INVOLVEMENT:
Long Feng investigating Katara’s friends/witches/bringing in Dai Li.
(some repeated in a few places, from cutting/pasting in Notepad as my mind drifted, re-arranged things)
Long Feng POV / scene (no lights, except for animal tank)
- talking to underling
- analysing battle
- wondering who could have such power (he felt power of the ward -- wonders who the witch was who made it, if the witches were interfering in vampire affairs by protecting Katara)
- second person comes in, announces the only local power strong enough to amass such an organized, armed force to counter theirs would have been the old Bei Fong Group, local triad with international ties
- Long Feng theorizing, wondering if there is a tie b/w the BF and the witches; underling 1 acknowledges that Katara was seen in contact with the Bei Fong heiress, they seemed to be close friends.
- Long Feng then remembers the slayer, Suki, who not only escaped him in his last city, but wounded him in BSS and still escaped him at the apartment fire -- asks underling to find out why she was present.
(some time later)
- confirmed that the Bei Fongs hired Suki, officially, to bodyguard their heiress Toph, however Toph seems to have been using her to protect Katara
- LF threatens his minions, demands to know exactly how the Bei Fongs/Toph, the Slayers Keep/Suki, and the witches are connected
TOPH/SUKI/AANG/SOKKA: CONFRONTATIONS, COMFORT, NEW BEGINNINGS:
- B-line (second storyline: Toph/Suki/Sokka/Aang): Toph PO’d @ Zuko for what he did to Katara; Toph/Sokka breakup; Toph/Aang consolation; Suki/Sokka hookup.
- Toph / Sokka / Suki / Aang
- discussion of relationship b/w Sokka/Toph -- they can't keep using each other as 'fall-backs', she needs to start being more open about what's going on w/ Katara/Zuko (he knows she's holding something back -- and she is, the fact that Katara died & Zuko, whom she'd trusted, took advantage of her trust; she made an error in judgement and doesn't want to admit it yet until she figures out a solution to the situations they're facing), she needs to tell him about her background, stop hiding things from him
- Sokka wondering what else Toph has been hiding from him
- ends badly
- he goes off to blow off steam / finds Suki to ask her questions
- Aang was listening from outside door, feels bad, knows what it is like to have to hide your secrets from your friends, debates going in to talk to Toph/comfort
- Suki recovered (mostly), training in weight room
- Sokka finds her, he & Suki talk (both have background as fighters--she as slayer, he as soldier in Forces), both used to being grunts, both very resourceful/inventive
- Suki admits she had wrong impression of him when they first met (he admits same), both look to future hopefully
- Both sitting on floor, back against wall, hands near enough to touch, and there's so much between them, but there's still so much more between them, too.
LONG FENG REALISES WHAT IS GOING ON, CALLS IN AZULA:
- (cruelty to underling who is taking too long finding answers?)
- Underling thinks he's made connection: Toph *is* a witch, possibly the 'Blind Maiden' that has been rumoured to have been discovered, and also the 'Blind Bandit' -- which makes sense, b/c then she could use the energy from her crowds to fuel her own magic, increase her grounding base
- LF cruel/evil smile, surmises aloud that perhaps all they need to do is destroy her base to impotize her (sp???)
- LF realises that Toph is the center of the opposition at this point
- another underling brings out file which confirms Toph works separately from her family, rarely uses their connections, is independently wealthy through her self-made music empire; frequently rousing thousands in crowds at her shows
- LF realises that Toph is the witch he needs to get rid of if he wants a clearer shot at Katara
- LF asks underling what is equally effective against/at purging witches and vampires. (fire?). LF impressed at option of cauterization (sp?), but declines. He is thinking of something less discriminant. (Less discriminant than fire?) LF asks underling to rouse the Dai Li (reavers).
ZUKO ALONE:
Going over his mistakes over & over again, makes him remember his 150-year past?
Zuko's themesong for that 150-ish year stint he had to wait for Katara. (Add/describe scenes b/w text/lyrics of song? Song-fic?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R8Qvm24dbU
Gavin Rossdale
Love Remains The Same lyrics
Songwriters: Frederiksen, Martin H; Rossdale, Gavin
A thousand times I’ve seen you standing
Gravity like a lunar landing
Make me want to run till I find you
I shut the world away from here
Drift to you, you’re all I hear
Everything we know fades to black
Half the time the world is ending
Truth is I am done pretending
I never thought that I had anymore to give
Pushing me so far
Here I am without you
Drink to all that we have lost
Mistakes we have made
Everything will change
But love remains the same
Find the place where we escape
Take you with me for a space
The city buzz, sounds just like a fridge
I walk the streets through seven bars
I had to find just where you are
The faces seems to blur, they’re all the same
Half the time the world is ending
Truth is I am done pretending
I never thought that I had anymore to give
Pushing me so far
Here I am without you
Drink to all that we have lost
Mistakes we have made
Everything will change
But love remains the same
So much more to say
So much to be done
Don’t you trick me out
We shall overcome
So all have stayed in place
We should have had the sun
Could have been inside
Instead we’re over here
Half the time the world is ending
Truth is I am done pretending
Too much time, too long defending
You and I are done pretending
I never thought that I had anymore to give
Pushing me so far
Here I am without you
Drink to all that we have lost
Mistakes we have made
Everything will change
Everything will change
I, oh I, I
wish this could last forever
I, oh I, I
As if we could last forever
Love remains the same
Love remains the same
KATARA & JET RETURN TO BSS; ARGUMENTS + CONFLICT B/W THEM, ZUKO’S RETURN IN RELATIONSHIP:
- Katara & Jet come back to BSS; small argument b/w J & K about her future; Z left necklace for Katara on her desk/letter of apology/wants to talk things out, they left things on a bad note. K walks in, sees note/necklace, feels all is getting better/J walks in, Katara assumes he was the one to leave the note/necklace (he comments is nice necklace).
Z & K confrontation @ Katara’s apartment (this is where the timeline meets back up with the very first chapter of “Merits”, the flash-forward). J walks in on them.
- Appearance of the Dangerous Ladies (chapter written last year?)
- Reconciliation b/w K & Z; Dangerous Ladies interruption; K kidnapped to Fire Nation Court.
-K prays to Spirits, asks for guidance & power to overcome adversity. Powers/Spirits ask her how badly she wants that power, is she willing to give up what she values most? (Show this next part? à ) Katara agrees, soulmate bond to Zuko is severed. (Physical reaction in Zuko, feels like a part of him has died.) Katara is told the power is always within her, she just needs to dip into it, like a well.
- Final showdown w/ The Five; Ozai awakes; Iroh-vention; K powers-a-bunga (blood-bending)! Toph-all-hell-breaks-loose/witches/Order of WL/Suki's revenge/werewolves/ETC....
- World saved, back to school/work for all
Current Chapter: History between Zuko & Katara;
To add to "Merits" (currently writing chap?):
ZUKO & KATARA’S HISTORY, 150 YEARS AGO:
- “Don’t worry when people fail to recognize your merits, worry when you fail to recognize theirs” (Confucius)
This is the reasoning behind the title for "Merits" -- that Zuko was so busy trying to get recognition for himself that he failed to recognise the value of others. He was trying to gain recognition from his father when he accepted his quest to search for / collect Yue(Katara) from the Water Tribe to 'better' the vamp society. It was only once he'd met her, stayed with her and her tribe, that he realised how much value others could bring, recognised their merits, that he realised how much he still had to learn and how much he loved Katara (and thus stopped trying to get praised for his own accomplishments, but instead supported her in hers. And then made the mistake of trying to show his father her
merits as a person...)
For the longest time, Zuko didn't recognise that Katara was powerful, or how good she was -- which led to his own failure, in a way. When he did recognise hers, though, it was too late and he lost her. So he vowed to make it up to her the next time.
She made a promise to come back to him, but she also made him promise her that he would recognise her for who she was first, and that he would let her live her life as she wanted, not as he wanted her to live -- partly why he allows her to leave with Jet to go to the Water Tribe. He promised he would not interfere with her own dreams and would allow her to live the life she couldn't have when she was tied to her tribe (that he would wait for her to recognise him for who/what he was, instead of trying to gloat/vaunt his merits towards her). She'd always wanted to 'do more' and expand her horizons when she was with her tribe, but was duty-bound to her people. When she was reborn, she wanted to have at least a chance to see how far she could go on her own before reuniting with him and starting to make decisions together. She wanted to show him just how much she could do on her own.
So things to add to tie in the time Zuko & Katara have together (in the Water Tribe, 150 years or so ago):
- Zuko is trying to get recognition for his (self-proclaimed) awesomeness
- Zuko needs to learn to see the best in others (this is outside his vampire-upbringing, of course, since vamps see themselves as superior to all others)
- We'll need to see glimpses of Zuko's discussions with Ozai as he tries to get his father to see how 'great' he and his accomplishments are (and how important reputation/honour are in vamp society)
- We'll need to see glimpses of Iroh trying to show Zuko how important it is to look beyond oneself to those around him, to realise how truly great a person is and how important their supporters are/can be (through straightforward advice? Iroh walking with Zuko, showing him/making him observe a scene, telling him an anecdote?...)
Things Katara & Zuko can discuss (150 years ago):
- Why he came to the Tribe
- How vamp society is structured / how it is 'better' than Tribe/humans
- He brings her a gift (blue scarf - is same scarf Katara wears in modern times. Was passed down as a family heirloom.)
- He has something to tell her (see Sharkflip's outline) -- wants to stay together/marry her. Has necklace for her in his pocket, puts it on her in her sleep, leaves next day (epic battle), as he kills her she looks up at him and tells him to propose properly next time (and makes him take the necklace from her).
JET & KATARA’S VISIT TO TRIBE, MODERN-DAY:
Jet takes K. to visit her family/Pakku. Time spent with the Water Tribe (J & K)
Jet could be Katara’s modern-day Protector, in a sense. He does truly care for her, but they haven’t arrived yet at Katara’s village - where he’ll meet with Pakku (coughcough, behind Katara’s back, coughcough)…
(NEED TO TYPE UP NOTES FROM NOTEBOOK HERE!)
-
LONG FENG INVESTIGATING KATARA, WITCHES’ INVOLVEMENT:
Long Feng investigating Katara’s friends/witches/bringing in Dai Li.
(some repeated in a few places, from cutting/pasting in Notepad as my mind drifted, re-arranged things)
Long Feng POV / scene (no lights, except for animal tank)
- talking to underling
- analysing battle
- wondering who could have such power (he felt power of the ward -- wonders who the witch was who made it, if the witches were interfering in vampire affairs by protecting Katara)
- second person comes in, announces the only local power strong enough to amass such an organized, armed force to counter theirs would have been the old Bei Fong Group, local triad with international ties
- Long Feng theorizing, wondering if there is a tie b/w the BF and the witches; underling 1 acknowledges that Katara was seen in contact with the Bei Fong heiress, they seemed to be close friends.
- Long Feng then remembers the slayer, Suki, who not only escaped him in his last city, but wounded him in BSS and still escaped him at the apartment fire -- asks underling to find out why she was present.
(some time later)
- confirmed that the Bei Fongs hired Suki, officially, to bodyguard their heiress Toph, however Toph seems to have been using her to protect Katara
- LF threatens his minions, demands to know exactly how the Bei Fongs/Toph, the Slayers Keep/Suki, and the witches are connected
TOPH/SUKI/AANG/SOKKA: CONFRONTATIONS, COMFORT, NEW BEGINNINGS:
- B-line (second storyline: Toph/Suki/Sokka/Aang): Toph PO’d @ Zuko for what he did to Katara; Toph/Sokka breakup; Toph/Aang consolation; Suki/Sokka hookup.
- Toph / Sokka / Suki / Aang
- discussion of relationship b/w Sokka/Toph -- they can't keep using each other as 'fall-backs', she needs to start being more open about what's going on w/ Katara/Zuko (he knows she's holding something back -- and she is, the fact that Katara died & Zuko, whom she'd trusted, took advantage of her trust; she made an error in judgement and doesn't want to admit it yet until she figures out a solution to the situations they're facing), she needs to tell him about her background, stop hiding things from him
- Sokka wondering what else Toph has been hiding from him
- ends badly
- he goes off to blow off steam / finds Suki to ask her questions
- Aang was listening from outside door, feels bad, knows what it is like to have to hide your secrets from your friends, debates going in to talk to Toph/comfort
- Suki recovered (mostly), training in weight room
- Sokka finds her, he & Suki talk (both have background as fighters--she as slayer, he as soldier in Forces), both used to being grunts, both very resourceful/inventive
- Suki admits she had wrong impression of him when they first met (he admits same), both look to future hopefully
- Both sitting on floor, back against wall, hands near enough to touch, and there's so much between them, but there's still so much more between them, too.
LONG FENG REALISES WHAT IS GOING ON, CALLS IN AZULA:
- (cruelty to underling who is taking too long finding answers?)
- Underling thinks he's made connection: Toph *is* a witch, possibly the 'Blind Maiden' that has been rumoured to have been discovered, and also the 'Blind Bandit' -- which makes sense, b/c then she could use the energy from her crowds to fuel her own magic, increase her grounding base
- LF cruel/evil smile, surmises aloud that perhaps all they need to do is destroy her base to impotize her (sp???)
- LF realises that Toph is the center of the opposition at this point
- another underling brings out file which confirms Toph works separately from her family, rarely uses their connections, is independently wealthy through her self-made music empire; frequently rousing thousands in crowds at her shows
- LF realises that Toph is the witch he needs to get rid of if he wants a clearer shot at Katara
- LF asks underling what is equally effective against/at purging witches and vampires. (fire?). LF impressed at option of cauterization (sp?), but declines. He is thinking of something less discriminant. (Less discriminant than fire?) LF asks underling to rouse the Dai Li (reavers).
ZUKO ALONE:
Going over his mistakes over & over again, makes him remember his 150-year past?
Zuko's themesong for that 150-ish year stint he had to wait for Katara. (Add/describe scenes b/w text/lyrics of song? Song-fic?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R8Qvm24dbU
Gavin Rossdale
Love Remains The Same lyrics
Songwriters: Frederiksen, Martin H; Rossdale, Gavin
A thousand times I’ve seen you standing
Gravity like a lunar landing
Make me want to run till I find you
I shut the world away from here
Drift to you, you’re all I hear
Everything we know fades to black
Half the time the world is ending
Truth is I am done pretending
I never thought that I had anymore to give
Pushing me so far
Here I am without you
Drink to all that we have lost
Mistakes we have made
Everything will change
But love remains the same
Find the place where we escape
Take you with me for a space
The city buzz, sounds just like a fridge
I walk the streets through seven bars
I had to find just where you are
The faces seems to blur, they’re all the same
Half the time the world is ending
Truth is I am done pretending
I never thought that I had anymore to give
Pushing me so far
Here I am without you
Drink to all that we have lost
Mistakes we have made
Everything will change
But love remains the same
So much more to say
So much to be done
Don’t you trick me out
We shall overcome
So all have stayed in place
We should have had the sun
Could have been inside
Instead we’re over here
Half the time the world is ending
Truth is I am done pretending
Too much time, too long defending
You and I are done pretending
I never thought that I had anymore to give
Pushing me so far
Here I am without you
Drink to all that we have lost
Mistakes we have made
Everything will change
Everything will change
I, oh I, I
wish this could last forever
I, oh I, I
As if we could last forever
Love remains the same
Love remains the same
KATARA & JET RETURN TO BSS; ARGUMENTS + CONFLICT B/W THEM, ZUKO’S RETURN IN RELATIONSHIP:
- Katara & Jet come back to BSS; small argument b/w J & K about her future; Z left necklace for Katara on her desk/letter of apology/wants to talk things out, they left things on a bad note. K walks in, sees note/necklace, feels all is getting better/J walks in, Katara assumes he was the one to leave the note/necklace (he comments is nice necklace).
Z & K confrontation @ Katara’s apartment (this is where the timeline meets back up with the very first chapter of “Merits”, the flash-forward). J walks in on them.
- Appearance of the Dangerous Ladies (chapter written last year?)
- Reconciliation b/w K & Z; Dangerous Ladies interruption; K kidnapped to Fire Nation Court.
-K prays to Spirits, asks for guidance & power to overcome adversity. Powers/Spirits ask her how badly she wants that power, is she willing to give up what she values most? (Show this next part? à ) Katara agrees, soulmate bond to Zuko is severed. (Physical reaction in Zuko, feels like a part of him has died.) Katara is told the power is always within her, she just needs to dip into it, like a well.
- Final showdown w/ The Five; Ozai awakes; Iroh-vention; K powers-a-bunga (blood-bending)! Toph-all-hell-breaks-loose/witches/Order of WL/Suki's revenge/werewolves/ETC....
- World saved, back to school/work for all