"Merits" outline back-up, just ignore...

[beyondthemoor]

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)
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Comments

[sharkflip]

Okay, here's what I'd like to see from the ending (not that I've been thinking about this for a few days).

It's ambiguous whether Zuko survives the end battle. He does something stupidly heroic and the building caves in/explodes/whatever and allows everyone else to escape/whatever. Stupid bravery and really a remarkable display of how he's come to value Katara and the others above himself, tying back into the theme of recognizing merits. You said something about him being in "vampire form" for parts of the ending -- I think it'd be a pretty good contrast for him to be displaying humanity while appearing so far from it.

Or something. Whatever. The important part is that everyone else gets out, and Zuko doesn't. The gAang is recovering and starting to head back to Ba Sing Sei and we have a touching final scene with Katara, who tearfully has recognized Zuko's stupid bravery and self-sacrifice, etc. Maybe she prays for his soul, or whatever the equivalent would be now that she's the moon spirit personified again. And we have the major resolution: all our human players have survived and life goes on.

I would end this scene leaving things ambiguous with Jet (maybe he offers her comfort but she can't take it) and having a water-sibs bonding moment where Sokka puts his arm around Katara and she accepts the hug, and we're reminded that modern Katara isn't so lonely or alone as past Katara, and that Sokka is still her protector in the way of big brothers everywhere. Etc. Fade out.

Then, have an epilogue a few weeks/months later, when everyone has settled back in. This is a very visual sequence for me, so I'm trying to describe how I would show it. Everything is already out on the table, so there's no need to explain anything more, just wrap it up.

I would start it during Katara's school day, either in her lab or graduating or doing whatever it is she's doing, and seeing that she's doing okay. Good, even, though definitely sort of sad/wistful, but trying not to let it get her down.

She gets home and checks her voicemail, which is a good mechanism for quickly establishing her relationships with other people. Maybe Toph is reluctantly offering to host a girly guacamole party because Katara never seems to leave the lab any more, and maybe Jet is calling to reassure her that hey, no hard feelings, I realize you're busy, how about next tuesday, instead... though you'll probably stand me up again, but I'm a patient guy. Or something. And then concluding with Sokka just checking in and saying something Sokka-stupid that means "I love you and I'm worried about you".

And she smiles, and starts making dinner or something, puttering around her apartment, etc, and we see she's lonely but happy, and fully herself in a way she's never been before. And the loneliness isn't like that of 150 years ago, it's that of having someone to miss, rather than never having known companionship. Etc.

And then there's a knock on the door / doorbell rings / whatever, and she smiles and figures it's Jet and she really wishes that she could return his affection but just can't, and she goes to open the door preparing more excuses and wishing that she didn't have to.

But when she opens the door, it's Zuko there, and she can tell he's human somehow, and he looks really apprehensive and really hopeful. "Katara?" and she lights up.

Fade out. End. pffffft.

[sharkflip]

Presenting it this way, as far as I'm concerned, leaves it deliciously open-ended, in that way where it doesn't even matter. Katara could still choose Jet, Zuko could decide to explore the world and end up in a buddhist monastery, whatever -- the important part is that they finally have a chance to actually choose now.

It also conveniently glosses over such trivialities as how did Zuko survive and how did he become human (I suspect moon-spirit intervention, but it doesn't matter). And it really shows him as having made a choice that reflects the theme of the story -- he's given up immortality for a chance to be with Katara, because he values her for herself over anything else.

I think it's also a good foil for the usual vampire romance where the human partner accepts the change and they live happily in immortal bliss etc, and again shows why I like this story so much. Your Katara had that chance and didn't take it because she had something more important to do, and I think that makes her even stronger and truer to her canon self.

You've really delightfully subverted the whole vampire trope with this story. The usual themes I've seen are these sort of half-realized choices between Humanity and True Love, which is thinly veiled abstinence versus hedonism. Yawn. These always lack the crucial tension, since invariably the female human heroine is lonely and doesn't have anything left in the mortal world, but still can't decide if she wants to accept the bite, until it's romantically appropriate.

Merits instead is about the more real choices -- saving what you love rather than chancing what you might desire. Again, severing soulmate bond D:! But again, !!! (in a good way). I don't think I've ever read a story with that element, where the tension feels real rather than YA romance boring.

So yes. Feel free to take all, parts, none, or what have you -- it's your sand box, after all. :D

[beyondthemoor]

"I think it's also a good foil for the usual vampire romance where the human partner accepts the change and they live happily in immortal bliss etc"

--> As much as I love romance novels and vamp stories, I *h a t e* that trope. It can be done well, but so rarely isn't, and is so often done for the wrong, or trite, reasons. *stabby stabby*

"Merits" (for me) is about the choices people, individuals, make, and why they made them. Because it is out decisions, in a lot of ways, that define us. You don't get to choose what life throws at you -- or, in Zuko's case, the afterlife XD -- but you get to choose your reaction. It might be a s*itty choice, but it is still yours to make, and yours to live with.

I've always thought that, if Katara were put in Yue's place, she would probably make the same choice Yue did (in canon)--and despite fandom having a bit of a hate-on for Yue (for being a non-character), imho, they share quite a few surface similarities. I think Katara would have gone down fighting instead of volunteering to sacrifice herself, but if it came down to it, I think she would have done the same as Yue. (Again, mho).

"You've really delightfully subverted the whole vampire trope with this story."

--> Hee hee. ^_^Y Mission Accomplished!

"Merits instead is about the more real choices" --> ... I think "Avatar" is about choices, too. Zuko's, Aang's, and everyone else's, too. Even Jet made the choice to try and make up for his mistakes.

... and without going too far into the exact 'why', severing the bond will be another choice; and what that choice will be about... .... damnit, I am doing my best not to spoil you, so I will do my best to make it come across as epically as I can. XD

The big 'influences' (vamp-wise) for "Merits" *are* YA-novel/TV shows... "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Night World" series of novels by LJ Smith, "Vampire Knight" by Hino Matsuri (manga), and more recently, the "Vampire Academy" novels by Richelle Mead(sp?). If you ever decide to pick any up, I'd recommend "Huntress" by LJ Smith (you'll see the parallels to Zutara/Merits immediately), and "Vampire Academy" (start from book 1 -- you may be surprised at how well the author develops the characters for a YA series!).

I'm not sure if I'm making this ("Merits") feel as 'real' as I'd like (and with the huge gaps in my updates, it gets harder to grasp the 'feel' of it each time; dealing with too many hospital visits & stuff at home to really spend the time I'd like to on it), but part of the whole "Avatar" premise is reincarnation, and I've always wondered how I could play with it a bit... And thus, with a bit of prodding from Hyperoo, the sandbox was born. XD

So feel free to take some sand and build as you'd like -- I will throw in a few more curveballs (that aren't noted on the publically accessible outline), to try and keep things interesting.... Or, unexpected.

Because that's how I roll. XD

So grab a shovel! :D

[beyondthemoor]

I think I'm catching hubby's diabetes from reading this. XD Too sweet! XD

(but very cute -- and I can totally see why/how it would work... I'll keep these in mind. And at least, if I can't make it work myself, leave things open enough so you can write your own ending to it to suit your wildest fancy.) ;)