Zuko | Avatar: The Last Airbender. (reserved)
OOC:
Name: Kris.
Are you over 16?: Yep!
Personal LJ: skystrikes
Email: crimescenelook@gmail.com
Timezone: Central
Other contact: (AIM) crimescenelook
Characters already in the game: None!
How did you find us?: App_this_plz, actually. Sokka-mun!
IC:
Character name: Zuko.
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Timeline: Book 3, chapter 15
Age: 16
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths:
“I rise with the sun.”
Firebending. He’s an extremely talented firebender, able to create fireballs, walls of fire, and even fiery tornadoes. The list goes on of ways he can harness and use fire; whips, daggers, and even breathing fire. His sister has always been considered a prodigy in the art of firebending and Zuko, in the end, was capable of defeating her. Firebending is something that he’s been learning since he was a tiny child and something he’s put all his effort into in the past. He was confident enough in his abilities that he offered himself as a Master to teach the Avatar firebending. Learning to firebend without relying on rage, he learned “The Dancing Dragon” - a technique so flowing it’s completely unlike every Fire Nation technique. Learning this move has smoothed down all of Zuko’s firebending, leaving all of his fighting much more fluid. He’s truly become a master with the art. As with all firebenders, his abilities grow stronger under the sun, weaker under the moon.
He learned how to redirect lightning. It’s an ability than only a few firebenders are capable of - his uncle, himself, and Aang. He also learned how to create lightning, the motions and idea behind it, but it wasn’t something Zuko could ever accomplish. He didn’t have the peace of mind required, too much inner turmoil making it impossible. He has, however, demonstrated his ability to redirect lightning - the second person in the world, supposedly, to be able to as it was a technique his Uncle created.
All his years of training have made him strong, fast, and agile. He’s highly accomplished in stealth, infiltration. Zuko is more than capable of sneaking his way through high security guarded facilities and he has several times during the series, even creating a persona for himself based on it. Hand-in-hand with his finely trained sneak skills, Zuko is said to have above average hearing. Also, he is exceedingly skilled with his Dao Swords, his dual swords. Plenty of times, he’s held his own against enemies, multiples at the same time, with just his swords and no bending. His own father wouldn’t challenge his abilities with the swords.
How would they use their abilities?:
Given the environment of the S.S. Thor, it’s likely that he won’t be using his firebending much at all. Training, probably, if he can find somewhere safe for it. He’s burned down enough homes in his past - now, he won’t be using it without good reason. That goes for all of his abilities and skills, he only uses himself for good now. To protect people. That won’t change here. Any dangerous situations arise and he’ll go into the fray to help. On the day to day stuff, he’ll probably be more normal than not.
Appearance:
one | two | three
Let’s be frank, the first thing people ever notice about Zuko is the scar. In canon, in a world at war with too many vicious firebenders to count - there isn’t much staring about it, but without a doubt he’s defined by it. The scar itself is rather hideous, a circle of ragged red flesh taking up the better part of a quarter of his face. His eye on that side has been mangled with the burn, permanently narrowed to a glare, eyelashes and eyebrow burned away and not growing back. The other half of his face is fine, normal. He resembles his family in looks; gold eyes, black hair, and pale skin. Once he joined the gAang (Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Katara), he took the role as oldest in the group (sorry Sokka, bud) and also as tallest.
Zuko started off the series as the buffest main character, with two times more muscle than any one of the heroes. Due to circumstances (largely possibly due to poor living conditions and being hard pressed to find a meal through all of the second season), he’s much more lean now. He’s still the most muscular character in the group, but it’s not bulky, just well defined limbs more from actual combat than borderline obsessive training.
Background/Personality:
As with most people, he isn’t who he used to be. Zuko’s changed so much, is trying to change more, and it’s something that needs to be understood to fully get him; what he was like and how he’s changed. Three years ago, as a thirteen year old boy, his father stripped him of his pride and the title as crown prince and he was banished, forbidden to return without the Avatar. At the time, it was a crazy impossible goal - no one had seen the Avatar in a hundred years. Everything, everything Zuko wanted in life rode on the hope of capturing the Avatar.
“My father says she (his sister) was born lucky, he says I was lucky to be born. I don’t need luck, though. I don’t want it. I’ve always had to struggle and fight and that’s made me strong. It’s made me who I am.”
His life revolved around the single desire to please his father. At the time he didn’t realize that, only that he wanted his honor back, his throne, his destiny. He wanted to be accepted. Three years banished, understandably frustrated and desperate, it’s easy to see how his traits developed as they did. He was hotheaded, angry, and stern. So, so serious about everything, that there simply wasn’t any room for jokes aside from scathing sarcasm. He was a prince. He thought the world owed him, that he shouldn’t be treated like some refugee, because he was royalty. He looked at poor people and judged them, arrogant even in his banishment. He was hotheaded, impatient, and arrogant. All he had was shame that he was marked the banish prince, cursed to chase the Avatar. Endlessly determined, stubborn, serious, aggressive, and ruthless. He took every bad situation that came flying his way (and there were many, and many miserable defeats) and he kept on, driven by rage. Driven so much by it that even his entire firebending style was based on it.
“You’ve always thrown everything you could at me! Well, I can take it... Now I can give it back! C’mon, strike me! You’ve never held back before!”
Verbally, he always said he’d do whatever it took to capture the Avatar, but often his actions contradicted it. There were more important things - the life of his crew, the life of his Uncle... things he wouldn’t admit to, but he’d prove in actions alone. Life is important to Zuko. Always has been. He doesn’t play with people’s emotions either, he doesn’t manipulate, and he isn’t unnecessarily cruel. He made a lot of wrong decisions, but he’s not a bad person. He’s got good in his heart, something his Uncle has been positive about all along. Zuko just took a long time to find his way. He spent so, so much of the series trying to be what his father wanted. Something understandable on the most basic of levels - he wanted his father’s love. His mother was gone, his sister was crazy and manipulative and even then... he’d believe her when she was saying father wanted him. He went back to the father that burned off half his face when he was thirteen and this time, he behaved exactly like he should.
“During the meeting, I was a perfect prince, the son my father wanted... but I wasn’t me.”
Zuko is intelligent, he’s honestly smart. He was carefully schooled prince, after all. He spent so much time confused over right and wrong. Why, even though his father accepted him finally, he was so angry at himself. Even now, this shows up as something he struggles with. It was explained by his Uncle Iroh in Zuko’s own history. He has two amazing great grandfathers; Sozin and Roku. A man that tried to destroy the world and the man that tried to save it. His blood both has good and bad in it, a strife of legacy. His Uncle points out that with that struggle comes the power for balance. In his confusion, anger at himself, Zuko takes this bit of knowledge, and it’s one of the many things that make him realize how wrong things are. One of the things that help him realize that the perfect prince, the son his father wants...isn’t him.
“I know I’ve made some bad choices, but today… I’m going to set things right.”
That’s where Zuko started to changed. It’d started prior to some degree, a change that flickered faintly near the end of Book Two before being crushed by his sister, but it comes back in full force, fanned by the Avatar and the good group he joins. His good is both tested and tried. Realization of his own destiny helping the Avatar, that his honor doesn’t ride on his father’s acceptance, knowledge of the world - all these things have helped him become this mature, more relaxed guy.
All that hotheaded rage is dimmed down, controlled as best Zuko can. He’s aware of his flaws and he’s trying his best to be composed. As a person, he’s still a little on the impatient side, somewhat rash, but it’s more manageable, showing its ugly head only now and then. He still has problems thinking ahead, being so rash as to jump into things without any plans at all, he still had some scathing sarcasm, and when things go wrong remnants of that short temper spark up. Even that, for the most part, is quickly snuffed out. His entire firebending style was focused on fighting from rage... and when he joined the Avatar and changed his ways, he lost his ability to firebend because he didn’t have his rage anymore, he had to relearn to firebend. While fire is an aggressive element, it’s also life. It’s energy. It’s breath.
Without his rage, he’s... a little happier. He smiles much more often now. Some of his humor, however lame, shines through, making it clear he’s definitely more relaxed compared to his past stiff, stern, and serious personality. Where previously he was closed off, he’s more open to people, to ideas... and caring about other people, to the possibility of having friends. He regrets the things he’s done in the past, sincerely, and he’s apologized to everyone he’s encountered that he’s previously wronged. He humbles himself now days instead of clinging to scraps of pride and honor. Unlike his father and sister, he’s one of the easiest characters to read in the series. Zuko’s emotions are written on his face, almost always.
All of these things are true, but he’s still the most serious character in Team Avatar. Past and how he was raised given, it’s not a surprise that even at his most relaxed... he’s serious. Likely, on some level it stems from the fact that Zuko is also the most socially awkward character of the group. Prone to stuttering white lies, easily flustered in awkward friend situations, and completely messing up jokes. Also not a surprise. He’s never been able to just have simple normal friends and he’s never had the time for normal friend activities.
He does, however, have a girlfriend. It’s the one touch of normalcy in his life. Even before he changed, she was capable of making him smile. Mai is undoubtedly important to him, one thing that didn’t change at all. He’s protective and possessive with her and a lot less than the perfect boyfriend, but she has her own issues. They balance each other out; she has problems expressing herself and he’s more expressive than he should be. She’s crushed on him since she was a kid, around nine, and it may have been the same with him. He broke up with her when he changed, but she saved his ass even then. The other person endlessly important to him is his Uncle, the man that has been a real father to him. Uncle Iroh gave him advice throughout the series and that is exactly what advice Zuko is rebuilding his life on now. The last and most important person in his life is, without a doubt, his mother that protected him at all costs, leading to her own banishment.
He values his chance at friendship with all of the characters in the Avatar group, going to great lengths to sooth the trouble between him and them. None of them trust him when he first joins, Katara and Sokka outwardly scathing and mocking. He doesn’t respond to it, though. He tries to prove that he’s changed. Even though Sokka wasn’t particularly fond of him, when he realized Sokka was going to go on a dangerous adventure alone into the Boiling Rock, Zuko empathized with him enough not to tell the others and enough to help. He does his best to make up all his misdeeds to everyone in the group, often earning trust by “field trips” in which he helps them overcome something. All Uncle’s advice and some of it has stuck.
Zuko may be without his rage, he may be humbled and relaxed and awkward... but more than any of that, he is determined.
Why should that character be in this game: For OCs only.
Why do you want to continue their history here: For characters from other games only.
For applicants considering an alternate version of a character already in game, please use this as your chance to explain the key differences between your character and the one already in play:
Have you read up on how the game works?: Yes! FlamingFerret is the guide plug in. Money can be earned through missions/jobs, stealing, and mooching. :D
1st person sample:
alternate 1st person: deadculture.
alternate 1st person: dear_mun.
--a book too?
[ It’s a mystery how exactly the Guide came to be on, but it’s at an awkward and half-obscured crooked angle. Widely the assumption is that this recording wasn’t intended. The unscarred half of his face is visible, a towel (the stylish one) is messily hung over his shoulder and he’s holding the book up. ]
Don’t… panic. [ Just reading; lucky that he even read it.] Don’t panic?! [ The growing boom to his voice is far from panic, at least. ] Well, what am I supposed to do?!
[ A sudden jerk of video, a loud noise as the book collides with the floor.]
My country, my world… I’ve lost everything.
[ A pause, quiet. ]
Why would you think I want a towel after that?!
[ Just as suddenly, the towel is thrown down. ]
3rd person sample:
alternate 3rd person: dirtyvegas.
[DEADCULTURE SAMPLE]
“Oof!” There was none of Zuko's usual grace, just him hitting the ground, head knocking hard and soundly against the dirt. “Ugh...” It was a quieted, painful groan, a hand going to the old but still aching wound on his chest. The hit left him dizzy for a second, reeling from the shock as he rolled to his side, fingers gripping into the dirt as he tried to right his vision and stop the feeling of falling. He’d fought enough and trained enough that, hurt or not, he was looking, head spinning as he glanced, scouring the field for what or who was responsible. At the long, lone empty field that met his side, the questions just started bubbling up within him, like water coming to a boil.
It was night; he had at least that on his side in terms of cover. Having the moon over him wasn’t much comfort if any - it just made his firebending weaker. Dimly, he realized something was off, that his bending wasn’t just the usual sort of weak that came with the moon, but there was so much off even outside of that... like where he was and how he got here.
He took in a steadying breath, closed his eyes, and started composing himself. Like Uncle would tell him to. Immediately, the black of closed lids helped sooth away the dizzying sensation, his fingers relaxing, releasing crumbs of dirt and grass. A slow exhale, like those old breathing exercises used to teach him. Whatever was going on... he needed to be calm to figure it out. He needed to think things through.
Two of the things he was worst at.
Slowly, he opened his eyes again and once he did, he was quietly, but quickly glancing around himself. Just outside some town, it looked like. Weeds had sprouted around, higher in some area than others, but not enough to provide any decent cover.
When his gaze swept the scene, he was left with a graceless muttered, “Huh?" The more he looked at the dark scene before him, the more he realized he couldn’t tell where he was. Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom; he didn’t have a clue. That was frustrating in and of itself to admit, not to mention, worrying. Don’t let it throw you off. Considering the circumstances, he told himself, it shouldn’t have been surprising. It was confusing, something that showed on Zuko’s face. He blinked and frowned uncertainly at the distant village. No insignias to be spotted, no raised flags, nothing. ”Where am I?” It was a rough rasp of a grumble, but he had a few guesses even if he could only make out a few dingy shadows of buildings. It could be anywhere in the Earth Kingdom, it could even be just outside some Fire Nation colonies maybe, but he knew enough to know that it wasn’t within the main city. He wasn’t in his palace and the bigger question was how. What kind of magic could do that?
Carefully, mindful of noise and his presence, he started pushing himself up from the dusty dirt, starting to push himself up all the way, starting, but stopping at the rustle of weeds and grass and clothes from further away. Sharp, trained eyes peered down the field and towards the noise, catching on a shadowy figure only visible by the light of the moon.
Immediately, Zuko crouched back down, close to the earth and further from view. It was habit, second nature that a hand grabbed the hood of his shirt, throwing it up as some chance of hiding his scar. He wasn’t a wanted man or a traitor - he was the Fire Lord. Maybe that name could have helped him, but right now, until he knew who that was, he wasn’t letting them know him.
He inched his way, low and quiet, trying to make it to better cover than just the night, all the while watching the person move. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the odd movements. Frantic, quick motions, disjointed almost and seemingly without rhyme or reason. He couldn’t see features other than the shape of foreign-looking clothes. He needed to know though, he needed some idea of where he was - and this person was his best chance.
He kept moving, quiet as he could. It was a shock when the person jerked, turning toward him abruptly with no reason that Zuko could see. He froze, still unable to see features in the dark with just the moon as light and, Zuko testily thought, it was never enough. But she’d seen him. Heard his impossibly quiet steps. Maybe she’d got a whiff of him. All sounded just as unlikely to him - so he settled on chance. She’d taken a stab in the dark, a chance, and she’d came up right. And she knew it. There was no hesitation - the person saw him and she (well, that’s what the lines of shadow looked like anyway) started charging towards him, running full speed.
“Hey,” Zuko called out, immediately standing to his full height. “I don’t want to fight. Just tell me where I am!” He didn’t back up a step, standing his ground, even taking one step forward - and she kept running. He gritted his teeth, shifting his feet in a solid stance, bracing himself and raising his hands to a defensive stance as the distance quickly faded. “Listen to me!” She wasn’t and his body was listening to the aggressive charge of body language, every muscle on edge, ready to protect himself. “Rrgh, fine!” As the last feet came, with furrowed brows he realized her mouth was open - not like in a war scream, but like she... was going to bite. And when she got closer, he realized it wasn’t the moonlight making her chalk white and that half her face was missing, rotten muscles exposed on a large portion of her cheek, white bone showing - the closer she got, the more the reek of rot and blood followed. “Y-You’re-“
And he almost fumbled in disgust, shock, and confusion.
He took a fast step to the side just in time to hear her teeth snap together, inches in front of him, chalky bony fingers grasping at where he was, her body already turning to follow him. One hand shot out and he delivered a quick powerful hit to her chest, shoving her back for a minute, for time to think, react, breath - but his hand came back sticky with old blood, leaving him sick and his frowning wearing deeper.
It hadn’t felt like a live body.
His mind started racing, fumbling, trying to come up with answers and only coming up with more questions. Bloodbending? This was a corpse, it had to be a corpse - it had to be bloodbending. Who? How? His face was drawn up in so many emotions, but she kept moving forward and he had to react. He dropped to the ground abruptly, kicking her legs out from under her and he stood straightening back up in one smooth motion. A foot slapped down on her throat, holding her in place, keeping her from biting, but decrepit fingers wrapped around his booted leg, scratching at the material. It took everything in him to not lose his hold and give in to the urge to shake off the disgusting fingers - but he didn’t give in, keeping his foot on her neck. “What are you?!” There was a note of awe, disgust mixing. He wanted to look around, hunt for the bloodbender responsible for this, anyone he could blame, but the idea of taking his eyes off of this thing trapped under his boot was impossible. He couldn’t, even as he edged closer and closer to frantic.
There wasn’t a single look of recognition in the thing’s eyes, even as it struggled harder with each second, shaking his hold with its force and requiring more of his effort to be held down. It wasn’t until he heard more - the same rustling and his head jerked up to see a familiar scene but with three more of those shadowy figures - that Zuko realized he had to move. He couldn’t kill it - what if they were still alive? What if the bender was just doing this because of him? What if that bloodbender was the very one that kidnapped him here? Breath coming quick, mind racing, he took one look towards the three he could barely see and another look at the one trapped under his boot.
Frustrated, confused, not sure what to do... he growled, a loud frustrated noise, and in one smooth, strong move yanked his foot away in the same he spun on heel, running. He didn’t know where or how many of those things were after him. He’d lose them.
If worst came to worst...
He knew what he’d have to do and he’d do it.
Questions?: N-No. I’m sorry for re-using so much, if a sample in this particular setting is wanted, I can whip one up super quick. :D G-God, I know I've messed something up.. ;;
Did you put your characters name and fandom in the subject: Yes!
Name: Kris.
Are you over 16?: Yep!
Personal LJ: skystrikes
Email: crimescenelook@gmail.com
Timezone: Central
Other contact: (AIM) crimescenelook
Characters already in the game: None!
How did you find us?: App_this_plz, actually. Sokka-mun!
IC:
Character name: Zuko.
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Timeline: Book 3, chapter 15
Age: 16
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths:
“I rise with the sun.”
Firebending. He’s an extremely talented firebender, able to create fireballs, walls of fire, and even fiery tornadoes. The list goes on of ways he can harness and use fire; whips, daggers, and even breathing fire. His sister has always been considered a prodigy in the art of firebending and Zuko, in the end, was capable of defeating her. Firebending is something that he’s been learning since he was a tiny child and something he’s put all his effort into in the past. He was confident enough in his abilities that he offered himself as a Master to teach the Avatar firebending. Learning to firebend without relying on rage, he learned “The Dancing Dragon” - a technique so flowing it’s completely unlike every Fire Nation technique. Learning this move has smoothed down all of Zuko’s firebending, leaving all of his fighting much more fluid. He’s truly become a master with the art. As with all firebenders, his abilities grow stronger under the sun, weaker under the moon.
He learned how to redirect lightning. It’s an ability than only a few firebenders are capable of - his uncle, himself, and Aang. He also learned how to create lightning, the motions and idea behind it, but it wasn’t something Zuko could ever accomplish. He didn’t have the peace of mind required, too much inner turmoil making it impossible. He has, however, demonstrated his ability to redirect lightning - the second person in the world, supposedly, to be able to as it was a technique his Uncle created.
All his years of training have made him strong, fast, and agile. He’s highly accomplished in stealth, infiltration. Zuko is more than capable of sneaking his way through high security guarded facilities and he has several times during the series, even creating a persona for himself based on it. Hand-in-hand with his finely trained sneak skills, Zuko is said to have above average hearing. Also, he is exceedingly skilled with his Dao Swords, his dual swords. Plenty of times, he’s held his own against enemies, multiples at the same time, with just his swords and no bending. His own father wouldn’t challenge his abilities with the swords.
How would they use their abilities?:
Given the environment of the S.S. Thor, it’s likely that he won’t be using his firebending much at all. Training, probably, if he can find somewhere safe for it. He’s burned down enough homes in his past - now, he won’t be using it without good reason. That goes for all of his abilities and skills, he only uses himself for good now. To protect people. That won’t change here. Any dangerous situations arise and he’ll go into the fray to help. On the day to day stuff, he’ll probably be more normal than not.
Appearance:
one | two | three
Let’s be frank, the first thing people ever notice about Zuko is the scar. In canon, in a world at war with too many vicious firebenders to count - there isn’t much staring about it, but without a doubt he’s defined by it. The scar itself is rather hideous, a circle of ragged red flesh taking up the better part of a quarter of his face. His eye on that side has been mangled with the burn, permanently narrowed to a glare, eyelashes and eyebrow burned away and not growing back. The other half of his face is fine, normal. He resembles his family in looks; gold eyes, black hair, and pale skin. Once he joined the gAang (Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Katara), he took the role as oldest in the group (sorry Sokka, bud) and also as tallest.
Zuko started off the series as the buffest main character, with two times more muscle than any one of the heroes. Due to circumstances (largely possibly due to poor living conditions and being hard pressed to find a meal through all of the second season), he’s much more lean now. He’s still the most muscular character in the group, but it’s not bulky, just well defined limbs more from actual combat than borderline obsessive training.
Background/Personality:
As with most people, he isn’t who he used to be. Zuko’s changed so much, is trying to change more, and it’s something that needs to be understood to fully get him; what he was like and how he’s changed. Three years ago, as a thirteen year old boy, his father stripped him of his pride and the title as crown prince and he was banished, forbidden to return without the Avatar. At the time, it was a crazy impossible goal - no one had seen the Avatar in a hundred years. Everything, everything Zuko wanted in life rode on the hope of capturing the Avatar.
“My father says she (his sister) was born lucky, he says I was lucky to be born. I don’t need luck, though. I don’t want it. I’ve always had to struggle and fight and that’s made me strong. It’s made me who I am.”
His life revolved around the single desire to please his father. At the time he didn’t realize that, only that he wanted his honor back, his throne, his destiny. He wanted to be accepted. Three years banished, understandably frustrated and desperate, it’s easy to see how his traits developed as they did. He was hotheaded, angry, and stern. So, so serious about everything, that there simply wasn’t any room for jokes aside from scathing sarcasm. He was a prince. He thought the world owed him, that he shouldn’t be treated like some refugee, because he was royalty. He looked at poor people and judged them, arrogant even in his banishment. He was hotheaded, impatient, and arrogant. All he had was shame that he was marked the banish prince, cursed to chase the Avatar. Endlessly determined, stubborn, serious, aggressive, and ruthless. He took every bad situation that came flying his way (and there were many, and many miserable defeats) and he kept on, driven by rage. Driven so much by it that even his entire firebending style was based on it.
“You’ve always thrown everything you could at me! Well, I can take it... Now I can give it back! C’mon, strike me! You’ve never held back before!”
Verbally, he always said he’d do whatever it took to capture the Avatar, but often his actions contradicted it. There were more important things - the life of his crew, the life of his Uncle... things he wouldn’t admit to, but he’d prove in actions alone. Life is important to Zuko. Always has been. He doesn’t play with people’s emotions either, he doesn’t manipulate, and he isn’t unnecessarily cruel. He made a lot of wrong decisions, but he’s not a bad person. He’s got good in his heart, something his Uncle has been positive about all along. Zuko just took a long time to find his way. He spent so, so much of the series trying to be what his father wanted. Something understandable on the most basic of levels - he wanted his father’s love. His mother was gone, his sister was crazy and manipulative and even then... he’d believe her when she was saying father wanted him. He went back to the father that burned off half his face when he was thirteen and this time, he behaved exactly like he should.
“During the meeting, I was a perfect prince, the son my father wanted... but I wasn’t me.”
Zuko is intelligent, he’s honestly smart. He was carefully schooled prince, after all. He spent so much time confused over right and wrong. Why, even though his father accepted him finally, he was so angry at himself. Even now, this shows up as something he struggles with. It was explained by his Uncle Iroh in Zuko’s own history. He has two amazing great grandfathers; Sozin and Roku. A man that tried to destroy the world and the man that tried to save it. His blood both has good and bad in it, a strife of legacy. His Uncle points out that with that struggle comes the power for balance. In his confusion, anger at himself, Zuko takes this bit of knowledge, and it’s one of the many things that make him realize how wrong things are. One of the things that help him realize that the perfect prince, the son his father wants...isn’t him.
“I know I’ve made some bad choices, but today… I’m going to set things right.”
That’s where Zuko started to changed. It’d started prior to some degree, a change that flickered faintly near the end of Book Two before being crushed by his sister, but it comes back in full force, fanned by the Avatar and the good group he joins. His good is both tested and tried. Realization of his own destiny helping the Avatar, that his honor doesn’t ride on his father’s acceptance, knowledge of the world - all these things have helped him become this mature, more relaxed guy.
All that hotheaded rage is dimmed down, controlled as best Zuko can. He’s aware of his flaws and he’s trying his best to be composed. As a person, he’s still a little on the impatient side, somewhat rash, but it’s more manageable, showing its ugly head only now and then. He still has problems thinking ahead, being so rash as to jump into things without any plans at all, he still had some scathing sarcasm, and when things go wrong remnants of that short temper spark up. Even that, for the most part, is quickly snuffed out. His entire firebending style was focused on fighting from rage... and when he joined the Avatar and changed his ways, he lost his ability to firebend because he didn’t have his rage anymore, he had to relearn to firebend. While fire is an aggressive element, it’s also life. It’s energy. It’s breath.
Without his rage, he’s... a little happier. He smiles much more often now. Some of his humor, however lame, shines through, making it clear he’s definitely more relaxed compared to his past stiff, stern, and serious personality. Where previously he was closed off, he’s more open to people, to ideas... and caring about other people, to the possibility of having friends. He regrets the things he’s done in the past, sincerely, and he’s apologized to everyone he’s encountered that he’s previously wronged. He humbles himself now days instead of clinging to scraps of pride and honor. Unlike his father and sister, he’s one of the easiest characters to read in the series. Zuko’s emotions are written on his face, almost always.
All of these things are true, but he’s still the most serious character in Team Avatar. Past and how he was raised given, it’s not a surprise that even at his most relaxed... he’s serious. Likely, on some level it stems from the fact that Zuko is also the most socially awkward character of the group. Prone to stuttering white lies, easily flustered in awkward friend situations, and completely messing up jokes. Also not a surprise. He’s never been able to just have simple normal friends and he’s never had the time for normal friend activities.
He does, however, have a girlfriend. It’s the one touch of normalcy in his life. Even before he changed, she was capable of making him smile. Mai is undoubtedly important to him, one thing that didn’t change at all. He’s protective and possessive with her and a lot less than the perfect boyfriend, but she has her own issues. They balance each other out; she has problems expressing herself and he’s more expressive than he should be. She’s crushed on him since she was a kid, around nine, and it may have been the same with him. He broke up with her when he changed, but she saved his ass even then. The other person endlessly important to him is his Uncle, the man that has been a real father to him. Uncle Iroh gave him advice throughout the series and that is exactly what advice Zuko is rebuilding his life on now. The last and most important person in his life is, without a doubt, his mother that protected him at all costs, leading to her own banishment.
He values his chance at friendship with all of the characters in the Avatar group, going to great lengths to sooth the trouble between him and them. None of them trust him when he first joins, Katara and Sokka outwardly scathing and mocking. He doesn’t respond to it, though. He tries to prove that he’s changed. Even though Sokka wasn’t particularly fond of him, when he realized Sokka was going to go on a dangerous adventure alone into the Boiling Rock, Zuko empathized with him enough not to tell the others and enough to help. He does his best to make up all his misdeeds to everyone in the group, often earning trust by “field trips” in which he helps them overcome something. All Uncle’s advice and some of it has stuck.
Zuko may be without his rage, he may be humbled and relaxed and awkward... but more than any of that, he is determined.
Why should that character be in this game: For OCs only.
Why do you want to continue their history here: For characters from other games only.
For applicants considering an alternate version of a character already in game, please use this as your chance to explain the key differences between your character and the one already in play:
Have you read up on how the game works?: Yes! FlamingFerret is the guide plug in. Money can be earned through missions/jobs, stealing, and mooching. :D
1st person sample:
alternate 1st person: deadculture.
alternate 1st person: dear_mun.
--a book too?
[ It’s a mystery how exactly the Guide came to be on, but it’s at an awkward and half-obscured crooked angle. Widely the assumption is that this recording wasn’t intended. The unscarred half of his face is visible, a towel (the stylish one) is messily hung over his shoulder and he’s holding the book up. ]
Don’t… panic. [ Just reading; lucky that he even read it.] Don’t panic?! [ The growing boom to his voice is far from panic, at least. ] Well, what am I supposed to do?!
[ A sudden jerk of video, a loud noise as the book collides with the floor.]
My country, my world… I’ve lost everything.
[ A pause, quiet. ]
Why would you think I want a towel after that?!
[ Just as suddenly, the towel is thrown down. ]
3rd person sample:
alternate 3rd person: dirtyvegas.
[DEADCULTURE SAMPLE]
“Oof!” There was none of Zuko's usual grace, just him hitting the ground, head knocking hard and soundly against the dirt. “Ugh...” It was a quieted, painful groan, a hand going to the old but still aching wound on his chest. The hit left him dizzy for a second, reeling from the shock as he rolled to his side, fingers gripping into the dirt as he tried to right his vision and stop the feeling of falling. He’d fought enough and trained enough that, hurt or not, he was looking, head spinning as he glanced, scouring the field for what or who was responsible. At the long, lone empty field that met his side, the questions just started bubbling up within him, like water coming to a boil.
It was night; he had at least that on his side in terms of cover. Having the moon over him wasn’t much comfort if any - it just made his firebending weaker. Dimly, he realized something was off, that his bending wasn’t just the usual sort of weak that came with the moon, but there was so much off even outside of that... like where he was and how he got here.
He took in a steadying breath, closed his eyes, and started composing himself. Like Uncle would tell him to. Immediately, the black of closed lids helped sooth away the dizzying sensation, his fingers relaxing, releasing crumbs of dirt and grass. A slow exhale, like those old breathing exercises used to teach him. Whatever was going on... he needed to be calm to figure it out. He needed to think things through.
Two of the things he was worst at.
Slowly, he opened his eyes again and once he did, he was quietly, but quickly glancing around himself. Just outside some town, it looked like. Weeds had sprouted around, higher in some area than others, but not enough to provide any decent cover.
When his gaze swept the scene, he was left with a graceless muttered, “Huh?" The more he looked at the dark scene before him, the more he realized he couldn’t tell where he was. Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom; he didn’t have a clue. That was frustrating in and of itself to admit, not to mention, worrying. Don’t let it throw you off. Considering the circumstances, he told himself, it shouldn’t have been surprising. It was confusing, something that showed on Zuko’s face. He blinked and frowned uncertainly at the distant village. No insignias to be spotted, no raised flags, nothing. ”Where am I?” It was a rough rasp of a grumble, but he had a few guesses even if he could only make out a few dingy shadows of buildings. It could be anywhere in the Earth Kingdom, it could even be just outside some Fire Nation colonies maybe, but he knew enough to know that it wasn’t within the main city. He wasn’t in his palace and the bigger question was how. What kind of magic could do that?
Carefully, mindful of noise and his presence, he started pushing himself up from the dusty dirt, starting to push himself up all the way, starting, but stopping at the rustle of weeds and grass and clothes from further away. Sharp, trained eyes peered down the field and towards the noise, catching on a shadowy figure only visible by the light of the moon.
Immediately, Zuko crouched back down, close to the earth and further from view. It was habit, second nature that a hand grabbed the hood of his shirt, throwing it up as some chance of hiding his scar. He wasn’t a wanted man or a traitor - he was the Fire Lord. Maybe that name could have helped him, but right now, until he knew who that was, he wasn’t letting them know him.
He inched his way, low and quiet, trying to make it to better cover than just the night, all the while watching the person move. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the odd movements. Frantic, quick motions, disjointed almost and seemingly without rhyme or reason. He couldn’t see features other than the shape of foreign-looking clothes. He needed to know though, he needed some idea of where he was - and this person was his best chance.
He kept moving, quiet as he could. It was a shock when the person jerked, turning toward him abruptly with no reason that Zuko could see. He froze, still unable to see features in the dark with just the moon as light and, Zuko testily thought, it was never enough. But she’d seen him. Heard his impossibly quiet steps. Maybe she’d got a whiff of him. All sounded just as unlikely to him - so he settled on chance. She’d taken a stab in the dark, a chance, and she’d came up right. And she knew it. There was no hesitation - the person saw him and she (well, that’s what the lines of shadow looked like anyway) started charging towards him, running full speed.
“Hey,” Zuko called out, immediately standing to his full height. “I don’t want to fight. Just tell me where I am!” He didn’t back up a step, standing his ground, even taking one step forward - and she kept running. He gritted his teeth, shifting his feet in a solid stance, bracing himself and raising his hands to a defensive stance as the distance quickly faded. “Listen to me!” She wasn’t and his body was listening to the aggressive charge of body language, every muscle on edge, ready to protect himself. “Rrgh, fine!” As the last feet came, with furrowed brows he realized her mouth was open - not like in a war scream, but like she... was going to bite. And when she got closer, he realized it wasn’t the moonlight making her chalk white and that half her face was missing, rotten muscles exposed on a large portion of her cheek, white bone showing - the closer she got, the more the reek of rot and blood followed. “Y-You’re-“
And he almost fumbled in disgust, shock, and confusion.
He took a fast step to the side just in time to hear her teeth snap together, inches in front of him, chalky bony fingers grasping at where he was, her body already turning to follow him. One hand shot out and he delivered a quick powerful hit to her chest, shoving her back for a minute, for time to think, react, breath - but his hand came back sticky with old blood, leaving him sick and his frowning wearing deeper.
It hadn’t felt like a live body.
His mind started racing, fumbling, trying to come up with answers and only coming up with more questions. Bloodbending? This was a corpse, it had to be a corpse - it had to be bloodbending. Who? How? His face was drawn up in so many emotions, but she kept moving forward and he had to react. He dropped to the ground abruptly, kicking her legs out from under her and he stood straightening back up in one smooth motion. A foot slapped down on her throat, holding her in place, keeping her from biting, but decrepit fingers wrapped around his booted leg, scratching at the material. It took everything in him to not lose his hold and give in to the urge to shake off the disgusting fingers - but he didn’t give in, keeping his foot on her neck. “What are you?!” There was a note of awe, disgust mixing. He wanted to look around, hunt for the bloodbender responsible for this, anyone he could blame, but the idea of taking his eyes off of this thing trapped under his boot was impossible. He couldn’t, even as he edged closer and closer to frantic.
There wasn’t a single look of recognition in the thing’s eyes, even as it struggled harder with each second, shaking his hold with its force and requiring more of his effort to be held down. It wasn’t until he heard more - the same rustling and his head jerked up to see a familiar scene but with three more of those shadowy figures - that Zuko realized he had to move. He couldn’t kill it - what if they were still alive? What if the bender was just doing this because of him? What if that bloodbender was the very one that kidnapped him here? Breath coming quick, mind racing, he took one look towards the three he could barely see and another look at the one trapped under his boot.
Frustrated, confused, not sure what to do... he growled, a loud frustrated noise, and in one smooth, strong move yanked his foot away in the same he spun on heel, running. He didn’t know where or how many of those things were after him. He’d lose them.
If worst came to worst...
He knew what he’d have to do and he’d do it.
Questions?: N-No. I’m sorry for re-using so much, if a sample in this particular setting is wanted, I can whip one up super quick. :D G-God, I know I've messed something up.. ;;
Did you put your characters name and fandom in the subject: Yes!