The next scene is just after Azula's fall from the tree, when she and Sokka awkwardly face and talk to each other, confirming that Azula did, in fact, hear everything. There's a fine line between endearingly awkward and unrealistically awkward, and this falls on the wrong side.
The scene shifts to Katara doing Azula's hair, and asking her about the incident, which Azula is quite embarrassed about. Katara insists Azula can tell her anything. Azula says she considers Katara a best friend, and that she does care for Sokka, but because of the "traditions," and with Sokka being future king of the Water Tribes, it wouldn't work.
I'd like to point out that most of the popular ATLA pairings involve individuals from different nations, and Maiko is one of the only exceptions. There are a few reasons why this is the case. Aang is the last Air Nomad (contrary to what the author of this fic says), and any pairing he would get involved with (he wants to get at least one, to help repopulate the airbenders), would be across nations. Katara's another popular shipping character, and she's related to or in a different age group from most of the Water Tribe characters, save for Hahn, whom she clearly doesn't care for at all. Similarly, Toph's only real option for an Earth Kingdom pairing is Haru, with whom she's never interacted.
As such, not only is there no real precedent for opposing these mixed marriages, but the fandom is all but forced into them. The only reason to bring up "traditions" against them is for a cheap source of drama, or to demonize certain characters
Katara responds by saying times are changing, and that three years ago, she was a normal Water Tribe girl who fell in love with her enemy. Azula is about to bring up the person she was, but Katara says it doesn't matter- what does matter is if Sokka feels the same way.
The angle shifts to showing Katara and Azula in the mirror (which vaguely makes it seem as though they're in another place), and Azula says that Sokka found her pretty. While Azula says Katara has an "exotic beauty," Katara goes on and on about Azula's "classy king of beauty", with beautiful eyes. Azula thanks Katara, thinking that she reminds her of what she remembers of Ursa, and thinks she'll be a great mother. The two then plan to wow Sokka.
Sokka encounters Toph, who, with an overly creepy Slasher Smile, questions him about why he's dressed up and what he's up to. Soka says he's taking Azula to see cherry blossoms, and she presses him for more details. When he denies that she's his girlfriend. Sokka complains, saying that Toph's Living Lie Detector abilities are an invasion of privacy, and Toph says she can't help it, but finds it sweet that he feels that way toward Azula. Sokka says Toph isn't usually "the loving type," but Toph says that she's honest with herself about her feelings. Sokka claims he's "disciplined," and Toph shrugs it off as Katara and Azula come.
Sokka's jaw drops, putting the lie to his claim. Katara mentions an upcoming "music night" that she and Toph are setting up. Sokka offers to help escort Azula there so she can play "Pao Sho" (a shame; the author got the spelling right last time), but Katara claims Sokka hasn't been listening.
After Katara warns them about the rain, Sokka and Azula set off, preparing to set off in an obviously photoshopped in gondola to take a look at the photographed cherry blossoms, and Azula remarks on how they're not around all year.
Sokka says he comes there when he has things on his mind, like his throne and his people. It can be inferred that's his place to think about the things the author doesn't care to have him think about much on-panel.
Azula says it's hard to tell the difference between dreams and reality in this place, and I agree, since the Avatar characters look like they stepped into an entirely different world, and Sokka agrees that it's pretty. Azula mentions how she saw a beautiful sunset on the ocean, and Sokka mentions there are many kinds of beauty, including the inevitable point that Azula's one of those types.
Through the boat ride, Azula makes various poetic observations about the scenery. Sokka helps her out of the boat, and shows her the cherry blossoms. Azula appreciates him bringing her somewhere so beautiful, somewhere she believes she saw in her dreams. Sokka notes that he understands that Azula is having trouble distinguishing dreams from memories, and wishes that some of the most painful instances of the latter he had were actually the former; if they were, growing up would be slower (is this supposed to be a good thing?). He then asks about Azula's nightmares, which seems somewhat personal, and she tells him about the blue flames and Ursa looking at her, disappointedly.
Sokka then goes off on a brief faux-philosophical tangent about how he and Amnesiac!Azula (by now, I've started to see them as entirely separate from their canon versions; they certainly don't have the same personalities, and don't even look all that much like their canon incarnations) didn't turn out too badly. He also points out a distinction between soldiers and warriors, and Azula says he turned out to be a great warrior.
It starts raining. (That's three words for three pages).
Sokka amusedly comments on this stroke of bad luck. Azula says that rain is the softest thing in the world, and Sokka says this is untrue- with the implication that Azula is. They then start kissing and making out in the rain, with Azula talking about how she's only focused on Sokka (which is why she doesn't think to get to shelter), and they feel as though the two of them are one being.
The chapter ends there, somewhat abruptly. Next chapter, things get interesting.
What I liked
- Toph almost being in character while grilling Sokka.
- Toph's fairly amusing Slasher Smile while doing so.
- The scenery actually looks quite beautiful, even if the author can't claim any credit for drawing it.
What I didn't like
- The dialogue between Sokka and Azula is quite cheesy.
Comments
, "headcanon" on some level. Even just adding new events that happen in the same places that canon visited is an extension qualifies, since the author has to interpret how the characters would behave in the new situation. And if that new situation isn't exactly like a prior one, then the author will have to decide how the characters respond based on his interpretation of the actual canon.
And if the situation is exactly like a prior one... it's just retreading old ground, and who wants to read that? Indeed to me, the whole point of fanfiction is to read someone's interesting interpretation of canon events. I only have a problem when the "headcanon" does one of the following:
- clearly contradicts established canon narrative, without explanation.
- is prima facie stupid.
- is poorly presented and/or thought out.
