Dragons: note to self

[weirdlet]

Been wondering about yet-another! AU for the Avatarverse- wondering about what it was like when the dragons were around. I want to see what it would have been like had Ozai or Zuko bonded with a hatching dragon- not a complete Pern ripoff, although Avocado-love did a really good Pern!Avatar AU, but- I dunno, I get interesting or luxuriant images in my head and want to try out whatever universe supports them. And I want to see arrogant, cold Ozai brought to his knees by a demanding hatchling that will be his companion, however cold and reptilian they grow up to be, or adorable younger Zuko, awkward and nervous, bonding with his new friend.

Comments

[beckyh2112.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I'd be interested in reading this as well.

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

It's a thought- I rarely get things from idea to prose, but the idea process is what's fun. This one needs more chewing over- these notes to self are mostly to remind me when and if a challenge opens up, but let's see what happens.

I'm wondering how exactly Fire Nation society functioned as regarding dragons- from what we've seen in the show, at least Sozin and Roku had them, but we've never seen anyone else with them- and in one generation, Sozin was able to turn the situation from 'respected animal companions' to 'worthy hunting'. Perhaps dragon-bonding and riding is something only the high nobility can do, as it's probably expensive as all hell to keep a dragon- thus, like horses only even more exclusive, they're a major status symbol for the top people who understand fire.

So we've got a fairly-rare but well known privilege of the nobles and/or any sufficiently badass firebender to impress a nest-guardian. I'm thinkin' someone finds an abandoned nest, gone stasis somehow- not cold enough to kill the eggs, but not enough to push them over into hatching, although perhaps colder is better for stasis- and in an attempt to impress Azulon/Ozai/the current firelord at the time, offers'em up. The intent is likely to raise them for hunting- let them run wild after hatching, perhaps.

As mostly-useless second-son (or, depending on timeline, fascinated and not-trusting-this-to-anyone-else Firelord) Ozai gets stuck caring for the eggs with the advice of a few ancient zoologists for comfort. It's basically like being in an extended sweatlodge that he has to heat himself. It's hot, tiresome, delicate work that takes all his concentration, lots of his skill, and most of his energy...

and one day, as he's staring into the flames, one of the eggs cracks.

[beckyh2112.livejournal.com]

*eeees softly at the imagined way Ozai's light up when there is a baby dragon clambering on him* ... I really like Pern. >_>

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

Pern is fun^^

These dragonlets are perhaps a little less immediately communicative than Pernese hatchlings (and bonding is not required to live), but very shortly, Ozai's got a companion for life on his hands.

Someday, the way he will meet his future bride is when she smacks his too-curious dragon across the nose with the flat of her sword.

[beckyh2112.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeeee! *excited flailing* Dragonlord Ozai!