Hm.

[weirdlet]

-or, VARIOUS WRITING BLOCKS.

Bits'n'pieces of things that I am in the midst of but which aren't gelling to my satisfaction.  Read if you like, just don't mind neurotic venting and spoilers.

Cut for WEIRD STUFF-

Random mpreg story-

So there's this big extraneous meme-response to Calicojane's prompt on the mpreg meme, where someone has to tell Jet his baby's fathered by the new Firelord.  Jet, rationally, wants nothing whatsoever to do with Zuko, and twenty years later their baby girl is all grown up and invading the Fire Nation capital to get a good look at her daddy.  So what do I go and do?  Start writing a long-ass thing where Jet's captured in the middle of winter, sentenced to die, jailed until he spawns before they can do that, ends up sick, rescued by the Blue Spirit, and knocks him silly when he realizes who it is.  And I can probably write it so that Jet, sick as a dog and with Smellerbee and Longshot nagging him, finally accepts some help from, if not Zuko, then the Gaang, but still refuses to let that guy anywhere near him.  It kind of keeps ending in my head either with Zuko keeping his word and Jet only accepting help via Katara, or with Jet finally agreeing to go someplace warm and civilized and be taken care of, Zuko only being allowed to hover but not to land, and after the birth maybe only seeing the baby once before handing it back to Jet who's waking up after, and then leaving whatever little villa they've stashed him in.  He promised she wouldn't be the heir, and he keeps it.  But while that tickles my things-i-want-to-see fancy, it doesn't feel like a resolution, just Jet having to capitulate in desperation but still no one growing or changing, just hurting.  Sort of ends with a whimper, but I've put enough writing into it already that I don't want to just leave it lie.


Egg and Ashes, or Zuko-brainwashed-and-pregnant-by-the-Earth-King-

Jet getting used to Fire Nation on a ship.  Smellerbee and Longshot- figuring out where to go from here, and Jet (hopefully) able to do the same.  Mushi/Iroh and his habit of adopting young men, even ones antagonistic to him.  What's Jet's final position on this whole thing gonna be?  Does it make sense for him to figure out this mad prince/ess is a good thing, even though he's not actually the Zuko we knew?

Zuko having had none of the character development of the second season, instead having spent that time mostly 'under' the mask of the Princess, living with the Earth King- now he's up and have his goals changed?  Is it welching out on his determination that he's decided 'screw the Fire Nation, I'm sticking with the people who rescued me'?  Or dare I introduce it as 'screw Azula, but maybe Daddy still loves me if I can accomplish the task he set out for me'?  Or if I go down that road, does it make sense for him to decide 'no- Azula couldn't have done this without some backing.  That's it, I'm done- and these people have given me hospitality that I cannot repay this way. Plus- baby on the way.' 

Getting used to the idea of himself as he is, possibly with Jet.  "Call me Zuko."

If they know Azula knows about the Day of Black Sun, what then?


Sun Child-

Figuring out the specifics of what happens between Jet and Zura, and how it all goes down.  I got bits and pieces, some of which are cool but many of which are mutually exclusive.  So- the girl you liked, and have spent a while actually getting to know and bonding over having been, essentially, child soldiers (without sharing a lot of specifics), actually turns out to have been one of your enemies.  Maybe you found out accidentally, when the firelight flickered when you kissed her.  Maybe you were on a roll about the Fire Nation, and she spat out something about where that scar came from that you couldn't misinterpret.  Maybe you've got that but no evidence- maybe you've spent weeks seeing her do nothing but try to protect her kid, like she might actually be an exile, just like she said, just from the wrong nation.  What do you do?

Maybe you never found out at all, but you knew that there was something wrong with this city, and ran headfirst into the Dai Li that way.

Too many variables.  Yet I like possibilities.



And then there's the general non-fandom stuff in my head, that whisper but never solidify.  I may end up developing these a little more, then trying one of those origi-fic memes I've seen my favorite fanwriters do.

I really like the idea of the semi-medieval fantasy-world with hermaphroditic humans.  No other explanation than that, but that the people up to the North have neither men nor women but are both at once.  Lords, knights and all, but when they come down to the rest of the world there are amusing incidents of 'since your language has this bizzare dichotomy of address, you may call me by the more respected'. 

I've got this half-conceived notion of a group of young heroes, the 'second sons' (or daughters), people who aren't the heirs to the various kingdoms but are being trained up to a) be assets to their countries and b) work together- sort of a medieval fantasy superhero team.  One of these is Arick of the Northern Baronies, a young princely knight who is a bit uptight and looking to prove him(using the more respected default of the southern languages)self, because he is of the sired line of his royal parent, not the borne- even within the confines of a bearing contract, it has the unsteadiness of claim of a bastard line in the southern, two-sexed kingdoms.

Besides him, I seem to have a large, gentle bruiser of a silver-haired arctic prince (he will lead the sea-going warriors one day, or would if his brothers were not older, but his sister will lead the clan on land and in the great home-ships).  Less well-defined is the scholarly/possibly magical (maybe in a priestessly way) princess from the southernmost kingdom, and the classic golden-boy prince who likes to tweak Arick and get into fights with him.  I'd almost like to do one of those origi-fic memes with this idea, and see what pops up, because I have no idea what else to do with these fellows.

Comments

[spyridona.livejournal.com]

Woman, you like Zuko barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen, don't you?

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

Heh- it just comes up. I didn't mean for this much of it to come up at once^^ And once I get an interesting thing in my head, it just won't stop picking up interesting bits.

What I Mean To Say Is-

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

I never can leave an AU alone.

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

I don't think Zuko's one to say "Screw the Fire Nation and Daddy!" Burning his face didn't manage to convince him Ozai didn't love him, Azula pulling this when he only has her word that it's by his father's orders (and logic, but he lacks that when it comes to his father) but at the same times I think he'd be feeling very grateful, and also protective of his kid. Iroh might be able to convince him that going back to his father would probably result in the death of his kid. Also, Azula would certainly at this point not be able to convince him to come home. Ozai would have to do it himself, and he wouldn't try. I doubt he'd fight on their side or teach Aang, but he wouldn't want to fight against them either.

Now if Iroh and the Gaang were able to convince him that the best thing for his country is Ozai losing, and that it's the only way Zuko's going to keep a half Earth royalty child alive...

Did Zuko go by a different name as the princess?

Iroh, I think can wear almost anyone down, Jet included. Hostile he might remain, but rather like Zuko in the first season, quietly accepting?

As for Sun Child:

Fire bending comes from the breath and is fueled by the emotions, and kissing sends all one's breath control right out the window. Even accidental firebending in that kind of situation would be improbable, I think. I like the idea of Zura blowing up at him, or just throwing out accidental clues (I like him figuring out that she's noble before figuring out that she's Fire Nation) Or seeing Lan Min 'bend and Zura put it out with bending when she didn't know he was watching (oh good Lord). Or walking in on the day she got lazy and lit the fire with 'bending. I like him finding out, just because I like freakout scenes.

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

*nod* Zuko would have his ties to the Fire Nation strained, but not severed. He wants to be the good prince, the worthy scion of his people and his family- but with everything that's happened, some of Iroh's hints that his worth does not depend on taking enough abuse might get through.


And yes, the freakout scene is a must.

[taragreen89.livejournal.com]

*hesitantly delurks*

I think considering Ursa's example, and how you've constructed Zura's character- that Zuko (in Eggs and Ashes verse)his first concern is going to be the kid. And considering how xenophobic the Fire Nation or at least the nobility seems to be- from what I've watched of the show- Zuko has to know on some level that a half-Earth Kingdom Royal baby isn't exactly going to be accepted. Especially if he/she pops out looking more Earth than Fire so to speak.

Um I'm going to go back to lurking now, but I just wanted to say- awesome universes! And the original fic idea sounds pretty awesomesauce.

*relurks*

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

Thank you^^ I'm glad you're enjoying it. Sometimes I find that the most fun I have is taking crack-tacular ideas and taking them seriously.

And yes, there would be some resistance to an heir who looks more Earth-kingdom than Fire- or an Earth heir who looks more Fire-nation, for that matter. Less so in the Earth Kingdom though, considering said kid wouldn't be the first or only, and would be the child of a very junior wife.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I feel the need to put in my two cents... probably because I totally know how you feel - working hard on a fic, and suddenly coming up against a wall and not getting to post anything. D: You have no idea how many word documents are labelled "fic ideas" in My Documents that have never seen the light of day (besides being shown to my sister).

"Mushi/Iroh and his habit of adopting young men, even ones antagonistic to him." Or ESPECIALLY those antagonistic to him. Perhaps Iroh has been trained to see prickly-ness and snapping as signs of affection from Zuko? ;)

"Is it welching out on his determination that he's decided 'screw the Fire Nation, I'm sticking with the people who rescued me'?" I would personally love it if you did this. Seriously, sometimes you just want to smack Zuko upside the head to get him to see reason. I think that you of all authors could play it out right. I would love it if gratefulness to his uncle totally outweighed any lingering possibilities of regaining his father's love (the father who put him through this in the first place). If you DO go with the second option, I hope that Zuko realizes pretty quickly that going about betraying people who have helped you isn't exactly honourable. Also, baby, like you said. I think that having kids on the way tends to reshuffle one's priorities.

"Maybe you found out accidentally, when the firelight flickered when you kissed her. Maybe you were on a roll about the Fire Nation, and she spat out something about where that scar came from that you couldn't misinterpret. Maybe you've got that but no evidence- maybe you've spent weeks seeing her do nothing but try to protect her kid, like she might actually be an exile, just like she said, just from the wrong nation. What do you do?" I don't know what you should do, but that was beautifully phrased. Any or all of those ways for Jet to find out is awesome... though I love the imagery of the candlelight flickering - something romantic, but tragically revealing an aspect of herself that she cannot hide.

(I also live in eternal hope that you will continue that three part fic on the Jetko meme with pregnant!Zuko (wait, that's not much of a qualifier, most of your fics incorporate that theme. ;) ), with Zuko trying/failing to hide her pregnancy from the Gaang.)

"I really like the idea of the semi-medieval fantasy-world with hermaphroditic humans." Ooh... if you like such things, have you ever read the Wraeththu series by Storm Constantine? I think that you might enjoy it. :) But I seriously like your ideas, too - particularly problems with forms of address. You think of all of the pertinent details!

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

No, I've never heard of that- I shall have to check it out! The major thing I've read with hermaphroditic humans (aside from Where Did All You Zombies Come From), is the Vorkosigan saga by Lois Mcmaster Bujold.

Heh^^ I enjoyed that one from the Jetko meme. I've got a few faint images from the future of it, mostly Jet snuggling the new Firelady and mussing up her hair, but plot eludes me. You got prompts? I'm a slut for prompts.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Wraeththu does have lots of smex in it (hermaphroditic sex... and sometimes threesomes), and it's kind of hard to find (I had to special order it online through Chapters). It's set in a future in which humanity is on its way out, and a new sort of humans have been evolved/created/whatever - these hermaphroditic beings called Wraeththu. They have a sort of magic, and can turn humans (men) into other Wraeththu... and there are pregnancies. Mostly I like it because the main character has an adorable mentor/lover relationship with the person who turned him (god, it sounds like a vampire book, doesn't it?), and the author does consider different ways in which a hermaphroditic culture would evolve. There are different tribes, and each one has reacted differently - some by having a caste system in which some have arbitrarily "female" roles, and others who are strictly androgynous, others completely masculine... I dunno, it's just a neat concept.

AND OMG I love the Miles series. <3 I just started reading them over Christmas break, and I worked my way through like five or six of those books within three weeks. Miles is awesome. I really do love the hermaphrodites from Beta colony, too... Bel Thorne! <3 I admit it, I love it when he/she/it flirts with Miles. :) Lovely.

Hmm... prompts? I dunno, the image you have of Jet snuggling Firelady Zuko sounds pretty awesome. I'm just intrigued about seeing a continuation of the third part - the morning after, in which Jet has to deal with the idea that he's fathered a child with someone from the Fire Nation. Also, reactions from the rest of the Gaang? Well, mostly Sokka and Aang. How can the events of the comet play out with a heavily pregnant Zuko? How does Azula react to seeing her sister pregnant? Or Zuko's father, for that matter? Speaking of which... how does the court feel about their Firelady having little bastard children with an Earth Kingdom man of low birth and questionable morality? (Being a freedom fighter with mismatched armor who probably doesn't hesitate to admit that he's wiped some Fire Nation soldiers off the face of the Earth.)

Sorry, just typing as I think. I hope something in that lot has inspired you. :)

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

I love Bel^^ Just love it to pieces. The thing that I kind of loved utterly, amidst its general awesome? The frilly nightgown.

Wraethu sounds really cool, at least conceptually. I tried to read Left Hand of Darkness a long time ago, and I never got past the first chapter- I'm sure Ursula K. LeGuin is a wonderful and important writer, I just have this strange allergy to her writing. Same thing with R.A. Salvatore- fun on the surface, wallbanger when I try to get into it and be entertained.

Hehheh- prompts-wise, those are all things I'm wondering about myself. It kind of depends on how much time was between the eclipse and the comet, and I was never really certain what the timeline was (others have complained about this, I've noted). Zuka's going to have to be careful about being too publicly influenced by her pet Earth Kingdom terrorist- but there is a tradition I've made up out of whole cloth that she can fall back on. Kid's got royal blood, but isn't, for whatever reason, a legitimate heir? Name them a true-born Child of the Sun, meaning that they are amongst the pool from which a Firelord can choose their heirs, but not guaranteed anything. Has soothed the ruffled feathers of starcrossed lovers, foreign concubines and high-court snobs for centuries.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Don't force yourself to read books just because others say they're awesome. I've run across that before as well - sometimes an author's writing style just doesn't appeal to you. Like, I personally love "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell", but I'm a history major and I love how the author cleverly wrote it in the writing style of the early 1800s, and incorporated fake footnotes/references all throughout. Some people detest history, though, so they can't even get through the first chapter. Personally, I love the regency era. :) It's also a really neat book: an alternate universe in which magic once existed in England, but had been in decline for centuries (there were really only theoretical magicians, dry dusty historians of magic). Then, suddenly, a practical magician appears: Mr. Norrell, a retiring old man from Northern England. He should be the most interesting thing since sliced bread, and is invited to all of these parties in London... but he's so BORING that no one can bear to speak with him. ;) Then, of course, another practical magician appears - Mr. Strange, who is young and bombastic and awesome. And they should be rivals, but they become friends/mentors/on-and-off-rivals and it's adorable.
And the plot's far more complicated than that, but it's a 1,000 page book and never have 1,000 pages seemed TOO SHORT before.
*pant pant* Sorry, it's like my favourite fantasy book ever, hands down. The author (Susanna Clarke) does some wonderful world building, what with the history of magic and all, and it's set during the Napoleonic wars, so you do get some awesome scenes with Strange fighting in Portugal... <3
(God, my history major is showing through, isn't it? D: )

Ooh... so that was what the true-born Child of the Sun reference was! I was actually kind of confused when it was first mentioned offhandedly in the fic. An interesting concept! (But try explaining it to Jet. ;) )

As for timelines... that's the one thing that kind of irks me about Avatar - how everything happens so quickly. I think that all three seasons take place over the course of less than a year (due to the discussions with Avatar Roku speaking in season 1 of Sozin's comet arriving this coming summer). But really, can a kid - even the AVATAR - master three distinct fighting styles over the course of mere months? But it's ironic - magic kung fu I can believe, but I have trouble suspending my disbelief over a matter of timing. ;)

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

I kind of put it down to combination of speed-of-plot, *and* Aang having already mastered one style of bending so thoroughly. If every style is a matter of control of chi through breathing and movement, once you've managed to figure out how to move one element with them, it could- theoretically- be easier to learn how to apply it differently to another element with proper instruction. I get the feeling they were really looking for broad strokes that could be made up for with raw power, and if they all survived, Aang could build on the basics later.

But yeah, sometimes I like to stretch out the timeline to a year and a half or so^^

Jet: "So... the Fire Nation is now trying to be good, the Firelord is a chick who actually helped stop the war, and my *kid* with her is going to be heir to all this insanity.

"Guess I'd better get to hunting down those dissident groups that aren't falling in with the non-conquering program, hadn't I?"

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I agree with you. I suppose bending different elements is like playing different instruments. For instance, you need to use your mouth in an entirely different way to play the clarinet than the flute, not to mention the entirely different position, but in the end, the fingerings are mostly the same.
(I like metaphors.)
And yep, stretchy timelines are useful. :3

AND YES, JET, YOU HAD BEST SMARTEN UP RIGHT SHARPISH. Not all members of the Fire Nation are evil - one even wants to sleep with you in a way that isn't creepy!