Letters From Iroh

Heart of Courage

{A/N: The song at the top of this chapter is the one that inspired the title! I really like it. I'd go to battle with it playing in the background. Lol give it a go while you read if you want- or go back and check it out at the end of its distracting! I'm going to use lines to indicate time skips here, which I haven't done before. As I said when I picked this story back up after a super long hiatus, my style has changed, and it's apparent within it. So, either way, I hope you all enjoy! Don't get thrown off by the picture at the top. It's more for foreshadowing purposes than anything else! I preplanned the number and names of chapters before hand and worked with that while I wrote them. And while I don't do that for all my works, there is an element (heh. Cuz Avatar) there which is present in a lot of my stories. I try to make sure the words actually correspond with the pictures at the top, while attempting to at least loosely see that title and chapters of the work as a whole and individual sections respectively fit into that whole "prompt" thing. I know that's pretty much the point of writing, and every author does that to an extent but it helps me to write out my process, and it also helps for me to know there's no "prompt" here but my own outside of the overall context of the show. So, one day, as I've heard people say it can, writing these fan-based works will help me write a real one, if I follow a similar approach! Okay, we'll stop there. Enough about me and my process (yeah, cut it out ya drama-queen)~ to the story!

Lol all great works speak for themselves, eh? Though I think commentary does help, at least in the scholarly sense. I man that's what SCHOLARSHIP is, a bunch of nerds commenting on shit. Okay. Stop. Now I'm done.

Love you guys!
~ Britt(a)}

We stood in an elevated room. All around us swirled the expansive beauty of the sea, though the tropical paradise which surrounded Ember Island was no longer visible as we sailed out of the Fire Nation. I adored the hills and mountains of the sun, the volcanic lands of the keepers of the sacred flames and dragon's lore. It felt like leaving home.

We were on the highest level of Iroh's ship, surrounding a table, a series of maps spread out upon it, me utilising a stereotypical pointing utensil, like I was a teacher giving a lesson to kids, or at least, students.

Those around me were far from kids, though they were young, and learning. I realised Korra was younger than me. That woke me up a little. I never believe I could have inspired her. Though, she'd kinda lost her patience after the fight. I remembered it, and as I stood there, l surrounded by some of, if not the most powerful people in the world, I couldn't help but feel included, finally, like I was as strong as everyone kept telling me I was.

_________________________

It was right after the seas calmed. Asami came back with Ma Ling, and two very handsome young men, one taller than the other, though they clearly looked related. Rian, Kayo, and countless other soldiers came to the beach, and we planned to leave, to follow the path the Avatar had come there in pursuit of in the first place. I'd asked her what it was, and she drew into herself. It was personal, a family matter. I understood, and didn't keep asking. I noticed Ma-Ling laying into her friend, and I caught the gist of what she was saying, but not all of it. I knew they'd make up. Anyone who was best friends with her could handle their own, I assumed. Korra ran up to her friends, beaming after her moment of silence, and I trailed behind, somewhat sheepishly, Iroh smiling behind me, happy we all were okay.

That's when I got yelled at. I feel somewhat foolish now, I know why I got called out, but still, I can't tell if it's more of an insult or a compliment.

"Korra!"

"Mako!"

"Bolin!"

"Asami!"