"Having children means having responsibilities." Exactly, which is why I don't want a kid of my own lol. "A child has to learn to walk alone, also in such cases, but it needs the assistance of its parents for this. And this means sometimes being a parent not a friend." This is important too, basically parents have to parent. There needs to be, like you said, a balance between having some control & teaching right from wrong and love and kindness. TBH, I think that the fact that I watched horror movies so young pretty much explains my fascination for the macabre. "I think an important part of your own opinion is to know, that there are other opinions out there." Agreed, just keep an open mind. Stick to your guns when necessary, but be open minded. "To know, that sometimes it could be more than one opinion plausible is even harder but it is necessary to give the reasons, which have led you to your own opinion a ranking." But I definitly think that it is improtant to acknowledge that more than one opinion can be correct. "How could be an understanding for other people, if you aren't willing to consider or accept other peoples opinion?" Exactly. "I don't mind if an author let his own opinion shine through his stories, or even if an author lines out its opinion within its work, but I'm no fan of someone who tries to force his/her opinion on others." I agree here too. I don't mind when an author's opinon bleeds through unless they are just outright rude about it. With Life As We Knew it, the portrayal of religious folks was just downright insulting; they were all portrayed as evil and greedy and manipulative. I don't mind seeing a religious character portrayed like so in an apocalypse novel as long as the fanatic isn't the only portrayal. Like King's The Mist does a good job of portraying evil religious people, but without being off putting about it. "we seem to share the opinion, that another point of view on thing might also be plausible and acceptable, even if we doesn't share it." I am firmly of the opinion that just because I disagree with something, doesn't mean that it should be written off. Like people who insist that Azula is an irredeemable character. I massively disagree but people are free to make what they will of her character. "And calling all religious people crazy, because they are religious? I think that is crazy." Generalizations typically just bother me. People aren't ALL a certain way because of their skin color, gender, religion, ect. But I agree with you, there are so many shades of grey.

"Like I said, I'm curious if you'll follow the episode or if you'll give Kuriva a different direction." That will be revealed in this chapter actually. "Nice! I could have seen him with his own band, like Punk Rock or Grunge with an colored mohican (I hope the right word for the haircut). A band name is also ready, Flying Anarchy." I was thinking about it, but tbh I think that this fic needed at least one jailbird lol and he is in jail in canon. As for the name of the hairstyle, I think that you might be referring to the mohawk. :P

"A direction I like very much. Soulfly." Thanks. :P I thought that it would be an interesting change in direction for them. "Such a fitting adaptation to add the Sun Warriors as a source of inspitration here and to give FoA a chance to shapening their style even more." Thanks again, I figured that that would be a neat little call back to the canon. "By doing so she has helped her to clear her mind and to come up with an idea, how to limit the damage she has done with the picture." She just kind of needed to relax a little. "She seems to start to think in longer terms, finally. Her career depends on her popularity and a heavy damaged reputation could destroy everything." But we'll see how good her idea is. ;P "She has felt comfortable with this new style and the location and the costumes had been perfect." Yeah, she has at least one thing going for her. "Great description of the shooting and of the special ideas Azula have had with her flames and the location. The new mover seems to become a good one and the new style of music seems to suit Azula." The new style suits her more, yes. "But she keeps pushing again." It's a habit lol. "But until now FoA is in a better position than WIM." Oh yeah, they're getting it together...sort of.

As it is, there isn't much to talk about. She is controlling and pushy and that's how it is, at least in his mind. "I just want to do something different. Something that will stand out." She tries again.

"And I don't know if the kind of standing out you're going for is the good kind." Baatar admits.

"It will be." She insists.

"Kuvira." He pauses. "You know what? No. I have an idea and I'd like it to be used this time."

He's being stubborn and they have no time for it. "Baatar, we're already behind schedule and we still have to order new instruments…"

"Don't try to pull that on me." Baatar says rather loudly, perhaps more forceful than he had intended. "If it means that much to you then we can compromise. You know, like I've been trying to do all morning."

But Kuvira won't budge, she already has an idea in her head. She already has the lyrics and the composition and a concept for the video. There is no room for compromise and no time. She vocalizes as much to her fiance.

Her rational only seems to coax him into a deeper state of vexation and unwavering. He slaps both palms onto the table and heaves himself up with alarming speed. "Alright, I'll put it to you this way. Either you work with me, or you can count me out."

Kuvira swallows, it is just the kind of ultimatum she had been dreading since the argument began. "Baatar!"

She watches him saunter off. She is going to kill the man for sure. How the hell can he put her in a position like this and at a time like this? With nowhere else to put her frustrations she begins combing her hair, forcefully, yanking strands of her own hair. She coils it into a tight braid and pins it up and then dresses herself for the day.

"Is Baatar really leaving the band?" Ming asks.

"No." Kuvira grumbles.

"So you're going to use his idea then?" P'Li asks.

"No." Kuvira repeats herself.

"The fuck are you gonna do then?" Ghazan questions.

She doesn't know. She hopes that Baatar will come around when he realizes that she isn't budging. "Exactly what I want to do." She replies at last.

.oOo.

But he doesn't come around.

They sit in Suyin's garden, the sun is dipping lower and lower in the sky. She is already in a sour mood for having wasted yet another day. The both of them are quiet, sharing dinner but without discussion. Having enough of the silence Kuvira mutters something about the weather, how the breeze is nice and relaxing.

Baatar mumbles a word or two of agreement and makes a casual remark about how the food isn't bad either and then they fall quiet again. Kuvira cups her cheek in her hand and fixes her eyes on the soft pinks, oranges, and golds in the sky.

"Have you made a decision yet?"

Kuvira swallows. "I already planned everything out, Baatar." She tries softly. "I can't just go back now, we don't have time to come up with new songs because we've wasted the entire planning stage."

She sees something work in his jaw. "You might as well just say it."

"Saw what?"

"What you really mean." Baatar replies. "You're blaming me. It's my fault that we've wasted time."

"I didn't say that."

"I know you." He shoots back. "I know that tone. It's accusatory. You said, 'we' but you wanted to say, 'you'."

It stings because he isn't wrong.

"It doesn't matter whose fault it is." Kuvira grumbles. "The point is, we don't have time to make any new plans…"

Baatar gives a bitter laugh. "You think I'm an idiot don't you?" He doesn't leave her time to protest. "You think that I wasn't smart enough to make a few plans of my own? I wrote a couple songs to go with my idea. I have a plan for the mover!"

Kuvira opens her mouth to speak.

"But that's impossible, right? I'm not as smart or prepared as you are. I was an engineer before joining your band. Planning is what I did. It's what I do. And you never give me the chance to do it."

"That's not true."

"Isn't it?" Baatar takes a swig of his drink. "Because I can't even name one suggestion I've made that you actually utilize." He throws his hands up. "Hell, I can't even think of one that you put in consideration into using."

"Okay." Kuvira retreats. "We can use your idea…" she catches a premature smile cross his face. "...after Southern Air Sounds."

Baatar slams his fist on the table and then runs his hand over his face, looking wholly exhausted. "Are you…? I can't believe…" His sputtering lets her know that he has reached his limit with her. "I know what I need to know." He concludes vaguely.

Kuvira knows that he won't be joining the rest of the band in the recording studio tomorrow. She came into their dinner expecting as much. But he still manages to surprise her. "You have me wondering what else I'm not going to have a say in." She doesn't reply. She doesn't know what he is getting at. Or maybe she does because her belly is already fluttering with tickles of unease. "I'd like to have some say on my wedding day, I probably won't get that with you, will I, Kuvira?"

For a moment her jaw goes slack and it is she who is stammering. "Baatar, that's not...you don't mean that."

"Don't tell me what I do and don't mean!" Baatar snaps. "I'm tired of you telling me what I am and what I'm not. How I feel and how I don't." He sets his engagement ring on the table before her with an audible clunk.

"Baatar, don't do this." She mutters quietly. She is being abandoned again and somehow it cuts much deeper than the wound her own parents inflicted. She hadn't known them as well as she has grown to know Baatar.

"You can stay the night but tomorrow you and your band can pack your things."

"Our band." Kuvira tries softly. She is going to fall apart.

"Your band."