Timeline

Plan for ordering the stories:

Important Events:

(0) Preadventure

 * Hilara

(0.2) Baby Yi Lin

 * Yi Lin's an infant!

(0.5) Lazy Day

 * still incomplete
 * takes place 5 years before Adventure

(0.6) The Fire Lord's New Clothes

 * 13-year-old Hayoda
 * referenced as the "near future" in Lazy Day

(0.7) The Avatar's Beach

 * 13-year old Yi Lin, 11 year old Tseng
 * takes place 2 years before adventure

(0.8) The Princess Bride

 * Timeless story, but fits great here. Establishes the beginnings of Irah/Hayoda

(0.9) All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go But Down

 * takes place ~1 year before adventure
 * The kids' first exposure to Azula and their spawning point of their adoration of her

(1) The Adventure Begins!

 * idea for origin, starting from Mari/Murph/Sharkman's ideas:
 * The ship (later named the Blue Flame) is made by the Mechanist (hence some of its special features) and Sokka. When the Mechanist visited Kyoshi Island some time in the past, it was one of their idle projects. It's not in the best of shape, but still pretty durable, and it was something of a playground for Hayoda when he was younger. After Irah's birthday party, where the kids met Azula and heard amazing tales of the world out there, all the kids were affected, but Hayoda in particular kept having the idea nagging in his mind.
 * And when the kids and their parents all visit Kyoshi Island to spend time together, the kids realize they're having so much fun, and it'll all be over in a few more days, then Hayoda goes '...It doesn't have to end. Remember what we talked about on your birthday, Irah?'
 * Over the next several nights, the kids sneak away from their parents to prepare supplies and get the ship ready to sail. Finally, in the early morning of the last day of their "vacation" together, after a lot of hesitation on some of their parts, they set sail, and with the unique design of the ship and Yi Lin's Airbending, they're completely out of sight by the time the parents wake up. The parents go to get on Appa, but just like Katara had convinced Appa in the show to act sick, Yue had done the same.

(1.x) unsorted things here

 * Cave of Two Lovers
 * Hayoda wearing some Kyoshi paints (keep this in, in the same way that Sokka's warpaints were in the first episode but not much elsewhere)
 * first encounter with the Jukoy pirates, where Hayoda steals the captain's hat. Anything featuring Hayoda with a hat must be after this.
 * Card Wolves. This story is pretty much timeless, can go anywhere really. Ask TDL where he prefers it.
 * Thunder and Lightning. Murph feels this belongs somewhere around 5.4 or 5.6 but he can't decide which :S
 * events taking place on Azula's island shouldn't be all grouped together ("Ghost Stories" and "Thunder and Lightning" don't seem to be in the same vein). the GJr should visit Azula and Ty Lee semi-regularly. The island is somewhere between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, making it a sort of crossroads for the kids when traveling across the ocean. There's a small fishing village on the island, where the kids can get some supplies, and while it's too small for typical shipping vessels to bother docking there, the kids are always eager to go a little out of their way to see Azula and Ty Lee. Its small size and relative non-notability may also make it a safe haven when the kids have made some pirate enemies.

(1.025) Space Sword's recovery

 * The kids shove off onward to ADVENTURE and somewhat selfishly, Hayoda wants to finally find Space Sword (it sorta became a Moby Dick of sorts to his dad) so their first destination is the last area Sokka looked for it before giving up (around when Yue was beginning to walk)
 * They find space sword after X-Y-Z and Hayoda's enthusiasm for Adventure is trebled upon 'beating' his dad to his prized blade

(1.05) Po's origin

 * in Mari's idea, Po is originally an animal owned to be sold, in abusive conditions
 * Yue and Yi Lin help him escape
 * also, first instance of actual "Masked Shipper" persona (with mask and coat)
 * this can happen before or after space sword's recovery, I have no idea

(1.1) The Great Escape

 * The Parents attempt to reel the kids back in after they discover they ran away.
 * This comic features Po, so it must be >1.05
 * This is the last (or one of the last) attempts for the parents to catch the kids.
 * eo3's comic based on this story!

an observation from DAT_MURPH on (0) - (1.1)

 * Ya know, after this flurry of ACTION AND ADVENTURE of getting Space Sword, Po, and Escaping the parents I bet they set sail across the ocean to the Earth Kingdom and Hayoda is going through a sort of withdrawal (Tseng revels in the peace and enjoys Hayoda's frustration). Hayoda tries to sate his need for adventure in a rather unconventional manner...
 * Hayoda climbs up to the Crow's Nest, Yi Lin is busy in the new story Irah gave her.
 * Hayoda: Hey Yi Lin!
 * Yi Lin: Hey what's up Hayo-
 * Hayoda: LET'S WRASSLE!
 * Yi Lin: TSENG, HELP!

(1.2) Friendly Interactions (First Meetings with Friendly-Toph!)

 * "bending boot-camp"
 * Toph is with the kids, just spending time with them
 * no mention of Po, or the Blue Flame (a metal-hulled ship instead, but we can easily change this to being the pre-named BF), and no Tom-Tom there either.
 * At this point in their travels, the kids are still just running away, and they come across Toph, doing her wandering the world thing. She's not trying to catch them yet (this is the first she had heard of the kids running away), and the kids let her hang out with them, giving her a ride to Chin Village. Along the way will happen all the snippets between Toph and the kids.

(1.3) Niche story, part 1

 * a day after the kids drop off Toph

(1.32) The Power of Rock

 * Toph isn't with the kids any more, but she's not a pursuer at all yet

(1.35) Toph (and Tom-Tom) Join the Hunt!

 * some time after being dropped off at Chin Village, Toph is eventually found by some of the parents (Zuko in particular), and after realizing that she's the one who saw them last, she's commissioned (with a Fire Navy vessel) to help bring them back.
 * Mai has Tom-Tom assigned to the same vessel (perhaps as a practical joke).

Ching's First Appearance

 * who knows what this is, but it's enough for she and the kids to start being mortal enemies.
 * Saraswati's Light?

(2) The Teacher

 * introduces Jiyi
 * introduces name of ship as "Blue Flame"
 * starts potential Dai Li arc?
 * Toph and Tom-Tom catch up with the kids, but Toph lets them get away

(2.1) Niche story, part 2

 * There's Po, Jiyi, and the Blue Flame

(4) Beauty Contest

 * Described in the round robin "Sen's Coming Out Party"
 * mention of "Blue Flame" (>2)
 * mentions Po (Po's origin story must be before this)
 * introduces Jing (all stories with Jing must happen after this
 * introduces concept of "Sen" (all stories mentioning Sen -- and Tseng crossdressing -- must be after this)
 * reference to "Hilara"
 * mentions Ching ("Tseng stood just behind the curtain, feeling oddly like he was back on the edge of a plank of Ching's ship."). There must be a Ching story some time before this one.

(4.3?) Jing and the Gang snippets

 * Establish why Jing can't particularly stand some of the Sea Wolves and sympathizes with Tseng's burden

(4.9) Niche story, part 3

 * Directly references Story of Jing (>4.5)

(5.25) Dance Contest

 * Described in "In Synch" (not completed yet)
 * mentions "Blue Flame" and Po and Jiyi
 * "Two weeks of relentless cat-and-mouse through coves, reefs, storms and sea monsters had finally netted them a very nice result." (there should be some good chases in the days leading up to this story -- though keep in mind that this pursuit has been wearing the kids down. stick a sea monster story here too)
 * mentions an encounter with Long Feng and a fight under Ba Sing Se that may have seriously focused Tom-Tom onto actually capturing the kids, for their own good (maybe a short story arc involving the Dai Li could end with that here? mentions fighting on the back of a lion-turtle; do we still want all that?)
 * Introduces Irah's "Season 2" dancer costume

Cold Irah

 * at South Pole
 * can fit wherever

Sames and Opposites

 * >2
 * could be later, to set up nega-gaang at earlier time

(5.5) Ghost Stories

 * mentions Sen -- multiple "Sen events" (>4)
 * mention of Ponygoat, its first encounter with the kids
 * more confident Yue? (>5?)

Rough Time Together

 * mentions Po (>2)
 * had the kids on the ship, until there was a sufficient distraction to let them all escape
 * this is probably a good idea to have, to fit in the snippets between Tom-Tom and the kids (maybe the reason they're not all so dour about being taken home is because they have a plan (perhaps Po, hidden, saw them get taken, and followed stealthily behind, and the kids got on his back to escape, idk)
 * I remember this story's second part had some implications others didn't like, and I don't even think it was put on the LJ. What should be the fate of this story? Can we just have part of it?

(6) Swept Away

 * part of "The Storm" arc
 * introduces Nikiru

(6.1) Ear Piercing and Almost Kisses

 * Yi Lin and Nikiru on their lonesome in the North Pole
 * Establishes the ambiguity of their relationship and Yi Lin's earring

(6.2) The Masked Shipper Strikes

 * Nikiru and Yi Lin (>6)
 * in the Northern Water Tribe, no mention of other kids (should this be during "The Storm" when the others are still looking for her?)

(6.3) Initiation (A Short Ficlet Involving Nikiru)

 * reminder: this story could use some editing
 * takes place the day before the kids leave the North Pole after having found Yi Lin and met Nikiru

Tracks in the Waves

 * Po-centric story, timeless (could fit anywhere after Po's arrival)

Returning the Favor

 * has the BF (>4)
 * reference to "waving Yue" comic

Pioneers

 * mentions Nikiru (>6)
 * after a fair amount of time, with Irah starting to feel that Yi Lin and Nikiru are growing closer -- maybe to the detriment of Irah and Yi Lin's friendship

Proper Aging

 * Mentions the gang is vicinity of Ba Sing Se (<7)

(7) First Date

 * this one sort of establishes a real relationship between Jing and Tseng, even though they had already been boy/girlfriends

(7.1) The Black Springs of Zao Bi

 * Jing-centric story (>4)
 * but some extended time afterward, when she and Tseng have been writing to each other a lot, and there have been some adventures in the meantime
 * introduces Master Gri-Dei, possible arc for someone wanting their hands on Hayoda's space sword?

Yi Lin's Mindset 2

 * has Jing on board (>7)

Silent Partners

 * mentions Nikiru (>6)
 * most is habitual stuff, so not really tied to events

Such Wonders

 * oh god this is so large I guess it goes into the nebulous "season 2" area >7

A Place Called Hope

 * it has Jing, Po, Blue Flame, could fit wherever I guess (>7?)

A Friendly Game

 * mentions something about Hope and Tom-Tom

Dr Prof's Kazuma and Nikiru adventure

 * yeah I dunno, we'll need to ask him

Partners in Crime

 * mentions Ching
 * mentions Tomtoph (so requires being >1.35)
 * mentions Nikiru (so >6)
 * stick this somewhere later, since it should be not just after meeting Nikiru

Older Moon

 * fits really anywhere, but should be later along, given its more introspective nature

It's a Magical World

 * don't know where to put this, maybe somewhere early
 * has some nice kid-fun feelings for it