Jinora in the Past

Chapter 8

     After explaining to Aang's friends what had happened to her city, the Gaang was fully prepared to help her.

    "Just tell us what you need and we'll do everything we can," Katara said.

    "That's just it," Jinora said. "I have no idea what to do. I don't even know what's wrong with the time spirit."

    "Question," Cheif Sokka said to which his sister muttered, "You always have a question."

    "I'm going to forget you said that. If this is all getting whacked up from inside the spirit world, then isn't the way to get it not whacked up there too?"

    "You know, he actually has a good point for once," Suki said.

    "Thank you! Wait what?" The others chuckled when he realized.

    "But Jinora and I are the only ones that can go into the spirit world," Aang said. "And I don't think just the two of us could figure it out."

    "Actually," Jinora said. "I lead the Avatar into the spirit world once. I'm sure I could do the same for you."

    They stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to think. Finally, Lord Zuko said, "Is there anything you can't do?"

    "Waterbend."

    Lord Zuko rolled his eyes.

    "Either way, we have a ticket into the spirit world," Sokka looked around as he spoke. "I think we should take it."

    Jinora looked at them for a moment and struggled with something in her mind. Finally, she said, "In the morning. I'm just as tired as the rest of you. We should recover our strength because I don't know how badly we'll need it."

    After a few half-hearted protests, everyone gave in and went to bed. Jinora tried to sleep, but it didn't work. She ended up on the roof, staring at the stars. One of the few things that stayed the same.

    "Do they look like that where you're from?" Jinora jumped at the sound of  Suki's voice. The other girl sat down next to her staring up too.

    "Yeah, they do." Her voice was quiet. The only other things breaking the silence was the distant sound of the waves and night critters.

    "I know what it's like to have your home taken from you," she said after a moment. "When the Fire Nation attacked and my village was burned down, I didn't know what to do. I thought I'd never feel like I was home again." She paused for a moment, then smiled softly. "That's when I learned that home isn't the place, it's the people. You called Aang 'grandpa' so I guess what I'm trying to say is, take comfort in the fact that no matter where, or when, you go, you'll always have a home."

    Jinora tried to. She wanted to, but all she could think about was her father dying on the concrete in front of her. She had no idea what had become of her mother and siblings, much less the rest of her makeshift family. No, Jinora couldn't be comforted by her words, because if she became okay with this new reality and never got home, then she'd never know if she truly did everything she could.

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    The next morning, everyone was up and dressed. They ate a light breakfast and then Jinora instructed them to sit in a circle and join hands.

    "Really?" Lord Zuko said and Katara elbowed him. He rubbed his ribs but resigned to holding her and Toph's hands'.

    "Okay, close your eyes and concentrate on something that makes you happy. And before you say anything, you do have something that makes you happy L-Zuko."

    There were snickers from a few people, but as silence fell, Jinora felt the energy in the room rise. She concentrated and when she opened her eyes, they were in the spirit world.

    Jinora grinned at the familiar world around her. Bum-Ju was flying next to her, Momo next to him.

    "What the...? What is that thing?" Lord Zuko asked.

    Jinora giggled at the surprise in his voice and the way he stepped away in a defensive stance.

    "It's Bum-Ju," she said happily.

    "You're uncle's rabbit?" Sokka asked.

    "Mhmm!"

    "Why's it blue?" the Southern Water Tribe boy asked.

    "Because he's a spirit," Aang said petting the dragonfly-bunny's head.

    "Come on," Jinora said. "Let's go find the time spirit so we can settle this mess."

    The group followed her on the long walk to the white fox-dove. They were all amazed by the beauty of the creature, but it seemed as though it's fight had gotten worse.

    The heads snapped at each other viciously. Toph gripped Sokka's hand tighter as she "saw" the creature's feet stomp around. He tightened his grip too so that she knew he wasn't going anywhere.

    Suddenly, Future bit down on Present. Jinora tensed, waiting for the glitch but it didn't come. Instead, someone else glitched.

    She gasped as the man came into full view, standing tall and confused.

    "Uncle Bumi!" she yelled as she broke away from the others before running and jumping into his arms, a kind of joy filling her that she had never felt before.

    "Jinora! Where on Earth have you been? We've been worried sick! What's going on?" Bumi hugged her as tight as he could before setting her down so she could answer him.

    "So much, Uncle Bumi but we-we don't really have time for that. Just... watch what you say." She looked at the Gaang as she finished speaking.

    A slew of emotions crossed his face as he saw his parents. At first he was shocked, then he was confused. For a moment he seemed irritated, but then he was relieved again. The only thing he said was, "Avatar Aang was shorter than I though."

    Jinora laughed and said, "He knows you're his son." It was nice to laugh again.

    "Oh, okay then, Dad was shorter than I though." The grin on Jinora's face that had followed her uncle's words faded as she saw the time spirit let go. She gripped his hand hoping that if he went anywhere, she might just be with him.

    There was no glitch, so Jinora lead him the short distance back to the Gaang.

    "Hi, I'm Aang! Wait, I guess you knew that." The Avatar's hands fell back to his sides as he had been about to bow to Bumi in greeting. He chuckled.

    "Hey, Jinora," Lord Zuko said. "If you want to get back to your time, then I'd suggest we start trying to figure out what's wrong with the spirit."

    "Yeah, yeah, we should."

    For the next few minutes, the eight of them gave random suggestions as to what the problem could be, but all of them were shot down for one reason or another.

    Aang looked up just in time to see Present bite down on Past's neck and the next thing he knew, he wasn't standing in front of the spirit anymore. In fact, it wasn't even the spirit world that was in front of him, but a house. Columns rose throughout the large hall that reminded him of home.

    There were people scattered around, all sitting on the floor and leaning against the columns. He stared at them as Jinora came up nex to him, grabbing his hand.

    A girl was sitting up and staring at them, almost as if she was wondering if what she was seeing was real. In time, the rest of the people did too.

    "Avatar Aang?" the Water Tribe girl said. He knew her voice but it didn't sound like someone else's voice, it sounded like his own. Without needing to see anything else, Aang knew that this girl was the next Avatar. The only thought that came to him was, "Wow, she's gotta be a better bender than me."

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I'm so so sorry I didn't get this uploaded until now! I hope you enjoyed it!