it's locked, stupid: book two

ch. 3

We arrived at the Southern Air Temple. I've only been here one other time when I was away for those two years. It was a beautiful place. The world seemed so peaceful and quiet here. Aang was a huge deal here, but honestly he was a huge deal everywhere.

"There it is, the Southern Air Temple. Isn't it magnificent?" I can hear my dad say from Oogi. I could agree with that statement. It was quite magnificent. The Air Acolytes that took care of the temple admire my dad, my siblings, and I. Being the only 5, now 6, airbenders alive make us special. We land on the temple and Air Acolytes rush to help us. 

"Master Tenzin, Master Jinpa, welcome!" One of the acolytes says. Tera helps me off of Jiri to greet the acolyte. I go stand next to my dad and my mom in front of the three acolytes, two of which were carrying a large case.

"Good to see you again, Abbot Shung." My dad, my mom, and I bow to the abbot.

"Is there anything you need? Water? Dandelion greens? Ahh, perhaps you'd like to recenter yourself by meditating in the gardens?" Shung asks.

"No thank you, I'm fine." My dad answers.

"And you Master Jinpa? Do you need anything?"

"I'm all good Shung. Thank you though." I smile.

"No need to thank me. Oh!" Shung turns to my mom. "And you must be the honorable Pema! Please, accept these gifts." Shung reaches into the case, and pulls out an odd contraption, which he hands to Tenzin. "This is an ancient airbender head shaver we've refurbished just for you."

"Oh.' My dad shrugs, unsure of how to respond. "Okay?"

"And Pema!" Shung hands Pema a massive bouquet of flowers. "These flowers once filled the mountainside! Now, they can brighten up your room."

My mom responds in a similar way as my dad did. "That's... sweet? Y-you didn't have to."

"Nonsense! Whatever you need is yours. Anything for the mother of the next generation of airbenders."

My mom and I look back at the kids. A female acolyte is handing Jinora a book. "No!" Ikki yells and snatches the book from Jinora. "That gift is mine!"

"You don't even like to read!" Jinora argues.

Ikki sticks her tongue out. "Eeeh!"

My mom smiles, slightly embarrassed. "Yep, those are the world's next generation of," Her smile fades. "airbenders."

Meelo appears from behind the three Acolytes and jumps on the abbot's back, a lemur held in his hands. "Mommy, Daddy, look! I finally got a lemur! I'm gonna name him... Poki!" He says excitedly. The lemur flies away, and Meelo jumps down from the abbot and forms an air scooter to chase after the creature. "Poki! Come back!"

Kya and Bumi are still by Oogi, unloading supplies from his saddle. Kya tosses some bags down, which hit Bumi, and he grunts. Kya drops down from on top of the sky bison, and Bumi sighs. I walk over to go help with some of the luggage from Jiri and see my uncle Bumi slightly frustrated with an Air Acolyte that was nearby.

"S'cuse me, a little help here?" Bumi says.

The Air Acolyte stop sweeping to look at my aunt and uncle. "Sorry, I thought you were the servants."Bumi and Kya make angry faces.

"We're Tenzin's brother and sister!" Bumi grunts.

"Avatar Aang had other children?" The acolyte puts on a shocked face that turns into excitement. "The world is filled with more airbenders?"

"We're not airbenders." Kya says calmly, but upset.

"Oh." The acolyte bows. "I'm sorry." Bumi and Kya looks a little confused, before pouting and glancing at each other. Tera walks over to them from Jiri about the same time and I get there.

"I'm so so so sorry Bumi and Kya. If I knew-" I apologize to them.

"It's fine Jay." Kya cuts me off. "Tenzin was always the favorite. All of you will always be the favorites for the time being." Kya walks off with Bumi. 

Tera walks over to me and grabs my hand. "What happened?"

"That Air Acolyte didn't know Aang had three kids. Kya and Bumi were hurt by that assumptions, rightfully so may I add."

"But why did Kya say that just now?"

"No clue. I just want to lay down."

"Okay. Lets get you to bed." Tera suddenly sweeps me off my feet and carries to me our room. Our luggage was already in the room when we arrived. Tera gently lays me down on the bed then takes the empty spot next to me. "May I just say that this temple is one of the most gorgeous things I have ever seen."

"Yeah it's beautiful. All of them are."

"You've been to all of them?"

"Yeah."

"Which one did you stay at full time though? Please tell me it was the one that's upside down."

"Wait, I never told you what temple I was at?"

"You might've. Who knows. Now tell me, was it the upside down one?"

"Yes, it was."

"That's so cool. Zuko has only told me stories. I've never actually seen it though."

"I'll have to take you someday."

"Promise?" Tera sticks out her pinky. I wrap my pinky around hers.

"Promise." She smiles then slowly leans in to kiss me. I let her continue. She starts to slide her hand up my body, but stops. She waits for me to give her the okay to keep going up. I give her that okay. Tera takes my shirt off of my body and then quickly removes hers, breaking the kiss for only a moment.

While things became more and more intense, my aunt Kya walked into my room. "Jay, I'm sorry about what I- oh my spirits!"

"Kya!" I exclaimed, covering my body. 

"I am so sorry. Oh my. I didn't-" Kya tries to apologize. Tera laughs. "Tera, this isn't funny!"

"It's a little funny." She says. I smack her arm. "Ow!"

"Grab my shirt." I whispered. She hands me my shirt and I put it on. I drag Kya outside of the room while Tera laughs. "Kya, I'm sorry. We shouldn't be doing stuff like that on a family vacation."

"No, no, it's okay! I should've knocked. I just wanted to apologize for earlier. The whole 'favorites' things was childish."

"It's okay, Kya." We stand in an awkward silence for a moment. "You're not going to tell my dad, right?"

"No. Tenzin doesn't need to know everything. Plus, aren't you 18? And didn't he have what, 5 kids?"

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks and I'm sorry again."

"You're good, kid. Just be safe." She raises an eyebrow at me.

"Ew." I walk back into my room and find Tera the same way as I left her.

"So, shall we?"

"I think the mood is ruined, don't you?" I grab my staff so I can close the door and basically lock it, indicating that the mood is not ruined.

"I don't know, Jinpa. Wanna find out together?" I smile and bite my bottom lip. Tera stands to drag me over to bed.

The rest of that moment between us was as magically and loving as always. It's those moments I will never forget.