The Good and the Bad: Kainora

Chapter 1: Filling the Gap

Whereas Meelo and Ikki were the clowns amongst the three of them, Jinora was the quiet, mature eldest sibling. Even though her younger brother and sister were highly competent and skilled benders, she was the family prodigy, on track to follow in her father's footsteps in becoming an airbending master. Although Jinora was relatively reticent when it came to being a fighter, she had a deep, far-reaching connection with the world of spirits; Jinora was born highly spiritual. Her natural gift, probably passed down from her grandfather Avatar Aang, gave her insight into spiritual energy on an unprecedented scale, which only served to further her capabilities as an airbender. With some guidance from her father and several meditation sessions, she was able to accomplish higher level airbending skills that even Tenzin had not been able to achieve, such as projecting her spirit outside of her body. 

Besides her skills, she loved knowledge above all else. She wanted to know how everything in the world around her worked, even the things that couldn't be explained with a single sentence. The myriad of books she managed to procure over the course of a few years provided her with wisdom in a wide range of subjects, ranging from history of the world before the formation of Republic City to how a radio worked (which, in fact, she used to best Wan Shi Tong at his own game).

Bright, intelligent, and capable. And yes, admittedly pretty. It seemed as if Jinora was all set. 

But something was missing. Although Jinora had the love of her siblings and her parents, there was a small hole in her heart that longed to be filled. Everyone in Team Avatar and their associates loved her too. But ever since she turned eleven, something must've clicked inside of her. The idea of boys began piquing her interests as much as knowledge. Ironically, it was the one subject that she couldn't find the book for. She pored through novel after novel, romance after romance, trying to figure out a logical explanation for a feeling. Other than riding into battle and jumping into a volcano, she had no idea what romantic love was all about. Whenever she got the opportunity, Jinora tried to talk to Katara about her relationship with Aang. 

"Gran gran, how did you meet grandpa the first time? Did you guys fall in love at first sight? Did it feel like butterflies?" When it came to this topic, she sounded like a typically hyperactive Ikki. 

"Ah yes Jinora, it was a very long time ago when I met Aang. He was actually trapped in an iceberg when I accidentally broke it apart. " Katara understood Jinora's plight. 

"But was it love at first sight?" Jinora pressed. She had read a novel about a girl and a boy falling in love instantly in the midst of Republic City. It seemed too good to be true. 

"No, my dear, it took a long time for me to warm up to Aang before we started a relationship. I'm pretty sure Aang was already there before me." Jinora's shoulders slightly sagged. If only the answers were somewhere in a book! Then she could figure out what made a guy swoon over her and perhaps sweep her off her feet. 

"But gran gran, what do I do? It's not like I can find the answers in some book, right?!" She asked, exasperated. 

"Remember, relationships like these take time to build. Very rarely do two people fall in love at first sight. It's also a huge step to make, especially for your age, and quite a commitment to keep too." When Katara saw Jinora's distressed face, she comforted her grandchild. "Have patience my dear. Your time will come one day. You'll know it when you feel it."

"Feel it?" Jinora asked. Katara merely smiled. 

Even after multiple trips to the South Pole on family business and several private talks with her grandmother, Jinora still didn't have the answers.