Sinking Feeling- A Kainora Fanfiction

Chapter 8

Kai frantically paced the airship. It had taken too long. Something must have wrong. I hope they are okay. I hope she is okay.

Taffy climbed down from the chair that he was relaxing on and rushed to the windows. Kai heard the eager screeching and jumping and rushed to a window. Team Avatar was charging up to the airship along with a businessman Kai had never seen before. Everyone was present but the enthusiasm they embarked with had turned to urgency. Kai hopped to the loading ramp.

"Were Equalists responsible? Did you catch them?" Kai asked as they marched toward the cockpit. Without missing a beat, Bolin replied "Well yes we did and no we did not."

Kai waited for Jinora, who was trudging at the back of the group. Kai eagerly grabbed her limp hand "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

She kept looking down. "I let him get away..." she replied defeatedly.

Opal put a hand on her shoulder. "We let him get away." Jinora didn't respond. Her mind was elsewhere, sepulchred away in some corner of her conscious, reliving the last minute before the factory exploded. The team had moved to the cockpit. Asami had thrown off her electric gloves and began prepping the controls.

Mako addressed the large table map in the centre of the room. "The Equalists are on the move to Republic City. If they poison the water supply with a more complete version of Spazz, it could be thousands of people losing their bending permanently."

Korra looked at the map before saying "Mr Hisashi, do you know any other information on Zakoo?"

Mr Hisashi scratched his chin. "I know that bastard was very keen to market Spazz to Republic City once we brought it out."

"I'll radio President Zhu li." Said Asami heading toward the radio room.

"However, he has never actually been to Republic City." Mr Hisashi explained sitting up on the table. "Apparently, he spent most of his life in Rei Lin. His family left him their estate on the borders of the swamp there. He could also be going there." Two pins on the map as far away as they could be. 

"The threat is to Republic City; we can deal with this guy afterwards." Mako offered.

"But there may not even be an attack in progress at Republic City, we would be letting him escape without chase." Opal countered.

Korra pondered the problem, staring at the map. Luckily, Asami, often the voice of reason, appeared beside Korra. "We shouldn't overlook either lead. What if Korra, Mako, Bolin and Opal ask the Mayor for an airship and stop any threat to Republic City. Jinora, Kai and I will go to Rei Lin and investigate the lead. We could rendezvous at Zaofu and ask Su for her help." Korra swooned a little, kissing Asami on the lips.

"What she said."

Everyone fanned out. Kai was less focused on the mission and more about her. By the time everyone had left view she had already slipped away. Kai hobbled along down the metal corridor, following the scent of panda chimp. Down the hall Jinora was leading Taffy by the hand back to her quarters. She wanted her books, she wanted to be back in her room, she wanted to be home. Back to training air-benders and visiting the spirit portals. The just wanted to take all her thoughts on Equalists and lock them away somewhere.

"Jin. Hey Jin wait up." Kai called out to no reply. He strode up beside her and grabbed her arm. "Jinora?" He walked around to her face, Taffy watching curiously. "Listen, I know you aren't okay but talk to me. I am here for you." Kai pleaded, trying to meet her avoidant gaze.

"I just don't want to think about... them, at least for a little while. I am going to lie down."

"Well maybe I could join you?" he asked optimistically. She began walking away, brushing Kai to the side.

"No Kai not now."

Kai wanted to cheer her up, so he tried a joke. "Guess this means I was right. That you did need my help after all." He tried shining his loveable smile but got a slap straight to the face.

Her eyes were swollen, and her cheeks were red. "Shut up Kai! My screw up doesn't mean I was wrong." She spat. Kai recoiled with surprise, holding his stinging cheek.

"All I am saying is that you could have used my help back there. Maybe we would have caught that guy." Kai rebuked.

"Is everything suddenly too much me for now? I can handle myself without you! I am the youngest recorded air-bending master." She shoved Kai, making him stagger in the hallway.

He grabbed her hand and righted himself. "When it comes to combat, I know just as many air-bending forms as you. You can't just treat me like one of your siblings."

She flicked his hand away "Okay, prove it then."

"You're on."

They strode in opposite ways. Taffy sat in the middle. He didn't understand what was happening or why they were arguing. He didn't have any roots or berries to make them happy and now he knew what came next. When two panda chimps don't get along, they fight.

With the thick column of smoke towering over the highest point of Omashu, Kai and Jinora prepared to duel. Behind the airship they were hidden from the public vantage. Kai assumed his fighting stance, determined to hold his ground. He may be injured but Jinora wasn't going to lose. Her stance was sharp, and her eyes were unblinking.

She launched the first attack, firing a triple salvo of air blasts. Kai went for an evade, jump rolling between them. Hampered somewhat by his knee he landed on his good leg and retaliated with an air sweep. Jinora easily dodged the attack with a somersault. With an axe kick she launched a tower of air toward Kai faster than he could react and he was thrown to the ground. Kai knew he couldn't move like he usually would. She could out manoeuvre his attacks and he couldn't out manoeuvre hers.

Still choked with purpose Kai leapt up onto an air scooter, trying to circle around her. Jinora saw Kai dancing around the outskirts of the landing pad and knew he was preventing the inevitable. She had to be able to beat a previous student especially when he was still recovering. She formed a tornado in her hands and aimed it toward Kai. She would remove his mobility advantage and pull him tumbling at her feet.

Kai knew he was ensnared in her attack and he smiled slyly. He thought she might try this so as he flew toward the master air-bender, he kicked himself forward with a jet of air. Jinora was taken aback. Kai had never countered this attack before. Kai went for a grapple, locking his arms around her shoulders. Jinora was off balance and about to hit the ground. Desperate to win, she dug her knee into Kai's stomach and spun him over to cushion her fall. Kai spat up saliva as he crashed to the ground. He gasped for breath as Jinora stood victorious over him.

"I beat you..." She said vacantly. She had 'won' but she felt hollow as if all her justifications changed from pillars to playing cards. "I don't need your protection."

Once Kai had started staggering to his feet, she walked back to the ship to be alone with her guilt.