Sinking Feeling- A Kainora Fanfiction

Chapter 3

The usual dinner affair began as it normally did. Pema retook the herculean task of trying to feed a reluctant toddler as he squirmed. Ikki went on and on about something, get distracted and then continue chattering about some other long-winded story. Opal joined them this evening as she often did and received the 'rare' honour of hearing Meelo talk about himself, as if were some hero of antiquity who had graced them with his presence. Every so often Tenzin would comment something about ancient air-nomads and insert boring wisdom here. The flicker of the electric lightbulbs buzzed like a firefly in the quaint dining room.

Unlike her siblings Jinora didn't regularly maintain a large vocal presence at meals. Tending to listen or read. Tonight she was thoroughly engrossing herself in Ikki's twittering. This was not because it was particularly interesting or entertaining but because she didn't want to think about herself. Not about the nightmares or her freak out or about Kai. Just distract herself with some sparkly nonsense about what the lemurs did today.

Kai would normally love to add into the conversation, creating uproar and controversy. All in the spirit of interesting discussion, of course. An uneventful family dinner was dreadfully dull in his opinion. But he didn't really have the stomach for it tonight. He had been melancholy ever since Asami's. After Jinora ran and then came back he asked her what was wrong. She claimed that she would tell him later. He couldn't just pocket it and come back to it later. There were few words that were as aggravating as 'later'. Was it in an hour or in a fortnight. Kai soullessly picked at his food, dejectedly staring down at his leafy greens. She may have been sitting next to him but she was miles away.

After maliciously murdering his cabbage Kai's stupid leg decided it would slip off his seat. With a deal of pain and frustration he tried repositioning himself. Back and forth he would wrestle his buggered leg onto the seat before it would roll off, causing a spasm of pain to shoot throughout his body. His frustrated fidgets didn't go unnoticed by Tenzin.

"Calm yourself Kai, you won't heal without patience."

"But it's because of my stupid knee that..." Kai was cut off by the historical rant that Tenzin wanted to share.

"It was well said by Guru Mateek that one who..." Kai tuned out of the Tenzin's monotone drawl unresponsively nodding to the long winded recount.

In the same vein as most nights it didn't take long before Meelo and Ikki would be at each other's throats.

"Am too."

"Aren't not."

"Am too!"

"Aren't not!"

"I'm right that boys are better drivers than girls and there is nothing you can do about it." Meelo scoffed back.

Gritting her teeth in frustration Ikki punched her fist forward, preparing to launch an almighty tornado at her brother.

But nothing happened.

Not a puff or even a breeze.

Nothing.

Ikki tried again and again but she couldn't bend anything. Her eyes grew wide with panic as she punched harder and harder. Meelo laughed "Ha you can't air-bend."

She looked to her father who's eyebrows folded gravely.

"Ikki what happened? Can't you bend?" he rushed from his seat at the table to examine her hands. The rest of the table was shocked by this development. No-one had seen anything like this since Amon.

Jinora stood up as well, trying to sense Ikki's spirit. The radiant essence of Ikki seemed like it always did, her energy was flowing just as it should be.

Ikki anchored onto her father terrified of the situation in front of her eyes.

"Sweetheart what did you do today?" Pema asked .

"Well I... stayed on the island and..." Ikki's shaky alibi wasn't fooling Pema.

"No what did you do today. We won't get mad." She comforted reassuringly

"I snuck out to the city and I found this store giving away free drinks. And I drank one." She balefully admitted.

Urgently Tenzin insisted "Pema can you call Korra over to the island. I'll investigate this store. Opal and Jinora you are with me."

Kai feeling left out objected "What do I do?"

Tenzin continued "Kai stay here and await our return."

Kai pleaded "I can help I am already healed...nearly." Hobbling to his shaky feet. Tenzin placed hand on his shoulder, lowering himself to Kai's height.

"Have patience, Kai. A master air- bender is defined not only by his actions but also by his inaction. We won't be long." Kai pondered that thought as Tenzin strode away.