Sinking Feeling- A Kainora Fanfiction

Chapter 6

With a wave, Team Avatar boarded the ramp up to the air ship on their mission. Kai watched morosely fixated at a spot in the wall. He sighed, scuffing up some dirt from the courtyard. He sheepishly asked Pema "I think I am going to my room to rest. I need all my strength to recover."

His pained face, triggered Pema's mother reflexes. "Oh, okay sweetie. It's dumplings for lunch."

"Sounds great." He moaned staggering away.

Out of sight in 3, 2, 1 and down to business. Kai dropped the act and skipped around the perimeter of the courtyard behind a trimmed hedge, edging nearer to the unwatched side of the air ship. Kai was up late last night thinking over the promise he made and by now he was certain it would be another one he had to break. Listening to Jinora down at the beach made him realise how absent he had been, how unobservant he was being. He felt a distasteful guilt with the only solution involved him becoming a stowaway. He reached up an open window pulling himself up. With ease he had silently boarded the vessel, finding himself in an unused storage room. "Now to wait for a couple hours." Kai sighed looking out the open window at the bay.

10 minutes later

"Oh c'mon Asami, take off already!" he groaned pacing through the empty isles of shelves. The stainless-steel reflections of himself following him around the room. Marching back to the window he impatiently scanned the scene for something new or interesting. There he spotted to his delight a familiar panda-chimp climbing up a nearby tree.

"Hey Taffy." He whispered keenly. The primate suddenly perked up, climbing down the tree and up into the air ship. "Get down Taffy. I didn't mean for you..." Kai's panicked shoos were eagerly ignored by the ape who gave his best monkey grin. With a low pitch roar the turbines whirred into life, lifting the ship into the air. The hope of removing Taffy drifted away with the air ship. Kai assured himself "This is fine. How hard is it to contain an incredibly strong, incredibly playful panda-chimp for a couple hours?"

2 hours later

"You wanted to tell me something?" Korra asked, poking her head through the door into Jinora's room. With deep breath she dredged her heart again. Korra reassuringly placed an arm on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry you have had to keep that burden. I understand that need for appearance and that fear of your own limits. After Zaheer had poisoned me, I just wanted to hide away from the world. But I learnt that everyone is human and everyone is vulnerable. And that's ok."

"Thanks Korra." Jinora said, with greater confidence and a serene smile.

A loud crash rumbled through the thin walls, drawing both girls attention. It was followed by the unmistakable chattering of a panda chimp in an airship. Without delay Korra opened the door of the cabin, unveiling Taffy running through the corridor of rooms, with Kai hanging on for dear life.

Kai looked up at the surprised pair, anxiously phoning in a cheesy grin. "Heh hey guys..." he ashamedly said, averting his gaze from Jinora's grimace.

She stared at him, with a fiery intensity shooting back "Hey guys?!? What are you doing here! What happened to the promise you gave me?!" Putting her hands on her hips, she barely noticed walk up to her.

Kai righted himself declaring "I know, I know but then I thought about it some more. I thought that I could help you in lots of others ways instead of just fighting." He rambled his point along hopefully to persuade Jinora but she kept her glare unwaveringly. He looked away awkwardly scratching the back of his head. Kai reached over and held Jinora's hands between them.

"I didn't want to wait any longer, you know. Besides, I can stay out of the way and I'm basically good as new."

Jinora slumped her shoulders and dropped her eyebrows staring down at the ground.

"Okay then... If you think it's best." She replied lifelessly. Jinora hated conflict, especially with the people closest to her. So, she just dropped it.

Kai couldn't but help but feel rotten for breaking his promise. He stroked her cheek affectionately.

"Don't worry I'll stay out of trouble or as best as I can and think of the plus side. Now I can be with you more." He smirked.

Jinora returned his hand to his side and admitted "I think I am going to go to my room." She trudged back to her room and closed the door.

Kai's smirk dissolved, replaced by a concerned frown. All his good intentions slapped back in his face. Jinora may have agreed to let him stay but that made it all the worse. He raised his hand to the doorknob but paused. His hand slunk to his side.