Published June 28, 2014

Chapter Five
"Reunion and Parting"

When they went to the docks, the ferryman told them he wouldn't be leaving for another twenty minutes. So Jinora bought some fire flakes for them to munch on, and they sat on the edge of the dock to wait.

"Here." Jinora pressed her remaining coins into Skoochy's hand.

"You don't have to—" Skoochy began. He knew that he really needed money, but he didn't want Jinora to feel bad for him.

"It's not charity, if that's what you're thinking. You got me that stint at the circus, so you should get a percentage of what I earned."

Skoochy grinned. "Fair enough," he said, pocketing the coins. "This whole thing gives me a great story tell. Stories give you bragging rights, and that gets you respect from other kids."

Jinora tried to make conversation and not think about the fact that she and Skoochy would be separating soon. She had felt curious about him all along, but she hadn't had a chance to actually talk with him until this quiet moment. And now she felt comfortable and familiar enough with him to voice her questions.

"So, what's a typical day like for you?"

"Typical?"

"You know—normal, what usually happens."

Skoochy laughed a little. "There's no such thing as a typical day; at least not for me."

"Okay, then … how do you usually spend your time? When you're not picking pockets or sneaking into circuses, I mean." She had guessed that he was homeless, but she didn't want to say that word, to ask for confirmation. So she tried another route. "Those kids you were playing with earlier today. Are they friends, or neighbors?"

"Both. Half of them are runaways, like me."

"You ran away from home?"

"No, from two orphanages."

"Oh." So she was right about him not having a family. "So, um … if you live on the streets … do you have a place that you like to go back to, like a base?"

Skoochy turned around, gesturing to the city behind them. "Central City Station is our playground. If it's raining, we might camp out under the Silk Road Bridge. There's no fixed place that's ours. We just go where we want."

Jinora chewed her fire flakes thoughtfully. "I guess I can understand that. My ancestors were nomads."

"I thought they lived in temples?"

"That was where they trained and came together as a community, but they also traveled the world, going between the Air Temples. My gran-gran says that before the war, Grandpa Aang had friends all over the world."

Skoochy was giving her a weird, strangely sad look. "But now you just stay on the island all the time?"

Jinora faltered. "Not all the time. We've traveled to the South Pole, to visit Gran-Gran and Korra. Sometimes we come to the city … just not often." She looked out at Air Temple Island in the distance, and then at the horizon beyond. "One day, I want to visit all of the Air Temples, and other places I've read about." Once she had even made a list, which included Omashu, Ba Sing Se, the North Pole, the Fire Nation capitol.

Jinora handed him the bag. "You finish these. I can eat when I get home."

Skoochy didn't object; he accepted the bag and proceeded to stuff the remaining fire flakes into his mouth. Jinora started to say, "Can I ask—"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Well, that's generally how conversations start. But if you want to be fair, you can ask me some questions too."

Skoochy folded his arms. "Okay … what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Jinora blinked at him. "No one's ever asked me that before. It's kind of obvious. I'll be an airbending master. And since my dad's the leader of the Air Nomads, I could succeed him, or have some other kind of political position."

"But, is there anything else you'd want to do with your life? I mean, what do you really enjoy doing?"

Jinora had never thought this way before. "Well … I like reading, and history. Maybe I'll be a storyteller, or a historian—or a writer!" Jinora gasped, looking awed and delighted. "That would be wonderful!"

Skoochy was a bit unnerved by her sudden enthusiasm.

"What about you?" Jinora asked conversationally. "Is there anything you want to be?"

Skoochy was silent. He'd felt comfortable asking Jinora that question because she had a whole future assured for her. He, on the other hand, was something else.

"I don't really think about it," he said flatly. "I live from one day to the next, you know?" He didn't say the truth, that he didn't think about the future, because he didn't know for sure if he would have one. If he did, he'd probably rise higher up in a triad. Or he might start his own triad just for earthbenders, to rival the waterbending Red Monsoons and the firebending Agni Kais.

"Did I mention that I'm an earthbender?"

Jinora looked genuinely surprised at this. "No, you didn't! Really?"

Skoochy grinned, turned around to face the pavement, and tapped the stones. A few chunks of stone rose in the air, and Skoochy sent them flying—into a sailor's back. He turned back innocently to the water when the man looked around in irritation.

"That wasn't called for," Jinora said, though she was trying not to smile.

"Hey, you asked."

"Who taught you earthbending?"

"Mostly, I taught myself. And there were a few times when I snuck into Pro-Bending matches."

Learning through observation, Jinora thought to herself. "My dad taught me everything I know about airbending," Jinora said. "He was the last airbender, after my grandpa Aang died. He was probably really lonely until I was born."

Skoochy bent a piece of the sidewalk into a flat disk, and threw it so that it skipped on the water. "You get along with your parents?"

"Yeah. One thing about having a big family is, you never get lonely. But then, you never get much time by yourself, either. Like, time to read, or just think." She glanced sideways at Skoochy. "So, um, do you have any family?"

"Nope."

"Do you remember your parents?"

Skoochy shrugged. "A little. I try not to think about them."

"Why?"

Skoochy frowned. No way was he going to admit that thinking about his parents too much started to hurt, in a way that was unrelated to hunger or the usual discomforts of his life. Instead he asked rhetorically, "What's the point in remembering?"

"But … what's the point of living if you don't remember things?"

The question made Skoochy pause. "Good question. Let me get back to you on that."

Jinora brightened at this. "Does that mean I'll see you again?"

"Um … well, I can't make any promises."

"Hey, maybe you could come home with me," Jinora said suddenly. "I could ask my parents to adopt you!"

Skoochy quirked an eyebrow at her; but he couldn't stop himself from smiling. He knew that she was half joking, half serious. Either way, it wasn't a bad idea.

Korra and her crew reached the place where they had started their day, so many hours earlier. She had to shade her eyes against the light from the sunset, which made it hard to discern colors. "Well, here we are, but where's Jinora?"

Ikki tugged on Korra's shirt. "I got this," she assured her. Ikki took a deep breath, then opened her mouth and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Jinoooooooorraaaaaaaaaa!"

Two kids sitting on the wall above the water turned to look at them. Jinora shrieked as she airbended herself to her feet. "Ikki! Meelo!"

Jinora ran up, and her siblings all but leapt onto her. Looking over their shoulders as she hugged them, Jinora saw Korra, Mako and Bolin following. Skoochy stayed where he was, watching the reunion from a distance. He saw the Avatar, Korra, kneel down and hug Jinora, who was laughing in a way that almost sounded like crying.

After a moment Jinora stepped back and addressed at the three teenagers. "I'm so sorry! Ikki and Meelo ran off, and I tried to go after them, but then we got separated, and I realized I didn't know where I was in relation to you." She looked around at the whole group. "Where were you guys? We went all over the city looking for you."

"We found Korra, and then we spent the rest of the day looking for you," Ikki answered.

Jinora stared at her; then she slapped her forehead in disbelief. "Gosh, I'm an idiot," she said.

"I don't think so," Korra said. "Kunyo told us what you did. You were … resourceful."

Jinora's pale skin was tinged pink at the compliment. "Well, I had some help." She turned and gestured for her friend to come up. "Guys, I'd like you to meet …"

"Skoochy?" Mako looked at the boy with surprise and something that might have been suspicion.

Skoochy saluted him with two fingers. "'Sup, Hotman?" The greeting made Korra snicker.

Jinora looked between them, nonplussed. "You know each other?"

"Hey, I know we don't look it now," Bolin said ambivalently, "but we were street kids once, too."

"Hey, I resent that," Skoochy said, but he was still smiling. "Actually, Bo helped teach me earthbending," he told Jinora.

Ikki walked up to the older boy, scrutinizing him. "Are you a hobo?"

"More like a nomad, I think," Skoochy said, giving Jinora a knowing look.

"You need a haircut," she said shortly. "And how come you smell weird?"

Skoochy blinked down at the little girl. "Just ignore her," Jinora said, waving her hand dismissively.

"You can't do that! You have to tell us everything!" Ikki started jumping up and down in excitement. "Did you really perform in a circus? Did you get to see what kinds of animals they keep? Did you try the cotton candy? Did you go to the library like you wanted?"

Jinora put a hand on Ikki to keep her on the ground, before answering each question in succession. "Yes, yes, no, and—I completely forgot!"

"Well, I think it'll have to wait," Korra said. "The ferry's leaving in a few minutes."

"Guess my work here is done." Skoochy saluted the group, and then walked away.

Bolin noticed the way Jinora stared after the boy as the distance between them increased. "Are you letting him get away that easily?" Bolin asked her.

Jinora glanced at him; then she looked forward and started running, chasing after Skoochy. Korra and Mako stared at Bolin. "What?" he said, holding up his hands. "I think they're cute together."

Mako pressed a hand to his forehead in disbelief. Korra snickered.

Skoochy was less than a block away when he heard Jinora call his name. "Skoochy, wait!" He stopped, glancing over his shoulder to see Jinora running up to him. "Is that what you call a good-bye?"

Skoochy shrugged. "I don't know. What do you call a good-bye?"

"Well, I couldn't let you go without thanking you." Jinora clasped her hands behind her back. "You really helped me today, and you showed me the best fun I've had in a long time. Thanks for that."

Skoochy's smile was small but involuntary.

"Plus, I was wondering … well … will I ever see you again?" Jinora's eyes were sad, almost afraid to hope.

"Perhaps." Skoochy stuffed his hands in his pockets. "How often do you come to the city?"

"Very rarely," Jinora acknowledged sadly. But then she brightened. "Sometimes we come here for celebrations—like the Moon Festival. Will you meet me by the docks on days like that?"

Skoochy grinned at her. "Sure, kid."

"Don't forget," Jinora said, pointing at him, "I owe you a ride on my glider."

"Right. So, I guess I'll see ya 'round." Skoochy waved one hand and started to walk away.

But Jinora wasn't letting him go that easily. She went after him and grabbed his wrist. "Hey. I need a real hug."

Skoochy hesitated, pretending to make a face. "Aw, geez …"

Jinora pouted, looking at him with her intelligent brown eyes. After a moment Skoochy relented, opening his arms to her. Jinora hugged him around the middle, leaning her head on his shoulder for a moment. He smelled like dried sweat and dirt, but she didn't care. She guessed that he didn't often get hugs like this, so she made it count. Finally she let go, called out, "Take care!" and ran back to the dock, where the ferry was just about to leave. Skoochy waved goodbye before disappearing down the street, which was now lit by streetlights.

"I'm so sorry, Jinora," Korra said.

"Why?" Jinora's smile was cheerful. "Today was the best day of my life."

Author's Note: Stay tuned, because I have an epilogue coming up!