action;

[bookbending]

[This weekend, Jinora is an adult. The airbender has the distinctive blue arrow tattoos given to those who master the art and she's at least a decade older than she normally is. Regardless, most who know her would be able to recognize her. It's peculiar; she aged physically and mentally overnight, but her memory hasn't changed at all.

That mystery isn't the one she's concerned with. Sunday afternoon finds her on the beach, contemplating the relationships between the various bending arts. Jinora's brain seems to have aged along with her body. She feels more insightful, more capable of drawing her own conclusions rather than repeating what her father has taught her. She has every intention of using this greater insight to the fullest. As a ten year-old, she had been struggling with what she had been taught about bending, suspecting that she was missing something significant. Now her thoughts seem freer and clearer.

Jinora may also be avoiding a four year-old Korra. Getting her thoughts straight with a little Avatar present was all but impossible. She hasn't wandered far, though.

Occupied as she is, Jinora's paying little attention to her surroundings, eyes focused on the rhythmic movement of the ocean waves.]


[ooc: Action only, please! (Look, she doesn't get the network.)]

Comments

[riceballfruit]

[She looks a little calmer.]

I can bring it out here, if you would prefer?

[bookbending]

No, that's fine. I was coming inside anyway.

[Not exactly true, but she doesn't want Tohru to go too far out of her way. Besides, she hasn't seen Korra for a while. It's probably time to give Lin a break.]

[Jinora gives the ocean one last contemplative look before turning her attention back to Tohru.] I appreciate everything that you do for us, Tohru. I don't know if we tell you that often enough.

[riceballfruit]

[Tohru would have never thought it was out of her way. But if Jinora was going inside, then it would be rude to protest and turn things around on her.]

[However, the gratitude takes her off guard.] Oh! No, I'm sorry if I don't seem to acknowledge all of you have been most kind and thankful towards me. All of you show me all the time, and I'm sorry if I've not shown recognition at those times. [Because why else would Jinora need to say something like that? Tohru must be lacking on something.]

[bookbending]

Tohru, shh. [Jinora grabs the now younger girl's hand and squeezes it, channeling as much peace and stillness as she can into the life-energy that flows between them. It's not an airbending trick; it's simple awareness of the unity of all things and the power of one to affect another.]

You don't have anything to apologize for. I want to express my gratitude, not make you worry.

[riceballfruit]

[Unknowing, Tohru eases, somewhat, feeling a brief spike of guilt for turning Jinora's intentions around, then it's gone. She bashfully smiles.]

Then, thank you for your gratitude. It's always been my pleasure to help all of you and do whatever I can for everyone that lives here.

[bookbending]

And you do a great job. [jokingly] I can imagine how terrible things would be if the cooking was up to the rest of us. We're awful.

[riceballfruit]

Ah, no! I'm sure everyone else would be great at cooking. Maybe you just need to experiment with it!

[bookbending]

There's no reason to rely on experimentation if there's an amazing teacher.

[riceballfruit]

But that's how I learned! By trying things out, and you found out what tastes best and what you prefer that way, too.

[bookbending]

I still think I'd rather learn from you.

[riceballfruit]

Th-then, I will gladly teach you whatever I can. And then you'll be able to make things yourself, and come up with something even better!

[bookbending]

I don't know if I'll ever be that good, but thank you.

[riceballfruit]

But of course you will.

As long as you want to, I'm sure you could do just about anything.

[bookbending]

You're sweet, Tohru. I like that--that and how positive you are.

[riceballfruit]

Being positive is one of my better traits!

But there's plenty I like about you, and everyone here. You've always been kind to me. And helpful. And supportive. And you're very smart, too.

[bookbending]

I don't know what to say to that except for thank you.

[riceballfruit]

You're welcome!

Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't say thank you, myself. But I am thankful you would say such kind things about me.