Description: Jinora had experiences with the press before, it came with being the granddaughter of the avatar and the daughter of a world leader. When she was born, every paper ran a story about the first Airbender baby girl in nearly two centuries. Five Times Kainora appeared in the press.

Airbender Sweethearts?

Although the Airbenders grew all their own vegetables on Air Temple Island, from time to time they still needed to buy other supplies. And when the number of Airbenders multiplied, the visits to the Republic City market places became almost weekly occurrences.

"Jinora," her mother called, "I've made a list of everything we need this week. Can I trust you to go into the town and pick up everything?"

"I'd be happy to!" Jinora had always enjoyed exploring the city. Its bustling streets and hustling markets were in stark contrast to the serenity of Air Temple Island.

"Take a friend with you." Pema insisted.

So Jinora and Kai took the ferry downtown and speant the afternoon shopping at the markets along the dock. They took their time, wandering the streets and chatting with the merchants. Kai had traveled throughout Earth Kingdom villages of various sizes, but he'd never seen anything like Republic City. He was fascinated with the skyscrapers.

"Asami works in Future Industries Tower," Jinora said. "She'd probably let us see the view from the top, if you want to go? Or we could just go to the Harmony Tower."

"Actually, I'm getting kind of hungry." Kai said rubbing his stomach. "Could we just get something to eat?"

"There's a great smoother shop just around the corner."

"What's that?" Kai asked.

"It's a mix of lots of different fruits. Kind of like juice but thicker and sweeter," Jinora explained. "It's a Republic City specialty. You have to try it. I'll go get us some."

Jinora disappeared around the corner, and Kai returned to studying the skyscrapers.

"Say kid, you one of those new Airbenders?" A tall man in a brimmed hat had walked up to Kai.

Kai was suspicious. "Who wants to know?" Usually when adults came up to him and started asking questions it meant trouble. But this guy didn't seem like a cop, and he hadn't been doing anything wrong.

"Relax. I'm a reporter for The Republic Star. I just wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Oh." Kai had never met a reporter before. He figured it came with the territory when you were a rare Airbender. "I can understand that. I mean, why you'd want to ask me questions. I'm pretty interesting." Kai had always had a knack for making up stories. Back when he was on the run, a well performed story could get him a warm meal, or if he was lucky, a place to stay for the night. If this reporter wanted to talk to him, he might as well roll with it, right?

"Born an orphan, faced crippling poverty, until granted the supernatural ability to bend air. Imprisoned because of his gift by a ruthless monarch, but persevered, determined to save the innocents. The name is Kai, by the way. K-A-I. You should write an article about how I saved the Avatar."

"You saved the Avatar, huh?" The reported asked incredulously.

"Pretty much. And I rescued Master Tenzin, Asami Sato, Mako and Bolin on Lefty, my trusty Sky Bison" Kai continued. "They would all have drowned in lava if not for my dashing heroics, and the Airbending race would be nearly extinct again."

"Uh-huh. Cute story, kid." The reporter deadpanned. "Say, were you just with Tenzin's daughter Jinora?"

"It's Master Jinora now." Kai corrected. "Can't you see the big arrow on her head?" Kai pointed to his head as if to prove a point.

"Right, Master Jinora. You two on a date or something?"

"What? No! We're just getting groceries." Kai jumped. Why would a reporter ask something like that?

"Relax, kid. I'm just teasing," the reporter said, as Jinora came walking up with the smoothers.

"Who's this Kai?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice. Surely Kai hadn't gotten into trouble in the few minutes she'd been gone.

"He's a reporter who's gonna write a story about me." Kai bragged.

Jinora had experiences with the press before, it came with being the granddaughter of the avatar and the daughter of a world leader. When she was born, every paper ran a story about the first Airbender baby girl in nearly two centuries. Sometimes reporters approached her and asked her questions about everything from her father's politics or the Spirit World, to the Avatar's love life. Her parents had told her that she never had to answer their questions, and she found it was often best to ignore them, or to direct them to her father's official statements.

"Well, well, if it isn't Master Jinora," he shot a look at Kai. "Say, how does it feel to be showing off those tattoos?"

"It's great honor to be carrying on the traditions of my people," she told the reporter curtly. She grabbed Kai's arm and said to him, "Let's go. We don't need to talk to him."

"I don't think he has enough information for my story." Kai said as she tried to lead him away.

"Don't worry, kid." The reporter chuckled. "I got everything I need."


"Good Morning, Master Tenzin," said the secretary as he entered the office. He was meeting with Raiko to discuss plans for the Spirit Wilds project. "If you'd like to wait in the conference room the President will be with you shortly."

He knew his way to the meeting room, but the secretary escorted him anyway, chatting along the way. "Say did you see that article in The Star this morning?"

Tenzin gave her a puzzled look. Was she just trying to make conversation? The Republic Star was a notoriously sleazy tabloid, full of questionable stories about the personal lives of mover stars and athletes. "Um, no. I don't usually read celebrity gossip."

The secretary giggled, "No, I suppose you wouldn't care for that sort of thing, but there was one article that might interest you. I'll see if I can find you a copy."


"Hello, Pema. How are you dear? Do you think you could put Jinora on the line?"

Jinora took the phone from her mother. "Dad?"

"Jinora, have you been speaking with any reporters lately?"

Jinora thought a moment. "Not since my anointment ceremony. Actually, last week when I was downtown with Kai a reporter tried to ask us a few questions, but I just walked away."

"Did Kai answer any of his questions?"

Jinora hesitated, "Well he was already talking to Kai before I walked up, I don't know what they said." Jinora felt the need to defend her friend, "But Kai's never had to deal with reporters before. He really wouldn't know what to say."

Tenzin sighed, "Very well. I'll need to have a talk with him when I get home."


"My dad says he needs to talk with you when he gets home." After the strange phone call with her father, Jinora found Kai in the bison stables.

"What! Why? I haven't done anything bad in weeks." When he'd first arrived Tenzin had found lots of reasons to talk with Kai: skipping training to play with the bison, falling asleep while meditating, playing with his food. Even after saving his life, Tenzin still saw Kai as a trouble maker. He never said it, but Kai thought he saw him as a bad influence on his daughter. So Kai became determined to do everything right. He' did all his chores and worked extra hard in training, even the boring history parts.

"I think it has something to do with that reporter we-" she was cut off by the fog horn of the island ferry.

"That's not him already, is it?" Kai asked. He wasn't ready to face Tenzin, especially if he didn't know what he did wrong.

"I don't think so," Jinora said. "Opal told me Bolin might come by today,"

"Let's go say hi!" Kai always loved it when his 'big brother' Bolin stopped by.

By the time they reached the docks, Bolin and Opal were already talking.

"Well I was talking with Varrick yesterday and he said he'd made a contract with-" Bolin cut himself off when he saw them. "Kai! Jinora! I'm so glad I caught you. You've got to see this week's paper." He pulled the tabloid out of him back pocket and handed it to them. "Here. Look on the second page: Airbender Sweethearts!"

In the corner of the second page, beneath bold characters spelling "Airbender Sweethearts?" was a picture Jinora and Kai walking together that must've been taken that day. Under the photo, the caption read "The newly anointed Master Jinora, daughter of Master Tenzin, was spotted in Republic City's market district arm in arm with another young airbender. The boy, Kai, grew up a poor orphan in the Earth Kingdom until he gained air bending abilities. Is it young love for these two Airbenders?"

Jinora finish reading the short passage quickly, an experienced reader, but read it again in disbelief. Kai was still learning to read but he could pick up the gist of it. Both were blushing furiously.

"Is this what you were talking to the reporter about?" Jinora demanded.

"What! No! Of course not," Kai rubbed the back of his head. "We were just talking about stuff. I mean he asked me if we were on a date, but I said no."

"What! He asked you that?" Jinora sighed. "This must be what my dad was mad about."

Bolin and Opal were suppressing laughter.

"What's so funny?" Kai snapped.

"I didn't even think about Tenzin's reaction." Bolin laughed.

"He must be really upset," Opal said. "Do you think you'll get in trouble?"

"I didn't do anything wrong," Kai defended himself. "I don't even understand why someone would publish something like this."

"The tabloids and paparazzi just come with fame," Bolin said dramatically, "I would know."

Opal rolled her eyes at Bolin's bragging and explained, "Jinora is sort of a celebrity. Plus you two are just cute; it makes for an interesting story."

"Cute?" Kai exclaimed. He did not want to be considered cute. Especially not by his friends who were only a few years older than him. And Jinora and him being cute together, well, he wasn't sure how he felt about that. He loved spending time with Jinora of course, but he didn't like other people calling them "sweethearts," or "young love," and definitely not "cute."

After the article was published, everybody would joke about Kai and Jinora being together. Whenever they sat next to each other or played together after lessons, some other Airbender would tease them, and it was always embarrassing. Tenzin's frustration made the whole situation more awkward, but her siblings were the worst offenders. They would follow them around everywhere singing songs about kissing. Jinora was about ready to hurt them before her mother intervened.

Jinora and Kai tried to not let it come between their friendship. They still spent as much time together as they could, playing with the bison or flying on their gliders or reading together, but someone walking by commenting on how cute they were would ruin the moment. So when Jinora invited Kai back to the city to show him her favorite must-see sites, she prayed to every spirit she could think of "Please let there be no reporters."