Letters

year one

Dear Jinora,

I bet I'm not doing this properly, since I've never written letters before, but Opal suggested it to me and I thought it was a great idea. How else am I supposed to talk to my best friend, after all? I know it's only been a week or two but I already miss you like crazy Jinora. Opal, Yung and I arrived in the first city of our section yesterday. It's called Jaya and has a huge library. You'd love it.

We have Lefty set up in a barn a farmer was kind enough to lend us. I think it'd be a good idea for proper stables for the bisons and rest stops to be set up, but that'll take a while.

Jaya's alright for the most part, there's not much peacekeeping to do. It has a pretty low crime rate but there are some problems. Mostly just a couple of gangs and robberies - we'll probably get rid of it pretty easily before we move on. I'm sending over a map with our location so you know where we are. I wanna see how far apart we are from each other. If we're close maybe we can meet up?

I hope you're having a good time too. And don't kill your siblings, or your dad'll flip.

-Kai

P.S. Lemurs are a lot better at delivering messages than Fire Nation hawks, thank the Spirits.

Dear Kai,

For a first time letter-writer you're doing well. Your penmanship's so much better now it's unbelievable. It's good to see that you're adjusting well to your traveling companions. I wish I could say the same. Ikki and Meelo have been driving me crazy. It's awful. Not quite as awful as missing you though. We should make a pact to revisit that library some day. Promise?

Speaking of bison... Meelo's decided that the only acceptable name for ours' is Rightie. I blame you, because it looks like we're matching now. The stables idea is good, I'll have to make sure my dad knows about it.

We still haven't arrived at our destination yet, a little town a week's journey away from you are. At least we're not too far away, right. I'm sure we'll find time to meet up at one point.

I'll remember that when Meelo or Ikki starts saying something stupid.

Sincerely, Jinora

P.S. We should think up a name for this little guy, since we'll be using him to send our letters back and forth pretty regularly. And it has to be a better name than Rightie or Lefty okay?

Dear Jinora,

Promise. Thanks for passing my idea onto your dad. I think the farmer's sort of regretting letting us stay because Lefty ate a pretty big amount of his hay. We're heading onto our next town tomorrow. And, I'd like to point out, Lefty is a perfectly suitable name for a sky bison and so is Rightie. Meelo has impeccable taste is choosing names. (Did I use impeccable right?) Yeah, we can definitely meet up. It's already been a month since I last saw you!

Yung keeps teasing me about you being my 'girlfriend'. Which is silly, 'cause you and me are just best friends and stuff. Which is what I told him! As for Ikki and Meelo... would bribery work?

As for this lemur... Hmm. I dunno what his name should be. Nomnom? He makes a nomming noise like you do when he eats moon-peaches. Opal likes him a lot so she gave him some. Is that name good enough for you, oh high and mighty Master Jinora?

-Kai

Kai,

I'll hold you to that promise. Whatever you say Kai. (And yes, you did use the word properly. Good job - I'm proud of you.) Ikki and Meelo and I are settling down for the night right now but we're just a mountain range over from your next town. We could meet up in a week; does that work for you? I know. I miss you a lot.

Yung thinks I'm your girlfriend? Yeah... really silly! I've sort of just resigned myself to my siblings' teasing. I don't think much is going to stop it.

Nomnom... I like it! And I do not making a 'nomming' noise when I eat moon-peaches!

As the mighty Master Jinora, I choose to forgive your transgression, seeing as you are only a lowly pupil. You're lucky you're my favourite pupil.

Love, Jinora.

Jinora,

Yes, next week works! I'm so excited to see you! Yes, you totally do make a nomming noise. You get this glazed over look on your eyes as you chew. It's really funny actually...

Love.. Kai.

Kai,

It was so great seeing you again. I know it's kind of dumb but it's only been a week and I already miss you. I wish we could meet up more often... On the bright side, I got to talking with Professor Zmai from a university in the latest town Ikki, Meelo and I visited, and he was so excited to see Righty. It made me think of you. Still calling bison bisons?

It's so nice that the original airbenders are still around, see Badgermoles are hard to find and dragons are still really rare. Us airbenders are so lucky we have the sky bison. As you know - or at least I hope you know, since I bet you didn't give 100% of your attention in class - the sky bison were the first airbenders.

Spirits, do I actually do that? I can't believe you noticed! I bet it looked so weird, now I feel a little embarrassed.

On an unrelated topic: my hair's starting to grow back. I'm not sure what type of style I want it to be in yet, though. Any ideas?

Love Jinora

Jin,

You know, I was a better student than you give me credit for. I paid attention. Most of the time anyway. I know the sky bisons (can't stop won't stop, I know improper grammar bugs you) were the first airbenders. But what about the lemurs like Nomnom? When did they come along?

Your nomming didn't look weird. You could never look weird. You looked... cute. I don't know a single thing about hair. I'll ask Opal, maybe she'll have some ideas? But I know whatever you decide to do it'll be cute.

Love, Kai.

Kai,

You're the first person who's ever called me Jin... I like it. A lot. And the lemurs. I think I just got an idea! As for your actual question, the lemurs began to be domesticated by the Air Nomads after the sky bison, so the bison still came first.

...Thank you Kai, that's really sweet of you. And I'd be happy to hear any suggestions Opal has for me!

Love Jinora

I have so many ideas there's so much potential and I am SUCH A SAP. Next chapter will be year 2. This, obviously, didn't cover all of year 1. Maybe 6 months of it, or something, but not the whole year. I'm not sure how many months year 2 will cover, but I think in year 3 I'll have Kai and Jinora be a couple. (Prepare yourself for the fluff.)

In the meantime, let me know what you thought in the box below! If you have any suggestions for what should be included in the letters I'd love to hear it.

The lemur suit being inspired by Kai is from a lovely sketch by November-branches on tumblr. It's hilarious and adorable and Kainora - so go check it out right now! :D

Only 5 days until Book 4!