Hey, guys! Thanks for all the reviews! It really means a lot to me to read about what you all thought about my story so far. Please accept these muffin baskets as a token of my gratitude *gives muffin baskets to readers*

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF KORRA IN ANYWAYS AT ALL! (If I did, Mako would've already had a girlfriend so we could be spared from all that Asami/Mako/Korra drama we had to go through.)

~Their Story~

~CHAPTER 2~

Jinora sighed, peering over the top of her book. She watched as Ikki sat on the floor of her room, playing with dolls and giggling. She shut her book loudly, earning Ikki's attention. "Your giggling is distracting me from my book." Jinora stated.

"Well... good then." Ikki huffed. "You read too much anyways. I'm surprised your head hasn't exploded yet."

Jinora rolled her eyes and sighed again. "Reading stimulates brain activity and creativity." Jinora replied. "If you'd just pick up a book every once in a while, you might find that you like reading too."

"But your books are boring, they don't have any drawings." Ikki stated.

"You don't need pictures to read, Ikki." Jinora scoffed. "Besides, I'm too old to still be reading picture books."

"Looking at pictures are fun though." Ikki countered.

"Forget it, just try not to be so loud." Jinora shook her head. Ikki nodded and returned to playing with her dolls. Jinora heard the swishing of fabric and looked over the top of her book again, spotting her father standing by her doorway. "Dad?"

"I was just making sure you and Ikki were OK." Tenzin stated, walking inside.

"We're fine, but where's Meelo?" Jinora replied.

"He's with your mother." Tenzin said. He cleared his throat. "I came here because I would appreciate it if you could all help me with Korra's first day of airbending training."

Ikki squealed. "Can we have an air scooter race?" Ikki asked. "Maybe we can play air-ball! Oh, or we can make fruit pies and fire them at the Air Acolytes using airbending! Ooh! Ooh! Wait- are we gonna start with the Bagua circle? Ooh! Can you teach us how to run on water instead? It would be so cool if you did, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it? Huh?"

Tenzin blinked and shook his head. "When does training begin?" Jinora raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry about the time, I'll come get you when it's time." Tenzin stated. Jinora nodded. Tenzin turned and walked out of Jinora's room.

"I still can't believe Korra is going to live with us!" Ikki squealed.

"I still can't believe Dad is letting her." Jinora said. Now that Korra had moved into their home, it was becoming a little more noisy and rambunctious than usual on Air Temple Island. Ikki and Meelo were already a handful with their childish antics and their energy. Adding Korra into the mix, it was Jinora's worst nightmare.

Kai woke up with a slight shiver, wrapping the cloth around him even tighter. His eyes blinked open when the warm rays of sunlight washed over them. He groaned and moved to stand, stretching his limbs. Kai heard chatter and the roars of Satomobiles coming from outside. For some reason the village felt... livelier. Kai folded up his cloth blanket and scooped up half of loaf of stale bread. He broke it into smaller halves and ate part of it.

He watched the people interact in the streets below as he nibbled on his bread. The bright glint of dangling, expensive, shiny jewelry had caught Kai's eye. It always had since the day he was first classified as a street rat. He could only image how much he were to get if got his hands on a load of them and just sold them off at a market in another village. He was definitely sure to make a fortune. Kai sighed. "Kai!"

His ears practically perked up as glanced down to the ground. He saw two girls and a boy standing outside his home: Lian, Xia, and Chen. Lian's tiny body was trembling as her amber eyes glistened as Xia and Chen both held her in their arms. That wasn't a good sign. Kai gulped as a sinking feeling settled in his gut, preparing himself for the bad news.

Jinora rolled her eyes as Ikki and Meelo chased each other around while Korra and her father approached them. "Korra's gonna airbend!" Ikki chirped excitedly. "Korra's gonna airbend!"

"What is that contraption?" Korra raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"A time-honored tool that teaches the most fundamental aspect of airbending." Tenzin stated, gesturing to the circle filled with several wooden gates, all standing in a different direction, with the elemental symbol of airbending applied to each one. "Jinora, would you like to explain this exercise?"

Jinora nodded and stepped forward. "The goal is to weave your way through the gates and make it to the other side, without touching them." Jinora explained.

"Seems easy enough." Korra commented.

"Jinora forgot to say that you have to make it through while the gates are spinning." Ikki stated. Jinora rolled her eyes. She watched as her father thrusts his arms forwards, unleashing a burst of air that caused the gates to rotate quickly.

"The key is to be like the leaf." Tenzin stated, airbending a leaf from the palm of his hand through the gates. "Flow with the movement of the gates. Jinora will demonstrate."

Jinora let out a sigh as she ran up to the gates and began weaving her way through. Jinora may not have liked attending those boring parties with her father, but all that dancing really paid off. She recalled the first time she performed the same exercise. Of course, the first few times didn't end well but Jinora got the hang of it in good time. Dancing had helped her become rhythmical and light-footed. Whenever the opportunity struck up, Jinora always accepted invitations to dance with some girls and even a few boys (much to her father's dismay).

Jinora had finally reached the end of the gates. She turned and blew another gust of wind through the panels, causing them to spin rapidly. "Let's do this." Korra stated with an overconfident, determined look on her face. Jinora winced as Korra slammed right into a panel, eventually falling right on her behind after the Avatar's fourth attempt.

"Don't force your way through!" Jinora shouted, rolling her eyes when Ikki and Meelo decided to add in their own little pieces of advice. She grimaced when Korra landed out cold right before their feet. She shook her head as her father lets out a deep sigh.

Kai, Lian, Xia, and Chen shared some history together. They grew up together on the streets, designing and pulling off schemes together, stealing food and drinks together, etc. They hadn't always known each other. They only became acquainted a few weeks after the death of both Kai's parents. The four of them had gotten close after Kai spent his first few days sleeping behind a dumpster. During the first few months, the four of them had become inseparable... until Kai went down his own path, that is. "What happened?" Kai finally asked, sharing his stale bread with the three. Lian could barely utter out anything coherent.

"Ling's been arrested." Xia replied shakily. "He stole some fruit from the market, but he didn't get away quick enough. The guards caught up with him, tackled him down, and dragged Ling off after cuffing him."

"Ling's always bragged about how he couldn't be caught, and now look at what happened." Chen muttered under his breath. Kai glared at him and slapped the boy in the back of the head.

"That's not cool." Kai said.

"But it's true." Chen argued. Kai knew that Chen was right. Ling was always cocky when it came to his earthbending. All he had to do was steal a loaf of bread, earthbend himself an exit, and he was home free. Kai recalled the countless times Ling would brag about how hard it would be for the guards to catch him during the good old' days. And now it seemed that Ling's arrogance would be the cause of his own downfall.

"Even if it is, it's still not OK to say it, idiot!" Xia cursed Chen loudly in outrage. "Ling was the only family Lian had left!"

"She's right." Kai agreed. "If Ling goes to prison, Lian hardly stands a chance... no offense."

"It's OK; I know I'm weak, and I know that I'm not a strong bender like Ling is." Lian whispered. She looked up at her friends with glassy eyes. "I know I won't be able to survive out in the streets by myself, even if I am smarter than Ling... but I know Ling won't survive in prison. He wasn't meant to live in stone walls. He's always been a free-spirit and he lived freely too. Being in that prison... it'll drive him mad until he breathes his very last breath."

Kai placed a hand on Lian's shoulder. He was confused when she looked at him with glassy eyes that still had a small glimmer of hope. "There's a reason you dragged us all together, isn't there?" He sighed, folding his arms over his chest. Lian visibly gulped, slowly nodding her head.

"I came here because I have a small request for everyone." Lian stated.

"And that is...?" Kai raised an eyebrow as did the others.

The next day starts off with an early-morning meditation session. Jinora sat in the pavilion next to Ikki, slowing entering a deep trance. However, her trance was interrupted when she heard Korra's voice. "I think I'm doing it wrong." Korra stated.

"There's nothing to do." Jinora heard her father say. She furrowed her brows in annoyance and let out a sigh, relaxing her face. "Let your mind and spirit be free, for air is the element of freedom."

She heard Korra chuckle.

"Is something funny?" Tenzin asked.

"Yeah, you're telling me to embrace freedom, but you won't even let me listen to the radio." Korra scoffed. "And forget about leaving this island!"

The conversation goes back and forth between Korra and Jinora's father. Jinora desperately tried to tune them out, but found herself unable to do so. Soon the conversation has ended with Korra leaving to go get lychee juice. Jinora heard her father sigh in defeat. "You three are dismissed, I need to talk to Korra." Tenzin stated. Jinora let out a groan in frustration and stood up on her feet as Ikki shook Meelo awake, who rubbed at his eyes with a sleepy grin on his face.

"I like Korra, but I don't like training with her." Jinora stated after their father left. "She is so difficult to work with, and her complaining made it hard for me to meditate."

"But Korra is so fun." Ikki said.

"I know, but she's so noisy... noisier than you and Meelo combined." Jinora replied. She turned into the direction of their house. Ikki and Meelo followed after her as she walked ahead of them.

Kai shook his head as he entered his little, rundown home. He sighed. Lian was definitely crazy. If she thought Kai was going to go through with her "little favor", then she had another thing coming. However, as much as Kai wanted to turn her down, he knew he wouldn't sleep well tonight if he did. Lian was a good friend. She needed her friends by her side during this time of need. Even if it meant that Kai would risk his freedom. "I shouldn't keep thinking about this." Kai muttered, slapping himself across the face.

He walked upstairs to his bedroom and grabbed the folded up cloth, wrapping it tightly around his body. He shivered as a cold gust of wind blew through his window. He looked around the cold, damp interior. "I can't live here anymore." He told himself. "This place is driving me crazy."

He grabbed a nearby pail, filled with the loaves of bread he had stole. He had grabbed the remains of the first loaf and quickly gobbled it up. His stomach was still growling. Kai looked at the other loaf hungrily, resisting the urge to just eat the whole thing as well. He shoved the bucket away from himself, knowing that he had to make it last until the week was over. "I really can't live like this anymore." Kai groaned, his head resting onto his arms as he brought his knees up to his chest.

Korra still wasn't making any progress during the next training session involving the spinning gates. In fact, the session had ended with Korra burning the said contraption down to flames in frustration and storming off. Dinner was pretty quiet, if you excluded Tenzin venting his frustration out to his wife. "Okay!" Pema chirped as she walked into the dining room and set a tray on the table. "Everyone here?"

Jinora peered over her book as she watched her mother look around the room with concern. "Wait... Where's Korra?" Pema asked.

"Honestly, Pema, I am at my wit's end with that girl!" Tenzin sighed in frustration. "I... I don't know how to get through to her!"

Jinora shook her head and returned her book, her ears perking up as she listened in on the conversation between her parents. She subtly watched as her father's expression changed from dejection. Her mother knelt next to her father, placing a hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her. "Dear, the best thing you can do right now is to give Korra some space." Pema said sympathetically.

Jinora wasn't sure what to do when he suddenly turned to look at her and Ikki, almost desperate and pleading. "You must promise me that your teenage years won't be like this." He demanded. Jinora gave him a bored, yet incredulous look.

"I will make no such promises." Jinora stated as she slightly lowered her book and glanced over it, leaving her father flabbergasted. Pema laughed.

"What was Daddy talking about?" Ikki whispered to Jinora in a not-so-subtle manner. Jinora sighed and hit her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"Nothing." Jinora replied. She picked up her book again and started to read where she had left off. Once dinner has ended, everyone returns to their rooms except for Jinora's parents. Her parents always liked to spend some quiet time alone together in the living room while she, Ikki, and Meelo went back to their lairs.

"Do you think Korra will ever airbend?" Meelo asked as they walked down the halls to their rooms.

"She's the Avatar, she needs to learn all four elements." Jinora nodded. "It's been like that for generations. I think she's having a block. I've been reading about Gran-Gran's old adventures and she wrote about how Avatar Aang went through the same thing with earthbending."

"Why's that?" Ikki asked.

"Because earth is the natural opposite of air." Jinora explained, watching as Meelo chased after a butterfly on his air-scooter.

"But Korra's actually a waterbender; fire is the opposite of water." Ikki pointed out.

"It doesn't always work like that." She shrugged. "It could have to do with Korra's personality."

"That's true." Ikki replied.

"You sure are smart, Jinora." Meelo added.

"Well, I told you, I read a lot." Jinora shrugged as they approached their home. Ikki and Meelo followed Jinora all the way to her room. Jinora let out a sigh as her siblings suddenly became distracted and ran out of her room. She moved to sit by the window and stared at Republic City and all its glory. While she liked learning about her culture and airbending, Jinora wasn't fond of always being cooped up on Air Temple Island. The more she thought about it, the more Jinora realized how right Korra was. The Avatar was sick of having to stay in one place, and Jinora could actually agree.

Jinora moved away from the window and walked away, standing in front of her closet. She was deep in thought, unaware of what she was even doing at that point. "I'm not doing anything tomorrow." Jinora muttered. "Plus, no one will even notice I'm gone because Dad will be with the Council and Mom will be busy with Ikki, Meelo, and doing chores."

Still lost in thought, Jinora began scavenging through her closet and picked out some things. She finally snapped out of her thoughts and stared at the blouse and skirt she had picked out. They weren't that bad. In fact, they were fine. However, Jinora didn't care. She only cared about getting off the island without being caught. She sighed and put them back. "I need to think of a plan, though." She told herself. "I can't just jump right into things. That never works out well... It definitely hasn't worked out well for Korra."

Jinora grinned as she moved away from her closet. She sat down on her bed. "But, then again, I'm not Korra." She added as she began thinking long and hard about tomorrow.

So, I admit that this chapter was a little dry and boring. But, hey, at least I tried, right? It's not like I poured all my soul and energy into writing this. Pshh, not me. I wonder what Lian has in store for Kai and his other street-rat friends... Me? What do I think? Of course, I know what's gonna happen! I wrote this fanfic! But I'll let you all guess. The answer should be pretty obvious. If you can't figure it out... then oh well :P

I also have a nice surprise in store for the next chapter! Of course I won't be telling a soul, so feel free to guess the surprise as well if you want. R&R! No flames please, however criticism will be gladly accepted. See you soon!

~L. Dylan~

Goal: 15-20 Reviews (please)