The next day, my mind swam with confused thoughts.

I didn't know what to think of all that had happened yesterday. How did my normal life turn into this? I don't know how to control the abilities that I have aquired, let alone exactly know what the are. I don't even fully understand how I got them, and the last thing I want to do is go back into the spirit world asking questions that I may not get answers to.

I couldn't get her blue stare out of my mind. Her gaze appeared hollow and her eyes blank, as if something was worrying her. Did it really bother her that much that I wore the necklace? After all, it was just a necklace, right?

No. It wasn't just a necklace. I saw what I did.

'He tried to warn you..'

Who tried to warn me about what? I thought back on everyone I had talked to the past few days. My father warned me about Tao, but that was irrelevant. I thought about it for a while longer, and then it struck me.

Hei Bai!

Was he trying to warn me? If he was, he sure had a weird way of doing it. I couldn't see how frightening me was going to warn me about anything.

I breathed out. I was in the study, supposed to be working on my calligraphy. Normally I was fairly good at it, but I was much too distracted today. My hand was shaky and my posture was slouched.

My teacher's voice sounded from behind me. "Jinora, what's wrong? You aren't yourself today." He was a tall, deep voiced man with rough skin gray hair. A small beard hung from his chin. His hazel eyes told me he had seen many things, good and bad. He was a well traveled and experienced man.

I looked up at him. "Sorry, Master. I'm just distracted."

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes worried. "What is it Jinora?"

"I.. I don't really want to talk about it.." my voice trailed.

"It's never good to keep things bottled up inside. If you ever want to talk about it, you know you can come to me."

He was always kind and gentle, yet strong and encouraging. He was almost like a second father to me.

"Thank you, Master."

Realizing it was time to be leaving, I stood from where I was sitting and bowed to him. Then, I decided to pay my mother a visit in the nursery.

Its walls were a dark cream color with patches of light green bamboo across the wall. This room was also my nursery, as well as Ikki's and Meelo's. It has always had a calm atmosphere to it. My mother had lulled us all to sleep with her sweet voice in this room, in the dark, wooden rocking chair next to the window that overlooked the island, and now it's Rohan's turn.

I knocked on the halfway opened door, then silently walked in when I saw him sleeping in my mother's arms. He looked so peaceful and gentle as he dozed. Every few seconds either his foot or his nose would twitch. I looker over at my mother who beckoned me to sit by her on the unused ottoman in front of her. She brushed his face with a light touch of her fingers, then looked up at me, expecting me to speak.

I hesitated, then spoke. "Mom, do you know anything about Hei Bai?"

She didn't look shocked, but a little surprised. "Hei Bai? You're talking about that spirit aren't you?"

I nodded my head slowly and intently.

She looked as if she was trying to remember. "Huh, let's see." She looked up and tapped her chin with her finger. "No, not really." She looked back at me. "I mean, I know what everyone else does. Probably not even that much." She chuckled to herself. "All I know is that Hei Bai is incredibly powerful and can take the form of either a six legged monster or a giant panda."

"Oh, okay." Turns out I know more than she does.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," I said and flashed her a soft smile before walking back out into the hallway.

I shut the door and started walking down the hall when I felt a sharp pain pierce my heart. I leaned over and pushed on my chest, exhaling quickly. It felt like something was clawing me from the inside. It was getting more unbearable by the minute, and I decided I couldn't stand out in the hall like this for everyone to see. Struggling, I semi-ran down the hall made it to my room. With shaking hands, I tried to softly close the door, but it slammed under my grip. I fell to the floor, my whole body shaking and feeling the desperate need for something, but I didn't know what. I felt like my heart was, in it's own way, suffocating.

What is happening?

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead and tears started to form in my eyes.

I put a hand over my face and clenched my shirt over my chest and pulled at it, as if it would somehow make the pain go away. Tears spilled down my cheeks and I felt as I could combust at any moment.

Why is this happening? What have I done to have this happen?

I froze for several seconds when I remembered. My gaze blankly set ahead of me, looking in between my fingers.

The necklace.

Without thinking, I scrambled to my dresser and violently pulled the drawer open. There it was, green and glowing. Surely it was the cause of this terror. I clasped it around my neck and drew in a deep breath. Instantly, the pain went away. It seemed like this was the necklace's way of making sure I didn't take it off. It had won, for now at least.

I slumped down on the floor. Sun beamed through my window. I closed my eyes and tears continued to fall.

Why has all of this happened? Why me?

My eyes flashed open. "Why me!" I yelled, with emotions mixed between sad and angry. It seems that my temper becomes shorter when I wear the necklace. It had to be the product of swelling with so much energy. "If I had just left the necklace alone.. everything would be fine. Everything would be normal." My tone was somber. If anyone heard me they would probably think I had gone mad. Perhaps I was going mad. I was starting to believe that myself.

The sun that was shining in my eyes before had been blocked.

I looked up to see a giant panda standing outside with his head in the window.

My voice trembled. "H-Hei Bai?"

It couldn't be.. could it?

I got a playful growl in return and cautiously walked over to the beautiful animal. To make sure I wasn't hallucinating, I reached out and touched his fur. It was soft and warm, unlike any fur I could have ever imagined. His scent was unforgettably strong and sweet. His eyes were black pearls of love and worry. He was obviously a creature of gentle nature, so why had he seemed so scary? Maybe he was trying to warn me about something, afterall.

He turned to leave, but stopped and lay down on the grass. When a few moments passed, he looked back at me and shook his back from side to side.

What is he doing?

Maybe he wants me to follow? I jumped through the window and walked to his side. He didn't move, so I just stood there for a few moments before he lightly knocked me over onto his back with his head.

"Oh! You.. want me to ride on your back?" I felt foolish and gathered myself into a sitting position on the spirits back.

I'm definitely crazy. What was I doing?

He took off into a swift run, and caught me off guard. I fell against the top of his large head and swung my arms around its neck. No one seemed to notice the panda running through the grounds. No one was even outside.

That's strange.

Hei Bai slowed at the garden and bamboo grew around us. Then, we were at the same river I had been at twice before. He turned to the dead forest, which was looking much worse, and trudged through the decaying plants. We reached the cave, and went beyond to the peak of the mountain. With a blue streak trailing behind us, he zipped over to a large meadow rich with panda lilies. He lowered himself and I slid off of his back. The lady in white was crouched down in the flowers.

"Hello, Jinora." Her voice was softer than I had ever heard it.

"Hello," I said being friendly, trying not to let the anger of our last encounter get the best of me. I dropped to my knees and sat with my legs under me.

She looked at me with the same solemn blue pools I saw before. "I am sorry for not telling you what you had desired last time you were here. I realize I was wrong now. I should have told you everything right away. Though, I am not sure how you will take it."

She spoke in a way that made me feel sorry for losing my temper. "The first thing I want to know is, who are you?"

She looked me in the eyes. "I am Yue, the Moon Spirit."

My eyes shone with awe and wonder. "I've heard so much about you!" In a time like this, I was surprised I could be so excited.

She faintly smiled. "Many have. My tale is a tragic one. Sometimes one cannot choose their own fate."

I twisted my lips. "That isn't at all fair."

"Actually, it is. I paid back a debt that I owed the former moon spirit." Her smile faded and her face turned more serious. "You know that the necklace gives you power, and by now I expect you have learned that you cannot take the necklace off."

I slowly nodded.

She let out a small breath. "It's time I had told you of your fate, Jinora."

I was suddenly worried.

"In time, the necklace will fade away. It becomes a part of you more and more as each day goes on. You can try and resist the power of it, but you will only fail. You cannot push yourself away. Let the transition continue." She inhaled deeply and continued. "Jinora.. you aren't normal."

I cocked an eyebrow. "I think I would know that from the dreams I have been having, from the journeys into the spirit world, and from a panda waiting for me at my bedroom window." I tried to lighten the mood, but failed.

She shook her head. "That's isn't even close to what I am about to tell you."

I leaned in closer to her.

"There aren't many like you. Being born into the natural world, you've always felt attachment to it. It's your home. But there comes a time when everyone must leave home." She looked to the side and gently twisted the stem of a panda lily between her slender fingers. "I'm sure you have noticed your superior intelligence among others of your age, and your sense of understanding despite your youth. You taking the necklace and creating the bond wasn't a mere coincidence. It was always meant to be.." her voice trailed and she dropped the flower. Her head hung for a few seconds, then she brought it back up, but still didn't look me in the eyes.

"Before you were ever born, the spirits knew the exact day you would enter this world. They knew who you were before your mother had ever met your father, and they knew you would end up paying us a visit.. and eventually.. stay."

My eyes widened. "W-what do you mean 'stay'? I don't want to leave my family!"

Now she was looking directly at me.

"Jinora, I said that there comes a time when everyone must leave home.. but this is where you belong. Where you live now is merely a temporary home. You belong here, with your people."

I was too confused and her gaze was calm and steady, and almost looked haunting. She lifted my chin a few inches from her face, and held it there before speaking.

"Jinora, you are becoming the spirit that you've always had inside of you."