They rode for a while until they reached Omashu. "Maybe someone's here that can help you master earth bending." Susie suggested.
"It'd be so much easier if I could go and learn from Dad- but I can't. We're being chased. There's no way I'd do that to our families." Kaia spoke her thoughts aloud.
She thought back to when they had been leaving, a very important thing- after her parents had realized they were gone, they suddenly disappeared. The teens had screamed and returned only to find Katara's necklace she had gotten from her mother. Kaia had picked it up and clutched it in her grasp, crying. She knew they had been kidnapped by the former fire lord. Now their mission was more important than ever. She out the necklace on and looked ahead.
They were entering Omashu and she looked at her necklace again. She wanted to cry but she kept going.
They watched the sunset from their guest house, Kaia sat on the steps, watching it.
"It's so beautiful." Kaia looked at the mix of colors in the sky.
"It's when our powers are equally matched. Fire and Water." Aaron came up and sat beside her. He looked at Kaia who was glancing down at the necklace again. "We'll save them. I promise."
"Ahem." A voice cleared.
"Oh-Susie." Kaia rubbed her arm awkwardly. "Hey…have you ever heard of a time bender?"
"Yeah- there's only two left. They're very secretive and don't teach anyone their ways, afraid it'll "fall into the wrong hands.' The closest one lives in the Eastern Air Temple."
"I wanna go check it out." Kaia said suddenly.
"But what about earth bending?" Aaron asked.
"If we go…I'm sure I'll be able to…trust me." Kaia had a plan.
"Well, Mr. Time bender…person. I'm asking you for a favor. I need to learn the ways of time bending. Or at least be able to time travel."
"Sure. Anytime. Anywhere. Once you time travel, you will be able to time bend." the old man agreed.
Really? Simple enough.
Kaia whispered the date in his ear and suddenly all around them they heard an unfamiliar voice. Everyone except the time bender jumped. Kaia looked towards the portal and they saw an image. Jet. The Jet. Lying on the ground, talking to Aang and the rest of the gang. "Katara, I'll be fine."
Kai's mother, when she was about Kai's age now, held back tears and stood up.
Then Toph whispered to Sokka, "He's lying."
Jet's heartbeat stopped minutes later.
Kaia fell to her knees, sobbing.
"This isn't our time. Don't do this." Aaron hissed.
"I have to do this. It's the only way." And Kaia stepped through and everything rewinded before her eyes.
The gang left, and Kaia ran in.
"Jen!" Smellerbee cried.
…...
"Jen?" Susie asked. "That's Kaia."
"She agreed to switch times. She can come back whenever she wants to. She has all the time in the world. Automatically, when you time travel, you are made into an alternate person- same memories, face and everything- but different name and time."
Aaron and Susie could only sit, watch, and wait for their friend to come back.
…...
"Smellerbee. What's going on…" Jen trailed off, seeing her boyfriend lying still. "Jet!" She screamed, the tears already streaming down her face.
"I'm fine Jen." His face contorted in pain as he said that.
"No. You're not. I heard that Earth bender whisper that you were lying." She water bended and held it to his chest. "It's…it's not working." Jen wanted to throw something against the wall.
Jet winced. He caressed Jen's cheek and she held it there.
"Jet. Don't leave me. Please. I love you. Stay, for me. The Freedom Fighters, Katara, Aang, Sokka, everybody…please."
"Jen…I love you too. At least I got to see…" His eyes opened wide and his body arched. "You…one…last….time…" His heart faltered and Jen felt his hand go limp.
"No!" But he was gone. Smellerbee and Jen were left weeping. Long Shot fired an arrow.
…...
What happens if she never comes back?" Susie asked Aaron.
Aaron didn't reply. He wanted to shoot fire at this Jet guy though. He was totally all over Kaia! And what made it worse was she was all over him as well!
The screen went dark.
Susie and Aaron exchanged worried looks.
But then they heard Kai's voice.
"Well, I got earth bending down."
They spun around.
"Kaia!" They got up and ran to her.
"I went after my dad and of course I kept my alias. And I had him and Toph teach me earth bending."
"That's amazing! So how did you become a master in about 3 seconds?"
"Silly. Time is immeasurable. It's an illusion. Does that answer your question?"
"All that's left is fire…where would be the best place to learn it?"
"Well- not in the fire nation- that would be too dangerous. We need to be by a water source in case it gets out of control…the earth kingdom is dry, the water tribe to wet…air temples…too much altitude…but you like challenges right?" Aaron asked.
"Sure. So I'm guessing air temples?"
"Definitely. So- we can just stay put and learn."
"All right!" Susie grinned, she secretly hated riding on Appa.
"Less reason for anyone to find us, if we've disappeared off everyone's radars- they won't be able to get us." Kaia explained. "Great. When do we start?"