A/N: No but really, I love you guys. I don't care that I don't get like 1,000 reviews a chapter, the few that I get are super awesome. :)

Sorry for the wait for this chapter, I've been working VBS all week and haven't had time to write. (Working with kindergarteners all day may or may not have been what inspired this, actually...)

Games

*they're around 5-7ish. Just think adorable*

"Mom, what are they doing?" Jinora pulled at her mother's skirt and pointed to a group of scruffy kids a little ways away that were playing some sort of game.

"They're playing bending ball."

"What's that?"

"The kids use their bending to get the ball from one end of the field to the other, then to get it past whoever is guarding the goal."

"That sounds like fun!"

"It probably is."

"…can I play with them?"

"You can try, but they might not like having a stranger play with them."

"Ok. I'm gonna' try anyways."

Jinora walked confidently to the group. As she did, one of the teams scored, and cheering, the kids took a break to rest for a second.

"Excuse me," She said to one of the boys that looked to be in charge.

"huh?" The kid turned around to face her.

"C-could I possibly play with you guys?"

"You ever played before?"

"…no…"

"We can teach you, I guess," he shrugged. "What kind of bender are ya'?"

"Airbender…" the poor boy almost fell over he was so surprised.

"I've never met an airbender before!" He turned to the other kids, "HEY! This girl says she's an airbender!" Most of the others quickly gathered around Jinora to watch her demonstrate her they were satisfied she was assigned to a team, told the rules, and before she knew it, playing bending ball.

Considering she'd never played before, Jinora was actually pretty good. Most of the other players weren't familiar enough with airbending to predict what kind of technique she'd use, which gave her a big advantage. She was having a lot of fun, running around, yelling, and bending.

When they took another break, she noticed a boy sitting on a bench on the side of the field that seemed to be frowning to the ground. Not wanting to see someone upset, she told everyone she was taking a break and went and sat with the boy.

"Hi," she said.

"Hiya," He sounded as sad as he looked.

"…you seem sad."

"What gave you that idea?" He said, keeping eye contact with his shoes.

"Why?"
"Why does it matter?"

"I don't like people to be sad if there's something I can do about it."

"Well, there's not much you can do."

"What is it?"

"I wanna' play bending ball with all of them," He sounded defeated, like he'd already played and lost.

"Why don't you?"

"I'm not a bender," The boy looked up and into her eyes, green meeting gray.

"…That shouldn't stop you."

"Tell that to 'em," He jabbed his thumb in the general direction of the field.

"Have you asked?"

"Yeah, an' they said no."

"That's rude."

"Who're you anyways?"

"Jinora," She held out her hand for him to shake, but he folded his arms and focused on her eyes again.

"Skoochy."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

"Come and play!"

"No."

"You want to, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then do!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nope."

"You're too stubborn."

"So?"

"Don't complain about not playing if you're not going to try," Jinora got up from the bench and walked back to her team and joined in again. She didn't look back at Skoochy.

Skoochy looked at his feet, then at Jinora, then his feet again before making up his mind. He got up from the bench, squared his tiny shoulders, and marched over to the sidelines. As soon as the other kids paused and paid him any attention, he announced, "I'd like to play!" He re-thought it for a second, "Uh, I mean, can I play with you guys?"

"You can't bend," One kid yelled.

"I'll just kick it and throw it and stuff…" Skoochy scratched his neck, feeling awkward under everyone's judgmental eyes.

"Why not?" Another guy called out. The same boy that had welcomed Jinora now welcomed Skoochy onto his team.

Jinora would never know how much a game of ball meant to a boy like Skoochy.

A/N: In my head cannon, Skoochy can't bend. I've read a lot of fanfics where he's an earthbender, but I always just figured he'd be a nonbender. *shrug*(unless of course it's been announced somewhere that he is a bender, in which case I'm wrong and please ignore me.)