The Good Kind of Trouble
Author: thatBAsuze (FF.net)
Words: 4,193
Summary: Jinora goes into the city one night looking for adventure. She runs into an old friend and finds a different kind of adventure.
Notes: Jinoochy, which you don’t get often here. But it’s good, this one.
Excerpt:
Tugging on a dull grey coat and securing a scarf around her forehead, Jinora felt guilt creep into her chest. She had worked so hard to earn her tattoos, and she was proud of her heritage; it was just that the bright orange robes and bright blue arrows made it hard for Jinora to go out in public without being recognized.
Looking out her window, Jinora could see the lights of Republic City announcing that the city’s nightlife was just beginning. Jinora felt her heart swell with anticipation. Now seventeen, the call of the bustling city was too much for her to resist. She took a deep breath and jumped out her window.
Of course, the six-story drop was nothing for an airbending master. She made no sound as her feet touched the ground and ghosted across the training area. Since Korra had become a fully realized Avatar, the White Lotus centuries had long since left the island, which made sneaking out much easier. When most of the lights on Air Temple Island turned off, it seemed the lights of the city glowed even brighter. As she approached the high cliff overlooking Yue Bay, Jinora’s gloved hands clutched her glider tighter. Just a little further, she thought. She sprinted the last few steps before jumping straight out into the open air. Her glider snicked open and with a push of air, Jinora was soaring over the water.
From so far up, the probending arena reminded Jinora of one of the paper lanterns that hung outside the meditation pavilion in the summer. Jinora banked towards the back of the arena, where she was less likely to be noticed. She landed smoothly and felt a twinge of nervousness. She was trying not be noticed tonight, but her glider could easily give her away. After some deliberation, she found that the back door to the arena was open and she hid her staff behind some boxes. Pulling the silk scarf tighter around her head, Jinora weaved her way through the crowd and grinned to herself when no one gave her a second thought.
Jinora was more familiar with the theory of Republic City than the actual streets; getting from the arena to downtown proved to be more challenging than she thought. Jinora found herself walking along some foggy, empty streets and looking down various alleyways, each one less appealing than the last. Finally she found a street name she recognized. Every sound and echo made Jinora jump, but she steeled herself and entered the narrow pass.
Confidence, she repeated to herself. No one will bother you if you just look confident. The small street was too small for satomobiles and extended for several blocks. Jinora’s heart was racing but she made herself resist the urge to run the whole way there; it was better not to draw attention. She almost made the trip without any incident, too.
Jinora let herself feel relief when lit up shops and busy streets came into view, but it was all too soon replaced by cold fear when the end of the alley became blocked by two tall, smirking figures. Jinora swallowed and tried to calmly turn around, but found two other men blocking the alley in that direction as well. Jinora stopped dead in her tracks and felt panic rise up. Should’ve kept my glider, she berated herself. Slipping into a stance, Jinora tried to calculate the best way out of the mess. “Hey miss, you lost?” one of the men snickered.
Jinora grit her teeth and sent a wall of air backwards. The men in front of her lunged in her direction, but Jinora took an easy jump that put her more than half a story up the side of one building. She pushed off the wall with one foot and shot out over the thugs’ heads. When her feet hit the ground she lunged into a sprint, leaving the men swearing and sputtering behind her. She pushed herself as far she could, but she could hear that she was still being pursued. She came around a corner sharply and saw that the main streets were only a couple blocks away.
She dug her toes in the ground, ready to run, when she heard a voice behind her yell, “Stop!” Jinora saw the figure out of the corner of her eye and lunged forward. She spun midair and shot a stream of harsh wind straight at her pursuer.
The figure let out an, “Ack!” and then a wall of earth came up to block him from Jinora’s attack. Both the wall and the man were pushed to the ground. Jinora was about to turn and run, but then she saw the man’s face in the light.
“Skoochy?”
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