it's locked, stupid

ch. 8

It was a warm day at the temple. Jinpa was eating breakfast on her own. Like everyday. After breakfast, she went to one of the sacred rooms that had been restored by her grandfather. She went there to learn more about the ancient ways of airbending. It was the same everyday since she moved here. Wake up, eat breakfast, study, eat lunch, study, eat dinner, write to her family, go to sleep, then repeat. She hated routine. She didn't always hate routine. But moving here has made routine despicable.

Today, on the other hand, was different than her usual days. A different she had yet to see. A different she will never be able to forget.

Today after lunch, as she went to go practice meditation, someone called her name faintly. He opened her eyes thinking it was one of the acolytes who live in the temple. She looked around to find no one. She shook off the feeling and began to meditate again. After a while, her name was called again. When she opened her eyes this time, she wasn't in the temple. The world around her looked different. So magical, almost.

"Hello." She called out, but she got no response.

She stood, getting a better look at her surroundings. She was in a forest. A forest thag was almost too vibrant. It was a prestige forest. Green colors, healthy leaves, strong bark, it even had that fresh dirt smell. It was strange, she thought.

Behind her, she heard some leaves crunch. She tried reaching for her staff to find it wasn't there. It's always there. She tried to airbend instead, but couldn't. She couldn't bend. Panic flowed through her. Her one job is to be an airbender, and she can't even bend here. What is going on?

"I am not a foe," a voice said from the dark of the forest.

"Where am I?" She asked, tensing up. The figure the voice belonged to walked out from the dark. After a good, long look, Jinpa deducted that it was someone she knew only through stories. "Aang?"

"Jinpa," her grandfather said, smiling at her. "It's lovely to meet you. Who would've guessed you had a connection to the spirit world."

"I'm in the spirit world?"

Aang chuckled, "Yeah. Follow me. I would love to meet you. Get to know you more."

"Uh, sure." Jinpa let down her guard and followed her grandfather. How could she not? It's her grandfather.

They walked to a little hut inside the trees. Spirit trees. She couldn't believe she was in the spirit world. With ever step she doubted the reality more and more. She began to think this was just another weird dream. She's had a lot of weird dreams lately.

Outside the hut was a table with creatures around it having a tea party. Spirit creatures having a spirit tea party. Jinpa has never been more lost in her life. Among the spirits, there was one human amount the see of spirits.

"Ah! Avatar Aang! Lovely to see you again!" The human said, a huge smile growing on his already happy face.

"Hell, Iroh," Aang greeted.

"Wait. Iroh? As in Zuko's uncle?" Jinpa asked quietly, but Iroh still managers to hear.

"Yes, how is Zuko?" Iroh looks at Jinpa for a response. Zuko was the one person who Iroh cares for more than almost anyone in the living, and spirit world. Zuko was like a son to him as Iroh was like a father to Zuko.