His intervention had spared many people in Republic City from pain and suffering, but it had also come at a price. Specifically, that price was paid by Korra.
Without a revelation to shake her to her core, Korra had been unable to awaken her spiritual side and finally connect with her past lives. To her, it simply felt like a time limit before dealing with those who had conspired to imprison him.
Since her other powers hadn't been blocked, she also couldn't awaken her airbending, and Tenzin was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, questioning if there was something wrong with how he was teaching Korra.
Today, Jin intended to help her achieve both goals—with Kyoshi's assistance—using a method similar to the one Pathik had used.
After that, he'd have plenty of time before the arc of the dark spirits began, so he planned to head toward Zaofu and maybe one or two other places.
In fact, if possible, he would rather skip that part entirely…
Of course, that meant he'd have to spend some time apart from Asami, but with the new line of biplanes ready for export, she would be quite busy anyway. And Korra would still be teaching him waterbending while finishing her lessons in reverse self-defense.
Truth be told, Korra learned quite fast from Asami.
Did that make Asami a good teacher? Probably.
He finished breakfast and went to the basement room he'd prepared for the task. He needed Korra to focus, so he made sure the place was set up properly.
Half an hour later, Retsu led Korra in.
"Jin!" Korra greeted cheerfully, holding a wicker basket. "Pema asked me to bring you this as thanks for the gift for the baby. They're traditional Air Nomad cream pastries."
"Give the basket to Retsu," Jin said. "I hope you came prepared. What we're doing today will be intense."
Korra handed over the basket, and Retsu left to take it to the kitchen.
"I'm ready!" she said, clapping her hands and resting them on her hips. "Wow, are we doing it here?"
"You know, you should be more careful about how you phrase things," Jin sighed.
"Why?" Korra tilted her head, not getting it.
"Never mind." Jin pointed at the stone chair shaped like a turtle throne in the center. "Sit down. We'll start by working on your airbending."
"Okay?" Korra sat, not entirely comfortable.
Jin moved behind her where she couldn't see him and…
…
"What the heck?!" Korra stared as a stream of air shot from her palm, perfectly imitating the movement Tenzin had shown her about two hundred times since she'd arrived.
Before, nothing had ever happened—now she could bend air!
Just because Jin did that?
"Why couldn't I do this before?" Korra asked, genuinely confused.
"It all comes down to how you grew up," Jin explained—it was actually quite simple. "More specifically, your airbending was blocked because of how the White Lotus treated you all your life."
One of the many things they had done wrong, as usual.
"What do you mean?" Korra looked puzzled.
"You were a beautiful bird trapped in a golden cage back in the Southern Water Tribe. They dressed you, fed you, trained you… But did you ever feel free?" Jin shook his head. "I'm pretty sure that until you came here, to the city, you felt restrained all the time."
And even after arriving, she was bound by Tenzin's lessons. While they helped her move forward, they were ironically counterproductive to her teenage mindset.
"You think I'm beautiful? Ow!" A smack to the back of her head nearly knocked her off balance. "Be gentler! I may be the Avatar, but I'm still a girl, you know?"
Was she seriously playing that card with him?
"I'm aware of your gender," Jin said. "But I've always been a supporter of gender equality—no favoritism here. If you're looking for someone to act like a knight in shining armor, shower you with gifts, and treat you like fragile porcelain, try Bolin."
"Ugh!" Korra made a face. "Come on, Bolin's a good friend, he's super nice, but no way I see him like that. He takes everything as a joke."
A moment of silence for Bolin, ladies and gentlemen.
"Maybe Mako, then?"
Korra looked at him as if he'd just asked her to run naked through the city.
"I'd rather pick Bolin, thanks."
Okay, Jin hadn't expected that reaction.
"Any particular reason? If you don't mind me asking."
The Avatar took a moment to think. Jin had proven to be a good listener and adviser—honestly, she felt more comfortable talking to him about certain things than she did with Tenzin.
"Mako's a good friend too, but he's the serious one of the group—he reminds me too much of Tenzin—and Asami's told me a few things about him," Korra said, throwing a few more gusts of air as she spoke, getting used to her newly discovered skill. "I don't think we'd make a good couple, at least not for me. Especially after Asami told me how he hit on her after the championship..." She suddenly froze, eyes wide.
Oh-oh…
Korra mechanically turned her head toward Jin—she definitely wasn't supposed to say that!
Asami was going to kill her!
Korra didn't realize that the reason Asami had told her to keep quiet wasn't embarrassment—it was to protect clueless Mako from her very vengeful boyfriend's retaliation.
Asami had spent enough time with Jin to know that unless someone crossed certain lines, he wouldn't act—he might even joke about it. But for those who did…
"What's with that reaction? I already knew," Jin said, raising a brow. Inkasha had told him about it long ago, fiercely denouncing the guy who had tried to take her "second mom" away. "You think I'd kick Mako and Bolin out of their home just because he couldn't control his hormones or lacked self-preservation?"
"...No?" Korra's confidence crumbled in seconds.
"You do realize Mako only has that police job thanks to me, right?" Jin pointed out. "He's earning a good salary now and doesn't have to depend on the meager prize money from pro-bending tournaments."
Korra actually remembered Mako mentioning that he'd recently been accepted into the police force.
"Sorry, I admit I expected a stronger reaction from you," Korra said sheepishly.
Jin waved a hand dismissively.
"I didn't get where I am by holding petty grudges," he said, shaking his head. "You're still young, but as you mature, you'll understand. Besides, I trust Asami, and I understand why she told you not to mention it. Don't worry about it."
It was cute that Asami thought he wouldn't find out.
Korra felt a little jealous of Asami—it would be nice to find a boyfriend like Jin. She wanted one, but there just didn't seem to be anyone she could truly connect with.
While Korra pondered that, Jin stayed silent.
Of course he knew about the firebender's bold move.
Why else would he have helped Mako get that police job?
With all the layoffs, Lin needed someone to handle the most exhausting, repetitive, unpleasant tasks that earned no credit toward promotion.
All assigned to Mako—the diligent rookie eager to prove himself. At least Jin hadn't lied about the pay; it was a lot better than pro-bending.
More importantly, it was steady money.
Maybe in a decade or two—if Bolin managed to control his appetite—they might even buy their own apartment with a thirty-year mortgage!
The dream come true.
"Alright, enough gossip. Let's move to the next part," Jin turned toward Kyoshi, who had been quietly waiting for this moment. "We're going to awaken your spiritual side, Korra."
"Oh! Right, the whole spiritual sense thing," Korra stopped throwing air gusts and stood before Jin. "What do I have to do?"
Jin tilted his head toward Kyoshi, and Korra followed his "gaze," seeing nothing.
But from Jin's point of view, Kyoshi had taken a running start, leapt into the air, and threw a punch straight at Korra's face while shouting: "Hyaaaa!"