Focus! I think to myself, I shouldn’t be practicing bending with the chi blockers nearby but, I hate Amon and his stupid non-bending capitol so much, that I REFUSE to let him take the one thing from me that I love.
I give out a breath and blow a stream of water, fire, and then air into the sky, and then I throw a block of earth at a nearby tree. I’m the avatar!
Not that it matters anymore, ever since Amon attacked republic city, before long even I, I the avatar, fell at his hands. Now all of us are divided up into 12 different districts of what was once Republic city…but now it seems like nothing but a wasteland, most of us would be going hungry if we didn’t illegally use our bending to find food. Those that aren’t bold enough to use their bending do die, despite what my limited healing abilities can do for them.
“Hey fire cracker! Better watch yourself!” I gasp, but then relax, because no-one else in district twelve, except Mako ever calls me that. He’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember, we first met in the woods when I accidently flooded his campsite with a wave I’d been working on near the river, we’ve been inseparable ever since, sometimes I think he thinks of me as more than a friend, but he never mentions the “g” word, and I don’t have the guts to mention the “b” word. So I’m happy with things as is.
“You scared me!” I scream playfully as I blast him with a stream of water. “Hey!” he cries indignantly. I try to stifle a laugh, but end up falling to the ground in laughter. Before long he laughs with me.
“Your mother is looking for you. She says it’s time to get ready for the reaping.” Mako says lowering his voice solemnly.
“Oh…yea, how could I forget.” I say dismayed.
The reaping is the event in which one boy and one girl bender from each district between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen for the bender games, the capitols way of reminding us about the battle that we lost to the chi blockers and Amon.
How could I forget, Jinora had been having nightmares for the last week! She was just now old enough to be entered into the games. I trudged back home to my mother, two sisters Jinora, and Ikki and my brother Meelo. We all solemnly get dressed for the reaping, it’s custom that we look our absolute best.
It’s still 2 hours before the reaping starts, but Jinora’s lower lip is already trembling, something she does when she’s scared.
“Jinora.” I say softly as I squat to her level and look into her eyes. “There are thousands of names in that jar ok, and lots who have signed up for extra fish and oil, the odds of them choosing you are slim ok, you’re going to be ok you understand?” I ask, stroking her cheek. She nods, wiping away the last of her tears. I hug her to me tightly, trying to hide my own tears, which are now dripping into her jet black hair.
I knew the odds were not so much in my favor, there were so many times when I couldn’t risk using my bending to find us food, one particular winter when Jinora and Ikki were both down with the flu, I put my name down for fish and oil three times that winter, each time you sign up for fish or oil, your name gets added to that glass bowl an extra five times, so my name was probably in there about 20 times. But for Jinora’s sake I wasn’t going to let my fear show, I suck in a deep breath, hold my chin high, and join the line of district 12 inhabitants that are making their way to the town square where the reaping is held.
Most of the benders here now, mainly the fire benders use their lightning powers to fuel our electricity, and work in the mines, that’s where Mako works. After the big mine explosion ten years earlier that killed Mako’s mother and father, I’ve been nervous about him working there, but it’s not like he has a choice, he’s got him and his brother to care for.
A few months ago before the reaping we had been sitting in the woods watching the sunset, the thought of running away crossed our minds more than once, but where would we go? And besides I couldn’t leave my three siblings or my mother behind, it would’ve been easy for Mako though, with just him and his brother, but he was horrified at the thought of leaving me, and made me swear to never bring it up again.
We all finally reach the town square. Lin Beifong, one of the few benders who work for Amon, is already at her spot on the stage. We all gather into the square as the Capitol anthem starts to play. The first part of the reaping is a video about the war between Amon and his non-benders and chi blockers and the benders from the very start, up to the point where republic city was forced to surrender, and then there’s the part where they mention that as a reminder about the rebellion during the war, and a reminder that we were eventually overthrown by Amon. That each of the 12 districts of new republic must offer up one female and one male tribute to compete in the art of survival in the annual bender games.
Lin Beifong starts off with her usual. “Welcome all! To the 74th annual Bender games! And may the odds be ever in your favor! And now, for our tributes, ladies first.” Lin makes her way to the glass ball containing the girls’ names, and after a bit of digging and fussing with the papers, grabs a strip, pulls it out, and makes her way back to the microphone. “District twelve’s female tribute will be….Jinora!” I hear Jinora scream before my mind adds up what’s just happened.
No! Not Jinora! It can’t be Jinora! In my mind I begin to panic! I have to protect her, but what do I do? I see the chi blockers grab her by the arms and drag, a kicking, and screaming Jinora to the stage, I can’t watch her go through this!
“N-NO! NOOOO! JINORA!” I push my way through the crowd to the stage and scream, as loud as I can. “I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER!” the crowd turns, all eyes on me.
I say more calmly. “I volunteer as district twelve’s tribute!” “KORRA NO!” Jinora screams, but it’s too late, Lin is already congratulating district twelve on having their first volunteer, and the chi blockers are pushing me onto the stage.
