MAX [ON HOLD]

7: WHAT'S AN AVATAR?

The bell rings, its time for earth elemental.
Sighing, I get up and using the map Nikki gave me, find my way to the class.

The usual welcome routine and staring takes place, then we are told to go and change, since we are having practicals. In the changing room, I try to block out all the stares and whispers. Kinda hard when they're all around you.

A small girl comes up to me, she's probably my age, but she's so tiny with her dark hair in a pixie cut, she looks twelve. She's also wearing sunglasses, indoors. I wonder why.

"Hi, I'm Tina, you're Max right?" I smile as I nod. "Right?" she asks again.
"um yeah" she smiles, "well its nice to meet you"
"You too".

We finish changing and head back to class together. Only when Tina bumps into a locker, then edges her way around it, does it hit me, the sunglasses, her hesitant steps, not seeing me when I nodded.

Tina is blind.

I think she notices my realisation, cause she smiles and says, "its okay, don't feel sorry for me, I don't mind." I don't know what to say. Truth is, I don't feel sorry for her, if she had a stick, and was bumping into everything and broadcasting her situation to the whole world, then maybe I'd feel sorry for her, but no, she carries herself with dignity and grace, she doesn't want anybody's pity. And that makes me respect her a lot.

As we walk into class, we head to a corner, where everyone is gathered. I take a look at the dome shaped building, it is covered in earth, in fact, I think it was made out of earth. That's pretty cool.

The young looking teacher, Mr Clay- I know right? -walks to the middle of the dome and silences everyone. "Today, we are going to be doing earth to earth physical combat. You will be matched according to your ranking." than he turns to me and speaks in his booming voice, I swear there has to be a microphone attached somewhere. "Max, you'll sit this one out."

Like I was gonna fight in the first place.

Then he says with flourish "first of, Nigel"

Huge is an understatement for the hulk that comes up. He's super tall and super buff, and super scary. He has dirty blond hair and blue eyes. His entire body is covered in scars, including one running along his left arm, looking fresh. I am actually scared for the poor fellow that has to fight him.

"...and Tina "

My eyes pop out of their sockets as she makes her way foward, with a smirk on her lips. What the hell? He's gonna kill her. As she walks up to him, I see his smile become forced and he looks less confident.

David and Goliath really comes to mind now.

"Take your stances" I'd probably laugh at the positions they take if I wasn't so nervous for Tina, she's so tiny, not to mention bli..."

"..Begin!"

Nigel doesn't hesitate, he immediately kicks up a large chunk of earth, and shoots it at her. With precision, she steps out of the way. Then she launches her own attack, which is more calculated. He punches through it, and sends another piece flying at her, which she breaks into pieces and boomerangs it back to him. While he's busy breaking through those, she stamps her tiny foot on the ground, and the earth ripples, moving towards him. It shoots him high up in the air, he does a backflip, and lands on his feet.

Just as he's feet touch the ground, it literally swallows him. Tina gets on one knee and places a palm on the floor. After a while, she smirks and moves aside as Nigel shoots out if where she was previously standing. She destabilizes the surface he lands on, causing him to trip. She puts her tiny foot on his back and raising one hand up, smiling victoriously. "I win"

The whole class erupts in applause. She gets off him and helps him up. He gives her a small smile, then brushes himself off as the next group is called. Tina walks up to me with a smile. "Close your mouth, we wouldn't want to catch flies now would we? "
I quickly recover and smile back.

"So what'd you think" she asks

"That was absolutely amazing" I breathe, still kinda dazed. "How'd you do all that?
She shrugs, "lets just say am a living metaphor, earth elemental is all about feeling, and being one with the earth. Since I can't see, all my other senses are super sharp, so I have the ability to sense an attack before it comes, just by the way you move your feet" I stare at her. "oh, like Toff from avatar? "

She looks at me blankly, "what's an avatar?"

I chuckle, as I see Nigel make his way to us from the corner of my eye "nothing "
He reaches us, and turns to Tina with a smile. "that was cool, I got some new scars to add to my collection"

She laughs, "speaking of which, how's the one on your arm? "
He shrugs "I'll survive, besides, a scar from Tina is an honour". She turns a shade of pink.
What the heck people, am I invisible?

Like he heard me, Nigel turns and sticks out his hand. "Hey nice to meet you, I'm Nigel"
I think I already know that.
I shake it with a smile, "you too, I'm Max"
I think he already knows that.

The bell goes for lunch, and after we change, Tina and I make our way to the cafeteria.
Okay, they have some really weird food here. I pick the most normal thing I can find, a sandwich made out of white lettuce and green bread and thankfully normal chicken, a blue apple, and some weird orange liquid. I hope I don't get sick or anything.

Nikki waves us over, and we head to her table, already filled with people. She makes the introductions. "Max, this is Blaze and Chase from fire, Caleb and Katniss from water, Anthony from earth, Maya and Chris from air, and Tristan and Helen from magic, you've already met Tina, guys this is Max."

I smile politely as I take my seat and they all greet me. I take them all in. Blaze and Chase are obviously twins, with their identical dark hair, gold eyes and matching smirks, Katniss is tall and pretty with golden locks with flowers around them and an almost eccentric look on her face, like she's in another world. Caleb, is cute with sandy hair and brown eyes, he looks familiar but I can't quite place him.

Anthony looks kinda like Nigel, but less everything I recognize him as one of the bests, he won his match. Tristan and Helen look like sorcerers, from the top of their pointy hats to their feet. Tristan has red hair, and green eyes, and Helen has dark wavy hair, and brown eyes, they look a lot like Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter. All in all, they are a weird group of people, but they all seem nice.

"so you're our 'saviour'" Blaze jokes putting air quotes on saviour.

I smile, "well I wouldn't hold your breath on that" I say, and the all laugh. Then they continue their previous conversation while I eat my rainbow lunch. Well, I guess if I'm going to do this, I'm gonna need some friends.

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