The Bender Games

Chapter Six

The Bender Games

Chapter 6: Training, Day 1

         We take the elevator down to the basement, where our training center is. For the next two days, we get to practice our bending, and even advance it a little more. For those who aren’t exactly skilled at their bending, they get to try out the weapons and tools. There are also stations that can teach you how to survive in the wild, such as making a fire and telling which berries are poisonous. I plan to go to those stations first. The games aren’t all about fighting; they are also about surviving the toughest climates. You never know when a game maker will make it snow on you. I already know how to make a fire, but I have never needed to know which foods are bad or not. All of our food in the plains was hand grown and picked. We never had any poisonous plants, only snakes.

         When we reach the basement, there are already some contestants down there. No one is allowed to train until all the provinces are here, so we get to mingle with our rivals. That’s another thing about the training center; you are allowed to converse with one another and make alliances.

         I can see from the first second that alliances have already been made. Eight contestants are in one group, talking and laughing. I notice that all the people are from provinces one, two and seven: the big three.

         The two that are from Providence One are Mason and Geminite, an airbender and earthbender. Mason does not seem all that threatening, the only thing to intimidate someone is his buzz-cut. Other than that, he appears scrawny and short, he couldn’t be a few inches taller than me. Geminite is slightly different. Her face is hard, yet pretty. Her short brown hair is tied into a loose ponytail, and her light green eyes scan the area, most likely looking for prey. She is slightly shorter than Mason, but not by much.

         There are two people I recognize from Providence Two: Autumn and Augustus. Autumn’s light blonde hair is in two braids, some curls have escaped though. Light freckles line the bridge of her nose, and she looks like she is always smiling. I wouldn’t underestimate her, but at the same time, she doesn’t strike me as a killer. Augustus differs slightly from Autumn. Although he shares the same fluffy blonde hair, his shoulders are broad, and his face is hard.  His unemotional expression defiantly strikes me as a firebender. The whole time he is conversing with the others, he has his arms crossed.

         The rest of the group is made up of Providence Seven.

         I can only see Riley and Brandon right now, the other two are blocked. Riley has dark brown hair that hangs just above his dark blue eyes. His tan face seems boyish to me. He certainly does not look sixteen. Brandon on the other hand looks over his age. He has light brown hair that is pushed off to the side. His arms are huge, as any earthbender would be. Brandon shares the same skin tone as Riley, but maybe a little darker. Riley would have to be one of the tallest in the group, he overlooks Mason’s head.

         “Trying to determine who the enemy is I see. Good strategy, but try not to be as obvious as you are being right now.” Someone behind me says. I don’t recognize the voice, so I have to turn around to see who it is. The face to the voice is Benjamin Gray, the veteran of the Bender Games. Benjamin’s hair is a dark black that is neatly combed. His skin is a light tan, and his eyes are the bluest blue I have ever seen.

         “How did you know?” I ask him.

         “I didn’t until you told me just now.” he smiles. “So, you’re Ariel, right?” he asks.

         “Yeah, why?” I ask him. “Not to be rude or anything, but I just am curious. Why would a veteran like you be trying to talk to little old’ me?”