darkness

Part 3

Korra's POV

If I had to choose one word to describe myself, it would be just that: fighter. I have been fighting to survive, fighting to live, fighting to keep the promise i made to my parents. I literately left on hell  hole to be plunged in another. to be honest i don't know which was worse. when i entered into republic city, i expected some people to be mean and cruel, but not nearly every single person iv'e encountered. 

Sure i have been born in prison and whatnot but i have never been treated the way i was when i first arrived here. they treated me with hate and disguised unlike my aunts and uncles as i had called them back where my parents were. they all looked after me, treated me like a normal child. whatever that mean.

"its times" a page announced interrupting my thoughts.

I sighed and got up heading towards the cage in the middle of an underground ally. ever seen UFC? well that's pretty much what i did, except everything was legal here. everything. about a year ago a saw a guy be beheaded, not a pretty picture. i had nightmares for days, not that i didn't have them before. that guy that i was going to fight was about my size. musculus oh and of course has brass knuckles those were going to leave a mark. great.

"begin!" as the same page announced as the caged locked.

we began to encircle each other, looking for an opening. To be honest, i could have his guy flat on his back in about fifteen seconds, but as Tarrlock said, "wheres the fun in that?". I hated that guy but unfortunately i had to play by his rules. for now.

I took a step forward and punched him in the gut, but he recovered fairly quickly and took a swing at my face. I felt the brass knuckles slash my face as i fell onto the blooded arena. 

i was running through the streets in the rain, agroup of kids on my tail. They were orphans and made a living out of stealingrandom stuff. My parents had taught me not to steal, but seeing that it wasthe only way I would survive, I had to fall into the bad habit, so why werethese kids chasing me? Oh yeah I forgot to mention that I totally a) screwed uptheir pan and b) got the prize they wanted

a  few weeks ago I wouldn't have stolen someones meal, but I haden't eaten in days, and I was just a seven year old that had no one to go to, so I did what I had to do, to survive. They made the plan, I listened as well, lets just say I pulled it off better then they ever could have.

I ran with my prize, a couple of sandwiches and turned left. Biggest mistake ever. Before I know it I was at a dead end. Yup, you guessed it, it sucked. The kids caught up to me and encircled me. For a seven year old I was a descent fighter and I did the best I could but these were teenagers and they id their damage.

The leader of the group grabbed me by the collar and punched me right across the face.

"Get up!" Tarrlok hollered bringing me back to the present

I got on my knees and made a move to do so but a kick across my face made me roll a couple times. i lifted myself up, shaking my head in an attempt to shake off the numb feeling. the guy came towards me again but the time i was ready and i kicked him right across his midsection before grabbing his head and slamming it against my knee. 

Tarrloks POV

I had to admit, this girl was good, really good, i never thought i would find such raw talent. I remember the night i found the little stray. she was running away from a group of teenagers, having apparently outsmarted them. not that i was surprised, i had been obversvring her for some time and she had street smarts.

my driver pulled by the alley where I saw her run. Iknew it was a dead end, but I was curious to her how the girl would handleherself. When I took a peak, a teenager held her by the collar and punched her across the face before dropping her to the ground.

The girl ground her teeth, holfing back tears hat I knew wanted to make an appernce. She fought them all. Putting on a good fight, but it was five against one and they ended up winning. After they left went to her side, checking to see if she was still alive.

To my surpise she sat up on her own touching her busted lip. What really surpised me was that she hadn't cried, not one single tear. I handed her a handkerchief so that she would wipe the blodd aeay from her face

"whats your name?" I asked

The child seemed skeptical about me, not that I blamed her. I eas not the type to be messed with

"Ella" she whispered

"do you have a place to stay?"

She shook her head

"I can offer you a home, if you can comply with a few conditions

The child see,ed to think it over.

"what kind of conditions?" she asked

I couldn't help but grin. This was a smart girl.

"nothing you wont be able to handle"

Korra's POV

Ella. that was the best name I could think of when tarrlok approached me. i  didn't trust him to give him my full name. i still don't. as a matter a fact i hate him. they did i go with me, you might as. put yourself in my shoes. what would you have done? i had been in the city three months. i was starving, i was desperate, i was tired. i worked with the options i had: being on the streets  or going with this guy. yea i know, wrong choice.

"you scared me there for a minute" Tarrlock said as i place a bag of ice against my face. 

i gave him the coldest look i could muster.

"like you care" 

he chuckled at this

"of course i do" he replied. "your a valuable asset"

i ground my teeth. if there was something i hated about this guy it was the fact he treated me like  piece of property. i was no ones. i belong to no one.  the only reason i stayed here is because i couldn't really escape. well, i could, but he'd just drag me back here and drug me for a week.

"i don't belong to anybody"  i said through my clenched teeth

"oh but you do. you are mine"

that did it. my fist slammed right across his face making him topple back  i grinned until i felt a current run through my body making me slump to my knees.

"Bitch!" he cried slapping me across the face 

I spat out blood and chuckled  "don't compare me to your mother"

that made his blood boil. he grabbed me by the neck raising his fist. despite how this looked. i had a wide grin across my face. as much as He would love to snap my neck right then and there, he wouldn't. he has said himself: i was to valuable.

"don't push your luck, Ella," he warned dropping me on the floor. "i made you" 

"you used me" i corrected 

"i got you off the streets!"

"there isn't a day i wish i haden't made that choice"

"you'd be dead"

"id rather be dead the your slave!" i shot at him 

Tarrlok clenched his jaw and tightened his fist before at one of his assistants. i know what was coming and there was no way i could stop it, but it doesn't mean i didn't fight back. i struggled against them, grunting when their fists made contact with my body. to soon i felt a familiar cloth on my face and held my breath. yea smart, like humans don't need air right? i held my breath as long as i could but when my lungs demanded air i had no choice but to give in. the smell of chloroform washed over me, clouding my senses and that's when i fell into the abyss that i called home: darkness.