A.N. THIS IS ATLA, LOK, HUNGER GAMES CROSSOVER! EXPECT ANYTHING THAT IS IN HUNGER GAMES. I DON'T GUARANTEE THAT CHARACTERS LISTED IN DESCRIPTION WILL SURVIVE THE GAMES. :D *evil laugh* YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Early lok technology will be used as base in this fanfiction. All tributes are ~18 years old.
Words are mine, worlds not.
I would like to thank Fanwright for beta read.
LET THE MAYHEM BEGIN!
With the flick of a dial static filtered through the metal mesh screen in front of the speaker and a high-pitched whine pierced his ears. Varrick's eye twitched and he bit his lip as he adjusted the signal.
"Come on, you dang thing," he muttered, his hand swiping down once again to hit the polished wood covering the radio. He could've sworn the signal got better with that last one.
A whistle like the drone of a siren poured through the speaker and with a final tweak of the station knob Varrick began to hear the familiar roar of thousands of people clamoring over the static. He smiled as he cleared up the signal, pinching the volume knob between his fingers as the cheer of the crowd filled his ears.
"There we go," he said, satisfied, "'bout time too. Wouldn't want to miss this for the world."
Reclining back in his seat, basking in the crisp feel of his bath-robe clinging to his skin, his loose, freshly washed hair falling over his forehead, Varrick kicked up his feet on the nearby foot stool as a voice filtered over the boisterous crowds. Normally Varrick would be part of that huge crown in Ba Sing Se, drinking expensive vine and talking with wealthy nobles and game masters, if not for one small detail. Some fool messed up schedule and now instead of being in the middle of action in Ba Sing Se, he had to resign himself to the ways simple peasants experienced this grand event; to listen it on radio. He was sure dozen of rich people were disappointed by the lack of his presence and everything it brought to the games.
"-and that was brought to by Cabbage Corp! Remember folks: a cabbage a day keeps the Reapers away."
Rolling his eyes, Varrick groaned as the catchy little jingle of the company chimed in. If he weren't careful he'd be humming that tune for the next couple of days.
"Now, if you're just joining us here on our station, then let me be the first welcome you tonight's exciting opening ceremony for the fifteenth annual Kyoshi Games!"
A pleasant shiver ran through him and Varrick couldn't help but grin at the enthusiasm in the announcer's voice. He had to admit, he was quite thrilled himself.
"I'm your host Shiro Shinobi and joining me tonight is my hulking partner in crime, Xin Fu!"
"Thanks Shiro. And as we like to say here at Ba Sing Se Radio - let the blood flow freely! Yeah!"
"Ha! I dare say, Xin, you may like saying that more than you're willing to admit!"
"Heh, your damn right, Shiro! And let me tell ya I'm not the only one callin' for blood. Just listen to that crowd roar!"
"I am Xin, I am, and they have good cause for it! They'll be getting plenty of it over the next several days as they watch it ooze from the wounds of our latest tributes! Why don't you tell our listeners of what's lined up for the games?"
"You got it. Now folks, I gotta say, the meat lined up here tonight is prime cut! They'll be talking about this game for years to come!"
"That's a bold statement there, Xin!"
"Oh, you have no idea, pal! I'm lookin' down our little list here and I'm seeing ex-nobles and former royalty! You damn well heard me right folks, we got blue-bloods in the game!"
"Kyoshi's biceps, Xin! Am I hearing you right? Well, don't leave us in suspense here, what have you got for us?"
"Like always, Shiro, we got twenty-four tributes from all twelve districts just waitin' for the slaughter! First up here on the list is… ah shit!"
"Haven't heard that name before Xin."
"Nah, it's the names! Either some asshole forgot to put down their full names and screwed up gettin' this list for us, or the tributes just didn't feel like sayin'! Ah, screw it! Doesn't matter now, I'll just read'em."
"Well, what does matter Xin is if these tributes can promise the audience gathered here tonight copious amounts of blood."
"Oh, they'll deliver, pal! I can promise you that! Whether they're dishing out the punishment or taking it, the folks here are definitely going to get their fill."
"So, who's first on the list then?"
Varrick's ears perked up. He turned his head toward the radio, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, an elbow resting on the arm of his chair. He swore he could hear the announcer chuckle a little too enthusiastically.
"First up is Zuko from District One. You heard me right folks, the former prince of the long dead Fire Nation is here for the games!"
"You mean to tell me this is the same Zuko from that bloodthirsty barbarian nation of fire-chuckers?"
"The one and only, Shiro! Now he showed off some decent skill when it came to fire bending and swordsmanship. The Games Commission put him at a solid seven."
"Well, lets hope that's his lucky number then! He'll need all he can get to the survive these games."
"Heh, damn right he will! Now, his female companion is none other than Azula. That's right ladies and gentlemen, the games will play host to the former princess herself."
"Agni's Breath, Xin! If what we've heard about her is true, then I pity any tribute that has the misfortune of running into her during the games."
"Right you are, Shiro, and the Commission gave her a score of ten. This little lady is packin' some serious heat for a fire-chucker. Beauty, brains, and bitchiness all rolled up into one little package. She'll definitely be a crowd favorite!"
"Looks like District One will give our tributes some serious competition as always."
"Damn right. Up next is District Two, represented by Chan and Ty Lee. The Commission gave Chan a six. Mediocre at best, he can throw a decent barrage of fire around from what I hear, but nothing special."
"Sounds like fodder to me, Xin."
"Ha! He probably will be! Now his female partner is a different story. Miss Ty Lee here might be a non-bender, but she's bringing some excellent acrobatic skills to the games."
"Floats like a leaf on the wind too apparently! If what I've heard is correct, she may even be an air-bender."
"Well let's hope that air-bending serves her well here, Shiro. The Commission gave her a score of nine. Now, I don't know if she's that good, but she's one heck of a pretty pink sight and supposedly is as likely to flirt with other tributes as well as fight them."
"Good way to make alliances if you ask me, Xin! A pretty smile, a wink, and a winning personality might just be the thing to benefit her."
"Yep, and if what I'm hearing is true several sponsors have already taken an interest in her, so her odds of survival in the games might have been improved."
"Well, one can only hope that she puts on a show for our audience! Mind if I see that list, Xin?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Alright then folks, next is District Three, represented by a male tribute named Jet and a female tribute named Mai. Both are non-benders with a penchant for bladed weapons apparently."
"Right you are, Shiro! Jet's a maverick with double hooked swords and a savage when it comes to close combat. A lot of ladies from Ba Sing Se say he's easy on the eyes and have traveled here to cheer him on."
"Says here his score is an eight. His partner Mai also got the same score, but she offers something different than Jet apparently."
"That's right, Shiro. Hands down, one of the best knife throwers the Commission has ever seen. She has a lot of steel to throw around folks and I mean lot! Don't let her size and demeanor fool you, she's got an entire armory hidden on her."
"Fair enough Xin! Next up we have the Earth Kingdom districts, starting with District Four. They'll be represented by tributes named Haru and Song. Looks like the Commission gave Haru a five and Song a four, with Song showing some promise in survival with cooking skills."
"Oh, brother. Well, best of luck to them. With those scores, they're going to need it."
"Next up is District Five, represented by… hm."
"What's up, Shiro?"
"Well, it says the male tribute's named Longshot and the female tribute's named Smellerbee."
Varrick blinked, shaking his head as if roused from a daydream. He knew that some tributes liked to change their names to make themselves sound more menacing, but sometimes they sounded ridiculous than anything else. Looks like this will be one of those silly cases where instead of going for intimidation, tributes choose silly names to distract them from their true potential. This thought made him chucked when he remembered some of the silliest names he has ever heard used in games.
The announcer continued, "Well, it's not for me to judge. After all it's their skill that will be the deciding factor here and these two don't seem to disappoint."
"What's there score then, Shiro?"
"Looks like the Commission gave both of them a seven. Longshot in particular promises to show off some top-notch archery akin to the former Fire Nation's infamous Yuyan."
"Now that's something I want to see, Shiro! What's about his partner?"
"Close range combat to balance out his skill with the bow I suppose. A deadly combination if ever I saw one."
"We'll see how long they last then."
"And now we come to District Six. You're from this district aren't you, Xin? Didn't you set up an earth-bending competition there once? Back before the empire was united under Emperor Long Feng?"
"Yeah, that's right. Those were the days. We had some excellent fighters back then that came from District Six. In a town called Gao Ling I set up the fights and people paid money to watch."
"Sounds like it was a heck of a good time, Xin! Though I don't think these next tributes do that legacy justice."
"What? How?"
"Well, for starters it looks like District Six sent a male tribute by the name of Duke. He's a small boy with some average earth-bending skills that will head-butt people, but the Commission decided to give him a four. The girl seems to be an earth-bender, but she's also blind. Wait a minute… this can't be-"
"It is Shiro. As soon as you said 'blind earth-bender' I knew exactly who you were talking about."
"Well, you weren't kidding when you said nobles were coming to the games!"
"That's right, in this case the daughter of a noble. Oh, for those listeners that don't know Toph Beifong, heir to the Beifong Clan, will be entering the games. What's the stats on her, Shiro?"
"Not too impressive, really. The commission gave her a score of six, but knowing the Beifongs they must have bribed someone to-"
"Woah, hey, Shiro! Not on the air."
"Ah, right. Uh, forget that last comment folks! Just a minor slip up."
"Heh, I just can't believe the heir of the clan got offered up as tribute. She might carry an impressive name, but I doubt she'll be an impressive bender. Mark my words ladies and gentlemen this is a sad time for the Beifongs. She won't last a day."
"You may be right there, Xin! Both tributes don't seem that strong. Now, if they had eaten some cabbage things might be different."
Varrick pinched the bridge of his nose. He should have seen that advertisement transition coming.
"Right you are, Shiro! As you folks know eating cabbages is part of a healthy diet, but did you know it decreases your chances of being reaped for the games?"
"Indeed folks! Be sure to buy your share of cabbages where ever they may be sold! This ad was brought to you by the Cabbage Corporation. Remember: A cabbage a day keeps the reapers away!"
Once again, Varrick groaned as the catchy little tune crept joyfully into his ears. He fought the urge to stick his tongue out and gag. Thankfully for him the tune abruptly ceased and the announcers continued their broadcast.
"Next we have District Seven, the birth place of our beloved Kyoshi. You should have seen the costumes they had during the tributes' procession, Xin! It was as if Kyoshi herself descended upon the event. Very inspiring!"
"I bet it was Shiro! So, who's representing the Empire's most illustrious district this time?"
"A female tribute named Suki and a male tribute named… well, that can't be right."
"What is it?"
"It says here his name is… Foaming Mouth Guy?"
"That can't be right. Well, the heck with it! I was too busy getting wasted with our beloved Emperor Long Feng to really care where the servant got this list. I mean if he screwed up on getting their full names too I-"
"Uh, Xin? Not when we're live."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Half the Commission was drunk that night too-" Varrick silently grunted at missed opportunity to swindle a favor or two from the fool that ruled this country or that cabbage lover.
"Anyway! Seems this girl shows promise. Proficient with swords, her preferred weapon is actually the fan."
"Of course it is, Shiro! In the hands a warrior from Kyoshi Island, they're as deadly as a sword."
"Right you are Xin and I'm sure they'll be just as bloody in due time. The Commission gave her a score of eight. Her partner, in contrast, is a five, but the score-takers noted that the boy had a strong jaw line and was prone to rip throats out."
"Can't imagine how they figured out that detail."
"The hard way, Xin! Its always the hard way. Up next we have District Eight."
"Ah, another batch of disappointments! I glanced over them, Shiro, and trust me, these two tributes won't stand a chance."
"You may be on to something there, Xin. Folks, I'm looking at the information now and its not promising. District Eight will be represented by a disabled boy in a wheelchair with connections to a well known engineer in the area and a former fortune teller's assistant of all things."
"What? Are you kidding me? Man, they must have been scraping the barrel for tributes on this one. If this is the best District Eight can offer, then it's a disappointment."
"Indeed. The Commission gave the girl a six, while the boy received a three. Lets hope they can make it the first hour of the games then."
"Got that right. Never mind the first day."
"Up next on our list are the Airbending districts. Now I don't know about you folks, but if last year's games taught us anything it's that you can't trust a pacifist when it comes to survival."
"I'll second that opinion, Shiro. They're a surprisingly ruthless bunch. Last year's winner, if you remember, was an airbender with a killer instinct. Never seen anything like it."
"District Nine certainly shows potential when it comes to this reputation. Both the male and female tributes scored a seven with the Commission. Aang, the boy, shows exceptional airbending skills along with his partner, Ilo. Both apparently have very cheerful personalities as well."
"Never trust the friendly types, Shiro, especially an airbender. They'll smile at you while they choke you out."
"Certainly takes the competition's breath away, that's for sure. District Ten is not so promising though. The male and female tributes, Jinju and Jin respectively, only scored a four with the Commission. Hardly ruthless in my opinion."
"You never know Shiro. These games have always had a way of making the unexpected happen."
"You got a point there, Xin. Now, up next we have the tribal districts with their tributes."
"Or as we in the business like to call them – Frozen Meat! Now folks I don't know about you, but I can't even remember a time when any of the tribal tributes won the games. Most of them die on the first day and their deaths are some of the bloodiest these games have seen."
"Unofficially, many spectators like to place bets on how long each tribal will survive."
"Well Xin I hope your bet wasn't too high, or you'll be sorely disappointed. Like our first two tributes from the former Fire Nation these upcoming tributes once held titles of royalty before being integrated into our glorious empire."
"Is that right? Well, don't keep our folks at home waiting, Shiro! What's the skinny on the latest batch of fodder?"
"Lets see here… representing District Eleven we have Hahn and Yue. The male tribute seems to have shown off some fine skills with a pole dancing and the Commission gave him a score of seven for this. The female tribute seemed fairly decent as well, possessing average skills in both waterbending and healing. Her score was a solid six."
"You know Shiro I've heard rumors about these two. The girl, the former princess of the northern tribe, was supposedly set to marry the boy. If they weren't reaped for the games, then they could've gotten hitched."
"A sad turn of events to be sure, Xin! Lets hope our folks listening at home will enjoy a bit of drama to go along with all the bloodletting."
"Heh, well, if they last that long for people to care at least. So now we're down to the last district."
"Indeed we are, Xin! Our last tributes hail from District Twelve and it seems this will be our second batch of siblings for this game. The female tribute's name is Katara and she's shown some exceptional skills in both bending and healing. With a score of eight, she may be her district's best hope for a chance to win the games."
"I'll believe it when I see it, Shiro."
"Indeed, but unlike his sister the male tribute doesn't seem to possess any potential for the games. His name is Sokka. He's not a bender, but he doesn't seem to have any skill whatsoever."
"What did the Commission give him as a score?"
"I'm reading over the notes here and looks like they decided to be merciful for a change. Instead of a flat out zero they gave him a two."
"What!? They would've given him a zero?"
"That's right Xin! Apparently when the Commission evaluated him, the boy started dancing and singing about his boomerang. After a two minute debate they unanimously gave him his score."
"… a boomerang? Was this his preferred weapon? Are they actually putting something like that in the goody pile?"
"Apparently so and apparently they are."
"Well, at least its something. We'll see if the boy dances and sings with all the carnage around him."
"He might even get a rise out the audience with a hatchet to the head! You remember that kill, right? The tribal from District Eleven?"
"Oh, I can't forget that one! Bloody and magnificent!"
A light tap on his door caught Varrick's attention. As he turned off the radio his former assistant and now a wife entered, dressed and ready for travel. It was beyond his imagination how she managed to the thing and could only marvel at this beauty or how stupid he until he noticed it.
He smiled at her and was met with similar smile. "Hey Zhu Li! How's that thing coming along?"
Her glasses gleamed in the lamplight. "We are ready to go. Once you've dressed, we can follow the rest of the organizers to Games Island."
