My whole body hurt, not a single inch had been show any mercy. I lay in a dark alley way bleeding out onto the stone ground. My eyes half closed from a mixture of pain and the freezing rain that pelted me. The dark grey sky of Republic city hovered above me, the tops of the buildings closing in on me as I fell more and more strength leaving my body. My fingers hurt the most from where the thug I had pick pocketed for mom had broken them. I'd only been trying to get enough money to buy dinner for mom and myself and when I was discovered, those two thugs twice my age had taken me into the alley to teach me a lesson. I had done my best to defend myself, using my firebending to try and to leave me alone. But the two had been experienced thugs that I had no chance of defending myself against. My shirt and pants are cut to ribbons barely hanging on my body. Both are soaked with rain and blood from the many cuts the thugs had inflicted on me. A particularly large droplet of rain falls in the middle of the forehead then rolls down my face mixing with the rivets of blood from the cut above my eyebrow and the one on my cheek. I call out weakly for help, but I don't think anybody hears my breathing becomes labored and my vision begins to blur, my fingertips and toes begin to go numb. The feeling slowly spreads up my legs and arms, until I can't feel anything, and the only thing I can see is the sky. I faintly hear hurried footsteps on the wet pavement and a faint voice high with age and fear, but my vision has already turned to darkness and before long the voice fades away as well.
My eyes open suddenly, my body is covered in a cold sweat, the blankets are in a tangled knot from moving in my sleep. Light is pouring into my bedroom window, shining brightly onto my face.I lay still for a minute, looking up at the ceiling, " It was just a dream" I tell myself as I push myself up from my bed I swung my legs over the side and put my face in my hands. Sitting upright I brush my long brown hair out of my eyes. My shirt sticks to my chest, slick with sweat. Its been six years since that day and still it haunted me. Even now that my mother and I are no longer struggling. I still have nightmares of the times when life hadn't been as easy. Pushing my hair back I stand and walk into my bathroom. When my mother had finally gotten a job and we had been able to move into this house, which wasn't the largest but was kept neat and tidy, I had been shocked at the idea of having a roof over my head, much less a whole room and bathroom to myself. I walk to the mirror and examine my tan skin, long dark brown hair that went to my eyelids, the green eyes with a ring of gold around the iris. The faintest bit of stubble covered my chin, refusing to grow onto the cheeks which still bore a slight bit of roundness. The pale scars above my right eyebrow and left cheek from that day six years ago that marred my otherwise ordinary face. I turn away from my reflection and turn on the hot water in the tub, a luxury that 6 years ago was like a dream. As I wash, I trace the scars on my arms and chest lightly. Initially I had been terrified of anyone seeing them, now I felt like they were part of me. I close my eyes and breathe in the warm watery air in the shower, enjoying the moment of solitude.
Ten minutes later I'd washed, shaved, and dressed. I walked out of my room, shutting the door quietly so I don't wake my mother who had gotten home from work late in the night. Walking into the kitchen I find my foxcat Lily grooming herself in the corner. She sits up and pads over to me, rubbing against my legs. A loud purr coming from her small reddish orange body. "Yeah yeah, I know what you want", I say to her dryly. Walking over to the fridge, I grab a few small fish for her and drop it in her bowl. She immediately starts to eat. I roll my eyes, "glad to know where your heart is Lily". I turn around and grab an apple and a small breakfast pastry. In a hurry because my friend Kesuq and I are going into town today to watch a pro-bending match. The tickets were total nosebleeds but at least they were tickets. I walk swiftly out the door, careful to lock it behind me. Kesuq is outside, leaning against my front gate looking out onto the bay that my house overlooks. "Hey", I call out, "you ready to get going?" Kesuq was the one who had saved my life that day six years ago. He's a waterbender, and the son of one of the diplomats from the northern water tribe. He'd found me half dead in the alley and used his healing abilities to mend my injuries. Ever since then the two of us have been practically inseparable, even though our personalities are seemingly polar opposite at times. He has the typical water tribe look, tan skin, brown eyes, and wears a lot of blue. Until two years ago I'd been the taller of the two of us, but suddenly he'd shot up past me, now he was a good three inches taller, but somewhat slimmer. "Yeah I'm ready, still can't believe you managed to drag me into this~!" he says with a dry grin.
"Come on, probending's the best sport around, and all you ever do is practice your healing. Its time that you started getting out more often". He rolls his eyes at me, "But its really violent, and you know I've never been into that."
"Well its not like the underground matches I go to sometimes…" I say as we walk. Pro-bending has rules and referees at the least, not to mention protective gear. "In the underground its just two benders, no rules except try not to kill"
"Well if you're ever stupid enough to enter one of those, don't expect any sympathy healing from me" he says in a sarcastic tone.
"As if" I joke, as I dodge out of the way of an oncoming Satomobile, "Hey! Watch where you're driving asshole" I yell at the driver who gives me the middle finger.
"Hey, watch your temper" Kesuq says mildly," it doesn't do any good to get angry, we don't want to make a scene".
" You weren't the one who almost got hit" I retort, my voice rising. "Don't tell me to calm down, you sound like my mom. Spirits know I get enough of that from her." Kesuq laughs out loud," she has a good reason, you have a worse mouth than anyone else in Republic city". I roll my eyes and put my hands behind my head. " You know the second I stop cursing is the second I start lighting things on fire so take your pick" I state mater of factly. "You win, you win" Kesuq says scratching the back of his head in embarrassment as their casual bickering had garnered a small crowd of spectators.
I look at them in a tired sort of way," hey, hey, nothing to see here folks" I say to the people watching " Save it for the arena, Rin~!" one of my neighbors calls out. "Don't forget you still owe me for the time you lit my garden on fire". I raise my hands in defense, "hey I was trying to get rid of the hornets nest on your roof. being neighborly and all that. Its not my fault the hive fell onto your garden". "Actually Rin, it was", Kesuq says quietly, "you were the one who lit tried to lightning bend the beehive away" I turn and grab Kesuq by the collar, "alright alright whatever, we have a match to watch" I say hurriedly as I push our way through the crowd and towards the arena all the while dragging Kesuq helplessly alongside me.
"Ummm...Rin" Kesuq says hesitantly after bit, not wanting to set off his friend's temper again, "you can let me go now~" he laughs prying Rin from his shirt.
" Oh, sorry" I say, "I forgot I still had you by neck". We round the corner and there is the arena. "Come on, lets hurry" I say as I break into a run. "Wait! Rin, slow down" Kesuq calls as he runs to catch up.
When we get into the arena I gasp for a second. I had never been able to go to a match before, so seeing the inside of arena for the first time is amazing. We found our seats, then I went to go take a leak before the matches started. By the time I got back the first teams had entered the arena.
" Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the probending arena where the pre-season exhibition tournament is about to commence!" The crowd erupts in a wild roar of excitement as the first two teams are introduced.
"Our first team today is the Platypus Bears, versus last seasons quarter finalists the Sky Snakes!" I cheer loudly when the Sky Snakes are announced, they had been a favorite team of mine last season when I had listen to the play by play over the radio. Kesuq looks at me cheering in that way that lets me know he thinks I'm a moron.
"You know they can't hear you, right?" he says cocking his head to one side and grinning.
"Thats not the point" I say giving him a small shove, "its to show support". I finish, then turn to watch the match start.
The first match foes by surprisingly fast. The Platypus Bears are obviously a novice team, only their Earthbender, a lanky brown haired girl, is able to last the entire first round before plummeting into the pool to join her teammates at the last second
I laugh, "poor girl, she almost had it there If not for her loser teammates she may have actually had a chance" I say to Kesuq. " But going against the Sky Snakes as a novice is a sure way to lose". Kesuq turns to look at me, he'd actually been watching attentively. "I guess so, it must suck to be sent out in only one round though".
I shrug and make a scoff sound. "Well thats what happens when you suck" I see the losing team climbing out of the pool, the tall girl is obviously mad because she sends her two teammates flying right back in with a blow to the chest. " Ouch that had to hurt, Kits obviously not happy with her team" says the announcer much to the audience's amusement.
We watch the rest of the first round matches, then when the intermission comes Kesuq and I walk into the lobby to get something to drink and to stretch out a bit. "I'd hate to have been that last team...poor Cabbage Slugs never saw it coming" Kesuq says before bending some water into his mouth, "though I will say I applaud their perseverance to be thoroughly spanked by the Sky Snakes like that~"
"Yeah, what was that water bender thinking, he completely messed up, he was supposed to be guarding the others." I say, "but then again they were up against this years favorites to win, even if I had any bending training I'd still be hesitant to go up against them". I say as I run my hand under the water spigot and splash some on my face.
"Yeah they really know what they're doing out there, I hope the Platypus Bears are alright~" Kesuq says exaggerating the danger of probending to an extreme in hopes that it might sway Rin away from his childhood desire to start his own team..
I run my hands through my hair, "boy is it warm in that arena", I turns around and looks at my friend "yeah that girl earthbender probably hurt them worse than the Sky Snakes did" I says with a chuckle. "I wouldn't want to be on her bad side".
I can see the concern in my friends eyes, "Come on stop pretending you aren't enjoying it Mr. Peacemaker". I punches him friend in the shoulder, "you had better get used to it since I plan on starting a team myself if I ever get enough money for the entry fee".
Panic fills Kesuq's eyes as he hears those fateful words pass Rin's lips, "don't you even think for one second that I will join that despicable excuse for sport you adore so much! It's barbaric" he said crossing his arms and facing Rin, intimidating him with his height.
I look up at him with a raised eyebrow, looking almost childlike. My hand darts out and jabs him in the side and my face returns to its usual state. " Who said I'd ask you? you have less combat experience than I do and thats saying something. anyway pro-bendings safe as far as sports go so you shouldn't worry. Its not like I'm joining the cage match tournament again."
Kesuq stands, annoyed because his friend was the only one who knew he was sensitive to side jabs. " Its a good thing I dragged you out of that, you would have been killed!". " That face of yours would have gotten even more scars had I not".
My eyes brighten playfully because of our banter. " Not like thats a bad thing, girls dig guys with scars, and a few more can't mess it up much more anyway".
Kesuq rolls his eyes, "Of course you're thinking about girls when I'm talking about scars on your face...you know the ones I couldn't fix…" his tone drops.
Kesuq had always prided himself on his healing abilities, but in Rin's case he was too late to help him and to this day remembers his own weakness in the damaged tissue of his friends face. Rin grins, "Of course I'm thinking of that, you're the one who gets all the attention from them, I have to find any excuse to keep from being over shadowed", he knows that whenever this comes up Kesuq feels guilty that he couldn't do more to help him. Putting a hand on his shoulder he looks him in the eye. " You saved my life bro, the scars on my face aren't that bad, and the worst ones are covered up...you really shouldn't feel guilty, I actually like my scars, they give me a distinguishing trait, and of course an interesting topic with the rare lady friend."
The announcer's voice fills the lobby, "Ladies and Gents, the tournament will continue in 10 minutes" People start to make their way back in. I give Kesuq's shoulders a firm tape to shake him out of his mind. "C'mon dude, lets get back to our seats before some bratty kids take them".
The two boys shuffle past the exodus of spectators to ensure they got their seats back in time to catch the next match, but in their hurry Kesuq accidentally knocks over a very pissed off earthbender making her spill her fire flakes all over the seats on the lower floor. "I'm so sorry I don't mean to I just...err…" he says frantically trying to quell her obvious fiery look in her eye reminding him of Rin. "W-wait I recognize you, you're that girl from the match earlier aren't you?"
" Don't bring that up you little shit" she says angrily "I ought to send you into the pool like I did those losers who cost me the match" says the earthbender girl. She's tall, even taller than Kesuq, she looks much sturdier than most girls, but she's still very pretty.
Sensing trouble I gets in front of my friend, " hey there, its not his fault you were standing in the middle of the aisle. I don't care how pretty you are, no one talks to my friend that way". Rins eyebrows narrow.
The earthbender girl's eyes get wide and she draws back her fist and punches Rin in the gut. "Don't try and flatter me, pretty boy over here knocked my flakes out and I'm damn well gonna get reimbursed for that."
Kesuq waves his hands in front of his chest, " d-don't worry I'll pay you double" he pulls out his wallet, hands shaking and hands the girl the money"
She snatches it and glares at the both of them, keep your friend in line pretty boy, pointing at Rin who is leaning against the rail, otherwise I may have to hit him again. She walks back to buy more fire flakes, people move to the side to leave her room.
Kesuq looks at his friend in concern, " Are you alright Rin?"
"I'm fine, but woah, that girl can throw a punch" I says sounding slightly winded as I stand up straight, c'mon lets get to our seats.
The boys watch the rest of the days events, Kesuq is surprised at how much he enjoyed hiMself as they leave the arena. Not that he'd ever tell Rin. As they walk down the walkway to the main road they discuss the matches in a heated tone.
"No way, that call was totally a foul, the firebender shouldn't have used that move, it was unfair" Kesuq says looking at his friend.
"Its the other guys fault that he can't take a hit if you ask me" I say with his hands behind his head.
"You know what I think~!" a boisterous female voice booms behind them, "I think that was just child's play, I've got my eyes on a bigger prize!" she says pointing to the newly renovated Pro-bending Arena jutting out into Yue Bay. She catches up to them and throws her arms around them as if they hadn't just fought over spilt fire flakes a matter of minutes ago.
"Oh yeah, you think you can make it to the big leagues, huh?" I says stopping completely to stare the earthbender down."Not long ago you decked me in the stomach, what's with the friendly face all of a sudden?"
"Grudges are for hot headed firebenders, I let that go once I got some more food~" she said holding her flat stomach as though she were going to be sick, "on second thought I think I ate too much~" she said pretending to gag
Rin pushes her arm off from his shoulder "well don't get it on me, for the love of the spirits"
Kesuq looks at the girl nervously " Its nice that you don't hold a grudge, my friend here could learn a thing or two about that" he says with a nervous chuckle.
"Do you live around here? If so you must not go to the Beifong Elite Bending Academy like me or I would definitely recognize you~" Kesuq says eyeing his new acquaintance out of the corner of his eye.
"Don't expect that everyone is as uppity as you are, Kesuq. Her family probably can't afford it like most people." Rin says cutting the conversation short.
" I was just asking Rin" Kesuq says with an exasperated tone.
" Its fine" says the girl " No my parents pay for private lessons in our estate, not that they know what I'm doing with them though" Well I should get home before they notice I've been gone for too long"
The girl starts to run towards the wealthier side of town where the socialites live then suddenly turns around. "My names Kit by the way", she turns back around and swiftly runs to a wall and scales it like it was nothing, vanishing, leaving the boys just stand there feeling slightly confused about what just happened.
" That was odd" Kesuq says, " out of all the things that happened today I think that takes the odd cake" Rin says in response. " C'mon lets get going". The boys head towards the other side of town where the regular citizens and the diplomats live.
As they walk I decides to needle Kesuq, " I saw you checking her out when she had her arm around you… didn't seem like you were in any hurry to move" He says with a wide grin on his face.
Kesuq's face gets red through his tan skin, "n-n-no I was not", he stammers "It really wasn't like that I was just shocked by how friendly she seemed and decided to strike up conversation what's wrong with that?" At least I'm not the one who called her 'pretty'~" Kesuq teases.
I snicker at his discomfort, " I saw you you dog, that conversation had nothing to do with her being friendly, and more to do with the fact that her fighting uniform was about a size too small". " Since when is it a crime to call a girl pretty anyway?"
"It is when she looks like she could decapitate you with her bare hands~!" he says gripping Rin by the shoulders, "I could never be into someone like that...too scary~"
I looks up at at friend and grins " the feisty ones are the best if you ask me" I say with a jaunty wink. " I hope you end up finding a feisty girl, it'd be good for you, bring you out of your shell a bit" He gently brushes off his friends arms, "c'mon we can grab dinner before we head home"
End of chapter 1.