Disclaimer: I do not own A:tla or Hunger Games. This story is all Avatar characters, but set in the slightly altered Hunger Games world. A lot of canon stuff is ignored in this fic, such as Ozai is not Zuko and Azula's father. Happy Avatar Games!
I woke up early that morning. I always do, on Reaping Day. I lay in bed, thinking. This was my first year; my name was in for the first time. I felt oddly calm, however. I'd never had a problem getting enough to eat, my parents were the richest people in town, so I was better off than anyone else in this district if I got reaped. And even though I was born blind, I have a unique advantage over the others, I can see with earthbending. I feel vibrations, heartbeats, tiny things other people can't see. I've also been training since I was ten. My parents always treated me like I was helpless, and I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't. I'm a master earthbender, and I even invented metalbending, something no earthbender has ever done before. I guess that's why I'm so calm, I have a slim chance of getting in, and if I do get in, I have a good shot at winning. Just then my mother walked in. I knew why, I had to get all dressed up for Reaping Day, bring honor to the family. All that meant for me was wearing a tight dress and pounds of makeup, and having my hair piled on my head. That excruciating process took hours, and by the time I was ready, the reaping was about to start. We walked to the town square, where I was separated from my parents and guided to the check in booth. My name was taken, and my finger was pricked and pressed to the page, then I was guided to the twelve-year-old girls section. There I stood, and I listened. I felt the heartbeats of the crowds. Every single one was higher than normal. When everyone took their places, our annoying district escort, Joo Dee, took the stage. She gave her normal spiel about how Firelord Sozin had bravely conquered the savage nations, and built a glorious Republic. How he had divided them into seven districts, but the unruly districts rebelled, and District Seven, once a great city called Ba Sing Se, was destroyed. How he had created the Avatar Games as a reminder to us not to rebel again. Then she stepped forward to choose the girl's name, and every heartbeat sped up.
"This year's female tribute for District Three is… Toph Bei Fong." My sightless eyes widened. That's me, she called my name. A guard came and escorted me to the stage. Once I was up there, I made a show of being blind. I knew my strategy well, play the weakling.
"Do we have any volunteers?" Joo Dee asked, but I knew the answer. I was just a rich snooty girl whose parents had enough money to feed the whole district, but never would. So no, there would be no volunteers.
"Now for the boys!" The annoying woman reached her hand into the boy's reaping ball, and pulled out a name. "This year's male tribute for District Three is… Aang Appa." The boy walked forward, and I recognized his light footsteps.
Twinkletoes? I thought. That was the nickname I had given the Airbender long ago. I had never actually met him, and I never knew his name, so I gave him a nickname. Now his heart was beating frantically, about to burst out of his chest. Joo Dee called for volunteers, but none came. Aang and I were told to shake hands, and I made sure to hold my hand out in the wrong direction, to enforce my reputation as no threat. Then we were ushered inside the town hall. I was brought to a small room to make my goodbyes. My parents came rushing in soon after.
"Oh, Toph, oh my poor baby." My mother threw her arms around me, sobbing into my shoulder. I thought that was funny, since I was the one getting shipped off to a televised fight to the death.
"They can't do this!" My father raged. "You are tiny, and blind, and helpless, and fragile! They don't dare send you in there, they'll look like monsters!" We continued this way for a while, my mother crying, my father ranting, me pretending to be the scared little girl they thought I was. Then a guard came, and took them away, and I was alone. There was no one else to say goodbye to, I had no friends. I sat in silence until they came to get me. I was lead back out, and to the train station. I knew there were cameras all over, so I had made tear tracks through my make-up. I felt Aang's footsteps and heartbeat. He wasn't scared anymore, but by his gait I could tell he was depressed. There was no spring in his step. We were ushered onto the tribute train, and I lost contact with the ground. I could feel every detail of the train, but I couldn't feel my home anymore. District Three was behind me.
A/N: What do you think? Next chapter you will meet the other tributes, as well as Toph and Aang's mentor. If you have questions please review, reviews make me happy. Seeya next chapter, folks!