Sorry I took a year hiatus. I don't know what came over me, I just lost inspiration, but with the two more ideas for crossovers, my favorite video game finally done, and my very own original story idea, I've been kinda busy. I've also been distracted, and despite having Legend of Korra coming probably around this time next year, I've been watching a lot of other stuff (namely old movies from the eighties and nineties.) Right now, I'm also stuck on Back to the Future, and writing Avatar while dreaming of flying DeLoreans is not the best way to write this story.
VERY IMPORTANT: I changed a few details in the first chapter. Major if taken into consideration. One of these details is the detail of the second Contestant with Toph. Originally, I planned it to be Sokka (spelled "Soaka" for humor, although the joke went over most people's heads,) however, this changed as I did a total one-eighty on my direction. It's now an OC with very little importance.
I also changed this to first person past tense. Amazing how much one's writing style can change in a year.
In other news…I think I might have to change this to crossover category. Meh…
Chapter Three: Earth Kingdom-Province Six
POV: Toph Beifong- Tank Train
For a brief second, I had no idea where I was.
But, oddly enough, I felt totally relaxed. Normally, I would've been panicking about the fact that I could not precisely pinpoint where I was or where the nearest source of earth was, but I felt…tranquil. I wasn't thinking or acting, I simply existed, floating through nothingness in a simple, sheer bliss. For once in my life, I was at peace.
My head hurts, I thought, and the bliss ended.
"Spirits…" I moaned, trying to sit up, and whimpering slightly as I realized just how sore my head was. I could barely move without clutching my skull in agony. Writhing in pain, I struggled to sit up, fighting against the pounding beat that was my brain. It took several seconds, but I got into a sitting position, feeling as drained as if I had just practiced Earthbending all night.
"…Think she's up…" I perked my ears, listening for the sound of the unfamiliar voice. I tilted my head slightly, catching nothing but an odd static sound in the background. My hand automatically pressed the harder onto the surface where I was sitting. It was soft; softer than the cotton blankets I had slept on at home. "She is up," the voice dictated.
"Great." This time, it was a different guy who spoke. His voice was flat and without any trace of enthusiasm.
"You sound excited," I spoke out, turning my head in the direction of the newer voice.
"It's called 'sarcasm' sweetie," the voice replied, "learn it." Whoever had spoken sounded rough, gruff, and slightly tipsy.
A new voice spoke up from the fray, sounding way too perky for my comfort. "Well, I'm excited. This girl just took down six…six!...Guards! Amazing!"
I rubbed at my head again. "I did? When?"
"Of course you must remember! It's all over the news!" In response, the static sound that had filled the silence upon my awakening increased in volume.
Just over the static, I could hear a nasally voice talking as if it was his job to put people to sleep. Because the quality was so bad, I only made out, "Earth Kingdom…Six…Sedated...Arena…"
I tried to place the static with a name. Radio. I thought after almost thirty seconds of the sound. It took far too long to place that name; I'd been around for the last three years! The nasally voice ended abruptly, and I screwed my brow trying to figure out the meaning.
It all came to me in a flash. The Choosing Ceremony, the Announcer, finding out I'd been picked…but what happened after that? "Ok, you got me," I said, scratching at my head. "What happened?" The perky person gasped, but the tipsy man simply laughed.
"Sounds like the guards hit you on the head far too hard."
I rubbed at my skull again. "Very funny."
There was silence in the room again as everyone tried to digest the information that had been given to them. I, more or less, just tried to ignore my splitting headache and the static in the background that was sure as hell not helping it. "Can you turn off the static?" I asked, rubbing at my temples, "some people can't stand the noise."
"I'm so sorry Miss Beifong! I didn't even realize…but certainly it must…I apologize!" Immediately, there was a decrease in the background noise, something which I particularly enjoyed. I was starting to get jumpy.
Just as I was getting used to the silence again, I heard the voice of the very first person who had spoken. "So, how'd you beat 'em up? I mean, you're blind, right?" It took me a minute to pinpoint the voice; it was across the room and somewhere to my right, and it sounded male, but was younger than the Drunk's and mellower than Perky's.
"I can Earthbend," I replied bluntly.
The Drunkard laughed. "Well, if that isn't the truth!" After a snort or two, he quieted.
The younger voice took up where he left off. "Listen here; you got some skill, that's for sure."
"Well that's the understatement of the year!" Perky blurted out. I could hear her voice dripping with sweetness enough to make me puke. "I'd say you could win this…if I knew entirely what you were up against."
"Thanks for instilling me with confidence."
"With the skill you got…you don't need any help in that department." The Drunk coughed, sounding for a moment as if he was going to throw up (I'm not entirely sure he didn't.) "If you're goal was to show off before this whole damn thing even started; you passed with flying colors."
After about twenty minutes, I felt like I was going to puke.
Perky must've noticed, because she gave light gasp before calling out for somebody to "Fetch the little blind darling medication and a bucket." The Drunk gave a snicker, but for the moment I really didn't care. My world was swaying violently, and I was pretty sure it wasn't just the headache that was giving me that effect. Every so often, my bed would lurch out from under me, only to be pulled back violently, leaving me dizzy and nauseous. I think I asked someone where we were; I was told that we were on a Tank Train bound for Pin Ku.
A few minutes later, somebody was at my side handing me a large bowl and a small pill. I took both without a second thought and downed the pill before I could even register what I was doing. I felt better afterwards, although slightly drowsy.
Trying to resist the urge to doze off, I began asking useless questions (several of which I'm pretty sure I asked twice.) Some of them were about how I'd gotten there (I'd been sedated and dragged into the Tank Train after beating up six of the guards who were supposed to escort me there, something I wish I remembered.) I also recalled asking about my parents (who had cried and protested me even being picked in the first place,) and about who the heck everybody was. Perky's name I didn't bother to remember, and the young male (who I was guessing was my partner,) had a name that started with an "A," and the Drunk's name was Xin Fu. The only reason I remembered that was because I'd heard my parents complaining about him and his "Scummy, low-life earth tournament for the swine and vacant of purpose." It was a pity I never got to go.
"So how long is this going to take anyways?" I asked, my eyelids drooping.
"If all goes according to plan," Perky explained, "we should arrive at Pin Ku within the next hour, where we shall depart by boat to the Fire Nation. We'll reach the Great Gates of Azulon within the week."
"No, I mean, how long until the actual fighting?"
There was a tense silence. "You'll have exactly seven consecutive days from the time when all the Contestants arrive to the time when you actually go into the Arena. So, eight in total." Then Perky began to explain all the complex procedures that would go along with it, but I didn't even bother to pay attention that time.
So I did the most natural thing the situation called for; I fell asleep.