I don't own the Hunger Games, Avatar: the Last Airbender, or the Last Airbender: the Legend of Korra.
"Korra!" announces the voice of Joo Dee.
I smile to myself; this will be fun. I make my way through the crowd and onto the stage. I can see Grandpa in the crowd and I can see how pale he is. They pull a name but I don't notice until I hear a voice.
"I volunteer," yells a familiar voice.
I turn towards the source: Sakari. I can see that there were already tears on his mother's face. His brother must have been reaped. He gets on stage next to me.
"Fancy meeting you here," he says to me.
"Indeed," I reply, my eyes still on his mother. I'm having second thoughts about winning now.
"Let's here a round of applaud for your tributes, Korra and Sakari," says
Joo Dee. Other than her there's only one person applauding. I hear it somewhere to my right, must be the mayor.
After the anthem plays we're brought into Town Hall. There are two rooms waiting for us. I'm brought into the one on the left.
I wait for a few minutes when, suddenly, Grandpa enters the room. He's never looked as old as he does right now.
"Grandpa," I say. He doesn't say anything in response but walks up and hugs me. People don't often hug here due to the heat.
"Korra, I want you to know that I've loved you like a daughter. We don't have much time so I want to give this to you." He puts something in my hand.
I look down and see it's a betrothal necklace. It has two fish circling each other, one black and one white.
"That was my wife's. We always wanted kids but we were never able to. She died when she was thirty. She told me I should sell the necklace but I could never bring myself to do it. I want you to have it."
"Grandpa I..." The words get caught in my throat. He kisses my forehead and looks at me.
"Your time is up," says the peacekeeper from the doorway.
"Goodbye Grandpa."
"Goodbye, Korra. Give my best to Sakari."
I nod. I don't trust myself to say any more without crying, and I need to be strong now.
I'm brought to a sand sailor outside. I've seen old ones and they're nothing like these. These are metal and are powered by firebending. They don't even have sails. You can barely call it a sailor.
We arrive at the station to find an old war balloon waiting to take us up to an airship. I look around to see people waiting to see us off. We step onto the balloon and I look back over the place that's been my home for the past nine years. Hopefully they'll have a champion soon. I'm vaguely aware of being whisked into the airship. For a moment I wonder if I will ever see it again.