I'm Only Playing with Fire
Chapter Four

DISCLAIMER
I do not own the Hunger Games as it belongs to Suzanne Collins.
I only own the original characters; Emerald Kalfeen, Sapphire Kalfeen and their parents.

Peeta's POV

This afternoon Katniss and I along with the rest of the tributes were kind of forced to go to training practice where the main trainer Atala was going to give us advice on how we train. Once we got to the room we noticed that there were only a couple of other tributes here.

"District one, two, three and five are here, the others aren't here yet."

Katniss said quietly to me as we decided to stand away from the other groups, eying them off from a distance. The people from district three and five, just like us, had also decided to stay away from the other districts but district one and two stayed together.

"I can't believe Emerald is from district one, she doesn't seem like much of a killer to me. She seems to be more of a peace maker…"

Katniss said from beside me as her eyes scanned over the tributes seeing Emerald in her sights. Emerald was currently leaning against Marvel who had his arms wrapped around her shoulders. I didn't know it would affect me as such but somehow I felt a surge go through me as I saw them together.

"Those Careers are probably going to team up together."

I said towards Katniss who nodded in agreement as the other tributes from the other districts decided to come in gradually. Some of the other tributes looked no younger than thirteen years old and I felt sad for them. Their life as teenagers had just begun and here they have to risk their life for their district, knowing that they may not ever come back alive.

Once all of the tributes were present in the room, a tall dark coloured woman came into a room and the chattering that was happening between tributes was instantly halted. I noticed that there were also other people standing behind this lady and when peaking behind I saw Haymitch in line with where we stood; probably the trainers.

"Good afternoon tributes. My name is Atala and I will be the main trainer here for you along with your designated trainers. Now I only have one rule to say to you and if you break it, you'll be severely punished."

She said looking over to where the Careers stood.

"You cannot pick a fight with each other whilst you are here. That's what we have the games for, you'll have more than enough time to start fighting there."

With that, our trainers came over and stood behind us.

"Well just to make sure I know who I am dealing with, we will go by districts, female first than males, introduce ourselves. First we'll start with district one."

Atala said looking over towards Emerald and Marvel.

"My name is Emerald Kalfeen."

Emerald said her eyes blank and her expression stoic.

"And my name is Marvel Lous."

Her partner said his face identical to that of Emerald.

It seems like those two have finally decided to become serious about these games and it looked like they were ready to kill now during practice.

"Okay then, district two please."

Atala said her eyes scanned over to the next pair of tributes. This kept on going until her eyes reached with mine and Katniss'.

"Okay then. And lastly district twelve."

"My name is Katniss Everdeen."

"And I am Peeta Mellark."

I said, nodding towards her and the other tributes showing them some sign of respect.

"Well since introductions are done and over with, starting from district one to twelve, we will be making you go through certain times individually and see how you do. Now all of you line up in a line and we shall begin training."

And with that, an automatic line started to form with Emerald at the head. We followed her lead and were lead to where the bow and arrows were.

"Now for this obstacle, I will be giving you one arrow and you must shoot and attempt to reach the bull's eye. Begin!"

And with the sound of her whistle blowing, Emerald moved forward taking the bow into her hands. One of Atala's assistance came over to the girl and gave her an arrow. Everyone was standing in a line facing where the obstacle was so of course Emerald got looks from everyone. She was a Career after all which meant she probably trained like this before.

"Whenever you are ready to shoot Miss Kalfeen, you may shoot."

Atala said to the girl.

Emerald placed the arrow into the bow, pulling on the strings lightly lining up her shot. After a couple of seconds, she let her hands go of the arrow and the object went projecting towards the target hitting the bull's eye directly in the middle making her smile.

"Good job Miss Kalfeen, next."

Atala said as Marvel and her trainer Cobalt congratulated the girl as she was brought back into the line.

Emerald's POV

And here we were currently lined up like a solider waiting for our time to show off our skills. We were currently following her to the next obstacle, weight lifting. Weight lifting isn't exactly my strongest point compared to archery and field fighting skills but I'm confident that I will do okay.

"Okay Miss Kalfeen please starts off with ten kilos and continues upwards until you can no longer maintain the weight above your head."

With that, I walk over to the weights, standing behind the ten kilo weight and waited for the all clear from Atala. She nodded her head at me and I approached the first weight.

Ten kilos…achieved

Twenty kilos…achieved

Thirty kilos…achieved

Forty kilos…achieved

Fifty kilos…achieved

Sixty kilos…achieved

Seventy kilos…not reached

With the help of Cobalt my trainer, he lifted the seventy kilos off my shoulders and the without that weight I felt so much lighter though my shoulders felt cramp. Sixty kilos was always my limit as if I went any further than that, then surely my shoulders and arms would give up on me.

Stepping back in line I watch Marvel start his turn on the obstacles. Of course he would have no troubles with the weights, he's body is practically all muscle with no fat at all. He started at ten kilos and finished at the max weight limit of one hundred kilos. Once he was done, he grinned towards the other tributes before taking his place beside me as another tribute went to do their weights.

"You didn't need to show off so much."

I said towards Marvel who was now flexing his pecks.

"Well it's show them that I'm confident in my own strength."

"A bit too confident if you ask me."

This conversation went on for a while as we watched the other tributes try and lift the weights as best as they can. The only people who reached the maximum weight other than Marvel was Cato from district two and the boy from district 11 called Thresh.

It was now district twelves turn and Katniss had just finished hers at thirty kilos. She did particularly very well compared to what I thought she would, since she did well in archery and once she reached back to her seat, Peeta went up to the weights.

"I bet he won't even get past fifty kilos."

Marvel said to me but I only shook my head looking back over to the tribute.

"I bet you he'll be able to do one hundred kilos."

It seems as if Peeta heard me and looked over in shock. I winked at him playfully and watched him as he easily passed lifting twenty kilos. From there he continued on strongly, hardly having any troubles with the weight that was put upon his shoulders.

"Well look at that Marvel, he's on the last one."

Marvel didn't reply back to me as he stared down at Peeta who was currently preparing himself for the last hundred kilo weights. He looked over at his trainer and then back over at me. I didn't know why he would look over here but I nodded towards him smiling and this made him smile back slightly.

"Crap, I shouldn't be trying to get to like the enemy…"

I thought to myself as I watched Peeta approach the weight.

"1...2…3…"

I heard him whispering to himself as he lifted the weight onto his shoulders and then holding it above his head with no problem which caused whispers to break out between the other tributes when he succeeded.

With a smile on his face, he dropped the weights back onto the ground and walked back towards Katniss and his trainer happily. I would be pretty happy myself if I was able to lift one hundred kilos and get maximum points.

"Well that will be enough training for today. Tomorrow afternoon we will continue with training and the day after that, you will be performing in front of main sponsors who will help you in the games if they decide to sponsor you. You are dismissed."

Atala said walking away with the results from today's training.

This caused all of the other tributes and their trainers to walk off excluding us and district twelve. Cobalt was off walking off towards Peeta and Katniss' trainer.

"Ahh Haymitch, I didn't think you would bother coming back here to train the next to be deceased tributes."

Cobalt said towards the trainer.

"Well, for your information Cobalt, I have full faith that these two will take out the games easily this year. Even though district one have Careers doesn't mean that they're going to do the best."

Haymitch said.

"Ouch that was a low blow. We aren't as bad as we look."

I said walking up to where the trainers were now standing, Marvel behind me.

"Yeah Haymitch, we haven't seen their full abilities yet so we can't judge them yet."

Peeta said looking towards me.

This seemed to get Marvel uncomfortable as he decided to entwine his arms around my waist which caused me to look back at him questionably. He's never done this before, so why was it starting now?

Ignoring Marvel's behaviour for the time being, I looked back over to where Haymitch, Peeta and Katniss stood and held my hand out towards their trainer.

"It's nice to meet you Mr Abernathy."

The trainer looked down at my hand and without hesitance shook it.

"I didn't think I would have to see you again little gem."

I looked over at him curiously along with everyone else who stood with us.

"Again?"

I asked looking at the man cryptically. He nods his head towards me and looks at him challenging me to find out on my own how he has meet me before in the past.

"You know my mother."

I said towards him, a smirk on my face.

That made sense since one year she was also a trainer to tributes for district one since she is a champion herself.

"Well looks like you've got your mothers brains at least. But then again, I wouldn't want to go up against your mother. The way she uses swords are deadly."

Haymitch said looking at me. He's trying to get information out of me.

"Well she is a deadly person isn't she?"

I said playing along with him. I didn't need to tell him what type of weapons I use and how I fight. That would just bring district twelve some advantages when they come to fight against us. Looking up at Haymitch, I hear him chuckling.

"You caught onto me didn't you?"

I smile at him as I heard Cobalt also laugh from behind me.

"She's not at brainless as she looks Haymitch, so there's no point in trying to get all friendly with us, because in the end you're tributes is going to die."

Cobalt said from behind me which caused me to frown. I thought it would go unnoticed by everyone but it seems as if Peeta picked up on it which caused his eyebrows to furrow.

"Well as much as it was nice to talk to you again Haymitch, I better go. Marvel, Emerald let's go."

"Actually Cobalt, do you mind if I train in here for a bit longer?"

I said not looking at him but over to the district twelve team.

"Sure why not. Just make sure you're back for dinner on time. You know how snappy Crystal gets whenever someone isn't there on time."

And with that, the two walked off, Marvel shooting me a look of confusion but I dismissed it and looked back over to Haymitch.

"We need to talk."

I said towards them.