(A/N): Hey Guys! This chapter is dedicated to my two lovely reviewers, Katie and BubblesThePowerPunk. You guys are the best! Hope you like this chapter! By the way, I changed Krispen's character just for you Katie, and now I'm hooked on him! =( Why do I always make them so likable? I started writing this morning, just after I found your reviews, and the next few chapters are dedicated to you guys!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the endless list of OC's in this story.
PS: Sorry for all the swearing in the next few chapters!
Lily
I woke up the next morning and stretched before rolling out of bed and jumping in the shower, washing off the almost non-existent grime that coated my body and conditioned my hair before pulling it back into a tight pony-tail that fell to my mid-back. I went out to my dresser wearing only my under garments and dressed in a pair of tight black pants and a dark, vibrant blue hooded jacket, along with my locket which now hung around my neck unless I was in the shower. I slipped on some training shoes without laces and exited my room, making my way down the hall and into the dining room where Chaff, Seeder and the new boy, Krispen were already eating from their heavily loaded plates. Krispen looked up at me as I entered the room, but I avoided his gaze in favor of sitting at the table and filling my plate with as much food as I could manage before starting in on it. I had salad, fish and fowl, vegetables, fruits, anything I could use to build up a little much needed muscle as I could before the games. When I had finished eating, long before the others, I set my cutlery down, cleaned my mouth with a napkin and rested my elbows on the table, my hands clasped together with my chin resting on them, staring across the table at Krispen. I saw him squirm under my heavy gaze and smiled, causing him to stare at me confusedly, but also with a hint of fear.
"You don't need to be afraid of me." He relaxed slightly before I smirked evilly. "Not yet at least…" He stiffened again and Seeder glared at me.
"Lily! Don't scare the boy, he needs to be ready for training soon, and it won't do for him to look afraid in the arena!" Seeder scolded, earning an innocent smile from me.
"Yes, Seeder." I replied politely, and Chaff laughed as Seeder growled at me, making it clear she knew that I hadn't gotten the message.
"Lily, Krispen, why don't you get acquainted." Chaff suggested with a grin before leaving the room with Seeder.
"So…how are you liking the games so far?" I asked awkwardly.
"I don't." Krispen growled angrily.
"Good, then we'll get along fine." I said as an Avox took my dish from in front of me.
"Why…why did you do that earlier? Stare at me I mean." I grinned at him, watching him shrink back slightly.
"To see if you could be unnerved, and you can. Now, that's a bad thing. If you can be unnerved, you'll die of quickly. You have to be confident, but don't get cocky, or you'll end up dead. Don't back down unless you're sure you can't win. It's fine to be afraid, but don't let it paralyze you, or you'll also die. Are you scared Krispen?" I asked, my hands clasped on the table, my head cocked to the side slightly as I stared at him form across the table.
"Are you?" He retorted, causing me to smile.
"Damn right I am. Scared shitless in fact, but I don't let that stop me. it doesn't matter how scared you are on the inside, just don't let it show on the outside, or the other tributes will see it as a weakness, and you do not want that. Wear a mask, any kind you can. Whether it's a cocky mask, or an angry mask, just try your best not to look afraid, especially in front of the cameras, otherwise you'll never get any sponsors, and sponsors usually mean life." Krispen nodded sharply.
"Why are you helping me? I mean, back in District Eleven I teased everyone, including your friend, Neika." My smile dropped before being replaced with a knowing look.
"Because you were mean for a reason. You hate the Hunger Games for a reason. You sister, he was a contestant a few years ago, right?" The colour drained from his face and he swallowed deeply.
"Y-yeah. She was." I smiled kindly at him.
"She didn't exactly win, did she?" He shook his head quickly, his eyes wide and blank.
"N-no." He whispered quietly, staring at the tablecloth in front of him. I slammed my hand down on the table, the loud resulting smack softened slightly by the thick tablecloth.
"Then use that as motivation, dammit. Your family can't lose another child! You have to stay alive for them, you have to have a reason to fight, otherwise you'll just be slaughtered!" He stared up at me, shocked and confused.
"Why are you helping me? I could kill you the second we enter the arena, and you're helping me to do it." I smiled warm and wide at him, the expression tainted with the sadness and desperation in my eyes.
"Because one of us has to live. If you win, the whole of District Eleven gets food, including my family. If I win, it's exactly the same, but with your family. Either way, our families survive, just with one less member." I whispered the last bit, sinking back into my chair, sniffing back the tears threatening to defeat my resolve and sipped from my cup of apple juice.
"We should get to training." Krispen suggested suddenly, helping me out of the chair with an outstretched hand. As we journeyed down the halls to the elevator down to the Training area, I saw Krispen glance over. "Your locket…did your brother give it to you?" I smiled and shook my head.
"No, Chad isn't the type for goodbye presents. This was from-" Krispen cut me off with a grin as we climbed into the elevator.
"Daine?" I whipped my head around to stare at him confusedly.
"How did you-?" I stopped, nodding my head lightly as I remembered what Salem had said about Daine and I's affection being blatantly obvious to everyone but the other. "Oh, right." I muttered, earning a grin from Krispen. "It's about time for that mask." I announced, pulling on my own, cruel and bored sneer. Glancing over I saw a bored but outraged expression on Krispen face and almost smiled at how well he listened to me, a girl a year younger than him. As the elevator doors slid open, all eyes were on us, everyone wanted to see the new tribute from District Eleven. Krispen glared at everyone in turn until they turned away and we made our way to the weapons rack. While I trailed a finger across the edge of a set of daggers, Krispen selected a deadly looking machete and unhooked it, twirling it in his hand before inspecting it more closely. Suddenly, he repositioned the machete in his hand and charged at one of the dummies, the machete burying itself in the dummies artificial skin up to the handle from the sheer power of Krispen's blow. I raised an eyebrow at him, looking bored to the other tributes but congratulative to him.
"Well done." I whispered as I passed him, making my way to the rope climbing station, raising an eyebrow at Krispen before securing the rope in my hands, and climbing the rope quickly before making my way back down and grabbing it in my hands again, this time threading the rope between my legs, lifting them straight out at the hips. I scaled the entire rope this way, only using my arms and showing off my dexterity and strength. Making my way back to the bottom I could feel all the tributes eyes on me, but I just smirked at Krispen.
"Bet you can't do that." I challenged an eyebrow raised at him. He smirked back.
"I bet I can." He jumped at the rope and grabbed it between his hands and started climbing it, he made it almost all the way to the top before he quit and made his way back down.
"How do you even climb trees?" I asked with a cruel laugh, one he knew was actually just a chuckle.
"Well, usually they're thicker than a piece of rope." He grunted back with a tiny smile only I could see.
"Let's go to the weight center next, that's something you can definitely beat me at." I suggested, helping him up off the floor and making my way to the weight center, hoping to tone up my small muscles I had accumulated from climbing the trees in district Eleven and swimming in the rivers there.
"Yeah. Yeah, let's go there." Krispen puffed, standing up and joining me.
(A/N): Hope you guys liked this chapter, and Krispen!