The next morning started out much like the one before. I woke up first, and settled in for breakfast alone. It was a more carb rich breakfast. I'd be working out today, and I needed as much help as I could get if I wanted to keep up with those careers. So, rice, with a brown sauce over it, rolls, and hot chocolate were my breakfast. One thing good about the Capitol was that drink. I was convinced of this. If I survived the games, I would find a way to get this home. Safari and Chrome would love this!
I was halfway through my second helping of everything when Aix stepped into the room. She gave me an approving nod and sat down with me. "Good. I was going to suggest you eating more than you did yesterday. Did you get any sleep?"
I nodded to her, and looked over at her. "Are you both mentoring me?" I asked then, with a full mouth of rice. I needed to know after all. Because they were acting odd for Games standards here.
"Yes, and no. Buffer asked me to help you too, and you know how hard it is to say no to that boy." She said, a little smile on her lips. "Eat." She said, pushing more food onto my plate. Of course, I found myself digging in. I didn't know how I could be this hungry, but the Capitol food was so rich. I was already adding a few pounds from the time we'd been here. It was good. I'd need the extra padding in the Arena. We both knew this.
"What is his plan? Is he going to try and follow me?" I asked as I looked over at the woman sitting across from me. This was a real concern. I didn't want Buffer getting killed trying to keep me safe.
"He's going to find a tree, or a cave, or something like that to hide in. Close to where the careers camp will be, so if you need him, you just have to yell. He said nothing we can say will stop him from wanting to keep you safe. He said he knows what his father asked of you. Qwerty, what did he ask?"
I was still then. I didn't want to tell that to anyone. But she asked. I sighed some before I looked over at her. "He said not to let his little boy suffer." I said then, a crack heard in my voice. It hurt, saying these words out loud.
"I second that then. He's a sweet boy, but really, he doesn't have what it takes to survive in there." She said softly, sighing a little. We all knew it. It was always hard when a twelve year old got reaped. I nodded then, watching her.
"I will. Trust me." I said as I leaned back in my chair. It was then that Beetee and Buffer bound into the room. Buffer looked like he didn't have a care in the world.
"I'm going to try climbing today!" He said as he sat down next to me, and started eating a healthy portion himself.
Beetee gave me a little nod. "Interviews are tomorrow too. We know how we'll be presenting Buffer. Happy-go-lucky. And Likeable." He said then, watching me. "How do you want to go?"
"Smart." I said, as I held onto my cup of hot chocolate. They both looked shocked by this, but they nodded. "It's what the careers want to use me as anyway. I'll just relax, and be myself. I think I can do a good job. I've seen this enough." After all, Hunger Games viewing is mandatory for all citizens of Panem.
"I have the utmost faith in you, Qwerty." Beetee said, and he looked up at the clock on the wall. "You should get down there, if you want to arrive with the careers." He commented before giving me a pat on the cheek. "You'll be fine."
So, without waiting on anyone else to say anything, I was at my feet, and making my way for the elevators. Down to the training floor I went, and standing at the elevator doors waiting was Thor, and the girl from two. She gave a single nod then, watching me.
"You want in?" She asked then, though she didn't sound too thrilled with the idea of having me as an ally. I watched her carefully for a moment, before I nodded.
"I'd be a fool if I said no." I said then, my hands going to my hips. I was trying to throw them off of their game here. After all, they couldn't be cocky all the time, could they?
Thor grinned a wide smile then, before he nodded. "Excellent." He said, gesturing to the girl. "This is Kali." He said, moving into the training room. Kali and I followed close behind. "So, we're going to have to teach you a few things if you're going to survive the Cornucopia." He said, looking me over. "You're ok with a bow and arrow. I saw you at the snare station… You're good with your hands. So, I was thinking we can try you with a knife." He said, nodding towards the knife station.
The instructor knew that Kali and Thor knew their way around the weapons, so he focused his instruction on me. He showed me how to hold them, how to throw them, and on a diagram, the spots on the human body where a small incision would cause almost instant death. He locked his eyes on me when he showed me the chart. After all, that would be the difference between life and death in the arena against the careers. I was grateful for this.
Kali and Thor were getting bored, though, and once I had memorized the chart, we moved off to wrestling. While it is forbidden for tributes to touch one another during training, there are people on standby to help us practice anything we've learned. So we were all paired up with attendants.
At the beginning of the training, my attendant was going easy on me, but that was fine. I needed a learning curve here. As I started catching on, he was going more and more difficult. I couldn't hear anyone else wrestling by this point. I looked over my shoulder, for a moment, and saw that we had an audience. So, I turned back to the trainer, and flipped him over my shoulder, slamming him hard down into the mat beneath us.
I heard the roar from Thor, as he grinned at me. "I knew she was more useful than for just her mind!" He said, clapping loudly. I looked up to see Thor, Kali, and the tributes from two and four watching me with awe. When did they show up? I pulled myself to my feet, and reached for the attendant's hand, to help him to his feet.
When this was done, the tone rang for lunch, so I moved off with the careers towards the cafeteria. Our trays were loaded, the girl from one offering me some rich pudding, and the boy from four a large piece of fried white fish.
"People say its brain-food." He said as we all sat down. "You're from three. You need your smarts." He said with a smile. The rest of them talked at a rapid fire pace, re-telling my wrestling attempt. I kept my eyes on my food, picking at it more so than anything else.
"Why are you so quiet?" The girl from one finally asked.
"I'm not used to all of this… I didn't think you'd accept me, to be honest." I whispered as I looked over at the other tributes.
"Well, we did. So, I'm Charm," started the girl from one. "This is Bangle," She said, pointing to the boy from one. "And these are Marina and Jacque." She said, nodding to the girl and boy from four. In another life, I might have been able to be friends with these people. But not here. Not by a long shot. Only one of us could survive this. I didn't want to make friends with the very people I was being sent here to kill.
It was cruel that they made us train together. I didn't like that fact by a long shot. But, we can't fight it. I just nod to them all, hoping I can remember the names. "Pleasure to meet you." I said in my most polite tone. They all seem to accept this, and move onto their own conversations. Once I finish my food, I do spare a glance over to Buffer. He's talking with the tributes from district twelve, and he nods over to me. He's still watching, like a hawk. He wants to make sure I'm good. I'm safe. And honestly, I feel better with that knowledge.
We file back into the training area, and Thor motions for us to try throwing spears. And that is exactly where we go. Thor, it seems, is the leader of the careers this year. Every year this is always one. So, with a spear in my hand, I look over at the target. It's heavy, and bulky, and I'm not confidant with it at all. Thor tried to guide me, though, and with my body sweating, and my arms shaking, I managed to toss the spear through the rings that they had up as targets.
I watched the others take on the task with ease, and I just shook my head. I still don't feel too comfortable with the concept of career tributes. They are my ally's now, though. My life line through the games. Until they try and kill me. Then they'll be my enemies, and with the skills I've been learning through the training, I was growing more and more confidant that I would be up to the task of killing them.
When we're done for the day, I'm shaking sweating, and sore. I want nothing more than to curl up in bed, and sleep. But, once I'm on my floor, I have Beetee waiting for me.
"Take a bath, soak yourself, we'll talk over dinner." He said, patting me against the shoulder.
I did end up lingering in the bath. Just wanting to relax, and not think about it. People were impressed, though. I knew that much. When I arrived for dinner, dressed in some more lose clothes, I didn't want to think about the day. I wanted to eat, and go to bed. But, tomorrow was the interview day. We had to make sure we were ready.
"You should have seen her wrestling." Buffer said in a soft tone. "She was like one of them.."
"I wasn't that good." I said, shrugging some, and pushing my chicken and greens around on my plate. One of them. Like a career. I never thought I'd hear that from anyone. I didn't want to go into this being one of them.
