The next day, we report back to the training center. All of the tributes gather in front of Sue, one of the head trainers, standing on a pedestal. She tells us that survival skills are just as useful as sword and fighting skills, and that she suggests that we focus on finding food and water, rather than weapons and combat. After always finding food on the beach and tying nots to make nets, I'm sure I'm good to go. However, I don't think that I'll be good at any fighting, for the event that I encounter any of the careers. I guess that I'll work on that.
Once we are free to start training, I head to the fencing station, and I meet the sword trainer. He asks me what level I wanted to practice in. My options were beginner, easy, medium, hard, and samurai. I've only touched a sword once. That was when I used to go to the Career Training camps. So, I request "beginner." I stand in the middle of the mat with a training sword in my hand. The trainer says "Begin!" For the next minute, I just stand there nervously, waiting for my trainer to do something. Just then he takes a swing with his sword. This happens so suddenly, that I trip and fall to the ground, barely dodging the sword. I try to counter-attack him with my sword, but then he rips it from my hand. He then knocks me down with the handle of my own sword.
I look over to where the career tributes were training. Cedric and Emerald from 1 and Emory from 2 were watching me. When they saw me fail, some started laughing to themselves and some started making nasty comments. I thought that my trainer was going to let me have it, but he reached for my hand and told me that I'm doing well for a beginner. I knew that I should practice, but I wanted to experiment with other stations. I noticed that there was a trident at one of them.
The trident stood in an upright position. From the looks of it, it probably was the spearing and battling-with-trident station. From a lifetime of catching food with my trident, I'd say that I'm pretty proficient at it. I may need to work on combat skills, though. I approach the station, and I request a beginner training session. I get myself prepared both physically and mentally, and I await for the trainer to say "begin." When he does, he starts slowly evaluating me. He attempts to take a poke at me with his trident, but I'm successfully able to dodge. I imagine myself back at the beach, about to capture a fish. I then realize that I was able to attack the trainer. I'm actually pretty good at this, I say to myself. Once the training session is over, I take a look at the careers. They seemed pretty impressed at my skills with a trident.
Maybe I'm more of a threat to them now than I was before... And that doesn't help me either. Now I'm just going to be another one on their target list. I look around and try to figure out what station to do next. The lumberjack station catches my eye. The station is occupied by Finn, the District 7 male. He's the one who was being accused of some crime. I figure that this is the perfect time to try to befriend him and to make an ally. He was practicing moves with an axe. I'm sure he's pretty proficient at the axe; he is from District 7 (Lumber), after all. As Finn takes his final swing, he turns and looks at me. He jumped back when he saw me, and looked at me rather curiously. I noticed that he took a few steps back as I approached him. Was he scared of me? Why does he seem afraid? Yes. That's probably it. After being accused of some crime and being sent into the Games, I'm sure he'd be petrified of anything.
"Hello, my name is Evan. Evan Odair- District 4." I say to him. Finn seemed to calm down when I said this. He comes to me, and gives out his hand."Finn Anderson. District 7." "You seem pretty good with an axe." I tell him.
"Thanks, I try. I saw you with that trident. You seem like a fierce tribute."
And that's how we begin conversation. I easily get along with him, and he's pretty cool. One thing though, is that he reminds me a lot of Dally back home. We resume with practice, and we talk to each other about life back home. Finn tells me that District 7 is filled with trees, and it is pretty large compared to the other Districts.
Eventually, Finn's mentor comes with a girl, who I immediately recognize as Wanda, The District 7 female tribute. "Well, I see you've finally made a friend," The mentor says to Finn. I immediately recognize the mentor. His name is Blight, and he was the victor of the 23rd Hunger Games. "Yes I have, Blight." Finn responds to him. "His name is Evan, and he is from District 4."
"District 4. But I see that you're not a career?" Blight asks me.
"No sir, I'm not much of a fighter."
"That's good. I like seeing that in people. I've come to remind you two that's it's time for lunch. All of the tributes are meeting at the dining table here in the Training Center. Evan, do what you need to do and come when you're ready."
From there, Blight took Wanda and Finn with him.
Good, I've made a new friend. Maybe I'll have an ally in the arena.
