I have no idea what I'm doing. This is just kind of happening. Ok? OK! So bare with me if this is too boring and short, but this is a transition. WELCOME TO STAGE 3. (first pre-games, second was with Gil) SO YEAH.

My mind slowly moved from a stage from deep sleep to a state of awareness. For a moment I thought I was still asleep, simply because my surroundings were so different from the ones I had fallen asleep (more like passed out) in. I was under a tree with long weeping branches, that hit the soft floor. I slowly sat up, and a sharp pain traveled up my leg. I gave small cry looking down at it. My pants were pulled up, the bottom of my right leg was bandaged, and that seemed to be where the pain was coming from.

"You've got great sponsors." Said a small voice from behind me. I jumped and saw Madeline sitting on her knees. "Careful, you'll hurt yourself more." She said crawling next to me. "Now I need to clean it again, so hold still." She said pulling out a small container. Inside was an ointment, and some bandages. She removed my bandages, and the site wasn't pretty. My bone was showing,but nothing was broken. She quickly cleaned it and wrapped it up. "You shouldn't move for a few days, but you should be fine thanks to the supplies your sponsors sent you."

"Why are you doing this?" I ask. "I mean, I'm grateful. Just confused."

"You're a nice person." She said. "I know you'd return the favor." She stood up suddenly and grabbed a small bag and opened it. "Eat." She ordered softly. Inside the bag were some berries. I ate them quietly, leaning against the tree trunk.

"Where are we?" I ask. I couldn't see past the thick branches.

"About 3 miles from where I found you." She said. "and you've been out for about three days. A very eventful three days. Lots of blood. There's only a few left now..." I blink rapidly. "8 of us." She said. "Boys from 1, 2, 3, and 4. You and me, the boy from 11 and the girl from 12." I nod. "get some rest, you'll need it." I rest my head without another word and sleep.

It felt like the moment I closed my eyes, I was waking up again. It was dark now, and Madeline was nowhere to be seen. I decide to get a good look at my surroundings. I peak open the branches, and close them right away. Right outside was a very large animal. I had no idea what it was. It had the face of a horse, but it was terrifying. With bright red eyes, and black fur. Large bat like wings, long legs with claws, and a long tail with what looked like a knife on the end. Fangs, long and sharp coming out of it's long mouth.

I held onto the trunk like it would somehow protect me. I waited, but the beast didn't move. Just laying their, breathing softly. How did I not hear it before now? I try to keep quiet, as he might be asleep. Was Madeline dead? Eaten by the beast? I had no idea. My hand goes to the ring around my neck, holding it and stroking it. I sat there, for at least an hour. Listening to the beast breath, my fingers stroking Lovino's ring. Then the branches move. I hold my breath as something comes into the tree with me.

It was a person. I think. It was shaped like a person, but as if they were covered in vines and other plants, that were the same color as the tree. Then the plant life around what would be a head moves, coming to the ground. Madeline stares back at me, reading my face.

"Got more food." She said, taking off the other leaves and vines. I stared at her, my jaw hanging slightly. "I should explain..." She said softly. "That animal, for some reason won't touch you, if you're covered in the trees leaves or under the branches. It took me awhile to figure that out. But when I did this place became the ideal hiding spot. If we get chased we run under the tree, while whoever is chasing us, gets eaten by the monster. That's what happened to the girl from district one. I was looking for food and she hunted me down. I ran here and..." She trailed off.

"The beast got her." I finished. She nodded.

A few days passed by quietly. At least for us. We had no idea what was happening outside our little land mark. Madeline taught me how to get around the beast, which we really must name as it really is a great asset. You cover yourself in leaves and vines, and leave them someplace close by so when you come back, you get back in them and under the tree safely. During the night we even started to leave it a few dead animals, which it ate happily. I often joked we should train it.

"We could name it, and ride it." I said to her as she cleaned my cut. It was better now. Almost healed, and by tomorrow I would be ready to leave the tree for more than a few minutes. "It could be like our pet." She didn't say anything other than a soft sigh.

"I think we should name it Tomato." I said with a grin. "And call it Toma, for short~"

"How are you so happy?" She asked suddenly. "All the time, you're happy. Smiling, and laughing like everything is a big joke. We could die, and you still laugh and smile." I stayed quiet for a moment.

"Because." I said. "Because, it almost makes the pain go away. Almost." I said. "Maybe Toma isn't a good name. Hope. Or Luck, seeing as that's what's really going to get us through this. Luck." She nodded.

"Luck is a nice name."

And the beast that guarded our tree became Luck. Our Luck.

My Luck.

Short Chapter is Short. Late chapter is Late. Bad Roxi is Bad. I'm sorry this took so long guys. I had some major block on it. Next chapter will be about the same, but if I start it right now, I may be able to get some done. I dunno. This stage is such a tricky stage. I mean I have how it'll end planned down to a T, but a few things need to happen before I can end it. So maybe 2 or 3 chapters? Dunno. I'll see how I feel.