Disclaimer: Hunger Games and the world of Panem do not belong to me, but their rightful owners, I just borrowed it and don't make any money from it.
Chapter 24: Training – It's all about trying
Damin Hos, mentor, D9
The kids were both in bed, but Damin didn't feel like retiring himself. Instead he opted for a brief spell of fresh air on the roof. Thankfully it was deserted by now; even the most curious tribute wanted to catch at least a bit of sleep before the all-important private session the next day.
Leaning against the rail, Damin took a deep breath. It might not be the same as watching the stars at home – the lights of the Capitol blotted out almost all stars –, but it was calming in its own way.
Footsteps on the gravel had him look around sharply, before he relaxed once more as he caught sight of Estelle, the mentor of District 5. Of all mentors he could bear her presence best this year, as she knew herself how it was to deal with a tribute destined to die. As such they had both avoided the sponsors' lounge so far, not wanting to be pitied or mocked by the Career mentors, who any other year might be nice enough – they were all victors after all. Not that the mentors' lounge had been that much better, but there, if one stared hard enough at one's coffee the others at least took the hint to leave one alone.
"What brings you out on this lovely night?" he asked, deciding that it would be rather rude to ignore her entirely.
Approaching, Estelle smiled and held up a sprig of some plant or other. "I thought it would give Alicia a little boost of confidence if she had a bit of plant to hold onto for tomorrow. This plant might be neither edible nor of any medicinal use, but as a token..."
"I've never heard of someone taking a token with them for private session," Damin muttered, but after a moment's consideration added a bit louder: "Maybe though it's something we should all consider. At least for those tributes who aren't bursting with self-confidence to begin with. Any idea what I might give Haden? I don't think Kersia needs one, but Haden would appreciate it, I think."
The two of them stood there for a minute or maybe five, lost in contemplation. Then Estelle's face brightened as she offered Damin the sprig. "Here, you take it. Hand it to Haden and tell him to give it to Alicia. As token for the private session. Surely the boy will remember receiving the token for the arena from his father?"
Damin nodded. He had to thank Mr. Steinmetz for so much when it came to his son. But also Kersia for acting upon the father's advice, when the mentors had mentioned it. And the two tributes from District 5 for being so accepting of the simple-minded boy.
Estelle continued. "That's good as he can relate to the idea of Alicia getting a token for the session. In return, I'm sure, our little girl will gift him with one of her sweetest smiles to carry with him for his own session."
"Thank you!" Damin said, putting all the gratefulness he felt into those two simple words, while accepting the plant token.
Haden Steinmetz, D9, 16Y
He missed his dad. It was all he could think of as he lay in bed, knowing that it was probably time to get up and have some breakfast. Yesterday had not been that bad. Haden had known that his dad would be at home, right in front of the television set and wait for him to appear on the screen. That thought had carried him through the day as strange people had fussed about him and eventually dressed him in some green and white garment. He had actually liked the parade, knowing his dad would see him. But now it would be three days before his dad would see him again. And then it would only be his picture with a number next to it. It was just not the same. He wouldn't even be able to wave at his dad...
There was a knock on his door and Aurora called out for him to come into the dining room for breakfast. Haden sighed. Cradling his handkerchief rat in his hand, he got up. It wouldn't be right to stay in his room. Not when Aurora was being so nice. Damin was nice to him, too. As was Kersia. They were all really nice to him, unlike those kids back home in the square. And Haden knew that being nice should be returned with equal measure.
Still in his pyjamas, he padded out into the hall and into the dining room. The others were already there, though Haden was the only one still wearing his sleep wear. It made Haden uncomfortable, but as nobody mentioned it and Aurora only patted the chair next to her, inviting him to sit down, he guessed it was okay.
"Are you looking forward to the training today?" the woman asked gently.
Haden shrugged. Then he remembered that his dad didn't like it, when he did that, and that his dad never accepted it as an answer. "No, not really," he replied. "My dad won't be able to see me there."
The others nodded understandingly. "But he will know what you have been doing these days when he sees your training score," Damin offered. "So if you go to the training and try to do your best, your dad will know and be proud of you."
Haden pondered this and then nodded slowly. It made sense.
Still he was scared when, after dressing in some clothes someone had laid out for him on his bed, Kersia led him down to the gymnasium. What if the others were mean to him? What about the rats his dad had warned him about?
Again Kersia helped him, explained things to him, and she even got him knives to throw. The knives were certainly different from the knife back home, but soon Haden was lost in practicing throwing it at the target that was a rat but really was only a black circle. Kersia also was there to have lunch with him. She didn't look as tired as she had that first evening on the train, yet Haden worried about her. The mentors had told him that she was ill and didn't have much strength. That she might need to rest and maybe even have a nap like he did when he was younger. But she assured him that it was alright and sat with him as he practiced with those weird bottles. He did not quite understand why it was important that he not drink the water directly from the bottle, but the trainer was nice in explaining things to him, so he decided that he should just do as she directed. Like his dad had taught him, he practiced the handling of the water bottles over and over again so as to make sure that he would not forget, and apparently it was the right thing to do as the trainer, Kersia, and later at dinner the mentors praised him for it.
All in all that first day of training hadn't been as bad as it could have been.
The next day however was even better. Like the previous day, he started the training with throwing some knives, but when he got ready to collect the set from the target to throw again, a boy about his size behind him said: "You know, when Kersia said that you were good at this, I didn't believe her, but she was right, you are awesome with those knives."
Haden was startled. Why would Kersia mention this to someone else?
"Why don't you go and throw them again? I'll fetch one of my friends, who would like to see you throw as well," the boy suggested.
Haden eyed him wearily. He tried to see the number that was pinned to the boy's back to see if he was a rat or maybe just nice.
"What is it?" The boy asked, slightly irritated.
"I... I just want to know if you are a rat?" Haden admitted.
"A rat?"
He nodded. "My dad said that the ones with 1, 2 or 4 on their backs are really rats in costumes."
The boy blinked a bit, then nodded, obviously getting the idea of what Haden meant. Turning around, he displayed his 5. "I'm Evan, from District 5, so no rat. And I promise not to bring any rat to watch you throw, okay?"
Haden nodded. Finally collecting his knives, he saw the boy, Evan, sprint over to the little girl Kersia had been speaking with the previous day. The girl, who also had a five on her back, then returned with Evan to the throwing range.
He was a bit nervous to have those two watching him, but he concentrated as hard as he could and really hit all the circle-rats.
"That was fantastic!" the little girl exclaimed. "I wish I could do this as well as you can!"
"I practiced a lot. With my dad," Haden explained, but he was pleased with the girl's words.
"It's nearly lunch time. Would you like to sit with us?" Evan invited him.
Haden looked over to Kersia. He didn't want to abandon her.
The little girl smiled at him. "I'm sure that Kersia will join us. Why don't we go and ask her?"
There was another girl, one with an eight on her back, who also sat at their table, though a few seats away, as if she didn't want to really sit with them. Still Haden caught her listening in on their conversation. It irritated him a bit.
It was Evan who explained it to him. "The girl over there, this is Chalen. She is one of our friends. But she fears that if she is seen with us before we enter the arena, the Careers would instantly target her."
Haden furrowed his brow. He didn't quite understand what Evan meant. What were Careers? And the arena?
"He means the rats... Chalen thinks that if she is seen with Evan and Alicia during training the rats will go after her immediately when the real adventure begins." Kersia elaborated.
Evan nodded. "Yes, that's what I meant. So she is making it seem as if she is not really part of our group, but in the arena – once the adventure starts – she will be with us."
"But what about Kersia and me? We are sitting with you now. Will that make a difference to the rats? Will they now go after you? Because I am a rat catcher..." Haden asked innocently.
"I think," Alicia offered, "that they will keep away, now that they see that we are friends with a rat catcher. A really good rat catcher."
"Friends?" Haden was a little startled. His dad had mentioned finding friends for this adventure, but somehow he hadn't believed it, simply because he hadn't really had friends back home. Maybe it was different now that he was among adventurers?
"Friends!" Alicia nodded firmly, whereas Evan still looked a little doubtful. But that was okay, Haden decided. If Alicia wanted to be friends with him, he would be her friend. And if Evan only wanted to be friends with Alicia, and wasn't mean to him for also being friends with Alicia, he could well live with that. "Friends," he confirmed.
Yet it was Evan, who invited him to join him to check out some other stations with him that afternoon. "How about you join me at the fire making station?"
Haden shrank back a bit scared and shook his head vigorously. "No! I'm not allowed. My dad said that fire is too dangerous, so I am not allowed to play with it."
Evan was about to say something brusque in reply, but Kersia leaned over to him and whispered something in his ear. Haden didn't like it when people whispered, but as it had Evan relax again, he decided that once in a while whispering might be okay. He really hadn't liked it how Evan's face had turned all cold as he looked at him just a moment ago.
"Ah, okay, so no fire making. What about shelter-making? It's really useful to know about," Evan suggested and Haden nodded happily. He was more than willing to try and learn something new, even if he had a hard time to remember everything. But his dad had always said that he should at least try.
Again the trainer took the time to explain things to him in a way he could understand and though he didn't quite grasp why he should build the roof in a layer of two roofs, Haden was proud that he remembered that two roofs were better. And making those roofs was not easy either, but at the end of the day he had managed it with only a little help from the trainer. Evan had left the shelter making station eventually to go to the one with the fires, but Haden was pleased to see that both he and Alicia were there when training ended to say goodnight.
"They are really my friends," he announced with obvious satisfaction at dinner.
It was then that the Capitol woman, who had called Haden's name back home, interjected. "Oh, please! Listen to that idiot. Managed to create a shelter, but still needed the trainer to help him. But the trainer was so nice. Maybe we can ask the trainer to accompany him into the arena!"
The way she said it made Haden cringe. Yet he bravely said: "I am no idiot. My dad said I am not!"
"My dad said, my dad said. Not one original thought comes out of that mouth! And you think he can actually survive a single day in the arena?"
"Mimi!" Aurora said sharply and Damin looked as if he wished to stuff his napkin into the escort's mouth. Kersia looked disturbed.
Haden felt tears forming in his eyes. He rapidly tried to blink them away. He didn't want to cry. Not in front of that nasty lady. Maybe... maybe she was also just a rat? Grabbing the fork in his hand tighter, he was just about to throw it at Mimi, when he suddenly felt Kersia's little hand on his arm.
"Don't," she pleaded quietly.
"But she's a rat!" Haden replied, getting really angry, because no matter what Aurora and Damin tried, the Capitol woman wouldn't stop shrieking and calling him bad names.
"Maybe," Kersia conceded, "but remember, that we are to kill rats only after the adventure has started."
"But why should we wait? At home, waiting to kill the rats would mean that they get into the grains!" Haden whined. He didn't understand this. One moment they were having a nice dinner and the next this woman was screaming. And now, even though she agreed that this woman might be a rat, Kersia cited all those rules about killing rats or not.
"Haden, look around you," the girl said, still trying to remain calm, which wasn't easy as Aurora had resorted to slapping the almost hysterical escort. "We are not at home. We are in between home and the place of the adventure. So here we have to wait. But in a few days we'll be where the adventure starts." A sad smile accompanied her words, which Haden didn't really understand either.
"So, if I see her then..." He looked at Kersia questioningly.
Smiling again, she nodded. "Yes. If you see her when we begin our adventure, you may throw your fork at her. Or a knife. Or a stone. Or a large and nasty bug. I bet that would make her really scream."
The thought of throwing a bug at her, had Haden giggle. Or maybe he could find a spider...
Meanwhile Damin had somewhat forcefully escorted Mimi from the dining room. Avoxes busied themselves with straightening the table as the escort in her tantrum had overturned a few glasses. Thanking them, Aurora announced that maybe they should serve the dessert.
Haden's eyes brightened. He loved dessert. Today it was ice cream. Chocolate ice cream. And strawberry cake. And whipped cream. Haden was absolutely happy.
Only when he lay in bed and waited for Damin to come and bid him a good night – both mentors did that every night and Aurora had already been there – did bits from the hateful words the Capitol woman had said return. Replaying them in his mind, Haden found that they really disturbed him. They hurt. So it was first on his mind, when Damin finally entered his bedroom. "Why did she have to be so mean? And why did she say that my dad should have drowned me? I'm not some sick dog!"
"Oh Haden, don't think too much about her words. They weren't true. Mimi, she doesn't know you. She doesn't know your talents. She has never seen you work with your dad to catch rats. She doesn't even know how good you are at throwing knives." Damin said comfortingly.
"But I told her how the others had said that I was really good at throwing knives," Haden replied, puzzled.
"I know." Damin sat down on the edge of Haden's bed. "But there are people who only believe what they can see. And as Mimi is not allowed in the gymnasium while you train with your friends, she can't see it. She will only see it when the adventure begins."
"But my dad said that you should only say something if you know what you say is to be true."
Damin smiled at the simple phrasing of the age-old saying: 'Better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.' Though the latter was obviously what the escort had done that evening. "Your dad is a wise man. As such you had much better listen to him than to Mimi Meemee."
"But do you know why she said those things?" Haden asked as it was really bothering him.
His mentor sighed, but then tried to explain it to him. "Do you remember the parade? And how beautiful the two adventurers in the first chariot looked in their golden clothes?"
Haden nodded slowly. They had been really pretty. Even though they were rats.
"Now, Mimi is someone who loves beautiful clothes. That's why she actually likes to come to visit us once a year, because for this visit she will get extra nice clothes," Damin continued.
The boy wrinkled his forehead. He had never thought the clothes she wore to be extra nice. But maybe she was a strange person and liked them, even if they were not extra nice? He certainly hadn't liked the nice clothes his father had insisted he wear for that day, so maybe it was the other way round for her?
"Now, Mimi thinks that if you and Kersia were more like the adventurers from the first chariot, that you then might get to wear beautiful gold clothes and that she herself might get even nicer clothes when she comes to visit."
"So, she likes those rats better?" Haden said, apparently understanding just enough of what Damin tried to convey.
"Yes." Damin nodded sadly.
"Because she is also a rat?"
"I'm not sure she is a rat. But she is from the Capitol, and we all know that people from the Capitol are strange. I wouldn't be surprised if they kept rats as pets." Damin said.
"Rats for pets? Ugh!" Haden pulled a disgusted face.
"Good thing then that you are no rat, so Mimi won't be tempted to keep you as pet," the mentor said jokingly.
"No, I'm no rat. I'm a rat catcher. And now an adventurer!" Haden replied with conviction.
"I know. But adventurers need their sleep. So close your eyes and dream something nice. Good night Haden."
Alicia Quinn, D5, 12Y
Alicia didn't know what to feel. It wasn't even that she felt numb; it was more like she was feeling too much at the same time. There was this devastation at having been reaped. The sure knowledge that she was going to die and she really didn't want to die. There was the relief, when she found out that Evan was going to stick to her side, even without the mentors' prompting. The hope she couldn't help but feel when Evan said he had a plan, though she didn't understand it at first.
"You did what?" he asked her incredulously as they rode up the elevator at the end of the first training day.
"I asked Kersia if she wanted to join us. But she said no, though she recommended her district partner as potential ally." Alicia said innocently, not knowing why Evan sounded so upset.
"Listen!" Evan was balling his hands to keep himself from shaking Alicia. "I'm actually trying to form an alliance that will help us survive in the arena. This is not some school picnic to invite anybody and everybody to!"
"But won't we stand better chances if we are more people to our alliance?"
"If they are strong people, yes! But Alicia, surely you understand that this girl..."
"Kersia," Alicia interjected.
Evan rolled his eyes. "Kersia... that Kersia is handicapped. Without the Capitol medicine she won't be able to run away when we are attacked. And we don't even know if she has some useful skill that might help us."
Alicia frowned. Kersia had actually said something along those very lines herself. "But it's not fair... besides, we don't even know if Chalen is all that good with traps as you make her out to be."
The elevator opened and Evan quickly ushered Alicia past the nosy escort who lingered in the living room. Not wanting to choose between either bedroom, he led her into the dining room.
"Look, I know that Chalen in the end might not be able to do more than run away with us. But she can run, unlike Kersia. And Chalen has something else, which will be helpful and which is why I asked you to try if you can strike up a conversation with her. She will have sponsor money. Do you remember the crowd chanting her name yesterday? Whatever it is that made the Capitol know her name, now that they know it, they will sponsor her. And what would be more natural than her sharing whichever sponsor gifts her mentor sends with her allies?"
"So, it's not really about Chalen, but about the potential gifts?" Somehow Alicia felt betrayed. In her trust because it was at his suggestion that she had approached Chalen, and she didn't like the thought that it now looked as if she was also only interested in those potential gifts. And what about her? Was he only keeping her around as an ally because she was useful to him with her first-aid-knowledge? But then, even if he allied himself with her only for selfish reasons, was she really better than him? She knew that she didn't stand a chance without someone to protect her...
"I know it sounds harsh, but nobody chanted our names yesterday." Evan said bluntly. He didn't even have to add that no one in their right mind would sponsor a twelve-year-old like her.
Alicia sighed. Likewise it was clear that nobody would sponsor Kersia. Still she hated to disappoint the girl whom she thought might have been her friend under different circumstances. That's when she remembered something, Evan had actually said during lunch when they were talking about the alliance. "Then what about her district partner? Haden I mean?"
"What about him?" Evan asked exasperatedly. "He's an idiot!"
"Don't call him that!" Alicia snapped back at him. "You don't like being called all kinds of names just because of what you do for a living. I bet Haden doesn't like being called an idiot. He may be slow in his head, but he has ears to hear!"
"Still, what use would he be to us?" Evan replied, not even bothering to apologize for his words.
"Kersia said he was really good with knives. Just think about it. She wouldn't say it unless he was really good at it because else the knives would just be too dangerous for him. And she was really looking out for him today. And didn't you say today at lunch that we need someone with decent weapon skills for our alliance? So why not Haden? It might actually surprise the hell out of the Careers," Alicia argued fiercely.
"Because we would always have to watch him, make sure he doesn't do something stupid..."
Alicia shook her head disapprovingly. "He is not as helpless as you think. He actually already knows about the water bottles, so we wouldn't have to worry about him making himself sick with the water. He might learn something else in addition over the next days. So it wouldn't be that bad. Evan, really, who would you ask to join us who has decent weapon skills? Just think about it... won't they already have better alliance offers?"
"Why are you adamant at having either of those losers?" Evan asked, huffing in annoyance.
"Why are you so adamant not to give them a chance?" Alicia countered. She didn't even know she had it in her to be so fierce, to argue so passionately. Maybe it was because at home the others never made her fight for something.
"Okay, tell you what: I'll give this Haden a chance when you tell me why you are so set to have him in our alliance!"
Alicia pondered this for a moment, then struck out her hand. "Deal!"
With a raised eyebrow, Evan shook her hand and Alicia actually began to tell him how she had disliked the notion of being the youngest in the alliance. That though sixteen in actual years, Haden's mental age was only five. And though she knew that it was most likely an irrational thought, she had feared at the bottom of her heart that when it came down to it, Evan might sacrifice her as the youngest and most likely weakest link in their alliance. That with Kersia as her peer, they would have stood a better chance against him, but she understood the issue of lacking skills and ability to run with them. She hastened to add: "I don't want you to think that I want Haden in the alliance because then you might sacrifice him if necessary instead of me. Even if his mental age makes him younger than me. But I feel it would make the alliance more balanced, would make me feel more secure. At the same time I think it would help Kersia a lot to know that Haden would be taken care of. Without us she would try to be there for him as she has been today. But we both know that she won't last long in the arena. Kersia herself also knows it. And she knows that Haden won't last long without some help either. I know..." Alicia sighed. "Haden doesn't really have a chance at winning, but I think Kersia is more looking for someone who will outlive Haden, so that he doesn't have to be alone when he dies. Alone and afraid. And that's a sentiment I can connect with. You know, you can't be a good apothecary, or even an apprentice in my case, without feeling for people. So I guess it's just part of who I am. Wanting an alliance balanced a bit more in my favour and keeping that part of me that cares for people."
Evan had let her ramble on, allowing her to give him all those arguments which were bottled up in her. And while he quickly spoke out against the sentiment of sacrificing an ally, there was no denying that in the end he stood much better chances at winning than she did and they both knew it. "Okay... So here's what we do. Tomorrow we'll see how good Haden is with the knives. If he is as good as Kersia claims, we invite him to have lunch with us. To see if we get along with each other. After all, it might well be that he doesn't like us for whatever reason. Yet if it all goes well, I'll then see how he does with something new, something he hasn't learned yet. And only then we decide. Is that okay for you?"
Alicia nodded vigorously. It was after all a very reasonable approach. "I'll let Kersia know that she should direct Haden to the knives when we see her first in the morning. And I'll tell her not to interfere when you try to get Haden learn some new skill."
"Only twelve years and already getting wise!" Evan teased her, keeping to himself how impressed he was at her reasoning of wanting to keep that part of hers that cared for others when the arena posed a real danger of losing it.
Avoxes entered the room to begin laying out the table for dinner.
"Are we good?" Alicia asked a little uncertain.
"Of course we are! I actually think that we'll be stronger as allies, now that we both know that we can talk things out and make each other see reason, rather than try intimidation – in my case – or ruthless puppy eyes – in your case – to win an argument." Evan said with a wide smile. "Come on, we might just have time to take a shower."
The next day was bitter sweet. First of all they had been forced to break their promise to Chalen to all keep apart, as it was really impractical for Alicia and Evan to stay away from each other and still test Haden. Luckily though, a glance at Chalen had shown her that the other girl had not minded it much.
Evan approved of Haden and his knife throwing skills, which really were amazing. But as Alicia went over the edible plants once more, she was joined by Kersia. Quietly working on her own for a while, the other girl eventually said: "You know that Haden will think that I'm part of your alliance as well?"
Alicia gulped and slowly nodded.
"You and I of course know that I'm not – for reasons we already discussed yesterday. But Haden... He won't really like the truth. I'm not sure he'll even believe it. So I think it's better if you let him believe I'm part of the group. Only that I got separated from you during those hectic first minutes after the gong. I'll even make sure to run in a different direction to make it credible. And then, when my picture eventually appears in the night sky, tell him that I had been on my way to you, to him. Will you do that?"
Tears pricked Alicia's eyes, but what was she to do other than to nod? It was all so unfair. In the end, she didn't know how she made it through the rest of the afternoon without crying. But as soon as they reached their suite, she made a dash for her bedroom where she flung herself onto the bed and cried all those bitter tears. For Kersia. For herself. Why? Oh why were they forced to participate in those deadly games while having no chance at all? Why weren't they given the time to grow up to the point where they might have a chance? Why?
So wrapped up in her world of sorrow had she been that she hadn't even realized that she had wailed out those questions aloud. As such she was so startled, when she received an answer, that she almost fell off the bed.
"I don't think Kersia would have had that chance anyway."
It was Balraj, who had come to fetch her for dinner, but one look at the distraught girl nixed that idea.
Alicia wiped some of the tears away, but new ones were already following, this time brought on by the truth of the mentor's words. Kersia... she had volunteered, so she could see the Capitol before she died. That was at least what she had told the trainer at the edible plant station. So she really would have died with or without the games.
"As for you... you know why. You listened to it only two days ago." He obviously meant the treaty of treason.
"But why force twelve-year-olds and thirteen-year-olds against eighteen-year-olds? Why not make it mandatory only for those between age sixteen and eighteen? Then they all stand at least a chance!" Alicia pouted. It really was so unfair!
"Ah, but then Finnick Odair wouldn't have won," Balraj said with a grin.
"They could make it voluntary for anyone between twelve and fifteen years. This way even Kersia could have gotten her wish and volunteered." Alicia grumbled.
"But Finnick was no volunteer," the mentor reminded her gently. "He was, like you, forced into these games. And everybody, including the other Careers, thought that at fourteen he didn't stand a chance. Yet he proved them all wrong."
"And next you'll tell me that you want me to prove them wrong, too, and dethrone Finnick as youngest victor ever," bristled the girl.
"Well, it certainly would give the people something to think about," Balraj said smiling.
"As if I stood a chance!"
"Alicia!" Balraj now said sternly. "If you think like this, you won't win, that's for sure. But tell you what: Your chances might be slim, but so were mine. I'm not sure if you remember my games, but my training score was far from great, I got hit by a rock slide a few days into the games and then only was too stubborn to die while everybody else certainly had already given up on me. Yes, I got lucky in the end when the two other final combatants killed each other – something nobody had expected, but had I given up, I would have been dead long before. So I don't want to hear anything from you that sounds remotely like giving up!"
Balraj was right, she barely remembered his games. But she remembered one thing. "You got a gift in the arena!"
"Yes. I did. But only after I had proven that I was not one to give up. So, don't you think that people will also sponsor you, send enough money that we can send you a gift, if you show them that you don't give up? Even if with twelve years you have perhaps the lowest chances?" Balraj challenged her.
"They would?" Alicia asked disbelieving.
"Well, as more and more tributes die, there'll be less and less tributes left among which the sponsors can choose. So, you do your part in surviving and showing them how strong you really are and we do our part in pointing out to the sponsors that you are actually worth backing up, okay?"
"O... okay," Alicia said, though her eyes still betrayed some doubt as to her attracting any sponsors.
"Of course it won't hurt if you come in with a decent training score tomorrow. But then again... perhaps it would be better if you had not so high a score," Balraj said conspiratorially. "If you score more than a five tomorrow, the Careers might decide you are a threat. But if you have four or less, and then survive the first two days, I could claim with the sponsors that you actually held back during training. That you are like a little secret super-tribute!"
This elicited a small giggle from Alicia. She certainly was no super-tribute, secret or not. "You are silly," she said to her mentor.
"And so are you, if you think we'll give up on you."
The Gamemakers
Xanthos breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the youngest tribute chat with her district partner and the two tributes from District 9 before saying goodbye for the day. Also, going by the notes from the camera observations from lunch time, it appeared as if she had some kind of support network in place in form of an alliance. An odd one, to be sure, but there seemed to be a strategy behind it. Anyway, he was just glad that she wouldn't be on her own and in all likelihood die the first day. It always put the audience off if the youngest was among the first to die. Such tributes regularly evoked pity and a fierce longing to protect them, but only as long as they survived. And as any sentiment in the Capitol was worth money for the enterprise which elicited that sentiment, it would be the Hunger Games enterprise that benefited from these emotions through the sponsor money. Though with what he was seeing, he was actually beginning to hope that she might make it to day three or even beyond.
"Remarkable, isn't it?" Someone said beside him.
Recognizing the voice as that of his colleague Flavius, Xanthos said: "What? That her district partner is sticking with her?"
"Oh, no, I actually meant the boy tribute from District Nine," Flavius replied. "You know, when the Reaping results of that district came in, I immediately called our medical liaison. Not only because of the girl's breathing problems, but because the boy might be unstable. But so far we have not had a single situation where we even came close to needing a sedative for him."
This had Xanthos look at the boy. "You are right, this is really remarkable. I had assumed that you had simply had the Avoxes slip him some medication with the breakfast."
Flavius shook his head. "I informed his mentors that such medication was available should they feel the need for it, but left it up to them. Of course, had the parade gone awry, I would have forced the issue, but he was actually quite cheerful throughout the chariot ride, waving and smiling at the cameras. And he seemed also quite well-behaved during training."
Xanthos had meanwhile pulled up the boy's file from the trainers. "Ah... looks like the girl shared with them how the family had treated him back home and how it was working. They adopted the approach and he actually learned two additional skills."
"Not to mention the skill he already brought with him, which got him on friendly terms with the tributes from District Five this morning," Flavius pointed out.
"Think they'll form an alliance?"
"Those four?" Flavius shook his head. "Not quite. Substitute the girl from District Nine with the girl from District Eight and you have it, I think. At least, that's what I observed yesterday."
"Wow, that is big! Are you actually saying that we have about half of the tributes who are bound to evoke pity in the same alliance, keeping that very sentiment somewhat in check?" Xanthos asked. If so, this would make for really great games for the accounting – the specific part of the gamemakers' enterprise for which he was responsible.
Flavius nodded. "Pity will turn to cheering for them, which is just as good for your finances, right?"
"Plus it might keep us from having to spend something in terms of medication or even more permanent measures on the boy... Yes. If your predictions prove to be correct, then we'll be in for great games!"
A/N: And that's it for the training chapters. Thanks for reading.