Kyro: Sweet. I get another POV. I'm special.
Yansen: No, you're not.
Kyro: Yes I am, I've never seen you get a POV. Or another one else for that matter. When it jumps to other people it's all 3rd person POVs.
Cinna: Capitolrebel13 does not own THG.
Kyro's POV
She's proud. Very proud. Of course she's proud, she's had to take care of her family for seven years. She's been doing the taking care of not being taken of. Put her and I next to each other and her pride is almost twice as mine probably. My eyes flick to Yansen, he locks eyes with me and nods. I hate to admit this but he's right. I want to get her out. Ever since she volunteered and I was reaped I knew I wanted to get her out. Despite what she thinks, she is worth saving. But I just don't want to get her out alive. She still needs to be strong. And really, with her, the only way to make her look stronger right now is by letting myself look weaker. I stumble to the ground and groan.
"Kyro?!" Then she's in front of me, on her knees. Her eyes are jumping back and forth between mine, like she can't decide which one she wants to look at. "What's wrong?" Is that worry in her voice? Sure we kissed a few times and I've said all I could expect that I love her. Ok, maybe not all but enough to get me point across but even then though she's been distant. She said she's not here to fall in love… but I'm hoping maybe, just maybe, I can change her mind.
"My ankle. It… I don't know. It just started hurting." I readjust myself so that she can look at it.
"It doesn't look like anything's wrong," she says. She looks confused and rightfully so.
"Well can you walk?" Tresa asks. I open my mouth to answer but Chelen beats me to the punch.
"I can carry him." What? She's strong. I know that but really Chelen? Can you carry me? It might be funny to see her try at least.
"If you want to," I hear Yansen say. She places one hand on my back and the other under the back of my knees. Of course she can lift me, that wasn't even part of the question. My jaw drops open when she's actually able to walk with me in her arms. Um, this wasn't supposed to happen.
"Stop fidgeting," Chelen says. Boy, does she sound irritated but I can't help it, I really can't.
"Well put me down." I tell her. God, my friends are probably laughing their butts off.
"Well you were the one who decided he wanted to fake an ankle injury." I look her straight in the eyes. Did she… did she really know? No duh Kyro, of course she knew. She was the one who said that there didn't look like anything was wrong.
I jump out her arms and stretch out. Afterwards, I twist around and face her. A smile has found its way on my face and I take a step closer. There's that stubborn look that says she not going to conform to society's rule of who should be in charge. "You know what?" I say to her and her eyebrows lift up. "I'm glad you're not going to becoming another victim of our conformity. I like you just the way you are." Her head turns away with her eye jolting around. I reach my hand up and grab her chin then force her to face. "Your interview, remember."
Her mouth forms the sound "oh" and smiles with the nod of her head. I lean forward and almost place my lips on hers. Her body tenses but not in resistance. Then I pull away and take off running. What? What did she yell? Doesn't matter, when I look back she's chasing after. Yup Yansen, you were right. Chelen love the thrill of the chase.
Chelen's POV
Damn it Kyro! One does not act like they're going to kiss someone and then not do it. It simply isn't done. Where he go? I just turned a corner back into the ruins of 13. Scanning the area, I can't find him. My breaths become short, not again. Kyro, not again. Last time you were out of my sight, the muttation showed up nearby. I begin to spin as I look for him. Kyro! Wait, Chelen stop yelling in your mind. That's not going to help, he's not psychic. I stop spinning for one: it's not really helping, and two: it doesn't look very leader-like to be freaking out. Yansen places a hand on my shoulder and points in the direction of the docks. There is a lone figure on one. If it's not Kyro, I swear I'm going to… Well I don't know what I'll do but I'll do it.
Lucky for Kyro it is Kyro and therefore I do not have to do anything to him. "Stop giving me heart attacks." I tell him and wrap my arms around him and lean against his back. "Are you ok?" I ask. Letting go him seems wrong but I have to see his face.
"We're not playing these Games right." His voice pierces some part of my heart.
"Well… You don't have to be sad about it. Who cares if we're not playing these stupid Games right? And how would you say were playing it wrong?" I raise an eyebrow and smile at him.
He opens his mouth but stops and… listens. "Did you hear that? It sounded like something moving in the water."
"No and that's not answering my question. I want to know, I really do. How are we playing it wrong? And what is the right way?"
"We're not hunting other tributes down. We're out in the open too often. We enjoy ourselves sometimes. I mean this entire experience hasn't been a picnic but we've had our good times." Well yeah we're not supposed to be enjoying ourselves but why feel guilty about it. "It doesn't seem fair to the Districts really. Like we're not doing them justice. And don't you have someone to get home to?"
"What?" What's he talking about? I don't have anyone at home. Do I have someone at home?
"Celi?"
"Who?"
"Your sister?" I take a step back and look out at the artificial ocean.
"What sister?" For a minute Kyro looks like he's going to say something but seems to have decided against. I have sister?... I have sister, and her name is Celi. "Of course, I'm trying to get back to Celi but I also promised to prove these Games are wrong. Am I doing a good job? Part of feels like I'm not." Right now, as I step up next to Kyro, the Arena seems peaceful, almost like it's not like an arena at all. Leaning over I push Kyro with me shoulder and I see him smile. It's a nice a smile really, one I could get lost in… Wait. What did I just think? Putting a step in between us, I look anywhere that's not him.
"We really should get going." My voice is cold but no need to care, right? I'm not here fall in love right? While walking away I notice that Yansen, although is vigilant, he has this crossed look to his face. Did I piss him off somehow?
Clank!
What was that?
Splash!
What just happened? Kyro's mace, shoes, and jacket are on the docks but he's not. Where'd he go? Ok I know where he went but that doesn't mean I want to believe it. In front of me Yansen is motioning for me to follow. Why? I cast a few glances back to Yansen as I walk back to the end of the dock. The water is clear, well of course water is clear it's designed to look like the ocean, but I can't find him. A second later Kyro surfaces a little ways away. Can he not hold his breath long, he's breathing awfully heavily. No one else is out here. I better join him to make sure he doesn't drown or anything. I remove my mini-scythe, yes I still can't remember the name of it but I will. But not my knives, what if there are sharks or something in the water. My shoes join his as does my jacket but then I remove something he didn't: my shirt.
Oh wow, how long as it been since I dived into anything? Too long considering since when I just did it the water hurt like hell. Ok, ok, where's the surface? Where's the surface? Oh yay! I found it! Air! Air! It tastes so good after you've recovered your breathing.
"What are you laughing at?" Did he swim closer or did I really swim that far from the docks. I turn around. Ok, I just swam that far from the docks. "I didn't realize I was that fast of a swimmer. I also didn't realize I wasn't real prepared for that. How are you? I noticed your struggled breathing from the docks and came to recuse you."
"Thank you for that." Kyro rolls his eyes. It's a very cute gesture in my eyes. It means I've accomplished annoying him. "But as you can see, I'm not drowning. And you're not wearing a shirt." He averts his eyes. I look down briefly then back up.
"So? What the difference between my sports bra and a bikini top. The answer: a sports bra actually covers more." He looks like he's going to argue instead a question comes out.
"Why?" I just shrug even though I know the answer... And that answer shall remain un-thought until farther notice. I place my hand on his cheek and go to kiss him but he pulls away. What the hell?
"Hey! What was that? You tried to kiss me earlier!" I remind him which only causes him to laugh.
"No, I made it appear like I was going to kiss you then I ran awAY–"
"Kyro!" I take in a deep breath and plunge down. I knew it! There are sharks in here. Or maybe not. Kyro's a little ways away being strangled by another tribute. One of his hands is over his shoulder, trying to push away the body that's wrapped around him. I begin to swim toward them. Where are my knives? My belt, duh Chelen. Why? Why him? I thought was Tribute Enemy #1, not him. Arms can't you go any faster? I know that most the time I rely on my feet for moving but now you're in the mix too. Being strangled underwater is different than from above water. Hard to gasp for air where there isn't any.
When I reach them, Kyro's just about got her off but I intervene anyways. With one hand I grab her hair and with the other I push Kyro away. Once out of her grip he begins to swim away. Now that her first prey has escaped the tribute latches onto me. Hey, get off! Just 'cause you can hold your breath for a really long time does mean I can. I bring up my knee and jam it into her stomach. Her grip loses and I just about get away but she has other ideas. Her hand clings to my belt. Oh hell no. Not my knives. Looking for them later 'cause they're at the bottom, is not something I'm up for.
Personally I believe getting her off me would be very ideal, my air timer is about to hit zero after all. My hand finds its way to one of my knives, takes it out, and slams it into her neck. In an instant she stops struggling and he grip releases. I take off for the surface and grasp for breath when I finally reach it. Have I ever mentioned that I love the taste of air? I think I have, after all I do seem to find myself underwater one too many times.
"Chelen!" I look over and Kyro is holding onto one of the dock's legs.
"Thanks for the help," I holler back to him. "Did a cannon go off?" A nod of the head confirms that I have more blood on my hands. Oh well, at least I can smear that blood all over Theresa's throat as I strangle her. Kyro pushes off the dock and starts to swim toward me. Was the current always this strong? Was there even a current before? Why is it stronger? Oh, gamemakers, that's right. "Kyro! Go back. The current's getting too strong." He stops swimming toward me but that look on his face… He doesn't want to leave me? That… can't be right. No, that's right but I don't want it to be right. "We'll meet back up somewhere down the cost." With that the current washes me away.
XXXXXXXX
When you're in a canoe, you don't have to worry about keeping your head above water. When you're not in a canoe you do have that worry. Interesting enough my hands didn't have that problem. Most my body was just under the surface, so least one of my hands was always clawing at the air. Now, I'm on my knees, gagging up water and, once again, trying to catch my breath. Today is just not my day. And if you want me to make matters worse, the sun is starting to set. Against my will my body shivers, maybe I shouldn't have taken my shirt off. It seemed like such a great idea at the time, who wants to go swim with their wear clothes still on. Oh and I don't have any shoes. Just great, great, great. Life's wonderful.
I've made my way back into the woods. My face involuntarily flinches whenever my feet hit something sharp. Will they just go numb already? I know they will, it's just sooner is better than later in this one particular instance.
"Please. Please no!" I hear. My body freezes. "I-I can help you." Just keeping walking Chelen. I take half a step–
"Yeah, you can help…by dying." I know that voice. If I wasn't cold, wet, and in dull pain, I would have broken into a run. Not to mention half of me has finally gone numb. Instead I creep over through the bushes. The sounds of muffled screams come from in front of me.
Boom!
Fourteen tributes remain. I step out of the shadows, knife in head. Theresa turns toward me.
"Ah, I thought I heard you linger just beyond my reach. So, how you? Haven't heard much since last saw each other and you killed my then partner. I mean, it's not like we get to watch these Games." She's wiping blood off her sword. My eyes wander toward the deceased boy tribute.
"You've been rather busy." I say. She… She's the reason for everything in my life happened. She's reason Yansen and I fell out with each other. She's the reason I had to fight to keep my family afloat. She's the reason my mother's dead. My hand squeezes my knife.
"I have actually. I've killed–"
"I don't care," I interject. Don't attack, not yet. She's expecting that. Piss her off, make her lunge at you. "I may have cared about all the things you did back when we were "friends" but I don't really care what you do now. I mean, it won't make any difference in the end really."
"Are you sure, 'cause I'm positive I'll be the one walking out the Arena and you will be in a box. Which is fine by me. Although I could have easily let other people do the killing but it's not really all that fun." Her eyes jump from me to behind me. I listen but hear nothing. Her eyes do it again. No one's behind me. Is she looking for someone?
"Oh I know I'll leave this Arena in a box but so will you." Kyro. Kyro or Yansen or Tresa. "You know Theresa, you may be a good actress but once you're mask is removed you just can't get back into character. Not that you're trying to be my friend again but I've seen it before. That first performance you give of any play is always the best then it goes downhill from there. You know exactly what I'm talking about, I've heard you coaches talk to y–" Her sword is against my throat. I start to laugh. "Do it. You know you want to kill me." Her eyes jump back and forth between mine. I take that moment of hesitation of stab her in the side. She lets out a scream and with a handful of her hair I pull and throw her to the ground.
I drop to my knees, on top of her and knock her sword away. Placing both hands on my knife I lift it above my head. This is the girl fake a friendship with me for year, killed my mother, and, in honesty is the reason for all the things that went wrong in my life, and I'm about to kill her. Revenge never tasted so–
"AHH!" I scream. What? Let go of me! Someone slams me against a tree. One hand falls on his shoulder has I try to push him away. With the other hand I wedge my knife into him. He lets out a scream in pain. He twists around so that his arm is on my throat.
"You shouldn't have done that, little gril." He growls. No. No. No. Get off now! Too close, too close! From somewhere in the distance, my name is being called? Warning! Warning! Danger! Danger! I lift my legs up and try to push him off that way. Ok, not working. Get off! My lungs tighten, where did the air? Get out of here Chelen, he's too close. My teeth grind and, in the fading sunlight, I see him raise his fist. I don't brace myself, I don't have the time. An arrow is suddenly sticking out of his hand. He howls in pain and turns to see where the attack is coming from. Another arrow wizzes pass us. I take the moment and jab him in the jaw and finally push him off me. I rip my knife from his shoulder and burry it in his throat.
Boom!
"Never touch me." I whisper and stand straight. Where did she go?
"Chelen!" My team has caught up to me but… where did Theresa go? "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just thought… I just thought I saw Theresa here that's all." My gaze finds Kyro who's holding out my shirt, jacket, and shoes. I pull them back on and smile at him.
"You killed him!" Thanks for pointing out the obvious the Tresa.
"Yeah, I don't take kindly to being attack." I tell her.
Peeta: Were you ever attacked?
Chelen:... Review.
