TYRELL OXTON, DISTRICT SEVEN
10:03 AM, DAY THREE OF TRAINING, THE TRAINING CENTER
"Today, as you've probably heard, is going to be a bit different. It is your final day of training with us. Not only that, but today is also your training evaluation." Bravura explained to the Tributes, "You will be called back one at a time for your training evaluation as we go. While you wait, you're free to use the equipment how you see fit. Same rules still apply as always, of course."
Tyrell quirked a brow. So, they were allowing Tributes to continue training while evaluations were being run in the background? That must've been new. The Districts didn't often receive word about how things were run during the Games, but he knew that most of the time, training evaluations were something that people had to wait for. His Mentor, Paw, had mentioned something about the sitting and waiting for training evaluations being one of the worst parts about the pre-Games process.
He had yet to decide if he agreed.
At the very least, he could occupy himself while he and his allies waited for their turns to come around. He had done well in securing himself two solid allies, though… He had his eye on a third in particular.
"Seems like today is a big day for you all, doesn't it? You've got training evaluations and interviews tonight. On the bright side, that means we wrap it up here early. At the very latest, you should be getting out of here by two o'clock rather than our normal four." She told them, "Remember to think about what you wish to show to the Gamemakers. Their score will have a significant impact on how many sponsors you get. You only get one chance to do this, so do it right."
The group broke apart, leaving Tyrell to wait for Kolton and Maine to find him. When they did, they walked over to a nearby empty station. Tyrell sat down on a storage crate. Maine took a seat on the next one over. Kolton stood tall as he looked out over the training floor.
"What're y'all thinking of showing the Gamemakers?" Maine asked.
"I'll probably show them some survival knowledge. Maybe a bit of the crossbow, as well." Tyrell answered.
For the past two days, he had been getting acquainted with the crossbow. It was a promising weapon. Good range, significant damage, and straightforward use. Tyrell was proud of how quickly he'd gotten the hang of the weapon. It was strange to feel the weight of an instrument for killing in his hands. In a perfect game, Tyrell could use his social skills to come out on top. Unfortunately, reality wasn't that simple. He would need to continue to increase his odds by his own hand.
Today, he would do exactly that.
"Swordsmanship," Came Kolton's simple answer.
Maine nodded, "I'm going to show 'em my throwing knives."
"Good idea," Tyrell said, "I think I've only seen one other Tribute here using throwing knives."
Being observant had allowed Tyrell to scope out most of the competition. There were two threats that he had picked out so far; The Career Pack and the boy from District Eleven. To Tyrell, none of the other Tributes seemed to be opponents that he needed to worry about. Some looked like they couldn't even kill a fly. Others looked like they were only interested in surviving without needing to get their hands dirty.
The Careers and the boy from Eleven were the exceptions. Not only was the Career Pack big, but the it showed promise. Tyrell couldn't deny that each and every one of them seemed capable. In all honesty, the only ones he wasn't sure about were the girl from Three and the boy from Five. They were wild cards, but he had been able to find out minimal information about them. He had heard the boy from Five, in all of his hubris, mention that he was going to shape his District into one that was fit for the Career Pack every year. Tyrell had also found out that the girl from Three was deaf. Both "Careers" seemed to have their own prominent Achilles heel.
The boy from Eleven, though… Tyrell wanted to get him into his alliance. He was the only variable that he hadn't been able to account for. He had kept to himself for most of training, but he didn't seem unfriendly. Tyrell had guessed that most of the other Tributes were afraid of him or intimidated by him. He himself certainly wasn't intimidated. Rather, he had been patient in trying to determine if the boy was an ally worth investing in. After some thinking last night, he had decided that there was hardly a reason not to extend the invitation.
If the boy declined, then he declined. However, if he said yes, then a world of possibility opened up. Tyrell didn't doubt the strength of Kolton and Maine for so much as a second… But having Eleven in their alliance would provide them with status. If Tributes were already avoiding the boy in training, they would go out of their way to avoid him in the Arena, too. That would carry them midway through the Games at the very least. If the Career Pack was all that remained at the end, then they could take them. Their strength combined with the variety of weapons that they'd learned to use would undoubtedly be enough for them to face the Careers.
Besides, the only had one long-range player in the Pack. Tyrell had been watching them. Even though they'd covered the range issue with Three, her disability meant she could easily be picked off somewhere before the final eight.
"Did you decide on Eleven?" Kolton asked, seemingly reading his mind.
Tyrell rose from his spot on the crate, "I did. I'll be back."
The District Seven boy began walking through the Training Center with his eyes peeled. Eleven was difficult to miss, but the gymnasium was so large that it was easy to lose track of everyone. He could have sworn that he saw the boy walking off toward the survival stations on the far right side of the training floor. Sure enough, he found Eleven crouched down at a station for making fires.
Tyrell took a steady inhale, blowing it out through his nose as he approached the hulking stranger, "District Eleven, right?"
The boy turned around, his warm brown eyes finding Tyrell's own. Tyrell was almost surprised at how much different he seemed up close. It felt like his intimidation factor had all but dissipated, leaving behind a laid back teenager.
"Yo," His voice was remarkably deep, "District Seven? You can call me Sett."
Tyrell nodded, "Good to meet you, Sett. My name is Tyrell. I noticed you're without an alliance."
"That's right," Sett replied as he rose to his full height.
Tyrell looked up toward him, "Were you planning on finding allies?"
"Yeah," Sett answered truthfully, a wide grin on his face, "Think I might've scared everybody into making their own."
"Well, seeing as allies are essential to surviving the earliest stages of the Games, I'd say that it's in your best interest to find an alliance." Tyrell started, "Personally, I'm a bit ahead of the curve. I've managed to round up two allies to call my own. Both able-bodied, both mentally capable. But, I certainly wouldn't turn down the idea of a third ally… Especially one of your caliber. I've seen you training. You're strong. You'd make a good asset to the team, not to mention that joining us would increase your odds, as well. There's safety in numbers."
Sett was looking at him with an amused expression. Tyrell wondered if maybe Sett wasn't as promising as he'd looked. Was he actually some sort of bumbling idiot? Anxiety began to creep up on the District Seven boy as Sett cracked his knuckles, a thoughtful expression replacing his grin. A few more seconds passed before Sett gave a small shrug of his shoulders.
"You'd make a good businessman. I'm sold," Sett said, "Show me the others."
In a matter of minutes, Tyrell had increased his odds once again.
JUBILENA PIN, DISTRICT EIGHT
11:11 AM, DAY THREE OF TRAINING, THE TRAINING CENTER
"This is so annoying," Nova huffed as she tried to set up her snare trigger.
For the past hour, they had been familiarizing themselves with how to set up snares. Despite Calico's insistence that she could do her own hunting, Nova had headed over here. Jubilena had a followed, which had inevitably forced Calico to tag along. Jubilena had achieved success in setting up a basic noose snare, whereas Nova was attempting to work out a trigger snare that was tailored to fishing. It hadn't been working out the way she wanted it to, but Jubilena had done what she could to reassure her that she was making progress.
Right now, it seemed like Nova just needed a minute to figure out what she was doing. So, Jubilena occupied herself with looking around the trapping station. It was one of the slightly bigger stations in the Training Center. Jubilena liked the way that it was laid out, too. It was just plain neat, even to her. She didn't need to place herself into an illusion of whimsy and wonder to be fascinated by what she saw.
It was a decent-sized space with plenty of room to move about. Artificial foliage had been scattered throughout the station in order for the Tributes to set up practice snares. There was even a small pond in the center of it with fish that had been placed there by the Capitol training staff. Jubilena had gotten into the habit of feeding the fishes when no one was looking. Calico, on the other hand, had gotten in trouble for dunking her head beneath the water and emerging with a fish between her teeth.
Jubilena had to admit, she was intrigued by the girl. Calico's cat-like behavior was utterly hypnotic to say the least. The way that she had specific behavioral patterns and movements memorized to a T was nothing short of impressive. Jubilena figured that Calico's imagination must have been simply wonderful! Calico was always acting just like a little kitty cat would. Jubilena liked that. It set her apart from the others.
The frolicsome feline girl was currently crouched down by the small pond. Her eyes were following the movements of the fish that swam just beneath the surface. Jubilena watched in awe as Calico morphed before her very eyes into one of the frolicsome felines from back home. This had been a fairly common occurrence ever since Jubilena had met Calico. One minute, she'd be looking at the human equivalent of a cat. The next, she was seeing an actual feline manifest before her! The power of her imagination seemed to know no bounds.
"Please make sure she doesn't try to eat another raw fish again," Nova said as she fidgeted with the trigger on her snare, "And if she does catch one, make sure she does something useful with it… Like dropping it down a Career's pants."
Nova chuckled to herself as Jubilena giggled. The feline version of Calico glared at Nova for a moment before pawing gently at the water. Ripples danced across the surface as one of the fish swam away from the disturbance. Jubilena reached a hand down to pet the top of the kitty cat Calico's head. Calico responded in turn by nuzzling against her hand. Jubilena watched as Nova muttered under her breath, twisting the wire she was working with and trying to figure out what she was doing wrong.
"Have you tried asking one of the instructors? I'm sure they would be so happy to help you!" Jubilena suggested.
Nova shook her head, "I want to be able to get this right… Training evaluations are coming up fast. I don't want to showcase something if I can't figure it out on my own."
"You seem so worrisome! Don't let your frustration get the better of you!" Jubilena said, "The Sage of the Stars once told me that anger does not build anything, but it can destroy everything. Be careful, Nova! You wouldn't want to destroy this snare! You've done such a good job this far!"
A quiet pause came between them as Nova sucked in a deep breath. She situated herself on her bottom, approaching the snare from another angle. It seemed like Jubilena's words had at least helped her to regain a level head.
"Sorry," Nova mumbled as she continued working with her snare, "I just wanna get the hang of this. We need to know how to do stuff if we're going into the Arena tomorrow. It feels like the past few days have just flown by."
"Oh, and they have!" Jubilena agreed, "Isn't it lovely? The way that the Capitol welcomes you and treats you to quite the time! It's all so grandiose! And to see the Tributes coming together… Forming alliances, figuring each other out like puzzles, and showing each other kindness! It truly is a sight to behold!"
Kitty cat Calico mewled in approval and Jubilena scratched her behind the ears. How fortunate was she to have found such a cozy little alliance in the midst of all of this mingling? Jubilena had seen so many Tributes getting swept up into groups of their own. She considered herself immensely fortunate to have been able to make friends so quickly and easily! Other Tributes hadn't had it so smooth. It was a shame, but Jubilena knew that everyone's dreams worked out how they saw fit.
If only they knew that they could manifest the very things they were seeking.
If only they knew that this entire thing was nothing more than a little game.
ADAM PRESTON TUNER, DISTRICT THIRTEEN
1:18 PM, DAY THREE OF TRAINING, THE TRAINING CENTER
Everyone was getting their turn.
They had started with District One and had been working their way up the chain, just like they always did. It was surprising to Adam that the atmosphere in the Training Center wasn't more tense. For the most part, it felt like a regular training day. Everyone had arrived on time and they'd gotten started without issue… But after that first hour had passed, things had quickly changed for Adam.
Uncertainty had begun to loom over him like a storm cloud. It was nagging at his mind and reminding him that with every minute, he was getting closer to his evaluation… Closer to the Games. The creeping feeling of dread had been there since he'd been chosen, but it felt like certain things had magnified it beyond belief. The preparation for the chariot rides, the chariot rides themselves, the first day of training… Adam felt like everything had been mounting.
It was stressful. It was a heavy weight on his shoulders. It bogged him down, it made him feel less efficient than normal.
Back in District Thirteen, Adam prided himself on his good discipline. He was well-adjusted. He had a daily schedule that he carried out religiously. He was studious and organized and he knew exactly when things needed to be done and how they needed to be done. In the Capitol, he was completely out of his element.
There was no control in his hands. His schedule was at the mercy of the Capitol and his Mentor. His Mentor had been nothing but helpful, unlike the Capitol, but Adam couldn't let himself relax regardless of the kindness he'd been shown. It was hard for him to keep up with every whim of the Capitolites. They wanted to dress him up, they wanted eyes on him, they wanted him to behave a specific way. None of that was in his interest.
Adam didn't like it here… He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home so he could continue to be part of the Tuner family, where everything made sense and his days were his to spend how he chose. He wanted to go home so he could carry out that internship his brother had worked so hard to get him. He wanted to go home so that he could contribute to the prosperity of his District and his country without having to die at the hands of the overarching system.
It wasn't fair.
The Tuners had always given one hundred percent to Panem and to the Capitol. Adam hadn't considered himself an exception. His education, his aspirations, his free time… All of it meant nothing to the Capitol despite the fact that he had tailored them for Panem as a whole. The thought was enough to make Adam feel as insignificant as a leaf in the wind. He was simply being carried along by the breeze, now. He was at the mercy of the current.
And he didn't know what to do.
Adam had spent the past however long it had been deliberating over what he wanted to show the Gamemakers. What Bravura had said to them earlier in the day had really struck a chord in him. It had put fear into him, even. This was going to be his only opportunity to show the Gamemakers what promise he had. This was going to be his only opportunity to earn a score worth sponsoring. The pressure was only continuing to mount as Adam's eyes moved over to the digital clock embedded in the wall above the Training Center's exit hall.
It was getting awfully close to two o'clock. That was when Bravura said they could expect to wrap up. Adam didn't even know if his District Partner had been called back yet. He wondered what she was going to show the Gamemakers. There were plenty of Tributes here who would need to use their creativity to make an impact, Adam figured. He could do the same. He knew he could do the same.
He glanced down at the table that he was working at. He had been going by the survival stations each day in an attempt to give himself a decent amount of knowledge to utilize in the Arena. During that time, he'd familiarized himself with a knife and had figured out how to do quite a few different things—Including putting together a makeshift compass. He'd also managed to work out a few different snaring methods and even gained quite a bit of medicinal knowledge, as well.
On paper, he was doing a pretty decent job. Adam only hoped that the Gamemakers would think the same thing.
Adam's brow remained creased in thought. He heard the sound of metal on metal. The Careers and their spars were so loud. He wished that he could be in the quiet again. He missed his solitude. Here, he only got that same quiet when he was winding down for bed in the privacy of the penthouse. If he tried his hardest, then he stood a chance at being able to return home and experience the familiar quiet of District Thirteen.
But Adam was a realist. He was fond of logic and fact and science. He wasn't in the business of denying reality. And the reality of his situation was that the odds were not, in fact, in his favor. The odds had not been in his favor from the moment that his name had been called at the Reaping, and as the days went on, his odds only seemed to become worse and worse. This training evaluation was one of his final shots at changing that around.
"Adam Tuner," A voice grabbed his attention and he found himself faced with a trainer, "Your evaluation is about to begin. Follow me to the evaluation room, please."
This was it. This was his chance.