A slight filler chapter but I wanted to explore the relationship between the Victors a little. Plus, I love Paragon and Gloss's father\son vibe too. Next chapter will be their final day of training and the individual assessment. I might start prep for the interviews as well, we shall see. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and stick around for the rest of Gloss's journey.
I groaned as I collapsed onto the couch, letting the heavenly material take my weight. My entire body was aching from training, and each movements sent ripples of pain through my system. I shut my eyes and leant my head back, taking solace in the silence and lack of stimulation so I could just be.
"There you are my boy! How was training?" Groaning I forced my leaden eyes open, ignoring the fact that my head felt like it was weighing me down as I sat up. "That good, huh?"
"I'm so sore." I groaned, not even caring that a Career never showed weakness. He was my Mentor and friend- if I didn't show weakness how could he help me?
Making a sympathetic noise he gestured at one of the Avoxes standing like a statue off to the side. I jolted when I noticed the man, not even realising he was there. "Run my boy a bath and fill it with the muscle healers." The Avox gave a respectful not and scampered away, and I had to stop myself from snorting when I realised it doesn't matter if he was in the room or not- it was the same thing the amount of attention he commanded.
My mentor walked over and sat next to me, making me groan as the couch dipped from his weight. Chuckling, he forced his beefy arm behind my head, giving me silent permission to rest on it. "So, thoughts on the Tributes?"
I pursed my lips, mind poring over the images of the day. No one really made that much of an impression on me, except Elaeis with his axe and the other Careers, though the boy from Three wasn't completely awful. I relayed this to Paragon, my voice lacking its usual spunk. "The Careers were as excepted, though Garrison was less impressive than I first thought."
Paragon made a questioning sound, so I explained how he missed the target with the spear, and how his aim with the throwing knives wasn't the best. "He was good with the sword though, so I think close combat weapons is his specialty."
"That is useful for you, if you can keep out of his range you can throw a knife into his neck or a spear into his stomach and you'll stay out of his range." Paragon said, and I nodded, the thought having occurred to me earlier as well.
"What about Marcella and the Fours?"
As soon as he mentioned the Fours that strange feeling pinged inside me, and I felt like someone had placed invisible weights onto my shoulders, weighing them down. "Marcella is really talented with a bow and arrow, and she can also use a knife well in close combat." I said, knowing I was avoiding mention of the Fours in the hopes he didn't bring them up.
I felt my blood boiling the more I thought about it. What was making me so antsy about them? Was it the acknowledgement that they were a threat? Their skills with the Hunting Boomerang and the handheld spear were impressive. Plus being from the water district they are likely good at holding their breaths and have other skills they aren't showing. Every time we joked together it felt like returning home- comfortable and familiar. Warm, floaty feeling ballooned in my chest the more I spent time around them, and I found myself tensing when my brain- helpfully- reminded me that I'd be the one to end their laughter in a few short days.
"Gloss?"
I shot out of my thoughts and looked over at Paragon, seeing his eyebrows furrowed and a soft expression on his face. "You get along well with them, don't you?" I could tell from his tone that he didn't exactly find this to be a good thing.
I averted my gaze, feeling like I was scolded by my father back when I looked up to him. Paragon sighed, his chest rumbling, before he pulled me into his chest, allowing me to relax. "Son, it's harder when you like them. My advice is to either distance yourself from them or create a mental barrier in your head to prepare yourself. Remind yourself they are a threat, a target, a barrier in your quest to get home." He paused, waiting for it to sink in. "Think about Cashmere and how devastated she'd be if you let a friendship stop you from getting back to her."
My entire body revolted at that idea, and I turned to him so fast my neck cracked in protest. "I'm not at all worried about killing them, I'm trained for it. I had similar in my test." I didn't elaborate on that, because despite the Capitol being okay with us training due to the show it gave them and the fact it gave the Blood Districts someone else to focus their anger, it wasn't smart to advertise.
He pinned me with his gaze, like two spears pushed through my body rendering me immobile. I glanced down at my hands when I started to shift, watching my hands and I twiddles my thumbs and tried to ignore his scorching gaze. "As long as you know what you have to do. Go have a bath, we are meeting in the Twos room to discuss strategy."
I looked at him, my eyebrows drawn." It's better than them being here, gives them less of a change to look through any of our things if they go snooping." I nodded slowly, accepting the answer.
I pushed myself up, ignoring his palpable amusement as I groaned. I knew he wanted me to open up more and elaborate, but if I voiced these strange feelings, it gave them power. It was better to leave them unsaid and unnamed, and focus on my sister, the reason I accepted this huge honour in the first place. With that in mind I trudged to the bathroom, leaving my mentor behind.
I could hear dim mutterings as we reached the door, the steel not quite thick enough to absorb all the sound. I exchanged a glance at Rarity before looking away, not wanting to risk needing her for reassurance. Paragon knocked on the door, two strong knocked that seemed to command attention, shattering the conversation, and leaving sharp silence in its wake. We heard shuffling and then the door opened, the Avox quickly stepping aside to let us pass. Not even bothering to acknowledge the creature, I followed Paragon, keeping my head high.
"Ah Paragon, Chardonnay, lovely to see you both. Fashionably late as always." Ajax greeted, his arms out wide and his tone having a razor edge not dulled at all by his deceptive smile.
"Well, we are here now, aren't we?" Chardonnay droned, making a beeline for the drinks cart.
"Hey, you can't help yourself, who do you think you are?" Garrison demanded, standing up off the tan couch with his arms crossed, an aura of superiority engulfing him.
Quick as anything, Chardonnay flung around, her wine-coloured hair flying about her in a shroud of death. The knife glinted as the light caught it, drawing a hiss from Garrison before it embedded itself in the wall with a dull thunk. "The Victor of the 54th Hunger Games, swine, you'd do well to remember it." She sneered, pinning him with a glare before turning back to the cart, acting like nothing happened.
Garrison blinked as blood decorated his ear, before rounding on Ajax, demanding he sort out "the crazy bitch." Ajax just snorted and shot his mentee a reproachful look, wanting for his rant to simmer down before he even bothered speaking.
"You done?" He paused, letting the words sink in like the blade of a knife. "Chardonnay is to be respected at all times. She is a fierce Victor, and acts more like a Two than a One, so give her the respect she deserves or so help me…" He trailed off, trusting his mentee's mind to fill in the blanks.
Judging from his glare and slight widening of his eyes, it worked.
"Come sit down and we can talk strategy. Avox, get our guests seats." Ballista said, the woman's ability to command respect not lessened due to age.
The Avox hurried and brought us seat, which we hurried to occupy. I caught Cordelia's gaze and she winked, which I begrudgingly returned. The Mentors-sans Chardonnay- stated a conversation and I took the time to analyse them, scarcely believing I was surrounded by so much talent. The Victors from Two reminded me of mountains, Ajax's frame talking up most of the couch and filled out with muscle, his close-cropped hair like dark snow scattered on the top of his hulking build.
"Cecelia tried to talk about an alliance today for her girl, Lace." He said, his lips quirking up as mirth shined through the hardness in his dark eyes.
"I'm assuming you said you'd love to." Chardonnay called out from the wine cart, getting a snort from Ajax.
"Oh yea, just like I said yes to that baby Viscera for her Tribute, I think her name was Rib- Ribley." Ballista snickered, her bluntly cut dark hair tinged with grey at the roots.
"If she's anything like Viscera, I'd consider her. That girl dominated her arena," Netta added, her curly bonze hair swept back in a tight ponytail showing off her dazzling green eyes.
"That was a one off, not likely to happen again. She was just lucky she worked in the abattoir." Ballista said, her dark eyes daring her fellow Mentor to go against her.
Netta quietened, seemingly wilting in on herself. I watched enraptured as Schnapper reached out and wrapped his wrinkled hand around hers, his salt and pepper hair styled in the messy look Four men favoured. She seemed to lighten up when she felt his hand and his bright green eyes danced with a mix of affection and amusement as he squeezed his younger Mentor's arm.
"So, let's talk about training." Ballista interjected, but I was too busy watching how they all interacted.
It was bizarre yet amazing to see how they all interacted watching as one bent to another and seemed to brighten up around another. They all fit together like a range of puzzle pieces, the bigger ones commanding more respect and the smaller ones bending more to the other whims. Surprisingly, it was Schnapper who commanded the most respect, everyone looking to him for his say and being drawn in like fish at the end of his hook.
"Anyone else you guys want to bring into the alliance?" Ajax asked, his voice as gravelly as one would expect from a mountain.
"Gloss?" Paragon said, drawing all eyes to me.
"I thought Elaeis would be good edition. He was skilled with the axe, and I noticed he did well with the poisonous bug and berry test which could be helpful." I explained, trying to stop my voice from wobbling
"You want a Seven?" Garrison scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"I think the reasons the boy gave were reasonable, what do you think?" Netta asked her Tributes, shutting down Ajax when he went to speak with a firm look.
"I think the reasons are good, and it would round out our skillset." Cordelia said to her mentor, beaming when the woman nodded.
"I think so too. You'll have the charisma with the Ones, the brute force with the Twos, the versality with us and the knowledge of plant life and more brute force with Elaeis." She added, pursing her lips plush lips in thought.
She could be a One, I thought to myself, taking note of her rib length bronzy hair that fell in loose waves around her pretty face, juxtaposing her green eyes that narrowed when she thought.
"What if he wants to bring in the Female? She looks weak." Garrison added, getting a curt nod from his mentor.
"Sometimes looks can be deceiving young man, and it does not do to underestimate your opponent." Schapper interjected, his voice having the rasp of age though it was still pleasant to listen to.
"The old coot is right, in my Games a blasted three almost got me, so the only payment you get for underestimation is death." Chardonnay said drily, swirling her wine in the glass.
"Definitely, I almost got bested by an 8 in my Games," Ballista added, her tone derisive despite the person long going cold in the ground. "I took great satisfaction in carving out her heart."
Schnapper and Netta gave her a reproachful look, but she ignored it, clearly not caring much for her fellow Victors opinions.
"If they are a package deal, I think you should accept them both. She is smaller and lither, so can likely climb. An asset with District 11 usually being skilled in the trees." Paragon said, his arm resting just behind my head. "What do you think, Chardonnay?"
My ears pricked at the fact he still wasn't using her nickname, though I supposed Victors are entitled to their secrets. She shrugged, lifted her glass, and drained it, holding it out uncaringly for an Avox to scurry over. "Yea it's fine. Just kill her off later."
It was almost a shock to hear how unfeeling she was, it was almost like she was discussing the weather not the lives of another. It wasn't that I was squeamish or uncomfortable with killing, I was fine with it, and it was the tool needed to bring glory, it was always a shock to hear her unfeelingness next to Paragon's respectfulness. Two halves of the same coin.
"Yes, I agree too, plus it wouldn't be a total shock for Careers to bring Sevens in, they are the Invisible Careers." Netta added, quietly nodding to an Avox when she bought over two drinks.
I watched fascinated as she acknowledged them, before turning and giving a glass to Schnapper, a respectful and affectionate smile on her face. "Thank you, lass." He whispered, just loud enough for me to here before he sunk back into the red velvet cushions.
She smiled and followed his example, both perfectly at ease with each other. I wondered dimly how many children they'd helped try to achieve glory, and whether I'd be in their situation one day.
"So, who's going to talk to them?" Ballista asked curtly drawing me from my thoughts.
"Well, One was the person to suggest it, leave it to him." Garrison said, pointing dismissively a=in my direction.
"It does make sense, plus you are likeable enough." Marcella added in, getting noises of agreement from Wade, Cordelia, and Rarity.
I blinked in faux surprised and glanced at Paragon, acting like I needed his support. We had already decided I would be the one to do it, and they just gave me the golden opportunity to put my plan into action.
"It is fair, Gloss. You were the one to bring it up." He said, giving me a faux sorry look.
I groaned, putting enough annoyance into my tone to make it realistic. "Yea, okay. I'll talk to him in training." I said, feeling Paragon press his arm into my neck to show me I was doing the right thing.
"Good let us know if we have the lumberjacks and we can meet tomorrow." Ajax said, glancing at Ballista who nodded slightly, making his muscles relax.
Interesting, he doesn't seem the type to be deferential to anyone I thought, keeping my face impassive.
"Now that all that is sorted, lets decide the most important thing." Wade said seriously, his mouth in a thin line.
"What's that lad?" Schnapper asked, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes and in the quirk of his lip.
"What's for dinner?"
Tributes and Mentors
District One: Paragon Pelline (Victor of the 48th Games) and Chardonnay Figaro (Victor of the 54th Games)
Tributes: Gloss Ametrine and Rarity Grace
District Two: Ajax Siege (Victor of the 55th Games) and Ballista Carronade (Victor of the 25th Games)
Tributes: Garrison Sallet and Marcella Placket
District Four: Schnapper Lining (Victor of the 12th Games) and Netta Pearling (Victor of the 43rd Games)
Tributes: Wade Hull and Cordelia Abalone
District 8: Cecelia Jute (Victor of the 59th Games)
District 10: Viscera Cleaving (Victor of the 61st Games)