Hey, sorry for the late post, I have deadlines at University so this took me a few weeks to write. Some of it is re-written from the last SYOT Paisley and Ezra was in (A SYOT that never got past the Reapings). I'm excited to write these two again in an SYOT I have an attachment to.
I also have an announcement. I will be doing a REAL sponsor system with this story. I tried with Chosen Warriors but it was horribly planned out. However, I have thought about it and have come up with a better one.
This sponsor system is based on Reviews as the story and pairs are decided by you, so I thought it would make you all a part of it. However, if you don't feel comfortable with posting a review, feel free to PM me. Also, don't worry if you don't review, there are other ways to earn points, as a horrid reviewer, I made sure of that XD
If you do not have a character in the story, you can take part, just message me to let me know you are!
Sponsor System:
Review Answering Chapter Related Question: 10 points (5 if a reviewer did a long review with it, 6 if a reviewer did a small review).
Small Review: 5 points
Large Review: 10 Points
Submitting Career: 6 Points
Submitting Non-Career: 4 Points (Keep it realistic)
You will also get points for voting in polls for your favorite Tribute/pair, points if your character wins that (to keep realistic with the most popular Tributes gain more sponsors).I have none of these at the moment, but be sure to keep an eye out for them.
There are three sections to what you can buy (full list will be up around the bloodbath).
Lower (Won't affect their chances, could also lower their chances): Example: Matches, can opener, water bottle (empty) and so on.
Middle (Will benefit the Tribute but will not increase their chances too much): Example: Food, water, water cleaning kit, gloves, socks, hand warmers.
Higher (Your Tribute is playing with the big kids, the Capitol favors them and your gift just increased their chances massively): Example: Weapons, tents, sleeping bag, night vision goggles, map, traps and so on.
I will do a list of what everything is worth in the bloodbath chapter when I know the maximum amount of points people can earn. Weapons will not be easy to get. Katniss mentioned that Finnick was lucky to get his weapon. For this reason, Weapons will most likely drain your points, if not fully. So you will have to think what your Tribute needs more, food or a spear they can't use?
As for people banding together with their points, only if your characters are paired. I know that seems harsh but not everyone has friends they can band together with on the site to get the big stuff. However, pairs getting joint sponsors is possible, most of all if they are popular.
I'm not going to throw a spanner in the works like "a flood is happening in the Arena, you have to sponsor your Tribute a flotation device with the top amount of points otherwise they die!" nothing against that but I think it is unfair for someone to lose their Tribute due to lack of sponsor points.
Sponsor points do not decide who wins. If someone gets showered with gifts, it does not mean they will win. The sponsor points just spice things up.
That means you do not have to take part in the sponsor bit. Your character will not suffer. However, I will not be giving out supplies of my own accord after the bloodbath. So if you have a tribute with no food but you have no sponsor points, they will not be sponsored food. It will be up to me to decide if they find some berries or something.
I hope this sponsor system is fair. I have not done one before so if you have experience and see me making a rookie mistake, please let me know.
CHAPTER QUESTION (Bit different as I didn't do questions for the past few chapters, others will not be like this): If you had to pair up the ten Tributes that have been introduced (including this pair), who would you pair with who?
Enjoy!
Paisley Delacor, 18
District One Female
I allowed the throwing knife to fly from my hand, lodging in the old tree that sat at the edge of the District. It was said to be a meeting place for rebels but the only activity I ever took part in there was training. I loved watching each knife hit the target perfectly, each knife lodging in the heads of the people who had wronged me.
Not that I needed to do that anymore. Ezra had taken care of them all. Did I feel guilty? Somewhat. But would I change the events that took place? Not a chance. True, I never meant to let slip to Ezra about the rape when I was thirteen. Let alone the names of my rapists and the humiliation that followed. No one believed me that the star career and future victor would ever rape a young girl. Everyone but Ezra.
He was the only person that took my word and took justice against the boys that had done wrong. He burnt all of them down while they slept in their bunks, all but Velvet. Turns out that even Ezra wouldn't go after a victor.
I did not need Ezra to be strong, though. Although some people may have denied the claim, I was smarter than I seemed. I understood after the rape that I could not trust anyone, even Ezra did not place above my own concerns for my safety. While most girls raped by future volunteers ran away or killed themselves, I understood that nothing would hurt them more than seeing me develop into their worst nightmare.
The knives I lodged in the tree were just a small window into the deadly skills I held inside of me. Concealment from enemies but not afraid to show them if needs must. I hoped the District was watching when I tore my way through the Games, knowing that their disregard for a broken girl's confession of rape had created the warrior in front of them.
However, even I could not match Ezra.
At the reaping, I watched as Ezra raced by so fast, it was unsettling, even for me. The power and bloodlust behind his charge made my breath hitch, mentally hoping I would never be on the receiving end of such an attack.
Anyone would have thought Ezra was just highly enthusiastic, charging not even a second after he was told to run. But I saw what the well-built man was running after.
"You fucking idiot," I muttered under my breath as my brown eyes fell on the small boy, no older than fourteen, inches away from the stage.
I had little sorrow for the boy, he got himself into whatever bloody mess Ezra would leave him in. However, my more human side couldn't understand why such a weak child would expect to win against Ezra, the academy golden boy, in training anyway.
The engrossed crowd around me gasped when Ezra gripped the boy by his collar. However, the shock quickly turned into twisted cheering as Ezra held the scrawny child in the air, letting out a scream as he slammed the boy into the ground beneath him.
The boy's face cracked as it came into contact with the concrete. Sobbing as he slowly lifted his head, his nose shattered and skin peeling away from his face. Behind him, Ezra readied himself to strike the boy in the head but just as he moved, his eyes met my unamused ones.
Although I did not care about the little boy, I knew Ezra could not risk angering anyone. I knew that if he walked away now, he proved his strength but gained sponsors that may support younger children.
I watched with slight amusement, a sense of power washing over me as Ezra visibly calmed in front of me. He gave an understanding nod towards me before turning to mount the stage.
However, I did not show amusement towards the control I had over Ezra. I found happiness, a rare thing for the girl, in the protection Ezra offered. One of the few people I could trust. My friend of many years.
In the blink of an eye, I quickly lost interest in Ezra, my attention being drawn to the girls who moved down the line. I turned to see a dark-haired girl moving forward as well but when our eyes met, the girl froze.
I glared at the girl who gave a knowing nod and stepped down. Leaving the area clear for me. By the time the escort called for volunteers, any girls that thought about taking the volunteer spot from me had stepped down.
Ezra Arlington, 18
District One Male
I was not the type to linger in bed. I saw little use in the activity. The time I spent watching the colours from the morning sun dance above my head could be spent perfecting my skills. As arrogant as I could be, even I knew that I was not a master of fighting. That came with a lot more training. More time than I had.
However, despite my aversion to lounging, I found himself doing that very thing on the cold morning of May. Even I frowned my eyebrows at the action, little motivation to roll myself out of bed.
It was not fear, I knew that much. I was volunteering to keep Paisley safe, I had come to terms with that. I may have been worried about the reaping ahead of me but this stemmed from the fear that I would not make it to the stage, not a reason to stay in the bed. Maybe I'm becoming sentimental. I thought as I rolled onto my side, looking at the cherry blossom tree outside my window.
Seeing sentimentality in my surroundings was possible but terrifying. The thought seemed foreign to someone as headstrong as me. I never had another true home than the small, shared room in the Training House. I was an orphan, sent to spend his early days being bullied in the orphanage. So, sure, all of my happy memories took place during the years spent inside that room. However, the thing that made them happy was going into the arena with me.
Utterly stumped by my own thoughts, I forced myself to sit up, swinging my feet off the edge of the bed. I looked around the room I shared with four younger boys, all of them fast asleep. The boys that would be competing against me for the title as Career were most likely already awake and gathering a protein filled breakfast.
My blue eyes still trained on the world outside, I shot my hand out and grabbed the set of damp clothes from next to me, placing the cold fabric onto my skin.
Once dressed, I made his way down to the kitchen, silently cursing to myself about my late appearance and begging whatever God there may be for a small amount of food to be left. However, as I walked through the heavy, oak doors to the dining area, I was met with silence. The only presence in the room is that of Paisley.
The dark skinned girl looked up at me, her lips forming a sly smile. "I heard you broke a man's kneecaps yesterday," she sighed, offering me a plate of cold toast.
I took it gratefully. "He attacked me-"
"Did he though?" I tore a bit of toast and scowled at my friend.
"Do I not look like I'm telling the truth?" I growled but Paisley could not help but snigger at me while she shook her head. A small smile tugged at my own lips as I turned away. "I am surprised no one's here yet," I mused as I scanned the poor selection of food.
Paisley shrugged as she took a sip of water. "Do you think most people will be concern about food? I bet they are all down, cramming some last minute training in...not they could beat you." On paper, her final words could be seen as a compliment but both of us knew it was just a fact. I was the strongest male by far, contending with Paisley for the top spot overall. Unless I became ill or broke a limb in the next few hours, it was unlikely anyone would get past me. That was if anyone even tried to compete against me.
Paisley Delacor, 18
Train Rides
I pressed my face against the windows of the train, disappointed upon finding them heated. Ezra had suggested I cooled down but I was having trouble with that. Both physically and mentally.
My body felt strange, my temperature sky high. And that feeling, the feeling I hated with such a passion. No matter how many times I told myself it was just indigestion, the more my body proved me wrong. I was going to be sick.
Ezra stuck by my side yet I knew he was frustrated. By now, he would have made himself sick and got it over with. Yet, for me, he stood by and sighed.
See, aside from a stubborn streak, I also hated being weak and helpless. Sickness did just that. I was unable to control my own body, forced to endure something as vile as this. After I was taken advantage of by the boys in training, I promised myself I'd never be a victim again. Yet, here I was, being controlled by my own stomach.
"Did she have any symptoms of a stomach bug before the reapings?" Ezra's mentor, Gloss asked. "Like a fever or fatigue?"
Ezra opened his mouth to speak but Cashmere got there first.
"I just hope she is better by the Arena, the Capitol won't give her medication you know?" She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.
Gloss rolled his eyes. "Most sickness bugs are done within a couple of days, sis-"
"True, but she will miss out on important things like, I don't know, the chariots?"
"She will be okay for the chariots, even if she doesn't feel good," Ezra said with a sigh. "She will be sick for a few hours at the most, that is, if it is a bug...I'm not sure it is," Ezra was right, if I had caught any sort of bug, he would too be infected. After all, we spent a lot of time with each other.
Gloss hummed thoughtfully. "Could be nerves?"
"Or the food, may have been much richer than the diet you are used to," the younger sibling offered. I hoped it was Cashmere's theory. Stomach bug was a decrease in my odds, nerves meant I was unsure of myself but food, that was easy to accept. I had a better diet than most Tributes but still, the food here was very different. If so, I just had to give outlandish food a wide birth until after the games. Then it didn't matter if I got I'll or not, my life was not on the line.
"Well," Gloss hummed. "I'll go get the medic to give you a look, he knows better than us-" Gloss was cut off rather suddenly by the sound of my nails scraping against the metal walls. A few seconds before my stomach contents splatter onto the floor. At least I got it over with before I met the other Tributes.
Ezra Arlington, 18
Train Rides
It felt strange being without Paisley on the train. Of course, I had spent time away from her before, neither of us was dependent. However, being told I couldn't see her was rather frustrating. Even her parents never said that to me.
Yet, for once I didn't get angry. I knew the doctor was right. She was best sleeping whatever it was off. She needed to be in better shape by the time we arrived. I would just keep her awake. I still missed her.
So, I kept myself amused. Well, I tried to. Despite the gadgets and wonders that littered the train, none of them excited me. In fact, most of it seemed unnecessary. Why would I need a wall to cook my dinner, I could cook myself. I wasn't that bad in the kitchen either, so I did not even have the urge to try the food. It would have only tasted subpar anyway.
The one thing that I did find cool was a small, circular sweet. When placed into your mouth, it expanded and little, filling your mouth with a raspberry sour taste. The first time I tried one, I almost choked. I got the hang of them after a while. So I poured the rest of the bowl into the pockets of my dress pants and wandered over to the TV in the dining cart.
I expected there to be more on but aside from a Capitol drama, and a baking show, there wasn't much on. After flicking between the two, I decided to click on the Games channel. I promised Paisley I would wait but they were only showing Districts 12,10,7 and 4 anyway.
Twelve looked as weak as always, showing that last year was pure luck. The girl was underweight with little muscle mass and the boy, although dressed smartly looked short, like a little child. Not threats.
Ten was a bit more interesting. The girl looked healthy but still weak. Judging by her shaking, she wasn't much of a fighter either. The boy sparked my interest. Well built, tall, good looking. He could be a threat with sponsors. However, he looked built up on weights rather than weapons. He might strong but he clearly didn't have skill. The girl was a mouse and the guy was too overconfident to last long. Not a threat.
Seven was rather generic when it came to looks. Neither looked strong but they both looked like fighters. The boys looks could get sponsors but I had doubts he could use anything but an axe. If kept away from axes, not threats.
Four was always the interesting one. Potential allies for One. I didn't like the idea but it did increase our chances. The girl was a threat, most likely top of the academy like me and Paisley. The guy, although reaped, was still deadly looking. Most likely a fisherman with his build yet being reaped, he would be strong and no doubt could use a spear or trident. Both of them would be threats. I wasn't sure how a pack would work with the twist. If a career was to get paired with a weakling, it could cause friction. However, I knew if I was going to be forced into a group, I'd want them to with me. Keeping enemies close and all.
I took out another sweet and placed it in my mouth wincing slightly at the sour taste. I knew Paisley would have different ideas on who was a threat or not. She always saw more than me. But for now, I was just happy to pass the time.
Now, as much as I hated to admit it, I was intrigued to find out the ending to the Capitol drama. You know, to just pass the time.
*To put Paisley'ssubmitters mind at ease, Paisley is fine, Cashmere was correct in it was just the sudden change of food. It will be mentioned later on that she is okay but I thought I'd let you know*
"If you brainwash someone enough, they begin to see glory in the darkest of places."