TRIPLE UPDATE!

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Seventy-Five; Home-Grown Skills

They decided to eat and talk so their time could be more productively spent. Stephanie felt immediately better with food resting fully in her stomach. She was sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall beside Haymitch, legs curled to the side of her as she toyed at the label on her water bottle. Haymitch's shoulder was pressed against hers as he had his legs stretched out in front of him.

They were both facing Electra, who was sitting with her legs crossed, munching contently on her cupcakes she had brought.

"Right Trindlesworth, what do you do that could be considered athletic back home?" Electra asked suddenly, licking blue icing from her lips.

Stephanie frowned, puzzled. "What?"

"You told me you mock-wrestled?" Electra prompted.

"Yea, for fun Ellen – with my four year old niece!"

Electra sighed. "What else do you do?"

Stephanie scoured her brain desperately.

"I play kick around with a ball with my brother and a few of his friends. Does that count?" Stephanie suggested feebly.

"So you have good coordination with your feet to dribble a ball?" Electra said.

"Ellen, have you not been watching her the past half hour? She has no coordination," Haymitch interjected.

Stephanie frowned half-heartedly. She knew that Haymitch wasn't saying it to be insulting, merely honest.

"Well, what do you do during these 'kick-abouts'? Play team mascot on the side-lines?" Electra suggested sarcastically.

"No," Stephanie replied shortly. "I get it to my brother – he's the one with the coordination, but I'm faster than him."

"Faster? How fast?" Electra immediately asked.

Stephanie shrugged, "I don't know. I suppose I do run about quite a lot at home without realising it. I'm always chasing Eldi and she's faster than a whip. And I always sleep in for work most days so I have to practically race to the factory each morning."

"Plus you've got a light frame which would make you faster," Electra said appraisingly. Electra exchanged a look with Haymitch.

"Race me," Electra said suddenly, getting to her feet as she finished off her cupcake.

Stephanie glanced towards Haymitch first who nodded, before she got to her feet.

"Where to?" Stephanie asked.

"From here," Electra pointed to where they were standing, "To the far off archery targets and back, okay?"

Stephanie nodded.

"Haymitch, you judge," Electra said as she and Stephanie stood side by side, knees bent slightly in preparation

"On your marks – Get set – Go!"

As soon as the last word had left Electra's lips Stephanie had taken off, legs pumping furiously. She had raced countless times like this back home against her brother Fen, just for the fun of it. She had always beaten him, because she was lighter and smaller than he was, she could move faster.

Stephanie skidded to a halt as she reached the archery targets, almost barrelling straight into one with her over momentum.

She swivelled lightly on her heels, turning swiftly to race back. She shot past Haymitch, slowing and looking over her shoulder to see Electra; a good few seconds behind her.

Stephanie stopped panting slightly, a wide grin blooming across her face.

"I won," Stephanie announced, feeling earned pride suffuse through her. A rare feeling.

Electra chuckled ruefully, exchanging a look with Haymitch. "Yea, you did," Electra confirmed, "You're decently fast. At least now we can be sure you can run away from a fight even if you can't participate in one," she added dryly.

Stephanie smirked, too overjoyed at the fact that she had possibly done one commendable thing at training to let Electra's words dampen her mood. Even Haymitch was grinning fondly at her, standing in her radiating exuberance.

"How long do you reckon you can keep that speed up for?" Electra asked, tossing Stephanie her bottle of water.

Stephanie gulped down a few grateful mouthfuls, as she calculated quickly in her head. She estimated how long it took her during her mad, morning dash from her house to the factory each day, to avoid being late and losing her measly wages for the entire week.

"About fifteen minutes roughly," Stephanie replied.

"It's not spectacular," Electra warned Stephanie, "But it is something we can work with," she added and Stephanie's wide grin returned.

Stephanie dropped lightly back down beside Haymitch, still grinning, as her shoulder knocked his.

"How would I use this?" Stephanie asked, as Electra sunk down again in front of them.

"Well – you could run for short dashes and then take cover, drawing an enemy after you, tiring them out. By the time they reach you they're exhausted and their reflexes are slower meaning they match you in skill normally," Electra replied. "Plus it's the arena – even the Careers will have to run from some Capitol invention at one stage or another. It's good to be fast."

Stephanie nodded before Electra fixed her with another expectant look.

"Weapons?" The blue-haired woman announced shortly. "And I'm not your mother to scold you, so be honest with me."

Stephanie snorted, exchanging a knowing, rueful look with Haymitch. "I honestly have never handled weapons before," she replied drily.

Electra frowned, but wasn't deterred.

"Well, that's not too surprising. It's the Districts afterall; they're hardly going to let you go about carrying a weapon in clear sight. But what about everyday things you use that could be adapted for use as a weapon?"

Stephanie frowned slightly. "I'm not sure how much use I would be wielding a toothbrush," she replied drolly.

Electra shot her an unamused look, and Stephanie sighed lightly, furrowing her brow in thought.

She supposed she dealt with numerous instruments that could be considered crude weapons at work each day in the factory.

"You work on the factory production floor – what tools do you use on a daily basis?" Haymitch aided her.

Stephanie shrugged. "Nothing heavy duty; soldering iron, blowtorch, hammer, pliers, screwdriver – things that you'd find in any worker's toolkit. I solder up circuit boards most days to put into electronic devices."

"That's finicky business," Electra latched on quickly.

Stephanie nodded, "It drove me mad to start with, but now – "

"Now I bet you can solder circuit boards together without even looking at the instruction sheets provided?"

Stephanie shrugged lightly. "I've been doing it every day for two years. It gets to the point where you barely need to look at the instruction sheets, you can slot the pieces together yourself."

"See that! That's something we can work with too," Electra exclaimed eagerly.

Stephanie arched a perplexed brow. "How?"

"Tricky tasks like that require fast fingers and the right kind of vision to be able to look at separate parts and see the end product in your head. What does that sound like to you Haymitch?" Electra said, with a mild air of triumph as Stephanie remained looking baffled.

"Traps," Haymitch answered immediately.

"Traps?" Stephanie echoed, "But I don't – " she began dubiously, when Electra cut across her impatiently.

"I know you've probably never laid a trap before in your life, but you have the mind-set for it, even if you don't know it. I bet if I taught you one simple trap, like you learn that one simple trip switch circuit when you first start working on any of the factory floors – I bet you would be able to work out bigger and more intricate traps yourself just like you can now build products without looking at the instruction sheets," Electra projected confidently.

Stephanie still looked slightly sceptical, "Ellen, it was over a year before I could just start ignoring the instruction sheets," she pointed out.

Haymitch spoke before Electra could. "We haven't got a year sweetheart, so you'll have to learn fast."

As soon as a plan of action was decided, it was acted upon.

Stephanie knew innately that no top experienced or qualified Capitolite trainer could have taught her to lay a trap better than Electra and Haymitch taught her right then.

Their instructions were a mixture of new technical terms she was unfamiliar with and the old jargon she was used to hearing every day in the factory back home. True to her word, Electra likened every step of setting the trap to laying a simple circuit. It cut the time it would have normally took to learn it considerably for Stephanie. The finicky task of tying knots and setting triggers as though she were following an instruction sheet was also a lot easier to pick up than trying to learn moves with a blade.

After careful instructing from both her mentors she was able to construct a trap that worked more or less as it should have. It wasn't a deadly contraption, Electra was quick to point out, but it would hold someone up or be useful in protecting a campsite if needs be. Stephanie was marginally proud, but she couldn't help thinking of herself constructing little traps and gimmicks to ensnare unsuspecting tributes in…just like a blue-eyed Gamemaker she knew so well did too. She imagined Seneca could very well teach her quite a few things about building and setting traps as well. And suddenly Stephanie was grateful that the first trap Electra and Haymitch had seen fit to teach her hadn't been a lethal one.

"Er – right, how are you with heights?" Electra had already leapt onto the next topic on the checklist in her head as Stephanie nursed a slight rope burn from laying her trap.

Stephanie shrugged lightly. "I've no problem with heights per say," she replied slowly.

Electra's brows contracted. "And what does that mean Trindlesworth? You either have or you haven't?"

Stephanie frowned. "Well, I walk across those walkways that are hundreds of feet above the factory floor every day without flinching but – if you stuck me on a tightrope I'm not saying I wouldn't probably faint," Stephanie replied honestly.

Electra ran an appraising eye over Stephanie and Stephanie cast nervous eyes towards Haymitch.

"Well, only one way to find out," Electra remarked with a grim cheerfulness that spelt nothing but trouble for Stephanie, as the blue-haired woman practically skipped by.

Stephanie turned immediately to Haymitch. "Only one way to find out? She's not actually going to stick me on a tightrope, is she Haymitch?" Stephanie asked, only half-joking.

Haymitch smirked, directing Stephanie to follow Electra at a less enthusiastic pace.

"Not quite, sweetheart," he replied unhelpfully.

As it were, Electra's surest way to find out if Stephanie was afraid of heights, wasn't quite as bad as Stephanie had expected. It wasn't a tightrope anyway, Stephanie was thankful.

Hands firmly on her shoulders, Electra had directed Stephanie to a large stretch of wall that was made from a slightly different and rougher material. And into it were discernible carved notches and protruding angles at irregularly spaced intervals. Stephanie had a fair idea what she was going to be told to do just as Electra voiced it.

"Right Trindlesworth – up you go," Electra said enthusiastically.

Stephanie arched a brow. "Climb it?" she asked needlessly for confirmation.

"Well, unless you were planning to fly, yes 'climb it' was the idea I was aiming for," Electra answered sardonically with a smirk.

Stephanie eyed the top of the wall dubiously. "And if I fall?"

"Be sure not to land on your head," Electra advised, clapping Stephanie affirmatively on the shoulder.

Stephanie groaned but didn't bother to argue as she pressed her hands into the small of her back and walked resolutely over to the base of the wall. She imagined that given that gravity was clearly working extra hard in attracting her to the floor since she woke that morning, trying to challenge that by climbing a vertical wall was really testing her already thinly stretched odds of survival. She tried to uselessly massage her already aching shoulders anyway though, before attacking the climbing wall.

"You have a good reach – use it," Haymitch instructed as Stephanie managed to climb a few feet of the ground.

She lifted her head, struggling to look around for her next hold, before she grasped it a little above her. Sucking in a breath, Stephanie hauled herself up, gritting her teeth.

"Take your time," Electra called breezily, "I'm sure some Capitol mutt will of course wait leisurely while you crawl up the wall at a snail's pace."

"It's speed or accuracy, you choose," Stephanie called back, "If I go faster I'll miss and fall."

"Well at this stage you will be dragged down before you manage to get out of reach fast enough anyway," Electra retorted.

"Try going faster," Haymitch said.

Stephanie gave a disgruntled sigh but obediently sped up her movements. Her footfalls slipped a few times and she got herself into positions where she had to backtrack to manoeuvre herself out of them. But all in all she was able to reach the apex without plummeting to a painful landing below.

Learning things like this was easier Stephanie had found; solo tasks that were more survival than fighting. It was less stressful without having to worry about an opponent trying to kill you, at the same time as learning how to handle a weapon for the first time. She knew whatever limited skills she was displaying at that moment weren't very impressive, but they still filled Stephanie with a small sense of accomplishment each time. It was a better feeling than the absolute ineptness Haymitch's training had instilled in her. Stephanie knew Haymitch had been trying to force as much fighting skill into her as possible, hating the sickening thought of her being so defenceless. Electra's approach was a little more pragmatic in taking Stephanie with all her dismal fighting abilities and trying to work something worthwhile from what was already there. No new fantastical skills were going to be garnered in so short a time. Haymitch had come to accept that begrudgingly. When Stephanie entered the arena she still was not going to be a trained fighter.

"Come back down now," Haymitch called up to her.

Stephanie chanced a peek over her shoulder. Her stomach gave a nauseating swoop when she saw how high up she actually was, and her legs turned to the consistency of jelly for a few frightening moments.

"Trindlesworth, do not make me come up there and kick you down," Electra shouted uncompromisingly.

Stephanie pushed back the sickening feeling, forcing herself not to focus on the very real drop right below her. She concentrated resolutely on putting one foot below the other, slowly working her way down.

"Drop," Electra called.

Stephanie glanced down to see she was standing just right about Electra's height.

With an internal groan, but knowing better than to argue at this stage, Stephanie released her hold reluctantly, dropping to the ground below.

She landed slightly unsteadily with a light thud to the spongy ground below, before standing and wincing slightly. She was convinced that Electra and Haymitch were set to turn her into one big heap of sore muscles before training ended.

"Drop and roll when you hit the ground in future, sweetheart – lessens the impact," Haymitch advised, catching Stephanie's wince.

"And whatever the case, don't belly-flop if you're jumping into water. That'll wind you far more effectively than a punch to the gut would," Electra added, giving Stephanie a quick jab in the stomach with her elbow for emphasis.

Stephanie rubbed at her already tender ribs as she snorted. "Ellen, there would be no chance of me jumping into water willingly at all," she said emphatically.

Electra turned, looking questioningly.

"Her swimming abilities are non-existent," Haymitch explained.

"Of course they would be," Electra agreed drily. Stephanie discreetly edged backwards away from the blue-haired woman. She wouldn't put it past Electra to suddenly conjure a swimming pool from thin air and shove her into it.

"Yea, well we haven't time today to teach you how to swim. We have to be getting back now," Electra looked to Haymitch who nodded in agreed response. Stephanie tried not to groan aloud in relief.

"Few questions to run by you first, Trindlesworth," Electra said, as she looped an arm about Stephanie's shoulders, steering her towards the changing rooms.

"Can you make a fire?"

"Yea. I make them all the time at home and at the factory."

"Yea, but can you make one from scratch with no tinder box or anything," Haymitch interjected.

Stephanie shrugged. "It's trickier, but I can still do it."

"Good. You know how to keep a fire from smoking too much. What stuff to use and not to?" he pressed.

Stephanie gave another affirmative nod.

"What about animals?" Electra added.

They had reached the changing room door now, but they paused, stopped outside it.

"What kind of animals?" Stephanie asked warily.

"Dead ones," Electra replied bluntly. "Are you squeamish or anything like that about having to kill and gut your own dinner, if you're lucky enough to catch anything worth eating in the arena?"

"No, I think I'll be fine. I've watched my brother do it hundreds of times when he brings back animals from the market. As long as it's dead animals…" Stephanie trailed off meaningfully. Though she would sometimes spare a distracted grimace if she would come back to the house and find her brother Fen, on the porch skinning some measly animal or other for their supper; that was just life in the districts. It wasn't dead animals she was squeamish or feared seeing in the arena.

"What about injuries?" Haymitch asked and Stephanie looked up.

"It's the Hunger Games Stephanie, you're not going to make it through the arena entirely unscathed," Electra said frankly.

"I know," Stephanie agreed immediately, "I've never seen anything too serious to know how I would react and I'm pretty useless when it comes to pain myself." Stephanie grimaced apologetically.

Electra released a measured breath. "What about cleaning and dressing a wound – if you had the needed gear would you know what to do?"

Stephanie nodded slightly. "My father lost his arm in a factory explosion. I've learnt how to clean and dress his wound over the years and it's been pretty ugly sometimes with the ulcers that keep opening up the old wound there."

Electra nodded grimly yet approvingly. "So you can spot the signs of infection early on?"

"Yes – easily," Stephanie answered confidently.

"And what about giving stitches? Stopping a bleed?" Haymitch pressed.

Stephanie shifted uncomfortably as her limited medical knowledge was stretched. "I had to help stop a bleed once when there were complications during Eldi's birth, but I don't know if I could remember what to do now. And I've never stitched a wound before."

"Have you stitched clothes?" Electra asked.

Stephanie nodded, "Of course."

"Well then, it's not much different," Electra concluded grimly, opening the changing room door.

In the changing rooms they got washed and changed swiftly back into their own clothes, Electra and Stephanie meeting an already freshly dressed Haymitch waiting for them in the hallway to Sterlin's apartment.

"Your number one fan club is waiting for you," Haymitch muttered wryly at Electra as the two women exited the training rooms and the 'wall door' slid silently shut after them.

Electra turned expectantly, smirking when she saw Sterlin loitering eagerly at the end of the hall. The man's face lit up entirely when he saw Electra.

Stephanie smiled a little incredulously. "Blondie really is fond of you," Stephanie murmured teasingly, glancing at Electra.

Electra nudged Stephanie and Stephanie tried not to wince too noticeably. She was sure she would be feeling the effects of training with Electra for an agonisingly long time.

"The man simply appreciates a fine, fighting woman," Electra muttered back with a smirk.

"We'll meet you down at the car while you deal with your fan base then," Haymitch said sardonically, hand already taking Stephanie's elbow instinctively.

"Now don't be jealous boys and girls," Electra replied charmingly.

Stephanie chuckled lightly, grinning as she allowed Haymitch to steer her from Sterlin's apartment.

"Who'd have thought it – the impersonal, money-grabbing Sterlin your number one fan," Stephanie winked at Electra.

Electra rolled her eyes laughingly. "Likewise Trindlesworth, who'd have thought it – you're not completely useless," she shot back with a winning smirk.

And despite the overall aching feeling in her limbs, Stephanie felt a small grim sense of satisfaction suffuse her overtaxed and weary body about her latest training session.

Thanks to girlworthfightingfor for the review; Don't worry about it! I pretty much imagine Electra the same way! :P

Thanks to Silver Fletcher for the review; I'm glad to hear you like Electra! :D