Author's Note: Just wanted to take a second to thank my reviewers, Lord Axxingtons, White Weasel, and Obiwanlivesforever! It's great to know that someone besides me is enjoying this.
I am not going to throw up. I am not going to throw up.
I take a deep breath and pull my jacket on. It only has a little fuzz on the inside, but it warms me up pretty quickly, anyway. Unlike the rest of the neutral grey outfit, it's a dark red. Probably not great for disguise.
My stylist checks on me as I'm brushing my teeth. "You didn't have time to do your hair this morning?"
I spit. "Was I supposed to?" I didn't even have time for Chords of Steel, aside from what I got in on the hovercraft ride.
"No, actually." With a cat-like grin, he steps up next to me. Between that and my general situation, I can't be blamed for getting a few goosebumps. I finish up my brushing and turn to see him holding up a small white squeeze tube.
Should I be scared?
"It's just hair gel. Well, maybe not 'just.' " He starts to spin the cap off. "This should last you three whole days if you don't get it wet. After that, well…" He shrugs as he coaxes some of the gel onto his fingertips. "I'd send the rest in with you if it weren't against the rules."
"Oh! No, that's fine. Even this is more than I had hoped for."
I aid him in setting up my hair spikes, and he slicks them up.
"Well, with any luck, they'll have some in the arena. They've had quite a few toiletries in the Cornucopia before."
"Yeah, that would be great." Maybe I won't be able to snatch any food, medicine, shelter, or weapons, but I might find hair gel! O joy!
"All right." He taps the water faucet on with his elbow and rinses his hands with soap and water. "Does your outfit feel okay?"
I stretch and walk around a bit. Overall, it feels normal enough, but the thickness of the socks cushions my steps really well. "Yes."
"Great." He claps his hands, and they stay together. I'm not sure if it's intentional. "The best of luck to you, Apollo. It's been a pleasure to work with you, and I hope we can continue after this."
"Thank you."
He leads me to my starting plate, leaving me to focus on my breathing until the P.A. announces launch time. A clear cylinder comes down around me, and I take the chance to start shouting hard.
"I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!"
The plate ascends, the darkness above me approaching.
"I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!"
I just need to scope out the arena, figure out what supplies I need, and grab them.
"I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!"
And then get out of there. Trucy or some other allies will follow me, or the other way around; whatever happens happens.
"I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!"
I can see daylight above me, so I clench my jaw shut and brace myself. It's just the initial rush for supplies. I can handle this!
The next booming voice doesn't belong to me. "Ladies and gentlemen, let the Twenty-First Annual Hunger Games begin!"
I have sixty seconds to analyze the scene. Let's go!
Between me and the Cornucopia is a wet, grassy area. There are patches of mud around, so I don't think out-and-out sprinting is the best idea. I'll probably leave footprints on the rocks when all is said and done, too. There's a stream ahead and to my right that could wash my shoes clean, but others may have the same idea, and I'm not high enough up to judge the depth of the water. I'll grab my supplies and run for the mountain straight behind me. I could be followed for a while, but that won't be any different for most of the other tributes.
All right. Supplies, then. Just ahead of me is a large, shrink-wrapped clipboard with paper. Taking notes would be nice, I could use some tinder, and it won't be too heavy. Past that is a leathery bag that isn't very tall but has some thickness to it. No way to tell what's inside, but containers are good, and I'm sure the contents are worth it.
The only Career anywhere near me is Simon, who may or may not kill me on the spot. I'm honestly not sure. But he's to my right, so if I hang left, I should still have time to grab a few more things—
The gong sounds, and I pelt for the clipboard. The ground is about as solid as I predicted, so I try to get more grass under my steps for friction. The clipboard's easy to pick up, and I press it to my chest as I make for the knapsack. Still no competition, although this thing is pretty heavy. I throw it over one shoulder and locate the nearest supplies. A megaphone on one side and some rope and bungee cords on the other. I go for the latter.
Somewhere I can sense the noise coming from all sides, but I have to stay focused. No one is behind me, although the megaphone has shifted since I last checked. Swallowing, I charge ahead to the next patch of supplies. Water purification tablets, a sword about the same size as the one I practiced with, a packet of vacuum-sealed bandages.
A soiled patch of cloth on my right catches my eye before I look just past it.
Clay is lying face-up with a knife handle sticking out of his chest.
I stare at the wound for I'm not sure how long before I scramble over to him, dropping by supplies as I kneel next to him. "Clay!"
He doesn't respond, and my hands are shaking when I look closer at the knife. It's sunk in to the hilt right about where his heart is, and blood is staining his shirt from the inside, though it hasn't reached the surface of his personal jacket. I—! I-I have to stop it...!
"Clay! Clay! H-hang in there!"
I— I have to—!
I grab the knife handle to get it out of the way, but it's stuck on his jacket. Choking, I tug at the jacket, too, taking it off his left side along with the knife. I slip it off his right arm, too, and find a cleaner spot of the cloth to press down on the wound with.
I just... I stop the bleeding first! And then—! I-I stop the bleeding first... Is this okay?! Am I doing it right?
Panting, I lift the jacket up for a second to check, and there doesn't seem to be any more blood.
Okay, I don't think he's bleeding. I... Should he be bleeding? Maybe he should?!
"Clay?" It's a struggle to still my hand enough to pull up one of his pale eyelids. He doesn't look at me. His pupil doesn't even shrink from the daylight.
Th-that's bad, right? Am I—Did I do this wrong? I...!
"Apollo!"
A female voice pierces my eardrums, and I have a hazy feeling she's been shouting for a while.
"We have to get out of here!" She pulls at my shoulders, and from the shadow that falls across the ground, I can pick out Trucy's hat.
Get out...? But Clay...!
I glance back at him and go numb. He's dead. Of course he's dead. What on earth have I been doing?!
Trucy shrieks as something clangs behind her. I whip around to see her holding up a shield as a throwing knife glances off it. She gives me a wide-eyed look of urgency, and I scramble to gather my supplies as she snatches the knife.
"Come on!" I've lost all sense of volume, but my throat is nearly raw just from that as I turn toward the mountain ahead. She doesn't wait for another clue before sprinting ahead of me, and I hurry after her, my mouth so dry I can barely breathe. Am I even breathing? I-I'm not sure...
I don't even register the time or distance passing. I just keep going. Away from the danger, away from... Clay's corpse...!
Holy...
How...? Who? Who would do this to him?!
Clay is dead... No! He's—He's supposed to make it to the stars...!
The thought hits me that his death is better for my own survival, but I feel sick enough already.
My feet slip from under me. I'm carrying too much to stop myself, so the best I can do is brace for impact.
"Polly!"
Trucy grabs the back of my jacket, but my weight only makes her stagger before I hit the ground. Jaw ramming into the bag, I shout and try to keep my grip on everything as I slide down. I don't know if it's Trucy's doing or if the slope just isn't that steep, but I come to a stop before anything more than the bandages go rolling out of my arms.
Gasping for breath, I blink my eyes open and try to figure out where I am. A grey-brown boulder is in front of my face, many like it spread around. I must have bounded up these earlier. Farther ahead, the mountain becomes a more unified wall. About five feet up, a faint red mark crosses the stone. Suddenly I register the stinging by my eye.
"Are you okay?" Trucy pulls on my elbow to help me up.
"I'm fine." I wipe at the skin between my left eye and hairline, but the bleeding is clearly nothing to worry about. The throb in my head from the impact is still fading, but I couldn't have broken anything. "Are we still alone?"
I catch my voice breaking at the end, but I'm still unprepared when I break into sobs.
"Apollo?!" Trucy quickly but gently probes at my scrape and the bruise forming under my jaw, but I wave her off.
"I'm fine..." The bag starts to slip away, but I grab a shoulder strap just in time. "I-I'm not hurt."
My tears spill over quickly enough to keep my vision from getting too blurry. I cover my mouth as if that's going to stop me—then I notice that the large flap on top of the backpack is open. I can make out a few scrunched-up folds of Clay's jacket inside. I must have crammed it in without thinking... Like everything else I was doing...
Trucy hugs me around the shoulders. "Do you... need to stay here for a while?"
I gasp for breath at the wrong moment and start coughing. "We're s-still close? Aren't... we?"
Her hair swings, brushing my ear, as she nods.
I... I have to get a hold of myself...!
"I'm..." But I can't be too loud. We're too close to the Cornucopia, and other tributes... They'll hear us, a-and that probably won't end well.
"C-come on!" I jump to my feet, knocking Trucy off, but she recovers as I lunge for the bandages and shove them into the backpack. "Let's go!" I throw the clipboard and tablets in before slinging the thing onto my shoulders. Fastening the sword at my waist, I cover my mouth with my hand and try to keep it down.
"I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine. I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine."
But it's hard to clamber over the rocks with both hands occupied, so I tuck the bungee ropes under my arm and let go of my mouth.
"I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine..."
"Polly?" Trucy puts her hand on my shoulder, digging something out from under her jacket. "I can carry that for a while." Slipping the shield higher up on her arm, she offers me a thick blanket, mostly clean and mostly folded into a square. "This might help muffle your voice."
I manage to release a breath. "Thank you." We trade, and I start shouting into the blanket.
I have to calm down. I... What is the Capitol going to think of me? I can't lose sponsors just because I... I can't handle a friend's death without crying? I'm supposed to just get over it?! How on earth could anyone...?!
But how am I supposed to win the Games if I can't even...?!
Augh! I don't care!
I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!