Chapter 5

Being with Clara reminded him sorely of being with Rose. His girlfriend had been the light of his life until that fateful day she was reaped. It had been the worst day of his life, and therefore grew to hate anyone who would willingly volunteer as tribute. If only the rule about volunteering had been established before her Games, he was sure at least one other person would take it. Saying goodbye had been like the devastation of his parents all over again. He knew she was strong but not enough to win. He had watched those Games with a horror he never thought could be replaced with again.

Clara, Clara, Clara. It wasn't just the imprint of Rose's whimsical ways that drew her to him, but her sense of realness, understanding. She was feisty and challenging. More talented than she knew. She had already made this rocky journey just a little bit bearable. And, weirdly enough, she was fun to be around. A charmer, a pleaser. Someone he could relate to.

His demands of independence were slowly slipping away from him, the more he saw Clara the less he was sure he didn't want allies. She would be perfect, an ally worth having. He got the feeling it would be incessantly hard to do otherwise, resort to the 'hunting alone' path. As the final day of training came around it was pretty obvious of all tributes they'd both pick for allies if they could. Clara's skill in fighting had improved and by the end of the last day they were having full on sword fights. She was a quick learner, faster than he would have expected from any other tributes. He himself knew a little just from watching the Careers train.

'Wait there a minute.' She says, and he was left standing by the spears when she walked away from him. There was a group of tributes she was being dragged to by Haymitch, of all people. As soon as he saw Danny his eyebrows drew together disapprovingly. Clara, while the smallest, stood out from everyone. Apparently now she was a popular choice of ally and something about the way they were smiling and circling her angered him. Danny in particular looked as if he had already won Clara's favour. Maybe it was her newfound skills or surprising knowledge of poisonous plants that had caught their attention. Or maybe it was her face. Even 16 year old Haymitch was annoying him. After a moment of inspecting their back and forth chat he decided to walk over when Clara started to look defensive.

'Clara, are you okay?' He asked. She nodded and he looked deep into Danny's eyes.

'Is he bothering you?'

'No.' Danny answered for himself.

'What do you want?'

'I was asking Clara, not you.'

'Asking her what?' He demanded. He was almost head to head with him, and although older he stood taller than Danny, who was mostly all muscle and no brain. He didn't trust this man at all.

'Bas, it's okay.' Clara interjected, pushing past him. 'I don't want allies, Danny, I work alone. Sorry.'

He looked dumbfounded, as if he was still comprehending that no meant no. Even Haymitch looked disappointed at her words.

'Why not? You've already made alliances with him.' He accused, giving Bas a look that was meant to be intimidating but hardly made him twitch.

Clara glanced in his direction once. He knew this was also the moment of truth with their own alliance. They hadn't brought the subject up until then and he didn't know how she or himself truly thought about it.

'I never said I had.' She finished.

Indirect. Still open ended for him but enough for Danny.

'You fit in with the Careers,' he said, 'you're a real good fighter.'

Bas knew that that had nothing to do with it. He had purely determined now that Danny was uninterested in anything but her attractiveness. He thought it was absurd himself.

'Maybe you should take no for no, buddy. She's already made that clear.'

Danny moved closer to him, his face trying to be menacing.

'Why don't you butt out of it?'

He snorted. 'Unless Clara really does want to become your ally, I suggest you do the same.'

'You'll be the first I kill.' he decided.

'I'd like to see you try.'

'Bas! Walk away, will you?' Clara shook his shoulder but he took no notice of it.

'It would be extremely entertaining,' he continued, watching Danny's face screw up.

'You're weak and pathetic. I could break you in half, old man.'

'And if it wasn't for that ridiculous beard I would have taken that seriously.' He smirked.

Danny was obviously offended by this, as his hands pushed him so he recoiled violently. Careers were stuck up, savage and too headstrong for their own good. Bas only saw red when he looked up at that smug face and subsequently landed a punch round the cheek, which made it actually bleed. Everyone watching crept away fearfully at his surprising strength. When Danny had recovered he grabbed Bas' shirt and tried to strangle him, but another punch made him stagger. Danny punched him back but he hardly reacted as he threw punch after punch at him. Clara tried to break their throttling embrace up but both were too focused on trying to kill the other. Finally a training centre administer broke up the fight, dragging both of them away from each other.

'You'll have plenty of time to kill each other in the Games. Don't start before you've even started.'

Although none of his wounds particularly stung Clara made an effort of following after him and cleaning him up.

'That was the stupidest fight I've ever seen. Not because you weren't good at punching, but because you both were being childish.'

'He was obviously going to bug you until you gave up.'

'But that was none of your business.'

'You're welcome.'

She smiled slightly.

'You've still acted like a jerk. And gotten yourself into a state for nothing.'

'Ow!' He exclaimed.

'Stop moving, then!'

'I think you're making it worse, it was actually fine before you came and tampered with it!'

She said nothing but carried on treating him until he was finally allowed to get up.

'You are an idiot sometimes, aren't you? Clever, but stupid.'

'I guess you could say that for everybody.' He countered, scratching the back of his head.

'Will you be alright for the Gamemakers later?'

'Yeah I'm fine, Clara. I bet Danny is in worse shape.'

She couldn't help smirk a little. 'You've just made an enemy that will hunt you down as soon as the Games begins.'

'Me and Danny never got on back in our district anyway. He's always been arrogant and fierce. Obviously raised profoundly under influence of the Games.'

'Everything is an influence of the Games.'

'I think you're right. I've just lost the privilege of extra training time for that douche too, so my aim better be good once I go in there for the Gamemakers.'

'I'm sure you'll do fine, Bas. You always do. You underestimate yourself sometimes.'

'I do not.'

'You do.'

'Well, I guess it doesn't matter, does it? The Gamemakers could give any score.'

'You will get sponsers.'

'I don't really care about them.'

'Me neither. I just can't believe I've met someone that will be even more awkward at the Games presentation than I will.'

'That's true. Everyone was practically flaunting you back there.'

'And why does that bother you? If it wasn't for the fact I know you, you could have spared me some opponents. I could have made alliances.'

'What do you want me to say, sorry for stopping you? Clara the first thing they'd do in that pack is use you, trust me. I'm trying to keep you safe.'

'Why? No one's safe. No one is ever safe, Basil, not in the Games or out there in the districts. Maybe not even the Capitol.'

'Don't call me Basil.' He only replied, averting his eyes from her as he sat down.

'This isn't a game, is it? You know that as well as I do. This is life and death.'

'I know that.'

'I'm not saying I didn't appreciate it,' she said, and he could consciously feel her coming closer, 'in fact seeing Danny banged up was impressive. I just don't want you to get mixed up in things you don't have to. Things like me.'

Her fingers sifted lightly across the top of his hair. He always did this. He always made attachments too quickly, when it could never last. Clara's case was even worse. He knew she was going to die and there would be nothing he could do to stop it.

'I think in this sad, lonely little world of ours we both deserve someone to help out.' He glanced over his shoulder at her.

She didn't reply but he knew he had made an impression on her.

'Meet me after the Gamemakers, yeah?'

'Of course.' He replied.

Soon enough he was called in, being the very first tribute.

'Good luck.' Clara granted, but he didn't feel as if his luck was in any way good or particularly in his favour. He felt pathetic walking in there, in front of a room of people who watched him expectantly.

'Basil Disco, District 1.' He announced. One of them quirked an eyebrow but he wasn't given any invitation to begin. He sighed, hoping he could get it over with as quick as possible. He grabbed a spear, stood at least fifteen metres and threw it to the heart of the dummy. It whistled past alarmingly but landed at it's neck. However this was received well amongst his watchers and he felt his confidence rise just a little. His hands were steady, as the next spear sailed through the left eye. He decided to show off a little bit, raising a gun, stepping back a further five feet and shooting directly to the heart this time, and the bullet shot through exactly where he wanted. He smirked in satisfaction and decided to play around a bit, taking a few shots while walking backwards and shooting at the target behind him without looking. He didn't see the result but he knew it had hit home. He grabbed both weapons in his hands, sizing up his chances before impulsively throwing his spear and firing a bullet at exactly the same spot on the dummy. He glanced upward to see a few people nodding and he concluded he liked his chances so far. After experimenting in numerous different ways he stopped, putting down the spear and gun, making awkward eye contact with the Gamemakers. He walked off, waiting and waiting until Clara came out. She didn't look as if she screwed it up but he observed she was a little tense.

'How'd it go?'

'I think it was alright.'

'What did you use?

'Gun.'

'That it?'

'Well, I tried the sword out too. I'm not sure that went well.'

'Ah, don't worry, I'm sure your score will be fine.'