A/N
Hey guys, I don't have much to say but thought id say hi!
When we get to the bottom floor of the training center, where the tributes wait for the parade to story, I'm immediately introduced to Cinna. He's chatting amiably to Rosie and Katniss, and I'm struck by his appearance straight away. And by that, I mean his lack of the capitol fashion trends aside from the glint of gold eyeliner which makes his eyes stand out.
When he spots me, he rushes over to take my hand in a firm grip. "Nice to meet you Rhys, I must say though, I feel like I know you already. Katniss often talked about you last year and on the victory tour, and Rosie seems to think you will be this years victor!"
a flood of sadness washes over my body. Rosie has already accepted her death, and knowing her like I do, and judging by the look on her face as she stares around, she's simply making the most of the capitol until she gets sent to the arena. I quietly excuse my self from Cinna and walk away.
Looking at the other tributes I cant help but grin; aside from the careers and ourselves, all of the tributes look ridiculous. District 7 are dressed as trees, like always. District 10 are quite literally dressed in cow skin, if the smell if anything to go from. They're obviously trying to be authentic, but I cant bet but almost retch., and the tributes themselves look ready to vomit. District 11 are stark naked apart from straw hats and some kind of underwear that looks thatched from real rue flowers. I think that must be a tribute to Rue, the young girl Katniss allied with last year. However, the career districts look almost as good as we will when we're set alight. District 1 are shimmering in different layers of different jewels, definitely an eye-catcher. District 4 are dressed as warriors of the sea, with bare torsos and some kind of dark green mesh trousers. I catch Freddie Odair's eye and smirk at his ease with being half naked in front of his ogling district partner. Aqua I think her name is. I finally catch sight and almost punch something when I see district 2.
Clove, beautiful and confident Clove is dressed as a roman courtesan. That is to say, a whore. I refuse to even think about how attractive she is while she's wearing that. I'd feel disgusting, it's quite degrading really. I think I'll have word with her stylist.
I start to make my way over there but I'm stopped by Marvel, the boy from district 1.
"Hey man, nice to meet you, I'm Marvel Deecee, district 1, you're Rhys Jacobs, district 12 right?"
I decide I might as well start to meet my fellow tributes so I shake his hand firmly. "yeah that's right, nice to meet you".
"You too man, look, you look like you could be a career, the way you're built so I just had to ask. Can you throw a spear?" my eyes widen at his question. That was not what I expected at all, to be honest, I'm not really sure what I was expecting. Probably some hard ass who was going to try and intimidate me, but Marvel seems... friendly, so I reply with a confident smile in place "No, but if you want to teach me tomorrow, I can show you how to shoot a bow, throw a knife, set a snare, start a fire, swing a sword, use an axe, or climb like a monkey, deal?"
I laugh at the over joyous expression on Marvels face. I don't think he expected me to reciprocate his friendly attitude, him being from 1, but at the end of the day, I've never cared where anyone was from, because we're all human, and humans can be pleasant. Sometimes.
"Thanks, but I wasn't offering a deal, I was only offering my help, and if we're gonna be in an alliance, we probably shouldn't be too similar in our skills, you know, so we have variation." Huh? I'm with him? I wasn't intending on starting any alliances, apart from Rosie, but that goes unsaid. I guess it couldn't hurt to have some back-up in there, but I need something from him first.
"So I'm in your alliance?" He laughs as he nods, but I continue anyway,"Well if you want me, you'll have to have Rosie too, because I will not leave her." Marvel has stopped laughing now, but he looks quite sympathetic for me and replies with"I don't see any problem with it, but I'll have to talk with Clove and Glimmer, and she'll have to contribute. Can she do anything?"
"First aid" I reply straight away, as I know he will find her healing skill invaluable, as very few careers bother with learning it. As I thought he would, his eyes immediately light up and he waves kindly as he goes to talk to Glimmer. I continue to make my way to Clove, my heart beating slightly quicker the closer I get to her.
She notices me a few feet away and steps away from her mentor, quickly walking towards me.
"Hi I'm Rhys Jacobs, 12" I don't know why I said that, she probably knows who I am through the recaps of the reapings.
"Clove, 2, and I've got to say Rhys, that was some volunteering, I don't think I've ever seen one like it." I'm pleasantly surprised that she approves, I guess I thought she would be mad that I upstaged her own. I really need to stop making assumptions about the careers.
"Yeah well, I had decided to volunteer for the quell when I was 10," her eyes widen, "so I had a lot of time to plan it". She looks at me with those beautiful brown orbs, and I can see the confusion in them. "10?" I nod, and she looks upset for some reason. But before I have time to ponder it, I notice her stylists walking towards us.
"Clove? Which stylist is yours?" I ask quite innocently, but I think she already knows where I'm going with this and reaches her arm out as if to restrain me.
I feel her hand on me and we both instantly freeze, feeling the electricity between us where her hand lays on my forearm. She removes her hand slowly, looks down with red cheeks and quietly say"the shorter one, but you don-!" too late. I've already walked the length of the space between us and punched her stylist in the jaw.
"What the fuck have you put her in? She's a girl, not a fucking prostitute!" I almost yell, drawing every tribute, mentor and stylist in the room. I look over my shoulder. Haymitch is laughing his head off, Rosie just looks at my hand, which is growing red. Cinna and Portia are trying to hide their smiles, maybe they know this stylist. Katniss is looking shocked. Freddie and his older brother and mentor Finnick, who I hadn't noticed was there until then, are grinning appreciatively, and Marvel and Glimmer, like Haymitch, are clutching their stomachs in laughter.
Clove, although she's obviously trying to hide it, looks grateful and embarrassed at the same time. She quietly walks over to me and hugs me, her arms snaking around my neck.
I'm momentarily shocked at our closeness, but quickly get over it and reciprocate, my arms going straight around her waist, my head resting on top of hers. We stay like this for about 10 seconds before we realize where we are, stepping quickly away. Before I can leave however, she kisses me on the cheek, making fireworks erupt in my body, quietly says '"thank you" and goes back to her team, blushing furiously. And if the look on Haymitch's face when I get back, I know I must be too.
I quietly look behind me again at Clove, who's still blushing, staring right at me, I offer a smile which she returns. This earns her a rough shove from Drew, who is dressed as a gladiator. It takes all of my restraint not to go and beat all hell out of him. Punching a stylist is one thing, but tributes are not allowed to fight, and besides, I can already see Drew being reprimanded for it. I don't think Clove knows I saw it.
I deliberately try and avoid the topic with my team, and say loudly "So what's so special about these costumes anyway?"
this seems to break everyone out of their smirks and laughter, and they immediately go to answer my question.
These suits are designed to compliment each other, and specifically outdo last years.
Our suits are the same colors of pour own eye, mine red and orange, Rosie's green and blue. But our flames will be the color of each others eyes, my flame being green and blue, and Rosie's red and orange. The flames will be bigger and more ferocious than last years as well, stretching 5 and a half feet apparently. That means Rosie's flame will be taller than her.
We hear the the sound of the announcer telling us to get into our chariots, which we do, but I have a last minute idea.
"Wait, Portia, spray both of the flames on a half of Rosie's body!" I quickly kneel down to them and whisper my idea. They immediately cheer and do as I say. I see Haymitch looking at me funny. I wink at him and look for Katniss. She's conversing quietly with Finnick Odair, and it makes me smile when he kisses her, because no matter about Peeta, Katniss deserves happiness after all she's been through and I know Peeta would want her to be happy anyway.
I put my plan into action as soon as Rosie is set alight. I motion for her to climb onto my back piggy back style and she doesn't hesitate. Now we look amazing with the flames and the image we're putting across, two siblings that couldn't be happier to be here together, even though-at least in my case- we're not.
As I expected, the crowd goes absolutely crazy when they see us, and Rosie and I cheer and wave and smile and blow kisses until all the other tributes are being ignored and everyone is screaming our names, or more accurately, screaming "The Jacobs! The Jacobs!" over and over.
When we get to the square in front of the presidential mansion, I can see for the first time, what I think ti be a genuine smile on Snows face. I don't need to pretend I don't know why, I'm holding up my end of the bargain by basically outshining everyone and everything by the show I'm putting on.
Snow starts his spiel about the hunger games and the Quarter Quell while I look around at my fellow tributes again. My eyes find clove straight away, three chariots down. She's staring straight at me with a smile on her face as well, but her smile I feel like I could melt into, and I smile back causing her to blush and look down. I can't believe I'm making the girl from district 2 blush.
My eyes find Drew's next, and as expected, he's livid at me upstaging him. If I wasn't here it would probably be him everyone was cheering for. But surely that can't be all he's mad at, but I cant think of any other reason at the moment, maybe I'll ask Clove later. Apparently, or at least according t Haymitch, because it's a quell, the tribute get a party room where they can spend their nights unless they're needed somewhere else, like their beds. Tributes aren't allowed to spend the entire night there, only until 1 am, which is pretty generous knowing the early risings of the tributes for training.
My eyes find Marvel next, who has a knowing look on his face as he glances between me and Clove, who's still blushing. Dammit Marvel stop assuming things, even though I can't exactly say she wasn't all I was thinking about during the parade.
Freddie is just showing off his chest for the cameras, causing me to have to stifle a laugh as the girl tribute next to him looks close to fainting.
Eventually, Snow finally says something that catches my attention.
"As the rules state one special surprise is to be rewarded every Quell. So this year, on the second morning of training, every tribute will have injections. Now these injections are special enhancements that have been specifically designed to bond with their contestants blood, samples of which we obtained at this years reaping. The enhancements are all very different from one another, and each tribute will receive 2 of 5 injections on the second morning of training, after choosing what they would like the night before. The tributes will not know what the injections include until that time. That is all, goodnight Panem, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
with that startling announcement, cheers erupt around us as we are pulled back into the training center.
As we get out and walk to the elevators, I notice Clove and Drew waiting for the one next to us. I glare at Drew before winking at Clove who, surprisingly doesn't blush but winks back, causing me to blush this time. She laughs, but not in a mean way before getting into her elevator behind Drew.
Haymitch just sighs at me, mumbling something about not again, Katniss just laughs at my blush. Rosie looks at em weirdly, as if I was a piece at a museum. I suppose it has been a while since Rosie has seen me being so obviously flirty with someone. Cinna and Portia seem perfectly unfazed.
Rosie and I immediately go into our assigned rooms to get changed. I don't know what Rosie is doing, but I make myself look as nice as possible so I can go to the 'party room', where hopefully I can see Clove. Jeez did I, Rhys Jacobs, just think that? I've never actively sought out a girl before. What has she done to me?
I call to the others as I leave, heading up 1 flight of stairs to the room, which is eerily quiet.
I walk in and notice it is noticeably less furnished than our own rooms, but still nicer than anything I'd seen in 12. there was a large TV on the back wall, a bar near the door, and a lot of tables, chairs and sofa's.
I go to the bar and order a large glass of a red drink I've never had before, something called a cranberry juice, and it's bitter but has one of the most heavenly tastes I've ever experienced.
I'm in the room alone for about ten minutes when the boy from 5 walks in, stares at me with something skin to fear, and scurries to the other end of the room after getting a glass of water. Before I can begin to wonder why he's terrified of me, I hear Marvel yell my name from behind me.
He walks over with Glimmer in tow, who's eying me suspiciously but doesn't look particularly cautious about approaching me so I can assume Marvels has spoken to her about me.
"Nice to meet you Rhys, I'm Glimmer Faith, 1" she doesn't bother with the handshake but instead kisses me on the cheek. It doesn't make my body erupt but it was still nice. "Nice to meet you to Glimmer, and if your at least half as friendly as Marvel is, we'll get along fine." Glimmer smiles and grabs herself a drink while Marvel rounds on me, mock anger being betrayed by the amused glint in his eyes. "What do you mean 'half as nice'?" I laugh, and Marvel does to, and I can already tell we're friends instead of people from districts 1 and 12, which have inherent dislike for each other. Come to think of it I don't know why either.
"Just that you're probably the nicest guy here, and it's already becoming a better place by your mere presence in it" I gave a mocking bow and Marvel punches my shoulder the way Gale does, like a brother.
"Alright guys enough, I'd like to get a word in edgeways please?" we both look at Glimmer who, although sounding angry is smiling behind her glass. Why do people hate 1? they're great people!
"Marvel said something about you in our alliance?" she says with an air of no longer suspicion but genuine curiosity around her. "Ask him Glimmer I'm waiting to find out myself" We both look to Marvel who clears his throat before speaking to Glimmer directly.
"Well we are already two careers short this year, he knows more than we do about actual survival, and he's great to be around, need I say more?" He looks triumphant as Glimmer stares at me, opened mouthed, amazement in her eyes. "but, Rhys how do you know so much?" She asks and I inwardly groan, knowing this question was coming, but what the hell? If I can get away with the president of our country knowing about it, then do can my new friends.
"I hunt outside the district to feed the poorer people who are quite literally dieing of starvation every day, or at least were" I've surprised them yet again yet again, but a voice behind them that I can't see the source of says quietly "it doesn't matter anyways, he's o n the team and I don't care if he can hold hold 200 kilos or not even 50" the voice steps out from behind Marvel.
It's Clove, and again she's blushing furiously but has a small smile on her face that makes my heart skip, and I vaguely register blushing myself before saying "thank you" and giving her a quick handshake to seal the deal.
I'm a career.
And it's funny, but I don't think I've ever felt this at home in all my life; Glimmer and Marvel ribbing Clove and me about our constant blushes, and Clove casually slipping closer and closer to my side until we're almost touching.
After about 20 minutes of banter, a tiny hand is tugging at my hand. I look down and see Rosie looking cute I a black dress that is just modest enough. I have an inkling Portia may have picked it out.
I scoop Rosie onto my lap, as we're now sitting down on two sofas, and she snuggles into my neck, causing Glimmer to say "awww" and Clove to say "hi" to her, as though unsure she was safe.
"Guys, this is Rosie, my district partner and... sister" Even though she probably knew already, Glimmer lets out a small cry and Marvel pat my shoulder, looking possibly more upset than Glimmer does. Clove is unfazed as she wasn't listening, instead quietly stroking Rosie's leg and whispering quietly to her, causing my sister to giggle, whisper something back that causes Clove to turn alarmingly red. Marvel, Glimmer and I laugh, the former two back to normal, causing Clove to look at them before locking eyes with me.
Our previous interaction seem nothing in comparison to this eye-contact and I think its because we're in a more comfortable atmosphere. We continue to stare into each others eyes until who else but Freddie Odair interrupts us by plonking down on the other side of Glimmer and stretching to shake hands with me.
"Fred Odair, but I guess you know that right? I know who you are Rhys, and I've got to admit, I'm very impressed, you made more of a splash with your sister there than Katniss and Peeta last year , or my brother in his Games, and that's saying something ." I'm impressed with his directness but he doesn't seem to be a bad person, so I shakes his hand and mutter under my breath so only he can hear me "if you want to talk about Katniss and Peeta, do it when my sisters not around please" he looks confused I just do all I need to. I point at Rosie, who's shaking in my lap with wide eyes.
Rosie hated talking about the Games at the best of times, but especially now that Peeta was one of it's victims and Katniss is still tormented nearly every night. Rosie stand up, announcing she's going to the bathroom. I have a funny feeling she thinks we're going to carry on talking about the Games, which I find strangely funny, as her being gone is the only reason we do continue to talk about it.
"Okay, what was with her Rhys? She looked like she was about to have a fit!" Freddie actually looks so genuinely sorry I pity almost pity him.
"Okay, this stays between us until after the interviews okay?" they all nod, transfixed", Katniss was my best friend growing up,"They gasp, understandable "ha. That's not even the worst part, who do you think introduced the two in the first place?" Glimmer puts her hand to mouth, figuring it out before the other three, who just look befuddled, "Peeta was my cousin, he-" I have to stop my words as two sets of arms embrace me tightly. Clove and Glimmer, who is crying silently onto my shirt.
Glimmer quickly gets off me, apologizing for soaking my shirt, I just shrug it off. But Clove continues to hold me, not crying but breathing heavily as if she's about to start. She doesn't make a move other than to adjust so she's more comfortable and I don't move at all. Our embrace is sending fuzzy feeling through my body and eventually it's just Clove. Clove and the feel of her heartbeat against my chest as we both continue to squeeze tighter, Closer together.
No one interrupts us as I pull her off me. She gazes at me with such sad eyes when I pull away, obviously not realizing I'm pulling her towards the makeshift dance floor the other tributes made.
When we reach it, Clove having finally understood what I'm doing, wraps her arms around my neck again, now smiling slightly against my chest which is where her head is. My hands go to her hips as I sway her in time with the music.
"Are you okay Clove?"
"I am now"
I don't wonder why she wasn't happy before, instead just focus on the effect this girl is having on me.
I finally reach my room, but I'm way too wired to sleep, so I just put on a jacket before heading to the rooftop garden Katniss told me about. I keep reliving the events the might, from my revelation to when I reluctantly said goodbye to Clove and my now fellow careers as I had to take Rosie up to bed, as after coming out of the bathroom fell asleep soon after Marvel, Glimmer and Freddie went to sit with her. As I left Clove gave me another kiss on the cheek and this time I responded by a kiss on her forehead, leaving us both blushing deeply again. We never stopped dancing until then, either.
I'm so preoccupied with my thoughts I never noticed I had company.
"You should be in bed, kid"
Haymitch walks out from under the shade. he had clearly been waiting for me.
"Hey, Haymitch, whats up?" I greet him as I always do, but Haymitch looks to be in a very bad mood and I have no idea why, unless...
"2 is mad. Kid, because of what you did to their stylist" Haymitch doesn't sound angry, on the contrary, he looks about ready to start laughing, and this surprises me. "Okay, what can they do about it though?" I really am quite curious to know.
"Just don't trust their tributes, especially the boy, in fact no, only the boy, I can see you have no problem with the girlie" Haymitch smirks but carries on, "Brutus-the kids mentor- is as scared of him as I've ever seen him, so here's what do: Stay away from him, only engage in conversation that pertains to training unless he starts it, if he does, kick his ass with that mouth you got" that makes me smile, especially since Haymitch has a proud note in his voice" And secondly, and this is even more important; keep him away from Rosie."
I'm confused now, what's Rosie got o do with me annoying him?
Apparently Haymitch senses my confusion because he explains himself "Apparently Drew has an extremely bad reputation in 2, as someone who likes to-er-play with children, if you get my drift. But he's always let off because his dad-who also happens to be head peacekeeper in 2- cut a deal with Snow years ago, when Drew's older brother was sentenced to life for the murder of 2's escort when he got reaped.. it was all hushed up, but apparently Drew doesn't care if his mentor knows. He boated about it according to Brutus."
I nod numbly. Drew can't try anything until the Games and I already got Rosie into the career pack so I'm not really that worried. I'm thinking about Clove on that floor with him, and can only hope that he realizes there's CCTV cameras in every room, so it's too likely he'd get caught.
With that thought keeping me mollified, I go to my room and am asleep before my head even reaches the pillow.
I wake up to the sound of Haymitch yelling at m to get up lest I be late for training, so I quickly hop into the shower, eat and leave before anyone bothers me. I like that I know my mentors personally and that they won't be offended because it's just how I have always been, wanting to get the day the day started.
Only Freddie and his district partner are in their, facing away from each other. I go to Freddie.
"Hey man whats up with moody over there" I say, pointing at aqua. Freddie just shrugs and says "She's jealous of me and Glimmer, she thinks we're you know, together, and I told her she was barmy but she doesn't believe me, and eventually she got so mad at me for winding her up she rejected the careers, wants to go it alone, so I let her, because to be honest, she's pretty much useless to us anyway, all she can do is swim!" we're both laughing at the end of his speech, earning us a death glare fro aqua which just makes us laugh harder.
"What's so funny?" Clove, Glimmer, Rosie and Marvel are all here now, staring down at us with varying degrees of amusement on there face.
"I was just telling Rhys why we're one short" Freddie points at Aqua as I continue to laugh.
About 5 minutes later, Clove and I stand with an arm around each others waists. How we got like this I have no idea but I like it, and her small smile tells me she is too. I have no idea how I can read her so easily.
"wait, you said one short, so I'm guessing Drew is going alone as well" I say casually, but there's a small intake of breath around us as I say Drews name.
"Even if he wanted in ,we still would have said no, all the stories about him in 2 are true apparently" Clove confirms my suspicions but I still need to ask.
"He-He didn't try something with you did he?" my voice is slightly broken as spin Clove to face me and put my hands on her shoulders.
"Rhys, I'm fine, okay? He couldn't do anything even if he tried, I'd knee him in the balls first!" I laugh, glad to know my girl is treated right, even by criminals. Wait, did I just think of Clove as my girl? I gotta stop wit that, it makes things awkward. But as Clove spins so her back's to my chest and puts my arms around her waist lightly before gripping my holding my hands in her own, I can't help but want her to be my girl. Anything that we've done so far just fees so natural and I never want to stop doing it.
While Atala says we have to take three compulsory exercises I tense, obviously Clove could feel it because she squeezes me a bit tighter. However when she says the exercises we have to do are a stamina run, a climbing frame, and a hand to hand combat session, I let out a chuckle of relief. Luckily, Clove and Rosie are the only ones who hear me.
I finish the stamina course first, with quite a bit of breath to spare. Followed by Freddie and then Drew, who is bright red with humiliation after he went on and on about how no one could ever outrun him before we started.
On the climbing wall, I come second, just loosing to Glimmer and narrowly beating Clove, who kisses me on the cheek again as we both get down; she was convinced she'd fall and I helped her feel better before we started.
I come second again in the hand to hand combat session, this time loosing to Drew, though only narrowly. He had all the younger tributes terrified apart from Rosie as he swung his huge arms in a series of complicated movements, beating four attendants unconscious before he thought he had proved his point enough. Even I was impressed.
Then once we got to normal training as Clove went straight to the knives, but not before I kissed her on the forehead again; it was becoming our thing, I guess.
So I went with Glimmer to the fire-starting station, where the trainer looked very pleased to have two tributes at once, two careers even. so when i showed her i could just about do everything when it came to fires, she showed me how to start a fire in the rain, just for something to do. we both stayed at that station until Glimmer had mastered both match and wood fires, when i went to go join Marvel at spear throwing.
I took to it immediately, though Marvel wasn't surprised, seeing as I was even stronger that he was, and I t only really took strength and aim, which I got from the bow and knives I had.
When I'm walking to see Clove at the knives, a small table in the corner of the room catches my eyes, one labeled 'specialty weapons'. I grab Clove and practically drag her over there.
The weapons are like nothing we've ever seen. There is a mace that, at the click of a button, turns into a trident by having the three blades point up instead of down. I'll have to show Freddie that. There are a set of knives that Clove is eying that at first glance show nothing particular, but when I look again, I see all of the knives have different colored strips running down the middle of the blades. Poison, the blades are hollowed and filled with poison that comes out when slashed, making something as simple as a graze deadly.
My eyes catch a weapon unlike any other on the table, it is a glove with a deadly claw attached. A button on the side allows it to be shot straight from the hand, and the other button retrieves it due to to a rope that comes out with the claw. It's name is in Latin; manum dæmoni, which I ask one of the attendants what it means; devils hand. I like this thing and I will not stop until I get it in the games.
Another weapon that catches my eye is a peculiar looking sword that has two blades parallel on the hilt, but upon closer inspection, I split the sword down to the hinges that form a nook for an arrow I might want to use. I will have these weapons.
After the day is done, I go upstairs for the final task of the day; picking my 'gifts'.
A doctor is waiting in my room, five needles on a table in front of him. He briefly explains that they are:
enhanced senses (hearing, sight, and smell)
enhanced physical capabilities (strength, speed and endurance)
daemon (an animal that show's your true strength, can feel each others moods and will never leave you, can bond for increased capabilities, capabilities depend on animal, bonding can cause night terrors if bond is broken, can only bond for a certain amount of time, depends on endurance )
anti-virus(protection from all infection, viruses and parasites, effectively can only die from natural causes e.g. starvation or physically wounded, never infection)
biotics (ability to manipulate dark energy within your body, multitude of capabilities that include levitation, singularities and a warp field that can rip a human with no Armour to shreds)
Wow. That's all I can really say, Wow. It doesn't take me long to decide though, I know who am.
"Enhanced senses and Daemon"
I fall asleep, only a dull ache in my arm.
A/N
whew! Took me about 6 and a half hours to get right but so worth it.
Disclaimer: I do not own the concept of 'daemon's they are from the golden compass film and whatever book it's in, but I have made and will be making a few alterations to them, most notably, the being able to talk telepathically
Preview for next chapter:
"I'm your daemon, idiot"
ooh he sounds pretty snarky to me
please R+R!
