IM SORRY GUYS! Last weekend I got a surprise puppy and had to take care of him all this time, getting him used to my house and such. I promise I will be a better author in my promises to update in time! Please don't hate me...
-Miche
Chapter 8: Sponsors
Again the next day, we had our training. Finnick had mentioned at breakfast that later he wanted to begin training me personally with these next few days. This day Grey and I spent a majority of the time learning about important survival skills. I learned how to paint my skin like that of my surroundings, how to create my weapon by using a variety of materials, and how long to cook food for after catching it to make sure it wasn't raw. As we continued in the snare section, we noticed a few younger tributes gathering near us.
"Tie it." Willow whispered as Grey was struggling with a snare. I knew many knots from my fathers business, but Grey had grown up learning hunting from his father.
"What?"
"You have to tie it." She looked a bit shy and scared talking to him. She looked to be short for her age, mature but still young. Her face was heart shaped and her brown eyes held sadness in them that went on forever. I didn't know her personally but I felt as if we had something that connected us. "Like this." Willow undid the snare from his hands and remade it, perfectly replicating the instructors.
"Nice." He whispered making her smile. "So, do you think you have a shot in winning? Cause I think these knots can do some pretty bad damage." Her cheeks blushed.
"Well, I don't really see what a knot could do to someone. Plus, my family said I'm as good as dead, so I might as well put on a good show for them at home." Willow's smile faltered for a split second before she looked away from the both of us. Coal and Pann even noticed her tone.
"What?" I said stepping closer to the younger and much shorter girl, around 4'2". Coal was just about my height, falling short by an inch it seemed, and Pann was just over my height. He was a stockier boy so it made him appear shorter.
"I really don't have a shot in winning. You're a career and you know my strength now, so I might as well be dead before I step off the platform." Her eyes were teary and her voice trembled. I put my arm around her as I would've April had it been her next to me.
"Now I might be part of their group but that doesn't mean I'm a killing machine. It just means I have their interests. I'm someone they fear, so they want me as one of them."
"They obviously don't fear me."
"That doesn't mean you should be afraid."
"How did you make that knot again?" Coal asked this time. Her lengthy figure made her strong along with her piercing blue eyes. She kept her hair braided to the side, and had freckles sprinkling her skin.
She could either be a strong ally, or a stronger enemy to the others.
"So is what they say about you two true?" willow asked. It took me a bit off guard, but I tried forming a valid and reasonable statement.
"Between who?"
"You and your mentor, Finnick Odair?"
"We actually have known each other years before the reaping." My smile fooled them.
"Well, it looks more that a friendship to me... pretty serious stuff is being said about you two." Coal commented. What type of things could be said about the lie?
"Like what?"
"That you two have a long history of on and off relationship before all this, and this is just the final act of bringing you together before it all ends."
"Well thanks for the enthusiasm, Coal. Its not like I'm planning to win or anything." They all fell silent at that comment. It was inappropriate of me to say in front of them, the weaker tributes: my true friends in these games. "Sorry, that came out wrong." Willow had hints of sadness in her eyes as she tied her fifth snare, glancing at me with caution and defeat. "But to be honest, I have had a crush on him for a while." She smiled believing me.
"That's so romantic." She exclaimed gushing over the could-be relationship. Did people really see us together? And why would they think me and not another victor from another district, surely allowing Finnick to have the possibility of a happy ending? If it were me seeing this, I would expect a planned strategy from day one.
It hit lunch, and Grey and I were discussing strategies and plans with the other careers. Ginger was constantly flirting with Zyre during the entire week; we saw the results the next day when they both came in dazed and exhausted. Everyone thinks they spent the night together.
"So how exactly do you make fire? I don't think anyone in our group really knows." Ginger yawned.
"There will be matches, idiot. In the cornucopia. We don't need to know." Said Diamonde, obviously annoyed with the trampy girl.
"Actually I know, and I can fish." I spoke up, showing everyone my actual use in the games.
"Good. That means you can be the cook." Lockwood declared without my thoughts on it. Obviously these people meant what they said and made sure it was done.
"Do any of you know how to even hunt? Like in a forest of it comes up?"
"Yeah, we were taught in the training academy since we were ten."
"We just weren't taught survival skills. Mostly just how to fight and kill." Lock (His new nickname) responded.
"That's unfortunate."
"You calling us weaklings, Four?" again diamond saw it fit to pick a fight with me.
"No, Diamonde! I'm just saying they're good skills to learn in any case."
"Why would we need to learn how to hunt? All we need to worry about was killing other tributes. Any food, we just buy at a market." at this I knew I would have more of a chance on my own than with them. I'd stick with them for strategy of course, but once I broke away from their alliance, I would be okay.
After lunch, many other tributes were finishing their training in the public area. I was dumping my tray when I heard Zyre speak up over all the others.
"Hello, Mr. Odair." I turned and saw a blonde man leaning in the frame of the exit as some tributes passed. It was Finnick. Upon seeing I noticed him, he waltzed his way over to me. Zyre waved as he passed with the others smiling at the past victor having false admiration in their expressions. Finnick looked at the boy with a smile, but faced my direction with a comedic quizzical face and laugh.
"To what is the reason you've graced me with your presence?"
"I'm training you today."
"I thought you said tomorrow?"
"Nope today."
"I promised Grey I'd spar with him after lunch-"
"I already spoke to him about it and he said it was fine. Said he'd spar with that other girl, Coal?" I nodded confirming it was her name.
"He usually... but, Okay." Usually if I ever changed plans with Grey he was never not upset. yes he would say it was fine or we can do it again another time, but he was one to always stick to a specific schedule and timing. It was strange he would have been okay with it.
"Okay? Let's go. I want to help you on-" He was interrupted by the careers, still sitting around at the tables, when he touched my elbow to lead me. They cat called and whistled at me talking to him. I turned and glared gently at them, not to be rude per say, but show I wasn't amused by it. Finnick touched my side and whispered in my ear.
"Pretend I'm telling you something funny about that kiss-ass Zyre." I smiled. "Now laugh." he kissed my cheek, keeping his face close to mine, and I followed his orders laughing loud enough to ring Zyre's attention to it. When I looked away, I remembered seeing Zyre a bit confused and taken back by my laugh. He wanted to know what Finnick had said.
Finnick spoke to me privately and personally. As of the moment, he was with me in a smaller training room designed for any tribute wanting personal training for the day. There were racks off weapons, a simulation fighting room, was long enough for an archer to practice, and enough sparring dummies to last a while. Finnick spoke to me as we stretched, his instruction, before practice.
"I want you to show them you aren't a force to be reckoned with. You are the calm collective person you are, but in your eyes is a storm. You are an earthquake of tectonic proportion-"
"Did you steal these motivation phrases?"
"Maybe, but that's beside the point." He made me smile. "I just want you to show them what you've got, holding nothing back."
"Okay. What are we learning today?" Today marked the first of many personal training sessions Finnick had planned for me before the games. He told me he wanted to do so to ensure we know how to play to my strategy, and ensure I know what to expect seeing he's won. He agreed to a simple exchange early on.
"So how do you plan to conduct your sponsor review?"
"Well, I'm good at throwing a spear, using a trident to hunt shark, so I can fight pretty well, I've been training since I was ten-"
"That young?" Hadn't he trained as long as the rest of us? every child in four privileged enough to did.
"Yeah... Hey, I didn't know you had a tattoo?" I squeaked noticing the partial dolphin head outline across his shoulder blade. He wore a simple back tank top with gray sweat pants, and was currently putting on gripping palm gloves for when we'd spar.
"Got it about three years ago, when I was your age, actually."
"Does it mean anything to you?"
"Usually dolphins represent a playful behavior, inner peace, fresh starts, and strong inner strength. I felt it represented me at the time I got it, so I guess it does mean something."
"Inner strength? You have secrets to hide, Mr. Odair?"
"Ah ah ah... a secret for a secret. deal?" he held out his hand. Growing up in the training facilities, we were told and brought up to never trust a trickster who offers you a hand. they will only use it to their own advantage. I took his hand, shook on the deal, and then twisted him around, his arm pushing up his back. "Good, good-" Finnick, however, quickly broke the hold, twisting me around and holding both arms behind my own. "But remember, I have two hands."
We trained like that for some time doing some abs routines, strengthening workouts, and even a little yoga for balancing. To finish our warm ups, he took me to the swim tank, it was on a second levelled floor so he could see me under the water through a large glass window.
"How Long can you hold your breath?" He asked, eyeing me calm and prepare my self to go in.
"Six minutes even. Grey timed me once at the docs and I was trained to. I've been the top breath holding record holder for a few years back in four." Back in four, my home where I may never return.
"Show me." Finnick gestured to the tank, before jumping off the level to grab a stopwatch read to time. "Ready?" I slowly calmed my breathing and heart pattern as I slowly entered the water. I had complete control over my body, feeling every pulse my heart gave out. One last breath, and I went under, eyes closed to focus.
My own heart beat was calming in my head as it was the only thing I heard. I thought earlier to the conversation Grey and I had at lunch...
"What are we going to do? I'm not gonna kill you…"
"What do you mean?"
"Once we get in the arena?" I didn't quite understand what he meant by "going to do", but I reached across the table to hold his hand, just to comfort him about it.
"Since we're in the alliance, I would think we could last a few days to a week, depending on climate and how many die in the bloodbath-"
"Speaking of that, how are we going to kill other people?"
"I don't know… a lot of tributes have said that they only kill when they are about to be killed. It could be a survival instinct."
"It will take a lot for me to do that…"
"There's not a big difference between us and animals…" He looked at me like I was immoral. "No! I mean… Finnick explained to me that once you get into the arena, you leave everything behind. You want to win, and you will do anything in order to do so, am I right?"
"Sure, but-"
"-but we need a tactical plan. We need to win this, Grey. We need to go home and show people that we can do this!"
"Only one of us is getting out-."
"Don't talk that way."
I then thought a good while on Finnick, feeling my heart accelerate in the slightest. I hated how he made me do that. Just thinking of him smiling wasn't such a terrible thing anymore. He was a nice person, however broken the capitol had made him through his games. His oceanic eyes changed every time he felt something different. They could be stormy gray, a blue of the deepest waters, or a sea foam green. I'd seen all three in the course of these days.
I opened my eyes to see him looking right at me through the glass window, a smile reaching his eyes before fading from only his mouth. For a moment it was peaceful. I heard only the increasing thumping of my own heart as I looked back at him. He was inches from the glass as I was, and his face was even more detailed that i'd ever seen it. He was a young victor, the other closest in age, Abby, still having more than five years on him.
Seeing him this close fooled me for a second into thinking he was. I slowly reached up to touch his face when I hit glass. My lungs suddenly began burning as all the blood in my body began circulating more than what my oxygen supply could keep up with. I was out of air, had been since I opened my eyes, but it took me this long to notice.
Both our expressions changed from the dream state we had to the cold reality of training. I surfaced with a deep gasp, and exited, coughing up some water. Feeling a warm hand only shoulder, I looked up to see Finn with his watch, seeing if I was okay and breathing.
"Sorry, I couldn't keep my concentration with you staring at me." My joke just passed over him before he spoke.
"don't say you were distracted. You beat your own record by a good minute and a half: Seven minutes and thirty-nine seconds!" both our faces probably burst into tremendous smiles as he lifted me into the air with a victory hug, spinning a few times.
"Yes!" I cheered as he set me back down, my next actions I regretted. Before I could stop myself, I had kissed him after we parted our hug. I pulled away and he knew it was an accident. There was a bit of an awkward silence before he spoke, my face was probably beat red with my hands over my mouth. "Oops-!"
"Wow-!"
"I didn't mean to! it was an accident-!"
"If that's how you react when you get a new accomplishment-"
"It isn't-!"
"I'd love to see you when you win the games." I hit his arm, showing him I was joking. Winning the games? Hopefully he wouldn't linger as much as I did on that event.
"Oh shut up.. Hey, secret for a secret. I told you how long I can hold my breath. tell me why you got your tattoo."
"After another lesson. Time for the trident and spear!"
Next, he instructed me on my throwing style. I lined up to throw, and hit the dummy, it he stopped me shorty after.
"Okay, this is what you are doing wrong, you aren't allowing your back foot to twist with your hips. Here." Hands found my waist, helping me twist with my foot in the direction i was wanting to throw. "If you twist, then you're able to throw more powerfully and able to get a better impact at your target."
Next my arms. "Try and push the spear from your arm, controlling where it goes instead of just trying to hit the dummy. Really try and hit a specific spot, and hit hard. If you have the right momentum and direction, you don't need as much strength." Finnick's arms guided mine in the right direction, following through in the movement. He stepped back. "Okay now all together."
Because I wished to impress him, I did everything in the direction he had taken me. Lining up, the dummy flying at me; I got my spear and threw it with less strength but more direction, following through and twisting my food and hips in the way I wanted it to go. I heard a thump, and looked to see it in the stomach of the dummy, the fake blood dripping down.
"Good. You learn fast, Troute."
"Okay, now spill on your tattoo, Dolphin boy." He laughed.
"Alright. When I was seventeen, I had a crush on this girl and she liked me back. She was beautiful. And knew me well enough to where we fit perfectly together." He paused. I saw regret and reality stop his happy thoughts. "Unfortunately, she was reaped in the 70th games, as I had been five years previous. She was already a bit unstable mentally, always day dreaming, and humming to herself, she was simple and innocent. Only days into the games, her district partner was decapitated in front of her. She broke off from all other tributes and hid for the rest of the Games. An earthquake then broke a dam and flooded the entire arena. Having grown up in District 4, she survived by being the best swimmer. She won her games, but didn't come home the same way. They never gave her enough time to cope over what had happened, and she went mentally insane. A year ago, she killed herself jumping off of a cliff and into the ocean." I knew who she was. Annie Cresta: Victor of the 70th hunger games.
"I'm sorry."
"It's... We could never be together anyways, and knew it when she was still alive, so we each got a tattoo to remind us of our freedom we could have and our strength to keep going despite what others said."
"Why wouldn't they let you be together?" Finnick's eyes held regret and sorrow in them. I saw it no matter how much his face told me otherwise.
"It's actually my turn for a question. Out of all the victors you've seen and known, which is your favorite?" I smiled.
"If I say you, will you get me some bread from Four when I'm in the games." he contemplated and weighed his options only doing so as I watched.
"I'll see what I can do."
"Then you, Finnick Odair, are my favorite Victor. May I be your favorite when I win?" again he acted as though weighing his options was crucial before answering.
"I don't ever have favorites. You know why." I did: Annie. "But you have been the most enjoyable to train and work with, so I guess you'd have to be my favorite."
The rest of the training went as well as that. He kept straying away from the 'why' questions, but still answered. I explained to him the situation my family was in as he helped me box and further my hand to hand combat knowledge. He shared how his family was like before abandoning him and that he still saw them once a year at the reapings, but never made it his goal to speak with them.
For the next few days, this is how we conducted our training. I'd go with the large group of tributes to train with survival and to learn new weapons with the careers, but after lunch, I'd go to the private training and Finnick would help me fine tune those abilities, also making me do a small workout routine so my muscles were ready for the arena. Beginning each session, he still had me hold my breath for as long as I could. On the last day, I got it to almost eight minutes and four seconds, but he made me laugh the last second, causing me to surface.
I learn a lot from Finnick and about him personally, and he was proud of his tribute this year, knowing almost all there was to me.