Chapter Twenty Five:

I do not own the Hunger Games

Let loose

From the noose

That's kept me hanging about

It feels nice to be back in the training center. Around me are possible victors, cross-armed and intent on their training. It's easy to see the difference between the serious fighters and the pathetic little wannabes who think they're actually doing things right. I recognize a lot of them from when I used to train. One of which is my enemy, Chelsea.

"You do realize won't be able to volunteer next year," I remark. She quickly turns around from the hand-to-hand combat station she was just working at.

"Obviously I know that, I'm not stupid," she retorts.

"Umm… Sorry to break it to you, but I do believe you are. Why are you even here?"

"You wanna know why I'm here?" she snaps, flipping her way-too-shiny blonde curls over her shoulder. "I'm here so I can beat you. I of course was always better, but I just wanted to become even more skilled." She stops for a few seconds so she can get in my face. "Skilled enough to beat you in a fight."

"I'd like to see that," I reply threateningly. She throws a punch at me, which I expected, and I effortlessly dodge it. At this point, other trainees, and even trainers, were turned around watching, and are starting to form a circle around us. "You're gonna have to do better than that." I wait for her to make the next move, which I anticipate will be another punch. But much to my surprise, Chelsea throws her entire body onto me, knocking me to the ground.

"You think I can't?"

I smirk at her. "Nope." I jab my knee into her stomach, and she wheezes in breath. I stand overtop of her, stepping on her forehead.

"You surrender yet?"

"Nope."

She manages to wriggle out from underneath my shoe, standing back up as well.

"Just give up now. You know in your heart that I'll beat you so hard you won't remember your own name," I threaten.

"I don't think so." She tries yet again to punch me, but I simply grab her fist with my own. Her eyes reveal her immense fury, something I've always loved to see. Seizing the opportunity, I aim a blow at her face, which she somehow didn't expect. I let go of her arm, and she wraps it around her nose, which I imagine is where the blood splattered all over her clothes came from.

"Why won't you admit your defeat? I mean, it's one thing if you want to get hurt, but I kinda doubt that's what you want."

"I won't! I can't! Not here, not now, not with everyone watching!"

"Well if that's what you want…" So with that, I hit her more in the skull, causing her to scream out, and most likely, get a concussion. "Are you sure you're not done?" She's about to yell out something, I can tell by the look on her face, but she stops herself and narrows her eyes.

"I'll admit my defeat, Aqua. But just you wait, I'll be ready next time, stronger than ever," she threatens.

I smile sweetly at her. "That's what I thought."

The circle around us steadily dissipates and the people go back to their training stations. With Chelsea out of the way, I'm free to roam around and do whatever I please. I find the knife-throwing station and decide to watch the trainees. I see the people in line, crossed-armed with blank stares. The person up, a thirteen year-old wannabe named Lyssa, is hurling the knives with such inaccuracy I want to vomit. It's the wannabes that annoy me the most, the ones like Chelsea and Lyssa, the ones who are probably only in here because their parents bribed the head trainers, and are also the ones who think what they're doing is actually right, when in truth, they've completely failed.

Next up is my third-worst enemy, the first being Katniss and the second Chelsea. This one however, Dodger, is pretty much a male version of me, only considerably more annoying and stuck up. He has always been one of the most skilled people here, but Parker and I have clearly left him in the dust. Unlike Lyssa, Dodger throws with much accuracy, hitting the bull's eye every time. He finishes quickly because he threw quickly, then advances over to me.

"What're you doing here, Pyrette? You need to claim even more recognition?" he taunts.

"For your information, Pierce, I just wanted to stop by and see the new tributes. Though I did beat up Chelsea a minute or two ago," I answer.

"Well then lucky you, you're looking directly at the new tribute!" he boasts. Oh no. I have to mentor Dodger. I forgot he was only seventeen last year.

"Hm. Too bad District Two won't have a male victor again this year."

"Oh you just watch. I'll win faster than anyone ever has before, picking off each and every one of the tributes, unlike you, you were too scared to even kill an ally!" That tears it.

"I don't know who you think you are, but I know one thing: I've already won. You can't take that away from me. As for my allies, why would I kill them if they could get me farther in the Games? I guess if you don't want anyone to help you out when you're lying on the ground, screaming in agony because someone decided they didn't like you, then go ahead, kill off every one of you allies," I inform him.

He only laughs at the statement. Idiot. I actually meant that. "Your stupidity is blinding. Please turn it off," I remark, and walk away to try to find Emberlynn.

I find her showing some newbies, I believe from District One, the bow and arrow station.

"Hey, Aqua, would you mind showing these kids how to shoot? I've gotta go do something…" she's cut off by my displeased stare.

"Oh. Right. Nevermind then… Hold on a second… Hestia! Can you help these guys?" Emberlynn calls to Hestia.

"Sure, I'll… Aqua? Is that you?!" Hestia answers.

"Heck yes it is!" I respond, happy to see my old friend. "I've missed you and the others so much!"

"Same here! School's been so boring without you. Not that it wasn't already."

"I kinda wish I was back in school. Of course because I'd get to see you guys, but the stuff I'm doing instead is awful! I have speeches and photo shoots every week!"

"Sucks. But you won, so that's all that counts."

"Yeah." You see, I'm a straight B student, unless we're talking about Hunger Games history, I always ace that. "But after the eighty-first Games are over, I'll be free from everything until next year, unless one of the tributes from Two wins."

"Are you working here or just training for fun?"

"I've been training the younger kids. So did you hear you're gonna be mentoring Dodger?" Hestia scoffs.

"Yeah… I can't wait to see him die, though. I may even laugh."

"Knowing you, I'm sure you would."

I smile, thinking about how well she knows me. "Did you see what happened a few minutes ago?"

"Hm? No, what was it?"

"I beat up Chelsea."

Hestia doubles up in laughter, as do I. She's about to say something, but Emberlynn interrupts.

"Are you gonna help the newbies or not?!" she yells.

"Fine…" Hestia walks off, leaving me to talk with Emberlynn.

"Who is volunteering this year?" I ask her. "Or at least are supposed to."

"From One there's Goldie and Garnet, Vesta and Dodger from here, and Aerwyna and Oceanus from Four. Dodger's the only one here right now."

"I saw him. So who's Vesta?"

"Well, she's eighteen, she uses a sickle, she's pretty strong and quick, that's all I really know about her."

"Okay. That's all I really needed to know. I can't wait to see everyone tomorrow."

"As do I."

Forget the hearse because I'll never die

I got nine lives cat's eyes

Using every one of them and running wild

'Cause I'm back

'Back in Black' by AC/DC

Okay, so one important thing: This isn't actually the next chapter in the story. It was supposed to be the party at the Capitol, but I completely forgot about that. So next time you see that this is updated, look for chapter four, not the newest one. I'll put a message at the beginning if you forget.

If you haven't already, check out my Percy Jackson fanfic, 'Flickering Flames', as well as 'The Mary-Sue Games', and the other less important ones.

EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IT MUST BE PUT IN CAPS LOCK:

I will be writing a collab with 2019rocheca that is somewhat of a spin-off of this story, somewhat a crossover with Charlie the Unicorn. Confused? Intrigued? Not either of those things? You should read it anyway!

Here's a brief summary:

It's a normal day in District Two, when Parker is forced to go on a 'magical journey' with Aqua and her friend DeMott.

A very brief summary.

If you've ever seen any Charlie the Unicorn videos, Parker is Charlie and Aqua and DeMott are the blue and pink unicorns. If you are not familiar with it, look up the videos on YouTube. You will die laughing.

I have no clue when this will be posted. Tomorrow? Next week? No clue whatsoever.