Hello Readers! Here's chapter three! Enjoy :)

~Ohsnapitspercy~

Chapter 3

When I woke up in the morning I still felt tired. Effie Trinket was standing outside my door telling me to get ready for another 'big, big day'.

Today was the first day of training. All the tributes would be put in a room surrounded by deadly weapons. Sounds fun.

I took a quick shower and dressed myself in the black and red shirt and gray pants that someone had left on my dresser. I quickly put my hair in a braid that fell over my shoulder. I went to meet the others for breakfast even though I wasn't hungry.

I was the last one to arrive. Peeta, Effie, Haymitch, and the stylist had already started eating. I sat down in the only available seat, which was next to Haymitch.

"Morning," Peeta said. He was wearing the same outfit as me and the other tributes would be too.

Giving Peeta a nod, I put a small amount of eggs on a plate and nibbled on them.

"When you're in the Training Center, try not to show your talents. Learn as much as you can and watch the others to see what they can do." Haymitch said in between bites of toast.\

"Should I at least check out a few of the weapon stations to see if I'm good with any of them?" I asked. It wasn't fair for Haymitch to send us into the arena without even knowing how to use a weapon.

Effie cleared her throat. "She does have a point."

Haymitch glared at me. I could tell he didn't like me questioning him. "Alright, fine. But if you find a something you're good at don't stay there too long. And try to go to the stations that aren't as full as the rest of them."

I silently agreed with him and went back to my eggs. If I made Haymitch angry he might try to talk sponsors into donating money to Peeta instead of me. I guess that really didn't matter considering we were allies, but if we were to split up for some reason, Haymitch could be the key to my survival.

"Why can't we show our talents? The Careers always show off during training and they win every time." Peeta questioned.

"Because, if they start seeing you as a threat, when it comes time to start the games, they will do anything to keep the weapon you like away from you. With the Careers it's different. They travel in a pack and they mostly control the Cornucopia. They can get anything they want." Haymitch growled.

The rest of the meal was silent. Our mentor wouldn't make eye contact with anyone and it was obvious he was mad.

A few minutes later, Effie stood. "We better get going. Don't want to be late!" She scurried off towards the elevator. I saw no choice but to follow.

When we arrived, all the Districts were there. The head trainer, Atala, gathers all of us into a circle. She lists off all of the stations and tells us not to ignore the Survival station even though most of the tributes will anyway. After she tells us all the rules, we are dismissed.

I watch as Peeta heads towards the Edible Plant Station and I debate on whether or not to follow him. I decide against it. If we avoid going to the same stations we can combine everything we learned when we are in the arena.

I sat down at the Knot Tying Station. The trainer looks delighted and I figured he didn't get to teach that often. He shows me how to make a basic snare and how to set a trap that will hand an opponent by their feet if they step on it.

I thank the trainer and look around the room. Peeta had moved on to the Camouflage station. Since neither of us had gone to a weapon yet, I decided to try out the empty Ax station.

There were three human shaped dummies lined up in front of me. I picked up a small ax with a wooden handle and swung me arm back. I released as my arm flew forward and the ax went flying. It landed on the head of the dummy. If that had been aiming for the head, then I would've been happier with me results but I had been aiming for the dummies heart.

I sighed and went to the Archery station. The girl from one was there, and she was good.

As I approached her, she smiled. "Hi, I'm Glimmer. District One."

Her kindness confused me but I smiled back. "I'm Lexi, District Twelve."

Glimmer seemed pretty focused on her target so I picked up a bow. After swiftly notching an arrow, I pulled back on the bowstring and fired. I was close to the middle, but a little off to the right.

I notched another arrow and shot again. Perfect Bulls-eye! I silently praised myself as I set the bow down. Now I knew that I had a slight chance if I got a bow.

Another station in the middle of the room caught my eye. The Sword station. The boy from Two, who I learned was named Cato, was there. He stabbed the dummies that surrounded him and even chopped off some of their heads.

Cato was one of the Career tributes who volunteered to come into the games. He was tall and muscular, with dirty blonde hair that was about the same color as mine. We both had blue eyes but mine didn't show the same hatred that his did. He would be hard to beat.

I walked over to the sword station and waited for Cato to finish. I stood there for five minutes before he even noticed me.

He set the sword down and came towards me. "You want to try?"

I didn't think Haymitch would appreciate it if I went against him and used the sword while Cato was watching but I agreed. I would rather get punished by my mentor than look like a coward in front of the leader of the Careers.

I took the sword and tried to get a feel for it. When I was ready, I slashed at the first dummy and sent its head flying. I sped up and soon it was just a blur. I chopped, slashed, stabbed, and cut. When I arrived at the last dummy, I did a forward-roll and drove the sword into its heart.

Stuffing littered the floor and most of the tributes had stopped what they were doing to watch me. I had completely destroyed all of the targets and I wasn't even winded.

I handed the sword back to Cato. "Thanks."

He didn't reply. Once again, I stole his spotlight. I didn't think he was happy.

Peeta ran up to me and dragged me into a corner. "What were you thinking?" He hissed. "Haymitch said not to show your talents!"

"I didn't know I could do that until I tried!" I snapped. Peeta started to walk away from me but I caught his arm. "Peeta, I'm sorry. I didn't know all those people would watch me."

Peeta sighed. "At least you figured out a weapon you can use. I tried the hand-to-hand combat and the trainer said I was pretty good."

"That could be useful but I still think you should find a weapon. Most of the tributes will have one and if you run into them your chances won't be very good if all you have is your hands. Maybe you could try knives or spears."

It turns out; Peeta was good at both of them. He could hit the center target every time. I could tell he was proud of himself.

We were about to go to the Survival Station when Atala calls us in for lunch. Peeta and I sit alone at the last table. I figured we would talk about training or battle strategies but Peeta surprises me when he asks about my family.

"There's not that much to tell. It's just me, my sister, my two brothers, and my dad." I stared down at my feet, wishing I could say my mom too.

"You and your sister are twins, right? Isn't her name Haven?" He asked.

"Yeah, we're really close. She the only reason I'm trying to win these stupid Games. Well, her and Dakota."

Peeta thought for a moment. "That's the girl you volunteered for?" I nodded.

"She was crying during the film and I promised her she would be okay. But then her name got called and I felt so bad so I had to. It was either this or live the rest of my life in guilt."

"I didn't realize how brave you were." Peeta complimented.

I twisted my silver bracelet around my wrist. "Thanks."

~O~

On the third day of training, the Gamemakers start to call us in during lunch for our private sessions. District Twelve goes last just like every year. When the boy from Eleven, Thresh, is called, Peeta and I are alone.

"What are you going to do?" He asked me.

I thought for a moment. "I'm probably going to use the sword and bow. What about you?"

"Knives or spears, I guess."

Our conversation is interrupted by a computerized voice calling my name. Peeta and I wish each other luck and I go inside.

Only four or five of the Gamemakers watch me. I pick up a sword at the corner of the room and stand in front of a row of ten dummies. I take a quick breath, and then I start. Just like before, everything was a blur. I spun as I went from one target to the next. I rolled and flipped. I reached the end of my targets quickly. I set my sword down and ran over to the archery station.

I snatched up the bow and notched an arrow. Bulls-eye. I shot again at another target and repeated my earlier result.

I looked up at the Gamemakers. All of them watched me now. "Thank you, Miss Stalde." One of them said.

I nodded and walked out the door.

I hope you enjoyed! Please review and favorite :D Have a wonderful day and may the odds be ever in your favor!

~Ohsnapitspercy~