So I have been gone for a while now, but I decided to return and finish my first fanfic. I might even write more! I'm sorry for not updating more often. I hope you all enjoy! Thank you so much for reading it, you don't know how much it means! Reviews are very welcome!
I'm standing on a circular silver platform, surrounded by twenty-three others on pedestals just like mine.
My first instinct is to look for my district partner Aquamarine and I see her six tributes to my right. I nod to her and she nods back, giving me a reassuring look.
I look around and notice that there are forests in front and to the left of my vision. Behind me, there is a large mountain range and to the right is a open grassland with a small lake running through it.
The countdown starts and I take a glance at Aquamarine one last time. She looks so strong, so full of life, so beautiful… I don't want to kill her. I won't kill her, if we are the last ones she will be the one that wins not me.
"5… 4… 3… 2… 1." The announcer calls.
Everyone takes off, I run straight for the closest backpack I see. The Careers are already in the Cornucopia, killing tributes almost immediately.
I throw the backpack on my shoulders and look for Aqua.
I can't find her.
I start to panic, fearing the worst. Could she have gone off and died?
Suddenly, I see her. She's on the ground, another Career cornering her, ready to strike. I run as fast as I can and throw myself in front of her.
A sword plunges into my side and my vision goes black.
I jolt out of bed, sweating intensely. Only a dream, that was only a dream, I thought. It all seemed too real, too right.
No, it wasn't. There was no way Finnick Odair would let that happen. Or would he?
It didn't matter now. Today was the first day of training and he wanted to show the Careers he meant business. There was something else on my mind though, and that person was Aquamarine.
I jumped out of bed and pulled on the training uniform left to me by my team of stylists hurriedly. Aquamarine is right out that door, and I need to spend every minute of my short life with her as I can.
I don't have time to waste.
Once I've brushed my teeth and fixed my hair in its usual style, I push open my door and knock on Aqua's.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah just give me a minute Finn, I'm doing my hair, we need all the sponsors we can get!" She replies.
"We already have an advantage with a drop-dead gorgeous girl like you on our side." I say smoothly.
"Finnick you're making me blush! You know you don't look half bad yourself."
Smiling, I answer, "Not only do we have looks on our side, we have personality too, everyone's going to love District 4 this year. I just know it!"
"I sure hope so Finn, this is the Hunger Games we're talking about, kids killing other kids for the Capitol's entertainment. Oh and we can't forget, even if we win, they usually sell us off and use us for profit anyway. There's no way off this train ride." Aquamarine states with anger.
Aqua is right, but winning is better than dying at the hands of the Capitol without ever getting the chance to live your life isn't it?
Suddenly the door swings open and Aquamarine appears dressed in an identical uniform to mine, with our district number sewn into the sleeves.
"Pretty as always. Let's meet up with Anelise and the others, I want to get off this train."
"Sounds like a plan!"
I lead the way to the dining room, which is in the middle of our apartment. Waiting there in an outrageously elaborate ballgown, topped with a matching crown, stands our escort Anelise.
With her are our stylists, Marina, Greenia, and Demetri. Greenia and Marina wore turquoise and sea foam green dresses, and in Demetri's case, a simple dark blue tuxedo.
"Wow you four look… great! You know we're only going into the training building." Aquamarine said.
"Oh thanks sweetie! We know where we're going and we want you to look the best out of those tributes, in these outfits we'll take the competition away!" Anelise answered.
Aqua nodded in understanding. " Are we ready to go now?" I ask.
"Sure, lead the way Finnick, we all know the girls love you!" Marina pointed out.
Our group steps into the elevator and we make our way to the training floor. I shake away my nerves and step off first.
The few tributes that are already here stare at us. Some of the girls look longingly at me, while others stab jealous glares into Aqua.
The boys take a liking to Aquamarine and it makes me a little angry, but I know that it's only for the sponsors.
"Go knock yourself out!" Anelise and the others call.
Mags greets us warmly and adds, "I advise you to go over things you don't know, but throw in some weapons training as well, you want to make a good impression."
I nod and lead Aqua to the edible plants station first. Once we can separate all of them into poisonous and non-poisonous groups, the rest of the tributes show up.
We head to the camouflage station and are taught basic painting skills. Then we do a lesson on how to start a fire, which will come in handy later.
Aquamarine and I head to the knot-tying and hook-making stations for a bit to relax. We already know how to tie all the knots and make all the hooks better than the trainer, but we do it to review.
"We should do some physical training now, don't you think?" Aqua asked.
"Sure, what about knife-throwing? Isn't that your thing?"
Aquamarine nods and hurries to her favorite station. I follow and when we get there, we see the entire pack of careers perfecting their own knife skills.
Aqua waits her turn and when the dummies start to move she closes her eyes, trying to impress her adversaries.
Her first throw lodges itself right in the middle. Bullseye. She throws one behind her back, catching another one in the head. On Aqua's last throw she turns around and hurls it expertly into the neck of the last dummy. All kill shots.
I feel a sense of pride and excitement, I never knew she'd be this good. The other Careers look impressed.
"That was amazing Aqua! You'll have to show me how to do it!" I say.
"Sure!" She says.
After thirty minutes of teaching from Aqua, we start to head to the trident-throwing station. My kind of territory.
The Careers introduce themselves to us, from District 1, Drew and Maple. From District 2, Flare and Iris.
We traveled together after we met at the knife-throwing station. These Careers were not the same bloodthirsty savages as previous games. They had reasons to win.
I pulled Aqua to the side before we got to the trident station and said, "Do you want to ally with them, they're not like other Careers."
"Yeah I agree, I trust them." Aquamarine responded.
When we get back to the group I ask Drew, the apparent leader of the group, "Do you want to ally with Aqua and I? We would love to have you on the team."
His handsome face lit up as he answered, "I thought you'd never ask brother! Now show us what you can do with these tridents."
I picked up a three-pronged weapon from the rack, feeling right at home. Lifting the deadly tool up, I aim for the center of the farthest dummy. I throw.
It flew straight into the mannequin with so much force, the whole thing toppled over.
Flare, Iris, Drew, Maple, and Aqua stared at me with open mouths, then began to cheer wildly.
I bowed and took another two. Closing my eyes this time, I throw each one into the head and chest of new training dummies.
"Can you teach us how to throw like you? If we knew how to do that, we would be unstoppable!" Maple said.
After about twenty minutes of instruction at the trident station we head to the others strong points to learn as much as we can.
Flare shocked us with his flawless sword skills.
Maple showcased her impeccable accuracy in archery.
Drew cut heads off every mannequin with his star weapon the meat cleaver.
Finally, Iris threw axes into the chests of every opponent she faced.
Our team was very strong, and as we went through each station, the other tributes started to fear us more and more. Some even gave up, thinking they had no chance against us.
Time ran out, but we felt as if we knew everything there was to know in training.
We had to be one of the best teams the Hunger Games had ever seen.
"See ya Finn! See ya Aqua! You guys are the best, can't wait to see how our scores turn out tomorrow. I bet we'll blow everyone else out of the water." Flare, Drew, May, and Iris said.
We said our goodbyes and the crew from District 4 led us back to our rooms to sleep and get ready for training scores the next day. On the way, Mags and Bracken congratulated us on allying with the Careers and told us they were impressed with our skills.
They thought we had a chance.
That night, when I got in bed, I had confidence in myself for the first time in days. Our training scores will look amazing, we already have an alliance with the Careers, and we probably have sponsors lined up to help us in the Games.
Maybe, just maybe, we could actually win.