Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while since I updated this story or any of my others for that matter. I've just had writers block and I couldn't bring myself to sit down and write a new chapter. I will try to update a little more frequently. Hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to leave any questions, comments, criticisms, or anything else in a review! :)

I get up extra early this morning, a little anxious about training today. As much as I hate to admit it, Garric has a point. I am one of the youngest tributes here and I am going to need to be pretty impressive for the Careers to accept me into their group. This made me consider whether or not I even wanted to be a part of the Career pack. I never thought highly of that group, even though I am technically from a Career district. But now I have to make choices based on survival, not my personal morals, and a spot in that group will guarantee my survival for at least a short period of time.

I take a quick shower and head down to breakfast where the rest of my team is already waiting for me.

"Do we need to have any sort of strategy today Mags?" I ask between bites of food.

She shrugs, "If you want to be a part of the Careers then you need to make that clear today. If you wait too long then its off the table completely. Trust me, you want to be able to make that choice yourself instead of having them make it for you."

I nod, "I want to join them."

Garric chuckles, "Good, you've finally come to your senses."

I glare at him but I don' think he noticed. I think people like him are the reason that our district ever ended up being labeled as "Career" in the first place.

I turn back to Mags, "Any more advice before we head down?"

"Since you aren't deciding to strike out on your own, it isn't necessary to hide your skills. In fact, it would be better to show them off today so that 1 and 2 know what you are capable of. The more skilled you are, the more they want you on their side." she says.

I nod, "Do you think they will have tridents?" That's pretty much the only thing I'm good at but I don't think I've ever seen one in the arena.

She shrugs, "In training, yes. Not necessarily in the arena. Try to pick up a spear during training, that's something that will definitely be available and although they aren't the same as tridents, they are similar."

Caia and I take the elevator down to the training center in complete silence. I don't think she likes me very much, even though we are district partners and so, naturally, we will be allies. I just hope that even if she doesn't like me, she will still help me survive, at least for a short period of time.

When we enter the training center there are already a few people there training, including the Careers. This is when I need to weigh my options. I could walk over to them immediately and claim my spot in their group. That would display confidence but also an arrogance that my limited skills might not be able to support. On the other hand, I could go train by myself and wait for them to approach me. My age would be the disadvantage there. I am definitely one of the youngest tributes in these Games and I wouldn't put it past them to cut me out of the group entirely. I look over at Caia but she is already walking over to the knives to train by herself. I guess she made the decision for me.

I head over to the tridents to train. It it surprising, and a little horrifying, that spearing these dummies feels exactly the same as spearing fish back home. I have been training for a few minutes before Mica, the boy from one, approaches me and invites me over to the other Careers. I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding as we walk back over to them. Clearly I wanted to be a member of this group more than I thought I did. It's instinct, survival. If you are a Career, you make it to the final 8 almost guaranteed. And that's what I need.

Mica, who has clearly taken over the leader position, introduces me to the rest of them. His district partner Sapphire, bats her eyelashes at me and compliments how well I did at the opening ceremonies. I smile at her which makes her blush. Mags wanted me to play this kind of angle, and I guess it worked. The boy from 2, Nolan seems to like me, but not trust me. Those are two very different things, and it's good because I don't trust him either. I don't trust any of them. Especially Alexis, the girl from 2, who eyes me with a cold stare the entire time I'm standing there.

Micah notices the tension between us and says, "Why don't we split up and go train. Start with your best, that will intimidate the other tributes."

I reluctantly follow his advice and head back over to the tridents. That's when I realize that they haven't invited Caia into the pack. If this is the group that will be set in stone for the Games then she is going to be left out in the cold. I decide to go talk to Micah about it.

He is training with the swords when I walk over, "Hey, have you taken a look at Caia yet?" I ask him.

He nods, "She's been training with those knives all morning and if that's what she is best at then I'm not very impressed."

I hesitate, choosing my words carefully, "She is my district partner though, and I know she got a lot of sponsors after the parade. Why don't you just give her a chance."

He looks at me for a minute before answering, "Alright but remember that you're the one who vouched for her. If she lets us down then it's on you."

I nod and he heads over to Caia.

After lunch, instead of going back to the tridents, I go to the edible plants station. It's slow work and it's boring, but I don't know any of this stuff. I might as well try to get the basics down before I go into the arena. I am not there very long before Alexis comes over to me.

"What are you doing over here?" she asks me.

I shrug, "Weapons aren't everything in the arena. You need to know this stuff too."

She chuckles, "Not if you're teamed up with us you don't. We have sponsors, we won't go hungry."

I finally sit up from what I am working and look at her, "The Careers don't stay together until the end. We're going to split up eventually and I'm going to be ready when we do."

She glares at me, "Look kid, if it were up to me you wouldn't even be teamed up with us, and neither would your partner."

"Yeah well it's not up to you is it?" I snap at her.

"Careful." she says coldly, "If you want to make it past the first day I suggest you choose your word carefully."

I ignore her and she walks away. I stay at the edible plants station until I feel like I've got a pretty hang of it and then I take Mags' advice and go to try out some spears. They really aren't that different from tridents and, though they take some getting used to, I get the hang of them pretty quickly. Every now and then I glance over at Caia to see how she is doing. She has moved on from knives to the bow and arrow. She isn't much better at that then she is at knives. She needs to stick to one weapon and learn it well or she might lose her spot. And Micah made it pretty clear that if she goes, I won't be far behind.

That night after dinner Caia comes up to me, "Micah told me that you vouched for me. I know he never would have invited me to join if it weren't for you."

I shrug, "We're district partners. We're supposed to be allies, right." I say with a smirk.

"You didn't have to do that." she says. She is shaking her head but I see the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

I grin at her, "I know. You're welcome."

She rolls her eyes at me but gives me a playful smile before disappearing into her room.

The next day of training pass by with much of the same. Caia is slowly starting to realize what I realized yesterday and has gone back to the knives to practice. She is getting pretty good and I think she is warming up to me as well. Every now and then I catch her eye and she gives me a shy smile. The other Careers have been doing their best to scare the hell out of the other tributes. I'm pretty that it's working too. There are one or two tributes that are even younger than me and I hate the terrified look on their faces when they enter the training room and see the Careers already butchering the dummies. I know that I am a cause for their fear as well but that doesn't make it any easier to watch.

All of the other Careers have accepted me except Alexis, who still gives me the cold shoulder every time I so much as glance her way. I can't say that I trust any of them and I don't think that any of them trust me but we are allies, so I know they aren't going to try to kill me. I have been trying to observe the other tributes, to see who else has partnered up, but to my knowledge most of them are just staying with their district partner. I know that doesn't mean alliances won't form later but at least I know that going into day one in the arena, we will be the biggest group.

That night Mags talks to me about what I will do in my private session while Garric talks to Caia.

"What new things have you worked on?" she asks, "It's always good to show a little diversity if you have it."

"I've done some survival skills but other then that I've just focused on tridents and spears." I say, "I didn't think edible plants would be that impressive to show the Gamemakers." I say sarcastically.

Mags shakes her head, "If you know it, then show them. They know you are in the Careers and if you show them that it will give you an edge over them. I'm not saying to focus on that but at least work it in there." she says.

I nod and hesitate before asking her the next question, "Do you have to choose a tribute? Because you split us up and you're talking to us separately."

I can tell she is thinking about what to say before she answers. Eventually she says, "It is best for mentors to focus their energies on one tribute but we had a...disagreement about who to choose."

"So you ended up splitting up." I finish for her. She nods and I say, "Why did you choose me?"

She smiles at me, "Because you're strong. No matter what happens in that arena I think you can fight through it."

I go to bed that night thinking about what she said. I knew Garric didn't like me and I'm glad it's Mags that I have on my side instead of him. But I'm not sure if what she said is true. I don't know if I am strong enough to go into that arena and watch those children, especially those younger than me, be killed. I'm not prepared for this, at all. I know I'm going to have to get over that when I actually get in there but right now I can let myself hold onto my morals and just focus on getting a good score.

The next afternoon we all wait patiently in a small room to get called in for our private sessions. I'm glad I don't have long to wait. I feel like if I did I would get myself worked up and make myself nervous. As it is right now, I'm not nervous at all. I can tell Caia is though. she is sitting next to me and I can see her hands shaking. She gets called in before me and I wait about 10 minutes for them to call my name over the speakers. I stand up and walk slowly into the training center.

Another advantage of being this early on the list is that I can still hold the Gamemakers attention. I know they are drinking up there and by the time the last couple districts roll around, I doubt they are in any shape to score them.

I do a couple of things with edible plants but I know that won't hold their attention for very long so I quickly move on to spears. I set up a couple of dummies and throw the spears. They all sink into the dummies in spots like the neck, head, chest, all fatal shots. I know I need to do something different though. Something that will set me apart. Then I see some ropes in one of the stations. I quickly head over to them and start tying. I weave the ropes into a complicated net that would be nearly impossible to escape from. I set up one of the dummies a good distance away from me before starting. I get a running start and throw the net onto the dummy, successfully ensnaring it. The dummy topples over and I have my trident in its heart in a matter of seconds. I rip the trident out of the dummy's chest, turn to the Gamemakers, and give them a bow. They look surprised by this and I see a few chuckling.

"You may go now Mr. Odair." the Head Gamemaker says.

I nod and leave the room, a smirk still on my face.

When I recount what I did to Mags she laughs, "If you didn't match you abilities to it, that kind of confidence would be seen as a little annoying."

"But since I did?" I say with a smile.

"Then that makes it a little endearing which is what you're going for. You probably set yourself apart, which is good. I guess we will see tonight." she says with another light laugh.

That night we all sit down to watch the scores. I have been reassuring Caia all night. She knows as well as I do that her score will determine whether or not she still has allies going into the arena. Micah is first with a 10. Sapphire gets an 8 and Nolan scores a nine. Alexis gets another 10. District three is actually pretty good with a pair of sixes. Then it is my turn. My face flashes across the screen followed by a 10. Mags and Celestia congratulate me and I let out a sigh of relief. Caia is next and she manages to score an 8. That means she will get to stay in the Careers and it also means my credibility goes up for defending her.

Mags sends us to bed after letting us know that tomorrow we will be coached for the interviews. I go to bed pretty happy. My score was one of the highest of the night. I think this will be enough to convince not only the sponsors, but the other tributes as well that I am a force to be reckoned with, regardless of my age.

But I guess the real test will be in the arena. In three days.

I didn't really like the way I ended it but I needed to get this chapter out so it will do. I know this one wasn't very exciting but I was trying to give a little insight into what Finnick is thinking and how he makes his choices so I hope you guys liked it anyway. Next chapter will definitely be the interviews and depending on how long it ends up I might start the Games as well. I hope you like this chapter and don't forget to review! Any reviews will get a response at the end of the next chapter.

Here are the review responses from last chapter:

Izzieissocool: Sorry it's been so long but here is a new chapter! Hope you liked it :)