Chapter Ten.
Train Rides.
Leila Rorie; 17 years old.
District Ten Female.
She was so bored.
Leila was about to explode because of the silence. Since they had entered the train, she had seen it all. Visited her room, tasted a bit of every food, and now here she was, hoping for a bit of talking. The escort had showed her the dressing room, with more clothes than she could ever wear in her entire life, and had asked her to change into something new. Those clothes belong in your past, she said. Wear something that can define the new Leila.
But that was the problem. There was no new Leila, just the old one. She was still the same Leila, the one that had almost fallen apart when her parents didn't came to visit her, or the one that never had the courage to tell Sadie that she loved her. Her friend, no, not her friend. Her girlfriend. Sadie was the only one that came to visit her in the end.
Leila pretended that it was okay, that she didn't need anyone else but her, but it wasn't okay. It was far away from okay. Sometimes, she tried to understand what went throught her parent's heads. Had they already decided that she wasn't worth it?
That she would be just another death in the Hunger Games? Forgotten by everyone, but those that ever cared about her. In that case, it was only Sadie. But right now, she couldn't think about that. The world had decided to fuck with her, once again, but Leila had decided to strike back twice as harder. She refused to be just another dead tribute in the Hunger Games. She was Leila Rorie, and what she did best was to survive. No matter what.
She refused to show weakness to any of them. Fine, there were moments when Leila already felt like breaking down. And kicking someone. Mostly that annoying escort, or her asshole of a district partner that didn't realize that by crying, he was giving the Capitol everything that they wanted. But deep inside, there was a part of her that understood. The kid probably had a family, people that cared about, people that would actually mourn him if he died.
Leila had no one but Sadie, so that feeling wasn't really new to her. She had gone throught all of it before. Rejection. Fear, Sadness, Loneliness, and all the shitty emotions that anyone could possibly name. Maybe that was why she refused to cry, even when she wanted to. She was already used to that feeling, and boy, didn't it hurt.
Feelings didn't matter. She had more important things to focus on, rather than some annoying emotions. They would ruin her, if Leila felt them. Yes, sometimes it was important to let them all out. To allow herself to feel, because they were also a part of life. Part of the bad and good moments, those that Leila would never Forget, even after she was gone. After she had been replaced with the new Leila, the one that was willing to do anything to win. To see Sadie again. To prove her parents that they were wrong in giving up on her.
She knew that it would have to happen. There would come a time, when the old Leila would have to go. Maybe not forever, maybe only until she was back home. Leila didn't know. But she if had learned one thing from her life experience, it was that nobody went throught the Hunger Games without changing. One way or another, she would be forced to do thing that she would regret later.
Like kill her district partner, for example. Leila glanced at him, and from her spot next to the window, she could see his expression. Scared. Terrified, even. But right now, he was doing his best to stay strong. Looks like someone finally learned the trick. There was only one question to be made at the moment. Could she kill him? Leila had no idea. Maybe, if it came down to the two of them. No, not maybe. Yes. She had to. In the Hunger Games, there was no place for a no or a maybe.
Kill or be killed. But if she was going to kill this boy, when the time came, then she couldn't ally with him. That would ruin it all. If she allied with him, she would get to know him. Know his family, his friends, his story. His hopes and dreams. If that happened, she wouldn't be able to do it. But that didn't mean that she couldn't get to know him a little bit. Know his strenghts, and his weaknesses. But nothing more.
Leila sat on the couch, right next to Coulter, maybe even a little bit too close. "So, err, Coutler. How's it going?" For seconds, there was no reply. Leila waited, a hopeful smile on her face, when Coulter looked up from the reaping recap that he was watching, a confused look on his face. If there was one thing that Leila waited, it was to be ignored.
"You know, it's only polite to reply when people talk to you. If I want to speak to a doll, I would have brought one from home. God knows I have plenty of those ugly things back home." Okay, he could talk. She had seen him talk. So why wasn't he talking?
"I-I'm s-sorry. I'm C-Coulter. It's n-nice to m-meet y-you." Oh God, why? It did seem that the whole world was planning against her. First, she was reaped. Then, she was stuck with a guy who could barely talk straight. I must be a really bad person to deserve this.
"So... do you have anyone waiting for you?" With his looks, Leila could have bet that he had gotten over half of the female population of District Ten. But right now, that she was getting to know his personality, Leila doubted that he had even got laid one time in his life. But it was worth the try.
"I-I have my b-brother. And my p-parents." Leila rolled her eyes. Her theory was proving itself correct with every passing minute.
"No, no, silly, that's not what I mean. Someone you're fighting for. Someone you love. A girlfriend, a boyfriend, lover, whatever you want?" In that moment, Leila wanted to take it out of her pocket. Sadie had given it to her, right before she had left, and right now, it was Leila's most prized possesion. A photo of the two of them together. Leila had no idea of when it was taken, but it was recent.
Someone else might have considered that it was nothing important, but to Leila, it was everything. It meant that someone cared about her, that someone loved her. And that was all she needed to fight until the end.
"I-I.. n-not really, n-no."
"Oh, that's a shame. Someone like you.. Uhm. I have a girlfriend, her name is Sadie," Leila reached for the photograph on her pocket, and handed it to Coulter. "See? Isn't she the most gorgeous thing in the world? And boy, that sex... I can't even begin to explain it, it's like.. the best thing in the world." Coulter blushed awkwardly, but Leila ignored that.
"So-so you have...?" Coulter handed the photograph back to her, and Leila stored it safely in her pocket. She had an idea that while it was there, safe, no one could destroy what she and Sadie had.
She giggled. Talking about her sex life wasn't exactly what she had in mind when she first came here, but whatever. It was pretty nice, to finally be talking to someone. For a moment, she could almost forget where they were and what they were to do. No, right now, she was here to do whatever she wanted. The Capitol didn't owe her, or her life. There were things, the good and bad moments, Sadie, her friends and even her parents that belonged to her, and only her. The Capitol would never get to owe that.
"Oh, yes. More than one time, actually. In fact, I think I already lost count. But enough of little ol' me. Let's talk about you. What do you do for a living, Coulter?" And maybe get to know what you can and can not do? Yeah, that would be pretty helpful. She didn't want to do this. In fact, doing anything that the Capitol wanted made Leila want to vomit. But she had to. She had to play the Game, if she wanted anything close to a normal life ever again.
She refused to die without telling Sadie how she really felt. "I-I... m-my f-family h-have a farm. I-I usually h-help with the horses, but t-they don't let me do anything else. N-not until I turn eighteen." He was about to cry. Because she felt the exact same way. They were so different, from completely different worlds, but at the end of the day, they were just two kids, scared that they would never get to see their eighteen birthday.
"It's alright, Coulter. I know how you feel. It wouldn't hurt to watch the reapings one more time, right?" He nodded, and they turned their attention back to the reapings. Leila wasn't able to shake way the thoughts of Sadie from her mind, but she tried. I'll see her again.
Alexa Cadwell; 18 years old.
District One Female.
So far, everything was going accord to the plan.
Alexa was curled up on the couch, the tv remote on her hand, not bothering to make herself too comfortable. They would be in the Capitol soon enough, anyway. And there, the real game would begin. Alexa had been watching the reapings, but other part of her was also watching her district partner. Aidan's behavior was a mystery to Alexa, from the moment that they got together on the stage to this exact same second. Maybe he was already playing the Games, just like her. Maybe he was an idiot.
Alexa didn't know. But she did plan on finding out soon enough. Cashmere was sitting next to her, looking more busy with her nails than anything else, and Gloss sat with Aidan, away from them. "You don't trust him, do you?"
Of course I dont, Alexa wanted to say, but she held it back. Right now, she needed Cashmere. To get sponsors, and help her figure out who the biggest threats were. But there would come a time, when Alexa would be the only one who could do anything to change her future. And she would. But right now, she was the wild-card. People knew who Aidan was. The typical District One Male, who would probably end up leading the alliance. The others were nothing special, from what Alexa had seen so far.
But she wouldn't make the same mistake that the others had done in the past. They had understimated the others, and had ended up with a knife in their back. Alexa wouldn't follow in their footsteps. She would look out for them; all twenty-three, their strenghts and weaknesses and the way they worked. "Of course I don't. Should I?" Cashmere laughed a little, but shaked her head.
"No, you shouldn't. In there, you can't trust anyone but yourself to do what's necessary. But it's always nice to have someone in there to watch your back. Someone who will fight with you, for another manner of speaking. A temporary friend, if you will." So Alexa truly was right about Cashmere.
She was a good mentor, someone dedicated to help. People talked about her as slutty in the District, but it wasn't true. That's what Alexa heard, anyway. It was what she did around the District. She heard, and she kept the information for herself, only to use it later, when it came down to it. That was how she had gotten this far. By listening, and using it in her advantage. That was what would get far.
"We don't need friends in there, do we? I mean, did you have anyone?" Alexa had watched Cashmere's games more than one time. In fact, she had watched all of their games. From the first to the seventy-first. It was part of the preparation for the Games. To know how the others had worked out, how they had won.
"No, I didn't. Neither did Gloss, for that matter. All I had was my brother, that was waiting for me to come home. I didn't need friends when I had him." Alexa considered the thought for a moment. She had people waiting for her back home, people that hoped she would win. But at the end of the day, she was making this for herself and no one else. Maybe the Games would make her a better person, but maybe they wouldn't. She was willing to take the risk, but there was one thing that she would keep.
Her humanity. She was no monster, taking other's lifes because she took pleasure in it. She was just someone doing what was necessary, for herself and for the people waiting back home, while keeping her humanity intact. "But Gloss wasn't there with you, was he?"
Cashmere shaked her head. "No, he wasn't. But you need to remember something, Alexa. Everyone clings to something, even the worst of us. I had Gloss, and he had me. We were there for each other, and we still are. You would do well to remember. Everyone has something that they're fighting for, either a person or something. Hell, even just the thought of going home. But that's necessary, you know. The other alternative is falling apart."
Alexa knew that Cashmere was right. The best Victors were those that hold on to something, and that was what kept them together. What got them back home. Alexa would just have to find that one thing to hold on to.
Cashmere sighed. "Look, I'm not supposed to tell you this, because I wasn't supposed to know in the first place. We saw your training, all of us, but I was the one that ended up seeing most of it in the end, because I was going to be your mentor."
"What are you trying to say?"
"What I'm trying to say is that Gloss saw most of Aidan's training, just like I did with you. He's good, but he has one flaw. One thing that the Careers aren't allowed to have, if they want to make the most of their time in the arena and return home in one piece. He cares too much. And in the end, he's always torn between doing the right or wrong thing. That's his fatal flaw, and that's what you can use against him once you get the chance to do it."
A fatal flaw. Alexa hadn't thought of that before, but it was certantly interesting. Everyone had one, but only a few people knew which one was theirs. Alexa would just have to find hers, before anything else. "You had one, too? A fatal flaw, I mean."
Cashmere nodded. "Of course I did. Everyone of us had one. I was smaller than the other Careers, and it ended up meaning that they were much stronger than me in hand to hand combat. But my trainer told me something once that I never really forgot, and it ended up meaning the difference between my life and death. I might have been smaller, but I was faster than them. And they were way too confident to ever notice the small blonde girl from District One and in the end, that was what killed them. And what gave me my life."
"Do you... do you think I can do it?" She knew her chances, but it was good to know what her mentor thought of her chances. And even more after seeing everything that Cashmere knew.
"Winning? I think you can. You have a good chance, Alexa. I've seen you with that axe. You just need to know how to use that chance," With the next part, Cashmere lowered her voice. "When Aidan comes to you, I'm almost sure that he'll offer you an alliance."
Alexa raised an eyebrow. "An alliance? But we're allying with the others, aren't we?"
"Yes, you are," Cashmere agreed. "But it's not very unsual that district partners have a little something going on between them. An agreement, if you may. Something that will protect them when the Careers break apart, because that won't last forever. Something to make the two of you last longer, but only until it's necessary. When it's not, he'll turn against you with the first chance that he gets. Trust me, I know. My district partner betrayed me with the first chance that he got, and would have killed me if I wasn't already expecting it."
"And the point is?"
"The point, Alexa, is that I want you to say yes when Aidan comes to you. It's important that you say yes, but most all, it's important that you don't understimate him. He's a Career, just like you, even if he has a soft side. That doesn't mean that he's weaker, it just means that he might not be willing to do everything that you are willing to do." Cashmere was right. Whenever the alliance broke up, it would be every man for himself. And if Alexa wanted to have a better chance in surviving that, then she needed to do everything that Cashmere told her to.
"And the other Careers? Do you we should split from them soon or not?" She knew that the alliance wouldn't last too long, but Alexa was not sure of when they should break it up. Soon? Final 8?
"It's all up to the way you'll work as a team. If you see they'll help you win, then you work in a way that will keep the alliance together for a little longer. But never understimate them. Or anyone other tribute, for that matter. The problema with us Careers, Alexa, is the fact that we don't look at the other tributes like they can do anything. But sometimes, they have wills of their own. Sometimes, they refused to die.
Alexa nodded. She wouldn't do that, not if she wanted to win. To win, she had to consider every tribute for who they were and what they had to do, not leaving anyone behind. That's what a good tribute did. A good Career. A good Victor.
Katarina Morellee; 17 years old.
District Five Female.
"Katarina! So nice of you to finally join us." Kat strolled to the table where Kaneki and their mentor, Cara Malli, sat while they were waiting for dinner. Boring, so boring. Here they were, discussing pathetic strategies or at least, Cara was. Kaneki seemed to be doing his best to listen to her, but in the end, whatever she said wouldn't matter. Strategy didn't matter. Kat had decided on her straytegy the moment that her name was called, back in District Five.
Do whatever she needed to do, while having a little fun along the way. First, she needed to find some paws that she could manipulate to her own will. Playing with their weak minds, promising that she would get them to live a little bit longer, or even pretending to be friendly. Kat had watched many Games before , and had seen all types of strategies, from the weak one to the brutish Career that murdered everyone in his sight.
But those didn't interest her. She wanted her own strategy. The Capitol wasn't interested in people that didn't have their own strategy, they wanted something new. They wanted a tough, strong, independent Victor. That was exactly what she would be, when the time came. "You know, I needed my beauty sleep before thinking of murder. Or else, I would get bored and fall asleep when you wee about to tell us what it takes to make a Victor."
Cara patted the chair next to her. "C'mon, sit. We'll have enough time to discuss what makes a Victor and what doesn't. Right now, there are much more important things that we need to talk about."
Katarina raised an eyebrow. "Like what? All the ways that you can kill with a knife? Don't worry, I already know some of them." Yes, that woman might have a lot more experience that Kat does. But to be completely honest, Katarina never enjoyed the Victors from her own District. They didn't have that special spark that the others did.
But Katarina had it. She needed to have it, or this wouldn't work.
With that, Cara turned her attention completely to Kat. "You know, I've heard about you around the District. Everyone speaks of the famous Katarina Morellee, the trouble-maker middle daughter." The middle daughter. Once again, she was being reduced to three simple words. Everything she was, everything she wanted, her hopes and dreams, they didn't matter. She wasn't even Katarina Morellee, she was just the middle daughter.
That was everything that she would ever be. A middle daughter of family, forgotten by everyone, unless she did something. Unless she took the matter into her own hands. For the first time since she was reaped, Katarina felt something new. She wasn't angry, sad, or something like that. It was relief that she felt. Relief that after so many years of being ignored, she would finally be able to do something for herself. She would no longer be Katarina Morellee, the middle daughter.
She would be Kat, the Victor. When she came home, they wouldn't want to look at anyone but her. But then, she would be the one in charge. She would decide who deserved her attention, and who didn't. She would finally be in control. Kat couldn't absolutely wait to see what it felt like. Being the one they looked up to for decisions, the one they went to when they needed an advice.
"Then you must know that I'm so much more than that. But hey, it's okay. I know many people only look at me as a simple middle daughter. Well, I can't blame them for having such a weak mind." Cara smiled.
"I know your type. You think you're so strong, but deep inside, you only have one goal in mind. Something selfish, something that you didn't get the opportunity to do until you were reaped for the Hunger Games. But I tell you something, Katarina. In the end, you'll never win. Because your fatal flaw is that in the end, you will let that goal consume you."
Don't let her get to you. You're stronger than her, stronger than all of them. None of them have been throught hell and back, just like you have.
Instead of punching her straight in the face, Kat took a deep breath and smiled. There would be time for that later, she reminded herself. Right now, it was show time. "Maybe you're right," She smiled. "We'll see about that."
Cara sighed, leaning back into her chair. "I want to know everything. Every single one of your strenghts and weakness, I need to know all of them, if I am going to help you in every way that I can." Katarina grabbed a bottle of wine, poured a bit into her cup, and sipped a bit. That was why she loved to drink, whenever things got rough. She wasn't any alcoholic, no, but the alcohol had been there for her when no one else was.
"Don't drink that," Cara said, while she tried to get the cup from Katarina's hands, but the younger girl was much stronger. "You can't afford to be drunk once we get to the Capitol. It will only make their impression of you worst than it already is."
Kat chuckled. "That's really encouraging, thank you. I'm sure the two of us will sleep much better at night now." Cara looked like she was about to say something that she would regret much later.
You're doing this wrong. Get her on your side, make her ignore him completely. Get the whole attention to yourself.
"But still," She continued, putting the wine back on the table. "I really appreciate what you're trying to do. I mean, our District really needs a new Victor. Seventy One years and we only had two of them. It's sad, really." That seemed to bring Cara back into focus, and she smiled at Katarina.
"Exactly," She replied. "That's why I'm trying to do the best for both of you. But first, I need to know something. Are the two of you planning on becoming allies, or should I train you separately?" She glanced from katarina to Kaneki, looking for an answer.
Uhm. For a while, Kat considered him. From the pale skin to the slim build, he had District Five written all over him. He could be easy to manipulate, but in the end, what was stopping him from stabbing her in the back while she slept? Kat didn't know him, and she was never able to trust people that she didn't knew.
She needed people that would be easy to manipulate, or to even use as a human-shield, when the time came. Her district partner might not be the strongest one around, but he wouldn't do. At least not for now.
"I-I d-don't m-mind. It's up to you, K-Katarina." Yes idiot, I figured that much. The only thing stopping her from rolling her eyes was the fact that she needed Cara on her side, and for that to happen, she had to treat Kaneki like an equal.
Putting the saddest face that she could find, Katarina turned to him. "I'm s-so sorry, but I can't. I don't want it to come down to the two of us, in the end. I w-would never be able to hurt you. I mean, I might not know you but you're from home. Killing you would be like killing whatever I had left of District Five. I-I'm sorry."
Perfect.
Kaneki looked away, but Kat could tell that he was about to cry. For a split second, she almost allowed herself to feel sorry for him. Almost. But this was The Hunger Games, and nice guys finished last. No matter what she did, she couldn't allow herself to feel sorry for anyone. No, not right now. Not when there was work to be done.
Cara sighed. "Kaneki, why don't you wait for me in your room? I'll just talk a little bit with Kat over here, and I'll be there in a second." The boy nodded and a second later, he was gone.
"You did a nice choice, you know?" Well, I wasn't expecting this one. Maybe I did manage to get her on my side, after all. "I'm sure there are much better alliance options for someone like you."
"Someone like me?" Kat asked. Cara was much more like her than what Kat had realized at first, it seems. Maybe, all it would take to win was to have someone exactly like her by her side.
An hint of a smirk appeared on Cara's face. "Someone who understands the Game, and that is willing to play by the rules to win. I wouldn't be suprised if we managed to bring another Victor home this year."
This time, it was Kat's turn to smile. "I have to go and check on Kaneki, but why don't you re-watch the reapings? Pick your team, and we can go from there. You have a chance, Katarina. Please don't waste it."
Don't worry, I won't.
A/N: Not late with this one, uhm? I suppose that finally being out of the pre-reaping stuff made this easier to write, or I just like the Capitol? Yeah, something like that. Okay, anyway, hope that everyone likes chapter. POVs are now only three, but they're bigger, as you can see. 7 more of this chapters and we'll be in the games! xD (I am so excited. Really am.)
I'll try and update again on Monday, but since my birthday is tomorrow ( a review as a birthday gift wouldn't go unnoticed ;D ), I can't make any promises. But yeah, Monday or Tuesday, we'll see about that. Okay, have a nice weekend, everyone. Enjoy the beggining of the wonderful month also known as August.
See you soon, with the Chariot Rides!