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#22
District 1 Male
Name: Admirable Hop
Age: 16
Training Score: 8
Odds of Victory: 7-1
Fact: He was the worst archer in his district's entire history, having almost lost a finger to the bowstring during his training.
Admirable wished he'd just waited one more year to volunteer for the Games. Maybe then he'd have gotten a more wide and open sort of arena, one where he could easily find tributes and score kills.
It was the final four and, rather than the half dozen or so kills he'd expected to have, he hadn't killed a single tribute!
Back in the bloodbath he'd been so close to killing the girl from 11, only for her to dodge his blade, shove him down and kick sand in his eyes.
Things hadn't gotten better since that humiliation. Not when he was always beaten to the part of a hunt that mattered most, the kill.
He would've thought that, being as tall as he was and with long legs, being fast would've come naturally to him. The issue was his allies had always been faster.
Yes, maybe waiting to volunteer would've been the better idea.
But there was no time like the present for success. His family hadn't made their fortune by waiting for things to happen. They'd gotten their wealth by doing things. By seeking out every available opportunity.
Back in the Dark Days the Capitol had been offering money for any leads on rebel plans. It had been Admirable's family who had capitalised upon this, ratting out dozens of rebels and earning their fortune. It was enough to set them up nice and easy for two decades, plenty of time in itself to earn more money through post-war means.
Some of the dregs of the district hated Admirable for it. He didn't care; the Capitol stabilised the nation, he'd take a government over pure anarchy.
Granted, the Games were anarchy in their own way, but at least it was the kind of anarchy he would gain a fortune without compare from. It would be worth it.
'Status is everything, Son,' was what his Father had always told him.
Status, indeed, was everything within District 1. They were the first and foremost of the districts, they were the best district. District 1 was a place where only the very best could thrive.
Admirable gritted his teeth. It all came back to the same thing; he'd lasted so long and hadn't scored a single kill. What kind of a victory would it be if he didn't kill a single person?
Even that girl who won the Second Games after sleeping through the entire thing managed a lone kill at the very end!
His allies walking with him were eager to make another kill, sure, but eager didn't even describe how he felt about it. The instant he saw the last tribute, he'd shove them down and charge ahead. He'd relish every moment, every second of the kill.
He hoped that whoever it was, it was the tribute who had killed Lotus. She was more than just his district partner, she was his friend.
She'd been of the correct background and status. She had deserved better.
She would be avenged, of this Admirable would ensure.
But first he would have to find the tribute. They were hiding in the dark, that much was clear. But they couldn't hide from the gamemakers, and they certainly couldn't hide from Admirable. Not for much longer.
Pearl ended up walking ahead, scouting with a flashlight and her trident. Admirable was about ready to storm ahead and take the lead out of spite, when Clawdette leaned closer to him.
"We should be the top two," she quietly told him.
"I'm listening…" Admirable whispered back.
He couldn't help but grin. Obviously he'd be the first choice for someone else when it came to forming a deeper alliance, and as it happened Clawdette would be his first choice of those who remained. He could defeat both his allies, he was sure, but why not go with the one who had already been wounded?
He wasn't an idiot.
"Pearl's the strongest, you've seen how easy this has been for her. All the kills she's gotten," Clawdette muttered.
Admirable narrowed his eyes into a glare. He had been rather sore over this for over a week. Pearl had been even worse than Panzer when it came to stealing the kills he wanted.
The boy from 10 should've been his! He should've been the one to light him up!
"So," Clawdette continued. "Once we corner the last one, we stab her right in the back and then kill the outlier."
"Just let me be the one to kill the outlier and it's a deal," Admirable said.
Clawdette nodded, bumping her shoulder to Admirable's own.
"Just so long as I can kill you after that," Clawdette snickered.
"You'd fail," Admirable said, very much doubting this.
"Would I? I've still got more kills than you," Clawdette told him.
Admirable was about ready to start cussing Clawdette out, only to cease when a shrill whistle filled the tunnel. Pearl had found something up ahead and was waving them over to come take a look at something on the ground.
"Footprints," Pearl said. "They lead this way. Let's follow them."
"How can you tell they're recent, or belong to the outlier?" Admirable asked, doubtful.
"At least it's a plan. If we take too long then the gamemakers would just force us together, but why force their hands?" Pearl asked. "C'mon, let's go."
Go they did. The trio continued to walk, and Admirable was quickly getting sick of it. He missed his cosy armchair at the family estate. He missed chairs in general.
He reminded himself that it wouldn't be long now. Soon the Games would end and he'd have the prizes. He'd finally have a chair to sit in.
He couldn't help but chuckle. He was in the arena, and he most longed for a chair?
Eventually, after they'd delved rather deep into the salt mines, Admirable came to a stop. His allies paused behind him.
"Let's stop," Admirable muttered, licking his rather dry lips. "Water break."
"No, if we stop then the outlier's gonna just go hide somewhere else," Clawdette snapped.
"Eh, water sounds good," Pearl shrugged, already uncapping her bottle.
The rubble wasn't comfortable, but it would do for the moment. It wasn't as if this was going to be a particularly long break.
Even around allies, Admirable didn't dare to take his hand off of his scimitar. Clawdette may have wanted his assistance against Pearl, but there was no guarantee that Pearl wouldn't try to make an early strike.
That emotionless girl was impossible to read.
Admirable finished his drink and discarded the canteen. He didn't think he'd be needing it anymore. He swiftly rose to his feet.
"Where're you doing?" Clawdette asked.
"Taking a piss," Admirable told her. "I'll be right back."
He left Clawdette and Pearl behind, rounding the next bend of the tunnel.
He didn't really need to urinate. He just wanted a moment alone.
After all, it was time for him to use what he'd received as his final sponsor days prior.
It had been sent while he was on guard the night before his alliance had entered the salt mines. A single syringe, with the instructions detailing it as an adrenaline shot. Something that would enhance the human body for two hours.
That would be all he needed to emerge victorious. First Pearl, then a quick betrayal of Clawdette and finally he'd slit the outlier's throat. It would be all too easy.
He just needed the privacy to inject himself. He would have to do it now, while he still had a chance. He couldn't afford to be seen doing it.
Admirable relaxed and gently inserted the needle into his forearm, injecting the contents. He felt a relaxing force surge over him, and then a feeling of pure power.
He felt powerful enough to feel he could kill the girls then and there.
The only issue was how this would ensure a blade into his back, and adrenaline or not, he wouldn't last long with such a wound.
It was fine. He had two hours to work with. Plenty of time.
Squeaking filled the tunnel. One look ahead had him charging back the way he came. Rats were incoming, lots of them.
He could handle it, but there was safety in numbers. He wasn't going to lose because of rats.
The girls knew something was up right away.
"Mutts!" Admirable yelled. "Rats! Rats!"
"Finally, some action," Clawdette grinned.
And what action it was. The mutts may have been vicious and full of nothing but hate, but the careers were trained for this exact sort of thing. Clawdette pierced rats with her spear, Pearl spiked them over and over with her trident, and Admirable gutted them with a grin on his face.
It wasn't the killing he truly wanted to be getting on with, but it was a great work out. Besides, there was never a bad time to kill a mutt.
The only issue was having to hold himself back and not give away just how full of energy he had become. It wouldn't do to give himself away to the others.,
"Die you little freaks!" Clawdette sneered.
'Little freaks is right', Admirable thought as he damn near sliced a rat mutt in half.
The swarm kept coming for another five minutes. By the end of it the tunnel was crowded with rat corpses and blood stained the careers' weapons and much of their fronts.
"That was a work-out!" Clawdette laughed.
"Not the same as killing a tribute," Admirable muttered. How much longer would it be until he finally killed someone?
"Why do you think they just… stopped?" Pearl asked.
Admirable shrugged, moving force and avoiding stepping in the blood as much as he was able.
"They're probably ready to end it and wanted some quick ratings before the finale. The outlier won't put up a fight, so why not send the mutts to spice things up?" Admirable said.
It made sense. Whoever the outlier was, they were outnumbered and would surely be starving and half-mad. The only real fights now would come from the pack and against mutts.
He hoped the final fight would come soon. He wanted to go home. He rather missed having enough food every day.
"I think our fight will be much better than killing rats," Clawdette said.
"Without a doubt," Admirable said, for he assumed this to be a fact. "But first, the outlier. They're around here somewhere…"
"Who do you think it is?" Pearl asked.
"Does it even matter?" Clawdette asked, shrugging.
"No," Pearl admitted.
Admirable privately disagreed. If the tribute was Lotus' killer, then it mattered a great deal. It meant he had to be the one to kill them. The only thing was, he'd not know who'd killed Lotus until he was interviewed after the Games.
All the more reason for him to keep moving and claim the kill before Clawdette and Pearl could.
They went deeper, deeper and deeper again. The light got worse as they headed downwards. It was never truly pitch black, but it was close enough to it. Their flashlights were low, probably not even fifteen minutes of battery life left between them.
Admirable was keenly aware that his adrenaline was limited. Soon enough the effects would pass. If he had to guess, he had maybe an hour of it left?
Time continued to pass and the outlier never appeared. A rat mutt did any time they started to go what the gamemakers clearly considered the wrong way, but never the tribute.
Time was getting tight. Tight enough for Admirable to consider just going for it and killing his alliance before they even knew what he was doing.
Just when he decided to give it three more minutes before betraying the girls, they finally rounded a bend and saw the girl from 9. She wasn't too far away and seemed oblivious.
Indeed, she seemed like she was past her breaking point and wasn't aware of much anymore. Admirable had seen this before. People back home who had been stuck in cave-ins down in the gem mines, trapped for weeks. The few who saw the light of day again were never the same.
He paused, considering how the girl from 9's lack of hearing much have made the experience even more traumatising. Admirable couldn't claim to know what such a thing would be like.
Luckily, he wouldn't have to know. All he had to do was quickly claim three kills and be off on his way to the victor's throne.
Clawdette bolted forth right before Admirable could. He scowled; was she intent on stealing the kill? Had she forgotten they were going to betray Pearl first?
It was enough movement to catch the girl from 9's attention. With a wheezy scream she was up and off down the tunnel, running for her life. Admirable had to admit, the girl was fast.
But with his adrenaline boost, he was faster. He held back, keeping beside Clawdette as they chased down the girl from 9. She rounded a bend, not daring to look back.
Clawdette gave Admirable a quick nod, gesturing towards Pearl with her eyes for only a moment. Admirable got the message, returning the nod.
He was ready to strike Pearl across the back of her neck, but she'd gotten just enough of a head start to stay out of his range. She was overcoming the rubble and such obstacles just that little bit better than he was.
He could've just thrown his scimitar, but he didn't forget what he had learnt from his training. Throwing your sword does not work, that had been what the volunteer peacekeepers had said.
It seemed that to catch Pearl, they would first have to catch the girl from 9.
"Keep after her! She's getting away!" Admirable yelled.
"The gamemakers won't let her run for long," Pearl said, unbothered.
Admirable had to wonder just how this outlier was so quick. Sure, she probably benefited from the wealth of her Uncle, the first victor, but that in itself wouldn't gift her with speed. Had she trained for the arena? Did she enjoy sports or something?
He honestly couldn't remember her interview, try as he may. The host who'd debuted just after the quell, Caesar, had mostly used sign language and repeated what Teff said for the audience, but none of what was spoken was coming to Admirable. By then he'd long since zoned out, seeing the entire thing as pointless and instead just imagined what his victory tour would be like until the show had ended.
All he knew was that he was getting real sick of the chase. The thrill was gone. He just wanted to catch her, kill her and be done with it.
But the half-mad girl wasn't giving up. She was at her limit, it was clear, but she just wouldn't stop. She leapt over rubble, dodged beside mine carts and skidded under low-hanging stalactites.
Admirable ended up hitting himself upon one of them. Only the adrenaline boost still in his body prevented him from falling behind or, worse, being knocked into a daze.
The chase took them through numerous tunnels.
It took them down a steep tunnel that became flooded with saltwater.
The tunnel led out into a colourful sea cove, one of colours Admirable would expect moreso from his home than an area. He grinned, taking it as a good omen.
All the better, the girl from 9 had run into a dead end. The smaller girl was on her knees, cowering in the middle of the cove.
Admirable had nothing on his mind except murder. He pushed Pearl aside, forgoing any plan or strategy except for killing the outlier.
He reasoned that he could just use her corpse as a meat shield against Pearl.
Across the cove, something stirred by some particularly large clams. A trio of fishy people arose from behind, slumping over the clams and staring at the tributes.
Admirable readied his scimitar, fully prepared to kill them as well if it came to it.
Then the mutts began to sing. To Admirable, it was better than any music he'd ever heard. It easily outshone the harps that his neighbours loved to play. It won out over any singer at the local park.
It was divine.
He couldn't think of anything but the music. He couldn't stop the rising desire to relax and just listen to the song.
He knew he had to get closer. He had to hear more of the singing.
He stumbled dreamily, making his way past the girl from 9 as if she wasn't even there.
He was the first one to reach the mutts and the first to receive a nasty slash of its claws.
Admirable was brought back to reality just in time to see the girl from 9 fleeing the cove and realise the danger he was in.
"Get back!" Admirable roared, fighting to ignore the blood flowing down his arm and he struck the mutt.
Though the mutt lacked legs, having the lower body of a fish instead, it was shockingly agile and was quick to lunge at him and bite right into his shoulder. Tooth nearly met the bone.
Admirable's screams echoed across the cove, as did those of his alliance.
The pain filled his mind almost as much as the enchanting singing had. But he maintained just enough focus to punch the mutt in the face and slam his scimitar into its mouth.
Admirable strained, holding the weapon sideways to block the mutt's jaws. With all his might, with all his power, with all the sheer muscle he'd naturally been born with, he pushed back.
Several of the mutt's teeth broke.
From somewhere to his right Pearl gained the upper hand over the mutt that had dogpiled her and slammed its head against the clam, enough to send blood flying.
To his left Clawdette was overpowered and taken down to the ground, the mutt upon her shoving its claws into her mouth.
Admirable didn't even have to try to ignore the sound of her jaw being torn off. The way the mutt upon him was staring at him had made it impossible to have room for any other thoughts.
Then Admirable felt something leaving him. The effects of the adrenaline, they were quickly lost. Their time was up, and Admirable feared his time would be too.
The mutt seemed to know it couldn't bite him just yet, but it also seemed to know that it would overpower him if things stayed as they were. It wasn't letting up, no matter the force of the kicks he sent to its gut.
A snap filled the cove as Pearl broke the neck of the mutt that had attacked her. The mutt that had killed Clawdette wasted no time in engaging her.
Meanwhile Admirable continued to struggle against the mutt bearing down upon him. Some of its putrid saliva dripped down upon his face, one glob at a time. The vile mixture never seemed to cease.
Then one particularly thick glob slowly but surely dropped down into his mouth. It was so nasty that Admirable couldn't stop himself from gagging and spitting it out.
He'd loosened his hold for just a moment. This was all the time the mutt needed to force its claws all the way through his right arm and out of the other side. With the adrenaline's effects gone, all hope was lost.
At last, Admirable lost his grip on his scimitar and the mutt pinned him to the ground, helpless.
"No! No! Pearl! HELP ME!" Admirable begged. "Anyone! HELP!"
The mutt sank its teeth into his arm and tore out a strand of muscle. The agony was indescribable, blurring Admirable's vision and mind.
"My family helped the Capitol!" Admirable wailed. "We helped you win! HELP ME!"
The mutt shut him up by tearing out his throat and swallowing the lump of flesh. Admirable slumped back, dead before he could even realise he'd died without even making one measely kill.
The mutt, at least having a kill to its name, turned its attention to Pearl and joined its remaining brethren in attacking her.
Pearl was taken down to the ground just like Clawdette and Admirable had been. However, there was one key difference.
She wasn't afraid.
She was still perfectly calm.
Tribute Deceased
Ranking: 3rd
Cause of Death: Mauled by Siren Mutts
Time Lasted: 13 days, 4 hours, 33 minutes and 23 seconds
The odds weren't in his favour
District 1 Eliminated