Thanks to Dani H. Danvers, FrostyShadow, Very New To This, Paradigm of Writing, Singular Scissor, and goldie031 for the reviews!
Scoring… ugh… I've put both the Gamemaker observations and Tribute scores together as I want to get to the Interviews as quickly as possible. Anyways, below is a brief guide to how I think the Capitol sees scores:
1-2: Certain Death. Tributes who land here have no discernible skills for surviving the Games. Unless dared, no sponsor is touching them.
3-4: Below Average. Tributes who land here are either bad, throwing their score, or did something to upset the Gamemakers, who are retaliating by kneecapping that Tribute's potential sponsor money. More daring or the low betting sponsors would put money on them.
5 – 7: Average. The majority of Tributes should be in this range. They're on the fence, so sponsor money could go either way, and the interviews matter a lot.
8 – 10: Career levels. Them and the exceptional non-Career Tributes are here. Also, non-Careers who have REALLY pissed off the Gamemakers and whom the Gamemakers want to make a target for said Careers land here. Sponsor money and bets pile up fast behind Tributes in this range
11 – 12: Guaranteed Top 4 or Victor. I think only a handful of Tributes over 75 canon Games ever got these numbers. Any Tribute scoring here practically carries the Gamemakers guarantee for Victory.
Also, with so many Tributes, I'm including a brief alliance guide. This will be updated as the story progresses and alliances change:
Career Pack: Lana (D1), Reko (D1), Estelle (D2), Valdez (D2), Mara (D4), & Chase (D8)
Olivia's Alliance: Eddie (D3), Olivia (D5), Aleko (D5), Sarah (D6), & Amadeus (D6)
Oddball Alliance (I'll think of better names!): David (D7), Millie (D9), & Daisy (D11)
District 10 Partners: Hayley & Buck
District 12 Partners: Marianna & Pan
Lone Wolves or Unable to Get an Alliance: Poe (D3), Cean (D4), Ola (D7), Cara (D8), Alice (D9), & Ruddy (D11)
Did not mean for this A/N to be so long! Also sorry for the long chapter! Enjoy!
Chapter XIV Training Scores
The Capitol
The Tribute Training Center – Day 3
His underlings were already present by the time Head Gamemaker Lucan Hadrianus arrived, a bit buzzed from the excitement of being on TV yet again and from the drinks that followed. Everyone stood up and clapped for him as he entered – as they should – and Lucan took his seat at the front of the training center's observation balcony.
"To another successful – and quick – scoring!" Lucan cheered. Avoxes had brought flutes of champagne and soon everyone was toasting, some asking for a second. Over the past few decades, the scoring of Tributes had turned into something of a party and very few Gamemakers went through them sober. Lucan would of course imbed, but he was dedicated to being focused and present minded. These were his first Hunger Games as Head Gamemaker and he needed to make sure that the Capitol had the best, most accurate scores for betting and sponsorship! No mistakes!
But, maybe another flute of champagne.
"Bring out the first Tribute!" Lucan commanded. Shortly after, Reko Dunas of District 1 entered. He gave the Gamemakers a respectful bow and then got to work. A sword in hand, Reko dueled three trainers at once, taking them on with ease. A perfectly satisfactory display from District 1's male Tribute.
Lana Rose was the same, though she only took on two trainers. Her skill was equal to Reko's and she could have easily handled three as well, Lucan thought.
"I think that was a bit lower than Reko's." Lucan commented.
"Really?" One Gamemaker asked.
"Oh yes. Just a tad though." He said off handed. Like all the Gamemakers, he had been peeking his head in the past two days to watch the Tributes. Giving Reko a slightly higher score than Lana would put a fire under the girl and spark tension and drama in the arena. Perfect.
Valdez Devorane from District 2 was next. It was always a treat to watch the well trained District 2 Tribute compete, and while only using his fists and hands, Valdez truly made Lucan feel that he could go toe to toe with an armed Tributes. He easily disarmed Trainers and kneecapped them effortlessly. When he was done, six Trainers lay on the ground, groaning in pain.
"I think we have a high scorer and Victor here!" Lucan shouted, grabbing a fruity looking drink that was presented to him by an Avox. Some of the Gamemakers looked at each other in distress as the Head Gamemaker's faux pas; it was bad form for them to comment on the Tributes in that kind of manner. When Valdez left, Lucan was challenged.
"But he only fights hand to hand." An older Gamemaker commented. "Can we really in good faith rank him up so high? Especially when the Betting Halls hear about this!"
Lucan spun around, giving the Gamemaker a withering look. "He'll do fine with just those skills in this arena… perhaps better!"
After months of dealing with him, the Gamemakers knew to keep their mouths shut. Lucan's temper was up and it was best to just let him be for a little.
Estelle Jackson walked into a chilly Training room. She bowed politely to them, eager to impress. "For my first skill, I'll show off basic combat training." She began. "Then the Gauntlet for endurance, followed by-"
"No! No!" Lucan shot back, waving his hand at her. Hadn't she got the memo? "Just one skill."
The girl looked perplexed. "Just… one skill?"
"Yes."
"But… how can you properly score me?" She asked. She looked utterly devastated for whatever reason, which annoyed Lucan.
"We'll figure it out, darling." He said, taking a dip sip from the glass, the sound of the ice within it clinking throughout the Center. "Now, perform!"
Hesitantly and with some confusion, she went to the daggers station and got to work. She was proficient, though seemed distracted. She finished up and the Gamemakers began to gossip.
"She's got the traitor parents right?" One whispered to the Head Gamemaker.
"Oh yes, but she's a devotee of us apparently." Lucan's commented.
"Not the best of showings from District 2."
"She was distracted. And it is District 2. We'll give her the score that merits."
Eddie Kotlin from District 3 followed. The tiny boy looked up at them wide eyed and nervous. Eventually, a Trainer had to step in an encourage him to do something. The boy settled for the obstacle course, showing off his agility and reaction time, but not much else. It was a bit disappointing, and most of the Gamemakers were eager to be done with it and get to the next Tribute.
Poe Fitzpatrick entered into a Training Center brimming with anticipation. The few Gamemakers who had been watching at the time had eagerly reported back about the horrific way she had mauled a training dummy in front of the Careers. Everyone was now ready for a show.
They unfortunately didn't get one. Poe picked up a morning star and began to duel with a male trainer, though she seemed to be pulling her swings. Her form was sloppy and reaction time slow as well. In a one on one fight where her opponent was prepared for her, it was clear Poe couldn't hold up. Surprise attacks were more her forte it seemed. When Poe finished and left, a couple Gamemakers couldn't keep their frustrations down.
"That was the monster of 3?!" One demanded. "She could barely fight!"
"Who cares!" Another more seasoned and wiser Gamemaker said dismissively, "Give her a high score and build her up. Once she's in the arena we'll see that monster come out and the Sponsors will have money to spare."
That shut up the other Gamemaker, but Lucan had to roll his eyes at the idiocy. As Gamemakers they needed to be objective with their scoring, of course, but they also needed to live in the real world. There was already serious money building behind Poe. No need to disappoint the sponsors and betters with a low score. "She'll come alive in the Games." Lucan said. "And we've all seen the photos of what she did to those classmates and the vids from yesterday. A high score is more than fine."
Next up was District 4, a District that Lucan had a soft spot for. Unfortunately, he was disappointed this year with their male Tribute. Not that Cean Fischer seemed incapable. The boy showed off his spear work, and while it wasn't great, it wasn't as terrible as the Careers seemed to think it was. But the Careers were all perfectionists by nature, and the animosity they felt toward Cean seemed to have been bred by Mara. It was Lucan's understanding that there was a spat between the District partners on the train ride, and it appeared kicking the boy out of the Careers was Mara's way at vengeance.
That and Cean's broken nose. An ugly purple blob marked Cean's face along with bandages. Lucan wondered how his stylists were going to handle it tomorrow for the Interviews.
Mara Bonavich followed and like Estelle she picked up knives. She showed off her throwing skills, hitting each and every target with flair. It was perfect precision. Lucan nodded to Mara as she left, silently rooting for her. A Tribute out to win the Games in honor of her father who had died in a previous Games would certainly be a great first Victor for him.
District 5 next and the Gamemakers were getting a bit antsy. Lucan signaled for the food to be brought in. He felt he had wisely scaled back on the usual feast by requesting just appetizers and small plates this year. Aleko Ferrovia, obviously to the command, surprised Lucan and the others by doing some hand to hand combat. The boy was still too pale for Lucan's taste, but at least he no longer seemed a couple seconds away from dying!
Until the coughing began and Aleko had to stop. He seized up, coughing so loud Lucan feared an organ was about to be expelled from his mouth. Once it subsided, Aleko looked up at them sheepishly and Lucan waved him out of the room.
"He volunteered, that has to count for something." A Gamemaker defended. Lucan already knew who it was and knew that that particular Gamemaker was soft for District 5.
"It'd count for more if the boy wasn't clearly on death's door." Lucan muttered, grabbing a plate of cheese from an Avox. During the chariot prep each Tribute also received a physical exam and that report was sent to the Gamemakers for review. Aleko's physical was clear, the boy would be dead in seven months. Lucan didn't think it that brave for him to volunteer for his boyfriend at that point, it was just economical.
Who interested him more was Olivia Echeberría. He watched her enter, her eyes scanning each of the Gamemakers and sizing them up. Lucan had been impressed by Olivia's conduct, as were other Gamemakers. It was always nice to see someone from a weaker District show initiative.
Unfortunately she chose a poor skill to show off. While maybe a great leader, her combat skills left something to be desired. She picked up a knife and practiced with a trainer, a bad idea as the trainer was armed with a sword and Olivia didn't know how to properly block it. In the end, for every strike she got on the Trainer, he got in three. She left the Center muttering curses, turning back at the last second to shout a joke at them.
"Shoulda shown you guys how to boil water instead!" She shouted with a smile, "It would have blown your minds!"
To the Gamemakers delight, Amadeus Remington from District 6 went to the poison station. While there he led them through a detail description for what each of the poisons could do, how best to deploy them, and where they could be found in the wild. Lucan was enthralled, especially since no one in Amadeus' alliance knew about this skill. This was exactly what Lucan was hoping for when the Honor Guard came to him and showed him the vial of poison Amadeus had brought with him from District 6. They had been afraid that the boy would off himself with it, but Lucan was willing to take chance and instructed that Amadeus be allowed to keep the vial.
It appeared the gamble would pay off. Hopefully he made it past the Bloodbath and could have some fun with the skill.
Sarah Tarr was next and what many thought would be a dull affair from the mousey looking girl turned out to be quite riveting. Without hesitation, she went straight for a mace. Unlike Poe, Sarah had clearly learned over the past three days how to effectively wield such a heavy weapon. She smashed up dummies first, showing off her technique and ability to control her movements while swinging the mace. Afterwards she then took on a trainer, where Sarah showed she was able to hold her own. The Gamemakers were suitably impressed by her surprising strength and willingness to go big.
"Finally someone picking something other than a knife." One Gamemaker said, deep in her cups and slumped in her chair. "Why do all these freaking Tribute go for knives?"
District 7 was next and starting off on a disappoint note. David Levering came out first and he chose to show off his running speed. It wasn't impressive at all. Halfway through, Lucan interrupted and told David to leave. None of the Gamemakers attacked him the interruption, especially considering who was up next.
Ola Ellery came out to anticipation and, just like Poe, the Gamemakers were let down. She went to the survival skills section, sat down at the weaving station, and got to work. Lucan burst out laughing at that. Look at her trying to be clever… she had drawn too much attention to herself on day one, upset the Careers day two, and was now trying to get a low score from the Gamemakers to hide behind.
'No ma'am.' Lucan thought, score already picked out. 'You aren't slinking into the shadows.'
District 8 began with Chase Metro who, for many Gamemakers, was the last notable Tribute. The boys height was simply staggering and he showed how he effectively used it utilize a spear. He gave them all a cocky smile when he finished. He was perfectly satisfactory.
Cara Whitlock was the first to enter the room full of Gamemakers beginning to fade. Thankfully, she didn't meander about, or comment on the wining and dining they were indulging in. She went for the survival stations and, using a fish ordered from the kitchen, showed how to make a net to catch the fish, a fire with the bare minimum material too cook it, a knife from scrap to gut said fish, and finally how to properly cook the fish. Not the most exciting display, but useful. The girl gave a quick bow before leaving, which was appreciated by the Gamemakers.
What wasn't appreciated was Alice Barton from District 9. The boy was an enigma for the Gamemakers, who after observing him the past three days and reading his file weren't sure if the boy was insane, playing strategically, or just an idiot.
Alice walked in, flashing all of the Gamemakers his crooked, weird smile. Lucan tried not to look too long at his misshapen tooth, disgusted by it. Alice then made a beeline for the weapons station first, grabbing hold of a shield. He then ran over to the camouflage station and began painting something on it. After a minute or two, he showed off his creation.
The shield was painted with some sort of misshapen head. It looked like the head screaming, eyeless and features less except an expression of pain and open, screaming mouth. The Tribute wasn't done and ran back to the weapons station.
"One skill only!" Lucan cried out. He had enough of this child. But Alice didn't listen and grabbed an axe, charged a dummy, and started slicing. He was screaming like a mad man the whole time and, when the dummy was just pulp, he started banging on the shield like a savage.
The Trainers quickly removed the boy, and Lucan let out a sigh of relief. What a wack job.
Millie Parel followed and lightened the mood. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it's an honor to appear before you all!" She gushed. "I truly feel humble."
"Oh, well thank you." Lucan said, feeling flattered. Why weren't more Tributes like this?
"I can't imagine how difficult your job is. But it's like I learned growing up, the hardest tasks are the most rewarding. There's honor in struggle, just like the Capitol taught us!"
General murmurs of agreement from all the Gamemakers followed. It was nice to see a Tribute know their place. Millie's display with a sword wasn't too excited, her skills rudimentary, but her eagerness and subservience had won some allies.
And Lucan did like compliments.
Things perked up with District 10. Buck Midthunder came first. The boy was all nerves with the Gamemakers eyes on him, but thankfully he found his footing. He used a lasso and hammer to great effect, pulling in dummies first and smashing their heads, though he seemed a tad slow on the smashing part. After wearing out the dummies he turned to the trainers.
"I'm sorry… would one of you mind assisting? I promise I won't hit you!" He asked.
Lucan rolled his eyes. Too polite. But the Trainers did step in and act as moving targets for Buck to lasso. He caught them all, and apologized profusely as he dragged them towards him. None of them managed to escape the lasso either. A tough skill to master.
Hayley Butcher entered next and Lucan was excited to see her. He remembered the 43rd Games and the girl's father, Ram, who competed in them. A fling at the time had placed his first bets on Hayley's father in a drunken stupor, insisting that he was going to win. The fling lost all of his money the next morning when Ram slipped, broke his leg, and it became clear infection would kill him. It was a funny memory looking back.
Hayley was certainly more capable than her father. At first she went for a sickle and began to show off her agility with it. But then she turned to the Gamemakers and made a request. "Could I get a butcher knife instead?" She asked.
None was to be had without wasting time the Gamemakers didn't want too, so she had to stick with the sickle. She gave a good display and, while she didn't practice with a trainer, Lucan could tell she was capable. How refreshing for an outlier.
And then it came to a screeching halt with Ruddy Clemson.
The District 11 boy came in looking like a sad sack as usual. He went to the camouflage station first but, seeing it in disarray thanks to Alice began to panic. He then wandered around, starting and stopping at various stations. First trying a fire, then stopping when he struggled to build it. Then onto crafting, sharpening a stick and rock for a spear but stopping as he struggled to shape it. After a few more starts and stops at various stations Lucan had enough and cut the idiot off he was trying to pick out poisonous vs non poisons mushrooms.
"We can't have you dying before the Games, Tribute!" He shouted. Giggles from the other Gamemakers bubbled up and the boy left crestfallen without trying any further skills.
Daisy Mayfield was up next but interest in the Tribute watching was gone. Dessert was being served, a delicious assortment of cupcakes or sugar covered fruits on small plates, and the Gamemakers were distracted picking out their favorites. Lucan gobbled down a vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting quickly, enjoying the simple but sweet flavor. He glanced at Daisy, who was open mouth gawking at them all and ended up getting hit in the stomach by a trainer for it.
It looked like it hurt, but the girl got up and kept going with her spear. At least the girl could take a hit and come back swinging, literally. That counted for something. She left, nodding politely to all of them as she did.
As usual, decorum amongst the Gamemakers was completely broken by the time District 12 entered. Pan Harlow went to the survival stations and showed off his ability to identify plants, roots, and everything else natural. 'Boring' Lucan thought, though Pan didn't get a single one wrong.
"Can you like… do anything with them?" One Gamemaker, red faced and egged on by another equally drunk Gamemaker, questioned. Pan looked at them, confused for a moment until he seemed to put together they were all inebriated.
"I can make poisons!" Pan declared, voice a bit wobbly. Lucan squinted and tilted his head in bemusement. An obvious lie, but cute he'd at least try. Pan was dismissed quickly.
Marianna Gristle was the last Tribute and seemed to be able to tell she didn't have the Gamemaker's attention. She went for the daggers, causing a groan to erupt from about a third of the Gamemakers. Marianna ignored it and showed off her knife throwing skills. She hit about 60% of her targets and called it quits to the delight of all the Gamemakers.
"Finally!" Lucan shouted, jumping to his feet once Marianna left and the doors swished closed behind her. "Before we score, I've got a bottle of bubbly in my office. Anyone want to partake?"
No one said no. After all, it was only proper to toast themselves for their hard work that day.
District 1 Apartments
As the sun set, all citizens of the Capitol and the Districts huddled around TV screens or projectors to hear the Tribute scores. Since the Chariot Parade, the airwaves had been dominated by Hunger Games commentators and experts, speculating on the strengths and weakness of the Tributes. Tonight, they'd find out who'd be vindicated and who perhaps wasn't being invited back next year to be a pundit.
Elsewhere in the Capitol, more causal Hunger Games viewers would begin to formulate their preferred Tributes tonight, while gamblers and the Betting Halls would begin laying odds and money down. An unfathomable amount of money would be spent over the course of the 58th Hunger Games, and it all began that night.
But in the Districts, the mood was serious and dour for many. People would learn if a loved one had a chance at winning, and a District would learn if they could expect a victory and Capitol assistance for the coming year. Would parents see their son or daughter again? Would a sibling be returned? Would a loved one or friend or even enemy be returning as a Victor? The scores were the first way many would know.
Finally, it was time. On live TV, Caesar Flickerman received a box with twenty-four purple envelopes inside, each embossed in gold with the seal of the Capitol and a Tribute's name.
Caesar picked one up and, with a pearly white smile, began the score reveal, starting with District 1.
"For Reko Dunas of District 1," Caesar read, pausing for dramatic effect before each reveal, "A score of…. 9!"
Reko was a bit annoyed. Only a 9? The past three District 1 male Tributes had gotten 10s! Annoyingly, his mom came into his mind, talking about how she was afraid he was going to die and that maybe he wasn't as strong as he thought. A 9 was absolutely fine, he told her and himself. At least he had done better than…
"For Lana Rose, a score of… 8!"
Her heart dropped. An eight? She could just see Aunt Katie sneering at her. Both District 1 Tributes felt deflated, and Lana hated that Reko had done better than her.
She left the room before Reko could comment, trying not to think about Aunt Katie's veiled criticisms she'd no doubt make that evening to anyone who would listen. Lana would just have to make up for it tomorrow with the interview.
District 2 Apartments
"For Valdez Devorane of District 2, a score of… 10!"
A sigh of relief escaped Valdez, one he didn't realize he was holding. His father would be proud. The Career Academy and other more prominent dojos in District 2 insisted that only they could produce top tier Tributes capable of such a high score. That Valdez got such a high score would be a huge boost for his father's faltering dojo.
"For Estelle Jackson… a score of… 9!"
Valdez waited next to Estelle for her to react, show happiness or anger or something. But since she returned from her session with the Gamemakers, Estelle had seemed distracted.
Or, more accurately, annoyed.
Estelle couldn't stop thinking about her treatment by the Gamemakers, especially the Head Gamemaker Lucan Hadrianus. First of all, she thought, looking at her score as it flashed across the TV screen in front of them, a 9 wasn't an accurate score. They had only allowed her to show off one skill, how could they possibly consider her score, or any Tribute's score, accurate? The Gamemakers were suppose to be the arbiters of fairness, people whom all of Panem relayed upon to determine if someone was fit or not for the Games!
But the way they dismissed her… it was unbecoming of them. And it made her think about Yannis' comment about the Capitol being the true enemy.
Estelle shook her head. "A 9 is perfectly fine." She told Valdez, shaking away the haze that was befalling her mind. "Let's just hope Mara and that idiot from 8 can score well too."
District 3 Apartments
Since their arrival in the Capitol, a Peacekeeper had been present in the District 3 Apartment whenever Poe was there. That night, Eddie was especially grateful. Who knew what Poe would do once she got her score. He really wished he could be in the District 5 apartment with Olivia. It was absolute misery spending time with Poe.
"District 3 up next! For Eddington Kotlin, a score of… 3."
'Oh no.' Eddie thought. What would Olivia think when she saw the score? She'd probably be so upset with him. He thought the obstacle course would be a safe bet, a good way to show off his agility and speed. At least to get him to a four or five! Apparently not.
"For Penelope Fitzpatrick, a score of…. 8!"
Poe perked up at that, not even aware of the Peacekeeper's eyes on her, watching her every move. An eight! That would show those obnoxious Careers. She let out a triumphant whoop, though it came more as a scream, alarming everyone in the apartment. "I got an eight! That's what that one eared girl from 1 got!"
"Well, it'll help with sponsors." Their Escort said, nervous around Poe and incredibly thankful for the Peacekeeper and the panic button he'd given her. "Say, why don't you pair up with Eddie and his group? People love the middle Districts sticking together!"
Thankfully, Poe shook her head no, much to Eddie's relief. He'd rather die than be allies with Poe, which, if he was, felt like a strong possibility anyways.
District 4 Apartments
District 3 wasn't the only apartment with a Peacekeeper. A rather bored one was sitting in the District 4 apartment to make sure that Mara and Cean didn't get into any more fights. The Peacekeeper would have protested such a boring assignment, but he was low man on the pole currently and had little say in the matter. At least guarding the crazy delinquent from 3 could be entertaining. The two Tributes from 4 were sitting on other sides of the couch with the Escorts and mentors between them, no one saying a word as the scores were read.
"For Cean Fischer from District 4, a score of… 6!"
Cean blinked at that, wincing in pain from the action. A six? That wasn't bad at all. Mara from across the room shot him a look of pure hatred, which Cean ignored. His new strategy for the Games now that he was by himself was to run from the Bloodbath as quickly as possible as, District Partner or not, Cean was truly afraid that Mara would kill him in the arena. The smashed cartilage in his nose was proof of that fear.
"For Mara Bonavich, a score of… 8!"
"Damn." She hissed. She wanted higher. But, it was a higher score than her dad's six. And it would still show that District 4 was producing quality Tributes for the Games, which was one of the most important things the Academy taught her.
She wasn't just representing the District as a regular Tributes, she was representing the Career Training Program as well. If the program faltered, perhaps the capitol would shut it down and allow another District to train Tributes. That's why Cean was such an annoyance, now truly an eye sore due to his purple, bruised face. She was carrying not just her father but the whole District's future on her shoulders.
Briefly, she thought darkly how she could just kill him at the start of the Games. But the Capitol had its odd quirks, and one of them was despising Tributes who killed their District partners right out the gate. Maybe Cean would trip on his starting plate and end up getting blown up?
That was a nice thought.
District 5 Apartments
"Now, for District 5! For Aleko Ferrovia, a score of… 3."
"Told ya." Aleko said. "They weren't fans of the coughing."
Olivia waved it off. "All that means is that you can't harass me about Eddie anymore. Besides, scores don't mean anything really!" She insisted. "Plenty of Victors had lousy ones. Don't fret too much."
"For Olivia Echeberría, a score of… 5."
"A five! Get out of here!" Olivia hollered, on her feet in a rage. Behind her Aleko snickered as he took a sip of water to hide his bemused smile.
District 6 Apartments
"District 6 time, folks! For Amadeus Remington, a score of… 7!"
Pride instantly filled him. A seven was higher than any District 6 Tribute had scored in the last ten years, Second Quell included! Next to him on the couch though, Sarah was keeping her gaze on the TV, not wanting to give away her thoughts.
'How the hell did he get a 7?' She thought. They'd done pretty much all of the same things the past three days and none of the skills Amadeus had shown screamed a score of 7. Were the Gamemaker just being nice for some reason? They had seemed a little drunk…
Maybe they were being nice, because her score came next, shocking her.
"For Sarah Tarr, a score of… 6!"
"Good job." Sarah said immediately.
"Same to you." Amadeus replied. "Looks like we're leading the alliance."
"Olivia got a five." Sarah said, a bit testy. "That's impressive too."
"Oh, yeah, for sure." Amadeus said. "I was just joking. Olivia's still in charge."
Sarah left it there. The answer for her partner's seven suddenly slapped her in the face. Clearly, he had another skill he hadn't shown his alliance members. And Sarah was willing to bet it was found at the poisons station…
District 7 Apartments
"We're halfway through now, everyone! Starting off for District 7, for David Levering, a score of… 2…"
David's head sunk into his hands. A two? He had scored lower than the fourteen year old from 3 and that sickly boy from 5! No one was going to sponsor him now! His face was beat red with embarrassment.
"For Oleanna Ellery, a score of… 9!"
"Damn it." She hissed. Her plan had backfired spectacularly. The Careers would be after her now for sure. Her score was higher than two of them, the Pack wouldn't let that stand! That meant only one thing…
They'd be on her as soon as the Games began, and she'd have to kill someone, or multiple people, just to get out of the Bloodbath alive.
District 8 Apartments
"District 8 time! For Chase Metro, a score of… 7!"
"What?" Chase screamed, a temper tantrum on coming. "They gave me a lower score than the red headed, man armed girl from 7?"
Cara remained at the edge of the room, not engaging. Chase always let out all the venom he kept stored up when they got back to the Apartments. She just needed her score and she'd leave him.
"For Cara Whitlock, a score of… 5."
She retreated to her room, locking the door behind her. She could work with that too. It was a nice middle number that gave her wiggle room with sponsors, though Cara was terrified of speaking to all of Panem tomorrow.
'You can do it.' She reasoned. 'Just smile, act nice, and get a little money. And don't piss anyone off.'
District 9 Apartments
"Onto District 9! For Alice Barton, a score of… 2…"
Alice was immensely pleased. Nobody would expect anything from a two. It would be quite shocking when he suddenly came alive in the Games and started killing. It'd stun the Capitol and all of sudden he'd be a star. Who else could compete with him?
"For Millicent Parel, a score of… 6!"
"Only a six?" Millie asked out loud. She didn't expect Alice to say anything. The boy hadn't spoken to her since the train rides. The more she thought about it, she supposed a six wasn't that bad. There had been plenty of Victors who scored in her range. She really shouldn't let it get her down. The Gamemakers had fairly assessed her and if a six was her score, then so be it. It didn't mean she couldn't still win.
District 10 Apartments
"Starting off for District 10, Buck Midthunder with a score of… 8!"
"No way!" Buck hollered, bouncing on the couch in glee. "An eight?! My Pa is going to be so proud!"
"Congratulations." Hayley compliment. She was honestly surprised by such a high score, and a bit nervous. Buck was in a fully celebratory mood. The whole day he had been nervous about his score, thinking about how his Pa, Cora, the whole Midthunder ranch, and even his dog Cooper would see it. What of he let them down with a bad score? Made them fear he couldn't come home or worse, wasn't fighting to come home. An eight would show them how hard he was working.
"For Hayley Butcher, a score of…. 6!"
She is very happy with six. It was a good score for sponsor attention and didn't put a target on her back with the Careers. It was also double what her dad had scored in his Games. However, she was also a bit nervous for Buck. For most of training the two of them had been in the background, away from the eyes of the Careers. An eight would be like the North Star on a black night, a beacon for the Careers to flock towards him. Her ma would tell her to ditch him, that he had too much heat and the Careers would target her as well. She shut that voice down. They were doing well together and she wouldn't leave him.
She had to tell him, but seeing how happy he was, gushing about his score, Hayley felt it would be mean to break his heart so early.
So she let him enjoy it, ignoring the voice of her Ma in her head.
District 11 Apartments
"District 11 now! For Ruddy Clemson, a score of – oh… oh dear… a score of… 1…"
Ruddy was as pale as the District 5 boy. He was a failure he realized. What was his fiancée thinking as she watched this? Meanwhile Daisy next to him couldn't keep her curiosity down. "What in Panem did you do for them?" She asked. Ruddy said nothing, thinking of all the misery that had befallen him. Why was this happening to him? He was a good person. He didn't deserve this!
"For Daisy Mayfield, a score of… 5."
Daisy would take a five. It gave her a leg to stand on with the Capitol tomorrow night. And while David's score was a bit low, Millie's was solid and Daisy felt like she could charm the Capitol on the alliance's behalf. She thought of her twin Jeanna's final words to her, telling her to charm the Capitol and make them love her. That's exactly what she planned on doing tomorrow.
District 12 Apartments
"And last but certainly not least, District 12!"
"Huh… like he actually means that." Marianna teased.
"For Pan Harlow, a score of… 4."
"That score doesn't even mean anything. The Gamemakers weren't paying attention anyways!" Pan insisted. Marianna had to agree with him.
"For Marianna Gristle, a score of… 4."
"I think only two of the Gamemakers were actually watching me do something." Marianna said. "But at least that part's over and done with."
"Yeah, but we don't get to train anymore." Pan complained. "We can't fix anything."
"There wouldn't be enough time anyways." Marianna reasoned.
"Yeah.. but it would have been nice."
"Well, nice isn't the Capitol's bread and butter." Marianna remarked. "All that's left is to try and charm the pants off these Capitolites tomorrow and hope a couple of suckers give us money."
Neither of them were that confident of that, and went to bed full of anxiety for the next day.
Next Up: Tribute Interviews! Districts 1 - 4
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