Waking up, I find myself heading towards the door almost unconsciously, still in silken nightgown and little else. It takes an effort to turn myself away from the door, head towards the bathroom I'd been shown yesterday. Find there a secondary entrance to the wardrobe room, and a massive shower. Even bigger than the one on the train, and that one was probably bigger than a bed back home, maybe even a bedroom.

Trying to open the door, it takes a few tugs before I slide it to the side, blushing slightly despite the lack of other people to notice such a mess made of what should be a different. One knob brings frigid water, another hot, another water that jets up from the floor.

After I'd managed to decipher the shower, I got dressed. In clothes specifically marked TD-1, as it played out. A sleeveless tunic, a yellow 5 on the front, and a pair of trousers. Shoes, comfortable, are provided as well, and only now, dressed for the day, do I come out of my room.

I'm soon intercepted by Soleil, woman slightly more sober and in a flowing dress. One hand on my shoulder, she has a blue band in the other, and with deft movement ties my hair up into a ponytail, giving a tap on my shoulder and a wink. The same wink that had seemingly charmed half the Capitol out of their money, from the flock of parachutes that dropped whenever she gave it. "You have fun, now. I'm... going out, don't let the old ones bore you too much."

Small interaction done, she flows out the door, ignoring my confused look and shutting it behind her. Instead of focusing on this, it's onwards to the dining table, the rest of my party already sat and Robin with an entire sausage on the end of his fork. Elise eyes me up critically. "Took your time, Millie? Training starts in fifteen, and you're going down there bright and early."

"But I don't really want to. Maybe if I have some more time to get ready, then I can look better for...?" "No point." A waved hand at my tunic, and she gives a smile that could be genuine. "Sol's gone to round up some sponsors, poor girl." A shake of her head, no time to question that. "Indra, August, me. Skye's already headed off, not quite sure what you did with her but she's a lot more motivated to help you than any girl in. Oh, must have been about ten years. If you can get her good side kept to, that would make all of us very lucky and give us. Well, a bit of a break. Anyways, no need to look good. Gamemakers give a shit about what you do not about how you look."

Robin's hand shoots up, and I can hear August laugh. "Spit it out, kid. Not nobody's going to shoot you for speaking your mind." Briefly glancing at the Victors, he speaks. "How do I... what should I... Training. What do I do? What should I get a handle with?"

"Whatever you want." The answer's frank from August, franker than usual. "Kid, make the most of this. Go meet up with the other littles, you'll stand more chances together than alone." More chances than zero isn't much, but Indra's set jaw tells me that this isn't an uncommon reaction. He does chime in. "Yes, that might be best. Cecelia or Taffeta, Seeder, Angus. They'll all be telling their kids the same thing. Robin, you need to make friends."

Robin nods, and once again I ignore the fact I was told it isn't polite to go and get food myself when there's Avoxes, go up and acquire food myself to eat. It tastes good, but I have to eat it quickly because even the best food tastes like sodden ash in my mouth given what this first day is liable to bring. Plus, there's that clock ticking ever closer to Games time.

Ten minutes left, and everyone's tapping watches and murmuring words about 'being late' I don't think are entirely helpful. It's not like I'm trying to be late, it's just difficult for handling everything when the threat of looming death is ticking closer. Still, with five minutes I've gotten as much as I can down, and Elise hands me a sausage sandwich. The kind of thing, from the quality of the meat and bread, that would take me a day, two's wages for. But I've eaten twice, three, four times that already. Drunk about the same, because the chocolate milk I'd had handed to me was hardly cheap even for a cupful if the menu prices back home were anything to go off of.

"Take this with you," and before I can complain Theodosia is shuffling us off to the elevators like she's sending disobedient children to their first day at school, regardless of the fact that this is a slightly different educational environment. "Run along now, children, we have lots to discuss! Oh, isn't this exciting! Your first day preparing for what's sure to be the biggest opportunity of your lives!" Thoughts flit around the room, I'm sure everyone (excepting maybe Robin) are expecting this is the last opportunity of our lives as well.

Still, no sense in dampening her high spirits if she could get us better support, so we give equal grins and before I know it I'm in the elevator with a terrified looking twelve-year old, giving my arm a little tug. "Millie. Allies?" I still don't want to, even if it were Corin's friend I'm sure Cor would understand that I would have loved him to come home but his big sister comes first. Still can't bear to say no to the two heart strings he's plucking at, though, so I instead give a generally non-committal nod. "Of course, Robin. We can discuss it later, maybe you won't want me in your alliance." He laughs, and looks up at me with exactly the same kind of big eyes I'd see on Cor. "I'm sure I will!"E

Dazzle, of course she is, is waiting for me at the bottom of the elevator, bouncing excitedly and offering a warm smile. "Millie! Have you thought about my offer? Spoken with your mentor? I think Kat and hers are chomping at their bit a little bit, not sure why, not like I'm straining at the collar!" I'm not quite sure what's driven the One girl to be so perky at nine o'clock sharp in the Morning, but it's at that point I realize exactly what I forgot to do. Namely, talk to Elise and the rest about her proposition. "Well?"

I have to say something, and so I give a nod. "Sure. I'd be more than happy to." Another hug, and by now I'm not sure if there's a reason for the hugs or whether she's just trying to be nice, but to Dazzle's credit it is working. "That's fabulous! Some fun time for everyone! See, Millie, we could have been friends if you were from One! As it is, little bit of a shame you aren't."

Dazzle eyes the sandwich in my hand, and I feel like a schoolchild meeting all my new classmates because she's eyeing it with a little glee. I'm the only tribute with any food, and she giggles. "Can I try?" A shrug, a sure, and she slips a sausage out and between her lips, eyeing me in a way that suggests I should be taking it as something other than hilariously overplayed. "Isn't that nice! Now, can we-"

"Dazzle." Katla, I assume, girl from Two exasperatedly clapping her hands, eyeing Dazzle like a disobedient puppy. "Dazzle, come on. We need to see the rest so we can decide how we're handling it all today, or otherwise everyone will be thoroughly bored and your job in this is to stop it from getting boring." Thrown back blonde hair, a giggle, and Dazzle bounces over to Katla after one last lingering touch on the shoulder. "Of course, Katla! Millie, see you around!"

"That was a Squaddie." Robin's amazed, looking after Dazzle even as (while holding Katla's hand, I notice) she tosses a flirtatious little wave our way. Definitely one to watch out for. "And she's being nice to you! Millie, isn't that amazing! She might be able to give you tips and tricks, helpful hints! You might be doing better. Do you think she'll let you join her group?"

"Hell no." Of course not. "She just thought it would be a nice gesture to her brother if she gave me a couple days headstart. I work with him."

He nods, and before I can be chased he's off towards a milling little crowd of children and I'm off towards knives. It's immersed in other weapons stations, because of course it is. Best put all the weapons together,

There's no other outliers near me, Sevens the closest on axes. They're swinging them like nobody's business, even Oleander lets the axes show that she isn't just beautiful. The rest around me are all Squad.

Dazzle's got a bow by her feet, except as I watch the bow is allowed to leap (with some aid in the form of a boot) into her hand, and she begins taking measured shots. It's a fair distance, and the shots are impeccable, each one striking a moving target during a break from cover. The One boy, Murua, behind her with his sword, sparring with a trainer who's been coaxed a way over from the sword handling section. A flashy spin, and his sword sweeps the trainer's chestplate, a red light appearing. They bow, and the boy runs off towards a trainer armed with a spear.

Katla, Two's girl, has a flashing knife in each hand. She's away from me, but at the same station, and as I watch she dances out of the range of a trainer with a swinging axe, slipping through his guard in and getting too close for the axe to keep her contained. Both knives look to drive into his helmet, exactly where eyes would be, until she draws them out and I can see they're trick knives. The kind used in magic shows back home at work, the 'blades' retracting into the hilts so that nobody dies. Her district partner has a massive sword in his hand, and is locking blades with another trainer wielding the same kind of sword. He looks terrifying, an image only furthered when he throws the sword aside and gets in close, arms crushing around the trainer and slamming the man? Woman? To the ground with a bodily thump and a clatter of a second sword flying away, driving his fist into the helmet. Of course it would be too much to hope for he was bad with the sword, and even though they must reinforce the helmets I could swear I can hear a crack of visor breaking.

The Fours are no better. The girl's laughing, trident swinging as some outlier boy who'd tried to get onto the trident station duels against her. He's messed up badly, miscalculated, and even before my eyes I can see her block a weak thrust with expert use of the long stick to which the prongs are attached. Then that long stick is sweeping in, sweeping his legs out from under him before he can pull back. Then she's on him, stomping the hand to get his trident away and moving to pin him until the trainer intervenes, trident held by the prongs like she'd use it as a knife. The Four boy's making similar fighting against a trainer with a spear, though he's visibly less confident. And that's the boy who refused a volunteer when offered?

I focus on the knives. On the trainer, voice stern and probably from Two given how much he speaks like a Peacekeeper. "Lift the knife, girl. That's it. Drive it into the target, there we go!" On second thoughts, maybe not a Peacekeeper. Far too nice to be one.

Knives lasts for an hour, until I hear tread behind me and can turn to see Piper, from Eleven, and Ten's girl behind me. Piper speaks first, Ten looking like a lost bird. "Hey! Millie, right? I'm Piper, this is Lysa, and we had a little idea." A trembling chuckle from Lysa, and she nods. "Yeah. We, um. Allies?" This is early. There's a swagger visible as Piper steps forward, smiling, and clasps my hand in hers, shaking it. "Exactly said, Lysa."

Also good. Also very good. Allies could mean the difference between life and death. Allies mean friends, someone to talk with and keep you sane until the end. Every Five Victor, excepting our first, I know had allies. Was better off or them. Still, if I accept too easily. Well. "Yeah, sure! But, um. What can you offer?"

They've expected this question, and Piper nudges Lysa forwards like the girl's a stray chip. "Lysa. Go on, now, sweetie." A nice smile from Piper, and Lysa speaks. "Well, my daddy, he worked at one of the big ranches. Near enough your Five border, westwards of Metennes." I don't know where that is, I don't even think I could give a map of Five and Ten if I'd tried, but I nod along. "Well, anyways, when I was big 'nough he let me come out work with him! And I'm awful good at food, now. Men, they'd 'ppreciate a nice meal, and it was a cow ranch, so kinda my thing."

I nod, willing her to get to the point. "An'ways, I know all kinds 'a ways to cook up a storm. Those plants over yonder." She gestures at the plants station, and we all have to suppress a giggle at the 'over yonder', "They're all recognizable to me, yeah? I'm thinking you get me out, I can make sure we ain't going hungry." It's a good offer, and I nod, glancing at Piper. "And you?" She laughs, and I'm more than a little confused at the levity. "I worked out doing protection. Keeping them vermin away from the fields. Long work, but made me awful good with a slingshot. I can get some handling."

This handled, one more question. "Why me?" "Well..." Lysa trails off, before Piper gives her a smile and a nod. "You're a good kid, Millie. But you're... passable enough. No disrespect meant." Her hands fly up in apologetic surrender, and it's all I can do not to jokingly prod her with the knife I still realize is grasped between my fingers. "You'd be a good old asset. Worst comes worst and you prove to be useless, sure you can give the Sponsors a little camera show."

"What the hell? If you think I-" My righteous anger is shut down by Lysa smiling, shaking her head. First time I've seen the girl from Ten take charge, and she's being overly diplomatic now. "We're sure you'll be good at something. Piper's a little bit over the top. She's just wantin you to know you're a good pick regardless of if you're useless." Piper's hands fly up again before I can get at that. "You won't be. You'll be fine!"

I nod, and Piper nods with me. "Anyways. Seeder and Chrissie are ready to do the papers. Just need your mentor, who is..." "Elise." "To sign off on it. Can we count on you consenting?" Another nod, and now my head's bobbing up and down like a spring-loaded doll. Not quite sure why, but it feels like I have to give a response. "Sure." "Sure?" "Definitely, of course, pleased to report that I will be encouraging support for the idea of me joining an alliance. Seems like the right thing to do."

Lysa begins to move away, Piper grabs her arm are the last second. "You want to come with? We're checking out edible plants, and then. Well, who knows. We'll have some fun. Anyways, come on!" A bridge too far, before we've signed any official alliance. "Go on, have some fun. I'll be staying back here. Got to work on my knives a bit more." The nod is less real, but of course they eventually run off with a smile and a nod and a wave of 'see you later!'

This seems good. Not even lunch, and I've secured something approaching safety in the bloodbath if Dazzle's promise holds up. And an alliance. Truly, I'm blessed, or at least it seems that way. Blessed may not be the right word, but, well.

With that over, it's time to do something less fighty, given that Two's making her way over to me. With knives in her hands, because of course she wants to pick a bone at the knife fighting station. So off to rock climbing it is, with the girl from Three who seems like her arms are going to snap off at any attempt to grip onto a hold. That's why she barely makes it halfway up, even if I'm only doing a little better. Then she falls, and it's left to me to reach the top. I do, even if it takes a while, and when I get back down the trainer nods at me with a grin that seems entirely too proud. "Well done, Miss. You still have time for one more go, unless..."

He trails off, and I try to inject that work excitement into my voice when I do speak. "Of course I'd love to try again! You're sure I can do it, though? I don't want to..." Shiver stifled as the man nods at me again with an 'Of course' and an eye that rests a little too long, I instead bounce up on the toes of my boots and smile. "Of course, then! If you could..."

He does hold the rope. That's good, because I don't want to plunge back to earth even if the mats feel soft. They're not going to forgive a fall, and more importantly I don't want to establish myself as a weak contender. I can catch a glance from Piper when my hand stumbles for a second, and when the alarm rings for lunch I've reached further than I had last time. Always a good sign, and with out warning I feel slackening in the rope. "Time to come down!"

I'm greeted at the bottom, after my harness is helped off, by a grinning Piper and Lysa, Ten girl hiding behind Piper as if that'll do anything. "Looked fun up there, Millie! Sure you don't want to go on again after lunch?" A fair offer, but not one I'd consider taking under any circumstance. Instead, this gets a wan smile and then a laugh. "In your dreams, Piper! I'm tired enough from that go and a half, and I could eat."

Companionable silence reigning, it's a short enough trek over to the hall I'd eaten in the night before. There's tray after tray of every food imaginable. Baskets of bread at each table, even if there's a conspicuous lack of the short rods of bread I can see stacked high between Dazzle and her district partner. Vats of bubbling things in various sauces, every colour of the rainbow is represented. I can see the beef in sauce of my home, except it looks a whole lot better than the fare back home. A hundred other dishes I can't name, and I move to the safe option, taking up scoop after scoop of home food, water and other things I think I can recognize.

It's only a minute, maybe two before I head out to a seat, joined soon by Lysa and then Piper. They're armed with a far wider variety of food than I have, and are both chuckling about it, before a roll is tossed my way by Piper. "Come on, Millie, lighten up! We've only got a limit, may as well enjoy ourselves. Now, Lysa wanted me to give you that, so I think she should explain." Blushing Lysa nods, not willing to speak until Piper elbows her. "Well, that's from. Home. And we use it to mop up the sauces, like so." Tearing a chunk off, she demonstrates, before tilting the rest of her roll towards my plate, as of yet uneaten. "Go on!"

It's good. It's very good, once the flavours are properly soaked through. It tastes entirely credible as good bread, and that's why it's fine that I'm being eyed with increased excitement by Lysa, until I give a nod and she taps the table. "That's great! We might get some, so good you like them!" Piper chimes in, with a "what have you got over in Five?" And it takes me a good second to realize she's talking to me, and another minute to rifle through the basket of eleven breads and find the one I want. The flatbread from home, and that's slipped around the table. Everyone tries a bit, the nods assure me it is at the least palatable.

Lunch is spent laughing over stories, tales. It's more than edible, and completely honestly the food isn't smouldering in my mouth. Always a start!

After lunch, we head over to the obstacle course, as a group. They'd insisted it would be good to get some practice in, and it wasn't like there were any booked options. Or any mandatory stations, because who would ever think of that?

It goes well, it seems. I'm first up, and it's more trouble than I'm used to. Not just because of the obstacles, the broad area in the center of the training room. Different levels, climbing walls, everything you could need to make sure you were able to evade. Like a big playground. There's trainers with weapons as well, and they're fun for all of three seconds until the rubber shaft of the trident trips me and I roll out of the way of a rubber knife that would definitely bruise. I last another few minutes, until an arrow sticks to my chest, and the trainer with a bow laughs. "Might want to practice that." Face burning, I nod, and swap out.

Then Piper, and she's a natural. Dodging, bouncing from platform to platform, scrambing up ropes. It's her playground, now, and the trainers are hard-pressed to catch her. It's only over when one steps forward, and ignores her laugh. Sweeps her legs out from under her with the shaft of the trident, and though Piper rolls with cat-like grace towards the climbing wall to make her escape the audible slap of a trident against her back stops her. A laugh, and Lysa's tapped in.

Lysa doesn't do so well. She manages it for a few seconds, but soon with a whimper she slips down, falls onto the mats when a beam isn't broad enough to support her weight. It's not pretty, and she's whimpering on the floor for a good few seconds before Piper and I can help her back up and away from the trainers and the Squaddies giggling in their corner. Four's boy is reenacting the fall, and the rest are cracking up. It's not the best feeling, Lysa's in tears, and if I'm completely honest with myself I can't blame her. It was a pathetic attempt.

The rest of the afternoon is spent at edible plants. A safer station, and one without mocking children who've trained for this. It's a lot calmer, more sedate when I actually get into the plants. Trying them out on test strips, first, and then trying to identify some by sight, smell, touch. It's hard, but worth it to know I may actually pick up something worth remembering. Even score a hundred percent, although in being completely fair I do have to admit it was more memory than anything. Others are less able. Tilla from Nine comes over for a time, proves herself quite able at identifying plants until she picks up a blackberry and is sent out in disgrace. As we're soon told, it was not a blackberry, but something far more lethal. And she was just about to eat it.

Good thing she didn't swallow it, and yet I can't help but feel a stabbing guilt at those words. One less competitor would have been nice, after all. Less for us to worry about, less for me to worry about. Others come over. Sobbing Lillian from Six, before she makes a vague attempt at eating the poisoned berry knowing full well what it was. I can't quite understand that level of despair, but her pretty face is marred by tears and there's a definitive slope to her shoulders. Piper tries to approach, but Lillian is running towards the camouflage section, snatching up paints and beginning to work on her face.

"Lets see you won't steal again." The tone, and the shrieked pleading for whoever it is to stop, come from the weapons section. Specifically, the swords, where I can see the boy from Eight with the massive Two above him. Two's hefting a rubber sword probably wider than my waist like it's a toothpick, raising it up and bringing it down to be caught by the instructor's sword. The instructor sweeps the sword back, and now Two's on the defensive, yelling with rage and trying to take down the instructor as if that's allowed. There's a Peacekeeper, two entering the room through a side-door, watching for now.

Eight's scuttling away, the others look wary. Dazzle has grabbed a bow, arrow loosely strung and stepping between herself and the Two girl. The Fours are heading towards the trident section, One's boy grabbing his own sword. They all look wary, and yet Two's not stopping. Two has his sword swinging, but the trainer isn't giving up an inch, and before anyone knows it Two's on his back, and dropped his sword. A scowl, and then the sword is tossed to one side and Two's storming off with Peacekeepers splitting in his wake.

Not the best sound. Or scene. Besides, that kind of reaction could be a problem in the arena, especially if he's anywhere near me.

Another hour, and the bell rings. We're all allowed to complete what we're working on, and then ushered out of the training centre towards the exit. Who's waiting depends on which District. Several have nobody, and have to go up back to their rooms alone. In contrast, for me and Robin there's Indra waiting there, dressed in jeans and a top that look distinctly more comfortable than the training clothes we've been given.

"Well. How did it go?" The question is extended once we're in the elevator and alone. Robin first, and it's with a start I realize I hadn't actually seen him most of the day. I see a grin on his face, and he speaks. "Well, first I was at the edible insects stuff with Eloise and Tysius and Pistachio! And then we did some knives, after lunch, and we did. Umm."

The ramble goes on for another ten minutes, until he finally stops, and the button to open the doors is pressed. The hiss is audible, and when the doors have slipped open it's back to the suite as if this is just a nice stay at a nice building. No reason for any thought of otherwise, and I can already see Elise, hear her clapping her hands. "Well, you're back on time. First for Indra. Millie, we'll talk about what happened later. For now, you both need a shower and to relax! Dinner's in an hour."

The shower's a good relaxation after the hours of training, and when I'm out from the constant barrage of different features it has to offer there's a dress hanging on the door, waiting for me to put it on. The servant hovering around nods and then moves in as if to help, to be waved off. I do, though, get her help with my hair After all, my hair is long, and it's hard enough to fix my hair alone at the worst of times. Now, I need to get it all handled, and the help gets it put into a long pair of braids. Thank all the stars for that. An hour is then spent alone, and I can see all the Victors hovering on their devices, likely contacting sponsors. What else could they be doing?

Dinner's segregated. I'm sat at one end, with Soleil, Elise and Skye. At the other is Robin, August, Indra. Plates are laid out in front of us, ladled with piles of food, bowls of sauces, all manner of spices that I can't begin to name. It looks delightful, and the only thing sat on the table that isn't edible is the paperwork stacked in front of Elise. Shuffling it, tapping it against the base, she nods towards it and then towards me. "Seeder and Chrissie sent this. Said you'd spoken with their girls, and gotten along with them. You're up for this?"

Interjecting, Skye holds her hand up to quiet me. "You don't have to say yes. Alliances should be considered, we need to think this through. What did you think of them, their girls, when you'd met them?" They get a nod, a smile from me. They were nice, but. Well. Do I want to ally with them, seal it? A thought considered by me for some time, a toe beating against the floor from someone. I can hear the staccato beat of it against the wood beneath the table. Eventually, someone gets impatient. Soleil. "Millie, an answer soon would be nice. Paperwork's all filled out, all we need is your signature."

Taking up a pen, I'm content to sign off on the alliances, a formality I'm assured is only needed for pre-Arena alliances. Would be a bit difficult to sign the paperwork in the Arena, and this is said with a laugh and a wink because it's true. It would indeed be a bit difficult to sign paperwork for an alliance in the Arena, especially when the papers would be unable to return to where they're meant to be. Namely, in the hands of our Mentors. A clap from Elise, a grin from Skye, and that's that.

"All done. Now, what have you learnt. Anything we need to know?" Not that I can think of, until I'm pressed further. "What kind of stuff did they have in the training centre?" I list off what I can. Rock-climbing, camouflage, edible plants, the rest. A round of nods, and finally it's Skye who provides the verdict. "No swimming needed, then. You do know how to swim?" Shaking my head is met with sighs, and the suggestion that "maybe she could take an afternoon off to..." is met with stern disapproval from the other two.

I didn't even think it was that bad a suggestion.

The rest of what I'd learnt is listed off. That Dazzle's formally offered me some time to grab stuff at the bloodbath, and this is given looks. "And what does she want in return?" "Nothing." "Then she's clearly decided you need to be killed later. Millie, One isn't exactly the slowest with their kills, and." "I know." It always comes back to how good they are. One, seemingly, is very good. After all, Cashmere and Citrine before her have both been mainstays on screens at the Casino, I'd swear I've seen them on the arms of several patrons but it's not exactly polite to ask. "But is it better I die at the bloodbath, or at the end? Either way, I die."

This is given considering nods, before a final sigh from Elise. "Can't make you do anything. Certainly can't make you put aside that kind of advantage, it's the kind most would kill for. Why the One girl, though? What do you mean to her?" "I know her brother," knowing laughs, and finally the air clears. "Colleague? Makes things a whole lot easier, then. Congratulations. Now, moving on?"

Two's boy, more like a man, is angry and not afraid to show it. Four's girl is very good with her trident, from what I'd seen. Lillian's pretty, but she's not exactly the most composed. I'm given nods, but the rest of dinner passes in relative silence after that, everyone content to get on with eating. There's some light chatter, but when I'm hoping for advice instead the main discussion is along the lines of passing the butter and whether or not the salt is as good as it was last year.

After dinner, and I'm dragged into a side room by Elise. My mentor smiles, for a minute, and then sits me down on one of the sofas. "Well. Robin." "Robin." "He's not going to-" "I know." He's not going to make it. Neither of us like it, I can see that with gritted teeth from Elise and the thoughts tumbling in my head. But if he has to die, so that Corin can live. Well.

I couldn't do it. I voice as much, to get met with "Leave him. He's done for, let him and the littles rush the cornucopia. Bloodbath is the safest way for them, the Squad will make it quick. Nobody likes a dead kid that young, most of their mentors have some dignity. Let him go."

I don't want to let him go. I have to let him go. "If he's before me, can you tell his... whoever. Say sorry. From me."

She nods, and that's all there is. Standing with a 'we'll talk in the morning' and a promise that we'll be up late tomorrow, I'm sent off to bed like a child. Because I 'need to have a good night's sleep'. Skye and Sol wave me off, and that's why at the ripe old time of 8 PM I'm sent to bed.

Bed comes quick, after I get all I need to handled. I'm tired, and it's enough to know this is the second night in a row I get uninterrupted sleep. In a way this is like work, of a sort.

Just like last night, it's a nice quick fall, and closing my eyes brings a dreamless sleep. I'm only woken by the sounds of some siren blaring the next morning.

Author's note

I do know the non-pointy bit of a trident is a shaft, but Millie doesn't, hence the terminology issues.