Just A Game (SYOT CLOSED)

Chapter 18

So im back, after a long wait, and I should be able to post once a week on Thursdays. Im very excited to really get going into this, but sad that I have to kill tributes L . I will work on making their deaths meaningful (ugh, that sounds like President Snow “We salute your courage, and your sacrifice”) Oh well,on with the story.

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Pyrrha was on the hunt. She had her knives packed up, in fancy black holsters on her thighs. She pulled out a long thin blade, hopping down from a branch. She’d been following the careers the whole time. It was only day two, well technically, it was late on the first night. But she felt ready. She was so close, she could hear them breathing. The youngest career; Harlow was on watch.

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Ajax stayed still, trying to appear asleep. It was hardly twenty four hours into the games, the most terrible twenty four hours of his life. This whole past week had been emotionally stressful. His stylist was an idiot, dressing him in a dress for his interview; he and his partner clearly favoured the female tribute. Ajax had probably lost all of his few sponsors from that. The pressure on his shoulders was stronger than ever. Deep confliction tearing him apart on the inside, he felt this was wrong, but his father pushed him so hard to volunteer. Perhaps to reconcile his family’ torn bond with the Capitol, or for the honour of being crowned victor. Ajax wasn’t sure, it would be nice not to be hungry, the family had always struggled, despite living in District two. His grandmother had been a big figure in the dark days, leading on the rebellion. He struggled to sleep, he couldn’t decide what to do. But he would try to win, if not for the prize, then for his brother Kaden. His baby brother, the only thing that kept him going. After all, Ajax had trained all this time for this moment.

His instincts kicked in, as he heard a shuffling in the trees. Now he had to physically stay down. He didn’t want to have to kill needlessly. But then he heard someone else jump to their feet.

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McKinley hopped up, already in tune with the current situation, despite the fact that she’d been asleep only moments ago. She clutched a sword, not her best weapon, but that was what she’d managed to grab. She slunk around, spotting the slender fiery haired girl from district ten. The girl twirled around the trees, slashing with great precision at McKinley. The slender blade glinted in the moonlight, making a razor thin cut across McKinley’s left shoulder.

Adrenaline piped through Pyrrah’s veins, and she smirked as McKinley yelled out. She twirled the knife expertly between her fingers, eyes never leaving the blonde’s grey ones. She dodged as McKinley struggled to cut her with the bulky sword, then knocked her hand back, pushing McKinley onto the ground. She pulled her arm back, determining the perfect place to strike. The blonde delivered a punch to her jaw, and Pyrrha fell out of rhythm for a second. She grabbed McKinleys free arm, twisting it down behind her back, she heard a crack and McKinley cried out in pain. She grabbed a shorter blade, more of a dagger, taking the handle in her fist. She brought her arm back again, then slammed it down towards McKinley’s chest.

And then something hit her back violently, sending her aim off course, she cut down on McKinley’s side instead, collapsing onto her then rolling off. A cannon boomed.

McKinley stared wide eyed, not even feeling the pain of her injuries. There stood Cinocca, in all his glory, some kind of arm gun attached to wrist. She turned back towards Pyrrha, admiring the blossoming red flower soaking through her clothes.

“So you decided to show up?” she croaked painfully from her spot on the ground.

He knelt down beside her, putting his arms under her knees and picking her up. “I knew you could handle yourself angel” he laughed. “But right then it looked like you needed some help.”

“I was just fine” she said stubbornly. They turned back to Harlow and Ajax, both holding weapons and prepared to fight. “So are you back with us now?” she asked.

“yup” he answered.

“And the girl you were  with?”

“She’s not important”

“you kill her?

“No, but she shouldn’t be bothering us for a while.” He smirked “You gonna keep being an investigator or am I back with you guys yet?”

McKinley turned to the others, watching Harlow’s eyes narrowing, never dropping her weapon.

“You prove that youre to be trusted, then sure”

“and saving you wasn’t enough?”

“For me, but not them, so I’d get planning” he smiled.

“Don’t you know by now Angel? I always have a plan”