𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔭𝔢𝔯 ~ 𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔫𝔦𝔠𝔨 𝔬𝔡𝔞𝔦𝔯

0.4

(17, 71st Hunger Games)

I walked into the training room. Weapons were everywhere. Swords, whips, spears, knives, axes, and bows. I began walking around looking at the swords. One caught my eye. Its handle was rectangular and flat. Adorning the handle was red string, wrapped intricately, making different designs. The blade was long and slightly curved.

"What's that?" I asked a trainer.

"That would be a Katana," he chuckled, "An absolutely lethal weapon if you know how to use it."

I felt an instant connection to the sword. This is what I would train with, this is how I'd win the games. But I couldn't train now, I couldn't bring weapons back to my room. I will come back tonight.

"Hey, 5!" a boy called at me.

I whipped my head around to see the boys from 1 and 2 grinning at me. I think their names were Marble and Darius.

"Step away from the swords! You might hurt yourself!" Marble guffawed.

It took me all I had to not pick up a sword and start showing them my talent. I just scoffed and walked over to a survival station.

"Do you want to learn how to make a fire?" the trainer asked.

"Yes," I smiled, sitting down next to him.

The trainer's name was Dionysus. He taught me that not all fire was made with matches. You could make fire with steel and flint. Dionysus showed me that if you strike them together, they will spark. After they spark, wrap it in something flammable, cloth, leaves, birch bark, and then place the burning object in the place you want to start the fire.

"Thank you," I say, walking to the knot tying station.

Two people were already there. The District 4 boy, Cove, and the District 7 girl, Aspen. Aspen looked to be just 13, Cove was maybe 16. Aspen had beautiful auburn hair, blue eyes, and freckles that covered her whole face. She had a button nose and had naturally pink cheeks. Cove had sea-green eyes, blonde hair, and high cheekbones. His blonde hair fell all the way down to his jaw.

"May I join you?" I ask the two whispering tributes.

Aspen looks at me with big scared eyes, Cove places a hand on her shoulder.

"Um, sure," Cove says.

I looked down at the knots they were tying.

"Your name is Aspen, right?" I ask.

She nods.

"Your knot skills are great," I grin at her, "You know, I don't know any knots, can you teach me?"

She lets out a small smile. I think I have found some allies.

꧁∙∙∙∙∙·▫▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫꧁꧂▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫▫·∙∙∙∙∙꧂

The training days had come and went. I had played it safe during the day, going to survival station after survival station. I now know how to climb trees, tie knots, make fires, identify plants and insects, and make hammocks by heart. But every night, I came back to the training center. I mostly trained with the Katana but I also found a few more swords that I worked well with. However, I found that my favorite was the Katana. I was really good at wielding the Katana. I had made some allies, too. I originally started out with Cove and Aspen, but on the second day, I met another person I had wanted to ally with: Cole. Cole was the male tribute from District 12. He had raven black hair that was short and fluffy, and had gray eyes that looked like the sea on a stormy day. We met on the second day at lunch.

"May I sit here?" he asks.

"Sure," I say, playing with the peas on my plate with my fork.

"Look, my mentor, Haymitch, said I have to make allies and you're the only person I think I would want to pair up with," Cole sighed.

"Why me?" I raise my brows.

"I dunno. There is something about you," he said, "I dunno, you're just different from the others."

"I have to talk with my other allies, but I'm sure they will say yes," I smile, "You're strong, and can use a bow, right?"

He nodded.
"Alright, we'll let you know soon."

The next day, Aspen, Cove and I told Cole we wanted to ally with him too. I told them of my plan. They all thought it was a good idea. They knew it would definitely get us sponsors and therefore, agreed to play along with it. Aspen told me that her mentor, Johanna, did the same thing last year. I guess great minds think alike. Maybe Johanna wasn't as bitchy as I played her out to be. She was smart, and so was I. I found out yesterday that Tro is teaming with the careers. Apparently he has some amazing spear skills.

"Reign Lennon, report for your individual assessment," an automated voice said.

This was the most important part of my plan. Scoring low. This is how I set the rest of my plan into motion.

I stand up and walk into the training room doors. As soon as I stepped in, I noticed that only a few eyes were on me. Not even Seneca Crane, the head game maker, was looking. But that was ok. I definitely didn't want to score high.

"Ms.Lennon, you have ten minutes to present your chosen skill," one of the game makers announced.

I quickly ran to the knife station, grabbing as many throwing knives that I could see. I then began to throw them, each missing the target by a landslide. The game makers erupted in laughter. I couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on my face. I then sprinted to the knot tying station, making as many knots as I could remember.

"Alright, Ms.Lennon," a game maker, chuckled, "You can stop now."

I curtseyed and walked out of the training center.

꧁∙∙∙∙∙·▫▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫꧁꧂▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫▫·∙∙∙∙∙꧂

That night, after dinner, I sat on the couch with Damien, Penelope, Tro, Remus, and Hestia (Tro's stylist.)

Suddenly, Damien pulled me into another room.

"Did you score low?" he asks.

"I hope terribly throwing knives will get me a low score," I say to him.

"Good," Damien smiles, "Do your allies know to keep it a secret?"

"Yes," I nod.

Damien brought me back to the couch just in time for District 4's scores.

"From District 4, Cove, with a score of 9," Caesar says from the TV.

I congratulate him under my breath.

"From District 5, Reign, with a score of 3," Caesar smiles.

I put on a fake frown, "I tried so hard."

"It's ok Reign," Tro patted my back, "You'll be fine in the arena."

I look at him, "Tro, promise to not hurt me in the games?"

"I promise," he hugged me.

Aspen got a 7 which is pretty good for a girl her age and Cole got an 8.

So far, my plan is going splendidly.