I realise I forgot to post the latest ToTE chapter. Woops.
For those who dont know ToTE is my hunger games fanfic. Here's the masterpost for those who want it:
Masterpost
≡≡/Chapter 10: Scored and Branded/≡-
Morning comes way earlier than it did the previous day, Beetee shouting for us to get up, to get ready, to be prepared. The earlier we get to training, the more time we have to get ready for private training. Because it means alot. The score we get from it brands us, the sponsors we get, and, most importantly, our chances of survival.
Not a word is uttered between Gaius and I as we made our way to breakfast. Still not much is said nor eaten at the time, and more time is used to get psyched up for training.
We have a shorter period of normal training, and after we get our lunch for the day, the private training starts. This gives us time to finalise our skills before they test and score us.
The training room is set up the same as it had been yesterday- stations lined up with a trainer at each. Once again we were picked up in district order, and once again I head straight to the archery station. It was the same trainer aswell, though this time they had a crossbow ready for me.
"Thanks" I mutter as they hand it to me. They only nod back.
Training goes as usual. Until I notice something.
District 12 are alive. It must've slipped my head in the rush of training yesterday, but they can't be. They were shot dead by peacekeepers.
I stop training momentarily to look at them more closely. Through cameras, they look fine. To the rest of us, though? Its clear. They're dull. Shaky.
They're Capitol replacements. Made to die. Used to look like district 12 were never shot in the first place. If they did have any chance of winning in the first place, it was shot down with them on chariot night.
A tap on my shoulder brings me back to reality, and I turn to find Erida, the girl from district 4.
"This your skill?" She asks.
"Thats right. Well.. supposedly." I respond.
"Supposedly?" She questions, prompting an explanation.
"Well, yesterday was my first time using one of these. But, it's similar to a spear gun." Her eyes show a hint of recognition at the name of the tool, clearly having atleast seen it in district 4. The homeland of fishing. The dreamland.
"Ah, that... sort of makes sense. Sort of. Show me?" And so I do. I cock the crossbow, aim for the dummy's head, and shoot.
If the dummy was alive, it would've been hit between the eyes, though it is quite close. She looks impressed.
"Well done.." she says, clearly in disbelief. She then gives it a go herself, hitting the dummy's leg.
"Not bad." I said.
Lunch came earlier than it did yesterday, as private training comes straight after.
The two of us met up with Gaius and Ivara in the stands. Poor child is so small compared to everyone else.
We have the same lunch as the day before, in the same brown bags.
"Did you guys notice 12?" I ask the group suddenly, Both Erida and Gaius nodded. Ivara, though, looks confused.
"Whats wrong with them?" She asked. Poor child. So innocent.
"Uh.. nothing, Ivara. They're just.." I come up with an excuse on the spot. "..skinny" she seemed to accept the answer happily.
"Are you guys ready for personal training?" Gaius asked next.
"Yup! I'm gonna show 'em my axe throwing skills!" The youngest states, clearly proud of herself. It makes me smile.
Erida answers next.
"I'm ready. I'm going to show them my trident."
"I'm going to use a crossbow. What about you, Gaius?" I ask him.
"I got good at using a spear, I'll probably do that, and maybe some punching." He declares.
Good. We've all got something atleast semi-solid.
I watch as Gaius pushes one of his sandwiches into Ivara's hand. Poor child still looks like she's starving after eating her own. I think it's her build. The sight warms me.
But it also hurts.
We all know there's a very slim chance this child survives long, never mind wins. Poor child.
Lunch soon ends and we're called in order for our personal training. The district 1 female is first. Then the male.
District 2 soon disappears aswell, And before I know it, they're calling out 'district 3 female'. Me.
I get up from where i'm sat, and begin to walk across the room to the exit. Behind me, Gaius calls out, "hey! Good luck!" I smile, before entering the next room.
The room is like a smaller version of the main training room, stalls closer, smaller, and with no trainers. Behind me, there are spectators, Gamemakers, on a balcony. They'll be making our scores judged on our skills.
Its tradition that they have a drink for every district that passes. Considering I'm district 3, they've only had 2 drinks by now, and should be sober enough to properly score me. The door then locks, and an intercom blares to life.
"Your fifteen minutes starts now." With a loud beep, it's back off.
I waste no time in getting ready. This time, there are no dummies, but instead many targets scattered across the room.
I take the crossbow from where it's racked with a bow. I stand as far back as I can, next to the door, and aim for each target.
I hit all but one bullseye, but from here I can't tell if they're impressed or not.
I have 5 minutes left, and there's not much I can do with that time. I attempt the missed bullseye again, this time hitting it. I would climb a tree, but there is none here to climb.
So I put everything away, but before the time ends, I take one of my shot crossbow arrows, and I use the edge of a metal table to show I could sharpen them again if needs be, making them reusable.
With that, the time is up, signified by another intercom beep, and I am instructed to leave through a different way than i entered from.
Upon exiting a peacekeeper meets me and cuffs me, taking me back to the apartments, where Beetee meets me.
"So, how did it go?" He asks me as we enter the district 3 apartment.
"I thought it went well, actually. I hit most targets with the crossbow you suggested. I missed one, but i got it on my second try." I reply.
"Thats good, we'll just have to wait to find out your scores after dinner, then."
Gaius soon returned after his training, and was asked the same question.
"I showed them i could throw a spear, and I showed them my punches."
Dinner rolls around quite quickly, and soon enough, we are all in the main room, the TV on, ready to hear scores. I feel more nervous than i was earlier. Gaius seems to sense it too, as he grabs my hand and gently squeezes it.
"It'll be alright." He mutters lowly, only loud enough for me to hear. I smile back at him, the nerves slightly calming.
The screen flickers to life with Flickerman's face on it.
"Hello, hello, hello Panem!" I'm Caesar Flickerman, and I'm here tonight, with... our tribute's scores!"
Somewhere in the Capitol, people are cheering. Not here, not now. Here, it's silent. Now, it's tense.
"We'll start right at our first district, and we'll work our way up from there! Make sure to cheer for your favorites!"
District 1 gets a 9 and a 10. Expected for career tributes, but no less worrying. District 2 get a 9 and an 8. Then, he's calling us.
"And from district 3.. Taen Emeric!" I hold my breath. "And our gamemakers have given her... and 8! Marvellous score!"
An 8. A very workable score. One that matches a career at that.
I relax. Things just became alot better for me.
"And our male from 3, Gaius!" Gaius moves forward in his seat slightly. "A... 6!" He seems happy enough with that. Once again, a workable score. One that isn't too high as to get targeted, nor to low as to get no sponsors.
Beetee is also pleased with our scores, as is Wiress, if the smile on her face is anything to go off of. We wait to see our allies scores.
Erida, with her career training, gets a 10. Expected. Ivara is the one we're really worried about. She's young, small, and skinny. Normally those like her don't do so well. But to our suprise, she gets a 6. Her axe throwing must've been atleast decent to them.
The day ends like that, and once again, Gaius comes to stay in my room.
Our next major event is the interviews tomorrow evening. Then, the day after, two days from now, we'll be thrust into an unknown arena and bet on. But right now, in the soft bed, or in Gaius' situation, the floor, we don't think about that. We think about the comfort of sleep in the luxury sheets and blankets.
Because it may not come again.
