@heyitszoey part 5
The trainer Oak said as I came near the archery are, “Hi you must be Finnick. Your chariot and outfit was wonderful. Your stylist did a great job on both of them. But anyway let's get to why you came over to me. Have you ever shot a arrow before?”
I shook my head.
Oak smiled and said, “let's start you with some fake birds”
Oak pressed a few buttons on the tablet and gave me the bow and arrows, quickly and opened the doors for me. I walked in holding the bow ready with a arrow. As soon as I entered the area yellow birds came flying in the air in front me. I aimed the arrow at the bird and released it flying straight into the bird. It seemed easy enough until Oak gave me a smile and pushed another button the the tablet causing more yellow birds to fly above me. Other tributes came over to watch. I started to shoot most of them with success. After the bell rung for lunch I came out confident from the crowd watching me and complimenting my shooting. For lunch they had soups from around the districts, salty fried fish and lots of different types of sandwiches. I took a sandwich and some fish and a drink and I went to go and sit with Ever and Thorn and Flame. Flame and Ever were chatting away. Thorn had brought a tall slim girl to our table.
Thorn started the conversation as I sat down, “ Hey Finnick this is Iry. she’s from district three. She’s really smart and I think we can use her in our alliance.”
She looked up from what she was eating and she politely said, “I’d be grateful to be allowed into this alliance.”
I thought to myself she seemed way to prim and proper to even survive a day in the arena alone but Thorn seemed to like her but I noted my gut feeling not to trust her so I just nodded and ate my lunch. Our mentors would have the final say about whose officially in our alliance. I would rather only have three to four people in it because I don’t wanna have to kill them when it comes down to it. I already know when I’m leaving this alliance.
After lunch Thorn said to me, “Finnick come throw swords with me”
I replied in as happy as a voice I could manage, “Yeah sure let's get to it.”
I followed him over to the area the trainer helped us pick out a sword for our skill set.
As I threw swords at the targets with ease Thorn asked me with curiosity, “Hey how are you so good at this already?”
I stopped and looked over at him with a smirk as I threw another one and it landed ever so perfectly in the bright red center, “ It’s just like throwing a fishing spear, not much to it just look at what or who your trying to hit and then focus then let em fly.”
The trainer was very impressed with my skills she asked me if I’d wanna go tomorrow for a more advanced training session I nodded and walked over to Thorn as we waited for Flame and Ever and our stylists to come and get us. Most of the other tributes had already left. Ever and Flame finally came from the camouflage area. They had leaves painted on there faces. Me and Thorn laughed about that for a good while until Thorn and Flames Stylists came to bring them to there rooms. Which left me and Ever alone again.
I tried to start conversation, “So you seem really good at camouflage.”
Ever said with a smile for once, “Thanks I used to paint the sea back home when I could afford the paints… You are really good at throwing swords, makes me wish I would've went fishing more.”
I smiled and nodded a thank you to her as Allio walked in to get us after a long wait. Aurora wasn’t with him I wondered why she didn’t come.
Allio didn’t have his usual happy tone he seemed stressed out which worried me and he said in a dull and tired tone, “Hey guys sorry for the long wait… Aurora is having… problems and I had to deal with her. But come on guys let's go order dinner and go to sleep. Y’all had a long day of training and another to come.”
We followed him into the elevator. He clicked the button for our room and we shot up to our floor. We sat at the dinner table for a long time. Nobody seemed that hungry tonight. We said our goodnights and we all tiredly went into our bedrooms. I didn’t sleep much that night, I laid there thinking about how the arena would be. What creatures they have whipped up to kill us off this year. I trembled at the thought of last year's creatures a giant lizard looking thing with a long face and sharp teeth that would eat you alive and it came in packs once it found you… you had no chance of surviving or outrunning the creature. That image stayed in my brain the rest of the night.
The next morning I was the first up and at the table ordering breakfast. I ordered coffee and some eggs and toast. Allio and Aurora joined me in the morning. Allio had to go wake up Ever, she seemed to have no fear of the arena like I did. We ate in silence for a long time.
Allio as usual was the once to start the conversation, “Today is the last day of training. I know you both will work hard in there. Oh and before I forget Ardar asked me to tell you two to start planning what your going to do to impress the gamemasters.”
Aurora surprisingly said to Ever, “I heard your doing good from the trainers Ever. Im proud of you. And Finnick you’ve been doing great as well.”
Ever and I had a look of shock and both said our thanks. Me and allio went to the dressing and Ever and Aurora went to theirs.
Allio started to mess with my hair as he said with his usual cheerful tone, “I made you a lovely suit for the talk show with Flickerman. It’s a loose blue and white suit and Ever’s dress is rimmed with blue on the sleeves and bottom and a lighter blue for the main part of the dress.”
He handed me the same shirt and jeans from yesterday. After I got dressed we waited for Aurora and Ever to come out of the dressing room. After a good thirty minutes Ever and Aurora came out. Ever was of course wearing the same thing as me but her hair was tied up today in a high ponytail. Ever didn’t seem as mad today as she usually was. Me and Allio didn’t question why they took so long getting dressed so we just headed to the elevator. Allio as usual pressed the button that sent us shooting down into the training room where Ardar was waiting. He was standing with Coil, Flame and Thorn. Iry was standing with another group of tributes today which I was kind of glad she was, something about her didn’t feel right to me.
Ardar said in a business like tone, “ Start thinking about how you will impress the gamemasters with your skills. That will be right after lunch today and after that will be the talk show with Flickerman that's where you will get the capital people's attention to most likely become your sponsors.”
Ardar smiled then walked off to chat with other mentors behind a glass wall separating us from them. Allio and Aurora both told us good luck tonight. I headed over to the plant identification area. The trainer seemed nice enough. Ever and Flame were at the fish hook area and were both ignoring the trainer. Ever was showing her how to make some simple hooks. Thorn had gone to the archery area to learn how to shoot. After a while I got the hang of telling which plants were good to eat and what wasn't good to eat. I felt someone come sit beside me. It was Iry. She had a smirk on her face as she grabbed a bunch of plants sitting in front me.
Iry said in a arrogant tone, “Why are you wasting your time here? You could be spending it on better things like watching me train since you clearly have no chance of winning.”
The group behind Iry laughed. Iry smiled and walked away throwing the plants behind her the leaving the plants falling into my hair. All of the other tributes had their focus on me. I hid my anger by quickly removing the plants out my hair as the other tributes lose their focus on me. I walked away from that station and headed over to knot tying. I grew up tying knots. The trainer saw this and started me on more advanced knots. By the time the lunch bell rang I was tired and ready to face the arena. I got my food and sat with Flame, Ever and Thorn. Iry decided to sit with us. Purposely next to me. This ticked me off. First with the plants now with sitting next to me. The others seem to notice my annoyance and try to start conversation.