Chapter 4, Training

I stood in the training room. Alone, except for the Capitol attendants. Yes, I was the first one there.

One of the Capitol attendants walked up to me. "Would you like a glass of water?"

"No thank you." I said examining everything around me.

Target range, brain reaction simulator, edible plant test, sets of agility testing rope and rock climbing walls, range attack simulator.

So many things to choose from. 

"Can you describe that?" I asked the attendant pointing to the range attack simulator.

She nodded.

 "You pick what type of targets you want based on what range weapon you're using. Wooden targets for knives, simulated targets for a bow and arrow, etc. Then you select how many you targets you want."

I nodded for her to continue.

"When you hit a certain area such as the head or heart, any fatal shot, it'll move onto the next one. Or you can pick a mode which would be more realistic in which case more than one target can pop up."

I thought about that for a moment.

I would have to try that later.

"Thank you." I said turning away.

The elevator doors opened and I watched the District 1 and 4 tributes walk through. Kern walked behind them.

"Could've told me you were coming!" he yelled at me.

"I'm sorry, I was going to wake you up but your snoring was so loud I could hear it from the dining room. I assumed you were tired." I said rolling my eyes.

The other tributes laughed.

Kern made a face at me.

I heard the elevator door open again to reveal the tributes from 5 and 6.

Jerome and the boy from District 4 walked up to me. 

"Hello Snow."

I smiled. "So we meet again." 

Jerome smirked. "This is Mitch."

I gave Mitch a small smile. "Hello."

"Hello Ambassador." Mitch said bowing. 

I frowned at Jerome. "Did you tell him to do that?"

Jerome and Mitch laughed. "Possibly." Jerome answered.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"So what weapons are you going to use?" Mitch asked curiously.

The thing is, with us Career tributes, you can't pull off the weak and sniveling tribute act, like that one girl Johanna Mason from 7.

Especially not with me, what with my skills advertised all over Panem.

"All of them." I said grinning. 

Act cocky, act cruel, be no less than what they expect. 

Mitch smiled. "Jerome told me you were cocky." 

I raised an eyebrow at Jerome. 

"Good." I muttered turning away.

The elevators opened again to reveal tributes from 7, 9, 11, and 12. The District 12 tributes stared at me in fear. 

I literally growled at them.

They purposely stood on the opposite side of the training room.

"Woah girl." 

I turned around to see Thalia and some other girl. Probaby Vena. The District 1 tribute.

"Hey Thalia. Just scaring the competition. Wimps." I said smirking.

Thalia laughed.

Vena stood to her side glaring at me.

"Hello." I said holding out my hand.

She shook it. "I'm from District 1."

"Vena, I know." I said. 

"Told you she knew everyone's name!" Thalia chirped. 

Vena glared at me again. "Yeah, she sure does." Then she walked away.

"What's her problem?" I asked Thalia.

She shrugged. "Okay, truth is, she has a crush on that District 3 boy, but she noticed he always watches you. So she's kind of jealous."

I nodded.

"Interesting."

The elevator doors opened one last time to reveal tributes from 8, 10, and 3.

I pretended not to notice when in reality I was paying attention.

Jason was watching me.

"He's looking at you!" Thalia whispered.

I shrugged. 

Like love could ever happen in the Hunger Games.

***

"What weapon are you going to start with?" Jerome murmured as tributes swarmed all around us.

"Don't know. How about you?" 

"Spears." he said grinning.

"I think I'll follow you." 

Jerome gave me a look. "About what Mitch said, I did tell him you were a bit cocky and I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "I don't blame you. I am cocky."

"Why?"

I smirked. "It's just as unsafe to overestimate your enemies as it is to underestimate them."

We ran over to the spear section.

He grabbed a heavy looking one that was long.

I surveyed the choices and picked a small, dainty, narrow spear.

"Why that one?" Jerome asked lifting up his own.

"Because, you should know with me, small things can be deadly." 

He grinned and threw his spear. It hid the center target dead on.

Other tributes were watching now. 

I carefully aimed my spear at the same target.

"Be careful Ambassador." Jerome whispered.

I threw the spear.

It hit his right in the center of the spear's stick. 

"I think I'm good." I said turning to Jerome.

I walked away from him and the little crowd of tributes literally parted. I caught eyes with Jason.

He didn't say anything as I passed.

I picked up a bow and arrow from another section.

When I glanced up, I noticed everyone was still watching me.

"Better start training if you want to survive the blood bath." I said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Everyone dispersed.

Jason's P.O.V.

I followed her to each section. She threw spears, shot bows, played with swords. And she excelled at everything.

"She's crazy good, isn't she?" a voice whispered behind me.

I turned around to see a blond haired girl standing there.

"Vena, District 1." she said holding out her hand.

I shook it carefully.

"You're from 3 right?" Vena asked. I nodded.

"Take some advice from a Career, be careful of your alliances." she said.

I stared at her.

"And with Snow?" she whispered.

"What?" I asked.

"Don't trust her." 

***

I carefully did a practice session with a sword. I wasn't half-bad. 

Snow was still in my vision, she was using a dart gun and trying to hit moving targets.

Nailed every one of them.

I put my sword down for a second and looked for Orchid. 

She was scaling ropes attached to the ceiling, rather quickly I might add.

In the corner of my eye, I saw the District 2 boy point at her to some of his fellow Careers.

They laughed at something.

I watched as he climbed over to where all the ropes were attached to metal poles.

He undid one of the knots.

The rope snapped and Orchid slipped. 

"Orchid!" I called. Her eyes were wide with fear as she hung from the ceiling with just one hand keeping her up.

The District 2 boy undid another one and the rope she was holding snapped.

I heard her screams as she fell.

But she didn't hit the ground.

In an instant, Snow was there. Holding Orchid in her arms, who was gasping for air. 

Snow carefully set Orchid on the floor while everyone watched. I ran over.

"Orchid! Orchid! Are you okay?" I asked grabbing her hand in mine. (A/N Remember Orchid is only 12 and Jason is 18 in this story)

"Yeah, I think so." she whispered still trembling.

I looked over at Snow who watched us.

"Thank you, for catching her." I whispered.

Her eyes locked onto mine. I could see gold flakes in her nearly coal black eyes. They made her look mysterious and distant. 

Kind of like her.

"Your welcome. I hope you're okay." she said to Orchid.

Orchid nodded. "Thank you again."

She smiled and for the first time, I didn't see her as the murderous girl she was portrayed as. I saw her as her. Kind and helpful. 

Caring.

"You are an excellent climber. It takes great skill to be able to do what you did." she said softly.

Then she turned to me. "Do you already know her? It seems you care for each other a lot."

"Yes, I've known her since she was a little girl." I whispered still mystified by Snow.

She smiled. 

"Thank you again, for catching her. I wouldn't have wanted her to get hurt. " I said.

Snow looked at Orchid and smiled even wider.

"She wouldn't have fallen anyway if my idiot District partner hadn't messed up the ropes." she said grinning.

I laughed. 

"Speaking of my idiot District partner, I have to go speak to him." Snow said turning around.

"Snow, you don't have to yell at him for me, I'm fine." Orchid said putting her hand on Snow's shoulder.

Snow smiled. "I would yell at him for no reason if I wanted to."

I felt a smile spread across my face. "You're funny." I blurted out.

I wanted to smack myself. 

Snow laughed. The smile actually reached her eyes, which had turned more brown instead of being dark black.

"Thank you." she said softly. To my surprise a blush appeared on her cheeks. She noticed me staring and her expression turned stony.

"But please, keep your feelings shut inside of you. I don't want to feel guilty after I kill you during the games." she whispered before turning around and leaving.

Orchid stared at me.

I felt...sad.

Confused.

Mystified.

Snow was clearly someone special.