Quelling the Flames

Unexpected Allies (Official Training Day 1)

Sharp sunlight filters through my window causing my eyes to water, and for me to sneeze.

"Bless you, dear!" Cria exclaims.

"Thanks." I sit up rubbing my eyes. "Why are we up so early?"

She stares at me shocked. "Have you forgotten?"

I narrow my eyes suspiciously. Was it someone's birthday? "Yes?" I say uncertainly.

"Today's the first day of training!"

"Oh crap," I mutter leaping out of bed, springing to my closet. There's only one thing there today, at black t-shirt with colored stripes on the side, and a pair of black sports pants. Training gear. I slip into it, heading out into the main room before freezing mid-step. Everyone is there. EVERYONE. The careers sit on one side of the room, chatting and eating while the rest of us are on the other side staring suspiciously at each other.

"Well, this is great," I mutter darkly. Turning to Cria I ask, "Why are we all on the same floor again?"

"To encourage bonding of course."

"Really..."

"Well, and the fact that the giant screens in the town square of the Capitol cost a WHOLE lot," she admits finally, breezing off to the kitchen.

"We're living on the same floor because of BUDGET CUTS?!"

"Yep, it looks like it," a voice says at my shoulder. It's Pixel Varius the only female victor District 3 has ever had, and my mentor.

"So, what's the plan for training?" I ask.

"Show off. Show them all your skills except your best one. Make friends."

"Hate to break it to you, but I don't HAVE skills."

"Really," she says skeptically.

"Yup."

"I've heard all about you little girl. You invented the microfilament when you were twelve. If you don't have skills then I don't know who does."

"What I mean is, I don't have skills that would help me kill people!"

"Invent some," she says simply before walking off.

An hour later, all twenty four of us stand in the center of the training center. It's a huge domed structure with matted floors, and padded walls. Scattered around the room are several stations some with survival skills like, climbing or shelter building, and others are with weapons.

"In two weeks, twenty-three of you will be dead, and the one person who will be still alive depends on this. Now go train, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

I wait a couple seconds waiting for the rest of the group to decide where they're going before I slip towards the least popular station, plant identification. The trainer nods briefly to me, and starts explaining the different types of plants, edible, poisonous, healing, and ones that don't fall into any category. I nod along paying close attention, but at the same time I glance around the room sizing up my competition.
Naturally, the careers are showing off and competing at who can beat each other in various weapons;at the moment they're competing at who can throw an ax the farthest.

A long line is forming at the knife throwing station, and I decide that I'll leave that one for tomorrow.

Thanking the trainer, who had just finished with his explanation, I scan the room for my remaining options. At last I decide on the sword station. It's a mildly crowded station, and I hate crowds but Pixel told me to make friends, and this is my best chance.

I've barely settled into line when a voice interrupts me.

"Hey."

I turn to see Roak next to me.

"Hi, enjoying yourself so far?"

"Ha, totally," he snorts. "This whole thing just screams enjoyable, like the fact that teenagers have to fight to death, and the fact that the careers are already trained, and the fact that us District 3 peeps are kinda lacking in the physical department. Fun."

I laugh. "Yeah. I'm just going to stay in a cave somewhere, and wait it out."

"The gamemakers won't let you do that, but we might stand a better chance if we stick together. Allies?" he asks sticking out his hand. I take it, nodding.

"Allies."

The line is moving steadily forward, and the air is filled with the sound of clashing metal and screams of pain.

At last we reach the table with the swords on it. There are long swords, thick swords, and even a couple daggers but I know immediately which ones I want. On the far end of the table are two long, curved swords with matching handles. Instinctively I know they are a pair--twin swords.
"You know fighting with two swords is not necessarily logical you know," Roak says. He himself is holding a three feet long double-edged swords. I glare at him.

"It feels right," I reply, and it does. The swords are light, but still feel solid enough to do some serious damage. He shrugs and gestures toward the simulation room.

"Shall we?" he asks. I nod and we walk towards an empty one. A small screen glows to life and we scan ourselves in using our fingerprints. The glass door hisses open, and we step inside. All is silent when suddenly, holographic trees spring up around us and a moment later, panels in the floor open up to reveal what look like huge bears with...wings?

"Mutts," Roak states flatly. We stand back to back swords out, waiting for the bears to attack. A huge roar sounds from the lead bear and they charge.

I stick one sword deep into the chest of one bear, and it disintegrates but another one is right behind it. It takes a leap, and its giant wings spread--almost spanning the whole width of the room. I roll sideways, avoiding its claws just barely,and taking advantage of the fact that its now unbalanced, I stab a sword into his shoulder, using the other sword to block a blow from another approaching bear.

A scream sounds behind me, and when I look, I see him hastily patting away flames on his shoulder. I stare at him questioningly, but he doesn't even to need to open his mouth as my answer literally falls from the sky.

"The bears...poop...fire?!" I cry incredulously.

"Yup. You know we always knew that capitol people were crazy, but we never knew just how much until now. I mean what SANE person thinks of flying bears that poop fire?!"

I shake my head speechlessly in response, sticking my blades into another bear.
Kicking off it's head, I cartwheel towards the ceiling slashing at one of the flying bears. Roars of pain sound all around me, and I wince in guilt, but I convince myself that it has to be done.
And then finally, there's silence. The only thing to mark the existence of the bears are tiny mounds of dust on the floor, and slowly they sink away as well. I give Roak a weak high-five, relieved that it's over.

We step outside of the box and immediately two people block our way; the District Ten pair.

"Allies?" the boy says. I glance at Roak shrugging. I didn't really have an opinion. He nods.

"Yeah," Roak says. "Sure, we'll be allies with you guys." I grin in exhilaration. I have allies. Not just one either, THREE. Oh, Pixel would be proud