A Court of Roses ↠ Peeta Mellark ✓

03 ; The Making of A Weapon

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTION OF RAPE AND UNDERAGE SEXUAL CHILD ABUSE.

Emberly's boots tap against the floor as her and Marvel head to the training rooms below all the lofts above that are holding all the other tributes. Both of them are dressed in matching body suits with the number of their district printed on the back.

Marvel leads the two of them into a large gymnasium filled with various weapons and obstacle courses. Many spectators are on the higher ledge over-looking the main level where all the tributes are standing; each of them staring down at the gathering teenage tributes with curious eyes.

Marvel motions for Emberly to follow him and they, stop in front of the already gathered crowd. A lean, dark skinned girl named Atala stands in front of them in a plain black tracksuit, her hair in a loose bun that lies against her neck.

Atala explains the different uses of the obstacle courses. That the experts of each skill with remain at their stations, and all the tributes are free to roam around from station to station as much as they'd like; being the stations range from survival skills to other weapon training techniques.

Emberly scans her eyes around the room, seeing the many different  tributes. Most are undernourished, especially the tributes in the lower districts. A large dark skinned male is standing next to a smaller, no older than 12, female with matching dark skin and wide doe eyes.

Emberly feels an ache in her core, knowing that most likely the girl will be killed on the first day of the Games. Especially with herself, Marvel, and the tributes from District 2 in the arena - who have been taught to kill anything that'll get in the way of the prize.

Emberly bites her lip, knowing that if it really came down to it, she'd kill the girl in order to make her district proud. To make her father smile and give her praise for the first time since he'd failed to do it for 16 years of her life.

"You may begin," Atala smiles, hugging her clipboard to her chest as she makes her way from the main floor and leaves the tributes to scatter and find a station. Marvel sighs underneath his breath, leaving Emberly's side and heading towards the weapon area of the gymnasium.

Tightening her jaw, Emberly pushes past a tribute boy from 5 and heads in the direction of the snares and rope-tying. She can hear the other tributes groaning as they throw knives and spears in the directions of the dummy's hanging against the walls of the gym.

Bending down, Emberly begins to do at the instructor says. Ignoring the eyes on her back from whom she assumes is the District 2 boy beside her, she works her nimble fingers into making a Gunner's Knot. A few other tributes take their places around her, all of them working on knots for themselves.

"Good work." The Instructor says, giving Emberly a tight lipped smile. A few tributes look up and see the knot she'd created and roll their eyes, grumbling the familiar nickname Emberly's heard her district's tributes called many times: Careers.

Her chest tightens before she's storming from the knot and trap-making station, hands clutched into fists as she casts a glance towards the spectators, who are watching her with distaste.  All of them mostly focused on Marvel and District 2's tribute girl, who's throwing knives left and right at targets.

Fighting the urge to grab a bow and shoot to her hearts content, Emberly grabs a dagger from the nearby table and stands in front of a dummy. She spins the dagger on her finger, letting a tiny breath leave her lips. She can feel Marvel's eyes on her, along with a few other tributes, all of them wanting to see the skills she has and if they could go against her in the arena.

Emberly twists her body, letting the dagger slip from her finger. It twists in the air, before it's slamming against the wall and falling to the ground with a faint 'clang' ; the blade missing the target completely.