USWNT Oneshots

Nerf War

"This is a capture the flag game, so the main objective is to get the other team's flag." Coach said. She was explaining a game that we were going to be playing. "If you get hit with a dart in the head, neck, or chest, you're out. You are allowed to torture your prisoners, but nothing that will cause permanent damage. If you find the other team's flag and are able to get it back to your side, bring it to me and I will end the game. Is everyone clear?" "Yes, Coach." We all chorused. Everyone on the team was wearing either red or blue. We were all armed with at least one Nerf gun, and most of us were wearing huge grins. Abby, Tobin, Alex, and I were all wearing red. Pinoe, Carli, and Hope were wearing blue. I ran with the rest of the red team to our territory in the woods. We hid our flag in the mouth of a cave, and hid several decoys around the woods. We then went back to the small cabin that was our home base to discuss strategy. "We don't know where their flag is, so we're gonna need someone to go scout." Abby said. "Preferably someone small, fast, and sneaky." All eyes turned to me. "Fine." I said. "I volunteer as tribute." "Good." Abby said. The airhorn sounded from the pitch, signaling the start of the game. Tobin clapped me on the back. "May the odds be ever in your favor, Katniss." She said, grinning. "Thanks, Gale." I said, grinning back. "Wait, if you're Katniss and Tobin's Gale, what does that make me?" Abby asked. Tobin and I looked at each other and grinned. "Haymitch." We said in unison. "Haymitch?" Abby asked. "Really? That's gonna be my code name, isn't it." "Yup!" I said. "Well, may the odds be ever in your favor." Abby said. "Thanks!" I said. I ran over the boundary line, looking around. Where would I hide it if I were them? I thought. I started off towards the east, where I knew there were some boulder piles. I hopped from rock to rock, looking for the distinctive spot of blue. I leapt back onto flat ground, and immediately, a Nerf gun clicked next to my ear. I froze. "Well, well, well." Hope said. "What have we got here?" Dammit. I thought. My hand crept towards my gun, but Hope quickly pressed the barrel of her gun to my temple. "If you make another move towards your gun, it will be the last thing you do." She whispered in my ear. I could feel her warm breath on my ear, and I shivered. "Now: put your hands up." Hope commanded. "No." I said. "I'll never surrender to you." "You have two options." Hope said. "Surrender or die." "Fine." I growled, raising my hands above my head. "Good girl." Hope purred, smirking as she took my weapons. She bound my hands behind my back and wrapped my braid around one of her hands. The other hand was pressing her Nerf gun to the back of my head. "Now, listen up, prisoner." Hope said. "We're going to walk to blue base. If you struggle, or if you try to run, I will kill you. Got it?" I nodded. "Good." Hope said. "Now march." We walked to the blue base and went in. Carli was standing near the door, and she grinned as we came in. "Nice job, Hope." She said. "Where'd you find her?" "She was snooping around by the boulder pile." Hope said. "Do you want me to take her down and interrogate her?" Carli asked. "Nah, I can handle her on my own." Hope said. "You sure?" Carli asked. "I've heard tell that she's a tough one. A troublemaker." "She won't make trouble as long as I'm around." Hope said. "Take her weapons, though." Carli nodded, and took my guns from Hope's belt. Hope dragged me downstairs to the basement, which held a form of restraining device that I'd seen before. It was covered in black leather, with a place for my body, two wings for my arms, and a place for my ankles that came down on hinges. Hope took off my boots before picking me up easily and setting me on the seat of the contraption. She untied my hands, then immediately attached my wrists to the wings of the chair, then secured my ankles. She used straps to attach my toes to the ankle restraint. Hope walked over to a table. Her body blocked my view of both what was on the table, and what she was doing with whatever it was. Haymitch to Katniss. What is your report? Abby's voice sounded in my mind. Katniss to Haymitch. The Capitol got me. I'm about to be tortured for information. I said. Dammit. Well, stay strong, Girl on Fire. Abby said. I'll do my best, Haymitch. I said. Hope turned to me. She was holding a feather in one hand and a paintbrush in the other. It finally occurred to me what she was going to do. I struggled against the straps holding me to the chair. "It's no use trying to escape, prisoner." Hope said, smirking. "You won't be able to get out." She started running her fingers up and down the soles of my feet. I squirmed uncomfortably, trying to jerk my feet away from Hope's fingers. Hope's smirk grew wider. "Tell me where your flag is located." She said. "Never." I said defiantly. Hope picked up the paintbrush and started moving it up and down the soles of my feet. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "Let it out, prisoner." Hope whispered in my ear. She tugged gently on my earlobe with her teeth. "I will not show weakness to the likes of you!" I said. "And I won't tell you where the flag is!" Hope grinned. "Carli was right." She said. "You are a tough one. But I'll get the information out of you soon enough." She picked up the feather, moving up and down the soles of my feet like she had done with her fingers and the paintbrush. This time, I could not hold in a laugh. "Stop!" I begged. "I'll talk. I'll talk!" Hope smirked. "I thought you would." She said. "Where is it?" "It's in a tree about five yards from the border." I said. "Good girl." Hope said. "Now, you stay here and behave yourself." She left the room. How are you holding up, Katniss? Abby asked. I broke. Kind of. I said. Kind of? What do you mean, kind of? Abby asked. I cracked under torture, but I gave Hope the location of one of our decoys. I said. Oh, God! Hope was the one torturing you?! She's going to kill you when she finds out! Abby said. It's a sacrifice I had to make. I said. Well, it's been nice knowing you. Abby said. About fifteen minutes later, the door slammed. Hope stormed downstairs and threw the decoy flag at me. "You lied!" She spat. "You filthy cheat!" "I did not lie, nor did I cheat." I said calmly. "You ordered me to tell you the location of our flag, which I did. It just happened not to be the flag you were looking for." Hope put her gun to my head. "Say goodbye." She snarled. Just then, the airhorn blew. The game had been won. Hope's demeanor changed immediately. She let me out of the chair and held out a hand for me to shake. "Good game, kiddo." She said. "Wait. You're not pissed at me?" I asked. "Nah." Hope said. "That was well played. I wouldn't have thought to do that." We walked to the pitch along with Carli and Pinoe. Tobin was waving the blue team's flag in the air. "I did it!" She yelled. "You did it thanks to Thalia's quick thinking." Abby said. "If she hadn't thought to give Hope the location of the wrong flag, we would've lost." "I must say, I was impressed when Coach told me I had the wrong flag." Hope said. "I definitely wouldn't have thought of doing what she did, especially not under torture." "How did you torture her, by the way?" Alex asked. "I tickled her feet." Hope said. Tobin raised an eyebrow. "Really?" She asked. "That's what did you in? Foot tickling?" "Shut up, Tobin!" I said. "You wouldn't have been able to stand it either!" "This is true." Tobin admitted. "This is true."