Surviving The Beast (Featuring Your OCs) [TMNT Hunger Games AU]

Training: Day Three

"Before you start your training, I have an announcement to make," Lauren said, her icy eyes scanning the group. Plucking out a piece of paper from a thin envelope, she read, "Alexis Queen from District 1, Caleb Shelton from District 5, Destiny Luna from District 7, Kitty Potter from District 8, Sythia Blanchard from District 9, and Sky Morningstar from District 10."

Looking up at the tributes, she continued, "You six are needed at the lab right now. Please follow Miss Martha Fox here to the laboratory," Seeing the worried glances the named tributes are giving each other, she added, "Do not worry. You are not in trouble. There are just some...issues about your abilities. Dr. Karen...Kareng will be there to have a talk with you," she explained curtly, turning away. "The rest of you may go back to your training."

"Dr. Karen...? Is she your sister?" Kitty wondered out loud.

Lauren shot a glance at her, then looked back at the ground. "Yes," she answered hesitantly, "but I prefer not to speak of it. Now go follow Martha to the lab," she snapped sharply,  walking away to her usual spot and watching over the tributes.

Kitty ran after the other five, trailing after the mutants.

They arrived at the laboratory shortly, Martha stepping aside to let them in.

The six tributes looked around in wonder. Everything seemed white. The walls, the tables, the chairs, the whiteboards...

A mutant leopard in a white lab coat walked to them. She looked almost exactly like Lauren, except that her fur was silvery grey, and her leopard spots were pitch black. It was almost as if their colors were flipped or reversed. Her eyes were an identical shade of icy blue as Lauren's.

"Hello. I am Dr. Karen Kareng. Well, the reason why I have called you six here is because your abilities or powers may give you the upper hand in the Games. As much as we love the entertainment, we like to be fair."

Beckoning one of her group members forward, she continued. "So we will be 'masking' your abilities. Since we, the Capitol, are very generous, we will let you have two more days to train without your abilities, and we allow flight to be used. Those of you who have wings, your wings will still be functional. The serum will only last for the the Games. When the Games end, you will get your special abilities back. If you survive," she added. 

Her assistant brought out a tray that held five small cups filled with a clear liquid.

"But there's six of us," Destiny pointed out.

"I am well aware. Caleb here, is a human. He has no special powers, except for his necklace. Which is what I will be explaining next." Dr. Kareng turned around to face Caleb. "Your necklace holds power, and when you put it on, it allows you to turn into anything. This is why we will confiscate it and send it back to your district." Caleb nodded.

"As for the rest of you," the scientist said, "drink the serum. It won't hurt a bit."

When the tributes gave her uneasy looks, she rolled her eyes. "I am an experienced chemist. Why would I want to do anything to hurt you, when it can all be shown in the Games?" she questioned. "It would be better to preserve you all in a good condition than a bad one."

The five tributes cautiously picked up a cup. "And why should we drink it?" Sythia challenged.

"Do I need to inject it into you myself?" Dr. Kareng snapped.

The five tributes gulped the serum down quickly. There was a warm, tingling sensation that spread through their bodies, then it faded. Like Dr. Kareng promised, it did not hurt them.

"You may go back to your training with...Lauren," she said coldly, turning away.

Martha led them back to the training room, where the six tributes dispersed to the different sections.

Kitty walked to the weapons rack, picking up a scythe. She couldn't use her tiger, so she should at least learn how to fight.

She attacked her invisible opponent, swinging the scythe in the air. She experimented with it, doing a series of cuts and swipes and jabs, twirling the weapon with her fingers.

She ended her routine with one last swipe, and a pang of guilt hit her, reminding her that she may be attacking someone with that scythe. She shook the feeling away, trudging off after the others to the table for lunch.

******

Penelope went and sat at a table, where the other five Careers were. They greeted her, going back to their food almost immediately.

Colten broke the silence. "Considering that we're already allied," the cyborg started, "do any of you have a plan?"

"But then we're all going to end up dead anyways," Darkness cut in, "so what's the point?"

"Don't you think it's a little too early to be discussing this?" Hazel asked. "But then again, there's no harm in being prepared."

"I agree," Alexis said, "if we're going to have a plan, what strategies will we need?"

"Yeah. I think we make a pretty good team. I mean, look at us, we have super smart cyborg dude over here, and elemental power girl over there, and Hazel's got awesome fishing skills," Darkness pointed out confidently, "and Shadow's got the venom--"

"Hey!" the snake mutant hissed, "Don't take my venom for granted! It has it's disadvantages, and if you haven't noticed, it's my venom, and I'll use it when I want to," she snapped. "And don't go thinking that you've got the upper hand in battle because one day, it will eventually turn on you."

"And plus, they've taken away my elemental powers," Alexis added.

"Well then," Penelope said, trying to boost the team spirit, "I think we still make a great team. Working together is the key. Right, guys?"

The Careers nodded.

"Lunch is over. I think it's best that we get back to our rooms," Hazel murmured. "We have one more day of training and evaluations. Then, it's the Games."

The group of tributes dispersed back to their rooms, each and every one of them nervous for what is yet to come.