Fiore's Games

A Friend At Last

Chapter Text

There, in the trees above her, was a wasp nest. It was likely a tracker jacker nest. Tracker jackers were a mutant wasp created by the Capitol in the first rebellion. They would track and kill anyone who disturbed them, and their sting could cause hallucinations if it didn't kill you. Very dangerous creatures. Levy didn't want to hurt Gajeel, but he had betrayed her, and it was one way to get out of the tree. To avoid the nest, she decided to cut the branch entirely. The anthem of the Capitol played and the projection of the dead tributes played overhead. After several moments of debating with herself, she decided to wait until they were asleep and catch the Careers by surprise in the night. During the day, they could recover and track her, but at night she could get away easier.

An hour passed before all the Careers fell asleep. They left a fire burning all night, because they didn't care if someone tracked them down. Levy packed her bag, ready to run when she cut the branch, and climbed a few branches higher to reach it. She drew her knife and sawed away at the branch. The action caught the attention of some of the mutant wasps and one stung her hand. It hurt like hell, especially with the stinger stuck in her hand. She paused to dig it out, then continued. She received three more stings-one on her other hand, one on her arm and one one on her face-when the branch came free.

The nest fell hard and fast, the tracker jackers that were not inside following their home to the ground. The nest bust open, and all hell broke loose below.

Sherry and Lyon woke first, yelling for the others to get up. They both took off running in different directions. A few wasps chased after them, but most stayed by the ruined nest. Another girl got the brunt of the stings and died within a few moments. Levy climbed down as fast as she could and stole the bow and arrows from the dead girl, taking off herself. The four stings she received were starting to mess with her mind, however. Her steps became sluggish, the world around her tilting and swirling. She swore she saw her brothers in the forest, laughing at her failure, Lucy crying at her potential death. It's just the stings, it's just the stings, it's not real not real.

One thing broke through the strange visions, although it was still tilting and swirling and being out of focus. Gajeel entered her view suddenly, rage in his expression. "What the hell are you still doing here? Go!" He shoved her, hard, and she stumbled back. He groaned loudly, grabbing her arm and dragging her with him a short distance. "Get out of here. They'll kill you. I'll hold them off, go!" He shouted now, pushing her again but more gently and she took off again. Must've been a hallucination. There's no way he would be kind to me. No way. The sounds of fighting faintly entered Levy's venom-filled mind as she trudged along, until she finally collasped in some brush.
- - - -
Levy woke up. Her body was filled with pain, but also, relief. The first thing to come into her vision was a girl with blue hair tied back in two pigtails. "Hi. You've been out for a couple days. I changed your leaves twice." She said kindly. Levy noticed there were wet leaves on all her stings. "I dug the stingers out too, but a couple you got yourself. Also, a parachute was dropped with some kind of ointment. I think it was for you and your burns. When I put it on your leg, the next day it looked better. I didn't take any for myself though." She held up a bird she had killed and cooked. "I also hunted. I borrowed your knife, but I cleaned it and gave it back."

Levy slowly sat up. There was a dull ache all over her body. "Thank you... you didn't have to do this. What's your name?"

"I'm Wendy. I know your name. I remember from the interview. Your name is Levy." Wendy got comfortable in front of her. "Eat something. I left your bottle of water alone, but I did take some iodine to make some more drinkable water." Levy was surprised by her kindness. She slowly ate the bird and sighed in relief at a real meal. She downed about half of her saved bottle and packed the ointment away in her bag, for safe keeping.

"Why did you do all this?" Levy finally asked.

"You look like my mom." She said simply. "I think it's the hair." She laughed a little. "And I thought... maybe we could be allies? For a while. The numbers are getting lower, so we couldn't forever, but for a little bit?"

"Yeah. I'd like that." Levy said with a smile.

"Yay!" Wendy cheered. "Since you're awake, let's take today and just hunt, get water. Tomorrow we can move on." She suggested, and Levy agreed. They rested for a little while longer, making conversation.

"Is Gajeel... is he..." Levy tried to ask. Wendy smiled secretly.

"No. He's alive." She filled the older girl in on the tributes who had died. "Last I heard or saw him, he was by the rocky part of the forest, that connects to the fields." She added casually. Levy's eyes lit up at the prospect of him being alive and knowing where he was. "Was all that true? About you being in loooooove?" Wendy teased.

Levy's face turned red. "I... well. I first said it because my mentor told me it would be a good tactic. But... I dunno. Maybe I could like him, if we weren't in this death game." She shrugged. "Why don't you tell me about your District?"

Wendy noticed her sudden change in topic, but made no comments about it. She talked about District 11, and how it was agricultural. That's how she knew the trick with the leaves for her stings. It was also how she became very good at climbing trees. No one was allowed to keep what they harvested, however. They would be whipped if caught. "Oh! Those glasses in your bag? Those are night vision glasses! A boy back home tried to steal some, but he was killed." She said casually. It hurt Levy's heart to know how common death was.

In return, Levy told Wendy about her home. The mines, the Hob market, her brothers and her best friend. She could go on for ages and ages about her family and friend. They were her whole world.

Finally, they got up and moved. It was much easier for Levy to move around, and together they hunted a couple more small animals and had full stomachs for the first time since they got in the Arena.

The night was falling again. Levy had a suspicion the days were shorter, due to the Gamemakers, for some odd reason. Wendy suggested climbing a tree to sleep in again. They found a tree with a thick branch to sleep in and climbed up. Wendy had no sleeping bag, so Levy had her climb in with her. They were both small, so they both fit. It was warm and cozy, giving Levy a rare sense of peace. "Gajeel saved me. After I dropped that nest. I was hallucinating, but I think that was real." Levy said in the silence.

"He's not with the Careers anymore. He's alone. I've been spying on their camp by the lake, where we started. They have..." she yawned. "They have everything there, stockpiled up. All the food and weapons not taken." Wendy mumbled sleepily, curling up next to Levy.

"You know, if they didn't have all their stuff, they would be like us... having to fight for food and the like. They would be on the same level as us. In a way." Levy mumbled thoughtfully as Wendy fell asleep. "If we can get rid of their supplies... they won't last long."