Author Games: Trial By Fire

Becoming a Winner - Grasshopper Dark#59th

"This is my favourite moment, that moment a tribute... becomes a Victor," ~ Ceaser Flickerman.

Name: Grasshopper Dark

Age: 30

Personality/Traits: Before his games, he was the ever-content person, the one who, no matter what happened to him, he smiled through it. It got to the point where it was slightly annoying to be around him. After he came home, his happiness was strained and forced, and he fakes his most of the time. He flashes back to the games often, and the flashbacks often mix with present day, confusing him. He still smiles like nothing ever happened, as though he can ignore it.

District: 10

Physical Description: Grasshopper has light brown hair, and bright blue eyes. He's rarely seen without a smile on his face. He's tall, but not towering over people. His build is strong, and he was never one of the smaller tributes.

Celebrity Look-a-like: Chris Pine 

Games that they won: 59th

Weapon of Choice AND Skills: In his own games, he got used to a pole axe, and by the end was quite skilled with it. He has a tendency to make friends fast, making people not want to kill him, though that goes both ways.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grasshopper of District Ten - UsernameNotFound

"Nice day today, isn't it?" asks Saffron, pulling up a chair at my table.

I pour myself a glass of water and shrug. "I haven't gone outside today."

"You should leave the house a bit more." Switching to a joking tone, she says, "And that's your final lesson, Grasshopper."

It happens in an instant. Those words... My house disappears, and in its place?

The arena.

It's windy today. The wind whips past me as I stand at the cornucopia, axe in hand. I can't resist a smile. Two of us left, and I'm worried about wind. I grip the pole axe tighter, watching.

"You're my last kill?"

I whip around to face the voice. It's Crystal, from one. She holds a pair of thin swords, smirking at me. "No challenge at all." she pauses for a second, then says, "let's have some fun, shall we?" 

She comes at me fast, so fast, and kicks me in the chest. I'm staring at the sky suddenly, gasping for air. Can't breathe... I struggle to sit up, and Crystal stands by, watching.

On my feet again, still barely breathing, a vice-like grip locks onto my arm. The girl twists violently, and I hear a snap, followed by an explosion of pain in my arm. I scream, drowning out the whistling wind and falling to my knees.

Crystal sits down facing me, sword blade out, but not pointing at me. I try to move, but when my arm even twitches, the pain racks my body and blows my mind. God, it hurts so much... 

"You see, you can't win here. You need something else to win. Something other than luck. Something I have and you don't. I can look you in the eyes right now, and tell you I can murder you. And you know what? I won't regret it." She tilts her head to the side, her voice becoming malice-filled, taunting. "And that's your final lesson, Grasshopper." 

A crazy, wild plan flashes through my mind, and in a moment of insane courage, I act. I throw my head forward, banging it into hers with all the force I can muster. Falling backwards with a loud cry, my vision spins for a moment, but I feel like someone just injected me with energy. I stagger to my feet, whimpering at the pain in my arm. I grab the axe in one hand, staggering over to Crystal, who is recovering with her head in her hands. "You bastard!" she shrieks, but she's unarmed. I swing my axe forward, hoping its reach is far enough. 

The cannon is my answer.

I... Won. Energy disappears, and I sink down to my knees, pain slamming into me full force. I cross my eyes when I catch a glimpse of something white sticking out of my arm. Oh god, oh-

"Grasshopper!" Saffron's voice breaks through my thoughts. I shake my head, forcing a smile.

"I'm fine." But it's a lie.

I haven't been fine in years.