The mindscape games (on hiatus/possibly discontinued)

Training

Virgil's POV:

    They gave us a break for a day but the very next we were right back to it, we were going to start 'training' or basically just warm up our skills for a few days before we're tested separately to have sponsors get a good feel of our skills and for us to be ranked on how skillful we are. The two of us entered the area and noticed everyone at different sections where either different weapons or exercises were held.
    "I'm going over to the archery, what about you?" I asked Reina and she looked at me terrified and shrugged.
    "What can I do?" She whispered and I scanned the room.
    "Go over to the camouflage section, put your art to use. But remember to keep a low profile, keep in the shadows" I reminded her and she nodded while waving to me hesitantly as she walked over the the camouflage area. I went to the archery stand and picked up a bow and arrow. They were metal, which was a lot different than what I was used to working with. The weight and shape of it might throw off my aim. I heard some snickers and looked over to see a girl and guy from district four snickering at me as the girl held a bow herself. Ohhhh boy, I thought and mentally groaned deciding to ignore them. I pulled back the arrow and aimed at the human cut-out target closest to me to get a feel for the metallic bow before moving onto harder shots. Releasing the arrow it whizzed through the air and sank a little off of the bullseye.
    "Hah! Is that all you got?" The girl with the other bow cried and I noticed Patton and Romans gaze turn over here in curiosity. I kept my mouth shut and went for another arrow. When I released, this time it hit its mark, I didn't stop to look at her expression though, I just went to the next target that was much farther than the first. I hit a bullseye on that one first try. Moving through the different ranged and sized targets they all hit the middle first try. Without muttering a sound I went to the targets and retrieved all the arrows and went back to where I stood before. I turned to look at the girl with an emotionless face and raised my eyebrow at her quizzically.
    "Think you're funny do ya?!" The guy roared attracting more attention now including Reina and Logan. He stomped up to me and managed to tower over my height by a good foot or two. He roughly grabbed my collar and lifted me up in his face, while I had to reach on the tips of my toes. All I gave was a slight wince at the stretch but maintained eye-contact with him.
    "Can you explain how I'm being funny?" I asked, finally saying something and kept my voice as emotionless as the rest of me.
    "I think you know very well what we mean emo! Think you can just waltz in here and just disrespect district four like that?!" He barked and spat in my face. I calmly raised my free arm and wiped the spit off my face and sighed.
    "I apologize if that's what you thought I was doing, but I assure you-" I was cut off by the brute of a guy wrapping his hand around my neck now not enough to choke me. And heaved me up in the air my feet dangling off the ground. I had to drop the bow to clutch at his arm but didn't apply pressure to seem like I wanted out. It was just uncomfortable, not concerning.
    "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Roman roared and I used one arm to signal him to stop while shooting him a glare. "I got this" I tried to mentally communicate to him. He seemed to understand and backed off.
    "Look, I-I don't know w-what you thought I w-was trying to do. Your f-friend asked me if that's all I-I had, and I s-simply showed her that it wasn't" I tried to say as evenly as possible, only stuttering from the hand around my throat. "But p-please put me down, you w-won't get any help with how you're acting" I finished and saw the two of them look around and notice the whole rooms attention on us. The guy growled deeply and rolled his eyes before dropping me as I tumbled to the floor. "Greatly appreciated" I added while slightly rubbing my neck. I looked to the silent room and raised my eyebrows at them. "What?" I asked and they jumped back to action, Reina, Logan, Patton, and Roman immediately rushed over to me.
    "Virgil! Are you ok?" Reina asked me and I nodded, once she pulled me to my feet I waved her off. "Keep a low profile huh?" She teased and I rolled my eyes.
    "I didn't technically do anything, they pulled the attention on themselves, not me" I countered back and gave up with trying to get Logan to stop examining my neck "Lo I'm fine" I assured him and he gave up with a sigh.
    "So is this your little posse?" The girl mocked and I remembered that those two still hadn't left. "Let's see, pathetic emo, spoiled prince, boring nerd, peppy freak, and the pathetic emo's side kick!" She insulted and I saw Patton frown sadly upon being called a freak.
    "Actually let me correct you there, hi I'm Virgil from district 6, Reina also from district 6, Roman from district 1, Patton from district 2, and Logan from district 3. Mind introducing yourselves to us?" I asked hiding the sarcasm in my tone very well.
    "Tch, I'm Lola, and this is Chad from district 4" (Chad LOL). She replied snarkily and sneered. "I'd be surprised if any of you made the first few minutes of the games" she threatened and giggled in a high pitched and disgusting voice. "Especially you Virgil, or should I call you The lilac flame? Such a stupid title to be called. I bet your little brother finds it a joke too" she mocked and I flinched at the mention of Janus, this bitch did NOT just go there. Reina and Roman lunged forward looking ready to throw some punches but I held out my arms and held them back.
    "Well at least I have a title, but I'm getting a little bored of these petty insults coming from your mouth, so let's settle this in the ring" I suggested and tilted my head in the direction of the boxing/fighting ring in the middle. She smirked and I tried to hold back a smile. This asshole thinks she can do better than me in combat? Then she has another thing coming. The two of them went over to the ring and Logan held me back looking at me like I was nuts.
    "What are you doing?" He hissed and I smiled.
    "Defeating a bully in the best way possible" I said quietly and then whispered to all of them "beat them publicly at their own game" I winked and moved to step inside the ring, a mentor moved over to act as a referee and explained ground rules. They stepped off and as soon as we were given the green light Lola threw a punch, I dodged easily and moved around dodging all of her sloppy and weak swings. I jabbed her in the gut and quickly moved to where I brought her stomach down onto my knee. "Is that all you got?" I mocked her previous cocky statement seeing her hate filled stare glare through me. We danced around the ring where she hadn't even laid a finger on me. Until she jabbed me in the cheek and I stumbled back, before moving quickly to keep dodging to keep on balance. I chuckled at the pathetic jab she gave me and she looked at me confused. "That's the strongest you can punch? I don't think I'll even get a bruise from that!" I teased and she growled in rage.
    "If you're so great, then how come you haven't taken me down yet?!" She cried and I smirked.
    "Well just know you asked for it" I told her and lunged at her giving an uppercut, a jab here and there, and as she still tried to recover, I dropped down and swept her ankles out from under her and she slammed harshly onto the ground. Moving quickly as she tried to regain air back into her lungs I locked her in a head lock and made sure she had no way of escape. After awhile she tapped out and I let go in triumph.
    "The winner is Virgil!" The mentor announced and I heard everyone who we had gained their attention again cheer for me. Lola looked down embarrassed and I sighed shaking my head clear of thoughts of revenge and slapping the other cheek.
    "Nice round Lola, you do put up a pretty good fight" I told her with a small smile and offered my hand for her to take. She looked at it confused and glared at me.
    "What are you doing?" She hissed and I shrugged softly.
    "Offering to help you up? What does it look like?" I asked and chuckled and she shook her head.
    "But why? You beat me, you showed everyone you're clearly better" She grumbled and I shook my head with a sigh.
    "Just because I beat you doesn't mean I can't help you, sure you are being a flat out asshole and bully. But that doesn't excuse me to act the same way back. I actually don't know anyone else who knows archery, it'd be nice to see what you got" I admitted and offered. She slowly and without eye contact reluctantly grabbed my hand and I heaved her up. "You're ok though right? I slammed you pretty hard on the ground" I asked nervously and she shook her head.
    "Nah I'm fine," she let go of my hand quickly and left the ring quickly "just stay out of our way!" She shouted and I sighed slightly upset at her choice. I left the ring as well and Logan almost tackled me with a med-kit in hand.
    "Logan I swear I'm fine, if anything Lola needs the med-kit not me!" I groaned as he looked at the place where she punched me.
    "Yeah there is nothing you can do when he gets like this" Roman explained and chuckled. "But that was incredible! Where'd you learn to fight like that?" He asked and I shrugged.
    "District 6 can be a really sketchy place especially if you used to be homeless like me and Janus. Had to fight off a few guys here and there to keep our savings sometimes. Remy my friend would also spar with me and teach me new moves to fight if I needed them" I explained and took a sip of water. While Logan finished applying some cream to my cheek. They looked at me surprised and I raised my eyebrow at them "what? I had a busy childhood, if anything I grew up the moment my parents died" I finished. "I don't want to talk about this anymore because now it's awkward, so tell me what you guys are doing to prepare before the ratings" I changed the subject and Patton smiled.
    "I'm brushing up on my tracking skills, herbology, and medicinal skills." Patton explained and I nodded.
    "Herbology like Patton as well as medicine, but also working on my knowledge with using a blade" Logan added.
    "I'm better at using a blade than Logan is, so I'm brushing up on that, and also experimenting with my gift to craft" Roman continued
    "Putting my art skills to use to learn to make camouflage." Reina finished and Roman nodded his head to me.
    "What about you Virge?" He asked and I shrugged.
    "Getting used to a metal bow since I'm used to my wooden one back home. I'm pretty skilled with a dagger too though. Since I hunted and killed deer and other things for a profit I know how to track by heart and how to survive in a forest" I told them and the three boys looked at me surprised.
    "Is there anything you CAN'T do?!" Roman asked and I snickered.
    "Well... I can't cook or bake for my life, also singing or dancing... I can't crochet or knit but I know how to sew. Oh and I'm not really good and crafting things" I told them and they looked to each other and nodded clearly impressed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to resume getting used to this metallic bullshit" I told them as I stood up and they laughed at my name for the bow. We parted off again and I continued to practice with the bow, it felt less foreign in my hands now, so I moved over to the movement simulator to test my aim with moving human shapes. Lola hadn't finished yet so I waited patiently for her to finish. She left but not before flashing me a glare, I just ignored her and started up the simulator. The machinery whirred to life and I began to quickly take down the targets. I only missed a few times and by the time I was done, people had started to leave or clean up. Roman sat on a bench nearby and tossed me a towel that I caught and wiped the sweat off my brow.
    "I decided to watch you for awhile, you're really good with that thing" he complimented me and I smiled softly while putting away the bow and quiver full of arrows.
    "Thanks, but I still missed" I reminded him.
    "So? Other than that you nearly hit them every time!" He exclaimed and I sighed.
    "So, if I happen to miss while I'm out there, it could cost me my life" I told him "I don't even know if I'll be able to actually... shoot someone." I admitted and he looked to me in surprise and worry. "Sure I can hit those targets, do the simulations, kill and hunt deer and wildlife... but when it comes down to killing an actual person" I gulped and shook my head "I don't know if I'll have the will power to do it, living with a dead person's blood on my conscious" I told him and shook my head "whatever, lets head out of here" I suggested although his worried face lingered.
    "Ok, I'll walk with you to the elevator, Reina left early to get back to wash the camouflage off of her, while Logan and Patton left because their other district tributes wanted to get back sooner than later" Roman explained and I nodded in understanding.
    "Now everyone knows that I've got a sibling, but what about you, or are you an only child?" I asked as we entered the elevator.
    "I have a twin actually" he admitted and rubbed the back of his neck. "He's never been put into qualifications though because he has some mental health disorders" he continued "Sometimes he can't even remember who I am, or there are times where his ticks get out of control and he will scream out random things usually driving people away from him." He continued and I couldn't help but feel sympathy. "It's weird" he chuckled awkwardly "I never talk about my brother, even when someone asks if I have a sibling. But with you, it just came out so easily" he confessed "that's weird right?" He asked me and I smiled to him softly.
    "I don't think so, if there hasn't been anyone you've known who's had a sibling and that you've felt comfortable with, why would you want to share that?" I reassured him and he shrugged.
    "I guess" the elevator came to a stop and he sighed "this is my stop, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" He finished almost as if he was asking a question and I nodded and waved goodbye.
    "Yeah I'll see you tomorrow" I answered to him and watched him leave before the doors closed again. When I reached my floor I decided to take a shower and changed into something comfortable. After an hour or so, me and Reina were called down for dinner and we ate in peace before finishing and going to bed.