A Games Like No Other

by TheGathering

Training Day 2, Part 1

Walking into the training center the next day, Cato had a lot of thoughts going on through his head. The most concerning of these was the deal Gloss, Augustus, and the other Career Victors had cut with their counterparts in District 12. They had agreed to bring the remaining kids from 12 into the Career Alliance and portray the 9 tributes as lovers in order to boost their chances of survival. Although some in the Career Pack, particularly Dollar, Bronze, Isabel, Raider, Mercy, and Diamond still considered District 12 tributes to be scum, Cato had to tell them to quit it as to not alienate their new allies. Since Cato was the leader, they all stopped. The new recruits to the pack were a mixed bag. The strongest of them, aside from Mina, was a 18 year old named Stoner. He had a decent build and could lift a considerable amount of weight, and was apparently a natural at throwing spears. The other 4 ranged from limited usefulness to just tributes to be left behind on guard duty. All in all, a bit of a letdown, but Cato didn’t mind at this point. All that mattered now was surviving and defying Snow’s intentions.

Needless to say, the other tributes were surprised and shocked when they saw the District 12 tributes mingling with the Careers. Rye visibly expressed his frustration with his allies over by the snares station.

“Great… now we got more of them to deal with” he hissed. “Fuck… this just got harder now.”

Mark, as usual, was calm and collected. “Patience, my dear Rye. Surely, with the amount of other tributes around, some of them will surely fall in the bloodbath.” Rook nodded in agreement, while trying to get an understanding on Cato.

What are you planning, Hadley?

On this particular day, the majority of the Career Pack was visually intimidating other tributes, in which Stoner from 12 also joined in. His district partners, with the exception of Mina, were all at weapons stations, quickly getting the hang of which weapon they were working with. Of the rest of the Career Pack, only Cameron and Urchin were doing anything else other than intimidating, with Cameron doing sparring with a trainer while wielding a sword, and Urchin doing the monkey bar section. Needless to say, the kid actually managed to get pass it, a testament to his training before the games. Cato, meanwhile, diverted his gaze from the other tributes to look at Plutarch. Between the new arena and Snow’s death proposal, the lead Career found himself on uneasy ground. His task had become exponentially harder than he had ever imagined, and he was wondering had he bitten off more than he could chew. Nevertheless, he acted cool and collected as a front and just intimidated other tributes.
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As lunchtime came, the Careers sat at one table this time around, keeping mostly quiet, aside from Bronze and Stoner, who were becoming fast friends.

“Feeling uneasy over this, bro?” Cameron asked Cato. The latter didn’t answer, just shrugged.

“I honestly feel creeped out about this right now” Dollar stated. “Like, really creeped out. I mean, we’re painting a big target on our backs for the gamemakers for helping the ones Snow wants to definitely not survive the arena. It feels weird.”

Cameron put his hand on Dollar’s shoulder. “This is for Mina, dude. I’m not letting her die. Not on my watch” he growled. Dollar went back to his meal and then turned to angrily stare at his district’s traitor, Rook. Rook was again eating lunch with his allies on the far side of the cafeteria.

“Oh how I hate him” Dollar hissed. Cameron, like his counterpart Mark over at Rook’s table, remained calm and collected.

“Dude, the more you do that, the more you’ll probably be off your A-game when we get into the arena. That’s part of the reason of what got Hunter, Savana, Chase, and Glimmer killed last year” Cameron said. “Ignore Rook. Focus on the bigger picture of how to win the games. We’ll deal with him when the time comes.”

“He isn’t wrong” Clove chimes in. “Cameron’s studied the performance of the Careers from the previous games more than Cato and I have. He knows exactly why they lost like the back of his hand. Arrogance, failure to take notice of their surroundings, falling asleep on the job, stupidity, and incompetence is what got them killed. Fire Girl’s skill with a bow was key in the deaths of Chase and Hunter, but either way, she had luck on her side.”

“Yep” Cameron states. “They weren’t the sharpest tools in the shed. No offense, Marvel.”

Marvel shrugged. “None taken. Just that.. I wish she had payed more attention.. and was a better shot with that damn bow.”

Stoner from 12 decided to speak up. “Still though, I wonder how Katniss got that score of eleven..”

The other Careers at the table all looked at Stoner, and then nodded in agreement.

“Fair point” Cato says, surprising everyone. “I’ll admit it, I actually wish I did know how she got that eleven..”

Dollar decides to butt in. “I don’t know specifics, but according to some of the guys I knew back in District 1, apparently it involved an arrow and the Gamemakers being too busy paying attention to something else than her..”

It only takes 5 and 6 seconds for Cato and Cameron respectively to put two and two together and look at each other before bursting out laughing.

“The hell is so funny?” Dollar asked.

“She shot an arrow at the Gamemakers. That is both stupid and hilarious at the same time” Cato cackles.

Then, the other Careers realize what Cato and Cameron had figured out and most of them start laughing too.

At the Anti-Career Table, Mark can’t help but turn towards the laughing Careers.

“The hell is up with them?” Rye asks.

Everyone else in this alliance looks at Rook, who only shrugs.

“Don’t ask me. I’m the one that they don’t trust, so I have no idea” he mutters.