Trying out new things (Semper and Kousei blitz)

[kousei ♚]

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Training. I've never really trained for anything before in my entire life. I've always been at home, doing home stuff, with my glass bones, small size and frail figure I could never train for anything. Okay I guess you could say I've learned a few stuff but that's not training. That's just experiencing. That's just one of the things my condition has deprived me of.

My stylist is alright I guess. Her name is Marva. I only got like six hours of sleep before Marva dragged me out of bed, she knows she has to be very careful about the way she handles me or she could break or fracture something. I got ready, washed my face, brushed my teeth and then threw on my training clothing. There's a giant 10 on the sleeve but that's the only distinguishing feature I guess. After that me and Saffron go down to the training center.

After the instructor gives one long speech about what to do and what not to do we are free to try out some things. I'm going to need to learn to defend myself. But what weapon could I use? I'm scared of hurting myself is I get one of the big and heavy bladed weapons. I see a rack of knives, trying not to be intimidated by the other tributes I pick one up, the sleek leather handle feels natural against my skin, but my hand is shaking like I'm cold, I see one of the dummies. It looks so life like, I can't hurt it, it feels too real, it looks too real. With a sigh I set the knife back on the rack but before I can leave I see another boy standing there.

"Oh hey erm. Can I help you?"


WC:287

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Narrative
"Speech"
Thought
Other[/blockquote][/justify][/td][/tr][/center][/table]

[semper]

s h a d o w b i s o n

The shirt was terribly itchy against your skin and it took your stylist quite a few tries to get you to stop scratching at the collar. You frowned, sucking on your bottom lip and nibbling on it. Your stylist wouldn’t let you take your powder horn, either, and so you were left fiddling with the end of your shirt, running your fingers along the seams and rubbing the fabric. There was no doubt in your mind that Cassie would be the one to shine from Five and you would be tucked away, forgotten. Just like the last two tributes.

In the training area you tried your best to comprehend what the instructor was saying but she used terms that you didn’t recognize. You gnawed on your lip again as the instructor dismissed the crowd and the other tributes began to disperse. Cassie was nowhere to be found so you began to wander by yourself. Everything in the room looked far too heavy for you to pick up so you avoided the swords and maces, heading instead to a little knife station. There was a boy already there examining and knife and then setting it back down; you didn’t mean to watch him but he caught you, asking if he could help. ”Oh, erm—“ Your voice wavered and you brought your hands up to tug at the itchy collar nervously. ”N-no not really, I’m just watching. S-sorry.”

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[kousei ♚]

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He says he was just watching, I guess he simply didn't mean to stare but just found himself doing it. It happens to me a lot, sometimes I see something or someone and find them interesting and I accidentally find myself staring at them until they notice me and tell me to piss off. I see that he's nervous, probably as nervous as me since his voice seems to be trailing off and he's stuttering a little bit, as if the words and letters are tumbling around in his mouth.

I then look at the knife them back at him. "Oh I see. Don't worry I won't bite. So, what's your name and where are you from" I ask him, honestly I just want to make conversation with someone. I know this kid will probably be out for my blood later but I just feel so alone. Maybe I'm being stupid about this I don't know but I guess that's just me.

WC:161

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"Speech"
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Other[/blockquote][/justify][/td][/tr][/center][/table]

[semper]

s h a d o w b i s o n

Much to your relief the boy does not immediately shove you away because you were staring. You bit your lip, holding tightly onto the lower seam of your shirt, ducking your gaze away as soon as he noticed you. He was roughly your size, perhaps a bit bigger, but not enough to where he could easily overpower you. He didn’t seem like he’d want to try to intimidate you anyway – he asked a question, putting to rest your worries.

You wanted to smile but it never came to your face. Instead you mumbled at first, taking a quick intake of air and settling your nerves as best you could to answer. ”Th-that’s good. I’m, um, I’m Shadow.” You cast a brief glance back up at the stranger, trying to spot the number on his shoulder. ”I am from Five.” Despite the anxiety, you didn’t want the conversation to last for only a few seconds, so you choked back the wavering tone in your voice. ”What about y-you?”

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[kousei ♚]

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The kid seems more nervous was me to be honest, which is understandable but I didn't think it was even possible to be more nervous than me. He says his name is Shadow and he's from district five, man what an interesting name from an interesting district. If I recall correctly district five did well last year, one of their tributes making the final eight only to be killed by the boy from one. It's sad because in a few years most people won't really be remembering any of the dead tributes. Isn't that sad? Only to be remembered by your district, or your training score, or what games you were in. Only to be remembered by a number.

"My name is Mantel, I'm from district ten." I reply, my hands still buried in my pockets. I'm biting my bottom lip because honestly I'm feeling a bit nervous. "So, learned anything new from this place lately?" I ask.


WC:157

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"Speech"
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[semper]

s h a d o w b i s o n

It amazed you that you were actually meeting someone outside of your home district. His words held a different accent, one that you only ever heard on the television, and it amazing you how the vowels stretched and molded the words in comparison to how you spoke. Your words were short and choppy, though, filled with the fear you felt gnawing away on the inside. Little hands gripped at the shirt seam once again and you hesitantly looked up to find him looking just as nervous as you felt.

”Mantel.” The name rolled unnaturally off your tongue. Wasn’t that a shelf above a fireplace? You shoved the thought away and instead replaced the meaning of the word with his face, committing it to memory as best you could. In response to his question you turn your attention to the rest of the room. People were trying weapons here and there, and you hadn’t ventured to try anything out of your comfort zone. Hell, even the small knives were almost too scary. So you shook your head and mumbled. ”No, n-not yet. I don’t wanna try out the sharp weapons.”

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[kousei ♚]

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He says he wants to try out the sharp weapons and I wince slightly. He's already preparing to kill the tributes here. I guess I can't blame him, after all I'm going to need to prepare to every single person in this room, despite my doubts that I probably can't I know that I'll have to if I have any chance of making it back to district ten, it's not like district ten is important to me or anything but I guess it's just human nature to want to survive, to want to live, it's what every human cherishes. Life. It's precious to probably every single kid in this room. I guess that's just what makes the games work, everyone has a need to survive. Including me.

"Oh the bladed weapons, yea I want to try them as well but I haven't worked up the guts to actually swing a knife yet." I say, slightly disappointed in myself but I let out a dry chuckle.

WC:164

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"Speech"
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[semper]

s h a d o w b i s o n

You shook your head. ”What? No, I don’t wanna swing any of those.” The thought of driving a blade through someone’s skin frightened you to the point of shrinking away. The sleek steel glinted and shone, almost as if trying to lure you in by simply being shiny. It would not draw you in, however – you resisted with an iron will, balling your hands into tiny fists and holding them steadfast at your sides. A lump began to form in your throat, holding back more words that would justify your actions for not wielding one of those blades.

Would holding one make you somehow able to defend yourself? If you picked one up and weighed it in your hand, would it give you the mental strength to rip someone’s life away? Surely it wouldn’t – a simple metal object did not possess the ability to suddenly transform your entire moral structure. Or did it? When placed into the arena, would holding such a weapon give you the will you needed to survive? It can’t be that simple. There’s got to be more to that. You shrunk back, further away from the knife rack. ”It probably really hurts getting stabbed with one of those.”

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