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THE NEXT DAY right after breakfast, Harl and Thana are being forced into the elevator to go down to the training facilities. They are lucky that their stylist didn't push them into matching outfits as the only thing that matches is a stitched yellow 9 to their shirts and pants. They both wear darker colours but the design is very different from their training outfit.
In the middle of the training facilities all the tributes, 24 in total, circle around a woman who introduces herself as the head trainer Atala.
"In two weeks," Atala starts dramatically eyeing all the tributes out, "23 of you will be death." The way the woman speaks shows her authority. "One of you will be alive. Who that is, depends on how well you pay attention over the next four days. Particularly to what I am about to say."
All the tributes watch each other as Atala starts to tell what should be the most important information for the rest of their lives, except for one, the winner.
"First, no fighting with the other tributes, you'll have plenty of time for that in the Arena," a small chuckle comes from Atala during that one sentence that sets Thana on edge. "There are four compulsory exercises, the rest will be individual training. My advice is, don't ignore the survival skills."
Just above them all is a place where all kinds of people sit who look straight at the formed group in the middle.
"Everybody wants to grab a sword, but most of you will die from natural causes. 10% from infection, 20% from dehydration. Exposure can kill as easily as a knife."
All the tributes part and go their own ways. For some reason everybody goes towards one of the compulsory exercises to get them of their list. Subconsciously, Harl and Thana stay together, as if they gravitate to each other in this unknown place.
"You want to complete the compulsory exercises first with me?" Thana asks Harl, "we can split later." She scans the background before she lets her eyes rest upon Harl.
"Sounds like a plan to me," he chuckles bumping his shoulder in Thana's, "I am in Jardin."
"We're talking last names now?" Thana raises her eyebrow daringly, "afraid you can't pronounce my name now, Harl Fairbrook?" As if in command the cheeks of Harl redden and Thana smirks in her little victory, "Don't fret so much Fairbrook, I am not here to embarrass you."
Training went on for some time and Harl and Thana left each other right after finishing the compulsory exercises and lunch. To say it nicely, Thana doesn't really like Harl, and neither does he like Thana very much. So Harl went to talk with the girl from seven, while Thana choose to some survival exercises.
"Hey nine," Thana is greeted by a boy a little taller than herself with a dark purple 8 stitched to his clothes.
"Why hello eight," Thana salutes back to the boy while she keeps on trying to knot.
"That is not how you are supposed to knot that knot, you know?" the boys says.
"Well, if you know it so well, do it yourself your majesty." Thana mocks a bow.
"Why thank you my Lady," he laughs at her, "I'll show how it is supposed to be done."
Once the knot is made the boy from eight turns back to Thana, "I am Jack by the way, Jack Prescott."
"Thana Jardin," they shake hands and move towards another station together.
Training went on for the rest of the required days the same, Harl was off with the girl from seven and Thana and Jack could be found training together. But today it is time for the personal assessment, meaning that tomorrow will be the interviews and in two days the Games will start.
"Remember what we told you," Rohan's voice is strained, "show all you got, a high score makes it easier to find sponsors."
Both of his tributes nod and stand in the elevator to go down, both of them are fidgeting.
Once they are downstairs, Thana moves to Jack and gives him a little squeeze in his hand, one he returns. After the interaction with knotting they have know they wanted to ally.
"Together?" Jack whispers softly in Thana ear and the girl is temporarily stuck in her mind as her brother and her are linking hands claiming to be together forever.
"Together," Thana voice cracks and they give each other genuine smiles in hope of easing each other's worries.
All 24 tributes are sitting on metal cold chairs in a small waiting room, there is no noise except the occasional leaving of an tribute or if someone decides to change their seating position. It seems to take forever before they even come close to district 9, which makes it highly unfair for the lower district to stay waiting in this awful room before their turn. Why do they need to wait for more than an hour to almost two hours on these cold chairs?
After some time since Harl left, Thana is bouncing her leg up and down violently as she awaits her turn anxiously.
"Report for personal assessment, Thana Jardin, District 9."
Thana leaves the room and walks to the entrance of the training room. The game makers are sitting on their balcony thing like always, drinking, eating and probably also gambling. Thana sighs as walks to the middle of the room where there is a mark of an huge X.
"Thana Jardin," her voice strains, "district 9."
"You have five minutes miss Jardin."
Thana walks to the weapons and then remembers that she didn't make a plan for her five minutes of fame. She never did do much with weapons, the careers always occupied those stands. But deep inside of her she knows that she needs to show something with a weapon, otherwise the score will undeniable low for a seventeen year old. Nobody is going to believe Thana, who would after Johanna Mason last year?
With that in her thoughts, Thana picks up two scimitars, they remind her of sickles from back home, only longer and less circled. They weigh just enough so her hands feel like they are holding something and little enough to feel like an extension of her arms. Thana puts both arms out and smiles at the effect it gives, she starts to rotate the both of them, throws them in the air and catches them with the other hand. She starts to rotate the scimitars fast again and as she reaches the dummy the stabs them both on either side of the neck.
Thana walks back to the X mark out of breath and makes a bow.
"You are dismissed miss Jardin," the head game maker says and motions for the girl to leave the room which she does without a complaint.
nora speaking here! the first mention of Johanna! I love her so much <3
