The Hermit Games

Chapter 4: Training

Grian and False were lead down a corridor and towards a door at the end. The Avox ushered them inside.

The room was filled with the rest of the tributes, all of them practicing their skills in the various areas set up.

"Where are you heading first?" asked False.

"Hm," Grian considered. "I suppose I could check out that traps section."

"Good plan. I'm headed for the swords area."

"Well, good luck. Try not to make too many enemies," he laughed.

False playfully punched him in the shoulder, before walking off.

Grian slowly approached the trap area, where a tall, slender boy with a mop of dark hair stood. He was connecting wires to some sort of switch and when he flicked it, a rope lying on the floor tensed causing Grian to trip and nearly end up on the ground.

"Whoa, sorry!" the boy exclaimed.

Grian looked up at who he was speaking to. Now that he got a closer look, he could see how contrasting his pale skin was with his dark hair, and a slight moustache was growing above his lip. He looked around the same age as Grian, despite towering above him. However it was no secret that Grian wasn't the tallest person to exist.

"It's fine. What are you working on, anyway?" he inquired. "It looks complicated."

"It is. But it's kind of easy when you've grown up around all this stuff. I came from District 3. What about you?"

"District 9," Grian laughed. "Not much to brag about, unlike you. When have you seen someone beat another tribute to death with a loaf of bread?"

The boy laughed. "I'm Oliver. Oliver Jumbo, but most of my friends call me Mumbo," he said, extending a hand.

Grian shook it. "I suppose I'll call you that then, Mumbo. I'm Grian."

"Grian, huh? I suppose that's fitting for someone coming from the district of grain."

This time it was Grian's turn to laugh. The two grinned at each other. Something told him he'd already made an ally.

After struggling with the strange mechanisms for a while, Grian decided to investigate another station.

He began walking over to the camouflage area, but collided with another tribute, causing them to fall to the ground.

"Gah! Sorry!" the tribute exclaimed. "Um, would you mind giving me a hand up?"

Grian adjusted his glasses and looked down at the tribute. He had short brown hair and forest green eyes, and a scar beginning just above his right eyebrow and finishing on his left cheek, crossing over his nose.

However, the first thing that stood out to Grian about the boy were the two thin tubes that curled around his ears and attached to his nose.

He extended a hand for the boy to grab, and pulled him up.

"Thanks," he said, brushing himself off. "Hey are you alri-" he began, noticing Grian staring. "Oh, right. These." He gestured to the tubes on his face.

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to stare." Grian said sheepishly, looking away.

"Nah, it's fine. I'm kind of used to it by now," he laughed. "It's for my disability. It means the nerves that control the muscles 'n stuff don't work as well. And you bet the coal mines of District 12 didn't help much either."

"And... they still put you in the games? Even with that?"

"Yep," he responded nonchalantly.

"That's messed up."

"Tell me about it."

There was a pause, as the two contemplated what had been said.

"Anyway," said the boy. "Now that stuff's outta the way, I'm Scar." He offered his hand for Grian to shake.

"I'm Grian, District 9," he said, shaking Scar's hand.

"Oh, haha, like the district of grai-"

"If I had a pound for every time me or someone else said that 'district of grain' thing to me, I'd have, well, only one, I suppose."

"Oh yeah?" Scar laughed. "And who's that?"

"His name's Mumbo. Tall, pale, dark hair. Moustache."

"Ohh, he's that mechanical doo-dah guy. Wouldn't want to run into any of his traps in the arena, that's for sure. Have you met anyone else I need to look out for?"

"No one other than you two. Well, and my district partner, Freya. She's pretty good with a sword. What about you?"

"Well, I've gathered some info from people..."