Allegiance (Minho x Reader) Hunger Games AU

Chapter Four: Training

~Minho's P.O.V.~

We woke up early and had a big breakfast. Today was the first day of training, the game makers would watch us but they'd be paying closer attention come time for the individual assessments. I studied everyone, honestly I have been from District 12 but I was bigger than both Career boy tributes, all the years of working out really paid off. Unfortunately, Sarah was only larger than a few girls and all the guys outsized her. But maybe she was quick. Plus the careers tend to be arrogant and stuck up anyways.

"In two weeks, 23 of you will be dead." Atala said she was like a robot, devoid of expression and just gave us instructions. "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'm about to say. First, no fighting with the other Tributes. You'll have plenty of time for that in the Arena. There are four compulsory exercises. The rest will be individual training. My advice is don't ignore the survival skills. 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."

Training was smooth for the first couple of hours, everyone tried to learn and do as much as they could before the Games. Like I said, even someone from an outlying District I was decently built and smart enough to figure out how to light a fire without matches. Surprisingly, Sarah tried throwing knives and those worked out nicely for her. She had good aim. One of the career girls from District 1 couldn't shoot a bow to save her life. District 2 female however could throw a spear as well as the guy from District 1, those two spent a lot of time together. The male from District 2 was a real piece of work, he was too violent and cruel, killing was the only thing he knew how to do.

Then the boy from District 1 flipped the lid when someone stole his knife, it wasn't me, but he was accusing the boy from 6. When in actuality it was the little boy from 11, Chuck, he was a small kid with curly hair. He could climb almost anything. Chuck usually stuck around the guy from 10 and the girl from his District. The girl from 11 was tall and thin but she could be lethal. Only a few people saw that Chuck stole his knife, it was hilarious. We all tried not to laugh. None of us would risk Chuck being a target of the Careers.

~

"He's a career" Jorge asked.

"From district 1" 

"And 2. They train in a special academy till they're eighteen, then they volunteer, they're pretty lethal. But they're arrogant and that can be a big problem." Jorge countered.

We were having dinner with Jorge and Effie. It was kinda quiet, no one really wanted to talk to each other anyway. Jorge had agreed that if he didn't interfere with his drinking, he'd help us, which we both agree too. Surprisingly he managed to stay sober enough to give us advice or help but he still drank a lot. We also had to listen to everything he said, without question.

"I hear you can shoot." Jorge was talking to Sarah of course.

"I'm alright." Sarah muttered.

"She's better than alright, I've seen her squirrels, she shoots them right in the eye every time."

"Minho's at least twice the size of the boy from District 2 and 1." Sarah said. "He's stronger than them which gives him an advantage."

I shook my head. "Yeah, sure."

"You might have a better chance at winning if someone comes at you with a knife–"

I cut her off. "I have no chance, none. Alright. It's true everybody knows it. You know what my friend said, he said District 12 might finally have a winner, he wasn't talking about me." I stood up and walked away. I didn't feel like eating anymore.

~Sarah's P.O.V.~

The next day we continued training and I paid close attention to the Careers and others around me. Chuck from district 11 kept watching Minho and following us. I didn't mind. I didn't talk to me either, neither of us did. Jorge told me and Minho to stick together, which I was more than willing to do, but unfortunately we would probably end up killing each other in the Arena. I made a secret vow to myself that I wasn't gonna kill him. I couldn't. I had learned the names of the Careers through passing conversation. Gally and Teresa from District 2, Gally had a sick fascination with swords and chopping of limbs and heads, Teresa was very skilled with a spear and a knife but she was just a messed up as Gally. Aris and Rachel from District 1, those two performed in pairs like they were trying to mimic each other. Rachel and Teresa had one advantage for getting sponsors, beauty. Gally and Aris needed to get good scores and impress the Gamemakers. We all did.

I could throw knives like they were feathers, I moved swiftly and quickly, I could've been a Career if I was born in the right District. Teresa and Rachel gave me dirty looks while Aris and Gally looked sickly fascinated. Most of the tributes were scared of me and Minho since we became the only thing that people would talk about, especially the Gamemakers. Despite my small stature and stubbornness, Minho only had his physique and looks. We weren't stupid or arrogant like the Careers. I knew survival skills while Minho knew dirty secrets, he was also good with words. A wonderful liar. Jorge tried to advise us to hide our skills and I did by masking it, making it seem like throwing knives was my specialty. But if I had a bow and arrow, I'd be unstoppable for sure, maybe unless another tribute overpowered me somehow.

"Silent but deadly." Minho said. "Very deadly, I think you put the Careers out of there game."

I turned to look at him. "Just quick, I've been throwing knives for years."

Minho folded his arms and scanned the crowd of Tributes. "If we were Careers they'd be more scared than jealous."

"For sure, but I kinda like being the underdog, it just makes us more special." I paused when I saw Chuck peeking out from behind a pillar, staring at us. "I think you have a shadow."

He looked at Chuck who didn't say anything and who just went behind the pillar. "Guess so. Can you show me how to do that?"

"Throw a knife?" I asked.

"Yup."

"Alright."

~

Jorge was giving us instructions at dinner for the individual evaluation. "Tomorrow they'll bring you in one by one and evaluate you. This is important because higher ratings will mean sponsors. This is the time to show them everything, they'll be a bow make sure you use it. Minho you be sure to show your full strength. They'll start with District 1 so the two of you will go last. I don't know how else to say this, make sure they remember you."

We both agreed and the next day we were in an elevator and down to the training room, watching everyone go on one at a time. Soon enough it was down to me and Minho, I was nervous but slightly excited because like Jorge said, higher ratings mean sponsors. Maybe good sponsors. Rich sponsors.

"Sarah Jackson." It was an automated voice but I listened.

I walked inside and the place was quiet except for the distant conversations of the Gamemakers, and the head gamemaker Seneca Crane was there. That made me a little nervous, I saw the silver bow and arrows and walked over to them. It was different from the regular one made of wood I was used to. But I grabbed an arrow and the bow.

"Sarah Jackson, District 12." I announced, telling them I was there. They all stopped to watch me. But when I went to draw it back. The string was tighter than the one I had.

That would be my downfall since after my first shot it went at least two inches away from the target. I'd missed it. The Gamemakers chuckled then went back to ignoring me. They were ones to talk most of their hair was fake and so was their bodies. Plastic surgery was a big part of Capitol beauty standards. Minus the odd colors and the weird makeup.

But after I'd hit the bullseye they continued to ignore and pretend like I didn't exist. I was a person just as much as the other tributes. My anger got the better of me, the years of starving and the death of my father, being ignored by the Capitol. Just because I was from the poorest district in the country does not mean I don't back down without a fight. So I grabbed another arrow, pointed it at the pig with the apple in its mouth and shot the apple straight into the wall. The Gamemakers turned to me, startled.

"Thank you for your consideration." Then I walked out of the room.