In This Together (The Hunger Games Fanfiction)

Chapter 3: Strategy

I remembered the last thing Cable said to me. I knew my answer, Cable wanted me to ally with Tristan, and so did I, but something was holding me back from saying it. I was 11 years old, and I hadn't had any training for the Games. No one expected that anyone younger than 12 would be Reaped, let alone sent into the arena. Most Career volunteers were 16-18 years old. Would it really be fair to expect Tristan to ally with me, when I would surely just bring him down?

"I want to be your ally," I replied slowly. "If you'll let me. I'm sure I'll just be an annoyance. I haven't had any training."

Tristan immediately shook his head. "I haven't trained in over 25 years, so I'm no more prepared than you are. Some may call allying with an eleven year old stupid, but I call it strategy."

"How? How am I strategic?"

"First of all, you're much smaller and lighter than Tristan, so you can climb up trees and reach places he couldn't dream of reaching," Grim began.

"Secondly," Tally held up two fingers. "You will be able to hide more easily than any other tribute in the arena, due to not only your size but also your creative thinking. And no one is going to want to take out an eleven year old right away."

"And finally," Tristan finished, "You remind me of my own daughter. She's eleven too, and has the same brown hair and blue eyes. I would never leave her alone, so I'm not going to leave you alone either."

I blinked, surprised I could be so valuable, and honoured by Tristan's promise of loyalty.

"So, do we have an alliance or what?" Blooming clapped her hands excitedly.

Tristan gave me a warm hug, and handed me a mug of hot chocolate to celebrate. My heart was still heavy, from the danger of the looming Games, but it became slightly lighter at the realization that I wasn't alone.

..................................

"Do you two want to watch the other district's Reapings?" Blooming asked, flicking on the TV.

"We all probably should, it's our first glimpse at the competition," Tally agreed, plopping down on the couch.

I didn't really want to, but I didn't appear to have much of a choice. The idea of watching others torn from their families to fight to the death didn't sound very appealing, but Tally was right. I wanted to see what I would be up against.

After some commentary, the footage from the Reapings were shown, in District order. Watching my Reaping was almost like living through it again. I found myself in the crowd of citizens. When my name was called, my face went completely white, and I remember my feelings of denial. The cameras switched to show my mother, hysterical, being restrained by peacekeepers, my father trying to calm her down. I saw Tristan's sweet farewell to his wife, who now, seeing the footage, looks pregnant. I watch us walk to the Capital, stony faced, but broken inside.

I knew exactly what all the other tributes must be thinking: District One didn't impose much of a threat.

After the train door slammed shut behind us, the footage changed to District Two's Reaping, and then District Three's and Four's and so on until District Twelve. At the end of all the footage, the screen went black and displayed a list of all the tribute's names and ages.

Celia (11) and Tristan (40) D1

Diamond (16) and Caleb (18) D2

Gwendolyn (24) and Rhys(18) D3

Destiny (17) and Denmark(15) D4

Treena (18) and Deckster(18) D5

Kayla (21) and Kellen (23) D6

Nya (30) and Wyatt (25) D7

Suri (14) and Caiden (17) D8

Lilias (16) and Finn (26) D9

Emilia (16) and Declan(33) D10

Luna (15) and Brier (17) D11

Riyla (34) and Tale Mellark(31) D12

I was the youngest tribute, and Tristan was the oldest. We certainly weren't looking like the team to beat, but maybe that was a good thing. We didn't want to be singled out too early.

At the same time... We didn't want to be singled out as weak either.

"Looks like the Career pack is going to be strong this year, as always," Tally commented from where she was sprawled on the couch, and Grim nodded in agreement.

Districts Two and Four's tributes were all of regular reaping age. Denmark was 15, a little young for a Career, but overall it was pretty clear those two Districts would annihilate almost all of the other tributes.

"Okay, you two," Blooming flicked the TV off. "You better get to sleep. By the time you wake up, we'll be in the Capitol, and we'll have to start preparing for the parade!" She giggled, and fluffed up her already larger-than-life lilac hair. I rolled my eyes at her shallow behaviour. It was true what people said; Capitol citizens really were oblivious.

"Here, I'll take you to your room," Tally smiled at me, and I followed her down the hallway, trying to keep my balance as the train lurched from side to side. My mind wandered as I passed by the fancy sculptures and paintings, and I was overcome by a wave of loneliness. I would give anything to be back with my family in our living room, turning on the tv to watch the news before bed.

"Here it is," Tally announced when we arrived at a simple cream coloured door near the back of the train.

My room on the train had cream walls and plush red carpeting. My circular bed was in the middle of the room and had white bedding, and two doors led off to a walk in closet and tiled bathroom. It was fancy, sure, but fancy things didn't fill the hole in my heart. If only Cable was here, and my mom and dad too. I could imagine a world without the Hunger Games, people riding in fancy trains to vacation spot instead of to their death. People getting together every year for a party, instead of a Reaping. Everyone would be celebrating instead of fighting. Joy instead of fear. But deep down inside, I know there was no world like that.

Not surprisingly, I couldn't sleep. Knowing that I would be in the arena fighting for my life in less than a week scared me. Knowing that I was the youngest tribute terrified me. There was a good chance I would never see my brother or my parents again.

I woke up the next morning with tear stains on my pillow.

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