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The Fitter	By : sawahhaych Category: G through L > The Hunger Games Trilogy Views: 2384 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not Own the Huger Games or make any money from this fic

Chapter List
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My mind is on overdrive as I try to think how I can ensure Cassie's survival. I am lying on my bed having just got back from the penultimate day of training. My mind whizzes over faces and names, skills and attributes.
I know it is the careers we need to worry about but I cant help thinking that could also be our downfall, from the observations I have been able to make the tributes from seven and ten are just as dangerous as those from one, two and four. I cannot underestimate anyone in the games, even the small boy from nine shows some pretty good skills with a bow and arrow.
To top it all off Cassie and me aren’t the only trans-district mixers anymore. Alliances are beginning to be formed, Holly, the girl from seven has been training with both tributes from two, Carp, the boy from four, has teamed up with the career boys and the girls from four and one have been inseparable for two full days.
Cassie's plan of running and hiding appears to be the best at the moment. Both Cass and me are fast, being as we are so small, we could dart out from our platforms, grab whatever is in range and then run as far and fast as possible from the others. The problem with my plan at the moment is what if there isn't anywhere to hide? It has been known to happen.
Without knowing the terrain we will be in I don’t really have a chance of planning anything concrete. It could be anything, a frozen wasteland, a desert, forest, small islands, the list is endless. Each place coming with its own resource and survival problems. I guess I will have to make do with half formed plans and wing it once we're in there.
First we run and hide, then we go through whatever we have managed to grab from the cornucopia, divide what we have, figure out how best it can be used and who should carry what. Third we find water, assuming there isn’t any in our packs, water is the most important commodity we will need. After water we will need to find food, maybe wood to make a fire and find somewhere to sleep before it gets dark, all the while avoiding the other tributes and any natural and game made hazards.
From there we will have to decide as we go. I know it wont be as simple as all that but it does make me feel a little better knowing I have at least a process to follow.
As the last day of training dawns the nerves start to hit. “What are you going to do for your test?” I ask Cassie as we walk from the trap making table towards the shelter making area.
“Not a clue.”
“You could always swear at them until they tell you to leave?” I say batting my eyes at her.
Her eyes narrow in mock annoyance. “Maybe you can profess your love of the capitol and Muscle Man in the form of interpretive dance?” Where she gets these quips from I have no idea. Cassie stops folding her tarp and thinks for a second. “Maybe I could set up an obstacle course or something and run it really fast, weaving in and out?”
I nod enthusiastically at her. “Yeah that will work.” My skill takes a lot more thought since I apparently don’t have any that pertain to the games. I did joke to Cassie that I could just go and cough on the judges and see what that gets me. She laughed at me to start with but then told me that I shouldn't. Spoil sport.
After lunch on the final training day me and Cassie enclose ourselves in a corner of the room as much as possible to discuss tactics more seriously.
“What about sponsors?” She questions me.
“The way I see it I might be able to get those.” Cassie looks confused so I continue. “Sympathy vote, 'I am just a girl from the seam who is fit positive, I need to win these games so I might live, get the cure and be able to support my family for the rest of my life' blah blah blah”
Cassie smirks at me. “Genius”
“I'm thinking strong and determined with a hint of vulnerability.”
“What do you think I should do?” Cassie asks gently.
“Be yourself, go for the same sort of strong thing, prove to them just because you are small doesn’t mean your aren't a serious contender in the games.” Cass nods at me, taking it all in.
We spend the rest of the day plotting, watching the others, storing as much information away as possible to use to our advantage later.
Time comes for my test, I figure what I am about to do will get me at least a six, I would say its pretty impressive and as long as there are trees in the arena it could be pretty useful too.
I stand facing the table of judges for a second before I explain what I am doing. I have spent the last ten minutes setting up two pulley systems using rope and the gym weights I found in the corner. The judges ignored me through this as I didn't look to be doing anything interesting. “In the arena I plan to trap or incapacitate my enemies using traps set with pulley systems.” At this point I demonstrate using one of the straw dummies usually reserved for archery. As the dummies weight disturbs the trigger he is ripped from my arms and left suspended upside down six feet off the floor. I smile up at the hanging mass of straw. “As you have seen I can set these up relatively quickly which means I can set up many of them, dotted around the arena to incapacitate unsuspecting tributes.”
I move over to the other trap which is next to the climbing wall. “I can also use this same method to escape quickly.” I put my foot through the loop of the second trap I set and trigger it, I hold onto the rope as the counterweight pulls me off the floor quickly and steadily, I then step from the trap onto the climbing wall situated to my right. “Thank you” I say before scrambling down and being dismissed.
A three, a stinking, lousy, good for nothing three! I am not past grumbling over the injustice, who else would have thought of a pulley system, both a weapon and an escape route? I growl at the television as it announces the scores. Cassie got a five. The highest score this year, eight, is from the boy from two, Blade. The lowest score at two is from Fern, the girl from the agriculture district, they must really not like her.
I am sitting on stage with the other tributes waiting for my turn to be interviewed. My bitch of a stylist (if that is what you can call her) has me dressed in a pair of baggy yellow dungarees with nothing underneath, I am wearing a pair of oversized goggles as a necklace and have a lamp on my head. As I made my way to my seat I caught sight of Cassie, beautifully decked out in a dress made of coiled wire with sparks and lights covering it, she had to suppress a snort as she caught sight of me, but in a show of true friendship she mouthed 'I'm sorry' to me.
Then the predictability starts. The tributes talking themselves up as much as they can whilst being interviewed, I half listen to the boasts from the careers. 'I’m going to win this for the pride of district one', 'I have to win this, there is no choice, I am the strongest fighter you will ever see in the games' and on and on.
I lean forward in my seat to watch as Cassie is interviewed. As predicted the interviewer makes a comment about her size and age, Cassie doesn’t disappoint me with her retort of. “I may be small but I am fast as shit.” I smirk at her swearing, well I did tell her to be herself. “I can be in and out in a matter of a millisecond to stab some unsuspecting tribute. Also as I am so small it means I am quiet,” At this she leans forward and scans the rest of us tributes. “Watch where you sleep now.” She says with a sickly sweet smile.
Pride is not a strong enough word for what I feel as Cassie hops down from her seat and makes her way back to her place amongst us, almost skipping as she does. I beam at her, not caring if anyone sees.
By the time I am called I am positively freezing, I am shaking and my teeth are chattering. What the hell did the bitch think she was doing dressing me like this? I haven’t even got any freakin' shoes!
I walk steadily towards Gem, the interviewer, another district one export. I sit down on the stool provided and try to look forlorn. First he introduces me and does a quick re cap of what district I am from, the fact I volunteered and the hideous 'just dug up' look I was sporting the last time I was in public.
“Hazel, there are rumours going around that you are carrying the PF867 virus?” He knows full well this is true, there have been interviews with my parents, people from school and Poppy Grey shown almost hourly since I got to the capital. If he wants to play coy them I will just have to be very direct.
I nod my head at Gem. “Yes Gem it is true, I volunteered for the games because I believe it is the only way for me to survive.” I pause for effect, scanning the crowd to see if they are with me. “My family is poor you see Gem and we cant afford the medicine needed to cure me, I am seventeen so it was either this year or next, but if I risked waiting until next year there is a chance the illness could have progressed and I could have become a fitter, I need to win this to get the cure and to make sure my family doesn’t loose another daughter.” A tear escapes from the corner of my left eye at the thought of my parents and Willow, I didn’t mean for it to happen but the effect is amazing. The crowd taking in a collective breath. Inside I give myself a high five.
“It is a big risk you are taking, going into the games, you may not win.” Gem comments, this is when I know I have done what I set out to do, the crowd boo and hiss at him.
I look up straight into the camera, tears shining in my eyes. “I have to survive this for my mother, do not be fooled, yes I am just a simple girl from district twelve but I have a fire, hotter than burning coal inside me and it fuels me, it keeps me going, makes me strong and ruthless and a survivor.” My voice raises on the last word and the crowd goes wild. Cheering my name and my district. Inside I have gone from high five-ing to a full on victory dance complete with fist pumping.
Gem doesn’t get to ask any more questions of me as the crowd makes too much noise, before they settle down the buzzer goes indicating my time is up. I stand, smile sweetly and wave to the crowd before confidently striding back to my place. As I pass Cassie I sneak a peak at her. She gives me a covert thumbs up and mouths the words 'Nailed it!' to me. I try not to look smug as Robin, the last tribute gets up to be interviewed.
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The Fitter