Making it Personal (Me, Tori)

Anastasia:

I looked around trying to decide where to go. Which should I try my hand at first? I already tried some of the lesser stations. I suppose I could always try to excel at one of the weapons stations, but I didn't like the look of all those sharp shiny things at the moment.

Across the room, I saw a girl fall to the ground at the hand to hand combat station. That's obvioulsy not her forte. Although, it could be mine. I decided to give it a try. I mean worse case senerio, I suck. As I approached, the girl was just telling the instructor she didn't want to try again. Good, more time for him to train me.

As I approached the training station, the girl, whom I just watched fall, wished me good luck. Yeah. The instructor there called her back up for a demonstration. She didn't look very happy, but listened to him anyway.

The threw a few hits and kicks at each, the girl barely making contact. And then she landed back on the ground clutching her stomach. Ouch, that looked painful.

As she got back up, she walked over to me,"Like I said, good luck." Now it was my turn to be unenthusiatic. The intructor called me up, and I stood in front of him, my fists raised. The girl stayed to watch, and I wasn't too keen on being watched.

The instructor stood in front of me,"Ready?" I laughed. "As I'll ever be." Then he swung at me face. I blocked and kicked him in the leg, unware that his other fist was about to him my gut. I flew backward a few inches and landed on my back. "Okay," I sighed,"well, that was fun." The girl that was watching me smirks, as I get up and walk over to her.

"Let's just say that never happened, shall we?" I say sarcastically and roll my eyes. "District 2, right?" I wasn't sure why I was being so friendly with this girl.

"Absolutely, I didn't see a thing." The girl replied quickly, but I could tell she was suppressing a laugh. "And yes, thats my district but I don't like being called a number. My names Ismene. District two tribute, and proud of it!"

She was a lot more spunky than I would have thought. I liked her sense of humour though. Let's hope it doesn't get annoying. "What a joke. Any way its nice to finally talk to some one. I'm usually the social one." No kidding. "So, your from ten right?"

Looks like she knows who I am. I nodded and replied,"Yeah. Anastasia. Ismene, huh? Weird name." My attempt at small talk was pitiful, so I decided to try again. "Looks like hand to hand combat isn't are thing. I've been to almost all the stations, and haven't found one thing I like. Have you been any luckier than me?"

Ismene thought for a moment and then replied,"No not really." Well, that's a bummer. I second later she said,"Well actually I really excelled at the first aid one but I'm from district two so thats kind of expected."

Oh, yeah, District 2 is medicine. "Well at least you have some chance of surviving in the arena." I murmured. I mean I didn't have some chance. I was good at some things. I had the IQ of a genius, I could get lucky.

As she looked around, she seemed a little sick of what was going on. "You know, I wouldn't worry to much about not being good at the stations. All this is over rated." Won't worry? Overated? This girl wasn't afraid to say what she thought. A quality I quite admired. "In the arena it really comes down to three things, how smart you are, how much you want to win and who your friends are. Well thats how I see it anyway."

Ismene put things harshly, but they were all true. Wit, will, and allies were all needed to win. Smarts was one thing I had, and I knew I was probably smarter than anyone here. But that was book smarts, I didn't come from a district that got to learn all about the wilderness like District 7. Next, will. I wasn't so sure about it. Of course I had the will to win, but did I have the confidence?

Allies was another matter all together. I might possibly have one with the District 6 boy, and this girl did seem like she could be a good choice. But it all depended on whether they wanted me.

"I think I'm going to try out the knife and knot stations, We doctors have very nimble hands and fingers. So those might suit me." I almost laughed, there was no way I could use a knife as a weapon. It was so.. small. How could something like that protect me? I wouldn't even understand how to use it as a weapon, I'd have no accuracy throwing it. Spears. Spears I just might be able to handle.

"Nimble, huh?" I muttered inaudibly,"What's that make me?" I snickered as I followed her over to the center. She seemed to be purusing the knives, and I just sat and watched her. If was like she already knew what she was going to use. Well, of course. As a doctor, she must work with knives all the time. "So then, you haven't teamed up with anyone yet?" I asked, taking a chance.