Thrill of the Fight // [Mooncrystal]

Cause baby you're a firework, come on show 'em what you're worth
make 'em go, oh, oh, oh

It had been a cardio day at the center, which mean that Duchess was drenched head to toe. It didn't do much to diminish her light, though. She just shone right through. Even though there was a sheen on her forehead, her high ponytail remained intact. Even though her arms were slick, none of the sweat seeped through her clothes. Still, she was working hard, and her heart beat was strong in her neck by the time Kobaloi allowed her a ten minute break to walk along the track and drink water.

A nap would have been much more to Duchess' liking, but she understood letting her heart rate slow down in increments so that one day she didn't give herself a heart attack. She was wondering more and more though if she would bother to keep up the heavy training pace, after her nineteenth birthday. Would it be worth it? How hard would she have to work, really, to maintain her toned abs, her slender figure? Not this hard, she was pretty sure. And then she could eat whatever she wanted, or nothing at all.

Duchess was still a Career, but she was beginning to look for other aspirations. It was only so likely that she would be reaped, although she desperately wanted the chance to put Two back on the map. What options were there really, though, for ex-Careers? She had very little interest in Peacekeeping, but that was the only thing she'd been built for. No one else would care that she could run ten miles at an eight minute pace.

She worried at the possibilities as she snagged a water bottle from one of the tables near the entrance. Would it be so bad to work in the training center, as one of the facilitators? Or maybe she could pick up Kobaloi's job and mentor another Career (although Duchess had a few ideas for areas of improvement over her aunt's teaching style). It wouldn't be so bad to see the other kids, and maybe she'd get lucky and one of them would be reaped and finally bring Two glory.

Yes, that could be a good plan. But who to start with? Duchess turned, pacing back and forth along the table, to look over the Center. She picked a girl she didn't know who looked reasonably young and wove her way through the other trainers to her. "You look like you could use some help," Duchess offered with her patented soft smile.