be my champion// Zaya/Torka

I want to be remembered not as the guy who volunteered for the games, but as a brutal tribute, one who fought for district two with pride. Private training had gone well. It's worth the efforts entirely, and it brought a new meaning into my life. If I can do that behind closed doors, imagine what I am capable of doing inside the arena. But training has left me famished. Other tributes are seated inside the dining hall, and I'm moving through line piling my plate with only the best food to offer. I can only imagine the eyes glaring at me if they knew what I had done, but they don't and it makes me laugh.

Taking a seat off to myself, I'm enjoying my food. I've enjoyed my stay, and it's a shame that it's ending soon, but the fun is only beginning. Showing them what I can do is just the start, and I will do more once inside the games. That was just a preview. I'm minding my own business, just sitting there eating, when one of the gamemakers take the seat in front of me. My eyes are wide, and I'm staring at her wondering what she wants, but I can't hide the cocky grin twisting across my face. And for a moment, I just watch her and wait.

"Mr. Hammerfell, you're quite an impressive man," It's not everyday that a gamemaker compliments a tribute, I think, but I take it with a grain of salt because nothing is at it seems. "I've been watching you closely, and I like what I see." I'm not sure what she's doing, but I know I have to provide for her. I have to prove that I'm worthy of the score I received, and that it wasn't just some sickening show. It's only adding fuel to the fire, and I'll do whatever it takes to sit here and talk to her again as the lone surviving tribute. "Is that so? What exactly impressed you?"

Hearing this gamemaker compliment me on my abilities brings a smile to my face. This woman must have seen countless tributes. Who knows how many private training sessions have differed. For her to personally meet me face to face and compliment me? That's one of the most surprising things that I've ever experienced. It adds fuel to my ever growing confidence in my ability to survive. Once she mentions how fascinated she is by my ruthlessness, I laugh a little. A question on how I learned to be dangerous has me thinking. Not everyone has the desire to be a career. I try to remember exactly when I became dangerous. I suppose it began when I burned a peacekeeper alive. That is one moment in my life that I will never forget. I'm able to picture that day quite clearly.

"How indeed? I enjoy being ruthless. Lights a fire under me knowing what I can do. What I will do." I wait for her to respond. While I do, I take a bite of what's on my plate. A well done steak. I didn't anticipate anyone talking to me as I ate. I feel extremely nervous and on edge with the gamemaker showing up to speak to me. One wrong word could make my life a whole lot more difficult inside the arena. Granted I love a challenge, but there's no telling what kind of things await the tributes. I'm half tempted to make things difficult on purpose. I enjoy a good fight.

Of course the gamemaker here with me could be testing me. Might expect me to recoil in fear or something. While I do fear the things she is capable of, I am also intrigued by the thought of where the conversation could lead to. If she wants me to be ruthless, I can oblige her there. That's the only possibility I see of why she showed up to personally speak to me. No letter, no servant coming to me, nothing. She is here in person speaking to me. It's exciting and terrifying at the same time having someone of her stature here.

The food is amazing, and I'm wanting to tell this gamemaker to go away because I want to eat in peace, but that would be rude. It could determine my fate in the arena too. Cutting off another piece of meat, I take a bite trying my best to figure out what to do, and what to say. Something is weird, different. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. But I guess, it's possible because gamemakers are in charge of the arena. The events. Everything.

"I'm very curious, Torka. I'd like to discover everything you're capable of." I set the fork back down on the plate wondering if there's hidden motives lingering in her words. I'm capable of many things. Killing people. Torturing people. Doing whatever it takes in order to survive. But what if she's wanting more? What if this is a trap? But what if it's enough to get me further in the arena?

A grin twists across my face as I take another bite of steak. What can I say to her? What do I need to do? I want to tell her what I can do once the gong sounds starting the games. But some I want to leave for a surprise. "Everything? Some things are best kept a secret. At least for the time being." Other than another reenactment of what I did to the trainer, I don't know what else I could do before the arena. There's only so much I can do when violence between tributes is prohibited prior to entering the arena.

"I like secrets, but only if I know them." Her words are starting to become creepy, and I don't know what to do. Eating the steak is becoming awkward. I have many secrets, but why would I share them with a gamemaker? Why would I give away what I hold dearly in life that nobody else knows? Why ruin the good show that I want to perform when the time begins? The way she's staring at me only creeps me out even more, and I can't shake the eerie feeling lurking inside. It's worse than the moment Maye crawled up towards me for the kiss in spin the bottle, at least that ended with a happy feeling. "I'm very good at keeping secrets."

Well, I guess that's a plus. Keeping secrets is fun, but it wouldn't be a secret if I told her. I'm wanting to stand up and walk away because I just want to eat my food alone, but I don't want to piss her off. She has control over my fate, and I hate it. But this is what I volunteered for. It's still beyond me why she would want to talk to me. It's not like I did something fabulous. It's not like I showed that a side of me that I've hidden from the tributes so far. "Please tell me one, I won't tell a soul."

Placing my fork on the table, I'm unsure of what to do. What to think. What to say. Why does she want to know a secret? I could probably make something up and she wouldn't even know, or would she? All my hairs are standing, and I can't hide the goosebumps forming across my arms. I shiver slightly as a chill runs down my spine. Resting my elbow on the table, I place my chin on my hand wondering what I could tell her that'll make her just go away and leave me alone. I guess I can only tell her a secret. Perhaps I can only add a little more to what I did inside closed doors. Perhaps I can tell her that wasn't the first time I've done that. "What I've done, I've done before, only the first time ended in death." I pause for a moment lifting my gaze. "It's a shame that it didn't happen this time."