training<<open>>

Arcadia took the card, beneath her doll-like face fixed with a winning smile, and shy, flirty eyes was suspicion. Had a guy, clearly in his twenties just come up to her and offer a card for a gym? Thinking it over Arcadia saw no ulterior motive--she was obviously training, obviously fit enough to maybe take the guy down--why not offer for her to train at his Gym.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I will. The Reaping is approaching and..." she didn't know why she was explaining her Career to the stranger, "I'm seventeen. I wont be around for the next month or so after the Reaping, maybe when I get back though..." she trailed off. Something in Cady had broken, if she got back--no! When she got back, Arcadia London had winning the Games in her blood. She could pretty much trace her ancestry to just about any winner of the Games from District 2. Cady would go to the Hunger Games, win them, and come back--train at this strange mans gym.

She exhaled deeply. Cady would come back, she knew she would. Smiling at the guy she felt herself ease back into her usual calm. There was no other way for Arcadia, her whole life was a Game, win or die. She looked at him with her big, blue doe-like eyes, keeping her secret thoughts of reassurance hidden. Arcadia was often called anti-social, but she could be a charming little Career sometimes, all she had to do was turn that charm on and keep her thoughts to herself. If I felt then need to, I could kill him right now. I know twenty-seven ways to kill, and a heck of lot more ways to inflict pain. I could destroy him just as easily as anybody else in District 2, or even the whole of Panem. I have been trained to kill... she thought. Clinging to those thoughts, she stretched herself.

Arcadia London would win the Games. There was no reason for a gym-card to make her weak.

ooc- ^^ she doesn't get out much. Very suspicious... her fathers eyes and ears...

LOL Lupine also is a plant. Lupe is Arcadias middle name ^^

"Wait." The way Arcadia said that one word, you could tell she was trying to order Saxifrage Lupine around. Her blue eyes had questions swirling in them, she stared at him stubbornly. Cady was thinking about life. What was it like to be in your twenties? As far as she could remember, it had always been 'win the Games,' but what came after? Cady had been warned by her Father not to get too emotional about her maybe-death The Games, but simple questions about life after would be acceptable. Those twenty-seven ways to kill were being told over and over again in her head to assure the young lady. At seventeen, Arcadia had never kissed a boy, had a best friend, or a secret to tell that friend, she had never smiled when she got an A+, and never read a book for fun, or climbed a tree just to look down on the world beneath her. She essentially had not lived. The idea of having a life appealed to her, and she knew the second after she killed the last tough, Career and won the Games, she could start living. Arcadia had always been told, and always believed she was in the Games to bring glory to her District and family, to further their amazing wins and redeem her dead father, but was that truly why she was in the Games? The idea didn't occur to Arcadia just then, and if it had it would have disrupted her enough to maybe be a coward and not volunteer for the Games, but maybe Cady was going to win the Games so she could be free. Maybe, just maybe she didn't even need to be in the Hunger Games to have a life!

Of course none of this really was thought by the conscious Cady. It was dangerous to let herself think about a life, she might start feeling bad for all her soon-to-be victims! Arcadia had been taught too well to turn her back on everything her Father wanted. If you're so great, if you're so sure you're going to win the Games, then why did you ask that question? Why do you want the opinion of Saxifrage Lupine, age twenty-five, male District 2 of Sarney Training Centre? she thought. One question wouldn't hurt though... just one then she would resume her usual training. "Whats it like to be older?" she asked.

ooc- most of the things Arcadia thinks are in her sub-conscious because she doesn't usually thin for herself. If you get confused by her chaotic thoughts just read the bold ^^

Cady didn't think Saxifrage Lupine liked being alone, but she did. Having the chance to enjoy only your own company seemed a nice change from Arcadia's usual life. Cady didn't want to hear anymore though. She would hang onto that bit of information, and let herself dream of whatever else she would do. Arcadia refused to let herself grow fat and happy and slow and lazy of even information on living. Careers who had been raised in good health (body and soul) were always weak. Vicious killers, liars, strong and fast people--they always won. Arcadia particularly loved the year a thirteen year-old boy had won when he had played dead, then thrown a knife at the other person. Of course you'd have to be pretty stupid to think somebody was dead when they weren't, but she still admired the lying.

It took all her Career Charm lessons to come up with a suitable subject to ask the guy, as if she wanted a job or even to train in the future at his centre, being polite would help. The teen smiled, "At least you're not lonely at your gym." She pointed out in a false, cheery voice. Arcadia had been trained to be a liar, so she was pretty sure it was believable. Only very skilled Careers, and people with the natural instinct to now if you were lying or not could see through it. Cady had never understood why it was so hard--couldn't they hear the sickening sweetness in her voice as being too pronounced, or the small amount of shuffling feet, glancing around nad other habits? The good thing about Arcadia's lying was her voice always had a hint of confusion to it--something good as people tended to over-explain things to her. Cady wasn't stupid! She just had a dreamers voice, but most people saw it as an excuse to tell her all about themselves. She could imagine being interviewed, and ending up getting more answers than questions. It had always been one of Fathers favorite jokes when he had his former-Career buddies over.

She then turned around am moment and grabbed a small canteen, which Cady managed to suck dry in only a few seconds. This had been one of the rare times Father had allowed her not notice Cady taking water with her. Part of the teens training involved not needing water so much, or being able to wait. Cady couldn't drink anything till she was done eating, nor could she drink anything till she was done with whatever gruesome training of the day. Arcadia was indulging herself today. A truth about life, the company of a person who didn't gamble with her dad, and water. Arcadia was taking a walk on the wild-side...

Arcadia's hand shot out, and she wrapped her long fingers around his arm (or as far as she could get them around his muscles.) Her grip was strong, but anybody who knew of Arcadia London would most likely be unsurprised, although thee were exceptions. She was a Career who came from a long line of Careers, most of whom had either won the Games or died trying. If Saxifrage Lupine didn't know of her family, or didn't know of Cady as it would be more likely, there would be an exception at hand. For a weak, doe-like girl, Arcadia packed a punch, and was very good at her job.

Looking at her, most would expect Cady London to be an exception herself. Most would think, 'Now here is a girl who goes against all that the Upper Districts do. Here is a girl, obviously not trained for the Hunger Games.' Most of her life it had been that way, and Cady knew it would be great when she was in the Arena. The teen could play the weakling card pretty well. The scar along her face was something that could be covered up with make-up, or called an incident. The Career family really had been practicing the business of sending their children to their deaths long enough to know how to cover up accidents. Cady would be impressed, if she cared enough.

"Do you have to go to work?" Arcadia asked, her blue eyes looking confused and hurt. The few who could see through her mask, would know it all to be a lie, but that was only a few people. Arcadia London essentially looked as she wanted to. A small, wounded puppy. It was classic. How easily it came to her, as though after about three generations and much training, Arcadia had essentially become the closest Tribute to being perfection. She was a natural liar, if humans could be, strong enough, surprising, cunning, smart and fast. Father would be proud when Cady finally sealed the families position as the most feared and respected people in all of District Two. He would be proud when she dealt her final blow to the last weakling standing.

So the girl lied, her innocent expression, a mask... It was good practice. One day when Arcaida had won the Games, and was looking back on what could be called her ,'life,' beofre the Hunger Games, she could smile at the practice she was getting now. Cady could live, and feel good about herself. She could be something more than her Fathers minion. In her small opinion, this was the reason Arcadia would win. Not her families legacy and strength, but the essential desire to live. The desire to be free of her blood-relatives and all their cruelty. She had a purpose.

ooc- wow shes starting to get blond in her thoughts

"Do you want to go to work?" Arcadia asked. This was a question not many would expect, but Cadys knowledge of how to twist people to her will was enough that she knew it was a good, simple question. Obvious too, his voice was dead, his eyes flat--Cady could imagine this guy wanting to be anywhere else but at work, and she could imagine this was a scape-goat for a much deeper problem. If he said no, Cady would be able to smile to herself knowing it wasn't work, but life, and if he said yes, Arcadia would be able to smile at him and wish him luck. Either way there was training involved, and the satisfaction of knowing what was going on in his head in less than five minutes tops.

Father will be so proud, she thought. Cady didn't really care what Father applauded her for, but this might convince him she didn't need to sit through another boring speech about not caring what your enemies thought unless you needed them to. Her clear eyes re-focused on Saxifrage Lupine. She watched him knowing a fact of life was depressed people could be unstable at times. She blinked, knowing if he managed to hurt her really badly, Father would have no choice but to lecture her for days. There would have to be time for her to heal, and that time would be used wisely. Father would slowly drive her mad with his talks of killing, the Games, and how to act.

As long as Cady was in this non-life of hers where Father was God, and training was her prayers, Arcadia would try to make the best of it. It was odd to think such a fierce girl was an optimist, but her delicate flower of a mother had inspired Cady to always see the bright side, lest she sink into a depression like Saxifrage Lupines, and feel the desire to kill herself. None of that would be taken fondly by Father, and none of it would be useful in the Arena. Until the day Arcadia stepped off the train and back into District Two after an epic, ferocious battle with the last of the Tributes, she had to play her cards right. Until she was strong enough to face Father, Cady would have to play his Games. It was funny to think all his lectures were not the reason she was such a great liar, and so determined. It was hilarious to think the very lectures he thought were inspiring her, were actually the thing that drove her to win, the thing that drove her to free herself of all of her blood-ties.

Cady stared Saxifrage Lupine in the eye, her whole body screaming curious and caring. Cady truly was a dangerous Career.

ooc- I'm having no Muse for this thread -slaps muse and tells it to work- I'm like Father to my poor muse.