Alone-ish // [Kousei

To say training was difficult would be a massive understatement. While some of the tributes here had been training for years Dandy had never even seen any of these weapons in person before. Besides Peacekeeper guns and clubs, and the miners' pickaxes, the weapons were all reserved for the Games on television. To actually feel the cold metal in her fingers was bizarre. She wasn't built to hurl lances or hold a bow. Dandy wasn't a fighter, she was a comforter. She was a smile in a dark time not a knife in the back.

It was time for lunch and she was thankful to rid her hands of the trident a trainer was attempting to explain to her.

She went through the line with the other tributes. Her district partner, Wendell, seemed to have found himself some friends. She supposed one could annoy someone into friendship if you tried hard enough.

Filling her plate with chicken and potatoes, she left to find a table. Many of the tributes hadn't left the gym yet, eager to get a few more minutes in before taking a break. She didn't see the girl from Three who had claimed her yesterday, nor any of the children she had introduced her to.

So, Dandy traveled to the empty table in the corner and sat by herself. It was still a fine place to sit- the floor length windows to her right offered a view of the Capitol with all its shiny buildings and bright colors. Nothing in Twelve looked even close to the Capitol skyline. It was all one story shops and houses, besides the Victor's village.

She shoved a piece of chicken around her plate with her fork. She wasn't exactly used to being alone. Dandy had always had Ash and Magnolia around, even if they weren't the talkative type. She had sought out people in the district to help. Even talking a walk through the square brought out conversations and interaction. Here it was every kid for themselves.

Wendell was right, she was a weed plucked from her roots far from the soil that raised her.

She looked at the other tributes filing in.

I wonder if they all feel alone right now.