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"One does not win a Battle. One merely survives it. We have only survived one battle, Olivia. Our war? That is just starting."[/color][/center][/font][/size]
Zale all but ignored the Escort.
He didn't even know her name. From what he understood, none of the others bothered with it either seeing as their Escort changed every year. District Four was pretty, warm, and paradise, but it's people?
Apparently it's people left 'alot to be desired'.
As Zale saw it? Their people weren't the sort to fall all over themselves in order to accommodate silliness. They were a practical and spiritual people. They weren't decadent and took only as much as they needed to survive. Even as one of the richer Districts in Panem, no one in the District took more than they needed or--in the case of The Living Dead--what was forced upon them.
Zale, of course, was the youngest of the four. Younger and only a year older than he'd been when he'd survived those days in that place. He's a bit broader than he was last year though. He'd been whip-thin and wiry in the Arena, but a year later he was just a bit taller, just a bit bigger, and his eyes were even more like steel or iron. Hard and unyielding and intense.
The scars that littered his arms were pale white in comparison to the rest of him--dark-skinned as everyone in the District tended to be. They were rapier scars. Delicate lines from his duel with Riven Tanzanite of District One. Many Victors--as they were called--stayed away from weapons and other such things after The Arena, but out of necessity Zale had kept up with the training.
Necessity, because of the scars on his shoulders. The livid keloids from the beginning of the so-called Games last year, when the Bird-Mutt had clamped down on his shoulders and pulled him into the hair. Those claws hadn't been kind, and doctors--both those heartless things in the Capitol and Morgan Delmara's mother--had told him if he didn't keep active that the scar-tissue could harden, and he may lose movement in his arms and neck.
At Hyperion's scoffing, Zale merely blinked. It was a long, slow, deliberate blink, and he was sure that the other two--Nettle and Coraline--would see his amusement. Hyperion had saved his life last year and Zale wasn't one to forget such a thing, but sometimes Zale wanted to shake the man. Sometimes, Hyperion was just unbearable.
District One, as always, seemed to be more about the glitz. Everything was lovely, but it felt forced. Decadent. As usual, there were Volunteers, though the brash boy had him raising his eyebrows. In another place, had someone broken one of the bowls with a rock there'd have been a a riot or a fit thrown. It was brash and overconfident and too showy for Zale's taste. Some might say he had a penchant for the melodramatic, but he'd heard Nettle argue that Zale's drama had 'substance'.
Whatever that meant. Zale was just himself and didn't apologize for it. There was no showmanship involved.
Still, they moved as most Careers moved. Which meant he'd keep his eyes on them, and perhaps hope for another Riven Tanzanite. Then again, that may likely be like hoping for another Riva Edlyn.
Which tore his heart apart. There would never be another Riva Edlyn.
He couldn't get a read on District Two's Girl. At least, not on the girl. Sure, she was lovely, but Zale was more impressed with the boy. Not because of how large he was, but with how he held himself. He was confident, and intimidating, and he knew how to
use his size for that. He would need to look into things further, but he was big. Very big.
Dylan was like he'd been last year--whip-thin and wiry--and Zale would have stayed out of reach of a Tribute like Trajan last year. Hell...he'd stay out of that boy's reach
now, and Zale was one of the Living Dead, and had been kept training this past year.
"I would advise those to stay out of the boy's reach. The girl, I will have to see more of. Pretty is pretty...but we have pretty as well." His eyes slid to Dylan. He seemed oblivous to his beauty, which could work in his favor. Those of The Capitol were used to Nettle and Jan Colton. Those who were aware of how they looked and knew how to use it.
A boy like Dylan may be a breath of fresh air.
2013-12-07 07:13:58 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 2 Verity)" 4,6,5,4,5 (0 successes)
2013-12-07 07:18:00 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 2 Trajan)" 3,9,1,1,2 (1 successes)
District Three came on screen, and Zale had to wince at the twelve year old who was Reaped as their girl. Not only was she only twelve, but she was blind in one eye, and Zale waited in vain for someone--anyone--to raise their hand.
It didn't happen.
He frowned, swallowing. That little girl was terrified and once again he was thankful that such would not happen in District Four. Someone so young had no need to fear The Choosings. Rare was it that someone under the age of Fifteen ended up as District Four's Warrior.
William, on the other hand, didn't even seem to care that his name was called. Zale supposed he could see the wisdom in it. Their District was hard-hit by the results of the Rebellion, and perhaps he saw it was a chance to escape. To become something greater. Death or Victory, perhaps anything would be preferred to his life.
He certainly looked hungry enough.
2013-12-07 07:25:53 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 3 Ana)" 9,1,2,3,7 (1 successes)
2013-12-07 07:27:06 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District William)" 1,3,3,10,3,1 (1 successes)
This girl was the first one to have him sitting forward in his seat. Tyndall. He'd remember her name and he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
"She's a runner. Look at how she moves. Athletic. Though...she is afraid. Good at hiding it, but she is very nervous."The boy was interesting too.
"He's got quick hands. Dextrous. Clever. I like him."
2013-12-07 07:28:58 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 5 Tyndall)" 9,9,5,10,3,6 (3 successes)
2013-12-07 07:30:01 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 5 Cypher)" 7,4,1,10,6,6 (1 successes)
District Six. Olivia's home. He'd been there a handful of times over the past year, to spend time with Olivia and C.J. and her family. Seamus was probably his favorite of them. The man seemed to understand him in ways that others just didn't. Olivia did, but others...
....To many, he was still 'Just a Career'. To many even in District Six. Seamus saw him though. And he treasured that.
"Concordia is trying to put on a brave face, but she is afraid." Most definitely were.
"If you note, many of them are. Afraid. And they are right to be. Fear...it is not weakness. Courage can only be borne of fear, after all. Look for those who are afraid, and seek those with strong characters. Fear can cripple, but it can also give you wings. The trick will be finding those who fear, but who's wish to fly is so much stronger."2013-12-07 07:31:59 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 6 Concordia)" 6,5,8,1,2 (1 successes)
2013-12-07 07:33:12 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 6 Ewan)" 2,3,7,1,5 (0 successes)
District Seven came on the screen, and of course they never failed to put on a show. Or rather: It was always interesting. They were brash and rebellious, and Zale ended up picturing Willow and Pan from last year. Willow and Pan, who'd stood by Olivia and Caleb until the bitter end.
Willow and Pan, who'd gone down fighting those awful Mutts.
This year...this year he had to clench his jaw and say nothing. The girl who was Reaped was the same girl who's name had been called in the Quarter Quell. Thankfully. there was a volunteer for her yet again, though this Volunteer was not Aurora Noland. No...this volunteer...
...She was mad.
Had hunger driven her there? Immeasurable loss? Torture? Pain? What had driven someone so young to be so utterly insane? Or...perhaps she wasn't insane. Perhaps she was merely coping....
"I have to advise you to...I can not say. I am not sure if she's playing a game, or if she is truly as mad as she seems." Zale frowned, looking to the other three Mentors.
"What say you?"The boy's name though. Oh dear...the boy. Zale had seen him. Had even talked to him once, though they both had very little to say to each other. Wistar Noland was the only remaining relative of one of the Quarter Quell's Victors. Once again, Aurora Noland--or rather, Aurora Laurentius, after that person she had married from The Godless Place--though the boy...
...IT was brave. The shock washed across his face but Zale saw him shove his hands into his pockets and start singing, and the song wasn't one he knew, but it was beautiful. Jan Colton had a voice that was similar.
Jace Colton, if he remembered, eclipsed Jan.
And then another boy volunteered. As if the District had banded together this year to keep Aurora from losing anything else. It was noble.
"This one will not tell you all who to ally with--that is a choice you must make on your own--, but District Seven is loyal." He left it there. Sometimes, that was all a person needed.
2013-12-07 07:35:00 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 8 Quiana)" 7,10,3,1,6,7 (1 successes)
2013-12-07 07:35:58 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 8 Carden)" 4,5,9,9,8 (3 successes)
District Nine.
The girl. Maxine Colton. That was when he knew. That it wasn't an accident who was being Reaped. At least, in District Seven and District Nine. Wistar Noland and Maxine Colton? Were they not to Pledge to each other? He could swear he heard District Nine's Living Dead speak of it.
But...she wasn't scared. She was angry, and hellfire, and her brother looked pained. He'd lost one brother to The Battle, and had barely survived it himself, and she was warm and delicate, though the way she moved...
...She had a chance...
And then a Volunteer. And then a Volunteer again when a boy of twelve was Reaped. His cousin..it was a tradition, he'd learned. If one had an Older Sibling in District Nine who was eligible, it was almost
expected that they would Volunteer.
Family is everything. Community is Family."District Nine. They are resourceful. They know how to play to their strengths. It is known."District Ten was interesting. He liked the way they spoke. Like District Nine's signature drawl, but deeper, and they had no issue with profanity, and like District Four had a slang and a dialect all their own. They were interesting.
The girl was spunky. The boy was was a bit of a goofball, but that wasn't a bad thing. Lighthearted people...could be good. Dylan looked vaguely sick where he was watching, and Kaliani looked resolved.
"Spunky and lighthearted. Happy. I think the Capitol will like them. They will likely keep eyes." At least, he thought so.
2013-12-07 08:17:26 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 10 Jessie)" 10,5,7,3,5,3 (1 successes)
2013-12-07 08:18:28 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 10 Zachariah)" 4,6,1,9,6 (1 successes)
"Her voice is lovely." Zale said, when they got to District Eleven. It seemed to be a year of songbirds. And the boy was..
"He is stronger than he looks. You see it in his arms, and he too is musical. Not a singer though. He is humming."It seemed to be a year of volunteers as well.
Wren Thorne in District Twelve....Jaspar Thorne's younger sister, and only thirteen. Zale swallowed.
This was no accident. It couldn't be.
2013-12-07 08:19:52[HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 11 Ida)" 10,4,5,4,7,6 (1 successes)
2013-12-07 08:20:55 [HG27] Zale Sewell rolled 5 dice to "Wits + Empathy (District 11 Zenon)" 1,9,9,1,3 (2 successes)
At the end, Zale looked to the others. He would be the first to admit that 'people' weren't his strong suit. His way of winning them over had merely been by being himself and he certainly wasn't any 'sweetheart'. In fact, he knew there were more than a few who were disappointed he'd survived the Battles.
Dylan and Kaliani might have a better chance of being beloved, and being beloved could save them.
"My advice: Be who you are. Do not compromise it. No one 'wins'. One merely survives. Trust your instincts. They will serve you well."