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Post by Wren Hartwood on Dec 7, 2015 19:04:48 GMT -6
Well...so much for impressing anyone. "I should probably shake this off and go try something else for a bit. But I'll be within earshot to keep chatting with you guys. I just need to stop throwing and shooting things. Actually, mind if I watch for a bit?"
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Post by Gwendolyn Fisk on Dec 7, 2015 19:05:57 GMT -6
Gwen rolled her eyes at Wren's comment about not seeing much of a point in remembering the past.
"That's precisely why you should enjoy yourself now. This is it. Your dying moment. Your very life is flashing before your eyes. Why not remember the good moments? Do you really want your last memories to be silly boring games when you're just going to die anyways? Might as well make them something worth fighting for."
Gwen smiled as Holly entered and threw a few spears. "Damn! You ARE a career!" she excitedly grabbed Holly's arm, "Can you teach me to throw a spear?"
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Post by Holly Edison on Dec 7, 2015 19:09:15 GMT -6
I like him. Maybe he isn't the strongest or most accurate with a weapon but he's got a good head on his shoulders. Making friends but not too easily. Not a bad strategy.
"Don't worry, you'll get it. Trying so much may just give you diminishing returns. Don't let your nerves get the better of you."
Holly reached behind him and took hold of one of the larger spears.
"Relax."
Holly winked at Wren and took aim.
yejxH5zo1d8+21d8+2
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Post by Holly Edison on Dec 7, 2015 19:13:11 GMT -6
Holly laughed at Gwen's excitement. It was nice to be seen as one of the good ones for once, instead of the lagging Career. Someone who "tried to hard." she thought bitterly.
"I guess just keep at it, and try not to worry about it. If you sit there second guessing your aim you'll mess it all up. Take your weapon, hold it. Find your target and aim for a breath. Go for it. Any longer and you'll just over correct and doubt yourself."
Holly steadied her arm again, this time with an axe.
"Then again, anything can happen. Even the best have a bad day."
YgWlKI1V1d8+21d8+2
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Post by Wren Hartwood on Dec 7, 2015 19:18:46 GMT -6
"Thanks. That's really reassuring, actually." Wren was surprised at how helpful and encouraging some of these tributes were, considering how intimidated he felt the night before.
He turned back to Gwen. "Yeah...I would love to hug my sister again. We're really close." Wren realized he'd hardly mentioned his brother Robin, and felt bad. "And I guess I should have spent more time with Robin. I was just so angry with certain things right before I left, and I tend to give really short, blunt answers. I guess I kinda scared him. Poor kid.
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Post by Gwendolyn Fisk on Dec 7, 2015 19:23:32 GMT -6
Gwen wandered over to the weapons table again. She idly picked up an axe and tested it's weight. "How long did it take you to learn, Holly?" She chose a spear next, putting it up to her shoulder as if to throw it. She didn't really like having to balance it. She set it down and picked up a bow, immediately setting it down. too complicated. She picked up a sword next, testing the edge with her finger. She pulled back quickly after nicking herself. She watched as the blood welled up along the cut.
"What's it like having siblings, Wren?"
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Post by Holly Edison on Dec 7, 2015 19:30:05 GMT -6
"Well, most Careers start when they're very young. Parents will enroll their children in programs and boarding schools as soon as they can walk. Oh, they don't learn how to swordfight then, but skill development starts as soon as they enter. From sun up to sun down regular education takes a back seat to working on balance, agility, hand-eye coordination. Hours a day improving the dexterity of your hands, your speed. Everything. I started late and I guess with a bit of a need to prove myself. I only entered when I was ten. It's been... seven years I guess."
Holly suddenly realized she'd lost focus and had been staring off at the far wall.
She caught herself and forced a laugh.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be so long winded. You all must have much more interesting back stories. With Careers its always the same. Well, nearly."
She looked around at everyone catching their eye for a moment.
"What about you all?"
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Post by Wren Hartwood on Dec 7, 2015 19:32:01 GMT -6
"It's...nice, I guess. I've always been close with Egret. She's 11 this year, so I had hoped to be around and protect her from having bad odds in the Reaping...but then I ended up here. She's pretty mature for her age, though. Our dad's very...typical lumberjack. So he's hard on us sometimes. She handles it with grace. And my brother Robin is 8, and I think he wants to impress dad so he tries to act tough, which is hilarious. Do you not have any siblings? I bet you have a ton of friends, then?"
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Post by Gwendolyn Fisk on Dec 7, 2015 19:38:13 GMT -6
Gwen sucked on her finger to get rid of the blood as she contemplated the answers.
"Depends on your meaning of friends. I like the ones here much better. Parents died in a cave in when I was small. I survived off of people's pity. Had to do something at some point. What about your mother?"
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Post by Eloise Sugarglider on Dec 7, 2015 19:48:16 GMT -6
ELoise overheard the other tributes discussing their siblings back home...the whole time she had been trying to figure out who could help her stay alive that she forgot that her brother and sister both died here. She moved off to a separate corner of the exercise room as tears welled up in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away hoping no one saw. There were knives and swords on the table but they seemed too....personal. She picked up a trident and took aim at one of the hanging targets.
Here goes nothing. AxlHq6RH1d8+0 1d8+0
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Post by Deo Prisco on Dec 7, 2015 19:49:46 GMT -6
He watched Holly fling a spear effortlessly at her target, her form was perfect. Most of the cadets he knew couldn't have done half as well. Was this the same girl who smelled heavy of alcohol just a night before? No wonder she had been chosen for the games.
Deo nodded as she explained the career program, then listened to the other tributes.
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Post by Eloise Sugarglider on Dec 7, 2015 19:50:27 GMT -6
And nothing was right. She felt she was off balance with he last throw. She planted her feet, took aim, and threw the trident again, driving off her back foot.
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Post by Wren Hartwood on Dec 7, 2015 19:53:35 GMT -6
Wren turned to Gwen. "My mom's alright. She's just really quiet. I think sometimes she lets my dad boss her around too much, which is why I like to take Egret out a lot. I don't want her growing up thinking that's okay and expected of relationships. I'm really sorry to hear about your parents."
He saw Eloise tear up a bit and then nail a target with a trident. "Wow. Seems like you do your best work when you're really passionate about something. You alright?" He gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, like he does with Egret.
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Post by Eloise Sugarglider on Dec 7, 2015 19:55:05 GMT -6
Eloise, put the trident down and picked up a sword. While she didn't want to have to kill someone up close, there's no way to know what she might have to do in the games. She took aim at the bamboo targets and sliced downward and to the right.
Clean slice cmTp6Q6l1d8+01d8+0
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Post by Eloise Sugarglider on Dec 7, 2015 19:55:54 GMT -6
Nope, not even close. Eloise was out of her realm.
"Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong here?"
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Post by Wren Hartwood on Dec 7, 2015 19:59:27 GMT -6
Deo and Holly seem pretty skilled with weapons. I'm only just now getting the hang of it, myself. I hope my advice with the plants was helpful, though.
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Post by Deo Prisco on Dec 7, 2015 20:02:56 GMT -6
Feeling a chance to be useful again, Deo walked over to the girl. "You, erm... have good energy," he managed trying to be polite, "Try widening you stance a little bit, it will help with your balance and give you a good base." He had little experience with a trident, that was more of a District 4 specialty, but he tried to demonstrate the form, stabbing at one of the bamboo targets. RyLSuKre1d8+2 1d8+2
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Post by Holly Edison on Dec 7, 2015 20:06:00 GMT -6
Holly felt for the girl. She seemed completely lost.
"I didn't catch your name... this is tough for all of us. Maybe you aren't skilled with weapons, but you have other talents. Play to your strengths in the Arena, and don't try to be something you're not. I could help you if you'd like... with the weapons. It's mostly practice and time, but you shouldn't let that discourage you - everyone was handpicked for a reason."
Holly wasn't very good at comforting people but she hoped that helped the girl.
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Post by Wren Hartwood on Dec 7, 2015 20:07:16 GMT -6
Wren hadn't tried a trident yet...he decided to give one try, using Deo's advice. He hoped to show Eloise that he was helpful in more than just plants. He felt like he had to protect her...
He widened his stance and brought his arm back...and threw Ke3nvDmQ1d8+11d8+1
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Post by Wren Hartwood on Dec 7, 2015 20:10:03 GMT -6
Wren was surprised to see he hit the target square on. "See, Eloise? If I can throw with my weeny arms, you'll get the hang of it, too!" He smiled at her.
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Post by Eloise Sugarglider on Dec 7, 2015 20:17:00 GMT -6
Eloise grabbed a sword with both hands. She planted her hands and slowed down the motion of her swing. She wound back and swung through making sure to clench her abs and and lock out her elbows.
clean cut ENCQ0y3p1d8+01d8+0
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Post by Eloise Sugarglider on Dec 7, 2015 20:17:50 GMT -6
In anger Eloise swung at another target wildly and then spun around and swung at another. IoBq7atV1d8+01d8+0·1d8+0
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Post by Eloise Sugarglider on Dec 7, 2015 20:19:18 GMT -6
Well that worked out a lot better. Maybe she had just been thinking too much. That seemed to happen a lot. She need to focus on that in the future.
"Thanks for the pointers. They helped quite a bit!"
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Post by Holly Edison on Dec 7, 2015 20:22:45 GMT -6
He seems to be pretty attached to her, so invested in how she's doing. More than the rest of us. We have to kill each other, you know.
Holly took a mace from the table, the trident seemed unnecessary. You throw a spear well, you can throw a trident. She approached the target dummies once more and swung from below striking it square in the jaw.
She looked at the displays to see the efficacy of her blow.
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"Well, it was nice meeting you all. There are other rooms I have to try out today, now that I'm warmed up."
She turned and started to leave shouting over her shoulder, "If you do want more help come and find me, little girl. It's not all knives and arrows out there."1d8+2
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Post by Reese Oberron on Dec 7, 2015 22:03:23 GMT -6
Reese stood in front of the weapons rack, starring at them for perhaps longer than she intended. None of these we particularly familiar to her, she was used to tending crops during the day and sneaking during the evening rather than hunting or fighting.
Eyes were on her though, whether they belonged to other tributes, sponsors, those back home, or even Vester himself. It was time to buck up, there wouldn't be time to hesitate in the arena so why hesitate now. She grabbed the spear from the rack and although it felt sturdy and solid it was surprisingly light and honestly it wasn't that far off from many of the tools that she'd been used to back home.
"This isn't anything that I can't do. This is no different than a spade or pitchfork, it is a tool for survival." She told herself.
Not far from the weapons rack there was an array of free standing targets at different heights and all arranged in a circle. She tried grasping the spear at different points learning its weight and balance as she approached the center of the circle. She looked around herself assessing the targets.
After taking a deep breath Reese thrust the spear in quick succession attempting to hit multiple targets... x9zn0com1d8
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