Favor of the odds

"I can't just go over and fucking talk to him, I..." Zach trailed off, not knowing why the man made him so flustered. "How am I supposed to start a conversation?"
"This isn't damn high school." Jordan rolled his eyes lightly. "Here, I'll help you start one." He snatched the knife in Zach's hand that he'd been practicing with all day, throwing it in Roman's general direction. It stuck into the wall right beside the man and Jordan quickly turned away, tugging Chandler with him so it appeared like Zach was the only one who could have thrown it.
Zach's jaw dropped as Roman looked back.
"Sorry... missed." He muttered as he stepped forward to retrieve the blade from the wall.

"Missed what? Me?" Roman crossed his arms over his chest, watching Zach as he moved to get his knife. "You know, its against the rules to try and kill me before game day." The boy wore a kind smile though, pleased to finally have Zach's attention. "Im Roman, I think I told you that yesterday day, but." He shrugged, understanding why Zach wouldn't want to speak with him. The boy was from a poor district, afterall.

"No, I uh..." Zach thought of something he could say he'd been aiming for, but the targets were on the opposite side of the room. "I wanted an excuse to talk to you, honestly." He figured he could try his hand at flirting. Maybe Chandler was right and they could use this to their advantage. Maybe he would let something important slip. "Just to thank you for yesterday. I came off a little harsh, I guess."

"No, you're the only one brave enough to take on a partnership with Danny." Roman was smiling at the prospect that Zach had just wanted to talk to him, but he made sure to remember that Zach could have any number of motivates for this talk. "I would, but Bane wouldn't have it. He doesn't want any extra baggage. " in truth, Roman expected his partner to win the games. "I understand why you didn't like me, I mean, I was lucky enough to get training for this. But you, im sure in 12 they can't afford to train all the kids."

Zach nodded, eyeing Bane who was expertly using a bow and arrow a few feet away.
"I'd watch him if I were you. I know you guys are kind of automatically aligned, but he looks like he'd kill you the second you turned your back." He paused before smirking at Romans last words. "I might not have had the training you have, but I'm pretty good at this sort of thing." He had his own kind of training, from Trever.

Roman followed Zachs gaze, watching his partner a moment before shaking his head. "I don't think Bane would be unfair about it. When he's ready to try me he'll sever our alliance first. I don't think he's the type to bludgeon me with my back turned. " Bane lost his attention as Zach spoke of having some sort of training in 11. "Aren't you guys mostly farmers?"

"Yes." Zach nodded. "I haven't got that type of training. My guardian has taught me a lot though." His face softened greatly as he spoke of Trever. He missed the man dearly, wanted to make him proud in these games.

"Mhmm, well im glad." And that was sincere, Roman really didn't want anyone to die, but he understood it was going to happen, and now at least he knew Zach had some skills. "Maybe you can help Danny out." Unlike the other tributes, Roman never mocked Danny for his disabilities. He only hated the hand the boy was dealt.

"I plan on it." Zach nodded. He was all the boy had and while he could be ruthless at times, he wasn't completely heartless. "Anyways, uh, good luck to you." He smiled gently.

"Yeah. You too." Roman didnt really want him to go, but couldn't find a good reason for him to stay. "If you do lose him, find me. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Zach smirked softly, grateful at the offer although he didn't plan on taking the man up on it. He turned around to head back to his small group, punching Jordan in the arm for the knife thing. "See, he didn't even say anything useful."

"Nothing?" Chandler's groan echoing through out the room. "Did you even try asking him questions? "

"Well what did you want me to ask him?" Zach exclaimed. "Not like I had much time to think." He shot a glare at Jordan.

"I want to know what he can do, I want to know what he cant. I want to know how to fucking kill him!" Chandler snapped, irate that they were still lost. "What the fuck ever, if were lucky he and the lumber jack will kill each other at the fucking conucopia. "

"We'll put Danny on that. He's good at eavesdropping, people don't notice him because they think he's weak." Zach nodded. "We need a game plan, though. When we go in to get our training scores tomorrow, don't show off. Get as low of a score as possible so we don't come off as a threat. Everyone thinks our districts are easy to get rid of so they won't come after us first." He informed them.

"Hah, that'll be easy for blind boy. The game makers will take one look at him and hand down a zero." Chandler snorted, but still pleased with Zach's plan. "Maybe we'll make it long enough to kill each other."

"Hopefully." Zach smirked lightly. "And when we get to the actual games, once they start I want you two to find Danny, help him run off to the forest. I'll head into the cornucopia and get as many weapons and supplies as I can and I'll find you. I just want you to hide so you don't all die immediately." He found that he actually liked Chandler's company. If they weren't all going to die soon, he thought they could be quite good friends.

"Yeah, right. Whatever." Jordan was his main priority, the blind kid be damned. "But what if you dont make it back? I expect a pretty fucking brutal blood bath." What will all the gruesome competition this year."

"I'll make it back, just trust me." Zach nodded firmly. "Just worry about keeping you three safe, alright?"

"Alright, ill work on that. " Chandler would make sure Jordan got out at all cost, but he couldn't promise that he wouldn't leave Danny if the boy slowed them down.

After a week of training, the tributes all filed into the training room one by one to be evaluated by judges and receive their final scores. As Zach suggested, the four of them made sure not to show off and all received scores lower than six.

Unlike teams 11 and 12, team 2 did exceptionally well, Roman bring in a ten. Finnick Holloway from 4 made an eight, surprising with how small in stature the kid was. Another notable score was the seven from a district 3 kid, that district normally produced scores of fours and fives.

District 1, as usual did rather well, bringing in nines although no one knew how when the one boy had done nothing the entire week of training. Bane from 2, brought in a ten to match his other tribute's score. District 7, who usually brought in scores around 6 or 7, surprised everyone by getting a ten as well.
Now that training was over, the games were only days away and the interviews would be the following night.

The interviews were highly important, one of the biggest factors in getting sponsored was a successful interview. This was something they all knew, but how they took it was up to them. Chandler was gaming up to be as likeable as possible, having seen that sometimes a good sponsor is all that stands between a tribute and death. Danny was in shambles, nervous about falling in front of the entire capital and having them laugh at his disabilities. But then there was the district 4 kid, who despite knowing what these interviews meant hadnt changed at all. He had no plans of being civil to these concieted bastards that wanted to bid on his survival, and he made that clear.

Jordan was about as terrified as Danny. This was almost as threatening as the game itself. What if he made a fool of himself? Zach was calm almost, practicing how he would answer things, thinking of what they could ask him. Bane was rather nervous, more than he'd ever been before. And Jesse was quite calm, and no one was sure why. But he had it all planned out. He, like Chandler, planned to make himself as likable as possible. Being witty and charming usually came naturally to him.