#pole-itically correct

The boy catches up to Ximena and despite his long legs, matches his stride to her. “You didn’t have plans for training this afternoon did you?” His eyes look hopeful, sabotaging any rejection Ximena is planning. 

“No, Ajax, I suppose I didn’t have training plans yet.” She tries to keep her voice neutral. Both have stopped walking at this point and while the other tributes file to different stations, Ximena’s district partner eyes her expectantly. Trying to avoid the question for as long as she can, she eventually gives in with a sigh. “Would you like to train together Ajax?”

His excitement is almost overwhelming, and before he can even get out words he has Ximena by the hand and is dragging her to a station with a bunch of wicked looking spears and other long weapons. Ajax doesn’t waste any time in selecting a solid looking trident, nearly falling over with its weight as he pulls it from the rack. 

The trainer gives the duo one look and nearly bursts out laughing. “Don’t kill yourself before hitting the arena kid.” He gets out between giggling fits. Ajax shoots him a glare before steadying himself with the base of the weapon.

“Oh man this is so cool!” Ximena rolls her eyes, wondering why she took pity on the twiggy boy. “Now.. what do I do with it?” Ajax asks her expectantly. Ximena simply shrugs, still trying to decide which of the array of weapons she could even manage to lift.

“Think for a second. It’s heavy, and long, too long to be a throwing weapon. Use it for stabbing and thrusting.” The voice isn’t the trainers but both tributes can place it immediately. Ximena turns slowly to find Ester leaning casually against a rack of weapons. She strides up to Ajax, surveys the boy a moment, then kicks the weapon out from under him sending him toppling to the ground, all in heels.

“Never. Ever. Keep your balance on your weapon.” She barks at him without offering a hand up. “You can use it to regain balance for a moment. Just, a moment.” She shoots Ximena a glare as she helps her partner up from the mat. 

Ajax’s rubs the shoulder he fell on a bit before reaching for his weapon back. “That’s great and all Ester, but I’m not really sure you’re supposed to be down here.” 

The mentor pulls the weapon away from him with a snort. “You really think I’m going to give you this back after I saw you nearly impale yourself with it just lifting it from the rack?” Her fingers graze along the tip of the weapon. “I saw one of these in my game, wielded of course by the boy from Four. Tall, blonde, well muscled, a real Adonis.” She sighs, a little playing on her lips.

 “You know how he died?” Ester glances back and forth, neither tribute offering her an answer. “It was too heavy, he wasn’t able to swing it fast enough to stop my knife. So before you go ahead thinking that the big flashy weapons are going to win your punk ass this game, think again.”

Placing the weapon back on the rack, Ester fixes her tributes with a stare. “Well, go ahead and pick something. I dragged myself down here to make sure at least one of you lives to see day two, let’s try to make that worth something.”

A few minutes and more than a few condescending head shakes later, Ajax and Ximena stand a few paces apart on the mat. He wielding a collapsible spear, and her a metal staff. Finally happy with their choices Ester goes about demonstrating how each weapon is used. Basic strikes, how to defend, how to get around an opponent using one. 

When she’s done, Ester stands back and instructs the duo to spar. Neither makes the first move and from the corner of her eye, Ximena can see Ester about ready to give up and leave. Stepping forwards, Ximena her staff in an arc that connects with the shaft of Ajax’s spear. The sound of metal against metal rings out loudly making both tributes flinch. 

The staff vibrates in her hands and she almost drops it, managing just barely to regain her composure. For a boy who seemed so overeager to start training, Ajax is incredibly reluctant to initiate a strike on Ximena. She steps again, managing to bypass his spear and land a hit on his protective gear, which lights up to signify a hit. 

“Why won’t you hit me?” Ximena hisses across to Ajax as the two start to circle. She fakes a lunge and he steps back to avoid it.

He gives a halfhearted thrust that doesn’t even make it to Ximena, more just warding her off. “I don’t hit girls.” He hisses back. “My pops always told me that real men don’t hit girls.”

Ximena swings the staff from above her head like Ester had shown her, bringing it down just as Ajax raises his spear to meet it. Again, the sound of metal on metal drowns out the rest of the noisy training centre. “You’re going to have to if you want to go home.” Ximena replies with their weapons locked together. 

Ajax shoves off from her and again tries to create some distance between the two of them. “You’d both be dead by now in the arena.” Ester calls from the sidelines. “Ajax, hit her or so help me god-” She regains her composure before finishing her thought.

Seeing the conflict in his eyes, Ximena watches as the boy finally decides to listen and gives a half hearted attempt at spearing her midsection. Ximena dodges to the left, using the butt of her spear to strike the back of Ajax’s leg. Knocked off balance, the impact of the fall leaves the boy unarmed and winded. 

Taking up position over him, Ximena thinks the spar is over. She’s about to help him up when he speaks up to her. “Do it, finish me. I’m worthless anyways.” She can see tears welling up in his eyes and the boy’s sudden shift in demeanour gives her pause. “My own family doesn’t want me, they didn’t come to say goodbye. They don’t even care if I live or die. Just put me out of my misery now.” Her voice is little more than a whimper. 

By now Ester has noticed the pause and the sound of footsteps behind Ximena is soon replaced with a threatening whisper in her ear. “This is the moment, finish him.” Still, Ximena is frozen staring at her partner. “He’s weak, he’s going to be weeded out Ximena. Show me that you’re not worthless. Show me that we can make something out of you.” 

“No.”

Ximena drops the staff to the floor with a dull thud. 

“I’m done training for today.”