The Training Centre

"Shh!" Halo elbowed her.
"Do you know what it's like to be throttled?" Scorpius enquired, almost conversationally.

"Sorry," Velvet muttered, "I don't like liars."
"No," Raff growled, "although you might find out soon."

"He was probably being sarcastic." Halo reasoned.
"Oh, I know." Scorpius bared his collarbone, showing an angry, puckered scar. "I also know what it's like to be shot. Tasered. Stabbed. Poisoned. You name it, I've had it done."
Allie clamped her hands over her ears.
Zach blinked, startled.
Ashlynn and Alicia looked between each other and the boys, scared.

"Oh," Velvet replied, tilting her head on one side.
"Ah," Raff stood up and backed away a little. "The war?"
Kat moved to her side.
Ivo spun round nervously, backing away towards Allie.
Fir grasped Tanzee's hand harder, and moved her a little further away from the boys.
"It's okay," Silver reassured Alicia and Ashlynn, "there are plenty of officials around."

Halo nodded.
"The best fighter ever. Probably not gonna survive this, but I'm going to make sure I make a stand. You still wanna elbow me?" Scorpius sneered.
Allie hid behind the tree.
"I wouldn't want to take my chances with either of them." Alicia gulped and Ashlynn nodded.

"You think I'm weird, don't you?" asked Velvet, "a bit loose in the head?"
"You won't survive this," raff sneered convincingly, "but I don't wann elbow you."
Kat moved with her.
Ivo watched.
"No," Silver answered, "though, with any luck they'll kill each other."

"No, all are different in this world." Halo shook his head.
"Well, I still want to throttle you." Scorpius shrugged.
"What, now?" Ashlynn looked startled.

"Thanks," Velvet replied nonchalantly, staring round, "you are the first person who hasn't agreed with me when I said that."
"Too bad," Raff drawled.
"No," Silver smiled, "it was a joke."

"You're welcome." Halo smiled.
"You should watch your back." Scorpius sneered.
Ashlynn and Alicia didn't look convinced.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Velvet asked, looking at him and tipping her head again.
Raff glared at him. "Watch yours. The President's out to get you, isn't he?"
Silver looked back at the boys, and felt her confidence slipping away.

Halo shrugged. "You remind me of my eldest sister."
Scorpius shrugged. "Well, I don't give a [censored] what the [censored] he thinks of me."
Alicia and Ashlynn looked slightly concerned.

"I do?" Velvet asked.
"Really," Raff scowled.
Silver moved closer to them.

Halo nodded sadly.
Scorpius nodded.
Alicia and Ashlynn each grabbed one of Silver's hands.

"Oh dear," Velvet said, "have I said something I shouldn't?"
Raff glared at him.
Silver smiled at them, and gave each hand a squeeze. "It'll be okay."

"No, I just miss her." Halo sighed.
Scorpius sneered back.
"I hope so." Ashlynn nodded.

"Oh," Velvet replied, "sorry."
Raff sat back down again. "Back off."
Silver smiled. "Me too."

"Not your fault." Halo shrugged.
"Well, you started this whole thing."

Velvet smiled at him. "I like you."
Raff ignored him, and pulled a face.
"Do you think we should stick together?" Silver asked Alicia and Ashlynn, "Like, a team?"

"Beautiful." Scorpius sneered.
They both nodded.

Velvet looked back at Scorpius. "He is not very nice," she pronounced.
Raff glared at him, "it looks better than you do."
Silver smiled. "That's settled then."

Halo shrugged. "Everyone has their dark side."
"Do I need beauty to kill you? No."
The girls smiled back.

"Mmm," Velvet mused, "what's yours?"
"Might help," Raff leered, "people die from looking to long at my beautiful face."
Silver grinned, and asked, "Who were your train buddies?"

Halo shrugged again. "I don't know."
Scorpius scoffed. "That sentence doesn't even make sense."
"Oh, um, I think his name's Brenden?" Alicia gestured carefully.
"And Kestrel," Ashlynn looked around, confused, for a moment, before finding her District partner and pointing.

"Oh," Velvet smiled, "mine is that I'm bad with people. And my temper."
"Never heard of grammar?" Raff inquired.
"Oh," Silver smiled, "I came down with Zach, as you already know."

Alex wrapped Allie in a big hug
Naomi interrupted Silver's conversation "Hey what's going on between Raff and Scorpius?"
Jonathan looked a little lost and wandered over to Kat