Honorary Chapter: by Coriolanus Adver - District 5

The week of preparation had flown by so far; and Coriolanus' excitement piled with every moment for the upcoming arena, bloodbath, and allowing of murder for days to come.

So today his mentor walked the District Five tributes down the halls, through elevators, and across rooms to the gymnasium where they would practice. Neither Jessimiane nor Coriolanus really felt the need to request being trained alone, so here they were, walking side by side to the place they'd been not too long ago for group and private training.

"So how long will we be here?" Jessimiane spoke up, looking to their mentor. Coriolanus hardly noticed their chatter as he could not wait to throw the axes once more.

"Well, we have a few hours I think. Then you'll be free." The mentor replied. He was a sturdily built-middle aged man with dark brown eyes and a friendly smile. For some it may be hard to believe that Lucifer V. Crane was a hard boiled maniac who tortured each of his victims before killing them in his games.

Coriolanus throughly enjoyed watching each video of the previous games, and taking in every second of it.

"So, what's your favorite weapon?" Jessimiane's sweet voice broke into Coriolanus' thoughts abruptly, causing him to halt and stare at her as if she'd just insulted him deeply. That smile crept its way back to his cheeks, spreading to his ears, and he replied; "The axes. I like guns." Jess nodded slowly, and continued to walk.

"Well?" She asked after a moment. Coriolanus ignored her, imagining an ax slicing through her neck at full speed, and those precious liquids would spill from her soul and into his hands.

"Aren't you gonna ask me my favorite?" Jess persisted. Coriolanus tossed a glance her way, but ignored her again as he pulled the handle of the big doors separating them from the death tools.

"Ok... Mine's either a knife or spear. Or both could work really. So, do you have an alliance?" Jess asked persistently. Coriolanus kept walking, grinning as the axes came into view. But he really wished they had some guns.

"No." He monotoned, picking up his pace to jog over to the weapons. "Do you want one? Or do you just want to go into the arena alone?" Jess asked again.

Coriolanus reached the ax stand and picked one up, sliding his hands across the smooth chrome handle. The sharp wedge seemed to sparkle in the light, almost begging him to stab someone with it.

Their mentor walked off and sat on a couch comfortably. "Well, get started. I'll coach you as you go along." He called out.

Jess turned back to Coriolanus, curiously studying his movements as he swung the ax around. Suddenly he whirled around to face her, swinging the ax as if to chop off her head but stopping mere inches from her. She was gasping and breathing heavily, but she didn't dare move.

"You asked a question?" Coriolanus asked, tilting his head to make his smile seem to stretch wider.

Jess gulped, and stared at the blade in utter fear. But then again, she really had nothing left to live for. That's why she didn't care that she went in really.

"Yes." She muttered, pressing her eyes closed so she didn't feel threatened. In all honesty, Jessimiane was the only one who didn't get that supernatural fear when around him. Coriolanus lowered his ax, and turned around swiftly.

Jess let out a sigh of relief, she gave her mentor a quick thumbs up and waited behind her partner.

"I don't have an alliance. Nobody wants me..." For once in this entire week Jess was the first to get a glimpse of Coriolanus' normal side. Or, as normal as he could be. And she felt sorry for him.

He hung his head and swung the ax without a thought.

"They're all scared of me. Nobody wants me...." He trailed off, the eeriness left his voice and he sounded just like any other fourteen year old boy. But that moment quickly vanished, leaving Jess more curious to his normal side than she should've been.

"But they're right to fear me, so what does it matter?" His voice returned to creepy, and his smile stretched on his cheeks. Jess smiled a little, picking up a spear from its stand.

"They don't like me either. I'm weird." She said, throwing the spear and landing a perfect hit. Coriolanus laughed and threw his ax carelessly, landing it perfectly on the target beside Jessimiane's spear. They both laughed and then Jess went to the knives station.

The minutes ticked by, Coriolanus stuck to ax throwing, landing perfect hits every time, and their mentor coached Jess for about an hour or so. Coriolanus was next, but he would take no coaching from him. He'd already had experience in killing people... And what's more, Lucifer was afraid of Coriolanus, so didn't bother forcing himself on the boy.

Finally their time was coming to an end, and the mentor asked them to pack things up. Coriolanus didn't want to leave, and wouldn't listen to Lucifer. "Come on Corio!" He called out.

"Don't call me that!" Coriolanus raged, throwing his ax at Lucifer. Lucifer dodged, and the ax spun past at an alarming speed, sticking in the wall behind him. Lucifer looked up in complete fear, Coriolanus' silver eyes looked clouded with anger. Lucifer gave up trying to make him leave, and told Jess he was going for some guards.

"No wait!" She called after him, looking to Coriolanus. "I can help him." She whispered. Lucifer scoffed in mock, but let her try just in case.

"Coriolanus? Um, we need to go. But we get to come back tomorrow, and maybe you can show me how to use the axes?" She asked with a simple smile. Coriolanus cocked his head eerily, and walked straight up to her. Jess held her ground, although fear gripped her hard. Coriolanus came mere inches from her face, studying her as if she were his prey.

It was then he noticed her different colored eyes, and he liked it. One was sky blue, and the other blood red. He liked blood.

"What do you say?" Jess asked nervously, as he didn't move away. Suddenly Coriolanus was gripping her shoulders, and pulled her in forcefully, crashing their lips together. Nothing the least bit romantic was going through this boys head, he just thought 'well, she's a girl and I'm a boy. And we're this close, we should probably kiss. '

Jess pulled back quickly, stared for a moment, and then ran away. Coriolanus just shrugged and walked on with the mentor.

Hell was so close Coriolanus could almost taste it.