Chapter 18
1145 Words
Gizmo Torrens POV
If you do not seek outallies and helpers, then you will be isolated and weak- Sun Tzu
I couldn't do this on my own. I had strengths, but I also had weaknesses. I needed to find other Tributes whose own strengths and weaknesses mirrored my own. Then we would be indispensible to each other and not prone to treachery. It was the final day before training started, and I examined the other Tributes in the cafeteria.
The Careers were out, of course. Ash and Jynx weren't with them, but our differences in skill were too great. I would be an auxiliary to them, not a partner. In any case, I didn't trust a Career to value an ally's life. My District partner Moddi would be the best choice if I wanted sponsors, but Moddi was unskilled and what skills she did have matched my own.
I scrolled through a mental list of the other Tributes, evaluating each one as I looked around the room. Silver was far too compassionate and she was already engaged in helping Alinta. Neither of them were likely to survive the Bloodbath. Gabriel had the character, but the cold fact was that he was a liability. Byke and Lyra were both obnoxious and I couldn't imagine they had any skill.
I stopped when my eyes landed on Nubu. I could tell he was kindhearted just be seeing how he acted around the other Tributes. When Delilah came near his table with a tray, he moved to make room for her before she even sat down. He smiled at everyone who passed and I knew he was looking for allies. He was an ideal partner in character, and I knew he likely possessed useful skills as well. He came from Twelve, so he would be used to surviving in hard conditions and with little food. He probably knew some things about edible plants or fixing shelters. His natural skills complemented my urban ones, and we were an ideal match.
Nubu Sanders POV
I hardly thought about Gizmo when I was going over possible allies. He seemed so focused and intense I felt like approaching him would be a bother. When he came to me, I thought he was just walking by. I smiled to be polite, but I started when he actually talked to me.
"You're looking for allies," he said. It felt like some sort of test to see if I was worthy of him. All I could do was answer honestly.
"Yeah. How about you?" I asked.
"I'm looking for someone to balance me. I know technology and you seem like you know nature," he said.
"I worked at the trainyards back home, but I know a few things. I have a chipmunk named Chip," I offered. "It's kind of a silly name, but he's cute."
"I think we can help each other. Do you want to ally?" Gizmo asked. He was so blunt and concise it was clear he wasn't hiding anything. He was refreshingly frank after a certain duplicitous soul from my past. I thought about it for a minute. Gizmo was probably wicked smart, since he was from Three. I could learn a lot from him.
"All right. It's a deal," I said. We shook hands.
"I think we should get one more person. Three is a strong number," Gizmo said.
"I was about to ask Zetan before you came," I said. Gizmo wrinkled his nose.
"He's a thug," he said.
"You don't even know him. Maybe that's why he's so standoffish," I said.
"Just look at the way his partner looks at him," Gizmo said.
"Maybe she's wrong," I said. It's not nice to judge people before you know them, and people aren't as simple as they look. "If you're the smart one and I'm the nature one, we need a strong one. Zetan's strong. And if you're right about him, he's not smart enough to give you any trouble."
I could see the calculations running through Gizmo's head, and it was a little unnerving. I got the feeling he could probably build a gun out of a rock or something.
"All right. Let's see what he says."
Zetan Thompson POV
"What are you grinning about?" I asked when Nubu came toward me. I regretted it as soon as it came out. Nubu was always nice and polite to everyone. He wouldn't have known about my reputation at home, and I might have actually made a friend. But not anymore.
"Nothing, I guess," he said. But he didn't stop, and it was contagious. I hoped he lasted a long time in the Games. He was just a nice guy.
"You look like you're pretty strong," he continued. Most people in Seven were. We worked hard in the lumberyards and forests.
"Yeah," I said. Did he think I was a dumb jock? I tensed for a fight in case his next words were an insult.
"I just allied with Gizmo. He knows about technology and I'm going to learn about plants. But we're both wimpy, so we're looking for someone strong like you. Can you help us out?" he asked. I couldn't believe what I'd heard. I did want an ally, desperately. I was more scared than I could ever admit and I didn't want to go into the Games alone. I just didn't think anyone would have me. People always looked down on me and I'd gotten used to taking what I needed by force. It was surreally disarming to have someone want to be with me.
"You want me as an ally?" I asked suspiciously. It might be a trick. He would wait until I agreed and then laugh and say how stupid I was to fall for it. Everyone would say that I wasn't just a bully, I was a stupid bully.
"Yeah. We'll be stronger together," Nubu said. I decided to take him up on it before he could change his mind.
"All right. But you better not slow me down," I snarled. I put on my toug face while I mentally prayed he wouldn't snarl back and tell me the deal was off. But he just shook my hand and we made plans to meet in training.
I always thought to be strong I had to be alone. I had to take things for myself and never think about others. I'd never thought about being stronger together. Nubu's ideas were strange and new, but I liked them.
I named this one the mind, body, and soul alliance. I think it's obvious which is which.
Just a reminder: Jynx and Ash are both looking for allies even though they're not in the pack. Ash is also interested in a romance, so anyone who wants a romance for their character can let me know. Finally, Austin is also looking for allies.
- Writer
