Are we lobbing hand grenades kiddo? No I don't think we are.

[justoutrunyou]

Who: Sandy and Open To All.
What: Training to become a Jill-of-all-trades 
Where: The Training Center
When: A week or so after the Mini-arena

And so it had ended...with somewhat of a bang and crash followed by some wheezing and whimpering. Sandy Marko had died exactly as planned.

She'd tried her best as she always did, and she took some amount of pride in that. No matter what the Capitol threw at her when the arena came she always went down swinging even if the mistakes she made were stupid ones.

And so her routine returned to normal. Wake up, eat breakfast,  catch up on whatever news might actually effect her (Which really removed a large portion of what the Capitol called "News") and hit the training hall before lunch.

In her usual training center jump suit she warmed up with a few laps on a treadmill before picking a table at random to either learn a new skill or brush up on an old one. 

Given her size she knew that most of the time if she got into a fight she wouldn't have the luxury of making mistakes. It wasn't impossible for her to win (there was evidence of that as much as it gave her nightmares) But it was difficult enough she needed to have as many tools at her disposal as possible.
 

Comments

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy was here (big surprise there) but there seemed to be something distant here, as if she were going through the motions. She'd always had a fierceness in her face, a determination that her body would be pushed to the limits but she would brave them with no hesitation. She was usually focused, intent on her goal.

Now, she was just working out. Seeing Sandy was here, Mindy made sure she didn't infringe on the girl's time. She had enough to worry about, and the latest loss had been revolting enough that she would have understood if she wanted to be alone for a little while. She gave the girl wide enough berth.

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy appreciated the space, honestly she'd have been irritated if Mindy was the first person to come talk to her because it seemed like she and Mindy never did get along the way Mindy hoped. They kept crashing at one another like they were supposed to be friends but all that ever happened was they shouted at one another till they were exhausted.

That wasn't friendship right?

Still she kept an eye on Mindy, something didn't feel right about her today. Something seemed like it was missing. Had living the Capitol life finally taken it's toll on her? Was she just depressed to the point of barely caring?

Slowing her own task (Which at the moment was knot tieing) Sandy watched Mindy and tried to suss out just what was so off about her today.

Of course she could just go up and ask but that would be silly.

[hit_girl_mindy]

It seemed almost a long time ago that she was trying to appeal to Sandy. She liked the girl even though every time they talked to each other something would happen that would get them at each others throats, but she was always a good enough kid. The last fight had felt like it strangled their relationship a bit, but after recent events, it seemed like a blip in her radar.

After all, Sandy had Pruna back. A part of her, she knew, envied her. She knew how important Pruna was to Sandy: it was good that she helped anchor the girl. Despite that, Mindy had to see her friends get smaller and smaller, to the point now that she wondered how many were even left anymore. If she made new ones, would the Capitol just take them away to mock her?

She hit the punching bag, but even here, where she could let loose with her aggression, she only felt a little vindictive. They'd squeezed a little of her fight out of her, and this knowledge was repulsive enough.

[justoutrunyou]

A year ago Sandy would have never noticed the lack of passion in Mindy's punches...but alot had happened in the last year and her eyes had become sharper and more critical of peoples movement.

She struggled internally for a few minutes as her brain shouted at her to simply leave the area before she was dragged back into Mindy's spiral of bullshit. But her heart ached for someone who she honestly thought meant well no matter how many times they failed.

Opting for some comfortable middle ground between friend and acquaintance, She picked up a wooden practice knife and threw it at Mindy from behind.

[hit_girl_mindy]

They could have continued their whole training sessions in silence, considering the distance between them, but Sandy took that moment to close that now. Mindy didn't stop to think: she felt the movement behind her and struck her arm out quick, deflecting the wooden knife and it fell harmlessly to the ground, only scratching Mindy a little bit. She turned around, trying to look annoyed but failing, a small smile threatening to poke through her gloom.

"OK, you have my attention," she said, raising an eyebrow. "And since you had mine too...you look good. Better even."

[justoutrunyou]

"Yeah well, I think i'd have to try pretty to hard to look worse." She joked bitterly.

"You looked like maybe you were distracted so I wanted to see just how distracted you were." She added gesturing to the practice blade.

[hit_girl_mindy]

"You could ALWAYS look worse," Mindy said with a chuckle. "Hell, you don't even have to try too hard, if you think about it."

She looked down at the blade. "If I were less distracted I would have caught the thing. My mood's been in the shitter lately, so it makes my enthusiasm take a nosedive. A shame, I was going for the 'comfortable aloof' look, but I guess I just look emo instead."

[justoutrunyou]

That was almost a compliment! Clearly being in a foul mood hadn't changed her desire to be friendly with Sandy.

"Yeah well you think too much that's your problem." Seemed like they were always pointing out each others flaws. "People who think aren't as happy in the Capitol as the bubble heads."

So it wasn't really being critical, in a way it too was almost a compliment.

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Can't help it," Mindy said, shaking her head, running a hand over her hair. "You know the Capitol: when they do something, they really do it. With all the bullshit they've pulled, I was sure they couldn't get to me again. I thought I was ready. They pulled another fast one."

She sighed. "It's fucking annoying too. You try to focus on something and they go and screw up your concentration. Like I need new problems."

[justoutrunyou]

"Well at least you aren't expected to fight each day." Sandy pointed out with only the most basic of optimism.

Daring to move closer and deciding clearly Mindy needed some support she gave the girl a pat on the shoulder.

"You're still standing. With everything you've gone through that's pretty tough."

They'd all been through their fair share of hell. They were just dealing with it in different ways. Sandy had the impending doom of an arena and a support system of different people to help pick her up. But who did Mindy have?

Sandy wasn't entirely sure anymore.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy turned to Sandy. "Well, no one has to...on the outside, anyway."

Cryptic, but leaning on the obvious side, really. The pat on the shoulder amused her, but not in a cruel way. It was something she would have done, were their places reversed.

"Priding myself on being an emotionless robot isn't helping," she said, with no small amount of self reflection. Sure, she could deal with it. Yes, she would call herself a pussy for not getting up and shrugging it off. In the end though, it felt hollow, and try as she might she couldn't wrap her head around forgetting.

"I know I'll be fine, in time. Told myself that when they took people I knew before. It hurt. I guess...this one hit really close to home in a way that fucked me up."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy nodded in understanding "Every time you think you've hit rock bottom they yank the rug out from under you." She acknowledged. "But you're not a very good emotionless robot unless you're you know...stabbing things. I've seen how you are out here and you get plenty riled up. You just don't have anything to do with all that energy." She paused and added "Nothing productive anyway. Training doesn't count."

Because she would have been training anyway.

"I dunno how to help you...but at least you know you're not totally alone."

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Tell me something I don't know," Mindy sighed, shaking her head. "Ever since I came back, its been the same thing. I know I ought to be happy enough I don't have to go back to killing people and everything, but you still have to find some kind of enjoyment in the Capitol, right? I don't have the right distraction right now."

And truth be told, she could use some more kids days. She needed them.

"I feel like this'd be something I would tell you," she said, "and I have a feeling it'd probably have the same result too."

[a_minute_younger]

It's on the treadmills that Gary finds Sandy. He was planning on running a few laps himself--'planning' being used in the loosest sense, as in, 'he was taking a walk around the building and thought it might be a fun idea'--so talking to Sandy while he's here does not strike him as too inconvenient. Uncomfortable, perhaps, but not so much that it must be avoided.

Gary takes up the treadmill next to her with a hopeful smile. "Hey there!" he chuckles nervously. "Keeping busy?"

See? Friendly! They can be friends. Nothing wrong here at all.

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy doesn't lose her stride but she turns her head enough to look down at him from the machine as the belt whirs under her. She's very swift as one could expect from her size.

"What do you want jerk?" She greeted him with disdain in her voice. Clearly she wasn't as optimistic about this meeting as he was.

[a_minute_younger]

Conversely, Gary's bulky frame would not suggest someone terribly fast or agile, but he wastes no time in putting the treadmill to a high setting and he easily settles into rhythm with it. It should also be noted that Sandy's venom does not discourage him--just makes him flinch a little bit. Gary is not so oblivious that he can just shake off someone he knows he's done wrong by.

"Well I wanted to see how you were doing," he says, working his way blindly forward into the apology that he hasn't planned, "after I--you know--kicked you in the back and everything."

His eyes flicker towards the treadmill display in favor of looking Sandy in the face.

[justoutrunyou]

She could hardly believe this. It wasn't the first time someone she was furious at had come to apologize to her (Usually it was Mindy) But it never ceased to amaze her how some people could be so utterly blind to their actions.

"Didn't you hear all the talk they were doing before about how whoever killed me got a huge bonus? Don't you think that MIGHT have clued you in that it was a bad idea to trip me if you didn't really want to kill me?"

She was running faster now, running angry. Every foot step was pounding the platform like she was trying to stomp the treadmill into submission.

[a_minute_younger]

Gary shrugs helplessly. "But I--I wasn't going to kill you!" He is vaguely aware of how not helpful this excuse is, but spewing out more of them is just about the only thing he is capable of doing right now. Perhaps his nervous laughter will help put Sandy at ease? Maybe? No? "It was just a joke! You know, the sign, it's--it's a prank thing! It's a...well it seemed funny at the time! And you got up and you were fine, so...no harm done! Right?"

That hopeful grin Gary gives her probably isn't helping, either.

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy made a noise of disgust and gestured for one of the attendants to bring her a water bottle. When he started to open it however she shook her hand to stop him and took the sealed bottle promptly throwing it at Gary's head. All while never breaking stride.

"This isn't a game you idiot!" She snapped and then grumbled "Well I guess it is but it's a twisted messed up game where people die and sometimes they don't come back. And last time I was sure I wasn't gonna come back because the Capitol pretty clearly wanted me to get killed."

She felt like this was a wasted effort but her anger wouldn't let her just ignore him either.

[a_minute_younger]

Humor probably isn't the best response to such aggression, but Gary doesn't really know how else to react to getting a bottle of water to the face. He lets out a bark of laughter and uselessly throws up his arms to block the water splash, nearly falling off the treadmill in the process. Thankfully he thinks better of throwing the water bottle of someone else in playful retaliation. Gary isn't quite that oblivious.

"Alright! Alright, I give," he chuckles. He...really shouldn't be smiling. But actually addressing the problem seriously would be awkward. It's much easier for Gary to keep trying to laugh it off. "It was a dick thing for me to do. I'm sorry."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy was silent for a few minutes as she tried to decide if he was really sorry or not. All the laughter and smiles did not incline her to believe him.

"What is your deal anyway? Haven't you been here long enough to get the picture?" She finally asked slowing her treadmills pace to be more conversational without running out of breath.

"Just what do you think we're dealing with here?"

[a_minute_younger]

The minutes of silence are the most uncomfortable part. Gary does not like being left to stew in his own juices, especially not when someone who clearly doesn't like him is standing right there, just within earshot and quietly judging him. The anticipation is palpable. Gary hums to distract himself. It doesn't work.

Okay, he's starting to feel bad now.

"Ah, how the hell should I know?" Gary moans, slumping against the front of the treadmill. "Everyone's so angry all the time about being here and I just wanted to have a little fun, and maybe I went about it the wrong way."

[justoutrunyou]

"You picked the wrong person to try to have fun with." Sandy agreed. Her version of fun had nothing to do with the arena.

"There are people who have fun in the arena. Those people are crazy and extremely dangerous." In her experience they were even worse then some of the monsters in the arena.

"That arena wasn't about me having fun. It was about the Capitol teaching me a lesson by telling everyone to pile on me. And thankfully I have enough friends I don't feel like everyone hates me."

At least most of the time she didn't feel that way.

[a_minute_younger]

Finding that he has no argument to make about psychopaths enjoying a game where they can murder people, Gary goes for the next best thing. "I don't hate you," he offers with a hopeful smile.

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy groaned in a decent reflection of Gary's earlier moan and buries her face in her hands keeping a steady pace.

"You're absolutely hopeless." she declared before her hands fell to her sides.

"I'll let you off the hook this time because you lost too and I think you're learned your lesson." She felt so weird talking to someone older then her like this. Like she was the adult here.

"Don't make me hate you later." She added.