It's a long one!
If you got low scores in the judging, then I'm sorry. Some people had to get them and I mostly used people who haven't been focused on in the story yet for that. Your chances of winning don't decrease; and for the person who got a 1, you're using it to your advantage!
Chapter 6
The JudgingUsopp and Ianiant walk towards their final training station. They formed an unlikely alliance two weeks ago, but quickly found out that their love of jokes and their similar strengths made them a perfect duo.
They just had to learn how to hunt animals before tomorrow; they'd be judged then, and their scores would be broadcasted publically. Higher scores meant that more people would send you supply drops during the Hunger Games, and more contestants would fear you.
It's going to be tough leaving this beautiful training valley."The Údnei are going to win this! We have our High Priestess, Roshani, and Joe. They're all amazing!", Ianiant excitedly tells Usopp.
"Batari seems-"
"Her title is High Priestess Batari", Ianiant reminds Usopp.
"Yeah, yeah. The High Priestess is great with a bow. But Joe's got a limp. And Roshani was sick, remember? Guy seems angry at everyone now", Usopp points out.
"Good point, everyone who doesn't know him well thinks he's a weakling now. Mark my words, though, they'll regret underestimating him after the judging. I saw him at the Orolympics before, and he won gold medals for wrestling everytime", Ianiant tells Usopp.
Usopp is impressed. "Maybe we should get into an alliance with him".
Ianiant agrees. "By the way, Usopp...why do you think we call them the Orolympics?".
The next day, Jayma smirks at Volt as she walks out of the judging den.
"You must have done well!", Volt exclaims.
"Shock was plastered on their faces. I had perfect aim on all of the animal decoys. I shot an arrow at their food when I was done", Jayma tells him.
Volt loves this. "Such a rebel. Wish me luck!".
Jayma recognised one of the judges; he was her sole judge when she was in the 33rd Hunger Games. He called her weak at the time. Now he looks frail, and Jayma can still kill a bear with one spear through the heart. Serves him right!
Jayma wonders how Robin will do. She snuck up on her and Volt without them noticing...that's something special.
Jayma recommended her to try to show off her camouflaging skills. She's certain that if Robin did that, she would do well.
Isabelle kicks the incoming decoy in the stomach, before cracking its 'ribs'. She throws it into the other two decoys that are after her, and snaps the neck of one while it's stunned.
The final decoy trips her, but Isabelle grabs its feet before it can cause her to lose the simulation.
Before Isabelle can go on, her time is up.
She almost got past the third round in her allotted time; that's great! The judges seem impressed. Good thing her martial arts and physical combat training paid off. Others may be using weaponry, but it's tough to find it at the start of the Games; best to run away, pick people off, and then steal their equipment.
Isabelle is having a difficult time outside of her training, though. She's barely talked to anyone except Faiz and Cosmo from Gwarashnar, and that's making her feel lonely. If you spend a lot of time with allies, then you can't train as much. It's tough.
Soon Isabelle is going to have to kill some of her fellow contestants.
The Hunger Games are cruel.
I really didn't mean to freak out Zetsu's Suxnei friends, the girl looked so frightened by my ear necklace. They just don't hear the screams, but I don't blame them. It's tough to hear them when you're in a cave like this.
"Contestant Sayla; you're up".
I didn't earn the title of master gatherer of the Gwarashnar for nothing! Time to show off all that I know. It may not earn me as much of a score as if I did flawless combat, but I can't.
"I will be doing the gathering simulation!", I yell.
Oops! The judges are staring at my necklace, for some reason. I guess I had to wait before speaking.
The simulation starts, and I quickly find all of the edible foods. Wild almonds are best left alone; acorns are poisonous; honeysuckle is delicious; mulberries are great. All those years in the wild paid off, even if it was a punishment. I regret-
No! I have to forget that.
Well, the judges are clearly shocked. Score one for Sayla! I really have to calm down now before I break into a dance. Time to meditate for a bit once I leave...I wonder how I did!
Unfortunately for Sayla, the moment she came back to the main cave complex she broke into a dance!
"...the contestants are scored out of 10", exclaims Mystic Phiri, the official Voice of the Games from the radio. "Their chosen simulation is also listed. Starting from the top, here are the results of the 74th Hunger Games contestants' judging! But first, an advertisement for Gwaraberries!"
"...really? Why would they interrupt us with an advertisement!", Leia groans. "We're lucky that we even have a connection, since this stone dome for a houses isn't helping. The Údnei are staying in a longhouse. Why is that?"
"Have you ever been to Tushwarha?", Abu points out. "The oldest building that we Suxnei ever built was a stone dome, and the native groups' living quarters are all traditional buildings. A longhouse for the Údnei, a stone dome for us...".
The stone dome house of the Suxnei."...animal skin huts for the Gwarashnar, and a wooden fort for the Charngashnar. Good memory, Abu!", Hobbes booms.
"That's interesting!", Faith says. Leia agrees.
"Well, we better be quiet", Robin tells the group. "Someone wake Kanga before the ads finish!".
The Suxnei contestants crowd around the radio, including Kanga. 10 is flawless; 5 is alright; 1 is mortifying.
Mystic Phiri's voice returns.
"Jayma - Hunting, 10.
Batari - Fire, 8.
Roshani - Combat, 8.
Volt - Hunting, 8.
Cosmo - Combat, 7.
Hobbes - Survival, 7.
Isabelle - Combat, 7.
Sayla - Gathering, 7.
Abu - Gathering, 6.
Kenny - Fire, 6.
Leia - Survival, 6.
Zetsu - Combat, 6.
Kanga - Gathering, 5.
Robin - Camouflage, 5.
Joe - Camouflage, 5.
Ay-Chao - Gathering, 4.
Faith - Combat, 4.
Ianiant - Survival, 4.
Usopp - Hunting, 4.
Alondra - Shelter, 3.
Faiz - Gathering, 3.
Kowhai - Electricity, 3.
Sayori - Shelter, 3.
Sophia - Meditation, 1.
Remember that YOU, people of Oros, get to choose the professions that we will refer to all of our contestants as! We'll find them out after the fashion show!", she finishes off, as Robin turns off the radio.
Everyone yells out their opinions in the Suxnei rock dome.
"How did Sophia get a 1? She did amazing!".
"I knew I should've done something other than combat!".
"Let's congratulate Hobbes and Leia for their high scores!".
"Woah, Jayma got a 10! How?".
Hobbes explains to the group exactly how the judging works. "Sophia got a 1 because, for some reason, she chose meditation as her simulation skill in the judging. If you show off shelter or gathering, your scores will be much lower than if you chose hunting or combat, assuming your skill level is the same in all of them. Normally, you could only get a 10 if you do all five rounds of the combat simulation flawlessly, but obviously Jayma went above and beyond. She is a master huntress!".
"That makes sense, but how do you know this, Hobbes? I've read a lot about the Hunger Games and I've never come across this", Abu points out.
"Oh, just something I saw once...well, congratulations Leia! You got a great score", Hobbes says.
"You did too, Hobbes!", Faith reminds him.
"It's been nice to be together. Let's make some traditional food! Suxnei can win this again!", Kanga yells.
The night was festive for all of the groups! But, though it was unspoken, everyone wondered why did Sophia choose to present meditation, knowing it would get her a terrible score...and a lot of the people who did slightly above average swore to bring Jayma and Volt down.
