Katniss Everdeen

Photo courtesy RohanElf

Advantages

Survived two Hunger Games - nearly impossible
Skilled archer
Can track and move silently
Resourceful
She's a survivor


Disadvantages

A bit oblivious to people and feelings
Doesn't know who to trust

Eugenides

Photo courtesy Greenwillow Books

Advantages

He's Eugenides
Very smart, can do far more than he ever lets on
Expert sword fighter
Has the support and communication of the gods
Doesn't reveal his secrets


Disadvantages

Short tempered
Has only one hand
Really doesn't like killing people

How we think the fight might go...







Katniss pulled back on her bow, keeping him in her sight.

“Don’t move,” she called out.

“Does that include breathing?” Eugenides asked, walking closer. He didn't act like a threat, but that is what made her all the more wary. His hands were in his pockets, but too close to his sword.

“I will shoot you,” she said.

“No, I don’t think you will. You would have already.”

Katniss tilted her bow down and shot at his feet. The arrow stuck out of the ground, just before his boot. See if you know anything about me, she thought. Eugenides glanced up at her.

“So I see you don’t make pleasantries often.” In response, Katniss only pulled her bow tighter, the next arrow already knocked. Eugenides smiled.

“Can we talk this over? I’d rather not fight you at all, actually. I’m sure Costis wouldn’t mind, and he could use the practice, frankly.” He pulled his sword out with his right hand and raised it, holding it awkwardly. She didn’t want him anywhere near any weapon, so she did the next logical thing. She shot his hand.

The sword spun awkwardly and clunked to the ground. But instead of screaming as she had seen tributes in the arena do, he just stared at it, turning his hand back and forth with an interested eye.

“Well that’s not going to go over well. I only have two more of these,” he said. And with his left hand, he took off his right. Her bow hand went slack. He walked the last few feet to her, explaining.

“Cosmetic hand. They’ve been playing with different compounds for it. Luckily they’ve managed to keep my hook inside in case I ever need it. Quite useful, really. But I don’t think the wax takes too kindly to arrows.” He shook his hand like he was getting dust out of it. Bits of his fake hand crumbled to the ground.

“Are we going to fight?”

“Do we have to?” he whined.

“Someone has to lose,” she said, putting her hand around the knife she used for skinning the animals she hunted.

“Yes, I suppose so,” he said. His voice held real sadness. But she didn’t hesitate. Life had taught her not to. She threw the knife. It struck true.

 

Predicted winner: Katniss

 



…Or is it?




 

Here’s how we ALSO think the battle might go…




“Someone has to lose,” she said, grabbing for the knife she used for skinning the animals she hunted.

“Yes, I suppose so,” he said.  His voice held real sadness. But she didn’t hesitate. Life had taught her not to. But... there was nothing there. She reached farther in her pocket. The sheath was empty. More than that, it wasn’t there.

“Crumbling bits of hand are a great distraction, aren’t they?” he said, his voice hiding laughter. “I think you’ll find your arrows are also missing.” Her hand shot over her shoulder. Her quiver was gone. From behind his back, with his single hand, he pulled both her knife and her quiver of arrows. The strap had been cut—with her own knife.

“If I couldn’t live up to my own god’s name, who stole lightning from the sky god, I wouldn’t be much of a thief, now would I?” Katniss stared at him. He smiled and lowered his head in a little bow.

“Eugenides, thief, among other things, at your service,” he said.




Predicted winner: Eugenides.

 

 

 

That’s how it could have happened. But here’s how it REALLY happened…

Katniss Everdeen is from Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games trilogy and Eugenides is from Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series

(exactly at 9:00 PM)

(when I got to it at 9:45(ish)).

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