User blog comment:EpicnezzEmily/177th Hunger Games/@comment-7979962-20130218025757

Name: Volcanic Activity "Vol"

Age: 17

Gender: Male

District: 12

Appearance: Vol has long, dark red hair that reaches his shoulders, so he usually has it tied back in a ponytail that falls down along his back. His skin is nicely tanned and he has deep, mysterious red eyes. He is very fit and muscular, and his legs are strongly built, giving him an advantage when running. He can be considered quite handsome, however he rarely smiles and always wears an emotionless expression.

Personality: Three words can pretty much sum up Vol's personality; dark, intelligent, and violent. He's never had any friends, and he normally prefers to keep to himself. He doesn't show much emotion on the outside, so you never know what exactly is going on in his head. He could be considered a gothic, and is very quiet and mysterious. Some people that know of his history think he is depressed, because he never smiles. Vol is also very smart, though he would rather keep his thoughts to himself rather than sharing them. He is capable of figuring things out on his own and prefers to have a successful education rather than focus mainly on popularity and gossip, and then not have any brains that would help him pass through the Hunger Games. He volunteered for the Hunger Games so that he can rebuild his life. He appears to be strangely calm on his way to the Capitol, and when he kills another tribute, he will do so without mercy, not a single trace of guilt floating within him. He is considered psychotic but really, he is just misunderstood.

Backstory: Vol used to be a normal young boy, however everything changed when bear and wolf mutts were accidentally let lose from the Capitol and trampled over District 12. Everyone was freaking out and screaming, and poor Vol had no idea what the hell was going on. His mother told him to hide so he ducked under his parent's bed, kind of glad that he didn't have to watch the bloodshed from outside of the window. Things started to get quiet after a few hours, and Vol thought everything was at peace, when the air started to get extremely hot. The screaming of the surviving citizens of District 12 once again rose into the air. Vol was concerned and curious, being the little 7 year old that he was, so he climbed out from under the bed and peeked out the window. He almost wished he hadn't. Lava was running in streams throughout the district - there were no volcanoes around, so Vol had no idea where the lava came from. Maybe the Capitol "accidentally" let this lose, too. Vol was angry at them, and he didn't care how young he was. He stepped out of his house and searched for his parents. He saw his mother standing atop a boulder, lava flowing around her. Vol called out to her, asking if she was okay. The moment she turned her head to look at him, a wolf mutt jumped up into the air and tackled her. They both fell into the lava and melted through the burning hot surface within seconds. Vol started crying and screaming his head off. Aside from just watching his mother's dead, a bear mutt was coming towards him, it's lips drawn back in a menacing snarl. It all happened so fast; the mutt leaped at Vol, and at that very moment, his father blocked the animal's path and tackled it. The bear mutt started tearing at his father's skin with it's razor sharp claws, while Vol's dad stabbed at it's eyes with a dagger. Eventually, both fell over limp - limp, and dead. Vol passed out just about then. When he awoke, he was laying in a white hospital bed. His aunt, Kristina, the sister of his mother, was holding his hand and cried out with delight when he awoke. Vol had hit his head hard on the boulder his mother had been standing on. He remembered the outbreak of the mutts and the lava, however he had forgotten his own name and birthdate. Kristina told him that his name was Xander, but with everything that happened to him, Vol felt like that didn't fit. He went to the mayor when he was fit to leave the hospital, and asked him if he could have his name changed. It took about an hour of convincing, but the mayor finally gave in, and asked "Xander" what he wanted his new name to be. "Volcanic Activity" is what Vol chose, to remind him of his terrible past, how his parents died, and how their deaths are going to make him a stronger person. Two years later, Kristina passed away in her sleep and Vol was forced to be taken into a foster home. Some of the other kids knew about his past and often tried to comfort him, but he would normally either ignore them or send a glare their way, which would scare them off. He was very intimidating in the foster home, and a lot of kids feared him. When his back was turned, they whispered to each other, saying that he was a psychotic freak. He could hear them clearly, but he didn't say anything. When he attended his sixth reaping, he volunteered, so that he could try to win; and if he came back, he could rebuild his life.

Weapons: Vol has the knowledge of how to use daggers in his blood, since his father would often use that weapon and it is what he used to kill the bear that tried to attack him. While training at the Capitol, he learns how to use a sword and proves to be quite prominent with it.

Strengths: Vol is smart, clever, and cunning. He knows how to slip by without be heard or seen. He's great at recognizing plants, and he's fast and physically strong. He's also a great climber, and although he isn't much of a painter, he can keep himself well hidden without using camouflage.

Weaknesses: Vol cannot swim, since he is from District 12 and has lived mainly in the foster home all his life (since he was 10) which means he's been unable to sneak out into the forest and swim in the lake like Katniss did. This also means he's never learned how to hunt and is not good at making allies.

Fears: Vol is afraid of bears, due to watching one maul his father when he was younger.

Interview Angle: Vol will be mysterious and quiet, as well as determined and intimidating. He will also seem a bit rebellious and leave an impression on the other tributes, one that says, "You mess with me, and you die."

Bloodbath Strategy: Vol will do the simplest thing there is to do; grab the nearest pack and/or weapon, and run. If someone happens to make the mistake of attacking him, he will wrap his hands around their throat so that they will either choke or he can snap their necks. If they injure him from afar, he will throw a dagger at them or turn and run up to them, sword in hand, and slash them across the chest, stomach, or back with whatever blade he is equipped with. He will then continue to run as fast as he can, and he will not stop running until the Cornucopia is just a golden speck in the distance.

Alliance: Nobody. Vol thinks allies will get in the way and distract him, plus he is not exactly good at "making friends" and would prove to be very untrustworthy. He will remain as a loner unless someone convinces him enough to join their alliance, but even then he will be unsure.