User blog:Panthermic/Old Wounds: The 78th Hunger Games

Official Wikia: Panthersprivate Wiki 

Hello, and welcome to my Hunger Games. Enter your tributes, and see if they have what it takes to survive the ultimate battle royale. May the odds be ever in your favor!

Introduction
The previous games, the 77th Hunger Games, had just ended, a victor being alive at the end of the games unlike it's predecessor. The controversial Naida Bank of District 12 won, and with her victory came out to the public her very rebellious ideas.

It has been a year since then, and despite Naida's anti-games propaganda, the annual tradition will continue for it's third year. Who can win, and who won't survive?

Tribute List
Just like the original games, there will be 2 tributes from districts 1-12, one male, one female, for a total of 24 tributes.

The Capitol, Panem - August 2nd, 147 AD - 11:09 AM EST
''The smell of smoke fills the airs, burning my lungs as I inhale. In front of me was my house, up in flames. I'd just return from my fishing trip, as I began to run towards the flames.''

''I dig through the rubble, already knowing the worst. There lie the bodies of my mom, stepfather, and sister, charred and burnt. ''

''My eyes begin to water from the smoke and grief, when I spot someone moving from the outside. Long necked, tall and lanky, staring at me with a terrifying glare...''

I sit up quickly, feeling around in the darkness for the light switch. I lie in my compartment on one of the capitol's bullet trains, in route to District 3 to give my speech during the victory tour.

"Ms. Bank, if you will." a stout peacekeeper asks me, opening the door. I follow the man through the train, realizing we had arrived at our destination.

While this part of Panem was often cool most of the year, the heat of August couldn't be escaped even here.

I'm escorted through the urban streets of District 3, it's technology being displayed proudly. I was in amazement, having only seen such technology in my limited stay in the Capitol.

"Your victor of the 77th Hunger Games, Naida Bank."

I walk up on stage, the mayor welcoming me into the district. In front of me is a massive crowd, the previous year's tributes being displayed on two massive screens in the back of the square.

I knew Lucia, the 3 female, as she was an ally and friend of mine. Her district partner on the other hand, I'd never met before, and would probably have to make something up about him.

"Thank you." I tell the mayor, as I step up to the stage.

I had been given some cards by my escort to assist me in speaking in front of a large crowd, and I planned fully on using those to my best ability.

"Your tributes... were truely special. They were strong, able fighters who I had the honor of knowing." I begin, remembering the President's words a few days back.

''Any sign of rebellion, any attempt to spark a revolution... and everything you have left will be taken. Mark my words Naida, I do not tolerate rebels.''

I push these negative thoughts to the back of my head, as I continue my speech.

"I barely knew your boy tribute... but I did know Lucia. She was an ally of mine who overcame fear to accomplish a goal. I had the honor of fighting alongside her until her tragic death."

The memories keep flooding back, as I remember each of my allies. Lucia, Denshi, Cora, Hamaji... all of them had deaths they didn't deserve.

Throwing the cards away, I begin to speak from my own mind. I didn't care what Falcon did to me at this point, I wanted to get my point across.

"Just like everyone else in those games. They didn't deserve to be thrown in there and die! They were just kids, with full lives ahead of them!"

My yelling has sparked some major interest for sure, as I feel someone begin to tug on my body. I turn to see the right hand man of Falcon, and instantly know him from somewhere.

This was the very man who had led the raid that killed my family.

"Straight to the train. You've said enough." I am forced from the stage, looking back at the crowd. None of them dared move, and I knew they were too scared at this moment to do anything.

But soon, very soon, people would begin to get the courage to fight for what's right.

District 7, Panem - July 8th, 148 AD - 1:15 PM CST
I've been up hours before the reaping, ready for the annual event that threw tributes like us into the games.

Last year was horrible, as both the tributes from our district were twelve years old. I knew I couldn't have been the only one guilty for not volunteering, as I remembered both of them dying brutally in the bloodbath.

"Well, here we go again." I tell myself, as I am all dressed up for the reaping. Honestly, I didn't care much about my looks, but my mother sure did. Image was everything at the reaping.

This would be third reaping, since the games were just restarted when I was 12. I wasn't reaped then, and I probably wasn't going to be reaped now.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome welcome welcome to the reapings for the 78th Hunger Games!" the escort shouts, his personality being similar that of an old fashioned sports announcer.

I continue walking with my two brothers, Oliver and Rowan, both being reaping age themselves.

"Nervous?" I ask them, as I could tell both of them were not prepared for the reaping.

"Don't be. I've done this three times now, and none of those times was I reaped. I doubt you will be either."

My words seem to reassure them slightly, as we part ways, them heading to the boy's section and me the girl's.

"Now that everyone is here, we have a new special announcement from our wonderful president himself! Give it up, for Cassius Falcon!" Wait a minute, why was he here? I was standing on my tip toes trying to see over the taller girls in front of me, wondering why the president would show up in person.

I am mistaken though, as it's him on a screen instead. Probably a pre-recorded message to every district.

"Greetings District 7. As you may have known, there has been rumor of a terrorist group seizing children from districts to join their child army."

Hmph. If I didn't know better, I'd have been fooled. But I knew who he was really talking about... the underground resistance.

But of course, I had no verified evidence of such things. It had been all talk for the past year, and nothing to show for it.

Then, the video gets interesting. "Captain Glennon, if you will."

A man is dragged onscreen, being bound and gagged as his eyes stared fearfully into the camera.

"This here is someone who went into a peacekeeping headquarters with stolen firearms and gunned down several of my men."

"Because of his actions, our little one-man rebel here will be punished." The president then nods to his captain, who whips out a pistol and fires a round into the prisoner's head.

Nearly everyone in the district jumps at the sight, and I know the fearmongering of the Capitol was in effect.

"So please. Think of what's at stake before you make rash decisions." With that, the screen clicks off, as our attention is turned back to the reaping.

"Now where were we? Ah, that's right. The girl tribute." The escort announces, as he reaches into a large bowl and pulls out a name.

"Lindell Brocklehurst."

I feel my stomach turn upside down, as I feel like throwing up in the reaping square.

"Ah, there you are. Come on up, you're going to be a star now!" the escort calls to me, as I slowly being to step towards the stage.

When I arrive at the stage, the escort shakes my hand. "Best of luck Lindell." he tells me, as he goes back to the bowl.

He then draws out the male tributes name. "This is going to be a tough one to pronounce... Shin... Shintorro Sauceunee?"

"It's pronounced Shintaro Sosune."

I look to the crowd, to see a shorter, thin boy with brown hair begin to make his way to the stage.

"Okay then Mister Sosune. Welcome to the games." I look to the boy, who I get a cold vibe off of. I didn't know if we'd get along. I hoped I wouldn't be on the other end of his sword in the games.

District 8, Panem - July 8th, 148 AD - 1:15 PM EST
"Up up, you're going to be late." I hear my mother call to me, as I roll out of bed. The reapings were here again, and this time, I had a bad feeling about them.

"You look like a bum, come on now!" My mom says, as I groan. "We're living off scraps, I really can't help that!"

I knew she was stressed, as my dad had left on a business trip recently, and with him any chance we had of getting big money.

"Mom just chill out. Dad will be back, and we will return from the reaping as well. Don't worry." my brother speaks up, managing to calm my mom down.

"Alright... you two just be safe. Don't talk to shady street folk who offer you substances, and don't accept rides from stragners."

"We won't!" I call as I exit the with my brother, both of us heading towards the reaping square.

"Think it will be us this year?" he asks me as we walk, and I don't really want to answer the question. I didn't get any sleep last night because of this day.

"I hope not. I'm really not wanting to get into a fight to the death with twenty three other tributes, who probably are all capable in some way."

"Well, I think your chances are greater than mine. You're older, bigger, stronger... I think you'd have a shot honestly."

My brother's words ease me a little bit, giving me a confidence boost I would definetly need if I were to survive these reapings.

We arrive to the square, the place being packed with tons of people. District 8 was already big, but when you squished it's populace into one area, it gave you a good sense of how massive the district was.

"Lovely day for a reaping. Let's just get this over with." Our sarcastic escort says in a monotone voice. I'd mistook her as a robot my first reaping.

I remembered last years boy tribute and the year before that girl tribute. They were some of the toughest tributes I'd known, and even they didn't win their games.

"Ladies first." the escort begins, reaching into a glass bowl.

"Mary Smith."

No one is able to spot the girl, and it takes me a minute to find out why. She is very short, and nearly every girl near her towers over her. However, despite her height, she looked very good, pretty cute in my opinion.

"Alright, boys up next. You know the drill." the escort goes on, drawing out a male name from the bowl.

"Baker Kelly."

No. Not my brother. I turn to see him swallow hard, as he begin to slowly shuffle towards the stage.

I quickly step out in front, shouting as loud as I can. "I volunteer! I volunteer!"

Immediately, the whole crowd turns my way. It was rare for a volunteer, and I seemed to have been the first in forever.

"What's your name son?" the escort asks me when I arrive on stage.

"Sam Kelly."

"He your brother? Ain't that sweet." the escort yawns, before moving her hands. "Come along now, let's not waste time. We have to be in the capitol by 3."

With that, I didn't know what I was getting into. I just hoped my family wouldn't freak out.

District 11, Panem - July 8th, 148 AD - 1:15 PM CST
I awaken on the day of the reaping, having been up since noon planning on an epic way to make my entrance. Today I was going to volunteer, to bring some spice to the usually bland district 11. They needed it for sure, after the bad reputation we had gotten the past two games for our tributes.

While many of the district admired the two boys for their success and placing high in the games for a tribute of an outer district, they disgusted me.

One was a bully who got what was coming to him, and the other a cowardly traitor who deserved worse than what he received.

Yes, I guess you could say I'm ragging on the other males when I was about to become this year's tribute, but I wasn't going to be like them. That was for sure.

I had it planned. Behind the reaping square there was a ramp they use to slide farmed goods down from the grain bins onto the trucks headed to the Capitol.

There, I would drive my dirt bike up it, and fly over the reaping square, doing a perfect flip in the air and landing right on stage, where I'd announce my volunteer.

I stood outside, as I listened closely to the escort on the megaphone. "Our lovely female tribute is about to be picked!" Now was my time.

I start the engine up on the dirt bike, revving my engine. "Our lovely lady tribute, Sie Yakka" the escort announces, as I slam my foot down on the gas.

I speed up the ramp, and find myself flinging up in the air 30 something feet. I look at the stunned crowd below me, as I begin turning in the air.

I enjoy the thrill, finishing my flip and doing a 10 out of 10 landing on the stage, turning to the stunned crowd and shocked escort.

"Oh my!" the escort shouts, as I turn to the female tribute, who looks... very tomboyish.

"You're under arrest for the interruption of a capitol event." a peacekeeper says trying to handcuff me, but I shove him away.

"That's where you wrong. I, Tetsu Ueno, volunteer as tribute."

The peacekeeper looks confused, but doesn't argue. "Well... there's your tributes. Tits Uno, and Psy Yakka" the escort blabbers, as I give a cocky look to Sayaka.

"Hey there cutie. Liking the pixie cut." I compliment Sayaka, who just shakes her head.

"Dating you is too much of a risk. Go find your typical busty maid, she'll love you." the girl responds curtly, walking away from me.

I make a noise imitating a screeching cat, before I head off to the government building. My parents were going to chastise me so much for my stupid trick, but even they would have to admit...

...that was pretty fucking cool.

The Capitol, Panem - July 9th, 148 AD - 7:10 AM MST
I'm up early to attend this so called training, something that would supposedly help us prepare for the games. I for one knew 3 days of it wouldn't be enough to prepare anyone, as it would take months to prepare for such a dangerous game.

My district partner is up and fiddling with his fingers, trying to release nervous energy. "If you're done, accompany me to training. I hate going places alone." I tell him.

The boy looks at me. "I guess."

The both of us leave, heading towards the elevator. We board it, as I hit the ground floor button, taking us from the tenth down.

The silence of the elevator is awkward enough, when two more tributes enter. I look one up and down, the boy small and very ordinary.

The girl is a little more interesting, as she fidgets with her long dark hair. Her blue eyes stare through me and I know to watch for her, as she was observant enough to see through my guise.

Thankfully, the elevator reaches it's destination, as several tributes are already training, mostly the career tributes and some loners.

My district partner, who I considered as a choice for an ally, immediately ditches me, going off to knife station. Typical idiot.

I was going to be taking these games on alone, and didn't need him anyway. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses, I know it would be best to try and fix my flaws before game time came around.

I never was much of a swimmer, and decide a bit of water could wake me up. I change into the swimming gear they hand out, as I dive into the pool.

Although I struggle a bit, I am relaxed by the water, going under and surfacing several times. When I go to far in the deep end, I eventually tire out a bit, and feel myself slip under.

Sinking, I begin to panic a bit, trying to fight back to the surface. That's when someone lifts me up, and when I open my eyes, I see a girl with black hair so long it covers her face.

She tosses it back, and immediately see recognize her as the girl from 4. "You looked like you needed some help." she says cheerily.

Ah, a nice girl. She would be easily to manipulate, someone I could use. Judging by her body, she was in excellent shape and was no doubt a powerful fighter. I could use someone like her...

"Zoë, we are not here to discuss with other tributes! They'll be our enemies in less than a week! Now get out of that pool and join the others!" I hear a harsh, strong voice yell from above.

I look up to see a large, muscled tribute with upright posture. The boy from 4, who no doubt would be a big threat later on.

"Sorry, I'll see you soon!" Zoë says to me with a smile, leaving me in the pool as her partner takes her away. Damn it, she was a slave to the careers. So much for that plan.

I leave the pool area, wandering if I could find another tribute to put under my wing and get me gain. That's when I spot someone who looks strong enough.

Time to begin my talking.

The Capitol, Panem - July 9th, 148 AD - 7:29 AM MST
Coming into training room, I feel the weight of other's watching me on my back. District 11 was usually the heel district, the one that people rooted against. Thanks for that.

I bump shoulders with the boy from 3 as I walk by, knowing he did that on purpose due to our districts rivalry created by these damn games. I keep walking, afraid of harassment, when in my haste, I bump into another girl.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I say, bending over to pick up the items she'd dropped.

"No, don't worry about it, I wasn't looking where I was going either."

When I look up, I see a girl about my size, with long, wavy blonde hair, and a pair of hazel eyes that seem calming to look at.

"What was your hurry though, if I may ask?"

"Well, I didn't like the way the tributes from 3 were acting, one of them even bumped me. I started to hurry to get further away from them, and ended up bumping into you."

The girl looks over at the three pair with a disapproving stare. "They shouldn't be mean to you just because of your district. It's not right at all."

I nod my head, before the girl looks back at me. "I'm Lindell by the way."

"Sayaka." I reply, shaking the girl's hand. I needed an ally, and the warm-hearted Lindell would be a perfect fit for me.

"Say, you wouldn't care to join me an alliance, would you?" I offer, the question not surprising Lindell in the slightest.

"Why yes, I would love to!" she replies, and soon, I feel relieved to have an ally.

I look over at the careers, pointing them out to Lindell. They have 7 total, including my irrational daredevil district partner.

I didn't like him much.

"Seems they're the big threat here, as usual." Lindell notes. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Finding others like us to oppose the alliance?" I suggest.

"Exactly. The thought of excessive killing disgusts me, and that's exactly what those careers do. If they have another alliance to threaten them, maybe they won't be so hasty in their ways of murder."

That's when I look to the boy from 7, who himself was a black sheep.

"Hey, your district partner of there, what about him?"

Lindell looks at him. "Oh, Shintaro? I don't know, he's kind of strange. Well, he, she, it... they said they didn't have a specific gender."

Interesting indeed. But we could use as much help as we could get.

"I'm going to talk to him." I tell Lindell.

"Wait, we'll talk to him together. It'll be easier that way."

The both of us walk over to Shintaro, who seems to be learning how to tie several knots on a rope.

"Hey, Shintaro right?" I ask, beginning the conversation.

"Yea. that's me. And you are?"

"Sayaka. I'm the girl from eleven, and I'd be interested in being your ally."

"Well, you being my ally raises my odds of winning by a little. It couldn't hurt."

That was a... strange way to put it.

"So, yes?" I confirm, as the tribute nods.

"I'm in."

Well, that wasn't too hard. Now our alliance was growing, and we were up to three. Now who else could I convince to join us...

"Move it munchkin. This station belongs to me." I hear the boy from 3 say, as I look to see who is next unfortunate victim was.

The girl from 9, who was my size, with bronze skin and very long black hair, doesn't back down from the bigger 3 boy, standing her ground.

"Make me." The girl challenges, as I quickly move to the two tributes.

"Leave her be three." I warn the 3 male, who looks at me.

"Hah, two midgets. You're not scary eleven. Back off before you become the next loser from your district." the boy taunts, when I hear two more tributes come behind me.

"I wouldn't try anything pal. It's three against one. The odds of you winning a fistfight are next to none" Shintaro warns, as I can see the once cocksure 3 boy begin to doubt himself more now.

"Fine then! Have your little station. You better spend as much time here as you can, because you're going to need it!" the 3 boy spats, before walking away.

"Thanks for dealing with that asshole. He's lucky I didn't punch him in the throat." the 9 girl says to me, as I just nod my head.

"Not just me, but them too." I tell the girl, pointing out Lindell and Shintaro. "But helping you was just one goal. We would also like to have you as an ally."

"Wait, really?" the girl asks, and it dawns on me she didn't have many friends back home. "You're not joking, are you? I've fallen for this trick too much to count."

"No, I'm not joking. I'd genuinely like to have you as an ally." I offer my hand to her.

She takes it, and I smile. "Welcome to the alliance. I'm Sayaka, and my friends here are Lindell and Shintaro." I say, introducing my allies.

"Rebekah. It's a pleasure."

With that, I feel good about myself. No one had called me a boy and I had a group of allies. This was going to be a good day.

-

The four of us sit together later that morning, as we discuss what we should train on as an alliance. I am looking over the other tributes, noticing the 4 boy had all the careers in a line, and seemed to be yelling at them, kind of like a drill sergeant or something.

"Rough group. I hope someone else can eliminate them for us." Rebekah states, as I watch the 1 boy walk away from the 4 boy, going to practice on his own.

"I hope so too. But if we have to face them ourselves, so be it." Lindell adds on, as I continue observing the 1 boy, who sees a knife he wanted in the hands of another tribute. The boy from 12.

"Here could be another ally to consider..." I whisper to the others, as I stand up.

"That's my knife you got there." the boy tells the 12 male, who holds a dagger. "Give it to me, and I won't take it from you by force."

The 12 boy turns around, staring back at the 1 boy. "That's funny, I don't see your fucking name on it." he retorts, as I can feel the tension between them all the way over here.

"Hand it over and we wont have issues. Last chance" the 1 male threatens, as he reaches for the knife.

"Control your ally four" the 12 boy says, tricking the 1 male into thinking the boy from 4 was behind him. When the 1 boy turned, the 12 male whips out a whiskey bottle, bludgeoning the one male in the side of the head.

"Get out of my face you goddamn buzzard!" the 12 boy shouts, as he throws the knife at the downed 1 boy's side. "I didn't want your little pussy ass shiv anyways!"

"Break it up, break it up!" trainers shout, as the careers have to grab the 1 boy, who's quick to get up and charge at the 12 male. "Wait until the games twelve, you're the first one I go for!" the 1 boy threatens.

"You think you're a threat? You think you can make my fucking life any worse? Go ahead, take a shot!" the 12 boy yells back, before taking a shot of his whiskey bottle.

"Someone who can fight... our odds just increased." Shintaro smirks, as we all know what move to make next.

-

"So why should I join you?" the boy asks us later, when we try to convince him to join the anti-careers.

"We just need people who hate the careers. You seem to be like that, so I say you're in." Rebekah tells him, as I stand around.

The boy looks at all of us, before chugging some more smuggled liquor, his breath reeking of alcohol. He was getting more drunk and more irritable by the moment, and now I was wandering if we should let him in...

"Look, there's no point in lying to me, I know why you want me. It's cause I smashed that little snot-nosed prick in the side of the face isn't it?"

"Yes. That's why I want you." Shintaro admits, as the 12 boy just laughs.

"Honesty. Something I could use more of. I'll join your little "alliance". But that doesn't make me your friend."

As long as he wouldn't hit me like he did the 1 boy, I was fine with him.

"Name's Doyle. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some... business to attend to." He shakes his now empty whisky bottle, as he heads towards the elevator, no doubt to get some more.

"I don't know if we can trust him, he's a heavy drinker! We're like a door, and him an unstable hinge! If he pops the alliance loses a lot!" Rebekah says, obviously not a fan of our newest ally.

"Doyle's proven himself to me. You should've seen the look on the 1 boy's face when he thought his leader was behind him, then WHAM! Glass bottle to the face!" Shintaro laughs, before quickly straightening up again.

"We'll see later today.... if he is worth the trouble." I tell my allies, as I feel like the leader of this alliance. I had, after all, recruited all of these tributes.

"Until then.... let's work on learning how to build a proper shelter, eh?"

The Capitol, Panem - July 9th, 148 AD - 10:29 AM MST
"I don't think you scumbags heard me the first time! You're all under MY command now, and that means no walking away during my speeches? Do you maggots understand that?!" Magnus yells as he keeps us in line. Dude was so over the top, and I was busy trying to figure out his thought process. If he was going to be my puppet, I'd need to figure out how he thinks...

"Yea, we get it. Now can we stop standing around here with our thumbs in our asses and get to work?" Icarus complains, the young spitfire sporting a new bruise from his incident earlier.

"I was not done talking boy!" Magnus yells, getting up in Icarus' face. "You look like you're mama squirted you out her ass yesterday! You're lucky I'm letting you in this alliance!"

Icarus just rolls his eyes. "I get it big guy. Can we please just get to slicing and dicing?"

"You can get to that when I'm done!"

"For Christ's sake, can we just hurry up and get to training!" Amber pipes up, my brief time knowing her to be very similar to the girl from 4 two games back.

"What do we have here? We got ourselves a little antsy Nancy!" Magnus goes on his ranting, except Amber isn't as obedient as Icarus, and ends up slapping Magnus across the cheek.

"Shut up! You're no drill sergeant, you're supposed to be our leader, you're supposed to help us get-"

WHAM!

Even I'm shocked by that one, as Amber goes to the floor in a heap, Magnus full fledged punching her in the side of the head.

"You just hit a girl you asshole!" Doug shouts, as Magnus is quick to tell him off.

"You don't speak unless spoken too! Now shut your mouth before I do the same to you too!"

I rush over alongside Zoë, helping Amber up, who was having trouble with her motor controls. "Rule #1: You don't touch me in any way, shape, or form, or you'll be struck with 12 times the ferocity!"

"Why are you so mean?! This is your ally!" I say, trying to agree with my allies to get their trust and eventually take out Magnus. He was too much of a threat to me, and if he killed the careers off, I'd have no one to do my dirty work!

"She is less than an ally, as are all of you! You are grunts, soldiers under my command! You do as I say, no hesitation, no complaining. Now get up, get up on your feet!"

Amber is shaky to her feet, as I can tell the girl isn't feeling right. She just took a blow to the head from a 238 pound man, I'm surprised she didn't get knocked out cold.

Icarus, who could care less, rolls his eyes. "Can we please get to the training portion? We've wasted an hour talking about nonsense!"

Magnus stares him down, before looking at his pocket watch. Pfft, what kind of dweeb carried those anymore?

"Unfortunately, Icarus is right. We've wasted an HOUR DOING DAMN NEAR NOTHING! To your training stations maggots, get to work! I want to see you train nonstop, no breaks, not until you learn obedience!"

With that, I run off, not wanting to get myself punched in the head as well. Magnus wouldn't be in charge much longer... not if I had anything to do with it.

The Capitol, Panem - July 9th, 148 AD - 11:14 AM MST
I continue spying on the other tributes, figuring things out about each and every one of them. Things that would come in handy if I were ever to meet them on the field of play.

The career leader is a hotheaded person who yells frequently, to cover up his insecure nature. I noticed his insecurities when his allies were all busy, as he was making sure his self image wasn't damaged by the 1 girl's attack. Basically all bark and little bite.

Of note are the 1 tributes, one of which is herself is a career prototype, arrogant and careless. Her district partner is also apathetic, though he is more calmed down, more of your silent assassin type. I'd have to watch for him come bloodbath.

The boy from 2 was extremely touchy about his height, as he constantly walked tip toed trying to appear taller than he was. I had yet to see anyone comment on it, though I'm sure the boy would blow a fuse. The girl from 2 I couldn't figure out... she was hiding something though, that was for sure. What, I didn't know...

The tributes from three are bullies and nothing more, as I watch them verbally antagonize the girl from 11. The 4 girl is a kindhearted tribute who didn't belong in the career alliance, and I knew she would crack under pressure of the leader.

"You like looking at people, don't you?" Someone says to me, interrupting my thought process. I look to my side, to see the boy from 5, the little pipsqueak sneaking up on me.

"Yea..." I say, not really being one to converse with others. "I guess."

"Look, I can get you. My district partner just rejected my proposal to ally, and now I'm stuck alone. You, you seem to be alone too."

"I'd like to stay that way." I blow the boy off. "But they probably would take you." I say, pointing out the other big alliance who were having a good time in the wilderness survival stations.

"I see. Thank you for your time." With that, the boy from 5 leaves me be. I didn't need an ally, especially since I knew I'd be the one stabbed in the back. It was too much of a risk.

I had considered joining the bigger alliance, but for reasons I'd already stated, didn't. Plus, I didn't like their newest addition, the boy from 12, who was too loud and brazen for my tastes.

Getting up, I decide to do something other than observe during my short time in training. I was careful to let no one see me, as I trotted up the gauntlet, a brutal obstacle course to train tribute's speed and agility.

I begin it, rushing through the moving platforms, hopping from the last one and onto a rope. I swing my body forward, leaping from the rope onto the next platform, where I have to dodge incoming pillars.

After getting through this segment, I end up jumping across a small chasm, landing at the end and finishing the course.

"Wow, that's one of the fastest times I've recorded." the trainer compliments me, as I nod.

"I've always been quick."

Shortly after, the bell for lunch begins. All the tributes file out of the training center to eat, and take a little break from training. I for one was looking forward to the meal. I hadn't gotten enough food back in 6, and now, I could eat like a king.

It was too bad I had to enter a games in a few days and be back where I started.

The Capitol, Panem - July 9th, 148 AD - 12:02 PM MST
"So that's the idea. We take out the careers while they're distracted with other tributes, sneak attacks if you will, and eliminate them right off the bat. It will make the rest of the Games easier." I tell my allies, who are all keen on listening... except for Doyle.

He had been drinking whiskey nonstop since this morning, and it's effects were starting to take place. With as much alcohol as he'd drunk I'm surprised the man's kidneys hadn't shut down for good.

"While I like the idea of taking out the biggest threats first, what if they target us? I can't fight any of those careers by myself. I think we should go in pairs during the bloodbath in case we are targeted." Lindell suggests, our lunchtime discussion getting more interesting.

"What's the point then though? Why not all of us go as a big group, quadruple teaming each solo career until they're all dead? No need for pairs then." Rebekah offers.

"If y'all don't shut up I'm about to bust a spring." Doyle says from across the table, his head almost touching it due to his alcoholic nature.

Of course, no one listens to Doyle because, well, he's drunk.

"Well, I for one know us splitting up will make us a more mobile group, and we can gather more supplies, cover more ground. Instead of pairs, we'll rotate members, and if more than one careers comes after us, run and regroup, don't try to fight." I make my final piece, when someone else shows up to the table, the boy from 5.

"Hi, I'm Billie, and I'd like to join your alliance." I look up to him, as does everyone, surprised that he'd come to us, when it was Sayaka who was responsible for the recruiting.

"Well, Billie, I guess we have room for one more, since 5 is an odd number and I necessarily odn't like odd numbers, be our six man."

Well, that was easy.

"Now... for your plan Shintaro. Now that we have six, why not three of us go for supplies and three of us for kills? Our strongest fighters will take down careers, and our lightest, quickest ones for supplies." Lindell asks me, and for once, I like someone else's plan.

"You know... that doesn't sound half bad. Lindell is on to something." We seem to be agreeing on all cylinders, when things all of a sudden go south.

Doyle raises up in his chair, grabbing his emptied whiskey bottle and hurling it through the window of the cafeteria. That alone draws the attention of every tribute, who's watching him.

"WE AIN'T GOT NO FUCKIN FIGHTERS! NONE OF YOU WEIGH MORE THAN MY LEFT LEG, HOW THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU CAN FIGHT PEOPLE WHO WAY MORE THAN MY ASS?!"

"Doyle..." Lindell tries to speak, but it's too late now.

"Y'ALL JUST A BUNCH OF PUSSIES, THAT'S ALL! HOW ABOUT YOU GO BACK TO YOUR CALL CENTER AND HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR COMPUTER PROBLEMS YOU CURRY EATING PIECE OF SHIT!" Doyle shouts at Rebekah, who stands up and grabs her fork, probably preparing to stab Doyle. I quickly grab her arm, shaking my head.

"Rebekah, cool it..."

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, SEX CHANGE OPERATION GO SOUTH? YOU LOOK LIKE A TRANSVESTITE WHO LURES FATASS MEN INTO YOUR WARPED UP SEX DUNGEON! FUCKIN CROSS DRESSING DUDE!"

Okay, he took it too far, insulting the alliance leader was not the right thing to do.

"Doyle, this is not your alliance. You better calm your drunken, raging self down or you won't be in it much longer." Sayaka warns, tears welling in her eyes. Apparently this wasn't first time someone mistook her for a dude, and she was very sensitive about it.

"Don't disrespect her again." I warn Doyle, as he turns to me.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again you cock-sucking gook... I will fucking KILL YOU IF YOU EVER TALK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

I begin to shake, but Doyle isn't done yet.

"HOW ABOUT YOU CHECK BETWEEN YOUR LEGS INSTEAD OF MAKING SHIT UP! YOU AIN'T NO AGENDER, YOU'RE A FUCKING DUDE AND YOU FUCKING KNOW IT!"

I was about to join Rebekah in the fork-stabbing, when Lindell raises up. "Doyle, go to your district apartment, and sober up. I can't stand to see you like this."

Doyle turns to Lindell, and I expect him to hurl insults at her. But instead, he doesn't.

"You know better than to talk to me like that when I'm hurting Lindell..."

"Now, Doyle. You're drunk, angry, and confused. Sober up, or you'll never see, or hear from me ever again in your life."

Doyle mutters some more insults, as he walks out, stumbling and bumping into Billie on the way.

"You better get out of my way like you did your meth addiction, toothless son of a bitch!" Doyle tells Billie off, shoving the boy aside and stumbling out of the cafeteria.

"I hate that asshole, don't be surprised if I kill him tonight!" Rebekah growls, stabbing her fork into the table in her built up rage.

"He's just drunk. I don't know what makes him so reliant on alcohol, but it must've been very traumatic." Lindell tells us.

"How come you only see the good in people? Can't you see Doyle's a drunken piece of shit and should be given the electric chair?" I suggest, the thought playing out in my head making me smile.

"Because he likes me. He was so drunk he couldn't lie, and ended up confessing. In that small span of time... he was a really good guy... but we need to get him off his liquor. If we can... Doyle is not as bad as he seems."

I shake my head, and I can tell Billie and Rebekah agree with me. What Lindell was suggesting was a fool's errand. Cut off Doyle's alcohol? Wouldn't that make him worse?

"I... agree." Sayaka sniffles, surprising everyone. She wipes her eyes with a napkin, getting rid of the tears. "Whether you guys like it or not, we need Doyle. You've seen what he can do to a career half drunk... imagine the damage he can do to them sober."

While most of us disagree, I respected Sayaka enough that I wouldn't go against her decision. If the asshole was to stay, fine. But I didn't make any promises, and for good reason.

I wasn't sparing his life if he ever insulted me like that again.

The Capitol, Panem - July 9th, 148 AD - 3:41 PM MST
"Mary, you're going to have to overcome your fear of water if you're going to last in these games. You saw last year's arena, 90% of it was water!" My ally and district partner, Sam, says to be, himself floating in the swimming pool.

"I hate it! It gets my hair wet and makes it stick to my face and neck! I hate that feeling!" I tell him, refusing to get in.

It was on the train we'd decided to ally up. We both wanted to ally with each other since the beginning, and from the days I'd known Sam, he'd become like a big brother to me.

"Come on Mary, I'll catch you! All you have to do, is jump!" He calls down from the pool, as I sigh. I'd spent all morning fixing myself up, and was about to ruin my hair and makeup.

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and fall in, feeling the cool water splash around my body. Before I sink any further, I feel Sam pull me above the surface.

"Don't look at the depth, keep your eyes on me..." He says as I forget his advice, and look down and see how deep this pool goes.

"Sam, are you trying to drown me? Get me out of here!" I yell, thrashing around but he holds me afloat.

"Mary, calm down it's okay, I'm here, you're safe! Just relax, take some deep breaths..." Sam tells me, somewhat calming me down.

"Sam... I... I am AFRAID, damnit!" I tell him, but eventually my tense body loosens up, and soon I feel at ease. This wasn't so bad.

"Mary, it's alright.... it will be okay."

I stare into his eyes, as I feel a whole lot better than when I jumped in before.

"Alright Mary, I'm letting go. Just move your arms in legs in coordination with one another, and you'll stay afloat."

I take deep breaths, calming down more, as Sam begins to count.

"1... 2... 3!"

He releases me, swimming a few feet away as I begin kicking my legs and waving my arms. At first it's a struggle to keep my head above water, but soon, I am able to do it easily.

"Now.... start swimming to me."

"How the hell do I do that Sam?" I question, as he swims further away.

"Tilt your body towards me, and swim parallel to the surface. Like this."

He demonstrates your typical breaststroke, as I try and imitate him. I do good for a while, swimming towards him and eventually enjoying myself.

"Alright, final test. We're going to swim under the water now. On the count of three, we're going to sink to the bottom, and swim back to the top."

I nod, as I look down. This was a good twelve foot depth... I could only imagine what was going through the tributes of last games who probably couldn't see the bottom.

"One... two... three."

I take a deep breath, holding it in as I allow myself to sink. My long hair grows a mind of it's own, each strand flowing in some different direction, as I feel like a mermaid for the first time in my life.

Soon though, my lungs begin to burn, and I swim up to the surface, catching a breath of air and exiting the pool.

"You did great Mary. You really did." Sam compliments me, as I feel myself begin to warm up even more to the boy.

"Couldn't do it without you..." I tell him.

"Well, on to the next task then!" Sam tells me, and I follow him.

Time to develop more.

The Capitol, Panem - July 9th, 148 AD - 7:30 PM MST
"Up and down those ropes! Faster you sorry scum sacks!" Magnus yells at us as we climb up and down the gauntlet ropes. All of us were gassed and breathing heavy, he was killing us!

"Can we please stop, sir?" Zoë asks, being yet another person that Magnus has successfully broken under his will. It seems only I was the one he couldn't break yet, and for good reason.

I was a free spirit, not some militaristic weapon.

"Up those ropes TETSU!" he shouts at me, as I purposefully lag behind to catch my breath.

"Shut the hell up man..." I mutter as I climb, as I really didn't like this version of the careers. Where was the thrill? Too much boot camp, not enough adrenaline.

The bell rings for the day's signal to end, and with that Magnus' training. Before we left though, I was mad the only thing he did was order us around. I thought he was a fraud.

"So Magnus, you the mighty career leader you think you are, do something amazing." I state smirking. He was about to be exposed.

"You're not the one ordering here son!" Magnus shouts at me, but Amber is soon to back me up.

"Go on, prove it. Or we might just consider booting you."

"YOU CAN'T BOOT ME! I AM THE LEADER!" Magnus begins to shout, as I smirk.

"Okay then. Boot coming in three, two..."

Magnus quickly in a flash grabs a trident from the rack, doing a 180 and hurling it into a target dummy at least 20 feet away.

I whistle. He was not all bark after all.

"That enough proof? Now go to your bunks maggots! I'll see you first thing in the morning!"

With that, Magnus and Zoë leave, heading back to their apartment. That's when I am quick to stop Icarus, Amber, Doug, and Genevieve.

"Look, we all know Magnus is an ass and bad leader. Let's overthrow him, come on!"

The looks on their faces make me know I'm too late. Magnus has already gotten in their head with his verbal abuse and brainwashed them into his soldiers.

"Nah, it's not worth the trouble. I don't feel like getting skewered from 20 feet with a flying trident." Icarus says, leaving.

"I'm with him. Not my cup of tea." Genevieve adds on, leaving as well.

"Come on... Amber! He hit you! That had to have hurt!"

"I don't want him doing it again. If he finds out we're double crossing him... he'll slaughter us one by one!"

I look to my last option, Doug. "C'mon man."

He shakes his head. "Not unless he calls me midget. Then it's on."

I find myself alone in the darkening training center, being the last tribute there as everyone has gone.

-

I meet up with my district partner again, trying my luck again.

"I saw your friend the 12 boy throw a tantrum, calling you guys names and stuff. He shouldn't have called you what he did." I say, trying to get her to like me somewhat.

"I'd say thanks, but I know better. You're too flamboyant to care about me." she tells me back.

"Hey, wait! You don't like the careers!"

"And you joined them, so I guess I don't like you."

"But I want to betray them!"

The girl pauses, turning around. "I'm interested..."

"Look, their leader, Magnus, is an ass drill sergeant who thinks he's big and bad... and well, he kind of is. He's brainwashed the others into believing his idealistic beliefs, and they won't help me... but you can."

"Forget it. I'm not risking my friends for you."

"Not what I'm saying! Remember the 11 boy last year? I could be the better version of him!"

"Yea, just what we want, to be not just rivals and targets to District 3, but to the whole damn career districts as well!"

She then shuts her door in my face, leaving me alone in the hall.

"Come on!" I yell, smacking my head on the door in defeat.

Going into the foyer, I rethink over my decisions. District 11 was blackened by two tributes, and now we were thought of as heels.

But I was going to change that. The Capitol loved underdogs and their careers... so why not be both?

The Capitol, Panem - July 10th, 148 AD - 8:30 AM MST
Things were looking good for me. I was in an alliance, people who'd protect me, and hopefully carry me to the end of these games.

I didn't mind my allies, except for the one who called me toothless yesterday. He intimidated me, he was too brazen and unpredictable.

I feel myself bump into someone and hot liquid scald my arms, as I retch back, staring at the individual who had just spilt coffee on me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" the girl asks, her long black hair tied up, her blue eyes looking at me with pity.

I recognize the girl as the one from District 4, and am immediately surprised when she doesn't act like most of the careers, arrogant assholes.

"Magnus had me up late, trying to personally train me to be stronger. I'm so sore and tired, I thought a little bit of hot coffee would help, but I accidentally spilt it on you... here, take this!"

She takes her jacket off, and I can't help but look at her body, which is in peak condition and very sexy. I thought she call me out for being a pervert, but the girl's oblivious, tugging nervously on her shirt.

I take her jacket, wiping off the coffee. It had left some burn marks on my arms, but at what I had just seen, I think I would deal with it.

"Thanks. I'm Billie by the way." I tell her, then realize how foolish I must look trying to ally with a career tribute when I myself was on the opposite alliance.

"Hi Billie! My name's Zoë." she says, her voice sweeter than any candy. I had to stop fantasizing about this girl...

"Zoë! What did I say about making friends who AREN'T careers? Get down to the training center, we're waiting at you!" I hear a voice bark, as I see her district partner, the large boy from 4.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Billie. See ya later!" Zoë smiles, before she trots over to her district partner, who gives me the death glare.

"Why are you conversing with the enemy?! That's going to be twenty pushups!" I hear him say as the two tributes enter the elevator, I'm still stunned by Zoë's beauty.

"Billie, once you're done standing in the hall like a dummy, how about you join us." I hear someone say to me, my ally Rebekah.

How long had passed? Had I really been standing here day dreaming for a few hours?

"Well, come along now! We don't have all day."

The Capitol, Panem - July 10th, 148 AD - 9:18 AM MST
"You couldn't hit water if you fell out of a boat! Aim those things higher and throw them like you got a pair!" Magnus yells at Doug, who's spear throwing ability is... off, to say the least.

"Come on dude I am a melee fighter, up close personal!" Doug complains, but Magnus doesn't care about excused.

"I don't care if you're the next Zorro, you're going to learn to fight from a distance! Not every combat situation is a UP CLOSE!"

I try to keep my head away from Magnus, the spot on my face still stinging from where he punched me yesterday.

"Amber, that's not what we're doing right now! Get your ass over here and start tossing spears!"

Damn it! I was an axe fighter, not some caveman who threw spears at mammoths!

I sigh as I never have used a spear, and when I try to throw it, it goes crooked and doesn't land near the target.

"Do I have to hold your hand through everything? Like this!" Magnus says, ripping the spear from my hands and hurling it.

It lands through the target, breaking it from the force of the strike. One thing was for sure, Magnus was someone I didn't want to fight.

"Well, that wasn't really a demonstration, as much as it was a "look at how good I am?" Someone says, as I look over to see Tetsu there.

Kid was always ballsy, but getting on Magnus' bad side wasn't something smart. "What did you say to me? Get back to your station!"

"I'm just saying big guy. You're not really demonstrating anything other than your own talents. How about you do what a real leader would and train us on your "perfect form!"

"I don't like your mouth son! Get back to your STATION right now!" Magnus warns, as I notice strange look in Tetsu's eyes, before he walks away.

That boy was up to something.

"What are you looking at Amber? Get back to your training!" Magnus shouts at me, as I turn back and attempt to imitate Magnus' form.

Maybe Tetsu wasn't bluffing yesterday, and actually was planning on overthrowing Magnus. Since none of us wanted to help him in his mutinee, it wouldn't surprise me if Tetsu actually did it alone.

I look back over to Magnus, and then to Tetsu. If he could do it... than anyone could. Maybe it was time for a change of leadership.

The Capitol, Panem - July 10th, 148 AD - 10:29 AM MST
Doyle was back.... and not much better than he was yesterday. Sure, he wasn't raging around and insulting everyone, but he was treading on thin ice with this alliance.

"Alright, so you guys wanna learn to fight?" he asks us, as I keep an eye out so he doesn't start getting drunk again.

"Well duh, why else would we let you in?" Rebekah coarsely tells him, and I can tell Doyle's about to let loose a string of insults on her.

"How about you be more fucking polite you little bitch?" he shouts, as I stand up.

"Doyle!"

He turns to me, and sighs. "Alright, back to what I was sayin then before someone interrupted me."

Doyle then gets up, next to a trainer. "First rule, there is no rules. In a fight, anything you anyone's told you about fighting honorable, throw it out the window. Live by pragmatism. Here, I'll demonstrate."

I don't know what he's about to do, until well, he does it.

"Excuse me, where are the restrooms?" Doyle asks the trainer, who turns and points to the right of us.

"Over there, by the-"

THWACK!

"Doyle! What the hell did you just do!" Sayaka shouts in horror, as the trainer falls to the ground face first.

"A demonstration! What the hell did you expect?"

"You just knocked out a trainer with your elbow, you could get into serious trouble!"

"You think I fucking care about trouble? I've been tazed before, it's not as bad as you think."

Doyle then clears his throat, as Sayaka quiets down, the man obviously not finished with his lesson.

"You see, you don't fight fair. That guy there never saw it coming, and for good reason. Distract your opponent by any ways you can, make the odds in your favor."

"Odds, I like that." Shintaro mutters beside me, as I'm glad someone's enjoying Doyle's violent session.

Peacekeepers show up, noticing the knocked out trainer and probably witnessing Doyle doing the deed on camera. Great, like we needed more attention after yesterday.

"Sir, you've committed an assault crime against a Class A capitol citizen. You'll be banished to your district apartments for the rest of the day."

Doyle then looks at them, and back at us. "Rule #2, aim for weak spots. Crotch is a good place to hit on dudes. Like this."

He then whips around and boots the closest peacekeeper in the nether regions, causing the man to fall over and clutch his balls in obvious agony.

"Oh my god Doyle, stop before you get us in trouble!" Sayaka warns him, but Doyle doesn't listen.

"Throat's pretty good place to hit as well" Doyle struggles to say as another peacekeeper begins to wrestle him, Doyle managing to ram his head into the peacekeeper's throat, causing the man to choke a bit.

"Also the eyes. Case in point."

He then jams his fingers into the peacekeeper's exposed eyes, incapacitating him as well.

"And third and most important rule. When the going gets too rough..."

He looks to see several peacekeepers marching towards him armed with riot gear.

"Run like a pussy!"

Doyle then takes off sprinting, as I shake my head. He would never make it through a full day of training here, and I wondered if he'd even survive the bloodbath.

"I don't understand him." Billie comments, as Doyle begins to climb up a rope to escape his pursuers.

"None of us do." I reply, continuing to wonder why I even considered letting him be an ally of mine.

The Capitol, Panem - July 10th, 148 AD - 11:02 AM MST
Now was the perfect opportunity to execute my plan. The peacekeepers were busy chasing after the 12 male, who had climbed so far up the gauntlet rope he'd broken through a roof panel and was crawling around somewhere in the ceiling.

"Hey, you there, big muscled boy!" I shout to Magnus, who was currently lecturing Genevieve on something. He turns to me, his face angry like that of a bull seeing red.

"You know to call me ONLY by career leader Magnus! I do NOT accept nicknames!" Magnus shouts, getting up in my face like he usually does.

Except unlike my allies who looked away, I stared him right back in the eyes. This would be the most daredevillish thing I'd ever done.

"Go on big guy, do something about it!" I say back, shoving Magnus away from me. The collective gasp of the careers assured me what I was doing was probably suicide.

Which is exactly why I was about to do it.

Magnus rips his shirt off, tossing it on the floor. "You wanna fight, for this spot on the alliance, go right ahead! You're going to REGRET being born when I'm done with you!"

I cracked my knuckles, giving him a cocky grin. "Oh, we'll see about that." My right hand clenches around my tide turnder in my pocket, as I watch him come after me. "We'll see indeed."

I feel my head swivel hard to the right as I eat one of Magnus' punches, as I can already feel blood filling up my mouth.

I try to throw my hands up in defense but he strikes me again, this time square on the noise. I feel it crack, and soon wonder why I was doing this.

While I protect my head from his attacks, he beats my ribs and torso to near death with his flurry of attacks, as I feel like collapsing from the pain he was inflicting on me.

But I wasn't going to go down just yet. Grabbing Magnus by the head, I quickly bring his face into my knee, causing him to stumble backwards a bit.

My allies are in shock as Magnus stumbles back a bit, wiping his nose. When he notices the blood on his hand caused by attack, he gets more enraged than before.

He rushes me so fast I can't react, and I'm hit with the hardest blow I've felt in my whole life. I feel my head smack against the stone floor, as my vision begins to grow blurred and dotted.

"I warned you. No one CHALLENGES me, no one BEATS me, this is MY alliance, and you're no longer IN IT!"

I put my fist through the object in my pocket, using my last bit of energy to jump up and swing my fist into the side of Magnus head.

On my right hand gleams a brass knuckle, Magnus' blood shining in the fluorescent lights of the training arena. As if in slow motion, the large boy falls backwards, landing on his back.

"Not so sure about that anymore." I say with confidence, as I go over and press my foot on the boy's chest.

I quickly hide the brass knuckle so no one knew I cheated, as I look down onto the dazed face of Magnus, who's thick skull saved him from most of the damage. That blow would've knocked anyone else out, and maybe killed them. I'm surprised he was still conscious.

"This... isn't.. over..!" Magnus pants, trying to get up but my weight holds him down firmly, the boy in too rough of shape to stand up.

"Leave with what dignity you still have. You're banned from the career alliance." I tell the boy, releasing my foot off his chest.

The peacekeepers have finally caught the 12 male, who has several tazer patches and tranquilizer darts sticking out of his body.

I begin to panic as they approach, thinking they'd arrest me like the 12 male for beating up Magnus.

"He fell from the top of the gauntlet. I think he needs a doctor." Genevieve speaks up, as I breathe a sigh of relief. She winks at me, indicating that she accepted me being leader.

"Alright. Take dirtbag over there back to his apartment, and make sure the door is locked." the lead peacekeeper says, as they drag the still fighting 12 male off.

"Dirtbag? I'll whoop your shiny white ass without your little tazer buddies to help you!" the 12 male yells as he is drug off, being tazed yet again for his words.

"As for the 4 male, take him to the medical wing. Looks like major head trauma, will probably need stitches."

Magnus is then carted off by four men, the giant tribute hard to carry. That's when my allies look to me, all of them looking relieved of the burden Magnus held over us.

"As alliance leader, train whatever the hell you think you need to. That is all."

With my orders, they run off to different stations. Yet another risk of mine ending in a large reward.

The Capitol, Panem - July 10th, 148 AD - 1:57 PM MST
After the pre-lunch commotion, the training arena seemed tense. After I had worked with Mary yesterday, she had requested we work on my weaknesses.

It was only fair I guess. I was a bit nervous when I had to fight more than one person, and now we were heading to the tribute fighting simulation.

The girls from 1 and 4 exit, both breathing heavy and sweating. When I looked at the settings, they had set it to max, and had lasted about one minute before both were "killed".

"Alright Sam. Pick your weapon. We're going in there together. Don't be nervous, I'll work with you. Together, we can overcome any obstacle."

I take a deep breath, letting Mary's words sink into me. I was nervous, never having before being in a simulation fight before.

Both of us select bows, causing Mary to look at me. "Ah, you're an archer too? Just aim high." she says with a smile, as we walk into the training simulator.

The dark room lights up, revealing us to be in a forest. It is looks and feels so real, as if I'm in the games right now.

"Sam, to your right!" Mary shouts, as I turn to come face to face with a robot-tribute, who swings at me with an axe.

I'd feel embarrassed to be eliminated in the first ten seconds, but thankfully Mary is there, shooting and arrow through the robot's head.

I load my bow, firing at a tribute up in the trees who tries to throw a knife on me. My arrow hits home straight in the tribute's chest, causing it to fall to the forest floor.

"Mary watch out!" I say, watching as she ducks under a sword from another tribute. She kicks the tribute away, before taking out a knife and stabbing the tribute in the neck.

I myself get engaged in a melee situation, as I find myself grabbing onto the handle of a tribute's mace as he tries to bring it on my face.

I struggle, not being the strongest person in the world, and soon regretting my weakness, as my arms collapse and the tribute's mace smacks into my nose.

The simulation stops for me, as I get up, the robots only targeting Mary now. She continues to shoot down tribute after tribute, until eventually, she gets stabbed in the back.

We exit the simulation, as I feel like vomiting.

"Come on Sam, you can't be so nervous! Ease up. It's not real!" she tries to tell me, but I don't feel like I can do much in a fight.

"I'm so sorry Mary... I just... I just get tense."

She puts her arm around my shoulder, as I relax a little.

"Sam, don't worry. I'll be looking out for you. You'll be fine."

I sigh. "Thanks Mary. I don't know what I'd do without you."

That is what scared me. Being separated from Mary and having to work on my own. I couldn't do it. I didn't think I could do it.

Hell, I know I couldn't.

The Capitol, Panem - July 10th, 148 AD - 8:02 PM MST
Our alliance had left training together, planning on discussing together to get different scores tomorrow to throw off the careers.

"So, forgers; which is Rebekah, Billie, and Lindell: aim for low scores. We don't want the careers after you guys, we want you getting as much supplies without targeting." Sayaka begins to explain.

"As for Shintaro, Doyle, and I, we'll get higher scores so they'll come after us, distracting them so you can get our supplies. Understand?"

I nod. "Sounds easy enough! Just gotta screw up in training." I confirm, when we're suddenly greeted by an unexpected guest.

"Doyle? How did you escape?" Sayaka asks, surprised.

"The urge for booze... why do you ask the dumbest goddamn questions?" Doyle responds, and I can tell he's an angry drunk like yesterday at noon.

"Doyle, don't you talk to Sayaka like that!" Shintaro warns Doyle.

"I'll beat the dog shit out of you Shintaro. I will FUCKING KILL YOU!" Doyle yells, and Lindell is quick to do something crazy before the two duke it out.

"Doyle, if you don't stop drinking and becoming an angry person for no reason, I'll make sure the only thing you love in this life will be taken away from you!"

She then pulls a knife out of her pocket, and presses it against her wrist.

"Lindell no!" I shout, not wanting the kindest girl in the whole world to kill herself over someone else being in our alliance.

"Rebekah... trust me." She say's to me, as Doyle's angry self begins to stop.

"That's right. I'll rake this blade across my wrists and bleed to death if you press that whiskey bottle to your mouth ever again!"

"No! Don't!" Doyle shouts, moving towards Lindell but she just presses the knife tighter against her skin.

"I will do it! You're acting foolish and hurting way too many people with your words in this alliance. I can't stand to see you like this! Get rid of the booze, or you'll never see me alive again!"

Doyle begins to shake, inspecting his whiskey bottle.

"Don't... you... dare...." Lindell warns, as a small trickle of blood comes off her skin.

Seeing this, Doyle hurls his whiskey bottle across the hall, smashing it into the wall. "Fine! Woo me off my only source of comfort! The only FUCKING thing that keeps me from killing y'all! Have it your way you sons of bitches!"

With that, Doyle storms off, leaving us yet again questioning his allegiance.

"Why Lindell, why would you risk your life for him?" I ask, wishing that Doyle would just be done with completely.

"To see if he truly cared about anyone. Turns out, Doyle isn't as heartless as I thought."

If Lindell could actually calm Doyle, he could be a weapon to us against any tribute. I didn't like the idea, but I trusted Lindell.

I just hoped she didn't get herself killed.

The Capitol, Panem - July 10th, 148 AD - 9:48 PM MST
After being stressed out by Doyle all day and worrying to death about how he would be the doom of my alliance, my night doesn't get any less stressful.

"Ah, there you are. Where've you been?" My district partner asks me as I walk through.

"None of your business." I tell him, but before I can go to my room, he puts his arm in the way.

"You know, I've been thinking about what you said, being afraid of our district being rivals with the career districts next year."

"Oh great, what did you do now?" I sigh, but the boy just smiles.

"Oh, just beat up their leader and took control over the alliance."

I gasp. How? I knew he was a gutsy guy, but doing something that irrational and crazy would've taken someone extremely foolish.

"What were you thinking?! You leading the careers will make every district hate us next year for the damage you're going to cause!"

"Never pleased are you? Typical. I guess you're the type of freak who doesn't enjoy help from others. I tried to last night, and you blew me off."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly. I offered to help you destroy the careers yesterday and you were so worried about our district reputation. Well you know what? Screw the district! This is my games to figth, not their's!"

I shake my head. He was going to ruin our image further. I couldn't let him do this.

"Please just stop! Leave the careers, do anything, just don't hurt us anymore!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I don't care. Now it's too late for that. You're little alliance... Let's just say, I'll see you in the games Sayaka."

He walks off, but turns around to give me one more comment.

"Oh, and we won't be buddies there either. After all, District 11 shouldn't have two male tributes, yet here I stand with another one."

I rush after him, but he's already shut the door on me.

"You bastard! Don't call me that!" I yell, beating on the door but knowing it's futile. He'd won. I began to sob, looking at myself in the mirror.

Boy. I always hated being called that. I was going to make sure that never happened again. I call for my stylist to get in the bathroom.

"What's up dear?" he asks me, as I look at myself in the image.

"Make me look like my actual gender. The full makeup, long hair, anything feminine."

The stylist looks surprised. "But that'll take all night! You have to be up early for the private training session!"

"Do it. I don't care how long it takes. Just do it good."

With that, the stylist rushes off. I was no longer going to let anyone bully me. We'd see who's laughing tomorrow at the training session.

Two male tributes from district 11...