Author's note: WARNING: Chapter contains profane language.

Also, please read the A/N at the bottom of the page about the SPONSOR SYSTEM! :)

This chapters kind of heavy on the District 1 characters, but that's because there's a lot I have to cover with them. Other chapters will be more balanced point of view wise. :)

Chapter 3

District 1, Nova's p.o.v

I feel extremely nauseous as the peacekeepers shove me in the room in the justice building. Luckily, there is a trash can in the corner, and I get sick in it. When I was little, my mom used to say that throwing up makes a stomach ache a little better, because it gets rid of whatever was hurting it in the first place. Unfortunately, that hasn't been true for me lately. I move the trash can behind the couch, where no one will be able to see it.

The door bursts open, and my younger sisters, Stella and Asteria, rush in, followed by my parents. My sisters are offer the best support and love anyone could ask for. They know about the "weapon room incident", and have heard me been called the "district slut" a million times, but they don't question. They pretend it never happened, and to them, I'm still they're big sister, which I'm thankful for. However, even they don't know the real consequences of the "weapon room incident". No one knows that. Not them, not my parents, and certainly not Brick. Not even Leo knows my deepest secret, and I used to tell him everything. That is, back when he still talked to me. Even my best friend wouldn't give me a chance to explain.

"You're going to win, Nova." Stella says. "I know you can."

I nod weakly, but I don't really believe it. Leo's going in too, and I can't let him die. His odds are better than mine anyway, though I'd never admit it aloud. After a round of hugs and goodbyes, the peacekeepers usher my family out of the room. I don't expect any other visitors, since my "friends" all turned their backs on me, and Leo is going into the games with me, but soon the door opens again. Unfortunately, it's the last person I want to see right now. Serendipity Fairchild.

I begin talking before she can start bitching at me. "Look, Fairchild. I have nothing to do with this."

Serendipity smirks. "Yeah, I know. Because I did."

"Wait… What?!"

Serendipity laughs at my confused expression. "You know my cousin who won the games last year? Well, she was telling me how much being a victor sucks. There are nightmares. And President Simmons? He makes turns them into prostitutes. I don't want that. So I did this…"

She pulls up her long, flowing skirt to reveal an ankle wrapped in a cast. Suddenly, I remember her limping around the past few weeks.

"Don't look so shocked, Malashewski. A sprained ankle is way better than death or nightmares and prostitution. So I went around the district and spread the word that I was hurt, and that you really wanted to go into the games and deserve it so much! Ha, we both know that you're not strong enough for that. So, anyway, I bet you're wondering why I picked you, huh." I'm about to come up with a snarky answer when Serendipity interrupts me. "To get revenge for fucking my boyfriend, bitch."

I wince. Of course she had to bring the "weapon room incident" up. Why does she have to hit my sore spot? Especially when it wasn't even my fault. "I told you, he –" I am interrupted again, this time by the Peacekeepers forcing Serendipity out.

"Good luck. Because you're really going to need it." And just like that, she's gone.

Not long after that, I board the train. Florencia, the mentors, and Leo are already there. The mentors study me as I come on as if trying to figure out if I have any chance or if they should focus on Leo. Other than that, they ignore me, so I walk straight past them to where Leo is standing near the window, staring out of it even though we haven't even begun to move.

"Hey." I say softly.

"Hey." Leo's voice is not the happy tone of my best friend, but the uncaring tone of a stranger. The train car is silent for a moment before I speak again.

"Leo, I know you're mad at me, but if one of us is going to die," Leo winces as I say this, but I keep going, "then I don't want to carry on like this. I… I miss you."

Leo hesitates before giving me a hug. "I've missed you too."


District 2, Ares's p.o.v

I knew no one would come say goodbye to me. I'm a loner, my parents are dead, I have no siblings, and my uncle, the man who raised me, is going to be my mentor. Not that I care that I have no visitors. I'm coming back anyways.

Finally, we board the train. Right away, my district partner, Selena, starts chattering and batting her eyes lids. Of course, she's flirting with me. Selena is known as the district flirt, never staying with the same guy for more than a few months. I, for one, have never paid attention to her.

I am saved by Adriana, the other mentor, who whisks Selena away to "get to know her better", leaving Uncle Patriot and I alone

He studies me for a moment before breaking the silence. "Congratulation, you've made it this far. The question is, can you make it out?"

"Yes, sir," I say, staring straight ahead just as he has taught me.

"Really?" Patriot questions. He slowly circles around me, staring me down as he tries to intimidate me. "Because you have to prove it. Now how would one go about that?"

"By winning the games."

"How?" Patriot snaps.

"Intimidation." I recite. "The more afraid others are of me, the more they'll cooperate."

My uncle nods. "Good. Do things my way, and you just might survive."

"Yes, sir," I agree, but he's wrong. If I'm getting out, I'm doing it my way, not his. I will be known for my own strategies, not my uncle's.


District 8, Sophie's p.o.v

"Sophie! Sophie!" The door flies open, and my little sister and five cousins all tackle me at the same time. My mom and thirteen year old brother come in more calmly. I try not to cry in front of them, since they are the reason I am here. And I'm not ashamed of it either.

"You can do this, Sophie!"

"You're really brave, Sophie!"

"You're gonna come home… right, Sophie?"

I try to answer their comments and questions as best as I can, but with six little kids between the ages of six and eleven crowded around me, all speaking at once, this is difficult. My brother, Blake, gives me some relief by giving me a hug and saying a simple, "I believe in you."

The amount of time we have together is much too short, and the peacekeepers are soon forcing them out. My mom is the last one to leave. She manages an encouraging but sad smile before the door is slammed shut in her face.

On the train, the mentors leave my district partner and me alone to learn more about each other. Neither of us knows where to start, causing some awkwardness. Finally, my fellow tribute begins to speak. "Well, uh… I'm Lennius, but you can call me Lennie, I guess. I'm fifteen, and I'm here because I accidently killed a Peackeeper who was trying to sexually abuse my mom."

I try not to act shocked, but probably fail. "Oh, um… I'm Sophie. I'm sixteen, and long story short, I have a little brother and sister. My mom also adopted our five cousins. Mom works, but it's not enough. Neither is tesserae, so I've had to steal things and sell them to make extra money. Until I got caught."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Lennie sighs. "I guess the odds really aren't in our favor, huh?

I shake my head. No. Not in the slightly. All I have to do is think of my family to know that.


District 9, Whitney's p.o.v

My parents leave the room on William's request. My older brother wants some alone time with me before I board the train. I know exactly what he's going to say, too, before he even says it.

"I'm so sorry, Whit. This is all my fault."

"No, it's not –" I begin, but he doesn't listen.

"Yes, it is. You're my little sister. You shouldn't have even been there, and I left you alone."

I know where he's coming from, but I know that the peacekeepers are really to blame. I sigh. Who knew one little event that happened two months ago could change my life completely.

Two months previous

In my eyes, William and his friend are the coolest kids in the district. To them though, I'm just a twelve-year-old tagalong. It's rare that they let me come along, and today is clearly an exception.

We are at the Head Peacekeeper's house, with rolls of toilet paper and cans of silly string and spray paint in our hands. Everyone gets to work. Silly string covers the lawn and the porch, toilet paper hangs in the trees, and graffiti decorates the walls of the house.

"Time to scram!" William shouts suddenly. H and his friends scale the tall wooden fence easily, and take off towards home. They seem to have forgotten that I'm too small to climb the fence on my own. Suddenly, a large gloved hand grabs my arm tightly. Peacekeeper Thompson. "Well, kid, aren't you in a hell of a lot of trouble.

Apparently Peacekeeper Thompson holds grudges, because he told everyone I'd vandalized not just his house, but a half dozen others too, and had even stabbed him in the arm with a knife. Of course, that a lie. "It's Thompson's fault." I mutter.

"Yeah, but it's mine to. Just… promise me you'll fight Whit. You have to."

"I will." But how much does fighting really matter when you're a twelve-year-old girl in a fight to the death?


Roan's p.o.v.

I was six. Six years old when the tornado hit. Whoosh. Less than ten seconds it took for the roof to blow off the house. Less than ten seconds for a wall to collapse on my father as the tornado whooshed past my very eyes. It felt like I was spinning then, just as I'm spinning now.

Spinning, spinning, spinning. Spiraling to my certain death. I've been told I've already spiraled to insanity. Whether that true or not, I don't really care.

My own personal tornado is about to spit me out into the arena, but I will never stop spinning. The roaring in my head will never stop. Mom comes to see me, but I don't remember what she says. There's a district partner, but I don't comprehend what she says either. Same with the mentor.

Maybe this is when I'll finally see my dad.


Teddy's p.o.v

My name's Frederick Hussen, but most calls me Teddy. I'm seventeen years old. Not too long ago, the lady with the weird hair, face and clothes called my name. She must not of knowed that I'm called Teddy, 'cause she said Frederick. Now, the scary guys with the white clothes and masks and guns pushed me into a little room. Mama and Daddy and Ricky come in not too long after that. Mama's crying, and I feel bad. Did I hurt her?

"I'm sorry, Mama." I says.

"No, it's not your fault, Teddy." She gives me a big hug.

"Okay." I still don't know why she's sad. It makes me sad. "Mama? Why'm I here?"

"Because you're going to the Hunger Games, Teddy."

"Games? I like games!"

"Yes, I know." Mama says, still sad. "And we're going to see you again in a few weeks, okay?"

"Okay!"

We talks for a bit mores, and then the guys with the guns come and take Mama and Daddy and Ricky away. Then I get to go on a train!

On the train, the girl is there, the one I gave a big hug to. So is Weird Hair Lady. So is Maddie, who says she's our mentor. I hug everyone. I can't wait to play the game!

Author's note: If you couldn't tell Roan is mentally unstable from seeing his father killed by a tornado, and Teddy is mentally disabled.

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Item costs:

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Water purifying kit: 7 points

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CQ (worth 5 sponsor points): My first fanfic was a:

a.) Hunger Games fic

b.) Harry Potter fic

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d.) Twilight fic