AN: Remember people, answer the riddles and think about the references! I might be opening for this story soon, a bit inspired by FinnickLover4Ever. Awesome stories!

Riddle answer: I gave points to anybody who answered Andrew. Here's what happened – Andrew brought a large icicle in his cooler. He stole Josh's towels and stabbed Jamie while he was in the sauna. He cleaned up all the blood with the towels and dropped the icicle on the floor of the sauna, where it quickly melted and mixed with the blood on it. Good guesses, though!

Sponsor points: Marcus Lain (10), Flare Heartforth (10), Conan Becker (5), Ruby Todem (5), Atlas Sydai (10), Ryder Josker (0), Heron Rockon (0), Safin S. Bayview (0), Swan Tindle (0), Thor Vang (0), Daniella Lamonde (0), Alexander Van Der Donck (5), Scarlet Saracen (10), Rupert Stevens (5), Anna Garys (5), Prophet Thenidiel (5), Bea A. Dechers (5), Cain Ceders (5), Penelope Young (5), Cannan Thrush (10), Swift Jenssen (0), Mason Takoma (10), Rain Ataehu (10), Ryan Mellark (5), Melanie Sageburn (0). Time to watch the Reapings through Rupert's, Cannan's, and Thor's eyes.

Rupert Stevens – Train to the Capitol

I had never looked upon so much food at one time in my life. My mentor, Xavier, sat in a chair across from me, next to Terran and Anna.

"So…" I said. "Any strategy, or should I just go and randomly kill people?" Anna looked like she felt like laughing.

"Two tough ones from District 7." said Xavier. "Never thought it would happen."

"Hey, old man!" I shouted. Terran stared at me. "Answer the question."

Quick as a flash, Xavier picked up his knife and threw it at me. I ducked. The knife stuck into the wall, going through my shirt. "Damn. I missed." said Xavier. "Nice reflexes, though." Anna and I stared at him. Terran acted like this was the same deal every year.

"Don't worry, Rupert. Xavier and I will help you with the Chariots, the interviews, and preparing for killing everyone else." said Terran. "I bet you can't wait to meet your stylists."

"I guess." I said. I picked up my fork and dug into what looked like a potato loaded with cheese, vegetables, pepper, and many other things. Fish, maybe?

The food just kept coming. Loads of different kinds of meat, fruit, fish, and veggies were piled on. I got too full. So did Anna, and we both sat back in our seats. The train rumbled along. Xavier kept eating, though. Terran was looking out the window. I joined him. District 5 was rushing past.

"What do you think of Xavier?" he said.

"He's…unsuspecting." I said, unable to think of a better word.

"And Anna?"

"I know nothing about her." I said.

"That'll change." said Terran. Just then, the Capitol anthem started. The television screen on the opposite end of the car lit up.

"Hello, Panem!" said the announcer. I think his name was Claudius Templesmith. "Time to show you our 99th Hunger Games Reapings!" The screen shifted to District 1. It looked so clean, with everything and everything shining like silver. I bet they never went starving there.

The District 1boy was named Marcus Lain. He jumped up to volunteer, apparently to just be with his girl counterpart. I remembered hearing his last name some years earlier, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

The District 1 girl, Flare Heartforth, volunteered for no apparent reason. She looked menacing, and I could guess she would take quite a few down with her, if she died at all. Then I remembered why District 1 won so often. Finn Yang was the District 1 mentor.

Finn Yang won the Hunger Games 19 years ago. That year, he had massacred 20 tributes in the beginning bloodbath. He was famous for that, as afterwards, only he, the District 2 boy, District 5 girl, and District 11 boy remained. He easily killed the D5 and D11 tributes, and then had a little bit of struggle killing off the massive District 2 boy, but prevailed easily in the end. He was probably the best fighter in the history of the Hunger Games. What I didn't understand is why that many people stayed around at the cornucopia, and how the District 5 girl survived that.

The District 2 boy was massive. His name was Conan Becker. Rordan Weeks, a Career that won the year before Finn, was standing beside him. Conan lunged forward to volunteer, obviously eager to kill other tributes. A clever glint shined in his eyes.

The District 2 girl was small and nothing compared to Conan. Ruby Todem, as her name was, was chosen, and was obviously not a Career. She wore a red dress, and I thought I saw a glint of a tear in her eye.

Like I had learned, there were two District 3 boys. A huge guy named Atlas Sydai (aptly named) and a slightly smaller one named Ryder Josker. Ryder had been picked, purely by chance, but Atlas wanted to go. Ryder argued because he wanted to go with the girl, Heron, but Atlas acted like Conan…eager to kill. In the end, they had a fight and both ended up going. I wondered how to Capitol would react to that.

The District 3 girl, Heron Rockon, was very surprised that the two guys were fighting over her (or so she thought, anyway). She waited shyly, and looked on in surprise, as the two guys dealt it out.

The District 4 boy would be hard to kill. Safin S. Bayview looked like an excellent swimmer, and seeing as how the last few years had been desert, forest, cliffs, and then jungle, I guessed this year would be based on islands. Pretty easy for him.

The District 4 girl wasn't a Career either. Her name was Swan Tindle, and she wore an excellent brown dress, even though it had a few holes.

The District 5 boy, Thor Vang, volunteers because his brother, Tarin, is chosen. Thor is tall and skinny, but I wonder if he is stronger than he looks. I'm not keeping my hopes up for any alliances, though.

Daniella Lamonde, the District 5 girl, looked like she was in love with Thor, but I don't know if the feeling was mutual. She was chosen, unlike Thor, and looked vulnerable…maybe I would make an alliance with them, but only so I would have a helping hand and an easy opponent at the end.

The District 6 guy, Alexander Van Der Donck, looked tough. His eyes were dark gold, and had hair that was brown with gold highlights. He could easily be from the Capitol. He looked like the most famous guy from his District, so when he was picked, people shouted and cried…it looked like all of District 6 was mourning a loss. Like he had even died yet.

The District 6 girl was named Scarlet Saracen is chosen quickly, and it doesn't look like she was ready for it. I recognized the last name…I guess Seth Saracen, a tribute a few years back, had been her brother.

Soon, I was onscreen. I started to get bored, and then…very slowly, I started to fall asleep. My head hit the table, knocking me out. Xavier laughed.

Cannan Thrush – Train to the Capitol

We had stopped so many times, I had guessed we must have gotten a broken train. Swift sat next to me, smiling. I could tell she liked me. Ellie sat across from us, obviously not speaking a word. Remy Jordan, our mentor, stared sullenly at the big meal in front of us. I wasn't very hungry, but I never ate much at home, so I took advantage of all the food. It was delicious, especially this thing Remy called boar.

"Are you excited?" asked Remy. Her teeth shined…she actually didn't look like most drunk addict mentors I've seen in past Games. "You have a strategy at all?" she said.

"Well…" said Swift. "I can't kill Cannan."

"And why's that?" I said, smiling.

"Because…I'm in love with you." I knew she couldn't resist telling me. I wondered if this would be her strategy in the interview. I had no idea.

Just then, the Capitol anthem blared and the Reapings showed up on the television. I guess I didn't feel very romantic, so I put my attention on the screen. Swift moved her chair towards me.

Districts flashed by. I noticed a few…select…tributes – the District 2 boy lunging up to get into the Games, the thin but strong District 5 boy, the famous District 6 boy, both tributes from 7 that lunge forward to volunteer.

Soon, District 8 comes up on the screen. Textiles, I think their industry is. Not much help in the Games. They should have some sort of Training Center in every District…but then that wouldn't have helped during the 75th Hunger Games…but that was for another time.

The boy from District 8 I can tell right away is possibly the worst person they could've picked. With his pale face, really long hair, and…some condition that causes one of his eyes to be black, I can guess he won't last long in the arena.

The same thing can't be said for the District 8 girl, Bea Dechers, who reminds me of the District 5 tribute, Ellea, in the same Games that made Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark famous. The same hair…it was weird.

The District 9 boy shared the same fate as the District 8 boy. His name was Cain Ceders. He was weak and thin, with brown hair and eyes. I could tell he would die in the bloodbath. Would I survive? And what about Swift?

Penelope Young, the District 9 girl, looked better than her counterpart. She was small, and had blonde hair tied into a ponytail. She looked like she would put up a bit of a fight…until one of the Careers got to her.

I was shown. As I looked over at Swift on the screen, I see that she had been staring at me the whole time. First Swift is chosen, and then I am. We both walk on stage. I see her smile. But I can't confess to her that I think I've fallen head over heels for someone else…

The District 11 boy, Mason Takoma, is shown. He looks okay, maybe a bit of competition. But then, there's his female counterpart. She is a wreck, screaming at her friend, maybe addicted to something. But I can tell it's not morphling. The escort falls into the crowd, but suddenly the film is cut short.

I can't help laughing as Ryan Mellark is chosen. Their family must have some kind of bad luck. I wonder if he'll be a mix between his father and mother. Will he kill us all in the end?

The girl is Melanie Sageburn, and then the Capitol seal comes on screen. I push my chair back and walk towards my cabin. I can't help wondering about the Chariot outfits we'll have this year. Will I be dressed up as a cow?

I pull on my light blue bedclothes, then crawl into the soft Capitol bed. I'm going to hate getting used to this, only to get thrown into the arena right afterwards.

Thor Vang – Remake Center

"Frickin'…ow." I said under my breath as Jezebelle, my stylists, pulls a piece of wax off of my chin. I have to be 'clean-shaven' for my appearance on the Chariot. I don't see why they can't just shave instead of…waxing. I can't help thinking of my tribute, Daniella, who will be stripped of everything…ugh. This is the Capitol.

Jezebelle dunks my head into a bin containing some blue liquid. It stings my nostrils and chin. My hair is soaking wet when she pulls me back onto my chair.

"So." she says. "Do you have any amazing ideas for your outfit?" I didn't. I was probably going to be the usual guy with the big nerdy glasses and lab coat and beaker. Not many choices for the Scientific District. Lucky District 1 can dress up as anything they want, from gold to silver to diamonds to rubies to emeralds. Spoiled, rotten Capitol. At least Jezebelle is a little bit nice. I wonder how Daniella is getting along with her stylist, Axton. Weird name…
I hear the buzzing of a razor somewhere in the distance. Probably some other tribute robbed of the only reminders of their District.
My hair is combed while a cut on my arm is stitched up. Ugh, I wish I could just get to the Games already.

First, I put on a black shirt and pants, and then a lab coat and glasses (no surprise there). But then, maybe, just for once, Jezebelle has something that could kick up the crowd. She does.

I am handed something that looks like a gun.

"What…is this?" I ask.

Jezebelle pulls on the trigger. Small lights fly into the air, making a D and a 5.

Wow.

Daniella's outfit is slightly different. She has on a black unitard with a lab coat and glasses, and also has glow-in-the-dark beakers etched into her outfit. She is also handed a small light-gun. We are supposed to shoot them up into the air. I only hope Jezebelle and Axton consulted with the Capitol before doing this, or else we will be probably shot as soon as they see the guns.

Our chariot is decorated with science equations and beakers and…mushroom clouds. Same as usual. I think.

Daniella leans against me, trying to keep her balance. I hold the gun, slightly nervous. Would District 5 actually make an impact this year? Who could know…this is the Capitol. And in the Capitol, nothing is the same. I can ever hear another tribute laughing and saying "You know what I need? I need a sponsor!" More laughing. I wonder who it is.

AN: Hope you liked the end of the Reapings! I might need to have someone sponsor tributes with zero points, or else there is no possibility that tribute will make it to the end! Obvious reference in this chapter. Now, let's see if you guys can get the riddle!

"A man makes a bet that he can get into a locked safe guarded by a man and replace the ice cubes in a cup with ginger ale. The bet is agreed on and the guard stands in front of the safe for an hour. When the hour is up, he goes and gets the man who made the bet and opens up the safe. There are no more ice cubes, but instead there is ginger ale! How is this possible?"