AUTHOR'S NOTES: Sorry for the hiatus. Happy Holidays everyone (and that's my excuse). Anyhoo, now we're back, and I've got something special in store today. We start seeing a bit of Korra's more curious side, and get to meet the tributes, from the plucky District 1 pair all the way down to the mysterious District 12 tributes. Happy Reading!

CHAPTER 7: The Death Sentence

Vincent and Korra were the first tributes down in the training center, which might have gone to say something about their enthusiasm. They looked around like kids in a candy shop, their eyes lit up with all of the state-of-the-art equipment that they were surrounded by.

"Well… this makes the academies look like District 12 or something," Korra chuckled. "everything here is so amazing… I dunno where I want to start!"

"Well, you can even try your hand at… well, hand-to-hand—right over there." Vincent motioned towards one of the many combat stations, "The Capitol spares no expenses, you know."

Korra smirked and cracked her knuckles. Activating the mechanism for the hand-to-hand station, Korra donned a pair of fingerless gloves with metal plating on the tops that ended right at the knuckles (with a hinge-like joint at the wrists). She recognized them as standard-issue gloves for the arena uniforms lately, and so figured that it was the Capitol's way of encouraging hand-to-hand fighting and brawling in the event that a tribute was otherwise unarmed. Korra would put them to good use in the arena. In the meantime, she began practicing, using her fists and feet to lay some serious hurt on the attacking holograms, blocking (holographic) weapons with surprising accuracy.

Vincent stepped towards the heavier weapons, taking an axe for himself and swinging it with style. So he was the bruiser type then—Korra would have to remember that. She planned on watching everyone the same way that Amy had done the year before. After all, that tiny girl had won the games, and that was Korra's ultimate goal. Honor, glory, fame, and riches were all in the line, and that was a prize Korra had spent her whole life working towards.

Soon they were joined by Cobalt and Vivian from District 1, both of whom soon proved to be the more agile types. The boy was a skilled knife fighter that might have made Clove or Amy smirk in approval, while the girl used longer swords. It did not take long for them to form their usual career alliance after a bit more of watching each other's skills. Thus, the 93rd career pack was born, with Vivian, Korra, Cobalt, and Vincent all shaking hands right as Districts 3, 11, and 12 walked in.

"I think that might be record time for fastest career pack ever formed," the District 3 boy quipped. Korra's eyes briefly followed Saki and her partner over to the archery station, before turning back to the rather small District 3 pair.

"Koshu Varada, District 3," the boy extended his hand. He couldn't have been more than 15. His partner introduced herself as Argenta Lao a moment later, and she looked even younger than him.

"Awfully bold of you to come up to the careers like that," Korra quipped,

"I'm not afraid of you," he chuckled, "but I'll use this week to either prove why you should like us, or why you should worry about us…"

The calm, cool way that Koshu had said this did actually strike the career pack as bold, but they were not sure that they wanted him and Argenta on their team just yet. Neither one of them seemed fazed though, and so they went off to work with traps and other building materials, like District 3 so often did.

'11 and '12 were likely going to be valid contenders like they had been now for a while, and once again Korra took a moment to watch Sacajawea. She had looked threatening during the chariot parade, and so the career girl wondered if that was just the District 12 stylists Amadeus and Celine going above and beyond the call of duty, or if this girl had the strength to back her appearance up. However, she was distracted before too long by Vincent, who challenged her to a spar. Korra went back to her business and before she knew it, the other tributes had all showed up and were training in the various positions.

One of the odder pairs this year was District 6, which had a younger girl of about 13 paired with a more heavyset young man that was probably 18. Korra recognized him as the young man who had been in the elevator with them after the chariot parade, and as he equipped himself with a mace, it was clear that he was going to be a deadly force. His little partner Alayna used throwing knives, although it was clear that Garrett was the more dangerous of the two—even from a pair of tributes that recognized the abilities of tiny young ladies. The last 2 Hunger Games had both been won by diminutive girls, after all. Maybe there was something in the water, but it seemed that every year produced stronger and more dangerous tributes than the last. Such was Vincent's observation anyways, as he glanced from his own strong alliance to some of the other tributes honing their skills. This continued on for an hour or two before a soft but firm voice was heard—Vincent knew it did not belong to a tribute.

"Ah, Sacajawea Kwan; just who I wanted to see."

Sacajawea spun around, and her eyes widened. Everyone else in the training room turned their heads as well. In front of the District 12 girl was none other than President Snow himself. Naturally, all of the tributes were rather confused as to what the President of Panem was doing down here, but none of them dared say a word. Even Korra and Vincent were frozen with awe.

"What did you need me for, Mr. President?" Saki raised her eyebrows;

"I just need to borrow you for a moment. It will not be long." Snow offered his hand. Warily, Saki took it and followed him out of the training hall.

Snow led Sacajawea to a large set of screens depicting life in the Mining district. They depicted the citizens at their day-to-day lives, unsuspecting of anyone watching them.

"Have a seat if you wish," Snow offered as he sat down, taking a white rose from a nearby vase and replacing the one on his suit with the new one, "Tell me, girl—what do you see there?"

"That looks like District 12." Saki shrugged, "is it?"

"It is District 12," Snow nodded, "A fine component of our fine nation. However, it has come to my attention that it and the locals have become rather… rebellious. Is this true?"
"I'm not sure." Saki shrugged, "I do not know every—"

Snow did not answer, and instead flipped a remote that showed Sacajawea speaking to several other citizens, clearly pumping them up for some kind of small-scale rebellion.

"I would appreciate it if you would not try and lie to me, young lady." Snow insisted, "If your little rebellion was successfully carried out, it would only lead to ruin. You are here for a reason."
"You rigged my reaping," Saki exclaimed, although she kept her voice a monotone.

"You are here for a very specific purpose." Snow reaffirmed, "However, I am a man who practices what he preaches, and so I will not lie to you. You are not going to return from that arena."

"And what happens if I outsmart the other tributes?"
"Then you will return home," Snow replied without skipping a beat, "But do you see them? Do you see all of those people?" He motioned back towards the screens, where one of them depicted Sacajawea's siblings and parents.

"You will kill them, won't you?" the teen narrowed her eyes.

"Your family; your friends; your district—all reduced to ruin. Is that what you wish for?"
"No," Sacajawea sighed, "No it is not."

"Let it not be said that I am not merciful, however." Snow continued, "Your partner, Mr. Pescado, has not been involved, has he?" the question seemed more rhetorical that interrogative.
"I have not seen him," Saki insisted, and was being honest this time. Snow seemed to realize this, and so did not try to coerce the girl further.

"If you wish, you can try to bring him home." Snow offered, "but you, young lady, end your journey here—the 93rd Hunger Games arena is where you and your dangerous ideas will be put to rest."

Naturally, being told when one was going to die was not exactly an easy pill to swallow. Sacajawea remained stoic and silent.

"Do you understand the severity of this request, Ms. Kwan?" Snow repeated.

"Would you rather me step off the platform before the countdown finishes?" Saki offered.

"If you wish for that to be the same fate as your sisters, then by all means, please do." Snow replied.

"You're tying my hands really tight now, aren't you? Next you're going to specifically tell me to place 4th between the girl from 7 and the boy from 2, aren't you?"
"Do not be silly, child—but if anyone outside catches on that you are aware of your odds, there will be trouble. Convince me otherwise."

"What are my odds then," Saki raised her eyebrows, "zero?"

"You are an observant one indeed," Snow nodded, "you are dismissed."

She returned to the training center, looking somewhat shaken, but still managed to keep herself composed. She simply shook some hair out of her face and returned to the archery station, shooting bulls-eyes with rather impressive skill. No one, not even her partner Jeremy, dared ask what had been said, and they all left her be—except for a girl from District 2…