a/n: Sorry for the wait, hols. Here is D5 train ride, it's a little stiff coz it's new but I think it's ok. There are some of you who got this wrong. I'm making D1~4 on the reapings, D5~8 in the train rides, D9~12 in the chariot rides. So I'll have 12 chapters introducing the tributes and the following chapters with mixed POVs of every tribute. Don't worry, everybody gets a fair share of the lime light.

150th Hunger Games: Quells of Fate

District 5 Train Ride

Gemma Manithy POV

"Goodbye Gemma," The warmth of his body is making it even harder to say goodbye. "Goodbye Liam, I'll be fine," I say the words that aren't true. "Promise me you'll make it back, promise me you'll win," I'm in danger of breaking down and collapsing to the floor. "Okay, I will…" I say the promise that will never be fulfilled.

I break away from Liam's hug and board the train. From the window I see my father and my brother waving at me with somber faces. I wave back at them as they slowly disappear into the distance. Even when they're gone I still stand by the window, as if they're still there.

"Excuse me miss, would you like me to show you to your room?" I jump a little and turn around to see a woman wearing a white and black uniform, who I assume to be a capitol attendant. "Y-yeah sure, just give me a moment," I say nonchalantly as I take one quick glance out the window. "Of course miss,"

The attendant leads me to my room and I, instinctively, tackle the bed. It's so soft and comfy I feel like I'm lying on a cloud. "Dinner will be ready soon, miss," I jolt up in embarrassment when I realize she's still there. "Oh okay, thanks," She walks out the door and I lie back down. This is so much better than the bed I have at home.

Home…

The aching pain in my heart swells again. I lie there, trying not to cry until it's time for dinner. At the dining cart I see everyone seated at a huge table. I spot an empty seat next to my district partner, Leon. "So good of you to join us Gemma," our escort says as I sit down. "Eat up, we're going to plan your strategy afterwards," Lucille, our mentor says.

I eye all the mouth-watering food on the table: Roasted chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes, glistening fruit tarts set on trays, round doughy things they call 'donuts', and a really tall glass of what I assume is orange juice. I have to stop myself from using my fingers and stuffing everything into my mouth. Even in a small capitol train, everything's better than home.

"Oh wow, this is so good!" I say gleefully, scooping everything onto my plate. "Meh, I eat this stuff all the time," Leon scoffs at me and I give him an icy stare.

"Well, we can definitely rule out you guys allying with each other," Hayne, the other mentor says. "Fine by me, I don't want poor little shortstuff here dragging me down anyways," Leon says cockily and continues to eat his food. "Look I know you're all buff and strong and whatever but you don't have to be such a snob! And don't underestimate me because of my height. I'm stronger than I look, in fact I could probably even kill you later!" I snap at him.

"Oh my, some drama before the arena is always entertaining," The escort, who I completely hate now, gives a sly grin. I roll my eyes and just eat.

Later after dinner, Lucille guides me to the next car while Jerk-face goes with Hayne to a different car. "Okay, so tell me Gemma, what are your strengths?" she begins. "Well, I'm good with a knife– I mastered whittling during last year's school camp– and I can carve tools and stuff out of wood," I confidently tell her, although I didn't actually learn how to whittle at camp. It's a hobby that, although most girls would never break a nail doing it, I like to do.

"Hey that's great! It's really useful when you're in the arena. That is…if you make past the bloodbath," there's a slight hesitation in that last sentence. I bet Lucille have seen a lot of her kids get mauled by Careers. "Speaking of which, you got any tips for the bloodbath?" I ask and this seems to get her attention.

"Run, just run. Don't worry about getting supplies, you won't need any if you're dead," She says with a dark tone in her voice. Most District 5 tributes elude themselves into thinking they can take on the Career pack because they think they're strong because the work in the silver mines, but they forget that the Careers are more well-fed and had real training. That's a mistake I'll definitely steer clear off.

We talk about our strategy for about an hour or so when I start to feel sleepy. Lucille bids me goodnight and I wander back to my room.

Leon Williams POV

Everything's gonna be alright

Those were the last I said to my family. It's a lie, everything is not gonna be alright. I'm doomed to face 23 other kids in the arena and although I can take on half of them, my chances of coming home alive are super slim because of those trained Careers.

To think that out of thousands, my name was called. I live a good life and I never signed up for tessera and there a bunch of other kids out there who have it worse than me, they're the ones' whose names should be called out.

"Not me!" I slam my fist into the bed with an unsatisfying thud because the bed is so soft, like the one I have at home.

Someone knocks on my door and calls me out to dinner. I'm really not in the mood to talk right now but I get up and walk out of my room anyways. I wander past the hallways until I reach the dining car. My mentors are already there.

"So, what do you think of the décor?" Lucille asks. What is she trying to do? Making small talk, trying to pry information from me? "Meh, its okay I guess. My room back home's better than this though," I reply to her coldly. I guess I'm still angry about the fact that I got reaped.

"Oh, okay then," She says with a slight hint of hurt in her voice. Great, now she'll probably leave me to die. The food is just being served when I see Gemma entering. "So good of you to join us Gemma," Minxy, the escort, says while Gemma takes a seat beside me.

One look at her outfit and I know she's one of those poor kids who have to work hard in the mines to support their family. It's the kids like her that should've been reaped, not upper class people like me.

Gemma struggles to use her knife and fork; obviously she never used them before. I look at her looking so wide-eyed at everything on the table. Yummy this, deeeelicious that, she's just so annoying that I feel like stuffing all the food in her mouth so that she can't talk.

"Meh, I eat this stuff all the time," I scoff without even looking at Gemma. It's true; I eat like this almost every day. Starvation never manages to catch up with us or anyone who has money. I sense Gemma staring at me but I pretend not to notice.

"Well, we can definitely rule out you guys allying with each other," my mentor, Hayne, says. Gemma as an ally? She's so short and weak, I wouldn't be surprised if she dies at the bloodbath. "Fine by me, I don't want poor little shortstuff here dragging me down anyways," Gemma snaps her head towards me.

"Look I know you're all buff and strong and whatever but you don't have to be such a snob! And don't underestimate me because of my height. I'm stronger than I look, in fact I could probably even kill you later!" She shouts back at me fiercely, I did not expect that from her.

As if things weren't bad enough Minxy, our rainbow-haired buffoon, decides to make a stupid comment about the tense situation. Our anger at each other seems to be directed towards him for the rest of the meal.

The waiters clean the table up and I go with Hayne to a car opposite of Gemma and Lucille. "Alright first, lose that cocky attitude. It's not gonna help you get allies in the arena," Hayne begins. I frown and interrupt him "But I don't want any allies. I can handle it all by myself,"

"Now, listen. You are never going to make it by going solo. It's either the Careers will kill you at the bloodbath or you'll die by starvation or thirst. You won't survive out there alone especially if the Careers go hunting, you'll be outnumbered!" His tone is serious, like his face.

"You've got point there," I nod my head.

"Lucille and I think it's best if you take Gemma as your ally," That is so not likely to happen. "What? Why her? She's a midget!" I put my hand at knee-level to emphasize my point. "Which is exactly why both you need each other. She's small and can reach those hard-to-reach places that may contain food or water,"

Just like you, I thought. Hayne won his Games by being the last one alive. All the Careers killed each other in an argument and the minor districts' tributes were left. After days without water, Hayne managed to find a small pond in a cave. Only the cave was really small that probably only he could fit compared to the other tributes that were taller or bigger than him. And so the others died of dehydration and he became the 134th Hunger Games Victor.

"Alright, alright. Guess I should apologize to her, huh?" I ask sheepishly.

"Yup, you most definitely should," He replies with a mocking smile.

Gemma Manithy POV

"Huaaaaaaah," I yawn loudly as I wander around. It seems that, even on a train, I am lost.

Oh dear. Whatever shall I do? I trip a little and stagger back and forth. I'm starting to think that what I drank just now wasn't orange juice. I thought to myself that if I can't find my room by the next hour, I'll just sleep on the carpeted floor. It's actually really comfy.

I lie down in the middle of the room and pretend to do a snow angel on the carpet, fabric angel? It was then when I heard the thumping of someone's footsteps.

"Geez, I knew you were a hobo but this is definitely a new low for you," I sit up and look around to find the owner of that voice. Leon stands behind my, looking very much like giant from down here.

"Oh, it's you. Jerk-face,"

"Really? That's all you've got? Lame,"

"You dumb -hic- ass. I hate -hic- you. You're so -hic- mean!"

Amidst my drunken stupor, I make out actual concern on his face. "Oh, you're drunk," then he laughs. I don't know whether it's because of the alcohol or it's really me but, I join in laughing too.

"Well, you rich -hic- kids aren't the only ones with the booze -hic- ," that sets him off again.

Leon pulls me up gently of the floor but as I get up I stumble and fall right into him. I can feel the strong grip of his hands, the warmth of his body. Like Liam's, except he's more stick-like compared to Leon.

"Whoa, be careful. You don't wanna damage that pretty little face of yours," He says as we pull apart.

"Aw, you just called me pretty. That's so sweet of you," I tease him. What is wrong with me? Just now I was about ready to claw his eyeballs out.

"Uh, that's um… not what I… I didn't mean it that… It's a joke," His cheeks turn red and I laugh.

"I know, I know. I'm just messing with ya. C'mon, let's wrestle!" I get into position with my hands out.

"Look Gemma, I just wanted to apologize about earlier. I shouldn't have yelled at you and called you those things," He says as he locks arms with me.

"I was just angry you know, angry that my name got picked," I start pushing his hand down and as I do, I throw up all over him.

"Gemma! You couldn't at least wait until we're done to puke? Yuck, I stink," He jumps back in disgust.

Despite the foul stench I laugh so hard that I clutch my side, and then my vision goes hazy. The last thing I'm aware of is falling into a puddle of my own vomit.

Leon Williams POV

Splat!

This girl is crazy! One moment she's laughing and the next, she's asleep in her own vomit. It'd be ungentlemanly to leave her like this and I kinda owe it to her for yelling just now. I call for an attendant to clean up the mess and, since she's so small, I carry her gently to her room. She looks just like my little sister Bunny, that's her real name, in my arms.

I immediately bring her to the bathroom and set her up on the toilet seat. Now how do I get her clean? I turn and look at the shower then back at her. There's no way I'm taking off her clothes. I try shaking her but she slumps to one side. I try slapping her lightly but she just groans. So in my last resort to clean her up without having to act like a perv, I dump her body in the shower and turn it on.

"Aaaaahheeeewaa!" She jumps up when ice cold water sprays down on her. "What's the big idea? And, what is this, vomit?" She sniffs the disgusting gunk on her shirt and her face turns sour. It looks like she's sober.

"Hey you're the one who's drunk and puked all over the place," I gesture to my orange hoodie which is also stained with vomit. She looks confused for a second and slowly she remembers the whole incident. "Oh, wow. Sorry about that, I didn't know what I drank. I really thought it was orange juice, I mean it even tastes like orange juice, kinda..." She blushes.

"Hey I get it; it's your first time eating such grand food anyways. And you're so light, I didn't even feel you when I carried you to your room," I smile and she blushes even more. "Listen, before I go and change, I just wanna make sure you hear this from me. I'm not sure if you still remember what I said to you when you were drunk-,"

"I remember, and I know you're angry but hey, don't take it out on me," She raises her hands up. "I know, I'm sorry," I sigh deeply and she holds her hand out like she wants to shake hands. "Huh?" I look at her quizzically. "We got off to a bad start so I wanna start over. Hi I'm Gemma, wanna be allies?"

I look at her, surprised, but I shake her hand firmly and say "Hey, I'm Leon. Yeah, I'll be your ally,"

"Great, now go take a shower. You smell like rotten eggs," She jokes and we both laugh. I just noticed, she's kinda cute when she laughs

Hope that wasn't too bad of a chapter and that I did your characters justice.

A.M.T.O.B.E.I.Y.F. :)