A/N: Ave, I am very happy we're finally at training. I haven't written an SYOT before, so I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, but I enjoyed writing this. I've noticed I've been getting very few reviews lately, which is fine, but it does make me worry that no one is actually reading.I will be continuing with the story regardless, it's a ton of fun to write! I've also just discovered how to put a horizontal line to separate sections. I will be abusing it from here on. There are plenty of POVs on the way, and lots more general interactions between the tributes. I hope you enjoy,

Caesar

Glitz Solitaire-District One

The training centre is empty when I arrive. Good. I want people to know I was the first here. Everyone will see my dedication. If I want a good alliance, I need to gain the respect of the other tributes.

My mentor told me to wait for my District partner, but I didn't listen. I think she will make an unreliable ally. She's too unpredictable. She's probably going to give me a hard time about coming down without her, but I don't care.

Even if I'm not allowed to start training until everyone is here, being down here early is beneficial. It gives me time to scope out the training stations and make a plan. The staff have allowed me to walk around to get a feel for things.

As expected, there is an archery station, which is good. I need to practice with bows. Ranged weapons are deadly in the games. If I can brush up on my archery, then I'll be unstoppable in the arena. I'll shoot any tributes who avoid my traps.

The training floor slowly starts filling up as more and more tributes arrive. Just as I thought, the tributes from One, Two and Four are the first to arrive. The minute they get off the elevator, they gather in a group and start discussing training. I'm not sure about joining them. The people in the Capitol will expect me to join with the 'careers.' I don't want to do what is expected of me. I need to show them I won't play by their rules.

"Hey, Glitz, come join us, we were just talking about what training we were gonna do. Come join us, don't be lonely!" Alyeska from District Four calls over to me. "Come on guys, make some room!" She pushes aside Vincent to make room for me in the circle. I figure I might as well humour them for the moment. If they trust me, it will be easier to kill them.

I take a place in the circle. Alyeska grabs my hand and shakes it enthusiastically with a broad smile on her face. She seems to be genuinely happy to see me, but I still don't know if I want to ally with her. She's quite pretty. High cheekbones and a pleasant oval face, with an easy smile. Her expressive green eyes are accentuated by her dark eyelashes. When she smiles her eyes seem to light up. She'll get sponsors just by grinning at the camera

"Nice to finally meet you Glitz, I saw you at the reaping. You look you can handle yourself. I hope you'll be teaming with us, I don't want to have to fight you." She giggles.

I nod. No need to speak.

Alyeska looks a bit put out. She was probably expecting me to hug her or something.

"You'll have to excuse Glitz, Alyeska, he hasn't quite got the hang of talking to humans yet." Says Colette. She doesn't seem too happy that I'm in the group.

Vincent from District Two finds that very funny.

Caliah, who has been silent up till now, speaks up.

"Quit screwing around. I need you all to focus. When the other tributes arrive we need to scope them all out and asses how dangerous they are. We should draw up a kill list and create a strategy for the cornucopia." She snaps. Obviously she has little patience.

So I suppose Caliah has decided she's the leader.

Her idea is fairly intelligent. If we can identify the most dangerous tributes then we know who to get rid of first. Seeing as they seem to have accepted me into the group, I might as well run with them for a while. But first chance I get, I will kill them. All of them, if I can. I'll show the Capitol that not everyone from District one is the same.

Vincent gives Caliah a mock salute.

"Just one question before we get started, do you want us to call you 'sir' or 'my queen'?" He asks sarcastically. Vincent doesn't seem to fit in with the others. He's too disinterested, it's like he doesn't care about the games as much as the rest of us.

Caliah ignores him.

When everyone has arrived, the head trainer, a muscular woman named Anna, gives us a brief speech, explaining the rules and giving us hints about which stations to use. I don't need her advice. I'll win the games my own way, without the help of the Capitol. The minute her speech is finished I head straight for the archery station and begin to practice, whilst the rest of my group spreads out to watch the other tributes.

Borus Lexington-District Five

Already alliances are beginning to form. The weak tributes are joining together. As if they think that numbers will protect them from me.

I'm training in the combat simulation. The other stations do not concern me. I'm not here to learn how to pick flowers.

I set the simulation to 'expert' difficultly level. People need to know my power.

I step into the simulation and hit the 'initiate' button.

The first hologram rushes at me with a spear. I dart aside, and it stumbles, caught off balance. I whip around and smash my mace into its head. It explodes into white sparks. Too easy. Pity there isn't real blood. The second hologram charges from the left, a sword raised above its featureless face. I duck its blow and punch it in the chest. Winded, it attempts to stand up to face me, but I don't let it. I take it down with a strong blow to the knees. The fourth and fifth holograms come at me simultaneously. One is carrying an axe, and the other one a trident. I charge forward and smash into the trident hologram, knocking it to the ground. A quick blow to the chest kills it. The spear wielding figure tries to hit me, but I roll away onto the floor. I swipe at its legs with the handle of my mace and it goes down.

I stand over it and raise my foot above its head.

I bring my foot down onto its head. Smash! it's a satisfying noise. The hologram 'dies' with an electronic scream.

Not bad, I suppose. The simulation was realistic enough. The holograms acted like real people, but I wish they actually were real people. Holograms don't feel pain, so it's not as enjoyable.

The girl, Colette, from District One has been watching me. She looks impressed. She's probably jealous.

"You trying to pick up some techniques?" I say to her as I throw the mace back at the trainer, who barely catches it.

"Not quite, I was just watching you fight. Pretty impressive, for a District Five tribute. Do you want to join with our alliance?" She asks in a chirpy tone.

"It depends. How many tributes will I get to kill?"

"As many as you like. Although you might have to let Caliah have a few." She says. She smiles sweetly at me, waiting for a response. Career girls are so naïve. She thinks I'll share my kills. I will do no such thing. I mean to kill as many tributes as I can and savour every kill.

"Yeah, I'll run with you." I say. I figure teaming up with the careers will give me plenty of opportunity for bloodshed. If I don't get enough kills, well, I could always just kill the careers instead. Everybody wins.

"Good, now come over and meet the rest of the gang." Colette says brightly. "I think they're going to like you."

Matthew Todd-District Three

The other tributes are an interesting bunch. I've learned a lot about them already, and I'm not even halfway through the first day. I've taken note of the career pack, which is larger than usual. The tall muscle-bound boy from Five has joined them. He must be pretty skilled if they permitted him to join them. I've noted that Vincent does not seem to be as enthusiastic about the games as the rest of the tributes. He displays typical career bravado on the surface, but he is unwilling to discuss killing other tributes. If the alliance falls, it will begin with him. The boy from Four, Titus, also appearsto be unhappy about the idea of killing. I saw him fight; he seemed too reluctant to hit the trainers. This dislike of causing harm to others will not get him far if he stays with the careers.

Aric from Nine has gathered quite a few tributes to his side. He has a certain likeability about him. He's charismatic. When training began, other tributes seemed to automatically gravitate towards him, like weak wolves seeking protection from an alpha. I'm unsure of whether he can actually protect his allies, he's rather scrawny. It is probable that he'll lead from behind, making others do dangerous tasks for him. A clever strategy. I'll be watching his allies closely over the next couple of days. I need to know how dangerous they are.

Most tributes look like they will be alone in the arena. Odessia, my District partner, has turned down several offers from Aric (very rudely) this leads me to believe that she is strong enough to not need allies. I know very little about Odessia. She made no effort to communicate with me. And even if she did, I couldn't talk to her. I haven't properly spoken to anyone for years.

I've decided to practice my swordsmanship. A skill I know well, but I need to show people that I mean business. I don't want the careers to target me because I'm from District Three. The Capitol trainer seemed surprised when I asked to fight her. She probably expected me to try flower picking or something.

The sword training station is fairly small, just a simple circular room with crash mats on the floor. We're fighting with blunted swords to prevent injury. They don't want us dying before we get in the arena. Even though it isn't a proper sword, it's good to hold. It makes me feel powerful.

The trainer circles me, sword in hand. Our eyes are locked together, studying each other, watching for any change in behaviour that might betray our movements. We both make a few feints, trying to get the other to lower their guard, but neither of us is stupid enough to fall for it.

I make the first strike. I lunge forward, thrusting my sword with me. The trainer moves to block, like I knew she would. I quickly strafe to the right and jab my sword into her undefended side. It makes a satisfying thump as it impacts.

The trainer looks at me in surprise.

"I didn't know you were so fast." she says.

I nod and smile dangerously. It is common for people to underestimate the non-career tributes.

We continue fighting. I am pleased to say I wipe the floor with her.

Taniece Davis-District Ten

I'm not too sure where to start. There are so many stations, and nearly all of them have tributes at them. In the end I choose the whip station, because its empty, and I always wanted to try using whips.

Throughout my training, I notice that the fat boy from District Eight keeps looking at me. I try to avoid his eyes but he walks over to me with a creepy smile plastered across his face. He runs a hand through his greasy hair and stands right up close to me

"So, you looking for an alliance? Maybe someone to share a sleeping bag with if it gets cold?" He leers at me.

"What? No, I don't want…I…" I can't quite get the words out. I don't want to be in an alliance with this creep, he scares me.

"Come on, don't be a wimp. If you don't join up with me I'll kill you."Oh no, it's the first day of training and already I've been threatened with death! I don't know what I can do to make this guy go away! I'm not very threatening and he's about twice the size of me. I look around the room desperately, looking for someone to help. I catch the eye of Luther, who sees my predicament and strides over to us, fists clenched.

"Taniece, is this guy giving you trouble?" he asks menacingly. He stands in front of me, shielding me from Eyealle.

"Who the fuck are you?" Eyealle asks.

"Doesn't matter. Leave her alone." Says Luther.

"Or what, you'll fight me? I could take you on." Eyeallle says confidently. He steps forward so he is eye to eye with Luther. Luther doesn't blink.

They stand staring at one another in dangerous silence.

Suddenly, Luther strikes. He stamps down hard on Eyealle's foot. The boy screams and tries to hop away, but Luther grabs him by the collar.

"If you EVER talk to Taniece again, I will personally hunt you down in the arena and kill you with a rusty spoon. Got it?" He lets Eyealle go. He limps away, whimpering quietly.

"Thanks, that was really brave of you." I say.

"Don't mention it. I hate seeing girls in danger." He says. "Do you want me to hang around close to you so he doesn't come back?"

"Yes please." I say gratefully.

Luther moves off to practice setting snares, but he keeps checking to make sure Eyealle doesn't come back.

I'm actually pretty good with a whip. I manage to pull the trainer off his feet a few times. I'm joined a bit later by Circe from District Five. She watches me with interest.

"You're good at that." She says. "I've been watching you train. Can you show me?"

"Sure." I say.

"Thanks. It isn't as hard as you think it is. Here, I'll show you." I pull the whip behind me and jerk it upwards, so it curls round a light fitting. I pull down hard and it smashes to the floor. Several tributes look up in alarm.

"Wow, that was cool!" she says excitedly.

I blush a little. It's nice to be complemented, especially at something I've only just learned.

Circe sits down next to me and gestures for me to join her. I put the whip back on its stand and sit with her.

"You're from District Five, right?" I ask her. "Pleased to meet you."

She shakes me hand. "You too." She says.

Circe seems nice. She's pretty friendly and isn't intimidating like most of the tributes here. I'd quite like to ally with her.

"Has Aric spoken to you yet?" Circe asks.

"No, why?"

"He's asking a bunch of people about joining up with him. I turned him down, it's stupid allying with so many people."

She's right, big groups often fall apart quickly and bloodily. I want to be in a small alliance with people I trust, and I think I trust Circe.

"Why don't we work together?" I ask her. "We'll make a good team. We can look out for each other and make sure that idiots like Eyealle don't come near us."

"Sure." She says instantly.

Wow, that was easier than I thought.

We shake hands again to make it official. It feels good to know I've got someone nice to watch my back.

"Have you thought about who else we might want to team with?" I ask Circe.

"I have actually." She says brightly. "I was thinking Katri from Seven. She looks friendly, and she doesn't look like she has anyone to go with."

Katri is over at the climbing wall. She looks nervous and a bit lost.

I leave the weapons area with Circe and we go to join Katri. She's glad to have some company.

Saul Arbor-District Seven

The first thing I do when training starts is go to the survival skills station. It's incredibly important to learn basic survival techniques. I don't know what I'm going to find in the arena, but if I practice skills like trapping, hunting and foraging, then my chances of survival will be much greater.

Spending time at the survival stations also means the other tributes will write me off as a threat. If I trained with weapons, it would look like I was a threat. I'm more likely to be targeted if people think I'm prepared to fight and kill.

After I spend a bit of time attempting to hunt, I decide to practice setting traps.

The trap setting station is very useful. It's a small room with a fake forest floor (a sign that the arena might be a forest, maybe) in one corner and a collection of ropes to make into snares and tripwires. The careers look very though, but they're all stupid. They think the only way to victory is through hitting people with weapons. A very boring way to win, if you ask me.

Aric from District Nine comes to join me.

"I hope you don't mind if I join in." He says. "All of the combat stations are being used by the careers. There's a lot of them this year."

"It's fine." I say, moving aside to make room for him on the floor.

Should I trust Aric? He has a honourable air, but he could just be putting it on. There have been many cases in the past of tributes pretending to be friendly and then stabbing their allies in the back.

We silently continue making snares. He's making a much more basic one than me, just a simple rope spread between two trees. He can't seem to manage to get the rope to stay attached to the tree trunks.

"You're not tying it properly." I tell him.

I grab the rope off him and tie it tightly to the tree.

"See?" I say. "If you don't use the right knot then the rope will just slip down the trunk."

"Wow, you really know your stuff." Aric says.

"Oh I don't know much. Just the basics." I reply. I don't want Aric to know about my full capabilities.

"Don't be modest." He says. "I saw you identifying edible plants. You got nearly all of them right."

"There are quite a lot of plants in Seven. Most people there learn which ones are okay to eat. I'm nothing special." I say

"If you're sure, but I think we could use you in our alliance. We've got some good people. My District partner, Henry from Six, Cicero from Eleven and Dolly from Eight. They're good, but we could do with someone like you. Your survival skills will come in really useful." Aric says winningly.

It's a tempting offer. A large alliance can bring security, but it can also make you a target. I need more time to decide. I haven't got Aric figured out yet.

"I might join with you, but I need time to think about it. I have to check out the other tributes before I commit to anything." I say.

I leave Aric alone to continue making snares.

A/N: Alliances are forming! We've got a very strong crop of tributes this year, and there are some unusual ones who might cause some trouble for their allies. This is only the first day so alliances might change.

Questions

Which tributes do you like? Do you see any as surviving a long time?

What alliances do you think will develop?

What do you want to see more of?