Gem Minx – District 9
Dustin Proelia is a lovesick puppy. I am an alpha dog. That's going to be a big different in the arena. While he moans about being away from his girlfriend, I'm going to take the victory right from under his nose. He won't even see it coming. I'm sure everyone won't see me coming.
Dustin's unprepared. He won't survive. I'm fast. I can fight. I know how to throw things with accuracy. I'm going to be District Nine's next victor and there's no stopping it. I glance at Dustin, smirking, as Aspen goes off about stuff I really don't care about. I tuck some hair behind my ear, staring at Aspen, not listening.
"Okay, so," I say, "Miss District Nine Victor, ma'am, what's the importance of this speech?" I raise my eyebrows at her. Halo sits in a chair across from me, filing her nails. She enjoys watching us talk. She watches us like we're cable TV.
Aspen sighs heavily. "Just call me Aspen, Geminus."
"Great! Call me Gem. I can see we're getting along great!"
"Cut it out, Gem," Dustin says to me.
I narrow my eyes at him. No one just tells me to stop. "Excuse me, Mr. I'm-so-sad-and-lonely." I make a face, pretending to be all sad and emotional. Oh the angst. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with that.
He stands up and I can finally see how big he really is. He's definitely over six feet tall and has big muscles. I try not to show any emotion as he glares at me. Besides his devilishly good looks, he doesn't seem too bright and won't get many sponsors. "Excuse me, Miss I'm-being-a-total-bitch, but you need to drop the attitude."
"Says who? You're not my mother," I retort.
"He's right. Cut the crap," Aspen cuts in.
"Okay," I say, walking up to Aspen. "I definitely know you're not my mother." The corners of my lips turn up into a smirk. Aspen flips her caramel colored hair and sits down.
"You're not going to learn anything if you keep this up," she says.
"I've got everything I need to win this Game," I reply, glowering.
"Oh, really?" Her eyebrows pop up. She's amused by my answer, although I don't see why. "So, what do you do when you're out of water and you are alone in the woods?"
I open my mouth but no words come out.
"Yeah, just what I thought."
"I'll learn in training. Then, I'll get a great score and beat everyone. That's the plan," I announce.
"I very much like that plan. Short and simple," Halo says, grinning. She finally looks up from her nails and trots over to us. She pokes at her hairdo to make sure it's standing up correctly. I almost laugh at how ridiculous her hair looks. ."I believe it's time for dinner. Let's go!"
I groan and make my way to the dinner table. My stomach grumbles and once I get some food into my system, I realize how hungry I am. My family isn't dirt poor like some people in District Nine, but there are nights where I go to bed hungry. Last night was one of those nights, but at the Capitol, I'll get great food. And after the Games, once I'm crowned Victor, I'll be rich and my family will eat like kings every night.
After dinner, Dustin and I sit in front of the television. I plan on seeing what sort of programs the Capitol has on the TV, but Aspen rips the remote from my grasp. I let out a low growl, but she sends me a threatening glare and I back down. It's not worth fighting her, even though I'd win. She's skinny and doesn't have a lot of muscle. To be honest, I don't know how she won her games.
"Watch the Reapings," she says before leaving.
What's the point of her mentoring us if she won't stick around? I lean back, crossing my arms across my chest and watch the District One tributes hop onto the stage. I yawn as other tributes come to the stage in their districts. Some look eager to be up there and some don't.
"Allies?" Dustin asks.
"You want to be allies?" Um, hell no.
"No, I meant who do you want to be allies with?"
"I'll have to see during training. I can't tell what their skills are just by watching them climb onto a stage." I noticed Dustin taking an interest in the boy from District Seven, leading me to believe they could be allies. But who knows? We don't know what they can do yet. For all we know, Seven could be a complete dud this year.
"How about dangerous tributes?"
"None of them." In actuality, I'm terrified of the tributes of Two. The Dictatrix girl has an evil glare in her eyes and Avtlift's grin is deadly. The boy from Twelve appears to be mentally insane. The girl from Ten could be nothing, but her emotionless stare makes me nervous. District One this year doesn't look like anything special. The last two tributes that could be threats are Dustin and Hayner from Seven. They're both large and could potentially be very fast.
The thing is I'm much faster and agile. I can fight. I can climb. I can throw. I can do this. I just need to think positively. "You should watch your back in the arena, Dustin," I say, before leaving the room to go to bed.
Maize Koranon – District 11
I feel bad for Bailey. He doesn't deserve this. He's been acting a little crazy since the Justice Building, but I'm pretty sure it's just nerves. I'm a tad nervous myself. All eighteen of my cousins and eight siblings will be watching me. They'll watch me ride chariots, stand on a stage in a pretty dress, and stand in the center of an arena. My younger family members don't understand the Games yet and I wish they'll never know. Eventually, they will find out. Hopefully, I'll live to tell the tale.
First off, I'm one of eight siblings. Plus, I have eighteen siblings, and one more on the way. My family is everything to me. I just want them to be safe. If I hadn't been Reaped, but one of my siblings or cousins got Reaped, I would have volunteered in a heartbeat. The only problem is that there's one of me and if I'm gone, who will look after them?
In the Justice Building, I'd talked to my friend, Cera. I made her promise to help take care of my family. She said she would do whatever it takes. She won't let them starve. The thought calms my mind a little, but I'm still under a great deal of stress. Anxiety has taken over me and my stomach has dropped somewhere around my ankles.
"So," Bailey says, softly, "what do you think's going to happen?"
"You know what's going to happen," I say with a small smile.
"I know, but I mean…after…after the Games once they crown the winner. You know? When we die?" Bailey's lip quivers and it seems like tears are fixing to fall down his face. "How can you be so…chipper?"
"I—I'm not. It's just how I am. I guess I have to be happy all the time in front of my siblings and cousins," I reply. I shrug, not even realizing I'd been smiling so "happily."
"Usually you save these profound conversations for the night before the Games," he says.
"Maybe we'll break tradition this year. Maybe they'll change the rules. Allow two people from one district to win," I say hopefully.
"The Capitol isn't one to break tradition. You know that," Bailey says. He stares at the floor of the train.
"You know," I say, "we need to be more positive. Neither one of us is going to win if we just sit here and be pessimistic. We're going to the Capitol for goodness sake! We're going to get real food, meet new people."
"Maize, you know what happens after that. You said so yourself."
"Yeah, I do, but I don't want to die thinking I shoulda, coulda, woulda. Just think about it. You have a chance to win. I have a chance to win. The Hunger Games is a game of chance," I say, standing up. "What's done is done. We can't turn back, not now or ever."
Colatia comes into the room in the same ridiculous outfit she had on at the Reapings. "Time to dinner, pumpkins!" She grins wildly, giggling, and leads us to the dining room. We sit down as the Avoxes bring out the food. There's more food than I've seen in my life and Bailey's put together. In District Eleven, we may be the agriculture district, but we don't get to keep any of the food.
Fibro throws himself in a chair across from me. He looks grumpy. I want to cheer him up, but what can I say to make him happier? Maybe you'll get a tribute to come back? Maybe both of us will live through the Bloodbath? No, that won't work. I guess I'll just have to think about how I can cheer him up. One day, I will make that curmudgeon smile.
"Finish quickly." Fibro shovels food into his mouth. Seeing all this food, I don't know where to start! With the roast duck? Or the salad with a large assortment of toppings? I smile, starting with the roast duck. Bailey seems to be enjoying the food too as he closes his eyes, savoring it.
After we finish eating, Fibro makes us sit in front of the TV to watch the Reapings. He messes with his hair as they start. Obviously, the Careers are terrifying. Some of the other older male tributes are just as scary. One girl from Ten has an eerie vibe. The boy from Twelve is even creepier. His grin sends shudders down my spine.
"Think about who you want for allies," Fibro tells us.
If I'm going to have allies, I'd want the girl from Six, Eight, and of course, Bailey. I glance at him, but he's completely ignoring me. He has different people in mind and those people don't include me. He occasionally glances at me, smiling faintly, but he's just trying to be friendly. I'm not worthy to be his ally. But, I'll have better allies. The girl from Six is bound to know about plants. The girl from Eight looks like she'd be good at something.
Something good will have to come out of the Games. Just one thing.
Conrad Avtlift – District 2
Gabrielle Dictatrix. She's definitely a catch, but also very deadly. On the way to the train, she was flirting with our escort, Nox. It's obvious she's interested in him, but she should be interested in me. I'm smart, handsome, and strong. I have what it takes to win these Games. Gabrielle should learn to sleep with one eye open.
Gabrielle is in a short, white dress and high heels. She sits in a seat on the train, staring at Nox the whole time. There's a glint of mischief in her eye, making me wonder what she's thinking. It's either an evil plan or something dirty, possibly both. I slide down to the seat next to her, giving her my best smile.
"Hey, so how long have you been training?" I ask her. I'd heard about her from around the district, but I've never meet her. I've seen her in the training center and she was pretty damn good. But, she's not as good as I am.
"Since before I could walk," Gabrielle says sharply. She avoids my gaze and she keeps watching Nox.
"He your boyfriend or something?" I cock an eyebrow as my smile morphs into a smirk.
"About to be." She mirrors my grin, although her's is a bit more malicious. She stands up and stalks off out of the room. My eyes wander a little, but she didn't notice. She shouldn't have worn such a short dress. That girl has long, slender legs. Her hair is also very long. If she doesn't keep it up at all times, she might end up missing a few inches during the Games.
"What the hell are you looking at?" Leo snaps. He gives me a small shove and turns me around. "You and Gabrielle need to watch the Reapings soon. You need to see who you need to look out for."
"It's all good," I tell him, holding my hands in the air carelessly. "No one's better than District Two."
"Tell that to Caedis," Leo grumbles.
Caedis was one of my distant cousins. I knew him pretty well. If that District Four girl didn't get those damn arrows, he could have won. He'd be mentoring me, not Leo. "Yeah, well, Caedis was weak. I'm not like Caedis. We may be related, but I have something he never had. Dignity."
Leo rolls his eyes like a teenage girl. What a joke. "I'm going to laugh if this year's District Four girl kills you."
"What great words of comfort," I say sarcastically.
"You two kiddies play nice now," Gabrielle says, sitting down beside me. She's wearing a different outfit. Her legs are covered in sleek, black slacks. Her shirt is a blood red that makes her hair stand out. She gracefully crosses her legs and folds her hands. My jaw threatens to drop open, but that would be very unprofessional. "What? You gonna stare or are you going to play the Reapings, Hasan?"
Leo nods and picks up the remote. The TV screen comes to life with color all over. The Reapings start how they usually start, with District One. Then, it will end with District Twelve, the worst district of them all. I don't see why the Capitol doesn't just blow them off the map like they did with District Thirteen.
In District One, there are siblings, the boy volunteering. It looks like the boy is jealous and wants to take the glory all for himself. Of course, there's the most amazing district anyone will ever know, District Two. Both of us volunteer. District Three has two nerds, as usual. District Four has loser tributes too. District Five, Six, Eight, Ten, and Eleven are just as boring. District Seven's guy looks okay, but I could take him. Same goes for District Nine's boy. District Twelve has the same lame tributes as always.
I can't help but notice that a lot of people volunteered this year. That's weird because it usually doesn't happen unless it's in the Career Districts. There's the occasional volunteer in a lower district, but they always end up dead. Most die in the Bloodbath. This year's Bloodbath is definitely going to be a show worth watching.
The Reapings end and I lean back, sighing heavily. "So, who looks dangerous?" Leo asks us, turning off the TV.
"None. Pretty soon they'll all be dead," Gabrielle says menacingly. I couldn't have put it better myself.
Morgan Colliet – District 4
"Okay! Okay! One more joke!" Lucien says, laughing loudly. "How do you make holy water?"
"I don't know. How?" Emilia Fiore replies. She raises an aquamarine eyebrow in curiosity. I glance at Pash Cursor, our District Victor, who is slumped in her seat, playing with the food on her plate. She's bored and uninterested in Lucien's foolishness. I feel the same way, because I just want to get home as soon as possible.
"You boil the hell out of it!" He booms in laughter.
Emilia wipes away an invisible tear. "Oh, you're too funny, Lucien. The sponsors are going to eat you up!" She stands up and calls for an Avox to clean the table. "I think I'm going to go and freshen up. See you kiddies soon." She walks away with her heels clacking on the floor.
Lucien laughs, setting his booted feet on the table. He glances at me, a huge grin plastered on his face. "You see that?" He points towards where Emilia exited the room. "I swear, that woman…weird as f—"
Pash slaps Lucien on the back of his head before he can finish. "Watch your mouth, dumb ass," she tells him. "And feet off the table." She shoves his feet off and Lucien's smile is replaced by a frown. She ties her dark hair back with a hair tie, her intent gaze never leaving Lucien's face.
"Let up would you? We're going to the Capitol on our way to the biggest event of the year," Lucien says.
"You don't even know a thing about the Games. You don't know the truth," Pash snaps.
"I think I know the truth about the Games. You fight and one person wins. I'm going to be that person," Lucien says. "No offense, Morgan."
"Oh, yeah," I grumble. "Offense taken."
"I swear, if Orino wasn't passed out in the chair next to you, you'd be so dead right now!" Pash says loudly, wielding a fork. She narrows her eyes at Lucien.
"I'd like to see you try," he retorts.
"Really? Fine! I'll stab you right now!" Pash growls, jumping across the table. Lucien springs from his chair, knocking it backwards. He raises his fists, prepared to fight. He's never seen me, but I've seen him at the training center. He's definitely a fighter. I could maybe beat him, but he's been training for a long time whereas I've been training since I turned thirteen.
Pash is about to lunge for Lucien when I tackle her to the ground, getting the fork away from her grasp. "Calm the hell down!" I yell in her ear. She grabs my arm, twisting it behind my back, then sweeps my feet from underneath me and I land on the ground, hard. I grunt, then the weight is suddenly lifted off of me.
"Pash! Go and take a breather," Orino, our other District Victor, commands.
Pash raises an eyebrow, smirking a little. "Looks like we got lucky. Got some good tributes this year, don't we?" She runs a hand through her hair, exiting the room.
Orino heaves me up, pulls me to another room with a television, and sits me next to Lucien. He's sitting all spread out, staring at the ceiling like the television screen is there and not in front of him. "I want you both to watch the Reapings and think about your opponents. Tell me who you think are threats." He flips on the TV and sits back.
I lean forward, watching closely. The Reapings begin with District One and Two. Those tributes obviously are threats. The tributes from One are siblings, so my guess is that they will both have soft spots for each other that can also be used against each other. Two has the deadliest looking tributes. It makes me happy that in the beginning I'll be in an alliance with them. The only problem is that last year, Pash rejected the Careers and they're out for District Four's blood. I'll have to prove to them that I am willing to fight in the name of the Career Pack.
Three doesn't look threatening at all. The boy looks pretty smart. Conrad from Two will probably pressure him into joining us. Conrad is the most likely candidate to be the leader of the Careers. District Five has average looking tributes, nothing special. Same goes for Six. District Seven's male tribute is tall and large. He's strong and could definitely throw an axe with deadly accuracy. The girl looks like she could survive the Bloodbath, but die shortly after.
District Eight is not a threat. District Nine has a big male tribute and a girl that looks like she could be really fast. District Ten has a crippled boy. The girl is different. She's quiet and has a calm face. I mentally mark her down as a possible threat. District Eleven isn't a threat, as usual. The girl from District Twelve is not a threat, but the boy is a threat, no argument there. He's kind of scary, and seems to be on the verge of insanity. He's unstable and will most likely enjoy the bloodlust during the Games.
Lucien watches the Reapings and doesn't seem to be taking any mental notes. He kind of smiles when he notices a pretty girl on the stage. He doesn't take things seriously. How is he going to survive?
Pash enters the room and appears to have calmed down. "So, who do you think are threats?" she asks.
"Districts One and Two, the boy from Seven, the boy from Nine, the girl from Ten, and the boy from Twelve. Maybe the girl from Five, but it could be nothing," I say.
"I see the boy from One, Two, Seven, and Nine as tributes to watch out for," Lucien says. Of course he would pick the oldest male tributes. He fits in as one of them. If all of them became one big alliance, they'd be unstoppable.
"Truth is, they're all threats. Anything can happen in the arena. You need to watch out for all the tributes," Pash says.