HOLY CHEESE AND CRACKERS BATMAN WE ARE HERE IN THE CAPITOL, AND WE ARE ON A TRAINING DAY!
I don't do parades, because to be honest I've never ever read a parade chapter. I've never expected anyone to read my parade chapter. And they honestly make me want to cry a thousand tears of death. So no, no parade. Sorry. However enjoy the fact we are almost at the games :D
Got my name in your mouth
Forgive me when I knock it out.
I love it when you talk about me
just cause you don't know yourself.
My jabs go go for broke your teeth is on the floor.
Thirty million people watching, and you still want more?
Lorena "Lori" Raulins, 18
District 12 Female
"Remember, that the odds are at least 6 of you will die from natural causes in the games. So don't ignore the survival stations, because they could mean life or death in the arena…"
She's been going on for 10 minutes now and I'm just really over it if I'm being honest. I need to punch something. I've been cramped up in small spaces with my district partner for too long, and honestly he makes me want to rip all of my hair out.
"Shut up lady, I have the careers to impress." Says Ares as he mumbles under his breath
I snort to myself and he gives me a look of utter shock. How could I, a mere peasant, laugh at the face of Hunger Games royalty? Easy. He's a dick.
"Watch your back Lorelie." He whispers to me.
"Feel free to go to the stations you deem to see fit." Says the trainer as she walks off the platform stage in the front of the room and back towards her office in the back. I walk by Ares and slam my fist into his stomach. He winces, but I wasn't trying to punch him to hard. He doesn't need to know that yet.
"It's Lori." I say with a smile as I walk away from the annoyance that took on human form and stride towards the middle of the room.
Looking around there isn't really a outer district kid that knows what they are doing. Most of us are just kind of standing around in the middle of the room. We are awkwardly positioning ourselves around these weapons of destruction trying to ignore the fact that in a matter of days we will be using them to kill each other.
"Okay, let's go see what I need work on." I mumble to myself full of fake happiness.
I was the first to make a move, and deciding that it's smarter for me to go and try and learn how to make a fire because let's face it, I have no idea what I'm doing in this department. Upon me arriving the trainers face lights up. You can tell that he wasn't expecting very many people to come to his training section today.
"My name is Colder." Says the man with a genuine smile. His cheekbones are sharp, and I notice that he has a slight scar under his left eyebrow that is shiny...I hope that it isn't a burn. "So have you had any experience building a fire 12?"
I look confused as to how he knows I'm from District 12 until I look down and remember I'm wearing a shirt with a giant 12 on it. They thought it would be cute to have us wear a uniform this year. Every district has their own color. 1 is pink, 2 is gold, 3 is green, 4 is blue, 5 is orange, 6 is purple, 7 is magenta, 8 is a funky brown that I hope I never have to see again, 9 is white, 10 is black and white...spotted. Like a cow. Disgusting. 11 is camo, and 12 is...you guessed it. Black.
"Uh, no experience. That's why I'm here though Colder!" I say trying to sound chipper, but I'm not a very chipper person so it probably came acrossed forced and sarcastic. Not a good idea to piss off your trainer Lorena.
"Well then we should start with how to build a basic fire." Says Colder as he bends down and begins to build a teepee like structure. I watch in awe as he moves his hands so swiftly across the materials. He's done this millions of times before. You can totally tell.
"I saw you punch that one guy." Says a voice behind me.
I turn and see the little girl from 9 as she stands clear as day in a white t-shirt. The first thing that stands out about her is her black curly hair that sits in a tangled mess on top of her head. Her body is short, and her skin is a beautiful shade of brown. Like one you would see in the Capitol if the person had a bunch of makeup on.
"Uh...excuse me?" I ask confused
"Your district partner. I saw you hit him...why?'
"He...he's been very mean to me since we have arrived in the Capitol. I just got tired of it."
Her face looks contemplative as she sits there with jaw slightly agape. After a while her hand moves up towards her hair and she begins to twirl her hair through her tiny fingers. She does this for about 3 minutes before she looks at me very matter of factly.
"So he's the bad guy?"
"You thought I was a bad guy because I hit him?" I ask confused and almost laugh. "You do realize we will be killing each other in a matter of days right?"
"Well I know, but at the same time that's no reason to be mean. But if it was self defense and you were defending yourself, then he's the bad guy and you're the person I want to ally with."
I don't even know what's going on anymore. This child cannot be more than like...what? 13 years old? She's very well spoken for her age, and that is the first thing that throws me off. After that it's this sense of confidence that she has. She's knows what she wants at 13 years old and that's freaking amazing. I hardly know what I want at 18.
"I...uh. Yeah." I say nodding my head as I take the ponytail off my right wrist and put my hair up in a ponytail. I stick out my hand after my hair is up and introduce myself. "Lori." I say
"Sylvia." She says as she takes my hand in hers and then comes over to watch Colder who has been patiently waiting to finish his fire. "But you can call me Syl."
Oh hell no.
Who you talking to?
I'm the Queen and if you disrespect me I'ma blow a fuse.
Maybe throw you off a ledge.
Leave your ego feeling bruised.
Get my ladies to annihilate whatever's left of you.
Dior Oberlin, 18
District 1 Female
I'm very displeased.
Like who is she?! Who the hell is she?! Where did these people find her?! She's FREAKING GORGEOUS.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a sexy beast, but the girl from District 4 is literally giving me a run for my money right now, and I don't like it. The most annoying part is she's trying to make it look like she's not even trying which we all know is completely false because no one looks that good without makeup. No one.
"So do we just introduce ourselves or some shit?" Says Castor
The smell of hopeless dreams and mediocrity wake me from my once dazed rage as I remember that I'm around my new posse.
"Castor. You're doing that thing that annoys me." I say
"Bitch I'll speak if I want." He responds
"I was actually talking about breathing." I respond with an innocent smile. I turn back to the rest of the group with a "let's get ready to go" smile and introduce myself. "My name is Dior Oberlin! I'm from District 1, and I'm obviously going to be leading the pack this year."
"Oh kill me." Says the girl from District 2 as she picks up the boy from 4's hands and puts them around her neck. "Kill me now because I can tell you right now I can't handle this chick already."
I cannot even believe her! I'm totally making a mental note that she is the first to fall when the time comes to turn on the commoners. Crossing your inevitable leader this early into the game is probably the stupidest thing I've ever seen done...ever.
"Well…" says the Girl from 4 trying to break the awkwardness. "My name is Cascade."
Gross. What the hell kind of a name is Cascade? Like what. Waterfall was already taken when her family had her? How district 4.
"I'm from District 4, but you obviously know that." She says with a slight chuckle under her breath at her own joke which wasn't even funny. Everyone is giving her a pity smile right now though, it's because she's pretty. We always have it easier.
"My name is Neptune Fontus." Says the boy from 4, and it literally takes everything in me not to laugh. Like I want to call him Fondu. Can that be a thing? Of course it can be. I was friends with Galina for 4 years before I learned her name….or was it Gailrena? Who cares.
"My name is Leif." says the boy from 2.
I'm not even going to comment on his name. There is too many jokes that would glide hand in hand with it, and I don't want to make a career boy cry and make the alliance look weak on the first day.
"My name is Payne." Says the girl from district 2.
I actually don't have a comment about her either. Not because I can't think of any. I mean look at her appearance. She's the perfect mix of typical District 2 dike, and a slob mixed all together in one tragically ugly pair of sweatpants. There is a certain level of intensity about this girl though that is unsettling, and honestly kind of peaks my interest. Maybe she isn't a total waste of alliance space.
"And my name-" begins Castor
"Is irrelevant." I say cutting him off before he gets to finish. "Now that we have introduced ourselves, I think it's important that we know what each other-"
"You haven't met everyone." Says a voice from behind me.
Who the hell thinks it's okay to interrupt me as I'm speaking?! Can they not see I'm setting up the ranks for my clique, and if they cross me already they are not going to get in good graces. I turn around and see the boy from 12 standing behind me looking cocky and annoying. He is built physically, but other than that I don't see anything special about him.
I don't say anything to him, instead I turn away and begin to address the group again.
"As I was saying, now that we all know each other's name I think that it's important that we discuss what we can-"
"You don't know everyone's name."
I turn around and clasp my hands together as I glare at this boy for interrupting me for yet another time. I'll have you know that people have been destroyed for less, so the fact that he got away with this once already is appalling in itself.
"I'm sorry. Who are you? Why are you so important that you've interrupted me not once, but twice?"
There is a snort behind me and I turn and glare only to see that the District 4 boy, and the District 2 girl and boy just don't care and now are full on laughing. This will not stand in my reign.
"I'm Ares Styx-"
"Oh right, you and your sister are from 2. You guys are trained." Says the boy from 2 who has the tree name who is trying to catch his breath as his laughter slows.
"I don't have a sister."
"Okay not that this isn't, like, exhilarating and all." I say trying to get the attention back where it belongs, on me. "I'll have you know that we are having a career meeting, and judging by the number on your shirt." I say as I point my perfectly manicured finger at him, "you're clearly not a career."
"I'm as much as a career as you are barbie wannabe." He says with an attitude that wouldn't even scare a newborn kitten.
"Is that honestly the best you've got? Kid you're not only out of your league, but out of your mind as well. Take your pathetic self and wait in the corner until we kill you in the bloodbath." I say as I use my hand in a sweeping motion. "Shoo shoo."
"Not this isn't completely entertaining." Says Payne as she is now stepping into the conversation, "Rather than watching you trying to take control of something that clearly isn't working for you, I think we should scout around the other tributes and see if there is anyone worth pulling." She points to the kid from 12 who was so blatantly disrespectful "Come on kid. Me and Leif got you."
Remember when I said that she wasn't a total waste of an alliance space? I lied. I hate her. She sucks. Back to the bottom with the D2D, aka the District 2 dike.
"I didn't say that we are doing that."
"You honestly didn't have to." Says the District 4 girl as she and Neptune turn and walk away from the group and towards the hand to hand combat where they see some tributes fighting a trainer. I knew her true colors would show soon. And green with envy for me is not pretty on her.
The smell of stale weed, and crushed hopes fill my nostrils yet again as I turn to my District partner and see him smiling back at me.
"Looks like it's just you and me baby." He says in a taunting voice.
"Castor I may not be able to kill you right, but call me baby again and I'll cut your balls off."
The sun comes up,
and it sinks back down.
On every five star dream,
In every two star town.
There's a lot to see,
From a windshield view
But sometimes I wish I could close my eyes,
and click my shoes.
Cause there's no place like you.
Declan Peletier, 17
District 10 Male
It's Zia's birthday today. I woke up and realized that I've been so caught up in realizing that my own death is so evident, that I was selfish enough to forget that my sister's birthday is today. This whole time I've been thinking about me, and I haven't even remembered them hardly once. And to be honest...it was nice.
I was everything back home. It's not like Dad could really do anything being a cripple in a place like District 10. So I try not to think about the fact that they are probably trying really hard to survive right now. I try not to think that I hope our neighbors respected and liked my work ethic enough to save my family from their inevitable starvation after my death. I try not to think about-
"Earth to Declan?"
I'm snapped out of my daze by a tiny white hand that is snapping in my face. Remi sits before me awkwardly smiling and not quite sure how to make this situation any less awkward judging by the silence in the situation.
"Is everything okay?" She finally ask as she breaks the silence.
"I mean, as much as it can be in a situation like this." I say as I watch the two hand to hand fighters duke it out. It's the boy from 5 and a trainer, and the boy from 5 isn't doing so hot.
"No," she says as she places her hand on my arm. "tell me."
I shake my head. "It's a lot right now. I just need to think."
She nods her head in understanding as she continues to watch the fight unfold. The trainer is wearing padded wear as he makes multiple slaps towards the kids head. The kid has dodged a fair number of them, but if this was an actual fight...he'd be laid out.
"God I wish those pads were off the guy's hands." Says a female voice from the opposite side of me.
I turn and see the girl from 5 as she is watching in sadness as her district partner starts to overtake the trainer. "All I've heard is him whining the whole damn time. It would be SO great if he were to just like...fall of the platform onto some spears or something."
I let out a small chuckle and Remi is staring at her in shock that quickly turns into a smile. The girl from 5 turns red, I guess she realized that she doesn't know us and quickly sticks her hand out in a proper manner.
"My name is Tora. I'm from District 5."
"Declan, and this is my friend Remington-"
"But you can call me Remi." she says as she slaps my arm playfully. "We are from District 10."
"Well it's very nice to meet you guys." She says as she looks around the room tribute watching. "What do you guys make out of the other tributes? I've seen the girl from 1 have a freak out one to many times already."
I laugh to myself. Her outburst with the boy from 12 caught everyone's attention. It's definitely going to be in the highlight reel as they show our training clips tonight. I just can't believe that someone so prissy is going into the games.
"Yeah, I think I watched her head turn all the way around when the girl from 2 stepped in and took the boy from 12 to scout him out." Says Remi with a giggle.
Tora begins to play with the bottom of her shirt, and working with Zia that has always told me two things. The first, she did something bad and is feeling guilty. The second, she wants something. Seeing as I just met this girl I can't imagine her making a big confession, so she obviously wants something.
"So I'm just going to come out with it." She says as she smooths down the bottom of her shirt. Yes, she definitely wants something.
"The careers this year, though they seem relaxed now, I can't imagine them getting in without some sort of amazing skill that can take all of us out. There is strength in numbers right? So what if we formed a second pack? Like the Misfit Pack?" Ask Tora as she nervously crosses her arms trying to read Remi and my expressions.
To be honest, I'm not sure what to expect from this kind of a get up. Like it could be really beneficial, but if the careers were to find out about it now...they would never allow it. We would all make instant targets on our backs the minute we stepped foot inside of the arena.
"I'm really digging the name Misfit Pack." says Remi as she nudges me. I turn to her and she can tell that I'm still thinking, which poses her to ask her next question. "Who else would join in it?"
"That's where the hard part gets in." says Tora as she begins to look around the room. "I felt an immediate connection to you two, just because of how...real you are I guess. I was also leaning towards asking the District 11 pair, and maybe the 6 girl."
"And what happens when the numbers get too big to keep all of us around?" I ask concerned. I'm not looking to kill anyone off, or worse get killed in my sleep because we made the top 10.
"Not saying this to sound awful," begins Tora as she lowers down her voice, "but if we did this do you honestly expect none of us to die in the bloodbath? None of us know what we are doing. Odds are we make an alliance the size of the careers, at least one of them kills one of us. That leaves 5 of us left, and if there is that 5, then we have the majority in the fact that we are 3 of the 5." She says using her fingers as demonstrators. "We would obviously have a final 3 deal."
I ponder this. This sounds good, like really good. Like she said though, odds are at least one of us in the group will die. You can't make a huge alliance like this without the weakest members dying out early.
"And what about your district partner?" I ask as I watch him as he goes down, the trainer now has him in a headlock and is explaining the difference between lunging and jabbing.
"Like I said, he can fall on the spears and I wouldn't bat an eye." Says Tora as she holds out her hand for me to shake. "Do we have a deal?"
"Deal." I say reluctantly as I firmly shake her hand in mine. She smiles at us as she looks around to find the District 11 girl and boy. They are sitting over by the obstacle course looking really tired, so I'm assuming that they did it a couple of times and are resting.
"I'll work on the pair, your job is to get the girl." Says Tora as she smiles at both of us one last time. "Bye Shay, hope you fall of the platform!" She says with a laugh as she skips off towards the pair from 11.
"She's...interesting. There is something about her that reminds me of a debutante, but at the same time someone who knows how to get crazy. She shows multiple mannerisms." I say as I watch her confidently approach the pair from 11.
"I was actually thinking the same thing. She claims to not know what she's doing, but she was quick to propose this social ladder plan." Says Remi. "We'll have to watch her."
"Yes, we will have to watch her…"
We sit there and watch in awe from afar as she spins her idea whichever way to the pair from 11. The two are eating it up, and about 10 minutes later they end with a handshake. Same as we did.
"Well I suppose her mission was accomplished." Says Remi
"Now it's time to get ours done." I say as I begin my walk over to the knife throwing section where I see the girl from 6 throwing knives.
ABC
It's easy as 123
As simple as Do, re, mi.
ABC that's how easy look at me.
Skyler Black, 16
District 6 Female
Sitting in a kitchen with your Dad saying you'd throw knives, and then actually throwing knives are two totally and completely different things.
Throwing knives is not easy let me tell you. All these career girls make it look so easy, like it just gracefully flies out of their hand and lands into the tribute's that they were aiming for head. However, it's not as simple.
"Skyler you aren't getting enough force in your wrist." Says the instructor as she rolls her eyes and demonstrates for a fourth time. "You're the only one all day that I haven't been able to teach this."
I resist the urge to reply in a sarcastic and rude tone, as I yet again sit in silence and watch as she flawlessly extends her arm, and flawlessly flicks her wrist, and flawlessly does everything knife throwing because she's probably done this crap since she was like 4.
"I'm sorry I'm bad." I say as I pick up another knife and try again.
Not a single knife of mine has stuck in the bullseye. A SINGLE KNIFE. I thought that at least by now with it being...what 2 hours? I'd have at least one on an outer ring.
"You're not bad Skyler. You just lack focus."
She isn't wrong though. I really haven't been able to get my Dad out of my head since the reaping. I know he must have been terrified when he saw me walking up to the stage. I wonder what they did to him after they stopped him...I wonder if he's okay. If Grandma is okay.
I take my arm back and fling the knife towards the target, as it zooms through the air I'm already trying to map out where it's going to land on the floor, when for the first time all day I don't hear the familiar thud.
NO WAY I DID IT!
Okay, well maybe not did it, but I made it stick into an outer ring. And that my friends is progress.
"Good job!" Says a chipper voice from behind me. I turn and see the pair from 10 are sitting on a bench behind me. I wonder how long they've been watching me.
"Thanks, now all I need is to make 500 more, and I'm Hunger Games ready." I say probably a bit to sarcastically.
The boy gets up from his side of the bench and walks over to the instructor. "Can I try?" He ask
The instructor explains the concepts and strategies of how to make it work, and then hands him a knife that is slightly bigger than mine. He takes a deep breath and swings his arm back, and then rapidly forward allowing the knife to zoom through the air. It lands in the middle tier of the target, and with practice the kid can probably get a bullseye.
"Not fair." I mutter as he smiles cheekily to the side.
"We have a game similar to this back home called darts. Granted we don't play with knives, but it's a similar concept."
"So not that I'm trying to be rude or anything…" I say as I'm confused about them being here. "Is there a reason you were watching me."
"That depends." Says the girl as she pats a spot on the bench next to her. Her actions right now kind of remind me of a cheesy car salesman, but it's humorous almost so I'll go with it. "Do you want to win the games?"
It catches me attention so I walk over and sit down on the right side of her. The boy from 10 plants himself on the left making her in the middle, and now we are all kind of awkwardly looking side to side. They are clearly not the best at introducing things.
"I think we all want to win the games." I say. "It's why you see everyone at different stations doing their best to get good at something." I add.
"Well what if I were to tell you that there is a chance of you making it through the bloodbath?" Ask the girl as she looks me in the eyes. "A way for you to have some sort of security when entering the games."
That's definitely something that has my interest. I'm always looking for ways to you know, live.
"What is it you have in mind?" I ask
"Declan and I, District 11, and the girl from 5, and you." Says the girl from 10. "All form one giant alliance. Kind of like the careers, but obviously not as skilled...or pretty." She says as she glances over at the girl from 4.
"Like a non career pack?"
"Like a Misfit Pack!" Says the boy excitedly "Obviously we'd have to keep it on the down low because if the careers found out we would all be targets in the bloodbath...but we figure that there is safety in numbers, and we really just feel we can trust you." He says as she looks at me and gives me a reassuring look.
I scan the room and look around at the other people they introduced into the alliance. I feel that the girl from 11 has more to her than meets the eye, while the boy is all the more what you see is what you get. The girl from 5 is someone my escort pegged as sketchy, and I don't know how I feel about her being my ally.
"Well what happens when the alliance is to big for that point in the game?" I ask
"Well we will have to figure it out when we get there." Says the girl.
I ponder for a second. There's a lot to lose, but at the same time I see so much potential for gain. What would Dad want me to do right now...think Skyler.
"Okay." I say extending my hand. Both of them follow suit and begin to shake it out. "My name is Skyler
"Remington! And this is Declan!" Says the girl, "oh wait, but call me Remi!" She says with a smile.
Well I hope you enjoyed this! It was definitely something that I enjoyed writing, and I really hope guys liked the alliances that were made day 1! Speaking of alliances it's time for the first chart of this story!
Alliances
Dysfunctional with a chance of hilarity: Dior/Castor/Payne/Leif/Payne/Cascade/Neptune/Ares (Possibly)
God she better run: Lorena/Sylvia
Misfit Pack: Tora/Skyler/Remington/Declan/Thorn/Eddie
Fave POV?
Do you think Ares will make it into the careers?
Who will lead the alliance this year?
Misfit pack or flop?
Keep it classy,
Caleb