District 5

Kayden Vercetti

I was too nervous to sleep, which is why I'm just channel surfing in the living room now. There are a few sleepy avoxes standing by, not really paying any attention to me. I flick through the channels, trying to find something that isn't featuring Hunger Games footage or discussing our odds. I can't deal with that right now.

Today is nerve-racking for two reasons. For one, it's my last day of training. The last day for me to prepare for my inevitable death. I shake the negative thoughts out of my head. I need to stay positive. That's at least one thing I know. Negativity will get me nowhere in these Games, and I need to get as far as possible. Anyway, the second reason I'm panicking about today is that after lunch is our private sessions with the Gamemakers. And then later tonight our scores are revealed. So, I have a pretty valid reason for being nervous.

I don't want to get a score too low or too high. If it's too low no one will sponsor me, and if it's too high then I'll be a threat for the Careers. I don't think I'll really have to worry about the latter, though. It's the concept of getting a low score that's bothering me.

I realize I've been absently watching a talk-show for a while now. Two commentators are chatting about each of the tributes and their promise (or lack of). They've just finished up discussing Malakai Mavericks from District Four and are moving onto my District. The female commentator makes a remark about Gracelyn, and I immediately reach for the remote. However, my finger pauses above the channel switch button. I consider hearing what they say about me. I'm kind of interested in how I sit with the Capitol.

They wrap up talking about Gracelyn, and the male commentator announces that they'll now be talking about me. On impulse, I switch the channel. It's some soap opera romance thing, which I normally wouldn't watch, but I doubt there's anything else showing that isn't discussing the upcoming Hunger Games. I pull the fluffy blanket further up my torso and sink into the couch.

I don't really watch the show since my thoughts keep returning to the long day ahead of me. I try to focus, but it's not prevailing. The show is something about a Capitolian girl (I think Ashtyn is way prettier) who is in love with the President's son. The plot's bleak but the writers manage to add a bunch of crazy dramatic reveals to create hype. Slowly, I begin getting into the show. There's no overlooking the clownish outfits and makeup, but it isn't that bad.

"Is that Love of a Rivertrance?" somebody asks from behind me. I frantically grapple for the remote and switch it off (even though the President just found out about his son and the main girl, Emilia, and I really want to see what happens). My efforts are pointless, though, because this person has obviously seen me. I turn around to see who the intruder is. It's just my mentor, Melissa, though.

"What are you doing up right now?" I ask her, still embarrassed about being caught watching a soap opera.

"I could ask you the same question," Melissa says. "Anyway, I always get up early. It's a habit." Melissa sends an avox to get her a mug of coffee, and they obediently run off to fetch it. Melissa takes a seat next to me and grabs the remote. "Were you watching Love of Rivertrance?" she asks again.

"I don't know what it's called," I admit. Melissa switches on the TV, where the show is still playing. I'm disappointed to see that I missed the part where the President finds out. Now it's just Emilia's coworkers gossiping at the beauty parlor.

"Yup, that's Love of a Rivertrance," Melissa states. "Do you normally watch soap operas?"

"No," I tell her. "I was only watching this because everything else was about the Hunger Games."

"That's fair," Melissa recognizes. "It's no wonder Love of a Rivertrance is playing. It's so popular. Too bad it's being canceled."

"Why is it being canceled?" I shout indignantly, much to my chagrin. Melissa doesn't seem to care, and only shrugs.

"The lead actress, Adira something, quit."

"Why?" I ask.

"I'm not an encyclopedia, Kayden," Melissa reminds me. I fall silent and slink back into my chair. I take a deep sigh as my thoughts return once more to the long day ahead of me. Too bad it's going to start soon if it hasn't already.

District 4

Kata Brighton

The elevator descends in silence. It's kind of awkward having to sit in an elevator with four kids you know you'll have to kill in a few days. It's the pairs from Eleven and Nine, and they're both staring at me and Malakai with a mixture of awe and fear. Normally I would be chatting with Malakai, but today carries a lot of tension on both of us.

I know we should have been nervous around each other already, but instead, it's felt like normal. All we've done so far is train, and it almost feels like it did in District Four. Today that's coming to an end, though, and we'll start becoming opponents instead of friends. I glance over at Malakai. I can tell he's a bit wary of me, but when he sees me looking he gives me a quick smile.

The elevator doors open and we both exit it and step into the gym. The four other kids quickly pile out after us and run along to their respective stations. I can't help but smile at their fear of us. It's kind of funny.

"I guess we just go to any station we want," Malakai comments. I look around and realize that he's right. Everyone seems to have already started training and not gathered around the Head Training Instructor as they have before.

Last night, Malakai and I discussed how we felt as though we weren't conversing enough with the rest of the Careers. We realized that if we were only hanging out with the two of us, the rest of the Careers would see this as a threat and turn on us. So, Malakai heads off to chat with Damien at the fire-making station (which I didn't think any Career would be interested in doing) and I head over to the knife-throwing station, which is currently occupied by Aurum and the boy from Seven.

I walk over and stand between Aurum and the District Seven boy. I pick up a handful of throwing knives and start chucking them at the target. I'm definitely not great, my main skills are with melee weapons, but back in District Four, I spent some time dabbling in throwing knives. I manage to hit the target and get a good stick every time, even though none of them is a bullseye.

I look around and see that both Aurum and the District Seven boy have paused their knife throwing and are looking at me in some alarm and frustration. I turn to Seven.

"What are you still doing here?" I ask him. "Scram, kid!" He immediately runs off, clumsily leaving his knives on the edge of the table, where they slide off and clatter to the ground. I look expectantly at an avox, who isn't doing anything. "What are you doing? Pick those up!" I say, gesturing to fallen knives. She immediately pounces into action. Meanwhile, I turn to Aurum, who appears to be glaring at me. "What?" I ask.

"Nothing," she says and chucks a knife with superb skill at the target, where it lands in the direct center. I try to hide my admiration, but I have a feeling I wasn't successful.

"Are you excited for the Hunger Games?" I ask, trying to spark up a conversation.

"Not really," she mumbles.

"What about our training scores? Are you excited about that?"

"Eh." I sigh and shake my head. There is no talking to this girl! She is so bad at simple conversation. I'm getting the impression that she doesn't want to talk, so after throwing my remaining knives, I leave.

So, my first goal today was to start building relationships with the rest of my pack. Clearly, that was a bust. Aurum seems to have no intention of becoming friends with me and I already know that I despise Flora and Garnet. Flora's too chirpy and useless and Garnet… well, anyone who questions my position of power has no chance to redeem themselves. I feel like I might get along well with Damien, but he's currently talking to Malakai, so I can't really converse with him right now. I guess it's time to move onto my second goal.

My goal is to recruit some outer District kid to join the Career alliance. I've watched a lot of Hunger Games in my life, and one of the things I've learned is that a big Career pack is more successful. I'm obviously not going to choose the first kid I see, because almost all of them are useless. I've got to consider my options carefully before approaching anyone.

There's a big group of kids that I'm definitely not going to approach. All of them (with the exception of the boy from Eleven) look like complete and utter weaklings. It would be embarrassing to have one of those people in our alliance. That's a definite no.

There's also the boys from Five and Three. The boy from Five would be great. He looks strong, and I have no doubt that sponsors will flock to him. He doesn't even look like the type of person who would stab you in the back. Unfortunately, he's aligned with the crazy boy from Three. I don't understand that at all, but I have a feeling that he wouldn't leave the District Three boy even if I offered him a place in our alliance. I guess I shouldn't even try convincing him.

The boys from District Nine and District Twelve would be good choices, except the boy from Twelve was already rude to me. I'm a person who holds grudges, so there's no way I'm letting him into the Careers.

Then I see the perfect candidates. Neither has made an impression on me thus far, but the boy seems to be fairly skilled with a sword and the girl seems pretty strong. Neither seems powerful enough to beat me in a fight but good enough that they'd be acceptable in the Career pack. I make my way over to them.

District 8

Markus Blacksworth

"Would you like to join the Career alliance?" I look up, shocked.

"Huh?" I ask like an idiot. The girl from Four, Kata, cocks her head and stares at me in fascination.

"I said, 'would you like to join the Career alliance?' Are you deaf?" I scowl at her rudeness.

"What makes you think I want to join your bloodthirsty alliance?"

"Well, if you don't, we'll hunt you down and kill you immediately." I consider this for a moment. I'm against alliance in the Hunger Games. They're always a bad idea, so I never set out to seek one. Even when Ash invited me into one, I declined. But denying a weak little boy from District Seven had no repercussions. Denying the Careers will lead to my inevitable downfall in the Hunger Games. I have no doubts that Kata was serious when she said that she would hunt me down.

"Fine," I sigh. "I'll join your stupid alliance." Kata smirks, unfazed by my insult.

"Okay, then. You'll have to sit with us at lunch, by the way."

"Lucky me," I murmur sarcastically. Kata probably heard me but doesn't say anything.

"What about you?" she asks the other person at the station. The girl looks up, surprised. I'm kind of surprised, too. She doesn't really have experience with a weapon. She is pretty good with survival skills, though, so it's probably smart for the Careers to recruit her.

"Me?" she asks.

"Yes, you. Are you going to join the Careers?" Kata repeats.

"Um… okay."

"Good," Kata says simply and leaves. We stare after her for a minute before turning to face each other. It's kind of awkward- we haven't even exchanged two words to each other and we're already in an unwanted alliance with each other.

"Well that was unexpected," she says after a moment and lets out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah," I agree. "I never thought the Careers would be interested in me."

"Me neither," she says. "I'm Kana. From District Twelve."

"Markus. District Eight."

"I guess we're stuck with the Careers now."

"I guess we are."

Okay, so here's Training Day 3! I know this wasn't very long, but not much happened in this so I wasn't sure what else to do. Next is the Private Training Sessions and Training Scores. I think I'm going to update once a week now since I only have time to write on weekends. Please review! It's always appreciated. I'm also starting to decide who to kill off for the Bloodbath, and while I won't kill someone off just because their creator isn't reviewing, it's good to stay on the safe side. Even a really short review is better than none at all! It really motivates me to know you guys are reading.

1. What show did Kayden watch in the morning?

2. Who does Kata think she'll get along with besides Malakai?

3. Besides Markus, who does Kata recruit into the Careers?

ALLIANCES

Flora/Garnet/Aurum (kind of)/Damien/Kata/Malakai/Markus/Kana

Aurum/Ash

Weepo/Kayden

Gracelyn/Kali

Jimmy/Jet

Necessity/Remus/Maudaline/Lexi/Taurus

SOLO

Mika

Clara

Brynn

George

- Lilah