Sorry it took me a little longer to update this time. Be sure to check out the new poll on my profile. Please also check out DauntlessinDistrict9's new SYOT. She had to drop her old one because people were abandoning it. I don't know why, because he/she is an amazing writer! This new one is guaranteed to be completed. I myself will be submitting a tribute and would love to have yours go through the games with mine. May the odds be ever in your favor!

Training Day 1 (Part 2)

Olive Brody D12F

Copper and I look over the list of herbs and plants that has been given and try to memorize them. I know a lot about these kind of things in District 12, but not too many of these look familiar. Copper struggles even more than I do.

I see the District 1 pair heading in our direction. Something tells me that they're coming for us, not the station. They pull up seats across from us at the table and pick up matching worksheets. Copper and I continue on in silence. I look up and catch the older girl looking at Copper, and then she looks at me.

"I don't believe we've been formally introduced, my name Isis McKinney and my brother's name is Caleb," she says.

"Pleased to meet you," I say curtly.

"This is my sister Olive and I'm Caleb," I hear Copper say.

I hear a knife whistle behind me, and then another, and then another, all sinking into the dummies. I turn around and hear everyone else at our table do the same. I see the District 9 girl, Rya, I think her name is. Her district partner is very good, but she's even better. I think she notices people looking at her and it brings a smile to her face. She nods to her district partner and he smiles too.

"They're rather friendly to one another for only having met," Copper says.

"Feelings are a very dangerous thing in the games," she says.

"So my mentor tells us," I say.

"Our mentor tells us that you both would be great allies," says the boy, Caleb.

The older sister looks over at her brother and bristles a little. I can tell she wanted to bring it up in a more casual and much less complimentary way.

"It sounds good to me…" says Copper, "How about you Olive?" I say.

"Yes, maybe that would be smart," I say.

Smart for me maybe. Smart because it's fake, like everything else. Maybe not the alliance itself, but it will be alive and thrive only as long as it has to in order to do the same for Copper and I. Just long enough for me to take advantage of any skills they may have and to utilize their abilities before I stab them in the back.

Cord Blitz D3M POV

It's lunchtime and it's amazing. Delicacies that we never would have dreamed of back in District 3, line the tables. I fill up my plate and take a seat near the boy from 5.

I glance around, perhaps to gain some foresight as to impending alliances. The boys and girls from 1 and 12 all sit together. The boys are chatting away and seem to have hit it off, but the girls on the other hand are somewhat cold to one another. The career alliance of course sits together. I suspect that they will be adding more to their group any time now. Tamara is still at the refreshment table and seems to be talking to the girl from 10. The boy and girl from 9 are sitting off on their own and seem to be having a great old time. I can see they are in the middle of a very lively discussion. The boy and girl from six sit together as well, but don't talk a whole lot. The pair from seven are joking around by the refreshments table and seem perfectly at ease. And then I hear the loud scrape of a chair being pulled up to our table.

I turn to look and see the girl from 11 grinning back at me. I manage a half-smile and go back to eating.

"So's twhat ah y'all tinkin bout ta trainin tus fah?" she asks.

"Honestly, I don't give a crap about this stupid thing. What good is it going to do any of us?" says the boy from 5.

"Apparently, a lot of good for you. I've seen you use a sword, don't pretend as though you know nothing," I say.

"I had a swordsmanship book back in my district… my father gave it to me," he mumbled.

"An ya District 3. I'm sure ya got skill wit tem electro thingamabobs. Tat's gotta count for something," says the District 11 girl.

"Well… I" I start to contradict.

"Me too…" says the boy from 5, "That is… good with electronics." He looks at me as he says this.

"Twell then ya both got something in common. Ya both seem like ta smart type… and maybe ya need some friends. I'm pretty good at makin friends so when I saws ya two here at ta table I says to maself 'Lordy looks like tey need some talkin an some friends'. An ten I says to maself 'Honey, ya need allies an they need a friend… so ain't it a perfect fit?'"

I can't believe how serious she is about this. She's going into the Hunger Games and she wants to be friends?

"So twhat ya say? Allies?" she asks.

This girl and boy could be very useful. I think of how lucky I am because they don't realize that I have no skills what so ever. If I have both of them, I have protection, as long as the boy from 5 doesn't get riled, I know I can trust the 11 girl.

"I'm in," I say readily.

"Fine," says Art as he gives a bored sigh. He's trying to be nonchalant, but I can see a lot of thought went into it. This could get interesting.

Linsey Rose D10F POV

"I love you and I want you to win! I know you can do it!" Daniel's words echo in my head as I struggle to form a trap. "If only he could see me now," I think, "maybe then he wouldn't be so confident."

I picture Daniel's face, so familiar to me. I know every crease and line and the dimples that show when he smiles. He's been my best friend forever, but was he more than that when I didn't even realize? I know that we're both young, but so were my parents. My mother and father started dating at fourteen and got married after their last reaping. If only my dad were still alive, then we would have enough for all of those little mouths back home. I remember each and every one, Jaimy, Luke, Yasmin, Daisy, and little Zain. How I long to hear him giggle again and know that I am safe, back home.

I am snapped back to reality when the girl from 12 comes to the station. She quickly and deftly makes a trap and sets it. It springs up with a lethal force. A little smile plays on her face and I can tell this is familiar territory for her. "N-n-nice trap," I say, stuttering.

"Thanks," she says. She continues on her way and I find myself wishing she had stayed to help me, and maybe even become allies. But who am I kidding? Who would want a 13 year old ally? Ecspecially one as weak as me?

Quinta Rorlance D4F POV

I fling one of my spears into the dummy and hit the center. Of course I trained for the games with common weapons, but first-hand experience does help. Mine was spearing fish with my brothers on our fishing boat.

The girl from 11 comes over. She hits the target, but not in the center. I sneer at her. She laughs and says "I guess I could do a little betta than tat!" She hurls it and sends it straight through the dummies heart. "Good enough?" she asks with an oblivious smile on her face.

I just shake my head and walk away. I go over to the District 2 girl, Adira, who's practicing knives. "Isn't that District 11 girl such a joke? I mean really how idiotic can you get?" I ask.

"Well she may not be the brightest bulb, but she sure does know her way around the weapons, the spear in particular," she says. There was much more under that statement. Adira knows that the spear is one of my chosen weapons. She was trying to hit a vein. I won't give her the satisfaction.

"Perhaps. What do you think of the guys this year around?" I ask.

"Just in general? Or in the alliance?" she asks.

"Oh, just in general," I say nonchalantly.

"The boy from your district, and the boy from 9 are the hottest I guess. But I'm more partial to the guy from 9," she says.

"I guess that girl Rya has him covered," I say as I glance in their general direction.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"You know, they wouldn't be bad allies," I say.

She contemplates it and says "I agree, but we definitely have to discuss it with Marlin and Hade."

"Oh yes, for sure," I say.

The gong sounds and a voice comes over the loud speaker. "Training time is up. Leave your stations and proceed to the exit."

All of the official careers, myself, Adira, Hade, and Marlin push our way to get into the first elevator all together.

We quickly discuss our options for additional alliances. Adira and I bring up the girl and boy from 9 and it's well received. "I was thinking of them myself," says Hade.

"So we're thinking as of right now, the girl and boy from 9 and the boy from 11?" asks Marlin.

"What about the girl from 11?' asks Adira.

Everyone, including myself, bursts out laughing. "Really Adira? Is that what you're thinking? Maybe we should include the boy from 8 and the girl from 10 while we're at it. Give me a break!" says Hade.