Disclaimer: The Hunger Games is not mine.

Note: Results of the previous poll are up on the blog. New poll on my profile. This time, just out of curiosity, I'm asking which district you would be from if you lived in Panem. Base this on anything you like: geographic location, skills, interests, or just what district you like best.

Day Six
Calculated

Hazel Birnam
District Seven Mentor

Kaji had told her this was coming.

Hazel wiped the tears from her eyes. Knowing it would happen didn't make it any easier to watch. Kaji should have won that fight. Could have won that fight. But, just like they had seven years ago, the Gamemakers had taken sides.

Except now she was on the losing side.

Hazel buried her face in her hands, finally understanding what Abstract must have felt all those years ago, watching her brother die. Watching as Hazel killed him. Watching as Mosaic lost a fight he should have easily won, because the Gamemakers simply couldn't stand to see the son of a rebel as their victor. They hadn't allowed it then. And they wouldn't allow it now.

Hazel was surprised to find herself crying into Lander's shoulder. Lander stiffened awkwardly, but eventually put an arm around her. "It'll be over soon," he assured her.

That was probably supposed to sound comforting. And maybe that was as good as she could hope for from him. But it didn't help. Because even if his tribute succeeded in whatever she was planning – even if Carolina managed to kill Alicante – the best that Kaji could hope for now was a quick death at her hands, rather than the torture he was being forced to endure. There was no chance that he would make it out of the arena alive.

Maybe there never had been. Maybe he had been right the entire time. With the Gamemakers out to get him, what chance had he had from the start?

Hazel watched as Carolina snuck around to the other side of the fire. "What's she doing?" Hazel asked.

Lander shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine." He leaned forward a little. "What's she holding?"

Hazel looked closer. It looked like she had one of the mutts in her hands – one of the little ones that had tripped Kaji. What was she planning on doing with that?

Realization dawned on Lander's face. "Well, at least it's a little better than her last plan," he conceded, slumping back on the couch.

"What do you mean?"

Lander shrugged. "She's finally realized that the Gamemakers have a say in what happens. And, out of the three of them … who do you think they want to survive?"

Hazel nodded. He had a point. The son of a rebel, a sadistic torturer … or her. It probably wasn't much of a choice, as far as the Gamemakers were concerned. Carolina simply had to take advantage of that. Lander gave Hazel's shoulder what was probably supposed to be a reassuring squeeze.

"Here we go."

Kaji Ichihara, 18
District Seven Male

He just wanted it to end.

Kaji screamed in agony as Alicante sliced off another small piece of his leg and fed it to one of the hungry mutts nearby. But just a little at a time. Not enough to kill him. Not yet. He'd been careful – not letting the fire get too high so that the flames and the smoke wouldn't smother him, not letting his clothes catch on fire for too long, being careful not to let him bleed to death. He wanted to prolong the end as long as he could.

But he couldn't prolong it forever. Kaji was growing lightheaded from the pain and from loss of blood. His arms had gone numb a while ago. He could still feel his legs – still feel the searing, burning pain as he was slowly roasted alive. But even that pain wasn't quite as sharp as it had been. Even that was growing dull.

Then he saw the girl.

She was covering her mouth – trying to keep herself from screaming, or perhaps from vomiting. Kaji didn't dare say anything. The last thing he wanted was to draw Alicante's attention to the presence of another tribute. Another victim. He was already as good as dead; better not to doom anyone else in the process. He waited for a moment, wondering if the girl would leave.

But she didn't.

Then she nodded, slightly but firmly, and disappeared again into the darkness. Had she left? Maybe. That would be the smart thing to do. What he would have done.

No, he had done worse. Far worse. He had stayed and watched, watched while Alicante tortured Hendrix and Maeren. Helped him torture Cormac. Maybe this was their revenge for what he had done. What he hadn't done. What he had let Alicante do.

But then he heard a noise in the brush behind him. He glanced at Alicante, but the boy didn't seem to have heard. He was too consumed by his own delight at his art to care about anything else. Kaji clenched his teeth, marshaling his strength, bracing himself for whatever was about to happen.

But he was still a bit surprised when the girl flung a little lizard-mutt into Alicante's face.

The girl didn't waste any time as Alicante wrestled with the little creature that had sunk its teeth into his nose. She grabbed the knife Alicante had been using and quickly cut the rope that was holding Kaji up. Kaji immediately plunged into the fire, but he had been ready. He rolled out of the fire as quickly as he could. Then she was cutting his hands free. Smothering the flames. "Thank you," Kaji gasped.

"Don't thank me yet," the girl muttered. Alicante had finally managed to free himself from the mutt and was staring at the two of them, enraged by the disruption of his work.

"Run," Kaji whispered. He thought about adding, but kill me first, but that would take time. She might not have time to get away if she stopped to finish him off.

But the girl shook her head. "No more running. He'd catch me. Together, we have a chance."

"But what can I—?"

"Wait for the right moment."

"How will I—?"

"Trust me, you'll know."

That was all she had time to say before Alicante charged.

Alicante Morgan, 17
District One Male

This time, he was actually angry.

Alicante was almost shocked by the sudden surge of emotion. His art had never been about anger. He had never acted out of hatred or the desire to cause pain – only the desire to make his art truly beautiful.

But now he was furious.

She had spoiled his masterpiece, and she would pay.

Alicante grabbed his mace and charged blindly at the girl, who was armed only with a knife. She sidestepped quickly, almost dancing around the fire, as if taunting him. She grabbed a piece of wood from the fire and flung it in his direction. Alicante dodged, but sparks still flew from the burning wood and struck him in the face.

The girl saw her moment and charged, but Alicante was ready. His mace barely missed her head, and she ducked lower than she had meant to, making her attack sloppy. Soon, the two of them were on the ground, but he was bigger. Stronger. Angrier. He had the upper hand. Within seconds, he had her pinned.

But still she glared up at him, her eyes bright and full of rage. He didn't like that. No, he didn't like the way she was looking at him at all. Without even thinking about it, he reached down and dug into the one on the left, plunging his fingers into the socket, plucking out the eye. The girl screamed in pain as he flung it over his shoulder and into the fire.

Now for the other one.

But, before he got the chance, something struck him in the head. Something hard and hot. A burning piece of wood. Alicante stared in shock as he turned to see Kaji, lying flat on the ground, a flaming branch in his hands. Kaji swung again, with a strength he shouldn't have been able to muster. Alicante cried out in pain as the wood struck his face, sending sparks flying into his eyes.

Quickly, the girl scrambled out from underneath him, disarming Alicante and striking with his own weapon. Alicante stared, dazed, as she dragged him over to the tree and bound him tightly to the trunk, his arms at his sides. She handed the knife to Kaji. "I think you deserve this one."

Alicante glared at the two of them as the girl helped Kaji over to his side. Kaji hesitated for a moment, deciding. Alicante could feel the blade against his chest. But it didn't go in – not all the way. Kaji made a small incision, then dragged the knife slowly down his chest, opening it up.

And Alicante laughed.

He laughed as Carolina placed one of the little mutts on his chest and it began to lap up the blood. He laughed as the other mutts gathered around, slowly growing bolder, beginning to nibble at his flesh. He laughed and laughed until his throat was hoarse, because he finally understood. He hadn't made the perfect masterpiece.

He was the perfect masterpiece.

And he always would be.

The audience would never forget this. He would go down in Hunger Games history as the most perfect work of art. The best death the Hunger Games had ever seen.

He laughed as one of the little mutts bent down to chew his neck.

Carolina Young, 18
District Eight Female

She sighed with relief as Alicante's cannon finally sounded.

Carolina pressed some gauze from Alicante's pack tightly into her empty eye socket. It was over. She had done it.

They had done it.

But it wasn't quite over, because Kaji was still alive. He had been fighting to remain conscious long enough to see Alicante die, but, now that the other boy was gone…

"Thank you," Carolina said at last, not quite sure what else to say. She couldn't have done it without him. But now…

"You're welcome," Kaji mumbled weakly, propped up against a tree, smiling a little despite the pain. "I hope that's what you meant by the right moment."

Carolina chuckled a little. "A little earlier would have been nice." She stuffed a little more gauze where her eye should have been. "But not bad, all things considered."

"We made a good team," Kaji agreed, his voice thick with pain.

Carolina collapsed beside him. "Yes, we did."

"But now it's time to end it."

Carolina tensed, half-worried that he was going to attack her, the way the girl from Nine had. But Kaji made no move against her. "I suppose it's too late to make it painless," he said quietly. "But please … make it quick."

Carolina stared. He was just going to let her…?

Kaji nodded, as if reading her thoughts in her expression. "How long do you figure I'll last like this? Bleeding, crippled, exhausted? An hour? Maybe two? You could just leave me, I suppose – and those mutts that are feasting on Alicante over there would turn on me as soon as he's gone. So … yes. I'm just going to let you. In fact, I'm asking you. Begging you. Please, just do it."

Carolina swallowed hard. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If you hadn't shown up … he might have gotten to my knees by now. Maybe. At least this way … I know he won't win."

Carolina nodded. That was something. No matter who won now, it wouldn't be him.

Kaji reached for his knife. Handed it to her. "Right here," he suggested, his hand guiding hers to a place over his chest, right above the heart. Carolina took a deep breath, kept her eye fixed on his, and plunged the knife in deep. Kaji went stiff for a moment, but then he relaxed, his whole body went limp, and he even smiled a little. "Thank you," he gasped, his voice barely a whisper.

Then his cannon sounded.

For a long while, Carolina simply sat there. Breathing. Recovering. Grateful to be alive. Alicante could have killed her – all he'd had to do was strike her with his mace instead of plucking her eye out.

An eye for a life. Not a bad trade.

But she wasn't safe yet. There were still two more tributes out there. And it wouldn't be long – not long before the end.

There was a part of her that was grateful for that. A part of her that was ready for it to be over – one way or the other. At last, she began rummaging through Alicante and Kaji's packs. She forced herself to eat a little of the food she found. She would need all the strength she could muster.

She tried to think through who was left. Maeren's district partner – she was pretty sure she hadn't seen his face in the sky. And Alicante's district partner – they had been allies, she was pretty sure. Was she still at the cornucopia?

Carolina leaned back against a tree, trying not to think about it. It didn't matter who was left. It didn't matter who they were. Because, whoever they were, they were going to have to die soon, if she was going to get out alive.

And she was ready.

Thea Cheviott, 18
District One Female

Two cannons.

Holed up inside the cornucopia, Thea stared out into the night. Two more tributes gone. Three left. The others were probably Alicante and Kaji. Almost certainly Alicante and Kaji. The only other two left had been the girl from Eight and the boy from Ten. Surely neither of them would have been able to bring down both of her former allies.

No, she couldn't be that lucky.

They would come back soon. The Gamemakers would drive them this way. Thea stared out towards the jungle, not sure whether she should be hoping they would arrive soon or hoping the Gamemakers would decide to wait until morning. She could really use the extra rest before the battle that was coming, but there was also a part of her that was ready for it to all be over – one way or the other.

Would they be together when they came – the two of them? Would they turn on each other? Or would they want to wait until they had taken her down first? She wasn't sure which one to hope for. Which one would be better.

Neither option was good.

But there were no good options – not at this point.

She wished she could sleep. But she was too nervous. Too frightened. If they found her asleep, who knew what they would do? No, she had to stay awake. Just until they came.

Then it would be over.

Once she was out of the arena – then she could rest. For a long time. Once she was safe. Back in the Capitol, or, better yet, back in District One.

District One. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had left it. Left her family. Left Stellar. The thought of her sister made her smile, despite her fear. Stellar was certainly watching right now. Maybe thinking about the promise she had made – that she would volunteer next year. That they would be the first back-to-back victor sisters.

Such a silly promise, now that she thought about it. Sure, they could promise to volunteer, but no one could ever promise that they would come back. Even now, she couldn't promise her sister that she would be the one to come home. And if she won, and Stellar volunteered … Now that she thought about it, she didn't know if she could deal with that. Mentoring her own sister. Watching her in the arena.

Thea gazed up at the stars – at the cameras that she knew were there. "I'm letting you off the hook, Sis," she said quietly. In case she didn't get the chance later. "Train if you want to. Volunteer if you want to. But only if it's what you want to do. Don't do it for me, or for our parents, or for our District. Do it for yourself, because it's what you think you should do. That's what I did, and I—" She cut herself off. Did she really want to say that? Was it true?

Yes. Yes, she decided at last. "I don't regret it," she finished. And she didn't. She regretted a lot of what had happened. A lot of what she had seen. But she didn't regret the fact that she was here. The fact that it had changed her.

She wasn't sorry for that.

She gave the cameras a wink. "Love you, Stellar; I know you're watching. Mother, Father … I'll make you proud."

And she would. No matter what happened when the battle came, she knew her parents would be proud of her. Proud of who she had become. Thea took a deep breath, setting an arrow to her bow and aiming it out towards the darkness.

She was ready.

Lyre Fairfax, 15
District Ten Male

He wasn't ready to go.

Lyre clung tightly to the mutt that was sleeping beside him. There had been two cannons during the night. The sun was rising now. Three tributes left. Only three. It would start very soon now.

The last day of the Games.

He didn't want it to. He didn't want to leave the swamp. He just wanted to do what Glenn had done – stay here and wait it out while the others killed each other.

But the Gamemakers had other ideas.

One of the mutts nudged him. Gently, at first, but then more forcefully. He rolled over and opened his eyes. "What?" he asked irritably.

As if the mutt would respond.

And, in a way, it did. As if in reply, the mutt ducked down lower in the swamp, tilting its head towards Lyre, as if trying to tell him something. Lyre couldn't help but smile a little as he realized what the mutt wanted.

As carefully as he could, he climbed up onto the mutt's back and positioned himself between two of the large plates. Slowly, the mutt began to lumber out of the swamp. The rest of the herd followed – slowly. As if it weren't a race, but, rather, more of a procession. A parade.

Parading him towards the final battle.

Lyre took a deep breath. Then he did the only thing he could think of. He waved. He waved at the mutts, at the odd creatures that were staring at him as he left the swamp. Slowly, the cow-lizards wandered towards the cornucopia.

As he got closer, he could see the other mutts. Large, lumbering mutts with three horns approaching from the east, followed by three smaller mutts that were quickly darting around. Bird-lizard-mutts circled overhead, surveying the scene. A huge, roaring mutt with a gigantic head came stomping in from the southwest. And, from the southeast, the biggest mutts he had seen – at least eighty feet long, with long necks and tiny heads. They were surrounded by tiny, scampering little things, no more than a foot tall.

They had all come to watch.

Lyre clutched his only weapon – the rock that Theia had used to kill Avalia. There was still blood on it. He still had some rope in his backpack – her backpack – but that was it. It was all he had. But it was something.

Lyre brushed the tears from his eyes. This wasn't the time to cry. This was the time to give them a good show. But there was a part of him that wished he could just turn his mutt around and head back to the swamp. He was about to go into battle, and a deep dread filled him as he realized that there was no way to escape.

And he wasn't ready.

President Richmond Hyde

"Helius, you really outdid yourself."

Helius glanced up, grinning, carefully corralling the mutts towards the cornucopia. One of the tributes was already there, and the other two were being brought in by mutts – a stego and a brachi, he was pretty sure Helius had called them at one point. "Why, thank you, Mr. President."

"Just out of curiosity," Hyde ventured. "What were you planning to do if the girl didn't manage to kill Alicante? Or if she'd run away? Or if he'd actually killed her instead of plucking out an eye?"

Helius shrugged. "I had the tyrannosaur on standby. But I'm just as glad I didn't have to use it. It looks bad if we interfere too often, take sides too readily. Sending a few compys to trip a tribute up during a fight is one thing. Having a tyrannosaur barge in and swallow him up would have been … not very subtle."

Hyde nodded. "As long as they're both dead."

Helius took a little bow. "That's what I'm here for. Is there anything more I can do for you?"

Hyde shook his head. He knew the meaning behind the words. Helius always asked – mostly a formality, because, at this point, Hyde's answer was always the same. Any of these three would make a fine victor. He shook his head. "It's up to you now, Helius."

Helius shook his head. "Oh, no, no, no. It's up to them."

"I didn't imagine it. I calculated it."