Lorraine Pastore

18 years old

District 10 Female

Tributes stared at them as they entered the training centre. They all had hints of a faint smile and that made Lorraine smile sheepishly back. Despite having the admirably confident Davis as a district partner and ally, Lorraine was still awkward and quiet around people she didn't know. Luckily for her Davis loved getting to know new people so she was gradually feeling comfortable around more people. She still wished her cats were with her though.

Lorraine noticed that all of the tributes this year seemed close. Maybe it was the same every year but they just didn't show the audience how close tributes actually were. But perhaps this year it was people like Davis, like Hector, like Lacey and like Extravagance that made everyone so comfortable around each other. Surely that would change in a few days time.

To her surprise Lorraine was actually enjoying her time in the Capitol. She had let loose and drank even more wine than she would have at home.

Just last night Kelby had snuck them some alcohol. It was enough for her to handle but Davis, not so much. Davis couldn't even pretend he was sober so Peyton quickly figured out what Kelby had done. He was furious but there was something else laced with his anger and frustration.

The tributes from 10 hadn't had much luck in getting Kelby and Peyton together. If they didn't have to be in the same room then they made sure they weren't. Lorraine thought that they could guilt trip them into going on a date, using their likelihood of death to do that.

At least they had the chance to be together. She had no clue if she was ever going to see Zander again. Lorraine wanted to see her boyfriend just as much as she wanted to see her cats, which was saying a lot.

For now she had Davis to distract her and make her laugh until her cheeks hurt. The previous night, as well as drinking Davis decided it would be a good idea to recreate memes. They even enlisted the help of Hector and Nicole.

They recreated as many as they could. From Nicole acting as baby yoda to Davis putting on a wig and jewellery saying 'and I oop-'to anyone he passed. The alcohol in Lorraine gave her the confidence to change the background screen on the roof to a burning building and pose as a little girl with a smirk on her face. She wished she could live that night over and over again.

It was a shame they weren't allies with Nicole and Hector but Lorraine knew that she wouldn't be able to look after the two kids as well as a Davis who wouldn't find and who could potentially be sponsored alcohol.

Unfortunately Davis and Lorraine had to put up with another day of training before they could have more fun and make more amazing memories.

They decided to head over to the fire station first so they could master as many survival skills as they could. The trainer at the station had a weird face, he just wasn't the prettiest person ever.

"He looks like that cat. You know the one that looks like it's coughing with its tongue out and eyes bulging." Davis whispered in her ear.

Lorraine couldn't unsee it and burst into a fit of laughter but composed herself enough to say,

"Hey! That's an insult to the cat."

That sent Davis into a fit of laughter alongside her and left the trainer completely confused. Lorraine noticed that other tributes were staring at them which made her a little uncomfortable with her laugh but hearing her district partner's laugh put her at ease.

Once they had both calmed down Davis announced that he was going to get some hand sanitiser and left her alone for a moment. It wasn't long until he was back and began to try and start a fire with a few sticks.

He was so close to starting the fire and the trainer looked impressed; that was when Lorraine realised. But she had realised too late. Davis had created a small fire when she screamed,

"Davis no! The hand sanitiser. The alcohol in it is flammable."

However, nothing happened. Davis' hands weren't burning, not even the trainer had looked worried. But at her frightened face the trainer reassured her,

"Don't worry, we don't let tributes create real fires in the centre. It's a simulation of sorts."

Lorraine let out a long nervous breath that she had been holding. Her heart was still racing for her friend's hands but her mind and thoughts were clear. She needs to take the rest of today seriously.

Davis hadn't looked bothered either and actually laughed a little.

"Davis it's not funny. You could have burnt your hands."

"I didn't though did I."

"But what if next time it did."

"I'm pretty sure there won't be any hand sanitiser in the arena, Lorraine."

Lorraine sighed, "You've gotta take this a bit more seriously."

"I'm fine, honestly. And I'm gonna die soon anyway, why does it matter when?"

That comment sent shivers down her spine. Lorraine had tried everything she could to convince her district partner to fight but her refused. Davis didn't want to kill anyone. She understood but she had a boyfriend to get back to, a university spot to choose – she had to fight.

"Davis. I'm gonna go to the weapons station. I've gotta practise with a weapon if either of us have a chance to make it out alive."

"Of course. Go kick some ass. I'll see you at lunch." Davis smiled at her and went over to talk to Nicole and Hector. It brought a small to her face to know that nothing could really dampen Davis' mood.

When Lorraine reached the weapons area she was surprised to see only one career there and four outer district tributes there. Aelia was at the bow and arrows station, hitting every dummy she aimed at. The trainers were doing their best to help Pana use a sword without injuring anyone before the Games. The boy from 11 whose name she couldn't remember and Verity were also there practising with the spears and axes, were they in an alliance? It was the first time Lorraine had seen them together.

Lorraine hadn't used a weapon properly before and didn't know where to start. She began with the knives because they seemed the easiest but no matter how much the trainer tried to help it just didn't feel right. She tried many of the weapons but to no success so she mustered up the courage to go to the bow and arrow section where the career was.

Aelia ignored her when she approached but the trainer didn't and began to show Lorraine how to use the bow and arrow. As soon as she let the first arrow fly, Lorraine knew that this was her weapon. The first and second arrow only hit the hand and foot of the dummy but it was a start and Lorraine had two hours until lunch to improve.

"Aim for the femoral veins. They're located on the inside of the thighs. Hit them and they're basically dead." The trainer guided Lorraine and on her next shot she hit the left femoral vein.

At this Aelia spun around with such force it made Lorraine jump.

"What are you talking about? It's the arteries that you've got to hit to ensure a kill." The career almost scolded the trainer who paled at the comment and began to sweat. It was very peculiar.

"Erm, new research has proved otherwise. Puncturing any vein stops the heart from beating and there's no return. But there's still a chance of surviving if you puncture an artery." The trainer spluttered.

Aelia didn't look too convinced and Lorraine wasn't sure she was either. Who should she listen to? A trainer who's the best in the Capitol with a bow and arrow or a girl who was trained by some of the very best victors who were some of the few to actually fight in an arena to the death? Lorraine decided she would ask her mentors, they would know.

"You know you're gonna have to race me for the bow and arrows in the bloodbath." Aelia joked but the girl from 10 knew there was some truth laced in the statement.

Lorraine nervously laughed in response, not knowing how to reply and immediately not liking talking to someone she didn't know.

The bell for lunch sounded not too long after that interaction and Lorraine was relieved she could be with Davis again. They agreed to stick together for the rest of the day and explore new stations because realistically Lorraine wasn't going to get much better with the bow and arrow in the time they had left. But she was content with her ability.

Later that night at dinner Lorraine finally asked the question that had been bugging her all day.

"Peyton, Kelby. Which blood vessel do I want to hit when aiming for a tribute – an artery or vein? I've had conflicting answers."

Her mentors had the same reaction the trainer did. Their faces went pale and they gave each other a nervous look, like they actually looked at each other! Lorraine was pretty sure they hadn't properly looked at each other since she'd known them. They're reaction was quite unsettling but at the same time they both answered,

"Vein."

That was that for Lorraine. She trusted her mentors with her life and she was going to listen to them no matter what.

Perona Hordin

14 years old

District 6 Female

Perona was still estatic to be allies with Crane and Jester, she couldn't believe they'd asked her. She knew she had to return the favour by not letting them down. They were both so smart and kind.

Throughout the one and a half days they'd been free to roam the training centre the three of them had spent half of the time working separately on skills and half the time together having fun and learning new skills together.

Even if Jester was the biggest pessimist going he never failed to make her laugh, even if it was unintentionally. Crane however, was full of optimism and always cracking jokes. It was creepy how they were so similar yet so different.

Perona was surprised that her OCD hadn't affected her time in the Capitol that much. She didn't have to spend as much time completing her checks or trying to push out her obtrusive thoughts. But perhaps that was because her anxiety was at an all-time high due to the looming games.

So far she had had three panic attacks, time seemed to slow each time and it was like her chest caved in even more every time. She hated how nervous she was. Perona was supposed to be the continuously happy and selfless one, not the nervous and freaked out one.

Jester had found her having one of her panic attacks and she thought he was going to burst into tears. Both he and Crane had become protective of her but Jester treated her like a sister. Their mentors weren't around at the time so he calmly recited a poem until the attack was over.

It definitely helped Perona but it wasn't the same as going outside and observing the beautiful gift of nature. Going outside never failed to calm Perona down but she wasn't allowed to leave the building. The roof wasn't much better either because nothing was natural. Not to mention every night the tributes from 10 were up there drinking and doing silly things like recreating memes. Perona was sure she would have loved to join in if she ever went to the roof in her 'normal' happy state.

All Perona hoped was that the arena was as close to her idyllic view of nature as possible. Hopefully not some dark, grimy artificial area.

Perona didn't realise she was daydreaming again until Crane slapped the table in front of her. She had totally zoned out of the conversation. Lunch was one of the only times they could talk properly without Crane wanting to sleep, Perona having a panic attack or Jester wanting to focus on skills as much as possible. She couldn't believe she was letting her allies down – after all they'd done for her.

Crane slapping the table had made Jester jump and he dropped his apple on the floor.

"Uh sorry, I was day dreaming again." She said sheepishly. "Here Jester, you can have my apple if you want."

Perona could deal without having an apple today, even if it was her favourite food to eat. Her ally probably wanted it more.

"Hey, it's fine. I'll just go get another one."

"Sweetie, you wanna answer my question now?" Crane laughed. You would think the word sweetie would be said in a soft and caring manner. But whenever Crane said it, it was laced with sarcasm.

"What was the question?"

"What do you think the arena will be like?" Jester had come back munching on a fresh apple.

"I hope it's like a magical forest. With fantastic beasts and the prettiest plant life."

"Yeah, like that's ever going to happen. It'll probably be some scorching volcano where most of us die from dehydration or being burnt alive." Jester said casually.

Crane and Perona shared a look and then burst into a fit of laughter. This kid didn't have an optimistic bone in his body.

"Jester honey, you need to grow into your name." Crane uttered in between laughs. Jester just shrugged his shoulders in response.

Perona didn't expect to be having this much fun before the games. It temporarily calmed her nerves. She thought she'd have to try and keep a positive energy up. But it seemed like every tribute was having some kind of fun and there was never a moment where someone wasn't laughing.

"But seriously guys, we should start thinking of bloodbath tactics." Jester spoke.

Perona could feel her heart start to beat faster and it felt as if the walls were caving in. She kept trying to imagine the beautiful parks back at home and the breath taking sunsets. She tried to find a window but to no success. Why wasn't there any windows in this damn training centre?

"We could just run. Maybe rely on sponsors for supplies." Crane suggested. Perona tried focusing on her ally's voice and it seemed to be working, the walls stayed still.

"Crane. You and I both know we have the skills and brains to get lots of stuff from the cornucopia."

Her allies kept going back and forth about how risky just running away from the bloodbath was but also how risky it was going deeper into the cornucopia. Suddenly Perona spoke, interrupting her allies,

"I'll run for the rucksacks."

Both Crane and Jester began furiously protesting but she wouldn't listen. Perona remained adamant that she was going to get the bags closest to her no matter what her allies said. She owed them that much, they've helped her more than they'll ever know. Eventually they both gave in, realising Perona wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Jester will try and find any type of technology he could potentially work with and I'll look for weapons." Crane said making a mental note.

"A mace for Jester, a knife for you and a stick for me."

Her allies looked at her weirdly again, like she had just spoken a different language.

"Why do you want a stick? What about ropes? So you can do your gimpy thingy."

Perona explained that her being able to tie knots in a rope wasn't going to injure or kill anyone. She had more chance of doing that with a stick. But she didn't think she had it in her to use an actual weapon on anyone. Practising with them in training made her feel sick.

The boys finally stopped trying to persuade her to let Crane get her rope or a proper weapon so they could focus on more tactics.

"We'll probably be placed on the furthest podiums from each other though."

It wasn't the time for Jester to be pessimistic but it was a very likely possibility. Hopefully the gamemakers placed their podiums randomly. However, even then there was still a high probability that they would be placed nowhere near each other.

Eventually they all agree to run towards wherever Perona was placed. She would grabs two or three bags closest to her and run with the boys following her after they had retrieved what they could.

When they had finished their discussions a group on the table next to them began to laugh quite loudly. Perona noticed that a lot of tributes looked confused at the members of the group, including her two allies.

Verity, Orion, Henry and Spark sat huddled around each other unable to speak because they were laughing so much.

"Are they an alliance? That's the first time I've seen them speak."

"They've been in an alliance since day one pretty much. They just didn't train together. I think they go to the district 8 floor every night to watch movies."

Her allies couldn't believe they hadn't noticed the alliance before. Not a lot of people had though. Perona thought their egos had been bruised a little as their intelligence they wouldn't shut up about didn't help them notice quite a big alliance.

"Perona, how do you always know everything about the other tributes?" Crane joked.

"Well I speak to Lacey a lot. The girl from 11." She had to clarify.

"Lacey has all of the gossip. But I don't think even she knew about this alliance. I spoke with Orion a little yesterday and he told me about their alliance. They're really supportive of each other apparently."

"Huh, if we'd known earlier maybe we could have formed a huge alliance."

Perona wasn't sure how she felt about that. She liked the security of her two allies now. Sure she would have liked to have more people to talk to but she would never be able to help all of them. Her priorities are her allies, the more she had the less she could help.

Jester was very against Crane's proposition saying he could never trust that many people. And something about how it would be a stupid move because they would be even easier targets. Plus things could get very messy very quickly.

"I was just saying. No need to get all antsy."

The bell indicating lunch was over rang and the three tributes high fived each other before going to their separate stations for the remainder of the day.

But before they had turned their backs Jester called out, "A game of scrabble on our floor? Tonight at 8."

Perona nodded and smiled, happy she would get to spend a few normal hours with her allies. Hopefully they could continue to distract her from the games, giving her a break from the panic attacks. That was unlikely though.

A.N: Hey guys, hope you liked the chapter. I almost forgot Jester and Perona were district partners whoops XD

I hope I was able to describe the memes properly. Hopefully you could tell which ones I was talking about.

But lemme know what you thought of the chapter. What did you think of Lorraine's seriousness in this chapter? How long will they both survive in the Games? Are Perona's panic attacks going to affect her in the games? And what did you think of the new alliance? We won't be hearing from a member of the alliance for a few chapters but they definitely will appear a lot more next chapter.

Origami cuties – Nicole and Hector

Fun Fun Fun Careers – Aelia, Tarquin, Hudson, Ripley, Extravagance and Tangent

Drunk Memes – Davis and Lorraine

What's a tree? – Jester, Crane and Perona

We just want friends – Lacey, Margit and Evanna

Flying Under the radar babies – Verity, Spark, Orion and Henry

QOTC: What is the capital of the US state Colorado?