Sorry for the brief delay in new chapters, I had absolutely no inspiration to write, but yesterday as I lay in bed, a great (? interesting at least...) idea came to me, and so we ended up with this. It's strange, I won't deny that but we learn some more about the characters and the direction they will take in the games, and some possible alliances, so I hope you enjoy.


District Ten- Vivian (5) and Ronin (18)

Ronin cradled the small girl in his arms, shielding her body from the stares and cameras of the Capitol as they made their way from the train to the apartment building. He turned to the side, catching a first glimpse of the tributes he would be fighting against. He knew nothing about them, barely remembered the names, because, at the end of the day it didn't matter, Ronin knew that he would be dead before the end of the bloodbath, there was no need to know the name of the person that would end his life. He had accepted he wouldn't have the ability to kill anyone, no matter how badly he wanted to make it back home. For starters, he just wasn't strong enough, sure, he was tall and muscular, but when it came down to it, he was more aware that he just simply wouldn't have the strength. That meant mental strength as well, Ronin had been brought up understanding that killing was wrong, like any normal person, and the thought of betraying the morals that had been drummed into him seemed something beyond reach. What right did he have to take the life of another, even if it was for his own survival?

So he ducked his head down, refused to make eye contact, and focused solely on getting the small child inside still sleeping. It was a small task and something that was completely in his control, something that wasn't ruled by the Capitol just yet. If he could make it inside, protecting his small district partner then everything would be fine. For now anyway.

He glanced briefly to the side, regretting it almost instantly, making eye contact with the male tribute from District Eleven, an older man who replied with a sad smile. It broke Ronin's heart, it was no longer just teenagers who were having their lives ruined, but adults, children and the elderly, the very pillars of society. He wondered for the first time if the Capitol had made a terrible mistake, one they couldn't recover from. Maybe they had crossed a line with this Quell, one that people wouldn't stand for. Maybe now was the time of the rebellion to rise up again. Ronin just hoped there was someone in these games that was capable of leading them.

His thoughts were stopped, his breath catching in his throat as he entered the building they were staying in. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, thousands of diamonds carved from glass, placed so carefully to form a cascade of light, illuminating the large entrance hall. Ronin had never seen anything like this before, and he supposed most of the tributes hadn't. The whole thing was so grand and extravagant and he couldn't help but feel out of place. Ronin barely had time to take it all in, as he was ushered by a Peacekeeper to a room, furthest from the entrance. He carried his district partner in, thankful to finally be out of the glare of the Capitol.

"What happened?" The small girl, Vivian in his arms mumbled as he lay her down on a sofa in the centre of their room. "Where am I?" She murmured, rubbing her eyes. Her face fell as she looked at Ronin, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. The older boy began to panic, he had no idea what to do or how to handle this, he had never been in a situation like this. He liked children, there was no doubt about that, but looking after one and protecting one, he didn't have the slightest clue where to start.

"It's okay, Vivan." He perched down next to her, letting the girl rest her head on his knee. "You fell asleep on the train, I carried you inside, we're in the Capitol. It's okay if you want to go back to sleep, I'll wake you for dinner." Ronin watched as his partner slowly began to calm down the worried look on her face replaced with a sleepy smile. Ronin felt quietly confident at the success he had had, maybe he wasn't completely a lost cause.

It was weird, Ronin was used to fading into the background, keeping himself to himself but he couldn't do that here, Vivian was relying on him, to be her voice and her protection in the games, to stand up for her and fight for her. It felt weird to know that for once Ronin was the one who had to take control, that he couldn't just sit backwards, and let the world move around him. He had always thought that if he was in the games, he would stick with his district partner, it would be easier and so much less hassle than finding other allies. This wasn't exactly what he had been expecting, but he was thankful at the least that she wasn't an ass. Sure, she might not be able to count past ten or tie her own shoes, but she gave Ronin a sense of purpose in the games, to make sure she got home, whatever the cost.

Vivian dreamt. She dreamt of ice cream and swimming pools and hundreds and hundreds of puppies, that were only for her. She didn't like this new place she was in, she couldn't understand why it was so bright and shiny. Nothing was bright and shiny without mummy around. Everything in the real world was loud and scary and foreign, things she didn't like. And so she slept, and she made herself dream of things she could understand. Life was so much simpler inside her own head.

She had been brought up not to trust strange men, people she didn't know, she had been told never to follow them or listen to them. But something told her that the man next to her, Ronin, she remembered someone calling him, was a good one. One that her mother would be okay with her trusting. He had taken care of her, and that was exactly what she needed, someone that would make all of the confusion in her life go away, even just a little bit. Vivian slept lightly, she didn't want things to change again without knowing, she wanted to be aware. And so she felt the boy stand up, and try to leave her. She couldn't deal with that, being in this weird place all alone. She desperately reached out, not yet awake enough to open her eyes, grabbing onto his shirt.

"Stay." She muttered, feeling the weight of the man relax backwards.

"It's okay Vivian, it's okay." Ronin whispered, stroking her head. "It's okay, I'm not going anywhere."

District Eleven- Aila (18) and D'ante (69) and District Twelve- Lilac (15) and Jordan (23)

"Truth or dare." Jordan sat in an armchair, facing a TV, that he had no idea how to work. Not that he had tried, he knew how much of a pratt he would look if he failed, and he wasn't about to ruin that beautiful impression he had built at the reaping. "Truth or dare." He repeated.

"Are you kidding me?" Aila looked across from her seat at the table, looking Jordan up and down. "You ignore me the whole train journey and now you want to play a game like we're at a teenage slumber party?"

"What can I say? I'm a complex guy, sweetheart." Jordan smiled, baring his teeth as he swung his legs over the arm of the chair, facing Lilac full on. "Come on, truth or dare."

"Oh my God are you serious? Of all times, now? You wanted to play a stupid game, now?" Lilac rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling slightly. He was an actual psychopath, she was sure of that, but now instead of going around and murdering little creatures, he sat here with her, trying to play a game that she hadn't thought about in years. Lilac was convinced he had an ulterior motive, there was no other reason he would be doing this. She was sure he was marketing himself as a friend, only to find her weaknesses and then snap her neck as soon as the games started. But still, she was falling for it, favouring the distraction to the alternative of sitting in silence for hours on end. "Truth." Lilac spoke quietly trying to hide the humiliation of resorting to the past of a twelve year old, especially in the company of a man she had only just met.

"Boooorrriiinngggg." Jordan sang, tucking his hands behind the back of his head. "Games like this are only fun if you pick dare."

"Then why did you ask me, huh? Why didn't you just say let's play dares?" That would have saved a lot of pointless questions and this whole discussion." Lilac debated standing up and walking away. This guy was annoying, she could tell that much already, but he seemed powerful and tough, she could use someone like that on her side, there was no reason to upset him, especially this early on.

Jordan sighed, defeated. He already didn't like this girl. She was annoying, she couldn't just sit back and enjoy the fun, the new experiences, the thrill of being in the Capitol, of being Capitol royalty, even if it was only for a few days. They might have all just been lowly district servants, but the minute all of their names were called the shot up in importance. The Capitol couldn't do anything without them. The games and the plans they had would only survive as long as they had the tributes. Jordan was ready to push the Capitol as far as he could, find out just how necessary he was to them.

"Fine." He gave in, now was as good a time as any to work out how far the Capitol would go to protect him, how much they were willing to give him. "If you could trade the life you had now for one in the Capitol, would you? Why?" Jordan's tactics here were sly, he had to know if he trusted this girl, he knew nothing about her.

"It depends. If I could keep the same family, but just live in the Capitol, then why wouldn't I?" Lilac answered. "Would never have to worry about the games or food or life again, everything would be perfect. Or, almost everything, I would become a self-entitled stuck up bitch like all of the Capitolites, but at least I wouldn't be a hungry one." Perhaps she had answered that one a bit too quickly, judging by the critical look on Jordan's face. But it was true, Lilac's life had hardly been comfortable and sheltered, the scars across her body and face were a tribute to that. She had felt the very best and the very worst of District Twelve, she had been loved by it and hurt by it, sometimes at the very same time. She had fond memories of her family and the times she spent in the district, but then she remembered the pain and the hurt and the constant worrying about whether they could survive the week. So yes, of course she would jump at a chance to live in the Capitol and have to never worry about food or safety or shelter ever again.

Jordan looked at the girl, confused. The Capitol had forced her here, forced her to leave her family and everything she had, to be thrown into an arena that would lead to probable death. And yet, she would still accept a life here? She would become part of the problem, part of the body that enforced this. Jordan may have been foolish, but he knew he would never forgive the Capitol for that, even if they promised him a lifetime of security.

"I chose dare." He spoke, deciding not to comment on the girl's answer. Not that he would have had time anyway, as the door burst open, an older male and teenage girl standing in the doorway.

"Sorry…" The girl muttered, looking around the room in panic. "I think we might have the wrong room, this place is just so confusing."

"I mean the doors are literally numbered and you find the one that's the same as your district, but okay." Lilac muttered under her breath. She hadn't yet warmed to her district partner, introducing more people to the equation was hardly going to help.

"No no, it's fine." Jordan sprung up, seizing the opportunity. "We were actually in the middle of a game, want to join?" He walked over to the new comers, leading them into the room. This was the perfect chance to push the Capitol. The chariot rides were always significant in that the tributes met each other for the first time. If some had already met, that would ruin some of the excitement now, wouldn't it? "I'm Jordan, and this is my District partner Lilac, District Twelve."

If Aila and D'ante had wanted to say no, they didn't have a chance to. At first, D'ante was ready to leave, hanging out with a bunch of teenagers that would probably be dead in a week wasn't exactly his thing, but then Aila looked at him, with a mixture of fear and anticipation and he knew he couldn't leave her. He reached out, grabbing her hand as they were led across the room.

"D'ante, and my friend Aila, District Eleven." The older man smiled, shaking hands with Jordan. In the short time the Eleven pair had spent together, that had become surprisingly close.

Many of the places Aila was experiencing in the District D'ante had spent his whole life exploring, they could talk for hours about the lives they had previously known. Aila had spent hours caring for the vulnerable children in the district, and this duty extended onto the man next to her. He was frail, but he had a passion and a drive that no one could deny. They saw something in one another, shared a bond. Whilst Aila was so thankful for having someone like D'ante by her side, it just made everything that little bit harder. Not only was she worrying about herself now, but D'ante as well, there were two lives at stake, two people to protect.

The pair took a seat across from Lilac, sending her a quick smile.

"Now, where were we?" Jordan smiled smugly, rubbing his palms together and settling back down. "Dare." He repeated once more, his eyes scanning the group. "And make it a good one."

"I dare you…" Aila spoke, looking the boy up and down. He didn't seem like a threat- he was small and average looking, the girl knew she wouldn't give him a second glance on the street. But there was something about his eyes, something that made her on edge, she didn't know if she was imagining things and if the games were putting ideas in her head, or if there really was something to be afraid of. Regardless, she wasn't going to waste the opportunity to see how far the boy would go. "I dare you to walk on to the balcony and scream anything you want. As loud as you can, so everyone can hear."

At first Jordan was ready to complain, this wasn't exactly the task he had been hoping for, but then it occurred to him… anything he wanted, without the Capitol knowing. They wanted to rule him, well now was their perfect chance to find out just exactly what they were dealing with. He stood up, beconning for the group to follow, entering the balcony that stretched out across the Capitol.

D'ante once again grew nervous, he loved a thrill as much as the next person, but to try their luck in the Capitol was something completely different. He knew first hand the harm they inflicted on people just for existing, he didn't want the people he had just met, yet had grown quite fond of, to be subjected to anything like the pain he had felt all those years ago, something that had ruined D'ante both physically and mentally. He looked to his side, the girl from District Twelve hanging back with him, as their district partners hurried out.

"You alright?" D'ante's protective nature prevailed, the girl was only about fifteen, and although it was the normal age of tributes, if he could be there for her, he would.

"Yeah." Lilac breathed out as the two neared the balcony door, opting to stay there instead of following Aila and Jordan out. "I just don't fully trust him." He mind flashed back to the reaping, the glee Jordan got from pulling out her name, the smile on his face when he realised he would get to kill her. "Actually, I don't trust him at all." He seemed to get a joy from being here, from knowing that lives would be ended because of him. Lilac had no idea who this guy was, but it was clear that they were very very different.

"Fuck your Games." Jordan screamed, leaning over the balcony. "Fuck the Capitol. Fuck it all." He took a deep breath, feeling free. He may have been excited for these games, but that didn't mean that they were right. Jordan had killed people in the past, but they had all deserved it and as far as he could tell, none of the people here did. Sure he would do it, and get a thrill out of it all the time, but no matter how unhinged he was, he still had a few morals, that were just very very well hidden.

Aila clamped her hand over Jordan's back. "Here we are, Capitol, your tributes, come get a nice look at us before we die." She spoke under her breath.

Slowly, figures began to emerge on the balconies across and below from them. A male and a female on everyone. An older man and a teenage girl, a young boy carrying a small toddler, a woman and man holding hands. Jordan looked down, surveying the tributes, as in unison they turned to him, and all began to clap.

"Fuck your games." The twenty-four chanted, their fates may have been sealed, but by no means were they going down without a fight. The Capitol may have planned it, but this was their games now, their chance to break the control of the Capital thought they had. Years ago a single Mockingjay had spread her wings to bring down the Capitol and failed, now there was a whole flock, all with a common unspoken goal.

"Let the Goddamn games begin." Jordan repeated his phrase from the reaping, but this time it held a different meaning. He wasn't excited about the thrill of the games, but the future, the future that the tributes were slowly but surely clawing back.


So there we have it, some random truth or dare in the middle of the run up to the Hunger Games... It also gave me a great idea for a Hunger Games arena where the tributes all have to complete truths or dares to survive. I don't know if that's been done before, but it sounds funky and something I might considering writing a short story about (or maybe future SYOT depending on how this one goes...). I'm not exactly short of time (thanks Covid-19!). Anyway, that was really irrelevant and off topic but hey, hope you enjoy me rambling! Additionally, if anyone reading this had a SYOT in progress and is in need of tributes, send me a message, as I have a new found love of creating tributes!

As always, I hope you are well and smiling, and thank you for all the love and reviews.

Until next time,

Alice xxx