Ciara Teal, District 8 Female: Week of Recovery, day 1

"Tributes." President Sliver says over the intercom on the ceiling. "Great news. We have defeated all rebel troops that had advanced into the Capital. You are safe now. But let us please have a moment of silence for those who died defending our beloved home."

Her words are laced with fire but the tributes, including myself, bow their heads and stare at the floor. Silence falls over the room but I quickly lift my eyes to look around the room.

"Also I want to say how lucky we were not to lose a single tribute, even if some need a bit of recovery. For the next week all tributes will be free to roam the Capital and do what they want while Sunna and Abram get better." President Silver says and I watch as a smile spreads across Celosia's face. I watch as Lily's hands start to shake but she quickly hides them behind her back and Jocylin starts to tap her foot on the wooden floor. "We have remedies to fix both Sunna and Abram so they should be good to go in a week's time, but until then enjoy your time being free." The intercom chimes and the room falls silent, no one exactly sure what to say.

"Awesome." Allegro says as everyone slowly starts to lift their heads up.

"What do you want to do first?" Elizabeth asks, turning to her alliance that was grouped towards the right corner of the room.

"Explore!" Sydney says with as much enthusiasm as a little kid that was just given ice cream.

"Let's do it!" Sage says and the friends take off towards the giant door of the training center. We were told to meet to listen to an announcement from Miss Silver when we totally could have listened to her 'speech' in our rooms, or better yet in the hospital visiting Sunna. She was actually getting better really fast due to the Capital's advancement in medicine but still needed a few more nights in the place.

"I'm gonna go back to Sunna's hospital room." Anne replies shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"Yeah, me too." Zach says and he and Anne start to walk towards the door, following the cute little kids that I honestly probably couldn't kill if it came down to it.

"Wait for me." I call, turning my back on the other tributes and running to catch up with Anne and Zach. We walk out into the snow in almost complete silence, the only sound coming from our heavy footsteps.

The hospital building was next to the testing one and had matching red brick walls. Once we stepped inside warm air blasted out our faces and the nurse looked up from her tall desk. "Can I help you?" She asks, pushing her glasses down her long face.

"We are here to see Sunna."

"Down the left hallway, the first door on the right."

"We know," Zach laughs.

"Whatever."

"Come on guys." I say heading down the hallway and through the heavy door at the end of the hall.

"Hey." A soft voice says as I enter the room. Sunna was lying on the bed, doing better than this morning, but still not looking great. Her head's still wrapped in bandages and she's extremely pale.

"Hey," I replied, sitting down in one of the three chairs we had moved next to her bedside. Anne and Zach quickly do the same.

"How are you feeling?" Anne asks.

"Better than this morning."

"That's a start." I say.

"Yeah, I'll be better soon." Sunna sighs, "eventually."

"They can't send you into the arena hurt." Anne adds.

"Exactly." Zach agrees.

"But seriously, I can't wait to get outta here." Sunna says looking at the machine connected to her arm that beeps every so often.

"Makes sense."

"Yeah these doctors are crazy." She says, "and ask the weirdest questions."

"If I'm being honest, I'm ready to be outta the whole fucking Capital." Zach replies.

"Me too. I've seen enough crazy make-up and bright wigs." I agree.

"Why can't we just enter the arena and get it all over with, why do we have to go through all this stupid pre-games stuff?" Anne says.

"Yeah."

"Well, we just gotta make the-" I start but am interrupted by the dinging sound of the intercom.

"Attention tributes!" the president booms into the speaker, "someone has just informed me of some news."

"Huh?" Sunna asks.

"More news? Can't she just tell us all at once? Like here's all the news, have a good day."

"Let's hope it's good though." Anne says.

"We here in the Capital understand that a week is a bit too long to hold you tributes in the Capital for without anything really to get done, so we've decided to issue you all a 'ready' button. If or when you push the button it means that you have enjoyed your free time in the beloved heart of Panem but are ready to progress towards private sessions. Of course neither Sunna or Abram are allowed to push theirs until they have made a complete recovery but when all twenty-four buttons are pushed we will jump forward toward getting into the arena. It is bright red and will be placed in your room in the next hour. Have a nice day and enjoy your time in the Capitol! Wait, don't forget you don't have to push your button 'till you feel comfortable and don't let anyone pressure you into pushing it, when you're ready for the arena you can push it." She says and the intercom dings again to let us know she's done.

"It's like she fucking heard us."

"Wait do they have cameras in here?" I ask, scanning my eyes around the room.

Allegro June, District 2 Male: Week of Recovery, day 2

"Shit!" I cry as I open my door.

"Language!" Thomasina yells from her room across the hall.

"Who the fuck put note cards all over the wall?"

"What what!?" she says as her and Dakota run out of her room.

"Huh?" Dakota asks.

"Someone stuck fucking note cards to the wall."

"Language!" my mentor scolds.

"You're not much older than me." I complain.

"Whatever." She sighs, "why would someone want to waste their time to do all of this?"

"Yeah." Dakota says looking over at Thomasia.

"Well, whoever did it did it well 'cause these things aren't coming off." I say attempting to rip a bright orange note card from the wall.

"Dakota, it was Maya's kid."

"No, fuck, the new victor?" Dakota asks.

"Yeah, if he pranks the wrong person… we have to warn her. Remember Scarlet?" Thomasia says, her eyes getting wide.

"What happened to Scarlet?" I ask as the mentors fly into the elevator.

"Remember District One's old mentor? Well let's just say a few years ago she got a prankster tribute and well… he pranked the old Gamemaker, Vance Blackwell, and he took it out on her. He murdered her right in front of us, saying he wasn't messing around. We don't know Thea, she could be just as bad."

"Oh my gosh."

"Yeah, and it didn't help that I had just gotten out of the games." My mentor says as something flashes through her eyes.

"Baby, hey, I'm here." Dakota comforts as Thomasia holds back tears. Dakota wraps her arms around my mentor and Thomasia's shoulders relax.

"Thanks Kota." Thomasia says as the elevator dings and the doors to the Tenth floor open. Dakota lets Thomasia go and they both stroll into the living room.

"Maya!"

"She went down to go talk to sponsors." Abram says poking his head outta his room.

"Well, we just wanted to talk about the prank but you're not in trouble. Why am I sounding like a mom? Fuck."

"I don't know..." I say unsure how to answer.

"It was a harmless prank." Abram says his face flushing red, obviously thinking that he's in trouble.

"Totally and it made us laugh, it's just I need to warn your mentor about something." Thomasia replies.

"Do you need to warn her about me? Was it really that bad, the glue wares off in twenty-four hours."

"No, you're fine. It's just Scarlet..." Thomasia says.

"Who's Scarlet?"

"An old mentor..."

"It's just something Sia has a bit of trauma with, everything's fine." Dakota says, "nothing's wrong."

"You don't know Thea, she could kill Maya like Vance killed Scarlet!" my mentor cries running back into the elevator. Dakota rushes after her and the doors shut leaving me and Abram alone.

"Not gonna lie that prank was epic."

"I thought it was pretty good," Abram chuckles.

"That glue wears off, right?"

"Yeah, eventually."

"Meh, I think it adds color to the walls." I laugh.

"It brightens it up."

"Exactly," I nod, "wait, where did you get the note cards?"

"Me and Lily collected them from the training gym."

"There were note cards there?"

"Yeah, at the edible plants station." He replies.

"Cool, now I know where to go if I ever need a note card."

"Is it funny I can imagine you just taking a neon green card off your wall and writing on it only to yeet it at Liz."

"Yeet?"

"It's slang I read about in a text book, it's literally the only thing I remember from school, I even got to do a project on the history of slang."

"That's actually pretty awesome."

"It was really fun." He says.

"Well, I'm gonna go make sure my mentor's alright." I reply motioning to the elevator behind me.

"Cool, but, um, who's Scarlet?"

"She won two-hunderd eighty-ninth games as a career but had a prankster tribute and he pranked the old Gamemaker. He took it out on Scarlet and murdered her. Thomasia had just gotten out of the games with five kills so she was quite shaken."

"Oh no. I will be careful who I prank, I don't want to do anything to Maya."

"Awesome, do you think you could prank Liz for me?"

"Sure." He says, giving me an odd smile. "Alright, please make sure Thomasia's alright, I feel bad I made her upset."

"It wasn't really your fault, she's just got a traumatic memory, hopefully Dakota can calm her down.

"Cool." He sighs heading back into his room.

Vienna Sauveterre, District 6 Female: Week of Recovery, day 3

"You have to tell me." I laugh.

"I can't." Tyree says laying down on his back.

"Why can't you?" I ask, laying down next to him in the snow. I had been trying to convince him to tell me his master 'plan' all day but he won't budge. How can he have a plan involving me and not tell me?

"Because."

"Because why?" I ask looking up toward the tall branches of the oak tree we were lounging under.

"You can't know until we get into the arena."

"What? That's so unfair." I say grabbing some snow and flinging it in his face.

"Sure, you'll find out eventually. Be patient."

"But I'm not patient…"

"You'll just have to be for once."

"Tyree, please tell me." I whine punching him on the arm.

"No." He laughs and I can't help but join him.

"Come on, please."

"Nope." He says pretending to zip his lips.

"Fine…"

"Just be patient."

"But we won't get into the arena for another week."

"Yeah but it's not like I'm counting down the days." He says shuddering.

"True, what do you think the arena will look like?"

"Could be anything really, it's a Quell after all."

"Yeah, a Quell that sucks."

"Nah District Six sucks for voting you in, it's actually a really cool twist idea." He says.

"True but I'm thankful you volunteered."

"I couldn't let my best friend go into the arena alone." He says clearly dodging the obvious factor that only one of us could return.

"Hey… Tyree?"

"Yeah?" he asks, his face filling with concern.

"If only one of us makes it out, I want you to be it."

"No, Vienna. I can't go home without you."

"But you have something to go back to, I don't." I say still looking up towards the oak tree's tall branches.

"Don't say that." he replies, not exactly sure how to answer.

"But it's true."

"Vienna, your brothers love you."

"No they don't, they love their wives and children."

"They love you too."

"Not really." I sigh.

"Come on Vi."

"Whatever."

"Vi don't talk like that, you've got a family to come home to."

"But so does everyone else." I say, "all the rest of the tributes have families to come home too."

"Yeah…"

"A lot of them have loving parents and siblings."

"Don't talk like that Vi, your brothers love you."

"Sure," I sigh. "I don't care."

"Well, you should..."

"Why should I?"

"Because," he sighs, "they're your family."

"Whatever," I say sitting up, the snow was soaking through my thick purple jacket. "Why do you care so much?"

"Why shouldn't I care? You're my best friend."

"But I still want you to be the one who comes home." I reply.

"Even the Hunger Games can't tear us apart and just trust me, my plan's gonna work." Tryee replies digging his hand in the snow.

"Yeah, no matter what we've gotta stick together."

"Exactly." He says nodding his head, "well… speaking of plans, what's your plan for the interviews?"

"Cordelia told me to act sweet and adorable, she says that'll get me more sponsors than trying to be funny or whatever."

"You are pretty sweet, not gonna lie."

"Thanks, what about you?" I ask.

"She said that my idea of being optimistic and hopeful was pretty good."

"That is a good idea, fits you well."

"Yeah I guess, it's really just an outlook on life."

"See that's why you're my best friend." I reply.

"Huh?" He asks.

"Just that we are so different that we fit together, if that makes any sense."

"Totally!" he says, "and would I really be your best friend if I didn't know what cheered you up."

"I don't need cheering up." I sigh.

"That's what you always say."

"No it's not."

"Liar." He chuckles as he sits up.

Kinnik Verdugo, District 7 Male: Week of Recovery, day 3

I flopped on my bed not really having any idea what I was gonna do for the next week. I have no allies and my district partner would rather hang out with hers than me. I'm not lonely, just a bit bored and maybe a little homesick.

"Hey Kinnik." A voice says and I jump back to reality.

"Hey Caspian." I sigh sitting up and turning around to face my mentor.

"I know you don't have any allies and thought you could use the company."

"That's nice, thanks." I smile and he sits down next to me.

"I still think it's stupid not to ally but I get it. You're like me."

"I am?"

"Yeah,"

"You think I can win? Like you did?" I say turning away to look at the wall. I don't want to be anything like Caspian Cleaver. I'm nothing like that monster that killed innocent kids because he wanted to. One that thought of his games as if it were a 'job'. He slaughtered all of his allies on day Two because he was bored. He's a monster, I'm nothing like him.

"Why else would I want to give you company?"

"Because you thought I could use the company…"

"Well, yes but I just see myself in you."

"Oh, actually." I sigh, "I've gotta go."

"Where?"

"Um, Elizabeth asked me to get her, um, and her allies some, um, water." I say lying on the spot, not very well but he seemed to believe it.

"Well, alright but I want you both to report back here at exactly seven tonight, do not be late."

"Sure." I say backing up and running out of the room.

Maybe I was… or acting like. Did not allying with people make me seem like a monster? I'm not a monster, I swear. Was yelling at Abram and Lily a little too much? I wasn't feeling very good that day but that doesn't make me a monster, does it?

"Hey." Someone says and reality comes crashing back down on me. I was in the elevator heading down towards the ground floor, a common room for the tributes to gather and talk. Quickly I look over and smile when I see the boy from Two.

"Hey." I say.

"What are you doing?" he awkwardly asks.

"Nothing much, just trying to clear my head."

"Oh," he says, unsure how to answer.

"Am I a monster?" I ask after a minute or two of silence.

"No, well, I didn't know you back in Seven but I know you now. You're not a monster."

"Thank you," I reply as the elevation dings and the doors swing open. "I needed to hear that."

"No problem bro." He says turning left to head over to the lunch table and out of the elevator.

"I don't think you know how much I needed to hear that." I whisper knowing he can't hear me.

"Hey, um, Kinnik?" Allegro asks, turning back to face me.

Shit. Did he hear me? He couldn't have, right? How bad would he make fun of me if he did? Shit, this can't be happening. Kinnik calm down, he probably didn't hear you. He probably doesn't think you're a total loser. Probably.

"Yeah?"

"If you still want to clear your head, I know a beautiful spot to walk to."

"A spot?"

"It's just a short walk, come on."

"Don't you have something better to do?" I ask as my face turns pink. "You really don't have to act all pity-like, I'm fine."

"What? Pity-like?" He chuckles. "Dude."

"Never mind." I say looking down at the ground, avoiding his eyes. I turn away and take a few steps towards the bathroom before he grabs my wrist.

"Kinnik,"

"What?" I cry.

"Don't walk away, please, I want to make you feel better. Come with me."

"Allegro..."

"Just trust me. I will pick you up and carry you if I have to." He chuckles.

"I'm fine."

"That's it," he laughs, grabbing me by the knees and hoisting me into his arms.

"Put me down." I chuckle.

"Nope, come on, before you tell me you're fine."

"But I am."

"I can't hear you. La la la la." He says walking out of the elevator and into the main room. There's only a few tributes gathered there but all of them quickly turned to face us as the elevator dings announcing that we had gotten out. I reconsidered Allegro's district partner, Liz, with her ally, Sasha and the quiet boy from One.

"Now that's something I never thought I'd see." Liz remarks.

"Fuck off Liz." Allegro says briskly walking to the door with me still in his arms.

"Whatever." Liz sighs.

"Put me down." I say as Allegro walks out the doors of the Penthouse and into the snow.

"Fine but you have to come with me." He replies, gently setting me on my feet.

"We're already this far, might as well."

"That's the spirit." He chuckles. "Let's go." he grabs my arm and I flinch but let him guide me around all the buildings in the Tribute Square.

"Hey!" shouts Tyree as we pass him and Vienna lounging underneath a tall oak tree.

"Hey!" Allegro calls back with a short wave. "Come on slowpoke!" he says turning back to me before running backwards, still holding my wrist.

His eyes fall on the marks that litter my wrist and forearm. A short gasp comes out of his mouth and I pull my arm away. I turn back towards the Penthouse holding my wrist to my chest.

My footsteps make weird thumps as I head back towards where we had come from. I don't look back but I know Allegro's standing frozen in the snow. He doesn't know the demons that fill my thoughts. He doesn't understand. No one does.

"Kinnik! Wait!" Allegro cries, placing a hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off and keep walking away. "Please." He grabs my arm and whips me back around to look him in the eyes. He pulls me toward him and turns my arm over.

"What?"

"Kinnik don't leave me, please, I want to make you feel better."

"It's not something you can fix overnight."

"I know," he says, grabbing my other hand so I was completely facing him. "But I'll- I'm here."

"No, Allegro, I didn't come here to make friends."

"I know."

"What? Why are you so calm about this? We're going into a death match."

"I know."

"Allegro?" I ask. "Why are you being so calm?" a single tear falls from my eye but I quickly wipe it away.

"Because I want to be your friend."

"But we're gonna-" I say only to be interrupted by Allegro pressing his lips on to my own. Electricity shot through my body and thunder rumbled in my chest but the warmth that filled me quickly overcame it all. He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me into his chest. For a brief moment I pull away and look into his amber eyes but a hunger takes over me and I press my lips back onto his. He hugs me and a feeling of comfort races through my body.

Onyx 'Nyx' Forti, District 1 Male: Week of Recovery, day 4

"Tributes, I have some important information." Kendal Silver says into the same intercom that she's been on all day. "Because this is a brand new century of Hunger Games I would like you to do something special. I've decided to remove the 'ready' buttons and give each tribute a job, over the next few days I would like each and every one of you to write a letter home to your friends and family. The victor will read each letter out loud in each corresponding district during their victory tour. If you are unfortunate enough to die in the arena, it will be like a parting word for those who have touched your life. Each room will be made sound-proof for the next seven hours, use this time to write your letter expressing an emotion you so chose, without being judged by others. I hope you find these few days to relax after your letter has been written. You may meet up with allies, just please no snowball fights behind the penthouse please. Stationary will be supplied within the next few minutes, and just remember, make these letters count"

As soon as the intercom dinged again I knew exactly what I was going to do. I'm going to give my parents a piece of my mind. I'd be dead if they heard it, so what's the harm?

I'm going to tell them all the things I've wanted for years. That it was too bad I couldn't be their 'perfect' son. That it was too bad I was different and they don't like different. Too bad they treated me like fucking garage.

Quickly an Axox scampers into my room bringing the stationary and a bunch of different colored pens. I thank her but her eyes go wide and she runs out of the room.

I sigh as I grab the cream-colored blank paper and a yellow pen. The wooden chair creaked a little but held my weight. Quickly I scoot my chair over to the desk on the other side of the room, why someone didn't just put them together, I will never know.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I write in neat cursive even though my parents told me it was too 'girly'. They told me a lot of things were too 'girly' and therefore couldn't like them or wear them. That's why I had short 'boys' hair, my stupid parents thought long hair was too 'girly'.

I fucking hate you.

I write but push a little too hard on the pen and it goes through the paper but I keep writing. Wait, am I being too strong? Nah, it's just the truth.

You made my life miserable just so you could have the 'perfect' son. Why couldn't you just accept me for who I am?

Suddenly there's a knock on my door and I hear feet shuffling outside my room. "Kai, come on, hurry up!" I hear Misty whisper as I get to my feet to let them in.

I don't have to though. I don't have to run with the careers. I don't have to. But it's my best chance of survival, even if they end up dragging me along with them.

"Hey." I say opening the doors to my alliance members.

"Hey Onyx." Angel replies.

"Just call me Nyx, but what's going on?" I ask, sitting back down at the wooden desk.

"Not much," Kai says sitting on the floor.

"Just wanted to see how everyone was going."

"Cool, I was just writing my letter." I reply, tapping the desk with my pen.

"I couldn't… at least not yet." Kai attempts.

"Well, I'm not sad when it comes to home back in One."

"You aren't?" Misty asks as Angel gives me a nod and a smile.

"It's complicated."

"Well, we've got plenty of time." Kai replies.

"Yeah, it's not like we have anything really to do, we have all week to write this letter."

"Alright…" I say, not exactly sure how to start. "Um, well, I'm nonbinary but you guys already know that,"

"Yeah."

"So some background on my fucking parents, my pa are elitists and are very, um, high up the social ladder." I sigh, "I came out as nonbinary at fourteen years old, and have since been scorned upon, as One is a district of transphobics. I've spent my whole life mostly training, determined to prove that my gender makes no difference and I can be a victor, too."

"But weren't you reaped?" Misty asks as her and Kai process my words.

"Yeah but I'd been training for a while before that though."

"Ooh, I've noticed you seem to be good to have just been reaped."

"Thanks." I say blushing a little. "Oh and to top off all the hate my parents and District decide to throw on me, I'm an aromatic asexual."

"Wait, what does that mean?" Kai asks, him and Misty hanging off my words.

"It means I'm someone who has no sexual feelings or I guess desires, like who is not sexually attracted to anyone. For a while I thought this meant I was broken, that I wasn't right 'cause I didn't like anyone."

"Nyx…"

"And it didn't help that my parents were setting me up with all these rich girls, telling me I'd find the right one eventually."

"I'm so sorry, that must have been terrible." Angel says.

"It was but luckily I overheard someone talking about being asexual and I didn't know what that meant." I explain, "the girl told me about not wanting any love and I instantly knew that was me."

"Oh." Kai replies.

"Wow."

"Now I can see why you hate your parents, they're fucking terrible." Angel says, "I knew they didn't like you but I didn't think they were like this."

"Yeah, they were very mentality abusive and training with you was my escape."

"You guys trained together?" Misty asks.

"Yeah, neither of us went to the actual training 'academy' and we just worked out together, or well next to each other, in a less busy gym." Angel says.

"That's cool, I remember you out-volunteering another girl, was she the chosen tribute?"

"Well, honestly, probably." Angel admits. "It's just, these games are my entire life."

A/N: So this chapter was pretty fun to write and I think I'm getting into a grove with this :) I know this is a little late but I've had some stuff going on and it's summer XD. I live out in the middle of nowhere and with a big family so I'm busy all day.

Sooooo about the sad little competition, Matt you've won 'cause no one else subbed any ideas. I do like the Zach's Angels one but think that they'll change depending on the chapter and how the tributes are feeling about their allies. So here are the names:

Zach's Angels- Ciara, Zach, Anne and Sunna

The Smart and the Strong- Jocylin and Liz

They're very underestimated- Celosia, Sage, Sydney and Elizabeth

Somehow they're getting along- Misty, Kai, Onyx and Angel

Is it More Than a Kiss?- Kinnik and Allegro

Together or Not at All- Vienna and Tyree

The pair that probably won't be anything more than friends- Lily and Abram

Not in an alliance: Gage, Sasha, James and Keir

Bye for now,

Marie