Day Two

Jupiter Aeneous, 18

District One Male

Jupiter had not tagged along with his alliance, for he needed time to introspect.

He had been an angry man since a long, long time. Not since forever, but since a long while. However, he had never been a monster, so to speak. And yet, he couldn't forget what he had done the previous day, during the bloodbath. His actions were neither justifiable nor explicable, even to himself. All he knew was that he was afraid.

Jupiter Aeneas was afraid of the monster he had become.

He was here to win, not to torture. But all he had done was scare his allies, and possibly even painted a target on his back. He wondered what his siblings thought of him. Were they scared too? Ever since his father passed away, he had been their protector, their father, their role model and their provider. No matter how many jobs he got kicked out of, he kept struggling for them. He was here for his late father, for the love and pride the man had for his son. Would he be proud were he alive? Jupiter didn't think so. He had not done something to be proud of, and was honestly ashamed of his actions. He thought about Evander, his best friend. How disappointed he must be! Evan always tried to keep him calm, to pour water over his fiery rage. He must be so embarrassed because of Jupiter, because of Jupiter the Monster, and this made the District One boy's heart ache. He had let everyone down. Every single person who mattered.

Jupiter felt utterly lost. What was he supposed to do? Shame and guilt seemed to be drowning him. he felt suffocated, breathless, and he wanted to get away. He just couldn't see a way forward, for there was darkness all around him.

Jupiter sat down on a swing, his hands curling around the chains as he recollected memories of his father, his childhood. He loved swings a lot and he remembered his father used to take him to the park often. He was a stoic and proud man, but he was good to him. Jupiter loved swings as a child shrieking at little birds with joy, going higher and higher only to come back and going higher again, only from the reverse direction. His father had wanted him to be a victor, being the Capitol loyalist that he was. But Jupiter… he never had any interest in the Games. The killing disgusted him, filled him with terror and guilt and pity, but he could never say that to his father for he did not want to hurt him. and then he passed away, because of those blasted rebels and here Jupiter was, trying to fulfil his father's dreams. But would he be proud of such a cruel son? He was always on about honour… and what Jupiter had done was not honourable at all. What would his father think if he was alive?

Two cannons blew up simultaneously, jerking Jupiter awake from his trail of thoughts. He frowned, looking at the birds who started flying, startled. Had his allies secured two kills at once? Or had two people just died simultaneously? Jupiter did not know but he was glad that the competition was thinning. Maybe this was what was going to fuel him to steel his heart further and just go for it.

He was lost deep in thought when his allies returned. Well, all except two…

He stood to his feet quickly, frowning, facing the other boys. Nereus looked beside himself with anger, so did Basil. Nate was just looking down at the grass, as if he did not want to address him… or anyone. Jupiter couldn't understand where the girls were? Had they ditched them? Or…

"Where are they?" he demanded, looking from one boy to the other.

In response, Nereus kicked the nearby bench with anger, toppling it over. Basil just huffed, and it was Nate who responded, his voice that of pity and sadness.

"They're gone," he said, looking up finally, looking into Jupiter's eyes, "Dead."

The very earth seemed to part from under Jupiter's feet. He blinked a couple of times, looking at Nate as if he was not sure what he had heard was correct. There obviously had to be a mistake. Two Careers, trained Careers, just gone? Marge… he had grown fond of her. Was she really just dead?

"You can't be serious," he said finally, "Those two are trained Careers. I refuse to believe two Careers are just dead."

"I wish this was a lie, but it's true. These two kids, they had a car-"

"What?!"

"- and this car had these weird laser beams. The girls were right in front of them, and died the moment it hit them. The kids then just drove o-over them, and they- they got away."

Jupiter stared at Napoleon, dumbfounded. Two kids killed two Careers with a car. A car! It was so ridiculous and outrageous at the same time that Jupiter didn't know how to react. How could such a thing even happen? He thought about Marge, the only person who had truly been good to him here despite somewhat different methods of going about things. He would miss her, he knew it. Cruxia too. His heart felt heavier than it already did, and he sighed, sitting down on the ground.

For a while, nobody spoke. Jupiter did not know whether it was a second, a minute or an hour, and he did not care. He was grateful for the silence, for he needed to toughen his heart and think. The Careers had shrunk all of a sudden, with only four members, whereas their main competition and the largest alliance now had all their members alive. He knew Josephine was highly capable, and that Lyanna was strong too. He wouldn't discount the others either even though neither Cairn nor Rook had shown any exceptional performance anywhere, and despite everything he wanted to get back at Avni, that stupid wannabe heroine, who had slipped through his clutches in the Bloodbath…

Jupiter knew that the boys had to devise a strategy now. they could not afford to be stupid; they could not afford to be reckless. All the four of them needed to stay alive to tackle the big alliance. And with that thought, Jupiter was back in form. He would think about right and wrong later. Of course, he was not going to torture anyone anymore, but he was ready to trap and to kill.

He beckoned to the others to gather around him. It was high time they had a valuable discussion regarding their current position.

Night Two

Dakota Neenah, 15

District Nine Female

The day had been had been quieter than the previous one.

There had been two deaths, although Dakota did not know who they were yet. She felt bad for hoping that it was someone among the Careers, because it was wrong to wish death on anyone, but Dakota was desperate.

And right now, she was hungry too.

Dakota was used to hunger and poverty, just like the countless people of her District. Things had been getting better back home, but not her situation. And yet, she had always managed to keep all her problems at bay, enjoying life thoroughly, exploring things even the rich couldn't. As she saw the massive and elegant structures around her, she was tempted to do so again. Dakota was a free spirit after all, and being scared to death only worked for a little while. She was exhausted of being frightened now. What were the chances that fear was going to keep her alive anyway? Little to none, as far as she was concerned.

And she was tagging along with a guy as reckless as her.

She voiced out once that she was hungry, and he looked weirdly at her, as if she had said something of otherworldly level of stupidity.

"Why didn't you say that before? Let's go dine."

Dine?

It was now Dakota's turn to look at him appraisingly, brows raised. Where on earth was this posh guy going to take her to dine? In a freaking arena no less. She voiced her concerns to him, how she thought it was implausible what he suggested, and he just regarded her like a stupid kid. When she was done speaking, feeling flabbergasted at seeing nothing but a look of annoyance, Kai turned her around like a kid and pointed at a building. It was dazzling in green lights, with the words 'Café Horseboy' displayed brightly.

"Café Horseboy?"

"It's the Capitol," Kai replied, as if that somehow explained the name. Dakota shrugged, looking back at the structure. It looked like a quaint place from outside, although a little too bright, and she wondered whether there would be actual food there. It was highly unlikely, and she didn't even know why they were considering it in the first place, but she was hungry and tired and there seemed to be no better idea. She just hoped that there were no mutts in there, and she said that to Kai as they started walking towards it.

"Eh," was all he said.

Eh it was then. Dakota didn't care anymore to be honest. She was fed up of hiding and running and suppressing her nature. Going to a café in an arena was the most reckless thing one could do… and it honestly felt good. Add to it the fact that her friend…? was also with her, and she felt much safer. They got away from the Careers, they would get away from mutts too. She just hoped the food wouldn't be poisoned though.

Café Horseboy was elegant enough to make Dakota think she was dreaming. The lights changed after a little while, but keeping ambient enough. It had a polished marble floor, with tables that were designed from the finest tree woods from Seven, and they were greeted by a smiling girl dressed in a very typical Capitol outfit, a neon pink dress spattered with different colours, her hair dyed in all the shades of a rainbow, her green winged eyeliner making her hazel eyes even prettier. Dakota was staring at her, her mouth agape, and Kai was doing the same.

"Hey beautiful," Dakota said, winking despite herself. She was chiding herself for being a flirt right now, but the girl was breathtakingly stunning, and Dakota was feeling stupid.

The girl laughed, blushing lightly. She said, "Welcome to Café Horseboy! May I get you a table for two?"

"Yes, please," both of them said together.

"This way, please," the girl said, and the two of them started following her unquestioningly, the hunger already forgotten. The place was beautiful, with all the decorations Dakota liked, and it had a very serene feel to it. she inhaled deeply, and she could feel the fragrance of flowers wash over her. She sighed in content.

The girl ushered them to a corner table, in a parlour that gave them privacy from the other diners… and Dakota was astonished to see how many diners were there. Friends sitting on large tables, laughing cheerily. Couples holding hands. Families laughing with their children. Dakota smiled as she took the seat, feeling very homely at this café.

"Would you like to have a candle light dinner or should I let this be as it is?"

"Candle light," Dakota smiled before Kai could get a word out. He looked at her incredulously, and she winked back. The girl smiled lightly, and then things were a whirl of events, their orders having been taken, the lights gone in their parlour, replaced by candles. Soon the food had arrived, and Dakota inhaled it in satisfaction. The aroma of freshly baked bread and pasta along with a strong mug of coffee, made her feel even better than she already did.

Kai was smiling at her, his features accentuated in the dim light of the candle, and Dakota found herself blushing. He looked incredibly handsome, with the finest features she had seen in a man. She did not care that he was three years older than her. She listened intently as he talked about life back at home, about his work at the haunted house, his dislike for children and the poor. Dakota herself was both a child and poor, and she was upset that Kai didn't like them, because she wanted him to like her. She could have told him about herself in return, but she refrained, and was careful as she recounted the many tales and adventures she had with her sister, and Kai laughed heartily.

And she didn't even know when or how it happened. She leaned towards him and kissed him on both the cheeks and she was back in her chair, and she felt incredibly calm, her hand in his. Kai was smiling widely in the candlelight, and Dakota could say he was the most handsome guy she knew.

Neither of them wanted to leave the parlour, wanting to just sit their and talk and talk and talk. The food also was not poisoned, and Dakota was not even surprised. Obviously the pretty and kind girl wouldn't poison them, and then things were again a whirlpool of events. The girl said the bill was taken care of, because they didn't have such cute couples come every day, and then she was leading them up a staircase, into a room to get a good night's sleep…

Dakota' cheeks flushed as she saw the room and the single double bed in there. She was suddenly very aware of Kai's presence next to her, and that she had hugged him tightly. She wanted to take things further, much further. A nagging voice in her mind told her to snap out of it, as if she was doing something wrong, but she pushed it away as she closed her and leaned forward…

And then Kai pushed her back.

The actioned was like a jolt to her, as if somebody had thrown a bucket of ice-cold water over her head. She looked at Kai, bewildered, who looked as stunned as she felt.

What on earth was she about to do?!

"It's a trap," he said gravely, "Why didn't I see it before? My mind was so clouded…"

Same, Dakota thought, feeling angry and stupid and ashamed. She didn't know what exactly happened, but she had even married Kai in her mind, and the very thought seemed to horrify her now. he took her hand again, but not in the romantic way he had earlier, and started pulling her along down the staircase. The diners were still there, and that was when Dakota noticed it.

They were having the same conversation they'd been having when they had come here.

Panic filled her heart as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Was this place enchanted? Were these people mutts? The thought didn't make her particularly happy. She started sneaking towards the exit, pulling Kai along. There was only one door, the one they had entered Café Horseboy through, and if it weren't for years of experience of sneaking around, Dakota wouldn't have made it there unnoticed. Even as they were about to leave, the pretty girl from before appeared in front of them, looking disappointed.

"Did you not like the services?" she asked, her voice angelic and beautiful, and Dakota felt herself going dreamy once again, but then Kai spoke up.

"They were fine," he said in his usual arrogant style, "But we need to leave. Busy day and all."

"But," the girl said pleadingly, "Can I please have feedback?"

And Dakota cried out in terror as she saw a transformation in front of her eyes, a most bizarre thing in her life, for where the girl's legs were, there now stood furry hindquarters, and she gained height, her tail long and looked dangerous. She smiled at us, her lower body a horse, the upper body a girl, and Kai screamed as he saw her.

"Ah, I'd been waiting for this. Feedback?"

"Isn't this Café Horseboy?" Dakota asked, and immediately realised that it was the worst thing she could have had asked. The horsegirl's smile vanished, replaced by an angry snarl, and she did not look pretty anymore.

"I told them!" she roared, "But they said it will be expensive to change the board! As if! Duh."

"That's a pretty rotten luck," Dakota said sympathetically, keeping her voice level even though she was dying of terror on the inside.

"You think so?"

"Yep. Boys get credit all the time, even when they're not involved."

"Exactly! I'm so glad somebody understands my pain!"

And the horsegirl- a centaur, Dakota reminded herself- gave her a hug of gratitude in sharing her pain. Dakota patted her arm, for her shoulders were too high for her to reach, and the centaur started ranting about boys, how evil, useless and mean they were, and how she wanted to kill them whenever she saw them, but as a firm believer of being the best hostess she could possibly be, she let them stay alive while they used her services. Dakota glanced in Kai's direction for a single second, before telling the centaur her own experiences with horrible boys. Thankfully, Kai took the hint, and slipped out through the gates.

Dakota, on the other hand, consoled the girl and took her to the kitchen, giving her some nice wine, presence of which she had not expected in a café, and filled the feedback form. She blushed at the last question, asking her how her romantic experience was, and she skipped it. Then, she asked the centaur about where the bathroom was, and thankfully she did not follow her there. As she had many times before, she sneaked out soundlessly from the café, and bolted as fast as she could. Kai was waiting for her, hiding behind a vending machine, and she joined him in running away.

"What the hell was that?!" Kai exclaimed, "What?"

"No idea," Dakota said, "She was not really bad though."

"Yeah, at least for girls," Kai grumbled, "But… how did you do that?"

"I guess even mutts need to simply vent sometimes."

"I guess so."

They collapsed on the footpath after what felt like a running a marathon. As she caught her breath, she looked at Kai, and everything came flooding back to her. She blushed furiously now, turning away hastily. What had she been thinking?!

"Well, th-th-"

Dakota knew what he wanted to say. And that was enough for her, there was no need for him to say the word that he had never said before in his life.

"You're welcome," she smiled, "That's what friends are for, right?"

He blinked at her, staring for a few seconds, and then nodded, smiling. A real smile, like the one back at the café.

There were a lot of questions in her mind, but now was not the time. Now was the time to rest and to cherish the thought of being alive.

Basileus Paladino, 18

District Eleven Male

Basil was not liking their situation.

Two Careers were dead already. One had deserted them before the Games even started. They were down to four boys, with Nereus who was cracking up, Jupiter scheming, Nate being silent and Basil just… being there.

For some reason, ever since his time here began, an eerie calm had descended on Basileus. He was not his overtly angry self anymore; that position seemed to have been taken over by Nereus. And now Basil had time, time to think about his life back home, the rebels who had destroyed it, and his time that went into training. He missed his siblings dearly and he desperately waned to see Yang. Basil had no mood to reflect on what Jupiter had discussed earlier. It seemed that his ally was back to his former self, the remorseful look in his eyes gone, but Basil did not want to even ponder on his strategy, at least not now.

He did feel bad about Marge and Cruxia. He and Marge had slowly started respecting each other, and Cruxia was a fine woman. Basil was still in awe of the fact that two little kids destroyed the Careers back there, that too with a freaking car, and had Basil not been on the receiving end of it, he would have found it mildly amusing. Now, he was just upset over what the alliance had lost.

Basil did not want to stay at the cornucopia any longer as well. Yes, all the supplies were there, and Careers needed supplies to sustain, but… there was something off about the place. Maybe because the dried blood was still there despite the corpses being lifted a long time back. The place reeked of death and it did not make Basil very comfortable.

He told his allies that he was going for a walk, for he really needed to stretch his legs. Jupiter offered to come along but Basileus shook his head. His allies looked suspicious, all except Nate, who didn't seem to mind this as much. Exasperated, Basileus just picked up a sickle and no other bag, promising them that he would be back soon, that he just felt restless.

"Don't worry guys," Nate said with a small smile, "Don't go too far all alone Basil. We'll need you."

And he had that reassuring look on his face, as if he really meant it, that the alliance truly needed him. Basil smiled despite himself, nodding at the boy from Two. Napoleon just had that ability to make people feel wanted and better just with his smile, and Nereus and Jupiter didn't fuss over it further.

"If you see the big alliance," Jupiter said, "Get away from them."

"And if it's a smaller alliance," Nereus added, "Lead them here."

Basileus rolled his eyes at the boys and left without a word.

The moment he was away from the park, he felt better. The city still had its lights on, and as he walked down the pavement, he could hear some kinds of music too. Under ordinary circumstances, hearing music in the dead of night would have spooked anyone, but to Basileus, it honestly felt right. What would the Capitol be without music anyway? He took in a deep breath as he walked down the deserted road, the cool air drying his sweat, making him feel fresher than before. He needed the solitude to clear his head, and it was kind of funny to him because clearing his head was not the kind of thing he did usually.

It was when he turned a corner that he saw them; ragged, battered and weak. Basileus stopped in his tracks, a frown on his face, and it was then they saw him too. Nell and Cat came to a halt, their eyes wide as they took in the sight of the Career. For what felt like an eternity, neither party spoke, looking at each other, anticipating a move that might come. Basil did not even bother lifting his sickle.

"Hey," he said awkwardly even as the girls took a step back. He sighed. One of their allies, a mere child, was already dead. The girls looked hungry and weak and scared and he did not blame them. Anyone would be frightened, and he tried for a smile.

Neither of the girls moved. They exchanged a glance, and kept their eyes trained on the sickle in his hands, holding each other's hands. Basil frowned sadly. Yes, he had temper issues and he was quite… volatile, but that did not mean he was going to hurt little kids! He could never hurt little kids, they reminded him way too much of his family, his little siblings, and he could never bring himself to hurt them. He was secretly glad that both Ark and Jet had perished due to other causes, and he himself wasn't involved in their demise.

"Where are your allies?" Nell asked bravely, even though Basil could see that she was terrified.

"Back at the park," Basileus replied, "Speaking of which, I don't think you should go this way. the cornucopia is right down this path."

"It can't be," Cat exclaimed, "We'd know if we were in the area."

"You had escaped through another path, not the gate. The road leads to the park."

There was silence following that statement, and while Cat continued to look sceptical, Nell relaxed considerably, and even managed a weak smile.

"Thanks, Basileus," she said, "But what are you doing here, away from your group?"

"I'm taking a walk," Basil sighed, "We… lost someone today. The alliance was getting too tensed so I decided to just get a breather."

"Makes sense."

"Yeah. Well, I think you kids should hurry along now. Stay away from Careers… they might not let you go easily this time around."

Tink nodded at him, although her eyes seemed to be questioning him as to why he was helping them, a very silent question, but he understood regardless. He blinked slowly at her and smiled back kindly, as kindly as he could manage even as Cat thanked him and started pulling Tink along. The younger girl followed her friend, and even as Basil watched them leave, she looked back for a second, the question still in her eyes, before turning back even as the girls started running now.

Basileus' shoulders slumped as he exhaled. Children that young did not deserve to die. They deserved to grow up, to live a few happy years with their families and friends, to experience the joys of youth and the warmth of love. Unfortunately, these children might not live through any of that.

With that particular thought in mind, Basileus turned around to go back to the park with a very heavy heart.

Hi. I know Dakota's POV was a little too long, but that was because of the events in it. I'll try my best to keep the POV lengths uniform, but this might happen again in the future depending on what's happening in that POV. Also, if you're wondering why they were behaving so weirdly back there, it was just the drugs being pumped into Cafe Horseboy. I love making use of Capitol technology in my stories XD