Temp Order: Tesler, Tyto, Eira, Jason, Mila, Butch, Kendra, Eydis, Cornell

The first of the three remaining chapters until the bloodbath! That's pretty damn exciting. Hopefully it will be up by the 7th of November at the very worst. Also, eagle eyed readers will notice that I fucked up the times in the last chapter, so I do apologize for that. Anyway, here's Training Day 3 featuring a Capitol POV and the traditional eight tribute POVs.

Tesler Valdes District 3: 19M

Friday Morning 6:00PM
Time Until Bloodbath: 3 Days 2hrs

"Happy birthday to me," Tesler spoke to himself tonelessly.

It was early, and the suns rays were just beginning to poke through the windows. Steam slowly rose from the mug of hot black coffee on the table in front of Tesler. It was the best coffee he'd ever tasted, and the coffee back in his apartment in District 3 wasn't that bad. He did well for himself as a freelance hacker.

Yet, his conscience spoke to him again and again that he was doing something wrong. Stealing from thieves wasn't necessarily righteous. It would be greater to leave the morally reprehensible actions to those people who truly were morally reprehensible, rather than perform immoral actions himself in an effort to fight back against the Capitol.

Tesler sighed to himself and leaned forward in his seat waiting while a simulated system prepared itself on Vision's laptop. There he went, stealing again, making excuses to cover up his misdeeds. But it was only for a short time, just long enough to contact his team back home. He wanted to be one-hundred percent sure of himself before he took action against the Capitol by sharing the videos he found.

The simulated system would cover his tracks completely. No one would be able to discover that he had used his mentor's laptop for nefarious purposes. It was expressly forbidden for tributes to take anything with them from home. A token was all that was allowed. They couldn't even bring clothes.

Tesler stepped away from the computer as his bagel jumped out of the toaster, perfectly golden brown. He returned to the table with cream cheese in hand and began coating his bagel while he simultaneously opened a direct secure channel to his private network.

He typed in a simple message, knowing that his team would answer within five minutes at the longest.

What's the situation with the War Department?: T

Tesler took a bite from his bagel and a sip from his coffee, pondering on another of the various matters floating around in his mind.

He knew he had to play his cards carefully if he wanted to survive the Hunger Games. After all, he had taken far too many risks already, refusing to sacrifice his values and standing up for Cassie. Tesler never was the kind of guy to keep his head down. He would stand tall and proud, daring those around him to take their blades to his neck.

If he became too aggressive, he could quite easily be removed just as the Bloodbath began. The Capitol was not above executing an overly rebellious tribute, and Tesler knew it could easily be him who was executed.

Maybe he could find a work around. He could ignore the trainers as much as possible, and hopefully they would ignore him.

We got the payment.: E1

E1 was the label Elektra used, her younger brother Electro was E2. Her message was far more intriguing. Since they have received the payment, perhaps there was a work around. Tesler was quite confident if he shared the videos, he would be killed, and now, he had an excuse to keep the videos to himself. Perhaps there was another way to get them out to the public.

There's been a change of plans. Don't release the videos during my interview so I can talk over them. Release them after the interviews finish. Take over the TV station and play the videos.: T

What about the extra heat?: E1

I trust you can hide your hacks. Plus, I have a better chance of surviving this way.: T

Understood. We'll release the videos after the last interview. Stay safe. We'll be cheering for you.: E1

"Morning Tesler," Ayla greeted. "Whose computer is that?"

Tesler grumbled to himself and closed the simulated system, erasing any trace of his actions. Who the hell woke up this early other than him? Why was Ayla out here now of all times?

"I know it's not yours," she continued, grabbing a box of cereal from a cabinet and pouring it into a bowl. "Who did you steal it from?"

"Vision," Tesler answered. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him."

Tesler powered off the laptop and slapped it shut, then took another drink of his coffee.

"I was going to give it back if you were wondering."

"Right," Ayla said, staring at the empty wall while she poured her milk. "But the better question is what were you doing with it?"

"That's none of your business," Tesler replied.

"Someone's a little cranky this morning," Ayla quipped.

She sat down across the table from Tesler and looked at him smugly while she chewed her cereal. Tesler sent her a signature self-assured smirk in return.

"You would be too if you were questioning whether or not the goal you'd dedicated the past eight years of your life to was moral or not."

"Tesler the egotist, the supremely self-confident questioning his own morality?" Ayla snarked.

"Hilarious," Tesler deadpanned.

"Look we all have a time when we question our own worth," Ayla said more seriously, though her eyes locked once again on the wall. "I know I did, and it's perfectly normal that you are too."

Tesler remained silent for a moment, thinking back on the previous days, and remembering similar behavior from Ayla. She stared when there was nothing to stare at, and now she was doing it again.

"What's so interesting about that wall?" Tesler asked.

Instantly, he felt the power dynamic in the room flip. He wasn't on the backfoot feeling embarrassed anymore. Now it was Ayla who blushed red.

"I've noticed you staring at a lot of walls recently. What's that about?"

"None of your business," Ayla replied, invoking the same words Tesler had used earlier.

Tesler shrugged. He supposed she was right. It wasn't any of his business, but he was curious, intensely so. Her behavior made no sense.

"But I'll tell you if you tell me what you were doing with Vision's computer."

Tesler's head whipped up in shock to find Ayla's eyes locked on his. How bad did he want to know?

"Fine," Tesler said with a sigh. "I'll leave you alone. I wish we could share stories, but I'm not exactly in a position where that's possible for me. It's not that I don't want to, but Big Brother is always watching. I don't want him hearing about it."

Ayla's face remained neutral as if she'd predicted exactly what Tesler would say. She did not seem surprised in the slightest.

Tesler had to admit that, though he hadn't expected things to work out between them, he rather enjoyed Ayla. She was intelligent, capable, and witty enough to keep Tesler from getting too caught up in the unfortunate dark realities that were the Hunger Games. She made an excellent ally.

"So, who's the third person?" Ayla asked. "I have someone in mind, and I want to know what you think."

The interviews yesterday didn't necessarily inspire Tesler with great confidence. Each and every potential ally had their own pros and cons, and there wasn't a standout candidate.

William and Butch had each expressed that they were already a part of alliances, William joining Peter's group of collectivists, and Butch teaming up with the married couple from eleven. Liz Adler had outright refused to join any alliance, leaving them with only two options for their final team member.

The first was Eira Carielle from District 5. She was on the small side, and she was only fifteen. Her combat experience was limited and would be easily overpowered in a one-on-one confrontation. Yet, she was highly intelligent, maybe not as quick as Ayla or himself, but she was no slouch, and she picked up on survival skills easily. She was also remarkably level-headed, keeping her calm when prodded, judging by her interactions with Santana and Scott.

The other was Tanya Mills from District 9, who proved to be nearly the opposite of Eira. Tanya was older and bigger, far more capable in a fight thanks to her boxing experience. It would do to have some muscle in their group, as it would make fighting easier, and it would also help to alleviate the target from his back and Ayla's. While Tanya wasn't stupid, she was no genius either. She lacked the ability to make quick but rational decisions. Her emotions seemed to control her rather than the other way around. Then there was the problem of her aversion to using weapons. Tanya stated that she would not hold a weapon throughout the Games, saying that it would be weak to do so. Ayla commented to Tesler afterwards that she thought Tanya was trying to hide her own weakness. Thanks to her irrational nature, Tesler questioned whether Tanya could really be a part of an alliance that was based entirely on self-interest.

It came down to a question of value. Which was more important, to gain an ally who could take the brunt of the weight in combat, or a somewhat like-minded individual that lacked physical capabilities?

"I think I have an idea of who it should be," Tesler answered with a nod.

Tyto Winter District 7: 18M

Friday Morning 8:30AM
Time Until Bloodbath: 2 Days 23hrs 30mins

"If you touch the ground once, restart," Weidman explained without a hint of kindness to her voice. "I don't care if you're too tired to continue. Go back to the beginning and do it again. We don't start individual training until every one of you has made it to the end of the course."

That threat seemed to be quite serious, as the course did not look like anything approaching a cakewalk. It was separated into three sections, each increasing in difficulty. There were walls to climb over, platforms to jump off of, and crazy ladders to climb. Tyto honestly questioned whether the younger tributes would be able to get past the first section at all.

"One at a time," Weidman continued. "I'll give you the signal when to start."

They were lined up in random order, just standing wherever, usually with the various alliances sticking close to each other. Tyto stood just behind Eydis who had the third spot in line behind the Scotch's at the front.

Tyto noticed as Matt started off on the course that there probably was an optimal path. Unfortunately for Matt, it didn't seem as though he'd found it. He travelled off down what appeared to be the easiest direction, but was eventually caught up, facing a difficult wall to climb over and a long jump to the next platform.

Tessa travelled off down a different path, using her husband's mistake to her advantage. She took a more difficult direction in the beginning, clambering over a wall, then continuing on down the path.

Eydis made them both look slow. Tessa finished only moments after Matt, and Eydis was only ten or fifteen seconds behind her. She glided across the platforms and over the walls like a deer dashing through the woods.

Then, it was Murchad's turn, and, using the information available to him from the previous runners, he took Tessa's path. It didn't rely nearly as heavily on coordination and smooth measured movements, but instead on big explosive movements. It probably explained why Tessa took longer to finish the course. Her body wasn't nearly big or powerful enough to make some of the necessary moves to complete the course quickly.

Tyto didn't see Peter's run, as he was completing the course just as the boy from twelve began, but based on Weidman's harsh call for Peter to head to the back of the line, Tyto guessed he fell.

The following two tributes fell also, Ayla and Edison. Ayla seemed distracted by something she saw, then mis stepped and fell to the mat beneath the course. Edison didn't seem big or coordinated enough to complete either path of the course. Tyto felt bad for the kid.

The others made it through okay, with only a few standouts. Scott stumbled and bumbled his way to the end, barely managing to stay up by his force of will. Brooke was surprisingly fast and very nimble, easily climbing the walls, making all the jumps, and wisely picking a path that fit her physical skillset. Nebraska stuck out the most of all of them. He was impossibly fast, and smoother than silk. The boy's eyes seemed barely to focus on the task at hand, like it was second nature to him.

Ayla completed the course on her second attempt and Edison did on his fourth, enabling them to finally start the second section.

This one was vastly harder than the first with larger gaps between platforms, bigger walls, and an obnoxious rope spanning between two walls. There was only one, and, thanks to its instability, walking along the top would be impossible.

Both Tessa and Matt fell this time, though Eydis once again completed the course on her first attempt. Tyto was doing well until he reached the rope bridge.

He hung upside down and crawled hand over hand in the direction of the opposite wall. Eydis had crossed the rope this way and had made it just fine, though it had taken a while.

As he crossed the halfway mark, Tyto felt the climb get substantially harder. Now, in the middle of the rope, he was being forced to climb up instead of down, and his fingers quickly began to lose their grip. He heard Eydis calling out advice to him but couldn't understand her words.

Then his hands slipped, and he was hanging upside down by his legs. Edison was called back behind him, meaning that two kids had fallen during the timespan of his run. Weidman was yelling at him, but Tyto just hung on.

With a tremendous heave of his abs, Tyto bent in half and grabbed the rope again, quickly setting off in the direction of the opposite wall. He slipped just as he reached it, landing awkwardly on his neck in a heap.

Tyto clambered up as all the shouting around him turned into one continuous drone. His neck hurt like hell, but he could still move just fine. This wasn't any major long-term injury.

Tyto stumbled his way to the final platform, flopping on the ground at the finish line. His chest expanded and contracted rapidly while Eydis bent down over him.

"Nice work," she complimented. "I thought you were a goner when you lost your grip on the rope."

"Me too," Tyto joked half-heartedly.

He sat about fifteen feet off the ground, only somewhat paying attention to the runs of the other tributes. Only five other tributes succeeded on their first try, Santana, Jason, Brooke, Tanya, and of course Nebraska, who daringly crossed the rope by laying on his stomach and balancing his weight perfectly. Two more succeeded on their second try, Cassie and Tesler.

The others ran again and again, finishing after three or more attempts. Some took even longer, and a few were still trying to finish ten minutes later.

"Agnarsson!" Weidman's call came from below. "Start the last course. If you fall climb up the ladder back to this platform."

The third course looked even harder if that was possible, and it started with a massive wall with multiple ropes hanging down from the top. It was obviously intended to be climbed with assistance from the rope.

Eydis started her climb up the wall by leaning outward against the rope and walking upwards while simultaneously reaching hand over hand. She ascended the wall slowly, but eventually reached the top, then set off to complete the rest of the course. Tyto was called to follow her.

The climb up the wall was grueling, but Tyto made it to the top, keeping his eyes on the goal, a steep descent that required careful jumps between platforms. He did not want to climb that wall again, so he would have to complete the rest of the course on his first try.

Through some clumsier moves than he would've liked, Tyto managed to stumble his way to the end of the course, nearly falling twice as he made the final descent jumping from platform to platform.

Eydis cheered him on as he jumped to the ground giving him a fist bump. Tyto leaned up against the wall breathing in deep breaths to fill his lungs.

Tyto's legs burned from the exertion and his forearms seized up. He watched the other tributes take on the final course while he massaged his forearms, trying to loosen up the clenched muscles.

Santana and Jason both completed the course fairly quickly, while Brooke and Tanya took longer, and Nebraska breezed his way across the finish line, seemingly without effort at all.

The final course seemed to be easier than the second if you were relatively rested. But, if you weren't, like Edison, Scott, and a few others, the wall right at the start wouldn't just be grueling, it would seem impassible.

Tyto counted himself lucky to have completed the second course on his first try, giving him enough time to recover. There was also the added bonus that Weidman and the other trainers weren't yelling at him like they were at the others still struggling to finish. The verbal abuse certainly wouldn't make the task any easier for them.

It was almost nine-thirty by the time the training run was ended, and poor Edison flopped to the ground off the final platform.

Eira Carielle District 5: 15F

Friday Morning 9:45AM
Time Until Bloodbath: 2 Days 22hrs 15mins

It seemed that everyone except Nebraska was suffering in the aftermath of the obstacle course runs. Scott laid on a table and even the ever-talkative Santana was taking his time to recover.

That was the worst physical pain Eira had ever experienced. She hadn't grown up poor, and she hadn't gone out of her way to train in the same way that the careers did. Given the number of times she fell on her ass to the mat below, bruises covered her skin and her muscles still cried out in protest. This was the only time she had ever wished that she spent more time working out.

At least she hadn't fallen as many times as Edison or been screamed at as much by Weidman. Eira wasn't sure which would have been worse.

She felt bad for her district partner. He had obviously been through a lot in his life, and here he was still facing more adversity than all the rest of them. Edison sat alone, not wanting anyone near him.

He was a smart kid, but without help, Edison wondered how long he could survive.

"That was pretty tough huh?"

Eira turned her head, too exhausted to violently spin to face the speaker approaching her. It was Ayla Ithico with her district partner Tesler on her heels. Both had performed better than Eira in the obstacle course run, Tesler especially so. He was probably somewhere in the top ten considering his performance on the course.

"Nothing I can't handle," Eira smirked lightly.

Ayla smiled back knowingly, as if she could see through Eira's bravado completely. Tesler meanwhile sat next to Eira, leaning his elbows on his knees. His stare was intense, so much so that Eira almost felt the need to shrink back for fear of being burned.

"I'm sure you remember our discussion yesterday," Tesler said.

"Yes," Eira answered hesitantly. "What's this about?"

"It's about our discussion," Tesler explained. "It was a vetting process for picking a third person to join our alliance."

"And you want me," Eira concluded for Tesler.

The look Tesler gave her was all the conformation she needed.

"There are a few things you should know," Tesler continued. "This is kind of an untested strategy, an alliance based on self-interest. We're not here to be friends or act for the sake of the others in the alliance. Each of us is using the others to win."

Eira's mind took time to process Tesler's words. How would they make it any distance into the Games if they didn't care about each other at all? Surely they had to care?

"I was a little hesitant when he proposed the idea to me," Ayla said. "But just because we're acting self-interestedly doesn't mean we don't care if the others die. It's in your self-interest for us to stay alive because we help you. Hopefully we can keep emotions out of this as much as possible. We picked you because you can control your emotions."

This was all a lot to take in. Eira sat back, calmly considering the pros and cons to this situation. She barely considered the irony that she was casting her emotions aside to consider the proposal rationally, just the reason that Ayla said they chose her.

First, Eira questioned whether or not joining would be moral at all. She already gave her word to Edison that they would work together. But was that the best decision for her? Edison had spoken to her the previous night about joining Peter's crusade against the careers, yet Eira found the plan to be unnecessarily risky. She wasn't sure she could leave Edison behind in good conscience, but she didn't want to be dragged into a plan she didn't agree with.

Second, she didn't even know how to go about telling Edison she was going to be working with a new alliance. What would her leaving do to him?

She looked over her shoulder at Edison. He was bent in half with his back pressed against the wall, head in hands. Eira had an uncomfortable feeling that leaving Edison would damage him irreparably, and if she couldn't win, she wanted the victor to be Edison.

"I'm not sure I can join you," Eira said softly. "I promised Edison that we would be allies, and I can't in good conscience leave him."

"Take your time to think this over," Tesler replied, standing from the table. "Tell us when you've made your decision."

Eira nodded in response, watching idly as they left her to consider their offer in silence.

She wasn't sure what to think or what to do. There were too many people to hurt, too many outcomes to consider, and then she had to consider herself on top of all that. If she thought too much of Edison, then she might not think of herself at all.

Tesler and Ayla certainly had less to lose from this debacle than Edison did. He could lose his sanity, his sense of self-esteem which was already low to begin with. Tesler and Ayla wouldn't be harmed by her decision to decline them. They seemed like the types to have multiple contingency plans prepared for that eventuality.

But there was Peter to consider still. If Edison was determined to fight alongside Peter on his foolish quest for death, then Eira would not follow him. She would go her own way, hopefully with Tesler and Ayla by her side.

What the hell was she going to do?

Jason Green District 2: 18M

Friday Morning 9:50AM
Time Until Bloodbath: 2 Days 22hrs 10mins

"You were incredible Eydis," Murchad complimented again, for what must have been the fourth time, or was it the fifth? "Nebraska was the only one who was faster!"

"I swear that kid's an alien," Tabby grumbled. "Did you see the way he was jumping between platforms? He was barely trying."

"Wow Eydis, wow Nebraska," Tyto mocked jokingly. "They were so good. I finished on the first try every time too!"

"You were stumbling around like a drunk Tyto," Jason deadpanned. "I have no idea how you made it."

They all laughed at Jason's comment, while he smirked lightly to himself. He didn't mind focusing the attention away from himself, even if his performance on the course was almost as good as Eydis's. He was no fool, and she was obviously faster than him, but Jason didn't particularly care. One man could not be the best at everything he did. Even being the best at one thing was impressive.

Thinking of that reminded him of something, or rather someone he'd been keeping an eye on yesterday. He'd noticed Peter wandering around speaking to seemingly every non career, save Rel and Tyto. It was rather suspicious, especially given the fact that a few tributes, Mila, William, and Edison had started hanging around the kid from twelve.

Just from having watched Peter, he knew the boy was a master in the art of persuasion. The way he naturally connected with people through his words and body language showed Jason that Peter was trying to sell something. The only thing to be sold by one tribute to another was an idea.

What idea would leave out only the careers? It didn't bode well for their semi-democratic alliance.

"You know," Jason spoke up, cutting through the frivolous conversation with his seriousness. "I've seen Peter talking to every single person in here except us and Santana."

"Yeah," Murchad said, slightly confused. "The kid likes to talk. So what?"

"So, he's going around to every non-career tribute, and it looks like he's trying to convince them to join in with some plan of his."

"You think he's up to something?" Cassie questioned.

"Definitely."

Cassie set her own eyes on Peter who currently conversed with Tanya, animatedly gesturing with his hands. A contemplative expression crossed her face as her mind focused. Jason recognized that look. He hadn't known Cassie long, but he'd known her long enough to recognize her strategizing look.

"Uh…I hate to interrupt," Tyto said almost hesitantly. "But I uh…I know what he's up to."

"How?" Tabby asked accusatorially.

Tyto seemed sheepish as the eyes of the other careers locked on him. If there was one thing Jason had witnessed in Tyto, it was his outgoing nature. He didn't mind being the butt of the joke or attention being set on him. Now he looked small, nervous.

"On the first day of training Peter invited all the non-careers to his floor for a discussion," Tyto said with a hand to his forehead. "He wanted to band all the other districts together against the careers. His plan was to attack during the bloodbath and overwhelm you guys."

"And you didn't tell us this why?!" Tabby questioned in outrage.

"I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone," Tyto replied in embarrassment. "I told him I was honorable enough not to share his secret, but I guess I was wrong."

Jason was unsure of how to respond to Tyto's revelation, and it seemed the others felt similarly. Only Tabby had any certain feelings regarding this situation, and she was angry.

"But I don't think it's going to be that bad though," Tyto said. "Most of them didn't join from what I understand. I didn't stay for all of it, so I don't know all the details, but you can tell that Peter's scrambling to cobble together a group to fight at the bloodbath.

"I didn't know if I should tell you guys or not, but then I thought what would happen if you didn't know it was coming. There could be at least as many of them as there are of us, and that could end badly. But I couldn't let you guys down. I'm part of the alliance and you're my friends. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Damn right you should have told us sooner!" Tabby shouted as she shot to her feet. "Do y-"

Jason snatched Tabby's wrist and pulled her back down to her seat at the table with a cautioning look in his eyes.

"Are you going to tell the whole world that we know about Peter's plan now?" He asked lowly.

Tabby jerked her wrist from Jason's grip, then huffed and crossed her arms, leaning forward over the table in frustration.

"I think we could play this to our favor," Cassie whispered. "Think about it, they think we don't know anything, and they'll have an advantage in numbers and the element of surprise, but now we know they're coming.

"As soon as we come out of the tubes, we can find Santana. The two closest take him out while the rest of us make for the Cornucopia. We'll make it there first because we're faster. Then we get whatever weapons are there and wait for them to come to us. They won't have a chance that way."

"Isn't it risky to send two of us after Santana?" Jason questioned. "I could go after him myself. There would be more of you to fight against Peter's gang."

"You could end up on the opposite side of the Cornucopia from him Jason. You'd have to run through all sorts of chaos, and Santana could still make it to the Cornucopia and get himself a decent weapon. We're better off ensuring that we get rid of him quickly so we don't have to deal with him later."

Her plan seemed sound to Jason on first inspection. He would have to do more thinking on it later to ensure the details would turn out satisfactorily.

"I like it," Murchad announced. "It's straightforward, two of us should be able to handle Santana, and the others are strong enough to take down Peter's group."

Tabby continued giving side-eyed glares to Tyto while the lumberjack sat uncomfortably in his seat.

Eydis laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and sent a small smile his way. Tyto smiled back, though it was obvious his mind was still in turmoil over the decision he made. Turning on your word wasn't an easy thing to do. Jason knew that a man like Tyto wouldn't have made that choice for just anyone.

"Thanks for telling us Tyto," Eydis said kindly. "I know it must've been hard."

"That's just it," Tyto replied. "It wasn't. It was the easiest thing in the world. In a weird way, I'm glad I got reaped, otherwise I never would have had the chance to meet any of you."

"We're glad you're here buddy," Murchad clapped Tyto on the back. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have a crazy manic axe murderer on our side."

They all laughed again, even Tyto, while Jason stuck to smiling in amusement. At least now he knew Tyto was all in. He wasn't holding anything back in their alliance. Tyto was just as much a career as the rest of them.

Mila Arkwright District 8: 13F

Friday Morning 11:00AM
Time Until Bloodbath: 2 Days 21hrs

Mila calmly mashed up the berries with the barest hint of a smile on her face. She never smiled, but now as she turned the dark poisonous berries into pulp, she found her mind wandering back to memories of her grandfather and family. The simple task of smashing plants was one quite familiar to her.

Not too long ago, Mila decided to put her training in her grandfather's apothecary to use. Developing a skill set to show during the private sessions tomorrow would be necessary. Mila wasn't sure she saw the point, but Anaiah insisted that it was necessary. It wasn't like she really had a chance to win anyway.

Maybe though she could free some lost souls from the torment they lived in. Scott, who she'd now spent multiple days with, had so much pain built up in his heart. He could never free himself from his own self-destructive nature. Mila could.

Then there were the careers, and the amount of rage and pain built up inside them seemed unlimited. It had to be for them to want to enter into the Hunger Games of their own free will. You had to be so irreparably damaged that death would be a mercy to you. Any opportunity to kill a career she would take. None of them needed to suffer any longer.

There were so many people she could help. Even Peter, her ally now, needed help. That was why she joined him, because he needed help too. The poor guy needed her support and assistance.

All the good she had opportunity to do, just thinking about it motivated her. It really motivated Mila for the first time in her life. She saw why Anaiah encouraged her to push herself during training. Anaiah thought Mila wanted to survive to return home, but as much as she loved her grandfather, survival was not Mila's primary concern. If she could help even one person, these Games would be a success.

"Hey there, what are you doing?"

Edison slid up next to her curiously. It amazed Mila how a boy her own age could seem so young. Edison was such a sad individual. He had lived a hard life. Mila could see it in his eyes. But, his hardships had not made him stronger, rather they had weakened him repeatedly, building up weight on his back so heavy that Edison was forced to stoop from the pressure. She could help him too.

"Making poison," Mila answered simply. "It's pretty simple. This one's a neurotoxin, infects the nervous system. If you take it your brain cognition slows and begins to shut down. You'll die in ten minutes or so."

Edison nodded slowly, probably surprised at her offhand explanation of the deadly substance.

"You know, I'm not sure whether to be freaked out or not," Edison said, sounding remarkably serious.

"What is there to be freaked out by?"

Edison opened his mouth as if to speak, then shut it again, like he thought better of his words. He nodded again instead, this time more vigorously, obviously over defining his gesture.

"Nothing," he answered. "Nothing at all."

"You're quite strange Edison," Mila said.

A sharp exhale escaped Edison's lips while he bent over the small table.

"Are you okay?"

Edison straightened again with a large smile on his face. He shook his head and ran a hand through his curly hair.

"I'm fine," he said sounding vaguely amused, but Mila couldn't be sure. She never really could be sure about emotions other people felt. They didn't make any sense.

Mila went back to mashing her berries, sufficiently pulping them before adding a few leaves to the mixture. There was a simplicity to the plants that strongly contrasted the confusing boy beside her. People were so complicated.

"I wanted to talk to you about Peter," Edison spoke again. "Well, I guess not about him, but about his plan."

"Why do you want to talk to me?" Mila asked.

"Because you're part of his alliance. I wanted to tell you that I'm in on his plan."

"Good for you," Mila responded. "But why aren't you telling Peter this instead of me?"

"I thought it would sound better coming from you since you're already included and all," Edison said. "He might be more willing to take me if you tell him, considering how much I fell earlier today."

"That doesn't matter to him."

"How do you know? He might not take me. I'm not sure I have much to offer."

"Why don't you ask Peter? He's right over there," Mila pointed toward the knife dummies.

Edison looked in the direction of Peter and bit his lip nervously.

"I can't help you Edison," Mila said simply. "Go talk to him. He'll be happy to have you. We need all the bodies we can get right now."

She mixed the poison, turning her mind away from Edison. His need to be validated bothered her, and Mila could not give him the validation he wanted. She couldn't understand why he would even care what she thought of him, or why he would care if Peter wouldn't allow him to join the alliance.

She shrugged, watching Edison wander off in the direction of the knife training station. His head was hung low in embarrassment and his footsteps dragged slowly along the ground.

Mila picked up her completed poison and placed it inside a test tube. A whirring came from the machine at the edge of the table while the computer analyzed the resultant solution. Eventually, after a minute or so, Mila heard an affirmative beeping sound as a green checkmark appeared on the screen. Another poison well-made.

Butch Pelt District 10: 18F

Friday Afternoon 1:00PM
Time Until Bloodbath: 2 Days 19hrs

Butch's nerves grew again as Brooke guided her towards the pool. After quickly changing out of her training outfit into a bathing suit, she stood next to Brooke prepared to dive into her torture session again.

Unfortunately, Butch knew she had to be at least a little more competent than she currently was when it came to swimming. If she was fighting someone in the water, she would be a goner. There was no question about that. Despite her muscular physique and stamina, she would not survive in a fight in the water.

"Alright," Brooke said. "First thing we're going to do is make sure you can handle yourself if you fall in."

Butch nodded, then felt a surprisingly strong shove from behind. She promptly toppled over head entering the water first.

Reflexively, she started kicking, then realized she needed to relax and figure out which way was up. After a moment's hesitation, Butch clumsily swam towards the surface of the water. Her head burst through into the air, gasping deeply.

"What the hell was that for?" Butch questioned in frustration.

"You would've been ready if I told you it was coming," Brooke answered as she dove into the pool gracefully.

Butch sighed to herself while she tried extremely unsuccessfully to tread water. Finding herself completely unable to keep her head over the surface of the pool. She paddled back to the wall as quickly as she could, grabbing hold tightly.

Butch's racing heart slowed slightly as she touched the solid surface. Brooke meanwhile cut through the water towards Butch like a fish. The girl was barely trying at all. The water seemed like her second home.

"Relax Butch," Brooke encouraged. "If you tense up you'll sink."

"That's just great advice Brooke," Butch quipped back. "Thanks for telling me I'll sink. That eases my conscience."

"Just calm down," Brooke said. "You did great yesterday."

"I did okay, and I managed not to drown."

"Considering the fact that you couldn't swim at all, I'd say that's great."

Brooke quickly started running Butch through a regimen of different strokes. Butch couldn't really figure any of them out, but she was growing more comfortable in the water. She wasn't to the point where she could feel completely safe, though she wasn't sure that mattered a great deal.

It would take much longer than the time she had remaining until the Games for her to grow fully comfortable in the water, and she doubted that if she survived, she would feel comfortable in the water ever.

"Stay consistent with your movements," Brooke would continuously encourage.

Butch heard that statement over and over again, as her strokes remained jerky and sloppy. She swam very poorly, transitioning in and out of each stroke seemingly at random. She couldn't really help it, as she didn't have a damn clue what she was doing.

Yet, she still struggled on, learning much quicker than she had yesterday without Weidman's vicious commands raining down on her. Brooke was a much better instructor, giving Butch adequate time to rest and actually explaining the motions of various strokes.

The practice session continued for roughly another thirty minutes or so before Brooke announced that they were taking a break. Butch didn't want to admit it out loud, but she was beyond thankful that her muscles, and more so her mind, would get a chance to rest.

They sat on a bench beside the pool in silence. Brooke seemed totally at peace, and given the situation they both faced, Butch found that admirable. She wondered how the girl could face the upcoming Games with little to no fear at all.

"Butch?" Brooke spoke up softly. "Are you scared?"

Butch blinked twice in quick succession, shocked that Brooke had asked the very question she had just been pondering.

She sighed and considered her answer. Butch wasn't sure if she was scared, or maybe apprehensive was a better word. She certainly wasn't looking forward to what was coming. Butch knew that much.

"I don't know kid," Butch answered honestly. "I can't say I'm excited, but every time I think about Monday morning my heart does beat a little faster. Maybe I am a little scared."

"I know I am," Brooke replied. "Every time I see one of the careers I just wonder if they'll be the one to kill me. Then if I do make it through the Bloodbath, I know that if I win that means you can't. If I win then Matt and Tessa won't be able to watch their son grow up, and none of the others will be able to go back to their families. If I win, then I'm dooming a family to a lifetime of suffering.

"It makes me wonder if winning is even the right thing to do. Isn't it selfish to win and ruin the lives of some other family? But then I think about my mom and dad, my siblings, they would be broken without me. They could survive. They're strong, but I don't want to put them through that pain.

"I'm scared because I don't know what's going to happen next. I could die, or I could live, but it doesn't change the fact that both options cause bad effects. I feel stuck Butch, like I'm at a crossroads but both roads lead to the same place anyway. Does it even matter what I do?"

Brooke's big brown eyes turned to Butch, shimmering with tears, and Butch didn't know what to say. She wrapped an arm around Brooke and pulled her into a close hug while the younger girl cried into her shoulder.

Butch rubbed a hand over Brooke's hair wondering how a little thirteen-year-old girl could be so wise. She didn't deserve to face the Games, not even a little bit. Brooke should have been at home, jumping off fishing boats and collecting muscles from the lakebeds.

As the moment drew out longer and longer, Butch became more and more sure that she was going to do everything it took to get Brooke home, even if it meant sacrificing her own chance to win.

Kendra Shogana District 12: 18F

Friday Evening 7:00PM
Time Until Bloodbath: 2 Days 13hrs

The dishes clinked as the avoxes washed the plates used during their dinner. Kendra watched them idly, wondering just what they were thinking and feeling. It was impossible to find out. No avox could speak to share their inner voice with the world.

That thought left a sad feeling in Kendra's gut, slowly burning its way down to her toes until she felt the whole of her body absorbed by it. There was just something deeply wrong about seeing another human with tongue removed and liberty robbed. Though she wondered if her position was really any different. Physically, of course the answer was yes, as Kendra still had her tongue. But, she really wasn't so different from the avoxes washing the dishes now.

Back home she worked for the state-controlled mining operation, one of very few jobs available in District 12. The government could only afford her meager paycheck through heavy taxation of the citizens. She was living off money stolen from someone else, but it wasn't like she had much choice. It was either that or starve.

Likewise, she couldn't speak as she wished for fear of strict punishment from the peacekeepers. Though Kendra had her tongue, it was clamped in place by the fist of authoritarianism.

Her mind gradually wandered from her musings of life in Panem to the moods of those around her. Peter sat on the couch in the living room in front of the TV, but barely paying attention to the show on display. It was Courtney who watched the TV, sitting on the opposite side of the couch from Peter, though she seemed more bored than truly interested. Yew meanwhile leaned on the balcony railing chain smoking his way through a pack of cigarettes given to him by the avoxes. He was on his third or fourth one in about twenty minutes if Kendra counted correctly.

The sounds of the boisterous nightlife could be heard through the open door to the balcony, yet the distance between their apartment and the sounds seemed to be thousands of miles. They inhabited their own little cocoon of safety far away from the mysterious excitement. There was shouting, there were horns, but nothing could touch them here, a feeling Kendra found odd.

They were safe, but only because they needed to be kept alive until the Games began when most of them would be killed.

Kendra was broken from her reverie by a sharp ding, and it took a few moments for her to realize that it was the elevator that produced the sound. A short second after the ding, the doors opened to reveal two faces Kendra did not think she would see on floor twelve.

The red-haired villain himself Santana Perez stepped out into their apartment with Rel just behind.

Peter immediately rose from his seat on the couch, almost combatively. It was a pointless gesture, considering that Peter didn't have a chance of taking either Rel or Santana in a one-on-one fight, let alone both at once.

"What are you doing here?" Peter questioned venomously.

Courtney muted the TV and turned her eyes toward the new arrivals slowly. Her expression bore no malice, quite unlike Peter's. Yew, for his part, only glanced briefly over his shoulder, then went right back to smoking. He was a nice enough guy, but Yew could occasionally lose himself in his own mind.

"Calm down short round," Santana replied easily. "I'm not going to attack you or anything."

"Then what are you doing here?" Peter asked. "This isn't your apartment, or yours." He pointed at Rel with more than a little aggression.

"I heard from Rel you've got some big plan to kill all the careers at the Bloodbath," Santana said.

"Probably not anymore," Peter returned. "We don't have enough people on board."

"How many do you have?" Rel asked.

"Five…why?"

"Make it seven," Santana said. "We want in."

Peter was instantly stunned to silence while Kendra watched curiously. She had nothing in particular to add to the conversation. She preferred listening to talking anyway, but this was Peter's arena of expertise.

"Why?" Peter finally managed to stammer out. "You're from District 1. Shouldn't you be working with them?"

"You're kidding me right?" Santana returned. "After the way they treated me? They sent me packing without even warning me that they were thinking about kicking me out. That asshole Jason turned them all against me, and that bitch Tabby volunteered and took my real district partner's place. I want them all dead, especially Jason. He thinks he's hot shit, but I'll show him who's the real top dog."

Santana's voice gradually lowered to a growl, and the longer he spoke the gruffer his voice became. Kendra could feel the rage leaking from inside him spilling all over the floor and filling the room. A sickening grin split Santana's face, chilling Kendra to her very core.

"You're with him Rel?" Peter asked.

"I'm with him all the way," came the instant reply.

Peter sighed. He still hadn't blinked once, staring Santana in the face the entire time.

"We'll take you," Peter announced. "We need all the people we can get, and I'd be a hypocrite if I turned you away. But we have an agreement that once it's all over we all go our separate ways. No more fighting after we take out the careers. Is that clear?"

"I understand," Santana said with a sadistic smirk.

"You'd better. Don't make me regret my decision, Santana."

"Believe me, you won't. We'll bathe the Cornucopia in the blood of our enemies."

"Just don't ruin the food," Rel commented.

"Right you are Releón," Santana agreed. "The food must remain clean."

Peter's intense stare did not wane throughout the comical exchange between the two dramatists. He remained cold as ice, his façade unbreakable by any statement or action.

"Anyway, I guess we'll see you at the bloodbath Pete," Santana spoke cheerily as he turned his back while the elevator doors opened.

Rel entered first while Santana sent a flirtatious wink to Kendra over his shoulder, but that same manic smirk remained plastered on his face as the doors shut leaving the District 12 group alone again.

Eydis Agnarsson District 4: 17F

Friday Evening 8:00PM
Time Until Bloodbath: 2 Days 12hrs

Looking out across the empty space beyond the balcony gave Eydis a sense of her own insignificance. She felt as if she was just another part of the Capitol machine, which she supposed in a roundabout way she was. Eydis had been trained her entire life to compete in an annual government mandated gladiator contest, so maybe she was just supporting the regime and that was the entirety of her purpose in life.

The buildings stretched above and below her seemingly endlessly, even though she was only on the fourth floor. Compared to everything Eydis had seen in her life, the Capitol was so much more. More in every possible way. It was bigger, in terms of the size of the city and of the buildings it contained. It was brighter, neon signs flashing off the sides of every building. It was busier, and she would swear that Capitolites never went to bed. It was wealthier, though it was a bit of a ridiculous concept for a city to be wealthy. If there was such a thing as a wealthy city, this was it.

Eydis shivered slightly as a gentle gust of wind brushed over her skin. Goosebumps appeared across her skin as the wind guided her eyes around to the door behind her.

"You want some company?" Murchad asked with an effortless smile.

Eydis didn't even have to respond for Murchad to catch the meaning of her words. She couldn't quite explain why, but the connection that had developed between them was deeper than just district partners or friends. There was something more whenever the two of them stood side by side.

It wasn't a tangible thing that either of them could see, but Eydis knew innately that if she were to ask Murchad what the presence was like, his answer would be the same as hers. The presence was empowering, stretching outward through her body from her heart. Tendrils of flaming energy traveled their way all the way down to the tips of her fingers and toes. Eydis was almost shaking.

No words passed between them. There was nothing that needed to be said that couldn't be explained by the feelings enveloping them. Words would have paled in comparison.

Murchad stretched his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to his side. Eydis followed willingly, wrapping her own arm around his back. There was something completing about standing here with Murchad. Though they hadn't spoken their feelings openly to each other, they both knew what the other felt. The connection between them ensured that.

The feeling of insignificance she felt mere minutes ago was completely gone, and in its place was the assurance that the world was hers to shape as she pleased. The existence of the universe held no purpose other than to provide her a place in which she could achieve greatness.

It amazed her how Murchad made her feel this way. When she was alone, she felt the weight of the world crushing her soul, destroying her belief in herself. With Murchad, the exact opposite was true. She became the living embodiment of confidence possessing ultimate faith in her own abilities.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Murchad said absent-mindedly.

Any passerby would have assumed the words to be referring to the buildings around them, but Eydis caught the real meaning behind them. He was right too, it was beautiful. That thing that stretched between them, linking their hearts on a string was perhaps the most beautiful thing she ever had seen.

"It is," Eydis answered, a euphoric sensation spreading through her.

"You ever wonder what life would've been like if we met earlier?" Murchad asked. "Maybe things would be different now. Who would we be now?"

"I wouldn't change a thing. What we have now is worth more than anything we could've had if things were different. We should take advantage of the time we have now."

Murchad smiled down at her with shining eyes. His adoration for her was obvious, and Eydis assumed that he could see the same feeling in her own eyes. It was funny how they could convey something so much deeper than should have been possible for two little balls of flesh.

"I wish both of us could win…" Murchad said. "I don't want to have to see you-"

His voice broke, unable to continue any longer. Murchad's head dropped over the railing in sadness.

"Hey," Eydis rubbed a hand over his back gently. "Let's not think about that now."

She placed a soft hand under his chin and tilted his head up toward hers. Slowly, she leaned in and met Murchad's lips with her own in a loving kiss. He gently responded to her action, straightening slightly and dropping his hands to her back. As they broke apart, Eydis leaned her forehead against Murchad's while his fingers entwined with hers.

"Right now, it's just you and me," she said with a sad smile. "The only two souls in the world, okay?"

Murchad smiled back and kissed her again, filling Eydis with ecstasy.

Cornell Viktor President of Panem: 64M

Friday Night 10:00PM
Time Until Bloodbath: 2 Days 10hrs

Meeting with bureaucrats was possibly the most torturous experience anyone could endure. They talked and talked, then talked some more, and talked some more, and talked some more, and when it was all over nothing was accomplished. But that was to be expected when it came to nonelected officials who bore no responsibility to the populace.

"Unfortunately quite a few tributes in this years Games hold anti-Capitol views," Valora stated. "And a few of them hold to their beliefs quite strongly."

"I can attest to this Mr. President," Naomi Weidman added. "Two tributes, Tesler Valdes from District 3 and Cassandra Dawson from District 2, were quite oppositional during training. They've been quiet ever since I reprimanded them, but I doubt they've let go of their sentiments so easily."

"You physically punished tributes?" Cornell questioned pointedly.

"No sir, they were not harmed in any way," Weidman answered.

Her poker face was good, but Cornell could tell she was lying. He was quite good at that, a skill he was glad to possess in the world of backstabbing politicians.

"Why are you bringing this to my attention?" Cornell asked. "I'm not seeing the point here. There are anti-Capitol tributes every year."

This was a dangerous game as it always was. Every time he appeared in public before any other Capitolite, he had to lower a mask over his face to hide his true motivations.

And, after the incident on Tuesday night it would only get more dangerous.

An anarchist bomber had been discovered by the SIS, and he had been promptly neutralized, but Cornell was bothered by the fact that SIS had discovered him so quickly and without informing Cornell at all. They had acted independently and killed a man without authorization. Though, Cornell suspected this wasn't the first time the SIS had acted in such a fashion.

"Given the higher than usual population of outspoke anti-Capitol tributes, we figure it is best to in some way rig the results of the Games," Valora said. "I didn't want to do so without your permission. I'm still new to my position, and I understand I haven't earned the right to be fully autonomous in my work."

"Rig the Games? How do you mean?" Cornell asked.

"It would be best to have an open Capitol supporter become victor," Weidman said. "It would remind the districts of the order of things. I personally think that determining a winner might be suspicious, and also difficult, though it would be easier this year than most. It seems to me that our best option would be to eliminate the anti-Capitol tributes from contention. We could explode one at the bloodbath and send waves of mutts after the others."

Cornell sighed and leaned back in his highbacked swivel chair. He tapped his chin thoughtfully, wondering how exactly to answer this question. At least he had an opportunity to preempt their action, but what to say? What was the best way to deny them? Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad if they turned against him. Everyone else already had, so what was two more?

"This administration has a reputation to uphold," Cornell said. "We have been quite open in saying that every tribute has a fair shot at winning the Games. None are treated preferentially. The only way to win the Hunger Games is to overcome the others through skill in combat, survival, or sheer force of will. That is the way we advertise the Games to the districts.

"So, how do you think they would react if they saw that some tributes died suspiciously? Districts one, two, and four would take a much more conservative approach in sending tributes to the Games. Their loyalty could wane. As for the outer districts, they are already disloyal, and the suspicious death of an outer district tribute could cause mass rioting. Public opinion would drop precipitously."

"I'm sure you're aware that we control public opinion," Weidman replied.

"Yes, but we don't control the hearts of the citizenry, and their perception of us will determine their actions. So, in short, my answer is no. I will not permit you to rig the Games in any form. To do so would cause your immediate removal from you position."

Valora blinked once in shock and stared Cornell in the face, trying to determine if he was lying. Cornell maintained his most stoic face, hoping that he had defended his position in a way that would make sense to a Capitolite.

"I understand President Viktor," Valora nodded. "The Games will keep opportunity for each tribute equal."

"That also has the added benefit of making the Games more exciting Valora," Cornell added. "You don't want to ruin the potential of your first Games by predetermining the outcome."

"You're right Mr. President," Valora smiled seemingly genuine, though Cornell could not tell. "I hadn't considered that."

"I trust you will both score each tribute objectively as well?" Cornell prodded, just to be sure there would be no dissent.

"They will be scored fairly," Weidman assured him.

"Good."

His phone buzzed on the table in front of him, drawing his attention. He saw the notification bubble indicating that he'd received a text.

"You're both dismissed," Cornell said. "Thank you for bringing this to me. I appreciate your transparency."

"Of course Mr. President," Valora replied smoothly, while Weidman remained silent.

As the two women exited his office, Cornell looked down at his phone to read the message.

The others are getting antsy they want to meet.: R

Cornell sighed. He wished he could meet the others, but he just didn't have the time right now. First of all, he was swamped with work, but second of all, he was growing more and more paranoid about his position. Cornell had a strong feeling that he would be forced to disappear sometime in the next year. There was a hint of conspiracy in the air in the Capitol, and Cornell didn't include his own plotting.

He was not included in the inner circle of government which only grew his concern regarding their plans, because for all their malice, the deep state was not stupid. There was something going on, only Cornell had no idea what it was. He just knew it boded ill for him and his plan.

Tell them to wait just a little longer.: V

They won't like that.: R

I don't have another choice as of now. They'll have to deal with it.: V

Cornell could only hope his own schemes remained undiscovered.

There it is, Training Day 3! I really enjoyed writing this one, and I can only imagine how much I'll enjoy writing the rest of this story.

So, Tesler's hacking squad has changed their plan, Santana and Rel teamed up with Peter, the careers have an inkling of what's coming for them, President Viktor has ensured the Games will remain fair for now, and Eira has a big decision to make. Who knows what will happen? (Except me. I know.)

As always guys, leave a review if you want. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading ya'll.

-Red