LMAO I forgot Clair! I always forget someone.

Kazuo Braun- District One mentor

If I had a dollar for every Tribute I got with a chip on their shoulder, I'd have, like, a lot of dollars. But I couldn't judge because little eighteen-year-old Kazuo had a chip on his shoulder, too. I was lucky mine was racism, which had been nearly entirely eradicated and was a relic even when I was little. Elitism seemed more baked-in to the human condition. Especially in One, a poor volunteer would always be seen as a second-class volunteer.

Rhoda Hamilton- District One mentor and head stylist

It was nice to get a break from styling. I was a model and I did enjoy styling but I wasn't only a model. I also won the Hunger... well, a weird sort-of Hunger Games. Anyway I was trained in fighting and all that stuff, too. And I was really excited to train Irina. She mentioned she was into circuses and lions and that was pretty cool. I guess if you can fight a lion you can fight a Tribute.

Avariella Hanson- District Two mentor

Pray really did me ugly this year. She spent five minutes with Brock and set off to pester Caio to let her train him, saying something about how his anger reminded her of her "glory days" and made her want to "make a comeback for Silver Claws". That left me with Alice, whose psychological form was longer than a novel and who was sure to be one of the weird tryhard edgelords we get.

"Thanks for training me," Alice said with a small smile. "It's really cool to learn from someone who's actually done what I've only practiced."

Well, shame on me for assuming...

Caio Sagres- District Two mentor

"But he's a boy!"

"Come on, I really want this one," Pray coaxed. It was unnerving to see Silver Claws try to coax.

"You'll make him all mean and bloodthirsty," I said.

"It's either that or make him all dead," Pray shot back. "Just let me train him a little. Not all the time or anything. You can train him too."

Well thanks, I thought sarcastically. I would have said it but... I wasn't scared of Pray, but she just wasn't someone you wanted as an enemy.

"Fine," I allowed.

"Yes!" she pumped a fist in the air.

"But you have to let him sleep and stuff. And real eight-hour sleep, not the weird four-hours-a-night thing you do..."

Gidget Ford- District Three mentor

"Do you have any special skills?" I asked my mentee Tabitha, with her odd rainbow hair.

"Clowning," she said.

"Really? Like what?" I asked. Partially I wanted to see if she was serious and partially I kind of wanted to see what an actual clown did.

Tabitha did a strange backflip and landed on her head.

"Oh my goodness, are you okay?" I asked, rushing towards her.

She popped back up with a flourish. "See? Clowning," she said.

Actually, that's kind of an actual skill...

Beetee Latier- District Three mentor

"Are you interested in electronics?" I asked Lester.

"Not really," he said.

"What are you good at?" I asked.

"I'm good at physical stuff. Do you know much about that?" Lester asked.

"Not really," I said. After an awkward silence I tried again. "What do you want to learn in the Capitol?"

"I was thinking maybe poison plants," Lester said. "You know much about that?"

"I'm afraid I don't, really..."

Shane Donegal- District Four mentor

I'd never met a merman before. I wished it could have been under better circumstances but I couldn't say I was overly enthusiastic about training Juniper. He was a half-baked volunteer and those didn't end well. To be honest he reminded me of me when I volunteered. I may have won but that was because of a perfect storm, not because I deserved it.

"I'm going to join the Careers," Juniper said.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I admitted. "I think someone like you needs a more unique strategy."

"I have to join the Careers. It'll mark me out if I don't," Juniper said. I hoped I could talk him out of it. Sometimes standing out was just what you needed to win. Far more often, the tallest poppy simply got cut first.

Careen Ellis- District Four mentor

"I'm ready to do whatever strategy is best. I'm not here to make a big show. I just want to win." Talise introduced herself with a no-nonsense and pragmatic attitude. That was something I could work with.

"You already have spear and swimming skills," I noted. "In that case your time might be better spent observing the competition.

"Then that's what I'll do," Talise said.

Sky Levings- District Five mentor

Right away I didn't want to be around Richard. It wasn't anything he said or did and I felt guilty about it. It was just that the first time I looked at him I remembered Barley. Richard was big and muscular and looked like he could defend anyone. Just like Barley defended me. I'd do my job but I already knew Richard was going to haunt me.

Skada was so much easier for me. She was bubbly and outgoing and to make things even better she had a chance to win. Richard did, too, but I found myself planning strategies and a possible future for Skada. I would have to watch myself throughout the Games. Richard deserved my time as well and I needed to be fair to him.

Lancia Audren- District Six mentor

"I won't let you down," Max announced. "I'm going to get through this."

Wow, never heard that before, I thought. Something about Max's demeanor smacked of pageantry to me. I'd known plenty of girls in my gymnastics groups that acted like he did. It almost always turned out they were the ones from families that pressured and demanded and most of them didn't even want to be in gymnastics. And the way Max kept twirling his pen in his hand suggested a lot more anxiety than he wanted to let on.

Meanwhile Nene was trying to fit her giraffe legs under a small table in a small train car. She distributed herself in a position that was something close to comfortable.

"Last year all those kids died in the sandstorm. I was thinking maybe I should learn how to build a fire," she said in a hesitant tone. I wasn't really sure how that computed but it was kind of a good idea anyway.

Loki Saberhagen- District Seven mentor

Deciduous was a smart kid. He might be able to get out of this. The only problem was that his smarts were in academic areas. It wasn't likely the Arena would be a chessboard.

"I want to make some allies," he said. "I think I should learn some survival stuff but the most important thing is allies."

"I think that's a good idea," I said. "Try to get to know the Tributes from the outlying Districts. They usually know about wilderness stuff."

"That's a good idea. Personally I think I should focus my own skills on water purification. The Hunger Games is one place where it's good to have a little extra weight," Deciduous said.

Clair Mushroom- District Seven mentor

"I want to learn about poisons," Petra said.

"Any reason? It's not a bad idea, I'm just curious," I said.

"I'm small and not really strong. Poison is less direct," Petra said. I'd thought she'd say something along those lines. Winning as a weak Tribute wasn't impossible but it did require unconventional planning. I was happy to see she was on the same page.

"Maybe look into more passive poisons, like poisoning water supplies. Things like poison darts might get your position given away," I said.

"That's what I was thinking. It's kinda lame but I better focus on more cowardly attacks," Petra said.

"If you ask me, the most cowardly thing is volunteering to fight a bunch of tiny kids," I remarked.

Tillo Peters- District Eight mentor

"What's the deal with all the circus people?" I asked Elle. I was fully aware that could not possibly be her real name but I was not going to give her the opportunity to give whatever speech she surely had prepared for whoever asked about it.

"I don't get it either. Just weird probability, I guess," she said.

"I suppose you're going to spit fire at people in the Arena or something?" I asked.

"I was just a magician. Maybe they want to pick a card?" she said. Meanwhile Christobal sat limply beside her. He barely looked up at us and it was starting to creep me out.

"You okay?" I asked, looking right at him so he couldn't pretend I was talking to Elle.

"Sorry," he said. "I just didn't know what to ask. I don't think I'm going to do well."

"Well you certainly won't with that attitude."

Nassor Doyle- District Nine mentor

"I'm Toddward," my male mentee introduced himself with a firm handshake. "My mom wanted Todd and my dad wanted Edward."

"You're in good spirits," I commented. Half the time my first introduction was to some wailing or crying kid.

"It's done now," he shrugged. "I just have to do the best I can with what I have."

In direct contrast to Toddward was Veda. While Toddward slouched comfortably in his seat, Veda was leaned away from him and drawn all in, her hands folded tightly on her lap. When Randy joined us, having run a little late because he couldn't decide what to wear, she scooted across the aisle to join his table so she wouldn't be pressed against Toddward.

"I think she's shy," Toddward commented quietly.

Randy Mills- District Nine mentor

Veda was clearly staring at my golden cat-eye liner and my purple lipstick, though she was too shy to say anything.

"You like it? Sometimes I like something a little flashier than a natural look," I said.

"People hardly ever wear makeup where I come from. And never men," she said. There was no judgement in her voice, just a sort of marveling curiosity.

"Like they don't want to or it's not allowed?" I asked.

"It's not really not allowed but no one would try to do it," Veda said.

"That's so sad," I said.

Calvary Warsaw- District Ten mentor

I came in prepared not to like my mentee. Tyler came in and it was clear he'd come prepared not to like me, which kind of made me like him a little more. Some people- like myself- were just contrary.

"I suppose you're here to teach me how to kill people," he said.

"What's your problem?" I said, flipping my hand up. "I didn't volunteer for this."

Tyler was taken aback and tried to recover his angry moodiness. "I suppose not," he managed.

"If you don't want me that's fine," I said, shifting to get up. "I'll go eat chocolates in my room or something."

"Wait," he called after me. "I guess we're kind of stuck with each other."

"Yup. Happens every year."

Bambi Kirkland- District Ten mentor

I gotta learn to be more assertive.

I came in a few minutes late and Calvary had hit it off with Tyler. I cracked like an egg and said I wouldn't mind training Raleigh instead. So now we were stuck staring at each other across a table.

"Hi, I'm Raleigh," Raleigh said with a happy wave. "I volunteered because my best friend Mia got Reaped."

"Wow, that's... really brave," I said. Everyone said they'd volunteer for their friend or their sibling but no one ever did.

"It's all right. I'll make some allies and we'll get each other through this."

"All of you?" I asked.

"Well, I guess not," Raleigh admitted, her face starting to show reality setting in.

"Just you, then?" I said.

"I hope so," she said.

"A nice happy ending," I said, gently. I didn't mean to mock Raleigh. I just wanted to let her down before it was too late. "One happy ending. Between twenty-four people."

Hlenn Rambutan- District Eleven mentor

Stevie and Callum were inseparable. They'd sat huddled together since I got into the room. I got the feeling I was interrupting whenever I tried to offer advice. Frankie and I exchanged clueless glances as we tried to figure out what to do.

"You two are allying, I suppose?" I started out.

"Of course. We're going to stay together all the way," Stevie said.

"I'll probably die protecting her," Callum said.

"Or maybe I'll die protecting you," Stevie retorted.

Or maybe one of you will find out true love doesn't survive the Arena, I thought mournfully. Or more likely both of you will. It was ghoulish that the best ending was that both of them died in the Bloodbath before they realized the other had also died.

Nubu Sanders- District Twelve mentor

Denton screamed, a thin, reedy noise that made him sound much younger than his age. Zara and I circled him anxiously as he huddled on the ground, knees drawn to his chest and hands on his ears like he was scaring even himself.

"Do you know him?" I asked Zara, hoping she could tell me what was going on. There wasn't much worse than not knowing how to help someone.

"No, I've never met him," she shouted over Denton's screams.

I looked over at the Avox who had shooed Denton into the room as he wailed and tried to pull away from her grasp. Disability, she signed, holding her hands up to show she didn't know the specifics. I looked back at Denton and some resemblance triggered a memory.

"Go get Cornflower!"