When inspiration strikes, write.

Please keep in mind- death, blood, beheading, and child abandonment plays a role in this chapter. POV's in Casey, Pandora and Dov- that those take place.

~All the shine of a thousand spotlights

All the stars we steal from the night sky

Will never be enough~

Casey Cormone (13), District 6

Casey flipped through the channels on the TV, until he eventually just stopped bothering was they were playing one of the old games where Samantha Jenkins from District 2, the crowned victor in eighth annual Hunger Games, was brutally killing some tributes. The scene they were playing was when Samantha pulled a dagger on him, and beheaded him, by dodging through his feeble, fighting attempts, clawing at her arm in sheer desperation, with his short nails until the quick precision of her knife at his neck, ending his life while smiling when the body dropped to the ground.

Casey turned his head away, wishing that they could play something else. It was either watching the past games or watching the reaping recap in which they were busy playing with twelve's tributes- Alda and Flynn. Both of them scrawny, though, he had to admit- he didn't like how she broke down in fits of giggles during the reaping.

He got up from the orange armchair, and looked around the train. It was clearly well furnished, with a white, fluffy rug and furniture that looked really nice, and matched with the theme that they were trying to go for. He approached through the door and heard voices coming from another train cart that sounded well like the escort and district partner talking about something.

Casey felt the urge to follow the voices and see what they were talking about. He didn't want to impose on their private conversation, nor did he want to talk to them. There was no use in getting to know them or making friends when they could very well die in a week.

Instead, he went to investigate the train. He found two matching, bronze-colored doors that led to what he assumed to be their quarters. One meant for him and the other for his district partner. His quarters had a single black pillow with striped sheets on a twin-size bed. Folded on top of the sheets was a light brown blanket, and a nightstand. It was plain, but it felt oddly comfortable.

God, this is so comfy, Casey thought to himself as he sat down on the bed.

It was kinda strange how the Capitol paid no expense in making the train look well furnished, and designed to make the tributes feel comfortable, possibly forgetting where they were going and the reason why they were heading there.

He brought up the blanket to his lap, noting how soft it felt against his skin. He looked over at the edges, hoping to find a loose brown thread or a thread for that matter, to pick at it and give his hands something to do.

Casey sighed in disappointment as he looked through the blanket and found not a single loose thread. An idea popped in his head as his fingers focused on a single thread around the edge of the blanket and picked at it, until it eventually became loose, and picked at it- keeping his mind at bay.

~Grasping to control

So I better hold on~

Pandora Justice (18), District 2

Pandora looked at the mentors, the previous victors from previous games. Gabriel Wesley with his dark beard and hair and Sam Jenkins, with her hair in a ponytail- her expression cold and harsh. She looked exactly like she did when she won her games, but Pandora honestly couldn't forget the fact the merciless killing she did, and how happy she was.

She really hoped that she could be paired with Sam. She had a really good feeling that if she was paired up with Sam, who can teach her more- especially since they are similar in many ways. Besides, a cruel victor giving a cruel person such as herself, advice? That would possibly make herself a victor. She would be eternally grateful if she was paired up with Sam, and not the other mentor- he honestly probably didn't have that much experience.

"Well then… I'll take Pandora Justice on, as she was the volunteer in the games," Gabriel went on, and Pandora froze. No. No. No.

As much as she didn't want to have this mentor, she forced herself to smile- a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes, and acted like she was extremely grateful instead.

Sam put up a small fight, but eventually took Kairi out of the train cart and into another one where it was simply her and Gabriel alone, facing one another.

"I know you probably didn't want me… I was also the first victor, but honestly- I'm probably the best resource you have," Gabriel told her.

Pandora scoffed, "Right… You won the games practically a decade ago, and a lot has changed."

"I'm the best resource you'll have… I also have secrets that would possibly help you succeed."

Now, we're talking.

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that you need to focus more on your weaknesses rather than strengths… You don't want to show your strength too early, especially to anyone you think might be your allies," Gabriel told her. "Do you want to be the underdog or the one that everyone targets."

"I was hoping to be the one that everyone would fear, but I could see how reckless it could be… Perhaps, it would be better if I played it softly."

"Atta girl."

"Now, it hasn't changed… You'll have three days to 'train'... I'd advise talking to the districts on and four if they're interested during lunch, and focus on those three days to look weak."

"That'd make sense."

"You'll have a chance to show the gamemakers, that's when you could play to your strengths. Don't answer anyone who asked what you did to show them."

~And, oh

I don't know, I don't know~

Dov Blair (13), District 10

One, tap. Two, tap. Three, tap. Four, tap. Dov tapped his fingers against his leg, feeling the rough, ratty material of his light blue jeans against his fingers as he thought of the rhythm. It was a song that the school choir performed years ago that stuck to him. He hadn't thought of it in years, yet for some odd reason- the rhythm was stuck in his mind.

His district partner, Reese, stared at him, fixing her posture, and looked at him curiously- but remained silent. He didn't really mind, especially since he wasn't too sure what to think of her. She was extremely quiet, and looked like she was extremely popular, but didn't want to introduce herself to him or vice versa. She was just there.

The escort, Tobias, sat next to them. He didn't look like he was extremely thrilled about the situation. He wasn't prancing about how wonderful the Capitol was, that they should be grateful that they were even chosen- no, he wasn't doing that. Dov thought for certain he was going to be like that, no matter how hypocritical the escort was. Instead, he looked terrified and concerned- as if he had no idea how he was going to mentor kids who barely entered their teens.

"I honestly was not expecting my tributes to be this young and honestly this is just going to make it horrible…" Tobias started, "I'm not going to tell you that you can do this, you can win if you play by a certain strategy… You can be optimistic about those things and that's okay… I'll help you in every way I can- inside and outside the arena. I kinda thought it'd be best if we introduced each other… Maybe like what you did back home, and people you want to see again."

"I'll go first… I'm Tobias Ryton, what I did back home was look at history books and examine how we got to this point. I'm looking forward to seeing my friends again… Reese, you want to go next?"

"I'm Reese Crolique, and I played the ukulele at my dad's rabbit farm… Besides, my friends and family, of course- I really want to see my best friend, Jasmine."

"Dov?"

Dov remained quiet, focusing on the tapping noise that he was making. He didn't want to talk, but he opened his mouth and squeaked by,

"I'm Dov Blair… I mainly worked picking up animal crap… I want to see my best friend again."

"What about your parents?" Reese asked. "Don't you want to see them again?"

"No… My parents and I went our separate way years ago, and don't want anything to do with me."

The silence filled the room, and anything that resembled any sign of hope, or any positive emotions was removed by the way Dov killed the mood. God, how can he be such an idiot?

~We have a list of people that we would take

A bullet for them, a bullet for you

A bullet for everybody in this room~

Affluence Cardeza (17), District 1

Affluence looked around the train, of the fuzzy white carpet beneath her feet, underneath gray/black furniture. A table of fresh fruits sat in front of them, with the mentors-Jem and Sapphire talking about something with the escort doing whatever they were doing. She looked at her district partner, Merille Tesfa, if she recalled correctly. A Black guy with very long hair, and bronze colored skin, and eyes like the type of dirt that glistened when the sunlight touched them. She wanted to know him, and why he volunteered.

So, she broke the silence amongst them.

"Why did you decide to volunteer?" Affluence inquired, looking at Merille, who was simply staring at the scenery of the green hills, the forestation of tall, green trees and bushes that looked completely untouched save for the white train they were on- making the ride completely smooth. "If you don't mind me asking."

The only reasonable explanation was that he wanted to do it for the honor of winning, but what he said surprised her.

Merille looked unfazed by the question, and looked at her. For a second, she thought she may have offended him by asking him such a trivial question. They came from a district that was trying to implement a volunteering system as they finally got an academy, and from what she heard through the gossip- the volunteer system wouldn't be for another solid five or so years.

"I didn't do it for honor, or for the district… It's just that my sister, Rihana was bragging about volunteering and of course, you got reaped and she didn't bother. I kinda took it as a challenge for myself," He told her.

"Still seems kinda weird, as I don't know the background where you came from," Affluence commented. "You seem like a person who came from a rich background- which part of the district are you from? If you don't mind me asking."

"I was in the upper half of the district… Where many of the upper class reside, and the politicians with some war vets."

"Oh…" Affluence's blue eyes widened as she realized that she and Merille basically came from the same background. They both came from a rich background, but while he was in the busy part, she was in the underlying district that was a bit away from the shopping center. It was kinda weird how small the world was, but they both had completely different experiences. Affluence knew no one from where she was from, had no politicians and the war veterans were some of the loneliest people, but also the same people who had drinking problems at times. "I never realized how close we kinda were."

"What about you?" Merille this time asked the question.

"The outlying areas… It's a bit far away from the main area, but many war veterans reside there and many others."

"That'd make sense."

That was the end of the conversation. It still seemed weird, but Affluence was glad that she got to know him a little bit. It wasn't for friendship reasons, but she wanted some allies who were close knit so they couldn't possibly betray her for a good while.

~So wake me up when it's all over

When I'm wiser and I'm older~

Flynn Madigan (16), District 12

Flynn was a little freaked out about his district partner, Alda Rushiv. Her short, dark hair glossed a little bit with some sort of black, shiny substance in it, and her grey eyes seemed normal- if it wasn't for the fact that her left eye was stuck midway, and she was still smiling. He heard her giggles on stage and he truly thought that she had lost her marbles.

He heard shuffling and movement from right next door, but Flynn made no mind- simply watching the green forest as tall, dark-green trees passed that seemed endless. There was some variation as there were some dead trees with no leaves or trees that had grey bark to them, rather than a dark brown color.

"What's your favorite color?" He heard Alda say.

He looked at her, saw that she had a plate in her hands, filled with many types of food that he probably never had before.

He was tempted to get a plate, but the breakfast that he had that consists of hard-boiled eggs that his mom cooked for him and his siblings was threatening to come up. He just still couldn't believe that he was reaped and that it might be better if he didn't try to push his luck, or made a fool of himself.

"Oh uhh blue?'

He didn't mean for it to sound like a question, but it simply came out as that. He hadn't really gave much thought of what it his favorite color would be as his siblings would steal that away from him, even as something as stupid as a color. It was also kind of a weird question that Flynn was simply unexpecting.

"Like a royal blue, dark blue like the color of the ocean, turquoise, baby blue or sky blue?' Alda clarified.

Flynn was taken back. He knew there were different types of blue hues out there, but he never paid attention to what type of blue it would be. Besides, when most people asked him about what it was, they simply would leave it like that and not further clarify on what type of blue.

"I'm not sure, perhaps a royal blue," He replied back to her.

"Ehh that's not bad for blue… I really like a soft turquoise color if we're talking in the hues of blue, or even a baby blue," Alda replied back. "It's still pretty neat.

As much as Alda was really creepy, she was actually nice and honestly kept his mind off about the reaping or the fact that they were on their way to the Capitol.

~Your lies are bullets, your mouth's a gun

No war and anger was ever won

Put out the fire before igniting~

Kalia Haynes (15), District 5

Kalia picked at the steamed orange carrots with her metal fork as she kept her gaze down at her plate. She could hear the escort, Lucia, tapping on the white tablecloth that helped her ground herself. It brought her some comfort that while she was still so desperately confused on why Aarti had never said goodbye to her.

They were best friends. They did everything. Well, granted the fact that Kalia had done everything for her, and even gave her the other half of her friendship bracelet, while Kalia was wearing the other one, on her left wrist. Right now, there was no use in dwelling what could have been, especially since the escort was talking.

"You know I don't have any idea how to produce a victor," Lucia admitted, still tapping her fingers. "I've tried and tried… So, I don't have any hopes for you two."

It was weird having an older person saying that. They basically gave up on them for no reason. She really needed to help them, especially since Lucia was the only person besides her district partner, who was busy stabbing a piece of meat. Lucia needed to try and Kalia was going to be the person that fixed that.

"So you're not going to try?" She found herself asking, "No offense… But since there's no mentor for this district. You're going to need to take up the role for it, just like being our escort."

She didn't mean for it to sound rude. She just wanted the escort to help mentor them. She didn't want Lucia to simply give up. Besides, there was probably a good chance that one of them was going to come out as victor and if Lucia didn't try… no, she wasn't going to think about that.

For now, Kalia needed to help make sure that Lucia was doing the best that she could for them, especially since Lucia was practically cutting them short.

Kalia finished eating her steamed carrots. She used her hands to take a piece of barbecued chicken wings that had some sort of tangy taste to it. It was also perhaps one of her favorite new dishes especially since back home, she never really had it before. While she ate her chicken wings, Kalia hatched a plan that would hopefully help Lucia in mentoring them instead of refusing to do anything help-wise for both her and Killian.

I honestly don't think I've ever got a chapter out this quickly for this story. I'm not complaining as it means chapters for this story. Next chapter is about a third written, with 4 POVs remaining so it should be out sometime this week, if everything goes right. Drop a review and tell me what you think about this chapter or what you think about these characters!