And here we are, ready to meet this year's tributes from Thirteen! I am so glad it's over with, and I'm sure you are too!

Reviews!:

faceless eater aka slendergirl: I'm glad you liked Keola, I liked her more and more as I wrote for her. Congrats on finding one of the references, 8 points!

jayman1919: Hey Jay, good to hear from you! I'm gladyou liked the chapter, here's another. Note: Contrary to what it seems, I didn't think you were drunk/high.

ElvenRangerRysel: Congratulations on finding one of the reference, that's 8 points! I was kinda trying to play up the uncaring & drunk Twelve mentor thing. It's almost tradition now . Hope you enjoy Thirteen!

Mystical Pine Forest: Answering your question from chapter thirteen, the list is up on my profile. I moved it so I won't have to re-submit the chapter whenever someone dies . Spot-on prediction!

Just another reminder: IN 24 HOURS, I will be changing the story's title to Into the Darkness: The 6th Quarter Quell. It sounds better than the current one.

In TranscendentElvenRanger's Forest of Death: The 54th Hunger Games, my District One female tribute, Atalanta Bliss, is a confirmed survivor of Day 4, with 1 kill. Let's rally behind her and get her to the crown! She's made the Top 15!

I am not Suzanne Collins. I do not own the Hunger Games, or anything else I reference.

I have put up a poll for the train tributes! I will select the top three in either of the groups below and one I want to hear from personally. (Totaling seven)

GROUP ONE:

Marcus Caelum

Malaya Garnet

Mason Lepodolite

Cassia Maurise

Cordin Bolt

Infiniti Reagan

Jasper Blue

Esmeralda Dawn

Darius Line

Devon Rose

Aran Quade

Jetta Carter

Logan Woodson

GROUP TWO:

Kenzi Williams

Henry Reynoso

Tulle Salane

Thanatos Rize

Harvest Miller

Denny Rico

Cheyenne Bruno

Thorn Ashburry

Willow Orchids

Soot Maloy

Keola Foeba

Sparky Montgomery

Rebelle Rine

Thanks to Jotunheim Storm and Rina-The-Fangirl for Rebelle and Sparky!


Rebelle Sunflower Rine, Age 13, District 13 Female


"Focus, Rebelle! You can't win the crown if you keep throwing like that! Wider stance! Arm farther back! Now, follow the throw!" Freedom, sorry, Mother, scolded me again. I wasn't trying to do well, of course, but she was convinced that I had to do it perfect every time. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed another weapon and prepared to throw it, not quite raising my arm like I was supposed to. I reared back, pulled forward and released the projectile, which sliced through the air toward the training dummy.

Freedom sighed in frustration as the trident buried itself in the floor next to its sisters. "Rebelle." She said sternly, "If you are going to do this today, you need to focus! Nobody wins the Games half-heartedly! You need to remember that when you volunteer today. Now, go get ready!"

I rolled my eyes again as I marched into the locker room, adjacent from the training gymnasium she had constructed deep in the quarries, for my use up until I volunteered.

My life had always been surrounded by the Games. After all, I was the youngest tribute in them. If I told people, they wouldn't believe me. In fact, I wouldn't either, but it's true. My mother, Crysta Rine, was heavily pregnant with me when she was Reaped for the One-Hundred Thirty-Seventh Hunger Games. As she went into labor, a hovercraft lifted her out of the Arena for a few hours. After my birth, she was plopped back into the Arena to climb over the bodies of eight children. Just to get back to me.

She never had the chance, of course. My adopted father, Draco Dunedin, stole me away from the Capitol, and took me to Thirteen, for reasons he never shared with me.

Since then, Draco married, and my adopted "mother," Freedom, trained me to compete in the Games. It had become tiresome, and I often grew bored, even though it was more than anyone could do in Thirteen.

In the locker room there was a single row of lockers, all mine as I was the only one who ever used them. Most days I ignored it, preferring to change my clothes back in my block, but Reaping day was different. I needed to get as much training in as possible before entering the Arena.

Hanging on a hook that jutted out of the stone walls was the Reaping outfit Freedom had bought for me, wanting me to look my best for my big day. The black dress was obviously expensive, reaching the wearer's mid-thigh and boasting a long, elegant train. On the ground below it rested a pair of red high heels, a red rose resting in one, a beautiful, golden chain necklace hanging out of the other. I changed out of my grey work uniform and into the dress.

The dark gown showed off my ivory skin, which shimmered in the faint light of the caves. My forest green eyes shined, my strawberry blonde hair, like my mother's, was short, with the rose tucked behind my ear. The ends of each strand were curled, and highlighted pink. The scar from my first sword practice ran from beneath my right eye and cut straight to my jawline, curving like a fishhook.

"Come on, Rebelle! It's time to get going!" I heard from outside the locker room door.

"Coming, Freedom, hold on a second!" I shouted in anger. Slipping the necklace on, I lifted the train and left the empty gym.

After an hour and a half, I had made it to the steel catwalks that surrounded the underground District. I was looking for Block 27.84 H, where my adopted family had called home since they had first moved in. It didn't take long, though, as it wasn't very far from the mines. Opening the hatch-like door, I stepped inside.

Small hands gripped me around the waist, and I looked down into Centra's grinning face. At just over six, she was just another small, carefree girl. I smiled.

"I missed you, Rebby!" She informed me, "Where were you today? We have to be to ssembly soon. I love your dress!" She talked a mile a minute, until my father walked in. Suddenly losing interest in me, she ran to him, wrapping herself around his leg.

"G'morning, Daddy." I nodded my head as he looked me over. "How've you been today? Sorry it took me so long to get back, it is not easy to run through the mines in heels."

Draco Dunedin only laughed. He did that a lot. "Oh I figured. Seems to me nothing will keep you from that stage, let alone a mine. You seem pretty determined." He was right, I was more than ready. The Capitol crossed too many lines over the years, and through my Victory I planned to set them straight. "You ready to see your mother, sweetheart?" His face scrunched itself into an expression of sorrow, like it did every time it did when he talked about Crysta. Before I could call him out on it, a knock came from the door.

He looked into my eyes, his worries evident. "That must be Queenie." He said. "You'd better get going."


Sparky Montgomery, Age 13, District 13 Male


"Little boy a little crazy?" The boys kept taunting me as I walked. "Gonna go into the Games and rip them apart? Come on, crazy, say something!" One of them shoved me when I stopped, straight into the door to the apartment my mother and I shared.

"Leave me ALONE, you eejits! Or I'll tear your eyes out!" I screamed. The boys, all around sixteen, looked around in confusion. I lunged at the nearest one, scratching and biting.

"Help! HELP ME!" The boy beneath me cried out in pain. I heard footsteps from down the corridor, and I knew I had to leave. I couldn't, though, or I'd be in more trouble.

Pain arced through my back and I screamed in frustration. A gloved hand reached around me, lifting me off the bloody, unconscious body. I kicked and thrashed, discretely looking around to see if the other boys were there. They weren't.

"My home!" I screamed again. "I won't let you get in, you lousy robbers! Put me down so I can KILL YOU!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the peacekeepers nod his head in understanding. He opened the door to my apartment, and the big man restraining me threw me in. As he closed the door, I caught one of his buddies cuffing the boy who taunted me, right where he lay on the floor.

I heard footsteps, and a dragging sound outside the door. Once they had receded, I laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

"That'll teach you to call me crazy!" I called to the door in between fits of giggles. "Gets you in trouble, stupid!" I laughed maniacally, crossing the room to where the lone table dominated. I picked up the only object resting upon its surface, and held it to my face.

"We're not crazy, right Rocky?" I asked it. The stone, which I had snuck out of the graphite mines years earlier, didn't answer. I could feel a look of hurt weaving its way into my expression. "What did I ever do to you? You're worse than they are!" I threw him across the room, and I heard the CLANK of stone against metal, and another a moment later.

I jumped slightly as a wail, very unlike my own, ripped through the metal walls that made up the small living area we had been assigned to. I sighed, opening one of the doors that led to a bedroom. Inside, on a bed, one of two pieces of furniture in the room, a woman sat curled up in a ball, rocking herself back and forth.

Mother was having another fit, I knew. Meaning I could stop pretending. I walked over to the nightstand next to the bed slowly, reaching the bowl of broth that always seemed to calm her. Carefully sitting down on the bed, I rubbed her back with one hand and held the bowl aloft with the other.

"Go away!" She cried pleadingly, "I don't need you anymore Layne! I can take care of myself!"

I shook my head and sighed, deciding to try again. "Mother, it's me, Sparky. You know, your son? Mother? Kathy?" But it was no use. She had absolutely no idea who I was anymore. I had accepted that years ago, and it had only gotten worse. "Look, Mom. I need to go get ready, okay? The Reapings are today and I have to go. It's okay if you want to stay here, though." She didn't answer, and I realized she had fallen asleep. I shrugged my shoulders and left the room, stepping into my own.

The room was small, like every other in Thirteen. With no windows, a single bed and nightstand, and an adjoining bathroom, we had minimal space for "taking creative liberties." Which, of course, was why we had our schedules printed on our arms every day. Mine read:

Sparky Montgomery

Block 82.46 E

0800 Breakfast in Mess Hall

0900-1200 Quiet Time

1200 Reaping

1230 Lunch in Mess Hall

1330-1700 Quiet Time

1700 Dinner in Mess Hall

1800-2100 Quiet Time

2100 Lights Out

Overall, it was pretty much a day off, like it was for every child eligible on Reaping day.

I looked at the digital clock on the wall, which read 11:48. Groaning, I looked down at myself. My tattered jeans had been completely ripped off mid-shin, my white t-shirt filthy and stretched. As my mom was off-the-rails-crazy, she couldn't work in the mines. Seeing as how I was only twelve, I couldn't do anything either, making new clothes an unheard of luxury.

Letting a breath of air escape my mouth noisily, I dragged my feet to the small bathroom to make myself presentable. Messy brown hair. Blue eyes. Skin pale like every other citizen of Thirteen. Average everywhere except for my eyesight, which required I use glasses. Gathering my courage, I plastered a smile to my face and left the apartment, screaming, "OH, YEAH, BABY! LET'S DO THIS! All the way to the assembly hall.


Rebelle Sunflower Rine, Age 13, District 13 Female


The new escort for Thirteen went by the name of Tobias Trinket, and he had been the escort for Twelve since his first year, the One-Hundred Thirty-Sixth. He was happy to "try something new" and learn our "District ways." I hated him and that was that.

"So, I shall start today by reading off the Victors from Thirteen." He took a deep breath and waved his hand, encouraging Soldier to stand next to him. He threw one arm around his shoulder, holding him close. "District Thirteen, your first and only Victor is Soldier Renslaw. He bested the desert Arena of the One-Hundred Twenty-Fifth Hunger Games and the Fifth Quarter Quell." He turned to the Victor, who looked like he wanted to strangle him. "Soldier, you beat the odds and emerged victorious, after stumbling over the corpses of nine other tributes, four of them being your District partners. How did that moment of Victory feel?" He held the mic to Soldier, who looked away, mumbling something. Tobias looked crestfallen, but quickly recovered and looked to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, Soldier Renslaw!"

We all cheered enthusiastically, as was expected of us. We didn't want another crackdown, it could have killed us. Tobias waited for the crowd to quiet down, and then he gestured to the screens mounted around the assembly hall. "A wonderful video for the Games!" He cried.

The President, narrating the video, explained to the citizens of Thirteen why exactly the Games were in place, why they were so important. How keeping the nation at peace was of higher priority, and a handful of lives a year was a small price to pay. I could feel the hatred filling the room in waves.

The video closed with the President's face, the seal of Panem behind him, reminding us that we were only part of the Games because of our attempted rebellion during the Third Quell, and that we should be grateful for the nation's hospitality.

"Wasn't that wonderful?" Tobias asked. The District was silent. "Well, then. I suppose it's time for me to Reap my first tributes from District Thirteen! As tradition demands, ladies first."

This is it, Rebelle. I thought as I dropped the train behind me. What you've been training for for years. Wait a moment, then go. I took a deep breath, and looked up.

"Maia Goldenburg!"

A cry broke the air from the twelve's section in front of me, a high pitched wail from behind. A little girl, blond with snot and tears running down her face, was ushered to the stage by her peers. Tobias looked more than a little disappointed, and asked for volunteers. Just a little longer.

"Well, then. I suppose there aren't any volunteers, as usual. Now for the boys!"

Now! "Wait!" I shouted, raising my hand high. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute! I will represent my home in the Games!" Tobias and Maia's eyes grew wider and wider as I made my way down the aisle. Maia shook herself from her trance, vaulting the rail and rushing past me. I kept walking steadily.


Sparky Montgomery, Age 13, District 13 Male


It made me sick, all of it. Tobias' overwhelming joy, the smug look on the girl's face, everything. She had obviously planned it, too. What with her pretty dress and calm attitude, she didn't care about little Maia!

"What's your name, darling?" Tobias asked her.

"Rebelle Rine, Tobias. Originally, of course, I was known as Sunflower." She looked into the camera, "That's right, Crysta, it's me. I'm coming for a visit. I can't wait to see you again." What her eyes really said was, I am so going to win this. They'll love me for it.

"Oh my." Tobias was fanning himself with his hand, "I have found the lost baby. Me. I did!" He pinched himself on the arm, probably winning a laugh from Capitol viewers. "More time for that later. We need to find out who Sunflower's District Partner is!" He skipped over to the boys' bowl, and I could hear him whispering to himself from the front row. He selected a slip fairly quickly and practically ran to the microphone.

Nearly ripping the paper in two, he called out, "Sparky Montgomery!"

I froze in a panic. It was my first year! I was supposed to be okay! Then I looked at the faces around me, slowly zoning in on mine one by one. Then I remembered the teasing, the screams.

"It's about FLIPPING TIME!" I roared with laughter. "I WILL DOMINATE YOU ALL! KAWAFREAKINGBUNGA!" I laughed and screamed like I had taught myself to for years. When I had mounted the stage, Rebelle and Tobias shrunk away from me.

I looked at them quizzically, and made my way to the stand. "I GUESS HE'S NOT GONNA INTRODUCE ME, PEOPLES! CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS FAT COCONUT?" The crowd roared with laughter, laughter at me, at Tobias, at the Capitol.

Carefully, as if I held some mad disease, Tobias grabbed my hand, holding it high above my head with Rebelle's. "District Thirteen, your tributes in this year's Hunger Games, Rebelle Rine and Sparky Montgomery!" He quieted his voice down, and spoke to both of us. "Come on, tributes, shake hands."

We complied, and were led into the Justice Building. I glanced at Rebelle's train, an idea forming in my head. "SWEET SURFBOARD, DUDE!"

The ride was nice, but, even without the waves, I wiped out several times.


Rebelle Sunflower Rine, Age 13, District 13 Female


I waved fondly at Queenie and Centra as they were led out. Freedom was the first to visit, telling me how proud of me she was and how excited she was to see the reunion with my real mother. Queenie brought in Centra, who was crying her eyes out. Queenie scolded me as I held Centra, asking me how long I had planned to Volunteer (six years), when I planned on telling her (now was as good a time as any), and how come I didn't tell her my mother was a Victor (you wouldn't have believed me, I insisted, to which she reluctantly agreed).

After the door closed, I could still hear Centra crying, already mourning her sister, who was called up like all those kids who were dismembered on television. A few minutes after the cries had dissipated, the door opened again.

I stood up and ran to greet my father, who returned my hug in desperation. It was short-lived, though, as he pushed away, resting his hand on my shoulder.

"Rebelle, there is something I have to tell you. Something I should have told you long ago, something about your mother. About me." I nodded, motioning him to get on with it. He took a deep breath.

"Rebelle, only a couple months after your mother got pregnant, your father died of a deadly flu virus. Soon after that, she met another man, one who loved her and whose love she truly returned. He was going to propose to her, after they had both survived their final Reaping, but it wasn't to be, for she was called.

"The man worked furiously, doing everything in his power to help her get home, to hasten the Games before she, and her child, perished." I looked at him curiously, having never heard that side of the story before. "That man." He said, "Realized that the child had been born, had realized that, should Crysta Rine not survive past the next few days, the child would be given to some Capitol wench, maybe even given into slavery. His anger flourished, and he decided to take action."

He looked at me, taking note of the silent tears escaping my eyes. "Rebelle, I rescued you from the clutches of the Capitol. I stole you the night before her Victory. I ran from everything I knew, to start a new life in Thirteen, because I was afraid I had lost the love of my life. I couldn't lose you too."

He took a deep breath, calming his own emotions. He pressed something into my palm. "Say hello to her." He whispered, "For me, please."


Sparky Montgomery, Age 13, District 13 Male


The waiting was horrible. Like, had you asked me to sit in a small, fancy room for an hour and expect me to wait for my mother, who probably didn't even know I was leaving forever, I would have slapped your face. Like I almost slapped Tobias'.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up from the lone chair and marched toward the door. I opened it, sticking my head out abruptly. The two peacekeepers, both maskless, stared at me in confusion.

"Can I come out of time out now?" I asked, "I want to check out the train." I pointed to the back of the building, where the metal doors to the Tribute Train sat open, imposing.

The man on my left looked to the man on my right. "Um, I'm not sure that that's a good idea-"

"I WANT TO SEE THE FRIGGIN TRAIN! I'M DONE HIDING IN THIS TURTLE SHELL! LET ME OUT!" I screamed.

Both the peacekeepers fumbled for their weapons, when a voice behind them stopped them. "Let me take care of this." From the shadows emerged a figure, one that every person in the District knew by sight.

"Bonjour, El Capitan." I greeted the District's only Victor.

"Hello, young one." He replied, resting his hand between my shoulder blades. He gently pushed me in the direction of the train. "Did I hear you wanted to hop on board the train? Well, guess what? Since you're with me, you can have a free pass."

"Really? Oh, that would be great, sir! Thanks!" I created the goofiest grin I could muster.


Soldier Renslaw, Age 43, District 13 Mentor

125th Hunger Games Victor


I chuckled to myself as the little insane boy started stuffing his face with food found anywhere but Thirteen. I smiled when he moaned at each new taste, each new flavor he had been unable to imagine recently.

It reminded me of myself, of course. During my Games, I ate everything I could, sure I was going to die early on in the Games. Amazingly, I didn't.

You see, I was in the Fifth Quarter Quell, a truly dark time for District Thirteen. Each of the first twelve Districts sent in two tributes, one male and one female. Thirteen, on the other hand, had it much worse.

"To remind the citizens of Panem that the Capitol gives everybody an equal chance at life, the District with the least number of Victors shall supply tributes, twelve female and twelve male, for the Games. To even the playing field for the rest of the Districts, only one of each gender from this District shall be in the Arena at any one time."

I was the tenth male tribute from District Thirteen. When the ninth tribute, one of my close friends, died, they quickly picked him up, giving me his remaining supplies and waiting for the girl who killed him to leave. Once she had left the vicinity, I was in the Arena.

Over the course of the next few days, I had killed the girls from One, Four and Twelve, and the boys from Six and Eleven. I had allied with the girl from my District, the sixth of the girls, and on the nineteenth day trumpets sounded over the sandy desert.

The girl, Elena, and I looked at each other. A noise came from above, and all I saw was black. When I woke up, I was in one of the launch rooms, the one that I assumed was my own. My stylist was there, wishing me luck and throwing me into my tube. I was raised into the Arena for the second time.

On the other pedestals were the remaining tributes for Thirteen. Seven girls, three boys, and no weapons or packs supplied to us. The Cornucopia was filled with weapons, and no packs. Stone walls rose around us, forming a much smaller fighting space than Elena and I were used to.

The gong rang, and those desperate enough to fight ran for the weapons, and another bloodbath ensued. I grabbed a sword, beheading the girl who was called up right before me, the tenth one who I had consoled as we waited for the nines to die out. The remaining boys both charged me at once, and the battle lasted a gruesome twenty-four minutes. When they finally fell to the sand, their blood leaking out of them, I collapsed, thinking it was finally over.

The seventh girl, the twelve-year-old who cried during the whole Games, was still curled in a ball on her pedestal. I crawled into the Cornucopia and grabbed a crossbow.


AND IT'S FINALLY OVER!

I've finished the Reapings, yay! Now I just need to write the tributes who we'll be seeing on the trains, and we can start the Pre-Games! Remember to go check out that poll.

*Side note, I'm going camping this week and won't be back until Sunday. I'll hopefully write but I'm unsure whether I'll be able to see the poll or not. In other words, the trains may not be up until next Tuesday or something.

Here are the submitters who are Sponsors thus far. If I have your name down wrong, please let me know: (Remember. You can change who it is up until the Private Sessions)

ElvenRangerRysel: 101

dreams and desperation: 92

Mystical Pine Forest: 83

faceless eater aka slendergirl: 70

HufflePuffleJay: 68

jayman1919: 65

We're All Okay: 56

Rina-The-Fangirl: 56

Wolfie McCoy: 56

caitiebug007: 53 (Devon Cynthia Rose, District Five Female)

Here are the submitters, who have points, but haven't confirmed whether they want to Sponsor or not:

roses burning: 74

Jotunheim Storm: 59

CreativeAJL: 53

InfiniteDespair: 53

MushtcheNinja29: 53

grimbutnotalways: 53

Here are the submitters who have not reviewed (If I don't know you're reading, superepicstarkette1211, I may kill Keola earlier than you'd like. Just saying) (and I like her, so don't let her down now!):

superepicstarkette1211

If you are on none of these lists, you are probably a non-submitter, and I have not included your name because I haven't seen a review in a while. If you'd like to be on any of these lists, let me know. Remember everyone, your donations can save lives!

Alliances!:

Careers: Marcus (1), Malaya (1), Mason (2), Cassia (2), and Esmeralda (4).

Children of Amber: Thorn (11), and Willow (11).

Loners who will likely get alliances eventually:

Cordin (3) (unspecified)

Infiniti (3) (unspecified)

Jasper (4) (maybe 1 person, depends)

Darius (5) (unspecified)

Devon (5) (unspecified)

Aran (6) (depends)

Jetta (6) ("definitely an alliance")

Logan (7) (yes)

Kenzi (7) (yes)

Henry (8) (unspecified)

Tulle (8) (probably)

Thanatos (9) (rather not, depends)

Harvest (9) (any and all)

Denny (10) (unspecified)

Cheyenne (10) ("yes please!")

Soot (12) (Careers) (will explain later)

Keola (12) (anyone willing to tolerate her size)

Sparky (13) (unspecified)

Rebelle (13) (none)

Questions!:

Have you voted yet?

Favorite D13 tribute?

Thoughts on Soldier?

Any new thoughts on alliances, now that all the tributes have been shown?

Any new thoughts on Sponsoring?

Are you aware that the title will be changed in roughly 24 hours from now?

See ya on the rails,

Lord Zagreus