Ryena Shore,16, District 4 female
I let out a nice and loud yawn as I stretch out my arms and legs before opening my eyes and I see Caspian sitting at the table with our two mentors, I fell asleep out here?
"Hey looks who's finally awake!" Caspian happily greets me.
"What time is it? Why none of you woke me up?" I sit up off the sofa continuing to stretch my arms.
"You just looked so adorable as you snored away, would've been horrible to wake you up!" Caspian jokes and I only roll my eyes, guess I fell asleep out here. I remember watching some of the recaps from the previous games, just to see some of the strategies and tendencies the tributes showed but I eventually flicked to a movie, it was some kind of fantasy movie about a young girl who uncovered an entire hidden city under water and it was so good that I started to rewatch it but must've fell asleep mid way through.
"So, gonna join us for breakfast? The foods gonna get all cold!" Caspian invites me over to the table
"Well, more can always be made!" Vanity laughs.
"Don't ruin it captain obvious." Tharja scolds him.
"Yeah, but I need to get cleaned up first…" I jump off the sofa and remember today's the first day of training, how did I forget that?
"You fart in your sleep by the way!" Capsian giggles and I freeze in my tracks as embarrassment begins rising in me, oh god…did I really do that?
I slowly turn my head to him giving him a humiliated look but he bursts out laughing.
"I'm only kidding! Not like it'll be a big deal anyways though, when you gotta let one loose you just gotta let one loose!" he continues laughing, yeah well I'm glad he's enjoying himself!
I only let out a small sigh and go to my restroom to wash up but try to rush cause I don't like to keep people waiting. I join them at the table but I only eat a piece of toast, I know I'll be hungry later but not so much right now.
"So you two, what's the plan for today?" Vanity asks while putting more eggs on his plate.
"Ah just bond with our allies, they're all such interesting characters!" Caspian sips some of his fruit juice.
"Train I guess…" I mumble.
"Sounds boring, why don't you talk to your allies or even some of the tributes? You can learn a lot about them and maybe even yourself?" Vanity recomends.
"She said she's going to train, so just let her fucking train!" Tharja shoots him down.
"Ok…geez, anyways you two, I'm sure the both of you know what to do so just go out there and do you!" Vanity tries to do a thumbs up and knocks over his juice.
"And that is our cue to get the stepping, you two behave yourselves while we're gone!" Caspian tells Vanity and Tharja while he jumps out of his chair and I follow behind him while Tharja is calling Vanity a bunch of horrible names.
"So Ryena, how you're feeling this morning? Caspian looks over at me while pressing the elevator.
"Just wondering how I'm going to get through the day without stabbing that Blyana bitch in the throat." I honestly state.
"Ha! She's a real piece of work huh? Don't worry, she's probably just shy! She'll warm up, especially after that punch she took!" Caspian smiles, yeah I highly doubt that but ok.
"When she called me that name…I had to use every ounce of my being to control myself." I admit.
"What did she call you?" he raises an eyebrow, yeah he didn't hear it, it was only a mumble but I heard it clearly.
"She called me a midget, all my life I've been made fun of for my height, or looked down upon cause of it, that's why I snapped at you like that on the beach, I didn't mean too…" I apologize to him.
"Hey its fine, it should be me apologizing honestly, people use to tease me too, but for different reasons. I know how it feels to be viewed as the black sheep, it's tough but I commend you for holding it together, I just ask that you try to continue doing so cause she's definitely that type of person that'll be all over you once she senses your weakness so…just try and hold it together for me would ya?" He smirks and I can't help but smirk back a little.
"Can't promise you anything, but I'll try Caspian…" i assure him.
"That's good enough then, he puts an arm around my shoulder and I feel my body getting warm, am I blushing!?
The elevator door opens and it's the two tributes from 3. The boy Acer is cowering in the corner of the elevator while his creepy looking district partner is only staring at me.
"Uhmm hi?" I greet her as me and Caspian walk into the elevator, what's her problem?
"Your eyes are the same color as your panties…" she practically whispers in my ear and I give her a grossed out look.
"Excuse me!?" I face her, I must be hearing stuff, right?
"The way you just said that, it pretty much confirms she was spot on, right?" Caspian laughs.
"She was- I mean she wasn't! Why does that even matter to you!?" I feel my face getting warm, this is so uncomfortable!
"Haha! Anyways my name's Caspian! Pleasure to meet you!" Caspian extends his hand to the creepy girl and I look over at Acer, who's giving us a look like we're crazy for 'interacting' with her.
Emmerane or whatever her name is then grins as she wraps both of her hands around his hand and begins feeling it as her grin grows wider.
"Your hands, they're so soft!!" she does a really creepy smile and I can see now Caspian is starting to get a little weirded out but he plays it off.
"Yeah they must be huh?" he laughs but I can sense in his voice how creeped out he is.
"I like this hand!" she continues pressing her fingers into his skin.
"Well ha, uh you can continue holding it if you want!" he rubs his head with his other hand but she suddenly licks the palm of his hand and he quickly pulls it away from her.
"Hey, the hand's not edible!" he takes a step back while doing a forced laugh and thankfully the elevator door opens and Caspian halls ass out of there and she follows after him as I look over at Acer.
"Please tell me this is all an act." I say to him.
"You're saying that to a person who's face she licked…" he reminds me, good point.
"Fair enough, well good luck with that weirdo." I prepare to step off the elevator.
"We're going to all need it…when it comes to her." He warns me and I give him a weary look. I know she's a creep but is there something else I'm missing? I walk off afterwards and join the rest of the tributes, well most of them at least, Harlan and Hunter seem to be the only other tributes who aren't down here yet. I zone off for a bit while the head instructor is going through all the rules and stuff, I know all of them like no sparring with other tributes etc. and we're free to do what we want afterwards as the tributes start scattering off everywhere.
"Yeah you better keep walking!" Blyana immediately taunts Beauregard but Beauregard only casually flashes her middle finger up at her while walking off with her district partner simping behind her.
Blyana stands in the middle of the facility afterwards and I guess that's our cue to assemble our alliance here which we all do, Nox has a stoic look on his face as he's looking around the entire facility like he's searching for someone, no idea who though.
"I'm swear I'm going to kill that bitch! if she thinks I'm just going to let her walk off afterwards after that sucker punch that caught me completely off guard then that slut got another thing coming to her!" she growls through gritted teeth, uh that wasn't a sucker punch at all.
"More importantly, how should we proceed for today." Hyperion butts in.
"More importantly? There's no one more important than me you cheating ass little scumbag, you're lucky I'm even allowing you to be in my alliance!" she snaps at him, she really is going to be a piece of work, I don't know how we're going to be able to tolerate her!
"Once again this isn't your alliance, keep this up and you'll find yourself out of this alliance." I threaten her and she glares me.
"Who the fuck you think you're talking to like that Tuna girl!?" She confronts me and I'm ready to punch her in the face at this point.
"Girl you need to relax yourself, like you seem stressed out, want a hug?" Nyx offers her one.
"Shut the hell up!" Blyana hisses at her.
"Hey watch your tone!" Nox steps towards her.
"Or fucking else what!?" Blyana doesn't back down.
"Guys that's enough." Caspian ends the commotion as we all look at him.
"Seriously people I know we're all tense and stuff so why don't we blow off some steam, swing some weapons around?" He suggests.
"How about no? The most important thing is finding a couple of allies since we'll be having a vacancy or two so if you'll excuse me!" she storms off and she seems headed towards the survival station where Cortez towers over the two tributes from 6 that's looks like they're reading a book about creating a fire and Acer who was also there immediately flees the station upon seeing Blyana marching over there.
"She needs some D, Nox go and do your thing!" Nyx pats his shoulder.
"Wouldn't touch her with a twenty foot pole." he crosses his arms but is still looking around the facility.
Cortez seems to sense her immediately and gives her a weary look as she confidently struts her way towards him and me and the others walk a little closer just so we can hear what they're saying.
"Future Victor of the hunger games, Blyana Wellish!" she extends her hand to him.
"Cortez…Cortez Baker. " he hesitantly shakes her hand and wow she can probably fit both of her palms into one of his, this guy really is massive, pause.
"Well Cortez, a big strong guy like yourself will fit right into our alliance, so you can either join us or get killed by us in the bloodbath, you choose." She gets directly to the point, what kind of invitation was that?
"I'll have to kindly…reject that offer unfortunately ma'am." He states and I see some irritation spread across her face.
"Are you sure about that big man? I'll give one more chance to reconsider." She tries to threaten him but he doesn't seem intimidated at all, I'm finding it harder and harder to take this girl seriously, she's not even worth responding to at this point.
"There's nothing to reconsider, I already gave ya' my answer, good day to ya' ma'am." Cortez grunts and walks off.
"You are so going to regret that!" she shouts at him but he only continues walking away and paying her no mind and the rest of us only awkwardly looks at each other for a moment.
"Well I need to pee, brb!" Nyx waves at us and walks towards the restroom.
"Again? You just went like twenty minutes ago." Nox questions.
"Well that's what happens when you drink a gallon of capitol fruit punch in one sitting!" she shouts back in response.
"Yeah I'll admit, that fruit punch is on point!" Caspian laughs, boy this is going to be a long day...
Paisley Stitchell,15, District 6 female
I see all the careers huddling around the weapon's station and I feel myself tremble a bit. Some of then don't seem mean like the two from four and maybe the boy from 1 but I mean they're still careers. They trained their entire lives learning how to kill, to end lives. I just hope I won't run into any of them. I'm here with Hayden and the two tributes from 8 are here as well but of course we're not saying anything to each other but it looks like the girl managed to create a fire.
Me and Hayden are leaning how to create snare traps, maybe we can catch some food with it or trap a tribute who's trying to hurt us, I hope it doesn't come to that, but I just have to accept that it may. Hayden seems to be struggling on the snares so I offer to help him and finish the snare off for him.
"Thanks, I probably would've never figured that out!" he signs.
"You did really good though Hayden!" I sign back and he does a shy smile. Hayden, he's been by my side the entire time and everything is still terrifying, but him next to me helps make it just a little less scary. I wish we could've met earlier, he told me some of his backstory and I feel so bad cause he blames himself for the reason why our district is in the state that it's currently in and I try to tell him it's not, but he just doesn't ever seem fully convinced.
"How about we go and train at the weapons station? I can teach you to use a knife." He signs and I look back over to see most of the careers are there and Hyperion is having an intense spar with an instructor and seems to get frustrated as he shoves the instructor to the floor, I see Caspian throwing a bunch of tridents through dummies with no trouble at all and I see the twins taking turns bashing in skulls of other dummies and I tremble more, I honestly don't want to be anywhere near them…
I shake my head and he gives me an assuring smile.
"It's ok, I won't let anything happen to you." He signs and I look over at the area again, maybe some of them will leave later but it looks like a lot of the other tributes are staying away from the weapons for now.
"Maybe we can go later, I'm thirsty though." I sign.
"Yeah me too, I'll go get us some water, be right back ok?" He signs and I'm about to just go along with him but he runs off almost immediately and I start feeling so vulnerable, like I was left out in the wilderness with a bunch of bloodthirsty animals around me.
I try to just mind my business and start reading about toxins, this is something I do want to learn more about, it'll be another way for me to defend myself after all…
I feel sudden tapping on my shoulder and I assume Hayden is back but I jump upon seeing it isn't him and it's the boy from district 5 instead, I think his name is Dio? He doesn't look very happy though.
"Hello there? You deaf or something?" I read his lips, he was probably trying to get my attention for a bit, but I obviously can't hear him…
I nod to his question and he smirks, like I'm joking.
"Nice one…" I read his lips and he says something else but I can't make it out.
"So I'm not very used to females ignoring me, you want to play hard to get though so ok." I read his lips.
"No I'm not, I really can't hear you." I sign to him but he has no idea what I'm signaling to him.
"What?" I read his lips and I only sigh and point to my ears before shaking my head.
"Hmm, so you probably really are deaf, you can still see though right? So look down here." I read his lips and he's points to his crotch and I'm quite revolted honestly, I want this guy to go away!
"Please leave me alone." I sign to him.
"I'll shove this big guy so deep inside you that you'll be able to hear your moans." I read his lips but Hayden walks next to me and stands across from Dio with two bottles of water in his hand.
"There's something you need?" I read Hayden's lips.
"Oh I just want to pop that tight little cherry between her legs!" I read Dio's lips as he points to me and I lose control of my emotions for a split second and slap him across the face and he stumbles back for a moment clutching his face but gives me an angry look as he tries walking towards me but Hayden blocks his path.
"You're going to wish you never did that!" I read his lips as he points to me again and storms off but I tremble a little. He said that with so much disdain, like he really is going to try and hurt me later…I wish I didn't hit him!
"You ok?" Hayden quickly signs.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit him!" I quickly sign back.
"It's ok, to be honest I was about to hit him myself, I'm sorry for leaving you though, it's my fault this happened." He signs.
"No, it's ok Hayden." I sign and he looks over at Dio who's still glaring us from a distance away.
"Whereever we go, let's just stick together ok?" he signs and I quickly nod, hopefully Dio will just forget this happened, maybe I can even apologize to him later but I just hope he doesn't hurt us…
Elsie Pengrove,14, District 9 female
I finish scaling this rocky wall for like the gazillionth time and I feel myself improving as I stand tall…or short at the top of the rocky wall where I can see what all the other tributes are up to. I see the girl from 10, Thea sitting in a dark corner and I get the creeps as she's looking right at me and jots down a couple of notes in her notepad, what is she doing? Is she talking notes on all the tributes here? We glance at each other for another moment but she eventually turns away and starts analyzing other tributes, it's smart what she's doing though, I'll admit that.
I see Annabeth from district 12 also sitting down in a corner on the other side of the facility and she's clearly injured as she has bandages covering her arm and forehead. I feel so bad for her after seeing what the big bully district partner of hers did to her during the rides. He knocked her out, like literally knocked her right out with his elbow, I don't even know the girl, but I want to hug her.
Her district partner isn't here for whatever reason, but it especially looked like Nox has a thing or two to say to that bully whenever he does show up. Harlan isn't here either though, those laxatives really fucked him up big time, he's been crapping out his organs ever since and I hope that cheating bastard craps out his heart and dies! I'll admit though, I see people like Hunter and it just shows me that there really are people in this world worse than Harlan, like as crappy as I know he is, I don't believe he'd ever put his hands on me or my sister no matter how upset we got him but look at this Hunter guy just knocking around Annabeth like she's a punching bag or something, it's disgusting!
I look around a little more and see the district 5 girl Alyona at the weapons station swinging a sword around very sloppily, missing her mark every time and constantly drops her weapon, like wow I mean I know we all start somewhere but is it even possible to suck that much?
I see Blyana laughing at her but Alyona ignores her and continues trying, yup that's all you gotta do girl, just try! I eventually scale down the rocky wall and dust off my hands afterwards. The two from eleven were here earlier and that Verbena girl practically glided up this wall, Kade had some trouble but they eventually got bored and went to the camouflage station. I do need some allies and I don't want to say anything to Harlan at the moment so for now, I'll just pretend he doesn't exist, I'll go see how Annabeth is doing.
"Hi…" I greet her as I walk towards her and she jumps like I startled her or something.
"Sorry…I didn't mean to scare you, my name is Elsie." I apologize and introduce myself to her.
"It's ok…I'm Annabeth Gordon." She Introduces herself and tries to smile but there is so much sadness and pain on her face…
"So what you up to?" I ask.
"Just sitting here, had a hard time sleeping last night so just resting I guess." She crosses her hands over her lap.
:Yeah me too, I guess…" I mumble and theres pure silence around us.
"Hey, look I'm sorry about what happened to you, I just want to get that out the way…" I suddenly blurt out.
"Its ok…" she sighs.
"What? It's not ok, why is that dickhead going around beating on you like that? I know there probably isn't much you can do but what about your mentors? Are they really ok with that?" I counter.
"Caleb…" she mumbles as her lips quiver.
"Huh?" I question, isn't that one of her mentors?
"L-look, I don't mean to be mean or anything but I really don't need your sympathy, I-if that's the only reason you're here then…I'd rather be left alone." Her eyes water as her hands tighten around each other.
"No, that's not why I'm here. I'm looking for an alliance too, my district partner is a huge jerk but my goodness he seems like a damn saint compared to Hunter, that's besides the point though, I want nothing to do with him and you're probably the only other person here I'll actually be able to get along with here so…why don't we get to know each other better and help one another?" I suggest to her and she gazes down at the floor for a moment before looking back up at me.
"I've been thinking about an alliance too, I never expected anyone to approach me but you did...so yeah let's be allies." She agrees with me.
"Ok good! Say how about we go to the survival station? I'm trying to learn more about that!" I say way more excitedly than I should and she nods.
"let's go then!" I jump up to my feet and hold out my tiny hand for her to grab and she hesitates for a moment before grabbing it and we walk off to learn some survival skills! Yeah Harlan you can fuck off and get ran over by a giant turtle or something!
Kade Jackson,14, District 11 male
An announcement rings out signaling its time for us to eat lunch and I'm starving!
"Finally time to eat! Let's get going Vernasia!" I jump up to my feet and stretch, we've both been here at the survival station after spending most of our time with camouflage, I just realized we haven't spent a second at the weapon's station but it's no biggie, not sure what kind of training Vernasia has been through but she can obviously hold her own.
"I don't know who that is." She comments as she begins putting away the equipment we were building a hammock with and I face palm myself, did I seriously butcher her name again!
"Crap! I mean Verbena! I'm such an idiot!" I scold myself but she smirks a little before standing up.
"I think it's kind of cute actually, start getting my name tight though young man." She playfully plucks me on the head and I let out an exaggerated groan.
"I vow to not butcher your name any more Virgi- I mean Verbena." I pledge to her and she only rolls her eyes and smirks even more.
"sometimes I wonder if you do this on purpose." She comments as we begin walking towards the cafeteria.
"I can assure you I'm not, I hate how terrible my memory is, it became almost second nature for my father to knock me upside the head whenever I forgot something." I casually say but she gives me a pretty concerned look afterwards, maybe I said too much…
"Sounds like you had it rough." She frowns almost like she can relate to me.
"Well my family was involved in some stuff and I just got dragged into it and tried to make the most of it!" I try to say with some optimism but she only sighs.
"Sounds like we're in a similar situation." She crosses her arms, not sure what she means by that though.
"How about you though Verbena, what are your parents like?" I curiously ask.
"Well I don't remember my father, he died shortly after I was born. My mother though, lets just say I forget that she's even my mother, we literally have no emotional connection whatsoever." She states but I can tell she doesn't want to go into further details so I'll just leave her be, we're clearly both going through our own issues at home…
"I see…I feel that same way about my father…but enough of this gloomy stuff, let's eat!" I say aloud as we arrive in the cafeteria and my nostrils start filling up with a whole bunch of different aromas, I can already see so much food in the various stations like roast chicken, rice, seafood, pasta and even breakfast!
"Hmm the fruit looks good." She ignores all the tasty looking food and walks towards the fruit station.
"Hey you're not going to eat any actual food!?" I call to her but she keeps walking towards the fruits and I only shrug my shoulders before deciding what I'm going to eat first. Most of the tributes are still at the stations filling up their plates and that creepy girl from district 3 is sticking her dirty hands in the dishes and stuffing the food in her mouth as she mumbles some incoherent words like what the hell is wrong with her!? ANYWAYS I'm not touching any of the stuff she had her dirty ass hands in so I go over to the pasta station where Blyana and Beauregard are and they're standing several feet away from each other at they load their plates with different pasta and I walk in between them also starting to fill up my plate. I notice Blyana is continuing to shoot Beauregard nasty glares but Beauregard is paying her no mind, she must still be salty after getting dropped like a sack of potatoes.
"Wow this pasta looks amazing, right ladies!?" I try to lift the very dark and ominous mood around these two but they both ignore me! Like geez I got rejected before but this is on a whole new level!
"Haha so…you two eat cherry muffins? I swear that stuff is the bomb!" I try again and theres another awkward silence.
Blyana tops her pasta with some meat sauce and she begins walking away but does a really weird movement like she's tripping or something but it looks so damn fake! Before I know it she "loses balance" of her plate but it looks more like she throws it and the entire plate of contents smother beauregard's face and clothes and my eyes only widen.
"Oops! Look like I tripped, my bad!" Blyana sarcastically apologizes and I can see Beauregards angry eyes even with all that meat sauce covering her face and hair.
"Yeah ladies, don't mind me, I'm just gonna back up very slowly." I raise my hands in the air while backing up and Beauregard suddenly Launches her plate in Blyana's face and she lets out a rather girly squeal afterwards and now they're both covered in red pasta!
"You fucking!" Blyana rushes at her and Beauregard throws another one of her thubderous hooks but Blyana ducks under it and tackles her right to the floor and they begin wrestling each other but two peacekeepers quickly separate them before either one of them can do any real damage, Blyana manages to deliver a punch to Beauregard's face before she's pulled off however.
"Wait till I see you again! Stank ass bum!" Blyana curses, Really? was that seriously the best insult she can come up with?
Beauregard is just trying to get back at Blyana as she curses her out but she's overpowered by the peacekeeper and is pulled out of the cafeteria where Blysna is shortly afterwards,so uh this makes them 1-1 now?
Oswine Nanshope,13, District 10 Victor
My eyes shoot open as my entire body is drenched in sweat and my heart is beating so fast and hard that it feels like it's about to explode. I try to ease my breathing a little and gaze up the ceiling as I try and convince myself everything is OK. It was one of those nightmares again, about Barbel…as he dished out the finishing blow on Xavi and chased after me right after, but I couldn't get away. The scene of him murdering me just played over and over and I couldn't do anything but just helplessly relive it over and over.
I sit up and take several deep breathes and I'm not going to be able to go to sleep anytime soon, so I might as well just walk around for a bit, maybe someone is up. I change out of my sweaty clothes, put on some clean ones and I head out of my room where I can hear scribbling in the living room area. There's only one person that can be and we didn't necessarily have a great start…
As I expected it's Thea who seems to be scribbling a bunch of notes down in her notepad and my goodness it's so much and her writing speed is almost inhumane, what is she even writing about anyways? There's a plate of cookies next to her and she turns around to face me giving e a blank look as I stand frozen.
"H-hi…" I nervously greet her and she only looks back at her book continuing to jot down notes.
"What do you want?" she asks with her back turned.
"I…was just going for a walk I guess. It's hard to sleep sometimes." I admit.
"Hmmph…" she only grunts and I seat myself on the sofa as she remains at the table.
"I'm just trying to compose myself, I won't bother you though…" I add and she stops writing as she sits her pencil down and remains still for a moment, did I say something wrong?
"Well you kind of are bothering me just by being here…" she says but with some strain In her voice, I wonder why...
"I'm sorry…I'll just leave then." I hang my head down and stand up from the couch beginning to walk away.
"Wait…" she says in an almost inaudible tone and I look over at her but she remains completely still, her back still turned, was I just hearing stuff?
"You're not the problem, you're just trying to help but…" she mumbles and I stand still listening to what she has to say.
"Thea…" I call to her.
"it's your first year mentoring…I'll probably go out there and get killed instantly, but this is probably something you're always going to look back on, the first two tributes you mentored…right?" she turns around and looks at me and her eyes look sad…
"I honestly never thought of that, but I will do everything in my power to help you and Cortez, I just…want you to allow me to help." I speak up and she hesitantly nods.
"I know, and I can tell this just isn't a job for you…you genuinely care, and that's why I'm telling you, that you aren't the problem." She states.
"But you're not the problem either Thea…that's seems to be what you're insinuating." I try to reassure her.
"Insinuate whatever you want, but I said my piece." She folds her book and stands up from the table.
"Goodnight Oswine…" she mumbles as she walks off.
"Goodnight…" I say loud enough for her to hear but she doesn't say anything back and goes into her room and I'm left out here alone, hoping I don't become trapped in another nightmare…
Here we are with the first day in training! This honestly took way longer than I expected not only cause my schedule has been absolutely horrendous lately leaving me with little to no free time but also cause I had a massive writers block that I was recently able to overcome. Alliances are forming, rivalries are brewing and we're just getting started, so stay tuned everyone, till next time!
The Careers- Nox Nyctores, Nyx Nyctores, Hyperion Corvinus, Blyana Wellish, Reyena Shore, Caspian Delamar
Big Girl's Club- Elsie Pengrove, Annabeth Gordon
Tragic Masterpiece- Paisley Stitchell, Hayden Topper
Snowy Rainbows- Genevieve Altruzara, Christmas Maloney
Secured 24/7- Kade Jackson, Verbena Grazer