Training Day One. Guide information sprinkled throughout chapter in the form of satirical filler introductions, and in the last A/N.

TIMOLEON CABRERA, DISTRICT NINE MALE

"What's your plan for the first day of training, Timoleon?" asks my mentor Avia as I sit down for breakfast.

"Not even a hello? Damn," I snort, "and not to ask again, but will you call me Timo?"

Avia smiles tightly. "Sorry. Timo. And yes, hello."

I return her smile. "Luckily, I have been thinking about the day ahead. Do you know what they'll have in training? What'll be available to me? I think I want allies if there are good ones out there, but I don't know exactly. Do you think I could make it in with the Careers?"

Rhea's mentor Leonor bark-laughs. "The Careers? Don't even try it."

I frown. "What's wrong with that? They're trained, staying on their good side would be smart. If I proved myself useful to them, it could be a free pass through the first half of the Games."

Avia glares at me. "There's no such thing as a free pass in the Hunger Games. And Leonor is right, no matter how rudely she says it. The Careers, as you younger folks call them, are a major threat. A lot of us mentors met last night during the Chariot Rides, and we all agree that this year they're a bigger threat than every before. This isn't the year to try and show off, Timo. Not when there are wild cards like Shark Mason in the mix."

I bite back a response about how I could still prove myself in training and dump brown sugar into a bowl of oatmeal. Might as well take advantage of the food options while I can.

"Try one of these," says Leonor, tossing me a chocolate pastry, "since there's nothing like them back in Nine. You seem to have a sweet tooth." I nod in thanks. Avia's thrown a wrench in my strategy. I don't want to go into the Games alone, but who might be my safest options? Rhea? The two from Seven, Aviva and Malek, looked strong. There was that really tall guy from Twelve. Valerie from Ten volunteered, so she must be somewhat useful. Syko, from Six, looked powerful too.

As I chow down, Rhea stumbles out of her room and into the kitchen. Leonor's steely gaze softens as my district partner looks around the luxurious Capitol space, still awestruck. She's been in this shell-shocked state since we arrived in the Capitol- I tried to talk to her on the train and again when we were on our chariot, but I could barely get a word out of her.

"How are you feeling, Rhea?" Leonor asks.

Rhea looks at the rest of us with pain in her eyes. "Well, after my mother died in childbirth, nothing in my life ever went right. My father beat me every day from the time I could walk, and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Leonor cuts off her sudden outpouring of information, "it's okay, Rhea. I don't need to know that about you. It's the first day of training, do you have any questions or plans about that?"

Rhea considers the question. "Well… I've never had friends before since I grew up homeless and never stayed in one place too long, the only friend I ever had was my dog that got killed in front of me, but I think I'd like allies. It would be good to have someone to depend on."

This is my district partner? I'd been hoping that if I couldn't ally with some stronger tributes, I might be able to depend on Rhea for district loyalty, but honestly I don't want to have her with me in the Games. I feel bad for thinking it, but she'd weigh me down. She seems completely trapped in her own mind.

Avia can definitely sense I'm uncomfortable, because she taps me on the shoulder. "Timo, if you're done eating, you can head down to the Training Center early. It's open now, although you won't be able to start training until after the instructions are given."

Relieved, I bolt down the rest of the pastry Leonor gave me and rush out the door. It's not hard to make my way to the Training Center- there's a whole button for it in the elevator, and no doubt Peacekeepers would escort me there if I got lost.

As I rush through the huge double doors into the main training room, I suddenly become uncomfortable in the uniform I've been provided. The slick, athletic material of the jumpsuit suddenly feels like it's clammy and clinging to my clothes. There are a few other tributes here, the Careers clumped together and a few district pairs speaking in hushed whispers. I want to scrutinize them, maybe introduce myself and make a solid impression, but I can't focus on them.

It seems like a whole armory lines one side of the vast room, spears and swords and axes glinting coldly under the lights. Tables, training mats, and learning stations fill the rest of the room, but I can't pull my gaze off the weapons. There are so many. While I've used knives at work, I can't imagine using them to… kill.

"Aren't they beautiful?" a voice whispers in my ear. I whip around to see Syko, the boy from Six, leering at me.

"The weapons? Uh… I don't know. It kinda freaks me out, you know, the idea of fighting to kill."

Syko's grin only gets wider. "Oh, my dear fellow tribute, you fail to see the beauty in them! The glory and artistry of death!"

A chill runs down my spine. Something is very, very wrong here. Mentally, I cross Syko off my list of potential allies. "Is that how you see it?"

"Oh yes, Timoleon Cabrera. There is magic in the ending of human life. All these weapons are tools to create true masterpieces of violence! I immensely look forward to using them in the Games to end lives- perhaps even yours."

I gulp at Syko's words and try not to let him know that it feels like there's ice water in my veins. "Um… I go by Timo."

He nods. "Very well, Timo. Perhaps we will train together later, so I can demonstrate to you the wonder of killing!"

I slink away from him. It looks like all the tributes have arrived now.

"Tributes! Welcome to training!" a tall, dark-skinned woman steps onto a podium in the front of the room, and we all turn towards her. "My name is Kiriel, and I'm the moderator of the Training Center. I don't want to take much time away from you all, so listen closely. You have two full days of training, followed by a partial day of training and then private Gamemaker sessions. There will be no fighting with other tributes, only the provided Avox sparring partners and trainers. Avoid injury to the best of your ability- if you are hurt, you will be treated, but you will lose valuable training time. Make the most of your time here, since twenty-three of you will die shortly. Also, take note: not all deaths in the Games are by combat. Explore other training stations, so you will have a variety of skills in the arena. Natural causes are just as dangerous as your fellow tributes."

I take a deep breath, and shake my encounter with Syko out of my mind. I need to focus and get down to business.

SHARIF NAFTI, DISTRICT EIGHT MALE

Everyone scatters as soon as Kiriel steps away from her podium, and Inaya and I both veer away from the weapons. The Careers make a beeline for the racks of swords, and other tributes flit around them like ravens waiting for the wolves to abandon a meal. I have no desire to get in the middle of all that, and as Kyriel just said there's far more to training than combat skills.

"Where should we go first?" Inaya asks.

"I don't know, where do you think we should go?" We find ourselves at a momentary impasse, and I wish Amira was here. She would make a snap decision about where to go first, and I'd be able to trust her judgment. Inaya is pleasant enough, but too much like me when it comes to making choices. She hasn't asked me to be her ally officially, which suits me just fine. I don't think I could really trust anyone when it comes down to it, even someone from home. Then again, if she asks, I don't know if I'd be able to turn her down. I'm hoping that we'll both be too passive to say anything about it, and we'll drift apart over the course of the day.

"Umm… first aid feels like it would be a really valuable skill," Inaya decides, and we head over to the station.

There's a wide array of bandages, informational cards, anatomy tests, and other equipment at the station, and a different trainer for each section. I approach the bandage table without consulting Inaya, and she seems content to drift to one of the anatomy overview stations.

"There are plenty of skills to learn with bandages, ranging from types and location of bindings to how to come up with makeshift options in a high-stakes situation," the trainer launches into a prepared monologue, and I do my best pay attention. A high stakes situation. Can't they just say the arena? The Games? We all know what's coming.

Kiriel's speech echoes in my head. Twenty-three of you will die shortly. That's a grim way to put it, but of course it's the truth. Only one person goes home from here. I glance around at the Training Center, and the figures of the other tributes almost appear dreamlike. They don't feel real to me, not when it comes down to it. Will one of them kill me? Will I be able to kill any of them?

This all just feels like a bad dream, like I'll wake up and it'll be another misty morning in Eight and I'll make my way to the old watch tower like normal.

Normal. There's no such thing anymore.

I'm learning how to tie a tourniquet when I hear footsteps approaching from behind. I turn around and see Malek from Seven watching Inaya and I focus on our different tasks.

"Do you mind?" the trainer says, and I refocus on the bandages in my hands. Pull tight- no, tighter than that, around the dummy's thigh. "There you go. That would be sufficient to stop the bleeding. Next step, you'd have to figure out how to take care of the wound. I recommend going over to the anatomy table and learn about the major blood vessels." I nod and change locations, and I end up next to Inaya.

"I see you're both hard at work," Malek finally speaks up, "but do you mind if I join you? Y'all had the right idea about checking out the first aid station."

"That's fine," Inaya says. We exchange names and districts, even though I'm fairly certain I've memorized the names of all the tributes already. Without a Victor, District Eight has no mentor, so I've been trying to prepare by myself as much as I can. Our Capitol-assigned escort is no use whatsoever.

"So, how are you two feeling?" Malek asks.

I shrug, not really wanting to respond, but Inaya jumps into a conversation. "I mean, obviously not great, but as good as can be expected! The chariot rides were kind of scary. We were right behind you, though, and I think you did great."

Malek beams at her. "Really? Thank you! I wasn't expecting to like my costume as much as I did, but the stylists had fun with Aviva and me. I was still pulling leaves out of my dreads this morning, though!"

Inaya laughs, and I smile to myself. Her musical laugh sounds similar to Amira's.

Why the hell did I have to get Reaped? I miss home. I don't want to be here. It was my last Reaping. I was so close.

"You know, the two of you did pretty well yourselves during the Chariot Rides. You both kept your heads up, and had this really strong presence. I'm sure the sponsors will take note of that."

I finally turn to Malek head on. "Thanks. I appreciate your kindness, man." He smiles at me, and I can tell it's genuine. His eyes are just as kind as his words. Imagine that- finding a place for kindness in the Games. Malek strikes me as a good guy, someone who I might have actually hung out with at home. He's my age, too.

Fuck. I shut down any tendrils of curiosity that I have about the other tributes. If I want to make it home, they are going to die. And underneath Malek's kindness, I know he has to recognize that truth as well. There's no place for friendship in the Games. No place for getting to know others. I shut my mouth and go back to the anatomy information as Malek and Inaya keep chatting.

It almost hurts, to listen to their banter and not participate. I can't afford to get attached. I can't. Eventually, I abandon the first aid station and make my way to edible plants instead, where Aspen McKinley is sorting leaf models into careful piles.

Don't get attached, but there's no point in being rude or distant on purpose. "Hey, what's up?"

Aspen looks at me, startled. "You're one of the other tributes, right?"

What? "Yeah. Sharif, District Eight. Who… who else would I be?"

Aspen shrugs. "Sometimes I see things that aren't really there. It's because I have schizophrenia. Sometimes I also hear voices. Also, sometimes I act really weird. Sorry in advance."

Something about it doesn't sound right to me, but I don't know enough about schizophrenia to correct Aspen. I suppose he should know better than me anyway.

"Do you uh, mind? If I work here too? Not together necessarily. Just in the same station."

He shrugs. Works for me- no need to continue the conversation, and I can stick to myself as much as needed.

I start to absentmindedly flip through information about common plants, still keenly aware of Aspen's presence next to me and the distant conversation of Inaya and Malek.

It feels like no matter what I do, I won't be able to ignore the rest of the tributes and truly keep to myself. It feels like these training days are designed to get us used to each other… enough to assign faces to names, discern personalities, and come to terms with our imminent slaughter.

I don't know if I can do this.

CYRUS AUGUSTIN, DISTRICT TWO MALE

I can't lie, it feels fantastic to be part of the group that runs the show. Our group of six stands casually in front of the racks of spears, and other tributes meekly scurry around us to try their hands at weapons. Whenever we move, the lower districts rush to get out of our way. When we talk, we don't have to worry about staying quiet. It's a sweet deal.

"So what's the plan for today?" Eliana says, crossing her arms. Her blonde ponytail bounces over her shoulder as she looks around at the group.

"I don't know about you all, but I want to see what kind of skills everyone has going for them," Andros volunteers. "Especially in terms of the preferred weapons we all mentioned last night before the Chariot Rides."

"I agree," Caelle jumps in, locking eyes with Andros, "we should definitely work out who's best at what skills. When we get to the bloodbath, we need a mix of people fighting close range and long distance, and maybe one or two focused on gathering supplies. Covering all the bases will be the best way to get what we want. Besides, if we go in with specific tasks in mind, we won't all be grabbing for the same spear in the Cornucopia."

"We're a team!" I interject. Caelle, Andros, and Eliana look at me blankly, and prickling heat creeps up my face. Was that lame?

"Hell yeah!" says Shelby, "working together, I'm a fan. Definitely the smartest way to run things, Caelle!" She heartily claps my district partner on the shoulder, and Caelle briefly snaps out of her 'work mode' to smile. Thank goodness for Shelby, at least someone else around here knows how to have fun. I was worried that everyone in the alliance would be the same level of ultra-prepared and strict as Caelle.

Honestly, though, it's fine with me to let Caelle take the lead and organize everything. I didn't have the same strategy classes that she did at the academy, and I don't know if everyone would be too keen on a last-minute volunteer marching up and taking over everything.

Our mentors were shocked when I took my spot as volunteer, but it was too late for anyone to do anything. Agate looked like she was about to pop a blood vessel when I caved and told her about Klaus and Sabella, but we get along just fine.

I remember her advice- blend in, get along with the others because it's what I'm good at. The longer I stay in good standing with as many people as possible, the less likely it is I'll be the victim of a betrayal.

"The wait will be really long at some of these stations if we all go as one big group. Should we split up and spread out? Get to know each other a bit as we train?" I suggest.

"I'm not sure," Eliana furrows her brow as she speaks, "I want to see everyone's skills, not just one other person."

"It works for me!" Shelby chimes in.

"I like the idea of splitting up," Andros says, "and besides, we can always compare notes on each other later. As Cyrus said, we're a team. This is efficient."

Caelle nods, and Eliana relents. Time to pair off! I immediately look to Shelby, but she's already made eye contact with Eliana. Caelle and Andros are nodding at each other which leaves me with… Shark.

I sigh to myself. There's a reason the boy from Four wasn't a part of our morning check-in. I look over to the sparring ring, where he's already going to town on a dummy with a sword, hacking it to pieces.

Of everyone in the alliance, Shark is definitely the one I'm having some regrets about. Maybe, if I can keep on his good side, he'll play nice with me. If he doesn't see me as a threat, he'd probably consider killing me a little later. I can work with that.

"Shark! Buddy! Over here!"

With a grunt, he swings his sword once more at the dummy, slicing it fully in half. The lower part of the body goes flying and lands squarely at the feet of the pair from Eleven, who yelp in fear. Shark chuckles, pleased at the way he seems to be terrorizing the rest of the tributes.

"Hey, dude, let's train together. The two of us. Sound like a plan?" I nod to the trainer and grab a sword, joining Shark in the ring. Two Avoxes bring out more dummies, and I experimentally swing my sword a few times. Suddenly, I'm nervous, feeling oddly on display for the rest of the Training Center. "So, Shark, tell me more about yourself. How's Four?"

"I like to kill," he informs me before starting the same chaotic slice-and-dice on a fresh dummy. I grit my teeth. A great start. I'd heard of tributes who volunteered for the ability to freely murder, but that was frowned upon at the Academy. That's not the attitude Two wants in a Victor. "I am here to kill as many tributes as possible."

"Uh huh. That's fun."

"Do you?"

His question almost catches me off guard. "Uh… not really? I mean, I will, obviously, to win and all, but it's not… my… thing. You know?"

He stops hacking away and looks at me utterly confused. "You don't like to kill?"

"I mean… I haven't? I don't expect to enjoy it? It's just part of the deal, I guess. Not the reason I'm here." My mind is racing. Of course I don't like to kill. I'm good at combat and I know I'll have to kill to get home, but enjoying it? That's completely different. Is that weird? I'm normal, right? Shark's the odd one out. Right? What would the rest of my allies say?

"If you don't like it, why'd you volunteer?"

I hold back a joke about 'volunteer' being the first three-syllable word I've heard Shark say. "For a friend. For the district. It was the right thing to do."

He scoffs. At me- he's laughing at me. "Silly of you. These Games are not about being right. They're about killing."

"All right, dude." I let the conversation go and try to focus on training, but it's hard. I'm used to cracking jokes and messing around while I train, not just mindlessly attacking dummies. And I hate to admit it, but Shark's shaken me. His singlemindedness scares the hell out of me, and now I'm questioning if he may actually be right.

I take as much comfort as I can in the fact that he doesn't seem to have any technique in his methods, just ferocity. I can handle him. My mind shies away from the thought of killing now, but I know that it'll be necessary to get Shark out of the way quickly. With him around, there's no such thing as trust, safety, or teamwork.

ANDROS VALIER, DISTRICT ONE MALE

After throwing spears, Caelle invites me to show off my knife skills. My spear throwing isn't bad, but hers was a kill shot nearly every time. She even took to calling out the shot before she made it, and she routinely hit her predicted target.

Girl's got skills, I'll give her that. I can respect that. She also talked about her favorite weapon being swords and we haven't even touched those yet. I also know that since she's so good at long distance weaponry and attack combat, hand-to-hand defense will probably be a weak spot. She's been trained to be the offensive player in most situations, so playing defensively might be a struggle for her. When the time comes, if necessary, I'm confident that I could overpower Caelle. I'm pretty sure that, by size and muscle mass alone, I could probably overpower any of my alliance members. I can't let that thought give me false comfort, but it is good to know. Maybe I'll be able to make a more informed judgment on that after we take our turns with the hand-to-hand wrestling trainer.

"So, knives?"

I nod. "Switchblade. Keep it close range, and the weapon is easy to hold, conceal, and use."

Caelle smirks. "Surprising for a tall guy like you. I wouldn't expect you to be so agile in close quarters."

I shrug. "I've had a lot of practice. It's what I'm most comfortable with."

"Well, I'm one of the best knife fighters in Two, so we'll see how we match up. I kind of wish we could spar together." I raise my eyebrows at her claim. A spear thrower, a swordfighter, and a knife fighter? In One, they like us to spread our training time out but ultimately pick a specialty. If Caelle has multiple specialties, she'll be a truly deadly force. A valuable ally- and a dangerous opponent.

I'm almost disappointed that the realization doesn't spark any fear in me. Just the same old rationality as always.

I find a switchblade in the array of knives; Caelle chooses a ferocious looking dagger. Rather than working on dummies, I ask for a trainer. No point slicing up a dummy just to look threatening. I want to keep training, which means working with an opponent.

To start, we begin a sparring match that almost feels like a dance. No killing slashes or stabs, but precise parries and blocks. Caelle watches.

"What do you think about your district partner?" she asks.

"What?" It's hard to pull my focus away from the match at hand.

"Eliana. Do you know her? I know Cyrus from home a little- he wasn't supposed to volunteer, but he switched with the chosen guy at the last minute. He's smart, and good, but not as serious as we are. Your turn. What do you know about your district partner?"

"She's fucked in the head," I say without missing a beat in my sparring match.

Caelle's confusion is so strong I can actually sense it without looking at her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I exhale in annoyance and make a sudden twist with my blade, forcing the trainer away from me. Fight's over, I'm distracted. "Eliana's smart and well trained, but she's fucked up. She basically goes berserk. Last year-" I cut off abruptly as Eliana and Shelby start making their way over towards Caelle and me. Eliana's shameful treatment of her girlfriend is common knowledge in the Academy, although I doubt Eliana knows the extent of the rumors. Caelle should be aware of the danger that my district partner poses but- I don't want to be a gossip. That's not my place.

Caelle looks at me quizzically and then realizes that the other two girls are joining us. I step out of the ring to join the little circle. Cyrus is off elsewhere, presumably trying to wrangle the prodigal Shark.

"How's it going?" Shelby asks. I nod, letting the excitable District Four girl know all she needs to know.

"We wanted to talk about some of the other tributes," Eliana explains, "since we were noticing some interesting behaviors while we were training."

"Interesting. Such as?" I don't particularly care about the other tributes, which of them are making alliances or anything like that, since it's all immaterial to my return home, but I suppose it would be good to discuss in case it affects our strategy.

"First of all, the boy from Six. Syko. He's absolutely nuts!" Shelby exclaims. "We saw him nearly choke out one of the trainers, and the Peacekeepers had to pull him off!" Damn. I hadn't even noticed, I'd been too focused on my own work.

"And the two outer district girls who volunteered are spending a lot of time together," Eliana adds, "Valerie and Mary Sue. I don't know why they volunteered, but it's suspicious to me. There may be a risk of them forming a counter-alliance towards us. Mary Sue is also eerily good with a crossbow. If you ask me, she's a threat to be dealt with as soon as possible."

"Good information," Caelle says, "I agree. It'll be important to take out the big threats first, so there'll be fewer tributes who may be bold enough to clash with us."

"Anything else?" I ask.

"Nothing much of consequence. A few of the lower district pairs are staying close together, a few loners, not seeing any major threats. Nobody's given us any sass or gotten in the way, and aside from Mary Sue they've been reluctant to try out the weapons."

Shelby rolls her eyes. "Honestly, I think they're kind of boring! Tomorrow we should lay off the weapons to give them a chance to explore. Then we can actually see if any of them will be any fun."

"If any of them show promise, would we consider offering them a spot with us?" Eliana wonders aloud. The rest of us stare at her blankly, and she shrugs. "Shark is only part of our group nominally. Is there something we lack as a group that could be filled with another person?"

Caelle laughs. "I think we're fine the way we are. No room for any of these outer district weaklings."

I'm glad to hear something I agree with. "Besides, our goal is to get rid of them. And then, eventually, each other. I don't think we need to confuse that any more than necessary."

Shelby pales a little at my statement. Good. We all could use a reminder that we're only allies until working together outlives its usefulness.

LOREN ASOU, DISTRICT FIVE FEMALE

"Loren, I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be back soon," Kepler says, pushing himself away from the knot tying station and towards a side door. He leaves me with Neon and Everlyn, who we've been hanging around for most of the afternoon. Neon fiddles with some pieces of thread, looping them together and around each other into a complicated, tiny knot.

"Look at this! If this was wire, it would be the beginnings of a circuit board!" he exclaims proudly.

"That looks so cool!" I cheer, looking carefully at his work. The boy from Three is super smart, and he and Kepler have shared some intellectual banter during training.

"Wowie! That's super awesome!" Everlyn says, clapping her hands together. I smile, feeling somewhat maternal towards the twelve-year-old from Six. She's the youngest tribute here, and although she acts a little immature I like her. She's sweet, and too guileless to be anything but kind. She and Neon have been attached at the hip since early this morning, and they have an established alliance like Kepler and me.

I wrap a segment of rope around the provided bar, making an eye with one part and feeding the other end through. "Look! I did it, I got the bowline knot!"

Neon nods in approval at my work, and Everlyn squeals. She's doing nothing but tying bows in her piece of rope.

"We're doing all right, aren't we?" I ask my companions.

"You guys are great friends!" Everlyn says, "Neon, can Loren join our alliance? Kepler, too?"

Neon looks at me curiously. "What do you say, Loren? I think we all work well together. Are you in?"

"Um…" I wish they'd asked when Kepler was around, too, so we could all be together, but what's the harm? I like these two, and I'm sure Kepler does too. They're kind and clever, and I feel safe with them. I almost feel like a leader rather than a follower for once. We've spent hours with them, and I feel like I could spend hours more. They're not friends. Don't make friends. It's not smart to think of them like that. "Yes! Of course. I'm in."

"More allies!" Everlyn cheers. "Yay! We're going to be so great together!"

Kepler rejoins us, wiping his clean, damp hands on his shirt. "What'd I miss?"

Before any of us can answer, a loud alarm sounds through the Training Center. Weapons clatter to the ground as people drop what they're doing, and I drop my rope as well. Everyone turns to look around for the source of the noise.

"Tributes! The first day of training is over, please return to your quarters! And don't forget— tomorrow, every tribute will need to complete a mandatory run of the Gauntlet obstacle course in order for the Capitol to better assess odds of victory!" Kiriel announces. After bidding goodbye to Neon and Everlyn, Kepler and I walk quickly towards the exit together and manage to get an elevator to ourselves. As soon as the doors close, I turn to my district partner.

"Kepler, I want to join with Neon and Everlyn." I expect him to agree, but he balks. "What's wrong?"

He pushes the button for our floor, but doesn't turn to look at me. "Nothing! I mean- they're not bad people I'm sure, but I just don't think they're great allies. They're both so young."

"Neon's only one year younger than me, you know. And yeah, Everlyn is little, but they deserve a chance, don't they?"

Kepler stutters trying to find a response, but can't come up with proper words. Oh no. My plan seems to be falling apart.

"I already said yes to them, Kepler! I thought you'd agree. Neon is smart, he'd be useful to work with!"

Kepler frowns. "The thing is, I didn't agree. You made that choice without talking to me at all, and frankly I don't want that many allies. I thought we'd consider adding one more person once we had talked about it, not randomly decide to babysit!"

"Babysit? You're so rude!"

"I'm just being rational, Loren! We're from Five, we have that in common, but what do they really have to offer that we don't already have?"

"Just because we're from the same district doesn't mean we get along. I'm starting to think that Neon and Everlyn are much nicer than you are!"

"Nice won't keep you alive, will it? I want to live, do you?"

"Fine! If you don't want to be our ally, you don't have to be." The words leave my mouth almost before I'm aware of what I've said. I've never offered an ultimatum like that before.

My district partner shrinks, looking at me with sad eyes. It's easy for me to forget that he's two years older than me and not my age. "You're really so set on Neon and Everlyn?"

I nod fiercely. This isn't the time to follow along with whatever else people want- I have to do what I want, and I already told Neon and Everlyn I'd be their ally. I don't want to break that promise, or my agreement with Kepler. But if Kepler makes the choice… so be it.

"Then… I don't think I can join you."

"Kepler, I don't want you to be alone. You don't have to quit, you know? It's not a choice between you or them."

He bites his lip. "I know, Loren. And I'm not offended, really. I just don't think it's smart. And none of us can afford to make any decisions we aren't certain about."

"I understand. No hard feelings, right?"

"Right." He can't quite look me in the eye, and I start to feel guilty. I didn't kick him out, he chose to go alone instead of sticking with the rest of us. Besides, our alliance on the train was made before we knew any of the other tributes. It's okay for things to change, right?

I sure hope so.

MALEK TREVELIAN, DISTRICT SEVEN MALE

As Aviva and I step off the elevator and into our temporary apartment, my mentor Holland swarms me immediately. "How'd it go? What happened today? Who all did you talk to? Did you try any weapons?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "It's been a long day, can I get some dinner before we analyze everything that's happened to me?" Linden, the other Seven mentor, nods and motions for the Avoxes to bring out food for us. In mere minutes, a feast is laid out on the table and I have to hold back from rushing to devour it. Better to pace myself. There's the old Trevelian table etiquette popping out even when I haven't been to a dinner party in years.

Aviva loads her plate up with heaps of steak, amply seasoned vegetables, and warm pale bread. I take smaller portions of everything- there will always be plenty remaining. They want us to live in luxury for now.

After I swallow a few bites and my hunger begins to subside, I start to consider Holland's questions.

"I tried to talk to a lot of tributes today." Both mentors nod sagely and I realize they're waiting for me to continue.

"Well, I made an alliance," Aviva cuts me off. I thought it was clear I was still talking? Oh well. "I trained with the girl from Three, Althea. I was throwing axes and she complimented my form, and then we worked together with swords in the afternoon. She asked me to ally with her and I agreed, because we're both strong and tough. She's eighteen and I think she's funny in a mean way. I think I'll win. I may be from lowly District Seven, but I was born to win."

I try not to make a face at her. Lowly Seven? That's rude.

Linden's thin smile disappears, and I know she's thinking similar things. "Well, I'm glad you made a connection, Aviva. It's good to find someone who can have your back, and equally smart to be forward-thinking about your mental endurance. That will serve you well, I'm sure."

"Malek? You were saying?" I smile gratefully at Holland, who makes room for me to continue what I was saying earlier.

"I tried to introduce myself to most of the tributes today. Not the trained ones, of course. Like you told us, they're a bit much of a threat to go making myself known to right away. But most of the others I talked to at least a little bit."

"And?"

I take another bite of my dinner to avoid answering right away. What do I say? I didn't ask anyone to be my ally, and I didn't receive any offers. It's too soon to make decisions like that. I may have made some good first impressions, but I don't know any of the other tributes. I won't really get to know anyone adequately in the time we have for training. If I choose any allies, I'll have to choose without knowing if I can actually trust them. The thought scares me, but being alone scares me even further. At least with allies, there'll be someone who can watch my back. Someone who I won't have to call an enemy.

"I've definitely seen some people pair off. Kepler and Loren from Five are together, and so are Calandra and Redmond from Eleven. Neon from Three and Everlyn from Six paired up early in the day, but that's okay because I didn't really want to ally with the younger tributes. Valerie and Mary Sue have been spending a lot of time together- I think they could have some good skills, but they're intimidating."

"Anyone you liked? Anyone you didn't like?"

"Syko is off-the-walls crazy, that's for sure. Aspen from Ten is kind of… off… as well." It's far easier to figure out who I know I don't like instead of figuring out who I do get along with. Process of elimination, really.

Linden glances over a list of tributes that she keeps close. "That leaves… Eight and Nine, and the boy from Twelve. Thoughts there?"

I think of Inaya, who I spent most of the morning with, and her solemn district partner Sharif. Timo, who I tried to engage in a footrace but he was dead-set on beating his rock climbing time. Rhea, who seemed very sad all day. Gareth, who everyone knows as the tall one, who was kind to me as we read about water purification together.

"I liked the pair from Eight the best out of everyone, I think."

"Potential allies?"

I shrug. "I don't know yet. I don't know them well enough." Inaya reminded me just enough of Sanna to put me at ease, but I don't know anyone here. I can't put all my eggs in one basket at this point. They could all easily turn on me, just like Martell and the rest of my upper class friends after my family's fall from grace. Just like my almost-friends in the impoverished part of the district, who used me to get what they wanted from the elite. One wrong move with any allies I choose and I could end up stabbed in the back. Literally.

Holland laughs. "There's no time to get to know people, Malek. Pick someone you think you could trust and buckle in, or be ready to go it alone. The longer you take to decide, the bigger chance that only the outcasts will be left open to alliances."

I hate how right my mentor is. I don't have the luxury of taking my time here. All I can do is hope that people aren't putting up a front when I talk to them, and hope that my instincts are right.

Would it be better to stay by myself? No one could double-cross me that way, but I wouldn't have any support in the Arena. If I want allies and I wait too long, I'll end up an outcast, as Holland put it. Is that my fate? Speak to everyone, liked by no one?

"How am I supposed to choose the right allies? Is there a way to figure out who's best?" I'm desperate for anything that could lead me in the safest direction.

"It's luck," Linden says. I've only heard stories of the very first Games, where Linden was one of the only tributes willing to kill in order to survive. "Sometimes you can choose strategically- who has skills that you don't?- but sometimes it's stumbling into the ones who you think won't kill you in your sleep. Malek, you're strong enough to hold your own- find the ones who can give you some kind of comfort. And find them soon, if you want to spend meaningful time with them before the arena."

There's no way to win but by moving fast, which of course is the one thing I don't want to do. That's not how I've learned to trust people. Hasty choices could kill me.

I don't want to be the outcast any more. Any choice could kill me, no matter how fast or slow. It's been a long time since I was able to trust my gut. I have to be ready to go all in, even if I'm not absolutely certain. And that scares the hell out of me.

This is a long A/N. Sorry not sorry! Let's have a warm welcome for the filler tributes! Here's a shorthand list of who they are and what's up with them:

D3M, Neon Tesla: Satire of common district stereotypes (in this case, the nerdy D3M) and overly-District-related names.

D4M, Shark Mason: Satire of 'killer Career', who only exists as a threat and for the joy of killing. One note, with no variation or depth. Also an example of a bad District name.

D6F, Everlyn Maude: Stereotypical 'Little' tribute who acts much younger than a teenager. Exists to provide some sweetness to the story, but everyone knows they have no chance of survival. Sometimes a clone of Rue.

D6M, Syko Le Heisenberg: Based on the sadistic outer-district tributes that are essentially designed to be plot devices. No opportunity for development, but often will be used as an antagonist. Often, interesting to the point of distraction.

D7F, Aviva Nightshade: On the blog, an example of poor weaknesses, since they are only physical and not actually character flaws. Satire of tributes who are 'designed to win', usually outer district girls who are far tougher than expected but still somehow lack a personality. A lesson in 'please make good characters for the sake of the story, rather than just trying to get a Victor'.

D9F, Rhea Greer: Satire of tributes who have horribly tragic backstories and no personality to back it up. Designed to garner sympathy. Also an example that blog post quality doesn't equal tribute quality- her blog post blended in with the normal tributes, but in person she is clearly a sad excuse for a 'person'.

D10M, Aspen McKinley: A gimmick tribute. He is entirely based around poorly-researched and ill-written schizophrenia. Often, conditions such as mental illness, sexuality, physical disability, or other things seen as 'abnormal' in society will be added to a tribute to make them stand out at the cost of a well-developed character. Also, a commentary on strangely specific weapons of choice.

D12F, Mary Sue Jamison: The name says it all. She's overpowered, with few weaknesses and unfair strengths. Also a clone of Katniss, as she uses a (cross)bow, and is a D12F who volunteers for her little sister. She's designed to stand out and be able to physically hold her own, but doesn't have a nuanced or original personality/history to back her up.

Some writing tips!

What are alliances really for? Development, growth, and potential. Consider tactical reasons for allies, not just friends. What makes sense for the story you want to tell? There are no right or wrong answers, as long as you come up with a reason why they happen that's in line with tribute personalities. Plots are what you want them to be! Take charge of your story!

Training is useful because it sets up interactions and future opportunities. All 24 tributes are 'up to something' all day long, but as a writer you have to pick and choose what scenes are most important for the audience to see and what can be dismissed or referred to later. What is most important? What helps your story go in the direction you want it to take? Obviously, the formation of alliances is a major part of training, but it can also be really cool to see a lot of tribute interactions that don't result in alliances. The opportunities are endless.

Confirmed alliances so far:

1- Eliana, Andros, Caelle, Cyrus, Shelby, Shark

2- Calandra, Redmond

3- Neon, Loren, Everlyn

4- Aviva, Althea

And lastly, questions.

What weirdly specific weapon would you claim in training?

What's one thing you're proud of right now?

Drop a review and let me know!