...and Timber

Dahlia Redwood, District Seven female (18)

Obviously I wanted allies. Last year had taught all of us enough outliers together could overwhelm the Careers. However bombastic and cloying the "circus alliance" might have been, they got the job done. I needed some allies of my own. I didn't expect an ally to find me first.

"Dahlia!" I heard my District partner calling in the cafeteria and turned around to see him eagerly waving as he ran after me. ""Wait up!"

"What, are our mentors calling a meeting?" I asked, annoyed at the interruption.

"No, just me," Timber said. "I was wondering if maybe... you were looking for allies?"

"I might be," I said dismissively. "So what?"

"Maybe we could be allies," Timber said. He was wringing his hands nervously as he fidgeted about. I saw the blush on his cheeks and realized what this was about.

"Really?" I asked, putting on a fake flattered smile. "You want to be allies with me?"

"Yeah, a hundred percent!" Timber said, his face lighting up. It must be hard, caring so much about other people. I kept my eyes on the prize. A boyfriend could come along if he didn't get in the way but he was a fringe benefit, not a goal.

"Actually I kept peeking at you on the train, but I was too nervous to say anything," I said. I was lying, of course. There was no reason to pay any attention to someone like Timber. But if I had an admirer I was going to press my advantage. It never hurts to have someone willing to defend you.

"No way, I was totally looking at you, too," Timber said. Poor thing, it was clear he was already head over heels for me. If I didn't have a boyfriend at home I'd even give him a chance. But then, Jay had tried that little stunt with the false accusations. I wasn't sure there was enough reprisal in the world for something like that. Maybe I needed a boyfriend for Seven and another boyfriend for the Capitol. If Jay couldn't handle it he didn't deserve me.

"You'll take care of me, right? When we're in the Arena? I was so scared thinking about that," I said. It really was endearing when boys tried to "protect" you, as long as they weren't controlling about it.

"Of course! I already made a bunch of plans. You think we should get some more allies? I thought we might be safer in a group," Timber said.

"Perfect, I was thinking the same thing," I said. "I was going to ask Romeo. He seems to know how to get what he wants."

Timber glanced in his direction nervously. I was afraid he might object and we'd have to have our first fight already. "He looks kind of scary to me but I guess that would make sense," he said.

"Great! You can see who else we could maybe ask, or else practice with some weapons for when we get attacked in the Bloodbath," I said. I just hoped he didn't actually find anyone. I didn't want to have to deal with whoever someone like Timber thought would be a good ally.

Timber rushed off, full of zeal to protect his girlfriend, and I smiled after him. It hadn't been my plan to ask someone like him to ally but I found myself thinking back to the circus alliance again. So many of them had lasted so far into the Games, and why was that? Because the Careers trimmed off the extra members and left the strongest and most deserving behind. Who was that one of theirs who had died in the Bloodbath? Emma? There was no point in remembering her. People like that were nothing but Bloodbath fodder so people like me could make it to the end.

Romeo Auto, District Six male (18)

"Yeah I want allies and stuff, but more importantly, how do I get Valencia back?" I asked my mentor. Lancia was a chick. She'd know chick things.

"Ask her," Lancia shrugged.

"I tried. She's so impossible. She says she doesn't want me. That's bull. Everyone wants me," I said.

"For your sparkling wit and modesty?" Lancia asked, leaning back in her chair as we sat around the Six lounge table ostensibly discussing strategy. We were discussing strategy. It just wasn't Hunger Games strategy. I hardly even needed that. It wouldn't do to be arrogant and assume everyone else would just lie down and die, but there wasn't much more about war I could learn in three days that I hadn't learned in a lifetime.

"Whatever. I know it's arrogant but I have a lot to offer. I'm rich, I've been told I'm handsome, and I'm a good boyfriend," I said.

"Then why did she break up with you?" Lancia asked. I didn't know why she had to be so obtuse. Wasn't my mentor supposed to help me? It was a stroke of luck that Lancia generally did double mentoring duty since our other Victors were both addicts. She'd be with Valencia all day and could help me out.

"Okay, I have some flaws," I said. "I might have come on a little too strong. But I said I was sorry. Can't she give me a break?"

"Sounds like you're not the only one who wants a break," Lancia said.

"What's your problem? I'm just trying to get my girl back," I said. She wouldn't talk to me like that if we were back in Six, I thought idly. I wasn't going to try anything, of course, since Lancia was a celebrity and protected by the Capitol. But back in Six people treated me with respect.

"And what does she want?" Lancia prodded.

"I don't know, that's why I thought I'd ask a woman," I said.

"You're just really digging yourself in deeper, aren't you?" Lancia sighed. "I have no idea what Valencia wants in a man, because I'm not Valencia. Do you think we're one big hivemind? What, we just all like the same things? I don't know what Valencia wants in a man but I can tell you now, having barely spoken to her, that she broke up with you because you thought of her as a girlfriend and not a person."

Wow, am I really that shallow? Did everyone really think that about me? Was that really what Lancia thought? That I was a loser? A tryhard wannabe? I wouldn't have it. I would kill anyone who said that about me... other than Lancia, but that was just because it would be too much heat.

"I want to change her mind," I said. "I have to be able to somehow."

"You're so close," Lancia sighed again. "This isn't about changing her mind. It's about changing yours."

"Yeah, I'll work on that, too. But how should I start changing her mind? Like, being a better boyfriend and all that?" I asked.

"Well I tell you what," Lancia said, rifling around in her purse. "Don't do what you've been doing- following her around everywhere and pestering her. That's how you get your ex to ask me to request one of these." She handed me the paper and I read the top line.

TEMPORARY ORDER FOR PROTECTION AGAINST STALKING, AGGRAVATED STALKING OR HARASSMENT

YOU, THE ADVERSE PARTY, ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT ANY INTENTIONAL VIOLATION OF THIS ORDER IS A CRIMINAL VIOLATION and can result in your immediate arrest or issue of an arrest warrant...

"Are you for real right now?"

Anjou Corriente, District Ten male (18)

"It really sucks that Rainbow got roped into this too, but at least I can protect her and we can get back together," I said to Calvary after she'd finished a lesson about Capitol table manners. She'd expressed at the beginning how very much she hated etiquette, but she said it was a necessary evil if we wanted any sponsors. I would have thought she'd teach me fighting stuff but oh well.

"Ugh. Last thing she needs is you giving her more trouble," Calvary said, wrinkling her nose.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" I asked. I'd always been good to Rainbow. Maybe she couldn't see that because she was too immature, but I was a respectable guy. I'd still do right by her.

"The last thing that mixed-up child needs is her gross predator sniffing around her again," Calvary said.

"I'm not a predator!" I said. Geez, what's she on? What had Rainbow been telling her about me?

"How long were you and Rainbow together?" Calvary asked.

"Three months, and it would have been longer but she broke up with me. I didn't dump her or anything," I said.

Calvary did some mental math on her fingers in what struck me as a very performative manner. "Maybe you can help me out here. Rainbow's birthday was a month ago, right?"

"Yeah, I sent her some flowers. I don't know if she took them, but at least she didn't send them back," I said. See? I do nice things for her.

"One more thing," Calvary said. "What's that word we use for adults who are into children?"

I felt my cheeks go red. "It wasn't like that. It wasn't like that at all," I started.

"What was it like. What, exactly, kind of pedophilia was it like?" Calvary asked, her voice dripping with acid.

"She'd hit puberty!" I said. Something hit me all at once and I cringed back before Calvary even replied.

"That's your defense? It wasn't exactly pedophilia? How comfy with that stuff do you have to be that one degree off is perfectly fine?" Calvary said, jabbing her finger at me throughout.

"I guess... maybe I should have waited a while," I said quietly. Is that really what I am? I mean... I was eighteen. She was thirteen, only for a few months but still. I thought of the nightmare boogeyman our parents all threatened us with if a man ever asked us to "help find his puppy" when we were little. But they don't really ask you to help find their puppy all the time, do they? Sometimes... they say they're your boyfriend.

I never slept with her, I came to my own defense. But you wanted to, I accused myself back. The only reason I hadn't was because after I nagged for a while, Rainbow broke up with me. See, I'm not a rapist... because my victim got away...

Calvary had been saying some acerbic diatribe, but I'd been too deep in my thoughts to hear. It must have been really something, based on her expression.

"Okay," I said. "I think maybe you're right. I should probably leave Rainbow alone for a while," I said.

"What?" Calvary asked, stopped mid-insult by my sudden surrender.

"Who wants a girlfriend that young?" I said, tossing my hand like it was a silly thought I never would have entertained. "Ew. And I should focus on the Games anyway."

Calvary looked at me with suspiciously narrowed eyes. "Right, then," she said. "I guess we'll see if you mean it."

I did mean it, thank you very much. I still cared deeply about Rainbow and wanted to make sure she was all right and didn't go astray, just like I cared about Violet and all my other past flames. I could still give them advice and help them when they needed some maturity in their lives. Just, maybe I could be a big brother, not a boyfriend. I guess it wouldn't kill me to go after someone only one or two years younger than me.

Timber Faldun, District Seven male (17)

There was so much to be impressed by in the Capitol. Even the Capitol itself was impressive. I'd gone to the very bottom floor to look outside and it was just mind-blowing. There were buildings as far as I could see. They blotted out half the sky, they were so tall. And there were signs everywhere, all neon and flashing and some of them moving or 3-D. It must be so incredible living in a place like this.

"Is all of the Capitol this cool?" I asked Paul when we next met up. "It just goes on like this for miles and miles?"

"Pretty much. All noise and crowds and metal everywhere. Not a tree in sight except in their fancy parks," Paul said, clearly much less impressed.

"I suppose it gets old after a while but I don't see how I could ever get tired of it," I said, still thinking about a building-sized sign I'd seen with half a dozen moving characters.

"You wanna go out and see it?" Paul asked.

"What? I can do that?!" I jumped.

"It's not exactly allowed but no one cares as long as you don't run. If I go with you and we just stand right outside the building no one will get mad," Paul said.

I was so impatient I ran down ten flights of stairs after the elevator didn't come the second I pushed the button. I got there ahead of Paul and leaned against the wall wheezing until he arrived.

"Woah, tiger. It's still going to be there in five minutes," Paul said.

"Come on, let's go!" I said, rushing for the door.

"You just better not run for it, kid. They'll kill me and probably my whole family." Everything Paul had said was technically true but he clearly didn't think I was going to run for it.

It was surprising how open it felt just outside the Games building. I'd been three feet away from where I was standing when I was on the other side of the door but outside was a whole different world. I could smell the city smells of trash and a food cart somewhere and exhaust from cars.

"How do they even make something that big?" I marveled as I looked at the buildings so high I had to crane my neck to see the top.

"A lot of workers and a lot of time, I guess," Paul remarked.

"That's so much material. That must be why the Twos and Twelves are strong a lot," I said.

"Yeah, not much wood here. No accounting for taste," Paul said.

"Where does everyone live?" I asked. I hadn't seen any houses. Were they underground?

"Those buildings," Paul said, pointing at one. "Some of them are apartment buildings."

Ew, I wouldn't like that at all. Some of those buildings were all apartments? Just floors and floors and floors of little houses? I could have a thousand neighbors and not know any of them. What a horrible, impersonal way to live. And what if I lived on the fiftieth floor and there was a fire? My stomach dropped at the thought of a building falling over under me so I fell fifty stories with it.

"I think I like the houses in Seven more," I said tactfully.

"Tell me about it," Paul said. "I guess even the rich have their problems. Not that the really rich ones live around here."

If I was rich I'd build a house in Seven, I thought. I wondered if Capitolites were allowed to do that. They probably were. They probably had fancy fenced towns somewhere in the Districts that we weren't allowed to go in. It would sure beat living here. The Capitol was a nice place to visit but I could already see I wouldn't want to live here.

Fun fact: Why is Calvary teaching etiquette instead of weapons? Because she hates Anjou, that's why. And also it would be really hard to get a restraining order for a Districter, especially in this short of time, so Lancia totally drew up a cool-looking fake one after googling images just like I did.